USA > Michigan > Kalamazoo County > History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan > Part 110
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" It may perhaps be an enigma to my friends, as well as my Springbrook neighbors, that I should retire to an un- cultivated region and undertake to cultivate, or rather create, a farm from its wild condition. My tastes are per- haps peculiar. I have been in the public service in various offices with few intervals soon after I commenced the busi- ness of life, and I finished my official life at Naples. Freed from public responsibility, I spent two years in Paris to make my severance from political affairs complete. I al- ways had an inclination for farming or rural pursuits, and I returned to my farm at Owasco Lake, near Auburn, and cultivated it for five years. Having no family to provide for, and moved by a desire to share in the labor of a frontier life, and to put myself in the column pretty far advanced, moving West with civilization and empire, and having al- ways fancied that the territory surrounded by the lakes would be an agreeable residence, with a mild climate, and having a nephew with a large and growing family and an ample fortune who would like to occupy the old homestead, I left him in possession, and pitched my tent, fortunately, on the bank of the beautiful pebbly stream which you so graphically describe."
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The farm is now in a fine state of cultivation, with well- constructed buildings, erected by Mr. Potter. In the house, which stands on the site of the Governor's log house, is the old fireplace, and one log of the old log house is left in the present house.
Mr. McNab is a Republican in politics, though he has
never taken an active part in political matters. He married, April 29, 1868, Miss Mary Shaw, daughter of James and Anna (McCall) Shaw. Mrs. McNab is a lady of fine ac- complishments, having graduated at Ingham University, Leroy, N. Y., where she afterwards taught several years. She also taught in Dr. West's seminary, at Brooklyn Heights, N. Y. Since coming to Kalamazoo she has taken a deep interest in the Ladies' Literary Club, and was its president one year, during which time the membership in- creased from fifty to one hundred and fifty. Mr. and Mrs. McNab have no living children.
WILLIAM SKINNER.
Henry Skinner was born in Rutland Co., Vt., Oct. 27, 1777. Among the Green Mountains he grew to manhood, choosing the trade of a saddler and harness-maker, which he followed for many years. Arrived at majority, he emi- grated to the town of Providence, in Saratoga Co., N. Y., where he bought and cleared up a farm, which was a good one, although the township was, and now is, one of the poorest in the State. On this farm he reared a family of ten children (five boys and five girls), of whom eight are still living. In 1850, Mr. Skinner sold his farm and came to Cooper, where most of his children reside, and with whom he lived until his death, which occurred Aug. 25, 1853.
William Skinner, the fifth child of Henry Skinner, was born in Providence, N. Y., Dec. 10, 1805. He attended the district schools winters and worked on his father's farm summers, until he arrived at majority, when he started out in business for himself. He spent six months in the Gaines Academy, where he made such good use of his opportuni- ties that he fitted himself for a teacher. For several years he followed teaching winters and farming summers. In the fall of 1833, Mr. Skinner came to Michigan, stopping near Ann Arbor, where he taught school two terms. In 1835 he returned to New York, and married. He remained there four years, when, with his wife and one child, he again came to Michigan, this time settling in Cooper, where he bought the east half of the southeast quarter of section 16. It was heavily timbered land and unim- proved. On this a log house was erected, and life in the new home commenced. Mr. Skinner at once commenced to improve his land. The farm of eighty acres has been enlarged, until he now owns three hundred and fifteen acres of land,-two hundred and thirty acres of which is im- proved. He has erected large and commodious buildings. Mr. Skinner is a supporter of the principles of the Demo- cratic party. His first vote was for Andrew Jackson, and since that time he has never missed an election. He has been elected to most of the offices in the township; was supervisor one term ; township clerk four terms; treasurer one term; and school inspector several terms, which office he now holds, although in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He is one of the best-read men in the township, and as a neighbor and citizen is held in high esteem. Mr. Skinner has never had to use eye-glasses, and can see to
1
RES. OF JAMES Mc NAB, COOPER, MICH.
BENS DRAKE
MRS. B.DRAKE
RESIDENCE OF BENJAMIN DRAKE, OSHTEMO, KALAMAZOO CO., MICH. ENTERED, 1830.
TOWNSHIP OF OSHTEMO.
407
read the finest print by lamp-light, or otherwise. He is a believer in the Universalist religion. On the 25th day of October, 1835, he married Miss Hannah Tabor, who was born in Providence, N. Y., Dec. 15, 1817. She was the daughter of Peleg and Rebecca (Hicks) Tabor. Mrs. Skinner died Sept. 16, 1850. There were born to them six children, as follows; William L., born Sept. 3, 1838; Stephen V., Feb. 10, 1840 ; Jarvis H., May 22, 1842; James M., Oct. 14, 1844; Mary E., born Jan. 8, 1847; and Peleg T., born Sept. 4, 1849. Mr. Skinner married, April 23, 1851, Harriet Wadsworth, who was born March 16, 1829. She was a daughter of James W. Wadsworth. There were born to them two children, as follows: Lewis C., born Feb. 27, 1852, and Leslie, May 24, 1853. Mrs. Skinner died July 3, 1854, and he married Alice Ann Athey, daughter of James Athey. She was born Jan. 8, 1816, and died May 7, 1861. Their union was blessed with three children,-Charles E., born Oct. 18, 1855; Hattie Ann, Dec. 1, 1857; and Francis L., April 21, 1860. On the 9th day of April Mr. Skinner was married to Mrs. Ellen W. Mosher, who was born Dec. 7, 1821, in Aurelius, Cayuga Co., N. Y.
HENRY MOSHER
was born in the town of Barry, Orleans Co., N. Y., April 3, 1830. Mr. Mosher grew to manhood in his native town, living on the farm of his father. He received his education at the academy in Albion, N. Y. In the spring of 1855 he came to Vergennes, Kent Co., Mich., where he worked one year on a farm. He was then for one year manager of the Collins farm, near Lowell, in Kent County. In the fall of 1855 he bought the south half of the southwest fractional quarter of section 22, in Cooper township, but did not move upon it until the spring of 1857. Although Mr. Mosher lived but four years, he was held in high esteem as a man of sterling worth, honest and upright in his deal- ings. He died Sept. 2, 1859. He married, May 26, 1856, Miss Ellen W. Simpson (daughter of Asa and Minerva- Fish-Simpson). She was born Dec. 7, 1821, in Aurelius, Cayuga Co., N. Y. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Mosher (now Mrs. Wm. Skinner) bought out the heirs to her husband's farm, and with a business tact rarely seen paid for the same, and has built thereon a fine house and a large and well-arranged barn. She has also improved the farm, until it now ranks as one of the best.
OSHTEMO.
NATURAL FEATURES.
Geography .- The township of Oshtemo lies on the western line of the county, and is designated as township 2 south, of range 12 west. It is bounded on the north by Alamo, south by Texas, east by Kalamazoo township, and west by Van Buren County. It was surveyed by George W. Harrison in 1830, and the settlement of the land speedily followed. The name Oshtemo is derived from an Indian word signifying head-waters, and at once suggests the elevated character of the country.
Lakes and Water-Courses .- No large bodies of water are found in the township, but a number of small lakes are scattered over its surface, chief among which are Bonny- castle Lake, which lies in the centre; South Lake, on sec- tion 27; Dustin Lake, on section 20; and several smaller bodies of water on sections 24, 17, 26, and 29. Numer- ous small streams abound, which take their rise in springs in the outskirts of the township, but none have been deemed of sufficient consequence to have names bestowed upon them.
Soil .- The soil of the township varies in localities, but consists principally of sand, clay, and in some spots gravelly loam. The best land is that lying along the eastern boun- dary of the township, known as Grand and Genesee Prai- ries. These are composed of rich soil, the result of the annual burning of grass and other vegetable matter upon its surface by the Indians, who for years occupied the prai-
ries and cultivated the ground. The soil of the township is well adapted to the growth of timber; and beech, maple, white ash, black walnut, elm, and basswood are found in abundance. There are numerous openings, which abound in oak of various kinds, from the massive tree which affords valuable timber to the scrub oak, which is comparatively worthless. The soil is adapted to the growth of wheat and corn, both of which products have afforded the hus- bandman abundant harvests during the present year. It is not possible to obtain an accurate return of the number of acres planted with these grains during the present year. The only available information on the subject is obtained from the last census, which states that in 1874 the number of acres in wheat was 5038, and the year previous 2264 acres were devoted to corn ; 47,366 bushels of wheat and 72,640 bushels of corn were raised in 1873; 2668 tons of hay were cut the same year. These amounts, with one exception, exceed those of any other township in the county. The surface of Oshtemo is generally uneven, the eastern side being covered by some stretches of level land, which are exceptional. The larger proportion abounds in gently-sloping hills and rolling fields.
ORGANIZATION.
Oshtemo was set apart from Kalamazoo and organized as an independent township by the Legislature of 1838-39, the act specifying that
408
HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
" All that part of the county of Kalamazoo designated by the United States survey as Township Number Two South, of Range Number Twelve West, be, and the same is hereby, set off and organized into a township by the name of Oshtemo, and the first township-meeting shall be held at the house of Mr. Lake, in said township."
This act was approved March 22, 1839. Several names having been suggested for the new township, they were all declined, and its present name bestowed, probably by a Mr. Hammond, of the branch Bank of Michigan at Kalamazoo.
EARLY LAND-ENTRIES.
The following are the original entries of land embraced in the township of Oshtemo :
Section 1 .- 1831, Laban Keyes; 1834, Laban Keyes; 1835, William Miller, Nathan Williams, Daniel Pomroy, Daniel Alvord, Jr., Andrew Baxter; 1836, F. W. Curtenius.
Section 2 .- 1835, Asa Bushnell, D. C. Ransom, Alanson Wilcox, Robert Densmore; 1836, D. C. Ransom.
Section 3 .- 1835, Oliver Eddy, John A. Huston ; 1836, T. P. Sheldon, Pierce Barber; 1837, Aaron Eames, E. A. Starbrook ; 1844, Wil- liam Bloomer; 1849, John Pace.
Section 4 .- 1837, Ethan Estabrook, Jason Wilcut; 1848, Moses Bar- tholomew, Edmund Fish ; 1849, John Bartholomew ; 1850, Lucius L. Clark, Henry Gilbert.
Section 5 .- 1836, Ansel Crowl, Joseph T. Lamson, James R. Chapman; 1837, William R. Watson.
Section 6 .- 1835, William Smith.
Section 7 .- 1836, Stephen Ostrom ; 1837, Geo. B. Chandler.
Section 8 .- 1835, William A. Tomlinson, William A. Booth; 1837, William A. Tomlinson.
Section 9 .- 1838, Oliver Root; 1847, Enoch Harris, Anthony Sheldon, Clarendon Rathbone; 1849, William O'Connell; 1850, Roswell Slack.
Section 10 .- 1835, Elenor Pierson ; 1836, Lewis R. Davis ; 1837, Levi Cross, Amos Knew, Henry S. Perrin ; 1848, Fred. W. Curtenius; 1850, James C. Stewart.
Section 11 .- 1835, Fletcher Ransom, D. C. Ransom, Thomas Masters ; 1837, Joel Brown ; 1847, Charles H. Hurd; 1849, Alexander Buell, Oliver Davenport.
Section 12 .- 1831, Laban Keyes; 1832, Henry L. Ellsworth, William Duncan, Delamore Duncan ; 1833, Titus Bronson ; 1834, Smith L. Wood, Timothy H. Fellows; 1835, Thomas Masters.
Section 13 .- Laban Keyes, Benjamin Drake; 1834, John Pitt Marsh, Eleazer Morton ; 1835, John Marsh ; 1836, F. W. Curtenius.
Section 14 .- 1834, Ezekiel Sandford; 1835, Thomas Masters, John Stevens, Augustus Buell, Charles H. Hurd, Daniel Mallory, F. W. Curtenius; 1836, Nathaniel S. Pettingill, Benjamin Eager; 1837, Jeremiah Hale.
Section 15 .- 1835, Alfred Wilcox, George Platt, David Pierson, Elijah Platt, Daniel Mallory, F. W. Curtenius ; 1836, Elijah Platt. Section 16 .- School section.
Section 17 .- 1835, Pierce Barber; 1836, Amos Pierce, John Thomas, William A. Tomlinson, William A. Booth, Pierce Barber, William H. Coleman ; 1837, William A. Tomlinson, William A. Booth; 1850, William Finehout.
Section 18 .- 1836, Augustus H. Hill, Joseph Abbott, William Abbott, Job T. Taylor, Pierce Barber.
Section 19 .- 1835, William Ranney; 1836, Hiram Smith, Benj. Ford, Daniel Crofoot, Almon B. Corey.
Section 20 .- 1835, Abram Hall ; 1836, Pierce Barber ; 1837, Clement Biddle, Jr., Edward Preble Deacon.
Section 21 .- 1836, Pierce Barber ; 1837, Charles Bonnycastle ; 1839, Ansel K. Post, Oliver C. Atwater ; 1849, Annis Rice.
Section 22 .- 1835, Alfred Wilcox ; 1836, Joseph Fuller, Thomas Van Guilder, Cyrus Smith, Hiram P. Jones, Benjamin Eager; 1837, Chester P. Newton.
Section 23 .- 1835, John Stevens; 1836, Cyrus Smith, Benjamin Eager ; 1837, Jeremiah Hall.
Section 24 .- 1831, Royal Sherwood; 1832, Isaac Gibbs, W. C. Gibbe, Moses Taft; 1835, David I. Pierson, Elizabeth Ann Dunn, Hugh Campbell, Henry Little, Elisha Belcher ; 1837, Edward P. Dea- con.
Section 25 .- 1831, Phineas Hunt, Charles Wild, Rezin Holmes ; 1832, Isaac Gibbs, Chester Gibbs; 1833, Phineas Hunt, Jr., Morgan Lewis Waldorf; 1835, Ambrose Dunn, Morgan L. Waldorf.
Section 26 .- 1832, Isaac Gibbs, Wm. Chester Gibbs ; 1835, James Weed, H. B. Huston, Rezin Holmes ; 1836, Cyrus Smith, Edward P. Deacon.
Section 27 .- 1837, E. P. Deacon.
Section 28 .- 1837, Amos Bronson, John Winslow, William H. Cole- man; 1838, Harry Thomson ; 1837, Pierce Barber ; 1839, W. H. Coleman; 1847, Stephen Morgan, Ansel K. Post.
Section 29 .- 1837, Jonathan Collins, W. H. Coleman, Mary Sweet ; 1838, Harry Thomson ; 1841, Charles Moyer; 1848, Andrew J. King; 1852, Betsey Maria Richmond.
Section 30 .- 1835, Alvan Hall ; 1836, Benjamin Ford, William Ran- ney ; 1848, Andrew J. King ; 1849, Wm. Day.
Section 31 .- 1836, Ansel Belding, William Ranney ; 1837, George Goodman, John Wright; 1849, Edgar Ward Herrick ; 1850, Richard Taylor.
Section 32 .- 1836, Ira Rix ; 1837, Edward P. Deacon, George A. O'Brien, Alexander Edwards, William Elsey, Thomas Wardle, Stephen Besher.
Section 33 .- 1837, Clark Kellogg, John Winslow, David J. Pierson, De Witt McNatt, William Elsey, David S. Hay wood.
Section 34 .- 1835, Russell Crane; 1837, Clark Kellogg, E. P. Deacon, John Winslow, E. P. Deacon.
Section 35 .- 1831, Enoch Harris; 1834, Joseph Davis; 1835, Rezin Holmes, John D. Ramsey, William Rood; 1837, Jabez H. Pier- son, Jeremiah Hall, Zephaniah Platt.
Section 36 .- 1831, Enoch Harris, Phineas Hunt, Erastus Smith, Alanson Stanley.
The following list embraces the names of the tax-payers in the township of Oshtemo for the year 1839 :
RESIDENTS.
Joseph Abbott.
-- Strong.
Joseph Abbott & Co.
- Stophie.
Augustus Buell.
Alonzo Wiman.
Austin Bennett.
Asahel Withy.
Alexander Buell.
John Baker.
Benjamin Drake.
Moses Kingsley.
Earl Clarke.
Robert Densmore.
Luman Fuller.
Daniel Wilmoth.
Chester P. Newton.
David C. Arms.
Isaac Gibbs.
The Widow Banker.
William C. Gibbs.
John Haskell.
John P. Marsh.
William Patterson.
Ansel N. Post.
M. Hinds.
Charles N. Hard.
Lewis Waldorf.
Henry Sparks.
H. W. C. Gibbs.
Ethan M. Lake.
Clark Kellogg.
Augustus H. Hill.
Lot Sutherland.
Luther Hill.
David Sutherland.
David Finley. Jeremiah Hall.
Jesse Palmer.
D. J. Parsons.
W. H. Coleman.
Samuel Stevens.
John H. Atwater.
John Stevens.
O. C. Atwater.
David Waldorf.
James W. Harris.
Eleazer Askins.
Hosea B. Huston.
William Buell.
Joseph W. Fuller.
Aaron Eams.
Archibald Armstrong.
Lovitt Eams.
Wanton Moore.
Adolphus French.
Johnson Rix.
Matthew Fobes.
Charles Wilds.
Solomon Fobes.
A. Hooly.
George Harvey. Ansel Snow.
NON-RESIDENTS.
D. Alvord.
Oliver Eddy.
F. S. P.
J. T. Sampson.
- Huston.
W. Smith.
Anson Crowls.
J. Wilcot.
- Baldwin.
William R. Chapman. -- Watson.
Enoch Harris.
William Prince.
Ira Rice.
řená
RES. AND STOCK FARM OF ORRIN SNOW, OSHTEMO, KALAMAZOO CO., MICH.
TOWNSHIP OF OSHTEMO.
409
C. Eastbrook.
W. C. Elsey.
Aaron Eams.
T. Warren.
P. Barber.
-- Ransom.
S. Wright.
A. Belding.
D. C. Pomeroy.
D. C. Elmore.
S. A. Osborn.
A. H. Edwards.
- Masters.
--- Maynard.
- Dewit.
D. McN.
L. R. Davis.
J. H. Perrin.
H. S. Purin.
J. H. All.
Tomlinson & Banthe.
-- Rood.
-- Ramsey.
E. P. Deacon.
Tomlinson & Booth.
T. Masters.
Benjamin Eager.
E. Platt.
-- Pettingill.
George Platt.
J. Thomas.
C. Smith.
E. P. Deacon.
B. A. Pierce.
H. Thomson.
B. Ford.
Harry Thompson.
A. B. Cady.
W. H. Coleman.
H. Smith.
S. Collins.
D. Crofoot.
B. Ford.
A. Hall.
A. H. All.
C. Biddle, Jr.
W. Barney.
Pierce Barber.
W. Sweet.
C. Bonnycastle.
P. Barber.
A. Wilcox.
- Bronson.
H. J. Jones.
-- Winston.
P. Lucas.
J. Davis.
C. Smith.
Z. Platt.
Unknown.
D. J. Persons. "
Gibbs & Trumall.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first settlements in Oshtemo were made in 1830, and the advent of pioneers on both Grand and Genesee Prairies was so nearly identical that it is difficult to accord prece- dence to either, though at the present time the location of Benjamin Drake is believed to be prior to that of any other settler. This venerable gentleman, who, at the ad- vanced age of ninety-four years, still retains his faculties and takes pleasure in recalling the incidents of his pioneer life, arrived in the township Sept. 1, 1830, from St. Clair Co., Mich., to which he removed from Huron Co., Ohio.
The land in Oshtemo had not yet been offered for sale, and as a result much of the best ground had been occupied by squatters. Mr. Drake had been informed that he would probably be subjected to some annoyance by one of these parties, named Washburn, who had squatted on the land he chose and intended claiming it, though he had simply turned over a few acres and planted nothing. Upon taking legal advice he was informed that his claim was prior, the other party having raised no crops. Mr. Drake started at once for the land-office at White Pigeon,* on foot, and on his way met Washburn on horseback. Mr. Drake pro- ceeded on his way, and on arrival found no trouble in es- tablishing the fact that he had planted the first crops. Not being able at that time to buy the land, he filed a pre- emption claim, which secured it to him. The land em- braced 160 acres on section 13, on which he located, and
an additional 160 acres situated in Kalamazoo township. Soon after his arrival Mr. Drake built a shanty, which was a rudely-constructed place of shelter with a single board for a door, the Indians assisting him in its erection. While occupying this temporary abode a more convenient log house was erected on the site now occupied by his present spacious brick residence, to which his family removed in November of the same year. Mr. Drake brought with him forty head of cattle, and wintered them with hay which had been cut from the prairie the preceding summer. At this time game was abundant, and the presence of wolves more frequent than was agreeable to the inmates of the newly-erected habitation. Mrs. Drake, while in the yard one evening, saw an animal enter the house which she supposed to be a dog. She afterwards discovered that a wolf had made them a visit and greatly terrified the children.
In the immediate vicinity were three Indian villages, the largest of which was on Mr. Drake's farm. These villages were peopled by a remnant of the Pottawattomie nation, and numbered about 300 souls. A portion of the land embraced in the farm had been planted with corn for suc- cessive years by them, and the corn-hills were plainly visi- ble, their custom being to use the same hill for successive years. This was probably necessitated by the very rude and imperfect agricultural implements they possessed. The fall of Mr. Drake's arrival they had departed for the hunt- ing-grounds, and on the occasion of their return in the spring they displayed much surprise at the improvements that had been made during their absence. One of their number advanced and held a broken conversation with one of Mr. Drake's sons, who had acquired a slight knowledge of their dialect, the substance of which was that they de- sired to remain and plant their corn as formerly. They re- ceived permission to cultivate a portion of the prairie and erect their wigwams as before. They remained during the warm season, raised a sufficient crop for their subsistence, and lived on terms of amity with their white neighbors. The following winter they disappeared, and did not return, and were eventually removed by the government to the reservation lands west of the Mississippi.
At this early day there were no blacksmiths within easy reach, which occasioned the pioneers much inconvenience. Mr. Drake on one occasion traveled a distance of twenty miles to repair a broken plow, and had but just returned and placed the team before it when it broke a second time, and necessitated a repetition of the journey.
In 1830, Mr. Drake was returning from Grand Prairie, and, being overtaken by night, loosened the cattle to let them browse while he took a few hours' rest. During his sleep they wandered away and swam across the St. Joseph River,; which he was obliged to cross in pursuit of them.
The first load of wheat was drawn sixty miles to market and brought but 40 cents per bushel, and the first load of corn Mr. Drake sold for a pair of boots. With all these discouraging facts the pioneers maintained stout hearts, and ultimately reaped an abundant reward for their labor.
On Mr. Drake's farm was the grave of an Indian whose
* The land-office was established at White Pigeon in 1831. 52
S. Bessamy.
-- Williams.
L. Goodman.
-- Fellows.
W. Tomlinson.
S. Ostrom.
Willard A. Booth.
L. Cross.
-- Parsons.
S. Brown.
G. Masters.
S. S. Wood.
H. S. Ellsworth.
-- Tomlinson.
t The St. Joseph River is about fifty miles from where he was. It was much more likely to have been the Kalamazoo River, which was less than ten miles away.
410
HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
squaw related to Mrs. Drake the following history : This man had, in an outburst of passion, killed another of his tribe, and by their law on the nearest of kin devolved the task of avenging the death of the deceased. This unhappy victim was pursued and overtaken by his foe, who plunged a knife into his heart, the murderer making but feeble resistance, believing that by this act the wrath of the Great Spirit was propitiated.
On the farm of Mr. George Drake, near by, are found the remains of an ancient burial-ground, many bones and implements in use by the Indians, or prehistoric people, having been excavated while plowing the soil. Mr. Ben- jamin Drake still resides upon the land he purchased nearly half a century since, and to which by frugality and industry he has been able to add many acres.
The next settler in the township was Enoch Harris, who located land on Genesee Prairie, on sections 35 and 36, in 1831. It is probable that he settled some time before the land was entered, and some claims have been made in his behalf as the first settler. Mr. Drake, however, dis- tinctly remembers going to assist him in the erection of his shanty, which was some weeks after his own was com- plete. Mr. Harris was not only the possessor of consider- able land, but contributed greatly by his labor and energy to the progress and growth of the township. He brought apple-seed with him and planted an orchard, which is prob- ably the oldest in the county. After a long life of toil, he died several years since. His widow still occupies the homestead.
Allen Smith and his brother Ira arrived soon after, and located on section 12, but circumstances influenced them later to remove to the township of Cooper. Mr. Harris was followed on Genesee Prairie by three young men from Genesee Co., N. Y., who named the prairie after their na- tive county. Their names were Elias and Anthony Cooley and a pioneer named Smith. There being a preference in the location of land, these gentlemen found it difficult to make a selection entirely satisfactory to all parties, and sub- mitted the matter to the arbitration of Mr. Harris, who made a very judicious division, and greatly pleased all parties. These lands have since passed into the hands of other settlers. Soon after came John Haskell, who pur- chased a farm on section 36, now owned by R. T. Balch. Phineas Hunt entered 160 acres, on section 25, in 1831, and Charles Wild entered 80 acres on the same section in the same year. The former sold in 1837 to Clark Kellogg and Neil Hinds.
William C. Gibbs entered 80 acres on section 24, and 80 acres on section 26, in 1832. His brother, Isaac Gibbs, entered 80 acres on section 24, 80 acres on section 25, and 80 acres on section 26, all in 1832. By their enterprise they added greatly to the advancement of the township in- terests. William Duncan pre-empted 80 acres on section 12, which in 1832 he purchased and improved.
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