USA > Michigan > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 61
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" Voted, That our township-meeting be adjourned to George Grisson's dwelling-house, for eighteen hundred and thirty-six, first Monday in April."
In 1836, at the annual election, it was
"Voted, That fifty dollars be raised by tax for the purpose of building a bridge across the Huron River, near George G. Gris- son's dwelling-house."
At the meeting for 1838 it was
" Voted, That fifty-four dollars and twenty cents, with interest on the same from the first day of February, eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, be raised by tax and paid to James Burnett, it being due him for building the bridge across the Huron River, near George G. Grisson's, in the town of Hamburg.
"Voted, That fifty dollars be raised by tax for the purpose of building a bridge across the Huron River, on the State road, when- ever it shall be ascertained that the State road has been laid out and established according to law."
It appears to have been some time before the fact of this road being laid was definitely settled, for it was not until 1840 that it was finally con- cluded to raise the money, as witness the record for that year :
" Voted, To raise fifty dollars to build a bridge across the HIuron River, on the State road."
In the previous year it had been
" Voted, That the sum of fifty dollars be raised to build a bridge across the Huron River, between Christopher L. Culver's and George Galloway's."
May 1, 1843 .- " At a meeting of the board held this day, pur- suant to notice, it was agreed to fix the price of Five Dollars for
* The Messrs. Grisson.
t Town records, 1835. Hosted by ¡ Google
Haskins, Charles. Hall, Daniel.
Stone, Jonathan.
Hayner, Jacob C.
Twichell, Stoddard W.
Weller, Henry.
Gallagher, Patrick.
Near, Charles.
286
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
persons applying for licenses to keep tavern, and to storekeepers to retail liquors, &c. Samuel Case made the application, which was granted."
May 3, 1843 .- " By order of the majority of the board, granted a license to John Pickard to keep tavern; received his note of Five Dollars for the same."
Sept. 23, 1843, licenses were granted to George G. Grisson to keep tavern, and to Spaulding M. Case to sell liquors, wines, etc.
The following is a list of township officers from 1836 to 1879, inclusive :
SUPERVISORS.
1836, Christopher L. Culver; 1837-38, Thomas J. Rice; 1839, Bradford Campbell; 1840, Stoddard W. Twichell; 1841, David B. Powers; 1842, John F. Grisson; 1843, Bradford . Campbell; 1843, Spaulding M. Case; 1845-46, Bradford Campbell; 1847, Thomas J. Rice; 1848, Leland Walker; 1849, Thomas J. Rice ; 1850, Leland Walker; 1851, Thomas J. Rice; 1852-54, Leland Walker; 1855-56, Cephas Dun- ning; 1857-58, Stoddard W. Twichell; 1859, Leland Walker; 1860-62, George Mercer ; 1863-64, William Ball; 1865-66, Stephen Galloway; 1867-68, Ely Snyder; 1869-71, Stephen Galloway ; 1872-73, Edwin B. Winans ; 1874-78, Stephen Galloway ; 1879, James Van Horn.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1836-39, Stoddard W. Twichell; 1840-41, Leland Walker ; 1842-47, George Mercer; 1848, David F. Hess; 1849-50, William Williamson; 1851-52, J. H. Buck ; 1853-34, Cephas Dunning; 1855-56, William Williamson ; 1857-59, George Mercer; 1860-61, Hobart A. Twichell ; 1862-63, Stephen Galloway ; 1864, George Mercer ; 1865-66, James Cunning- ham ; 1867, Bates W. Goodfellow ; 1868-69, George Mercer ; 1870, Hobart A. Twichell; 1871, William D. La Bonta; 1872, George Mercer; 1873, Henry W. Rolason; 1874-76, John McDevitt ; 1877-78, John Ryan, Jr .; 1879, William Peters.
ASSESSORS.
1836, Ely Barnard, Timothy H. Pettit, Daniel Hall; 1837, Samuel Gardner, Garner Carpenter, George W. Case; 1838, John F. Grisson, George W. Case, Reuben H. Bennett; 1839, Reuben H. Bennett, Robert Gridley, D. B. Power; 1840, George Mercer, D. B. Power; 1841, Anson L. Power, George Mercer; 1842, Reuben H. Bennett, John C. Culver; 1843, Daniel Hall, Daniel Larkins; 1844, David B. Power, Nor- man M. Gilbert ; 1845, R. H. Bennett, Daniel Hall; 1846, R. II. Bennett, Patrick O'Conner; 1847, Elias J. Smith, Bradford Campbell; 1848, Bradford Campbell, David B. Power; 1849, R. H. Bennett, William Placeway ; 1850, John Ryan, William Placeway ; 1851, R. H. Bennett, H. A. Twichell ; 1852, R. E. Butler, William Placeway.
COLLECTORS.
1836-37, George Galloway ; 1838, George W. Case; 1839-41, George Galloway.
TREASURERS.
1839-41, Eastman Griffith ; 1842-49, George Galloway ; 1850-51, Horace Griffith; 1852, William Williamson ; 1853-54, Reuben H. Bennett; 1855-56, R. S. Hall; 1857-58, Daniel S. Ben- nett; 1859-60, John Pickard; 1861, Isaac De Forest ; 1862- 63, Joseph Quinn; 1864-65, Daniel S. Hall; 1866, Joseph Culy ; 1867, tie vote between Chester O. Burgess and James Van Horn; record does not decide who was elected; 1868, James Van Horn; 1869-70, Nathan S. Butler; 1871-72, D. S. Bennett; 1873-74, Bernard McCloskey ; 1875-76, Jacob Humphrey; 1877, James Van Horn ; 1878-79, Mortimer H. Twichell.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1836, Ely Barnard, Timothy H. Pettit, James Burnett, David B. Power; 1837, Ransom Robinson, D. B. Power; 1838, Abram D. Peck, Jesse Hall; 1839, C. L. Culver, E. M. Cust; 1840, George M. Richmond; 1841, E. M. Cust, S. W. Twichell, Isaac Brown; 1842, Leland Walker; 1843, S. W. Twichell, George Mercer, Peter S. Hendrick; 1844, Peter S. Hendrick ; 1845, Isaac Brown; 1846, Eastman Griffith, Isaac Brown; 1847, J. D. Stevens; 1848, Peter S. Hendrick, Stoddard W. Twichell; 1849, Isaac Brown; 1850, Eastman Griffith ; 1851, R. S. Hall; 1852, Ferdinand Grisson, Manley Smith ; 1853, Isaac Brown, Charles H. Cavil; * 1854, Man- ley Smith, Leland Walker ; 1855, Ferdinand Grisson ; 1856, Edward Bishop ; 1857, Isaac Brown; 1858, Leland Walker; 1859, Ferdinand Grisson ; 1860, George Burnett ; 1861, Daniel Larkins; 1862, Leland Walker, Joseph Culy ; 1863, George Mercer; 1864, George Burnett; 1865, F. Grisson, Eli Snyder; 1866, Edward Bishop; 1867, George Mercer; 1868, C. H. Cavil; 1869, F. Grisson, Keiron McDonnell ; 1870, Valentine Wiegand; 1871, Robert Stackable; 1872, Keiron McDonnell; 1873, Charles H. Cavil, John Donahey ; 1874, Edward Bishop; 1875, William -; 1876, Robert Stack ible; 1877, Helem Bennett, Joseph Culy ; 1878, Daniel Larkin, F. Grisson ; 1879, George L. Hull.
VILLAGE OF HAMBURG.
In 1835, E. F. Gay, a merchant residing in Ann Arbor (afterwards of Howell, and father of Mylo L. Gay, now of that place), together with Amariah Hammond, purchased 30 acres of land of Jesse Hall, including a portion of the site of the present village. The purchase was made with the view of improving the water-power, and as soon as possible a dam was constructed and a saw-mill built. Sub- sequently, Mr. Gay disposed of his interest to Mr. Hammond, and the latter, in turn, sold to the Messrs. Grisson. This was one of the first water- privileges improved in Livingston County, but few antedating it, and Mr. Gay, in an address before the Pioneer Society, expressed the opinion that it was the very first. That is, however, an error, as will be found by reference to other pages in this volume.
John Frederick Grisson, William Grisson, George G. Grisson, Samuel Grisson, and Ferdinand Gris- son, brothers, from the city of Hamburg, Germany, all settled at different times in this township. The first two named came in the spring of 1834, after having stopped a short time in Oneida Co., N. Y., and were followed in the fall of the same year by their brother Ferdinand. George bought and set- tled north of the village, near the bridge across the Huron, and Ferdinand on the same side of the river, above and joining his brother, to whom he afterwards sold and moved into the village. J. F. Grisson lived in Ann Arbor and Detroit, and died in the latter place. William stopped only a short time in this country. George returned to Germany about 1873-74, and Ferdinand is the only one of the
* This name spelled also on records, Cavel, Cavell, and Cavill.
ca.
ELIAS DAVIS.
MRS. ELIAS DAVIS.
RESIDENCE OF MRS. MARY E. DAVIS, HAMBURG, MICH.
Hosted by
Hosted by
287
HAMBURG TOWNSHIP.
brothers now residing in town. John F., William, and Samuel are deceased.
After selling his Huron River farm to his brother, Ferdinand Grisson purchased the Lester Burnett farm, including the site of the village, or most of it, and, in company with his brother, John F. Gris- son, bought Amariah Hammond's saw-mill (built by Hammond & Gay), and also built and opened the first store at the place. They erected the grist- mill and the hotel, which are now standing, and gave the latter to their brother William, who had been unfortunate and lost his property in the old country. The hotel is now known as the "Rogers House," George Rogers, proprietor. The grist- mill and saw-mill are yet in operation, the former having two run of stones, as originally it had. The first store burned down, but was rebuilt by the same parties who erected the first one ; the second building is now used as a wagon-shop.
The village plat of Hamburg was laid out April 27, 1837, on the west half of section 25, and re- corded May 2d, following. Its proprietors were John F. Grisson, Ferdinand Grisson, Isaac De Forest, Lester Burnett, and Elisha W. Brockway, one of the associate judges of Livingston County.
Hamburg post-office was established in the neighborhood of 1840, with John Frederick Gris- son as first postmaster. The present incumbent is Ferdinand Grisson, who has held the office since 1861, except during President Johnson's adminis- tration, when R. S. Hall was in charge.
The early settlers in this locality were never long blessed with the presence of a physician among them, but had to secure the services of those living at Whitmore Lake. Samuel Grisson studied with Dr. Halleck at the place named, went to Geneva, N. Y., where he received his diploma, came to Hamburg and practiced a year or two, finally removing to Freedom, Washtenaw Co. One Dr. Goodenough, still a resident of some other portion of the county, was also here a short time, and Dr. Miller practiced a few months. These were all who ever settled in the village, which has no resident physician at present (1879).
VILLAGE OF PETTEYSVILLE.
Seth A. Petteys, a native of Montgomery Co., N. Y., and for three years a resident of Rochester, Monroe Co., came to Michigan in May, 1836, with his father, Thomas Petteys, and settled in Putnam township, Livingston Co. Mrs. Petteys, Sr., died in that township, and her husband's death occurred in Hamburg, where he was living with his son.
S. A. Petteys came to Hamburg in 1843, and built a carding- and fulling-mill on the outlet of Walker Lake. In 1849 he added a run of stones,
and did grinding in connection with his woolen manufactures. From 1843 to 1863, Mr. Petteys continued to operate his fulling-mill; but in the latter year he added a second run of stones, and converted the whole institution into a grist-mill. The building now standing is the one erected in 1843. Mr. Petteys engineered the work, being him- self a millwright by trade, and in two months and six days from the time the first timbers were cut the mill was completed and running. The lumber was partly sawed at Leland Walker's saw-mill, in the north part of the township, and part was pro- cured in Ingham County. The timbers used were cut on Mr. Petteys' own place, near the site of the mill. The building is three stories high, with a basement.
In 1846, Mr. Petteys built a saw-mill, but removed it at a subsequent date, owing to the scarcity of timber. In 1860 he built a cider-mill, which is yet in use. Mr. Petteys also manufactures apple- jelly. In 1850 he built a blacksmith-shop. The place now contains a blacksmith-shop, a wagon- shop, two stores, a post-office, a grist-mill, a cider- mill (both owned by Mr. Petteys), and a school building. The village received its name from the following circumstance: Mr. Petteys procured some stencil-plates with which to mark his flour-barrels, and the person who made them, wishing some name for the mills, proposed " Petteysville," after the proprietor, and it was cut on the stencil-plate and adopted as the name for the settlement. No village plat has yet been laid, but Mr. Petteys has sold numerous building-lots, his object being to induce mechanics to settle here.
The first store in the place was opened by David F. Hess in the building still occupied for like pur- poses by Samuel M. Fletcher.
For a number of years, mail was received by the citizens of this locality at the Pinckney post-office in Putnam, but about 1863 Petteysville post-office was established, with Valentine Wiegand as post- master, and that gentleman still continues to dis- charge the duties of the office. The first mail was carried by subscription.
Mr. Petteys, who also built the grist-mills at Pinck- ney and Hamburg villages, discovered the site of Petteysville while engaged at the second-named village, and subsequently purchased the west half of the northwest quarter and the northwest quar- ter of the northeast quarter of section 16, and upon a portion of this land his mills and the vil- lage are located.
David Van Horn, living immediately south of Petteysville, came from the State of New Jersey in 1850, and settled upon the place he now occupies. William Williamson, now of Howell, had formerly
288
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
lived on the same farm, and still earlier it was occupied by Mr. Wilson.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
At Hamburg village, meetings were held at an early day by the Presbyterians, Universalists, and others, but no society had effected an organization until the formation of "St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal Church," with the Grissons and others among its prominent members. A frame church is owned by this society, which latter is in a fairly prosperous condition. It is the only one in the county except an organization of the same denom- ination which meets in the court-house at Howell. The Methodists also have a society and a church building at Hamburg .*
UNION CHURCH, PETTEYSVILLE.
In 1845 the Methodists held meetings at this village, in the building standing opposite the resi- dence of Mr. Petteys, now used as a wagon-shop. The same building was a little later used for school purposes. After the new school-house was built the Methodists occupied it until the fall of 1878, a period of over thirty years. In the latter year a frame church was erected one mile north of the village. Rev. Mr. Sayre, a local preacher, and the first who held services here, went to California finally, and met his death at the hands of an assas- sin, whose object was to secure his money. The class at Petteysville was organized at some date succeeding the first meetings by Rev. Mr. Warren. The society held at one time a membership of over 40. The present pastor resides at Pinckney, in Putnam township, where he also has charge of a church. The building erected near Petteysville is a neat frame church, costing about $1500. It was built for use as a union church, but dedicated as a Congregational. That denomination and the Meth- odists hold their meetings in it, while all societies or sects have a right to occupy it as a place in which to hold religious services.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in the township of Hamburg was taught in a log school-house, one-fourth of a mile west of the site of the present frame building in District No. I. The exact date is not recol- lected, nor the teacher's name.
When, in the year 1835, Daniel B. Harmon lo- cated upon his land north of what is now Petteys- ville, he built a small shanty, which he occupied
until a log house could be constructed. Some time in the same year, after moving into the house, a school was taught in the vacated shanty by a fe- male teacher. The expenses of this school were paid by subscription, as it was before the district was organized.
At Petteysville, in the summer of 1844, Mrs. George Mercer taught a school at her own house, and after that was closed the children were obliged to go two and a half and three miles to school, -sometimes to the "north district" and some- times to the "south district." In 1845 the daughter of Rev. Mr. Sayre taught a school in a building then standing on Mr. Petteys' place, afterwards converted into a dwelling. In the fall of 1846 a frame school-house, 18 by 26 feet, was built, and is still in use. The present district, No. 9, was organized about the same time. The term taught by Mrs. Mercer was the first school in the neigh- borhood, and it is remembered that she was an amiable and excellent teacher. The schools in the " north" and " south" districts-one north and the other south of Petteysville, hence their names -had been in existence for several years before one was organized at the village.
From the report of the school inspectors of the township for the year ending Sept. 2, 1878, the following statement is taken, showing the condition of the schools at that time :
Number of whole districts 4
fractional districts 3
children of school age 252
" school-houses (frame). 7
Value of property. $2825
Number of male teachers 6
female teachers 8
Total paid male teachers $707
female teachers $364.25
Total receipts for year $1473.74
Amount on hand Sept. 2, 1878. 198.50
Total expenditures, less amount on hand. $1275.24
CEMETERIES.
The township contains two cemeteries, one on section 19 and the other on section 25. The latter, located south of Hamburg village, was laid out on an acre of land taken from the farm of Jesse Hall. At an early day the " First Hamburg Burial Asso- ciation" was formed, and still has charge of this cemetery. Ferdinand Grisson was for many years its president. The present officers are, President, James Cunningham; Vice-President and Secretary, Ferdinand Grisson ; Treasurer, Dennis Cory ; Sex- ton, William Potterton. In this ground repose the remains of many of the pioneers of the neigh- borhood, with others who were prominent at dif- ferent periods in the history of the township. Among those buried here are the following :
* It is regretted that no more complete account can be given of the religious societies at Hamburg village, but the written infor- mation which was promised failed to be forthcoming, whence its non-appearance.
HAMBURG TOWNSHIP.
289
Elisha W. Brockway, a native of Lyme, New London Co., Conn., died July 1, 1861, aged 71 years.
Mary L., his wife, a native of Geneseo, Ontario Co., N. Y., died July 28, 1874, aged 72 years.
Ann G., wife of W. C. Brockway, a native of Wayne, Steuben Co., N. Y., died Oct. 19, 1874, aged 50 years ..
Ferdinand H., son of F. and S. Grisson, born June 6, 1837 ; died Aug. 9, 1842.
Leonard Cooley, died July 26, 1847, aged 68 years. Daniel Hall, died April 26, 1857, aged 67 years.
Letty, his wife, died Jan. 29, 1851, aged 47 years.
Peter P. Galatian, M.D., a native of Coldenham, N. Y., died at Green Oak, Michigan, May 11, 1862, aged 68 years.
Sarah, wife of Stephen Haight, died Oct. 7, 1853, aged 75 years. Susan, wife of William Haight, died Oct. 2, 1874, aged 63 years. Thaddeus S. Mapes, died Nov. 23, 1875, aged 64 years. Jacob C. Hayner, died April 9, 1862, aged 78 years. Elizabeth, his wife, died Dec. 10, 1867, aged 76 years. Edward Bishop, died Aug. 24, 1876, aged 81 years. Lovina, his wife, died Dec. 21, 1878, aged 81 years. John S. Bennett, died May 24, 1871, aged 81 years. Martin Olsaver, died Aug. 4, 1862, aged 85 years. Frances, his wife, died May 4, 1860, aged 71 years. Rev. A. S. Hollister, died Jan. 4, 1856, aged 60 years. David B. Power, died Feb. 28, 1864, aged 58 years.
Harriet, wife of A. L. Power, died March 31, 1850, aged 41 years.
Peter S. Hendrick, died May 9, 1869, aged 70 years. Christopher L. Culver, died April 7, 1839, aged 39 years. Lucy H., his wife, died March 7, 1848, aged 29 years. Abner Butterfield, died March 19, 1873, aged 65 years. Richard E. Butler, died Nov. 5, 1866, aged 74 years. Cornelius Olsaver, died Jan. 19, 1875, aged 65 years. Jesse Hall, died Aug. 8, 1872, aged 78 years. Rev. S. M. Rigl, died June 26, 1848, aged 44 years. Sarah Corey, died Sept. 22, 1870, aged 85 years.
Thomas A. Galloway, died Sept. 2, 1847, aged 68 years.
Mary, wife of Rev. Ephraim Sawyer, died Nov. 19, 1847, aged 73 years.
James Burnett, died March 29, 1860, aged 77 years.
Asenath, his wife, died March 10, 1852, aged 56 years.
RAILROADS.
Various projects have been considered for rail- ways to cross this township and furnish an imme- diate market for the products of its farms. A proposition was submitted at one time to have the Grand Trunk Railway continue its line through this town to pass within one mile of Hamburg village, but, when the vote on the subject of raising $36,000 to aid the road was taken, the scheme was defeated. The Michigan Air-Line Railway, to ex- tend from Jackson to Port Huron, was afterwards talked of, the route being intended as a direct air- line from the connection with the Grand Trunk Railway, at Port Huron, through to Chicago. June 19, 1869, pursuant to printed notice, an elec- tion was held to determine whether the sum of $18,000 should be raised by the township in aid of the road, and the result stood 128 votes in favor to 25 against. Bonds were subsequently issued, and it was confidently expected the road would at once be built. It was graded from the west into the township of Putnam, and property
in the village of Pinckney, which lay on the route, advanced rapidly. The failure of the entire pro- ject caused the prices of property along the line to . decline as rapidly as they had risen, and Pinckney especially felt the blow. The bonds issued by Hamburg, as well as by other townships, were cancelled, and the people settled back into their former state of suspense and anxious waiting for the time when the iron horse should thunder through their domain and transport to distant markets the products of their broad acres. The extension of this road from Jackson to Niles is owned by the Michigan Central Railway, and is laid on almost the exact route originally surveyed. Grading was also done at the eastern end of the route, from Port Huron to Romeo.
CENSUS STATISTICS.
In 1837 the township of Hamburg contained a population of 490. Thirty-seven years later, in 1874, the number of inhabitants was 887,-males, 464; females, 423. From the State census for 1874 the following statistics are gathered :
Number of acres of taxable land in township .. 21,617
66 land owned by individuals and com- panies 21,621
66
improved land. 10,391
land exempt from taxation. 4 Value of same, including improvements. $8,000 3
Number of acres in school-house sites. church and parsonage sites =
¥
¥
wheat raised in 1874 1873.
I 2,748 2,880 1,030 28,148 36,060 15,305
Number of bushels wheat raised in "
corn
all other grain "
potatoes
5,455 1,841 27,770
pounds wool sheared
"
49,790
66
butter made
48,360
66
barrels cider made in 1873 ...
"
acres in orchards
66
bushels apples raised in 1872 "
1873
$4,000
Number of horses one year old and over, 1874.
work oxen, 1874 ...
milch cows,
395
66 neat cattle, one year old and over, other than oxen and cows, 1874.
428
swine over six months old, 1874. 429
sheep « . sheared in 1873.
4,921 5,050 3
Number of persons employed.
3
Capital invested. $13,500
Number of barrels of flour made. 1,100
Value of products. $8,000
I
Number of persons employed in same.
I
Capital invested.
$1,500
Feet of lumber sawed 20,000
Value of products
$300
1873
$4,500 405 8
tons hay cut
pork marketed
fruit dried for market in 1873 ..
8,280 457 363 14,825 11,950
Value of fruit and garden vegetables, 1872.
Number of flouring-mills in township.
Number of saw-mills
The following persons are among the many who have contributed information in this township, and to all who have thus aided sincere thanks are due and tendered : Daniel S. Bennett, of Ionia County, Hosted By
37
corn
290
HISTOR
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
son of Justus J. Bennett; Seth A. Petteys, Mrs. George Mercer, and others, at Petteysville; Hon. William Ball, Mrs. Stoddard W. Twichell, Ferdi- nand Grisson, Mrs. George Burnett, ard others, at Hamburg village and vicinity, and others in various portions of the township. Indebtedness is also acknowledged to the Pioneer Society of the county, and to Hon. Edwin B. Winans, present judge of probate.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
MAJOR GEORGE MERCER.
Among the early settlers and prominent citizens of Hamburg the subject of this narrative during his lifetime occupied a conspicuous position. He was born in Devonshire, England, in 1795. His father, William Mercer, was a cloth-merchant, a successful business man, who gave his children
LITTLE
MAJOR GEORGE MERCER.
liberal advantages, and reared a family of five children,-four sons and one daughter. George received a collegiate education, and was associated with his father in business until about 1820, when he came to this country, settling in New York City, where for many years he did business as an importer and jobber of cloths.
1 His business ventures were unsuccessful, and in 1833 he went to Monroe Co., N. Y., and engaged in farming. Here he lived until 1836, when he re- moved to Hamburg, Mich., with his family, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, upon which he resided until his decease. The pioneer life of Mr. Mercer was one of unusual
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