USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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Writing of this first year's experience in a new country, Mr. Worden again writes, " We were a community of many wants from the outside world. The article of currant-roots or sprouts was in great demand. The undersigned went out to the settlement to obtain some sprouts, and all I could get were ten pieces of sprouts about eight inches long each, and felt myself fortunate and thankful. I got them of Richard Kent, a little north of the city of Adrian, and from the sprouts I obtained at that time I have bushes on my farm now, and have supplied very many new beginners from them with roots.
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"The first settlers had an enemy in what is called the deer-mouse. They were numerous, would crawl through an incredibly small hole, and were very destructive. Before we were aware of it they had got into our trunks, and seriously injured our clothing. We had no place of security for anything they wanted. My wife had brought with her some starch done up in a paper. One day, wanting to use some, she found the paper that had contained the starch, but no starch. It had been carried off by the mice, and it could not be replenished short of a trip of twenty miles ; but some time after we had occasion to use an empty bottle stowed away, and in the bottle we found our starch, put there by the mice ; it was not possible for them to get into the bottle. We were in great want of a house-cat to destroy the mice, and they were very scarce in this section of the territory. I took a bag and started for Adrian, on foot, to procure a cat if possible. I could find none in Adrian, but heard of some kittens three miles south of Adrian, at Colonel Bradish's. I went to Colonel Bradish's, but was a little too late ; they had let the last one go the day before. I then started for home, came about two miles this side of Adrian, and stopped overnight with a family of English people. I told the lady of the house of my unsuccessful efforts to find a cat. She sympathized with me, and said they had been similarly situated. When morning came, and I was about to start for home, the lady said, 'I have been thinking of your troubles through the night ; I have but one cat, a great nice one, and I have concluded to lend it to you until I shall want it.' I took the cat in the bag and started for home,-on foot, of course,-and before I got home with it I thought it a very heavy cat. We kept the cat but a few weeks ; it was killed by the wild-cats, which were quite plenty at the time."
Of Mr. and Mrs. Day, a writer in the Hudson Post of March 26, 1874, wrote : "Mr. Samuel Day died in 1856. He was a man who made his mark in this new country ; will be remembered as a stock-man, and who could show
the finest stock in the valley of the Bean. Coming here when Hudson was a vast forest, with five boys at his com- mand, much of the improvement in this vicinity was made through his influence. But he has laid by his armor, and passed over the river with others who were his associates here, to be employed in higher and nobler spheres than earth can offer. Mrs. Day is one of those noble women who first settled this Bean Creek Valley, when in its native state. May, 1834, found her coming down Bean Creek hill at ten o'clock at night, she having walked from Adrian the same day. She crossed the Bean upon a log, and came up to Mr. Kidder's log house, where the family stopped for the night, and until they could find some house to stop at or until they could build for themselves. This they did in the month of May, having to cut a wagon-road from Bush's Corners up to where their house now stands. The house was built without a single board ; the roof was covered with bark, and the floor made of split logs. There was not a tree cut west of Bush's Corners; the wolf and deer were all that inhabited that region. Mrs. Day was a woman of strong constitution, always working with a will, having a large family of her own to provide for, in a new country, with all the settlers in like circumstances. But she worked on with her neighbors, every one feeling dependent upon each other for things to keep body and soul together. Mr. and Mrs. Day having lived in a dairy country East, and having been brought up in that branch of farming, as soon as the country would warrant, commenced making butter and cheese in the valley of the Bean." They brought apple- seeds with them from the East, and when they planted them Mrs. Day said, "I shall never live to eat fruit of this or- chard." She did, however, and enjoyed its fruit for many years.
In the month of October, Silas Eaton, with his wife and four children, came from the State of New York, and set- tled on the land he had entered in June, which was the west half of the northwest quarter of section 8. He was a native of Duanesburg, Montgomery Co., N. Y., where he was born on the 22d of February, 1798. At the age of twelve years he removed to the Genesee country with his father's family, and they settled in the town of Perrington, in Monroe Co. He married Miss Eliza Simmons, of the neighboring town of Victor, Ontario Co., on the 18th of November, 1819, and lived at various places in the State of New York until his emigration to this town.
During the year 1834, in addition to those already named, William Champlin, Lewis Gillet, Ozen Keith, Jesse Maxson, Robinson H. Whitehorn, Urias Treadwell, and Lawrence Rheubotton settled in this town.
Henry Ames, early in the spring, returned East after his wife, who had been left behind on account of feeble health, and they reached this town on their return on the 30th day of September.
On Christmas-day of this year (1834) occurred the first wedding in the town, and it was also the first in this part of the valley. The high contracting parties were Mr. James Sprague and Miss Elizabeth Ames. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Mr. Willey, a Methodist clergyman of Adrian, at the house of Alpheus Pratt. The wedding- party was composed of fourteen persons beside the bride
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
and bridegroom. Their names were Alpheus Pratt, wife and son ; Charles Ames, wife and two sons ; Henry Ames, wife and son ; Jesse Kimball, wife and daughter ; and Miss Martha Redfield.
There were numerous purchases of land made in this town during the year 1834, and some of the purchasers settled on their lands that season, others at a later day, and some never settled here at all, having entered the land for specu- lative purposes. The names of these purchasers were Lewis Gilbert, Curran White, James and Hannah De Graph, Lorenzo Church, David Fish, Peter Potter, William Pur- chase, Benjamin and Dolly Bassett, William Cular, Lewis and Matthew Dillon, Walter Culver, Giles Sage, Aaron Aldrich, Asahel Dolbear, Marcus Hawley, Jesse Treadwell, Ira L. Mills, Joseph Barnhart, John Davenport, Dudley Worden, Merritt Sherman, James McLain, Levi Thompson, Buckley Newton, Nathan Birdsall, Nathaniel J. Redfield, Israel and Daniel Loomis, Richard Britton, Eldad B. Trum- bull, Jesse Kimball, William Burnham, Richard Butler, Nicholas Fratts, Samuel Cole, Horace P. Hitchcock, War- ren Burnham, Ezra A. Washburn, James B. Marry, Cyrus Robinson, N. Wood, John Munger, and Truman Bishop.
In the spring of 1835, Theodore, son of Charles Ames, died. He had obtained access to the medicine-chest and drank from a bottle of wintergreen oil. Rufus Estes was immediately dispatched to Adrian for a doctor, but before the doctor arrived the boy was dead, having died within twenty-six hours after drinking the oil.
About this time Alpheus Pratt set out an orchard of 32 trees. These he purchased from Jesse Maxson, who had brought them with him from the State of New York, and shouldering the entire lot carried them from Mr. Maxson's to his own home, a distance of 2} miles.
In the spring of 1835, Samuel T. Cooley settled in the western part of the town and built a log house, 14 by 18 feet, where he was often called upon during that and the following season to entertain the families who were passing through this town on their way to the towns lying to the westward. He was accompanied by his wife and one son.
Eldad B. Trumbull had purchased 80 acres of land, the east half of the southeast quarter of section 22, in 1834, and had then gone to work for the Lanes at Lanesville. In the following spring he felled about two acres of timber in windrows, and planted potatoes wherever he could reach the soil. The seed potatoes he had to carry from Hudson on his back. He planted three bushels of them, and real- ized quite a crop, which furnished him with a supply of food for the winter. In the fall he returned to Ellicott, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., after his wife. They arrived here in October, and stopped a short time with Ozen Keith, while Mr. Trumbull was building a log shanty to shelter them through the winter.
Elijah B. Seeley settled on section 22 in the fall of this year. He came with his wife from the town of Warren, in Herkimer Co., N. Y. In selecting his land he found a strip of low ground ran across it, along the course of which stood some very heavy timber. Liking the looks of the rest of the piece, he concluded to take it, notwithstanding this drawback, for, said he, " it will not make any difference, as I shall never clear the land as far back as that."
In the fall of this year Isaac A. Colvin opened the first store in the town in a small building that stood nearly oppo- site the site of the present cheese-factory, on the Charles Ames farm. As was usual in those days, the stock of mer- chandise consisted largely of whisky and tobacco, and busi- ness transactions were generally conducted by the method of " barter." Indians and settlers all congregated at " Col- vin's grocery" as a place of general resort, and there ex- changed their stocks of furs, game, and produce for the luxuries of tea, coffee, whisky, and tobacco. William B. Ames and Thomas Pennock had, in 1834, engaged in the shoe business in Adrian, but now William, having closed his connection with the business there, returned to Pitts- ford, and was installed as chief salesman at Colvin's. While in this position he had a narrow escape from death at the hands of the Indian chief Meteau. This Indian and his son John (called Indian John by the settlers) did the pur- chasing for the tribe, the last named acting as an interpre- ter. Meteau carried the purse of the tribe, and they, com- ing to the grocery, would dispose of their articles of mer- chandise and lay in a stock of corn, potatoes, turnips, or such other articles as they needed, never forgetting the in- dispensable " fire-water," and then return to their camp. At the grocery a bottle was kept standing on the shelf, from which drinks were supplied to those who called for them. Meteau learned the ways of the white man very readily, and coming alone one day to make the purchases, took two drinks in the orthodox fashion, and soon after desired a third. William tried to make him understand that so much liquor would make him drunk, but Meteau, anxious to get it, promised to leave, saying, "Give whisky, marchee quick." Getting the drink, he still refused to go, and William stepped up to him and told him to depart. Meteau at once drew a pistol, and saying "I shoot you," presented it and pulled the trigger. William saw the movement and struck the weapon upwards with his hand, so that the bullet passed harmlessly over his head and buried itself in the ceiling ; then, fearing that he would draw his knife, he closed with him and, after a severe struggle, succeeded in throwing him to the floor, where he held him until the liquor he had drank made him helplessly drunk. Then he disarmed him and dragged him out of doors. When Meteau had become suf- ficiently sober, his bag was filled and he was started for home; but he went only a little ways before he halted and built a fire, on Pennocks' place, and stayed there all night. In the morning he returned and asked for his pistol, but was told he could not have it because he had tried to shoot Ames with it. About a week after he returned with a plump, nicely-dressed wild turkey, weighing about twenty- four pounds, which he laid upon the counter. William stepped up and, laying a quarter of a dollar beside it, said, "Swap ?" Meteau smiled and said, " Very good," and the feud was thus amicably settled. William was duly installed as Indian trader for Squawfield, which arrangement con- tinued until the Indians were removed West.
The price of whisky at Colvin's grocery was thirty-eight cents a gallon, and, as a proof that in quality it was "of the first water," a story is told, for the truth of which we do not feel called upon to vouch : Two of the settlers, who were preparing to go to mill in midwinter, thought it ad-
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
visable to provide themselves with a pint of the stimulating fluid to use in case of emergency, should the frost prove too severe to be resisted, unaided, by their natural powers. This supply was hid in one of the bags. When about two- thirds of the journey had been accomplished, and they were wearied by their continual exertions to keep warm, they decided to stimulate their vital forces by a horn of " Col- vin's best," and drawing the bottle from its hiding-place- found it frozen solid.
In the fall of 1835, the citizens of this township met at the house of Alpheus Pratt to consider the propriety of petitioning the Legislature at its next session, soon to be held, to organize the territory south of town 6 south into a separate town. It was determined to draw up and pre- sent such a petition, and to ask that the name of the new town should be Dover. The petition was signed by Charles Ames, Jonathan French, John L. Taylor, Wm. B. Ames, Ozen Keith, Daniel Loomis, Elijah B. Seeley, Jesse Kim- ball, James Sprague, Samuel Day, Robert Worden, Robin- son H. Whitehorn, Lewis Gillett, and Jesse Smith.
In the fall of this year, Austin Nye settled on the south- west quarter of section 14, which he had purchased of Ozen Keith. The first came here in the fall of 1834, and hired out to Mr. Keith for a year. At the expiration of his time he returned to his former home in the town of Winfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., and after settling up his affairs there returned here and built a log house on his land. He was soon after married to Sarah Acker, and they commenced housekeeping in that house.
During this year Ezra and William B. Ames took a trip eastward, attracted thitherward by the haunting memories of the charms and graces of two Eastern maidens who had won the citadels of their hearts while they were yet resi- dents of the East. Ezra went to Frenchtown, N. H., and was married, and, returning here immediately, settled on the northwest quarter of section 22. William's inamorata resided at Swansea, N. H., and he went to that place and was married. On his return he settled on the east half of the northwest quarter of section 12.
On the 4th day of September, Mrs. Henry Ames died at the house of Charles Ames, where she had been removed during her illness for convenience of nursing.
During the year 1835 the following persons bought land in this town, viz .: Samuel Van Fleet, Joseph Webster, John L. Edmonds, George W. Merrick, George Williams, Henry Rose, Stephen Clapp, Peter W. Dean, Joel Alexander, Bowen Whitney, William Edmonds, William Donaldson, Olive Howard, Asa Worden, Warren Day, Charles Howard, Lewis Nickerson, David Strunk, John Williams, Samuel Stark weather, Harvey A. Anderson, Henry Lindenbower, John Osborn, Lewis Woodruff, James Grant, John Perrin, John Berger, Reuben Davis, Samuel Lawrence, Stephen B. Johnson, Elijah K. Blythe, Ira Rose, John B. Brockle- bank, Elijah B. Seeley, James W. Marry, Joseph Maxson, Reuben Mallory, William H. Davis, Sidney S. Ford, Charles Boyle, Julia Seeley, Michael Stuck, Jr., Theron B. Seeley, Archibald Dunn, Stephen W. Perrin, Israel Smith, Theron Skeel, James Wheeler, Charles Helm, Nathan G. Elliott, Charles Converse, Henry W. Seymour, Charles Spear, Henry Barton, and Archibald Mercer.
Thus the third winter came upon the pioneers and found the lands of this town pretty well disposed of, and settle- ments started in nearly every part of it.
Jan. 2, 1836, Mr. John Griswold and family arrived in the valley, and stopped at the house of William Frazee, on the southeast corner of section 19, in the town of Hudson. They had come direct from their former home in Ontario Co., N. Y., traveling by team and wagon, coming first to Adrian, thence to Canandaigua, thence west along the town line (as near as the roads then ran on lines) to the county line, and thence northerly to Mr. Frazee's residence. They found but three houses on their route after leaving Canan- daigua : these were Mr. J. R. Foster's, near Tiffin's Mills ; Elder Warner's, near the northwest corner of section 4, in Medina ; and Mr. Whitbeck's, on the town line, half a mile east of the county line. They arrived at Frazee's on Satur- day, and stayed there over the Sabbath, and on Monday re- moved to the house of Ira Rose, where they remained until a log house could be built. Mr. Griswold had purchased of John B. Brocklebank the northeast quarter of the south- east quarter of section 24, and having built his log house moved on to the place with his family a few weeks later. On this place he lived more than thirty-five years. His wife died April 8, 1872, and he survived her but a little more than two years, and died April 17, 1874, at the ripe age of eighty-seven years.
January 8, 1836, the village of Keene was platted by Charles Ames on his land, adjoining the village of Lena- wee, which had been platted on the land of Kidder & Co., in the early part of June, 1834.
In the month of July, Linus Monroe, with his wife and two children, came from Penfield, Monroe Co., N. Y., and settled on 80 acres of land, lying in section 28, which he had purchased of Elijah B. Seeley.
Stephen B. Johnson, about the same time, settled on 240 acres he had entered in 1835, it being portions of sections 21 and 28; and here he built his log house, and, with his wife and brother, Squire, commenced his pioneer life.
And now, having briefly sketched the pioneer history of the town from the time of its first settlement to the year in which it assumed a separate organization, it remains for us briefly to note the subsequent history of these pioneers, and of the enterprises they introduced, and to mention some few among the later settlers of the town.
Of the Ames family, Henry, about a year after the death of his first wife, married his brother Charles' wife's sister, Miss Louisa Ball, and lived happily with her for about eight years, when death again entered his household, and took from him the loved companion who had so cheerfully shared his joys and sorrows. He subsequently married Ruby Tabor, of Adrian, and is still living on his farm on section 1, an honored citizen and enterprising farmer. Charles cleared his farm of about 200 acres, and, by his thrift and careful industry, made it one of the model farms of the town. He built a fine brick residence a few years before his death, and also, in 1868, erected a large building for a cheese-factory, which was operated but a year or two, and has since that time been partially used as a dwelling. His wife died Dec. 24, 1869, and he followed her across the dark river Sept. 4, 1873. Ezra lost his wife a few
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MRS. BETSEY KEAGLE,(DECEASED)
MRS. GRACE KEAGLE
JOHN H. KEAGLE. ( PHOTOS BY CARSON & GRAHAM HILLSDALE)
OLD HOME BUILT IN 1836
TENANT HOUSE & ORCHARD
RESIDENCE OF JOHN H. KEAGLE, PITTSFORD, MICHIGAN .
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
years after he brought her here, and afterwards married Lucy Moon. He is still living on his farm on section 22. William B. is now, and for some twenty-four years has been, engaged in business in, and a resident of, Hudson.
Alpheus Pratt and his wife are still living in Hudson. They have attained a ripe old age, and are enjoying the peace and quiet that always mark the closing years of a well-spent life.
Thomas Pennock stayed in this town but a year or two, and then removed to Adrian.
Robert Worden is still living, and is one of the promi- nent citizens and substantial farmers of the town. He has once held the office of treasurer of Hillsdale County, in addition to serving acceptably in many of the town offices.
Silas Eaton removed to the village of Keene in 1837, and built himself a house there. There he lived until the spring of 1840, working at his trade,-that of a carpenter and joiner. The Michigan Southern Railroad having then been laid out through Lanesville, Mr. Eaton removed not only his family and personal effects, but also his house, to that place, and resided there till his death, which occurred on the 21st of August, 1876. He was a man who enjoyed the most perfect confidence and respect of the community in which he lived, and his death was regarded in the light of a public calamity. He was buried with Masonic rites on the 22d of August. Places of business were very gen- erally closed as a mark of respect, and the services were participated in by the clergymen and choirs of several of the churches of Hudson.
Urias Treadwell was the first clerk of the town, and removed to Hudson some years later. He died there in 1877.
Eldad B. Trumbull is still a resident of the town, and lives on a part of his original homestead with the companion who left her Eastern home to share with him the hardships of pioneer life. They have reared a family of three sons and two daughters. The three sons were all soldiers in the Union army during the Rebellion, and the second, Charles W., was killed at Gettysburg. The other two returned safely, and, having beaten their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, are peacefully pursuing the business of agriculture in this town. Mr. Trumbull has always been one of the staunch and reliable citizens of the town. Among the first of the members of the Metho- dist denomination here, he has always been an earnest, zealous, and liberal supporter of that branch of the church of Christ, and has contributed very greatly to its successful existence here. Since his settlement he has kept a brief record of the events of each day, that related more particu- larly to himself or family, which enables him to fix many dates of events that have transpired in the history of this town. It is almost astonishing, in looking over this record, to see how many deer, wild turkeys, and other kinds of game he killed, without interfering with his usual employ- ments. He was a famous hunter in those early times, and seldom missed a shot. Once, during the first years of their residence here, a deer came into his clearing, a few rods from the shanty, and offered an easy shot. They were entirely out of meat, and Mrs. Trumbull wanted him to shoot it ; but, as it was on the Sabbath, he refused to do so, and the
animal escaped. Mrs. Trumbull still contends that, under the circumstances, the shooting would have been a justifiable act, and in this belief she would, no doubt, be sustained by a great majority of the people.
Elijah B. Seeley was, during his life, a prominent and honored citizen of this town, and was frequently and re- peatedly called upon to serve in its principal offices. In 1839 he was elected a representative in the Legislature, and served in the session of 1839-40. He was one of the founders of the " First Presbyterian Church of Bean Creek" (afterwards changed to the " Congregational Church of Hudson"), and was one of its first elders. He continued to act as an elder or deacon of the church for upwards of forty years, and was one of its chief pillars. By his indus- try and thrift he succeeded in redeeming from the forest one of the best farms of the township, and built up a pleas- ant home for himself and family. His first wife died in 1842, and his second wife, Miss Mary M. Hall, of Roch- ester, N. Y., lived but a year. Some years later he was married to Lydia Kelsey, of Herkimer Co., N. Y., who still survives, and is living on the homestead. He was known as an honest counselor and true friend, and by his upright and consistent walk in life had won the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. He died April 10, 1876, at the age of eighty-one years, lamented by acquaintances and friends, but dying, as he had ever lived, like a true and devout follower of the lowly Nazarene.
Austin Nye cleared the farm he had taken, and resided on it till about 1854, when he removed to Jackson County. His first wife died a little while after settling here, and he married a second time. His second wife was a sister of E. B. Trumbull. He is now, and for some fifteen years has been, a citizen of the State of Minnesota.
Stephen B. Johnson remained here until October, 1838, and then returned to his old home in East Palmyra, Wayne Co., N. Y. After living there nearly three years, he again came West, and was a resident of this town till his death, which occurred April 5, 1866. His first wife died Sept. 17, 1852. His second wife survives him, and lives on the homestead.
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