History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 119

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 119
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 119

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).

Section 7 .- 1836, P. E. Spicer, A. Spicer, E. Prescott, B. Knight, J.

R. Grosvenor, James H. Miller, G. W. Bentley ; 1837, C. Darling. Section 8 .- 1835, J. Vorce, A. Spicer, D. Bateman ; 1836, J. Allen & Co., D. Bateman.

Section 9 .- 1836, G. W. Wright, J. Carrier, S. Hamlin, P. E. Spicer, C. C. Darling.

Section 10 .- 1836, Coleman & Johnson, G. W. Wright, S. G. Mills, C. Osgood.

Section 11 .- 1836, Coleman & Johnson, P. Taylor, C. Osgood, H. B. Barr, J. P. Hlall ; 1837, J. Read.

Section 12 .- 1835, N. S. Glasier ; 1836, J. S. Fifield, S. Thomas, C.

476

HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Lyon, Spicer & Co., C. G. IInvens, T. S. S. Havens ; 1837, S. Coburn.

Section 13 .- 1836, C. ITill, S. Pierson, M. O. Spencer, A. Houpt, T. S. llavens.

Section 14 .- 1836. S. Pierson, MI. Osborn, T. B. Bull. J. Pierson. Section 15 .- 1836, J. McDonald, Dodge & Fitch, D. Osborn, T. B. Bull, H. L. Boom.

Section 16 .- 1845, Joseph D. Noble, C. Race; 1846, Joseph D. Noble ; 1847. C. Race, Jr., E. Walker; 1849, D. Walters, S. Hamlin ; 1851, A. Stone, E. Swift, D. Walters; 1853, S. S. Brown, S. Wal- ters, O. P. Hale, C. Race, Jr., David Howe.

Section 17 .- 1835, J. Honston, P. E. Spicer; 1836, S. Loomis, Jr., J. Allen & Co .: 1837, J. Marvin.

Section 18 .- 1837. J. Marvin. W. A. Anderson, T. N. Stringham, F. Ilaven : 1854. J. M. Allen ; 1855, P. Rose.

Section 19 .- 1837, Coboon & Reed, A. Dibble; 1839, E. Whipple ; 1849, John Stump; 1851, W. McAllister, James P. Kikendall ; 1850, Wm. P. Kikendall; 1853, S. Comstock, F. B. Comstock, J. Livingston.

Section 20 .- 1836, L. I. Lansing; 1837, J. Read; 1844, N. Sayre ; 1850. Wmn. P. Kikendalt; 1854, N. Sayre: 1855, J. P. Kikendall. Section 21 .- 1836, J. Smith, C. G. Havens; 1837, B. B. Bradford, A. R. Frisbee.

Section 22 .- 1836, S. Reynolds, G. W. Cowan, W. Ferris; 1837, L. S. Acker, R. Blackmer : 1838, B. Austin.

Section 23 .- 1836, D. Osborn, A. Willis, James Rice; 1837, J. Read, L. Sackett ; 1848, W. H. Tray.

Section 24 .- 1836, D. Coleman, A. Fawcett, J. Taylor, E. Jones; 1837, A. Faucet, B. Petty, L. Sackett : 1847, P. Waggoner.

Section 25 .- 1835, J. F. Fuller, R. Green, P. P. Baldwin; 1836, A. Hloupt, J. F. Fuller, W. W. Crane, C. Osgood.

Section 26 .- 1836, W. W. Crane, G. Y. Cowan, C. H. Dunham; 1837, A. Fitch, D. Dunham : 1854, S. F. Marshall; 1851, J. P. Abbey ; 1865, 3. G. Kettler.

Section 27 .- 1836, II. P. Onderdonk, George Y. Cowan; W. Ferris ; 1838, J. W. Cowan; 1850, J. Giddings.

Section 28 .- 1836, II. P. Onderdonk ; 1837, D. B. Bradford ; 1851, E. Lee : no date, James Kennedy ; 1858, David J. Bradford.

Section 29 .- 1839, O. Tilton, J. Kikendall, Z. Root; 1844-45, J. Ki- kendall; 1848, S. R. Loomis ; 1850, J. Kikendall; 1852, J. Peut- cock ; 1854, II. Williams; 1858, Peter Ileiser, John Kikendall. Section 30 .- 1849, JoEn Stump : 1850, Joseph Harshey, Sr .; 1851, J. P. Kikendall ; 1853, J. Slayton, Wm. P. Kikendall; 1854, R. Il yde.

Section 31 .- 1839, S. M. Pike; 1849, Stephen R. Loomis; 1852, J. Peacock ; Wm. Lincoln ; 1853, A. J. Beach.

Section 32 .- 1836, II. Jumes; 1844, F. Hess, Stephen R. Loomis ; 1849, Stephen R. Loomis; 1852, J. Peacock, S. Loomis, Jr. ; 1854, E. Bradford.

Section 33,-1835, N. Aker, M. House; 1836, H. P. Onderdonk ; 1845, N. Aker; 1848, F. Hess ; no date, James Wheeler.

Section 34 .- 1835, A. Ilammond, G. Y. Cawan; 1836, G. Y. Cowan ; 1844, Joseph Knight; 1846, M. Czarieski.

Section 35 .- 1835, II. Hammond, G. Y. Cowan; 1836, S. Reynolds ; 1837, O. D. Dunham.

Section 36 .- 1835, W. W. Wolcott, T. P. Baldwin, S. Warlen, G. Y. Cowan; 183-, II. Coleman; 1837, T. S. S. Ilavens; 1838, W. W. Wolcott.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

"Ye banks, and braes, and streams around The castle o' Montgomery, Green be your woods, and fair your flowers, Your waters never drumlie !"

A descendant of the proud and ancient Scottish family of Montgomery was the first settler in the territory in- cluded in the present township of Hamlin. An excellent sketch of this gentleman and his settlement in the wilder- ness of Michigan was prepared by the late Capt. William S. Trask, of Charlotte, and is given here nearly entire. The pioneer and veteran, Col. John Montgomery, is still living, a short distance east of his old home, in Ingham County.

"' It was a' for our rightful king That we left fair Scotland's strand ;

It was a' for our rightful king That we e'er saw Irish land, My dear, That we e'er saw Irish Innd.

"' Now all is done that man can do, And all is done in vain ! My love, my native land, adieu ! For I must cross the main, My dear, For I must cross the main.'

" The words of the old Scotch song, the sad refrain of some follower of the house of Stuart, might equally well have been breathed by the ancestors of Col. Montgomery, for they, too, took up arms in the eanse of the Pretender, and when the fortunes of that prince went down many of the Montgomeries erussed the sea and became settlers in the north of Ireland.

" The namie Montgomery is, doubtless, of French origin, though at what time it became translated to ' nuld Scotia's hills' we have been unable to learn. Certain it is that it still thrives there and stands high among the peers of Great Britain. A love of liberty and a dis- position to come to the front in times of difficulty and danger seems to have characterized the race. Richard Montgomery, who fell at Quebec, was of the same stock with Col. Montgomery, from the north of Ireland ; and, despite the fact that he had been bred to arms in the British service, was an ardent, able, and trusted champinn of Amerien and her institutions. Hugh Montgomery, twelfth earl of Eglintown, was an officer in the same war, though doubtless on the side of the king. If the impression of Burns is to be followed, the family was renowned for its warlike qualities, for he sings,-

"" Alas ! I'm but a nameless wight, Trod i' the mire out o' sight ; But, could I like Montgomeries fight, Or gab like Boswell, There's some sark-necks I wad draw tight And tie sowie hose well.'

" Of the martinl qualities of the Eaton County branch of the family I can bear witness of ono instance at least. It will be remembered that Capt. P. D. Montgomery led the charge, on the slaughter-field in front of Port Hudson, against a fearful storm of hullets, and re- ceived a wound that would have killed any one but a man of iron.

" In France the name has also recorded itself on the pages of his- tory. Gabriel, Count de Montgomery, was a French knight cele- brated for his valor and his fate. In his youth he was the innocent cause of the death of Ilenry II. That prince had already broken several lances at a tournament beld in 1559, when he desired to run a tilt with young Montgomery, then lieutenant of the monarch's guard. The latter consented with great reluctance, but finally yielded when he saw that Ilenry was displeased with his refusal. In the en- counter his lance struck with such violence on the visor of the king as to raise it and pass through his head just above the right eye. The knight afterwards took a leading part in the civil wars of his country, espousing the cause of the Protestants against the Catholics, but finally fell into the bands of the latter, and died on the scaffold at Paris, June 26, 1574.

" John Montgomery was born in the county of Fermanagh, in the north of Ireland, March 22, 1804, and was brought to this country when but a year and three months old. Ile is the only son of a largo family not American burn. They lived for some time in Oneida Co., N. Y., und when the subject of our sketch was ten years old they moved to Genesee, In his youth he had but little chance for educu- tion, but a large fund of native good sense, extensive reading, and close observation of men and things has enabled him to fill many high positions with credit to himself and the State. He worked for his father till the age of twenty-one, and then hired out to a farmer by the name of Robert Earll, for whom he worked for three years with excellent satisfaction on both sides. Ile was married Feb. 17, 1828, to Mies Amanda Rorabeck, and he found in her a faithful and loving companion through a long and eventful life. Desiring to make a homo for himself and newly-acquired blessing, he exchanged a piece of land already owned in Chautauqua County for one-half of his father's farm

MRS. JOHN MONTGOMERY.

JOHN MONTGOMERY.

477

HAMLIN.

in Genesee, and lived there three years. The land was what was known as article-land, being a part of the Ilolland purchase ; and, desiring to hold what he possessed by a more secure tenure, young Montgomery told his wife that he was going to try to find some land that he could own. With that object in view he settled up his husi- ness, kissed good-hy to his wife and first-born child, and, on the 2d of March, 1831, set out on foot for Michigan. Ile walked all the way through Canada, and back again, reaching home the last day of March.

" While traveling near the town of Dexter, in Washtenaw County, he overtook a man by the name of Boyden, a well-to-do farmer of that section, who was journeying leisurely along with his oxen and cart. In riding with him Montgomery disclosed his purpose to purchase land, and as they were passing a piece of burr-oak plains which chanced to belong to his companion, he volunteered the further infor- mation that he would not have such a piece of land as that ; that he wanted some land that would grow trees. Then, observing the farmer looking at him with a half-smile, he thought, 'Well, I know what kind of land I want as well as you do.' llis companion made no remark, except to inform him that there was a variety of land in the vicinity, and that, doubtless, he could find such as he preferred. A few days later he had found and purchased 160 acres of heavily-tim- hered land. After building himself a house and getting his family into it, he took a piece of this same burr-oak plains to plant on shares, and he also worked for Mr. Boyden in harvest, and when he saw the fruit of the soil he began to suspect that he bad deluded himself in buying a heavily-timbered farm. Ile went to work with characteristic energy, however, clearing and improving, and at the end of about five years was able to sell it for $2150, with a view to finding some land like that of his neighhor Boyden. With this object he started into the woods in Decetuber, 1835. He set out with Clark Sill, a profes- sional land-looker. They came into Eaton County from the southeast, all being wilderness after leaving Baptiste's place in Henrietta, Jack- son Co. When they came on the rise of ground sooth of the plains, Montgomery said, ' There is some land that looks like what I want ;' they laid off their packs and went forward to examine it, and he located nearly 500 acres. On getting home he set out almost immediately on his return, taking with him a yoke of cattle and being accompanied by his brother Robert and a Mr. Shepherd. From Baptiste's they had to cut their road for twenty miles, and they spent three days in building a shanty, which they partly covered with hollowed legs. Their provision giving out, they left the new residence incomplete and went back to Washtenaw for the family. In January, 1836, he moved in, having hired a Mr. Nobles to come with one team, while his brother Robert and his neighbor, Mr. Bush, started on ahead to finish the shanty and get a fire started, ready for the arrival of the family. These friends got lost, and when the family came up matters looked rather unpromising for a home. However, they moved in, got up a stove, and made things as comfortable as possible.

"Once in their new home in the wilderness, the roof was soon fin- ished, the crevices mudded up to keep out the cold wind, and things began to wear a more premising prospect. Deer, wolves, and In- diana were plenty, and were seen almost every day. With his Indian neighbors Mr. Montgomery got along well, and through constant intercourse he hecame able to converse with them, to some extent, in their own langoage. lle never gave them, liquor, and if an unde- sirable customer came along, the words ' Quick marchee ! ca-win nich-e-nob-by !' sent the red-skin on his way without loss of time.

" During the winter Col. Montgomery went to Jackson to procure potatoes, following the course of the river on the ice, and en the way he passed the remains of many deer that had been pulled down and eaten by the wolves. The same winter Mr. Caleb Chapell, of Sand- stone, came down, and Mr. Montgomery went out with him to look up a piece of land. In approaching the river something was seen on the ice, and on cleser investigation it was found to be a number ef wolves, which had killed and were eating a deer. The question arose as to what they should do. Col. Montgomery was in favor of taking the initiative, and advised that they should charge upon the pack suddenly and raise as much of a shout as possible. They did so, and had the pleasure of seeing the animals scamper into the woods on the other side of the stream. Under the circumstances, a less ag- gressive policy might have resulted in an attack from these scaven- gers of the forest.

"The colonel's first neighbor was Silas Loomis, six miles away, with whom he always maintained close relations of friendship. Then came Mr. Ira Turney and Jehiel W. Toles at the same time. Still

later Mr. Elijah Wilcox came in, and in September following Mr. Johnson Montgomery, for whem the colonel had purchased the plains farm formerly owned by that gentleman. Of Mr. Turney, Col. Montgomery says, ' He is a very exemplary man and an excellent neighbor. I have known him thirty or forty years, and never saw him out of humor.'

"The selection of a plains farm was amply justified, for the col- onel was enabled to sow sixty acres of wheat the first year, which produced a good crop, all of which was sold off at his barn at a dollar per hoshel, and proved a source of supply to the incoming set- tlers.

" The first town-meeting was held at Spicerville, in a log house on the banks of Spring Brook. The house has since heen torn down. About this time, to use his own expression, the colonel began to dahhle in politics. Before the days of supervisors he was for three years one of the county commissioners. During this time he worked hard and successfully to get a bridge built in Eaton Rapids. Bellevue was the capital of the county in those days, and Col. Montgomery was one of the commissioners when the capital was changed to Char- lotte. Rev. William W. Crane was the first supervisor of the town- ship, and afterwards Col. Montgomery held the office for a number of terms. In the fall of 1849 he was elected representative to the Legislature, heating his old friend, Elder Crane, by only six votes. Neither party did any electioneering for himself, and in fact the colonel, when put in nemination, did not expect the office, and did not want it, having doubts as to his qualification. In truth he was inclined to be frightened at his success; however, he went to Lan- sing, and by taking a conscientious course served his constituents acceptably and well. In regard to his political life the colonel ex- presses himself very modestly, deeming his success due rather to good fortune than merit, and feeling profoundly grateful to those who made him their standard-bearer. If we may presume to express an opinion on so short an acquaintance, the colonel has been a thor- oughly practical man, with more than the usual share of executive ability, and when he says, ' Whatever I tried to do, I strove to carry through to a successful issue,' we think he hetrays at once the secret of his success and the reason for the preference of his friends.

" From the State he has received even higher marks of confidence. He hegan his military career soon after coming into the country, in Washtenaw County, as a minute-man. Ile had been there but one year when the Black Hawk war broke out. He was then orderly sergeant in Capt. Loomis' company. The Indians were numerous, and people becoming fearful many returned te the East. So general was the alarm that the authorities stopped navigation on the lake for the time being to prevent settlers leaving. In line of his duty as orderly sergeant he warned out the men from four townships, and the companies were marched to Ann Arbor. In anticipation ef leaving for the seat of war, Montgomery had arranged to have his wife return to her parents; but the celebrated chief was defeated, and the men returned in peace to their firesides.

" Previous to the Toledo hostilities, Montgomery had been com- missioned as major, and at the breaking out of that demonstration he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and was chosen by the general voice of the troops to be their leader in the campaign. They marched to Toledo, then consisting of a few scattering houses, remained tbere three days, fired some shots into the river, and, as no more rampant foe put in an appearance, they marched home again.

" While in the Legislature he was commissioned by Governor Barry as brigadier-general, and set about organizing the militia. In Eaton Rapids they were just getting ready to form a company, and Mr. Tompkins and some others were commissioned, when, by general consent throughout the State, the system was suffered to fall into dis- repute, and ut the outbreak of the late war Michigan was almost with- out treops.

" The 26th day of August, 1878, death removed from his companion- ship his faithful and devoted wife, who had followed him willingly to the wilds of the new country, and always did her part in sharing the difficulties and hardships incident to pioneer life. When he announced his determination to Icave Washtenaw County and plunge deeper into the wilderness, her reply was characteristic. She said, 'Go where you like, John; I will go with you.' She was a person of unusual sweetness of disposition, and in speaking of her her companion said, 'She was a woman who had no enemies.' They had six children, all of whom are living, except two. Their eldest son, Johnson, who was

HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

born Feb. 16. 1831, died July 29, 1851 Another son, Melvin, hern March 10, 1842, died August 13th of the same year. .. . "

Silas Loomis, from Batavia, Genesee Co., N. Y., settled in Jackson Co., Mich., Nov. 5, 1830, and in the early part of March, 1836, removed to Eaton County and settled on section 17, in the township of Hamlin. He was the sceond person who made his home in town, having been preceded but two months by John Montgomery. Mr. Loomis is now living at Eaton Rapids.

The first settler in the southeast part of the township was Stephen Reynolds, who came from Genesee Co., N. Y., and purchased land on section 35 in December, 1835, or early in 1836. In May, 1836, he came on with a brother and began improvements, the remainder of the family (wife and ten children) following in September. Five children were born to them in this town, the birth of Rufus H. Reynolds, now in business at Eaton Rapids with his brother, Isaac N. Reynolds, occurring April 13, 1838. Stephen Reynolds, who was a farmer by occupation, worked consid- erably also in saw-mills. He is now deceased. He was the first justice of the peace in the old township of Eaton.

The first religions service in the township was held at the house of Mr. Reynolds, in February, 1837, when a sermon was preached by Rev. William W. Crane, a Meth- odist minister, who was also the first supervisor of the township.

The first white child born in what is now the township of Hamlin was Edwin P., son of Benjamin Knight, whose birth occurred at Spicerville, March 22, 1837, his father being one of the pioneers of that place and of Eaton Rap- ids, and a prominent citizen. He settled at Spicerville in 1836, and in the following year moved to Eaton Rapids, where he opened the first stock of goods ever offered for sale at the latter place.

Daniel Bateman, who settled near Spicerville in 1836, is living upon the farm where he then located.

Alanson Harwood, a native of Massachusetts, and later a resident of Wyoming Co., N. Y., came from the latter to Michigan in 1838, with his wife and three children, reach- ing Dexter, Washtenaw Co., in March of that year. He lived for a short time also in Ann Arbor, and in 1839 removed to Eaton County. After remaining a few months three miles south of Eaton Rapids, he removed in 1840 to the village, settling in that portion lying in what is now the township of Hamlin. He built the first house which was erected in the village south of the race bridge, raising the frame by moonlight. That house is a part of his present residence, an addition having since been built to it. At the time Mr. Ilarwood located at Eaton Rapids it contained but six or eight houses. Benjamin Kuight was building a store when Mr. Harwood first saw the place (in 1839). Mr. Harwood has been identified with the government of the township and of the village in a prominent manner, and is at present in business in the latter.

The following article by Frederick Spicer, of Eaton Rapids, concerning the settlement of Spicerville, was pub- lished in 1875, in the Eaton Rapids Journal :

" FRIEND CULLEY,-Learning that you desired the old settlers of Eaton County to give a brief history of early days and the settle- ment of our county, I will attempt to pen what I know in the matter in my bumble way. Ieame lo Eaton County with my father (Ames

Spicer) and mother and two sisters, Mrs. Benjamin Knight and hus- band, Eunice J. Spicer, now wife of J. L. Holmes, of Jackson ; my unele, P. E. Spicer; and cousin, Daniel Bateman, all from Middle- bury, Portage Co., Ohio (except Benjamin Knight and wife, who were from Coshocton, Muskingum Co., Ohio). On the 3d day of June, 1836, landed at Spicerville about eight o'clock r.M., and found a double log house, which my father and unele, P. E. Spicer, Daniel Bateman, Benjamin Knight, Charles Hanehett and son, and others, had built, without a door or window, with puncheons for a floor belew, and box- wood bark for the upper floor, which material they procured from the forest without the help of a saw-mill, for there was no mill of any description nearer than Clinton, about fifty miles from us, nor even a neighbor nearer than twelve miles, save the red man's wigwam.

" Michigan was then a Territory, and without a road, except the old Clinton road, which my uncle, Samuel Hamlin, and C. C. Darliog had eut through from Clinton to the Thornapple River, in the north- west part of our county, the fall before, for the government, which had just been completed and accepted when father, P. E. Spicer, and Daniel Bateman arrived at Jackson, in the fall of 1835.

"Father told my uncle he had come out to look out a home, and would like to find a good water-power, as he proposed to build a su w- and grist-mill if he could find a desirable spot. Uncle Samuel and Mr. Darling told him that Grand River and Spring Broek were both good powers. So as soon as Aunt Lydia Ilolmes eould bake some pork and beans for the journey, cach took his grub and knapsack and started for the north woods, without any guide save the blazes the sur- veyor had made when the country was cut up into counties and towns. The party consisted of Amos Spicer, P. E. Spicer, Samuel Inmlin, Daniel Bateman, and C. C. Darling,# now of Lansing, and Daniel Bateman, who lives at Spicerville, on the land he located about forty years ago.

" They spent over a week wandering around the country, and looked over 1000 acres of land, making many pleasant farms, around Eaten Rapids, together with about 400 acres where Eaton Rapids now stands. Father heing a little moro fortunate than the rest of the party, being a master millwright, had earned quite a little lump of money at his trade, so you will find that where Eaten Rapids now stands considerable portions of the lands they selected were located by him, as the records will show. While wandering here in the wilds, with no knowledge of the country only as they found it out by tracing the surveyer's trail, when their grob was about all gone they were wandering on the lands now the farm of James I. Rogers, near the close of the day, when C. C. Darling, seeing a white-nsh tree that had fallen by the winds and splintered up some, invited them to stop and camp. They did so; and while they were fixing the fire and tent father said he would take the rifle and go over the hill and kill a turkey for supper, and, as good luck favored him, in a very short time they heard the craek of the rifle, and seon he returned with a nice wild turkey. In the mean time the rest of the party were gather- ing wood from the top of the tree, and found the tree, in falling, had broken off just above a nice swarm of bees, ond that the honey Iny inviting them to help themselves. Unele Samuel, being a good cook, served up the turkey in good style, roasting it hy the fire and swab- bing it with salt and water until it was seasoned and looked nicely. Thus you see when the provisions were nearly all gone, and on the last night of their soldiering, God in his goodness gave them a snmp- tuous supper. And they began to think that this was the land where milk and honey flowed so freely.

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History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 119

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