USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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TOWN OF HADLEY.
Were the history of Hadley to be written six months later it could cover the full period of a half century. But the delay has already been too great. Many of the incidents of pioneer life which increase in interest as years accumulate have slipped from the ever- loosening grasp of memory and cannot be recalled.
The history of Hadley begins in the territorial days of Michigan, and the township was only designated as township 6 north, of range 9 east. The following list of original land entries will show the original distribution of land in the township prior to 1841.
ENTRIES OF LAND.
TOWNSHIP 6 NORTH, RANGE 9 EAST.
SECTION John Look, May, 17, 1834. John Look, November 12, 1834. Timothy Wheeler, July 21, 1835. Almon Griggs, August 27, 1835. James Turrill, May 6, 1836. Timothy Wheeler, September 26, 1835. Almon Griggs, October 12, 1835. John Look, October 13, 1835. Trumbull Carey, October 29, 1835. Robert R. Howell. February 29, 1836. Thomas L. L. Brent, April 12, 1836.
SECTION 2. John L. Morse, September 24, 1834. Eri L. Potter, September 24, 1834. Eri L. Potter, October 29, 1835. Eri L. Potter, March 30, 1836. Trumbull Carey, October 29, 1835. Thomas L. L. Brent, April 12, 1836. James Turrill, April 16, 1836. Dan Stile, May 18, 1836. Mary Hannibal, April 25, 1837.
SECTION 3. Trumbull Carey, October 29, 1835. Edward Bingham, May 20, 1836. Steven Grant, April 1, 1836. Thomas L. L. Brent, April 12, 1836.
SECTION 3. James Turrill, April 16, 1836. Ralph Wright, May 25, 1836.
SECTION 4. Abraham Tunison, May 20, 1835. Justus P. Wheeler, October 21, 1835. Abraham Tunison, October 29, 1835. Trumbull Carey, November 2, 1835. Daniel H. Chandler, May 2, 1836.
SECTION 5. William Cramton, May 18, 1836. David Cramton, May 18, 1836. Clark Brown, May 30, 1836. Robert H. Stone, May 31, 1836. Amos Smith, June 3, 1836. Charles F. Wilson, October 23, 1838.
SECTION 6. Amos Brownson, May 31, 1836. John Demond, June 2, 1836. Maria Van Nest, June 2, 1836. Alvin Haumer, June 16, 1836. John Brigham, June 29, 1836. George Townsend, June 29, 1836. Abial Townsend, October 2, 1837.
SECTION 7. Thomas Wiard, Jr., May 5, 1836. John Mills, Jr., May 18, 1836. Ira Donelson, January 4, 1836. Mils Shattock, January 4, 1836. Mayhew Sanborn, January 4, 1836. Roswell L. Nurse, September 12, 1836.
SECTION
8. Jonathan Cramton, May 18, 1836. Russell Cobb, May 18, 1836. Daniel W. Potter, June 1, 1836. Rowland Shadbolt, June 4, 1836. John Mills, Jr., May 18, 1836. John McKay, November 15, 1837.
SECTION 9. Charles L. Campbell, May 21, 1835. William Hart, May 28, 1835. William Hart, July 6, 1835. William Hart, October 29, 1835. Jonathan Cramton, July 18, 1836. Russell Cobb, July 18, 1836. John McKay,, November 15, 1837.
SECTION 10. Giles F. Gridley, May 26, 1835. Abraham Tunison, May 28, 1835. Minor Morse, August 14, 1835. B. C. Tunison, March 7, 1836. Corintha Kimberly, April 1, 1836. James Turrill, April 16, 1836. Minor Morse, May 6, 1836. James Turrill, May 6, 1836.
SECTION 11. William Farrar, October 12, 1835. James Turrill, April 16, 1836. Calvin C. Palmer, and Charles Coventry, April 29, 1836. Edward Bingham, May 20, 1836. Alpha Morse, May 21, 1836. Samuel J. Tower, October 28, 1836. Auguste C. Stange, August 10, 1837.
SECTION 12. Robert R. Howell, March 23, 1836. Reuben Underwood, April 12, 1836. Alpheus Cady, May 19, 1836. Nehemiah Tower, June 6, 1836. Nelson Cady, June 10, 1836. Samuel S. Hubbell, June 16, 1836. Prentiss Williams, June 16, 1836. H. N. Fowler and J. Swather, June 17, 1836.
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SECTION 12. Stephen A. Goodwin, June 17, 1836. SECTION 13. Samuel S. Hubbell, June 16, 1836. John M. Cooper, June 16, 1836. Prentiss Williams, June 16, 1836. H. N. Fowler and J. Swathel, June 17, 1836. Nelson G. Parmelee, June 22, 1836. John Stewart, June 28, 1836.
SECTION 14. Robert H. Stone, May 31, 1836. Garret A. Gray, June 9, 1836. Erastus H. Evans, June 9, 1836. Walter Davenport, June 15, 1836. John M. Cooper, June 16, 1836. Prentiss Williams, June 16, 1836.
SECTION 15. Giles F. Gridley, May 26, 1835. Alpha Morse, May 21, 1836. Robert H. Stone, May 31, 1836. Humphrey Church, June 2, 1836. Benjamin Morse, June 6, 1836. Harvey Riley, June 9, 1836. SECTION 17. Henry W. Hamblin, May 23, 1836. Henry W. Hamblin, May 26, 1836. Stephen Cox, May 28, 1836. Daniel W. Potter, June 1, 1836.
SECTION 18. Michael Bower, May 30, 1836. Aaron Brigham, June 4, 1836. John Brigham, June 9, 1836. Roswell Nurse, September 12, 1836. John Scott, June 1, 1838. SECTION 19. John Brigham, June 4, 1836. Charles A. Fassett, June 16, 1836. E. Stone, A. B. Merrill and M. P. Thomas, July 5 1836. Trumbull Carey, November 12, 1836. SECTION 20. William Shadbolt, June 4, 1836. John Stewart, June 28, 1836. Edward G. Faile, November 12, 1836.
SECTION 21. Alpha Morse, May 21, 1836. Henry J. Wilcox, May 31, 1836. Smithfield Beden, June 1, 1836. George Ellis, June 15, 1836. John Stewart, June 28, 1836. Charity Taylor, July 7, 1836. Alpha Morse, July 11, 1836. Alpha Morse, October 19, 1836. SECTION 22. Henry J. Wilcox, May 9, 1836. Alpha Morse, May 21, 1836. George Ellis, June 15, 1836. Walter Davenport, June 15, 1836. Jacob Miller, June 11, 1836. Daniel Hand, June 18, 1836.
SECTION 23. Milo M. Kemp, May 23, 1836. Aaron B. Patterson, June 3, 1836. Walter Davenport, June 15, 1836. Adin Nelson, October 15, 1836. Birdseye Brooks, November 27, 1837. SECTION 24. Horace D. Jeneson, June 4, 1836. Humphrey Church, June 2, 1836. Lewis Baker, June 20, 1836. John Stewart, June 20, 1836. SECTION 25. Asher B. Bates, January 5, 1836. Joseph Sikes, May 4, 1836. Joseph Sikes, May 9, 1836. Electa M. Wilcox, May 9, 1836.
SECTION 25. Jerome B. Smith, May 23, 1836.
Darius Bickford, May 26, 1836.
SECTION 26.
Jerome B. Smith, May 23, 1836.
Darius Bickford, May 26, 1836.
Darius Bickford, June 28, 1836.
Adams Gibson, October 15, 1836.
Israel Bickford, December 19, 1836.
SECTION 27. Henry J. Wilcox, April 28, 1836.
John Stewart, June 28, 1836.
John McKay, June 28, 1836.
SECTION 28. John Stewart, June 28, 1836. John McKay, June 28, 1836.
SECTION 30. Norman Cutler, June 23, 1836. James Long, October 15, 1836. Sarah Hadley, October 15, 1836. John G. Randall, October 15, 1836. Peter Allen, October 1, 1838.
SECTION 31. Hiram A. Stone, October 15, 1836. Cornelius Allen, October 24, 1836. Hiram Fillmore, November 15, 1837. Hiram Fillmore, February 2, 1838. Calvin Rose, March 29, 1838. Robert, Parritt, July 14, 1838.
SECTION 32. Samuel Axford, June 20, 1836. John Axford, September 12, 1836.
SECTION 33. Samuel Axford, June 20, 1836. Reuben S. Cook, October 25, 1836. Elmon Earl, August 29, 1838.
SECTION 34. Reuben J. Cook, October 25, 1836. William Lyman, November 22, 1837. Richard P. Hubbard, June 12, 1838.
SECTION 35. Warren Cheney, June 7, 1838. Homer Pelton, June 8, 1838. Charles Lane, June 14, 1838. John McKay, June 27, 1838. Israel Bickford, December 19, 1838. James M. Davison, January 27, 1837. Homer Pelton, May 27, 1837.
SECTION 36. Elijah Strong, June 11, 1836. Asher B. Bates, January 5, 1836. A. Gibbs, April 7, 1836. Peter Price, April 22, 1836. Israel Bickford, May 26, 1836. Amos J. Hines, October 13, 1836. Charles L. Campbell, October 13, 1836. Israel Bickford, December 19, 1836.
EARLY HISTORY.
The first purchase of land in Hadley was made by John Look, May 17, 1834, and the second by his brother-in-law, H. M. Look, both from western New York. Mr. John Look says of his arrival here :
"I first came to Lapeer in 1834, and found Mr. Hart, Mr. McMaster and others. On the 9th day of May, came to locate, but was deferred by the forbidding appearance of the pine around the town; but finally concluded to settle a little further south, which I did the same year. I was nine weeks without seeing a white woman, except my wife. I found a Mr. Morse there, and finally occupied a house jointly with him for some time. I enjoyed the wild life very much, and think the people were more social then than now."
The Mr. Morse spoken of was J. B. Morse, who had located
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محاور
aaron Brigham.
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
just across the line in the township of Metamora. These families formed the nucleus of what was afterward called Farmers Creek. The Messrs. Look built houses on their land and were settled in their new homes before winter set in.
These innovations by the pale faces were regarded with extreme disgust by the cowardly red-skins, who dared not annoy the men but would take occasion during their absence from home, to visit their houses and endeavor to frighten their wives and children. As an instance, Mr. Morse had made and enclosed a clearing on a piece of ground crossed by an Indian trail. This displeased them greatly, and one day as Mr. Morse and his older sons were absent, a stalwart savage, half crazed with whisky entered, and began to abuse Mrs. Morse, finally drawing his knife upon her as she refused to accede to his demands. But at this point Mrs. Morse, who, dur- ing her parley with the Indian, had quietly placed the large shovel in the embers, drew it forth red hot, and opening the door bade the "noble red man" depart, or she would strike him with the shovel, and he obeyed, muttering curses on "the bad squaw" in Indian and broken English as he went.
The next settlers were two young men, Eri Potter and John Morse, who located in the summer of 1834. They did not remain long. Eri Potter removed to Oakland County, Mich., and when the discovery of gold was made in California he went in pursuit of a fortune, but died soon after reaching his destination. His wife be- came insane from grief and died soon after. Mr. Morse removed to Ionia, where he became a prominent man in public affairs.
In the spring of 1835, William Hart, Abraham Tunison and Charles L. Campbell, located on the present site of the village of Hadley. Messrs. Hart and Tunison removed here with their families in the fall of that year, and became leading men in the new settlement. Mr. Hart was elected county treasurer in 1838, and was a member of the first grand jury in the county. He was born in Oneida County, N. Y., about the year 1793. His entry of land in Hadley comprised 400 acres and is described as follows: West half of northeast quarter, east half of northwest quarter, east half of southwest quarter and southeast quarter of section 9. Returning to Monroe County, N. Y., where his family was then living, he came back to Hadley, July, 1835, with his two sons and com- menced work on his land clearing and building a log house. They boarded with John L. Morse, who occupied a small log house built by Eri Potter on section 2. There were also two other settlers in the town prior to Mr. Hart's coming, viz: Henry M. and John Look. Mr. Hart's family joined him in October, '35. Their house was built on the bank of the west branch of Farmers Creek, on the land now owned by J. W. Pearson. Here Mr. Hart died. Mrs. Hart, who was also a native of Oneida County, N. Y., died April 4, 1883, at the house of her son Truman. Of their children, Ansel died in Iowa, Alonzo is living in Hadley, Mary Ann, deceased, was the wife of Paul G. Davidson, of Genesee County, Mich., Charles is living in Missouri, Truman in Atlas, Genesee County, Mich.
ABRAHAM TUNISON, although not so prominent in public affairs as Mr. Hart, was a very worthy man, and a pioneer of the right sort. He was a zealous Baptist, and may be justly considered the father of the first Baptist church of Hadley, of which he was for many years one of the deacons. Of the entire family one daughter, Mrs. A. Geer, of Elba, is the only one living. Some of Mr. Tu- nison's descendants still remain in Hadley and possess a goodly por- tion of their grandfather's energy.
In the summer of 1835, Ira Griggs, his son Almon, and Timothy Wheeler, settled on section 1. They were men of energy and prom- inence. Mr. Wheeler was a very public spirited man and was active in all the progressive movements of the town. Ira Griggs was some- what eccentric, but a general favorite on account of his genial good
humor. He was full of genuine wit and many of his puns and odd sayings are still related and laughed over by those who knew him.
In 1836 the brothers John and Aaron Brigham settled on sec- tions 18 and 19. Aaron Brigham was born in Lewis County, N. Y., in 1809, and came to Michigan in 1833, and in 1836 settled on section 18, township of Hadley, where he has since resided. There were but few settlers in the township when he first came to the county. He cleared up a large farm and has erected fine buildings and made other improvements. Was married in 1834 to Miss Moriah Bosworth, who was born in 1813, and was also a native of Lewis County, N. Y. They have had four children. George W. enlisted in August, 1862,in the Twenty-second Michigan Infantry,and died of fever in hospital, in March, 1863. David C. enlisted at the same time and in the same regiment. Was taken prisoner at Chickamauga, and was incarcerated in Libby prison, thence to Andersonville, where he died. Henry S. is the only surviving son.
HENRY S. BRIGHAM was born in the township of Hadley on the old homestead, July 10, 1853, where he has always resided, with the exception of the time he spent at school. Since his father's health failed he has managed the farm. He was married Decem- ber 25, 1878, to Miss Hattie L. Stimson. They have one child, a daughter.
JOHN BRIGHAM, SR., was born November 21, 1806, in Lowville, Lewis County, in the State of New York. His father, David Brig- ham, was of New England origin, having emigrated from Massa- chusetts to Lewis County about 1795, and was one of the pioneers of that section of the State. His mother was, before marriage, Sarah Veeder, daughter of Judge Veeder, who is mentioned by James R. Paulding as the Patriarch Veeder who presided over the first settlement on that portion of the Mohawk, "the advance guard of civilization." He was twice driven from his home by the Indi- ans, and his buildings and personal effects either burned or carried away. She was therefore familiar with the hardships of pioneer life, and was a descendant of the early Dutch settlers of the Empire State. Mr. Brigham was one of the early pioneers of Michigan, he having emigrated to Michigan Territory in November, 1833. He brought with him only the little sum of money he had been able to save while working out by the month, and first settled in what is now the township of Atlas, Genesee County, but in November, 1836, removed to Hadley, Lapeer County. Here he cleared the fine farm of about 300 acres which is now occupied by his oldest son, Aaron G. Brigham, and here his home has been ever since that time ex- cept about two years, from 1841 to 1843, when he lived on a farm in Atlas, Genesee County. November 21, 1838, he was married to Eliza S. Goodrich, daughter of Levi H. and Eunice Goodrich, who, with her parents and brothers had emigrated to Atlas, Genesee County, in May, 1836. She was born in the town of Sempronius, Cayuga County, in the State of New York, September 12, 1809. When she was about six years of age her family removed to what was then known as the Niagara Frontier, and settled on a new farm in Clarence, Erie County, in the same State. Here she continued to reside till the time of her emigration to Michigan. She died of cancer, March 3, 1874, after enduring three painful surgical opera- tions. She was a woman of strong mind, resolute will, unassuming virtues and of remarkable devotion to her family. She had six brothers, whose names in the order of their ages are as follows: Moses Goodrich, Aaron Goodrich, Levi W. Goodrich, Enos Good- rich, John S. Goodrich and Reuben Goodrich. All of these except Levi W. and John S. are now living. Moses and Levi W. were farmers, Aaron and John S., lawyers, and Enos and Reuben, merchants and men of general business. Aaron Goodrich is author of a work entitled "A History of the So-called Christopher Colum-
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bus and his Discoveries in America;" has been chief justice of the supreme court of Minnesota, secretary of legation to Belgium under Lincoln's administration, one of the Presidential electors of Ten- nessee, member of the legislature of Tennessee and has held other positions of honor and trust. Enos and Reuben have both been members of the legislature of this State, and John S. was elected judge of the Seventh Judicial District of Michigan, but died at the age of thirty-six, before entering on the duties of his office.
John Brigham had four sons and one daughter, viz . Aaron G. Brigham, John Brigham, Jr., Eliza Jane Brigham, Samuel L. Brig- ham and Charles S. Brigham, all of whom were born at Hadley, Lapeer County, except John, Jr., who was born during the sojourn of the family in Atlas. Of these children three are now living, Eliza Jane and Charles S. having died in infancy.
AARON G. BRIGHAM was born May 12, 1840, and was married to Caroline Vantine January 7, 1869. They have three sons and one daughter.
JOHN BRIGHAM, JR., was born August 29, 1842, in what was then Atlas, Lapeer, but now Genesee County. He graduated at the law department of Michigan University, March 25, 1868, and was admitted to the bar at Lapcer in the summer of 1868. After graduating he returned home and remained till the spring of 1874, when he went into the law office of Hon. J. B. Moore, of Lapeer, where he remained a few months, after which he came to what was then Wenona, now West Bay City, and opened a law office Febru- ary 1, 1875. He has continued to practice law, keeping his office in West Bay City from that day to the present time. In spring of 1879 he was elected an alderman of West Bay City, and is now the city attorney. He was married October 9, 1878, to Barbara M. Aitken, of St. Clair County, Mich., whose parents were from Glas- gow, Scotland.
SAMUEL L. BRIGHAM, junior member of the law firm of J. & S. L. Brigham, was born in Lapeer County, Mich. He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1874, and came to West Bay City in 1876, when he formed a co-partner- ship with his brother in the practice of law. He is also a justice of the peace, for which position his legal attainments well qualify him.
Also in the summer of 1836 came Gardner Dexter, and the following autumn, Russell Cobb, David and Jonathan Crampton and John Mills, Jr., came from central New York, through Canada, with their teams, being four weeks on the road. They settled on sections 5, 7 and 8, and were for many years among the strong men of the town. But they have all, excepting Mr. Cobb and Mrs. John Mills, gone upon the last journey to the great beyond.
Late in 1836 came Nelson Cady, Harvey Riley and Smithfield Beden, all of whom were prominent citizens of the town, but none remain except Mrs. Riley.
About this time, the town having been organized, the popula- tion materially increased. In 1837 there arrived John Randall, Adams Gibson, Oliver and Robert Davenport, Alanson Gray and Alpheus Cady, all of whom are now dead, except Mr. and Mrs. Robert Davenport and the widow of Alanson Gray.
In 1838 came James M. Davidson, H. Pelton, John M. and William Hemingway and John B. and William Cady.
In these times men, wild with the desire for land, would spend their last dollar for it and would soon find themselves without bread or the means to buy it, and wheat at $2 a bushel. Men wept to hear their children cry for bread, and some thought it a special providence to get moldy, sour wheat at $1.75 per bushel, the owner of the wheat being willing to wait for the payment till a crop could be secured. Then to get it ground they had to go to Orion or Lakeville with ox teams, and women kept the house while their husbands, fathers or brothers, went to the mill, or for seed wheat,
never blenching through the long, weary nights, though wolves howled all around them.
Of those who held office during the first years after the town was organized, only Messrs. Russell Cobb, Dennis Griggs, and Alonzo N. Hart still reside in town. Johnson N. Tower resides in Marathon, Lapeer County, William Hemingway at Lapeer, an attorney and counselor at law, and John Morse, at last accounts, was in Ionia County, Mich. All the rest, so far as known, have died. Roswell Nurse came in the spring of 1837, and died the next year, and his widow a short time after his death remained alone in her cabin in the woods with no neighbor near, and not even a dog or gun to serve her in case of need for three days and nights, while her brother went for seed wheat, though the wolves made the woods around her lonely dwelling ring with their dismal howlings. This lady is still living, we believe, somewhere in Oakland County.
The early settlers of Hadley were mostly men of great energy, and of marked integrity. Their wives were worthy daughters of the women of the Revolution and the war of 1812.
ORGANIZATION.
The town of Hadley was organized in March, 1836, and com- prised township 6 north, of range 9 east, and township 6 north, of range 10 east, the latter being now the town of Metamora.
The first township meeting was held at the house of Timothy Wheeler, April 4, 1836, eleven voters being present. William Hart was elected supervisor.
The general election for 1836 was held according to the custom of that time, two days, and at two places. One voting place was at the house of Timothy Wheeler on November 7, and on the day following at the house of Jesse Lee. This election was held for the purpose of electing three presidential electors, three State senators, one representative, one representative to the legislature, two associate judges and county officers. There were twenty-two votes polled at this election and the Whig majority in.the township was seven, but as the Democrats carried the day, both in the county and State the vote of Hadley had no general significance. The record of this election, still preserved in the office of the town clerk of Hadley, is the only one in the county containing any account of the event, which was probably attended with a greater degree of excitement and anxiety than any subsequent election.
There was a special election held December 6, 1836, for the purpose of electing delegates to meet in convention at Ann Arbor, to assent to the compromise proposition made by Congress to the legislature of Michigan. At this meeting twenty-three votes were cast, all for Norman Davison and Harvey Gray.
In 1840 the first census was taken by Noah H. Hart. The total population was 371, of which 199 were males and 172 females. The census of 1874 was as follows: Population, 1,505; acres of taxable land, 21,389; of improved land, 14,315; number of sheep, 4,582; of horses, 646; of cows, 650. Products of preceding year, 24,172 pounds of wool; 67,026 pounds of pork marketed; 1,075 pounds of cheese, and 72,447 of butter made; 41,824 bushels of wheat raised; 31,492 of corn; 43,871 of other grain ; 16,506 bushels of apples; eighty of pears; twenty-five of cherries; 11,108 of potatoes; and 2,137 tons of hay; 449 barrels of cider were made, and 6,635 pounds of fruit dried for market. In 1874, 490 pounds of maple sugar were made.
In 1880 the population of the town was 1,474. The aggregate value of real and personal property in 1882, as equalized by the board of supervisors was $792,000.
SCHOOL MATTERS.
The first school taught in the township of Hadley or Meta- mora, was a private one kept by H. M. Look of Hadley, at the house
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
of his brother-in-law, J. B. Morse, just over the way in Metamora, for the instruction of their own and their neighbors' children, about the year 1836. Some time in 1837 a school district was organized on the plains west of Hadley, now known as Green's Corners. In 1838 a fractional district was formed of Hadley and Metamora, and a log school-house built in Hadley, one-half mile south of Farmers Creek. Nelson Cady was the first teacher in this building. About the same time the Hadley district was formed, and soon after the one in the Hemingway and Davenport neighborhood. In 1842 the organization known as "Free School District No. 1," Hadley and Metamora, was broken up; the southwestern part formed a new district, known as "Cadyville," while the rest of the district with adjacent parts of Lapeer and Elba formed a new district known as "Free School District No. 1," Hadley and Metamora, Lapeer, and Elba. This still remains and is likely to stand. The Cadyville district, in consequence of dissensions, in a few years fell to pieces, and was absorbed by, other organizations.
The annual report of the school inspectors of the town of Hadley for the year 1882, shows the number of children to have been 478, number of school buildings, ten. The school inspectors for the ensuing year were, R. D. W. Pelton, Silas F. Riley, Charles Profrock, George S. Hemingway, George Tunison, George L. Raby, Justin Tower, Rufus Ivory, Alonzo J. Sherman, Alexander Doherty.
FIRST THINGS.
The first birth in town was Jefferson Morse, son of Minor Morse, in 1836 or 1837. The first saw-mill was built by Calvin Hamlin in 1842; the first grist-mill at Hadley, by E. Fortune, about 1845. It has been twice burned down and rebuilt, and still does a good business. The first store building was put up by Evans at the chimerical city of Rome, founded on the Hadley hills, for purposes of speculation; first dry goods store in Hadley village, was built and kept by John J. Watkins, who now resides in the city of Lapeer.
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