USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > Past and present of Shiawassee County, Michigan, historically; with biographical sketches > Part 23
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Since the laying out of the original plat of the village in 1837, additions have been
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made from time to time until the city now has an area of four square miles, in the form of a square. The Shiawassee river flows through it front east to west, a little north of its center, and still furnishes an excellent water power, which is used to run the ma- chinery of the Corunna flouring mills.
Corunna was made an incorporated village in October, 1858, by the board of supervisors of Shiawassee county, and the first election was held on the second Tuesday of the fol- lowing December. The officers elected at that time were: President, Alexander Mc- Arthur; clerk, O. T. B. Williams; trustees, E. F. Wade, A. A. Belden, Jonah Fuller, M. H. Clark, E. C. Moore, Hugh McCurdy.
The growth of the village was rapid in the next decade. A number of manufactur- ing plants were located here, among them being wagon shops, a planing mill, a spoke factory, a carriage factory, charcoal kilns and a brick yard. The most important of these en- terprises was a freight-car factory, which, however, did not prove a success, being oper- ated only a short time and turning out after the manner of many present-day "pro- moters' " schemes. All of these have passed away or have been replaced with more per- manent though less ambitious enterprises.
The legislature of Michigan at its session of 1869 passed "an act to incorporate the city of Corunna," which was approved on the 12th of March in that year. Alexander McArthur was the first mayor of the new city, the other officers who assisted in the administration of that year being as follows: Recorder, Spencer B. Raynale; clerk, William Oaks; treasurer, Morris Ormsby; justices of the peace, John N. Ingersoll, Curtis J. Gale ; constables, Clark D. Smith, Marvin Miller.
SCHOOLS
Among the city's institutions one which from the first has continued to thrive and reflect credit upon the community is the . public school. The earliest school was taught by Uriah Dubois, in 1840, in a log cabin within the village limits. It was a private enterprise and was patronized by the few families whose members included children. Other private schools were conducted during the next year,-one by the daughter of Alex- ander McArthur, in a room of her father's residence.
A school district was organized in 1842 and there were set apart spacious grounds, which are still adequate to the purpose to which they were devoted. A building was erected thereon the same year. The first term in this building was opened by Nelson Ferry, who had previously been county sur- veyor, and who was a man of ability in his profession. He had been a resident of Venice
before coming to Corunna, where he re- mained until his death, in 1846. Among the other early teachers was Miss Drusilla Cook, of Bennington, who taught here in 1843. Miss Cook 'was a lady of established reputa- tion as a teacher and found her services much in demand. The ordinary compensation at that period was one dollar per week, with the privilege of "boarding 'round." Miss Cook, whose presence was the cause of some competition in the various districts of the county, was secured by Corunna with the un- precedented salary of two dollars and fifty cents per week, with board.
Many able teachers have since officiated in the schools of Corunna, and the excel- lence of their work has maintained the high reputation established at the beginning.
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Prominent among those remembered by the the generation now active in public affairs were Mr. H. C. Baggerly, principal of the school in 1871-72, and Professor Joseph Mc- Grath, in 1876-80. A teacher of 1876 who has since achieved national fame as an edu- cator and author, is Miss Sarah Wiltse, now residing in Boston, where she has for many years had charge of an extensive system of kindergarten schools established by Mrs. Shaw, the daughter of Professor Agassiz.
The one-story frame school house built in 1842 was occupied until 1851, when .the growing demands of the village made more commodious quarters indispensable. After much opposition the school board finally obtained authority to erect a brick building, at a cost of four thousand dollars. In 1866 the wants of the school had again so greatly increased that the city issued bonds to the amount of twenty thousand dollars for the erection of a commodious building which answered the purpose admirably until it was destroyed by fire, in the fall of 1882. It was immediately replaced by the handsome structure now in use. The school is at present organized upon a course of study extending through a period of thirteen years, including the kindergarten, or sub-primary, grade to which pupils are admitted at five years of age. The high school is one of the few in Michigan whose graduates are ad- mitted to the University of Michigan, the State Normal school and similar institutions without examination.
NEWSPAPERS
The first newspaper established in Corunna was the Shiawassee Democrat, started in the fall of 1841, by William B. Sherwood, and
published by him for two years. The Co- runna Democrat was published at the county seat later, in 1862, by John M. Ingersoll, and was in 1880 merged with the American, pub- lished by George W. Owen.
The Corunna Journal was established in February, 1860, by O. A. Gould. It suspended publication after eighteen months, but in 1880 another enterprise was launched under the same name. Frank Welsh and Frank Johnson are the publishers and the paper is successfully edited. The Independent, an- other weekly, was established in 1884. Lou Sherady is the present publisher and edits a good newspaper.
CHURCHES
In the early days Corunna had occasional religious meetings conducted by Methodist ministers of the Shiawassee circuit. The house of Alexander McArthur, himself a Scotch Presbyterian, of the orthodox type, was the stopping place for the Methodist ministers, as indeed it was for ministers of all denominations. About 1840 a Methodist Episcopal class was formed, consisting of three members, who were soon joined by others, the society gradually growing until it became one of the largest and most active in the county.
The old frame court house which was built in 1843 became the place of worship of all denominations until their churches were built. The present Methodist church building was begun about 1848, but was not completed until some years afterward. The parsonage was first built in 1863, but has since been ex- tensively remodeled.
A Presbyterian church was organized by Rev. Seth Hardy, April 27, 1844. The court
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house afforded a convenient place of wor- ship until 1866, when was erected the sub- stantial brick edifice which is still in use by the society. Of the seventeen members orig- inally composing the society Alexander Mc- Arthur was the last survivor.
The society constituting the Baptist church of Corunna was organized in 1854, by the Rev. Joseph Gamble, with eight members. The early records of the church were de- stroyed by fire, and no minutes prior to 1867 are obtainable. A brick church was built in 1880, at the corner of Fraser and Woodworth streets. This was destroyed by fire in 1900, but a large, modern edifice was immediately built upon the same site.
A church of the Roman Catholic faith was first organized in 1860, under the pastorate of Father Van Pannel, who remained the resident pastor until 1862. During his min- istry a house of worship was erected, in the southern part of the city. The church was in a prosperous condition and continued in charge of a resident pastor until after the building of St. Paul's church at Owosso, about 1874. The pastor of the latter church then held a semi-monthly service at the church in Corunna during several years. This arrangement was finally discontinued and the former communicants of the older church now attend service at St. Paul's.
The Universalist society of Corunna ef- fected an organization in April, 1865, and for several years was in a flourishing condi- tion. A church edifice was built in 1872. A few years later the strength of the society was impaired by the removal of influential members and regular meetings were in time discontinued.
In the summer of 1862 a Ladies' Episcopal
Society was formed for the purpose of rais- ing funds to employ a minister and also to found a church in the village. The society at first had only five members and they strug- gled on with slow success until March, 1864, when they were able to secure semi-monthly services, conducted at the court house by Rev. Thomas B. Dooley, of Owosso. The result was the organization of St. Paul's church of Corunna, January 27, 1865. Rev. George O. Bachman became rector of the
church in November, 1866, and under his supervision the society prospered greatly. In 1867 the members felt encouraged to un- dertake the erection of a house of worship. The work was well begun when the rector was removed by death, and the plan was for a time abandoned. Services were, however, continued, and the building, a handsome one of brick, was finally completed in the year 1881.
. LODGES
The charter for Corunna Lodge No. 115 Free and Accepted Masons, was granted Jan- uary 14, 1859, and the first officers were: Hugh McCurdy, W. M .; John M. Fitch, S. W .; Eli C. Moore, J. W .; Ebenezer F. Wade, treasurer; Austin A. Belden, secre- tary; Samuel C. Smith, S. D .; George W. Goodell, J. W .; William Rollo, Tyler.
Corunna Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, was organized February 18, 1864, with the fol- lowing officers: Hugh McCurdy, H. P .; J. S. Hewett, king; G. D. Phelps, scribe : C. S. Converse, R. A. C .; J. Irland, P. S .; J. M. Thayer, treasurer; S. B. Raynale, secretary.
Corunna Council, No. 38, Royal and Se- lected Masons, was chartered February 19, 1874, and elected officers as follows : Hugh
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McCurdy, F. I. M .; S. B. Raynale. D. M .; J. D. Leland, P. C. W .; A. T. Nichols, treas- urer ; J. D. Leland, recorder.
Corunna Commandery, No. 21, Knights of Pythias, has as the date of its charter, June 3, 1868, and the following men were the first officers: Hugh McCurdy, E. C .; Seth Pettibone, gen .; O. L. Spaulding, C. G .; T. C. Garner, prelate ; C. E. Shattuck, S. W .; C. J. Gale, J. W .; E. C. Moore, treasurer ; S. B. Raynale, recorder.
Corunna also has active bodies of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of the Maccabees, Ladies of the Maccabees, Post and Woman's Relief Corps of the Grand Army of the Republic, and other kindred so- cieties, all of which are well supported by the community.
BANKING
The First National Bank was established in 1865, with a capital of fifty thousand dol- lars. Its first officers were Hugh McCurdy, president, and S. B. Raynale, cashier. Among its stockholders and officers in later years were some of the best known business men of different parts of the county. Albert T. Nichols was cashier for many years preced- ing his death, in 1894. His successor was William A. Rosekrans, who filled the office until 1905, when the time honored institu- tion went out of existence, its charter having expired on that date. Another of the bank's early officers was J. D. Leland, who is now cashier of the First - National Bank of Du- rand.
The business of the bank was formerly transacted in a building, on Shiawassee ave- nute, which was owned by the bank. This building was destroyed by fire on December
26, 1902, and was replaced by a handsome block of light stone, in which the banking offices were luxuriously fitted up, with all modern equipments in furniture and with fire- proof vaults.
On January 1, 1905, the Corunna Bank was organized as a successor to the First National. The new building erected by the earlier bank was purchased and the business continued in the same place. The present firm is a partnership consisting of the fol- lowing members: William F. Gallagher, John Driscoll, Theodore M. Euler, and Wil- liam A. Rosekrans, the last mentioned be- ing the bank's cashier.
WATER WORKS
Corunna has a water-works system of which it is justly proud. It is known as the Walker system and was installed at a cost of thirty-two thousand dollars. The water is procured from wells and is of an excel- lent quality. The pumps are capable of pumping fifteen million gallons of water daily, but as a measure of economy a tank has been erected that holds over sixty thou- sand gallons. This rests on an iron frame- work, eighty feet high, and gives enough pressure for domestic use as well as ordi- nary fires. The plant was accepted by the city April 1, 1905, and six months later the revenue was sufficient to pay the engineer and full bills.
MANUFACTURES
Corunna has two furniture factories situ- ated in the southeastern part of the city. The Fox & Mason Furniture Company was or- ganized in March, 1895. Their plant was twice destroyed by fire, but was each time
.
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rebuilt on a larger and more substantial scale. The articles manufactured are medi- um-grade bedroom suites and sideboards. The number of employes will average over one hundred.
The Corunna Furniture Company was re- cently organized, for the manufacture of higher grade furniture, quarter-sawed oak, birdseye maple and mahogany being among the woods used. The company has an ex- ceptionally fine plant and while the business is new its prospects for success are bright.
The United States Robe Company manu- factures carriage robes, buggy mats, imita- tion "buffalo cloth" and similar articles. It was organized January 17, 1902, and is prac- tically a home company, numbering among its stockholders many of Corunna's leading citizens.
The Shiawassee Light & Power Company was incorporated in August, 1900, with five stockholders and a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars. The company purchased the water power at Shiawasseetown and pro- ceeded to improve it by the addition of a new flume and modern water wheels. In 1904 a new dam of concrete was constructed and apparatus of the most improved modern .
type replaced that formerly in use. The com- pany now has one of the best water powers in central Michigan, and has not only sup- planted the steam power formerly used for lighting the city, but has recently secured contracts for furnishing the villages of Ban- croft and Morrice with lights.
M'CURDY PARK
The most beautiful spot within the limits of the city of Corunna or Shiawassee county is Hugh McCurdy's park. This is a piece of land containing about forty acres, lying along the south bank of the Shiawassee river and situated only four blocks from the center of the city. The land was a gift to the city from Judge McCurdy, one of Corunna's most honored citizens. The gift was made in 1900 and the city has since expended gener- ous sums in laying out walks and drives, in erecting a large casino and other buildings, and in improving the naturally beautiful sur- roundings. The electric railway connecting Corunna and Owosso passes the southern boundary of the park and this easy means of access makes it the most popular place in the county for public out-of-door gather- ings and private picnics.
LEGAL PROFESSION
The first attorney who practiced his pro- fession in Shiawassee county was Sanford M. Green, who settled at Owosso in 1837. He was appointed prosecuting attorney of the county the same year and held the office until 1842, when he was elected to the state senate. In 1843 he removed to Pontiac. He became one of the most eminent jurists of |
the state, serving on the supreme bench from 1848 to 1859 and afterward, for many years, as judge of the eighteenth judicial circuit, residing in Bay City.
Luke H. and Andrew Parsons, natives of New York, came to Corunna in 1836 and commenced business under the firm name of L. H. & A. Parsons, attorneys-at-law. An-
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drew Parsons, after holding a number of county offices, was elected lieutenant governor of Michigan, in 1852. The same year Gov- ernor Robert McClelland resigned his office to accept a place in the cabinet of President Pierce. Mr. Parsons became governor, was inaugurated March 8, 1853, and served dur- ing the remainder of the term. In Novem- ber, 1854, he was elected a member of the house of representatives. After serving dur- ing the winter session of 1855 he returned to Corunna, where he died in June of that year.
Luke H. Parsons was elected register of deeds in 1846, judge of probate in 1848, prosecuting attorney in 1852, and regent of the university in 1857. He continued in prac- tice at Corunna until his death, at that place, in 1862.
Amos Gould located at Owosso in 1844, coming from Auburn, New York, where he had been engaged in the practice of law, hav- ing earlier been a law student in the office of William H. Seward. The first year of his residence in the county he was elected judge of probate and he afterward served two years as prosecuting attorney. He was super- visor of Owosso for five years and was elected to the state senate in 1852. Judge Gould continued the practice of law in Owos- so twenty years, retiring from its active pros- ecution in 1865, to attend to his extensive property interests.
Ebenezer Gould, a brother of Judge Amos Gould, settled in Owosso in 1837. He first engaged in mercantile pursuits, but com- menced reading law in 1846 and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1851, when he became associated in business with his brother. He continued in active practice until 1875, except during the war of the Rebellion, in which he
served honorably with the Fifth Michigan Cavalry Regiment, of which he became colonel. In 1866 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the county. Colonel Gould died at Owosso, September 7, 1877.
S. Titus Parsons, a brother of Andrew and Luke H. Parsons, studied law in their office and was admitted to the Shiawassee county bar in May, 1854. He served three terms as prosecuting attorney and was four years Shia- wassee's representative in the legislature. He practiced law at Corunna until 1877, when he removed to Detroit.
Among the many honored names con- nected with the judicial history of Shiawas- see none is ever mentioned with greater re- spect and veneration than that of Judge Josiah Turner, of Owosso. This distin- guished jurist was born September 1, 1811, in Vermont. He was admitted to the bar of that state in 1833 and at once began the practice of law. In 1840 he followed the tidal wave of emigration and settled at How- ell, the county seat of Livingston county. After holding many offices in the gift of that county he was, in 1857, appointed by Governor Bingham to fill a vacancy in the supreme-court bench, and the same year was elected judge of the judicial circuit in which both Shiawassee and Livingston counties were situated. With a view to residing nearer the center of his circuit, Judge Turner removed to Owosso, in 1860, and has made that city his home to the present time. He was elected judge of the same circuit twenty- five years.
Judge Turner has held circuit court in forty counties of this state. When, in 1857, he first presided over that of Shiawassee. the county was in proud possession of a
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new brick court house, having occupied but three years,-the first permanent building erected for that purpose. In fifty years that building became an ancient and unsightly pile and was demolished to make way for the beautiful stone structure that now graces the old public square of Corunna and which is the crowning architectural ornament of Shiawassee county. During one-half of the time the old building was in use Judge Tur- ner presided over the tragedies and comedies enacted in its plain, undecorated court room.
When, in 1904, the corner stone of the present court house was laid, a masterful oration delivered by Judge Hugh McCurdy opened with the following reference to the aged jurist :
"Last week, at the request of the commit- tee, I called upon Judge Josiah Turner, of Owosso, and requested him to be present to- day as the guest of honor of the county of Shiawassee. I found the venerable jurist in good health for a man of ninety-two years, and his intellect clear and strong as of yore.
"He informed me that he thought he would not be able to be present at the laying of the corner stone, much as he desired to be. How- ever, he entertained a lively hope that he would be able to be present at the dedication of the new court house. He also desired me to tender the citizens of Shiawassee coun- ty his congratulations for the good work in which they were engaged, and to thank them most sincerely for electing him to the judge- ship of this county for twenty-five years- just one-half of the lifetime of the old court house."
Among other lawyers of the county were David Bush, Jr., who was located at Shia- wasseetown ; William F. Mosely, who settled
at Newberg about 1842, and who was several times elected prosecuting attorney of the county ; and Spencer B. Raynale, of Corunna, who was associated with Hugh McCurdy in the practice of his profession. Mr. Raynale died in 1874.
One of the oldest living practitioners of the Shiawassee county law is Honorable Hugh McCurdy. He was admitted to the bar of Michigan in 1854 and soon thereafter located at Corunna, where he has since resided. In 1856 he was elected prosecuting attorney by a large majority, and in 1860 was elected judge of probate. In 1864 he was chosen as state senator and again in 1874 was chosen prosecuting attorney. He was also for years a member of the board of supervisors. His legal practice was large and profitable, and he still enjoys the full confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.
PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE SHIAWASSEE COUNTY BAR
Owosso : Hon. Selden S. Miner, Hon. Stearns F. Smith, Hon. Josiah Turner, Gil- bert R. Lyon, William Kilpatrick, Percy Ed- wards, Frank H. Watson, Odell Chapman, Charles M. Hamper, George E. Pardee, Neil - R. Walsh, Warren Pierpont, John W. Thorne.
Corunna: Hon. Hugh McCurdy, William E. Cummin, A. E. Richards, Frank E. Welch, John T. McCurdy, Peter N. Cook, Matthew Bush, Joseph H. Collins, J. J. Peacock, W. J. Parker, Albert L. Chandler.
Durand: Fred Northway, B. P. Hicks, E. S. Atherton, Seth Terry.
Bancroft: M. V. B. Wixom, Charles E. Ward. Laingsburg: H. H. Pulver. Mor- rice: A. L: Beard. New Lothrop: Bernard Kildea. Perry: E. D. Lewis.
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PRESENT COUNTY OFFICERS
State senator, Albert B. Cook; representa- tive, Charles E. Ward; sheriff, Warren Jar- rad; judge of probate, Matthew Bush; clerk, John Y. Martin ; treasurer, Albert H. North- way; register of deeds, Jay D. Royce; pros- ecuting attorney, Charles M. Hamper; cir- cuit-court commissioners, Roy R. Durham, Neil R. Walsh; commissioner of Schools,
Howard E. Slocum ; drain commissioner, John Boutwell; surveyor, Elmer E. Joslin ; coroners, George W. Loring, Verner M. White; school examiners, A. E. Sherman, Thomas Mears ; su- perintendents of poor, A. W. Green, H. B. Mc- Laughlin, J. A. Armstrong ; keeper county farm, N. E. Mckenzie; county agent, O. F. Webster ; janitor court house, C. A. Potter.
SUPERVISORS OF TOWNSHIPS, 1905-06
Antrim, Edward Dippy; Bennington, Fran- cis G. Morrice ; Burns, Fred S. Ruggles; Cal- edonia, Z. D. Humes; Fairfield, P. F. Van- Dusen ; Hazelton, Austin Cronk; Middlebury, Edmund R. Vincent; New Haven, Warren Doan; Owosso township, Frank H. Rush; Perry, Titus S. Martin; Rush, James K. Al- len; Sciota, John G. Wert; Shiawassee, Or-
son Sugden; Venice, Alonzo Griffin ; Wood- hull, William L. Colby; Owosso city,-First ward, Thomas M. Wiley; second ward, Charles W. Jennings ; third ward, William A. Kent; fourth ward, John T. Walsh; fifth ward, Charles W. Parker. Corunna city,- First ward, Clark D. Smith ; second ward, Del- bert M. Lowe; third ward, James J. Peacock.
CITY OF OWOSSO
The city of Owosso, the most important commercial and manufacturing point in Shia- wassce county, is situated on the Shiawassee river, slightly northwest of the geographical center of the county. Lying mainly within the township of Owosso, its corporate limits extend eastward into that of Caledonia, em- bracing a total area of four square miles. The Shiawassee enters the city from the east, thence rapidly flowing westward over its rocky bed until the west line of section 13 is crossed, when it turns sharply to the north and continues in that direction beyond the
northern limits. The city's name was derived from that of "Wasso," the principal chief of the Shiawassee band of Chippewas, who, prior to the first occupation of the county by the whites and for several years subsequently, lived near Shiawasseetown. Upon the or- ganization of the township, in 1837, the letter O was prefixed to the chief's name, and the same adopted as the name of the new town- ship. The hamlet in its midst, as yet without a cognomen other than that of "The Rapids," also, very naturally, assumed tlie same name. Originally the word was spelled Owasso, but,
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