History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories, Part 74

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 74

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Passing out of public life, Mr. Axford continues his favorite avocation, and now resides upon the farm which he hewed out of the wilderness, respected by all, and honored as a man who has never placed self above the public good.

ALANSON DECKER.

The subject of this brief sketch is a native of New York, having been born in Seneca county, July 12, 1810. When he was fourteen years old his father, Jesse Decker, moved to Michigan, settling in what is now Orion township, in 1825. Here, at the age of nineteen, Alanson married Alvira Dewey, daughter of Josiah Dewey, of Oakland township. He lived several years in what was known as the " Decker settlement," conducting a farm, but always having a strong desire to pos- sess a home of his own.

In April, 1833, he joined the new settlement, made in Oxford township, and located land on section 8, his being the fourth family in the town. Here he has lived forty-four years, seeing the country change from a barren waste until it is regarded as fertile as any in the Union. By dint of hard work Mr. Decker has succeeded in obtaining a fine home, where he lives, at a ripe age, in easy circum- stances, near the spot where his pioneer log house was first erected.

Mr. Decker has been twice married; the last time, in 1851, to Sylvia Ann Liv- ermore. He has nine children living, three having died, who unite with the neighbors in honoring a man whose life was unmarked by any extraordinary event, but which was always characterized by probity and honor.

WM. POWELL .

MRS. WM. POWELL.

DAVID APPLEGATE.

MRS. DAVID APPLEGATE.

.~ HOYT W. HOLLISTER

~ MRS. HOYT W. HOLLISTER

RESIDENCE OF HOYT W. HOLLISTER, OXFORD TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.

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HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

DAVID APPLEGATE.

The life of David Applegate should encourage young men who are striving to amass means to secure a home of their own. It will also teach them that industry brings its own rewards, and that faithful effort never goes unrequited.

He was born in Tompkins county, New York, May 15, 1809. When but a lad of fifteen he left his home to earn his own livelihood. His first work was a job to clear a wood-lot. This he did to the great satisfaction of his employer. He then hired out among farmers, attending school a few months each year, until he was eighteen years old. Then he went to Monroe county, where he lived a number of years. In 1833, having then accumulated four hundred dollars, he married Louisa, daughter of Daniel Potter, of Chili, Monroe county, New York. A year thereafter, in 1834, he came to Oakland County, Michigan, becoming a citizen of Oxford township, which has been his home ever since.

After living on the frontier a number of years; and enduring the hardships in- cident to such a life, Mr. Applegate has become possessed of a good home, con- taining the comforts of life, with neighbors on every hand, who hold him in great esteem on account of his integrity and upright character.

Although never actively interested in politics, Mr. Applegate has never shirked the duties of a citizen, but has always sought to discharge every responsibility imposed on him in a faithful manner. He has held various offices of honor and trust, and was justice of the peace for many years.

Mr. Applegate has a family of two children, who have grown to years of ma- turity and now live in the neighborhood of their parents, who are still hale and vigorous.

MANSFIELD J. PARK.

The life of this man aptly illustrates the truthfulness of the maxim, " Where there is a will there is a way." Born October 8, 1817, at Baptisttown, Hunter- don county, New Jersey, Mansfield J. Park is the oldest son and fourth child of James and Rachael Park.

His parents were in poor circumstances, and when our subject was but ten years of age he was thrown upon his own resources. Instead of repining at his lot he sought a situation as a farm laborer, and worked wherever employment could be found until he was twenty years old. Believing that "whosoever findeth a wife findeth a good thing," he sought the hand of Miss N. C. Myers, of Warren county, New Jersey, and married her before he had yet attained his majority. He now removed to Sussex county, New Jersey, where he conducted a farm and dairy for a number of years. Having accumulated a little capital, he resolved to go where it would yield him the best returns. The fame of Michigan was then sounded abroad in his native State, and he determined to come hither. In May, 1853, he became a resident of the State, and the year following settled upon his present place, section 28, township of Oxford. Here he has resided ever since, accumu- lating property, and by the practice of industry and economy has become the owner of a large farm.

Mr. and Mrs. Park have been blessed with a number of children, of whom six survive to share with their parents the fruits of their early labors and judicious management.

HOYT W. HOLLISTER

is the oldest son of William and Avis A. Hollister, of Saratoga, New York. He was born April 28, 1825, and resided with his parents in New York until 1846, when he came to Oxford township, teaching the district school that winter, in the locality which he afterwards made his home. He opened a farm on section 20 the following year.

In October, 1853, he was married to Miss B. T. Townsend, the oldest daughter of Surgeon John T. Townsend, of the United States army, who then lived in St. Clair county, Michigan. By this lovable and estimable lady he has five children,- two boys and three girls,-who mourn with the father the death of their mother, which occurred September 20, 1871. Mrs. Hollister was a woman of fine traits of character, passionately loved by her family, and honored and respected by all who knew her. Her death was greatly lamented by not only the sorrow-stricken family, but the entire neighborhood united in mourning her loss and bearing tribute to her worth.

Mr. Hollister has always been an outspoken temperance man, advocating total abstinence as the only safe rule. He is a member of the Christian church at Ox- ford, and is a warm friend of every benevolent enterprise. His interest in schools and public improvements has never abated, and he is always ready to give his support, moral and financial, to any project which has in view the better con- dition of the community. He is a farmer by occupation, and believes in it as the only avocation which develops the true wealth of the country, and which is the only real basis of all prosperity.

MOSES B. KILLAM.

The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Wheatland, Monroe county, New York, June 6, 1821. His parents were among the earliest settlers in that region, having located as early as 1811. Mr. Killam lived upon the old home- stead until March, 1862; on the 31st of which month he married Miss Mary McLean, of Stanford, Delaware county, New York, a daughter of Charles and Jane (Grant) McLean. Mr. Killam visited Michigan in 1862, just previous to his marriage, and purchased one hundred and twenty-two acres of land in the south- . east quarter of section 12, and an additional one hundred and eighteen acres in section 7, all in the township of Addison. When he made his purchase the land was almost in a state of nature, but he immediately commenced clearing and making improvements, and it is now one of the finest and best-improved farms in the township, a fine view of which, together with portraits of himself and wife, are given in this work. They have had only one child born to them, a son, who died in infancy.

In his political faith Mr. Killam has been a Democrat, and his religious convic- tions led him to affiliate with the Baptist form of faith. He was a man of clear and cultivated intellect, and a highly-respected citizen. His widow is still living upon the farm purchased in 1862.

WILLIAM H. POWELL.

For nearly twenty years William H. Powell was the foremost man of Oxford township. As supervisor, justice of the peace, and township clerk, he performed the official duties falling to his share,-a liberal one,-of the public burdens, not for honor or pecuniary profit, but for the public good. Coming to the township in 1836, when there were scarcely a handful of the settlers of the county within the limits of Oxford, he lived to see it rise rapidly to a populous community, and the heavy forests give way to smiling fields, and the log house of the pioneer van- ish, and the comfortable and elegant farm-house of the descendants of the pioneer rise in its place. He built the first frame house in the village of Oxford, in the summer of 1837, and opened it as a hotel, and as such kept it until his death in 1854. The old location, the farm, is yet owned and occupied by a member of his family, Thomas W. Powell. Mr. Powell was born in Westchester county, New York, February 11, 1795, and was married to Hetty Vought in 1819, and with her and his four boys removed to Michigan in 1835, stopping in Detroit a year and a half, and removing thence, in the latter part of the year 1836, to Oxford. The summer of 1837 the family lived in the barn he erected previous to building the hotel, and in the fall occupied the latter, but one room being finished. The guests found their way into the house by an inclined plank, across which slats were nailed to afford a secure foot-hold. The house is now known as the Staun- ton House. Mr. Powell was a stanch Whig, active and zealous as a partisan ; and when the glorious old party finished its mission and gave way for its suc- cessor, the Republican party, he transferred his allegiance to that, but died before he could cast a vote for its national candidates. Himself and wife were earnest and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church, Mr. Powell being a trustee of the Oxford society from its organization to his death. Mrs. Powell makes her residence in Detroit, but passes her time between that and the old homestead. One son resides in Chicago, and is the general ticket-agent of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad, and the oldest-Judge Powell-resides in Pontiac. The latter was the judge of probate of Oakland County from 1872 to 1877,-four years,-and though the county gives generally some four hundred Democratic majority, and he is an ardent Republican, yet he was elected by a handsome majority in 1872, and lost the election in 1876 but by eight votes only.

JOHN MOYERS.

Among the sturdy, well-to-do farmers of Oakland County, the subject of our present sketch takes his place. He is of German parentage, his grandfather, Peter Moyers, being born in Germany, and emigrated therefrom to Maryland, where the father of John Moyers, Henry, and mother, Margaret Clark, were born, the former June 9, 1783. His father, who was a farmer, and blacksmith as well, when a young, man removed to Geneseo, New York, where he remained a few years, and removed thence to Monroe county, New York, and located near East Rush, where John was born May 7, 1819, being the second son in a family of seven sons and a daughter. When John was six years of age his father and family removed to Michigan, where, two years previously, his father had journeyed, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land near Romeo, Macomb county. The family came from East Rush to Buffalo by team, bringing farm utensils and household furniture. From Buffalo to Detroit they came on the steamer " Supe- rior," the second steamer that plowed the lakes, being u tained at Buffalo three

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HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

days on account of a heavy gale. At Detroit, the father purchased a yoke of oxen and some cows, and, taking an Indian trail, went to Romeo via Royal Oak and Rochester. The family arrived at their journey's end in June, and a log house was at once rolled up, a little patch of ground cleared off and planted to potatoes, and thus was the home begun in 1825, which the father occupied until his death, which occurred in his sixty-third year. The mother died in her eighty- second year. John Moyers lived on the old homestead until June 24, 1839, when he removed to Oxford township, Oakland County. where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres. At that time the township was almost an unbroken forest, one log house only being then standing in Oxford village; but from this small beginning he has enlarged his possessions, until he owns at the present time six hundred and forty acres, and is the heaviest land-holder in the township. His farm, too, is one of the most productive in the county, and he has frequently raised from one thousand to two thousand bushels of wheat in a single year, all of which he hauled to Pontiac or Detroit previous to the building of the Bay City road.

In politics Mr. Moyers was formerly a member of the Whig party, but early became an abolitionist, and was one of the three voters who cast their ballots for James G. Birney in 1840. He is now a member of the Republican party, and has served his township as supervisor several terms.

On the 16th day of September, 1851, Mr. Moyers was united in marriage to

Miss Eliza, daughter of Joseph and Emily Ferguson, who were pioneers of Oxford, having immigrated to Oakland county in 1835.

The fruits of this union have been the following children : Adella J., born October 10, 1852 ; John T., born October 6, 1856 ; John Charles, born February 11, 1859 ; Belle Hortense, born June 1, 1861 ; and Henry Dayton, born June 3, 1862; all of whom are living except John T., who died November 26, 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Moyers are members of the First Christian church of Oxford.

Mr. Moyers' education, obtained at schools, was all gained by attending the common schools about four months each year between ten and eighteen years of age, but being of an enterprising and observing nature, his acquirements in the practicalities have been such as to give him sound judgment and practical business abilities, which he has used to good advantage for himself and others. He was largely interested in the construction of the several railroad-routes projected through Oxford, and was a director of the Air-Line railroad, and aided liberally in the construction of the Bay City road, which has given to Oxford much of its prosperity. His attention has also been given to school matters, having been a director or member of the school board of Oxford ever since the school was graded. He has occupied his present home since 1862, and it is with pleasure we present our readers with the portraits of this worthy citizen of Oakland county and his amiable helpmeet.

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP.

ALTHOUGH at first comprising three-fifths of the area of the county, the civil history of Oakland township properly begins in 1827. At that time it included what are now known as the townships of Avon, Oakland, Addison, Oxford, and Orion. A year later the last-named town was annexed to Pontiac township, and in 1835 Avon was set off as a separate town. Addison and Oxford were organ- ized in 1837, leaving Oakland at that time co-extensive with the township indi- cated in the United States surveys, and described as town 4 north, range 11 east. It is on the east line of the county, and has Addison, Orion, and Avon towns for boundaries, on its north, west, and south, respectively.

The general surface is elevated and regular, except along its water-courses. The valley of Paint creek is deeply cut below the general level, and its limits are de- fined in places by abrupt, almost precipitous, hills. There is also a range of hills along the Stony creek. A plain of several square miles in extent lies in the northeastern part of the town, and the southwest is remarkable for its beautifully located land, being diversified by picturesque hills and dales. The entire surface was originally covered with a growth of timber, chiefly oak. Other varieties are found, but not in great abundance. The soil is fertile, producing the various cereals in great perfection ; and as a grazing country it has but few superiors. The horses and cattle of Oakland are widely and favorably known for their general excellence. The drainage of the town is perfect, having several swiftly-flowing streams, with little marsh surface. The lakes are few and unimportant, and are drained by the Stony creek, which enters the town from the west at the middle of section 6, flowing in a general southeasterly course, through West and Green lakes, to the centre of section 25, whence it passes into Macomb county. It has several tributary branches, and affords fair water-power, which has been well im- proved. Paint creek, the most important stream, enters the township near the northwest corner of section 18, thence flows southeast to the middle of section 28, from where it takes a general southerly course along the east line of section 33 into Avon township, on the south of Oakland, emptying finally into the Clinton river. Its course through the town is marked by numerous little falls, and its descent is very rapid, producing excellent water-power. This is improved on section 28. There are splendid water-privileges afforded by the creek on sec- tions 19 and 20, which have not yet been utilized. The day will possibly come when the banks of this stream will be crowded by mills and factories, as its power is practically unlimited, and the country through which it flows is one of the rich- est in the State. Numerous brooks drain into the creek, one of which, rising in section 31, and flowing in a northeasterly course, is a considerable stream.

FIRST ENTRIES OF PUBLIC LANDS.

The year after the first settlement of the county the venturesome land-hunter entered what is now within the bounds of Oakland township. On the 16th day of March, 1819, Benjamin Woodworth and William Russell purchased a part of

section 33. In 1824, James Coleman and James Hazzard also made purchases. The year following-1825-Benedict Baldwin, Horace Lathrop, James D. Gal- loway, Josiah Dewey, Samuel Hilton, Ezra Newman, David Hammond, and Need- ham Hemingway bought land of the government, most of it being in the western part of the township. In the latter part of the same year, or early the next,- 1826,-

THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS

were made by Asa Baker, Benedict Baldwin, Needham Hemingway, Josiah Dewey, Jeremiah Hunt, Joel Potter, Samuel Tower, and James Coleman. Nearly all came from Chili, Monroe county, New York. Most of them put up good log houses and made substantial improvements that year and the year following. They were all good citizens, and their influence on the early history of the town- ship has been very marked.

In the fall of 1826, Stillman Bates, a New Yorker, located on the southwest quarter of section 35. He was the first settler in that part of the town, and put up a first-rate log house that year. It was the first in that region north of Roch- ester.

Russel Thurston, a native of New York, located on section 19, in the summer of 1826. Ira and David Hammond, brothers, from Scipio, Monroe county, New York, settled on sections 29 and 30 in the fall of 1826. Samuel Hilton settled on the land he had purchased the year before, on section 29, about the same time ; and Ezra Newman, also from Monroe county, began improving his tract, located on section 31, in the summer or fall of 1826.

Among the settlers who came in 1827 was Ezra Brewster, from Chili, Monroe county, New York. He had come to Michigan a short time before, living first in the western part of Orion township. He now purchased a tract of land on section 30, Oakland township, where he and his sons, Peter, Owen, Stephen G., and Allen, commenced to build a pioneer's home. All the sons, except Stephen G., are still Oakland County men, and are well known in its pioneer history.

The year 1828 brought Lyman Whitney and Eber Hotchkiss, both from New York, and both located on section 31.

In 1829, William Snell, a New Englander, settled on section 27. He was an enterprising man, and took great interest in the affairs of the township. The first election of the present township was held at his house. The same year Wm. M. Axford, of New Jersey, also located on section 27. He was a man of great influence among his neighbors, and was the first supervisor. David Law- rence located on section 27 in 1830, and John Axford settled there the same year.

Among those who cast their lots in the township from 1831 to 1833 were Isaac Sisson, from Buffalo, New York, on section 22; Ludlow Shadbolt, from Dutchess county, New York, on section 21 ; Abraham Axford, from New Jersey, section 14; David Shadbolt, who located at Hemingway's, and soon after mar- ried a daughter of his; David Brook, a native of the State of New York, set-

PHOTO. BY BENSON.

WM. ANDERSON

MRS. WM. ANDERSON.

ARRY PATCHE

GOIST , DEL .

RESIDENCE OF WM. ANDERSON, OAKLAND, OAKLAND CO., MICH.

PUB.BY L.H. EVERTS & Co. 716 FILBERT ST. PHILA.

251

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

tled on section 12, 1832 ; Stephen Parrish, Moses Snover, and George K. Snover, natives of the States of New York and New Jersey, came to the township about this time; George Mercer, from New York, settled on section 27 in 1831; Da- rius J. Covel, from Dutchess county, New York, on section 27, in 1833; Calvin Fosdick, from Dutchess county, New York, on section 27, in 1833 ; Sanford Swayze, from New Jersey, in the western part of the town, in 1832; Job Sher- man, from Ontario county, New York, came in 1831, taking up government land in section 18. He had two sons, Charles and Hoffman, who have been in the township ever since, and are now among the oldest citizens. Jacob Perry, of New Jersey, settled on section 29 in 1832. He had five sons, who became citi- zens of Oakland township,-Adam, Abraham, James, Aaron, and George. Aaron Cook, from Ogden, Monroe county, New York, settled on section 8 in 1832. He had no near neighbors, as that part of the township did not settle up as fast as other portions of it. Sewell and Roswell Bromley, Vermonters, settled on the Paint creek in 1833; and John Taylor, Warren county, New Jersey, on section 11, in 1832.

From 1834-37, there was a large immigration ;' but among the prominent settlers were William B. Fosdick, from Dutchess county, New York, on section 27; Jonathan Carpenter, Dutchess county, New York, section 28; Ira Youngs, on section 34; Peter Kline, New Jersey, on section 15, with his sons Jacob, William, and Philip; William Chapman in the west part of the township ; Mar- tin Vail and Horace Smith in the northwestern part; William Flumerfelt and Christopher Cole in the eastern part; and the Taylors, Shoups, and Hixons in the central part of the township.

FIRST LOG HOUSE.

In 1825, Jeremiah Hunt came into the township to build a log house on his land, taken a short time before, on section 18. He erected quite a comfortable building, and early in 1826 occupied it with his family. This was the first log house in the township, and was used for many years.

FRAME HOUSES.

Instead of building a log house, as was customary among the first settlers, when Needham Hemingway came into the country he put up a good shanty. This he used until the summer of 1827, when he erected a frame house, being the first in the township. It is still in use as the residence of Wm. Goodison. Josiah Dewey also built a frame house at an early day, which was one of the land-marks on section 18 for many years.

FIRST ORCHARDS.

About 1827, Josiah Dewey planted an orchard of apple-trees, most of which are still in a flourishing condition.

Soon after, probably in 1828, Benedict Baldwin also set out an orchard, most of the trees of which are yet standing.

In 1830, Ira Hammond procured a number of seedling apple-trees, which he planted on his farm, on section 30. Some years afterwards he grafted them with the Spitzenberg stock. The trees made a healthy, vigorous growth, and some of them now measure seventy-three inches in circumference two feet from the ground. This orchard is now owned by Charles Sherman, Mr. Hammond's son-in-law.

About the same time (1830) Ezra Brewster and his son Peter carried a few dozen fruit-trees on their backs from Pontiac to their home, following Indian trails through the woods. They were planted on section 30, and grew finely. Most of them remain to this day, and some of them measure as much as seven feet in circumference. Allen Brewster is now the proprietor of this orchard.

FIRST FRAME BARNS.

James Coleman built a frame barn, thirty-two by forty-two feet, about 1828. It was the first barn of any size in the township. Samuel Tower did the car- penter-work. The frame is still in a good condition.

The same year Samuel Hilton put up a barn of about the same size.

GRIST-MILL.

In 1835, Needham Hemingway built a dam across Paint creek, on section 28, and dug a race three-fourths of a mile long to the east line of the same sec- tion, where he constructed a two-story frame building, twenty-six by fifty-six feet, for a grist-mill. He put in two run of stones, and, although the machinery was "home-made" to a large extent, the mill did good work, and had a very fair reputation. It passed out of the hands of Mr. Hemingway a few years after, and has since then had a number of owners. It is now the property of William Goodison, who built an addition of eighteen feet to the length in 1876. He also supplied it with modern machinery, so that it is now an excellent mill. It is at present, and has always been, the only grist-mill in the township.

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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 74

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