History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 124

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 124
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 124

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).

"The Grand River Indians, as they called themselves, were quite numerously represented until the summer of 1839, when they were principally removed farther west. Their 'big wigwam' was situated on the farm of John Nixon, in the township of Delta. From this rendezvous they used to spread over the genial forest, hunting, trap- ping, making sugar, and fishing in Grand River. At one or two tents in Delta they had over a thousand bark sap-buckets made in the In- dian manner of sewing the hark of the ash and elm together at the ends. Their trail from Grand River to the Thornapple was a little east of the present road, running south from Grand Ledge. They were civil in their intercourse with the settlers, but all of them most persistent beggars. Their chief was the celebrated Okemos, so well known to all old settlers.

" The road running north and south through Canada Settlement was among the first established in the township. On this road James Nixon and T. Walker Nichols built the first bridge over the Thorn- apple River at their own expense. The first wheat bread made in Oneida was wet up and baked by Martin Nichols, on the occasion of raising the first shanty. At that time Martin was pronounced a very good cook, especially in the bread line, but what his reputation has since been I am not able to say.

"The first lawsuit was tried at the school-house in Canada Settle- ment, and, like the majority of such cases, proved to be a bad affair ; the school-house taking fire was burned up with all its contents on the night following.

" The first framed house and barn were erected by S. W. Nichols, in the year 1840. Peter M. Kent and Nehemiah Clark were the boss carpenters of both house and barn.

" At the time of our first arrival wild game was not as abundant as it proved to be some seasons after. From the first there was a pan - ther, however, which gave the settlement a good deal of annoyance. He could give out any noise that might be imagined. His agility was most surprising. No squirrel could leap from one tree to another like this native puss. But whether he became tired of his Canadian asso- ciates, or whether he had a ' more eligible call,' no one could guess ; at any rate he made a very sudden und unexpected exit, to the inex- pressible joy of us all. Wolves were prevalent from the very begin- ning. These implacable gentry were altogether more unceremonious

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HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

thao our recent catship attendant. Their audacity would have put even some of our modern cheeky fellows to the blush. Approaching the very thresholds of our frail shanties, they would almost nightly give us n full specimen of their peculiar thunder. To this gratuitous compliment they would often add that of taking a few sheep from The very thresholds of our homes. I have often been in the woods alone, surrounded by numbers of these greedy monsters, when the whole forest was made to ring with their hideous howling voices. Boldness is their characteristio when at large, but when captured, like all thieving rogues, they are both mute and indisposed to self- defense.

"In the years '42, '43, and '44 deer were about as plenty as sheep are now. I have killed many of these peculiar denizens, by nature wild as the wildest though they are in their native haunts. Yet, un- like the speaking wolf, when caught nlive will fight to the bitter end. Of this trait I had some experimental proofs, particularly with an old veteran bock. Having shot him twice without killing him, he proposed to return the compliment. As soon as I found him making for me in right earnest, I managed to keep at the opposite side of n small tree. Taking my partner, not over politely, by the borns, with my arms astride the tree, I held on for dear life, knowing well my fate if I should lose my position. In this attitude the strife com- menced. The aim of my heroic companion wns to stab me with bis huge pointed horns, my object for the most part heing to prevent him. When an opportunity occurred for putting my knife into him, forgetting his head armor, he would then give me the benefit of bis heels. At times he would bring me to consider myself only second best. Through loss of blood, rather than courage, he at length yielded the palm of victory, when I had the honor, I cannot say satisfaction, of taking off his head. When dressed the earcass reached the weight of two hundred and ten pounds, being the largest deer I ever killed.

"We had two kinds of hears in the woods of Oneidn, the large, long-legged, brown-nosed species, and the short-legged black one. The bear, like some bipeds, is a great lover of pork; this seemed to be all of the flesh kind he cared about, and of this he was quite tenacious, to the frequent disadvantage of his new acquaintances. My mode was to take them in traps,-that is, when I could, though I did take quite a number in that way. There was one of these fellows, however, that knew too much for me. IInving killed a hog for my neighbor Lewis, in his absence, I was sent for with orders from Mrs. Lewis to go and capture him. So taking my young friend, Master George W. Nichols, with me as an assistant, I set the trap as usual. On the next morning we went for our bear. A light snow having fallen in the night, we encountered the well-known track on our way, and before reaching our trapping-grounds. Confident and elated with our ex- pectations, our disappointment and ehngrin were now the greater when we fonnd the fellow had taken the trap off some twenty feet, and, as if to convince us of his superiority, turned it bottom side up, and left it there unsprong. Enting what he wanted of the bait, he had very graciously retired. We tried him ngain for three successive nights, but to no purpose. On The fifth night, having set two traps instead of one, we caught him good by the ball of one foot. Carry- ing the ponderous trap to a log some distance away, he then pounded it off, leaving within its jaws the sinews of his leg, some eight inches long, and then made his escape.

" Unlike the wolf, when caught, the bear will fight to the very last breath. I have shot and trapped a large number of these animals, and have always found this to be un infallible trait. One morning, ns I was proceeding in considerahle haste to one of my bear-traps, I was accosted hy two of my clergy neighbors ns to the cause of my hurry. Answering that a bear was in my trap, they expressed a desire to go along and see the sport, so taking them with me, and walking a little ahead, I overheard their conversation. It pertaincd, of course, to the subject of bears,-about their reputed strength and courage. They appeared lo be quite skeptical as to these qualities,-thought they would like to take a hug with Mr. Bruin if they knew he wouldn't bite. After going about three miles we struck the trail. Letting my anxious dogs loose, I ran ahead of my reverend companions for the purpose of getting a shot, knowing there would be sharp work when the dogs reached the trap. Giving the bear a shot in the best place for crippling him,-the region of the kidneys,-the fight began. The lwo elders coming up and seeing the power, endurance, and grit of the bear, even in his crippled condition, their desire for n back-hold seemed to evaporate, the dogs and myself having the honor of con- docting the whole fight throughout.

" Ilaving myself the honor of being the first one of the settlers out of his minority, some young ladies thought to christen the event hy giving me a cold-water bath. Having discovered a pail of water in hand as they entered my room about daybreak, I knew mischief was nhead. As good luck would have it, Mr. L. Youngs was lodging with me, and was then occupying the front side of the bed. Mr. Youngs being a friend and practitioner of a life of single-blessedness, I thought it would not much injure bis reputation to take the approach- ing bath instead of myself. So just as the fatal pail was duly raised and about to pour, I threw up my hand, and thereby conducted the contents fairly upon my sleeping partner, to his great surprise and the sad disappointment of my feminine assailants. But my friend Youngs was none the less n bachelor, nor myself none the less out of my minority, on necount of this overt occurrence. However, it was some satisfaction to witness the half-denuded Youngs in his chase after the retreating violators of his rightful domain of blissful repose.

" On the first day of the year 1838 a few of us thought it would be no other than n pious duty to usher in the new year by giving it some proper tokens of our knowledge of its arrival. So, for the want of any better means, we decided to visit our several neighbors and treat them to a morning's sulute with our guns. Proceeding to execute this eminent duty, we passed around till all bnd answered with the re- sponse of wishing us n ' happy new year,' leaving for the last our much-respected friend nad neighbor, Mr. J. H. Nichols. Appreci- ating our attention he arose, and, supplying ns with an honorable place before bis ample fire, proceeded to pour ns ont n plentiful supply of his good old metheglin. Forgetting in a measure the charneter of the occasion, and imbibing more freely of neighbor Nichols' beverage than was prudent, I am sorry to confess that we all went home n good deal in the condition that Noah was after he had planted n vineyard."

In the month of June, 1839, the population of the town- ship was increased by the arrival at the Canadian Settlement of Freeman W. Nichols and a family of eleven persons, with Samuel Nixon, then a lad, and a hired man named John Brown, all from London, Canada West. The trip was made with four wagons and a drove of cattle and swine, which Mr. Nichols' son, George W. Nichols, was deputed to drive. The journey was attended with the usual adven- tures, and they finally rested in a log cabin eighteen feet square, which had been built for them by Mr. Nichols' brother. The building had no floor and was rather small for the accommodation of twelve persons. Mr. Nichols' sons, Jason and George, made a trip to mill in the fall after their arrival, getting twenty-five bushels of wheat at Capt. Scott's, where now is the village of De Witt, and going with it to Wacousta to get it ground in the small mill at that place. This mill contained a single " run" of stone, without bolt or screen. Four days after leaving home they started on their return, and met with numerous adventures on the way, the streams being high and facilities for cross- ing them not numerous, but finally reached home in safety.

l'eter M. Kent, a millwright by trade, and a native of Pennsylvania, after looking around for a desirable place to locate in New York and Ohio, came to Michigan in the spring of 1836, visiting numerous points in the southern part of the State. He had previously received an invita- tion from the Messrs. Newman, of Portland, Ionia Co., to come and build a mill for them, and finally went to that place, voyaging down the Looking-Glass River in a " dug- out," which shipped water at every slight turn, and finally upset at the rapids near Portland, spilling out Mr. Kent and his two companions, who all scrambled ashore with their effects and were kindly received by the inhabitants .*

" Mr. Kent is now residing nt Grand Ledge, as is also his brother, Francis M. Kent. Their father, Isaac Kent, came into the State in

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ONEIDA.

George Jones, Philander Parmenter, William Henry, Amadon Aldrich, and others of the early settlers occasion- ally indulged in the luxury of a bear-hunt, and this was especially the case on one occasion, when the four men mentioned followed a bear-which had unluckily got into a wolf-trap and carried it off-nearly to the site of the pres- ent city of Lansing, and after an exciting fight with the two dogs which they had along, his bearship was finally killed by a lucky shot from Mr. Jones' rifle. The earcass-a large one-was cut up, and each carried a portion of it home, where they arrived about sunset.

George Jones, from the State of New York, settled carly in Oakland Co., Mich. About 1840 he came to Oneida, but returned soon to Novi, Oakland Co., and did not make a final settlement here until 1848. He is still living in the township. His wife and the wife of L. H. Ion were sisters. Mr. Ion came from England when but seventeen years of age, and about 1841 or '42 settled in Oneida, where he be- came a prominent citizen. He afterwards removed to Char- lotte, and was well known throughout the county. He filled the position of county clerk, was long a member of the board of county superintendents of the poor, held nu- merous other official positions, and was widely and favorably known as one of the proprietors of the " Old Eagle Hotel" at Charlotte.

William Henry and Amadon Aldrich were early settlers in the same neighborhood with George Jones. The latter's son, G. Homer Jones, is the present recorder of the village of Grand Ledge, and supervisor of the township of Oneida.

Benjamin Covey, a native of Sandy Creek, Oswego Co., N. Y., emigrated to Michigan in 1835, and settled in the township of Brighton, Livingston Co., on the 25th day of May, in that year. He removed to Eaton County Nov. 29, 1845.

The settlers in Oneida, although foreed to endure much in the way of pioneer hardships, were not without the qualities which enabled them to enjoy the back woods life they led, and at the raisings, the town-meetings, the social gatherings, or in the chase, they found food for sport and merriment, and in this way they passed more easily over the rugged paths of their peculiar lives, and the survivors are staunch and worthy citizens.

RESIDENTS IN 1844.

The following were resident taxpayers in the township of Oneida in 1844, as shown by the assessment-roll for that year : Amadon Aldrich, Christian Hanney, Abner Hixson, Morris Johnson, Orange Johnson, John Viall, Jacob Dob- bins, John Sanders, Elijah Sanders, Erastus Fisher, Elias Eddy, Joel Bailey, Hilman Dobbins, Smith Johnson, Tru- man Johnson, Austin Wood, Royal Wood, Rufus Lovell, Lucius Benson, Henry A. Trench, David Sanders, Jr., Lyman Bennett, Launcelot H. Ior, Philander Parmenter,

George Jones, William Henry, John Russell, William Norton, Robert Starks, Peter Blasier, Solomon Russell, Henry Earl, Benjamin White, Samuel Preston, John Strange, George Strange, Edward MeMullen, Isaac Kind, Lydia Howser, Ambrose Preston, Abijah Huckins, Thomas Huckins, Henry Witherell, John Snyder, Robert Pointer, John Stanley, Hiram Marsh, Azariah Williams, Truman W. Nichols, Jason Nichols, Johnson Nichols, James H. Nichols, David Nichols, George Kibbey, Robert Nixon, James Nixon, James Taylor, Isaac C. Ludden.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION .- LIST OF OFFICERS.

An act of the Michigan Legislature, approved March 6, 1838, reads :

" All that portion of the county of Eaton designated in the United States survey as towoships Nos. 3 and 4 north, of ranges 3 and 4 west, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Oneida; and the first township-meeting shall be held at the house of Truman W. Nichols, in said township."#

As will be seen, the original township of Oneida in- eluded the four surveyed townships constituting the north- east quarter of Eaton County. Feb. 16, 1842, Oncida was cut in two, and the east half formed into two new town- ships, named Delta, and Windsor. March 9, 1843, its territory was further reduced by the formation, from the south half of the remaining portion, of the township of Tom Benton, afterwards changed to Benton. This left Oneida to include the same as at present, viz., town 4 north, of range 4 west. The township was not represented at the first county convention, held March 7, 1838, as it had been organized only the day previous.

The proceedings of the first township election appear as follows on the town record : "Pursuant to an act of the Legislature of the State of Michigan, authorizing town- ships 3 and 4, in ranges 3 and 4, by the name of Oneida, to hold a township-meeting at the house of Truman W. Nichols, for the election of township officers, the taxable inhabitants of said township assembled on the 2d day of April, 1838, and appointed Erastus Ingersoll moderator, Addison Hayden and Samuel Preston clerks, John Slater and Truman W. Nichols receivers of votes for said meet- ing. The following persons was elected for township offices for the ensuing year, viz .: Supervisor, Addison Hayden ; Town Clerk, James H. Nichols ; Assessors, Samuel Pres- ton, Jacob Dobbins, Daniel Chadwick ; Commissioners of Highways, Addison Hayden, Jason Nichols, Abraham Lewis ; Inspectors of Primary Schools, Erastus Ingersoll, Erastus S. Ingersoll, Moses Ingersoll ; Justices of the Peace, Addison Hayden, Samuel Preston, Truman W. Nichols, Jacob Dobbins; Collector, Alonzo Baker; Con- stables, Alonzo Baker, Robert Nixon ; Poormasters, T. W. Nichols, E. S. Ingersoll.

It was " Voted, That hogs be restrained from running at

1837, and settled in Oneida township, March 1, 1838, when Francis was but little past ten years of age. Peter also came here, in 1838, with his parents, after having completed his work at Portland. He subsequently returned to Portland, where he resided twelve years, and in 1852 again settled in Oneida. He was engaged in milling while at Portland. In 1861 he removed from his farm to Grand Ledge.

# In the winter of 1836-37, Almeron Newman, William Ilenry, Lyman Beonett, Abner Hixson, John Bennett, and Peter M. Kent petitioned the Legislature to set off town 4 north, in range 4 west, as a separate township, to be named Friendship ; but, as a township ex- isted elsewhere by the same name, that of Oneida was adopted by the Legislature, anl the territory organized as stated under that name.

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HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

large ;" also, " Voted, That this meeting be adjourned until the first Monday in April next at the house of Truman W. Nichols."

A special meeting was held April 21, 183S. to elect offi- cers to fill vacancies, and the following were chosen : Town Clerk. Erastus S. Ingersoll ; Commissioners of Highways, R. C. Sisson, Jason Nichols ; Assessors, Samuel Preston, E. S. Ingersoll ; School Inspectors, Moses Ingersoll, Erastus Ingersoll, Erastus S. Ingersoll ; Overseers of the Poor, T. W. Nichols, Orange Towsley; Justices of the Peace, Oramel D. Skinner, four years; Truman W. Nichols, three years; Addison Hayden, two years; Samuel Preston, one year. At this meeting it was voted to raise thirty dollars with which to purchase stationery for the use of the town- ship, and fifty dollars for the support of the poor. Jan. 26, 1839, a special meeting of the township board was held, and John Strange was appointed township clerk, and Daniel Chadwick commissioner of highways, to fill vacan- cies. In 1839 it was voted to raise $500 to build a bridge across Grand River at Ingersoll's mills, also to pay a bounty of two dollars each on all wolves killed by actual settlers of the township. It appears the bridge proposed was not built in 1839, as in 1841 the sum of $250 was voted for the same purpose and at the same place. In 1842 it was voted to raise $150 towards building a bridge across Grand River on the line between Eaton and Clinton Counties. The bridge was not erected, and the sum was transferred to other purposes the following year. In 1840 the place of holding township-meetings was changed from the house of T. W. Nichols to the school-house in District No. 1. The following is a list of the principal officers of the township from 1839 to 1879, inelusive :

SUPERVISORS.

1839, Addison Hayden ; 1840-42, T. W. Nichols ; 1843-44, Erastus Fisher ; 1845, George Jones ;# 1846-47, Ephraim Stockwell; 1848, L. Il. Ion; 1849-52, Smith Johnson; 1853, George Jones ; 1854, Smith Johnson; 1855, Thomas B. Lamb; 1856, George Jones; 1857, Smith Johnson; 1858, Ephraim Stockwell; 1859, - Smith Johnson ; 1860, Abram De Groff; 1861, Samuel Chadwick ; 1862, Robert Nixon ; 1863, l'eter M. Kent; 1864, George Jones ; 1565, George W. Nichols ; 1866, Peter M. Kent ; 1867-71, Chaen- cey Goodrich ; 1872-75, George Jones; 1876-78, Orange Johnson ; 1879, G. Homer Jones.

TOWN CLERKS.

1839-40, John Strango; 1841, Azariah Williams; 1842, John Strange ; 1813-46, Launeclot II. Ion ; 1847, Orange Johnson ; 1848, Georgo W. Nichols ; 1849-52, George Jones ; 1853, Reuben Wood; 1854- 60, Samuel Chadwick ; 1861, James A. Wickham ; 1862, Edmund S. Traey ; 1863-69, Samuel Chadwick ; 1870, Alfred D. Sprague ; 1871, Jonathan S. Holines; 1872, George W. Irish; 1873-74, Orange Johnson; 1875. Edwin A. Mend; 1876, Charles T. Rus- sell; 1877, John W. Fitzgerald ; 1878, S. L. Morely ; 1879, E. S. Hammond.

TREASURERS.

1839, James Il. Nichols; 1840, Samuel Preston ; 1811, John Strange ; 1842, William Johnson;+ 1843-41, Isaac C. Ludden ; 1845-47, Smith Johnson ; 1848-49, Ephraim Stockwell; 1850, Thomas B. Lamb; 1831-32, Reuben Wood; 1853-54, George W. Nichols; 1855-57, Orange Johnson; 1858, James M. Clark; 1859, Orango Johnson ; 1860, Abram D. Ilixson; 1861, Michacl V. Hamill; 1862, Abrain D. Ilixson; 1863, M. V. Hamill; 1864-65, A. D.

* Removed, and George Strange appointed to fill the vacancy.

1 Resigned, and Azariah Williams appointed to fill vacancy.

llixson ; 1866, Chauncey Goodrich; 1867, Orange Johnson ; IS68-76, Truman Johnson ; 1877, Calvin Johnson; IS78-79, W. W. Babcock.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1839, Jacob Dobhins, Oramel D. Skinner; 1840, D. R. Carpenter, B. F. Bailey ; 1841, Azariah Williams; 1842, James 11. Nichols, Hosea Ilovey, Peter M. Kent, John Vin]] ; 1843, L. II. Ion, Tru- man Johnson; 1844. T. Johnson, Samuel Preston; 1845, John Strange, Ephraim Stockwell, T. W. Nichols, Jocl Bailey ; 1846, Martin Nichols; 1847, L. II. Ion, Augustus Barker ; 1848, J. II. Waldo, Moses Bench; 1849, G. Jones, R. K. Stark, R. Lovell ; 1850, E. Stockwell, Amadon Aldrich : 1851, E. Lamson, J. II. Waldo; 1852, George W. Nichols; 1853, W. D. Brown, Robert Nixon ; 1854, E. Stockwell, George Jones; 1855, E. Lamson, Daniel O'Neil ; 1856, Daniel O'Neil; 1857, Samuel Chadwick ; 1858, Robert Pointer; 1859, Ephraim Stockwell; 1860, Martin Nichols, George Jones; 1861, Milton P. Burteh ; 1862, Sidney Frary, Ilenry Quaile; 1863, Samuel Chadwick; 1864, Martin Nichols; 1865, J. A. Wickham, Charles Kennedy ; 1866, Julius A. Squier ; 1867, Samuel Chadwick ; 1868, Charles Kennedy, Ira W. Eoos; 1869, Ira W. Enos; 1870, Julius A. Squier; 1871, Samuel Chadwick ; 1872, Charles Kennedy ; 1873, J. L. MePeek, J. A. Squier, S. Chadwick, Ira W. Enos; 1874, J. M. Clark, J. L. McPeek, S. Chadwick, Edwin Nixon ; 1875, S. Chadwick, M. P. Burtch, N. G. Watson, G. W. Nichols; 1876, Charles F. Bax- ter; 1877, Charles F. Baxter, Milton P. Burtch, Samuel S. Chad- wiek, Andrew Mitchell; 1878, Georgo B. Brown; 1879, George W. Irish.

The following township officers were elected for 1880 : Supervisor, G. Homer Jones ; Town Clerk, E. S. Ham- mond ; Treasurer, E. J. Stark ; Justice of the Peace, George W. Nichols ; Township Superintendent of Schools, J. V. Jones; School Inspector, Frauk A. Taber ; Commis- sioner of Highways, Herman Backus; Drain Commissioner, George W. Gates; Constables, Wesley Stroble, Emmet Cole, Charles M. Derbyshire, J. W. Gladding.

VILLAGE OF GRAND LEDGE.

The village of Grand Ledge occupies a most picturesque location on both banks of Grand River, and derives its name from the river and the sandstone, which is here cut down to a depth of forty feet or more. When the subject of a name for the place was brought up, several were pro- posed in honor of the prominent citizens, but Reuben Wood said, " Let us have a local name," and that of Grund Ledge was finally adopted as being most appropriate.

Ileury Trench and Edmund Lamson were the first settlers upon the site of the village, and the latter was the first permanent resident, Mr. Trench having left the vicinity after a few years; he is now residing in Con- necticut. Mr. Lamson, who is yet living here, first eame in 1847 to look at some land he had purchased, and at that time found Mr. Trench and his wife housed under a small and rather cheaply-constructed shanty. Mr. Trench, who moved around from place to place, owned about forty acres here, and was well known throughout the community. He was wont to remark that " his father sent him to college to learn to tinker." Ile possessed a fine education, but its application towards earning a livelihood was not of concern to him, and as a " tinker" he was best known among the people. He was at Grand Ledge several different times, but never remained long.

Edmund Lamson made a final settlement on the site of the village, Oet. 28, 1848. Ilis nearest neighbors were

MRS. DIANTHA LAMSON.

MR.EDMUND LAMSON.

RES. OF EDMUND LAMSON ESQ. INTERSECTION OF WEST JEFFERSON, SPRING AND SCOTT STS. GRAND LEDGE EATON CO. MICH.

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ONEIDA.

John W. Russell, who lived a mile and a half west ; David Taylor, about the same distance north, in Eagle township, Clinton Co .; and Peter Brazier, about two miles south.

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History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 124

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