USA > Michigan > Clinton County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 122
USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 122
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Also another beginning at the corners of seetions 14, 15, 22, and 23; thence north four degrees west one hundred and sixty chains.
Also a road beginning at the corners of sections 13, 18, 19, and 24; thence east on the section-line four degrees north to the east line of township 5 north, of range 3 west.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.
An act of the State Legislature approved March 20, 1837, provided and declared, " That the townships in ranges 3 and 4 west, in the county of Clinton, be a township by the name of Watertown, and the people therein shall be entitled to all the privileges incident to inhabitants of organized town- ships, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of Anthony Niles, in said township of Water- town." This territory then embraced all the west half of the county of Clinton.
Townships Nos. 7 and 8 north, of ranges 3 and 4 west, embracing the present townships of Lebanon, Dallas, Essex, and Bengal, was set off by act of Legislature dated March 6, 1838, and known as the township of Wandangon (now Lebanon). Township 6 north, of range 4 west, was erected March 21, 1839, as the township of Westphalia. Towu- ship 6 north, of range 3 west, was by act of March 15, 1841, made Riley; and an act of the Legislature of March 15, 1841, created township No. 5 north, of range + west, as the township of Eagle, reducing Watertown to its present limits.
525
WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP.
WATERTOWN CIVIL LIST.
The record of the first township cleetion has not been preserved, and it is therefore not possible Io give a list of the officers for that year. It is, however, probable that Calvin Marvin was chosen as the first supervisor. The offi- cers elected in succeeding years have been as follows :
SUPERVISORS.
183S. Calvin Marvin.
1858-59. Ezekiel Niles.
1839. Philo Beers.
1860. Samuel B. Dayton.
1810. Jared Higby.
1861. Ezekiel Niles.
1841. Calvin Marvin.
1862. Henry Gibbs.
1842-43. llarvey Hunter.
1863. D. A. Davis.
1844-45. Calvin Marvin.
1864. Charles E. Eastman.
1846-48. Harvey Hunter.
1865. F. L. Smith.
1849. E. P. Ingersoll.
1866. Daniel L. Wilson.
1850. Harvey llunter.
1867-68. F. L. Smith.
1851. N. I. Daniells.
1869. George Smith.
1852. Harvey Hunter.
1870-71. George W. Kinney.
1853. Iloratio Ilunter. 1872. S. U. Alexander.
1854. D. I. Daniells.
1873. George W. Kinney.
1855. C. M. Derbyshire.
1874. S. U. Alexander.
1856. Harvey Ilunter.
1875-79. G. W. Kinney.
1857. D. I. Daniells.
ISSO. James Timmerman.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1838. Charles R. Spieer.
1860. Stephen Hill.
1839-40. J. K. Morris.
186]-62. Lewis Timmermao.
1841. Grafton Webber.
1863. D. F. Betts.
JS12-43. Walter Hubbell.
1864. Cassin Lowell.
1844-45. J. K. Morris.
1865. George E. King.
1816. Thomas J. Allen.
1866-67. A. A. Ilunt.
1847. Stephen Hill.
1868. Lewis Timmerman.
1848. Egbert Ingersoll.
1869. A. A. Ilunt.
1849. Nelson Daniells.
1870. George W. West.
1850. Stephen Hill.
IS71. Luther F. Conrad.
185]. Ilenry Snow.
I872. George W. Lowell.
1852-53. Sidney Frary.
1873. George E. King.
1854. S. E. Hazard.
1874. George W. West.
IS53-56. J. C. Baekus.
1875. George E. King.
IS57. Ezekiel Niles.
1876-77. O. A. Lockwood.
1858. R. W. Ilolbrouk.
1878-70. George W. Burt.
1859. D. A. Davis.
ISSO. G. C. llighee.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1837. Henry Rowland.
1854. Samuel Foreman.
Morris S. Allen.
1855. D. G. Niles.
Charles R. Spicer.
R. W. Buck.
Stephen Hill.
1856. Harvey Gibbs.
1838. Anthony Niles.
1857. N. I. Daniells. l'hilip Burt.
IS4S. G. W. Kinney.
1873. Martin Maier.
1839. Stephen Hill.
1858. George C. Jarvis.
.I. Il. Andrews.
1874. A. J. Jones.
D. R. Cutter.
1875. R. G. Mason.
1841. Grafton Webber.
1859. Charles E. Eastman.
1849. A. R. Marvin.
1876-77. Seth M. Cook.
Jason Nichols.
1878. George Reeves,
1850. Jason Nichols.
1879-80. John G. Schlee.
SCHOOL INSPECTORS.
1838. Seth P. Marvin.
1842. E. F. Thompson.
E. P. Thompson.
1813. Charles Himmlwill.
S. B. Groger.
Stephen Hill.
1839. S. P. Marvin. Harvey Hunter.
Philo Beers.
1811. Thomas Allen.
E. F. Thompson.
H llunter.
IN48. D. S. Ingersoll.
ISTO. Lewis Timmerman.
ISTO. Seth P. Marvin.
M. P. Durch.
18.19. Henry Iloughtaling.
F. L. Smith.
1850. Josiah Lowell.
J871. G. C. Jarvis.
1572. William Boylan.
1873. F. L. Smith.
1571. Lewis fimmerman.
1875. George W. Lowell.
1876. A. J. Smith.
1877. John B. Ilowe.
ISSO. A. J. Smith.
1878. William Boylan. George C. Jarvis.
1879. Lewis Timmerman.
TREASURERS.
1841. George W. West. 1861. Ira Ide.
1812-43. Parker Webher. 1862. Samuel Clark.
1844-45. Parker Webber. 1863-64. Edwin Reed.
1846-48. George W. West.
1865-66. S. W. Cronkite.
1849-50. G. W. West. 1867-68. Samuel Clark.
185]. Edward Butterfield. 1869-70. John Cupid.
1852. George W. West. 1871. D. L. Wilson.
1853-54. E. P. Daniells.
1872. Ilarvey Ilunter.
1855. Jason Nichols.
1873. Mark Jenney.
1856. Samuel Foreman.
18744. Robert G. Mason.
1857. A. M. Roberts.
1875-76. Joseph Walford.
IS5S. Henry Gibbs.
1877-79. John G. Schlee.
1859. Daniel Sherman.
1880. William A. Lee.
1860. D. S. Ingersoll.
HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS.
1838. Morris Boughton.
IS50. Eliot Ingersoll.
Heman Thomas. 1851. A. R. Marvin.
Samuel Foreman. Jonas Smith.
1839. Henry Gibbs. 1852. A. J. Reed.
Stephen Hill. 1853. B. F. Hammill.
David Clark.
E. Ingersoll.
1840. Jared Iligbee.
Joseph S. Loomis.
llenry Gibbs.
1854. William Lee.
Stephen Ilill.
E. Ingersoll.
1841. E. P. Daniells.
1855. A. J. Reed.
E. Billings,
Samuel Foreman.
1857. C. E. Eastman.
1842. Ezra P. Daniells.
Egbert Ingersoll.
Joseph S. Loomis.
1858. G. W. Kinney. F. L. Smith.
1843. Jonas Smith.
1859. Egbert Ingersoll.
E. P. Daniells.
1860. Willard King.
Grofton Webher.
1861. Daniel Sberman. Edward Root.
1844. Ilarry Weston.
1862. George Smith.
E. P. Daniells.
1863. Charles E. Eastman.
1845. Ezra Billings.
1864. B. S. Derbyshire.
1865. S. M. Cook.
Josiah Lowell. A. R. Marvin.
1866. A. J. Smith.
1846. William Diets.
1867. Robert G. Mason.
Eliot Ingersoll. 1868. Egbert Ingersoll.
Jason Nichols. 1869. John II. Lowell.
1847. Jonas Smith. 1870. Lockwood Clark.
Jason Nichols. 1871. O. W. Lowell.
A. R. Marvin.
1872. George Oliver.
D. A. Simmons.
1840. Jared Iligbee. Aaron Reed.
Seth P. Marvin.
1860. A. J. Reed.
Joseph Sanborn. William Wood.
1812. Walter Hubbell.
1861. Ilenry F. Brown.
1843. Stephen Jill.
1862. George C. Jarvis.
1811. Morris S. Allen.
1863. N. I. Daniells.
1845. Joseph Sanborn.
1864. George W. Kinney.
1846. Daniel R. Carpenter.
1865. Nelson Hunt.
Josiah Lowell. E. F. Thompson.
1867. N. I. Daniells.
1547. Stephen Ilill. D. S. Ingersoll.
1868. G. W. Kinney.
1869. Eliott Shadduck.
Philo Beers. Charles R. Spicer. 1>16. Egbert Ingersoll.
1841. Walter Hubbell.
1847. William Wood.
Seth P. Marvin. JeIS. O. B. Ingersoll.
E. F. Thompson.
1819. E. P. Ingersoll.
1850. G. W. Lowell.
IS42. Stephen Hill.
Charles Goodwin.
1851. X. 1. Daniells.
IS51. D. S. Ingersoll.
1852. Stephen JIill.
Joseph Woodruff.
N. T. Daniells.
1853. William Wood.
1866. Lewis Timmerman.
1815. No record.
Thomas J. Allen.
1856. C. N. Derbyshire.
A. R. Marvin.
526
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1852. No record.
1866. D. A. Davis.
1853. Ilenry Snow.
1867. H. P. Clark.
1854. Sidney Frary.
1868. Lyman Townsend.
1855. J. W. Timmerman.
1869. Il. P. Clark.
1856. F. L. Smith.
1870. L. F. Conrad.
1857. Seth M. Cook.
1871. Warren Smith.
1858. K. F. Morse.
1872. A. A. Itunt.
1859. N. I. Daniells.
1873. S. M. Cook.
1860. Hix Horton.
1874. Peter Oliver.
1861. R. W. Holbrook.
1875. S. M. Cook.
1862. F. L. Smith.
1876. Egbert Ingersoll.
1863. R. W. Holbrook.
1877-78. John Q. Benedict.
1864. S. M. Cook.
1879. George C. Higbee.
1865. D. F. Betts.
ISSO. R. M. Brooks.
DRAIN COMMISSIONERS.
1873. Harvey Hunter.
1878. William S. Miller.
1874. O. W. Lowell.
1879. O. A. Lockwood.
1875-76. Thomas Reed.
1880. Albert D. Wood.
1877. George C. Jarvis.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
1875-76. L. F. Conrad.
1879. R. M. Brooks.
1877-78. Lyman Townsend.
1880. Miss Emma L. Wiekham.
EARLY SCHOOL STATISTICS.
"At a meeting of the board of school inspectors held at the office of the township clerk on the 7th day of April, 1838, Seth P. Marvin was chosen chairman, and the board proceeded to the transaction of business, making the di- vision of school districts as follows, viz. :
" The west half of town number five north of range number three west, with sections 22, 27, 34, except the north half of sections 4, 5, 6, shall comprise district num- ber onc.
" District number two shall embrace the southeast quarter of said township five north of range three west.
" District number three shall embrace the northwest quarter of section 1, the north half of section 2, all of section 3, and the north half of sections 4, 5, 6, in town -. ship five north of range three west, and all that part of township six north of range three west, lying south of the quarter-line through sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
" District number four shall embrace the north half of township five north of range four west, except the east half of sections 1, 12, 13, north of the Looking-Glass River.
" District number five shall be composed of the south half of said township.
" STEPHEN B. GROGER. " SETH P. MARVIN. " EPHRAIM F. THOMPSON.
" C. R. SPICER,
" Township Clerk.
" WATERTOWN, April 7, 1838."
The earliest school in Watertown was opened at Wa- cousta, then embraced in fractional school district No. 1, and now a portion of district No. 6. It was held in the upper story of a store occupied by Daniel Hubbell, there having been at that time no school building erected, and was taught by Mrs. Daniel Moore. In 1844, or possibly earlier, a contract was awarded to Henry Gibbs for the crection of a school building in this district, who was as-
sisted in its construction by Royal Benson. Miss Sarah Beers and Miss Rhoda Brooks were also carly teachers, and probably exercised a wholesome discipline upon the youth of Wacousta before a school-house was constructed in the township. The second school building was erected on section 34, then embraced in district No. 2, but the carliest instructor is not remembered.
The present school territory of Watertown is divided into one fractional and six whole districts, over whom pre- side the following board of directors,-William. M. Jones, George W. West, J. T. Backus, O. W. Lowell, R G. Mason, O. H. Smith, Christopher Summers. Three hundred and sixty-one scholars received instruction during the past year, of' whom eleven were non-residents. They were under the supervision of' a corps of cight male and cleven female teachers, who received in salaries an aggregate sum of seventeen hundred and twenty-four dollars and fifty cents. The school property of the township, embracing one brick and six frame buildings, is valued at five thousand seven hundred dollars.
WACOUSTA.
In July, 1837, an association was formed with the avowed purpose of organizing a company, to be known s the " Waterloo Joint-Stock Company." The mem- bers of the company, or more properly the stockholders, were Alexander Goodell, Charles Hubbell, Orson E. Hall, Reuben R. Gibson, Thomas O. Hill, and Charles A. Trow- bridge. They purchased a tract of land in Watertown de- scribed as " lying upon the Looking-Glass River, and being the southeast fraction of the northwest quarter of section 17, township 5 west, of range 3 west ; also the east half of the southeast quarter of section 7, in the same township ; also the east fraction of the northeast quarter of section 18 ; also the northwest fraction of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 8; also the west fraction of the northwest quarter of section 17 in the same township." The object of this pur- chase, as stated in the articles of agreement, was the im- provement of the real estate and the laying out of a town therein, and the disposing of lots for building purposes.
The company appointed Charles R. Spicer as their resi- dent agent, and at once began a system of improvements in- volving an expenditure of twelve thousand dollars.
A saw-mill was first erected, and immediately after, a grist-mill, a- dwelling having meanwhile been constructed for the accommodation of the men employed on the works, and superintended by William Chridawan. A store was also opened by the company.
It needed, however, but little time to develop the fact that the scheme was not destined to financial success. At a meeting of the stockholders a lease of the property, in- cluding four hundred and thirty acres of land, and the mills and dwelling, was sccured by Charles R. Spicer for the sum of eight hundred dollars, to be paid annually. Spicer then took possession of the property, but failed to make any payments on the lease, and finally departed for New York. The property was ultimately sold at auction in the city of Detroit, and was purchased by Cornelius O'Flynn and William K. Coyle, both of Detroit, who obtained a title and reorganized the company.
527
WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP.
In 1848 the latter gentleman disposed of his interest to N. I. Daniells, and Cornelius O'Flynn conveyed his share to Elias Daniells. With this later transfer ended the decaying fortunes of the Waterloo Joint-Stock Company.
The mill property was subsequently owned by Messrs. Ilunter & Silsbee, who arrived in 1840, and established a general store at this point, having purchased the business of Walter Hubbell, though the mill property not having been managed by them to profit, had been allowed to go to decay. The above-named firm were formerly peddlers, and after having by fair dealing obtained an extended patronage in adjacent parts of the country, ultimately located at Wa- cousta, where a very lucrative system of barter and trade was maintained with the settlers.
N. I. and Nelson Daniells arrived in 1848 (having been former residents of Cayuga Co., N. Y.), and at once repaired the mill property. The grist-mill, which was in a condi- tion unfit for service, was at once remodeled, and the saw- mill also thoroughly rebuilt. A store was opened by them, and in 1855 the old grist-mill was replaced by a new one, which is now owned by Nelson Daniells. This mill has three run' of stones, and is devoted to both custom- and merchant-work. It is located upon the Looking-Glass River, from whence its power is derived, and has a capacity of four hundred bushels per day. Much patronage is en- joyed from the adjacent country, though Lansing and the East furnish a market for its merchant work.
The saw-mill, which is also owned by Mr. Daniells, em- braces planing machinery, and has a capacity of two thou- sand feet per day. It does custom-work exclusively.
There are at Wacousta six stores, owned as follows : Carey R. Daniells has a general storc.
Carmer Brothers, of Lansing, have also a general store, managed by O. A. Smith.
IT. D. Weaver has a market and also a grocery-storc.
G. W. Burt combines drugs and medicines with a stock of groceries.
Frank E. Davis deals in boots and shoes, and groceries. Two blacksmith-shops are conducted by I'. II. Blass & Son, and Alonzo Waldron.
Mrs. Cook has a millinery establishment.
William Hosner is the landlord, while Frank E. Davis is postmaster, and Henry J. Patterson and Joseph A. Myers are the lawyers of the village. Drs. A. S. Hyatt and S. A. Mauzer are the physicians.
The projectors of the village had determined upon " Waterloo" as a cuphonious, and at the time a popular eog- nomen for the rising village, but subsequent investigation proved that a post-office of similar name already existed in the State. Some carly settler, with an intense admiration for the character of the historic Wacousta,* suggested the name as a substitute, and it was at once adopted.
GRAND RIVER CITY.
In the summer of 1834, Erastus Ingersoll purchased a tract of land in the township. of Delta, on the northern
boundary-line of the county of Eaton, and in 1836 added to this purchase eighty acres on scetion 35 in the township of Watertown, and a year later an additional eighty on sec- tion 36. Elihu 1. Ingersoll also bought eighty acres at the same date on section 34 .. This portion of the State was at that carly date little else than a vast forest, diversified by occasional oak-openings, and surprise was manifested on the part of friends of the gentleman that he should have chosen so isolated a spot. The prospective removal of the State capital had, however, influenced him to choose what he deemed a central location, trusting to circumstances to enhance the value of this land.
In the year 1836 he erected a log house, and having sc- cured an individual named Avery to superintend operations, brought a squad of men for the purpose of building a dam and erecting mills. Soon after the services of John Thayer, a surveyor, resident in Farmington, Oakland Co., were se- cured, and a village was marked out extending from the Grand River to the Grand River turnpike, and this pros- pective village was immediately christened Grand River City. On the completion of the saw-mill the men were employed in clearing and chopping preparatory to the rais- ing of erops.
Early during the winter of 1837 E. S. Ingersoll with his family arrived, and became residents of the place, and in June of the same year a party of gentlemen including Dr. Isaac Jennings, Rev. E. P. Ingersoll, Charles W. Gurney, and others, all of Massachusetts, arrived, having as their ob- ject the establishment of an extensive educational enterprise at Grand River City. The State Legislature passed and approved an act incorporating the school April 11, 1839, indicating it as the Grand River Theological Seminary, with Isaac Jennings, Thomas Blossom, John J. Sheppard, Josiah Tole, Erastus Ingersoll, Charles W. Gurney, Samuel Chad- wick, and E. P. Ingersoll as a board of trustees. It fur- ther invested the said trustees with power to ereet " in the village of Orion, in Eaton and Clinton Counties [the county-line running through the village], such buildings as they may judge the interests of the institution shall at any time demand." The school was to have been con- ducted on a plan similar to that adopted by many Eastern institutions, involving a system of' manual labor as an ac- companiment of instruction.
A site was chosen for the building, the lumber was par- tially prepared, and Rev. E. P'. Ingersoll was delegated to solicit aid for the enterprise. The subscriptions on paper were so numerous as to warrant the most sanguine predictions of success, when the wildcat banking system of Michigan collapsed, and in the general financial wreck which ensued were engulfed all the brilliant hopes for the future of Grand River City. Mr. Erastus Ingersoll resided in Farmington, Oakland Co., where he died in 1851. He divided his estate in Watertown among his sons, Elial, Orville B., Eg- bert, and Truman, all of whom as early as the year 1842 became residents of this township.
CHURCH HISTORY. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.
An ecclesiastical council convened at Wacousta, Mich., on the 8th day of July, 1862, pursuant to an invitation of
* In the conspiracy of l'ontinc, in 1763, Major Gladwin, the com- mandant at Detroit, was apprised by the Indian maiden Wacousta of the intention of the Indians to surpriso and massacre the garrison at the fort, and thus the plot was defeated. At least this is one of the traditions of that conspiracy.
528
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
certain individuals who desired to be organized as a Con- gregational Church. The council having been convened by the choice of Rev. H. A. Read, of Marshall, as moderator, and Rev. W. B. Williams, of Charlotte, as clerk, prayer was offered and the letter read which designated the pur- pose of the meeting. The following persons publicly assented to the confession of faith, and solemnly entered into covenant to walk together in Christian fellowship: J. D. Millard, Jane L. Millard, Johu A. Hamilton, Maria Hamilton, Mrs. Cornelia N. Hlazard, Mrs. Mary Bissell, Mrs. Sarah M. Davidson, Miss Pereis Root.
At the first regular meeting Johu A. Hamilton was elected Deaeon ; Persis Root, Treasurer ; and Cornelia N. Ilazard, Church Clerk. In the following year David I. Daniells, N. L. Daniells, and Rev. William P. Esler were elected a financial committee, and to Rev. J. D. Millard was extended an invitation to serve as pastor the following year. Rev. Mr. Millard accepted, and remained as pastor in charge until 1866, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. M. Ashley. The church next extended a call to Rev. N. D. Glidden, who filled the ministerial office until 1872, when Rev. William H. Skentelbury, of the Chicago Theologieal Sem- inary, was invited to the charge, and at a later period ac- cepted. An effort was made to ercet a house of worship soon after, and a lot was purchased. Subscriptions having been offered with much zeal, the congregation felt encour- aged to begin the work. The edifice was completed at a cost of eighteen hundred dollars, and the dedicatory ser- viees were held on the 13th of January, 1875.
A flourishing Sabbath-school is connected with the so- eiety, of which L. J. Gibson is superintendent. During the summer months one hundred and twenty members are enrolled. The present church officers are Munsen Austin, Oscar IFart, George II. Niles, Deaeons ; R. E. Hamilton, Treasurer ; G. W. Burt, Clerk. Rev. W. H. Skentelbury is still the pastor, aud resides in the village of Wacousta. The church-roll numbers seventy-five members.
BAPTIST CHURCHI.
A Baptist society was organized in Wacousta during the year 1854, and a legal organization was effected as early as July 4th of that year, with the following as a board of trustees : Ilarvey Ilunter, John C. Backus, George W. Perigo, Charles M. Derbyshire, and David P. Daniells. The society flourished for a time, but with the presence of later organizations much of the support of the church-going portion of the township was diverted into other channels, and the Baptist Church has now no existenee other than in the memory of its former adherents.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WACOUSTA.
The organization and first preachers of this society have not been ascertained. The church in which they worship was erected iu 1867, and dedicated in April, 1868. The dedication sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Mead, the Rev. John Bragins being in charge at that time. Ile was succeeded by Revs. Thomas Clark, H. D. Jordan, S. P. Ilewitt, - Cadwell, B. S. Pratt, and the Rev. W. R. McEwen, who is the present pastor. The trustees of the church are II. Farloch, T. Bateman, J. Q. Benedict,
D. Niles, and William Warbais. The church numbers at present thirty-three. A Sunday-school is in connection with the church containing fifty pupils. William Miller is superintendent.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
GEORGE GALL.
George Gall was born in Newton, Cambridgeshire, Eng- land, Oet. 11, 1824. His father, Edward Gall, was born in Leverton, England, where he grew to manhood, working as soon as large enough at common labor. He married Susan Andrus. They had eight children, George being the second. Hle, too, was a common laborer until he was eighteen years old, when he was apprentieed for three years to James Hardmeat, of Wisbech, to learn the butcher's trade. After learning his trade he went to Ely, where he worked in a meat-market for seven shillings per week. In May, 1849, Mr. Gall took passage in a sailing-vessel for New York. Ile had saved the money to buy his ticket by putting a few shillings at a time in the savings-bank. He had learned that in the mother-country only a life of toil and poverty awaited him, and he determined to see what labor and economy would do for him in the new world be- yond the sea. He landed in New York after a month's voyage, and with but ten cents in his pocket. This would not buy a meal for himself and comrade, John Nourse, so he bought them each a glass of American beer. Their ticket was to Buffalo, but they went only to Loekport, where they both hired out for ten dollars per month. Here Mr. Gall remained during the summer. During the next two years he worked by the month at farm labor, his highest wages being thirteen dollars per month. Eighteen months after his arrival he sent two hundred dollars to his father with which to bring the family to this country. His employer advanced one season's earnings to enable him to send that amount. When his parents and four sisters arrived they found a home awaiting them which had been rented by George, who never forgot to "honor his father and mother." In 1851 he bought forty acres of new land in Watertown, and then after working one year more by the month, he, with his father's family, came to Michigan and settled on his land. Their family was large and they had no means, and for a time George found supplying the wants of so many no easy task. But he was not easily discouraged, and with untiring energy he went to work. In the winter he thrashed grain with a flail, doing an amount of work that to the young men of to-day would seem incredible. In the summer months he worked on his farm when not compelled to work for others to supply the family wants. Ilis sisters married from his home, while the father and mother passed with him the remainder of their days, the mother living to see her son the owner of a fine farm, and a man honored and esteemed by his neighbors for his in- dustry and sterling integrity. Oct. 19, 1863, he was mar- ried to Miss Celia Rudgers, daughter of Thomas and Lil- lias J. (Bush) Rudgers, born in La Grange, Wyoming Co.,
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