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 26
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PENNFIELD TOWNSHIP
By C. C. McDermid
This township lying immediately north of the city of Battle Creek, is intersected by the Battle Creek river and its tributary, Wanondagua creek. The soil is generally of glacial origin, brought with its accom- panying boulders from the Lake Superior region. The river bottoms are wide and fertile, especially on the western side of the main stream, the uplands equally productive for general crops and superior for fruits, with a somewhat liberal sprinkling throughout the township of lighter lands for which the profitable use has not yet been discovered.
Several of its lake are of rare beauty, and are becoming much fre- quented summer resorts. Generally they show well defined ancient beaches and wave washed banks, proving their pre-historic level to have been much higher than the present.
The common occurrence of flint arrow points, knives, drills, scrapers, and the stone axes, hammers, pestles and other like tools of unknown antiquity, prove the township to have been liberally inhabited, or at least roamed over, by an active energetic race ages before the coming of the white man, quite possibly even before the Indian race.
The township was covered when white settlement began with an abundant and sturdy growth of trees, oaks, five or more varieties, white wood, black walnut, hickories, beeches, butternut, several elms, ashes, sycamores or buttonwoods, with abundance of lesser varieties.
The whole of Great Britain has but ten varieties of native trees; the little township of Pennfield at least four times that number.
The sycamore is reckoned our largest Michigan tree (with white
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wood and black walnut close seconds), but it commonly grows hollow, a mere shell, the enormous empty hearted deceiver when cut in sections making for the pioneer the best and cheapest of "smoke houses" for his hams and bacon.
Wild flowers were and now are abundant where not exterminated by pasturage and cultivation; there being at this late day thirty or more varieties of native orchids alone.
The entire region was annually burned over by the Indians, that brushwood might not conceal their game, so that the early settlers found a vast open glade through which one might drive in any direction and easily examine any promising location.
The first land entry in this township (then a part of the larger town- ship of Milton) was made December 10, 1831, Albert H. Smith filing on a part of section 29, afterwards owned and occupied for many years by Col. Wm. C. Fonda. Mr. Smith never became an actual settler.
Avery Lamb and Gen. Ezra Convis (the first speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives) made entries in 1834.
The first actual settlement was made in 1835, by Estes Rich from Massachusetts, who broke the first ground for crops in the spring of that year, on a part of section 32, later owned and occupied from 1836 to his death by Samuel Convis.
Mr. Rich put thirty acres in crops his first year 1835, twenty being wheat, the first in the township, and his log house being the first building erected.
The next year, 1836, settlers came in rapidly, some twenty-five families in all, prominent among whom were Samuel Convis, section 32; Samuel D. Moore, section 27; John Wolf, section 3; Henry Parsons, section 9; David Bouton, section 10; Jason Evans, section 2; John Cooper, section 33; W. K. Adams and son, section 20; John S. Adams, Barnabas Newton, section 15; Joseph P. Markham, section 36; William Hicks, section 17; and William C. Fonda, section 29.
The first frame house in the township was built by Samuel Convis in 1838. He also built its first frame barn, 32 by 45 feet in size.
The first brick house was built by Samuel D. Moore about 1845.
The first white child born in the township was Palmyra Wells, Feb- ruary, 1836, in the log house of her father, Joseph E. Wells, on section 36.
The first white boy born here was Isaac Lamb, December 22, 1836, the anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The first death was that of youthful Emeline Weare, in the fall of 1836, at her father's house on section 36.
William G. Wheaton and Amanda Parker were married at the house of Anson Sharpsteen on Section 36, in the autumn of 1837, the bride being a sister of Mrs. Sharpsteen.
Thomas G. Bird and Betsy Knowles were also married in the winter of the same year, these beng the first two weddings in the township.
The first school was taught in the spring of 1838, by Miss Lucy Y. Hicks, daughter of William Hicks, later becoming Mrs. Daniel S. Chase. The school was held in a log tenant house on the farm of John
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Wolf, the pupils being George and William Raymond, Charles Paddock, Ann Eliza, Sophia and Hannah W. Wolf.
The first permanent school house, named the "Cobblestone" from the material of its construction, was built in 1849, and bids fair to prolong its usefulness for at least a century to come. It has an inter- esting history which was fittingly celebrated in August, 1911, by a re- union of all its pupils, teachers, and early neighborhood settlers who could be reached, to the delight and instruction of all who could attend.
A FEW PIONEER EXPERIENCES
At an early period of the settlement of northern Pennfield a transient settler was suddenly taken with violent illness. The nearest physician was Dr. Asahel Beach, 2 miles east of Battle Creek. David Bouton started on foot and at night (there being no horses in the settlement) found the doctor, who absolutely refused to go to the patient, but sent two bottles of medicine to meet the case. When Mr. Bouton staggered back the rest of his eighteen mile trip, more than half asleep at times, nearly dead with weariness, yet in mortal fear of breaking his precious bottles, to find the patient sweetly sleeping and serenely comfortable, in vastly better condition than the tired messenger !
His remarks on the case, if any, are not of record.
The great influx of settlers in 1836-37 and the consequent scarcity of breadstuffs came near bringing actual starvation to those in the inte- rior of the state before the small crop of 1837 could be harvested and ground. Flour rose to $20.00 a barrel and was hard to get even at that enormous price. Mrs. John Wolf dried in her oven a few sheaves of half ripe wheat, a few quarts of which were hastily threshed, ground in her coffee mill and made into food for her suffering family.
David Bouton took as soon as possible with ox team to the nearest mill, at Marshall, small grists for himself and neighbors, only to be told there were five days grinding night and day ahead of him, and he must wait his turn.
He replied with decision that his people were starving and the grain must be ground at once; that he should stay by the miller until it was done. He "stayed by" and morning found his grists ground and on their way home.
William Hicks left home telling his family (a wife and eight chil- dren) that he was going for flour and should not come back till he found it. Fortunately he soon met a load coming in from abroad, bought one hundred pounds with his last ten dollars, being permitted to buy so much only as a favor on account of his urgent need.
In 1836 Mr. Hicks traded his land in Hillsdale county where he had shortly before located, for a part of section 17. Pennfield, now owned by Silas E. Woodworth.
A log shed open on one side was the only building on the new prem- ises, but Mr. Hicks promptly came to stay. Reaching Battle Creek with his family and its few belongings, he went ahead with the family cow, his New York bred sons Solomon, 16 years of age, Chauncey, past 13, and John Y., 11, tied the cow to a corner of the shed, gave the boys
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the family rifle, told them to keep a bright fire through the night, then hastened back to his remaining family at Battle Creek. With the darkness came the howling and snapping wolves eager for the terrified and frantic cow and hardly less frightened boys; the gun could not be made to shoot, but they kept the wolves at bay and the cow from break- ing away until daylight. Possibly the night was not long, nor the morn- ing welcome !
It is told of Mrs. Wm. C. Fonda, one of the settlers of 1836, that she was left alone of an early evening in their unfinished log house, the door not having been hung, but only temporarily set in place. The Colonel had that day slaughtered a supply of meat. Happening to look out, Mrs. Fonda was startled to see a horde of Indians waiting near, evidently at- tracted by the meat within. She cautiously moved the door and reached for the ax standing just outside, when the door fell to the floor with a tremendous noise. The Indians vanished as by magic, and were seen no more !
The township was set off by the legislature from the previously existing township of Milton, in the spring of 1838.
The name Pennfield was chosen at a township meeting on motion of Joseph P. Markham; three names being proposed for choice, Pennfield, Plainfield and Springfield; the name adopted being in honor of Wm. Penn, founder of Pennsylvania.
The first election was held at the school house in Verona village, a part of which was within the township. It resulted in a tie on super- visor between R. E. Knight and Jabez Lamb, while John S. Gifford was chosen town clerk by one majority over Samuel D. Moore.
Other officers were elected as follows: Justices of the peace, Eli Morey, Henry Parsons; assessors, David Bouton, Henry Parsons; com- missioners of highways, John L. Paddock, Stephen M. Aldrich, Joseph E. Wells; overseers of the poor, Eli Morey, Asa Weare; collector, George Lowree; constables, Elijah M. Morey, John L. Paddock; school in- spectors, Rodney McAllister, John S. Gifford, R. E. Knight.
A second election was held for supervisor, which also resulted in a tie, and a third likewise. The equally popular contestants then drew "cuts" and Warren Joy won the prize. On account of these tie votes and the failure of several officers to qualify, a full set was not secured until May 8, 1838.
"Barney" Newton and his sons Erastus R. and Seymour, in addi- tion to improving their own extensive farm, ran for several years a "breaking" outfit consisting of 6 to 10 yoke of oxen, with two or more drivers hitched to an enormous plow of pioneer construction, the coulter and share often resharpened by the blacksmith.
The Newtons thus "broke" for others hundreds of acres, and made possible the immediate raising of crops as soon as the timber could be cut and burned.
Small use then for what would now bring a fortune! Erastus R. and his son Fred Newton moved a few years since to Oklahoma, jointly bonght and improved a fine farm and are now on "Easy street."
The first sermon preached in the town was by elder Elijah Crane at the house of George Lowree; where regular services were afterwards
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held every four weeks until the building of a school house in the vicinity.
The first resident local preacher was Samuel D. Moore; later ones George Lowree and Matthew Atmore. Preaching has been supplied by the M. E. church at one or more of the township school houses with little intermission since the earliest settlement. At least three "classes" or local organizations of that denomination have existed here, now consolidated into larger churches with handsome and commodious houses of worship.
The Congregationalists also held services for many years, preaching being supplied from Bedford by Revs. E. M. Shaw, Scotford and Mc- Farland; and later from Bellevue and Olivet. A church organization was formed about 1864-5 which lasted many years but does not now exist.
Rev. George Willard, afterward for many years editor of the Battle Creek Journal, member of congress, and of the United States Monetary Commission, also preached at the Hicks school house for a considerable period. about 1864-5.
The only church edifice in the township is the Methodist Protestant, in the western part, where an active and vigorous organization holds its services.
The Methodist Episcopal denomination has two neat and comfortable churches just across the street from the township; the Base Line Methodist Episcopal on the north, and the Union Methodist Episcopal at Markham's Corners near its southeast corner, both of which are well supported.
All three were completed and dedicated in 1909.
Many early settlers brought from their old homes seeds of the apple, from which orchards were grown, in due time grafted to choice varieties, some still bearing good crops.
Peaches soon fruited from the "pits" brought from New York, one of the earliest plantings being on section 25, on the farm of Ahira Beach, father of the late Joseph P'. Beach, for many years prominent in town- ship affairs.
At the first bearing of these trees (of a large yellow elingstone va- riety), a sister of the late John Cooper, and others, visited the family when the peaches were half grown. The immature fruit was so attractive and so admired by the fruit hungry visitors that Mrs. Beach cooked a liberal supply, which was so highly appreciated that she picked more to be taken home, greatly to the disgust of the youthful J. P., who could hardly endure seeing so much good fruit eaten before it was ripe!
George Errington had on section 26 the first extensive orchard of peaches, with an interesting history.
Mr. Errington and a brother were English printers in the employ of Harper and Brothers, the eminent New York publishers. In prepara- tion for becoming farmers and fruit raisers they hired a boy to go through Wall Street (where none but the best peaches were eaten) and pick up once a week all the "pits" he could find. These in due time were brought to Michigan, planted on the farm about 1844, and proving to have the unusual peach trait of reproducing their exact kind, soon made an orchard wonderful for beauty, productiveness, and quality.
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People came from far and near in the fruiting season to see and share the luscious product, fairly overrunning the premises, and making life a burden to the owners and young family. Sales were made at home for Jackson, Kalamazoo and all intermediate points; the peaches in fact sold themselves.
The descendants of these trees, reproduced generation after genera- tion from the seed, still exist and retain in large degree their original ยท superiority.
John Cooper, one of the 1836 settlers coming from Maryland, was not pleased with the old style shovel plow universally used here for culti- vating corn and potatoes, but wanted one like those of "Maryland, My Maryland," a much better implement. He wrote to his old home for a full and accurate description of the tool; then in company with Joseph P. Beach, J. P. Markham and George Errington, its plan was studied out from the return letter, a drawing made by Mr. Errington, the wood work by Mr. Markham, the iron work by John Nichols, founder of the Nichols and Shepard Thresher Works, at his foundry at Battle Creek.
This joint product of the several gentlemen's efforts became the pat- tern from which were built many hundred "double shovel plows" to the mutual profit of manufacturer and farmer, being the standard tool for many years.
Grain eradles were made at an early day and in considerable numbers by Joseph P. Markham and a Mr. Johnson, all the world's wheat and similar grains being harvested at that time by the original "Armstrong" reapers and binders.
The first reaping and mowing machines were introduced in 1861, by Alexander Gordon and Samuel Convis.
Improved farm machinery rapidly came into use during the war period, 1861-5, largely on account of the scarcity of farm help.
Henry Willis, a most original and energetic pioneer, an all around man of vim and push, settled at St. Mary's lake in 1855, built the first saw mill in the township in 1856, cleared large tracts of land, erected extensive farm buildings, including houses for numerous employes, car- ried on general farming and brick making operations on a liberal scale. employing in his numerous local enterprises a large number of men.
Ile also built and equipped an extensive water cure establishment on the banks of the charming lake in 1858, which was managed by Dr. H. A. Peterman, later of Marshall, until its destruction by fire in 1863.
Both this township and the city of Battle Creek owe much to the ability, energy and public spirit of Mr. Willis.
The entire state of Michigan sent to the front as soldiers in the Civil war one man for every eight of its entire population, old and young, male and female. Of this enormous proportion of its best, most pro- ductive, and manly sons, Pennfield supplied its full share.
In a pecuniary way, it supplemented national and state bounties to volunteers by liberal township subscriptions and appropriations, and cared for the dependent families of those who fought its battles at the front.
The township invariably voted as its sons fought; there was never a "fire in the rear" as in some northern localities.
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The home burden of farm and household was also heavy with so many active producers gone, leaving double duty to those remaining, yet every home found time and material to send delicacies and comforts the government could not supply to the sick and wounded, and good cheer to all.
And when "the cruel war was over" it has cheerfully supported in common with the entire loyal states, the most liberal system of pensions the world has ever seen.
A complete list of her soldiers, and detailed record of their heroic and honorable part in the war may be found elsewhere in this history.
The Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway runs north easterly through the township following the general course of the Battle Creek stream. Its central portion was originally built by the Peninsular Railway Com- pany of Battle Creek about 1868-9. For a long time its power equip- ment consisted of a single pony built locomotive, with rolling stock corresponding. The irreverent dubbed it the "Triweekly" road, ex- plaining that it tried weekly to make the up trip, and tried to get back the next week. It had no turntable, and for years its trains were pulled one way by its little engine running head first, and on the return trip by the same engine running "tail first."
The state went wild on railroad aid legislation about this period, and some twenty aets were passed by the legislature authorizing the issue of bonds in aid of as many proposed roads by the cities, towns and villages through which they were to pass.
This township held a special eleetion to vote on a proposal to bond itself for ten thousand dollars to aid the contemplated road, the vote being taken at an open air mass meeting, after an address by the presi- dent and promoter of the road, not strictly according to the modern Australian ballot system, but by a division, each side successively passing before tellers, who differed on their eount, but declared the proposition carried by a small majority. The anti's claimed that many illegal votes were given that these decided the day against them. At the next town- ship election party lines were forgotten, and a hot fight ensued between railroad aid and anti-railroad aid partisans, the one side claiming an illegal and fraudulent election, the other the disgraceful repudiation of a contract.
The anti's won.
Litigation ensued which was in due time decided by the Supreme Court in another case, the court holding all taxation for railroad aid or similar purposes unconstitutional and void.
The road ultimately became part of the Grand Trunk system; has been double tracked and made first class in every respect, and is now one of the main through lines from Chicago to the seaboard.
Pennfield Grange No. 85 was organized October 6, 1873, with thirty- one charter members. George C. Hicks heading the list, and remaining, with his wife Mary Hicks active members to this day. It has a fine hall, grounds and outbuildings, has been and is an active and efficient factor in promoting intelligent agriculture, education, mutual help in all good enterprises.
The order as a whole has long been in advance of average public
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sentiment, has led in movements for the Australian ballot system, now universally adopted, for free rural delivery of mail, the greatest boon of recent times to the farmer and to the general public; has long favored direct popular election of United States senators, the parcels post, pri- mary nomination of public officials, and other important reforms just on the verge of accomplishment.
In all these directions Pennfield Grange as a part of the united and effective whole has done and is doing its full share.
Its first more important officers were Silas E. Woodworth, master, Richard Keeler, secretary ; Richard S. Pool, lecturer. Its present ones Frank B. Garratt, master; Miss Clara E. McDermid, secretary ; Miss Alice Cronk, lecturer.
There is also a flourishing Farmers Club in the township, its presi- dent being Philip Bowers, secretary Mrs. Minnie Collier.
On special and unusual lines has been the work of Silas E. Wood- worth on his farm on sections 17 and 20.
Coming from western New York in 1866, he planted in that year the first vineyard of Concord grapes in the state, three acres, and seven additional acres two years later, 10 acres in all
The soil and climate proved excellent for the purpose, the trimming and cultivation were thorough, the demand gratifying.
The grapes sold at times as high as fifteen cents the pound, and the average price for the first eight years was eight cents the pound at wholesale.
In 1882 he planted the first Niagara grapes in the state; 400 vines costing $1.50 each; $600 in all; the trimmings each year to be re- turned to the Niagra Grape Company, the corporation controlling the propagation and sale of the new wonder. Wise men shook their heads at the risky enterprise but the result proved Mr. Woodworth's good judg- ment and foresight. Brightons and other choice varieties were added as the market gradually demanded, and the new enterprise proved a grand success for both producer and consumer, until at present grapes are cheap as apples, and all may enjoy them at trifling cost in cash or labor. In 1868 Mr. Woodworth planted the first extensive pear orchard in the county, 200 trees, dwarfs and standards alternating.
The dwarfs produced a crop in four years, holding on until the larger, slower growing standards came into bearing, when having passed their usefulness they were removed to give room for the "standbys."
In 1892 Mr. Woodworth introduced the Jersey cow; the first herd in the township, increasing to twenty-six in number, devoted to producing milk and cream for market, his entire product being sold to the Battle Creek Sanitarium for seventeen years. .
An early test of his milk by the state veterinarian gave 5.6% butter fat, which at that date was utterly unbelievable by the local milk in- spectors-"no cow living could give so rich milk"-and only repeated tests in their presence could convince them.
Mr. Woodworth also built eighteen or more years ago the first silo in the township, and one of the first two in the county, George Perry of Battle Creek township building another the same year.
Mr. and Mrs. Woodworth still own the farm and retain at a good ripe
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age its general oversight and management, in well earned comfort and plenty.
No adequate history of the township can be written without hon- orable mention of the late Samuel G. Gorsline.
Born in Wayne county, N. Y., 1830, he settled with his family and other relatives near the Cobblestone school house in 1867; was recognized at once by his community as a man of rare intelligence, broad sympathies and sterling worth; was successively teacher, town- ship elerk, supervisor, highway commissioner, township superintendent of schools, member of county board of school examiners for many years, doing efficient and permanent work in every position.
He was a man of unusual range of abilities and accomplishments up to date farmer, successful stock feeder, enthusiastic horticulturist and botanist, a skillful and valuable helper in accident, sickness or misfortune.
Photo by J. H. Brown COBBLESTONE SCHOOLHOUSE, ERECTED 1849
He was a prime mover and helper in every good work in his neigh- borhood and vicinity ; occasional preacher, twenty-five years and more superintendent of his home Sunday school, zealous and efficient in larger fields of effort.
He had a rare gift for reaching and influencing the young people he knew or met, and no assembly or gathering was not the better for his presence and help.
No other citizen has left a stronger or better impress on the township.
The first bridge built was that aeross the Battle Creek stream, south of the present town house, generally known as the MeAllister bridge, which was built by Samuel D. Moore.
The township being intersected by two large streams, the Battle Creek and the Wonondagna, has a liberal number-six considerable Vol. I-14
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