USA > Michigan > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 99
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About 1864-65 an effort was made to build a church. A site was selected on the north side of the county line road, on lands of Thomas P. Green, but misfortune befell Mr. Green, in that his dwel- ling was destroyed by fire, preventing him from assisting, as he had intended, and others becoming dissatisfied, the project fell through, and has never been revived.
This class was first on the Byron circuit, then on the Oak Grove circuit, then for one year on Perry circuit, and then was again re-attached to Oak Grove circuit. With the exception of the year 1867, when J. H. Caster was the minister, the pastors have been the same as those at the Che- mungville Church.
The present officers are Giles Borden, Class- Leader; Judson Warner, Hiram Rathbun, Giles Borden, Stewards.
THE PROTESTANT METHODISTS
formed a class at the Hayner school-house (District No. 9) in the winter of 1856-57, Rev. Mr. Nichols officiating. He, assisted by Rev. Isaac Morton, of Tyrone, had held a series of meetings for three or four weeks previous, at which a large number of converts had been made, and from these and a few older professors the class, numbering about 30, was formed. David Miller was chosen class-leader, and Cyrus G. Hayner, steward. For about three Hosted by
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
years the class maintained an existence, holding fortnightly meetings, and then from removals and other causes it became so reduced in numbers that it was given up. The preachers during that time were Revs. Nichols and Hulbert, and another whose name is forgotten. About ten years ago another small class was organized at the same place, by Rev. Ashford Diamond, and preaching was again established and maintained for about three years, the ministers, after Mr. Ashford, being Revs. Parshall, Gillam, and Warren, with the close of whose pastorate the life of the appointment also came to an end. Among the most prominent of the early members of this denomination were the following persons : William G. Phares and wife, David Miller, Cyrus G. Hayner, Elsie Hayner, Waterbury Hendryx, Waterbury Hendryx, Jr., Amanda Smith, Lucinda Stowell, Matilda Miller, and Miss Sturgis.
FIRST CHURCH OF THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIA- TION OF COHOCTAH.
There being a number of German families in the west central part of the town, many of whom had but a limited knowledge of the English tongue, and all of whom felt a desire to listen to the preaching of the gospel in the loved language of the fatherland, an effort was made to establish a German church. The Lutherans were the first in the field, in the person of Rev. Mr. Schmid, of Ann Arbor, who came and preached and went back, leaving matters in such a shape that if invited to do so, he would arrange to supply them with stated preaching. Before returning to Ann Arbor he organized a church, as will be seen by a perusal of the following copy of a document filed in the office of the clerk of this county :
"On the 14th day of May, A.D. 1858, after the publication re- quired by law, a publick meeting was held in the Town of Co- hoctah, County of Livingston, State of Michigan, Rev. Schmid being elected President, and Mr. John Drosten, Secretary.
" In said meeting an Evangelist Lutheran Congregation was or- ganized under the name of 'Saint Bethlehem Congregation,' and it was resolved to adopt the mode and rules of worship of the Lutheran Church.
" The following members were chosen Trustees of said congre- gation, to wit,-Johs Seiler, Hy. Zahn, John Drosten.
" JOHN DROSTEN, Secretary.
"COHOCTAH, May 14, 1858."
With this organization the matter was dropped, and Mr. Schmid, not receiving encouragement, did not return. Then Rev. Joseph Raehm, of Cleve- land, came as a missionary in the interest of the Evangelical Association, and held a series of meet- ings, mostly at the residence of John Shedel. As a result of his efforts, in the fall of that year this church was formed at the house of Mr. Shedel, with
15 members. Their names were John and Catha- rine Shedel, John and Barbara Bohm, Henry and Anna Unbahonin, George and Mary Schepfer, Charles and Henrietta Greener, Henry and Hannah Zahn, John and Mary A. Drosten, and Margaret Stelzer. John Bohm was the first class-leader, and Henry Unbahonin was the first steward.
From the time of organization until the church was built, in 1864, meetings were held every two weeks at Mr. Shedel's. The church, a plain, one- story frame building, 20 by 30 feet dimensions, was commenced early in the spring and was fin- ished in the early fall, having cost about $600. The site, containing one acre, was donated by George Schepfer, who retained the use of one-half of it until it should be needed for a parsonage site. It is located on the northeast corner of the north- west quarter of the northeast quarter of section 29. The church was dedicated in September, 1864, by Rev. John Miller, presiding elder of Owosso dis- trict.
The first minister of the denomination who preached here was Rev. Freidrich Seller, who left an appointment for regular preaching, which was kept up until Conference met in the spring of 1859, when Rev. Joseph Raehm was put on the circuit. The pastors since that time have been Revs. John Houck, John Mack, John Fox, Christopher Dull, Stephen Hayner, Joseph Raehm, John Fox, Schwitzer, John Fry, Joseph Pidner, - Hess. The latter is the present pastor.
This was the first church of the denomination in Livingston County. It has belonged to the following circuits: Flint, Owosso, Pierpont, and Howell. The present circuit embraces six ap- pointments,-two in Lansing and one each in Genoa, Howell, Cohoctah, and Byron.
The church has met with the usual ups and downs incident to the lives of all, but has main- tained its membership at from 14 to 30. The present number is about 20. It was incorporated in 1864 with John Shedel, Louis Ketchum, and George Schepfer as Trustees. They also acted as a building committee. The present officers are Samuel Sliter, Class-leader; John Shedel, Stew- ard; Henry Zahn, Michael Meier, Wolf Stelzer, Trustees.
The Sabbath-school in connection with this church was organized under Mr. Raehm's second preaching in 1860 with John Shedel as Superin- tendent. It is now running as a union school, with an average attendance of from 50 to 55 mem- bers, and the following officers: Superintendent, W. H. Brigham; Assistant Superintendent, Louis Ketchum; Secretary, John Faulk; Treasurer, George Witherell.
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EZRA FRISBEE.
MRS. EZRA FRISBEE.
ALONZO T. FRISBEE.
E.A. FRISBEE.
MRS. MARGARET E. VAN DERCOOK.
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COHOCTAH TOWNSHIP.
"FIRST CHURCH OF THE UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST OF COHOCTAH,"
commonly known as "the Sprague class," was the result of a revival meeting held by Rev. Benjamin Morgan, of Brighton, at the Sprague school-house (District No. 11) in the winter of 1863-64. Most of the first members were new converts brought out at these meetings. The organization was effected at the school-house by Rev. Mr. Morgan, and about 25 persons joined. Their names, as found on the class-book, were Dudley and Eliza- beth Woodworth, William G., Harriet A., Milo, and Lucina Phares, Alonzo Keyser, Thomas White, Edwin Ackley, Benjamin and Margaret Sliter, Samuel and Melissa Houghtaling, Mrs. Merinda Chambers, Clarissa Allbright, Phoebe and Mary A. Palmer, Israel Ellsworth, Elias and Emily Sprague, Cyrus G. and Cynthia Hayner, Oliver, Nancy, and Truman Sprague. Elias Sprague was chosen as the first class-leader, and Oliver Sprague as the first steward.
Preparatory to the building of a church, the so- ciety was incorporated, Nov. 16, 1872, under the general statutes, and the article of incorporation filed in the county clerk's office.
The first trustees were G. G. Cook, Alonzo Gleason, Elias Sprague, Eli Tindall, and B. H. Mowers.
A site of one-half acre on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 9, was donated by Elias Sprague, and in the spring of 1873 work was begun on the church. It was not completed until the fall of 1875, and is a frame building, size 30 by 40 feet, with a seating capacity of 200, and cost about $1200. The dedicatory service was held Jan. 12, 1876, Rev. B. Hamp, presiding elder, officiating, assisted by the pastor, Rev. William Duryea.
The parsonage was built in the fall of 1879, on the west side of the church lot, at a cost of about $355. A separate board of trustees was appointed, Nov. 24, 1877, to have charge of the parsonage, who were Alonzo Gleason, Marcus Burkhart, and Martin Bennett. Substituting the names of M. H. Brigham for Marcus Burkhart, and Cyrus G. Hayner for B. H. Mowers, the two boards of trus- tees remain at the present writing the same as when first appointed.
The church belongs to the Conway circuit, which has two appointments in this town, the other one being at the Gleason school-house, on section 7. The names of the pastors, as nearly as can be as- certained in the absence of any record, are Revs. Benjamin Morgan, Stephen Ferguson, - Davis, Ross, William Duryea, W. N. Bridenstein, William P. Cool, B. H. Mowers, A. Shaffer, H. S.
Elliott, William Duryea, R. W. Keeny, D. J. Hol- brook, and Mr. Lower, the present pastor.
The present membership is 47, the class-leader is Cyrus G. Haynes, and the steward is James Gilland.
A Sabbath-school was organized in connection with this church in the summer of 1864, with Cyrus G. Hayner as superintendent. With the exception of three years, when he was living else- where, Mr. Hayner has been the superintendent of the school, and is the present incumbent of the office. The present membership is about 60, and the average attendance over 50. The other of- ficers are as follows: Assistant Superintendent, Alonzo Gleason ; Secretary, Ellery Gleason ; Treas- urer, Miss Clara Gilland ; Collectors, Cora Meier and Charlie Johnson.
COHOCTAH SABBATH-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
This association was formed Aug. 11, 1878, for the purpose of begetting and fostering a spirit of union, harmony, and good-fellowship between the workers in the schools of the different denomina- tions, and also to increase the interest felt in the prosecution of the Sunday-school work.
But two schools have yet become actively con- nected with the association, though others are ex- pected to join as they become conversant with the purpose and workings of the society. Meetings were held every four weeks during the first year, but now are held only once in eight weeks.
The first officers were Giles Borden, President ; Cyrus G. Hayner, Vice-President; William Ran- dall, Secretary; Martin Bennett, Treasurer; Henry Jackson, M. H. Brigham, Alonzo Gleason, Direc- tors. Substituting the name of Luther Pratt for that of Henry Jackson as a member of the Board of Directors, the present officers are the same as the first.
To all the kind friends who have assisted the writer in his efforts to get a correct history of the town, and who did so much to render pleasant his brief sojourn amongst them, he returns his most heartfelt thanks; and only hopes this imperfect sketch will meet with as warm a welcome and as considerate treatment as was extended to him.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
EZRA FRISBEE
was born in the town of Canaan, Columbia Co., N. Y., Aug. 14, 1812. His father, Roswell Frisbee, died when Ezra was but five years old, leaving a wife and six children, and in destitute circum-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
stances. Ezra went to live with his uncle, Dr. Edward Dorr, of Chatham village, with whom he remained one year. Mr. Frisbee then went to live with another uncle, Ezra Frisbee, with whom he resided until he was of age. During the winter months he attended the district school of his neighborhood, studying nights by the light of the fireplace fire. In this way he obtained enough education to fit him for the successful business life he has since led. Arrived at his majority, his uncle gave him one hundred and eighty dol- lars, which was his start in life. This money he at once placed at interest, and then went to work to earn more; worked on a farm, in mills, and also taught school, each year adding to his small capital. In 1836 he came to Howell town- ship, Livingston Co., and bought of the govern- ment one hundred and sixty acres of land, on sec- tion 2 in Howell, and section 35 in Cohoctah. May 23, 1839, he was married to Miss Lucinda Thompson, who was born Nov. 5, 1815. She was the daughter of Moses and Margaret (Morris) Thompson. Mr. Thompson, one of the pioneers, had located a large tract of land in Livingston and Oakland Counties, and was then one of the most prominent and wealthy men in the county. The village of Howell now stands on part of Mr. Thompson's original purchase. His death, soon after his settlement, deprived the county of one of its most valuable citizens. After his marriage, Mr. Frisbee located on a quarter-section of land one and one-half miles west of Howell village, which was given to his wife by her father. On this farm he built the first frame house erected in the town- ship outside the village. And, what was then of rare occurrence, his house was painted, which made Mr. Frisbee an aristocrat, and the wonder of the passers-by. This farm he cleared, improved, and added to, until he at one time owned three
hundred and fifty acres, part of which he now owns. He lived on his farm or in the village of Howell twenty-two years, and has seen the village grow up from its infancy.
Mr. Frisbee was a juryman in the first suit tried by the present Judge Turner, who was then a young lawyer in a new country, with limited means, and but few clients. And Mr. Frisbee gives a graphic description of the judge as he then appeared in his suit, made of the cloth then known as "hard times," and set off by a chip hat, all crown and hat-band. The young lawyer has be- come a judge, and is widely known, respected and honored, while the juror has become one of the most successful and wealthy farmers of his town, loved and respected for his many good qualities, and his rugged honesty of purpose. In 1860, Mr. Frisbee moved into Cohoctah, and bought the farm he now occupies. He now owns over five hundred acres of fine land, mostly under cultivation. In politics he has always been a Republican, and has filled different town offices, although he has never sought or cared for office.
His oldest son, Alonzo T., graduated at the Union school in Howell, also at Bryant & Strat- ton's Commercial College in Detroit. He has been town clerk and supervisor, filling the latter office for six years. He has also been the candi- date of the Republican party for the office of register of deeds, but, his party being in the mi- nority, was not elected. He now owns a fine farm of eight hundred acres in Isabella County, part of which is under cultivation. He was also super- visor of his township in Isabella County.
To Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Frisbee there have been born three children,-Alonzo T., born Oct. 12, 1840; Margaret E., born March 24, 1842; and Edward, born July 6, 1849,-all of them born in Howell township.
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