USA > Michigan > Clinton County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 42
USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125
The company offered a plat of land designated as the publie square to be used for county purposes, and a contract was made with Stephen Hawkins for the erection of a building, in October of the same year, to be devoted to the uses of the county officers. This building not being of sufficient proportions to afford conveniences for the sessions of the court, they were for a while continued at Shiawasse- town, where they had previously been held.
S. Z. Kinyon emigrated from Onondaga Co., N. Y., to the city of Flint in 1836, and entered land in the follow- ing year. In April, 1839, he was attraeted by the enter- prise exhibited by the Shiawassee County-Seat Company, and made Cornnna his residence. He had meanwhile, in connection with A. H. Beach, obtained a contract for the construction of a portion of the Northern Railroad which had been projected by the State. The project was, how- ever, abandoned, and the firm were heavy losers. A suit was brought and judgment for the recovery of a portion of the amount obtained. Mr. Kinyon ou his arrival was em- ployed in the saw-mill erected by the company, and met with a serious accident which for a while disabled him. He afterwards engaged with A. H. Beach in the ereetion of a hotel known as the " Corunna House," which is still standing on Shiawassee Avenue, on the south bank of the river. They were proprietors for a while, and then it passed into the hands of other parties, among whom was S. W. Cooper. Mr. Kinyon was married in 18-41 to Miss Cynthia M. Day, of Corunna, and on this occasion were held the first marriage festivities in the village. The ear- liest death had occurred three years previously, an em- ployee of the company having died in 1838. The first birth oceurred in 1839. It was that of a child of E. J. Van Buren.
Both Isaac and Lemuel Castle were among the early ar- rivals, and were both actively engaged in business enter- prises. A brick store was erected in 1840 by Alexander McArthur, who employed Dorus Morton, the first mason and bricklayer, to construct the building. It was located on the site of the store of Joseph HIulick, and a stock of goods was placed in it by MeArthur, Castle & Cook. They were succeeded by Harlow Beach, who came from Pontiae in 1841, and engaged in various mercantile enterprises with Mr. MeArthur. He remained a resident until his
death in 1856, and contributed much to the growth of Corunna. For a while Mr. Beach was absorbed in the eare of the farm he purchased within the city limits, though not entirely confined to this occupation. His brother, Seth Beach, came at the same time and was also much inter- ested in the advancement of the village.
E. C. Kimberley, whose name is inseparably linked with land speenlations in the county and elsewhere, removed from Batavia, N. Y., in 1840, as the agent of Trumbull Cary, an extensive land-holder. Mr. Kimberley located in the village and devoted himself to the care of the large in- vestments made by his relative, and remained in Corunna until his death. Robert MeLaughlin came at nearly the same time, and became one of the active business men of that day, remaining in the village of his adoption until his decease some years later.
In 1842 a school-house was erected on the site of the present pretentious building, and Mr. Nelson Ferry exer- cised an imperious discipline over the little ones of the place. A school had been held previous to this in one of the county buildings used as the register's office.
Joseph Clement arrived in 1842, and opened a black- smith-shop (the company having offered him inducements to settle, in the ereetion of a building), wherein he plied his trade. The same year or soon after, Messrs. MeArthur and Hoag succeeded to the general business of Harlow Beach, and conducted a thriving trade.
Andrew and Luke H. Parsons came from Oswego Co., N. Y., in 1835, and after a brief residence in Ann Arbor removed to Corunna, having purchased large tracts of land in the county, a portion of which was located within the present city limits. Both were members of the legal pro- fession, in which they engaged on their arrival. Audrew was the first county clerk of Shiawassee County, and was later eleeted Lieutenant-Governor. The Governor having been appointed to a place in the cabinet of President Pierce, Mr. Parsons filled acceptably the unexpired term as Gov- ernor. Luke H. Parsons also held many important county offices. The former died in 1855, and the latter in 1862. Another brother, S. Titus Parsons, now resides in Detroit.
E. J. Van Buren came soon after and embarked exten- sively in commercial pursuits. A brick structure erected by Messrs. Morton & Smith was rented by him, and used as a store. This building, still standing on Shiawassee Avenue, is the first one of briek located south of the river.
In 1843 a frame building of considerable proportions was erected on the corner of Woodworth and Fraser Streets, for the holding of the sessions of the court. This edifice was in use until the present more spacious quarters were provided. It is now owned by the Baptist denomination, and ocenpied as a house of worship.
Clement Johnson, a former resident of Oneida County, located in Owosso in 1837, and four years later removed to Corunna, where he purchased his present traet of eighty aeres within the city boundaries. He first occupied a log cabin on the bank of the river, and later erected for his family a comfortable dwelling. Mr. Johnson cleared eighteen aeres in the first year. The early wheat erops were so bountiful as to render prices by no means commensurate
168
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
with the labor of cultivating, and the grain was turned to more profitable account for the feeding of stock. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson experienced all the hardships of the pioneer's life, and are now enjoying the results of an industrious career.
Dorus Morton and Gerry Tuttle were both among the arrivals of 1841, the former having purchased two hundred and forty acres adjacent to the village. He was the earliest mason, and was constantly employed at the work of his trade. Mr. Tuttle later removed to another part of the township of Caledonia, but now lives within the city limits.
S. W. Cooper (as narrated by himself) came to Corunna an adventurer, in 1842, having learned the trade of a mill- wright. He was on his arrival employed to superintend the erection of a saw-mill owned by Alexander McArthur and Robert Thompson. In 1843, MeArthur & Castle built a flouring-mill, the construction of which was given to Mr. Cooper.
Seth Beach built a foundry and engaged Mr. Cooper to supervise the mechanical portion of the work. Ile was also for a limited period one of the landlords of the Co- runna House, and has from that time been a resident of the city, and actively engaged in its business enterprises.
Corunna had now taken its place among the foremost of the villages of the county, while its prestige as the county- seat had greatly enhanced its growth and promoted its business activity.
The earliest religious services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Patterson, of Owosso, who in his advanced years occa- sionally preached in Corunna. Rev. Mr. Gilbert was the first resident clergyman. He was a minister of the Bap- tist faith and a gentleman of much culture. On his arrival in 1842 he became an inmate of Mr. S. 4. Kinyon's home. He subsequently removed to Ann Arbor, where he died.
Seneca H. Petteys, an early resident of Corunna and a shoemaker by trade, was also an exhorter, and held frequent religious services in the village.
Henry and A. M. Jennings were the earliest brick makers. They emigrated from Canada to the village, where they established a brickyard east of the school-house. During the years 1846 and 1847 a fatal epidemic prevailed, which included the brothers Jennings among its vietims.
John M. Fraser was originally a resident of New York State, and first removed to Oakland Co., Mich. In 1845 he chose a home in Corunna, and purchased a farm within the present city limits. There was then a population of several hundred in the village, and the several mills in full operation, together with two hotels, gave the place an ap- pearance of decided business activity. Mr. Fraser in 1865 relinquished his farming pursuits, but still retained his residence in the village.
E. F. Wade, an early pioneer in Burns, removed in 1848 to Corunna, having been elected county clerk and made com- missioner of the State to superintend the construction of the State road from Corunna to St. Charles, in Saginaw County. Later he engaged in the shoe and leather trade, for which purpose he, in 1850, erected a store. In 1875 this build- ing, standing on Shiawassee Avenue, was superseded by a substantial brick structure. Mr. Wade is still one of Corunna's most enterprising citizens.
John Derr came in the same year and made Corunna his home, where he lived until his recent death in advanced years.
G. O. Bachman arrived a year later and engaged in the practice of law. Ile afterwards studied theology and be- came rector of the Episcopal Church of the city. His death occurred in Corunna some years since.
Among the representatives of the medical profession, Dr. Pierce, a Philadelphian, settled in the city, then a vil- lage, in 1842, and engaged actively in the labors of his profession. He remained until 1850, when he returned to his native State.
Dr. Wear, of Shiawasseetown, was also frequently called to the village in a professional capacity. Dr. E. M. Bacon, formerly of Albion, N. Y., was a pioneer of. 1846, and engaged at once in active practice, having been the second resident physician of the village. Dr. Bacon was a gentle- man of professional skill, and enjoyed a reputation which brought him a laborious professional career and occasioned much sorrow at his death, in 1869. Dr. Harder, of New- burg, followed him, and after a residence of several years returned to his former home.
James Cummin was an early settler in the township of Perry, where he came in 1839. In 1850, having been elected county treasurer, he removed to Corunna and held the office for six, and again for eight, consecutive years. Mr. Cummin purchased later one hundred acres within the city limits, where he now resides, and is extensively en- gaged in milling pursuits.
Morris Jackson came to Shiawassee in 1835, and to Cornnna in 1849, where he followed the trade of a wagon- maker and carpenter and joiner. He is favorably known as an early musician, and supplied music for many of the pioneer gatherings of a social character.
James B. Wheeler, who represents one of the earliest families in the township of New Haven, came to the city in 1850, where he engaged in business pursuits. Two years later he followed the fortunes of other pioneers to California, and ou his return made Corunna his permanent residence. Ite has been for some years engaged in banking, but is now occupied in the superintendence of his extensive farm within the city limits.
Hiram Smith, a former resident of Mexico, N. Y., located in the village one year previous to the coming of Mr. Wheeler, and engaged in the manufacture of botanic med- icines. In 1855 he became one of the landlords of the place, and conducted the business for a period of two years, when the hotel was consumed by fire. It was rebuilt, and a second time burned. Mr. Smith retained his residence in Corunna until his death, in 1879. His son, Clark D. Smith, is now sheriff of the county.
Hugh McCurdy removed from Oakland County to Corunna in 1855, and engaged in the practice of law, of which profession he had been one of the leading represent- atives at his former residence. In the year of his arrival he was appointed prosecuting attorney, and has been since elected to the same office. In 1860 he filled the position of probate judge of the county, and four years later was elected State senator for the counties of' Shiawassee and Liv- ingston. Mr. MeCurdy has since been engrossed with the
169
CITY OF CORUNNA.
arduous labors of his profession, and is still an active prac- titioner. He has, however, found leisure to devote to the public interests of the city, and has been the leading spirit in the organization of the various Masonic bodies in Corunna, having been honored with the highest State offices in the gift of the fraternity.
Curtis J. Gale came from Ingham County in 1846, and made the county-seat his home, having, previous to his emigration to Michigan, resided in New York City. He engaged in active business pursuits, and was in 1859 elected justice of the peace, which office he has held for successive years since that date. Ile was also for six years postmaster of the city, and has filled other important offices. Ile is still one of the justices in Corunna.
ADDITIONS TO THE VILLAGE PLAT OF CORUNNA.
Since the laying out of the original plat of the village of Corunna, in June, 1837, several additions were laid out aud recorded, as follows :
McArthur, Castle & Hurlburt's Addition, surveyed for the above proprietors by Nelson Ferry, Aug. 17, 1843, and recorded Dec. 8, 1843.
Cary's Addition, surveyed for Trumbull Cary and Dorus Morton by Nelson Ferry, Oct. 5 and 6, 1843, and recorded Aug. 23, 1844.
Mc Loughlin's Addition, surveyed by Andrew Huggins, December, 1860, for Robert McLoughlin, and recorded on the 21st of the same month.
Me Arthur's Addition, made by Alexander McArthur, Jan. 18, 1862, and recorded May 2, 1864.
C. S. Converse's Addition, surveyed by Ezra Mason, Dec. 10, 1866, and recorded Aug. 15, 1867.
INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE.
Corunna was made an incorporated village in 1858 by the Board of Supervisors of Shiawassee County, the follow- ing transcript from the records of that board showing its official action in the matter : " At a regular session of the Board of Supervisors of the county of Shiawassee, convened and held at the court-house in Corunna, in said county, commencing on Monday, the 11th day of October, A.D. 1858, in the matter of the petition of E. C. Moore, E. L. Lyman, John Kinney, John Goulden, William Farrell, H. Pettibone, John Key, Jonas Fuller, J. A. Fowler, Dorus Morton, James Anderson, S. Titus Parsons, James Litch- field, R. M. Force, D. Bush, J. C. Clement, A. II. Beach, J. Hildreth, H. H. Frost, Joseph Shuttleworth, J. N. Lemon, John C. Kingsley, and others for an order incor- porating the territory hereinafter described as a village by the name of Corunna, said territory being knowu, bounded, and described as follows, to wit: Commencing at the sec- tion-line running north and south between sections 28 and 29, where the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad crosses said line, running north to seetion-corners of 20, 21, 28, and 29; thence north on section-line between sections 20 and 21 to the line of the Port Huron and Milwaukee Railroad ; thenec easterly on the south side of said Port Huron and Milwaukee Railroad line to where the section-line of see- tion 21 and 22 crosses said railroad ; thence south to sec- tion-corners 21, 22, 27, and 28; thence south on section-
line between 27 and 28 to the north line of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway ; thence westerly along said railway to the place of beginning; said land and territory being situate in the township No. 7 north of range No. 3 east, int the county of' Shiawassee and State of Michigan. The board, after hearing the parties and being satisfied that all the requirements of an act entitled ' An act for the incor- poration of villages, approved Feb. 17, 1857,' have beeu complied with, and that said territory, hereinbefore de- scribed, contains the population required by said act to entitle the same to be incorporated as a village, therefore it is ordered and declared by the said Board of Supervisors (a quorum being present) that such territory hereinbefore described shall be and henceforth is an incorporated village by the name of the village of Corunna. And it is also ordered that Edmund Green, Eli C. Moore, and E. F. Wade be and they are hereby appointed inspectors of election to hold the first election required by said aet afore- said, which election is hereby appointed to be held on the second Tuesday of December, 1858, at or in the three-story building situate in said territory, in a part of which build- ing the post-office is now kept."
LIST OF VILLAGE OFFICERS.
Following is a list of officers of the village of Corunna from its incorporation to the time of its organization as a city, with the years of their election, viz .:
1858 .- President, A. MeArthur; Clerk, O. T. B. Wil- liams ; Trustees, E. F. Wade, A. A. Belden, C. W. Coe, George Wilcox, P. S. Lyman, Daniel Bush.
1859 .- President, A. McArthur; Clerk, O. T. B. Wil- liams ; Trustees, E. F. Wade, A. A. Belden, Jonah Fuller, M. H. Clark, E. C. Moore, Hugh MeCurdy.
1860 .- President, A. McArthur; Clerk, D. F. Alsdorf; Trustees, J. M. Thayer, Morris Jackson, A. A. Belden, G. Wilcox, C. S. Convers.
1861 .- President, P. S. Lyman ; Clerk, D. F. Alsdorf; Trustees, J. E. Bush, J. E. Chaffee, J. M. Sils- bee, S. Pettibone, Robert MeLoughlin, C. S. Convers.
1862 .- President, P. S. Lyman ; Clerk, D. S. Alsdorf; Trustees, Robert McLoughlin, G. W. Goodell, James Litchfield, T. S. Martin, H. A. Crane. 1863 .- President, Joseph M. Thayer; Clerk, Robert F. Gulick ; Trustees, E. F. Wade, Daniel Bush, James B. Wheeler, Sheldon Keith, A. A. Bel- den, I. E. Hathaway ; Treasurer, J. E. Willis ; Assessor, J. M. Fitch.
1864 .- President, James S. Convers ; Clerk, E. P. Gregory ; Trustees, E. C. Moore, James E. Bush, Joseph Anderson, Seth Pettibone, George W. Goodell, James Litchfield ; Treasurer, II. A. Crane; As- sessor, George Wilcox.
1865 .- President, A. McArthur ; Clerk, David F. Alsdorf; Trustees, D. B. Wilcox, Joseph M. Thayer, Daniel Bush ; Treasurer, James B. Wheeler ; As- sessor, Seth Pettibone.
22
170
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1866 .- President, A. McArthur; Clerk, Theodore W. Ferry ; Trustees, James B. Wheeler, Joseph Hulick, James Anderson ; Treasurer, James E. Bush ; Assessor, David W. Wheeler.
1867 .- President, Spencer B. Raynale; Clerk, David F. Alsdorf; Trustees, Daniel Bush, Erwin M. Bacon, Theodore W. Ferry ; Treasurer, Eli C. Moore ; Assessor, Robert McLoughlin.
ISGS .- President, James Cummin ; Clerk, David F. Als- dorf'; Trustees, Homer Wilcox, Michael Corland, Albert C. Gage ; Treasurer, Lorenzo D. Phelps ; Assessor, Curtis J. Gale.
INCORPORATION OF THE CITY OF CORUNNA.
The Legislature of Michigan at its session of 1869 passed " an act to incorporate the city of Corunna," which was approved on the 12th of March in that year, and which provides, " That so much of the township of Cale- donia, in the county of Shiawassee, as is included in the following territory, to wit : the cast half of sections twenty and twenty-nine, the west half of sections twenty-two and twenty seven, and all of sections twenty-one aud twenty- eight, in township seven north, of range three east, being in Shiawassee County and State of Michigan, be and the same is hereby set off from the said township of Caledonia and declared to be a eity by the name of the city of Co- runna, by which name it shall be hereafter kuown."
The corporate limits of the city as thus established by the act embrace au area of four square miles, lying in the form of a square, as before mentioned. Since that time there have been laid out and recorded the following plats, viz. :
S. B. Thomas' Division of the City of Corunna .- Sur- veyed October, 1871, by Andrew Huggins, and recorded Oct. 18, 1871.
Me Arthur and Cummin's Addition .- Surveyed for Alexander McArthur and William E. Cummin, October, 1872, by A. Huggins, and recorded Feb. 19, 1873.
LIST OF CITY OFFICERS.
The names of officers of the city of Corunna from its organization to the present time, with the years of their electiou, are given below, viz. :
1869 .- Mayor, Alexander McArthur; Recorder, Spencer B. Rayuale ; Clerk, William Oaks; Treasurer, Morris Ormsby ; Justices of the Peace, John N. Ingersoll, Curtis JJ. Gale; Constables, Clark D. Smith, Marvin Miller.
1870 .- Mayor, Alexander McArthur ; Aldermen, S. R. Kelsey, Harvey Cregen, Daniel Bush ; Treasurer, Morris Ormsby ; Justice of the Peace, William Oaks; Supervisors : First' Ward, John N. Inger- soll ; Second Ward, Alexander Cummin ; Third Ward, R. R. Harper; Constables, Charles G. Gage, Samuel A. Fish.
1871 .- Mayor, John N. Ingersoll; Aldermen, Joseph Greer, D. W. Wheeler, Orton Williams, George W. Harris; Clerk, R. B. Wiles; Treasurer, Morris Ormsby ; Supervisors : First Ward, Hugh
MeCurdy ; Second Ward, Alexander Cummin ; Third Ward, James M. Goodell ; Constables, A. A. Frain, J. J. Peacock.
1872 .- Mayor, John N. Ingersoll; Aldermen, Seth Petti- bone, Joseph N. Lemon, Horace Peacock ; Treas- urer, Clark D. Smith ; Supervisors : First Ward, Ilugh MeCurdy ; Second Ward, Alexander Cumu- min ; Third Ward, James M. Pettibone; Con- stables, George Mason, Jr., Samuel A. Fish.
1873 .- Mayor, John N. Ingersoll; Clerk, Orton Williams; Aldermen, A. T. Nichols, Peter Reynolds, George W. Harris; Recorder, Philip W. Coleman ; Treas- urer, Clark D. Smith ; Justices of the Peace, C. J. Hale, E. F. Wade ; Supervisors : First Ward, Ilugh MeCurdy ; Second Ward, Alexander Cum- min; Third Ward, James M. Goodell ; Consta- ble, Samuel A. Fish.
1874 .- Mayor, James M. Goodell ; Recorder, R. R. Harper; Aldermen, Isaac E. Hathaway, Josiah Creque, Ilorace Peacock ; Treasurer, Frank T. Howlett ; Supervisors : First Ward, John N. Ingersoll ; Second Ward, Morris Ormsby ; Third Ward, G. W. Goodell; Constables, Charles L. Bradley, Peter D. Rauke.
1875 .- Mayor, Curtis J. Gale; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen, Joseph N. Lemon, Benjamin C. Miner, A. R. McBride, George W. Harris; Treasurer, Frank P. Howlett; Supervisors : First Ward, Michael Carland ; Second Ward, L. II. Wilcox ; Third Ward, George W. Goodell ; Constables, Marvin Miller, Albert Frain.
1876 .- Mayor, Clark D. Smith; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen, A. T. Nichols, Louis Etshman, Horaec l'eacock ; Treasurer, W. R. Chapell; Supervisors, First Ward, Peter N. Cook ; Second Ward, L. HI. Wilcox; Third Ward, George W. Harris ; Constables, A. A. Frain, Charles Avery.
1877 .- Mayor, Sullivan R. Kelsey ; Clerk, Frauk Peacock ; Aldermen, John D. Bennett, Benjamin C. Miner, Albert Gage; Treasurer, W. R. Chapell ; Super- visors : First Ward, flugh MeCurdy; Second Ward, L. H. Wilcox ; Third Ward, James B. Wheeler; Constables, Thomas Agnew, A. A Frain.
1878 .- Mayor, John D. Kergan; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen : First Ward, Isaac E. Hathaway ; Second Ward, Jethro Shout ; Third Ward, llor- ace Peacock ; Treasurer, F. M. Kilbourn ; Jus- tice of the Peace, Romeyn B. Murray ; Super- visors : First Ward, Ilugh MeCurdy; Second Ward, Lewis II. Wileox; Third Ward, James B. Wheeler; Constables, Thomas Agnew, William E. Chaffee.
1879 .- Mayor, John N. Ingersoll ; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen, John H. Shick, Richard A. Patton, Harvey B. Young; Treasurer, Frederick B. Kil- bourn ; Supervisors : First Ward, Hugh Me- Curdy ; Second Ward, A. R. McBride; Third Ward, James B. Wheeler ; Constables, Thomas Agrew, William E. Chaffee.
171
CITY OF CORUNNA.
1880 .- Mayor, Hugh MeCurdy ; Clerk, Frank Peacock ; Aldermen, Joseph N. Lemon, Albert Himes, Albert Gage ; Treasurer, Charles Knight ; Super- visors : First Ward, Peter N. Cook; Second Ward, A. R. McBride; Third Ward, W. R. Chapell ; Constables, Thomas Agnew, William E. Chaffee.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
Mc Arthur's Suw- Mill .- In 1841, Alexander McArthur, Sr., erected a dam on the Shiawassee River, and soon after a saw-mill which derived its power from that stream, upon whose bank it was located. The mill was equipped with a large and cumbersome sash-saw, which did duty for many years, and was replaced by a circular saw in 1866. The mill, now owned and operated by A. MeArthur, Jr., manu- factures both hard and soft wood, and ordinarily employs four men in various departments of the work. It has a capacity of four thousand feet per day. The market for the lumber sawed is found principally in Detroit, though large orders are frequently received from neighboring towns. This mill is one of the oldest in the county.
Steam Saw-Mill of McLaren & Wren .- This mill, which was built in 1876, is devoted exclusively to the manufacture of hard-wood lumber, and depends for its sup- plies upon the adjacent country. It has both an upright and a circular saw, which are propelled by power furnished by a steam-engine of twenty-horse power. The average product of the mill is three thousand feet per day, though this can be greatly increased as necessity requires. The Michigan Car Company, located at Detroit, are the sole customers, and consume all that the mill produces. Five men are employed about the establishment, and the business is managed by G. W. Wren, the senior partner giving but little attention to its details.
Flouring- Mill of J. D. Bennett .- This flouring-mill was built by S. W. Cooper in 1843 and 1844 for McArthur & Castle, with all the machinery in use at that carly date, and three run of four-and-a-half-feet buhr-stones. The firm later became MeArthur & Litchfield, and E. Green pur- chased of them, selling in 1860 to Daniel Bush, from whom the present proprietor purchased the property in 1876. Mr. Bennett thoroughly remodeled the mill, which is run by water-power from the Shiawassee River, and placed in it new machinery for manufacturing flour by the patent process. Ile also added another run of stones. The capacity of the mill is now one hundred barrels per day, which can be increased as necessity requires. The grain is bought of the neighboring farmers, who deliver it at the mill. The market for the flour manufactured is found in Michigan and the Eastern States.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.