USA > Michigan > Clinton County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 58
USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 58
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
As an illustration of what " going for a doctor" meant in those days, it may be recorded that when a physician was suddenly needed in Nathan Herrick's household, George Slocum was aroused at night and charged with the mission of riding horseback eleven miles to Owosso for the man of medicine. The night was dark, and the road was exceed- ingly uncertain, since it passed chiefly through the forest. Frequently young George would ride full tilt against the
low branch of a tree, and in a twinkling would be swept from his saddle ; but although he was unhorsed in that way a dozen times during the journey, and was much dis- couraged by darkness and rough riding, he reached Owosso eventually, and in due season returned in triumph with the doctor.
As regards the lack of' roadways, Mr. Slocum relates how, in the spring of 1838, he agreed to make a trip with the Palmers to Owosso. They footed it through the woods, and finding Maple River very high, met with much diffi- culty in crossing it; but they were not the ques to let a river, big or little, stop them, and they got over, of course, and so on to Owosso. Coming back they had better luck in following the line of the surveyed Northern Railroad. This railway was never pushed to completion, but the road route was gladly used as a highway by the pioneers. Get- ting to market at Pontiac or Detroit was no slight under- taking, and then to consume a week over rough roads or no roads at all, to sell wheat at forty or fifty cents, to take half the proceeds in trade, and to get home again with but little to show as the yield of the week's struggle, was among some of the disheartening features of pioneer existence.
ADDITIONS TO THE SETTLEMENT.
Following upon the return of the Hathaways, in the spring of 1838, the infant settlement received accessions in the families of John and William Palmer, who located re- spectively ou sections 21 and 22. In the same spring Moses Clark, Jr., made a settlement upon the northeastern quarter of section 34; Elijah Potter, a bachelor, and his brother Silas (with family), on section 25. The Palmers came from Middlebury, N. Y., and when the town (now Middlebury, Mich.) was to be named they had the honor of christening it, just as their father, who migrated from Middlebury, Vt., to New York State, named Middlebury, N. Y. Moses Clark was a Baptist, and used once in awhile to preach sermons to the settlers. His father, who joined him some years afterwards, was likewise a preacher, and in that office performed industrious and effective service.
Adam J. Coons was one of the carly comers, and at- tempted to make a settlement on section 26. He began to feel lonesome directly, and went over then to section 28, where he squatted and said he would stay because in that neighborhood there were people, while on his place in section 26 he was too far from human beings. Coons was noted for his disinclination to work, and would not lift a hand in labor unless absolutely forced to choose between working and starving. Ilis invariable excuse for idleness was that he owned but one suit of clothes, and that he couldn't afford to ruin them by working in them. Coons was regarded, moreover, as by no means a brave man. When he heard of the burning of Glass' house, north of Duplain, and the loss therein of Glass' wife and children, he made up his mind that rascally Indians had burned the building and murdered the inmates. Acting upon this idea, he resolved that no Indians should murder him with- out having at least to fight for it, and when he went to bed carried also each night an axe with him. A settler's wife, in discussing the subject with Coons' wife, gave it as her
2.10
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
opinion that the man was a terrible coward, and added, wittily, " Mary, you made a big mistake when you treed that Coon."
The northern half of the township was allowed to re- main undisturbed until the year 1839, when James Me- Carty, with his son John,-both having families,-ventured to section 3. William McCane and John Taylor followed him thither a few years later, but Taylor returned about as quickly as he had come, while MeCane, after chopping about eight acres on section 4, retired in a condition of high dis- gust with the pioneer business, and declared afterwards that the wolves were so thick in the infernal country that no white man could stop there.
In that quarter settlements progressed slowly until 1860, when a strong tide of emigration set that way, and although then the country thereabout was generally wild, it became within a short space an open farming region. In 1860, when Sanmel Eaton (one of the pioneers of Oakland County ) came to section 4, in Middlebury, there had been very little done in that vicinity in the way of clearing land. He occupied a farm (now owned by his son, A. M. Eaton) upon which not a stick had been eut except upon the low aeres cleared years before by MeCane, but that patch was then choked with a second growth of timber. Brazil Mar- vin had come to section 9 in 1856, cleared the first year one hundred acres, and put it all into wheat. He paid five dollars per acre for four lots of eighty aeres each, and in something like ten years afterwards sold the major portion of the land at one hundred dollars an aere.
Lyman Hikox was among the early comers to section 3. In 1856, D. W. Kelley came to settle on section 4. H. C. Main lived then on section 1, but between his house and Kelley's the country was all woods, although the next year D. L. Podder came to section 10, and about then, too, into the northeast corner came the Munsils, the Reeds, Eddys, and others.
In 1843, Roswell and Nathan Herrick settled near the Slocums, and in 1852 Nathan moved to a place on section 28. In that portion of the town William Rideont had been living upon section 27 since 1844, and in that year, upon his entrance, Rideout found John Flanagan on section 22. A. J. Coons on section 28, and Hathaway on 21. Directly afterwards James Kenney came in and put up his cabin on section 22, and to section 21. on the day of Rideout's arrival, came William Badgerow. Rideout found on his land a number of Indian graves, and although nearly all have been plowed over there may yet be discovered in a piece of his woods a few mounds containing bones.
Middlebury's pioneer blacksmith, and one of its early carpenters, was B. F. Tobey, who came to Michigan in 1835, and worked ten years after that at millwrighting. In 1848 he settled upon wild land in Middlebury, and opened a blacksmith's shop. In 1849, Tobey assisted in the erection of a school-house on section 23. Middlebury had no saw-mill then, nor until some years afterwards, when Cook & Kline built one on section 16, so that for lumber the builder in Middlebury was compelled to go to Owosso until some time after the year 1850. Tobey's neighbors on the cast he found to be James Kenney ou section 22, Garrison Lounsberry on section 23, and Bushrod Warren
on the place in section 23 occupied in 1856 by L. F. Kings- ley, the present owner. Two years previous to the coming of' Kingsley, Dennis Hammond made a settlement upon a piece of wild land in section 20, and on section 36 Here- miah Howard made a clearing, where he died in 1869. lu that neighborhood, in 1854, about the only other resi- dents were William Hathaway, the Slocums, A. Sherman, and Dexter Proper. In 1854, also, Levi Hyde ent out a road for two miles to reach a place in section 14, where he has made his home since that time. North of him the town was a forest. Over at Clark's Corners Perry Clark had cleared two or three acres, and west of him was Amos Hilburn, who soon sold out to H. P. Thompson. About the time of Ilyde's arrival Sanford Mack located on see- tion 11, and Henry Ackerman on section 14, while in the following spring Il. C. Main and David Smith penetrated - the wilderness upon section 1, and W. A. Barnes emme to section 16. When, in 1856, 1 .. F. Kingsley first occupied his present home on section 23, his neighbors on the east were M. Wooden, Rollin Warren, and Charles Stimson ; on the west, John Webster, Daniel and Robert. Durkee; on the south, Daniel Bearce; and north, Levi Hyde and Stephen Eddy. Henry MeGowan was in section 13 upon a place owned soon afterwards by Charles Rose, and now occupied by his son, J. W. Rose.
In 1848, when George 11. and D. L. Warren came to the places they now occupy in section 33, the town-line road at that point had been chopped out but not cleared. East of them on the town-line L. Z. Stephenson made a settlement, in 1854, on section 34, where Charles Lock- wood had already chopped twenty acres. Over on section 27, where he now lives, William Tubbs, of Oakland County, made a location in 1847 ; north of him J. Marshall settled in 1854, G. W. Babcock (a blacksmith) in 1857, and west, at later dates, P. S. Ledyard and J. Smith.
The first white child born in Middlebury was Joseph, son of Obed Hathaway. His birth occurred June, 1838, and since then his home has been in Michigan, his resi- dence at present being in Bennington township. The set- tlement was not visited with death until August, 1843, when Silas Potter died and was buried on his farm. Wil- liam Palmer died also at about that time, and was buried in the town cemetery. As to the first marriage in the town it is difficult to fix it definitely. Careful investigation has simply afforded the information that the marriages of Tru- man White to a sister of William Rideout, and Jeremiah Baker to a sister of Nathan Herrick, were among the earliest, perhaps the first two.
Upon the assessment-roll of 1839, which gives the total assessed value of the township at forty-seven thousand two hundred and one dollars, the resident tax-payers, with amount of lands they owned, are thus given :
Acres.
Obed Hathaway, seetion 21
John Palmer, section 2t .....
William Palmer, section 27 190
Moses Clark, Jr., seetion 3.4
Silas Potter. section 25.
Elijah Potter. section 25 ...
George W. Slocum, svetion 35 160
The assessment-roll for 1842 shows the following :
241
MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP.
Across
George W. Slocum, section 35.
80
John Slocum, section 35.
80
Silas Potter, section 25. 120
Elijah Potter, section 25. 80
A. J. Coons, section 26.
160
William P'almor, sections 22, 27 120
Obed Hathaway, section 21. 80
James McCarty, section 3 80
John McCarty, section 3.
John Palmer, soction 21
80
The militia-roll of 1843, recording the names of all the white male inhabitants between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, bears the names of Nathan Herrick, D. D. Slo- cum, John Slocum, Jr., George W. Slocum, Elijah Potter, John McCarty, Thomas M. Jenkins, Obed Hathaway, and Adamı J. Coons.
In 1839 the jurors drawn were Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer; in 1840, William Palmer and A. J. Coous. In 1845, John McCarty and Roswell Herrick were on the list of petit jurors, and Nathan Herrick and Elijah Potter grand jurors.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND LIST OF OFFICERS.
A legislative act, approved March 21, 1839, organized towns 7 and 8 north, in range 1 east, as the township of Middlebury, the name being bestowed in pursuance of a suggestion of William Palmer, who came to Michigan from Middlebury, in the State of New York. Jan. 4, 1854, the county supervisors set off town 8 and called it Fairfield, thus reducing Middlebury to its present limits.
Middlebury's first town-meeting was held April 1, 1839, at the house of Moses Clark, Jr., who was chosen modera- tor. William Palmer, JJohn Slocum, Elijah Potter, and Silas Potter were chosen inspectors of election. Seven votes were cast, and naturally, there being but one ticket in the field, but little delay and no trouble was occasioned in reaching a result. Indeed, the trouble was not to find offices for men, but to find men for the offices, since the latter so outnumbered the former that two, three, and some- times four offices were forced upon one individual. William Palmer was elected Supervisor; Moses Clark, Jr., Clerk ; John Slocum, Treasurer ; William Palmer, John Slocum, and Elijah Potter, Assessors ; William Palmer, Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer, School Inspectors; William Palmer and John Slocum, Directors of the Poor ; Silas Potter, Con- stable and Collector ; John Slocum, Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer, Highway Commissioners ; John Slocum, Elijah Potter, Moses Clark, Jr., and John Palmer, Justices of the Peace ; William Palmer, Overseer of Road District No. I. One hundred and fifty dollars was voted for town- ship incidental expenses, and the bonds of treasurer and collector were placed at five hundred dollars cach.
At a special election, April 28, 1839, George W. Slocum was chosen justice of the peace and commissioner of high- ways to fill vacancies in those offices, six votes being east on that occasion.
At a special election for county commissioner, July 15, 1839, the voters present numbered nine, as follows : Henry Leach, John Slocum, Elijah Potter, Silas Potter, Gideon Cross, Moses Clark, Jr., John Palmer, George W. Slocum, William Palmer. At the general election in 1839 polls
were opened on two successive days at the houses of John l'alner and George W. Slocum. Eight votes were cast by William Palmer, Obed Hathaway, John Slocum, George W. Slocum, Moses Clark, Jr., Silas Potter, George Nichols, and Elijah Potter. To inspect the election.it required five men,-Moses Clark, Jr., John Slocum, Elijah Potter, Silas Potter, and George W. Slocum, and of their number Moses Clark, Jr., was chosen to attend the county canvass.
THE VOTERS OF 1842, 1843, 1841, AND 1815.
At the elcetion in 1842 the voters were ten, and were named William Palmer, A. J. Coons, John Slocum, Elijah Potter, George W. Slocum, Silas Potter, Obed Hathaway, John Slocum, John Palmner, JJohn McCarty.
In 1843 there were six,-Johu Slocum, Jr., Elijah Pot- ter, Nathan Herrick, A. J. Coous, George W. Slocum, John McCarty. In April, 1844, the voters were Nathan Ilerrick, George W. Slocum, William Palmer. John Slocum, Elijah Porter, Roswell Herrick, John Slocum, Jr., John McCarty, Thomas M. Perkins, Chester L. Kemp.
At the general election in November, 1844, eleven votes were cast by Nathan Herrick, John Slocum, Nicholas Flanagan, A. J. Coons, Obed Hathaway, William Badge- row, John Slocum, Jr., Elijah Potter. Constantine Yerkes, William Carpenter, Roswell Herrick.
In November, 1845, there were twelve, as follows: Nathan Herrick, John Slocum, George W. Slocum, Roswell Iler- rick, James McCarty, Osier George, William Rideout, Nicholas Flanagan, Jesse Badgerow, James Kenney, James M. Curtis, William Badgerow.
The following is a list of the names of the persons chosen annually from 1840 to 1880 to serve as supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and justice of the peace of the township :
Year. Supervisor.
('lerk.
Treasurer.
Juxtire.
1840. John Slocum.
J. Palmer.
E. Potter.
A.J. Coons.
1811. 4
William Palmer.
J. Slocum.
J. Palmer.
1842. John Pabuer.
A J. C'oond.
W. Palmer.
C. W. Slocum,
1813. G. W. Slocum.
=
=
J. Slocum.
F. Potter.
1814.
1845.
W. Palmer.
N. Herrick.
W. Rideout.
1817.
..
..
J. Kenney.
W. Rideout.
G. W. Slocom.
1848. =
N. Herrick.
J. Kenney.
C. Simpson.
1849.
E. W. Sykes.
T. White,
N. Merrick.
1850. C. T. Post.
1. 1). Slocum.
J. Kenney.
C. R. Lounsberry.
1851. G. W. Slocum.
B. F. Tobey.
B. F. Tobey. B. Warren.
1852. 4 44
N. llerrick.
T. White.
J. M. Curtis.
1853. J. Kenney.
J. Hathaway.
G. R. Lounsberry, G. W. Slocum.
1854.
=
=
J. Hathaway.
1855. 11. Warren.
N. Herrick.
C. T. Post.
B. Warren.
1856. C. T. Post.
W. A. Barnes.
W. T. Voorhies.
11. Ackerman.
1×57. G. W. Slocum.
1 .. F. Kingsley.
1. 1 .. Warren.
I. Detiowan.
1858. D. S. Durkee.
B. Marvin.
J. Ilathaway.
1859. J. Hathaway.
R. W. Durkee.
1860.
J. Marshall.
G. II. Warren.
1861. J. Marshall.
=
M. Wooden.
B. l'ayne.
1862. S. Katon.
B3. Payne.
1 .. C. Van Dy'ne.
1×63.
31. Wooden.
J. Marshall.
C. D. Stimson.
1864. J. Marshall.
1 .. J. Kenney.
N. Herrick.
S. Katon.
1865. J. Hathaway.
I .. F. Kingsley.
J. Marshall.
180G.
=
=
(', Leach.
L. C. Van Dyne.
1867.
1 .. J. Kenney.
44
1., F. Kingsley.
1868. S. Eaton.
.4
W. Hathaway.
S. Eaton.
1869 J. Hathaway.
G. A. Winans.
S. II. Williams,
1871.
14
MI. Wooden.
1872.
1873.
G. A. Huntoon.
S. B. Southworth. T. G. C'haflin.
1874.
W. Il. Vandevere.
1875.
31. Wooden.
1676. IT. P. Thompson.
=
41
S. Edton.
=
1870.
W. H. Vandevere.
S. Caton.
44
E. C. (roswell.
31
1810.
=
W. Rideout.
E. Potter.
J. Slocula.
2.42
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Your. Supervisor.
Clerk. Treasurer. 1 .. F. Kingsley.
Justice.
1877. II. P. Thompson. G. A. Huutoou.
64
=
N. C. Garrison. W. 11. Vandovero.
1878. J. Hathaway. 1879. A. M. Eaton.
D. M. Morebonse. M. Wooden.
S. Eaton.
TOWNSHIP ROADS.
The want of public highways was a serious difficulty in the early days in Middlebury, and it was in pursuance of a general desire to further the construction of township roads that the organization of the township was urged at a time when there were seareely a half-dozen families therein.
Among the roads laid out at an early period the first one recorded appears to have been surveyed by Daniel Gould, May 14, 1839. The road commenced on the south line of section 34, at a point " where the road in the town of Woodhull intersects said line," and ran thence north fifteen degrees west sixty-five chains; thence north fifty chains and fifty links; thence seventy-three and a half degrees west five chains ; thence north sixty-eight and three-quarter degrees west twenty chains twenty-three links to the west line of section 27 ; thence north on said line eighty-three chains, thirty-two links, to the centre of the highway run- ning from the village of Owosso to the village of Mapleton, in the county of Clinton.
Inly 8, 1839, a road was laid commencing on the merid- ian line between sections 20 and 29, running thenee cast two miles and ten chains; thence south two miles to the town-line. Ou the same day a road was laid out from the corner-post of sections 21, 22, 27, and 28, running due south one mile ; thenee three miles cast to the town-line. March 24, 1840, highway commissioners George W. Slocum and John Palmer divided the town into districts as follows : Distriet No. 1 to contain sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 35, 36, in town 7, and sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 36, in town S; No. 2, to include sections 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, in town 7, and seetions 4, 5, 8, 9, 16, 17, 20, 21, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, in town 8. No. 1 was ordered te build a road from the town-line north of the quarter stake between seetions 34 and 35 in town 7, and No. 2 to commence a road at the quarter stake and run north as far as Moses Clark's.
A town road was laid out Oet. 5, 1839, commencing at the southeast corner of town 7, and running west on the town-line between towns 6 and 7 twenty-one chains, fifty links west of the southwest corner of section 35. in town 7. Nov. 18, 1845, a road was laid from a stake thirty-one chains and seventy-four links south of the northeast corner of seetion 24, running thence south eighty-five and a half degrees west one hundred and thirty-seven chains, nine links; thenee south eighty-seven and a half' degrees west one hundred and eighty chains, twenty-nine links, to the southwest corner of section 20 ou the county-line. Feb- ruary 17, 1846, a road beginning at a stake ou the MeCarty and Mason road, running thence north on the section-line one hundred and twenty-five chains to the southeast corner of section 35.
June 12, 1810, a road was laid out to begin at a stake due north of l'ahuer's Corners, running on the old Colony road as far as the section-line west from said stake; thenee due
north on the section-line to the corners of sections 4, 5, 8, 9; thenee due east one mile to the corners of sections 3, 4, 9, and 10. Jan. 11, 1842, a road was laid out to begin at the corners of seetiens 5 and 8, running thence east on the section-line one hundred and sixty-six chains, ninety- one links ; thence south sixty-five degrees east one hundred and fifty-four chains, fifty links ; thenee south seventy-two degrees east thirty-six chains; thence north eighty-eight and a half degrees east thirteen chaius, to the town-line. A road was laid out in March, 1842, beginning at the north quarter-post of section 26; thence south on the quarter- line thirty-eight chains, seventy-eight links; thenee north eighty-seven degrees east thirty-eight chains, sixty-two links, to the east quarter stake of seetion 26. A road, April 4, 1842, commencing at a stake north of Palmer's Corners, on the Colony road, running thenee north on the section-line to the south corners of sections 3 and 4.
Oct. 12, 1842, a road was laid to begin in the centre of the Colony road at a certain stake, running thence sonth sixty-four chains, eighteen links, to the section-line fourteen chains, fifty-seven links east of the northwest corner of section 26.
The laying out of certain early roads is shown by the following transcripts from the records of the township :
" At a meeting of the majority of the Commissioners of Highways of the Township of Middlebury, Dee. 11, 1846, it was ordered and determined that said Township be di- vided into three road Distriets, to be Numbered one, Two, & three, and embrace the following lands (viz.) : District No. one, to be composed of See. No. 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and the south half of 27 in T. 7 N., of R. 1 E., and See. No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, in Town S N., of R. 1 E.
" District No. Two te contain Sec. No. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21. 22, 23, 24, and the north half of 27, in Town 7 N., of R. 1 E., and See. No. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, in Town S N .. of R. 1 E.
" District No. Three to contain Sec. No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, in Town 7 N., of R. 1 E., and Sec. No. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, in Town 8 N., of R. 1 E."
" At A Meeting of the Majority of llighway Commis- sioners of the Township of Middlebury, Oct. 21, 1848, it was ordered that A Road be laid out or Publie highway be recorded, To wit : Beginning at the southwest Corner of Section Twenty-two. thence Running South 2 degrees and twenty minutes, East 79 chains and 65 links, thence South 39 degrees West 10 chains, thence South 77 degrees West 7 chains and 65 links, thence South 21} Degrees West 8 chains, thence sonth 4 degrees East 144 chains and 28 links, thence South 853 Degrees East 17 chains and 46 links, thenee South 2 degrees and 20 minutes East 47 chains and 60 links to the Southwest Corner of Seetion 27, Town 7 North, Range 1 East. Also Beginning at the south qr. Post of Section 27, thence Running North 2 degrees and 20 minutes West 79 chains and forty-seven links to the North qr. Post of Section 27, in the above Town."
" At a Meeting of a majority of the Commissioners of Highways of the Township of Middlebury, May 11, 1850, it was Determined and ordered that a public Highway
.
( THE FIRST HOME.)
GEO. H. WARREN.
MRS G. H. WARREN.
.H
C
NG-U
-
RESIDENCE OF GEO. H. WARREN, MIDDLEBURY MICH.
243
MIDDLEBURY TOWNSIHP.
should be laid out, Commencing at the North East Corner of Section two, on Town Line, thenec Running West on Section Line to the South East corner of Seetion thirty- five, in Town Eight North, Range oue East ; thence North to the North East corner of section thirty-five, thence South Eighty-seven and half West Two hundred and fifty-four chains and twenty links to the North West corner of sec- tion thirty-two, on the Meridian Line, thence North two and half West on said Line twenty chains and fifty-six links to the South East corner of section twenty-four on Meridian Line in Clinton County. Also a Road Beginning at the South East corner of Section twenty-four in Town Eight North, of Range one West, thence Running South two and hall' East twenty chains and fifty-six Links to the North corner of Section thirty-two on the Meridian Line in Shia- wassee County, Middlebury."
MAIL SERVICE IN MIDDLEBURY.
Middlebury had at one time two post-offices, but now it has none. In the days of the town's earliest settlement the people received their letters at Laingsburg. In 1845, however, George W. Slocum succeeded in having the Middle- burgh post-office established in Middlebury,-named Mid- dleburgh because there was already a Middlebury post-office in the State. Mail was received at the office once a week over the route between Owosso and Ionia. Mr. Slocum was appointed postmaster, and retained the office until the creation of the Ovid office, in 1857, when Middleburgh post-office was discontinued.
Maple Valley post-office was established at Ira Stimson's house about 1850. Mr. Stimson was the postmaster until 1854, when Horton Warren received the appointment and moved the office to his place, on section 21. Ile was the incumbent until the office was abolished, in 1857. Upon the Warren place one may see the building used in part as a post-office,-now a barn,-and still bearing the faded legend of " Post-Office."
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.