USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 86
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5,358
Tons hay harvested, 1873. 1,024
Pounds wool sheared, 1873. 6,892
pork marketed, 1873. 101,381
Pounds butter made, 1873 .. 32,56S
fruit dried for market, 1873 .. 15,637
Barrels cider made. 1873 36]
Pounds maple-sugar made, 1873. 1,300
llorses one year old and upward, 1874 317
Mules.
Work oxen.
Milch cows
371
Cattle other than oxen and milch cows
Swine over six months old. 53.5
Sheep over six months okl.
1,813
" sheared. 1873
1,723
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The Fort Wayne, Jackson and Saginaw Railroad enters the township from the south, and running in a northeast- erly direction, intersecting in its.course sections 22, 23, 14, and 13, it leaves the town south of the centre on the east border. State Line, a station on the route, is situated partly in California township, and partly in the State of Indiana.
The road-bed of the proposed Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Railroad enters the township south of the centre, on the east border. Its course is northwesterly, and intersects sections 13, 12, 11, 10, 3, and 4, leaving the town west of the centre, on the north border. California village is a station. The work was performed in 1872. The people of California subscribed very liberally to aid in its construction, paying in an amount of about $10,000, of which Willard T. Ellis paid $1500, besides granting the right of way across his lands and four acres of land for depot purposes.
VILLAGES.
California, a small village of about 100 inhabitants, is situated north of the central part of the township. It is ten miles due south of Quincy village, and three miles dis- tant from State Line, its nearest railroad station. It con- tains one church edifice (Presbyterian), two stores of gen- eral merchandise, one drug-store, steam saw-mill, district school-house, post-office, which receives mail tri-weekly, and blacksmith-shop. The first settlers in the township settled on and near its site. The first land plowed in the township was upon the extreme southwest corner of section 3, where Samuel Beach and James H. Lawrence cultivated and raised one-half acre of potatoes in the summer of 1836. Mr. Beach traveled fifty miles and paid $1 per bushel for the potatoes he planted. Originally, the land in its vicin- ity consisted of oak openings, which was generally the case throughout the township.
Joseph Hall sold the first goods here in 1846. J. W. Lawrence, Sr., was the first blacksmith, and W. H. Lathrop and a Mr. Morgan were the first carpenters. Edward and Thomas Morrow erected the first saw mill (steam) in 1867. Cephas B. Dresser was the earliest law practitioner. Dr. Isaac N. Miner was the first resident physician in the township. The present ones are Drs. Ayres and Mitchell. who are both located in the village.
SCHOOLS.
In the winter of 1838-39. Miss Sarah Beach, the daugh- ter of Samuel Beach, taught the first school. The room ocenpied was one part of Ira Purdy's double log house. This house is described as having been " cobbed off" with a shake roof, chinked and plastered with mud in the rudest
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346
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
style of the olden time. The writing-desks were made by boring holes into the logs,-composing the side walls of the building,-in which were driven projecting pins of wood, slanting downwards. Upon these pins was laid a slab or puncheon of wood, split and hewn from a forest-tree. The seats and floors were construeted in the same rude manner. During the following summer a log school-house was built, which for many years stood near the site of the present school-house in California village.
At the first meeting of the inspectors of schools, which was held at the town clerk's office, May 23, 1846, certifi- cates to teach primary schools were granted Dolly R. Weeks and Rosalia Moltroup.
From an annual report made in 1847 the following statistics are taken : Number of school districts in the township, 5; children of school age residing in the town- ship, 186; children attending school during the year, 186. Male teachers employed, 3; female, 4. Average wages per month paid male teachers, $12.50; female, $4.50. Total amount of money received from the township treas- urer, $44.33; total amount raised by tax in the township for school purposes, 897.63.
At the annual township-meeting in 1848 it was resolved " that we raise 373 cents for each scholar under the age of four years, or over the age of eighteen, for the ensuing ycar."
School statisties, 1877 .*- Whole distriets, 4; parts of districts, 2; school-houses, 6; frame school-houses, 6 ; seating capacity of school-houses, 270; value of school property. $2400. Children of school age residing in the township, 282; children attending school during the year, 291. Male teachers employed during the year, 4; female, 7. Months taught by male teachers, 14; by female, 25. Paid male teachers, $423.75 ; female, $505.95.
Receipts .- Money on hand, Sept. 4, 1876, $153.20 ; two- mill tax, $209.09 ; primary-school fund, $135.74; tuition of non-resident scholars, $7; district taxes, for all other purposes, $894.95 ; from all other sources, $121.14.
Expenditures .- Teachers' wages, $929.70 ; repairs, $8.25; bonded indebtedness, $226; other purposes, $351.86. On hand Sept. 3, 1877, $95.98.
SOCIETIES.
Lodges of the Masonic and Odd-Fellow fraternities exist in the township, and both are of recent organization, but we have no data concerning them, though the secretaries were respectfully requested to furnish the same.
CALIFORNIA CORNET BAND.
This band was organized June 23, 1877, and comprises the following-named members: W. A. Depue, Leader ; E. J. Lawrence, S. K. Logan, Jolin Kelso, David Spear, W. G. Clark, D. Bascomb, W. Judson, Ed. Playford, Earl Durfur, Alvah Ayres, John Carnes, and B. Shirts. Their instruments are owned by themselves, and cost $200. They have also expended 850 for music, $70 for music lessons, and $100 for a band-wagon.
* The latest completed.
CHURCHES.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI.
The society composing this church was organized by Rev. Ozias Littlefield, in the school-house at llall's Corners, April 11, 1840. The original members were 11 in num- ber, as follows : Joseph W. Lawrence, Sr., Sybil Lawrence, Thomas Pratt, Alma Pratt, Joseph W. Lawrence, Jr., Susan N. Lawrence, Ezra S. E. Brainard, Sabrina Brainard, Walter H. Lathorp, Emeline Lathorp, and Mrs. Lucy Robbins. At the first meeting, Thomas Pratt, Joseph W. Lawrence, Jr., and Walter H. Lathrop were elected ruling elders.
Mr. Littlefield, the first pastor, supplied the pulpit until January, 1843. He was succeeded by Mr. Page, who re- mained but a few months. Rev. Louis Mills also came in 1843, and was succeeded by O. N. Chapin, November, 1844. Other pastors were as follows : Daniel Jones, April, 1849; George Brown, March, 1856; A. T. Reese, Feb- ruary, 1859 ; Charles S. Adams, January, 1862; Alanson Seofield, April, 1864; E. F. Tanner, June, 1873; J. F. Donaldson, January, 1877 ; and W. F. Mathews, the last pastor, April 1, 1877. The pulpit is now supplied by Rev. Joseph A. Ranney, of Kalamazoo.
Present membership, 42. No of pupils in Sabbath-school classes, 40. Willard T. Ellis, Sunday-school superintend- ent. Their church edifice was commenced in 1869, com- pleted and dedicated in 1871. It has sittings for about 300 people, and cost 82600. Mr. W. T. Ellis contributed the site.
CHURCH OF THE UNITED BRETHREN.
The society composing this church was organized in June, 1868, with a membership of eight, of whom Thomas Copeland was appointed leader. Their first pastor was Rev. J. K. Swihart. He has been succeeded by Revs. R. T. Martin, J. Waldorf, 1. Johnson, R. T. Martin, again, S. Redman, G. W. Hill, J. P. Kester, and J. Waldorf. Pres- ent membership, 49. l'upils in Sabbath-school classes, 45. A. C. Stokes Sunday-school superintendent.
A church edifice was erected in 1873, at a cost of $1200, and has sittings for 200 people. It is 32 by 42, ground plan, and of that peculiar style of architecture denominated a " stiek house."
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCII.
This society was organized June 16, 1865, by Rev. Samuel Wallace, of Piqua, O .. under the care of Sidney Presbytery.
The session was composed of Elders William C. Thomp- son and Alexander Gillis, together with Rev. S. Wallace, as moderator, and William A. Hutchison, clerk. The fol- lowing-named persons were then received on certificate : William C. Thompson and wife, Alexander Thompson, Mary E. Thompson, Thomas Hall and wife, Margaret A. Hall, Martha L. Hall, John S. Patterson and wife, Robert Stewart, William Stewart and wife, William Stewart, Jr., Oscar Jameson and wife, and Alexander Vanee and wife. At an adjourned session, held June 19, 1865, the following persons were received on examination : Alexander Douglass,
347
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
G. A. Duguid and wife, Mrs. Mary Stewart, Mary Carithers, Jane E. Paul, Mary Tillotson, Sallie Melendy, Sarah Crater, Minerva Ford, Misses Mary Melendy, Joanna Ford. Libbie Paul, and Rebecca Stewart.
William C. Thompson was installed as a ruling elder June 16, 1865. Thomas Hall was chosen as a ruling elder at the same time, but was not installed until Sept. 19, of the same year.
The society has been furnished with stated supplies by the Presbytery, the first being William A. Hutchison, a licentiate. Their only settled pastor was Rev. J. K. Black, who remained two years. A union Sabbath-school is held with the Reformed Presbyterians, and is very prosperous. Present membership of the society, 23.
CHARLES RAYMOND.
CHARLES RAYMOND.
Nathaniel Raymond settled in the city of Adrian, Mich., when the ground it now embraces was a vast unbroken wilderness. Charles Raymond, his son and one of eight children, was lorn July 23, 1836, and spent his early life upon a farm with his father. At the age of twenty-one he learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, and soon after married Miss Carrie E. Golden, of Medina, Mich. After a
REFORMED PRESBYTERIANS.
This denomination has a large membership in California, but their church edifice is situated at State Line, in Indiana. Rev. John French, their pastor, settled here in 1850, and las preached to his people in this vicinity to the present time.
To Messrs. James 11. Lawrence, Ira Purdy, Ira Cass, Alexander Odren, Henry Kelso, Willard T. Ellis, Thomas Hall, S. B. Dickinson, A. C. Stokes, W. A. Depue, and many others, we desire to return our thanks for many favors, courteous treatment, and the valuable information, historical reminiscenees, etc., received from them.
MRS. CHIARLES RAYMOND.
short residence in Adrian, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond removed to Chicago, and later returned to Michigan and located npon the farm Mrs. Raymond now ocenpies in California township. They had two sons, thirteen and fourteen years of age respectively, both of whom are pursuing their studies. Mr. Raymond died in November, 1877, leaving his widow and two sons to survive him. Mrs. Raymond is about erecting a suitable monument to his memory.
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