History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 53

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 53
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 53

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).

John Hudson, since deceased, located on section 7 in 1838; Jacob Dubois on section 36, in the spring of 1838; and Garret Dubois, afterwards of Bunker IIill township, in the same year on section 35. Jacob Dubois also removed to Bunker Iliil, and is now deceased. Stephen Dubois, also deceased, settled in Alaiedon in 1838, as did Mat- thew Dubois.

Nathaniel Blain settled on section 17 in the spring, and Horace Haven on section 21 in the winter, of 1838. Other settlers in 1838 were P. Phillips and Major Bentley. In March, 1839, A. Dobie settled on section 10, and in the same year Isaac Finch settled on section 14, and Nathan Davison on section 15.

Conrad Dubois and John Douglass arrived in 1840, and during 1841 the following persons became residents of the township : Lewis Kent, on section 25 ; Daniel Stillman, in February, on section 3, died in March, 1862; and William Manning. John Asseltine settled in 1842, David Finch in 1843, and R. Tryon previous to 1844.

The first white child born in the township was Mary Strickland, daughter of Joel B. Strickland, her birth occur- ring July 19, 1837. She became the first wife of Rev. A. Clough. The first death was that of Mrs. James Phillips, in June, 1837. Elders Breckenridge and Jackson, the first ministers who preached in the township, held services in 1837. William Lewis was the first postmaster, ap- pointed in 1839.

Lemuel Pierce, a native of Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., set- tled in Alaiedon township in 1840 with his parents, John and Mary Pierce, who are both deceased.

Ephraim Longyear, a native of Shandaken, Ulster Co., N. Y., and now a prominent citizen of Lansing, wrote as follows in 1874:

" I came into Michigan with my father.# His name was Peter Longyear, and he was killed by the fall of a tree at Alaiedon, aged sixty-one years. .. . When we came into this county it was very new and had but few inhabitants. I taught school the first years in sev- eral parts of the county,-viz., at Mason, four miles south of Mason, at Ingham, and at Unadilla. When the capital was located, in 1847, I came to Lansing and taught the first school at the middle town. Lansing bas been my home ever since. Have practiced law several years ; am now a banker."

Capt. Joseph P. Cowles, a native of New Hartford, Litchfield Co., Conn., and later a resident of Chenango Co., N. Y., and Chardon, Ohio, in 1843 moved with his family from the latter place to Michigan, crossing the State- line September 28th, and coming to Alaiedon, where he set- tled and remained uutil the capital was located at Lansing, when he removed to that place. Capt. Cowles was a brother-in-law of George Howe, having married a sister of the latter for his first wife, who is since deccased. Ile was married afterwards to the widow of Charles Meech, who died in the army.

The so-called " Old World" is rich in ruins. Magnifi- cent cities have risen, flourished, and fallen, and in the march of time have been forgotten save in tradition. America, too, has her wonders, her relics of a bygone age, her mighty ruins and crumbled and deserted cities, and all are on a grand scale, as projected by the ancients. More

* Tho family settled in Alaicdon township in the spring of 1843.

RODOLPHUS TRYON.

MRS. RODOLPHUS TRYON.

RODOLPHUS TRYON.

Rodolphus Tryon, one of the pioneers of the town of Alaiedon, was born in Deerfield, Mass., Oct. 20, 1809. William Tryon, grandfather of the subject of this narrative, was a soldier in the war of the Revolu- tion; he served with distinction throughout that im- portant struggle, and after the war settled in Massa- chusetts, where Zebina, father of Rodolphus, was born in 1785. He was bred to the life of a farmer, and married Miss Emily Hodges. They reared a family of five children, three sons and two daughters. He died in Madison Co., N. Y., in 1830.

After the death of his father, Rodolphus obtained employment in various capacities, and in 1835 married Miss Lavina Derby ; she was born in Ticonderoga, N. Y., in 1810. In September, 1836, he started from Williamsville, Erie Co., N. Y., with twelve dollars, invested in oils and essences, with which to pay his expenses to Michigan. He first stopped in the town of Lima, where he worked at various jobs and accumulated a sum sufficient to purchase fifty acres of government land in the town of Sylvan, Washtenaw Co. He returned to his home, walking the entire distance, and in the spring of the follow- ing year came on with his family, which consisted of his wife and brother, and settled in the town of Lima, Washtenaw Co., where he remained eighteen months, when he settled upon his purchase in the town of Sylvan. In 1839 the Michigan Central Railroad was being built through that part of the State, and Mr. Tryon took several contracts, taking his pay in State warrants. These warrants were worth only forty-five eents on the dollar, and their depreciation seriously embarrassed him, so much so

that on his removal to Alaiedon, in 1844, he was nine hundred dollars in debt ; a sum largely in excess of the cash valuation of his entire property. His situa- tion was discouraging, but it was not in his nature to give up, and his success is evidenee of what can be accomplished by energy and perseverance. The first few years were replete with toil, privation, and mis- fortune; but aided and sustained by his devoted wife, to whom he attributes mueh of his sueeess, he made a home for his family, paid his creditors in full, and to-day is possessed of a well-won competency. Mrs. Tryon is a lady of more than an ordinary amount of resolution and stamina, which may perhaps be attrib- uted in part to her New England origin. Her father, Oliver Cromwell Derby, was a native of New Hamp- shire, where he was born in 1768. Her mother, Lovina Stockwell, was born in Massachusetts in 1770. Mr. and Mrs. Tryon have reared a family of six children, only two of whom are living, Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Harris. One son, Rodolphus P., lost his life in the defense of his country. He died in hospital from wounds received at the battle of Fair Oaks.

In his religious convictions Mr. Tryon is a Method- ist, and for many years has been a class-leader. He never desired political preferment, but has held many positions of trust. For eleven years he has been magistrate of the town, and has occupied other posi- tions of responsibility. Socially he is genial and courteous, and his hospitality is proverbial. Pos- sessed of many of the virtues and but few of the fail- ings of mankind, he has endeared himself to the peo- ple in such a way that he will long be remembered.

RESIDENCE OF

RUDOLPHUS TRYON, ALAIEDON Te, MICH.

MRS. WM. P. ROBBINS.

WM. P. ROBBINS.

William P. Robbins was born in Stillwater, Sara- toga Co., N. Y., July 6, 1817. His mother, whose maiden name was Pattison, was born in the historic town of Stillwater. His father, Stephen Robbins, was a native of Connecticut, and died when William was but six years of age. Little is known of the early history of the family. His maternal grand- father, Thomas Pattison, was an officer in the Revo- lutionary army, and served with distinction. At the close of the war he settled in Saratoga County, where he married a cultured lady, a descendant of Lord Ashton.

Stephen Robbins was a farmer, industrious and frugal, and of unblemished reputation. He died in 1823, leaving a wife and four children in destitute circumstances. After his death the mother and her children lived with her mother and brother until the brother's death, which occurred when William was fourteen years of age; but notwithstanding his youth he assumed the management of his uncle's farm, which he conducted until 1839, when Mrs. Robbins, with a brother and sister, came to Michigan, and settled in Delhi township, Ingham Co., where she taught the first three terms of school in that township.

William was at this time a young man of twenty- two, possessed of a strong pair of hands, a robust constitution, determined will, and an unlimited amount of energy. He purchased eighty acres of new land, which is a portion of his present farm, and was obliged to run in debt for a large portion of the purchase-money, relying wholly upon his axe and his arms as a means of liquidation. In July, 1842, he was married to Miss Lydia, daughter of Gad Wells and Abigail Thayer. They were Massachu-

setts people and settled in Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1812, where Mrs. Robbins was born in July, 1819. They came to Michigan in 1843, and settled in Delhi township, Ingham Co. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Robbins entered upon the development of their own home with a great deal of zeal, and suc- cess crowned their efforts ; by degrees field after field was added to the "little hole in the wilderness," until they were in a measure rewarded for the trials and privations of their pioneer life. Mr. Robbins is of a retiring disposition, and shrinks from rather than courts prominence in any capacity. He has, however, occupied several important positions, the duties of which he has discharged with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of his fellow- townsmen. He has represented Alaiedon npon the board of supervisors, and has also been a member of the county board of superintendents of the poor. The life of Mr. Robbins has been devoted principally to the cares of his family and the development of his farm, and his ambition has not been to attain special promi- nence in any way, but to provide a competency for himself and family, and to perfect a valuable record as a citizen, and among the old settlers of Alaiedon no one is more highly esteemed for integrity and neighborly kindness than he. Mr. and Mrs. Rob- bins have reared a family of three daughters,-Mrs. John Raynor, Mrs. William H. Raynor, and Lillian E. We should be recreant to our duty did we not speak of Mrs. Robbins, whose portrait is presented on this page. To her industry, economy, and sage counsel Mr. Robbins attributes much of his success. She is all that can be expressed in the terms wife, mother, and friend.

215

ALAIEDON.

modern cities and villages have had a shorter existence and a quicker decay, as witness numerous mining and frontier towns, whose growth was remarkable and decline rapid. Ingham County, with perhaps a spirit of emulation in this respect, furnished one or two instances of a similar nature ; and in Alaiedon township was laid out a city, appearing finely on paper and having a glorious (hoped-for) future before it. This was the village of Jefferson, which was platted on section 29. The entire section was purchased by Josiah Sabin, July 14, 1836, and about 1837-38 the northwest quarter was purchased by George Howe, from Manchester, Washtenaw Co., Mich. A company was formed of about four persons from the same neighborhood, and the village was laid out in 1838. The plat was never recorded in Ingham County, and probably nowhere else. Among the settlers were two Childs families, two Lewises, and one Phillips. Thirteen log dwellings were erected previous to 1840, also a log school-house. Mr. Howe built a saw- mill on the creek, and carried the water to it in a ditch ninety rods long.

In 1842, Capt. J. P. Cowles purchased land on section 29, including part of the village plat, which covered about forty acres.

When Capt. Cowles bought the property thirteen log dwellings were standing upon the plat, besides the school- house and saw-mill; the latter was operated some time by the captain, who sold the property in 1849. He had removed to Lansing in 1847. A double log house and a frame barn had been built on the place by George Howe.

In 1844, Capt. Cowles was assessed with the west half of the northwest quarter, the southeast quarter of the south- west quarter, and the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 29, together with twenty-five acres on the north half of the same section, above the saw-mill, between the opposite banks of Mud Creek, the twenty-five acres being the water privilege only.

It was at first expected that a respectable village would grow up, but business refused to seek the locality, and the people who had bought lots, to which they had no title, lost confidence in the future prospects of the place, became dissatisfied, and most of them moved away. William and John Childs, and perhaps some others, settled in the neigh- borhood.

The saw-mill at the village was built by Nichols Lewis and George Howe after the village was platted, and they owned undivided interests in the property. The village plat was laid on both sides of the road extending north and south, and finally a division was made, Lewis taking the portion on the east side of the road, and Howe that on the west side, the latter taking also the saw-mill property, which was on the east side. Capt. Cowles purchased Howe's interest, including the saw-mill. Mr. Lewis sold his prop- erty at the village to A. M. Hobart, of the State of New York.

Jacob Lewis and sons came from Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1835, and for two years lived near Manchester, in the town- ship of Sharon, Washtenaw Co., Mich. In September, 1837, they moved to Jefferson village. In 1862 the family of Nichols Lewis removed from Alaiedon to Vevay, and

the only one of his family now in Alaiedon is his son, Orrin J. Lewis, formerly of Meridian, who occupies the old county farm. Another son, William N. Lewis, is a resi- dent of De Witt, Clinton Co. A daughter, Margaret, is now Mrs. Collins D. Huntington, of Mason, where her mother and another brother, F. M. Lewis, are also living. Nichols Lewis is deceased, as is also his father, Jacob Lewis.

Daniel A. Hewes, now of the township of Ingham, was an early arrival in the same locality, coming, possibly, before Captain Cowles.

Silas Beebe, who settled in Stockbridge in June, 1838, made a trip through the county in February previous, and in his diary of the journey thus speaks of Jefferson :

"Feb. 24th .- Left after breakfast for Ingham Centre.# We soon struck into timhered lands, and saw less of swamps and marshes. Roads were less traveled, but, guided by marked trees, we found our way to the Centre,-called ' Jefferson City.' The first blow towards this place was struck last September. It has now some ten or fifteen acres cut down ready to clear, five or six log houses peopled, a school- honse and school. We went on foot about a mile and found two huts, a little clearing, and a family going in. But here was the end of a heaten road, and of all road, except an Indian trail. We had de- signed to have continued our journey to De Witt, in Clinton County, only fourteen miles from this place, but were obliged to forego the journey for want of a road. At Jefferson, which will undoubtedly he a place of some importance some day, being the centre ef the county and nearly of the State, we had great offers made us if we would locate there. But things looked too new and prospects of gain too far off to suit our views; we gave it the go-by for the present. On the 25th we left for home, taking, from necessity, the way we came in, there being no other way ont of the ' city.'

"Three and a half miles south of this is a rival place of about equal claims, called Mason. A saw-mill (frozen np), a few houses, and sur- ronnding forest are all it can boast of."

At the time of Mr. Beebe's visit, therefore, it seems that " Jefferson City" was a place of greater pretensions than Mason. It has been hinted by some that had the former place been in the hands of more energetic men its future would have been vastly different from that which is known. Mason, the " rival place of about equal claims," was at once pushed to the front, and maintained its su- premacy over all other villages in the county, except Lan- sing, which was backed by the State, and had its future assured as soon as the place had been platted.

William P. Robbins, from Stillwater, Saratoga Co., N. Y., came to Ingham County in 1839, and purchased the farm he now owns and occupies, on section 28. The previous owner was Adam Overacker, elsewhere mentioned, who had chopped five acres on the place and built a log house. He removed from here to Jackson County, and, if living, is now in California. Mr. Robbins, who was unmarried, began improving his place immediately, and boarded with Egbert W. Pattison, the first settler in the township, who lived on

a farm diagonally opposite. Mr. Pattison died in 1879, and none of his family now live in the neighborhood. Eli Chandler, a shoemaker by trade, was living, when Mr. Robbins arrived, on two acres of land he had purchased, including the site of the present school-house in District No. 2, where he worked at " cobbling" in his house. He is now living at Mason at an advanced age.

* Ilad stayed over-night in Stockbridge township.

216

HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

July 6, 1842, Mr. Robbins was married, iu the town- ship of Delhi, to Miss Lydia MI. Wells, sister to Mrs. George Phillips. She had come to that township, with ber brother-in-law's family, in 1839 or 1840, and taught the first school in the township at his house. She was also an early teacher in Alaiedon.

Following is a list of the resident taxpayers in the town- ship of Alaiedoo in 1844:

Andrew J. Cooper, Daniel W. Morse, Isaae S. Finch, John Asseltine, Daniel Sparks, William Manning, Seth Kent, John Douglass, Lewis Kent, Rodolphns Tryon, Peter Longyear, Stevens B. Du- bois, Jacob C. Dubois, Jacob Dubois, Martin Dubois, Garrett Dubois, Eli L. Morse, Selemen Fiach, David Fiach, Israel Chap- man, John Strickland, George W. Strickland, Joel B. Strickland, Samuel Carl, Nathaniel Blain, Daniel Stillman, Alexander Dobic, William Hammond, Levi Prangley, Jaeoh Lewis, Joseph Miller, Daniel A. Hewes, William Lewis, Nichols Lewis, Peter Vandea- burg, Joseph P. Cowles, Franeis Main, William II. Childs, William P. Robbins, Nathan Davidsen, Jacob A. Smith, Egbert W. Pat- tisen, Erastus MI. Hoyt, Eli Smith, William C. Leek, Samuel L. Rathbun, Isaac C. Morse, Majer M. Bentley, Jehe Hudson, Eli Chandler, Elias S. Phillips, John Pierce, John W. Squiers, L. C. Tryon, John P. Strickland, Horace Havens, William Pierec, Mary Childs.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION, ETC.

By an aet approved March 15, 1838, the four townships comprising the northeast quarter of the county of Ingham were set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Alaiedon, and the first township-meeting was di- reeted to be held at the school-house at the village of Jef- ferson. From the territory thus set off have since been organized the townships of Delhi, Lansing, and Meridian, leaving Alaiedon to include town 3 north, in range 1 west.

The early records of Alaiedon are missing, and it is im- possible to give an accurate account of the first elections held in the township. It is stated that at the first town- ship-meeting the following officers were elected,-viz. : Su- pervisor, William Lewis ; Township Clerk, Jacob Lewis ; Treasurer, James Phillips; Commissioners of High ways, Nichols Lewis, Joel B. Strickland, Adam Overacker ; Jus- tices of the Peace, William C. Leek, Jacob Lewis.

At this meeting fifteen votes were cast. The next record found shows that Edwin D. Tryon, who was elected super- visor in 1843, died before the expiration of his term, and Daniel W. Morse was appointed, Jan. 1, 1844, to fill the vacancy, and elected to the position in April following. W. H. Child was town elerk in 1843. In 1844, William Hammond was elected, but resigned, and Peter Longyear was appointed. In these years Nathaniel Blain, formerly of Mason, was treasurer.

No other record from which definite information could be obtained was found until 1867, since when the following have been the principal officers of the township :

SUPERVISORS.

1867, Joseph Scudder; 1868, Orlando B. Stillman; 1869, Joseph Scudder; 1870, Charles Goodwin ; 1871, O. B. Stillman; 1872, Charles Goodwin ; 1873, O. B. Stillman ; 1874-79, Erast Dell.

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1867, William G. Lamb ; 1868, David C. Kelley; 1869, William G. Lamb; 1870, Ilcory J. Haight; 1871-74, Harrison M. Taylor; 1875, Henry J. Haight ; 1876-77, H. M. Taylor ; 1878-79, Jeha Keeler.

TREASURERS.

1867, William F. Kennedy ; 1868-70, Ernst Dell : 1871-74, Jesse M. Tyler ; 1875, Leonard Oshorn; 1876, Calvin Presten; 1877-78, Jeduthun B. Blake ; 1879, Jebn S. Doyle.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1867, J. Q. Thompson, Nelsen Leyland; 1868, J. B. Blake, D. C. Kelley; 1869, Nichols Tayler ; 1870, Perry Stevens; 1871, D. C. Kelley, John Spears ; 1872, J. B. Blake, J. Darling ; 1873, Tobias flolden ; 1874, Nelson Leyland ; 1875, Isaac Drew ; 1876, D. M. Strickland, D. C. Kelley ; 1877, A. J. Parker; 1878, N. Leyland, T. Helden ; 1879, M. T. Layeeck.

1880 .- Superviser, Henry J. Haight; Tewaship Clerk, Elliott J. Moore; Treasurer, Ezra Blake; Justice of the Peace, Jedu- thun B. Blake; School Inspector, Nathaniel Mitchell ; Super- intendent of Schools, Charles S. Guile; Commissioner of Ilighways, John Himmelberger ; Drain Commissioner, Jesse M. Tyler; Constables, G. P. Lindsay, William E. Manning, John Stevens, Frank Drew.

SCHOOLS.

School was first taught in the township at Jefferson vil- lage, by Mary Ann Rolfe, in a log school-house which was built in the summer of 1837, Miss Rolfe teaching a sum- mer term in that year. Miss Lydia M. Wells, of Delhi, now Mrs. William P. Robbins, of Alaiedon, taught in the same district (No. 1) four months in the summer of 1840.

In Distriet No. 2 a small log shanty was built, for use as a school-house, in 1839, and Miss Harriet Child-now Mrs. Wright, of Mason-taught in it for six weeks. The building was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1839-40, and the district now contains a neat and substantial briek school-house, built within a few years.

Oct. 3, 1839, Distriet No. 1 reported twenty-six pupils. Seven months' school had been held in the district in that year. In 1841 the several districts reported as follows :

No. 1 .- Twenty pupils ; six months' school.

No. 2 .- Six pupils ; three months' school.

No. 3 .- Twenty-one pupils.

No. 4 .- Twenty-five pupils ; four months' school.

No. 7 .- Twelve pupils ; three months' school.

From the report of the township sehool inspectors for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879, the following items are taken :

Number of distriets in township (wholo, 8; frac- tional, 1).

= children of schoel age ie township .. 416

in attendance for year ...... 429

school-houses (brick, 1 ; frame, 8) ... 9

scatings in same. 515

Value of school property .. $4330.00 Number of teachers omployed (males, 9; fc- males, 14). 23

Wages paid same (males, $824.25; females,

$193.50). $1317.75 Total expenditures fer year. 3349.97

217

ALAIEDON.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

MR. O. B. STILLMAN.

ORLANDO B. STILLMAN.

Orlando B. Stillman was born in the town of Groton, Tompkins Co., N. Y., March 6, 1825. The family are of English extraction, and emigrated in an early day from Westmoreland County to Cortland, N. Y., where David Stillman, father of Orlando B., was born in the year 1800. He was a brickmaker by occupation, and in 1827 re- moved from Groton to Cattaraugus County, where he re- mained until 1832, when he sold his property and went to Oberlin, Ohio, at that time a little hamlet. IJere he estab- lished a brick-yard, which he operated for some time. He also bought a farm and remained in Oberlin nine years. when he disposed of his farm and removed with his family to Alaiedon, where he purchased one hundred and forty- five acres of government land on section 3, where his son, Orlando B., now resides, and where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1867, in the forty-second year of his age.

He was married, in 1824, to Miss Eunice Call, who was born in Coleraine, Mass. They reared a family of eight children, the subject of this narrative being the eldest. The elder Stillman was a man of much force of character, and possessed of more than an ordinary amount of energy and perseverance. He took an active part iu all matters of public interest, assisted in the organization of the town, and was elected its first highway commissioner, an office of con-

MRS. O. B. STILLMAN.

siderable importance in those days. He was a man of strong religious convictions, and a prominent member of the Congregational Church. He carried the precepts of his faith into his every-day life, and was a man of marked social qualities, genial and courteous. He was fond of hunting. His wife was a fine type of the pioneer woman ; thrifty, economical, and industrious, her household was never neglected, and her children were reared to habits of industry. She died in Alaiedon in 1862. Orlando re- ceived such educational advantages as were afforded by the log school-house of the early days. Like his father he has taken a leading part in all matters of public import. In 1855 he was elected supervisor, and has since filled the position with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his fellow-townsmen for six terms. In 1852, Mr. Stillman was married to Miss Minerva J. Freeman, a lady who was highly esteemed. She died in 1873, and in 1874 he was married to Mrs. William F. Bowdish, who was born in Norristown, N. Y., in 1834. When she was two years of age the family removed to Ohio, and, in 1844, to Ingham County. As a farmer and a citizen Mr. Stillman occupies a deservedly high positiou. He has witnessed the transi- tion of a thin settlement into a busy and prosperous county, and in his own persou typifies many of the agencies that have wrought these changes.

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History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 53

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