USA > Michigan > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 80
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1854 .- George J. Griffin, Supervisor; Albert L. Hathaway, Town- ship Clerk; Samuel Mapes, Jr., Treasurer; Calvin Townley, Adnah Lewis, Justices of the Peace; Charles H. K. Warren, School Inspector.
1855 .- George J. Griffin, Supervisor; Albert L. Hathaway, Township Clerk ; S. A. Stuart, Treasurer ; Henry Gris- wold, Henry S. Worthington, Justices of the Peace ; Charles Ross, School Inspector.
1856 .- Orman Holmes, Supervisor ; Albert L. Hathaway, Town- ship Clerk ; Stephen A. Stuart, Treasurer; Daniel Rich, William C. Ferry, Justices of the Peace; C. H. K. Warren, School Inspector.
1857 .- O. B. Chambers, Supervisor; Albert L. Hathaway, Town- ship Clerk ; Jacob Carl, Treasurer; Edward Davidson, Justice of the Peace; William M. Hayford, School In- spector.
1858 .- Jacob S. Griswold, Supervisor; Albert L. Hathaway, Township Clerk; Jacob Carl, Treasurer; Nelson Ste- vens, L. L. Armstrong, Justices of the Peace; W. S. Smith, School Inspector.
1859 .- Henry P. Crouse, Supervisor; Albert L. Hathaway, Township Clerk ; Earl E. Walton, Treasurer; David B. Mason, Silas Bullard, Justices of the Peace; Frank Sweet, School Inspector.
1860 .- Henry P. Crouse, Supervisor; Albert L. Hathaway, Township Clerk; John Wallace, Treasurer; David Rich, Stephen Hungerford, Elisha G. Smith, Justices of the Peace; John B. Tyrrell, School Inspector.
1861 .- Lorenzo S. Armstrong, Supervisor ; Sanford Hildebrant, Township Clerk; John Wallace, Treasurer; Elisha G. Smith, Ephraim Hubbell, Justices of the Peace; Frank Sweet, School Inspector.
1862 .- O. B. Chambers, Supervisor; Albert L. Hathaway, Township Clerk; Hugh Cullen, Treasurer; Ephraim Hubbell, George A. Whitehead, Justices of the Peace ; Newton T. Kirk, School Inspector.
1863 .- Ira Knight, Supervisor; Henry Crouse, Township Clerk ; Wm. F. Lemen, Treasurer; Lyman Bishop, Van R. Durfee, Hiram R. Scollard, Justices of the Peace; Mor- gan L. Andrus, School Inspector.
1864 .- Ira Knight, Supervisor; Henry Crouse, Township Clerk ; Charles H. Mercer, Treasurer ; Van R. Durfee, Justice of the Peace; Charles Rose, School Inspector.
1865 .- Giles Ross, Supervisor; Joseph Blinston, Township Clerk; Samuel Mapes, Treasurer ; James Gleason, Justice of the Peace ; William M. Hayford, School Inspector.
1866 .- John Wood, Supervisor; John B. Crouse, Township Clerk ; Hiram R. Scollard, Treasurer; Furman B. Clark, Jus- tice of the Peace ; Newton T. Kirk, School Inspector. , 1867 .- Jacob S. Griswold, Supervisor; Newton T. Kirk, Town- ship Clerk ; Thomas N. Jones, Treasurer; John Dun-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
ham, Justice of the Peace; Allen C. Wright, School In- spector.
1868 .- Henry P. Crouse, Supervisor; Wilkes S. Stuart, Town- ship Clerk ; Amos J. Bebee, Treasurer; Elisha G. Smith, William T. Seaman, Justices of the Peace ; Al- bert L. Hathaway, School Inspector.
1869 .- Henry P. Crouse, Supervisor ; Wilkes S. Stuart, Town- ship Clerk ; Peter Mckeever, Treasurer ; James Gleason, Justice of the Peace; Orman Holmes, J. W. Worthing- ton, School Inspectors.
1870 .- John Wood, Supervisor; Wilkes S. Stuart, Township Clerk ; Henry Nichols, Treasurer; Benjamin R. Town- ley, Justice of the Peace; Justin W. Worthington, School Inspector.
1871 .- Justin W. Worthington, Supervisor; William M. Cham- bers, Township Clerk ; Peter Fahey, Treasurer; O. B. Chambers, Robert McCall, Justices of the Peace ; Wil- liam H. Hayford, School Inspector.
1872 .- George W. Stark, Supervisor ; James C. Campbell, Town- ship Clerk ; Charles H. Stevens, Treasurer ; John Dun- ham, Chauncey A. Weaver, Justices of the Peace ; Justin W. Worthington, School Inspector.
1873 .- Justin W. Worthington, Supervisor; Major H. Lemen, Township Clerk ; Jacob S. Griswold, Treasurer; James Gleason, Justice of the Peace; Harry S. Myers, School Inspector.
1874 .- Lorenzo L. Armstrong, Supervisor; Z. E. Chambers, Township Clerk ; Asa Parshall, Treasurer ; Herman W. Clark, Justice of the Peace; William M. Hayford, J. W. Worthington, School Inspectors.
1875 -Lorenzo L. Armstrong, Supervisor; Herman W. Clark, Township Clerk ; Wilkes S. Stuart, Treasurer; Jacob S. Griswold, Nathaniel Ethridge, Justices of the Peace; Harry S. Myers, Superintendent of Schools; Newton T. Kirk, School Inspector.
1876 .- Lorenzo L. Armstrong, Supervisor; Frank J. Birdsall, Township Clerk; Squire Verselius, Treasurer; John Dunham, Justice of the Peace; Harry S. Myers, Super- intendent of Schools; Newton T. Kirk, School Inspec- tor.
1877 .- Lorenzo L. Armstrong, Supervisor; John Campbell, Town- ship Clerk; Squire Verselius, Treasurer; John Wood, Justice of the Peace; Harvey S. Myers, Superintendent of Schools; Newton T. Kirk, School Inspector.
1878 .- Justin W. Worthington, Supervisor; Major H. Lemen, Township Clerk ; Jacob S. Griswold, Treasurer; Richard Marvin, Justice of the Peace; R. C. Sellman, Superin- tendent of Schools; John J. Boyd, School Inspector. 1879 -Hiram B. Thompson, Supervisor; Lemuel Hurlbert, Town- ship Clerk ; Jacob S. Griswold, Treasurer; Jacob S. Griswold, Justice of the Peace; John J. Boyd, Superin- tendent of Schools; William M. Hayford, School In- spector.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CHARLES SMITH,
one of the pioneers of the southern part of the town of Hartland, was born in Grimesville, Berks Co., Pa., Aug. 28, 1811. He was the son of Chris- tian and Ann Smith. Up to the age of seventeen he worked on his father's farm, at which time he was apprenticed to the trade of a weaver, which
avocation he followed until he came to Michigan, in 1834. He worked for Luther Boyden, of Wash- tenaw County, for three years, when he settled in Hartland, where he located one hundred and sixty acres of land. There he resided until his death, in 1875. In 1837 he was married to Miss Ann Smith, who was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., N. Y., April 14, 1821. They raised a family of eight children : Sarah J., Laura A., Reuben C., William A., Charles A., Addie A., Frank L., and Flea- nor A.
Mr. Smith was a successful farmer, and as a neighbor and friend was fully appreciated by all who knew him. His wife is in every respect a splendid type of the women of the early days, and did her part in developing the farm on which she now resides, which is one of the best in Hartland.
ELISHA G. SMITH
was born Nov. 25, 1826, in Tioga Co., Pa. He was the only son of William Smith and Leah Griswold, who reared a family of five children.
The elder Smith was probably a native of Penn- sylvania, and was born May 10, 1786. When twenty-one years of age he went to Smithfield, Bradford Co., Pa., where he purchased and im- proved a new farm. After a residence there of several years he removed to Tioga County, and engaged in lumbering, marketing his product in Philadelphia. The business proving unremunera- tive, he decided to come to Michigan, and in 1836 purchased the farm upon which he afterward resided. Returning to Pennsylvania, he came, with his family the following spring, and made a permanent settlement. He was highly esteemed for his sterling integrity and industrious habits ; was a man of strong religious convictions, and a prominent member of the Methodist Church. He was magistrate of Hartland for many years, and held many other positions of trust. He died in Flint, Dec. 20, 1852.
Elisha G. Smith was possessed of many strong points of character, and inherited from his father many of his distinguishing traits. He was ener- getic, industrious, and possessed of more than an ordinary amount of business ability. Upon the death of his father he succeeded to his business, which he managed successfully. April 20, 1853, he was married to Miss Cordelia M. Marsh, of Pleasant Valley, where she was born April 19, 1833. They reared a family of eight children, seven of whom are living. E. G. Smith died in Hartland in 1870.
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ELISHA G. SMITH.
MRS. ELISHA G. SMITH.
WILLIAM SMITH .
CHARLES SMITH.
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HARTLAND TOWNSHIP.
LE GRAND CLARK,
son of Elisha and Lydia (Root) Clark, was born in Johnstown, Montgomery Co., N. Y., Nov. 25, 1814, and was the second child in a family of three boys and three girls. Elisha, Jr., was born March 25, 1785. Lydia, his wife, was born in 1784. He was a shoemaker by trade, and died when Le Grand was but fourteen years of age. But little is known of his history, further than that he was a man of sterling integrity and highly respected. His father, Elisha, Sr., was a native of Old Mil- ford, Conn., where he was born April 15, 1746. He married Parthenia Lewis.
Le Grand, by the death of his father, was thrown upon his own resources, and up to the age of twenty-three was the head of the family. At this time he was married to Miss Catharine Vrooman, and moved to Victor, Ontario Co., N. Y., where he remained three years.
In 1842, Mr. Clark came to Hartland and pur- chased the farm where he now resides, and which at present consists of two hundred and fifty-four acres. Eight years after his removal to Michigan his wife died, and in 1853 he was again married, to Miss Abigail G. Bussey. She was born in Mace- don, Wayne Co., N. Y., Sept. 26, 1834.
Mr. Clark has been a successful farmer and is considered a valuable citizen. He is a Baptist in his religious convictions, and a prominent member of the church of that denomination in Hartland.
JACOB S. GRISWOLD.
Among the early pioneer families of the town of Hartland the Griswolds are entitled to prominent mention. Henry Griswold, father of the subject of this narrative, was a native of Chemung Co., N. Y., where he was born in the year 1800. He married Elizabeth Snell, and reared a family of eight children, Jacob S. being the eldest. In 1836 he came to Livingston County, and, being favorably impressed with the soil and the natural
advantages, he purchased a farm in the town of Hartland. Returning to New York he disposed of his property, and the following spring emigrated with his family. He at once commenced the im- provement of his farm, upon which he resided un- til his death, which occurred in 1877. He was a thrifty, industrious farmer, and a man of excellent principles. Jacob acknowleged obligation to his father in his labor until he attained his majority, when he started in life as a clerk in the store of Austin & Wakeman, with whom he remained six years. In 1849 he established himself in trade at Parshallville, where he now resides. In his busi- ness operations Mr. Griswold has been successful. In 1853 he purchased a farm and engaged in dairy- ing and raising stock, in connection with his mer- cantile business. In 1875 he built a cheese-factory and commenced the manufacture of cheese.
In 1851, Mr. Griswold was married to Miss Es- ther, daughter of Ezra Mason, one of the pioneers of Rochester, N. Y., having settled there previous to the war of 1812. He was a miller by trade, but in the later part of his life became a farmer, which business he followed until his death. He was highly esteemed for his integrity and ability.
The life of Mr. Griswold has been comparatively uneventful. In his youth he was subjected to the privations and hardships of pioneer life, and early learned lessons of industry, economy, and self-re- liance, which were eminently serviceable to him in after-life. He has not only obtained a prominent position among the leading business men of the county, but has won the esteem and confidence of his townsmen, who have elected him to various positions of trust, the duties of which he has faith- fully discharged. In 1858 he was elected super- visor of Hartland, and again in 1867. He has been postmaster of Parshallville since 1857, with the ex- ception of two years.
Mr. Griswold is a man of marked liberality and of much public spirit. He has taken a deep interest in the development of his town and county. So- cially he is genial and courteous, and his hospitality is proverbial.
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OCEOLA TOWNSHIP.
THE township of Oceola lies near the centre of Livingston County, and is bounded north by Deerfield, east by Hartland, south by Genoa, and west by Howell. It is exclusively an agricul- tural township, having no village within its limits, and its improvements are second to none in the county. Elegant farm-dwellings, substantial and comfortable barns and out-buildings, and well-kept fields are evidences of the prosperity of its inhabi- tants. The soil is adapted to all its requirements, and the yield of grains and fruit is generally most satisfactory. Timber exists in considerable quan- tities. The water-courses are few, and frequently become dry during continued drouths. The sur- face of the township is generally rolling, and capable of excellent drainage. In places the ele- vations are almost worthy the name of hills, and many beautiful and picturesque locations abound.
In an early day game existed in this township in abundance, in common with all the region sur- rounding, and it was but a question of sure aim to the settler whether or not he should have a bounti- ful supply of fresh meat. The rifle was the neces- sary companion of the axe, and the crash of the falling tree was heard in unison with the report of the weapon from which sped the leaden messenger of death towards the noble antlered buck. The deer, which once were plenty, have long since dis- appeared, yet various portions of the State in which they yet abound have become familiar to the sons of pioneers, who, like their fathers, enjoy the sports of the chase.
LAND-ENTRIES.
The following list includes all who entered land in what is now known as the township of Oceola, according to the Tract Book at the Register's office in Howell. The sections and years in which the entries were made are given :
SECTION 1 .- 1835, Israel Parshall, Guy N. Roberts; 1836, Rus- sell Morton, Ezekiel Page, John Van Tuyl, Thomas Van Tuyl; 1837, Henry Tripp.
SECTION 2 .- 1835, Samuel Griswold, John Stevens; 1836, Jacob Snell, Peter Martin, Thomas Van Tuyl, John Stevens, John A. Van Camp.
SECTION 3 .- 1836, Daniel W. Leroy, Joseph Merrill, Jacob Snell, Jacob Long, Rodney C. Boutwell, Israel C. Parshall, B. B. Kercheval.
SECTION 4 .- 1836, William Page, Samuel White, Garret Martin.
SECTION 5 .- 1836, William Page, Allen C. Hodges, John B. Franklin, Cornelius Neisse.
SECTION 6 .- 1836, William J. Hamilton, Roswell Barnes, Con- rad Moore, William B. Eager.
SECTION 7 .- 1836, Job W. Durfee, Charles Van Keuren, William B. Eager ; 1848, John Curran.
SECTION 8 .- 1835, Asa Parker, Thomas K. Parshall; 1836, John M. Coe, Isaac Munson, William W. Johnson, Robert Ed- wards; 1837, Moses Beidleman.
SECTION 9 .- 1835, Joseph Whitaker, Norman Spellar, Jabez Mead; 1836, Jabez Mead, Joseph Willis, Samuel White, John M. Coe, Robert Edwards.
SECTION 10 .- 1835, Henry S. Chaplin, Benjamin Eldred; 1836, Daniel W. Leroy, Wm. Peabody, Asa Parshall, John Crane. SECTION II. - 1836, Joseph S. Gibbs, Patrick Tobin, Ann Gris- wold, Samuel Griswold, Asa Parshall, John P. Bush, Valen- tine H. Ketchum.
SECTION 12 .- 1834, George Peters; 1835, John T. Brown, Ben- jamin Griswold; 1836, Ira Knight, Elisha Griswold.
SECTION 13 .- 1832, William E. Redding; 1834, Charles K. Graves ; 1835, Thomas K. Parshall, Charles K. Graves, Archibald Nelson, Jonathan Nelson, Guy N. Roberts, Wil- liam P. Shannon ; 1836, Nathan Jenks, Nehemiah Boutwell, SECTION 14 .- 1835, Harley H. Graves, Hosea Root, Archibald Nelson, Benjamin Eldred; 1836, Russell Blood, Norman Spellar, Harvey H. Neff, Caroline Austin.
SECTION 15 .- 1835, Polly Fuller, Benjamin Eldred ; 1836, Jonas G. Potter, Francis Mittleberger ; 1837, George W. Sutton; 1839, G. Thompson, David Blood; 1851, John L. Lewis.
SECTION 16 (school lands) .- 1848, J. H. Ferguson ; 1850, William Holmes, H. Mckeever; 1851, R. A. Ferguson, B. Feeley; 1853, L. C. Crittenden, W. P. Holmes, Robert Holmes, Isaac Haywood, J. B. Lee; 1854, F. McDonough, P. Mckinney ; 1856, William Holmes; 1862, Francis Mc- Donough, Jr.
SECTION 17 .- 1836, William Barber, John F. Lawson, Friend Burt, Charles Van Keuren.
SECTION 18 .- 1836, Stephen J. Miller, Volney Hinman, Ezra J. Mundy, Charles Van Keuren, John Crane.
SECTION 19 .- 1836, Flavius J. B. Crane, Jonas M. Wheeler, Vol- ney Hinman.
SECTION 20 .- 1835, Charles Pinckney, Samuel H. West; 1836, James Hughson, Thomas M. Howell, Gabriel Dean; 1837, George W. Walker.
SECTION 21 .- 1836, Obed Durfee, Anson Nelson, Amasa B. Nel- son, Andrew Riddle, Pomeroy Easton, John K. Buel.
SECTION 22 .- 1835, Joseph H. Rumsey, James G. Rumsey, Jesse B. Rumsey ; 1836, Artemas S. Hardy, Amos B. Root ; 1851, George W. Armstrong ; 1854, Barnard Judge.
SECTION 23 .- 1835, Orville Murdock, John P. Springsteen, Wil- liam H. Johnston, Ephraim Hardy ; 1836, Artemas S. Hardy. SECTION 24 .- 1835, Orville Murdock ; 1836, Peter Y. Browning, Charles McDonald, Edmund A. Brush, William P. Shannon, Nathan Jenks, William A. Clark, Sarah Murdock.
SECTION 25 .- 1835, Reuben Moore; 1836, Peter Y. Browning, Orsamond B. Wood, Clark C. Boutwell, Flavius J. B. Crane, Charles A. Wallace, Horace R. Hudson.
SECTION 26 .- 1836, Peter Y. Browning, Harvey Rhodes, Pome- roy Easton, Clark C. B Boutwell, Connor Bergen, Jesse B. Rumsey, Robert Chambers. Hosted by Google
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RESIDENCE OF ROBERT BROWNING, OCEOLA, LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICH.
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OCEOLA TOWNSHIP.
SECTION 27 .- 1835, Ellis Luther, Joel B. Rumsey ; 1836, Liberty Judd.
SECTION 28 .- 1838, Philester Jessup, Joseph H. Pinckney, Ellis Luther, Milan Glover ; 1836, Joseph H. Rumsey, Andrew Riddle, Artemas S. Hardy, Joel B. Rumsey.
SECTION 29 .- 1835, Henson Walker, Milan Glover; 1836, Gar- diner Mason, Jonas M. Wheeler, William C. Rumsey, Emily L. Rumsey, Solomon Saunders; 1837, James A. Hicks, Samuel T. Buel.
SECTION 30 .- 1835, Addison Lackor, Rensselaer Lackor, Moses Thompson, Mary Thompson; 1836, Gardiner Mason, Jonas M. Wheeler, William C. Rumsey, Emily L. Rumsey, Charles A. Jeffries; 1837, John Lowe.
SECTION 31 .- 1835, Rufus Nicols, John Fraser, Jacob S. Sorter, Paul D. Cornell, Alonzo Cornell, Alexander Fraser ; 1836, Joseph H. Steel, Henry Hawkins, Van Rensselaer Hawkins; 1848, Morris Thompson.
SECTION 32 .- 1835, John Walker; 1836, William Talman, Joseph HI. Steel, Jacob W. Moore; 1837, Philester Jessup, Orson Elliott ; 1839, Samuel Colborn.
SECTION 33 .- 1835, John Walker, Ephraim Hardy ; 1836, Ben- jamin Earl, Noah Briggs, Joseph Whitaker, John W. Roen, John French, Robert Whitacre, Riley Earl, Philester Jessup. SECTION 34 .- 1835, Ellis Luther, Ephraim Hardy; 1836, William H. Phillips, Noah Briggs, Joseph Whitacre, Connor Bergen ; 1837, Alonzo Wilcox, William II. Kimball, Washington Jackson; 1854, William Barbour, Noah Briggs.
SECTION 35 .- 1836, John Stone, John Thuirvahter, Martin George, Flavius J. B. Crane, Connor Bergen, Edward Nichols. SECTION 36 .- 1836, Erastus Kellogg, Gustav Baetcke, Solomon Gue, Samuel Harned.
SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
Regarding the first settlement in the territory now known as Oceola township there is some dispute, but from all evidence obtained the version given by Thomas K. Parshall, still living in the township, is thought to be the true one, and is as follows :
H. H. Graves came into the township Aug. 31, 1834, and became its first settler. Henry Neff (or Harry, as he was more familiarly known) followed in November of the same year. These two per- sons, with their families, were the only settlers in the township until the Ist day of June, 1835, which witnessed the arrival of Thomas K. Parshall. On the 4th of the same month the latter settled, with his family, in a log shanty, covered with elm-bark. J. T. Brown arrived in August of the same year (1835), and John Stevens came soon after. The latter built the first shingle-roofed log house in the township.
During the winter of 1835-36 the five families* then living in the township occupied one small house and a log shanty, with its covering of elm- bark. Sept. 5, 1835, Mr. Neff's son, Jerome Neff, was born, his being the first birth of a white child in the township. The first death was that of a child named Catharine Stevens, daughter of John Stevens, which occurred Nov. 1, 1835, soon after
Mr. Stevens arrived. Mr. Parshall's father-in-law, Capt. Jeremiah Casady, died in February, 1837.
Perhaps the first couple married in town were William Dean and wife,-her name not recollected. This was in the spring of 1838; the ceremony was performed by Thomas K. Parshall, Esq., and the occasion was the first of the kind upon which he had been called to officiate.
Mckinstry Sanders, from the town of Lee, Oneida Co., N. Y., formerly of Martinsburg, Lewis Co., moved to Michigan from the former place in May, 1836, and located in La Salle, Monroe Co. In October following he moved to Oceola, and purchased a farm a mile north of the present home of his son, Nathan M. Sanders. The elder San- ders now lives in the village of De Witt, Clinton Co., Mich. His sons, Nathan M. and George, are the only ones of his children at present living in Oceola. Mr. Sanders resided in this town over thirty years. Nathan M. Sanders purchased land in Kent County, went to it, and built a shanty upon it in 1842. At the same time he owned the place where he now lives, and finally disposed of his Kent County land. He has recently transferred a portion of this place to his sons, Albert T. and John F. Sanders.
Mckinstry Sanders was noted for his proficiency in the chase, and on one occasion, when coming home with sixty pounds of flour on his back, saw as many as fifty deer on the way. He was one of a quintette of "mighty hunters," composed of him- self, Charles P. Bush, of Genoa, Elias Sprague, Nicholas Frink, and Henson Walker, Jr., and these wrought destruction in the ranks of the four-footed denizens of the forest. To Walker many of the settlers were often indebted for choice morsels of venison, which came in time of need.
Roswell Pettibone, a native of Vermont, and later · a resident of Genesee Co., N. Y., came to Michi- gan as early as 1828, and settled at Ypsilanti, Wash- tenaw Co. His wife came to the same county in 1829, from Seneca Co., N. Y., with her brother and mother,-Mrs. Sarah Terhune, a widow. She was married to Mr. Pettibone at Ypsilanti, where they lived until 1843, when they removed to the town- ship of Genoa, Livingston Co., and settled on a place lying on the Grand River road. In 1853 they came to the farm they now occupy, which is that formerly owned by Philester Jessup, and after- wards the property of a Mr. Pruden. Mr. Petti- bone's son, James L. Pettibone, who is a native of Washtenaw County, resides on a farm west of his parents. The place on which the family located in Genoa was purchased of a man named Guthrie; upon it a log house had been built and an acre or two cleared when they took possession.
* See statement of Walker et al. settlement.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
In the fall of 1835 four men from Ontario Co., N. Y., came into the township and entered land on sections 28 and 29. These were Henson Walker, Philester Jessup, Joseph Pinckney, and Ellis Lu- ther. They all built shanties, and Mr. Walker set- tled with his family almost immediately, the others locating during the winter. Mr. Jessup afterwards became the first clerk of Livingston County. In the spring of 1837, Mr. Walker's daughter, Cassa Ann, was born, being one of the first white children born in the township. She became the wife of Edward Pettibone, and is now living in Ypsilanti, where her husband died.
When the Walker family first came to Michigan it stopped a few months at Salem, Washtenaw Co. The elder Walker located his land in Oceola, and his son, John Walker, located the place where another son. Richard Walker, now lives. John Walker did not settle, but went back to Washte- naw County, of which he is still a resident. He sold his place to his brother George, who made the first improvements upon it, and occupied it six or seven years. The latter also now lives in Wash- tenaw County. Of the nine children-seven sons and two daughters-who came to Oceola with their parents,-Henson Walker and wife,-three sons, Richard, Thomas, and Robert, yet live in the town- ship; one son, Henson, Jr., lives in the Salt Lake Valley, in Utah. The elder Walker died many years since. His widow is living with one of her daughters, in Ypsilanti.
Jesse Mapes, an early settler in the north part of town, built one of the first frame houses erected in the township. The first was probably built by John T. Brown, and was standing in 1836. Mapes at first occupied a small temporary shanty for a short time.
William Barbour, from Orange County, Vt. (pre- viously from Massachusetts), came to Oceola in · 1836, and purchased land in sections 33 and 34, which he still owns. Returning East, he moved back with his family in the fall of 1837, and settled upon his place. Mr. Barbour, who was himself a mechanic, concluded it was useless to waste time in building a log house, and therefore erected a frame edifice. The lumber was sawed mostly at Thompson's mill, north of Howell, from whitewood logs cut on his (Barbour's) own place. As there was no snow, they were drawn to the mill on bare ground. Mr. Barbour subsequently built one of the first frame barns in the township, securing help to raise from a distance of six or seven miles. Mr. Hardy's frame barn had been previously erected, and perhaps one or two others. Mr. Barbour's father, Zebulon Barbour, quite an aged man, came to Oceola with his son, and aided him in building
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