USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 46
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In 1858 the first religious society organization was perfected in the Deneen school-house (Baptist). In 1867, having decided upon the erection of a church, a commencement was made, the location being upon the northeast corner of section 30. In 1868, the build- ing was completed and formally dedicated, this being the first ex- clusive house of worship in the township. In 1876, the necessity for its use no longer existing, by reason of the near proximity of a church of the same denomination at Imlay City, it was decided to remove the edifice to a location on the east line of Attica which was accordingly done.
In 1869 the Catholic Church, west of this place, was erected, Mr. Morris, of Pontiac, donating the timber for its construction off the Hulsart farm. The work was nearly all performed by donation and when completed was the second church edifice of the town- ship.
November 4, 1877, the German Evangelical Association dedi- cated a new church edifice situated two and three-quarter miles northeast of Imlay City. This society was the outgrowth of a con- siderable number of persons of German nationality settling in the north and east portion of the township. The structure is a credit to the society and an ornament to the community.
GENERAL PROGRESS.
The township was rapidly assuming a different appearance. Its remotest extremities had been penetrated by industrious settlers, and dwellings and cleared fields were developing on every hand. The P. H. & L. M. R. had become an assured fact and the nucleus of a thriving market place was laid upon the line which has de- veloped into the Imlay City of to-day.
Values were increasing: The J. B. Deneen farm, which was assessed at $150, in 1852, being placed at $3,600, in 1882. The population of the joint township, Imlay and Goodland, which con- tained in 1850, seventy persons, had, according to the census of 1880, in Imlay alone, increased to 2,400, and with the exception of the city of Lapeer, is the most populous of any township in the county. To-day it has seven school-houses within its limits valued at $9,000, and contains 851 children between the ages of five and twenty years, and expending an average of $5,000 each year for educational purposes.
In 1881 the assessed valuation of its real estate was $423,660, and of its personal estate, $95,610, aggregating a total of over half a million dollars.
April 3, 1871, it was voted that hereafter all township business be transacted at Imlay City. Black's Corners was losing its pres- tige and slowly but surely the railroad town absorbed its business interests until it remained without any commercial importance whatever.
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
Census of 1874: population, 1,840; acres of taxable land, 22,- 658; of improved land, 5,008; number of sheep, 873; of horses, 336; of cows, 142; products of preceding year, 3,369 pounds of wool sheared; 15,847 pounds of pork marketed; 27,804 pounds of butter made; 17,160 bushels of wheat raised; 20,005 of corn; 28,- 603 of other grain; 2,055 bushels of apples; 7,160 of potatoes; 948 tons of hay; 6,010 pounds of maple sugar were made in 1874.
The annual report of the school inspectors of the town of Imlay for the year 1882, shows the number of school children to have been 753; number of school buildings seven. The school inspec- tors for the ensuing year were D. H. O. Dell, John Robinson, Oscar Spencer, Fred. Pritzle, Joseph Horn, B. Rowe, John M. Leavens.
TOWN OFFICERS.
1851-Supervisor, John N. Deneen; clerk, Martin T. Hol- comb; treasurer, Charles Rogers.
1852-Supervisor, John N. Deneen; clerk, Martin T. Hol- comb; treasurer, Charles Rogers.
1853-Supervisor, John P. Best; clerk, John T. Holcomb; treasurer, Charles Rogers.
1854-Supervisor, Charles D. Smith; clerk, John N. Deneen; treasurer, John P. Best.
1855-Supervisor, Mark Farley; clerk, William M. Smith; treasurer, John P. Best.
The records of town officers between the years 1855 and 1874 have not been preserved, consequently there is no reliable means of ascertaining who they were.
1874-Supervisor, William Quatermass; clerk, E. R. Reed; treasurer, Walter B. Churchill.
1875-Supervisor, William Hulsart; clerk, John Robinson; treasurer, Walter B. Churchill.
1876-Supervisor, William Quatermass; clerk, John Robin- son; treasurer, Walter B. Churchill.
1877-Supervisor, William Quatermass; clerk, George R. Manwaring; treasurer, Walter B. Churchill.
1878-Supervisor, Walter B. Churchill; clerk, George R. Man- waring; treasurer, Henry A. Bartlett.
1879-Supervisor, Walter B. Churchill; clerk, George R. Man- waring; treasurer, W. T. Dodge.
1880-Supervisor, William Quatermass; clerk, George R. Manwaring; treasurer, W. T. Dodge.
1881-Supervisor, Walter B .. Churchill; clerk, George R. Man- waring; treasurer, William S. Marshall.
1882 -- Supervisor, Walter B. Churchill; clerk, George R. Man- waring; treasurer, William S. Marshall.
1883 -- Supervisor, Walter B. Churchill; clerk, Emery J. Lan- ders; treasurer, William Quatermass.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
WILLIAM M. SMITH, resident of section 19, township of Imlay, was born in Delaware County, N. Y., in 1823, and came to Michi- gan in the fall of 1851. He purchased eighty acres of new land, which he has since lived upon, and in addition now owns seventy acres on section 19. He has heen supervisor of the township two years, and clerk eight years. He was married in 1844 to Miss Abi- gail Riddle, of Delaware County, N. Y. Their family consists of two sons and four daughters, of whom two sons and two daughters are residents of the county, and another daughter resides in Tawas City. Mr. Smith was one of the first settlers in the township, as the whole population scarcely comprised a half dozen families at the time of his settlement.
OSCAR F. BLACK was born in Genesee County, N. Y., in 1829, and came with his parents to Michigan in 1834. They settled in
the village of Almont, where his father (Daniel Black) engaged in a mercantile business, which was the first store in the place. In 1858 he (Oscar F. Black) came to the township of Imlay and pur- chased sixty acres of new land, which he has since owned and re- sided upon, and to which he has since added eighty acres. He has held the office of township clerk and school inspector. He was married in 1852 to Miss Clarinda Myers, a native of Monroe County, N. Y .; they have two sons. Daniel Black came to the township of Imlay in 1857, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1877, at the age of eighty years.
WILLIS TAGGART was born in the town of Barry, Orleans County, N. Y., in 1838. His father (Roswell Taggart) came to Michigan, bringing his family, in 1851, and settled on section 32, in the township of Almont, where he still lives. He (Willis Tag- gart) was variously engaged till about 1870, when he came to the township of Imlay and bought eighty acres of land on section 8, where he still resides. He also owns ninety-five acres on section 5, and seventy acres on section 6.
JIRAH CARDWELL was born near Attica, N. Y., in 1820. His father came with his family to Michigan in 1836 and settled in the township of Almont where the subject of our sketch grew to man- hood. In 1846 he bought a farm on the west line of Almont, where he resided two years when he entered into a partnership with his father-in-law (Daniel Black) in a general mercantile business in Al- mont, and a year following he went overland to California, where he remained less than a. year. On his return he operated a saw- mill and afterward engaged in farming. In 1859 he came to his present home in Imlay and bought some new land which he has thoroughly improved, and to which he has added forty acres mak- ing him an even 100 acres. He was married in 1844 to Miss L. Black, of Almont, formerly of New York. They have a son and daughter.
NATHANIEL SMITH, JR., was born in Ontario County, N. Y., in 1821. His people moved to Monroe County, N. Y., when he was a child, and from there came to Michigan, in 1833. They settled in the township of Bruce, Macomb County, but remained there only a year, when they came to the township of Almont, Lapeer County, and settled on section 32, where they resided two years, when they removed to section 33, remaining there until 1850. His mother's death occurred about this time, and his father sold out; but subsequently bought another farm one half mile west of the vil- lage of Almont, where he died in 1853, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. In 1843 he (Nathaniel Smith, Jr .. ) bought a farm in the township of Dryden, where he lived one year, when he engaged in blacksmithing in various places in the vicinity for several years, and in 1856 bought the farm where he now resides on section 6, town- ship of Imlay. He first bought eighty acres but has increased it by after purchase to 160 acres. He was married in 1851 to Miss Ida Brainard, of Almont, formerly of Erie County, N. Y. They have one son and two daughters. Miss Brainard's people settled in the township of Almont in 1841.
AMASA Ross was born in the town of Sheldon, Franklin County, Vt., in 1805, and soon after the death of his father, which occurred in 1810, went with the family to reside in St. Arman, Province of Quebec, Canada, where he remained till about 1830, when he went back to Vermont. In 1836 he came to Michigan and located on section 34 in the township of Imlay, Lapeer County, where he has since resided, and is the owner of 190 acres of land, a portion of which is on section 3, and the balance on sections 33 and 34. He was married in 1835 to Miss Samantha Neff, whose place of nativ- ity was Orange County, N. Y. Of a family of eleven children three sons and two daughters are now living.
WALTER S. LYONS was born in Prince Edward County, Ontario,
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
and resided in various places in Canada before he came to Lapeer County, Mich., and located in the township of Goodland. He af. terward moved to the township of Arcadia, where he bought and still owns a considerable amount of farm lands, which are on sec- tions 23, 25 and 36, aggregating 230 acres, and also owns a house and lot in Black's Corners, where he resides. He was married in 1847 to Miss Emeline Ryckman, of Ontario, Canada, who died in 1848, leaving one son. He was again married in 1850 to Miss Sarah E. Lawrence, of Elgin County, Ontario. They have three sons and two daughters. In the township of Arcadia Mr. Lyon held the offices of treasurer and highway commissioner.
HIRAM B. MARTIN V. as born in Whitby, Ontario, in 1830, and came to Michigan in 1852. He worked at the tanner and currier's trade for several years in Lapeer County, purchased the farm upon which he now resides in 1856, was in the Lake Superior region dur- ing 1860 and in 1861 enlisted in the First Michigan Light Artillery, known as Ross' Battery, otherwise described in the State accounts as Battery B, and was afterward transferred to another regiment. Was mustered out in August, 1865, as second lieutenant of Com- pany A, Eleventh Regiment of United States Infantry (colored). He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, by a piece of a shell striking him in the shoulder; but did not leave the service. He was married in 1865 to Miss Belle E. McRay, of Almont, for- merly of the State of Connecticut, and has two sons and one daughter. Mr. Martin has held the offices of drain and highway commis- sioner.
VILLAGE OF IMLAY CITY.
This village is of comparatively recent birth. It is of railway parentage but its growth has been steady and of a character to foreshadow a promising future for the place which has already be- come one of the most active business centers in the county.
The village was founded by Charles Palmer, chief engineer for the P. H. & L. M. R. R. Co., who saw the necessity of a market place on the line of that road between Attica and Capac, and pur- chased a tract of land for the purpose of building up a village. Prior to 1870, the only buildings in the vicinity were the farni- houses of Richard Hanley and Jonathan Hunt.
THE BEGINNING.
The early history of the village is told in the following article which was written in February, 1872.
"This place is in Imlay Township, Lapeer County, and is the second station east, and twelve miles from Lapeer, on the P. H. & L. M. Railroad, and thirty-two miles from Flint.
"One year ago last May, the ground now occupied by Imlay City was a wilderness, but now is a thriving place of about 500 people, and a business point of very considerable importance.
"It contains two hotels, four general stores, two groceries, two hardware stores, an agricultural warehouse, two boot and shoe stores, a furniture store, a drug store, two blacksmith and carriage shops, livery stable, planing and saw-mill and an elevator. Over 100 buildings were erected the past season, including a school-house, 45x50 feet, two stories, at a cost of $3,000.
"Mr. Charles Palmer, chief engineer of the P. H. & L. M. R. R., purchased 240 acres of land and commenced the erection of the Bancroft House here on the first day of June, 1870. On the 15th of August of the same year, trains commenced running to Imlay City, and two days after, the hotel was opened for business. It is a commodious, well furnished, three story building and was built at a cost of $10,000. The register of this hotel shows an average of 20 daily arrivals, which is more than some hotels, of larger pretensions, that we know of, can claim. It is now conducted, to the entire
satisfaction of the traveling public, by Mr. E. E. Palmer, who is the city postmaster.
"The pioneer merchant here is Mr. John Borland, who keeps a first-class general store, and can entertain you most successfully with an account of things in general, but particularly as to his first experience in Imlay City. His books show that he is a successful merchant, and that Imlay City is an important center for the busi- ness of a large and fine region of country. He has paid one firm in Boston, for groceries alone, since locating here, $10,000, and has sold 30,000 pounds of sugar and 4,000 pounds of tea. Soon after him followed Mr. Jolin Robinson in the line of hardware, Mr. Robert Hoag, and the firm of. Robertson & Farquharson, with general stores. The last named establishment is conducted by I. Jefferson Carpenter, to whom we are indebted for favors. He is evidently an enterprising business man, besides being a good fellow and a favorite among the ladies. Volumes could not say more.
"Following these came Messrs. Griffin, with boots and shoes, Lyon, with groceries, V. S. Parmlee, hardware and agricultural im- plements, and N. J. Krusen, drugs, medicines, etc.
"In the fall of 1870 the American House was opened by the brothers Melany.
"The elevator was erected last season by Messrs. Lamb & Townsend. It is an imposing structure, 45x50 feet, 24 feet to the eaves, two and one-half stories, with a splendid cellar under the whole and addition for horse power. It will elevate 200 bushels per hour and has capacity of 20,000 bushels, and loads a car in 10 minutes.
"The total receipts of wheat from August 1, 1871, were 50,000 bushels, besides coarser grains, fruit, potatoes and pork. The aver- age daily grain receipts are over 1,000 bushels, and on the 25th of January, as we saw on the books, 1,700 bushels were sold and delivered here by farmers from the adjacent country.
"Grounds for the erection of a grist-mill early in the spring have been selected near the elevator.
"Although the land in the immediate vicinity of Imlay City is still covered with the primeval forest, yet just beyond this, especially south and southwest, is found an old and rich farming country, unexcelled in the production of wheat and other grains, which finds its best market at this point.
"The country north of the city for 27 miles toward Marlette, is also tributary to this place, and though comparatively new, is developing rapidly and comprises very much of good farming lands. All lumber camps for 25 miles north purchase their supplies, and about half a dozen mills ship their lumber and shingles here.
"Mr. D. B. Charleson, of the firm of D. Thomson & Co., of Quebec, makes his headquarters at Imlay City, and will pay out this season $300,000 for square timber and staves, which will make 600 car loads.
"The passenger traffic at this station is nearly equal to that of Lapeer, 4,000 tickets having been sold to passengers from Port Huron to Imlay City.
"The liberality and enterprise of the citizens of this place is remarkable and must account in great measure for its growth and pres- ent prosperity. One thousand dollars in cash was raised by subscrip- tion and expended last season in the improvement of roads lead- ing to the city, and Mr. Charles Palmer expended $1,500 on streets.
"The Baptists have purchased a lot and will commence the erection of their church in the spring, and the Congregationalists have raised $2,200 for the same purpose.
"Immediately after the opening of the Bancroft House, a Union Sabbath-school was organized, which has been sustained with vigor, and to-day numbers 90 scholars, with an average attend- ance of 80. William Townsend is the superintendent.
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
"The future growth and prosperity of Imlay City are assured beyond a doubt by the wide-awake character of its people and the business advantages which are so apparent. There is room for more such people and openings in certain branches of business net yet fully represented. Among which we notice especially a first-rate opportunity for a live man in the line of a large carriage and wagon shop, and foundry and machine shop.
"The medical and legal professions are most worthily repre- sented here by Dr. Geo. W. Jones, a graduate of the University of Buffalo, and Franklin S. Abbott, a graduate of Oberlin.
"By the way, most singular to relate, there has not been a death, or a case of severe sickness, or fever and ague, since the city was founded, which is properly attributed to good water, healthy location, plenty to do, regular habits and the absence of those reprovings of conscience which attend the excesses, strifes and jealousies of older and larger communities, where life is more fashionable and artificial.
"This city like others, keeps a sharp eye out for additional rail- road communications, and with good prospects."
Again in 1873 the village was mentioned as follows: "The town has a Baptist Church; a union school, which has an average attendance of 100 scholars; lodge of Odd Fellows; and a weekly newspaper, independent in politics, called the Imlay City Sentinel.
"There are also five general assortment stores in the place, owned by John Borland, Manwaring & Bancroft; E. W. Reed, Lamb & Townsend, and L. Calkins & Co; two grocery stores, owned by Hoag & Rodgers, and H. H. Lyons; a drug store, owned by N. J. Krusen; two hardware stores, owned respectively by V. S. Parmlee and John Robinson; a cabinet shop, owned by C. H. Wells; a jew- elry store, owned by A. F. Tosh; two millinery stores, owned by Mrs. Delaney and Mrs. N. B. Eldredge; two meat markets, owned respect- ively by Messrs. Johnson & Putnam; a harness shop, owned by George Kinnee; three boot and shoe shops, owned respectively by Messrs. Staples, Delaney, and Haskins; a barber shop, kept by Noah Brewer; two wagon-shops, owned by Messrs. Wees & Kilgour and Wright; one hotel, called the National, kept by William H. Smith; a steam grist-mill, owned by Robert Hoag, and a planing-mill owned by J. A. Woodruff. Dr. G. W. Jones is the only physician in the place, and F. S. Abbott, S. Walton and John Gormley the practic- ing lawyers. The livery stable in the place is owned by Frank Staples. There is one first-class elevator here owned by Lamb and Townsend.
"Several private residences are to be erected during the coming summer, and the Bancroft House will be rebuilt."
The Bancroft House was burned in January, 1873, and was not rebuilt until 1879. It is now a two story frame building, and is first-class in every respect.
The first physician in the village was Dr. George W. Jones, who still continues his practice.
The first lawyer was W. H. H. Cooper.
The postoffice was established soon after the village was started, and E. E. Palmer has been postmaster since that time.
The only bank in the village was established by John Borland in June, 1879.
The Pontiac & Port Austin Railroad passing through the vil- lage is being completed in 1883.
INCORPORATION.
The village of Imlay City was incorporated by an act of legisla- ture, approved April 4, 1873. The boundaries were defined as follows: "All that certain tract of land situated in the county of Lapeer and State of Michigan, being in township 7 north, of range 12 east, and described as the south half of section 17, the south half of the north half of section 17, and the north half of section 20."
The first set of village officers was elected April 14, for the new "village." The following is the ticket which was elected with but slight opposition :
President, George W. Jones; clerk, Frank S. Abbott; marshal, William H. Rutherford; treasurer, Hiram C. Wells; assessor, Will- iam Quatermass; trustees, one year, William H. Smith, Henry H. Lyons and Henry Woodry; trustees, two years, John Borland, Charles Palmer and William Townsend.
The ticket was nominated without regard to party or politics, the aim being to select the most capable men in the community, and those who had the interest of the place most at heart.
The village officers elected each year since 1873 have been as follows;
1874-President, George W. Jones; clerk, Sidney W. Walton; assessor, N. B. Eldredge, treasurer, Hiram C. Wells; marshal, William J. Fraser; trustees, William Quatermass, Henry H. Lyons, William Townsend.
1875-President, John Robinson; clerk, George R. Manwaring; treasurer, Norman J. Krusen; assessor, Anson P. Campbell; mar- shal, A. H. Rutherford; trustees, John F. Staples, Abner Hall; William Townsend.
1876-President, John Robinson; clerk, George R. Manwar- ing; treasurer, Norman J. Krusen; assessor, W. T. Dodge; mar- shal, A. H. Rutherford; trustees, William McEntee, E. E. Palmer, Robert G. Brown.
1877-President, John Robinson; clerk, George R. Manwar- ing; treasurer, Norman J. Krusen; assessor, W. T. Dodge; mar- shal, S. A. McGeorge; trustees, Hiram C. Wells, Jacob Cohn, John Borland.
1878-President, W. T. Dodge; clerk, John Robinson; asses- sor, John Robinson; treasurer, Henry A. Bartlett; marshal, S. A. McGeorge; trustees, A. P. Campbell, John F. Staples, N. B. Eld- redge.
1879-President, Harrison H. Lyons; clerk, John Robinson; assessor, William Quatermass; treasurer, Robert Hoag; marshal, William Goodwin; trustees, Jacob C. Lamb, Hiram C. Wells, George R. Manwaring.
1880-President, Harrison H. Lyons; clerk, John Robinson; treasurer, William S. Marshall; assessor, Walter B. Churchill; marshal, William B. Goodwin; trustees, Joseph T. Messer, Charles Palmer, John E. Coope.
1881-President, 'George R. Manwaring; clerk, John Robin- son; treasurer, William S. Marshall; assessor, John Robinson; marshal, John B. Hinks; trustees, Charles S. Marshall, W. T. Dodge, C. E. Messer.
1882-President, Jacob C. Lamb; clerk, John Robinson; treas- urer, W. S. Marshall; assessor, John Robinson; marshal, Walter B. Churchill; trustees, Thomas B. Keyworth, William Quater- mass, Robert S. Babcock.
1883-President, Henry H. Lyons; clerk, John Robinson; treasurer, Emery J. Landers; assessor, John Robinson; marshal, William Goodwin; trustees, John McGill, Nelson Haskin, Charles S. Marshall.
In 1876, a fire department was organized, and an engine and a hose cart purchased. It is a volunteer department. The fore- man in 1883 is Thomas B. Keyworth.
IMLAY CITY CHURCHES.
The Baptist Society was the first church organization in the village of Imlay City. This denomination was the first to organize in the township as already mentioned. In 1871 the society in the village was organized, and the following year their house of worship was completed and dedicated. The dedicatory services were held, Au- gust 25, and the event was described at the time as follows: "Last
J. A. Woodruff g. D. M.
Webster Photo
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
Sabbath, the 25th inst., was the day set apart for the dedication ceremonies of the Baptist Church, at this place, it being the first building erected for religious purposes. The day was a fine one, and as expected, a large and respectable audience was present to listen to the services, which were conducted in the morning by Rev. Mr. Morehouse, of Saginaw, and in the evening by Rev. Mr. Mathew, of Detroit. The gathering was undeniably the largest that has ever been seen in this place for religious services. Considerable interest was manifested in the occasion, as was evidenced by the neat little subscription that was raised to pay off the indebtedness of the church, of $1,100, the whole amount of which was raised, and the church is now clear of debt: It has been built wholly by our citizens, having received no foreign aid whatever, beyond a tempo- rary loan of $500, while the building was in process of construction. The estimated cost when completed entirely, is a trifle over $4,000. It stands in the north part of town, just west of the school-house and facing south. Its size is 32x60 feet, and when finished will consist of two stories, a basement not yet completed, and an audi- ence room. The audience room is finished with pine and black walnut, is intended to seat comfortably 300 persons, is well lighted and presents a very neat and tasty appearance. The building is a just cause of pride to the citizens of this place, who, regardless of classes and denomination, have subscribed so liberally for its con- struction.
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