USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 52
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Section 4 .- Gates, Lothrop & Olney, Lewis M. Gates and Charles Converse, February 15; N. Bryant, Novem- ber 4; David Short, November 16.
Section 5 .- Lewis Gates, July 15; Mary Marshall and
* Prepared by C. W. Brown.
RESIDENCE OF THOMAS ROBINS, WHEATLAND, MICH.
RESIDENCE OF LIBEUS H. ROOT, WRIGHT, MICHIGAN.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Royal Raymond, November 3; John M. Lickley, Novem- ber 7; David Short, November 16.
Section 6 .- Christopher Clement, October 17; Royal Raymond, November 3; Wilber Ames, November 7.
Section 7 .- Jonathan Howland, October 24; Samuel Miller, November 2; Stephen Thorn and S. D. Daken, November 9.
Section 8 .- Michael Lickley, November 7 ; Moses Moore, November 9; Stephen Thorn, James Sager, and James Thorn, November 10.
Section 9 .- Lewis M. Gates, July 15; John B. Skin- ner, July 31; David Short, November 16.
Section 10 .- Lewis M. Gates, July 15; John B. Skin- ner, July 23; A. S. Berry, November 12.
Section 11 .- Alexander Duncan, July 6.
Section 12 .- Job S. Littlefield, June 26; Alexander Duncan, July 6; Asa D. Reed, July 18; Thomas C. Saw- yer, September 30; William Cavender and Arthur Lucas, October 7.
Section 13 .- Alexander Duncan, July 6 ; Thomas C. Sawyer, September 29.
Section 14 .- Alexander Duncan, July 4; Hiram Lucas, October 7; A. J. Comstock, December 26.
Section 15 .- Nathaniel Silsbee, July 30 ; Samuel Coman, October 7.
Section 17 .- Isaac M. Sturgis, November 9; Stephen Thorn and J. Sawyer, November 10; Nathan Birdsall, December 12.
Section 18 .- David Short, November 16.
Section 20 .- Joseph R. Williams, November 10; Jane Shute, November 26.
Section 21 .- Joseph R. Williams, November 10.
Section 22 .- Alexander Duncan, July 6; Joshua Tomp- kins, July 18; Samuel Coman, October 7.
Section 23 .- Alexander Duncan, July 6; William Tap- penden, July 9; William Raleigh, October 27.
Section 24 .- William Tappenden, July 7; Alexander Duncan, July 21.
Section 25 .- Thomas Smith, July 9; Benjamin F. Brown, December 10.
Section 26 .- Thomas Smith, July 9; Henry P. Gard- ner, October 27.
Section 27 .- Langford G. Berry, November 12.
Section 29 .- Charles H. Covall, October 20; Jane Shute, November 26.
Section 31 .- The whole section was entered by Charles H. Covall on the 20th of October.
During the spring and summer of this year Mrs. Hiram Lucas, who resided at the village of Adrian, in writing to her father, Samuel Coman, then living at or near the city of Rome, in the State of New York, gave him such glow- ing descriptions of the beauties of this country, which she looked upon as the emigrant's Eldorado, that he became enamored of it, and resolved at least to see it, and if he found that it sustained its reputation for worth and beauty to make it his future home. Having this in view, he wrote to his son Russell, who had been a resident of the West since 1825, and who was then living in Dearborn Co., Ind., to meet him at Adrian on a designated day in September, to aid him in prospecting for and locating land should he find
himself suited with the country. They met in Adrian accord- ing to the appointment, and, accompanied by Hiram Lucas, proceeded to Canandaigua. At that place they hired Arthur Lucas and Calvin Pixley to guide them in their wanderings through the unbroken wilderness. The forest was at that season decked with its most gorgeous and attractive dress. The pencil and brush of nature's most gifted artist had touched, tinted, and colored the foliage till it glowed with its wealth of red and purple, russet, crimson, and gold. From the festoons of the clinging vines hung pendent large bunches of fox grapes, their deep, rich color con- trasting vividly with the parti-colored foliage. The early- falling leaves had formed a soft, rustling carpet beneath their feet, and the fruits of the nut-bearing-trees-the beech, oak, hickory, and walnut-kept up a continual pat- tering as they, loosened by the touch of the early frost, fell from their elevated positions among the branches. Squirrels chattered noisily among the branches ; wild tur- keys crossed their path, and stole away at their approach ; rabbits sat and stared at them for a moment, and then leaped away to their coverts in the underbrush; and wide-eyed deer, after giving a momentary gaze of astonishment at the unwonted apparitions, bounded away with flying leaps through the aisles of the echoing forests. The forest primeval was in its gala dress, and no wonder that it cap- tivated the hearts of the entire party. And such it seems was the result, for every member of the party, guides and all, made selection of land, and subsequently entered it at the Monroe land-office. The land selected by the Comans was on sections 15 and 22, and was entered by Samuel Coman on the 7th of October, he stopping at Monroe for that purpose when returning to his home in New York.
The two Comans, father and son, returned to their re- spective homes to make preparations for the removal of their families to the new homes they had selected. Russell Coman had left the parental home, in the State of New York, in 1825. With a small boat so affixed to the run- ning-gear of a wagon as to supply the place of a wagon-box, and accompanied by a young man, he started West to seek his fortune. Arriving at the head-waters of the Ohio River, he dismounted his boat, and, launching it upon that stream, dropped down with the current till he reached the mouth of the Miami River, where he disembarked, and found a home in Dearborn Co., Ind. March 12, 1829, he married Miss Ann McMath, and the union was blessed with three Indiana-born children, one of them being an infant at the breast when the journey to Michigan began. Immedi- ately upon his arrival at his Indiana home, Russell Coman packed his goods, loaded them in a Hoosier wagon, with his wife and three children, and with two yokes of oxen drawing the loaded wagon, began his journey to Michigan,-to the land where he was to find so pleasant a home for himself and for his family. In due time they arrived at Adrian, and stopped at the house of Hiram Lucas, Mr. Coman's brother- in-law. While there the youngest child died. Mr. Coman em- ployed Hiram and Arthur Lucas to assist him, and, leaving his family at Adrian, went to his land and built his first house, which was also the first one erected within the limits of the town. It was soon so far completed as to allow of its being occupied by the family, and they moved into it some time
26
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
between Christmas, 1835, and New Year's Day, 1836. His house stood on the east line of section 15, near the middle of the section, from north to south, and was afterwards, for many years, the residence of Samuel Coman, and on the farm now owned by Jacob Shaneour. Here Russell Co- man's family began their pioneer life,-the first, and until the following February the only, family in the town.
During the winter of 1835-36, Royal Raymond, Joseph Pixley, and Truman Bown are believed to have settled in town,-Raymond on the farm now owned by William Bradley, Joseph Pixley where the widow Root lives, and Bown where the late Timothy Johnson so long lived.
In the spring of 1836, in the month of May, Mr. Michael Lickley and his family settled in the northwest part of the town, on parts of sections 5 and 8. At a subsequent date his brother, John M. Lickley, settled on lands in section 6. The locality soon assumed, by common usage and consent, the name of " Lickley's Corners," and retains the same to the present time. The children of these two brothers grew to maturity and settled in the vicinity, so that there are now many families of the name of Lickley living near by, which makes the name of the locality very appropriate.
With the opening of spring (1836) Mr. Samuel Coman started with his family for the wilds of Michigan. The party consisted of himself and wife, his son Curtis and his wife, his daughters Lydia and Orpha, and his sons Samuel P., Stephen W., Francis H., and William E. After reach- ing Toledo, the goods were loaded in wagons and drawn by teams, the party following on foot; thus the journey was con- tinued. From Toledo to their destination the party, includ- ing the women, walked nearly the whole distance. At Canandaigua they were directed to Hudson, and from that point they took the road south, and encamped at its end on the top of the hill south of Lowe's Mill, in Pittsford. A family had lately arrived there and built a shanty. Leav- ing most of the party in camp, the boys started out to find their brother, Russell Coman, which they accomplished in due time, and the rest of the party was then piloted to their forest home. They arrived on the 23d day of June, and the little cabin for a time fairly buzzed with busy life, having as its inmates 15 persons. The large covered wagon was backed up close by the cabin, and afforded a lodging-place for the boys. It was not long, however, before a second cabin was ready for occupancy, the many hands and willing hearts making the task a light one, and into this cabin Curtis Coman and wife moved and divided the large family. Russell Coman established his home on the northwest .quarter of section 22.
About that time James Wilson commenced a settlement on section 27, in the south part of the town, and his brother, Myron Wilson, also settled in that locality, on section 34.
Edward Davis, who has the honor of being known as the first settler in town 9 south, also commenced a clearing and built himself a log house, on the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 3, at about this time.
Joseph L. Farnham also settled on section 22 at about the same time. His family then consisted of himself and wife, two daughters, and his mother. They brought with them two cows, and these were depended on to furnish the
principal part of the sustenance of the family. As their range was wide they very often strayed far from home, and sometimes "laid out" overnight, and on such occasions caused much hardship to those who were thereby cut short of their usual rations.
During the year 1836 the country filled up quite rapidly. A great many of the purchasers of land in 1835 came on and built cabins on their places. Of course these cabins were isolated, many acres of heavy timber having to be cut before they could be brought within view of one another. But with stout hearts and strong arms the set- tlers went to work with a will. The ringing blows of the axe echoed and re-echoed in every direction, startling the dumb inhabitants of the forest from their wonted serenity, and the thunderous crash with which the mighty forest giants fell prone to the earth was multiplied in every direc- tion, forming an almost continuous crash. Before the winter of 1836-37 set in, most of them had their door- yards clear of logs and a little wheat was sown. The Comans sowed one acre of wheat that fall, and from it, in the summer of 1837, harvested 14 bushels of grain. Curtis Coman had, before leaving his Eastern home, purchased a small patent mill, for which he paid $25. He now built a frame, mounted it, and fitted it for use. In this mill he ground the wheat they had raised, and in after-years the old gentleman assured his friends that he never felt so in- dependent in his life as at that time. The frame of the mill is still kept as a souvenir of the days of '36.
The settlers had to endure great hardships during the years 1836, '37, and '38. They had to clear the land of its heavy timber before crops could be raised, and were for a time dependent on the outside world for the greater part of their provisions. During the summer of 1836 the Coman family succeeded in raising a little corn among the logs, and it is presumed that other settlers did the same, but this alone did not furnish even the most frugal subsist- ence for the pioneer families. The settlements to the northward had not raised sufficient for their own needs, and had none to spare, and it became necessary to import pro- visions from points at the East,-a work that involved much expenditure of time and money and the enduring of much hardship, and often resulted very unsatisfactorily, as the provisions thus secured, though dear in price, were often found to be poor in quality. It took about all the means the farmers possessed to carry them through the first winter of their life here, and it was two or three years before they had got things into such a shape as to assure a comfortable living. Most of them had cows, and as pasturage was both abundant and free, they proved a great help in the way of furnishing a healthy and nutritious article of food for the maintenance of their families. One drawback, however, detracted from their usefulness : there were no line-fences to keep them within bounds, and they frequently would stray away and be gone for several days at a time. One such incident is related of an experience in the case of Joseph L. Farnham's family. The time of its occurrence is not defi- nitely known, but it is reasonable to suppose that it was during the first summer's life in the woods. It is vouched for by a prominent member of the first family, and also by a member of Mr. Farnham's family.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
The cows had strayed off, and had been gone for several days. Mr. Farnham had tramped many weary miles through the woods searching for them, but had not met with any success whatever. The family, thus deprived of their prin- cipal article of food, were reduced to the verge of starvation. At last Farnham and his wife started out for another look, and after several hours of weary search found that instead of finding the cows they had lost themselves, and knew not in which direction to turn to reach their home. Sitting down, they talked the matter over, and as the helplessness of their situation became more and more apparent, as they saw more and more clearly that either in the woods or at home they were seemingly doomed to die of starvation,-for not a mouthful of food did they possess,-is it any wonder that the horror of their situation overcame them, and that, clasped in one another's arms, they wept many bitter, de- spairing tears? But the thought of the old mother and those loved daughters spurred them to renewed action, and they made another effort to find, not the cows, but them- selves. In this they were successful, and at last, tired and hungry, arrived at their cabin. During the time they were in the woods the grandmother, impelled by the gnawings of hunger, looked about to find some scrap or crust that might have been previously overlooked, and which might for a time satisfy her craving for food. Rummaging among the contents of an old trunk, she found the string ends of several pieces of dried beef, which had been left after the more edible portion had been shaved off and used. These had been forgotten until now, and the old lady gathered them together, chopped them very fine, soaked them soft, and by adding a little salt and a few savory wild herbs, suc- ceeded in making a very palatable mess of pottage, and had it just ready for the table when the lost cow-hunters appeared at the door. Thus was the grim spectre driven from the fireside at that time. Many such incidents transpired in the history of nearly every family, and only as the country was developed, and the dense woodland gave place to fertile fields, did the settlers escape from the occasional pinching pains of hunger and from other privations as well.
Of these early settlers in the town of Wright many have passed beyond the bounds of earth, while others, having reached the time of " the sere and yellow leaf," have laid aside the implements of their active warfare, and amid friends and kindred are in calm retirement, awaiting the call to pass on into the unknown future. Samuel, Russell, Samuel P., and Francis H. Coman have all been gathered to their fathers. Curtis and Stephen W. are still residents of this town, and William E. is living at Chicago. Michael Lickley has recently removed to, and now lives at, Hudson, and John M. is living with a son on the homestead he took up more than twoscore years ago. Edward Davis died some seventeen years since, and his widow survived him until the present winter (1878-79), when she, too, passed over the river. James Wilson died a year or two since, and Myron H. is still living near South Wright. Joseph L. Farnham died in January, 1876. His wife died in 1844, and he was subsequently married to Miss Laura Maples. She is still living on the homestead.
April 12, 1837, the first white child born in the town- shop was born at the cabin of Russell and Ann Coman.
It was a daughter, and received the name of Marion. She grew to womanhood in the town, was educated in its public schools, and after teaching several years went to California, whither an elder sister had preceded her, married Mr. Har- rison Dayton, and died February 28, 1870, leaving a family of three children. The second white child, and the first white male child born within the limits of the town, was Porter Raymond, a son of Royal Raymond.
Among the earliest weddings, the exact date of which is not known, was that of Benjamin F. Brown, of this town, and Beulah Willits, of Medina. The ceremony was per- formed by Amos W. Clark, Esq., then recently elected to a magisterial office. It occurred on a Sabbath morning. The " parlor" used on the occasion was a part of a field of wheat, and the " seat of honor" was formed by a rail laid across a corner of the fence. Notwithstanding these primi- tive surroundings, the worthy squire succeeded in tying a durable knot that firmly united the " two hearts that beat as one," and no doubt as much joy and happiness resulted from the union as is usually the case even in this advanced and progressive age.
Rev. William E. Warner, of Medina, preached the first sermon in this town, on the occasion of a funeral in the family of Mr. Pixley. It is presumable that this death was also the first one in the town.
The first framed house in the town was erected by Wil- liam Brewster in the spring of 1841. It was built on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 14, and is still standing, though now unoccupied.
The first school-house in the town was a log one, quite small, and stood on Calvin Pixley's farm, on the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 14. It was burned down some time afterwards, and then the second one was built on the southwest corner of the four corners at Prattsville. This building was built about 1839-40. It was about sixteen by twenty feet, built of logs, with a puncheon floor and a wide fireplace on one side. The seats were split logs hewed smooth, and round sticks driven into holes bored in the round side for legs. The desks were made by laying boards on long wooden pegs driven into holes in the logs that formed the sides of the building. In 1843 this building was found to be too small for the school, and it was torn down and replaced by a frame building, which was put up by William Brewster. Again, a few years later, it was found necessary to replace the school- house with a larger one. The work was done by Franklin and Timothy Johnson, and the building was painted black. From this it soon became a local landmark, and the " Black School-house" came to be extensively known throughout the region.
Owing to the fact that a considerable part of the lands of this town were purchased by speculators, who held them for many years before they disposed of them to settlers, the town of Wright may be considered as really the newest town in Hillsdale County. Even as late as the close of the war of the Rebellion a large tract of land in the southwest part was unimproved and clothed with its original growth of timber. Since that time many changes have taken place, and at present not more than one-third of the area of the town is in woodland, and this is generally in scat-
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
tered pieces on the many fine and productive farms, though a few large pieces are yet held by non-resident owners.
The oldest village of the town is situated in the south part, near the corner where sections 33 and 34 of town 8 and sections 3 and 4 of town 9 come together. Edward Davis and Joseph Wilson were the first settlers in this neighborhood. Occasionally some one came into the neigh- borhood and settled, but the population was wholly agricul- tural, and no sign of a village was seen until about 1853. In the spring of that year Harry Swift built a blacksmith- shop there, and began working at his trade. Joseph Wilson at that time was running an " ashery" on his place, and had also opened a small store in a little log shanty, which was, at a later period, used by Jacob Shaneour as a cooper-shop. In the summer of 1855 the citizens began to think that they needed a post-office in this part of the town, and Horace Daniels wrote to Hon. Lewis Cass, who was then in Washington, asking him to use his influence to secure an office at this point. Cass replied, and told him to get the citizens together, and let them select a postmaster, cir- culate a petition for his appointment, and forward the peti- tion to the department, promising to do what he could to insure for it a favorable consideration. In accordance with these instructions, a meeting was called at the brick school- house, and there the citizens met at the appointed time. There were two parties at this meeting; the first, led by Ira C. Smith, James Wilson, and Sether Dean, favored the appointment of Dean, and the locating of the office at his store, in the eastern part of the town, near the Medina line, while the second, headed by Edwin Day, Daniel Cooper, Gideon L. Emerson, and Nelson Case, wanted to establish the office at South Wright, with Joel S. Hub- bard as postmaster. The leaders of the Dean faction were all Democrats of the most pronounced type and the most unflinching character, and Hubbard, too, belonged to that party, but many of his supporters (among the number being Day and Emerson) were members of a "Know- Nothing" club which had been formed for the purpose of presenting an organized opposition to the then dominant Democratic party of the town.
Of course the party spirit thus engendered crept into even this meeting, and added strength and ardor to the zealous efforts which each faction put forth to secure the accomplishment of their designs. Voters were brought from far and near to participate in the meeting, and the strife became quite exciting. When the votes were counted it was found that Dean had a majority, and his friends were jubilant. But Hubbard's friends were not disposed to sub- mit quietly to this result. Day, who had but recently come from Monroe County, where he was widely known as a prominent and staunch Democrat, proposed to go to Mon- roe and see what could be done there to bring about Hub- bard's appointment through the influence of Hon. David A. Noble, who was at that time the representative in Con- gress from this district. The rest of Hubbard's friends contributed to pay the expenses of the trip, and within a brief period after the close of the meeting Day was on his way to Hudson, there to take the cars for Monroe. Now, Hubbard, who was also a former resident of Monroe County, had for several years kept the leading hotel at Vienna, and
had often been called upon to entertain political speakers, who came there to address the people. Among others he had frequently met and thus formed the acquaintance of Jefferson G. Thurber and Hon. David A. Noble. He had also been able to assist them politically, and they were ready and even anxious to return his favors should opportunity offer. Knowing these facts, Day confidently expected to be able to bring to grief the plans and calculations of his now jubilant opponents. It was, however, necessary for the success of his scheme that his change of political belief should not creep out. To have it known that he had for- saken the fold of the Democracy and cast his fortunes with . those of the detested " Americans" would have annihilated his influence and ruined his plans. In due time he reached Monroe. Noble was in Washington attending the session of Congress, but Thurber, who was considered as a sort of " power behind the throne," was at home. On him Day called and presented his request, giving due force and weight to his own and Hubbard's claims, and pleading his case with all the zeal of a feed attorney. After giving a brief history of the case from his point of view, and detailing the circumstances leading to the meeting, he closed with the assertion, " but the d-d Know-Noth- ings came into the meeting and outvoted us, and are trying to get Dean appointed." This produced the desired effect. Thurber's party pride and prejudice were excited, and he said, " Hubbard shall have the office. I will write to Noble and tell him to attend to the matter, and what I tell him to do will be done." The letter was written and posted, and Day returned home. In a few days Hubbard received his commission, much to the surprise of Dean's supporters, who had not yet completed and forwarded their petition. Hubbard retained the office until about 1863, when he was succeeded by James M. Sexton. Since the latter, Thomas C. Thompson and Gideon L. Emerson have held the office, the latter being the present incumbent. The office was called South Wright until about three years ago, when its name was changed to Waldron.
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