History of Oakland County, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories, Part 83

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 83

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the present year is Rev. James P. Gibson ; township school inspector, Joseph Jackson.

* EARLY RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

The pioneers took early measures to secure the enjoyment of the privilege of divine worship, and it was not long after their coming before services were held ; in a humble way certainly, but they did not forget the promise that where a few are gathered together in humility and sincerity of purpose, there will the Spirit of the Lord be in their midst and give them comfort and peace. There were circuit- riders and missionaries and other non-resident preachers who occasionally came among them, and on such occasions meetings were improvised at dwellings, in school-houses, and often in barns. The old log school-house just north of John Trowbridge's farm, and also that which stood on Elijah Bullock's land at Frank- lin, were most frequently called in requisition for this purpose. But when no such comparatively near and convenient opportunities offered themselves, then it was no unusual thing for the devout ones to travel to Bloomfield, or even to Pon- tiac, by ox-team, carrying all the members of the family from grandsire to babe, and to consider that the privilege was cheaply enough purchased by the labor and "inconvenience of the journey. The cause of temperance, too, so nearly allied to that of true religion, was urged even in those early days, and old settlers recollect that temperance-meetings were held (notably those at Franklin in 1831 and 1832) with gratifying results.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SOUTHFIELD.

This church was organized at the house of Asa Fuller, on the 15th day of Oc- tober, 1831, by Rev. Isaac W. Ruggles, of Pontiac, and Rev. Mr. Bridgman, of Farmington, missionaries of the American Home Mission Society. It was first designated as the First Congregational church of Southfield, and the original members were Melvin Drake, Harriet Drake, David Brown, Almira Brown, Edmund Cook and wife, Clement P. Rust, Anna Rust, Mrs. Betsey Heath, and Mrs. Eunice Fuller, by letter, and Mason I. James, Amanda James, and Patty Seely, on certificate of Rev. I. W. Ruggles.

The first preaching was by Rev. Mr. Bridgman,-occasional supply,-then afterwards by Rev. Eri Prince, of Farmington,-stated supply,-and after him came their first regular pastor, Rev. Noah Cook.

Up to and including a part of the time of Mr. Cook's pastorate, their worship was held sometimes in the log school-house, near John Thomas' tavern, and some- times in his barn, in summer-time ; but in the year 1837 they built a good frame edifice on the west line of section 22, in its southwest quarter, one mile east and a quarter of a mile south of the present village of Southfield. It was on land which John Thomas had donated to the town in 1832 for school and cemetery purposes, but which gift was now so modified as to allow its use as the site of their church, and a deed was given to that effect.

This church building continued in use by the congregation as a place of meet- ing for fifteen years ; at the end of which time it was sold to the United Presby- terian congregation to be removed. The lot was then increased in size, by pur- chase from John Cooper, and a new church-their present place of worship-was erected in the year 1856, at a cost of about two thousand two hundred dollars. An appropriate parsonage was erected also upon a lot of one and a half acres, purchased from Mr. Cooper.

In the year 1865 the name of the church organization was, by special enact- ment, changed to that which it bears at present. Following are the names of pastors who have labored with the church since the time of Rev. Noah Cook : Revs. A. Worthington, George Eastman, Nathaniel West, Evan Evans, Nor- man Tucker, George W. Newcomb, Thomas Forster, J. Sandford Smith, John Kelland, and Rev. O. C. Thompson, the present pastor.

A Sabbath-school under the auspices of the church holds its sessions during the greater part of the year, omitting the most inclement season. Present super- intendent, Daniel Russell. Average attendance, thirty-five.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH OF SOUTHFIELD.

This, the first Methodist Protestant church in the State of Michigan, was or- ganized on the 2d of August, 1840. The constituent members were Harry Bronson, David Parkhurst, Jonas S. Pratt, Nancy Smith, Mary Bronson, Lydia Parkhurst, Abigail Pratt, and Rev. Laban Smith, their first preacher.

At the time of the organization, and for several years after, " Franklin circuit," of which this church formed a part, embraced Oakland County and part of Wayne and Lapeer counties.

The list of Rev. Mr. Smith's successors in the desk of this church is as fol- lows : Revs. Oliver Earls, A. Lorenzo Warren, James Gay, J. R. Stevenson, R. C. Lanning, S. T. Cranson, J. A. Parks, Joseph Pomfret, Thomas Plackett, Sul- livan Clark, A. R. Button, D. McGregor, Daniel Birney, A. C. Fuller, Duke Whitely, J. F. Kellogg, J. C. Thompson, James H. Morton, Samuel Riley, and Delos Short, the present pastor.

MORRIS JENKS.

MRS. ALMIRA JENKS.

RESIDENCE OF FRANCIS YOUNG, SOUTHFIELD TP, OAKLAND CO.,

- MICHIGAN -

CHARLES V. BABCOCK.

MRS. CHARLES V. BABCOCK.

SAMUEL D. BEEKMAN.

MRS. JULIA DANIELS.

JOHN C. DANIELS.

MRS.J. C. DANIELS.

RESIDENCE OF JOHN C. DANIELS, SOUTHFIELD TP., OAKLAND COUNTY, MICH.

273

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

The church edifice, their present house of worship, situated in the village of Franklin, was erected at a cost of about two thousand dollars, and dedicated in June, 1863.

Connected with the church is a Sabbath-school, having an average attendance of seventy-five, and under the superintendency of Mr. J. J. Trott. Its sessions are held during six months of the year, commencing April 1; and it has a library of one hundred volumes.

SOUTHFIELD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.

Although the record of this church extends only as far back as the year 1857, yet it is known that classes existed in this community for many years before the organization of the church. The Revs. Laban Smith and John J. Young, circuit-preachers of the Ohio conference, residing in West Bloomfield, had been very instrumental in the formation of these classes, and had frequently conducted their meetings for worship, which were sometimes held in the log school-house near John Trowbridge's, sometimes at a house on the Farmington town-line, in section 18, and often in barns during the warm season. Other of the old-time preachers who served on these occasions were Revs. J. Baughman, James F. Davison, - Connear, and E. F. Pilcher (now D.D.), all of the Ohio conference.

The church was organized about 1852, with twelve or fifteen, members, and their first preaching was by Rev. O. M. Goodell, of Farmington. About three years afterwards a lot was donated to them by Archibald H. Green, on the north side of the main street at Southfield Centre, and upon this they erected the neat frame building in which they now meet for worship. Its cost was about eight hundred dollars.

The first meeting for election of trustees recorded in their minute-book was held in the church building May 18, 1857. Lorenzo P. Kneeland was chosen clerk pro tempore, and the election resulted in the choice of Horatio Lee, L. P. Kneeland, and Benjamin Fuller trustees for three years ; Isaac F. Warren, John Hutchins, and William Brace, for two years; Humphrey Hickey, Horace J. Johnson, and George Lee, for one year ; Isaac F. Warren, collector and treasurer ; and L. P. Kneeland, clerk of trustees. Their preacher at that time was Rev. Curtis Mosher.

Since Mr. Mosher the church has been served by the following preachers : Revs. J. J. Gridley, James Webster, Richard McConnell, Thomas Stalker, Barton S. Taylor, Rufus Crane, Charles G. Yemens, A. Minnis, James F. Dorsey, Lewis Mitchell, J. Balls, A. C. Shaw, J. H. Curnalia, A. W. Wilson, Joseph B. Varnum, Alexander Gee, and J. G. Morgan, the preacher now in charge. The present membership is about fifty-five.

Auxiliary to the church is a flourishing Sabbath-school, under the superintend- ency of Mr. Thomas Thorley. Its sessions are held through the entire year, and the average attendance is about fifty. Connected with it is a library of one hundred and forty volumes.

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This congregation was organized, under the Associate church, by the presby- tery of Richland, Ohio, and remained under that control until the organization of the Detroit presbytery, on the first Wednesday of September, 1852.

At the union of the Associate and Associate Reformed churches, making the United Presbyterian church, this congregation came into the union. It has frequently, though most erroneously, been called the " Seceder" church.

All the original members were from the north of Ireland, coming hither when the county was new and unimproved. The greater part of the members who were here at the first are still living.

The first missionaries of the denomination were Rev. James Law and his brother John Law, also Rev. F. A. Hutchinson, who came in the spring of 1849. Following these were Revs. Lee and Brownlee. Very soon after came the organization, April 16, 1850, Rev. James Bull, of Richland presbytery, officiating. At its organization there were but seventeen members. Out of this number two were chosen ruling elders,-Mr. Daniel Parks (now a member of the Re- formed Presbyterian church) and Matthew Erwin, Sr., who has passed away. Oc- tober 10, 1856, Mr. Ezekiel Hutton was ordained and installed ruling elder. In 1861-April 19-Mr. James Erwin and Peter Reid were ordained and installed ruling elders. November 10, 1875, Hugh Young and Adam Reid were ordained and installed ruling elders.

Soon after the organization, Revs. James M. Smeallie and David Dinmore were sent out to supply this and other places in the presbytery. In the spring of 1851 a call was extended to Rev. James M. Smeallie to assume the pastorate. It was accepted, and he was ordained and installed on the first Wednesday of Sep- tember, 1852, Rev. Mr. Hindman presiding. Mr. Smeallie remained as pastor a little more than seven years, resigning March 4, 1860. The second pastor, Rev. William Robertson, was ordained and installed March 26, 1861. He remained

more than seven years, and resigned April 21, 1868. The third pastor, Rev. Richard M. Patterson, was installed October 15, 1868, remained two years, and resigned November 30, 1870. These were all good and faithful men, and have left good names behind them. The fourth and present pastor, Rev. J. P. Gibson, was ordained and installed April 22, 1874.

The first place of this congregation's worship, as well as the place of its organi- zation, was in the old school-house, not far from the First Presbyterian church, and on the opposite side of the road. They were not then able to purchase' a building, but in 1852, the Presbyterian people.desiring to sell their church (to make room for the erection of a new and larger one), it was bought by this con- gregation, and removed to the northwest corner of the farm of Mr. Hutton, nearly half a mile south and east of its first site. In this they worshiped during all of Mr. Smeallie's pastorate, and through a part of that of Rev. William Robertson:

In the year 1865 a new church was erected and dedicated, the dedication sermon being preached by Rev. John P. Scott, D.D., of Detroit. This church- their present house of worship-is a neat and comfortable building, of which the cost was about eighteen hundred dollars. It occupies the site of the first one, which was removed to the farm of Mr. Wm. Sturman, and is there still, in use as a barn.

The condition of the congregation at present is very good; their numbers are now about seventy-five. Since its organization about one hundred and fifteen members have been connected with it. They have a Sabbath-school, which holds sessions during the entire year, with an average attendance of sixty-five. The present superintendent is Alexander L. Means.

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

A small organization of Reformed Presbyterians (better known as Covenanters) has existed in Southfield for more than forty-five years. The most prominent man among these early worshipers was William Connery, who lived on the pres- ent farm of Alexander Neil, and has been regarded as the father of the Covenanter church in Southfield. Others of them were the McClungs,-Anthony and Alex- der, and their families,-the Mcclellan family, John Stewart and wife, and John Parks and wife. .

Their earliest meetings for divine worship were held, under the leadership of Rev. Mr. Johnson, in the summer of 1832, in the new frame barn of Mason I. James (now Mr. Erwin's), and after that in the barn of John Stewart, and in a vacant log building on the farm of John Parks, and also in His barn. . Besides Mr. Johnson, the Rev. John Wallace was among their early preachers. .

After their organization as a church,-the date of which cannot be accurately given, but which was about 1834,-the Rev. James Neil was installed as their first pastor; and it was during his term of labor, about the year 1838, that their first church, a good frame building, was erected upon an acre of ground donated by John Parks, from his lands in the northwest quarter of section 23.

After nearly a quarter of a century of service this old building was adjudged inadequate to the requirements of the congregation, and was removed to the corner opposite the dwelling of Alexander Neil, where it is still standing, and in its place was erected the handsome new frame church in which they now meet for wor- ship,-a half-acre of ground having been added to the church-lot by gift from the heirs of John Parks.

This was done during the pastorate of Rev. James S. T. Milligan, who was in- stalled over the congregation in November, 1852, and remained with them until March 5, 1871. After his departure there was an interval of a year in which the congregation had no pastor. Then came the installation of Rev. J. R. Hill, who remained until June, 1876, when he removed to St. Louis, where he is now living.

The present membership is one hundred and sixteen, but they have had no pastor since Mr. Hill. A Sabbath-school was organized by Mr. Milligan, and is now in successful operation, with an attendance of nearly one hundred scholars, with eight teachers, and all under charge of Mr. Samuel Ball, as superintendent.

THE FREE-WILL BAPTISTS

have a small number of followers-hardly enough in number to be called a con- gregation-in the northeastern portion of the township, and occasionally hold wor- ship, but have as yet neither organization, preacher, nor regular place of meeting.

THE UNIVERSALISTS

held meetings at Franklin before 1830. One who preached to them was Rev. Mr. Woolley, from Pontiac, and afterwards they had Morgan L. Wisner for a spiritual guide, and about that time they must have effected an organization, for a church building was commenced in Franklin, and was considerably advanced, but was never completed. Their preachings were discontinued after a time, and to-day there is no worship by that denomination in Southfield.

274

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

THE SOUTHFIELD CEMETERY.

This cemetery inclosure is situated a quarter of a mile east and a little north from the village of Southfield Centre, and comprehends an area of two acres. This spot, or rather a portion of it, has been in use as a burial-place for almost half a century ; having been commenced as such in 1828, by the interment of Elias Aldrich, the first person who died in Southfield. Soon after, several residents, of whom Benjamin Fuller was one, purchased an acre of ground there, to be used for purposes of sepulture, and it was so used by the people until the year 1847, when the proprietors offered the ground as a gift to the board of health for the use of the town, only reserving the necessary burial-lots for their own use.

At a meeting of the board held November 18, 1847, it was " resolved that we will accept from the proprietors the piece of land used as a burying-ground, on the lands of Thaddeus Griswold, in said town, for a township burying-ground; and it was further resolved that the township board of health do purchase of said Thaddeus Griswold one acre in addition to the above, to be used for the same pur- pose, and one and a half acres to be used as a road in getting to said ground." At a subsequent meeting " a plan of a fence was adopted, to surround the burying- ground of said town, to be completed by the 1st of June next (1848). The job of building said fence was let to the lowest bidder, and the chairman and clerk directed to contract the same with Isaac A. Chapman for the sum of seventy-three dollars. And the clerk was directed to have the grounds surveyed by the county surveyor, and laid out and staked according to the plan adopted by the board. And it was accordingly surveyed and laid off by Algernon Merriwether, county surveyor.

Its plan of avenues and walks is much the same as in most cemeteries of the present day, and it is well kept, but is rather deficient in trees, which, when prop- erly planted, form such a beautiful and appropriate embellishment to the homes of the departed.

THE FRANKLIN CEMETERY.

This cemetery is situated upon the high ground on the west side of the south extremity of the village of Franklin, in the southeastern corner of the tract pur- chased in 1825 by Elijah Bullock, who, two or three years later, made a deed of gift to Josiah Barkley, as trustee, of an acre of ground here, to be used as a place of public burial.

The first interment within it was that of a brother-in-law of Dillucena Stough- ton, a man named Warner, who died of consumption at Birmingham in the spring of 1829. William Houston, the first merchant of Franklin, was also laid there in 1832, another victim of consumption. His was the first grave which was marked by a memorial stone, which stood alone, the only slab in the ground for a long time.

About twenty years later an additional tract, adjoining the old grave-yard, was donated to the people of Franklin and vicinity for cemetery purposes by

Benjamin D. and Charlotte Worthing, who appointed Jonathan Worthing, Melvin Drake, Cyrenius Wood, Solomon Whitney, George B. Congleton, and Harvey C. Judd trustees; who, under a warrant of Benjamin D. Worthing, justice of the peace, proceeded to call a meeting to organize "The Franklin Cemetery Society" a body corporate. The first recorded meeting was held May 11, 1852, and the next was held on the 24th of October, 1853. After this there is no record of meetings until March 10, 1860, since which time the annual meetings of the society have been held regularly. At the present time (1877) the president and secretary are respectively Thomas Gillespie and John T. Midgely. The present area of the cemetery-grounds is three acres, which has become quite thickly popu- lated by the interments of forty-eight years.

THE COVENANTERS' BURIAL-GROUND.

In the ground of the Reformed Presbyterian church there is a cluster of graves, many of them of ancient date. The date and particulars of the first interment cannot be given. The ground was given by John Parks, forty years ago, for burial as well as church purposes. Probably about one hundred have been buried there.

THE PRESBYTERIAN GRAVE-YARD.

This ground is called the Presbyterian grave-yard, not that is distinctly secta- rian in its uses, but because it is located beside the First Presbyterian church. It was a burial-place, however, before the church was built there, having been donated by John Thomas in the year 1832, " for the purpose of school-house and burying- ground," and was used for the latter purpose but not for the former, as no school- house was ever built upon it, but the church instead ; the conditions of the donation having been so changed as to permit it. The first interment was that of a colored person, formerly a slave in New York, who came to Michigan with the family of David Harmon. This was in the year 1833. The second burial-in August, 1834-was that of Mary Ann, daughter of John Thomas, the donor of the ground, who was himself interred there on the 21st of May, 1844. The graves have become quite numerous, and the ground has about it nothing of that neglected, dismal appearance which is too often seen in country burial-places.

Valuable information and facts pertaining to the history of the township have been kindly furnished by the following-named gentlemen, viz .:

Hon. C. V. Babcock, Deacon Melvin Drake, Rev. J. P. Gibson, Mr. Benjamin Fuller, Peter Van Every, A. A. Rust, Esq., Dr. Henry S. Cox, Mr. N. J. Rob- erts, E. S. Blakeslee, Esq., Mr. Josiah Barkley, John Waters, Esq., William Erity, Esq., and Mr. John T. Midgeley, of Southfield; Dr. E. Raynale, Mr. Ben- jamin A. Thorne, and Mason I. James, Esq., of Birmingham ; and John M. Ellenwood, Esq., of West Bloomfield. For which they will please accept the sincere thanks of the publishers.

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

" BY a petition of the inhabitants of the township of Springfield the legislature of the State of Michigan did set off March 2, 1836, all that portion of the county of Oakland designated in the United States' survey as township 4 north, of range 8 east, and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Springfield, and the first township-meeting shall be held at the house of David Stanard in said township.' "

The above paragraph appears on the records of the township, and from the date given the town has been known as Springfield. The following appears in the Laws of Michigan for 1837 :

" All that portion of the county of Oakland designated in the United States' survey as township 4 north, of range 8 east, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Painsville, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of David Stanard in said township."

The people refused to organize under this name, and consequently the old name of Springfield was retained. It is a fitter appellation for the township, which abounds in nearly all parts with fine springs, some of them having been of wide renown among the Indians and traders before the settlement was begun. Notable among them were the famous " Little springs," on the Detroit and Saginaw trail, section 13. In fact, the township derived its name from the numerous lakes and

springs which it contains. It was bestowed by Jeremiah Clark, Esq., of Inde- pendence township, John J. Merrell, Arza C. Crosby, and others, who met for the purpose of choosing a title for it.

The surface of the township is much the same as that of the others in this part of the county, made up of a variety of features ; hills rise to a considerable height in numerous places, the highest being those which surround the village of Davisburgh, while many depressions are met with where marshes and tamarack swamps appear, and in other localities the country stretches away in a broad plateau, with a fertile soil and abundance of timber.

The numerous lakes of Springfield cover an area of about six hundred acres. They number in the neighborhood of twenty-five, and some of them are in pic- turesque locations, and present attractive and pleasing views. The largest of the lakes is known as " Big lake," and lies on section 28. It covers about two hun- dred and fifty acres, and is the source of the river Huron.

Among the other lakes of the township are Long, Davis, and Duncan, the latter lying partly in White Lake township. The head-waters of four rivers are in Springfield, namely, the Huron, Shiawassee, Thread, and Clinton, and the di- viding ridge between them is quite narrow in extent .. None of the streams of Springfield are of considerable size.

The Detroit and Milwaukee railway crosses the township in a diagonal direc-

SAMUEL FOSTER

MRS. SAMUEL, FOSTER,

RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL FOSTER, SPRINGFIELD, OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

GILBERT , DEL.

Eli Brondige

Margaret A Grondige

RESIDENCE OF ELI BRONDIGE, SPRINGFIELD TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.

275

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

tion from southeast to northwest, having within its limits a length of about eight miles. The only station is at Davisburgh.

7 The Detroit and Saginaw turnpike, formerly the old trail between those points. crosses the northeastern portion of the township, and was the first road opened after the settlement. For many years it was the main thoroughfare between the two cities it connected, and continued to be the scene of a great amount of travel until the completion of the railway. A stage-line was run over its length, and all along the route there sprung up busy little villages, which are now generally mere hamlets, or simple epitomes of the " glory departed."

Springfield township now contains the prosperous village of Davisburgh and the settlements at Anderson and Springfield, the former on sections 22 and 27, and the latter on section 13. The population of the township, according to the census in 1874, was twelve hundred and forty-seven, and these figures are un- doubtedly too small to cover the number of inhabitants at present. We gather from the census of 1874 the following statistics :

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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 83

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