USA > Michigan > Montcalm County > History of Montcalm County, Michigan its people, industries and institutions...with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families Volume I > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
While on this topic it may be well enough to record that the first birth in the town was that of Josephine, daughter of John Green, in June, 1845. She later became Mrs. Starkweather and resided in Greenville. The first male child born was John, son of R. K. Divine, January 16, 1846. He made his home in Oakland county, Michigan. The first death was that of Mrs. John Loucks, who died in 1846, and was buried on the bank of the Flat river, above Greenville. After her death burials were chiefly made on Enos T. Peck's place, east of Greenville. But few persons were interred there. however. before the town laid out a burial place west of Greenville.
There was some controversy as to the proper place for the location of the town cemetery, for about every man in town wanted the graveyard near his place, and when the matter came before the town board for decision there was such a conflict of opinion that, as the only method of determining who should locate the burial ground, it was resolved to draw cuts. It hap- pened that the task fell to Westbrook Divine, who bought of John Green four acres of land lying just west of Greenville, for which he paid one
133
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
hundred dollars. His action in paying so much money for a cemetery site was generally regarded as a species of wild extravagance, and as a clincher popular argument pointed to the conclusion that the four acres would never be entirely occupied with graves, for the reasoning was that the town would not have people enough to make a sufficient number of deaths probable within at least a century. Divine simply said, "Wait and see." The grave- yard has long since been so crowded with graves that no burials have taken place there for many a day.
Until the summer of 1845 R. K. Divine, Westbrook Divine and Stephen Warren lived with their families in R. K. Divine's house. Warren built a house in 1845, and Westbrook Divine built one in 1846.
In the carliest days of the settlement, milling was done at Ionia and wheat marketing chiefly at Grand Rapids. The latter trip, made with ox team via Plainfield, and there across the river via ferry, usually consumed three days for the round journey. When the night camp was made bells were tied upon the cattle and the traveler himself, using the ox yoke as his pillow, slept soundly enough until opening dawn warned him to be up and away. Westbrook Divine hauled a load of twenty-four bushels of wheat to Grand Rapids and selling it at fifty cents per bushel, took his pay in money issued by Daniel Ball's bank. Before he reached home the bank failed, and the twelve dollars that young Divine had looked upon as a fat reward for his produce and labored efforts to get it to market melted away to nothing- ness, like mist before the morning sun. It was pretty hard, but he had to stand it. After keeping the money a year in the hope that it would be redeemed he sold it at seven cents on the dollar, at which rate it yielded him for his wheat just three cents and a half per bushel.
Lyman H. Pratt, Ethan Satterlee, Sr., and Westbrook Divine, as the first board of highway commissioners of Montcalm township, laid out the first roads in the present town of Eureka. One of the roads was a con- tinuation, from the south line of Montcalm, of the road coming northward from Cook's Corners. That road they carried on to Lincoln's mill on the north-a distance of eight miles. Another road, laid about the same time, was one from Warren's Corners to Greenville, and a third a branch road from Greenville into Fairplain.
Besides having been one of the first highway commissioners chosen in Montcalm, Westbrook Divine was chosen the first town clerk of Eureka; was in 1850 elected county register of deeds, in which office he continued four years; was supervisor for Eureka from 1856 to 1881 (with the excep- tion of only two years) ; served two terms as state senator, from 1863 to
134
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1867; was appointed United States assessor in 1867 and retained the place until the office was abolished, in 1872; was in 1875 appointed by Governor Bagley as one of the commissioners of the Ionia house of correction (of which he was one of the board of managers) ; was president of the Excel- sior Agricultural Society of Otisco from 1871; was president of the board of directors of the People's Fire Insurance Company of the counties of Ionia and Montcalm; and for a long time was prominently identified with Grange affairs in town, county and state. Such a record is of some conse- quence, and in a historical way receives additional lustre from the fact that its possessor was the oldest living resident in the county until his death, and one of its very first settlers.
THE SAXTON ENTRY.
One of the earliest land entries in Montcalm county is said to be a tract of forty-nine acres in lot 8, on section 22, upon the bank of the Flat river. The patentec, Silas Saxton, of New York, entered the land in 1839, and for a long time it laid wholly idle. Mr. Saxton paid the taxes regularly on it, and when asked why he did not improve it or sell it, said that he wanted to keep it for the satisfaction of owning some Michigan land, and that although he did not care to have it improved, his children might some day take a notion to make a farm of it.
The earliest comers (outside of Greenville), next to the Divines and Warrens, were the Satterlees. There were Ethan Satterlee and his three married sons, Alexander, Ethan, Jr., and Henry (each of whom was a man of family ), and four unmarried sons and daughters. The Satterlees owned about six hundred acres of land located on sections 7, 8 and 28. Henry, who had come on to prepare the way. as it were, had been on the ground about two weeks when his father and the other members of the family arrived. When the latter reached Eureka all hands moved into Henry's shanty, and on the following day Satterlee and his sons put up a house, and finished it before night ready for occupancy, although to tell the truth it was not much of a house. The Satterlees brought in five teams of horses and a drove of cattle, the horses being the first animals of that kind to enter the town. There had been horses in the vicinity, owned by Cook Morse and Shaw, but they lived in Otisco. Ethan Satterlec, the elder and his son, Alexander, located on section 8, Henry on section 7. and Ethan, Jr., on sec- tion 28. The Divines and Warren probably put in the first orchard, the trees for which he brought from Jackson.
I35
:
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
One of Ethan Satterlee's daughters, named Catharine, taught at Green- ville in 1846, the first school known in Montcalm county. She taught two summers in Greenville, and for two summers after that in the Loucks neigh- borhood, east of Greenville, where Harriet Wilcox was perhaps the first teacher. During the period that Miss Satterlee taught in the Loucks neigh- borhood, the settlers thereabouts included the two Loucks families, the May- nards. Sandersons, Sanders, Moores and Moors. North of Greenville, on the Flat river in section 9, was a small band of Indians called Blacksmith Indians, who to the number of a dozen or more, lived on a forty-acre patch of land and pretended to cultivate it, but who did far less land cultivating than loafing and begging. They lived in huts and eked out a precarious existence by hunting and fishing and sugar-making until the filling up of the country drove out the game, and then the loafing redskins made off for more northerly latitudes.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS.
In 1846, John C. Stockholm, a New Yorker, came West to embark in the lumbering business with the Worden Brothers, of Wordens' mills, in Montcalm township. When Stockholm reached the country he concluded the lumbering business would not suit him, and determining to engage in pioneering in its stead, bought of James Kerr, on section 33, in Eureka, a farm of which Mr. Kerr had improved thirty-six acres, and had built thereon a log house and framed barn, the latter (erected in 1845) being the first one of the kind in Eureka. On the town line south of him were R. K. Divine, Westbrook, Divine, Stephen Warren and Lorenzo Whitney. The latter, who had been in about two years. lived east of Westbrook Divine, and after a residence of seven years moved back to New York state.
In 1847. A. G. Stockholm, brother of John C., came out to Eureka to look around, and looked around to such good purpose that he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 32. In 1848 he went back to New York state and married. In 1849 he returned to Michigan for perma- nent settlement. John C. Stockholm resided in Eureka until 1865 when he embarked in business at Cook's Corners, in Otisco. About the time of A. G. Stockholm's coming to Eureka in 1847, came also Josiah Bradish, who in 1850 sold out to William Stokes and moved to Fairplain.
Henry M. Moore, already mentioned as one of the earlest settlers, opened the first store in the township, on section II, in 1848, just without the present limits of Greenville. William Backus was one of Mr. Moore's
:
136
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
clerks, of whom two others were W. E. Sholes and E. B. Campbell. The location was probably not a profitable one for trade, for after a two-years experience Mr. Moore closed the store. Outside of Greenville that was the only place of trade Eureka ever possessed.
The first white woman to penetrate into the territory north of Wabasis creek is said to have been a woman who in the spring of 1844 went over the creek and into Greenville to keep house for John Green and his mill hands. Iler name cannot now be recalled.
Mr. Nelson came in somewhere about 1850 and not long afterwards caused the creation of Eureka postoffice and the appointment of himself as postmaster-a place that he held until the office was discontinued.
GREENVILLE.
Greenville, the chief commercial town of Montcalm county, is located in the north-central part of Eureka township, but the history of this town will be taken up in detail in another chapter. The only other town in Eureka township which was ever platted is that of South Park. This is a summer resort and is located in section 21 on the south banks of Baldwin lake. It was surveyed and platted by M. Cankin for Carpenter C. Merritt, Mary A. Merritt, his wife, Peter McDermond and Carrie McDermond, his wife, proprietors, September 23, 1895. At present there are a number of cottages and this is a popular local resort for the people of this section to spend the summer along the lake.
BALDWIN LAKE RESORT.
The name of this resort is now locally known as Baldwin Lake resort. Cottages are located all around the lake and these are owned mostly by the people of Greenville who make this their summer home. These cottages are built on either side but mostly on the right side of the drive which extends entirely around the lake. This is a very beautiful resort, and one of the largest and most popular in the township.
TOWNSHIP HIGHWAYS.
From the highway records of the township of Montcalm, it appears that previous to the organization of town 9, there were twenty surveys of roads in that town. The first four were as follows: May 27, 1845, a road com-
I37
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
mencing at a post twenty chains east of section 33, and ending at the mill yard of Green & Company; September 9, 1845, a road commencing at the quarter post on the south side of section 33, and ending at the quarter post on the west side of section 6; December 9, 1845, a road commencing at the northeast corner of section 16, and running eastward to the quarter post on the east side of section 13. June 25, 1846, a road lying on a line between the towns of Montcalm and Courtland, commencing at the northwest corner of section 6, town 9 north, range 8 west, and ending at the southeast corner of section 31, town 9 north, range 8 west.
On May 13, 1850, the township of Eureka was divided into ten road- districts. District No. I included sections 7, 8, 17 and 18. No. 2 com- menced at the southwest corner of section 16, ran cast to Flat river, up the river to the quarter section line on the east side of section 9; thence north on said line to the northeast corner of said section; thence south to the south- west corner of section 16, the place of beginning. No. 3 commenced at the quarter post on the north side of section 2, running south on the quarter line to the quarter post on the south side of section II; thence west on section line to the centre of Flat river; thence up the centre of Flat river to the west side of section to; thence north to the northwest corner of section 3; thence east to the quarter post on the north side of section 2, to the place of beginning. No. 4 included sections 13 and 14, and all of 15 lying on the eastern side of Flat river. No. 5 included the south half of section 25, the south half of 26, the whole of 27, the southeast quarter of 28, the east half of 33, the whole of 34, 35 and 36, and lot No. 8 on section 22. No 6 included section I, the east half of 2, the east half of II, and the whole of 12. No. 7 included the southwest quarter of section 28, the south half of 29, the south half of 30, the whole of 31 and 32, and the west half of 33. No. 8 commenced at the northwest corner of section 19, and ran eastward to the center of Flat river; thence down the river to the quarter line of sec- tion 27; thence west to the quarter post on the west side of section 30, thence north to the place of beginning. No. 9 included sections 4, 5 and 6. No. IO commenced at the northeast corner of section 24, and ran west to Flat river ; thence down said river to the quarter line of section 26; thence east to the quarter post on the east side of 25; thence north to the place of beginning.
ORIGINAL LAND ENTRIES IN EUREKA.
Section 1-Henry Brayton, Peter Green, John Porter, Rufus K. Moors, Phite Monroe, Charles Hubbs, C. W. Butter. Section 2-Hiram Rossman,
138
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
George Rossman, Elijah Warden, Hiram Rossman, Charles Hubbs, Levi Makley, Phite Rossman, William Walkington. Section 3-Fite Rossman. George Loucks, Noah Robbins, Henry M. Moore. Lewis E. Smith, Jacob W. Petty. Section 4-Russell, Green and Demerest, James Kerr, Lewis E. Smith, Smith Miller, George Rossman. Section 5 -- George Kelley. Joseph Brown and John Alleroft. William Degotis, George Loucks and Fite Ross- man, Leonard Stewart. Edward Butler, Jacob W. Petty, John D. Wilson. George W. Peck, Martin Shearer. Section 6-Henry IT. Rowland, Smith Rowland, George W. Peck, John D. Wilson, Andrew P. Crowell. John M. Sheldon, George Green. Section 7-Amos 1. Fay. Henry Satterlee. Eri Satterlee, Ezra Satterlee. Section 8-William Atwood, James McGinley. George Kelley, Robert Shaw. Ethan Satterlee. Section 9-Ethan Satterlee, Josiah Russels, S. Demerest. Section 10-Charles Harrison, Henry M. Moore. George Vanness, Jacob W. Petty, George Holmden, Charles Sey- mour, James Grant, Amos H. Russell and Alexander N. Loomis, Ira Porter. Section 11-William Holinden, Charles Seymour, George Loucks, James Grant. Richard A. Porter, Henry M. Moore, Levi Makley Evans Williams. Section 12-Miles Porter, Rufus K. Moors, Richard A. Porter. Section 13-Ira Porter, John and William M. Porter, Lewis E. Johnson. Section 14 -- John Porter, Henry M. Moore, Levi Peck, George Loucks, Daniel W. Tomlinson, Augustus W. Maynard. Section 15-Ira Porter. Thomas Green, Evan Williams. Daniel W. Tomlinson, Joseph C. Bailey. Section 16-John Loucks, Henry M. Moore. Thomas Green, Smith and Moore. James Chamberlain, Lewis E. Smith, Enos T. Peck, Samuel B. Peck, Mann- ing Rutan, George and Erastus Fisher, Samuel B. Peck, James B. Cham- berlain, Leonard Conant. A. S. Watson. Section 17 -- George W. King, Ethan Satterlee, Alexander Satterlee, William Kitts. Ethan Satterlee. Sec- tion 18-Norman Satterlee, William B. Floyd, William Stuver, Abel Bill. David I. Pennock, Solomon Satterlec. Section 19-Enoch Brown, Madder Macomber, Solomon Satterlec. George W. Paul, John C. Stockholm. Emily A. Shons, Fanny S. Ribber, Abel Bill. Freeman Satterlee, William Stockes. Levi Macomber, Gordon B. Bently, Samuel V. Carpenter, John B. Potter. John C. Burgess, J. M. Fuller. Section 20 -- Solomon Satterlee, Warren Chapin, Morton Shearer, Jonathan Arnold, Daniel Fitzgerald, Samuel Road. Catherine Satterlee, William Stokes, Daniel II. Perkins, Whitney Jones, Allen D. Corey. Section 21-Ethan Satterlee, C. P. Bush, and C. A. Jeffreys. Section 22-Silas Saxten. Jerod Wilson, James Grant, Daniel Benson, Moses B. Hiss, Jessie A. Parker, George W. Peck. Section 23-
139
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Daniel Ransom, James Grant, Henry M. Moore. Section 24-James T. Tallman, John R. Tallman, John Porter, William H. Saunders, J. D. and R. C. Miller, William Wells, Samuel Monroe. Section 25-William Wells, George Willson, J. Van Wormer, Leander Cole, Francis Crawford. Sec- tion 26 --- Leonard Kipp. Section 27-Isaac Young. Section 28-Ethan Satterlee, James Grant, Alonson D. Force. Section 29-Aaron G. Stock- holm. Thomas Hay, Barron Weaver, Ashael K. Cole. George E. Case, J. K. Schoaten, Edwin Ranney, Richard D. Bently, Squire Cogswell. Section 30-John Ball, John Rossman, Horace D. Plato, G. H. Shons, Howel Ashly. Oscar M. Hall, John Rossman. Ashly Osgood. John Davis, William S. Switzer, Jacob Davis, John Davis, Lyman W. Luscom, John House, David Crawford. Charles Hanson. Section 31-John Rossman, E. E. Belding. Oscar M. Hall. Daniel F. Stokes, Newman Putney, David Dean, Henen Spaulding, J. Fletcher, Melissa W. Smith, Jacob Crawford, Edward Jackson. Section 32-Lewis D. Rhodes, William Slagt, John Ball, James Grant, Aaren G. Stockholm, Allen Thompson, James Kerr, Nathaniel Coons. James L. B. Kerr. Benjamin Caswell. Section 33 --- Orpheus Nelson, Edwin A. Hayden, Josiah Bradish, Henry Bevorce, Simon Root, Ezekiel Wood, James L. B. Kerr. Section 34-Stephen H. Warren, Rosecrans Divine. Westbrook Divine. Jesse Whitney. Aaron Weaver, H. Warren and R. Divine. Stephen H. Warren, James Grant. Section 35-John Riker. James Grant. Joseph Bailey, Jesse Whitney, Abner Wright. Roscrans Divine, John W. Follas. James Grant. Section 36-James Grant, Henry M. Moore, Morton Shearer. Leander Cole. Adam I. Roof. James Grant, Ira Porter, David Burnet. Rendall Woodard. Amos Josiah, William Russell.
CHAPTER XI.
EVERGREEN TOWNSHIP.
Evergreen township is one of the interior divisions of Montcalm county and is situated southeast from Stanton, the county seat. It is bounded on the north by Day township, on the east by Crystal, on the south by Bushnell and on the west by Sidney, and is designated on the government survey as township 10 north, range 6 west.
At the regular session of the board of supervisors held on the first Tuesday in March, 1856, a petition was presented bearing the signatures of the following freeholders of the township of Bushnell: Ira Rider, S. Allchin, C. Allchin, E. Allchin, Robert Bennett, W. Phinesey, Asa Gris- wold, James Griswold, Moses T. Bennett, William Griffin, Lyman Stevens and F. H. Stevens. These petitioners prayed that the honorable board divide said township of Bushnell and organize town 10 north, range 6 west, into a separate township to be called Evergreen. This petition was dated on January 12, 1856, and was published in the Montcalm Reflector, of Greenville. There were also the additional names of C. C. Bacon, Joseph Gallope, G. W. Stevens, J. Stevens, C. G. Tyler, C. W. Olmstead and Edwin Comstock on the original petition, which were not given in the Reflector notice.
The petition for the erection of this township was presented to the board of supervisors of the county by Ira Rider, at the time a representa- tive from Washtenaw county, though a resident of this township. As the name indicates, it was selected on account of the prevailing kinds of timber found in this section.
ORIGINAL. LAND ENTRIES.
The first purchases of lands in the township were made upon the vari- ous sections as here indicated :
Section 1-Henry Crapo, William Crapo, David Montross, Lorenzo D. Montross, Israel E. Richardson, Aaron Clark. Section 2-Philip H. Martz, Henry H. Crapo, Robert Gregory, Sncel C. Hinds, Emily J. Hinds. Section 3-Ambrose I .. Soule, Henry H. Crapo, John W. Abbott, Emily J.
14I
&
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Hinds, Henry J. Kingsbury, Levi Harrod, David Curtis, Elisha L. Hill. Section 4-Ambrose I .. Soule, John Walters, Alfred Richardson. Section 5-P. H. Chapin, Ambrose I. Soule, Frederick Hall. Section 6-Ambrose Soule, Frederick Hall. Section 7- Charles Bean, Ambrose I .. Soule, Frederick Hall, Benjamin Fowle, William Paterson. Section 8-Charles Bean, Ambrose L. Soule, Eastman Colby, Horatio Peck, Philander Ben- nett, Richard Morgan, Sylvester Spencer, William Boyer. Section 9- Ambrose L .. Soule, Frederick Hall, Alfred Richardson, John Walters, E. L. Frazer, P. R. Howe, G. B. Isham, Samuel Besseguie. Section 10-P. R. Howe, George B. Isham, Henry H. Crapo, John Wilkinson, Charles A. Cook, Louisa E. Richardson, Emily J. Hinds, Jerry Buckley, Henry Kings- bury, James Case, David Carter, Elish L. Hill. Section 11-Philip H. Martz, Henry H. Crapo, William H. Corbin, Charles A. Cook, Orlando Goolthite, Jacob B. Smith, William H. Whipple. Section 12-Oliver H. P. Goodwin, Joseph McCurdy, William S. Bills, F. M. Hinds, William Cramer. Section 13-Frederick Hall, Stephen F. Page, Oliver H. F. Good- win, David G. Hoag. Lorenzo D. Smith, Chancey Case, William H. Whip- ple. Section 14-Frederick Hall, P. H. Martz, Samuel Greenhoe, Orlando Goolthite, William Whipple. Section 15-Stephen F. Page, David D. Hoag, Henry H. Crapo, Frederick Hall, John Wilkinson, Ezra Burgess, Levi Farbell. Section 16-Albert Van Vleck, Eastman Colby. Section 17 -Jay Olmstead, Charles Bean, Charles Merrill, Ambrose L. Soule, David R. Chandler, Colby & Company. Section 18-Charles Merrill, Charles Bean, Colby & Company, Thomas Patterson, Ralph Collingwood, Isaac T. Baker. Section 19-Charles Merrill, Charles Bean, Jeremiah D. Gleason, I. B. Townsen, Jane Rodgers, Joseph D. Burgess, Margaret Decker. Sec- tion 20 Jay Olmstead, Charles Bean, Wallace Gleason. Section 21-Fitz Robinson, Stephen Robinson, Jay Olmstead, John T. Sherman, Stephen Page, Mary E. Chase. Section 22-Jay Olmstead, Joseph Scott, Ambrose L. Soule, Stephen F. Page, H. F. Deal, O. W. Holly, John Wolverton, C. C. Darling, Joseph Hanchett, A. C. Hanchett. Section 23-Frederick Hall, Peter Carr, Joseph Begole, Joshua Begole, L. B. Jennings, Gilbert Stover, John P. Place, Benjamin Soule, William Blake, S. P. Loomis, W. R. White, M. Greenhoe. Section 24-Aaron Brown, Persis Robinson, John M. Phelps, Jeremiah Van Nest, Frederick Hall, Benjamin Soule, Daniel Morton. Section 25-Daniel Morton, Jacob Fake, Charles Rawlson, Ira Lothrop, Louis S. Lovell, Charles Merrill. Section 26-Louis S. Lovell; Christopher Rice, Christopher Greenhoe, Charles Conklin, H. N. Jenks,
142
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
William Morgan, William R. Evans, John Arntz, Hampton Rich. Section 27-Emma Ripley, Ambrose L. Soule, Henry Arntz, George F. Case, San- ford North, Christopher Greenhoe, Vinson Darling, David Hall, William Scott, Albert Van Vleck, William E. Balcon, Hamilton Rich. Section 28- Jay Olmstead. Ambrose Soule, John B. Utter, Charles Richardson, Isaac Allen, George F. Case, Vinson Darling. Section 29-Jay Olmstead, Will- iam Thompson. Stephen F. Page, William Phinesey, Frederick Hall, John B. Utter. Robert Bennett. Section 30-Charles Merrill, Frederick Hall, William H. Waterhouse, Erastus P. Brown, Alfred C. Mitchell, William Goodwin. C. C. Darling, Henry W. Lewis, William Eaton, Edmond Hall. Section 31 -- Edwin Merrifield, Joseph P. Powell, Jeremiah D. Gleason, Frederick Hall, Thomas Bywater, Darwin Cleveland, Erastus P. Brown, C. C. Darling, Gilbert Cook. Section 32-Erastus P. Brown, William Tillotson, Frederick Hall, Richard Derrick, Thomas Bywater, Horace Cas- well, Thomas I. Post. Section 33-William Morgan, F. Hall. R. D. Smith, Alfred V. Roosa. Thomas Bennett, W. F. Drake, John E. Morrison, Thadeus Hickok, Abel Bywater. Section 34-William F. Drake, William Morgan, Thadeus Hickok. William Carter, Imri Kinney, Oscar Talcott. Albert Van Vleck, Silas P. Loomis, E. M. Davis. Section 35-Nathaniel S. Benton, Louis S. Lovell, William Stone, Nathaniel Benton, Hiram Dunn, Sylvester Arntz, Thomas Dickinson, John Tyler, Silas P. Loomis. Section 36-John W. Prosser, Jonathan McElroy, Mortimer Gilleo, Hugh Calla- han, Louis S. Lovell, Ambrose L. Soule.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
The settlement of Evergreen began properly in 1848, when a saw-mill was commenced on section 21. It is asserted that the land upon which it stood was entered by Fite Rossman, and that he was the prime mover in the enterprise. Although he may have been connected with the mill he entered no land, and his connection with the company at most was of short duration. Even before this, and years after, he is remembered to have taken cattle to the rush beds of Gratiot county to winter and from this Jay Olmstead became connected with the mill property as early as 1849, and employed a man named Patrick to oversee it and his wife to keep the board- ing house, which was the first dwelling house erected in the township. At one time, while looking for cattle, Patrick became belated in the woods. As night came on the distant howling of wolves gradually came nearer, and increased until he was aware that he was being surrounded. As it became
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.