History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 81

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166

USA > Michigan > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Michigan > Part 81

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Alva True, farmer, sec. 2, was born in New Hampshire, Oct. 29, 1827. His wife, Celestia Morrill, daughter of Nathaniel Morrill, was born Jan. 14, 1837. His father, John True, was born in New Hampshire in 1799, and he married Hannah Watson, of the same place, in 1823; moved to Michigan in 1834, and settled in Black- man on 120 acres of land; bought 80 acres of James Fifield, on which place he lived until the time of his death, which took place July 19, 1849. His wife lived until Sept. 3, 1880, and was buried beside her husband in the cemetery just south of their home, which is still owned by their heirs. Alva was elected Treasurer of Black- man tp., in 1856, which office he filled with credit; was afterward elected Highway Commissioner several terms, and more recently elected Justice of the Peace, which office he now holds. In his youth he learned the joiner's trade, at which he worked some years, and in 1865 returned to farming, at which business he has since continued, and lives on a part of the old homestead; he is a self-edu- cated man, a great reader of history and the news of the day. P.O ., Jackson.

William Van Horn was born Sept. 15, 1824, in Cato, Caynga Co., N. Y. His parents were Philip and Margaret Van Horn, who were natives of New York. They came to Michigan in 1836 and settled in Rives, where they purchased 160 acres of land, and lived thereon until their death. Philip Van Horn was born July 25, 1787, and died Dec. 31, 1841; his wife, Margaret, was born June 3,

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1795, and died in January, 1860. William Van Horn bought 80 acres of land in this tp., in sec. 16, and eight years ago he bought 40 more, making in all 120 acres, valued at $85 per acre. Mr. Van Horn politically is a Democrat. He is of Holland Dutch descent. Feb. 8, 1852, he married Sarah Elizabeth Hoyt, in the city of Jack- son. She was the danghter of Lewis and Elizabeth Hoyt, and was born in the town of La Fayette, Onondaga Co., N. Y. Her father was born in Connecticut in 1784, and died in La Fayette, Sept. 23, 1842. Her mother was born in La Fayette, June 29, 1804, and is still living, with her daughter. Mrs. Hoyt's father was a Revolu- tionary soldier, and died in 1828. Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn have been the parents of 9 children, born as follows: Helen L., born Dec. 5, 1862; a son, Feb. 10, 1854, died Feb. 24; Ida E., Ang. 31, 1858; Alma D., March 17, 1860, died in April, 1861; Fred L., Nov. S, 1862; Frank P., Sept. 10, 1864; John E., Aug. 10, 1866; William B., Aug. 31, 1871; Archie L., Jan. 23, 1876.

Charles Wood was born in New Hampshire, March 17, 1817, brother of the next mentioned. He married Sarah A. Dean, of Ing- ham county, Mich., March 16, 1848. She was the daughter of William B. and Sarah ( McComber) Dean. Her father was born in Orange county, N. Y., in 1794, and died in Ingham county, Sep- tember, 1867. Her mother was born in Peacham, Vt., in 1803, and is still living, in Michigan. Mrs. Wood was born in Penfield (now Webster), Monroe Co., N. Y. Her parents settled in Wayne county, Mich., in 1831, where they remained nine years, removing thence to Ingham county. Her father was a soldier of 1812; her grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have had 3 children-Charles D. was born Jan. 17, 1849, and died May 10, 1870; Sarah A. was born Jan. 13, 1852; Frank W. was born Sept. 13, 1854, and died in the following January. Sarah is the wife of Newell Woodworth, of this tp. Mr. Wood is a Republican, and both himself and wife attend the Congregational church. Mr. Wood came to this State in 1831. He lived at home until 22 years of age. He taught school two winters. He and his brother pur- chased 240 acres in Bunker Hill, Mich .; in 1848 they divided the land equally, and he eventually bought. 120 more, which he sold in 1869, and purchased his present estate in this tp., sec. 23, land val- ued at $85 per acre. He held the office of Supervisor in Bunker Hill one year, and served as Township Clerk eight years, and is now serving as Justice in the 2d term, in Blackman. Mrs. Wood taught school 16 terms.

We give on page 381 of this volume a portrait of Mr. Wood.

Jonathan Wood was born in Keene, N. C., Sept. 20. 1815. His father. Jotliam Wood, was born in North Carolina, Nov. 7, 1786. His mother, Anna, nee Lincoln, was born in Vermont, Jan. 11, 1792. In 1830 Jotham Wood came to this township with his family, settling on a farm in sec. 31, where they bought 95 acres. The father died here Feb. 26, 1862; the mother in 1854. Of this family, 6 of S children are now living; they were born in the fol-

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lowing order: Sennia, April 27, 1814, died March 14, 1876; Jonathan; Charles, March 17, 1817; Jotham, Feb. 28, 1819; Mary Ann, March 4, 1821, died Oct. 7, same year; Lincoln, April 17, 1823; George, Feb. 14, 1826; Joseph C., Feb. 28, 1828. Mr. Wood, the subject of this sketch, married Olive J. Haight, Feb. 16, 1875, at the city of Jackson. She was the daughter of Samuel and Phebe Dickerman, and was born in Niagara county, N. Y., April 23, 1839. She has one brother, Isaiah, living in this town- ship, born May 6, 1842. Jay J., only child of Mr. and Mrs. Wood, was born May 14, 1876. Mr. W. is Republican in politics and in religious belief a Universalist. His wife is a Baptist. Jotham Wood was a soldier, and pensioner of 1812, and built the first frame house in Blackman.

A portrait of Mr. Wood will be found in this work. on page 399. La Rue Hl. Woodworth is the fourth son of George and Eliza- beth (McIntosh) Woodworth, whose marriage took place in 1823. George was the son of Samnel Woodworth, who married Sybil Danforth, and moved to Genesee county, N. Y., where George was reared, educated and married. After a residence of about eight years the family came to Michigan, in 1831. The farm now held by the widow and heirs of George Woodworth was located by him in 1830. Five children were born to the latter in this town- ship, and 3 born in New York, are all living and married. One son and 2 daughters live in Jackson; 2 sons and 1 danghter live in Leslie, Ingham Co .; 1 son lives in Onondaga, Ingham Co., where lie practices medicine; 1 son in Leslie, is also a physician; La Rue is the only farmer, and lives on the old homestead. His brother George is a keeper in the State's prison. Thomas is an engineer at Leslie. The father of Mrs. Woodworth was a native of New York, Scotch by birth. Her mother, Marion, nee Wright, was of English descent. La Rue married Miss Diantha Sanders, of Mason, Ingham Co., in 1868, since which time he has lived on the farm. Previously he worked in the dry-goods house of Reed & Allen, and one year in the hardware house of Bennett & Rice, in Jackson. He is the father of 2 sons, both at home. The farm comprises 160 acres. At the time of its location there was no highway thence to Jackson, and a route was marked by drawing a "rail cut." The old Indian trail running northwest to Pontiac, Oakland Co., a trading post, passed in front of the house. The nearest mill was at Ann Arbor, and eight days were required to make the trip from Detroit. The Indians supplied the famil with cranberries and wild meats. Fish were plenty in Gran river, which passes through the farm. Mr. Woodworth trades to som extent in stock, though the farm is best adapted to grain He is a prominent inember of the order of Patrons of Husbandry.

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

The historical incidents set forth in this paper on the settlement of the present territory of the town of Columbia took place mostly when it was included in the town of Napoleon. At that time Na- poleon contained four surveyed townships, viz : T. 3 and + S., of R. 1 and 2 E. In the winter of 1838-'9, Columbia was set apart from Napoleon, containing the two south tiers of sections of T. 3 S., of R. 1 E. and T.4 S., R 1 E.,excepting one fourth mile on the east side of said territory, and since then the boundaries of Columbia have been changed, so that its present territory comprises T.+ S., of R. 1 E., except one mile off the north side of said township, and extending two miles east into township + S., R. 2 E., making the present town five miles north and south, and eight miles east and west.

The first settlement in this town was made by Rev. Calvin H. Swain, who in June, 1832, located 40 acres on the west side of section 19, T 4 S., of R. 2 E., and in connection with his son, Consider P. Swain, immediately commenced improvements. At that time the general Government held title to all the land in the town except four lots which were located on speculation. Soon afterward said land was brought into market by John Gilbert, it being the Jeffer- son water power on the west branch of Rive river. Mr. Swain made the location to improve the water-power; therefore he brought with him all the iron gearing necessary for a saw-mill, and a large store of solid provisions and groceries; that, with venison and fish, easily obtained at the time, enabled him to sustain his large force in the wilderness comfortably. Immediately after building a shanty on the north side of the river, he commenced building a saw-mill (now known as the Brooklyn water-power) with the gift of a true pioneer. The erection of the mill and dam occupied the time to Jan. 29, 1833, when the fluttes wheel splashed its first notes of civil- ization to the surrounding forest. They had employed as foreman a Mr. Wood, assisted by Samuel Quigley, a millwright, who built several mills afterward in the adjacent country.

Mr. Swain foresaw the first want of settlers in a new country was a saw-mill along the Detroit & Chicago road, which had been made passable by the Government. As settlements had been made both north and south, and at the village of Napoleon, they gave sufficient business for said mill. The principal timber was oak, with a sprinkling of white-wood, black walnut and white ash.

To procure flour, Mr. Swain dispatched an ox team to Lodi Plains, where wheat was raised, and took it to Ypsilanti or Ann Arbor to grind, making a trip in four to five days. The first wheat raised in this town was on the N. E. { of the S. E. ¿ section 24, about six acres, cultivated in the fall of 1833 by Mr. Swain.

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During this summer he commenced building a large two-story house on the premises where the Episcopal church now stands, into which he moved in 1834. Mr. G. B. Swain also built a dwelling- house, on the lot now occupied by W. B. Sherman's store, and which now stands on the adjoining lot.

A postoffice was established in 1834, called Swainsville, and C. H. Swain was appointed postmaster. The mail was carried on horseback once a week to and from Springville, where it met the mail stage from Detroit to Chicago via Clinton and Tecumseh.

Through a miscalculation of the line of his lot, Mr. Swain built his mill on Government land, which was purchased by other par- ties; and the purchase of the same at a time when they had ex- pended so much in improvements crippled them in their resources, which materially interfered with their success. Mr. Swain also established here the first Baptist Church, and was its pastor. He was a man of brain, strong will, untiring energy and uncommon resources, which well qualified him to battle in a wilderness for a home, and the extending of civilization.

Barnabas Case and Benjamin Davis located land on section 8, town- ship + S., R. 2 E., in the fall of 1832; and in the spring of 1833 com- menced to make their improvements. Their purpose was to make a water-power on the River Raisin at that point, but from the im- provements already made by Mr. Swain above him, the undertak- ing was found to be impracticable.

In the spring of 1833 Mr. Asahel Knight came from Lodi Plains with his family, consisting of his wife and five sons-Alexis Allen, Hamblin, Monroe, and Lafayette, and located on sections 18 and 19, township + S., of R. 1 E., and commenced improvements, building a house and breaking up land for wheat, etc. His object in settling there was to establish a cattle ranch. The convenience of water and abundance of natural meadow in the valley of Grand river, and exuberant supply of grass for pasture on the surrounding undulating plains, made it a desirable point; but the rapid settle- ment of the contiguous territory soon confined his operations to his own possessions. Stoel Knight, with his family, also located on section 19, and lived there a short time.

In the fall of 1833, Mr. George S. Stranahan and his son George located a large tract of land, over 400 acres, on the north side and west end of Clark's lake. They commenced improvements by put- ting up the body of a log house and broke up land sufficient to plant an orchard, the first in the town, but returned to New York State to winter. In the spring of 1834 Mr. Stranahan moved, with his wife, son George and five daughters; and in May, as soon as their log house was made tenable, moved in and commenced to make a home by repairing the soil for raising subsistence for the future. The privations incident to the settlement in a wilderness with a large family, far from all supplies, none can appreciate except those who have had experience. While Mr. Stranahan was absent with his teams to Detroit to move his household goods, his wife and five

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daughters were stricken down with serious sickness, caused by ex- posures and change of water, unavoidable in early settlements, with no one to take care of them except his son George and two or three neighboring men. George was also afflicted periodically with fever and ague. Soon after Mr. Stranahan's return, one of his dangh- ters, Catherine, 18 years old, died, being the first death in town.

Clark's lake was named by Mr. Clark, of Monroe, the surveyor employed by the U. S., to survey the land in this part of the territory. While he was meandering the lake, he was so pleased with its surroundings, noble banks and transparent water, that he gave it his own name, and there is his monument forever. This fact shows that of all the lakes he saw in his practice, this one was the most beautiful.

In 1834 very important additions were made to the resident pop- ulation. Anson H. De Lamater, Edward De Lamater and Samuel T. Marsh came from Onondaga county, N. Y., and landed at Detroit the last day of April. They came on foot to Manchester-Abra- ham, Anson and Isaac De Lamater (the latter was E. De Lamater's father) moved their families the previous year,-and then pursued their course westwardly on the Indian trail, running north of River Raisin to the head of Clark's lake. After examining the coun- try in the vicinity with reference to its capacity for continued settlement, they were so well pleased with the beautiful wild parks and tillable lands that they concluded to settle on the south side of Clark's lake, on sections 20 and 29, adjoining each other, and has- tened on foot to Monroe to enter their lands. At Monroe they pur- chased one yoke of oxen, a wagon, chains, etc.,and started for their new possessions. At Clinton they purchased a breaking-up plow, axes, etc., and at Manchester added two yoke of cattle to their team. Thus supplied, they commenced breaking up the virgin soil for tur- nips, potatoes and wheat, boarding with Mr. Asahel Knight, their nearest neighbor. A. H. De Lamater, being the only married man of the trio, had a log house built on his premises, and July 4, started to New York State and soon returned, with his wife, to the Wilderness of Michigan. E. De Lamater returned to New York State in the fall and came back in the fall of 1835, bringing a wife, and settled on his location. Mr. S. T. Marsh married Miss Mary Jane DeLamater, daughter of Anson DeLamater, in September, 1835. For each of the three pioneers, 10 acres were plowed with three yoke of oxen. Two incidents of the summer illustrate some of the dis- advantages of pioneer life.

The understanding was that if anything was broken of the com- mon property, each should share alike in the expense of repair, and the one on whose land the accident happened should do the traveling necessary to get the repairs made. While plowing on the land of Mr. Marsh, A. H. De Lamater came in contact with a large grub; the iron standard broke, and there was a general crushing of the plow. De Lamater sang ont: "Come, ye sinners, poor and needy." Marsh retorts: "D-n yon, if you had to travel

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through the woods to Ypsilanti with an ox team to get the plow exchanged, you would not sing 'Come ye sinners. ' "" The trip took five hard days' work for Mr. Marsh and team. When the ground was prepared for sowing, A. H. De Lamater, with his ox team, went to Washtenaw county to purchase wheat for seed and for bread the ensuing year. He took a part of the load to Tecumseh to be ground, and then returned home in consequence of new and crooked tracks to avoid marshes; it took five days.

Joseph and Hiram King, and Elijah Webber, with their fami- lies, located early in the spring, on sections 24 and 25, west of the village, and commenced improvements as soon as they could build log houses. Calvin Love and family, and his son, Wm. C., arrived soon after, and located their farms and home on section 13, one mile north of the village, and commenced improvements.

Day and Ransom Jones came during the summer of 1834, and established a blacksmith shop in the village of Swainsville, a much needed establishment at that time. Isaac. John, Robert, and Wm. Quigley settled in the northeast part of the town the same summer, and commenced improvements, but soon sold their land to other settlers. In the fall Jacob Every and James Swartout came from the eastern part of New York State with their families and located farms on section 32; these were the last settlements of 1834.

In the year 1835 there was a great rush of hardy pioneers, and most of the remaining Government land in this town was located for permanent homes. In February, Anson De Lamater, son and three daughters, and Isaac De Lamater and family (3 sons and 2 daughters), Washington, Charles, Jackson W., Wallace, Cook C., Maria and Sophia, located farms. Isaac located on section 21, south of Clark's lake; Anson located on sections 18 and 19, and both commenced vigorously to improve their farms.

Early in the spring Rufus Tiffany established his mercantile business at Swainsville, which he commenced in the little brown house erected by Mr. Swain, but soon moved to the site now occupied by A. P. Cook. In a few years he spread out in a great establishment in every branch of trade.

Mr. Tiffany purchased of Mr. Nowland the northeast quarter of southeast quarter of section 24 for 8200, and had the same surveyed and platted for a village by A. H. De Lamater; soon after, a meet- ing was called, and the name ot Swainsville was changed to the village of Brooklyn. He bought other landed property and engaged in farming, in addition to his mercantile establishment, and his varied business and capital undoubtedly fixed the location of his business in the village of his choice as the center of a large trade.

Wm. Randall and Alden Hewitt, with their families, Joseph Randall, with his sons Gideon, Flavius J., and C. A. Crary, located the remaining land south of Clark's lake, and commenced improvements. Joseph Randall, who moved his family one or two years afterward, John, Harvy and Richard Crego, Gardner J.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Gallup and Wm. Gallup located farms and settled with their families, and commenced to make homes; Richard Crego, with his family, occupied his land in 1836; located the north half of section 10 for himself and sons, John and Erastus, who moved in 1836. Joseph, John, Reuben, Uriah and George Every, Mr. Kelley, the father of Alanson, Nelson, Wm., and O. Kelley, located farms in 1835, with their families, for their future homes, in the south part of the town; James Conley & Isaac Swartout, with their families, located homes in the southwest part of the town. Joseph Town- send, Josiah A. White, Nathan Roberts, Horace Phelps, and John Antisdele located farms in the east part of the town. Archibald Clark and James Parislı settled on the north side of Clark's lake. Daniel Peterson located a large tract of land on the east end of Clark's lake. Dr. J. W. Titus, Walter A. White, Albert M. Harmon, Edward Boyers, C. C. Carpenter, Derastus Jones, Ferdinand French and Leonard Sparks were added to the popula- tion of Swainsville about this time, and a part of them located farms in said town. In 1835 Mr. John H. and Broadhead Du Bois located at what is now known as Jefferson, and purchased 320 acres at that place, on the west branch of River Raisin, to improve the water-power. They commenced building a dam and saw-mill. also a grist-mill; there being no improvements, they built a shanty for their protection ; the difficulty of the undertaking may be appreciated from the fact that all the iron and other material for the necessary machinery for said mill had to be drawn over new roads from Detroit, and provision for subsistence was brought from a considerable distance. They succeeded in getting the saw- mill in operation early in 1836. Samuel Quigley was the millwright for both mills. The proprietors caused a village to be surveyed and platted by A. H. De Lamater in 1836. J. H. Du Bois also located 300 or 400 acres of land northeast of Jefferson, and subse- quently improved it. Broadhead Du Bois located a large tract east of the village. A. H. and D. C. De Lamater purchased a one- third interest in the above water-power, and in company with said Du Boises, completed their flouring-mill early in 1837. Black. smith shops were started,-one by Mr. Wm. Silkworth ; one by Mr. Reynolds; a store by Mr. King and Wm. F. Fuller; after- ward John H. Du Bois added a general variety store to his other business, and served his town as justice of the peace, town clerk and in other offices of trust several terms; David Peterson started carding and clothing soon. Amos Picket and L. F. Picket located in Columbia in 1836, and soon after at Jefferson. They were mechanics, and built a machine shop at Jefferson, connected with water-power. Amos Picket held offices of trust in his town, and two terms as sheriff of Jackson county; was colonel of a militia regiment. Lewis F. Picket was an excellent millwright, and was employed in building and improving many mills in the surrounding country. He served the town of Columbia as clerk and justice of the peace many terms, and as supervisor 14 years. Bliss Charles, in 1836, settled a farm in the north part of the town.

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His son, Asa Charles, succeeded him on the farm first located, and Bliss Charles, Jr., bought a farm on section 10, part of the James T. Weeks purchase. John Russel and E. Smith located farms this year in the southwest part of the town. Cornelius Du Bois and his son, Abram, came in 1836, and located a tract of land north and east of Jefferson. Abram settled with his family on it, and improved a farm for a home. Cornelius purchased a tract of land, 160 or 180 acres, north of the west end of Clark's lake, made it his home, and it is a well-improved farm. Asa and Gideon Denison, Mr. Coger, Zina James, Jason St. John, and Mr. Rey- nolds settled and improved farms in 1837 south and east of Jefferson, and Reuben Hart settled in the same neighborhood soon after. Dewitt C. De Lamater settled in Columbia, and in 1837 was in company with the Jefferson mill firm; with his energetic and determined perseverance did much in developing the business. The postoffice of Columbia was established at Jefferson, and D. C. De Lamater was appointed postmaster, and Sophia Picket, deputy. The town of Columbia was organ- ized in the winter of 1838-'9, and the first town meeting was held at Win. Fuller's store, April 16, 1839. The board was duly organ- ized according to law, and the officers elected were: A. II. De La Mater, Supervisor; David Peterson, Town Clerk; Broadhead Du Bois, Treasurer; Amos Picket, Simon Holland and G. H. Denison, Assessors; David Peterson, Daniel Rand and Reuben Hart, Jus- tices of the Peace; Wm. Miller, Merritt Hewitt and R. W. Squires, Commissioners of Highways; Daniel Rand, James St. John, and Jason St. John, School Inspectors; Wm. Gallup, Jr., Town Collector; Lewis Chase, J. E. Haynes and G. W. Richards, Constables; Hiram Haynes and John H. Burroughs, Overseers of the Poor; John H. Dn Bois. Town Sealer. The following were elected overseers of highways: Dist. No. 1, Zina St. Johns; Dist. No. 2, Uriah Every; Dist. No. 3, Luther Baker; Dist. No. 4. Isaac De Lamater; Dist. No. 5, Gidcon H. Denison; Dist. No. 6, Henry Crego; Dist. No. 7, David Peterson; Dist. No. 8, Bliss Charles; Dist. No. 9, Pain Wait; Dist. No. 10, James Weeks; Dist. No. 11, Clover Griffin; Dist. No. 12, David Foster; Dist. No. 13, Henry Palin; Dist. No. 14, A. Phillips; Dist. No. 15, R. W. Squires.

The first school in district No. 3 was tanght by Miss Salina Henrys, in a shanty at the head of Clark's lake, on Geo. S. Stran- ahan's land, in the summer of 1836; the second school was taught by Miss Almira Charles, in the summer of 1837, on section 19, on the farm of Asahel Knight. The first school-honse was built in the fall of 1837. on section 17, at the head of Clark's lake, and the school was taught by D. Dudley, the ensuing winter. Daniel Rand and Amos Picket were moderators. Most of the aforesaid settlers were men in the prime of life, of small means, but energetic and deter- mined to make themselves a home in the wilderness. They expected to be deprived of many of the necessaries of life; were always cheerful and ready to help each other, and succeeded, through many hardships and discouragements, in making valnable

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History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 81

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1166

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166