USA > Michigan > Mason County > History of Mason County, Michigan > Part 24
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FOR REMOVAL. AGAINST.
Claybanks
6
53
Weare.
39
4
Greenwood.
0
29
Pentwater
68
0
Otto.
2
45
Leroy.
3
51
Elbridge
15
33
Hart
73
6
Benona.
23
2
229
223
Showing a majority of six for removal. It was resolved that the clerk notify L. B. Corbin of the removal of the county seat to his place in Hart.
The aggregate valuation of taxable property in Oceana was determined at $460,378.
On the application of E. D. Plumb and fourteen others, it was re- solved to create a new town from Hart, to be called Golden, which has still the same boundaries.
The first annual meeting was to be held at Jeremiah Barnhart's, who, with John Fletcher and W. J. Haughey, were appointed inspectors. Some error was made in spelling the name, which Mr. Haughey intended to be "Golding," his mother's family name, but it was not considered necessary to undo the resolution of the board to have the name spelled correctly.
The liberality of the county towards the volunteers was shown by a resolution to raise bonds to the amount of $8,100, $100 each, bearing 10 per cent interest, and not to be sold below $95 each. The state tax was $988.87.
That the expenses of the county were increasing, is evident from the fact that the board ordered $2,000 to be raised for sinking fund for volunteer relief bonds, $1,100 for interest on the same, $900 for the poor, and $2,500 for contingencies.
It was resolved that the effects of the county be removed from Claybanks to Corbin's mill, in Hart.
W. Weston was made superintendent of the poor for three years; $50 was added to the salaries of the clerk and the treasurer for the past year.
It was found that there was to the credit of the county in the treasurer's hands $1,476.92; excess of assets over liabilities, $14,427.35.
1865.
At a special meeting, in February, the salary of the clerk was made $300, treasurer, $500, prosecuting attorney, $100.
A motion to remove the county seat to the village of Middlesex, (now a portion of Pentwater) was lost by one vote, Claybanks, Leroy, Pentwater and Weare voting yea. Messrs. Russell, Anderson and Camp were appointed a committee to report on the purchase of a county poor farm.
Lyman D. Grove was allowed $200 salary as prosecuting attorney.
The clerk was authorized to draw thirty-one bonds of $100 each to be delivered to the several townships, according to their respective quota of men for the war.
In July the following changes appear in the list of supervisors: J. Barnhart for Golden, Warren Vradenburg for Benona, and N. C. Smith for Weare. H. C. Flagg was chairman.
The farm of Orange Ward, southeast of Hart village, was purchased, with the crops, for $4,960. The farm was 110 acres, and Mr. Ward and family were paid $50 a month for services.
One thousand fifty-nine dollars and one cent was found in the treasurer's hands. There was reported as sold and paid out $5,225 of military bounty bonds. The assessed valuation of the county was $459,990.
The committee on roads and bridges recommended an appro- priation of $500 for a bridge over the north branch of the Pent- water River at C. Mears's River House in Weare, but after a long discussion it was voted down.
The state tax on Oceana was $1,351.78.
The superintendents of the poor were directed to procure the services of John Burr and wife for the county farm at $400 a year, and Mr. Ward was allowed to remain until November.
The committee appointed to settle with the former treasurer found that he was indebted to the county $854.48.
On the application of J. J. Kittredge and eleven others to set apart a new town, viz .: Town 16 north, of Range 15 and 16 west, to be called Crystal, it was ordered that the petition be granted, and the first annual meeting be held in April, 1866; Jared H. Gay, J. J. Kittredge and Charles Willett inspectors of election, the election to be held at Jared Gay's. Crystal thus included the present towns of Crystal and Colfax. J. Russell was appointed superintendent of the poor, vice Peck, resigned; $350 was voted to finish a bridge across Chippewa Creek, in Hart.
1866.
On January 9 a lengthy resolution [was passed directing the prosecuting attorney to cause Oliver Swain, the late treasurer, to pay the sum of $854.58 alleged to be due to the county.
On January 27 a special meeting was called to consider the efficiency of the treasurer, and after an examination into the case he received a recommendation " to adhere more strictly to the duties of his office, and to appoint a deputy to attend to his duties in his absence."
On the 5th of March, on the application of J. W. 'Sweet and thirteen others for the organization of a new town, Town 14 north of Range 15 west, to be known by the name of Newfield, the peti- tion was granted, and the first annual meeting ordered on the first Monday in April at Joseph W. Sweet's, and J. W. Sweet, H. C. Hawley and Alex. McLaren were made inspectors of election.
A resolution to spend $2,000 on a jail was lost.
In June the following supervisors appeared: Claybanks, A.
·
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S. Anderson; Leroy, A. R. Wheeler; Greenwood, C. Camp; New- field, H. C. Hawley; Otto, B. F. Reed; Benona, W. H. Churchill; Golden, J. Barnhart; Hart, A. W. Peck; Elbridge, H. S. Sayles; Crystal, J. J. Kittredge; Weare, N. C. Smith; Pentwater, H. C. Flagg, who was chosen chairman. The assessed valuation of the county as equalized was $610,861.13.
The chairman was authorized to sell the county farm for $3,500, but in October it was resolved to offer it by auction.
It was then resolved to raise $3,000 to build a jail, and take $300 of the money given by Mr. Corbin for that purpose. Flagg, Smith and Anderson were appointed a jail committee.
Peleg A. Hubbard was chosen superintendent of the poor for full term, and O. C. Perry for the remainder of the term of J. Rus- sell, resigned.
The committee found $1,059.01 due on settlement last year with the treasurer .. The amount due on the present year was $3,967.57.
The expenses of the county for the following year were to be met as follows:
For county bonds and interest, $4,000; for county expenses, $2,500; for poor, $2,000; total, $8,500. The state tax was $1,822.19; $300 was appointed to be raised for a bridge over the west branch of the Pentwater River.
The salaries were fixed at $700 for treasurer, $250 for clerk, $300 for prosecuting attorney, and $300 for judge of probate. S. G. Rollins resigns as superintendent of the poor.
At the session in December the list of supervisors is the same as before, except that W. March appears for Crystal, and N. Crosby for Hart.
Town 13 north of Range 17 west was organized as Grant, the first meeting to be at Jason Carpenter's in April, 1867, H. W. Turk, Jason Carpenter and O. K. White to be inspectors of election.
Also Town 15 north of Range 15 west, was erected into a new town to be called Leavitt. First meeting at the house of Richard R. Sorter; Hazen Leavitt, Dwight M. Croff and Vincent E. Clark, inspectors.
A plan for the jail, presented by Mr. Flagg, was adopted, and N.[C. Smith, J. Barnhart and A. S. Anderson were appointed a committee to attend to its construction.
Russell & Gurney were permitted use of the county books for the purpose of making an abstract of the same.
D. R. Gibbard was appointed superintendent of the poor.
1867.
The name of Leroy was changed to Benona, by act of Legisla- ture, March 1, 1867.
In March the list of supervisors is the same, except A. Van Wickle, for Hart. Messrs. Wigton and Gurney offer $100 more for the building of the jail.
It was resolved to raise by taxation $400 required, over and above the $3,000 appropriated for the jail, and that the same be paid to Mr. Flagg, the contractor.
In October many new names appear as supervisors. E. D. Rich- mond, for Pentwater; A. A. Darling, for Hart; S. J. Sparks, for Golden; H. Hoffman, for Benona; P. R. Cady, for Shelby; John F. Evans, for Otto; O. K. White, for Grant; Vincent E. Clark, for Leavitt. E. D. Richmond was appointed chairman.
The following were appointed superintendents of the poor: O. C. Perry, (three years) D. R. Gifford, (two years), O. Deming, (one year).
There was ordered for county purposes, $3,500; for poor, $1,500; bonds and interest, $4,000. The valuation (the county was $740,813; state tax, $2,757.87.
In December, the committee report the jail completed. The 1 salaries for 1868 were fixed at $1,000 for treasurer; $500 for clerk ; $400 for prosecuting attorney; $500 for judge of probate.
In accepting the jail, the board unanimously expressed their appreciation of the manner in which Hon. C. Mears had completed the job.
At this meeting the board seems to have repented of its liberality in regard to salaries, and fixed this time the treasurer's at $800; clerk's, $300; prosecuting attorney's, $300; judge of probate's, $350.
1868.
The treasurer reported $2,186.18 on hand.
The application of certain freeholders to form a new town to be called " Reed," was tabled.
In October, Hiram Goodrich appears as supervisor for Leavitt, W. M. Pringle for Golden, and H. F. Cushman for Greenwood, and E. D. Richmond was re-elected chairman.
William J. Kennedy and others having petitioned for the erec- tion of a new township to be called Reed, which included the terri- tory known as North Otto, or Town 14 north of Range 16 west, the petition was granted, and the first election ordered at Reed's school- house, on April 5, 1869. T. Reed, T. Smith and D. N. Gustin, inspectors. This town is now known as Ferry.
The next meeting of the now reduced town of Otto was ordered to be at C. Newman's; $4,672.50 was found to be necessary for the payment of bonds in the following year, and it was resolved to raise $5,000 for county expenses, and 2,000 for the poor.
A ferry was established across Pentwater Lake, to be propelled by steam, and it was given to Charles Flood, but as it did not pay, it was not run.
For the purpose of building a bridge across Pentwater Lake, Pentwater was authorized to raise 1,000, Golden $600, Benona $400, Claybanks and Hart each $200, and Weare, $100. The aggregate value of this county was $758,224.67; state tax, 2,- 234.96. At the close of the year, $ 1,295.82 was found in the treas- urer's hands.
The Hon. Moses B. Hopkins was voted $100 for his services as circuit judge, in addition to his regular salary of $500, as that was considered too low.
1869.
In October the first meeting of the year was held, when the following appeared as supervisors :
L. D. Grove, for Pentwater; E. P. Gregory, for Weare; J. J. Kittredge, for Crystal; Gilbert E. Benton, for Colfax; H. Goodrich, for Leavitt; D. W. Crosby, for Elbridge; A. A. Darling, for Hart; Caleb Davis, for Golden; A. R. Wheeler, for Benona; P. R. Cady, for Shelby; A. Crosby, for Ferry; J. W. Dunning, for Newfield; C. F. Cushman, for Greenwood; S. B. Potter, for Otto; O. K. White, for Grant; A. S. Anderson, for Claybanks.
The sixteen towns were now organized with the names they retain to this day. P. R. Cady was made chairman. The valuation of the county had now risen to be $1,793,112.86. One per cent was ordered to be raised on all the taxable property of the county, to pay bonds amounting to $9,000, contingencies $7,000, poor orders $1,931, and state tax $1,456.89.
The prosecuting attorney was ordered to prosecute H. C. Flagg, for his indebtedness to the county, unless paid forthwith. This in- debtedness arose in the sale of the chattels of the county poor farm. O. E. Perry, O. Deming and E. D. Richmond were appointed super- intendents of the poor for three, two and one years respectively.
As showing the prevalence of wolves at this time, the board offered $10 additional bounty on each full-grown wolf killed. The bounty already was $10.
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HISTORY OF OCEANA COUNTY.
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1870.
In January, Messrs. Wheeler, Darling and Kittredge were appointed a committee to furnish a suitable building for county offices.
In October, the following supervisors appear: C. Camp, Green- wood; J. W. Dunning, Newfield; A. C. Gowdy, Leavitt; Calvin Woodward, Colfax; Jacob Williamson, Otto; B. F. Reed, Ferry; D. W. Crosby, Elbridge; G. C. Crouch, Crystal; O. K. White, Grant; Andrew Maples, Shelby; A. A. Darling, Hart; M. B. High, Weare; Alex. S. Anderson, Claybanks; H. Hoffman, Benona; Caleb Davis, Golden; F. W. Ratze!, Pentwater. C. Camp was elected chairman.
The privilege of a ferry was granted to Brink & Baker, to ferry between the north and south of Pentwater Lake. E. D. Richmond was appointed superintendent of the poor for three years. The assessed valuation of the county was $1,778,149.13. The receipts of the treasurer were, for the year, $19,108.86, and expenditures, $17,092.87; $6,709.81 was remaining in unpaid bonds.
The committee on county offices reported that they had rented Mr. Leach's store for one year, at $2 a week.
The board having been kindly invited to attend the Sunday- school association meeting, by Brother Amos Dresser, Jr., by reso- lution, adjourned for the evening, to attend in a body the said meeting.
The tax this year was 7 mills on the dollar, to raise $7,000 for county purposes, $3,000 to pay bonds, and $2,447 for poor.
The salaries were fixed at $1,000 for the treasurer, $300 for clerk, $600 for prosecuting attorney, $400 for judge of probate; county superintendent of schools, $4 a day, while on duty.
Messrs. Anderson, White and Hoffman were appointed a com- mittee to report on the propriety of purchasing a poor farm.
The committee on the matter of Mr. Swain, a former treasurer, report that of the $854.48 found to be due by him, he had paid in April, 1866, $400; in May, 1866, $200; and that there was due for principal and interest, $399.53. In December, C. C. Cochran appears as supervisor for Elbridge. The treasurer gave a penal bond for $20,000. The county printing was offered to the lowest bidder.
1871.
In February, at a special meeting, the prosecuting attorney reported that he had received $411.18, the amount found due from 0. Swain, ex-treasurer.
It was resolved to build an addition to the courthouse.
In June, the following new supervisors appeared: Robert Pointer, for Otto; W. J. Tennant, for Elbridge; W. Sprigg, for Hart; G. Tiffany, for Weare, and James Corsaut, for Crystal.
E. J. Reed and Theodore F. Reed were allowed to construct a mill-dam across the north branch of White River, on Section 28, Town 14 north of Range 16 west.
About this time, an abortive attempt was made to purchase the farm of John F. Evans, in Ferry, for a county poor farm, as it was considered too far out of the way, and all hills and valleys, with con- siderable stone on it.
The farm of Jacob Schrumpf, one and a half miles north of Hart village, containing 120 acres, was afterwards purchased for a poor farm for $5,200, which included the chattels. The committee had the choice of thirteen sites, and considered this the cheapest, by $1,000. Messrs. Ratzel and Hoffman were the committee.
The number of inmates on the county farm was at this time two females, and three males. A vote of thanks is recorded to M. A. Collins and lady, for their hospitality to the board.
The equalized valuation was $1,888,825.47. The highest town in value was Pentwater, $267,947; next Hart, $245,571; and the lowest was Leavitt, $46,158. A. A. Darling, county superintendent
of schools, reported $131} days worked, worth $525. O. Deming was re-elected superintendent of poor, after a number of ballots. The balance in treasurer's hands was found to be $2,551.90; also there was $10,909.81 of unpaid bonds. A steam ferry was author- ized between the north and south sides of Pentwater Lake, to be kept by B. W. Rice and W. S. Conley, who filed a bond for $500.
The county tax was 8 mills on the dollar, to raise $8,000 for county purposes, $4,601.60 for paying bonds, and $2,500 for poor.
The salaries this year were fixed at $1,000 for treasurer, $300 for clerk, $600 for prosecuting attorney, $400 for judge of probate; county superintendent, $4 a day.
"The freedom of the village" having been tendered by the people of Pentwater, the board decided to visit that place. The visit appears to have been an enjoyable one.
1872.
The East Shore News and the Oceana Journal appear to have been rivals for county printing, but the contest was decided by giving the printing of the proceedings to both at 30 cents per folio.
Small-pox must have been prevalent at this time in Ferry and Pentwater, as we find bills from these municipalities for $3,666.01 against the county. The bill of Mr. Barber, employed by the board of health at Pentwater, as watchman, amounting to $77.87, was allowed. The small-pox bills of Golden were allowed to the amount of $50, and from Crystal for $10.40; from Ferry, about $150; from Pentwater, $360. A number of the bills not having been properly made out, or being from parties well able to pay them- selves, were not passed. The ferry license of Rice and Conley, at Pentwater, was rescinded.
The board seem to have been actuated by a fit of economy, when they cut down a bill of $25 to 10 cents, which order is still undrawn.
In October the supervisors are: Tower, of Claybanks; Green, of Grant; Pointer, of Otto; Stevens, of Greenwood; Dunning, of New- field; Reed, of Ferry; Maples, of Shelby; Hoffman, of Benona; Davis, of Golden; Sprigg, of Hart; Tennant, of Elbridge; Gowdy, of Leavitt; Woodworth, of Colfax; Willett, of Crystal; Graham, of Weare; Imus, of Pentwater. Mr. Tennant was elected chairman.
. The question of the purchase of a fire and burglar proof safe, and of erecting suitable county offices, was referred to a committee.
The treasurer reported that he had received during the year past $32,867.06, which included $2,551.90 of balance of previous year, and $15,143.73 from the state. The balance in treasury at this time was $2,163.12, and unpaid bonds, $5,209.81; $1,500 was paid for two safes.
A report from A. A. Darling, superintendent of schools, states that he labored during the year 118 days; that several fine new schools had been erected during the past Summer, one at New Era, another in Crystal Valley, another in Ferry village, and a very fine building in Judge Green's district in Grant was finished last Fall. The teachers are reported as increasing in experience. A successful institute had been held at Hesperia; the next one to be at Pentwater, on October 31, 1872.
The equalized valuation of the county was $2,050,514.52, of which Pentwater made $843,188; Hart, 279,417.20; Shelby, $210,350.70; the lowest in value being Leavitt, $51,789.68.
J. W. Sweet was elected a superintendent of the poor. The county treasurer was authorized to rent the office now occupied by the county, from N. Crosby, for $140.
The salaries were voted at $1,000 for treasurer, $100 for clerk, $400 for judge of probate, $500 for prosecuting attorney.
A tax of one-tenth of a mill on the dollar for the benefit of the Oceana Agricultural Society was ordered.
W. J. Tennant, chairman of the board, was awarded a vote of
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HISTORY OF OCEANA COUNTY.
thanks for the efficient manner in which he had discharged the duties of his office.
At the December session the committee on the small-pox accounts report that they had examined witnesses and found that there had been four patients attended at the public expense in Ferry, for which the township had charged the county $1,014, from which $316.19 had been deducted, leaving a cost of $163.20 for each patient. In Pentwater twenty-one witnesses were sworn, showing that there were fifty-nine cases of small-pox and varioloid in the township in the Winter of 1871, of whom thirty-five were supported at public expense, for which Pentwater claimed $2,930.98, being $83.74 for each patient. Some of these were employed as nurses, and others had the varioloid lightly. But the board of health of Shelby and Pentwater had used prompt measures to suppress the spread of the disease. It was resolved to take the opinion of Col. Standish on the liability of the county for these small-pox claims. The claims were mostly allowed.
The death of a member, Robert Pointer, calls forth an expres- sion of regret.
1878.
Vincent E. Clark was made superintendent of the poor in Feb- ruary. It appears that certain of the counties of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit were trying to impeach Judge A. H. Giddings. The board of supervisors for Oceana passed a resolution approving of the manner in which he discharged his duties in their county, affirming that his removal from the judgeship would be "a public calamity." It appears that while Judge Giddings was a man of the most brilliant talents, he occasionally gave way to intem- perance.
The board at the same time sent a remonstrance to the Legis- lature against the abolition of the office of county superintendent of schools.
In October several new supervisors appear: J. A. Chellis for Newfield, L. H. Shaw for Otto, A. J. Underhill for Pentwater, H. W. Turk for Grant, H. F. Cushman for Greenwood, and J. K. Howe for Golden. Harvey Tower was elected chairman. The Congregational Church of Hart, Rev. Leroy Warren, pastor, were allowed the use of the court-room for services for one year. A vote of thanks to the county superintendent of schools, Seth Edson, was carried, and his address shows that he had held ten examinations and granted twenty-six third-grade certificates, three second grade, three first grade, refused ten applicants, and had made forty visits in thirty-two days. Twenty-five dollars was the annual rental given by the Congregationalists for the use of the court-room.
The salaries are fixed at $1,000 for treasurer, $100 for clerk, $600 for prosecuting attorney, $400 for probate judge. The bal- ance in the hands of the treasurer is $2,117.90; $205 was given to the Oceana Agricultural Society, and a tax of one-tenth of a mill on the dollar was again allowed. The assessed valuation was now $2,470,446, of which Pentwater represented $512,205, Shelby $310,452, Hart $267,930, Benona $156,754, Leavitt $94,594, and Greenwood and Otto $70,000 each. The report was at the same session amended so as to amount to $2,219,878, the chief reduction being in Pentwater to $334,869. The salaries for the ensuing year were: Treasurer, $1,000; prosecuting attorney, $550; clerk, $300; $280 was allowed for the remainder of Pentwater small-pox bills. Messrs. Tennant, Gowdy and Cushman, committee on providing offices, recommend the county to build. The amount to be levied for the ensuing year was: For outstanding bonds, $2,509; small- pox orders, $3,000; poor fund, $2,700; contingencies, $4,200; total, $12,409; one-tenth of a mill on the dollar for Agricultural Society, all of which would require a tax of six mills on the dollar. A vote was carried to build county offices in Hart. A vote of thanks was
tendered to Mr. and Mrs. Gale for their management of the poor farm.
Messrs. Mears and Odell presented a petition at the December session to remove the county seat to Mears, which was refused on a vote of fifteen nays to one yea-the supervisor of Golden.
T. F. Reed moved that the county seat be moved to the village of Barnett, in Shelby. Mr. Woodward moved an amendment, which was accepted by Mr. Reed, to the effect that Barnett be the county seat, if Shelby give a bond of $6,000 to erect suitable build- ings. Messrs. Reed, Tennant and Johnson, committee on public buildings, gave a full estimate for the same, showing that $6,031.82 would be required. The motion to remove the county seat to Barnett received eight yeas and eight nays, and was therefore lost. It was resolved that the board proceed to erect county buildings, pro- vided the people of the village of Hart would give $2,500 of the amount. Mr. Mears's offer for the county seat at Mears was a most liberal one, and was to the effect that he would erect fine brick county buildings, with vaults, etc., free of cost, or he would donate $10,000 in cash after the county erected its own buildings.
1874.
The first meeting was in August, and the supervisors were: H. Hoffman, Benona; Martin Baker, Claybanks; Henry Cogill, Crystal; Calvin Woodward, Colfax; T. G. Houk, Elbridge; Reusler Ferris, Ferry; O. K. White, Grant; I. H. Cogswell, Greenwood; J. K. Howe, Golden; David Johnson, Hart; David Scott, Leavitt; J. A. Chellis, Newfield; J. Williamson, Otto; Edwin Nickerson, Pent- water; G. W. Woodward, Shelby; N. C. Smith, Weare; David John- son, chairman. The committee report that David Benham had completed his contract for county offices.
In October the county superintendent of schools, Mr. Edson, reported 230 days worked, making 232 visits, thirty examinations, holding nine institutes and delivering nine lectures. The annual valuation was equalized at $2,287,758.55, Pentwater, the highest, being $318,106. Messrs. Wigton and Bosworth were allowed to construct a dam across the north branch of the Pentwater River in Hart. Salaries for the year: Treasurer, $1,000; clerk, $300; pros- ecuting attorney and probate judge, each $550; sheriff $1 per day for general care of court-house and jail, and county superintendent of schools $4 a day for 175 days. Cornelius Myers was elected superintendent of the poor. The rent of the court-room to the Congregationalists was remitted and they were allowed the free use of the room until further notice. The treasurer reported as received for the past year $21,131.29, and expended $20,256,38, leaving a balance of $874.91 to the credit of the county.
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