USA > Michigan > Clinton County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 64
USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan > Part 64
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In 1839, John P. Shaft located three hundred and twenty acres of sections 19 and 29. The village of Shaftsburg, in Woodhull township, is situated upon land which he sub- sequently purchased in that township.
In the following year John Spaulding, from New York, purchased a part of section 19 ; after building a house he returned to New York and married. He then came back to Perry. At the first town-meeting in this township Mr. Spaulding was elected assessor and justice of the peace.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND LIST OF OFFICERS.
An act of the Legislature of Michigan, approved March 15, 1841, set off survey-township 6 north, of range 2 east, from the territory of the township of Bennington, and erected the same into the separate civil township of Perry, with the provision that the first township-meeting be held at the house of Joseph P. Roberts.
In accordance with the last-named provision of the act, the electors of the township met at the place designated on the 15th of April, 1841, and organized the meeting by choice of Joseph P. Roberts as moderator, and Lyman Bennett as clerk for the day. " A coffee-pot and an old tea- kettle" were used as ballot boxes, and with these the elee- tion proceeded. The names of the township officers elected at that first meeting, as well as those who have been elected in subsequent years to the present time, are given in the following list, viz. :
1841 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett ; Clerk, J. P. Roberts ; Treasurer, Lyman Bennett ; Assessors, John Spaulding, J. P. Roberts, Winfield S. Ament; School Inspectors, B. B. Brigham, J. P. Rob- erts, Lyman Bennett ; Highway Commissioners, Levi Harmon, J. P. Roberts, Lyman Bennett ; Justices, J. P. Roberts, Levi Harmon, W. S. Ament, John Spaulding; Collector, Horace Green ; Directors of the Poor, William F. Ste- vens, Josiah Purdy ; Constables, John P. Shaft, William Harmon, Horace Green, James Nichols.
1842 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett ; Clerk, W. S. Ament ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Assessors, John Spaulding, James Cummin ; School Inspectors, J. P. Roberts, W. S. Ament, B. B. Brigham ; Directors of the Poor, W. F. Stevens, Phineas Austin ; Highway Commissioners, J. P. Shaft, William Harmon, Lyman Bennett ; Justice, Orson S. Barker; Constables, J. P. Shaft, Wil- liam Harmon, Horace Green, James Nichols.
1843 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett ; Clerk, James Cum- min ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Justices, John Spaulding, Phineas Austin ; Assessor, John Spaulding ; Highway Commissioners, John Spaulding, Lyman Bennett ; School Inspectors, B. B. Brigham, James Cummin ; Directors of the Poor, Phineas Austin, Levi Ilarmon ; Con- stables, John P. Shaft, W. Harmon, James Nichols, John Whaley.
1844 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett ; Clerk, James Cum- min ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Justice, Lyman Bennett ; School Inspector, James H. Mills ; Highway Commissioners, W. W. Denio, Lyman Bennett, John P'. Shaft ; Constables, W. W. Denio, J. P. Shaft, Horace Green.
1845 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett ; Clerk, James Cum- min ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Justice, Jos. P. Roberts; Highway Commissioners, Levi Harmon, John Morrice, Phineas Austin ; School Inspectors, Lyman Bennett, Gilman Warren ; Constables, Alansou Stevens, James Nichols, John P. Shaft, James Cummin; Di- rectors of the Poor, Phineas Austin, W. F. Stevens.
1846 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett ; Clerk, John Spanld- ing; Treasurer, W. Holmes ; Justices, James II. Mills, Charles Locke, William Morrice ; School Inspector, James H. Mills; Highway Commis- sioners, Lyman Bennett, Joseph Macomber; Constables, E. Whaley, William Alsaver, An- drew Turner, Lewis Ward.
1847 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, P. Austin ; School Inspector, Lyman Bennett ; Highway Commissioners, John O. Ilinkley, William Morrice; Directors of the Poor, Phineas Austin, Levi Harmon ; Justice, Charles Locke; Constables, Andrew Turner, Johnson Treadway.
1848 .- Supervisor, Lyman Bennett; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, P. Austin ; Justices, John Dunning, Lyman Bennett; School Inspectors, James Mills, L. M. Stevens ; Highway Commissioners, John Spaulding, Levi Harmon ; Constables, Alanson Stevens, Joseph Macomber; Directors of the Poor, Charles Locke, William Morrice.
1849 .- Supervisor, James Cummin ; Clerk, Norman Green; Treasurer, Charles Locke ; School Inspector, Wil- liam Wallace; Justices, William Morrice, Ben- jamin Walker, Albert W. Raun, John Dunning ; Highway Commissioners, William Morrice, Phin- eas Austin ; Assessors, Charles Locke, Phineas
267
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
Austin ; Constables, M. Stevens, Orin Blanchard, James Nichols.
1850 .- Supervisor, James Cummin ; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, Charles Locke; School In- spectors, M. L Stevens, W. P. Laing; Highway Commissioners, W. W. Clement, Levi IIarmon ; Justices, A. W. Rann, John Dunning; Con- stables, Andrew Turner, Joseph Macomber, Johnson Treadway, M. L. Stevens; Director of the Poor, Levi Harmon.
1851 .- Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, Norman Green ; Treasurer, Levi Harmon ; Highway Commis- sioners, Charles Locke, William Ilolmes; Jus- tices, Charles Locke, John Dunning ; Constables, W. P. Laing, Joseph Macomber, Johnson Tread- way, Alanson Stevens; School Inspectors, Wil- liam Wallace, Gillman Warren ; Directors of the Poor, Horace Green, John Dunning.
1852 .- Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, Norman Green; Treasurer, W. P. Laing; Justice, Benjamin Walker; Highway Commissioners, Merrick Walker, Oscar Green; School Inspector, Wil- liam Wallace; Constables, Ira Turner, Joseph Macomber ; Directors of the Poor, William Tryon, William Morrice.
1853 .- Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, Henry Bridger ; Treasurer, Artemas Iloward ; Highway Com- missioners, Orin Blanchard, John Dunning ; Justice, Alanson B. Stevens ; School Inspectors, Gillman Warren, James H. Mills; Constables, Ira Turner, James Bridger, James H. Mills, W. H. Tryon; Directors of the Poor, Phineas Austin, Levi Harmon.
1854 .- Supervisor, John Spaulding ; Clerk, Henry Bridger ; Treasurer, Artemas Howard ; Justices, William Morrice, William Holmes; School Inspectors, Giles Kilbourn, William Wallace; Highway Commissioner, Harry Iluntingdon ; Constables, Josiah C. Holmes, Albert W. Rann, George Tyler, Johnson Treadway.
1855 .- Supervisor, John Spaulding ; Clerk, Gilman War- reu ; Treasurer, Artemas Howard ; Highway Commissioners, Edward Wallace, Phineas Aus- tin ; Justices, John Dunning, Alonzo Spaulding, David F. Tyler ; Constables, James Bridger, Artemas Howard, Harvey Roberts, W. II. Tryon ; Director of the Poor, William Morrice. 1856 .- Supervisor, Phineas Austin ; Clerk, Owen Dudley ; Treasurer, Artemas Iloward; Justices, W. P. Laing, Ambrose W. Calkins; School Inspector, Gillman Warren ; Commissioners of llighways, James C. Denio, William Morrice; Directors of the Poor, William P. Laing, Ambrose W. Cal- kins; Constables, Horace Green, Joseph Brown, James C. Denio, James Bridger.
1857 .- Supervisor, Phineas Austin; Clerk, Orlando Flint; Treasurer, Justus Coy ; Justices, Charles Locke, Benjamin Walker, Orin Blanchard ; School In- spectors, David Gorton, W. Wallace, Henry MeKnight ; Highway Commissioners, William
Morrice, Harry Huntington ; Constables, Robert H. Titus, Artemas Howard, William Chipman, James C. Denio ; Directors of the Poor, William Holmes, James Nichols.
1858 .- Supervisor, Phineas Austin ; Clerk, Benjamin Walker; Treasurer, Lorenzo C. Watkins; Jus- tice, Elijah T. Smith ; Highway Commissioner, Orlando Flint; School Inspector, William Wal- lace; Directors of the Poor, Elijah T. Smith, Alonzo Spaulding ; Constables, Robert H. Titus, James O. Walker, Orin Blanchard, W. R. Chip- man.
1859 .- Supervisor, Benjamin Walker ; Clerk, Harvey Roberts ; Treasurer, Lorenzo C. Watkins; Jus- tice, Orin Blanchard ; School Inspector, James O. Walker; Highway Commissioner, William Blanchard ; Directors of the Poor, William Morrice, Ilorace Green ; Constables, IForace Dunning, Ananias Stafford, David C. Austin, E. Whaley.
1860 .- Supervisor, Benjamin Walker; Clerk, Guy Toser; Treasurer, Charles HI. Calkins; Justices, John Dunning, Benjamin Walker; Highway Com- missioners, William Morrice, John Cooper ; School Inspector, Horace Dunning ; Constables, A. Stafford, R. II. Titus, James O. Walker, Horace Dunning.
1861 .- Supervisor, Orin Blanchard ; Clerk, Gilman War- ren ; Treasurer, James H. Milk; Justice, Charles Locke; School Inspectors, William Wallace, Horace Dunning; Highway Commissioner, Guy Toser; Constables, George W. Tyler, Ananias Stafford, Samuel J. Southworth, Horace H. Dunning.
1862 .- Supervisor, Orin Blanchard; Clerk, Charles P. Hill; Treasurer, James H. Fravor ; Justice, William P. Laing; School Inspector, William Cooper; Commissioner of Ilighways, William Blanchard ; Constables, John Green, A. S. Staf- ford, Calvin Locke, William Cooper.
1863 .- Supervisor, Orin Blanchard ; Clerk, Charles Hill ; Treasurer, Jepthah Cummins; Justices, Orin Blanchard, J. B. Curtis; School Inspector, Mil- ton Ilinkley ; Highway Commissioner, William Morrice ; Constables, J. O. Walker, A. S. Staf- ford, David Austin, James McCarn.
1864 .- Supervisor, Orin Blanchard ; Clerk, Benjamin Walker; Treasurer, J. Cummin ; Justice, Ben- jamin Walker ; Highway Commissioner, John Cooper ; School Inspector, David D. Dunning; Constables, R. II. Titus, William Walker, D. F. P. Burnett, Elias C. Maxon.
1865 .- Supervisor, John Spaulding; Clerk, A. A. Harper; Treasurer, James O. Walker ; Justice, W. Beardsley ; School Inspector, M. L. Hinkley ; Highway Commissioner, William Blanchard ; Coustables, J. O. Walker, James Nichols, Leon- ard C. Austin, Martin Britton.
1866 .- Supervisor, W. Beardsley ; Clerk, A. A. Harper, Treasurer, James O. Walker ; Justices, Joshua
268
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Curtis, J. Cummin ; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning ; Highway Commissioners, Charles Tyler, Edward A. MeCarn; Constables, J. O. Walker, R. H. Titus, Edward A. McCarn, D. F. P. Burnett.
1867 .- Supervisor, W. Beardsley ; Clerk, A. A. Harper ; Treasurer, R. H. Titus ; Justices, Orin Blanch- ard, David Virgil ; School Inspector, James W. McKnight; Highway Commissioners, James O. Walker, James McCarn ; Constables, R. II. Titus, Horace Purdy, M. L. Stevens, Homer Dunning.
1868 .- Supervisor, James O. Walker ; Clerk, A. A. Har- per ; Treasurer, D. D. Dunning ; Highway Com- missioner, J. MeCan ; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning; Justice, Benjamin Walker; Consta- bles, D. D. Dunning, R. H. Titus, James Tyler, D. V. Bennett.
1869 .- Supervisor, Orin Blanchard ; Clerk, Brayton Spaulding ; Treasurer, R. H. Titus; Justices, David Virgil, John A. Morriee; School In- spector, James N. McKnight, Jr .; Highway Commissioners, A. A. Bennett, George D. Burkhart ; Constables, Robert II. Titus, W. Bark, James L. Tyler, William Britton.
1870 .- Supervisor, Orin Blanchard; Clerk, W. Beards- ley ; Treasurer, Amasa A. Harper; Justice, John A. Morrice ; Highway Commissioner, George D. Burkhart; School Inspector, David D. Dunning ; Constables, A. A. Harper, Oliver B. Halleck, James L. Tyler, George H. Smith. 1871 .- Supervisor, John Spaulding ; Clerk, Brayton Spaulding ; Treasurer, A. A. Harper ; Justice, J. W. McKnight ; Highway Commissioner, Wil- liam Gillio ; Constables, Charles Tyler, A. A. Harper, Anderson Bristol, Fernando Blanchard. 1872 .- Supervisor, J. D. Bennett ; Clerk, A. J. MeCarn ; Treasurer, B. C. Spanlding ; Justice, B. Walker ; Highway Commissioner, Charles Tyler; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning ; Constables, Oliver M. Able, Brayton C. Spaulding, Andrew Bris- tol, Washington Bush.
1873 .- Supervisor, John D. Bennett ; Clerk, A. A. Har- per ; Treasurer, Brayton C. Spaulding; Justice, A. J. MeCarn ; School Inspector, James O. Walker; Highway Commissioner, George D. Burkhart; Drain Commissioner, Augustus Wil- cox ; Constables, Brayton Spaulding, Leonard Ferris, George S. Peek, Anson Bristol.
1874 .- Supervisor, A. A. Harper; Clerk, James O. Wal- ker; Treasurer, Brayton C. Spaulding; Justices, John A. Morrice, B. F. Grout, John W. Ska- don, Alexander Spaulding; School Inspector, D. D. Duuning; Highway Commissioner, Wil- liam Gillio; Drain Commissioner, Augustus Wilcox ; Constables, Brayton C. Spaulding, An- derson Bristol, Coburn Blanchard, James O. Walker.
1875 .- Supervisor, A. A. Harper ; Clerk, J. J. Walker ; Treasurer, B. C. Spaulding ; Justices, J. Cum-
min, Thomas Sharp; School Superintendent, D. D. Dunning ; School Inspector, G. R. Brandt ; Highway Commissioner, Charles H. Calkins; Drain Commissioner, Augustus Wilcox ; Con- stables, T. J. Walker, Brayton C. Spaulding, Hopkins Tryon, C. Blanchard.
1876 .- Supervisor, A. A. Harper ; Clerk, J. J. Walker ; Treasurer, Brayton C. Spaulding; Justice, Ben- jamin F. Rann ; Superintendent of Schools, D. D. Dunning ; School Inspector, William Cooper ; Highway Commissioner, Charles H. Calkins; Drain Commissioner, John Spaulding; Consta- bles, B. C. Spanlding, J. J. Walker, Il. W. Cramer, J. O. Walker.
1877 .- Supervisor, A. A. Harper ; Clerk, Joseph Walker ; Treasurer, B. C. Spaulding; Justice, B. F. Grout ; School Superintendent, G. R. Brandt ; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning; Highway Commissioner, C. C. Calkins ; Constables, B. C. Spaulding, S. II. Davis, Henry Beckly, B. F. Elly.
1878 .- Supervisor, A. A. Harper ; Clerk, Charles F. Wing; Treasurer, B. C. Spaulding; Justice, W. P. Laing; Superintendent Schools, G. R. Brandt ; School Inspector, David D. Dunning; Highway Commissioner, Charles H. Calkins; Drain Com- missioner, E. W. Wallace; Constables, T. N. Boardmau, B. C. Spaulding, John T. Crane, J. J. Walker.
1879 .- Supervisor, A. A. Harper; Clerk, Charles F. Wing; Treasurer, T. M. Templeton ; Justices, J. Cum- min, A. T. Bott; Highway Commissioner, H. W. Wallace; Superintendent Schools, Robert D. Marble; School Inspector, D. D. Dunning ; Drain Commissioner, Orin Blanchard ; Consta- bles, Thomas Johnston, C. Blanchard, A. D. Smith, J. J. Walker.
1880 .- Supervisor, A. A. Harper; Clerk, Charles T. Wing; Treasurer, Charles Tyler; School In- speetor, George R. Brandt ; School Superinten- dent, Henry P. Ilalstead; Highway Commis- sioner, William G. Morrice; Justice, David D. Dunning; Drain Commissioner, Homer B. Dun- ning; Constables, Thomas Johnston, John C. Crane, Charles Tyler, Samuel E. Lookingstill.
As indicating the increase of the population of the town- ship the following figures are given, showing the number of votes east in Perry for supervisor at the end of the sev- eral decades from the organization of the township to the present time, viz. :
Votes.
1841
28
1850
50
1860
137
1870
144
348
The total valuation of real estate and personal property, according to the assessment-rolls, was :
Valuation.
1841
$63,978
1860.
157,201
1870.
141,070
1879
188,560
269
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
The total tax levied for various purposes was :
1860 $2117.93
1870.
3216.77
1879.
3805.75
In 1879 the amount of tax raised for various purposes was as follows :
State tax.
$1080.29
County tax
1057.32
School tax
1143.30
Rejected tax.
4.12
Contingent tax.
200 00
Itighway and bridge tax
75.00
Cemetery tax
50.00
Pound tax
30,00
Dog tax.
103.00
Highway tax.
59.27
Excess of roll.
3.45
SCHOOLS OF PERRY.
Nov. 14, 1837, the school commissioners of the township of Shiawassee (at that time embracing what is now Shia- wassee, Antrim, Perry, Woodhull, Bennington, and Sciota) met at the " Shiawassee Exchange" to divide the townships into school districts. Township 5 north, range 2 east (now Perry), was divided as follows :
Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 to form district No. 1.
Sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36 to form district No. 2.
Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 18 to form distriet No. 3.
Sections 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 to form district No. 4.
It is not known, however, that any of these distriets ae- cording to this division were regularly organized at this time.
The first school of which any information has been ob- tained was taught by Miss Julia Green, who is now the wife of M. L. Stevens, in the year 1839. An upper room of her father's house served as a school-room, where, during twelve weeks, she labored, with from seven to ten children as pupils. She received six dollars from the public-school fund, and it is believed that (contrary to the custom of those days) no tuition was paid her in addition by the scholars for this service.
The same year Horace Green, her father, built a small log cabin for a shop. This was secured by those desirous of' having a school taught, and in the following winter it was used for that purpose. It stood on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 15. The place where it stood is now nearly indicated by the residence of Charles II. Calkins. The school-house was built by Deaeon Phineas Austin and Horaee Green. James Andrews and Henry Smith were among the first teachers in the district.
The school-house in the southeastern part of the town- ship, built by Charles Locke, and the one in the northern part, usually known as the Austin school-house, were built about the same time. This was probably about the year 1840. The one built by Mr. Locke stood on the south end of the east half of the southeast quarter of seetion 24, on the farm now owned by Mrs. Brown. This was a frac- tional school district, and was composed of adjoining parts of the two townships. This building was used in that loca- tion until 1846, when a new school district being formed in that vicinity it was taken down and moved into the dis-
trict now known as number four. It was placed on the site occupied by the school-house now in use, and was re- paired and used a number of years. Miss Julia Green, before referred to as the first teacher in the township, also taught the first term in this school-house before it was moved.
The same year Miss Jane Shaft taught a private school in her father's house. She is now living in Shaftsburg, the wife of' Newton Bacon. After several terms of private school taught by Miss Shaft, Samantha Norden, and Sarah Holmes, school district No. 3 was set off. This was about the year 1843. The first school-meeting was held at the house of John P. Shaft, and the district officers were then elceted. A vote decided on the building of a "log shanty, to be roofed with hollow basswood logs." It was built on the knoll now occupied by the house of Albert Durant. It was afterwards used as a blacksmith-shop. The first frame school-house in the township was built in this district. It cost three hundred and thirty dollars, and is still in use. The first school-meeting in distriet No. 4 was held at the house of John B. Stevens, April 30, 1846. Upon being called to order, Charles Locke was appointed chairman. District officers were then elected, as follows: Josiah B. Stevens, Moderator; J. Hinkley, As- sessor ; Charles Locke, Director. The site then selected upon which to build a school-house was near the southwest corner of the west half of the northwest quarter of seetion 23. By a subsequent vote the school-house built by Mr. Locke, in the southeast fractional district, was moved to this site, as before stated. The scholars in this district were Stephen and Emily Ward, George and Calvin Locke, Mary J. and Sarah M. Stevens, and Wesley and Milton Linkley.
On Dec. 10, 1858, the inhabitants of that portion of the township now in the vicinity of the village of Morrice petitioned the school board to be set off as a separate school district. In compliance with this petition school district No. 5 was formed. The first school-meeting in this district was held at the house of Benjamin F. Gale, February 16th following. There were then eighteen taxable inhabitants in the distriet. At this meeting Giles Kilbourn was elected Moderator; E. H. Calkins, Assessor ; B. F. Gale, Director. They then voted to purchase one-quarter of an aere of land from Josiah Purdy, described as the northwest corner of section 13. And although this motion at a subsequent meeting was rescinded, it was again passed, and after a number of meetings and votes pro and con, the house was finally erected in the latter part of November, 1862. Sev- cral small additions have been built to this house, one in 1878 and another in 1879. It now has two rooms and employs two teachers. The amount of money received by each of the various school districts for the years 1860 and 1879 is given bolow :
1860.
District No. 1
$93.20
..
3
57.56
4
92.52
1-fractional-(Perry and Bennington)
26.70
=
53.00
=
5
(Perry and Locke).
28.00
G
50.55
2
(Perry and Antrim). ..
11.26
=
G
14.41
270
HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1879.
District No. 1
$220.12
105.36
1
103.90
5
412.58
"
56.11
1-fractional-(Perry and Bennington)
42.88
16
2
18.88
66
5
16
(Perry and Locke) ..
69.78
6
17.97
€4
6
.6
(Perry and Antrim). ....
30.10
=
8
(Perry, Woodhull, and
Locke) ..
26,32
OLD PERRY CENTRE.
In 1850, William P. Laing came to Perry, and the fol- lowing year opened the first store in the township. It was in a small building which he put up at what now is known as Old Perry Centre. The first in this place, however, was a log cabin built by James Titus. Richard Elliott, who came from Lansing some time after, rented a room of Mr. Laing, and opened a small stoek of dry goods and groce- ries. He soon after built the large store building now standing vaeant in the Old Centre.
In 1852, Mr. Laing was appointed postmaster, a posi- tion which he filled several years. As he became " a little shaky" in his views, however, Johnson Treadway super- seded him. Mr. Laing was subsequently reappointed, but after a time resigned in favor of Robert Titus. He was followed by Dr. S. M. Marshall. Braden C. Spaulding was appointed by President Hayes in 1877, and still fills the position.
VILLAGE OF MORRICE.
The thrifty village of Morrice, now having a population of about two hundred and fifty, was platted in the fall of 1877 by Isaac Gale, who owned the west half of the south- west quarter of seetion 12. This land was settled by Joshua Purdy, who is spoken of among the pioneers of Perry. At the time the Chicago and Port Huron Railroad was com- pleted Mr. Gale was viec-president of the company which controlled it, which faet probably accounts for the establish- ment of the railroad depot at Morrice.
The village has a flouring-mill, a stave- and heading- factory, two good hotels, one hardware and agricultural implement store, one drug-store, a general store, and several smaller places of business. The flouring-mill was built by B. F. Rann in the fall of 1877. It has two run of stones. The stave- and heading-factory, which was built by J. F. Schultz in 1879, employs fourteen men and boys, and turns out from seven to nine thousand headings and six thousand staves per day. The saw-mill was built by Henry Horton in 1877. The business men of the town contributed six hundred dollars to the proprietor of the flouring-mill, one thousand dollars to Mr. Schultz, and three hundred dollars to Ilenry Horton, as inducements for these gentlemen to establish their business in Morrice.
The Sager House was built by C. W. Sager in 1878. It is a well-furnished and commodious hotel, and is the most substantially-built structure in the village. The first store was opened by Frederick Cummins. The medieal profession is represented by Henry P. Halstead and George O. Austin.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI OF MORRICE.
On Dee. 28, 1839, some of the friends of the Presby- terian Church in Bennington met at the house of William
Howard, for the purpose of organizing into a religious soei - ety. The Rev. Mr. Geishorn, who presided then, entered the following names : William F. Stevens, Abigail Stevens, Smith Howard. Rebecca Howard, Milan Glover, Lydia M. Glover, Polly Fitch, Sarah Griswold, John Morrice, Mary Morrice, William Morrice, George Morrice, Archibald Purdy, Caroline Purdy, Winfield S. Ament.
The society then adopted the name by which it was for many years known, the First Presbyterian Church of Ben- nington. The third resolution passed was to the effeet " that this church be organized upon the principle of total abstinence from all intoxicating beverages, except for medi- cinal purposes." Archibald Purdy, John Morrice, and Milan Glover were chosen and ordained elders; W. F. Stevens was chosen deacon.
The society continued to hold meetings at the homes of various members, or after school-houses were built, in them. When the village of Morriee became a centre of some busi- ness importance, the society voted to change the name, and build a place of worship in that village. The name was accordingly changed to The First Presbyterian Church of Morrice, and its meeting-house was built in 1878.
The Methodist and Baptist societies of Morriee contrib- uted liberally to the fund with which the church was built, and these societies, therefore, have had the use of it alter- nately since completion.
It cost four thousand five hundred dollars, and is one of the finest church buildings in the county. Rev. Charles D. Ellis is the minister now in charge of the Presbyterian society, which numbers forty-three members.
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