History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories, Part 71

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 71

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THE TOWN-HALL, · situated on. the main street of the village, was built in the year 1870 by B. M.

RESIDENCE OF A. B. PARKER, ROYAL OAK TP, OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

RESIDENCE OF V. M. ROSE, ROYAL OAK, OAKLAND COUNTY, MICH.

RESIDENCE OF CLARK ROSE, ROYAL OAK TP, OAKLAND CO. MICH.

RESIDENCE OF SHERMAN WILLIAMS , ROYAL OAK TP., OAKLAND CO, MICH.

RESIDENCE OF JOHN BENJAMIN, ROYAL OAK TP, OAKLAND CO., MICHIGAN .

EVERGREEN COTTAGE . RESIDENCE OF N.S. SCHUYLER, ROYAL OAK TP., OAKLAND CO., MICHIGAN.

241

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Knowles, contractor, and accepted by the town on the 10th of September of that year. The price paid to the contractor was sixteen hundred and sixty-four dollars. It is a creditable building.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF ROYAL OAK

was organized under the charge of Elder Stephen Goodman, of Troy, in January, 1839, the original members being Henry Stephens and wife, William Betts and wife, Dr. L. C. Rose and wife, Chester Morgan and wife, and Amelia Nichols. For some time before the organization, these and a few other devout ones had been accustomed to meet in the school-houses, and sometimes at dwellings, and there to hold religious worship under the preachings of Elders Goodman, But- tolph, Keys, and such other preachers as from time to time chanced to come among them.

Mr. Goodman continued to labor with them for several years. After him came Rev. Avery Dennison and Rev. Samuel Jones, of Grand Blanc (who was with them about 1844). Then Mr. Goodman returned, and his was followed by the second pastorate of Mr. Dennison.

Other preachers who came later were Revs. Isaiah Fay, James Ward (now of Detroit), O. E. Clark, the third pastorates of Elders Goodman and Dennison, Henry Pearsall (of Avon), - Church, from Fentonville, - Chenowith, - Mendell, and the present pastor, Rev. Silas Finn, who came to the service of the church in 1871.

The first church edifice was commenced immediately after the organization, upon lots donated by Sherman Stephens, at the corner of Third and Main streets, in Royal Oak village. It was built by Henry Stephens, as contractor, and he also contributed most liberally towards the cost of the building, of which the total was about seven hundred dollars. It was dedicated in August, 1839.

Thirty-six years later, a new and larger church building having been decided on, the old one of 1839 was sold to the German Lutherans, and the new edifice, the present Baptist house of worship, was erected on the west side of the main street, at the north end of the village. For a time after the sale of the old church the congregation, by an arrangement with the purchasers, continued to use it as their place of meeting, until their own building was roofed in, and they were able to occupy its basement for that purpose.

The church was dedicated in August, 1876. It is a handsome building, stand- ing on the ground in the form of a Greek cross, seventy feet in extent either way. In its erection, the Rev. Silas Finn, the pastor, individually bore a very heavy part-fully one-half-of the financial burden, which was by no means insignifi- cant, the whole cost being about four thousand dollars.

In connection with the church is a Sabbath-school, which was organized many years ago, during the pastorate of Mr. Pearsall, and of which he was also the first superintendent. Its existence, however, was very irregular for several years, being always suspended during the inclement season, and sometimes permitted to be closed even during the summer. It is now continued regularly through the year, and the average attendance is nearly or quite fifty. The present superin- tendent is J. M. Finn.

THE METHODIST CHURCH.

The first organization of the Methodists in Royal Oak took place a short time before that of the Baptists, in the year 1838. Their first meetings were held in the school-house that stood on land now owned by Mrs. Fay, near the south end of the village. The congregation was quite numerous, and among the first preachers who served them was Rev. J. M. Arnold. Their house of worship- the same in which their meetings are still held-was commenced in 1842, on lots donated by Sherman Stevens, and completed in the spring of 1843, at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. The present pastor is Rev. George W. Owen.

About the time of the Methodist organization, a Sabbath-school-the first in the township of Royal Oak-was commenced under the auspices of both Methodists and of Congregationalists, though it was prior to the organization of the latter denomination. Chiefly instrumental in the commencement of this early Sabbath-school were David Cowen, a Methodist, and Levi Tootill, Congre- gationalist. Mr. Cowen was made superintendent, and Mr. Tootill was his assistant. The school was organized in the school-house where the Methodists worshiped, and its sessions were continued there during the summer season until the completion of the Methodist church, in 1843. The attendance was quite large. Soon after the organization of the Congregationalist church this union Sabbath- school was divided, and two schools were formed from it,-Congregationalist and Methodist. The first superintendent of the last named was Edward Ferguson. At the present time that responsible post is held by Harvey S. Hitchcock. The school is continued through the year, and the average attendance is about eighty.

THE CONGREGATIONALIST CHURCH.

This organization was effected on the 13th of August, 1842, by Rev. Ebene-

zer McDowell, in the Baptist church in Royal Oak village. The original mem- bers numbered only five, namely : Peter Merritt and wife, Levi Tootill and wife, and George Scongel. Immediately after, however, there were several additions to it from the Presbyterian church at Birmingham, among these being Ezra Blackman, Lyman Blackman, and Joseph Quick.

Rev. Mr. McDowell labored with the church for about a year and a half, and then came Rev. Charles Fairchild, who remained more than three years, then Rev. Mr. Stecle, who remained one year, and during whose ministry occurred the most notable revival in the history of this congregation,-a revival which brought large accessions to the numbers of the church. After Mr. Steele came Rev. Ezekiel Lucas, who remained two years; Rev. S. N. Hill, three or four years ; Rev. O. C. Thompson, of Detroit, one year; Rev. James Nall, of Detroit, six years ; Rev. Mr. Thompson again, one year ; Rev. Charles S. Pettigew, one year ; Rev. Mr. Marvin, from Clyde, Ohio, about two years ; Rev. Samuel Porter, from Illinois, two years; and after him the present pastor, Rev. O. C. Thompson, who came in May, 1874, and is now in the third term of his labor with this church.

The places in which this congregation have worshiped have been, first the Baptist church in which they organized, in 1842, and where they met until the following spring, when they removed to the Methodist church, then just made ready for occupancy, and in which they held their meetings until the completion of their own church building. Their occupation of the Methodist house was in pursuance of an arrangement made with that society, by which the Congrega- tionalists, in consideration of the right to use the church as a place of meeting, agreed to purchase and pay for their pews within it as if members of the Methodist congregation.

The church building of the Congregationalists, the house in which they now meet for worship, was built during the pastorate of Rev. James Nall. . The lots upon which it was erected were donated by Mrs. Dr. Drake, of Flint, and were located on the west side of the main street of the village.

The Presbyterian meeting-house at Troy Corners being then vacated and for sale, Dr. H. K. Lathrop and Levi Tootill, Esq., were constituted a committee to negotiate with Mr. Johnson Niles, of that township, for its purchase, with view to remove it to Royal Oak. They were successful in their mission, purchased the building at a price of three hundred dollars, removed it piece by piece to the church lots in the village, upon which it was re-erected; even the old slips and pulpit being used, although the latter was partially remodeled. There was no ad- dition to the size of the building, nor any change in its outward form. It was dedicated August 28, 1867, Rev. Dr. Ballard, of Detroit, officiating. Its cost was a little more than eighteen hundred dollars in money, besides a large amount of donated labor. The present membership is fifty-nine.

At the division of the Union Sabbath-school, as before mentioned, the first su- perintendent of the new school commenced by the Congregationalists was James Bowen Johnson, and under his charge it became very flourishing. The average attendance is now over eighty. The present superintendent is Ira Burhans.

THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION.

This church was organized nearly thirty years ago as the " United Presbyterian Congregation of Troy"; their organization being effected, and their first meetings "held, in the Marvin school-house, in that township.

In the year 1853 it was decided to remove their place of worship to the town -. ship of Royal Oak, as being a more convenient point for a majority of the mem- bers, and a site was selected on the northeast corner of section 8, where a lot containing a third of an acre was donated for the purpose by David Chase.

Upon this lot an edifice, their present house of worship, was built in the year named, and was dedicated in the spring of 1854. The cost of the building was about two thousand dollars, and William Bailey, Sr., was the carpenter and builder who had charge of its construction. It was found necessary that the lot should be enlarged, and for that purpose an additional half-acre was purchased from Mr. Chase, making an area of five-sixths of an acre in the entire lot.

The first pastor of the congregation in Royal Oak was Rev. James M. Smeallie, who remained until March 4, 1860, and was succeeded by Rev. William Robert- son, in March, 1861. He remained until April 21, 1868, and in the succeeding October the Rev. Richard M. Patterson was installed. He resigned November 30, 1870. All these pastors were most excellent men, and greatly respected and beloved. Their present pastor, Rev. J. P. Gibson, was ordained and installed April 22, 1874. The membership is about eighty.

Connected with the church is a Sabbath-school, under the superintendence of Mr. Jonathan Todd ; attendance about seventy-five.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

This church edifice stands in school district No. 6, in the northeast corner of

242

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

section 15, on a quarter of an acre of ground donated for the purpose by Edmund Loughman. It was erected in the year 1868, under the direction of Rev. George Mivels, then the priest in charge. He was soon after succeeded by Rev. Louis Hendricks, the present pastor, who resides in Warren township, Macomb county, and also has charge of the church at that place. Services in the Royal Oak church are held once a month. The membership at the time of the erection of the church was about twenty-five, which has increased to about forty at the present time, the greater portion being Germans and French.

THE LUTHERAN CHURCH

of Royal Oak was organized as recently as the year 1874, under charge of Rev. Mr. Speckhard, who still continues as their pastor.

Their place of worship is the church edifice purchased by them from the Baptists in 1875, as mentioned above. The congregation is quite large, and is increasing in numbers.

LUTHERAN ORPHAN ASYLUM.

An orphan asylum was established here by Lutherans in 1874, the same year of the organization of their church in Royal Oak. The asylum grounds were purchased of Mark Hall, and comprised about twenty acres, formerly the prop- erty of Moses Johnson. Upon this tract were ordinary farm buildings, which were repaired, added to, and remodeled for the requirements of the institution. Although the asylum was not established for the exclusive benefit of those orphans who were also deaf-mutes, yet its inmates were nearly all of that unfortunate class. It was commenced under the patronage of German Lutherans of Detroit, and during its entire existence in Royal Oak was under the charge and superin- tendency of Rev. Mr. Speckhard, the Lutheran pastor. The institution remained in operation in this township for about two years, but has now recently been re- moved to Norris, Wayne county. Its projectors were from the first divided in opinion as to the advisability of its establishment in Royal Oak, and when the offer of a free gift of ample grounds and of a further generous donation in money was made on condition of the transfer of the asylum to Norris, it was favorably entertained, and the removal made, as mentioned above.

CEMETERIES.

The first place of burial in Royal Oak was a spot now embraced in the farm of Mr. Russell, near the southeast corner of section 16; this being considered by the people at that time to be a most eligible place, partly on account of the nature of the ground, but more particularly because of its location within a few rods of the territorial centre of the township, and upon its main road. But this road, for a distance of nearly two miles, was soon after discontinued, which led to the aban- donment of this and the commencement of another burial-ground, in the northern portion of the present cemetery inclosure.

The first interment at the old spot was that of a daughter of Cromwell Good- win, in 1825, and a few others followed,-there may have been four or five in all, but probably not so many,-and they were afterwards removed to the Burrows ground.

THE TOWNSHIP CEMETERY.

The location of this ground is about one mile north of Royal Oak village, and it occupies, together with the Catholic cemetery, the whole of that long and nar- row triangle which is formed by the Paint creek and Niles roads, on the east and west, and the section-line road between 10 and 15, on the north.

At the north end of this, and embraced within its present bounds, was the spot mentioned above, which was donated by David Burrows as a place for graves, not far from 1826, during which year the first burial was made there,-that of a baby daughter of David Chase. The second interment within the ground was that of Mrs. Van Antwerp, whose family lived in the southwest quarter of sec- tion 11.

During the succeeding thirty years it was occupied and used by the public a3 a grave-yard, without much rule, restriction, or feeling of other than general pro- prietorship, until about the year 1857, when it was taken under control of the township board of health as a township cemetery, and an addition was made to its area by a purchase of two acres from William Dunham. A further purchase of about six acres was made in the spring of 1874, which seemed to give a far greater area than the township required for purposes of sepulture, but which was somewhat reduced by the sale made by the town to the Catholic society of Royal Oak of a portion, to be partitioned and separately inclosed as an exclusively sectarian ground.

THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY

comprises two acres of ground, purchased by the Catholic congregation from the township of Royal Oak ; this being the southern point of the triangle already mentioned. This they have inclosed in an appropriate manner and consecrated as their place of burial. There are as yet but three graves within this ground,- those of Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Rush, and of Edmund Loughman, who donated the land for their church, and was one of its most substantial pillars in Royal Oak. He died in 1875, and lies beneath a beautiful monument erected by his friends, who mourn him.

The thanks of the publishers are due to Alexander Solts, Esq., Jonathan Chase, Esq., J. R. Wells, Esq., Dr. H. K. Lathrop, Captain Diodate Hubbard, and Charles M. Fay, of Royal Oak, and Dr. Ebenezer Raynale, Hon. Alanson Partridge, and Josiah Alger, Esq., of Birmingham, for valuable information and data in refer- ence to the township of Royal Oak.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

DAVID WILLIAMS.

David Williams was born in Wales, and emigrated with his parents to America when but four years old. He settled in New York State, where, on the 17th of October, 1824, he married Betsy Smith, who was born in Avon, Livingston county, New York, August 3, 1801. They immediately started for the west, coming to Detroit in the steamer " Superior," landing there on the 20th of Oc- tober, eleven days after their marriage. It occupied them the whole of one day to reach their new home, a distance of fourteen miles. He had located his land in 1822. It consisted of the south half of section 3, upon which he lived for nearly forty-six years, dying September 8, 1870. By his death the township lost one of its oldest and most prominent pioneers, his family a kind and loving parent, and his wife a fond and affectionate husband. Very few citizens of Royal Oak township have been, or are likely to be, more earnestly mourned. His widow survives, and enjoys good health. She carries her more than three-fourths of a century of years well. This worthy couple raised a family of six children, of whom four survive, all industrious and good citizens like their parents.

OXFORD TOWNSHIP.

THE fertile town, 5 north, range 10 east, of the United States surveys, received the local name of Oxford in 1836. The general character of its surface is an elevated plain, broken by hills in the east and the northwest, with some lowlands in the southern tier of sections. Passing northward from these, the ascent of the surface is gradual but marked until it terminates in the divide or water-shed be- tween the Clinton and Flint rivers, in the northern part of the township. This is a well-defined ridge, having a general northwest and southeast direction, whose highest altitude, as determined by the engineer corps of the Detroit and Bay City railroad, is somewhat over five hundred feet. Nearly the entire area of these elevated lands is susceptible of cultivation, and there is comparatively little waste land in the township. The entire surface, with a few exceptional localities, was

originally timbered, principally with oak, interspersed with pines. Sections 3 and 10 were originally covered with dense forests of white cedar, whose products have been very valuable to the township, furnishing thousands of rails. Almost the entire northern portion of the township has been fenced with this wood. The soil of Oxford is generally productive, and nearly all the grains yield rich returns. The township is especially noted for the production of wheat and apples. There are a number of small lakes. The largest of these, Stony lake, situated on sec- tion 16, covers about one hundred acres. It is a fine body of water, having firm, gravelly banks, sloping to a fine beach. The level of the lake is forty feet below the surrounding country. There is no inlet or outlet, yet its waters are remark- able for their freshness. They have lately been stocked with white-fish. Horse-

MAPLE GROVE, RESIDENCE & HARRY FRINK, - OXFORD TP., OAKLAND CO, MICH. - +

RESIDENCE OF MARK HOLLISTER, ROYAL OAK TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

243

shoe lake, on section 10, received its name from its shape. A branch of the Clinton river is its outlet. It has a northeastern course, passing out of the town near the east line of section 3. This stream and Paint creek, in the western part of the town, afford the principal drainage. The latter stream rises on section 18, and has a southeasterly course through sections 20, 28, and 34 into Orion town- ship. There is some marsh surface along the Clinton river, and the contiguous country is covered with a growth of cedar. Near Marl lake, in section 34, are extensive peat deposits.

THE FIRST LAND PURCHASES.

In his able address before the Pioneer Society of Oakland County, Judge Drake credits Elbridge G. Deming with making the first entry of public land, in the present bounds of Oxford, in 1823. John Rossman, Fite Rossman, John Shippey, John Willman, and Samuel Axford made entries the year following, 1824. From this time until 1831, when the first settlements were made, con- siderable quantities of land were entered for speculative purposes, although it is somewhat remarkable that much of the finest soil of the township was passed by as unproductive, and the preference given to more heavily-timbered sections, because it was thought they were more fertile.

THE FIRST SETTLER

of whom there is any account was a New Yorker, named Avery Brown. He came into the country in 1831 for the purpose of trapping wolves. He built a shanty in the cedar swamps of section 4, where he varied that occupation by making shingles. Many of the surrounding settlers were supplied with shingles by Brown in the years following. About the same time John Barnes, also a New Yorker, located on section 8. He did not find the country equal to his expectations, and remained but a short time. Neither of these men had families, and the honor of making the real

FIRST SETTLEMENT

belongs to Elbridge G. Deming, who brought his family and household effects in the spring of 1832. He settled on section 9, building a log house, breaking up some land, and making some other improvements. His place was for many years the best known in the township, and was selected for the first post-office. Mrs. . Deming, who was the first white woman in the town, survives her husband, and is now a resident of Oxford village. John Rossman and his brother Fite came from New York the same year, probably a few months later. The former located on section 4; the latter on section 27, the year following. John built a good log house and sowed six acres of wheat, and a few years after built a frame barn.

In 1833, Samuel Axford and his brother Morgan united their fortunes with those of Deming and the Rossmans in settling the new town. They were natives of Upper Canada, and had come with their parents to Macomb county, Michigan, in 1823. Their land was on section 9, near Deming's. Morgan Axford died in 1839, but his brother Samuel still resides on the farm he began to clear in 1833, one of the oldest and best-known citizens of the township. In a few days after the settlement of the Axfords, in April, Alanson Decker located on section 8. His native State was New Jersey, but he has lived with his father, Jesse Decker, in Orion township, up to this time. He was joined in June by Jeremiah Hunt, who located west of him on the same section. Mr. Hunt's name conveys the character of the man. He was a devoted follower of Nimrod, and performed some great feats, hunting down the wild animals which infested the country. Fite Rossman located on section 27, getting a patent for eighty acres, and soon added one hundred and sixty acres more. He built a good log house, which served as a stopping-place for the land-hunter. The first town-meeting was also held there. Harry Shelters, a native of New York, became a neighbor of Rossman that year, locating on section 27 in October, 1833. David Applegate, from Monroe county, New York, was one of the first to come in 1834. He settled on section 20, several miles from any house. He put up a rude shanty for his wife and the few household effects he possessed, and, leaving Mrs. Applegate all alone, started to Detroit for provisions. A better house was built that summer, and some years after a frame, which he still uses. He was not left long without neighbors. The Van Wagoner family, with several grown-up sons, located land north and west of his, and settled near him. Stephen and John Shippey, natives of St. Lawrence, New York, located on section 9, and Justin and James Bixby in the northwestern part of the town. Adam Rossman, of Genesee county, New York, located on section 22, just opposite his uncle Fite. He got a patent from the government for one hundred and sixty acres, on which the village of Oxford is now located. After improving his land to a considerable extent, he sold it to George Loucks in 1844. In the spring of 1834, probably in May, Welcome and Hosea Camp- bell, natives of Oneida county, New York, cast their lot in the extreme northwest part of the township, being among the first to settle in that section. They located on government land, on sections 6 and 7. Otis C. Thompson settled on section 7

in 1835; John McKay, a Scotchman, on section 6; Hezekiah Killam and Peter D. Makely, New Yorkers, on section 24; and Joseph Ferguson on section 15. Hiram and James Travis, of Wayne county, Pennsylvania, located on sections 19 and 20 in 1836, being among the first in that region. They built log houses, roofed with bark, which had to answer until they could provide better material. Benjamin Reed and William Coates, natives of New Jersey, located on section 5 the same year ; and Joseph Tindall and William Tann on section 23, about 1837. Grandy Earl, from Erie county, New York, located on section 1 the same year. He was among the first to settle in that part of the town. Had a neighbor by the name of Jenkins, who located about the same time. Among those who came at an early day, prior to 1837, but whose exact settlement cannot be determined, were Rufus K. Moore, Daniel W. Haines, Levi Smith, Daniel Ingals, Horace Hovey, Harlin Hollister, and Addison Orcutt. Other early settlers were Doctors Powers and Burdick, W. H. Powell, Jacob Wolf, John Thomas, and Harry Frink. The latter had come from Wyoming county, New York, to the State of Michigan in 1831, but did not locate in Oxford until March 13, 1839. He then settled on section 14, quit working at his trade, and cleared up a hundred acres. He has always lived in the township since that time, and has never failed to attend the annual meetings.

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History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories, Part 71

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