USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 33
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
Andrew and John A. Merritt emigrated from Pennsylvania in May, 1837, and located on sections 6 and 7. J. A. Merritt and wife still reside at their first location; Andrew Merritt has re- moved to Metamora Station; his farm is occupied by Messrs. Foot and King. They are enterprising and well-to-do citizens.
Lemuel Covil emigrated from Fabius, Onondaga County, New York, to Lapeer, Michigan, in 1836; located on section 6, Meta- mora. He, with his excellent wife, to whom he was married Nov. 20, 1818, more than forty-six years since, still resides on their first location. Their children seem to inherit somewhat of their pioneer spirit, three of them having gone to the West to carve out their fortunes in a new country.
Abram Van Gelder emigrated from Castleton, New York, in November, 1837, and purchased land on section 5, of Jonathan Coverdale. He and his wife were aged and the following year, June 25th, 1838, Mrs. Van Gelder died; Mr. Van Gelder survived her three years, dying September 18, 1841. They were the parents of Mrs. Schuneman and Mrs. Gates, of Lapeer.
Alanson and John Bliss located on section 26. Alanson Bliss died here in 1865. John Bliss removed to the northern part of the county, where he still resides.
Stephen G. Lord located on section 33. He was elected school inspector at the first town meeting, and justice of the peace at the second, which office he held for many years. He was also postmaster of the Metamora postoffice for a long time. This post- office was removed into the town of Oxford and known as the North Oxford postoffice. It is now known as Thomas postoffice. Squire Lord removed to Goodrich, Genesee County, about 1850, where he died in the fall of 1856.
Willet Jones emigrated from the State of New York, and located on section 35, where he still resides.
Ivory Bosworth on section 35. He died in 1854, at the age of eighty-four. His wife survived him a year, dying from the effects of a fall, at the age of seventy-five years. These excellent old people were the parents of Mrs. Asa Griggs, and Mrs. Levi Lilley.
James Jenkins on section 35. He was a prominent man in town, and held the office of school inspector at the time of his death, in 1842. He died from injuries received by a fall from a load of hay. James Redman located on sections 25 and 26. He was an old man and remained in town only about five years, when he sold his farm and removed to the State of New York, where he died.
1838-H. Y. Perkins located eighty acres on sections 11 and 14, now occupied by A. and D. Thomas and J. W. Doan, and removed here from Southfield, Mich. A few years after he sold
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this farm and bought on sections 11 and 12, one-half mile west of the village of Thornville, where he still resides. Moses Porter and wife, step-father and mother of Mr. Perkins, came with them. Mr. Porter died on May 8, 1840, aged eighty-one. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and an excellent man. Mrs. Porter, his wife, survived him some years, dying July 12, 1848. Four of her children are still living in this county-Mrs. Wilder and H. F. Perkins, of Thornville, and Mrs. Eber Barrows and Mrs. G. W. Pitcher, of Metamora. The children of such par- ents as these may justly be proud of their ancestry.
Harry Banker located land on section 15, where he remained a few years, sold out, and purchased a farm in the township of Lapeer, of S. B. Knapp, where he remained ten or twelve years, when he sold again and removed to North Branch where he cleared another farm. In 1872 he removed to Knox County, Tenn.
Benjamin White, brother-in-law of H. Banker, also located on section 15, where he died, April 22, 1848. His widow, two years after, married a Mr. Carpenter and removed to North Branch where she died a few years ago.
Henry Haskins located on section 15. He did not remain here long before he married Miss Nellie Van Gelder.
With the families of Harry Banker and Benjamin White, came James Banker, wife and daughter. James Banker was a Revolu- tionary soldier. In that war he served as drummer in an artillery regiment, known as the La Fayette Life Guards. He was a man of wonderful activity, frequently walking from his home to the postoffice, a mile and a half distant, when 104 years of age. He died October 5, 1848, at the great age of 105 years. Mrs. Phoebe Banker, his wife, survived him but six weeks, dying Nov. 7, 1848. But two children of this family remain -- Harry Banker, of Knox County, Tenn., and Mrs. H. F. Perkins.
N. B. Miller located on section 14, now owned by J. C. Annin and J. N. Thompson. Mr. Miller died in 1862.
Ephesus Isham, on section 11. He married a daughter of Mr. N. B. Miller in 1839. Died, September, 1847.
J. A. Church, on section 11, now owned by his son, Marion Church, where he died, July 3, 1853. He was a man of ability and influence. His widow afterward married Luke Peaslee, Esq., and resides at Thornville.
Samuel Dirstine located on section 13, land now occupied by his son, Thomas Dirstine; and the village plat of Thornville. He died here about 1845.
William Woodburn, on section 13. He removed to South- field, Mich., where he died.
William Marshall bought the farm of Danm. He removed to Southfield, Mich., where both he and his wife died.
William and John Steele located on section 12, where they kept a grocery store for some time. John Steele died about twenty- five years ago, and soon after his brother William mysteriously dis- appeared, and has never been seen or heard of since. There have been many conjectures as to his fate, but as yet it remains a mys- etry unsolved.
H. Wildemot settled near Thornville, in 1838. He removed to Detroit in 1845.
Rev. Abijah Blanchard located on section 6. He was a Pres- byterian minister and founded a Presbyterian church at Farmers Creek, of which he was pastor two years, but dissensions arising in the church, he resigned his pastorate and returned East in 1840.
Samuel Redmond located on section 6; was elected justice of the peace at the first town meeting for a term of three years. He died in the summer of 1841, and was buried somewhere on his farm.
Ellery A. Brownell emigrated from the State of New York in
1838, and bought land of J. W. Sanborn on section 20. He re- moved to the town of Hadley in 1874.
In 1838 or 1839 John Merritt, Jr., located on section 7. The first house on this farm was destroyed by fire in 1842, and the second shared the same fate in 1862. Mrs. Merritt died in the summer of 1865, aged eighty-five years. Mr. Merritt died the fol- lowing year, aged ninety-one years.
In 1838 or 1839 I. C. Smith bought land of Reuben Under- wood, and for some time worked at the blacksmiths' trade at Farm- ers Creek.
James W. Pitcher located on section 9, where he and his wife lived to a good old age.
Berzail Shippey located on section 21 and afterward put up a hotel. In the spring of 1858, Mr. Alvin Porter lost his barns and hay stacks by fire under circumstances which proved the hand of an incendiary. Suspicion fastened on Shippey, as he and Porter had been long at variance, and Shippey had declared that he would be revenged. He was arrested, tried and found guilty of arson, and sentenced to two years in the penitentiary. After serving his time, he, with his family, removed to Kansas.
About this same time a family named Stone settled on section 29. This family consisted of the parents and eight children. Six of the family died within two years; the mother and four children of fever, and one son was drowned in Loon Lake in April, 1840. The father and surviving children then left the place.
J. S. Comstock located at Farmers Creek in 1839 as a phy- sician, and has resided in the neighborhood ever since. He was married to Miss Elizabeth C. Morse, daughter of J. B. Morse, Sep- tember 16, 1840. Mrs. Comstock died May 16, 1875, aged fifty-six years.
EARLY MOVEMENTS.
In 1839 four school districts were organized, only one of which was entirely within the town limits. Fractional District No. 1, Hadley, Metamora, Lapeer and Elba, organized May 6, 1839, Fractional District No. 2, Oxford and Metamora, May 26, 1839, by J. W. Sanborn and S. S. Lord, inspectors of Metamora, and E. Burdick and Robert Mckay, of Oxford. Fractional District No. 9, Dryden and Metamora, June 24, 1839, J. W. Sanborn and S. S. Lord, inspectors of Metamora, Elijah Look and J. M. Lamb, of Dryden. District No. 6, known ever since as the Webster Dis- trict, August 31, 1839, by Price, Lord and Sanborn, inspectors. It is thought that the first school taught in these districts, was taught by Miss M. C. Morse, in Fractional District No. 1, in the summer of 1839. The first school in the town was a private school, taught by H. M. Look, at the house of J. B. Morse, in the winter of 1837-'38.
The first highway district in town was formed May 17, 1839.
The only grist-mill in town was built by B. Thorne, on the Flint River, at Thornville, about 1840. It is now owned by J. Morton.
The first saw-mill was built on section 24 on Wolf Creek, sometime between 1845 and 1850. The dam was built and frame put up by a man named Horsnell, who then ran away. The work was then completed by Walker & Earle, who ran it for some time.
The first hotel was built by Eber Barrows, at Metamora, in 1848, known as the Northern Exchange.
The first stump speech delivered in the town was made by Hon. N. H. Hart, in the canvass of 1840, from a stump still stand- ing in the grounds of Mr. Ackerman, between the house and barn.
In April, 1840, a sad event occurred in the southwestern part of the town. A party of boys and young men were returning from church one Sunday, and as they were passing a little lake on their way home, three of them, Leonard Brownell, Simon Stone
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and Peter Price, got into a boat for a pleasure ride. When fairly out upon the water they began scuffling and rocking the boat, and capsized it. Stone and Price attempted to swim to shore, but the water was so cold they were soon benumbed and sank. Brownell escaped by clinging to the boat until assistance could reach him. The bodies were recovered, and at the funeral which was held at the Webster school-house, and attended by the Rev. Robert Mckay, a large crowd collected. They were buried in a small grave-yard laid out near the school-house; when this was abandoned some years after, their remains were removed to the Hadley cemetery. The lake is situated on the farm of Ellery A. Brownell, and known as Loon Lake, and it is said that there has never been a boat on the lake since and although the lake abounds in fish, it is very seldom that any one visits it even for the purpose of fishing.
About 1850 or 1851, a singular circumstance happened at Earle & Walker's mill. One of the employes had been suffering from fever and ague, and had been told by some knowing one that if he would swallow the gall of a rattlesnake he would be thoroughly cured, and believing the prescription to be genuine, he sought a rattlesnake, killed it, and actually swallowed the gall. He survived four days, dying in the greatest of agony, with all the symptoms of most virulent poison.
It will be seen by this sketch, the pioneers of this township were for the most part people of sterling worth. Most of them have passed from earth, but the fruits of their labor remain. Honor then, to the early pioneers, and especially to the pioneer women, who so nobly stayed the hands of their husbands in the herculean task of subduing a new country, remote from market and far removed from all the comforts and refinements of civilized life.
EARLY RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
The first religious society formed in town, so far as known, was the First Presbyterian Church, of Farmers Creek, by Rev. Abijah Blanchard, who was its pastor from 1838 to 1840. Un- fortunately, the members of this church could not agree among themselves, consequently the church went down, and a Congrega- tional Church was formed upon its ruins by Revs. Messrs. Taylor and Ruggles. Previous to 1847 this church was supplied by Revs. Messrs. Mattoon, McDowell and Bates. In 1847 Rev. D. L. Eaton became its pastor, and while he remained the church flourished greatly, but after his departure it declined, although the church maintained occasional services till within the past few years.
A Baptist Church was organized at a very early day in the eastern part of the town, and supplied for a time previous to 1840 by Rev. Ezra Tripp. They erected a church at Thornville, but this organization long ago became extinct. In 1840 Rev. Mr. Osborne, of Lapeer, formed a Christian Church at the Webster school-house, which was supplied for a long time by himself, Rev. Mr. Cannon, of Washington, and Rev. Mr. McIntyre, who preached to this church but a week previous to his death. This church at last be- came extinct. In 1857 a Protestant Methodist Church was formed, which sustained preaching for several years, and shared the fate of its predecessor.
An M. E. Class was formed at Metamora, many years since, and this appointment has been at different times a part of Dryden, Hunters Creek and Hadley circuits. It now again belongs to Dry- den Circuit, and in 1874 this church erected a neat and commodious building. A Methodist Church was formed here about ten years ago by Rev. Mr. Clark. We have not been able to learn the date of the organization of these churches or who was the first pastor of the M. E. Church.
A Methodist Church was formed in Fractional District No. 2, in 1860, by Rev. Mr. Angell, pastor of the church at Lapeer. It has sustained occasional preaching ever since.
Rev. Robert Mckay, a licentiate of the Presbyterian Church, who located in Oxford, was the first preacher in this part of the town, but never organized any religious society.
The church erected by the Baptists at Thornville, after the death of that society, became a Free Church, and is occupied by any minister of any denomination who may choose to have an ap- pointment there. Thornville seems not to be a good place for a religious society to flourish. Since the Baptist Church quarreled itself out of existence, services have been held there from time to time by ministers of the Methodist Episcopal, Christian and Con- gregational Churches, but there has been no strong or stable organization.
The Methodist Church formed in Fractional District No. 2, still exists, and is known as the Thomas Methodist Church.
VILLAGE OF METAMORA.
After the opening of the road from Lapeer to Rochester via Pontiac, now known as the Territorial Road, and the establishment of a stage line between these points, various hotels sprang up along the route, and as at that time any one who could raise $18 license tax, and could afford two spare beds and stabling for two teams could obtain a license to keep "a house of entertainment for man and beast," it is not surprising that there were more than enough ready to enter upon the business.
About the year 1841, a log tavern was built by a man named Phillips, on what is now H. Rossman's farm. He soon sold it to a Frenchman named Marintete, who built a blacksmith shop across the street, and managed by plying both occupations to live as he desired. This rude hotel was burned, and it was said the only loss the proprietor mourned was that of his whisky. He removed to Sanilac County, where he died a few years since.
In 1843 Mr. Eber Barrows came and took up land on section 16, and built a log shanty, where he furnished entertainment for travelers. This was the nucleus of the old "Northern Exchange." After a time a postoffice was established here, known as the Etna Postoffice. In course of time, as Metamora and the hotel became widely known, and well patronized, and in proportion as its popu- larity increased, so its accommodations were extended. Here parties of young people used to meet and "trip the light fantastic toe" till the "wee sma' hours of morning came," and after a time it became a center for the town business, but for years there was but little done here but what was connected with the hotel and postoffice.
About the time Mr. Barrows established himself here, a man named Loucks settled on section 16, and Mr. Fricke, father of the Fricke Bros., located on the opposite side of the street, at present the residence of the late Alvin Porter. Mr. Loucks built a tannery, which he managed for some time, then sold his farm to Alvin . Porter and the tannery to Mr. Fricke, who ran it for some years, then sold it to Page & Brooks. Page enlisted in the late civil war, and died in the army, and the business was left in the hands of Brooks, but in a short time the establishment was burned, supposed to be the work of an incendiary. It was never rebuilt.
About the year 1847 Berzail Shippey built a large house on land now a part of the farm of William Henderson, and opened a hotel with a grand flourish. This building was just north of the present site of the D. & B. C. R. R. bridge. But Shippey, after a few years, fell into bad habits and disagreements with his neigh- bors, that culminated at last after the destruction of Alvin Porter's house by fire, in his arrest and conviction of arson, followed by a sentence for a term of years to Jackson State Prison. After his term expired, he removed with his family to one of the northern
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towns of the county, and after a time he emigrated to the far West. The hotel he built passed through several hands, was dismantled and removed to the farm of D. Stocker, where it now does service as a barn.
Some little time before the war, two shanty taverns were put up on the farms of Freeman Fellows and Alvin Porter, and chris- tened respectively " Pike's Peak" and "Idaho." These were after- ward cleaned out by irrepressible Young America, and soon after collapsed.
The first store building at Metamora Village was built in 1850, and the establishment managed by D. Ammerman, first as agent, then as proprietor. He carried on an extensive business for a time, but sold it out to H. Griswold, now of Bay City, who kept it for some time, then sold it to Goodrich & Perkins, who ran it about a year, then sold it to S. D. Hoard, who afterward enlarged the build- ing and fitted it up for a hotel. This was probably the third store building in the township; the first was built by the Steele Bros. at Thornville, near the Dryden line, about 1839 or '40; the second was established by Weston Frost in a wing of the hotel built by Mr. Morse, on the Hadley line, about 1842 or '43. Mr. Frost conducted it for some years, when it passed with the hotel into the hands of C. H. Browne.
About the time the store building was put up, Messrs. Varnum & Swain opened a blacksmith shop on the corner now occupied by Stone's brick block. Swain did not remain here long. Varnum built a stone shop on the site of the old one, and this he kept for many years, until his removal to Lapeer, where he is now the head of the firm of Varnum & Walker.
In 1861 Mr. Barrows sold the Northern Exchange to B. P. Ackerman, who kept it till about the year 1875, when he sold it to Richard Morse and removed to Oxford. It has never been occupied as a hotel since Ackerman left it, as the building of the D. & B. C. R. R. diverted all the custom from the old stand to the one built by Hoard on the corner. Since the building of the railroad great im- provements have been made. Two churches and a fine school-house have been built. The old stone blacksmith shop on the corner has been removed for a brick block of stores. Other store and shop buildings and many dwelling-houses have been added.
Miss Hattie Ackerman, daughter of B. P. Ackerman, who kept the Northern Exchange from 1861 to '75, went to Chattanooga, Tenn., about 1869, where she engaged in teaching. She was a woman of much resolution and courage, and when the yellow fever epidemic broke out in that city in August, 1878, instead of return- ing to her friends at the North, she remained to nurse the sick, and died at her post of duty September 30, 1878.
The postmasters since Mr. Hoard have been Henry Townsend and John Barden. The latter is the present incumbent, and also agent of the express company.
J. O. Perkins has been proprietor of the hotel since 1880.
The only brick building in the village was built by Dr. D. F. Stone in 1879.
Drs. D. F. & George Stone and Richard Mors have the finest residences in the village.
The lawyers in the village are George C. and Freeman Fellows. The latter is the oldest lawyer in the town, having been in practice since 1837.
The early physician in the village was a Dr. Sharp, who re- mained about a year. In 1867 Dr. D. F. Stone located here, and was joined a few years later by his brother, Dr. George Stone. They are the only physicians in the place, and are among the most prominent physicians in this part of Michigan.
The principal of the schools, which are graded, is R. A. Mc- Connell.
In 1880 the M. E. Society at Metamora with that at South Attica was taken from the Dryden circuit, and a new circuit formed called Metamora cireuit. Rev. S. Bird was the first pastor. L. B. Moon is the present pastor.
In March, 1878, just about a year after the Congregational Church at Farmers Creek had disbanded, and after an extensive revival in the M. E. Church conducted by Rev. A. R. Hazen, then its pastor, the Pilgrim Congregational Church was organized by Revs. Messrs. Breede and Brown. The same year this society built a church which was dedicated during the fall or winter of 1878-'79. Rev. M. A. Bullock was its pastor till January, 1883. His successor is the Rev. H. S. Jenkinson.
THE METAMORA BEE.
In April, 1883, Mr. Charles A. Fricke, son of John F. Fricke, one of the pioneers of Metamora, started a printing office in the village of Metamora and issued the first number of the Metamora Bee April 5. The Bee is a seven column folio, and thus far its patronage has been satisfactory.
CHARLES A. FRICKE was born in Oakland County in 1839. He spent three years at school in Rochester, then went to Detroit and graduated from the Commercial College. In 1865 he engaged in mercantile business in Metamora, which he continued five years, since which time he has been handling agricultural implements quite extensively. He started in April, 1883, the first newspaper in Metamora. In 1870 he married Miss Nettie A. Stevenson and has two children.
METAMORA LIBRARY SOCIETY.
The Metamora Union Library Society was organized at the school-house in District No. 4, April 18, 1874. Officers: Presi- dent, G. W. Stone; vice-president, Ella V. Thomas; secretary, Mollie L. Homerdien; librarian, Mrs. J. Harp; treasurer, Helen M. Townsend. The library is still maintained at the village.
KNIGHTS OF THE MACCABEES.
Bassett Tent No. 79, Knights of the Maccabees, was organized at Metamora village in February, 1883, with twenty-four members. Officers: P. K. C., John Campbell; Sir K. C., Charles A. Fricke; Sir K. Lt. C., H. D. Haines; record keeper, John Barden; finance keeper, Amos Predmore.
The village is charmingly situated in the midst of a rich agricultural region and draws the trade of a large area of country. Its geographical location on the railroad makes it the distributing point of several townships.
TOWN OFFICERS.
1838-Supervisor, Andrew Farrell; clerk, Jonathan Silsbury; collector, William C. Tower.
1839-Supervisor, Andrew Farrell; clerk, Noah A. Porter; treasurer, Tobias Price.
1840-Supervisor, Andrew Farrell; clerk, Tobias Price; treas- urer, James W. Sanborn.
1841-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, James W. Sanborn; treasurer, Henry F. Perkins.
1842-Supervisor, James W. Sanborn; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Tobias Price.
1843-Supervisor, James W. Sanborn; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Tobias Price. Fifty-nine votes polled.
1844-Supervisor, Stephen S. Lord; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Tobias Price. Seventy-six votes polled.
1845-Supervisor, James W. Sanborn; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Tobias Price. Ninety-four votes polled.
1846-Supervisor, Lewis C. Townsend; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Tobias Price.
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
1847-Supervisor, Gustavus A. Griffen; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Harry F. Perkins.
1848-Supervisor, Gustavus A. Griffen; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Moses G. Porter.
1849-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, James P. Pitcher; treasurer, Joseph A. Church.
1850-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, Orville M. Lord; treas- urer, William R. Lambertson.
1851-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, Orville M. Lord; treas- urer, William R. Lambertson.
1852-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, E. P. Barrows; treas- urer, William R. Lambertson.
. 1853-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, E. P. Barrows; treas- urer, William R. Lambertson.
1854-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, A. B. Coryell; treas- urer, William R. Lambertson.
1855-Supervisor, Simon Mathews; clerk, A. B. Coryell; treas- urer, Henry Townsend.
1856-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, George Price; treas- urer, Henry Townsend.
1857-Supervisor, Henry Groff; clerk, Egbert C. Goodrich; treasurer, Henry Townsend.
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