USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun county, Michigan, With Illustrations descriptive of its scenery > Part 65
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" Resolved, That the next annual meeting be held at the house now kept by Moses Lowell.
" MICHAEL SPENCER, Moderator,
" DAVID H. DANIELS, Justice,
" SAMUEL ROBINSON, Clerk."
The succession of supervisors from 1839 to 1877 is included in the subjoined list :
David W. Howell (three years), Asahel Beach (three years), Alanson Can- tine, John Barbour (two years), William Carter, Moses Lowell (two years), Moses Hall (two years), Ila Newbre, Howell Sandford (six years), V. P. Collier, Wm. J. Hamilton (two years), George W. Bentley, Eden F. Henderson (three years), George W. Moore (two years), Loomis Hutchinson (ten years), Silas Phelps, (two years).
Those who have held the office of clerk during the period above designated are : Samuel Robinson (two years), William G. Wheaton (two years), William Carter (two years), Moses Lowell (two years), Erastus Fisher, Howard Sandford, John R. De Shon (two years), Chauncey G. Teirs, Silas W. Dodge, Charles M. Leon, Franklin S. Clark, Nelson Filleo, R. B. Merritt, Joseph Babcock (two years), George W. Moore, Silas Phelps (thirteen years), George W. Moore (two years), George W. Moore (two years).
The list of justices of the peace contains the names of the following persons :
William Carter, Felix Duffee, Jeremiah Gardner (four years), Alanson Can- tine (three years), Sylvester W. Mills (one year), Asa Hutchinson, Henry War- riner, David Waters, Lucien M. Weaver, Owen Marsh, David Hough, Lyman G. Jenkins, Hershell Henderson, Thomas Weller, Jeremiah Thomas, Joseph Jaynes, Samuel Sayres, Howell Sandford, John Markley, John Hough (four years), Moses Hall (three years), Sylvester Smith (one year), John K. Loth- ridge, Henry D. Hall, David Caulkins, F. M. Sanderson, Ila Newbre, S. W. . Dodge (two years), John K. Lothridge, Don Carlos Stoddard, Leman Van Valkenburgh (eight years), David Caulkins, David Barrett, Charles E. Greble, John A. Spaulding (thirteen years), George M. Everts, Erastus B. Furguson, David Barrett, H. Van Valkenburg, Abram Percy, Oliver Champion, Lyndon K. Phelps, Daniel Caine (nine years), Daniel Caine, George Barber, Andrew J. Lapham.
VERONA.
The village of Verona was surveyed and laid out by General Ezra Convis, in 1836. It holds quite an important place in the history of this vicinity, as having been for two or three years quite a rival of the then struggling village of Battle Creek. It has even been asserted that, had General Convis lived, and brought his interest as a member and speaker of the house of representatives to bear, the
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PHOTO. BY CRISPELL.
PHOTO BY CRISPELL
THOMAS KNIGHT.
MRS. THOMAS KNIGHT.
RESIDENCE OF THOMAS KNIGHT, EMMETT TR, CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
NIRUM LEONARD SPAULD
PERHAPS Po family has been closer identified with the growth and develop son's name heads this sketch. He came into the township in the summer of were boys, who grew into strong and muscular men, just the sort, in fact, who Jacob Spaulding was born in Lisle, Broome county, New York, March 3, his elder brother, Lynos, he went to the Holland purchase, and jointly located improving their farm, and shaking with the ague,-more shaking than work, town. There he remained until his marriage to Miss Samantha Allen, which in company with Daniel Thurstin and George Stickney, came west to Calhoun land situated on section 29. Mr. Stickney, not being satisfied with Michigan, State, and, after arranging his business, started on the Ist of May, 1836, for the as Buffalo by team, then embarked on board the old steamer " Monroe" for Detre twenty-three days on the journey. Here he resided until his death, October 15, daughters,-namely, John A., born March 28, 1817 ; Rachel L., May 26, 1819 ; Fanny C., February 2, 1829.
Nirum Leonard Spaulding, as will be seen by the above record, was born father's death, which occurred when he was sixteen years old, he worked the fa acres of land, being the west one-half of the southwest quarter of section 29. Daniel Thurstin, who was born August 24, 1826. He then settled on his own fa children, all daughters, of whom three survive. The following constitutes the 4, 1872; Emma A. and Ellen E., born September 17, 1853, died, Ellen E., Sept August 22, 1858, married Wesley Underwood, of Athens, July 8, 1875; Nellie A observed that out of those who died Martha M. was the only one that reached ligence, it is appropriate that we here incorporate a few lines commemorative than twenty-seven years of age, and her whole life had been characterized She possessed great firmness and decision of character, likewise an ardent love the talents committed to her care. She strenuously applied herself to study, literature. But alas for human aspirations! Having a delicate physical orga any practical use of her intellectual acquirements. For five long, weary years sufferings and her shattered hopes with that fortitude which the earnest Chris no common life, but one that, had it been spared, would have been fruitful of beautiful resignation, and a lively hope in the felicity of the eternal life bey friends, and missed by the community in which her young life had been spent he possessed eighty acres; but, by years of labor and frugality, he has added t well-improved and highly-cultivated land, interspersed, of course, with som adhered to the principles of that party for many years. In religion he is liber particular church. His esteemed wife and dutiful daughters are members of benevolent institutions, he is a liberal supporter.
As a citizen, Mr. Spaulding is too well known in this county to require an pre-eminently a model, which to emulate would exalt many and humiliate no no flattery to say that none enjoy more profusely, or deserve more honestly, subject of our sketch. (See double-page illustration of premises, etc.)
TO. BY CRISPELL.
Wirum L Spaulding
RESIDENCE OF NIRUM L. SPAULDIN
D SPAULDING, OF EMMETT.
wth and development of Emmett township than that of Jacob Spaulding, whose the summer of 1836 accompanied by a family of five children, of whom three sort, in fact whose strength and influence are so beneficial to a new country. York, Merta 3, 1790, where he resided until he attained his majority ; then, with id jointly located one hundred and sixty acres of land. After spending one year ing than work,-he sold out his interest to his brother, and returned to his native ha Allen, which was consummated February 2, 1815. On the Ist of May, 1835, he. west to Calhoun County, Michigan, and. located one hundred and sixty acres of with Michigan, proceeded to Illinois, and Mr. Spaulding returned to New York May, 1836, for the home he had selected in Emmett township. They came as far Monroe" or Detroit, and from thence drove through to Calhoun County, occupying death, October 15, 1840. His family consisted of five children,-three sons and two L., May 20, 1819; Albert N., September 30, 1820; Nirum L., August 23, 1824;
record, was born August 23, 1824, in Lisle, Broome county, New York. After his he worked the farm on shares four years. In the mean time he purchased eighty ter of section 29. On the 10th of October, 1844, he married Lucy E., daughter of led on his own farm, and commenced life for himself. They had a family of six g constitutes the family record :- Martha M., born October 1, 1845, died December d, Ellen F. September 20, 1853, and Emma A., November 29, 1856; Ida A., born 8, 1875: Nellie A., born October 10, 1862; Eva L., born August 8, 1868. It will be ne that reached maturity. As she was a young lady of more than ordinary intel- commemorative of her general worth. When called hence she was a little more characterised by a sweetness of disposition, purity of living, and earnest piety. se an ardent love of and desire for study, and consequently labored hard to develop herself to study, for the purpose of doing good in the cause of education and ate physical organization, her hopes were blasted ore she had been able to make ong, weary years prior to her death she was a confirmed invalid. She bore her the earnest Christian only can command ; and it can be truly said that hers was e been fruitful of much good. Neither was her death a common one, for with a eternal life beyond the grave, she passed away, mourned by her relatives and e had been spent. But to return to Mr. Spaulding. When settling on his farm y, he has added to it, until he now owns three hundred and seventy-five acres of course, with some good timber. In politics he is strongly Republican, having eligion he is liberal; but, while believing in Christianity, he has never joined any s are members of the Baptist church, of which, together with most religious and
inty to require any comment from us. As a husband, father, and friend he stands and humiliate none.' His life has been a busy and useful one; and we believe it e more honestly, the estimation and confidence of the community than does the es, etc.)
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Lucente Spaulding
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SPAULDING, EMMETT TP., CALHOUN CO., MICH.
183
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
terminus of the railroad would have been there instead of at Battle Creek, and it would have stood to-day a city, instead of a mere hamlet.
Let us contrast the busy scene going on there in 1838, under his supervising, with the one transpiring contemporaneously a mile and a half down the stream. They had then at Battle Creek a saw-mill, grist-mill, blacksmith-shop, tavern, and two stores, with two doctors, a lawyer, and a few representatives of the me- chanical arts. A Verona, Deacon David N. Salter was running General Convis' saw-mill, Colonel Stewart had built a grist-mill, William Stewart was hammering iron at his forge; William Mills and Ashley worked at tailoring, and the me- chanics at their trades ; David Caldwell kept the tavern, and his brother John had a cabinet-shop; David H. Daniels, Sylvester Mills, and Jeremiah Teed were selling dry-goods ; Brown and Brigham were doing the same; Dr. Rhodes was attending the sick, and Felix Duffee and Gillespie did the pettifogging. The above-named persons with their families, and a number of other families, consti- tuted the inhabitants of Verona. Battle Creek had the most houses, and may have had the lion's share of the trade, but the little village to the north of it was giving it a close rivalry. But this only lasted a little while, for the master-spirit was called hence in the spring of 1838. He died at Detroit, and it seems as though the enterprise and activity of Verona expired with him.
THE GRIST-MILL
was erected in 1838, by John Stuart and John Van Arman, now the great crimi- nal lawyer of Chicago. The frame of the original building still remains, although very extensive repairs and improvements have been added as the necessities of increasing business demanded. The mill at first had but two run of stone, but a third one was added under the present ownership. It has two improved iron turbine-wheels and one old-style wheel of the same material. We trace the pro- prietorship from John Van Arman to Elijah Fish, to whom the former sold his half-interest November 7, 1843; John Stewart sold his interest to William Mer- ritt and Elijah Fish, June 1, 1849 ; Sarah Fish and others, the administrators of the Elijah Fish estate, sold their interest to William Merritt, May 27, 1864; from which time the latter has been the sole proprietor. The mill is a substantial frame structure, and is surpassed in capacity and its general appointments by few in the county. The amount of work done by it during the year 1876 was, mer- chant, eight thousand barrels ; custom of all kinds, twenty-five thousand bushels.
THE FIRST HOUSE
erected in the place was in 1837, by John Stewart; and in 1842 he built a frame hotel, which, after standing several years, was destroyed by fire.
A bridge was built across Battle creek in 1838, which, after a service of about twenty years, was partially destroyed by the floods of 1857, and that, in turn, was superseded by the present substantial structure.
The place now contains a grist-mill, saw-mill, a commodious district school- house, a store, a cooper's shop, a wagon-shop, and a blacksmithy. It has a popu- lation of about one hundred and fifty.
UNION GRANGE, NO. 292,
was organized in March, 1874. The first officers and charter members were- Master, Reuben B. Parks; Overseer, Henry Anderson ; Lecturer, Albert Little; Steward, A. M. Sharpsteen ; Assistant Steward, Melvin M. Lee ; Chaplain, Joseph A. Main ; Treasurer, John B. Palmerton ; Secretary, Henry E. Whitbeck ; Gate- keeper, William Anderson ; Ceres, Miss Minnie Johnson ; Pomona, Miss Blanche Anderson ; Flora, Miss Mary Lusk ; Lady Assistant Steward, Mrs. A. M. Sharp- steen; T. N. Hoffman and wife, Mrs. Mary Little, Misses Sarah and Eva Little, Anna Sharpsteen, Perly Andrus, Hetty Andrus, Samuel Wells and wife, Mrs. Henry Anderson, Mark Weeks and wife, Edward Weeks, Jacob Lusk and wife, Mrs. Cecelia Parks, Albert Johnson, Theresa Johnson, Miss Hettie Hoffman, Wallace Hayward and wife, Mary J. Richardson, C. Anderson, Mrs. M. Lee, John Merchant and wife, Herbert Merchant, Charles Godfrey and wife, Arthur and Alice Godfrey, J. M. Parks, Mrs. Laura Parks, John Woodworth and wife, James Mayo and wife, Arad Chidister and wife, Peter Bodine, H. A. Walker and wife, Frank Hughes, Charles Atmore and wife, Harriet Bodine, Charles Marble and wife, Francis Robin- son, Stephen Traverse, William Marvin, Alice Robinson, Joseph Crouch, Maria Wickham, William Katner and wife, Mrs. J. Main, Joseph P. Beach, Susan Beach, Emulus Sprague, Charles Sprague, Dexter Dickinson and wife, Allie Dick- inson, Eugene Blakley, Irving Sharpsteen and wife, Mrs. H. E. Whitlock, James Haddock, L. Kellogg and wife, T. C. Stebbins and wife, David Mains, Ada L. Palmerton, Alexander Gordon and wife, James Gordon, George Gordon, Ada Hoffman, and Mrs. J. B. Palmerton; in all ninety-five charter members.
The present officers are-Master, John Woodworth ; Overseer, A. M. Sharp- steen ; Lecturer, Whiting Hutchinson ; Steward, Cassius M. Richardson ; Assist- ant Steward, George Hart ; Chaplain, Mrs. Emily Lee; Treasurer, W. B. Katner; Secretary, Mrs. Whitney Hutchinson ; Gate-keeper, Samuel Wells; Ceres, Ada L. Palmerton ; Pomona, Mrs. Sarah Woodworth ; Flora, Mrs. Irena Wells; Lady Assistant Steward, Mrs. Mary Richardson.
The present membership is sixty. The society owns a comfortable hall, in which its meetings are held.
NOTE .- We are indebted to the following gentlemen for information touching the history of Emmett township and for other favors : Messrs. Ira A. Warren, Thomas Knight, Loomis Hutchinson, N. Leonard Spaulding, William Newbre, of Emmett, Henry L. Dwinell and Dr. Asahel Beach, of Battle Creek, and Mrs. Whiting Hutchinson, of Emmett.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
WILLIAM NEWBRE.
Among the representative self-made men of Emmett township none stand forth more conspicuously than does William Newbre. Although not coming into the township for nearly a decade after its first settlement, yet, by great industry, coupled with sound practical economy and excellent judgment, he has rightfully assumed a place with the largest farmers and most substantial business men of Emmett. As exhibiting an example worthy the emulation of all, particularly the young, we herewith present a brief sketch of Mr. Newbre's life and character, feel- ing as though the history of Emmett township would be incomplete without a notice of that gentleman.
William Newbre was born at Byron, Genesee county, New York, August 13, 1817. He continued to reside under the paternal roof until he was twenty-two years of age, when he removed to Stafford, and commenced work for one Hiram Wright, with whom he stayed two summers, at six dollars per month. From Stafford he moved to Elba, Seneca county, where he remained for the ensuing six years. From the latter place he emigrated to Sandstone, Jackson county, Michigan, where he purchased his first forty acres of land of one Daniel Rhimes, which he partially improved, and then exchanged for three hundred and twenty acres of wild land in Emmett township, Calhoun County, formerly owned by David Johnson, of Jackson.
In 1842 he took one hundred acres of land of Townsend E. Gidley, upon which he sowed wheat. He disposed of his crop, and then moved into an unfin- ished log house which stood upon his farm. He completed the house, and then sowed seventy-five acres of wheat. The succeeding year he broke up eighty acres, and sowed to wheat, and sold the same, and paid an installment on his land, which he continued to do each year until he got it all paid for. It was hard work, but he was bound to succeed, regardless of the sacrifice of many comforts.
On the 25th of December, 1840, he married Miss Amelia Cranson, of Sand- stone, Jackson county, Michigan, by whom he had three children. Two survive, namely, Miranda, born October 2, 1842; married Oliver W. Godfrey, and resides in Emmett township. Mary I., born November 22, 1850, and married A. Douglass, and resides in Schoolcraft, Michigan.
In 1851 he built a saw-mill two miles west of where he now resides, which is still known as the "Newbre saw-mill." In 1866 he erected his present commo- dious residence, a fine illustration of which can be seen elsewhere in this work. Here he and his admirable wife are surrounded by every comfort that heart can wish, enjoying in their advancing years every blessing of the farmer's con- tented and happy life, and, having lived moderately, they have always enjoyed excellent health, and, with the will of Providence, may enjoy many pleasant years of earthly happiness.
In politics, Mr. Newbre is Republican. In religious sentiment he is liberal, and while never affiliating with any sectarian denomination, yet he believes in the broad principles of general Christianity, and is always found among the most liberal supporters of religious and educational institutions. He is a good practical farmer, and cultivates his four hundred and seventy-five acres of land with great care and prudence. In character, he is a man whom to know is to respect. Hon- orable and upright in all his dealings, just in all his business transactions, kind and affectionate in his domestic relations, charitable in his life, does he not con- stitute a noble example of the really good and true, and one which to follow is wisdom ? Truly, there can be but one wish expressed by the good citizen, and that is, " Would there were many like him !"
JAMES NEWBRE
was born in Byron, Genesee county, New York, May 3, 1820. At an early age he removed to Stafford, and after remaining there six years went to Elba, where he also lived for six years. In 1837 he emigrated to Michigan, and settled in Sandstone, Jackson county. Here he remained until 1844, when himself and his father's family removed to Emmett, where he continued to reside till his death, which occurred on the 6th of March, 1864.
On the 21st of May, 1846, he married Julia A., daughter of David Calkins, an old pioneer of Emmett township. They had two children, namely, Orson C., born July 26, 1847, and married Adelaide, daughter of John A. Spaulding, of Emmett; and Ila D., born January 27, 1859, and is single.
Mr. Newbre was quite an active business man in his time, having been for some years agent for Hall's thrashing-machine, and ran the first Nichols & Shepard thrasher ever built. He held the office of town treasurer for two years, and filled it with great acceptability. By strict attention to his business he made his own way in the world. When he first came into the township he had nothing, and in 1847 we find that he purchased his first eighty acres of land from A. Rotherick, agreeing to pay for the same nine hundred and fifty dollars, and going in debt for the full amount. This he paid, and subsequently purchased the old Calkins place of his father-in-law. At his death he was quite comfort- ably circumstanced, which he owed to his own prudence and industry.
Julia A. Newbre, wife of the above-named gentleman, was born August 4, 1822, in Wheatland, Monroe county, New York. In 1836 she accompanied her parents to Emmett township, where she met and subsequently married Mr. Newbre, as above stated. A view of the homestead, with portraits of the worthy couple, can be seen elsewhere in our work, inserted there by O. C. Newbre, their dutiful elder son, as a token of affectionate regard. Mr. Newbre lived a useful and hon- orable life, and was held in high esteem by his neighbors and friends; and his respected widow is likewise greatly beloved by all who know her.
LOOMIS HUTCHINSON.
In the first rank of thrifty, prosperous, successful farmers of Calhoun County, noted for its wealthy yeomanry, stands Loomis Hutchinson, of Emmett township. He was born in Smyrna, Chenango county, New York, April 21, 1818. His father was Noah Hutchinson, a native of Massachusetts, and a branch of the Hutchinsons of Puritan fame, Governor Hutchinson being an ancestor. His mother, Rhoda (Shepherd) Hutchinson was a native of Hartford, Connecticut. Loomis Hutchinson is the only survivor of four children, all sons, of whom he was the oldest. His father was a pioneer of Smyrna, and cleared up a large and heavily-timbered farm. Loomis was educated at the common schools of the country, attending them in the winter, and working on his father's farm in the summer seasons, until he was twenty-one years of age, when he began to teach school during the winter, and continued to work for his father as before, who had removed in the mean time to Lima, Livingston county, in the same State. In 1844, Loomis came to Michigan, being then unmarried, with four hundred dol- lars in gold he had saved from his earnings, and purchased a portion-one hundred acres-of his present farm, on sections 27 and 34, in Emmett township, laying out his entire savings therefor. By teaching school during the winter of 1844-45, he obtained sufficient means to buy a yoke of oxen, with which, in the spring of 1845, he began to clear up his land, which was heavy oak openings. A cabin of logs, seven by nine feet, had been built on his land by the previous owner of the same, which provided him a shelter until he could build something better. He has now two hundred and eighty acres in his present homestead, and has given his son Whiting a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he now resides, in Emmett, and upon which the father is now erecting a dwelling for the son at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars. Mr. Hutchinson paid for his first purchase four dollars per acre, and for his last one, in 1858, fifty dollars per acre, and values his farm at a much higher price than both sums together. Mr. Hutchinson was married in Emmett, October 20, 1847, to Elizabeth, a daughter of David and Rebecca Foster Hough, natives of New Hampshire. She was born July 14, 1825. The children of this marriage were as follows : Whiting H., of Emmett, as before stated; Julius, now at home with his father; Frank and James Loomis, both now deceased. Mrs. Hutchinson died May 20, 1856, and on January 19, 1857, Mr. Hutchinson brought to his desolate home Harriet, a sister of his deceased companion, as his wife, who was born April 16, 1822. By her he has had three children born to him,-Charles, now at the university at Ann Arbor, and Mark and Harry, both of whom are deceased. Politically, Mr. Hutchinson's views are
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MRS. JULIA NEWBRE .
JAMES NEWBRE.
RESIDENCE OF O. & I. NEWBRE, EMMETT TP., CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
PHOTO. BY CRISPELL .
PHOTO. BY CRISPELL.
Oliva Il Budfry
Miranda Godfrey.
PHOTO. BY CRISPELL .
William Neutre
RESIDENCE OF
WM. NEWBRE, EMM
PHOTO. BY CRISPELL
Mans Amelia Newhe.
PHOTO. BY CRISPELL .
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Geo & Douglass
Mary J. Douglas ,
BRE, EMMETT, CALHOUN CO., MICH.
THE OLD HOMESTEAD. BUILT IN 1833
PHOTO. BY CRISPELL.
PHOTO BY CRISPELL. Ora, A, Marrero
Susan & Warren
RESIDENCE OF IRA A. WARREN, EMMETT TP., CALHOUN CO., MICH ,
185
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
those of the Republican party, and were formerly in accord with the policy of the old Whig organization. He was supervisor of Emmett for ten years, from 1864 to 1874 inclusive, and served his county one term in the State legislature in 1869-70. He is at present the president of the Calhoun County Farmers' In- surance Company. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson are liberal in their religious views. From the beginning of the boy to the successful achievements of the man, now almost threescore years of age, Mr. Hutchinson's way has been marked with steady industry and strict integrity. His success is an incentive for those who follow in his footsteps to " go and do likewise," that when they shall, like him, approach the time of the " sere and yellow leaf," they, too, may look back upon lives as worthily spent and as justly to be commended. We refer our readers to the double-page view of the elegant dwelling and capacious barns and pleasant grounds of Mr. Hutchinson on another page of our work, accompanied with the portraits of himself and his worthy companion.
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