USA > Michigan > Cass County > History of Cass county, Michigan > Part 73
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William W. Loomis, Cass County, Mich., April 25, 1837 160
Sophie Dufoe, Cass County, Mich., June 23, 1841 76
SECTION 31.
James Thompson, Washington County, N. Y., Aug. 6, 1835 ... 80 Ebenezer Broughton, Washington County, N. Y., Aug. 6, 1835. 80 George Goodman, Oct. 7, 1835. 40
James Devoe, Berrien County, Mich., Nov. 25, 1835 154
James Husted, Cass County, Mich., April 23, 1836. 75
Nancy Ann Loomis, Berrien County, Mich., Jan. 30, 1837. 80
William W. Loomis, St. Joseph County, Mich., Jan. 30, 1837. 80
Phebe Loomis, St. Joseph County, Mich., Jan. 30, 1837. 40
SECTION 32.
Samuel R. Henderson, Aug. 6, 1835 160
Lyman A. Spalding, Niagara County, N. Y., April 21, 1836. 80 Lyman A. Spalding, Niagara County, N. Y., May 10, 1836. 240
Horace Butler, May 10, 1836 160
SECTION 33.
Dennis Wright, Cass County, Mich., June 23, 1831 80
Horace Butler, Oneida County, N. Y., May 20, 1831.
160
Silas Baldwin, ('ass County, Mich., Dec. 3, 1836. 160 Erastus Trumbull, Jackson County, Mich., March 27, 1837 .. 160 Samuel R. llenderson, Cass County, Mich., Sept. 2, 1837. 80
SECTION 34.
John Lamm, Preble County, Ohio, Oct. 4, 1833. 320
Charles Ellis, Cass County, Ohio, July 20, 1836
80
John Smith, Cass County, Ohio, July 20, 1836. 80
Zophar Mott, Calhoun County, Mich., Jan. 30, 1837 80 Isaac S. Bull, Cass County, Mich., April 12, 1845. 40 Samuel R. Henderson, Cass County, Mich., March 18, 1837 .. 40
SECTION 35.
AORES.
Josiah Johnson, Harrison County, Ohio, June 22, 1831 160
Samuel Squier, Butler County, Ohio, Sept. 27, 1833 80 Samuel Squier, Butler County, Ohio, March 1, 1834 80
John Tucker, Hamilton County, Ohio, July 27, 1835. 80
Albert Warren, Cass Connty, Mich., May 27, 1836. 160
Myron Strong, Cass County, Mich., Dec. 5, 1836 80
Horace B. Dunning, Cass County, Mich., Dec. 5, 1836. 80
SECTION 36.
Jacob Zimmerman, Cass County, Mich., March 23, 1832 160 Jacob Zimmerman, Cass County, Mich., Jan. 5, 1835. 10 John Fox, Montgomery County, Ohio, Jan. 2, 1834. 120
John Fox, Montgomery County, Ohio, June 25, 1835 40
James Tyler, Cayuga County, N. Y., May 14, 1836 160 Benj. Sherman, St. Joseph County, May 14, 1836. 80
Benj. Sherman, St. Joseph County, Mich., Feb. 1, 1837. 40
As nearly as it is possible to ascertain, the first marriage was that in which Elijah W. Wright and Mary Johnson were the contracting parties, and August 11, 1836, the date of the wedding. The next took place November 20, 1836, between Isaac Huff and Mary Shookman. Then Joseph Crane and Elsie Tietsort, March 2, 1837. After them came Abram Huff and Mary Green, December 12, 1837 and, two days later, December 14, 1837, George Newton and Esther Green ; William Ferrel, Esq., officiated at all the weddings. Thus even in the midst of the stern realities of pioneer life, it will be seen that Cupid was at work.
Perhaps the first adult who died in Wayne, was Mrs. Elijah W. Wright, whose death occurred in March, 1835.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION.
The name of Wayne was suggested by Cornelius Higgins, who was an admirer of Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne. He was a distinguished officer in the Revo- lutionary war, a man of unparalleled bravery and led the forlorn hope in the attack upon Stony Point. His decisive victories over the hostile Indians of the West and Northwest, and the treaty of Greenville in 1795 put an end to all existing Indian disturbances. From the organization of the county, in 1829, up to the year 1835, this township was included within the limits of the township of La Grange. An act of the Territorial Legislature, approved March 17, 1835, set it off as a separate township. The first township meeting was held at the house of Elijah W. Wright, on the 6th day of April, 1835.
The principal officers of the township from 1835 to 1881, inclusive are given in the following list :
SUPERVISORS.
1835-36, Cornelius Higgins ; 1837-38, Abraham Weaver; 1839-40-41, County Commissioners; 1842, Abram Weaver; 1843, Cyrus Gage; 1844-45,
327
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
John S. Gage; 1846, Joel C. Wright; 1847-48, Ebenezer Gage ; 1849-50, William G. Wiley ; 1851- 52-53, M. V. Hunter; 1854, John W. Trotter; 1855-56, Ebenezer Gage; 1857-58-59, Sylvanus Henderson ; 1860-61-62-63-64-65, Henry B. Wells; 1866-67-68-69, Israel Ball; 1870, William 0. Van Hise ; 1871, Francis O. Van Antwerp ; 1872, Samuel Johnson ; 1873, Hiram H. Taylor ; 1874, Henry B. Wells ; 1875-76, Samuel Johnson ; 1877, Wesley Ely ; 1878, Thaddeus Hampton ; 1879, Frank P. Lee; 1880, Hiram Nowlin ; 1881, Henry B. Wells.
CLERKS.
1835-36-37-38-39, Richard V. V. Crane ; 1840- 41, S. B. Clark ; 1842-43, R. V. V. Crane; 1844, Joseph Crane ; 1845, P. B. Gage ; 1846, Julius A. Barney ; 1847-48-49-50-51, R. V. V. Crane; 1852, William H. Hall; 1853, J. J. Blauvelt ; 1854, Will- iam G. Wiley ; 1855, A. S. Haskins; 1856, Arthur Graham; 1857, L. C. Howard; 1858, A. Graham; 1859-60, Asa Huntington ; 1861-62, Jacob Sturr ; 1863, M. S. Cobb ; 1864-65, A. Huntington ; 1866, L. C. Howard; 1867-68-69-70-71, Samuel John- son ; 1872-73-74-75-76, Charles H. Bigelow ; 1878, Ward H. Taylor ; 1879-80, John P. Fiero; 1881, Frank Atwood.
TREASURERS.
1835, Elijah W. Wright; 1836, Joseph Crane ; 1837-38, Joel C. Wright ; 1839, Abram Weaver ; 1840-41, Henry Barney, Jr .; 1842, William G. Wi- ley ; 1843, S. B. Clark ; 1844, Wells H. Atwood; 1845-46, William Ferrel; 1847, D. M. Heazlet ; 1848, Micajah Ludlow ; 1849, D. M. Heazlet ; 1850, Philo B. White ; 1851-52-53-54-55-56, James Kirkwood; 1857-58, Homer Wells ; 1859, Henry B. Wells ; 1860, Thomas N. M. Tinkler; 1861, James Kirkwood; 1862, G. S. Bassett; 1863, Henry C. Allen ; 1864, Willard Wells; 1865, W. Wells, Jr .; 1866, G. W. Amsden ; 1867-68, P. B. White ; 1869, Robert Carr; 1870, Orson H. Butrick ; 1871, John Crawford ; 1872, Alexander H. Mason ; 1873-74- 75-76, Wesley Ely; 1877, George W. Tinkler ; 1879-80, George W. Hunter ; 1881, Theo. P. Bond.
EARLY STATISTICS.
The assessment roll for the year 1836 contained the names of twenty-four resident tax-payers. The number of acres owned and value, and the number and kind of live stock, with values, are shown in the following statement :
Richard V. V. Crane, 197 acres, $266; 2 horses, $80 ; 4 head of cattle, $58; 4 swine, $8. Total, $412. Tax, $4.12.
David Eck, 80 acres, $105; 1 cow, $10; 4 swine, $8. Total, $123. Tax, $1.26.
Abram Weaver, 40 acres, $58 ; 2 head cattle, $14 ; 1 hog, $2. Total, $72. Tax, $0.72.
Stephen Ball, 240 acres, $3.05; 5 horses, $170; 5 head of cattle, $57; 8 swine, $16. Total, $538. Tax, $5.38.
John Shookman, 80 acres, $100; 2 horses, $80 ; 4 head of cattle, $30; 4 swine, $8. Total, $223. Tax, $2.23.
Eleazer Shookman, 80 acres, $100; 2 horses, $100. Total, $200. Tax, $2.
Elijah Wright, 80 acres, $125; 1 horse, $40; 2 cows, $20; 14 swine, $14. Total, $199. Tax, $199. William Ferrel, 120 acres, $160; 2 horses, $75; 2 2 oxen, $90 ; 2 swine, $2. Total, $327. Tax, $3.27.
Frederick Hurtle, 40 acres, $55; 3 head of cattle, $35; 7 swine, $7. Total, $97. Tax, $0.99.
Isaac Thompson, 120 acres, $160 ; 1 horse, $35; 11 head of cattle, $120; 6 swine, $12. Total, $327. Tax, $3.27.
Benjamin Thompson, 40 acres, $55; 1 cow, $10; 4 swine, $5. Total, $70. Tax, $0.70.
John Cayse, 2 head of cattle, $30; 5 swine, $8. Total, $38. Tax, $0.38.
John De Maranville, 160 acres, $225; 4 head of cattle, $60; 1 hog, $3. Total, $288. Tax, $2.88.
James Kirkwood, 160 acres, $200 ; 4 head of cattle, $100. Total, $300. Tax, $3.
Joel C. Wright, 120 acres, $175; 1 horse, $50; 5 head of cattle, $34; 10 swine, $20. Total, $279. Tax, $2.79.
Abraham Huff, 40 acres, $50; 1 hog, $3. Total, $53. Tax, $0.53.
Joseph Van Sickle, 40 acres, $53. Total $53. Tax, $0.53.
Cornelius Higgins, 200 acres, $275; 4 horses, $170; 7 head of cattle, $104; 16 swine, $16. Total, $565. Tax, $5.65.
Jacob Hurtle, 80 acres, $100; 1 horse, $25 ; 2 head of cattle, $25; 2 swine, 82. Total, $162. Tax, $1.62.
Jesse Green, 240 acres, $325; 3 horses, $90; 14 head of cattle, $106; 3 swine, $3. Total, $524. Tax, $5.24.
Josiah Johnson, 160 acres, $208 ; 2 head of cattle, $35; 7 hogs, $10. Total, $253. Tax, $2.53.
Jacob Zimmerman, 200 acres, $276 ; 1 horse, $30; 6 head of cattle, $56; 7 swine, $14. Total, $370. Tax, $3.70.
Dennis Wright,* 80 acres, $1,000 ; 1 horse, $40; 3 head of cattle, $50; 1 hog, $1. Total, $1,011. Tax, $10.11.
*Saw-mill.
328
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
George Laporte, 5 head of cattle, $58; 6 swine, $12. Total, $70. Tax, $0.70.
EARLY ROADS.
The first highways remembered by the oldest set- tler in Wayne were the trails used by the Indians in their migrations to various points in the State. The Indians rarely diverged from a straight line in follow- ing these trails, and always traveled in single file. The paths were so worn by constant use as to produce in some localities depressions more than twelve inches in depth. The most important trail passed through the township from the southwest to the northeast, and was called the " Sac Trail." The line of this trail was very nearly followed by the State road from Niles to Kalamazoo, making Twin Lakes, on Section 16 west, at Henry Barney's, a point in the line. The act authorizing this road was approved February 16, 1838. This road has been straightened through some of the sections, but retains a portion of its original route. The Pokagon & Little Prairie Ronde road passes through the township in about the same course as originally laid from Section 31, to Pickett's Cor- ners, between Sections 22 and 23, thence east into Volinia.
It was with much difficulty that good roads were constructed in certain localities in the township. The yielding nature of the soil made it necessary to cordu- roy the highways in many places, by which means they have been made not only passable, but in most instances they are in good condition. This is espe- cially true of the road across Dowagiac Swamp, where the settlers thought it impossible to build one.
Previous to 1837, the road to St. Joseph, then the market or important outlet for this part of the State, was through Pokagon Township, thence by Berrien Springs, or by a still more devious route, through Lit- tle Prairie Ronde to Paw Paw, where the road inter- sected the Territorial road, thus making ten or fifteen miles more travel than by a direct route across the swamp into Silver Creek, and thence direct to St. Joseph. As early as June, 1835, a committee was appointed to examine and report upon two routes. The committee appointed from Volinia was Jacob Morland, Jacob Charles, Jonathan Gard and James Newton ; from Wayne, Elijah W. and Joel C. Wright and William Ferrel. After two attempts by the com- mittee at making a crossing, the matter rested until the spring of 1837, when a survey was made by John Woolman, Sr., under the direction of John Barney, a pioneer of Silver Creek, and others.
The Overseer of Highways, in opening the road, made some changes in the line of survey, and the road was finally established by common consent. Jo-
seph Crane, Elijah W. Wright and Albert Warren were Highway Commissioners at the time of the sur- vey. The "township had been divided into three road districts ; Nos. 1 and 2 comprised the eastern half, and No. 3 the western half, of which Abram V. Tietsort was the Overseer. In July, the in- habitants were warned out to work on the newly- laid road. Owing to the efforts of John Barney, the causeway was finished and the river bridged. The high water in the river in the spring of 1838, made the bridge and causeway impassable, but that summer the road was repaired, a new bridge built, and the road was once more in a passable condition for wagons, if not heavily loaded. The County Commissioners granted $50 toward the bridge, and the next year, 1839, authorized a tax of $100 to be laid on Silver Creek, Wayne and Volinia, to further improve the road. The completion of the Michigan Central Rail- road, in 1848, diverted the trade from St. Joseph to the newly-created towns of Lawton, Decatur and Dowagiac. Three other roads were opened across the swamp, and the first road then became an ordinary township road.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES.
Considerable interest was manifested in educational matters by the pioneers. The first schoolhouse in the township of Wayne, usually called the Higgins Schoolhouse, was built in the fall of 1835, by the voluntary and united efforts of the early settlers living on either side of the line between the townships of Wayne and and Volinia, and was located on or near the northeast corner of Section 24. This schoolhouse was a rude structure of logs, with an open fire-place on one side, capable of containing any quantity of wood. The desks were simply a shelf made of boards fastened to the walls, with a slight inclination from the back to the front ; they occupied two sides of the room. The seats were of slabs, supported by stakes, upon which the scholars could sit, facing either way, as there were no backs. Hon. George Newton, of Volinia, was the first teacher, in the winter of 1835- 36. He promised to teach the school if a schoolhouse could be built. The second teacher was a Mr. Hop- kinson, in the winter of 1836-37. Mr. William Rig- gins was the third teacher, in the winter of 1837-38. The fourth teacher was Justus Gage, in the winter of 1838-39. The township election for 1838 was held April 2, at which time the first School Inspectors were elected. They met on the 11th of April and or- ganized by electing Justus Gage, Chairman, and R. V. Crane, Township Clerk, Clerk ex officio. They then proceeded to divide the township into nine school districts. About 1840, a school was opened in an old
RESIDENCE OF GEORGE WHITBECK, WAYNE, MICH.
RANSOM DOPP. WAYNE, MICH.
329
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
cooper shop belonging to James P. Wiley. John S. Gage was the first teacher, for which he received a salary of five shillings per day, board not included. Mr. Gage did not receive any money, but each per- son in the district, liable to pay a tax, worked it out on Mr. Gage's land, by which he was enabled to break up about ten acres. The second teacher was a Mr. Stephen Crow, who taught in the same building for about the same salary, board included. He was fol- lowed by Miss Caroline Gage, afterward Mrs. Treat. Her school room was in the old log house of Mr. Wiley, he having moved "out of the old house into the new."
At the annual meeting of the District No. - , in the fall of 1842, measures were taken for building a school- house of hewn logs and covered with a good shingle roof; it was situated in Section 21. The school room was finished similar to the Higgins' Schoolhouse, ex- cept that it was warmed with a stove instead of a fire- place, which improvement gave another side for desks and seats. Miss Sarah Cook was the first teach- er in the new building. in the winter of 1842-43, fol- lowed by Marshall Hathaway, in the winter of 1844- 45; then by Mr. C. C. Morton, in the winter of 1846 -47.
Three districts made reports in 1842, showing the books in use to be : Daboll's Arithmetic, Olney's and Woodbridge's Geographies, Murray's English Reader, Cobb's Juvenile Reader, and Cobb's and Web- ster's Spelling Books, Kirkham's Grammar, and Hales History of the United States.
The Glenwood Schoolhouse, in District No. 2, challenges admiration. It was erected in 1880, at a cost of $1,100. The Gage Schoolhouse, situated in a beautiful grove on the east line of Section 20, is a credit to District No. 4, on account of its size, comfort and convenience. In fact the township is well sup- plied with school facilities, which redounds to its credit.
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
There were among the early settlers people of dif- ferent denominations, but the most friendly feelings existed between them, and the desire to enjoy the privileges of religious worship was above all denomi- national preference, and we find that their first meet- ings were held in common in the cabins of the settlers and at the Higgins Schoolhouse.
The first missionaries " to go up and possess the land," in 1837, were two Free-Will Baptist preachers named Neely and Julian.
Rev. Samuel L. Julian was a regular member of the Free-Will Baptist Church in Brookfield, N. H., and was ordained as a minister of the Gospel Novem- ber 6, 1833.
Rev. Benjamin F. Neely was a member of the Free- Will Baptist Church in Montpelier, Vt., and was or- dained at Lisbon, N. H., June 14, 1835.
The first Methodist class was organized about 1839, by Rev. H. Van Order, with Charles Hull as class leader.
Among the members of this class were Charles Hull and wife, John Shookman and wife, Jacob Zim- merman and wife, Isaac Waldron and wife, Levi Hull and wife, Peter Tietsort and wife, Isaac Thompson, William Ferrel, Arthur Graham and William Kirk- wood.
The first building erected by this society as a house of worship, was a plain unpainted frame structure. After being in service about twenty-eight years it was sold.
Their present house of worship erected in 1872, at a cost of $2,400. is a commodious symmetrical frame building, thirty by forty feet, with a tower ten by ten feet, in which is the vestibule; the tower is sur- mounted by a spire and contains an excellent bell, pre- sented by Mr. Woodward, of New York City. This society was first incorporated September 15, 1860. The following persons were appointed as trustees of the M. E. Church at Wayne, called the " Wayne Chapel." Joseph Sturr, Henry Palmer, Ezra Knapp, Jacob Sturr and A. G. Hollenbeck. It is included in the Cassopolis Circuit, with Rev. E. L. Kellogg preacher in charge.
The pastors of Wayne Chapel have been Van Order, Jones, Shaw, Jakeways, Watson and Young. The pastor now in charge is Rev. W. L. Mathews. A Sabbath school is connected with the church; Clarence Churchill is its present Superintendent.
In December, 1839, Rev. Henry Worthington was appointed to the Paw Paw charge. He was a mere boy, not yet of age, but gifted with unusual ability. He came into the neighborhood as a missionary ; his route extended to St. Joseph ; his journey was made by horseback. His first meeting at which the class was formed was held in a log schoolhouse in Silver Creek, situated on what is now the Godfrey farm. Joseph Spencer was chosen the first class-leader, and continued to be leader nearly twenty years. The preacher's appointments were for every two weeks, and meetings were held in schoolhouse, cabin, or any place where "two or three are gathered together." The society removed to Wayne in 1844, meetings being held in a log schoolhouse, situated about eighty rods east of where the church edifice now stands.
During Rev. - Goodwell's ministry, there was a revival in the log schoolhouse, at which time a large number joined the society. Rev. Joseph Jones held
Y
330
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
a series of meetings in the winter of 1860-61, at which time more members were added. About this time the question of building a church was agitated, and subscription papers were circulated for the pur- pose of raising the necessary funds. ''he legal incor- poration of the society was consummated in 1861, as follows: Joseph Jones, preacher in charge, appoint- ing Daniel Mott, Joseph Spencer, Freeman Spencer, Daniel Roe Mott, Joseph Mott, Silas Pitcher, Wells Carver, Sanford Wheelock and Samuel Filkins a Board of Trustees. At a subsequent meeting the fol- lowing persons were appointed a Building Committee : Joseph Mott, Joseph Spencer, D. R. Mott and Andrew Kirkwood. When the spring opened, work on the church was commenced and in the fall a neat frame building was completed, at a cost of $2,000, all of which was promised at the day of dedi- cation.
Among those who have been pastors of the church are the following : Rev. Robert Watson, Rev. Thomas McCool, Rev. - Goodwell, Rev. James Robinson, Rev. Joseph Jones, Rev. J. I. Buell, Rev. George Hoag, Rev. - Miller, Rev. J. M. Richards. Rev. George A. Buell is the present minister.
In consequence of removals and deaths, the mem- bership has fallen off from sixty in 1861, to twenty- five in 1881.
A Sabbath school has been maintained since the organization. The Superintendents have been Joseph Spencer, Daniel R. Mott, and the present Superinten- dent is Mrs. Melissa Kirkwood.
In March, 1874, the people of Glenwood and vicin- ity met and organized a church society with the fol- lowing persons as members: Craigie Sharp, Oscar F. Hall and wife, W. Huff and wife, John Burns and wife, Clinton Huff and wife, J. B. Laylin and wife, Charles Laylin and wife, Alfred Turner and wife, Abner Townsend and wife, John Andrews and wife, M. D. L. McKeyes and wife, Mrs. Eben Copley, Charles and Napoleon Copley and Catharine Wells. The incorporation of the society was at a later date, as follows :
At a meeting of the "Church of Christ," held at Glenwood, September 29, 1874, the following per- sons were chosen Trustees of the church : Oscar F. Hall, Alfred H. Turner, Craigie Sharp, Josiah B. Laylin, John W. Burns and M. D. L. McKeyes.
The society have a house of worship which was erected and inclosed by Craigie Sharp; the interior work and finish was done by the society.
A Sunday school is connected with the church, of which Charles B. Laylin is Superintendent.
The pastors of this church have been Revs. Will- iam M. Roe, Myron B. Rawson and Henry Sigerfoos.
CEMETERIES.
"A little spot is all they now require
For their last resting place. There the green turf May grow, and flowers may bloom, and sun and rain May come, but they will ne'er have thought or care For them again. A stone, a single stone, Will tell their humble names to passers-by ;
But their best monuments will ever be
Engraven on the hearts of those who knew. Nor yet knew half their worth till they were gone."
There are four burial-places in the township. That in the northern part of the town on Section 4, is known as the Wilson Cemetery, and comprises about a half acre of ground. The Gage Cemetery is situated near the center of Section 20, and contains two acres of land given by Justus Gage for this purpose. The first person buried here was Mrs. Hungerford. A small burial-place is connected with the Wayne Chapel, in the eastern part of the town on Section 24. There is a small burying-ground on Sec- tion 26, the land for which was given by Philo B. White. The first interment was that of the wife of Col. Artemas Ellis.
Venice-not the city of the sea with its canals, gondolas and the Bridge of Sighs-but a paper town laid out and on the banks of the South Dowagiac Creek, and the only sighs were probably those of the owner at his failure to found a city. This paper city was brought into existence August 6, 1836, by Or- lando Crane, proprietor. It was situated in the south- west part of the township, where Dowagiac now stands. It occupied the whole southwest quarter of Section 31, and contained 538 lots; each lot was 4x8 rods. There were two public squares, each sixteen rods square. Front, Broad and Main streets were to be six rods wide; Second, Fourth, Fifth, Cedar, Franklin, Washington, Pearl and Walnut streets were four rods in width.
The building of a steam saw-mill in 1855, by Worden & Foster, at Tietsort's Side-Track, was the beginning of a hamlet and post office, called Model City, which name was retained till 1874, when it was changed to Glenwood.
Tietsort's, on the Michigan Central Railroad, was known in the early days of the railroad as a side tract, then as a signal station, and later, as a regular station for passengers and freight. A post office was estab- lished here, known as Model City Post Office. In 1874, Craigie Sharp, Jr., and Thaddeus Hampton, of Wayne, and Edwin Barnum, of Paw Paw, laid out and platted at this point the village of Glenwood. It con- tains one general store, one saw-mill, two blacksmith shops, about twenty houses with a population of not far from 100, also a church of the denomination called
RESIDENCE OF L. C. HOWARD WAYNE, MICH.
BUILT 1845.
00
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE E C. TAYLOR, VAYNE, MICH.
331
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
-
Disciples. It is the only village wholly within the township.
The Wright saw-mill, located about two miles east of Dowagiac, on the South Branch of the Dowagiac Creek, was the first mill of any description in the township of Wayne. It was built by Dennis Wright, in 1834, on land bought of Government in 1831, and located on Section 33. It changed hands several times, and only stood about fifteen years.
Brick-making was commenced by Elijah W. and Joel C. Wright, about two years after they came into the township, on the east end of the south half of the northeast quarter of Section 24. They only continued in this business about three years.
The first person to commence the business of mer- chandising in Wayne was Jesse Green. He was licensed as a merchant July 27, 1835 ; his store was in a log building adjoining his log cabin. He did not continue long in the business.
The first public house in the township was that which was opened by - ---- McOmber, about 1836, in his house, which stood on the line between Wayne and Silver Creek, and now included in the corporate limits of Dowagiac. Calvin Hale kept a tavern about 1840, on what is now the Evans farm, about half a mile east of Pickett's Corner. A man named Van Vranken succeeded Hale. Selah Pickett raised the sign of a public house on his corners, and also had the post office. A man named Hatch kept tavern in same stand.
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