USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 68
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STEAMBURG
is a small settlement on the east side of the township, and takes its name from a steam saw- and planing-mill located there, owned by Chauncey W. Ferris. It has also a black- smith-shop, Mr. Lamb being proprietor, and school-house, and a few private houses, but no post-office.
Thus we have given a brief history of one of the fairest townships that Hillsdale County boasts. With a soil remarkable for fertility, a geographical location affording it every advantage, and a population whose intelligence and moral character are universally conceded, it may with reason look forward to a continued growth and prosperity as the reward of its enterprise.
The following are the officers elected since the organiza- tion of the township :
1841 .- Jacob Hancock, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Ira Mead, Treasurer; Warren Smith, Collector ; Job A Smith, Samuel Orr, Barron B. Willets, School Inspectors ; Potter G. Card, James Wilson, Direc- tors of the Poor; Lorenzo Riel, Pardon Aldrich, Silas Doty, Highway Commissioners ; Pardon Aldrich, Ira Mead, Samuel Orr, Lorenzo Rice, Justices of the Peace ; Alanson W. Van Vlack, Job A. Smith, Abel Bailey, Assessors ; Alanson Van Vlack, John Ferguson, Albert Dresser, War- ren Smith, Constables.
1842 .- Lorenzo Rice, Supervisor ; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Pardon Aldrich, Treasurer; Pardon Aldrich, Justice of the Peace; Daniel Weaver, Jacob Clark, Job A. Smith, Assessors; Alanson Van Vlack, I. P. Wheeler, Job A. Smith, Highway Commissioners ; Job A. Smith, Ira Mcad, Jacob Clark, School Inspectors ; Potter Card, Gaylor Dowd, Directors of the Poor; Warren Smith, Albert Dresser, Henry Sanford, Constables.
1843 .- Lorenzo Rice, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Lorenzo Rice, Justice of the Peace ; Pardon Aldrich, Treasurer; Jacob Clark, Barron B. Willets, Assessors ; Joseph A. Smith, Isaac P. Wheeler, Moses Willets, Highway Commissioners; Samuel Orr, Job A. Smith, School Inspectors; Jacob Clark, Ira Mead, Direc- tors of the Poor; Luther Finney, Constable.
1844 .- Lorenzo Rice, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Pardon Aldrich, Treasurer; Barron B. Willets, Jacob Clark, Assessors; Thomas H. Stewart, Alanson Van Vlack, Elijah G. Salsbury, Highway Com- missioners ; Barron B. Willets, School Inspector; Ira Mead, Jacob Clark, Directors of the Poor ; Mesbach Terry, Alexander Vinicore, Jonathan Willets, Constables.
1845 .- Lorenzo Rice, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Jacob Clark, Justice of the Peace; Sam- uel Orr, Treasurer ; Pardon Aldrich, Barron B. Willets, Assessors ; Levi L. Lane, Thomas S. Thompson, Jonathan Willets, Highway Commissioners; Pardon Aldrich, Ira Mead, Directors of the Poor; Nelson Chittenden, William D. Stout, School Inspectors; Thomas Shall, Constable.
1846 .- Pardon Aldrich, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Pardon Aldrich, Justice of the Peace ; Ira Mead, Treasurer; Barron B. Willets, School Inspector ; Charles Burr, Frederic Van Tyle, Highway Commissioners; Oliver Walkley, Nelson Chittenden, Assessors ; Ira Mead, Austin T. Stone, Directors of the Poor; Jonathan Wil- letts, Alexander Vinicore, Leander L. Lane, Constables.
1847 .- Ira Foster, Supervisor; Elijah J. Salisbury, Township Clerk ; Peter Beam, Treasurer; Jacob S. Han- cock, Addison H. Mack, Assessors; Alanson Van Vlack, Keith Aldrich, John Swegles, Highway Commissioners ; Ira Mead, Pardon Aldrich, Directors of the Poor; William G. Foreman, School Inspector ; Leander L. Lane, Daniel Chapman, Edmund Van Vlack, Horace Stark weather, Con- stables.
1848 .-- Ira Mead, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Town- ship Clerk ; Peter Beam, Treasurer; Lucius H. Gridley, Justice of the Peace; Alanson Van Vlack, George T. Baron, Assessors; Frederic Van Tyle, Horatio Bates, Highway Commissioners; Lucius H. Gridley, John Mc- Dermid, School Inspectors ; Henry Wilcox, Almond Bird, Directors of the Poor; Lemuel Howe, Amos Marston, John Stuart, Wesley Burgoyne, Constables.
1849 .- Daniel Weaver, Supervisor ; Ira B. Card, Town- ship Clerk ; Peter Beam, Treasurer ; Calvin Smith, Wilks L. Stewart, Justices of the Peace; Jacob S. Hancock, An- drew J. McDermid, School Inspectors; E. C. Barnes, Henry Wilcox, Highway Commissioners ; Christopher Brock, Di- rector of the Poor ; Jonathan Willets, Thomas S. Hall, Wesley Burgoyne, Constables.
1850 .- Daniel Weaver, Supervisor ; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Jonathan Willets, Treasurer; Nelson Chittenden, Peter Strunk, Justices of the Peace; Henry Wilcox, Austin T. Stone, Commissioners of Highways; Barron B. Willets, John Swegles, Jr., School Inspectors ; Nathan Rich, Levius A. Carner, Directors of the Poor ; S. B. Paylor, Alexander Vinicore, Jonathan Willets, Richard Rice, Constables.
1851 .- Ira Mead, Supervisor ; Nathan H. Frink, Town- ship Clerk ; Jonathan Willets, Treasurer ; Richard Willets, William French, Highway Commissioners; John Lamb, . Nathan Rich, Justices of the Peace ; Andrew J. McDermid, William French, School Inspectors; S. B. Paylor, Lorenzo L. Lane, Thomas Hall, Russell Seaman, Constables.
1852 .- Daniel Weaver, Supervisor; Nathan Frink, Town- ship Clerk ; Kent Aldrich, Treasurer; Horatio W. Bates, Justice of the Peace; Jacob S. Hancock, Warren Smith, Highway Commissioners; Barron B. Willets, Ira B. Card, School Inspectors; Joseph Orr, William French, Assessors; John H. Stephens, Wesley Burgoyne, Directors of the Poor; Jeremiah Sabins, Thomas Stuart, Josiah Levitt, John H. Dunkel, Constables.
1853 .- Daniel Weaver, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk; Keith Aldrich, Treasurer ; Wilks Stuart, Justice of the Peace ; William French, Nathan Rich, Highway Commissioners; Barron B. Willets, Bani Bishop, School Inspectors; Jacob Clark, Christopher Brock, Direc- tors of the Poor; Solomon M. Barron, Josiah Levitt, Thomas H. Stuart, Carlisle Smith, Constables.
1854 .- Barron B. Willets, Supervisor; Nathan H.
270
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Frink, Township Clerk ; Samuel Foust, Justice of the Peace; Hubbard German, Treasurer ; Barron B. Willets, Decatur Barnum, School Inspectors; John J. Cheney, Henry Wilcox, Highway Commissioners; John McDermid, Christopher Brock, Directors of the Poor; Carlisle Smith, John H. Stage, James E. Wilson, Orlando White, Con- stables.
1855 .- Andrew J. McDermid, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk; Hubbard German, Treasurer ; Ira Mead, Justice of the Peace; Warren Smith, Calvin Smith, Highway Commissioners; Magor Barritt, Bani Bishop, School Inspectors; Nathan Rich, Keith Aldrich, Directors of the Poor; Samuel B. Paylor, William Hanson, Jonathan Willets, William T. Fleming, Constables.
1856 .- William French, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Josiah Leavitt, Treasurer ; Barron B. Willets, William G. Barnum, School Inspectors; Strick- land Adams, Charles Shattuck, Highway Commissioners ; Ira Mead, Justice of the Peace; Job Cole, Amos Green, Robert W. Paylor, Andrew J. Fuller, Constables.
1857 .- William French, Supervisor; Nathan H. Frink, Township Clerk ; Wells Whitney, Treasurer; Ira Hill, Justice of the Peace; Bani Bishop, J. B. Morris, School Inspectors; Abel Wolcott, Henry Southworth, Highway Commissioners ; Ira Mead, John W. Johnson, Directors of the Poor; George W. Lane, Walter R. Frink, Job Cole, David Leighman, Constables.
1858 .- Ira Mead, Supervisor; William S. Barclay, Township Clerk; Jonathan Willets, Treasurer; Lorenzo Russell, Justice of the Peace; Orlando White, Justice to fill vacancy ; Francis Andrews, Highway Commissioner ; Charles G. Robertson, School Inspector ; John H. Johnson, Franklin Cook, Directors of the Poor; Job Cole, John Houghtby, George W. Lane, Constables.
1859 .- William French, Supervisor; William S. Bar- clay, Township Clerk ; Levi Lane, Treasurer; Charles Shat- tuck, Justice of the Peace; Ira B. Card, School Inspector ; Joel B. Norris, John Mead, Highway Commissioners ; Peter Beam, Harvey Southworth, Directors of the Poor; George Lane, Russell Randall, Job Cole, Charles Hanna, Constables.
1860 .- Barron B. Willets, Supervisor ; Ira Hill, Town -. ship Clerk; Perry Sebring, Treasurer; Wells Whitney, Justice of the Peace; Charles G. Robertson, School In- spector ; Amos Green, Highway Commissioner ; Sylvester Clark, Asa B. Hanna, Bennet Gregg, Job Cole, Con- stables.
1861 .- Barron B. Willets, Supervisor ; Ira Hill, Town- ship Clerk; Perry Sebring, Treasurer; Tibbets Nichols, Justice of the Peace; Bani Bishop, School Inspector ; Ira Mead, Highway Commissioner; George W. Lane, John Houghtby, Job Cole, Asa B. Hanna, Constables.
1862 .- Barron B. Willets, Supervisor ; Ira Hill, Town- ship Clerk ; Perry Sebring, Treasurer; Richard Willets, Justice of the Peace; Orlando Parker, Justice, to fill va- cancy ; David B. Taylor, School Inspector ; Nicholas S. Adams, Commissioner of Highways; Orlando White, An- drew B. Fleming, Palmer Rowley, Geo. W. Lane, Con- stables.
1863 .- Barron B. Willets, Supervisor; Ira Hill, Town-
ship Clerk; Perry Sebring, Treasurer ; Philip De Pay, Justice of the Peace; Orange Porter, Justice, to fill va- cancy ; Bani Bishop, Joseph Arnold, School Inspectors ; Amos Green, Highway Commissioner; Acander Sanders, Andrew B. Fleming, Orlando White, Geo. W. Lane, Con- stables.
1864 .- Barron B. Willets, Supervisor ; Joseph Snyder, Township Clerk ; Worlin C. Barritt, Treasurer; Orlando White, Justice of the Peace; Joseph Arnold, School In- spector ; Ira Mead, Highway Commissioner; Andrew B. Fleming, Stephen Osborn, Geo. W. Lane, Constables.
1865 .- Charles G. Robertson, Supervisor; Worlin Bar- ritt, Township Clerk ; Wells Whitney, Treasurer ; Tibbets Nichols, Justice of the Peace; Bani Bishop, School In- spector ; John Chappell, Highway Commissioner ; David Simmons, Andrew B. Fleming, William Wilson, Warren Smith, Constables.
1866 .- Charles G. Robertson, Supervisor; Worlin C. Bar- ritt, Township Clerk ; Wells Whitney, Treasurer; Chester Farmer, Justice of the Peace; Orange Porter, Highway Commissioner ; William Wilson, Perry Sebring, Ira A. McBain, Alphonzo Sanders, Constables.
1867 .- Charles G. Robertson, Supervisor; Worlin C. Barritt, Township Clerk ; Dennis Mead, Treasurer ; Philip De Pay, Justice of the Peace; Bani Bishop, School In- spector ; Ira Mead, Highway Commissioner ; Charles Marsh, Ira A. McBain, Job Cole, Lewis Piersen, Constables.
1868 .- Bani Bishop, Supervisor; Worlin C. Barritt, Township Clerk ; Dennis W. Mead, Treasurer; Charles McDermid, School Inspector; John Chappell, Highway Commissioner for term, A. B. Prentice to fill vacancy ; John McNorten, Justice of the Peace; Charles S. Marsh, Hiram M. Clark, John H. Stage, John F. Peterson, Con- stables.
1869 .- Bani Bishop, Supervisor ; Charles C. McDermid, Township Clerk ; Dennis W. Mead, Treasurer ; George E. Ferris, Justice of the Peace; Bani Bishop, School Inspector ; Orange Porter, Highway Commissioner ; William A. Case, Hiram A. Clark, John H. Stage, George W. Lane, Con- stables.
1870 .- Bani Bishop, Supervisor; Worlin C. Barritt, Township Clerk ; Dennis W. Mead, Treasurer; Leander Brown, Justice of the Peace; A. B. Prentice, Justice to fill vacancy ; Amos Green, Highway Commissioner ; Frank- lin Cook, School Inspector ; Loren Benson, Charles S. Marsh, John H. Stage, H. M. Clark, Constables.
1871 .- Perry Sebring, Supervisor; Samuel Foot, Town- ship Clerk ; Avery Smith, Treasurer ; John Cole, Justice of the Peace ; Henry D. Baldwin, School Inspector; Job Card, Highway Commissioner; Hiram Clark, Simeon Bliss, Andrew Hall, S. C. Stage, Constables.
1872 .- Perry Sebring, Supervisor; James A. Chandler. Township Clerk ; Avery A. Smith, Treasurer; John M. Norton, Justice of the Peace ; John J. Chappell, Highway Commissioner ; Charles L. Northrup, Drain Commissioner ; Samuel Foot, School Inspector; Lester Baldwin, Charles March, James Fink, Nelson Benedict, Constables.
1873 .- Perry Sebring, Supervisor ; James A. Chandler, Township Clerk ; Charles Marsh, Treasurer; A. B. Pren- tice, Justice of the Peace; Amos Green, Highway Com-
RESIDENCE OF HOSMERAND PEARCE, CAMBRIA , HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICH.
271
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
missioner ; Henry Baldwin, School Inspector; Charles L. Northrop, Drain Commissioner ; Hiram Clark, Lester Bald- win, Nelson Benedict, John W. Cronk, Constables.
.
1874 .- Orange Porter, Supervisor ; Christian Fink, Township Clerk ; Charles Marsh, Treasurer ; Luther B. Wolcott, Justice of the Peace ; John Dryer, Highway Com- missioner ; James Fink, Highway Commissioner to fill vacancy ; Worlin C. Barritt, School Inspector; Wells Whitney, Drain Commissioner ; George Barbe, Oliver Bement, William Lathrop, Constables.
1875 .- Perry Sebring, Supervisor ; George F. Houghtby, Township Clerk ; Charles S. Marsh, Treasurer ; William A. Carpenter, Justice of the Peace; Orlando White, Justice, to fill vacancy ; Judson D. Chappell, Superintendent of Schools ; Henry D. Baldwin, Inspector of Schools ; A. B. Bennett, Highway Commissioner; Amos Green, Drain Commissioner; Henry Sanders, Loren Benson, Charles Marsh, Israel N. Gregg, Constables.
1876 .- Perry Sebring, Supervisor ; George F. Houghtby, Township Clerk ; David Simmons, Treasurer ; John M. Norton, Justice of the Peace; Henry Cheney, School Superintendent ; Henry D. Baldwin, School Inspector; Christian Fink, Highway Commissioner; Horace Titus, Drain Commissioner ; Charles S. Marsh, Orlando White, John D. Burgess, Edwin Foust, Constables.
1877 .- Perry Sebring, Supervisor ; George F. Houghtby, Township Clerk ; Charles S. Marsh, Treasurer; A. B. Prentice, Justice of the Peace; Ira Green, Highway Com- missioner ; Henry D. Cheney, Superintendent of Schools ; D. W. Mead, School Inspector; Charles Marsh, John Bur- gess, John French, Edd Gregg, Constables.
1878 .- Edwin A. Jones, Supervisor ; James W. Niblack, Township Clerk ; David F. Watkins, Treasurer ; Marvin Jones, Highway Commissioner ; Luther B. Wolcott, Justice of the Peace ; David E. Chesnut, School Superintendent ; Charles D. Boa, School Inspector ; Horace W. Titus, Drain Commissioner ; Lewis Eddy, James Dow, John G. Chesnut, Zachariah Kamp, Constables.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
WILLIAM S. HOSMER AND ABNER W. PEARCE.
The lives of Mr. Hosmer and Mr. Pearce have been so inseparably connected, and afford such a beautiful example
of fidelity and constancy, that it is almost impossible to tell the story of one without weaving in all the essential points in the history of the other. Both are descended from sturdy New England stock, Abner W. Pearce having been born in Torrington, Conn., Aug. 23, 1813, his parents hav- ing emigrated to that State from Rhode Island. He re- mained at home until his seventeenth year, and followed the occupation of a blacksmith until the removal of the family to Oneida Co., N. Y., when he became a farmer and lumberman, only occasionally pursuing his original trade. On the 11th of November, 1838, Mr. Pearce married Thankful Tuttle, who resided at Vienna, N. Y., and together followed farming pursuits. In the spring of 1844 Mr. and Mrs. Pearce moved to Hillsdale township, being accompanied by their faithful colaborers, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Hosmer. They settled upon a tract of land which had been acquired by an advantageous trade before leaving New York State.
They live in their attractive home, surrounded by every comfort that industry and perseverance has brought to them, and cheered by the presence of friends and relatives who are a part of their home circles.
Under the same hospitable roof live Wm. S. Hosmer and wife. Mr. Hosmer was born in Craftsbury, Vt., May 20, 1809. At the age of five years he moved to Oneida Co., N. Y., with his parents, and aided them in farming occupations until his sixteenth year, when he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed until his removal to Michigan.
He married, Dec. 13, 1836, Alma Tuttle, of Vienna, N. Y. She and Mrs. Pearce were the daughters of Deacon Tuttle, of that place, a man of much influence in the com- munity in which he resided. They have had six children. Emily A. is the wife of Edwin Phelps, and resides at Hillsdale. Hiram died Nov. 9, 1868. Mary resides with her parents. Sophia died May 26, 1866. Abner P. also lives with his parents, and manages the farm. Etta is the youngest, and resides at home.
These gentlemen, with their families, have never been separated since their advent in the State of Michigan. The same roof has sheltered them, and the same lands have supplied them an abundant subsistence. A view of their fine farm-building is given in this volume. Both Mr. Hosmer and Mr. Pearce have held several positions of trust in their township, and are known as consistent Democrats of the Jackson type.
JEFFERSON .*
ON the 20th day of April, 1835, a citizen of the famous town of Woodstock, in Windham County, in the State of Connecticut, bade adieu to the scenes of his early life, and, gathering his family about him, shook the dust of the land of " wooden nutmegs" from his feet, and started forth on a Western pilgrimage to the rich and heavily-timbered lands of Southern Michigan, which were then being opened to settlement, and whose fame had reached even to " Yankee land." They first went to Norwich, where they embarked on a vessel that was about to sail for Albany, and, without any unusual experiences on the voyage, arrived there in due time. That great wonder of the age, the Erie Canal, was then in its glory, and its supremacy as a means of transportation' and travel was not disputed by the great tramways of internal commerce that now thread the forests, cross the plains, leap the rivers, climb the mountains, and form an intricate maze of steel and iron lines upon the breast of the continent. The traveler in those days stood trembling upon the packet's deck with his hands nervously clasping some convenient means of support, and, with eyes dilating with nervous uneasiness, was whisked through the country by three span of horses at the terrific speed of from six to eight miles an hour. On one of these boats the travelers rode from Albany to Buffalo, where they embarked on a steamer, and, running the length of Lake Erie, reached Detroit on the 12th day of May, having consumed a little more than three weeks on the way. The father and his two eldest sons then started out to locate a farm, leaving the rest of the family behind them at Detroit. They finally reached the Bean Creek Valley, and passed through it till they got into the hilly lands in the east part of this town, near the Pittsford line, and about a mile south of the present village. There they found a spring gushing from the hillside, and the man threw himself on the ground beside it and drank deeply of the cool and sparkling water. It seemed like the old hills of Connecticut, and, rising to his feet, he exclaimed, " This is my land !" and set about the work of ascertaining its location and having it entered at the land-office at Monroe. On the 1st day of June a clearing was commenced, and on the 8th the family all arrived and were installed in their new home. This family was that of John Perrin, and consisted of himself and wife, five sons and four daughters. To him and to them belongs the honor of being the first resident settlers of the town. Others, of whom we shall speak, had before this entered lands, but none had occupied them or moved their families here. Mr. Perrin built the first house, and for some weeks, if not for months, was the only white settler in the town. He also built a saw-mill at an early date,
which was used up and replaced by another, and, when the need of it was lessened by the erection of other mills in the vicinity, the water-power was used to run a grist-mill, which has been in operation down to the present time. At the time of Mr. Perrin's settlement the nearest neighbor was Samuel Cooley, three-quarters of a mile north, in Pitts- ford. There were two other log houses in that town, four and a half miles east, and Richard Fowler lived in Adams, eight miles northwest. The city of Hudson then boasted three log houses and a saw-mill. The hardships that always have to be met and endured by settlers in a new country soon began to tell upon this family. The father died within four years of the date of their settlement, and the mother survived him but a little more than two years. There are now but six of the children living, five in this county and one in Kansas.
During the summer of 1835 two young men named Quaid (one of them being Christopher Quaid, Jr.) came on to work the land taken up by their father in May pre- vious. They came to Richard Fowler's, in Adams, and stopped with him while they broke up some land and built a shanty. Their farm was on the "burnt openings," and required but little work with the axe before the plow could be started. They finished the shanty, and had plowed a few times around the field, when one night's solitary rest in their new home, where nothing broke the silence save the howls of wolves and the hooting of the owls, so disgusted them with pioneer life that they returned to their home in Niagara Co., N. Y., having, however, previously sold their team and implements to Mr. Fowler, and contracted with him to put in 10 acres of wheat on their land. They did not return again, as the land was soon after bought by Warren Thompson.
In the early autumn of this year two men, living at places widely separated in the State of New York, broke up their homes there and started for this new country, to settle where they could get larger farms than their means would enable them to purchase at the East. Starting with their respective families, without any knowledge of one another or of one another's movements, they pursued their westward courses, and finally landed here at about the same time and but two miles apart. The first of these was William Duryea, who was of Dutch descent and formerly resided in Montgomery Co., N. Y. He was accompanied by his wife and six sons, some of them nearly grown to manhood. He had entered his land, the northwest quarter of section 3, in the month of May previous, and immedi- ately upon his arrival put up a log house near the south- west corner of his farm, and on the south side of the Territorial road, which crossed it. He was an industrious, economical, hard-working man, and, in addition to his farm-
* By C. W. Brown.
272
CHARLES D. LUCE.
RESIDENCE OF CHARLES D. LUCE, JEFFERSON, HILLSDALE CO, MICH.
273
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
ing operations, did considerable teaming in the line of draw- ing flour from Jonesville and other places. He was also an ardent as well as consistent member of the Methodist Church, and contributed to its support. Some of the earliest meetings were held at his house, and the preaching was done by Rev. R. Parker, of Cutter's Corners, who always brought his gun along as a protection against the wolves. He was quite prominent in town affairs, and held the offices of supervisor, treasurer, justice of the peace, and commissioner of highways. It is related of him that being elected one of the first justices of the peace, and the code at that time being made up more of tradition than of statu- tory enactments, he had a somewhat exaggerated idea of the responsibilities and powers vested in him. A poor wretch was brought before him charged with stealing an axe. The plaintiff proved that the accused had taken the axe and that it was found in his possession. The prisoner offered no defense, and the court passed sentence in a very impressive and solemn manner, condemning the prisoner to confine- ment at hard labor in the prison at Jackson for a term of two years. The commitment was made out, and a constable took possession of the prisoner and started for Jackson with him. Arriving at Jonesville, the officer called on the sheriff for accommodations for the night for his charge, and pre- sented the commitment as his authority. The sheriff very coolly tore the document to shreds, and asked the astonished officer where the prisoner was. He was told; and, desiring the officer to remain where he was, he went out to interview the culprit. After looking at him a moment, he said,-
" What offense was you convicted of?"
" Stealing an axe, sir," was the reply.
" How did you happen to do that ?"
" I borrowed the axe and intended to return it but didn't do so, and when I was arrested with it in my possession, why, I was, of course, found guilty."
" But you did not intend to steal it ?"
" No, sir !"
" Well, my man, you do not look like a bad or vicious fellow and I believe what you say, and, if you will promise me to leave the county and never return, I am going to give you a chance to get away. Will you do it ?"
" You'd better believe I will," said the overjoyed pris- oner; and, as soon as the sheriff's back was turned, he disappeared through a convenient door, and never returned to plague those who had, however inadvertently, exceeded their authority, and thereby rendered themselves liable to a suit for damages.
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