History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 71

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457

USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan > Part 71

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Isaac Terry, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 28, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; was born in New York, Feb. 10, 1824. His parents, Elijah H. and Margaret Terry, were both natives of New Jersey, and the former of Welsh descent, the latter of Irish ancestry. They came to the county in 1838, where he died in 1858, and the partner of his joys and sorrows in 1870. Isaac received his education in the old log school-houses, attending them only in the winter months, and assisting on the farm in summer. At the age of 10 he com- menced to learn the carpenter's trade, which he continued to work at, in the interval of farming, till 1876. In 1848 he was married to Phobe Brokaw, daughter of John J. and Phoebe Harriet Brokaw. She is a native of New Jersey, where she was born Aug. 22, 1826. This union has been blessed with 2 children-Milo Flou, born Nov. 4, 1850, and Flora L., born Nov. 14, 1860. Mr. T. did not possess much property when he commenced farming for himself, all he had being one colt, which his father had given him; but by econ- omy and perseverance has become the possessor of 120 acres of choice improved land, valued at $75 per acre. Politically he is a Republican.

Joseph H. Todd, sec. 11, Webster tp., is a native of Washtenaw county, having been born here in 1838. He is the son of Henry and Rebecca Todd, both natives of New York, who emigrated to this county in 1837, where they still reside. Mr. T. was married in 1866 to Lucy Green, daughter of Hosea and Diantha Green, old

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

pioneers of the county, having emigrated here in 1834, where the former died in 1861, but the latter is still living, Mrs. T. was also born in this county, in 1846. They have 1 child-Hattie, born in October, 1867. Mr. Todd enlisted in Co. G, 3d Mich. Cav., and served in that regiment two years and six months in assisting to crush the Rebellion. He was engaged in the battles of Corinth, Holly Springs and Iuka, and came out at the end of his term of service with an honorable discharge. He has since been engaged in farm- ing and raising stock. He now owns 92 acres of land, valued at $50 per acre. Politically he is a Republican.

Nicholas Van Riper, farmer, sec. 22, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; was born in New York in 1822. He is the son of Garrett and Mary Van Riper, natives of New York and of German descent. The latter died when Nicholas was nine years old, but the former still lives with him on the farm. Mr. V. was raised on a farm and has continued at that business all his life. He owns 97 acres of richly cultivated land, valued at $80 per acre. Jan. 1, 1847, he was married to Jane Queal, a daughter of Henry M. and Elizabeth (Bennett) Queal, and a native of Pennsylvania, where she was born in January, 1827. They had 2 children-Carrolton D. and Jennett, now the wife of William Presley, of Mason, Ing- ham Co., Mich., and the mother of 2 children-Florence E. P. and Oscar M. P. Mr. V. and his wife are faithful members of the Congregational Church. He is a Republican.

James Walsh, farmer, sec. 10, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; was born in Washtenaw Co., April 3, 1838. His parents, Richard and Mary (Doody) Walsh, were natives of Ireland, and settled on sec. 7, Webster tp., in 1835, where they still reside. Mr. Walsh was married, in 1867, to Ellen O'Hara, a native of this county, where she was born Sept. 16, 1838, and daughter of Michael and Ellen (Quinn) O'Hara, natives of Ireland. Five children were sent to them-Mary E., John A., James E., George F. and Charles E. Mr. Walsh is a live and enterprising farmer and stock-raiser, and in politics strictly adheres to the principles of the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Walsh are faithful members of the Roman Catholic Church,

Richard Walsh, farmer, sec. 7, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; was born in Ireland in 1810, and is a son of James and Julia Walsh, who emigrated to America in 1827. They first settled at Roch- ester, N. Y., but nine years later removed to Washtenaw county. Mr. Walsh was married in this county in July, 1837, to Mary Doody, born in Ireland in 1817, and daughter of Nicholas and Bridget Doody. Twelve children were sent to seal the alliance, 10 of whom are living-James W., Julia, Bridget G., Nicholas, Mary Richard, jr., William T., Allen and Alice (twins), and John D Mr. Walsh has been School Director, ten years; Justice of the Peace, one term; Supervisor, one term; Collector, one term. Mr. Walsh owns 168 acres of fine farm land, from which he makes a comfort- able living.

Your Burneth

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WEBSTER TOWNSHIP.

Henry Warren, farmer, sec. 33, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; was born in New York, in 1824. His parents were Thomas and Eliza- beth Warren, the former born in Somersetshire, Eng., in 1789, and emigrated to America in 1816; to Michigan in 1835, and settled on sec. 33, Webster tp., in June, 1855. His mother was of Scotch ancestry. Mr. W. was but 11 years of age when he arrived in the county, and he was sent to school during the winter months, and worked on a farm in summer till old enough to battle for himself. He was married in Ontario Co., N. Y., in 1859, to Elizabeth Schnei- der, daughter of John and Mary (Varnortztall) Schneider. She was a native of New York, and born there in 1833. They had 8 children born to them, 7 of whom are living-Thomas J., Willard M., Frederick E., Henry F., Cora E., Edith A: and Austin L. One son, Austin, is deceased. Mr. Warren is connected with the Dem- ocratic party. He owns 370 acres of land, valued at $70 per acre.

William H. Weston, farmer, sec. 22, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; is a native of New York, and born March 22, 1836. He is theson of Jacob and Martha (Moriela) Weston, the former of Massachusetts nativity, and the latter of New York. They immigrated to this county in 1836, where Mr. Weston, sr., departed this life in 1855; the latter is still living, at the advanced age of 75. In 1862 Mr. W. enlisted in Co. F, 6th Mich. Vol. Cav., and served three years in that memor- able rebellion, participating in the battles of Gettysburg, Malvern Hill, and at all the engagements in which the 6th was present. He was mustered out of service at fort Leavenworth, and came to Wash- tenaw county, where he was married in 1868 to Sarah Bostwick, daughter of Simon and Phoebe Bostwick, and a native of this county, where she was born in 1848. This alliance has been blessed with I child, Melvina, born in 1868. Politically he is a Republican. He has filled several local offices.

.John C. Wheeler, farmer, sec. 15, Webster tp .; is a native of New Hampshire, and born there in 1824. His parents were Tillot- son and Polly (Campbell) Wheeler, who immigrated to this county in 1830, where the former died in 1862. His mother is still living at the advanced age of 92. Mr. W. came to this county with his parents, and in 1849 was married to Mary, daughter of William and Hannah Harrison, both natives of England, where Mary was born in 1830. This union has been blessed with 5 children-Stearns T., Jean, Oral, Frank and Sam. Mr. Wheeler has held several tp. offices,and in politics is a Republican. He owns 270 acres of excellent farm land, valued at $65 per acre.

Harmon Williams, farmer, sec. 20, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; was born in New York in 1817. He is the son of Peter and Sarah (Tuthill) Williams, both natives of New York, who came to this county in 1831. The subject of this sketch was twice married- first to Emily Hudson, a native of New York, where she was born in 1827. By this union they had 3 children born to them-Isola D., now the wife of Gregory Peatt, of Nebraska; Harriet, wife of John Stanton, of this county; and Gregory H. The mother of these 43

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

children died in 1874. In the State of Wisconsin, in 1876, he was married to Catherine Wightman, of New York nativity, where she was born in 1831, daughter of William and Elizabeth Wight- man, old settlers of this county. He is a member of the Congre- gational Church, and Mrs. W. of the Episcopal Church. Politically he adheres to the Republican administration.

Osbert Williams, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 27, Webster tp .; P. O., Dexter; was born in this county Nov. 21, 1831. His parents were Spencer and Maria D. Williams, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Vermont. They emigrated to this county in 1828, being among the first settlers within the borders of Wash- tenaw. They settled on sec. 27. and remained there till they were called away from this earthly home, both dying in 1868. Osbert was raised on the farm, and has been living on a farm all his life. He was married in Livingston Co., Mich., in 1866, to Sarah E. Cook, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Cook. and a native of England, where she was born July 16, 1843. They have 6 children by this marriage-Ralph, Maria E., Osbert, Frank, Spencer (de- ceased) and Ida (deceased). Mr. Williams has been very successful in a financial way, and now owns 200 acres of good cultivated land, valued at $80 per acre.

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DEXTER TOWNSHIP.

The town of Dexter was one of the three towns into which the county was originally organized, and comprised townships one and two south, in range five east of the base line, and townships one and two in said range, north of base line, and all the remaining town- ships north and south of the base line, in ranges one, two, three and four. It was named in honor of Samuel W. Dexter, the first county judge of Washtenaw county.

The first town meeting was held at the house of Mr. Dexter, May 28, 1827, at which officers were chosen for the town for one year. The following named were elected : Rufus Crossman, Supervisor; Nathan Noble, Clerk; Israel Arms, Henry Warner, Richard C. Dillon, Commissioners of Highways; Samuel Clemens, Luther Boy- den, Jerome Loomis, George W. Peters, Assessors; Alexander Lav- erty, Collector, and Constable; Sylvanus Noble, Joseph Arnold, Overseers of the Poor; Cornelius Osterhout, Silas Kingsley, Russell Parker, Samuel W. Dexter, Israel Arms, Samuel Clemens, Richard C. Dillon, George W. Peters, Fence Viewers; Palmer Force, Lu- ther Boyden, James Popkins, Pound Masters.

In 1836 the present township was organized, with Thomas Lee as Supervisor and Amos Gray as Clerk.

The first settlement of the town was made in 1825, on the north- east fractional quarter of sec. 36, by Sylvanus and Nathaniel Noble, who had settled in Ann Arbor the year previous. The next inhabitants were Joseph Arnold, Rufus Crossman and Henry War- ner, each of whom located his land in the early part of the year 1826, made some improvements, and removed their families there in the fall of the same year. The names of those who came into the town within the next two years were C. S. Goodrich, Cornelius Osterhout, David Dudley, Richard Brower, Charles B. Taylor, Levi Whitcomb, Thomas Lee, Isaiah Phelps, Rogers Carr and his sons Enos N. Carr and Elijah P. Carr, Sidney S. Derby and Clark Perry. But one or two yet remain to witness the great changes that have been wrought. Garadus Noble, Adrian Quackenbush, Ephraim Carpenter, George H. Sherman, Isaac Pennoyer, Richard Peterson, John G. Peterson, Warren Spaulding, John Bruen, Samuel Northam, James M. LaRue, Patrick Hubbard, Daniel Tuttle and Eben Phelps became residents of the town prior to 1833, none of whom are left in the town.

Cornelius Osterhout and a man named Hull built a saw-mill on the site of the present Hudson Mills, in 1827. Judge Dexter and Isaac Pomeroy built a saw-mill on the site of the present Dover mills, in 1832. Dover Mills were built by Daniel B. Sloan & Co.,

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

in 1846, and remained in their hands until the death of Col. Sloan, in 1861, when on the settlement of his estate it was purchased by Thomas Birkett. Hudson Mills were built in 1844 by Adams & Peters. Adams' interest was soon after purchased by S. W. Holmes. After several changes in proprietorship, the property passed into the hands of Thomas Birkett, of the Dover Mills.

NORTH LAKE M. E. CHURCH

was organized in 1836 with Rev. Chas. Glenn as class-leader, and a membership of 19, viz: Mary A. Glenn, John Glenn, Jane Glenn, Isaac Glenn, Aaron Vedder, Catharine Vedder, Elijah Brown, Clarissa Brown, John Moore, John Done, Ann Done Sarah Searls, Benjamin 1H. Glenn, James E. Crane, James H'. Brown, Ann Johnson and leader Joseph Whitcomb. The so- ciety met and held services at the house of John Glenn until about the year 1846, when Messrs. Charles and John Glenn, brothers, built at their own expense a small one-story frame build - ing 20x26, the use of which was given to the public for school and church purposes, and used as such until the year 1866, when the new church was built. The present church edifice, a commodious frame structure 28x40 feet, 14-feet posts, has a spire, is painted white, furnished with comfortable sittings for about 150, has green out- side blinds, and is a credit to the society and community at North Lake. The present Church membership is 70. They have preach- ing every Sabbath, Rev. J. W. Clark, Pastor; also Sunday-school, R. S. Whalian, Supt.

EBENEZER CHURCH.

This Church was organized February, 1871, electing D. Heinenger, J. G. Miller and G. Baus as trustees. This society had an existence as far back as 1866, services being held from house to house, and frequently in district school-houses, under the title of the Evan- gelical Association, very similar in form of government to that of the M. E. Church, and the position of pastor was filled at times from the M. E. Conference. In 1871 they reorganized, built a church edifice 38x24, at an expense of $1,130, which was dedicated Nov. 19, 1871, by Rev. W. Yost, of Cleveland, Ohio. The society is out of debt, has services every Sabbath and a Sunday-school, with full attendance.

There was a Catholic church located on the northeast corner of section 21. It was commenced about 1840, and completed about 1846; size, 26x36; Father Cullen was the first priest. There was no Catholic church between Ann Arbor and Jackson. The church flourished until 1854, when the building burnt. It was the inten- tion to rebuild, but after some delay it was thought best to rebuild in Dexter village, and the fine Catholic church in that place is the one. Among the leading members were John McGuerrin, John

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DEXTER TOWNSHIP.

Harrington, of Ryndon, Michael McCabe, Timothy Sullivan, John Doody, John Patrick, Michael Rabbitt, Patrick, Michael and James Lavey, and James McMahan.

The Episcopals organized a Church about 1834 or '35. Meetings were held in a log school-house on sec. 19, at a point known as North Lake Corners. An effort was made to erect a church build- ing, but it was never completed. Here, one summer, a school was held by Elizabeth Phelps. Mr. Hay Stevenson's family was about the only family there. Dr. Gray, from Dexter, occasionally visited the neighborhood and held services.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

The face of the land in the township is rolling, and in the north ern and northwestern portions quite broken, interspersed very plen- tifully with lakes, marshes and tamarack swamps.

The first inhabitants of the town were principally from the State of New York, though some of them had emigrated to that State from the New England States. The later acquisitions to the popu- lation of the town have been largely of foreign birth or their de- scendants, those from Ireland largely predominating. The first Irishman who settled in the town was Patrick Curtin in 1834, fol- lowed in the next three years by Patrick Lavey, Michael Lavey, Jo- seph Murphy, John McGuinness, Michael McCabe, James Brogan, Michael Caffery, John Costin, Morris Dwyer,, John McKernan, Nicholas Doody, Thomas Dolan, John Dolan, James Ryan, Ed- ward Ryan, Richard Walsh, Joseph Walsh and perhaps others, un- til at the present time it is believed a majority of the citizens can claim their descent from the Emerald Isle. There are several Ger- man families, but, with two or three exceptions, they have become residents within the last 10 years. Both Irish and Germans be- come citizens and voters as soon as time and the necessary for- malities required by law will permit. The primitive dwellings in the town were generally built of logs, and there are probably nearly 20 occupied as such, several of which have been continuously resided in for more than 40 years.

A few of the inhabitants still reside on the farms originally pur- chased by them from the Government; among them may be men- tioned Thomas Dolan, Patrick Walsh, and James Ryan. Of those whose children own the lands which they located may be mentioned Isaiah Phelps, Peleg Johnson, Jacob Wilsey, Hay Stevenson, John Glenn, Andrew Smith, Ephraim Carpenter and Edward Ryan.

Eight school-houses are in this township, all of which are frame buildings. The first three built in town were located near the sites of the present honses in districts number one, two and three. Several of the earliest were built of logs.

Base Lake postoffice was established at Dover 25 or 28 years ago; it is on the mail route fram Dexter to Howell and has a daily mail. The office has been sometimes at Dover and sometimes at Hudson. It is now at Dover. A postoffice was established at North Lake in

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

1834 or 1835, and another called Sterling on section 28 soon after. Both were discontinued a few years later. A tri-weekly mail is now carried through on the same route from Chelsea to Dansville, Ing- ham county.

There are more than 20 lakes of different sizes in the township. The principal of these are Portage, Silver, Half-Moon, North lake, West lake, and Four-Mile lake. The Portage, which, by the way, is one of the finest lakes in this country of beautiful lakes, occupies nearly the whole of section 1, a small portion of section 2; and as much or more territory in Livingston county; and is about two miles in length and one mile in width, with but little marsh sur- rounding it, except on the south and southwest. The Little Por tage adjoins the Portage on the southwest, and is rather more than one-half of a mile in length and one-fourth of a mile wide. Silver lake lies on the west part of section three and the east part of sec- tion four, and contains probably 400 or 500 acres. Its outlet en- ters the Little Portage. Half-Moon lake occupies the greater part of section 6, and also projects into the town of Lyndon on the west and the town of Putnam on the north. North lake lies principally on section 18, extending a little into section 17 on the northeast, and into the town of Lyndon on the southwest. It is a little more than one mile in length and about one-half mile in breadth. This is another of the beautiful lakes of the country, the shores being generally bold, with but little waste land surrounding it in any part. West lake is a shallow body of water in the central part of section 30; the shores are bold except on the west and southwest, in which direction a worthless marsh extends some distance. It probably contains about 200 acres. North lake and West lake fur- nish no outlets except in times of high water. Four mile Jake lies principally in Lima, but projects about one-fourth of a mile into section 33 in Dexter; it is about one mile long and rather more than one-half of a mile wide. The eastern shore is bold, but on the north and west are extensive marshes, some improvement of which has been attempted by lowering the lake and ditching the marshes; some portions have been benefited; in others the benefit is some- what doubtful. The outlet is one of the head branches of Mill creek. The other lakes in the town are small, containing from one to 30 or 40 acres each. They are all stocked with fish, the principal being pickerel. bass, perch, mullet, bull-heads and sunfish. The supply of fish in the lakes, and also in the streams, is very much less than at the first settlement of the country. We have no recorded village plat of the township, but little hamlets have grown up around the Dover and Hudson mills. Not much business, however, has ever been done at either place, aside from that directly con- nected with the mills.

The soil of the upland in the southern central portions of the town is good wheat and corn land, composed of clay, sand and gravelly loam in varying proportions, with a considerable admixture of lime. The leading crop has been wheat, for which the land seems

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DEXTER TOWNSHIP.

well adapted; corn, barley, oats, grass, and clover are produced to some extent on almost every farm. In the northern part of the town sand predominates more largely, some portions, especially on sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, being very sandy and not very productive. Apples have succeeded well in all parts of the town, and much pains has been taken by many farmers to obtain and cultivate good varieties. Peaches have not succeeded very well except in occasional seasons, on account of severe winters and late spring frosts; the more ele- vated localities and those protected by large bodies of water usually yielding the best results. Other fruits are not cultivated to any very great extent. A few farms in the vicinity of North lake have succeeded in producing the best and greatest variety of fruit of any part of the township. The marshes have been a great help to the early settlers in furnishing hay for feeding stock in winter, and some of them, especially near the running streams, still afford a good supply of hay of a better quality than that made from natural grasses; while other portions away from the running streams have deteriorated to such a degree that there is not much dependence on them for hay, though still furnishing considerable pasture. The timber on the upland was principally white and yellow oak and hickory with some burr-oak, poplar, sassafras and soft maple. In the swales, in addition to the above, were found occasionally white- wood, cottonwood, basswood, red and white elm, white and black ash, black walnut, sugar maple, and red and swamp oak.

By some blunder in surveying the township, the northern tier of 'sections contains less than three quarters of the prescribed quota of land, and the western tier of sections also falls short something like from 50 to 65 acres per section. The Huron river enters the township on the east side of section 1, running southerly across secs. 12, 13 and 24, and finally leaves the town on the east side of sec. 25. It furnishes two good water-powers, which are occupied by the Dover and Hudson flouring mills. The Portage branch, or as our map-makers have recently christened it, Turtle creek, runs through Half-Moon lake on section 6, then, passing north of the base line, it re-enters the town near the northwest corner of section 2, and empties into Little Portage lake on the southeast quarter of that section, thence through Portage lake into the Huron river near the east side of section 1. The other streams are small, and run toward Huron river, Turtle creek, and Mill creek.

The south end of Portage lake, on section 12, is noted as being the site of the celebrated city platted and lithographed by the eccentric G. R. Lillibridge, and called "Saratoga of Michigan." The beau- tiful lake in front, the lofty eminence called Prospect Hill in the rear, and a small spring near by, which tasted of iron and perhaps of some other minerals, were magnified by him into great attrac- tions. A steamboat (on paper) for pleasure parties was launched on the lake, and could navigate through Portage, Base and Straw- berry lakes making a round trip of 30 or 40 miles through the most romantic and delightful scenery ever seen in this or any other

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

country. An observatory (also on paper) had been erected on Prospect Hill, affording a grand view over an extensive and beauti- ful tract of country dotted with villages, mills, and the residences of wealthy farmers. These attractions and the curative properties of the mineral spring caused a great influx of invalids and pleasure- seekers into Saratoga. The extensive hotels of the place were crowded to their utmost capacity, and the farmers of the vicinity were reaping a rich harvest in the lively market thus afforded them. He had sold one-half of the city plat to Edwin Forrest, the great tragedian, for $30,000, who was about to expend a large amount of money in further improvements. This was all done to induce some Eastern speculator to buy the property at a fabulous price. Sara- toga city has never contained but one house, and that is now gone.

ORIGINAL ENTRIES.

The following will le of interest to the early settlers of the town and county, and to all who are interested in knowing the names of those holding the original title to every tract of land in the township:

SECTION 1.

Dexter, Samuel, se frac of se frac qr. Nichols, Philena, ne qr of ne qr. Lillibridge, Gardner R., se qr of sw qr. Le Breton, Benjamin, sw qr of sw qr. Nichols, Austin R., se qr of ne qr. Kercheval, Benjamin B., w pt se frac qr.

SECTION 2.

Lamb, James, sw qr of sw qr. Brogan, James, n hf of sw qr and se qr of sw qr.

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History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 71

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 1457

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457