USA > Michigan > Isabella County > Portrait and biographical album of Isabella county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches > Part 57
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548
ISABELLA COUNTY.
portant. It crosses Rolland diagonally from the northwest to the southeast corner. The eastern branch of this river enters section 2 from Broomfield, and flows southeast into the main stream. Pine has two branches on the west,-the South Branch and Remick's Creek,-both of which rise in the western part, the former draining the central and the latter the southern section of the township.
The first settlers went into this town under the Homestead Act,-act of Congress of 1872. They were Grandison Norman, who took his location Jan. 9, 1863; Charles D). Robertson, Amos A. Norman, John Martin, Daniel W. Robinson, William B. Good- win, Paul Smith, S. E. Chapman, William Cowdrey, William M. Peterson, Daniel Doxsie, A. Sanderson, E. Geer and others. A number of colored people, who are industrious and enterprising, have located in this township, and are among its best settlers.
RoHand, formerly a part of Fremont Township, was organized Oct. 9, 1866, at the house of G. W. Stein; William M. Peterson, S. E. Chapman and Daniel Robinson were the Inspectors of the Election. The first grave was dug on section 6, near the center, and it contains the remains of Amos A. Nor- man (colored), who died of brain disease.
The first legal case in Rolland was before Stephen E. Chapman, Jr. The complaint was made by Amasa Wells, against his mother-in-law, for taking household goods and setting his wife against him. The old lady and two daughters, hearing of it, bar- ricaded the doors to prevent their arrest, but the con- stable secured them in the course of a few days. They were convicted and fined. Not paying the fine, " they were committed; but the constable, not having the means to pay the expense of taking them to jail, which was at Saginaw, had to let them go.
A proof of the rapid advance in educational matters is the large number of school-houses scattered over this township. These institutions of learning have taken the place of the little, old, log school-houses, and during the school sessions are filled with bright and intelligent pupils.
The first Sunday-school in this part of the county was organized in Rolland Township, and the first school-house built here was in 1876.
The incorporated village of Blanchard is a thrifty place located on section 18, on the Detroit, Lansing & Northern line of railroad. Bristol is a small ham-
let in the eastern part of the township, on Pine River.
Rolland, like all other towns in the county, has furnished many millions of feet of lumber. Numer- ous mills are rapidly thinning out the forests, and many of the farms are highly improved where ten years ago the dense forest stood. Energy and capital can accomplish wonders, and both are largely dis- played in some portions of this township.
The men who have been servants of the public in an official way are mentioned in this connection, space only being had for the
SUPERVISORS.
William M. Peterson 1867-72
Daniel Doxsie
1873-6
Stephen E. Chapman 1877-8
Peter Chapman
1879
Daniel Doxsie I 880-I
H. B. Blanchard 1882
S. D. Eldred 1883
Daniel Doxsie
1884.
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Vernon Township.
ernon Township lies in the extreme north- ern part of Isabella County, and is bounded on the north by Clare County, on the east by Wise, on the south by Isabella and on the west by Gilmore Townships.
The North Branch of the Chippewa River enters the township at the northwest corner of sec- tion 30, flows southeast, then southwest, entering Gilmore Township. The northwestern part is watered by Little Tobacco Creek and its tributaries. The creek rises in the western part of the township, in section 18, flows east and northeast into Clare Coun- ty. In the eastern part we find the West Branch of Big Salt River rising in the northeastern part, in sec- tion 11, flowing in a southeasterly direction and finally mingling with the waters of the North Branch of the Tittabawasee, in Wise Township. There are several less important streams, whose waters render the farming land of Vernon fertile and productive. Willow Lake lies in the western part, and its outlet is a branch of the Chippewa. A number of smaller lakes are scattered over the township, but none of them worthy of special mention.
549
ISABELLA COUNTY.
Vernon City is the only village of any pretensions, and it is in the northern part of the township, on the right bank of Little Tobacco Creek. Clare is really a part of Vernon City, although it is in Clare County. When the railroad was built, it followed the level land along the creek and the business was soon transferred to locations nearer the depot.
J. L. Markley, a German, was one of the early settlers, and the founder of Vernon City. He is wealthy and does business in real estate. The first house built in Clare was erected by A. A. Shaver, the County Treasurer. C. H. Sutherland, now President of the Village of Clare, was also one of her first set- tlers. J. C. Richardson, the Postmaster, has been an official of that village since its organization and is also numbered among the first comers. Henry Tre- vidick owns the largest drug-store in the place and does a large business. The first hotel in Clare was built by a man named Alger.
The township has but one railroad, the Flint & Pere Marquette.
It is said that Clare does more business for a town of the size than any one on the line of the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad, she having unlimited facil- ities for manufacturing lumber, and is also the center of a fine wheat-producing country.
On the 11th of June, 1866, the township of Ver- non was organized. Wm. Phinesy, Cornelius Bogan and James M. Stough were the Inspectors of the Election. The township consisted of 16 north, range 4 west, with a part of Clare, which has since been detached.
Numerous highways cross the township in all di- rections, and for a new country they are well graded. The Flint & Pere Marquette railroad crosses the northeastern corner.
The educational enterprise of the inhabitants has provided numerous school-houses and efficient in- structors for the rising generation of their township.
The vegetable productions of Vernon are choice tobacco and grains. Beets weighing 20 and turnips weighing 23 pounds, with 1,000 bushels to the acre, have been raised here. The magnificent forests of pine, hemlock and cedar have developed the lumber trade and formed one of the chief industries of the townships.
The names of the Supervisors, together with the terms each one has served, are as follows :
SUPERVISORS.
William Phinesey 1866-7
Elias Wheaton 1868-9
Cornelius Bogan 1870-2
E. S. Brown
1873
Cornelius Bogan
1874
D. J. Brewer
1875
Cornelius Bogan
1876
Frederick Fishley
1877-8
E. E. Willie 1879-80
E. S. Brown
1881
E. E. Willie 1882
Joseph Dixon
1883
Warren Wing
1884
Gilmore Township.
HIS township is numbered 5 west and 16 north, and was organized April 12, 1870. The first election was held at the house of Rufus F. Glass, who, with Jesse Wood and A. F. Albright, constituted the Judges of Election. Geo. M. Frary was largely interested in the business of buying and selling real estate at the time of organization, and did a great deal toward settling his township by persuading every stranger in quest of lands at least to look at the tracts he had for sale. Mr. Frary located the first tract of land taken in Gil- more for agricultural purposes.
A "trail " was opened through the woods from Mt. Pleasant to the lumber camps a few miles northwest, which road was known as "Willie's trail." Along this road, and on the farm now owned by Mr. Grimm, Henry Parkinson made the first permanent improve- ments in Gilmore. They consisted of a small log shanty and a clearing of a couple of acres, but it was a beginning nevertheless.
Asa and Fordyce Leonard were two of the earliest settlers, although a number of men came later dur- ing the same year.
Gilmore is a densely wooded district, and is now only partially developed, there being hundreds of acres of virgin forests inside her limits. The north branch of the Chippewa flows southeasterly through the townships, entering it on section 5 and passing out on section 24. The Chippewa River proper pass- es through section 36; and Lake Creek, which rises in Littlefields Lake, is a splendid stream. The lake
550
ISABELLA COUNTY.
is a pretty body of water covering several acres, which is visited by hunters and pleasure-seekers in large parties during the summer. Several smaller lakes picturesquely dot portions of the township, which is delightfully inviting during the summer. Game is abundant, and the sportsman who hunts in her woods, or travels the brook in the pellucid waters of the lakes and brooklets which abound, meets with gratifying success.
Agricultural products are somewhat limited, but the yield of wheat and oats average as high in Gil- more as in any other township in the county, acreage being considered. It is no small thing for fall wheat to yield from 30 to 35 bushels per acre, and other cereals equal that in proportion. The best indica- tions of the desirability of these lands is evident from the rapid rise in real estate during the past five years.
The gentlemen whose names appear below have served as Supervisors in this township.
SUPERVISORS.
Rufus F. Glass 1870-3
Jacob L. Fordyce
1874-6
P. H. Robbins
1877
Jacob L. Fordyce
1878
P. H. Robbins
1879
Jesse H. Wood
1880
H. A. Brubaker
1881-3
Benj. P. Mount
1884
Broomfield Township.
B ROOMFIELD Township is in the western part of Isabella County, and is bounded on the north by Sherman, on the east by Deerfield and on the south by Rolland Town- ships and on the west by Mecosta County. It is numbered 14 north and 6 west. The Chippewa River drains sections 2, 3 and 4 in the northern part. Indian Creek is a small stream rising in the southern part of Sherman Township, flowing southeast and emptying into the Chippewa. The East Branch of Pine River drains the entire southern portion, entering the western part at section 18, and, taking a southeasterly direction, flows through sec- tion 35 into Rolland Township. Hall's Lake spreads its clear waters over the corners of four sections,-
19, 20, 29 and 30. Its outlet is a small tributary of the East Branch of Pine River. The Twin Lakes are two beautiful little bodies of water nestling closely together in the southeast corner of section 18. A small rivulet connects the two, and, passing through the larger, flows on till it meets the East Branch of the Pine.
The settlers of this township are principally en- gaged in lumbering, and numerous lumber and log- ging camps are scattered over its surface. There are no towns of any importance.
March 3, 1866, the township of Broomfield was organized, bearing the name of one of its own citi- zens, Wm. Broomfield. The first meeting was held at E. Hall's lumber camp. Elijah Cole, J. Hutchin- son and Geo. L. Hitchcock were the Inspectors. The first settler in this township was Doraville Whitney, who came in the fall of 1860.
The first school-house was built on section 31, and Betsy Ruxton, who is now landlady at Remus, Me- costa County, taught the first school.
The first quarterly meeting was held in this same school-house, by Rev. F. B. Bangs, in 1866; but the first sermon preached in that section was by Rev. Aldrich, at the house of Wm. Broomfield,-the min- ister coming into the county barefooted! Hugh Al- ton furnished him a pair of boots to preach in, but kindly granted him the privilege of removing them from his feet before leaving the county.
The first marriage was that of Ithel Eldred and Mary Parrot.
Broomfield is, as yet, unprovided with railroad fa- cilities. There are two State roads. The Houghton Lake & Ionia Road crosses the western half, north and south, and the Big Rapids & Mt. Pleasant Road extends east and west across the northern portion of the townships.
The Supervisors of Broomfield have been men of integrity and good standing, as will be seen by the number of terms each one has served.
SUPERVISORS.
William Broomfield 1 868-76
L. C. Griffith 1877-8
William Broomfield 1879
L. C. Griffith 1880
John Hutchinson 1881
William Broomfield 1882-4
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ISABELLA COUNTY
Union Township.
NION Township was organized by the Board of Supervisors March 19, 1861. The In- spectors of Election were Hiram E. Sher- man, A. J. Goodsell and Albert G. Ferris. The first township election was held at a log school-house in District No. 1, where William Crowley now lives, on the first Monday of April, 1861. Langdon Bently was elected Supervisor.
Union is bounded on the north by Isabella, on the east by Chippewa, on the south by Lincoln and on the west by Deerfield Townships. It is numbered 14 north and 4 west. The principal river is the Chippewa, a beautiful stream which traverses the township from the southwest to its northeast bound- ary. Mission Creek is a small stream rising in the northwestern part, flowing east and emptying into the Chippewa.
Mt. Pleasant is the principal village of the town- ship. It is pleasantly situated on the Chippewa River on section 15, and is the terminus of the Saginaw & Mt. Pleasant Railroad. There are a number of saw-mills in the immediate vicinity of the town, giving employment to a large number of laborers. It is the center of trade for farm products, not only of this township, but of all the adjoining ones. The mercantile houses do a thriving business, and in a short time Mt. Pleasant will be one of the most important towns of Northern Michigan. Isa- bella City is next in importance and is located in the southeastern corner of section 3.
The first active representative of any religious society in this township was Elder Sheldon, of the Methodist denomination. The first sermon was delivered by him in the same school-house in which the first election was held. There are now a num- ber of fine churches, and almost every denomination is represented.
The first man who settled in Union Township was John M. Hursh, who, with his wife and six children, selected a homestead a half mile from Mt. Pleasant and located there in 1854. At one time provisions became so scarce that Mr. Hursh was compelled to hire two Indians to accompany him to Saginaw,
where they procured 100 pounds of flour, and returned to their settlement, carrying it the entire distance on their backs! Many days they had nothing on which to subsist but bread and water! St. John's was the nearest postoffice, it being 50 miles distant.
While Mr. Hursh was on his way to Union with his family, his brother-in-law was engaged in putting up a shanty for their protection when they came. The floor was earth, no windows, and a blanket served for a door. The roof was made of troughs. After paying the men who had aided them in their difficult journey to their new home, Mr. Hursh had just three cents left ; but with strong hands and will ing hearts they did not despair. It was two years before any one located within ten miles of the Hursh farm; then, Henry Sherman and family, and soon afterward Leonard Handy, joined the little band of pioneers. The sight of the newcomers and the pros- pect of having some neighbors made glad the hearts of the Hursh family. No formal or fashionable calls were made: on the contrary, they visited each other on alternate Sundays, always taking their stock along to prevent them from straying through the woods, which were so dense that it was almost impossible to find them if allowed to wander away from home.
The first school-house in the township was built of logs, in 1855, one and a half miles south of Mt. Pleasant. The school was taught by Elizabeth Gulick.
Succeeding years brought many settlers into the township, and it now ranks among the first in the county in agricultural interests. The productive character of its soil was a great induce.nent to own- ers of lands to clear away the dense forests. Lumber interests were for several years the chief industry, and many millions of feet have been taken from the acres which now rival in beauty and fertility any part of the State of Michigan.
Union Township has been represented by a large number of men as Supervisors, all but three of whom have served two or more terms. Their names follow, to which are affixed the years they served.
SUPERVISORS.
Langdon Bentley 1861-3
A. G. Ferris 1864
I. E. Arnold 1865
Alex. Brodie
1866
Milton Bradley 867
I). H. Nelson 1868
ISABELLA COUNTY.
552
Milton Bradley
1869
D. H. Nelson
1870
Daniel E. Lyon
1871
Alex. Brodie
1872-4
I. E. Arnold
1875-7
Charles M. Brooks
1778
John Maxwell
1879
W. W. Preston
1880-2
Charles M. Brooks
1883-4
Nottawa Township.
SABELLA County has a large acreage of valuable land, but in no part of it are there so many acres of splendid agricultural land in one body as are embraced in Nottawa Town- ship. This is still included in the Indian res- ervation, and most of the inhabitants are Indi- ans. Some of them are in good circumstances and are amassing a competency. The remnants of the Chippewa tribe who are not actively engaged in farm- ing, are a lazy, shiftless set, who eke out a scanty livelihood by hunting and trapping. Those of the tribe who live in the most primitive style and cling to their old superstitions are numbered among the resi- dents of Nottawa.
The township was named in honor of an Indian chief who bore the name. He was one of the most noble and honored men of his tribe, whose teachings were listened to with rapt attention by his people. He advocated honesty, industry and the Christian virtues, and by his own acts exemplified his precepts. His death occurred Oct. 10, 1881, and his loss was sincerely mourned not only by his own people but also by the whites as well. He had attained the advanced age of roo years, and until a short time before his death was quite an active man.
One of the Indian marriage customs still practiced among some of the race who live in Nottawa Town- ship, is as follows: The parents of the youth of either sex contract the marriage during the months of October and November. The affianced comes to the house of her future father in-law, and takes up her quarters there for six months previous to the date fixed upon for the marriage to take place. During this period, no conversation is indulged in between the young folks, although living in the same house
and sharing the same bed. The latter is arranged by the father-in law, by placing a log lengthwise of the bed, thus separating the parties (!), who after the six months' probation are declared man and wife by the chief of the tribe. Everything must be arranged through the mother-in-law, who acts as mediator between the young people. All the game killed by the young man during this term of court- ship, is dried by his mother and put away for future use. The hides and pelts taken in the chase during the same period, as well as all the maple sugar manufactured, are sold, and whisky and other re- freshments purchased therewith to be used at the marriage feast, which is made an occasion of great hilarity by the invited guests.
The township was organized in 1874, and the first election was held at Eli Ford's house in April, 1875. The Inspectors were John Hyslop, Michael McGee- han and Eli Ford.
The first white man locating in the town was Michael McGeehan, who was the first Supervisor. The second was Senator Alonzo T. Frisbee, who purchased half of section 16, and improved 200 acres of it in the best of style. Mason B. Dibble is also one of the first, and now the wealthiest men in the township, being possessor of 800 acres of the finest land, of which 400 acres are cleared and mostly under cultivation.
At the first election, only 33 votes were polled, 5 white and 28 Indian. The voting population is yet very light, but the township will soon become peopled with whites, the Government having already given virtual permission to the Indians to dispose of their lands should they see proper. Patents will issue from the proper authorities at an early date, and the lands which are now unoccupied will soon blossom like the rose. A beautiful lake, through which Cold- water River flows, covers the whole of section 30. It abounds in fish and water-fowl. The Coldwater, flowing through the western, and the Chippewa River the eastern, parts of the township, afford unlimited facilities for the transportation of the myriads of logs to the mills below.
Nottawa is numbered 13 north and 5 west, with boundaries on the north by Gilmore, the east by Isa- bella, the south by Deerfield and the west by Sher- man.
The following named gentlemen have represented Nottawa as
ISABELLA COUNTY.
553
SUPERVISORS :
Michael McGeehan 1875-6
Alonzo T. Frisbee 1877-8
Michael McGeehan 1 879
Fred Speck 1880
Phidelous Bennett 1881-2
Joseph T. Gachter
1883-4
Sherman Township.
HERMAN is very sparsely settled, and quite heavily wooded. There is one small vil- lage bearing the name of Sherman City, located partly on section 6 in Sherman, and section 31 in Coldwater Township. Here is located a postoffice and a few buildings, but the town has no commercial importance except as a convenient trading point for the farmer. Broomfield postoffice is located on section 27, at the junction of the Houghton Lake & Ionia State Road and the highway passing through the center of sections 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30. It is well watered by several creeks, which flow into the Chippewa, and but little atten- tion is paid either to stock-raising or agriculture, the lumber interest taking precedence of any other in- dustry.
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The township is numbered 13 north and 6 west, and is bounded on the north by Coldwater, on the east by Nottawa, on the south by Broomfield Town- ship and the west by Mecosta County. It was or- ganized Oct. 12, 1868, and the first election was held at the house of Cyrus Dunbar, who, with Milo T. Dean and Aaron Osborn, were Inspectors of Election. The first Supervisor was Wesley Ellis, who served in 1869. This township was named in honor of Gen. W. T. Sherman. The number of school-houses and children attending school in the township is given elsewhere, which shows the small number of inhabitants. Some very good farms and enterpris- ing men are to be found in Sherman, but it will be many years before the forests can be removed and the land brought under a thorough cultivation.
The names of the Supervisors are here given :
SUPERVISORS.
Wesley Ellis John C. Cohoon
1869
1870
Henry Woodin
1871-6
J. H. Tinker 1877-82
Henry Woodin 1883-4
Deerfield Township.
HE organization of this township was ef- fected Oct. 14, 1874. It is yet quite heavily timbered with excellent pine, hemlock and cedar, with here and there some bodies of splendid hard woods. The soil is a rich loam, mixed with sand and gravel in some localities, but highly productive.
The first settlers in this township were Melvin Beach, Walter Blount, F. E. Boyden, George D. Brown, William M. Peterson, Thomas Phillips, Jesse H. Robinson and Jacob Smith. All these men came with their families in 1874-5. From this date the population increased rapidly.
Although many acres of valuable lands are yet in a state of nature, the woodsman's ax is fast laying low the monarchs of the forest, and the plow is destined to become the magician whose touch transforms the bosom of her heretofore undisturbed soil into a para- dise whose fertility is a source of wonder to those who were accustomed to class Deerfield among the most desolate regions of Michigan.
The first election was held at the house of Joseph Brazee, April 5, 1875. Nine votes were polled, being sufficient to elect the several township officers. To- day there are over 200 registered voters, while nu- merous school-houses and substantial dwellings are seen on every hand.
The first religious services were held at the house of William M. Peterson, by Rev. Burlingame, an itinerant Methodist preacher.
Samuel Craft, the present Supervisor, came to this township in 1877, and his enterprise and business tact has made him a valuable accession not only to the community in which he resides but also to the county as well. His first coming to Deerfield was accidental, but his practiced eye saw the advantages to be derived from a location in a financial way; and as soon as possible after looking the county over, he purchased a quarter-section of land inside her boundaries.
Deerfield is well drained by both branches of the
ISABELLA COUNTY.
554
Chippewa and the Coldwater Rivers. These streams abound in fish, and the waters are as clear as crystal. Owing to the numerous springs in the bed of the Coldwater, the waters are cool and refreshing, even during the warmest weather. In the springtime, great numbers of logs are floated down to the large mill near the junction of the Coldwater with the Chip- pewa.
Deerfield has one small hamlet, located on section 7, with a store, hotel, etc. The place bears the de- scriptive title of "Two Rivers," being near the Chip- pewa and Coldwater Rivers. A postoffice will soon be established here, in compliance with a petition containing over 200 signatures of voters residing within three miles of the place.
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