USA > Michigan > Kalamazoo County > History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan > Part 86
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SECTION 33.
Andrew J. Eldred, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., June, 1834. Willard Lovell, Windham Co., Vt., November, 1834. Eunice Little, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., December, 1834. John Tanner, Otsego Co., N. Y., September, 1835. David Beach, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., March, 1836. Wesley Sherman, Calhoun Co., Mich., July, 1836. Russell Wells, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., September, 1837.
SECTION 34.
Stephen Eldred, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., June, 1831. Albert A. Smith, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., July, 1832. William Eldred, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., June, 1834. Ethel P. Eldred, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, 1834. Joseph D. Beers and Samuel Sherwood, New York City, August, 1835.
Ezra Rice, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., October, 1835. SECTION 35.
William Eldred, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., June, 1831. Lovell and Hiram Moore, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., June, 1831. Lyman I. Daniels, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., March, 1832.
SECTION 36. Nathan Harrison, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., June, 1831. James M. Fellows, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., June, 1831. Hiram Moore, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., April, 1834. William Lovell, Windham Co., Vt., November, 1834. Elias Stillwell, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., August, 1835. Ira Eldred, Erie Co., N. Y., October, 1835. William Harrison, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., July, 1836. Willard Lovell, Kalamazoo Co., Mich., December, 1836.
CIVIL HISTORY.
The territory comprising the present township of Charles- ton became a part of the original township of Brady, Nov. 5, 1829 ; of Arcadia, July 30, 1830; of Richland, June 29, 1832; of Comstock, March 7, 1834; and was finally set off as a separate township in 1838, in accordance with an act of the State Legislature approved March 6th of the same year.
Section 53 of an act to organize certain townships in the State of Michigan reads as follows :
" All that part of the county of Kalamazoo, designated in the United States survey as township No. 2 south, of range No. 9 west, shall be, and the same is, hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Charleston ;# and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of William Earl, in said township."
The following amendment, viz., "that the first township- meeting of the township of Charleston shall be held at the house of H. P. Fletcher, according to the provisions of the act to which this is amendatory," was approved March 19, 1838.
Accordingly, on Monday, April 2, 1838, the legal voters of the township assembled at the house of H. P. Fletcher for the purpose of electing township officers. The meeting was formally organized by choosing James Harris, Modera- tor, and Henry F. Cock, Clerk. At the close of this elec- tion the following officers (Whigs) were declared elected, by majorities ranging from one to three votes, Mr. Clapp receiving three majority : Edwin M. Clapp, Supervisor ; John L. Cock, Township Clerk ; Alpha Tubbs, James Harris, Daniel Eldred, Assessors; Orrin N. Giddings, Elihu Smith, Justices of the Peace; Andrew D. Cock, William Earl, Highway Commissioners; Ezra Rice, Ansel Shailer, Charles Burdick, School Commissioners; Alvin Burdick, William Eldred, Poormasters; Nelson Burlison, Collector ; Lyman Bacon, Reuben S. Jones, Nelson Bur- lison, Constables ; Overseers of Highways, William Earl, District No. 1; Flavel Abbott, No. 2; Samuel Canute,
* A majority of the people desired to have their new township called Coldbrook, and they so petitioned, but H. H. Comstock and his politi- cal friend, Nichols, thought differently, and, as the former was a member of the Legislature, the name of Nichols' post-office (Charles- ton) was conferred.
321
TOWNSHIP OF CHARLESTON.
No. 3; Samuel Mcclellan, No. 4; Daniel Eldred, No. 5; Reuben S. Jones, No. 6; Charles T. Clark, No. 7; Alpha Tubbs, No. 8; Aaron Watts, No. 9; James Harris, No. 10; William Smith, No. 11.
At the same meeting the following resolutions were passed by a majority vote :
"That every overseer of roads shall be fence-viewers and pound- masters.
"That there shall be a bounty on all wolves killed in the town of Charleston of $5 each, and a fund of $40 be voted to pay for the same.
"That Henry Schrambling shall receive the benefit of the wolf bounty for one wolf killed before this meeting.
"That a fine of $10 be imposed on any person suffering a stud horse over one year old to run at large.
"That all hogs may run at large that weigh over fifty pounds; those of less weight will be liable for damages.
"That a lawful fence shall be four and one-half feet high.
" That the next annual township meeting shall be holden at the house of H. P. Fletcher."
A special township election was held April 25, 1838, to fill vacancies caused by the non-qualification of persons elected at the first meeting. As a result of this election, Fay Aldrich was chosen Justice of the Peace, by one ma- jority, and William Harrison, Commissioner of Highways, without a dissenting vote.
On the 28th of January, 1839, Nelson Burlison, Town- ship Collector, paid to Edwin M. Clapp, Supervisor, the sum of $171.84, being the whole amount specified in the collector's warrant to be collected for State, county, and township purposes. For the collection of the same, Mr. Burlison received as his fees the munificent sum of $8.59.
STATISTICAL, 1839.
The following statistics are taken from the assessment roll of 1839,-the second made in the township,-and show the whole number of resident tax-payers, acres owned, and number of live-stock, etc., possessed by each at that period :
James Harris, sections 8, 9, 267 acres, 1 horse, 6 oxen, 1 cow, 1 year- ling, 1 swine, $277 personal estate, $1534 real estate.
Lemuel Long, section 6, 80 acres, $341 real estate.
Joseph Flanders, section 19, 133 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, 2 young cattle, $135 personal estate, $752 real estate.
Edwin M. Clapp, sections 19, 30, 203 acres, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 1 yearling, 7 swine, $162 personal estate, $1152 real estate.
Henry Clinton, sections 19, 20, 160 acres, 2 oxen, 2 young cattle, $84 personal estate, $601 real estate.
Lewis Kniffin, section 19, 80 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, 3 swine, $110 per- sonal estate, $421 real estate.
Charles Whitcomb, section 20, 80 acres, 2 young cattle, $30 personal estate, $341 real estate.
George Ralph, section 20, 160 acres, $480 real estate.
Worden Wells, sections 32, 29, 120 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $95 personal estate, $360 real estate.
Braddock Bailey, section 32, 80 acres, $320 real estate.
Ebenezer Flanders, section 32, 40 acres, 2 oxen, $75 personal estate, $260 real estate.
Martin Cole, sections 32, 27, 100 acres, 2 oxen, $60 personal estate, $400 real estate.
Margaret Dean, sections 27, 32, 120 acres, 2 horses, 2 oxen, 1 cow, 1 swine, $140 personal estate, 480 real estate.
David Beach, section 32, 40 acres, 1 swine, $5 personal estate, $160 real estate.
A. H. Dean, section 31, 80 acres, 2 horses, 4 oxen, 1 yearling, $147 personal estate, $300 real estate.
Naoma Harris, sections 31, 32, 160 acres, 1 cow, 2 young cattle, $44 personal estate, $640 real estate.
William C. Cary, section 29, 40 acres, $120 real estate.
Thomas W. Durkee, section 31, 63 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $70 personal estate, $189 real estate.
Job N. Lampkins, section 31, 40 acres, 1 horse, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $70 per- . sonal estate, $189 real estate.
Nathan B. Lampkins, section 30, 80 acres, 3 young cattle, $10 per- sonal estate, $240 real estate.
George Davis, section 20, 174 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, $170 personal estate, $1496 real estate.
William McClary, section 17, 80 acres, 2 horses, $80 personal estate, $320 real estate.
Nathan Burnett, section 17, 115 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, 4 young cattle, $180 personal estate, $560 real estate.
Asa Thorndike, section 17, 80 acres, 2 oxen, 2 cows, $115 personal estate, $320 real estate.
Lyman Earl, sections 17, 20, 160 acres, 2 oxen, $70 personal estate, $640 real estate.
Asa Eldred, section 31, 40 acres, $140 real estate.
Gray & Cory, section 18, 61 acres, $244 real estate.
James Fuller, 2 oxen, $75 personal estate.
Miles Palmer, sections 21, 22, 160 acres, 2 oxen, $70 personal estate, $480 real estate.
F. P. Hawver, section 21, 160 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $90 personal estate, $640 real estate.
Pixley Judson, section 21, 80 acres, $240 real estate.
Elias Billington, section 28, 80 acres, $240 real estate.
Elihu Smith, section 28, 10 acres, $40 real estate.
Andrew J. Eldred, section 27, 80 acres, $240 real estate.
Thomas Shailer, section 28, 190 acres, 1 yearling, $10 personal estate, $671 real estate.
Ansel Shailer, sections 21, 24, 25, 320 acres, 2 horses, 6 oxen, $305 personal estate, $1110 real estate.
Orville Shailer, section 22, 160 acres, $480 real estate.
John D. Smith, section 23, 80 acres, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 3 swine, $107 per- sonal estate, $341 real estate.
Henry Dickey, section 23, 40 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $95 personal estate, $120 real estate.
Isaac Sinith, sections 23, 27, 106 acres, $308 real estate.
David Smith, section 27, 80 acres, $940 real estate.
Henry Schrambling, section 23, 80 acres, 4 oxen, 2 cows, $150 personal estate, $240 real estate.
William Webber, section 23, 200 acres, 2 oxen, $65 personal estate, $701 real estate.
Charles T. Clark, section 26, 160 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $85 personal estate, $745 real estate.
Joseph Heath, section 26, 138 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $85 personal estate, $653 real estate.
Seth Fletcher, section 26, 159 acres, 1 horse, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $140 per- sonal estate, $995 real estate.
David Gibbs, 2 horses, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $108 personal estate.
John B. Allen, 1 horse, $80 personal estate.
David Allen, 2 oxen, $80 personal estate.
William S. Myers, section 36, 80 acres, 1 cow, 1 swine, $37 personal estate, $562 real estate.
William Jordan, section 36, 63 acres, $315 real estate.
R. Adams, section 25, 240 acres, $960 real estate.
A. V. C. Hallock, sections 25, 35, 120 acres, 1 swine, $5 personal estate, $621 real estate.
Hiram Moore, sections 35, 36, 223 acres, 2 horses, 10 oxen, 1 cow, 3 swine, $434 personal estate, $1584 real estate.
Martin Nichols, 2 horses, 1 cow, $80 personal estate.
Potter Eldred, section 34, 80 acres, 4 oxen, 1 cow, 3 young cattle, $154 personal estate, $445 real estate.
Ezra Rice, sections 33, 34, 134 acres, 1 horse, 4 oxen, $200 personal estate, $861 real estate.
William Eldred, section 35, 240 acres, 4 horses, 4 oxen, 1 cow, 7 young cattle, $470 personal estate, $1720 real estate.
William Harrison, section 36, 120 acres, 5 horses, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 3 young cattle, 1 swine, $275 personal estate, $900 real estate.
Hale Whiting, section 34, 80 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, 1 swine, $145 personal estate, $620 real estate.
Wesley Sherman, sections 32, 33, 281 acres, 2 oxen, 2 young cattle, 3 swine, $89 personal estate, $1309 real estate.
Russell Wells, section 33, 40 acres, $120 real estate.
Samuel White, 1 horse, $125 personal estate.
41
322
HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Alpha Tubbs, section 28, 240 acres, 2 horses, 4 oxen, 2 swine, $245 personal estate, $1260 real estate.
Ambrose S. Eldred, 2 horses, 1 cow, $175 personal estate.
Robert Whitford, sections 9, 10, 121 acres, 1 horse, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 5 young cattle, 10 swine, $245 personal estate, $780 real estate. Joseph Whitford, sections 9, 10, 121 acres, 1 horse, 4 oxen, 2 cows, 4 young cattle, 8 swine, $335 personal estate, $730 real estate.
Philander Bishop, 1 cow, 2 young cattle, 8 swine, $95 personal estate. Charles Burdick, sections 3, 4, 112 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, 3 young cattle, 6 swine, $325 personal estate, $810 real estate.
Alvin Burdick, section 2, 155 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, 6 young cattle, 6 swine, $360 personal estate, $859 real estate.
James McClary, sections 4, 17, 163 acres, 2 horses, 2 young cattle, 1 swine, $132 personal estate, $822 real estate.
Jabez Rogers, sections 7, 17, 151 acres, 4 horses, 3 cows, $200 personal estate, $554 real estate.
Mary Bacon, sections 17, 18, 185 acres, 3 young cattle, $40 personal estate, $940 real estate.
Fay Aldrich, section 18, 88 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, 2 young cattle, $120 personal estate, $453 real estate.
Stephen Fuller, sections 8, 9, 200 acres, 3 horses, 5 cows, 7 young cattle, 3 swine, $330 personal estate, $950 real estate.
Samuel Canute, section 4, 80 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, 1 yearling, $132 personal estate, $421 real estate.
George Morrill, sections 4, 5, 333 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, 4 young cattle, 2 swine, $248 personal estate, $1315 real estate.
Moses McClellen, sections 7, 8, 200 acres, 2 horses, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 1 yearling, 1 swine, $272 personal estate, $950 real estate.
Samuel McClellen, section 5, 82 acres, 2 horses, $80 personal estate, $246 real estate.
Samuel Shoemaker, section 5, 80 acres, $240 real estate.
Sally Aldrich, section 18, 141 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $80 personal estate, $909 real estate.
Hannah Austin, section 8, 80 acres, $430 real estate.
Luke Rugg, section 5, 80 acres, 1 horse, 4 oxen, $160 personal estate, $240 real estate.
John Flint, section 6, 120 acres, $366 real estate.
William Smith, section 7, 120 acres, $460 real estate.
Henry Rogers, section 8, 80 acres, 1 horse, 2 oxen, $100 personal estate, $280 real estate.
Joseph Corey, } acre, 2 horses, 1 cow, $80 personal estate, $111 real estate.
Lanckford Burdick, sections 2, 15, 347 acres, 3 horses, 2 oxen, 4 cows, 6 young cattle, 5 swine, $495 personal estate, $2360 real estate.
Peter Fulton, section 16, 80 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, $140 personal estate, $650 real estate.
Robert Burdick, sections 3, 4, 10, 261 acres, 1 horse, $25 personal estate, $1755 real estate.
Asa Gunn, sections 10, 15, 80 acres, 1 horse, 4 oxen, 3 cows, 6 young cattle, 6 swine, $210 personal estate, $445 real estate.
Griswold Gunn, section 15, 40 acres, $120 real estate.
Ezra Mansfield, sections 10, 15, 120 acres, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 4 young cattle, $150 personal estate, $630 real estate.
Aaron Watts, sections 10, 15, 160 acres, 2 horses, 4 oxen, 1 cow, 1 yearling, $315 personal estate, $915 real estate.
Levi Vedder, section 10, 40 acres, $160 real estate.
Mehitable White, section 10, 40 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, $80 personal estate, $160 real estate.
O. N. Giddings, section 16, 80 acres, 2 horses, 1 swine, $65 personal estate, $320 real estate.
Andrew D. Cock, section 1, 71 acres, 2 horses, $130 personal estate, $213 real estate.
C. M. Nichols (agent), sections 2, 11, 15, 160 acres, $760 real estate. Ambrose Cock, sections 1, 2, 10, 11, 14, 23, 1126 acres, 2 horses, 8 oxen, 9 young cattle, $620 personal estate, $5885 real estate.
Charles M. Nichols, sections 11, 14, 523 acres, 10 oxen, $320 personal estate, $2799 real estate.
Reuben S. Jones (agent), sections 2, 11, 233 acres, 2 horses, 8 oxen, 5 cows, 7 young cattle, $460 personal estate, $1400 real estate.
Henry Hopkins, section 11, 40 acres, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 3 young cattle, $125 personal estate, $160 real estate.
Asa Perkins, sections 1, 12, 80 acres, 4 oxen, 1 cow, 1 yearling, 1 swine, $130 personal estate, $450 real estate.
James M. Simons, section 1, 160 acres, 2 oxen, 2 young cattle, $130 personal estate, $715 real estate.
Thomas Mead, section 1, 148 acres, 8 oxen, $240 personal estate, $660 ยท real estate.
John P. West, section 14, 120 acres, 2 oxen, 1 cow, 2 young cattle, $100 personal estate, $480 real estate.
John White (agent), section 13, 320 acres, $1280 real estate.
Isaac Whitman, section 13, 40 acres, 2 horses, 3 young cattle, $90 per- sonal estate, $250 real estate.
Ard Campfield, section 14, 40 acres, $160 real estate. David Myers, 2 horses, $150 personal estate.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
It was purposed under this head to give a complete list of township officers during the years from 1838 to 1879, inclusive. But, unaccountably, the records and proceedings of township elections for the years from 1839 to 1868, in- clusive, are missing. We therefore append lists of super- visors as obtained from the county records, and of township clerks obtained by a research among various township papers :
SUPERVISORS.
1838, Edwin M. Clapp; 1839, Orrin N. Giddings; 1840-47, Potter Eldred ; 1848-49, George Simmons; 1850-51, Potter Eldred ; 1852, George Davis ; 1853-54, Joseph Whitford ; 1855, Isaac Mason ; 1856-57, Orra Bush; 1858-59, John B. Ide; 1860-61, Enos Lovell; 1862-65, Henry W. Bush ; 1866-68, William G. Kirby ; 1869-70, Peter Oakley; 1871-72, John T. Loomis;# 1873-74, William G. Kirby ; 1875, James W. Parkhurst : 1876-77, Wil- liam G. Kirby ; 1878, Leonard S. Evans ; 1879, Sidney Dunn.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1838-40, John L. Cock; 1841-50, Joseph Whitford ; 1851, Ingersoll Smith ; 1852-54, William Blass ; 1855-62, Henry Bush ; 1863, J. R. Cummings ; 1864, Thomas J. West; 1865-66, J. R. Cummings; 1867-70, Elias Bayle; 1871-74, James P. Lawler; 1875-79, Oliver F. McClary.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
James P. Lawler, Joseph Harrison, Benjamin F. Travis, Benjamin F. Wolven, 1869; George K. Field, Orson A. Morgan, 1870; Joseph Harrison, George K. Field, 1871 ; Daniel Bishop, Walter Oakley, 1872 ; J. Alonzo Eldred, Leonard S. Evans, 1873; Samuel W. Swaddle, 1874; Joseph Harrison, 1875; Daniel Bishop, 1876; Albert E. Stafford, appointed Nov. 11, 1876; James H. Kent, 1877 ; J. Alonzo Eldred, 1878; Edwin L. Hulett, James H. Kent, Burke Lane, 1879.
TREASURERS.
Isaac Corey, 1869; Daniel Bishop, 1870-71; Nelson Blass, 1872-75; Edwin Lampkin, 1876-77; Albert Mack, 1878-79.
HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS.
Silas B. Mack, Ira Joy, Jr., John T. Loomis, 1869; Haviland Gifford, 1870; Daniel D. Brockway, 1871; George K. Field, Lowell Hu- lett, 1872 ; Robert Roof, 1873; Lowell Hulett, Marshall D. Bab- cock, George W. Stuart, 1874; Lowell Hulett, 1875; Haviland Gifford, 1876 ; Nelson Blass, 1877; Hiram Tobey, 1878; Daniel Bishop, 1879.
SCHOOL INSPECTORS.
James H. Kent, John T. Loomis, 1870; James W. Parkhurst, 1871; Oliver F. McClary, 1872; Erasmus H. Towne, 1873; Oliver F. McClary, 1874; James H. Kent, 1875; John L. Allen, 1876; Charles C. Loomis, 1877; Edward H. Lawler, 1878; Charles C. Loomis, 1879.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Peleg H. Simpson, 1875; Sidney Dunn, 1876-77; Charles H. Beck- with, 1878 ; Peleg H. Simpson, 1879.
DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.
Peter Oakley, 1876; Andrew M. Evans, 1878.
CONSTABLES.
Daniel Bishop, Henry B. Pearce, A. V. C. Hallock, 1871; Charles Lane, Henry B. Pearce, Joseph Lee, John S. Harrison, 1872;
# Died in April, 1872. Peter Oakley appointed to fill vacancy.
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1
WINIAMS
Photo. by Packard, Kalamazoo.
WILLIAM G. KIRBY.
1
William G. Kirby comes, on the paternal side, from good New Eng- land stock ; his father, John Kirby, having been a Rhode Islander by birth. His mother, whose maiden name was Frelove Lyon, was a native of New York. The paternal home is in New Lebanon, Colum- bia Co., N. Y. Here the family, consisting of eleven children,-nine of whom grew to be men and women,-were reared. Seven are living. Elihu, resides in New York; Wm. G., the subject of this sketch; Pa- tience, the wife of Lewis J. Haight, one of the wealthy farmers of Pavilion, this county; John W., a thriving farmer of Charleston, Kalamazoo Co .; Samuel H., of Cleveland, Ohio; Adam C., of Colum- bia Co., N. Y., on the old homestead; and Catharine, the youngest, the wife of Dr. Henry D. Jones, of Columbia Co., N. Y. Thomas, one of the brothers, was a Methodist clergyman, and, after twelve years of successful labor in the cause of his Master, died (1846) in Gran- ville, Vt. Mr. Kirby received the benefit of a New York common-school education, which was supplemented by training in that best of indus- trial schools, the farm, under the instruction of his father, who was an energetic business man. He remained at home until 1846, when he married Miss Rhoda Swetland, of Clifton Park, Saratoga Co., N. Y. In 1850 he engaged in mercantile pursuits in Saratoga, N. Y., in which he continued until 1858, when, with his family, he removed to Michigan, settling in Charleston, Kalamazoo Co., on the farm on which he now resides, being the northwest quarter of section 5. He now owns some five or six hundred acres of land in Charleston and Ross. The family lived in the old pioneer log house for the first two years, when it was consumed by fire. Mr. Kirby then built a frame dwelling-house, in which his family resided till 1870, when he erected his present fine farm home. He came in possession of his farm when there were but twenty acres cleared of timber, on the rest of the im- proved lands the girdled trees were yet standing, and he has made it not only one of the best-cultivated farms in Charleston, but in the eastern part of the county.
At the age of twenty-two Mr. Kirby was elected assessor of his native township, in New York, and was continued in the office for three successive terms. He has also filled local offices of importance and trust, with faithfulness and honor, in all the places where he has lived. He has represented the township of Charleston as a member of the board of supervisors for more than half of the time during the last fifteen years. He has been the unanimous choice of the Democratic party in his district for representative in the State Legis- lature. He is one of the founders of the Oak Grove Cemetery, of Galesburg, and president of its board of directors.
Mr. Kirby is a man of close observation and broad views. He has not only been a successful farmer, but the pursuit of agriculture, in itself unselfish and ennobling, has been a good school to him.
For no trade or profession that man has turned his hand to has given him more useful instruction. Mr. Kirby early learned how to do work ; that there was a best way in farming as there was in any other pursuit, and that the business of the farmer was to get the best ideas, the best plan and modes of carrying on his work. Governed by such views a man's vocation is his best teacher. One great differ- ence in men is in observation. One man sees things without specially noting them. Another, like Hugh Miller hewing stone, gets all the hidden truths his vocation can teach him, because he closely observes them as they are brought to view in his daily toil. What is called science in our Agricultural Colleges the farmer picks up in his accus- tomed round of labor, but indifferent to its value lets it escape him; while another, called a professor, collects the same facts, and, arrang- ing them in systematic order, is called a learned man.
With such men as William G. Kirby managing our farm interests, Michigan will take still higher rank among the States in indus- trial and agricultural importance. He has been identified with all that would promote the interests of this county; and in all public measures in the State he has been an advocate for the greatest amount of good to the people.
Mr. Kirby in politics is a Democrat; a highly social and valuable man in society ; and to make the world better for having lived in it is the object of his religion. He is a diligent reader of the best newspapers and books; ready and able in discussing the topics of the day ; at home on questions of ethics or matters of history or national interest, he ranks with our best class of men.
Having husbanded well his resources as a farmer, he has sought larger fields of operations in other directions, and has used his money in financial investments with a success which proves him to be & business man of practical sagacity and sound judgment.
To be worthy the confidence of those who know him best he has ever considered the highest meed of praise. The following well-re- membered counsel of his father he has ever endeavored to carry out in life : "Be honest and prompt in paying your debts, always do as you agree; this will give you a good name among men, which is rather to be chosen than gold or great riches."
Mrs. Kirby, his faithful and devoted wife, has done her full part in securing the fine home they now possess, and the ample means and prosperity they now enjoy ; and Mr. Kirby attributes to her thrift, skillful industry, and wise counsel much of his success in life.
They have been blessed with a family of five children, three of whom are still living,-Millie, who married Dr. H. U. Upjohn, of Kalamazoo; William, who married Alice, daughter of Dr. George R. Wightman, of Galesburg, lives in the old home, and manages the farm; and Mary, the youngest, still living with her parents.
323
TOWNSHIP OF CHARLESTON.
Henry B. Pearce, Fitch Shaw, William Cunningham, Frank Blass, 1873; Henry B. Pearce, William Cunningham, George Hinton, George H. Brown, 1874; Henry B. Pearce, George H. Brown, William Butler, George Hinton, 1875; George H. Brown, Henry B. Pearce, William Butler, Luther Durrin, 1876; William Cartwright, George Bristol, Henry B. Pearce, Michael Haessig, 1877; Joshua Wood, H. L. Robinson, Charles Shaw, Horace Clark, 1878; Isaac Rogers, William P. Stringham, George Bollis, Henry B. Pearce, 1879.
EDUCATIONAL.
It is uncertain who taught the first school in this town- ship, nor have we learned that any was in existence prior to 1837.
The first board of school inspectors met April 10, 1838, and organized seven school districts. It is quite certain that during the same summer log school-houses were erected in at least four of the districts mentioned.
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