USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 70
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The soil of Flushing is of the nature of that common to this region, having a large proportion of sand. Upon the lands where pine grew thiekly it is more sandy than elsewhere, and some of the " pine plains," or " pine bar- rens," as they are called, are of comparatively small value.
Game was exceedingly plenty during the earlier years of settlement, and but for this faet many of the pioneers would have endured even greater suffering than they did through the searcity of provisions at times. Life in the wilderness at that period was attended with manifold diffienlties, and hard trials and extreme privation fell to the lot of nearly all.
LAND ENTRIES.
The entries of land in township S north, range 5 east, now constituting Flushing, are as follows :
SECTION 1.
Acres.
Elisha B. Strong, Monroc Co., N. Y., June, 1836
James Wadsworth, Livingston Co., N. Y., July, 1836 361.59 llugh Birkhead, Baltimore, Md., July. 1836. 240
SECTION 2.
A. MeArthur and C. Hurlbut, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836 .. 80
Elisha B. Strong ....
240 James Wadsworth, Livingston Co., N. Y., July, 1836 .. 371.49
SECTION 3.
Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835 .. 03.60
=
68
= "
51.35
Charles C. lascall, “ = 46
February, 1836. 6,52
Isane 1. Voorbeis and Ira C. Seeley, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1836 ..
81.82
Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836.
175.89
186.20
SECTION 4.
Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836 Entire, 616.10
SECTION 5.
Charles D. Bartlett, Hampshire Co., Mass., June, 1836 80
John Il. Cherwuand, New York City, June, 1836 .. 188.52
Eph. B. Bishop, Wayne Co., Mich., July, 1836. 160
James Bailey, Genesee Co., Mich., December, 1840. 40
John Reed, Genesee Co., Mich., December, 1840. 190
Vacant .
SECTION 6.
James Butler, Livingston Co., N. Y., September, 1836 112.41
Thomas Hongh. Sr., Geuesco Co., Mich., June, 1842 .. 10
Thomas Hough, Jr.,
66 July
Joseph Vernon,
William Bailey, = August, “ 40
John Tibbles, land-warrant, January, 1852. 133.13
Enoch Vernon, Genesee Co., Mich., December, 1853. 40
94.92
Vacant
40
SECTION 7.
Erastus Jones, Genesce Co., Mich., September, 1836. SO
Martin Furley, Monroe Co., N. Y., October, 1836. 108.04
James Woud, Genesee Co., Mich., June, 1842
40
Samuel Wood,
Richard Bowden, Henesee Co., Mich., June, 1842.
Harvey Miller, land-warrant. July, 1852. 108.20
- Martin Darby, Eric Co., Ohio, November, 1853.
Richard Bowden, Genesee Co., Mich., May; 1854 40
George Bush,
October, 1854
Acres.
EXCHANGE HOTEL, R. PARSELL, PROPRIETOR, FLUSHING, MICH.
RESIDENCE OF WM D. PENOYER, FLUSHING, MICHIGAN .
265
FLUSHING TOWNSHIP.
SECTION 8.
Acres.
Charles D. Bartlett, Hampshire Co., Mass., June, 1836. 160 Gaylord Haskins, Onondaga Co., N. Y., June, 1836 SO John Knowles, Jr., Madison Co., N. V., June, 1836. 240
Frederick St. John, New York City, June, 1836. 160
SECTION 9.
Royal R. Latham, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, May, 1836 160 Orange latham, Charles D. Bartlett, Hampshire Co., Mass., June, 1836. SO Frederick St. Joho, New York City, June, 1836. 320
SECTION 10.
Thomas .J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835. 46,63
Elijah D. Farnham, Niagarn Co, N. Y., October, 1835 149.16
Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835 21.45
Thomas L. L. Brent. Virginia, April, 1836. 160
80
George Macomber, Genesre Co., N. Y., June, 1836
Noah Hart, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836 SO
Frederick St. John, New York City, June, 1836.
SECTION 11.
Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835. 8.91
Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836. 159
.. April, 1836 114.10
Enrotas P. Hastings, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836
Jeremiah Benton, SO
80
SECTION 12.
E. S. Stickner, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, 1836. 240
Lyman Strobridge,
160
Albert G. Stone, 64
160
lohn Demund, =
80
SECTION 13.
Lyman Strobridge, Tompkins Co., N. V., June, 1836. 160 Amos Smith, Horon Co., Ohio, June, 1836 160
Hugh Birkhead, Baltimore, Md., July, 1836 320
SECTION 14.
Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, May, 1836. 160
James Melallen, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, 1836 160
Amos Smith, Haron Co., Mich., June, 1836 SU
Hugh Birkhead, Baltimore, Md., July, 1836. 210
SECTION 15.
Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co .. Mich., October, 1835 46.02 Newell Furman, Niagara Co., N. Y., October, 1835 92,30 Moses Smith, Genesee Co., Mich., November, 1835. 154.60 Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836 292.52
SECTION 17.
Frederick St. John, New York City, June, IS36 400 Seth Beach, Oakland Co., Mich., June, 1836. So
John Hollstander. Livingston Co., Mich., April, 1837 .. 10 Ralph D. Curtis, Genesce Co., Mich., August, 1814. So
Asabel Johnson, 46 October, 1854 40
SECTION IS.
Eleazer S. Holdridge, Niagara Co., N. Y., June, 1836. 160
E. Cash and II. Wright, Genesee Co., N. Y., August, 1836. 160 Wmn. Bingham, =
George R. Somers, Cleveland, Ohio, May, 1817 108.67 Rowley Morris,
July, 1848. 108.80 John Batesly, 14
SECTION 19.
Lewis Halsey, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, 1839. 98.94
Andrew Harrison, Genesee Co., Mich., May, 1842 .. 80
William Turner, .. December, 1813. 40
Win. J. Snooks, lund- warrant, April, 1813
John McCartney, Genesee Co., Mich., November, 1813. 10
Hiram Enos, December, 1843. 49.46
Hiram Enus,
Walter J. Cronk, March, 1854 40
Eph. Morgan, Medlina Co., Ohio, April, 1851 SO
SECTION 20.
E. Cash and HI. Wright, Genesce Co., N. Y., August, 1836. 160 Enoch Sweat, Genesee Co., Mich., August, 1836.
Isaac Baldwin, February, ISII 80 Abicl C. Bliss, = December, 1841. Warren Y. Swazer, Chynhogn Co., Ohio, August, 1812.
Ilarry N. Payne, Oakland Vo., Mich., January, 1851. 80
1 .. 1'. Beardslee, Genesee Co., Mich., June, 1853 44
March, 1848 10 John Hunter.
John Hunter, 34
SECTION 21. Acres.
Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835.
Win. Lockyer, Genesee Co., Mich., July, 1836
Herman Camp, Tompkins Co., N. Y., JJuly, 1536. 160
Ralph D. Curtis, Genesee C'o., Mich., August, IS11 SO
Swamp lands,
10
Win. Locker,
November, 1854 SO
Win. J. Kent,
=
80
Asahel Fuller,
16
= January, 1855 10
SECTION 22.
John Paton, Essex Co., N. J., June, 1834 83.20 Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835. 61.35 John B. Kellogg, Genesee Co., N. Y., October, 1835 115.25 John Paton, Genesee Co., Mich., February, 1836
Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836 158.08 Thomas L. L. Brent. Virginia, April, 1836. 40 John Evans, Genesce Co., Mich., April, 1836. 10
SECTION 23.
John Greenfield and C. Hurlbut, Wayne Co .. Mich., May, 1836, 80 Ira Arms and Sol. Smead, Franklin Co., Mass., June, 1836 ... 560
SECTION 24.
Arms and Smead, Franklin Co., Mass., June, 1836. ..... G10
SECTION 25.
Waterman Neff, Genesee Co., Mich .. September, 1835. 80 W. Neff and Clark Albee, Windham Co., Vt., October, 1835 80
Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836. 160 Abner H. Enos, Erie Co .. N. V., June, 1836.
Allen Bump, Gone-ce Co., Mich., June, 1842.
Elijah Anderson, Genesce Co., Mich., September, 1845 40
46 4. William Avery, November, 1854 40
SECTION 26.
Hunt, Farley & Biddle, Detroit, Mich., May, 1823 90.10 James Murphy, Shiawassee Co., Mich., September, 1834. 10.25 Clark Albec, Genesce Co., Mich., September, 1835 .. 77.15 Lntting Cootant, Wayne d'o., Mich .. January, 1836 .. 160 Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836 240
SECTION 27.
John Paton, Essex Co., N. J., June, 1834 47.85 James Murphy, Shiawassee Co., Mich., September, 1834. 23.90 George W. Newell, Tiaga Co., N. Y., October, 1834. 56.60 John Wehr, Trumbull Co., Ohio, January. 1835. 65,12 C. and W. J. Cronk, Genesec Co., Mich., October, 1835. 10.45
Alex. Ten Broeck, Ulster Co., N. Y., November, 1835. 157.38
John P'aton, Essex Co., N. J., November, 1835. 77.60 Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835. 69,60
SECTION 28.
James Seymour, Monroe Co., N. Y., March, 1836 160 Herman Camp, Tompkins Co., N. Y., July, 1836 .. 320 Robert Pollock, Westchester Co., N. Y., September, 1836.
Brigham Wood, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1836 SO
SECTION 29.
Samuel A. Godard, Birmingham, England. August, 1836. 80 John Truesdell, Genesee Co., N. V., October, 1836.
Nathaniel Wood, Livingston Co., N. Y., October, 1836. 320
SECTION 30.
Philander Truesdell, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1836 160 John T. Van Vleek, St. Joseph Co., Mich., October, 1836 107.20 Eben Storer, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1836 80 Thomas Diamond, Genesce Co., Mich., July, 1838. .. October, 1851 108.40 Walter J. Cronk, 16
SECTION 31.
Thomas Manchester, Wayne Co., Mich., August, 1836. 80 Herman Van Vechten, Genesee Co., Mich .. September, 1836 208.16 Rowley Morris, Genesee Co., N. Y., October, 1836. 160 John T. Van Vleck, St. Joseph Co., Mich., October, 1836 .. 113.80
SECTION 32.
Samoel A. Godard, Birmingham, England, August, 1836. 160 Paul Hildreth, Worcester Co., Mass .. September, 1836.
Rowley Morris, Genesee Co., N. Y., October, 1836. 210 Joseph S. Whitney, Oakland Co., Mich., August, 1842.
Hiram Ransom. Genesce Co .. Mich .. April, 1853
October, 1848 01 Swamp land 10
49.46
Alexander D. F'raser,
266
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICIHIGAN.
SECTION 33.
Acres.
George W. Bullock, Monroe Co., Mich., May, 1836. 160
E. B. Bishop, Wayne Co .. Mich., July, 1836 ... 160 E. Cash and II. Wright, Geocsee Co., N. Y., August, 1836. 80 Samuel A. Godard, Birmingham, England, August, 1836. 80 Asa A. Norton, Yates Co., N. Y., September, 1836 .. 160
SECTION 34.
Elijah Curtis, Trumbull Co., Ohio, October, 1835 76.50 James Ilossie, Essex Co., N. J., November, 1835. 500
SECTION 35.
John Biddle, Detroit, Mich., May, 1823. 3.82
William Curtis, Trumbull Co., Ohio, June, 1835 .. 78.30
Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835 32.60
Alex. McArthur.
A. D. Fraser, Wayne Co., Mich., February, 1836. 200
Chauncey Hurlbut,
Thos. L. L. Brent, Virginia, March. 1836. 160
Harriet E. Hoyes, Genesee Co., Mich., May, 1836.
Isaac Bennett, Onondaga Co., N. Y., April, 1836. 80
SECTION 36.
John Biddle, Detroit, Mich., May, 1823 33.60
Robert Le Roy, Oakland Co., Mich .. February, 1834 57
Henry Cobb. Crawford Co., Ohio, March, 1835. 169.39
Rufus Harrison, Shiawassee Co., Mich., June, 1835. 78.50
Henry French, Windsor, Vt., October, 1835 109.50 Thos. L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836 .. SO
Isaac Bennett, Onondaga Co., N. Y., April, 1836 SO
EARLY SETTLEMENTS-PIONEER INCIDENTS.
The first white man known to have taken up his abode within the limits of what is now the township of Flushing was Rufus Harrison, who settled in the fall of 1835, on the farm in the southeast part of the township, on the north side of the river,-locally speaking,-where Wm. Schram now lives. Mrs. Ifarrison is yet living in the township. She and the wife of David Penoyer, who came a little later, were always close friends, and have so continued to the present. William D. Penoyer mentions the fact that Mrs. Harrison made him, during the carly days of their residence here, two pairs of deerskin pants, which caused his boyish pride to swell to the utmost. Mr. Harrison built the first house in the township-a simple structure of logs -- upon his farm, and resided in it for some time.
Two young men, named Clark Abby (or Albee) and Waterman Neff, entered land on the north side of the river (section 25), in the fall of 1835, and came on and did some clearing upon it, but only stayed a short time. They sold their farms to Jarvis Bailey, who settled with his young wife in 1836. They had come directly from the State of New York.
The second permanent settler in the township was Henry French, now of the village of Flushing. In the fall of 1835 he and his brother, Ira French, passed through this vicinity in search for land, and Henry finally located on section 36, in the month of October, of that year. Ira French went on to Saginaw, but is now a resident of Flush- ing township. The French's were from Windsor Co., Vt., -town of Woodstock,-at which place their father, Apollos French, a native of Taunton, Mass., was an early settler.
When Henry French purchased his land there was no one living in the township, but llarrison came soon after, as stated, as Mr. French settled the same fall. Before the season was over he was married to Miss Abigail Ensign, also from Vermont, and then living in Grand Blanc. The marriage took place at Flint, and aside from the fact that
Mr. French is now the oldest male settler in the township, he was the first one from it to be joined in matrimonial bonds. Ile was also one of the many who worked at some time for Thomas L. L. Brent, and in 1836 aided in build- ing the latter's saw-mill. Mr. French's brother, Ebenezer French, at present residing south of Flushing village, located in town in the fall of 1836.
John Evans, from Manchester, Eng., emigrated to the United States in 1830, and located at Stockport, Columbia Co., N. Y., where he remained five years. In October, 1835, he moved with his daughter to Flushing, the trip occupying three weeks, and that portion of it from Detroit forward being made on foot. They settled in November, 1835, and a log house was built on the place, the latter now forming part of the farm owned by John Paton, who married Mr. Evans' daughter Mary, Nov. 22, 1835.
John Paton, a native of Blackford, Perthshire, Scotland, and later a resident of the State of New Jersey, came to Genesee County in 1834, and purchased part of his present farm-land, on sections 22 and 27, in June of that year. Owing to the fact that no one else was at that time living in the township, Mr. Paton settled up the river a few miles, in what is now Flint township, on the farm at present oeeu- pied by Mr. Warren. Nathan and Isaac Miles were the only persons between that location and Flint, while down the river there was no one between Mr. Paton and a Mr. Hayden, who was eighteen or twenty miles away, in Sagi- naw County.
In February, 1837, Mr. Paton brought his family to what is now Flushing township, and settled on the farm he still occupies. After living some time with his wife's father, Mr. Evans, be built a frame house on his own place, and moved into it. Henry French, Mr. Harrison, and a few others were then living in the neighborhood.
In July, 1837, Mr. Paton found a dead squaw, the scent of the body having attracted the dog to the spot. She had died with the smallpox, having been left to her fate by the Indians, with a cup of water and a crust near her. Mr. Paton and others from the settlement buried her.
Mr. Paton's entry was the first one made in town with the view of settling, but he did not choose to locate perma- nently until later. For several years after his arrival he and his family experienced with others the stringency of the times and the hardships which accompany the life of a pioneer. A letter which was written by Mrs. Paton in the spring of 1843, to a friend in England, was published in the Manchester (England) Guardian, and, as it illustrates better than anything else the condition of affairs at that day, it is reproduced here for the benefit of the reader. It was written during the closing days of the famous "hard winter :"
" FLUSHING, NEAR FLINT RIVER, April 6, 1843.
' I will not attempt to apologize for not writing earlier, but tet the simple truth suffice. I have had four letters, I may say, written (one entirely finished), but lacked funds to post them. It is casier to release a dozen letters than to prepay one. For the one they will take pro- duce, for the other they exact cash ; and that is a very scarce article here, for our business is carried on mostly by barter. We soll abont two hundred dollars' worth of stock in the last year, and it was with great difficulty we got six dollars in cash. Times have been very hard, and I fear not yet at the worst. According to accounts that can be relied on, we have had the hardest winter that has occurred for
JOHN PATTON .
MRS. JOHN PATTON.
---------
₩
-
RESIDENCE OF JOHN PATTON, SR, FLUSHING, MICH.
267
FLUSHING TOWNSHIP.
fifty-four years. It commenced in October, and is now snowing ; the snow in the woods is from two to three feet deep. But we don't suffer on the timberedl land anything like those on the oak-openings, as re- gards our stock, although we are destitute of anything in the shape of foider in our barns, for we have the woods to resort to, where thero is plenty of maple and basswood, and we cut them down, and the cattle feed on the tops, and look pretty well where they are well attended to. But we hear of cattle dying in all directions, and of some farmers knocking the whole of their cattle on the head, to savo them from n lingering starvation, after feeding out all their store ; others sustaining them on flour victuals, all other being exhausted. Last winter (i.e., 1811-12) we had an unusually open season and a very early spring. Our fields never looked so well,-fruit-trees in full bloom,-and all seemed cheering in the month of April, but our hopes were soon blighted. We had severe frost in May, which cut off our blossoms, and, what was still worse, our corn ; then a tedions drought succeeded, which nhnost burnt up the wheat,-at least stuated it so the straw was little worth ; then, to finish, when it was in the milk, there were sunny showers that struck it with rust, -- the late sown suffered most. . . . I am happy to say i havo enjoyed better health this winter than I have since I enmo in the woods (over six years), and, if the tormenting ague will keep away, I will excuse it. It is a singular thing to find, one part of the day a person will feel ablo to go nbout and do a little work, and another part not able to rise from the pillow, and as crazy as can be. Such has been hanging on me four years. New settlers generally have it, but after they get ac- climated it is very healthy. Considering the hard times, our country is settling very fast. There are six families from Stockport settled near to us, and there are several more coming out from there this spring. We have let n brick-ground to two of these. I must tell you we have had the good luck to find a coal-mine on our farm, but we have not been able to ascertain its extent ; it is of excellent quality. W'e sold sevea dollars' worth of it last fall when we found it. Things generally prosper with us since [ last wrote you."
Mr. Paton had emigrated to America in the spring of 1827, with his sister, landing at New York May S. He was a weaver by trade, and soon began work at Paterson, N. J. He continued in that business until his removal to Michigan, in 1834, since which time his attention has been turned exclusively to agricultural pursuits, and with marked success.
One of the most prominent among the early settlers of Flushing was Thomas L. L. Brent, who, before coming here, had acquired a national reputation, and was the pos- sessor of a large fortune. LIe expended the latter in pur- chasing government lands in Michigan, and lived on section 3, in Flushing. He at one time paid taxes on about 70,000 acres of land in the State, and it is said of him that he would never dispose of a good lot at a reasonable price. The farm on which he lived is now owned by Mr. Mein- tyre
Brent built a log cabin on his place, and planted locust- trees around it for shade and ornament. Ile was a Vir- ginian by birth, and married a noble Spanish lady, with whom he had become acquainted while on a mission to that country in the employ of the United States Government. In the face of the bluff near his cabin he constructed a wine-cellar, where the choicest brands were kept. He had one son and one daughter. Various stories are told con- cerning his family relations, and, although differently pre- sented, all point to the undoubted fact that his married life was more or less unhappy. When he died he was taken out of the small upper window of his log cabin. His death came at a time when he had snuk his fortune and become " land poor."
According to the memory of all the men now living who
were here at the time, Brent built a dam across the river in 1836, and erected a saw-mill on his place in the summer of the same year. Jarvis Bailey, previously mentioned, was employed as foreman, at a salary of $600 per annum, and his wife and William D. Penoyer, then a boy, did the work for the 10 or 15 hands who were working in and around the mill.
This mill was destined never to perform the work in- tended for it. In the spring of 1837 a severe freshet in the river washed away the dam, and the mill was only saved by rolling logs into it. Five basswood-trees near one end of the dam were washed out, which left the water free to undermine it. The following extract from an act of the Legislature approved March 22, 1837, speaks for itself :
"Seetion 7. Thomas L. L. Brent, his heirs, administra- tors, and assigns, are authorized to construct a dam across Flint River, at some point on section 3, in township 8 north, and in range 5 cast, in the county of Genesee; said dam shall not exceed 6 feet in height, and shall contain a convenient lock for the passage of boats, canoes, rafts, and other water-craft, and shall not be less than 75 fect in length and 15 feet in width."
The old mill was repaired but was never used, and logs lay in the mill-yard until they rotted. A second mill was built on a small stream some sixty rods away, and up from the river, out of danger from freshets. This part of the township contained a large acreage of pine, but none of consequence is now left. The best is now probably on the farms of William D. Penoyer and the Messrs. De Land, farther south.
Some authority states that Alden Tupper contemplated building a mill on the river below the site of Flushing vil- lage, but it was never constructed. Nearly every man who located carly in the township worked at one time or another for Mr. Brent, clearing up land, and thus earning money enough to pay for homes of their own. The " Brent farm" was widely known throughout this region.
James Penoyer, from Onondaga Co., N. Y., and after- wards for two or three years a resident of Ohio, moved from the latter State to Michigan in 1838, and settled in Flush- ing, south of the village, on the town line. He had, in 1836, been here and worked on the Brent farm with his brother, David Penoyer. He now resides north of Lyons' Corners, in the township of Clayton.
David Penoyer came first to Michigan in the spring of 1835, and in the fall of the same year, after having been back to New York, returned and purchased a small tract of land (fifty-seven acres), where John L. Green now lives. This second trip he made with a horse, and traded the animal for the land. In the early part of May, 1836, his family followed, landing at Detroit on the 9th of that month, and meeting Mr. Penoyer there. Acquaintances named Belden lived at Birmingham, Oakland Co., and thither they repaired. Jarvis Bailey, who had started from Baldwinsville, Onondaga Co., N. Y., a week before Mr. Penoyer's family, arrived at Detroit the same day they did. William D. Penoyer, a son of David, left the family at Birmingham and came on with Mr. Bailey, who settled on the farm now owned by John Sutton, of Flint, and occu- pied by Calvin Luce. Bailey had purchased this land on
268
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
a previous trip made in the company of David Penoyer. When Bailey and the younger Penoyer came in there had been an ox-team driven through by Messrs. Abby (or Albee) and Neff, the parties whom Bailey bought out. They had made a few improvements on the place. Wm. D. Penoyer thinks he drove the first horse-team and wagon which entered the township. Mrs. John Paton is of the opinion that the first. horse-team which came through here was driven down to the Brent place by Samuel Weeks, of Flint, who took down a load of goods. Weeks (afterwards Judge Weeks) was then in Brent's employ. This circum- stance is not remembered by Ilenry French, who thinks goods were transported at that time by water. And from these three opinions the reader is left to choose the right.
About six weeks or two months after Bailey and Penoyer arrived, the former, with his wife, hired to Thomas L. L. Brent, and William D. Penoyer went down with them. In the succeeding fall the latter's father took a job of clear- ing fifty acres for Brent, on the east side of the river, where the buildings of Sidney MeIntyre now stand. Mr. Penoyer died in 1846. When the families went down the river to the Brent farm, it was necessary to build rafts upon which to transport their goods, as no roads had been cut through, and no boats larger than Indian canoes plied on the river. Mr. Penoyer lived on the Brent place something over a year, or long enough to pay for 160 acres of land in work. This land joined the 57 acres he had previously purchased. When he left he had to cut a road, as the current in the river was too swift to raft against.
William D. Penoyer has lived on the farm he now occupies, north of the village of Flushing, since the winter of 1850. Considerable of his land, like other in the neigh- borhood, had originally a large proportion of pine growing upon it, and the array of pine-stumps rolled into line for fences bears witness to the labor necessary to clear up ready for cultivation.
The first resident white child born between Flushing and Flint was John Paton, Jr., now in business in Flushing village, his birth occurring September 15, 1836, while his parents were living on their farm in Flint township. The first birth in Flushing township was that of Henry French's son, George French, which occurred on Nov. 13, 1837. Mary M. Paton, sister to John Paton, Jr., was born July 23, 1839.
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