History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 73

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 73
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 73


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).


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Mr. Reason, who was an Englishman by birth and a native of Cambridgeshire, remained a resident of the town- ship until his death, in 1872. His son, John Reason, has a highly-cultivated farm near the village of Stockbridge, while Frederick, another son, resides on section 22. Religious services were at this early date held in the cabins of the settlers, Elder Sayres having been the leader of these meet- ings and the first preacher in the township.


Lawrence Petrie, another pioneer of 1836, was orig- inally a resident of Madison Co., N. Y., from whence he emigrated to Stockbridge, and settled upon 120 aeres on section 27 which he entered. IIe traveled the whole dis- tance from his former home with horses, following the Indian trail from Dexter to his land. Cornelius Gillespie's log shanty received him while preparing a home for his family. Ilis death occurred in 1843, when his widow re- turned to her native State and survived until her ninety- eighth year.


Jacob Steffy came to Washtenaw County in 1835, and later settled upon 150 acres on section 23, in Stockbridge, a portion of which he entered in 1837. He erected a log


* A fractional cighty meandered on Lowe Lake.


299


STOCKBRIDGE.


house on a small clearing, and improved the remainder as occasion offered, having much of the time sought employ- ment elsewhere to obtain daily supplies for his family. Ira Wood, O. F. Rice, and Lawrence Petrie were his near neigh- bors. No roads had yet been opened in the neighborhood. Deer and wolves were abundant, and numbers of Indians were accustomed to encamp on the borders of Branch Lake near him. Mr. Steffy died in 1858, and his grand- son, William C. Nichols, now has possession of the place together with additional lands occupied formerly by Mason Branch, who arrived in 1840, and became prominently identified with the interests of the township.


Royal Stevens, a Vermonter by birth, became first a res- ident of New York, and in April, 1836, located in Stock- bridge upon land entered by him on seetion 11. He found a welcome to the primitive abode of Oren Gregory while building a log house, which was completed at the expira- tion of the third day. He began at once the work of clearing, at which good progress was made. At the time of his death, at the homestead in 1867, 300 acres of culti- vated land were embraced in his possessions. His son, W. M. Stevens, now resides upon the land.


S. C. Proctor, another Vermonter, entered, April 30, 1835, 100 acres on section 1, upon which he became a res- ident the following year. Mr. Proctor located a quarter section, but disposed of the remaining portion to parties in search of land. He devoted his time to hard labor in the immediate neighborhood on his arrival, finding a home at the house of Royal Stevens. Soon after a house was built on the land and occupied by his father. A pilgrimage to Dexter with ox-teams was necessary for milling purposes. Later a mill was built at Pinckney. Mr. Proctor recalls many hardships. He split thousands of rails at fifty cents per hundred, and found it exceedingly difficult, as did many other settlers, to obtain the necessaries of life. He drove to Detroit to purchase a load of flour, the settlers uuiting to pay the cost at the rate of twenty dollars per barrel. With the advent of settlers and bountiful erops their condition improved. Mr. Proctor is still a resident on his original purchase.


S. H. Stocking, formerly of New York State, settled in 1836 on section 3, where he had eighty acres, upon which he still resides on a highly-improved farm.


H. N. Forbes, formerly of Massachusetts, entered land in Stockbridge in 1836, and the following year chose a home of 160 acres on section 26. On this he built a log house, to which he removed and began labor upon the land, E. B. Webster and Daniel T. Comfort having been his near neigh- bors. At this early date there was no resident physician in Stockbridge, and Drs. Morgan and Field, of Unadilla, min- istered to the ills of the little community .* Mr. Forbes remained twelve years a tiller of the soil, and then removed to the village, where he is now engaged in mercantile pur- suits.


William Smith, formerly of Washtenaw County, re- moved to the township and settled on land entered by him


in June, 1836. ITis brother, Cephas, followed him in 1840, and purchased forty acres on the same section, re- maining with William while improving it. John R. Bow- dish was his nearest neighbor in the township, though many settlers had located in Bunker Hill. Cephas Smith is now a resident of the village, where he is engaged in the manu- facture of furniture.


Edy Baker, formerly of Steuben County, N. Y., settled on section 22, in 1845, and later purchased forty acres on section 27. In 1858 he was elected sheriff, and soon after removed to Stockbridge village, where he now resides.


William Craig emigrated from Scotland to Connecticut in 1832, to Unadilla, Mich., in 1836, and to Stockbridge in 1848, where he settled upon 120 acres, on section 26. A house of logs, built by Jonn Bird, was still standing, and many of the trees had been girdled, but no furrows had been turned by the plowshare, and much pioneer labor remained yet to be done. Mr. Craig began his task with vigor, and soon transformed the wilderness into productive acres. He died in 1875, and the land is now occupied by his widow and son. Space does not permit a detailed re- cital of the experiences of all the pioneers who helped to make it the flourishing township it is. Among others who came early and did much to advance its interests were Joseph Hunt and Daniel Jackson, who located on section 1; William Douglas and Reuben Smith, who purchased on section 6: Benjamin Bullock, William Pressley, and S. S. Buck, who had lands on section 3; James Bending and A. D. Felton, who located on section 5 ; James Steffy, on section 26; John and Lewis Rice, on the same section ; Orvin Wheaton, William Coddington, and II. S. Stevens, on section 9; Asa Thompson, on section 21; Chauncey Teachout, on sections 10 and 14; James C. Pierce, on the same sections; Uriah Coulson, Oliver LaDue, George Jud- son, Thomas Macomber, Russell Hewitt, Thomas Gillman, David Dewey, D. H. Beers, James Houghtaling, Timothy Poxen, Allen Whittier, William A. Havens, Daniel Jacobs, Peter Force, and Chauncey Prior.


ORGANIZATION AND CIVIL LIST.


The township of Stockbridge was organized as an inde- pendent township March 26, 1836, and, as decreed by an act of the State Legislature, the first meeting of qualified electors was held at the house of D. T. Comfort, April 3, 1837. At this meeting, Orin Gregory was appointed mod- erator, and Peter Lowe clerk. The ballots for township officers having been cast, the following officers were declared duly elected : Supervisor, Orin Gregory ; Township Clerk, Peter Lowe; Justices of the Peace, Ira Wood, David Rogers, Royal Stevens, Heman Low ; Collector, Eben B. Webster; Assessors, Ileman Low, Ira Wood, A. D. Felton ; Highway Commissioners, David Rogers, A. D. Felton, Orin Gregory ; Commissioners of Common Schools, Alden Smith, Elijah Smith, Herman Stocking; School Inspectors, Olney F. Rice, Ira Wood, Peter Lowe; Constables, E. B. Webster, Minor Townsend; Overseers of Poor, Olney F. Rice, E. Wheaton.


The following list embraces the names of the supervisors, township clerks, treasurers, and justices of the peace for the succeeding years to the present date :


* In 1839, Dr. Tunnicliff became a practitioner, and remained two years, having resided in the family of Silas Beebe. He later removed to Jackson, his present residenee.


300


HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


IS38 .- Supervisor, Orin Gregory : Township Clerk, Peter Lowe; Jus- tice of the Peace, Peter Force.


IS39 .- Supervisor. J. R. Bowdish ; Township Clerk, Silas Beebe; Justice of the Peace, O. J. Rice.


IS40 .- Supervisor. J. R. Bowdish ; Township Clerk, Silas Beche, Jr. ; Treasurer, Ileman Low; Justices of the Peace, Mason Branch, Horatio N. Forbes.


IS41 .- Supervisor, Peter Lowe ; Township Clerk, Silas Beebe, Jr .; Treasurer, Asa Proctor; Justice of the Peace, Silas Beche, Jr.


1842 .- Supervisor, John R. Bowdisb ; Township Clerk, Silas Beebe, Jr .; Treasurer, Royal Stevens; Justice of the Peace, David Rogers.


I843 .- Superviser, Joseph Hunt; Township Clerk, Silas Beebe, Jr. ; Treasurer, Eleazer Beche; Justices of the Peace, Ear] Webster, llenry Smalley.


1844 .- Supervisor, David Rogers; Township Clerk, Gilson Morgan ; Treasurer, Ira Wood ; Justice of the Peace, Mason Braneh. 1845 .- Supervisor, Henry Billenger; Township Clerk, Gilson Mor- gan; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justice of the Peaec, llenry Smalley.


1846 .- Supervisor, Phineas P. Fox; Township Clerk, Gilson Mor- gan ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justice of the Peace, Horatio N. Forbes.


1847 .- Supervisor, Joseph Hunt; Township Clerk, Silas Beebe; Treasurer, Allen Mitteer; Justice of the Peace, Franklin La Rue.


1848 .- Supervisor, Franklin La Rue; Township Clerk, Jerome C. Branch ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs ; Justices of the Peace, Mason Branch, Joseph Hunt.


1849 .- Supervisor, John R. Bowdish ; Township Clerk, Jerome C. Branch ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justices of the Peace, Reuben Smith, Joshua Whitney.


1850 .- Supervisor, George W. Gibbs; Township Clerk, Marcus M. Atwood; Treasurer, Lucius E. Morgan ; Justice of the Peace, II. N. Forhes.


185I .- Supervisor, Franklin La Rue; Township Clerk, John C. Phillips; Treasurer, Lucius E. Morgan ; Justices of the Peace, Joseph Hunt, M. D. L. Braneh.


1852 .- Supervisor, Franklin La Rue; Township Clerk, Wm. Martin ; Treasurer, Allen Mitteer; Justices of the Peace, Mason Branch, Elias J. Smith.


1853 .- Supervisor, James Reeves; Township Clerk, Horatio N. Forbes ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justice of the Peace, John Soules.


1854 .- Supervisor, James Reeves; Township Clerk, Eron B. Wch- ster ; Treasurer, Ira Wood; Justices of the Peace, William 1. Johnson, David Rogers.


1855 .- Supervisor, M. D. L. Branch ; Township Clerk, Asa W. Howe; Treasurer, Gustavus A. Smith; Justice of the Peace, Orton Williams.


IS56 .- Supervisor, James Reeves ; Township Clerk, Josiah F. Sellen ; Treasurer, Phineas P. Fox; Justices of the Peace, Joseph B. Wallace, Samuel Halliday.


1857 .- Supervisor, Wm. Craig; Township Clerk, Gilbert E. Corbio; Treasurer, Asa Thompson ; Justice of the Peace, Laureu- tius Cooper.


1858 .- Supervisor, Joshua Whitney; Township Clerk, Ira Wood; Treasurer, Royal Stevens; Justice of the Peace, James Reeves.


1859 .- Supervisor, Duncan MeKenzie; Township Clerk, Ira Wood; Treasurer, Joseph D. Rogers ; Justice of the Penee, Elam Hopkins.


1860 .- Supervisor, Edward L. Drake; Township Clerk, Gustavus A. Smith ; Treasurer, Martin A. Bangs; Justices of the Peace, Andrew Richmond, Jureph B. Wallace.


1861 .- Supervisor, David Rogers; Township Clerk, Ira Wood ; Treas- urer, Gerrge W. Gibbs; Justices of the Penec, Joseph D. Rogers, Henry R. Wilcox.


1862 .- Supervisor, David Rogers; Township Clerk, Isaac N. Branch ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justices ut the Peace, James Rerver, Melville J. Titus.


1863 .- Supervisor, Arn Thompson; Township Clerk, Joseph B. Wal- Ince ; Treasurer, Martin A. Bangs; Justice of the l'cace, Benjamin Judson.


1864 .- Supervisor, Asa Thompson; Township Clerk, Emmett L. Nichols ; Treasurer, Martin A. Bangs; Justice of the Peace, Joseph B. Wallace.


1865 .- Supervisor, Asa Thompson; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, Lucius Bowdish ; Justices of the Peace, John J. Rogers, Sidney M. Isbell.


1866 .- Supervisor, M. D. L. Branch ; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, Daniel MeKenzie; Justices of the Peace, Harvey K. Bowdish, Joseph D. Rogers,


1867 .- Supervisor, M. D. L. Branch ; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justices of the Peace, William F. Bowdish, Benjamin Judson.


1868 .- Supervisor, William J. Nott ; Township Clerk, Wesley Wight; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justiees of the Peace, John A Sly, Benjamin S. Peet.


1869 .- Supervisor, William J. Nott; Township Clerk, Hobart P. Sweet; Treasurer, Osear S. Gregory ; Justices of the Peaco, James Reeves, Harvey H. Johnson.


1870 .- Supervisor, William J. Nott ; Township Clerk, A. L. Forbes ; Treasurer, O. S. Gregory ; Justice of the Peace, Benjamin Judson.


1871 .- Supervisor, William J. Nott ; Township Clerk, A. L. Forbes ; . Treasurer, O. S. Gregory ; Justice of the Peace, Iloratio N. Forbes.


1872 .- Supervisor, Samuel P. Reynolds ; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, Joshua Whitney ; Justice of the Peace, William C. Nichols.


1873 .- Supervisor, S. P. Reynolds; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, Joshua Whitney; Justice of the Peace, James Reeves.


1874 .- Supervisor, John Sperry ; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justice of the Peace, Benja- min Judson.


1875 .- Supervisor, John Sperry ; Township Clerk, Charles W. Van Slyke; Treasurer, Albert L. Forbes; Justices of the Peace, Henry 11. Johnson, Ira C. Williams.


1876 .- Supervisor, Samuel P. Reynolds; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, George W. Gibbs; Justice of the Peace, William C. Nichols.


1877 .- Supervisor, Ilarvey H. Johnson ; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet ; Treasurer, Peter MeIntire; Justice of the Peace, William B. Craig.


1878 .- Supervisor, Samuel P. Reynolds; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Pect ; Treasurer, Peter MeIntire; Justices of the Peace, William B. Craig, Benjamin Judson.


1879 .- Supervisor, Samuel P. Reynolds; Township Clerk, Benjamin S. Peet; Treasurer, David F. Bird; Justice of the Peace, Andrew D. Gremes.


1880 .- Supervisor, Samuel P. Reynolds ; Township Clerk, Peter Mc- Intire ; Treasurer, David F. Bird; Justice of the Peace, Benjamin F. Peet ; Highway Commissioner, M. J. Titus ; Superintendent of Schools, William B. Craig ; School In- spector, Osear S. Gregory ; Drain Commissioner, John E. Mapes.


EARLY HIGHWAY RECORDS.


At a meeting of the board of highway commissioners, consisting of Messrs. O. Gregory, A. D. Felton, and David Rogers, held May 15, 1838, the township was apportioned into the following road districts :


District No. 1 embraecd sections 1, 12, 13, and the east half of 14, 11, and 21.


District No. 2 embraced sections 3, 4, 9, 10, the north half of sections 15 and 16, the northwest quarter of 14, and the west half of sections 2 and 11.


District No. 3 embraced sections 5, 6, 7, 8, and the north half of sections 17 and 18.


District No. 4 embraced sections 19, 20, 29, 30, 31, 32, and the south half of sections 17 and 18.


District No. 5 embraced sections 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28,


301 .


STOCKBRIDGE.


33, 34, 35, the southwest quarter of section 14, and the south half of sections 15 and 16.


District No. 6 embraced sections 24, 25, 36, and the south half of section 13.


The following persons were appointed overseers of high- ways: John Soules, District No. 1 ; Hiram Stocking, Dis- trict No. 2; Abner D. Felton, District No. 3; Obadiah Force, District No. 4; Elijah Smith, District No. 5; Da- vid Rogers, District No. 6.


The earliest highway of which any record is found is designated as


Road No. 1. It was surveyed by Richard Peterson, Jr., and is described as beginning at the northeast corner of sec- tion 24, township I north, of range No. 2 east, and, follow- ing a northwesterly course, ended south, one degree ten minutes east, twenty-six chains from the northwest corner of section No. 6 of the same township. The date of survey is not a matter of record.


Road No. 2 was surveyed June 15, 1837, by Richard Peterson, and is described as beginning south, two degrees twenty-cight minutes east, twenty chains sixteen links from the quarter-post of sections 2 and 3 in township 1 north, of range 2 east, and ending seven chains twenty-nine links from the quarter-post of sections 9 and 10 in the same township.


Other roads traversing various portions of Stockbridge were laid out the same year by the commissioners.


VILLAGE OF STOCKBRIDGE.


The name of Elijah Smith is identified with the earliest efforts to build up a village in the township of Stockbridge. He emigrated from the Empire State as early as 1836, and in May of that year entered a tract of land on section 26, which was platted at a subsequent date, and christened the Village of Pekin. The land embraced in the plat, which was never recorded, was subsequently sold by him to Silas Beebe, who, in connection with Ira Wood (who, in May, 1836, also entered land on section 27), replatted the ground.


This plat, which in the official record in the register's office at Mason is described as the " west half of the north- west quarter of section 26, together with twenty rods of the east side of the northeast quarter of section 27," is ac- knowledged by Silas Beebe, Jr., and Marcia, his wife, and Ira Wood and Jane, his wife, before Mason Branch, justice of the peace.


Elijah Smith built a log house, and remained about two years, after which Mr. Beebe succeeded to the occupaney. The latter gentleman brought with him in a trunk from Detroit a stoek of goods, which he displayed in the limited apartment used as a sleeping-room, while the family enjoyed their peaceful slumbers in the loft above, fitted for the purpose. Elijah Smith had, on disposing of this residence to Beebe, built another log shanty, which was the second building in the embryo village.


John Newkirk followed soon after, and constructed a shed, in which he placed a bellows and anvil, and plied his trade as a blacksmith. A pioneer named Ford began the erection of a saw-mill on Portage Creek, within the village limits, which he conducted for a brief time. It was after-


wards removed to a point twenty rods lower down the stream, and managed by one Johnson. Stephen Gedney later became proprietor, and after a succession of transfers it became the property of Silas Beebe. The structure has yielded to time's ravages, and is in a ruinous condition.


Eleazer Beebe erected a tavern on the site of the present village hotel, which was kept by Orton Williams. It was afterwards consumed by fire, and the building now stand- ing was ereeted in its place. Dr. Morgan at this period became a resident of the village, and L. E. Rice & Co. opened a store, which eventually became the property of H. N. Forbes, and was subsequently burned. In 1838 a small log building was erected near the present cemetery, in which the earliest school in the village was opened. In this log school-house the earliest religious services were conducted by Elder Sayres. A more spacious brick struc- ture took its place, in which the various religious bodies convened until the erection of the church edifice, in 1855. Charles C. Millard early became a partner of Silas Beebe in his mercantile enterprise, and afterwards opened a store, which was managed by Mason Branch.


The hamlet slowly increased in importance and popula- tion by the advent of residents from the township and the opening of stores in response to the demands of the adjacent country. It has now two general stores, kept by Messrs. H. N. Forbes & Son and Edy Baker; one drug-store, owned by Dr. H. E. Brown, who is also the village post- master; two blacksmith-shops, in which Messrs. Bevier & Graham and Lewis Randolph preside at the forge; two harness-shops, kept by Lucius Bowdish and James Spaul- ding; and a milliner-shop, from which emanate the fashions of Stockbridge.


The physicians of the village are Dr. I. C. Williams and Dr. H. E. Brown.


CHURCHES.


Methodist Episcopal Church, North Stockbridge .- It is impossible to obtain authentic data regarding this church, as no records have been kept by the various elerks, and the class-books that are accessible do not contain a list of the successive pastors who have from time to time filled its pulpit. It is certain that religious meetings were held as early as 1837, and probable that a class was formed at that time. The log houses of the settlers and the barn of Mr. S. C. Proctor afforded convenient places for those early religious gatherings. In 1857, under the ministrations of Rev. Benjamin Hedger, the church edifiec, located on sec- tion 2, was erected at a cost of $1350. The pastor at present ministering to the flock is Rev. George Stow, who has in Stockbridge forty members in his immediate charge. A Sabbath-school, under the superintendence of Oscar Gregory, is regularly sustained .*


A Methodist Episcopal society exists in the village of Stockbridge, though the date of its organization is not obtainable. It embraces nearly 100 members, under the pastorate of Rev. George Stow, with Losell Forbes and . Proetor as class-leaders.


A Protestant Methodist society holds services alternately,


# Rev. George Stow was returned by the Conference of 1880.


302


HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


with the other religious bodies, in the Presbyterian church of Stockbridge. Rev. - Clark, of Dansville, is pastor.


First Presbyterian Church .- The earliest society in connection with the Presbyterian denomination in Stock- bridge was organized in 1853, under the ministry of Rev. Sylvester Cary, with William Craig and William S. Bird as its first officers. Its members'embraced the following individ- uals: Wm. S. Bird, A. C. Dutton, Wm. Craig, Mason Branch, Ira Wood, Fritz Cooper, M. D. L. Branch, Abram Turner. A. C. Dutton was chosen as the clerk of the society. In 1854, the organization having attained considerable strength, a church edifice was erected, which was dedicated with im- pressive ceremonies on the 14th day of February, 1855. The records indicate that the society was not regularly or- ganized as the First Presbyterian Church of Stockbridge until 1867, under the pastorate of Rev. H. Kittridge, who was followed in his ministerial labors by Rev. Seward Osen- gaugh, after which the present pastor, Rev. T. B. Williams, was ordained. Its first elders were William Craig, William S. Bird, and A. A. Howard, who served under the regular church organization. The present elders are L. P. Rey- nolds, Hugh McCloy, Asa Thompson. A flourishing Sab- bath-school-union in its character-is maintained under the efficient superintendence of A. L. Forbes. The church membership now embraces thirty names, though the regular attendants upon its services are greatly in excess of that number.


BURIAL-PLACES.


During the early days of the township's existence no spot was set apart for burial purposes, and the settlers were accustomed to bear their dead to the cemetery at Unadilla. At a later date a death occurred in the family of Ira Wood, and the interment was made on a lot owned by him within the village limits. Though this spot was not regarded as a public burial-place, lots were sold by him to the citizens as necessity demanded them, and this for a period of years was the only place of interment within the township limits. Some years later the township officers purchased two lots on sections 2 and 21 respectively, and devoted each to the uses of a cemetery. The former has, by the enterprise of many of the residents of the northern portion of the town- ship, been greatly improved and beautified. It is in fact controlled by an association organized with a view to main- taining it in proper condition. The one on section 20 is inclosed by a neat fence, and is under the supervision of the township officers. A private burial-place is located on sec- tion 28, upon land owned by J. Whitney.


ORDERS AND SOCIETIES.


STOCKBRIDGE LODGE, No. 130, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS.


The charter of this lodge bears date Jan. 9, 1862, its charter officers having been Charles G. Cool, W. M .; John F. Van Sickle, S. W. ; William M. Stevens, J. W. ; Ma- son Branch, Sec. Its present officers are Albert L. Forbes, W. M. ; William C. Nichols, S. W. ; Samuel W. Scott, J. W .; Abram Croman, Treas. ; H. E. Brown, Sec. The lodge is in a prosperous condition. The spacious hall in which its convocations are held is owned by the organization, and it has a substantial balance in the treasury.


UNION AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.


This society may be described as the outgrowth of a popular need. Several of the townships in the southern portion of the county, together with others in the counties immediately adjacent, finding the sites chosen for the hold- ing of the annual agricultural fairs remote from their va- rious residences, formed an association for the purpose of purchasing land and erecting buildings at a more convenient point. The society early embraced the townships of Stock- bridge, Bunker Hill, Iosco, White Oak, Lyndon, Unadilla, and Waterloo. Ingham and Henrietta were subsequently added to the list. The grounds, located in Stockbridge, were very soon after their purchase improved, commodious edifices constructed, and the first annual meeting held in 1877, which very soon demonstrated the success of the project. Its first officers were : President, William M. Ste- vens ; Vice-Presidents, Frank Ives, William Watts, A. Cro- man, F. S. Fitch, Abram Hayter, Isaac Stowe; Directors, Andrew Jackson, William B. Craig, B. W. Sweet, Horace Mapes, E. W. Woodward, E. Skidmore; John Farmer, Treasurer ; S. P. Reynolds, Secretary. The present officers are : President, E. Skidmore ; Vice-Presidents, William B. Craig, H. Mapes, Amos Lawrence, Abel McCloy, H. Twom- ley, B. Westfall, William Coy, Charles Pixley ; Directors, William M. Stevens, F. E. Ives, William Watts, J. D. Cook, Samuel Seadon, W. II. Howlett, Isaac Stowe, E. W. Woodward, Abram Croman; John Farmer, Treasurer ; S. P. Reynolds, Secretary.




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