USA > Michigan > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 67
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The following is a list of the officers of the township of Unadilla, from 1836 to 1879, inclusive, as compiled from the records :
SUPERVISORS.
1836-37, Elnathan Noble; 1838, Solomon Sutherland; 1839, Philander Gregory ; 1840-43, John Cool; 1844-46, Henry Angel; 1847, John C. Stedman ; 1848, Anson Denton ; 1849, John Cool; 1850, W. H. Dunn; 1851, S. B. Reynolds; 1852-53, John C. Stedman ; 1854, Orla J. Backus; 1855, Theron Winans; 1856, S. B. Sales; 1857, John C. Stedman ; 1858, William S. Bird; 1859, Archibald Marshall; 1860, John Jackson; 1861-62, John C. Stedman ; 1863-65, John Jackson ; 1866, Stephen B. Sales ; 1867, Jonathan B. Foster; 1868, Samuel B. Reynolds; 1869-72, Stephen B. Sales ; 1873, Halsted Gregory; 1874, William W. Wood; 1875, John J. Watson ; 1876-77, Jonathan B. Foster; 1878-79, Thomas Howlett.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1836-37, Peter N. Hard ; } 1838, Emery Beal ; 1839, John Jack- son; 1840, Horace R. Northrup; 1841-42, Philander Gregory ; 1843-44, Albert G. Topping; 1845, George Taylor; 1846-47, Daniel R. Glenn; 1848, James W. Forshee; 1849, S. S. Chipman ; ¿ 1850, O. D. Chapman ; 1851, William Rounse- ville ; | 1852, Alexander Pyper; 1853-54, William E. Gregory ; 1855, Cyrenus Abbott; 1856, J. H. Marvin ; 1857-58, R. C. Marvin; 1859, William W. Wood; 1860, Seth B. Torrey; 1861-62, James Craig; 1863, C. J. Glenn ; 1864-65, S. B. Torrey ; 1866-74, James Craig; 1875, Morris Topping; 1876-77, James Craig; 1878-79, Sylvester G. Topping.
ASSESSORS.
1836, Jacob Dunn, Francis Lincoln, James D. McIntyre ; 1837, George C. Wood, Lemuel F. Chipman, John Drake; 1838, John Sutherland, Samuel Townsend, David Bird; 1839, David Holmes, David D. Bird, Samuel Townsend; 1840, Samuel Tetley, S. Townsend, John Sutherland; 1841, S. Townsend, John Jackson, Robert Glenn; 1842, John Jackson, J. L. Hartsuff; 1843, Samuel Townsend, Philander Gregory; 1844, S. Townsend, William H. Dunn; 1845, Henry Hart- suff, David Holmes; 1846, William H. Dunn, Moses Bab- cock ; 1847, John Cool, S. B. Van Size; 1848, J. C. Stedman, William S. Cool; 1849, J. C. Stedman, O. J. Backus; 1850, James Craig, David Holmes ; 1851, D. Dutton, J. C. Sted- man ; 1852, S. Townsend, Isaac Taylor; 1859, O. J. Backus, John Cool.
COLLECTORS.
1836, James D. McIntyre; 1837, Samuel G. Ives; 1838, Levi Westfall; 1839, Samuel G. Ives; 1840-41, Van Rensselaer T. Angel.
+ See histories of Putnam and Hamburg.
# In the latter year William S. Martindale was elected in Hard's place, at a special meeting.
¿ Removed from town, and John T. Smith appointed to fill vacancy.
| Removed from State, and George Burchard chosen in his Hosted by google
place.
* Appointed by Governor Mason.
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HON. SAMUEL G. IVES.
The subject of this sketch, who for over forty years was one of the most enterprising and prominent men of Liv- ingston Co., Mich., was born in Lansing, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Dec. 21, 1812.
The years of his boyhood were spent in his native town. From early childhood he was entirely dependent upon his own efforts for a livelihood, with surroundings not calcu- lated to develop the latent forces within him, except, perhaps, to teach the lesson that if he was to accomplish anything in life it must be by his own exertions. The years of his majority found him with but the rudiments of a primary education, with worldly effects not exceeding in value one hundred dollars, and that invested in a running horse. And now, without doubt, the first step taken was the laying of the corner-stone of his future prosperity and success, and, although but dimly foreshadowed, was sufficiently prominent to stimulate mental ac- tivity and physical vigor in every effort.
By dint of good fortune he exchanged his "racer" for eighty acres of land in the almost un- broken wilds of Michigan, situ- ated in township I north, of range 3 east, now Unadilla, Livingston Co. March 17, 1835, with high hopes and youthful ambitions, he turned his face toward the setting sun,-on foot and alone he started for Michigan.
The incidents of this journey and the events of the succeeding months are still referred to by him with animation and just pride. After experiencing con- siderable delay, traveling by va- rious means of locomotion, he finally reached Detroit. From here the journey was toilsome and laborious indeed ; however, the variations were quite suffi- cient to break the monotony. Following an Indian trail, going by "blazed" trees, crossing swollen streams, and, lastly, by the aid of a " land-looker," he was enabled for the first time in life to stand upon his own soil.
The site selected for building was soon cleared, a log house sixteen by twenty-two feet rolled up, arrangements for clearing and putting out to wheat about four acres, and Mr. Ives returned to New York.
This proved to be the nucleus to his future home, and to it he added, from time to time in after-years, as he was prospered, until he became the happy possessor of one of the finest and most productive stock and grain farms in Central Michigan, with pleasant and attractive rural build- ings overlooking the entire estate.
August 30, 1835, Mr. Ives married Miss Maria Louisa, daughter of Hon. Josiah Hedden, of Lansing, N. Y., and
SAMUEL G. IVES.
on the sixth of October following they bade adieu to the scenes of their childhood, with all their hallowed influ- ences, for their home "out West."
Here they were to live to see the tall, unbroken forests swept away, and in their places come waving fields of grain ; to see the long, winding trail of Lo and his fol- lowers tranformed into a broad highway, and traversed by commerce and thrift ; to see the ever-moving waters of the beautiful streams, which for ages had borne the rude canoe of the dusky fisherman, turning the wheels of industry, and aiding in the development of the country and its re- sources. Yes, this lone spot in the wilderness, possessing only the beauty and grace of nature, was to become to them the dearest spot on earth,-their home. Here, for nearly forty years, they toiled together, in sunlight and shadow, heart and hand, and under the smiles of a kind Provi- dence, whose overruling power they ever recognized, they were abundantly blessed "in basket and in store."
As the fruit of their wedded lives eight children were born to them, seven of whom grew up to manhood and womanhood, five of whom are still living. All are married, pleasantly circum- stanced, following honorable pur- suits, and located within a circuit of a few hours' ride.
Mr. Ives has always taken a lively interest in all matters per- taining to the growth, develop- ment, and prosperity of his adopted county, contributing freely and generously to every enterprise looking to the elevation and well- being of society.
To-day, nearly a dozen churches, within a radius of as many miles from his old home (whose spires, pointing heavenward, are silent monitors for good), received from him in the course of their erection substantial aid and encouragement. To him is due, perhaps, more than any other, the credit for the erection of the Methodist Episcopal church at Williams- ville in 1853, the second church edifice built in Livingston County. For nearly thirty years Mr. Ives has been a prominent and active member of this society. The mould- ing influence of his life upon his community, in favor of morality, temperance, and religion, will live and be felt long years after he has been laid beneath the beautiful granite shaft that now adorns the family plat at Williams- ville Cemetery. Here rests the companion of his youth, the mother of his children, who for nearly forty years was the sharer of his joys and sorrows alike, a helpmate in- deed, who departed this life Oct. 4, 1871.
Hospitable and liberal, his house was for many years the
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home of the itinerant minister of the gospel ; and in the years agone, when the itinerancy meant something more than it does in Central Michigan to-day, such men as Revs. Wm. E. Bigelow, J. M. Arnold, Samuel Clements, Dr. Fisk, T. C. Gardner, and scores of others-many of whom are gone to the mansions above-have found here a hearty welcome and a happy fireside.
In this connection it might be well to mention that Mr. Ives is a brother of Rev. B. I. Ives, D.D., of Auburn, N. Y., for many years chaplain of the Auburn State-prison, a man of enviable reputation as an orator, and well known throughout the nation and the Christian world as the "great Methodist dedicator ;" the man who has dedicated more churches and raised more money for clearing church debts than any other man on the continent, if not in the civilized world.
In politics, Mr. Ives was an Old-Line Whig, and co- operated heartily with that party until the organization of the Re- publican party, when he at once adopted its creed, and has ever been a strong advocate of its principles. Mr. Ives has been called to fill many positions of public trust and confidence. He was for sixteen consecutive years justice of the peace, and had a happy faculty of settling by arbi- tration, and without costs to the belligerent parties, a large per- centage of the cases that came to him in his official capacity.
In 1844 or 1845 he, with V. R. T. Angel and Freeman Webb, was instrumental in raising a company of cavalry under the then existing military laws. At its organization he was elected to a lieutenantcy, and, later, upon the resignation of Capt. Webb, was commissioned by Governor Epaphroditus Ransom as "Captain of Livingston Troops," which position he retained until the disbanding of the company. Mr. Ives was the first Republican representa- tive from Livingston County in the State Legislature. Elected in 1854; was re-elected in 1856, and also served at an extra session.
Though not a public speaker, by his earnest, forcible manner of argument he became an effective and efficient legislator, an honor to his constituents, and enjoyed the confidence of his political opponents. In 1874 he was unanimously nominated State Senator for his district, but, owing to a complication of circumstances, he peremptorily declined the honor.
During the late war Mr. Ives was instrumental in raising and forwarding to the front many soldiers for the Union armies, giving freely of his time, money, and influence. He was appointed by Prov .- Mar. McConnel, of Pontiac, enrolling officer for his district, the perplexing and oft-
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MRS. SAMUEL, G. IVES.
times unpleasant duties of which office he performed with fidelity, meeting the hearty approval of the department. He was particularly prominent in raising men for the 26th Regiment of Michigan Infantry, in which command his son, Maj. L. H. Ives, of Mason, Mich., served with dis- tinction and honor. He was Presidential elector on the Republican State ticket in 1872. Commissioned by Gov- ernor Bagley a "commissioner for the additional asylum for the insane" at Pontiac, in 1874, he proved a very efficient member of the board during the erection of the buildings ; this position he still retains. In 1875 he was appointed by the Governor a trustee to the institution. His elections or appointments to positions of trust and honor were never augmented by having been connected with any organization or society calculated to give him political preferment, but were rather the public recognition of personal fitness, and, though his party in his township and county were oftenest in the minority, he never suffered a de- feat. He was for many years a stockholder and director in the projected plank-road from Dex- ter to Lansing, five miles only of which was ever completed. Strictly speaking, this enterprise was not a financial success.
Farming and stock-growing has been his principal occupation, and in these he has demonstrated what may be wrought out by economy, industry, and frugality. At vari- ous times, however, Mr. Ives has owned a controlling interest in a saw-mill, flouring-mill, a country store, etc., but these have always been secondary. Few men enjoy a right fine team of horses better than Mr. Ives, and very few farmers in Michigan have owned more or better.
In 1876, having practically re- tired from active farm life, and in order to better meet the public demands upon his time, he turned over to his son, Frank E.,-who, by the way, is one of the rising, clear-headed young agriculturists of his county, and destined to become one of her solid men,- the entire control of the old homestead of three hundred and forty acres of land, and removed to Chelsea, Wash- tenaw Co., where he still resides. Since living there he has been president of the village and a member of the Common Council. Although having lived out nearly his threescore years and ten, Mr. Ives still retains the full mental and physical vigor of his middle life, and bids fair to live yet many years to enjoy the mercies a bountiful Providence has so liberally bestowed upon him. His present wife, Mrs. Mary A. Duncan, is an estimable lady. Theirs is a happy home, and with an ample competence, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, and hosts of friends, he is enjoying the later years of an active life.
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UNADILLA TOWNSHIP.
TREASURERS.
1839, Luke Montague; 1840-41, Hezekiah Bullock; 1842, David Holmes; 1843-45, V. R. T. Angel; 1846, Daniel Barton ; 1847-48, James Birney; 1849, John Jackson; 1850, Garry Briggs; 1851, W. Bullis; 1852, William S. Cool; 1853, Robert Brearley ; 1854, James Craig; 1855, Robert Brearley ; 1856, John Fulmer; 1857, L. Hopkins; 1858, D. A. Dun- kin; 1859, John Shields; 1860, Nelson A. Glenn; 1861, C. G. Cool; 1862, Gurdon Ward; 1863, W. S. Livermore; 1864, G. S. May; 1865, J. B. Foster; 1866, Wm. J. May ; 1867, Isaac S. Davis; 1868, Wm. D. Hartsuff; 1869, Wm. J. May ; 1870, Robert H. Bullis; 1871, Robert Brearley ; 1872, La Fayette Peet ; 1873-74, Robert Brearley; 1875-76, Joseph Kirtland; 1877-78, George Abbott; 1879, Samuel Placeway.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1836, E. Noble, J. Tetley, J. Dunn, Francis Lincoln; 1837, John Wood; 1838, David Holmes, Solomon Sutherland; 1839, Joseph L. Hartsuff; 1840, John B. Van Doren; 1841, John Sutherland, Samuel Tetley (the latter took the place of Elna- than Noble, deceased); 1842, Daniel Denton; 1843, J. L. Hartsuff, John Jackson; 1844, John B. Vandoren; 1845, George Bennett; 1846, Samuel G. Ives, Wm. S. Bird ; 1847, Joseph L. Hartsuff; 1848, Samuel Townsend; 1849, George Bennett ; 1850, S. G. Ives, Theron Winans; 1851, J. L. Field; 1852, G. W. Richmond; 1853, Theron Winans; 1854, S. Townsend, S. G. Ives; 1855, J. L. Field ; 1856, S. Town- send; 1857, S. P. Reynolds; 1858, D. S. Denton ; 1859, J. L. Field; 1860, Morris Topping; 1861, Daniel Wright; 1862, S. G. Ives ; 1863, O. H. Obert; 1864, Morris Topping; 1865, Daniel Wright; 1866, Archibald Marshall; 1867, Ju- nius L. Field, Frederick Sharp; 1868, Royal Barnum, Wm. S. Bird, Jonathan B. Foster; 1869, Wm. S. Braley; 1870, Wm. S. Bird ; 1871, Wm. J. May, Halsted Gregory; 1872, Jona- than B. Foster; 1873, Wm. S. Braley ; 1874, Royal Barnum ; 1875, Zenas A. Hartsuff, Wm. A. Williams ; 1876, C. Nelson Bullis; 1877, Wm. S. Braley; 1878, Wm. A. Williams, D. O. Dutton ; 1879, Daniel Barton.
SCHOOL INSPECTORS.
1836, Peter N. Hard, John Drake, Jacob Dunn, Elnathan Noble, James Tetley ; 1837, James Tetley, Gad C. Dibble, William Wright ;* 1838, James Tetley, Gad C. Dibble, David Holmes ; 1839, J. L. Hartsuff, Guilson Morgan, John Winans ; 1840, James Tetley, Abraham Abbott, Joseph L. Hartsuff ; 1841- 42, James Tetley, J. L. Hartsuff, Alexander Pyper; 1843, J. L. Hartsuff, Alexander Pyper; 1844, J. L. Rice, A. Beal ; 1845, Alexander Pyper; 1846, George W. Noble; 1847, Alexander Pyper; 1848, Joseph L. Hartsuff; 1849, O. D. Chapman ; 1850, Alexander Pyper; 1851, W. W. Wood; 1852, Joseph Hartsuff; 1853, T. McLeer ;+ 1854, Joseph L. Hartsuff; 1855, A. B. Wood; 1856, T. M. Joslin ; 1857, William W. Wood ; 1858, L. Hopkins ; 1859, Jonathan B. Foster; 1860, James Shields; 1861, Thomas J. Hays ; 1862, Loren Hopkins; 1863, Halsted Gregory ; 1864, Oliver L. Smith ; 1865, Halsted Gregory ; 1866, John O. Stedman ; 1867, William D. Hartsuff; 1868, Ira C. Backus ; 1869, Geo. Reynolds; 1870, William W. Wood; 1871, Jonathan B. Foster; 1872, Benjamin F. Chipman ; 1873, La Fayette Peet; 1874, Thomas Howlett; 1875, Jonathan B. Foster; 1876, John O. Stedman; 1877, Albert H. Watson ; 1878, John O. Stedman ; 1879, William W. Wood.
TOWNSHIP SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
1875, Halsted Gregory; 1876-78, William F. Bird; 1876, Eli F. Carr.
EARLY ROADS.
The following were among the first highways laid out in the township, and the routes of most of them have since been changed.
Dunn's road, "commencing at a stake on Tet- ley's road, south 70 degrees east, 21 chains and 25 links from quarter stake between sections 17 and 18, and terminating at a stake on the north line, 1 1.50 links from quarter stake between sections 5 and 8, town I north, of range 3 east." Surveyed Ioth of July, 1835, by John F. Farnsworth, Deputy District Surveyor.
Tetley's road, " commencing at a stake on the town line, 12 chains and 50 links north of the quarter stake on section 12, town I north, of range 2 east, and terminating at the quarter stake be- tween sections 20 and 21, in town I north, of range 3 east." Surveyed July 9, 1835.
Drake's road, " commencing at a stake on the Dexter road, south 76 degrees west, 28 chains from the quarter stake between sections 2 and 3, town I south, of range 3 east, and terminating on Peterson road, north 48 degrees east, 18 chains and 25 links from the quarter stake between 26 and 27, in town I north, of range 3 east." Sur- veyed July 11, 1835.
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Saw-Mill road, "commencing at a stake on Drake's road, on the east side of the mill-yard, south 62 degrees east, 23 chains and 14 links from the quarter stake between sections 34 and 35, in town I north, range 3 east, and terminating on the Dexter road, at a stake south 51 degrees east, 22 chains and 50 links from the quarter stake be- tween sections 33 and 34." Surveyed July 11, 1835.
The foregoing were all the roads surveyed in the township in 1835. Among those laid in 1836 were a continuation of Nathan Rose's road, altera- tion of Collins and Green's road, Palmer's road, Prospect Hill road, Centre road, Base Line road, Hard's road, Chipman's road, Sutherland's road, Broad Trail road, and Ives' road. The last four were surveyed by Richard Peterson, Jr., and the others by John F. Farnsworth. The latter person, who studied law with Judge Turner in Howell in 1842-43, removed soon afterwards to Kane Co., Ill., and became one of its most prominent citizens. He was long a leading legal practitioner, and rep- resented that Republican district fourteen years in Congress.
In 1840 what was called the "Beaver Dam Road," angled across the western portion of Una- dilla township, from a point half a mile south of the present school-house in District No. 12, to the farm now owned by John Jackson, thence on to Lansing, Ingham Co. The southeastern termi- nus of the road was at Dexter, in Washtenaw Co.
* Fitch Chipman and John Wood chosen at special election. + Also spelled McLear.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Its name came from the fact that after passing the line between Livingston and Ingham Counties, and in the latter, it crossed an ancient beaver-dam, at the outlet of an extensive marsh.
Another early road angled more to the north, across what is now the C. B. Westfall place, finally terminating at Plainfield. From the fact that no underbrush was found in the forest, it was possible to see a long distance among the trees, and teams could be driven almost anywhere, except having occasionally to avoid large trees.
VILLAGE OF WILLIAMSVILLE.
Amos Williams, from the State of Connecticut, came to Michigan in 1833, with his brother-in-law, Eli Ruggles, to visit relatives in Pontiac, and also called on Nathaniel Noble, an old acquaintance who was living at Dexter. Mr. Williams was a millwright, and at the instance of Mr. Noble came with the latter to examine the privilege the latter had discovered, at what is now Williamsville. The result was that Mr. Ruggles located the 40 acres already mentioned, and the men returned to Con- necticut. In the fall of the same year, Mr. Wil- liams came back, in company with his son, Samuel Williams, his son-in-law, Garry Briggs, and the latter's wife. These were the first settlers in the township, and Mrs. Briggs was the first woman who had set foot within its limits. For four weeks she lived in the wilderness, without seeing another woman of her own color, although Indian squaws were numerous. During that winter the men built a saw-mill, and its operations commenced in the spring of 1834. During the latter year Amos Wil- liams went after his family, returning with them in the fall. Their nearest neighbor, when they first came, was Henry Warner, who lived ten miles southeast, in Washtenaw County. Stephen Ste- venson was, at the same time, building a log house on the shore of North Lake, also in the county named. Indian trails or lines of marked trees were the only highways.
January 30, 1837, Darwin N. Edson and the heirs of Curtis Noble laid out a village, and called it Unadilla, the same which is now known as Wil- liamsville. Edson lived in Greene Co., N. Y. The work was done under authority of Elnathan Noble, who was attorney for Edson and the heirs of Curtis Noble. The survey* was made by John F. Farnsworth. The saw-mill stood on the river, south of the village plat.
* By an act of the Legislature approved March 25, 1846, all that portion of the recorded plat of Unadilla lying on the east half of the east half of the southwest quarter of section 28 was vacated. No decree of court has been recorded to make this vacation legal, however.
Mr. Noble presented a lot to Mrs. Briggs, in honor of her being the first white female inhab- itant of the township, and Mr. Williams built a house upon it for her, in which the Briggs family lived a number of years. Mr. Williams' son, Wil- liam A. Williams, now resides at the village, and a second son, Samuel Williams, is a resident of White Oak, Ingham Co.
Large quantities of lumber have been sawed in the old Williams mill, the frame of which is yet standing, although it has not been in operation for several years. The mill-privilege is said to be an excellent one for a small stream.
In the summer of 1847 David Holmes built a store at the village, and filled it with goods the same fall. He and Anson Denton entered into partnership, and conducted business about two years. Mr. Holmes, who was a Baptist deacon, owned a fine farm, but was so unfortunate as to lose it in unprofitable mercantile pursuits. His place is now owned by his son, William S. Holmes. Mr. Denton, Holmes' partner, purchased the latter's interest and moved the merchandise into a room in William A. Williams' house, where he continued in trade for a time. James Jamieson afterwards kept a store about a year in the same place, and since then no efforts have been made in the mercantile line in the village.
VILLAGE OF PLAINFIELD.
Numerous Indian trails crossed each other at or near the site of Plainfield, and the locality seemed to be a favorite camping-ground among the red men. Cranberries abounded here, and this fact doubtless had its weight. The chief best known to the settlers of this region was "Toag," whose followers could not be kept in hand, and were gen- erally thieving and drunken. Instances are related of their entering houses when the men were away from home, and scaring the women into giving them food, and even clothing.
Some time in 1835, Jacob Dunn and Levi Claw- son started together for the West, from Newton, N. J. Mr. Clawson stopped in Ohio, while Dunn came to Michigan, purchased land and settled upon it, being the first to locate on the site of Plainfield. During the following winter Mr. Clawson came to the same place and purchased, and found Dunn living in a log house on the south of his (Dunn's) farm. He learned afterwards that the road was to be laid on the section line north of him, and moved his house to it. Dunn was the only man living at the place when Clawson entered his land. The latter returned to Ohio, and in May, 1837, re- moved with his family to his place at Plainfield, where he has since resided.by Google
RESIDENCE OF MORRIS TOPPIN, SR.
RESIDENCE OF MORRIS TOPPIN , JR.
VILLAGE OF PLAINFIELD, MICH.
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UNADILLA TOWNSHIP.
In the mean time Fleet Van Sickel bought land at Plainfield, but soon sold to Philip Dyer, who became the second settler at the place. Dyer was also from New Jersey, and located here in 1836. He and Dunn both kept taverns. The place was originally known as Dyersburg, but upon the establishment of a post-office the name, Plainfield, was given by Mr. Dunn, after a town in New Jer- sey. John Cool and family came with Dyer and located west of the village, where two of his daughters are now living. Samuel Townsend set- tled in the fall of 1836 on the farm now occupied by John Van Sickel, who married one of his daughters.
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