History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 57

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 617


USA > Michigan > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 57


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99


SECTION 13 .- 1836, Joseph Kirtland, Joseph Abel, Robert Dun- lap; 1837, Samuel S. Fitch.


SECTION 14 .- 1836, Ira A. White, Henry G. Bush, Joseph Kirt- land; 1837, John Dunn, George B. Martin, William Moore. SECTION 15 .- 1835, Linus Arnold, Evelina Arnold ; 1836, Nelson Barber, Nelson Jenkins; 1837, Luke Hemenway, Christopher Monks, James Burke; 1842, Joseph Kirtland ; 1854, David Hyaman.


SECTION 16 (school lands) .- 1839, W. H. Stevens, F. G. Rose, J. Brooks, William Kirtland, C. Britain; 1841, J. S. Nash ; 1844, 1847, 1848, 1850, F. Webb, Jr.


SECTION 17 .- 1835, Abner Bruan, L. Foster, Samuel M. C. Hinchey, John S. Hinchey, Stiles Perry, William Hughson, Freeman Webb; 1836, William Kirtland.


SECTION 18 .- 1834, Alfred Hartshorn ; 1835, Leander Foster, James H. Woods, Sanford Marble, Benjamin Eaman; 1836, William Kirtland.


SECTION 19 .- 1836, James G. Peterson, Alexander Stephens, Bennett Sewell, James Grieve, Otto S. Bagnell ; 1837, John Flinn; 1852, John Patterson ; 1854, Gideon Webb.


SECTION 20 .- 1835, John S. Hinchey, Charles M. Moses; 1836, Abner Bruan, Warren Rogers; 1837, Michael McFadden, Moses Babcock, John Flinn, Chester F. Parsons ; 1849, Henry Gardiner; 1853, Thomas C. Webb.


SECTION 21 .- 1834, William White and James S. Nash; 1835, Alvin A. Holcomb, Samuel M. C. Hinchey, Anson B. Chip- man; 1836, Joel Brooks, Robert Dunlap, Warren Rogers; 1837, Michael McFadden, Nelson Jenkins.


SECTION 22 .- 1834, Sanford Marble, John O'Brien, Joel Brooks; 1835, John Sykes, Linus Arnold ; 1836, William Kirtland, William White, Samuel Kilpatrick.


SECTION 23 .- 1828, Solomon Peterson ; 1834, Benjamin Weller; 1835, Jefferson J. M. Newcomb, Alvah Burgess, Furman G. Rose, James Smith, Michael Murray, Grant T. Perry ; 1836, John Murray.


SECTION 24 .- 1835, Elijah Whipple, Aaron Vance ; 1836, Wm. Kirtland, Kenneth Davidson, Joseph Kirtland.


SECTION 25 .- 1831, James Pullen, Solomon Peterson ; 1835, Samuel Cole, Elijah Whipple, Alvah Burgess ; 1836, James Dwyer, Chester Ingalls; 1837, James Love.


SECTION 26 .- 1828, Solomon Peterson; 1831, Jacob Corey, S. Mallery ; 1832, Richard M. Guggins; 1834, Elnathan Can- field; 1835, Clarinda Parker, James Kingsley ; 1836, William Kirtland.


SECTION 27 .- 1834, Elnathan Canfield, Joel Brooks; 1835, Daniel Towner, Matthew Saul; 1836, James W. Stansbury, William Kirtland, John H. Platt, James Jacoby, Lydia Jacoby, Francis Hoban, Elizabeth Stansbury.


SECTION 28 .- 1835, William White, Moses M. Crane; 1836, Thomas Cahel, James E. Crane, Francis Hoban, Robert Dunlap.


SECTION 29 .- 1835, William White; 1836, William Barnett, John- son Tiptady, James Gibbon, Robert Dunlap:


SECTION 30 .- 1835, Otto S. Bignall, Solomon L. Bignall, William Noulin ; 1836, Silas Barton, Patrick Dillon, Robert Dunlap; 1853, George Howell.


SECTION 31 .- 1835, Otto S. Bignall, Solomon L. Bignall, Richard Bignall, John Patterson; 1836, Samuel W. Foster, Isaac Titus; 1837, James Gaunt.


SECTION 32 .- 1835, Lothrop Hubbard, Solomon L. Bignall, Moses Nash ; 1836, Moses M. Crane, Samuel W. Foster, Robert H. Titus ; 1837, John Farmer, Moses Babcock, S. L. Bignall, George B. Martin.


SECTION 33 .- 1831, Levi Rodgers, Ebenezer Boyden; 1835, John Harris, Burr S. Northrup; 1836, Thomas Nixon, Martin Harris, Hugh Clark, William Saul; 1837, James Jones.


SECTION 34 .- 1828, Flavona Wright; 1834, Henry Harris; 1835, Adna Shaw and Lucius S. Farrand; 1836, Isaac B. Towner, Charles Kingsley, John Harris.


SECTION 35 .- 1833, Jacob Sigler, Francis Ingram ; 1835, Selden Pullen ; 1836, Andrew Nowland, Oscar Greenman, William Kirtland, Martin Davis, James M. Soverhill.


SECTION 36 .- 1836, William Kirtland, James Gibbons, Robert Dunlap; 1837, John Wallace; 1842, Pomeroy Boyden ; 1853, Sarah M. Johnson ; 1854, Millard F. Darrow.


By reference to the foregoing it will be seen that the first entries in the township were made in 1828. They were 160 acres on section 23, and 160 acres on section 26, by Solomon Peterson, of this State, entered May 13th; and 80 acres by Flavona Wright, of Wayne Co., N. Y., dated May 14th. No other entries were made until 1831. The en- tries in 1828, as mentioned, were the first in the county.


EARLY SETTLEMENTS ..


Col. Solomon Peterson, who had been com- mander of a regiment of militia in the State of New York, and who entered land in Putnam, as above mentioned, is said to have immediately settled upon it. This being the case, he was beyond doubt the first settler in Livingston County. He is also given the credit of having built the first house and barn in the county, both being frame structures. The colonel was, without dispute, the first white man who made his home within the limits of what is now Putnam township. . His build- ings were on the bank of Portage Creek, immedi- ately southeast of the village of Pinckney. The colonel, who was a bachelor, was chosen first supervisor of Putnam after its organization, and was one of the foremost among its prominent citi- zens. He finally moved to the town of Dexter, Washtenaw Co., where his death occurred within recent years.


James Jacoby, from the town of Hunter, Greene Co., N. Y., landed with his family at Detroit, Nov. 13, 1833,-the birthday of his wife. A tavern was rented twenty-four miles out of Detroit, and kept by Mr. Jacoby about two years. In 1835 the family removed to Putnam township, and settled west of the village of Pinckney, where he died about 1865. His widoweyet resides on the old


27


PUTNAM TOWNSHIP.


place, and has reached the advanced age of eighty- six years.


Henry Harris, from Somerset Co., N. J. (both himself and wife natives of Ireland), purchased land on section 34, in this township, in 1834, and settled upon it immediately. Colonel Peterson and John Sigler were then the nearest neighbors, the latter living a short distance east, on section 35. Mr. Harris has been dead over twenty years. His brother, John Harris, settled northwest of him, on the Portage River, near the subsequent location of Reeves' grist-mill. He died in the winter of 1878-79, in the village of Dexter, Washtenaw Co., whither he had removed. His son, John Harris, now lives in the township of Webster, in the last- named county. Henry Harris' son, also named John, resides near his mother, on the old farm. Both the Harris brothers followed agricultural pursuits principally during their life in this town. Henry cleared and improved the three "eighties" he originally purchased, together with another, which he bought afterwards. When he came with his family he followed a "blazed-tree" trail, the road not yet being cut out, through from Dexter. He built a log house a few steps south of the frame residence now occupied by his widow. They had at that time but one child,-a daughter,-who is now living in Jackson. Other children were born to them, but the family became scattered during the war of the Rebellion (1861-65). One son died at Union City, Branch Co., Mich., and another in Minnesota. John Harris is the only son now living in the neighborhood where his father settled nearly half a century in the past, and the farm has never in that time been out of the hands of the family.


Hugh Clark, a native of Ireland, emigrated to America in 1832, and settled in Somerset Co., N. J. In the fall of 1836 he came to Michigan, and set- tled in Putnam township, on the farm he still owns and occupies. He was then unmarried. He pur- chased 80 acres of land from government, after- wards adding to it by different purchases from other hands. The log house he built and lived in stood immediately south of his present frame dwelling. He continued to live here in the soli- tude of bachelorhood until 1842, when he was married. His brother, William Clark, was here part of the time, and finally settled in the town- ship, but moved subsequently to Missouri, in which State he still resides.


When Mr. Clark came, the Messrs. Root, of Ann Arbor, were operating a saw-mill a short distance southeast of his place, on the Portage River. The mill-dam was crossed by the county line, and the mill itself stood in Washtenaw County. This mill


was kept very busy cutting lumber for the settlers, who at that time were arriving rapidly.


West of Mr. Clark's was another saw-mill, built in 1835, probably by Solomon Bignall and Moses Babcock. George Reeves, of Pinckney, began a three-story frame grist-mill, near the saw-mill, in 1840, and finished it in December of that year, or the next. It contained four run of stones, and for years the business was large and profitable. The mill finally became the property of Reeves & Rose, and during the latter years of its existence its cus- tom decreased, and but little grinding was done. It was destroyed by fire in the latter part of Janu- ary, 1879. The saw-mill is yet standing. When the grist-mill was completed, ready for use, a con- siderable number of settlers assembled in it and held a holiday-party. Its first grist was ground during the same afternoon.


George Reeves, from Orange County, N. Y., came with his wife and three children to Michigan in 1826, and located at Lima Centre, Washtenaw Co., where he remained until some time in 1837, when he removed to Pinckney, and entered the mercan- tile business. The mill property, which he subse- quently purchased, had been originally settled and improved by Solomon L. Bignall, who bought it from government in 1835. Upon removing to the latter place Mr. Reeves took his stock of goods with him, and in company with his wife's brother, Timothy R. Allison, established a store. He also entered into partnership with Samuel Minot in the same business, and the three persons carried on two stores, Reeves & Minot owning one, and Reeves & Allison the other. Both have long been discontinued, and Mr. Reeves is now deceased. His family occupies the old place.


Sanford Marble, a native of Massachusetts, and for some years a resident of Connecticut, emi- grated from the latter State to Michigan in 1833, and settled on the site of the village of Pinckney. After one year he removed to the farm upon which his son, James M. Marble, now resides, on the plain in the western part of the township. When he first entered the township it contained but nine families, and when he moved to the present farm his only neighbor was a man named Foster, who lived on the present C. M. Wood place. The father of the last-named gentleman, John Wood, settled early in Iosco township, and subsequently moved into Put- nam. The Wood place was also at one time owned by the father of Benjamin Eaman. The latter, who came to the township while Mr. Marble was living in Pinckney, was taken out by Mr. Marble to look at his land, and the two lost their way in the woods, remaining out overnight. They finally succeeded in finding what they were searching for. Benjamin


272


HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


Eaman is now deceased, and his son James lives on the place opposite the Marble farm.


When Mr. Marble came to this farm no one lived nearer to him in a northern direction than eight miles away, on " Provost's Plains," in Marion township. The next farm south of that taken by Mr. Marble was settled by James Grieves, who sent men to build a log house upon it the same year Mr. Marble located. Mr. Marble first bought a farm on the east side of the road, south of the one named, but in a short time sold it to Louis Fas- quelle, a Frenchman. Mr. Marble's widow is living with his son on the old place.


Freeman Webb, from Jefferson Co., N. Y., pur- chased his first land in Putnam in 1835, including 80 acres of the farm now occupied by his widow, on section 8. In the spring of 1836 he removed with his family to this State, and located near Ann Ar- bor, Washtenaw County. In the spring of 1837 he moved upon the farm in Putnam. At that time Samuel Burgess lived a mile north of him, and Cooley and Hiram Weller lived in the same neigh- borhood with Mr. Burgess. Benjamin Annis, who had moved into Michigan at the same time Mr. Webb came, and also lived near Ann Arbor, owned. the farm next west of Mr. Webb's, but did not settle upon it until 1839. Mr. Webb, whose po- sition in the township was that of one of its most prominent citizens, died in May, 1877.


Samuel Burgess, who has been mentioned, was one of the first settlers in the neighborhood of Pinckney, having lived a mile east of that village for some time previous to his removal to the farm in the north part of town.


S. M. C. Hinchey, from the town of Gates, near Rochester, Monroe Co., N. Y., and a native of Saratoga County, came to Michigan in the fall of 1835, and settled in the township of Scio, Wash- tenaw Co. He purchased land in Putnam, cleared and broke 80 acres of it, built a log house and a barn, and moved upon it in the summer of 1838. The breaking was done by a man whom he had hired for the purpose, and who also helped about building. The barn which was then erected is yet standing, on the north side of the road, on Mr. Hinchey's place. When Mr. Hinchey bought his land, in 1835, but few settlers had come into the township.


The first white child born in the township-and the honor is claimed also concerning the entire county-was Julia E. Pullen, daughter of Levi and Nabby Pullen, whose birth occurred in the month of April, 1832.


Joseph Fletcher came from Ontario Co., N. Y., to Putnam in 1840, and resided in the township until his death, which occurred at a comparatively


recent date, when he had reached the age of seventy-eight years. He was an exemplary and respected citizen, and, as in the instance of the death of many others, his loss was deeply felt.


Levi Pullen, a native of the State of Maine, set- tled in this town in August, 1831. Among other early settlers were the following :


Mrs. Sarah Brower, native of England, settled in May, 1835. Jesse J. Hanse, native of New York, settled in June, 1836. Morris Fuller, native of Massachusetts, settled Nov. 1, 1836. T. C. Fuller, native of Massachusetts, settled April 10, 1836. William More, native of New York, settled in October, 1841. Mrs. Elizabeth Noble, born in township in August, 1841.


William Brower, native of New York, settled in November, 1842.


M. F. Darrow, native of New York, settled in October, 1843.


The above names are taken from the records of the Livingston County Pioneer Association. Others who came early were M. S. Chubb, on section 1 ; F. R. Burden, section 6; G. Bennett, section 11 ; Ralph Swarthout, section 12, died in township; Samuel S. Fitch, section 13; John Dunn, section 14; Harry Gardiner, section 20; J. S. Nash, now deceased ; S. A. Barton, section 50; and others.


Many of the persons who entered land in this township, and probably a large majority of them, became actual settlers, while others, as was the case in all localities, purchased for speculative purposes, and never aided in the work of set- tling the wilderness. The early settlers of this town were men from high and low positions, and of numerous nationalities. The merchant, the sol- dier, the politician, the mechanic, and the farmer were here, and from various Eastern States, and even from across the ocean, came bold and hardy men, all with the true pioneer spirit, and by their hands a noble work was accomplished.


The following persons comprised the resident tax-payers of the township of Putnam in 1844:


Affleck, John. Barton, Daniel.


Annis, Benjamin.


Chubb, Major.


Able, Joseph.


Conway, John A.


Able, Oliver.


Corey, Jacob.


Able, John N.


Chalker, O. B.


Allen, Stephen V. R.


Clark, Hugh.


Allen, Lafayette.


Couchman, David.


Bryant, Lemuel.


Chalker, Abner E.


Brown, Gilbert.


Davis, David.


Burdon, Freeman R.


Dunn, John.


Boile, William.


Dunn, James.


Burgess, Samuel.


Decker, James.


Buffington, Preserved.


Davis, James H.


Brown, Uriah.


Eaman, Benjamin.


Britton, Claudius.


Fairchild, Samuel D.


Brower, Henry.


Fuller, Moses. Fitch, Samuel S.


Burgess, Peter.


Beals, Bernard.


Fletcher, Isaac.


Birtwessell, John.


Fasquelle, Louis.


Barton, Silas.


Fletcher, Joseph.


Babcock, Simon.


Hosted by


Heves Jag le


273


PUTNAM TOWNSHIP.


Hughs, John D.


Newcomb, J. J.


Harris, Jesse J.


Nash, James S.


Hicks, Valorus.


Nash, Marcus J.


Hughs, Enoch.


Nash, Carlos.


Hood, Andrew.


Olmstead, Solomon.


Hinchey, Samuel M.


Pond, Nathan.


Hinchey, John S.


Pullen, George.


Hughston, William.


Pettis, Seth A.


Holcomb, Alvin A.


Perry, Stiles.


Hicks, Solomon.


Parks, Thomas.


Hanch, Alexander.


Pullen, James.


Harris, Henry.


Pullen, Selden.


Harris, Peter.


Parker, George.


Harris, Martin.


Patterson, John.


Harris, John.


Richmond, Mary.


Hitchcock, Nathan.


Reeves, George.


Irwin, Nelson.


Reeves & Minot (merchants).


Ingram, Thomas.


Smith, John J.


Ingram, Thomas, Jr.


Jenkins, Nelson.


Swarthout, Ralph.


Swarthout, John.


Smith, James.


Sikes, John.


Stansbury, James W.


La Rue, James M.


Siglar, John.


Lavy, Bryant.


Siglar, Jacob.


Monks, Christopher.


Weller, Hiram.


Moon, William.


Weller, Cooley.


Marble, John.


Weller, Benjamin.


Marble, Sanford.


Webb, Freeman.


McMillan, Ebenezer.


Weller, Thomas.


Maloney, Lawrence.


Winans, William.


Minot & Reeves.


Wilson, William.


Minot, Samuel.


Wilson, Thomas.


Metcalf, Sylvanus.


Waite, David.


Morton, Thomas.


VILLAGE OF PINCKNEY.


Allison, Timothy R.


Hood, George A. & Co.


Brown, Isaac.


Judd, Henry.


Bennett, Henry S.


Mann, Alvin.


Brooks, Joel.


Mann & Eaman (merchants).


Canfield, James.


Noble, Leonard.


Colom, Charles.


Rose, F. G.


Eaman, James.


Stansbury, James W. (agent).


Hughs, James.


CIVIL ORGANIZATION-LIST OF OFFICERS.


By an act of the Legislature, approved March 23, 1836, the township of Putman was organized, including the present townships of Putnam and Marion; the latter being set off March 11, 1837. There being objections against the name of the township, owing to its incorrect orthography, the letters were transposed by the Legislature, March 6, 1836, and the correct name, Putnam, substi- tuted for the old one. It was directed in the act organizing Putman township that its first election should be held at the house of Jacob Sigler, and there the meeting was accordingly convened. The politics of the voters were not at that meeting allowed to dictate the choice of officers, as the in- habitants were too few in number. The second year, however, matters were different, owing to a gratifying increase of population. The Whigs and


Democrats were the political opponents of that day, and between them was the usual strife. The Whigs were jubilant over the fact that they held the preponderance of power,-or supposedly so,-and made their nominations in caucus, apportioning two or three offices to some of their number. Of that proceeding they partially repented, and offered some of the lesser offices to the Democrats, who refused them and made their own nominations. The result was a tie vote on some of the officers, the Democrats holding the winning hand other- wise, and at a special election to overcome the tie but one Whig vote was cast.


The first annual township-meeting was held at the house of Jacob Sigler, May 2, 1836. The fol- lowing officers were elected, viz .: Supervisor, Sol- omon Peterson ; Township Clerk, Furman G. Rose; Assessors, George Bennett, John A. Conaway, Hi- ram Wellar; Constable and Collector, Selden Pul- len ; Overseer of the Poor, James Canfield; School Commissioners, Thomas Ingram, Solomon L. Big- nall, Alvin A. Holcomb; Justices of the Peace, F. G. Rose, James S. Nash, Pierpont L. Smith, Hi- ram Wellar; Commissioners of Highways, Alvin S. McDowell, James S. Nash, Levi Pullen.


The following is a list of township officers for Putnam from 1837 to 1879, inclusive :


SUPERVISORS.


1837, Aaron Palmer; 1838, George Reeves; 1839, Amos H. Breed; 1840-41, George Reeves; 1842-44, Timothy R. Alli- son; 1845, James M. La Rue; 1846, Lemuel Bryant; 1847, Andrew Hood; 1848, George Reeves; 1849, Freeman Webb, Jr. ; 1850-55, James Rice; 1856, F. G. Rose; 1857-58, William D. Crofoot; 1859-61, George W. Crofoot ; 1862-69, Freeman Webb; 1870, George W. Crofoot; 1871, Stephen G. Teeple; 1872, George W. Crofoot; 1873, Freeman Webb; 1874-75, George W. Crofoot; 1876, Freeman Webb; 1877- 78, James Marble; 1879, George W. Crofoot.


TOWNSHIP CLERKS.


1837-38, Furman G. Rose; 1839-40, Richard J. Connor; 1841, Alvin Mann ; 1842, F. G. Rose; 1843, Alvin Mann ; 1844, F. G. Rose ; 1845, John W. Angel; 1846, Charles W. Haze; 1847-48, Robert Crawford; 1849-50, Francis A. Grimes; 1851, Jason W. Kellogg; 1852, John Broughton ; 1853-54, Thompson Grimes; 1855-56, Paschal P. Wheeler; 1857-60, Thompson Grimes; 1861-63, Robert Le Baron; 1864, Grat- tan H. Sigler; 1865-68, James Markey; 1869-71, Edward A. Mann; 1872, William H. Martin ; 1873, George W. Teeple; 1874-75, H. Fred. Sigler ; 1876-78, F. A. Sigler ; 1879, Charles N. Plimpton.


TREASURERS.


1837, James W. Stansbury ; 1839-40, Rufus Thompson; 1841, Jacob Cory ; 1842, Nathan Pond; 1843-47, Hiram Weller; 1848-49, Levi D. Smith; 1850, George A. Hood; 1851, John A. French ; 1852, William Costello; 1853, Benjamin Weller; 1854, Uriah Brown; 1855, John Broughton; 1856, William E. Thompson; 1857-58, Joseph Abel; 1859-60, Solomon Hicks; 1861-62, Charles D. Van Winkle; 1863, Lowrey B. White; 1864, Joseph Sykes; 1865, John Harris; 1866, Lowrey B. White; 1867, Samuel B. Leddick; 1868, Addison "Hosted by


35


Salmon, William.


Jacoby, James.


Jacoby, Albert.


Lemon, Elmira.


Loosey, Thomas.


274


HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


Kuklar


Wheeler; 1869, Clark A. Wheeler; 1870, Daniel Richards ; 1871, John Sykes; 1872, Daniel Richards; 1873, Samuel Sykes; 1874-76, Charles N. Plimpton; 1877, W. P. Wilcox ; 1878-79, Charles Love.


JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.


1837, F. G. Rose, S. L. Bignall, H. Weller ; 1838, Louis Fas- quelle; 1839, Solomon L. Bignall; 1840, James S. Nash ; 1841, James W. Stansbury ; 1842, Louis Fasquelle, Silas Bar- ton ; 1843, George Reeves ; 1844, Freeman Webb, Jr. ; 1845, James W. Stansbury; 1846, James M. La Rue; 1847, Samuel S. Fitch; 1848, Freeman Webb, Jr .; 1849, James W. Stans- bury ; 1850, Levi D. Smith, Gilbert Brown ; 1851, Furman G. Rose, John Swarthout; 1852, George Reeves; 1853, Francis A. Grimes ; 1854, Freeman Webb, Jr .; 1855, Fur- man G. Rose ; 1856, James M. La Rue, George Reeves; 1857, S. S. Fitch ; 1858, James M. Eaman, William A. Hall; 1859, Thomas W. Palmer; 1860, Moses Fuller; 1861, Thompson Grimes; 1862, Furman G. Rose; 1863, George Reeves; 1864, Eli Annis ; 1865, J. W. Hinchey ; 1866, Millard F. Darrow ; 1867, Thompson Grimes; 1868, Eli Annis ; 1869, James W. Hinchey ; 1870, Millard F. Darrow; 1871, Furman G. Rose ; 1872, Charles D. Van Winkle; 1873, Thompson Grimes ; 1874, James Markey ; 1875, L. B. Coste; 1876, Ira V. Reeves ; 1877, Furman G. Rose; 1878, John M. Kearney; 1879, Thompson Grimes.


At an election held in November, 1866, it was decided by a vote of 232 to II to raise $36,000 in the township to aid the "Grand Trunk Railway of Michigan," the track to pass within one mile of Pinckney village. The scheme was remodeled, and it was proposed to build the " Michigan Air- Line Railway." The sum of $20,000 was voted in its aid by the township, and excitement ran high. Real estate along the line, and especially at Pinckney, advanced fabulously in prices, and the prospects were that the road would certainly be built at the earliest possible date. But the great expectations of the people were destined to be dis- appointed. The road-bed was graded into the town- ship from the west, but further operations were suspended, and Pinckney and the surrounding region settled back to its ante-railroad excitement status, where it has since remained.


VILLAGE OF PINCKNEY.


Joseph Abel, from Steuben Co., N. Y., came to the township in the spring of 1836 (April 18th), and located two miles northeast of the village, on a farm he purchased after he arrived. Six years subsequently he moved into the village, where his widow, who is also now the widow of James M. La Rue, at present resides. The old Abel farm is occupied by William H. Placeway.


James M. La Rue, also from Steuben Co., N. Y., settled at Dexter, Washtenaw Co., Mich., as early, probably, as 1830. In the neighborhood of 1840 he moved into Putnam and located southeast of Pinckney, where his son, Charles F. La Rue, at present resides. Mr. La Rue subsequently moved into the village, where his death occurred.


Furman G. Rose, from Bath, Steuben Co., N. Y., came to Michigan in the fall of 1835, landing at Detroit the first day of October. He settled in Putnam the same fall, on a farm east of the present village of Pinckney, just one month from the day he set foot in Detroit. He was accompanied by his wife and one child. In 1837 he moved to the village and entered the mercantile business, estab- lishing the second store in the place. About 1847-48 he built the present "Globe Hotel," moved into it in the fall, and kept it four years. He had previously conducted the hotel business in a building which stood in the south part of the village, near the mill-race. It had been built by the founder of the village, William Kingland, for both a store and hotel, and in it Messrs. Reeves & Minot placed the first stock of goods brought into the place, and opened the first store. Andrew and George Hood started the third store some time after Mr. Rose had begun business.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.