USA > Michigan > Huron County > Portrait and biographical album of Huron county Michigan, Containing biographical sketches of citizens also a complete history of the county, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 42
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All this territory once belonged to Virginia, and extended to the western boundaries of that State, and was known as the "Northwestern Territory." It was ceded to the United States in 1787. The first white settlers in the county were John and Alanson Daggett. This was in the spring of 1838. They were lumbermen, and located on the eastern coast of the county at a place which they named "Rock Falls," and put up a water-power saw-mill there. Later came Henry Whitcomb, followed by others. Then came along fishermen and "shingle- weavers," who preyed upon Uncle Sam's timber domain. Mr. Luce came in 1839, and located a saw- mill water-power, at Willow Creek, now called " Huron City." The pioneers came up along this coast in small skiffs, and some on foot.
John Hopson was the first man that drove a wagon into Sand Beach. He came up along the shore with it. This was in 1849. The " Charter," Capt. Anderson, master, was the first boat to land passengers or goods on this side of the coast, which was in 1848.
John Hopson put up the first steam saw-mill in the county, at Rock Falls, in 1850. This mill was burned down the following year by an incendiary, because Mr. Hopson would not allow him to have
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whisky. Mr. Hopson used to have some pretty hard conflicts in those old days, with some of the lumber- men and the "shingle-weavers," on account of his fearless opposition to drunkenness and debauchery.
While this side of the coast was being settled up, they were not idle on the Saginaw Bay side, where Sebewaing now is. Rev. J. J. F. Auch settled near there as a missionary to the Indians in 1845. He was soon followed, as is stated in the history of Sebewaing, by a little colony of Germans. As with the east and west coasts, so it was with the north.
A pretty full and detailed account of the early set- tlement, growth and development of the county is given in the history of the townships, and it is not our purpose now to go again over this ground, but we will be confined to general matters.
This county was first attached to Tuscola and San- ilac Counties for judicial purposes, and was organized from them under an act of the Legislature passed in 1859. Sand Beach was then made the county seat.
The first election held in the county was in the fall of 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was running for President. The officers elected entered upon the discharge of their duties Jan. 1, 1861. E. B. Ward gave two acres of land in Sand Beach whereon to erect the county building, with the proviso that it should remain the property of the county as long as it was used for county purposes; when otherwise, it was to revert to him. Ward, Ludington and others put up the building, the different towns contributing material. The county seat remained at Sand Beach until 1865, when it was removed to Port Austin. It remained there until 1873, when the Board of Super- visors located it permanently at Bad Axe.
The first meeting of the Board of Supervisors was held at Willow Creek, now Huron City.
Henry Whitcomb was the first Justice of the Peace in the county. He received his appointment from Sanilac County.
Robert W. Irwin was elected the first County Clerk. For many years subsequent to the first settlement, the manufacture of lumber and shingles was the prin- cipal business along the coast, upon which grew forests as fine as an ax ever struck. Soon the farm- ers began coming in, locating lands, clearing them up and putting in crops.
Some of the lumbermen in the early days made
gardens around their cabins, and it was soon discov- ered that the soil was good for something other than growing trees. One by one, from the early settlement, the townships have been set off and organized, until they are now all complete; one by one the towns and villages have sprung up into existence, until the county has become dotted all over with them. Good farms and fine farm buildings are seen in every part of the county. This branch of industry has since the fire made rapid development. The old farmers have improved with time, and those that have recently come in are more experienced. It is a rare thing to see a farm now without good buildings, at least good barns, and without an orchard. Of course the orch- ards must be young. In putting up their houses, if the farmers could be induced to break away from the old stereotyped pattern of farm-houses, and put up something new, a structure with some architectural design, it would add much to the beauty of the coun- try. A few have done this : may there be more.
Huron County has no separate war record. It had but just completed its organization when the war broke out. There were about seventy enlistments from the county, and they went into the regiments of Tus- cola and Sanilac Counties, and were mustered into the 10th, 5th and 23d Michigan Infantry, and 6th Michigan Cavalry. When the draft come on, many of those who were subjects of it had business in Canada. During this period Canada became a favor- ite place of resort for many. Hunting Trescott, who was then Provost Marshal for this division, says he looked in vain for parties for whom he had papers. He would shove his papers into the cabins through the crack of the door or crevice. When the war was over and these truants returned, the draft papers were still there in their cabins waiting for them.
There were a few Indians here in the early days, only a few, something over a hundred. They did not remain long after the white man came, but roamed around the country for awhile and then left, about the year 1847. They belonged to the Sebewaing and Chippewa tribes. They had some lands here which they sold. They were peaceful, with the usual traits belonging to their race.
The county was aided in its early growth by the State, which inaugurated a system of building through different parts of the county what was called "State roads." For this purpose the State donated 170,000 acres of swamp lands in the county. These lands were
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ceded to the State under an act of Congress passed in 1850. Without this aid the county, especially the interior, would not have been settled to-day. The land was so low and swampy, the forests were so heavy and thick, that it would have been impossible for settlers unaided to make an entrance. If the farmers would go more generally into dairying, it would be be much better for them, and much more lucrative. The lands are well adapted for this busi- ness. It is . well watered, and the soil is fitted for grasses. In this business they would make two dol- lars where they make one now ; and their lands would be growing richer instead of poorer. The millions upon millions of feet of lumber that have been taken from the county, and the fires, have made her mighty forests look thin ; yet, although thereis a large amount of timber left, the palmy days of the lumber trade are past. A new industry has come up, which promises to excel the lumber trade in its magnitude, and that is the salt manufacture, which is bringing into the county hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. With this are the grindstone manufactories, at Grind- stone City, second only in magnitude. These grind- stones, scythe-stones and ax-bits are known and sold throughout the country. For excellence of quality and workmanship they have no superior in the United States.
Another impetus to the growth of Huron County was the introduction of railroads. These, with her superior water advantages, afford the people of the county ample means of transportation. The county has a good system of schools, and good school build- ings. The teachers through the different departments are well qualified for their duties. The scholars are above the average in brightness and intelligence, and appear attentive to their studies. If they would intro- duce more generally into the schools, maps and charts, and have well selected libraries in them, it would be found to produce beneficial results.
The citizens of Huron County never did better than when they looked after the education of their young. To this rising generation they must look to perpetuate what they have so ably commenced.
The churches have not been neglected. Places of worship for the people have been generously dis- tributed in the county. Many of the edifices, though not costly, are very neat and attractive, and
show a cultivated taste by those who constructed them.
The people of Huron County are above the aver- age for new counties, in intelligence and refinement. As a class they are industrious, sober and attentive to their own business. Very few loafers are seen about the county, and we have yet to see in the county a drunken man, or a fight. The cultivation of flowers is most general throughout the county. In all the hotels, in the dining-rooms or parlors, those sweet companions of the refined greet the eye.
The climate is all that could be desired by those who prefer a northern latitude. Michigan is in about the same latitude as Southern France and Northern Italy. It is colder on account of its higher eleva- tion, being about 800 feet above the sea. The other reason, as given by scientists, is that the climate of Michigan, like the American climate in general, has the peculiarities of inland regions, in its not being modified and controlled by the warm breath of the oceans. The Huron peninsula is remarkable for its fine autumns and its freedom from early and late frosts. Its location makes it especially adapted to fruit culture. The frosts here are not so severe as in the locality of Chicago. The moisture from the Sagi- naw Bay tones down the winds from the west and southwest, and the same effect is produced on the north and northwest winds by the waters of Lake Huron.
With all those advantages, Huron County is a most desirable place of habitation. The early settlers planted better then they thought, perhaps, when they located here. Their struggles and privations are over, and the want for the many delicacies and re- finements possessed by older countries, and which the ladies especially so much missed, is supplied. The pioneers can look back with complacency to their hardships and toils, to the days when they had to depend upon the wild game of the forests or the fish from the waters for their means of subsistence, and to the rude cabins for their protection from the cold blasts of winter. They have witnessed in one generation a wilderness transformed into civilized and populous communities. Though their shadows fall toward the east, they have many years yet to enjoy the blessings that come from their labors and reflect on the results of their grand achievements.
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TOWNSHIPS
OWNSHIP history is a spe- cial feature of this work, and the aim has been to present separately the leading inci- dents of each, embracing their early settlement, growth and present condition. They are little municipalities, with their own governments, societies and local institutions. The good-natured am- bition of each of the townships to excel the other tends to increase the capacity of performance and raise the standard of excellence, without producing any other than the most kindly feelings. We also give the histories of the villages and cities under the head of the townships in which they are located. By referring to the index in the back part of the book, the page upon which the sketch of any township, village or city begins may be readily seen.
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BINGHAM GOWNSHIP.
HIS is one of the old-settled townships, dat- ing back to 1856, when James R. Frank made a location here. It was organized in 1863, Robert Scott being selected as the first Supervisor. The land in this township is rolling, and the soil is rich and productive, yielding as high as 62 bushels of wheat to the acre,
with an average of 20 bushels. The Cass and Pin- nebog Rivers run through this township, the former running southwest and the latter north. This town- ship had an abundance of very fine timber before the fires, but its forests now look like skeletons. Both the fires of 1871 and 1881 swept 'over the entire township.
About six months prior to the last fire, Mr. Lay- man and family came in and settled near Mr. Ran- dall's place. When the conflagration came rushing over the township, devouring everything before it, Mr. Layman was sick with typhoid fever. His wife had a babe three months old. A daughter was ab- sent at a neighbor's. A son, Albert, and a boy three years of age, were in the house. The mother rushed with babe and youngest son to the swamp and stayed there all night, and though badly burned were saved. In the morning she got to Mr. Randall's just as they were starting for Port Hope, and were taken along. A short distance from where their house had stood she found the burned body of her husband, and about 20 yards further on was that of her son, Albert !
They have four schools in the township, located on sections 17, 27, II and 29. There are four Church societies in the township, two of which are located at Ubly, a little town on the western branch of the Port Huron & Northwestern Railroad. The Presbyterian Church building was dedicated in 1884. It is a very neat edifice and cost $2,000. It was built after the fire by the Presbyterian Relief Com- mission. Rev. Peter A. McMartin is the present Pastor. Rev. John C. Anderson, of Bad Axe, holds missionary services here every two weeks for the Episcopal society.
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At the hamlet of Ubly, Alex. Pike, Alfred Pagett and David H. Pierce carry on a general merchan- dise business. Bradford Sluck is also a dealer in general merchandise. Joshua B. Madill has a flour- ing mill. There is a hotel here, and a postoffice. The people of the township generally go to Ubly to do their trading.
This township is pretty well cultivated; all over can be seen fine farms, with good dwelling-houses and farm buildings. It ranks the seventh in population, and notwithstanding the two great calamities the people are advancing and are prosperous.
The boundaries of this township are: north, Ver- ona ; east, Paris ; south, Sanilac County, and on the west, Sheridan Township. It is numbered 15 north, of range 13 east.
SUPERVISORS.
Bingham has been represented by the following named Supervisors :
Robert Scott, 1863-6
A. McKinzie, 1867
Robert Scott, 1868
Alex. McKinzie, 1869-70
Neil Mckay, 1871
James McAllister, 1872
Robert Scott, 1873-4
Alex. McKinzie,
1875
Henry Frank,
1876-8
Robert Scott, 1879
Charles A. Williams, 1880-I
Sterling Nugent,
1882-4
BLOOMFIELD GOWNSHIP.
B LOOMFIELD Township was organized in 1873. It is in number 17 north, of range 14 east, and has for its boundary lines, Huron on the north, Rubicon on the east, Sigel on the south, and Lincoln on the west. After the fire of 1871, which burned over about two-thirds of this township, Henry B. Gillard came into the township and made the first settle- ment. The original timber here was pine, inter- spersed with hard-woods. The nature of the land is flat, with a sandy loam soil. It is regarded as a
good country for grain. It is watered by the east and west branches of Willow Creek. There are no swamp lands in the township, but about two-thirds of the lands are yet uncultivated.
There is one good saw-mill in the township, owned by John Getty, on section 8; but the principal busi- ness is farming. There are three school-houses, lo- cated on sections 4, 20 and 32, in which good schools are kept. Port Hope is the nearest port and trading point. Wheat yields an average of 20 bushels per acre.
This township was organized in 1873. William C. Elliott was elected first Supervisor, H. B. Gillard, Clerk, and William Thompson, Treasurer.
There are two Baptist Churches, one Episcopal and one Methodist. The Methodist charge was es- tablished here in 1883, Rev. Thomas G. Hackle, Pastor, with Mr. Coon, Mr. and Mrs. Ripley, Mr. and Mrs. John Getty, and Katie McGregor as mem- bers. Rev. Mr. Persons holds services here.
The fire of 1881 swept over the entire township, causing great suffering and loss of property.
SUPERVISORS.
Wm. C. Elliott, 1873
John P. Stillwell, 1874-8
Hugh M. Walker, 1879-80
Daniel McGregor, 1881
Hugh M. Walker, 1882-4.
BROOKFIELD GOWNSHIP.
HIS township was organized by the Board of Supervisors at their annual meeting, in in 1867. The first election was held the first Monday in April, 1868, at the residence of A. H. Burton. Elijah Thompson was hon- ored with the first Supervisorship. This man is also claimed to be the first settler, he having come about the year 1865.
Except the western portion, which is rolling, the land is generally flat; the soil, clay loam. There are some four sections of swamp land. The timber consists of pine, hemlock, and the hard-woods. She- bahyonk Creek runs through the township. Grain and other products have an average yield. For all kinds of fruit the township presents superior claims. There are four school-houses, which are located on
or
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sections 1, 13, 33 and 35. The Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin Railroad runs north and south through the township. The nearest depot is Gagetown, and the nearest port is Sebewaing. Since the com- pletion of the railroad the land has materially ad- vanced, and the township is being rapidly settled up by a good class of farmers.
The fires of 1871, and also 1881, burned only into the southeast corner.
This township's northern boundary is Winsor, its eastern, Grant, the southern, Tuscola County, and the western, Sebewaing Township. It is numbered 15 north, of range 10 east. There are two saw- mills in the township, and one flouring-mill.
The religious wants of the people are well attended to. The Methodist Church has a mission in the township. First service held in 1883. Rev. R. Saigeon is Pastor. There is also a Lutheran Church, and an Evangelical Association society. The Pres- byterian Relief Synod erected a neat edifice the past season, costing $1,500.
SUPERVISORS.
The township has been represented by the follow- ing named Supervisors :
Elijah Thompson, 1868
Jacob Malter,
1869-73
W. S. Willson, 1874
C. Link, 1875-7
W. S. Willson, 1878
C. Link, 1879
W. S. Willson,
1880-4
CASEVILLE GOWNSHIP.
FASEVILLE is in the northern tier of town- ships, and is numbered 17 north, of range Io east. It is bounded on the north by Sagi- naw Bay, on the east by the Township of Chandler, on the south by Winsor Township, and the waters of Saginaw Bay make her western line. The first meeting for organization and the election of officers was held April 2, 1860, in the school-house near the mouth of Pigeon River. At
this election, Alexander Wheeler was chosen Super- visor, Abraham A. Fox, Treasurer, and Francis Craw- ford, Clerk. It embraced the territory now occupied by Brookfield, Chandler, Fair Haven, Grant, Oliver and Winsor. Some of the early incidents are men- tioned in the history of the village of Caseville. The first funeral service was read by George Cleaver. The first sermon was delivered in the school-house at the mouth of Pigeon River by the Rev. Mr. Cross.
The earlier settlers came by the way of Point aux Barques, following the Indian trail along the beach. There were about here at this period quite a number of Indians, belonging to the Chippewa tribe, who had their principal town at Shebahyonk. They were peaceful, and mixed with the settlers a great deal. For arms they carried the old flint musket and toma- hawk. They hunted, fished some, and made, maple sugar, using birch-bark troughs to catch and hold their sap, which they boiled down in brass kettles. These kettles had been so long in their possession that even the proverbial memory of the oldest In- dian was taxed in vain when asked to give an ac- count of how he got them or whence they came.
This township is well supplied with schools. In addition to the graded school in the village, there is one on section 12, one on section 2 1, and two in school district No. I. Two of the buildings are veneered with brick; the rest are frame.
The township is well watered by the Pigeon River, which meanders through it, and other little streams. The soil is a dark clay loam, easily tilled when cleared, and very productive. Settlers are constantly coming in, new lands are brought under cultivation, and new buildings are put up. The old farmers are improving their homes, and gradually bettering their financial condition.
The following is a list of the Supervisors from the organization of the township to the present time :
SUPERVISORS.
Alexander Wheeler, 1860-I
Francis Crawford, 1862-3
George Anderson, 1864
Francis Crawford, 1865-7
T. B. Woodworth, 1868-75
James Adams, 1876-82
George Cleaver, 1883
Gustave A. Flach, 1884
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Caseville.
HIS pretty little village is located on Sagi- naw Bay, at the mouth of Pigeon River. The residences and most of the business houses are built on the bluff, which is about 30 feet above the Bay. The Pigeon River, bordered by beautiful forest and shade trees, meanders gracefully through the town. It is in township 18 north, of range 10 east. It is 108 miles north and eight miles east of Detroit, 20 miles south- west of Point aux Barques, and 48 miles north of Saginaw River. There is a natural harbor here, with a depth of from to to 11 feet of water. It is con- sidered the best harbor north of Sand Beach. With a moderate expenditure of money it could be made one of the best harbors on the coast. There are two docks for the accommodation of steamboats and vessels, which come regularly, bringing goods and carrying away the products of the town and surround- ing country. Caseville has been recently supplied with another means of transportation, in the Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin Railroad, which was com- menced in 1881 and completed in 1883. The ter- minus of the road is at this place, with headquarters at Pontiac.
The first settlers were Reuben Dodge, wife and two children, who came in 1840, from Maine. He built a little cabin at the mouth of Pigeon River on sec- tion 35, and settled down in life, devoting himself to hunting, fishing and farming. Mr. Dodge is dead, but his widow is still living and resides in the village. The first child born here or in the township was their son, Reuben Dodge, Jr., who was also the first child born in the territory now embraced by Caseville Township.
In 1852 William Rattle, representing the interests of Leonard Case, of Cleveland, came and put up a saw-mill. The name then given to the town was Port Elizabeth, in honor of Mr. Rattle's wife. Mr. Case's interest here consisted of 20,000 acres of land. Mr. Rattle managed the business until 1856, when the Pigeon River property passed by purchase into the possession of Francis Crawford and George Mar-
tin, of Cleveland. At this time the nearest postoffice was Port Austin.
In 1858, Mr. Crawford purchased George Martin's interest, and has since made Caseville his home. The first hotel here was opened by Robert Squiers, in 1856, and was built at the head of what is now known as Main Street. Mr. J. W. Kimball carried the first mail into town, in 1858, bringing it from Port Austin. The first wedding celebrated in the village and the first in the township, was in 1855, the contracting parties being Moses C. Gregory, who located here in 1853, and Sarah Dodge. They now reside on section 1, where they have a fine, large farm, surrounded by a numerous family of worthy and affectionate children.
The first floating craft, other than a birch-bark Indian canoe, that landed at Caseville, was in the spring of 1853. It was the schooner "Ohio," Capt. John Armour commanding, who took on a cargo of shingle bolts for Cleveland.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
There are now five salt wells in the village and three salt blocks, one pan and two steam, all owned by Mr. Francis Crawford. In connection with these great enterprises, he manufactures lumber, shingles, lath and salt barrels for his own use. He also has a grist-mill, with two run of stone, a general supply store and a hardware store, keeping in this depart- ment all kinds of agricultural implements. The first salt well was opened in the spring of 1871, at a depth of 950 feet. Later it was sunk down 1,764 feet, the present depth. Recently the fifth well was opened at a depth of 1,850 feet. The annual pro- duction from the three salt blocks is from 40,000 to 50,000 barrels. The capacity is about 400 barrels daily. The saw-mill cuts out about 3,000,000 feet annually. In former years, they manufactured from seven to eight million feet. The timber is rafted or floated down the Pigeon River and brought by mail. The flouring mill, erected in 1870, was the first built in the township. The lumber manufactured now is principally pine, with some ash, oak and elm.
The Pigeon River salt and iron works were started in 1873 by Messrs. Edison, Sanford & Crawford. The furnace was moved from Black River, Ohio, and has a capacity of 30 tons of pig iron daily. The ore was shipped from Marquette and Escanaba. The works were run about a year, and then the blast
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