USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 78
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Reading. He at first erected a log shanty, into which he moved his family, and for the first few years they lived in a very primitive manner. As there were no mills in the vicinity, Mr. Wigent constructed one in the form of a huge mortar, by burning and digging out the end of a log, with which, placed on end, and by means of a large spring-pole, the grain was pounded into meal. This mill was used quite extensively for miles around by the neighbors for the first year or two, until mills were built in the vicinity. Mr. Wigent, in addition to farming, became engaged in brick- making. He reared a family of six children, named Daniel B., Andrew J., George M., Richard E., Horace P., and Lucy J. Of these all are living except Horace P., and all are married and have families. Mr. Martin Wigent died at his home, in Reading, in 1861, at the age of fifty-eight, and Mrs. Wigent, in 1867, at the age of fifty-seven years.
Andrew J., the second son, was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., on the 30th day of August, 1833. He was but a young boy when his father came to their new home in the wild woods of Reading, and the facilities for obtaining even a common-school education, for years, were very limited indeed ; but he managed to get a knowledge of the English branches, principally by study at home in the chimney- corner. At twenty years of age he commenced teaching district school, which was his occupation for some ten or twelve winters. The summer seasons were employed in brickmaking and working at the mason's trade, in which he became a very skillful and reliable workman. And the numerous brick residences and other buildings erected by his labor and skill in Camden and the adjoining towns stand to-day as monuments of his industry, and a credit to the enterprise and thrift of the citizens of this locality. On March 25, 1860, he was united in marriage to Miss Belinda Foust, of Cambria. Soon after his marriage, he moved on to his land in the north part of Camden, where he still continues. Mr. Wigent enjoys the entire confidence and esteem of all his acquaintances, which has been repeatedly manifested in his election to various offices of trust and re- sponsibility in his town, such as inspector of schools, justice of the peace, and supervisor for four successive terms.
He is known and recognized as a firm friend, a kind and indulgent husband and father, a genial and sociable neigh- bor, and that highest type of an American gentleman-an honest man. Mr. Wigent and his excellent wife are the parents of nine children, named Fred M., Frank S., Shan- non L., Mary C., Ida M., Ada J., Rhoda, Bliss, and an infant not yet named. All are living except Mary C. and Ada J.
Fred and Frank, the two oldest boys, carry on the farm, which consists of eighty acres, in a very creditable manner, and they bid fair to sustain in their own lives the reputa- tion and honorable character of their worthy parents.
In religious faith Mr. Wigent is what is known as Advent Christian. We present our readers in this work a fine view of the home, portraits of another pair of Hills- dale pioneers, and this brief sketch as a tribute of respect to their worth.
1859. Joseph C. Dewitt (f. t.). Hiram Noyes (v.).
1860. Hiram B. Alvord. 1861. Addison T. Pownd. 1862. George Holcomb.
1863. Hiram B. Alvord.
1864. Nelson Palmer (f. t.). Elmer Hess (v.). 1865. John C. Higgins (f. t.). Robert Morris (v.). 1866. Robert Morris. 1867. George N. Mead. 1868. Judson B. Haynes.
1869. Lorenzo B. Davis.
1870. J. G. McWilliams (f. t.). John C. Higgins (v.).
1856. Benjamin A. Hagerman.
1849. Joseph Trim.
Joseph M. Hills.
1
OLD HOMESTEAD
MRS. HARRISON BAILEY
HARRISON BAILEY.
RESIDENCE OF HARRISON BAILEY, READING, MICHIGAN.
PHOTOS. BY CARSON & CRABAM.
READING.
PREVIOUS to the year 1837 the territory lying in Hills- dale County belonging to the fourth range west, as desig- nated by the United States survey, was all included in the town of Allen. The Legislature of 1837 was petitioned by the inhabitants of this tract of country to divide it into three towns, in order that the interests of the inhabitants of each locality might be better served, the transaction of public business be facilitated, and the long journeys to at- tend the elections, town-meetings, and meetings of the town board-which necessitated in the case of some citizens a journey of 17 or 18 miles-might be rendered unnecessary. In accordance with the request of the petitioners, the towns of Litchfield and Reading were erected. In the petition the Legislature was requested to call the northern town Columbus, and the southern one either Troy or Utica, but, as these names had already been used by other towns, that body, without consulting again with the petitioners, passed the special act organizing the towns under the names of Litchfield and Reading, supposed to have been taken from towns of the same names in Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
At that time this town comprised all the territory south of township 6 south, lying in the county, which included the whole of township 7, nearly all of township 8, and a portion of township 9, extending to the Ohio and Indiana lines. The entire population of this territory was but 227 souls, less than an average of three persons to each square mile.
By the act of a subsequent Legislature, that of 1839, the town was again divided by erecting the territory south of township 7 into a separate town, under the name of Camden, leaving the town of Reading as at present constituted, em- bracing a territory six miles square, designated in the United States survey as township 7 south, range 4 west. Allen adjoins it on the north, Cambria on the east, Camden on the south, and Algansee, Branch Co., on the west. Its surface is gently undulating, was originally heavily timbered, is well watered by springs and streams, and is probably the most elevated point in the southern part of the State, if not in the entire lower peninsula. A high ridge of land occu- pies the eastern part of the town, the culminating point being at Reading village, and radiating from that point to the north and to the southwest. From this ridge the streams diverge in every direction, some of them going south or east and reaching Lake Erie through the Little St. Joseph's and Maumee Rivers, and the rest flowing west or north, and reaching Lake Michigan through Hog Creek and the St. Joseph's River.
In the west part of the town the land slopes rather ab- ruptly, forming a natural basin in which lies a chain of lakes reaching nearly across the town from north to south. Near the line, between sections 30 and 31, is the dividing
line between the waters which flow south and those which flow north. It is in a marshy piece of land, and the north and south parts each drain in an opposite direction. To the south the waters flow into Turner's Lake, and, passing through two other small lakes, form a branch of the Little St. Joseph's River. The water flowing north forms the inlet to a chain of lakes stretching north nearly five miles, and formerly designated on the survey maps as " Hog Lakes." The principal of these is now known as Long Lake. It is nearly two miles long, and of an average width of a quarter of a mile. The depth is variable, and the bottom either sandy or muddy. Berry Lake lies east of Long Lake and is a tributary to it. Hemlock Lake, de- riving its name from the fact that its shores were formerly covered to some extent with hemlock timber, lies across the north line of the town, in section 5. It is irregular in form, covers an area of about one quarter section, and is rather shallow, with a fine, gravelly bottom. Round Lake, a mile east of Hemlock Lake, is of about the same dimen- sions, but nearly circular in form and of great depth, having been sounded in some places to a depth of 70 feet. The bottom is sandy in some parts and muddy in others. The rest of these lakes, some ten or more in number, have not been deemed worthy to be invested with names, and in- deed, some of them are little more than ponds. These bodies of water are generally well stocked with fish, and in the spring and fall are covered to some extent with water- fowl, tempting the sportsman to expend time and amunition in efforts to secure them for his use.
The township is noted far and near as being, as a whole, one of the best in Southern Michigan. The soil is generally a black, sandy loam, of great depth and fertility, or a rich, mellow, vegetable mould, formed by the accretions from de- cayed leaves and fallen timber, and equally as good as the other. Under this lies a subsoil, from 10 to 15 feet in depth, generally regarded as of a clayey nature, but which seems really to be composed of a mixture of yellow sand and marl, which reinforces the flagging energies of the fields whose strength has been impaired by constant and repeated cropping. A narrow strip of gravelly land of a poorer quality lies along the sides of the valley in which lie the lakes, and occasional swamps or marshes border the lakes, but they form a mere fraction of the town. On the northwest side of the dividing ridge we have mentioned, a good many loose, widely-scattered stones are found, while to the south and east they are very scarce. In no part can the land be truly said to be stony.
Previous to 1835 this country was a wilderness in which the Indians roamed, hunting and fishing, and occasionally cultivating a little patch of corn in some spot where the falling of trees, or some other cause, had exposed a little of
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
the virgin earth to the warm embrace of the sun, and the only white men whose feet had trodden the forest fastnesses were the hunters, trappers, traders, or surveyors, whose bus- iness had called them hither. Among these was a trader, half merchant, half hunter, by the name of Rice, who lived at Perrysburgh, Ohio, near the site of the present city of Maumee. He was a bachelor, a peculiarly shrewd and in- telligent observer of everything falling within his notice, and boasted that he had an acquaintance with every town- ship, stream, and lake in the Territory of Michigan. His occupation had taken him to every part of the State, and his habit of observation being known, his judgment was often asked for by those purposing purchases of land in this State. Near him were located several families from the western part of the State of New York, who were becoming very much dissatisfied with their situation on account of the lands being so low and wet and the climate so unhealthy. They asked Rice where was the best and nearest government land that was open to settlers, and he told them that this town embraced the best lands he knew of, and advised them to take up land and settle here. In accordance with his advice several families, including those of John Mickle, Eleazer Gleason, William Berry, Ephraim Wiltsie, Charles Powell, and others, removed and settled in this favorable location. The lands proved to be so desirable that the growth of the settlement would have been exceed- ingly rapid but for the fact that large tracts had been en- tered by eastern capitalists for purposes of speculation. This is shown by the fact that the two first settlers, who came only five weeks apart, were obliged to settle on farms six miles distant the one from the other. In spite of this drawback the settlers continued to come in respectable num- bers, and finally, in 1837, it was thought that there were enough of them to warrant the formation of the town, though at the first meeting two of them were obliged to accept two offices each, three of them three each, and one, John Mickle, walked off with the honors, emoluments, and official responsibilities of four different positions.
The first settler was John Mickle, Oct. 5, 1835. Elea- zer Gleason, with his wife, one child, and his wife's brother, Wm. C. Berry, and Charles Powell and his younger brother, William Powell, followed in November, and Ephraim Wilt- sie in December of the same year. In January, 1836, William Berry, Horace Palmer, Rensselaer Sutliff, and Charles Lee came (all except Palmer, who was single) with their families. In February following, Mrs. Lee and child died, and Mr. Lee left the town. In April, Wright Redding, Ammi Carpenter, and his mother came; in May, Jarvis Mason ; in June, Jefferson Kellogg and George W. Halsted ; in October, Sylvester Whaling and Peter Betts ; and in November, Newman Curtiss. These were the prin- cipal electors in the organization of the town.
In April, 1837, George and John Fitzsimmons, father and son ; in May, John and Asahel M. Rising, father and son ; and through the summer and fall, Jonas P. Gates, Jonathan Odell, William Tappan, Lewis A. Keith, William Meek, Hiram Wiltsie, William Van Horn, Sidney Bailey, Benjamin Lewis, and Garner Archer. In 1838, Martin Wigent, David D. Prouty, William and Chester Morey, Warren Chaffee, Bazaliel Palmer, Lorenzo and Bingham
D. Abbott, Charles Hughes, Daniel Kinne, Robert Berry, Stephen Webster, Thomas Berry, John Fritts, A. H. Bar- tholomew, George Brown, Oscar Whitney, Mrs. Betsey Moses, Jacob Valentine, Ralph Bailey, Melvin Bailey, Almon Nichols, and a Mr. Sears; and in 1839, Ephraim P. Purdy, James A. Galloway, James C. Galloway, Elmer and Heman Hawse, Elmer Bacon, Horace Avery, Henry Holdridge, Roswell and Royal Merriman, Daniel Murray, John Dopp, and two brothers by the name of Hill settled in the town, very nearly in the order here named. These were strictly pioneers of the town, each taking up a farm in the forest and at once entering upon the laborious task of clearing and fitting it for cultivation.
Among the later settlers we find W. R Kidder, Smith Wilbur, Harrison Bailey, Elihu Warner, in 1840; George Campbell. Cornelius B. Reynolds, in 1842; John Cole, Charles Kane, Jefferson Stout, in 1843; Henry K. Abbott, Ebenezer L. Kelly, Augustus F. Vaun, Samuel Whaley, in 1844; Asa Warner, George Youngs, in 1845; Freder- ick Fowler, Israel Thatcher, in 1846; Abigail Dopp, Bar- ney Reynolds, in 1847; and Isaac H. Kellogg, Giles Cas- tle, John B. Southworth, and his two sons, and M. H. McClave, the exact date of whose coming is not known to the writer of this sketch.
Of John Mickle, the first settler, it may be said that he has attained a ripe old age, and surrounded by kind friends and a comfortable competency of worldly goods is reaping the fruits of an industrious, steady, and useful life. He came from Oswego, N. Y., in 1831, and after living four years a few miles from Maumee, Ohio, removed to this town in the fall of 1835, arriving at his farm on the 5th of October. He was accompanied by his wife and one child, and a hired man named Ephraim Wiltsie. They came from Jonesville by way of Sand Creek, and opened the first road to the south from that point. He purchased of the government the south half of section 3, and assisted by Almon Nichols, of Fayette, and a man named Wagner, built his first log house or shanty near a spring about sixty rods north of the section corner. This cabin was built of unhewn logs, and its dimensions were 19 by 23 feet. While ยท living in this shanty, Mr. Mickle was often called upon to entertain land-lookers, and also furnished a temporary home for the families of no less than thirteen settlers while they were selecting their lands and building homes of their own. Three years later this shanty was replaced by a fine block- house, built almost entirely of black-walnut logs squared to the size of eight inches, and which was at that time and for several years after the best house in the township. It has since been clapboarded and is still standing, being occu- pied by Daniel W. Mickle, a son of the first settler. The first death of a white resident in the township occurred in October, 1836, and was that of an infant child of Mr. Mickle. His wife died in 1839, and he then married Mary Fitzsimmons, the eldest daughter of George Fitz- simmons, a subsequent settler. This was the first wedding in town, and has proved a happy one to all concerned. Soon after his arrival, Mr. Mickle hired Horace Palmer, Jefferson Kellogg, and Ephraim Wiltsie to help him in the work of clearing his land, commenced cutting the timber about his house, and in the following spring had several
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
acres ready to plant and sow, and along with his other crops sowed some apple-seeds he had brought with him, and from them raised the first orchard in the town. He was an early partisan in political matters, and was allied to the Whig school until the Republican party sprang into being, since which time he has been an earnest and con- sistent supporter of its principles. Ever prominently in- terested in matters relating to the prosperity of the town, he has often been called to serve the people in a public capacity. As early as 1842 he was chosen to represent the county in the State Legislature in the capacity of represent- ative. In 1841 he was elected associate judge of the Circuit Court of the county, and in 1851 was again elected second judge. He was an early member of the Baptist Church, and has contributed largely to its success. Many of the early meetings of that church were held at his house. His family consisted of fifteen children, five of whom died in early life; two, Mrs. Mary Carey and George, died in Reading after reaching maturity ; and eight are still living, -Eugene in California, and John Q., Henry C., Daniel W., Benjamin F., Luther, George L., and Elias R., in this town.
Eleazer Gleason, with his wife and one child, followed the route opened by Mr. Mickle, and settled on the north- east quarter of section 33 in the early part of November, 1835. He was from Seneca, Ontario Co., N. Y., and had lived one year near Maumee City, Ohio. His first son, William, was born in the winter of 1836, and was the first white child born in Reading. He is now living in Iowa. One other child, a daughter, died in her girlhood, and the other eight children are still living,-Eleazer H., Mrs. Mary Woodard, Ida, and Mrs. Harriet Potter, in Reading; Charles and Lovinas in Allen ; Mrs. Jane Bristol in St. Joseph County ; and Alvaro F. in New Mexico. Of Mr. Gleason we can say that he has always been one of the reliable citizens of the town, a practical and successful farmer, and by his unobtrusive manner and the strict in- tegrity of his character has always deserved, as he has ever received, the love and esteem of his neighbors. He was the first tax collector of the town, and held the office of assessor as long as any were elected by the town, with the exception of one year. He is still living on the farm he first settled.
William C. Berry, who accompanied Mr. Gleason, was the eldest son of William Berry, and upon his arrival here commenced work at clearing his father's land. He is still living in town, and is a successful farmer.
Of Charles Powell we can only say that he was elected supervisor in 1838. In 1841 was elected county treasurer, and after serving in that position two years removed from the county, and is now living at Omaha, Neb.
Ephraim Wiltsie first came to this town with Mr. Mickle in October, 1835, but soon after returned to Ohio, and brought his family here in December of the same year. He was a quiet, industrious farmer, and not given to much meddling with public affairs. He now lives in an adjoin- ing town, respected and beloved by his neighbors.
Of William Berry it may be said that he was one of the substantial men of the town, was the first town clerk, and also one of the first justices of the peace. In the discharge
of his public as well as private duties he was always faithful and conscientious, and, by his investments in land, his care- ful business management and his thorough farming, was enabled to leave a competency to his numerous family. He was thrice married and had thirteen children, eleven of whom survived him,-William C., Mrs. Eleazer Gleason, Mrs. Emma Russell, Mrs. Mary Meigs, Thomas, Gardner, John, J. Byron, and Richard reside in this town ; Henry in Camden, and Mrs. Hannah Barber in Algansee, Branch Co.
Horace Palmer did not, strictly speaking, belong to the emigration of 1836, although he came here first in January of that year. He was then a single man, and bought a piece of land and commenced clearing it, but soon after returned to Chautauqua Co., N. Y., was married, and in 1837 came with his wife and settled in this town. He is still a resident, having a fine farm in the north part of the town, on section 10. With this exception the settlers of 1836 have either emigrated or died, not one of them re- maining to tell the tale of their trials and privations en- dured in the work of reclaiming this rich country from the dominion of the forest.
Of the emigration of 1837 we find George Fitzsimmons soon assuming a prominent position in the conducting of the public affairs of the town. Elected treasurer of the town in 1839, he served two years in that position, and in 1840 was chosen a justice of the peace. This office he held for sixteen years, the last twelve, commencing in 1851, continuously. In 1851-52 he was a representative in the State Legislature. At a later date we find him contributing largely of his influence, energies, and money to secure the building of the railroad through the town. He was one of the early members of the Baptist Church, and its sta- bility and permanent success was largely due to his efforts and to his generosity. He was from Rose, Wayne Co., N. Y., and with his eldest son, John, walked from there to Fairport, O., on Lake Erie, where they took boat for Detroit. In May following Mrs. Fitzsimmons and her family, with two wagons loaded with household goods, came through Canada, via Buffalo and Detroit, arriving at this place on the 2d of June. The wagons were drawn by oxen, and they drove two cows to stock the new farm. Mr. Fitzsimmons first purchased the northeast quarter of section 26, and, as opportunity offered, added to it until he owned 560 acres. One of the earliest (if not the very first) re- ligious meetings held in this town was a prayer-meeting held at his house, and attended by his family and the family of John Rising, in May, 1837. He died Oct. 9, 1870, loved and respected by all who knew him, and leaving six children, five of whom are living in this town, and rank among its best and most enterprising citizens. They are John, George, and A. M. R. Fitzsimmons, Mrs. Mary Mickle, and Mrs. Catharine Palmer. The other son, Vin- cent, was at that time living at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, where he was editor and proprietor of the Honolulu Gazette, the government organ. He died about 1872.
John Rising is said to have been quite peculiar in all his ways. He came to the town with a large family of sons and daughters, and with means to purchase sufficient land to settle them all. His improvements were readily made, and he was soon in a position of comparative independence
40
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
and was recognized by his neighbors as a well-to-do farmer. He was a Methodist and brought his religion with him into the forest, and he is no doubt rightfully credited with being the father of the sect in this town. His house was always opened for religious meetings when no more con- venient place was found, and the hard-worked itinerant always found bountiful hospitality and a warm welcome when he crossed its threshold. Neither did he hesitate, or falter, or relax his efforts, until the full privileges of the church were all firmly established in the town.
Jonas P. Gates was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and came from the town of Seneca, Ontario Co., N. Y., settling on section 34. He was one of the most energetic and thorough farmers ever living in the town.
Sidney Bailey came from Lodus, Wayne Co., N. Y., and settled on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 32. He died there some twenty-eight or thirty years ago. His only surviving child is Mrs. Catharine Mallery, who lives in town.
John Fitzsimmons and Asahel M. Rising are now prom- inent farmers in the town, and Garner Archer in an adjoin- ing town. The rest of the emigration of 1837 have mostly emigrated or died.
The emigrants of 1838 were largely of a class of enter- prising and energetic young men, generally of limited means, but of great moral worth, well fitted to carry for- ward the work, the foundation for which had been laid by the pioneers. These entered with zest upon the work before them, and the well-tilled farms, the fruitful orchards, the elegant dwellings, and the commodious farm buildings that grace and beautify the town, show how well they per- formed their tasks, and with what measure of success their labors were rewarded. While lack of space forbids any detailed history of these men, we feel called upon to refer more particularly to some of them, even at the risk of having our remarks looked upon as invidious.
The most prominent of these was Daniel Kinne, who came from Erie Co., N. Y., and settled on section 21, on the farm now in the possession of his heirs. Upon his arrival here he at once took a prominent rank and was soon called to official position. He served as supervisor (for five years), justice of the peace, town clerk, and commis- sioner of highways. In 1845 he was elected associate judge of the county; in 1847, a representative in the State Legislature; and in 1851, a member of the Conven- tion to revise the Constitution of the State. In each of these positions he displayed marked ability and rare good judgment in all his acts. At a later period these same traits and the energy of his character made him a con- spicuous figure in movements to develop the resources and promote the interests and growth of the town. Among these we make mention of the plank-road from Reading to Hillsdale, the cheese-factory in Reading, and the Reading Manufacturing Company, designed for the general manu- facture of household articles. By over-exertion in this last enterprise he contracted a cold, which resulted in his death in a distant State, far away from home, family, and friends. His many virtues will long be held in tender remembrance by the citizens of Reading.
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