History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 129

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 129
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 129

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 following vetes and resolutions have been passed at the regu- lar meetings of the coleny, and are binding upon its members :

"1. Voted, That a committee of twe be appointed whose duty it shall be to make inquiry concerning the character of individuals who may wish to unite with the colony, and no person shall be ad- mitted without the consent of this committee. (S. Cochrane and I. C. Colver were appointed a standing committee for this purpose.)

" 2. Voted, That three agents be appointed to go into the Western country and select a suitable location for the use of the colony, and purchase the same. (Col. J. B. Scovill, of Orwell, Deacon S. S. Church, of Sudbury, and Wm. G. Henry, of Bennington, were ap- pointed a standing committee for this purpose .* )

"3. Voted, That we hereby authorize eur agents to purchase fer the use of the colony three miles square, or 5760 acres, and as much more as they may have funds to purchase.

" 4. Voted, That the land, when purchased, be laid out by the agents so as to conform as nearly as the location and other circumstances will permit to the schedule adopted by the colony.

"5. Voted, That no individual member of the colony shall be allowed to take more than one farm let ef 160 acres, and one village let of ten acres, within the limits of the settlement.

"6. Voted, That the agents he authorized to take a duplicate or cer- tificate of the purchased lands in the name of the committee for rais- ing funds ; and the said committee shall hold the said lands in their possession until the first Monday in October, 1836, at which time the land shall be distributed among the settlers, according to some plan on which they may theo agree; the village lots, however, may be taken up by the settlers when they first arrive, each ene taking his choice of the unoccupied lots.

"7. Voted, That each individual shall be obligated to settle the lot which he takes by the first of October, 1837, and in case of delinquency in this respect both the village and the farm let may be seld to some other person, in which case the purchase money shall be refunded by the agents of the colony, with interest frem the time it was paid.

" 8. Voted, That each of the settlers, when he unites with the celeny, shall advance $212.50, for which he shall be entitled to a farm let ef 160 acres and a village lot of ten acres, to be assigned to him accord- ing to the rules of the colony; and if any settler shall find himself unable to advance this sum, he may pay in $106.25, for which he shall be entitled to a farm lot of eighty acres and ene half of a village let ; and in case ne money is paid before the departure of the agents, those who are delinquent shall give a note to the committee for raising funds, payable en the 25th day of June next, with interest for three months.

"9. Voted, That each settler, when he receives a deed of his village lot, shall give a note to the agents of the celeny, payable in two years frem the first of September, 1836, fer the sum of twenty-five dollars, and this sum shall be appropriated towards defraying the expenses of building a meeting-house for the use of the colony.

" 10. Voted, That an eighty-acre lot be reserved for a parsonage, eut of the purchase, to be selected by the agents.

"11. Voted, That our agents keep a regular bill of their necessary expenses, from the time they start until they have made a purchase and surveyed the village lots, and the colony pay one-half of said expenses.

" We, whose names are hereto annexed, do hereby pledge enrselves that we will willingly conform to all the articles and votes of the colony as contained above.

" The above and foregoing finally adepted March 28, 1836, at Cas- tleton, Vt.

# For year of purchase see list of land entries.

518

HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Names.

Residence.

Occupation.

Rev. Sylvester Cochrane ....

Poultney ..

. Clergymao.

Isaac C. Colver.

. Farmer.

Hiram J. Mears

Wheelwright.

Levi Miller, Jr.

Farmer.

S. S. Church

Sudbury.

Jacob Fuller.

Bennington

Cooper.

Orin Dickinson

West Haven

Farmer.

Elijah S. Mead.

West Rutland 44

Wait J. Squier

New Haven ..

Tanner and Currier.

Josiah B. Seevill.

Orwell

.Farmer.

Stephen D. Scovill.

Simeon MeOtter

Cabinet-maker.

Elial M. Bond

Castleton

Chair-maker.

Thaddeus Tengle.

Farmer.

William S. Fairfield

. Printer.

Ezra Clark.

Granville, N. Y .. Tailor.

Sidney B. Gatea

Brandon, Vt. Farmer.

Frederick Freeman

Clarendon.

Daniel Barber.

Benson

Merchant.

William S. Bascomb.

Sudhury

Castleton Farmer.

Martin S. Norton

Bennington Blacksmith.

Dewey H. Robinson

Physicino.

Ferron Parker ..

Castleton Merchant.

Royal B. Towslee.

Joseph Hawkins

Farmer.

Bezaleel Taft ..

Bennington. Machinist.

William C. Fonda

Bellevue, Mich .. . Farmer.

Reuben S. Haskell

Student.

Belcher Atheam

Farmer.

Roger Griswold

Beason, Vt ....

E. H. Barber

Granville, N. Y ...... Physician.

Albert M. Hoyt

Castleton, Vt ....... Farmer.

Silas C. Smith

Bellevue, Mich.

W. R. Martin.

Bennington, Vt ........ Surveyor.

E. M. Avery.

. Hudson, N. Y ..

.. Farmer.

Willard Davis

Bellevue, Mich.

Oliver J. Stiles.

George S. Browning.

Charlos Imus ..

Dorset, Bennington Co., Vt.

"According to previous arrangement, William G. Henry and S. S. Church left Vermont, April 2, 1836, to select and make the purchase as directed, Col. J. B. Scovell not accompanying them. We met at Troy, N. Y., and started on our expedition by stage. The roads nad traveling were extremely bad, and much of the way we made but two miles an hour; consequently, we were obliged to travel night and day, which was very fatigning. We spent the first Sabhath at Auburn, N. Y. Wait J. Squier, one of the colonists, joined us in Western New York, and proceeded with us on our journey. Our ex- pectation was to go through Canada, hut on arriving nt Lewiston we were advised not to attempt to go that way on account of the state of the roads. Accordingly, we changed our course and went to Buffalo. Lake Erie was frozen over, so we continued our journey by stage up the south side of the lake to the town of Erie, in Peonsylvania. Here we found the southern shore of the lake so cleared of ice that a boat was to start fer Detroit in a day or two. The traveling was so bad and fatiguing that we concluded to wait for the hoat. We arrived safely at Detroit, but were obliged to wait a day and night for the atage. Here again we found bad roads, open wagons, and were much fatigued; but we arrived safely at Battle Creek, where I stopped with friends to recruit and make inquiries. Messra. Henry and Squier went on to Kalamazoo. As agreed, I met them at Kalamazoo at a specified time. I returned to Battle Creek and arranged for an ex- ploring expedition ; they went to Grand Rapids for the same purpose. I obtained a guide, and, one or two of the colonists having arrivod, we explored Barry County as far as Middleville, thence up the Thora- apple River some distance east of Hastings, and returned to Battle Creek without accomplishing onr object. We hecame almost dis- conraged. We had the funds of over thirty individuals, each contain- ing the same amount, and of course each claiming a like quantity and quality of lands, and theso contiguous. We found it very difficult to find a tract of land of the quality needed, unbroken hy marshes, swampa, or ' cat-holes,' as they were called. Our desire was to secure a location of oak-oponings, but we found all such choice lands taken up.

" While I was recruiting at Battle Crook I saw Col. Barnes, of Gull Prairie, who surveyed Eaton County, and who was a proprietor in Charlotte (as he said). Ile informed me that the amount of Innd which was wanted, if not already taken, might be found in this town. IIe advised me to go to the land-office, and he would meet me there the next day, which be did. I obtained a plat, and found only one lot

taken in the town. I also found n letter from Messrs. Henry and Squier, informing me where to find them. They, together with two or three colonists who had arrived, were exploring the southwest part of Ionia County, but rendezvoused nt Middleville. I repaired to Middleville, and at night our company came in. They examined my plat, and we concluded to go to Eaton County. The next morn- ing I made out an application for land enough to cover the amount we wanted, sent one of our number to the land-office with my appli- cation, while the rest of us went to Battle Creek to make arrange- ments to explore the town. Here we found two or three more of the newly-arrived colonists. We were nearly two dnys procuring an out- fit and getting to our destination. The third day we explored the town, running nearly every section-line. All were satisfied with the land. We then went to Kalamazoo, and on the 27th of May, 1836, I took up the amount of the colony purchase, also about twenty lots over and above that for members of the colony and others. We then returned to the purchase and selected the south half of seetion 21 for the village. W. J. Squier had his surveying implements with him, so that we were enahled to lay out the village, which we did agree- ably to instructions. Those of us who were present selected our vil- lage lots and marked them on our plat.

" W. J. Squier, W. S. Fairfield, Samuel and Charles Sheldon, Levi Merrill, Charles T. Moffitt, and others stayed and commenced chopping and clearing. They also built a house for the use of the colonists as they arrived, and houses for themselves. I returned to Vermont to make arrangements for removing my family. During the summer, Bezaleel Taft moved in with his family. Reuben Sanford, having purchased a lot adjoining the colony, moved in with his wife and one child, and soon after his wife had a son, which was the first child born in the colony. During the fall, Jacob Fuller and wife, Elijah S. Mead and wife, Jay Hawkins, wife and child, and Mrs. Fairfield arrived. On the first Monday in October, being the third of the month, agree- able to the articles of the colony, a large number of the colonists as- sembled at the colony house, and after prayer by the Rev. Mr. Cochrane they proceeded to distribute the lands agreeable to the ninth resolution of the articles of said colony. As there had been expenses incurred, and others would accrue, it was voted to appoint a committee to make an assessment upen these farm lots which, by location, were most desirable and valuable, sufficient to raise the sum of $400. This was done. They then voted to distribute the farm lots hy let, and each man drew and was satisfied. Several of the colonista remained, Orrin Dickinson with two hired men and others. W. J. Squier returned to Vermont for his family. I arrived at Battle Creek with my family of six children about the middle of November, 1836. Some idea can be formed of the state of the roads and travel- ing at that time, when I say that it took nine days to come from De- troit to Battle Creek by wagon. In the month of January, 1837, I removed my family into the colony house. The aleighing was good and we got along very well. The sugar season in 1837 was very good and favorable to the colonists. In the fall of 1837 several colo- niats arrived from the East, and among them was the Rev. Mr. Coch- -rane.

"The state of the roada from Bellevue, fourteen miles from our settlement, was such as to give rise to many hardships and trials of patience. This was our only ingress and egress, and being only un- derhrushed out, and passing over many low, wet places, they soon became cut up by teams into deep mud, and many places were almost impassable. Some families were compelled to camp out in the woods overnight. Then, again, the Thornapple River overflows the hottom- lands in the spring of the year, and although there was a bridge across the river, it was sometimes impossible to get to and from it with teams, or on foot except by wading. In the month of April, 1837, W. J. Squier arrived nt the bottoms of Thornapple River with his family just at night. The water was ao high they could not cross with their team, nor could the family get over. Our people having learned their situation, R. W. Griswold and W. S. Fairfield took pro- visiona and waded over to them, and took them to an Indian shanty not far off, where they stayed overnight. The next morning Mr. Gris- wold ferried Mrs. Squier and their youngeat child across in a small dug-out, or log canoo,-a distance of some sixty rods. During the day tho toam and their goods were got over. During this month the Rev. Calvin Clark, of Marshall, having formed an acquaintance with several of the colonists, eame and spent two nights and one day, and preached the first sermon in the colony. In February, 1863, the church celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of its organization,

Orson Fuller.

Dorset.

Jay Hawkins.

Leonard Root.

519

VERMONTVILLE.

and Rev. Calvin Clark preached the sermon. In the month of March, 1837, the wife of E. S. Mead sickened and died very suddenly. There was no physician to be had; the ladies did what they could for her, but in vain. This solemn event cast a gloom over the scttle- ment.

" The wolves were very plenty, but never caused us much damage except taking aome young piga and some fowls. I think they killed one calf. Their bowlinge and serenades at times were amusing, at othere annoying, especially when persons were a mile or two from home after dark, and escorted by a full band of them, even at a reapectful distance. We often found that they followed us when we went to a neighbor'a in the evening, but unseen by us.

"During this season Samuel S. Hoyt, who lived six miles from any white inhabitant, and whose wife had not seen a white woman for several months at a time, brought his wife on an ox-sled to the colony, and after two or three weeks returned home, rejoicing in the possession of a fine daughter to cheer the loneliness of his forest- home. Nor was this an isolated case. One from Chester occurred the same season, and not long after one from a remote part of our towe.

"The Indians, from whom our people used to obtain venison, fish, etc., by exchanging provisions for them, resided in our vicinity much of the time for several yeara. They were never troublesome. One, who called himself chief of the Pottawattomics in this part of the State, by the name of Sawby, used to be here a great deal, became enamored of a young lady, and went so far as to make proposals to her father. He proposed to give him four ponies and twenty-five dollars shumaugh, or five ponies. When she objected he exclaimed, ' You no think me handsome!' Ile was so much in earnest about it that some entertained fears that he would attempt to steal her, but these fears were groundless. Several families of Indians came from Canada and established themselves in our town, where they spent about a year. They were much more civilized than the natives. In their dress and habits they imitated the whites. They hunted and trapped during the hunting season ; could talk good English. The aquaws were neatly dressed, and exhibited much skill in needle-work. Out of the hunting season the men took jobs of chopping by the acre or cord, and chopped a great many acres of timber. Most of them were very devoted Christians, held Sabbath and weekly meetings, and frequently attended our church on the Sabbath. During their atay here a squaw died. One of their men made a coffin, and they desired a Christian burial. It so happened that Rev. Mr. Day, a Methodist preachor, who had been a missionary in the region of Mackinaw, was laboring with the Methodist Church in this town at the time. He was sent for, and came to our church and preached the funeral sermon, by an interpreter. Several of the native Indians attended. Our people went with aleighs to their wigwams and brought the corpse and In- dians to our church, and after the funeral sermon carried the remains and the friends to our burying-ground, and assisted in the burial. The corpse was clothed in a very nice white shroud, handsomely worked, with ecolloped edges.

" In the fall of 1836, Orin Dickinson came from Bellevue, with his horse-team, to the colony. The road was not much more than a trail, underbrushed out so as to allow a team to be driven through. There was deep mud, as none of the wet places were as yet bridged. It was difficult to drive a team through in daylight, as only one or two wagons had passed over the road. R. W. Griswold started to drive the team back to Bellevue. Night overtook him while yet in the wooda, and he found it impossible to follow the track. Ile stopped his team, and endeavored to find the wagon-tracks by searching in different direc- tions and feeling with his hands, and even getting down on his kneea, but all in vain. Supposing himself not far from Bellevue, he ven- tured to halloo, and waa quickly responded to by a wolf. Again he called, and others of the wolf-tribe answered in different directions. Having unhitched his team and tied them to the wagon, he seated himself in it, and with gun in hand quietly awaited and listened to the increasing performers, until it culminated in a grand wolf-chorus, more awe-inspiring, more aoul-stirring, more heart-thrilling to him than would have been the grand anvil chorus of the famous Boston Peace Jubilee of a much later date. The wolves manifeated their sympathy for the lonely traveler by continuing to cheer the gloomy boure of the whole night with their hideous, heart-thrilling melody.

"About a year after the firat settlement of the town Truman Rogers went with his wife and one or two young children in a one-horse wagon to Sunfield to visit Mrs. Rogers' mother, who resided with her son, W. A. Wells. Mr. Rogers returned with his horse and wagen to Verment-

ville. Soon after he left Mr. Welle', his son, Frederick Rogers, a boy not five years old, slipped out without his mother's knowledge and attempted to follow his father. As soon as he was missed search was made by the family, but he could not be found nor any trace of him. Night came on and still he was missing. The father was notified, and what few inhabi- tants there were in the vicinity collected next morning and searched through the day, and no trace of him was found. The next morning the search was renewed, and this day traces of him were diacovered where he had picked berries. On arriving at the Ionia road, a mile or more west of Mr. Wells' house, his tracks were discovered. He had crossed the read more than once. But night came on and they were compelled to relinquish the search, which was renewed the next morning. Reuben Sanford, who lived a mile and a half west of Ver- montville, started to go in search of the lost boy on horseback through the woods to the place where it was agreed the search was to begin. He proceeded leisurely along through the dense forest and underbrush a mile and a half or more, when he was accosted by ' Howah !' and turning his eyes in the direction of the voice, there stood the lost boy, who then said, 'I've been to grandma's; where's father ?' Sanford took the child on his horse and hastened with as much speed as possi- ble to relieve the sorrowing parents. The mosquitoes had lived upon him, as his flesh gave unmistakable evidence. That boy lives in town now, and has a family.

" As I have already stated, sometimes the Thornapple River rises quite rapidly, and sometimes our cattle used to cross over in the spring of the year, when the water was over the road. They would wade to the bridge, go over and feed through the day, and return at night. Mr. Fairfield's cattle waded across one morning; the water rose very rapidly through the day ; just before sunset the cattle came to the river, crossed the bridge, and commenced wading on the cross- way. Soon the action of the water, together with that of the cattle, began to displace the logs, which floated, so that the hindmost cattle were very much troubled to get along. The last one was a milch cow. She struggled along, sometimes plunging into the water, nearly swimming deep, then again finding logs that had not floated, suc- ceeded in advancing a little and down she would go again, until nearly exhausted. About midway of the crossway were two oak logs about four feet in diameter ; these were higher than the others, and remained out of the water and did not float. The cow succeeded in gaining a position on these logs. On the other side all were afloat, and she was too much exhausted to proceed any farther. The next morning feed was carried to her in a boat; she was milked, and for several days she stayed on those two logs, being fed and milked, until the water suhsided.

"The first brick house in Vermontville was built hy R. W. Gris- weld. . . . The job was taken by Loren Chadwick, of Battle Creek, who arrived, with his hands, on Monday. The house is two stories, good height and size. Tuesday morning the masons commenced the stonework. Saturday afternoon of the same week the stonework, containing 130 perches, was completed. On the Sabbath-day they attended church, and on Monday morning commenced the brickwork. On Saturday of the same week, at noon, the brick portion of the structure was complete, and the masons had laid between 50,000 and 55,000 brick. In the afternoon the hands returned to Battle Creek, having been gone a little less than two weeks."

In July, 1838, Rev. Miles P. Squier, of Geneva, N. Y., came to Vermontville on a visit to his brother, W. J. Squier. He stayed over Sunday and preached for Mr. Cochrane, and also baptized the six children of his brother.

A renowned bear-hunt occurred in the fall of 1839, all the men and boys in the place turning out to aid in Bruin's destruction, to pay for his numerous depredations. He was finally killed, after a desperate struggle, and his skin was sold for four dollars, with which sum books enough to start a Sabbath-school library were purchased.

The first frame house in the town was built by W. J. Squier, and was occupied by him until the fall of 1869, when he met his death, resulting from erysipelas getting into a bruised arm, injured in preparing material for a new house. After his death his plans for a building were car-

520

HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

ried out, and the old house was replaced by a fine brick structure.

Below is given a plan of the original lots in the village, with the names of the owners :*

Imus.

Towslee.

Bascom.

Joy.

Parker.

Barber.

Jay Hawkins.

Fairfield.

More.

Root.

Merrill.

Terrill.

Robinson & P.

Clark.

Mears.

Warner & Bond.

J. Scovill.

M. P. Squier.

J. Hawkins.

Selden.

Taft.

Hoyt.

Norton & Warner.

J. Fullor.

Church.

Henry.

Warner.

Fowler.

Squier.

Moffitt.

McOtter.

Mead.

Scovill.

Martin.

Colver.

Cochrane.

The records of the County Pioneer Society furnish the following facts :

Edward W. Barber, born in Benson, Rutland Co., Vt., settled at Vermontville, Oct. 8, 1839. Mr. Barber's " gross weight" is stated on the record as 185 pounds, and that is sufficient proof of a literally " solid man."

Willard Davis, a native of Princeton, Worcester Co., Mass., settled in the township of Vermontville in the fall of 1837, and has witnessed the many wonderful changes which have since taken place around him.

George S. Browning, a native of Griswold, New London Co., Conn., settled at Bellevue, Eaton Co., Mich., in June, 1836, and in October, 1837, removed to Vermontville, where he died July 26, 1874. His widow (now Mrs. R. W. Gris- wold) is one of the oldest lady residents of the place, but two or three having lived here a greater length of time.

George W. Squier, a native of Addison Co., Vt., came to Vermontville when a boy, in April, 1837. Has since resided here, except during about four years spent in California.

Martin L. Squier, same nativity as above, settled in Vermontville at the same time.

Daniel Barber, a native of Benson, Rutland Co., Vt., settled in this town Oct. 6, 1839.

R. W. Griswold, same nativity, settled at Vermontville in October, 1836.

Rev. William U. Benedict was born in Stamford, Fair- field Co., Conn., and in 1810, when two years old, removed with his parents to Cayuga Co., N. Y. In September, 1829, he graduated at Williams College, Massachusetts, and at Auburn Theological Seminary in August, 1832. For ten years he labored in the ministry in Central New York, and on the 23d of May, 1843, settled at Vermont- ville, Eaton Co., Mich. During the remainder of his life he resided at Vermontville and Olivet, engaged in preach- ing, teaching, and a portion of the time in superintending a farm. Ile died in 1875.

S. S. Church,t a native of Salisbury, Addison Co., Vt.,

was one of the three who located the " Union Colony" in May, 1836; after the village was surveyed he returned to Vermont, and in November of that year brought his family to Battle Creek, Calhoun Co., removing to Vermontville in January, 1837.

Simeon McOtter, born in Benson, Rutland Co., Vt., settled in Eaton County in June, 1836, as one of the members of the Vermontville colony. He had visited Michigan in 1827, but returned to Vermont and remained until the colony was formed. His first trip to the State was in company with a family which was moving with an ox-team, and three days were occupied on the road between Detroit and Plymouth. Ann Arbor contained but few houses, and Monroe was in its infaney, with the road to Detroit almost wholly impassable.

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History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 129

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