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 75
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O. A. Willsey, a farmer, and son of Jacob and Martha Willsey, formerly of Dex- ter tp., was born in Niagara county, N. Y., June 24, 1821. He accompanied his parents to Michigan in the fall of 1834, settling in the southwest part of Dexter tp., Washtenaw county. His father entered timbered land and cut a couple of forked saplings, which, after placing them against a tree and placing on them a ridge pole he covered with blankets, thus forming his first home in Michigan for his wife and 8 children. Mr. Willsey has traveled extensively, and gained an amount of practi- cal knowledge very useful and interesting. He was married in Detroit Dec. 3, 1849, to Miriam Purchase, who was born in Yorkshire, England, Sept. 27, 1821, daughter of John and Amy Purchase. Mrs. Willsey was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Detroit, for several years, but has lately attended the Church of that denomination at Dexter. Mr. Willsey owns 160 acres of land, and resides in a pleasant and comfortable home.
Hon. John K. Yocum, sec. 30; was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, March 27, 1819. His parents, Jacob and Hannah Yocum, were natives of the same county, and came to Washtenaw county, Michigan, in 1836, settling on sec. 20, of Lyndon tp. Mr. Yocum worked on a farm in summers and taught school in win- ters for many years. In 1850 he was elected to the State Legislature, also serving in the extra session the following winter. In 1863 he was appointed Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and served in that capacity over five years. In 1867 he received the appointment of U. S. Inspector of Liquors of a district comprising this and three contiguous counties. He has been a Deputy Surveyor of Washtenaw county for the past 30 years. Mr. Yocum was married in Lyndon tp., Nov. 26, 1846, to Maria Ann Johnson, and 4 children have been given them-Charles A., Adelia A., Adelbert D. and Melvin F., all married and with comfortable homes.
Thomas Young, farmer, sec. 17; P. O., Chelsea; was born in Louth, Ireland, Nov. 9, 1816, a son of George and Catherine (Welch) Young, of Scotch descent. Mr. Young came to America in 1839, arriving in New York the last of June. He traveled through several States of the Union and in August, 1858, settled in Washtenaw county. He was married at Leroy, Genesee Co., N. Y., in 1843, to Elizabeth Kelley, who was born in 1824, a daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Taffe) Kelley, natives of Ireland. They have 9 children-Thomas, Edward, James, John, Peter, Rosa, Mary, Elizabeth and Ellen. Mr. Young and family are members of the Catholic Church. He owns 346 acres of valuable land.
8. Skidmore
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SYLVAN TOWNSHIP.
The town of Sylvan was first settled in 1830 by Cyrus Beckwith, who located the east half of section 14. Having built the dwelling of the pioneer, he brought hither his family and won for them, as well as for himself, the honor which pertains to the township pio- neers. Wm. A. Begole accompanied him in his first travels, ex- plored the district with him, aided in the erection of the log house, and having completed the round of duty due by a friend, he, in 1831, located a homestead in the vicinity. Subsequently the tide of immigration flowed toward the land, and within a very few years not an acre of the township was without its owner,-ready and willing to draw from the virgin soil all the fruits which it would yield.
The physical characteristics do not vary materially from those of Northfield township, except in the course of the streams, which run eastward. The lakes occupy almost a similar geograph- ical position, namely, the northwestern corner of the township, Mill creek, Snake lake and Goose lake, in the south, being some- thing extra, not bestowed upon the other division of the county with which the similitude is drawn. In almost every other respect there is a wide difference. Sylvan possesses a village of exceeding beauty, Chelsea, a hamlet of high hopes, Sylvan Center, and a large number of extensive farms cultivated by the occupying owners. The Michigan Central railroad, may be said to divide the township almost equally. What the northern portion lost in land is fully compensated for by its lakes and streams. Kavanaugh, Crooked, Mill, Cedar, Doyle, Leman's and Rudolph's lakes render the town- ship one of the most picturesque in the county.
The range of hills which runs through the eastern part of the State divides Sylvan into three sections, each differing in physical characteristics, the western undulating, the eastern more undulat- ing, and the middle section composed of hill and dale. These miniature mountains of the last section are called the "(Short Hills " by the inhabitants of the township. The western section has a more uneven surface than the eastern, the latter being almost a plain, presenting a wide range of beautiful farming country.
THREE CREEKS
drain the township. One of these rises in Mill lake, section 4, in the northern part of the township, and flows eastward, discharging itself into the county ditch in Lima township. Sylvan creek rises in the southwestern part of the township in a small lake in sec. 31,
45
(751)
752
HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.
and flows northeasterly through Sylvan Center and Chelsea, its waters also being discharged into the county ditch. Mill creek rises on sec. 7 of Sharon, and runs along the southern limit of the township through Lima and finally empties into the Huron river at Dexter.
In the northwestern portion of the township is a cluster of lakes -- Cedar, Doyle, Kavanaugh, Mill, Crooked, and several smaller ponds. Crooked lake is about a mile long, and is said to contain about the coldest water in Michigan, owing to the number of cold springs supplying it. There is no possible outlet, but the people suppose that the springs one mile north form one. Kavanaugh lake is nearly a mile in length. All these lakes abound in fish com- mon to the region.
When the pioneers first visited Sylvan township they beheld a beautifully undulating country, gemmed in part with clear lakes, and diversified by a range of romantic hills, the surface covered with "oak openings," that did not stand too thickly to prevent the growth of the luxuriant blue-grass beneath. Owing to all those natural ad- vantages, the hardships of the pioneer were ameliorated and the early settlers at once provided with feed for their stock and other necessaries, which very much lessened the hazard of beginning life in the new country. Game and fish were abundant, herds of deer were constantly seen cropping the rich herbage of the hills and val- leys, and made a novel and beautiful picture as they were seen amid the orchard of oaks feeding leisurely or careering swiftly amid the trees.
The custom of the pioneer farmer was to "break up" the soil while the oaks were yet standing, and afterward girdle the trees, which, dying, would permit the sun to reach the soil and promote the growth of crops. During the next season or two the trees would be removed and the land completely cleared. What a change! Nature in its wild state has given place to cultivated nat- ure. The homesteads of civilized man dot the beautiful sections of the land and promise peace forever.
STORY OF SETTLEMENT.
From the reminiscences of early settlement, related by W. E. De- pew, it is learned that five years after the first settler made his home in Lima, the township of Sylvan was yet without a white inhabitant. If the district could have been visited in 1830 it would have been our privilege to have seen the first white settler approaching the spot Oct. 18, 1830, where he was to make his home, and hew out of the forest a productive farm. We would have learned that the ap- proaching man was Cyrus Beckwith. In that year he made his home in this township, built a house and moved his family from Ann Arbor. Mr. Beckwith's hired man, who helped to build his house and clear land in the following spring, was Wm. A. Begole.
After this beginning of a settlement settlers came in quite rap- idly. In 1831 Jesse Smith selected his land and built his house;
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SYLVAN TOWNSHIP.
in the same year Elias H. Kelly located land, and in the following year built his house. In 1832 Henry Depew arrived.
THE VERMONT COLONY.
In 1832 a number of families from Addison county, Vermont, emigrated into the Territory of Michigan, and settled in Dexter township which at that time embraced the present townships of Manchester, Sharon, Sylvan, Lyndon, Lima, Freedom and Bridge- water. In this Vermont colony were Wm. A. Davis, Truman Lawrence and Orlo H. Fenn, all having families. They founded what was then, and has since been called, the Vermont Settlement. Stephen J. Chase and Nathan Pierce, from Ontario county, New York, came the same year. In the spring of 1833 Daniel Fenn, father of Orlo Fenn, and his family, arrived, as also did Tully Fenn; and in the fall Amos W. Davis and Dennis Warner were added to the population. In May, 1834, Mahlon Wines, Ira Spauld- ing, Sen., and Ira Spaulding, Jr., and families, arrived, and located land in the settlement. Joel B. Boyington came the same spring, exchanging farms with Stephen Chase. Wm. Begole also settled in the neighborhood, and was employed by Cyrus Beckwith as his first hired man, and as such, assisted Mr. Beckwith in erecting the first log house in the township. John M. Cummings, Arnold S. Bell, Thomas H. and Isaac Godfrey, Adonijah Godfrey and Elisha Cong- don, all made beginnings in the township in 1834. About this time, or within three years thereafter, Azel Backus, Mahlon Beeks, Dr. Sears and Hugh Davidson arrived. Mr. Davidson es- tablished a hotel just east of the Short Hills. Alfred Holt came in 1834, and was the postmaster at Pierceville. John M. Cummings was a settler in 1834, and Arnold S. Bell, a school-teacher, located in the township the same year. Thos. H. and Isaac Godfrey, Ad- onijah Godfrey, and Elisha Congdon were comers about this time. The latter located on the spot where Chelsea now stands, owning the land on the east side of Main street, his brother owning the land on the west side of that thoroughfare that was to be.
On the west side of the Short Hills Edwin E. Conkling settled in 1832, and his first wife, Miss Hicox, named the township of Sylvan. Calvin Hicox was also an early settler on the west side of the Hills, as was also Joseph Peter Riggs. In 1832 Ira Spaulding had a small clearing, and Orlo H. Fenn, Stephen J. Chase, Truman Lawrence and Wm. A. Davis all had clearings of from three to ten acres. Otherwise the eastern half of the township was a wilderness, yet extremely beautiful. The Territorial road ran through the township, entering on the east by Nathan Pierce's farm, and pass- ing through Sylvan Center. The same thoroughfare exists to-day. The north and south road, now .running through the town from Chelsea to Manchester, was also a cut-out in 1832-'3. There was also a road leading to Bingham's mill, in Lima township; the early settlers having their sawing done at this mill. A line of stages,
754
HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.
owned by S. B. Davis, ran through the township on the Territorial road. In 1832-'3 all mail for Sylvan settlers came to Dexter, and it taxed severely the pioneer's finances to raise the 25 cents neces- sary to pay the postage on a single letter. The second postoffice of the region was at Lima Center. There was a tavern at Sylvan Center, William Dunham being the landlord. In 1838 Elihu Frisbie opened the first store at the Center, and was followed in 1839 by Geo. Lord, who opened a general stock of goods, and in 1841 by J. C. Winans, who traded there until 1851. Previous to this period, however, a small grocery and saloon was kept by Joseph Perry. In the years following, Thomas H. Godfrey sold goods there.
In 1853 the first grist-mill on the creek was built, the money being raised principally by subscription. It is still standing, and doing duty for the farmners around the Center, operated by Orlando Boyd. In 1832, Hugh Davidson kept a hotel east of the Short Hills, and Andrew Murray entertained travelers one mile west of the Center, and displayed the sign, "Call and See !" Thomas Godfrey built a hotel here, and was landlord for several years.
Pierceville, at the junction of the north, south and Territorial roads, just south of the present village of Chelsea, on James Cong- don's land, was a business center in 1834 and thereafter until the depot was located at Davidson Station, when the place was absorbed by the new village, and one after another the buildings were sold, moved away or torn down. When Pierceville was in its glory, a brother of John C. Winans, Stephen by name, had a store there. Albert C. Holt was the postmaster, and Dr. Stewart was the sur- geon and physician; Israel Bailey was the blacksmith. Mr. Holt carried on a sash and blind factory. When the railroad came, and Mr. Congdon desired to divert business to Davidson Station, he bought out the Holt property, also the interest of Dr. Stewart, and Huldah Aldrich,a maiden lady; the buildings one by one disappeared until now there is not the slightest sign remaining of the once thriving hamlet.
The first death in the township was that of Mrs. Jesse Smith, whose demise gave occasion for the establishment of Vermont Cemetery. The first marriage was that of John C. Winans and Betsey M. Fenn.
The first postmaster was Calvin Hicox, at Sylvan Center.
ORGANIC.
In 1834 the settlers in the township had become so numerous that it was thought expedient to create a township organization, and accordingly on the first Monday in April the first election was held, which happened to be on the same day the first election was held in Lima tp. The act says, " That all that part of the county of Washtenaw comprised in surveyed township 2 south, in range 3 east, be a township by the name of Sylvan, and the first township
755
SYLVAN TOWNSHIP.
meeting be held at the now dwelling-house of Samuel Dunham, in said township." In the following account of the meeting for organization it will be seen how faithfully the law was carried out and its conventionalities observed:
"The annual meeting of the town of Sylvan, on the first Mon- day of April, 1834, held at the house of Samuel Dunham, in said town, organized by choosing Edmund E. Conkling Moderator, and Stephen J. Chase, Clerk of said meeting. The moderator and clerk, after being sworn, proceeded to open the meeting, and the following officers were elected in said town: Nathan Pierce, Super- visor; Elisha Congdon, Town Clerk; Stephen Chase, Orlo Fenn and Edward E. Conkling, Assessors; Calvin Hicox, Constable and Collector; Daniel Fenn and Samuel Dunham, Overseers of the Poor; Truman Lawrence, M. Medcalf and Asahel Backus, Commis- sioners of Highways; Nathan Pierce and Edmund E. Conkling, Road Masters. It was voted that the overseer of roads be fence viewer; Thomas H. Godfrey, Samuel Dunham and Edward E. Conkling, Commissioners of Common Schools; Nathan Pierce, John R. Jewett, Truman Lawrence, John C. Winans and Edmund E. Conkling, Inspectors of Common Schools. It was resolved at this meeting, that the next annual town meeting should be held at the house of Hugh Davidson. The minutes were signed the 7th day of April, 1834, by Edward E. Conkling, Moderator, and Stephen J. Chase, Clerk."
The records of 1835 can not be found, and therefore the account of township meeting is not given.
At the first town meeting Edmund E. Conkling, at the sugges- tion of his wife, gave the township the name that it now bears.
At the annual election in April, 1836, Alfred C. Holt, Lewis Powell, Cyrus Beckwith and Mahlon Wines were elected Justices of the Peace. Before these courts were established in the wilder- ness, no lawyer with legal technicality appeared; the voice of the advocate was not heard by them, and they were left to administer such simple justice as to them seemed meet. Nathan Pierce held the office until 1837; Mahlon Wines, Elisha Congdon, Azel Backus. From this period the following have served as
SUPERVISORS.
Joel B. Boyington, 1849-51
John C. Depew. 1862
Stephen J. Chase
1852-3
Hiram Pierce.
1863
Azel Backus. .1854
Horace A. Smith
1864-7
Hiram Pierce. 1855
Orrin Thatcher.
1868-72
John C. Depew. .1856-7
M. J. Noyes.
1873-4
Thos. H. Godfrey 1858
Wm. F. Hatch. 1875-7
Hiram Pierce.
1859-60
Timothy McKone. 1878
Horace A. Smith
1861
W. E. Depew
1879-80
756
HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
From organization to 1853, Elisha Cong-
don, Thomas Godfrey, H. H. Medley,
Wesley Burchard. 1866
Asa Blackney 1867
James Hudler.
1868-70
Asa Blackney
. .
1871
Heman M. Woods 1872
James M. Martin.
.1873
Hiram B. Osgood. 1861
Henry Pratt
1862
Asa Blackney 1863
Oscar F. Pease
1864
Jacob Schumacher.
1880
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Mial Boyd. 1854
W. F. Hatch. .1865
Orrin Thatcher. 1855
Horace A. Smith 1866
F. R. Gorton, to fill vacancy 1855
Nathan Becker.
1856
M. Foster. 1868
Francis R. Gorton. 1857
Geo. W. Turnbull. 1869
Harvy C. Boyd
Wm. F. Hatch. 1870
Michael Foster
1871
J. C. Selden
Orrin Thatcher
H. A. Smith. 1873
Granville H. Coleman. 1874
James Clark.
1859
S. E. Cooper. . 1875
Noah.C. Pratt. 1860
Michael J. Noyes. 1876
Geo. W. Turnbull. 1861
Horace A. Smith. 1877
H. A Smith. 1862
Orrin Thatcher. 1878
James Clark. 1863
Frederick Hoppe 1879
Noah C. Prat
1864
M. J. Lehman .1880
Previous to 1854, Mahlon Wines, A. C. Holt, Lewis Powell, Cy- rus Beckwith, J. P. Wrisley, Nathan Pierce, Orlo HI. Fenn, Jerard Hatch, Elihu Frisbie and Edward Gray served as Justices of the Peace.
VERMONT CEMETERY.
This, the oldest burial-place in Sylvan tp. originated as follows : In 1835 Mrs. Jesse Smith died, her death being the first in the town- ship. At that time no ground had been set apart for the burial of the dead, and the fact that mortality would thenceforth certainly claim his victims among the settlers, perhaps for the first time rested on their minds, and they came to the conclusion that a cem- etery was needed in their midst. Aaron Lawrence, who owned land on a corner east of Orlo Fenn's farm, sec. 24, offered to give a par- cel of ground for a burial place, reserving a lot for his own family. The remains of Mrs. Smith were deposited here, and thus the spot was consecrated as the resting place of the dead. Afterward a Cem- etery Association was formed for the government of the grounds, and additions were made to the allotment. Since that period one acre has been added, making a total area of two acres. It is the resting place of nearly all the pioneers of Sylvan as well as many of their descendants.
Orrin Thatcher .1857
Wesley Burchard. .1858-60
Wm. J. Knapp
1874-5
Frederick Vogel. 1876-8
Augustus Newberger 1879
1872
L. L. Randall
to fill vacancy. 1858
L. D. Godfrey
James Clark. 1867
Aaron Botsford to fill vacancy. .. 1857
Jeremiah Krum. 1865
Jos. B. Frisbee, served as township clerks.
Amasa Harper. 1854-6
757
SYLVAN TOWNSHIP.
THE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL.
A local chronicler gives the following account of the organiza- tion of the first school district in the township. Having a belief that the free-school system must be a part of the infant settlement, the pioneers organized the first school district in the township, and built a school-house a little south of the residence of Stephen J. Chase. The one who was called to do the first school-teaching in the township was Miss Harriet Wines, sister of Charles H. Wines, and afterward Mrs. D. Warner.
There are at present five whole and three fractional districts in the township, the present directors of which are as follows : No. 2, Philip Schweinfurth; No. 3, W. E. Depew; No. 4, Christian Weber; No. 5, Michael Foster; No. 6, James Rigger; No. 7, Geo. W. Boynton; No. 10, Michael Savage; No. 11, Truman W. Bald- win.
Number of pupils attending school, 533; number of teachers employed, 25; value of school property, $20,000; amount ex- pended for school purposes in 1880, $6,086.72.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SYLVAN.
This was founded in 1833, and was named the " First Baptist Church of Christ." The following is a transcript of the original record of organization:
" Territory of Michigan, town two, range four east (Lima), July 5, 1833. The Baptist professors of Christ assembled at the school- house in the south part of 2d town, county of Washtenaw, and was organized as a Church of Christ. Sermon by Elder Twiss, who also gave the right hand of fellowship, then being a member of the Michigan Baptist Association. The members that presented let- ters were as follows: Benjamin Danielson, Daniel Fenn, T. C. P. Fenn, Orlo H. Fenn, Luther Chipman, Calvin Chipman, Mrs. Eunice Danielson, Mrs. Huldah Fenn, Mrs. Sally Gage, Mrs. Fanny Hammond, Mrs. Euseba Chipman, Mrs. Celinda Chipman, Miss Ruth Eastman, Mrs. Betsey Ann Fenn,-14 in all.
The meetings of the infant Church were first held in a log school- house, at Bingham's Mill, the first pastor being Elder Benjamin Danielson. Afterward meetings were held in a frame school-house. In 1851 it was decided to locate the services of the Church at Syl- van Center, and meetings were held there in a school-house.
In 1849, under the pastoral labors of Rev. Luther Powell, the Church was re-organized, or at least placed on a new foundation. In 1851 the church building which now stands at Sylvan and has latterly been used by the Methodists, was erected, the first pastor located there being Rev. Mr. Hosford, who served the Church as minister for nine years. Mr. Hosford's successor was Rev. H. M. Gallup, of Grass Lake, who for three years preached at Sylvan on Sunday afternoons. The next pastor was Rev. Mr. De Land, who
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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.
served about three years. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Brown, who remained until Rev. J. C. Armstrong became pastor of both the Sylvan and Chelsea Churches. During his incumbency, in 1871, the church building in Sylvan was sold to the Methodists, nearly all the membership of the Baptist Church joining the Chelsea organization. This event closed the history of the Baptist Church in Sylvan.
AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.
The area of improved lands in the township is 12,577, and unim- proved 7,681 acres, giving a total acreage of 20,262, laid off into 163 farms.
In May, 1880, there were 3,041 acres planted in wheat. The year previous 3,719 acres, sown with the same cereal, yielded 75,- 100 bushels, averaging 20.19 per acre; 1,379 acres in corn produced 96,805 bushels; 667 acres in oats yielded 25,688 bushels; 69 acres in barley gave 1,754 bushels; 427 acres in clover yielded 730 bushels of seed; 2,410 acres of meadow produced 3.027 tons of hay ;and 102 acres in potatoes gave 7,512 bushels, being less than half the number which the soil is capable of producing under the rude cultivation, as applied by the Anishinabes of the pre-American pioneer. A statement made by the Pepins and sustained by the Godfreys of olden times, if it may be relied upon, records a little tract of land, about an acre in extent, yielding 150 bushels of potatoes.
HISTORY OF CHELSEA.
The nucleus of Chelsea was formed about two miles west of the present village. When the old strap-rail line of the Michigan Central railroad was finished through the township, a station was established near the farm of Hugh Davidson, and it took the name " Davidson Station," from the circumstance. The little business center at this point received the sobriquet "Gunntown," from the fact that a man familiarly known as " Old Gunn " lived there. At first the station was a mere stopping place for trains, and not till 1848 was there a station-house erected, and then the structure was a rough affair. The track repairer was the station agent, and added to his other duties the function of wood-sawyer for the road. The first agent that occupied this nondescript position was Thos. J. Davis, and he was followed by the Davidson brothers, who added a horse car to their facilities for doing the work along the track. Elisha Congdon was the first grain-buyer at Davidson Station, and James Seeley sold goods there at the same time, but finally sold out to Mr. Congdon. In the fall of 1848 the station was burned, probably fired by an incendiary. On account of the fact that the Manchester and northern trade could be more conveniently accom- modated at Chelsea, the railroad company decided to establish the station for Sylvan township at this point, which was then jocosely
.
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SYLVAN TOWNSHIP.
called " Kedron," because a creek ran near the locality .. The two Congdons, Elisha and James, owned the land where the station was to be established, and took an active interest in the promotion of the scheme, which they saw plainly would result in the growth of a town.
The Chelsea station was built in 1850, and the first station agent was oue Finn. Elisha Congdon then lived in a frame house, where the family mansion was afterward erected (now McKone house). It was the first house in the place. The same building now stands on the east side of Main st., corner of Church st., and is the home of Mrs. T. H. Godfrey and her daughter, Mrs. Butterfield. In the fall of 1850 Elisha Congdon built the first store in Chelsea. It was situated on the lot now occupied by the Taylor brothers, near the railroad, on the east side of Main st. In the fall of 1850 the town was platted by Elisha and James Congdon. The first named gentleman owned 160 acres on the east side of Main st., and the latter owned 300 acres on the west side of the same thoroughfare. The second business build- ing erected in Chelsea, after the location of the depot, was a. brick blacksmith shop, on the east side of Main street north of the rail- road, built by C. H. Wines for Aaron Durand and Newton Robin- son. In the same year, 1850, Asel S. Harris built a hotel and saloon on the company's land just south of the depot, which he kept open for several years afterward. John C. Winans, who was doing business as a merchant in Sylvan, in 1851 erected a barn on the lot where his residence now is, and his family lived therein while he built a dwelling. The same season he built a store on the corner of Middle and Main streets, where the Chelsea bank is now located. In 1852 or 1853 William Smith, from Dexter, built a store. Tom Hastings erected a business structure during the same year, and the Fenn brothers and Clark built stores in 1854. From that time the growth of the place was steady.
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