USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 31
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While it was used by the town the old log school house was also the temple wherein the people gathered for worship on the Sabbath. Methodists and Baptists met there whenever they could secure preaching.
CAMPBELL.
School district No. 1. in Campbell township. inchided originally sec- tions 2, 11, 14. 3. 10 and 15. On October 24, 1849, sections 9. 22 and 13 were added. On November 6. 1852. section 13 was detached and section 12 substituted. School district No. 2 was formed on March 14. 1854. of sec- tions 19, 20, 21, 28, and the north halves of 29 and 30. On March 20, 1855, No. 2 was changed to No. 3. A new No. i was organized on March 20, 1855, and consisted of sections 1. 12, 13, 14. 11 and 2. excepting the west half of the southeast quarter of section 11. There was also added the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 3. On the same day a new No. 2 was formed of sections 3. 10. 15, 22. 4. 9. 16, and the west half of the southwest quarter of section 11 (except the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of the latter ) and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 3.
District No. 4 was formed on May 13. 1856, of sections 5. 6. 7. 8. 17. 18. the west half of section 4, the west half of the northwest quarter of section o, the southwest quarter of section o, the northwest quarter of sec- tion 16, the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 16, and the
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south half of section It, except the south half of the southeast quarter of said section 16.
District No. 5 was formed on August 20, 1856, of the south half ol section 22, and the south half of section 23. the south half of section 24, and all of sections 27. 20, 25. 24. 34. 35. 36.
District No. 6. of Campbell and Odessa, was formed on May 4, 1858, containing sections 24. 25. 36, of Campbell, and sections 19. 30, 31 and the west halves of sections 20. 20 and 32, in Odessa.
DANBY.
The first school taught in Danby township was held in a rickety board shanty on section 28, about 1841 or 1842. The building was put up for a church as much as for a school, and although a pretty poor affair, did very well for religious and educational purposes until a better one could be pro- vided. The first school teacher was Hester Ann David, daughter of Alpha David. She married David Soules and later lived in Portland.
School district No. 1 in Danby was erected on November 1. 1845, out of the district formerly known as No. 7. of Portland, and was described as commencing at the north quarter post of section 29; running thence south two miles : thence cast three miles to the south quarter post of section 35; thence north to the Grand river, and thence down said river to the place of beginning. District No. 7. as aforesaid, was formed on February 24, 1844. and the first clistrict meeting ordered to be held at the house of John Compton.
District No. 2 was organized on June 6, 1846. Its limits began at the west corner of section 19: ran thence south three miles ; thence east two miles ; thence north to the Grand river ; thence along the Grand river to the north line of section 19: thence west to the place of beginning.
District No. 3 was formed on November 3. 1849. to commence at the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 1, on the Clinton county line, and to run thence westward two miles to the northwest corner of the south quarter post of section 2; thence south to the Grand river, thence fol- lowing the Grand river to the county line cast, and thence north to the place of beginning.
In 1849 the apportionment of the primary school interest fund gave to district No. 1. with thirty-six scholars, $11.87; and to district No. 2, with thirteen children, $4.29. School district No. 4. was formed on September 2, 1854. The limits began at the Grand river where the section line crosses the northeast quarter of section 9, and extended cast to the northeast corner of
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section 10; thence south to the east quarter post of section 15; thence west to the center of section 15; thence south to the south quarer post of section 15; thence west to the Grand river ; thence along down the said river to the quarter line of section 21 ; thence west on the quarter line to the Grand river, and thence down said river to the place of beginning.
EASTON.
Thomas Chamberlain, perhaps the first school teacher in Easton town- ship, taught in a log house at what is known as Strong's Corners. He was a small man, but a strict disciplinarian, and in the language of one who knew him, "could thrown any man of his weight in the town." His rigorous way of dealing with refractory pupils brought him into disfavor with parents who had boys of that character. Dexter Arnold, in particular, was opposed to the discipline exercised over his boys, and at his instigation a school meeting was called to pass upon charges of severity to pupils brought against Cham- berlain. At the meting AArnold grew somewhat excited and charged Cham- berlain with being a bull-dog, only to bite and hang on, to which Chamberlain publicly answered him: "Yes, I am; and you can't shake me off either." The majority of the persons at the meeting strongly sustained Chamberlain and indorsing him as a capable and correct teacher, dismissed the charges, much to Arnold's chagrin and the corresponding triumph of the pedagogne.
On September 22, 1843, the school inspectors divided the township into school districts as follow : District No. 2, composed of sections 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30 and the south halves of sections 7 and 8 and so much of sections 31 and 32 as lay north of the Grand river ; No. 3. composed of sections 3. 4. 5. 6, 9. 10, the west halves of sections 2 and LI and the north halves of sec- tions 7 and 8.
Although nothing is said in the records about the formation of district No. 1, the presumption is that No. I embraced the portions of the township unnamed in the foregoing. On July 8, 1844. a new school district, called district No. I, was formed, and was composed of sections 13, 14, 24, 23, the south half of section 12, the southeast quarter of section 11 and so much of sections 25 and 26 as lay north of Grand river.
On June 3, 1846, the inspector's report set forth that the number of scholars in district No. I was 40; in No. 2, the number was 34, and 28 in No. 3.
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KEENE.
The first school taught in Keene township was held in a sixty-dollar school house on section 23. by Ruth Ilunt, a daughter of William Hunt, of Lyons. Just when the school opened does not seem to be remembered by liv- ing pioneers, but it was probably not until 1842, for according to the recol- lection of Ephraim Abbott there was no need of a school before that time since there were no children in that town. In 1845 the people of the town concluded to use for other purposes the usual annual appropriation on behalf of public education, for an entry in the town records under date of April 6. 1845, reads : "Voted to raise no money for the support of public schools."
The first meeting of the school inspectors was held on April 12, 1842, at the house of Allen Day, when, after appointing Simon Heath chairman, the board adjourned. At the next meeting the west half of section 27 was taken from school district No. 3 and annexed to district No. 5. On June 13, 1842, the inspectors detached section 25 from district No. 3 and attached it to district No. 4. Under the same date notice is made of the fact that the school districts in the town were district No. 3. including sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35. 36: district No. 4, including sections 13. 14. 15, 22, 23 and 24 ; district No. 5 including sections 28, 29 and 30. On April 11, 1844, the inspectors formed district No. 1. and described it as beginning at the southwest corner of section 30; running south to the south line of the town; thence east with the line of the town to the east line of section 31 : thence north to the south- east corner of section 29. and thence to the place of beginning.
The annual report of the school inspectors dated on October 11. 1845, gave the following : District No. 4. fifty-eight children : district No. 5, forty children. In district No. 4. Samuel Case was the teacher and received $10.94 for one month's teaching. Thomas Congdon taught six months in district No. 5 and received $50.
District No. 6, formed on January 21, 1846, included the west half of section 36, the whole of section 35. the east half of section 34. the southwest quarter of section 34. the south half of section 33. the south half of section 26 and the southeast quarter of section 27. in town 7, and the north half of section 4 and the northwest quarter of section 3. in town 6.
On May 2. 1846. the school inspectors recorded district No. 1 as contain- ing sections 13. 14. 15. 22, 23, 24 and 25, the northeast quarter of section 26, the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 26: No. 2, as con- taining the territory ascribed to No. 1. formed on April 11. 1844, and No. 4.
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the west half of section 36. the whole of section 35. the east half of section 34, the southwest quarter of section 34, the south half of section 33, and the east half of the east half of section 20.
LYONS.
District No. 1, in Lyons township-commencing at the northeast quarter of section 8, in town 7 north, range 5 west : running thence south to the southeast corner of section 29; thence west on the section line to the south- west corner of section 26; thence north to the northwest corner of section 11 ( the last two boundaries begin in town 7 north, range 6 west ) ; thence east to the place of beginning in town 7 north, range 5 west.
District No. 2-commencing at the northeast corner of section 28: thence south to the south quarter post of section 26; thence east to the county line; thence south to the southeast corner of section 13, in town 6 north, range 5 west : thence west to the south quarter post of section 17; thence north to the north quarter post of section 32. in town 7 north, range 5 west ; thence east to the northeast corner of section 32, and thence to the place of beginning.
District No. 3-commencing on the south line of section 4, on the east side of Grand river, in town 5 north, range 5 west ; thence east to the southeast quarter of section 22, in town 6 north, range 5 west : thence west to the Grand river ; thence following said river southerly to the place of beginning.
District No. 4-commencing at the northwest corner of section 22. in town 7 north, range 5 west ; thence east on section line to the county line ; thence south on section line to the east corner post on section 36: thence west on quarter line so as to include the east half of the northeast quarter of section 35 : thene west so as to include the west half of the southeast quarter of section 27 ; thence west to the northwest corner of section 27 : thence north to the place of beginning.
District No. 5-commencing on the east line of lonia county, where the Maple river crosses the same ; thence south on said line to the southeast corner of section 13, in town 7 north, range 5 west ; thence west on section line to Stony creek ; thence down said creek to the junction of the same with the Maple river ; thence up said Maple river to the place of beginning.
The annual school report dated October. 1839, presented but partially complete statistics from three districts and nothing satisfactory can be quoted. The books then in use in the schools were Paboll's, AAdams', Smith's and Colburn's arithmetics: Woodbury's, Ohney's and Smith's geographies: "Ele-
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mentary Spelling Book," Smith's and Kirkham's grammars, and "English" and "National" readers.
June 9, 1838, district No. 6 was organized and was thus bounded : Com- mencing where the east line of section 15 crosses Stony creek ; thence south to the east quarter post of section 27 : thence west to the Grand river ; thence down said river to the quarter post line of section zo; thence north to the Maple river ; thence up Maple river to Stony creek to the place of beginning.
On October 23. 1839, district No. 7 was set off with boundaries as fol- low : Commencing at the center of section 27 ; thence south on the quarter- line to the south quarter post of section 34; thence west on section line to the Grand river : thence down said river to the quarter line running east and west through sections 27 and 28: thence east to the place of beginning, town 7 north, range 5 west.
The township inchides now eight full and two fractional districts. The total enumeration is 805, the average attendance 645, the value of school property $11,050. and the wages paid to teachers $3,801. There is a graded school at Lyons containing four rooms, capable of seating 300 scholars. The average attendance is 210. Muir has likewise a graded school, with an aver- age attendance of upwards of 200.
NORTH PLAINS.
The first school house erected in North Plains township was a shanty which Hector Haves built on his place for his hired man, Valentine Lewis, and the first school teacher was Sarah, daughter of Rev. Mr. Sangster, a Baptist preacher of Orleans. In that same shanty school was taught after Miss Sangster's time by Mary Lovell, Amos Foster and Jane Backer.
At a meeting of the school inspectors on May 4, 1844, the several school districts and parts of districts previously districts in Lyons, but included in town 8 north, range 5 west. were rearranged and renumbered as districts in North Plains as follow: District No. 12 to be district No. 1, commencing at the center of section 16: thence running south to the north quarter post of section 33 : thene west to the south quarter post of section 33; thence west to the south quarter post of section 29: thence north to the center of said section 20: thence west to the west quarter post of section 30; thence north to the west quarter post of section 18; thence cast to the place of beginning.
District No. o to be district No. 2, commencing at the cast quarter post of section 14: thence south to the corner of said section : thence east to the north quarter post on section 24: thence south to the quarter post on the south
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line of section 25 ; thence west to the south quarter post on section 28: thence north to the north quarter post of section 21 ; thence east to the northeast corner of said section 21 ; thence north to the west quarter post of section 15: thence east to the place of beginning.
Fractional district No. 7. to be district No. 3. commencing at the north- east corner of section 32; thence south to the southeast corner of section 32: thence west to the southwest corner of section 31; thence north to the quarter post : thence east to the center of section 31; thence south to the south quarter post; thence east to the southeast corner of said section 31 : thence north to the quarter post; thence east to the center of section 32: thence north to the north quarter post; thence east to the place of begin- ning.
Fractional district No. 8, to be district No. 4, commencing at the center of section 29: thence south on the quarter post : thence south to the south- west corner of section 32: thence west to the quarter post ; thence north to the center of section 31 : thence west to the quarter post : thence north to the west quarter post of section 30; thence to the place of beginning.
District No. 5. fractional, to be district No. 5. comprising the south half of section 34, and all of section 35 west of the Maple river.
District No. It, to be district No. 6. commencing at the west quarter post of section 6; thence east to the center of section 6: thence south to the center of section 18; thence west to the west quarter post of said section 18: thence north to the place of beginning.
The first annual report of the school inspectors, dated November 18. 1844, certified that in districts Nos. 1 and 2 there were forty-two school children; that forty-eight children attended school and that three-months school had been taught in that district. The books in use were "Elementary Spelling Book," Collins', Adams' and Daboll's arithmetic; "American Man- ual." Olney's geography. "English" reader, Smith's arithmetic and "Ilis- torical" reader.
At a meeting of the board of school inspectors at the town clerk's office. September 25. 1838. it was ordered that school district No. 1 be laid out to include all of sections 4. 9. 14, 15. 21, 22, 28. 32 and 33; No. 2 to embrace sections 1. 2. 3. 10, 11, 12: No. 3 to include sections 13. 24. 25. 35. 36, 26, of town 7.
District No. , was formed on February 13. 1841, to inchide sections 3. 4. 5. 8. 9. 10, 15, 16 and 17, except such portions of sections io and 15 as lay east of Flat river.
On August 29, 1846, district No. 5 was formed to contain section 13.
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the east half of section 14, all that part of section 22 lying east of Flat river, together with the whole of sections 23. 24, 25 and 26.
District No. 7 was formed on January 23, 1847, commencing at the northwest corner of section 27; thence extending east to the quarter post on the north line of section 26: thence south on the quarter line through sections 26 and 35 to the south town line; thence west on said line to the quarter post of section 33 : thence west to the river: thence up the river to the place of beginning.
The annual report for 1848 gave the following as the number of schol- ars : District No. 1, 75: district No. 2, 62; district No. 3, 67; district No. 4. 57: district No. 5. 24; district No. 7. 24 : district No. 3. fractional. 7.
District No. 6 was formed on October 10, 1846, to include sections 9. 18 and 19, of Otisco, and sections 12, 13 and 24, of Grattan.
District No. 8 was formed on February 21, 1849. to commence at the southwest corner of section 21, and to extend thence north to the northwest corner of section 21; thence east to the north quarter post of section 22; thence south on the quarter line to the south line of said section; then west to the southwest corner of section 22; thence south to the southwest corner of section 27: thence west to Flat river; thence down Flat river to the see- tion line between sections 32 and 33 : thence north to the quarter post between sections 28 and 20: thence west to the west quarter post of section 20: thence north to the northwest corner of section 29: thence east to the place of beginning.
On March 7. 1849, district No. 9 was formed, to commence at the quarter post standing on the west line of section 31: thence north to the northwest quarter post of section 19; thence south to the seetion line of section 19: thence east to the southeast corner of section 19: thence south to the quarter post between sections 31 and 32; thence west to the place of beginning.
In 1849 the amount of primary school fund apportioned to the town was $85.47. The scholars reported in the various districts numbered as fol- lows: No. 1. 75: No. 2. 62: No 3. 67: No. 4. 57: No. 5. 24: No. 7, 24: No. 8. 40.
ODESSA.
Not much of a definite character can be gleaned as to the early history of Odessa's school, since the early records concerning town schools are not to be found. It may be said, however, that there was no school in the town
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until 1846, when the town was organized, and that the first school house was built that year at Russell's corners.
It appears that in 1847 and 1848 orders were issued to the school inspectors to the amount of thirty-five dollars, and to school officers of dis- trict No. 1 in the sum of thirty dollars, also the school inspectors reported they had expended thirty-five dollars for books, and in 1849 the town voted to raise fifty cents a scholar for the benefit of the schools. The records indi- cate that in 1859 there were in the town four full districts and one frac- tional district, and that the amount raised by the school districts in 1860 was sixty-four dollars. On December 28, 1872, the board of school inspectors, "believing it to be for the present and future benefit of the inhabitants of the township," divided the township into nine square school districts, each composed of four sections.
ORANGE.
Copy of the record of school districts formed in whole or part from the east half of town 6 north, range 6 west, previous to the organizing the township of Orange, as recorded in the township clerk's office in Portland :
Fractional district No. 4. commencing at Grand river, on the west side. on the north line of section 17, town 6 north, range 5 west, thence west on section line to the northwest corner of section 13, in town 6 north, range 6 west : thence south to the southwest corner of section 24, town 6 north, range 6 west ; thence east on section line to the southeast corner of section 19, town 6 north, range 5 west ; thence north to quarter post between sec- tions 19 and 20; thence east to Grand river: thence following the course of Grand river northerly to the place of beginning.
.At a meeting of the board of school inspectors of the township of Portland, held on November 3, 1841, district No. 6, in the town of Port- land, was formed to commence at the northeast corner of section 2, town ( north, range 6 west, and run south on section line to the southeast corner of section 23: thence west to the southwest corner of section 22: thence north on section line to the north line of said town; thence east on the town line to the place of beginning. f.At a meeting of the school inspectors of Orange. November 22, 1845. the above district was called district No. 1. in Orange. )
Fractional district No. 3 was formed on August 15, 1843. It com- meneed at the southeast corner of section 31. town ( north, range & west and continued northward to the quarter post on the east line of section 18; thence west to the center of section 14, to town 6 north, range 7 west ;
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thence south to the south line of section 35, in said town; thence east to the place of beginning.
ORLEANS.
The pioneer school teacher in Orleans township was Arabella Hewitt, of Otisco, who. in 1843, taught a subscription school in the upper part of Daniel Hoyt's log house. Her pay was one dollar a week, and her scholars -six or eight in number -included the children of E. B. Post, Daniel Hoyt and Alexander Howe.
In the eastern portion of the township was a school taught in 1843 in a shanty on Guy Webster's land, by Sarah Haight, later the wife of Joshua S. Ilall. In that same shanty school was afterwards taught by a Miss Hatha- way and Miss Lucy Chapman. The first district school house in that dis- trict was built not long afterward by Loren Sprague.
Previous to the organization of Orleans township the school districts of lonia included in the present township of Orleans sections 4. 5. 6. 7. 14. 15. 23. 25. 36, 13, 24. the west half of section 9, northwest quarter of 22 and the east halves of 26 and 35.
The first meeting of the board of school inspectors of Orleans was held in Ira Wheeler's house, April 4. 1846, but nothing was done except to adjourn until May 2. ensuing.
.At the meeting of May 2. Joel C. Green was chosen school visitant for the ensuing year and two school districts formed, as follow: No. 1 to embrace section 20. the east half of section 19. and the north half of section 20. the first meeting of the district to be held at the house of Lorenza D. Bates: No 2 to include sections 16, 17 and 18, the first meeting of the dis- trict to be held at the house of David Courter.
District No. 3 was formed on October 19, 1846, to contain section 21 and 28, the west half of section 27 and the southwest quarter of section 22 On November 30. 1848, districts i and 3 were consolidated and called No. 1. embracing sections 19. 20. 21. 28. 30, the southwest quarter of 22, the west half of 27 and the north half of 29. In 1850 district No. I had fifty-one scholars: No. 2 had forty-seven. and No. 3 had sixteen.
District No. 4 was formed on February 7, 1857, and included sections 33 and 34. the east half of 32 and the southeast quarter of 29 and south halves of 27 and 28.
District No. 5. formed on March 4. 1857. included sections 26. 35. the east half of 34, and the southeast quarter of section 27.
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On May 16. 1857, district No. 6 was formed, and included sections 25 and 26 and the southwest quarter of section 24.
District No. 7. formed on September 17, 1857, embraced sections 17 and 18, the west half of section 16, and the east half of the northwest quar- ter and the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 21.
PORTLAND.
The first school taught in Portland was in the small log house near where the depot now stands. This was burned in an early day and it was the first fire in Portland. A vacant house near the "Looking-Glass" was then secured for the school.
The school district was organized on June 6, 1837, with H. Bartow and Zina Lloyd as school inspectors. It was known as district No. 3, of the town of Maple, taking in Maple at the north and extending through Danby on the south. At a special meeting of the taxable inhabitants of said district of the township of Maple. September 20, 1837, Almeron Newman was elected moderator, W. R. Churchill, director, and James Newman, assessor. It was resolved that there be six months school during the year and that $90 be raised for the support of the school and that patrons should furnish fuel for same. The wood was furnished sled length and the larger boys were expected to chop it as fast as wanted. The same year Sio was appro- priated for a district library. October 11. 1839, it was voted to raise $300 to build a school house. The following March this vote was rescinded.
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