History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 113

Author: Durant, Samuel W. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : D.W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 772

USA > Michigan > Eaton County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 113
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 113

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Thomas Parson, who lived in the southeast corner of the township, was one of its pioneers. He had a son who was called Tom, and whose wits were not the bright- est. "Tom" had one day been out after sap, and finally started for home with two buckets filled, but lost his way, and is said to have traveled forty miles with them hanging to a yoke upon his shoulders, without onee resting, suppos- ing he was on his way home. At another time he was out with others of the family picking berries, and was suddenly missed, and could not be found. When the family arrived at home there was Tom. He was asked where he had been and replied, " By G-d! I saw the tracks of a d-d big bear up there in the snow, and it scared me and I run home !" Tom's ideas of snow and berry-picking were sadly mixed up. He is still living.

The change which has been wrought in the appearance of the face of this township, as well as its surrounding sisters, in the comparatively short space of time since its settlement is almost marvelous. Where the Ingersolls found a mighty forest hemming in a rapid stream-whose waters could scarcely brook the restraint placed upon them by the rude pioneer dam-is now a fair village, while an aspect of comfort and prosperity causes the beholder to note, almost with surprise, the resemblance of the region to the older settled portions of the far East. " Delta Mills," or Grand River City, as it was called, has the ap- pearance of a New England village, and the swift river, with its brown waters and its flecks of foam, resembles in all except size the " broad Connecticut" in some portions of its course. Truly, here is a thrifty community, and the entire township is marked with as great a change except where swamps render improvement at present impracticable.

RESIDENTS IN 1844.

The following were resident taxpayers in the township of Delta in 1844, according to the assessment-roll for that year: Alonzo Baker, Remember Baker, Thomas Robbins, William Lee, Erastus S. Ingersoll, Alexander Ingersoll, Daniel S. Ingersoll, Samuel B. Dayton, Whitney Jones, Philip Phillips, David Phillips, Emerson Frost, W. J. Halsey, John Reed, Orin Fairbanks, D. R. Carpenter, Thomas Parsons, Edwin Moore, John Nixon, Norman Carrier, Samuel Nixon, Addison Hayden, Daniel Chad- wick, Ansel Mascho, Secre Mascho, Charles Mascho.

VILLAGE OF GRAND RIVER CITY.

William Lee, Erastus S. Ingersoll, Whitney Joncs, Alex- ander Ingersoll, Remember Baker.

The village now (June, 1880) contains a saw-mill, a grist- mill, several mechanic-shops, and three churches. Of the latter, the Congregational is the oldest, as mentioned by Mr. Ingersoll and given on a previous page. The others are Methodist Episcopal and Free Methodist. The Con- gregational and Methodist Episcopal societies have recently erected new houses of worship, the former brick and the latter frame. The Free Methodist organization is of a comparatively recent date. At Delta Centre, three miles from the village, is also located a Methodist church-a substantial frame structure. The several churches in the township have a respectable membership.

Millett's Station is a small hamlet in the southeast part of town, containing a saw-mill (or oar-factory), a post- office, and a few dwellings. A village plat was laid out here Dec. 3, 1874, by Silas E. Millett and others. It is on the line of the Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway. Trains stop only on signal.

In October, 1857, the board of supervisors authorized the township of Delta to raise by tax a sum not exceeding $1000, to build a bridge across Grand River, in said town- ship, at or near the quarter-line of section 3. In January, 1859, the board authorized Alonzo Baker, a citizen of Delta township, to build a dam across Grand River, on the northwest quarter of section 5, in Delta.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION .- LIST OF OFFICERS.

Feb. 16, 1842, the Legislature of the State of Michigan enacted as follows : That " all that part of the county of Eaton designated by the United States survey as township No. 4 north, of range 3 west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Delta; and the first township-meeting shall be held at the red school-house near Ingersoll's mills in said town- ship." The following account of the first election in the township of Delta is from the township records :

" DELTA, April 4, 1842.

"The eleetors of the township of Delta (the same beiog township No. 4 north, of range No. 3 west) met (agrceably to an act of the Legislature entitled ' An act to organize certain townships') at the school-house near Ingersoll's mill, for the purpose of electing town- ship officers ; whereupon E. P. Ingersoll was appointed moderator, and Daniel Chadwick, Samuel B. Dayton, E. S. Ingersoll were ap- pointed inspectors of clection, when, hy a vote of the board, E. S. Ingersoll was appointed clerk. A vote of the meeting was then taken relative to election of assessors, and it was decided that there be two assistant assessors elected. Also voted that there ho two constables. Proceeded to ballot for township officers. A motion was made and seconded to raise $100 for roads and bridges, and that first the bridge debt be liquidated and the balance appropriated by the highway commissioners ; carried. Voted, That boar-hogs he restrainod from running nt large; also that all bulls over one year old be restrained ; also, Voted, That twenty dollars be raised for the support of the poor : also, Voted, That twenty dollars bo raised for the purchaso of town- books; Voted, That there be a board of health appointed, to consist of three. E. P. Ingersoll, Russell Walkor, and Samuel Nixon were appointed. The polls were then closed and the board proceeded to canvass tho votes; whercupon it was found that the following men had received the greatest oumber of votes for the following town offices, viz. : For Supervisor, E. S. Ingersoll; Town Clerk, Alexander Ingersoll; Treasurer, O. B. Ingersoll; Justices of the Peace, William

455

DELTA.

Lee, Samnel Nixon, Remember Baker; Assistant Assessors, John Reed, Remember Baker; Ilighway Commissioners, D. S. Ingersoll, Russell Walker, Eliel Ingersell; School Inspectors, O. B. Ingersoll, Samuel Nixon, E. P. Ingersoll ; Overseers of the Poer, Daniel Chad- wick, Philip Phillips; Constables, Philip Phillips, D. S. Ingersoll. The meeting then proceeded te elect the following men for overseers of highways, to wit; In Highway District Ne. 2, Samuel Nixon; in District No. 1, D. S. Ingersoll ; in District No. 3, John Reed. The town clerk then took the oath of office.

" E. S. INGERSOLL, " Clerk, pro tem."

A special election was held May 14, 1842, when the following officers were chosen : School Inspectors, E. P. Ingersoll, Samuel Nixon, O. B. Ingersoll ; Constables, Philip Phillips, D. S. Ingersoll; Directors of the Poor, Daniel Chadwick, Philip Phillips.

The following is a list of supervisors, town clerks, treas- urers, and justices of the peace of Delta, since 1843, up to and including 1879 :

SUPERVISORS.

1843, Whitney Jones; 1844, Samuel B. Dayten ; 1845, Whiteey Jones; 1846, Addison Hayden ; 1847, no record; 1848-51, Addison Hay- den; 1852-53, J. T. Dorrel ; 1854, A. Hayden ; 1855, C. Burr; 1856, J. T. Derrel ; 1857, Charles Burr; 1858-60, Chauncey Good- rich ; 1861, Charles Bull; 1862, Fernande Ward; 1863, Chauncey Goodrich; 1864-65, J. R. Hines; 1866-68, A. Ingersell;# 1869 -73, Rodney W. Choate; 1874-76, Charles Slocum; 1877, no record ; 1878, Zenas Coek ; 1879, Samuel Nixon.

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1843, Addisen Hayden ; 1844, William Lee; 1845-46, Alexander In- gersoll ; 1847, Daniel R. Carpenter; 1848, Charles W. Butler; 1849-50, Norman Carrier; 1851, Albert T. Parsons; 1852-56, Genet Brown; 1857, Chauncey Goedrich ; 1858-60, Albert T. Parsons ; 1861, Genet Brown ; 1862-65, A. T. Parsens; 1866-67, R. W. Choate; 1868, no recerd; 1869, A. T. Parsons; 1870, Ben- jamin C. Macumber ; 1871-75, A. W. Moon ; 1876, A. T. Parsons ; 1877, no record; 1878, Elmer Waterman; 1879, Albert T. Par- sens.

TREASURERS.

1843, E. S. Ingersoll; 1844-46, Samuel Nixon ; 1847, Samuel B. Day- ton ; 1848-49, Samuel Nixon; 1850, Alexander Ingersoll; 1851 -52, Alphonzo Hally ; 1853-55, C. C. Parsons ; 1856-64, Daniel Barnard; 1865, Samuel Nixon; 1866-67, Albert T. Parsons ; 1868, no record ; 1869, Fernando Ward ; 1870-76, James S. Bull ; 1877, no record; 1878, Aaron T. Crane; 1879, James S. Bull.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1843, Samuel Nixon, D. R. Carpenter; 1844, Samuel B. Dayton ; 1845, William Lee; 1846, Erastus S. Ingersoll; 1847, Daniel Chadwick ; 1848, Daniel R. Carpenter; 1849, William Lee ; 1850, E. S. Ingersoll ; 1851, Allen Whitney, J. T. Dorrel; 1852, D. R. Carpenter, A. Whitney, C. C. Parsons ; 1853, S. Nixon, H. W. Woud; 1854, Charles Burr, Warren Tallman; 1855, L. M. Dem- ing, E. S. Ingersell; 1856, Genet Brown ; 1857, S. Nixon ; 1858, D. T. Lawrence; 1859, J. R. Hines ; 1860, C. Burr; 1861, A. J. Ilamilton, S. Nixen ; 1862, Levi Lazell, David R. Gunson; 1863, J. R. Hines, Warren Paine; 1864, William L. Burlingame ; 1865, Samuel Nixon; 1866, D. R. Gunson; 1867, J. R. Hines ; 1868, no record; 1869, Samnel Nixon; 1870, Herace L. Alcott ; 1871, J. R. Hines, D. R. Gunsen ; 1872, Thomas Huxtable; 1873, Geo. D. Ilart; 1874, Samuel Nixen, H. Shipman ; 1875, Amos Smith ; 1876, Thomas Huxtable; 1877, no record; 1878, II. E. Porter, N. Space; 1879, C. E. Parmelee, Uriah Lazell.

The following officers were elected for 1880, viz. : Supervisor, George D. Hart; Township Clerk, Albert T. Parsons; Treasurer, Rodney W. Choate; Justice of the

Peace, R. Burlingame; Superintendent of Schools, George Decke; School Inspector, Charles A. Kent; Commissioner of Highways, John J. Smith; Drain Commissioner, Josiah B. Munson; Constables, Wilford Wright, Waterman Lazell, J. Mason Soper, John McCalpin.

SCHOOLS.

The carliest schools in the township are mentioned in Mr. Ingersoll's article. From the report of the school in- spectors for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879, the following statistics have been gathered :

Number of districts (whole, 8; fractional, 1)

school-children in tewnship .. 488

in attendance for year. 452

days scheel taught 1446

scheel-houses (frame, 8 ; log, 1) ... 9

" sentings in same. 553

Value of school property .. $5675.00 Number of teachers employed (males, 8; females, 12) 20

Wages of same (males, $964; females, $679). $1643.00

Total resources for year. 2449.62

Amount on hand Sept. 1, 1879. 569.95

Total expenditures, less amount on hand. 1879.67

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

JOSEPII BANK.

Joseph Bank was born in Elba, Genesee Co., N. Y., Dec. 9, 1812. llis father was among the pioneers of Western New York, and was a captain in the army during the war of 1812-15. Joseph was an active, industrious, and jolly lad, as many will testify. In August, 1838, he married Sarah L. Edgarton, who was born Sept. 16, 1819. In the fall of the same year they removed to Maple Grove, Barry Co., Mich., where they arrived on the 5th of October. Mr. Bank erected a dwelling on his land, which he paid for by his own industry. On this place were born to them three sons, two of whom are still living,-one at home, and the other in Columbia Co., Oregon, where he is extensively en- gaged in stock-raising.

The materials for their new dwelling in the wilds of Michigan were found on the ground, with the exception of glass for the windows and a dry-goods box, out of which a door was constructed. His wife assisted even in the manual labor when the dwelling was being erected. Indians were their only neighbors, and often Mrs. Bank was compelled to remain alone during her husband's necessary absence. At one time she was nineteen days without seeing a human being excepting two squaws.

The nearest post-office was Battle Creek, twenty-five miles away. During the first winter, Mr. Banks had the misfortune to break his axe, and to obtain another he was obliged to go on foot twenty miles, and for the new imple- ment he paid three pairs of socks, which his wife had knit- ted in the winter evenings. In the winter of 1839 he was engaged in building a causeway, eight miles from home. He carried his bed and board on his back, " shantied out," and took his pay in Michigan " Wild Cat" money, which depreciated on his hands until he realized only twenty-five cents upon the dollar.

In November, 1840, he walked nine miles to deposit a

* Resigned in 1868, and Fernande Ward appointed to fill vacancy.

456

HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

vote for Harrison, and on his return had a lucky escape from death at the jaws of a gray wolf. The Fourth of July, 1840, he celebrated by going on foot and alone to Marshall, thirty-five miles away, where he says they had a " grand celebration."

When highway commissioner he walked thirteen miles and back, through deep snow, to make the necessary re- turns incumbent upon his office.

The land upon which he settled was heavily timbered,

but he made it by his hard labor one of the finest farms in the township. In 1866 he removed to the farm he now occupies, in Delta township, which was also in the wilder- ness ; but here again his energy and perseverance have made a beautiful home, where, surrounded by the comforts and luxuries which their own hands have won, the worthy couple are passing the evening of their well-spent days, and still retaining, in a remarkable degree, the vigor and elas- ticity of youth.

EATON.

NATURAL FEATURES.

GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY, SOILS, ETC.

THE township of Eaton occupies a position immediately southeast of the centre of the county, and is bounded north by Benton, east by Eaton Rapids, south by Brook- field, and west by Carmel .* A small portion on the west side is included within the limits of the city of Charlotte. The township is crossed by the Grand Rapids division of the Michigan Central Railway and the Chicago and Grand Trunk line (formerly the Peninsular), and nearly parallel with these are the Clinton Road (formerly known as the " old Clinton trail"), and the Marshall and Lansing State road.

The surface of the township is generally level, with oc- casional rolling ground. The soil is a sandy loam, with clay in places. Extensive swamps abound, which drain into both Battle Creek and the Thornapple River; the former stream flows across the southwest corner of the township. These waters, coming from the midst of tamarack swamps, are of a yellowish-brown color, and the streams are quite rapid; the banks are generally low. The township of Eaton was originally very heavily timbered, and enough remains standing to insure a full supply for many years to come, unless it is, as in some localities, wantonly wasted.

LAND ENTRIES.

The following is a list of those who entered land in what is now Eaton township (town 2 north, range 4 west), with the year of entry and number of section; those marked thus (*) settled in the township or county :

Section 1 .- 1836, B. B. Kercheval, J. K. Guernsey, J. Dates; 1850, D. Munger ; 1852, T. McConnell."

Section 2 .- 1836, R. Landon ; 1838, Genrge Wilson ;$ 1817, Thomas H. Brown; 1848, Jacob Estep ; 1850, D. Cole.

Section 3 .- 1836, R. Landon, R. Nichols, E. Cranson ; 1839, E. Card ;* 1840, E. A. Southworth ;" 1811, William Fox ;# 1845, William Fox, E. If. Collar;" 1818, G. A. Southworth.

Section 4 .- 1836, A. Spicer,# 11. Janes, W. Wall;> 1837, A. F. Fitch ; 1838, J. S. Moe," E. Valentine.

Section 5 .- 1835, S. llamlin ," 1836, A. R. Fiteb, A. F F'itch, W.

. The boundary-lines of this township were surveyed in 1825 hy John Mullett, and the subdivisions the name yenr by Sylvester Sibley.

James ; 1842, E. Casey ;# 1846, 0. Childs ;# 1850, H. H. IIatch ; 1868, William Roberts, S. P. Webber .*

Section 6 .- 1835, T. R. Smith; 1836, J. Young, D. Clark; 1837, Chapin lloward; 1838, J. De Land; 1844, Thomas Plumer.

Section 7 .- 1835, G. W. Barnes; 1836, J. Torrey, W. Tousley," T. Lawrence; 1837, Chapin Howard; 1850, R. T. Cushing? and Il. 11. Gale;# 1860, Charles Brooks."

Section 8 .- 1838, N. Pray, William Johnson ;# 1839, G. Rathburn ; 1847, C. Riley ;# 1848, R. Davis;# 1852, Abram Britan ;# 1858, A. D. Shaw;# 1860, Charles Brooks, A. D. Shaw; 1870, I. D. MeCutcheon .*

Section 9 .- 1838, W. Alderman, M. Freeman ;# 1840, E. Keyes; 1844, E. A. Card : 1846, S. Baker ; 1852, J. Young, II. Williams ;# 1865, Henry Casler.#

Scetion 10 .- 1836, R. Barnes, H. Moe,* E. Moe," J. Hawley ; 1845, G. W. Allen ;# 1850, C. Young," Amos II. Munson.

Section 1L .- 1836, L. P. Brown, G. Manchester ; 1838, Peter Grant, Jobn Weaver, Daniel Bryant;# 1847, J. McLun; 1848, A. B. Bailey ; 1850, Charles Cook.

Section 12 .- 1836, J. Dates, E. Strong; 1838, John Weaver, D. Bryant.

Section 13 .- 1836, H. Burr, C. Burr, Thomas Wardle; 1852, L. M. Ailport, C. Taylor .**

Section 14 .- 1836, James Dean, E. Daniels, R. S. Parks; 1839, S. Churchell; 1851, Daniel Bryant.

Section 15 .- 1836, John Graham, W. Tousley,# A. Moe," O. D. Butler,# J. J. Knapp; 1841, M. Ifolcomb;# 1849, E. H. Collar; 1850, J. G. Bellows .**

Section 16 .- 1851, J. Riley, O. J. Holcomb ;* 1854, J. Smith ;* 1859, II. Perkey ;# 1865, Alvan D. Shaw ;# 1874, L. Shepherd .*

Section 17 .- 1835, S. Searls," S. Aulls," T. Lawrence, R. J. Wells; 1836, P. Mitchell ; 1837, A. C. Howard, M. Carpenter.

Section 18,-1832, G. W. Barnes; 1833, Joseph Torroy, Il. G. Rice ;" 1835, J. Scarls," C. E. Stewart, L. II. Sanford ; 1836, P. Mitchell. Section 19 .- 1833, II. G. Rice, G. W. Barnes ; 1835, J. Searls, C. E. Stewart, T. R. Smith ; 1836, - Kellogg, J. Dewey, Jr.

Section 20 .- 1835, S. Aulls, - Searls, R. J.Wells, T. Lawrence ; 1836,

J. Dewey, J. Young.

Section 21 .- 1836, - Graham, W. Smith, - Bouker, MeVickar & Constablo; 1840, J. Scarls ; 1818, A. Searls ; 1851, S. Turnor," Jacob Bishop ;# 1866, James lIarned."

Section 22 .- 1836, W. Tousley," John Grabam, J. J. Knapp; 1837, D. Green, Il. D. Miller ; 1842, S. Holcomb; 1845, L. J. Hale ;$ 1866, James Harnod.

Section 23 .- 1836, J. F. Pixley," R. S. Parks, J. Graham, W. D. Thompson ; 1837. 11. D. Miller, A. F. Fitch.

Section 24 .- 1836, W. Southworth," J. Southworth," E. Southworth," John Riley, J. F. Pixley, J. R. Grosvenor ; 1852, J. Lahr ;* 1854, Il. I. Lawrence .*

Section 25 .- 1836, William Wall," J. S. Pixley," A. Smoke ;* 1838, J. Arnold, W. Frink.

457

EATON.

Section 26 .- 1836, A. Smoke, W. D. Thompson, F. Spears; 1837, S. Miller.

Section 27 .- 1836, W. Whedon; 1837, D. Green, A. French; 1850, Charles Foster ;# 1853, E. Smith, J. W. Holmes.

Section 28 .- 1836, MeVickar & Const.ible, A. MeVickar, J. Dewey, Jr., A. Sumner; 1849, Christian Bush.“

Section 29 .- 1835, T. R. Smith ; 1836, A. MeVickar, A. Sumner, J. H. Dewey.

Section 30 .- 1836, J. Dewey, M. Enos, Amos Kinne," P. Whiteomb,# J. Crowell, J. Crowell, Jr.

Section 31 .- 1840, A. L. Baker;# 1843, J. B. Cochran ; 1844, Solomon Markell, James B. Adams ;# 1850, A. L. Baker; 1853, C. Smith. Section 32 .- 1836, T. Woodward; 1848, John Sulzer, William T. Cooley,* C. Gurner.

Section 33 .- 1835, T. R. Smith ; 1836, A. Dewey, O. C. McCacker; 1849, William T. Cooley, Christian Bush.

Section 34 .- 1835, T. R. Smith ; 1839, E. Il. Hawkins; 1847, William Johnson, Sr. ; # 1849, William Alspach ;# 1851, J. Mahan;# 1852, L. Holcomb ; 1854, L. S. Lovell.

Section 35 .- 1836, G. Southworth ; 1850, E. Mann ;# 1865-67, Henry A. Shaw.#

Section 36 .- 1836, N. Van Blarcom, James Voorheis ; 1837, E. II. Ilawkins; 1855, J. W. Koline; 1867, Henry A. Shaw.#

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Extending easterly from the southern portion of the city of Charlotte, and passing north of the fair-grounds, thence away into the township of Eaton, and finally reaching Eaton Rapids, is a road which for many years was known as " Searls Street," named from the families of Samuel and Jonathan Searls who settled upon it. Samuel Searls was the first settler in the township, and an extended account of the arrival of the members of the family, of the subse- quent death of Mrs. Searls and of her burial at Bellevue, and of the parts the Messrs. Scarls took in the early affairs of what is now the city of Charlotte, will be found in the history of that place, where they more properly belonged, although inhabitants of the township of Eaton.

It was stated by William Wall, while living, that Sam- uel Searls was the first settler of the four towns comprising the southwest quarter of the county. John Montgomery, whose house was built in what is now Hamlin, and who, by his own statement, settled Jan. 1, 1836, also claimed to have been the first white inhabitant of the territory men- tioned. Mr. Searls, however, came with his brother Jona- than in October, 1835, nearly three months before Mr. Montgomery arrived. It is not strange that persons living so far apart, and in the depths of an unbroken wilderness, should be unaware of each other's presence, and in case of dispute over matters of settlement it is only neecssary to ascertain the dates of the various arrivals to decide which is the just claim,-and these dates are here given.

In the southeast part of the township of Eaton, about six miles from Charlotte and four from Eaton Rapids, is a locality which, in the early days, was known throughout the entire county as the " Wall Settlement." It was lo- cated principally upon sections 23, 24, and 25, and was on the mail route which passed northwest from Jackson, through Spicerville, and along the "Old Clinton Trail" to Grand Rapids. Before Charlotte was hardly in existence a post- office was established* at the Wall settlement, with Wil- liam Southworth as postmaster.

This settlement was named from William Wall, a true

specimen of the pioneer, who is credited with having owned the first span of horses brought by a white man into the township. To Edward A. Foote, Esq., of Char- lotte, who, during the later years of Mr. Wall, gathered from him many incidents and anecdotes of the early days of Eaton township, we are indebted for much of interest that is here given.

"William Wall and James F. Pixley moved west from Niagara Co., N. Y., in June, 1836. Leaving their families for a time at Sand- stone, in Jackson Co., the two men came into Eaton, upon seetion 25, on the Eaton Rapids town-line. Mr. Pixley's log house was built about one mile farther west. About the first of July following they moved in their families, and it was ten weeks before Mrs. Wall and Mrs. Pixley saw a white person not belonging to their own families. In October, 1836, four months after locating six miles east of Char- lotte, Mr. Wall first became aware of the existence of the prairie upon which Charlotte is located. Ilis horses having strayed west through the woods, he followed the section-line by the surveyor's marks upon the trees until he came upon a man engaged in digging potatoes upon the present site of the fair-ground, near the Battle Creek. This man was Amos Kinney.+ Mr. Wall now learned for the first time that Samuel and Jonathan Searls, and Amos and Stephen Kinney had moved in. These four pioneers constituted the nucleus of the present city of Charlotte, and they and Mr. Wall and Mr. Pixley were the only men in the township of Eaton. During this same month of Oc- tober, James Southworth, George Southworth, and William Southworth moved in from Orleans Co., N. Y., and built on seetion 24, near Mr. Wall's. From that time the neighborhood was known as the Wall settlement. The first school-hvaset of the four townships was built in this settlement, and was subsequently known as the . Wall school- house.' In August, 1836, Mr. Wall went to Spicerville and helped raise the first saw-mill erected in the county of Eaton,? and during the following winter he took Mrs. Wall and Mrs. Pixley on a saw-log to visit Mrs. Benjamin Knight and Mrs. Amos Spicer, at Spicerville. These women had been shut up alone in the wilderness since the first of July. Only think what an event that first visit must have been, and what a time they must have had talking about the affairs of their neighbors-mostly wolves and Indians!

"During the same winter Mr. Wall went with an ox-team to Swainsville (twenty miles beyond Jackson), fifty miles, to mill; but during the next summer the mareb of improvement started a grist-mill to running at Jackson, only thirty miles away. Before the Jackson mill was started, the Montgomerys, of Eaton Rapids, had their milling done at Dexter, within ten miles of Ann Arbor, going sixty miles. A grist-mill began operations at Eaton Rapids in 1838. This starting of a saw-mill or a grist-mill was the greatest kind of a pioneer event. It was a battle fought and a victory gained in the march of civiliza- tion equal to the opening of a railroad now. . .

"Next to getting the grist from the grist-mill was the value and im- portance of a few sawed boards from a saw-mill; for, although the keen broad-axes of Uncles Jonathan and Samuel Searls and Dave Kinney could roll off broad shavings thin as paper from the surface of the puncheon flooring, and these puncheons could be laid down for a smooth, solid ground-floor; although they could split out and face off window-casings and door-casiogs, which with wooden pins were fast- tened to the ends of the logs where the doorway or window-hole had been sawed out, yet it was a great comfort to have a board or two with which to make a shanty door light enough to swing on wooden

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 113

Author: Durant, Samuel W. cn Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia : D.W. Ensign & Co. Number of Pages: 772

Author: Durant, Samuel W. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : D.W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 772