USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 47
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"E. B. TRUMBULL, Town Clerk. " PITTSFORD, Sept. the 18th, 1837."
In like manner, marriage licenses were issued to Chris- topher Clement and Alice Fish, Sept. 21, 1837 ; to Edward Edgerly and Lucinda Britton, December 8; and to James Fuller and Esther Stuck, December 30.
In 1838 the bounty on bears and wolves was increased to $5 per head, " for the destruction of the same."
In 1839 a pound was built at the centre of the town, and David Strunk was elected poundmaster.
Of the citizens of this town who have been honored with official positions outside of the township offices, we find that Elijah B. Seeley, Robert Worden, and John M. Osborn have served as representatives, and John M. Osborn as senator, in the State Legislature ; that Robert Worden has been treasurer of the county ; and that Wray T. Palmer and Willard F. Day have been chosen to the office of register of deeds.
In politics the town was strongly Whig from 1836 to 1842, and was then more evenly divided between the Whigs and Democrats, until the organization of the Republican party in 1854, when it became, and has since remained, strongly Republican.
The following list contains the names of the officers of the town from its organization to the present time.
CIVIL LIST OF THE TOWN OF PITTSFORD.
SUPERVISORS.
1836-38. Elijah B. Seeley.
1839. Isaac A. Colvin.
1855. Martin H. Webb.
1840. Elijah B. Seeley. 1856-58. Willard F. Day.
1841. Ozen Keith.
1859-61. Eli Bush.
1842-43. Jesse Kimball.
1844. Henry Ames. 1845-46. Ozen Keith.
1870-72. Henry Lane.
1847. Jesse Kimball. 1848. Ozen Keith.
1849. Elijah B. Seeley.
1876-77. Truman N. Wadsworth.
1850-51. Ebenezer Stuart. 1852. Nelson P. Nye.
1853-54. Ozen Keith.
1862-65. Sidney Green. 1866-69. Truman N. Wadsworth.
1873. Truman.N. Wadsworth ._
1874-75. Henry Lane.
1878. Rufus F. Seeley.
182
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
TOWN CLERKS.
1836. Urias Treadwell.
1837-38. Eldad B. Trumbull.
1839-41. Willard F. Day.
1842. Elijah B. Seeley. 1843-45. Cyrus Lee.
1846-48. Daniel Whitmore. 1849. Orange Porter. 1850. Nelson P. Nye. 1851-52. Elijah B. Seeley.
1853-56. E. B. Trumbull.
1864-69. Nelson P. Nye. 1870-71. George Brown. 1872. Nelson P. Nye. 1873-74. George Brown. 1875-77. Rufus F. Seeley. 1878. Nelson P. Nye.
TOWN TREASURERS.
1839-40. Ozen Keith.
1841. Austin Nye.
1842. Ozen Keith.
1843. Lysander G. Stedman. 1844. J. F. Marsh.
1864. E. B. Trumbull.
1845-46. Jesse Kimball.
1865. William W. Purchase. 1866. N. B. Britton.
1847. Horace Fenton.
1848-49. Nelson P. Nye.
1850. Sullivan A. Nickerson.
1851. Stephen B. Johnson.
1852. Samuel Cole.
1871-72. Oliver L. Willard.
1854. James Adams.
1855-56. Lewis Dillon.
1857. Thomas W. Lee.
1875. Ephraim W. Benson.
1858. John M. Miner.
1876. Junius J. Robbins.
1859. James P. Rush.
1877-78. Charles W. Cook.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1836. John L. Taylor.
Robinson H. Whitehorn. Elijah B. Seeley. Sidney S. Ford. 1837. Russell Coman.
1838. Cyrus P. Lee.
1839. Abiathar Power (f. t.). George Goodrich (v.).
1840. Elijah B. Seeley (f. t.). Henry Ames (v.). 1841. Willard F. Day (f. t.). Stephen B. Johnson (v.). 1842. John C. Hogeboom (f. t.). George Williams (v.). 1843. Daniel Kemp. 1844. William Edmonds (f. t.). David Wormley (v.). 1845. Peter Clement. 1846. Willard F. Day.
1847. Ansel H. Larrabee (f. t.). Robert Worden, Jr. (v.). 1848. Ezekiel Lowe.
1870. Caleb H. Wirts. 1871. James H. Miner.
1872. Sanford Haynes (f. t.). P. A. Silvernail (v.).
1873. Nelson P. Nye (f. t.). Elihu Hubbard (1. v.). John A. Carncross (s. v.). 1874. John A. Carncross. 1875. James H. Miner. 1876. Marcus C. Palmer.
1877. Nelson P. Nye.
1878. John A. Carneross.
HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS.
1836. Ozen Keith.
John Williams. Ira Rose.
1837. John Williams. Gaylord G. Tabor. Daniel Loomis.
1838. Ozen Keith.
George Goodrich. Lester Monroe. 1839. James Earl. Gaylord G. Tabor. Linus Monroe.
1840. Jesse Kimball. Epenetus Howell. John L. Fountain. 1841. David Strunk. Jesse Kimball. Stephen Whitehorn.
1842. Daniel Loomis. Stephen B. Johnson. David Wormley.
1843. Gaylord G. Tabor. Daniel Loomis. Daniel Kemp.
1844. Ozen Keith. George Goodrich. Stephen B. Johnson.
1845. Robert D. Winegar. Austin Nye. James H. Miner.
1866. Morey Aldrich (f. t.). James Phillips (v.). 1867. Hosea Fish. 1868. John S. Foster (f. t.). Joseph B. Patterson (v.).
1869. James H. Miner (f. t.). William W. Purchase (v.).
1847. James H. Miner (3 years). Levi Arnold (2 years). Jesse Kimball (1 year).
1848. Henry Ames.
1849. Peter Whitbeck (f. t.). Frederick Clark (v.). 1850. Jehiel Rush (f. t.). Heman Treadwell (v.).
1851. Leland W. Green. 1852. Ozen Keith (f. t.). Owen McManus (v.).
1853. James Phillips.
1854. Henry Ames.
ASSESSORS.
1836. Cyrus King. Austin Nye. Jesse Smith.
1840. E. B. Trumbull. David Strunk.
R. H. Whitehorn.
1841. Austin Nye. Urias Tread well. James Fuller.
1837. R. H. Whitehorn. Henry Ames. Ira Rose. Benjamin Estes. Royal Raymond.
1842. Ira Rose. William Edmonds.
1838. Isaac A. Colvin.
Timothy Johnson.
1843. Daniel Kemp. Ira Rose. 1844. Ira Rose. Urias Treadwell.
1845. Henry Ames. Horace Fenton.
1849. Samuel Cole. Urias Treadwell.
COLLECTORS.
1837. Jesse Kimball.
1838-40. Willard F. Day.
Calvin Pixley.
1841. W. F. Dillon.
SCHOOL INSPECTORS.
1836. Urias Treadwell. Sidney S. Ford. Robert Worden. S. S. Miner.
1837. Urias Treadwell. R. H. Whitehorn. Dr. L. J. Aylesworth.
1842. William Edmonds. Lemuel Squiers. James P. Howell.
1838. Dr. L. J. Aylesworth. Cyrus P. Lee. Urias Treadwell.
1843. Robert Woodward. James P. Howell. 1844. R. H. Whitehorn.
1845. Robert Woodward.
1839. R. H. Whitehorn. Joseph Getman. Peter Clement.
1840. Sylvester S. Miner.
1846. William F. Dillon. 1847. R. H. Whitehorn. 1848. Peter Clement.
Cyrus P. Lee. Urias Treadwell.
1855. Lewis Dillon.
1856. Ozen Keith. 1857. Elam Dewey (3 years). N. B. Britton (2 years). David Wilson (1 year). 1858. David Wilson (f. t.). Elam Dewey (v.).
1859. N. B. Britton. 1860. R. H. Whitehorn. 1861. Welcome Reed.
1862. William F. Youngs. 1863. Morey Aldrich. 1864. Welcome Reed.
1865. William F. Youngs.
1846. David Strunk. James H. Miner. Archibald Dunn.
1867. Robert Longhead.
1868. Irving S. Miner.
1869. Ephraim W. Benson.
1870. Emerson Trumbull.
1853. James H. Miner.
1873. Stephen Turner. 1874. Homer Keith.
1873. David C. Wilson (f. t.). Francis A. Champlin. 1874. Henry Carmichael.# W. H. H. Van Aiken. Van Ness Schermerhorn.# Nelson P. Nye.t Clark W. Taylor.t 1875-76. W. H. H. Van Aiken.
1877. Montgomery Mackey. 1878. William H. Tabor.
1856. Robert Laird (f. t.). William Keith (v.). 1857. William Keith (f. t.). Elihu Hubbard (v.). 1858. George H. Brewster. 1859. Henry Ames (f. t.). Thomas W. Lee (v.).
1860. Azel Backus. 1861. William Keith (f. t.). Elam Dewey (1. v.). James H. Miner (s. v.). 1862. Thomas W. Lee.
1863. James H. Miner. 1864. Elam Dewey. 1865. Albert E. Price (f. t.). Anson Backus (v.).
1866. Thomas W. Lee. 1867. James H. Miner. 1868. Anson Backus.
1869. Albert E. Price.
1849. W. H. H. Van Aikin (f. t.). Henry Reeves (v.). 1850. Peter Clement. 1851. William R. Wilson (f. t.). Augustus Finney (v.). 1852. Augustus Finney (f. t.). John Perrin (v.). 1853. Jacob T. Servis.
1854. W. H. H. Van Aikin (f. t.). Abiathar Power (v.). 1855. Peter McLouth.
1857-58. John G. Brown, Jr. 1859-61. Nelson P. Nye.
1862-63. Lysander G. Stedman.
1860. Francis Champlin. 1861. Loren W. Flewellin. 1862. John B. Silvernail.
1863. Lorenzo C. Smith.
1870. Joseph B. Patterson. 1871. William W. Purchase. 1872. E. W. Benson.
Calvin Pixley. Ira Rose. 1839. David Strunk. Peter Clement. Lester Monroe.
1841. Urias Treadwell. Daniel Kemp.
1849. Dwight Perrin (f. t.). Urias Treadwell (v.).
* Failed to qualify. t Appointed.
183
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1850. Russell M. Gillett.
1851. Orange Porter.
1852. Napoleon Clark.
1853. R. H. Whitehorn.
1865. Martin Blowers.
1854. James J. Hogeboom.
1855. George A. King. 1856. Napoleon Clark.
1857. Napoleon Clark (f. t.). Martin H. Webb (v.).
1858. Martin H. Webb (f. t.).
Henry B. Lansing (v.).
1859. Jonathan A. Stafford (f. t.). Martin A. Blowers (v.).
1872. P. A. Silvernail.
1860. Junius A. Millard.
1873. Nelson P. Nye.
1861. John V. B. Goodrich.
1874. J. M. Osborn.
1875. Stephen Turner.
1862. Daniel Hall (f. t.). L. W. Green (v.).
1876-77. Millard F. Cutter.
1863. Daniel W. Leavitt (f. t.).
1878. Carlton G. Rumsey.
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
1836. Daniel Loomis.
Alpheus Pratt.
1846. Gaylord G. Tabor. Robert D. Winegar.
1837. Alpheus Pratt.
1847. Gaylord G. Tabor.
Charles Ames.
Lysander G. Stedman.
1838. Charles Ames.
1848. Lysander G. Stedman. Thomas W. Lee.
1839. Samuel Day. 1849. William D. Earl. Alpheus Pratt. Alpheus Pratt.
1840. Charles Ames.
1850. Alexander Patterson. Owen McManus.
1841. Daniel Loomis. Alpheus Pratt.
1854. Augustus Kent.
1842. Alpheus Pratt. Aaron Clement.
1855. N. B. Britton. William A. Coman.
1843. George Goodrich. Samuel Day.
1856. William J. Whitbeck. Philo D. Converse.
James Phillips.
1857. Philo D. Converse.
1845. Daniel Loomis.
Thomas W. Lee.
Gaylord G. Tabor.
1858. Guy B. Hathaway. James Phillips.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
1875-76. Philo A. Silvernail. 1878. Albert H. Barkway.
1877. John B. Covenhoven.
DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.
1872. Sidney Green. 1873-74. Elihu Hubbard.
1876-77. George W. Burnap. 1878. Henry Lane.
1875. Edwin M. Carroll.
The first religious meeting of which we have any record was held at the house of Alpheus Pratt, on the 24th of February, 1836, for the purpose of organizing a Presbyte- rian church. Twenty-four persons presented letters, and the " First Presbyterian Church of Bean Creek" was organized by Rev. William Wolcott, who was present and acted as moderator of the meeting. This church afterwards became the Congregational Church of Hudson, but its membership was largely drawn from this town. Among the first mem- bers were John L. and Clarinda Taylor, Elijah B. and Orinda Seeley, Daniel and Caroline Loomis, Ozen, Cecilia, and Martha Keith, John, Stephen W., Emily, and Be- thesda Perrin, Jesse Smith, and Sarah Nye, who were resi- dents of Pittsford or Jefferson.
On the 14th and 15th of August of this year, Rev. Wil- liam Jackson, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who was the junior preacher on the Tecumseh circuit, assisted by Rev. Allen Staples, a local preacher of the Adrian appoint-
ment, held a two-days' quarterly meeting at the barn of Charles Ames, in Keene. Again, on the 15th and 16th of July, 1837, another quarterly meeting was held in the Keene neighborhood, the Sunday service being held in Mr. Ames' barn.
In 1840 a class was formed in this town, and received the name of
THE EAST PITTSFORD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
There were but nine members of this first class, and their names, as far as we can learn them, were E. B. and Marilla Trumbull, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Silvernail, Mrs. Burger, James Phillips, Mrs. Champlin and her daughter, Susan. James Phillips was chosen leader of the class.
At first the meetings were held at the house of Cyrus P. Lee, near the site of the present church, and afterwards at the log school-house that was built on section 29. The first church was built in 1847-48. It was a small affair, about 25 by 35 feet, and cost $300 or $400. Contributions were made towards its erection by members of other denomina- tions, and it was called the Union Church, though never used by any other denomination than the Methodists. This was used until the present church was built, in 1858-59. This building cost about $800, and was repaired in 1874, at a cost of $100, exclusive of a large amount of work that was donated. The lot on which the church stands (on the northeast corner of section 28) was a gift to the society by Stephen B. Johnson.
The society was incorporated about the time that the first church was built, John Hale, E. B. Trumbull, Squire B. Johnson, and James Phillips comprising the first board of trustees. The present board is composed of the same mem- bers, with the addition of Francis H. Champlin.
The present class-leader is James Phillips, and the pres- ent steward is Squire B. Johnson. The membership is about 25. At one time the church had nearly 60 mem- bers.
The pastors of the church have been as follows, viz. : John Scotford and Peter Sabin, 1840; C. Babcock and G. C. Shurtliff, 1841; G. C. Shurtliff, 1842; W. Jackson and A. Minnis, 1843-44; W. P. Judd and Thomas Seeley, 1845 ; Henry Worthington and Robert Bird, 1846 ; Joseph Jennings and Hiram Roberts, 1847; Henry Worthington, 1848; Ebenezer Steele and Isaac Taylor, 1849; Ebenezer Steele, 1850; William Mothersill, 1851-52; Henry Pen- field, 1853; Harrison Morgan, 1854; Fred. W. Warren, 1855-56; I. Finch and William Doust, 1857; E. E. Chambers, 1858-59; A. W. Torrey, 1860-61; A. L. Crittenden, 1862; C. T. Van Antwerp, 1863; G. D. Palmer, 1864-65 ; A. J. Russell, 1866; B. W. Smith, 1867-68; W. J. Swift, 1869-70; A. M. Hunt, 1871; J. Clubine, 1872-74; S. George, 1875; M. Browning, 1876; A. M. Fitch, 1877; M. I. Smith, 1878.
The Sabbath-school connected with the church was es- tablished about 30 years ago with James Phillips as super- intendent. It was very prosperous for a number of years, and maintained a membership of from 60 to 70 scholars. At the present time the school is at a rather low ebb and quite reduced in numbers. Mrs. Jackson N. Wood is the present superintendent.
1863. Philo A. Silvernail (v.). 1864. Philo A. Silvernail (f. t.). Abram Loyster (v.).
1866. J. V. B. Goodrich.
1867. Sidney Green (f. t.). John M. Osborn (v.).
1868. John M. Osborn.
1869. Sidney Green (f. t.). Cyrus Lee (v.). 1870. P. A. Silvernail.
1871. Sidney Green.
Samuel Day.
Aaron Clement.
1853. Butler Rich.
Nelson P. Nye.
1844. David Strunk.
184
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
THE FIRST FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH OF PITTSFORD,
located at Locust Corners, was the next church formed in this town. It was organized at a meeting held on the 6th of September, 1857, with the following members: Elder Arnold Knight, Delos and Phoebe A. Edmonds, U. F. and Sarah M. Gary, M. A. Willitts, M. S. Tiffany, William Cooper, Sarah Reed, and Huldah Purchase. These members joined hands and were addressed by Rev. F. P. Augir, who gave the charge, and by Rev. Benjamin McCoon, who gave them the right hand of fellowship, thus constituting them a church of the denomination. Revs. F. P. Augir, Benjamin McCoon, and - Duryea were the members of the council sent to organize the church.
September 19, a meeting was held, at which Mr. and Mrs. John A. Dutton were admitted to the church. Delos Edmonds was elected Deacon ; John A. Dutton, Clerk ; and Rev. Aaron Knight, Pastor for one year. At subsequent meetings Harriet Knight, B. Porter, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Purchase joined the church. July 2, 1859, this church united with the church in East Jefferson to form the " East Jefferson and Pittsford Church," and agreed to hold the regular meetings alternately at the school-houses in their respective localities. At a subsequent period this arrangement was broken up, but we have no record to show when it was done.
The church has been connected with the Hillsdale Quar- terly Meeting throughout its existence. Its history is unmarked by any special periods of depression or of re- vival.
At present the membership is 41, and the roll shows that the names of 86 different persons have been inscribed thereon.
The society was incorporated about 1862-63, and the church, which is a neat brick structure, 32 by 60 feet in size, was soon after built at a cost of some $2000. On the church lot is a row of 15 fine sheds.
In 1877, a small lot was purchased of P. D. Converse, and a two-story wooden dwelling was erected on it, at a cost of $880, to be used for a parsonage.
The pastors of this church have been Revs. Arnold Knight, - Straight, - Thomas, D. L. Rice, F. P. Augir, George R. Holt, J. B. Smith, L. A. Crandall, D. W. C. Durgin, Daniel M. Fisk, R. Cooley, and D. J. H. Ward.
The present officers of the church are Sidney Green, Church Clerk ; W. H. H. Van Aiken, Society Clerk and Treasurer ; John Dillon, Lyman Fish, Christopher Clement, P. D. Converse, D. J. Lang, Sidney Green, Trustees ;. John Dillon, J. E. L. Wooster, Deacons.
Since the 24th of November, 1878, a revival has been in progress under the lead of Rev. Mary Garard, a student at Hillsdale College.
The Sabbath-school has been in existence some twenty years. Its membership has varied widely at different times, and is how about 50. Rev. D. J. H. Ward is the present Superintendent, Sidney Green is the Assistant Superintend- ent, Mrs. P. D. Converse is the Secretary, and Christopher Clement is the Treasurer. The library contains about 250 volumes.
THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF PITTSFORD.
This church grew out of the union of two " classes" that had been formned in different parts of the town, and was or- ganized at the first quarterly meeting of the Jefferson Cir- cuit, held at the school-house near Mr. Anson Backus', on the sixth day of March, 1858.
There were present at this meeting the following persons, who formed the official board of the circuit, viz. : A. W. Curtis, Chairman ; Anson Backus, Secretary ; J. Jones, Pastor ; William Kelly, Amasa Blunt, W. Munee, Thomas Warren, J. M. Merrihue, and R. Cole.
The first church building was bought or built about 1860, and was used until 1874, when the present edifice was erected at a cost of $3600. It is 32 by 53 feet in size, and substantially built of brick. The old church was sold to the Patrons of Husbandry upon the completion of the pres- ent one.
The society was incorporated under the general statute at a meeting held in the chapel March 29, 1865. Rev. B. H. Brundage, Chairman, Anson Backus, Secretary, and R. J. King and Azel Backus, Inspectors of Election, were the officers of the meeting. R. J. King, Azel Backus, S. A. Wade, R. Stone, and L. Western were elected Trustees. The present membership is about 100, and the following are the present officers : Trustees, Charles Spear, Joseph Turner, and Anson Backus; Stewards, Elisha Remmelee, Charles Spear, and Edgar Fairbanks; Class-leader and Clerk, Anson Backus.
The pastors of the church in the order of their service have been Revs. J. Jones, G. A. Olmstead, George W. Townsend, O. B. Tapley, B. H. Brundage, - Johnson, Francisco, H. C. Hurlburt, W. P. Martin, Joel Mar- tin, and John L. Bush, the present pastor.
There has been a Sabbath-school connected with the church from the first. Its present membership is about 120. The present officers are M. F. Cutler, Superintend- ent ; Henry Perrin, Secretary. The church has owned three parsonages, the present one being purchased of Mar- tin Hunker in 1878, at a cost of $1000.
There is one other society in the town for which we have obtained material for a brief sketch. It is
PITTSFORD GRANGE, NO. 133, P. OF H.
It was organized by C. L. Whitney, General Deputy for Eastern Michigan, on the 27th of November, 1873, with about 30 members. The grange bought the old Wesleyan church of that society, and removed it to a lot they had purchased in the village of Pittsford. They fitted it up for a hall, and have used it as a place of meeting, and for hold- ing festivals. The total cost of the hall was about $300.
Elihu Hubbard was the most active promoter of the or- ganization, and did much to make it successful. He has removed from the town, and is now living at Mendon, Neb.
The following list shows the first and also the present officers. The secretary and treasurer have served contin- uously :
First Officers .- Master, Elihu Hubbard; Overseer, James H. Filkins ; Lecturer, Robert Laird; Steward, John Wal- lace; Assistant Steward, George Snyder; Chaplain, C. B.
-
Photos. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale.
SAMUEL DAY.
MRS. SAMUEL DAY.
SAMUEL DAY.
In brief sketches, anecdotes, and reminiscences of their courage, privations, and sacrifices, the present generation may obtain a faint outline of. the lives of those noble old first settlers now so fast dis- appearing from public gaze. But in perusing these imperfectly writ- ten histories, sitting in the easy chairs of the luxurious homes of to- day, so widely scattered all over the beautiful region of Southern Michigan, a mere conception only can be formed of the stern realities of the tedious journey into the unbroken wilderness; the fears of wild beasts and Indians; chopping, logging, and burning off the timber ; the anxiety and care of providing for a family; ofttimes hunger and sickness; the heroic fortitude and patient endurance of those old pioneer fathers and mothers may be reverenced, but can never be fully appreciated.
Among the earliest settlers of the Bean Creek Valley was Samuel Day, who was born at Chesterfield, N. H., on the 23d of June, 1784. He was the son of Comfort Day, and one of a family of seven children. The family were of English extraction, and were originally settled in Massachusetts, near Boston. Samuel obtained a common- school education, and after reaching his majority worked out until twenty-five years of age, when he was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Cutler, of the same place. After his marriage he was engaged in farming in various places in his native town and vicinity until 1834, when he became impressed with the desire of emigrating to the West, where, with his limited means, he could better provide homes for himself and children. These hopes were fully realized in a few years by the settlement of his children in comfortable homes around him in what was known as the Day neighborhood.
His intention was to settle in Ohio, but after starting on their journey changed their destination to the Territory of Michigan. The journey was by teams to Schenectady ; thence by canal to Buffalo, and Lake Erie to Fairport, Ohio; thence again by teams to Cleveland, Sandusky, Maumee, and by the Black Swamp to Adrian, Mich.
Here, after stopping a few days, a selection was made for the future home, which was located in the present township of Pittsford, about one and a half miles northwest of the village of Hudson.
They at first entered eighty acres of land, but soon after secured one hundred and sixty acres more at government price. They next cut a road from Pratt's Corners west to their location, and then pro- ceeded to cut the trees and erect a log house, which was built without a single board, the roof covered with bark, and the floor made of split logs. Until that time not a single tree was cut west of Pratt's Corners, and the Indians and wild animals were the only inhabitants.
Mr. Day, assisted by his noble and energetic wife and their five sons, after a few years of hard labor and severe privation, became known as a well-to-do farmer, and in after-years became one of the leading
stockmen in his locality. He was all his life known as an active, hard-working man, of sound judgment and superior intelligence. He never engaged in uncertain projects of speculation, or the turmoils of political strife, but attended strictly to his own business. He lived to the age of seventy-two years, dying in 1856, leaving a handsome property, and a far richer legacy to his descendants,-a life-long honorable character and unblemished reputation. Of his venerable widow, who is still living at the extreme age of ninety-six years, it may be said that she is a very remarkable woman. Having been blessed nearly all her life with a strong and robust constitution, united to an indomitable energy and activity, she has always been an incessant worker. Many anecdotes and stories are related of her early labors and privations when the country was new, and she had the care of a large family. On their first entry into the wilder- ness, it is said she walked all the way from Adrian, crossing Bean Creek on a log, by crawling over on her hands and knees, at ten o'clock at night.
She is at this time able to walk with a cane, and can see to read her Bible without glasses ; she spends much of her time in knitting, and is pleased to receive old friends and talk over old times, of the hard- ships of their early settlement in Michigan. She has been for many years an honored member of the Congregational Church of Hudson, of which her deceased husband was also a member. She resides in the family of her son Winslow, on the old home farm, patiently waiting her appointed time, in the peace and tranquillity of almost a century of useful and well-spent years.
To the many old friends and acquaintances, as well as to all the patrons of this work, are contributed the portraits and this brief and imperfect sketch of old Father and Mother Day as a memento of their worth and excellence. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: Warren, who at present resides in the village of Hudson. William H., who in early life was a soldier in the Florida war, and again in the great Rebellion ; died at Nashville. Willard F. was born in 1817, and since his majority has almost continuously held an official position in his town or county, either as clerk, magistrate, supervisor, or registrar ; since his marriage, in 1860, with Miss Eliza Holcomb he has resided in the village of Hudson. Mary A. died at twenty-one years of age, of consumption. Wilson G. resides on his farm in Pittsford, near the old home. Winslow H. was born in 1824, and has always remained on the old home farm, and since his father's decease, until a few years since, has jointly with his brother Willard had the control and charge of the old home property; his wife was Miss Jane Wood, of Wheatland, and they reside at the old homestead, of which they are now the owners. Fanny A. is the widow of Augustus Kent, and also resides in Hudson.
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