History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 88

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 88
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 88

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).

" Your excellency is respectfully recommended to establish perma- nently the seat of justice for said county at the point selected by the commissioners.

"Given under our hands this 5th day of June, A.D. 1833.

" CHANLES C. HASCALL, "STILMAN BLANCHARD, "J. W. STRONG,

Commissioners."

The bond mentioned in the foregoing was conditioned for the donation by the said George W. Barnes of " three acres of land for a burying-ground and twenty-four rods by thirty for a public square."*

Sept. 22, 1835, acting Governor John S. Horner ap- proved the report of the commissioners to locate the seat of justice, and issued a proclamation confirming their action and establishing said seat of justice.t On the same date Levi Cook, Territorial treasurer, gave receipt for $216 of George W. Barnes, amount of expenses paid the commis- sioners.

The place at which the future business of the county should be transacted was thus settled upon, but circum- stances arose when the pioneers commenced to locate which made it expedient to have the business done elsewhere than at the prairie. Bellevue, being the principal and oldest settlement, was considered the most appropriate point, and the courts were held there for two years after the organ- ization of the county. Other localities were desirons of having the county business, among them being Eaton Rapids and Hyde's Mills, the latter in Kalamo township. Mr. Hyde is said to have agreed to erect buildings, free of cost to the county, for its use should it conclude to hold its courts and locate its offices at his place, while the claims of Eaton Rapids were as well worthy of consideration. Mean- while it became evident to the proprietors of the village of Charlotte that the county-seat of Eaton was destined to be an important place, and they bestirred themselves to erect suitable buildings and make ready for future advancement. It is stated that Hon. Epaphroditus Ransom told Horatio I. Lawrence, one of the proprietors, that he would hold the May (1839) term of the Circuit Court at the place if suit- able quarters should then be ready. Work was accordingly rapidly pushed on the " block" building known as the " Eagle Hotel," but was not completed, and the board of county commissioners ordered as follows in 1839 :

" Resolved, That we, the undersigned commissioners of the county of Eaton, having taken into consideration the impropriety of having the county business done for the present year at Eaton Centre, in consequence of there not being suitable buildings erected at the Centre aforesaid to accommodate the people transacting business io and for the county, now therefore we hereby order the county business in and for said county of Eaton to be done for the present year at The village of Bellevue, in said county.

" Bellevue, January seventh, cighteen hundred and thirty-nine.

"S. S. CHURCH, " EPHRAIM FOLLETT, " County Commissioners."

* See originals on file.

t See Ex. Journal, Mich. Terr., Vol. II. p. 150.

Nearly in front of what is now the " Baird House," in Charlotte, once stood a large poplar-tree. The sides of this were " squared" by the commissioners, who wrote upon it with red chalk the words County Site, thereby putting a damper upon the aspirations of all other points in that direction, and the Prairie City " bore her blushing honors thick upon her." The following extract from the pro- ceedings of the board it is proper to insert here :

" At a meeting of the board of county commissioners of the county of Eaton, on the 20th day of January, 1840, at the house of William Stoddard,¿ in the village of Charlotte, for the purpose of removing the county business fram Bellevue to the county-seat, were present O. D Skinner, E. Follett, and John Montgomery. The board organ- ized and proceeded to business. Sufficient notice not having been given, the board adjourned to meet again at the same place on the Ist of February then next.

"February 1st .- Board met pursuant to adjouroment, and passed the following resolutions, to wit :

" Resolved, That the buildings now at the county-seat of Eaton County are sufficient to hold the Circuit Courts iu and for the said county.

" Resolved, That the clerk is hereby authorized and requested to publish the proceedings of this meeting in some one of the Calhoun County papers for six weeks in succession.

" M. S. BRACKETT, Clerk."

At a meeting of the board held March 14, 1840, it was

" Resolved, That the county business in and for said county shall he done at said village of Charlotte, at the house of William Stoddard, from and after the first day of the next term of the Circuit Court in said county."

This resolution was ordered to be published for six weeks in succession, and the clerk was authorized and re- quested to procure fifty copies of the paper in which the same was published, and distribute them in the county. Charlotte having permanently become the county-seat, the business of the county has been transacted there continu- ously since to the general satisfaction of the inhabitants.

POLITICAL STATISTICS.

VOTES AT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

1840 .- Harrison, 337; Van Buren, 229.

1844 .- Clay, 410; Polk, 376.

1848 .- Taylor, 356 ; Cass, 546 ; Van Buren, 218.

1852 .- Scott, 637; Pierce, 786; Hale, 225.

1856 .- Fremont, 1888; Buchanan, 1228.

1860 .- Lincoln, 2135; Douglas, 1328.

1864 .- Lincoln, 1848; MeClellan, 1369.

1868 .- Grant, 3088; Seymour, 2036.

1872 .- Grant, 3202; Grecley, 1635.

1876 .- JIayes, 4010; Tilden, 2903.

VOTES FOR GOVERNOR, 1854-78.

1854 .- Bingham, 995; Barry, 891.

1856 .- Bingham, 1853; Felch, 1288.

1858 .- Wisocr, 1602; Stuart, 1211.

1860 .- Blair, 2111; Barry, 1356.

1862 .- Blair, 1668, Stout, 1270.

1864 .- Crapo, 1850; Fenton, 1379.

1866 .- Crapo, 2333; Williams, 1439.

1868 .- Baldwio, 3083; Moore, 2054.

1870 .- Baldwin, 2285; Comstock, 1691.

1872 .- Bagley, 3193 ; Blair, 1757.

Į This was the tavern, known also for several years as "the court- house."

356

HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

1874 .- Bagley, 2460; Chamberlain, 1916. 1876 .- Croswell, 3982; Webber, 2913. 1878 .- Croswelt, 3139; Barnes, 1225; Smith, 2140.

VOTE ON THE VARIOUS CONSTITUTIONS.

1850 .- Yea, $09; nay. 204. 1867 .- Yca. 1786; nay, 2522. 1873 .- Yca, 1134; nay, 2446.

CHAPTER III.

THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE.

County Commissioners-Board of Supervisors-First Meeting of Board-County Buildings-Poor-Faria and Buildings-Assess- ments and Taxation-Census Statistics, etc.

FROM 1839 to 1842 the affairs of the county were under the supervision of a board of county commissioners, three in number, serving respectively for one, two, and three years. In 1842 the office was abolished and the commis- sioners were superseded by the board of supervisors. In examining the county records it is discovered that the board of supervisors also held a meeting from the 2d to the 5th of November, 1838, and transacted business as follows, the proceedings of the commissioners first appearing the next year.

There were present Reuben Fitzgerald, of Bellevue ; Wait J. Squier, of Vermontville; Addison Hayden, Phineas Spaulding (in place of - Stebbins), and John Mont- gomery. The board organized by appointing Reuben Fitz- gerald chairman, and John T. Ellis clerk. The latter re- signed and Martin S. Brackett was appointed. It was

"Resolved, That W. S. Fairfield's bill for traoscribing 470 deeds and 80 mortgages, amounting to $443.874, lay over until the meeting of the board of supervisors or commissioners for the fall of 1839.

"Resolred, That fifteen hundred dollars he levied upon the taxable property of the county for contingent expenses.

"Resolved. That a county convention be held on the 19th inst., at the house of Levi Wheaton, in the town of Vermontville, and that a delegate for every twenty votes (according to the votes taken last fall) be sent from every town, and that said convention be called a Whig convention."

The chairman and clerk were authorized to draw and sign all orders on the treasurer for the payment of bills audited by the board. Martin S. Brackett was appointed clerk of the board, to hold the position during their term of office, and was allowed three dollars per day for his ser- vices in such capacity. The accounts audited at this session amounted to $3332.30, including $1500 raised for contin- gent expenses. The footing of the township rolls (valua- tion) was as follows :

Kolamo .... $96,598

Vermontville

211,078

Eaton ....

144,502

Bellevac.

135,188

Oneida

192,158

Total $779,524

The apportionment of taxes for the several townships was arranged in the following manner :

Kalamo, State ood coonty ....... $111.95; towa, $84.25

Vermontville, Stale and county 900.15 ; 66 299.44

Ealon,

616.23; 120.57

Bellevue,

576.51;

497.27

Oneida,

819.46;

299.00

Totals : State and county, $3324.30; town, $1300.53. Grand total of tax to be raised in the county for all pur- poses, $4624.83.

The first recorded meeting of the board of county com- missioners* was held-so the record reads-

" At the county-seat in Bellevue, on this 7th day of January, A.D. 1839. On motion of Ephraim Follett, Simeon S. Church was elected chairman for and during the present year."

The session was continued through the next day. The eleik was authorized to draw an order on the county treas- urer in favor of W. S. Fairfield, for blanks furnished, amounting to $14.93. The clerk was appointed a com- mittee to call on the treasurer of Calhoun County (to which Eaton had been attached for judicial purposes) and ascer- tain whether he held any moneys belonging to Eaton County, and if so to notify the board of the necessary measures they must take in order to procure the same. He was also directed to write to the secretary of state and as- certain on what terms a set of weights and measures could be procured for the use of the county. The chairman of the board was authorized

" To get an act of the Legislature passed defining and establishing a seal for the county of Eaton." It was

"Resolved, That the clerk of the board of commissioners be author- ized to ascertain what books are necessary for the clerk of the county and for the treasurer of the county ; also the necessary books for the clerk of the board of commissioners, and how said books cao he ob- tained; whether on the credit of the county or not, and if so, to par- chase said books, having regard to economy in said purchase.

After passing a few other unimportant resolutions the board adjourned, sine die, after having requested the clerk to notify them to meet at his office on the Tuesday next fol- lowing the second Monday in July, subsequent, at 9 o'clock A.M. During the session they ordered that the county business for 1839 be done at Bellevue, as the buildings at the " Centre" (Charlotte) were not suitable for such pur- poses.

At the meeting on the 8th of July, 1839, the full board was present. Bills to the amount of $498.21 were audited, among them being the following :

George C. Gibbs, prosecuting attorney ..... $100.00

R. Whealon, sheriff's account. 25.49

A. Ilayden, election returus .. 8.00

Towo of Eaton, for building bridge across Grand Rivert 250.00

II. D. Hfall, book-case and table ... 9.00

At the annual meeting, Oet. 7, 1839, bills were audited amounting to $1868.93, among them the following :

W. S. Fairfield, for transcribing deeds. $489.88 M. S. Brackett, services as clerk, etc .... 176.63 Town of Bellevue, tu assist in building bridge .. 200.00

Towa of Oncida, to assist in building bridge ... 250.00

* The first commissioners of Eaton County wereelected in the spring of 1838, and held office antit the Ist of January, 1839, when the newly- elected board took their place. There is no record of any meeting held by them to be found. They (the first or temporary commission- crs) were Reuben Fitzgerald, of Bellevue, and William Wall and Jona- than Scaris, of Eaton, the last two being elected from the same town- ship, probably through ignorance of the law, to which it was contrary, suid law providing that no two commissioners should bo clected from one township where there were three or more townships in a county. Phineas S. Spaulding was subsequently chosen in place of one of those from Eatune

In October, 1843, the sum of $32.25 was voted to the relief of Chester and Roxaad townships, for building a bridge across the Thornapple River, on the line of the Clinton road.

357

THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE.

It was ordered that a tax be raised in the county, for contingent expenses, amounting to $1000.

In the fall of 1839, Oramel D. Skinner was elected in the place of Mr. Church, and on the 29th of November the board met and appointed Ephraim Follett chairman for the ensuing year. The county business was removed to Charlotte in January, 1840, and subsequent meetings were held at the " house of William Stoddard," he having fitted up rooms in his hewed log-or " block"-tavern. A peti- tion from the township of Eaton was presented to the board, July 6, 1840, praying for aid in building a bridge across Grand River, and it was granted them to the amount of $150.

In October, 1840, it was " Resolved, That Aldis Tory be allowed four dollars per head for four wolves." It was not deemed necessary to raise a contingent fund greater than $500. The purchase of a table, a clerk's desk, and a stove and pipe, for the use of the county, was agreed upon. This session was held in " the court-house at Charlotte," as the tavern was known. During this and subsequent sessions several wolf bounties were allowed, at the rate of four and eight dollars each, upon proof that the claims were just. At the fall election in 1840, Alvan D. Shaw was chosen to fill the place of John Montgomery, whose term had ex- pired. The following was passed at the January session in 1841 :

" Resolved, That the county commissioners allow William Stoddard twenty-five dollars per year for five years, from the 15th day of May next, as rent for two rooms, each fifteen feet by twelve feet square, with sufficient fire-places or stoves to warm the same; said rooms to be sufficiently secure for a jaol ; and that whenever the county shall have no use for said rooms as a prison or jaol, said Stoddard shall have the use of said rooms gratis ; provided said rooms are ready for use by the first day of the Circuit Court for the County of Eaton next. And the commissioners further resolve, that twenty-five dollars of said rent is to be paid to said Stoddard in advance, as soon as be shall have the body of said building erected."

Simeon Harding was allowed $100 for his services as county treasurer in 1841, and M. S. Brackett $300 as clerk of the board.

The total valuation of the townships in 1841, as shown by the assess- ment rolls, was as follows : Kalamo, $25,416.14 ; Bellevue, $63,447.00; Carmel, $30,944.99 ; Eaton, $100,845.00 ; Oneida, $139,634.52 ; Brook- field, $33,893.50; Walton, $41,074.15; Tyler, $62,015.25; Vermont- . ville, $49,639.81 ; Chester, $62,180.76. Total valuation of county, $609,091.12, and upon this a total tax was raised of $7724.71.

Oramel D. Skinner was chairman of the board in 1842, and among the accounts audited at the January session in that year were the following :

Alonzo Baker, material for and labor on the clerk's office ..... $251.75 Stephen Davis, drawing lime (twenty-five bush- els) and bair from Bellevue 6.50

Stephen Davis, banking office and drawing sand

9.50

John Strickland, mason work on office and brick furnished.

149.00

John Sage, for stove-pipe ... 8.17

Osmyn Childs, stove and canvassing. 20.00

Simeon Harding, book, etc. 2.00

Samuel Clark, bill as physician 6.00 John Willard, prosecuting attorney .. 50.00

S. S. Church, associate judge, May and Novem- ber terms .... 27.50

James McQueen, associate judge, May and No- vember terms ..

21.50

Palmer Whitcomb, drawing stove for office .. 11,25

Samuel Searls, drawing stove for office. 11.25

March 9, 1842, it was

" Resolved, That the clerk pay to Stephen Davis four dollars and fifty cents for chopping and piling eight chords of stove wood, being all the wood piled up near the clerk's office belonging to the county, when the same shall be well chopped, split, and piled."

April 7, 1842, M. S. Brackett was authorized to " pro- cure the door and inside work of the safe in the east room in the brick office finished as he may deem proper." This brick office was the same as that now occupied by the regis- ter and treasurer. Its total cost, including furniture, etc., was $467.42.

The last meeting of the commissioners was that held April 7, 1842. By authority of the State Legislature the county business was transferred to the charge of the board of supervisors, and the first meeting of the latter, as newly organized, was held on the first Monday of July, 1842. Present : Andrew W. Rogers, Alonzo Baker, A. D. Shaw, Flavel Stone, John Dow, Hiram Bowen, James M. Collins, George Y. Cowan, Daniel Barber, as proxy for E. H. Bar- ber ; S. S. Hoyt, Jesse Hart. John Dow was appointed chairman. On the 4th of July, Erastus Ingersoll, super- visor of Delta, and John D. Skinner, of Windsor, were present, and Truman W. Nichols appeared on the 5th. W. S. Fairfield was allowed $100 for taking charge of and boarding John Miller, a prisoner, up to June 20, 1842. The assessed valuation of the county, with fourteen organ- ized townships, in 1842 was less than in the previous year, being but $523,648.93, and still less as equalized and corrected.

At this session bills and accounts amounting to $243.49 were allowed, and Martin Andrew was to be paid seventy- five cents each for twelve benches for the court-room, to be ready by the next court. Mr. Brackett was authorized to purchase a suitable sheet-iron door for the safe in the clerk's office .*

During the year 1842 it became evident that some place must be provided for prisoners, and in September the super- visors appointed William Stoddard, Alonzo Baker, and A. D. Shaw a committee to draft a plan for a jail, and receive proposals for building the same, and submit them to the board for approval. In January, 1843, the subject was again taken up, and it was finally resolved to submit the question to the people at their coming town-meetings. Before the session closed the sum of four dollars was allowed to W. S. Fair- field for building a temporary jail, which must indeed have been an imposing affair. In July, 1843,} William Stoddard was allowed five dollars for furnishing jail. After that nothing further was said about building a jail for a consid- erable period.

During the session of October, 1844, it was, on motion,

" Resolved, That J. M. Collins he authorized to enter into a contract with Messrs. Millett & Scout to build a court-house in the village of Charlotte, according to the proposals of said Millett & Soout; pro- vided the sum for building the same shall not exceed $740."

The yeas and nays being called for the resolution was

* L. Kingsbury was paid $28 for an iron door at the October session of 1843. The treasurer was soon after authorized to procure an oaken door for the safe in bis office, and have the same hung.

[ At this time Austin Blair was clerk of the board,-the same who afterwards become Governor of The State.

358

HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

unanimously adopted. It was then resolved that $500 should be raised towards erecting the court-house, and that the choice of its site be deferred until the following Jan- uary session. The motion to raise $500 was afterwards rescinded. and a resolution adopted to appropriate a like amount out of any moneys not otherwise appropriated, to be paid out by the supervisors as they should deem it expe- dient. At the session in January, 1845, it was agreed to build the court-house on the " court-bouse square, two rods east of the west line, in the centre, north and south." The building was completed in 1845, and the statement was made in the Eaton Bugle (published at Charlotte), at the time, that its cost was nearly $1000. It was one story in height ; the court-room was in the main part, twenty-two by forty feet, and had an oval ceiling ; two wings were built on, each fourteen by eighteen feet, and contained the jury- rooms. Shortly before the court-house was completed, John P. Reznor, of Ohio, purchased a bell and sent it on, at a cost of over $200, donating it to the county if they would hang it on the building. A motion was made by some member of the board of supervisors, in October, 1845, to construet a belfry on the house and hang the bell therein ; this proposition was rejected by the board, in a vote of nine to seven. Some of those who voted against it actually gave as a reasou for so doing that their constituents were so far away they could not hear the bell ring, and it would benefit no place but Charlotte ! William Johnston, the editor of the Bugle, became indignant, and through his paper soundly rated the supervisors for their action. The subject was afterwards reconsidered and the bell was hung .* The old court-house was used until it became unsafe, and was finally moved to the cast side of Cochrane Avenue and converted into an Episcopal chapel. In January, 1867, arrangements were made for holding sessions of the Circuit Court in Sampson Hall, at Charlotte, and are still in force.t The old court-house bell hangs over the hall, and its tones are the same as when, thirty-five years since, they were first heard by the inhabitants of the place.

Efforts have been made at different times to raise funds for the purpose of erecting a new court-house, but thus far without avail. Several propositions to raise funds have been voted down in the county, and the officers are yet obliged to occupy the cramped and inconvenient quarters in the old brick building erected in 1842. The county clerk has rooms in Sampson Hall Block, adjoining the court-room. Several propositions have also been submitted on the subject of a new jail building,¿ but none were suc-

* The belfry was built and the bell hung, but it was net until after much discussion by the board. The final resolution to add the belfry was adopted Jan. 6, 1846, by a vote of nine to six. A vote of thanks was also tendered to Mr. Reznor for his donation, aad to S. E. Mil- lett " for the interest taken by him in securing to this county the bell proffered this county by J. P. Iteznor."

t Beginning in 1868, however, and for a few years after, the courts were authorized by the board to be held in the old court-house, which was done.

* Plans for a "jail of hewa timber" were prepared in the fall of 1816, and it was resolved that the county proceed to build one after the plans submitted, out of funds due the treasurer and not otherwise appropriated, and the building was to be ready by Sept. 1, 1847. It was erected at a cost of several hundred dollars, and stoud very nearly on the ground occupied by the new jail. It was a sheriff's residence

cessful until 1871, when the sum of $15,000 was voted by the county for building a new jail, and the present fine jail and sheriff's residence was begun. It was completed in 1873, is built of red brick, in tasteful style, and the first cost was altogether about $16,000. Extensive improve- ments have since been made in the portion of the building used as a jail.

At the session in October, 1846, the board allowed four- teen dollars per head as bounty on full-grown wolves, and half that sum for whelps, and allowed eleven claims for such bounties. In January, 1849, the board

" Resolved, That the sheriff be and he is hereby authorized to epen the court-house to all public purposes appertaining to morality and religien, but net for any ' theatrical performances.'"

At the same session it was ordered that a well be dug for the accommodation of the court-house and jail. This well did not prove satisfactory, and in 1852 another was ordered to be dug.

In June, 1851, the board passed a bill for the destrue- tion of Canada thistles in the county, and imposing a fine upon those who did not observe it; also appropriating the fines to the primary-school fund.

June 12, 1861, the board authorized the supervisors of the several townships to afford such relief as might be re- quired by the families of volunteers (agreeable to an act of the Legislature, passed May 10, 1861), and draw their orders for amounts thus raised on the general fund of the county. Each supervisor was subsequently ordered to open and keep an accurate account with each family to whom such relief should be afforded in his township, and the clerk was directed to procure and furnish blank volunteer relief orders. In 1861 the total number of families aided in the county was eighty-five, and the amount so expended $1469.14. In October, 1862, a report was made to the board (accepted aud adopted) by a special committee ap- pointed at a citizens' meeting held in Charlotte the 29th of July previous, to collect, take charge of, and pay a bounty of twenty-five dollars to each soldier enlisted in Company G, Twentieth Michigan Infantry. At the same session the county treasurer was authorized to appropriate sufficient money to pay orders drawn upon the Volunteer Relief Fund, and pay interest on the same at a rate not to exceed ten per cent. per annum. The clerk was at the same time author- ized to draw orders in favor of subscribers to the bounty fund of the above-mentioned company for the amount subscribed ; and it was also voted that $8000 of the total tax raised in the county should belong to the Volunteer Relief Fund. In June, 1863, the report of a committee was adopted in respect to relief given out of this fund, the terms of which were as follows: Claimants for relief were divided into four classes,-viz., class first, consisting of families wholly without means of support ; class second, fami- lies able to furnish one-fourth of their own support; class third, families able to furnish one-half; and class fourth, those able to furnish three-fourths of their own support. These classes were paid at the following rates per month : class one, four dollars to head of family and two dollars for

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History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 88

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