USA > Michigan > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Michigan > Part 28
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Yours respectfully, LEVI BISHOP. DETROIT, June 19, 1880.
Hon. H. H. Bingham :
MY DEAR SIR :- Your polite invitation to the Jackson county pioneer meeting, next week Wednesday, is received. It is very doubtful whether I can be present, for next week I have an avalanche of engagements and preparations therefor. If I do not come this year, please say to the pioneers and friends that next year I will try and be with them and contribute something of interest to the occasion. It is no more than fair that, as the pioneers made history, we should take an interest in collating it. I hail with pleasure the interest that is being awakened on this sub- ject. With my best wishes for the cause and the occasion, for the pioneers ( what there are left of them), and for yourself personally, I remain, yours truly,
T. W. PALMER.
JONESVILLE, June 17, 1880.
Hon. H. H. Bingham, President of the Jackson County Pioneer Society, Jackson :
DEAR SIR :- I regret very much that I shall not be able to accept your kind in- vitation to attend your annual meeting on the twenty-third instant. I am compelled to go East on business of the State Board of Education to-morrow, and shall probably not be able to return before the first of July. I trust you will, as I know you al- ways do, have a pleasant and profitable time.
Truly yours. W. J. BAXTER.
PLYMOUTH, June 21, 1880.
Hon. H.H. Bingham. President, and B. F. Eggleston, Secretary, of the State Pioneer Society of Michigan :
GENTLEMEN :- Please accept the highest acknowledgments for the kind invita- tion to meet our brothers and sisters of the Pioneer Society of Michigan, on the twenty-third day of June, at Jackson. It would be highly gratifying to meet with you, and enjoy the pleasing recollections of pioneer life in the beginning of this beautiful State, aud behold the noble faces of the care-worn women and men who have made Michigan a glorious State, one of the best in the union. Please remem- ber me to the Hon. M. Shoemaker, Judge Johnson, and all the noble pioneers of which I should be very glad to meet on that festive occasion ; but engagements are snch that it will be impossible. Very respectfully and truly yours,
JONATHAN SHEARER.
P. S .- I learn by the papers that our old pioneer friend, Livermore, has been called to leave ns. His friendly acquaintance was formed many years ago, while members of the Legislature. In the advocacy of the right, and the welfare of the people at large, his equal was not surpassed by any, and as pioneers we most heart- ily feel and sympathize with his bereaved friends for their uncommon loss. J.S.
FRIEND BINGHAM :- I send you " Hints on Modern Education," to be read to the pioneers, and say to them that if I cannot be with them personally. my mind and best wishes will be always with them while life lasts. J.S.
272
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
In pioneer life are always incidents of peculiar interest, not only to the pioneers, but also, if well preserved, to their children and the historian. It is a matter to be regretted that the Pioneer So- ciety of Jackson was not organized many years prior to 1874; because many of those men who converted the wilderness into pro- ductive fields passed away before that time, and left no record behind. Such a society, with copious records, is invaluable. It is the main channel through which history is to be handed down, and justice done to the memory of men who battled with nature in her wildest form, and tamed her after years of well-directed labors. While regretting the want ot antiquity in connection with the Jackson Pioneer Society, the county and people have to be con- gratulated on the magnificent progress made during the six years of its existence. For this, thanks are due to the first secretary, IIon. H. H. Bingham. A glance at the records will be sufficient to prove his zeal in the work of the very important office to which he was elected. With the Hon. David Johnson, First President, and Col. Shoemaker, President of the State Society, Mr. Bingham takes a large share in the honor which pertains to its organizers, and, like his friends just named, he has reached the most honorable position connected with a society,-that of president.
Let the good work grow apace. The men who performed so nuch good are capable of doing more. They deserve and enjoy the confidence of their comrades of early days, and such being the case, society demands that they persevere in following the paths which friends of knowledge tread.
CHAPTER VI. TRANSACTIONS OF THE SUPERVISORS.
Owing to the earnestness of the settlers of 1830, and the glow- ing reports previously circulated by the Blackmans, Jacksonburgh attracted the attention of the Legislature as early as 1829, and proved the suggestive point, which resulted in laying out the sonthern counties, ineluding Jackson. In opening this chapter the act of general organization takes precedence, followed by subse- quent legislative enactments affecting the district, and a resume of the first township election. A review of the important labors of the board of supervisors and that of the commissioners, during the brief time of their official existence, from 1831 to 1880, is given.
THE LEGISLATURE ORGANIZING THE COUNTIES.
An act, approved Oct. 29, 1829, by the governor and eonneil of the Territory of Michigan, which provided for the laying out of counties, ordained, that the boundaries of Washtenaw county should be a line beginning on the base line where the line between ranges seven and eight east of the principal merid- ian erosses the base line; thence west along the base line to the intersection of the line between ranges six and seven east of the meridian; thence north between said ranges six and seven to the intersection of the line between townships two and three north of the base line; thenee west between said townships, two and three north, to the intersection of the line between two and three east of the principal meridian: thence south on the line between said ranges two and three, to the intersection of the line between townships four and five south of the base line; thence east on the line between said townships to the intersection of the line between ranges seven and eight east of the meridian; thence north on the line between said ranges to the base line.
Ingham County .-- This county was comprised within the follow- ing boundaries :- North of the base line, and south of the lines between townships four and five north of the base line, and east of the line between ranges two and three west of the principal merid- ian, and west of the line between ranges two and three east of the meridian, be, and the same is, hereby set off into a separate county, and the name thereof shall be "Ingham."
Eaton County .- The boundaries, ordained by the act of 1829, were: North of the base line, and south of the line between townships four and five north of the base line, and east of the line
(273)
274
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
between ranges six and seven west of the principal meridian, and west of the line between ranges two and three west of the meridian be set off into a separate county, and the name thereof shall be " Eaton."
Jackson County .- The council enacted that so much of the country included south of the base line, and north of the line between townships four and five south of the base line, and west of the line between ranges two and three east of the meridian, and east of the line between ranges three and four west of the meridian, be set off into a separate county and the name thereof shall be "Jackson."
Calhoun County-comprised the country lying south of the base line, and north of the line between townships four and five south of the base line, and west of the line between ranges three and four west of the meridian, and east of the line between ranges eight and nine west, be set off and called "Calhoun."
Hillsdale County-comprised the country lying west of the meridian, and east of the line between ranges four and five west of the meridian, and south of the line between townships four and five south of the base line, and north of the boundary line between this Territory and the State of Ohio, be named "Hillsdale."
Branch County .- That portion of the country lying west of the line between ranges four and five west of the meridian, and east of the line between ranges eight and nine west, and south of the line between townships four and five, south of the base line, and north of the bonndary line between the State of Indiana and this Territory, was called "Branch county."
Other Acts .- The council approved of an act setting off and organizing the township of Jacksonopolis, July 30, 1830. This act recognized Jackson county as a township in these words: "That all that part of the country lying within the limits of the county of Jackson be, and the same is, hereby set off into a separate township, and the name thereof shall be Jacksonopolis; that the first township meeting to be held in said township shall be at the dwelling house of J. W. Bennett, in said township, on the third Tuesday of August, in the year 1830; that the officers who shall be appointed in said township shall transact the business of said township, in all things as far as may be, in the same manner as they were by law required to do if they had been elected at the annual township meeting, provided the officers who may be ap- pointed at said special township meeting shall not hold their offices longer than until the first "Monday in April, which will be in the year 1831.
By authority of an act of the Legislative Council of the Territory, approved Nov. 4, 1829, the counties of Jackson and Ingham were attached to the county of Washtenaw for judicial purposes.
The council enacted in 1829 that the counties of Jackson and Ing- hanı should be attached to Dexter, in Washtenaw county, and form a part of that township. This was approved Nov. 5, 1829.
275
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
For some reason this meeting, as directed in the act, did not take place in due form, as the premier election was held in 1831. This is known as the first.
TOWNSHIP MEETING, 1831.
At the first annual township meeting held in and for the town of Jacksonburgh, at the house of W. R. Thompson, Alexander Laverty was chosen moderator, Samson Stoddard, clerk, who, with Wm. R. De Land, Justic of the Peace, formed the Board of Election, and proceeded to ballot first for supervisor, when, on canvassing the votes, there were 17 for Ralph Updike, 13 for Wm. R. Thompson, and one for Alexander Laverty, whereupon Ralph Updike was de- clared duly elected. They then proceeded to ballot for township clerk, and on canvassing the same there were 15 for Christian Prusia, 13 for David Striker, and one for Hiram Thompson, whereupon Christian Prusia was declared duly elected.
For Assessors- - Horace Blackman, 15 votes; Isaac Sterling, 15 votes : Ezekiel T. Critchett, 15 votes.
For Constable-Horace Blackman, 18 votes ; Ezekiel T. Critchett, 4 votes.
For Commissioners of Highway-Alexander Laverty, 36 votes (elected); Isaac Sterling, 30 votes (elected); Isaiah W. Bennett, 21 votes; Russell Blackman, 14 votcs.
For Overseer of Poor-Lemuel Blackman, 19 votes (elected).
For School Commissioners-Samson Stoddard, Wm. R. De Land, and Oliver Russ, chosen by uplifted hand.
For School Inspectors-Osgood H. Fifield, Hiram Thompson, Daniel Walker, Isaac N. Swaine and James Valentine.
For Fence Viewers-John Durand, Martin Flint, Samuel Roberts and Timothy Williams.
For Overseers of Highway-Chester Wall, Horace Blackman, Ralph Updike and Wm. C. Pease.
Pound Master-Martin Flint.
The act to change the name of the township of Jacksonopolis was approved Feb. 18, 1831, in the following terms: "Be it enacted by the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan, that the township of Jacksonopolis shall hereafter be called 'Jacksonburgh,' any law to the contrary notwithstanding."
JACKSON COUNTY ORGANIZED.
The act of the council organizing the county of Jackson was not approved until June 26, 1832, and was not ordered to come into force until Aug. 1, the same year. . The act says, "That the county of Jackson shall be organized from and after the taking effect of this act, and the inhabitants thereof entitled to the rights and privileges to which, by law, the inhabitants of the other coun- ties of this Territory are entitled ; that all snits, prosecutions and other matters now pending before the Courts of Record of Washte- naw county, or before any justice of the peace of said county of Washtenaw, shall be prosecuted to final judgment and execution, and all taxes heretofore levied, or which may be hereafter levied
276
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
tor the year 1832, shall be collected in the same manner as though the said county of Jackson had not been organized."
JACKSON COUNTY IN 1832.
" When Jackson county was young and struggling, 48 years ago, it had about the same machinery for county government as it now has, except that there was not so much of it. The records show that the first meeting of board of supervisors met at the house of Lemuel Blackman, in the village of Jacksonburgh, the first Tues- day in October, 1833. At that time the county was divided into only four towns, which, with their supervisors, were as follows: Spring Arbor, Amasa B. Gibson; Jacksonburg, C. Harrington; Napoleon, H. Austin: and Grass Lake, W. II. Pease. Amasa Gibson was elected chairman, and Hiram Thompson, clerk. At this meeting it was voted that a sum of $2.50 be paid for the scalp of any full- grown wolf killed within three miles of the dwelling of any white inhabitant. Claims for such killing were allowed to the amount of $35. The total of bills allowed at this session was $220.19. Property was not quite so valuable then as now, neither were taxes so heavy. The assessed valuation and total taxation of the towns was as follows :
Valuation.
Tax.
Spring Arbor.
$30,111 00
$150 64
Jacksonsburgh
34,765 00
164 05
Napoleon
14,700 00
74 20
Grass Lake.
4,260 00
12 73
In the tax for Jacksonburgh were $25 for sickness. The pay of the supervisors was $1 per day. The next meeting was held in March, 1834, the members of the same board being present. Among the accounts then allowed were $1.50 to Alexander Laverty for crying at court. The treasurer was allowed three per cent. for collecting taxes, and at that rate Dr. Stoddard managed to earn the princely sum of $6.72. There was a balance reported in the treasury, but only of 26 cents. At that early day there were individuals so poor that the county had to provide for them. At this session the names of two sufferers were mentioned, and accounts for their maintenance presented.
A special session was held in April to see about building a jail. John Daniels succeeded C. Harrington as supervisor for Jackson- burgh, and he was instructed to act as a committee of one to secure a safe room for use as a jail. In October it was voted to raise $355.72, and the taxes this year were considerably higher than before. Spring Arbor had outstripped Jacksonburgh, and was the wealthiest town, and its share of the tax was $238.76; Jackson- burgh, $226.62; Grass Lake, 43.82; Napoleon, $138.68.
In March, 1835, $21.09 were reported in the treasury, and $116.79 had been allowed. Joseph Morris and others objected to the line of the Washtenaw Territorial road, and it was ordered to
277
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
be changed, if the change conld be made withont doing greater public or private injury than the one complained of.
In October a new board appeared. Col. Abram Bolton repre- sented Napoleon, and was elected chairman; Samnel Hamlin, from Jacksonburgh, and Caleb Culver, from Grass Lake, with W. R. De Land as clerk. Property was rising, and the assessment-roll showed an inerease in the valnation of from 200 to 450 per eent. Spring Arbor was valned at $111,817; Jacksonburgh, 872,084; Napoleon, $51,749; Grass Lake, $18,657. This session was marked by nothing special except that the board forgot to approve the proceedings, and had to meet the next week to set the seal of approval on the record.
In October, 1836, the number of towns were increased to ten, namely : Jacksonburgh, Concord, Grass Lake, Hanover, Leoni, East Portage, West Portage, Spring Arbor, Napoleon, Sandstone. The assessed valnation was $737,624. In Jannary, 1837, a resoln- tion was adopted to issue bonds for $10,000 to build a jail and conrt-house, Jerry G. Cornell and Geo. B. Cooper being appointed to negotiate the loan, which was to run 10 years and draw inter- est at seven per cent. Proposals were advertised for, and a con- tract for stone building awarded to David Porter.
This was the last time the board met in "Jacksonburgh," for before the October session the last syllable was dropped, and it became "Jackson." Michigan was lifted to the plane of a State, and now all through the record appears a new item, -- " State Tax." Owing to there being so many non-resident landholders, the treasurer could not collect the State tax as assessed, and he was directed to pay it out of the first moneys he might collect, and to sell the lands of non-payers. In the minutes of this session ap- pear the names of Parma, Rives, Liberty, as new towns. There were also represented Aurelins and Stockbridge, of Ingham county, which county was then attached to this for business purposes. In 1838 Pulaski, Springport and Tompkins were added. In this year the record closed somewhat abruptly, on aeeount, as a note says, of the board of supervisors being abolished by law.
For the next four years, the affairs of the county were conducted by a board of three county commissioners, who were Nicholas Townley, of Tompkins, Drusas Ilodges, of Spring Arbor, and Al- vin Clark, of Grass Lake. During the first two years of their rule nothing of interest occurred, except the addition of Columbia to the sisterhood of towns in 1839. In 1840 the commissioners of Jack- son and Ingham connties met to settle up the joint affairs,-Ing- ham being now old enough to run alone. The Jackson commis- sioners were Clark, Townley and Hodges, with the treasurer, John N. Dwight. Ingham county was represented by J. Loomis, William A. Dryer and Henry Lee, Commissioners, with H. H. Smith as Treasurer. It was agreed that Ingham should pay $120 for her nursing.
In 1840 West Portage drops out, and Henrietta appears; but it was seven years before Waterloo took the place of East Portage.
278
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
In 1842 the supervisors again appear, the county system not last- ing long.
The writing in the old record book is well preserved, though an occasional page is faded. Of the many clerks, whose penmanship is found, that of the late Judge W. R. De Land was the finest and handsomest. Czar Jones was clerk in 1843. and claims the palm for plain working.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE SUPERVISORS, 1833.
Amasa B. Gibson, Chairman. W. H. Pease, Grass Lake; C. Harrington, Jacksonburgh; Harvey Anstin, Napoleon, and A. B. Gibson, Spring Arbor.
A meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the county of Jack- son, held at the house of Lemuel Blackman, in the village of Jacksonburgh, on the first Tuesday of October, 1833, pursuant to law. Amasa B. Gibson, of Spring Arbor, was chosen chairman, and H. Thompson, clerk. The first business of the meeting was the auditing and payment of public accounts ; and as the list of county auditors contains names that cannot but recall the past, and the simple, easy and economical manner in which the pioneers attended to the interests of the county, it is but just that the list be subscribed :
David Keyes, services as sheriff .. $ 47 49
Russell Biackman, services to county paupers. 4 03
Lyman R. Lowell, services to county paupers 14 68
Oliver Russ, attendance and medicine .. 2 25
Hiram Godfrey, services to county paupers 10 00
John T. Durand, surveying bill. ..
37 54
John T. Durand, clerk bill.
3 70
David Keyes. com. highways.
10 00
Chester Wall. .
4 00
Samson Stoddard, county clerk.
3 50
Hiram Austin, chairman
1 50
John Wellman, chairman
75
Martin Flint, chairman
75
James Voluntine, returning votes for treasurer and coroner 1 00
Martin Flint, services to county paupers. . 5 00
John M. Dwight, bill for room. 4 50
Samuel Climo, hill as chairman.
1 50
Daniel Coleman, bill for book.
5 00
H. Thompson, services on appeal on road.
2 50
John McConnel, com. highways.
3 00
W. R. De Land, on appeal on road. 3 50
2 50
Charles Harrington, supervisor.
5 50
Harvey Austin, supervisor. 2 00
4 00
William H. Pease .. .
Hiram Thompson, clerk of the board. 5 00
Total.
$185 19
Amasa B. Gibson, supervisor
The first ordinance of the board was, " That the sum of $2.50 be given as a bounty for the killing of every full-grown wolf ; that the nature of proof shall be as follows: Every person before he shall be entitled to such bounty shall make affidavit before a jus-
281
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
tice of the peace of the county in which said wolf was killed, of the time and place of killing of said wolf, and that said wolf was killed within three miles of a white inhabitant, and shall present the justice the scalp of the wolf so killed, which scalp shall be destroyed by said justice; and the said justice shall make certificate of the same, and that such person is entitled to said bounty."
After the ordinance was duly promulgated, the following accounts for the killing of wolves were audited and county orders issued for amounts :
Thomas McGee, killing two wolves $ 5 00
Leander McCain, killing five wolves (L. McCain's order was $250 too
much.). . 12 50
John Daniels, killing one wolf 2 50
Henry Daniels, two certificates. 5 00
Abel W. Daniels, two certificates 5 00
Isaac Sterling, two certificates. 5 00
SAMSON STODDARD, Treasurer.
The supervisors ordered "That orders upon the county be issued by the clerk upon all the accounts preferred against the county, except for wolf certificates, which are not to be given out until there are sufficient funds in the treasury to pay them, after all other bills now audited and pending against said county are paid off and discharged."
The assessment of the townships was next supervised :
JACKSONBURGH.
The aggregate amount on the assessment roll. $34,765
Amount of town allowances. $ 43 17
Money raised to prevent infectious diseases 25 00
Proportion of county expenses. 95 88
Amount of tax
164 05
SPRING ARBOR.
Aggregate amount of assessment roll. $30,111
Amount of town allowances. $ 79 13
Proportion of county expenses 71 51
Amount of tax
150 64
NAPOLEON.
Aggregate amount of assessment roll.
$14,712
Amount of town allowances. $ 30 16
Proportion of county expenses 44 04
Amount of tax
74 20
GRASS LAKE.
Aggregate amount on assessment roll.
Proportion of county expenses $12 73 -$4,260
Daniel B. Brown, Sheriff of the county of Washtenaw, pre- sented his account of $25.13, for keeping William Savacool, a 18
282
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
prisoner from Jackson county. The account, however, was pre- sented too late for adjustment, and was placed on file, to be brought up at the next annual meeting of the board. A note says : "No further business being before the board, it was adjourned sine die." This closed the proceedings for that meeting, and the report was duly signed by H. Thompson, Clerk.
The next meeting of the board of supervisors was held April 14, 1834, at the house of Lemuel Blackman. The supervisors present were : Amasa B. Gibson, of Spring Arbor; William H. Pease, of Grass Lake; Harvey Austin, of Napoleon, and John Daniels, of Jacksonburgh. The object of the meeting was to provide a jail for the reception of prisoners, and the only resolution accepted was that authorizing Supervisor John Daniels to furnish a room for the reception and keeping of prisoners committed to the custody of the sheriff of Jackson county.
The board met on the second Tuesday of October, 1834, being the second " annual" meeting. Among its first acts was the issue of a county order to D. B. Brown, Sheriff of Washtenaw, for $25.13, amount due him for boarding a prisoner. Reuben Barns, Russell Swain, Linus Gillett, John Kearn, Wm. P. Worden and Amos Fassett were acknowledged the slayers of nine wolves; but the orders for amount of bounty were not issued to Kearn and Fas- sett until May 1, 1836. Lemuel Blackman was allowed $1.50 for the use of the court room.
The financial condition of the county may be gleaned from the following order of the board : That the following sums be raised, to wit :
Balance on allowances for the year 1833. $ 47 02
Allowed at the March meeting 1834. 80 86 1/2
Allowed October, 1834. 168 481%
A sum to meet contingent expenses. 59 35
Total
$ 355 72
Now with a view of equalizing the assessment roll of the several townships of the county, the supervisors ordered that the four divisions of the county raise the following amounts :
SPRING ARBOR.
Share of county expenses.
118 20
Town charges. ..
108 63
Collector's fees. 11 93
Total
238 76
JACKSONBURGH.
Share of county expenses.
$ 116 26
Town charges. . . 99 03
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