USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 61
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Photo. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale. SETH ALDRICH.
facturer of drain-tile in Southern Michigan, in which business he continued until 1863, when he sold to his sons, H. C. and B. F. Aldrich. H. C. subsequently pur- chased his brother's interest, made extensive improvements in machinery, etc., and is at present one of the most ex- tensive manufacturers of drain-tile, fire-, wall-, and building brick, and flower-vases, etc., in the State. A view of his residence and works is presented on another page.
In 1828, Mr. Aldrich was married to Miss Jane Kemp- shall; by whom he had two children,-Elsey and Jane. Mrs. Aldrich died in 1830, and he was again married, in
1832, to Miss Minerva Doolittle, by whom he had four children,-Willis K., Benjamin F., Hosea C., and Mary C. Mr. Aldrich has been prominently identified with the development of Somerset, and perhaps there is no one whose influence in society and the church has been more productive of good. A prominent member of the Con- gregational Church of Somerset, few have done more to promote its religious welfare. A man of marked liberality, a generous supporter, so far as means would admit, of all worthy enterprises, and emphatically a peacemaker, he has always used his best endeavors to quiet or dispel all dis- sensions and differences arising in his immediate neighbor- hood. Possessed of many of the virtues, and but few of the faults, of human kind, he has endeared himself to his friends and fellow-townsmen in such a way that he will always be remembered as a kind father, a valuable neighbor, and a worthy citizen.
CHARLES M. L. ANDRUS
was born in the town of Milton, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Aug. 16, 1808. His father, Jason Andrus, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and served as aide-de-camp to General Sullivan. After the war closed he settled in Mil-
Photo. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale. CHARLES M. L. ANDRUS.
ton, where he resided until his death, which occurred in February, 1859. He was a surveyor by occupation, and with the assistance of a friendly Indian, surveyed the county of Coos, New Hampshire.
Charles stayed at home until he was eighteen years of age, when he left home to acquire the trade of a tanner and currier. He followed this avocation several years, and in 1833 he established himself in the shoe business in Macedon, Wayne Co., N. Y., where he remained thirteen years. In 1846 he came to Hillsdale County, and settled in the town of Somerset, where he purchased one hundred
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
239
and forty acres of land, to which he has added two hundred acres.
In 1836 he married Miss Leah Mallory, of Macedon, N. Y., by whom he had five children, two of whom are now living,-Cassius M. C., born Dec. 25, 1844, and Josephine H., now Mrs. Benjamin A. Fowle, of Moscow.
Although Mr. Andrus is not a pioneer, still he has prominently identified himself with the history of the town. He has led a busy, successful life, and by industry and honorable dealing has acquired a competency. In his political affiliations Mr. Andrus is a prominent Republican, and for many years was justice of the peace.
.
Photos. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale.
OLIVER E. MOSHER.
OLIVER E. MOSHER.
The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Greenfield, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Feb. 5, 1818. He was the son of Jabez Mosher and Lucinda Dake, who were natives of Saratoga County. When six years of age his parents removed to Mount Morris, Livingston Co .; here the family remained four years, when they moved to Leroy, Genesee Co. Here the elder Mosher resided until his death, which occurred in 1837. Upon the death of his father he was thrown upon his own resources, and he sought employment as a farm laborer. In 1839 he came to Michigan and settled in the town of Somerset. He first purchased forty acres of wild land, which is a part of his present fine farm of one hundred and sixty-six acres, for which he agreed to work one year and four months. In July, 1842, he married Miss Louisa Bigelow, of Manchester, Washtenaw Co. She died in 1849, and he was again married to Miss Mary Baker, of Rose, Wayne Co., N. Y., where she was born, Oct. 22, 1828. When nine years of age her father came to Somerset, where he now resides.
Mr. and Mrs. Mosher have been blessed with five chil- dren, three died in infancy ; two sons, Alva and Orrin B., are left to cheer their parents in their declining years. Alva lives near the old place and Orrin resides with his father.
MRS. OLIVER E. MOSHER.
DEACON JAMES BREZEE.
The traveler through Southern Michigan, sitting in the luxurious palace-cars of to-day, looks out on either side upon a wide expanse of finely-cultivated farms and beautiful homes, and as the variegated scenery of forests, hills, lakes, streams, orchards, farms, school-houses, churches, and vil- lages flit by, in an ever-changing panorama of beauty, may be impressed with the thrift and enterprise of its citizens ; but of the trials, hardships, and privations-the courage and endurance necessary to change the unbroken wilder- ness, peopled with ferocious wild beasts and savage Indians, into this magnificent picture of civilization-he can only get a mere glimpse, by reading the brief and imperfect sketches of some of those hardy old pioneer settlers, to whom the present generation is indebted for the wealth and prosperity so widely scattered over this highly-favored region. As one among the early settlers of Hillsdale County, may be mentioned James Brezee, who was born in Claverac, Columbia Co., N. Y., in 1802. His ancestors were of French and German origin, with an admixture of the " Knickerbocker Dutch" of the Hudson. He was one of a family of nine children, and as they were in limited circumstances, he from early boyhood earned his own living by working out by the month. In 1827 he was married to Miss Frances M. Copeland, of the same town. In 1832 they removed to Wayne Co., N. Y., and the next year to Canandaigua, Ontario Co., where he had the charge of one of
240
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
the farms of Judge Atwater. In 1835 he emigrated to Michi- gan, and settled in the present township of Somerset, Hills- dale Co. He bought eighty acres of government land, and after paying for his land he had just money enough left to pay for a cow and a barrel of flour. In the intervals of working out by the job, to supply his family, he managed to erect a log house, into which they moved in December the same year, before there was a door, window, or chim- ney in it.
By almost incessant toil at the rudest kinds of labor, he not only supported his family, but in a few years had cleared off and improved his farm and bought one hundred and twenty acres in addition. In all his early toils and struggles
DEACON JAMES BREZEE.
he had an able and active assistant in his noble and intelli- gent wife, whose wise counsels and co-operation contributed much to their prosperity ; but just as their circumstances were getting into a prosperous condition, they were called upon to mourn the loss of the devoted wife and mother,- she died on the 16th day of March, 1851, at the age of forty-three years. She was the mother of seven children,- William H., Fidelia, Catharine, Phebe J., James, Peter, and Loren ; of these the only ones living are Wm. H. and Loren.
In 1858 he was married to Miss Julia Spencer, of Moscow. The fruit of this marriage was one son, Charles. James Brezee, or " the Deacon," as he was generally known, was all his life known as a hard-working honest man, and his sincere and genuine piety commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him, however much they might differ in opinion.
He was during his latter years a constant reader of the Bible, which was his text-book, and its precepts were the rule and guide of his conduct in all his transactions. For several years before his death he was afflicted with hernia, which, together with an accident, ultimately caused his death. He died in 1875, at seventy-three years of age, leaving behind him the record of an unblemished character,
and the example of a sincere, practical Christian. To the many old friends and patrons of this work this page is con- tributed, as a memorial to the life and character of another of the old pioneers of Hillsdale County.
WILLIAM MERCER.
This gentleman, one of the early settlers of Somerset, and identified with its pioneer history far more than in name, was born in the county of Donegal, Ireland, Oct. 6, 1811. His parents, Samuel and Hannah (Culbert) Mer- cer, emigrated to this country in 1819, and settled in Liv- ingston County, N. Y.
.
WILLIAM MERCER.
The elder Mercer was a farmer, and William's early life was spent upon the farm, receiving the advantages afforded by the common schools of that day. In the fall of 1835 the family emigrated to Hillsdale County, and Mr. Mercer purchased from Government four hundred acres of land in the town of Somerset. Here the elder Mercer resided until his death, which occurred in 1852. He was a man of great energy and a valuable citizen.
William remained with his father until 1843, when he purchased one hundred and thirty acres of his father's estate, and which is a portion of his present farm, which consists of two hundred and forty acres. Mr. Mercer has been prominently identified with the political and judicial history of his town and county. In 1844 he was elected associate judge of the Circuit Court, which position he held four years. In 1850 he was elected county judge. This position he filled acceptably until the office was abolished by the provisions of the State constitution. For ten years he has represented his town upon the board of supervisors, and was one of its first officers, and his opinion upon all important matters is fully appreciated. For many years he was justice of the peace, and has filled many other posi- tions of trust with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the public.
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
241
In 1845, Mr. Mercer was united in marriage with Miss Sarah, daughter of David Gambol, Esq., of Groveland, Livingston Co., N. Y. Six children were born to them, all of whom are now living. David G., the eldest, was born February, 1846; Samuel A., November, 1847; Eliz- abeth, March, 1849; William W., March, 1853; John G., December, 1854; Sarah, December, 1858.
In bis political belief he is a Democrat of the old-school stamp, and a man of more than an ordinary amount of energy and business ability. By a long life of industry and honorable dealing he has acquired a competency, which he is enjoying in his old age.
Few men have been more prominently identified with the material development of the northern part of the county than Mr. Mercer. He has not only witnessed the gradual transition of a small and isolated settlement into a busy and prosperous community, of a semi-wilderness into a fertile and highly-productive region, but in his own person has typified so admirably the agencies which have wrought many of these changes that no history of Somerset township would be complete which did not include some sketch of his life.
ROBERT McGREGOR.
Robert McGregor was born in the town of Kildrane, County of Donegal, Ireland, March, 1812. His father was a farmer, and had a family of eight boys and one girl, Robert being the eldest. When twenty years of age he emigrated to Nova Scotia ; after a short residence in Halifax he went to New York city, where he remained a short time ; from New York he went to Canandaigua, where for five years he was engaged as a farm laborer ; from Canandaigua he removed to Ohio ; here he resided three years, when he again returned to New York. In 1835 he came to Hills- dale County and purchased the farm where he now resides, which consists of one hundred and sixty acres. In 1842 he returned with his family, and has since been a resident of the town of Somerset. In 1838 he was married to Miss Sarah Easlen, of Canandaigua, where she was born in 1810. They have had five children, two of whom are living,- William J. and Eliza Jane, now Mrs. T. J. Lowrey. Mr. and Mrs. McGregor are both prominent members of the Congregational Church, and are exemplars of long lives well spent, and will leave to their children that priceless legacy,-an unstained reputation.
MOSCOW.
WHEN, on the 17th of March, 1835, the township of Vance-which included the entire county of Hillsdale-was divided, that portion embraced in range 2 west of the prin- cipal meridian was given the name of Moscow. This name has been retained only by township 5 south, being the northernmost one of the range in the county. From the original township have been formed the following separate townships, viz .: Adams, March 23, 1836, first including the territory in range 2 from the present township of Mos- cow to the State line on the south ; Florida, including townships 7, 8, and fractional 9 south, March 11, 1837 ; township 7 changed to Jefferson, March 17, 1849; Row- land, including townships 8 and fractional 9 south, Jan. 28, 1840, changed to Ransom, March 9, 1848; Bird, from Ransom, April 2, 1849, changed back to Ransom, March 28, 1850 ; part of Amboy, March 28, 1850. The present township of Moscow, being the earliest settled of the above, very appropriately retained the name.
This is an excellent township for agricultural purposes, and is generally well improved. It is well watered by the Kalamazoo River and numerous smaller streams, and a few miniature lakes are also found, the principal ones being Buck and Wyllis Lakes, named from families living near them. The surface is undulating, and the soil such as is common among the " oak openings" of Southern Michigan. West of Moscow village is quite an extensive plain, known throughout this region from the earliest settlement as the
" Moscow Plains." It was originally covered with a profuse growth of burr-oak and hazel, and included some of the best land in the township.
The population of the township of Moscow in 1838 was 496 ; there were then within its limits a saw-mill, two mer- chants, 460 head of neat stock, 70 horses, 18 sheep, and 554 hogs .* For the purpose of comparison with the fore- going figures we insert the following items from the State census of 1874 :
Total population (627 males, 556 females) in 1874 1,183
Acres of taxable land ..
21,142.75
Land owned by individuals and companies.
21,198
Acres of improved land
14,255
Land exempt from taxation
55.25
Value of same, including improvements.
$2,564
Acres in school-house sites.
5.75
" church and parsonage sites
1.50
" burying-grounds
7
Railroad right of way and depot grounds. Number of farms.
222
¥ acres in same
21,198
Average number of acres in farms
95.48
Number of acres of wheat sowed in 1874
4,536
"
corn
1,864
Bushels of wheat raised in 1873 corn "
59,870
" all other grain raised in 1873.
12,335
" potatoes raised in 1873
5,968
Tons of hay cut in 1873.
1,292
Pounds of wool sheared in 1873.
26,799
pork marketed in 1873.
153,659
butter made
57,505
fruit dried for market in 1873
18,550
* Gazetteer of Michigan, 1838.
31
« harvested in 1873.
3.972
44,105
36
242
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Barrels of cider made in 1873
514
Section 10 .- O. B. Blackmar, H. Crittenden, P. Rorend,
T. C. Delavan, W. Porter, W. Durant.
- Section 11 .-- Silas N. W. Benson, Benjamin Fowle, J. L. Guion, Aaron Spencer.
Section 12 .- Benjamin Fowle, S. Scott, Charles Fowle,
A. Little, A. White, J. Scott, W. W. Gale, S. W. Sharp. Section 13 .- James Gregory, John Keyes, W. Yeow,
W. Chaffee, J. Boulton, Benjamin Fowle, Morris Barton. Section 14 .- Benjamin Fowle, Caroline Fowle, Edward Griscom, James L. Guion, Samantha Tracy, John Boulton, J. C. B.
Section 15 .- Lyman Smith, G. Morford, Abram Cutler, Benjamin Fowle, Caroline Smith, Jonas Bond, Simon Jacobus.
Section 17 .- Pontius Hooper, Tompkins C. Delavan, L. B. Miller, Simon Jacobus, O. L. Church.
Section 18 .- C. T. Delavan, R. W. Engle, A. M. Eagles, John Blain, A. T. Dyers, Simon Jacobus.
Section 19 .- Lucius Lyons, S. N. W. Benson, A. Kies, T. Cowles, O. Rankin, S. P. & A. Jermain.
Section 20 .-- Tompkins C. Delavan, Alonzo Kies, Mary Miller, Ira Mumford.
Section 21 .- A. Kies, S. Ray, S. P. & A. Jermain, E. R. Howe, A. Mercer, J. Morford.
Section 22 .- E. R. Howe, A. Mercer, J. Williams, B. K. Wood, Simon Jacobus.
Section 23 .- Seth Farewell, D. A. Wisner, C. Wisner, Alfred Brown, Charles Fowle, Benjamin Fowle.
Section 24 .- Joseph Burges, Benjamin Fowle, Levi Woodward, Edmund Randolph, Isaac Lamb, Myron Rus- sell, Robert McClelland.
Section 25 .- Charles Stuck, Zachariah Van Duzar, Lot Fulkerson, James Tilton, Sheldon W. Sharp, William Tal- bot, E. Burgess, Zera Ballard, W. P. Van Vechten, Wil- liam W. Murphy, W. S. Landon.
Section 26 .- John B. Putnam, Thomas Gilmore, Alfred Brown, S. A. Whittaker, James Tilton, Salmon Sharp, James H. Miller, Charles Butler.
Section 27 .- George Bansill, George W. Jackson, Ira B. Putnam, Alanson Jermain, Amos Strong, Seth Strong, Charles Noble.
Section 28 .- William Munroe, Levi Burditt, Ebenezer G. Mills, Philo Mills.
Section 29 .- Tompkins C. Delavan, Israel Buck, Ira Mumford, John Jermain, Fernando Kies, Pratt & Grant.
Section 30 .- Stephen N. Edmonds, S. P. & A. Jermain, George Omans, Hewitt Dakin, John Jermain, Alanson Jermain, C. Pratt, and C. L. & W. G. Grant.
Section 31 .- G. C. Vanhorn, S. P. Jermain, Alanson Jermain, S. B. Blackmar, Sarah Jermain.
Section 32 .- Justis Vaughn, John Jermain, J. W. Miller, Alfred Brown, Simon Jacobus.
Section 33 .- Philo Mills, Foster St. John, Salmon Sharp, Isaac Center, Henry Wilcox.
Section 34 .- S. A. Whittaker, J. A. Center, H. N. Wil- cox, Seth Strong, T. C. Bargarrow, William J. Delavan.
Section 35 .- Samuel Sharp, Samuel A. Whittaker, Asa Eddy, B. C. Pierce, George W. Nicholas, Samuel Healey, W. Stone.
Section 36 .- Charles Stuck, Wm. G. Sprague, Zachariah
«
1873.
22,647
cherries
1872
299
Value of fruit and garden productions, 1872
"
1873.
9,209
Number of horses in township one year old and over, 1874 ..
602
Number of mules.
12
work oxen
12
neat cattle one year old and over, other than oxen and cows.
499
swine over six months old
827
"
sheep
3,765
sheep sheared in 1873.
5,139
flouring-mills in township.
2
persons employed in same.
8
Capital invested in same ...
$17,500
Number of runs of stone in same.
5
Value of products.
$27,600
Number of saw-mills.
1
hands employed in same.
2
Amount of capital invested
$2,000
Feet of lumber sawed. $50,000
Value of products.
$800
Agricultural implement works.
1
Persons employed in same ..
4
Capital invested
$10,000
Value of products.
5,000
Steam carriage factories.
1
Persons employed in same.
9
Capital invested
$6,000
Value of products
7,614
LAND ENTRIES.
At the close of the year 1833, but 3320 acres of land had been entered in what is now Moscow, and this was much more than was taken in any other township. It was divided among the following persons, viz. : Benjamin Fowle, S. N. W. Benson, Samuel Aiken, O. B. Blackmar, Pontius Hooper, Stephen Scott, David Hiller, Thomas Watts, John Simmons, James Winters, T. C. Delavan, Lewis T. Miller, Simon Jacobus, Charles T. Delavan, Lucius Lyon, Alonzo Kies, Mary Miller, and Charles Stuck. Mr. Benson also had land in what is now Scipio.
In the present township of Moscow (township 5 south, range 2 west), the following persons had entered land pre- vious to the 27th of April, 1838 :
Section 1 .- Benjamin Fowle, Milo Tracy, Seth Fare- well, Clarissa Monroe.
Section 2 .- Samuel Aiken, David Hiller, Thomas Watts, Aaron Spencer, Moses Beaman.
Section 3 .- Thomas Watts, Amos Spencer, Esek Finch, William H. Hoag, Leander Kimball, Sarah Moore, John P. Cook.
Section 4 .- Lyman Smith, Esek Finch, Leander Kim- ball, Tompkins C. Delavan, Daniel McNabb, C. J. Delavan, O. B. Blackmar.
Section 5 .- Simon Jacobus, John D. Sinclair, William R. Schuyler, James H. Miller, C. Pratt, C. L. & W. G. Grant.
Section 6 .- M. Camburn, John Espie, Isaac Amerman, Ralph Pratt, Phebe Booth, I. P. Christiancy, and H. For- ester.
Section 7 .- W. Potter, Luke Taylor, E. G. Delie, Levi Camburn, Jr., T. C. Delavan.
Section 8 .- John Simmons, James Winters, O. L. Church, Duncan Sinclair, Hugh Sinclair.
Section 9 .- O. B. Blackmar, Peter Benson, James Arm- strong, J. R. Frink, Anson Mapes, Simon Jacobus.
456
Number of acres in orchards, 1874
Bushels of apples raised in 1872.
22,209
1873
314
$9,057
milch cows.
513
barrels of flour made. 3,200
RESIDENCE OF ISRAEL- BUCK, MOSCOW, HILLSDALE CO, MICHIGAN.
243
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Van Duzar, William Warren, Sheldon W. Sharp, Charles Fowle.
SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
" Westward the course of empire takes its way." From the band of " Pilgrim Fathers," who braved the dangers of the sea in order to rear for themselves homes in the American wilderness, has descended a hardy race. Their children's children moved westward into the hilly and timbered region of Eastern New York, and strove for supremacy with the " Knickerbockers." As the population increased, it spread farther west, and anon the beautiful region surrounding the lakes of Central New York, -the famous " Black River Country" and " Genesee Country,"-was filled up and improved, and the savage race was forced to recede. Ohio's " Western Reserve" offered many inducements to settlers, and still the tide was not checked. The " Black Swamp," with all its terrors, was not of sufficient account to prevent the adventurous from making their passage through it, and the flowery plains of Michigan received attention from the sons of the East. From nearly every county in New York, from parts of Pennsylvania, from the Jersey gardens, from the land of wooden nutmegs, from beneath the shadow of Greylock, Wachusett, Monadnock, and Ascutney, from the banks of the sweeping Connecticut, the busy Merrimac, and the forests of Maine, poured forth an almost endless tide of emigration, and the change in the " Peninsular State" was wonderful.
Hillsdale County lay on the main highway over which was the greatest amount of travel, and her many advan- tages were quickly recognized. Between Tecumseh and White Pigeon the first settlement was made within her borders. Moscow was third in the county to become the home of a white man, and the record of entries shows that her development and growth were exceedingly rapid.
The first settler in Moscow was Silas N. W. Benson, who entered a large amount of land in the township, and located upon the portion of it where Moscow village now stands, in 1830. The orchard, which is yet in existence on the premises of O. C. Gale, was set out by Mr. Benson, in 1835, and was the first in the township. A log tavern was built by Mr. Benson, in 1830, on the corner where now stands the hotel kept by Henry Rynex. In 1832, during the Black Hawk war, he built the present frame structure, and the log part stood but a few years there- after.
Lyman Blackmar was the second white man to locate within the limits of the present township of Moscow, making his home two miles west of the village. He built a log house, and for a long time kept a tavern. It was customary to convene the town-meetings at his house.
George C. Munro, of Jonesville, who built the first brick house in Hillsdale County, states that Mr. Blackmar built the second one, upon his place in Moscow, in 1842. Charles Fowle, who built a " cobble-stone" house in 1840, says that Mr. Blackmar was then living in his brick residence. Both these statements are made from memory, and we are unable to determine which is correct.
Mr. Blackmar was chosen the first Judge of Probate for Hillsdale County, and held that office twelve years. He also kept the first post-office in Moscow township, previous
to 1838, at his place west of the village. It has always borne the same name as at present, no better one having been fixed upon.
A man by the name of Stewart, who also lived west of the village, was postmaster after Judge Blackmar. After the office was removed to the village, Brooks Gale was appointed to take charge of it, and continued in the capacity of post- master for a long term of years. Politically, he was a Demo- crat. When Gen. Harrison was elected President, in 1840, Mr. Gale sent in his resignation, giving as a reason for such a step, that he was "opposed to the administration elect !" The department informed him that his excuse was not suf- ficient, and retained him in the office. He was succeeded by his brother, George Gale, and since then it has been held by numerous persons, among them being Dr. S. C. Merwin, John Arnold, A. Thompson, and others. Mr. Thompson is the present incumbent, the office being located in his store, at Moscow village. He has held numerous township offices also, and has resided here since 1848.
By far the greater proportion of the early inhabitants of this town, as is the case with all others in Southern Michi- gan, emigrated from the "Empire State," and except for the purpose of ascertaining the counties in which they for- merly resided, it is scarcely necessary to ask from whence they came. A person acquainted with the customs is nearly certain to distinguish a New Yorker, without asking questions. A chief peculiarity among them is the preva- · lence of good cooks. The matrons of New York and New England are among the best cooks in the world, and to one accustomed to their fare a return to it is most gratifying after long experience among people from other portions of the East or South. The manners and customs of the pioneers have been transmitted to their children, and the savory dishes placed upon the groaning tables of Michigan, Illinois, or Wisconsin, are nearly identical with those to be found still in the East-in the land of the forefathers.
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