USA > Michigan > Cass County > History of Cass county, Michigan > Part 76
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Dauiel Phillips, Cass County, Mich., April Ini, 1833. 40 Daniel Fisher, Cass County. Mich., Feb. 3, 1834. 40
T. T. Lewis, Cass County, Mich., Feb. 12, 1634. 40
J. A. Elliott, Litchfield County, Conn., June 16, 1834 120
Peter Lyon, Ontario County, N. Y., June 24. 1834 125
Nancy Nealy, Ontario County, N. Y., Nov. 14, 1835. 40
SECTION 20.
('. Lewis and O. Green, Ontario County, N. Y., Sept. 23, 1830 134 George Fosdick, Berrien County, Feb 29, 1832 79 Jonas Ribble. Cass County, Mich., Nov. 14, 1832 120
E. Griswold, Berrien County, July 2, 1833 .. 80
T. Husted, Otsego County, N. Y., Feb. 24, 1834. 80
S. Bushnell, Madison County, N. Y., June 16, 1834 80
Zenos Smith, Casa County, Mich., July 29, 1835.
40
SECTION 21.
George Fosdick, Berrien County, Feb. 29, 1832. 64 Catharine Stewart, Berrien County, March 8, 1832. 65 Peter Lyon, Ontario County. N. Y .. June 24, 1834 92
O. H. and M. E. Gallup, Hamilton County, Ohio, June 25, 1834 80
Taber Earle, Erie County, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1834. 107 Sally and F. L Bailey, Cass County, Mich., July 29, 1835 ... 40 C. K. Green, Cass County, Mich., Aug. 1, 1835. 40
SECTION 22.
ACRES.
Peter Lyon, Ontario County, N. Y., June 24, 1834 I60
Taber Earl, Erie County, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1834 80 Charles Butler, New York City, Oct. 21, 1835. 80
George Redfield, Cass County, Mich., April 21, 1836. 80
D. Pattengell, Cass County, Mich., May 12, 1836 40 H. P. Voorhies, Montgomery County, N. Y., July 8, 1836. 160
Mitchell Germon, Cass County, Mich., Feb. 9, 1837 .. 40)
SECTION 23.
William Sherwood, Cass County, Mich., Sept. 2, 1833 80 Erastus Todd, Cass County, Mich., Sept. 2, 1833. 160
Peter Lyon, Ontario County, N. Y., June 24, 1834. 80
H. P. Voorhies, Montgomery County, N. Y., June 29, 1835 .. 240 Franklin Emerson, Cass County, Mich., July 16, 1835 40
Charles Butler, New York City, Oct. 21, 1835 40
SECTION 24.
William Young, Cass County, Mich., Feb. 4, 1832 80
J. Coulter, Clinton County, Ohio, July 13, 1833. 40 H. P. Voorhies, Montgomery County, N. Y., June 29, 1835. 80 William Young, Casa County, Mich., July 16, 1835. 40
N. Dumbottom, May 2, 1836.
240
George Harter, Preble County, Ohio, July 16, 1836.
120
SECTION 25.
H. P. Voorhies, Montgomery County, N. Y .. June 29, 1835 ... 80 N. Dumbottom, Cass County, Mich., May 4, 1836 .. 80
G. Lawrence, George Beach and William H. Imlay, Onon- daga County, N. Y., May 14. 1836. 437
SECTION 26.
H. P. Voorhies, Montgomery County, N. Y., June 29, 1835 ... 80 John Rush, Cass County, Mich., July 2, 1835. 40 Luther Chapin, Cass Connty, Mich., April 23, 1836 80 Peter Putman, Montgomery County, N. Y., May 7, 1836. 400
E. L. Yates, Montgomery County, N. Y., Nov. 29, 1836. 40
SECTION 27.
John Rush, Cass County, Mich., Jan. 16, 1834. 120
D. H. and John S. Gallop, Cass County, Mich., July 2, 1835, 40
C. K. Green, Berrien County, Mich., Aug. 1, 1835. 160
E. W. Sanford, Erie County, N. F., Oct. 3, 1835. 80)
Charles Butler, New York City, Oct. 21, 1835 40
T. Husted, Otsego County, N. Y., Oct. 29, 1835. 40
T. Husted, Cass County, Mich., April 23, 1836 40
T. T. Lewis, Cass County, Mich., July 23, 1836. 40
S. Bentley, Cass County, Mich., Jan. 12, 1846 10
SECTION 28.
Henry Heath, Cass County, Mich., Aug. 19, 1833. 50
B. B. Kercheval, Wayne County, Mich., Dec. 7, 1833. 80 F. Winslow, Berrien County, Mich., Dec. 22, 1834 78
Z. Smith, Erie County, N. Y., April 8 and July 16, 1835 80 W. W. Sanford, Erie County, N. Y., Oct. 3, 1835. 40
C. K. Green, Berrien County, Mich., Oct. 15. 1835. 40
Charles Butler, New York City, Oct. 21. 1835 80
N. Dumbottom, New York City, May 2, 1836 80
D. Goodwin, New York City, Nov. 30, 1835 80
SECTION 29.
C. Loomis and O. Green, Ontario County, N. Y., Sept. 23, 1830 112
J. Hussy, Erie County. N. Y., July 3, 1832 ..
80
341
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
J. W., William W., E. F. and S. J. Bailey, Erie County, N. Y., ACRES.
Feb. 14, 1833. 80
Henry Heath, Erie County, N. Y., June 25, 1833 320
SECTION 30.
A. Chapman, Windsor County, Vt., Sept. 16, 1831 86
J. Pattengell, Erie County, N., Y., Oct. 1, 1831. 86
T. T. Lewis. Berrien County, Mich., Feb. 13, 1833. 40 E. Huntley, Erie County, N. Y., Sept. 28, 1833. 80
J. W. Abbott, Cass County, Mich., Oct. 3, 1833. 40 Jonathan Abbott, Cass County, Mich., May 27, 1834. 40
D. W. Briggs, Berrien County, Mich., June 10, 1834. 80
S. Chandler, Jr., Madison County, N. Y., June 16, 1834. 80 R. C. Clark, Madison County, N. Y., June 16, 1834 80 Peter Lyon, Ontario County, N. Y., June 24, 1834. 40
SECTION 31.
John Pattengell, Erie County, N. Y., Oct. 1, 1831. 87
Ezra Williams, Erie County, N. Y., April 9, 1832 80 Zina Rhoades. Erie County, Sept. 28, 1833. 160
J. W. Abbott, Cass County, Mich., Oct. 3, 1833 40 N. Bacon, Berrien County, Mich., Oct. 7, 1833 87
J. Abbott, Cass County, Mich., Jan. 21, 1834. 40
William C. Collins, Berrien County, Mich., June 24, 1834. 80 O. Johnson, Erie County, N. Y., July 3, 1834. 80
SECTION 32.
J. W., William W., E. F. and S. Bailey, Erie County, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1833. 80
H. Albert, Jr., Erie County, N. Y., Sept. 28, 1833.
160
J. A. Elliott, Litchfield County, Conn., June 13, 1834. 80
Peter Lyon, Ontario County, N. Y., Jan. 24, 1834. 40 Thomas Wheeler, Berrien County, Mich., Feb. 23, 1835. 80
E. Huntley, Cass County, Mich , July 10, 1835. 40
S. Waldo, Columbia County, N. Y., July 17, 1835. 80
A. H. Frizelle, Greenup County, Ky., Feb. 11, 1837. 80
SECTION 33.
A. I. Dunbar, Berrien County, Mich., Aug. 4, 1835 40 John H. Woods, Cass County. Mich., Aug. 4, 1835. 40
J. H. Heath, New York City, Aug. 10, 1835 ..
160
William Morris, Cass County, Mich., March 5, 1836 80 John G. Bond, Berrien County. Mich., Feb. 4, 1837. 40 George and Charles Bond, Berrien County, Mich., Feb. 4, 1837 80
A. H. Frizelle, Greenup County, Ky., Feb. 11, 1837 200
SECTION 34.
George McCoy. Cass County, Mich., June 17, 1831. 80 George McCoy, Cass County, Mich., Dec. 17, 1834 40 Austin Stocking, Columbia County, N. Y., Jan. 22, 1835 40 George McCoy, Cass County, Mich., July 1, 1835. 80
SECTION 35.
H. P. Voorhies, Montgomery County, N. Y., June 23, 1835 .. 320 Peter Putman, Montgomery County, N. Y., May 7, 1836 240 Mary Smith, Cass County, Mich., Aug. 20, 1849. 40
SECTION 36.
Leonard Kellogg, Nov. 10, 1835. 40 William Schneck, Herkimer County, N. Y., Nov. 10, 1835. 40 Hiram Rogers, Cass County, Mich., April 23, 1836 .. 840
Grove Laurence, George Beach, W. H. Imlay, Onondaga County, N. Y., May 14, 1836 .. 280
H. Wilkinson, Cass County, Mich., July 20, 1836. 40
Thomas T. Lewis, Cass County, Mich., July 23, 1836, 120 E. L. Yates, Montgomery County, N. Y., Nov. 29, 1836 80
Howard Township was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved March 7, 1834, and text of the enacting clause reads as follows : "All that part of the county of Cass comprised in surveyed Township 7 south, in Range 16 west, be a town- ship, by the name of Howard, and the first town- ship meeting shall be held at the dwelling house of John Fosdick, in said township."
The early records of the township have been de- stroyed, but the following comprises a
POLL LIST.
for the election held August 21 and 22, 1837 : Ira Perkins, John W. Abbott, Jonathan Wells, O. D. S. Gallup, Zenos Smith, Henry Heath, J. V. R. Per- kins, Ezekiel C. Smith, Amasa Smith, Ephraim Huntley, Joseph C. Teats, Ebner Emmons, Arthur C. Blue, Charles Stephenson, Zina Rhodes, Na- thaniel Dumboltom, Eli Rice, Jr., Daniel Partridge, Gurdon B. Fitch, Sylvenon Dumboltom, Calvin Kinney, Nathan McCoy, Henry L. Gould, Jonathan E. Wells.
This township was originally settled by Eastern people, all of whom were termed " Yankees," irrespect- ive of what locality they were from, and " Hoosiers," and there existed, for a long time, quite a strife be- tween the two factions as regards political preference, and it was "Yankee" or "Hoosier " instead of Whigs or Democrats, in their early elections, and at first, the Hoosiers obtained the victory, but their con_ quests continued but a short time, for they were soon outnumbered, and consequently outvoted by their op- ponents.
This spirit of sectional differences existed in the ordinary affairs of life, and the young people did not commingle in their pleasures. The first one to break the lines of conservatism was William Weed, who married Squire Thompson's daughter, and the old gentleman entertained serious doubts about the expe- diency of the union, and when Ezekiel C. Smith repaired to his house to perform the marriage ceremony, he inquired, in a very solicitous tone : "Do you know anything about this 'ere man that is going to marry my gal ?" and he felt quite reconciled when assured that he was an exemplary young man, and would make a good husband. From this time on a better feeling pervaded, and soon a feeling of amity extended over the entire population.
In this connection it miglit be mentioned that in all probability the marriage of Isaac Beehimer to Miss Phillips, daughter of Thomas Phillips, in the fall of 1832, was the first one consummated in the township, Squire Edwards performing the ceremony that fastened the connubial knot. The settlers were early
342
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
reminded of their future state by the death of Mrs. Marrs, who died in 1832 or 1833, and this was the first death that occurred in the township of which the his- torian can learn.
The boundaries of Howard were surveyed by Will- iam Brookfield, D. S., in 1827, and subdivisions com- pleted by him July 11, 1828, as per contract with Edward Tiffin, Surveyor General of the United States.
There are no streams of any consequence in the township, but it possesses a remarkable lake which was formerly known as Lake Alone, from its isolated situation, no other lake being very near it. Its waters are remarkably pure and soft, and as no surface streams empty into it, it must be supplied with under- ground springs. It has no outlet except an artificial one, for it is the base of the water supply of Niles, five miles distant, to which place water is conducted by means of underground pipes. On the east bank of Barren Lake as it is now called, is a hotel to which pleasure parties repair in the summer time.
It is quite certain that this township has been the site of very severe battles fought by its aboriginal or prehistoric inhabitants, for Mr. E. C. Smith, with the assistance of his father and brother, made excavations in a mound on the farm of R. Earl in 1835, and there found the skeletons of hundreds of warriors, who were buried in a circle, with their heads all lying toward a common center. Great clefts or cuts in the skulls of a large number was conclusive evidence of their hav- ing met a sudden death from blows inflicted with a tomahawk, hatchet or similar sharp pointed instru- ments.
Some of the skeletons were charred by fire, and it is possible that some of them met a horrible death at the stake, after the manner of Indian war- fare. But whether friend and foe met here and in- terred their dead after a hard-fought battle, will never be known, for a blank page represents the unwritten history of these early times and events.
In 1833, William Young erected the first frame barn in the township, on Section 14, where it still stands. George Fosdick probably constructed the first farm house in the township, in Section 21, in 1835, which is still standing, while the first brick one was built by John Pettingill in Section 31, in 1842. About the latter date farmers began to erect better buildings, and discard the rude log structures, which had well served their time, and over the entire township can be found fine farm buildings and culti- vated fields, while the Indian trails and deer paths have given way to suitably constructed wagon roads, and the old settlers and their descendants are enjoy- ing the results of many years of patient toil.
STATISTICS AND PRODUCTIONS.
Although destitute of a village, or even a post office, Howard has a population of 974, and this pop- ulation is engaged in farming on 152 farms of 17,152 acres, 11,168 of which are improved. In 1879, there was raised upon 3,313 acres, 62,070 bushels of wheat, which is an average of 18.74 bushels per acre ; from 2,171 acres planted to corn, 73,802 bushels were husked, while from 659 acres sown to oats, 15,838 bushels were thrashed. In 1880, there were owned in the township 519 head of horses, 815 head of cattle, 1,037 hogs, while in 1879, 1,888 sheep produced 8,- 843 pounds of wool. Apples and small fruits are raised in abundance, and this showing contrasts strongly with the township when William Kirk first decided to make it his home.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in the northwestern portion of the township was taught by Joseph Harter, in a discarded log house in the winter of 1833, and among the early school teachers was Fanny Bailey.
The township now comprises seven whole and one fractional districts, with 265 children between the ages of five and twenty years. District No. 1 has a brick schoolhouse, valued at $1,000, with a seating capacity of 56 ; No. 2, a frame · building valued at $900, seating capacity 60; No. 3, a frame building valued at $875, seating capacity 48; No. 4, a brick building valued at $100, seating capacity 40; No. 7, a frame building valued at $800, seating capacity 30 ; No. 8 (fractional) frame valued at $800, seating capacity 36; No. 10, frame valued at $600, seating capacity 50; No. 11, brick, value $700, seating ca- pacity 44. During the past school year, $558 was paid male, and $1,012 female teachers. The town- ship has a library of 500 volumes.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The only church in the township is the Methodist Episcopal, which was organized by Rev. W. H. Samp- son with six members, viz .: James and Ann Coulter, Dennis and Cynthia A. Parmalee, Eliza Smith and Elizabeth Young. In 1858, they built a house of worship costing $1,300, called Conlter's Chapel, from the fact that the church lot was given by James Coul- ter, who also assisted liberally in its construction. It now has a membership of fifteen.
The following comprises a list of the principal civil officers of the township :
SUPERVISORS.
1834, Samuel Mars; 1835, George Fosdick ; 1836- 37, Henry Heath ; 1838, Thomas Glenn ; 1830-43,
HENRY ALDRICH.
MRS. HENRY ALDRICH.
RESIDENCE OF HENRY ALDRICH, ONTWA, MICH.
343
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Ezekiel C. Smith; 1844, James Shaw; 1845, Oscar Jones ; 1846, James Shaw; 1847-48, J. N. Chip- man ; 1849, Oscar Jones ; 1850, Elam Harter ; 1851, Oscar Jones ; 1852-53, Ezekiel C. Smith; 1854, Elam Harter; 1855-56, Ezekiel C. Smith ; 1857-58, Benjamin Cooper, Jr .; 1859, William Curtis ; 1860, Ezekiel C. Smith ; 1861-70, William H. Doane; 1871-74, H. S. Hadsell; 1875-76, Benjamin O. Vary ; 1877, William H. Doane; 1878-79, Walton W. Harder; 1880-81, Asher J. Shaw.
TREASURERS.
1836, Joseph H. Abbott; 1837, S. Dumbolton ; 1839-42, James Coulter ; 1843, William H. Doane, 1844-55, H. D. Gallup ; 1856-58, Perry P. Perkins; 1859-60, James G. Willard; 1861-62, Alexander Cooper ; 1863-64, T. C. Raridan ; 1865-66, Samuel Ullery ; 1867-68, John Dwan; 1868-70, E. Blanch- ard; 1871-72, Walter W. Harder; 1873, D. P. Garberich (Garberich deceased in November, 1873, and W. H. Doane appointed) ; 1874, Walter H. Har- der ; 1875-76, Elbridge T. Reed ; 1877, Nelson K. Allen (resigned, and G. G. Huntley appointed) ; 1878, G. G. Huntley ; 1879-80, E. Monhan; 1881, J. W. Timmons.
CLERKS.
1834-36, Peter Fraser ; 1837, Z. Smith ; 1838, J. W. Abbott; 1839, Z. Smith ; 1840-41, A. S. Cook; 1842, David M. Howell ; 1843-47, Richard T. Heath ; 1848, Robert N. Peebles ; 1849, John M. Peebles ; 1850, Thomas H. Huston ; 1851-54, John L. Schell; 1855-59, Thomas H. Huston ; 1860-65, James A. Collins ; 1866-68, Perry P. Perkins; 1869, Jacob Keller; 1870-73, J. G. Van Evera ; 1873-81, John Bedford, Jr.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1836, Henry Heath, Oliver S. Gallup, Ephraim Huntley, E. C. Smith; 1837, E. C. Smith, Charles Campbell ; 1838, W. H. Doane; 1839, Thomas T. Lewis, Z. Smith; 1840, E. C. Smith, S. Toney ; 1841, David M. Howell, Isaiah Carberry ; 1842, W. H. Doane; 1843, John L. Schell, Isaiah Carberry ; 1844, Oliver D. S. Gallup, E. C. Smith ; 1845, J. L. Schell ; 1846, O. D. S. Gallup; 1847, James S. Needham; 1848, Oscar Jones; 1849, E. C. Smith ; 1850, Isaiah Carberry ; 1851, Elam Hunter ; 1852, Oscar Jones ; 1853, E. C. Smith ; 1854, Isaiah Car- berry ; 1855, M. Van Ness; 1856, E. C. Smith ; 1858, Isaiah Carberry, W. H. Doane; 1859, Isaiah Carberry ; 1860, E. C. Smith, John A. Snodgrass ; 1861, W. H. Doane; 1862, H. S. Hadsell ; 1863, Samuel Ullery ; 1864, E. C. Smith; 1865, W. H. Doane ; 1866, Henry N. Cameron ; 1867, Hiram H. Hinchman ; 1868, E. C. Smith ; 1869, W. H. Doane,
Samuel Ullery ; 1870, John Dwan; 1871, Andrew T. Fort; 1872, Jerome A. Smith; 1873, W. H. Doane; 1874, Jolin Dwan, Asher J. Shaw ; 1875, W. H. Doane, H. N. Cameron, Almon Gott; 1876, Jerome A. Smith ; 1877, B. O. Vary ; 1878, Henry N. Cameron ; 1879, Alexander Cooper, Henry N. Cameron, Almon Gott; 1880, Alexander Cooper ; 1881, B. O. Vary.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
MILTON.
Beardsley's Prairie and the Township In " Ye Olden Times "-First Settlers and Early Settlement-Land Entries-Erection of Town- ship-Soil and Products-Religions Organizations-Schools-Civil List-Blographical.
I THE early history of Milton and Ontwa are so in- timately connected that it is with difficulty they can be appropriately separated ; together they form one harmonious entirety, for, from Edwardsburg, which was the first stopping-place of the early settlers, they naturally radiated into the surrounding country, and the boundaries of this township, lying so close to Edwardsburg, its attractive landscape did not fail to arrest the attention of the adventurous pioneer, who were not slow to avail themselves of the broad acres laid out so temptingly before them, which invited cul- tivation.
A goodly portion of Beardsley's Prairie being in this township, it enabled the pioneers to reap almost immediate returns for the labor bestowed in cultivating its surface, while the luxuriant herbage afforded suste- nance for the stock brought in at this early period, so that although their methods of living were necessarily very primative, they never lacked for the absolute necessities of life.
According to the belief of numerous parties, and they certainly have excellent reasons for it, John Hudson, who came from Ohio, was the first settler in this township, and he located on the farm now owned by Allen Dunning, Jr., in Section 11, which was pur- chased by his father in 1836. Hudson purchased this land, eighty acres, of the United States Government, November 26, 1830, and after disposing of the same, returned to his former home in Ohio, with his love for pioneer life thoroughly satiated. Others think that to J. Melville belongs the credit of having first located in the township, and on the land now owned by Mrs. A. Jennings, in Section 24, and which he purchased of the United States Government Septem- ber 24, 1829. He certainly can claim priority of purchase. Melville was a native Scotchman, and a a blacksmith by trade, although he never plied this avocation in his pioneer liome except in his own behalf
344
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY. MICHIGAN.
or to meet the pressing necessities of a neighbor, when his knowledge of the art possessed by mythological Vulcan proved most acceptable. Like many of those who first plowed the virgin soil, he moved away, as emigrants began to pour in and fill up the county, and where he passed the final years of his life cannot be ascertained. Among those who first settled in this township was Cannon Smith, who was born in the State of Delaware, and started for the West from the county of Sussex, that State, in the summer of 1828. At this period railroads were unknown in this county, and they started on their long journey toward the setting sun with his family, except Mrs. Smith, closely stowed away in the capacious wagon, which also con- tained all their worldly goods. Mrs. Smith performed the journey in a covered two-wheeled gig. While en route, he stopped for one month in Delaware County, Ohio, where he visited a brother, and there received in- formation which caused him to make Cass County the terminal point of his journey. He reached Edwards- burg October 11, 1828, which was on the eleventh birthday of Wesley, one of his sons. He made Ed- wardsburg his home until the spring of 1831, pursuing the avocation of farming in the meantime, at one time, working the farm of the famous old pioneer Ezra Beardsley. November 8, 1829, he purchased his land-160 acres-in Section 14, this township, but did not move on the same until the spring of 1831, and then into the first frame house built in the town- ship, erected by himself, in the interim. One peculiar- ity regarding this house was the unique manner in which the lumber for its erection was prepared, the tools con- sisting of an ax, draw-shave, hammer and auger. After the trees had been felled and split, and hewn out înto siding as nearly as possible, the draw shave was brought into requisition, and the furnishing labor performed with it. The studding and braces were split out like fence-rails, and then laboriously smoothed on one side to an even surface. The frame was fastened together with wooden pins, and the roof consisted of " shakes," held down with poles. Altogether, it was a most ingeniously constructed house, and shows that when necessity required, the hardy pioneer was equal to any emergency. In this house was entertained, and free of expense, a large number of emigrants as they came in the country, while erecting a log cabin to shelter them, and the hospitable board was ever spread for the stranger as they passed into or west- ward through the county. Reverberating through the house could many times have been heard hymns of praise, as sung by worshipers gathered there to hear the word of life proclaimed by some minister of the Gospel. Mr. Smith was a devout Methodist, but his religion was broad and liberal
enough to include those of other denominations, and his house was considered the home of the ministers of all creeds. Money, at this time, was difficult to obtain, and in order to secure enough to meet the second pay- ment on his farm, Mr. Smith journeyed on foot to and from the State of Delaware, an undertaking from which the most enterprising young farmer of to-day would shrink from performing. Mr. Smith died in 1843, and his wife, Charlotte (Handy), in 1872. His family consisted of ten children, of whom John H. and Elizabeth are in Indiana ; George, Kittura and Henry, deceased; Emeline in Milton ; Mary (Mrs. Wooster) in Milton, while Wesley and Cannon reside on the old farm, the latter occupying the old home- stead.
In those halcyon days the name of Peter Truitt was familiar to all, he being a very active energetic business man, who emigrated from his birthplace in Sussex County, June 17, 1831, his journey taking forty-four days. He first sold goods at Bertrand, but soon brought them to Milton Township, where he opened up the first stock of goods brought in the township, and almost simultaneously commenced keep- ing a tavern, where for years he did the honor of " mine host " to all who had occasion to stop at the " White Oak Tree Tavern," which was the name by which his tavern was designated by many. because of a monstrous white oak tree that grew near it, which about fifteen feet from the ground threw out three immense branches, one to the north and alter- nately above it one to the south and to the east, as if welcoming all from these directions to the entertain- ment to be found, almost beneath its wide-spreading branches.
Mr. Truitt was married four times, first to Mary (Simpler), who died in Delaware, and by whom he had five children, viz .: John M., who married Ann V Eliza Carpenter, and now resides in Edwardsburg: Elizabeth C. (Mrs. J. Tittle), and Henry P. and David T., who are farmers in Milton, and Elias S. (deceased). Elizabeth McKnitt, whom he also mar- ried in Delaware, was his second wife, and by whom he had two children-Mary Jane (Mrs. J. Butts), in Milton, and Esther Ann (Mrs. J. Griffith), in Green- ville, Mich. His third consort was Deborah McKnitt, and of the fruits of this marriage there is but one child living-Mr. James M. Truitt, who resides in Milton. By his fourth wife, Mrs. Sarah McKnitt, he had no children. Mr. Truitt was born February 7, 1801, and resided on the farm he purchased so many years before, until his death December 5, 1881. Pre- vious to his death, his health was very poor, and mind considerably shattered, but should one ask him any- thing regarding his religious experiences, he would be
345
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
found bright on this subject, for he was an active Methodist, and identified himself with this denomina- tion when there were but ten members in the congre- gation, and has been ever since a zealous supporter of the cause, and it is a remarkable fact that when all things sublunary had almost faded from his mind, his knowledge of spiritual affairs continued bright and clear like an oasis in the sandy desert, until his death.
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