History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 122

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761

USA > Michigan > Kalamazoo County > History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan > Part 122

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1877, A. Carpenter, James Taylor, Edwin Clark, Geo. Gilchrist; 1878, J. Clark, H. H. Kinney, W. Deledle, Robert Sharp; 1879, Isaac Tappen, Joseph Davis, Wm. Conolley, Dayton Crose.

EARLY ROADS.

The following petition, dated at " Prairie Ronde, Jan. 1, 1831," appears on the early records of Brady township, but applies to the townships included in ranges 11 and 12 west, beginning with Prairie Ronde :

" To Bazel Harrison, Stephen Hoit, and William Bishop, Commis- sioners of Highways for the township of Brady, in the County of Kal- amazoo : The undersigned persons, citizens and freeholders in said township, beg leave to represent that the publick good demands, and the convenience of the citizens of Prairie Ronde and its vicinity requires, that a publick road, in a direction to unite with a road lead- ing from White Pigeon Prairie to the county-site in Kalamazoo, is much wanted. We would, therefore, solicit your honors to lay out said road, commencing on the south line of township number four, in range twelve west, at some point you may deem proper west of the southeast corner of said township, and east of the first quarter stake on said line ; thence northwardly in a direction to pass through Col. Fellows' lane in front of his house, where it is to take such direction on a straight line as will strike the west line of section No. 25 at some point in Christopher Blair's field, where you may judge the most con- venient; thence north on said line, and pursuing its direction between the sections to the north line of said township; thence combining shortness of distance with practicability of ground to the county-site, the crossing of the Kalamazoo River, and Grand Prairie in branch roads. To convince you, gentlemen, and the public that we are not under the influence of sinister views or private interest other than united with publick good, we wish you to act discretionary in making any deviation from any specified point in the above direction the in- terest of the community may require.

" WILLIAM DUNCAN,

" ABIEL FELLOWS,

ISAAC SUMNER, CHRISTOPHER BAIR,

" ERASTUS GUILFORD, JOHN KNIGHT,

" JOHNSON PATRICK, JAMES KNIGHT.

" DELAMORE DUNCAN, HARRY SMITH,

" JUSTIN CLARK, PRESTON J. MCCREARY,

"GEORGE BROWN, DAVID M. HANSON,

"JAMES M. FELLOWS,

JONATHAN WOOD,

" R. C. HOIT, ABRAHAM WIGANT.

" In compliance with the foregoing petition, we have surveyed and laid out and established said road, as follows, viz. :

"Beginning at a stake 64 rods east of the quarter stake in section 36, on the south line of township 4 south, range 12 west ; thence N. 10,° W. 202 rods; thence N. 33º 45,' west 456 rods 11 links, to the section line between sections 25 & 26; thence north on section line 40 rods 20 links to section corner; thence north on section line 286 rods; thence north 8º E. 60 rods; thence N. 22º 45,' west 54 rods; thence north on section line 616 rods 21 links; thence N. 13º E. 1110 rods; thence N. 126 rods ; thence N. 18° E. 116 rods; thence N. 22º E. 451 rods ; thence N. 6° E. 232 rods 24 links ; thence N. 10° E. 214 rods 19 links, to the bridge across the Portage Creek, 80 rods E. of the N. W. corner of S. 5 in T. 3 S., R. 11 W.

" BAZEL HARRISON, " STEPHEN HOIT, Road Commissioners.

" March 12, 1831."

At the date last given (March 12, 1831) another road was petitioned for, to begin

" at the mill now building by Abiel Fellows and Mr. Bacon ; thence north on the quarter line between Stephen Hoit and David Brown until it comes to the northwest corner of Stephen Hoit's land ; thence northwesterly near the edge of the timbered land to the southwesterly corner of section 11, or near said corner; thence north on the line between sections 10 and 11 and 2 and 3 to township line No. 4 S., Range 12 west; thence on a direction to strike Dry Prairie near Mr. Cooley's, or on the best route to Grand Prairie."

Signed by twenty-five persons.

Road surveyed April 2, 1831, as follows :

MRS. PETER F. ALEXANDER.

PETER F. ALEXANDER.

Peter F. Alexander was born in Lyons, Wayne Co., N. Y., July 6, 1816. He was the sixth child in the family of George and Margaret (Shaver) Alexander, who had a family of nine children. The progenitor of the Alexander family in this country was our subject's grandfather. He was born in Scotland in 1744. When a boy he went to Dublin, Ireland, where he was apprenticed to the trade of a weaver. At the age of seventeen he decided to come to America, and being without money, stole aboard a vessel bound for the United States, and hid himself among the freight. He was not discovered until the ship was several days out; and on his arrival in Philadelphia was sold to a weaver for his passage-money for a term of three years. Upon the completion of his term of service he entered the Continental army, and served during the war. Shortly after its close he married Mary Rumage, and settled in Pennsylvania, where he became a farmer, and acquired a competency. He was a man of decided ability, and took an active part in political matters. He died in 1826, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. When his father was a boy the family removed to Tompkins Co., N. Y., where he married. About 1810 he removed to Lyons, Wayne Co., N. Y., where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1830, at the age of forty-eight years. Peter was at this time fourteen years of age. At the age of seventeen he was thrown upon his own resources. He earned twelve dollars, and with this pittance started for

Michigan, a distance of seven hundred miles. Through the kindness of friends he was enabled to accomplish his undertaking. He arrived in Detroit penniless, and walked the entire distance to his uncle's, Abram I. Shaver, in Prairie Ronde, where he arrived on the 26th of October, 1832. He entered the employ of his uncle, with whom he remained about four years. For several years he worked at his trade,-that of carpenter and joiner.

In 1840, Mr. Alexander married Miss Sabra Anton, of Mendon, St. Joseph Co., who was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., near the city of Utica, Feb. 25, 1820. Her parents were natives of Oneida County, and came to Michigan in 1837. After their marriage they settled on the place where they now reside, which was purchased some time previously. His first purchase of land, however, was in 1834. Mr. and Mrs. Alexander have had six children born to them, only one of whom is living, Lucas T., who was born on the old place March 17, 1856. Mr. Alex- ander is emphatically a self-made man. Early in life he learned that there was no royal road to success, but that wealth and position were the result of individual effort. Among his fellow-townsmen he occupies an enviable position, and has filled many offices of trust to their satisfaction. He believes in the principles of the Re- publican party, and that his success in life is due to honesty and integrity, coupled with industry and perseverance.

451

TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIE RONDE.

" Beginning at the half-mile stake in the township line T. 4 S. R. 12 W., in the middle of section 35; thence north through the middle of sections 35 and 26 to the corner of the land owned by Stephen Hoit; thence N. 23º 10' W. 530 poles to the section line near Shaver's Point; thence N. on section line 596 poles, to the township line T. 3 S., R. 12 West; thence N. on section line 1414 poles ; thence N. 27° E. 600 poles to corner of sections 1 and 2 in township line."

SCHOOLS.

Perhaps the first school in the township was taught on section 26, in the summer of 1830, by John Wild, at his own home. In the fall of the same year a log school- house was built, and a school taught in the following win- ter by Rev. Thomas W. Merrill. Stephen Vickery taught in the same place in the winter of 1831-32.

As early as 1832 a school was taught in what is now District No. 1 by a young lady named Laura Stanley. The frame of a school-house was put up, but the building was not finished ready for use until some time later. The widow of John Williams taught very soon after, in her own house. Her husband, who was from Honeoye, N. Y., had died in this town. He lived where his grandson, Hiram Williams (son of Erastus Williams, also deceased), now re- sides. The first school in this part of the township, how- ever, was taught in the Clark neighborhood, by Ambrose Searle. In the fall of 1831, E. L. Brown, who had just arrived at Schoolcraft from Vermont, was importuned to take charge of the school in the neighborhood named, and the day for beginning the term was set. Mr. Brown was somewhat surprised to find, when the time arrived and he presented himself for work, that the school had been for some days in operation, presided over by some genius who had taken it from under him. The bargain made with the man, who was old and prone to indulge too freely in liquor, was not a source of much good to the school, and its patrons went a second time for Mr. Brown, who refused to take charge of it.

In 1838 a log school-house was built on section 18. School had been previously taught in James D. Smith's dwelling by Wilder B. Mack, who was a Methodist min- ister, and continued one winter.

The following, from the report of the school inspectors for the year ending Sept. 1, 1879, shows the condition of the schools in Prairie Ronde township at that time :

Number of districts. 7

Children of school age.

310

Average attendance during the year. 260

Number of days school taught. 1074

" volumes in district libraries. 352

" frame school-houses sittings

395

Value of school property. $3250.00

Number of teachers employed (male, 8 ; female, 15). 23

Wages paid teachers (male, $628.75; female, $459.70) $1088.45

Total resources for year. $2241.32

Amount on hand, Sept. 1, 1879 676.94

Total expenditures, less amount on hand ... $1564.38

RELIGIOUS.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- Among the early settlers in this township were a number who had embraced the gospel according to the teachings of the Methodist Church. It finally became expedient to build a suitable house of

worship, and in the summer of 1837 a frame building for that purpose was erected on section 12. Meetings were held there a few years, but after the organization of the church of the same denomination at Schoolcraft, the old site was abandoned and the building sold for private use. Meetings were held by missionary preachers and others, and the Methodist denomination in the township was at one time in a flourishing condition.

A Methodist Protestant Church was built some time later near Abram I. Shaver's, and was finally destroyed by fire. Several of the members of that church are yet living, but as a society hold no meetings. Their building was a frame structure. One of the principal supporters of the church was Erastus Williams, now deceased.

MILITARY.

A few are yet living in this town who remember the ex- citement caused by the Indian outbreak in 1832, familiarly known as the " Black Hawk War," and how boldly the militia of the county marched to Niles, waited a day or two, and came back covered with glory from a bloodless conflict where no sign of an enemy was seen. The citizens of Prairie Ronde were destined, however, to become better acquainted with the meaning of the word war, and to suf- fer the loss of some of their number in a terrible struggle with something different from painted savages. The great Rebellion of 1861 had scarcely opened its throat and growled its greeting to the Northland through the doomed walls of Fort Sumter, before Prairie Ronde was whirled into the eddy of consequent excitement. Her sons volun- teered and went forth to battle, strong in their love of country and the conviction that this cause was worthy a great sacrifice to maintain. Some returned to their homes never more,-Stephen M. Andrews, John D. Kline, and others ; some were maimed for life, and their crippled con- dition testifies to their valor ; others, who returned safely, bear in their minds the memory of the eventful days, the loss of comrades, and the thousand uncertainties of a soldier's existence. Those left at home mourn the fallen, but are proud of their record. The volunteers from Prairie Ronde acquitted themselves heroically and honorably, and as a crowning jewel in their history it was decreed that one of their number should perform the deed which should make him and his command lastingly famous : George Munger, who enlisted Aug. 28, 1862, in Company C, 4th Michigan Cavalry, and was promoted to corporal and sergeant, after participating in numerous engagements, finally won for himself a name by capturing " the arch traitor of all," Jeff Davis, who had fallen into his last ditch, and was not even saved from being engulfed by donning crinoline. All honor to " Corporal Munger" and the brave boys in blue from Prairie Ronde !

Among those who have been of great service to the writer in procuring the foregoing facts, and to whom sin- cere thanks are tendered, are O. H. Fellows, Mrs. Dela- more Duncan, Charles C. Duncan, Philo D. Clark, Mrs. William Fanckboner, John S. Harrison, Preston J. Mc- Creary, Abner Mack, George Nesbitt, Peter F. Alexander, and numerous others.

452

HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

WILLIAM DUNCAN.

The Duncan family, as the name indicates, was originally from Scotland, but some of its members settled in the north of Ireland, and from them are descended the Dun- cans of Kalamazoo County. George Duncan, the father of William, emigrated from Londonderry, Ireland, to America in 1742, when his son William was twelve years of age, and settled in Londonderry, N. H., which place had been named in honor of the famous old Irish city.

A second son, John Duncan, was born in Londonderry, N. H., on the 29th of March, 1752. John married Mar- garet Dickey, Feb. 5, 1778, and to them was born, at Acworth, N. H., on the 14th of October, 1778, William Duncan, the subject of this memoir.

William remained with his father until he was twenty-six years of age, when he married Ruth Coffran Gilmore, in February, 1805. To this couple were born the following children : Delamore, Nov. 24, 1805 ; John Gilmore, July 14, 1807; Corina Jane, April 5, 1811 ; Eliza Ann, Oct. 19, 1814; William, Jr., June 3, 1818.

In 1805 the family removed from Acworth to Lyman, N. H., where Mr. Duncan became a prominent citizen. He was a justice of the peace for several years, and on the 20th day of July, 1810, was commissioned captain in the tenth company of the 32d Regiment, State militia, by Governor John Langdon. He soon after removed to Monroe, in the same State, where he engaged in teaching until 1815, when he purchased a wool-carding and cloth-dressing mill, and carried on that business until 1821, when the death of his wife broke up the family. In 1822, leaving his children with his father and brothers, he went into the lumbering business on the Connecticut River, in which he continued until 1824, when he removed to Syracuse, N. Y. At that place he also engaged in the lumber business for about one year; and in April, 1825, in company with his son Dela- more, who had joined him, he started for the Territory of Michigan, then comparatively an unknown country.

They took passage on the Erie Canal, then just completed, to Buffalo, and thence came by steamer to Detroit. From the latter place they proceeded on foot to Dexter, in Washtenaw County, where they arrived on the 3d day of May. At that place they entered into a contract with one John Dix to build a mill-dam, which labor occupied them until the 3d of September following, when his son went to Brecksville, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. In May, 1826, Mr. Duncan also pro- ceeded to Brecksville, where he was soon after taken sick with bilious fever, which had nearly proved fatal, but the excellent nursing of his landlady, Mrs. Guilford, restored him to health.

In March, 1827, he went to Lyme, Huron Co., Ohio, where he purchased a farm and engaged in the cultivation of hops. On the 1st of January, 1828, he married Mrs. Lydia Wood, a widow, and on the 1st of April, 1829, sold his farm, and taking a few farming-tools in a wagon drawn by an ox-team, he left his family and proceeded once more to Michigan.

After a tedious journey of three weeks he arrived on the

west side of Prairie Ronde in the latter part of April, and proceeded to select his land, which he pre-empted, and planted some corn and potatoes. He also erected the body of a log house 16 by 24 feet in size, and in August returned to Ohio, arriving on the 2d of September.

On the 5th day of October, 1829, he left Ohio with his family, consisting of his wife, two sons,-Delamore and William,-a daughter,-Eliza Ann,-and a stepdaughter, -Lydia Wood,-and returned to Prairie Ronde, where he arrived on the 20th of October. His effects were con- veyed in a covered wagon, drawn by two yokes of oxen, and his young stock was driven along at the same time. During this journey they " camped out" at night.

His house not being in a condition to occupy, the family moved into Col. Fellows' dwelling until their own could be made tenable. The roof was covered with " shakes," and the floor was constructed of "puncheons," which are small logs split and hewed. When one-half the floor was laid down the family moved in, and the men went to work gath- ering their crops from the planting of the previous spring.

In the absence of a grist-mill, a primitive apparatus was made use of for grinding, or rather pounding, corn. A large mortar was constructed by hollowing the end of a short log; a long " spring" pole, something like a well- sweep, was then set up, and attached to this was another short pole, in the lower end of which was fixed an iron wedge, which was used as a pestle, the whole apparatus being worked by hand.

In the beginning of April, 1830, a meeting was held at the house of Abram I. Shaver, for the township of Brady, which was then a part of the county of St. Joseph, and included the present county of Kalamazoo and a large region lying to the north, at which township officers were elected. At this meeting William Duncan was elected to the offices of supervisor and justice of the peace, and rep- resented the township at the meeting of the county board, held at White Pigeon,* on the 19th of April in that year.

On the 17th of May following a meeting was held at Shaver's house, at which a judicial circuit was formed, and the following names were sent to the Governor of the Ter- ritory for appointment to the respective offices named : for Judge, Bazel Harrison ; for Associate Justice, Stephenst Hoyt; for Clerk, William Duncan ; for Sheriff, Delamore Duncan.

William Duncan's commission as clerk, signed by Gov- ernor Lewis Cass, was dated Aug. 17, 1830, and was to take effect from and after the 1st of October following, and con- tinue in force for four years. This was the first commission issued in the county.

Mr. Duncan's name appears on the record but a short time ; as it is believed that when the county-seat was located by the commissioners at Bronson (now Kalamazoo), in February, 1831, he declined to further serve. He, how- ever, continued to serve as a justice of the peace, holding court in his log cabin.

In April, 1830, he and his son Delamore erected the first frame building in the county. It was a granary, and

# This meeting was held at the house of Asahel Savery.

t This name is written both Stephens and Stephen.

DELLAMORE H. DUNCAN.

WM. DUNCAN.

MRS. P. DUNCAN.

453

TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIE RONDE.

in dimensions 20 by 24 feet. In this building were held, during 1830, several justice courts.

On the 3d of September, 1833, occurred the death of his second wife. After this sad event he moved in with his son Delamore's family, where he remained until the spring of 1835, when he built a frame dwelling on his farm, 24 by 30 feet in size. In 1831 he and his son built a saw-mill on Rocky River, about eighty rods west of his residence.

Mr. Duncan's health becoming seriously impaired, he determined upon a change, and selling his property, in March, 1837, he removed to Des Moines, Iowa, where he built a grist-mill on the Des Moines River, across which he constructed a stone dam. On the 30th of November, 1837, he married a third wife, Miss Sarah Jones.

He continued the milling business until the autumn of 1844, when he exchanged his Iowa property for lands in Cass Co., Mich., upon which he removed and improved a fine farm.

Politically he was originally a Whig, but upon the forma- tion of the Free-Soil party became one of its active mem- bers. He was through life an ardent and consistent ad- vocate of temperance, not only theoretically, but by prac- tical example. His death occurred on the 19th day of November, 1852.

DELAMORE DUNCAN.

This gentleman was the eldest son of the preceding, and born Nov. 24, 1805, at Lyman, N. H. At Monroe, to which place his father removed in 1810, he attended the common school, of which his father was teacher, until 1815. After his father's purchase of the wool-carding and cloth- dressing mill, he worked in the mill during the summer and attended school in the winter months. His mother died when he was sixteen years of age, and in the following year, his father giving up housekeeping, he went to live with his grandfather at Acworth, where he worked on the farm and acted as secretary to his grandfather.

In April, 1825, with his effects in a knapsack strapped upon his back, he took his way over the Green Mountains through the snow on foot ; but on the top of the mountain he found the traveling so bad that he took passage in the stage-coach, and soon after joined his father in Syracuse, N. Y., whither he had preceded his son.

From thence he accompanied his parent to Michigan, and, as stated in the preceding biography, assisted him in building a mill-dam at Dexter, Washtenaw Co. On the 3d of September, 1825, he left his father at Dexter and proceeded to Brecksville, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, where he engaged in cutting stone for locks on the Ohio canal. Here he remained until the autumn of 1826, when, his health failing, he returned to his grandfather's in New Hamp- shire, where he continued until the spring of 1827, at which time he removed to McIndoes Falls, Caledonia Co., Vt., and engaged in lumbering until the fall of 1828, when, in company with his brother William and sister Eliza Ann, he journeyed to Lyme, Huron Co., Ohio, to which place his father had removed and purchased a farm.

At that place he taught school until February, 1829, when, in company with Elisha Doane, he once more started

for Michigan, driving through an ox-team and wagon, car- rying corn, and driving a drove of hogs. They " camped out" at night, and were obliged to ford the streams, as there were no bridges in those days. In March they reached Prairie Ronde, where Mr. Duncan selected his land and chose the site of his future home. Leaving his stock with a Mr. Wilmarth he returned to Ohio, reaching Lyme on the 1st of April. From there he shortly after went to Day- ton, where he again engaged in cutting stone for the canal, and continued until August of the same year, when he returned to Lyme, where, on the 8th of September, 1829, he married Miss Parmela Clark. This union proved to be a very happy one, for truly was the woman of his choice a " helpmeet" in prosperity and adversity,-a valuable coun- selor, and an affectionate wife and mother. She united with the Baptist Church in early life, and has ever since been an earnest and consistent Christian and faithful member.

Mrs. Duncan was born in the town of Johnson, Lamoille Co., Vt., August 18, 1811.

To this union were born nine children, as follows: Cor- delia Ann, William Gilmore, Granville Joel, Jane Coffran, Delamore, Jr., Delia Parmela, Edwin Freeman, Charles Clark, and Helen Marian, of whom four are living, to wit : Delamore, Jr., Edwin F., Charles C., and Helen Marian. The others died in childhood.

Mr. and Mrs. Duncan, in addition to their own, have had the care of no less than sixteen other children, whom they have sent into the world useful men and women.

On the 5th of October, 1829, Mr. Duncan, in company with his father, again set out for Michigan. He had in- vested his surplus means in young stock, which were driven along to the new country. His effects were contained in a covered wagon drawn by two yokes of oxen, his wife re- maining with her father, who was to follow in January, 1830. In getting through the " Maumee Swamp" they were detained five days by their cattle straying away. They finally arrived on Prairie Ronde on the 20th of October, and moved in with Col. Fellows until they could prepare their own house for occupation.

Not long after their arrival Mr. Duncan and Erastus Guilford took a contract to build a dam at Flowerfield, in St. Joseph County, for Mishael Beadle, for which they re- ceived corn on Young's Prairie, and were obliged to bring it home with an ox-team, taking two days to go and return. After the corn was safely lodged at home it had to be pre- pared with the spring pole and mortar before spoken of before it could be eaten.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 122

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott Number of Pages: 761

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761