History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories, Part 46

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts & co.
Number of Pages: 553

USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 46

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).

Abram D. Perry, Sr., died January 2, 1851, aged fifty-six, and his wife in August, 1873, aged seventy-five.

De Witt C. Narrin came from the town of Walworth, Wayne county, New York, and arrived in Michigan in October, 1837, landing in Detroit with his wife on the second day of that month. Coming on to Groveland township, he located on section 21, and stayed there one season. In 1838 he traded for the place which he now owns on section 23, and removed to it the same year. The farm he is living on was taken up by his brother, John S. Narrin, the two exchanging properties in 1838. When D. C. Narrin came from his first location on section 21 to build a house on his present place, the grass was so tall that he was obliged to haul an old tree-top through it and through the woods with a yoke of oxen, in order to make a path, so he might not get lost on his way back. In the immediate neigh- borhood the timber was quite heavy. The old log house he built in 1838 is still standing near the frame dwelling he now occupies.

Mr. Narrin is the father of seven children, of whom five are now living,-one son and four daughters.

Narrin lake derives its name from the Narrin settlement, and lies in sections 13, 14, 23, and 24. The land in the vicinity is very hilly and broken.

Peter Narrin, the father of D. C. and J. S. Narrin, came to Michigan in 1838, and located on section 23, next east of D. C. Narrin. He died in April, 1851, aged seventy-four years. His wife died the next April (1852), at the age of sixty-four.

William L. Narrin, another brother of D. C. and J. S. Narrin, came to the township in 1838, and took up the south half of section 14. He brought his wife and two sons with him ; is now living in Ortonville, Brandon township.

Daniel, Timothy, and Jesse Jones came from Orwell, Rutland county, Ver- mont. Jesse was born in Essex county, New York, between Lake George and Lake Champlain.

Timothy Jones came to Michigan in 1836, and settled in Springfield township, Oakland County, as did also Daniel, who came in 1837. Timothy stopped awhile in Ohio before coming to Michigan.

Jesse came in 1838, and stayed one season in Springfield township, and in 1839 located on section 13, in Groveland, where he has resided ever since. Daniel Jones had one son with him when he came to Michigan, having lost his wife before moving west.

The father of these men, Solomon Jones, came to the State in the fall of 1843, and first stopped in Springfield, where his wife died. He lived five years after- wards with his son Jesse in Groveland, and then went back to New York, where he stayed some time, and finally returned to Michigan and lived with Jesse until June, 1865, when he died, at the extreme old age of one hundred and five years. He had served in the Revolutionary war, although but fifteen years old when first called upon to bear arms. Of the sons, Jesse and Timothy are now living, the latter in Texas.

Captain Isaac Case and William Richmond came to the township in 1836, in company with others, who settled the same year. Captain Case is now living in Ortonville, Brandon township, and Mr. Richmond lives on his old farm.

Captain Case was born in Roxbury, Hartford county, Connecticut, and served in the artillery arm of the service during the war of 1812, enlisting in New York city. He came to Detroit in 1817, and was quartered at Fort Shelby. He came up on the steamer " Walk-in-the-Water," the first steamer on Lake Erie .* In February, 1826, he was married in St. Clair to Jane Hoyt, who died in 1834. In May, 1836, he came with his three children to Groveland township, and set- tled on the northeast quarter of section 26, which he still owns. He served the entire duration of the war of 1812, and now draws a pension for his services. He was born in February, 1796, and is consequently in his eighty-second year.

David Irish and family settled in the fall of 1837. Mr. Irish purchased eighty acres each for his eight sons, and forty acres each for his two daughters. One of his sons,-Norman,-who brought a wife and three children with him to Michi- gan, was killed a number of years afterwards by the kick of a horse. Two of David Irish's sons-Damon and George-are now living in the neighborhood.

Stephen Woodruff came from New Jersey, and located at Birmingham, Oak- land County, Michigan, about 1832. While living at that place he was married to Angeline MacGoon, whose father, Joseph MacGoon, had come from Cayuga county, New York, in 1832, the same year Mr. Woodruff came from New Jersey.

In 1837, Mr. Woodruff and his wife, with two children, came to Groveland, and settled that spring on the farm where Mrs. Woodruff and family now reside. They built a log shanty, twelve by fourteen feet, and lived in it until they could erect a more suitable and comfortable structure. Mr. Woodruff at first entered forty acres of government land on section 11, where his family still lives.

Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are now living,-four sons and three daughters. Mr. Woodruff died June 18, 1875, aged nearly sixty-seven years.

Abraham Bicksler was born in Pennsylvania, and when young removed with his parents to Erie county, New York. On the breaking out of the war of 1812, he went back to Pennsylvania on a visit, and while there was drafted for three months and entered the United States service. He was married in Erie county, New York, and in the fall of 1847 came with his wife, one son, and one daughter to Michigan, and settled where his son, Jacob Bicksler, now lives, on section 2, in Groveland township. Jacob is the only one of his children now living. Mr. Bicksler died June 24, 1876, aged eighty-four years and eight months. His wife is yet living, at the age of seventy-eight.

The farm was settled in 1841 by a man named Sawyer, who built a log house and made other improvements, and lived on the place some two years, finally sell- ing to Alexander Jenkins, who, after occupying it four years, sold to Mr. Bicksler. The farm originally contained the same as now,-one hundred and twenty acres.

Thomas Van Tine came from Niagara county, New York, in 1836, and settled on section 33, Atlas township, Genesee county, Michigan, close to the line between Genesee and Oakland counties. He was accompanied by his wife, one son, and one daughter. Two other children stayed in New York for some time, and came afterwards to Michigan. Two of his children-sons John T. and Peter-are now living, the former in Groveland, and the latter near Goodrichville, Atlas township, Genesee county.

Thomas Van Tine was born June 19, 1786, and is now living with his son, John T. Van Tine, in Groveland. Although not a settler of Oakland County, he is one of the first who located in Genesee, there being but two other families in the neighborhood when he came.

Owing to convulsive fits, he was exempted from all military duty during the war of 1812, although he was twenty-six years of age when war was declared. His father was a native of Holland, and came with his two brothers to America at an early date. Their ancestors were very wealthy citizens of Holland, and owned seven- teen acres in the heart of the Hague, one of its principal cities.

Carrh D. Barron settled in the township with his wife, in 1840. He was from Cayuga county, New York, eight miles south of the city of Auburn. He came on horseback to Michigan, in 1835, and located two hundred and eighty acres of land in Groveland, on sections 9 and 10. He then went back to New York, and re- turned for a permanent settlement in 1840.+

Darius Thayer came from what was originally Pembroke (now Darien) town- ship, Genesee county, New York, and in the spring of 1831 located eighty acres of land in West Bloomfield township, Oakland County, Michigan. In the fall of the same year he went back to New York, and returned to Michigan in the spring of 1832. He finally sold his land in West Bloomfield, and located one hundred and twenty acres of government land on section 4, in Groveland, where he now lives. He had been back to New York and stayed two years previous to this, and came to Groveland in April, 1835. He was then accompanied by his wife and two sons. Four other children were born in Michigan, and of the six there are four now living. Mr. Thayer and his wife are both living, and reside on the old farm on section 4.

Allen Campbell came from Perthshire, Scotland. In 1822 he left Aberdeen and came to New York. He was a machinist by trade. He brought his wife and six children-four sons and two daughters-with him, and had but a shilling when he arrived in New York, and that he spent for a loaf of bread. He worked at his trade in New Jersey until 1832, when he came with his family to Michigan, and located finally on section 8, in Groveland township, Oakland County. None of the family had the first idea of farming, and had everything to learn. One son, John, now living in the township, was married in 1841 by Henry W. Horton, Esq., to Ann Laubly, and paid all the money he had-two dollars-to Mr. Horton for performing the ceremony. His wife's father, Joseph Laubly, was a native of the canton of Berne, Switzerland, and had long served under Napoleon Bonaparte. He settled, when he came to the United States, first in New York, and in 1832 came with his wife and two daughters and located on the southeast quarter of section 5, Groveland township, and afterwards on section 8, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1841, when he was nearly fifty-eight years of age.

When Mr. Campbell first came to the township he located on section 5, where Henry S. Husted now lives, but in 1835t sold this to Mr. Husted and removed

* According to the best information, this boat made her first trip to Detroit in 1818; con- sequently, Captain Case must have come that year.

t See personal sketch.

# 1836, according to Mr. Husted's recollection.

177

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

to the place on section 8, where his son John now resides. Two children were born after the family settled,-Solomon and Elizabeth,-the latter now the wife of Chester S. Wilkins. They had thirteen children altogether, of whom John, James, George, William, Allen, Elizabeth, and Grace-the latter now Mrs. Solomon Tobey-are living. James was the first lieutenant of Company D, Twenty-seventh Michigan Infantry, during the rebellion, and was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness, in May, 1864. Solomon enlisted in the Thirty-seventh Ohio, while on a visit to that State, and was mortally wounded by rebel guerrillas, near Nashville, Tennessee, in March, 1863, and died a few days afterwards. He had been sick for some time, and after becoming convalescent started with a body of a thousand or twelve hundred others, all unarmed, to join their regiments in the field. While on their way they were attacked by guerrillas, and many killed and wounded, Solomon being among the latter.

Allen Campbell moved to Detroit in 1854, to work at his trade, and on the 4th of July of that year both he and his wife died of the cholera.

It has been mentioned that when Mr. Campbell and his family came to Grove- land they were perfectly ignorant as to the modus operandi of carrying on a farm. As an example of their extreme innocence and an incident of pioneer life, the fol- lowing is related : Mr. Campbell had a lot of corn, which he had ground up, making sixteen bushels of meal! Of course it moulded and spoiled, and nearly the whole lot was lost. Then the oldest son, John, worked out and earned some money, buying ten bushels of wheat with a part of it, and having a balance of three dol- lars left. With that he started for Pontiac, twenty-six miles away, and arriving there purchased twenty-four pounds of pork, placed it in a sack, and walked home the same day, carrying the pork on his back, and making fifty-two miles on his trip. It may be imagined that the family looked on the pork as their salvation, and prized it more highly than they would the visit of an old friend. The pork lasted them some time, and this bit of experience undoubtedly taught them a lesson which was never forgotten.

Daniel F. Johnson came to the township, in 1834, from Genesee county, New York, and located the northeast quarter of section 6, afterwards purchasing addi- tional land on 5 and 7. His father, Joseph Johnson, came in the fall of 1835. Daniel F. Johnson is still living on the old place. (See biographical sketch.)

John Algoe came originally from Scotland, and settled in New Brunswick. In 1836 he left New Brunswick, with his wife and eight children, and came to Grove- land, where he settled on the farm where his family now lives, on section 6. He located eighty acres of government land. Mr. Algoe died in 1845, aged sixty-two. His wife is now living on the old place, at the age of eighty-seven. Of his chil- dren, one stayed in New Brunswick, and of the nine there are eight now living.

Henry S. Husted came from the town of Elba, Genesee county, New York, and in September, 1836, settled where he now lives, on section 5, Groveland township. He first purchased two eighty-acre lots, on section 5, of Allen Campbell, who had settled the land, and afterwards bought an additional forty on section 4. He was accompanied from New York by his wife and six children. Two children were afterwards born to him in Michigan, and four of the eight are now living,-all sons.

Campbell had built a small log house on the place, and cleared and broken about three acres on the west side of the Thread river, which flows through it, being here a small but rapid and never-failing stream. The house stood just west of the spot where Mr. Husted's barn now stands.

Mr. Husted lived in the old log house about two years, and then built a second log house close to the site now occupied by his frame dwelling. The house built by Mr. Campbell was roofed with boards, and was a mere shell.

Mr. Husted's father, Benjamin Husted, came to Michigan with his wife in 1835, and for two or three years lived in the northeast part of Holly township, near the Saginaw turnpike. His son Alfred, who came with Henry S., purchased a piece of land in Groveland township, east of Henry W. Horton's, and old Mr. Husted moved upon it and lived there until his death, which occurred Sep- tember 3, 1855, when he was eighty-one years of age. His wife died about three years afterwards, at nearly the same age.

Henry S. Husted has two sisters living in Oakland County, and two brothers in Genesee. One brother, William, settled in 1831 on section 18, Groveland town- ship, where Ira H. Marsh now lives. William Husted is now residing in Vienna, Genesee county. He married a daughter of Lot Tobey's wife, who was a widow when she married Mr. Tobey, the name of her first husband having been Earle.

Mr. Tobey settled in the fall of 1830, and while he lived was a prominent man in the township.

Henry S. Husted has an almanac for each year, from 1836 to 1877 inclusive. The one for 1836 he purchased just before leaving his home in Genesee county, New York. His father removed from Cortland county to Genesee in 1811, and was out a short time, in 1812, during the "last war" with Great Britain. He was injured at Black Rock by being knocked down with the butt of a British

musket. He returned to Batavia and enlisted for nine months, but the war was virtually over, and he saw but little hard service.

H. S. Husted is now living with his second wife. His first wife was a native of Vermont,-born in the town of Walden, Caledonia county. Her father's old Bible, purchased July 29, 1815, is now in possession of Mr. Husted. It was printed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1813.

Mr. Husted's present wife is a daughter of Seth Brannock, who died in the State of New York. His wife (second) came west with her son-in-law, Hiram Husted, in 1838-39, and located in Genesee county, Michigan. Hiram Husted now resides in Goodrich, same county.

Henry S. Husted, now seventy-nine years of age (born September 13, 1798), is a man of strict temperance principles, and although he has performed a great amount of hard labor during his life, he is remarkably well preserved, and bids fair to live "lo! these many years."

Thomas Phipps came, with his wife, from London, England, in 1834, and set- tled on section 17. He took up eighty acres of government land, and he and his wife began life as pioneers. It was new work to them, and for a long time was up-hill business, both being novices at farming. They were both members of the Episcopal church. A daughter, Ellen, was married to William Campbell. Mr. Phipps died in 1870, and Mrs. Phipps, April 8, 1875. Mrs. P. was nearly eighty- three years of age.

John Hadley came from Northumberland, England, with a wife and a large family of children, and located in the State of New York (Seneca county). In 1835 he came to Michigan, and settled on section 19, Groveland township, Oak- land County, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land. He after- wards made an additional purchase, on section 18, and removed to it. The mem- bers of his family have become wealthy and influential citizens of the county, and have fine properties in various parts of it.

John Phipps came from London, England, and in 1833 located on section 8, Groveland township, where he purchased forty acres of government land. He stayed on that place from the fall of 1833 till the spring of 1835, when he re- moved to section 31, where he purchased eighty acres, also government land. His son, H. C. Phipps, lives on the old place, on section 31. Mr. Phipps brought his wife and four children with him from London, H. C. Phipps being the youngest. All are now living,-one in Washington, D. C., and the others in Michigan. John Phipps died in August, 1864, aged sixty-three years. His wife died several years previously, at the age of forty-seven.

Simeon Marsh came from Otsego county, New York, and settled in the fall of 1836 in Holly township, where his grandsons, Lewis and George Marsh, now live. His family was principally grown. He came alone and located his land, and stayed upon it, his wife and three children-two sons and one daughter-coming in the spring of 1837. The sons were Ira H. and Jacob, and the latter died the same fall (1837). The daughter was named Martha, and died in 1838. Ira H. Marsh is now living upon the place where his brother Elisha settled in 1839. It was originally settled by William P. Husted.

Ira H. Marsh is the present postmaster at Groveland post-office, which is located at his house. He was postmaster once before for two years.

Simeon Marsh died December 14, 1842, aged fifty-six years, and his wife April 14, 1855, aged sixty-seven. Four of the sons are now living,-Ira H., in Grove- land ; Joseph, in Holly ; Elisha, in Kansas; and Ely T., in New York. The latter never came west to settle.

Linus Lamb came to Washington, Macomb county, Michigan, in 1824, from the town of Covington, Genesee county, New York. Old Mr. Lamb was the first postmaster at Washington, Macomb county. Linus Lamb removed to Oakland County in 1836, and settled on section 27. He was married January 24, 1839, to Hannah Eastman, whose father, James H. Eastman, lived near Groveland cottage. Mr. Lamb afterwards sold his place on section 27, upon which he had made the first improvements, and moved to Austin post-office, where he now lives. His purchase on section 27 included ninety acres, which he procured from second hands. No improvements had been made upon it.

Among the later arrivals in the township are John and I. S. Bird, who located in the eastern part in 1844.

THE FIRST WHITE CHILD

born in the township was Joseph Lee Horton, a son of Henry W. Horton, whose birth occurred November 27, 1832. The first death was that of a man named William Proctor, who was accidentally killed on the farm of D. F. Johnson, in 1834, while deer-hunting. He was out in company with James Hadley (now deceased) and a man named Ellsworth. They started a deer near a low spot of ground, and Proctor raised his gun to fire, but it snapped. Proctor had pre- viously wounded the deer. When his gun missed fire Ellsworth raised his rifle and fired, and Proctor, who was between him and the deer, fell, shot through the

178

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

head, dying almost instantly. He was buried near where Ira H. Marsh now lives, but was subsequently removed to the Hadley cemetery. It was thought by some that the shooting of Proctor was not as accidental as it appeared to be.

The first marriage license which appears on the township records was issued to Thomas Husted and Lenora Proctor, July 2, 1835. There were also issued licenses to James Murfee and Harriet Steward, January 29, 1837, and David W. Lawrence and Ann M. Jackson, December 25, 1836.

Henry W. Horton, Esq., informs us that the first marriage in Groveland, after the town was organized, was that of Solomon Tobey and Grace Campbell, the ceremony being performed by Mr. Horton, in 1835.

The first petit jurors were chosen May 11, 1839, the following being their names : D. F. Johnson, A. D. Perry. Harris Stilson, Constant South worth.

THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING

was held at the house of Calvin Herrick, April 6, 1835, agreeably to the act of the legislative council, passed March 17, 1835, creating the township of Grove- land. At this meeting Philip H. McOmber was present as justice of the peace for said township, having been previously appointed. William Gage was chosen moderator, and Constant Southworth clerk. Thirteen votes were cast, the de- ciding ballot being given by Peter Fagan, now of Holly township, which was at that time included in Groveland .* The following were the officers elected, viz .:

Supervisor, Nathan Herrick; Town Clerk, Henry W. Horton; Assessors, Con- stant Southworth, William Gage, Joseph Jennings, Jr .; Commissioners of High- ways. Lot Tobey, William P. Husted, Vincent Runyon ; Directors of the Poor, H. W. Horton, John Tobey; Commissioners of Common Schools, Constant Southworth, P. H. McOmber, Henry W. Horton ; Constable and Collector, Cal- vin Herrick ; Inspectors of Common Schools (elected by yeas and nays), Alex- ander Galloway, Henry W. Horton, Calvin Herrick, Constant Southworth, P. H. McOmber. Overseers of Highways-District No. 4, Constant Southworth ; Dis- trict No. 5, Jehiel Gardner.

The road commissioners held a meeting April 30, 1835, and established five road districts ; and at a special town-meeting, held at the house of Calvin Her- rick, May 15, 1835, William Gage was elected overseer of road district No. 1, Alexander Galloway of No. 2, and John Tobey of No. 3, those for 4 and 5 having been elected at the previous town-meeting.

At a meeting held October 6, 1835, the following vote was cast for the three county officers,-register of deeds, treasurer, and coroner : for register of deeds, Francis Darrow, sixteen votes; for treasurer, James A. Weeks, fourteen, S. Sher- wood, two; for coroner, Pierce Patrick, fourteen, W. Hunter, two.

From 1836 to 1877 inclusive, the supervisors of Groveland have been as fol- lows: 1836, Daniel F. Johnson; 1837-38, Elbridge G. Knowlton; 1839, Abram D. Perry ; 1840, Asahel Fuller; 1841, E. G. Knowlton; 1842-43, Henry W. Horton ; 1844-45, Amos Orton; 1846, Henry W. Horton; 1847, James Wilkins; 1848, William H. Putnam ; 1849, John Campbell; 1850, Wil- liam H. Putnam ; 1851, Daniel F. Johnson ; 1852, Amos Orton ; 1853-58, Horatio Wright ; 1859, John Campbell ; 1860, Horatio Wright; 1861, John Campbell; 1862-65, Chester S. Wilkins; 1866-67, John Campbell; 1868-72, Chester S. Wilkins; 1873, John Campbell; 1874-75, Horatio Wright; 1876-77, Allen Campbell (3d).

Township Clerks .- 1836-39, Henry W. Horton ; 1840, Alexander Downey ; 1841, Alexander Ter Bush ; + 1842, William L. Narrin; 1843-45, Alexander Downey; 1846, Constant Southworth; 1847-48, John Campbell; 1849, Gabriel S. Ogden; 1850, Chester S. Wilkins; 1851, Allen Campbell, Jr .; 1852-60, Chester S. Wilkins; 1861-65, Allen Campbell ; 1866, C. S. Wilkins; 1867-68, Allen Campbell; 1869, David Hadley ; 1870, Allen Campbell; 1871, William H. Ritchie; 1872, Oliver H. Perry ; 1873-75, Allen Campbell (3d) ; 1876, Chester S. Wilkins ; 1877, Alexander J. Campbell.

Justices of the Peace .- 1836, Constant Southworth, Philip H. McOmber, Daniel F. Johnson, William Gage; 1837, D. F. Johnson, Henry Hunt; 1838, Simeon M. Smith, Ezra Herrick ; 1839, Henry W. Horton ; 1840, Joseph Jen- nings, Harris Stilson ; 1841, Henry Hunt, William H. Putnam; 1842, Samuel C. Munson ; 1843, Henry W. Horton ; 1844, Thomas H. Terwilligar, Matthias T. Robinson; 1845, William H. Putnam, Elbridge G. Knowlton; 1846, William L. Narrin ; 1847, Alexander Downey ; 1848, Harvey Mudge; 1849, William H. Putnam; 1850, William L. Narrin ; 1851, Henry W. Horton, Daniel Mer- ritt; 1852, Horatio Wright, Alexander Wheeler, Lewis H. Husted; 1853, Lewis H. Husted; 1854, James Wilkins; 1855, Henry W. Horton; 1856, Horatio Wright ; 1857, Lewis H. Husted ; 1858, James Wilkins; 1859, Henry W. Horton ; 1860, Horatio Wright; 1861, James Campbell; 1862, William L.

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.

History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories, Part 46

Author: Durant, Samuel W Publication date: 1877 Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts & co. Number of Pages: 553

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts & co.
Number of Pages: 553