History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 98

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The present division is into 38 districts, and the list of overseers is as follows :

No. 1, Harry Houghton; No. 2, Peter Rohrabacher; No. 3, Hubert Blodgett; No. 4, A. H. Jones ; No. 5, H. Grant; No. 6, Asa Petteys ; No. 7, George Houghtaling ; No. 8, James R. Fisher ;

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COHOCTAH TOWNSHIP.

No. 9, William C. Hosley; No. 10, John J. Barlow; No. 11, Samuel Slider; No. 12, Parmenio Adams; No. 13, George Soule; No. 14, Isaac Teller; No. 15, William Dunkle ; No. 16, Henry Stoner; No. 17, Joseph Lamoreaux ; No. 18, Edward Antliff; No. 19, John Wiggins; No. 20, John D. Blank; No. 21, Edward Fisher; No. 22, James Gilland; No. 23, John Dunstan ; No. 24, Alexander T. Frisbee ; No. 25, Charles Dean; No. 26, Adam Shaler; No. 27, Lewis B. Boyd ; No. 28, Henry Brigham ; No. 29, Charles E. Dunstan ; No. 30, Moses Jones; No. 31, Israel Ellsworth ; No. 32, Thomas Goldsmith ; No. 33, Jesse Morey ; No. 34, Waterbury Ostrander; No. 35, Fred Steinacher; No. 36, Samuel G. Houghtaling; No. 37, F. L. Rohrabacher; No. 38, William Patterson.

VILLAGES AND POST-OFFICES.

In the spring of 1849 two brothers, Guy N. and Abner Roberts, came from Chemung Co., N. Y., and bought a tract of 40 acres of land in the north part of section 36, in this town, with the intention of founding thereon a village. The first thing to which they turned their attention was the building of a grist-mill, to utilize the water-power furnished by the Bo-bish-e-nung Creek, which at this point had a fall of over thirteen feet, affording one of the finest powers, on a stream of its size, within the limits of the State. While getting out the timbers for the mill, a house was built on the north side of the present highway for the use of Guy N. Roberts, and another one on the opposite side of the way for the occupancy of Abner's family. The former building, which was the first in the place, is now a part of the residence of Isaac V. D. Cook, while the other is now the residence of Martin L. Davis. From this small beginning has sprung the pleasant little village of

CHEMUNGVILLE.

The mill-frame was raised in July, and the dam was finished at about the same time. In Septem- ber the mill was completed and ready to commence operations. During that summer the Roberts' built a small store, and offered a general stock of goods for sale therein. In a couple of years the village began to show signs of growth, and Messrs. Roberts decided to plat a village, and offer lots for sale, to attract mechanics and artisans to build up the place. The plat was surveyed by the county surveyor, Amos Adams, July 13, 1852, and re- corded on the 14th, in the county register's office, in liber 18, pages 30, 31. It contained about 8 acres, and the lots were surveyed on either side of a street running first northeast and then east from the creek. It was platted by Guy N. and Susan and Abner and Priscilla Roberts, and called Che- mungville, after the county they came from in New York. An addition was platted by Isaac V. D. and Abigail Cook, Nov. 2, 1871, and surveyed by E. N. Fairchild, county surveyor. It was on a street running north, at right angles with the main

street, contained about 214 acres, and was recorded Dec. 14, 1871. The mill and store property was sold by the Roberts', some time about 1854-55, to Burton Durfee, who soon after sold to David Ma- son. After owning it two or three years he sold to John Weimeister. During his ownership he found the store too small for his use, and about 1865 built a larger one near it, which is now the store of Martin L. Davis. Soon after he built an- other building on the east side of the old store, which he rented for a billiard-room, and which is now occupied as a dwelling by William Kleckler. The third dwelling was the present Methodist par- sonage, and was erected by Robert Souders.

The first blacksmith-shop was a building put up for an ashery by the Roberts', and sold by them to a Mr. Zela, who worked there with Simon Dolph. In 1867, Messrs. J. & T. Pearce bought the mill property of John Weimeister, a saw-mill, built by William and Holland C. Hosley, having meantime been added, and began a successful business career as millers, lumbermen, and merchants.

In 1869, Isaac V. D. Cook built a store on the corner near his residence, and his sons, William and Lorenzo, opened a grocery there. It was sub- sequently occupied by William Kleckler, and then, as a harness-shop, by Winthrop Cook, in 1875. Since August, 1879, it has been occupied by My- ron Doolittle, as a wagon-, repairing-, and cabinet- shop.

In 1871, David Bissell put up a small building, and started a shoe-shop. It was afterwards sold to a Mr. Angell, and is now occupied as a store- room by Pearce Brothers. Messrs. Pearce built their present fine store in 1876. The school-house was built in 1861, and the church in 1872. The grist-mill is now in excellent condition and pre- sents a fine appearance. It is called " Bogue Mill," and stands on the east side of the stream. Its size is 35 by 45 feet, two and a half stories above the level of the street, and one story and the wheel-pits below that. It is furnished with two runs of stones and the usual accompanying machinery ; has a capacity for grinding 10 bushels of wheat and 20 bushels of corn per hour. It is run simply for custom work at present. The necessary power is furnished by two iron turbine wheels, each 42 inches in diameter. The saw-mill building is 20 by 50 feet in size, and furnished with one muley saw, with a cutting capacity of about 3500 feet of hard-wood lumber per day. Its product is used mostly for home consumption. The village is pleasantly situated on lightly rolling ground, and contains, at the present time, two stores, a grist- mill and saw-mill, two blacksmith-shops, one cabinet- and wagon-shop, one shoe-shop, a school- le

Hosted by

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

house, a Methodist Church, and about twenty-five dwellings, six of them west of the stream, and consequently not in the platted part of the village. The population is about 125.

The post-office at Chemungville is called Oak Grove, a name it has always borne. It was first established some thirty years ago, at the house of the first postmaster, a Mr. Fry, who resided near the northwest corner of the town of Oceola. He was succeeded, in 1833, by Arthur A. Field, who lived in the southeast part of section 36, in this town. His successor was Joel S. Stillson. From his possession, it was transferred to Holland C. Hosley, at the village where it has since remained, passing successively through the hands of Robert McMillan, Isaac V. D. Cook, John Weimeister, Martin L. Davis, and back to Isaac V. D. Cook, the present incumbent, who was last commissioned in 1874. It is now kept at J. & T. Pearce's store.

The only other village in the town is the little hamlet in the western centre of section 9, called

COHOCTAH,

though the more common name applied to it is the less euphonious one of "SPRUNGTOWN." This last name is not, as some might suppose, a sar- castic fling at its origin, but was merely conferred upon it in honor of one of its most prominent citizens, Mr. Isaac Sprung. The first building erected here was a small log shanty which was put up by William G. Phares, for a dwelling, about thirty years ago. Its location was upon the corner of the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 9, near the site of the present blacksmith-shop of Michael Meier. It was occu- pied by different parties, until it became too di- lapidated for a dwelling, and was then allowed to go, quietly and undisturbed, to decay. The next house was not commenced until war times. It was begun by James Gilland, and was finished by William G. Phares, in 1861-62. It is still stand- ing opposite the post-office, and is used as a dwell- ing. Another small dwelling was soon after put up by Daniel Hoyt, Mr. Phares' son-in-law.

These were the only buildings in the village pre- vious to the real birth of the place, which may with justice be said to have occurred when, in 1868, the steam saw-mill was built by Messrs. Elias Sprague, William G. Phares, and Isaac Sprung. During that same year several dwellings were built, and a building was erected by Thomas White, in which he opened the first store in the place. In this building David Niles afterwards kept a wagon-shop. He sold to J. E. Phillips, who a second time started it as a store, sold to D. B. Harrington, bought it back a couple of years after-

wards, and has since kept it himself. The second store was built by Jason McFail, who at the time owned an interest in the saw-mill, in 1874, and was occupied by him for a dwelling. In the spring of 1877, having been purchased by Cyrus G. Hayner, it was opened by him as a grocery-store. The first blacksmith-shop was a small one built about 1869-70 by David Niles, who occupied it for several years, when he built a larger shop a little farther north, the present shop of J. H. Bowden. Another larger shop was built near the site of William G. Phares' first home, in 1878, by Michael Meier. The mill is a steam mill, and was built for custom work. For a couple of years it was run pretty strong, and did a very good business. Then Mr. Sprung left the firm, and since that time it has done but a limited amount of business. It has been owned by a number of different parties, and is now the property of Harrison Trowbridge, who operates it about four months in the year. The village once enjoyed a brief season of bright pros- pects, when the railroad through the town was being talked of, but since that project was (for the time, at least) abandoned has remained in statu quo. It now contains a saw-mill, two stores, two black- smith-shops, and a dozen dwellings, and boasts a population of about fifty souls. One half-mile south is the church of the United Brethren, while the school-house of the district is three-eighths of a mile still farther south.

The post-office, now located in Cohoctah, bears the name of the town. It was first called Tuscola, and was established some thirty years ago, at the house of Hiram L. Stoddard, who was the first postmaster. It was turned over at the time of his death (1857-58) to his brother Eliel. Then came other postmasters in the following order: Alva Jones, Marcus Burkhart, Robert Wrigglesworth ; all of whom kept the office at their residences, in the northeast part of the town. At this time (1874) the office was moved to the village, and Jason McFail was appointed as postmaster. He was succeeded in 1876 by D. B. Harrington, and he by the present incumbent, Cyrus G. Hayner, in the spring of 1877. The name was changed from Tus- cola to Cohoctah in the winter of 1857. Both this office and the one at Chemungville-the only offices in the town-are on the Howell and Lin- den route, and receive two mails per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

SCHOOLS.

The formation of school districts in this town was a work of time. No general division of the town was attempted, but as the interests of the people demanded, new districts were formed from were formed from

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COHOCTAH TOWNSHIP.

time to time, or the lines of the old districts were altered to suit the requirements of the case.

District No. I was organized April 18, 1838, and contained six sections,-21, 22, 27, 28, 33, and 34, and three half-sections, west half of 23, 26, and 35. It now contains sections 22, 27, and 34, and parts of sections 21, 23, 26, 28, and 33. The school-house is a frame building, valued at $400, will accommodate 40 pupils, and stands a few rods south of Sanford's Corners, on the southwest quarter of section 27. The first school-house in this district was one built by the citizens on the northwest corner at Sanford's Corners. In it the first school in the town was kept by Laura Gard- ner, of Salem, Washtenaw Co., in the summer of 1837.

District No. 2 is fractional with the towns of Con- way, Handy, and Howell. In this town it com- prises section 32, and parts of sections 29, 31, and 33. The school-house stands on the southwest corner of section 32. It is a frame house that can accommodate 40 scholars, and is valued at $200. It was built in 1855, on a site donated for the pur- pose by Norman Boyd, under the form of a dura- ble lease. The first school in this part of the town was kept in the summer of 1838, in the small shanty occupied by Ledyard S. Adams, while he was building his log house. The name of the teacher is not remembered. The first winter school was taught by Hiram Rix, in a log house on section 31, near the present residence of L. B. Boyd. The next winter Homer Townsend taught, and before the term was finished the house burned down. The citizens then got together and organized a district, at a meeting held Jan. 23, 1840, at the re- sidence of Elijah Gaston, in the town of Handy, and built a school-house (of logs) about eighty rods east of the southwest corner of the town, where the term was finished and school was kept up until the present house was built.

District No. 3 was formed Jan. 11, 1840, and was made up of sections 14, 23, and 35 ; the west half of sections 13 and 24; the west quarter of sections 25 and 36; and the east half, southwest quarter, and southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 26. Alva Preston was appointed to notify the inhabitants that the first meeting would be held at Noah Ramsdell's, on the 18th of January, 1840, at six o'clock P.M. At the present time the district embraces sections 13 and 14, nearly all of section 23, and parts of sections 24, 25, and 26. The school-house stands near the north quarter-post of section 23, and is a frame building of neat and tasty appearance, fitted to seat 50 pupils, and valued at $700.

District No. 4 is fractional with Burns, and con-

tains section 5 and parts of sections 4 and 6 in this town. It was first organized at a meeting of the school inspectors of the two towns, held on Jan. 24, 1840, at the house of Thomas P. Green, in Burns. Frederick I. Provost, Gustavus Brown, Lott Pratt, and Jared L. Cook were present. The bounds of the district were fixed as including sec- tions 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 in this town, and sections 31, 32, and 33 in Burns. At first the school-house was located on the west line of the northwest quar- ter of section 4, where the building, known as " the old red school-house" is still standing. It was built in 1840. It has been superseded by a very nice and well-designed frame building, valued at $1300. It was built in 1872, and will comfortably seat 60 scholars.

District No. 5 is fractional with Deerfield and reports in that town. It embraces a little more than the east half of sections 24 and 25.

District No. 6 was formed from fractional Dis- trict No. 5 and part of District No. 3. It now contains sections 35 and 36, the southeast quarter of 26, and the southwest quarter of 25. The school-house is located at Chemungville, near the north centre of the section, and is a frame building, valued at $400, and fitted for 48 pupils.

District No. 7 comprises sections I and 12, and the east half of sections 2 and II. The school- house is a plain frame building, capable of seating 50 pupils, is valued at $400, and stands on the southeast corner of section 2.

District No. 8 contains sections 3 and 10, the east three quarters of 15, the west half of 2 and II, and parts of sections 4 and 9. The school-house, built in 1852, stands near the south quarter-post of section 3. It is a rather dilapidated frame building reported at $40 valuation, and will accom- modate 40 scholars.

District No. 9 was first formed April 16, 1846, and contained sections 7, 17, 18, and the south half of section 8 in this town, and some adjoining territory in Conway. The first meeting was appointed at the house of Joseph B. Jackson, Jr., April 23, 1848, at two o'clock P.M. It is still a frac- tional district, and comprises section 18 and parts of sections 7, 8, 17, and 19. The school-house is a frame building valued at $20, capable of seating 50 pupils, and located at the centre of section 18.

District No. 10, containing parts of sections 19, 29, 30, and 31 in this town, is fractional with Con- way, and reports in that town.

District No. 11 is the central district, and is made up from section 16 and parts of sections 8, 9, 15, 17, and 21. The school-house, on the north- west quarter of section 16, is a frame building ac- commodating 65 pupils, and is valued at $300

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

District No. 12 is fractional with Conway, and embraces in this town the south part of section 6 and the north half of sections 7 and 8. The school- house stands eighty rods west and twenty south from the northeast corner of section 7. It is a log house fitted for 40 pupils, and valued at $100,-a price at which, no doubt, the district would be very glad to sell it.

District No. 13, the last one in Cohoctah, is formed from section 20, and parts of sections 17, 19, 21, 28, 29, and 30. The present school-house, which was the first one in the district, was built in the spring of 1874, and is located eighty rods east of the centre of section 20. It is a frame building, accommodating 40 pupils, and is valued at $400.

Among the early teachers in the town previous to the year 1850, we find Horace L. Cook, H. C. Stoddard, David Bush, Elizabeth Goldsmith, Eliz- abeth Ramsdell, Hannah Boyd, Ruth A. Cook, Franklin Kelly, Oscar O. Stoddard, Sarah J. Head, Eliza A. Stoughton, Reuben Huggins, Graham Barker, Margaret A. Chapman, Lucinda Tom- linson, Angeline Phelps, and Jared L. Cook.

The first report of the school inspectors was made Oct. 12, 1839. It was very meagre in de- tails. There were then two districts, but only one -No. 2-reported. In that district there were 24 scholars, of whom 17 attended school. School was kept four months, and the following sums were expended : Teachers' wages, $90; school ex- penses, $12 ; for library, $10; for book-case, $3; and for collector's fees, $5.75 ; making a total of $120.75. The books then in use were Kirkham's Grammar, Olney's Geography, Daboll's Arith- metic, and Webster's Elementary Spelling-Book.

We institute the following comparisons between the reports for 1850 and for 1879: the number of persons of school age in 1850 were 175; in 1879 were 438. The number in attendance at school in 1850 were 138; in 1879 were 412. The amounts expended in support of school in 1850 was $286.26; in 1879 was $1960.76.

In 1879, 5 male teachers taught an aggregate of eighteen months at an average compensation of $24.II per month ; and 20 female teachers taught sixty-four months for $13.12 12 per month.

CEMETERIES.

The burial-grounds of Cohoctah are two in number. The first one opened was the one on section 24, known as the Boutell burying-ground, where Mrs. William Northrup was buried, in 1837. It is located near the centre of the section on the north side of the road, a little east of the point where it crosses Bobishenung Creek, and contains about one acre of ground.

The second one, the "Sanford Burial-Ground," which contains one acre of ground, is located on section 27, about fifty rods east of the centre of the section. At an early day John Sanford gave a half-acre of ground to the town for a public bury- ing-ground, deeding it to the board of health. About the year 1845 it became necessary to en- large the ground, and he gave another half-acre, but deeded it to an association formed for the pur- pose of holding the title and caring for the grounds. In 1859 this organization became practically de- funct, and remained so until 1873, when a reorgan- ization was effected, under the name of the "Sanford Burial-Ground Association," which has since con- trolled the part of the ground that does not belong to the town. The officers elected were Joseph B. Brown, President; Thomas Goldsmith, Sexton; Michael Thatcher, Secretary; Alexander Peckins, Treasurer. Substituting the name of Marcenus Peckins as treasurer in place of the former incum- bent, the same board of officers are now serving.

RELIGIOUS HISTORY.

The first religious service held in this town was at the house of Ezra Sanford, in September, 1835, about two months after his arrival there. Rev. Mr. Monett, a transient Methodist preacher, hap- pened along, and was prevailed upon to hold a meeting. Word was sent to all the neighbors, and a congregation of about seventeen persons was got together to listen to the preaching of the gospel. A year later, in the summer of 1836, regular circuit preaching was established at the same place. The first class organized was known as the Boutell class, and from it has grown

THE OAK GROVE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

at Chemungville. It was organized probably as early as 1837, with Alva Preston as class-leader. The principal members were the Boutell, Preston, Ramsdell, and Ellis families. The meetings were alternated between the Ramsdell and Boutell school-houses, and were maintained until the ap- pointment was transferred to Chemungville, prob- ably at the time the Oak Grove circuit was organized, in September, 1855. From that time on the his- tory of the church has been intimately connected with the history of the circuit of which it has been the headquarters, and it is therefore proper to treat more particularly of the circuit's history.

Oak Grove circuit was formed at a meeting of Conference, held in the city of Flint, in September, 1855, and became a part of Flint District. When the Conference was divided it fell into Owosso Dis- trict, of the Detroit Conference, a relation which it C

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COHOCTAH TOWNSHIP.

still retains. In 1857 the circuit reported 130 members, 16 of them being probationers, and seven Sunday-schools with 118 scholars. In 1862 there were five appointments on the circuit, viz., Oak Grove, Green's, Boyd's, Deerfield Centre, and Top- ping's. In 1863, Topping's was discontinued, and Hetcheler's was added. In 1864, Rev. J. G. Hor- ton, of Oceola, supplied the pulpit for two months, while the pastor was absent in Washington and in the Shenandoah Valley, working with the United States Christian Commission. Aug. 5, 1865, Re- cording Steward John D. Convis died in hospital, at Duvall's Bluff, Va., of disease contracted in the military service of his country. In 1868 the cir- cuit was enlarged by the addition of appointments at Argentine, Deer Creek, and Graham's, and an. assistant, Rev. J. G. Horton, of Hartland, was em- ployed. Graham's was soon discontinued, and Linden was added, while Green's was transferred to Perry circuit. Then other changes were made, and the appointments continued were as follows : Oak Grove (every Sabbath), Hetcheler's, Deerfield Centre, Argentine, and Deer Creek. In 1869, Hetcheler's was discontinued, Parker's, in Oceola, added, and Argentine was attached to Linden. The membership of the circuit was then reported as follows : Oak Grove, 24; Parker's, 31 ; Deer- field Centre, 17; and Argentine, 16. In 1870, Green's was re-attached to this circuit.

The preachers on this circuit have been Revs. William Birdsall, 1855 ; Lyman H. Dean, 1856; L. P. Murch, 1857; James H. Caster, 1858-59; F. Brittan, 1860; Samuel P. Lee, 1861-62 ; James R. Cordon, 1863-64; D. O. Balls, 1865-66; Joseph W. Holt, 1867-68; Alexander Gee, 1869-70; James Balls, 1871-73; Alfred Allen, 1874; William Cook, 1875-76; William Birdsall, 1877-78; James E. Withey, 1879.

The present parsonage was procured in 1868, at a cost of $1200. The old parsonage was sold at the same time.

In the winter of 1871-72 the need of a church at this point began to be seriously felt, and a sub- scription was circulated, material collected, and the necessary preliminary steps gone through with, and on the 17th of May work was actively begun. July 13th and 14th the building was inclosed, and the regular quarterly meeting was held there on those days. It was finished during the fall, at a cost of $2000. Its size is 32 by 50 feet. It was dedicated Jan. 22, 1873, Rev. W. E. Bigelow preach- ing in the morning, and Rev. Orlando Sanborn in the evening. On this occasion the sum of $1000 was raised to clear the church from debt.

The first trustees recorded, appointed March 15, 1859, were Lorenzo Boutell, Benjamin B. Durfee,

Nicholas Braden, John D. Convis, Lavoris Gray, William R. Knapp, and Joseph L. Cook. The present trustees are Joseph A. Russell, George E. Houghtaling, David Moody, D. O. Taft, and George O. Austin. The present membership is 23, and 18 probationers. Joseph A. Russell is the present class-leader ; and the stewards are David Moody and George E. Houghtaling.

THE GREEN CLASS

is located in the north part of the town, and have always held their meetings at the school-house, in District No. 4. . It was organized thirty years ago, with about a dozen members, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. William Jenks, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Braden, Mrs. O. Wolcott, and Miss Anna Green. William Jenks was the first class-leader, and Nich- olas Braden the first steward. In 1856 the mem- bership had become very much reduced, there then being but six female and two male members, but under the preaching of Rev. Lyman H. Dean, in the winter of 1856-57, a glorious revival was experienced, large numbers were converted, and about 30 new members joined the class. Since that time it has been generally prosperous, keeping its membership at from 30 to 50, the latter being about the present number.

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History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 98

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

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