USA > Michigan > Mason County > History of Mason County, Michigan > Part 42
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The first sawmill in the town was erected by H. M. Cushman, which was burned in the Spring of 1882. R. W. Skeel's mill, near the county line on the south, was erected about twelve years ago.
The first Baptist preacher was the Rev. Mr. Haskin.
The first church was the Presbyterian, organized in the Spring of 1866, services being held at L. McCallum's, by Rev. J. Willard, Rev. W. M. Ferry paying the first year's salary. The church edifice is now in Hesperia, and a portion of the salary of the resident min- ister has been paid by Mr. Ferry, except in the year 1867.
As an illustration of the difficulties of the early settlers, and also of the proverb that "true love never runs smoothly," we may mention a remarkable wedding ceremony which occurred very early in the settlement, in 1857. Benjamin Ish, of Oceana County, was the bridegroom, and Miss Ellen Cunningham, of Muskegon County, was the bride, and they called their friends and neighbors together to rejoice with them. The mail carrier from White River was to bring up the clergyman, but when he arrived, lo, and behold! it was found that the minister was not ordained, and his work would not be legal and irrevocable. Nothing daunted, the happy pair waited until 3 o'clock next morning, when a trusty messenger arrived with old Mr. Stewart, a justice of the peace, who lived five or six miles away, in the wild woods of Newaygo. To make it legal-on a cold, chilly, star-lit night, under the canopy of heaven-the company crossed the road, and after crawling over a brush fence, stood on the soil of Newaygo, when the justice joined them as man and wife. Their union, although inauspicious in its beginning, has proved a happy one, and they still live on the next farm to H. D. Clark.
Again, as illustrative of the kind and neighborly feeling which then prevailed, Ex-Judge Camp relates that having purchased, when he first settled, three bushels of seed wheat from one Swinson, who at that time lived on Section 34, L. McCallum, Amos Wright, and Benjamin Ish carried it on their backs, unknown to Mr. Camp, to the residence of Ephraim Knapp, where the annual town meeting was to be held, at which Mr. Camp was expected to be present, and from which point it could be conveyed to his resi- dence by team. While relating this incident, Mr. Camp expressed his gratitude for this early indication of the friendly disposition of his neighbors.
Mr. Camp thought that his household goods were lost, as he shipped them from New York State on August 15, 1858, and did not receive them until April 12 of the following year, when Joseph W. Sweet, of Newfield, having discovered them in Chicago, brought them with his own goods up the south branch of White River by pole boats, to the Rapids, about six miles from Mr. Camp's present place. Mrs. Camp remarked that the darkest hour of her life was when her husband paid out his last dollar for house building. She had borne up bravely till then, but seeing no prospects of getting through till harvest, she sat down and wept bitter tears. But hope revived when a man came along and took their crop of maple sugar -nearly 400 pounds-to White River, and returned in a few days with flour and other necessaries, and nails and other material for building. After this, everything was smooth sailing.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
CHARLES CAMP, farmer, on Section 1, is a native of Ply- mouth, Chenango Co., N. Y., and came into Greenwood in April, 1856, at which time there was but one house in the town, that being in the southeast corner. In 1858, he moved onto his land, and built the first frame dwelling in the town. He was elected judge of probate in 1864, and held the office for four years. He was also elected supervisor, during 1868-'67 inclusive, and upon the death of I. H. Cogswell, he was appointed to fill the vacancy. In addition, he has held several minor township offices. He has ever been an ex- tensive reader, and keeps well abreast on the political questions of the day, and during a number of years he took an active part in the
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public affairs of both town and county. He was married, May 12, 1851, to Miss Sallie M. Lewis. Mr. and Mrs. Camp endured all the trials incident to early pioneer life, but now enjoy, on their fine ! estate, the fruits of their labors.
HENRY D. CLARK, farmer, on Section 36, was born in Lodi, Seneca Co., N. Y., April 18, 1822; came to Hillsdale County, Mich., in 1851, coming to his present place in September, 1855, taking up 160 acres. He built a good siezed block house, being the first house erected in the township, and he being the first settler. He entered ria Grand Rapids, paying stage fare to Newaygo, and, to use his own expression, he worked his passage by carrying a rail on his shoulder, to pry the stage out of the mud holes. From Newaygo he followed a trail, by id of a compass, to his present location. At that time his nearest trading and milling point was Newaygo, distant fourteen and a half miles, but by the trail at least twenty miles. For the first five weeks he was all alone, -- not a soul nearer than five miles. He walked five miles and back, each, to get his bread baked. He now has 350 acres, 200 of which are, under cultivation, with good buildings. The farm is well stocked, and well adapted for grain and fruit raising. His large orchard contains over 400 bearing apples, five varieties of cherries, four varieties of grapes, and a large amount of other fruits. He married, May 15, 1843, in Ohio, Miss Almira Dunn, who died March 1846, leaving two children- Oril and Olive -- the latter of whom died when six months old. On October 14, 1848, he married Barbara Ish, of Wyandotte, Ohio. Mr. Clark is an exception to a large number of the pioneers, he having devoted himself exclusively to agriculture, discarding lumbering or hunting.
SAMUEL MENA, farmer and lumberman, Section 12, was born in Lennoxshire, Scotland, December 25, 1846, and emigrated to this country in June, 1855, and went from New York City to Scotsville, N. Y., where he remained until 1861, when he located on his present farm. He received but a limited common school education, but making good use of his opportunities, he has developed into a shrewd business man. During his residence in the county, he has been extensively engaged in lumbering and farming, following the former employment in Fall and Winter, furnishing employment, on an average, for sixty men and twenty teams. He is one of the most extensive farmers in the township, having 240 acres under cultiva- tion. He was married, December 25, 1866, to Miss Jennie McCal- lum, who died, December 29, 1870, leaving one son -- George. On May 8, 1876, he was married to Miss Mary C. McCallum, both ladies being sisters and members of the McCallum family, who are among the first settlers in the township.
LACHLAN MCCALLUM, farmer, on Section 28, was born in Camp- belltown, Argyleshire, Scotland, June 7, 1831; came to America, in 1858, landing at Montreal in June of that year. In the Fall of 1855, he left Canada for this state, locating his present place, Octo- ber 12, 1855. During his residence in Canada, he earned sufficient to bring out his brother Archibald, who accompanied him to Green- wood. The two young men earned, by laboring in the lumber woods, money enough to bring out their parents and the family, in the following Fall. His instructions to his family were to take passage to New York, and thence by rail to Kalamazoo, and stage thence to Newaygo, via Grand Rapids. Unfortunately, his father was persuaded, by an unscrupulous runner to take passage to Mil- waukee. When they arrived at that city, their means were exhausted, and they forced to remain on expense, until word could be got from Lachlan, who borrowed money and went over for them. After considerable delay secured their passage on a sailing vessel to White River, but owing to a storm, the - captain was compelled to put into Muskegon. Lachlan went home for his ox team, and during his absence the captain landed the family on the beach and started them on foot for White River, and left the goods on the shore.
They were conveyed by ox team to Greenwood, and for crossing the river, a raft was built to convey the family, but in fording the stream the oxen were nearly drowned, and a portion of the goods were washed off the raft, a chest, containing wearing apparal of Mrs. McCallum and her daughters, floated down stream quite a distance, and was finally found and hauled to the shore by Mary (now Mrs. Mena.) Notwithstanding these early mishaps, the family are all comfortably situated, and the subject of our sketch, by industry, perseverance and economy, has acquired a competency, as he owns a fine farin of 280 acres, under cultivation, and has recently built the best residence in the township. A man of sterling integrity of charac- ter, he stands high in the public estimation. He has taken an active I interest in the political questions of the day, and although repeatedly solicited to take high official positions, he has steadily refused, and has only accepted of a few minor offices in his township, at the earnest solicitation of his neighbors. He married, September 6, 1867, Miss Ellen Bartlett, of Canton, Wayne Co., Mich., by whom he has three children -Jennie M., Bessie B., and James B.
NEIL MCCALLUM, farmer, was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, October 10, 1842, and came, with his parents, to Michigan, in the Fall of 1856. He was married December 25, 1865, to Miss Sarah A. Cogswell, by whom he has six children, four of whom survive- Maria, Archie, Bell, and Henry. The county line divides his fine farm of 170 acres, his residence being upon the Newaygo side, upon which he settled in the Spring of 1867. He is a thorough farmer, and has a well cultivated farm, with fine fields of grain and a large orchard. He is a prominent member of the Grange, and being a thorough student in political economy, and having great conversa- tional powers, he wields a large public influence.
WALLACE POTTER, farmer, Section 2, was born in Allegany County, N. Y., December 26, 1849, and came to this state in 1851, locating in Grand Rapids. He enlisted August 6, 1864, in the Third Michigan Cavalry, at Grand Rapids, and was mustered out in Jan- uary, 1866, at San Antonio, Tex. He was married January 15, 1879, to Miss Lorina Leland, and they have one child, Minnie. He moved into the town in 1878, and located on his present place.
TOWNSHIP OF OTTO.
ORGANIZATION.
Otto, as at first set apart in 1860, was composed of its present territory and that of Ferry, being Towns 13 and 14 north, Range 16 west. At a special meeting of the board of supervisors in Feb- ruary, 1860, a petition to organize these towns, under the name of Otto, was granted. It was signed by E. J. and B. F. Reed, G. W. Franklin, O. Benton, John Barber, J. M. Haines, J. F. Evans, G. F. Shattuck, J. W. Gillen (Uncle John), W. F. Barber and A. Decker. The first election was held at the house of G. Shattuck, and S. Rogers, G. Shattuck and E. J. Reed were appointed inspec- tors of election. E. J. Reed was the first supervisor.
The following is the list of officers:
SUPERVISORS .- E. J. Reed, 1860-'61; B. Hill, 1862-'63-4; B. F. Reed, 1865; J. F. Evans, 1866-'67-8; S. B. Potter, 1869; Jacob Williamson, 1870-'74-5-6-'81-2; Robert Pointer, 1871-'72; L. H. Shaw, 1878; O. E. Fogg, 1877-'78-9-'80.
CLERKS .- Timothy Smith, 1864-'65-'67; Daniel Williams, 1866; Charles Rathbun, 1868; E. O. Peck, 1869; L. B. Shaw, 1869-'70-1: Jacob Williamson, from July, 1872; S. B. Potter, 1878-74-5-6-7- 8-9-'80-1-2.
TREASURERS .- John F. Evans, 1868-'64; J. M. Haines, 1865; John Hinds, 1866-'67; G. R. Quick, 1868; John Gowell, 1869; J. Williamson, from November, 1869, to March, 1870; E. H. Ellis,
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1870; W. Duke, part of 1871; Daniel Adams, 1871-'72-3-4-5; Oscar E. Fogg, 1876-'77; S. B. Stephenson, 1878; Fred. Newman, 1879- '80-2; Charles Newman, 1881.
The officers for 1882 are: J. Williamson, supervisor; S. B. Potter, clerk; F. Newman, treasurer; Charles Newman, commis- sioner of highways; E. H. Ellis and A. A. Ingalls, school inspectors; S. B. Potter, justice of the peace; F. Royle, constable.
Wolves were quite numerous at first, and the Indians killed many of them. Children were afraid to go to school, on account of these creatures.
In 1861 there were but eight families in the towns of Otto and Ferry, the two Reed families, those of S. Van Etten, G. Shattuck, Samuel Rogers (deceased), E. H. Ellis, S. B. Potter, and Walter Duke, a colored man, and one of the earliest and most intelligent settlers. In 1861 C. S. Newman also came in.
About six years ago, by the burning of S. B. Potter's house, the town records were lost, and the same fire burned the school- house in District No. 3. That same year bush fires did great dam- age in the town.
The first teacher in District No. 3 was B. Garver. The first preacher in the town was Rev. A. A. Darling. The first marriage was that of Paul Dodge to Ellen Ellis.
In the Spring of 1860 there were just enough voters in the town to sign a petition for a road-nine in all.
In 1859 a Scotchman located land next to W. Gillen's, and built a shanty, and went to Ionia to pay for the land, but never appeared again. Was he murdered for the small amount of gold necessary to pay on his land? It still remains a mystery.
In 1864 the first accidental death occurred in the town, at the raising of C. Newman's barn. A young man, named Edwin Bar- ber, being hard of hearing, did not get out of the way of a falling plate, and was instantly killed. He was the first interred in the town cemetery.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
DANIEL ADAMS, farmer, Section 2, came, in 1864, to Otto, homesteading on Section 13, but in May, 1870, came on his present place, where he has now a good farm and a peach orchard of 300 trees. He was born September 5, 1830, in Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vt .; came to Branch County, Mich., September 26, 1855, and there, in 1857, he married Julia M. Cummings. For a number of years, when he first came into Otto, Mr. Adams lumbered for firms on White Lake.
CHARLES S. NEWMAN, farmer, northwest quarter of Section 1, is a native of Prussia, and immigrated in 1853, and in 1857 came to this state, working first for one year in a Muskegon sawmill, and three years for Carleton, on White River. He came to Otto in 1861, and has resided on his present place ever since. He has now a fine farm of 160 acres, two acres of orchard, a good dwelling, and per- haps the best barn in the town, erected in 1879, at a cost of $600. It is 40x50 feet, with twenty feet posts and a stone foundation. Mr. Newman was town treasurer in 1881. He married, in 1854, in Monroe County, Pa., Philopena Miwaite, and has five surviving sons, only two of whom are now at home.
TOWNSHIP OF GRANT.
The township of Grant is located in the south tier of towns in Oceana County, Mich., and is the legal subdivision known as Town- ship No. 13 north, of Range No. 17 west, and was subject to entry at the United States Land Office at Ionia, Mich.
The township was organized December 31, 1866. The first
township meeting was held on the 1st day of April, 1867, at the house of Jason Carpenter, at which meeting O. K. White was elected supervisor, Jason Carpenter, clerk, and Henry W. Turk, treasurer, each receiving twenty-seven votes-all that were polled. The first settlement was made by Fernando Seaver, in the then township of Claybanks, Ottawa County, on Section 31, in 1851, followed by William Winderknech and John Brocker, soon after. Alfred Pope also settled on the same section, on the farm now owned and occu- pied by Harvey Tower, in 1856. The same year Alonzo Green made a settlement on Section 30. In May, 1857, O. K. White settled on Section 7, after opening nearly six miles of road. In the Fall of 1857, the first election was held for the election of county officers for Oceana County. Jason Carpenter made a settlement on Section 5, in 1859, and Dexter M. Wheeler settled on Section 4, in 1860; John Smith on same section, in 1861. Milo H. Sweet made a set- tlement on Section 6, Henry W. Turk on Section 9, Alonzo Smith and James Baker on Section 10, the same year. At this time wolves were thick and quite familiar, so much so that John Brocker tells us that when he had got his shanty so far completed as to move into it, with a blanket for a door, one of the fellows pushed his head through the door and took a survey of the interior of the shanty. It was evidently satisfactory to him, for he trotted away with the utmost indifference when the family entered a protest against his company.
O. K. White says: "In November, 1861, four of the fraternity paid us a visit. They were heard near the house in the afternoon, so near, indeed, that the children took to the house for fear of them. About 8 o'clock in the evening the ball was opened in good earnest, and they kept up their howling the entire night, approaching the house and then retreating. The music was fearful, and effectually prevented sleep in that house. An infant, scarcely four months old, exhibited signs of fear, although held in her mother's arms. I was unable to scare them away, with any means at hand, although I tried repeatedly. I imagined there might be at least a dozen, but tracks in the light snow revealed the fact that there were only four."
Mrs. Carpenter tells also of being kept awake all night when she was alone with her small children, a mile and a half from the nearest neighbor. "I have often found that I have been followed by the creatures when going home in the night, but would not be aware of it until I reached the opening, when I would hear the note of disappointment. However, I never knew of a person being attacked by them."
In 1863 the first schoolhouse in the town was built in the then school district No. 6, of Claybanks, and in the year following a schoolhouse was built in No. 7, then Claybanks. In 1864 a port- able sawmill was erected on Section 38, which was in operation four or five years, when it was burned. In 1865 Nelson Green settled on Section 21, and that year and the one following opened the Alle- gan, Muskegon & Traverse Bay State Road across the township. In the meantime, Z. Bigelow had settled on Section 6; W. H. Gor- don on Section 33; H. S. Marble on Section 11. In 1870 a port- able mill was erected on Section 20, around which quite a settle- ment grew up. In 1873 this mill was burned, but rebuilt the next year. The C. & M. L. S. R. R. was built across the township in 1872, which opened up the country to the outside world. E. Whe- lon, N. Firgison and J. J. Tompkins had occupied farms on Section 16; H. Hightman and - - Wagner had settled on Section 18; H. Kiel, on Section 14, Keneda, on Section 13, and A. Wagner on 24. In 1878 H. H. Hand occupied a farm on Section 21, as did Brook on Section 20. In 1872 a schoolhouse was built in school district No. 1. In 1878 one was built in No. 4, and one, in 1875, in No. 8.
Meantime, two settlements had been made on Section 18, and three on Section 17, and, in 1876, there were sixty homesteads
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within the township, with an average number in each family of five persons, making a total population of 300. The assessed valuation is $92,000; about 40 horses, 150 head of neat stock, about 150 head of swine, where twenty-one years ago the wilderness was un- broken, and this where only a small portion of the land is consid- ered valuable for agricultural purposes, the balance being pine, plains and swamp lands. One may find many pleasant homes in this township, now.
The following is a list of supervisors, clerks and treasurers; SUPERVISORS .-- O. K. White, 1867-'68-9-70-1-4; N. Green, 1872; H. W. Turk, 1878; H. H. Hand, 1875-'76; Harvey Tower, 1877; Milo H. Sweet, 1878-'79-'80-1-2.
CLERKS .- Jason Carpenter, 1867; Lewis W. Bennett, 1868; Daniel Hecor, 1869; H. S. Marble, 1870; John S. Osborn, 1871; A. Sainsbury, 1872-'73-4-5-6-8-9-'80-1-2; A. White, 1877.
TREASURERS .- Henry W. Turk, 1867-'68-9-'75; L. B. Godfrey, 1870-'71; B. F. West, 1872-'78; N. Green, 1874; James M. Keyes 1876; M. H. Sweet, 1877; O. K. White, 1878; F. Seaver, 1879-'80; Frank A. Foster, 1881-'82.
At the first town meeting there were twenty-seven votes polled; at the last, eighty-five.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
HARVEY TOWER was born in Rutland County, Vt., March 8, 1817. Received his education at the Troy Conference Academy, Poultney, Vt .; subsequently taught school seven years. He moved to Jackson County, Mich., in 1839. In 1845 he settled in Barry County, Mich., and engaged in the mercantile business till 1851, when he made Claybanks, Oceana County, his home, living in dif- ferent townships in the county. Now resides on Section 31, Grant Township. Mr. Tower has ever been closely identified in the govern- ment of the county; having been county clerk, county treasurer and supervisor of Benona, Claybanks, and Grant Township, and a prac- : tical surveyor for twenty-five years. Married, December 16, 1846, to Laura L. Mallett, who was born in Washtenaw County, Mich., February 18, 1829. Nine living children -Emma (Huston), Ida (Hanson), Lee, Don, Uri, Ward, Effie, Emer and Joseph-and has lost two by death -- Rudolph, born September 7, 1848, died May 27, 1866; Ina, born May 15, 1865, died September 28, 1867.
MILO H. SWEET was born in Columbia County, N. Y., May 4, 1838. Early learned the painter's trade, at which he worked for seven years. In 1861 he settled in Grant Township, Section 6, where he now lives. Has been commissioner, treasurer, and is now serving his fifth term as supervisor. Married, February 1, 1861, to Jane Hopkins, who was born in Kent County, Mich., February 13, 1848. Four children-Willie H., Frank M., Milo M., and Eveline J.
TOWNSHIP OF CLAYBANKS.
We have now come to the last, but by no means the least im- portant township in the county. It is the oldest settled, and con- tains to-day the greatest portion of cleared farms, and the richest soil. It is a real pleasure to drive over this wealthy and well-settled township, evidencing, as it does, what can be done in the rest of the county, although here the soil is largely a heavy clay loam, with here and there a sandy loam. It consists of about two-thirds of a regular 36-section township, and is bounded on the north by Benona, on the east by Grant, south by White River and Muskegon County, and west by the Great Lake. It has one fine little creek in the southwest-Flower Creck-and the famous Whisky Creek, a dimin- utive affair in the northeast, emptying at Claybanks Postoffice,
where, until 1864, was the county seat. There is another postoffice at Flower Creek. This town is numbered 13 north of Range 18 west. We have already given the history of the early settlement of this town in the beginning of the county history, to which we refer our readers. Suffice it to say, that in 1849 occurred here the first settlement of the county, and here still live the oldest settlers. Here was the county seat for many years, and here were transacted many of the early incidents in the history of Oceana. It derives its name from the clay banks, on which were the early Indian clearings.
Among the very first settlers, coming in December, 1849, was Alex. S. Anderson, who died some years ago, and who was for many years supervisor and a prominent county officer. His origin and antecedents are involved in deep obscurity, as he revealed these to none. He resided in the county for thirty years, and was a most prominent and respected public man.
There are two church edifices in Clay Banks -a Lutheran Church on Section 24, and a Catholic Church, which was built for a school- house, but purchased about ten years by Catholics, mostly of Ger- man origin.
There is but one sawmill in the town.
Clay Banks Postoffice at Whisky Creek is the oldest postoffice in the county, and is now kept by Mr. Eaton. Flower Creek Postoffice, on Section 27, was kept for nearly twenty years by A. Huston, but for the last three years Amos H. Armitage is postmaster.
In Clay Banks J. D. S. Hanson is chairman of board of school inspectors; H. H. Keyes, inspector. There are four school districts. R. E. Cater, director of No. 1; W. Leak, of No. 2; W. D. Acker- son, of No. 3, and D. E. Russell, of No. 5. The schoolhouse in No. 8 is valued at $1,000; in No. 1, $800; No. 5, $700; No. 2, $300.
ORGANIZATION. .
The first election was held on Monday, April 2, 1855, twenty- five voters present. The first supervisor elected was Alex. S. Ander- ; son; clerk, Timothy Brigham; treasurer, Thos. Phillips; justices of the peace, A. S. Anderson, L. D. Eaton and James Smith; commissioners of highway, Asa Haggerty, L. D. Eaton and James Smith; con- stables, R. E. Cater, John Fordham, A. C. Haggerty, L. N. Curtis; school inspectors, A. S. Anderson and James Cody; overseer of poor, Robert Carr; A. S. Anderson and James Cody, inspectors of election.
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