USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
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About two years after the post-office was established George Hawkins, of Medina, bought the Joseph Wilson property, built a new ashery, and also a store nearly oppo- site the old one. His brother-in-law, Ambrose M. Bur- roughs, was placed in charge of the business, and managed both institutions for several years until he finally came into possession of them. The store was afterwards occupied by several different parties, and was at last destroyed by fire in the fall of 1865.
Boies & Clark opened a store on the northwest corner of the three corners about 1867-68, and Gilbert Ketchum occupied the opposite corner for the same purpose about four years later. The last-named building was in 1875 moved back from the street to make room for the present store of George A. Hicks.
About ten years ago, Colby, McDonald & Co. built the saw- and grist-mill. The grist-mill has two runs of stone. The lower saw-mill was built by Augustus Sellick in 1877. These mills are all run by steam-power, and are doing a good business.
The village, though small, is dual in its nature. Its growth for many years was on sections 33 and 34 of town
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BIRD'S-EYE VIEW of PRATTVILLE, MICHIGAN.
205
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
8, and all the business establishments, without exception, were located on them. But the owners of lands adjoining this on the south conceived the idea of platting a village on sections 3 and 4 of town 9, which was done in April, 1876, the survey being made by George A. Mark, county surveyor, and the plat was recorded May 27 of that year, under the name of South Wright. Fearing that the re- moval of the post-office would follow this action, the citizens of the north part of the village had the name of the post- office changed to Waldron (in honor of Hon. Henry Wald- ron, M.C.), and in the spring of 1877 platted a village north from the section and town line, and named it Waldron, also. At present the villages contain 1 steam saw-mill, 1 steam saw- and grist-mill, 2 general stores, 1 drug-store, 1 grocery, 2 shoe-shops, 1 harness-shop, 3 blacksmith-shops, 1 wagon-shop, 1 post-office, 2 churches (United Brethren and Wesleyan Methodist), 1 school-house, and about 30 dwellings. The population is nearly 200.
Prattville is a village of modern growth. In the year 1865, William Bennett to the east, Amos W. Clark and Nicholas R. Kipp to the south, and Urian Mackey to the north, were the only residents within half a mile of the corners where stood the " Black school-house." In the month of February, 1866, Wellington H. and Henry M. Pratt came from the town of Framingham, Mass., and settled in this vicinity. They purchased a small frame building of Charles S. Reed, and moved it to the corner opposite the school-house, where they fitted it up for a store and opened a stock of goods there. In the fall of 1868, J. T. Perry, from the same place in Massachusetts, came here and built the steam saw-mill. Connected with it was the frame of a grist-mill, which, however, was not finished off till the summer of 1870, at which time Pratt Brothers put in the necessary machinery and commenced operating it. A year later the machinery was sold to a firm in Ran- som Centre, and removed to that place. Previous to this Pratt Brothers had found their store building too small for their growing business, and in 1869 they erected their present store. In the spring of 1872 they purchased the mill property of Mr. Perry, and in 1877 removed the grist- mill to its present location, refurnished it with new and improved machinery, and set it in operation.
In 1872 the brick school-house was erected as a cost of $1400, and in 1874 the church was removed from Medina Centre and re-erected here. From time to time dwellings and mechanics' shops have sprung up in the vicinity, until at present the village contains one general store, one drug- store, one hotel, two blacksmith-shops, one wagon-shop, one steam saw-mill, one steam grist-mill, one church, one school- house, and about 20 dwellings. It has a population of about 100. The post-office now located here was established in 1848, at the house of Timothy Johnson, who was the first postmaster. It was then called "Cass." Timothy John- son held the office till his death, and his son, Edwin, suc- ceeded him. About 1855 it was removed to William Brewster's place, he being appointed as postmaster. In December, 1864, Edward C. Brewster was appointed. Some three years later it was removed to the village, and Henry M. Pratt became postmaster, and has since held the office. The name was changed to Prattville about 1872.
The growth and prosperity of the village is almost en- tirely owing to the energy and enterprising public spirit of the Messrs. Pratt, who have engaged largely in the lumber trade and in the buying and shipping of grain, poultry, and produce, in addition to their mercantile business, thus fur- nishing a market where the farmers can dispose of their surplus produce and exchange them for goods.
Some twenty-two or three years ago another post-office was established in the northwest part of the town, at Lick- ley's Corners. It was known as the " Woods' Corners Post- Office," and David Woods was the postmaster. It was after- wards removed to Thomas J. Anderson's and kept by him till it was discontinued. About five years ago it was re- established under the title of " Lickley's Corners," with A. H. Camp as postmaster, and so remains at the present writing.
In the winter of 1837-38 the citizens of towns 8 and 9 south thought they were getting sufficiently strong in point of numbers to think of having themselves organized into a separate town, and a meeting was held to talk the matter over and decide upon a course of action. All were found to agree that it was desirable to have a separate organiza- tion, and, in the natural order of things, next took up the question of deciding upon a name. It was generally cus- tomary for the first settler in the town to have the privilege of christening it, or, in other cases, to name it after him. The Comans, in this case, were not only the first settlers, but were also a large proportion of the voters present, and it was conceded that the new town should be named after them. Some, however, favored calling it Comansfield, while the others thought the simple name Coman was preferable. It was found necessary to take a vote to decide the question, and Coman was decided upon. A petition was thereupon drawn up and signed, ready for transmittal to the Legisla- ture, which was then in session at Detroit. It was intrusted to William K. Johnson, who lived near Lime Lake (more familiarly known as " Bill Johnson"), to take to Ypsilanti and there mail it. In due course the notification came to the citizens that their petition had been favorably considered, and that on the sixth day of March the Legislature had passed an act erecting the town under the name of Canaan. The Comans were greatly surprised and much chagrined, some others were much put out, while a few laughed to themselves at the discomfiture of the expectant ones. The bearer of the packet to Ypsilanti, poor Bill Johnson, was charged with having tampered with the petition while it was in his possession, but this charge he stoutly denied. It afterwards crept out that his denial was only technically true; a niece of his did the mischief, either by his direction or with his guilty knowledge, by making an a of the o in Coman, and forming another a on the last stroke of the m. But there was nothing now to be done save to accept the situation with as good a grace as possible, and to proceed to business under the name of Canaan. The inhabitants were duly notified of the passage of the act, and that the first town- meeting would be held at the house of Samuel Coman on the 24th of April, 1838.
By act of the Legislature approved March 23, 1836, this town had been taken from Wheatland as a part of the newly-erected town of Pittsford. In December a conven-
206
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
tion was held in this State to act upon the question of ac- cepting or rejecting the conditions imposed by Congress as requisite to the admission of Michigan as a State, and by. its action the boundary line was fixed so that nearly all of town 9 south became a part of the State of Ohio. And the act of March 6, 1838, constituted the thirty-six sec- tions of town 8 south, range 1 west, sections 1 to 6, inclu- sive, and fractional sections 7 to 12, inclusive, of town 9 south, range west, in all containing an area of about 28,000 acres, as the town of Canaan.
Pursuant to notice, the town-meeting was held at Samuel Coman's, on the 24th of April, 1838. Joseph Pixley was chosen moderator, and Samuel Coman clerk, pro tem. By reference to the civil list it will be seen what officers were elected at this meeting. But three justices were chosen, because Russell Coman had been elected to that office at the election in Pittsford the year previous, and it was conceded that he would hold over. He was therefore allotted the three-year term, and the terms of the other justices were assigned by lot by the supervisor and town clerk.
In 1840 the town was divided into nine road districts and the following pathmasters were appointed, viz. : Eben- ezer Pixley, John M. Lickley, Everett Barber, Michael Lickley, Albert Vredenburgh, Samuel Coman, Hiram N. Barstow, William Osborn, Benjamin A. Myers.
At first a bounty of $3 was offered for each full-grown wolf killed in the town, and for every whelp a bounty of $1.50. In 1845 this bounty was increased to $5 for wolves and $2.50 for whelps, and the bounty on bears was fixed at $2.50 for full-grown ones and $1.25 for cubs. Again, in 1851, the wolf-bounty was increased, and was fixed at $8 for wolves and $4 for whelps. From these changes we are led to infer that they became more troublesome and de- structive as the country began to be cleared, and the settlers began to keep more stock.
A site for a town-house was procured of Russell Coman in April, 1854, and consisted of 81 square rods of ground located at the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 22. April 22 the job of building the house was let to G. H. Brewster, for $275. It was completed by the 1st day of November, and the total cost was $281. It was used for several years, and was sold at auction for $40 about five years ago.
The elections and town-meetings were at first held at the house of Samuel Coman. The meeting of 1840 closed its business by adjourning to the "school-house in District No. 1,"-the Prattville District. They were afterwards held at the town-house, and since that was abandoned are held alternately at Prattville and South Wright or Waldron.
In the winter of 1849-50 quite an excitement was created among the people by the appearance of the smallpox in the town. A meeting of the board of health was held at the office of the clerk, on the 15th of January, and several resolutions relating to action in the matter were passed. Among them was this: "Resolved, That we endeavor to stop all communication with the infected districts, and that Mr. Belknap, F. Johnson, James Knapp, and Thomas C. Sawyer be hereby authorized to fence across all roads leading to said districts ; to stop all persons opening said roads, and give notice to all persons that the smallpox is in the neigh-
borhoods." It was also decided to have all residents of the town, who had not been vaccinated, "inoculated by some physician," if it could be done for ten cents cach. Whether this seductive bait tempted any physician to perform the required work is not stated by the record.
During the first years of the town's existence the political strife was not very spirited, but soon party spirit began to run a little higher, and the struggles between the Whigs and the Democrats became more fiercely contested, with the odds in favor of the latter. One of the leaders of the . Democracy is credited with having said, about 1854-55, that no Whig had ever held office in the town, and so long as he lived in it none ever should. But the uncertainty of all human calculations, which manifests itself in political as well as in all the other affairs of life, was shown by the events of the future. A Know-Nothing club was formed, and by its force of concentrated and combined effort dealt the Democracy a staggering blow, and the Republican party coming into existence at once became the dominant party of the town, and retained its supremacy until the frantic craze of "greenbackism," as exemplified by the theory of "fiat" money, began to rage. Then the supremacy was contested by the Nationals, with still unsettled results.
Although this town is still new, and in a measure remote from the seats of business and public life, its name is not unknown in the records of the legislative and executive departments of the State and county governments. In the halls of legislation three of its sons have sat with credit to themselves and honor to their constituency. Their names are Hon. Russell Coman, Hon. William W. Brewster, and Hon. Leonidas Hubbard. As an executive officer of the county, William W. Brewster has served two terms in the office of county clerk.
The following civil list of the town has been prepared after a careful examination of the records, and may be relied upon as being correct in all its details. It begins with 1838, and ends with 1878 :
CIVIL LIST OF THE TOWN OF WRIGHT.
SUPERVISORS.
1838. Timothy Johnson.
1859. Lawrence Rheubottom.
1839. Russell Coman.
1860-61. Edward C. Brewster.
1840-41. John M. Lickley.
1862-63. Leonidas Hubbard.
1842. Thomas C. Sawyer.
1864. Amos W. Clark.
. 1843. Russell Coman.
1865-66. Edwin Johnson. 1867-68. Leonidas Hubbard.
1845-47. Russell Coman.
1869. E. C. Brewster.
1848. Thomas C. Sawyer.
1870. Leonidas Hubbard.
1849. Timothy Johnson. ;
1871. Ambrose M. Burroughs.
1850. Sawyer B. Downer.
1872. Jacob Shaneour.
1851. Russell Coman.
1873. A. M. Burroughs. 1874. Jacob Shaneour.
1853. Russell Coman.
1875. Hiel Johnson.
1854. Wmn. W. Brewster.
1876. E. C. Brewster.
1855. Ira C. Smith.
1877. John P. Emmons.
1856. Lawrence Rheubottom.
1878. Hiel Johnson.
1857-58. Wm. W. Brewster.
TOWN CLERKS.
1838-39. Arthur Lucas .*
1844-45. Amos W. Clark.
1839-40. Timothy Johnson.t
1846-48. Sawyer B. Downer.
1841. Thomas C. Sawyer.
1849. Amos W. Clark.
1842. Amos W. Clark.
1850. Ira C. Smith.
1843. Wm. W. Brewster.
1851. Edwin Johnson.
* Died.
t Appointed Jan. 10, 1840.
1844. Timothy Johnson.
1852. S. B. Downer.
207
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1852. Amos W. Clark. 1853. Ira C. Smith. 1854. Amos W. Clark. 1855-56. Edwin Johnson.
1857. Amos W. Clark. 1858. John B. Kemp. 1859. Edward C. Brewster. 1860. Charles Voglesong.
1861-63. Amos W. Clark. 1864. Edward C. Brewster.
1865. Levi H. Brown. 1866-67. Thomas C. Thompson.
1868. D. E. Haskins. 1869. Ira W. Bell.
1870. E. C. Brewster. 1871. Alvin S. Wilson.
1872. John C. Birdsall .* R. D. Morrison.t 1873-74. S. W. Vandevort.
1875. Volney Reynolds.
1876. George A. Hicks.
1877. Lester Perry. 1878. Wm. G. Boyd.
TOWN TREASURERS.
1839-40. Samuel Coman.
1841-42. Timothy Johnson.
1843. William Brewster.
1844-45. Royal Raymond.#
1863. David Woods.
1845-47. Thomas C. Sawyer .¿
1848. John M. Lickley. 1849. David Belknap. 1850-53. Joseph Wilson.
1854-55. John M. Lickley.
1856. Jesse Raymond.
1857. John B. Kemp.
1874. E. C. Brewster.
1858. James Lickley.
1875. Leonidas Hubbard.
1859. William Bennett.
1876-78. Wellington H. Pratt.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1838. John M. Lickley (4 years). Russell Coman (3 years).| R. T. Crawford (2 years). Calvin Pixley (1 year). 1839. Calvin Pixley (f. t.). Russell Coman (1. v.). Edward Davis (s. v.).
1840. Joseph L. Farnham.
1841. Timothy Johnson (f. t.). Amos W. Clark (v.). 1842. Royal Raymond.
1843. Amos W. Clark.
1844. James Wilson.
1845. Calvin Pixley.
1846. John M. Lickley (f. t.). James Wilson (v.). 1847. Amos W. Clark (f. t.). John M. Lickley (v.).
1848. James Wilson.
1849. Thomas C. Sawyer (f. t.). Sether Dean (v.).
1850. Homan Barber.
1851. Amos W. Clark (f. t.). Jesse Raymond (1. v.). Philo H. Stroud (s. v.). 1852. Ira C. Smith.
1853. H. T. Barnaby.
1854. Thomas J. Anderson.
1855. L. Rheubottom (f. t.). Joseph Wilson (v.).
1856. Alonzo Baker.
1857. Gideon L. Emerson.
1858. Jasper B. Corser.
1859. David Harris. 1860. Edwin Johnson.
1861. Gideon L. Emerson. 1862. Leroy D. Woods.
1863. Stephen W. Coman. 1864. David. Harris.
1865. Gideon L. Emerson.
1866. David T. Newton.
1867. Amos W. Clark.
1868. Russell Coman.
1869. Joshua Batten.
1870. De Courcey R. Evans (f. t.). Gideon L. Emerson (v.).
1871. Robert B. Sawyer.
1872. Henry Humes.
1873. Gideon L. Emerson (f. t.). J. F. Farnham (v.). 1874. Charles H. Gorsuch. 1875. Russell Coman. 1876. J. F. Farnham. 1877. Volney Reynolds. 1878. B. B. Jones.
COMMISSIONERS OF HIGHWAYS.
1838. Calvin Pixley.
William Bennett. Michael Lickley.
1839. Calvin Pixley. William Bennett.
1843. Ebenezer Pixley. Nathaniel Bryant. James N. Wilcox.
Everett Barber.
1840. Royal Raymond.
George Holly. Edward Davis.
1844. Ebenezer Pixley. James N. Wilcox. Albert Vredenburg.
1841. Albert Vredenburg. Thomas C. Sawyer. William Bennett.
1845. David Belknap. John M. Lickley. Alexander Finley.
* Removed.
¿ Appointed Feb. 21, 1846.
| Elected in Pittsford, 1837.
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
1838-39. Joseph Pixley. Samuel Coman.
t Appointed. į Resigned. 1840. Michael Lickley. Samuel Coman.
COLLECTORS.
1838. Ebenezer Pixley. 1839. Aaron Pixley. 1841. Royal Raymond.
SCHOOL INSPECTORS.
1838. W. W. Johnson.
1854. Hiel Johnson (v.).
Curtis Coman.
Russell Coman.
1855. Leonidas Hubbard (f. t.). Jacob Lickley (v., 2 years). Sawyer B. Downer (3 years).
1839-40. Timothy Johnson. Joseph L. Farnham. Russell Coman.
1856. Hiel Johnson. 1857. Bradley J. Woods.
1858. Charles Voglesong (f. t.). Bradley J. Woods (v.).
1859. Amos W. Clark. 1860. Leonidas Hubbard.
1861. Levi H. Brown.
1862. Henry J. Devoe.
1863. Levi H. Brown (f. t.). Bradley J. Woods (v.).
1864. Albert Star. 1865. Ira W. Bell.
1866. E. C. Brewster.
1867. Ira W. Bell.
1847. Edwin Johnson.
1848. H. T. Barnaby.
1849. Thomas C. Sawyer.
1850. Amos W. Clark.
1851. Hiel Johnson.
1872. R. D. Woods.
1873. E. C. Brewster (f. t.). William A. Baler (v.).
1874. A. M. Burroughs. 1875. T. J. Anderson. 1876. A. M. Burroughs.
1877-78. Alonzo Drake.
1846. David Belknap. Joseph Wilson. Nathaniel Bryant. 1847. Gurtis Coman (3 years). Joseph Wilson (2 years). Michael Lickley (1 year). 1848. Alexander Finley. 1849. Joseph L. Cady.
1850-51. Jesse Raymond (f. t.). William Bennett (v.).
1852. James Wilson.
1853. Thomas J. Anderson.
1854. Alonzo Baker (f. t.). Daniel Snyder (v.). 1855. Daniel S. Tinsley.
1856. Arnold Richards.
1857. James J. Lauder.
1858. Rufus F. Perry.
1859. James N. Wilcox.
1877. Irving Wheeler. 1878. Thomas Meredith.
ASSESSORS.
1838. Royal Raymond. William W. Johnson.
1842. Hiram N. Barstow. Benjamin D. Osborn.
1843. Benjamin A. Myers. James Knapp.
1844. George A. King. James Knapp.
1845. Nathaniel Bryant.
James Knapp.
1841. Joseph L. Farnham.
Royal Raymond. Benjamin D. Osborn.
1861. James Lickley. 1862. Joshua Batten (f. t.). Daniel Wean (v.). 1863. Ambrose M. Burroughs. 1864. Jasper B. Corser. 1865. Joshua Patten. 1866. Philo H. Stroud.
1867. Irving Wheeler. 1868. Joshua Batten. 1869. Nicholas R. Kipp. 1870. William Harris.
1871. Stephen Deville. 1872. James Baker. 1873. Philo H. Stroud. 1874. Euclid Hubbard.
1875. Stephen Deville. 1876. James Baker.
1864-65. Leonidas Hubbard. 1866. James J. Lauder. 1867-68. E. C. Brewster.
1869-71. Jacob Shancour.
1872. E. C. Brewster.
1873. Joshua Batten.
1839. Russell Coman. Calvin Pixley. Timothy Johnson.
1840. Joseph L. Farnham. Royal Raymond. Hiram N. Barstow.
1840. William Bennett.
1841. Joseph L. Farnham.
Thomas C. Sawyer. Amos W. Clark.
1842. Thomas C. Sawyer. William Brewster. Amos W. Clark.
1843. Russell Coman (1 year). Edward Davis (2 years). Jos. L. Farnham (3 years).
1844. Sether Dean. 1845. J. L. Farnham.
1846. Sether Dean.
1868. Thomas C. Thompson. 1869. R. D. Morrison. 1870. J. F. Farnham.
1871. R. D. Morrison.
1842. Ebenezer Pixley. Nathaniel Bryant. Alvin Allard.
1852. Jacob Lickley (1 year). H. T. Barnaby. 1853. Leroy D. Woods (f. t.). Amos W. Clark (v., 2 years). Leonidas Hubbard (3 years). 1854. C. D. Hampton (f. t.).
1841. Michael Lickley. John M. Lickley. 1842. James Knapp. George Holly.
1846. Michael Lickley. Stephen W. Coman.
1860. William Harris.
1860. Leroy D. Woods. 1861. Sawyer B. Downer. 1862. James Lickley.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1843. James Wilson.
John M. Lickley.
1844. William Brewster.
Michael Lickley.
Russell Coman.
1845. Calvin Pixley. Hiram N. Barstow. 1846. William Brewster. Amos W. Clark.
1847. Sether Dean. Nathaniel Bryant.
1848. William Brewster. Samuel Coman. 1849. William Brewster. John M. Lickley.
1856. Russell Coman. Michael Lickley. 1857. David Woods. David Harris.
1858. Philo H. Stroud. David Harris.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
1875. Sawyer B. Downer.
---
1877. Jonah Vandervort.
1876. Leonidas Hubbard.
1878. Alvin C. Bates.
DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.
1871-72. Joshua Batten.
1873. Alexander Taggart.
1876. Jacob Shaneour. 1877. No record.
1874. Volney Reynolds.
1878. Solomon W. Yagley.
1875. Homan Barber.
CONSTABLES.
Everett Barber, 1838; Ebenezer Pixley, 1838, '41-42; John Swim, 1839, '41, '53; Aaron Pixley, 1839, 42 to '45-51 ; James Fuller, 1840 ; William Bennett, 1840-41; Royal Raymond, 1841; Hiram N. Barstow, 1842; David K. Chase, 1842; Samuel P. Coman, 1843-50 ; Samuel Stuck, 1843-47-48-49-51-53-54; Horatio Hay- wood, 1843; Franklin Johnson, 1844; Alexander Finley, 1844 ; Chauncey Warn, 1844; Daniel H. Barber, 1845; Horace T. Bar- naby, 1845-47-52; John Root, 1845-62; Benjamin A. Myers, 1846-48 to '51; Myron H. Wilson, 1846-49-58; John H. John- son, 1846-53; Orrin E. Halstead, 1846-47; Walter Pixley, 1847; Hiram Havens, 1848; Daniel Snyder, 1848; James H. Smith, 1850-62; Hiram M: Hadley, 1850-52-55-56; Norman Weaver, 1851-53-55-57 to '59; Daniel Tinsley, 1852; James Lickley, 1852; E. H. Philbrick, 1854-61-62; Franklin Rogers, 1854; Dr. A. Baker, 1854; Caleb Smith, 1855; Hiram Fellows, 1855-57; John Bonesteel, 1856; Romeo E. Day, 1856-57-59; Isaac How- land, 1857 ; Hiram Sprague, 1858; Albert S. Thorn, 1858-60; Job W. Harris, 1859 to '61-64 to '72-76; John Silvernail, 1859; William M. Peters, 1860-62-63 ; Albert Carver, 1860; John Crilly, Jr., 1861; Daniel Wean, 1861; George Booth, 1863; Nor- man P. Smith, 1863; William Weaver, 1863; Alonzo Colgrove, 1864; Alexander Taggart, 1864-68-69; Jarvis Silvernail, -; George Carlisle, 1865; Horace Weaver, 1865-67; William Sha- neour, 1865; Philo H. Stroud, 1866; Jonah Vanakin, 1866; Wellington H. Pratt, 1867; Josiah C. Vankirk, 1867-68-71-74- 76; Gilbert Seeley, 1868; J. F. Farnham, 1869; Orange Rowe, 1869; Irving Wheeler, 1870-73; John Wendell, 1870; F. B. Smith, 1870-72-73-77; Reuben Wilson, 1871; Ambrose Hinkle, 1871; G. W. Hicks, 1872; Ira Wheeler, 1872; Gustavus A. Pix- ley, 1873-74; David Goodenberger, 1873; Fred. R. Boyd, 1874; Corydon Bennett, 1874; David Williams, 1875; W. W. Coman, 1875; Sidney Dodge, 1875; Sampson Pixley, 1875; Hessel P. Kipp, 1876-78; William Baker, 1876; Jerome Barber, 1877; Josiah Smith, 1877; John Kiff, 1878; Benton Carlisle, 1878; Abraham Demoy, 1878.
The town made for itself an enviable record during the war of the Rebellion. Its quota, under the several calls of the President for troops, was always promptly filled, and money was freely raised and given for the purpose of secur- ing volunteers. War-meetings were held at various times and places, and conducted with a spirit and zeal that testi- fied to the indwelling patriotism of the people. Many of her brave and patriotic sons enlisted in the several compa- nies and regiments raised in this section of the State, and
went forth, with their lives in their hands, to battle for their country's honor and integrity. Of this noble band how many came not back ! On bloody fields of battle, amid the frowning Southern forests, along the banks of the Southern rivers, in the dark and dismal swamps, or amid the horrors of the prison-pens of "Libby," "Salisbury," and " Ander- sonville," how many a bright young life went out, quenched in blood, destroyed by the ravages of disease, or, worse . than all, slowly crushed out by the relentless grasp of gaunt and grim starvation ! Oh, what noble sacrifices upon our country's altar ! And oh, what monuments to the cruel ravages of war and to "man's inhumanity to his fellow- man !" Among the noble army of martyrs, whose names should ever be inscribed on the hearts and memories of our people, as with a pen of fire, this town is represented by the names of James Lickley, Albert S. Thorn, Joseph Wilson, Nelson Voglesong, Frank Kinne, Francis H. Coman, Robert McNair, Thomas Pixley, Heman Terrill, Cornelius. Van Schaick, and, no doubt, others whose names have not been furnished us.
In its physical features, the town may be said to have a gently-undulating surface, in some parts very nearly level. The soil is uniformly rich, and quite varied in its composi- tion, the predominating quality being a rich black loam. West of the river some black sand is found, and in the east part, adjoining Lenawee County, some pretty stiff clay appears. The original forest was composed of oak, maple, ash, beech, elm, a little sycamore along the streams, and considerable black walnut, that sure indicator of a warm, deep, rich soil.
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