USA > Michigan > Kent County > History of Kent County, Michigan, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 55
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Noadiah C. (Dutch.) Why, everybody knows Dutch Wright. We say " Dutch," for he has so long borne that name, that should you say "Noadiah " he would not mistrust that he was meant. He signs his name "N. C. Wright," but it is questionable whether he would not have to refresh his memory by looking at the family Bible, before confidentially telling what "N C." stands for. He lives in a big house, paid for with money which came of his un- derstanding " horse."" That beast he does understand ; and he conceives a most profound respect for a man who can cheat him in a horse trade. As an example : A man in Grand Rapids was in possession of an otherwise good-looking horse that was b'ind. One day a bright thought came into his head ; he would go and put a drive on Dutch Wright. So, fortifying himself, he harnessed his nag into his wagon, and leisurely drove along to the " Wright set- tlement." At the same time Dutch had a very good-looking horse that he was anxious to get rid of, for reasons not now known. As the city fellow was leisurely and meditatively driving by Wright's farm, Wright was plowing by the side of the road, with his worth- Jess beauty and a plain, valuable beast for a team. Being slightly
555
ALPINE TOWNSHIP.
acquainted, both stopped, discussed the weather, the last political news, etc. In the meantime, Wright conceived and suggested a horse-trade, to which the city chap seemed entirely indifferent. Wright finally offered him either one of his team, not doubting which he would take. The offer was accepted and the exchange made, to the infinite chagrin of Wright, when he saw him take the plain horse. Mentally, he soliloquized : "That man is not so green as I supposed, he understands ' horse'." The city man de- parted, and the farmer soon found that his new acquisition, "though having eyes, saw not." Did he get mad ? Not he. He threw up his hat and shouted himself hoarse ; then sat down on a stone and laughed until tears came into his eyes. Calming himself by de- grees, in incasured tones he said : "I have found the genius at last ; I have found my master : I have found the man who can cheat Dutch Wright in a horse-trade. By the Hokefenoke and the living Jingos! I'm his friend forever !! " He sought out the genius, and they consecrated the beginning of the warmest friendship by copious libations at Wright's expense. Speak evil of that man, or intimate that he is not a genius, the king of " horse men," and look out for the "Dutch " of Wright.
James Blood died in Walker, and his brother Francis sold out after a time and moved away.
We learn of no accessions until 1840. This year brought John Coffee from Ohio, with Richard Goding, Jacob Snyder, a Ger- man, John Plattee, Turner Hills and Noel Hopkins. Turner Hills was a Vermonter. He came with his wife and family to Grand Rapids in 1838. In 1840, he took up forty acres of land, near where now is the hotel in Alpine. That he had slender means is indicated by his taking up so little land. He cut his own road more than two miles. At that time there was no settler in the east part of the town. He died in 1842, after having fairly made a be- ginning, leaving four sons and a daughter ; and one who remained his widow-"Mother Hills"-until her death, in 1873. A word for this noble woman. She united native good sense with great information-was one of the "oracles" of the town ; her opinion · valued, and her character spoken of as combining in its elements all that is noble and womanly. She was the counselor of the old and young ; and she died at a good old age, with the blessings ot the community, and the veneration of the family she had reared.
Thompson Casson is to be noticed, who came in 1842, and died in 1848. He was a good-heart d, public-spirited, intelligent and moral Scotchman ; a natural leader ; a good specimen of a man. He had not secured fortune, but he died with the respect of all.
In 1843 came John Cathcart. In 1850 he was stabbed by a neighbor under the influence of liquor, and died in consequence. The man was sent to prison. About the same time came John Haire, who has since been seen, heard and felt at Georgetown, Ot- tawa Co. Also Stephen Coon, who died in 1850. Three sons of his are now physicians in Lisbon and Casnovia. Here, too, may be mentioned Henry Church, who still lives in the north of Alpine.
556
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
In June, 1844, came "Uncle Edward Wheeler," the first super- visor of the town, everybody's "uncle." The children hail him, "Uncle Wheeler, ain't you going to give us a kiss ?" "Give me the first one !" The genial old soul loves everybody, and ev- erybody loves him. When he came he had a family and some money. He bought 160 acres of land, which, paying in State scrip, cost him $104.50. A brother-in-law, Harry Wilder, came with him, who bought 40 acres of land of Wheeler, and paid for it by cutting down eight acres. Land is not so paid for in Alpine now. Wilder died in 1858 ; a good man and a devoted Christian.
At this date we find, also, Baltus Shafter, Joseph Kipler, Casper Cordes, Moses Ramsdell, Sherman M. Pearsall, Harvey Monroe, Francis Greenly, Henry Porter, P. Fox, John Avery, Robert Del- mar, Henry and Lorenzo Dennison, Philip Cummings and his sons, and perhaps some more. Greenly was killed by lightning. At this time (1844) Wm. H. Withey had a mill on Mill creek.
Alpine was long identified with Walker. She was slow to claim to be of age, and lived contentedly as "North Walker," until 1847. Then, in April, she held her first election, at the school- house in the southeast corner of the town. The first officers were : Supervisor, Edward Wheeler; Clerk, C. D. Schenick ; Treasurer, Casper Cordes ; Justices, Wm. H. Withey, John Coffee, John Colton, John Tuxbury.
The name was singularly chosen, and is not the most appropri- ate. Every town is apt to have a dictatorial voice ; and the north half of Walker had its man who must dictate. He decided that the pine trees of the east part of the township should furnish the name; and his poetic genius conceived and brought forth the name, "All Pine." In the name of the whole, he decided that the infant town should be so baptized. Mrs. Hills, seeing that " All Pine " was destined to be the name, suggested that one "1" should be dropped, and the two words condensed into one, which would still preserve the "pine," and be more musical. A sly twinkle was in her eye, as dictator said, "That's jist the thing."
The tourist will look in vain for its "towering heights " and " beetling crags " where "leaps the live thunder." He will come prepared with alpenstock, to scale the snow-crowned and rocky heights, to trace the glacier in the mountain defile, or dodge the avalanche. But, wandering, he finds a region fair and smooth as a lady's cheek ; and, disgusted, he calls out to a passing denizen : " Where are your Alpine heights, and your Alpine vales ?" Citizen Hills, for such is he, says to him : "Have you no poetry in your soul ? Can you not conceive mountain scenery, and enjoy the idea? Are you so prosaic as to see only tame reality ?"
Antoine Cuvier's boy was the first child born in the township, in 1838. Mr. Cuvier was one of the early settlers, who located one mile east of Erastus Clark's house.
The firstdeath was that of Mr. Nicolls, who died in 1839, on his land on section 31. His body was interred in the woods close by,
557
ALPINE TOWNSHIP.
and subsequently moved to the Alpine-Walker Church Cemetery.
The first marriage was that of Miss Electa Hilton to Allen Mee- ker, in the autumn of 1844. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Elder Jones.
Solomon Wright made the first clearing and cultivated- the first field.
ORGANIC.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Abram Kon- kle, with Thompson Casson, Moderator; Charles T. Hills, Clerk; P. F. Covell and John Colton, Inspectors. The meeting being thus organized adjourned to the school-house of district No. 9. The first motion was made by Josiah Burton, April 5, 1847, to raise $100 to meet the expenses of the township during the year ending April, 1848.
The principal township officers, elected annually since 1847, are as follows :
SUPERVISORS.
Edward Wheeler 1847
Wm. H. Withey. 1848-50
Lyman Murray
1859-65
Alonzo Brewer. 1851
Charles T. Hills 1852
Henry D. Wedge.
1873
John Colton. . 1853-5
Lyman Murray 1874
Reuben H. Smith 1856
Henry D. Wedge. 1875-6
Lyman Murray
1857
Norton Fitch.
1877-81
OLERKS.
C. D. Shenick. 1847
1848
John L. Tuxbury
1849
Geo. W. Rogers. 1850
John Haire .. 1851
John L. Tuxbury 1852-3
Geo. W. Rogers 1854
Geo. W. Allison. 1855
Geo. L. Rogers. 1856
John L. Tuxbury
1857-61
Abel Chase.
1880
Isaac Haynes.
1862-5
Kent J. Brown 1881
TREASURERS.
Casper Cordes. 1847
P. F. Covell. 1848-53
Casper Cordes. 1854
Geo. W Allison.
1855-6
William W. Wheeler. 1877
Elisha T. Brown.
1857-62
Wm. H. Stevenson. 1878-9
David Herrick.
1863
Geo. E. Dole. 1866-7
Dubois Conklin. 1868
Hanson H. Rogers. 1869-72
Abel Chase. . 1973
DuBois Conklin 1874
G. W. D. Miller. 1875
DuBois Conklin 1876
Abel Chase 1877
Hanson H. Rogers 1878-9
Norton Fitch .1864-7
· Charles Dole 1868-72
Lewis Williams. 1873-6
Francis C. Brewer 1880-1
Edward Wheeler
Reuben H. Smith 1858
Isaac H. Haynes. 1866-72
558
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Wm. H. Withey
1847
John Coffee 1863
John Coffee .. .
1847
Warren Baily. 1864
John Colton. .
1847
John Coffee. 1864
Charles T. Hills.
1848
Charles Waterman 1865
John Miller. .
1848
Aaron H. Hills 1866
Edward Wheeler
1849
John Coffee. 1867
Sherman N. Pearsall.
1849
Lewis W. Stanton
1867
Avery Brown. 1850
Warren Baily.
1868
W. H. Withey 1850
John Coffee.
1868
John Coffee.
1851
Charles Waterman 1869
Charles T. Hills 1851
Hollis R. Hills. . . 1869
John Norton 1852
Hollis R. Hills 1870
Edward Wheeler. 1853
John Coffee. 1871
John Dunlap
1854
Warren Baily 1872
John Coffee.
1855
Sherman M. Pearsall
1873
Avery Brown.
1855
W. S. English
1873
W. P. Utley.
1856
Hollis R. Hills
1874
Bela Chase
1856
John Coffee
1875
Charles Waterman.
1857
Henry Niehaus.
1875
Charles Dole.
1858
Charles Waterman
1876
John Coffee. 1859
Charles Andrus 1876
Myron Buck. 1859
Nelson Norton. 1877-8
Ed on P. Gifford. 1860
John Coffee. . 1879
Charles Waterman 1861
Beverly B. Wood.
1879
John Norton. 1862
Wesley A. Porter. 1880
Warren Baily.
1862
Elisha F. Brown. 1881
The first town meeting and election occurred at a school-house near the southeast corner of the town, in the spring of 1847, when there were elected: Supervisor, Edward Wheeler; Clerk, C. D. Shenich; Treasurer, Casper Cordes; Justices, William H. Withey, John Coffee, John Colton, John Tuxbury. The present town officers are: Supervisor, Henry D. Wedge; Clerk, G. D. Miller; Treasurer, Lewis Williams; Justices, S. M. Pearsall, John Coffee.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Alpine-which is said to have derived its name from the sup- position of many of the early settlers, who were near the streams, and in the eastern part of the township, that it was chiefly timbered with pine-is very different from what its name would indicate to the stranger. There was, originally, considerable pine along the larger streams, and in the northeasterly corner of the township. At one time, seven saw-mills were situated on Mill creek, and were do- ing a brisk business; but now there is hardly enough pine left to sustain three.
The source of Mill creek is Cranberry lake, which is situated on the line between Kent and Ottawa counties, extending into section 6, of Alpine. From there to Pickerel lake, on section 10, Mill creek is but a small rivulet. We mention this as the main stream; how- ever, there is another branch about the same size, which comes in from Sparta, and unites with the former near the north line of section 9. From Pickerel lake to its mouth it is fed by several small
streams, one of which comes from Downer lake on the southeast
559
ALPINE TOWNSHIP.
quarter of section 10. The main stream passes about one and one- half miles north of the center of the township, thence southeasterly until it unites with Grand river in the southwest corner of Plain- field. For a distance of five or six miles from its mnouth, the water power is sufficiently good for manufacturing purposes. Along this streamn is a series of small swamps, extending nearly the whole width of the township, from east to west, and bordered on either side by clay bluffs, rising in some places to a height of 60 to 70 feet.
North of this, and extending into Sparta, is a ridge of high, roll- ing, timbered land, which is as good as can be found in the county, for farming purposes, fruit-growing, etc. On the south Lis a similar ridge, which divides Mill creek on one side from Indian and Sand creeks on the other.
One branch of Indian creek rises near the center of the township, and the other in the western part. These branches unite in the north part of section 28; thence the stream flows south into Walker, crossing the south line of Alpine near the center.
One branch of Sand creek rises in the western part of Alpine, and flows south into Walker, and thence west into Ottawa county .. Another branch of the same stream has its source in a small lake covering about 10 acres, situated on the line between sections 28 and 29.
Minnie or New Boston lake is situated on the east line of section 12, and extends east into Plainfield. The lake and surrounding swamp cover about 40 acres. A number of years ago a saw-mill was erected on the north side of this lake, and an effort was made to build up a burg, which was christened New Boston; but like many other enterprises of a like nature it never went mnuch beyond the paper plat.
The soil of the beech and maple timbered portions of Alpine- which comprises about two-thirds of the township-is generally clay or loam. Alpine is a township of good land, well adapted to the production of both grain and fruit. The good-looking orchards, and the loads of nice apples, peaches, plums, pears etc., as well as the excellent yields of wheat and other grain, speak for themselves. The soil of the pine-timbered portions is sandy, but it grows fair crops, when well cultivated and improved.
EARLY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
Colton's saw-mill, built in the year 1845 by Colton and Phillips, situated on the south side of section 13, was owned and operated by Gideon Colton in 1870. This mill was capable of cutting nearly a million feet of lumber per year; but on account of the scarcity of pine does comparatively small business.
The saw-mill sitnated, on the northeast corner of section 25, com- monly called Withey's mill, manufactured large quantities of shin-
560
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
gles and some lumber. It was owned and operated by Aaron Leland.
Stonehouse's steam saw-mill, situated on the northeast corner of section 25, was erected by John Stonehouse in the year 1868, on the site of an old water-power mill owned by him, which was de- stroyed by fire in the year 1867. The new mill turned out large quantities of shingles, also some lumber and lath.
Ellis & Brown's grist-mill, situated on section 13, on Mill creek, was well patronized.
The Wolverine Pump Works, S. N. Edie, proprietor, was situated on section 36, one-half mile northwest of Mill creek postoffice. This establishment was erected in the year 1863. It was located on a small branch of Mill creek, whose waters gave it motive power. The shop was furnished with facilities for manufacturing 5,000 pumps per annum.
Orrin Gee owned and operated a small brick yard on the south side of section 31.
A. water-power cider mill, situated on Mill creek, was owned and operated by Gideon Colton, which is worthy of notice. " The mill was so built on the bluff on the side of the stream, that the apples could be unloaded from the wagon into the hopper at the top, where they were ground, below which they were pressed, then barreled and loaded into wagons at the foot of the bluff without necessitating the lifting of a pound.
SCHOOL-HOUSES.
District No. 1 is in the center of the township. Its first school- house was built on the farm of Edward Wheeler, on the north side of section 22. The present school building was erected in the year 1861, and is a substantial frame structure. It stands on the south side of section 15, one-half mile east of the town hall.
District No. 2 has an old wooden building, commonly known as the Coon school-house.
District No. 3 (fractional with Wright) has a nice brick building situated on the north side of section 30. It was erected in 1868, at an expense of $1,000.
District No. 4 (fractional with Sparta) has a small frame house, known as the Rouse school-house, situated on the north line of sec- tion 3.
District No. 6 (fractional with Sparta) has a school-house in the northeast corner of section 5. It waserected in the year 1864, at a cost of about $1,200.
The school-house in District No. 7 (fractional with Plainfield) known as the Colton school-house, situated on the south side of sec- tion 13, is a neat frame structure. It was erected in the year 1869, at an expense of $950.
District No. 8 has a small, frame house, known as the Pearsall
561
ALPINE TOWNSHIP.
school-house, which was erected in 1851, on the northwest corner of section 28.
District No. 9 (fractional with Plainfield) has a very old build- ing, known as the Withey school-house, situated on the northeast corner of section 36.
District No. 10 (fractional with Wright) has a small frame house, known as the Boyd school-house, standing on the southwest corner of section 8. It was erected in the year 1856.
District No. 11 has a small wooden building, which was erected in the year 1855, and used until the year 1869, when the Roman Catholics of the district, with the aid of the surrounding districts, erected a building of their own at a cost of $1,500, in which they now have a German-English school. The deserted building is situated on the south side of section 26, and the new one at the cen - ter.
District No. 13 (fractional with Walker) has a nice frame build- ing, known as the Johnson school-house. It was erected in the year 1859, and stands on the south side of section 34.
District No. 14 (fractional with Sparta) has a small frame build- ing, which was erected in the year 1852, and is known as the Englishville school-house. It is located on the north side of section 1.
District No. 15 (fractional with Walker) has a small frame building, known as the Monroe school-house.
The school report for the year ending September, 1881, gave the following figures :--
DISTRICT.
No. of Children.
Dis.School|Val.School Build'gs.
Property.
No. of Teachers.
Salary Pd. Teachers.
Total Expenses.
1. .
51
frame
$ 150
2
$148
$694.21
2 ...
42
frame
1000
2
183
264.93
3 fr.
41
brick
1300
3
105
272.09
4 fr.
46
brick
1200
2
199
238.64
6 fr.
39
frame
1500
2
240
302.93
7 fr.
71
frame
800
3
225
464.71
8 ..
33
brick
1200
2
164
187.99
10 fr.
63
frame
500
2
140
229.33
11 ..
47
frame
1800
1
360
742.04
13 fr.
41
frame
400
2
228
296.00
14 fr.
48
frame
1000
2
122
242.38
15 fr.
13
frame
300
1
128
193.95
ALPINE VILLAGE
was founded in 1837, on Mill creek, in sections 13 and 24. The Grand Rapids & Newaygo railway was built along the eastern borders of the village, where the company's depot is located, five miles north of the northern limits of Grand Rapids city, and 177 miles west of Detroit. The population of the village is now estimated at 120. By some strange oversight of enterprise the water-power, which Mill creek offers, is unutilized, and the trade of the village left wholly dependent on its rich agricultural neighborhood. The land
562
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
in the vicinity ranges from $25 to $100 per acre. The business interests of the village are represented by A. H. Hills, grain and live stock dealer; Mrs. J. A. Shearer's general and liquor store, and N. Henry, cigar manufacturer; C. E. Patterson is the physician of the district.
ENGLISHVILLE,
on the line between section 1 of Alpine and 36 of Sparta, was set- tled 11 years after Alpine, and to-day contains a population of 200. It is nine miles north of the northern limits of Grand Rap- ids, with which city it is connected by rail. Here is a church of the Baptist society, a large school building, steam saw, lath and shingle mill, and postoffice, administered by R. S. English. The business circle of the village comprises :- L. S. Ballard and A. M. Church, general store-keepers; Charles Andrews, hotel operator; Philo Vaughn, wagon-maker; R. S. English, commission merchant and lumber dealer; Frank Culver, A. B. Gray, A. McDonald, blacksmiths; Wm. Parks, shoemaker, and Nelson Cummings, fruit-grower. Religion and law are represented by Rev. T. Brig- ham, of the United Brethren; Rev. E. Cummings and Rev. W. W. Wheeler, Disciples; I. B. Wood, Justice, and James Root, Con- stable.
OTHER HAMLETS.
On section 18 of Alpine, is a postoffice named Pleasant, and a few dwelling houses. Brick tavern, eight miles northwest of Grand Rapids, and four miles northeast of Berlin is another post hamlet.
CHURCHES.
The Alpine and Walker Baptist church is a good frame building, 36x56 feet in size. It was erected in 1859 on the south side of section 33, at a cost of probably $2,000.
The Roman Catholic church, situated on the north side of section 34, was erected in the year 1849, at a cost of about $1,500. It is a frame structure 26x46 feet in size.
PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Charles Anderson was born in Sweden in 1815. In 1849 he came to this county, and in 1852 was married to Mary A. Mapes. She was born in New York in 1836. Of 14 children 12 are living- Charles C., John, Joseph, Martin, William, A. C., James, Mary A., Lois, Maggie V., Jane and Wilhelmina. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Free Baptist Church. He owns 130 acres on sec. 3; P. O., Englishville.
Charles Andrus, farmer, was born in New York, Dec. 11, 1832; is a son of Thaddeus and Sally Andrus, natives of Fairfield Co.,
Elisha. J. Brown
565
ALPINE TOWNSHIP.
Conn. He came in 1856 to Sparta, and was married in 1861, to Clarissa J. Carl, born in 1842. She came to Kent county in 1858 with her mother, Susan Carl. They have two children -- Zella C. and Emery D. Mr. Andrus was reared a farmer, and at 18 set out to carve his own future, unaided by money or advice, and now owns 40 acres of land on sec. 1. He has acquired a comfortable inde- pendence by the aid of his own good sense and energy. He has held the office of School Director.
Adam Andor, farmer, is a native of Germany, born in 1823. He came to America in 1850. He was married in Ohio in 1854, to Dora Albert, born in Germany in 1826. They have five children- William, Albert, Mary, Margaret and Johnnie. All the members of the family belong to the Catholic Church. Mr. Andor owns 120 acres of land; P. O .. Alpine.
William Birdsall .- The ancestors of this representative farmer and pioneer of Alpine were English, In 1655 two brothers came from England to America, landing at New York. One proceeded to Canada, and the other is the ancestral head of the Birdsall family of this sketch. Lemnel Birdsall, the earliest direct ancestor named, was a native of Quaker Hill, Dutchess Co., N. Y. He was a farmer, and lived many years at Harpersfield, Delaware Co., N. Y., where he died, aged 99 years. Ilis children were John, Michael, William, Benjamin, Oliver, and three danghters not named. Will- iam, third son, was born in 1781, and married at Harpersfield about 1802 to Mary, daughter of Chester Fuller, a native of that place, born in 1785. In 1816 Win. Birdsall moved with his fam- ily to Erie Co., N. Y .; he died in 1869; Mrs. Birdsall, in 1873. Following is the record of 11 of their 13 children: Olive, married Franklin Dennis: Lydia, married Williams Warren; Sarah, married Orson Bowen; William, married Selina Hawley; Benjamin, married Minerva Field; Mary, married Joseph Griffen; Lucinda, married Addison Dunham; Celinda, married Enos Tucker; Oliver, married Adaline Dunham; Rebecca, married Hibbard Holmes; John, married Mary A. Berry,- - all of Erie Co., N. Y. William, eldest son and fourth child, was born at Saratoga, N. Y., Sept. 11, 1814. The place of his birth was the well-known Wilbur farm, sitnated in a historic locality, it being a portion of the battle-field of Stillwater, where Burgoyne's army met with defeat and ruin. His parents settled in Erie county when he was two years old, where he passed his early life obtaining an education in the pioneer log school-honse of those days. On reaching his majority he hired to his father for two years for $100 a year and clothing. Follow- ing that engagement he paid his board at home and worked for other parties. Having bought 50 acres of land he was married March 13, 1839, at Evans, Erie Co., N. Y., by Rev. Mr. Bliss, to Selina, danghter of Salma and Jane (Hnson) Hawley, born Nov. 18, 1822. Her father was born in Monroe, Saratoga Co., May 11, 1796; her mother, June 18, 1801. They were of English ex- traction, early settlers in America, dating back to the "Mayflower."
33
566
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
The record of their eight children is as follows: Selina, married Wm. Birdsall; Ira S., married Ann Maria Kimble; Sarah W., married Wm. Brown; Alonzo M., married Lucy Cluff; John H., married Donett Carrier; Huldah A., married Josiah Southwick; Hannah M., married Edwin Stanklift, and Salma B., married Mary -. Mr. Birdsall increased his estate to 120 acres, and after a residence upon it sold it and moved to Mich- igan. He realized about $1,000, with which he began life anew in the Peninsular State. He left New York with a team, accompanied by his wife and two adopted children; they prepared their food on the way and slept at taverns. The trip occupied 21 days, and is remembered as thoroughly enjoyable. They reached Aipine tp. March 29, 1846, and settled on sec. 33. The year previous Mr. Birdsall bought a half sec. of land in another county, which he afterward sold. He soon bought 40 acres of land on sec. 28, and 40 on sec. 3, Walker tp. A difficulty arose about the title to the latter, and Mr. B. was compelled to pay for it a sec- ond time. He purchased his present homestead, 80 acres, on sec. 34. It was a wilderness, well stocked with wolves and traversed by bears. The same year he cleared a site, built a good frame house, 18x26 feet, and a large frame barn. He began to oc- cupy the house Jan. 1, 1849, and lives in it still, though it has been remodeled and enlarged. Mr. Birdsall's place is one of the best im - proved in the tp. It includes 200 acres, with fine orchards and fruitful gardens. He pays much attention to the culture of onions, and in 1881 sold $1,200 worth. The sales from his gar- dens range yearly from $1,200 to $2,000. He has cleared up- ward of 300 acres, and has owned an aggregate of 2,000 acres. Mr. Birdsall is a Republican, and aided the war of the Rebellion by money and influence. His adopted son, John Bowen, enlisted in 1861 in Co. D, 2d Mich Cav., and died in his country's service April 8, 1862, at St. Louis, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Birdsall have had 14 children; records as follows:
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