History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 69

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 69
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 69

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).

On the 25th day of April, 1864, the township, by its proper authorities, issued a bond for $100 to Francis Logan, and on the 10th of May, in the same year, another bond of $100 to Joseph C. Wardell. On the 30th of May the board issued a like bond to Myron Ilopkins, and on the 11th of June following two for the same amount each to A. M. Winslow and James Miller.

At a special township-meeting held at Union Hall, on the 20th of August, 1864, it was resolved that twenty dol- lars be assessed on each person enrolled for military duty in the township, to be used as a fund to pay volunteers, who should enlist and be credited to the township, under the President's call for 500,000 men. Bonds for $100 each were subsequently issued to the following persons : Henry B. Casterline, Sept. 8, 1864 ; James A. Hamilton, William J. Stevens, S. B. Thatcher, Sept. 9, 1864; Henry Willey, Henry U. Filley, John M. Strayer, Sept. 10, 1864; William L. Mosher, Augustus Ayres, Ellis Buckingham, James W. Terrill, Christy Quigley, James Disbrow, Ed- ward Ilogan, Emmett Reeves, William J. Caton, Oct. 25, 1864; Egbert Johnson, Nov. 25, 1864.

281

MERIDIAN.

On the 7th of October, at a special meeting, it was re- solved " that for the purpose of clearing the town of Me- ridian from draft, we, the electors of said township, hereby agree to pledge the faith of the township to pay by tax the sum of $1200 when legalized by the Legislature of the State of Michigan."

On the 4th of February, 1865, at a special town-meet- ing, the electors authorized the township board to pay all volunteers who should enlist in the United States army, and be duly credited to the township, $200, and that the board pay all drafted men $100.

EARLY ROADS .*

The earliest road recorded is the one known as the State Road, leading from the north line of the county to the vil- lage of Mason, laid out on the 15th and 17th days of June, 1839. This road followed substantially the present north- and-south road, starting on the north quarter-post of section 3, and thence running south through sections 3, 2, 10, 15, 22, 21 (via Okemos), 28, and 33, to the township-line between Meridian and Alaiedon. The last eighty-one rods on section 33 was laid in May, 1855. Benjamin C. Ferris and Horace Havens, Commissioners.

On the 5th of October, 1839, the road known as the Shiawassee Road was laid out through sections 1 and 12, one mile, two hundred and sixty-four rods, ten links in length. It was surveyed by Anson Jackson, County Sur- veyor. J. E. North, Jr., and N. Blain were the commis- sioners.

The Meridian- Line Road was laid out on the same date as the one last mentioned, at the northeast corner of the township. It was fifty-three rods in length. Same com- missioners and surveyors.

The Town- Line Road between Meridian and Alaiedon was laid out Dec. 28, 1840. It began at the south quarter- post of seetion 34, and ran thence west one and a half miles to the southwest corner of section 33. The portion east from the east line of the township to the southwest corner of section 35 was laid July 11, 1843. The remaining por- tion on the west was laid out June 10, 1850.

A portion of the Willmarth Road between sections 7 and 18 was laid out June 14, 1841, and the remainder west to the township-line, July 21, 1866.

The Barney Road, running north and south through sections 22, 27, and 34, was laid Dec. 29, 1841.

The Meridian-Line Road, one mile and forty chains in length, was laid Jan. 3, 1855.

In 1846 there were seven road districts, with the fol- lowing overseers : District No. 1, James Egbert ; No. 2, Willard Bascom ; No. 3, William B. Hamilton; No. 4, Freeman Bray ; No. 5, David Freeman ; No. 6, Joseph H. Kilbourne; No. 7, Ira Haskins.

In 1850 the distriets had increased to 13; in 1860 to 24; in 1870 to 27; and in 1880 to 35. There are five highway-bridges in Meridian township over Cedar River, -on sections 25, 36 (at the northwest corner), 27, 21, and between 17 and 18,-and a railway-bridge on seetion 20.

The total receipts and disbursements of the township

treasurer for all purposes in 1879-80 were $6431. Bal- ance remaining on hand, $529.30.

The State Agricultural College farm and most of the buildings are located on sections 18 and 19 in this town- ship, and the county farm is also within its limits, on the northeast quarter of section 34.

SCHOOLS.

The school records in possession of the town elerk go baek no farther than 1849. The earliest formed district in the township was the Pine Lake District, which may very pos- sibly have been formed while the township comprised a part of Alaiedon, previous to 1842. The first school in the township was taught in the house of Robert R. Sowle, on section 15, in 1841-42, by Mrs. George Huekins, then a widow, now Mrs. R. Morton. There were no districts then organized, and the school was taught a part of the time summer and winter. The second school in the town- ship was taught in a log shanty adjoining the dwelling of George Matthews, on section 15, by Amy Nutt, in 1842. Her father kept a log tavern in Livingston Co., Mich., be- tween Howell and Fowlerville.

The first school near Okemos village was kept in a cabin used for a cooper-shop by Daniel Young about 1844.

The first regular school building in the township was erected about 1844, by George Matthews, on the east half of the southwest quarter of section 11. The frame, about eighteen by twenty-two feet, was made of oak and tamarack and sided up with whitewood. This was in District No. 1. Among the early teachers here was Levi Avery.

The first school-house in District No. 2, which included Okemos, or Hamilton, as it was at first called, was built on the ground occupied by the present school building, about 1846. On this ground the Indians of Okemos' band were accustomed to bury their corn. The first building was a small frame, which was added to from time to time, and did service until the present building was erected.

The present fine frame school building was erected in 1873, at a cost, complete, with furniture, of $3400. It is about thirty by fifty feet in dimensions, two stories in height, and surmounted by a belfry. The building is divided into two school-rooms, with about 120 scholars. There are two departments, primary and intermediate, with two teachers employed,-a male teacher in the upper department, and a female in the lower.

Among the early teachers here were Charles Hollister, Levi Sowle, Wesley Emery and wife, and Prof. Ingersoll, of the State Agricultural College. Anson Hardy, the present principal, has served three consecutive years.

District No. 2 was formed, according to the record, April 21, 1849, and included sections 20, 21, 22, 23, and 26, the east half of 19, the northeast quarter of 30, and the north half of 27, 28, and 29.

District No. 5 was formed Feb. 25, 1851, in the south- east part of the township, and included seetions 23, 24, 25, 26, 35, and 36.

There seems to be no record of the erection of Districts No. 1, 3, and 4.

Among the early teachers examined and granted cer- tifieates were the following : Fanny M. Stillman, April 14,

* See General Chapter XII.

282

HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

1849; M. Proctor, Nov. 6, 1849; Susan Emily Jeffries, April 13, 1850; Miss M. A. Belknap, May 18, 1850; Miss Lovina P. Alverson, Miss Harriet E. Alverson, Miss Mary J. Doyle, April 12, 1851; Miss Lucy Cooper, Miss Maria Spencer, Miss Sarah M. Richardson, Dec. 4, 1851 ; Miss Sarah E. Chatterton, Miss Deborah Kelly, April 10, 1852 ; Dr. Marvin, Nov. 19, 1852 ; Miss Caroline A. Sickles, Dec. 3, 1852 ; Miss E. Richardson, Miss Mary J. Spaul- ding, Dec. 24, 1852; Miss Caroline C. Kilbourne, April 9, 1853; Miss Susan Ormsby, May 2, 1853; Miss Catherine Doyle, May 7, 1853; Miss Jerusha Doyle, June 11, 1853; Sidenia Ballard, Christopher Avery, Nov. 5, 1853; Ange- line H. Stillman, April 29, 1854 ; Wm. W. Gibson, Louisa A. Gibson, Mary A. Gibson, Nov. 4, 1854; Lewis J. Gibson, April 14, 1855 ; Lucretia Leech, Sept. 5, 1855.

Among the early inspectors of schools were W. T. Rigby, A. W. Bennett, Thomas Humphrey, Merit Harmon, Eli- jah Richardson, William N. Lewis, M. W. Barnes, John H. Mullett, Seely Bloomer, M. D. Matthews, William W. Gibson, Cyrus Alsdorf, F. A. Jeffers, and M. D. Chat- terton.

There seems to have been the nucleus of a township school library in 1849, for on the 14th of April in that year the inspectors " labeled the unlabeled library books" and agreed to have a table and book-case made for the township library, " not to exceed five dollars in cost."

W. T. Rigby was chosen to visit the schools in that year, " two visits each term."

The present number of districts in the township is seven, each furnished with a frame school building. The number of children between the ages of five and twenty years is 393. The value of school property is $5850. Total ex- penditures for 1879-80, 82470.13. There are also thrce fractional districts reported in Lansing and Alaiedon.

CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. PRESBYTERIAN.

The first meeting to organize a Presbyterian Church in Meridian township was held on the 2d of February, 1864, under the management of Rev. C. S. Armstrong, then pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Lansing, and commissioner for the Presbytery of Marshall. Rev. Alfred Bryant was moderator of the meeting. Mr. Bryant had been preaching occasionally at Okemos to the few scattering members of the Presbyterian Church then settled there, The society was organized as the Presbyterian Church of Okemos.

On the 9th of March following, at a meeting held at the school-house in Okemos, articles of association were adopted and the following trustees elected : E. F. Brown, for three years ; Lansing Cline, for two years ; and James F. Smiley, for one year. Ezekiel F. Barnes was chairman and Eben- czer Walker secretary of this meeting.

The earliest meetings were held in the school-house at Okemos, and Kev. Alfred Bryant was the first preacher as stated supply, residing at Lansing. He continued to serve the society until 1870, when Rev. J. E. Weed succeeded him and remained as stated supply for about one year, after which period for a considerable time the society was without stated serviccs.

In May, 1876, Rev. B. Franklin came as stated supply and ministered to the church until April, 1879, since which there has been no regular preaching. The church edifice, owned by the society, was erceted in 1868 at a cost of about $2300. It is furnished with a bell and cabinet organ.

The original members were Ebenezer Walker, Frances S. Walker, his wife ; Mrs. Betsey Freeman, Mrs. Sylvia Meleher, Ezekiel F. Barnes and Olive, his wife; Lansing Cline and Elizabeth, his wife; Mrs. Mina Smiley, Mrs. May J. Clark, Miss Mary Barnes, Mrs. Caroline R. Ban- croft. At present the society numbers only about ten members, and is not in a flourishing condition. A Sabbath- school was formerly kept up, but has been discontinued with the decline of the society.

BAPTIST.

The first meeting for the purpose of organizing a Baptist Church was held Dec. 21, 1867. The original members were Charles Hulett, Sarah C. Hulett, John H. Wilson, Joanna A. Wilson, G. C. Young, H. G. Proctor, Harriet A. Hulett, all from the Baptist Church at Lansing; Eliza- beth H. Stevens, Sister S. A. Kent, Martha Briggs, Rev. O. B. Call and wife, Myra Reynolds. Articles of faith were adopted at the same meeting, and George C. Young was chosen clerk and Charles Hulett and John HI. Wilson deacons.

The council called to authorize the new organization met Jan. 9, 1868. The first trustees were William Cole and A. L. Sturges, H. G. Proctor and S. R. Kent.

Rev. O. B. Call, who was efficient in the original organi- zation, was the first minister, followed by Rev. G. H. Hic- kox. In 1872, Rev. J. M. Dunbar succeeded Mr. Hickox, and preached about two years. Rev. - Crosby preached occasionally for a few months after him. He was located at Lansing. Afterwards, Rev. A. H. Parsons officiated for about a year, and was followed by Rev. -- McLaren, who remained only a short time. Rev. L. F. Compton was also with the church for a short period in 1879. In the latter year, Rev. A. II. Parsons again became pastor of the society, and has continued to the present time.

The church edifiee in Okemos was erected in 1868, at an expense of about $2400. In 1870, Mr. G. C. Young pre- sented the society with an 800-pound bell, and they have also a cabinet organ.

The present membership is fifteen. A Sabbath-school has been maintained from about the date of organization of the church. Frank Hewitt is the present superintendent.

Clerk of Church, Runa Morton ; Trustees, S. R. Kent, William Cole, J. K. Hardy.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL.

The traveling preachers of this denomination began to visit Okemos probably as early as 1840. The Revs. Jack- son and Lapham were the first circuit-riders, The Rev. Franklin Blades, known as the " Boy Preacher," Orrin Whitmore, Bessy, Glass, and others were among the early ministers who visited the place.

A class was formed about 1840, and among the members were Joseph II. Kilbourne and wife, his mother, Mrs. Phebe Kilbourne (since deceased), Mrs. Rebecca Bayard,

283

MERIDIAN.

George Bayard, Mrs. Maria Matthews, R. D. Sowle and wife.

The Mapleton Circuit was established in 1839, which in- cluded among its stations Mason, Okemos, Dewitt, Little Prairie, a point near where St. Johns now is, Maple Rapids, and perhaps others. Okemos has never been a regular sta- tion, but has been supplied by circuit preachers.

A church edifice was erected at Okemos in 1870 at a cost of about $2400. It is plainly finished and has a cabinet organ. The present membership is about fifty.

A Sabbath-school with 134 scholars on the roll is sus- tained. A. L. Sturges is superintendent, and there are twelve teachers.

Among the ministers who have preached here have been Reverends Jacob S. llarder, George Sherman, Win. Mul- len, - Crittenden, Charles Chick, L. W. Earl, and B. W. Smith. Rev. Wm. Taylor is the present preacher.

GERMAN METHODISTS.

There is a small society of Germans at Okemos which has been organized since 1873. It is supplied with preach- ing by the minister resident at Five Corners, in Delhi township, Rev. Daniel Volz. The membership at present is twelve, and they support a Sabbath-school with twenty- five scholars.

Lutheran .- A German Lutheran Society was organized about 1877. It is supplied from Lansing.

Wesleyan Methodists .- A small society of sixteen mem- bers was organized in August, 1880, which holds services in the Presbyterian church. Rev. Mr. Bruce, a circuit preacher, supplies the pulpit.

The Wesleyans have also a society of some fifty members at Meridian Station, which has been in existence since about 1877. They are now erecting a frame church, to cost probably $1500. Rev. Mr. Bruce has preached here for some time and is returned for 1880 and 1881.

CEMETERY.

The first notice of a cemetery in the record appears in 1845, in October of which year Joseph H. Kilbourne was appointed a committee to secure a site for a public burial- ground. Nothing seems to have been done, for the mat- ter was again discussed in 1846 with no definite result. It is probable that the ground was purchased of Freeman Bray about 1850, but was not fenced or improved until 1853, when the township board of health took the matter in hand and began improvements by surveying and laying it out into family lots and building a fence around it. It contains about two and a half acres, lying along the high river-bank in the northwest quarter of section 21, and is well fenced and cared for. There are several fine monu- ments in the ground.

The first burial within its limits was that of Jerome Freeman, who died in September, 1851. The first death of an adult in the township was that of Russell R. Sowle, in August, 1841. His remains were buried in what after- wards became the highway, and were subsequently exhumed and interred in the Okemos cemetery. Among the early ones buried here are George Matthews and wife, in 1851 ; John Mullett and wife, died in 1862 and 1863; Sanford

Marsh and wife, in 1863 and 1869 ; and others. This is the only burial-ground in the township.

VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

The first settler at this point, though not strictly within the limits of the village, was Sanford Marsh, who entered the fraction of the southeast quarter of section 21 lying south of the Cedar River, on the 13th of May, 1833. Mr. Marsh settled with his family on this tract, building his house on the high bank of the river near where the bridge now is, in September, 1839. Here he made his home until his death, in 1863, his wife following him to the silent land in 1869. They are both buried in the cemetery a mile below the village. Mr. Marsh was a prominent and re- spected citizen, and one of the earliest justices of the peace in the township.

Following him came Joseph II. Kilbourne, a native of Lower Canada (now Province of Quebec), born on the St. Francis River, near Sherbrooke, in 1809. His parents were Americans, his father being a native of Connecticut, and his mother of Cambridge, Washington Co., N. Y. His father, Joseph Kilbourne, was a surveyor by profession, and previous to the war of 1812 had taken a contract to do a large amount of surveying in Canada. The war broke up the business for a time, but it was resumed subsequently.

When Joseph H. was twenty years of age he removed to Holton District, in Upper Canada (now Province of Ontario), of which Dundas was then the county-seat, since Hamilton. Mr. Kilbourne took quite an active part in the " Patriot war" of 1837-38, in which the Canadian people undertook to throw off the government of Great Britain. Upon the collapse of the patriot cause he was taken pris- oner and held for nine days, when he was liberated through the friendly assistance of the adjutant-general, with whom he was acquainted, who advised him to volunteer in the British service to enable him to remain unmolested at least l'or a time. This he did, but left the first opportunity, and came to Michigan in February, 1838, and remained in and around Detroit until the following June, in the mean time becoming acquainted with many sympathizers on the Amer- ican side, who, through organizations known as " Hunter Lodges," were secretly assisting the Canadians. Mr. Kil- bourne became a member of this organization, and returned to Canada in the summer of 1838 to assist in resuscitating the collapsed rebellion, but remained only a week at his former home, the plans of the patriots having been divulged to the Crown officers.

In July he again came to Michigan. With him came Freeman Bray,-who married his sister,-his mother, and his own family. His father had died in Canada in 1815. Leaving his family and Mr. Bray's at Northville, Wayne Co., Mich., Mr. Kilbourne in September, 1839, visited the place now occupied by the village of Okemos, and in Oc- tober purchased, in the name of Freeman Bray, the fraction of the west half of the southeast quarter of section 21, lying north of Cedar River, and containing about sixty- one acres. Returning to Northville he brought out his family in December, and while building his log house, which was a large one, the family lived in the house with Sanford Marsh's family.

284

HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Freeman Bray was also a native of Canada, born in the Upper Province, between Bronti and Oakville, on the shore of Lake Ontario. In early life he followed the lakes as a sailor, and was also a vessel-owner. He married Caroline Kilbourne in January, 1839, and, as before stated, came to Michigan with his brother-in-law in the same year. In January, 1840, Mr. Bray and wife, and her mother, Mrs. Kilbourne, came to Okemos, and the two families lived for a considerable time in the log house which Mr. Kilbourne had built.

The land purchased by Mr. Kilbourne was owned by a gentleman living at Farmington, Oakland Co. Mr. Kil- bourne's property in Canada was under ban for about four years, but a proclamation of the queen finally released it, and he disposed of it, and used the proceeds in building a home in Michigan. He married, in 1833, Miss Susan Hughes, a native of Berks Co., Pa. In the spring of 1840 a large addition was made to the log house, and the two families lived together until about 1843, when Mr. Kilbourne removed to his present location on sections 23 and 26, where he has a fine farm of 177 acres, with good improvements and an excellent assortment of fruit. Mr. Kilbourne has been a prominent citizen, filling many im- portant offices in the gift of the people, among others that of member of the Legislature. Ile was also the first post- master at Okemos.

Freeman Bray was proprietor of the village, at first "known as Hamilton, and has always been prominent as a eitizen and is one of the best story-tellers of the place. In 1852 he visited California, and was gone some four years. IIe kept a hotel for several years in the village; was post- master for a considerable period, and removed to his present location in 1856. His farm is a good one, and he has fine improvements. The farm now contaios something over 160 acres, including an eighty-acre lot purchased about 1855 by his wife while he was absent in California.

POST-OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS AT OKEMOS.

A post-office ealled Sanford was established in the spring of 1840. Joseph HI. Kilbourne was the first postmaster. The new office was named Sanford, after Sanford Marsh, the first settler in the locality. Mr. Kilbourne hield the office, which was kept in the log dwelling first erceted by him, for about two years. In 1842, Freeman Bray was appointed under President Tyler, and kept the office until 1854, during the administration of Gen. Taylor, or, rather, Millard Fillmore. Mr. Bray kept tavern and had the office in the same building. In 1852 he went to California, having deputized his wife to run the offiec in his absence. She continued to fill the position until 1854, when Eli Morse was appointed, and held it until April, 1857, when he was succeeded by Ebenezer Walker. The latter held it for about six months only, when he was removed, and Caleb Thurber appointed, and held the position about one year. Freeman Bray, who had returned from California in 1856, was again appointed, and continued until 1861, when he was suecceded by Ebenezer Walker, who has been continued to the present time. The office has been kept during most of the time where it is at present located.

The carly mails were brought once a week on horseback.

There were two routes,-one from Detroit via Howell, and one from Dexter on the Central Railway. The post-office business, like every other, has inereased with the growth of the country, until at the present time Okemos is in daily communication with the world in all directions.

The name of the post-office was changed to Okemos, in obedience to the general desire of the people, in 1857.

VILLAGE PLAT.

A village was originally laid out and platted by Freeman Bray, and named HAMILTON, at the suggestion of J. II. Kilbourne, not, as some have elaimed, from the city of Hamilton, in Canada, but from Alexander Hamilton, the great American statesman and friend of Washington. According to the recollection of Mr. and Mrs. Bray and J. II. Kilbourne, this was in the year 1841 ; but the plat was not put on record until May 29, 1851. The name was changed to Okemos in 1857 by act of the Legislature. The original plat was located on the southeast quarter of section 21, mostly on the west half of the quarter, and has had no additions.

When Ebenezer Walker settled in Okemos, in 1854, he purchased of Freeman Bray the mill and water-power, and shortly thereafter the entire village plat remaining unsold. The village has grown gradually to its present dimensions, and enjoys a considerable trade with the surrounding country. It is about one mile from the post-office to Oke- mos Station, on the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Rail- way.

MANUFACTURES.

Freeman Bray built the original dam across the Cedar River at Okemos,* and erected a saw-mill, to which was also attached a turning-lathe and cabinet-shop, about 1842. The entire establishment was subsequently burned, and Mr. Bray always considered it the work of an incendiary. About 1846 or 1847 the property fell into the hands of M. E. Cro- foot, of Pontiac, Oakland Co., Mich., who probably sold to Augustus Cleveland, who built another saw-mill, and in turn sold the property to Ebenezer Walker, as stated far- ther on. The fall at this point in the Cedar River is about seven feet, and the power is a very good one and not seriously affected by floods or ice.

All the old saw mills are now gone, several having been destroyed by fire, and there remains nothing except the flour- and grist-mill of Mr. Blair, run by water, and the steam-works of Mr. T. F. Davis.

Ebenezer Walker, from Rochester, N. Y., came to Mich- igan and settled at Okemos (then Hamilton) in 1854. Ile purchased the water-power on Cedar River, and an old saw- mill of Augustus Cleveland, and built a steam saw- and grist-mill together. The saw-mill, run by water, was then in operation, and Mr. Walker operated all three of the mills until the dam was carried away by flood in 1858, when the water saw-mill was discontinued. The grist-mill stood where the present mill stands. It was about thirty by sixty fect in dimensions, two stories in height, and contained

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History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 69

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