USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun county, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 23
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
and eastern portions. In 1838 Y. M. Hatch located in the south west on section 30. About the same time D. Y. Carrier located on section 7 in the northwest part of the township. It was in 1838 that Judge Theron Hamilton, Norris Barnes, Abram Hadden and Samuel Sellers, the last named the first blacksmith in the township, came to make homes in Clarence. The first house built at the head of Duck Lake was of hewn logs put up in 1845 by Jacob Nichols. For years a remnant of the Pottawattomies living in that vicinity were his only neighbors. These Indians were peaceable and gave no particular trouble to the "pale face" comers, except they were inveterate borrowers.
The first celebation ever held in Clarence was on the Fourth of July, 1835. The inhabitants of the township rallied at a designated meet- ยท ing place at the head of Duck Lake and when a count was made there was found to be present just fourteen persons. But these loyal sons of a patriotic ancestry found pleasure and satisfaction in commemorating an event dear to every true American. The Declaration of Independence was read by C. W. Clapp and an address given by Judge Hamilton.
In 1848, Jesse Crowell and others, having purchased a large tract of timber in the north part of the township, erected a saw mill at the foot of Duck Lake and began the manufacture of lumber. This mill was de- stroyed by fire but in 1860 William Leonard built another. In 1863 a Mr. Bolles put up a steam saw mill in the northeast part of the town. A store was opened at the foot of the lake near the location of the saw mill and ever since the people have had the conveniences it affords. Schools were early established and have been well sustained through all the years since Miss Reliance Dixon, afterwards Mrs. Oliver S. Bell, taught the first school in the township, about 1839. Church services have been held and Sunday schools maintained in school houses.
The first town meeting was held at the home of Norris Barnes in 1838, at which the following were chosen to office: Andrew Bell, super- visor ; Cook Tyler, town clerk; A. M. Green, treasurer; W. B. Noble. C. W. Clapp, Samuel Sellers and A. P. Bell, justices of the peace: Norris Barnes, A. M. Green and W. B. Noble, assessors; A. C. Bell, Y. M. Hatch and Roswell Barnes, highway commissioners; W. B. Noble, C. W. Clapp and Norris Barnes, school inspectors; Andrew Bell and John Austin, overseers of the poor : O. S. Bell, collector, and Messrs. Bell and Bennett, constables.
The township of Clarence has long been noted for its lakes, marshes and springs. Prairie Lake is situated in the southwest part of the township. A little north and east of this is a chain of six lakes, all connected by Rice creek and are its main source of water supply. Duck Lake is situated a little north of the center of the township and nearly midway east and west. This is the largest body of water in the town- ship and one of the largest in the county, covering as it does about seven hundred aeres. being a mile and a half long by three-quarters wide. The banks are generally high, affording fine building sites for cottages. In these later years the lake has developed into quite a summer resort. Quite a large number of cottages have been ereeted and people from Albion, Marshall, Charlotte, Eaton Rapids and Olivet resort there dur- ing the summer and early fall months. The beautiful sheet of clear, Vol. 1-12
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pure water; the grove covered banks that border it; the fine fishing it affords and the pure invigorating air, lend a permanent and potent charm to this locality and have made Clarence one of the best known purely rural townships in the county.
CLARENDON TOWNSHIP
But for minor local differences the early history of Albion, Homer, Clarendon and Eckford is essentially the same. The rugged pioneers in each and all of these townships were young men and women, largely from the state of New York. They were generally possessed of courage, enterprise and thrift. It was these qualities that enabled them to pull out from the old home settlements in the east, brave the dangers and hard- ships of the long and tedious journey and settle down with all the at- tending discomforts and privations of a new and isolated country and slowly but surely clear the forests, fence the fields, plant the orchards and vineyards, build and improve the highways, construct the houses and barns, the schools houses and churches and rear their children in comfort and in a moral and religious atmosphere, leaving not only worthy descendants but leaving the world better for having lived and wrought in it. All honor to the pioneer fathers and mothers who left us so good an inheritance.
The Doolittles, the Cooks, the Keeps, the Balentines, the Rogers, the Flints, the Humestons, the Perines and many others equally worthy to be enumerated, whose united efforts have served to make Clarendon one of the best townships in Calhoun county, deserve to be remembered.
Although Anthony Doolittle came in May, 1832, and settled in the northeast corner of the township, and David L. Hutchinson in the fall of the same year; Loren Keep and Erastus B. Enos, Alonzo H. Rogers, Timothy Hamlin, who married Elizabeth Doolittle (theirs being the first marriage in the township), Calvin Rogers with his wife and five children, Calvin Heath, A. B. Bartlett, George W. Hayes and a number of others who came during the four or five years after Doolittle's arrival, it was not until 1838 that the township was organized and given the name of Clarendon ; it is said because so many of the early comers were from the town of Clarendon, Orleans county, New York.
According to the United States government surveys, the township is town 4 south, range 5 west. Except in the northeast part, the township was generally covered with a thick growth of heavy timber of various kinds, the maple being in abundance and affording an annual supply of sugar and delicious syrup. The soil is of excellent quality, comparing favorably with that of the best townships in the county. The St. Joseph river enters the town from the south on section 36 and flowing in a north- easterly direction nearly to Homer, turns west and leaves it on section 18 by the way of Tekonsha. This stream is small and narrow but in an early day afforded power for one or more saw mills. There is compara- tively little marsh or waste land in the township. The "Air Line," a branch of the Michigan Central Railroad, completed in 1870, traverses the north central part of the town from east to west. Clarendon Sta-
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tion is located about two miles northeast of the center of the town and from which much of the surplus products of the fine farms are shipped.
The first town meeting was held in 1838, of which Aaron B. Bartlett was chosen chairman and Timothy Hamlin, clerk. Truman Rathburn was elected supervisor; Timothy Hamlin, township clerk; Horace B. Hayes, John Main and Ira Sumner, assessors; Charles B. White, col- lector; Samuel Blair and Cornelius Putnam, directors of the poor ; Alonzo H. Rogers, George W. Hayes and Elijah Andrus, commissioners of highways; John Main, Ira Sumner and Horace B. Hayes, school inspectors; Truman Rathburn, William Cooper, John Main and Ira Sumner, justices of the peace. The first school in the township was taught on Cook's prairie in 1833. The first religious society was or- ganized by the Presbyterians in 1838. Meetings were held in school houses until a log church was built on the southeast quarter of section 18, which was used for a number of years. The Methodists organized in 1840 and held services in a log house built by Lewis Benham. A frame church was built some time between 1840 and 1850. The young men of Clarendon responded nobly to the call of their country during the Civil war, leaving a record of which the township will ever be proud.
CONVIS TOWNSHIP
The township of Convis was named after General Ezra Convis, one of the most prominent and widely known of the early residents of south- ern Michigan. He was the first representative to the state legislature from Calhoun county and was the first speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. While serving in the legislature, he introduced a bill to organize and name the central township in the northern tier in Cal- houn county, but before action had been taken upon the bill, General Convis died, as the result of an injury received in the accidental over- turning of a sleigh, and his successor, out of compliment to the deceased legislator, had the town named Convis.
Although Sanford Chaffee, the recognized first settler, did not come into Convis until the spring of 1835, such was the rapid arrival of home seekers that a sufficient number had located here to warrant the organiza- tion of the township in 1837. James Lane, William Newman, and Paul Moss, all Englishmen, were among the early comers. David Beers settled in 1836 on section 24 and about the same time Asahel Hawkins settled on the same section. Hawkins and family came from Saratoga county, New York.
Among others who came in 1836 were Hiram and Elisha Brace, Jesse Smith, George Bentley, T. J. Van Geisin, Jasper Haywood, Philander Brooke, Wessel Smith and Granville Stowe. In 1837, B. Austin, Ira H. Ellsworth, William Kinyon, Levi Rowley, Leach S. Loomis, Allen Mattison, Nathan Chidster and Levi Eaton were among those who came to make homes in Convis. James Walkinshaw and family, consisting of wife and four children, came to Marshall direct from Scotland in 1842 and some five or six years later moved on to a farm in Convis township, where he became one of the largest land owners
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and most prosperous farmers in the county. He took an interest in public affairs, was a Republican in politics and in 1876 was elected a member of the Michigan legislature.
The men above named and others like them found Convis township rather uninviting in the northwest section, because of the hills and in the southwest because it was low and marshy and much of the whole heavily timbered. Notwithstanding these barriers, they entered upon the task of overcoming them and how well they succeeded will be seen by a visit to that township, with its beautiful and well stocked farms, its many excellent homes, fine barns, thrifty orchards and its happy, con- tented people.
Schools were established in 1838, the first year after the township was organized and have ever since been well maintained. Many of the young men of Convis in the Civil war times entered the service and fought heroically for the preservation of the Union. Some were buried where they fell, some died of wounds received in battle and some in prison. Some returned home wounded and maimed and have ever since been sufferers on account of service rendered their country.
ECKFORD TOWNSHIP
Many well informed people think Eckford is the finest purely agri- cultural township in Calhoun county and some go so far as to elaim that it is not surpassed in the state. Without discussing comparative merits, it is certain that the intelligent pioneers who came from the states of New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Connecticut in the thirties and located in this township, showed excellent judgment. There is relatively little waste land. Its soil is uniformly of excellent quality. Its surface is gently undulating, affording good drainage without damage from soil washing. It is abundantly watered by natural springs, lakes and rivers so that while it is noted for its grains, grasses and fruits, it is particularly adapted to stoek raising. Brace lakes in the northwest part of the township are beautiful sheets of water, not only affording fine fishing but the east lake is utilized by resorters, a number of cottages having been built on the beach. The Nottawa creek crosses the southwest cor- ner of the township and flows in a general westerly course until it empties into the Kalamazoo river. Wilder creek takes its rise in the southeast part of the township. It makes a detour into Albion township, then returns into Eckford, flowing in a northwesterly direction across the township, entering Marengo at the northeast corner of section 5, and finally emptying into the Kalamazoo. In an early day it afforded power for a saw mill.
Oshea Wilder was the earliest and at the same time one of the most prominent settlers in Eckford. It was in 1831 that he came and located all but the northwest quarter of section 8. In the fall of 1832, he came with his wife and seven children, six sons and one daughter, and settled on the stream that now bears his name. Mr. Wilder was a Massachusetts man by birth, having removed from Gardiner, in that state, to Rochester, New York, from which place he came to Michigan. Mr. Wilder was an active and an enterprising citizen. He served as a soldier in the war of
.
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
1812. He was a surveyor and was much employed in that work after coming to Michigan. Ile built the first hotel in Eekford and one of the lease conditions was that no bar should be connected with it. He built the first saw mill, platted a village in lower Eckford, built a blacksmith shop and employed a smith, put up a building for the making of wagons, also a chair factory. A mail route having been instituted from JJones- ville to Marshall, a post office was established at lower Eckford in 1835, and Mr. Wilder was made postmaster. The mail over the route from Jonesville to Marshall, via lower Eckford, was first carried on horse- back, then with a horse and buggy and finally to accommodate the in- creasing number of travelers as well as earry the mail, a four horse stage route was put in operation. This stage ronte was the connecting link between the Lake Shore and Michigan Central Railroads.
In the spring of 1832, Henry Cook, who the year before came into Washtenaw county from New York, removed to the prairie in the south- east part of Eekford and that portion of the township has ever since been known as Cook's Prairie. Mr. Cook was for many years regarded as one of the leading men of the county. Ile served in a number of offices of trust ; in 1839 he was a member of the legislature. He was for many years a prominent member of the Presbyterian church at Homer. In 1832, Charles K. Palmer came from Rochester, New York, and settled on the open plain in section 19 and this section has ever since been known as Palmer's Plains. Palmer, in later years, lost his life on Lake Erie.
The township was mostly settled during the years from 1832-36. Among others who came about this time were Edward L. Rogers, Charles Olin, Jeremiah Hinkle, Medad Bordwell, John Kennedy, Thomas J. Walker, Samuel Whiteomb, Elijah Cook, Henry Caldwell, Lionel Udell, Joel B. Marsh, William Herriek and Silas Comstock. These were followed by Daniel D. Dunakin, David Patterson, Eli T. Chase, Anthony Rogers, John Lusk, Sr., Joseph Otis, Augustus Lusk, Ralph Dibble and George White. These men did much to give Eekford township the enviable position it occupies in the county.
Schools were early established and have always been well sustained. A considerable number of her young men and women have been students in the colleges at Hillsdale, Albion, Olivet and at the state university. Churches were organized by the Free Will Baptists in 1835, in 1839 by the Presbyterians and in the same year by the Methodist Episcopal church. In this year, 1912, Eekford is distinguished above any other purely rural township in Calhoun county for its fine churches and its excellent roads. It has not now and never has had a saloon within its borders. A number of her leading men were enrolled as abolitionists when to be such meant contumely and reproach. Among her citizens who have been honored with positions beyond the limits of the county are Henry Cook, Daniel Dunakin and Lote C. Robinson, each and all of whom have served in the Michigan legislature. John C. Patterson, born and reared in Eekford, served two terms in the Michigan state senate.
The township was organized in 1836 and was named Eckford at the suggestion of Oshea Wilder, who had in England an esteemed friend of that name. Wilderville is the only village in the township. It is located on the railroad running from Toledo to Allegan. This road enters the
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
township at the southeast corner and running diagonally, departs from it at the northwest corner. Besides this road within the township, Mar- shall, Albion, Homer and Marengo are each and all so situated that fine shipping facilities are afforded the people of this township.
Eckford's reeord in the Civil war was most ereditable to the patriotie spirit of the township and will ever resound to her honor.
EMMETT TOWNSHIP (1830-1912)
By Miss Crosby
This township belonged to the confederation of townships originally organized under the name of Milton. At the session of legislature 1837- 38, it was set off and organized into a separate township and called Cady. The name was not satisfactory, for we find that the following resolution was passed at the first township meeting: "Resolved, that the honourable legislature of this state be, and is hereby, requested to change the name of the township from Cady to Andover." On examination there were found to be three other townships in the state by that name, so nothing was done affecting a change until during the legislative session of 1839-40, when the name Emmett was given it, in honor of Robert Emmet, the Irish patriot.
The earliest settlement within present boundaries was made by Jere- miah Gardner, June 7, 1831, on section 14. All of Mr. Gardner's descend- ants are dead and the place is now owned by George Perrett, of Marshall.
Mr. Gardner kept the first postoffice and the mail was delivered in a knapsack, by a man named Kennedy. This postoffice was called Andover. In 1834, a stage route was established and Milton Barney was the driver between Battle Creek and Marshall. The route extended from Chicago to Detroit, but in 1900 the rural free delivery was estab- lished, forming a network of routes from Cereseo and Battle Creek.
Among those first settlers from '31 to '36 were Estes Rich on section 12, Henry L. and Benjamin Dwinell on section 23, Daniel Guernsey on sections 6 and 7, Esquire Hall. Esq., on 7, Stephen Warren on sections 14 and 15, Jacob Spaulding on section 29.
Mr. Rich erected the first log house on his land on section 12. It is now, after undergoing several repairs, owned by Mary J. Sayres, and is one of the most venerable landmarks remaining.
Messrs. Dwinell came from Auburn, New York. They were promi- nently identified with the development of the township. They opened the first farm when they sowed two acres of wheat which turned out exceedingly smutty.
In 1833 they, with the help of Robert Wheaton, erected a primitive bridge of poles over the Kalamazoo river, at the place now called Wheat- field. This was then called White's Station, but later was changed when people found out about the surrounding wheat growing land. A mill was erected and for many years was the only one used by the people in that part of the township. In 1908 a magnificent new iron bridge was erected and the mill and adjoining land was sold to the Citizens' Electric Light Co., of Battle Creek.
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY .
The land which was owned by Daniel Guernsey is now part of Post's addition in the city of Battle Creek. What became of Mr. Guernsey was never known.
The first graveyard was laid out and donated by Michael Spencer on section 14, in the fall of 1835. The first interment was that of Stephen Warren, who died June 11, 1835, and was buried temporarily on his farm, later his remains were dug up and re-interred in the newly laid out burying ground, where they still repose. The old farm on section 14 is still owned by the Warren estate, but the part on section 15 is owned by Julius Crosby and has been for the past twenty years.
As at the present day, education was eared for as early as possible and it is found that a log school house was erected in the Spencer neigh- borhood in 1833. Miss Cynthia Maynard, sister of Colonel Maynard one of the old pioneers of Marengo township, taught it during the winter of 1833 and 1834. Not until 1876 and '77 was the township divided into districts. At present date there are ten districts and it is expected that there will be eleven in 1913, because of the talked of division of the Raymond district on section 8.
Before any churches were erected in Battle Creek, some of the families of Emmett held religious serviees, which were conducted by Rev. Merrill, as early as 1834. Some of the regular attendants were Ira Warren and wife, Benjamin Dwinell and wife, Estes Rieh, and Michael Spencer and wife. No regularly organized church existed in the present limits of the township, because all of the citizens gave liberally toward their respective churches in Battle Creek. At the present writing, there is no regularly organized church in the township, but in the Raymond district on section 8, Sunday school is held every Sunday afternoon at 2:30, and there is always a large attendance. Some of the ladies who are and have been willing workers toward making the service successful are, Mesdames William Hall, Vivian Moore, Mort Nye, George Brininstool, Sara Brownell and E. Case. As in former days, the citizens all have their respective churches in Battle Creek and there they attend.
In 1836 the village of Verona was surveyed and laid out by General Ezra Convis. It holds quite an important history of this vicinity as having been for two or three years a rival of the then strugging 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 terminus of the railroad would have been there instead of at Battle Creek and it would have stood now as a city instead of a mere hamlet.
A grist mill was erected there in 1838 by John Stuart and John Van Arman, who was later the great criminal lawyer of Chicago. The original building still remains after sustaining many additions and repairs, and until last year was used as a grist mill, when it was sold to the Common- wealth Power Co.
During the years 1900 and 1903, the interurban line was built through this township. This road runs from Kalamazoo to Jackson, Detroit and Toledo and the people in Emmett township do not feel that they are country folks anymore. It is only a few minutes' ride to Battle
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Creek or Marshall and a few hours' ride will take them to Detroit or Toledo.
There are three other roads running through the township. The Michigan Central, Grand Trunk and D. T. & M. The assessed valuation of the electric road, alone, is $40,000.00.
The Grand Trunk shops were built in Emmett in 1909 on sections 5 and 8. The main shops cost upwards from $3,000,000.00. Here from four to five hundred men are employed. The men with their families came here and as there were not enough empty houses near the shops, they built homes on section 5, on what is now Brownlee Park. This led to the laying out of more parks and suburbs. At present there are ten. They are namely : Grand View Gardens on section 9, Eastdale on section 9, Green Acre on section 10, Wattles Park on section 10, Greenwood Park on section 8, Greenfield Park on section 5, Wooden's Park on section 18, Morgan Park on section 18, Sunrise Heights on section 18, Brownlee on sections 5 and 8.
The Citizens' Electric Light Plant have all of their property, motors and water power in Emmett, their assessed valuation being upwards from $30,000.00.
We find the following minutes of the first road in the township of Emmett, in the early records on file in the township clerk's office :
"Beginning at a stake set in the centre of the road running westerly to the bridge across Battle Creek near its conjunction with the Kalamazoo river, on section 7, in town 2 sonth, of range 7 west, 2 rods east of the section range line; thence running south parallel with the said section 7, towards south range 7, west, 2 rods from said line; 50 chains and 50 links to the centre of the territorial road running through Goguac Prairie.
"Ezra Convis, Surveyor,
"Asahel Lowell,
"Isaac Thomas, Commissioners of Highways."
This road is now paved and is Battle Creek's Main street.
During the last five years, five miles of state road has been built going southeasterly from Battle Creek, and passes Beadle Lake. Said lake is Emmett's favorite resort, partly because of the beauty of the resort, but mostly on account of the geniality of the host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Kistler. They own a fine store and lunch room there and have boats to let, and they do everything in their power to make one's stay there a never-to-be-forgotten one.
In 1838, Emmett township was noted for its wheat-raising capacity. and at that time White's Station was changed to Wheatfield. Some of the prominent men of that time who raised wheat and grains were Loomis Hutchinson on sections 27 and 34, William Neubre on sections 27 and 34, Thomas Knight on section 13. At the present time there is very little done toward raising grains. The money-makers now specialize in the gardening or dairy business. Some of the leading gardeners being Ernest Chilson on section 8, Ray Fanning on section 24, A. A. Peck on section 4, and James Blankon on section 9. Ernest Chilson is the oldest and most experienced gardener and has greenhouses built for winter nse.
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