USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 54
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113
1869 .- Supervisor, Lorenzo D. Cook; Town Clerk, J. E. Bussey ; Treasurer, E. N. Chandler; Justice of the Peace, Ilugh McCann : Commissioner of Highways, Nocl Harris; School Inspector, Aaron B. Durfee.
1870 .- Supervisor, James B. Moshier; Town Clerk, J. E. Bussey ; Treasurer, E. N. Chandler ; Justices of the Peace, Edwin E. Bridges, Michael W. Johnson ; Commissioner of Highways, John Reeson ; School Inspector, William R. Marsh.
1871 .- Supervisor, Lorenzo D. Cook; Town Clerk, F. D. Adams; Treasurer, Delos A. Perkins; Justices of the Peace, Aaron B. Durfee, Robert Deming; Commissioner of Highways, Aaron B. Durfce; School Inspector. S. W. Pearson.
1872 .- Supervisor, Lorenzo D. Cook; Town Clerk, F. D. Adams; Treasurer, D. A. Perkins; Justice of the Peace, Robert Deming; Commissioner of Highways, Noel Harris; School Inspector, John Owen; Drain Commissioner, Asahel Mar- tin.
1873 .- Supervisor, Elbert N. Chan ller ; Town Clerk, Lewis V. Curry ; Treasurer, John Owen; Justices of the Peace, Samuel S. Knight, John W. Ingrium; Commissioner of Highways, John Reeson ; School Inspectors, Silas K. Warner, Rufus Z. Smith ; Drain Commissioner, Jerome Z. Fairbank.
1874 .- Supervisor, Elbert N. Chandler; Town Clerk, John W. Davis; freasurer, Noah G. Kelsey ; Justices of the Peace, Elinund E. Bridges; Commissioner of Highways, Jesse D. Crane; School Inspector, Cicero J. K. Stoner ; Drain Commissioner, Nocl Harris.
1875 .- Supervisor, Elbert N. Chandler; Town Clerk. John W. Davis; 26
Treasurer, Alonzo M. IFolia lay ; Justico of the Porce. Jerome Z. Fairbank : Commissioner of Highways, John Reeson ; Township Superintendent of Schools, Joseph M. MeGrath ; School Inspector, Cicero J. K. Stoner; Drain Commissioner, Noel Harris.
1876 .- Supervisor, Elbert N. Chandler ; Town Clerk, John W. Davis ; Treasurer, Noah G. Kelsey ; Justice of the Peace, John W. Ingram; Commissioner of Highways, John Reeson ; Town- ship Superintendent of Schools, J. M. McGrath ; School In- spector, Anson Morebouse ; Drain Commissioner, Noel IFar- ris.
1877 .- Supervisor, Dexter Horton; Town Clerk, Robert Deming ; Treasurer, Albert II. Buck ; Justice of Peace, Isaac Shy- ter ; Commissioner of Highways, A. B. Durfce ; Township Superintendent of Schools, George E. Cochran; School In- spector, Cicero J. K. Stoner; Drain Commissioner, Addison P. Chapin.
1878,-Supervisor, Benjamin F. Stone; Town Clerk, Charles II. Tur- ner; Treasurer, Anson Morehouse; Justice of the Peaer, Edmund E. Bridges ; Commissioner of llighways, Ambrose S. Sadler; Township Superintendent of Schools, George E. Cochran ; School Inspector, Cicero J. K. Stoner : Drain Com- missioner, Joha Reeson.
1879 .- Supervisor, Benjamin F. Stone ; Town Clerk, Charles Il. Tur- ner; Treasurer, Edwin M. Hovey; Justice of the Peace, Leonard HI. Pierce ; Commissioner of Highways. Joseph Thorp; Township Superintendent of Schools, George E. Cochran ; School Inspector, Aaron W. Riker; Drain Com- missioner, John Reeson ; Constables, Andrew E. Downer, Thomas Balis, Edwin Rogers, Emersou C. Ilorton.
FENTON CENTRE MILLS.
In the year 1856, W. W. Booth built a grist-mill on the Shiawassee River, south of Long Lake and northwest of Fenton village (section 23), at which he carried on a con- siderable custom business. He built a dam and raised a pond, which latter was long known as " Booth's Pond." The property was finally purchased by William Colbrath, who made extensive improvements in the mill,-set in place new turbine wheels and three runs of French burrs, thereby affording facilities for grinding and packing 100 barrels of flour daily. He conducted a large and profit- able business. On the night of Jan. 6, 1873, the mill was burned down, and was never rebuilt. The dam has also been destroyed, and the marsh exists as it did previous to 1856. The business of the mill was principally transferred to the mills at Fenton, which are among the heaviest in this portion of the State.
IMPROVED STOCK IN FENTON.
Considerable attention has been paid in late years to the breeding of fine-wooled sheep and short-horn Durham cattle in this township. About 1855-56 a man passed through this vicinity with a large flock of merino sheep, and wintered them on the farm of Alonzo J. Chapin. The latter purchased ten head, and became the first breeder of this variety in town. For a number of years afterwards merino sheep were the principal ones handled, but in more recent years sheep-breeding has declined somewhat. Mr. Chapin's second son, Addison P. Chapin, was the first veteran breeder of short-horns in the township, and the first bull recorded from Genesee County (recorded at Buffalo, N. Y.) was owned by him. This was about 1870-71. This well-known breed has since been exten- sively introduced in this region. Mr. Chapin still breeds to as great an extent as the size of his farm will allow. A
202
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
gentleman named Stewart, residing in the township of Grand Blane, started a herd with animals purchased of Mr. Chapin, and has since become an extensive breeder and dealer, having probably the largest herd at present in the county. The qualities of the short-horn Durhams have rendered this particular breed the favorite with most farmers and dealers throughout this section of the State, and they were introduced farther westward even before they were here.
RESIDENTS OF TOWNSHIP IN 1844.
From the assessment roll for the year 1844, is taken the following list of tax-payers in this township at that time. Some are yet residents. A considerable number of those named were non-residents, and the list is perhaps half made up of those living at the time in the two villages of Fen- ton and Linden. The names are :
William Crawford. John Cook, Murzah Chapin, Cook & Gordon, Solomon F. Cook, Joseph Child & Co., Walter Davenport, Michael Davenport, Rial Durkee, John F. Dur- kee, Wallace Dibble, Nathan Eddy, Lafayette Fairbank, Zenas Fairbank, Henry C. Fairbank, Francis C. Fairbank, Joseph S. Fenton, John Findley, James Green, Asahel II. Lamb, Hiram L. Lamb, Richard S. Lamb, Henry Lee, Jacob Lurvey, Don F. Morris, IF. B. Madison, Joshua Meeker, Philip II. McOmber, Sr., Philip II. McOmber, Jr., Peter McCollum, John Nichols, Daniel Odell, Jesse Odell, John Orr, Thomas Owens, Mary Owens, Alanson Owens, Z. L. Perkins, Harvey Smith. Jonathan Shepard, Claudius T. Thompson, James A. Thorp, John Thorp, William Tanner, Asahel Ticknor, Alden Tupper, David Terrill, John Wilber, Benjamin Westerbee, Samuel N. Warren, Moses Walton, David W. Woodworth, E. C. Wa- terman, Parley Warner, William White, Levi Warren, Augustus St. Amand, Joseph Jacobson, Henry II. Brad- ley, Charles R. Pratt, Thomas Steere, Sr., Jefferson Bowen, Charles Beardslee, John Harmon, S. W. Pattison, Leonard Wesson, C. J. Birdsall, Joseph MeLean, Benjamin Rock- well, Daniel Runyon, John Decker, David Smith, IFenry C. Stanard, Samuel N. Warren, Joseph Harris, D. D. Young, Isaac Russell, Warren Filkins, Eber Weed, Joseph Hledges, Elisha Holmes, William M. Thurber, James M. Wilcox, Lorin II. Norris, D. Burrows, William M. Fenton, Henry Bradley, II. W. R. Donaldson, Augustus R. Ilall, John C. Gallup, J. A. Hamilton, Joseph Parker, Ebenezer S. Pratt, Charles R. Pratt, Seth Rhodes, William Reming- ton, John Reeson, Anson Ripley, Morris Ripley, Alanson Ripley, John Roberts, Lauren P. Riggs, Augustus C. Riggs, Mrs. Walter Sluyter, Seth C. Sadler, Ephraim Stone, Samuel Stone, Matthias Graves, William Gibbs, Abel D. Hunt, Heman Harris, Joseph Harris, James Houghton, Robert Jadwin, Patience Jones, Charles W. Johnson, John Kimball, Elisha Larned, Peter Lamb, Oliver P. Lamb, Ira Lamb, John Ball, Elias Baley, Jared Ball, Jesse Bugbec, O. D. Beden, Jefferson Bowen, Samuel Cheney, Mrs. Dustin Cheney, Orlin Chipman, Alonzo J. Chapin, Mer- rick S. Chapin, Henry W. Cooper, Benjamin Castle, Estate of Samuel Castle, Richard HI. Carl, Liberty Chamberlin, Jeremy Chapin, Warren Clough, E. A. Byram, E. T. Glass, E. Crane, D. Averill, W. Hoisington, G. Pratt, G.
L. Downer, Frederick F. Riggs, P. Lathrop, Judge With- erell, D. II. Chandler, J. F. Bliss, J. L. Wheeler, James Turner, John Turner, J. Sturges, A. Colvin, Jeremiah Odell, Reuben Kellogg, William Kellogg, II. II. Dennison, William Gutridge, Newbold Lawrence, George Odell, Thomson & Lyon, E. D. Bingham, D. Sutherland, M. W. Scott, John Duncan, II. & W. R. Hawkins, A. Noyes, W. Blair, J. S. Clark, J. M. Murray, M. Singleton, E. J. l'enniman, C. B. Baldwin, A. Bunce, George Doty, Gran- ger & Carroll, Solomon Jeffreys, John Patterson, D. B. Moore, S. S. Sage, John Sackner, M. Miller.
The tax levied in the township for the year mentioned (1844) was apportioned as follows :
State, county, and township tax. $754.97
Highway tax 45.05
School tax. 133.73
Four per cent. 37.38
Total
$071.13
POPULATION .- OTHER STATISTICS.
From the pages already written a close estimate may be made of the resources of the township of Fenton during its earlier years. For the sake of comparison the following table is made up from the State census of 1874 :
Population (males, 1841 ; females, 1965) .. 3,806
Number of acres of taxable land ... 19,024
= laud owned by individuals
and companies ... 19,20₴
Number of acres improved land .... 11,435
" of land exempt from taxation.
180
Value of same, with improvements
church and parsonige sites burying-grounds ...
45
6.
railroad right of way and
17,650
Average number of aeres in farms
79.86
Number of acres of wheat sown in 1874. .. harvested in 1873 ..
44
corn ..
787
46
corn
20,320
of all other grain harvested in 1873 ..
27,320
potatoes raised in 1873 ..
8,718
= tons of hay eut in 1873.
lbs. of wool sheared in 1873 ..
13,717
pork marketed “
26,345
66 butter made 66
14,595
aeres in orchards 66
548
Value of all fruit and garden vegetables, 1872 ..
$8,395
16 1873 ..
$7,296
Number of horses, one year old and over, owned in 1874
436
Number of mules, 1874.
work-oxen, 1874
22
= milch cows, 1874.
489
neat cattle, one year old and over,
other than oxen and cows, 1874. 452
426
4,318
3,972
9
Amount of enpital invested ...
$40,000
Number of runs of stone.
6
Number of barrels of flour made.
18,000*
Value of products
$137,000
Number of saw-mills, 1874.
2
Number of persons employed.
$5,500
Number of fret of lumber sawed. 335,000 Value of products .. $5,680
Foundries and machine-shops ...
2
Persons employed.
Capital invested
$15,000
Valuo of products
$9,000
# Sce description of mills as at present operated.
5
.6
depot grounds .. 100
= of farms in township neres in farms
921
2,724
2,699
bushels of wheat
28,233
1
swine over six months old, 1874 ...
sheep « 16
sheared in 1873
Number of flouring-mills in township in 1874 ..
Number of persons employed in same ..
Capital invested.
$130,000
Number of acres in school-house sites ... 30
203
FENTON TOWNSHIP.
Agricultural implement works.
1
l'erson ‹ employed.
3
Capital invested.
$7.000 $10,000
Carriage-factories ..
3
Persons employed
18
Capital invested. Value of products
$14,500
Furniture- and chair-factories.
Persons employed.
$7,500
Capital invested Value of products
$7,000
Pump- and safe-factory. Persons employed
5
Capital invested
SS,000
Value of products
$5,250
Stave-factory ...
1
Persons employed.
Capital invested.
$8,000
Value of products
$11,000 2
Coopering establishments.
Persons employed.
$7,500
Value of products.
$13,500
Tannery.
1
Persons employed.
2
Capital invested.
$5,000
Value of products
$5,000
Saddle-, harness-, and trunk-factories .. 3
11)
Capital invested ..
$17,000
Value of products
$18,400
Breweries (oue since discontinued) 3
6
Capital invested.
$18,500
Barrels of beer brewed
850
Value of products.
$7,050
Woolen-factory ( burned 1879)
1
Persons employed
30
Capital invested
$30,000
Value of products
$22,000 1
Persons employed.
6
Capital investel.
$1.000
Value of products
$4,500
Numerous changes have been made in the five years which have elapsed since the compilation of the last census, and that for 1880 will show a great difference in many respects.
VILLAGE OF FENTON.
The village now bearing the above name is located in the extreme southeast corner of the township, on the Shiawas- see River and the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railroad. Its site is one of great beauty, extending as it does across the valley of the Shiawassee and over the hilly and undulating ground in the vicinity. In the southern portion rises the gravelly ridge previously mentioned, from the summit of which fine views may be obtained of the surrounding country, the vision covering an area of many miles. The improvements of the village are many and excellent, and are evidence of the taste of its inhabitants. Numerous elegant residences and fine blocks for business purposes have been erected, shade-trees planted in abun- dance, yards and lawns tastefully laid out, and pleasant homes reared where, but a comparatively short time since,
" Along the narrow, winding trail, The dusky warrior bounded, And eries of wolves through sunny vale And forest aisles resuunded."
The first settlement in this portion of the county was made here by persons who had previously located in the township of Grand Blane, which they reached by follow- ing the main trail leading from Detroit to Saginaw. From there they prospected in this direction, and established them- selves permanently in a settlement where Fenton now stands.
The following extracts are from an address delivered by Ilon. Dexter Horton at the dedication of the new engine- house and firemen's hall in the village, March 9, 1876 :
" Early in the year 1834, Clark Dibble was threading his way through a trackless wilderness from Shiawassee to Grumlaw* (now Grand Blane), and by some mistake he got on the White Lake trail. Reaching what is now Hill- man's, he started to make farther north, and first discovered this beautiful place which is now our village. Ile was so forcibly struck with its location that he stopped for a day and examined thoroughly the lay of the land. So taken up was he with the place that on his arrival at ' Grumlaw' he indueed Dustin Cheney, Loren Riggs, and John Gallo- way, with their families, to come with him to this spot. Cheney and family eame first, then Clark Dibble, then Galloway and Riggs,-all in April, 1834.
" Mrs. Dustin Cheney was the first white woman that stepped on the spot where our flourishing village now stands. To day she is slowly passing away. She resides within one mile of where I now stand, having acted well her part in the great drama of life,-the mother of eight children. For the last fifteen years she can truly say, 'I'm blind, oh, I'm blind.' Go and visit her, as I have done, and listen to her words of wisdom and her tale of pioneer life, and then say, if you can, if she has not performed well her part in life. Though blind to the world, though dark- ness obstructs her vision, she sees across the river with a vision as bright as the dazzling rays of the noonday sun. What a chapter, what a history might be written of this truly good woman !
" Harrison Cheney was the first white child born here, and both mother and child are living. Cheney's family built the first house, on the ground where Mrs. B. Birdsall [now Mrs. Gass] now resides ; Riggs the next, where Ellery Anderson now lives; Galloway the next, near the gate to the fair-ground.
" Many weeks had not passed before the cry came from the little band in the wilderness, Lost! lost ! Louisa Che- ney, a little prattling, sweet cherub of seven years, had strayed away. Her mother, with some of the older chil- dren, had gone around a little swale, where Chandler's house now stands, to see if there would not be a good place to plant corn. She told the little girl to go back, but somehow she strayed away, and the cry of lost ! lost ! reached Grand Blane, Groveland, Holly, and White Lake, and the pioneers came to assist.
" On the third day, R. Winchell, who had been at work on Dibble's mill, aud who had been hunting for the child, came in nearly exhausted, and threw himself on the bed at about twelve o'clock. At about two o'clock he awoke, having dreamed where the child was. He immediately put on his hat, and went and found the child in the exact spot where, but a few moments before, he saw her in his dream. She had been lost three days, and was found just over beyond the hill where the Baptist seminary now stands, near a little pool of water. She was in nearly an exhausted condition. The little thing would crawl down and take a
Thes pronounced in the almost unintelligible Canadian pelvis,-a mixture of poor French, worse English, and Indian.
Value of products
$29,500
1
Capital invested
Persons employed.
Persons employed
Artificial and cot-stone works
204
IHISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICINIGAN.
drink of water, and then crawl back en dry ground to die. She afterwards became the first wife of Galen Johnson.
" Dibble built the first saw-mill, in 1834, and got it run- ning in the fall. One by one the pioneers came: P. H. McOmber and family, Uncle Dick Donaldson and family, R. Le Roy, W. M. Fenton, E. Larned, W. Remington, Walter Dibble, E. Pratt, A. Bailey, etc.
" The first hotel was built, in 1837, by R. Le Roy and W. M. Fenton, where the Everett House now stands, and Mr. Fenton opened it with a dance. July 4th of the same year, Uncle Dick Donaldson's band did the fiddling and Elisha Larned gracefully made music with the tumblers and decanters behind the bar.
" R. Le Roy opened the first store, where Richardson's wagon-shop now stands, in 1837, and in 1838 was ap- pointed first postmaster, and held that office for thirteen years. A Mr. Taylor succeeded him, and after his death a part of the post-office was found in his pocket.
" This year (1838) the first school-house was built, and a Mr. Nottingham was the first teacher. At that time the right of the schoolmaster to whip was not questioned, and a deeper and more lasting impression was often made with the gad than with the blackboard.
" At this time, and in this old log school-house, a pioneer and gentleman, now living a short distance from here, was called, as he thought, to preach, and in an hour of work and religious excitement, he had what was called in those days the ' power.' Ile rolled over and over on the floor. Scott McOmber played that the young man had fainted, seized a pail of water, and immediately the 'power' left him and the would-be preacher revived.
" The first physician was Dr. Pattison ; the first black- smith was Elisha Holmes, and the first bricklayer John Harmon. The first church organization was that of the First Presbyterian Church, which took place Feb. 28, 1840, in the third story of the now Britton store, and the following constituted its membership : Silas Newell, Sarah Newell, George II. Newell, John Hadley, Jr., Sophia Hadley, Ben- jamin Rockwell, Louisa Rockwell, Daniel Le Roy, Mrs. Le Roy, Lucy Thorp, John Fenwick, Jane Fenwick, James K. Wortman, John C. Gallup, Mrs. Gallup, Eliza McOmber, and Lucy Le Roy .* The giant oaks were felled, migra- tion continued to flow in, and God was in the wilderness, and soon other churches were organized. In the same year the clerk reported 75 persons able to do military duty.
" March 2, 1841, the town board licensed as tavern- keeper, H. M. Le Roy; retailers, M. S. McOmber, L. Wesson, A. St. Amand, Consider Warner, and D. Smith ; common victualler, S. C. Sadler. . .
" I first became a resident of Fenton in 1859, and the prominent business men then were :
" H. Beach, who ran a dry-goods store where Clark's liquor and cigar store is now; B. Birdsall, who also sold dry goods in a wooden store on the same ground where his brick store stands ;+ J. Buekbee also sold dry goods from a little wooden store where Thurber & Murray now keep a clothing-store; H. A. Willover kept a little shanty grocery
on the east side of Le Roy Street, where Whittle & Algoe are now located ; A. G. & W. C. Davis sold drugs from a little wooden store where Curry's hardware-store now stands ; N. T. Thurber & B. F. Stone rattled out the hardware from a small store on the ground of Iloward's crockery- store ; M. Ayers bought wheat in a little shanty on the ground where the post-office now stands; W. W. Booth was tinkering at watches in the building where George the Barbour now is; R. Le Roy sold groceries and liquors where he is to-day ; C. II. Turner, in the building just vacated by George the Barbour, fitted nearly every one with boots and shoes, as well as gave nearly every one a letter ; R. L. Sheldon was cutting tape and tearing calico where Johnson now sells harnesses ; L. C. Miles, H. C. Riggs, E. HI. White, and A. U. Wood were the prominent attorneys. There were, of course, other business men, whom I will not stop to mention.
" The war came upon us in 1861. The scenes of fifteen years ago rise again before us. The signal-gun on Sumter ushered in the bloody strife, and we heard the call to arms which came from the national capital.
. . . " The boys who went from Fenton have a history in every army. Thick they stood and nobly fell in the Army of the Potomac; they took good aim with Grant in the Vicksburg campaign ; they were close at hand when Ilooker was fighting among the clouds at Lookout Mountain ; they stood like a stone wall with Thomas at Chickamauga -yes, at Chickamauga. How well some of you remember how the line wavered back and forward, like a flag in the wind, and seemingly how little one could do in that blind- ing tempest, when a great, broad-shouldered man rode up, with lines of courage and pluck written all over his face, realized his situation, took the flag from the color-bearer, glaneed his eye along the wavering front, and, with that voice that could talk against the rattle of musketry, Gen. Stedman said, ' Go back, boys, go back ! but that flag can't go with you !'-wheeled his horse and rode on, and Michi- gan columns containing some of our Fenton boys closed up, swept down on the foe, and made a record that .will live. .
" A number of the Fenton boys, who took their lives in their hands, sleep in unknown graves ; others sleep here.
" Luman Van Wert died at Edwards' Ferry at the age of twenty-one. A noble yonth, a gallant soldier, he sleeps, as do the brave, in our burying-ground.
" Carlton, his brother, at the age of nineteen, sleeps near Culpeper in an unknown grave. He laid down his young life that the Government might stand.
" David A. Colwell, a brave and true boy of the Sth Michigan Cavalry, was a victim of typhoid fever at Mount Sterling, Ky. He rests in yonder burying-ground, a willing sacrifice on the altar of his country at the age of eighteen. God will take care of him.
" Exposed to the damp, cold ground and the cold rains of Virginia, a fine soldier boy of the Sth Michigan Infantry died of inflammation of the lungs. George C. Ilall rests in a soldier's grave, at the age of twenty-three, at Fairfax. Court-House, Va. Miles, his brother,-his brain was crazed, -a minie-ball at Antietam was the cause of his death, and he died without a murmur, and sleeps just over here.
* Sec history of this church on another page.
+ Store recently occupied by William Giberson, Jr.
205
FENTON TOWNSHIP.
" Theodore McOmber was captured first by guerrillas and was released by paying $60. Ile soon joined his regiment, the Sth Michigan Cavalry, and while on the Stoneman raid was taken prisoner and send to Andersonville. It was his fate to beg for water ; it was his lot to plead for a morsel of bread, and have it denied him ; he was starved-starved ! lle was exchanged in time to once more see the old flag, and, seemingly, immediately expired. True, large-hearted boy, he rests quietly over youder with the rest of them, at the age of twenty-three.
" Chester Kinney enlisted for the war in the 5th Michi- gan Cavalry. He served faithfully nine months in the adjutant-general's office at Jackson, and before the call came for him to go to the front (for which he was ready) he was taken with congestive chills, and this good and true soldier boy died Nov. 23, 1864, at the age of twenty-three. Our burying-ground is where he sleeps.
" J. W. Anderson, first a gallant soldier of the 11th Michigan Cavalry, then a captain in the 6th United States Regiment, fought the battles of his country with zeal and bravery. He did not enlist as a Fenton boy, but after fighting the battles of life, and for ten years a citizen of Midland, he sought the quiet of our beautiful village in which to die and be buried. Michigan had no truer soldier, no better citizen. Aged thirty-five years. .
" The war closed in 1865, and our boys returned home to pursue the vocations marked out for them. From that time to this we have been marked with evidences of thrift on all sides. Blocks and stores have been built, streets have been laid out and nicely arranged, and seemingly but little has arisen to mar our progress."
Dr. S. W. Pattison, the first physician to locate in the village of Fentonville, in 1836, furnished the following article to the Washtenaw County Pioneer Society in 1878:
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.