USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 80
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" Michigan was as well adapted to pioneer life as any country in the world, with the exception of fever and ague. The country was diversified with timbered land, prairies, openings, and marshes, the latter affording hay with which to winter the stock. The openings only had to have the trees girdled and broken up in order to produce good erops. Wild game and fish were abundant. The prairies and openings were first settled. The principal difficulties to overcome were the ague and the distance to mill and market, many having to go to Detroit for their supplies. After this the railroad came to Jackson, which was then their nearest market. It then took three days to go to mill and return. One of these pioneers, living in Colon, ground corn in a coffee-mill, which was all a family of seven or eight had to live on for a week. Others made a cavity in a solid stump, into which the corn was placed and pounded to meal by a pestle. A combination of economy and industry are sure roads to wealth and influence. In point I instance the Wagners, of Colon. The eldest son of the family came there with barely money enough to enter 160 acres of land, at $1.25 per acre, in 1835 or 1836. He erected a log cabin, and the hardware used in its construc- tion cost less than $2. As soon as this was done the bal- ance of the family followed with barely money enough to get there. In 1850 the family was worth from $30,000 to
$10,000. This accumulation was made after supporting a family of eighteen children. (Mr. Wagner was twice married, and had nine children by each wife.) My unele came here in 1836, and brought with him $4000 and a family of healthy boys, four of whom were able to do the work of as many men. I remember his saying to me, in 1845, ' There is Mr. Turner, whose family is about the size of mine, who came here at the same time that I did, with barely money enough to get here; to-day he is worth as much money as we are.' I saw one of Mr. Turner's sons the other day, and he told me that he struck the first blow in Matteson.
" In those days the new-comer was hailed with delight. All the capital he needed was two strong arms to wield the axe or guide the breaking-plow. If he brought a family with him there was plenty of wild land he could buy on time. The neighbors would club together and help him put up a log cabin. All that was needed to be bought was a few pounds of nails, to make a door and case a window, and twelve lights of 8 by 10 glass, and he had as good a house as his neighbor. The door was hung with wooden hinges and a wooden latch. Girls and boys went to danees with ox-teams. If a man chaneed to have a horse or pony he would make a pung or jumper out of poles, put on a crockery erate for a box, and have a grand time sleigh-riding. I do not know but the young folks enjoyed themselves then as well as they do now. Neighborhoods extended for miles. Men would go from three to five miles to help a man raise a log cabin. When a frame barn was raised it was eonsid- ered a holiday. They would get together at an early hour, some going at least five miles. The barn was generally raised in the space of two hours or less, and a game of ball, jumping, wrestling, etc., followed, then refreshments were served, after which they went home, feeling that they had a good time.
" A few sheep were kept by the early settlers, and their wool was carded and spun, a few pounds of cotton yarn purchased for warp, and the wool and cotton woven together for clothing. There was many a poor woman made quite a comfortable living with her loom. She generally took produce for her pay, sometimes getting an order on the store; and by those that lived in the timber, maple-sugar and anything she could make use of in the family was taken for pay. Barter was the general custom of the country. Men paid for breaking up the openings with steers or oxen. Maple-sugar was swapped for pork, corn, or wheat ; lumber and shingles for produce ; oxen, cows, or horses were taken by the mechanie for the building of houses or barns. Wheat was about the only thing that brought money, and for that they were sometimes forced to take part store pay. I have heard men tell of drawing wheat from the town of Sherwood to Jackson, and selling it for 35 cents per bushel, and having to take half their pay in goods out of the store, and the rest in wild-cat money. We talk of being taxed to death. Think of drawing wheat from forty to eighty miles and selling it for from 35 to 50 cents per bushel, and paying from 124 to 25 cents for prints, 12 to 15 cents for brown sugar, from 75 cents to $1 for tea. and having to give from 4 to $ bushels of wheat for a pair of coarse boots, and those hardly worth bringing home ; or going six to ten
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
miles with a few dozen eggs, and having to sell them for 4 cents per dozen, and pay four times as much for goods as we do now !
" What would the young married folks think of going in the woods and throwing up a log cabin, covering it with shakes, and building a stone baek wall and a stick chimney for a fireplace ; constructing a table out of a dry goods box ; making their bedsteads out of poles and using bark for cords, and slabs with holes bored in the poles or sticks for legs ? This is the way many of the first settlers commenced in Michigan."
To those who have aided in the compilation of the fore- going sketch are returned sineere obligations. Among them are Robert Watson, Oliver B. Culver, Hiram Gardner (since deceased) and wife, James O. Johnson, C. C. Ben- nett, Mrs. Comfort Thompson, and others. A few items have been taken from the articles published during the winter of 1878-79 in the Coldwater Republican, and the existing records and other sources of information, have been consulted. It is confidently believed that the history of the township will prove generally satisfactory.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
AMOS GARDNER.
Samuel Gardner was a native of Vermont, and when a young man emigrated to New York, and with his wife set- tled on a farm in Otsego County, where he lived all his life, dying at an advanced age. He reared a family of five children, named Mehitable, David, Iliram, Edward, and Benjamin. Hiram was born Dee. 12, 1805, at the old home in Burlington, Otsego Co. He was reared a farmer, and obtained a good education, and when a young man taught school for a number of terms. In 1830, at the age of twenty-five years, he was married to Pamelia, daughter of Amos Matteson, who was afterwards one of the first set- tlers in the township that bears his name in Branch County.
In 1836, Hiram came to Michigan, purchased two hun- dred and forty acres of government land in the township of Matteson, and the following year moved his family and settled on his new land, where he has ever since resided, and where the venerable old pioneer couple are still liv- ing. They are the parents of eight children, named Dewitt, Amos, Samuel, Diadamia, Jonas, Delia, Celinda, and Pamelia, who are all living except Dewitt and Dia- damia. Amos was born at the old Otsego home, in New York, March 18, 1833. Having been reared on the new farm in Matteson, his advantages for obtaining an education in his boyhood were limited indeed, so far as a book education went; but ehopping, logging, and clearing up his father's new farm, and afterwards his own, devel- oped a strong, robust, physical capacity, which, united to more than ordinary natural mental endowments, have made him a man of much consideration and influence in his locality. Ile remained at home with his father until he was twenty-one years of age, when he worked out by the month for a year or two, and then. in 1856, went to lowa,
where he spent a few months ; thence he went to Kansa where he took up some land, and made some improvement Ile then sold out and returned to Michigan, and work his father's farm on shares for the next three years. F then made a purchase of one hundred acres of wild lar adjoining his father's farm in the town of Matteson, ar on Jan. 1, 1863, he was united in marriage to Miss Elle A., daughter of Eri Whelan and Hannah Whelan, old se thers of Lenawee Co., Mich. By purchases he added his farm, until now it eonsists of two hundred and for acres of finely-cultivated, fertile lands, well adapted to tl production of all kinds of grain, grass, and fruit. M Gardner has been very successful as a farmer, and he al pays much attention to the rearing of stock. He is he in high esteem in his town, and is at this time serving h seventh term as supervisor. His wife, who is a remarkab intelligent and fine-looking lady, has borne him three eh dren, named Ella M., Gertrude B., and Donna Inez.
By reference to other pages of this work may be four a large double-page view of the farm of Amos Gardne and the portraits of himself and wife.
JAMES O. JOHNSON.
Adam Johnson, the grandfather of our subjeet, was bor in 1750, and when a very young man, at the commene ment of the war between the Colonies and the Britis government, became a refugee from Nova Scotia. H escaped from the British authorities, joined the patri forces, and fought all through that great struggle. At tl close of the war he was married, and became the father five children. He died in 1804, at fifty-five years of ag His son James was born Oct. 14, 1790, was reared a farme and on the 22d day of November, 1815, was married Sarah Ashley, of Fair Haven, Vt. They emigrated from Vermont to Ohio in 1825, and in 1841 they came Michigan and settled on a farm in the township of Matt son. He afterward moved into the village of Union, wher in 1865, he died, at the age of seventy-five years. H wife died the same year, at the age of seventy-one. The were the parents of four children, named Fanny A., Betse E., James O., and Francis R. Of these only James an Francis are now living. Francis resides on his farm in th town of Sherwood, Branch Co.
James O. was born April 16, 1820, at Castleton, V He received a fair education in the common Englis branches, was brought up a farmer, remained with an assisting his father until his majority, and for many year after continued with his father, all living and workin together as one family.
July 25, 1843, he was united in marriage to Miss Sara Lindley, of Brunswick, Medina Co., Ohio, and the nex year he settled ou a farm of his own in the township Matteson. Oct. 30, 1854, he mourned the death of hi wife and loved companion. She was the mother of fou children, named Ilomer F., Adelaide, Francis M., an Rollin A. July 15, 1855, he filled the vacancy in his hom by a marriage with Miss Julia Lindley, a sister of his firs wife, by whom he has had four children, named James M Sarah E., Laura 11., and Etta L. In 1850 he went t
RES. OF ROLLIN A.JOHNSON.
OLD HOMESTEAD, BUILT IN 1841.
J. O. JOHNSON .
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2
RESIDENCE OF JAMES
PHOTOS. BY E KINDMARK
RES. OF HOMER F. JOHNSON .
MRS. J. O. JOHNSON
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NSON, MATTESON, BRANCH CO., MICH.
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
California, where he remained three years. lle is the owner of four hundred and forty aeres of magnificent farm- ing land, which he and his enterprising sons manage sue- cessfully. In addition to farming Mr. Johnson pays much attention to the rearing of fine improved stock, both in cattle and horses, being at this time the owner of one of the finest Norman stallions in the State, and for which he has obtained many premiums. Mr. Johnson has been for many years an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, and whether as entered apprentice, master, companion, or
member of the council, he has ever been regarded by the craft as a good man.
Mrs. Julia Johnson was born at Brunswick, Medina Co., Ohio, on the 30th of July, 1822. She has been an honored member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over thirty-five years, and has borne her full share of life duties to her husband and children. We are able to pre- sent our patrons a fine view, on another page of this work, of the home and farm of another old settler of Branch County.
Photos, by E. Kindmark, Coldwater.
JESSE MEREDITIL.
MRS. JESSE MEREDITH.
JESSE MEREDITHI.
While the quiet, unassuming citizen, the toiling, honest farmer, who remains at home and attends to his own business, never pushing himself forward in political strife, or ques- tionable schemes of speculation, may be overlooked and unnoticed in the pages of general history, it is proper that in a work of this kind some of the real representatives of the people should have a place. Of this class may be men- tioned Jesse Meredith, who was a native of Pennsylvania. Ilis father's family emigrated to Ohio when he was a young man, where they were engaged in farming in Summit County. lle was born on the 5th day of April, 1812, was reared a farmer, which occupation he followed through life, and he remained single until quite late in life, when he was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Sessions, who was born on the 6th of January, 1818. They were married on the 6th day of February, 1848. Two years after his marriage he removed to Michigan, and settled on a farm in the town- ship of Matteson, two miles north of the village of Bron- son, in Branch County. Their first house was, as usual in those days, constructed of logs, and they passed through all the transitions from a pioneer commencement of chopping, logging, and clearing off the forest, to the beautiful eulti- vated fields, orchards, and comfortable residence and out- buildings of to-day. Mr. Meredith was in poor health for many years before his death, which occurred Sept. 1, 1871, at the age of fifty-nine years, leaving his widow in com-
fortable circumstances. They have one child, named Dora, who is married and has two children. She resides ou the old home-farm, with her mother. Mrs. Meredith has con- tributed the portraits of herself and deceased husband to this work, as a memento of his unblemished life and character.
ASHLEY TURNER.
The ancestors of Mr. Turner were among the carly settlers of New England. Nathaniel Turner, the father of Ashley, was a native of Massachusetts, and when a young man went to Ontario Co., N. Y., and settled in the town of Victor, where he was married to Miss Asenath Culver. He pur- chased a farm and remained there until 1835. when he and his eldest son came to Michigan in quest of a location for their future home. They were accompanied by Abiathar Culver, an unele of young Turner. They arrived in Michi- gan, June, 1835, and made a selection in the present town- ship of Matteson, about nine miles northwest of the pres- ent village of Bronson. The Turners bought of the govern- ment one hundred and sixty acres, and Culver bought two hundred and eighty acres. After making their selection, the elder Turner and Culver returned to New York for their families, leaving Ashley to make a beginning ou their new land. He commenced by cutting the logs for a house, which was the first stroke ever made in the township with a view to a permament settlement. He eut and prepared
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
the logs for their house, but was unable to procure teams to draw them together until quite late in the fall, when the families arrived with two ox-teams.
Nathaniel Turner died in 1846, at the age of sixty-six years, and his widow followed him in 1849, at the age of fifty-nine years. They were the parents of eleven chil- dren, named as follows: Ashley, Allen, Fanny, Deborah, Mary Jane, Emeline E., Jonathan C., Eunice E., George L., Nelson, and Leroy. Of these, Emeline, Jonathan, Eunice, George, and Leroy are dead ; the others are all living, married, and have families.
Ashley Turner was born Feb. 5, 1813, at Vietor, Ontario Co., N. Y. At the age of fifteen years he was " bound out" to Jonathan Ransom, of Grafton, Ohio, with whom he re- mained until he was twenty-one. He then hired out and worked for Ransom for eighteen months. He then, in com- pauy with his father and unele, came to Michigan. Ashley
and his parents lived and worked together all as one family until the death of the parents. After that Mr. Turner mar- ried Miss Mary Ann Jones, of Portage Co., Ohio.
Mr. Turner has steadily pursued farming all these years, in which he has been successful, and he still owns and re- sides upon the original one hundred and sixty acres they bought of the government in 1835. On the 18th day of February, 1879, his wife died, after a brief illness of a few days. Two children have been born to them, named Edwin Leroy and Asenath P. Edwin died in 1874, at the age of nineteen years. The daughter, a remarkably fine-looking young lady of fourteen years, is at home with her father.
Mr. Turner is held in high esteem by all his friends and a wide circle of acquaintances. The view of the home of the old pioneer, and the portraits of himself and deceased wife, may be found on another page of this work.
NOBLE.
ON the 19th of March, 1845, an act was passed by the Legislature of Michigan, creating the township of Noble, to include fractional township 8 south, in range 8 west of the principal meridian. This territory had previously been a part. of Bronson township, and before being separately organized many of its citizens had aided in administering the official affairs of Bronson. The naming of the town- ship of Noble has been attributed to numerous persons. It is said that Darius Wilson proposed the name, also that it was suggested by William Rippey, who had heard some traveler speak of the region as a " noble country." Prob- ably, however, the credit is due to James Anderson, now of Coldwater, who had previously worked in Noble Co., Ind., and suggested the name to Mr. Rippey.
A " noble country" this town certainly is, with its " oak openings," fertile soil, charming landscapes, shining lakelets, and numerous water-courses. It lies but a short distance northeast of the beautiful Mongoquinong, English, and Pretty Prairies, in Indiana. Much of the more open sur- face was originally covered with a thick growth of hazel, while in places no underbrush whatever obstructed the free range of vision for considerable distances. Flowers grew in wonderful profusion, and the description of the oak openings generally given by those who saw them in all their primitive beauty is such as to create in the imaginative mind a view of a miniature paradise. Yet it was not for a number of years that people from the East could be in- duced to locate in the open lands, they expressing the belief that where timber failed to grow it would be useless at- tempting to raise erops.
Although Noble is but a small township, it contains many large and excellent farms. Across the southwest eor-
ner of the town flows Fawn River, or "Crooked Creek," as it is often called. Its shores are somewhat marshy, though not to so great an extent as in Indiana. Its course is exceedingly tortuous, whence its most common name. Several smaller streams water other portions of the towu- ship, and are fed by a number of small lakes, some of which are very beautiful. Among these lakes are Ander- son, in the southeast corner of town, covering, according to the map, about 20 acres ; Mud, on section 12, covering some 25 acres ; Fish, principally on section 8, having an area of about 60 acres; Long, on section 7, nearly a mile in length, and considerably larger than Fish Lake; and Honey Lake, a fine body of water, on section 17, covering nearly 160 acres. Beside these there are several smaller ones, not given names on the map. These lakes, during the spring and autumn, are the resort of considerable num- bers of wild fowl, though not to such an extent as the larger ones farther east and south.
The improvements throughout the town of Noble are generally excellent, although in places the primitive log house is seen, or the " deadening" lifts its blasted tree- trunks in sad array, as if mourning their fate. The land is usually free from large stones, rendering it easy to culti- vate. The soil is a sandy loam, with some gravel in places, and is well adapted to the growth of wheat and other grains, while fruit of most kinds yields abundantly. Clay is seen in but few localities.
The township is inhabited entirely by those devoted to the pursuit of agriculture, and has not a village within its limits. The nearest railway station is at Bronson, and thither, or to Orland, Ind., do the farmers repair to do most of their trading.
RESIDENCE OF HON. G.P. ROBINSON , NOBLE, BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
LAND ENTRIES AND SETTLEMENT.
The first entries of land in the township were made about 1835, by William Robinson and a Mr. Dusenberry, the former locating an eighty-acre lot and the latter a quarter-section.
In the fall of the same year (1835), Walter W. Smith, from Caledonia Co., Vt., came to Michigan, and in Febru- ary, 1836, entered the northwest quarter of section 10, upon which he now resides. He remained in the State until the fall succeeding, staying at Niles, Berrien Co., and then returning to Vermont. In the spring of 1837 he once more came to Niles, and for some time lived there and in Indiana. Ile subsequently removed to the State of New York, and in 1842 located permanently on his farm in Noble. He was among the first to take up land in this township, and although he did not settle until others had built their cabins aud made their clearings, yet he has been familiar with the region from the time it began to be looked upon with favor by immigrants.
The first settlers in Noble came in the year 1836. During that spring the families of William Rippey, John Grove, and William Butts came to town,-all having en- tered land except Mr. Rippey, whose father had taken up nine lots. None of these persons are now living in the township except the widow of Mr. Grove and her son, Francis N. Grove. Mr. Grove settled on the farm where his son now resides, and was long one of the prominent men of the township. He held numerous offices, and died in 1851, aged fifty-one years.
Darwin Wilson entered land in Noble iu 1836, but it was not until 1843 that he moved his family upon it. The farm he located was the one now owned by Hon. George P. Robinson on section 14. During the time from 1838 to 1840, Mr. Wilson was engaged in trade at Bronson village, David F. Gates being his only competitor there at that time (although others had previously been in business at the place). Mr. Wilson kept two teams upon the road, peddling goods, salt, ete., and taking produce in exchange, as money was exceedingly scarce or of little value in those days of " wild cat" and "red dog" banks and disastrous speculations.
Before removing to his farm, Mr. Wilson built a house and barn, and sowed twenty acres of wheat. On the 17th of November, 1842, snow fell to a considerable depth aud the weather became very cold and severe. During a few days of moderate weather, beginning about Jan. 20, 1843, he moved his family to the farm. The wisdom of his taking advantage of the pleasant days was very soou made apparent, for it turned cold again and a very deep snow fell, which was not melted until early in April. That scason is remembered by the old settlers as " the hard winter."
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When he first moved to Noble, Mr. Wilson was informed by persons with little faith in the soil that tame grasses would not grow here; but he, being loath to accept such a statement without proof, seeded fourteen acres to clover the first year he occupied his farm. The result was en- tirely satisfactory to him. The season was very wet, and while Mr. Wilson's neighbors were obliged to eut their hay on the marshes and carry it off' with poles, he eut about fourteen tons of excellent clover. Nothing further was
heard as to the tame-grass growing properties of Noble soil, and a complete revolution in this respect followed Mr. Wilson's experiment.
In 1861, Mr. Wilson removed to Coldwater and engaged in the grocery business, an accident, resulting in a broken limb, having rendered him unable to attend to his farm duties. lle remained in trade seven years.
On one occasion, in the days of the carly settlements, while Mr. Wilson was on his way from Tecumseh to Bron- son to look for land, he stopped at the tavern of Mr. Taylor, five miles west of Coldwater, to get some dinner. Taylor said the women were about to go for a visit, but guessed he could get him something to eat. Somewhat to the surprise of Mr. Wilson the bell rang in a very few minutes, and he surmised that they must have remarkably smart women or very little to eat. Upon sitting down at the table he was still more greatly surprised at the array of edibles before him. The courses consisted of' a single pickle, one slice of' dry, black bread, a glass of water, and three pieces of cold meat, which had the appearance of having been used by children to wipe a dusty floor with. The inner man re- volted, and he drew back. Just then the landlord, who had been feeding Wilson's horse, came in from the barn and said, " Why, why, you haven't eaten your dinner yet !" " No, sir," replied Wilson, " I never eat such a - din- ner !" The reader is at liberty to fill the blank with such word or words as he chooses to imagine Wilson said. IIe ordered his horse, paid his bill,-which was five shillings,- and proceeded on his way, with the intention, undoubtedly, of finding some place more suited to his taste when next he felt the pangs of hunger. Mr. Wilson is at present living in Coldwater.
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