(ilass. EUA r,<^ ■ ■ w\ : ^^^STO^i -OF- GENESEE COUNTY, l^XC:E3:XC3rJ^l ITS I=I?.01^IlTE3SrT Is^ElSr J^nSriD X=I02srEER.S. |j -ij \}(y(^/vJ^AA^j ^m^ 1880 PHILADELPHIA: EVERTS & ABBOTT. 1879. ■'^i-'f'?) VT n m :'i:^'±I^V.: ..^•^-o-f^.o; I) :• — :i i.> '^^ PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADtLPHIA. \5M p facing FAQE 1.30 140 144 152 156 160 168 172 176 178 179 17a \A0 181 182 181 186 18S 190 191 192 235 2;i6 236 238 240 247 248 249 219 Lewis 0. Medbury Edgar E. Stimson Stephen Jordan . The McNeil Family . Jonathan Frost . The Carpenter Family Jeremiah Narrin Henry French Ebenezcr French Daniel Cotcher . John Paton Thomas H. Kelland . .Andrew F. Sullon Alexander Barber Josiah Alger and family jMorgan Raldwin Peter Hempsted . Ebcnezer Bishop John L. Jennings John Slaght William I. Williams . Volney Stiles Henry II. Ilowland Samuel W. Alger .lohn Reid . Nathan W. Soldcn Chauncey L. Badgley John B. Cochran Lorenzo C. Fletcher . John Boyd . PAOE . 259 . 260 . 260 . 261 . 262 . 263 . 263 . 276 . 277 . 277 . 278 . 278 . 279 . 279 etween 282, 283 . 295 . 296 . 296 . 297 . 298 . 298 . 299 . 300 . .101 . 301 . 301 . 302 . 309 . 310 " . 311 CONTENTS. BIOGE^-A^IPHIIO^L. Lewis Lahring . William T. Jennings . David Brooks Richard Johnson William S. Pieison Henry D. Hunt . Henry B. Diller . George W. Hovey Simon King John Woollitt AValter Knickerbocker Henry Knickerbocker Whitman F. Clapp . Hiram H. Bardwell, M.D. The Atherton Family Pliny A. Skinner Daniel W. Richards . Ira Chase . John C. Wolverton Paul E. Traynor Peter Lennon Caleb Calkins Michael McEnrue James Penoyer . PAGE . 3U . 311 . 311 . 320 between 322, 323 32S, 329 332 332 332 333 333 333 333 333 :il8 351 351 352 353 363 363 363 364 364 facing Isaac Lyons Michael Donahoo James L. Curry . David S. Halsted Milton B. Stage . Crawford Barkley Frederick S. Taylor . Nahum N. Wilson Charles M. Bouttell . Jacob W. Sharick William Green . Franklin E. Dodge George Geiger, Jr. William H. Long Daniel F. Bennett Jacob Kurtz Henry Drudge . Amasa Carrier . Jacob AV. AVhite . Simeon R. Billings Frederick Olds . Cbauncey AV. Seeley . Sevmour W, Ensign, Sr PACE 365 366 377 377 378 390 391 .391 392 392 393 393 394 394 395 395 395 , 396 396 . 421 . 422 . 439 . 446 IXjIjTJSTI?/-A.TIOniTS. Outline Map of Genesee County (colored) Copy of the Surveyed Plat of Indian Reservations FLINT CITY. View of High -School Building . Portrait of John Todd Residence of J. W. Begole (doublc-])agc view) " J. B. Atwood Portrait of Hon. E. H. Thomson Stone's Woolen Mills (double-page view) Portrait of Cbauncey S. Payne . '* Grant Decker . Portraits of E. H. McQuigg and Wife " James Van Vleet '' " Elias J. Bump " Portrait of George Crocker Portraits of J. R. Chambers and Wife Portrait of George E. Taylor " Henry H. Crapo (steel) . " Alexander McFarlan (steel) " J. W. Begole " " G. M. Dewey " FLINT TOWNSHIP Portraits of Ira D. Wright and Wife " S. H. Webster and Wife *' Anson Gilbert " " Robert P. -A^itken '' " G. J. W. Hill FENTON TOWNSHIP. Portrait of Jerome Z. Fairbank .... ■' Seth C. Sadler .... Residence of G. W. Berryman (with portraits) . PACK facing S>> 24'- facing 119 — . 121 twccn 122, 123 ^ facing 126 — " / 130 between 136, 137 — facing »/i 40 " /144 " 1^152 " ^'156 " 1./ 160 " vl68 " \An " 1^176 " '' 179 " f 180 " ^181 " V 182 facing i/184 " V 186 " ' 188 . 191 . 192 between 234.J!35 234, 235 Residence of David McNeil (with portraits) " Joseph P. Cook ** the late Michael Ferguson Portraits of Simeon M. Perry and Wife " C. S. Thompson " ATtAS TOWNSHIP. Residence of the late Jonathan Frost (with purtr " John L. McNeil (with portraits) •' Stephen Jordan " " *' J. Karrin .... " Lewis 0. Medbury (double-page view) between 258, 259 ' " E. E. Stimson, with portraits (double-page view) between 260, 261 - " W. M. Cari>enter (double-page view) . " 262, 263 - PAGE facing 242 244 246 . 248 . 250 tniilf ) facing 251 252 254 " 256 GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP. Residence of Hon. A. P. Davis Portraits of Chas. D. Gibson and Wife " Silas D. Halsey '• ... 234, 235— facing 237 " ► 238 " /240 FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. Exchange Hotel ...... Residence of W. D. Penoyer " John Paton (with portrait.s) . ** William Schram . " T. H. Kelland " A. F. Sutton .... " James W. Graham (with portraits) Portrait of Henry French .... Residence of Daniel Cotcher (with portraits) Portraits of Ebenezer French and Wife Residence of the late Alex. Barber (with portraits) MIJNDY TOWNSHIP. Residence of A. W. Alger .... " Wm. R. Alger (with portraits) Portraits of Josiah and Josiah H. Alger . Residence of Wm. I. Williams (with portraits) " .John L. Jennings *' " Peter Hcmpsted '■ " C. L. Badgley (with portraits) Portrait of Morgan Baldwin " Ebenezer Bishop facing facing facing 264 j 264/^ 266^ 268.^ 270^ 272^, 274^ 276 277.^. 277 278 - facing 280, between 282, 283^ 282^283 facing 284- 286_ facing 288U-VjV\J 290- 295 297 CONTENTS. ZIjLTJSTI?.JLTI02''329 facing 330 -j between 332, 333 — " 332^33 I " 332, 333 i facing >/333 j 334— PAGE Portraits of P. Atherton, .1. C. Atherton, itinl S. R. Atherton , and Wife ........ facing 1/54S Residence of D. W. Richanls (with |iortniils) . . " 350 — Portraits of Ira Chase and \Vife ...... 353 facing 334 facing 342— " 344— 3461 •' 346,1 CLAYTON TOWNSHIP. Residence of Miihael .McEnroe . " Michael Donaboo . " Peter Lennon (with portraits) " PaulE.Traynoi '* James Penoyer Portraits of Caleb Calkins and ^Vifi- . Portrait of Isaac Lyons .... VIENNA TOWNSHIP. Residence of D. S. Halstcd .... " .Tames L. Curry (with portraits) . Portraits of Milton B. Stage and Wife THETFORD TOWNSHIP. Residence of N. N. Wilson (with portraits) " C. M. Bouttcll J. W. White ■' D. F. Bennett (with i)ortraits " Jacob W. .Sharick " " .J. G. Geiger *' " Crawford Barkley " F. S. Taylor . Portraits of Wm. Green and Wife Residence of Wm. H. Long " F. E. Dodge . " Henry Drudge Portraits of Amasa Carrier and Wife Residence of .Jacob Kurtz (with portraits) facii 35*' 356 — 358 — 3G0- /363 . 365 facing 367 — 377-- . 378 facing 379*. (double-page view) between 380, 381 - facing 382- " 384- " 386 - « 388- 4( 390 — facing .392 — 393 facing it 394,- 394- It 395— 396 facing 396 ^ RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. Residence of Hon. S. R. Billings . . . . Portraits of Frederick Olds and Wife FOREST TOWNSHIP. Portraits of Chauncey W. Seeley and Wife facing 421 422 439 CO U N T Y HANOE VIII CAST M AP OF RANGE V. EAST R^NSE VI. tAST LIVINGSTON COUNXr Michigan.- ENGRAVED EXPRESSLY" TOR THIS WORK- HISTORY OP GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. BY FRANKLIN ELLIS. CHAPTER L LOCATION AND NATURAL PEATXTRES OF GENESEE COUNTY. Genksee is an interior county of Michigan, situated in the southeastern part of the lower peninsula of the State ; its capital city, Flint, which is also nearly its territorial centre, being in latitude 4.3° 1' north, and longitude 83° 4' west ; distant sixty-four miles in a northwesterly direc- tion from Detroit, fifty miles east-northeast from the State capital, and sixty-six miles west from the outlet of Lake Huron, by the customary routes of travel. The counties which join this and form its several boundaries are, Saginaw and Tuscola on the north, Lapeer and Oakland on the east, Oakland and Livingston on the south, and Shiawassee and Saginaw on the west. The limits of Genesee include eighteen townships of the United States survey, sixteen of which (being Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 north, in ranges 5, 6, 7, and 8 east) lie together in form of a square ; and the two remaining townships (5 north, of ranges 5 and G east) join the square, upon the west half of its south line. Thus the aggi-egate area is nearly 415,000 acres. More than three-fourths of this area, embracing all the central and western parts of the county, is underlaid by the vast coal measures, which occupy a space of nearly seven thousand square miles in the centre of the lower peninsula ; comprehending, besides Genesee, the counties of Saginaw, Shiawassee, Clinton, Ionia, Mont- calm, Gratiot, Isabella, and Midland, and the greater part of Tuscola, Ingham, Eaton, and Day, with considerable por- tions of Livingston and Jaek.son. " Over nearly the whole of this extent of country, the [coal] measures will be found productive." This is the prediction made by Dr. Alexander Winchell, State Geologist, in his " Report of the Progress of the Geological Survey of Michigan," made to Governor Wisuer, in December, 1860 ; from which document is also extracted the following, having reference to Genesee County : " Between Ingham and Genesee Counties the boundary of the coal formation has not been traced. In the southwest- ern part of the town.sliip of Mount Morris, and contiguous portions of Flushing, in the latter county, according to the observations of Dr. Miles, the shales and sandstones of the coal measure.'^ make numerous outcrops. On the south- east quarter of section 2(J, Flushing, the following section is observed iu the bank of the Flint River: 2 ".Superficial materials 4 feet. Black shale, containing Linguia, Chroiietefi S'liithiij Proditclits Afiperu«f and Spirifer Camerntns Z feer. Sandstone, tinged with iron 7 inches. Shale* 1 foot. Sandstone 'A inches. Shale to surface of water 10 inches. " A short distance west of here the section is seen to be extended upwards by the superposition of seven inches of sandstone and five feet of an overlying shale. The bed of the river here is covered by a somewhat undulating and shattered gray sandstone, which is considerably quarried for building. At a point on the northeast (|uarter of section 35, Flushing, a sandstone was seen to attain a thickness of about twelve feet, in an excavation made by Mr. Miles. " On the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 22, Flushing, a shaft was sunk on the farm of A. J. Brown, of which the following account was obtaiued : "Superficial materials 14 feet. Sandstone, below, bluish, gritty 8 " Coal 2i inches. 'Horseback Claystone' (lilackband) 2 feet. Same with kidney iron-ore 2 " Shale 5 " Sandstone and «'«// i(!((fer 3 " Shale i " ' Black hard stone,' combustible 4 " While' fire-clay 2 " Hard white sandstone 2 " Darker sandstone unknown. Striped sandstone 3 feet. ^ Shale unknown. ' Coalblaze,' with bands of iron-ore 11 feet. " A small hole was bored from this point to a depth of twelve feet in the last-named material, making the whole depth attained eighty-three feet. The work seems to have been directed by ' Prof Challis.' The shaft is now filled with salt water. " Coal crops out at numerous places in the vicinity. It is said sometimes to show a thickness of two or three feet at the outcrop, but soon thins out. " Mr. Patton. on the cast side of the river, near the south line of section 22, made an excavation for coal, and found a seam eighteen inches thick, which is tolerably hard. The sandstone taken from the quarry above Flushing is a pale bluish rock, abounding in scales of white mica, ferruginous streaks, pyrites, carbonaceous streaks and curls, and much oblique lamination. What is quite remarkable, I .saw in a block of this stone, in the vault of the bank, in Flint, a long club of fibrous talcosc slate, a mineral said to occur in con- siderable abundance. This rock does not answer to the 9 10 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. characters of the Woodville sandstone at any point where its identity is undoubted, and I am induced to regard it as a sandstone included in the coal measures. If it is so, this is the only instance within my knowledge where any of the included sandstones have attained sufficient development to be worked. It is likely, liowevcr, that the gray, homo- geneous, fine, gritty, faintly-banded sandstone, found within a mile or two of the city of Lansing, will be found to hold the same position. Sandstone— not unlikely the Woodville sandstone— is found outcropping in the township of Mont- rose, on the borders of Saginaw County." The centre of the great coal measures of the lower penin- sula falls nearly on the boundary between Gratiot and Sai;inaw Counties, and it is only their southeastern edge which falls within the county of Genesee. Next east of these appears the belt of the Parma sandstone, which traverses the entire eastern side of the county from south to north ; and nest is found the belt of carboniferous lime- stone, which extends only a short distance into tw-o or three of the townships in the southeastern corner. Very few geo- logical developments have been made in the county, and the student of the science finds little here of sufficient interest to reward research or exploration. Genesee County lies entirely within the Saginaw Valley, upon a slope which has a general inclination towards the northwest. The greatest altitude is at the southeast corner of the county, it being there about four hundred feet above Lake Huron, and about nine hundred and eighty feet above the sea. From that point the descent is gradual and regu- lar (leaving out of account the surfoce undulations) to the extreme northwest corner, where the altitude is but about fifty feet above the lake. At the northeastern and southwestern corners of the county the elevation is nearly the same, being about two hundred and fifty feet above Huron. All the waters of the county find their outlet to the lake through the channel of the Saginaw Kiver. The principal stream of Genesee is the Flint River,* which, taking its rise in the east and northeast, in the counties of Tuscola, Oakland, and Lapeer, comes from the last-named county into Genesee across its eastern boundary, north of the cen- tre, and, flowing thence in a grand irregular sweep or curve for a distance of nearly fifty miles within the county, passes out across its northern border, and then on through Saginaw County to its junction with the Shiawassee. lu its^course through Genesee the Flint River flows first in a general southwesterly course to a point near the geograph- ical centre of the county, where it turns abruptly towards the northwest, and continues in that general direction until it has approached to within about three miles of the west boundary ; then turns, and flows in a general course nearly due north to the place of its exit, which is about two and a half miles east of the northwest corner of the county. Of the tributary streams which Genesee gives to the Flint, » The Indian name of this stream was Pcicomymhik, or, as it has sometimes been written, I',:mmn„l-c„in,/. which, being translateil, means "River of the Flint" (literally, "River of the Fire St.me"), from which came its name in English. Among the early French traders and courenr, (/c» huU it was Ivnown as " Riviere dala Pierre," this having nearly the same signification. the most important are Kearsley Creek and Thread River, both of which come from a number of small lakes in Oak- land County ; both enter Genesee near its southeast corner, and flow northwestwardly in very tortuous courses to near its centre, where they unite with the main river; the Thread being augmented a short distance above its conflu- ence with the Flint by the waters of Swartz Creek, which also takes its rise in numerous lakes in Oakland and in the southwest part of Genesee County, and flows north and northeast to its junction with the larger stream. The tributaries above mentioned all enter the Flint through its left bank. The principal of those entering from the opposite side are Butternut Creek, which comes in from the northeast corner, and Armstrong Creek and Brent's Run, which are wholly in Genesee, and enter the river in the northwesternmost township. Pine Run has its sources in the northern part of this county, but enters the Flint several miles below, in Saginaw. A large number of lakes are found within the county, chiefly in its southern and eastern parts. Among those which lie in the two southernmost townships are Long, Silver, Crooked, Pine, iMud, Lobdcll, Sciuaw, McKane, Bass, McCaslin, Hibbard's, Loon, White's, Byram, Murray, Day's, Thompson's, Myers, Ball, and Openconic Lakes, with a large number of smaller ones, all beautiful sheets of pure, limprd water. Most of these contribute to swell the waters of the main stream and several branches of the Shiawassee River, which flows westwardly for several miles through this part of Genesee, then passes into and across Shiawassee County on its way to join its current with those of the Flint, the Cass, and the Tittabawassee. In the extreme northeast corner of Genesee (and extend- ing across the line into Lapeer County) is Otter Lake, which is aie source of Butternut Creek. At more southerly points on the east line of the county are Potter and Hasler Lakes, both of which are also partly in Lapeer. The latter dis- charges its waters through Hasler Creek into the Flint, and the former is the source of Black Crock, a tributary to the Kearsley, which is also partially supplied by Neshina- guac Lake, near the southeast corner of the county. Buell's Lake, near the northern border, is the head of Perry's Creek, which flows north and joins the Cass River in Tus- cola County. The surface of Genesee can nowhere be termed hilly, but is generally undulating, though flattening- considerably towards the northwest. The parts which are most rolling were originally covered with open forests, principally of oak, which w^ere (and still are, where they remain) called " oak openings." The more level portions were generally covered with a" denser and heavier forest, composed of oak, elm, hickory, beech, maple, ash, and a variety of other woods, interspersed in many places with pine of large growth and excellent quality, which, by its manufacture into lumber, has added largely to the wealth of the county. The soil of the rolling country is a sandy or gravelly loam ; that of the flatter lands is intermixed with clay and less friable, but in nearly every part very productive and well adapted for the requirements of the farmer. In agriculture Genesee stands in the foremost rank among the counties of the State. THE WHITE MAN'S PEEDECESSORS IN THE SAGINAW VALLEY. 11 CHAPTER IL THE WHITE MAN'S PREDECESSORS IN THE SAGINAW^ VALLEY. Ancient Mounds ami Relics — The S.iuks. and their Expulsiou by the Chippcwas — Early Indian Traders — Jaeub Smith. ANCIENT MOUNDS AND RELICS. In luindrods of different localities in Micliigan, and, in- deed, through all or nearly all the States l3'iiig between the AUeghanies and the Mississippi, there have been found in- disputable evidonce.s that, centuries before the advent of the white man into this western land, its vallej's and hills and forests had been inhabited by tribes, or nations of people, who were either the remote ancestors of the later Indians who were found in occupation, or, perhaps, of a race which is now extinct and unknown. Many such evidences were found by the early settlers in Genesee County (as in every other part of the Saginaw Valley), chiefly in the form of ancient mounds of earth, which ap- peared to have been constructed for purposes of sepulture, as in nearly or quite every instance the}' were found to eon- tain human bones, — sometimes sound and well preserved, but oftener in a condition of such friability that the lightest touch, or even exposure to the air, reduced them to fine powder ; the latter circuiu.stance seeming to indicate a very ancient period of inhumation. And with these were some- times found rude implements and parts of warlike weapons, which may or may not have been significant of the rank or consequence of the person with whom they were buried. Instances are mentioned as having been noticed in the county, where the bones found were of unusually large size ; one of these ca.ses being that of a colossal skeleton, which was discovered some two or three feet below the sur- face, and was disinterred by workmen engaged in construct- ing a road across Crane's Cove, on the west side of Long Lake, in the fall of 1877, and another instance in the east part of the county, where a number of skeletons (also of very large size) were found buried in a circle directly be- neath the stuiup of a gigantic pine-tree of the oldest growth ; but in both these cases the finding of the bones was wholly accidental, as there was no mound or other sur- face-mark to indicate the places of burial. Many of the ancient mounds discovered in Ohio, Illi- nois, and other States seem to have been intended as de- fensive works; and in their construction, as well as in the material and finish of the iniplemenls, pottery, and weapons iuund within them, there appears the work of a people who, in enlightenment, engineering, and mechanical skill, must have been very far in advance of the later Indians to whom we are accustomed to apply the name of aborigines. IJut the pre-historic works found in Genesee County were not of this class; they were in every case (it is believed) simjily sepulchral mounds, inclosing the bones and relics of a race that may have been identical with that which the first white settlers found in possession of the soil. There appears to have been nothing in the construction of the mounds, or in the mechanism or material of the implements discovered here, to compel a belief that either were the work of a superior people. That any race of men different from the Indian ever had a home in the valley of the Saginaw is only rendered probable from the disclosure of skeletons, represented to have been of unusual size ; and it is not impo.ssible that even this peculiarity (in the absence of actual measurement) may have been unintentionally ex- aggerated on account of the atmosphere of myster)' and romance which surrounded their discovery. They may have been the remains of ToUec or Aztec mound-builders, or they may have been those of the ancestors of Pontiac or Tecuniseh. It is a question which can never be satis- factorily settled, and which, beyond the facts of the dis- covery of the tumuli AixA^ their mysterious contents, is not properly within the scope of this history. THE SAUKS AND TUEIR EXPULSION BY THE CIIIPPEWAS. When the first white explorers penetrated this wilderness region, they found it peopled by bands of both the Chip- peica and Ottawa nations of Indians, though the former were by ftir the more numerous here, and have generally been mentioned in Indian history, and recognized in all subsequent treaties as the original proprietors of the eoun- tr}' bordering on the Saginaw and its tributaries, and of the vast territory stretching away from thence northwestwardly to Lake Superior. According to their own traditions, however (which, in this particular, are supported to some extent by authentic history), their proprietorship was of but comparatively recent date. They said that, within the memory of some of their old men, all these streams and woods and hunting-grounds, this Indian paradise of fish and deer and beaver, was the home and pos- session of the Saitks and Onottoways (a kindred people), who lived near together in neighborly amity, and, both being strong and valiant tribes, and confederated for mutual de- fense, they felt perfectly secure in their fancied ability to hold their country against all invading enemies. The Sau/.s were the more numerous, and occupied the valleys of the Tittabawassee, the Flint, and the Shiawassee, their domain extending as far south as the head-waters of the latter stream, along the present southern boundaries of Shiawas- see and Genesee Counties. The Onottoioays lived in the valley of the Onottoway-Sebewing, or Ca.ss River, and had their principal village a few miles above the mouth of that stream, nearly where is now the village of Bridgeport Cen- tre, and where, as late as 1840, a large earthen work was still visible, though whether built by these people' or by their successors, the Cltippewas, is, of course, a matter of doubt. The chief village of the SaiiLi was on the west side of the Saginaw River, opposite where Portsmouth now .stands ; but they had other small villages or encamp- ments at different points on the rivers, and as far up as the lakes of Genesee and Livingston Counties. Both these tribes appear to have possessed warlike traits, and were not only disposed to hold and defend their own country, but sometimes engaged in aggressive expeditions against the tribes whose country adjoined theirs on the north and south, which tribes, as a consequence, both feared and hated them. Particularly was this the case with the OJibways (C/iij/pewus), who then inhabited a region far away to the north, bordering on the lakes, — Michigan, Huron, and Superior. This nation had for years coveted the teeming hunting-grounds of the Sait/cs, and it had long 13 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. been a cherished project with them to conquer and extermi- nate the prosperous tribes who held the Saginaw Valley, and the country stretching thence, for many a league, towards the north and west. But they dreaded the power and prowess of their enemies, and this consideration held them in check until their ambitious desires could be controlled no longer, and, at last, they determined to attempt the execution of the plan of invasion and conquest which they had so long secretly entertained. To this end they held council with the Otidwas of the north (whose country was contiguous to their own), and sent messengers to the southern Oltawiis (whose domain lay along the northern border of that of the Pottawallamies), asking them to join in an expedition for the humiliation of the Sauks and Onottowai/s and the occupation of their hunting-grounds. The proposition was favorably received, the league was formed, and the confed- erated bands set out on the war-path with great secrecy, hoping to take their enemies by surprise, — a hope that was fully realized. As to the manner in which the attack was made, the traditional accounts differed to some extent ; but that which seems the most complete and reasonable was nearly as fol- lows : The invaders entered the country of the doomed tribes in two columns, — one, composed of the southern Olta- was, coming through the woods from the direction of De- troit, and the otlier, made up of the Chlppewas and north- ern Ot/dwas, setting out in canoes from Mackinaw, proceed- ing down along the western shores of Lake Huron and the bay of Saginaw, paddling by night, and lying concealed in the woods by day. When the canoe fleet reached a point a few miles above the mouth of Saginaw River, half the force was landed; and the remainder, boldly striking across the bay in the night-time, disembarked at a place about the same distance below the mouth of the Saginaw. Then, in darkness and stealth, the two detachments glided up through the woods on both sides of the river, and fell upon the un- suspecting Suk/cs like panthers upon their prey. The principal village — situated on the west side of the river — ■ was first attacked ; many of its people were put to the tom- ahawk, and the remainder were driven across the river to another of their villages, which stood on the eastern bank. Here they encountered the body of warriors who had moved up on that side of the river, and a desperate fight ensued; in which the Sauks were again routed, with great loss. The survivors then fled to a small Lsland in the Sagi- naw, where they believed themselves safe, at least for the time, for their enemies had no canoes in the river. But here again they had deluded themselves, for in the follow- ing night ice was formed of sufficient strength to enable the victorious Chippetcas to cross to the island. This oppor- tunity they were not slow to avail themselves of, and then followed another massacre, in which, as one account says, the males were killed, to the last man, and only twelve women were spared out of all who had fled there for safety. So thickly was the place strewn with bones and skulls of the . massacred Sauks, that it became known as Skull Island.* * Mr. Ephraim S. Williams, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of Flint, but formerly of Saginaw City, verifies this state- ment. He has often visited the island in earlier years, and has seen numbers of skulls exhumed from its soil. After completing their bloody work on the Saginaw, the invading army was divided into detachments, which severally proceeded to carry destruction to the villages on the Shiawassee, Tittabawa.ssee, Cass, and Flint Rivers. Meanwhile, the co-operating force of Ottawas, coming in from the south, struck the Flint River near its southern- most bend, and a desperate battle was fought between them and the Sauks, upon the blufl" bank of the river, about a half-mile below the present city of Flint. Here the Sauks .suffered a severe defeat, and retreated down the river to a point about one mile above where the village of Flushing now is ; and there another battle was fought,"!" as bloody and disastrous as the first. Still another deadly struggle took place on the Flint, a little north of the present bound- ary between Genesee and Saginaw Counties ; and on this field, as on the others, the bones of the slain were found many years afterwards. Equally murderous work was done by the bands which scoured the valleys of the Shiawassee and the Cass, and everywhere the result was the same, — the utter rout and overthrow of the Sauks, only a miser- able remnant of whom made their e-scape, and, finally, by some means, succeeded in eluding their relentless foes, and gained the shelter of the dense wilderness west of Lake Michigan. J After the Sanks had been thus utterly crushed, and their villages destroyed, the victorious allies did not imme- diately settle in the conquered territory, but held it as a common ground for the range of their hunting-parties. After a time they found that some of the young men who went out with those parties did not return, and could never be heard of, and then it became their firm belief that the dim recesses of these forests were haunted by the spirits of the murdered Sauks, who had come back to their former hunting-grounds to take vengeance on their merciless de- stroyers. And the result of the belief (so said the tradi- tion) was that they abandoned this inviting region, and for years their hunters and fishermen avoided its haunted woods and streams, although the thickets swarmed with game and the waters were alive with fish. No one can say how long their superstitious terrors pre- vailed, but it is certain that they were overcome at last, and the Cliippewii and (.>ltaica tribes built their lodges in the land which their bloody hands had wrenched from its rightful possessors. Those who came to the valley of the Saginaw, however, were principally CItippcwas, and from that time the Indian inhabitants of this region were known as the Saginaw tribe of the Chippewa nation. They possessed all the characteristics of the parent stock, and^ until they were overawed and cowed by the power of the whites, they showed a disposition as fierce and turbulent as that of their kindred, the Ojlhways of Lake Superior, f At both these places were found a number of mounds covering human bones. These were visible within the past few years, and have been seen by many persons now living in the county. X One of the Indinn accounts of this sanguinary campaign was to the ciTect that no Siiuh or Oitoitoicay warrior escaped; that of all the people of the Saginaw Valley not one was spared except the twelve women before mentioned, and tliat these were sent we&tward and placed among the tribes beyond the Mississippi. This, however, was unquestionably an exaggeration made by the hoa&tful Cfiippeirtie ; and it is certain that a part of the Saiik« escaped beyond the lake. THE WHITE MAN'S PEEDECESSOES IN THE SAGINAW VALLEY. 13 who massacred the garrison of Fort Michiliniackinac, in 1763. The country of the Sayinaws was then an ahnost inac- cessible fastness, and from this their warriors continually forayed against tlie unprotected settlements on the Detroit, St. Clair, and Huron Rivers; and many were the scalps and captives which they brought back from these hostile expeditions. They joined the Indian league which was formed in 17SC in the interest of the British, for the purpose of destroying the American settlements and driv- ing them beyond the Ohio River, and they took part with the other tribes in the ho.stilitics which continued untih checked by the victorious campaign of General Anthony Wayne. Again, when the Shaic! white children, and that most of the names purporting to be those of his Indian children were, in fact, the names of his white children, which the Indians — who wore in the habit of frequenting his house — had given to them. To guard against the consequences of this attempt, I therefore inserted in the article providing for these reservations a clause confining them to persons of Indian descent. I have an in- distinct recollection that one young girl was spoken of as the Indian daughter of Smith, hut cannot remember her name. I know Louis Beaufait and Henry Connor well; they were both at the treaty of Saginaw, and they arc very honest men, in whoso statements full confidence may be placed. (Signed) " Lkwis Cass." 28 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICFIIGAN. holding under the Smith heirs) was removed by ch:inge of venue to tlio Circuit Court of Oakland County, and came to trial there in September, 1860. The testimony here was the same as at the trial of four years before in Genesee, except that the defendant introduced, in addition, that of Mr. Le Parle, of Monroe, and Jean Baptists Trudell, of Bay County, which was very strong in confirmation of the other evidence for the defense. Testimony for the plaintiff, given by several Indian and half-breed witnesses, was suc- cessfully impeached, and a verdict was rendered for the defendant. The plaintiff had urged, as a principal argument in favor of the change of venue, that a fair trial could not be had in Genesee County, fur the reason, not only, that many individuals there were interested in sustaining the Smith title, becau.sc holding under it, but also that a large majority of the people of Flint were favorable to it, in the belief that its overthrow would be detrimental to the interests of the city. The case, therefore, having been tried at a dis- tance from all such alleged influences, was regarded as a test ease, and the verdict was a final decision in favor of the Smith title to the five reservations numbered from two to six inclusive. Protracted litigation resulted also from a controvcr,sy concerning the title to reservation eight, which was allotted in the survey of 1820 to Mokitchenoqua. This Indian name was claimed (justly, as it afterwards appeared) by Elizabeth Lyons, a half-breed daughter of Archibald Lyons,* an Indian trader. She was one of three girls, or women, all half-breeds, who at different times laid claim to the reservation, and who received from the register and receiver of the land-ofiice at Detroit, certificates of iden- tification, as Mokitchenoqua, the rightful rescrvee under the treaty. The certificate to Elizabeth was obtained Aug. 2, 1824. The nest claimant was Marie Lavoy, who ob- tained a certificate of identity Feb. 7, 1827 :f and the last was Nancy Crane (wife of Alexander D. Crane), formerly Nancy Smith, a reputed daughter of Jacob Smith. She received her certificate July 22, 1831. This was endorsed and coDfirmed by the Commissioner of the General Land- Office at Washington, Aug. 5, 1835, and on the 7th of March, 1840, a patent was issued for the section of land " to Mokitchenoqua, alias Nancy Crane, wife of Alexander s "Archie Lyons was a trustworthy agent of the Messrs. Williams [Gardner D. and Ephraiiu S. Williams, traders at Saginaw, and on the Tiltabawasseo], whose history is identified with the Saginaw Valley prior to the treaty. He was a fine penman, well educated, and a musician of no little skill. lie was located at the Little Forks of the Tittabawassee (Midland City), and in coming down from that point on the ice upon skates for the purjiose of jdayiug the violin for a dancing-party at Saginaw ho was drowned. His track was found on the ice the nest day, to the edge of the hole into which he had skated, leaving no doubt as to his fate." — Hon. C. P. Accry. t Soon after the issuance of this certificate to JIarie Lavoy, a council was held at Saginaw by Chippewa chiefs, who certified before Col. Stanard (a justice of the peace), and in presence of Archibald Lyons, that they had, at the treaty, reserved a section of land at the Flint River for Mokitchenonua, the daughter of Lyons. This was testified to by Antoinc Gampau at one of the trials which subsequently grew out of her claim. Not long .after this Lyons was drowned in the Tittabawassee, but the above-mcutioned fact proves that while living he recognized her claim to lands on the Flint (and not at l!ig Koctk on the Shiawassee), and that he took measures to establish it. D. Crane, formerly Nancy Smith." In the mean time (June 30, 1835), she had united with her husband in a release of all their interest in the lands to Maj. John Garland. The interest of Elizabeth Lyons was conveyed by her on the 4th of April, 1838, to Gardner D. Williams and Kintzing Pritchette, who, in February, 1840, brought an action of ejectment against T. B. W. Stockton and Chauncey S. Payne, occupants of the section under title conveyed to them from Maj. Garland. Four months later (June 11, 1840), Stockton and Payne filed a bill in chancery, praying that Williams and Pritchette be restrained from prosecuting their action of ejectment, and decreed to release their claim to the premises. Associated with these as defendants were Calvin Smith, Thomas J. Drake, and Elizabeth Lyons; Nancy Crane having on the 10th of February, 1837, joined with her husband in a conveyance of two-thirds of her interest in the section to Messrs. Smith and Drake, who were charged with notice of the deed of the same interest to Maj. Garland, made twenty months before. This case was tried before Chancellor Manning in Feb- ruary, 1843. In the testiuion}', as reviewed by the Chan- cellor, there were but few points of general interest. Henry Connor, the interpreter at the treaty, testified that he did not know of any reservation being made for Elizabeth Lyons. Robert A. For.syth, who drafted the treaty, said he thought that the name of Mokitchenoqua was among those handed in by Jacob Smith to be inserted as reservees. Louis Beaufait, interpreter at the treaty, said that Jacob Smith, a few months after the treaty, showed him a list of names of those for whom he had obtained each a section of land, and he thought that among them was Mokitche- weenoqua. Cecil Boyer (a woman) was at the treaty, and heard there that a reservation had been made at the Grand Traverse of the Flint for Mokitcheweenoqua, who, she believed, was Jacob Smith's only child of Indian descent. She had also heard that Elizabeth Lyons had a tract reserved for her at Shiawassee. Eshtonaquot, alias IMacons, testified strongly in favor of the claim of Nancy Smith, but admitted that he did not know that Mr. Smith had ever claimed more than one section under the treaty. The testimony for the defense was much stronger. Rose Campau said that Elizabeth Lyons had been brought up in her family in Detroit, and had frequently been visited there by her Indian relatives, who always called her Mokitcheno- qua, and that she had often heard them say that a section had been reserved for Elizabeth by the treaty. Josette Knaggs, widow of Whitmore Knaggs (who was chief in- terpreter at the treaty), testified that her husband had told her, on his return from the council at Saginaw, that a .sec- tion of land had been given to Elizabeth Lyons. She had also heard the same from Indians of the tribe, and from the half-breeds, Peter and James Riley. An important witness lor the defense was Rufus W. Stevens, a prominent and most respectable citizen of Gen- esee County. He testified that he had been told by Jacob Smith that section 7 hal been reserved for Edouard Cam- pau, section 8 for Archibald Lyons' daughter, and others for his (Smith's) children, on the north side of the river, but that he made no claim for them to lands on the south side of the river. Louis Moran testified that when, on one INDIAN RESERVATIONS ON FLINT RIVER. 29 occasion, lie had inquired of Jacob Smith as to the owner- ship of certain lands at the Flint, the latter replied that it was a section wiuch had been reserved for Archibald Lyons' daughter by the treaty. John Baptist Trudell said lie was present at the treaty; that all the chiefs told him at the time that Lyons' daugh- ter had land reserved for her; that Jacob Smith, while he resided at the Flint, told him that Lyons' daughter had a section of land there on the opposite side of the river ; that he (Smith) spoke of this a number of times, and only a short time before his death. Nearly the same facts were testified to by Peter Whitmore Knaggs (who was at the treaty) and by several others. The chancellor, in reviewing the testimony, said in effect that he did not consider that adduced by the complainants to be entitled to much weight, and that the preponderance of evidence was decidedly in favor of the defense. The facts testified to for the defense by Rufus W. Ste- vens, Louis Moran, and J. B. Trudell, concerning Jacob Smith's frequent admissions that his children claimed no reservations on the south side of the river, were held by the chancellor to be most important. In reference to these he said: "The repeated declarations of Smith after the treaty that there was a section reserved at the Flint for Lyons' daughter is almost conclusive of itself He claimed five sections at that place, under the treaty, for himself or children, and took possession of them, but he never claimed section 8. No one, perhaps, was more anxious to secure personal advantage by the treaty, or knew better for whom reservations were made, than Smith himself" The court, therefore, refused to decree the release of the defendants' claims, and the bill was dismissed. The com- plainants then appealed the case to the Supreme Court, where it was tried at the January term in 1845, resulting in a decision affirming the decree of the Court of Chancery. Upon this decision, Williams and Fritchette proceeded with their ejectment suit, and in due time it was brought to trial. The evidence adduced by them here was the same as in the previous trials, but it did not prove sufficiently strong and convincing to establish the claim of Elizabeth Lyons. The decision was in favor of Messrs. Stockton and Payne, and this was a final .settlement of the case. Reservation No. 1 has also been the subject of long and vexatious controver.sy at law between opposing parties, each of whom claimed to hold under the true Tawcumegoqua, for whom the section was reserved by the treaty, and to whom it was allotted in the survey of 1820. One of the persons — for whom it was claimed that she was the true reservee of this section — was a half-breed daughter of the before-mentioned French trader, Bolieu, by his full-blood Indian wife. This girl was named in French Angeliquc, but in Cliippcioa Tawcumegoqua. At the age of about twelve years she was sent to the white settlements at or near Detroit, and there partially educated. Ou at- taining womanhood she married a Frenchman named Cou- tant, and settled near Connor's Creek, in Uamtramck, Wayne Co., where she continued to reside (living after the manner of the French inhabitants of the in-ighborhood) during the remainder of her life. By her marriage with Coutant she had two children, — a son and dau";hter. After his death she married Jean Baptiste St. Aubin, but by him had no children. At the time when the treaty of Saginaw was made she was fully forty years of age, and about eight years later she died, leaving her two children, Simon and Angeli(|ue Coutant, as her sole heirs-at-law. Both these children married, the husband of Angelique being Nicholas Chauvin. It appears that IMadam Coutant (otherwise St. Aubin) had claimed to be the owner of the reservation in question, and that after her death her heirs made the same claim, though neither had had actual possession or had taken any legal steps to secure it. But on the 17th of October, 1833, Simon Coutant and his wife Marie conveyed all their in- terest in the seclion, by deed, to Joseph Campau, of Detroit, for the consideration of four hundred and eiglity dollars ; and on the 18th of the same month, Nicholas Chauvin and his wife (formerly Angelique Coutant) conveyed all their interest in the tract, by deed, to the same grantee. Subse- quently (June 24, 1839) these transactions were confirmed by a deed from the same parties to Campau, who, about the same time, took possession by the placing of one or more tenants upon the tract. On the 2(jlh of February, 1845, a patent for the section was issued to Mr. Campau, in pur- suance of the authority conferred by act of Congress, approved June 15, 1844. The other claimant to the reservation, under the name of Tawcumegoqua, was a fuII-blood Chi'ppewa woman, the daughter of Mixanene, brother of the old chief Neome. She was about six years of age at the time of the treaty, and about the year 1830 she was married to Kahzheau- zungh, a full-blood Indian, by whom she had three children. On the 13th of August, 1841, she joined with her husband in a deed conveying the whole of Reservation No. 1 to John Bartow and Addison Stewart, the last named gentleman having been for several years in possession of a small por- tion of the tract, though claiming no title to the land on account of such occupation. On the Gth of April, 1855, Lucy Stewart, widow of Addison Stewart (deceased), and his minor heirs, by their guardian, conveyed their interest in tiie section to Daniel D. Dewey, and John Bartow conveyed his interest in it to William Hamilton, by deed dated July 3d, in the same year. Thus, whatever title to the tract had originally vested in the full-blood daughter of Mixanene was now held by Messrs. Dewey and Hamilton, while all the right to the tract which had formerly been possessed by the half-breed daughter of Boliou (Madame Coutant) was held by Joseph Campau, who claimed to have been in actual possession since the year 1838. Under these circumstances, Dewey and Hamilton ecun- menced a suit in ejectment against Campau in the Circuit Court of Genesee. The trial resulted adversely to the plaintiffs, who thereupon carried the cause to the Supreme Court, where the judgment of the court below was affirmed. The loss of the case to the plaintiffs was on account of an informality in the acknowledgment of the deed from the Indian claimant. Tliis defect was remedied by a new con- veyance from her husband and children, she having died in the year 1848. On the 24th of November, 185G, Alvin T. Crosman (who had acquired title by mean conveyances from 30 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY", MICHIGAN. the heirs of Tiiwciiiiiegoquii) quit-claiiiiocl his interest in the entire section to George M. Dewey ;ind Rufus J. Ham- ilton ; and on the 20th of July, 1857, Daniel D. Dewey and William Hamilton quit-claimed to the same grantees, who, in August of that year, brought action of ejectment in the Genesee County Court against Joseph Canipau and Alexander McFarlan (the latter a lessee under Cam- pau). On the 29th of April, following, the venue was removed to Saginaw County, where the cause was finally tried in the Circuit Court, before Judge W. F. Wood- worth, at the January term in ISGO. At this trial,* "evi- dence was adduced on the part of the plaintiffs tending to prove that at the time of the treaty of Saginaw, and for many years prior and subsequent thereto, a band of Chtp- j)ewa Indians resided at the village of Pewonigowink, on the Flint River, and about ten miles below the Grand Traverse of that river, at the place where the present city of Flint is located. That during all the time referred to Neome was the chief of this band ; that Tonedogane was the principal warrior or second chief of this band, and suc- ceeded Neome in the chieftainship on his decease. That one Mixanene was also a member of this band, a brother of Neome, and that Blixanene had a daughter, named Taw- cumegoqua, who was about six years of age at the time of the treaty, and was a member of Neome's fiimily. That Neome also had three children, — two females, Sagosaqua and Owan- ona(|uat()qua, the former about ten or twelve years old at the time of the treaty, the latter a woman grown, and one boy, Ogibwok [supposed by some to have been the real " Cliecbalk,'" to whom section 9 should have been allotted], who was about fifteen years of age, — and a grandson called Metawaiiene; that all the children named were full-blood Indian children. . . . That Neome, his children, and said grandchild, and his band, including Tonedogane, and also Mixanene and his little daughter Tawcumegoqua, were present at the treaty. That Jacob Smith was there also. That on the night prior to the last council, at which the treaty was read over and agreed to, Jacob Smith came to Neome's tent and advised him to get special reservations of land for his children, and promised to assist him in doing so. That at the grand council, held the next day between the Indians and Gen. Cass, Neome came forward before Gen. Cass with his three children and said grandchild, Me- tawanene, and also bis niece, Tawcumego(jua, Jlixunene being with him and Jacob Smith standing by his side, and asked for r&scrvations of land for these children ; that Gen. Cass assentcd;f and that the names of the children were written down, and that it was talked of and understood at the treaty that these children got special reservations of land." The testimony of the chief Nocchieame, and others was also introduced by the plaintiffs to show that Mixa- nene's daughter, Tawcumegoqua, was married about 1830 to Kuhzheauzungh, and to identify her as the same person who joined with her husband in the deed to John Barton *Mich. Reports, vol. v., Cooloy. t This, however, was shown to be wholly in^orreet by the testimony of Gen. Ciiss, giien in one of the trials involving the title to olher sec- tions of the Smith reservation ; in which the general slateil positively that no such children were produced before him as reservces at tlie treaty. and Addison Stewart, April 29. 184G ; that she died in the fall of IS-tS, and that the persons who joined with her hus- band in the deeds to John Moore and A. T. Crosman were her children and heirs. The defendants introduced evidence showing that their Tawcumegoqua (alias Madame Coutant) was the daughter of the trader Bolieu, and an Indian woman (his wife) who was related by blood to the chiefs Neome and Tonedogane, and tending to prove that she (the daughter) was the true reservee. Among this evidence was the deposition of Henry Connor (then deceased) taken before David E. Harbaugh, a justice of the peace for Wayne County, Feb. 20, 1839, as follows: " I, Henry Connor, of Wayne County, State of Michigan, do solemnly swear that I was an Indian inter- preter at the treaty held with the Indians at Saginaw, in the year 1S19, and that Tawcumegoqua, a half-breed Indian woman, was present at said treaty ; that I acted as inter- preter for her in the matter of her claim to a section of land at or near the Grand Traverse on Flint River, in the then Territory of Michigan. I was well acquainted with said Tawcumegoqua during a period of more than thirty years, and I know that she was the identical woman to whom the Indians then granted and intended to grant a section of land situated near the Grand Traverse of the Flint River afore- said. I do also know that she was married to a Frenchman named Coutant, and was called by the French inhabitants Angelique Coutant. That she had two children by said Coutant, called Simon and Angelique Coutant, and that the.se two children are the only heirs of the said Tawcume- goqua. " ... It was urged that this testimony was of great weight and importance, from the fact that Connor (on ac- count of the position held by hiiu at the treaty) must of necessity have been fully acquainted with all the circum- stances, and with the intentions of the Indians, and also from the fact that his entire truthfulness and honesty were vouched for by General Ca.ss, and others who had known him intimately for many years. George B. Knaggs testified for the defense that he knew Madame Coutant, that he saw her at the treaty, that .she was the person to whom the Indians intended to give the reserved tract, and this was understood by common conver- sation among them afterwards. This witness, however, did not sustain himself well under cros.s-examination, and his statements appear to have been received with distrust by the court. Louis Campau, the old trader (who, at the time of this trial, was living in retireiuent at Grand Rapids), testified for the defense. He was present at the treaty of 1819, and here gave a detailed account of the proceedings on that oc- casion. He said Jlrs. Coutant was present, and was then called by her Indian name, which the Indians accepted ; that she was presented by that name to General Cass, and that after her interview with him in the presence of the chiefs, he (Campau) asked her if she got the land, and she replied, " Yes, my son, my relations have pitied me, and given me a piece of land." He said that he met the chief, Tonedogane, who spoke of Mrs. Coutant by her Indian name, and called her his aunt, and that not only this Indian, but also the chiefs, Neome, Kabamiscobe, and Podagnass, told him that they had given her lands. This witness also SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY. 31 testified that although he had been well acquainted vilth Neoiue since 1815, and knew all the hunters of his band, he had never known or heard that the old chief had any children, as had been stated by the witnesses on the other side. The trial, which was a long and interesting one, terminated on the 15th of February by a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. Upon this a writ of restitution was is.sucd, and Messrs. Dewey and Hamilton were placed in possession of the tract by Sheriff Lewis Buckingham on the 29th of November, 18G0. From the Circuit Court of Saginaw County the cause was carried by the defeated party to the Supreme Court, on a writ of error and bill of exceptions, and came to trial at the October term in 18G1 ; resulting in an affirmation of the judgment of the court below. The foregoing account of the principal suits, involving the original title to these reservations, m.iy be thought un- necciisarily extended ; but it has been made so not only because of the great interest which was felt in them by the people of this vicinity, and on account of the singularly conflicting nature of the evidence adduced, but also for the reason that (as was remarked to the writer by one of the most prominent citizens of Flint, and one who is intimately acquainted with the matter of which he speaks) " the set- tlement of the titles to the seveu thou.sand acres embraced in the Smith reservations has caused twenty times more trouble, anxiety, and litigation than all the other land-titles in the county of Genesee." This remark, however, does not properly apply to the reservations on the south side of the river, excepting num- ber eight, which has been mentioned above at some length. The first of these (commencing at the lowest point on the river) was the one numbered eleven, of which the reservee was Kitchegeequa, a half-breed, otherwise known as Catha- rine Mene, who died a few years after the treaty. On the 30th of May, 1830, a patent was issued to Charles Mene and the other heirs of Catharine, and the title thus con- firmed, proved good and valid. The reservee of the adjoin- ing tract (number ten) was Pliillis Beaufait (otherwi.se Peta- bonequa), a half-breed daughter of Colonel Louis Beaufait. Holders of titles derived from her found thcm.selves secure; and this was also the case on reservation nine, which was granted to the half-breed Checbalk, otherwise Jean Visger, or John Fisher, a member of the " Fisher tribe" or band, several of whom are still living in the county. Nowoke- shik, to whom reservation number seven was allotted, was Fran9ois Edouard Campau, a half-breed son of Barney Cam- pau. A patent for this tract was issued to him June 12, 1825, and on the 1st of April, 1830, he conveyed it by deed to John Todd, the pioneer of the Flint lliver settle- ment. Within this reservation is now included all of the second, and the greater part of the third ward of Flint, embracing the mo.st populous and valuable portion of the city. CHAPTER VI. SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTT. Low Estiiuato of tho Value of Michigan Laiiils by Travelers and Surveyors — Slow Progress of Settlement in eonscrjuencc — Correc- tion of tho Mistaken Opinion — Settlement of the Territory now Genesee County — Regard of the Early Settlers for Education and Religious Worship. Until after the close of the last war between the United States and Great Britain, so little of actual knowledge had been gained concerning the Territory of Michigan that — with the exception of a limited region lying along the Detroit River, and contiguous to a few of the more im- portant points on Lakes Huron, Jlichigan, and St. Clair — the whole of the lower peninsula might properly have been termed an unexplored and unknown country. In the first year of that war, an act was passed by Congress requiring that two millions of acres of land, in each of the (then) Territories of Michigan, Illinois, and Louisiana, — in all six million acres, — should be surveyed and set apart as military tracts, out of which each soldier serving in the armies of the United States in the war with England should be en- titled to receive one hundred and sixty acres of land fit for cultivation. Under the provisions of this act surveys were made ; but, while engaged in the work, the surveyors seem to have formed an idea of the country here similar to that expressed by Ilonton, one of the early French travelers, who, having had a glimpse of some of the swampy regions bordering the lakes and rivers, recorded as his opinion of the peninsula lying between the lakes, that it was in truth " the fag-end of the world." Much the same was the esti- mation in which these lands were held by the surveyor- general, as is secu by the following extract from his report, dated Nov. 13, 1815, having reference to the Michigan surveys, viz. : " The country on the Indian boundary line from the mouth of the Great Auglaize River [that is, the line established by the treaty of Detroit, in 1807, and identical, or nearly so, with the principal meridian of the government surveys], and running thence for about fifty miles, is, with some few exceptions, low, wet land, with a very thick growth of underbrush, intermixed with very bad marshes, but generally very heavily timbered with beech, cotton-wood, oak, etc. ; thence, continuing north, and ex- tending from the Indian boundary eastward, the number and extent of the swamps increases, with the addition of numbers of lakes from twenty chains to two and three miles across. Many of these lakes have extensive marshes ad- joining their margins, sometimes thickly covered with a species of pine called tamarack, and other places covered with a coarse, high grass, and uniformly covered from six inches to three feet (and more at times) with water. The margins of these lakes are not the only places where swamps are found, for they arc intersper.sed throughout the whole country and filled with water, as above stated, and varying in extent. " The intermediate space between these swamps and lakes — which is probably near one-half of the country — is, with very few exceptions, a poor, barren, .sandy land, on which scarcely any vegetation grows, except very small, scrubby oaks. In many places, that part which may be called dry 32 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. land is composed of little, short sand-hills, forming a kind of deep basins, the bottoms of many of which are composed of marsh similar to the above described. The streams are generally narrow, and very deep compared with their width, the shores and bottoms of which are, with very few excep- tions, swampy beyond description ; and it is with the utmost difficulty that a place can be found over which horses can be conveyed in safety. " A circumstance peculiar to that country is exhibited in many of the marshes, by their being thinly covered with a sward of grass, by walking on which evinces the existence of water, or a very thin mud, immediately under their cov- ering, which sinks from six to eighteen inches under the pressure of the foot at every step, and at the same time rises before and behind the person passing over it. The margins of many of the lakes and streams are in similar situation, and in many places are literally afloat. On ap- proaching the eastern part of the military land, towards the private claims on the straits and lake, the country docs not contain so many swamps and lakes, but the extreme sterility and barrenness of the soil continue the same. Taking the country altogether, so far as it has been explored, and to all appearances, together with information received concern ins the balance, it is so bad that there icould not he more tluin one acre out of a hundred, if there icould be one out of a thousand, that would in any case admit ofcidtivalinn." Probably the above was an honest expression of opinion on the part of the surveyor-general, who, of course, based his report on the information furnished him by his subordi- nates who performed the work in the field ; but how thei/ could have been so deceived (if indeed they icere so far de- ceived as to believe the disparaging statements which they made) is certainly a mystery. However it may have been brought about, the result was that Congress passed a law (April 29, ISIG) repealing so much of the act of 1812 as authorized the locating of soldiers' lands in Michigan, and, in lieu thereof, providing for the survey of one million five hundred thousand acres in Missouri ; so that the brave men who had periled their lives for their country should not be wronged and insulted bj' the donation of lands of which, according to the surveyors' reports, not one acre in a hun- dred was fit for cultivation. The natural effect of all this was to bring the Territory of Michigan into contempt as a country unfit for agriculture ; and this belief was fostered by the Indian traders, who were thorougiily acquainted with the interior country and its ca- pabilities, but were only too willing to assist in perpetua- ting the delusion, in order to postpone the evil day (as they regarded it) when their lucrative business should be ruined by the advance of white immigration and settlement. And so there grew up a belief, which became well-nigh uni- versal, that all this region, now so beautiful and productive, was a land of irreclaimable swamps and barren sand-knolis, the home of every species of malarial disease, which must forever remain unfit for culture or white occupation ; and that its obvious destiny must be to continue in the posses- sion of wild beasts and the aborigines. There were those, however, who believed that this judg- ment was a false, or at least a hasty one ; and chief among those who were skeptical as to the absolute worthlcssness of Michigan lands was Governor Lewis Cass, who not only doubted, but resolved to test its truth, and to disprove or prove it by the evidence of his own senses ; and to that end he set out from Detroit, accompanied by Hon. Austin E. Wing and two or three other friends, on a tour of ob- servation and discovery. Through the first stage of their Northwestern journey, after leaving the town, the aspect was by no means reassuring, and as their horses sunk knee- deep in the sloughs or wallowed through the marshy places along that trail whose horrors and miseries afterwards be- came so well known to the pioneers, it really seemed as if the dismal tales of the surveyors and Indian traders would be more than verified. But at last, after having floundered over a distance which seemed a hundred miles, but which in reality was not more than one-eighth part of it, they emerged upon higher ground and into a more open and de- sii'able country, which is now the southeastern part of the superb county of Oakland. From that point their journey continued easy and unobstructed towards the northwest, over a dry and rolling country, through beautiful open groves of oak, and along the margins of pure and limpid waters. One of these latter they named Wing Lake, in honor of a member of the party ; another (the largest sheet of water in Oakland) they called Cass Lake ; while a little farther on (now in Waterford township) they named a lovely lake for Elizabeth, the governor's wife. During their journey (^which was of about a week's duration) they penetrated nearly to the southern boundary of Genesee ; and when they returned thej' carried back with them the knowledge and proof that Jlichigan was not the worthless desert which it had been represented ; but, instead, a beau- tiful and fertile land, awaiting only the touch of the .set- tler's axe and plow, and ready to yield an abundant in- crease to reward his toil. E.-VRLY SETTLERS IN GENESEE. The trader Bolieu, who has already been mentioned as being in all probability the first white man who came into this Indian country, could hardly have been called a set- tler under the common acceptation of the term, though it is believed that he lived for a long time within the present limits of this county. His case seems to have been that of a man who, for some cause which does not appear, — whether for the sake of mere profit, or because of disap- pointment, disgust with the world, or from pure love of the wild freedom of Indian life, came among them, married a woman of the tribe who was a relative of one of their prin- cipal chiefs, raised a half-breed family, and adopted the Chippeioa mode of living; making no improvements that are known of, and probably never expecting or wishing to see others of the white race make their homes near him. But it was under other circumstances and in an entirely different manner that Jacob Smith came to build his cabin on the Flint River ; and it was to him that the distinction properly belonged, of being the first white man who made a settlement within the region which is now embraced in Genesee County. He came in the fall of 1819 to the Grand Traverse of the Flint, and upon the right bank of the river, not far from the Indian crossing, he erected a log house which was at once his trading-house and his dwelling. SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY. 33 Tlicre cull be no question that liis principal object in locat- iiiLT at this phice was to take possession of the reservations wliich he liad caused to be granted in tiie treatj' of Sagi- naw, and to hold them for himself and children. And (with the exception of occasional absences at Detroit) he remained in occupancy of his house and lands here for the remainder of his life. It seems to be quite generally be- lieved among those who have not examined into the facts that during this time Mr. Smith was entirely engaged in Indian trade, and that he made no agricultural improve- ments here. That this is a mistake, and that a part of his lands were cleared and cultivated by him or under his direc- tion, is proved by papers to which access has been had in the preparation of this history. One of these papers is a sealed instrument which is self-explanatory, and of which the following is a copy : *' Whereas I, David E. W. Corbin, have tliis day canceled and given up to Jacob Smith a certain lease for a section of land on Flint River, in the county of Oakland, dated the 21st day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one ( 1 82 1), as by reference to said lease will more fully appear, and whereas the said Jacob Smith hath heretofore commenced a certain suit on a book account against me before John McDonald, Esq., a Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Wayne. * Now, therefore, in con- sideration of the said Jacob Smith having discontinued said suit, and having given me a general release of all debts and demands what- soever, I do hereby give, grant, sell, and convey unto the said Jacob Smith all my right, title, interest, and claim whatsoever to all the wheat, corn, potatoes, barley, pea^, beans, and oats, and all other crops wbatjioever, now growing on said section of land, or elsewhere in the county of Oakland, and likewise all other property of every kind and description which I now own in Ihe county of Oakland. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two. ** Witness ; George A. tJ.VGE. "David E. W. Corbin." [skal] It is thus clearly shown that a part of the reservation had been cleared, and that crops were growing upon it, at least as early as 1822 ; that in that year it was occupied as a farm by Mr. Corbin, under lease from Jacob Smith ; and that the former, being for some reason unable to meet his payments, rciiu((uished the lease to Mr. Smith in the year named. This Mr. Corbin had been a soldier of the war of 1812. He was for some time employed on the farm of Maj. Williams, near Pontiac, and afterwards worked for G. D. and E. S. Williams, at Saginaw. Still later, be was ap- pointed light-house keeper at Green Bay, Wis., and remained in that position until his death. That the farm, after being given up by Corbin, was con- tinued and carried on by Mr. Smith until the time of his death, is shown by the tenor of auuther of the papers re- ferred to ; it being as follows : " Detroit, April 4, 1825. '* To all tcfiom if tiiin/ ctnccni ; Mr. George Lyons is hereby author- ized to tiike possession, in the name of .Metawanenc, or Albert J. Smith, a minor, of the house and farm, situated on Flint River, lately occu- pieil by Jacob Smith, deceased, until some further definite arrange- ment. The horses, cattle, hogs, one wagon, three plows, and four sots of harness belong to me, and .Mr. Lyons is hereby authorized to receive them in my name from any person now at the farm. [Signed] "JoilV (iARLANI). " p. S. — AH other jiropcrty on the premises belongs to the estate of Jacob Smith. It is my wish that an inventory be taken of them by Mr. Lyons and Mr. E. Camjiau, and lilt with .Mr. Campau. [Signed] "Juiis Garland." 5 The " Mr. E. Campau" above referred to was the half- breed otherwise known as Nowokeshik, the owner of reser- vation No. 7. lie was frequently employed about the trading-house of Mr. Smith during the years in which the latter lived at the Grand Traverse, and at the time of the death of Mr. Smith he (Campau) was living in a cabin on his own reservation on the south side of the river, but whether with or without his family is not known. There is little doubt that he built and occupied the cabin on the reservation fur the purpose of having the fact of his actual possession assist him to obtain a patent of the tract from government ; and he did so obtain it soon after Mr. Smith's death, viz., June 12, 1825. Not long after having secured the land by patent, he removed from it. Under these cir- cumstances, therefore, it does not seem proper to class him as a settler. The George Lyons to whom reference is made " was for five j'ears a resident of Flint River, in Michig-an Territory," as we learn from his testimony, given in connec- tion with one of the Smith reservation trials. Neither the exact place of his location on the river, nor the precise time when he lived here, can be given ; but it appears more than probable, from the above, that ho w;is living somewhere in the vicinity of the Grand Traverse at the time when the house, farm, and effects of Jacob Smith were turned over to him by JIajor Garland. It was in the winter or early spring of 1825 that Mr. Smith died (at the age of forty-five years) at his isolated farm on the Flint, and his was the first death of a white person which occurred in the present county. The second is believed to have been that of Jlrs. Esther Green, who died in the year 1830 in the same house in which Mr. Smith had died five years before. She was the daughter of John Tupper, of Grand Blanc, and the wife of Archi- bald Green, who (it may be inferred from this circuiustance) was then in occupation of the Smith house and property on Flint River. Upon the death of his wife he became dis- couraged, and removed from the place. Whether any other tenants had temporarily occupied the Smith premises before Mr. Green is not known. The next settlers (after Jacob Smith) within the boun- daries of the county were Jacob Stevens and his sons, Rufus and Sherman, who came from Western New York in the year 1822, and settled in the following year at Grand Blanc, where they remained without neighbors (other than Indians and half-breeds) for three years. That they found some- thing of contentment in their lonely wilderness home may be inferred from the tone of a letter written by Mr. Stevens to friends in New York in July, 1825, from which is ex- tracted the following : " We comforted ourselves in that we had a healthy country, as high and pleasant as we had ever anticipated, and the garden of the Territory, and knowing that the time could not be long ere we should have neigh- bors we sought contentment with our condition, and found it. Our Indian neighbors, of whom we have plenty, we find docile, ho.spitable, and friendly. On this subject I am at a loss how to write you, believing you will find it hard to credit facts. They are very far from being the hideous dionsters youthful fancy had pictured them. No person could be more timorous about them than Eunice ever was, but a short acquaintance with their ways and ctistoms abated 34 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. > that fear. I state it in presence of the Amiily, without fear of contradiction. Notwithstanding we living so near them are under the necessity of having considerable intercourse witli tliem, and at some seasons of the year perhaps fifty of them are camped in sight and likely enough half diunk, Eunice declares that they are less to be dreaded than the same number of whites in the same condition. Not a miuute's sleep, except in some of their frolics when they were too noisy, has been lost by any of the family on account of them. It is a fact that within eighteen months from the time Sherman saw the first Indians he was almost mas- ter of their language, and they are much attached to him. They furnish us with all kinds of peltries, sugar, beeswax, honey, venison, fish, etc., in exchange for flour, meal, and salt, and we have found the exchange very beneficial to us, though on a small scale." In another part of the same letter Mr. Stevens mentions that seven miles northwest of his place there were living some French people, who were the last inhabitants in that direction this side of Saginaw, doubtless having reference to Edouard Campau and perhaps two or three other French half-breeds temporarily located on the Flint. The establishment of the post of Saginaw had had the effect to encourage immigration towards it from the south- cast. But when, after fourteen months' occupation, it was abandoned by the United States on account of the alarming sickness and mortality among its garrison the eflfeet was correspondingly depressing, and resulted in a sudden and entire check of immigration in this direction ; and it was not until the year 182(5 that IMr. Stevens welcomed his first neiglibors, Edmond Perry, Sr., and Rowland B. Perry (uncle and nephew), from Livingston Co., N. Y. After them, in 1827, 1828, and 1829, came Edward Jl^&pencer, from Vermont, Wm. Roberts, George E. Perry (Connecticut), Joseph McFarlan, Ezekicl R. Ewing, Jeremiah Riggs and family, and a number of others (mostly from Western New York, but a few from New England), so that by the year IB^^O (luite a settlement had formed in the southeast part of the county. In that year Asa Farrar had made his appearance in what is now Atlas, and some of the Tupper family had come into the county. Benajah Topper, Preston, and Archibald Green had already j)ushed north as far as the Flint River, but made only temporary settlement there, Mr. Green being driven away in discouragement at the death of his wife, as we have seen. But in the year named (1830) came John Todd, from the neighborhood of Pontiac, Oakland Co., and began a settlement, which proved to be a permanent one, and which has distinguished him as the pioneer settler in what is now the city of Flint. By 1833 a number of new-comers had clustered around him, and in that year Benjamin Pearson and Addison Stewart advanced, and built their cabins near the north line of the present township of Flint. In that year, too, came Lewis Buckingham, the first sheriff of the county of Genesee. He arrived at Flint River on the 1st day of May, and afterwards, with several associates who came with him from Western New York, formed a settlement on the line between the present townships of Mount Morris and Genesee. Tlie^ were all men who were opposed to the use of intoxicating drinks, and for this reason their neighborhood was (by a few) derisively termed "the Cold- Water Settlement" and " Hungry Ilill," though the latter, in particular, appears to have been a misnomer, for, notwithstanding all which has been said about the hardships endured by the first settlers (and it cannot be denied that there u-cre many hardships inseparable from their condition), there appears little evi- dence tending to show that hunger was among the priva- tions of the pioneers upon the fertile soil of Genesee. REGARD OF THE SETTLERS FOR EDUCATION AND RE- LIGIOUS WORSHIP. As nine-tenths of the earliest settlers of this county came from New York State and New England, they brought with them (as it was natural they .should) the advanced ideas of the favored communities from which they came upon the subjects of education and religious observance. After they had secured for their families shelter, and the means of pres- ent subsistence, they allowed very little time to elapse before they also provided for the education of their children ; though as the means at their command were limited, so, of course, the methods were far more rude, and the results obtained wore more meagre than those of the present day ; but, though the schools were often taught in the cramped cabin of the settler, and never in any edifice more preten- tious than the single-roomed log school-house, reared in a day by the combined labor of a few earnest heads of fam- ilies, yet in these rude in.stitutions of learning there have been laid the foundations of many an honorable and useful career. The case was the same, among these pioneers from New England and New York, with regard to religious observance. They recognized it as being among the necessities of life, equally with food, raiment, and shelter ; and so, Ss soon as they had secured these in the most primitive form (and fiequently, indeed, before they had secured them at all ), they made haste to set up the altar of the Most High in this wilderness, and embraced every opportunity to enjoy the privilege of divine worship. There is now living in the city of Flint a lady who recollects that when she first came to the place with her husband, forty-six years ago, their first inquiries were concerning religious services ; and when informed that such were to be held in a barn at the Grand Blanc settlement on the next succeeding Sabbath (it was then past the middle of tlte week), they prepared to attend. The distance to the place of meeting was fully seven miles over bad roads, and with streams to be forded, so the journey could not be expected to be cither e;isy, rapid, or pleasant, and, of course, could not be performed in one day ; so they, with others, set out in an ox-wagon on Sat- urday, reached their place of destination the same night, attended services on Sunday, and arrived back at Flint River on Monday afternoon, thus consuming three days in the expedition ; but this loss of time was not in the least regretted, though not a tree had then been felled, or any other preliminary steps taken towards the preparation of their future home. Among the earliest of the pioneer preachers in Genesee County were the Rev. W. H. Broekway, a Methodist and an Indian missionary, Elders Frazee (Methodist), Benedict, and Gambell (Baptists), the Rev. Isaac W. Ruggles (Con- CHANGES OF CIVIL JURISDICTIOX. 35 grcgationalist), of Pontine, Rev. Oscar North (Mctliodist), and others. The first religious meetings were held at the Stevens and Perry settlement (Grand Blanc), and from there they extended northward to Flint lliver and other points. The llev. Mr. North is mentioned as the first who lield services in the Flint River settlomeut, and though tliis priority has heen disputed hy some, there is no reason to doubt that he was among the first who preaciied there. The " Cold Water Settlement'" was a point where traveling preachers almost invariably held 'services when passing through this region. The people who formed this settle- ment were all Presbyterians or Congregationalists (these two being nearly identical at that time), but here, as elsewhere in the county at that early day, the opportunity of religious worship was always gladly embraced, regardless of denom- inational differences ; and whether a preacher was of the Presbyterian, Jlethodist, Baptist, or other Christian form of belief, his services were always welcomed by the pioneers, who fully appreciated the value of the church privileges they had left behind when they emigrated from their old homes in the East. In the above brief mention, it has not been the intention to give more than a mere glance at a few of the very earliest settlers, and their first rude but earnest attempts at relig- ious and educational advancement. These subjects will be resumed, and a more full account of the settlements and settlers, schools and churches will be given in the separate histories of the several townships of the county. CHAPTER Vir. CHANGES OP CIVIL JURISDICTION' — ERECTIOKT AND ORGANIZATION OF GENESEE COUiSTTY —COURTS AND COUNTY BUILDINGS. Act Erecting the County — .Subdivision into Townships — Organization of County — First Election of County Officers — First Board of Su- pervisors — Early CourU in Genesee — County Site, Court- Houses, and Jails — County Puor-House and Farm. The county of Wayne was erected by executive act, Nov. 1, 1815. This was the first county formed in the Territory of Michigan, and embraced all tiie lands within it, — to which the aboriginal title had been extinguished, — including, of course, the part of the present county of Genesee lying southeast of the Indian line terminating at White Rock, as established by the treaty of 1807. By executive proclamation, dated Jan. 15, 1818, all of Wayne County lying north of the ba.se line was erected into the new county of Macomb, embracing all of the pres- ent counties of Macomb, Oakland, Livingston, St. Clair, and Lapeer, parts of Sanilac, Tuscola, and Shiawassee, the east half of Ingham, and that portion of Genesee which had been included in Wayne; the boundaries of the newly- ' erected county being described in tlie proclamation as " be- ginning at the southwest corner of township number one, north of the ba.sc-linc (so calledj and in the first range; thence along the Indian boundary-line, north, to the angle formed by the intersection of the lino running to White Rock, upon Lake Huron ; thence with the last-mentioned line to the boundary-line between the United States and the British province of Upper Canada ; thence, with said line, southwardly, to a point in Lake St. Clair due east from the place of beginning; thence, due west, to the eastern extremity of said base-line, arid, with the same, to the place of beginning." Oakland was taken from IVIaeomb, and erected a county, by proclamation of Governor Cass, dated Jan. 12, 18U(. That county then included, in addition to its present area, all of Livingston County, the cast half of Ingham, the southernmost tier of townships in Shiawassee, and the towns of Argentine and Fenton, in Genesee. It was not until March 28, 1820, however, that the organization of Oakland as a county was effected under executive procla- matiiin. The other counties which formerly included parts of the present territory of Genesee arc Lapeer, Saginaw, and Shi- awassee, which were all " laid out" as counties by Governor Cass' proclamation of Sept. 10, 1822. Lapeer was de- scribed as "beginning at the northwest corner of the county of St. Clair, and running tlience, west, to the line between the sixth and seventh ranges east of the principal meridian; thence, south, to the line between the townships numbered 5 and C, north of the base-line ; thence, ea.st, to the line between the twelfth and thirteenth ranges east of the prin- cipal meridian ; thence, north, to the place of beginning." These boundaries covered all the territory now lying in Genesee County east of its centre, and extended north to include the southern half of the present townships of Ar- bcla, 5Iillington, and Watertown, in Tuscola County. Saginaw County as then laid out included that part of Genesee which now forms the towushijis of Vienna and Montrose ; and Shiawassee County, which then formed the entire southern boundary of Saginaw, embraced not only all its present territory but also the north half of Livingston, the northeast quarter of Ingham, and the town- ships of Fenton, Argentine, Gaines, Mundy, Flint, Clayton, Flushing, and Mount Morris, in the present county of Genesee. In the proclamation erecting these counties it was de- clared that they '' shall be organized whenever, hereafter, the competent authority for the time being shall so deter- mine;" but that until such time they, together with the newly-formed county of Sanilac, and all the other territory to which the Indian title was extinguished by the Sagi- naw treaty of 1811), should be attached to and form a part of the county of Oakland. In accordance with that pro- vision, the county of Lapeer was organized by act of the Legislative Council, approved Jan. 20, 1835 ; Saginaw was organized January 28th of the same year, and Shiawassee on the 18th of March, 1837. ACT EBECTINO TUE COUNTY. By the terms of " An act to set off the county of Gen- esee," pa.ssed by the Legislative Council, and approved March 28, 1835, it was provided " that townships 5, C, 7, and 8 north, ranges 5 and G etist, being the eastern tiers of townsiiips in the county of Shiawa.ssec ;* al.so townships • - * The uounty of Shiawassee had then been reduced in size by the erection {March 21, 183.3) of the county of Livingston, which took from Shiawassee two tiers of townships on its southern border. 36 niSTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 6, 7, 8, and 9 north, vanpe 7 east, being the western tier of townships in the county of Lapeer ; also townships 9, ranges 5 and (i east, being the soutlieasi; corner of the county of Saginaw, shall form a new county by the name of Genesee, which shall remain for the present, for judicial purposes, attached to the county of Oakland." SUBDIVISION INTO TOWNSHIPS. The county of Genesee as thus laid out embraced all of its present area except the eastern range of townships, wliich tlien belonged to Lapeer. The oldest of the town- ships of Genesee is Grand Blanc, which was erected by act of the Legislative Council of the Territory, approved March 9, 1833, which provided " that all that district of country comprised in townships 5, G, 7, and 8 north, in range 6 east, and townships 6, 7, and 8 north, in range 7 east, and townships 6 and 7 north, in range 8 east shall form a town- ship by the name of Grand Blanc ;"' this including the present townships of Fenton, Miindy, Flint, Mount Morris, Genesee, Burton, Atlas, Davison, and Grand Blanc, — the first four being then in Shiawassee County, and the last five in Lapeer. The nest township erected was Flint, by act approved March 2, 1836. This at its erection embraced not only its present area and that of the city of Flint, but also the present townships of Burton, Clayton, Flu.shing, Mount Morris, Genesee, Thetford, A'^icnna, and Montrose. Ar- gentine was erected by act of July 26, 1836, and then included besides its present territory that of the township of Fenton. Mundy (then including also the present town- ship of Gaines) was erected by act of Legislature, approved March 11, 1837 ; and by the same act Vienna was erected from the north part of Flint, to include the territory now comprised in Montrose, Vienna, and Thetford. So that at that time the county of Genesee contained the townships of Grand Blanc, Flint, Argentine, Mundy, and Vienna, which covered all its territory. The eastern tier of townships — Atlas, Davison, Richfield, and Forest — were detached' from Lapeer County and annexed to Genesee by act approved March 9, 1843, and taking effect on the 31st of the same mouth. The later subdivisions of the county will be found mentioned in the histories of the several townships. ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. Genesee was organized as a county under an act of the Legislature, approved March 8, 1836, which provided " that the county of Genesee shall be organized, and the inhabitants thereof entitled to all the rights and privileges to which, by law, the inhabitants of the other counties of this State are entitled." A section of the same act de- clared " that the county of Shiawassee be, and the same is, hereby attached to the county of Genesee for judicial pur- poses until otherwi.se directed by the Legislature." And it remained so attached until the organization of that county by act approved March 18, 1837. FIRST ELECTION OF COUNTY OFFICERS. The first election for county officers was held Aug. 22, 1836. The board of canva.s.sers (composed of Lyman Stow, Alonzo Ferris, and Clark Dibble) met Thursday, August 25th, at the hall of Stage & Wright, and declared the elec- tion of the following persons to the county offices : Jere- miah 11. Smith and Asa Bishop, Associate Judges ; Sam- uel Rice, Judge of Probate; Lewis Buckingham, Sheriff; Robert F. Stage, Clerk ; Charles D. W. Gibson, Treasurer ; Oliver Wesson, Register of Deeds; Chauncey Chapin and Rufus AV. Stevens, Coroners ; Ogden Clarke, County Sur- veyor. FIRST BOARD OP SUPERVISORS. The first meeting of the Board of Supervisors was held in the tailor-shop of Daniel H. Seeley, in Flint, on the 4th of October, 1836. The members of the board present were Samuel Rice, as supervisor of Grand Blanc ; Lyman Stow, of Flint ; and Samuel W. Pattison, of Argentine. Samuel Rice was called to the chair, Robert F. Stage was appointed clerk, and, the board being then ready for business, it was ascertained that no books or stationery had been pre- pared for their use ; whereupon it was " resolved that Sam- uel Rice be a committee to procure such books, papers, etc., as may be necessary," and the board adjourned to the 17th of the same month. At the adjourned meeting Supervisor Pattison was not present, and the board adjourned to the following day, October 18th, when, all being present, Mr. Pattison was appointed clerk, and the board proceeded to business. Mr. Rice, the committee charged with the procuring of articles necessary for the use of the board, reported his purchase of one blank-book and other articles ; which was accepted, and his bill for the same allowed at eleven dollars. It was by the board " resolved to raise a tax of two thousand dollars, agreeably to the following assessment* and apportionment," viz. ; Towns. Assessment. Connty. Town. Collector. Flint $2li:i.97:( $12f)7.43 $2:{1..'>2 John ToiUl. (Jiun.l Blanc... 117,896 732.57 146.20 Caleb S. Thompson. The assessment and apportionment of Argentine was included with that of Grand Blanc. The board " prepared a report for the Auditor-General, and appointed Mr. Stow to forward the same." And a number of bills were allowed, among which was one of one dollar to Daniel H. Seeloy, for use of room and fuel for the session, and three dollars to Samuel Rice, for a trunk in which to keep and preserve the county records. EARLY COURTS IN GENESEE. The act of Legislature under which Genesee County was organized provided, in its second section, "That all suits, prosecutions, and other matters now pending before any of the courts of record of Oakland County, or before any justice of the peace of said county, or that shall be pend- ing at the time of the taking effect of this act, shall be prosecuted to final judgment and execution, and all taxes heretofore levied and now due shall be collected in the same manner as though the county of Genesee had not been organized ;" and by the third section of the same it was provided, " That the Circuit Court of the county of Genesee shall be held, until public buildings shall be erected, at such place as the sheriff of said county shall * The first report of County Treasurer C. D. W. Gibson, dated J:in. 30, 1837, showed that the entire amount of taxes for 1S3G ($2377.72) had been promptly collected, and paid over by Messrs. Thompson and Todd. COURTS AND COUNTY BUILDINGS. 37 provide, at the seat of justice in said county, on the Tues- day next after the fourth Monday in June, and the Tuesday next after tlie fourth Monday in January in each year." The Prohate Court was tlie first, organized in the county. The first business done in this court was in the matter of the will of Schuyler V. Brown, deceased, dated Pontiac, July 15, 183G. The witnesses were Jacob Thomas, P. G. Cochrane, and Thomas J. Drake, and the executors, Gould Davison, of Genesee County, and Daniel Hartwell, of Cat-, taraugus Co., N. Y. The court convened at Flint, Oct. 21), 1836, received and filed the petition of Gould Davison, executor, praying that the will be proved and allowed, and thereupon ordered that a hearing be had in the case on the 2Gth of November following. Agreeably to that adjourn- ment the court opened, but on account of the absence of the witnesses adjourned to December 5th. At that time the witnesses, Drake and Thomas, appeared and testified, and, " there being no objections, the said will was allowed." This was the fir.st will proved in Genesee County. The first term of the Circuit Court of Genesee County was held at Flint in February, 1837, by the Hon. George Morell, one of the justices of the Supreme Court, the cases on the calendar being as follows : No. 1. — Chaunccy Bogue vs. Timothy J. Walling. Action for attachment. Thomas J. Drake, attorney for plaintiff. No. 2. — Andrew Cox vs. Goshen Olmsted. An appeal from Justice Lyman Stow's decision in Justice's Court. Thomas J. Drake, attorney for plaintiff. Bartow and Thomson, attorneys for defendant. No. 3. — Jason L. Austin vs. Daniel R. Williams. Ac- tion, an appeal. Attorney for plaintiff, P. H. McOmber. Attorney for defendant, Thomas J. Drake. No. 4. — Charles McLean t:s. Theodore P. Dean. Action, an appeal. Attorney for plaintiff, T. J. Drake. Attorney for defendant, George Wisner. The second case on this calendar — an appeal from the decision of Lyman Stow, Esq., J. P. — appears, as origi- nally brought before that justice, to have been the first case tried and decided in the county of Genesee. The transcript of Justice Stow's docket, as sent up to the Cir- cuit Court in this case, was as follows : "StATROF MiCHlR.W, ■) Cor.NTV OF (Je.nkskk. / " Anihikw Co.\, \ Before Ljmun Stow, E.-^q., one of r*r, > the Jujiticcs of the I'eace for GOSIIKN Ol.MSTF,D. J 5111(1 Couilty. "Summons issued in the above suit June 4, 1836, und returnivbic on the 1 Ith of the same month at one o'clock p.m., and was served by John Todd, one of the constables of the town of Flint. Court opened on the return day, parties present, at which time the ])artics joined issue. The piaintiti' filed his declaration and the defendant his reply, and the court adjourned by consent of parties to July 2, then ne.\t, at one o'clock p.m. At which time the court again opened, and on hearing and examining the testimony, judgment was rendered for Pl'ff for the sum of five dollars and si.\ty-threo cents, and his costs taxed at seven dollars and sixty-thrco cents. Judgment. $5.63 Costs of suit 7.63 Fees for this return 44 $13.70 "Witnesses: Lemuel Johnson, Peter Stile..^, Eli Uishojt, Mr. Jone.-', Russell McManncrs, Elijah Smith, Keubcn Tui-pcr. '* The plaintiff gave notice of an appeal, and entered an appeal bond, which is trnnsmitlcd herewith together with other papers be- longing to the suit. "I hereby certify the above to be a true copy of record from the cause on my docket. " L. Stow, ./notice of the Pence,** The proceedings as entered in the Circuit Court calendar, and relating to this case, were as follows : "April 20, 1837. — Transcript tiled and case entered. "April 19, 1838. — Case continued. ".July 9, 1S39. — Case entered, with leave to plead Ue vuvo. " Feb'y 12, 1810,— Prff -s affidavit filed. " Feb'y 13, 1840.— Case continued. " July 15, 1840. — Pl'ff enters a non-suit." The non-suit entered by the plaintiff was sot aside by the court, and the case was brought to trial on the 10th of February, 1841. " At which day, before the judges aforesaid, at the court-house in the village of Flint, in said county, came the parties aforesaid, by their attorneys aforesaid, whereupon the return of the said Justice (d' the Peace of the records and i)rococdings before him, and of the judg- ment rendered by him, the said justice, being seen and by the said Circuit Court before the aforesaid judges thereof now here fully under- stood, etc. A jury was called, who, being duly sworn to well and truly determine the said matter between the parties aforesaid, after hearing the evidence, and upon mature deliberation, come into court and find a verdict for the defendant of sixteen dollars dauiuges. ** Thereupon it is considered that the judgment of the said .Tustico of the Peace, the errors aforesaid appearing before the said Circuit Court be wholly and in all things reversed, vacated, and annulled, and altogether held for nothing, and that the said Goslicn Olmsted, defendant as aforesaid, do recover against the said plaintitf, Andrew Cox, the sum of sixteen dollars damages, and also eighty-eight dollars and forty-two cents for his costs and charges, which the said defenil- ant, Goshen Olmsted, has sustained and expended in and about the defense of this said appeal. "Recorded March 4, 1841. " \V. A. MounisoN, Clerh'* Final judgment, as above, was entered, Feb. 12, 1841, and so the case was concluded, nearly five years after its comtuencemcnt. The two next judges who presided in the Circuit Court of Genesee County, after Judge Morell, were Hon. Wil- liam A. Fletcher, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (who held court in Flint in February, 183!)), and the Hon. Charles W. Whipple, Associate Judge of the Supreme Court. Judge Whipple was succeeded by the Hon. Sanford JI. Green, who was succeeded by Hon. Josiah Turner, the present judge. COUNTY SITE, COURT-IIOUSE.S AND JAILS. The county site of Genesee was located and established under an act passed by the Legislative Council of the Terri- tory of Michigan (approved Aug. 25, 1835), which pro- vided " That the seat of justice for the county of Genesee shall be located on the west side of the Saginaw turnpike, on lands recently deeded by John Todd and wife to one Wait Beach, known as the Todd farm, at Flint Kiver, at a point commencing at or within twenty rods of the centre of said described land on said turnpike; Provided, the pro- prietor or proprietors of said land shall, within six months of the passage of this act, execute to the supervisors and their successors iu ofiSce, for the use of said county, a good and sufhcient deed of two acres of land for a courthouse and ]iublic sipiare, one acre of ground for a burial-groutid, two church and two school lots of common size." In com- 38 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. pliance with the requirements of this act, Wait Beach and wife, proprietors of the tract selected, conveyed to the county, by deed (dated Dec. 31, 1835), two acres of land on the west side of the Saginaw road, at Flint River, for a county site. The tract so conveyed is the northeast corner of the court-house square, which has been increased to its pi'csent dimensions by subsequent conveyances of adjoining lands to the county, as follows : By H. M. Henderson and wife, Jim. 10, 1856, lots 1, 2, 3, and 4; and by John H. Browning and wife, May 3, 1809, lots 5 and 6, all of the same block; thus extending the grounds, upon the southern and western sides, of the tract conveyed by Beach. The places provided by the .sheriif for the holding of the Circuit Court of Genesee during the years 1837 and 1838 were, first, the upper story of Stage & Wright's store, as before mentioned, and afterwards the hall over Benjamin Pearson's store in Flint.* These places were, of course, in- tended only to serve as temporary accommodations for the court until the erection of a permanent building, the first steps towards which were taken in the spring of 1838. At the township elections in April of that year, a majority of seven votes was given to authorize the Board of Supervisors to erect a county jail ; the plan being to include also an upper story, for use as a court-room. Under this authority the board voted the sum of four thousand dollars for the purpose, which sum was borrowed from the State super- intendent of public instruction. The persons appointed as a building committee to superintend the construction were Charles Seymour, Robert F. Stage, and John Pratt. The building was commenced in the fall of 1838, and completed in the fall of 1830, at a total cost of about five thousand dollars. It was a solid rectangular building of oak logs, hewn twelve inches square, laid one upon another to the requisite height. The lower and stronger part was the jail, the upper story being designed and used for a court-room. "(■ The location of this building was on or near the site of the present jail and sheriff's residence. 3= The JnDunry term of 1838 was helil in that hall, as is shown by the record of the Bo.ard of Supervisois, in which, under date of March 6, 1838, is an entry to the effect that "The Board met at the hall of Benjamin Pearson's store, being the place where the Circuit Court for said county of Genesee was last held;" and on the 23d of October, in the same year, the board allowed the bill of Benjamin Pearson (twenty-fivo dollars) "for the use of his hall as a court-room." At a meeting of the board in October, 1837, they "allowed Thomas J. Drake fur room for grand jury purposes, October term, $5." f In a small pamphlet containing pioneer reminiscences of Genesee County, Mr. Alvah Brainard, an old and respected citizen of Grand Blanc, recently deceased, related the following, in reference to the first case tried in this old court-house: "I was one of the jurors on the first case tried in it. The difl'erence bitwecn the parties was trifling. Ona of the parties hiid sbut up one of the other's hogs, and was going to fat it. There was no place prepared for the jurors to deliberate in. Mr. Hascall was building a dwelling-house on the opposite side of the turnpike from the court-house, so the arrangements were made for the jurors to go over to this place in the cellar part. The house was set upon blocks about two feet from the ground, and the dirt being thrown partially out, so that we had a shady, airy, and rustic place, with ]dcnty of shavings under foot which had fallen down through the loose floor above, without any seats, but we could change positions very readily, by lying down, or standing or sitting upon our feet. It being so ploa.sant and secluded a place, — we could look out on all sides and sec what was going on upon the outside, and being so open the wind would blow through and fill our eyes with sawdust, and it was a very warm day. So, under all circumstances, wc were uot in FIRE-PROOF OFFICES. For more than fifteen years after the organization of the county no suitable building was provided for the use of the clerk and other county officers. At a meeting of the super- visors in January, 1847, the board took into consideration the question of erecting a fire-proof building for that use, and William Patter.son, of Flint, E. Walkley, of Genesee, and Jeremiah R. Smith, of Grand Blanc, were appointed a committee to receive estimates for the construction of such a building. No results followed this action, but on the 10th of January, 1851, the board appointed Julian Bishop, of Grand Blanc, 1). N. Montague, of Vicuna, and William Patterson, of Flint, a building committee " to receive pro- posals, and cause to be erected a substantial fire-proof county building," for offices for the county clerk, treasurer, register of deeds, and judge of probate; to be built on the court- house square, at an expense not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars. The building was completed during the same year, by Enos and Reuben Goodrich, at a cost of about nine hundred dollars. It was a brick structure, one story in heiglit, and was occupied b}' the county officers for about fifteen years. The old court-house and jail building erected in 1839 was destroyed by fire (the work of an incendiary), which was first discovered by Sheriff John A. Kline at about three o'clock in the morning of Feb. 21, 18G6. The progress already made by the fire when discovered, and the scarcity of water, rendered it impossible to save the building, but the sheriff, with the aid of Mr. Howard, the prosecuting attorney, succeeded in saving all documents and official papers of value. Six prisoners were confined in the jail at the time, and these the sheriff placed under guard in the clerk's office until they could be otherwise secured. An insurance of two thousand five hundred dollars was on the building when destroyed. On the 1st of March, eight days after the fire, the Board of Supervisors met, and " resolved to submit to the people of the county at the next annual township-meeting the proposition to raise on the credit of the county the sum of twenty thousand dollars to build a new court-house and jail." S. N. Warren, David Schram, and David Smith, members of the board, were appointed a committee to visit Pontiac and the county buildings of Oakland, and " to perfect plans for the immediate construction of a new court-house and jail." And they were also authorized and instructed to contract with the sheriff of Oakland for the keeping of the prisoners of Genesee County. Josiah W. Begole and David Case were afterwards added to the committee. Fenton Hall was hired by the county as a place for holding the courts, and for the meetings of the super- visors until new buildings should be completed. At its meeting, April 13, the Board of Supervisors ac- cepted the plans for a court-house, jail, and sheriff's residence presented by Pierce F. Cleveland and David Schram ; and on the following day a committee was appointed to super- a very urgent Iiurry, and we could not agree upon a verdict. The constable would look under often: * Gentlemen, have you agreed?* Our answer would be, * M >rc w.iter, more water.* So along towards night we ventured out of the den or pen, and went before the court without having agreed on a. verdict, for or against.** INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 39 intend the erection of the buildings, and empowered " to let the work by contract if in their opinion the interests of the county be best promoted thereby, or otiierwise, if for the benefit of the county." The persons composing this committee were James E. Brown, Chiyton ; Samuel N. Warren, Flint ; Chandler H. Rockwood, Genesee; David Schram, Burton ; James B. Mosher, Fenton. A strong effort was made to locate the new buildings on the north side of the river, but this did not prevail, and their site was selected and established on the " court-house square." The wood-work of the court-house was let by contract to Pierce F. Cleveland and Reuben Van Tiiflin ; the wood-work of the jail and sheriff's residence to P. F. Cleveland ; and the mason-work of all to William Foule, the amount of all these contracts being $31,039. The iron- work of the jail was contracted to M. Clement, of Cincin- nati, Ohio, for $10,107, — making the total of the contracts 841,746. The jail and residence was completed in the fall of 18GG, at a cost of $20,244.90. The court-house, including the necessary rooms for the county officers, was finished in the summer of 18(57, its cost being $29,997.39, — making the total cost of the buildings §50,244.29, an excess of $8498.29 over the contracts ; caused by changes from the original plans. COUNTY POOR-HOUSE AND FARM. The earliest official reference to the county poor is found in the proceedings of the Board of Supervisors at a meeting of that body held on the 5th of December, 1836, when the sum of seventy-two dollars and fifty cents was allowed to Jason L. Austin for care of county paupers, and sixty- three dollars and fourteen cents to the township of Flint for care and removal of a family of county paupers. By a resolution of the board of county commi.'sioners, adopted Jan. 8, 1839, Benjamin Rockwell, of Flushing, Lyman Stow, of Flint, and John Pratt, of Genesee, were appointed superintendents of the poor for the county of Genesee ; and at a meeting of the same board, held January 9, the subject of abolishing the distinction between town and county pau- pers was considered, and it was " resolved, that this dis- tinction be now abolished, and that hereafter all paupers in Genesee County be considered a county charge." In the year 1845 the Board of Supervisors (having re- sumed the functions which had been exercised by the county commissioners during the years 1839, 1840, and 1841) met on the 17th of October, and " resolved that a committee of three be appointed to make inquiries regard- ing the purchase of a farm on which to keep the county poor;" and Jeremiah R. Smith, of Grand Blanc, William Patterson, of Flint, and Reuben McCreery, of Genesee, were appointed such committee. Under authority after- wards conferred, they purchased, Oct. 16, 184G, of Andrew Cox, for the sum of twelve hundred dollars, a farm of one hundred and three acres, being part of the .southwest quar- ter of section 29, in the township of FJurton. In January, 1853, the board voted the sum of four hun- dred and fifty dollars for the erection of a county poor- hou.se, to be built under the direction of the superintend- ents of the poor. This was merely an addition to the old farm-house in which the poor were quartered. At the meeting of the board held Jan. 10, 1857, it was " re- solved to sec about raising three thousand dollars for build- ing a county poor-house." The project, however, was not immediately carried into effect, but in 18G0 and 1861 the necessary sums were raised, and the present brick building occupied as the poor-house of the county was completed in 1861, at a cost of five thousand dollars. The building commissioners under whose supervision it was erected were Josiah W. Begole, Lyman G. Buckingham, and Wil- liam Patterson. The following items in reference to the county poor and poor-house are from the report for 1878 of the superin- tendents of the poor to the Board of Supervisors of Genesee County : "For the year commencing the 14th day of October, 1S77, and end- ing Oct. 14, 1S7S, the whole number of persons who have received aid from us are one thousand and five. "The whole number of |)eisous entirely supported at the county poor- house has been seventy-eight. Number of death.«, two. Number of births, two. Discharged at dilTerent intervals, forty-one, and still now remaining under our care, thirty-five." CHAPTER VIIL INTERNAL IMPHOVEMENTS. Early Roads — Plank-Roads— Projects for the Navigation of Flint River — Northern Railroad and other Projects — Northern ^V'agon- Road — Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad — Flint and Perc Mar- fiuette Railw.ay — The Flint and Holly Link in the Flint and Pere Marquette Line — Completion and Consolidation of the Roads com- posingthe Flintand I'ero Marquetto^Port Huron and Lake Michi- gan Railroad — Chicago and Northeastern Railroad — Chicago and Lake Huron Line. It is a rule, which may be regarded as of universal appli- cation in all newly-settled regions, that the first public work of improvement is the building of roads ; and to this gen- eral rule the region which is now Genesee County fur- nished no exception. The first road which entered its limits was " opened" before any white man had built his cabiu here, with the exception of Jacob Smith, Corbin, and per- haps George Lyons. It was a track cut out from Saginaw to the Grand Traverse of the Flint, by detachments of the Third United States Infantry, under command of Lieuts. Brooks and Bainbridge, in the winter of 1822-23. It was sometimes called the " Saginaw military road," though it was little more than a bridle-path, formed by cutting through the thickets and " windfalls" sufficiently to allow the pa.ssage of horses to and from Saginaw. Southward from the Grand Traverse, the old Indian trail, winding through the openings, was in most places practicable for pack-horses until they reached the swampy lands between Royal Oak and Detroit ; and through these a road had previously been cut and partially corduroyed by soldiers from the Detroit garrison, under command of Col. Leaven- worth. So the clearing of the track through the woods between the Grand Traverse of the Flint and Saginaw opened a communication (such as it wa.s) between the last- named point and Detroit.* But the part which was cut » In the fall of IS22, Mr. E. ^. Williams (now of Flint), Rufus W. Stevens, and Sdiuyler Hodges, of Ponliae, went through to Saginaw 40 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. throuj^h by the Saginaw troops was well-nigh impassable for a good part of the year, and after tlie abandonment of the military post of Saginaw by the government it became once more overgrown and nearly obliterated. In June, 1824, the Legislative Council of the Territory passed an act authorizing the Governor to appoint three commissioners to lay out and establish a Territorial road from Detroit, by way of Pontiao, to Saginaw, on the Sagi- naw River. This was surveyed and located in 182G by George W. Dole, but the construction of the road did not reach as far northward as Genesee County until 1830, though the settlers who came to the county before that time passed over it as far as its northern terminus in Oak- land, and from thence reached their journey's end by " pick- ing their way" through the oak openings, which interposed but few impediments to the passage of their teams. In 1832 the road was "worked" in an indifferent manner nearly to the Flint River settlement, and by the first of May, 1833, it had reached as far as the present line of Kearsley Street, in the city of Flint. From that point to the place where the Saginaw Street bridge now crosses the river, was a swamp of alder and black ash, so that emigrants arriving about that time and wishing to pass on beyond the river (Addison Stewart, Lewis Buckingham, and Benjamin Pierson were among these) were obliged to pass to the left of the morass, and cross the .stream a short distance below the pre.sent bridge (not using the ancient Indian crossing- place, which was above the bridge, and near the location of the old dam built by Stage & Wright). The bridge across the river was built and the southern approach to it com- pleted (by filling the swamp above mentioned) in 1834, and in the .same year, or in the spring of 1835, the road vnxa finished to a point about five miles north of the river, which was the end of the work ever done by government upon it. It was afterwards completed to Saginaw, and became the " Detroit and Saginaw Turnpike," over which for many years the travel was very great. When first laid out as a Territorial road its width was ninety-nine feet (six rods) through its entire length. The specified width of its graded part was eighty feet, but this requirement was not rigidly enforced in the construction. But it was, for those times, a noble and serviceable road, and over it a large pro- portion of the earlier settlers came to their new homes in Genesee County. The first Legislature of Michigan, at its session of 1835- 3G, authorized the laying out and ostabiislunent of a number of State roads, among which were the following, viz. : "A State road from the mouth of Black River, in the county of St. Clair, on the most eligible route to the county site of Lapeer County, and thence to Grand Blanc, in Genesee County ;" to be laid out by John Ryan, Joel M. Palmer, and Ralph Wadhams, commissioners. Also " a State road from Mount Clemens, iMacomb County, by way of Romeo, on this route, but before the road was coin|))cto(l. And in tbe winter of lS2:i-2J, Col. John Hamilton and llancy Williams contracted to tr.Tnsport government stoves from Detroit to Saginaw, over the mili- tary road. Their animal.'; being found to be overloaded, thoy secured the assistance of E. S. M'illiams and Schuyler Hodges, who joined the train at Maj. Oliver Williams' farm near Pontiac, and accompanied it from that point thn)Ugli to the ."^nginavv post. in said county ; thence to Lapeer, the county site of Lapeer County ; thence by the most eligible route to the county site of Genesee County, to intersect the United States road leading from Detroit to Saginaw." The commissioners ap- pointed to lay out and establish this road wore Silas D. McKeen, James Andrews, and Alexander Tacles. Both the above roads were authorized by act approved March 26, 1836. In 1837 an act of the Legislature (approved March 17th) authorized the laying out of a State road " from the county scat of Genesee to the county seat of Washtenaw County ;" Ira D. Wright, Philip 11. McOmbcr, and Jesse Pinney being appointed commissioners for the purpose. At the session of 1839 a State road was authorized to be laid out by Norman Davison, Charles C: Waldo, and Lemuel M. Part- ridge, commissioners, " commencing at or near the county seat of Genesee County, thence on the most direct and eligible route for a road through the townships of Atlas, Groveland, Brandon, and Independence, to the village of Pontiac." The " Northern Wagon-Road," for the construction of which an appropriation of thirty thousand dollars was made by the Legislature in 1841, will be found mentioned in the succeeding pages, in connection with tbe account of the old " Northern Railroad." For several years after 1839 very little appears to have been done in the laying out of State roads in Genesee County. In 1844 the Legislature authorized Albert Stevens, John Keinyan, Isaac Pennoyer, and James H. Murray, commissioners, to lay out and establish a road from Ann Arbor, " by the way of the village of Brighton, Livingston Co., Murray Mills, and the village of Flushing, in Genesee County, to the Saginaw turnpike, at a point about fourteen miles north of the village of Flint." In 1845 a State road was authorized to run from Brighton, Livingston Co., to Fentonville, in Genesee, with Hervey T. Lee, Alonzo Slay- ton, and Elisha Holmes as commissioners to lay out and establish it. In 1848 acts were passed authorizing the es- tablishment of State roads in this county as follows : From Flint, by way of Miller settlement, Shiawasseetown, and Hartwellville, to Michigan village, in Ingham County ; from Fentonville to Byron, in Shiawassee County ; from Flint, through the township of Gaines, to Byron ; from Flint, by way of Coruniia, to the capital of the State ; from Corunna, on the most eligible route, to the village of Flush- ing, in the county of Genesee ; and " from the village of Fentonville, in Genesee County, to Springfield, in Oakland County." It should be borne in mind, however, that to " lay out and establish" a road — particularly in earlier years — was not equivalent to opening and making it ready for travel ; but that in many cases, j'ears intervened between the time when a highway was laid out by the commissioners and the time when it was made pas.sable for vehicles, and that in some instances roads authorized and laid out were never opened. PLANK-llOADS. About the year 1847 projects for the construction of plank-roads began to come itito general favor in Jlichigan ; and it was in that year that the first of tluse companies, INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 41 whose proposed route lay across any part of the territory of Genesee County, was organized. This was the " Pontiac and Coruuna Plank- Road Company," incorporated by act approved Marcli 17, 1817, with power to build a planic- road from Pontiac to Corunna, passing through the vilhigu of Byron, in Shiawassee County, and crossing the soutli- wcstern corner of Genesee. The cliarter commissioners were Horace C. Thurbcr, J. W. Crandall, Jairali Ililhnan, George C. Holiues, J. B. Bloss, Seth Beach, and William Axford. The authorized capital was two hundred thousand dollars. There is but little to be said of this project, beyond the fact of the incorporation. The "Genesee County Plank-Road Company" was in- corporated by act approved April 3, 1848, with power " to lay out, establish, and construct a plank-road and all neces- sary buildings from the village of Flint to the south line of the township of Grand Blanc, on the Saginaw road, in the county of Genesee, with the privilege of uniting at any point with the road of any other company." The capital stock was placed at twenty-five thousand dollars, and the powers of the company to continue for the term of sixty yearS from the passage of the act. Jonathan Dayton, Cliarles D. W. Gibson, Charles C. Hascall, George H. llazelton, and Henry M. Hender.son were appointed commis- sioners to receive subscriptions to the stuck. This projected road was never put in operation under this name, though a line was afterwards built through Grand Blane, connecting Flint with the railroad line at Holly, Oakland Co. The " Flint and Fentonville Plank-Road Company" was also incorporated on the 3d of April, 18-18. The commis- sioners were Charles C. Hascall, Benjamin Pearson, George II. Hazelton, Robert Le Roy, and John Hamilton, who were empowered to receive subscriptions to the capital stock, which was authorized to the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars. Power was conferred on the company '• to lay out, establish, and construct a plank-road and all necessary buildings from the village of Flint to the village of Fentonville, on the line of the State road between the .said villages; ' the act of incorporation to remain in force for the term of sixty years from the date of its passage. There was a considerable delay in the organization of the company — the subscriptions to the stock not being com- pleted until the year 1851 — and a still further delay in the construction of the road ; but it was finally completed, and jirovcd a great benefit to the public. Its charter was re- pealed by act of Legislature in 1871, and the taking of toll w:us discontinued over its entire length in 1872. Since the decay and removal of the planking the road has been graveled over a good portion of its extent. The "Saginaw and Genesee Plank-Road Company" was incorporated by act api)roved March 8, 1850, granting to that company " the power to lay out, establish, and con- struct a plank-road, with all necessary buildings, from any point in the village of Flint, Genesee Co., on the most eligible route to the Saginaw River, with a branch to each i'crry in Saginaw City, in Saginaw County, with the privi- lege of a branch to Cass River, in Tuscola County," the charter to continue and be in force for sixty years from the passage of the act, but under the usual conditions. James Frazicr and Nunnan Jjitlle, of Saginaw, and Ivlward II. G Thomson, of Flint, were appointed commissioners to re- ceive sub.scriptions to the capital stock, which was author- ized to the amouut of one hundred thousand dollars. Work was commenced on both ends of the route in No- vember, 185t), and the road was completed in 1852. It proved to be of immense advantage to the public, and a good investment for the stockholders, during the ten j'cars which elapsed before it was superseded by the opening of the Flint and P6rc Marquette Railroad, between Flint and East Saginaw. The " Oakland and Genesee Plank-lload Company" be- came incorporated (under the general plank-road law of 1851) in Januar}', 1852. Its corporators and first board of directors were Nelson W. Clark, Enos Goodrich, Amos Orton, Elbridge G. Gale, William L. Norrin, D. C. Davi- son, and William H. Putnam. Its object was to connect the village of Flint with Pontiac, by a plank-road to pju^s through the townships of Grand Blanc and Atlas. A meeting to promote the objects of the company was held at Goodricbville, Jan. 31, 1852, and it was reported that at this meeting the whole amount of stock wa.s subscribed. This was at the time when the jilank-road fever was at its height throughout the State, as is shown by the following extract from the Genesee Whi'ff of February 28th, in that year : " We cannot take up a Michigan paper these days in which the plank-roads do not form the subject of the lead- ing articles. While all are thus alive to the momentous interests involved in these projects, we must help to keep the ball moving, or else fall behind the times." But not- withstanding the general enthusiasm on the subject, and the prompt action of the people of the two southe;istern towns, they never realized the accomplishment of their object. The connection of Flint with the railway-station at Holly, by plank-road, was accomplished by a company organized, under the general law, Feb. 11, 1854, "for the purpo.se of building a plank-road from Grand Blanc to Algcrville [now Holly], to connect with the Oakland and Ottawa Railroad at that place." The road was built, and resulted in great advantage to the county of Genesee, — though not to the stockholders. The stage-coaches to and from Flint, connecting with the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, passed over this line, and a-s early as 1858 trans- ported more than fifteen thousand passengers in the year, which was afterwards increa.scd to five times that number in a single year. The usefulness of this line may be said to have ended with the opening of the Flint and Holly Railroad, in 1804. iniO,JECTS FOR THE NAVIGATION OF FLINT RIVEll. The question of the practicability of rendering the Flint River navigable for boats of light draft of water began to be discu.?.sed at an early day, — before any railroad company had been chartered in Michigan, and before the construc- tion of jilank-roads had been commenced or thought of. At just how early a date this navigation project was first conceived docs not appear, but that it had assumed definite form as early as the year 183!) is shown by the fact that on the 2()th of Ajiril, in that year, the Governor of .Michi- ^an ajpiinivcd " an act to incorjwratc the Genesee and Sagi- 42 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. naw Navigation Company," with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, and with power and authority " to enter ujion the river Flint, and upon the lands upon either side, . . . and to form and make, erect and set up, any dams, locks, or any other device whatsoever, which they may think most fit and convenient to make a complete slack- water navigation between the points herein mentioned, to wit : from the village of Flint, situate on the river Flint, in Genesee County, down said river to some point on sec- tion No. 35 or 36, in township No. 11, north of range No. 4 east.* And also to survey, establish, and construct a canal from said last-mentioned point on the river Flint, on the most direct and eligible route to the river Cass, with all the locks, aqueducts, culverts, bridges, and embankments which they may deem necessary or convenient. The locks shall be of sufficient width and length to admit a safe and easy passage for steamboats, barges, and other craft up, as well as down, said river and canal." The water-power cre- ated by the construction of the dams and canal was to bo the property of the company, but the right was reserved to the State to purchase at any time the canal between the Flint and Cass Rivers, at a price not exceeding its cost, with an addition of ten per cent. The work was required to be commenced within two years, and to be finished within five years of the passage of the act, under penalty of for- feiture by the company of the powers and privileges con- I'erred by the act of incorporation. The charter commis- sioners named in the act were Gardner D. Williams, Ephraim S. Williams, Perry G. Gardner, James Frazier, Norman Little, W. L P. Little, Thomas J. Drake, Benja- min Pearson, Robert F. Stage, Wait Beach, Charles C. Hascall, and Thomas L. L. Brent. Subscription books to be opened at Flint and Saginaw City for the space of three days, after thirty days' notice. This work of improvement not having been completed, or even commenced as required by the law, an act was passed by the Legislature (approved March G, 1S44) appropriating five thousand acres of the internal improvement lands of the State " for the purpose of clearing the flood-wood from, and otherwise improving the navigation of the Flint lliver from the village of Flint to the Saginaw River," and authorizing u canal to be cut around the drift-wood in case the commis- sioner, upon examination, should consider such a plan to be most expedient. What amount of work — if any — was done under this ap- propriation does not appear, but it is evident that the river was not made navigable, for, in 184G, an act was passed (approved May 15) incorporating "The Flint and Sagi- naw Navigation Company," with an authorized capital of fifty thousand dollars, and with powers nearly identical with those conferred on the old Genesee and Saginaw Navigation Company of 1839. The purposes for which this company was incorporated were, however, somewhat different, being — as set forth in the act — " to make a complete slack-water navigation from the village of Flint, in the county of Gen- esee, to and down said river, to a point where the Flint River intersects the Shiawassee River," with locks of suffi- cient size to afford "easy passage for steamboats, barges, » This is tho present to«u.shi|i of Piauldng, iu Sagiuaw County. and other craft up, as well as down, said river." The old project of the canal to connect the Flint with the Cass River was not included in the plan of the new company. One-third part of the work was required to be completed within three years, and the whole in ten years from the date of incorporation. The commLssioneis to have charge of sub- scriptions and organize the company were Chaunccy S. S. Payne, George M. Dewey, Eugene Vandeventer, James Fraser, Henry M. Henderson, Porter Hazelton, Ezekiel R. Ewings, James B. Walker, Joseph K. Rugg, Elijah N. Da- venport, Nelson Smith, and William McDonald. In 1848 the charter of the company was amended, to authorize the cutting of a canal across from the Flint to the Cass River, and also extending the time for the completion of the work to the year 1859. The drift of public opinion about that time as to the feasibility of navigating the Flint River, by steam and otherwise, is shown by the following extract from the Flint Rrpuhlicaii newspaper of May 29, 1847 : " The River. — There seems to be a full determination on the part of our citizens to improve the navigation of the Flint River, so as to make it safe and easy for the pas-^age of boats of a moderate class. Negotiations are pending likely to result in the construction of a steamboat of light draught to ply between this place and Sagiuaw. All classes of our population, and particularly the lumbermen and farmers, are greatly interested in the success of this project, and the local price of all marketable articles will be thereby greatly enhanced." In 1850 an act was passed by the Legislature (approved April 2) providing " That the rates of tolls the Flint and Saginaw Navigation Company are by law entitled to receive shall be as follows : On flour, salted beef and pork, butter and cheese, whisky, beer, and cider per one thousand pounds per mile, eight mills ; on salt per one thousand pounds per mile, five mills ; on pot and pearl ashes per one thousand pounds per mile, ten mills ; timber, squared and round, if carried in boats, per one hundred cubic feet, two mills per mile ; timber, squared, if carried in rafts, per one hundred cubic feet, three mills per mile; timber, round, if carried in rafts, per one thousand cubic feet per mile, five mills," etc. ; enumerating also the prices to be charged by the company on sawed lumber, in boats or rafts, staves and heading, shingles, and other articles, and " on boats used chiefly for the transportation of persons, per mile, seven cents ; and on boats used chiefly for the transportation of property, per mile, three cents." In a file of the Genesee Whig is found the announce- ment of the departure of the " First Scow on Flint River," from Flint for Flushing, March 26, 1850; and the Wliij thereupon indulges in a prophecy as to the favorable influ- ence this opening of navigation is to exert on the future of Flint River and Flint village. And in its issue of March 27, 1852, the Whig, under the head of " Port of Flint- Arrivals and Departures," notices the clearance of the " Scow Kate Hayes, Capt. Charles Mather." The destina- tion of the " Kate Hayes" is not mentioned, and as her log-book has not been found, no account of her voyage down the river can be given. These were the latest, or among the latest, attempts to navigate the Flint River, and INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 43 the company which had been incorporated for that purpose never accoinpHslied any of the objects for which it had been vested with powers by the several legislative acts above mentioned. Probably the completion of the planlc-rnad be- tween Flint and East Sa:;ina\v about that time tauglit the people that, after all, a smooth and solid road offered ad- vantages for the transportation, either of pa.sscngcrs or heavy merchandise, far preferable to boating through drift- wood along the tortuous course of the Flint during a part of the year, and subject to dangers from floods, as well as interruption and protracted delay in the sca.son of low water. But whatever may have been the cause, it is cer- tain that the navigation project was abandoned definitely and forever. NORTHERN RAILROAD AND OTHER PROJECTS — NORTH- ERN WAGON-ROAD. Iramediatel}' after the organization of the State govern- ment of Michigan, and before her admi.ssioii into the Fed- eral Union, measures were originated looking to the adop- tion, bj' the State, of a comprehensive system of internal improvements; and, in pureuance of this plan, the Legis- lature, at the session of 1837, pa.ssed an act (approved March 20th in that year) " to provide for the construction of certain works of internal improvement, and fur other purposes," by which tlie board of commissioners of internal improvements in the State were authorized and directed, '• as soon as may be, to cause surveys to be made for three several railroad routes across the peninsula of Michigan ; the first of said routes to commence at Detroit, in the county of Wayne, and to terminate at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, in the county of Berrien, to be denomi- nated the Central Railroad. The second of said routes to commence at the navigable waters of the river Raisin, pa-ss^ ing through the village of Monroe, in the county of Mon- roe, to terminate at New Buffalo, in Berrien County, and to be denominated the Southern Railroad. The third of said routes to commence at Palmer, or at or near the mouth of Black River, in the county of St. Clair, and to terminate at the navigable waters of tlie Grand River, in the county of Kent, or on Lake Michigan, in the county of Ottawa, to be denominated the Northern Railroad ; which roads shall be located on the most eligible and direct routes between the termini above mentioned." The fourth section of the act provided " That the sum of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated, to be taken from any moneys which shall hereafter come into the treasury of this State to the credit of the fund for internal ini])rovemeiit, for the survey and making of the three railroads mentioned in the first section of this act^ as follows : for the Southern Railroad, the sura of one hundred thousand dollars ; for the Central Railroad, the sum of four hundred thousand dollars; and for the Northern Railroad, the sum of fifty thousand dollars." Under the authority conferred by this act the commis- sioners caused the surveys to be made without unnecessary delay. The routes thus surveyed for the " Central Rail- road" and the "Southern Railroad" were (excepting the western portions) substantially the same as those of the Michigan Central and Michigan Southern roads of the present. The " Northern Railroad" route was surveyed and located to run from the St. Clair River, through the centre of GeiiRsoe County; thence to Lyons, in Ionia County, and from there westward to Lake Michigan, at the mouth of Grand River, a distance of two hundred and one miles. This was the first survey made for railroad purpo.ses in the county of Genasee; though a preliminary survey was made very .soon after for " The Saginaw and Genesee Railroad Company," which was incorporated by act ap- proved ^Llrc•h 22, 1837, with authority " to construct a rail- road with a single or double track from the Saginaw River at Saginaw City, to intersect the Northern Railroad (from the St. Clair River to Grand River) at such point as they may deem practicable in the county of Genesee, with power to transport, take and carry persons and property upon the same by the power and force of steam or animals, or of any mechanical or other power or combination of them." For the prosecution of this last-named enterpri.se, Gardner D. Williams, Norman Little, Robert F. Stage, Perry G. Gard-' ner, and Pjlijah N. Davenport were appointed by the act commissioners to receive sub.scriptions to the capital stock of the corporation, which was to be four hundred thou.sand dollars. The road was, by the terms of the act, required to be commenced within one year, a section of twenty-five miles to be completed in two and a half years, and the whole line to be finished within si.^ years from the passage of the act, under penalty of forfeiture of the privileges and franchises granted by the charter. By an act amenda- tory to the above, the time was extended to five years for the completion of the twenty-five miles, and to eight years for the completion of the whole road ; both these periods to date from the passage of the amendatory act, which was approved April 20, 1839. • But notwithstanding this and other extensions of the powers and privileges originally granted to the Saginaw and Genesee Railroad Company, they never completed their road, or carried the work beyond the preliminary surveys. To return to the State project of the " Northern Rail- road," the prosecution of the work was placed by the board in the hands of commis.sioner James B. Hunt, who eau.scd the survey to be made as we have seen, and under whom estimates and specifications were made and other prelim- inary steps were taken, and contracts were let at several points between the eastern terminus and Lyons, Ionia Co. ; among these being a contract to the amount of twenty thousand dollars, made with Gen. Charles C. Ilas- call, of Flint River, for the construction of the road in Genesee County, including the bridging of the Thread River, near its junction with the Flint, and fur .some heavy embankment work near the same point ; which work, or a great part of it, was performed by the contractor, and paid for from the appropriation. This was done in 1838 and 1839. After the first appropriation, others were made by the State in aid of the Northern Railroad, amounting in all to about one hundred and thirty thousjind dollars ; the last of these being to the amount of forty thousand dollars, made by act of liCgislaturo approved April 20, 1839. Soon after this the financial embarrassments of the State caused a 44 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. feelinc: to spring up among the people and their representa- tives that the adoption of so extensive a plan of internal improvements had been premature, to say the least, and the result of this growing sentiment was the restriction of ap- propriations to such works as did, or could easily be made to, return the interest on their cost. Accordingly, further aid was withheld, except to the central and southern lines (then in partial operation), and finally, in 1841, all idea of the construction of the " Northern Railroad" as a State work was abandoned, and the Legislature passed "an act relative to the appropriation upon the Northern Railroad" (approved April 2, 1841"), which recited in its preamble that " it is thought impolitic under tlie present embarrass- ments of the State to make, at present, further expenditures on said road for the purpose of a railroad ;" that " a large amount has been expended in chopping, grubbing, and clearing said road, which, if left in its present condition, can be of no interest to the people of the north ;" and that " it is the united wish and request of the people in the vicinity of said road that the same should, for the present, be converted into a turnpike- or wagon-road, and thus open an important thoroughfare through the centre of the tier of counties through which the said road passes, and thereby render the money heretofore expended on said road availa- ble to the best interests (under existing circumstances) to the people in the northern section of the State." It was therefore enacted that the commissioners of internal im- provement be directed to expend thirty thousand dollars of the unexpended balance of the moneys which had been appropriated for the Northern Railroad "for bridging, clear- , ing, and grading said road, or so much of it as the said commissioners shall judge will be most beneficial to the inhabitants and public in the section of country through which the same passes, so as to make a good passable wagon-road." In 1843 the railroad project was formally " razeed" by an act of Legislature (approved March 9tli in that year) " to authorize the construction of a Wagon-Road on the line of the Northern Railroad," and ordering the application and appropriation, for that purpose, of all the non-resident highway taxes for a distance of three miles on cither side of the line, to be expended under the superintendence of a special commi.ssioner to be appointed for each of the counties of St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, Shiawas.see, Clinton, and Ionia. The commissioner appointed to carry into effect the provi- sions of this act upon that part of the line lying within Genesee County was Gen. Charles C. Hascall. The act was repealed in 184(3, but in the following year another act was passed (approved April 3, 1848) " to provide for the construction and improvement of the Northern Wagon- Road from Port Huron, in the county of St. Clair, through the counties of Lapeer and Genesee to Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee," and appropriating " twenty thousand acres of internal improvement lands" for the purpose. To carry its provisions into effect the Governor of the State was authorized to appoint a special commissioner, and he did so appoint to that position the Hon. Alvin N. Hart, of Lapeer, for that part of the work lying east of Shiawassee County. Still another act was pa.s.sed in 1849 providing for a re-location of the road. The result of all the laws passed and appropriations made for the construction of the Northern Railroad and Northern Wagon-Road was (as concerning the county of Genesee) the cutting out and grubbing of the greater part of the line between Flint River village and Lapeer County, and the building of an indifferent road over about one-third part of this distance, a result which never proved to be of much practical advantfige to the county. But in the mean time a company (the " Port Huron and Lake IMichigan Railroad Company," which will be men- tioned more at length in its appropriate place in this his- tory) had been formed and incorporated, having for its object the construction and completion of a railroad across the peninsula from the St. Clair River to Lake Michigan, as originally contemplated and attempted by the State; an object which was only partially accomplished by the com- pany after nearly a quarter of a century of disheartening vicissitude and discouragement. DETROIT AND MILWAUKEE RAILROAD. The first railway line which was built and completed to any point within the boundaries of the county of Genesee was the Detroit and Milwaukee, — now the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railroad ; and it was ahso over the eastern link of this line, which then terminated in Oak- land, that the people of this county enjoyed their earliest railway facilities, by moans of the stage-lines running from Flint, and connecting with it at its several termini, — first at Royal Oak, and then succe.ssively at Birmingham and Pon- tiac. For this reason it seems proper that the building and opening of that part of the line should bo briefly mentioned here, though it was an Oakland and not a Genesee County enterprise. The project of constructing a railroad from Detroit to Pontiac was agitated in Oakland as early as the spring of 1830, and an act incorporating the " Pontiac and Detroit Railway Company" was passed by the Legislative Council of the Territory, and approved by Governor Cass, on the 31st of July in the year named, this being the first railway company ever chartered in Michigan. The corporators were John P. Helfenstein, Gideon 0. Whittemore, William F. Mosely, William Thompson, Hervey Parke, " and such other persons as shall associate for the purpose of making a good and sufficient railway from Pontiac to the city of De- troit," the stock of the company to consist of one thousand shares, at one hundred dollars each. This company, how- ever, found the project to be too heavy for the means which they could command, and their charter became void by reason of their failure to comply with its conditions. A second company was formed, and an act granting a new charter was passed by the Territorial Legislature, and approved by the Governor, March 7, 1834. Under this act, William Draper, Daniel Le Roy, David Stanard, John- son Niles, Seneca Newberry, Elisha Beach, Benj. Phelps, Joseph Niles, Jr., and Augustus C. Stephens were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions to the stock of " The Detroit and Pontiac Railroad Company," the amount of which was fixed at fifty thousand dollars. The work was to be commenced within two years from the passage of the act, and completed within six years, the charter to be for- INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 45 feited by failure to comply with these conditions. Tiie principal stockholders were Alfred Williams and Sherman Stevens, of Pontiac, who were also managers of the aflFairs of the company; but these ■gentlemen gave so much of their attention to banking, and other financial operations, tliat very slow progress was made in the construction of the road, and it was not until the fall of 1S38 or spring of 1839 that a track (which even then was composed of wooden rails for a part of the distance) was completed as far as Royal Oak, and trains made up of cars of the most inferior description were run from Detroit to that point by horse- power. In the fall of 1839 the road was extended so that the trains ran to Birmingham, and steam was introduced as a motive-power for their propulsion. At that time (Sep- tember, 1839) wo find in the Flint River Guzrlte the ad- vertisement of Henry J. Buckley, agent and conductor, informing the public that the trains were then running two trips a day between Detroit and Birmingham, and making connection at the latter jilace with a daily lino of "post- coaclW for Pontiac and Flint, and a semi-weekly line for Orand River. In 1840, the company being heavily in debt and without means of payment, the road was sold at sherifT's sale, and passed into the hands of Dean Richmond, of Buffalo, and other capitalists of the State of New York. Then followed another period of delay and di.scouragement, but finally, in the year 1843, the road was completed to Pontiac, which for more than ten years continued to be the western terminus, and the point of connection with the stage- lines running to Flint and Saginaw. This road, in the early years of its existence, was made the subject of unmeasured ridicule on account of tlie poverty of the compan}', the rough and superficial manner in which the line was constructed, the poor quality of its carriages and machinery, and the exceedingly slow and irregular time made by the trains between Pontiac and Detroit. From an article which appeared in the Detroit I'ost a few years since, containing some reminiscences of pioneer railway travel, the following — having reference to the Pontiac line — is extracted : " Trains would frequently stop between way stations at a signal from some farmer who wished to ask a few questions, or to take passage. An old lady denizen of a farmhouse, with spectacles of a primitive manufiicture placed high upon her forehead, came running out to the train, waving her bandanna. Her signal being heeded, the train was . brought to a stop, and her inquiry of the conductor was, if a certain lawyer named Drake was on board. After re- ceiving a negative answer, a short conversation was kept up before the train started on its journey. It was no uncom- m(m occurrence for the engineer, who kept his shot-gun with him, to bring down game from his engine, shut oiF steam, and send his fireman after the fruits of his marks- manship. The road being laid with strap rail, one of the duties of the conductor was to keep a liamnier for the pur- pose of spiking down ' snake-heads' whenever they were seen from the cab of the engineer." There are, doubtless, many citizens of Genesee County who will recollect their journeyings from Pontiac to Detroit in tho.se days, and rec- ognize the above as a truthful dcscrijition. Some time after the complclion of the line to Pontiac it was leased to Gurdon Williams for a period of ten years, at a graduated annual rental, averaging about ten thousand dollars a year ; but the lease was purchased or relinquished before its expiration, and the road came into the possession of a company, of which II. N. Walker, Es(|., was made the president. Under his administration a sufficient amount of money was raised on the bonds of the road to relay the track and place it in a good condition for traffic. For the purpose of forming a railroad connection between the western terminus of the Detroit and Pontiac road and Lake Michigan at or near the mouth of Grand River, and thence, by steamers with Milwaukee, the Oakland and Ot- tawa Railroad Company was formed and incorporated by act of Legislature approved April 3, 1848. The persons appointed as commissioners to receive subscriptions to the capital stock (which was fixed at two million five hun- dred thousand dollars) were Gurdon Williams, Edward A. Brush, H. C. Thurber, Alfred Williams, Bowman W. Dennis, John Hamilton, C. P. Bush, W. A. Richmond, and Charles Shepard. The company was empowered by the act " to construct a railroad with a double ov single track from the village of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland, to Lake Michigan, in the county of Ottawa, passing through the most desirable and eligible route, by the way of Fen- tonvillc," and was required to begin its construction within five years, and to complete it within fifteen years, from the passage of the act. Work was commenced on this line in the year 185:3, and in the following year 11. N. Walker (who was a leading spirit in this, as well as in the Pontiac road) purchased in England twenty-six hundred tons of iron, which was esti- mated to be sufficient to lay the track through to Fenton- ville. But further delays intervened, and it was not until four years after the commencement of work upon the line that the first locomotive rolled over the completed track into Genesee County. On the 13th of February, 1855, the Oakland and Ottawa and the Detroit and Pontiac Railroad interests were consol- idated, under the name of "the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway." During the same year the road was completed from Pontiac to Holly, and the company's agents in Europe negotiated a loan of one and a quarter millions of dollars, by the aid of which the work was pu.shcd forward with vigor, and the road fini.shed to Fentonville in 1851). The county now, for the first time, enjoyed the advant^ige of a railroad line within her own borders, but the expected branch from Fentonville to Flint was never built, and the people of the city and the northern parts of the county had still to depend on the stage-lines connecting with the railway. In September, 1857, the railroad was completed to Ionia, and in one year from that time it was opened to Grand Haven. In April, 1860, the foreclosure of the mortgage by the bondholders placed the road in the hands of a receiver, — the Hon. C. J. Brydges. Since that time its affairs have gradually become more prosperous, and it now ranks with the important railway lines of the State. The stations on this road within the county of Genesee are Feuton liiiuloii, and Gaines. 46 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. FLINT AND PERE MARQUETTE RAILWAY. The .second line which was completed and put in opera- tion in Genesee, and the first to enter the city of Flint, was the Flint and Pore Mar(|uette Railway. The company pro- posing the construction of this road was organized at Flint on the 21st of January, 1857, under the provisions of the general railroad law of 1855. The capital stock of the company was fixed at five million five hundred thousand dollars, to be divided into shares of fifty dollars each, the corporation to continue for the period of five hundred years. The formation of the company was declared, in the articles of association, to be "for the purpose of construct- ing, operating, and maintaining a railroad within tlie State. . . . The said railway is to be constructed from the city of Flint, county of Genesee, passing northerly and westerly through the counties of Genesee, Saginaw, Midland, Glad- win, Clare, Osceola, Lake, and Mason, to Pere Marquette [now Ludington], on Lake Michigan, a distance of one hundred and seventy miles, as nearly as we can now deter- mine, which is to bo the length of said railway." The names of the original subscribers to the stock, and who were also signers of the articles of association, were as follows : George M. Dewey, Benjamin Pearson, Alvin T. Crosman, Daniel D. Dewey, Josiah Pratt, Theodore G. Mills, C. Roosevelt, Artemas Thayer, H. W. Wood, James Henderson, R. D. Lamond, Alexander McFarlan, E. N. Pettee, E. H. McQuigg, Charles B Higgins, R. Bishop, E. F. Frary, M. Miles, Giles Bishop, A. B. Witherbee, George W. Fish, H. C. Walker, H. M. Henderson, T. C. Meigs, Chauncey K. Williams, Charles E. Dewey, William Patterson, G. R. Cummings. The first board of directors of the corporation were : President, George M. Dewey ; Henry M. Henderson, Ben- jamin Pearson, Artemas Thayer, Robert D. Lamond, Cor- nelius Roosevelt, William Patterson, Alvin T. Crosman, Josiah Pratt, all of Flint. The persons who were appointed commissioners to re- ceive subscriptions to the capital stock were Benjamin Pearson, Alvin T. Crosman, and Daniel D. Dewey, and to these tlie names of Robert D. Lamond and Josiah Pratt were afterwards added. In 185G the Congress of the United States had passed an act (approved June 3d, in that year) providing "that there be, and hereby is, granted to the State of Micliigan — to aid in the construction of railroads from Little Bay de Noquet to Marquette, and thence to Ontonagon, and from the two last-named places to the Wisconsin State line; also from Aniboy, by Hillsdale and Lansing, and from Grand Rapids to some point on or near Traverse Bay ; also from Grand Haven and Pere Marquette to Flint, and thence to Port Huron — ^every alternate section of land, designated by odd numbers, for six sections in width, on each side of each of said roads." Where such odd-num- bered sections had already been sold by the United States, or pre-empted, then the deficiency to be made good by selections of a like number of alternate sections of land owned by the government outside of the six tiers of sec- tions ; but in no case to be farther than fifteen miles from the lines of the proposed roads. By an act of the liOgislature of Michigan, approved Feb. 14, 1857, the State accepted the grant of lands from the United States, with the terms and conditions imposed ; and by the same act the title to that portion of the lands intended by Congress to be given in aid of the construction of the Flint and P6re Marquette line was vested in that company, under certain conditions, among which were these : that the proceeds of the lands were to be exclu- sively applied in the construction of the road, and to no other purposes whatsoever; that the road, when completed, should, " in all respects and all its parts, be a first-class railroad, and the rail thereof be the ' T' or continuous rail ;" also that " after the completion of twenty miles of its railroad, and after the Governor shall have certified to the Secretary of tlie Interior that such twenty continuous miles of its road are so completed, then, and not before, said company may sell sixty sections of land included within any continuous twenty miles of its line of road ; and, in like manner, upon the completion of each other twenty continuous miles, it may sell other sixty sections ; and so on, ft-om time to time, until the whole of its road is completed ; and after the full and final completion of the entire length of its road, and the acceptance of the same by the board of control* herein provided, then the com- pany may sell tlie remainder of the lands hereby invested in accordance with the act of Congress, and not before." The company was also required by the act to survey and locate its road on or before the first day of the (then) next December, and to complete and put in good running order at least twenty continuous miles of road during each year from and after that time, and to finish the entire, length of the road within seven years from the 15th day of November, 1857. Tiic lands thus donated to the company amounted to sis hundred and sixty-two thousand four hundred acres, or one hundred and twenty sections for each twenty-mile section of road ; so that under the above condition they were pro- hibited from selling more than one-half their lands until the whole line should be completed and accepted by the board of control. But in February, 1859, the Legislature passed an act amending the above, by striking out the word " sixty," and inserting in its place the words " one hundred and twenty ;" thus autliorizing the company, upon the com- pletion of each twenty-mile section of road, to sell the entire amount of lands due upon such completed section. An amendatory act was also passed extending the time for the completion of the first twenty miles from Dec. 1, 1858, • to Dec. 1, 1859. The land-grant having been duly accepted by the com- pany on the terms and conditions imposed by the Legisla- ture, and local subscriptions to the stock having been secured to the amount required by law, the survey was commenced under direction of George T. Clark, chief engineer of the road, at the opening of the spring of 1857, and was pushed so vigorously that the location of the route was made and accepted by the board of directors in the following August. This location of the route dift'ered materially from tliat originally contemplated, as it passed * The bjiirJ of control constituted by this act consisted of tlio Governor of the State (cj- nj^.riu) and six commissioners, to he nomi- nated hy the Oovcrnor and confirmed by the Senate. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 47 entirely to the south of the county of Gladwin, but travoi-sod Isabella and Jlccosta, which were not touched-by the preliminary survey. Subsefjuently the route was a^ain changed so as to pass wholly to the north of these two counties. On account of the financial depression of 1857 nothing was done towards the construction of the road during that j'car, but in the fall of 1858 the contractors, Messrs. Paul Farwell & Co., commenced work near Bridgeport Centre, and at the close of the year one-third of the line between Flint and Saginaw had been cleared, and about three miles graded ready for ironing. On the 31st of March, 1859, resolutions were adopted authorizing the i.s.sue of the bonds of the company to the aggregate amount of five million five hundred thousand dol- lars, " for the purpose of raising funds from time to time for the construction and completion of the railway of this company from Pere Marquette to Flint;" the said bonds to be secured by a trust deed to Myron H. Clark and Shep- herd Knapp, of New York, and James M. Edmunds, of Detroit, as trustees of the property of the company, includ- ing their interest, actual and prospective, in five hundred and fifty thousand acres of the lands granted by Congress. The deed was executed by the president and secretary on behalf of the company, at the date above named. Under this mortgage, successive issues of the company's construc- tion bonds were made on the several sections as the work progressed ; the first issue being made in April, ISUO. In October, 1859, thirteen miles of tlie road-bed was finished, and the remainder of the line between Flint and Saginaw was nearly ready for the iron. Eight miles of the completed grade south from East Saginaw had been laid with iron from the Wyandotte Rolling-Milis, and on this portion a construction-train had been put in operation. From this time until the following July operations were suspended. The time had expired (December 1st) in which the firet twenty-mile section was to be completed by the con- ditions of the act which conferred the lands, and apprehen- sions were felt that a forfeiture would be declared by the State. But on a.ssurances from the Governor and other influential officers and citizens of the State that no advan- tage would be taken of the company's misfortune, if the enterprise was continued and prosecuted in good faith, the contractors were induced to resume operations in July, IBljO, as above mentioned, though tiic work proceeded but slowly. The completed track was extended soutliward into Gene- see County, and reached Pine Hun during ISlJl. On the 20th of January, 1862, the road was regularly opened for traffic to Mount Morris, where connection was made with its trains by the stages of Boss, Burrcll & Co. At this time the announcement was made that the company had a sufficient amount of iron on hand to complete the line from this point to its southern terminus. The formal opening of the finished line from Saginaw to Flint was celebrated on Monday, Dec. 8, 1802, and was the occasion of unmeasured rejoicing in tiie city, terminating in an entertainment at the Carlton House in honor of the auspicious event. The officers of the company at that time (elected Dec. 5, 1862) were: Directors — Eber B. Ward, of Detroit, Presi- dent; Charles A. Trowbridge, Henry H. Fish, Palmer V. Kellogg, of Utica, N. Y. ; Henry Hobbs, Charles B. Mott, East Saginaw ; Benjamin Pierson, Alfred J. Boss, Flint ; Morgan L. Drake, of Pontiac ; Treasurer, Wm. H. Bron- son ; Secretar}', Morgan L. Drake. THE FLINT A.ND HOLLY LI.NK IN TIIE FLINT AND PERE MARQUETTE LINE. From the time when the first train ran through to Pon- tiac, projects had been in contemplation to extend the line from that village to Flint, and eventually to make connec- tion with Saginaw, either over the road proposed to be built by the Saginaw and Gene.sce Railroad Company (before mentioned as having been incorporated in 1837) or by other means ; and, in 1846, the Legislature passed " an act (approved May 15th) to incorporate the Pontiac and Gene- see Railroad Company," with a capital .stock of five hundred thou.sand dollars, and the privilege of increasing it to one million dollars ; the charter commissioners appointed to re- ceive subscriptions to the stock being Horace C. Thurbcr, Sherman Stevens, Frederick A. Williams, Grant Decker, Charles C. Hascall, Elkanah Parker, Robert Le Roy, Boor- man Dennis, Wm. Axford, Enos Goodrich, Oliver Palmer, Gould Davison, and Benjamin Pearson. The company was authorized and empowered " to construct a railroad, with double or single track, from Pontiac, in the county of Oak- land, running northwesterly through the village of Fenton- ville, to the village of Flint, in the county of Genesee, with a branch of the same running to some suitable point in the county of Shiawassee; al.so a branch of the same from the village of Genesee [Flint?] to Saginaw City, in the county of Saginaw;" the road to be commenced within three years, and to be completed in ten years, from the passage of the act, under penalty of forfeiture of charter. This was amended March 30, 1848, by extending the time for com- mencement of work to five years, and the time for comple- tion of road to fifteen years, and by authorizing an increase of capital to one million five hundred thousand dollars ; also, by the addition of a clause providing that " in case an}' annual meeting of the stockholders of .said company shall not be, or shall not have been holden, the charter of said company shall not thereby be forfeited." The Genesee and Oakland Railroad Company was incor- porated by act approved April 3, 1848. Henry M. Hen- derson, Addison Stewart, Jas. B. AValker, Enos Goodrich, Jas. Kipp, Elijah B. Clark, Horace C. Thurber, and John S. Goodrich were appointed commissioners to receive sub- scriptions to the stock, which was authorized to the amount of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The company was empowered to construct a railroad, with double or single track, from Pontiac to Flint, " passing through the most desirable and eligible route, through the counties of Oak- land and Genesee," and was rc(|uired to commence the con- struction of its road within five years, and to finish it in ten years, from the passage of the act of incorporation. Neither the " Pontiac and Genesee," nor the " Genesee and Oakland" companies ever made any progress worthy of notice towards the accomplishment of the object.s for which they were incorporated. " An act to authorize the Flint 48 HISTORY OF GEiVESEE COUNTY", MICHIGAN. and Pere Marquette Ilailway Company to purchase the rights and franchises of the Genesee and Oakland Ilaih-oad Company" was passed by the Legislature, and approved Feb. 15, 1839, and by the terms of the same act the latter company was also authorized to purchase the rights and franchises of the former ; and it was further provided that " when said two companies are consolidated, in accordance with the provisions of this act, they may assume to them- selves the name of ' The Michigan and Northwestern Rail- way Company ;' " this consolidation arrangement to become valid and operative " when accepted by said companies, by a vote of their respective boards of directors." To what extent action was taken by the two companies under the authority conferred by this act does not clearly appear, but it is certain that no results were attained beyond a survey of the route between Flint and Fentonvillc, commenced Sept. 13, 1860, under the direction and superintendence of George T. Clark, chief engineer of the Flint and Fere Mar- quette road. But the project to construct the lacking railway link, south from Flint to the Detroit and Milwaukee road, was never abandoned, and was finally taken up by parties who were powerful, practical, and wealthy enough to carry it to completion on their own means, without the issuance of bonds, or the asking of municipal or other outside aid. The leader in this project was the Hon. Henry H. Crapo (afterwards Governor of Michigan), with whom were asso- ciated a number of heavy capitalists of New Bedford, Mass., and several gentlemen of means in Genesee County. Im- mediately after the completion of the Pere Marquette road from East Saginaw to Flint, these gentlemen moved ener- getically in the matter, and about the commencement of the year 18G3 became incorporated under the general railroad law as the " Flint and Holly Railroad Company." The board of directors (which also represented the principal stockholders) of this company were Henry H. Crapo, of Flint, president ; Oliver Prescott, John R. Thornton, and Edward S. Slandell, of New Bedford, Mass. ; Levi Walker and J. B. Walker, of Flint ; David Smith, of Feutonville. The commissioners to open the books for subscriptions to the stock of the company, under the requirement of the law, were Oliver Prescott, Wm. W. Crapo, New Bedford ; Henry H. Crapo, H. W. Wood, Flint; David Smith, Feu- tonville. At the inception of the enterprise, it was the general belief of the public (though perhaps not of the projectors) that the road to be built from Flint would intersect the Detroit and Milwaukee road at Fentonville. But when a more easterly survey was made, to intersect that road at Holly, in Oakland County, a comparison of the two routes showed that the latter, although a trifle longer, offered advantages more than sufficient to compensate for the slightly greater distance to be built, and it would, more- over, strike the northern terminus of the railway line which, it was evident, must soon be built from Monroe, on Lake Erie, to the Detroit and Milwaukee road, at Holly. This route was, con.sequently, the one adopted. The contract lor grading the road was let to Messrs. Walton and Wright, of Detroit, who commenced operations upon the line in the autumn of 18G3. The work was pushed with a vigor which has seldom been equaled iu the history of railroad construction, and which had not been expected, even from the practical and energetic business men who stood at the head of the enterprise. So rapid was the progress made that the road was completed and opened to Holly — seventeen miles — on the 1st of Novem- ber, 1864, the first trains being run by the company's new locomotive, " City of Flint." And now, for the first time, Flint and the central and northern jiortions of Genesee County had a railway outlet to the commercial emporium of the State. Before the opening of this road the travel between Flint and Holly Station had been accommo- dated by the stage-lino of Boss, Burroll & Co., which was well equipped, admirably conducted, and very largely pa- tronized, carrying, on an average, as many as one hundred and fifty passengers each way (a total of three hundred passages) daily between the.se points ; and it is recollected by old residents of Flint that in a single day twenty-seven of these coaches delivered their loads of passengers at the Irving House in that city for dinner. It is also mentioned as a somewhat singular circumstance that the senior propri- etor of the line, Hon. Alfred J. Boss, died within two or three days of the time when his stages made their last trip. The total cost of the Flint and Holly road, including land, fencing, grading, bridges, iron, buildings, telegraph, tools, rolling-stock, and engineering, was four hundred and thirty thousand four hundred and twenty-three dollars and six cents, — an exceedingly low figure, especially when taking into consideration the fact that the line was con.structed and equipped during a period of inflated prices, caused by the great war which was then in progress. During the first month, the freight transported was four hundred and ten tons, and the amount received from passenger traffic three thousand four hundred and eighty-five dollars and eighty cents. The receipts of the road during eleven months succeeding its opening (that is, up to the end of the fiscal year) were : From passengers $51, 070.47 " freight ;;8,.'>fi:!.l),i " mails 656.U2 " rents 76 03 S90.'JB7..37 Total expense of operating (same time) 51,761.23 Leaving bahmce of $39,203.14 From that time, and through all the period in which the road continued to be operated by the original company as a separate line, its business steadily and largely increased. On the 24th of April, 1868, the Flint and Holly road was sold, with its equipment, to the Flint and Pere Marquette Railway Company for about five hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and the bonds of the latter company (.secured by lien on the entire length of road from Holly to East Sagi- naw, and since paid in full) were issued in that amount to the stockholders of the Flint and Holly road. In this sale the latter realized an advance of more than twenty-five per cent, on the cost of their road ; and in addition to this, during the three and a half years in which it had been operated by them, they had received regular semi-annual dividends amounting to ten per cent, yearly, besides dividing surplus earnings to the amount of about thirty-five per cent, of the cost oi' the road and equipment. The above INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 49 is certainly a most remarkable showing of profit in the construction and operation of a short interior lino of rail- road. COMPLETION AND CONSOLIDATION OF THE ROADS COM- POSING THE FLINT AND PERE MARQUETTE. Upon that portion of the Flint and Pere Marquette line lying between East Saginaw and Lake Michigan the work of construction was commenced in the fall of 1860, and about eight years later, after many delays and discourage- ments, the road was completed to its northwestern terminus at Ludington. In March, 1872, there were consolidated into the Flint and Pero Marquette line, and under that general name, the following roads, viz., the Holly, Wayne and Monroe Railway (opened in 1870), furnishing a south- cistern connection to Lake Erie; the Bay City and East Saginaw road, connecting with the navigable waters of Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron ; and the Flint River Rail- road (then uncumpletedj, running from the junction, four miles north of Flint, to Otter Lake, a distance of fifteen miles. This latter road (now the Flint River division of the Flint and Pore JIarquette) was opened for travel be- tween the city of Flint and the village of Otisville, in the northeastern corner of Genesee County, on the 13th of August, 1S72, and was soon after finished to Otter Lake Station, where it forms a connection with the Detroit and Bay City Railroad. The Flint River division passes diagonally through the townships of Genesee and Forest, and for a short distance thi-ough the northwest corner of Richfield, all in Genesee County. The main line of the Flint and P6re Marquette road traverses the county nearly through its centre, from north to south, passing through the city of Flint and the townships of Vienna, Mount Morris, Genesee, Burton, and Grand Blanc. This line is by far more important to the interests of Genesee than any of the other railroads which enter the county, and it is for this reason, and because the enterprise was originated and made successful by citizens of Flint,* that the above account of the road has been ex- tended to greater length than it would otherwise have been. Until recently the Flint and Pore Marquette road has been regarded as one of the prosperous railways of Michigan, but of late it has become apparent that the financial condi- tion of the company has been unsatisfactory for several years, commencing from the panic of 1873, and now (May, 1870) it is announced that the road is about pa.ssing into the hands of a receiver. But, notwithstanding the embarrass- ment of its afiairs, it is, and must continue to be, a line of great importance to the counties, cities, and villages upon its route. * Of the twenty-eight uriginal shareholders who signed the articles of association of tlie Flint and Pcrc Marquette Railway (Jomjiany, all but one (Theodore (j. Mills, of Cleveland) wore residents of the city of Flint, as were also all the nine gentlemen composing the first board of directors. And when the second division of the lino (then known as the Flint and Holly road) was built, it was a citizen of this eity — Henry H. C'rapo — who originated the project, furnished a largo share of the means, and was in every way more instrumenlal than any otiier person in accomplishing its early completion and remarkable success. PORT HURON AND LAKE MICHIGAN RAILROAD. The project of the old " Northern Railroad" authorized by the Legislature in 1837 as part of the State system of internal improvements, and intended to run from the outlet of Lake Huron, west, through St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, and other counties, has already been mentioned. After this project was abandoned by the State it was taken up by an association of individuals who were, by act of Legisla- ture approved Jan. 30, 1847,t incorporated as "the Port Huron and Lake Michigan Railroad Company," with au- thority " to construct a railroad with a double or single track from Port Huron, in St. Clair County, running westerly until it shall intersect Lake Michigan at or near the mouth of Grand River, with power to take, transport, and carry property and persons upon the said railroad, or any part thereof herein authorized to be constructed, by the power and force of steam or of animals, or of any me- chanical or other power, or of any combination of them which the said company may choose to use or apply." John Wells, Alvin N. Hart, Charles C. Hascall, Alfred L. Williams, Jesse F. Turner, Ira Porter, Edmund B. Bost- wick, and Thomas W. White were appointed charter com- missioners to receive subscriptions to the capital stock, which was authorized to the amount of two millions of dollars. The company was required to commence its road in five years, and to complete it in fifteen years, from the passage of the act. And the State relinquished to the company all her rights and privileges in the line of the Northern road wherever the company might wish to con- struct its road over that route. In alluding to this relin- quishment by the State, the directors of the company (in a statement published for the purpose of influencing sub- scriptions to the stock) said that " instead of paying the State for what it has done towards the construction of the road, the company have a donation of all that one hundred and ten thousand dollars in cash, and twenty thousand acres of land, have accomplished." In 1851, against a most determined opposition, the charter of the company was amended, by striking out the words " five" and " fifteen" and inserting in their places " ten" and " twenty" (years), thus extending, respectively, the periods in which the work was required to be commenced and completed. Great eflforts were then made to raise means for the construction of the road, but these met with very indifferent success. In 1853 encouragement was re- ceived from the Hon. Malcolm Cameron, of Quebec, that negotiations might be made with parties in that city for the furnishing of means and construction of the road. Upon this, after mature deliberation by the board of directors, a committee of the board, consisting of James Turril, the president of the road, J. R. White, secretary, Alvin N. Hart, treasurer, and Noah Hart, director, proceeded to Quebec, where a contract was cflected witli prominent rail- road parties to build tlie road from Port Huron to Grand ■f The Legislature had passed an act of incorporation of the same company in ISIrt, but it had been vetoed by Gov. Kelch, on the ground that it might defeat the sale of the southern and central roads, nego- tiations for their purchase from the .State being then in progress. This sale having been effected, and the objection thus removed, tho incorporating act was approved in 1847, as stated. 50 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Haven by the 1st of January, 1857, but with the condition precedent tliat tlie company should procure from the Legis- lature an act increasing the capital stock from two million to eight million dollars. An interview was then had with Lieu- tenant-Governor Andrew Parsons (then acting Governor, in place of Governor Robert McClelland, who had resigned to accept a position in President Pierce's cabinet) to induce him to call an extra .session of the Legislature for the purpose of authorizing the necessary increase of capital. Governor Par- sons was unwilling to assume the responsibility of convening the Legislature in extra session unless an expression of the people's wishes, favorable to the plan, could be had. To obtain such an expression the promoters of the road called a mass-meeting at Jackson, at which resolutions were adopted favoring an extra session and requesting the Gov- ernor to call it, but, notwithstanding this, he declined to issue the desired proclamation. This caused a delay until the reg- ular session of 1855, at which an act was passed (approved February 13) amending the charter by increasing the cap- ital stock to eight million dollars, as desired, and empowering the president and directors to appoint agents in either or all of the cities of New York, Boston, Montreal, and Lon- don to receive subscriptions to the increased stock or assess- ments, instalments, or calls, or to pay dividends upon the same, and to make dividends payable and receivable in each or all of the cities named. But after all this had been done the foreign contractors found themselves unable to float the scheme, and so all the trouble and money expended in that direction seemed to have been wasted. This defeat almost extinguished the hopes of the friends of the road, but they were soon after revived by a proposi- tion coming from N. P. Stewart, of Detroit, to purchase the charter and build the road without delay from Port Huron to Grand Haven. But, although this proposition was favorably entertained at first by the promoters of the Port Huron road, it was not long before they became sus- picious that Mr. Stewart was working in the interest of the Detroit and Milwaukee road (in which he was a heavy stock- and bond-bolder), and that his real design was to ob- tain possession of the Port Huron charter, not for the pur- pose of building the road in good faith, but to extinguish the enterprise. They therefore declined to sell their charter and franchises, except upon such terms as they were certain he would decline to entertain. Not to be defeated in this manner, however, he, in 1856, organized a new company under the general railroad law, called the " Port Huron and Milwaukee Railroad Com- pany," to build a railway line from Port Huron to Grand Haven, there to connect with steamers for Milwaukee. The survey of the route was made without delay, the right of way obtained, and for a time the work of construction was pushed most vigorously. A dock was built at Port Huron, some twenty miles of grading was done, and about a mile of track was laid at the Port Huron end of the line, so that the people living in the counties traversed by the route (who cared chiefly for the success of the project, with but little regard as to which company should build the road) began to feel sure that at last their hopes were to be realized. But they were again to be disappointed, for, about the time that the work had progressed to the stage above mentioned, Mr. Stewart procured — or at least assented to — the passage of an act of Legislature, consolida- ting this with the Detroit and Milwaukee road at Owasso ; and from that time work on the eastern portion of the road was suspended, and the means raised for its construction were used west of Owasso. At this turn of afi'airs the chagrin and disappointment of the friends of the road was inexpressible. But the old Port Huron and Lake Michigan charter was kept good, and the promoters of the project still hoped for ultimate success, though the prospect was dismal. Finally, in 1863, Mr. Jerome, of New York, made a proposition to build the road, which was favorably entertained, and he became the purchaser of the charters of both companies ; that is, of the Port Huron and Lake Michigan, and also of that part of the Port Huron and Milwaukee lying east of Owasso. But, after having expended considerable sums in prepara- tions to push forward the enterprise, Mr. Jerome died, and disappointment and gloom once more clouded the prospects of the Port Huron (proposed) railway. In 1865 the original friends and promoters of the pro- ject came once more to the front, having arrived at the conclusion that the only way in which the road could ever be completed was to secure local subscriptions and munici- pal aid sufficient to repurchase the charter, secure the right of way, grade the road ready for the iron between Port Huron and Flint, and furnish the requisite number of ties; believing that, when all this was done, the road itself would give suflacient security to any capitalist who would furnish the rails and rolling-stock to put it in operation. The first consideration was to obtain the charters from the Jerome estate ; and, to accomplish this, they procured the introduc- tion of bills in the Legislature to repeal both the Port Huron and Lake Michigan and the Port Huron and Mil- waukee charters, shrewdly believing that the pendency of these bills would facilitate negotiations with the Jerome heirs. The result was as anticipated. The legal represen- tatives of the estate appeared, and the charters were pur- chased and paid for by local sukscription. The charter being secured, and a large amount of sub- scriptions and municipal aid obtained, the work of grading was resumed in March, 18GG, and progressed so well* that it was confidently predicted that the road would be put in full operation between Port Huron and Flint by the end of the year 1868. But more disappointment was yet in store. Three times negotiations were entered into with parties in New York for the rails and equipment for the road, and as often those negotiations failed. At last, in 1869, a contract was entered into with Messrs. S. W. Hop- * By the report of J. Q. Felt, su|)crinteadent of construction of the Port Huron ro.td, it was sliown that in November, 1866, the road- bed was completed, ready for the iron, from Port Huron westward to within one mile of the west line of the township of Emmett, except two weeks' work at one point; that west of Emmett, to the line of L.apecr County, all was completed except a break of two miles, which would be finished during the winter; that more than sutiicient ties had been contracted for to lay this distance, and that the right of way had been secured over nearly all the route as far west as Flint. In Genesee County, the city of Flint and the townships of Burton and Davison had voted their bonds in aid of the enterprise, and eleven towns in Lapeer County and several in St. Clair liad taken similar action. THE PRESS. 51 kins & Co., of New York, by which that firm agreed to furnish iron and rolling-stock, taking in payment the first mortgage bonds of the road. Tiie firm eventually failed to complete the contract, which compelled the company to make, through its president, the Hon. W. L. Bancroft, a further negotiation in Europe ; but the eastern portion was completed with material furnished on the Hopkins contract. The first cargo (two hundred tons) of rails arrived at Port Huron by the propeller " Fountain City," June 24, 1869, and the laying of the. track was commenced at once; but further supplies of iron came slowly and irregularly, so that it was not until the 8th of June, 1870, that the road was opened to Capac, and on the 28th of the following month to Imlay City. On the 24th of May, 1871, the track reached the limits of Lapeer City, and in the following October entered Genesee County ; the road being opened for freight and passengers to Davison Station May 25th. The track was finished to the limits of Flint City on November 12, 1871, and on Thursday, November 30th, an " inaugural trip" was made over the entire distance (sixty- six miles) between Flint and Port Huron, by a party com- posed of the Hon. Artemas Thayer — a member of the board of directors, residing in Flint — and about fifteen ladies and gentlemen. This party was, of course, greeted with much enthusiasm along the route. The formal open- ing of the line between Port Huron and Flint was cele- brated by the passage from the former to the latter city of an excursion-party, composed of two hundred and ten ladies and gentlemen, occupying four elegant passenger-coaches, drawn by the locomotive " Flint City." The party were complimented by a dinner (at the Thayer House), which was marked by the hilarity and congratulatory speeches usual on such occasions. The regular running of trains between Flint and Port Huron was commenced December 13, 1871, — more than thirty-four years from the time when the people of the " Flint Iliver Settlement" had first rejoiced at the news of the passage of the " Northern Railroad" bill, and the pros- pect of an early connection by rail with the outside world. CHICAGO AND NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD- LAKE HURON LINE. -CHICAGO AND The " Chicago and Northeastern Railroad Company" was incorporated under the general law, by the filing of articles of a.ssociation in the ofiBce of the Secretary of State, Aug. 12, 1874; the object of its formation being the con- struction of a railroad from Lansing to Flint, to connect at the former city with the Peninsular Railway, and at Flint with the Port Huron Railroad, and with these, to form a through line from Chicago to the city of Port Huron. The preliminary work on the Chicago and Nortlieastern road was commenced in November, 1874, and it was pushed with vigor during 1875 and '76, so that at the close of the latter year the road was nearly ready for traffic. It was formally opened about the 1st of February, 1877, and was operated as a part of the " Chicago and Lake Huron" ine, which enjoyed a very heavy busines.s (particularly in freighting) until the early part of the present year, wlien it was broken up by the Chicago and Northeastern link being purchased by an Eastern capitalist (understood to be Wil- liam H. Vanderbilt, or parties in his interest), for the pur- pose of destroying a formidable competitor to other through lines under his control. Measures have already been taken, however, to supply the place of the Chicago and North- eastern link by a new road from Flint to Lansing by way of Owasso. Surveys of the route were commenced in April of this year, and now (July, 1879) Mr. Charles B. Peck, general manager of the Chicago and Lake Huron, adver- tises for bids for the immediate construction of the road, full-tied, with stone and iron bridges and steel rails. It is understood that the road is to be built by the Grand Trunk Railway Company, and that it is the intention of the mana- gers to complete the line at the earliest possible day. The above-mentioned railway lines include all which have been built or projected within the territory of Genesee County. CHAPTER IX. THE PRESS— THE PROFESSIONS— GENESEE CIVIL LIST— THE PIONEER ASSOCIATION. The Newspapers of Flint — The AVolverine Citizen — The Genosco Democrat — The Flint Globe — The Flint Jourcil — Journalism at Fenton — Other Journals in the County — The Medical Profession in Genesee County — Early Physicians — Genesee County Medical So- ciety — -Genesee County Medical Association — Flint Academy of Medicine — Homceopathy in Genesee — Early Lawyers in the County — The Present Bar of Genesee — Genesee Civil List — Genesee County Pioneer Association. THE NEWSPAPERS OF FLINT. The first newspaper in Genesee County was Tlie Flint River Gazette (Democratic), published at Flint River vil- lage, by Joseph K. Averill, its first issue bearing date Jan. 26, 1839. The press, fixtures, and type with which it was started had been previously in use in the State of New York, Mr. Averill having purchased them there of James Connor for the .sum of one thousand and ninety-three dollars and ninety-one cents, and transported them by canal and lake to Detroit, and thence to Flint, but without having paid the purchase-money to Connor. This indebtedness, together with the various charges, came with the " printing establishment," as a lien upon it, to Messrs. Hutchinson, Campbell & Co., the consignees at Detroit. The charges on the property are shown by the following transcript from the consignees' books, taken for use in a suit involving the ownership of the press and equipment : "Steamboat 'Charles Towxsend,' "E. Norton &, Co., " B. L. No. 294.— Oct. 3, 1838. Lbs. "One printing-press and frame 470 Si.x boxes type 970 Two boxes sundries 1280 Three I'ds type-boxes 190 Two boxes sundries 300 One keg ink 35 3243 @ 90 ct3. = $29.19 "Our charges @ 10 ots 3.24 Lake freight @ 20 cts 6.48 Advanced Mr. Averill at 15uH'ul( 20.00 Passage on Erie'Canall 25.00 $83.91 "A copy of bill on Hutchinson, Campbell A Co., lake receiving book. " P. C. WiLLSO.N." 52 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Hutcliinson, Campbell & Co. refused to deliver the prop- erty to Mr. Averill, but he obtained posse.ssion by suit in replevin, in which Cliauncey S. Payne, of Flint, became security on the replevin bond. The suit resulted in a judg- ment in favor of the defendants, for the value of the prop- erty, $1093.91 ; damages for detention, $191.02 ; and costs, $61.01 ; total, $1345.9-4. Mr. Payne having become re- sponsible for the amount, he obtained security for it, to the extent of the value of the property, by an assignment and bill of sale from Mr. Averill, of which instrument the fol- lowing is a copy : "In consideration of one hundred dollars, to me ])aid by Chauneey S. Payne, of Grand Traverse, Genesee County, Michigan, I have sold and assigned, and by these presents do sell, assign, transfer, and set over, absolutely and forever, to the said Chauneey S. Payne, the several articles, goods, and chattels enumerated in the annexed schedule, and which printing materials, ])ress, and type are now known as consti- tuting the establishment of the Flint River Gazette. To have and to hold the same to his own use and benefit forever. " In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 28th day of January, a.d. 1839. "JoSEI'H K. AVEKILL [.SE.Il]. " In the presence of AVm. A. Morkison." The annexed schedule referred to in the instrument enumerates various articles and material belonging to the " printing establishment," amounting, as inventoried, to $1303.35. James Connor having as.signed his claim against Averill to James H. Hay, and the publication of the Gazette having proved an unsuccessful enterprise, Mr. Payne, in 1842, turned over the articles composing the office establishment of that paper to Mr. Ray, in part satisfaction of the judg- ment, as appears from the receipt given by Ray's attorneys, which was as follows : " Received of Chauneey S. Payne, the printing-press, type, fixtures, and materials constituting the printing establishment known as the Flint River Gazette, which has been inventoried and appraised by virtue of a stipulation entered into by and between James H. Ray and Chauneey S. Payne, by A. &, H. H. Emmons, attorneys for said Ray, and T. B. W. Stockton for said Payne, dated June 3, 1842; which said establishment has been valued at nine hundred and eighty- nine dollars and eighty-five cents (.^OSD-SS), which said sum is to apj)ly on the bond executed by said Payne conjointly with Joseph K. Averill in a replevin suit, wherein said Averill was plaintiff, and Amos J. Hutchinson, Henry M. Campbell, and Ezra Williams were defendants. And said amount is also to go toward the payment of the judgment rendered in said replevin suit against said Averill. " Dated Detroit, June 6th, a.d. 1842. "A. &, H. H. Emmons, "Atl'yi! for " James H. Ray." It is stated in Applegate's " History of the Press of Michigan" that the Flint River Gazette lived only about six months, but this is shown to be incorrect, by the fact that Hon. George M. Dewey, of Flint, has now in his pos- session a copy of the paper dated March 7, 1840 ; this being numbered seven of the second volume. The Gazette ceased to exist in June or July, 1841. The second newspaper enterprise in the county was that of the Northern Advocate, published at Flint River, by William A. Jlorrison. This paper was Whig in politics, and its first issue was on Saturday, April 18, 1840. It was printed on a press which had been used at Pontiac in the publication of the Pontiac Herald, first by W. S. Stevens, and afterwards by Benjamin Irish, and was sold by the latter, on the discontinuance of the Herald, in 1839. The Advocate expired in 1842. Next came the Genesee Gazette, a weekly Democratic paper, published at Flint River by S. W. Denton & Co. It first appeared April 16, 1842, — the press used being that on which had been printed the Northern Advocate. No further facts concerning this paper have been gathered, except that it was short-lived. The Genesee Herald made its first appearance on Satur- day, Jan. 7, 1843. It was a Whig paper, published weekly at Flint River by J. Dowd Coleman, and edited by Perry Joslyn. It continued to exist here for a year, but at the end of that time it was discontinued, and in January, 1844, Mr. Coleman removed his press to Pontiac, where, on the 7th of February of that year, he issued from it the first number of the Oakland Gazette. The Genesee County Democrat was a weekly paper, pub- lished by William B. Sherwood at Flint River. Mr. Sher- wood had before published the Shiatcassee Democrat and Clinton Express, at Corunna, Shiawassee Co., for a short time, but discontinued it in the spring of 1843, moved his press and material to Flint, to use in the publication of the Democrat, as above mentioned, and issued its first num- ber on the 6th of June, 1843. The period of its duration cannot be given. The Genesee Repiihlican, a Democratic paper, made its first appearance on the 17th of April, 1845. It was printed at Flint, and was understood to be owned, wholly or prin- cipally, by Gen. Charles C. Hascall, though no proprietor's name appeared at the head of its columns. It is proper to mention here that one or two prominent citizens of Flint, who have resided liere for more than forty years, and who are generally regarded as good authority in such matters, assert positively that no such papers as the Genesee Re- pnhlican or Genesee County Democrat were ever published in the county ; but the account which we here give of them is based on still stronger proof, namely, the fact of having seen and read copies of both these papers, which copies are now in possession of the Hon. George M. Dewey, of Flint. The Flint Repiihlican, of which two or more copies are also in the possession of Mr. Dewey, was first issued in December, 1845, by Daniel S. Merritt. The office of pub- lication was " in the building north of Lyon's hotel, oppo- site the court-house, up-stairs. Terms, $1.50 cash, or $2 in produce, in advance." This paper came under the proprietorship of Royal W. Jenny,* in 1848. One of the copies of this paper which we examined, as before mentioned, bears date Sept. 20, 1840, and is entitled " Flint Republican, Vol. 4, No. 42, published by R. W. Jenny, weekly ou Thursday mornings." Mr. Jenny ceased to publish the Republican on the 30th of September, 1853, and immediately commenced the pub- lication of the Genesee Democrat. Whether this was merely a change of name, or the establishment of a new journal, we do not know, and therefore express no opinion. Mr. Jenny continued to publish the Democrat until his death, which occurred nearly a quarter of a century later. *Mr. Jenny had started the Lapeer Cunnti/ Whig, at Lapeer, Feb. 23, 1842. This fact we ascertained from examining a copy of that paper published in that year. THE PRESS. 53 T/ie Western Citizen was a paper published at Flint, and owned by 0. S. Carter. Its date cannot be given, but its existence was short, and it was succeeded, Feb. 23, 1850, by the Genesee Whiff, Francis II. Rankin, proprietor, F. H. Rankin and N. W. Butts, editors. Tiie newspapers of Flint City at the present time arc the Genesee Democrat, the Wolverine Citizen, the Flint Globe, and the Flint Journal, historical sketches of which, fur- nished by the proprietor of each journal respectively, are given below, without any attempt on our part to reconcile conflicting opinions regarding seniority. THE WOLVERINE CITIZEN.* The Wolverine Citizen, the oldest living newspaper in Genesee County, was founded by its present editor and proprietor, F. H. Rankin, as a Free-Soil Whig paper, in 1S50, the first number appearing on February 23d of that year, as the Genesee Whiij. Upon the final dissolution of the Whig party, the name " Whig" ceased to have any political significance, and without any change in its prin- ciples or policy, the proprietor deemed it advisable to adopt another title. The paper was accordingly published as the Wolverine Citizen and Genesee Whig from January to December, 185G, when the latter half of its designation was dropped, and it has appeared from that date to the present as the Wolverine Citizen. The history of the paper is intimately connected with the history of the county during the last thirty years. Under the agitation caused by the repeal of the Missouri Com- promise, the Genesee Whig strongly favored the formation of the Republican party, organized at Jackson, in this State, in 1854, and from that time to the present has been known as a distinctively Republican journal of the " stalwart" type. Its editor was actively instrumental in reorganizing the anti-slavery elements of the old Whig and Democratic parties of Genesee County ; having been, while chairman of the Whig County Committee, also chosen chairman of an Independent Central County Committee, at a mass con- vention of electors of Genesee County, held on Sept. 21, 185-1, for the purpose of uniting the anti-slavery strength against the attempted encroachments of the slave-power upon the guaranteed free territory of the nation ; the lan- guage of the call for the meeting, inviting all electors " opposed to the ' Nebraska swindle' and the extension of slavery in the national domain." The Citizen is now in the thirtieth year of its existence, during which time there has been no change in its owner- ship or management. In its career, it can boast of having been the graduating school of a number of young Tuen, who have been more or less prominent as journalists in this State and elsewhere. Among them may be named Hon. W. R. Bates, late of the Lumberman's Gazette ; C. B. Turner, of the Fontiac Gazette ; R. L. Warren, of the Lawrence Advertiser ; Morgan Bates, Jr., late of the Marshall States- man ; E. D. Cowles, of the Saginaw Daily Courier; W. A. Smith, of the Charlevoix Sentinel ; Harry Hall, of the Stuart Locomotive ; Charles Fellows, of the Flint Journal; Orlando White, of the Linden Record ; A. M. Woodin, of the Lansing Sentinel. * By Francis U. Rankin. Tlic Wolverine Daily Citizen was started by Mr. Rankin in August, 1859, and continued until November, 18C0. After sinking considerable money in its publication, and becoming satisfied that a daily paper in Flint could not be made to pay its expenses, the enterprise was abandoned after fifteen months' effort. During the twenty-four years of the corporate existence of Flint, the Wolverine Citizen has been for seventeen years of that period chosen annually as the official paper of the city. The jobbing department connected with the office is the most complete and extensive in this part of the State. The steam-engine of the establishment — boiler and all — was con- structed in Flint, and is a model of its kind. It was built for the Citizen by H. W. Wood, of Flint, and the Wicks Brothers (now of Saginaw), when the Genesee Iron-Works were owned by those parties. The paper was originally a twenty-four by thirty-four folio sheet of twenty-four columns. In 1857 it was en- larged to twenty-six by forty, and twenty-eight columns. In 1SG7 its form was changed to quarto, and still further enlarged to twenty-nine by forty-four, and forty-eight col- umns, which is its present shape. The business department of the office is now well man- aged by the proprietor's sou, Franc, who assists his father editorially ; as does also his son George, in the local col- umns and reporter's province. THE GENESEE DEMOCRAT."}" At the head of the editorial columns of the Genesee Demo- crat this sentence is to be found : " Oldest paper in Gen- esee County. Established in 18-18, by Royal W. Jenny." For all practical purposes, this line is all that is necessary to be said concerning the foundation of this paper, but as another journal published in the city lays claim to what- ever honor attaches to the " oldest paper," a few words in explanation may make the disputed point clear. It is not disputed that Mr. R. W. Jenny, the founder of the Demo- crat, published a paper in this city before any of the papers now published were issued. For some years Mr. Jenny published the Flint Republican, a Democratic paper, and during those years the Wolverine Citizen was started. In 1853 the Flint Rejniblican was changed to the Genesee Democrat. The Democrat, after a few issues, was dated back to correspond with the Republican. It is plain, therefore, that the Genesee Democrat is not nominally as aged as is its contemporary, the Citizen, but in everything but name it is the oldest paper in Genesee County ; yet the point in question is hardly worth the quantities of printer's ink that have been, at different times, spent in its discus- sion. The vicissitudes of journalistic life in those early days can only be appreciated by those who experienced them, and the varying fortunes of our county papers are so iden- tified with the personal characters of their proprietors that a history of the one is a biography of the other. The Democrat was no exception. Even the name Genesee Democrat is so intimately connected with its founder. Royal W. Jenny, that few of the residents of Flint can t By Artliur J. Eddy. 54 HISTORY OP GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. think of the former without recalling the eminently popu- lar nature and friendly disposition of the latter. Mr. Jenny continued editor and proprietor up to the time of his death, in 1876, though at several times he had associated with him diflferent gentlemen as partners, the last being Mr. Fellows, now publisher of the Journal. For some weeks after her husband's death, Mrs. Jenny conducted the paper, when it was purchased by H. N. Mather. Mr. Mather enlarged the paper, improved it in many respects, and added a Sunday edition to it. After a most success- ful management of over two years, Mr. Mather sold the paper, in December, 1878, to Jerome Eddy, then mayor of the city. Mr. Eddy's son, Arthur J. Eddy, took charge of the establishment and now publishes and edits the paper. However it may be about the age of the Genesee Democrat (weekly), the managers of that paper can justly claim tiie unprofitable honor of starting the first daily in Flint. For a few months, in 1859, a daily was issued, but its remem- brance was all it netted its proprietors. The Democrat is now issued from the Eddy Block, on Kearsley Street. THE FLINT GLOBE.* The Flint Glohe was established at the city of Flint in August, 1866. The original proprietors were Charles F. Smith, Henry S. Hilton, and Robert Smith, the firm-name being Charles F. Smith & Co. The office was located in the second story of what was known as the " Union Block," on Saginaw Street, now occupied by Walter's restaurant and Charles Crawford's tailoring establishment. Mr. Hilton was the managing editor, Mr. C. F. Smith having more immediate charge of the jobbing department and the general business of the office. W. H. H. Brainard and Sumner Howard were successively engaged as local editors on the Glohe. The concern was purchased by the present proprietor, Almon L. Aldrich, in August, 1869. In the summer of 1870 the office was moved to the third story of the Covert Block, corner of Saginaw and First Streets, for the sake of additional room, and in order to give the editor a sanctum separate from the composition- and press-room, one apartment having served that purpose up to that date. Here the office remained until October, 1873, whea the demand for new machinery, which could not be gotten up to the office in the third story, necessitated its removal to some building in which the first floor could be used for the presses. No such building offering itself for a reasonable rent, the proprietor purchased a lot on the corner of Kearsley and Brush Streets, and in the month of July commenced the erection of a building to be used as " The Globe Office." In October a brick structure twenty by fifty-six feet on the ground, and two stories high, with a deep basement, known as " The Globe Building," was completed, and the office was removed thither. The front of the building, first floor, is used as the editor's room and business-office. The rear part is used for jobbing purposes and as a press-room. The entire upper story is used by the compositors. The brick-work on this building was done by contract by Andrew J. AVard, and the Carpentering work by John McBurney. * Bj A. L. Aldrich. The office is still located in the building, and is likely to remain there. The Globe has always been Republican in politics, and has exercised its due .share of influence in directing public afliiirs and making public sentiment, having always been recognized as an organ of the Republican party in its locality. It has several times been chosen as the official paper of the city. The present proprietor was appointed to the office of resident trustee of the Michigan Institution for Educating the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind in October, 1873, which office he still holds. The former proprietors of the Glohe are now located as follows : Charles F. Smith resides in Chicago, and is en- gaged on 'Change. Soon after leaving the Glohe he re- moved to Kansas, and for two years held the office of treas- urer of Labette County. Henry S. Hilton is editor and proprietor of the Clinton Republican, at St. John's, Clinton Co., Mich. He also holds the office of register of deeds in that county. Robert Smith is owner and editor of the Gratiot Journal, published at Ithaca, Gratiot Co., Mich., one of the most ably conducted and successful papers in the State. Among the gentlemen who have been connected with the Globe as local editors, during the ownership of the present proprietor, may be mentioned Mr. Louis R. Pome- roy, now dead ; Mr. M. L. Seeley, now residing in Genesee township, in this county ; Mr. Will F. Clarke, now deputy collector of internal revenue in this district ; Henry H. Gibson, of Grand Rapids; and Harry Snedicor, of Chi- cago. The following is a list of the gentlemen wlio have acted as foremen in the office, either in the news or jobbing de- partment, or both : James Estes, now publisher of the St. John's Independent; W. W. Howard, of Flint; N. L. Moon, now a Methodist clergyman at Caro, in this State; James Gray, of Bay City ; Erastus Dodge, now a leading photographer of Flint ; and F. C. Jeudevine and John Henry, the former in the news department and the latter in the jobbing-rooms. THE FLINT JOURNAL.^ This paper, now in its fourth year, is published by Charles Fellows. Democratic in politics ; is published every Wednesday. It is an eight-page paper; enjoys a liberal patronage and an extensive circulation, its column of " Flint Chips" being a feature that makes the Journal popular with all classes. THE DEAF-MUTE MIRROR. This is a small paper published in Flint on Fridays, being most creditably edited by inmates of the Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind. JOURNALISM AT FENTON. The Fentonville Observer was started in tliat village in the fall of 1854, W. W. Booth, proprietor. Perry Joslin, editor. It was issued weekly for several months and then discontinued. t By C. Fellows. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 55 Tlie Fenton Gazette was first issued on the 17th of October, 1865, by W. H. H. Smith, who had removed with his press and material from Monroe Co., N. Y., to Fenton, and who is still its proprietor. It was established as an independent family newspaper, neither pledged to nor de- pendent on any political party for support, and it has main- tained this character through nearly fourteen years of pros- perous existence. Mr. Smith now has his son associated with him in the proprietorship, and it is their design in the conducting ef their paper to keep place with the progressive spirit of the age, and with the demands of the enlightened community in which the Gazette has its circulation. The Christian Index, an Episcopalian journal, was com- menced in December, 18GS, by the Rev. 0. E. Fuller, rector of St. Jude's Church in Fenton, and principal of the Trinity school. It was a valuable paper, but not of very long continuance. The Fenton Independent was established in May, 1868, by H. N. Jennings as editor and publisher, and has now (June, 1879) entered upon its twelfth volume, under the same proprietorship and management. It is a seven-column folio, independent in politics and religion, published weekly on Tuesdays, and has a good circulation in Fenton and throughout the county. OTHER JOURNALS IN THE COUNTY. The Linden Weekly Record, published at Linden, Fen- ton township, was started by its present proprietor, Orlando White, Jan. 16, 1878, as a five-column quarto. It is now a five-column folio, independent in politics, and has a good circulation. The Flushing Patrol was established in the village of Flushing, Jan. 16, 1878, by its present proprietor, D. C. Ashmun. It is a seven-column folio, printed on a hand- press of Mr. Ashmun's own manufacture, and has a good subscription list. A job-office is connected with the establishment. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN GENESEE COUNTY. EARLY PHVSICIANS. Before any physician had established in practice in Genesee County, the settlers here who needed medical attendance were served by Doctors David L. Porter, J. B. Kichardson, and Olmstead Chamberlain, of Oakland County, and possibly by others. Of these the one who was most frequently employed was Dr. Chamberlain. He was then a middle-aged man, though an old physician in practice. He was born in Bichmond, Vt., in 1787, and settled in Pontiac in 1821. He was probably the first physician who ever set foot within the territory of Genesee County, having passed through here in 1823 on his way to Saginaw, whence he had received an urgent .summons to attend the soldiers of the garrison, among whom an alarming epidemic had broken out. The only road was the Indian trail through the woods, but the doctor at once mounted his horse, and traveling night and day, at times obliged to dismount and feel for the trail on his hands and knees, arrived in due time, and rendered good service to the sufferers. And for the early settlers in Grand Blanc and at Flint lliver he was always equally willing and ready to give professional assistance, although he was not compelled to rely on his profession for a livelihood, and did not follow it as a regular business. He was present with Col. Cronk in the fatal sickne.ss of the latter at Flint River, in 1832, and on this occasion, as in other critical cases at Grand Blanc and on the Flint, remained for two or three days, never quitting his patient until out of danger or past hope of recovery. He remained in Pontiac until 1864, when he went to live with a .son in Waupun, Wis., and died there Oct. 10, 1876, aged eighty-nine years. The first physician to locate and practice in Genesee County was Dr. Cyrus Baldwin, who came from Onondaga Co., N. Y., and settled in Grand Blanc in the spring of 1833. He was a deacon in the Presbyterian Church at that place. In 1837 he removed to Atlas, being the first physician in that township, and remained there in practice for a number of years. Dr. John W. King came to Genesee County in 1834, and located at Grand Blanc. After the removal of Dr. Baldwin from that town, in 1837, Dr. King remained as the only physician of the settlement until the spring of 1848, when Dr. H. C. Fairbank became his business part- ner. This connection continued till the winter of 1849-50, when Dr. King withdrew almost entirely from practice, and soon afterwards removed to Flint village, where he engaged in the foundry business, but, after some two years, returned to Grand Blanc and passed his remaining years in com- parative retirement upon his farm. In 1873 he expe- rienced an attack of paralj'sis, from which he never fully recovered, and died on the 12th of November, 1876. At the funeral of Dr. King a short address was made, at the request of members of the profession, by Dr. George W. Fish, of Flint, who was an a.ssooiate and friend of the deceased during a period of more than thirty-seven years. It has been thought appropriate to give in this place the following extract from that address : " Dr. John W. King, so well known to the citizens of this town and county, has contributed his full share towards redeeming this beautiful country from the savagery of an uncultivated wilderness, and building up the institutions and developing the physical resources of a most prosperous and happy commonwealth. You, my friends, the neigh- bors of him whom we to-day mourn, will, I am sure, bear me out in saying that whatever you have in this commu- nity that is good and true and pure and of good report, whatever tends to mental, moral, and religious culture, whatever has been calculated to make vice and immorality odious, and to cherish and foster education, morality, and religion, has always found an active friend iu Dr. King. Of him it may truly be said, he has done what he could to elevate the race and to make men and women better. Such men do not live in vain. They are a blessing to the community where their lot is cast, and the death of such is a public calamity. " As a medical man our friend laid no claim to profound erudition or especial brilliancy. He was laborious, pains- taking, and absolutely conscientious. He was, moreover, more than ordinarily well read in what we call the general principles of the profession ; he was familiar with the old 56 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. text-bociks, and an admirer and, to some extent, an imi- tatorof such noble Cliristian lueu as Be La Mater, Muzzey, and Willoughby. With these as his models, and his abso- lute honesty and steiling common sense, he soon became a safe and successful physician. " Were you to ask me wherein his great strength lay which gave him access to the people, I should answer, in his true manline.ss of character. Removed alike from the simpering of the silly fop and the imperious bluster of the professional autocrat, he cultivated the golden mean of a noble manhood. There was in his nature such an inex- haustible supply of pleasant sunshine that his visits to the sick were always welcome. He was a Christian gentleman of the old school, entirely above the petty tricks and jeal- ousies of the charlatan. In all this he was worthy of imitation by the members of the profession of the present day. He was always ready to extend a helping hand and speak a word of cheer and encouragement to young men of the profession who might be under a cloud. Neither provocation nor hope of reward would tempt him to do a mean or unprofessional act to one of his brethren in the profession. " My acquaintance with Dr. King has been somewhat intimate, and has extended over a period of nearly thirty- eight years. We were associated in the struggles of pro- fessional life in this (then) new country. On horseback we found our way to the log cabins of the early settlers, and not unfrequently, by day and night, we met by the rude couch of the sick and suffering. Most of the men and women of that generation have passed away. A few still linger among us, and they will remember the fierce contest that was waged with poverty and sickness in the new settle- ments. Dr. King and the other physicians of that day were in perfect sympathy with the people and suflFered with them." Dr. John A. Hoyes, a graduate of the medical school at Fairfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., was the fir.st resident physi- cian in Flint, where he settled in 1835,* and continued in an extended and successful practice until about the year 1847, when his failing health caused him to seek relief in the South. He experienced little benefit, however, from the Southern climate, and not long after returned to Flint, where he died, Dec. 20, 1849, aged forty-three years. He was widely known and a trusted and popular physician. Dr. Robert D. Lamond, a graduate of the medical school at Castleton, Vt., and also of the Fairfield Medical College, in Herkimer County, N. Y., came to Flint, about 1838, from Fontiac, where he had commenced practice soon after 1830. In 1835 he was a member of the Oakland County Medical Society, and its secretary. Afterwards, he was one of the original members of the firet medical society of Genesee County (as were also Drs. King and Hoyes). He continued to reside in Flint during the remainder of his life, and was for many years the most prominent physi- cian in the county. He represented Genesee County in the Legislature in 1844, and died in Flint in 1871. * It has been stated in a public address that Dr. Hoyes settled here in 1836, but as his name is found signed to a memorial to Congress in favor of the Smith heirs to the Indian Reservation, — which paper is dated " Flint River, Sept. 2S, IS3J," — it seems pretty certain that he uamo as early ns that year. Dr. George W. Fish'came to this county in 1S36, locating in the township of Genesee, where he practiced for two or three years, and then removed to Flint, where he remained in practice till 1846. At that time he removed to Jack- .son, Mich., and three or four years after — on account of his health — to Central America, in the employ of the Panama Railroad Company. Upon the completion of that work he went to China, and remained there .seven years in the medi- cal service of the Board of Missions. While there, he filled, for a time, a vacancy in the United States consulate at Hong-Kong. Upon the opening of the war of the Rebel- lion he returned to the United States, and entered the army as brigade-surgeon, holding that position till the end of the war, after which he returned to Flint. He served for a time on the board of trustees of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, and also one term in the State Senate. He is now United States consul at Tunis, Africa. Dr. Daniel Clarke is a graduate of Harvard University, class of 1839, M. M. S. He came to this county in 1840, and settled in the township of Grand Blanc. He removed to Flint in 1844, but remained only until 1845, when he returned to Massachusetts. In 1847 he again located in Flint, where he has since remained in extensive practice. He is now the senior physician of the county of Genesee. Dr. Richardson came to Flint about 1837. He removed West soon after 1840, and is now (or was recently) prac- ticing in Greenville, Montcalm Co., Mich. Dr. H. C. Fairbank — a native of Wayne County, N. Y., and a graduate of the Willoughby University and of the Western Reserve College, at Cleveland, Ohio — commenced practice in the village of Flint, with Dr. R. D. Lamond, in the spring of 1847. In the following year he removed to Grand Blanc, and entered practice there with the veteran Dr. King. This business connection continued for one and a half years, when Dr. King retired to his farm. Dr. Fair- bank remained in Grand Blanc till November, 18G4, when he removed to Flint. During the sixteen years of his practice in the former place his ride extended through six townships, of which Grand Blanc was the centre. He is still located in Flint, with an equally extensive practice. Dr. Elijah Drake settled in Flint before 1840, and re- mained here in practice until his death in 1875. He was a brother of Hon. Thomas J. Drake, and of Morgan L. Drake, of Fontiac. Dr. De Laskie Miller came to Flint from Lapeer (where he had previously practiced) in 1845. After seven years of successful practice here, he removed to Chicago. Sub- sequently he was appointed professor of obstetrics in the Rush Medical College, which position he still holds. Dr. John Willet, a graduate of Geneva (N. Y.) Medical College, came to Flint in 1846, and remained constantly in practice here until his appointment as surgeon in the Union army, in August, 1862. Upon his return from the service he retii-ed from general practice, and engaged in the drug business. He has been elected representative in the State Legislature, and is now (1879) serving in his second term in that oflSce. Dr. Samuel W. Pattison came to Dibbloville (now Fen- ton) in June, 1836. After practicing there for a few yeai-s he removed to Ypsilanti, where he is still living. Dr. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 57 Pattison was the first physician in Fenfon, and the only regular one in that township for several years. Dr. John C. Gallup, a graduate of the medical school at Pittsfield, Mass., came to Fentonville about 1840, and suc- ceeded to the practice of Dr. Pattison upon the removal of the latter to Ypsilanti. Dr. Gallup remained in Fen- tonville until about 1851 , when he moved to Palmyra, N. Y. From that place he returned to Michigan, and was located for a short time at Grand Rapids, but soon after went to Clinton, N. Y., where he became president of the Hough- ton Female Seminary, — a position which he still holds. Dr. Thomas Steere was in Fentonville as early as 1838. He had followed the business of druggist, and was not a graduate of any medical school, but, impelled by the scar- city of physicians in this region at that time, he commenced the practice of medicine, and continued in it with fair suc- cess and enjoying the respect of the people until his death, which occurred about 1852. Dr. Knight was located at Long Lake, in the town of Fenton, and continued in practice there from about 1849 until 1875 or 1876, when he moved to Petoskey, Mich. Dr. Isaac Wixom came to Genesee County in 1844, and settled in the township of Argentine. After a quarter of a century of successful practice there and in adjoining counties, he removed to Fenton in 1869, where he is still practicing at the advanced age of seventy-six years. Dr. Wixom received his diploma at Penn Yan, Yates Co., N. Y., in 1824, practiced his profession for four years in Steuben Co., N. Y., removed in 1829 to Oakland Co., Mich., where he remained until his removal to Genesee County. As a surgeon he has enjoyed a high reputation for many years, and has been called on diflScult cases in other counties of this and adjoining States. During the war of the Rebel- lion he was commissioned surgeon of the 16th Michigan Infantry, and served with that regiment in the field for two years. Besides the practice of his profession, Dr. Wixom has in past years been largely engaged in farming, milling, and mercantile business, and has served in both houses of the Michigan Legislature. Dr. Elbridge G. Gale, a native of Massachusetts, and a graduate of the medical college at Castleton, Vt., came to Davisonville in November, 1844. He practiced there with success until 1851, after which he became engaged in poli- tics, and was elected to the Legislature for several terms (serving in both houses) and was a delegate to the consti- tutional convention of 1850. Soon after this he entirely withdrew from the practice of medicine, and devoted most of his time to farming and sheep-raising. He still owns his farm in Atlas, but resides in Vermont. His successor in practice, in Atlas, was Dr. Murray. Dr. Joseph W. Graham came from Owasso to Fenton- ville in 1846, and remained there in practice till about 1851, when he removed to Flint. About two years later he left Flint and located in New Albany, Ind., from which place he afterwards removed to Chicago, and died there. Dr. William B. Cole came to Fentonville about 1850. After a few years he retired from practice, and held several township offices. He finally removed to Pontiac, Oakland Co., where, in September, 1871, he purchased a half-in- terest in the Pontiac Jacksoniaii from the widow of its 8 former proprietor, D. H. Soils. He soon after became sole proprietor of the paper ; but in 5Iay, 1872, sold an interest to Mr. Sheridan, and in the fall of the same year the firm moved the office and material to Ludington, Mich., where it became the Ludington Appeal. Dr. Cole still resides there, and publishes his paper in the interest of the " Green- back" party. Dr. Joseph Eastman commenced the practice of medi- cine at Goodrich in 1846. Afterwards he moved upon a form in Davison township, and still later removed to the city of Flint, where he died in 1878. Dr. Miller settled as a physician in Flushing about 1842. After many years' practice there he removed to Springfield, Oakland Co., from which place he removed to Wenona, Mich. In the above mention of the earlier physicians in the county of Genesee, it has been the intention to include those who commenced practice here down to the year 1850. Of most of those who came later the names will be found in the membership lists of the medical societies of the county. GENESEE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.* This society — the first medical association in Genesee County — was organized in the winter of 1841^2. Dr. G. W. Fish, in his address at the funeral of Dr. John W. King, in November, 1876 (from which an extract has been given above), mentioned the formation of the old society as follows : " About thirty-five years ago, four physicians met in an office in the little village of Flint, and, after much delibera- tion and consultation, organized the first medical society ever formed in this part of the State. They were all young men, but recently from the schools, natives of the State of New York, and had all a common Alma Mater, — the old Fairfield Medical College, in Herkimer Co., N. Y. Of those who that day attached their signatures to the consti- tution and by-laws of the first Genesee County Medical Society, one, Dr. John A. Hoyes, has been dead almost a score of years ; another, Dr. Robert D. Lamond, died some five years since ; the third. Dr. John W. King, lies in his coffin, and will soon be borne by us to his last resting-place ; and the fourth is he who now addres.scs you." Dr. Fish was mistaken in supposing that this was " the first medical society ever formed in this part of the State," for Dr. Lamond, a member of this, had also been a mem- ber, and the secretary, of the Oakland County Medical So- ciety in 1835, and Dr. Samuel W. Pattison, of Fentonville, was admitted to membership in the Oakland Society, in 1838 ; but in other particulars the statement was, of course, correct. In a letter recently written by Dr. Fish, from Tunis, Africa, where he at present holds the office of United States consul, he speaks of the organization and existence of this old society as follows : * In a historical sketch of the city of Flint, published recently in some of the newspapers, it is stated that the name of this old organ- ization was " The Flint Medical Association." That this is incorrect is proved by an advertisement found in the Genesee JUpublicau of the year 1845, in which Dr. George W. Fish, as secretary, called the an- nual meeting of the Genesee County Medical Society, to be held at the court-house in Flint. 5S HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. " We sent to Detroit and to Pontiac for copies of the constitution and by-laws of their respective medical societies, and framed one suited to our wishes. My impression is that Dr. Hoyes was the first president, and Dr. Laniond secretary. I also thinic that the first annual meeting was held at Flint, the following June, at which meeting Drs. Steere and Gallup, of Fentonville, and Dr. Baldwin, of Atlas, became members, and perhap.s Dr. Miller, of Flush- ing, may have joined at that time, or soon after. I may be mistalcen one year in the date of tlie organization, but I think I am right. The society remained in active operation for manyyears, until I went South. I believe all the reg- ular bred physicians who came into the county became members of the society, besides some from Lapeer, Shia- wassee, and Saginaw Counties." THE GENESEE COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. On Saturday, May 26, 1866, a number of physicians of Genesee County held a preliminary meeting at tlie Irving House, in Flint, to take measures for the formation of a county medical society. R. D. Lamond was chosen chair- man, and J. B. F. Curtis secretary, of the meeting. A. B. Chapin, M. F. Baldwin, and C. W. Tyler were chosen as a committee to draft a constitution and by-laws, and S. M. Axford, C. V. Tyler, S. Lathrop, L. N. Beagle, A. B. Chapin, M. F. Baldwin, and J. B. F. Curtis were chosen delegates to the State Medical Convention, to be held at Detroit, on the 5th of June next following. The meeting then adjourned to July 14tli. At the adjourned meeting, the committee reported a constitution, which was adopted and signed by the physicians present, viz. : R. D. Lamond, Flint; H. C. Fairbank, Flint; A. B. Chapin, Flint; S. M. Axford, Flint; James B. F. Curtis, Flint; S. Lathrop, Pine Run ; M. F. Baldwin, Genesee ; Lewis S. Pilcher, Clayton. The name adopted for the organization was " The Genesee County Medical Association," having for its de- clared object " the promotion of medical and general sci- ence, and in every way to advance tlie interests of the medical profession ;" and the following were chosen its first ofiicers, namely : President, R. D. Lamond ; Vice-President, H. C. Fairbank ; Secretary, J. B. F. Curtis ; Treasurer, A. B. Chapin. The following physicians were admitted as members of the association at different times, subsequent to its organi- zation : 1866.— N. Bates, Linden ; L. N. Beagle, Forest ; C. V. Tyler, Flushing ; R. Murray, Davison. 1867. — Wm. R. Marsh, Fenton ; Isaac Wixom, Argen- tine ; Watrous, Grand Blanc ; H. H. Bardwell, Genesee ; Wm. Gibson, Clio ; Ransom N. Murray, Grand Blanc ; J. Eastman, Davison ; John W. King, Grand Blanc (hon- orary) ; J. H. Axtell, Tuscola County.* 1868.— C. V. Beebee, Grand Blanc ; H. P. Seymour, Clayton ; C. W. Pengra, Goodrich ; Andrew Slaght, Elgin ; G. W. Rowland, Flint ; George W. Fish, Flint. 1869.— L. W. Hanson, Otisville ; T. S. Reed, Mount Morris ; John B. Laing, Mount Morris ; T. R. Buckham, * An article of the constitution permitted regular physicians of any adjoining county, in which no medical society existed, to become members of this associatiou. Flint ; James C. Clark, Atlas ; Bela Cogshall, Gaines ; C. Mather, Linden ; A. W. Riker, Fenton ; Wm. Forbes, Flint ; Cyrus G. Davis, Grand Blanc. 1870. — Daniel Clarke, Flint (honorary); John Willett, Flint (honorary); J. C. Willson, Flint; Harper, Ar- gentine; Wm. Bullock, Orson Millard, A. S. Austin, D. A. Campbell, Clio ; L. T. Wells, F. H. Hamilton, Co- lumbiaville ; A. F. Coupe, Flushing ; White, Davison. 1872. Hollywood, Mount Morris. Several who were elected to membership, however, did not sign the constitution and by-laws, and several others, who had perfected their membership, withdrew afterwards. Dissatisfaction crept into the association, and it was finally dissolved about 1873; its last recorded meeting having been held ISIay 17th, in that year. THE FLINT ACADEMY OP MEDICINE. The organization of this society was efiected at a meet- ing of the physicians and surgeons of the county of Gen- esee, held at the Scientific Institute rooms, in the city of Flint, on the 18th of August, 1871. Dr. Daniel Clarke, of Flint, as chairman, proceeded to explain the object of the meeting, and appointed a committee, compo.sed of Drs. A. B. Chapin and Henry P. Seymour, of Flint, and Dr. Adelbert F. Coupe, of Flushing, to draft a constitution aod by-laws. By the first article of the constitution as reported, the name and style of the association was to be " The Society of Physicians and Surgeons of Genesee County." On motion of Dr. J. C. Willson, uf Flint, this article was amended by the substitution of the present name of the society. The several articles, and the entire constitution and by-laws, were then adopted, the article having reference to eligibility for membership being as follows : " Any phy- sician in good standing, and who is a graduate of a regular school of medicine recognized by the American Medical Association, may become a member of this Academy." The members of the academy at its organization were Daniel Clarke, H. C. Fairbank, James C. Willson, George W. Fish, Thomas R. Buckham, William Bullock, A. B. Chapin, Orson Millard, Henry P. Seymour, P. G. Wart- man, Flint; Adelbert F. Coupe, Newcomb S. Smith, Flush- ing ; Hiram H. Bardwell, Mount Morris ; C. W. Pengra, Atlas. The following were its first officers : President, Daniel Clarke ; Vice-President, Adelbert F. Coupe ; Sec- retary, Orson Millard ; Treasurer, James C. Willson ; Board of Censors, Newcomb S. Smith, George W. Fish, James C. Willson. The subsequent admissions to membership have been as follows : 1871. — L. W. Hanson, Otisville ; Bela Cogshall, Gaines (now of Flint) ; M. B. Stevens, Byron (Shiawassee County) ; Andrew Slaght, Grand Blanc. 1872. — J. B. Laing, Mount Morris ; George W. How- land, C. P. Donelson, Flint. 1874.— William Forbes, Flint ; A. W. Nicholson, Otis- ville ; William Collwell, Byron (Shiawassee County) ; E. H. Hurd. 1876.— G. N. Chamberlain. 1877. — J. Eastman. THE MEDICAL AND LEGAL PROFESSIONS. 59 1878.— C. M. Rulison, Flushing ; A. A. Thompson. 1879.— J. N. Buckham. Date of admission not recorded. — H. Edwards, T. P. Kenyon. The present membership of the academy is as follows : Daniel Clarke, Harvard University, Massachusetts, 1839. George AV. Fish, Veniiont Acavlemy of Medicine, 1837. II. C. Fairbanli, Cleveland Medical Crillcge, I,SJ7-48. Orson Millard, I'niversity of Michigan. 1S70. Henry P. Seymour, University of Michigan, 1870. Thomas K. Buckham, Victoria Univer.sity (Canada), 1866. Adclbert F. Coupe, University of Michigan, 1870. Newcomb S. .Smith, Iowa University, 1864. Andrew Slaght, University of ^licliigan, 1868. M. B. Stevens, University of Michigan, 1869. J. C. Willson, University of Michigan, 1859. A. B. Chapin, University of Michigan, 1861. L. W. Hanson, New Hampshire Medical Institute, 1867. Bela Cogshall, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa., 1866. John B. Laing, Detroit Medical College, 1870. George W. Howlanil, University of Jlichigan, 1870. H. Edwards, Victoria University, 1846. C. W. Pengra, Detroit Medical College, 1870. William Forbes, Cleveland Medical College, 1847-48. A. A. Thompson. University of Michigan, 18.'>6. T. P. Kenyon, Detroit Medical College, 1876. G. N. Chamberlain, Detroit Medical College, 1874. 0. M. Rulison, Albany Medical College, 1874. J. N. IJuekham, University of Michigan, 1878. Hiram H. Bardwell, Rush Medical College, Chicago. E. H. Hard, University of Michigan, 1867. The oflBcers of the academy for 1879 are A. A. Thomp- son, President ; N. S. Smith, Vice-President ; Bela Cogs- hall, Secretary ; J. C. Willson, Treasurer. HOMffiOPATHY IN GENESEE. The pioneer homeeopathic physician in Genesee County is Dr. I. N. Eldridge, who is now (1879) in the twenty- ninth year of his practice in the city of Flint. He is a graduate of the Homcjuopathic Medical Colleges of New York and of Cleveland, Ohio, and one of the oldest homoeopathic practitioners in the State. In 1847 he was one of the eight physicians ( that number embracing all of the homieopathic school who were then in practice in the State) present at the formation of the first Michigan Insti- tute of Homceopathy, and its first vice-president ; was also the first president of the " Homoeopathic Medical Society of the State of Michigan," and held the offices of secretary and treasurer in that society for eight years until 1877 ; and ha.s been since June, 1873, a member of the American Institute of Homoeopathy. He came to Michigan from Livingston County, N. Y., in 1847, and located at Ann Arbor. He first practiced in Flint in 1850, and in the following year settled here penuaiieiitly. " His practice in Flint" (says " Cleaves' Biographical Cyclopasdia") " became 80 extensive as to demand a coadjutor, and in Dr. E. F. Olds, whom he had converted from allopathy, he found an associate for a short period." Dr. Olds after a short stay in Flint removed to South Lyon, Oakland Co., and was afterwards located at Howell, Livingston Co., and at several other places in the State. He is now in Philadel- phia, Pa., whether in practice or not is not known. Dr. William S. Cornelius came to Flint not long after Dr. Eldridge. He removed after a few years' practice, and is now in Wilmington, Del. About the same time came Dr. Lewis Taylor, who located in Flushing. Dr. Charles M. Putnam established in Flint some fifteen years ago. Dr. C. S. Eldridge practiced in Flint in 1865. Dr. J. G. Malcolm came to Flint about 1866, remained a number of years, and removed to Memphis, Tenn. Dr. A. J. Adams commenced practice in Flint about 1873. The list of hom(copathic physicians in Genesee County as given in the "Annual [homoeopathic] Directory" for 1878, is as follows : I. N. Eldridge, C. M. Putnam, A. J. Adams, C. A. Hughes, M. E. Hughes, Flint; Lewis Taylor, Flushing; R. E. Knapp, Fenton ; A. Austin, Argentine ; J. Parks, Gaines. EARLY LAWYERS IN THE COUNTY. The first resident attorney in Genesee County was Philip H. McOmber. He came from Saratoga Co., N. Y., settled in Groveland, Oakland Co., about 1832, was ad- mitted to practice in the Oakland County courts, and removed to this county in 1834, locating in what is now the township of Fenton. " Enterprising and talented as a lawyer" (wrote the Hon. William M. Fenton of him), "he soon became widely and favorably known. My recollec- tion of him is as a lawyer, being present at nearly every suit before justices of the peace in Genesee, Oakland, Livings- ton, and Shiawassee Counties, adjacent to the village [Fen- tonville]. His hair was white, his face rubicund and jolly, and his talents of a superior order." Mr. McOmber was the first prosecuting attorney of Genesee County. He not only stood high as a lawyer, but was most highly esteemed as an honest and public-spirited citizen and a hospitable gentleman. He died about 1844. Thomas J. Drake, who had previously been engaged in the practice of the law for about ten years at Pontiac, came in 1836 to Flint, where he continued the practice of his profession for several years, but afterwards returned to Pontiac, where he died April 20, 1875. Judge Baldwin, of the sixth circuit, said of Mr. Drake, " He was con- nected as counsel with most of the leading cases in North- ern Michigan during a long term of years, and was always happy and in his element when advocating the interests of the people." He was elected to the State Senate from Genesee County, holding that oflSce from 1839 to 1842 ; and during his long professional career held many other high offices, among which was- that of chief-justice of the United States Court in Utah, to which he was appointed by President Lincoln in 1864. Judge Drake's associate justice in Utah said of him, " When once the judge made up his mind that he was right, no power under heaven could swerve him from the path of duty." And this esti- mate of his character was fully concurred in by all who intimately and perfectly knew him. John Bartow was another early attorney of the county, having located at Flint in the spring of 1836. lie was soon after appointed register in the land office, and was elected to the State Senate in 1837. He enjoyed a high reputation as a lawyer, and was engaged on nearly every case of importance before the courts during the years of his practice here. Edward H. Thomson was a student in the office of the Hon. Millard Fillmore, afterwards President of the United States. Mr. Thomson was admitted to practice in the State 60 HISTORY OP GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. of New York in 1832, and came to the township of Atlas in 1837, but removed to Flint in the following year, and commenced practice there in partnership with John Bartow. He was prosecuting attorney of Genesee in 1845—16, and was elected to the State Senate for the years 1848 and 1849. He has also served in the lower House, and filled many other important offices. He still resides in the city of Flint, and is now the senior lawyer of Genesee County. James Birdsall came to practice the profession of the law in Flint in 1839. He was a native of Chenango Co., N. Y., where he was a banker, politician, extensive lumberman on the Susquehanna River, President of the Norwich Bank, and had been a member of the lower House of Congress. He died in Flint, July 20, 1856, aged seventy-three years. Artemas Thayer was admitted to the bar in 1839, and in November of that year established himself in practice in Flint. In later years he has been a very extensive owner and dealer in real estate. He is still residing in Flint, and is among the oldest lawyers of the county, though not now in practice. John S. Goodrich was admitted to practice in Oakland County in November, 1840. He afterwards removed to the township of Atlas, and practiced as a lawyer in Genesee County until his death, which occurred in 1851. He had been elected circuit judge in that year, but death prevented his assuming the duties of the office. Mr. Goodrich is mentioned as having been " rather ungainly in personal appearance, painfully awkward in manner, but possessed of most wonderful powers of memory, and was in fact a library in himself." It is said that he read " Hume's History of England" through in forty-eight hours, and from that single rapid perusal could give every important event there re- corded, with its date. His residence in Genesee was at Goodrich, a village to which his family gave its name. William F. Mosely was an early attorney at Pentonville. He had been previously a lawyer in Oakland County, hav- ing been admitted to practice there in 1825, and had filled the offices of prosecuting attorney and probate judge of that county. In 1841 he filled the office of prosecuting attorney of Genesee County. He afterwards removed to Shiawassee County, where he died in 1860. William M. Fenton came to Fentonville (then Dibble- ville) as a merchant in the year 1837. Here he prosecuted the study of the law, and was admitted to the bar in 1842. In 1846 he was elected to the State Senate. In 1848 he was elected lieutenant-governor of Michigan, and in 1850 was re-elected to the same office. Having removed to Flint, he was appointed register of the land office there, in 1853, by President Pierce, and held that position until the removal of the office to Saginaw. He was always largely identified with the pro.sperity and advancement of the city of Flint, and was prominently instrumental in pro- curing the location here of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind. His distinguished services in the war of the Rebellion are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. His death, the result of an accident, occurred at Flint, May 12, 1871. Levi Walker, a native of Washington Co., N. Y., entered upon the practice of the law in Genoa, N. Y., in 1835. He was afterwards associated in business with Hon. George H. Rathbone, at Auburn, N. Y. He came to Flint in 1847. " As a lawyer, he stood in many respects at the head of his profession. His opinion upon any law point was con- sidered by his professional brethren as almost conclusive." He drew up the first charter of the city of Flint, as well as the present one, and was the author of the Articles of Association of the Genesee County Agricultural Society, and the Glenwood Cemetery Association, and was for twenty years continuously a member of the school board of Flint. In the fall of 1872 be was elected Representative in the State Legislature, where he came to be considered a leader, and one of the soundest thinkers in the House. His death, which occurred at Lansing, April 26, 1873, was doubtless the result of excessive labor which he imposed upon himself in his earnest interest for the welfare of the State. The Hon. Charles M. Croswell (now Governor), then Speaker of the House, said, " It is no exaggeration to say that in the death of Mr. Walker the House has lost one of its best and ablest members. . . . Shrinking from no labor, with watchful attention to every detail, he was never satis- fied until he had thoroughly mastered his subject. Then, with clearness of argument and aptness of illustration, he presented his views, almost invariably to receive the sanc- tion and approval of his associates." Alexander P. Davis, a native of Cayuga Co., N. Y., emigrated to Michigan, and settled at an early day in Livingston Co., from whence, in 1842, he removed to Flint, where he engaged in the profession to which he was bred, — that of the law, — in which he ranked among its most prominent members in the county of Genesee. During his residence of nearly thirty years in the county, he was elected to the offices of prosecuting attorney. State senator (two terms), and to other honorable positions, as may be seen by reference to the Genesee civil list. The latter part of his life was passed at Fentonville, where he died, March 4, 1871. Other prominent lawyers who commenced the practice of the profession in Genesee County prior to 1850 were Robt. J. S. Page, who commenced practice in Flint as early as 1838, and afterwards filled the offices of probate judge and circuit court commissioner ; George R. Cummings, who was admitted to the bar about 1842, and afterwards filled the office of county clerk ; Ellsworth S. Walkley, who settled in the township of Genesee, and was elected to the office of county judge under the old judicial system ; Chauncey K. Williams, who was at Fentonville before 1840; and Joseph K. Rugg, who came to Flint in 1843 ; the last mentioned filling the office of prosecuting attorney of this county for the years 1847 to 1852 ; he being the first incumbent of the office after it became elective in 1850. THE PRESENT BAR OF GENESEE. The present bar of Genesee County is composed of the following-named gentlemen, viz. : Oscar Adams, William O. Axford, Oscar Bradley, Samuel L. Brigham, William M. Carrier, George H. Durand, George B. Daly, Henry Fenton, George R. Gold, Sumner Howard, Henry Hoffman, Charles H. Johnson, Ransom Johnson, Charles D. Long, Henry R. Lovell, E. S. Lee, Charles E. McAlester, Wil- liam Newton, Leroy Parker, Henry C. Riggs, John Z. GENESEE CIVIL LIST. 61 Kicliards, Marvin L. Secloy, Thaddcus G. Smith, William Stevenson, Edward H. Thomson, James L. Topping, E. M. Thayer, Henry C. Van Atta, Alvah W. Wood, George M. Walker, Charles H. Wisner, Robbins Jones. GENESEE CIVIL LIST. In this list the names are given of those who have held county offices, and also of those resident in Genesee County who have held important offices in or under the State or National government. STATE OFFICERS. GOVERSOR. Henry H. Crapo. First inauguration, Jan. 4, 1865 ; second inau- guration, Jan. 2, 1S67. LIEUTENAST-GOTERXOR. William M. Fenton. First term of service, 1848-49 ; second term of service, 1850-51. SIEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE TERRITORY. Thomas J. Dralse, Daniel Le Roy.* DELEGATE TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OP 1835. (Convened at Detroit, May 11, 1835; adjourned June 24, 1835.) Norman Davison.f DELEGATE TO FIRST CONVENTION OP ASSENT. (Convened at Ann Arbor, Sept. 26, 1S3G.) Thomas J. Drake. J DELEGATES TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIOS OF 1850. (Convened at Lansing, June 3, 1850.) John Bartow, Elbridge G. Gale, De Witt C. Leach. DELEGATES TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1867. (Convened at Lansing, May 15, 1867.) Sumner Howard, Henry R. Lovell, Thaddeus 6. Smith. REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS. Josiah W. Begole (XLIII. Congress), elected in 1872. George H. Durand (XLIV. Congress), elected in 1874. STATE TREASURER. ■William B. McCreery, Jan. 1, 1875, to Jan. 1, 1879. CIRCUIT JUDGES. John S. Goodrich,^ elected 1851. Sanford M. Green, 1852 to 1857. STATE SENATORS. Charles C. Hascall, Flint River, served 1835-36. John Bartow, Flint River, 1838. Thomas J. Drake,] Flint River, 1839-41. Daniel B. Wakefield, Grand Blanc, 1842-43. ■William M. Fenton, Fentonville, 1845-47. * These gentlemen were members of the Fourth Legislative Coun- cil (1830-31), representing Oakland County. Both were afterwards citizens of Genesee County. f Judge Davison was also a delegate to the second Convention of Assent, which convened at Ann Arbor, Dec. 14, 1836. In both these conventions he represented Lapeer County, as the township in which he resided (Atlas) had not then been annexed to Genesee. J In this convention Mr. Drake was the delegate for Saginaw, Genesee, and Shiawassee Counties. Of the seventy-six votes polled in Genesee (election Sept. 12, 1836), he received forty-three, and hia opponent, Daniel B. Wakefield, thirty-three. J Did not qualify. II Preaidont />ro tempore April 1, 1810, and Feb. 24, 1841. Elijah B. Witherbee, Flint, 1S47.1[ Edward H. Thomson, Flint, 1848-49. Enos Goodrich, Atlas, 1853-54. Reuben Goodrich, Atlas, 1855-56. James Seymour, Flushing, 1857-58. Alexander P. Davis, Flint, 1859-60. Elbridge G. Gale, Atlas, 1S61-62. Henry H. Crapo, Flint, 186.3-64. AlcNander P. Davis, Flint, 1865-66. Willard B. Arms, Fenton, 1867-68. Thaddeus G. Smith, Fenton, 1869-70. Josiah W. Begole, Flint, 1871-72. James L. Curry, Vienna, 1873-74. George W. Fish, Flint, 1875-76. Francis II. Rankin, Flint, 1877-78. Simeon R. Billings, Richfield, 1879. REPRESENTATIVES, STATE LEGISLATURE. Jeremiah R. Smith,** Grand Blanc, served 1837-38, 41-42 John L. Gage, Flint, 1843. Robert D. Lamond, Flint, 1844. George H. Hazelton, Flint, 1845-46. Enos Goodrich, Atlas, 1847. Alfred Pond, Flushing, 1847. William Blades, Flint, 1848. Samuel N. Warren, Fentonville, 1848. Daniel Dayton, Grand Blanc, 1849. Joseph II. Kilbourne, Atlas, 1849. Joshua K. Abbott, Grand Blanc, 1850, De Witt C. Leach, Mundy, 1850. Charles N. Beechcr, Genesee, 1851-52. Joseph S. Fenton, Fenton, 1851-52. Elbridge G. Gale, Atlas, 185.3-54. James Seymour, Flushing, 1853-54. Abraham Middleswarth, Argentine, 1855-56, Daniel N. Montague, Thetford, 1855-56. Charles N. Beecher, Flint, 1857-58. Reuben Goodrich, Atlas, 1857-58. Benjamin Grace, Fentonville, 1859-60. Edward H. Thomson, Flint, 1859-60. Alexander W. Davis, Grand Blanc, 1861-62. Francis H. Rankin, Flint, 1861-62. Francis H. Rankin, Flint, 1863-64. Thaddeus G. Smith, Fenton, 1863-64. George W. Thayer, Mount Morris, 1863-64. James ^Van ■\ncet, Gaines, 1865-66. Robert P. Aitken, Flint, 1865-66. George W. Thayer, Mount Morris, 1865-66. James Van Vleet, Gaines, 1867-68. Robert P. Aitken, Flint, 1867-68. Chandler H. Rockwood, Genesee, 1867-68. Dexter Horton, Fenton, 1869-70. Edward M. Mason, Flint, 1869-70. James L. Curry, Vienna, 1869-70. James B. Mosher, Fenton, 1871-72. Oscar Adams, Flint, 1871-72. John I. Phillips.tt Vienna, 1871. George Kipp, Atlas, 1873-74. Levi Walker.lt Flint, 1873. Frederick Walker, Mount Morris, 1873-74. James B. Mosher, Fenton, 1875-76. Le Roy Parker, Flint, 1875-76. Simoon R. Billings, Richfield, 1875-76. John Willctt, Flint, 1877-78. Simeon R. Billings, Richfield, 1877-78. John Willett, Flint, 1879. Jacob Bedtelyon, Atlas, 1879. 1 E. B. Witherbee died Feb. 20, 1847; vacancy thus occasioned filled by AV'illiani M. Fenton. *» First elected to this office Feb. 4, 1837. At this election the whole number of votes cast was 310, of which Jeremiah R. Smith received 234; William F. Mosely, 74; David Mather, 1 ; Norris Thorp, 1. ft Died during term of office. Vacancy filled by Frederick Walker. i\ Died during term. Le Roy Parker elected to fill vacancy. 62 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. COUNTY OFFICERS. JUDGES OF PROBATE. Samuel Rice, elected 1836. Ogden Clark, 1844. Charles D. Little, 1848. R. J. S. Page, 1850.« Henry I. Higgins, 1850. Warner Lake, 1852. Samuel B. Wicks, 1860. L. 6. Bickford, 1866. George R. Gold, 1808. Thaddeus G. Smith,t ISrfi. PROSECUTING ATTOR.NEYS. P. H. McOmber, served 1839-40. [ Sumner Howard, 1858. W. F. Mosely, 1841. ' Chauncey W. Wisner, 1860. M. L. Drake, 1842-44. ^ Alexander P. Davis, 1802. Edward H. Thomson, 1S45-46. | Sumner Howard, 1864, '66, '68. Joseph K. Rugg, 1847-49. j H. R. Lovell, 1870, 72. Joseph K. Rugg.J elected 1850. < Charles D. Long, 1874, 76, 78. Ale.\ander P. Davis, 1852, '54, '56. t Lewis Buckingham, elected 1836, '38. Reuben McCreery, 1840. William Clifford,? 1842. Reuben McCreery, 1844, '46. William Blades, 1848. George S. Hopkins, 1850, '52. Lyman G. Buckingham, 1854, '56. SHERIFFS. Lewis Buckingham, 1858. Claudius T. Thompson, 1860, ■02. John A. Kline, 1864, '66. Geo. W. Buckingham, 1868, '70. John A. Kline, 1872. Eugene Parsell, 1874. Philo D. Phillips, 1876, '78. COUNTY CLERKS. Robert F. Stage, elected 1836. George B. Mcrriman, 1858. W. A. Morrison, 1839. George R. Gold, 1860, '62. Thomas R. Cummings, 1842. ; Charles D. Long, 1864, '66, '68, Charles E. Dewey, 1844. } '70. George R. Cummings, 1846. Lorenzo D. Cook, 1872, '74. Anderson Bump, 1848, '50, '52. David P. Halsey, 1876, '78. Mark D. Seeley, 1854, '56. REGISTERS OF DEEDS. Oliver G. Wesson, elected 1836. William H. C. Lyon, 1S5S. Benjamin Rockwell, 1840, '42. George F. Hood, 1860, '62. Lewis G. Bickford, 1844, '46, '48. , Benjamin J. Lewis, 1864. George R. Cummings, 1850. John Algoe, 1866, '68, '70, '72. Charles Seymour,'l852. George E. Taylor, 1874, '76. Fitch R. Tracy, 1854, '56. ' Charles C. Beahan, 1878. COUXTY TREASURERS. C. D. Vi. Gibson, elected 1836, Josiah W. Begole, 1856, '58, '60, '38. '62. Orrin Safford, 1840, '42, 44. j Harlow Whittlesej', 1864, '66. Augustus St. Amand, 1846, '48, James Van Vleet, 1868, '70. '50. William W. Barnes, 1872. John L. Gage,! 1851. ' Charles C. Beahan, 1874. Reuben McCreery, 1852, '54. I Samuel R. Atherton, 1876, 78. GENESEE COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION. On the 31st of December, 1857, — pursuant to a pub- lished call signed by William M. Fenton, C. C. Hascall, and about one hundred and eighty other citizens of Gene.see, — a meeting was held at the hall of the Flint Scientific Institute for the purpose of forming a " pioneer society," to be composed of persons who had become resident in the county as early as the year 1840. Benjamin Pearson was * Appointed to fill vacancy, and acted as judge of probate for a few- months, t Still in office,— 1879. 1 First prosecuting attorney elected in Genesee County. 2 J. C. Griswold, under-sheriff, performed the duties of the office during the term of Mr. Clifford. II Filled vacancy caused by the departure of Mr. St. Amand for Europe, in October, 1851. called to the chair, and Dr. Elijah Drake was made secre- tary of the meeting. A committee was chosen, composed of Hon. William M. Fenton, Hon. Edward H. Thomson, and H. M. Henderson, Esq., who were charged with the duty of preparing a constitution and by-laws for the pro- posed society, and the meeting then adjourned to the 22d of February next following. At the meeting held accord- ing to adjournment the committee reported a constitution for the " Genesee County Pioneer Association," which was adopted, and the society was organized under that name by the election of the following-named gentlemen as its first ofiBcers : President, Hon. Jeremiah R. Smith. Recording Secretary, Elijah Drake, M.D. Corresponding Secretary, Hon. Charles P. Avery. Treasurer, Henry M. Henderson, Esq. Librarian, Manley Miles, M.D. Vice-Presidents (one in each township of the county) : Atlas, Enoch Good- rich ; Argentine, William H. Hicks ; Burton, Perus Ather- ton ; Clayton, Alfred Pond ; Davison, Goodenough Town- send ; Fenton, Robert Le Roy ; Flint township, John Todd ; Flint City, Charles C. Hascall ; Flushing, John Patton ; Forest, John Crawford ; Gaines, Hartford Cargill ; Genesee, Sherman Stanley ; Grand Blanc, Silas D. Halsey ; Montrose, John McKenzie ; Mount Morris, Ezekiel R. Ewing ; Mundy, Morgan Baldwin ; Richfield, Jeremiah Stanard ; Thetford, Benoni Clapp ; Vienna, Russell G. Hurd. It has been the custom of the members of the association, from the time of its organization until the present, to hold annual reunions, at which, after the transaction of the routine business for the year, addresses and narratives of pioneer experience are listened to fi'om such of the early settlers as are disposed to give them. For many years past these yearly gatherings have been held at Long Lake, in the town of Fenton (usually in the month of August), and they are regarded as occasions of great enjoyment and interest. The officers of the association for 1879 are as follows : President, George S. Woodhull ; Vice-President, Dexter Horton ; Treasurer, Elisha Lamed ; Secretary, W. H. H. Smith ; Executive Committee, William O'Dell, W. I. Williams, Mundy ; John Barson, Argentine ; Ezra Wis- ner, Clio ; S. D. Halsey, Grand Blanc. CHAPTER X. MILITARY KECOBD OP GENESEE. Genesee in the Mexican War — The War of the Rebellion — The Flint Union Grays — They join the 2d Infantry — Organization and De- parture of the Regiment — Arrival at Washington — Bull Run Cam- paign — Peninsula Campaign — Battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks — The Seven Days' Fight — Campaign under Gen. Pope — Fredericksburg — Campaigns in Kentucky and Mississippi — In East Tennessee — Veteran Re-enlistment — Campaign of the Wilderness — In Front of Petersburg — Fall of Petersburg — -Muster Out, and Return Home. The first public exigency which required the calling out of troops after Genesee became a county, was the war with Mexico, — 1846 to 1S4S. At that time the population of the county was small, and among its people there could be SECOND INFANTRY. 63 found but comparatively few who could be spared from the cabins and clearings, where they stood on constant duty as sentinels to guard their families against the assaults of hunger and want. Nevertheless there were some men of Genesee, both officers and soldiers, who followed their country's flag to the fields of far-off Mexico. The 1st Regiment of Michigan Volunteers was commanded by Col. T. B. VV. Stockton, of Flint, and among the companies which composed it was that of Capt. Hanscom, of Pontiac, which, though made up largely of Oakland County volun- teers, yet contained a few from Genesee. The 15th United States Regiment also contained Michigan companies, and one of these was commanded by Capt. Eugene Van De Venter, of Genesee. In that company were Alexander W. Davis, of Grand Blanc, severely wounded at Churubusco ; William R. Buzzell, who died of disease in the city of Mexico, Oct. 29, 1847 ; Claudius H. Riggs, of Grand Blanc, who died at Vera Cruz, July 12, 1847; Robert Handy, reported as dead in Mexico ; and Henry L. Bran- nock, who survived his term of service; and perhaps others, whose names cannot be given. The regiment of which Capt. Van de Venter's company was a part was in the divi- sion of Gen. Gideon J. Pillow, of Tennessee. Of Genesee County soldiers who served in Capt. Hanscom's company we can give only the names of James W. Croiik and Norton Cronk, of Clayton, the former of whom died in Mexico. But the real military history of Genesee commenced in those spring days of 18G1, when the guns of besieged Sumter sounded a war-signal which reverberated across the hills and streams from ocean to lake. And it is a history of which the people of the county may well be proud. During the period which intervened between the birth and the death of the great Rebellion, Genesee gave to the war more than two thousand men, whose names are recorded on the rolls of one rifle, one engineer, ten cavalry, and twenty- three infantry regiments, and nine batteries of Michigan, besides several infantry, cavalry, and artillery organizations of other States, and one regiment of United States Volun- teers. Several of the regiments most noticeable for the number of Genesee County men serving in them are espe- cially mentioned below in historical sketches of their or- ganization and services in the great war for the Union. SECOND INFANTRY. When, at the fall of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln called on the several loyal States for an army of seventy- five thousand men to sustain the power of the government against a rebellion which had unexpectedly proved formida- ble. Governor Blair, of Michigan, responded by issuing his proclamation calling for twenty companies out of the uni- formed volunteer force of the State, with field and staff" officers, to compose two regiments of infantry, to be placed at the disposal of the President if re({uired. The War Department had placed the quota of Michigan at one full regiment, but the Governor very wLsely concluded — and tlie people of Michigan concurred in the opinion — that a second regiment should be made ready for service if it should be needed, as he believed it wuuld be. Three days after the Governor's call (April lyth) the State's quota was filled, and her first regiment ready for muster into the ser- vice of the United States, fully equipped with arms, am- munition, and clothing, awaiting only the orders of the War Department; and on the 13th of May it left Detroit for Washington, being the first regiment to arrive at the capital from any point west of the Alleghany Mountains. The Governor's call fur twenty companies had been promptly and fully responded to, and so, after making up the 1st Regiment, there still remained ten companies, which, having failed to secure places in the 1st, were ready and anxious to be organized as the 2d Regiment of Michigan. And among these companies was " The Flint Union Grays." This company had existed in the city of Flint from the year 1857. We find mention of the first opening of their armory in Flint, Oct. 2, 1858 (at which time they were expecting, but had not yet received, their arms from the State Arsenal), and the election of civil and military offi- cers of the company, as follows : President, L. Wesson ; Vice-President, William P. Hum- phrey ; Secretarj', W. I. Beardsley ; Treasurer, William R. Morse ; Captain, T. B. W. Stockton ; 1st Lieutenant, Wm. R. Mor.se ; 2d Lieutenant, William Turver ; 3d Lieutenant, Levi Failing ; 1st Sergeant, L. Wesson ; 2d Sergeant, C. Peabody ; 3d Sergeant, R. M. Barker ; 4th Sergeant, James Farrand ; 1st Corporal, A. J. Boss, Jr.; 2d Corporal, L. Church ; 3d Corporal, W. Boomer; 4th Corporal, William Charles ; Armorer, 0. McWilliams. Probably there were none among this list of officers who had then ever dreamed of such scenes as some of them after- wards saw at Williamsburg, Malvern Hill, and the Wilder- ness, or of the fame which their company was destined to win on a score of bloody fields. But the people of Flint and of Genesee County were proud of it then, as they had reason to be in far greater degree afterwards.* Immediately after the publication of the Governor's proc- lamation, and when it was known that the Grays would volunteer in a body, a large and extremely enthusiastic public meeting was held (April 18th) at the court-house in Flint. A circular letter of the War Committee, in Detroit, was read and acted on, and the meeting adopted a series of intensely patriotic resolutions, among which was the follow- ing : " That the young men comprising the military company of this city, and those who may volunteer to fill up its ranks in this emergency of our common country, are worthy of all encouragement and praise for their patriotism, and that we will contribute all sums necessary to sustain and support the families of all members of said company who may be mus- tered into the service of the United States, if they need such aid ; we will also contribute our full proportion of the amount required to equip and muster into the service of the United States the two regiments required from the State of Michigan." A committee, composed of William M. Fenton, E. II. McQuigg, and H. M. Henderson, was ap- pointed to carry out so much of this resolution as applied to the raising of money as a loan to the State, and J. B. Walker, E. S. Williams, and A. P. Davis were appointed a like committee to carry into eff'ect that part which promised aid and support to the families of volunteers. In the pub- * This comiiany furnished to various commands in the Union army during the war of the Rebellion, six field-officers, eleven cn)ilains, and eighteen lieutenant;', — a very unusual company record. 64 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. lished account of the proceedings of that meeting, it is men- tioned that "every Union .word uttered was greeted with thunders of applause." On the 23d of April the Grays met for the choice of oflBcers, and the following were elected to the commissioned grades : Captain, William R. Morse ; 1st Lieutenant, Wil- liam Turver ; 2d Lieutenant, James Farrand. Four ser- geants and four corporals were also elected, but as the non- commissioned list was changed soon afterwards, it is not given here. On the eve of their departure to join the 2d Regiment at its rendezvous the Grays paraded through the principal streets of Flint, and were addressed, in the presence of a great concourse of patriotic and admiring spectators, by Col. Fen- ton, whose remarks on the occasion were reported by the Citizen in its next issue, as follows: "The Hon. W. M. Fenton had been with the company for about a year, and constantly engaged for two weeks past in perfecting the en- listment, and preparing for its departure. At the request of Capt. Morse he now addressed the officers and men, alluding to the new position they were about to occupy, — its great im- portance ; the entire change now to take place in their habits of life ; the necessity for prompt obedience to the commands of their superiors, and of true courage, as contradistinguished from brutality. He exhorted them to remember that the eyes of the friends they were to leave behind would be con- stantly on them, in whatever situation they might be placed ; their ears open to every report of their action ; their prayers ascending night and morn for their welfare and success ; and that the fervent hope would animate them, that those who now went forth to stand by their country in its hour of trial would return with laurels honorably won in its service. After giving them some practical hints as to their mode of life, the importance of strict cleanliness, and temperance in both meat and drink, he asked if any one of them would object to take an oath, substantially as follows: " ' I do solemnly swear, in the presence of Almighty God, that I will support the constitution of the United States, and maintain it and my country's flag, if necessary, with my life ; that I will obey the commands of my superior officers while in service, and will defend and protect my comrades in battle to the best of my physical ability.' None object- ing, the oath was repeated aloud, with uplifted hand, by all the officers and members of the company. The scene was solemn and impressive, and was appropriately closed by a benediction from the Rev. Mr. Joslin." Another ceremony, no less interesting, was the presenta- tion to each member of the company of a copy of the New Testament. Ninety-five of these had been furnished, and prepared for the purpose, by the members of the Methodist Episcopal Sabbath-school, each book having upon its fly-leaf this inscription : " Presented By the Sabbath-School OF THE Methodist E. Church, Flint, Michigan, To _ OF THE Flint Union Grays, April 30, 1861. " ' My men, put your trust in the Lord, — and he sure you keep your powder dry. Oliver Cromwell.'" This presentation was made while the Grays stood in line, with open ranks, at the corner of Saginaw and Kearsley Streets. A number of ladies of Flint passed along the line, and pinned upon the breast of each soldier a tricolored rosette, bearing the words, " The Union and the Constitu- tion .'" and nearly every one of the spectators wore the red, white, and blue upon some part of their dress. A presen- tation of revolvers to the commissioned officers of the com- pany was made by the Hon. E. H. Thomson ; " and as he assigned to each pistol its particular mission, and alluded to their uses, the enthusiasm of the crowd around was enkindled anew." The company left Flint on the 30th of May, being trans- ported to Fentonville in wagons and other vehicles, of which a greater number than were needed for the purpose were on hand, furnished by the patriotic citizens. The column was headed by the Flint Band, and was accompanied by a large number of relatives and friends of the soldiers ; and the plank-road company passed them all toll-free. Taking the cars of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, at Fentonville, the Grays soon reached Detroit, and were reported at Fort Wayne, the regimental rendezvous. The companies volunteering for the 2d Regiment had done so in the supposition that it would be mustered for a three-months' term of service, as the first regiment had been. But a few days later, instructions were received from the War Department that no more troops be mustered or ac- cepted for a less term than three years ; and when this was announced, there were some in all the companies who naturally enough objected to the longer term, and declined to be mustered for it. This was the case in the Flint com- pany, as in others. The vacancies in its ranks from this cause, however, were not numerous, but it was necessary to procure recruits to fill them, and for this purpose Capt. Mor.se returned to Flint on the 18th of May. The alacrity with which this call was responded to is shown by th^fact that he arrived in Flint on Saturday, and on the following Monday he reported with the requisite number of recruits at Fort Wayne. On the same day — May 20th — the 2d Regi- ment was announced as full, and on the 25th it was must- ered into the United States service for three years, by Lieut.- Col. E. Backus, U. S. A. The field-officers of the regi- ment were Israel B. Richardson, Colonel ; Henry L. Chipman, Lieutenant-Colonel ; Adolphus W. Williams, Major. In the organization of the regiment, the company from Flint was designated as " F" company. A list, purporting to be a correct one, of the members of the company as must- ered at Fort Wayne is found in newspapers of that time ; and as it contains names which are not found on the rolls in the adjutant-general's office, it is given below in full, viz. : Captain, William R. Morse; 1st Lieutenant, William Turver; 2d Lieutenant, James Farrand; 1st Sergeant, George R. Bisbey; 2d Sergeant, William B. McCreery ; 3d Sergeant, Sumner Howard ; 4th Sergeant, Goundry Hill ; 5th Sergeant, Joseph McConnell ; 1st Corporal, Ed- win C. Turver ; 2d Corporal, James Bradley ; 3d Corporal, Damon Stewart ; 4th Corporal, Joseph Van Buskirk ; 5th Corporal, Wm. L. Bishop ; Gth Corporal, Walter H. Wal- lace ; 7th Corporal, Nelson Fletcher; 8th Corporal, Walter SECOND INFANTRY. 65 E. Burnside ; Wagoner, James S. Smith ; Drummer, Elisha Kelley. Privates: Wm. H. Allen, Milton S. Benjamin, George L. Beamer, Joseph N. Bradley, Robert S. Bostwick, Andrew A. Baxter, La Fa3-ette Bostwick, Myrick S. Cooley, S. Bradford Cummings, Charles B. Collins, Thomas Chapin, Jr., Clark F. Chapman, John Cavanagh, George Carmer, James Coe, Edward A. Dennison, George Davis, Charles C. Dewstoe, Pratt Day, Cornelius D. Hart, Daniel J. En- sign, Orlando II. Ewer, John G. Fox, Squire E. Foster, Wm. F. Furgerson, Horatio Fish, Charles L. Gardner, Jos. . H. George, Richard II. Halsted, George Hawkins, Henry W. Horton, Franc-is Haver, William Houghton, Julius A. Hine, Charles E. Kingsbury, Philip Kelland, John Kain, Sheldon B. Kelley, George Lee, Harrison Lewis, Merton E. Leland, John B. Miller, Charles D. Moon, Delion McConnell, David McCornell, Chas. W. Mitchell, George L. Patterson, Samuel L. Ploss, Hamilton Ploss, James F. Partridge, John A. Palmer, Cornelius E. Rulison, Charles J. Rankin, Edwin Ruthruff, Andrew J. Rogers, Arba Smith, Jacob C. Sack- ner, Charles Sickles, James Scarr, George H. Sawyer, Lyman Stow, Alva L. Sawyer, Hercules Stannard, Andrew M. Sutton, Frederick B. Smith, Albert Schultz, Hiram Tinney, Franklin Thompson, Edgar Tibbets, Charles Tuttle,^ Cornelius Van Alstine, Richard S. Vickery, James N. Wil- lett, John Weller, George Walter, Emory A. Wood, and William E. Williams. In the afternoon of Thursday, June 6th, the 2d Regi- ment, one thousand and twenty strong, embarked on three steamers (one side-wheel and two propellers), and at eight o'clock P.M. left Detroit for Cleveland, arriving there the following morning. From Cleveland it proceeded by rail- way, via Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Baltimore, to Wash- ington, reaching the capital on the 10th. The following account of its arrival, which appeared under the head of " Special Dispatch to the New York Tiihune" is taken from that paper and given here in full, as showing the ex- cited state of public feeling ait that time, as well as the crude and peculiar ideas of military discipline and move- ments which then prevailed. The account, dated Wash- ington, June 10, 18t)l, was as follows: " The 2d Michigan Regiment, Col. Richardson, arrived at four o'clock this morning. . . . Word had come from the United States Marshal that an attack would be made on them in Baltimore, and the train halted seven miles on the other side of the Monumental City, where the men loaded their muskets. The orders were to avoid an en- counter if possible ; but, if unavoidable, to take no half measures, but for each company to fight to the death, and for the pioneers to make clean work with houses from which they were assailed. " In a suburb on the other side a brick was thrown at a private. It did not hit, but the ordeily sergeant of Com- pany E drew his revolver and fired at the stoncr. He was seen to fall, but whether killed or not is unknown. " At the depot a raw private accidentally discharged his musket, the ball from which whisked through the car, causing great excitement, but no harm was done. " Two miles this side of Baltimore a shot from behind a fence went through a car. The lights were extinguished, 9 and the men ordered to form in line of battle* if the shot should be followed by more. Sentinels were posted in each car. Near the Relay House firing was heard from one of our picket-guards. It was reported that they had been attacked, and had killed four men. The truth is not known. The informant adds that the regiment received a hearty welcome from the women in and beyond Balti- more, while no man, so far as he saw, greeted them. " The regiment is a fine-looking body, numbering ten hundred and twenty. Their uniforms are dark blue, like the 1st Michigan, and they are armed partially with new Minie guns and partially with the Harper's Ferry musket of 1846. They are well supplied with clothing and camp- equipage. Thirty women, who will serve as nurses and laundresses, accompany the regiment. This afternoon the regiment was received by Gen. Scott and the President at their residences." The regiment made a stay of several weeks in the Dis- trict of Columbia, its camp being named " Camp Winfield Scott." It was brigaded with the 3d Jlichigan, 1st Mas- sachusetts, and 12th New York, the brigade commander being Col. Richardson, of the 2d Michigan. When Gen. McDowell made his forward movement towards Manassas this brigade moved with the army into Virginia, and was engaged in the fight at Blackburn's Ford, July 18th, and in the battle of Bull Run, Sunday, July 21st. In the panic and disorder which ended that disastrous day the 2d Regiment behaved with great steadiness, covering the re- treat of the brigade towards Washington, for which it was warmly complimented by the heroic Richardson. After Bull Run the regiment was encamped for some weeks near Arlington, and later in the season at Fort Lyon, Va., where it remained during the fiill. About December 20th substantial and comfortable winter-quarters were con- structed at " Camp Michigan," three miles from Alexan- dria, on the Acotink Road. While this camp was in process of construction an officer wrote that " Cabins are growing up on every side, adorned with doors and windows, procured by a process called ' cramping,' which is some- where on the debatable ground between buying and steal- ing." Here the regiment remained until March, 1862, when it moved with its brigade and the Army of the Po- tomac to Fortress Monroe, and thence, up the Peninsula, to Yorktown and Williamsburg, at which latter place it took active part in the severe engagement of Monday, May 5th, sustaining a loss of fifty-five killed and wounded, among the latter being Capt. Morse, of " F" company (afterwards transferred to the Invalid Corps), and Capt. Wm. B. McCreery, an original member of " F" company, but who had been promoted to the command of Company G. He received three severe wounds, by one of which his left wrist was permanently disabled. Afterwards, hav- ing recovered suflficiently to return to the field, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 21st Michigan In- fantry, and two months later became its colonel. He led his regiment gallantly througii the fire and carnage of Stone River (Dec. 31, 1862, to Jan. 3, 1863), and fought * These words were not italicisei in the original Account, printed in the Tribune. 66 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, ftllCHIGAN. at its head at Chickamauga (Sept. 20, 1863) until he had received three severe wounds, and was finally taken prisoner by the enemy, and sent to Libby Prison, Richmond, from which, however, he succeeded in making his escape, by tunneling under the walls, Feb. 19, 1864. Six days later he returned to Flint, where a public reception was extended to him by leading citizens, and a banquet was given in his honor at the Carlton House, March 2d. The disability resulting from his numerous wounds compelled his retire- ment from the service, and he resigned in September, 1864. Maj.-G-en. George H. Thomas, in reluctantly accepting his resignation, took occasion to compliment him highly, in orders, on his honorable record and the gallantry of his service in the Army of the Cumberland. The above facts relating to the military career of Col. McCreery have been mentioned in this place, and in con- nection with the battle of Williamsburg, because that fight virtually severed his connection with the 2d Regiment, in which he was among the most honored and popular of its officers. From Williamsburg the 2d moved, with the army, up the Peninsula to and across the Chickahominy, and fought in the battle of Fair Oaks, May 31 and June 1, 1862. Its loss in that engagement was fifty-seven killed and wounded, that of Company F being fourteen, or one- fourth the total killed and wounded of the regiment. Three companies of the 2d, however, were not engaged in the fight. In the retreat (or " change of base," as it has sometimes been called) from the York River Railroad to James River, the regiment fought at Glendale (or Charles City Cross- Roads), June 30th, and at Malvern Hill, July 1st. From the latter field it retired with the army, and moved to Harrison's Landing, on the James, where it remained until the general evacuation of that position, August 15th, when it marched down the Peninsula, and was moved thence, by way of the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River, with other troops, to the assistance of the imperiled army of Gen. Pope in the valley of the Rappahannock, during which campaign it took part in the fights of August 28th, 29th, 30th, and in the battle of Chantilly, September 1st. At Fredericksburg the 2d was not actively engaged. It crossed the Rappahannock on the 12th of December, but in the great battle of the next day was held in reserve, and sustained only a loss of one killed and one wounded by the enemy's shells, but was, with the 8th Michigan, among the last of the regiments of the army to recross to the north side of the river on the 16th. On the 13th of February, 1863, the regiment moved to Newport News, Va., and on the 19th of March took its route to Baltimore, and thence, by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and steamers on the Ohio River, to Louisville, Ky., with the 9th Army Corps, of which it was a part. The corps remained in Kentucky during the months of April and May, and in June was moved to Mississippi to reinforce the army of Gen. Grant, near Vicksburg. The 2d went into camp at Milldale, near Vicksburg, on the 17th, and a few days later was stationed at Flower Dale Church. On the 4th of July, the day of the surrender of Vicksburg, the regiment left Flower Dale, and moved east towards the capital of Mississippi, to take part in the opera- tions against the rebel army of Gen. Johnston. It arrived in front of Jackson in the evening of the lOtb, and on the 11th advanced in skirmish line on the enemy's rifle-pits, which were taken and held for a time. Superior numbers, however, compelled the 2d to retire from the position, with a loss of eleven killed, forty-five wounded, and five taken prisoners. On the 13th and 14th of July the regiment was again slightly engaged. On the 17th and 18th it was en- gaged in destroying the Memphis and New Orleans Rail- road, in the vicinity of Jackson and Madison, and then moved through Jackson (which had been evacuated by the enemy) back to Milldale, where it remained till August 5th, when it marched to the river, and thence moved with the 9th Corps, by way of Cincinnati, to Kentucky, and encamped at Crab Orchard Springs, in that State, on the 30th of August. Here it remained twelve days, and September 10th broke camp and took the road for Cumberland Gap and Knox- ville, Tenn., reaching the latter place September 26th. It moved from the vicinity of Knoxville, October 8tli, and was slightly engaged at Blue Springs on the 10th. On the 20th it was again at Knoxville, but immediately afterwards moved to Loudon, and thence to Lenoir, Tenn., where, on the 8th of November, its men commenced building winter- quarters. The strength of the regiment at that time was reported at five hundred and three, present and absent. The anticipation of passing the winter at Lenoir was soon dispelled by the intelligence that the enemy, under Gen. Longstreet, was moving up the valley of the Tennes- see in heavy force, evidently having Knoxville as his ob- jective point. On the 14th of November, the 2d Regiment, with its division (the 1st Division of the 9th Corps), was ordered out to meet and repel Longstreet, who was reported to be crossing the Tennessee, below Loudon. He was found in force near Hough's Ferry, on the Holston, and the di- vision fell back to Lenoir. Here a line of battle was formed, but, on the enemy coming up, the retreat towards Knoxville was resumed, the 2d Regiment, with its brigade, forming the rear guard. On the 16th it again stood in line at Campbell's Station to resist the advance of Longstreet, who was pressing up with great vigor. A sharp engage- ment ensued, in which the 2d lost thirty-one in killed and wounded. The position was stubbornly held till dark, when the retreat was resumed, and the regiment reached Knoxville at five o'clock in the morning of the 17th, after a march of nearly thirty miles through mud and rain, and a battle of several hours' duration, all without rest or food. It took position on a hill below the city, at Fort Saunders, where rifle-pits were constructed, and where the regiment remained during the siege which followed. On the 19th and 20th it was slightly engaged, and on the 24th, under orders to attack a line of rifle-pits, it advanced under com- mand of Maj. Byington, moving several hundred yards across an open plain swept by a front and flank fire of musketry and canister. The line was carried, but could not be held ; the attacking force was dislodged and com- pelled to retire, with a loss to the 2d Regiment of eighty-one killed and wounded, — very nearly half its whole number in the fight. Among the killed was Adj. William Noble, and Maj. Byington was mortally wounded. SECOND INFANTRY. 67 In the morning of Sunday, Nov. 29, 1863, a force of the enemy, consisting of two veteran Georgia brigades of McLaws' division, made a furious and persistent a.ssault on Fort Saunders, but were repelled, and finally driven back in disorder, with a loss of eight hundred in killed, wounded, and prisoners, and three stands of colors. With the force inside the fort during this assault were Companies A, F, G, and H, of the 2d Michigan. Their loss, however, was in- considerable, being only five killed and wounded. From that time the regiment saw no fighting at this place other than slight skirmishes, and on Friday night, December 4tb, the enemy withdrew from before Knoxville, after a siege of eighteen days' duration. The 2d marched from Knoxville, December Sth,aud moved to Rutledge. On the 16th it moved to Blain's Cross-Roads, which was its la!5t march in 1863. During the year that was then about closing, the regiment had moved a distance of more than two thousand five hundred miles. It remained at Blain's for about a month, during which time it was " vet- eranized," the number re-enlisting as veterans being one hundred and ninety-eight. About the middle of January, 1864, it moved to Strawberry Plains, thence to Knoxville and to Erie Station, remaining at the latter place until February 4th, when it moved under orders to proceed to Detroit, Mich., and reached there twenty days later. Here the veteran furlough was given to those who had re-enlisted, and Mount Clemens was made the place of rendezvous. At this place the regiment received orders, on the 4th of April, to proceed to Annapolis, Md., to rejoin the 9th Army Corps, which had, in the mean time, moved from Tennessee to Virginia to reinforce the Army of the Po- tomac. The regiment left Annapolis on the 22d, pro- ceeded to Washington, and thence into Virginia, where, on the 5th of May, it crossed the Rapidan and joined the army which was then moving into the Wilderness. For six weeks following this time the 2d was, with its companion regiments of the brigade, so constantly employed in march, skirmish, or battle, that it is hardly practicable to follow the intricacies of the movements ; but the following statement of casualties during that time shows where and how it fought. The statement, which includes only the killed and wounded (and not the missing), is taken from the report of the regimental surgeon, Richard S. Vickery, viz. : In the Wilderness battle, May 6th, killed and wounded 38 At.Spott^ylvania Court-House, .May 12th, killed and wounded 11 At Oxford, Xorth Anna, May 24th, killed 1 Skirmi.^'h of Mjiy 27th 1 Pamunkey River, May 31st 2 Skirmish, June 1st 5 Skirmish, June 2). G. I Sergt, Sumner Howard, flint ; pro, to 2d lieut. Regular Army, August, 1861. Sergt. Ooundry Hill, Fliut ; pro. to qr.-mr.-sergt. March 7, 1862. 68 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Corp. Edwin C. Tunrer, onl. May 25, 1861 ; disch. for disability, Sept. 1861. Corp. Jamos Brmlley, mil. May 2.'), 1801 ; pro. to qr.-mr.-sergt. Aug. 1, 18l!2. Corp. Damon Stewart, onl. May 25, 1801 ; disch. to accept commission in 2M Infantry. Corp. Josepli Van Busliirk, enl. May 25, 1861 ; pro. to sergt.-niaj. Sept. 16, 1862. Corp. Wm. li. Bishop, enl. May 25, 1861; liilled in battle at Yorlitown, Va., April 10, 1SC2. Corp. Nelson Fletcher (sorgt.), enl. May 25, 1861 ; pro. to qr.-mr.-sergl. Dec. 1, 1862. William H. Allen, must, out June 28, 1865. David .\nderson, Vienna; must, out July 28, 1865. William J. Allen, Vienna; must, out June 25, 1865. William L. Bishop, Corp.; died at Yorktown, Va., .\pril 16, 18B2. George R. Bisbey, scrgt.; died of disease at Camp Winticld Scott, Va., July,lS61. Joseph N. Bradley, disch. for disability, Dec. 2, 1SC2. Adiu 0. Billings, sergt., Flint Tp. ; pro. to Ist lient. Co. K. Andrew A. B;i.\ter, ilisch. for disability, July U, 1S02. James Benson, Flint Tp. ; killed at Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1804. George Beenier, died in action at Knoxville, Tenu., Nov. 24, 1863. Milton S. Benjamin, Vienna; disch. for wonuds, Jan. 28, 1865. George Canner, died in action at Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862. Charles B. Collitis, disch. to enlist in regular service, Dec. 5, 1862. S. Bradford Cummings, disch. for disability. Fob. 19, 1863. Thomas Cliapin, Jr., disch. at end of service, June 21, 1864. Clark F. Cbaiiman, Flint Tp. ; disch. for wounds, Feb. 26, 1865. James Ooe, must, ont July 28, 1865. John Deilz, disch. for disability, Jan. 5, 1863. George Davis, disch. at end of service, May 25, 1864. Cornelius De Hart, disch. at end of service, Dec. 25, 1864. Charles E. Deioster, disch. at end of service, Dec. 25, 1864. Daniel J. Ensign, died June 3, 1862, of wounds received at Fair Oaks, Va. Orlando II. Ewer, Flint Tp.; must, out July 28, 18G5. Cliarles L. Gardner, died of disease at Camp Lyons, Va., Oct. 1861. Joseph H. George, disch. for disability, Sept. 1861. John R. Goodrich, disch. for disability, Oct. 23, 1862. William Houghton^ disch. for disability, Sept. 1861. Julius Heine, disch. for disability, Jan. 5, 1863. Frederick Holtz, Clayton ; died at Knoxville, Tenn., Dec. 12, 1803, of wounds. Fnincis Haven, Flint; died in action near Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1864. Virgil Hadstalt, missing in action at Knoxville, Tenn., Nov. 21, 1863. Henry W. Horton, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, March 15, 1864. Richard U. Ualstead, disch. at end of service, June 21, 1864. Charles Hartiier, disch. to re-enlist as veteran, Dec. 31, 1863. James V. Hornell, absent, sick ; not must, out with company. Sheldon B. Kelly, died in action at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862. Jobii Kane, disch. for disability, Sept. 1801. Philip Kellnnd, disch. for disability, July 19, 1362. Elisha Kelly, musician; disch to re-enlist as veteran, Dec. 31, 1863. Charles E. Kingsbury, Forest Tp.; must, out July 28, 1865. George Lee, Grand Blanc Tp.; must, ont July 28, 1S65. Cliarles D. iHoore, died June 6, 1862, of wounds received at Fair Oaks, Va. Dellion McConnell, died in action at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1802. John B. Miller, died in action at Chantilly, Va., July 1, 1S62. David McConnell, disch. to enlist in regular service. Doc. 5, 1862. Peter McN'ally, Vienna Tp.; must, out May 20, 1865. Samuel L. Ploss, died of disease at Washington, .\ug. 29, 1861. Uaniiltoii I'loss, died of disease at Washington, Aug. 29, 1801. James F. Partridge, musician ; disch. for disability, Dec. 8, 1861. Wallace L. Parker, Genesee Tp. ; veteran ; must, out July 28, 1805. Charles Rankin, died of disease at Arlington Heights, Va., Sept. 20, 1861. Cornelius E. Rulison, disch. at end of service, June 21, 1864. Nathan M. Richardson, Flint; must, out July 28, 1865. George Ruddiman, Flint; must, out July 28, 1865. Jacob C. Sackrier, died June 24, 1862, of wounds. James S. Smith, disch. fordisability, Sept. 1861. Arba Smith, disch. for disability, Sept. 1861. George Sawyer, disch. for disability, Oct. 1861. James Scarr, disch. at end of service, June 21, 1S64. Lyman Stow, disch. at end of service, June 21, 1864. Albeit L. Sawyer, disch. at end of service, June 21, 1864. Franklin B. Smith, disch. Jan. 27, 1863. Hercules Stannard, veteran ; must, out July 28, 1805. George Sheldon, disch. to re-enlist as veteran, Dec. 31, 1863. Albert Scliultz, disch. to re-enlist as veteran, Dec. 31, 1863. Charles H. Stone, Flint ; died of disease near ,\lexandria, Va., Oct. 6, 1864. John G. Sanford, Vienna Tp. ; died of disease near Alexandria, Va. Oct. 20 1804. Mathias Scliermerhoni, must, out May 20, 1865. Edwin C. Turver, Corp. ; disch. for disability, Sept. 1861. John or Joseph W. Tompkins, must, out .\ug. 5, 1865. Hiram Tenney, disch. at end of service, May 25, 1864. Edgiir Tibbals, disch. at end of service. May 25, 1S64. John H. Tibbals, disch. at end of service, Nov. 9, 1864. John Walter, disch. at end of service, June 21, 1864. James Willctt, disch. at end of service. May 25, 1364. Williams K. Williams, disch. for disability, Oct. 1861. Emory A. Wood, disch. for disability, .\ug. 4, 1862. John Weller, trans, to Vet. Res. Chirps, Nov. 15, 1864. Don A. Williams, must, out July 23, 1805. Robert H. J. Warner, Vienna Tp. ; must, out June 19, 1865. Company G. Wm. B. McCreery, Flint ; capt. Sept. 10, 1861 ; wounded at Williamsburg, Va., in three places severely. May 5, 1862; pro. to lieut.-colonel 21st Regt. Mich. Inf., Nov. 20, 1862; colonel, Feb. 3, 1863; taken prisoner at Chicka- manga, Tenn., Sept. 20, 1863; wounded in three places severely; escaped from Libby Prison, Feb. 19, 1864; resigned on account of wounds, Sept. 14, 1SU4. James Farrand, Flint ; 1st lieut. MairVO, 1802; pro. to capt. Co. C, Aug. 1, 1862; killed in action near Spottsylvania Court-Honse, Va., May 12, 1804. George Sheldon, Fenton; com.-sergt. ; sergt. Co. K; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. C; must, out as sergt. Hercules Stannard, Flint (sergt.) ; pro. to 2d lieut. ; must, out as sergt. Ward Berry, Argentine, Co. E; died of wounds, June 19,1304, near Petersburg, Va. Henry Dorman, Grand Blanc, Co. C; must, out July 28, 1865. Myron Green, Athis, Co. B ; died June 17, 1864, of wounds. James M. llill, Atliw, Co. B; missing in action, July 30, 1864. Lafayette Hill, Atlas, Co. B ; must, out Aug. 2, 1805. Walter P. Jones, Fenton, Co. B ; must, out July 28, 1865. Charles E. Lason, Atlas, Co. H; must, out July 2S, 1865. Read Larde, Argentine, Co. E; must, out Jnly 28, 1865. Robert F. Meddleworth, Argentine, Co. E ; died near Petei-sburg, Va., June 19, 18G4, of wounds. Abram D. Perry, Atlas, Co. E ; died at Washington, July 17, 1864, of wounds. Orrin D. Putnam, Argentine, Co. C; died at Washington, June 2, 1864, of acci- dental wounds. Thomas Perry, Fulton, Co. I; must, ont July 28, 1865. Charles H. Snook, Argentine, Co. E; died July 6, 1864, of wounds. Asa Shepard, Argentine, Co. G ; must, out July 28, 1865. George W. Tharrett, Davison, Co. H ; must, out July 28, 1865. Joseph B. A'arnum, Atlas Tp., Co. H ; must, out Aug. 11, 1865. Charles Webber, Fenton, Co. B ; must, out Aug. 2, 1865. CHAPTER XI. EIGHTH INFANTRY. The Fenton Light Guard and the Excelsior Guard — They join the Sth Infantry — Camp .\nderson — Organization and Departure of the 8th— The Port Royal Expedition— Battle of Port Royal Ferry- Fort Pulaski and M'ilmington Ishmd — Presentation of Colors — Terrible Battle of James Island — Campaign under Pope — South Mountain and Antietam — Fredericksburg — The Wandering Regi- ment of Michigan — Campaigns in Kentucky and Mississippi — East Tennessee and the Siege of Knoxville — Re-enlistment as Veterans — Furlough and Return to the Army of the Potomac — Campaign of the Wilderness — Operations round Petersburg — The Sth leads the Union Column into the City — Muster Out and Return to Michigan. This regiment was foiuied in the summer and fall of 18G1, its organizer and commanding officer being Col. William M. Fenton, of Flint, previously major of the 7th Infantry, from which he was promoted to this. The nucleus of the Sth Regiment was a Genesee company called the " Fenton Light Guard," which had been organ- ized at the armory in Flint in the evening of May 10th, a few days after the departure of the Flint Union Grays to join the 2d Regiment at Detroit. It had been expected that the Light Guard would take the field as a part of the 7th Regiment, and, in fact, it had been designated as " E" company in that organization ; but as the 7th was able to muster its full complement of ten companies without this, it was transferred to Col. Fenton's command, not only with the consent, but in accordance with the wishes, of the officers and men. Another Genesee company which entered the Sth was named the Excelsior Guard, and representatives of the county were found in all of the eight other companies of the regiment. These last-named companies, however, EIGHTH INFANTRY. 69 were principally made up of men from the counties of Shia- wassee, Clinton, Gratiot, Montcalm, Kent, Ingham, Jackson, and Barry. On the 12th of August the several companies were designated, and ordered to rendezvous at Grand Rapids on the 21st. Under these orders the Fcnton Light Guard, one hundred and seven strong, under Capt. Russell M. Barker, and the Excelsior Guard, Capt. Ephraim N. Lyon, left Flint and moved to Fentonville, and thence by the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad to Grand Rapids, where the regimental camp was pitched in the Fair-grounds, and named " Camp Anderson." Here the regiment remained for four weeks, engaged in drill, organization, and the filling of its ranks to the maximum number. On the 18th of September it moved to Detroit, and thence to a camp at Fort Wayne, below the city, where, on the 23d, it was mus- tered into the United States service for three years by Capt. H. R. Mizner, U. S. A., its strength when mustered being nine hundred. Its field-officers, besides Col. Fenton, were Lieut.-Col. Frank Graves and Maj. Amasa B. Watson. In the organization of the regiment the Fenton Light Guard was designated as " A" company, and it was mus- tered under the following-named commissioned officers, viz. : Captain, Simon C. Guild (promoted to captaincy in place of Capt. Barker, who resigned at Camp Anderson on ac- count of ill-health) ; 1st Lieutenant, George E. Newell ; 2d Lieutenant, George H. Turner. The Excelsior Guard was designated as " G" company, and its first commissioned officers were: Captain, E. N. Lyon; 1st Lieutenant, Horatio Belcher; 2d Lieutenant, N. Miner Pratt. Orders for the departure of the regiment were received on the 26th of September, and on Friday (the 27th) it embarked on the steamers " Ocean" and " May Queen," and moved down the river and lake, arriving at Cleveland the following morning. From there it moved by railroad through Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Baltimore to Wash- ington, where it arrived on the 30th, and encamped on Meridian Hill, its camp being named " Camp Williams." In due time the men received arms and equipments, and on the 9th of October the regiment moved to Annapolis, Md., and there occupied the grounds of the Naval Academy. October 19th the regiment was ordered to embark on board the ocean-steamer " Vanderbilt," then lying at Annapolis. It was evidently bound on some distant expe- dition, but its destination and object were unknown, and were matters of endless surmise and speculation among the officers and men during the pas.sage down the Chesapeake. On the " Vanderbilt" with the 8th was the 79th New York Regiment, called the " Highlanders," and neither regiment appeared to be very favorably impressed with tlie appear- ance or presence of the other. One who was present on board the ship at that time wrote afterwards concerning this, as follows : "The men of the 8th Michigan and 79th New York looked distrustfully on each other. The ship was rather uncomfortably crowded, having eighteen hun- dred persons on board, and every effort to obtain better storage by one party was jealously watched by the other. The 8th regarded the 79th as a set of foreigners and sots, and the latter regarded our men as a lot of undrilled bush- whackers, tinged with verdancy." How long this state of feeling continued does not appear, but it is certain that there was afterwards developed between the 8th and 79th a friendship which became absolute affiBction, — so strong and marked that it was proverbial among the different commands of the army where the two regiments were known. It was a chain whose links were forged under the hammers of suf- fering and danger, and welded in the fire of battle. When they arrived at Fortress Monroe they found the roadstead crowded with a fleet made up of war-steamers and transports filled with troops. This fleet, including the " Vanderbilt," went to sea in the morning of October 29th, and the sight was grand and inspiriting. For a time the winds favored, and the sea was comparatively smooth, but afterwards a heavy gale came on in which the vessels were scattered, and three or four of them were lost. During this time the troops suffered greatly from sea-sickness and overcrowding on the transports. The fleet had sailed under sealed orders, and its destination was as yet unknown ex- cept to the naval and military commanders. At last the storm abated, the vessels one by one returned within sig- naling distance of each other, and the low shores of South Carolina became visible on the starboard hand. Six days (which seemed as many weeks) from the time of its de- parture from Fortress Monroe the fleet arrived off Hilton Head, S. C, Nov. 4, 1861. The object of the expedition was now apparent, and, with a smoother sea and an enemy almost in sight, sea-sickness and dejection gave place to buoyant spirits and eager enthusiasm. The fleet was composed of fourteen armed vessels, twenty - two first-class steamers, twelve smaller steamers, and twenty- six sailing vessels. The commander of the fleet was Commodore (afterwards Admiral) S. F. Dupont, whose flag-ship was the splendid steam-frigate " Wabash." The land forces consisted of thirteen regiments of volunteers, in three brigades, — in all, about eleven thousand men, — under command of Gen. W. T. Sherman. The 2d Brigade, com- posed of the 50th and 100th Pennsylvania, 8th Michigan, and 79th New York, was under command of Brig.-Gen. Isaac I. Stevens. The channel connecting Port Royal harbor with the sea was guarded on either side by a strong rebel fortification. These were known as Forts Walker and Beauregard, and the reduction of these, by the navy, was the first work to be done. For three days after their arrival the vessels re- mained iu quiet, below, as the weather was not considered sufficiently favorable for operations ; but on the 7th the " Wabash" set her signal for battle, and advanced to the attack, followed by the other armed ships in their proper order. They moved in a circular line, up, past one fort, and down, past the other, delivering their tremendous broadsides into each as they came abreast of it. With the fire from the ships, and the responses from the forts, it was almost a continuous volley of artillery, which shook the earth, and made the very waters tremble. But at length the fire of the forts began to slacken, their replies grew more and more feeble, and finally the Stars and Bars above their ramparts gave place to the white flag. A little later, the standard of the Union floated above the captured works on both sides of the channel. 70 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. On the following day the 8th landed at Hilton Head, and occupied Fort Walker. On the 17th of December it moved to Beaufort, a place of surpassing beauty, where many of the wealthy people of Charleston had, in the old days of peace, made their summer residences. It was now found deserted by nearly all its inhabitants except negroes. The camp here was made in a grove of stately and mag- nificent live-oaks ; and but for the losses sustained in the vicinity, the stay of the regiment at this place would have been among the most pleasing of all its experiences during its term of service. On the 18th, Companies A and F, of the 8th, were sent on a reconnoitering expedition to the mainland, across Coosaw River, and while engaged in this service David Burns Foote, of Capt. Guild's company, was killed by the enemy, he being the first man of the regi- ment who fell in his country's service. The 8th, during the time it was stationed at Beaufort, was engaged in other reconnoissances, and in picket-duty ; and detachments occu- pied Grey's Hill, Ladies' Island, Brickyard Point, and some of the neighboring plantations. The first battle in which the regiment was engaged was that of Coosaw River, or Port Royal Ferry, Jan. 1, 1SG2. An ofiicial report by Col. Fenton to Gen. Stevens, embrac- ing an account of that engagement, is here given : "Headquartehs Sth Michigan Regime.nt, 1 Maislaxd, Port Roval Ferrv, Jan. 1, 1SG2. 1 "Brig.-Ge\. Steve.vs, — Sir, I have the honor to report that in compliance with your order this regiment was safelj landed at the Adams House on the mainland, having effected the crossing in flat- boats from Brickyard Point, Port Royal Island, and took up its line of march towards the enemy's battery at this place at one o'clock p.m. On our approach towards the ferry wo were ordered to attack (as skirmishers) a masked battery which opened fire on us from the right. I immediately detached the first two and tenth companies, and directed their march to the left and front on the battery, which was followed by four additional companies to the right and front. The fire of the battery with shells continued on our lines until the skir- mishers reached the right, wlien it was turned on them, and on their approach right, left, and front to within fifty to one hundred yards of the enemy's position, a fire of musketry was opened upon them. The force of the enemy, as well as the battery, was concealed to a consider- able extent by trees, brush, and underwood, but appeared to consist of two mounted howitzers, supported by a regiment or more of in- fantry and some cavalry. The skirmishers were measurably protected by underbrush and furrows, and continued their fire upon the enemy, which was returned by volleys of musketry and shells from the battery. Our fire was well directed, and seemed to be efi'ective. One mounted officer, who seemed to be very active, was seen to fall from his horse, at which the troops on the enemy's right were thrown into confusion. Their position seemed to be changing- to the rear, and as our skirmishers were called off and the regiment formed in line the enemy's fire ceased. The regiment w.as then marched to its position in line of battle in rear of the fort at this point. " Licut.-Col. Graves led the left and M.ij. Watson the right of the skirmishers. The major, in leading on the line, received a severe flesh wound in the leg. I have to report that officers and men behaved with admirable bravery and coolness. The loss of the enemy from the well-directed fire of our skirmishers cannot be less than forty. Our loss is seven wounded, two missing. A list is appended. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, " W.1I. M. Festos, " Col, Sth Mk-hii^an lictfiinent." Among those who fell in the action at Beaufort Ferry was Corp. John Q. Adams, of Capt. Guild's company, mortally wounded, and left in the enemy's bands. Some negroes who came into the Union lines two or three days afterwards gave Col. Fenton this account of his death. They said they saw him after the battle in a wagon at the railroad suiTounded by spectators. He received water to drink from them, but would give them no information. They asked him if it was right to come into their country and drive them off their land. He said it was, and that there were those behind who would avenge his fall. He remained true to his flag, and was conscious until midnight, when he died. Upon these facts being sworn to. Col. Fen- ton embodied them in an official report, to which was ap- pended the following order : "Headqiarters, 8th Miibigas Regiment,) " Camp near Beaufort, S. C, Jan. 7, 1862. I " Spt:cting, among the killed being Maj. Horatio Belcher, of Flint. It was again engaged, with but slight loss, on the 21st; and on the 30th it took part in the battle of Poplar Grove Church, losing eight wounded. The Sth remained near Peebles' Farm, engaged in forti- fying and picket duty, till November 29th, when it moved again to a position before Petersburg. It assisted in repuls- ing the enemy in his attack on Fort Steadman, March 25, 1SG5, and on the 2d of April was engaged in the attack on Fort .Mahon, assisting in carrying the work, and being thefirst regiment to place its colors on the hostile ramparts. The next day it marched into Petensburg. After this it was em- ployed in guard duty on the South Side Railroad till the 20th, wheTi it marched to ('ity P(]int, and on the following day em- barked on transports and proeecded to Alexandria, \^i., from whieh place it moved to Tenallytown, Md , on the 2ljlli. It 76 HISTOKY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. moved into the city of Washington, May 9th, and was there engaged in guard and patrol duty until July 30, 1865, when it was mustered out of the service. Its strength when mus- tered out was six hundred and three officers and men, it hav- ing been quite largely augmented by recruits during the lat- ter part of its term of service. The regiment left Washington on the 1st of August, and on the 3d arrived at Detroit, where it was paid and disbanded, and the survivors of " the wan- dering regiment of Michigan" returned to their homes and the vocations of peaceful life. During its existence the regiment had moved over seven thousand miles, by land and sea, more than nineteen hundred men had marched in its ranks, and it had been engaged in thirty-seven battles and skirmishes, in seven different States of the Union. OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE EIGHTH INFANTRY FROM GENESEE COUNTY. Col. Win. M. Fenton, Flint ; enl. Aug. 7, 1861 ; res. March 15, 1803. Miij. Ephraiin W. Lj-oll, Flint; enl. Aug. 10, 1801 ; ros. Miiich HI, 1863. 1st Lieut, iinil Ailj. N. Miner l'r;itt, Flint; enl. Aug. 14, ISCl ; killed in liattio of Wilmington, Gh., April 16, 18G2. 1st Lieut, and tir.-Mr. Asa Gregory, Flint; enl. Ang. 12, 1801; commissary of U. S. Vols,, Nov. 20, 1SG2; brov.-maj. U. S. Vols., April 3, 1805 ; must, out April 20, 18C6. Surg. Janies C. W'illson, Flint ; enl. Miircll 3, 1862 ; res. for disab., M.ircli 6, 1863. Asst. Sing. John Willett, Flint; enl. Nov. 22, 1802; surg. Sdlnf, Nov. 28, 1804, to June 30, 1.S05. Chaplain Wm. Malion, Flint ; enl. Aug. 26, 1861 ; res. June 24, 1862. Sergt.-Maj. Edw. R. Chase, Flint; enl. May 1, 1SG3; 2d lieut. July 5, 1804; vet. Sergt.-Maj. Orrin Bump, Flint; enl. Aug. 1, 1801 : 2d lieut. Co. F, March 27, 1863. Sergt.-Maj. Oscar Bliss, Fenton ; enl. Aug. 25, 1802; disch. by order, May 31, 1805. Sergt.-Msj. Wm. H. Ailken, Flint; enl. Dec. 18, 1801 ; must, out .July 30, 1S65; veteran. Com.-Sergt. Elias G. Williams, Flint; enl. .Vug. 12, 1861 ; pro. to 2d lieut. ,ind ■ir.-mr., Oct. 20, 1862. Com.-Selgt. Harvey J. Christian, Flint; enl. Aug. 19, 1861; 1st lieut. Co. G, Feb. 19, 1865. Com.-Sergt. Wm. J. Christian, Flint ; enl. .\ug. 12,1861; capt. 30lh Inf. Jan. 8, 1805. Com.-SBigt. Ch,-is. G. Walkiii.^ Flint ; enl. Sept. 17, 1801 ; pro. 1st lieut. Co. D. IIosp. Steward Milton 31. F'enner, Fliut; enl. Aug. 12, 1861 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. I, Nov. 22, 1801. Band, Alva M. Rogers, enl. Aug. 14, 1861 ; must, out July 30, 1865 ; veteran. Band, Orville MeWilliams, enl. July 1, 1861 ; must, out July 30, 1805. Company A. Capt Simon C. Guild, Flint; enl. Sept. 21, 1861 ; killed in battle at James Isl- and, Va., June 16, 1862. Capt. Ephraini W. Lyon, Flint; pro. to ni.ij. Feb. 1, 1863; res. March 111, 1803. Capt. James S. Donobue, Flint ; tnins. from Co. B ; dishonorably dismissed ; re- stored, and trans, to Co. I a.s capt. Capt. Johns S. Freeman, Flint ; trans, from Co. D ; wounded at Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1804; must, out Oct. 18, 1864. Capt. Edward R. Chase, Flint; enl. April 2.>, 1865; brev. capt. U. S. Vols., April 2, 1865, for conspicuous gallantry in assault on Fort Malione, Va. ; must. out July 30, 1865. 1st Lieut. George E. Newell, Fliut; enl. Sept. 12, 1S61 ; pro. to capt. Co. I, Sept. HI, 1S62. 1st Lieut. John S. Freenwu, Fliut ; enl. J,in. 1, 1803 ; pro. to capt. Co. D, May 3, 1804. 1st Lieut. Thomas Campbell, Goodrich ; enl. March 18, 1803 ; killed in battle near Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1804. 1st Lieut. Lewis M. Webster, Flint; enl. Nov. 20, 1804; res. May 20, 1805; was sergt. and 2d lieut. 1st Lieut. Andrew H. Gillis, Flint; must, out July 30, 1805. 2d Lieut. George H. Turner, Flint; enl Sept. 21, 1801; res. Sept. 25, 1862. 2d Lieut. John S. Freeman, Flint; enl. Sept. 1, 1802; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. A, Jan. 1, 1803. 2d Lieut. Charles Eddy, Flint; enl. Jan. 1, 1803; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. F, April 10, 1803. 2d Lieut. Harrison II. Williams, Grand Blanc ; enl. April 211, 1804; wounded in battle near Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1804; pro. to 1st lieut. July 5, 1864; disch. for disability, Nov. 17, 1864. Sergt. James W. Page, enl. June 19, 1801 ; diseh. for disability, Jan. 10, 1862. Sergt. James 11. Atchiuson, enl. June 19, 1801 ; died at Hilton Head, S. C, Dec. 2.'). 1801. Sergt. Henry Clino (veteran), enl. June 19, 1801; died July 12, 1864, of wounds received at Petersburg, Va. Sergt. John S. Freeman, enl. June 19,1801 ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. A, Sept. 1,1862. Sergt. Daviil B. Foote, enl. June 19, 1861 ; killed on Cot«aw River, S. C, Dec. 18, 1861. Corp. 9Iilton Harrows (sergt.), enl. June 19, 1861; died at eea on steamboat " Argo," July 3, 1862, of wounds received in battle. Corp. John (J. Adams, enl. June 19, 1801 ; killed in battle of Port I!Valter Clother, disch. at end of ,'iervice, Sept. 22, 1864. Mortimer Carter, diseh. for disability, Jan. 15, 1865. Levi Collins, Grand Blanc, disch. by .order, June 1, 1865. W'arren Cole, trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 21, 1805. Ira Delling, died in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1802, William Delbridge, died of disease at Nicholasville, Ky,, Aug. 24, 1S63. James Druniond, died of wounds near Petersburg, Va,, June 17, 1S64, Ch.arles Dye, must, out July 30, 1S65. Thomas Donahue, must, out July 3U, 1^65. Oliver Dye, disch. for disability, Nov. 29, 1864. Emory Denton, disch. for disability, March 20, 1865. Trumbull C. Elder, disch. for disability, Jan. Ill, 1862. Chailncey Eggleston, disch. for disability. May 15, 1865. Peter A. Fritz, died of disease at Washington, D. C, Nov. 23, 1861. Andri'W Gillis, disch. to re-eul. as vetenn, Fi*b. 17, 1864. Thomas Heather, died of disease at Beaufort, S. C, Jan. 10, 1862. Harrison S. Hayne, died of disease at Grand Rapids, Mich,, Sept. 20, 1861. Bili'dett B, Hopkins, disch, for disabilit.v, April 6, 18112. William W. Harris, disch. to enl, in regular service, Oct. 25, 1862. James P. IIotTinaii, disch, to enl. in regular service, Oct, 25, 1862, Lyman Huestard, disch, at end of service, Sept. 22, 1804. * The pathetic story of this youth, who was mortally wounded at Knoxville, was told by hundreds of newsp:i])ers in the North, under the heading of '"The Driiminer Boy of the Eighth Michigan Ueginient." Its substance was as fol- lows; At the opening of the war Charles Howard Gardner was a schoolboy, thirteen and a half yeara of age, in the city of Flint. His father had enlisted under the first call of the President. " Soon there came a call for three hundred thon.sand more, when Charley's teacher, Simon C. Guild, to whom he was much atta' bed, jtdned the army, and (['apt. Guild, knowing Charley's mu-ical ability, secontied his earnest entreaties that he might go with him as drummer, to which his mother, who had already given her busliand, reluctantly consented, and Charley joined the Eighth Michigan Infantry. "Tlio regiment was ordered to Port Royal, and on their way Charley met his father, and, forgetting niilltary rule, he broke from the ranks and ran to his father's arms. It was their last earthly meeting, as his father died the Novem- ber following. In a letter to his mother consoling her, he promiseil to send her all his money, which he did every pay-day. At tlie battle of James Island Capt. Guild fell. Now was Charley indeed bereaved. Tlirongh all battles, all marches, and all campaigns he kept with the regiment, oft<-n on short ratiiuis, without one word of comidaint, only desiring to remain until Ihe end of tlie war. At the siege of Kiio.wille a chance shot struck Charley in tlie slnmhler and enterel his lung." Then the narrative proceeds: "That his wound seennd to be doing well, and the surgeon reported him as fast recovering. His mother was made happy by this announcement, and waited, hourly expecting Ira re- turn with his comrades on veteran furlough. But while she thus lovingly and impatiently awaited his coming, there cam- instead the In-art -breaking dispatch, ' The reginieut has arrived, hut Ch.-irley is dead.' " — The story is taken from Moore's KeielUon Kecotd. EIGHTH INFANTRY. Tlioodure .Tcnninpa. died of ilisensc nt Hilton Hpiid, S. C, Nov. 14, 18G1. Mott Juhnslon, disch. for disnl.ililv, Oct 2;"), lbG2. AjlnitM- JenniiigH, ninsl. out July :i(i, 18G5. Tlioimis M. Kijip, died of disease at Ileinifurt, S. C, Jan. 6, 1862. Tlionias Kiniiiif), Tavison, must, out July ;iO, 1SG5. CliJirlfS D. Long, disch. for disalulity, June *2:i, 1802. Flftilier Lewis, disch. nt end of service, Sept. 2*2, 1864. Imuic Laine, di»ch. at enci of service, Sept. 2^1, 1804. Motitie Mnsrt, difd in aciion at Bull Uun, Va., Aug. 29, 1862. I'liarlos HIcKee, disch. to enl. in n'gulai- service, Oct. 24, 1862. Adam P. Miller, disch. for di>al.ility, Sept. i:i, ise4. Ileury W. Mason, discti. Jiiti. 4, 18G.'>, for promotion in TOth 3Iich. Inf. Abraham B. Mill.-r, disch. to re-enl. us veteran, Dec. 29, 1863. Addison il. Miitlice, must, out July :tO, 1865. Frank Xewinan, must (uit July I'.U, ISGo. Albert S. Newman, died of diseat^e at IMton Head, S. C, Nov. 26, 1862. Ransom D. OslHjrn, disch. at end of service, Sept. 27, 1864. Henry Odell.died of disease at Annapolis, Md., ()ct.2, 18C1. James W. I'age, discli. for disability, Jan. lo, 1862. Abrnm D. Penny, disch. for disability, Sept. 29, 1862. Albu Passing, di^cli. to enl. in regular service, Oct. 24, 1862. James M. Persons, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22. 1804. John D. Pattie, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. William K. Prntl, nnist. tuit July 30, 1865. Daniel C. Parker, disch. to re-enl. as veteran. George W. Rail, disch. to re-t-nl. as vetenin, Dec. 29, 186:t. Fred. Shillinger, died of wounds received at Wilmington Island, Ga., April 24, 1S62. Stephen Swart, disch. for disability, March 28, 1862. Henry M. Stores, disch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1SG4. Hiram Snylaml, trans, to Vot. Res. Corps, Jan. 21, 1865. Pavi.l B. T..ok. died in action nt Coosaw River, S. C., Dec. 18, 1861. Hanford E. Todtl, must, out July :{U, 1SG5. Grorge Wallace, died of .lisea^o at Beaufort, S. C, May 24. 1862. Jtdin A. Warner, disch. to eul. in regular service, Oct. 24, 1862. Warren Wilc4)x, ilied of wounds at W.i.s|iington, D. C, Oct. 2, 18G4. liewis M. Webster, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 29, 18G3. Harrison H. Williams, discli. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 29, 1863. Moses Walker, Atlas, must, out July 3(i, 1865. Harris Witoden, must, out July 3(), 1865. William P. Voungs, di^ch. fur disability, Dec. 2, 18G2. Company F. lat Lieut. Charles Eddy, Flint (sergt.), 2d lient. Co, A; pro. let lieut. Co. F, April 16, 186:{ ; must, out Sept. 29, 1804. 2d Lieut. Orrin Bump, Flint; enl. March 27,186:1; pro. 1st lieut. Co. G, April 2(1, 1864. Jamr's Adams, Flint; disfh. for disability, Dec. 4, 1864. Stephen L. J. Bingham, Flint ; disch. for disability, Dec. 21, 1864. Charles Cartwright, Grand Blanc; must, out July 30, 1865. Wilhml Clemens, Richfield; must, out July 30, 1865. Sam|«on Doughty, Burton; died in action in Wilderness, Va., May G, 18G4. Charles A. Fent, Flint; disch. by order, Aug. 12, 1865. Nathan L. Grundy, Burton ; must, out July 30, 1865. Willi. ini Horton, Flint ; must, out July ;;o, 1865. Dand Houghton, Vienna; must, out July 30, 1865. William F. Met.iilf, Burttm ; died of dis'-ase at Beverly, N. J., October, 1804. Ji'rome II. McWayne, Atljis; must, out July 3u, 1865. Harrison E. Payne, Mount Slorria; died of disease at Salisbury, N. C, Dec. 25, 1864. William B. Pelletl, Flint ; mu«t. out July 30, 1865. George R. Pratt, Argentine; must, out July 30, 1865. William H. Sheperd, Forest ; died in action at Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864. Daniel Shank, Argentine; died of wounds in Wii-hington, D. C, Juno 3u, 1864. Hiram Sturgis, Argentine; died in action near Petersburg, Va , June 18, 1864. Silati £. Van Schaick, Ktchfield ; died of disease near Petersburg, Va., July lU, 1864. Stacey B. Warford, Flint ; must, out July 30, 1865. Charles R. Warren, Flint ; must, out July 30, 1865. Company G. Capt. Ephraim W. Lyon, Flint; enl. Aug. 10, 1861 ; trans, to Co. A, Sept. 1, 1862. Capt. Homtio Belcher, Flint ; enl. Sept. 1, 1862; pro. to major, June .1, 18C4. Capt. Harvey J. Cltri.^ti.ln, Flint; enl. April 25, 186.t; must, out July 30, 1865. Ist Lieut. Horatio Belcher, Flint; enl. Aug. 10,1861; pro. to capt. Sept. 1,1862. l«t Lieut. Orrin Bump, Flint; enl. Apill 20, 1864; pro. to ndj. July 5, 1864. 1st Lieut. Harvey J. Chri'^tian, Flint ; enl. Jan. 8, 1805; pro. U» capt. April 25, 1865. Sergt.John I. Philips, Flint ; erd. Jan. 1, 1863; pro. to 2d lieut; res. Doc. 15, 186;i. Sergt. Nathan M. ILaley, Flint ; disch. for disability, Oct. 18, 1862. Corp. Wm. E Christian, Flint (sergt. >; pio. to com. -sergt. Sept. 24, 1864. Corp. John E. (iilmou, Flint; diseh. to enlist in regular army, Oct. 2.», 1862. Oirp. Seymour Hill, Flint ; disch. at Beaufort, S. C, March 4, 1862. Ojrp. Harvey J. Christian, Flint; pro. to com -sergt. Sept. 24, 1861. Corp. Fntncts Hopkins, Flint ; trans, to Invalid Cor|w, Nov. 1, 1863. Corp. Eliel E. Miller, Flint ; disch. at New York, Feb. 14, 1863. Uusician Jo8<'ph Davis, Flint; died March 26, 18G2. Muttician Alva M. Rogers, Flmt; app. principal musician, Feb. 10, 18G4. Cassander Acklcy, died Dec. 3, 1862, at Annapolis, Md., of wounds received in action. Jamen E. Armstrong, died Dec. 5, 1864, at Kuoxvillo, Teun., of wounds. Ilirnm Applebee, veteran ; must, out Jtily 30, 1865. Phineae Allen, disch. by order, May 31, 1865. William Austin, must, out July 30, 1865. Daniid S. Boyer, died in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1862. Albert M. Bratinick, died in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1862. Junius Beebe, disch. for disability, Aug. 18, 1862. John li.iwles, disch. to enter regular service, Oct. 24, 1862. Alfred Benton, veteran ; missing in action in Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864. George Ilcebe, veteran ; must, out July 3o, 18(15. John R. Benjamin, veteran ; must, out July 30, 1865. Wilson Baldwin, disch. to re-enl. as vetorau. William Burger, must, out July 30, 1865. James Carmen, dred in action at James Island, S. C., June IG, 1862. Emory R. Curtis, dioil in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1862. M'illiam ('apron, died in action at .James Island, 3. C, Juno 16, 1862.; John Cuinmiugs, disch. for disability, March 4, 1862. Luther C. Clevi'laiul, disch. to enlist in p'gular service, Oct. 21, 1862. Van Wert Ctmlton, Fenton ; disch. to enl. in regular service, Oct. 25, 1862. Charles Colton, Mount Monis ; died of disease at Falmouth, Va., Jan. 16, 1803. Sidney B. Castle, died of disease at Washington, D. C, June 27, 1864. Qlarcus Curtis, died of disease at Andersonville, Ga., Sept. 17, 1864. Edson Conrad, dieil of disease at Andersonville, Ga., May 12, 1864. Milvenus Colby, disch, at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. George B. Games, Fenton ; died in action near Petersburg, Va., June 8, 1864. William M. Ch ippel, must, out July 3o, 1865. William Cannon, nuist. out July 3it, 1865. William II. Cesler, Gaines; must, out July 30, 1805. Edward S. Dart, disch. for disibilily, Oct. 18, 1862. Robert Dixon, missing in action in Wllde^ne^^8, Va., May 6, 1864. Franklin J. Denill, disch. for dsabilily, April 6, 18G4. Clark Dibble, disch. by order. May 31, 1865. Sylvester Ecleston, disch. for liisability, June IJ, 1863. Homtio M. Flint, must, out July 30, 1865. George W. Foot, disch. for wounds, May 18, 1865. Horatio W. Kelt, dipch. at end of service, Sept. 22, 1864. John Ganson, disch. at end of service. Sept. 22, 1864. William II. Granger, disch. for disability, Sept. 25, 1861. George D. Geary, disch. to re-enl. in regular service, Oct. 25, 1862. Theodore GaTison, disch. by order, Aug 4, 1805. William M. Gage, disch. to re-enl. as veteran. Nathan Ganson, disch. by ordi-r, July 10, 1865. William Hamilton, died June 23, 1862, from wounds received at James Island, S. C. Franklin B. Howland, died in action at James Island, S. C, June 16, 1802. Seymour llill, di-cli. for disability, March 4, 1862. Halzy M. Ilenstrcet, . William Park-*, disch, by order, Juno 28, 1865. Osmer I'atks, Mundy, disch. by order. May 31, 1866. George W. Perkini*. dlech. for disobility, Jan. 4, 1865. 78 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Samupl Rceil, d'scli. f iv disability, Dec. 31, 1862. Julin Itiimi., rli,.,l iit Cold Ilarlxir, Va., Juno 13, 18G4. Ji.hn H. K.W, must, out July 30, 1805. Walter S. Savage, died at Bull Run, Aug. 30, 1802. Peter U. Sinionsun, died iu action at James Island, S. C, June IG, 1802. Alinon Sherwof'd, discli. ftir disability, Sept. G, 18G2. Amos Stark, ilisch. to enl. in regular service, Oct. 23, 1802. Kjinsom .^tepliens, diseh. to enl. in regular service, Oct. 2.'), 1S02. Burton F. Sawyer, Fenton, disch. for disability, Jlay, ISOj. Dewitt C. Spaiilding, must, out July 30, 1805. William H. Shaw, discli. by order, June 2", 1801. KIbert H. Sawyer, Fentttn, disch. for disa^'ility, Feb. 4, 18G5. William Tracy, disih. for wounds, March, 18C5. James 51. Wright, died in action at James Island, S. C, June IG, 1802. Charles A. Wing, disch. for disability, Nov. 20, 18GI. William Wilson, discli. to enl. in regular service, Oct. 24, 1801. Japhet T. Willower, disch. to enl. in regular service, Oct. 25, 1802. Byroii Wright, died at Washington, D. C, of wounds, June 11, 1804. Caleb B. Wright, died at Washington, P. C, of wounds, July .5, 1804. William A. Wiight, died of disease at Annapolis, Md., March 4, 1863. Charles C,. Walkins, disch, to re-eiil. as veteran, Dec. 29, 1803. Williaiu Wheeler, mu-t. out July 30, 1866. OTHER COMPANIES. J.ames S. Donahue, Flint ; 2d Lieut. Co. B, enl. Sept. 24, 1801 ; 1st lieut. Co. B, May 14, 1802 ; pro. to capt. Co. A ; ilisniissed, then rcston^d ; trans, c.ipt. Co. I. Jan. 1, 1803; diFcli. for wounds, Sept. 24, 1804. J. Brush Fenton, Flint; 2d lieut. Co. B, enl. April 21, 1802; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. C, .Sept. 1, 1802; res. March 15, 18G3. Edwin M. Hovcy, Fenton ; 2d lieut. Co. B, enl. Sept. 1, 1802; l^t lieut. Co. B, Jan. 1, 1803; wounded at W.lderness, Va., May 0, 1804; pro. to rapt. Co. C, June 3, 1804 ; must, out July 30, 1805. Millon M. Feuner, Flint; 2il lieut. Co. C, enl. Nov. 22, 1801 ; pro. to 1st lient. Co. K, Oct. 1, 1802; res. Nov. 25, I8C3. Martin L. Wiley, Flint; 2d lieut. Co. C, enl. Dec. 1, 1SC2; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. E, March 27, 1803 ; hrev.-i-apt. V. S. Vols. April 2, 1805 ; capt. Co. II, April 25, 1805 ; must, out July 30, 1805. John S. Freeman, Flint; sergt. Co. A; 2d lieut. and 1st lieut. Co. A; capt. Co. D, May 3, 1804; wounded at WilderiieS', V,a., May 0, 1804; must, out Oct. 18, 1804. Charles II. McCreery, Flint; 2(1 lieut. Co. K, enl. .Sept. 3, 1802; Ist lieut. and ailj. Sept. 21, 1802; capt. Co. F, March 27, 1803; brev.-nia.ior C. S. Vols. April 2, 1865; must, out Oct. 7, 1805. Charles Eddy, Flint (sergt.); 2d lieut. Co. A; ]u-o. to 1st lieut. Co. F, April 10, 1803 ; iiiust. out Sept. 20, 1804. Orrin Bump, Flint; 2d lieut. Co. F; enl. March 27, 1.803; pro to 1st lieut. Co. G, April 20, 1804 ; ad.i. July 5, 1804 ; must, out Oct. 18, 1804. Geo. E. Newell, Flii.t; 1st bent. Co. A ; enl. Sept. 21,1801; pro. to capt. Co. I, Sei.t. 10, 1802; res. March 10, 1803. \Vm. Tracy, Flint (sergt ); 2d lieut. C.i. B; trans. 2d lieut. to Co. K, May 3, 1804; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. K, April 25, 1805; must, out July 3(i, 1805. John M. Bell, Grand Blanc, Co. B; disch. by order, Juno 13, 1805. George M. Billings, Co. I ; disch. by order, July 28, 1805. Alva Blood, Argentine, Co. E ; killed in action at Grove Church, A'a., June 3, 1804. Taliuai M. Barnunl, Co. E; must, out July 30, 1805. James Chase, Flint, Co. I; disch. for ilisability, Dec. 14, 1802. Thomas Campbell, Flint, Co. C; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 15, 1804. William II. Cole, Fenton, Co. B; disch. by order, June 3, 1805. Blark 1£. Chamberlain, Fenton, Co. I ; must, out June 1, 1805. Lewis Close, Miindy, Co. I; disch. at end of service, Aug. 15, 1805. John 11. Covert, Gaines, Co. I; must. out July 3(1, 1805. Thomas Clayton, Grand Blanc, Co. K ; disch. by orditr, March 3, 1805. Erasliis Dickinson, musician, Co. II ; disch at end of service, Sept. 27, 1801. Franklin Eblridge, Fenton, Co. B; disch. by order, June 1, 1805. Benjamin B. Eddy, Co. 11 ; d sell, by order, June 1, 1805. Lambert S. Foster, Corp., Co. I ; disch. for disability, April 24, 18C3. David M. tlrooins, Fenton, Co B; discli. by order, .(line 1, 15G5. McDowell Griswold, Co. I; disch. by order, .\ug. 0, 1805. Gilbert 0. Hinckley, musician, Co. B; dieil of disease, Oct. 22, 1801. John linger, Co. C; diseh. by order, June 1, 1805. Truman llinmau, Co. H; di>ch. by order. May 20, 1865. James lions. dander, Mt. .Morris, Co. E; must, out July 30, 180.'). William S. Jewell, mnsiiiau, Co. II; diseh. April 7, 1«G3. Lyman F. Knapp, Vienna, Co. K ; died of dise.ise at Annapolis, Md., April ,5, 1804. William Miller, Co. K ; died of disease at Barbonrsville, Ky., May 1, 1,S04. Orvillo McWillianis, band; must, out .July 30, 1805. Asa Parshall, Paishallville, Co. I; diseh. for disability, Dec. 14, 1802. William L. Perkins, Athis, Co. E; died of disease at Annapolis, Md., April 2, 1804. James W. Rich, Gaines, Co. I; sergt.; diseh. for disability, .Sept. 12, 1802. Beblin Rubiuson, Fenton, Co. K ; diseh. for disability, Aug. 13, lao.i. Alva M. Rogers, band ; must, out July 30, 1865. Tlaeblens Rogois, Fenton, Co. B; diseh. by order, June 1, 1805. Daniel Shank, Argentine, Co. II; died July .5, 1804, ol woiin Is received at Grove Chiucli, \'a.. June 3, ISIU. John Tallman, Fenton, Co. 11; disch. by order, June 1, 1805, Austin R. Terry, Grand Blanc, Co. II ; must, out July 3n, 1805. Frank A. Taylor, Mnudy, I'o. D; must, out July 3il, 1805. Joseph 1). Thomas, RiclitieM, C<). 11 ; died of disease at City Point, Va., Feb. 0, 1805. Augustus II. A'iekery, Fenton, Co. B ; disch. by order, June 1, 1805. Hannibal Vickery, Fenton, Co. II; disch. by order, Aug. 3, 1805. John C. WolvertoTi, sergt., Co. B; trans, to Signal Corps, Oct. 13, 1803. Seth B. Watson, Flint, Co. I; died of diseitse at Flint, Mich., Feb. 28, 1804. William Woodbury, N. C. .S. ; must, out July 31), 1805. Devillous Wilbcr, Co. II; diseh. by order. May 2a, 1803. Juntos A. Williams, Feutou, Co. B ; absent, wounded ; not must, out with com- pany. CHAPTER XII. TENTH INFANTRY. Organization of the 10th at Ciimi) Thomson — Presentation of Colors anil Departure for the Front — Campaigns ami Marches iu Missis- sippi, Tennessee, and Ahibaiua — In Garrison at Nashville — Con- tinuous JIarching through Three States — Pursuit of Longstreet — M'inter-Quurters in Oeorgia — Fight at Buzzard's Roost — Veteran Furh:tugli — Rendezvous at Flint and Return to Georgia — Atlant.a Campaign — Mareli to the Sea — Carolina Campaign — Battles of Averysboro' and Bcntunville — Tlie Grand Review at Wasliiugtou-s- Mustcr (!lut and Return to Alicliigan. This regiment was recruited and organized in the autumn of 1801 and the following winter, its rendezvous being es- tablished at the city of Flint, through the efforts of the Hon. Edward H. Tliomson, then president of the State Military Board. The rule had been adopted (and, up to that time, closely adhered to) by Governor Blair to estab- li.sh no regimental rendezvous in places inaccessible by rail- road, and, as Flint had then no railway communieatiiin, it renuired all the influence and energy of the patriotic presi- dent of the board to procure the order designating his own city of Flint as the headquarters of the 10th during its organization. But the order was finally obtained, and the camp of instruction — of which he was made provisional com- mandant — was named by the officers " Camp Thomson," in his honor. This camp was situated near the eastern limits of the city, on the left bank of Flint River, " on a piece of un- dulating ground, including a small pit!ce of woods, separated from the drill-grounds by a low marsh, which, in the spring time, was overflowed by the higii water of the river." Com- fortable barracks, mass- and cook-rooms were erected, and here the men of the 10th made winter-quarters and their home for a period of nearly six months, — a period which, during its continuance, they thought to be one of consider- able hardship, but to which, from their later camps and bivouacs, they often looked back as a season of comfort and pleasant as.sociations. The several companies composing the regiment were re- cruited under the following names: " Byron Guard," tifterwards designated as " A" company. " Saginaw Rangers," afterwards designated as " B" com- p my. "Orion Union Guard," afterwards designated as " C" company. "Sanilac Pioneers," afterwards designated as " D" com- pany. " Scarritt Guard," afterwards designated as " E" com- pany. TENTH INFANTRY. " Holt Guard," afterwards designated as " F" conipanj. " Lum Guiird," afterwards designated as " G" companj'. " McClellaii Guard," afterwards designated as " 11" com- pany. " Genesee Rangers," afterwards designated as " 1" com- pany. " Dickerson Guard," afterwards designated as " K' com- pany. The 6rst, third, and ninth of the above-named companies (especially the ninth) were largely made up of men from Genesee, and the county was represented in nearly all the other companies. The " Byron Guard" reported at the rendezvous eighty- six strong, Nov. 5, ISGl, being the second company in camp (the first being the " Saginaw Rangers," who arrived No- vember 1st). The first commissioned officers of the"' Guard" were Henry 8. Burnett, captain ; Robert F. Gulick, first lieutenant; Bradford Cook, second lieutenant. The " Orion Union Guard" reported at Camp Thomson, November lltli, with the minimum number of men. The nucleus of this company was formed at Orion, Oakland Co., by B. B. Redfield, but it was afterwards moved to Good- rich, Genesee Co., and con.solidated with a company being raised at the latter place by Myron Bunnell, the consoli- dated company retaining the name which had been adopted by the Orion recruits. The company was mustered under the following commissioned officers: Myron Bunnell, tap- tain ; Benjamin B. Redfield, first lieutenant ; Alvah A. Collins, second lieutenant. The " Genesee Rangers" joined the regiment at Camp Thomson, November ;50th, only thirty-one strong, under Capt. Barker, wlio had previously resigned his captaincy of a company which had been raised for the 7th Infantry, and afterwards transferred to the 8th, under Col. Fenlon. A part of a company which had been raised in Lapeer County by P. S. Titus, and which had reported at the camp of the regiment November 20tli, was consolidated with the " Rangers," and the company received the designating letter" I," under the following officers : Russell M. Barker, captain ; Piatt S. Titus, first lieutenant ; John Algoe, second lieutenant. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, 18(52, the regiment was re- viewed by Governor Blair, at Cam]) Thomson, and on that and the following day it was mustered into the I'nited States service by Col. Wright, U. S. A. The 10th was now an organized regiment in the service of tlie government, under the following field-officers, viz. : ('olonel, Charles M. Luni ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Christopher J. Dickerson ; Major, Jamas J. Scarritt. The ceremony of presentation of a national flag to the regiment was performed on Friday, the 1 Ith of April. The event is mentioned in Gen. Robertson's " Flags of Michi- gan," as follows : " The Hon. E. H. Thomson, in one of his eminently patriotic speeches, presented, on behalf of the citizens of Flint, a very elegant flag, made of the best roll (iilk, on which was inscribed the name of the regiment, and tlie word ' Tucbor ;' on a silver band on the staff the words, 'Prftsented to the Tenth RcgimcMit Michigan In- fantry by the Citizens of Flint.' A response in good spirit and taste by Col."C. M. Lum, commanding the regiment. with a prayer by the Rev. J. S. Boyden. Judge Avery, of Flint, and Professor Siddons followed with brief and appropriate speeches. After the speeches Col. Lum de- livered the color into the hands of the color-sergeant, who was said to be six feet seven inches in stature. On this occasion the men of the 10th paraded in their new regula- tion uniforms, and were armed with ' Au.strian rifles, just received,' which in their inexperience they then believed to be a reliable and effective weapon.~ While they stood in hollow square, Mrs. Fenton and other ladies of Flint dis- tributed to each member of the regiment a copy of the New Testament." The regiment, nine hundred and ninety-seven strong, took its departure from Camp Thomson on Tuesday, the 22d of April, its first destination being known to be St. Louis, Mo. There was then no railroad from Flint to the line of the Detroit and Milwaukee road, and therefore the men were moved to Holly Station on wagons and other vehicles furnished by patriotic citizens of Genesee and Oak- land Counties. This first stage of their long journey was accomplished in a snow-storm, which gave additional sad- ness to partings, many of which proved to be final. At Holly, after abundant feasting, the command took the train for Detroit, and after marching through the city to tlie Michigan Central depot, escorted by the " Lyon Guard" and Detroit "Light Guard," embarked on a train consisting of twenty-three passenger and five freight cais, drawn by two locomotives, and at a little before midnight left for the West. Michigan City was reached at two o'clock P.M. on Wednesday, and at six p.m. on Thursday the regiment was at East St. Louis. On the following day it embarked on the steamer " Gladiator," and at four P.M. on Friday moved down the Mississippi. Cairo was reached, and during the short stop which was made there the most Bjnsational rumors were circulated, — that desperate fighting was then in progress at Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennes- see (the known destination of the regiment), that the river at Paducah was filled with dead floating down from the battle-field above, and many other stories of similar import. But the '• Gladiator ' moved on up the Ohio on Saturday afternoon, passed Fort Henry on Sunday, and on Monday night reached Pittsburg Landing, but was ordered to pro- ceed four miles farther up the Tennessee, to Hamburg, which place was reached on Tuesh, were sure to liiint them out and bring them to. We iiad orders not to tire our guns to procure food, but that order was only ])artially lived up to. Any animal which we could not corner and catch wc shot, and when the fowls took to the trees or the tops of buildings the Enfield rifle was sure to bring them down. Often would the fat turkeys take shelter in the trees, and cry qiitl, quit! -but there was no quit. Occasionally the foragers would find a lot of tobacco, honey, or sorghum molasses. Then there was a rusli and scramble. To many, a swarm of bees was no more an im- pediment to the getting of the honey than if they had been so many blue-flies. A crowd of soldiers might be seen around a barrel of molasses, the head knocked in, and they with their cups filling their canteens, coffee pots, little pails, and every available kind of vessel that would hold the sweet fluid. At all hours of the day tliey might be seen coming in and taking their places in the ranks with face, hands, and clothes besmeared with molasses and honey. To see them, one might think they would stick to the Union, or to anything else ; and they would, too. Such was foraging in Georgia, and even more than can be described with the pen. Imagination must supply the rest." In the morning of November 23d, at sis o'clock, the regiment was again on the road, and marched leisurely to within two miles of Milledgeville, where it rested for the night. About noon of the 24th it passed through Slilledge- ville, and at night the meu built their fires eight luiles be- yond the town. Here the foragers brought in a ton and a half of captured flour found secreted in a swamp. On the 25th a distance of eleven miles was made, and in tlie after- noon of the 2Gth the brigade reached Sandersville, the county-scat of Washington County. The marches of the 27th and 2Sth brought the regiment to a camjiing-place one mile south of Louisville, the county-seat of Jefferson, where it remained for three days picketing and foraging. In the first five days of December the men of the lOtli marched sixty-three miles, and camped on the night of the 5th at Briar Creek, sixty miles from Savannah. During the Gth and 7tli they made thirtj'-six miles, though contin- ually impeded by timber felled across the road and bridges destroyed by the enemy. They had now entered the marshy country lying along the south side of the Suvamiah lliver. Their march of the Sth was uneventful, but on the 9th they came upon a hostile battery of three guns, so posted as to command a road or causeway over which they were compelled to pass through one of the swamps which were numerous in that region. The 2d Illinois Battery was ordered into position, and soon cleared the road, but with the loss of one of its lieutenants killed. The rebel battery on its retreat encountered the 20th Army Corps, and was captured. On the 10th, the regiment with its brigade moved southward to the crossing of the Savannah and Charleston Railroad, and went on ])ickct in that vicinity. In the morning of the following day they marched nine miles south, and took position in the Union line of invest- ment fouratid a half miles from Savannah, — one line being formed to face the city, and another facing towards the country through which they had just pa.ssed. Tliey had completed a distance of nine hundred and forty miles, marched since the 2Sth of September, and now sat down to the siege of Savannah. The city was defended by fifteen thousand to twenty thousand men behind exceedingly strong ftntificalions, and the artillery fire under which the 10th in common with other regiments lay was unintermitting day and night. On the 14tli news was received of the capture and occupation of Fort iMc.Vllister, south of the city. The first mail re- ceived by the regiment in a period of six weeks came to it here on the 17th. Finally, in the night of December 20th- 84 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 21st, the enemy evacuated the city, .ind on the 21st the 10th inarched in. The regiment remained a little more than four weeks in Savannah, and on the 20th of January, 1865, it nn)ved with the army up the rij^ht bank of the Savannali River, bound north. It reached Sister's Ferry, on the Savannah, January 28th, and remained there until the night of Sunday, February 5th, when, with the other troops of the command, it crossed to the north side of the river. " Shouts and wild hurrahs rent the welkin as the feet of each successive regiment touched the soil of Carolina," — so wrote an officer of the 10th who was present at this memorable crossing. The regiment remained here two days before moving north, and while here (February 6th) the non-veterans of the 10th were mustered out of the service, just three years having expired since the completion of the original muster at Camp Thomson. The regiment moved on the 8th, and passed through South Carolina without the occurrence of any especially notable event in its own immediate experience. The march through this State was much the .same as it had been through Georgia, excepting that here the foragers found a far less productive field, and the track of the army was marked by a far more general destruction of property than in Georgia, nearly all the buildings being burned, and only the tall, naked chimney-stacks being left standing; while all along the western and northwestern horizon great columns of smoke by day, and the red glow of conflagra- tions by night, told how the cavalry of Kilpatrick were wreaking their treasured vengeance against the Palmetto State. The 10th Regiment reached Fayetteville, N. C, March 11th, and was there slightly engaged in a skirmish with the enemy. On the 12th it cros.sed the Cape Fear River, skirmishing at Averysboro', and on the 16th was again en- gaged at the same place, losing three men killed. Moving in advance of the corps on the 18th, six companies being deployed as skirmishers, they struck the cncmv about noon, and a lively skirmish ensued. The regiment was ordered to take position at the junction of the Smithfield and Goldsbnro' roads, and during the night it was attacked, but repulsed the enemy, and held its position until relieved by troops of the 20th Corps, on the 19th, when it moved and formed on the right of the second line of battle at Bentonville. About four p.m. the enemy moved up in heavy masses, and charged the first line, but was repulsed. Then the 10th, with its brigade, moved forward to the first line, and in a few minutes the enemy Wiis discovered coming in on tlie left flank. The line was at once changed to the opposite side of the works, and, al'ter pouring a volley into the ranks of the rebels, they were charged and driven with the bayonet, many prisoners and arms being taken. On the 20th the regiment skirmished during the entire day and night, and on the 21st moved towards Goldsboro', reaching there on the 23d. Moving from Gold.sboro', it reached Smithfield April 10th and Raleigh April 13th. From Raleigh it moved to Avery's Ferry, forty-five miles above Fayetteville, and lay there from the 15th to the 21st of April, when it moved to Holly Springs, on the road to Raleigh. On the 28th it was at Morseville, N. C, and there received the announcement that its campaigning was over and the war ended by the surrender of Johnston. In its passage through the two Carolinas the regiment had sus- tained a loss of fifteen, killed, wounded, and missing. Moving north on the 30th of April, the lOtli arrived at Richmond, Va., May 7th, and remained there till the lOth, when it marched on towards Wa.shington, reaching there about the 16th._ It took part in the grand review of Gen. Sherman's army at the capitfil on the 24th. It moved on the 13th of June, and proceeded to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out of the service July lOth, and ordered to Michigan. It reached Jackson on the 22d, and was paid off and discharged Aug. 1, 1865. The length and severity of this regiment's marches during its terra of service were remarkable. It is shown that during 1862 and 1863 its fuot-marches aggregated sixteen hundred miles ; that its marches in 1864 amounted to thirteen hundred and seventy-five miles, and those in 1865 to six hundred and twenty miles, — a total of three thousand five hundred and ninety-five miles, this being exclusive of the distances accomplished by railroad and steamer. There were few, if any, regiments in the service who.se marching lecord surpassed this. The brigade to which the 10th was attached during the period of its re- markable marchings through Tennessee, Georgia, and Ala- bama was quite generally known among the men of the Southwestern army as " Morgan's brigade of Davis' foot- cavalry," the division being that commanded by Gen. Jeflf. C. Davis. MEMBERS OF THE TENTH INF.VNTRY FROM GENESEE COUNTV. Maj. Iletiry S. liiiriiett, Gomiricli ; pnl. Nov. 16, ISlJiJ ; killed io battlf ut Junes- l.oiV, lia., Sejit. 1, 1SG4. .\ilj. Etlwiii F. Iluliiii'S, Fciitoii ; eiil. M.iy S, 1SG5 ; pro. lo capt. June 7, ISGo ; mil St. out ns adj. Surg. J.(nics C. WiUiun, Flint ; eiil. Dec. 7, IStJl ; tnins. surg. sth Regl. Mielii- gau Vol. Inf. Mareli :i, 1SC.2. Chap. Rev. Jesse S. Bo.vJen, Flint; oiil. April 10, 1802; res. Aug. 31, 1SC2. Sergt.-Maj Edwin F. IluUneti, Fetiton; pro. to adj. tinar.-Mas. Sergt. Gle:isun ¥. I'eny, Flint ; pro. to 2d lient. Co. G. Compauij A. Capt. Uenry S. Ilnrnetl, Goodricli ; enl. Oct. 4, 18C1 ; pro. lo maj. Nov. IC, lSli.1. Capt. John Algue, Flint; eiil. Aug. 'iC,, 1864; tliseli. fur wounds, Jlarch 8, 1865. 2d Lieut. MaxweW G. (_'ool.y, Flint (scrgt.); 2d lieul. Co. A, March 31,1803; res. Dec. 28, 1863. James Atlierton, Argentine; mubt. out July 19, 18ti5. Jacob 0. Bentley, Mundy; discli. at end of service, April 4, 18*>5. Lampson Condon, .Argentine; veteran ; must, out July in, 1865. Joliu Damon, Flint ; d.sch. for disability, Sept. 20, 18U2. Charles Darby, disch. to re-eul. nB veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Judsou Eiicy, must, out July 19, 1S65. Albert Ervy, Argentine ; disch. by order. May 20, 1SC5. Andrew Etleits, disch. at end of service, Feb. 6, 186.^. Edward F. Fuller, discli. at end of sci vice, Feb. 6, 1805. Wiliiani Gove, must, out July 19, ISGo. Elbert Ilawley, .lied of disiiise at Deerfield, Mich., March 20, 1SC3. Daniel B. Lacey, trans, lo Vet. lies. Corps, April 10, I.S04. Charles Miggleswortli, died of diseiuse at Cincinnati, 0., July 2, 1862. Ethan Blai-sh, d.sch. for minority, March 10, 1862. George Minor, Flint ; disch. for di^abillty, Sept. 24, 1862. Allen Nor ris, Argentine; died of disi-a-se at Flint, Mich., March 9, 1802. Alexander U'Konrke, Burton; veteran ; disch. for diKibility, July 22, 186.'>. Monroe Putnam, Argentine ; veteran; must, out July 19,1865. Philip Kicliardson, died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Alarch 13, 18G3. Miles J, Rood, disch. for disability, March 17, 1863. Charles It^mbenger, disch. at eud of service, April 22, 1803. Manly Witteni, discharged. Marion Witteni, Mundy; disch. for disability, Dec. 23, 1802. Compmiy C. Capt. Myron Bunnell, Goodrich; cnl. Sept. 24, 1861; res. Nov. 18, IS62. 2d Lient. George A. Allen, Flint; must, out Feb. 6, I860, at end of service. 2d Lieut. James R. Kipp.Goodrich ; enl. May20, 18C5; must, out July 10,1865. SIXTEENTH INFANTRY. 85 Corp. Jas. R. Kipp, veteran, Goodrich (serpt.) ; pro. to 2d lieut. Corp. Milo Swpnrs, velenin, GuuJricli (s»>rgt.) ; nni3t. uiii Jiil>' 19, 1865. Corp. JiiiiK's Lacy, Flint ; imisiiiiiti ; iinist. out at end of tervite, Fell. G, 18C5. Eliliii Aiiiion, Flint; iliscli. tu rc-enl. its vetHtnn, Fell. G, ^»^'A. Julin IJu>ii, Giiodrii-h; disrli. to rc-i-nl. as vt-tenui, Feb. C, 1S04. George Bnsb, Goodrieli ; di^rll. to re-enl. as vel«'r:ui, Feb. 6, lSti4. Blurviit C. Barney, Gootlrich ; discli. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. fi, I8C4. Ilt-nry S. Bidwell, lioudricli ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, F*:b. G, 18C4. Juhn E. Beech, Goo.lrich ; died of disease, July 2.1, 18G2. George W. Bidwell, Forest ; diseh. for disaliliry, Sept. 12, 1S62. AVilliiini Barilett, died of disease at XaslivilU-, Tenn., Jan. 5, 18G3. £li Ba.\ter, AlliU>; died of disease at Lookout Mountain, Tenn., Sept. 11, 18C4. Knislus Corwin, Kithfield; died in action near Pultun, Ga., Feb. 25, 18t>4. Oscar Cumuiings, Goodrich ; died in action at Jonesboro', Ga., Sept. 1, 18G4. Frank Ci illcnderi, Fore&t ; discli. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. G, 18G4. NeNon Confer, Atlas; must, out July 19, I8Co. Tbonuts Downer, Guodrick ; dit-d of disease at Camp Denniiion, Ohio, Aug. 2, 18G2. Benjnmiii Frick, Gooilri* h ; disch. at end of service, Feb. G, 18C5. Mephen Ilustead, Atla.s ; died in action near Dalton, Ga., Feb. 2o, 18G4. llarker llibbard, Flint ; ilisch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 0, 1804. Kilniuml K. Iled^lin, Flint; must, out July 19, 18G5. Secley S. Hedgiin, Flint; nnist.out July 19, 18G.\ Sylvester Ilaynes, Atlas; disch. at end or service, Feb. G, 1SG5. Prenti&s C. Iliirri^, Flint ; discli. at end of si rviee, Feb. G, 1SG5. Harrison Ilaynes, Flint; di-scli. at end of service, Feb. G, 1805. CI arles W. Juhubon, (ioidriih; dii-d of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 24, 1802. Benjamin Overbol^cr, Ki. bfii Id ; disch. Dec. I.">, 1802. Onicr I'mtt, Goodrich ; ditd of disease, June 10, 1802. Henry IV-nnell, (Goodrich ; ilrowned. Cliai les II. Itiinilen, Flint ; veteran ; must, out July 10, 1805. Keuben L. Suiith, must, out July 19, 18Go. George N. Schilhngcr, Gomiricli ; disch. at cud of Service, Feb. 0, 1SC5. Gciirge Stowe, Flint ; disch. to re enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 18G4. John \V. Saundei'R, Goodrich ; died of disease at Atlanta, tia., Oct. 31, 1804. Nelson Swears, Flint ; tUed of disejisLt at Loiii^viUe, Ky., April 6, 1802. James Vansickles, Gnuid Blanc; disch. for »lisability, S'pt. 20, 18G2. Asa Volentine, Goodrich; vctei-an ; must, out July i;i, 1805. Ini Wood, Flint; died of disease at Keokuk, lowa, Aug. 21, 1802. Cvmpaiiy I. Capt. Russell M. Rjirker, Flint ; enl. Oct. 1, ISOl ; resigned Nov. 29, 1802. 1st Lieut. George A. Aplin, Flint ; enl. May 8, 1805; must, out July 19, 18G5. 2d Lieut. Thomas Branch F'lint; enl. March 31, 1SG3; must, out Feb. G, 1865, at end of service. Sergt. licnry R. Cbiitendt-n Flint; disch. for disability, Feb. 9, 1SG3. Sergt. George A. .Xidin, Flint ; ptoniottd to Ul licnt. Sergt, Ji>s< pli E. Tapper, Flint ; promoted to sergt.-maj. Seigt. '1)k-ui:is Branch, Klinl ; proniole. Hodge, discb. to re-enl. iis veteran, Feb. 6, 1804. Abnihaiii G. Iluiighlon. musician, veteran, must, out July 19, 18C5. Himm K. Howell, uiuat. out July I'J, I8G5. Roswell N. Ilillon, must, out July 19, 1805. Wm. McCuinb, di«-di. for disibility.Oct. 20, 1802. Will. O. Moise, must, out .Inly 19. i860. Isaac Meserranll, must, out July 19, 1865. Gt'orge .Marshall, must, out July 19, 180.J. IMiilip Marshall, Tlio:foi>!, must. out. July 19, 18C5. "Worthey E. Millard, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Benjamin Alcott, Burton ; must, out July 19, 18G5. James Alcott, Burton ; must, out July 19, 1805. Hezekiah I'ierce, must, out July 19, l!SG5, Mi ron IVtiitt, Tbetl«»rd ; must, out July 19. 1865. Jfimes S. Tettitt, Thetford ; must, out July 19, 1805. Lewis Raisin, must, out July 19,1865. John Shalto, died of disease at St. Louis, Mo., June 14, 1862. Arba Smith, died <.f disease at Na.-ihville, Tenn., March 4, 1863. Nathaniel Taylor, trans, to C. S. Engineers, July, 1804. Henry Vantassel, disch. to re-etil. as vetenin, Feb. 0, 1804. Augustus Welch, disch. for disability, April 2H, 1802. Henry C. Webster, died of disease at Henderson, Ky., May 30, 1862. OTHER COMPANIES. Ist Lieut. John Aluoe, Flint, Co. G ; enl. March 31. 18fi:i: pro. to capt. Co. A. 2d Lieut. Jos. E. Tnp|.er, Flint, Co. G; pro. to maj. 17th U. S. C. T., Nov. 180:J. 2d Lieut. Gleason F. Terry, Flint, Co. G ; enl. June 7, 1865 ; must, out July 19, 1805. 1st Lieut. Newton D. Hodge, Flint, Co. H (seigt) ; 2d lieut.; enl. May 20,1865; 1st lieut. June 7, 1805 ; must, out July 19, 18G5. 1st Lieut. John R. Thom-son, Flint, Co. K ; enl. Juno 23, 1802 {2d lieut. Feb. 22, 1SG:J). Miles Allen, Berlin, Co. G.; died of disease at Chattanooga, Tenn., Oct. 17,1804. AIe.\ander Allen, Co. U; disch. to re-eul. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1804. Levi Allen, Vienna. Co. H ; must, out July 19. ISOo. John G. Allport, N. f'. S.; must, out July 19, 1805. Abner B. Clark, Gnuid Blanc, Co. K ; disch. for di ability. Fi-ank M. Cunmiings, Co. B; disch. for disability, Feb. 14, 1803. George A. Fi>hell, Co. K ; disch. to re-eul. as veteran, F'eb. 18, 18G4. James II. Finn, Co. K ; disch. for disjibility. Josejdi Huister, Flint, Co. H; disch. for disability. Hiram Howbmd, Flint, Co. II ; died at Smith's Ferry, Nov. 13, 1803, of acci- dental wounds. Edwin F. Holmes, Flint, Co. II ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 10, 1864. Alvarns F. Ilosner, Flint, Co.G ; absent on furlough; not must, out with CO. Myron M. Huug^rfonl, Flint, Co. H; must, out July 19,1865. James Ingb-s, Flint, Co. G; must, out July 19, 1805. David D. Inglo*, F'lint, Co. H; disch. at end of service, March 18, 1865. Lewis Kelsey, Co. B; must, out July 19, 1865. O-cjir D. Lason, Co. K ; disch. at end of seivice, Feb. 0, 1865. Lewis Meeker, Fenton, Co. H ; must, out July 19, 1805. Gerry A. Necomb, Co. II; must, out July 19, 1SC5. Levi Ovid, Co. II ; disch. at end of service, March 28,1805. Lewis Parri-h, Co. II; disch. lor disability, July 19, 1S02. Ira E. Payson, Flint, t'o. K ; died in action near Dal ton, Ga.,Feb,25, 1«04. Roswell Pettingill, Forest, Co. G ; died of disease at Nashville, Teuu., Sept. 9, 1801. George W. Peasley, Gaines, Co. G; must, out July 19, 18G5. Chester Roy, Gaines, Co. G ; must, out July 19, 1805. Nelson Ripb-y, Mimdy, Co. H; must, out July 19, 1865. 0. B. l^»gt•l■8, CIo. B; disch. for disability, April 20, ISG2. Hirnm Slociim, Co. II; disch. for di.-ability, Oct. 11, 1802. Richard S ewart. Flint, Co. G; died at Joiiesbt.ro', Ga., Sept. 1, 1804, of wounds. Henry i^hipnian, Co. G ; died at Nashville, Tenn.. Stjit. 12, 1864, of wounds. Samuel Van Every, Co. B; disch. for disability, .\ug.25, 1862. C. B. Wingert. F'enton, Co. K ; disch. for disjibilily. Allen E. Wisner, Co. B; disch. for disibility, June 17, 1865. Myron C. Woodard, Corp., Co. H ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 0, 18(>4. Lewis B. Wells, sergt.. Grand Blanc; veteran; absent, sick ; not must, out with coiui'any- CHAPTER XIII. SIXTEENTH INFANTRY. "Stockton's InJc|ioiiclent Regiincnl"— Orgiiniziilion .-it Oaiiip Backus — Wintur-Qciiirturs at H.ill'.s Hill, Va.— I'diiusula Campaign — Dusignatiim as the Si.\toeutli Inf.mtry — D^ittlcs ol' Hanover Court- lIiMise anl (Jaincs' Mill— .M.vhcrn Hill — Harrison's I-anding— Campaign of SwonJ liull Run — Anticlani — FrL-acrickfbiirg — Chanccllorsville — (Jfttysljurg — Rc-cnli.stniLnt — Campaign of the WiMcTncss— In Front of Pitursburg— Closing Campaign of ls>l>,i — .Muster Out an'l Return to iMiehigan. Tmk Sixtociith UL'.niiDCiit of Jlicliigan Infantry was (3esiroticiency in drill, and to the transformation of a body of brave and patriotic citizL'iis into an efficient regiment of sol- diers. In effecting this the military education and experi- ence of Col. Stockton was invaluable; his success was com- plete, and univei'sally acknowledged. Es])eeiallj' were the benefit.s of his oversight and ex|ierienee di.seernible in the superior sanitary condition of the regiment during its stay at Hall's Hill, and in the campaign which fiillowed. Before the earliest streakings of daylight in the morning of March 10, 1802, the 3d Brigade struck cauip, and uiarchcd from its winter-quartei's to Fairfax Court-IIouse, where the 44tli New York was temporarily detached, and, in company with Averill's Sth Pennsylvania Cavalry, ad- vanced on Centreville, the troops fully believing at that time that a direct movement was to be made on Richmond. But the enemy's works at Centrevilh; and Manas.sas were found deserted, the detachment returned, and the entire brigade marched through drenching rain, over most wretched roads, and in a state of gluom and disappointment, to Alexandria, where it embarked on steamers on the 21st of March, and on the following day proceeded down the Potomac and the Chesapeake Bay to Fortre-ss IMonroe, ai-riving there on the 24th, and marching thence, on the 25th, to a can)p in the vicinity of Hampton. This was a Virginian village which had then recently been destroyed by fire by order of the Confederate general, JIagruder, — a place which nature had made beautiful, which its inhabitants had embellished and embowered with roses and woodbine, but now only a waste of bare chimneys and blackened walls. The camp of the regiment was located about two miles from the village, and was named " Camp Wide Awake." Here the command re- mained until the 27th, when, with the brigade, it took part in a recoil noissance in force, moving as far up the Penin- sula as Big Bethel, but, encountering no serious opposition, returned to the camp near Hampton. On the morning of the 4th of April the Army of the Potomac, more than one hundred thousand strong, moved up the Peninsula by the difTerent roads, and, in the after- noon of the Sth, Stockton's regiment, with the 3d Brigade, stood before the enemy's intrenchments at Yorktown. Here Gen. ButtcrGeld called the officers of his brigade together, and gave ordei'S fur eacli regiment to leave ail knapsacks under charge of oeie man, and to be ready in two minutes to charge the rebel works. It was rumored, and was prob- ably true, that the general had asked permission to make the assault with his brigade. Had he done so, with such support as might easily have been furnislicd, there is little doubt that tlie fading daylight of that Saturday aflernoon Would have seen the Stars and Stripes floating over the lio.s- tile rainjiarts ; but the desired peiinission was nut given, and that night the great army lighted its camplires in IVont of the fortiQed line, and sat down to a four weeks' siege of Yorktown. While at this place the regiment was engaged in the usual routine duty and drill, interspersed with labor upon the earthworks and parallels which were constructed in pursuance of the plan of the commanding general to cap- ture the place by regular apiiroacli. During this time the strength of the regiment had been augmented to one thou- sand men by enlistments, and by the addition of two new companies from Detroit. The health of the command also remained good, in consequence of the strict sanitary rules of Col. Stockton, and in marked contrast to that of many other regiments, notable among which was its companion in the brigade, the 44th New York, whose men suffered so severely from sickness that when the advance was made they were left as a garrison at Yorktown. Early in the morning of Sunday, May 4th, it became known that the hostile fortifications were evacuated, and soon the troops were in motion in pursuit of the retiring enemy. Col. Stockton s command remaiiu'd within the captured works until the Sih of May, when it embarked and proceeded thence up the York River to West Point, Va., reaching there on the following day. While at this place the regiment received its designating number, which the colonel (though on .some accounts unwilling to do so) was induced to accept in view of possible future advantages which might accrue to his officers and men. From this time it was no longer known as " Stockton's Inde])endent Regiment," but as the IGth Michigan Infantry, in the 3d Brigade, 1st Division (Morell's) of the 5tli Provisional Army Corps, which was formed at that time (May 10th) and j)laced under command of Gen. Fitz-John Porter. On the 13th of May the ICith marched with its brigade from West Point to Cumberland, on the Pamunkey River. Thence it moved by way of White Hou.se and Tunstall's Station to Gaines' Mills, where it arrived on the 2Glh, having advanced forty miles from Yorktown in eighteen days ! Before daybreak on the 27tli of May the division of Gen. Morell moved from Gaines', and marched rapidly through rain and mud towards Hanover Court-House for the purpose of destroying tlie railroad at that point, in which vicinity there was known to be a considerable force of the enemy, which proved to be Branch's rebel division, consisting of seven regiments, with artillery. A part of Morell s division, — the 2d Maine and the 25th and 44th New York, — under command of Gen. Martindale, was left by the way to hold an important position, while the re- mainder of the division went forward to capture the station at Hanover, and to destroy the railway track, which service was successfully accomplished, while Martindale bravely held his ground against the determined attack of Branch. If iMartindale could have been forced from his position the advanced troops of Morell would have been left in a most perilous situation, but in this attempt the rebels failed, and after a hot engagement of more than an hour's duration were compelled to retire with a heavy loss in killed, woundi'il, and prisoners. On the Union side the lu.ss, in the 41th New York alone, was twenty-seven killed and tilly-scvcn woundi^d. ''Gen. Butterfield, hearing firing in llie rear, moved his command at once to the jioint of attack. Few 88 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. of the 16th who were present will ever forget that march in line of battle across wheat-fields, through swamps and ravines, cheering as they advanced, impetuous to strike their first great blow for freedom. The enemy, seeing that to remain was to be captured or killed, flod in dismay, leaving their dead, wounded, and many prisoners on our hands. The day's work was a complete triumph, and that night we bivouacked for the first time on the field we had won. . . . Here for the fir.st time the regiment had a taste of living on the enemy. Through some strange freak, the commanding officers winked at it. Beef, pork, dried fruits, and preserves — in fact, everything that an epicure could crave— were procured in abundance, and indulged in with apparent emotions of pleasure. That day was never for- gotten by the IGth during its entire service thereafter; its members ever after repeated the operation whenever the country afforded the material."* The division having successfully accomplished its mission, returned to its camp on the north side of the Chickahominy, near Gaines' IMills, on the 29th of May. At about one I'.M. on the 31st the crash of artillery and the incessant roar of musketry were lieard coming from the woods and thickets on the opposite side of the river, and the infernal uproar continued during most of the afternoon. It was the battle of Fair Oaks. The men of the 16lh stood with their brigade in line ready to cross the stream to the as.sistancc of their comrades, but they were not ordered in on this or the following da}', when the fight was renewed. With but one change of camp the IGth rem.iined near Gaines' Jlill until the first day of the Seven Day.s' battles, — Thursday, June 2Gth, — when it was moved in haste towards Mechanicsville to support the right of the Union Hue against the assault of the redoubt;ible Stonewall Jack- son, but it was not engaged in the fi'jrce battle tliat ensued. Before daylight on the following morning it retired with other regiments (though not unmolested by the enemy) from the position held during the night to Gaines' Mill where a line of battle was formed with Butterfield's brigade on the extreme left, Sykes' division of regulars on the right, and McCall's Pennsylvania Reserve division in the second line. Approaching them were the rebel commands of Generals A. P. Hill, Longstreet, D. H. Hill, and the dreaded Jackson, in all more than fifty thousand men, against half that number on the Union side. The battle was opened by a furious attack on Porter's right. Hei'e the enemy was at first repulsed, but renewed the assault and turned the Union right, which retreated in disorder and caused the whole line to give way, which resulted in Col. Stockton being made prisoner by the enemy. Sick and unfit for duty, he had insisted on entering the field at the head of his regiment, though against the expostulations and earnest protest of his surgeon, and now, dismounted and weak from illness, he became separated from his com- mand in the turmoil and disorder of the retreat, and was afterwards captured and taken to Richmond. The hard- ships which he was compelled to endure during his subse- quent captivity wrought injury to his health from which he has never recovered. * From a sketch Vrilten by Capt. T. Frank Powers, of the ICth Ile;riment. The retreating line was finally rallied, and the 16th, now under command of Maj. Welch, with other troops charged on the defiant foe, but only to be decimated and hurled back in utter rout, leaving their dead and wounded on the crimson field. This closed the disasters of the day for the IGlh, and a bloody day it had been for this regiment. Its losses had been forty-nine killed, one hundred and sixteen wounded, and fifty-five missing. Of the killed, three were officers, and among these was Capt. Thomas C. Carr, of the Genesee company, he being the first member of the regi- ment who died on the battle-field. The day of Gaines' Mill had closed in blood and defeat, and during the succeeding night the Union forces, includ- ing the remnant of the IGlh Michigan, succeeded in cross- ing the swollen Chickahominy and destroying the bridges behind them, though two bridges farther down the stream (Bottom's and Long Bridges) still remained, and it was not long after sunrise on Saturday morning when the rebel force under the indomitable Jackson was massed at the upper one of these and making preparations to cross to the south side. Other hostile forces were also advancing from Richmond direct on McClellan's left wing, and in view of this rather alarming situation of affairs the general had, as early as Friday evening, decided on a retreat b)' the whole army to the James River, where a base of supplies could be held and communication on the river kept open by the co-operation of the Union gunboats. The troops were informed of the proposed change by an apparently trium- phant announcement (intended merely to encourage the soldiers and lighten in some degree the gloom of the great disaster) that a new and mysterious flank movement was about to be executed which would surely and swiftly result in the capture of Richmond. No such assurance, however, could conceal from the intelligent men who formed the Army of the Potomac that their backs and not their faces were now turned towards the rebel capital, and that the much vaunted change of base was made from necessity rather than choice. During the four days succeeding the battle of Gaines' Mill the men of the IGth took part in the daily fight, skirmish, and march, which brought them on Tuesday, July 1st, to the heights of Malvern. On that field the reiiiment lost thirty-nine killed and wounded and three missing, but it held the position assigned it, repulsing the repeated attacks of the enemy with unsurpassed bravery, and strewed the ground thickly with his dead and wounded. The battle was opened at this point at about four o'clock P.M.. and from that time until darkness closed, the roar of musketry was unintermitting. Finally the carnage ceased, and the men of the North laid themselves down (victors, they believed) to rest on the blood-soaked field. But at about one o'clock in the morning of July 2d orders were given to fill in for a march, and the regiment moved silently down the hill, and away on the road to Berkeley (or Harrison's Landing), leaving their dead and wounded behind. No one who was not present can ever realize the bitter- ness of humiliation and despair that pervaded the rank and file of the army as they turned their backs upon a victori- ous field, and marched away in the gloom of the night, and SIXTEENTH INFANTRY. 89 through the mud and pouring rain of the succeeding morn- ing, to seek tiie protection of the gunboats in the river against a beaten foe, who was at the same time retreating in an opposite direction. I5ut tlic woaiied and dispirited men struggled on, some in sullen silence, some cursing, and some actually weeping in the iigony of their shame, until at hist they rested on the banks of the James under the friendly guns of the Union fleet. Four days after the arrival of the army at Harrison's Landing, the commander of the 5th Corps (Gen. Porter) issued a general order congratulating the oflicers and men of his command " on the perils through which they have so honorably passed, and the successes they have added by their valor to the glory of our arms,"' and mentioning especially their gallantry at Vorktuwii, April 5th ; New Bridge, May 24th ; Ilanuvcr Court-IIousc, May 27th ; Mc- chanicsville, June 2Ctli ; Gaines' Mill, June 27th; New Market, June 30th ; and Malvern Hill, July 1st. A com- plimentary order was issued by the commander of the 3d Brigade (in which was the IGth Michigan), as follows: " IlEADQCAUTEnS BlTTEIIFIELD'S BRIGADE, MOBEI.b'S DlVlSIO.V. " Cii'cuttn\ "Brave Soldiers of the 3n Biiigade: *' It is with no ordinary itride thnt your general promulgates to you general orders No. 4, from the heoilquaitor.s of the urniy corps. Your bravery and galhintry have won my love, and you are as dear to me as brothers. Let the enpi it and the pride which have always di^tin- guished you be reneweil and redoubled. Your eliililren's children will be jH'oud of your noble act^, and your country will love you. Let every one, oiRcers and men, make renewed exertions, an 1 let the ne.\t call to arms find the brigade, as it always has been heretofore, unflinch- ing, unfaltering, devoted to the country and the honor of its flag. Let the proud recollections of the glorious names your banner will bear redouble your strength and zeal, so that, as heretofore, you will e({ual twice your numbers of the enemy. *' By command of *• Buig.-Gen. Buttkrfiei.d, (Signed) " Tuos. J. Hovt, Ahu'c Ailj'l-deii." During the night of the 31st of July the enemy on the south side of the river suddenly opened fire from more than fifty pieces of artillery on the Union army lying on the north side, the camp of Butterfield's brigade being fairly within their range. The scene was a grand and exciting one, and the wildest commotion ensued, the great guns of the fleet in the river adding their thunders to the roar of the cannonade. Very little injury was inflicted, however, on either side. On the following day the 3d Brigade crossed the river, burned the plantation buildings, near which the hostile bat- teries had been placed, and then made a reconnois.saiice to- wards Petersburg, but, finding no enemy, returned to the liver and bivouacked on the Uuffin plantation, where it re- mained five days, foraging on the country, and at the end of tliat time recrosscd the river to its former position. Alter this, few, if any, noteworthy events occurred in the expe- rience of the 10th during the remainder of its stay at Har- rison's Landing. In the night of the 14th of August the regiment struck Ciimp, and, with its corps, took the advance in the march of the army dowu the Peninsula, reaching Hampton after three days' and one night's march. There was a striking contrast between the appearance of tiie haggard and tat- tered remnant of the IGth Michigan, who now returned to 12 their old camping-place, and that of Stockton's Independent Regiment of well-led and healthy men, as they had marched away from the same place a little more than four months before, but their hope and courage were still high, and none were doubtful of ultimate triumph. On the 19th they took transports for Acquia Creek, and arrived there the follow- ing morning, proceeding thence by railroad to Fredericks- burg. Remaining there until the evening of the 23d, the line of march was then taken northwestwardly along the left bank of the Rappahannock, and after an eventless march, and some countermarching, reached Kelley's Ford on the 2Gth. During the night orders were received to burn such regimental and company property as could not be carried, and to be ready to march at daybreak for the line of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. On arriving at Bealton Station, it was reported that the enemy had de- stroyed a portion of the railroad between that place and Alexandria, and had captured and burned a large amount of property. Rations had become very low, and a forced march was necessary to make a junction with the Army of Virginia, under Gen. Pope, which was effected by the corps at Groveton, August 21)th. While at this place tlie troops were formed in line of battle, but no engagement occurred. For his failure to engage the enemy. Gen. Porter was severely censured by Gen. Pope. The command then moved towards Manassas, and on the 30th a new position was taken near Bull Run. The bri- gade lay for hours under a heavy artillery fire, until about the middle of the afternoon, when the regiments were formed in column by division, and ordered to advance. The infantry of the enemy lay well protected in a deep railroad excavation, and a large number of artillery pieces were posted in the rear of the infantry and on higher ground. When the 3d Brigade had reached an open field, the enemy poured into its ranks an infernal fire of artillery and musketry. The brigtide advanced most gallantly to within a few yards of the enemy's infantry, and on that spot the bones of its brave men who fell on that d;iy were Ibund when the survivors again inarched over the field months afterwards. While the brigade was engaged at this point a force of the enemy attacked in flank, and they were thus forced back in disorder and with severe loss. No troops ever better deserved victory than did the Union forces on that day, and that they did not obtain it was no fault of theirs. It was because " some one had blundered." The lo.ss of the regiment in this battle was seventy-nine killed and wounded (among whom were three color-bear- ers) and seventeen missing. Capt. Randolph W. Ransom, of Flint, was also among the killed. After this crowning di.saster the command fell back, by way of Centreville and Hall's Hill (their winter-camp of 18G1-G2), to Arlington, where a rest of ten days was had, during which time Col. Stockton returned from his cap- tivity in Richmond, and the regiment received considerable accessions to its numbers from hospitals and other sources. On the 12th of September the brigade, under command of Col. Stockton, moved, with the 5th Corps, on the Mary- land campaign, which culminated in the bloody battle of Anlietam, September 17lli. On that day the 5th Corps was not engaged, though towards evening the 3d Brigade 90 HISTORY OF GKNESEK COUNTY, MICHIGAN. was ordered first to the right and then back to the left, but sustained no loss. On tlie 20lh the 5lh Corps — the IGth iMithi^an in ad- vance — started in pursuit of the retreating columns of Lee, and engaged his rear guard at Shepherdstown Ford, after wliiLJi the regiment and brigade returned, and camped near Siunpsburg, on Antietaui Creek, where tlio 2Ulh Maine llegiuiont was added to the brigade. On the oUtii of Oeluber the 5th Corps broke camp, and marched, bj- way of Harper's Ferry {id which point the Potomac River was crossed), to Warrenton, Va. This march occupied ten days, and during its continuance the men of the IGth, in common with those of other regi- ments, foraged almost at will in the country through which they passed, the result of which was that their commis- sariat was abundantly su]>plicd with rations of the best quality. "So well," says Capt. Powers, "wa.s the regiment supplied with poultry, fresh meats, honey, and jireserves that the commanding officer of the division made a sly insinuation to Col. Stockton that the IGth must have had a lax training in its youth to so soon forget that high moral culture that had made the Ainiy of the Potomac so I'ond of furnishing food for the jiowder of rebel bushwhackers." On the arrival of the 3th Corps at Warrenton, the regi- ment found itself under a new commander of the Army of the Potomac, — Gen. Rurnside, — who had super-sedtd Gen. McClellan in that command on the 5th of November, and at about the same time Gen. Porter was relieved of the command of his corps. Gen. Burnside, on assuming com- mand of the army, reorganized it into three grand divisions of two corps each, the 5tli and 3d Corps, forming the centre grand division, being placed under command of " Fighting Joe Hooker." The army, resuming its march, reached the Acrpiia Creek Railroad on the 2Gth of November, and the brigade of which the IGth Micliigan formed a part encamped in the vi- cinity of what was afterwards known as Stoneman's Switch. On the 12tli of December the 5th Corps moved to the Rappahannock River, opposite Frederiek.sburg, where the commander of the army was preparing for the great battle which was fought on the following day. During the prog- ress of that unequal 6ght theod Brigade remained quies- cent until about four p.m , when it was ordered across the river. It crossed, and formed line in the outskirts of the town, tlun advanced under a heavy fire of musketry and canister, halting near the front, at a point which w,is slightly protected by the ctniformalion of the field. This position was held, but with some loss, until darkness closed the contest for the day. The fight was renewed on the 14th, but the results were far less sanguinary, and both sides held their ground, though the general result was most di.-astrous to the Union arms. At midnight of the 15th the brigade went to the front and withdrew all the jiickcts on that part of the field, and shortlv after daylight crossed to the north side of the Rap- pahannock, as the main body of the army had done during the night. The IGth Regiment cannot be said to have participated prominently in the battle of Fredericksburg, but it per- formed all that was rei|uired of it, and in doing so sus- tained a loss of twenty-three killed and wounded. After tlie battle it went into winter-quarters at Stoneman's Switch. In the spring, after Gen. Hooker had been placed in command of the army, and was making preparations for that forward movement which ended at Chanccllorsville, the IGth moved, with the other regiments of the command, to the Rappahannock, and passed up on the left bank of the river April 2~th. It crossed to the south side of the stream ou the 28th, and was jire.sent on the field of Chancellorsvillc during all of the throe bloody days succeeding Bltiy 1st, taking part in the fight at Hookers headquarters on Sun- day, but sustaining no heavy attack.', and losing only one killed and six wounded. At the close of the campaign it recrosscd the river with the armj', and returned to camp at Falmouth, where, on the ISlli of May at evening parade. Col. Stockton took leave of the regiment, having resigned for the purpose of raising a brigade of Tennessee troops, under authority conferred by Gov. Andrew Johnson, and sanctioned by the War Department. This resignation gave the command of the regiment to Lieut. -Col. Norval E. Welch, who was afterwards killed in an as.'-ault upon the enemy's works at Poplar Grove Chinch, in the Petersbui'g campaign. Early in June it was learned that the enemy was moving towards the Shenaiiduali ^'alley. and the Army of the Poto- mac was put in motion to meet and oi)pose him. On the 2()th, at Aldie, the od Brigade joined Gen. Pleasonton on an expedition to disperse Stuart's Cavalry, which resulted in a fight at Middleburg (June 21st), in which the loss of the IGth was nine wounded, this being one-half the lo.'^s of the whole brigade. The command then returned to Aldie, where it remained till the 25th, when it commenced a forced march to Slaryland and Pennsylvania, and reached Gettys- burg in the morning of July 2d, when the great conflict had already commenced. The 3d Biigadc was detached from the remainder of the division, and about three r.M. was posted on the Little Round Top, forming the extreme lel't of the Union line, the order of the brigade line being as follows: on the lel't the 20th Maine, Col. Chamberlain; next, the ood PeniL^jylvania, Capt. Woodward ; next the 44th New York, Col. Rice; and ou the right, the IGth Mich- igan, Col. Welch ; the brigade being uuder command of Col. Vincent, who on that day fell mortally wounded. In this position the brigade was soon attacked by Hood's di- vision of Longstreet's corps. The enemy came on impetu- ously, and with great confidence, ou account of superiority in numbers [being a division against a single brigade), but his repeated assaults were successfully repelled. His last attack was made .simultaneousl3' on the front and flank of the brigade, so that the JIaine regiment was compelled to change face to repel the flanking column. But the work was bravely and successfully done, and then, when ammu- nition was well-nigh exhausted, and no reinforcements near, Col. Rice (who succeeded to the command of the brigade when Vincent fell) sent word to each of the regimental commanders to fix bayonets, and, on a signal from him, to charge. The enemy received the charge steadily at first, then wavered, rallied, wavered again, and at last broke in confusion, with a loss of five hundred prisoners, and over one thousand stand of arms. The brigade pressed on SIXTEENTH IxNFANTllY. 91 tl)rou<;li the valle}', and halted with its left resting; on Bi^ Hound Top, on wliich its line was soon after established. The fi;;htin,i; at Little Round Top-was nearly all in which the IGth took active part at (u'ttysburir, and in it the loss of the regiment was sixty, in killed and wounded. In the nioniinp; of the 3d the brifjade was relieved, and took posi- tion in the rear of the main line. On the morninu; of July 5tli it was discovered that the enemy had retreated, and the l.")th marched with the army in ]iursuit. Slight collisions were had with Lee's rear guard, at Jones' Cross-Koads, on the lOtli, and at Wiiliamsport, Md., on the ]2lh of July. Oil the ITth the regiment cro.ssed the I'litcjuiac at Berlin, and was almost constantly on the lunreh from that time until September IGth, when it reached Culpep(U\ There it remained till October 7th, when it moved to Raccoon Ford, and crossed the Rapidan. It crij.s.sed the Rappahannock on the lOtli, recrossed on the 11th, and moved to Brandy Sta- tion, where tlie enemy was attacked by a portion of the corps, but the IGth Regiment was not engaged. Another period then ensued of marching and countermarching (with a stay of a week in camp on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad) until the 7lh of November, when the IGth was slightly engaged, and lost three wounded in the capture of a rebel work near Rappahannock Station. It moved with the army, November 2Gth, on the Jline Run campaign, which ended without results on the 2d of December, when the regiment went into camp on the north bank of the Rap- pahannock, near the railway-station. At this place nearly three luindred members of the regi- ment re-enlisted as veterans, were mustered as such on the 24th of December, and about a week later left for Michi- gan on furlough, reaching Detroit on the 9th of January. At the expiration of their furlougli, February 9th, they re- assembled at Saginaw City, and on the 17th left that place to rejoin the army. On their return the regiment made winter-quarters at Bcalton Station, and remained there till April 30, 18G4, when they moved to Brandy Station, pre- paratory to commencing the eaui]iaign of the Wilderness. In that campaign the movements of the IGth were too numerous to follow in detail. It moved aeioss the Rapidan at Germania Ford, May 4lli, and on the Gth and 7th took jiart in the battles of the Wilderness, sustaining no lo.ss on the Cth, but losing on the following day thirty-five in killed and wounded. On the 8th it made a forced march to Laurel Hill, near Spott-sylvania Court-House, and in the evening of that day was attacked by the enemy in an almost impassable swamp, but its loss was inconsiderable, while a considerable number of the enemy were taken prisoners. May 22d the IGth moved from Spottsylvaniu towards the North Anna River, and, being the advance guard of the corps, it encountered the rear guard of the enemy at Polecat Creek, and captured a considerable number of prisoners. The next day it was engaged at North .\nna River, where it charged successfully, and drove the enemy. It crossed the I'anuinkey River at Hanover Town, in the morning of tile 2Sih, and assisted in throwing up works on South Creek. On the 29th it moved to Tolojwtonioy Creek, and crossed it just before evening. 3lay 30th, moved forward and became engaged with the cneniy, losing the major, Robert T. Elliott, who was killed at the head of the reLriment. On June 1st the brigade was ordered to advance its line, and in doing so was brought under a raking cross-fire. The IGth advanced, and drove the enemy from their rifle-pits, and held the position thus .secured. The next day the corps took up a new jiosition, and while the movement was in progress the enemy attacked in heavy force, but a heavy storm came up and stop]ied the battle, which, however, was renewed on the .'jd of June, and again on the 4th. This three days tight was near Bethesda Church, and in it the Kith Regiment was engaged during each day. From this point it moved by way of Cohl Harbor and Disjiatch Sta- tion to the left hank of the Cliickahominy, and there re- mained until the 12th, this being its fir.st rest since crossing the Rapidan on the 4th of Jlay ; the intervening time having been constantly employed in march, skirmi.sh, or battle. On the 13th of June the regiment crossed the Cliicka- hominy by the Long Bridge, and marched to the James River, which it crossed on the IGlh, and arrived in front of Petersburg on the 17tli. Then followed a month of severe labor in the trenches, from which the regiment was relieved and placed in reserve August 15th. Three days later it moved to the Wcldon Railroad, and was there engaged in the construction and occupation ol' defenses until September 30th, when it formed part of the force which stormed and carried the enemy's fortifications ne.ir Poplar Grove Church, in whi<-h desperate assault the IGth lost fifty-two killed and wounded, among the former being the commanding officer of the regini'.!nt. Col. Weluh, who died on the parapet. For more than two months after this battle the regiment lay most of the time in the trenches at Poplar Grove Church. In December it accompanied the corps on a raid to Bellefield, Va., on which about sixteen miles of railroad was destroyed. It was in the trenches before Petersburg during January, 18G5, and on the Cth and 7th of February took part in the battle of Dabney's Jlills, losing heavily. It fought at Hatcher's Run, March 25th ; at White Oak Road, IMarch 29th ; at Quaker Road, March 31st ; at Five Forks, April 1st ; at Amelia Court-House, April 5th ; and at High Bridge, April Gth. After Jjce's surrender it nuirched to Suth- erland Station, where it remained stationed tomoy, Va., June 1, 1864 ; pro. to 1st lieut. Aug. 3, 1864 ; must, out as 2(1 lieur. at end uf service, Sept. 2G, 18G4. Sergt. Irving M. Belcher, Flint; pro. to coni.sergt. Sept. 22, ISCl. Sergt. Harrison Wiiy, Flint ; discli. for d:s;»biliiy ; died Dec. 2, 18G1. Corp. Arzii M. Niles, Flint (st-rgt.); discli. for wounds, Sept. y, 1SG2. Muaiiinn lUnry Duvia. Flint ; diach. Oct. 25, 1802. AVagoner Tlinnuis Belili-n, Flint (corp.) ; must, out July 8, 18G5. 51erritt Avery, disch, liy order, Aug. 12, 1861. J;unes Aiijih-bee, discli. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. Nathaniel N. Andt-i-aon, died March 31, 1SG5. Edward Bigg.dit-d in riiiliidelpbia, Pa., Nov. 2S,i8G2, of Wounds rcc'd in action. Fdward Hritton, disch. fur disability, Oct. 1, 1802. Kdwin Biirlow, discli. for disability, Nov. 13, 1802. \Villiiim Bagg, dis^ch. Sept. 7, 1804. Kdwiird V. Brigg, disch. I'.itii.k Ilr;ulb-y, died of disoa.se at City Point, Va., Sept. 10, 1804. Keuben Biadish, nui-'t. ont July 8, 1805. John S. Copp, must, out July 8, 1865. Boyd Culver, disch. for di-sability. Not. 13, 18C2. John Conquest, disch. t>T wounds, Nov. 28, 1862. Augnstns Chapel, disch. May 8, 18G2. James Cniwforti, died of wonnds at I'liiladolpliia, Pa., June 4, 1864. lliiain G. Darting, died of wounds at New York Harbor, Sept. 1864. Eli Devoe, disch. for disability, Nov. l:i, 1802. Alber t Doan, died »)f disease in hospital. Edwanl Davis, dir^cii. to re-eul. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. Dennis Fiilby, di>cli. by order of surgeon, Feb. 2, 1862. Smith Forsyth, disch. for di-ahility, Feb. 25, 1862. S.inford Guthrie, died of wounds at Wasliiugton, D. C, May 20, 1S64. Kicliard C. Guyer, disch. by order. May 18, l80o. James Ilenipstcd, veteran , must, out July 8, lSG.'i. George \V. Hilton, disch. for disability, April 6, 1804. George Handy, dieil in action at Spt.>lt-ylvania, Va., May 8, 1864. lU.s«ell Hilton, di-cb. fur disability, Nov. 13, 1862. Arthur M. HiMlges, veteran ; altsent on furlough ; not must, out with company. Orrin Juhnsoii, disch. for disability, May 2ii, 1802. diaries Knapiw, di>ch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 18C3. Georgf Mohan, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. James McKec, discli. to re-enl. as veteian, Dec. 24, 186^1. Andrew J. McDowell, discli. for disj\bility, June 17, 1SG2. Albert E. M»Clellan, disch. for disability, April 21, 1802. Charles Martin, died of wounds at Gettysburg, I'a., July 21, 1863. Getirge W. Munroe, died of disease in hospital. Bnssell C. Moon, discharged. El sba Moses, disch. April 1, 1863. Charles Marion, disch. Feb. 20, 1803. Blilion C. Miller, died In action at Siwltsylvania, Va., May 8, 1864. Patrick Murphy, must, out July 8, 1865. Ebas Palmer, disch. for disaldtity, Feb. 25, 1862. Philander Payne, disch. Sept. 7, 1804. Ger-ihoni Palmer, died of disease at Gaines' Mil!, Va., June 11, 1862. Abram Parsons, died of disease at Georgetown, J>. C, April 15, 1862. Ira Patlei^.ii, diiil of disease, Aug. 18G2. James Uichard-^, died of disease at Annaiwlis, Md., Aug. 31, 1SC2. James Kipley, disch. for disability, Feb. 24, 186:J. Charles H. l^lot, disch. for disability. Jidin Shout, disch. for disability, Feb. 24, 180-3. t'barles Starks, died of disease, Sept. 1802. Samuel P. Sinilh, disch. to re-enl. as veieran, Dec. 24, 1863. Natiian Small, must, tuit July 8, 18G5. James Sbo\iks, disch. by onler, May 24, 18G5. George Turner, disch. Dec. 26, 1862. Garwood Tnpper, must, out July 8, 1865. George Tower, disch. for disaldlity, Dec. 26, 18C2. Tliouias Tbonii«on, uuist. out July 8, I860. William Teachout, must, out July 8, 1865. Mrtrion Van Itiper, disch. for disability. Harri^i)n Way, disch. for dis.ibility, Dec. 19, 1862. David S. Weaver, disch. for disability, April 19, 1S62. Hurry Wibler, disch. to re-«nl. as veteniu. Adoniram A. Worth, died of disease at Yorktown, Va., May 1, 1862. Abnim Way, ilied May 12, 1864, of wounds rec'd in action at Spottsylvauia, Va. Dcwitl Williams, disch. Sept. 7, 1SG4. OTHER COMPANIES. E. Frank Eddy, Flint; 2d lieut., Co. G, Aug. 9,1861; wonnilcd in battle of Gaines' Mill, Va., June 27, 18G2; prx>. to 1st lieut., Co. G, Nov. 3, 1802; capt., Co. G.Aug. 11, 1SG3; pro. to Iieut -col., 29ih Mich. Inf., July 29, 1SG4. T Frank Powers. Fenton; sergt., Co. K; 2d licut., Co. A, Not. 3, 1862; 1st lieut., Co. B, June 21, 1864: capt., Co. B, Aug. 3, 1SC4 ; must, out July 8, 1865. Gilbert K. Chandler, Forest; 2d lieut., Co. D, July 21, 1861 ; Ist lieut., Sept. 3862; capt., April, 1863 ; lest his left arm in action at Gaines' Mill, Juno 27, 1802; was afterwards in battles of Cbancelluraville and Gettysburg; trans, to Vet. Ke.«*. Corps, Aug. 11, 1863; must, out of service, Oct. ID, 18G7. Irving M. B.-lcher, Flint; sergt., Cu. C; 2d lieut., Co. B, Aug. 3. A ; must, out July 8, 1803. William ,\Ilierton, Argentine, Co. I; disch. from Vet. Ucs. Corps by order, July m, isG,-!. Natlianie] Austin, Argentine, Co. K ; disch. by oi-der, May 30,1805. Corp. Ji'hn .1. Bustwick, Aigentiue, Co. K ; died of disease near Falniouth, Va., Nov. 2G, 1802. Nathan Barton, .\rgentine, Co. I ; died at Laurel Hill, Va., May 1", ISGt. Geo. S. B.tiley, Fenton, Co. D; died of disease at City Point, Va., July 28,1864. Sanniel D. Bustwick, Aigentine, Co. K ; died of disea-^e, Dec. 8, 18G2. James Bnidy, Argentine, Co. A ; must, out July 8, 18G5. G<-orge W. Chase, Argentine, Co. A; must, out July 8, ISCo. Jacob A. Clark, Argentine, C^>. A ; disch. for disability. Dec. 16, 1863. Lewi-. Case, veteran, Argentiii'-, Co. A; must, out July 8,1865. Jacob W, Craw, ArgeTitine, Co. I; died of disease, Nov. 25, 1864. John Coles, Argentitie, Co. I ; diacli. by order. May 30, 1865. Dennis Falbey, Flu-hing, Co. G ; disch. at end of service, Nov. 21, 1863. Lambert Foster, Gaines, Co. B; must, out July 8, 1865. George Garner, Fenton, Co. B; must, out July 8, 18G5. Edgar G. Hicks, Argentine, Co. I.; disch. Jan. 15, 180.3. Thomas Hopkins, Jr., .\rgentiue, Co. I ; disch. March 5, 1863. Joseph H. Hough, Flint ; Co. B; disch. by order, July 0, 1865. David Hnbl.anI, Montror disability. Elin Stukd, Arirentine, Co. I; dieil of di;ie;ise in Imsp tal, April 18,1863. Theodore Sternhardt, Flint, Co. G ; trans, to Vet. Ites. Corps, Sept. 30, 1863. Alfred Staiks, Argentine, Co. I; disch. by order, May 30, 1805. George Seymour, Argentine, Co. I; disch. by order, May 30, 1865. William Tillman, Argentine, Co. I ; disch. Feb. 9. 186:J. Pbilo White, Argentine. Co. K ; disch. by order. May 29, 1865. Ethan H. Wrght, Mount Morris, Co. K; disch. by order, July 10, 18G5. CHAPTER XIV, TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY. Competition of the 23il Regiment — The Thomson Light Guard and the Wolverine Guard — The "Fighting Parson" — Rendezvous and Organization of the Regiment at East Saginaw — Muster In and Departure — Reception of Companies at Flint — Departure from De- troit, and Arrival at Jeffcrsonville, Ind. — "Camp Gilbert" and Ihe *' Brick-Yard Camp" — Meeting Buell's Veterans — Movement to- wards Shelbjville — Arrival at Frankfort — Pursuit of John Morgan — Movement through Perryville to New Market — March to Bowling Green, and Long Stay nt that Place — Death of Lieut. -Col. Pratt — Pursuit of Guerrillas through Kentucky, up the Ohio River, and into Ohio — Return to Cincinnati, and Movement to Paris, Ky. — Move- ment to Lebanon and I^ew Market — March to East Tennessee — Col. Chapin's Speech — Arrival at Loudon — March to Knoxville — Back to Loudon — Movement to Lenoir — Fight at Huff's Ferry — Battle at Campbell's Station — Siege of Kno.wille — Blain's Cross- Koads and Strawberry Plains — Morristown and Charleston — Down the Tennessee Valley — The Georgia Campaign — Resaca — Dallas^ Lost Mountain and Kenesaw — Atlanta- — Pursuit of Hood — Battles of Columbia, Franklin, and Nashville — Transfer to the East — Bat- tles at Fort Anderson and Town Creek, N. C— March to Kinston — Movement to Goldsboro' and Raleigh — End of the War — Muster Out and Return Uome. Tins regiment, which was raised and organized in the summer of 1SG2, under the President's call for volunteers TWENTY-TniRD INFANTRY. 93 issued July 2d, immediately after the close of the Seven Days' battles on the A'ir<:inia peninsula, was rendezvoused at East Saginaw, under D. II. Jerome, Esq., as commandant of the camp of instruction and orsanization. It was com- posed of volunteers from the Sixth Conjjrcssional District, and contained two companies raised in Genesee, as well as a considenible number of men from the county serving in several of its other companies. The Genesee companies, while recruiting, and until tlic organization of the regiment was completed, were known as the "Thomson Li^ht Guard" (in honor of Col. E. II. Thomson) and the " Wolverine Guard." The former was recruited to more than the maximum strength* by Capt. Charles E. McAlester and Lieut. Stewart in about three weeks' time, and the latter, recruited principally by the Rev. J. S. Smart, filled its ranks in about two weeks from the beginning of enlistment. The Wolverine Citizen of Aug. 9, 1802, mentioned that " Col. Tliom.son and the Rev. J. S. Smart are addr&ssing the people at different places in the county, to raise the quota of Genesee for the 23d Regiment," and about the same time a Flint cor- respondent of the Detroit Free Press said, " The Rev. J. S. Smart, presiding elder of this district, lately felt it his duty to go to the wars, so he told his family and friends to ' stand clear,' for he was going that way. He immediately started a recruiting-office, and, the fact soon spreading through the city and county, in four days after, the elder had a full company of one hundred men on his rolls. He then posted oiF to Detroit, got his commission as captain, and is now here, organizing and straightening out matters preparatory to leaving for the camp of the 23d at Saginaw. The new captain is very popular, and could have had another hundred men if he had been authorized to accept them. He is now called here the ' Fighting Parson.' " This corre- spondent was decidedly in error as to the time in which the company's ranks were filled, and other portions of his communication were too highly colored ; but it was not an exaggeration as to the height of the patriotic enthusiasm which then existed among the people of the county in re- gard to the furnishing of their full quota, and the promo- tion of enlistments, particularly in the companies that were to join the 23d Regiment. The two Genesee companies left Flint early in August, and proceeded to the rendezvous at East Saginaw, where, on the 30th of that month, they were reported respectively as one hundred and nine and one hundred and twelve strong, the former number representing the strength of Capt. Mc- Alester's company. The Rev. Mr. Smart, after seeing his company filled, retired from it, and accepted the chaplaincy of the regiment. The command of the company tlion de- volved on Capt. Damon Stewart, previously first lieutenant and adjutant of the regiment, and still earlier a non-com- missioned officer in the 2d Jlicliigan Infantry, serving with that regiment in the campaign of the Peninsula. In the organization of the regiment, the " Thomson • This company was recruitcil, in the time incntiunc.l, to a strength of one hundred ancl twcniy-six men, and it contiiinel one hundred and made tlicir bivouac on the banks of an abundnnt and tolerably clear stream of water, called the Bulling Fork. In the march of the following dtiy, this stream was crossed and recrossed many times in its mranderings, and late in the day the regiment reached the little hall-burned village of Bradl'ordsville. The hitter part of the day's march had been made in a cold, drenching rain, wliicli, as night fell, turned to snow, and on tlie following morning (Sunday, October 2Cth) the arctic covering lay six inches deep over the ground. This was considered a remarkable event for that latitude, and it brought remembrances of their Northern homes to the minds of many whose eyes would never again look upon the whitened expanse of the Michigan hills and vallej-s. During all that Sabbath day the tired men enjoyed a season of rest and recreation around their coml'ortable camp-fires, and while they rested the snow disappeared, so that their march of the following day was over bare roads, but free from tormenting dust. In the evening of the 2Tth the brigade arrived at Newmarket, Ky., where several commands of the rear guard of Buell's army were found encamped, and where the 23d and its com- paniiin regiments also went into camp and remained for eight days, engaged in recuperation, drill, and the prepara- tion of muster-rolls, to be used upon a pay-day wIulIi all hoped might come in the near future. On the 4th of November the brigade again moved for- ward, and on the 5th passed through Munfordsville, where a Union force of ten thousand men la)' encamped. On the tith it reached Dripping Springs, where it remained one day, and in the afternoon of the 8th arrived at Bowling Green, Ky., a town which " had the appearance of having been visited by pestilence, famine, and the besom of destruction," as was remarked by some of the officers of the 2i'd. " A large rebel force had wintered there, and remained until driven out by the Union forces under Gen. Mitchell, and they had made of the whole visible eieatio!i one common camping-ground." This place was destined to be the home of the 23d Ilegiment for a period of more than six months. Its camp ( wliich was afterwards transformed into substan- tial and comfortable winter-tjuartcrs) was pitched near the magiiifivent railroad-bridge crossing the Biir BarrcD Biver, and the guarding of this bridge formed a part of the duty of the regiment during the winter of 18G2-G3; its other duties being camp routine, drill, picket, provost, and rail- way guard, and the convoying of railroad trains of stores over the road from Bowling Green to Nashville. While here, the 23d, with it3 brigade, formed part of the lUth Di- vision of the Army of the Cumberland, and they were suc- ce.ssivelv under command of Gens. Granger, JIanson, and Judah, as commandants of the post, during the six months that they remained here. The period of the regiment's stay at Bowling Green was marked by many notable events, .some pleasant, some pain- ful, and others ludicrous. Near the town was a pleasure- ground, many acres in extent, with a magnificent spring of clear cold water in its centre. This seems to have been a favorite resort for both citizens and soldiers, and we are told that " here, upon many a happy occasion, the beauty and the chivalry of Bowling Green, and many inveterate Yan- kees, assembled to enjoy the scene of unequaled hilarity and iiiirlh." It was several times the case that snow fell to a sufficient depth for sleighing, and these opportunities for pleasure were improved to the utmost. Private entertain- ments, too, were sometimes given by the citizens, and " there were, in several instances, strong indications of attachments between some of the boys in blue and the fair damsels of Bowling Green. . . . These were oases in the dreary Sa- hara of the war. " On the morning of the momentous 1st of January, 18(j3, the artillery on College Hill fired a salute, which was afterwards changed to target practice; and during a part of the time of its continuance the camp of the 23d Jliehigan seems to have been the target, for .several solid shots were thrown into it, doing some damage to fpiar- tei-s, and creating no little consternation. This was the first time the regiment had been actually under fire. On the Gth of April, 1853, occurred one of the most dis- tressing events in the experience of the regiment at Bow- ling Green. This was the sudden death of Lieut. -Col. Pratt. He had mounted a powerful and restive horse, hut was scarcely seated in the saddle when the fiery animal plunged and reared so violently as to fall backwards u])oii the colonel, crushing and killing him instantly. Ho was a good and popiilar officer, and was sincerely mourned by the men and officers of the regiment. When spring had fairly opened, it began to bo rumored that the troops occupying Bowling Green would .soon be moved from there and enter active service. The men of the 23d Michigan did not regret this probability of a change, for although their experience had been in some respects as pleasant as any which soldiers in rime of war have a right to expect, yet they had been terribly re- duced in numbers by sickness while there, and it was be- lieved that this evil would be aggravated by the coming of warm weather. Besides, they had grown tired of the mo- notonous duty which they were called on to perform, and were, as soldiers almost always are, inclined to wish for a change. About the 20th of May, orders were received to make all preparations for a movement, and to hold the com- mands in readiness for the march ; and on the 20th of the same month the regiment broke camp, and moved with its brigade on the road to (!!asL'l;iiii ; 16'. July :)1, IKO I. Clmilc" A. Miiiiin, Flint, .-iTgt.-mnjor; pro. to 2il liout. To. I, Miirili R, 1801. llcv. BLlijaniili M. Fay, Flint, cliapliiin ; Nov. 11, 1801 ; ns. Maicli 4, 1805. Company C. Capt. Cliarlcl E. McAlort.T, Flint; Aug. 1, 1802; trans, to Ist U. S. Vet. Vol. Engineers, .\iig. 13, 1801. l9t Lieut. George W liuckinghini, F'liiit; .\ng. 1, 1802; pro. to rapt. Co. A. 2il Lieut. Wul. C. Stewart. F.int; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. E, Dec. 17, 1802; k Med in b.ittle at Ue.iaci, G.i., May 14, 1804. 2J Lieut. Jarvis E. Alliro, Mount M..rris; pro. to Isl lieut. Oet. C, ISC4; to capt. Co. K, Slarcli 4, ISfi-'i; must, out June 28,180-1. 2'l Lieut. Castle L. Newell, i;la)'ton ; must, out June 28, 1805. Scrgt. Alliert A. Elmore, Itichlield; pro. to 2il lieut. (Jo. K, Dec. l:i, 1802; 1st lieut. Co. D, Jan. 3, 1804; capt. O-t. 0, 1804; must, out June 28, 180.5. Sergt. Jolui I>. Ligljt, Grand lllanc; must, out at Salisbury, N. C, June 28, 180.5. Scrgt. Kgl-ert It. Knowlton, FIii>^liing; discli. for disaldlity, June 10, 1801. Sergt. Levi Well-, Jr.. Montmse; died at Uowling Green, Ky., Dec. 3, 1802. Sergt. Slerrilt W. Elmore, Flint; pro. to sergl.-inajor; 2d lieut. Co. I, Oct. 0, 1804; 1st lieut. Co. E, Nov. 3IJ, 1804 ; must, out June 28, 180.5. Corp. Ciwtle L. Newell, CIa.^ ton ; pni. to sergt. -major, Nov. 20,1804; 21 lieut. Nov. 3U. 1804. Corp. James M. Wdl.ins, Kii liticM ; must, out by order, July 11, 1805. Corp. Wm. S. Caldwell, Genesee; died at Bowling Green, Ky., Fidi, 22, 1803. Corji. diaries F. Itainlow, Flint; must, out June 28. 18(m. Corp. John E. Turner, Flusliing; died at Howling Green, Ky., Feb. 28, 18G.I. Corp. Harmon Van Hitskirk, Vienna; absent on furlough, not must, out with com|iany, Corp. Andrew J. Ho ie, Flrishing; killed in battle at Iti'Saca,Oa., May 14, 1804. Blu.-'ician Sainuel It. Wycoff, (Jiand Blanc; trans, to Invalid Corps; must, out July 14, 1S05. Musx-i.in Forbes D. Ewer, Flint ; discli. for disability, March 14, lSG.'i. Wagoner Reuben toige, Mundy; must, out June 28, 1805. Jaines Beiijaniin, Davison; discli. for disability, J. in. 311, 1803. S.tndford 31. Badgley, Mniidy ; died at Burnt Hickory, Ga., of wounds, May 2'.), 1805. William M. Beshcror, Forest; must, out .luuo 28, 1805. Henry II. Beebe, Forest; discli. for wounds, Nov. 3, 1804. George W. Brov^n, Vienna; must, out June 15, 1805. James Baldwin, Clayton; must, out June 28, 1805. Ewin ('. Bingham, Vienna ; must, out Juno 28, ISh!). Wdliam Barber, Genesoe; must, out June 12, 1805. Martin V. Ca-tle, Vicuna ; died of disease at Na-hville, Tcnn., July 1, 1SG4. John Coniiell, tians. to28tli Michigan Infantry. Levi Craig, Fliisliing; must, out M.iy 2!), 1805. Andrew S. (.'lark, Fl nt; must, out June 28, 1805. George W. Cooley, Flint; must, out J 28, 180.5. Nallian J. Conni'l, Vienna; must, out June 28, ISG>. Patrick Clancy, .M.iUnt Morris; must, out June 28, 1805. Warren I. Davis, died of discjiso lit Louisville, Ky., Nov. 2'J, 1802. John N. Dnniond, Flint ; died in action at Uesaca, Ga,, ULiy 14, l.S(;4. Alon/'i D.ckins Flint; must, out June 28, 1805. Melvin W*. Drake, Linden; must, out June 28, 1805. James D.ivis, Flint ; must, vnit June 2S, 1805. .\si .M. Divis, Uiihriel.l; must, out June 28, 1805. Edniinl FIckles, Flint; must, out June 28, 1805. Wiiram II. Eagle, Flint; must, out June 28, 1805. George II. Eciles, Flint; must, out May 13,1805. D.ivid Foot, Vienna; did of disease at B.iuling Green, Ky , Jan. 0, 1803. P'-rry Flemings, Flint ; tliscli. f.ir di-ability, Oct. 3, 1802. Cliri.ter Feltoii, .Ir., Flint ; must, out June 28, 1805, William L. F.irrand, Vienna; must, out July. 5, 180.5. Cliarles S. Freeman, Flint ; St. out June 28, 1805. Salem C. Glea-on, F"lii-hiiig; discli. for disabilily, Dec. I!), 1802. Clia' les K. Green, (Mayton ; disch. for ilisability, Jan. Id, ISO I. Ilivid W Gilbert, Flint; discli. for disability, Dec. 211, 180.5. James II. Gilbert, Thelford ; discli. at Detroit, Mich. George Hawlcy, Fore,-t; dieil of di-ease at Bowling Green, Ky., Nov. 24, 1802. Barney Harper, Flint; iliseh. for disability, Dec. 17, 1802. Marshall 1!. Howe, Flnsliing ; died of d'scase at Lotiisville, Ky., Dec. 1.5. 1802. Isaac M. Howell, Flint; died at Chattanooga, Tetin,, of wounds received May II, 1804. John Ilosie, Flnsliing; died of disease at Chattanooga, Tenn. TlioiiiiLs Hough, Flushing; died of disease at Chattanoiiga, Tenn., Sept. 11, '04. It diert S. Ilamill, Forest; must, out June 28, 1805. John Hughes, Flint; must, out June 28, 1805. Wdliam llawley, Forest; must, out June 21, 1805. Albert Iliiwley, Forest; must, out June 15, 1805. Jes-e W. Hicks, Tlo-tfoid; innst.out June 1.5, lJ-0.5. Strphcn Hovey, Vii-nna; miisl. cut May 24, 1805. Itielcird .51, Jolin-on, Flint; ninst. out May 30,1805. Ui'uben N. Lucas, Flint; died of disease at B twiing Green, Ky., March 5, '03. Legraiid Lanpliere, Flint ; disch. for disability, Feb. 20, 1803. George F. Lewis, Miiiidy ; iliscli. for disability, Slay II , 1803. John D. Light, ninsl. out June 28, 1805. John MiDiinabl. Vii una ; died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., Nov. 24,1.802. Charles It, Jlaconib, died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., Dec. 7, 1802. " James A. Mdls, Kiehli.-bl ; trans, to Vet. Ues. Corps, May 1, 1804. Walter .Maxwell, Genesee ; disch. by order, Oct. 24, 1801. Morris A. .Miller, Richfield ; died of dise ise at -V.usliville, Toall., Dec. 3, 1801. Westel Mildge, Fore-t; disch. for disab.lily, .luiio 4, 1805. Samuel Nelson, Burton; must, out Juno 2(1, 1805. George W, Ottway, Clayton; died ol" disease at Saginavr, Jtich., Oct. 3, 1802. Edgar A. Pilton, Riclifield ; died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., March 1,'0.'J. AVilliain Puliiain, Muicly; must, out June 28, 1805. (icorge I'ailthorp, Vienna; must, out June 28, 1805. Irving Rogers, Flint ; died in action at Rcsaca, Ga., May 14, 1804. Cliarles Rice, Fliiil ; died of disease at Hiehinond, Va., April 4, 1804. James Robert-s, liiebheld: must, out May 2!l, 180.5. Wdliam K. Itanney, F'orcst ; liiilst. out .Inne 28, ISGo. Kufus Raniiey, Forest; must, out June 28, 1805. Will, ml Rauiiey, Ftirest ; must, out June 28, 1805. .lames A. Rosi-, Genesee; must, out Juno 28, 1805. George A. Robinson, Fliishiiig; must, out June 5, 1805. riiauncey Rhyno, Gaines; must, out Juno ii, 1805. Itenben W, Sage, niu-t. out June 28, 1805. Theodore W. Sellick, Flint ; must, out June '28, 1805. Henry D. Sleeper, Flint ; must, out June 28, 1805. Andrew S. Smith, Flushing; must, out June 28, 1865. Willi. ini W. Stevens, died of di.seiLSu at Bowling Green, Ky., Dec. 20, 1802. George Shippy. died of disease at Lebanon, Ky., Dec. 4, 1802. Eb.n F. Thompson, Kichfield ; died of di.sease at Klioxv.lle, Tenn., F'ch. .5, '04. William Trninbnll, Flint; must, out June '28, 1805. Charles F, Tibbies, Flushing; must, out June 28, 180.5. Theodore M. Tupper, Flint ; must, out Juno '28, 1805. Saninel I*. Tiibbs, Rirhtield ; mn^t. out June 28, 1805. William II, Under hill, Vienna; must, out June '28, I8C5. Enoch Vernon, Flushing; trans, to Vet. Ues. Corps, Dec. 1.5, 1803. Will, am Warren, Forest; disch. for di-ability, Nov. 12, 1802. Frodeliek N. Walker, Mount Morr.s; died of diseasir at Howling Green, Ky,, JIarch 4, 1801. Ephraiin Wright, Flint; disch, ford sahil ty. Joshu.i Wilherall, Vienna; must out June 28, 1805. Willaid 8, Willi, ims Flushing ; must, out Juno '28, 1805. James 51. Williams, Flushing; must, out July 24, 1805. ('intipatiy A*. Capt, Damon Stewart, Flint; Aug, 1, 1802; must, out March 4, 180.5. Capt. Jai VIS K. .\lbro. Mount Morris, March 4, 1805; milst.ont June '28. 1805. 1st Lieut. Saiul. C. ftandall, l-'liut; Aug. 1, 1802; pro. to capt,; must, out as 1st lieut. June 28, 1805. 2d Lieut. John K a, Flint ; Aug. 1, 18C2; res. Dec. 1.3, 1802. 2d Lieut. Albert A. Elinore, Ri.liHeld, pr.i. to capt. C.>, D; mn^t, nut Juno 28, 1805; was sergt. Co. C; then 2d lieut, C^i. Iv ; then Ist lieut. Co. I), Jan. 3,1804; woiindedat Res.ica, Ga , May 14, 1804 ; pro. to capt, Oct. 0, 1,804. 2d Lieut, John V. .\tcliiiiSoii, Hititoii; Oct. 0, 1804; liinst. out June 28, 1805. Sergt. Wm. M. Beagle, Flint; pro. to 2.1 lieut. Co. A, FVb. 0, 18U:i; 1st lienf. June 20, 1804 ; died of wounds received at Lost iMoniitaiti,4;a , June 10, 1804. Sci'gt. Jonathan .\. Owen, F'iat; died of disease at Wilmington, N. C, April 1, 1805. Sergt. Ch irles A. Minna, Flint ; sorgt.-mnj. ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. I, Mar. h 8, 1801 ; 1st lieut. C^^ II ; must, out Jiiuc i'*, 1805. 100 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Sergt. Robert L. Wurien, Flint ; diBcli. F.'li. 2, 1863. Sergt. Jas. (i. VinUor, Flint ; trans, to 2Stli Inf. June 2S. ISGo. Corp. M'm, J. McAlTster, Bnrlon ; jibsent, sick : not must, out witli coiiix>i»ny. Corp. Nelson A.Clm^p, Atlaa; died in Florence pri.-^on-pen, Oct. 21, 18G4. Corp. George Brossean, Fhislijng; trani. to Inv. Corps; must, out June 30,1805. Corp. Tlienin E. Huskins. Flui^liing; ninst. out June 28, 18U-5. Corp. John Gregory, Vienna, must, out l>y order, May 30, 18G5. Corp. Pwiglit Biil.cork. Burton ; disch. Nov. 21, 1802. Corp. Trnnmn S. Alexiinder, Buitnn ; dietl at New Alliany, Dec. 20, 1802. MnsiL-ian Br-nj. Long, Thetford ; must, nut June 28, ISGo, Musician Geo. Freeman, Flint ; must, out June 28, ISGo. M'ngoner Almon Kggleslon, Flint ; ilisdi. for disability, Ott. G, 1801. Delno AtctiiiiB, Flint; died in action at Jtesitca, Ga., May 14, 180i. Siimuel W, Alk-n, Miindy ; must, out June 28, 1805. Brackett J. Allen, Mundy ; must, out June 28, 1865. AVm. B. Allen, Mundy ; must, out June 28, lSG.'i. Henry C. Boyer, Flint : died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., Pec. 20, 18G2. Kdmond L. Beach, Genesee ; died of disease at Louisville, Ky., Ni>v. 9, 1802. Mortimer C. Uodine, Vienna; died of disease at Lebiuiun, Ky., Nov. 12, 1802. Charles Best. Atlas; discli. lor disability, Feb. 5, 186X Hiram Barber, Burton ; disch. for disability, March 20, 1863. Geo. W. Bunce, Atlas; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps Feb. 15, 1804. llimni II. Baidwfll, Burton ; trans, to Vet. Res, Corps, May 1, 1864. Marion Bniinard, Gi'and Blanc; must, out June 28, 1SG5. Clarence Barrows, Genesee ; must, out June 28, 1805. James Crane, Fentnti ; disrh. fur disability, Jan. 23, 18G3. \Villaid Cinthers, Atlas; must, out Dec. 2, 1805. Noah CrittL-ndrn, Genesee ; died of disease at Louisville, Ky., Dec. 3, 1804. John W. Clevebmd, Flint ; must, out BLiy 12, 1805. Silas Collins, Gnind Blanc ; must, out June 28, 1805. Wm. L. Demer, Uicbfield; trans, to 28th Midi. Inf. Elijah Beeter, Fenton ; must, out June D, 18)>5. Eli:is Doty, Fenton ; mu>t. out June 20, 1805. James Dunn, Argentine ; must, out June 20, 1865, Nelson J. Dunn, Genesee; must, out June 28, 1805. John C. Flint, Davison ; disch. f..r di-ability, I'Vb. 23, 1S63. Orick J. Fales, Vienna; die 1 of disease at JetTei-sonville, Iiid., Oct. 15, 1864. Kdwaitl Fales, Flint ; must, out June 28, 1805. William J. Fales, Mundy ; uiust. out June 28, 1865. James Vi. Fisb, Flint ; must, out June 28, 1805. George M. Gt)rden(tugh, Davison ; died of disease at Columbus, Ga., April 14, 1864, while prisoner of war, "Warren Gustin, Daviaon ; must, out Juno 17, 18C5. Enos Golden, Grand Blanc; mu'^t. out June 9, 1805, Jerry Hoffman, Grand Blaiic; died of disease at Mumfordsville, Ky., Dec. 15, 1802. Albert llerrick, Genesee; died of disease at Chattanooga, Tonn., Sept, 9, 1864. Justin Hewitt, Davison; missing in action near Knuxville, Tenn., Jan. 27, 1864. James E. Howe, Davison ; must, out June 28, 1865. Israel Hdl, Davisun ; must, out June 7, 1865. Hiram D. Herric-k, Vienna ; must, out Jiine 28, 1865. Sylvester C. Hicks, Vienna; ninst. out June 28, 1865. Laftyette Hathaway, Davi--on ; must, out June 28, 1865. Ricliai'd H. Hughes, Mount Moiris; must, out May 29, 1865, Conrad HutVman, Flint; must, out June 28,1865. Henry Ingalls, Flint; must, out June 28, 180.5. Horace Jewell, dieil of dise.ise at Glasgow, Ky., June 16, 18G:J. AValier I*. Jones Fenton ; dscli, for disability, Feb. 2, 1863. Nathan H. Johnson, Mount Morris; died in action at Campbell's Station, Tenn., Nov. 16, 186;t. Joseph H. King, Hazb-ton; must, out June 28, 1S(>5. H. D. Liudsley, must, out June 28, 18IV>. Itobert McCunisey, Tlietford; died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., March 17, 1863. Jnbii M. Mynds, disch. for disability, Jan. 2. 1863. John McCumsey, Thotford ; disi-li. for disaidlity, Jan. 12, 1863. Arllnir Morehouse. Genesee; die 1 in aciioii at Kesaca, Ga,, May 14, 1SG4. Angus MclMiei>on, Kichfiehl ; died of diaease, June 5, 1861. Lester S. McAllister. Davisun ; must, out June 28, 1865, "Wm, J. Mi>ntg"mery, Burton ; must, out June 7, 1805, Thomiis McCumsey, Thetford; must, out June 28, 1865. A. W. Mathews, Uichtield ; must, out Aug. 12, 1805. Daniel S. Potter, Flint ; detl of disease at Louisville, Ky., Nov. 22, 1862. James Porter, aiundy ; died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., April 23, 1S63. Henry C. Phelps, Atlas ; must, out June 28, 1865. Andrew V. Bouse, Mundy ; must, out May 15, 1865. Caleb A, Kicliardson, Genesee; disch. by order, April 2, 1865, Andrew J. Sumner, Vienna ; disch, for disability, Dec, 27, 1862. Mathew Smith, Flint; must, out June US, 1865. John Sinnott, iienesee ; must, out Juno 2S, 186.5. Calvin Staftord, Thetford ; must, out June 28, 1865. Samuel Siters, Thetf.nd; must, out Juno 28, 1865. Shannon \V. Scott, Thetford; must, out June 28, 1805. Harvey Stephens, Genesee ; must, out June 28, 1865. Irwin StiitTord, Tlietf..rd; must, out June 28, 1865. Parker Scott, Tlietford ; must, out July 3, 1865. William B. Tliuraton, died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., .Tan, 19,1803. James N. Tower, Richfield; tran*. to 28th Michigan Infantry. Ambrose Thonia?, Flint; must, out June 2S, 1S05, William H. Thorp, Fenton ; must, out June 2s, 1805. Wm. A, Van Tuyl, Genesee; di.-d of disease at Cincinnati, Oliio, Oct, 18, 1862. Alfretl B. Vorce, died near Knoxville, Tenn., Jan. 28, l8f)4, of wounds, George Van Valkenburgh, Davison; died in a'^tion at Rcsaca, Ga., May 14, 1 S(A. Albert Van Vleit, G.iines; must, out June 2'*, 180.5. Wm, H. Wheeler, Flint; died nf d sense at Ghu^gow, Ky., July 11, 1863. Charle* S, Warner, Vienna; disch. fur disability, .\pril 27, 1863. Hamilton S. Wdder, Davison ; died of disease at Andersonvilte, Ga., Sept. 1,1864. Henry Winkloy, Flint; must, out June 28, 1865. Li'Ster N. Withers, Atlas; must, out June 28, 1865. Deloss Worden, Mundy ; must, out June 28, 1865. OTHER COMPANIES. Capt. Geo. W. Buckingham, Flint, Co. A ; pro. from 1st linut. Co. C, Feb. 13, 1863; woniulcd in battle at Campbell's Station, Tenn., Nov. 16, 1863; res. Sept. 29, 1864. Wm. M. Begole, Flint, 2d lieut Co. A ; enl. (sorgt, Co. K) ; Feb. 6, 1863 ; pro. to ciipt. June 20, 1864; dieil Oct. 15, 1864, of wounds received in action at Lost Mountain, Ga., Juno 16, 1864, Albert A. Ehnure, Richfield, capt, Co. D; pro, from 1st lieut. Co. D, Oct. C, 1864; wounded at Resaca, Ga,. May 14,1804; must, out June 28,1865. Wm. C, Stewart, Flint, l^t lieut. Co. E; Oct. 3, 186:1; killed at Resaca, Ga., May 14,1804. Merr:tt W. Elmore, Flint, 1st lieut. Co. E, Nov. 30, 1804; must, out June 28, 1805 Charles A. Muma, FUnt, 1st lieut. Co. H ; must, out June 28, 1865, James Austin, Vienna, Co. D; must, out June 2S, 1SG5. Juseph Billings, Thetford, Co, H ; trans, to 28tli Michigan Infantry. John Burlison, Gaines, Co. E, one year; must, out June 0, 1865. John T Barnum, Alias, Co. I; must, out June 28, 1865. John M. Childs. Gaines, Co. E, one year; must, out Juno 28, 18G5, George Crow, Genesee, Co. I ; must, out Juno 2**, 1865. William Dneltgen, Burton, Co. G, musician; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Nov. 15,1803. Madison Fisher, Mundy, Co. D ; must, cuit Aug. 12, 18G5. Heiny Giddiiigs, Gaines, (.'o. H ; mast, out June 5, 1865. Charles M. Huyck, Vienna, Co, B; died of disease at Andersonville, Ga., March 23,1801. Theodore llelmer, Thetford, Co. B ; must, out June 28, 18G5. Benjamin U. Hewitt, Genesee, Co. E, one year; nnist. out June 28, 1865, Carlos E. Hall, Gaine.:ivid S. iinloii, Flint ; absent ; siek ; not mustered out with eomp:uiy. Corp. J. dm (Jay, Argentine; must, out .^ept. 0, 1805. (>)rp. Mieha'd Uoi>ney, Mount .Mori'is ; must, out Sept. 0, ISOo. C-'H' Silonie Plew, Mount Morris; must, out Sept. C, 1805. Channc4-y Itacon, wagoner, Flint ; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. Itieliaid Copland, private ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. James Coiley, Iticlilleld , must, out Sept. 0. 1805. C. C. Fennur, UieliBeld ; must, out Sept. fi, 1S65. Wm. Coddard, Flu.'iliing; died of disease, Jan. 12, 1805. Henry N. f^ty, KInsliing; st, out Sept, 0, 1805. Eli/.ur Hunt, Flushing, niMst. out Sept. 0, 1805. A, J. Knickerboekei', Mount Morris; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Kirh ml M. Kelrh, Davi ; must, out Sept. 0, 186.5. rii'tip M.w;rs, must, out Sept. 0, 180.',. Charles II. Mitts, Vienna; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. San I H. Milts, Flnshtng; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. John 31uiTay, Unrtoii ; must, out Sept, 0, 1805. John MeCulloch, must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Wni, II, .Moore, Mount M.irri^ died ..f di-cise, Apiil 10, 1805, James Mahoney, must, out May \f*, 181>5. George Nahors, Corp., Grand Diane ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Hugh NI,\on, must, out July IS, 1805. Homer Parsell, Corp., ,\rgentine; must, oat Sept. 6, 1805. Georg.' Patrick, liniton; nuiat. out Sept. 6, 1805. William liiley, Flint ; must, out Sept, 0, 180.5. Allen M. Town, linrton ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Francis M. Town, Flushing; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. Compaiiti 11. Capt. La Hue Schram, linrton; enl. Sept,!", 1804; hon, disch, March 22, 1805. 1st Lieut, Geo, J. Hill, Richlield ; enl. Sept, 17, 1804 ; must, out Sept, 0, 1865. 2d Lieut, G.o, Keed, Forest ; enl Se|it. 17, 1S04 ; must, out SepI, 0, 1805. Sergt. Peter McKinney. Flint ; diseh. for disability. Jan. 14, 1805. Sergt. George Smith, Burton ; must, out Sept, 0, 1805, Sergt. James 1*. Glover, Grand Blanc; must, out Sept, 6, 1805. Sergt. Mortimer Bf. Olds, Itichlield : must, out by order, June 2, 1805. Corp. Chal-les Smith, Forest ; died of disease at Blurfreesboro', Tenn., Jan. 19, l.'iOS. Corp. John Reigle, Grand Rhine; must, out hy ord<-r. May 17, 1805. Corp. John Kickler, Grand Blanc ; died of disease at Muifreesboro', Tenn, Jan. P.), 1805. Corp. Jason P. Odridge, GrancI Blanc (sergt.); must, out Sept. 6, 1805. Corp. Daviil Dickinson, Riclitield; must, out by order, May 17, 1805. Corp. Edward Carley, Davison ; must, out Sept. 6, 1805. MusiciaTi Edgar .\nnibal, .\Ila3; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Coip, Samuel S. Clemons, Richfield ; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. William Beagle, Vienna; must, out Sept. 6, 1805. Peter Baker, Forest ; must, out. Sept, 0, 1805. Walter Briggs, Graml Blanc ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Charles Best, Mumiy; must, out May 10, 1805. Edward .\. Baruard, Grand Blanc; died of disease at Aliders'JU, Tenn., Jan. 14, 1S05. Thomas Cane, Richfield, must, out Sept. 6, 1805. Albert Cane, Clayton ; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. William Davis, Burton ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Charles P. Day, Clayton ; must, out Sejit. 6, 1869. .lames Fowniug, Grand Blanc ; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. Phiiieas II. Flint, Claytcm ; must, out Se]i|. 0, 180.5. Christopher Glover, Grand Blanc; must, out .^ept. 0, 1805. James D. Glynn, Vienna ; must, out Sept. 6, 1805. Daniel llimebach, Burton ; must, out Sept. 0, 1S05. Andoniram J. Hart. Biirton ; must, out May 18, 18C5. Elliott J. Horlon, Richfield ; must, out May 10, 1805. Noll A. Lent, Flusliing; must, out Sept. 0, 180,i. Isaac Philips, Grand Blanc ; must, out Sept. 6, 1805. Zebulon Parker, Richfield; min^l. out Sept. 0, 1805. Wari'cn Preston, Genesee ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Mart Robinson, Burton, must, out Sept, 0, 1805. Jiathcw Hoot, Itichfleld; must. out Sept. 0, 1805. Henry H. Shotto, Grand Blanc; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Thomas Sheltz, di.sch. for di.-ability, April 2i, 1805. Justice Stevens, must, out Sept. 0, lf^05. Cliri-topher Shaw, Mundy; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Christopher Wagoner, Fenton ; must, out Sept. 6, 1803. Theroli Woodruff, Forest; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. William D. Wallace, Flint; must, out Sept. 6, 1805. OTHER COMPANIES. JefTei-son J. Wilder, Vienna; 1st lient. Co. A; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. Henry P. Seymour, Linden; capt. Co. F, March 27,1865; must, out Sept. 6, 1805. John Branch, Forest: 2d lieut. Co. F, July 2,<, 1804; res. Jan. 24, 1805. Emerson Aids, Co. K ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Elliott It. Burnett, Atlas, Co. A ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Edward L. Baker, Genesee, Co. F; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Edward II. Carson, Mount Morris, Co. E; died of disease at Murfreesboro', Tcun., Dec. 24, 1861. Samuel H. t.'rawl, Foresr, Co, ,\ ; must. out. Sept. 6, 1S05. George Clark, Co. K ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. George Dunn, Vienna, Co. C; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. Andrew Daly, Flushing, Co. E; must, out Sept. 6, 1865. Chai les Dibble, Co. K ; must, out SepI. 6, 1805. Samuel A. Dickson, Co. K ; must, out Sept. 0. 1805. Aaron Finehout, Gmnd Blanc, Co. A ; must, out Si'pt, 6, 1805. Dolman Finehout, Grand Blanc, Co. A ; must, out Sept. 0, 1865. Elmore Ferris, Davison, Co. F; must, out .Sept. 0, 1805. William lioddard, Co. F; died of disea. J..hn Mnlluiy, liuit.m, Co. F; must, out May i4, 1805. Vt-rry E. Xewniari, Davison, 0>. K; must, out Sept. G, l&Oo. Frank F. Osburn, Vienna, Co. E ; must, ont Marcll 0, ISGJ. Jacolj Pliillips, Co. K ; must, out Sept. G, IStio. 'I'lieoilore Poqviette, Co. K ; must, out Sept. fi, 18Gr». Daniel K. Rol.crts, Forest, Co. A : must, out Sept. Ifi, 180,-.. George Sliarpsteiu, Co. K ; diet! of disease at Hilton lleail, N. C, May 10, 1805. George W. Snnnner, Vienna, Co. C; muBt. out Sept. 0, ISG.'). .lames Sineaton, Flusliing, Co. C; must, out Sept. 0, 180.5. Charles S. Smith, Mount Morris, Co. E; must, coit June 2:{, 1805. Andrew Sheperd, 3Ionnt Slorris, Co. F; must, out June 2-'., 1805. Joshua Wetherbee, Vienna, Co. E; died of disease .-it Faiilield, Mich., Sept. 29, 1804. William C. Wither, Athvs, Co. A ; must, out Sept. 0, 1805. William W. Whipple, Grand Blanc, Co. A ; must, out Sept. G, 1805. Wdliam Wooden, Burton, Co. F ; must, out Sept. C, ISG5. Alhei t Johnson, Genesee, Co. F ; Corp. ; ahsent,sick ; not must, out with company. THIRTIETH INFANTllY. On account of the numerous attempts made by the enemy to organize in Canada plundering raids against our northern border, autluirity was given by the War Department to the Governor of JMiehigan, in the autumn of ]8t)4, to raise a regiment of infantry for one year's service, and especially dosi^'ned to guard the Michigan frontier. Its formation, under the name of the 30th Michigan Infantry, was begun at Jackson in November, 18(54, and completed at Detroit on the 9ih of January, 18G5. To this regiment Genesee County furnished between sixty atid seventy men, most of whom served in Company I. When the organization was completed the regiment was stationed in companies at various points, one company being placed at Fort Gratiot, one at St. Clair, one at Wyandotte, one at Jack.son, one at Fentnn, throe in Detroit barracks, and one on duty in the city. But the speedy collap.se of thellebellion put an end to Canadian raids, and the regiment, although the men were willing for service, had no active duty to perform. It remained on duty until the 30th of Juno, 1SG5, and was then mu.stcred out. OFFICERS AND MEX OF THE THIRTIETH REGIMENT MICHIGAN VOLUXTICER INFANTUY Fit >.M GEXKSEE COi:NTV. One tjear, John Wilhtl, Flint; surgcm ; enl. Jan. it, 1805; must, out June 3n, IS05. Capt. Wm. E. Christian, Flint ; enl. June il, 1805 ; most, out June 30, 1805. 2d Lieut. Henry M. Mason, Flint ; enl. June 9, 18G5 ; must, out June 30,180.5. Sorgt. Henry C. Fuller. Flint ; must, out Jnne 30, 1805. Sergt. Wm. L. Sjyer, Flint ; must, out June 3(t, 1805. Sei-gt. John B. Taylor, Flint ; must, out June 30, 18G5. Sergt. Atnlirosp Merrllt, Gnind Blane ; must, out June 30, 186.5. Coi-p. Jos ah P. Hackett, Flint ; must, out Jnne .30, 1805. Corp. Sidney J. Reynolds, Flint ; must, out Jnne 30. 1805. Col p. Gilbert Chambeilain, Flint; must, out June 30, 18G5. Corp. M. V. B Clark, Flint ; must, out June 30, 18G5. Coinptiiiij I, Leonard J. Adams, Davison ; must, out June 30, 1805. Oliver Ba^sett, Flint; must, out June 30, 1805. Amerce J. Richelder, Flint; mn5. Daniel 11. Camptiell, Flint ; must, out Jnne 30, 18G5. William F. Clapsaddle, Davison ; must, out Jnne .30, 180.5. Hiram II. Clapsaddle, D.ivjson ; must, out June 30, lsi;5. Adoniram J. Conger, Davison ; must, out June 30, 1805. Melvin E. Cran.lall, Alias; must, out June .30, 1805. Edward Cummings, Atlas; must, out June .3t), I8G.5. It.bert M. Dalley, Atlas; must, out June 30, 1805. Mark El well, Gr.iiid Blanc; must, out June 30, 1805. IDnry H. Grisw.dd, Flint; must, out June 30, 1805. Charles Gunn, Flint ; mn-^t. out Jnne 30, 1SG5. Frank II. Hniigerford, Flint ; urist. out June 30, 1805. William V. Hilton, Flint; must, out Jnne 30, If 05. Il'iijanon Ililker, Flint ; must, out June 30, 1805. William Ilurd, Gnuid Blanc; must, out June 30, 1805. Henry O. llaidy, Flint ; must. «jnt June 30, 1SG5.- Williani H. .lones, Genesee ; must, out .Iiino 30, 18G5. Loren/.o Johnsnn, Atlas; must, out Juno 3U. 1805. Francis Keeiio, Flint ; must, out Jnne 30, 180-5. Juhn P. Kore, Atlas ; must, out Juno 30, ISG5. Robeit Knowles, Davison; must, out Jniio 30, 18G5. Harrison T. Kipp, Athis ; must, out Juno 30, 1805. llyman Lee, .\tlas; must, out June 30, 1805. Web-ter W. M ckle, Flint; must. out Jnne 30, ISG5. Alfred McMichael, Flint; must, out Jnne 30, 65. Sanford McTaggei't, Davison ; mirst. out June 30, 1805. (Iscir B. Moss, Flint; must, out Jnne .30, 1865. Luther Miller, .\Ilas; must, out Juno 30, 1805. Fr.ink Myers, .\Ilas; must, out June 30, 1805. William Odell, Genesee ; must, out June 30, 1805, Spencer W. Pierce, Flint : must, out Jnne 30, 1.S05. Eugene Phelps, Grand Blanc; must, out June .30, 180.5. 3Iartiu M. Porter, Flint; died of disease at Detnu't, Midi., JIarch 7, 1805. James W. Ripley, Flint ; must, out Juno 30, 1805. Knos D, Stilson, Flint ; must, out June 30, 1805. William Snyder, Clayton ; mu-t. out June 30, 1805. William H, Seymour, Burton ; must, out June 30, 1805. S iiiinel Spicer, .\tlas ; must. (Ult June 30, 18G5. Thomas Saddington, Flint ; must, out June 30, 18G5. Andrew Seeley, Davison ; must, out June 30, 1865. Cyrus T.ttsworth, Atlas; must, out Jnne 30. 1865. Clark Tiltsworlh, Atlas ; mast, out Juno 30, 180.5. Walter E. Vandnse'i, .\tla< ; must, out June 30, 1805. Gardner White, Flint; must, out June 30, 1SG5. William D. Gilbert, Flint ; Compinti K. ist. out July 3", 1865. FIRST ENGI.VEEIIS AND MECHANICS. The regiment bearing this name was raised in the summer and autumn of ISGl, under Col. William P. Iiines as com- manding officer, and having its rendezvous at Marshall, Cal- houn Co. " It was intended, as its name implies, to be prin- cipally employed in the numerous kinds of mechanical and engineering work incident to the operations of an army, and, unlike many other special organizations, it was largely used for the pur|iose originally designed. It was also armed with infantry weapons, and, whenever called on, its mem- bers showed themselves as prempt in battle as they were skillful in labor. The regiment contained a considerable number of men from Genesee County. At a meeting held in Flint, Sept. 17, 1861, and compo.sed largely of eligible men, it was resolved to form a company to join the Engi- neers and Mechanics, and George T. Clark was elected captain of the propt)sed organization. But for some cause the project failed, and no company distinctively of Genesee County material was formed, though the county contrib- uted about one-third to the formation of Company B, nearly one-fuurth its members to Company F, and slightly to sis other companies of the regiment. The Engineers and Jlechanics were mustered into the service of the United States, at the rendezvous, by Capt. H. E. Mizner, U. S. A., Oct. 28 to Dec. C, 18G1, and on the 21st of the latter month, left Marshall, about one thou- sand and thirty strong, tor Louisville. Ky. On account of the peculiar nature of the service required of them, they were employed in detachments, and thus it would be imprac- ticable to trace them thnmgh all, or half, their numerous marchings and labors. One of the detachments was under Gen. O. 51. Mitchell in his advance on Bowling Green, and among the first Union troops to enter that town after its evacuation by the enemy. After the capture of Fort Donelson opened Teniiessco to the Union forces, the Engi- FIllST ENGINEERS AND MECHANICS. 103 neers and Mechanics were speedily at work in that State repairin;^ bridijes and railroads and opcnin;^ lines of com- munication. For eiiilit weeks immediately followini; the battle of Sliiioh tlioy were engaged in constructing steamboat-landings. In June, lS(i2, they built seven bridges on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, ranging from eighty to three hundred and fifty feet in length, and were also engaged throughout the season in opening and re- pairing railroads in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Northern Alabama and Misi^i.ssippi. While at Lavergne, Teiin., on the 1st of January, 1SG3, a part of the regiment was attacked by two brigades of the enemy's cavalry, under Gens. Wheeler and Wharton, with two pieces of artillery; but succeeded in defeating them witli serious loss. During the year the regiment, divided into detachments, was almost constantly engaged in building bridges, making pontoon-boats, and other similar work in Tennessee and North Alabama. One of these bridges (over the Elk River, Tenn.) was four hundred and sixty feet long. The same work was continued through the greater part of 18G4; mostly in the vicinity of Chatta- nooga, Tenn., Decatur, Bridgeport, and Stevenson, Ala. The men whose terras had expired were mustered out in October, 18G4, but there wore enough re-cnlistcd men and recruits to keep the command up to its original strength. About the 1st of November the regiment, except two companies, was transferred to Atlanta, Ga., where it de- stroyed an immense number of rebel foundries, roliing- luills, and other similar works, and then marched wiih Sherman's army to Savannah ; being obliged to keep up with the columns, and to perform an immense amount of labor in destroying railroads and bridges at the same time. After sevend weeks' labor in fortifying Savannah, the Engi- neers proceeded with Sherman through the CaroHnas, and thence to Washington. In June, l&Oo, the regiment was sent to Nashville, where it was employed on the defenses until the latter part of September, when it was mustered out of the service and ordered to Michigan. It was dis- banded at Jacksonville on the 1st of October, 1SG5. HEUBERS OF THE FIRST ENGINEERS AND MKCII.VNIUS FROM GENESEE COUNTV. Oniijiany B. Clinrlcs II. Cilclnoy, Flint; scrgt.; pro. to Isl. liput. Co. E, Nov. 3, 1SC4; must. out Si"l>t. '.ii, 1865. OTicar F. AUi-ii, Itiii-toii ; dlsch. at end of sovvici-, Oi-t. 1.1, 1804. John Arnot, (}rHny orili'r, Jnno C, 18G5. Gi-orgo R. ItoyiT, Riclifi -1,1 ; di«,li. fur dlsiliilily, Due. 9, 18C2. Wunen llni.kli-y, Flint; dincli. for disidiility, Feb.", ISOt. KiUvin lUilij, FIusiiiiiK; di:.cli. for ilisiiliilitv, April 25, 18C3. Sliiliii'd Hrowii, Flint; died of ilinciise. Miinli '.'(I, ISC-.i. Miiynard Curtur, Flint ; di<-d of d.«tMSr', April ;{, IKlJi. llinim F. Cltiipni.in, Flint ; dist-Ii. for diHiil.ilily, Jnly -^t, 1SG2. Joniilliitii Cudlicy, Flint; dist-li. for il s.ildtity, Miiy 17, l.sO'i. J.icol> I>. C.irpeiiter, DHvinun; iniiat. out Ht X.islivillf, Toriii., Si'pt. 22, 18G.'». Edward FnnclK-on, Flint ; diseli. at cud of servii-i-. Oct, ;il, lStJ4. Ami II. Firld, Flint ; distil. 10 4*0-01)1. as votonin, Jan. 1, ISO!. Henry E. Gidloy, D.ivit^on ; disch. l>y ordoi', Oct. 4, ISr^j. Jalno^ Groonalch, Flint ; tlistli. Iiy order, Juno C, ISfij. Julius Gordon, >luii. George W. White, Fenton ; sergt.; |iro. to 2d lieut. Aug. 18, 1802 ; to 1st lieut. Jan. 1, 1804 ; must. <)Ut Oct. 20, 1801, end of service. S'dney .Vrrowsniith, Genesee ; disch. for dis:ibility, June 28, 1802. William M. IJarney, Fenlon; disch. for disability. May 5, IS02. Erastns Cill. Flint; disch. by order, Juno 0, 18i;.->. Eraslus Call, Jr., Fenton ; diseh. l.y order, June C, 1805. Alfred Call, Genesee; iliscli. by order, June 0, ISG,). James Cartvvriglit, Vienna ; disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1804. Ale.x. Canipbell, Davis^ni ; veteran ; disch. to rc-enl. as veteran, Jan. 1, 1864. Delavon Heath, Vienna; disch. at e[id of service, Oct. 31, 1804. Philip Housinger, Vienna; Corp. ; disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1804. Norwin C. Johnstin, di^cli. for disability, July .5, 1802. &ilomon S. Miles, Richfield ; disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 18M. llugli M.Donald, must, ont at Niishvilb-, Tenn , S.pt. 22, 1805. (i.'orge Phelps, Grand lil.inc; disch. l.y or.ler, June G, IStVi. Benjamin Paine, Vienna; di.sch. f.n- disability. May 14, 1802. Henry S. IVtlingill, Vienna; disch. for d sabil ty, Sept. 1, 1802. William Shorl, Uurton ; diseh. by order, July 17, 180"). Lewis A. Scott, Kenton ; di>cli. for il s;d.ilily, July 15, 1802. Cirns J. Sillsby, Vienna. John Scriven, Fent..n ; must, out at Naslivill.-, Tenn., Sept. 22, 1805. Daniel W. Turner, diseh. by order, June 0, 1805. Martin C. Tapper, Gran.l Itlanc ; ilisch. l.y order, July I", 1S&5. IN OTHER COMPANIES. Thaihlcus S. lleeis, Co. 1 ; died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 24, 1802. Joseph llellinger, Th.tf.jrd, Co. G ; disch. for disability, March 2. 1802. John Untlei-, Forest, Co. G ; disch. al end of service, (.tct. 31, 1804. Theo.lt(ro E Reei-s, (Vj. 1 ; .iisch. at end of seivice, Oct. ill, ISOl. Lorenzo Colby, For.-st, Co. G; disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1801. Jonatlcin Cooiner, Co. G ; disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 18G4. Martin L. Cuddeback, Flint, Co. D ; must, out at Nashville, Sept. 22, 18C."i. Abraham F. Conant, Flint, Co. H; dio.lof disease at Nashville, Fob. 12, 1803. John S. Docker, Forest, Co. G ; disch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1804. Joel li. Fairchibl, Flint, Co. H ; diseh. by order, Juno 0, 1865. George D. Gerry. Riolitiel.l, Co. G ; ilisch. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1804. Peter Gord.in, Flint, Co. H ; disch. for pr.iniotion, Feb. 13, 1804. Henry C. Hackett, Co. I ; disch. by or.ler, June 0, 1805. George L. Ju.l.-vine. Flint ; coi-p., Co. K ; veteran ; traus. to 5th Biittery, Mich. Light Artillery, Dec. 2, 1802. Harris Marsh, I)avison, Co. G; died of di8e;tse at Louisville, Ky., Blarcli 15, 1802. Kellbon S. McCormick, Forest, Co. G ; ilicd of ilisease at Bardstown, Ky., April 10, 1862. Wju. Miller, Davison, Co. L ; died of dis.-a.se at N.ashville, Tenn., S.'pt. 25, ISO:!. Oren McCimb, Forest, Cu. G; diM-h. f .r disibdity, Jnly 17, ISO.). AilelI.ert Pursell, Flint, Co. H ; disch. by ord.r, June 0, l80.j. Wm. IS. Parker, Flint, CI; trans, t.i Vet. R..8. Corps, May 1, 18W. G.rorge W. Sweet, Burton, Co. I ; disch. by or.ler, June 0, 180;'>. Charles Saunders, Forest, Co. G ; disch. for iiromoti .n, Aug. 17, 1803. Abel C. Smith, Forest, Co. G ; cnl. Nov. 21, 1801 ; discli. at end of service, Oct. 31, 1804. Dennison W. Spencer, (.'o. L; must, .nit at N islivillo, Tenn , Sept. 22. 18fs'). Wellington Teaehout, Itichtield, Co. f. ; ilisch. al end of servic.-, Oct. 31, ISOl. Enoch II. Woodman. Forest, Co. G ; diich. for il sabil ty, April 21, 181)2. Sal r Wood, Co. I ; died of disease at Nashville, Tenn , Oct 2'J, 1802. Jacob W. M'liile,Thelford, Co. G ; .Iisch. to re-eiil. as vetoian. Jan. 1, 1801. Calvin Wakelield, Davison, Co. L; must, ont at Nashville, Tenn., S pt. 22, 180.1. Charles h. Packard, Flint, Co. F; eiil. one year; ilisch. by G. O., June C, lsft5. Duvid M. Tninir, Flint, Co. F; enl. one year; disch. by G. O., June 0, 1805. 104 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. CHAPTER XVI. FIRST, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH CAVALRY, AND THIRTEENTH BATTERY. Character of Cavalry Service — First Cavalry — Service in Virginia in ]8ti2 — Campaigning in 1863 — Raids and other Movements in 186i and 1865 — Muster Out — Third Cavalry — Rendezvous at Grand Kapids — Winter-Quarters in Missouri — Campaigns of 1862 — Win- ter-Quarters in Mississippi — Marching and Fighting in Missis- sippi and Tennessee in 1863 — Winter-Quarters at La Grange, Tenn. — Veteran Furlough — At St. Louis in Spring of 1804 — Cam- paign in Arkansas — At Mobile — Services in Texas — Muster Out and Return Home — Fourth Cavalry — Pursuit of John Morgan in Kentucky — Fight at Franklin, Tenn. — Advance with Army of the Cumberland iu 1863— The Atlanta Campaign of 1S64— Fight at Lattimorc's Mill — Pursuit of Gen. Hood — Raid through Alabama in Spring of 1865 — Capture of Jefi'erson Davis — Fifth Cavalry — Ren- dezvous at Detroit — Winter-Quarters near Washington — Engage- ments in 1863 — Winter-Quarters at Stovensburg — Campaigns and Battles in 186f — Winter-Quarters at Camp Russell — Spring Cam- paign of 1865 — In North Carolina — Movement to Fort Leavenworth, Kan. — Muster Out — Sixth Cavalry — Winter-Quarters at Washing- ton — Services and Fights in 1863 — Winter-Quarters at Stevensburg — Its Numerous Fights and Skirmishes in 1864 and 1865 — Service in North Carolina — Fort Leavenworth and the Plains — Muster Out and Return — The Tliirtcenth Battery — Its Services at AVashingtjn and in Maryland. Although the cavaliy branch of the army was not broutrht into a.s many general engagements as the infantry, and consequently sufl'ered less in killed and wounded, yet its service was of an extremely arduous nature, compelling men to be almost constantly in the saddle, riding day and night for hundreds, and sometimes fur a thousand, miles in a single expedition. But the character of this service, being that of almost constant marching and change of station and duty, renders it impracticable to follow and trace the movements of cavalry with as much of precision and detail as can be done in the case of infantry regiments. FIRST CAVALRY. This regiment, which contained a considerable number of men from Genesee County, was organized in the summer of 1861, under Col. T. F. Brodhead. It left its rendezvous at Detroit, about eleven hundred strong, September 29tli in that year, and proceeded to Washington, and thence to Frederick, Md., where it passed most of tiie winter. In the spring of 1862 it entered Virginia, and during the year was engaged in service on the Upper Potomac, in the Shenandoah Valley, and along the east slope of the Blue Ridge, being engaged at Winchester, Middletown, Strasburg, Harrison- burg, Orange Court-House, Cedar Mountain, and second Bull Run, losing in these actions thirty killed or died of wounds, and fifty-eight wounded. It passed most of the winter at Frederick, Md. In the early part of 18G3, it was engaged in grand guard duty along the front line of the Washington defen.ses in Virginia. On the 27tli of June it moved towards Gettys- burg, and on the 3d of J uly , at tliat place, it met and charged Hampton's legion of three regiments Virginia cavalry, and beat it in six minutes, losing eighty men and eleven officers out of three hundred who went into action. It was again engaged at Fairfield Gap on the 4tli, and lost consid- erably. Again, at Falling Waters, Va., it was severely engaged, and captured five hundred of the enemy, with the standards of the 40th and 47th Virginia Infantry. It was in Kilpatrick's division, and took part in all the movements and actions of that general during the summer and fall of 1863. In December nearly four hundred of the men re-enlisted as veterans, and received the veteran furlough. On their return, the regiment rendezvoused at Camp Stone- man, near AVashington, and was there newly equipped, and was joined by a new battalion which had been mustered at Mount Clemens in December, 1863. It took part in the movements of the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac, from the crossing of the Rapidan in May, 1864, to the early part of August, when it was moved to the Shenandoah Valley, and joined to the army of Sheridan, taking part in the .subsequent movements of that army, except the battle of Fisher's Hill, losing during the year, up to the 1st of November, eighty-two killed in battle or died of wounds, and one hundred and two wounded in action. It remained near Winchester, Va., till the 27th of February, 1863, when it fell in with the other cavalry of Sheridan to move on the great raid to the James River. It reached White House on JIarch 19th, and soon after joined the Army of the Potomac before Petersburg, and remained with that army till the surrender of Lee, taking part in many engage- ments, among which were those at Five Forks and Appo- mattox. After the surrender it moved to Petersburg, and a little later to North Carolina with the other forces. From there it returned to Washington, took part in the great review of the army, Jlay 23d, and soon after was moved, via Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers, to Fort Leavenworth. Then followed seven months of duty on the Plains as far west as the base of the Rocky Mountains, during which the regiment was engaged in some skirmishing with Indians, and lost .slightly in killed and wounded. It was con.solidated at Fort Bridger with the 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry, forming an organ- ization known as the 1st Michigan Veteran Cavalry. It was paid off and disbanded March 10, 1866. MEJIBERS OF THE FIliST C.WALRV FllOM GENESEE COUNTY. Wainei- II. rierson, Flint; sirgt. in Co. G; 2.1 licut. Co. B, May 18, 18C:i ; 1st lieul. Co. H, June 14, lfeG4; cajit. Co. U, Oct. '.iS, 18M; must, out Nov. 7, 1S6\ Cliauncy T. Aail.le, Genesee, Co. D ; discli. at end of serviti', Feb. 17, 1860. Augustus A. Allen, Genesee, Co. D; must, out fllarch 10, 18(;G. .lames C. Bingham, Genesee, Co. D ; mnat. out June 30, 18GG. K.il.prt Bultou, Co. C; (liach. for diialolity, Manli 11, 180:1. Williaiu Boiitiher, Genesee, Co. II; disch. at end of tervice, Aug. 22, 18C4. diaries Beeuiiin, Cu. C; discli. to re-eril. as veteran, Dec. 21, 18&1. Charles t'roli', Co. H - discli. fur disability. Wilson P. Dunaldson, Featon, Co. G ; must, out March ID, 1.SC6. William F. Eaton, Feuton, Co. U ; d.ed of disease at Alexandria, Va., Oct. 28, 1SC2. William P. Eddy, Fenton, Co. G ; dis( h. by or.ler, June 7, 1SC5. Janu'S Furlong, Co. II ; disch. at end of service, Aug. 22, 1804. Frc.derick Faro, Cu. C; diseh. to re-eid. iig vetei-in, Dec. 21, l»0:i. G.le« E. Fellows, Genesee, Co. I); mast, out Maicli 10, ISOO. Isaac Gilbert, Tlielford, Co. A ; must, out March 10, 18UG. James B. Gallup, Flushing, Co. C; must, out Ma(;eh C, 18GG. Riiln'rl Gai'hei', Fenton, Co. F; niu.t. out March 25, 1806. Aliiioa Gage, Co. M; must, out Aug. 25, 18th'>. Thoin.as I'. Hill, Co. F; nuist. out July 1, 1805. Anihew A. Hobday, Co. C; discli. for wounds, May 23, 1864. Beujaiiiiii V. Ilicks, Co C ; discli. to re-eul. as veteran, Dec. 21, 1863. U..l.ert Jackson, Co. C; disch. lor dirabllily, Sept. 27, 1802. Jeieiiiiah L. Kn:ip|>, Fenton, Co. D; disch. t>y order. May 3, 1805. Fr.nik Keferly, Co. H; died in action at Ball Kan, Va., Aug. 311, 1SG2. Henry J. Lartied, ('o. C; tiuna. to Co. II. Joseph BIcComI', Forest, Co. A ; must, out March 10, 18GC. Ib.i vey M. MeCasliny, Co. F; must, out Slareh 25, 1800. John O'Hani, Mount Morris, Co. D ; must, out March 111, ISCO. THIRD CAVALRY. 105 William Perkins, Co. H; (iisch. for ilisaliility. George Pri, 1865. Felix F. Bandall, Co. H ; discli. for disabii:iy. AniiLsa Rogers, Co. C; discli. to re-i-iil. iis veteran. Per. 21. 186."i. Austin .Slow, C<). C; missing in action at Fairfielil (lap, Jnly 4, 1803. Itobert Sackner, Fenton, Co. G ; ninst. out fllanli 111, 18GG. Seynionr P. TIioni|t8on, Co. C; disch. for disability. Orange Tlionias, Co. H ; disch. to re-cnl. as veteran, Dec. 21, 1863, W. C. Tlumias, Co. C; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Feb. l.'>, 1804. William II. Teeplea, Co. (;; died of wounds at Brontsville, Va., Jan. 9, Sainnel H. Tlioma", Co. C ; died of wounds iit Gettysburg, Pa., Aug. .5, Charles Waldo, Co. H; must, out March H), 18110. John Waldo, Co. B; must, onl JIarcli 10, 1800. William K. Walcott, Genesee, Co. 11; must, out March .11, 186G. Louis S. We.^Sitn, Fenton, Co. K ; must, out June ;10, 1800. Henry Yates, »nton, Co. A ; ninst. out Maicli 10, 1800. Tracy G. Merrill, Riclifield, Co. A ; trans, from Co. II, 7th Cav.; mus Salt Lake, JIarch In, 1800. Alcxion Th.ayer, Flushing, Co. A ; trans, from Co. II ; must, out Juno Ilortea Blrdsiill, Co. C, coi'li. ; must, out May 2, 1802. binieon P. McFarlan. ly order. THIRD C.VVALUY. This regiment w;is raised in the summer and fall of 18G1, liaving its rendezvou.s at Grand Kapids. The Gene- sec County men serving in its ranks were sufficient iti aggre- gate number to make up the majority of a full company, but tlicy were distributed among several companies of the regiment, tiiough most numerous in Company I. The 3d Cavalry left Grand Rapids more than a thousand strong, Nov. 18, 18(31, and proceeded to St. Louis, Mo., where it remained in winterf(uarters at the Benton Bar- racks. In 1862 it moved south, and participated in the operations at New Madrid and Island No. 10, also in the siege of Corinth, and the subsequent campaign in Northern Mississippi, where it remained during tlic entire season, capturing in tliat scries of operations twelve hundred and eighty-six prisoners of the eiieuiy, among whom were five field- and thirty-two line-officers. It pa.ssed the winter in Northern Mississippi, and in 1SG3 was again employed in that State and Western Tennessee, in almost continuous luarcliing, fighting, and raiding, and by the 1st of Novem- ber in that year liad taken an additional number of prison- ers, sufficient to make the whole iiuinber captured by it since its commencement of service two thousand one hundred, of wiiom about fifty were officers. " During the year [from Jan. 1 to Nov. 1, 1863] the regiment marclied a distance of ten thousand eight hundred miles, exclusive of marches by separate companies and detachments." Accompanying the 3d in its movements was a light battery of 12pound liowilzers. On the 1st of January, 1864, the regiment arrived at La Grange, Tenn., where it prepared winter- (|uartcrs, and where, during January, nearly six hundred of its members rc-eiili»tcd as veterans, and received tlio usual furlough — to rendezvous at Kalamazoo. From tliat place the)' moved, with tjieir numbers largely augmented by re- cruits, to St. Ijouis, where they remained about two months on provost duty in the city, while awaiting the arrival of new hoi-scs and e(|uipmcnts. Still dismounted, the regi- ment moved May ISth, and proceeded to Arkansas, there joining the army of Gen. Steele. It was mounted and armed with the Spencer repeating-caibine on the 1st of August, and from that lime until winter was engaged in sconii:!g and outpost duly in that State. Its wintertiuar- ters were at Brownsville Station, on the Mempliis and Little Hock Railroad. On the 14th of March it was transferred from Arkansas to the military division of West Mississippi, under Gen. Canby, to move with the forces designed to operate against Mobile. After the fall of that city the regi- ment was employed on outpost duty till after the surrender of Lee and Johnston, and was then detailed as the escort of Gen. Canby, on the occasion of his receiving the surrender of the Confederate Gen. Taylor and his army. It moved across the country from Mobile to Baton Rouge, La., arriving there May 22, 18G5. On Sheridan's as.suming command of the Division of the Southwest, the 3d was ordered to join troops destined for Texas, and left Baton Rouge June 10th, moving by way of Shrcveport, and across Texas to San Antonio, where it remained, employed in gar- rison duty, scouting expeditions for the protection of the frontier, and other similar duty till Feb. 15, 1866, when it was dismounted and mustered out of service. The men returned via Victoria, Indianola, New Orleans, and Cairo, 111., to Jackson, Mich., and there received their final pay- ment, March 15, 1866. MEMBF-RS OF TlIK THIRD CAVALIiV FROM GENESEE COUNTY. Officera. Wni. Dunham, Fenton ; cipl. Co. I ; cnl. Sept. 7, 18G1 ; res. May 11, 1802. Orrin W. Rowland, Fenton; sorgt. Co. C; 2d lieut. Co. E, April 29, 18G:i; 1st lieut. Co. I, Oct. 24, 1864 ; capt. Co. C, Nov. 17, 1804 ; hon. disch. June 0, 1805. Jacob W. Miller, Fenton ; sergt. Co. I ; 2d lieut. Co. K, Sept. 18, 1804 ; hon. disch. June 6, 1805. Andrew llickey, 2d lieut. ; pro. to 1st lieut. Co. I; died of disease, Feb. 10, '03. Clarence I-. Miles, Fenton, qr.-mr. Berj;t. ; pro. to Ist lieut. Co. — , 9tli Cav. Conipamj I. — Eiitisted Men. David S. Anderson, disch. for disability, Oct. 10, 1802. Charles 0. Adams, sergt., Fenton ; discli. for disability, Feb. 12, 1802. George Borden, disch. for disability, Feb. 14, 1802 ; must, out Sept. 14, 1805. William Battay, died of disease at New Madrid, Mo., March 14, 1802. George Borden, must, out Sept. 14, ISO-'i. MerrdI Cherry, Fenton ; veteran ; must, out Feb. 12, 1800. William Chestnut, Fenton ; must, out Jan. 2:!, 1860. Slcplien II. Calkins, veteran ; disch. for ilisability, Sept. 25, ISM. Ilar ry B. ('amp. Hint; d ed of tliseaseat Brownsville, Ark., Sept. 3, ISOl. liarnaril Duff, died of disease at Dnvall's BlulT, Ark., Oct. U, 1804. Carlton F.i»ket, .Ib'd of iliseasc at JacksoTi, Sept. 22, 1862. Rensselaer C. Fuller, must, out Feb. 12, 1806. John Huntley, died of disease at St. Louis, Mo., April 28, 18G2. George U. Ilorton, mubician, Fenton ; disch. to re-enl. us vet. Jan. 19, 18G4. Jidin W Kipp, Fenton ; wn, Co. B; mn-t. out Feb. 12, 1806. George Buell, Co. M ; must, out Feb. 12, 1860. David Buell, Co. M; must, out Aug. 180.5. Jesse Cooper, t^i. I) ; must, out Feb. 12, 18G6. Andrew J. tiliappell, Co. M : dieil of ilisea-se at St. Louis, Mo , Jan. 5, 1802. Kilward C. Fiero, Co. E ; died of disease at Brownsville, Ark,, Sept. fi, 180*. William W. Flowers, Co. F, Genesee; died ofdisea.se at Jelferson Barracks, Mo., Nov. 18, 1804. .John W. Fouls, Co. C; di-ch, Dec. 7, 1804. Wallace Gilbert, Co. F, Thetford ; disch. for disability, Nov. 0, 18M. Nelson B. Hicks, Co. M ; diiil of disease at Jackson, Oct. 19, 1802. Robert llacket, Co. L, Flint; Diust. out Fob. 12, I860. 100 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Jnnica L. I,cc, Co. H ; discli. Aug. 20, 1S05. Jlenry Marvin, Co. 51 ; (ii-cli. to re-eiil. us vpt. Jan. 10, 18C-I. Cliurlfs SLi^i'ninn, Co. A ; mnst. out .\iig. 2:1. ISO."). GooiKi' W. Sniilh, Co. M ; ili^ch. for ilisuliility, .Ian. 3, ISO:!. Linus B. Sinilh, vvasoncr, Co. .M ; ilidch. for ili.*jilii!ily, April 10, 18C4. Willinni Sljli'ii, Co. K; ilii-il of ilisrasc iit Cliinigo, 111., An;;. 12. 18C4. C.'cngi' W. Swain, Co. M ; ili.scli. to rc-enl. iw vi't. Jun. 10, 1804. Calvin II. Swain, Co. A ; innst. out Fub. 12, 1800. Mallnnv Wh te, Co. M ; llieil of disease at New Sladriil, Mo., March 8, 1802. Francis Wait, Co. M ; diacli. at end of service, Oct. 24, 1804. FOURTH CAVALllV. Tlio raising of this regiment was authorized in the early part of July, 1862, as a part of Michigan's quota of eleven thousand six hundred and eighty-six men to be furnished under the I'resident's call for troops to retrieve the disasters of the Seven Days' battles before Riclmiond. The rendez- vous of the 4th was cstabliah'jd at Diitroit, and the regi- ment, having its ranks filled to the maximum, was there mustered for three years' service, on the 21Uh of August. Its colonel was Robert G. 5Iinty, promoted from the lieu- .tenantcolonelcy of the 3d Cavalry. The surgeon of the regiment was Dr. George W. Fish, of Flint, and about eighty other residents of Genesee County were found in its ranks, distributed among nearly all its companies. The 4th left Detroit, Sept. 2G, 1862, and moved to the seat of war in Kentucky, by way of Louisville. Being fully armed, mounted, and equipped, it was placed in active .service without much delay. It was in the advance in the attack on the guenillas of John Morgan, at Slanloid, Ky., and joined in the pursuit of those raiders to Crab Orchard. In the attack on Lebanon, Ky., November 9tli, it also led the advance, charging into the town two miles ahead of the infantrv, driving out IMorgan with an equal or superior force, and capturing a large quantity of stores. On the 18th of December, by a forced march, the regiment surprised and captured the enemy's pickets at Franklin, Tenn., driving out a large rebel force with heavy lass. It led the advance on iMurfreesboro', and, after the capture of that place, was engaged in nuin^>rous expeditions, driving back the enemy's cavalry which infested the country, and cap- turing several hundred prisoners. In May, 1863, followed by detachments of other regi- ments, tiie 4th led a gallant charge into the camps of three Confederate regiments of cavalry, routed them, and took iil'ty-five prisoners and the colors of the 1st Alabam.i. When the Army of the Cumberland advanced south from Murfreesboro' in June, 1863, the 4th Cavalry was again in the lead, and repeatedly engaged with the enemy. In these fights and skirmishes it was always successful until it reached the vicinity of Chattanooga, where it was .several times rc- jiulscd. The .season's .service was so severe that on the 1st of November only about three hundred of the men re- mained mounted. After constant service through the winter — mounted and dismounted — among the niouutains of Southciustcrn Tennes- see, the regiment returned about the last of March, 1864, to Na.shvillc, where it received fresh hor.ses, and was newly equipped. It then returned to Sherman's army, which it accompanied in the Georgia campaign, constantly engaged in the same kind of arduous service before described. Its hardest CMifiict w.is on the 23th of June, at Latttinore's Mills, when, with the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalrj', it engaged three cavalry brigades of the enemy, twice charging with the sabre, and repelling several determined assaults on its own line. Having finally fallen back on its supports, it aided in repelling an attack by Gen. Wheeler's whole force, which was driven back with heavy loss. In this fight the regiment, which had about three hundred men present, lost thirty-seven in killed and wounded. Aftqr the capture of Atlanta the mounted men of the regiment followed Hood's army northward nearly to the Tennessee River, harassing his rear and taking many pris- oners. By this time only about one hundred of their horses remained fit for service. They were turned over to another command, and the 4th, dismounted, concentrated at Nashville in Oetober. It was remounted at Louisville, Ky. and by the last of January, 1865, was back on duty at Gravelly Spring, Ala. Leaving there March 12tli, it joined with other regi- ments in a long raid through Alabama, swimming rivers, building corduroy-roads, fighting the rebel cavalry general Forrest, and finally capturing the city of Selma, Ala., which was defended by at least seven thousand of Forrest's men, behind very strong fortifications. At one point fifteen hundred dismounted cavalry, of which the 4th formed a part, charged the intrcnchments and captured them in twenty minutes, having had three hundred and twenty-four men killed and wounded. This was on the 2d of April. On the 2Utli, after numerous adventures, the command reached Macon, Ga , where the news of the surrender of Lee was the signal to cease fighting. The 4th, however, gained still another title to renown, by the capture of Jefferson D.ivis, near Abbeville, G.i., April It), 1865. The regiment soon after miu'clied to N.isliville, wliei'c it was mustered out on the 1st of July, and nine d.iys later was disbanded at Detroit. The list of the battles and skirmishes of the 4lh llegiment num- bered ninety-lour. Few of tluni, it is true, were very severe, but their number sli.)\vs that the ivgimeut was full of energy and valor. OFFICKltS AND MKN OF THE FOURTH CAVALUY FROM (U'-NESEE COUNTY. Ceo. W. Fish, Flint, sin;;. ; enl. July 20, 1802 ; mist, ont Ang. V>, 1805. Jacob Budtelyon, All.l'. sergt. ; 2d lieut. Co. K, Feb. IS, 1801; 1st lieilt. Si-pt. 11, I.SOI; w.mndeil in action at ClevelanJ.Toun., Doc. 9, ISO! ; unit. Aug. 14, 1804 ; res. J.m. S, 1805. Goo. F. Fish, Flint, st-riCt. C). F; 2d lieut. Oo. L, Jnly 21, ISGl ; 1st lieut. Co. F, Dec. 10, 1S04 ; must, ont Aug. 1.5, ISO.i. An>el Adani^, Atlas, cun.-sergt.; nnnt. tult July 1, 1805. Ira F. Austin, Co I.; dieil of disease at Sew .Vlbany, lad., Nov. 17, 1SC2. Alliert .\ lani', F,.re. K ; must, ont Ang. 15, I8G5. Henry M. Urown, Forest, Co. H; must, out Aug. 15, 1805. Abel 11. Berry, Klnsliing. Cu. U ; must, ont Ang, 15, 180,5. Ilenj iniin F. linni|i, Claybm. Co. II ; inu«l. out Ang. 1.5, 1.S05. Henry K. II irnliart, Flushing, Co. M ; must, out Ang. 15, 1805. G. Ur,.wn, Flint, C.i. B; discli. lor dis ibility, Nov. II, 1801. Almol Birrow, Atl.is, Co K; ilis di. lor dis ibility, Sjpt. II, 1801. John W. Cilkins, Fl.ishing, Co. 11; died of disease at Cartersville, Ga, July 31, 1804. Fr.inklin .\. C'aritn, Flint, Co. B; must, out .\ng. 15, 1805. .Mori/.) Curtis, Fenton, Co. C ; disch. by or.ler, .\ug. 20, ISOo. Win. H. Conuver, Forest, Co. H; disch. by order, .Vug. 20, 1805. John I> ingbiss, Co. B; disch. by ord -r, June 27, 180.5. Orrin l>iinniiig. Atlas, Co. II ; inu.t. i>ul Aug. 15. 1865. Unfiis N. O.ivison, G.iines, Co. L; must, ont Aug. 15, 1SG5. Francis M. Kddy, Flint, Co. L ; iiiiist. out Aug. 15, 1805. Herbert O. F.irnirn, Flint, Co. \ ; must, out .\ug. 15, 18G5. Dennis Fally, Flushing, C,i. K ; must, out Ang. 15, 1805. Nathaniel Gallagher, Fenton, Co. B; nuist. ont .\iig. 15, 1£C5. J. Hues A. Giles, Fenton, Co. B; must, out Oct. 7, 1*05. FIFTH CAVALRV. 107 Gnranl A. Gfntl.in, Flint, Co. I ; must. out. Aug. la, 1865. Juhn I., (in'm, Klnslihlir, C.i. D; ilisch. Ip.v ord.r, .Icily 10, 18C.5. Triitiiiiu IIcii, ISO*. ,lo9'|>li lli-r^hvy, Flint, Co. li ; .lisrh. fir .li.*ih lily, Dec. 10, ISOt. Ilonivi'd. Ilazli'toii, riiiit, Co. F; ninsl.uni An^. I.^, IXU'i. Iamim 1!. Ilopkin:^, Flint, Oo. II ; nuMt. out An^. I.i, I80o. AVilliiini S. Ilerriclc, All*-*, Co. 11 ; lilnsl. out An^. 1*», 18G5. Silns J. Ilni-IKT, Flint, Co. M ; ninsl. ont Aug. l.», ISGi. l»i-i-:itiir Jiico.v, Atlim, Co. K ; must, ont .\iitf. I.'i, 180.1. Kli Jinnin^, Alius, Ci. K; iliscli. fonlisiiliility, .Vpt. 18, 1801. Sli-.-iMi.* LiiK', Atl.is, Co. K ; ili'ch. I.y .inU'V M.iy 'JT, Isii.'i. K I'viii l.nrv'-y, Fi-nton, Co. \ ; ilii-J of ilisiMSi' iit Niislivilli., 'rcnii. Niuholiis Muus in, Fon-ut, l.'o. L; ilii'il of disease nl Colninbia, Teiiti., July 21, ISM. Dnnjnniin .Mclllroy, Flusliins, Co. C; must, ont \-Vi. 15, 1805. Ilriiry .slurry, <:iiuu'.^, Oj.C; must, out Atti;. l.'i, 18li'i. Williiiin II. 11. Martin, Flusliing, Co, 1> ; ntiiiit. unt Ang. I.'i, 1803. Jji -.ill K. .Mifiu, Flushing, Cii. II ; must, out .-Vug. lo, 18()-j. Juhn Sl.-Illi-oy, Fliisliing, Co. K ; must, out An;.;, l.'i, 1805. John Bloni-li, Clnylon, Co. K ; innst. ont .\ug. 1.% 1805. Oi-orK" M. Milvs, Flint, Co. F; mn-t. ont Slay 2.'i, ISO,"), llurlan I'. Nik's, Unshni;;, i'o. K ; iliscli. hy onliT, Juno 2.^, 1805. Willon (thlfifl'l, Atlas, Co. K ; ilim-h. by onlcr, JuuhO, 1805. Charles W. Petleugill, Flushing, Vo. K ; ilieil ofilisease at Cliatlanoogn, Tcnn., Aug. 1,1804. Barrett I'iei-s-.ii, (leue-fee, Co. F ; must, ont .\uj;. 15, 18C5. George Kitili, Flint, Co. F; mu>t. ont Aug. l.'i, l.%.'i. llansler llausom, Flnshiiig, Co. K ; must, ont Aug. 1.5, 1805. Charles Slark, Fentoii, Co. B ; liinsI. ont Aug. 15, 1805. Fr.iucis St. .lohn, Flusliing, Co. K j jnnst. ont .\ng. 15, 18G5. Gngeuc 51. Seeley, Foi-esf, t^i. M ; must, out .\ug. 15, 1805. llarlun Si ke-s, Co. A ; tliscli. by or.lur, Aug. -21, 1805. R..'ubou C. Stern, Vienna, Co. K ; dieJ at U ime, G.i., after bo'ng captured. May 1.5, 1804. Henry Trickey, Flint, Co. F; ninst. out Aug. 1.5. 1805. George K. Vantine, Atlas, Co. K ; must, ont July 1, 1805. John B. Van Hinsteu, Clayton, Co. 51; (lied otdiseaseat Na-hville, Tenn., April 2il, 1804. R^iliert Van Titlln, K-.irton, Co. M ; disch.irged by oriler, Aug. 25, 1805. Levi S. Warren, Flint, Co. F; disoli.for promotion, Dec. II), 1804. Kdivaril A. Wliitinnn, Flint, Co. F; must, ont Aug. 15, 1805. Andrew J. W'apl. Flint, Co. F; must, ont Aug. 1.5, 1805. M'illiam C. Whitman, Flint, Co. F ; must, ont Aug. 1.5, 1805. Samuel Whitman. Grand Ul.iUC, Co. F ; must, ont .\ug. 15, 18G5. W.lliam Woo I, D.ivisoTl, Co. K ; mtl-it. out July 1, 1805. Juniej I). Ilaight, Flint, ('o. 11; must, out oii di^tHchod service. Cliai. I>. Summers, Flint, C i. F ; killed in bartle at Xoonday Creek, Ga., Juno 20, 1804. Bufiis A. Stacy, Flint, Co. F ; must, ont Aug. 1.5, 180.5. Charles A. Ward, Flint, Co. F; mu-t. out Aug. 15, 1805. Geo. B. Walker, Flint. Co. I; on detached sci-vice with S. C. Troops. David K. Cranston, Co. I; on detached service. Alvin Fox, Atlas, Co. K ; died of ibse ise at Mnrfreeslinro', Tcnn.. May 10, 1803. John Iticliard-i, -\tlas,Oo. K; Iran.-, to Invalid Corps, Sept. 1, 180:t. (Miarles .\. I'elty, Flushing, Co. K ; absent, sirk; nut must, ont with company. Seymour Lewis, Co. K ; must, ont Aug. 15, 1805. Mailin Wilcox, Co. M ; absent, sick ; not must, ont with company. Martin L. Harper, Flint, Co. M ; must, out Aug. 15, 1805, FIFTH CAVALRV. Tliis regiment of cavalry wa.s raised in the sumnior of 18G2, untlcr authority fniiii the War Department and the Governor of the State to Jo.seph T. CopehinJ, then lic'u- tenant-colonei of the Isl Cavahy. Tiiu rendezvous of the 5th was at Detroit, where it was mustered into tlie service of the United States, under Col. Copeland, on the 30th of August in tlie year nainud. About seventy men of Genesee County served in the ranks of its several companies, more of these being in " K" company than in any of the others. For about three months after mu.ster the yth remained at the hcadijuarters wailing for arms, and at the time of its departure — December 4lli — the men had been but par- tially armed, though fully e(|uippiHl. From Detroit the command moved to Washington, D. C., and remained there through the winter. In the spring of ISljii, after being fully armed, it was attached to tlic 2d Brigade of the 3d Division of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the I'otomac. As it is impracticable to furni.sh a detailed account of its almost iiiiiuiiieiMble inarches and cniistaiilly changing movcini^nls and eouiiter-niovemeiits duiiiig the campaign of 1S(!;>. we give in brief a list of the engagements with tlie enemy in which the regiment took ]iart during that eventful year, nani-jly, — Hanover, Va., June ;iOlh ; IIuii- terstown, Pa., July 2d; Gettysburg, July 3d ; Monterey, Mil., July -1th; Cavetowii, Md., July Sth ; Smithtown, Md., July (Ilh; iioon.-iboro', Md., July (itli ; Ilagoistown, 51d., July Ttli ; Williamsport, Md., July Till ; Buon.sboro' (2d), JulySth; Ilager.stown (2d), July lOtli ; Wiiliam.sport, July 10th ; Falling Waters, Va.. July Htli ; Snirker's Gap, Va., July I'Jtli; Kelly's Ford, Va., S.-ptcmber 13lh; Cul- peper Court-IIou.se, Va., September 14tli ; Raccoon Ford, Va., September lOlh ; White's Ford, Va., September 21st; Jack's Shop, Va., September 2t;th ; James City, Va., Oc- tober 12th; Brandy Station, Va., October IStli ; Buck- land's Mills, Va., October 19th ; Stevensbuig, Va., No- vember 19th; Slorton's Ford, Va., November 2Gtli. At the close of the active operations of 18G3 the 5th went into camp at Steveiisburg, Va., passing the winter there and along the line of the llaiiidan. About the 1st of March it took part in the raid of Gen. Kilpatrick to the defenses of Richmond, where it was attacked, March 2d, by the enemy in large force, and obliged to retire to New Kent Court-House, where it joined Gen. Butler. A detachment of the regiment had accompanied Cul. Dahlgren in the famous raid in wliich he lost his life. It advanced to within five miles of Richmond, and drove the enemy from his fir.st and second lines of defense, but was filially compelled to retretit behind the Chickatiiiniiny. At Old Church the body containing the detachment of the 5th was attacked, and compelled to cut its way to While House Landing, which was reached on the following day. On the 11th it embarked at Yorktown, moved by the York and Potomac Rivers to Alexandria, and thence to the camp at Steveiisburg. It was then transferred from the 3d to the 1st Cavalry Division at Culpcper Cuurt-llouse. The 5tli took active part in the memorable campaign of Gen. Grant in 1SU4. It crossed the Rapidaii May 5lh, and on the Gth and 7tli was hotly engaged with the enemy in the Wilderness. It was in Sheridan's great cavalry ex- pedition against the rebel coiiimuiiicatiiiiis, fighting at Bea- ver D.im Staliiin, JMay 9tli, at Yellow Tavern, May llUh and 11th, and at i^Ieadow Bridge on the 12lh. On the 14th it crossed the Chickahominy at Bultoni's Bridge, marched thence to Malvern Hill, and I'miu tlicic to Hano- ver Court-House, destroying laiiroad track and bridges. It crossed the Pamunkey River at White Hou-^c on the 22d, and, marching by waj' of Aylett's and Concord Church, rejoined the Army of the Potomac near Chester- field on the 25th. It was in the action at Hawes' Shop, Mtiy 2Sth, at Baltimore Cross-Roads on the 29th, and at Cold Harlmr and Old Church Tavern on the 3l)th. Again, on the raid along the line of the Virginia Central Railroad, it fought at Trcvillian Station, June 11th, where the enemy were driven several miles, leaving in the hands of the Union troops about six hundred prisonere, fifteen hundred horses, one stand of colors, six caissons, forty ambulances, and fifty 108 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ■wagons. On the 12th it was engaged a few miles nearer Louisa Court-House, on tlie Gortlonsville Ruad, and, pass- ing thence towards the James River, crossed tliat stream and marched to Jerusalem Plank-Road, south of Peters- burg. On the 4th of August it embarked for Washing- ton, and moved thence, through Maryland and across the Potomac, to Halltown and Berryville, Va. It fought at Winchester on the 11th and at Front Royal on the 16th of August. On the 1 9th a sfjuadron of the regiment was attacked by Mo.sby's guerrillas, and was driven to the 7nain body, with a loss of sixteen killed and mortally wounded. Among the subsequent engagements of the regiment during the Valley campaign of 18G1: wore Leetown and Shepardstown, August 25th ; Opequan Creek, August 28th; Smithfield, August 29th; Berry villc, September 3d; Summit, September 4th ; Opequan, September 19th (where it routed the enemy's cavalry, broke his infantry lines, and captured two battle-flags and four hundred prisoners) ; Mount Crawford, Va., October 2d ; Woodstock, October 9lh; Cedar Creek, October 19th (capturing a great num- ber of prisoners and driving the enemy in great confusion) ; and Newtown, November 12th, where it fought an entire brigade of the enemy. After the last named action the regiment returned to Camp Russell, near Winchester, where it remained until Feb. 27, 1865, when it moved southeast, as part of Sheri- dan's force, on the famous raid of that general to the James River. It was engaged in action at Louisa Court-House, March 18, 1865, and joining the Army of the Potomac before Petersburg, fought under Sheridan at Five Forks, Va., March 30th and 31st and April 1st. On the 2d of April it was engaged with the enemy on the Southside Railroad; on the 4th, at Duck Pond Mills; on the 6th, at Sailor's Creek ; and then took part in the closing events at Appomattox Court-House, from the 6th to the 9th of April, 1865. After the surrender of Lee the 5th moved with the Cavalry Corps to Petersburg, and was ordered thence shortly afterwards to North Carolina. It returned to Washington, D. C, in time to participate in the grand review of the veteran armies of Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan, in the latter part of May. Immediately after this it was moved West with the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, to St. Louis; thence by steamer on the Missouri River to Fort Leavenworth, Kan. There the men having two years or more to serve were transferred to the 1st and 7th Michi- gan Cavalry ; and then, on the 22d of June, the 5th was mustered out of service. The regiment reached Detroit on the 1st of July, where the men received their pay and dispersed. OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE FIFTH CAVALKY FaOJI GENESEE COUNTY. llcnry n. PcttGo, Flint, 1st lieut. Co. — ; onl. Aug. 14, 1802; (Hl-cI at Detroit, Mich., fri'in injurips received \>y fail from a tiorso. John B. B.>nleii, Linden, sei-gt. Co. G ; 'M lieut. April 14, ISGo; mu.st. out as sergt. Compnntj K. ,Tohn Biiell, died in action at Gettysburg, P.i., .July 3, 186 J. Stewart Curie, clisch. for disability, Nov. G, ISO:!. Nathan Davis, d sch. for disaliility, Nov. 2, ISO:!. George S. Decker (sergt.), gained from missing in action. Henry D. Howes (corp), disch. by orler, Sept. Ti, 180 1. Curtis H. Higley, missing in action at Bucklan I's M ils, Oct. 19, 1804. Noah W. Halcoinb, must, out June 23, 180.">. John B. Looker, must, out June 2:1, ISG."). Abram Lewis, disch. f.ir di-nbility, Sept. 28, 1804. Warren A. Marshall (corp.>. iliseh. for disability, Sept. 10, 1862. .T.iuig; Newberry, died of disease at Ande:s uivillc, G i., .Sept. l:i, 1804. Luther Rabble, must, out June 21, 180,1. Daniel I. Randall, disch. by order, .May 17, laG.>. Trum in D. SpauMing, disch. for disab:lity, Sept. 1, 1802. Oliver Stewart, disch. for ilisability, Oct. 20, 1S02. Oscar Shittuck, died in action at Boonsboro', Md., July 8, 1SG3. Leo Thayer, must, out June 23, 1805. George W. Thorp, must, out June 2:i, ISCi. William Wheeler (corp ), sergt. ; must, out Juno 23, 180.>. J.unes I!. W.irnor, il-cd of diso.ise at Anders mville, Ga, Oct. 18, 18G4, Alva Br.ice, tr.ins. to luv.ilid Corps, March 10, 1804. Adam D.dl, mis-iin,^ in action at Newc.istlo Feixy, Va., June 4, 1804. William S. P.iiltltor{>, sick in hospitil ; not must, out with company. John F. Patten, sick in hospital ; not must, out with company. William Wa'tier, trans, to Invalid Corps, May 5,1804, OTIIEK COMPANIES. Henry S. Beebe, Fenton, Co. G : diel of dis^.ase at Ricltmond, Va., Dec. 1863. D.ivid F. Biird, Fenton, Co. G; disch. for dis ability. June 2!, 1864. Aaron J. Crossnian, Flint, Co. A ; must, out .liine 22, I8G.3. As. A; disch. by order. May 3, 1805. GricH ]\Iatliewson, Flint, Co. C; must, out June 22, 1805, Pula.ski Pierce, Fenlon, Co. G; died of iliseaae at Richmond, Va,, Dec. 2.5, 1803. Harry N. Sh mnon, Linden, Co. M ; died of diso:ise at Wiushington, D. C, Fob. 2i, ISO!. Wm. E. Smith, Co. F; died of disease at Washington, D. C, Aug. 21, 1863. Charles H. Shepard, Fenton, Co. G; diseli. for disability, Nov. 21, 180!. WnvT D Sweet, Fenton, Co. G; disch. for disibility, Nov. 12, ISGL Win. P. Suo%v, Co. C; disch. for wounds. May 2i, 180.5. Pliineas I. Tucker, Co. A ; disch. by order, .Inne 0, 18G5. Ethan A.' Wrisht, Mount Morris. Co. G; disch. for disability, Oct. 5, 1863. James H. Webster, Flint, Co. C; must, out June 22, 1805. Myr.m F. Harris, Fenton, Co. G (corp.) ; must, out June 22, 1805. Amos B. Lobdell. Fenton, Co. G (bLicksniitli) ; must, out June 22, 1805. Wm E. Ale.vander, Genesee, Co. C (corp.) ; must, out June 29, ISGo. Lyvester D. Broford, Gaines. Richard Heriington, Forest. NewcU Miller, Grand Blanc. SIXTH CAVALRY. The Sixth Michig:in Cavalry, which was organized at Grand Rjpids in the autumn of 1862, carried on its rolls the names of between forty and fifty men from Genesee County. It was mustered into the United States service with twelve hundred men, under Col. George Gray, on the 13th of October in that year, and on the 10th of Decem- ber, following, left the rendezvous for Washington, D. C., mounted and equipped, but not armed. It remained in the vicinity of Washington through the winter, and on the opening of the campaign of 1863 joined the Cavaliy Corps of the Army of the Potomac, being assigned to the 2d Bri- gade of the 3d Division. During the campaign of that year it experienced much of active service in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, taking part in engagements and skirmishes as follows : Hanover, Va., June 30th ; Hun- THIRTEENTH MICHIGAN BATTERY. 109 tcrstown, Pa., July 2d ; Gettysburg, July 3d ; Monterey, Md., July 4th; Cavetown, JId., July 5tli ; Suiitlitowii, Booiisboro', Ilagerstown, and Willianisport, Md., July Gth ; Hagerstown and Willianisport, July 10th; Falling Waters, A''a. (where, according to official reports, it was highly dis- tinguished for gallant behavior), July 14th; Snicker's Gap, July 10th ; Kelly's Ford, September Kith ; Culpcper Court- Ilouse, Septeiubcr 14th ; Ilaccoon Ford, September 10th; White's Ford, September 21st; Jack's Shop, September 2Cth ; James City, October 12th; Brandy Station, Octo- ber i;Uh ; Buekland's Mills, October 10th; Stevcnsburg, November 10th; and Morton's Ford, November 2(jlh. From the latter date it remained in winter-quarters at Ste- vcnsburg until the 28th of February, 1804, when it joined the cavalry column of Kilpatriek, on his great raid to the vicinity of llichmond. lleturning from that expedition to camp at Stevensburg, it was transferred to the 1st Cavalry Division, and soon after moved camp to Culpopcr. It was engaged, and fought bravely, nearChancellorsville, Slay Gth, and skirmished on the 7th and 8th. On the morning of the 0th it moved with Gen. Sheridan's command on the raid to the rear of the Confederate army, holding the ad- vance. From this time until the close of the year its his- tory is one of almost continuous movement, which may be pummcd up by the enumeration of the Oghts and skirm- ishes in which it took part, as follows: Beaver Dam, Va., May 0th; Yellow Tavern, iM ay Ulth and 11th; Meadow Bridge, May 12th ; Hanover Court- House, Va., Slay 27th ; Hawes' Shop, May 28th ; Baltimore Cross Roads, May 20th; Cold Harbor, May 30th and June 1st; Trevillian Station, June 11th and 12th ; Cold Harbor, July 21st; Winches- ter, August 11th; Front Royal, Auirust IGth; Leetown, August 25th; Shopherdstown, Va., August 2Glh ; Smith- field, August 29th ; Berryville, September 3d ; Summit, Sep- tember 4th ; Ope(|uan, September 10th ; Luray, September 24th ; Port Republic, September 2Gth, 27th, and 28th ; Mount Crawford, Va., October 2d ; Woodstock, October 9th; Cedar Creek, October lOlh; JIadison Court-IIouse, December 24th. On the opening of the spring campaign it moved with the other cavalry forces of Sheridan, Feb. 27, 1S(>5, towards Gordonsvillc, and fought at Louisa Court-House, March 8th. Then the command moved by way of White House Landing to and across the James River, and joined the Army of the Potomac in time to take part in the final bat- tles of the war, being engaged at Five Forks, Va., March 30th, 31st, and April 1st; at Southside Railroad, April 2d ; Duck Pond Mills, April 4th ; Sailor's Creek, April 6th ; and Appomattox, April 0th. In one of these engage- lucnts the rebel general Pickett was captured, and he after- wards spoke of the charge of the Gth on that occasion as " the bravest charge he ever had seen." After Lee's surrender the regiment moved to Petersburg, thence to North Carolina, and then north to Washington, D. C., where it marched in the great review of May 23d. Imnu'diatcly after it was ordered West, and moved with the Jliehigan Cavalry Brigade, vlit Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Ohio, Mississijipi, and Jli.s.souri Rivers, to Fort Leavenworth. There it received orders to move over the Plains, westward, on duty in the Indian country. The officers and men were greatly di.sgusted at this, but they would not soil their noble record by disobedience, and so they moved unhesitatingly to the performance of the dis- agreeable duty, on which they remained till the ]7lh of Sep- tember, 18G5, when the men of the regiment whose term did not expire before Feb. 1, 1866, were consolidated with the 1st IMichigan Cavalry, and the remainder of the com- mand was ordered back to Fort Leavenworth, where it was mustered out of service, Nov. 24, 1805. Returning to Michigan, it arrived at Jackson, November 30th, and was there disbanded. MEMnERS OF THE SIXTH C.\V.\l,nY FltOM GENESEE COUNTY. George W. Bnrbour, Fenton, sergt. ; 2il lieiit. Cu. D; enl. Jiiiio 18, 181J4 ; must. out at end of nervice, Jutie '20, 1865. Jolin ToiTc')-, Flint, Ciipt. ; clil. Aug. 15, 1S02 ; resigned Feb. 18, 18C3, Tlionias It. ,\rnistrong, Co. G; dieil of disease at City Point, Va,, .Inly 11, 1804. George W. lliirbour, Fenton, Co. I), qr.ni.-aergt.; discli. by order, July 1, 1804. Etiwin Becltwilh, Co, I ; died of disease at Anderson \iiie, Ga,, May 31, 181U. E. E. Covert, Iliirton, Co, I'; died of disease at Andorsonvilie, Ga,, .Ian. 17, 1805. D.ivid Case, Tlietford, Co, I, farrier; disrli. May, 18C:i, Albert Casli, Flint, Co, L, coni,.sergt, ; must, ont Nov. 24, 18G5. Jonas P. Clarii, Linden, Co, I; must, out June 30, 18G5. D. Cli.ose, Co. I; .lisili. for disability. Maivli 1, 18C:i. Augustus Derby, Flint, Co, L; must, out Nov, 24, 18G.">. Garrett Pewstoe, Rnrton, Co. C; trans, to Signal Corps, April, 1804. lilankin \\. Davis, Co. C; trans, to 1st Midi. Cav., Nov. 17, 1804. Marion Eldridge, Flint, Co. C; died of wounds at Trevillian, Va,, June 11, 1804. Martin Foote, Co. C; died of wounds at Trevillian, Va., June 11, 1S04. Reuben P. Forbes, Fenton, Co. I ; trans, to Vet, Res, Corps, July 1, 1803. Augustus 11. Holmes, Fenton, Co. I; discli. by order, ,\ng. 17, 1805, Theodore Kress, Burton, Co, C; must, out July 27, 1805. James A, MeClint.iek. Mount Morris, Co. C ; must, out July 27, 1805. Win. Martin, Flint, Co. L; died of disease at Wa.sliington, D, C, Jan, 10,1803. Herman W. Merrill. Linden, Co. T; discli. for promotion, Feb, 24, 1804, Albert Moultlirop, Tlietftji-d, Co, I ; inisging in action at Woodstock, Va,, Oct. 9, 1804. llylen K. Ilorton, Co, I ; ninst, ont June 30, 1805. Edwin Niehols, Argentine, Co. D; died of disease at Kicbniond, Va,, Dec, 14, 1803, while prisoner. Levi Onier, Grand Blanc, Co. I; died of disease at Richmond, Va, Feb. 23,1804. Samuel J. Peek, Fenton, Co, C; died of disease at City Point, Va,, Aug, 1, 1804. James C. Parsons, Grand Blanc, Co. I ; must, out Nov, 24, 1805. Morlimer Jlapplege, Flint, Co. C, qr.m.-sergt. ; died at Hanover, Ya., May 28, 1804. H. II. Slippnrd, Linden, Co. I; discharged. John Snook, Argentine, Co. D ; must, ont Nov. 24, 1805. Willis Skinner, Argentine, Co. D ; must, ont July 10, 1805. John H. Sheldon, Miindy, Co. L; must, ont July 1, 1801), John Speean, Gaines, Co, L ; must, ont July 111, 1805. Cliznr H, Thatcher, Fenton, Co, I; died of disease at Andersonville, Ga,, July 18, 1804, while prisoner. William M. Voorhies, Co. I ; must, ont Aug, 8, 1805, Hiram .\. Wlialen, Fenton, Co. I, com.-sergl, ; died of disease at Andersonville, Ga., Aug. 20, 1804, while prisoner. John I>. Williams, Grand Blanc, Co. 1 ; missing in action at Trevillian Station, Va., Juno 11. 1804, CliarloJ 0, Stowc, Co. C; disch. for disability, Oct, 9, 1803, James C, Bingham, Genesee, Co. C; trans, to Co. D, Ist Mich, (^av,, Nov, 17, 1805. Geerge Beckwith, Burton, Co. C; died of wounds, July 10, 1804; prisoner wlien he died. Giles E. Fellows, Gene«oe, Co. C ; trans, to Co. D, Ist Mich. Cav., Nov. 17, 1805. Augustus A. Allen, Genesee, Co. C; trans, to Co. D, Ist Mich. Cav., Nov. 17, 1805. Thomas W'. Hill, Genesee, Co. C; must, ont July 1, 1805, George Telling, Argentine, Co, D; killed in batlle at Hoon^boro', Md , July 8, 180:|. THIRTEENTH MICHIGAN BATTERY. This battery was organized at Grand Rapids, and was mustered into the United States service one hundred and sixty strong, Jan. 20, 1804. Its rolls show tlmt about thirty men froin Genesee County served in its ranks. It left (iiiinil Rapids February 3d, and reached Washiiigltm on the 7th. It was engaged in drill in that city till May 14th, when it was ordered to Fort Slemincr, D. C, and ro- niained there and in other of the Washington defciists through the year, assisting in the defense of Fort Stevens 110 HISTORY OF GEXESEE COUx\TY, MICHIGAN. against tlio attack of the rebel general Early on the 11th and 12th of July, 18G4. It remained at Fort lleno (being attached to Harden's Division, 22d Army Corps) until Feb. 27, 1S()5, when it was mounted as cavalry and detailed for duty in Maryland, assisting tlie lotli New York Cavalry in sujipressiiig guerrillas, and otlier similar duty. Immedi- ately after the assassination of President Lincoln it was on duty with the 13th New York Cavalry in Maryland, pur- suing tlie fugitive conspirators, and assisting in capturing two of their number, — Arnold and Mudd. The battery was dismounted June IGth, and again ordered to garrison duty in Fort Keno, whore it remained till the I'Jlli, when it left for Jliehigan, and was mustered out of service and dis- banded at Jackso-j, July 1, 1865. MEMBERS OK THE TUIRTEENTII BATTERT FROM GENESEE COCNTr. Rahard C. WclheraW, Flint, 2d licut., oiil. Dec. 12, 1SG3; must, out Feb. M, ISCl. William Ceazar, Flint; died of disease at Washington, Marcli 17, 18G4. William ir. CInise, Flushing; must, out July 1, 1803. E/ra S. Clevflarul, fienesce ; must, out Jnly 1, 1SG5. Knilianifl Call, Flushing; must, out July 1, 1805. (Jevenly-fouith, Twinty-seventh, and Twenty-eighth Infantry First Light Artillery — Second, .Seventh, Eiglilh, Ninth, nnJ Tenth Cavalry — First Shnr|ishooters — Soldiers iu Regiments of Other States — Brigade liands — .\[>|>oiiitments from Genesee County. Besides the regiments which have been mentioned above there were several otiiers wliich contained soldiers from Genesee County. Of the men serving in those regiments a list is given in this chapter. FIRST INFANTRY. S. N. Androns, eiil. at Cold W.iter, Mich., April 18,1801, Co. C; served with ri'gt. at Bull Run, July 21, 1801 ; relinned and must, out at end of llireo m.iiith.s' term of service; afterwards served as Istlieiil. in 44tli Illinuis Inf. and in 5lh U. S Inf. Darius C. Bnidish, Flint, Co. E; 2d l:eut. Aug. 22, 1801 ; 1st lieut. Co. D, July U, ISG2; Capt. Co. F, Aug. 30, 1802; killed in aclion at Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1804. ThomasMarr, Flint, sergt. Co. B; 2d lieut. May 30, 180.5; must, out »s sergt. William O. Rongbton, Flint, Co. B; must, out Jnly 9, 1805. Sylvester D. Brayford, Flint. Co. D; disch. for disability, April IS, 1802. Alon/.o Bulbr, Flint, Co. B; died of disease at Old I'oint Comfort, Vil., Apiil 2i, 1S02. David Brown, t'o. B; must, out July 9, 1805. George W. Coinford, Flint, corp. Co. B, veter.in; must, out July 0, 1805. Henry C. Egglosloii, Flint, Co. B; died in action at Wilderness, Way 5, I8GI, Ilimm D. Jennings, Flint, Co. B; ilisch. f..r wounds, .\ug. 8, 1802. Thomas Lane, Flint, Co. B; died in action at Gaines' Mill, Va., June 27, 1802. Thomas Moran, Linden, Co. F; died in aclion at Bull Run, Va., Aug. 3U, 1802. Thomius Blarr, Flint, coip. Co. B, vetemn ; mint, out July '.1, 1SG5, I'atrick O'Brien, Co, A; trans, to U. S. .\rt. December, IS02, Porter Snow, Flint, Co, B; diseli. for disability. May S, 1802, William Stiinnard, niu.cli, for wounds. May 1, 1805, Henry Van Viitkenbnrg, Flint, Co, F; discli, for wounds at Fort Corcoran, A'a,, Jan, 311, 1803, George Van Wert, Flint, Co. B, veteran ; liiiist, out July 0, 1805, Zacli, Wisner, Fenton, Co, K ; trans, to Vet, Res. Corps, March 15, 1SG4. FIFTH INFANTRY, Phineas D. Belden, Co. D ; died in action at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1802, Michael Bolger, Co. C; ilisoh, to rc-enl, as veteran, Dec, 15, 18GJ. William Edwards, (3o. F; disch, for disab , Jan, 17, 186:1. Milo Foster, Flint, Co, C; must, out July 2", 1805, Charles D, Harper, Fenton, Co, F; died May 17, 1802, of wounds received at W'illiainst.urg, \a. Irwin Humphrey, Co O ; disch. for disah,, Dec, G, 1802, Minor L, Haminoinl, Co, G ; ilisch, to ro-enl, as veteran, Dec, 15, 1S03, ■Warren F. Harris, Fenton, Co, D ; died at Fredericksburg, Va., May, 1804, of woiimls, Gilinan F, Holmes, Co. F ; discli. for disab., Oct. 3, 1801, Ransom Ha/leton, Fenton, Co, F; discli, for disah , Feb. 11, 1803. Isaac Leech, Co. G ; died in action at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1802, Cbrisloi her G, Mitchell, Fenton, Co, F ; died of disease at Yorktown, Va., May 12, 18G2, Albert Middleworlli, Co, II; disch, at Detroit, Mich., Jnly 31, 1S02, SEVENTH INKANTRY. Joshua P, Sutton, Flint, capt, Co. H ; onl, June 10, 1801 ; res, Jan, 17, 1802, Alinon S. Matlicws, Flint, Ist lieut, Co, H; enl, June 21, 1861 ; res, Dec, 11, '01, Chas. \V. Hariis, Flint, 'id lieut. Co. H ; enl. June 24, 1861 ; pro. 1st lieilt., Jan, 1, 1802; wounded in action at Spottsylvania C.-II,, May 11, 1804; must, out Not, 4, 1804. John G. McMillen, Fenton, sergt. ; pro, to 1st sergt., Aug. 18, 18G4; must, out as sergt, Orin Beldin, Co. II; died of disease at Camp Benton, Md,, June 7, 18G1, Morris Birdsall, Co. F; discli, for d s ib., Dec, 12, 1802, Francis Brown, Co, F ; disch. at end of service, Aug, 22, 1804. Edwin Bradley, Co. II ; disch. for disab,, Dec, 7, 1803, James Brooks, Co. II ; discli. to re-eiil. as veteran. Doc, 18, 1803, Henry A, Borden, Co. A, veteran; must, out July 5, ISG5. Ransom Brown, Co, F; died of disease at Harrison's Landing, Aug. 0, 1802. Jonathan Chrysler, Co. E; died at Fairfax Seminary ho-pitti, Va., Oct, 7, 1802. James J, Carmer, Co, E; d^seli, to re-eiil, as veteran, Dec. 18, 1SG3. Albert H. Dickinson, Co. F; died of disease at Cimp Benton, Md., Nov. 20, '61. Francis Dubois, Co. .\ ; disch. to re-eiil. as veteran, Dec, 18, 1803, Mathew Daley, Co, A ; disch. for disab,, Aug. 22, 1802, Newell N. Farnham, Co. II ; died in action at .^ntictam, Md., Sept, 17, 1662. Ilimm W, Flint, Co, F, vetertin ; must, out July 5, 1805, Fi ank Flint, Co. II ; must, out July 5, 1805, Samuel W, Ilarback, sergt,, Co, F; disch. for disab., March 4, 180-3. Joseph Ilariiing, Co. F; died of wounds. Sept, 22, 1S62, Eliziir B, Holmes, Co, F; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec, 18, 18G3. Isaac B. Ilaniia, Co, F; disch, for disab., Jan. 1, 1803. Allan McLain, Co. F ; disch. at cud of service, Aug. 22, ISO I. Thoma-s M. Roliinson, musician, Co. F ; disch. to re-eiil. as veteran, Dec. IS, '63, Christian Sliler, Co, F; disch. at end of service, Aug, '28, 1804, Whitman D, Soiithwoitli, Co, F; disch, for disiili,, Sept. 28, 18G'2. John J. Thorp, Co. F; disch. to re-enl. in Gth U. S, Cav,, Oct, 1, 1802, Liinnin P, Vanwert, sergt., Co, F; died of disease at Camp Benton, Md., Nov. 20, 1801. William Vaness, Fenton, Co. F, veteran ; must, out July 5, 18G5. Frank Wheeler, Co. F ; disch, for disab., July 6, 1802, NINTH INFANTRY, Cyprian H, Millard, Liinlen, capt. Co, E ; res, Dec, 10, 1801, John D, Williams, .\rgentine, 2d lieut, Co, II; eul, Nov, 5, 1862; must, out Sept, 15, 1805, Stephen X. Mother, Richfield, sorgt. Co. I ; pro. to 1st lieut. May 10, 1S05; must, out as sergt. Albert Adams, Co. I, dii)l. IS, 1805. Ainlrrw J. .Joliiison, Co. F; disclj. to re-eiil. sia vi'tt^nin, Dec. 7, 18C:J. Bliirliii >I iliar, Co. G; must, out Si'pf. 1.5, ISGo. Piiliiski I'icrw, I.iiuloti, d. E; iliiili. for disa' ililj-, Feb. 27, 1802. Cliiitlcs rt-ttf!*, Co. H; liisclijirgfii. George V. Fi-ntoti, t-orli. Co. E ; inu>t. out Sept. 15, 1S(>'», Jothaiu Wbite, Liuilcu, Co. E; discli. to ru-i-til. as vetuniu, Dec. 10, ISGJ. ELEVENTH IXF.VNTUY. nirani S. Gi-iswoM, Flint, asit. surg. ; eul. 5I;iy 7, I SO I; must, out at end of ser- vice. Sept. :ill, 18C4. Wui. II. Nelson, Fonton, hosp. surg. U.S. A.; enl. asst. aiirg Aug. 1, 1805; nillst. out Sept. IG, 1805. ELEVKXTII I.NFAXTKY (N'KW). AVilliam Alexander, Genesee, Co. F; mn.it. out .\ii^. 1, I8. Edward N. Albn, Fenton, Corp. Co. II ; must, out Sept. 10, 180.5. Henry O. Clark, Fenton, Co. II ; must, out Sept. 10, l.SOo. Lawrence Crouan, Fenton, Co. K ; must, out Sept. 10, 180.5. Joel Dilible, Fenton, Ciu-p. Co. II ; must, out Sept. 10, 1805. John \V. Deilrick, Fenton, Corp. Co. II ; must, out Sept. 10, 1805. Leroy Ellis. Burton, Co. B ; must, out Sept. 10, 180.5. Albert E. Fund)-, .5Iuiuly, Co. II ; must, out Sept. 10, 1805. Orner E. Hall, Genesee, Co. II ; died of disease at Cbattanooga, Tenn., Juno i, 1805. diaries II. JelTfrs. Fenton, C >. II ; must, out Sept. 10, 1805. Slflviu K, Keilli, Genesee, Co. B; must- out Sept. 10. 1805. Uilliam Moody, Fenton, Corp. Co. II (sergl.) ; must, out Sept. 10, 1805. James McGinnigal, Fenton, Co. H; must, out Sept. 10, 1805. diaries E. Stevens, Genesee, Oo. H ; must, out Sept. 10, 1S05. Keuben S. Ferry, Fenton, sergt. Co. II ; died of disease iit Jackson, Midi., March 0, 1805. Henry T. Stevens, Flint, Corp. Co. II ; d.ed of disease, March 17, 1805. TWELFTU INFANTIiY. Eldriilgo Austin, Co. G; disch. for ilinbility, Sept. 15, 1802. H. J Andrews, Genesee, Co. K ; diseli, at end of service. Nuv. 20, 1803. Orvill llennett, Tlielford, Co. G ; discb. at end cli. at end of service, Nov. 20, 1803. TIIIKTEENTII INFANTRY. Kev. Henry H. Norlhrup, Flint, cliiiplain; cnl. March 21, 1S02; must, out Oct. 20, 1802. Silas Ausliii, Flint, velenvn (ser«l.); 2d lieni. Co. D, April 25,1805; 1st jieut. July 5, l.-^Oo : must, out as 2d lii'Ut., .Inly 25, 180.5. James D. llai;;lit. FiinI, Co. D ; discli. fur disibility, Aug. 0. 180-1. Delien Hill, Richfield, Co. V; missing in haltlo of Chiekamauga, Tenn., Sept. IV), 186:!. Augustus Tibals, Flint, Co. D; di^ch. for ilisability, July 18, 1803. George D. Toin-y, Flint, Co. A; died of disease on Ihe field of Shiluli, April 27, 1802. FOUItTEEXTII INFANTUY. Ist L^uut. and Adjt. George Vi'. C. Smith, Montrose ; enl. Slarcli 14, 1805 ; pro. to capt. July 7, 18(i5 ; must, out as adjt. ; was sergt. Co. A, 2d lieiit. Co. A ; pro. to 1st lieut. and adjt. Cfimjxnttf A . 1st Lieut. Aliram C. Speer, disch. for wounds, Oct. 25, 18C1 ; was sergt. of Co. A,-2d lieut. C). A. Eilwaril .\kin, Montrose, Co. A, veteran ; must, out July 18, 1805. Warren Ihill, Montrose, Co. A ; disch. to re-elil. as v.-tenin, Jan. 4. 1804. GiMirge F. flliner, Corp. Co. A ; died of disease at Keokuk, Iowa, Nov. 27, 1802. Orlando Itusebiook, Co. K ; must, out July 18, 1805. FIFTKEXTII INFANTRY. Waller Crow n, Co. I) ; diinl iif d.sease at rilubnrg I.anding, Tenn., Juno 4, 1802. Abiier Cooper, Linden, Co. D ; disch. at enil of service, Dec. 24, 180-1. Wm. H. (Jorey, Gaine-, Co. F; must, out .\ug. 13, 180.5. John |lel,iiii,<:aiil'-8, C„. I) ; niust. out Aug. 13, 1S0.5. Edward Kd^oii, tiaiues, (Jn. D ; dis b. by order, Jiiiiir 22, 1805. Jiimes K. Fairbanks, Linden, Co. D, s<^rgt. ; disch. for disability, Aug. 11, 1803. Wi-lliiigton G. Haider, Gaines, Co. E; disch. by order. May 3ii, 1805. Newton A. l.oid, Tbetfoid, Co. II; disch. by onler. May :)n, 180.5. Charles Mablev, Linden, Co. D; disch. fur disability, June 20, 1803. J..sep!i It. mington, Gaines, Co. F; must, out Aug. 13, 180^5. Orren Sage, Liinlen, (,'o. D ; died of disease. Juno 20, 1802. Jae.ib Shuler, C... I> ; nin«t. out Aug. 13, 1805. A-a White, Tlielford, Co. F; disch. by order, July 21, 1805. Jidin Siiii|isoii, Fenton, Co. F, veteniii ; must, out by order, Aug. 1:'., 1805. Ilicbard Carl, Linden, Co. D ; killed at Shiloli, Teno., April 0, 1802. SEVENTEENTH INFANTUY. Tliomns Mathews, Flint, 1st lieut. Co. F, Jniio 17,1802; cipt. Co. A, May 13, 1803; maj. Oct. 14, ISO! ; must, out June 3, 1805. Win. II. Urierly, Flint, Co. E ; must, out June 3, 1805. Austin Herrick, (Jenesee, Co. E; mu>t. out June 3, 1805. George I). Herrick, (ienesee, Co. E ; must, out June 3, 1805. Squire Mathews, Flint, Co. E; died of disease at Covington, Ky., April 17,1804. Jacob Sutton, Gaines, Co, B ; died of disease at Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 30, 1803. TWENTIETH INFANTRY. Andrew- Granger, Atlas, Co. D ; trans, to 2d Jlich. Inf. TWENTY FIRST INFANTRY. Clias. D. Brown, Flint, 1st lieut. and adjt. ; enl. Sept. 1, 1804; must, out June 8,1805. Joseph H. CanfiebJ, Argentine, Co. D; must, cut June 8, 1805. Win. H. Nelson, Fenton, Co. .\ ; iliscb. for proundiun, April 211, 1805. Hurton S. Speriy, Gi-and Blanc, Co. D ; must, out June 8, 1805. TWENTY-SECOND INFANTRY. Gilbert E. Watei-s, Fenton, asst.-surg., enl. June 18, 1803; not mu^tc-red. John Baxter, Fenton, Co. G ; trans, to 20tli Mich. Infantry. Richard Towell, Fenton, Co. B ; died of disease at Chattanooga, Tenn., July 20, ISM. William Wood, Muiidy, Co. IX ; must, out Juno 20, 1805. TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY. MoiitviUe Benjamin, Clayton, Co. H, one year : must, out June 3(1, 1805. Clarence I). Case, Tlielford, Co. E, "lie year; must, out June 3(1, 1SC,5. Henry H. Connor, Feu ton, Co. H, one year; must, out June 30, 18(>5. Edward Calkins, Clayton, Co. II, one year ; must, out June 3(1, 1805, Day C'liddelpjick, Flint, Co. I, one year; must, out June 30, 1805. John 51. Cliaj in, Flint, Co. I, one year ; must, out June iin, lFa5. William Deal, Fenton, Co. E, one year; must, out June 30, 1K05. John M. Davis, Fenton, Co. E, one year; must, out Juno 30, 1805. James Fancher, Flint, Co. I, one year; must, out June 3(1, 180;5. William II. Giles, Fenton, Co. E,one year; must, out Juno 30, 1805. William Gr.ihani, Flint, Co. I; must, out June 30, 1805. James A. (Juiibl, must, out June 28, 1805. Jubn Ilolingwoith, Flint, Co.I; must, out June 30, 1SC5. George S. Juhiison, must, out June 30. 1805. John .Iniies, must, out June .30, 1805. Lestci- 51cK night, Fenton, Co. A, one year; must, out June 30,1865. John MeGieinby, Flint, Co. I, one year; must, out June 30, 18(55, Amos II. Palmer, Flint, Co. I, one year; must, out June 30, 1805. Richard Rone, Vienna, ('u. I, one year; must, out June 30, 18155. J.imes Thomas, iliii-t. out June 3(1, 18(i.5. William Uttl.-y, Flint, Co. 1 ; must, out Juno 30, 1805. Henry Vanelta, Fenton, Co. ,\,one year; must, out Juno 30,1805, Willi. ini H. Wr ghI,Co. K ; died of disease at Camp Butler, 111., May 1, 1805. JaiiMS W. Whi! taker, must, ont June 30, 1805. William W, WoodfonI, must, out Juno 30,1805. Charles H. Kipp, Fenton, Co. A, one year; must, out June 30, 1805. Eiiiuiet D. Ileriiian, Flint, Co. A, one year; must. out June 30, 1805. TWENTY-.SEVENTII INFANTRY. Tsrarl r. Whilmer, Atlas, Capt. Co. K, Nov. 20, 1801; must, out July 20,1805. Levi .S. Warren, Flint, private 4th Mich. Cuv. ; pro. to 2d lieut. Co. A, April 21, 1804 ; discli. Fell. 28, I8C5. Charles Albro, Flint, Co. (1 ; died at Washington, D.C., Aug. 14, 1804, of wounds. D.ivid Bal'Cock, Grand Illanc, Co. E; died of disease at Camp Nelson, Ky., Feb. 7. lsi;4. Horace ISeckwitli, Mount Morii.s, Co. G ; must, out July 21,1805. Dwight IJaticock, Burton, Co. G; must, ont July 20, 1805. Liitber J. Briggs. (ir.ind Blanc, Co. K ; most, out July 20, 1805. James Cisco, Co. G; niilst. ont July 21, 1805. Peter Carpenter, Co. F ; discharged at end of service, Oct. 18, 180.5. Henry Dormaii, Grand Blauc,Co.F; must, out July 20, 1805. Epbraim Ensign, Montrose, Ci. G ; died of diseiuso at S-ilisbury, N. C, May 22, 18(U. .bdin Luf/., Flint, Co. II ; must, out July 20,180.5. J.dm Oakley, Flint, (V. G ; must, out July 20, I81W. Frank Smith, Atlas, Co. C; d sch. f..r di-aldlity, Feb. 1805. Ilariiion .-iclinider. Grand Blanc, Co. I ; must, out July 7, 1805. Jonallian Wistbrook, Vienna. Co. C; ilied June 28, 1804, from woniids received in battle June 20, 1801, 1'lteisliuig, Va. Albert E. McClellnn, Muuily,Co A; absent, sick; not must, out with company. TWENTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY. Joshua Hillings, Jr., Tlielford, Co. D; disch at eiel of service, Oct. 14,1805. William L. Deneen, Itirhliebl, Co. F ; must, out June ;5, 1^05. Rieliaid Dewey, Bircli Run, Co. I ; must, ont June 5, 1806. Miiili-on Fislier, Muiidy, Co. F; must, ont Aug. ;i, IS0.5. Joseph Fox, Birch Run, Co. I ; disch. at end of service, Marcli I, 1805. Siiniie R Haines, Genesee, Co. F ; must, out May 15, 1800. John E. Jewell, Thctford, Co. I); disch. at end of service, Oct. C, 1805. 112 HISTORY OF UENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Orlando Levalley, Tlietford, Co. F; disch. at end of service, Oct. IS, 18C5. An-licrst M. Matliews, RiilifielJ, Co. D; must, out Aug. 9. 180.5. Jolin O'Uinirn, IticliliilJ, C.i. D; Jiach. at end of service, Oct. 17, 1805. Itut'us .1. Peimoyer, Co. II; discli. for disaMIity, June .">, ISGG. Kdwanl M. Sirinot, Geriuaec, Co. E; must, out June o, ISGO. Horace Stephens, G^inesee, Co. K ; must, out June 5, 1800. Uriah N. .short, ThetfonI, Co. I; njust. out Oct. 180.J. Alirani Van IJusIvirk, Uichfieltl, Co. D; discli. at end of service, Oct. 17, 1805. Caleb White, ^■ore^t, Co. D; must, out June 5, 1800. Cliarles Walnler, Flint, Co. II; trans, from 2:id Inf. Itufus J. Brown, Clayton, Co. H, sovgt. ; trans, from 23d Inf.; must, out June 5, 1800. FIRST MICHIGAN LIGHT ARTILLEBY. Edwin Allen, liat. H ; discli. for di«il.ility, July 21, 1802. Edward W. li.irlrer, Flint, Bat. B ; died of disease at Cairo, III., March 25, 1802. Moses Brooks, But. F; disch. for disal-ility, Nov. 18, 1862. Silh Bowilisli, Atlas, liat. I ; disih. f.]r dis;iWlity, Feh. 4, 180,'). Kdinund IJi-cbe, Genesee, Bat. E ; veteran ; disch. at end of service, Jan. 21, '05. Anson A. Bigelow, Genesee, Bat. E; vetiM'an ; must, out Aug. 30, 1805. Soliieski Beamer, Bat. B; must, out Juno 14, 1805. Zala Beehe, Mundy, Bat. E; must, out Aug. 30, 18G5. Franklin A. Barber, Fenlon, Bat, I.; must, out Aug. 22, 1805. Van Kensselaer Birdsal], Davison, Bat. L; must, out Aug. 22, 1.S65. Azariah Comptoii, Flint, Baf. B; veteran ; must, out June 14, 1805. Alviu F. Crosby, Davison, Bat. I ; discli. by order. May 26, 1865. Nelson F. Demarest, But. F; vetenin ; must, out July 1, 1805. William Darling, Fenton, Biit. II ; discli. to re-enl. as vet. Jan. I, 1864. Levi Faii'cliild, Grand Blanc, Bat. I ; died of disease at Rome, Ga., July 14, '04. Barnabas C. Greenfi.hl, Mundy, Bat. I>; trans, to Vet. Res. Corp.^, Oct. IS, '64. Walter I'. Hyde, Atlas, Bat. I ; disch. for disability, April 2, 1803. Aitliur Ilenipslead, Genesee, Bat. E; must, out .\ug. 30, 1805. Albert Hathaway, I'at. E; must, out Aug. 311, 1865. Norman Ilerick, Mundy, Bat. M ; d sch. by order, Miiy 9, 1805. Joel h. Jones, Fenton, Bat. L; disch. for disability, May 12, 1805. Charles Jewett, Bat. E; trans, to Vet. Res. Corps, Oct. 18, 1864. William II. Judd. Bat. H ; must, out July 22, 180,'i. Klijih II. Limli, Grand Blanc, lUt. K; disch. by ord.r, Aug. 0, 1S65. Henry W. Jlar.-h, Bat. A ; must, out July 28, 1805. David I'arker, Bat. A ; disch. at end of service, M.ay 31, 1804. Coorgo W. PicMotr, Fenton, B.it. 1. ; must, out Aug. 22, 1805. Charles II. Root, Mundy, Bat. E; must, out July 28, IS05. Abraham Rouse, Munily, U.it. K; must, out May 20, 1805. Harvey E. Rock.ifdlow, Atlas, Bat. I ; must, out July 14, 1805. John Sinnnis, Atla-^, Bat. .\ ; dieil of dis-ase at Chattanooga, Tenn., Juno 17, 1804. John A. Spencer, Atlas, Bat. A ; died of disease at Grayville, La., Ajnil 14, '64. Vocius D. Starr, Bat. A ; disch. at end of service. May 31, 1801. Simeon Simons, Atlas, Bat. A ; must, out July 28, 1805. Fnincis W. .st5, FraiiUliii McCallani, Fenton, Co, L; niiisl, out Nov, II, 1805. Guoige Marian. Fenlon, Co, L; must, out Nov. 22, 1805. Burt. .11 Perry, Fenton, Co. L: must, out Nov, 27, I8li."», Allen A, P..rter, Fenton, Co, L; ninst. out Nov, 11, 18G5. Joseph II. Kowc, Fenton, Co, L; must, out Nov. 11, 1805. James Sitenee, Argentine, Co, M ; disch, by order, Aug. 3. 1865, Washington Todd, Genesee, Co, D ; disch, lor disability, June G, 1804, James \. Ta.>lor, Fenton, unal-.-uias, sergt, Co. L; must, out Nov, II, 1805, AGRICULTUIIE. 113 Benjamin B. Wclcli» Frnlon, Co. L ; died of disease nt Grand Kaptd:3, Mich., Xuv. G, isg;j. John II. Groom, Kenton, Co. L; disch. for disaljlity, Oct. 17, 1SG4. Murn« L. Grootn, 1-Vntoti, Co. L ; must, out Nov. 11, IIJCo. Cliaa. W. Thori), Fenron, Co. L; must, out Nov. 11, 1S05. rnuYOST GUARD. Gvorge Ostoihonl, Burton ; must, out Slny 0, 1865. riUST REGIJIKNT UNITKD SiWTES SIIAKPSIIOOTKRS. Vompiiny K. AVillinni .\tht'rlon, iin record. Ci C. M;ircns A. Watson, tnuisf. to Invalid Coriw, Jan. 1-5, 1804. James U. lhll>r|.l-e, disch. for ditjahility, FeU 0, 180 t, ONK IIINOKKIJ AND SECOND UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS. Lewis Beih-r, Atlas (*«■ K ; di-nt Sept. :J0, 1805. Jusei>lins Johnson, F^nton, Co. G ; must, out Sept. 30, ISGd. Richard Williiinis, Flint, Co. I ; must, out Si-pt. Ji), 1805. FORTY-SECOND REGIMENT ILLINOIS INFANTRY. t'lmtpanif G, David \Y. Beemor, Fenton ; enl. Aug. 22, 1801 ; died of wound:-, Jan. 24, 180 J. FdRTY-FOl'KTIl ILLINOIS INFANTRY. S. N. .\ndmus now of Flint, 2d lieut. Co. B ; enl. Aug. 12, 18G1 {Liout. Androus tiad been priticipally insirutnent^il in nising the company) ; jiro. to Int iient. for galliini and nu-ritorious conduct at luitlle of Pea Ridge, Mo. ; l-attalion adjutant at P;iik Harnicks, Louisville, Ky., for ahont one year; tnins. to 5tli I*. S. Inf., and served ais mustering othcer for Rhude Inland and Connecticut ; must, out of service Slay 1, 1800. EIGHTH REGIMENT NEW YORK CAVALRY. Frank E. Willett, Flint; cnl.Si-jiI. 21, 1801 ; wounded in action and taken pris- oner, near Weldmi Bridge, Va ,on Wilson's raid around Richmond, June 2S», 1804 ; confined ten months in Andcrennvilleand other prisons ; paroled April i-i, 1805; must, out June 10, 1805. SEVENTEENTH NEW YORK LIGHT ARTILLERY. Andrew Fi-rris, Forest ; enl. September, 1S0:{; served through openit tons against I'etershurg, at Burksvilie, Va., and at AppomatlfiX; discli. June, 1805. FIRST MAINE CAVALRY. Clarence D. Clni'T, now of Flint, formerly of Rockland, Me.; 1st lient., and ordered on duty as a*»t. iir.-mast. ad Brig. 2d Div. C.iv. Corps; served during the waion staff of Gen. Chirles II. Smith, now col. lOth U. S. Inf. BRIGADE BAND, SECOND BRIGADE, FOURTH DIVISION, TWENTY- THIRD ARMY CORPS. Enlisted Sept. 3, 1804,/or one year; mitst red out June 15, 1SG5. Conrad A. Ilofifmau, leader, Fenton;* Cyrus Alsdorf, Jeffeison Powell, James t^hiiltleworlh, Rollin A. Jenny, Willi. im (iaie, Wilhani Graliam, Edwin G. Niles, Mertun S. Stewart, David C. Brigg-*, Stephen V. Gales, James A. llnng(^>ifurd, Charles L.Sh'ddon, Fiancis M. Wliceler, Morlimer M. Stan- ford, Alva U. Wood, Adiiey V. Forbi-s. BRIGADE BAND, SECOND BRIGADP; THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORl'S. John J. Vandcrhuigh, Fenton ; enl. Apiil 13, 1804; must, out Aug. 2, 1805. Klliurt N. Chandh-r, Fenton; ml. April 13, 1804; mnnt. gut April 2'J, 1805. Cliarlea C. Colratb, Fenton ; enl. Apr.l 13, l804 ; must, out July 28, 1805, APPOINTMENTS FROM GENESEE COUNTY. Oscar Adams, Flint, majoraud paymaster U.S. Vols. ; enl. Jlarch 18,1804; must. out Nov. 15, 1805. Andrew B. Cliapin, Flint, asf-t. surg. of U.S. Vols.; enl. Sept. 12, 1802; res. Aug. 20,1804. Oilman T. llolmcsj, (Jaincs, 1st lieut., 1st Miih. Col'd Inf., Hr2d U. S. C. T.; enl. Nuv. 7, 18ti.3 ; I egt. ii.-m., May 0, 1805; res. June 30, 1805. Almon C. Barnard, Genesee Co., 1st lieut., 12il. U. S. Col'd ILa^-y .Artillery ; unl. July 15, 1804. CHAPTER XVIII. AGRICULTURE— MANUFACTURES-POPULATION. Kiirly Agriculture in Genesee — Sliecp-Iireedin^ — (jcnet Wagon-, carriage-, an J slcigh-factorics ."i Capital imcstcil $:i0,:)0U ^■aluc of product .*0'.l,.^00 Hands cm piny od ;i4 Furniture- and cliair-factorict, 2 Capital invested $7,500 Value of product $7,000 lland.s employed Stave-, lieailing-, and lioop-factorics C Caj.ital invested $10,0(1(1 Value of ]iroduct $71', 100 Hands employed 77 Barrel-, keg, |iail-, and tub-factories l Capital invested $10,1(10 A'alue of jiroduct $2J,:UI0 Hands employed 10 Tanneries 1 Cajdlal invested $5,000 Value ofi.roduct $5,1100 Hands emi)loyed , 2 Boot- and shoc-faeturies 2 Capital invested $1,100 Value of product $4,:«I0 Pot- and pcarl-aslicries 1 Capital invested $1,000 Value of product $1,500 Hands employed 2 Puuip-faetory 1 Capital invested $S,('.()() Value of product $5,250 Hands employed 5 Breweries G Capital invested $n2,000 \'alue of product $20,050 Hantls employed 10 The building of suiall vessels has been carried on to some extent in recent years on the Flint River in the township of IMontrose ; a schooner of ninety tons bcinq launched there in March, 1875, and a steam-tug and some other craft having been built there previously. An account of them will be found in the history of that township. POPULATION OF THE COUNTY AT DIFFERKNT PEIUODS. It is stated, on what is believed to be the best authority, that on the first of January, 1830, the entire population of what was afterwards formed into Genesee County was not more than eighty persons of all ages. At the comniencc- inent of 1831 it had increased to about one hundred and fifty, and a year later reached about three hundred. After that time the increase became more ra]iid, and the popula- tion of the county at different periods, from 1837 to 1S74, is shown by the several censuses to have been as follows : 1S:',7 2,754 1S40 4,208 1S45 9,2G6 I.SoO 12,0.11 1S54 15,629 isno 22,498 1804 22,047 KS70 .•i:f,8»5 1874 34,568 -ife'*«^»*-e- FLINT CITY. The city of Flint, the .seat of justice of Genesee County, may, from it.s tliriving industries, substantial busi- ne.s.s structures, its many elegant private residences, and e.'J- ccllent local government, be regarded as one of the most important and growing municii)alities in the State of Jlich- igan. It occupies a central position in a county attractive and rich in agricultural resources. Its corporate limits extend into the Congressional townships of Flint and Burton, em- bracing a large portion of the territory known as Smith's Reservation, granted in the treaty of Saginaw, Sept. 24, 1819, all the ground covered by Francis Campau's patent, dated June 12, 182.5, and the lands purchased from the general government by llufus W. Stevens, March 10, 1829, Levi Gilkey, May 11, 1831, Dr. Olmsted Chamberlain and AVhitmore, Sept. 10, 1832, and James W. Cronk, Sept. 2, 1835. Portions of its site — although tlie surface is diversified, affording beai.t:ful locations for private residences and abundant opportunities for lawn and landscape gardening — rest in natural basins, wherein the surplus flow of the Tiiread River, Swartz and Gilkey Creeks find their way to the Flint and noi.sily commingle their waters with tho.se of the latter stream. The Flint, which meanders in a very picturesque man- ner through the city, in a general course from northeast to soutliwcst, forms natural ward bciuiidarics, .supplies excel- lent motive-power for propelling the machinery of numer- ous mills, furnishes part of the city water-suppl}', and is also the dividing-line between those portions once known as the villages of Flint River and Grand Traverse. OKIGIN OF ITS N.\ME AND LOCATION. Flint, like many other towns and cities throughout our country, seems to owe its location to an accident, and ils name to an unaccountable caprice. The Chippewas, who have sent so many Jliehigan towns soaring into endless notoriety, called the region now occupied by the city Mu.s- cu-ta-wa-ningh, or "open plain, burned over," and the stream which flows through it I'e-won-nuk-ening, or "the river of the flint," though just why they should have done so is unexplainable. The surface hereabouts was cov- ered with heavy forests, and the river, though having a rocky bed, has nothing suggestive of flint about it. The broad Indian trail from Detroit to Saginaw, along which for many years the northern tribes came down in large numbers to barter their furs for supplies and to re- ceive their annuities from the English and United States governments, crossed the river at this point, and to this circunistanee, as will be shown, does the city owe its site. The French traders called llie crossing the Grand Traverse, and it was a favorite resting-place and camjiing-ground for them and neighboring Indian tribes, as game and fish were abundant. 120 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICFIIGAN. During the years from 182G to 1835 the government was engaged in constructing a road from Detroit, through Pontiac, to Saginaw, and the same was completed to the Grand Traverse in 1834. This road was surveyed 100 feet wide, the timber cleared away, the ground turnpiived, streams bridged, and a very passable wagon-road made, which is still the principal highway in the country through which it was laid. It followed very nearly the Indian trail. A bridge was constructed across the Flint at the Grand Traverse, and this event gave the locality an added import- ance which, otherwise, it would never have obtained. Had this bridge been located either up or down the stream, it undoubtedly would have carried the whole settlement and the future city with it. The early settlers then ended the struggle, dropped the terms of Grand Traverse and Todd's Ferry, and adopted that of the " Flint River Settlement"' or village of Flint. After the admission of the Territory as a State all further work on the Saginaw road was sus- pended by the government, which had then surveyed it twelve miles and turnpikcd it five miles north of the city. Saginaw Street, which is the principal avenue of the city of the present day, is simply this old turnpike graded down and disguised in a dress of modern Nicholson pavement. THE PIONEERS AND FIRST SETTLEMENTS. The earliest white inhabitant of an unsettled country must, by the nature of his surroundings, be the subject of mucli historical interest. This interest was greatly inten- sified in the present instance from the strongly-marked character of the individual not only, but from the un- bouniled influence he wielded over the Indian tribes that surrounded him and the subsequent litigations which his relations with them involved. Jacob Smith, a resident of Detroit, had been a trader with the Indians since the war of 1812, spending many months of the year among those with whom he had busi- ness dealings, to a great extent adopting their dress, habits, and language, yet still retaining his residence at the capital. After the treaty of 1819 * he made the Grand Traverse of the Flint his permanent trading-post. By assimilating him.self to his aboriginal friends, and by his habits of fair dealing, he had inspired their confidence, while his sound judgment and sagacity were their unfailing resource in time of need. This bond of union between the chiefs of the neighboring tribes and Mr. Smith was more strongly ce- mented by time, until his relations to them were those of a brother, and to a very late day remnants of these once- powerful tribes were accustomed to cherish bis memory with the most sincere affection. The Indian-trail leading from Detroit to Saginaw then crossed the Flint River just above the present Saginaw Street Bridge, and the fording-place had long been known to the early French traders as the "Grand Traverse," or great crossing. The conditions were most favorable for his purpose, and hero, on the site of the First Baptist church edifice, Jacob Smith erected a log trading-post in 1810, and made it his permanent residence until the date of his death, which ■*■ See general h'lFtory. occurred in the spring of 1825. This, without a doubt, was the pioneer structure, — the first building erected for a white man's occupancy in the county of Genesee. Jacob Smith was a descendant of a German family, and was born in the city of Quebec. From early boyhood he had mingled with and been intimately associated with those of the English, French, and Indian races, and very natu- rally he grew up able to speak either language fluently, lie inclined more to the French and Indian, however, and in later years, while pursuing his vocation as an Indian trader in the wilderness, was accompanied usually by a few French and Indian half-breeds, who acted in the capacity of servants or followers. After taking possession of the reservation granted him by the treaty of Saginaw, and building the trading-post just mentioned, his half-breed friends, Frangois Pjdouard Campau, or Nowokeshik, George Lyons, and perhaps others, remained with him, and erected fur themselves habitations on either side of the Grand Travcrscj" A large tract of land was cleared by their united exertions, and prior to the death of Jacob Smith quite an extensive plantation was already under cultivation. Campau's olyect in .settling here was twofold, — first to be near his friend Smith ; and .secondly, to have his actual possession of the reservation a.?sist him in getting a patent of it from the government. His plans were perfected June 12, 1825, when the general government issued to Francis Campau J a patent for a section of land situated on the south side of the river. During the spring of 1830, Benajah Tupper, his brother- in-law, Archibald Green, and a cousin of Tuppcr's, named Preston, came on from Rush, Monroe Co., N. Y., and occu- pied the deserted cabin built by Jacob Smith. It was Mr. Green's purpose to purchase land and become a permanent resident of the Territory. But soon after his arrival his wife, who accompanied biiu, was taken violently ill ; a phy- sician, Dr. Olmsted Chamberlain, was summoned from Pon- tiac, but before he reached her bedside, Mrs. Esther Green had departed this life, within the same rude walls which witnessed the demise of Jacob Smith, five years previously. Mr. Winehell, of Grand Blane, prepared the coffin which enclosed the remains ol' Mrs. Green, and it is described as having been made of green boards, which, for the lack of tniits or screws, were dove-tailed together. After this sad occurrence Jlr. Green returned to New York. Tupper and Preston remained a year or two later, engaged in hunting and the sale of whisky, tobacco, etc., to the Indians. Finally a violent f|uarrel took place between Preston and the Indians, which resulted in the sudden departure of both Preston and Tupper for the East, their dusky foes having made existence altogether too uncomfortable for them at the crossing. Early in 1830, John Todd, from Pontiac, Oakland Co., during a prospecting tour visited the Grand Traver.se of the Flint, which, until that time, had been termed by the early settlers of Grand Blanc the French settlement. Being very favorably impressed with the locality, he jmr- t See Jaoob Stevens' letter, dated at Granblaw, July, lS2d, where he speaks uf some Frcn.:h families living seven miles to the north- west of him. J Meaning Fran^rjis Etlo-aard Campau. FLINT CITY. 121 chased from Caiiipau the entire section* for $800. He immediately returned to Pontiac, and a few days later, ac- companied by his wife Polly, and children Edward and JOHN TODD. Mary, began a journey which required three days to accom- plish. Ill the emigrant train wore one ox and two horse teams, cows, young cattle, hogs, chickens, various household goods, and farming implements. Thus did Mr. and Mrs. Todd, with their family, become the first permanent resi- dents on the site of the present city of Flint. Mr. Todd had purchased from Campau what was presumed to be a comfortable habitation, but certain neighbors had disman- tled the cabin of its few comforts, and he with much diffi- culty made the shanty habitable for the night. The original saw-mill on the Thread River was then in course of con- struction by Rufus W. Stevens, and the missing planks and other appointments of the Campau cabin had been carried thither to assist in raising and staying the frame- work of the mill structure. The planks were soon restored to their original place, and with the labor of the men and the skill and taste of the house- wife, known then and for years after as " Aunt Polly Todd," * Mr. Todd's deed was dated April 1, 1830, and he removed to Flint Kivtr from Pontiac on the I'Jth of the same month. The land purchased of Campau waa survuyed in advance, and 7So acres were found. He says that Bcnnjali Tupper ami another man were on the north side of the river, trading with the Indian:', when he came. Nathaniel Ladd was his first neighbor on the south side; K^ekiel R. Kwing squalled on the north side in 1831, and in 1832, James McCormick (the elder) bouglil out Ewing. Mr. Todd settled in Pontiae in 1819. His reminiscences of hardships and ])rivations at that early period are vivid, when for days, and sometimes for weeks, llicir diet consisted principally of heans and wild game. A few urlicles were occasionally procured at Detroit, — when n little money, or furs, were in hand to e.\changc for the same,— at the price of a long and laborious journey on foot. 16 order was brought out of chaos, and the apartment, six- teen by eighteen feet in dimensions, afforded a comfortable abiding-place for its inmates. At the saw-mill on the Thread, Mr. Todd had the lumber prepared, which afforded him the opportunity for enlarging his limited quarters, and opening in the following year the famous holstelry known as " Todd's Tavern," the hospitality and abundance of which established for its host and hostess a wide reputa- tion. It was located on the site of the present Wolverine Citizen office, and until within a few years formed a wing of that building. It was later removed, and ultimately de- stroyed by fire. The landlord was able to gratify the taste of the most fastidious epicure in the variety of his menu, game of all kinds being abundant. The vegetables for the table were easily cultivated, while venison, wild turkeys, and fish, as well as maple-sugar, were supplied by the Indians, " fire-water" being regarded as a legal tender in payment for all their wares. A pint of whisky (and this, as a mat- ter of precaution, diluted) would purchase a saddle of veni- son, and a turkey weighing twenty-five pounds could be had for double the quantity. Upon the establishment of the land-office at the Grand Traverse, " Todd's Tavern" became so popular a rendez- vous that its capacity was unequal to the demands upon it. Crowds of land-seekers pressed their claims for food and shelter, and many were content to wait for hours their turn at the often-replenished table. All the land purchased was paid for in coin, and the buyers were liberally provided with specie, which was gen- erally carried in boxes or bags. At night these packages were piled up against the wall, while their owners, total strangers to each other, slept promiscuously upon the floor, yet no theft of coin was ever chronicled. The govermuent afterwards employed a four-horse wagon to carry away the accumulation of silver. This period of the settlement of the country may not only be regarded as the most ex- citing and interesting in its history, but the era from which dates its rapid growth and prosperity. Mr. A. F. Ilayden, having an ambition to become a landlord, rented the tavern, but in 1835 Mr. Todd resumed its management. This pio- neer host, upon whose head the accumulated frosts of eighty-five winters have gathered, relates many interesting reminiscences of that early day. His skill in dealing with the Indians, especially when frequent draughts of whisky had made them intractable, was proverbial, and Mrs. Todd was no less happy in this regard. On one occasion Touedogane, one of the chiefs, while under the influence of liquor, presented himself and de- manded whisky. Mrs. Todd refused it, when the chief drew a knife upon her. She determined to have a hand in the fray, and, seizing a stool, was about belaboring him when her husband entered and took the knife from the Indian. Later he offered to return it, but the chief appeared em- barrassed at a recollection of the incident, and refused to accept it. On another occasion an Indian came to trade, and having completed his bargain indicated a desire to tarry and drink the whisky he had purchased. The host fearing trouble if he remained ordered him out, when he replied that " he would go when he got ready." Mr. Todd turned upon 122 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. him and with a blow knocked him over, askin"; in his own tongue, " menewa" ("do you want any more?"). The Indian replied " haw" ("yes"). The process was repeated with the same result. He struck him the third time, and again exclaimed " menewa," with the reply " haw," when he aimed a blow that sent him reeling to the floor. To the question as to whether he " wanted any more," the reply came "ka" ("no"). In the second year of Mr. Todd's residence at the river, the Indians wliile holding a " pow- wow" became very much excited, and in a spasm of jealous rage one called " Mabin" shot his wife. After the band had become somewhat sobered, a council was held to deter- mine how justice should be meted out to the murderer. Having expressed contrition for the deed, his punishment consisted in his being obliged to pay the expenses of the funeral, and purchase moccasins, leggings, beads, etc., in which to encase the body for burial, and furnish five gal- lons of whisky for the funeral obsequies. The ceremonies on this occasion are described as solemn and impressive. In the box or coBin in which the dead was placed was a hole, through which food was passed to nourish the de- parted on her journey to the spirit-land. A circle was formed around the body, and each member present took a ladle full of succotash, then passed it on until it reached the deceased member of the band, when the same quantity was placed in the coffin. These rites continued until the five gallons of whisky had rendered the mourners insensible to grief. After Mr. Todd's arrival the Grand Traverse was known as Todd's Ferry, — because he kept a canoe at the crossing for the accommodation of travelers. Mr. Todd usually did duty as ferryman, but in his absence, or that of the men of the house, the women lent a helping hand, and were never loath to respond to the call of passengers. The ferry was located almost directly behind the present Wolverine Cilizeii office, the river being much wider at that time. The ferry canoe was hollowed from a tree about six feet wide, and of sufficient dimensions to carry over wagons and sleighs. There was no charge for crossing. The land purchased by Mr. Todd embraced the whole of section 7, and was supposed to include 640 acres, but by actual measurement it overran, and a more correct survey gave him really 785 acres. In 1836, Mr. and Mrs. Todd, having determined to re- tire from the arduous duties that their position of host and hostess entailed, disposed of the tavern to Mr. Wait Beach, who came from Mount Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y., and by his energy and activity added much to the growth of the settlement. He became also the owner of the tract of land which was the excess of section 7, owned by Mr. Todd, and was commonly known as the Gore. This property ad- vanced so rapidly in value after the location of the county- seat as to have induced certain parties to ofler $50,000 for an undivided half. After ]Mr. Todd's retirement from the tavern he erected a comfortable house on the spot now occupied by the First National Bank, on Saginaw Street, and later effected an exchange of property, which occasioned his removal to the opposite side of the river. He afterwards purchased a farm on the Flushing road, and for many years resided upon it. He with his wife retired to Oivasso after advancing years had rendered them less active, and Mrs. Todd died at the home of her eldest son, in that city. Mr. Todd still lives to relate with zest his pioneer vicissitudes. In the summer of 1831, Nathaniel Ladd and wife arrived from Utica, N. Y., and Mr. Lidd in his recollections states that the only white residents at that time were Mr. and Mrs. John Todd and their children, and two traders, — Benajah Tupper and his cousin Preston. Mr. Lidd and his family lived with these young men, who were at the time occupy- ing the log house erected by Jacob Smith. The nearest post-office at this time was Grand Blanc, where Rufus W. Stevens was the postmaster. Col. James W. Cronk and family also came in 1831, and settled near what was styled Cronk's brick-yard, the colo- nel's ostensible business having been that of a guide for " land-lookers." He was also a hunter of repute, and none cared to dispute the claims of this Nimrod of the forest. The spoils of the chase, together with a hearty welcome, were always to be found at his home. James Cronk, his father, died in 1832 at John Todd's tavern, Nathaniel Ladd having nursed him during his last illness, and Dr. Chamberlain, of Pontiac, attended him. His son, James W. Cronk, died while serving in the Mexican war in 1847. In 1831, on the north bank of the river behind the present Baptist church, the patriotic impulses of the early residents first found expression, the day being the Fourth of July, and the occasion a memorable one. Tables were spread under the shade of the trees, and many neighbors from Pontiac and Grand Blanc added their presence and enthusiasm to the occasion. One of the Pontiac delegation brought with him the Stars and Stripes, this same flag having been rendered memorable as the banner of the first steamer on Lake Erie. It was mounted on a tamarack-pole and thrown to the breeze. Its brilliant colors and the happy voices of the merry band soon attracted the notice of some Indians at an adjacent encampment, and the warriors with their squaws drew near to witness the merry-making of the little band of patriots. Among them were two chiefs, who were invited to participate. One was named orator of the day, and de- livered an oration in the Indian dialect which was intelli- gible to most of those present, while the other chief evinced his patriotic fervor in strains of Indian melody. Mr. Ladd and his family remained until 1832, when, having sold to Judge Stow, they removed to a farm in Grand Blanc, and the Smith house, which they vacated, af- forded still later — in 1832 — a comfortable abiding-place for Lyman Stow. The latter was the firet representative of the blacksmith's craft, for whom John Todd erected a small shop, situated just across the street from the Citizen office. Afterwards, in response to the increasing demand upon his skill, Mr. Stow erected a commodious shop* of his own. During the same year, 1832, George Oliver, an English- man, joined the little settlement. He was at difi'erent * Mr. Adam C. Kline, now a resident of Grand Blano township, claims to liave built the first regularly appointed blacksmith-shop, in the winter of ISHj and "i6, and in it the first township clcctiou for Flint was held, in the spring of 18^6. RESIDENCE or J.W.B FLINT CITY. 123 periods employed by John Todd, and at llie Thread mill. Elijah N. Davenport came about the same time. He occu- pied a small log house which stood near the present site of IJamilton's mill, and was an early tavern-keeper. After remaining here but a few years he removed to Bay Cily, where he died. He was one of the first highway commis- sioners in the old town of Grand Blanc in 1833, and in many other capacities filled a con.'-picuous place in the early history of the Flint River settlement. The following is a literal copy of the bond entered into by himself and his sureties fur the faithful observance of law and good order in the keeping of a tavern in 1834: '• You, Elijah N. Davenport, do acknowlcilge to owe unto the people of the United States of America the sum of fifty dollars; and you, Benjamin Pearson and Clark Dibble, do aeknowledge to owe unto the people of the United States of America the sum of twenty-five dollars each, to be levied on your several goods and chattels, binds and tenements, upon condition, that \vhcreasthe above-bounden Elijah N. Davenport is admitted and allowed to keep a tavern for the space of one year next ensuing, and no longer, in the house where he now resides at Flint River, and no other. Now, therefore, if the said Elijah N. Davenport during the time aforesaid shall keep and main- tain good order and rule, and shall suffer no disorder, or unlawful games to be used in bis house, or any of the dependencies thcreejf, and shall not break any of the laws for the regulations of taverns, then this recognizance shall be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue. " This you do severally aeknowledge, at Grand Blanc. "Tekuitohy of Michigan, January Gth, 1834. (Signed) " E. N. Daventoiit, "Benjamin Peaiison, Jr., " Claisk Dibble." James McCormick was another settler of 1832. He purchased a s(|uatter's claim from Ezekiel K. Ewing, who bad no title to the land upon which he had erected a small cabin on the north side of the river. During Mr. BlcCormick's residence he worked upon the first bridge thrown across the Flint, at the Saginaw Street crcssing, in 183-t, and removed from the place the following year. The social waters of the settlement were stirred during the winter of 1831-32 by the rumor of a wedding, which was soon afler confirmed by the marriage of Mr. George Oliver to Miss Keziah Toby. The services of 'Squire David Stanard, of Saginaw, were called into requisition, and Mr. and Mrs. John Todd gave them a wedding reception, as both parties had been in their employ. The happy pair for years afterwards resided in Saginaw. Soon after the event last mentioned, Mr. and Mrs. Todd determined to give a house-warming, in consequence of the completion of an important addition to the River House, or Flint River Tavern. An adequate idea of this grand occasion can best be given the reader by embodying a de- scription as related by " Aunt Polly" to one of the residents of Flint, many years after : " In February, Mr. Todd had the frame addition to his house all finished, and as Sam Russell — the only violinist in the county — was procurable, Mr. and Mrs. Todd deter- mined to give a house-warming. For this purpose, all the settlers in Flint and Grand Blanc — about thirty in number — were invited to the ' Flint Tavern,' to pass the following evening. Meantime all the ladies put thiir best garments in readiness, and Mrs. Tudd — who had better facilities for importing new articles into the settlement than many of the others — had a full new suit, and a splendid new dress cap, ready for that special occasion, all purchased some weeks previously by Mr. Todd, in Detroit. As the evening ad- vanced the guests commenced arriving, and ' Aunt Polly' concluded to dress up. As she appeared among the ladies, they all expatiated on her becoming dress, and ' perfect love of a cap.' Mrs. Todd, having a light in her hand at the time, stood opposite a looking-glass, and, casting an ad- miring glance at herself therein, mentally agreed that slie rf(V7 look well, and that it u;as 'a love of a cap.' While elevating the light to get a more correct view of the beau- tiful piece of finery, it caught in some of the delicate bor- ders or ribbons, and a fire ensued which reduced the gay head-dress to a few burned rags in less than three minutes. However, the tuning of the fiddle previous to the dance, .set the gentlemen to looking up their partners, and Mrs. Todd, who loved dancing, was on the floor one of the first, look- ingjust as well and as happy in another cap of less preten- tions than her lost beauty. In those times a dance was the only amusement looked for at any gathering, and when an invitation was given, it was sure to be accepted." In 1833 the first township election for ofiicers of the new town of Grand Blanc took place. Its territory in- cluded the settlement at Flint River, and the following citizens received oflBcial honors, to wit : Lyman Stow, Jus- tice of the Peace, and Assessor; John Todd, Highway Com- missioner; Elijah N. Davenport, Constable; James W. Cronk, Trustee of School Lands ; and George Oliver, Over- seer of Highways. From ofiicial records we find that in 1834 Elijah N. Davenjiort, A. F. Hayden, and James McCormick were duly licensed by the town board of Grand Blanc to keep taverns in the houses in which they then resided at Flint River. At this time (1834) government contractors were en- gaged upon the road extending from Detroit to Saginaw, the survey and general direction of it having been awarded to a man named Marshall.* It was also decided to dispense with Todd's ferry, and erect a substantial bridge over the Flint River at the foot of Saginaw Street. The contract to build the bridge was let to a Mr. Hamlin, of Oakland County. He sublet the job to a Mr. Davis, who removed to the hamlet with his family, and occupied a house owned by John Todd, situated upon the present site of the Presbyterian church. After the completion of the bridgef the family removed, but during their residence here a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Davis, who enjoyed the proud distinction of being the first white child born in this vicinity. The first female child was born the same year (1834). Ilcr name was Julia Isadore Todd, daughter of John Todd. She afterwards became Mrs. Gilbert Lyon, of Owa,sso, and is since deceased. * Some years later Marshall was frozen to death while en rvntf to his home in the Indian settlement of Pewonigowink. fin 1848, Messrs. Ilazelton A Annis, contractors, rebuilt this bridge, the funds for the same having been obtained by the sale of 5000 acres of land, which were gnmted the county by the State for this purpose. These lands were situated in the present township of lla/.elter seized he appraised at $10,0011. where on the commons." Mr. Wright, having received the first week's pay in advance, generously appropriated it to treating the bystanders, and the commons afterwards was known an " Ira Wright's Pasture." Mr. Cotharin boarded with Mr. Todd, and located his shop just north of the city-hall. He was the pioneer shoemaker, and Mrs. Todd was tho happy owner of the first pair of shoes made by him. Mr. Wright, however, may be regarded as having led the fashion of the day, and given encouragement to the earliest tailoring enterprise. Messrs. Seeley and Howard came in 1836, and opened a shop over Stage & Wright's store, and Mr. Wright's person was adorned with the first garment made by these gentle- men. In their shop the first meeting of the board of supervisors was held. At this early date bricks were not abundant, the few that were manufactured having been used almost exclusively for building chimneys. Later, kilns were con.structed across the river from John Todd's, and bricks made for that gentleman by Samuel Russell and Alden Tuppor. Beyond the Thread River was a brick- yard owned by Reuben Tupper and Silas Pierce. A man named Moulton was the earliest bricklayer, and his services were much in demand in building chimneys for the frame houses then being erected. A brick store, erected for George H. Hazelton, was an object of admiration, and gave an air of commercial importance to Saginaw Street. This store — the first built of brick— still stands, and is at present occupied by James Sullivan. Lewis Buckingham and his family came from Livingston Co., N. Y., in 1833, and located four miles north of Flint River, on the present boundary-line between Genesee and Mount Morris townships. Having been elected the first sheriff of the county in 1836, he removed to Flint, and now resides in the city. William A. Morrison came the same year and engaged in lumbering. He was soon after elected to the position of county clerk. Addison Stewart was another pioneer trader, who brought from the East a stock of goods, and opened a tratfic with the settlers and Indians, in 1833, at his farm, two miles north of the village, on the Saginaw road, where he died in 1848. In the year 1836, Russell Bishop embarked in com- mercial pursuits, and he was, four years later, followed by his brother Giles. They have since that time resided in the city, and contributed materially to its prosperity. The Siime year came Daniel B. Lyon, one of the oldest living residents of the city. He has during his life been actively engaged in business pursuits. The year 1836 witnessed the advent of a small colony from Bat;ivia and the adjacent parts of Genesee Co., N. Y. Some of these gentlemen were influenced to come to the West by the excitement which followed the anti- Masonic troubles. Among them was Willard Eddy, who came in 1835 and remained a brief lime. The following year he became a permanent resident, and aided materially in the growth of the city, having been, with other gentlemen, instrumental in establishing the first bank in Flint. He was the father of Hon. Jerome Eddy, late mayor, and one of the representa- tive business men of the city. William ]']ddy came some 126 HISTOllY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. years later. Thomas 11. Cuminjrs became a permanent resideut in 1836, as did also C. C. Ilascall, Robert J. S. Page, and Lewis G. Bickford, the latter gentleman for a period of twenty years having served as justice of the peace. Robert Patrick located in 1835, and assisted in the construction of the first grist-mill. John Bartow succeeded Michael Hoffman as register of the land-office, he being the second incumbent. Orrin Safford, who .still survives, and resides in the city, came in 1836. lie was one of the first justices of the peace in Flint township, and has during his residence been honored with many oflaces in the gift of the people. Col. E. II. Thomson arrived in the State in 1837, and located in Atlas, then Lapeer County. Foreseeing the future grow th of the little village, he removed to Flint in October of the same year, and has since resided in the city, one of the prominent representatives of the legal profession, and a gentleman of scholarly attainments. Ephraim S. Williams became a citizen of Flint in 1837, and was one of the early merchants, as was also George M. Dewey, who came the same year, and has since been largely engaged in land operations. Chaunccy S. Payne, whose name appears conspicuou.sly as one of the parties in the litigation involving the Smith reservations, came in 1837, from Detroit. Being a large land-owner, he did much by liberal gifts to encourage the growth of the city. Henry M. Henderson was among the earliest residents who by their activity and business tact made themselves felt in the growth of the city. lie first came to the State in 1836, and the following year settled in Flint. He built a block of stores as early as 1842, and conducted a large mercantile business. Mr. Henderson died in 1870. Rev. James McAlester was a former resident of Living- ston Co., N. Y., and became a citizen of Flint in 1836. He was engaged for many years in ministerial labor, and aided in the organization of several Methodist churches in the county. Mr. McAlester followed the occupation of a wagon-maker, and devoted his Sabbaths to clerical labor. Daniel S. Freeman, who was also, and is still, a local preacher, made a purchase of land, in 1835, and removed here the following year from Sussex Co., N. J. In early years he followed blacksmithing here. Artemas Thayer may with propriety be numbered among the most active of the early settlers in promoting the ad- vancement of the city. He reached the State in 1837, and two years after removed to Flint to pursue liis profession as a lawyer. He has been much engaged in real estate operations, and has done much to improve the city. Hon. James B. Walker arrived in the village of Flint River as eaVly as 1836. He was for many years engaged in commercial pursuits, but afterwards identified himself with the State charitable institutions, and was also active in promoting enterprises for the welfare of the city. He died here in 1877. Dr. George W. Fish began his practice here in 1839, and ha.s been since Actively engaged in the duties of his profession, and in the various public positions to which he has been called. At the present time he is United States coii.-^ti! at Tunis, in .\fiica. Rev. Daniel E. Brown, who founded here the first Prot- estant Epi.scopal church in this part of the State, came also in 1839, and died here Aug. 6, 1873, aged seventy-nine years. An obituary notice said of him, " The bell of St. Paul's tolled for its old master, and the old church was draped in mourning for its founder." It was he who hewed with his own hands (there being no one else to do it) the stone in which the deposits were made, and he also assisted in lay- ing the foundations of the church edifice, which through his untiring efforts was completed and consecrated July 30, 1843. The services at his funeral were the last held in the old church. He was not denominationally exclusive, and his kindness and generosity to the poor of all classes were proverbial. He served in the army during the war of 1812, also in 1861-65, and for many years was a member of the State board of education. During the year 1840 occurred the Harrison campaign, and a " Log-Cabin, Hard-Cider Mass Meeting" was held in Flint River village.* The demonstration was an important and to those present a never-to-be-forgotten one, as it called forth a large majority of the inhabitants of Genesee County, who, with banners flying and drums beating, as- sembled in such numbers as to occasion profound surprise at the greatly increased population of the new county. Col. Thomas B. W. Stockton, who served with dis- tinction in the Mexican war as colonel of the First Michi- gan Volunteers, and also in command of a Michigan regi- ment during the war of the Rebellion, early made Flint his home. He is a liberal and public-spirited citizen, and still resides here. Austin B. Witherbee came with his parents to Flint in 1841. He grew up from boyhood in this city, and, after a brief career of great usefulness, died in 1871, sin- cerely mourned by the entire community. The resident tax-p.ayers in the villages of Flint River and Grand Traverse, in the year 1845, were as follows : Ayhvanl, AVilHam. Alport, Samuel. Allen, Henry. Armstrong. James W. Andrews, Asa. Allen, James P. Beach, John. Beach, Seth C, * Co. Bickforil. Lewis G. Bishop, Russell. Bartow, John. Butler, .Tolin. Baldwin, Cyrus H. Brown, Chauncey. Booth, Joel A. Blades, William. Beardsley, Am/.i. Bishop, Giles. Buckingham, Lewis. Brown, Daniel E. Booth, Wm. W. Beach, Asahel H. Clawson, Henry N. Crandall. William P. Cliffor.l, William B. Carrier, Erastus K. Cadwell, Edward. Clitford, John. Conklin, Gilbert. Culver, Alfred. Coleman, John D., printing- office. Carron & Cummings. Church, Emery. Carn.s, Josei)h. Colbraith, William. Childs, Charles. Case, Milton. Clark, Dr., and J. K. Rugg. Cumings, Thomas R. Cumings, John M. Clark, Henry. Culver & Smith. Crosraan, .\lvin T. Dewey, George M. Dclong, Thomas N. Dilt^, Samuel. Daniels, Ira. Decker & Pingrey. Decker, Grant. Drake, Elijah. Davis, Alexander P. Darling, .Tames. Dc GralT, Peter. * The old Smith cabin then served as henilquarters for tho Flint and (Jrand Traverse Tippecanoe clubs. uM^-^s^m wi FLINT CITY. 127 Edily, Willard. Edily, Williiim. Eu!li. Fay, Cliarlea. Ferguson, .Tames. Goodrieb, Jolin, (lailay. Ward. Gazlay, Miles. Gazlay, W. A M. Gavtlay, Williaui, Jr. Gould, Charles H. Gillct, Amos. Oluvcr, lienj. S. Graham, AK-xandor. Griswold, John C. Hcmpsted, Alonzo. lloyes, .Joiin A. Ilazclton, George II. IlazeltoD 4 Patterson. }{eale, Charles. Henderson. Henry M. Henderson, James. Henderson, H. M. & James. Higgins, Ht-nry I. Higgins & Pratt. Hayvvard, Rufus. Hopkins, George S. Hamilton, John. Hill, George J. W. Holmes, Frederiek. Huff, Thomas. Haggerty, Bernard. Hilton, William. Hiekox, F. A. Hudson, John, Hascall, Charles C. Hcale, (ieorge. Hill, Leonard H. Hart, Nathaniel. Hydraulic Association. Ingcrsoll, Morgan. Jacockes, Rev. Mr. Kline, John A. Kimball, Anson. Kress, Azariab. Low, Spencer F. Le Roy, Henry W. Law, Anson. Lamond, Robert D. Lyon, William H. C. Law, Orrin. Lc Roy, Robert. Murray, John. Manning, James M. Moon, William. Mcrriman, Isaiah. McAlestcr, James. Mackin, John. Miles, Kduiond. Morris, B. B. Mathews, Jesse A. Miles &■ Case. Morrow, Henry. Ottowuy, .John. Page, Robert J. S. Patterson, William. Pratt, John. Parkhurst, Nathan. Parshall, D. S. Pearson n ; thence from the southeasterly comer of land known as the Stevens purchase and now belonging to Benjamin Bearson, north- westerly to the southerly line of the Richfield road, so called, passing the Imrying-ground in Flint; thence northeasterly on said line to a point ojiposite the easterly corner of said burying-ground ; thence northwci-terly to the northerly corner of said burying-grouud ; thence southwesterly to the westerly corner of said hurying-ground ; thence northwesterly to the Flint River; thence down the centre of said river, to the place of beginning ; also, so much of the said township of Flint as is included in the following limits, to wit : Beginning on the right b:»nk of Flint River, opposite the island at the junction of Flint and Thread Rivers, at the spring where Cbauncey 8. Payne has a hydraulic ram; thenee north to the line between subdivision lots thirteen nnd fourteen of great lots, or sections three and four, of Smith's Reservation : thence along said line to the line between great lots, or sections two and three, of Smith's Reservation ; thence due north to Detroit Street extended ; thence along said street to the north line of subdivision lot five of a part of great lot two, according to the recorded plat ; thence east along said line to the Saginaw plank-road ; thence south along the line of said plank-road to Alexander McFar- land's north line; thence east along said line to the Flint River; thence down the centre of said river to the place of beginning; be, and the same is hereby set off from said township, and declared to be a city, by the name of the ' City of Flint,' " Section 2. The freemen of said city, from time to time being inhabitants thereof, shall be and continue to be a body corporate and politic, by the name of the * mayor, recorder, and aldermen of the city of Flint.' . . . '•Section 5. The said city shall be divided into three wards, as fol- lows : The first ward shall embrace all that portion of the city lying north of Flint River; the second ward shall embrace all that portion of the city lying south of Flint River and cast of the centre of Sagi- naw Street; and the third ward shall embrace all that portion of the city lying south of Flint River and west of the centre of Saginaw Street. . . . "Section 6. Designated the following polling]daces for the first charter election : ' That of the first ward at the Scotch Block ; that of the second ward at Lyon's Hotel; that of the third ward at the office of the county clerk : Piuvided^ (hat the electors of either of said wanls when assembled, by a vote of the majority of those present, may ad- journ the election to any other place in such ward.* " The first charter election was held April 2, 1865, and the officers then declared elected were as follows: Grant Decker, Mayor ; Levi Walker, Recorder ; Charles N. Beecher, Supervisor; Elihu F. Frary, Treasurer ; Corndius lloosvelt, Marshal ; Benjamin Pearson, Henry I. Hijrgins, Directors of the Poor ; Daniel Clark, School Inspector ; Charles Seymour, Levi Walker, Lewis G. Bickford, and Willard Eddy, Justices of the Peace. Ward Officers. — First Ward : George M. Dewey, James W. Armstrong, Aldermen ; Asahel Fuller, Assessor ; Wil- liam Moon, Street Commissioner ; Cyrus A. Goff, Constable. Second Ward : Benjamin Pearson, David Mather, Alder- men ; William Hamilton, Assessor; William Eddy, Street Commissioner; Erastus K. Carrier, Constable. Third Ward: William M. Fenton, A. T. Crosman, Aldermen; David Foot, Assessor ; John C. Griswold, Street Commis- sioner ; Daniel L. Nash, Constable. The new city then contained a population of about 2000* inhabitants. Its first assessment roll returned an aggregate valuation of S450,G01. The amount of taxes levied and collected on this roll was $3320.92, which was applied for the following purposes: State and county $1136.50 School District No. I " No.2 Military lax Highway taxe.-* returned , For city purposes, including collector's fees.,., 2S7.1fi 2 1 5.1)6 22.21 1162.:^0 $3320.92 Those residents assessed for taxation in 1855 were: .Allen, John C. Aplin, Samuel. Andrews, Asa. Adams, Eber. Aylward, William. Alport, Samuel. Anderson, Reuben. Atchinson, Abbey. Andrews, George. Alexander, B. F. Ackenuan, William. Atherton, Ama. Atherton, Mrs. A. Arnold, Lewis. Aplin, Thomas. Allen, Sarah. Armstrong & Co. Armstrong, J. W. Allen & Randall. Barney, W. M. Baker, William. Buzzel, John. Booth, Joel A. Baltay, William. Bickford, Lewis G, Blades, J. H. C. Behee, George. Bearsley, Stephen, Barrow?, J. C. Bump, David. Beardslee, A. Behan, John. Bishop, Giles. Bishop, Russell. Bishop, R. & I. Blades, William. Beecher, Charles N, Beecher it Uiggins. Bailey. Jarvis. Birdsall, James. Birdsall, Jesse. Barker A Patterson. Baker, Mrs. Branch, Thomas, Belcher & French. Bevins. Nancy. Bump, Anderson. Cumings & Carton. Campbell, Ten Eyck. Collins, Orson. Chambers, William D. Curtis, Daniel. Clark, William. Clark, W. & J. B. Curtis vt Son. Cuming."*, Thomas R. '^' The United States census returns, at various periods, have re- ported the population as follows: 1850, 1670; 1860, 2950; 1S70, 5386, State census of 1874, 8197. The United States census for ISSO will probably show a population exceeding 11,000 inhabitants. FLINT CITY. 129 Crandall, William P. Fenton & Bishop. Lake, Warner. Robinson, Isaac N. Crosman, A. T. Foss, John. Lake, Nicholas. Rice, Charles. Cary, Alonzo. Griffith, Orrin. Lake, John. Rising, II. C. Costillo, Andrew. Garlaml, John. Lee, Edward. Ripley A Armstrong. Croff, Abncr. Goff, Cyrus II. Lee, Thomas. Russell. N. Cudncy, I'liarlcs H. Gilktt, Amos. Lamond, Robert D. Rice, William. Carney, Janjes. Goslin, James If. Lewis, Royal D. Stevenson, William. Charles, William. Griswold, Martha. Ladd, Nathaniel. Smith, A. G. Conkling A Kellogg. (lolden. Robert. Lowe, A. V. Stillson, Harris. Carman & Lovejoy. Gazlay, William. Laey, Albert D. Seymour, Charles. Carman, Joseph. (ioodrich, 0. C. Leister, Thomas. Sutton, John. Collins, William. Green, S. M. Lanckton, Caleb. Scovillo, William R. Cooper, Hiram. Guild, Mrs. Mc.^lester, James. Stewart, E. M. Cornell, D. 15. Gazlay, Miles. Morrison A Eddy. Seaton, William. Curtis, Samuel. Gazlay, AVard. Moore, James. Stevens, A. C. (estate of). Culver, George. Gahan, AN'illiani. Miles, Manley. Saunders, Mrs. Clark, Daniel. Gilliuan, D. Mowry, Henry. Stage, Mrs. Clark, Widow. Gahan & Decker. Moore, Stephen. Smith, Rev. George. Carrier, Krastus K. Golden, William. Moon, William. Skinner A Martin. Craft, Josiah. Hamilton, John B. Mason, Jared. Sliter, II. M. Case, Mrs. Hu-hes, Michael. Marshall, ^Villiam. Stow, Mrs. Cadwell, Edward. Ilolbrook, James. Merch, Silas P. Swan, Rev. John. Clark, 11. 0. Ilogan, Thomas. jNIeFarlan, Alexander. Safford, Orrin. Culver, Edward. Hubbard, Malinda. Morse, Lorenzo D. Simmons, T. Cuniings, Elizabeth. Hubbard, William R. Merriman, Isaiah. Spcrry, George. Culver, Alfred. Ileale, Charles. McMinaman, Pat. Seeley, Mark D. Caufman, . Henderson, James. McColIum, James. Stafford, Etlniond. Clark, . Holmes, Frederick. Molhersill, William. Summers, Charles II. Dcceuninck, Charles L. Henderson, Henry JI. Miles, Mrs. E. , Surryhne, William. Dodge, Nathaniel. Higgins, Henry I. McNamee, B. Stewart, P. II. Danes, Frederick B. Higgins, C. R. Miles, Mrs. Isaac. Skidmore, John. Dewey, George JI. Hopkins. G. S. Jlillcr, William. Stewart, Mrs. Dewey, D. D. Hood, George F. Mather, David. Stow, George. Dewey A Crosman. Hawkins, AVilliam. McCall, Philip. Thomson. E. H. Dewey A Pearson. Hill, George J. W. Mattison, Seth A. Trainer, Patrick. Darling, Asa. Higgins & IJrothci'. Morse, David. Trickey, Luther. Decker, James C. Ilazelton, George U. Neweomb, Henry. Thurbcr, William M. Davis. A. P. Hagert}', Mrs. Nash, Daniel L. Thaj'cr, William. I>elbri, he commenced the study of the law in the office of the Hon. Millard Fillmore (afterwards President) and the Hon. Thomas T. Sherwood. From this connection there grew up between Mr. Fillmore and himself a friendly intimacy which continued uninterrupted until the death of the ex- President. At the age of twenty-two years — having then been adtnitted to practice — Mr. Thomson established himself in bi^j profession, fir^t in the city of Buffalo, and afterwards at Cleveland, Ohio. While practicing his profession in Buffalo, he started, in connection with Gen. Roberts, a daily newspaper called the Buffalo Transcript. At the time when the emigration from New York to Michigan was at its height he came to this State; located in the township of Atlas in 1837, and received from Gov. S. T. Mason the appointment of prosecuting attorney for Lapeer County, of which the town of Atlas then formed a part. In 1838 he removed to Flint, wliere he associitted himself in business with John Bartow (then Register in the U. S. Land OflRce at Flint), under the name and style of Bartow & Thomson. In 1845 ho received the appointment of prosecuting attorney for Genesee County, and held the office during that and the following year. In IB-il he was elected to the State Senate for the district embracing Genesee, Oakland, Lapeer, Shiawassee. Siiginaw, Tuscola, and all of the counties to the Straits of Mackinac, and the whole of the Upper Peninsula, and served in that body for the years 184Sand lS-19 as chairman of the judiciary committee, chairman of the committee on mines and minerals, and as a mem- ber of the committee on State affairs. During this term in the Senate he introduced the billn which resulted in the establishment of the Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, at Flint, of the Aoylnm for the Insane, at Kalamazoo, and alsu for the incoi-poration nf the first copper and ir*»n mining companies in the T'pper Peninsula. (Ho had accompanied Dr. Douglass Ilought^m in his explorations of the Lake Superior region in 1844 and 1845, and had in this way become fully aware of its rich mineral resources.) Another bill introduced by him was one for the promo- tion of foreign emigration direct to Michigan. IDs services in procuring the Adoption of this meiisure were recogni/.ef the German pn'ss, and with such success that, during the first year, two thousand eight hundred persons emigrated from that country to Michigan. Tin' total result of his energetic efforts wa« an accession of nearly twenty-five thousand to the population of the State; and these were principally of a hardy and enterprising c!iis>i of mechanics and farmers, many of them possessing considenkhic pecuniary means. While in London, in 1851, he received the Appointment of United States deputy commissioner to the great Industrial Exhibition in that city, generally known as the World's Fair. In this position his assiduous attentions to American visitors, and his efficient aid and timely advice to exhibitors, gained for htm high encomiums, while his social qualities made him a welcome and honored visitor in the houses of the nobility and gentry of the world's me- tropolis. On his return to the United States he remained for a time in Wash- ington City, but soon after resumed his profession in Flint. In 1858 he was elected Representative in the Sbite Legislature, and in the session of 1859 served on the judiciary committee, and on the committee on State affairs. When the fires of treason burst forth into the great war of the Rebellion, the loyal State of Michigan gave to the cause of the Union no more earnest and ardent a supporter than Col. Edward Thomson. Although his political opinions had ever been opposed to those of Gov. Blair, he received at his hands an appointment as a member of the State military board, and, u[ton the resig- nation of Geii. A. S. Williani'i, of Detroit, in 1862, became its president. Tliis position gave him the military title by which he has since been generally known. Throughout the war he was intensely patriotic, and as untiring as he was successful in his efforts to promote enlistments. So high did he stand in the estimation of the Governor and of Adj.-Gen. Robertson that, in the face of the settled policy of the Governor not to establish regimental camps of organization aivay from railway communication, he procured the oider naming Flint (which then had no railroad) as a rendezvous of the Tenth Infantry, whose camp was thereupon established there, and named in his honor Camp Thomson. An officer of that regiment afterwards said of the circumstance: *' Col. Thomson directed the formation of the camp, and so fully and com- pletely cared for the wants of" the soldiers that he found a place in their hearts as the soldier's friend, and will not soon be forgotten. We learned to look upon him as a kind of father and always called him 'colonel,' and to this day he bears that title whenever his name is spoken among us.'' When his influence and energy were no longer needed in the raising of troops, Col. Thomson returned again to his profession and to the quiet enjoy- ment of social life in the city of Flint. Shortly afterwards he was elected a member of the school board of education, and in 1878 was elected mayor of the city of Flint. For many years Col. Thomson has been an aident and enthusiastic student of Englisli literature, and in particular of the works of the immortal Bard of Avon. His Shakspearean readings and lectures, which are frequently and freely given in aid of charitable and other benevolent objects, are always re- ceived with high favor and appreciation, as is evidenced by the invariably favorable notices of them given in the newspapers. In 1869, upon the occa- sion of his consenting to deliver a IiTture in Lansing upon the "Genius of Shakspeare," for the benefit of the Reform School Band, the Lansing State Re* publican said : "The offer is generous; the obj<'ct of it one that not only the citizens of Lansing, hut the members of the Legislature can fully appreciate, and the subject one which will be treated by him in a masterly manner. His ability as a critic of the immortal dmmatist and poet has long been recognized. He is a gentleman, a fine speaker, and will do full justice to the passages he may repeat for the entertainment of his hearers. And we may also add that the city of Lansing has always had a warm and earnest friend in Col. Thomson." Ami a lecture of his, delivered at Howell upon the same subject, was thus mentioned by the LivinpsUm Kepuhlican : "Mr. Thomson is a Shakspearean eiilhusiast, and seems to possess the maximu7n of enthusiasm which will he satisfied with nothing slioi t of knowing to the uttermost everything connected with its subject In literary gossip ho is set down as one of the lions among Shakspearean liUerafcurs, and is said to possess one of the finest Shakspearean libnirieH in the United States. He is a fine elocutionist, a pleiisant speaker, and we should like to listen again for an evening to such ])iissages of his favorite author as he might select to read." Similar complimen- tjtry opinions find frequent utterance through the press, and are always sus* taiiied by the puldic who cotnpose his audiences. Col. Thomson is a member of the Masonic fraternity, ha« just passed the chair of yrand master in the I. O. 0. F.,and is now the grand representative to the grand lodge of the order at the city of Baltimore. FLINT CITY. 131 The mercantile interests have advanced from the Indian store and trading-post of Kufus W. Stevens, in 1834, until to-day there are over 100 mercantile houses of various kinds, whose a;;,^regate sales will amount to more than $2,00(1,00(1 yearly. The railroads centering here do an immense business in freights. During the year 1877 the sliipnient.s from this city by these avenues of commerce amounted to 45,118,500 feet of lumber, ],3()i),(l00 pounds of live-stock, 8105 bar- rels of flour, and 13,o71',900 pounds of grain. Here are located the grounds of the Gemisce County Agricultural Society, also the Flint Hiding-Park A.ssocia- tion, which together have developed the raising of very fine stock in and near the city. The State Institution forthe Kducationof the Deaf, Dumb, and the Blind is located on a commanding height in the southwestern part of the city. It is surrounded with grounds many acres in extent, tastefully laid out, and covered with fine groves of native forest trees. Among other public edifices are seven commodious school- buildings, the county court-house, jail, and a city Imilding fgr the accommodation of the Conxnon Council and fire department. These are all large, well-arranged, and costly buildings. The court-house and high-school are each sur- rounded by spacious gnmnds. The city is amply supplied with ten church edifices, viz. : three ?Iethodi.st Episcopal (one coloredj, and one each of the Protestant Episcopal, Adventists, Catholic, Baptist, Congregationalist, German Evangelical, and Presbyterian. An efficient fire department, consisting of two steamers, trucks, and hose companies, guard and protect the interests of her citizens against the ravages of the fiery element. Two militia companies — the Flint Union Blues and Cadets — have their headquarters and drill-room in Armory Hall, which is provided for their use by the State. The banks consist of the First National and Citizens' National, banks of issue, and the G-enesee County Savings- Bank. The press is ably represented by the Woh-crinc Citizen, Flint Globe, Genesee Uvmocral, and Flint Jotinial. The public halls are Fenton Ilall, Reform Hall, and Armory JIall, the former being the most pretentious. RAILIIOAUS. An ancient embankment of covered and rotting timbers is pointed out in the city as the foundation of a railroad laid, with considerable enthusiasm, away back in the year 1837. This was part of a projected railroad to connect Port Huron with Grand Haven, and which Gen. Charles C. Ilascall contracted to build from the western limits of Genesee County to the county-seat of Lapeer County. AVork was pushed vigorously for a time, but, through some difficulty in getting expected State aid and from other causes, work upon it was suspended, ami all projects looking to- wards a road in this direction were given a rest until 1871, when a road extending from I'ort Huron to Flint was com- pleted, as the Port Huron and Lake Michigan Railroad. In 1877 the Chicago and Northeastern Railroad, extend- ing from Flint to Lansing, was ]ilaecd in running order. These two roads were then consolidated as part of the Iin(! of the Chicago and Lake Huron Railroad, and continued as such until the purchase of the Chicago and Northeast- ern by Vanderbilt. The first liK'omdtive reaeheil the city over the line of the Flint and Pere Man(UL'tte Railway, from the north, Dec. 8, 186'i. This event was celebrated aniid.-t general re- joicing, and a grand bancjuct held at the Carlton House. The work ujion the Flint and Holly Railroad was com- menced in thesummer of 1863, and by the untiring energy of Governor Crapo, ])resident of the company, seconded by the leading business nuMi of Flint, it was graded, tied, ironed, and ready for the rolling-stock in about eighteen mouths, and, it is said, at a cost much less than any equal length of road in the State was ever constructed, wages and cost of material considered. The money for the work was largely advanced by Governor Crapo and his friends in the East, and the company was further fortunate iu having secured the iron at ante-war prices. The trip of the first locomotive, the " City of Flint," Nov. 1, 1864, was the occasion of great rejoicing, as it was the first outlet to the South. A few years later the road was sold to the Flint and Pere Mar- quette Company at a handsome advance upon its original cost, and has since been operated by that company as part of its through line. It has since built the Flint River Di- vision, a branch mad extending from Flint to Otter Lake, for the benefit of the extensive lumber interests of that region. The opening of these several roads gave Flint good railroad outlets east, west, north, and south, and stimulated, directly, or indirectly, all its material interests. They bring it within twenty miles by rail of Lapeer, sixty-six of Port Hui'on, seventeen of Holly, fifty-seven of Wayne, one hundred and eight of Toledo, fifty-one of Lansing, thirty- four of East Saginaw, forty-seven of Bay City, one hundred and seventy-two of Ludington, sixty-four of Detroit by way of the Milwaukee road, or seventy-five by the Michigan Central, and nineteen miles of Otter Lake, on the Detroit and Bay City road. Previous to the opening of the rail- roads these points had to be reached by foot or stage-coach, under delays almost incredible by their contra.st with the jircscnt ficilitios Ibr travel. Under the direction of Wil- liam Clill'ord a line of stage-coaches was established through Flint over llie old military road, which was considered a model of dispatch in its day. Under favorable circum- stances a man could take the stage at Flint, go to Detroit and return in three days, but the ordinary time was four days. By the .same conveyance Pontiac could be reached in from eight to twelve hours. After the Milwaukee road had been extended west of Pontiac the stage-route was changed to Fenton, but a trip to Detroit was still a very laborious undertaking, while the hauling of produce and lumber, except to purchasers within the county, was very limited. The Flint and Pere Marquette Railway enters the cor- poration on the south, one and a quarter miles south of the centre of the city, cro.sses the Thread, and follows the gen- eral course of the Flint on the southeast bank till it passes Saginaw Street; then, cro.ssing over, it leaves the corpora- ti(jn limits north of the river, and at some distance from it. The Chicago and Lake Huron Railroad enters the corpora- 132 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. tion limits in the cast, runs northwesterly to the Flint, then southwesterly, and, after crossing and rccrossing the river, passes out of the city limits to the left of Glenwood. Tlie depot of the Flint and Pore 5Iar(|uctte Railway is situated at the foot of Ijeacli Street ; that of the Fort Huron and Lake Michigan Railroad at the loot of Harri- son street. EARLY STAGK AND MAIL ROUTES. As early as 1833, Joshua Terry had a contract for carry- ing the mails over the route hetween Pontiac and Saginaw. His trips were made weekly, and he had limited accommo- dations for pa.ssenger.s. Upon llie cbtablishment of the land- and post-offices at Flint River village, William Clifford ran a line of stages to Pontiac. This line was continued under various managements until the completion of a through route by railway. In an early number of the Whic/ we find the following advertisement of jMessrs. Pettee & Boss, stage proprietors : '■criKAP AXn UAl'II) niDINd. " The stage for rontijic leaves Flint each inorning (Sundays ex- cejiled), stopiiiug at Grand Bhmc, Stony llun, Grovcland, Springfield, Clarkston, Austin, and Waterford, and arrives at Pontiac in time to enable passengers tu take tlie cars the same day fur Detroit. " E. N. Pettee, "A. J. Boss, *' ProjirltUtrB, "Flint, March 23, ISJO." POSTMASTERS. With the opening of the United States land-office in Flint came the necessity for the establishment of a post- office, and Lyman Stow received the appointment of post- master. It is stated that Judge Stow made an excellent public servant, and for the first six months not only carried letters in his hat* and tiie way-bills in his breeches pocket, but was kind enough on many occasions to turn himself into a delivery clerk. John Todd was tlie proud individual to whom the first letter was addressed, and later became the second incum- bent of the office. The third was William P. Crandall ; the fourth, William Moon ; the fifth, Col. A. T. Crosman. Ephraim S. Williams, who had served as the first postmas- ter at Saginaw, and continued eight years, next followed Col. Crosman, and officiated a like period of time in Flint. He was succeeded by Washington O'Dououghue, who also served eight years. . William Tracy followed next, and held the office one presidential term and a fraction over, John Algoe filling the office until the reappointment of Sir. O'Donoughuc. The latter gentleman continued in office until April, 1879, when he was succeeded by Francis II. Rankin, tlie present postmaster of the city. FIRST NEWSPAPER. The first newspaper. The Flint River Gazette, was started by Joseph K. Averill, in 1839. For further par- ticulars concerning this and all other Genesee County papers since cstablislied, the reader is referred to the chap- ter on the " Press" in the general history. * Mr. Leonard IVesson claims to bo in possession of this identical hat at the present time. TELEGRAPU. Telegraphic communication was first opened in Decem- ber, 1858, by a line from Flint to Fentonville, connecting with the Detroit and iMilwaukce Railroad. The work was done by William W. True, and the first operator at Flint was Miles D. McAlester, a graduate of West Point, who afterwards gained distinction as major of United States En- gineers and brevet brigadier-general United States Army. EARLY TAVERNS AND PRESENT HOTELS. The earliest tavern or hotel in Flint was the " River House," built and first kept by John Todd, as already no- ticed. It was presided over at different periods by A. F. Hayden, Lewis Buckingham, Wait Beach, Mason, and in 1838 by William Clilfonl, who established a lineof stage.s running from Flint to I'ontiac. Finding the capacity of the River House too limited for his increasing patronage, he purchased the " Northern Hotel," which liad been built and kept for a short time by Captain Crane. The latter house then became the headqunrters for the stage-line. The " Genesee House" was built by Thomas J. Drake in 18r>7, and stood at the apex formed by Detroit and Sagi- naw Streets. The ground was afterwards purchased by the city. After Drake, Cornelius Roosevelt was landlord, and was succeeded by S. W. Gibson, and he, in 1813, by W. R. Scoville. Mr. Allen next became proprietor, to bo suc- ceeded by Mr. Pettee, after wliich Jarcd Mason became "mine host." Mr. JLisori subsequently built the "Carl- ton House," which stood upon the site of the present Bry- ant House, and was first opened Jan. 1, 185G. This hotel was afterwards' changed to the " Irving House," and was destroyed by fire. The present hotels are the Bryant, a spacious and well- appointed house, eligibly situated upon Saginaw Street ; the Thayer Hou.se, near the Flint and Pere jNIarquette Railway depot, which has a well-established and enviable reputation ; and the Sherman, "I' the Central, the City Hotel, and the Brotherton. MILLS AND MANUFACTURING. The first mill of any description erected within the city limits of to-day was the saw-mill commenced and finished by Rufus W. Stevens in 1830. It was situated upon the Thread River above the present " Thread Mills." In 1831, Rufus W. and Augustus C. Stevens established the " Thread Grist-SIill." For many subsequent years this mill supplied a wide belt of countiy, extending from beyond the south- ern boundary of Genesee County to Saginaw. Thread Mills was then the groat objective point, and to it all early resi- dents in this region wended their way when in quest of flour. Many middle-aged men reside in this and adjoining counties to-day who remember the fact that their first mem- orable trip outside and beyond the view ofiered from their own " clearing" was when they first accompanied their father, with his .slowly-toiling ox-team, to the " Thread," which meant the mill. The pine and lumbering interests, which in years past have contributed greatly to the prosperity of Flint, first at- tracted the attention of business men and the thought of t Burned June 10, 1879. FLINT CITY. 133 erecting- luill.s iip(in the Flint Uivor in 1S35, when Rufus W. Stevens, James McCoriuick, inul their heirs were au- tliorized by an aet of the Logislative Council of the Terri- tory of Michigan, approved JIarch 30, 1835, to con- struct a dam across the Flint Kiver at the crossing of the Saginaw turnpike. However, nothing seems to liave been done by Messrs. Stevens & McC'oriuiek after obtaining their franchise, and mill matters on the Flint were in abeyance until 18I!G, when Messrs. Stage it Wright erected their first dam and saw-mill. Tlic Hydraulic Association, Chauncey S. Payne, senior partner, soon followed with another mill. Compared with the mammDtli mills which have followed it, and given the city its leading industry, this pioneer mill of Messrs. Stage & Wright was a small concern driven by water and having but a small capacity. It was sold about 1810 to Stevens & Pearson, who ran it a few j'ears, when Mr. Stevens was succeeded in the firm by John Hamilton, and later still Mr. Hamilton bought out the interest of his partner, I\Ir. Pearson, and became sole pro- prietor. About 1814 lie added a grist-mill, and three years later sold both to his sons, William and Oliver Hamilton, and his son in-law, Cornelius Roosvelt. The latter soon after sold out to the two brothers, and, Oliver dying in 1852, William became sole proprietor, and has since remained so. The mill has, of course, been greatly changed since first it polluted tlic clear waters of the Flint with its fish-killing sawdust, but is still courteously regarded as the same old mill. The United States census of 1850 credits Flint witii only two saw-mills. Stage & Wright's, and another, built by the " Grand Traverse Hydraulic Associa- tion," afterwards known as Crapo's old or lower mill. The capacity of the Stage & Wright, and the lower, or Crapo Mills, in 1819, was 3,500,000 feet of lumber. In 1850 these mills sawed 5,200,000 feet. At the same period there was but one steam-engine in Flint, and that a small one in Elias Williams' pail-factory. Seven mills in 1854, viz., four steam- and three water- mills, had a capacity for manufacturing 10,800,000 feet. It was at this time that the reputation of Flint as a lumber market became established. The plank-roads and tlie rivers- furnished an outlet, but comparatively no great market was looked for beyond one of home consumption, until the late Governor Crapo commenced his wonderful operations in 1856. He, with that forethought which characterized all his business movements, conceived the idea of not only coming into competition with the principal lumbering marts of the Eastern and Jliddle States, but of carrying it ocean-wise. The impetus thus begun was soon followed by Alexander SIcFarlan, William Hamilton, and others. At a later day the Messrs. Pegole, Atwood, Fo.K, Car- penter, Smith, Eddy, and many others equally enterpris- ing, have by untiring industry and a strict attention to the details of business, added much to the stability and wealth of the city. « Flint as a Port.— A local paper of March 27, 1842, furnishes the following item : " I'liil <}/ Fliiil — Airicntt null Dcjjailiirca. — Departed, scow ' Kate Hayes,' Captain Charles Mather." Benjamin S. Gluvcrwas tlic builder of this scow. Brief historical sketches of the present leading manufac- tories are herewith appended. crapo's mills. Henry II. Crapo, the founder of the present large lum- bering interest in Flint, came to this State late in the year 1855. His first venture here was the purchase of a largo tract of pine land in Lapeer County, and what was known as the " Driggs Tract" of 12,000 acres, paying therefor §150,000 cash. It was his intention at the time to lumber this tract and float the logs to Saginaw, but shortly after, or early in ISoG, he visited Flint, and became satisfied that it was the point at which to manufacture this timber into lumber. In October, 1856, he purchased the saw-mill known as the " Walkloy" mill, situated on the site where the " big" mill now stands. During the summer of 1857 he ran this mill, manufacturing about 2,000,000 feet of lumber, which was considered in those days an exteiisive business. This mill being shut in by the property of McQuigg, Turner & Co., owners of the mill near the dam, he conceived the plan of purchasing that also, and in the fall of 1857 effected its purchase, and ran both mills during the season of 1858, manufacturing about 7,000,000 feet of lumber. In March, 1858, having his business thoroughly estab- lished, he returned to New Bedford, Mass., where his family wore residing, and moved West with them. After this time the "old mills" were improved by the addition of new niachinei-y, and were soon run to a capacity of 12,000,000 feet per annum, and this before any t-ailroad was projected to Flint. Before the construction of the Flint and Holly Ilailroad (which was built by his energy and the help of his Eastern friends, and the only railroad in IMichigan ever built with cash, having no debt when completed) the good lumber sawed at these mills was hauled with teams to Holly and Fentonville, to the Detroit and Milwaukee Ilailroad, and from these points shipped East and South. In 1800 he purchased on the opposite side of the Flint River the mill known as the " Busenbaik" mill, which he ran two years and afterwards sold. In 1804 the large planing-mill, sash-, door-, and blind- factory was built and added to his business, and has since been run, turning out annually many million feet of dressed lumber, as well as large ijuantities of sash, doors, blinds, mouldings, boxes, etc. The old " Walkley" mill was destroyed by fire in the season of 1805, but fortunately but little lumber was burned with it, owing to the rule always adhered to of keeping the space about the mills clean. Hardly had the ruins of this mill become cold, when the debris was cleared away and the foundation of the present " big" mill was laid, and was running in 18GG. This mill, with the old mill at the dam, luid a capacity for sawing over 20,000,000 feet ])cr annum, and they were run to nearly that limit until the old mill was burned iu 1877, which has not been rebuilt. This immense amount of lumber sawed has found a market jirineipally at the East and South, and .some ol' it has even been shipped to San Francisco via Cape llorM. 134 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. The sawmill and planing-mill are now both supplied with all the modern improvements for the manufacture of lumber and sash, doors, blinds, mouldings, packing-boxes, etc. Henry H. Crapo, the founder of this large business and Governor of I\Iichigan for two terms, — 18G-1-6S, — died at Flint in July, 18G9, but the business has bgen conducted since without any material change under the able manage- ment of his only son, Hon. William W. Crapo, who resides at New Bedford, Mass. Mr. Crapo visits Flint quite often, to look after the busi- ness personally. Governor Crapo was fortunate in his choice of subordinates to assist liim in his enterprise, and alwa3's observed the rule to keep men that were faithful to his in- terests. Zach Chase, the present chief clerk, has been un- interruptedly in the service of the establishment since JIarch, 1858. n. P. Cristy, the present popular superintendent of the mills, has served about eighteen years ; James Page, bookkeeper, ten years ; and there are many more in subor- dinate capacities who have been in its employment since the business was established. The estate has yet pine lands on the Flint Hiver, with timber enough to run the mills for several years to come. In connection with the yards and mills at Flint, there has boon kept at Detroit a retail yard, and at present there are two in that city under the able management of H. H. II. C. Smith, who has served the estate since 1858. There was also formerly a retail yard at Fenton, and one at Holly, but both have within a few years been discontinued. The Eastern market is under the management of Charles A. White, with an office at No. 51 Kilby Street, Boston, Mass. LU.MBER-JIII.I.S OF BE(iOLE, FOX & CO. This business was established in September, 1865, the partners being Josiah W. Begole, David S. Fox, and George L. Walker. They rank among the heaviest lumber dealers in the city, and are large manufacturers of lath and shin- gles. Their capital embraces about $25,000 in mill property and $50,000 in stock, and their annual business reaches an aggregate of §100,000 per annum. ALEX.-iNDER JIcFARLAX's JllLLS. The business of Mr. MeFarlan was established in Octo- ber, 1850, the firm at that time having been Hazleton & MeFarlan. In May of the following year the mills were destroyed by fire, and Mr. MeFarlan purchased the interest of his partner and rebuilt. In April of 18t)3 they were again burned, and immediately rebuilt. Again, in 1871, they were pursued by fire and destroyed, and the present mills erected. The material worked is altogether pine, the logs being cut from timber-lands owned by the proprietor in Genesee and Lapeer Counties and floated down the Flint River. The power employed is steam, two circular saws of large dimensions being run, as also apparatus for cutting lath and shingles. The capacity of the mills is 11,000,000 feet per annum. These mills arc distinguished as being the oldest on the Flint River. The business is managed by Jlr. 11. J. \Vhaley. JEROME EDDY S MILL. This mill was built in the year 18G8, and is located in the third ward, on the corner of Kearsley and Island Streets. It has a capacity for dressing 10,000,000 feet of lumber, manufacturing about 10,000 doors, and a corre- sponding number of sash and blinds per annum. A destructive fire consumed the first mill erected, but Mr. Eddy immediately took the necessary measures to re- construct it, and in three months from the time it was burned one of the most perfect and complete mills in the State, with capacity for doing an extensive business, took its place, and has been running since. BEARDSLEE, GILLIES & CO.'s PLANING-MILL. This firm established their business in 18G7, in the build- ing now known as the '• Germania Barn," but the growing demands of the enterprise soon rendered their location undesirable, and in 1870 they removed to their present situation. In the various departments of the business they employ three planing- and matching-machines, one large moulder, one fifty-inch re.sawing-machine, one twenty-four-inch clap- board resawing- and jointing-machine, and two edging-saws on the first floor. The second floor is devoted to a full set of sash, door, and blind machinery, consisting of two rip- and two cut-off' saws, one sash-sticker, one tenoning-machine, one combined relisher and wedge-cutter, one panel-raising machine, one mortiser, one iron door-clamp, one scouring- machinc, one sash-mortiser, one boring- and franking-ma- chine, one scroll-saw, one sliaper, and two slat-tenoning machines. The firm employ in these various departments about twenty men, and the products of the mill find a market in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, New York, and Southern Michigan. The sash and doors find ready sale at home, and a considerable demand for them has been created in the neighboring counties. In the winter of 1868 the manufacture of boxes was added to the business, in which department six men are employed, who produce about three car-loads of box-shooks a week. The amount of sales by this firm average about 830,000 per annum. NEWALL & CO.'s PLANING-MILL. The firm of Newall & Co. embraces the following part- ners, — Thomas Newall, George E. Newall, S. C.Randall, — and is one of the olde.st establishments engaged in the manufacture of sash, doors, and blinds, having been estab- lished in 1855. They employ steam-power, and have two planers, two four-sided moulding-machines, one Daniels' improved planing-machine, one single moulder, one shapcr, one Fay's scroll-saw, one Colburn's blind stile boring-ma- chine, one mortiser, one resawing-machine for sawing clap- boards, one tenoning-machine, saws of various sizes and kinds, and two turning-lathes. The material is chiefly pur- chased in the city, and when manufactured finds a ready market at home and in adjacent parts of the State. UIRAi\I smith's MILLS. This business was established in 1877 by the present proprietor, who makes a specialty of handling hard-wood. FLINT CITY. 135 in wliich respect the mill differs from most other saw- anJ lumber-mills in the city. The sawing is done exclu- sively iu a mill devoted to tliat object, while the staves and headings are made in a mill adjoining. The capacity of the saw-mill is 12,000 to 15,000 feet per day, while in the other are cut 20,000 headings and as many staves, wliich liave been chiefly used for oil barrels. lie employs a steam-engine, the capacity of whicli is sixty-horse power, and twenty men are engaged in the labor of the establishment. Mr. Smith is also an extensive dealer in charcoal, having three sets of kilns, which combined have a capacity for burning three car-loads a day. The works at Flint have twelve kilus, while those at Clio have also twelve, and those located at Gaines, all being in Genesee County, six kilns, making an aggregate of about seventy-five ear-loads a month. He may bo regarded xi the largest dealer in char- coal in the county. DECKER & IIA.SKELL's ST.\ VE-jni.L9. This establishment, which had its origin in 1870, is de- voted entirely to tiie manufacture of staves and headings. The products of the mill were at first confined to material lor oil barrels, but since that time the firm have turned their attention to other kinds of stock, and now produce headings, half-barrel and birrel staves, white-oak staves anil head- ings from 14 to 84 inches in size, and headings for tubs. The staves are sawed from white-oak split-bolts, seasoned and close-jointed, witli bilge and bevel ready to set up. The machinery used for beveling — which, though simple in con- struction and in its operation, works with great ])erfection — is Crossley's iron wheel stave-jointer. The capacity of the mill when running with full force is from 18,000 to 20,000 staves a day, using about 40 cords of bolts per day. A branch track connects the mill with the Flint and Pere JIartjuette Kailway, affording great advantages in tjie .shipping of its wares, which find tiicir principal sale iu New York and Brooklyn. On the 0th of Jlay, 1874, an estcn.sive conflagration oc- curred, which not only destroyed the mill, but consumed much valuable stock. The yard was filled with staves and headings, which were entirely demolished, together with several adjacent struc- tures. New buildings and machinery, however, soon took the place of the old. W. B. I'ELLETT's F.\fTORY. Tlie factory of W. B. Pellett is located on the north side of the city, and was established in 1874. Sash, doors, and blinds are principally manufactured, though Mr. Pcllett lias made a specialty of extension-tables. Tlie factory furnishes employment for fifteen men, and is operated by steam-power. THREAD FLOURING- AND SAW-MILLS.* TIlis mill-site was establislied as early as 1830, by Rufus W. Stevens, when a saw-mill was erected. In 1834 the • This time-honorca institution was destroyed Ijy fiic in tlic afte nujn ut* June C, IS7'J. brothers Rufus W. and Augustus C. Stevens established here the famous " Thread Grist-Mill," the first of its class in the county. A succession of owners managed them for a number of years, when they were purchased by Alexander P. Davis, who continued his proprietorship for a period of twenty years, and tlien disposed of his interest to Witherbee & Patrick. Mr. Witherbee having died, his interest was purchased by Wait Buckingham, and in 1872 the property was bought by the present owners, Messrs. Burroughs & Picrson. The mills were by them thoroughly repaired and two run of stone added to the flouring-mill, which em- ploys both steam- and water-power, and has now four run of stone and a capacity of 100 barrels a day. The market for the flour produced is found in the northern part of Michi- gan, and in Pennsylvania and New York. The saw-mill is principally ein]iloycd in cutting hard-wood, and has a capacity of 2,000,000 feet a year. It is run entirely by water-power. PATTERSON & C.\R>IAn's FLOURINfJ-MILL. This mill was established by Patterson & Ilolmau in December of 1877, but after a lapse of six months 5Ir. Carman purchased the interest of Mr. Holman, and the firm became Patterson & Carman, the retiring partner having en- gaged in the construction of an elevator adjoining the mill. They obtain their power from a forty-hor.sc-power engine, which is inclosed in a separate building, with an under- ground shaft connecting it with the mill. Three run of stone are employed, and all the modern improvements for the manufacture of flour have been intro- duced. The capacity of the mill is 60 barrels a day. It is located at the foot of Grand Traverse Street, and a branch track connecting with the Flint and Pere Marquette Rail- way affords excellent advantages for shipping. A portion of the flour finds a market in the East, but the demand is principally for home consumption. Stockton's mill. This mill, whicli is located on the corner of Ann Arbor and Second Streets, was built in 1877 by Col. T. B. W. Stockton, the original purpose having been to make it an elevator. Later a portion of it was converted into a flouring- mill. The building is very substantially erected, and has all the modern advantages for elevating by steam-power. It has two run of stone, and a capacity for grinding about oOO bushels per day, and storing 1500 bushels of grain. A portion of the mill is three stories high. THE FLINT CHEMICAL WORKS. These works are a branch of the Bangor Chemical Works, located in Van Buren County, in this State, and represent a cash capital of $50,000. The principal wares manufactured are wood alcohol- and acetate of lime. These are produced by a process which condenses the gases that arise from the kilns, of which there are 12. The works have a capacity for producing 50 gallons of alcohol and 2J tons of acetate of lime per day. The railroad adjacent to the buildings affords excellent facilities for shipping the stock. GENESEE IRON-WORKS. These iron-works were built in the year 1847 by Wil- liam Gough, and are now owned by George C. Kimball, 136 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. who resides in Grand Rapids, and intrusts their manage- ment to an agent, who resides iu Flint. They make a specialty of manufacturin;^ malleable iron, this department of the works having been started in 1874, and being the only one in Michigan. They also work extensively in gray iron, and make carriage, wagon, and plow castings, steam- engines, and mill machinery. Twenty-five men are em- ployed in the various departments, and the products are sold in this State and Indiana. THE FLINT P.\PER-MII,LS. The Flint paper-mills arc located in the Third Ward, and were built originally as saw-mills by Samuel Carpenter. In 1S77 they were remodeled by William L. Gibson, and machinery placed in them for the purpose of manufacturing wrapping-paper. The machine, a C2-inch cylinder, run by steam, is capable of producing two tons of paper per day. Fifteen hands arc employed, and a market for the product is found principally in Detroit. CASTREE & ODELL AQRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT SHOP. This enterprise was established in 1873 by S. V. Hokes, who, before that time, was extensively engaged in manu- facturing similar wares on the north side of the river. Among the articles manufactured are plows, drags, culti- vators, scrapers, etc. They also make a specialty of bob- sleighs. The market for these implements is found princi- pally in Genesee County, though Oakland and Lapeer Counties make demands upon their stock. A store located on First Street is established in connection with the foundry. r.VTTEllSON's CARttlAOE-MANUFACTORY. William A. Patterson came to Flint in 18G9, and began an industry which has reached its present large propor- tions in a small rented shop, where one man was emplo3'ed besides himself He is now the owner of an extensive fac- tory on Saginaw Street, which gives constant employment to 30 men ; and he has in course of construction a large brick block fronting on Third Street, made necessary by the in- creasing demand fur his work, which consists of Brewster's side-bars, ladies' phaetons, yacht-buggies, coal-boxes, Con- cord or side-spring wagons, piano-boxes, etc. The home demand for these carriages is large, and numbers are shipped to distant parts of this and other States. EARLY CARDING-MILLS. In October, 1835, J. F. Alexander established a wool- carding mill on the Thread, and in 1845, John C. Griswold was engaged in the same business at the Thread 3Iills. Mr. Alexander advertised his carding-niills in verse, as follows : " Wool-earding done at the Alexander earding-macbine; All being new, notbing said about it being washed clean. The women's instructions are, ' Tell Mr. Alexander, iileaso, Make me as good rolls as you can ; it will my mind ease.' " I will, if you grease the wool so an 1 so, and bo sure Then your rolls shall be nice, can't be beat, nothing truer; And your mind will be at rest when you see that they .are Made at the Carding-Mills, No. I, of J. F. Alexander." STONE S -WOOLEN-MILLS. In 1867, Blr. Oren Stone, senior member of the firm of Stone, Atwood & Co., was induced — from the general com- plaints among Genesee County wool-producers that they did not receive adequate prices for their products — to sub- mit a statement to the business men of Flint advocating the feasibility and .success of a woolen-manufactory, if estab- lished in this city, and the advantages to be derived by keeping at home and dividing here the profits between pro- ducers and manufacturers. Acting upon these suggestions, a company was formed, a mill was erected and placed in active operation. But a short time had elapsed, however, before a majority of the original members — not continuing strong in the faith — dropped out one by one, leaving Messrs. Stone & Willard alone to face results. This they did without flinching. Together they gradually increased the demand and supply until 1870, when Mr. Stone assumed the entire manage- ment. By dealing exclusively with large wholesale and job- bing-houses — among them those of A. T. Stewart & Co., of Chicago, Farwell & Co., of Chicago, and C. Curtin, of San Franci.sco, Cal. — he managed, by a close attention to all the minor details of his business, to give employment to a large number of the workingmen and women of Flint, and to pull safely through those long years so fraught with disas- trous results to manufacturers throughout all sections of the country. 31111 No. 1 was erected iu 1SG7, and for the year ending June !, 18G8, the manufactured goods aggregated 15,000 yards of cassimeres. The products for the year 1S72 reached 11)0,1)00 yards. Under the present management of Stone, Atwood & Co., which began in 1877, the manufactures amount to 180,000 yards of cassimeres yearly. During the spring of 1879, Mill No. 2 was started, and the manufacture of stocking-yarn added, of which 4000 pounds are made per month. Much more could be said concerning the success of Stone's Woolen-Mills, but nothing that will appeal more strongly to business men than the fact that energy and pu.sh characterize the management. Well-paid experts attend to each department, whose strongest guarantee for a faithful performance of skilled labor and constant employment is their sobriety. CITY OF FLINT GAS-LIGHT COMP.\Nr. The City of Flint Gas-Light Company was organized March 26, 1870, by James B. Walker, Josiah W. Begole, William M. Fenton, and Jesse B. Atwood, with a capital of .§50,000. The ibllowing were the first oflicers : James B. Walker, President; F. W. Judd, Treasurer; Levi Walker, Secre- tary ; William j\L Fenton, Josiah W. Begole, Jesse B. Atwood, and William Hamilton, Directors. They at once commenced the erection of the works, and laid four and one-quarter miles of main pipe. They com- menced supplying gas Jan. 1, 1871. During the first year there were 90 consumers, using about 2,900,000 cubic feet in the year. The company have since that time extended their street mains until they have now about seven miles of main pipe. •s^- STONE'S WOOLEN MIL FLINT, MICHIGAN. FLINT CITY'. 137 and supply gas to about 2G0 consumers. Dui-ing tlic past year tlicy sold 4,317,000 culjic feet of gas. At the comujeiiceiiieiit the eouipaiiy sold gas at tlic rate of $4.15 per thousand feet, which included governniont tax. They arc now making a gas of eightecn-candlc puWer, and selling it at $3.50 per thou.sand feet, less a discount of twenty per cent, for cash, leaving the net rate $2.80 per thousand feet, which is lower than that of any other city in the State excepting Detroit. The present officers are F. W. Judd, President; J. B. Atwood, Jerome Eddy, J. W. Begolo, G. L. Denhani, Di- rectors ; Ira 11. Wilder, Treasurer ; Miles Byrne, Secretary and Superintendent. Among other business associations which years ago ceased to exist were the following : THE FLI.NT SALT-MANUFACTURING COMPAN'V. This company was regularly organized as a chartered a.sso- ciation, July 30, 18(50. Its capital stock was to be $50,000, or 20U0 shares at $25 each. The stockholders were Messrs. William M. Fenton,Edniond II. iMcQuigg,Artemas Thayer, Levi Walker, Henry H. Crapo, \Villiam Hamilton, Alonzo W. Broekway, James B. W.ilkcr, Josiah W. Begole, and Jlenry M. Henderson. The office was located in Flint, and the business of boring for and manufacturing salt was to be carried on in this and adjoining counties, the asso- ciation to exist thirty years. The amount of capital stock actually paid in at the time of incorporation was $500. This company went forward and bored the " Crapo well," spoken of under the head of " Water Sujiply." TUB WOLVEIilNE AND I'lT HOLE PETKOLEU.M CO.Ml'ANY. This company was formed Sept. 18, 1805, and incorpo- rated five days later. They proposed " to engag(> in and carry on the business of mining, exploring, and boring for and extracting from the earth and manufacturing and sell- ing jietrolenm and other oils, mines, and minerals on lands to be leased or purchased within the county of Venango, in the State of Pennsylvania." The amount of capital stock was to be $50,000, and the number of shares of such capital stock were 1000, of the value of $50 each. Tiio amount actually paid in at the date of incorporation was $10,000. The stockholders of this company e;;ch own- ing 100 shares were George W. Fish, Artemas Thayer, Grant Decker, Levi Walker, William B. JMeCreery, Paul 11. Stewart, Josiah Pratt, Robert J. S. Page, John B. Hamilton, and Jerome Eddy. The affairs of the company were managed by a board of seven directors. A ]iresident and treasurer were chosen from among the directors, and a secretary appointed. The comjiany was to exist thirty years. THE FLINT l>ETKOI,Ei:M CO.MI'ANV was formeil and incorporated according to the laws of the State of Michigan, Dee. It, 1805. It prciposed " to lease or purchase land in the Enniskillen Oil Kegion. Canada West, and bore and drill for oil thereon." T...- amount of capital stock wits to bo $10,000, or 250 .shares at $10 each, and the amount paid in at date of incor- poration was $5000. The first officers of this company were S. 15. Wicks, 18 President; A. T. Crosman, Secretary; John A. Kline, Treasurer; D.miel S. Freeman, George K. Newall, Peris F. Cleveland, S. B. Wicks, John A. Kline, Joseph Wood- house, Abner Randall, Francis Baker, and A. T. C!rosinan, Directors. Sixty-two stockholders signed the articles of incurpora- tion, and this company also was to continuj its existence for a period of thirty years. "AVILD-CAT" UANKINt;. In January, 1837, Michigan was admitted into the Union as a State. This was an era of the wildest specula- tion. The pioneers of that time yet living relate vividly the oft-repeated story of excessive prices of wild or uncul- tivated lands, and of lots in prospective villages and cities, which now have nothing but the recorded plat in the offic • of the registrar of deeds to indicate their location. This speculation, no doubt, was largely owing to the great amount of paper-money afloat in the State at that period. A general banking law was enacted in JIarch, 1837, making the business free to all. Under this law was the early banking in Genesee County inaugurate;e8 of five and seventeen years ; the number under five and over seventeen being 21. Dura- tion of school, six months. Amount raised by tax was $586, of wiiicli $499 was for building a school-housj, and $87 for the support of schools. This house must have been the frame building Avliich formerly stood at the corner of Clifford and First Streets, on the site now occupied by Jlr. Browning's house. Although the public school was thus legally organized, there were many and formidable ob- stacles to its success. Hard times soon came on, and money was scarce, and the teachers often doubly earned, by delays and duns, the pittance which they received. But the greatest obstacle was want of faith in the free-school sys- tem, and hence the attempt to run the mongrel system, hampered with rate-bills, which so long vexed the souls of educationists. The rate-bills were often very onerous, es- pecially on the primary department, offering a temptation to parents with large families of small children to tolerate, if not encourage, absence from school ; and, as each absence increased the burden on those remaining, the evil grew in a constantly increasing ratio, until, sometimes, the school was brought to a premature close. After strugglitig thus for several years without recognizing the real impediment in the way, the friends of education made a rally on the union-school system, as a sovereign remedy for all scholastic ills. That portion of the district lying ncirth of Flint River having been set off as a separate district, those remaining purchased an entire block and proceeded to erect the house at present used in the Second Ward. But here, at the out- set, a most egregious and irreparable blunder was perpe- trated. The lot at that time was covered with a fine growth of young oaks, which were most carefully exterminated ; whereas, had they been left to grow, they would by this time have formed one of the finest groves in the county. This hou.se, which is a two-story wooden building sur- mounted by a cupola, which is not remarkable for its grace or artistic effect, contains four commodious rooms. It has done good service for thirty years, and having a solid frame, with contemplated renovations, will be serviceable for many years to come. "On the completion of the house a union school was inaugurated in the fall of 1S4G, under charge of Mr. N. W. But's, with an ample corps of teachers. Years passed on, and many a faithful teacher did valiant service, though often with a depressing consciousness of Egyptian task- work in attempting to make scholars of pupils who attended at random. As an illustration of the extent of this evil of irregular attendance, we cite a report for the term end- ing August, 1853, as follows: whole number enrolled, 04; average attendance, 18 ; average absences, 40. The total result, under this incubus of the rate-bill, was not very sat- isfactory ; the panacea had failed, and u new remedy must be tried. " Accordingly, we find that at the annual scliool-mceting held in 1>^55 the following resolutions were adopted, pre- faced with a preamble, setting forth that the experience of ten years had demonstrated the failure of the union- school system to give any adequate return for the expense incurred, while it completely excluded four-fifths of the children of the district from any participation in its ques- tionable benefits ; and believing that the great interests of education would be advanced, the burden of taxation dimin- ished, and the harmony of the Second and Third Wards improved by a frank and open abandonment of the present system, and the division of the district ; Therefore, *" /iVs«//f(?(/, Tbiit the union .system as adopted, ?o far ns it goes to c.-t.il)li^h the .icii'lcmic department in paid sehool, lie and the same is hereby aliandoncd. '* ' lit'Htilveil, That we have ten month.s ofsehool the coming year in this house. Tliat we have one male and two female teaeher.'i ([ualified to teaeh the primary and English branches of education. " ' lit^ttnfveil, That, in the opinion of this meeting, the great interest of education in our city would be advanced by a division of I'nion School Di--trict No. 1, so that Saginaw Street should be the dividing line.' " In accordance with this expression of public sentiment, upon petition of the parties interested, the division was made by the school iuspectors, and District No. 3, embrac- ing the Third Ward, was formed. But, the disintegration having commenced, another division was called for and made, forming District No. 4, of that portion of the Third Ward lying north of Court Street. "The old district. No. 1, was now left in an anomalous position, fo.r, as might have been expected, with the adop- tion of the foregoing resolutions, no provision was made for sustaining a public school, the customary assessment of one dollar per scholar being ignored, with the following curious result : From the report of 1855-50 it appears that the whole amount of teachers' wages was §1235, of which the amount assessed on rate-bills (S640.47) was more than one- half, while the moiety of less than one-fifth (^$214.82) was derived from the priiuary-school fund and mill-tax, and 8343.52, more than one fourth, was reueived from non-res- idents, a proportion unparalleled in the history of our schools, and an evidence of the popularity of the teacher then in chaige. Prof iM. B. Beals. " This was certainly bringing the free public school to its lowest terras, and a continuance of the same policy must soon have led to the total abandonment of the whole system. But the people were not ready for such a catastrophe, and ever after, at the annual meetings, voted as liberally as the law allowed for the support of schools, and would gladly have anticipated, b}' a decade, that release from the thral- dom of rate-bills which the Legislature ultimately gave. So far from abandoning the academic course, it was made still more prominent. Prof William Travis, an accom- jilished teacher, was placed in charge for three years (from 1850 to 1859), and by his ability, culture, energy, and enthusiasm gave a new impetus to the cause of education which left a lasting iiupression. At the annual meeting in 1859, it was voted unanimously to organize a graded school under the act of the Legislature approved Feb. 16, 1859, and the following board of trustees were elected, viz. : Levi Walker and Daniel Clarke for three years, S. N. Warren and Grant Decker lor two years, John Delbridge and C. N. Bcechcr for one vear. ^^Mllllllfl CHAUNCEY S. PAYNE. The name which stands at the head of this brief biographical notice is lliat of one who was among the earlier settlers in Genesee County, and who was an enterprising, public-spirited, and honored citizen of Flint for a period of forty years. Chauncey Smith Payne was born at Schodack, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., on the lljth of November, 1795. Having lost his parents by death while yet a child, he was reared and edu- cated by his grandparents until he was about seventeen years of age, when his active ti-mperament and spirit of enterprise led him to leave the seclusion of his early home, to seek his fortune in the neighboring city nf Albany. There he entered into a partnership with his cousin, Hiram Payne (also a young man), in the watch and jewelry business. At the end of three years this partnership was dissolved, and he entered into other business connectinns, continuing to the close of the war of 1812-15, at which time, believing a Western venture would prove profitable, he purchased the entire stock of his former partner, and, with a part of it, proceeded to Detroit in 1816, journeying through Canada with a team. As it was just after the close of the war, the national feeling and prejudice still ran high, and it was only by his coolness and determi- nation that he was able to pass through the Canadian terri- tory without molestation, and to reach Detroit in safety. Having disposed of his goods very advantageously, and being encouraged by his success, he returned, by Lake Erie and Butlalo, to Albany, in the spring of 1817, and in the following July reappeared in Michigan with a large stock of merchandise, which he took to Mackinac. His second venture proving as successful as the first, he again proceeded to Albany, and in 1818 brought out his third stock of goods, and located in Detroit in permanent business as a merchant, having also a branch at Mackinac. His part- ner in Detroit was the late Levi Brown, with whom he remained in very successful business connection for more than twenty years. In 1824 he married Miss Louisa L. Smith, of Detroit, daughter of Jacob Smith, the well-known trader, who had made the first improvements upon the site of the present city of Flint, in 1819. Immediately after the death of Mr. Smith, in 1825, Mr. Payne made his first visit to Flint River, to look after the affairs of the deceased, and to take formal possession of the landed property riwned here by his w^ife and the other children of Mr. Smith. Thi-^ visit, however, was but tem- porary, and he soon returned to Ohio, where just previous to his marriage he had eslahlished a lucrative business. His location in that State was first at Cleveland, but he soon after removed to Willoughby, Ohio, where, in addition to his merchandising, he wa« engaged in milling and various other enterprises. He had also a branch of bis business in Akron, Ohio, where he built the first of the large stone business blocks which adorn that city. Upon the formation of the Portage Canal and Manufacturing Company at Akron, he became an active member and a large stockholder, and was at different times the treasurer of the company, and its fiscal agent in New York City, with almost absolute discretionary power in its financial concerns. In 18-35 he closed his affairs in Ohio and returned to his business in Detroit, but remained there only two years, and in 1837, at the solicitation of a number of the prominent people of Flint, he removed to that city, to spend (as it proved) the remainder of his long life. Having always been pros- perous in his business affairs, he had, at the time i>f his settle- ment here, in addition to the landed estate of his wife, a large amount of ready money, and with this he engaged in trade and in banking at Flint. He also built extensively, and contributed to the progress of the city in various ways, one instance of which was his furnishing of the money to start the publication of Flint's first newspaper, the Flint River Gazette. Although Mr. Payne had already been engaged in active business in other places for a full (|uarter of a century before be came to make his home in Flint, he yet passed half his whole life (lacking only a few months) here, and became a citizen of such prominence as to make his name inseparable from the annals of the city. He died at his residence in Flint, Jan. 31, 1877, aged eighty-two years. The ('!ti:e7i, of Flint, in its next issue after the death of Mr. Payne, said of him : " His dust and his memory are all that remain of one who for nearly half a century filled one of the foremost places in the history of this county and city. . . . He was uncommonly generous of the goods with which fortune had endowed him. As instances of this spirit may be mentioned that he donated to the Catholics an acre of land, as the site of their present church ; also a tract of land on Detroit Street, for a burial-ground ; likewise to the Baptist church and the Garland Street Methodist Episcopal church the lots now occupied by those societies respectively ; and not long since a lot, valued at five hundred dollars, for the benefit of the new Episcopal church. He was a man of remarkable kindness of heart, amounting to almost womanly tenderness on witnessing distress; of the highest integrity of character, and of broad literary culture, with a great love for books. He was a religious man, though not a professor of religion in any denomination." Mr. Payne was, at the time of his death, one of the oldest members "of the Masonic Fraternity in the State, having become a Mason in Detroit, in 1818, in what was then known as Zion Lodge, No. 02, of the Territory of Michigan. When Washington Chapter, No. 15, was instituted at Flint, he was one of its charter members, and its first King. Subsequently he received the orders of the Red Cross, Knights Templar, and Knigbtsof Malta. He wasalsooneof theoriginal.and the last surviving member of the Mechanics' Institute of Detroit. FLINT CITY. 141 " It would be impossible in the limits of this sketch to note all the teachers whose faithful labors have douc so uuich to lay the foundation upon which the reputation of our schools is bein^ built; but wc cannot forj^ct the patriot scholar, Capt. Simeon C. Guild, who, at the call of his country in the hour of her peril, left the charge of his school for the tented Held, where he gave his last and noblest lesson, that of chivalnjus devotion to his country, when he laid his young life, so full of the promise of fu- ture usefulness and renown, upon her altar, falling a victim in the afi'air at Fort Wagner, where ' soniebndy blundered.' " From the length of the period that he labured here, nine years (from 1805 to 1874), as well as by his ability and peculiar adaptation to the work before him, — that of organization and drill, — no one has done more for our schools than Prof. Z. Truesdel. " April 3, 1809, is a most important date in the educa- tional history of IMichigan, and worthy a centennial re- membrance, as being the day when No. 116 of the acts of the Legislature for that year, by virtue of which rate-bills were finally abolished and the free public school really es- tablished, was approved by the Governor and became the law of the State. '' This event gave new vitality to the cause of education, which, together with the constant growth in population and weiillh, soon placed this school on a much higher plane than it occupied before the division, and the overcrowded school-house ag.dn brought up the ever-recurring question as to how the want could be best supplied. " Before noting the solution of that problem, we will call attention to the colonists who went out in 1855. " District No. 3, which contained the most territory and largest number of scholars, with the least taxable property, proceeded to erect a brick house on Oak Street, in the Third Ward. This house, which is a two-story building, neither commodious nor elegant, originally contained two school rooms and a small recitation-room, and has since been enlarged by a two-story addition with a school-room on each floor. The location is a beautiful one, in a grove of primitive oaks, at one of the most prominent points in the city ; but it is to be regretted that more land was not obtained at a time when it could have been done at a moderate expense. " In the absence of any records, we can only say that able and faithful teachers labored here, and did their jiart in advancing the great work of education. " District No. 4, which contained the least territory, with the smallest number of scholars, and a larger proportion of taxable property, instead of building, purchased an unfin- ished dwelling-house on Grand Traverse Street, known as the IJIades Hou-sc, and, fitting it up as an apology for a school-house, kept up a school here for several years. It was not a very successful educational enterprise, and an effort was made in 18G1, by petition to the board of school inspectors, to have it united with No. 3, but, being oppo.sed by a remonstrance, the inspectois declined to act, referring the subject to the voters of the Third and Fourth Districts at their annual meeting; and in ISli!!, there being a de- cided expression of public sentiment in favor of the meas- ure, and the formal con.'^eiit of the district officers in writing' having been obtained, the measure was effected. The dem- ocratic principle of free public schools seems to have been but dimly recognized in this enterprise, for we find that in a remonstrance against abandoning the ' Blades House' and substituting the city-hall building, a measure de- manded for the accommodation of more pupils, it wa.s claimed that, as they had escaped the burden of a school- tax in a great measure in the jiast, imnuinity should be continued as a vested right in the i'ulure. " Notwithstanding the decided expression in favor of dis- union in 1855, it was soon found by experience that the panacea had not yet been found. The evils of i.solated and divided action soon became apparent ; and while other cities and villages were sustaining their prosperous union graded schools, which were giving them credit and re- nown, it became evident that Flint was falling into the background. A general sentiment had grown up that something more must be done for education, and in 1807 Districts Nos. 1 and 3 were reunited, under the title of ' Union School District of the City of Flint,' by the act of the Legislature, approved March [), 1807. "The school was reorganized under this act, with the fol- lowing board of tru.stees, after the annual meeting, viz.: Levi Walker, President; William L. Smith, Secretary; George R. Gold, Treasurer; I'aul II. Stewart, Sumner Howard, and Daniel Clarke. The reunion made the neces- sity for further accommodations more urgent; and, as the best temporary relief which could be obtained, the unfinished building on the corner of Saginaw and Third Streets, known as the city-hall building, was leased of the city for a noniiiKil sum, and fitted up at an expense of about SJOOtl, for the accommodation of the high-school. This house continued to be used for this purpose until the completion of the new high-school building. After this time a male principal was employed in addition to the superintendent, — Mr. S. II. Winchcl being the first to occupy that position. " The trustees' report at the annual meeting, 1870, shows the employing of two male and thirteen female teachers. Whole number enrolled in the district between the ages of five and twenty, 1269; whole number attending school, 1157, of whom 150 were non-residents. " By an act of the Legislature, apjiroved March 18, 1871, amending the charter of the city ol' Flint, the School Dis- trict No. 1, of the town of Flint, was annexed to the city as the Fourth Ward ; and, by the consent of both parties, became merged in Union School District, its property being transferred and its liabilities assumed. " A brief sketch of this school will illustrate the rise and progress of schools in a new country, and verifies the old adage that ' where there is a will, there is a way.' The territory now comprising the Fourth Ward, for some years after the settlement of Flint, was mostly occupied by a dense growth of pine, forming a most striking feature in the land.seape, and giving the new-comer the impression that he had at last reached the border of that vast j)ine forest of Northern Michigan, of which he had heard so much. After the establishment of the State Institution for the Ivlucation of the Djaf and Dumb and the Blind in this vicinity, this pinery was exterminated and a village ]ilalteil, and, being connected with the business portion of li-2 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUxNTY, MICHIGAN. the 'city by a new bridijo, a settlement commenced. As tlie nearest district scluiol-liouse was at an inconvenient distance, tlie need of another was soon felt, and April I), 1859, this fcnitofy was set off as District No. 1 of the town of Flint, and soon after organized by a meeting at the house of G. F. Hood, Esq., at whicli time it was reported that all the ((ualified voters in the district, to the number of twenty-one, including one female, had been notified. The following officers were elected, viz. : D. ^IcKerchcr, Moderator; II. G. Beach, Director, and II. W. Whitney, Assessor. At a special meeting, held Ajiril 2Sth, on motion of G. F. Hood, it was voted that the board iiavc power to purchase materials and put up a suit- able shanty for a school to be kept in ; said shanty to be 18 by 28 feet. This shanty was built upon the site occu- pied by the present house, at a cost, including furniture, of about $140. It did good service, being used eleven years, and then, after the completion of the new house, was sold at auction for §33. At the annual meeting in 18G7, the number of scholars having incrca.scd to 100, the shanty had become too small, and the necessity for a new house being felt, it was resolved to raise $1000 by tax and §3000 by loan for that purpose. A plan submitted by P. Cleve- land, Esq., of Flint, was adopted, and the present house was built. This is a two-story brick building, surmounted with a belfry, and furnishing a spacious school-room on each story. The burden of building did not prevent the liberal support of the school, for we find that at the ne.tt annual meeting, in 18G8, on motion of G. L. Walker, Esq., it was resolved, by a vote of 28 to 8, that $2 per scholar be raised by tax for the support of the school, amounting to $2G2. " In 1869 a graded school was established and a board of six trustees was elected, viz. : L. P. Andrews, G. L. Walker, G. Stanard, J. Williams, 0. Maltby, and J. Haver. " The reported state of the finances at this time was ' an empty treasury, rate-bills abolished by law, and teachers un- paid.' However, these difficulties were overcome, a male teacher, Mr. C. Donel.son, was employed, and, in the absence of further records, we can only say that this school continued to flourish until absorbed into the ' union school of the city,' in 1871, and will now compare favorably with any other school of its grade in the city. •' We learn from the records of the board of school in- spectors of the town of Flint that School District No. 2, embracing the present First Ward of the city, was formed March 8, IS^.). In the following year a brick .school- house was built on Detroit Street, at present occupied by Jlr. A. Ilurd as a dwclling-honse. This is noted not only as being the oldest school-house extant, but as being the first brick building erected in our city. The early records of this district are lost, or inaccessible. It seems not to have been very prosperous, or to have soon fallen into decay, judging from the remarks of the director, II. W^. Wood, Esq., at the dedication of the new house, Dec. G, 185S. These remarks we quote, not only as giving a most graphic ]iicture of the slough into whicli educational interests had fallen, but also, and more especially, as showing what can be accomplished by indomitable energy, under the most adverse circumstancs. " Mr. Wood says : ' Having always been deeply impressed with the great importance of good schools, and the proper training and education of tlie rising generation, it was with deep feelings of mortification that the undersigned, in com- mon with many others in the Fir.st Ward, beheld the low and ineflicient state and condition of the public education in this ward during several years past. It was a source of great annoyance to hear our ward and district spoken dis- paragingly of by the inliabilantsof other and more favored localities. On every side of us schools were in flourishing and prosperous condition, and growing rapidly into impor- tance ill the estimation of the people; and for some time it was a question asked by some in this district, with great solicitude, whether something could not be done to elevate the character of our school. But there were many obstacles in the way. There was no suitable building; the old brick school-house on Detroit Street was in a dilapidated and ru- inous cDtidilion. It was, in short, a stigma on the public spirit of the ward, — a by-word and a reproach. It was lo- cated on a plat of ground inaccessible and inconvenient ; and it was found that before anything effectual could be done to advance the cause of education among us, a large sum of money must be expended in purchasing grounds and erecting suitable buildings. This necessity has been appre- ciated for several years by almost every one of intelligence in the di.striet. But to this step there was manifestly at first a spirit of opposition, based, as many thought, on teiniljle grounds, but, as others thought, without any just foundation. The financial crisis of 18.^7 was just coming upon us. Prop- erty was depreciated, and general terror and alarm pervaded every mind ; and under such a state of things it was almost preposterous to hope that anything could be done. Yet it was determined to make an effort and succeed, or else dis- pense with the miserable apology for a school which at that time pretended to exist. Accordingly, at the annual meet- ing in 1857, the project was started, generally discussed, and those in its fiivor were highly gratified that more were with them than they expected. After the discussion, various plans were submitted, ranging from a few dollars of repairs upon the old house to the building of one larger, more elegant and commodious, convenient and expensive. A committee of three intelligent gentlemen was appointed to investigate and report .at a subsequent meeting a plan of operations. After thorough investigation, the committee reported in favor of a new school-house, recommended the purchase of the pres- ent site, and the building of the present elegant and conve- nient house which you see before you. To the gratification of every one, the report of that committee was adopted, ami §1000 were raised to aid the enterprise. The board were authorized to purchase the site and let the job for building. The job was let to good workmen and responsible parties, and, as the result, you see before j'ou this noble structure, which is alike an enduring monument to the generous and high-minded public spirit of the patrons of .schools in this part of the city. True, it has been an expensive enterprise and the times have been hard. It has borne heavily upon many of us. Yet we are proud of it ; we are glad the en- terprise was gone into, and suceessfullj'. It is admitted by all that we have the best house that has been built, for the ! amount of money, in this vicinity. And, as we have the FLINT CITV. 143 best house in this county, your diroctoi', in takinp; leave of tliis part of the subject, would earnestly recounuond to every one to be united, cheerful, and zealous in niaintaiuing a school worthy of your house, of yourselves, and to which the rising generation, in after-years, may look with pride, gratitude, and affection.' " It is highly gratifying to find that this zeal in a good cause did not spend itself in building the house, but went on to establish and sustain a first-class school, including, not only the ' higher English branches, but the classics and sonic of the modern languages ;' su])plying also the ap- pliances necessary for success, including maps, books of referenee, and a library of miscellaneous books; and doing this with alacrity, while heavily taxed for the expense in- curred in building.. "At the annual meeting in 1859 a graded school was organized under the act of the Legislature then recently passed, and the following gentlemen were elected a board of trustees, viz. : D. S. Freeman and D. S. Fox, fur one year ; A. McFailan and 0. Adams, for two year.s; and F. II. Kankin and II. W. Wood, for three years. " In lStI5 valuable philosojiliical apjiaratus was bought, and S2000 raised by tax to enlarge the new school-hou.se, which had become inadefpiate to acccmimodate the increasing ma.ss of jnipils. " In 18U7 the enlarged house again became crowded, and another, known as the ' IJraneh House,' was built on Second Street, at^tlie corner of Lyon Street. This, which is a one-story wooden structure, surmounted by a belfry, contains two commodious rooms, used for the primary de- partment. " The following-named gentlemen have had charge of the schools in this district for periods of greater or less length since the renovation, viz. : Messrs. II. G. Jones, E. M. Jlason, W. Tennant, S. B. Kingsbury, T. M. Wells, and F. JI. Hamilton. The list of female teachers who have done faithful work in this field, the full value of which can never be apjjreciated, is too long for rehearsal here. "The movement which had been inaugurated in the 'llnioD School District,' on the .south side of the river, for building a ni'W house attracted the attention of education- ists ill this ward ; and, at a .special meeting of the qualified voters, held Nov. 10, 1871, a ]preanil)le and rescjlutiuns were adopted in favor of union, on certain conditions. These conditions being a.s.sented to, after further conference, the consolidation of the four ward.s of the city in one selioul district wits effected by an act of the Legislature, ajiproved Jlarch 28, 1872. " Thus this prosperous school, in the full tide of its success, became merged in that grand enterprise which has brought all our schools into one organization, in which relation we trust the good record of the past will be amply sustained. '• Each increment of the ' Union School District' rendered the call for a new house more urgent, the temporary re- lief obtained by oecupyiiig the ' cily-liall building' having been outgrown by tlie rapid increase of our growing city. And, accordingly, we find that at the annual meeting, lield Sept. 2, 1871, the board of tnisleis in their rejiort, after noting the highly prosperous cG74. The test tiuis far has been highly satisfactory, bolli as to the plan and the workmanship. " Tiis desks and seats for the pupils, which are substan- tial, elegant, and convenient, were furnished by the School Furniture Company, Sterling, III., at a cost of §1678.50. The teachers' desks were furnished by W. B. Colson, of Flint, and are a practical demonstration of the skill of our mechanics. " The bell, which weighs 2000 pounds, was furnished by Meneeley & Kimberley, for $304.20 ; and the clock, which is a beautiful piece of mechanism, and tcstities its own accuracy, by the ' Howard Clock Company,' of Bos- ton, for $650. " The public are indebted for the judicious selection of these valuable and indispensable adjuncts to the skill and good taste of Wm. Stevenson, Esq., to whom that duty was assigned by the board. "Valuable philosophical apparatus has been provided, but the cheuiical needs large additions. The same may be said of the library, which contains many valuable books, but is very far from being such as the wants of the school demand. A cabinet of natural history, illustrating all departments, received in trust from the ' Flint Scientific Institute,' is invaluable for purposes of instruction, and ibrnis the nucleus of a collect ion which, we trust, the alumni of Flint High-School will be proud to foster and enlarge. " No serious accident occurred to any of the workmen engaged in the construction of the building, but the build- ing itself had a narrow escape from destruction by fire which originated from the culpable carcltssncss of the men employed to put in the heating apparatus, and, but for timely discovery by some young men returning from a late party, and their sagacious management, the whole structure would soon have been a mass of ruins. " But the saddest event, and one which gave a grievous shock to hi,s colleagues and threw a gloom over the whole community, was the death of Hon. Levi Walker, which took place April 25, 1874, at Lansing, where he was en- gaged, with his accustomed energy and fidelity, in discharg- ing the duties of a representative in the State Legislature. 3Ir. Walker had been connected with our schools, in thtir various phases of organization, for twenty years, and by his generous culture, his unfaltering interest, sound judg- ment, legal experience, and conservative independence, ren- dered invaluable service at many a critical juncture, and in his death left a worthy record and an irreparable loss behind. " The Flint High-School building stands on the west side of Beach Street, about seventy rods south of the ' Thayer House.' It is a substantial structure of brick, stone, and iron, and is much admired for its artistic design and adapta- tion to the purposes of its construction. It is three stories high above the basement, the gable-point of the front being eighty feet above the basement floor. The rear of the main building corresponds with the front, but the ends are finished with man.sard roof, surmounted with crest-railings, and the whole building is covered with corrugated iron. The walls above the basement are of white brick, tuck- pointed with dark slate, the window-sills and trimmings being of Berea sandstone, while the water-tables, steps, etc., are of Ohio blue freestone, and the window-caps of llan.som artificial stone. The building is 102 feet in length from north to south, by 92 in width. The tower at the north- east corner is 26 by 26 feet at the base, and 128 feet in height to the globe which caps the cupola. This tower contains a broad stairway leading to the second and third stories, while above, an elegant and veracious clock notes with exemplary accuracy the passing hours, and a fine-toned bell, in sonorous pculs, announces their departure. There is a dwarf tower on the southe;ist corner, on the first floor of which is the superintendent's office, on the second the library, and on the third the zoological cabinet. Two ven- tilating shafts, which stand at the juncture of the cross walls with the rear wall, rise conspicuously above the build- ing, and are capped with galvanized iron. The smoke- pipes passing through them impart heat to the air in these shafts, and, thus creating an upward current, secure ventila- tion. A hall extends the whole length of the building, with entrances at the ends for the pupils, — that on the south being used by the girls, and that on the north by the boys. On the west side of this hall a stairway, ascending from the north, gives access for the boys to the second story ; while the girls reach the same floor by another stairway in a trans- verse hall, which extends from the south part of the long hall to the vestibule of a front door, near the dwarf tower. Through this vestibule access is had to the superintendent's office. T'lis stairway extends to the third story. Another transverse hall, from the north part of the long hall, con- nects with the vestibule of the main tower. In the base- ment there are two rooms on the front, used for the primary department, so constructed with folding- and sliding-doors that they can be thrown into one ; there are two other com- modious rooms at the rear corners, which can be used for school-rooms, while the centre is used as a coil-room, in heating and ventilating. On the first floor there are five school-rooms,— three on the west side of this long hall, of which the centre one is 34 by 40 feet, while the others on each side are 32 by 40. Each of these rooms has two doors opening into the long hall. On the opposite side there are two rooms adjoining, each 22 by 33 feet, now u.sed as recitation-rooms. At each end of the long hall on this side there is a wardrobe 14 by 15 feet, nicely arranged for the purposes designed. On the second floor the number and arrangement of the rooms is the same. In the third story, the whole rear of the building is occupied by a large hall, 56 by 09 feet, 18 feet in height, with four fluted iron columns, which rest on the cross walls and support the structure above. A convenient stage on the east side is connected with lobbies in the rear. This hall, which is fur- nished with tasty and substantial movable seats, from the Northville Furniture Company, will seat 1000. On the front, on this floor, there is a room 20 by 28 feet, used as a laboratory and lecture-room, having an ample platform in the rear, with a convenient room on either side for philo- GRANT DECKER. As a pioneer of the city of Flint, Mr. Decker is entitled to special mention ; as a business man, he was among the early merchants and lumbermen ; in the church he was one of the founders of St. Paul's Episcopal church ; upon the organization of the city of Flint, he was chosen its first mayor. Mr. Decker was formerly from New Jersey, his ancestors locating in the village of Deckertown be- fore the Revolution. There he was born, February 4, 1814. In 1824 his father moved to Western New York, where Mr. Decker was reared to manhood. In 1838 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Stevens. In 1839 he came to Flint, and enguged in the mercantile and lumbering business with two of his brothers-in-law, A. C. and Sherman Stevens. This firm bontinued a few years when it was dissolved, and Mr. Decker continued in business alone or with other partners. Since that time he, with Artemas Thayer, built a large flouring-mill, which was sub- sequently destroyed by fire. Mr. Decker has been particularly unfortunate from fires ; eight times has he suffered serious loss by this element, and although the aggregate of his loss has been many thousand dollars, he has always paid one hundred cents on the dollar, and at this time is carrying on an exten- sive manufacturing business with his son-in-law, H. C. Hascall. Mr. Decker's first wife died in 1844. He was again married, to Mrs. Julia I. Clark, formerly Miss Julia I. Fenton. He has reared a family of six children, — five daughters and one son. The son enlisted in the 5th Michigan Cavalry and served in the war of the Rel)ellion ; was taken prisoner at Gettysburg, and died in Andersonville prison. On all questions of morality or Christianity, Mr. Decker has ever thrown his influence upon the side of right and justice. He was vestryman of St. Paul's church, of Flint, more than thirty years, and has served for many years and to the present time as senior warden of that organization. FLINT CITV, 145 sopliical and chemical apparatus. Adjoining tliis, on the south, is another room 10 by 20 feet, which, tof;cther with the upper room of tiie dwarf tower, and a small room ad- joining, are used for the cabinet of natural history. Tiie building is lighted with gas, and warmed by steam, with direct and indirect radiation. The steam from tlie boiler- room being conducted through the coils in the coil-rooms, heats a current of fresh air which, passing through the flues in the walls, is admitted by registers into the several rooms where needed, while the vitiated air passes into the venti- lating shafts. To secure mure heat when needed, steam coils are placed in the several apartments where roijuired, thus giving direct radiation. " The building having been completed, was dedicated July 13, 1875, on which occasion a highly interesting and in- structive address was delivered by Hon. Duune Doty, of Detroit. " Aug. 30, 1875, the school wa.s opened in its several de- partments, under charge of Prof. Crissoy, assisted by an able corps of teachers, and is now in full tide of successful operation ; and we trust that the good work so auspiciously begun will go on until the Flint schools shall become potent in aiding to build that foundation of education and morality which alone will form a stable basis fur free insti- tutions." The foregoing sketch, in quotation, was written by Daniel Clarke, M.D., early in 1876. Since then the act of or- ganization of the school district has been twice amended. The limits of the district now are the same as those of the city, and trustees are elected by ballot at the .same time as the mayor and other city officers, — the first Monday in April. The district is divided into three sub-districts, and one trustee is elected in each for a term of three years. The schools have been, and still are, progressing success- fully. A cla.ss of eight graduated from the high school at the close of the school year 1873-70. In 1877 the grad- uates numbered fourteen ; in 1878 ihere were twent^'-one. The high-school is organized with four courses of study, as follows : Classical course. — First year: first half, Latin, Algebra, Physiology, Heading, Spelling, Penmanship ; second half, Latin, Algebra, Pliy>ical Geography, Reading, Spelling, Penmanship. Second year : first half, Latin, Rhetoric, United States History, and Arithmetic; .second half, Latin, General History, Arithmetic. Third year : first half, Jjatin, Greek, Algebra; second half, Latin, Greek, Geometry. I''ourt!i year: first half, Latin, Greek, Algebra; second half, liatin, Greek, Geometry. Latin course. — This course differs from the classical only in having French or German in the place of (Jreck. French is rccjuired in this cour.se and in the scientific fur admi.-ision to the University. Eiijlisk course. — First year: first lialf, English Gram- mar, Algebra, Physiology, Reading, Spelling, Penmanship ; second half. Analysis and Composition, Algebra, Physical Geograiihy, Reading, Spelling, Penmanship. Second year: first h.4ll'. Zoology, United States lli.story, and Science of Govcrn.iient, Uookkceping, and Arithmetic; .second half. Botany. General History, Arithmetic. Third year: first half, General History, Chemistry, Algebra; second half, 19 Natural Philosophy, Geology, Geometry. Fourth year : first half. Rhetoric, Political F^conomy, Algebra; second half, English Literature, Astronomy, Geometry. Scienlijic course. — First and second years, same as Eng- lish course. Third year : first half. General History, French or German, Algebra ; second half. Natural Philosophy, French or German, Geometry. Fourth year: first half, Rhetoric, French or German, Algebra ; second half, English Literature, French or German, Geometry. Composition and elocutionary exercises throughout the several courses. The first of these prepares students for the classical course in the University of Michigan, the .second for the Latin and scientific, the third for the scientific and engi- neering course (requiring, however, the addition of one year's work in Latin), and the fourth fur the uowly-arrangcd iMiglish literary course. This is one of the high-schools of the State from which students have been for several years admitted to the Uni- versity (^Freshman class) upon their diplomas, if recom- mended. It should not, however, be supposed that the main aim of the school is to prepare students for the University. The number sent to that institution is necessarily small in comparison with the entire number graduated, and it is the purpose so to direct the work of the school that its benefits shall be of practical value to those whose student-life ter- minates hero, as well as to those who go to higher insti- tutions of learning. For the former cla.ss, the scientific and English courses are believed to be especially suitable. The lower departments of the schools are in a flourishing condition, being under the instruction of able and success- ful teachers, and being equally with the high school objects of especial care. The primary department in the several buildings in- cludes the first four grades or years of school-work, the grammar department the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth years or grades, bringing pupils to the high school. The high-school, the eighth and seventh grades, and jiart of the sixth grade are accommodated in the central building, as are also 125 pupils of primary grades. Five other buildings, located in different parts of the city, furnish accommodations fur the other grades. In the grammar department, arithmetic, account-keeping, English grammar, and composition, geography, United States history, reading, spelling, penmanship, and elemen- tary drawing are carefully taught. The following items show the census and the enrollment and attendance in all the schools of the city fur the year ending June 21, 1878: Number in district l>etwccn 5 iiinl 20 years did 2441 Nuinljer enrdlk'd in the seliools 18;i7 Averiij^e liulliliur liclotif^ing 12SH.8 Averii^e daily iilteiulanee. IIS2.1 IV-rei'iit. ul' iittkMidanju on iiveriij^o luilul^er belonging. yi.7 Perfict attendance is encouraged by the publication quarterly (at end of every ten school-weeks) of a roll of honor, showing the names of pupils perfect in attendance. Two pupils succeeded in keeping a perfectly clean record, being neither absent nor late, fur three years ending June 21, 14C HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1878. Five others were similarly perfect for two years end- ing at the same. time, ami twenty-seven others for one year. A growing library of about l-tllO well-selected volumes, and a valuable museum, constitutes part of the material of the high- and grammar-schools. The schools have quite a large non-resident attendance, drawn principally from the populous and wealthy county in which Flint is situated, though some pupils come from other counties and even from other States. As many as lOG non-residents have already (April, 1879) entered the schools during the present school-year. The receipts for tuition of non-residents bid fair to be larger than in any preceding year. The teachers are as follows : Superintendent, T. W. Cris.soy, teacher of Political Economy, English Literature, and Elocution, and instructor of teachers' cla.ss. Hi'gh-School. — Mr. Louis K. Webb, Principal, Higher Mathematics, Chemistry, Zoology, etc. ; IMiss Angle C. Chapin, Latin and Greek ; Miss Lizzie H. Tindell, Modein Languages, Rhetoric, History, Botany, etc.; Miss Rosa M. Muir, general work of first year. Grmnmar Drpurtinnitt, Cuati-al Biiihliiig. — Room C, Miss Kate E. MeNamara ; Roim D, Miss J]mily E. West ; Room E, Mi.ss Alta L. Brotherton ; Room F, Miss Sarah M. Newton ; Room 4 (recitation), Miss Eva Curtis ; Room 5 (recitation), Miss Maggie O'Donoughue. Primary Rooms, Cailrul Biulding. — Room G, Mrs. C. G. Chaffee ; Room H, Miss Ilattie A. Douglas. First Ward {Main') Bid/diiiq. — Room A, JMiss Addie J. De Lano ; Room B, Miss Ilattie C. Carey ; Room C, Miss Emma Curtis; Room D, Miss Ida M. Zimmerman; Koom E, Mi.ss De Ette M. Kline. First Ward (Branch) Building. — -Room A, Miss Frank H. Foster ; Room B, Miss Carrie J. Baker. Second Ward Building. — Room A, JMiss Lydia I. Davis; Room B, Miss Sara A. Canfield ; Room C, Mi.ss Eliza A. Judd ; Room D, Miss Gertrude F. Bchee ; Room E, Miss Emma L. Earle. Third Ward Bnildiiig. — Room A, Miss Mary E. Dun- bar; Room B, Miss Clara E. Hall; Room C, Mi.ss Laura A. Buck; Room D, Mi.ss Nellie J. Rogers. Fourth Ward Building. — Room A, Miss Eliza Rey- nolds; Room B, Miss 3Iary I. Andrews; Room C, Miss Lurana Beecher; Room D, Miss Jennie M. Phelps. Mrs. A. F. Burrows, teacher of Penmanship, Drawing, and Account-Keeping; also Librarian. Mr. Henry W. Fairbank, teacher of Vocal Music. The following gentlemen constitute the present board of school trustees: S. C. Randall, President; H. R. Lovell, Secretary ; Charles S. Brown, Treasurer. Trustees of First Ward: C. A. Mason, Robert W. Dullam, William Steven- son. Trustees of Second Ward : Daniel Clark, M.D., Charles S. Brown, Henry R. Lovell. Trustees of Third and Fourth Wards : Oscar Adams, George L. Walker, Henry C. Walker. ST.VTE INSTITUTION FOR EDUCATING THE DE.VF, DUJIB, AND THE BLIXD. The citizens of Flint feel a laudable pride in the fact that one of the chief State iustitutions is located here, and has for its object the education of the deaf, the dumb, and the blind. To Hon. E. II. Thomscm belongs the honor of introducing, in 1848, the act which resulted in the es- tablishment of this public charity, — the Legislature having Voted favorably upon it, and subsequently taken such measures as resulted in the accomplishment of its objects. The first board of trustees eompri.sed the following gen- tlemen : Hon. Elon Farnsworth, o.\-Chancellorof the State, of Wayne ; Gen. Charles C. Hascall, of Gene.see ; Hon. Charles H. Taylor, of Kent; Hon. Charles E. Stewart, of Kalamazoo; and Hon. John P. Cook, of Hillsdale. The board, after having received and examined proposals from various quarters for the location of the buildings, finally decided upon Flint as the most eligible. A warranty-deed of 20 acres of ground having been donated to the trustees for a site for the erection of build- ings by Col. T. B. W. Stockton, Dec. 10, 1849, and $3000 subscribed by the citizens, Charles II. Palmer was, in De- cember, IS.^0, instituted as principal, but his services were to be gratuitous until the institution went into active oper- ation. Meanwhile Mr. Hascall, of the board of trustees, was engaged in inqirovemcnts upon the grounds selected, and Mr. Farnsworth was deputized to visit other institu- tions of a similar character for plans and arrangement of buildings. In 1857 the Legislature amended the act of 1848 so that the institution .should be entirely independent of the Kalamazoo Insane A.sylum, — the two having been up to that time in charge of the same board. Under the amended act each was to be governed by a board of three trustees appointed by the Governor. The first board for the Flint institution consisted of James B. Walker, of Flint, Benja- min Pierson, and John Le Roy. A vacant building was rented for the purpose in Flint, and the education of the deaf, dumb, and the blind begun. B. M. Fay was chosen principal, and organized the school work proper in 1857. Jlr. W'alk'U- was chosen building commissioner, and authorized to visit New York and study the plans upon which the deaf-mute institution of that State was constructed. He was accompanied by Mr. Fay, and the pre.sent cluster of five buildings are substantially the same as the plans adopted by the board. The portion of the building originally constructed has .since been diverted from its first use, other structures having been erected which were found better adapted to the wants of the institution. The first story is used for the library, office of steward, music- and recitation-rooms. The second story has sis recitation-rooms for the deaf- mutes and two for the blind. The third floor, recently used for shoe-shops, etc., has been converted into dormito- ries. Its basement is now used as a store-room for provis- ions, a basket-shop for the blind, and sleeping-rooms for domestics. North of the school wing is the chapel building, the two being connected by a covered archway. The basement of this building is used as a kitchen, bakery, and store-rooms, and the first floor as a dining-room for the pupils. On the second floor is the chapel, in which the pupils meet for religious and other exercises, and which is appropriately planned and furnished for that purpose. FLINT CITY. 147 Separated from the chapel buildinj; by open courts and ciiiiaectc'd with it by covered passaj:e-Wii3-s arc two build- ing's, tailed respectively the boys' and -lirls' winj;. Ivunniiit; across the rear of eaeii wing is a hall ten feet wide in each story, and opening from the hall of each lower story is a large outside door. The basements of the wings arc used ibr wardrobes, wash-rooms and batli-roonis. Each pu])il has a wardrobe of his own, or a wooden ease in which to keep liis clothing, and the metallic bath-tubs, with which the bath-rooms are ]ileiitifully furnished, are each supplied with warm and cold water. The soccjnd floors ol' the wings are used for the sitting-rooms of the boys and girls respect- ively, where they prepare for their recitations, or spend tiieir spare time in reading or amusements. The part of the floor .set off for the blind is also used for their recitation- rooms. The second stor^' of the girls' wing is u.sed for the girls' sleeping-apartments, hosjiital, and .sewing-room. The second story of the boys' wing is similarly divided for the boys, and has also a dormitory for the blind. The third story of each wing is used for dormitories and for sleeping- rooms of the attendants who have charge of the ]iupils when not in school. An upright building five stories high, with two wings, each four stories high, including basement, comprise what is known as the main or front building. Connecting this with the boys' and girls' wings of the edifice and with the chapel is a large hall leading from the nrairi corridors. The basement is devoted to the teachers' dining-rooms, bath- rooms, etc. On the first floor are the principal's oflSec, parlor, recep- tion- and sitting-rooms; the second flijor being devoted to ihe matron and her assistants, a spacious sewing-room, and several guest chambers. The third and fourth stories are mainly taken up with rooms for the teachers. There are water-closets and sinks on each floor of each building at the ends of the halls. Tiie water for their use and for the use in the bath-rooms is supplied from iron tanks under the roof, one for hot and the other for cold water. In the rear of the buildings described, and at a short distance from them, is a long, low building, used partly as a boiler-house and partly for a w.ish-room, in which the washing for tl:o institution is carried on by steam. An- other part of the building contains the boilers, engines, pumjis, hcating-a]ipuratus, etc. Originally, the buildings were heated b}' driving a strong current of air through an immense coil of steam-pipe, and through an underground jiassage, by means of a powerful fan, but the method was not a success, and they are now Jieatcd by direct radiation. Instead of the fan and largo underground passage, steam is now conveyed in iron pipes directly from the boilers to the room to be heated, and by this means excellent ventilation is also .secured. The subject of .sewerage has also received much attention, and the method adopted is as nearly perfect as any yet devised, and for this purpose the locatiou of the buildings is very favorable. The dimensions of the ground floor of the front and school-buildings are the same, both being GO feet wide by 10(1 feet in length. The central building is .")0 feet wide by 1)0 feet lung, and the wings oil by SO feet each. This serii^s of buildings have been occupied several yens, ih ingh not yet completed. An elaborate portico, the foundation of which is alrea was " Australia and Malaisia," followed with '■ South Africa," " South America," " Cen- tral America," and " the West India Islands," " North America," "Great Britain and Ireland," and "Northern Europe," all of which were thoroughly discus.scd, generally with a full rejiort from each committee; taking South America for example, we find a report was made on topog- raphy by Mr. Stewart; on geology, by Mr. McAlester; on mineralogy, by Mr. Avery ; on meteorology, by Mr. Beals ; on the flora, by Dr. Clarke; on the fauna, by Dr. Jliles; on commerce and agriculture, by Mr. llankin ; and on ethnology, by Dr. Clarke. Thus it will be seen a wide range was taken and a large portion of the earth's surface was passed in review. Many facts of interest were noted and much thought elicited, and, without doubt, all engaged in the work profited by it. The subject was subseriuently continued with a change, the prograuimo giving more prominence to physical geog- raphy in its general aspects. The following schedule of exercises for the ensuing winter, reported by Dr. Miles, was adopted Nov. '21, 1S5G: No. 1. On Reliefs of Continents, — in three divisions, Eastern, Western, and Australia, — by Prof Travis. No. 2. On Islands, by C. E. :McAIcster. No 3. On Volcanoes and E:irthi|uakes, by II. Seymour. No. 4. On Ocean Currents, by Dr. Mdes. No. 5. On Winds, by Dr. Stewart. No. G. On Isotherms and Climates, by C. L. Avery. No. 7. On the Influence of the Physical Features of the Earth on Commerce, by F. II. Eankin. No. 8. On the Geographical Distribution of Plants, by Dr. Burdiek. No. 9. On the Geographical Distribution of Animals, by J. B. Clarke. No. 10. On Ethnology, by Dr. Clarke. No. 11. On Glaciers and the Phenomena of Drift, by William B. McCreery. No. 12. On the Distribution of Bains, by II. Wilson. While these studies were being pursued, the field of dis- cussion was still further enlarged, May 15, 1855, by the adoption of a resolution offered by ^Ir. Rankin, by which Section B was established to meet weekly on another even- ing, distinct from that devoted to scientific discu.ssion, for the purpose of considering subjects of a wider range, including history, literature, and art. These meetings ■were carried on simultaneously with the others, with n)ucli interest in the animated discussion of a variety of subjects. At the .same time the work of collecting materials for the museum was pushed forward until the accumulation became embarrassing, and called out the following resolution, which was adopted June 22, 1855 : '■ Jicsohed, That the Institute meet in a committee of the whole, on Saturday evening next, at six o'clock, and each consecutive evening, except Sundays, at the same hour, for the purpose of arranging and cataloguing the museum." Oct. 24, 1855, the executive committee, in a report setting forth the importance of some better arrangement for the increa.se and preservation of the museum, recom- mended the a]ipointment of curators to take charge of the arrangement of the specinieiis in their respective branches, as follows: Botany and Entomology, Dr. Clarke; Jlineral- ogy, M. B. Beals; Osteology and Comparative Anatomy, Dr. Stewart ; Reptiles and Conchology, Dr. Miles ; Ornith- ology, C. L. Avery ; Paleontology, C. E. McAlester ; Ich- thyology, E. Dodge; Archeology, J. B. Clark ; Miscella- neous, G. Andrews. 150 HISTOllY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Tliese several curators reported from time to time the cotulitioii ami needs of tlieir respective departments. July 4, 1855, an entertainment was given by the ladies for the pecuniary benefit of the institute, the net proceeds of which were $113.0:5; for which a vote of thanlis was j;iven, and also to G. M. Dewey, Esr|., for the very timely donation of §25. This was the first of many entertain- ments subsequently given by the ladies of Flint and Gen- esee County, to whom much credit is due for material and in sustaining the enterprise. With the funds tlius obtained at this time valuable additions were made to the library, including a subscription to Prof Agassiz' great work, " Contributions to the Natural History of the United States," — a monument to the unceasing labors of the great naturalist. Jan. 2, 185G, a committee was appointed to ini|uire into the feasibility of publishing a history of Genesee County. The plan was to combine with an account of the settlement a full description of the physical geography and natural history in all its departments. Many of the materials were at hand, and probably the project might have been attempted but that a thorough geological survey of the State, including this county, seemed to be a desirable preliminary. Accord- ingly a committee was appointed, consisting of Dr. Miles, Mr. Rankin, and Mr. Bcals, to which the president was added, who proceeded to bring the subject to the attention (if the Legislature by means of petitions which were circu- lated in all parts of the State, receiving numerous signa- tures; and also Ijy correspondence and personal interviews with many persons of influence, including the senator and representatives of this county. The project involved great labor, as well as considerable expense for printing, station- ery, and postage, and undoubtedly had an important influ- ence in securing by legislative action the geological survey of 1859-60 by Prof Winchell. Dr. Miles was appointed liis assistant, having charge of the zoological department. His preliminary report, containing a very full list of the animals, birds, reptiles, and shells found in the State, was published in the first volume of Prof Winchell's report. This appointment was a deserved and gratifying compliment to the doctor, and, through his subsequent appointment to a professorship in the State Agricultural College, opened an avenue to his life's work in a congenial field, which he has most successfully cultivated. But what was his gaiu was an irreparable loss to the institute. The foregoing sketch will suBice to give an idea of the plan of work laid out and its results ; it is needless to extend the details further. The institute had made another move to a more commodious room, in the building then recently erected by Dewey & Crosman, oppo.-^ite the Bryant House. The civil war, which naturally absorbed every other inter- est, told heavily upon the prosperity of the institute. Its members in common with others caught the patriotic in- spiration of the times, and a goodly number responding to their country's call went forth to battle in her behalf I'or humanity and free institutions, — some of them, alas ! never to return. Nunez Pratt, a sterling young man, a brother of Iliin. Herbert Pratt, of Lansing, also a member of the institute, was killed in the first campaign in South Carolina. Capt. Simeon Guild, a graduate of Jlichigan Uuiver.^ity, with promise of a useful life conscientiously devoted to the best interests oj humanity, was released from his position as principal of the Second Ward Union School to take a captain's commission in the 8lh Begimcnt. Falling in the attack upon Fort AVagner, he was deemed worthy by his chivalrous foe to share the destiny of the gallant Col. Shaw, of Ma.^sachusetts, and thus his friends were denied the melancholy satisfaction of giving his remains a Christian burial. Like others, he carried bis interest in the institute with him, and a consignment of specimens from Port Royal, received after the news of his death bad reached here, is an earnest of what he might have done had his life been .spared. Charlie Rankin, son of the efiicient secretary of the institute, a promising young man, and true as steel in every position which he was called to occupy, and Charlie Jloon. an only son, the pet and hope of his fimily, a genial companion and active member of the institute, both went forth in the flush and buoyancy of youth, soon to be returned upon a soldier's bier, the former the victim of disease, and the latter falling on the field of battle. Capt. Damon Stewart, another early and earnest member of the institute, lost his two brothers, killed in battle; as noble, gallant boys as any of the martyr band who fell in the deadly combat. Col. William B. McCrecr}-, the late trustworthy State treasurer, whose romantic escape from Libby prison is so well known, had many marvelous es- capes, and came home well riddled with the enemy's bullets. Capt. C. E. McAlester, still another of the institute's early and active members, was more fortunate, returning after a long and honorable .service unscathed by the missiles of war. With such inroads upon its limited membership it may well be conceived that the most that could be hoped for was to keep the organization alive and preserve its material for future use. This was done, but the incubus of the war was upon every civil enterprise, and it was hard for a time to do anything more. However, an effort was made, and, after much canvassing, encouragement was received by as- surance of support to attempt a new start, and for this pur- pose the spacious hall now occupied by the Red Ribbon Club was taken in an unfinished condition on a lease for a term of years. Considerable expense was incurred in fin- ishing and furnishing the room, the collection was moved with much labor, and the new hall was dedicated to science, with an address from President Angell, of the University. But disappointment was again encountered, for while many were prompt and ready to meet their engagements, others neglected and declined to redeem their pledges, and deem- ing it unfair and useless to tax the generous friends of the institute further it was decided to cancel the indebtedness by a transfer iu trust to the Union School District of the city of Flint. This was accordingly done, and in the docu- ment of conveyance it is set forth that it is received " upon trust to preserve and maintain the library and cabinet of specimens of said scientific institute in a suitable room or rooms in the high-school building or some other suitable building, and to cause the same to be and remain forever free to the inhabitants of said city of Flint i'or examination and in.spection at all proper times." Thus the valuable cabinet illustrating the natural history FLINT CITY. 151 of the county and State, the result of years of labor and care in its collection and preservation, has been lodged in a safe place, where it can be made directly available in illus- trating the teachings of science, not only to the pupils of the high-school, but to all who ni.ay wish to avail themselves of its advantages under proper restrictions. Since it is as much at the service of the public as ever, it is to be hoped that the old interest may be revived, and that each citizen will, as he has opportunity, contribute to its value by bring- ing in such specimens as may come in his way, for should they be duplicates of what is already possessed they may be u.seful for exchanges, and thus indirectly add much to the value of the collection. Although the Flint Scientific Institute lia.s suspended operations it has not disorganized, but still remains a cor- porate body, awaiting the coming time when it shall re- vive its work, and, profiting by past experience, enter upon a new and more successful career in friendly competition with the numerous similar institutions which are being fos- tered in all the enterprising cities of the West.* TUE LADIES- LlBltAltY AS.SOCI ATIOX OF FLINT. This institution — the first of its kind in the State, and perhaps in the known world — was seemingly the offspring of nece.ssity in the early daj's of this rustic village. It was organized early in the spring of 1851. By special invita- tion of Mrs. T. B; W. Stockton, a small band of ladies met at her residence to consider the practicability of forming some society to meet the wants of the community, with their limited means, to supply the lack of culture for them- selves and their families. This work the ladies of Flint felt to be theirs ; and while the fathers, brothers, and hu.sbands were felling the forests, erecting mills, tilling the soil, and building for their fami- lies new homes, the mothers, wives, and daughters did what was in their power to furnish wholesome food for the in- tellect. The result of the first meeting was the forming of an association for mutual improvement, and the decision to meet once a week to discuss literary subjects, to read and compare ideas on what was read, and a resolution to do what ihcy could to establish and sustain a permanent library. A constitution was written and presented by Mrs. R. W. Jenny, which was adopted. The following officers were chosen for the first year: Mrs. T. B. W. Stockton, President; Mrs. J. B. Walker, Vice-President; Jlrs. II. W. Jenny, Recording Secretary; Mrs. Dr. Manly Miles, Treasurer; and Miss Hattie Stew- art, Librarian. A corresponding secretary, a book commit- tee of three, and an executive committee of five persons were added to the list of officers during the first year. A Her some di.scussion relative to wa3's and means, and the prospect of supporting a library, the ladies adj(jurned to meet the following week at the residence of Mrs. William M. Fenton. At their next meeting was expressed their firm resolve to establish a library, and their organization w;i8 called a • The foregoing history of tiio Flint Scientific In.ititutc was kindly prepared for this work l>y Dr. Daniel Clarke, of Flint. " Ladies' Library As.sociation ;" although they had no funds in the treasury save the small sum of 810 from member- ship-fees. This sum was immediately laid out for books, and the members decided to supply the lack of reading matter by furnishing, each from her own store, books and periodicals, and exchanging with others. Some donations of books followed, the most valuable of which was a complete set of works known as " Harper's Family Library," the gift of Chauncey S. Payne, Esq. Lectures and various kinds of entertainments were im- provised to gain funds for books, the proceeds of which the first year amounted to S160 only; still, the ladies were in no wise disheartened, and they continued to feast and to entertain the public by lectures, readings, tableaux, and dramatic representations until 240 volumes were placed upon their shelves, as shown by their first catalogue. These were all carefully chosen. With increase of members, some liberal donations and renewed efforts, the next catalogue, in 18r)4, numbered about 500 volumes. The next issue contained about 2000 volumes, and the jireseiit catalogue (1879) not far from 3000 volumes. In 1853 the association became incorporated under the direction of the following officers : Mrs. C. S. Payne, Pres- ident ; Mrs. II. I. Iliggins, Vice-President; Mrs. A. Thayer, Recording Secretary {pro tern.) ; Mrs. F. II. Rankin, Corresponding Secretary; Mrs. A. T. Crosman, Treasurer; Mrs. R. W. Jenny, Clerk; and Mrs. J. B. Walker and Mrs. 0. Hamilton, Librarians. Amid many discouragements, the association renewed its effiirts. In ISGl the library was nearly destroyed by fire, but by the awakened sympathies of the community, and the amount insured being promptly paid, they were enabled to take advantage of the low prices of books from a failing publishing hou.se, which nearly repaired their lo.ss, and placed in their collection many valuable works. At this time the circulation of a subscription paper for the purpose of providing for the library a more commodious building met with great success. A lot was purchased on the corner of Beach and Kearslcy Streets, and preparations made iiir building thereon. Donations of $200 each from several citizens started the sub.scription list, which soon reached a fair sum, and dona- tions of building materials, lumber, and labor, were freely contiibuted, and within the same year of its commence- ment, the corner-stone of the edifice was laid, with Ma.sonie ceremonies, under the supervision of the Hon. Win. M. Fenton. The aildress on the occasion was by Hon. George W. Fi.sh, now United States consul to Tunis. A I'ew original songs and poems, appropriate to the occasion, added to the interest of the exercises. The cost of the building was about SOOOO. It was dedicated June 30, 1868, and the event was replete wiili interest to the as.sociation and their many warm friends who were present. The exercises were varied, consisting of addresses, music, congratulatory poems and letters, senti- ments and responses. The music was well selected, and conducted with good taste by Win. Stevenson, K.sq. The dedicatory address was by His Exccllei.cy Governor 152 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUiNTY, MICHIGAN. Crapo, and contained a high tribute of praise to the ladies for their zeal and pcrseveranee : " They, from the begin- ning to the present time, have never abandoned their task, or become disheartened in view of discouragements and difficult ics. . . . Conscious of the good work in which they were engaged, they have yielded to no obstacles or embarrassments, and the result is this fine structure, both a credit and an ornament to the city, these volumes, the chariots of knowledge, and this hall, which they so well adorn, and of which we all may so well be proud." This dedication of a ladies' library building was an event new iu the annals of our country, but it was soon to be fol- lowed by numerous like associations throughout the State. In the spring of 1869 the building suffered damage from a freshet, which caused the association much expense for repairs. But this band of ladies, holding the institution iu trust for the future women of Flint, allowed nothing to deter them from continued efforts for its advancement. They even petitioned the Legislature of their State, hop- ing to secure to themselves some benefits or immunities thereby; and it did not prove quite in vain, for their peti- tion is recorded at the capitol, to be read by all, and its benevolent influence was felt, and the example emulated by the establishment of ladies' libraries in every considerable village or hamlet throughout Michigan, as well as some of the bordering States, who were stimulated to the work by the reports of their various representatives. In 1871 the library also celebrated its 20th anniversary. On this occasion many literary and floral oft'erings were contributed, and valuable gifts in money and books, and many tokens of encouragement and commendation received from persons of long-established literary merit. Varied exercises were held in the library-rooms, many compli- mentary sentiments offered, and supper served in the lower rooms to all the guests. On March 22, 1870, — the centennial year of our nation's life, — the ladies celebrated the ([uartcr-centenniul of their library. About 500 invitations were issued, and many distin- guished persons honored the occasion by their presence. Complimentary responses, both in prose and verse, greeted them, and valuable gifts in money, books, pictures, flowers, and relics were sent iu from abroad, as well as from the cit- izens of Flint, who opened their houses to invited guests. Supper was served to all at the library building, and exer- cises were held both afternoon and evening at the library- hall, — all of a high literary character. Several sister libraries were well represented, and partici- pated in the exercises by able addresses and poems. Many congratulatory letters were received, some of them from former members who were unable to be present. The objects of the society at the outset could not be better expressed than by quoting a portion of one of these letters from one who was present and bore a part in its organiza- tion, — Mrs. E. M. Pratt, of Lansing: -'We remember," wrote she, " this organization came of a .sentiment to secure and foster a more cultivated social and moral atmosphere, — not only for ourselves, but for a field beyond, — securing avenues for wider views, for higher and nobler aspirations.' Mrs. K. Bartow, of Buffalo, a former member who aided in its formation, writes thus : " Your kind invitation brings a rush of pleasant memories. Its life and growth have been a precious desire of mine. I regret I cannot clasp hands, as of old, with the members on the appointed day." The poem written for, and read on the occasion by Hon. F. n. llankin, was a grand feature in the evening's enter- tainment. It was able, appropriate, and contained a fine eulogy on the ladies' taste in their selection of books. The following extract may not be out of place : "Why talk of printing thoughts? Look around. Upon these shelves the nuswer may be found. No cave of rubies, no Golconda's mine, No golden vein, no Oriental shrine, E'er knew the wealth of treasure locked away — Preserved in printed thoughts; that grand array You ladies have accumulated here, Which wc, in this august centenziial year — Your quarter-centenary — have met to greet Tlie fruit of all your labors, so complete. Could guests have finer banquet than wc find? Or with more choice coiupaniunship be joined? The kings of mind; the emperors of thought; The intellectual giants who have wrought In every field of literary fame, Is company entitled to acclaim.'' Among the most valuable gifts of hooks at these an- niversaries, should be mentioned •' Audubon's Birds of America," a magnificent volume (colored from nature and life-size), with three descriptive volumes, the munificent gift of Hon. Wm. L. Bancroft, of Port Huron ; and " The History of the Pacific Races," in five large volumes (con- taining author's autograph), accompanied with a donation in money from Mr. J. L. Browne, of California, the son of the late Rev. Daniel E. Browne, a former resident of Flint. Another gift from the same kind hand was a box of books, eminently valuable as being strictly the product of that State, representing not only California artists and authors, but also every branch of book-making, — all of their home-man- ufacture. One volume, especially, containing perfect " Views of the Yosemite," was published at great expense, and as only a small edition was i,ssucd, it may be termed priceless. The labors of the building committee were unceasing until the edifice was completed, at which time they tendered their resignation ; but it was not accepted, on the plea that they were better acquainted with the claiius and liabilities of the enterprise than the other members, and they were persuaded to serve until the small debt which had been incurred for the early completion of the building should be paid. This at a later date was accomplished. The committee are entitled to great praise for the earnest discharge of their duties. It consisted of the following ladies : Mrs. J. B. Walker, Chairman ; Mrs. R. W. Jenny, Secretary ; Mr.*. J. W. Begole, Treasurer ; i\Irs. G. M. Dewey, Mrs. F. H. Rankin, Mrs. H. M. Henderson, Mrs. E. H. McQuigg, and Mrs. A. Thayer. By earnest request the Hon. J. B. Walker was induced to undertake the superintendence of the work ; and to his wisdom and energy, witli the active cooperation of the building committee, it was owing that the edifice was so speedily completed. I'ln iw. liy W. C. Foote. MRS. E. H. MoQUIGG. E. H. McQUIGG. E. H. McQuigg was born in Spencer, Tioga Co., N. y., April 10, 1807. At an early age he went to Owego, and lived with his grandmother seven years upon the old farm, where his grandfather set- tled in 1788, when tiiat country was all a wilderness. When a young man he went to Ithaca, where he was employed as clerk in a store. In 1833 he went to Barton, Tioga Co., where he engaged in business for himself, carrying on a large mercantile and luml)er business successfully for several yeare. In 1845 he purchased a farm of five hundred and twenty -six acres in the valley of the Susquehanna, and engaged in the dairy business. This enterprise proved profitable to iiim as well as beneficial to the community, as he introtluced many of the improve- ments then used by the more advanced dairymen of other parts of New York. In 1855 he movetl to Flint, where he engaged in the lumber business with Judge Hyatt and E. C. Turner. They subsequently sold the mill to Gov. Crapo, but retained the pine lands. In 1865, when the First National Bank of Flint was organized, he was among its charter members, and has since retained his interest; is at this time one of the directors; was president from 1870 to 1875. Politically, he has always been a Democrat. Voted for Jackson for President, and continues of that faith. During the Rebellion hetook decided grounds in favor of sustaining the government ; was one of ten men to raise five thousand dollars to assist in getting the first soldiers into the field from Michigan. Has aided in building the railroads into Flint, and always ad- vocates all local public improvements. Simple in his mode of life, Mr. McQuigg has acquired an ample competency. In his busine.ss relations he is strict, systematic, and successful ; courteous in all circles of society, and honorable in all his dealings. FLINT CITY. 153 The fullowing prophecy, in the address to the Quarter Coiiteniiial Celebration, by Mrs. Balantyne, of Port Huron, ia very appropriate : " The work of these library associations, if the promise for the future be fulfilled, will be written in broad, inefface- able characters upon the progress of the educational ele- ment in our State." There having been much difference of opinion among the ladies of the Library Association upon some unimpor- tant question connected with the founding of the society, the historian is happy to acknowledge the receipt of this history, which was prepared by the corresponding secretary of tlie association, and approved by the members at a business meeting. SECRET BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATIONS. MASONIC. Genesee Lodge, No. 23, F. and A. M. — The first lodge of the Order of Free and Accepted Jlasons was convened in Flint, April G, 184S, and was organized as Genesee Lodge, No. 23. Its first officers were IT. I. Higgins, W. M. ; Chauncoy S. Payne, S. W. ; Willard Eddy, J. W. ; Chas. Keighley, Sec. and Treas ; Wright, S. I). ; Benjamin Boomer, J. D. ; Ingals, Tiler. The lodge held its early meetings in the Starr Building, in the First Ward, owned by Chauncey S. Payne, and since burned. The first member initiated was Col. K. II. Thom- son. It then moved into the Hill Building, on the .south side of Saginaw Street. In December of 1854 it sur- reudrred its charter, and its books and papers were, b}' order of the Grand Lodge of the State, together with jurisdiction over its membership, transferred to Flint Lodge, No. 23, F. and A. il/.— This lodge was chartered Jan. 11, 1855, and its first meeting was held Jan. 22, 1855, at the old lodge-room of the Genesee Lodge, whose successor it wa.s. It soon after moved its quarters into the Higgins Building, and from there into the With- erbee Building, on the opposite side of Saginaw Street, where its sessions were held until December, 1875, when the fraternity erected a lodge-room of their own on Sagi- naw Street. Its first officers were J. B. Hamilton, W. M. ; E. F. Frary, S. W. ; N. A. Judd, J. W. ; William Clark, Sec; H. L Higgins, Treas.; D. Clark, S. D. ; A. B. Witherbee, J. D. ; George Andrews, Tiler. Its present officers are S. C. Randall, W. M. ; George W. Buckingham, S. W. ; C. S. Brown, J. W. ; Stephen Matthewson, Sec. ; C. C. Bea- han, Treas. ; Jerome Hover, S. D. ; J. P. Burroughs, J. D. Genesee Lodge, No. 174. — The charter of this lodge bears date Jan. 11, 18GG, and its first meetings were held in the rooms of the Flint Lodge, No. 23. Its first officers, so far as is possible to obtain their names, were J. B. Hamilton, W. M.; F. H. Ilaukin, S. W. ; W. B. McCreery, J. W. Its present officers are L. C. Whitney, W. M. ; C. H. Wood, S. W. ; H. C. Van Dusen, J. W. ; Dr. Noah Bates, Sec. ; F. H. Rankin, "Treas. ; E. Castrea, S. D. ; John Leghorn, J. D. W'lis/tinglou Cliiiplcr, No. 15. — The first meetings of the chapter, as of the lodges, wore convened at the rooms of Flint Lodge, No. 23, April 1, 185G. 20 Its charter members were C. K. Williams, Willard Eddy, S. D. Ilalsey, Isaac Wixon, B. J. Lewis, C. S. Payne, G. Watrou.s, J. McFarlin, Jeremiah Smith, J. B. Hamilton, J. H. Watrous, J. R. Smith. Its first officers were Chauncey K. Williams, II. P. ; J. B. Hamilton, King; C. S. Payne, Scribe; F. II. Rankin, Sec; T. C. Meigs, Treas. Its present officers are Rev. Marcus Lane, H. P. ; Stephen Matthewson, King ; G. W. Buckingham, Scribe ; II. C. Van Dusen, C. II. ; Dr. Noah Bates, Sec. ; E. S. Williams, Treas. Genesee Valley Comviandery. — This organization re- ceived its charter on the 14th of June, 18G5. Its charter members and first officers were J. B. Ham- ilton, E. C. ; P. H. Stewart, Gen'l ; J. C. Allen, C. G W. B. Buckingham, Prelate; M. S. Elmo're, S. W. ; R, Ford, J. W.; 0. Stone, St'd B'r; B. J. Lewis, Sw'd B'r J. F. Joslin, Warden. The present officers are C. S Brown, E. C. ; J. B. F. Curtis, Gen'l ; C. H. Wood, C. G. M. S. Elmore, Prelate ; C. F. Lander, S. W. ; Albert My- ers, J. W. ; M. Pettibone, Rec. ; E. S. Williams, Treas. The present lodge-rooms of the Ma.sonic organizations of the city of Flint are located on Saginaw Street, adjoining the Bryant House. The two upper stories of the building are owned by the lodges, and are 4G by 101) feet in dimen- sions. They were built by subscription, at a cost of $10,000, and are comfortably and substantially furnished. INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD-FELLOW.S. Genesee Lodge, No. 24, /. 0. 0. F. — This lodge was instituted June 1, 1847, by Deputy Grand Master Alfred Treadway, of Pontiac, under a dLspensation granted by the M. W. Grand Master, Andrew J. Clark, of Niles. The dispensation was replaced by a charter from the Grand Lodge, July 22, 1847. The lodge reported on the 30th of June of the same year 33 contributing members. Its first officers were Edward H. Thomson, N. G. ; Geo. M. Dewey, V. G. ; Charles D. Little, Sec. ; Sylvester A. Pengra, Treas. E. H. Thomson was the first representa- tive from Genesee Lodge to the Grand Lodge of Michigan, and was also its first District Deputy Grand Master. The second corps of officers of the lodge, installed ia January of 1848, were George M. Dewey, N. G. ; Charles D. Little, V. G. ; Sylvester A. Pengra, Sec ; George H. Hazel ton, Treas. Its present officers are William II. Morri.son, N. G. ; William H. Brewer, V. G. ; Herbert Campbell, Rec. See. ; David Anderson, Financial Sec. ; Francis H. Rankin, Treas. Genesee Lodge is proud of a distinction not enjoyed by any other lodge in the State, — that of having produced from its members five Grand Masters of the order for the jurisdiction of Michigan, one of whom was twice elected. They were, in 185.5^ William M. Fenton ; 1859, B. W. Dennis; 18G4, B. W. Dennis; 18G9, J. S. Curtis; 1872, V. II. Rankin; 1878, E. H. Thonuson. The spacious and elegant hall and rooms occupied by Gene.see Lodge were constructed expressly for the use of the order in 1875, under an agreement with F. W. Judd, Esq., who was then constructing the fine building known as the Judd Block. The hall was formally dedicated Feb. 154 HISTORY OF GENKSEE COUxNTY, MICHIGAN. 2, 1876, by Grand Master George Dean, of Detroit, assisted by other officers of the Grand Lodge. It is approached by a capacious stairway from Saginaw Street, and occupies tlie entire upper story of the Judd Blocic. It is divided into tlie iudge-room, 421 by 60 feet; aute-room, 22 by 30 feet; and reception-room, 16 feet square. They are appropri- ately furni.shcd, brilliantly lighted with gas, and the walls adorned with emblems. Frieiiih/iip Lodge, No. 174-, I. 0. 0. F. — This lodge was organized Nov. 28, 1871, its charter members being W. A. Miller, George L. Clark, Joseph Wilson, L. B. CoUis, A. C. Lyon, Hiram Cooper, Robert Patrick, Jr., Joseph L. Brown, William II. Fay, S. J. Reynolds, and M. G. Cuolcy. The following were the first ofiicers elected : W. A. 51 il- ler, N. G. ; Hiram Cooper, V. G. ; Robert Patrick, Treas. ; Joseph AVilson, Sec. ; M. G. Couley, 0. G. ; Joseph L. Brown, I. G. ; L. B. CoUis, Con. Its meetings are held in a commodious and well-appointed hall rented for the purpose. This lodge luis grown steadily in numbers and influence since its organization. Its present officers are Henry K. Firth, N. G. ; H. II. Alvord, V. G. ; Edward Sterner, R. See. ; L. B. Collis, Sec. ; William Perry, Treas. ; J. R. Cook, W. ; H. J. Miller, C. ; O. B. McKnitt, 0. G. ; John Parkhurst, I. G. The lodges of this order in Flint arc both in an exceedingly flourish- ing condition. The Odd- Fellows have also an Encampment of Patriarchs in the city, known as the Flint River Fiicampment, No. 28. KNIUnTS or PYTHIAS. The order of Knights of Pythias is represented in Flint by Ivanhue Lodge, No. 27, which was establi-shcd under dispensation from tlie Grand Lodge of Michigan, Sept. 10, 1875. The warrant members were Knights W. H. Lyon, Joseph Wilson, C. A. White, J. W. B. Kriuns, AViliiam Baillie, L. W. Miller, G. W. Pond, W. E. Miner, J. Shep- ard, C. A. Fox, Henry Howland, J. L. Brown, William Charles, C. E. McAlester, W. E. Braman, L. C. Prescott, R. S. Pitt, W. W. Barnes, W. A. Atwood, Oren Stone, H. R. Lovcll, H. W. Fairbank, A. L. Aldrich, G. M. Brown, S. Darling, C. M. Wisner, and George H. Durand. The fii-st elective officers were W. H. Lyon, P. C. ; A. L. Aldrich, C. C. ; C. A. White, V. C. ; W. Charles, P. ; J. W. B. Kriuns, K. of R. and S. ; William Baillie, M. E. ; L. W. Miller, M. F. The lodge obtained its full charter in Februaiy, 1878. There are now 45 members, of whom 25 belong to the diill-corps. They have the full-dress regulation uniform of the order, and have paraded on vari- ous public occasions, always with credit to themselves and the order. Their first public parade was on the Centennial Fourth of July. Since the organization of the lodge death has not de- pleted its numbers. The present officers arc C. E. Mc- Alester, P. C. ; H. R. Lovell, C. C. ; W. B. Armstrong, V. C. ; William Charles, P. ; H. AV. Fairbank, K. of R. and S. ; W. A. Patterson, M. E. ; Jesse Warren, M. F. ; Fred. Harris, M. A. ; E. Barton, I. G. ; and W. A. Gal- braith, 0. G. Weekly convocations arc held on each Wed- nesday. In connection with the lodge there is also a section of the endowment rank of the order, which was instituted Jan. 7, 1878, with 17 members, since increased to 23, carrying eleven onc-thousand-dollar and twenty-two two- tliousand-dollar insurance policies on the mutual plan. Its present officers are A. L. Aldrich, President ; C. E. Mc- Alester, Vice-President ; H. R. Lovell, Sec. and Treas. ; W. Charles, Chaplain ; John Stevens, Guide ; W. J. Pegg, Guard; J. Warren, Sentinel. APOLLO COUNCIL, NO. 27, ROYAL AUCANUJI, was organized Nov. 12, 1877, with the following gentlemen as charter members : Dr. Noah Bates, Wm. W. Joyner, Henry L. Young, Dr. Wm. Fobes, Dr. James, B. F. Curtis, Wm. Dullam, Frank Dullam, R. H. Hughs, Leroy C. Whitney, 11. S. Pitt, Chas. C. Beahan, Stephen Stoddard, R. E. Farnliam, Stephen Mathowson, Hiram D. Ilerrick, Frank W. Switzer, Wm. H. Foote, Jas. A. Armstrong, Philo D. Phillips, Alfred C Nichols, Geo. E. Newall, Jacob Aarons, Dr. Bela Cogshall, Dr. Geo. W. Ilowhmd, P. F. Cleveland, Dovillo Goodrich, Orris C. Goodrich, Warren C. Foot, Chas. L. Sopcr, S. V. Hakes, Horatio N. Mather, Jas. J. Hurley, Robt. J. Whaiey, Albert Myers, M. A. Watson, G. D. Dewey, J. A. Tivey, Hurley R. Clark, Chas. Harrison, James Johnson, Chas. A. Pettibone, Milton Pettibone, H. P. Seymour, Salem Wolcott, Frank A. Jones, David W. iMoon, E. L. Van Wormer, J. P. Bur- roughs, J. R. Jones, Herman L. Piereon, Ed. A. Russell, C. Whitney, Fred. A. Harris, B. W. Simington, Nicholas Levine, John McKercher, Geo. L. McQuigg, Delaskio D. Freeman, V^xw. Ac^kermuu, John Ilo.^s, Dr. II. N. Murray, George M. Bushnell. Its present officers are W. W. Joyner, Past Regent; H. L.Young, Regent; S. Mathewson, Vice-Regent; George W. Ilowland, Orator; D. W. Moon, Sec; Joseph A. Tivy, Collector ; Albert Myers, Treas.; Wm. Fobes, Chaplain ; II. D. Ilerrick, Guide ; J. R. Jones, AVarden. ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED WORKMEN. Fliid Lodge, No. 22. — This order was instituted in Flint, Nov. 21, 1877, with the following gentlemen as its first officers : Past Master- Workman, Samuel C. Randall ; Master- Workman, Henry R. Lovell; General Foreman, Leroy C. Whitney ; Overseer, Chailes H. Ripley ; Recorder, James A. Armstrong ; Receiver. Henry M. Mason ; Finan- cier, Charles Mansfield ; Guide, George W. Burbank ; Inside Watchman, Joseph M. Corkey ; Outside Watch- man, Franklin Shank. It original members embraced the following names : Samuel C. Randall, Henry R. Lovell, Leroy C. Whitney, Charles H. Ripley, James A. Armstrong, Albert Atwood, Daniel Galliver, Michael Mulroy, Andrew B. Cha]iiii, M.D., Charles L. Bartlett, Henry M. Mason, Charles Mansfield, George AV. Burbank, .Joseph M. Corkey, Frank- lin Shank, John Zimmerman, Herbert Campbell, Aluioii M. Woodin, Bela Cogshall, M.D. The following are its present officers : P. M. W., Leroy C. AVhitney; M. W., Albert Atwood; Foreman, John Zim- merman ; Overseer, Joseph M. Corkey ; Recorder, James A. Armstrong; Receiver, Henry M. Mason; Financier, Henry M. Pierce ; Guide, Richard H. Gary ; J. W., Frank- lin Shank ; 0. W., Jacob llanb. FLINT CITY". 155 KNIGHTS OF HONOR. Wolverine Loilgn. — Tliis order was fii'st established in Flint in 1870, Wolverine Lodge having been organized December 4th of that year, with the following charter mem- bers : William DuUam, Frank Duliam, G. W. Lowe, George K. Newall, William IL French, George L. Walker, Bela Cogshall, William II. Joyner, William Ackerman, 11. H. Hughes, David Ballantyne, Jacob Aarons, L. 11. Gardner, James McCadden, J. P. Burroughs, E. A. Davis, L. C. Whitney, James H. Failing, Thomas Bergen, C. C. Behan, W. L. Watorhouse, L. D. Cook, 11. E. Farnluim, 11. S. Pitt, and Jesse H. Warren. Its first officers were George E. Newall, Dictator; Wil- liam n. French, Vice-Dictator ; William W. Joyner, As- sistant Dictator ; George W. Lowe, Chaplain ; William Duliam, Keporter; Bela Cogshall, Financial Reporter; Frank Duliam, Treasurer; William Ackerman, Guide; David Ballantyne, Guardian ; L. H. Gardner, Sentinel ; Geo. E. Newall, W. W. Joyner, Wni. Duliam, Trustees. The present officers arc L. D. Cook, Dictator; William Fobes, Vice-Dictator ; Thomas Bergen, Assistant Dictator ; John McKcrcher, Reporter ; John Leghorn, Financial Reporter; Frank Duliam, Treasurer ; William L. Falkner, Cha]ilain ; p]dward Jones, Guide ; William D. llosecrans. Guardian; James BothwcU, Sentinel; G. L. Walker, G. E. Newall, W. W. Joyner, Trustees. The lodge has added to its numbers since the date of oi'- ganization thirty-three members, and of the whole number have lost but four. The charter members have paid to the " Widows' and Orphans' Benefit Fund" each the sum of $32. The sessions arc held in the .spacious hall of the Knights of Pyihia.s, leased for the purpose. ST. jircn.-vEL's benevolent society. This society, which is purely benevolent in character, was organized under the pastorate of Rev. Father Charles De- cueninck, in 186G. It has among its chief aims the burial of its members, for which there is a fund provided by the society, and a sum especially devoted to the widow and or- phans of deceased niembei-s. It has accomplished a good work among the Catholic population, by whom it is sus- tained, and is still strong and flourishing. The present officers are Daniel Ryan, President; Michael Gillespie, Treasurer; Patrick Burns, Secretary. Its meeting.s are held monthly. CATHOLIC -MUTUAL BENEVOLENT ASS0CI.4.TI0N. This society was organized in the year 1878, under the auspices of Rev. Robert AV. Haire, and embodies the prin- ciple of life insurance as one of its main features. It num- bers GO members, and derives the revenue for its sujiport from an initiation fee of §3.50 per member and an assess- ment of 61.10 at the death of any member, at which time his family or survivors arc entitled tn the sum of S2000 upon the refiuisite proof being produced of his dccea.se. Its officers are J. D. Lavin, President ; Stephen Hughes, Vice- President ; Thomas Page, Secretary. ST. .MirilAEl/s LITEIIAUY SOflETV. This society was also established in 1878, under the auspices of Prof, .lohn l>onovan, and numbeis -tO members. Its purpose is indicated in its name. Its officers are AVil- liam White, President; William Coggins, Vice-President; Austin Daly, Treasurer ; Dennis Ilouran, Secretary. THK FLINT FIRE DKPARTMENT. In May, 1852, a large fire occurred in Flint, which de- stroyed much property. Realizing the necessity of jiroviil- ing against a similar calamity, one of the leading journals published a strong appeal to the citizens, headed " Shall we have a Fire-Engine?" a portion of which we quote : "It is the opinion of per-sons competent to judge that one good engine effectively worked could have stayed the conflagra- tion when it was discovered. Flint is still without a flre- engine, though wo have the best possible material for one. Let us then have a fire-engine, whether it be purchased by voluntary subscriptions, assessment, or tax." The good citizens of Flint took some time to consider the practica- bility of this suggestion, and fitialW, in October, 1855, a petition signed by M. i\Iiles and twenty-three others was pre- sented to the city council and voted upon favorably by that body, the result being that '■'■Ear/le Fire Company, No. 1, of the City of Flint," was organized. Just previous to this a very disastrous fire had occurred by which two-thirds of the west side of Main Street was burned to the ground, the loss having been estimated at $35,000. The buildings con- sumed were of wood, and by a city ordinance they were re- placed by substantial brick structures. In November of the same year the city council passed an elaborate series of by- laws and ordinances with reference to the fire department of the city of Flint, embracing thirty-four sections, in which the duties of the department were prescribed, and many clau-ses inserted with reference to the prevention of fires. Later, Wm. Fenton was appointed chief engineer of the fire department, and one assistant engineer and two fire war- dens were named fjr each ward. The same date a reso- lution was passed by the council, appropriating S400 to purchase two fire-engines, and $200 to organize a fire de- partment. The following petition was presented Nov. 17, 1855: "To THE JIavor, REroniiEii, Axi) Ai.deiimen of the City of Flint: "The undersignoil petitioners would respectfully repropent thtit flic protection of property in this city dciuands a large and bettor lire- engine tlian the one now owned by the city, and would therefore re- quest your honorable body to call a meeting of the tax-paycr-s of thi.s city at the earliest possible time for the purpose of authorizing the common council to purch.asc a .suitable fire-engine, and authorize them to pledge the credit of the city therefor, and as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray, etc. "Flint, Nov. 17, 1855." On the 19th of November of the same yc.av the follow- ing petition was presented : " To THE Common Council of tiii; City or Flint : "The undersigned petition for the formation of a hook-and-Iaddor company, and that provision bo made for supplying such company with suitable ladders, liooks, and other ncces.sary apparatus; and in ease the same be furnished we agree to form ourselves into a company for the purpose under the ordinance heretofore passed, and such further ordinanco or acts of the common council as may be passed." (Signed) Dated " Flint, Xov. 10, lR.i5." The record then states that on a motion of the council, I']. F. Frary, J. B. Garson, 11. .\iider.son, E. Cook, Giles Bishop, (Signed) 156 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. John Pelbridire, John Sutton. W. S. Patrick, James Gkiy, Alonzo Gary, H. C. Rising. J. G. Towuer, G. D. Curtis, L. R. Buckini:hani. W. R. Scovillc, James Bailey, G. W. Hill, Cyrus Goff, Daniel O'SuUivan, Thomas Heather. W. Gazlay be and are hereby appointed hook-and-ladder men, and that they, together with such other hook-and-ladder men as may be hereafter appointed, be and are hereby authorized to form themselves into a company to be desig- nated Hook-and-Luthler Gunpaiiy, No. 1, of the city of Flint, and that s:iid company shall consist of thirty men. A motion was oflFered that John B. Hamilton, C. K. Williams, C. F. Brixiker, George Andrews. M. W. Lake, G. W. Ferri.s, H. Wilson, Henry Seymour, Gaston Polhaus, C. L. Avery, C. H. Curtis, J. Furman, T, C. Meigs, L. Buckingham, Edward Clark, Sumner Howard. Sherman Cadweli. E. G. Williams, M. L. Frary, William Mason, John Kelland, J. H. Skidmore, George Watkins, C. E. ^IcAlester. J. B. Clark, and H. R. Clark be and are hereby appointed fire-engine men, and that they, together with such other fire-engine men as may be hereafter appointed, be and are hereby authorized to form themselves into a companv, to be designated Eagle Fire-Enrjine Company, No. 1, of the city of Flint, and that such company shall consist of 40 men. March 15th of the following year, carriages, hooks, ladders, ropes, etc., were procured for the use of the de- partment at a cost of 8261.81. Soon after the thorough orgimization of the fire department, and on the occasion of a public demonstration, their appearance and the excellence of their drill called forth much praise from the citizens and the press. On the morning of February 2d a large fire occurred in the barns of the Northern Hotel, in the city, totally de- stroying them. The hotel was saved through the exertions of the fire department, which won many compliments for their skill in arresting the flames. In the month of June, 1S57, Hon. William M. Fenton, Chauncey K. Williams, and Washington O'Donoughue were appointed a committee to draft articles of association, by-laws, and a constitution for the permanent organization of the fire department of the city of Flint. These gentlemen after completing their labors submitted the result, and the by-laws and constitution prepared by them were unanimously adopted by the council. Under the new org;inization the following oflBeers were elected : Hon. E. H. Thomson, President ; E. Frank Frary, Vice- President; D. S. Fox, Secretary; W. O'Donoughue, Treas- urer; W. C. Cummings, Collector. Meanwhile, the demand for another engine having arisen, an additional company was organized, under the title of Protection Engine Company, No. 2, and an engine purchased for it in October of 1S57. Col. Fenton was succeeded by J. B. Hamilton as chief engineer, and he was followed by Col. Alvin T. Crosman. J. C. Decker was then appointed, and later William M. Fenton filled the office a seeond time, and died May 12, 1S71, while in the dis- charge of his duties. The assistant engineer acted until the following April, when J. C. Decker was re-appointed, and William Dullam officiated for a brief period as his successor, when James Williams, the present incumbent, was appointed. The death of Col. William M. Fenton caused profound sorrow throughout the entire community. His public career had been a distinguished one, having twice been chosen to fill the office of lieutenant-governor, and serving with distinction as colonel of the 8th Regiment Michigan Infantry during the war of the Rebellion. In his legal profession he was extensively known throughout the State, and regarded as among the ablest jurists. In private life he was esteemed for his many virtues, and was justly spoken of by one who knew him well as a '• perfect exemplar of high-toned Christian morality." His funeral obsequies were made the occasion of a re- markable public demonstration, in which many citizens and social organizations of the county united to do honor to his memory. The Fire Department passed the following resolutions : " Wtereni, The Don. William M. Fenton. in the instant ilisoharge of his dnties ns Chief Engineer of the Fire Dep.irtmcnt. has met with an unforeseen accident fatal to his life, which he has thus given for this communitT ; and whereas, bv his death, we have lost a chief who was not only a model officer, but the impersonation of all the virtues whii.'h belong to the perfect fireman ; therefore *' Uexoieai. That we mourn his untimely death with keen anguish ; that, while acknowledging indeed that a life like his. so full of honor- able living, widespread usefulness, gcnenms deeds, kindly affections, and considerate care for the comfort of all who made his acquaintance, would in any event close too soon, yet in view of all the department hoped from his counsel, energy, and example, we feel his death could not have been to us more inopportune. " Rfolrexi, That we testify our respect for his memory by draping our rooms, engines, and apparatus, and wearing the usual badge of mourning for thirty days, and as a further testimony of our regard, we will take part in his funeral obsequies in full force. " Resohetl, That these resolutions be published in the city papers, and a copy delivered to the family of the deceased with assurances of our sympathy with them in this their sad affliction." In August of 1856 the extensive steam flouring-mills of Messrs. W. and 0. Hamilton, and known as the Gene- see Mills, were burned, all efforts to safe them having proved futile, and the loss having been estimated at §23,000. Aug. 14, 1S5S, a very destructive fire occurred on Sagi- naw Street, consuming much property. Another occurred in February of 1861, on the corner of Saginaw and Kears- ley Streets, in the store occupied by James Henderson & Co., resulting in its entire destruction, involving much loss. In January of 1872 a fire originated in the furniture warerooms of F. B. Hill & Co., at which the firemen dis- tinguished themselves for bravery, two of them passin:: through much danger in their efforts to save property. A (x>nflagration occurred at the stave- and heading-mill of Grant Decker, which the chief engineer pronounced the " hottest within his recollection," much damage having been done to material. These few instances are mentioned as occasions when the firemen did signal service, and by their strenuous efforts rescued much valuable property from the further ravages of the flames. The department was reorganized in 1867, the city coun- cil having determined to purchase a steam fire-engine. After thorough examination by Chief Engineer Decker, and mem- bers of the committee of the fire department of the city, a steam fire-engine, manufactured by H. C. Silsby & Co., of Seneca Falls, was purchased and christened the Col. Fenton, JAJIES VAN VLEET. MRS. JAMES VAN VLEET. Among the emiijrants wlio flocked to this country in its early days to assist in developing the wondrous wealth of its resources, and to found the best and greate.-t government of the age, was a family of Hollanders, hearing the name of Van Vleet, who settled in the State of New .lersey. Among the descendants of this family was Jared Van Vleet, who was born on the second day of March, 1790, and at the age of four years re- moved with his father's family to the then wilderness of Western New York, locating in Seneca County. His father bought of the government a farm in the town of Lodi, and settled there, esperiencing the hardships usually incidental to a pioneer life. For four months the family lived under a wagon box. This farm he improved, and it furnished him with a coinfortalile home until, at a ripe old age, he was taken to become on<' of the innumerable concourse of the dead. Jared married Dolly Swarthout, and soon after purchased a farm in the town of KomuUis, on which he resided until a few years previous to his death, which occurred Nov. 23, 1876. On this farm James was born, July 28, 1810, and grew to manhood, varying his summer's work on the farm with the winter's attendance upon the jiublic sehi>ols. Sept. 30, 1841, he was married to Miss Mary Ann Cooley, daughter of Justus and Elizabeth (Archer) Cooley, who was born at Blooming Grove, Orange Co., N. Y , May 1, 1822. For the two years succeeding his marriage he worked land on shares, but be- coming dissatisfied with that mode of life, resolved to com- mence anew in some part of the country where land could be bought at low rates. In pursuance of this resolution he, in the winter of 1843-44, traded what little property he had been able to accumulate for eighty acres of land in the town of Gaines, in this county. In the following spring he came on to view his new posses- sions, and was not very favorably impressed with the appear- ance of things. The land was wild and covered with dense timber, through which no roads had yet been cut ; but his reso- lution was not changed, and in June he, with his wife and one child, left his former home, and traveling by way of the canal and lake, landed in Detroit on the seci>nailcy ; Filih, Thomas J. Post; Sixth, A. E. Foote; Seventh, II. N. Gay; Eighth, W. II. Pier. The company was mustered into the State service by Adj.-(jien. John Robcrt.son, Oct. 18, 1872, and made its first street parade the same day. During the evening fol- lowing this event they gave a military ball and reception, by which they realized $180. The " Blues" soon after 158 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTy, iMICHIGAN. were the p;uests of the Detroit Light Guard, and received the most cordial hospitalitj', and won many encomiums for tlic excellence of their drill and gentlen)atily deportment. During the same year the ladies of the First Ward pre- sented the company a beautiful silk flag; thereupon George E. Childs was appointed color-sergeant, and A. E. Foote and Jolin King color-guards. In 1873 the company was ordered to Lansing, to par- ticipate in the ceremonies connected with the laying of the cornerstone of the now State capitol. During 1S74 the Detroit Light Guard were its guests, and the occasion of their visit is a memorable one in the annals of the com- pany. The company was ordered to the scene of the railroad riots ill 1877, and promptly responded, as they did also on a subsequent similar occasion when required by the sheriff. Tiic principal officers of the company since 1872 have been as follows : 1873. — Captain, 0. F. Lochhead ; First Lieutenant, Geo. E. Ncwall ; Second Lieutenant, Ira H. Wilder ; First Ser- geant, John King. 1874. — Captain, 0. F. Lochhead ; First Lieutenant, Geo. E. Newall ; Second Lieutenant, Ira H. Wilder ; First Ser- geant, John King. 1875. — Captain, George E. Newall ; First Lieutenant, John King; Second Lieutenant, George E. Childs; First Sergeant, Charles A. Fox. 1876. — Captain, George E. Newall ; First Lieutenant, John King; Second Lieutenant, George E. Childs; First Sergeant, Charles A. Fox. 1877. — Captain, George E. Newall; First Lieutenant, Ira II. Wilder ; Second Lieutenant, Geo. E. Childs ; First Sergeant, H. 51. Sporry. 1878. — Captain, Ira II. Wilder; First Lieutenant, Geo. E. Cliilds ; Second Lieutenant, H. M. Spcrry; First Ser- geant, W. H. Pier. The Blues are members of the 3d Regiment of Michi- gan State troops, and are designated as " C" company in regimental formation. Flint is the headquarters of the regi- ment, and the following-named regimental officers have emanated from the company: Colonel 0. F. Lochhead, Adjutant C. S. Brown, Sergeant-Major John King, Color- Sergeant C. H. Wood, Commissary S. V. Ilaker. THE OLD TLINT BAND. Among the institutions connected with the early history of Flint may be mentioned the " Old Band." This was organized in the summer of 1S4S, and was composed of the following gentlemen : E. F. Frary, leader, E-flat sax-horn ; Leonard Wesson, B-flat clarionet; Wm. Hamilton, Franz Barnhart, cornopean ; Ira F. Fayson, G. H. Ilazolton, slide trombone ; Homer Hazelton, French horn ; Charles D. Little, ophicleide ; Geo. W. Hill, trumpet ; Willard Pettee, drum. The instruments were purchased of Adam Cou.se, then the sole music-dealer in Detroit. The first instructor of the band was T. D. Nutting. An old member says, " I took my place in the band very soon after its organization, having succeeded Willard Pettee (bass-drum). I held my position for fifteen years, during which time forty-four per- sons had belonged, and not one of the oiiuinal meiiibeis remained at the expiration of that time, and yet, to use a solecism, it was the same old band. Practicing in those old times was pleasant enough to the mcnibers, btit there were persons living within one or two blocks of the band-room who never greeted us with smiles, but on the contrary, some maternal members of households gave .strong evi- dences of nervous derangement. The old residents that yet remain will remember that those discordant sounds wore not confined to the band-room alone ; night was made hideous as we wandered up and down the streets playing the music that had charms for us. " This band was originated and sustained by the members, for their enjoyment and recreation, rather than for any profit connected therewith. Most of the members were from the ranks of prominent citizens, — merchants for the most part. This gave character to the organization, and it in time helped Flint, rendering it pleasant for our neighbors of the sur- rounding townships and villages to come in on the 'day wc celebrate,' and others. We played at political gatherings, — for all parties alike, — for church festivals, on ' St. Pat- rick's D.iy in the jMorning,' for steamboat excursions to Saginaw River and Bay, and for nearly all public gather- ings in the citj-. Strangers visiting Flint were very sure to hear from us in the way of serenades. The band mem- bers were elected honoraiy members of the old ' Harmonic Society,' etc., and came to be one of the ' institutions.' " Whenever wc went abroad, we were taken by Will Pet- tee's four-horse team, which was considered something pre- tentious in those days of os-toams, — no railw.ays with us until long years after. " For the purchase of instruments, and other expenses, the members were assessed, each member on entering the band paying 830. After this, assessments followed at the rate of from §3 to SS jwr capita. I notice the initiation fees of the 44 members before referred to aggregate 81320, and with assessments added would leave little less than 62500 paid by these band members out of their own pockets."' This band has had a continuous existence to the present time, — a period of thirty-one years. It is now known as Gardner's flint city band. The citizens of Flint feel a commendable pride in this excellent musical organization, and the liberal support ac- corded is but one of the many ways in which their regard for it is manifested. The band has won a well-deserved celebrity throughout the West and the Canadas, and during the Centennial year, extended its fame to the East. This is the more gratifying, from the fact that it is almost entirely composed of ama- teurs. Its success is mainly due to the untiring efforts of its leader, Mr. J. Henry Gardner, who makes music his pro- fession, and devotes his time principally to the interests of the band. This band, in 18(50, was known as " Clay's Cornet Band," of Flint. It numbered at that time the following gentle- men as members : S. G. Clay, Leader ; C. J. Dewstoc, A. P. Conant, Wm. Stewart, Allen S. Stewart, George W. Hill, D. E. Smitii, Thomas Syiiious, Wm. diaries, W. C. Cum- FLINT CITY. 159 ings, and George Andrews. After its organization for a scries of years many changes occurred, old members having resigned and their places having been filled by new. lu 18G5 it was reorganized and ealled the " Annstrong Cornet Band," of Flint City. It remained thus until the i'ullowing year, when Mr. Gardner's presence infused new spirit into its members, and it was christened by its present name, with the following oiBcers : C. J. Dewstoe, President ; O. W. Seymour, Secretary; John Stephens, Treasurer. In the fall of ISti'J, Mr. Gardner joined the Berger Family and made an extensive tour with them ; after which he resumed his connection with the " Flint City Band," and has since been its leader. Gardner's band, during the later years of its existence, has not only maintained, but greatly enhanced, the reputation it previou.sly enjoyed, and tlic numerous invitations it constantly receives from abroad is evidence of the quality of the music it aifords. Its various tours through the State, and the excursions in which it has participated, are but a record of its triumphs. No better history of its achievements could be given than is embodied in the numerous press notices at command and the various testimonials of which its members have been the recipients. On the occasion of a visit to Detroit, in connection with the Commandory of Knights Templar, the city press thus speaks of the band : " The hundreds that were present soon swelled to thou- sands, so that it is safe to say that fully three thousand persons listened to them. As they came up the street, marching with that wonderful precision for which they are famed, they were greeted by a ringing cheer by the crowd which made way for their approach. Instead of their plumes, each man had a neat torch in his helmet, thus jjrescnting a novel and uni(|ue appearance, and fur- nished light enough for their music. Their programme embraced a fine collection of music, — overtures, selections, medleys, and some of Gardner's exquisite solo K-flat and Mait Corli.ss' solo alto work judiciously thrown in. There is one thing in favor of the band which should be borne in mind : the members of it are gentlemen. 'I'hcy are not a beer-drinking, junketing crowd in any sense, but are re- cruited from the ranks of the business men and the profes- sions in the beautiful city of Flint, and constitute a stand- ing advertisement for that city which is worth ten times what it costs the citizens." In ISl-i the leader of the band was the recipient from the ladies of Flint of a very elegant testimonial in the shape of a superb gold E-flat cornet, imported from Eng- land at a cost of SIJOO. Mayor Geo. II. Durand presented the instrument on behalf of the ladies in a most happy speech, which was responded to in fitting terms by Mr. Gardner. During the Centennial year the band accompanied the Detroit Commandery as their musical escort to I'hiladel- phia, and their presence in that city was the occasion of additional com])limentary notices from the local press. An enthusiastic reception awaited them on their return home. Tlicy were met at the station by a large concourse of citizens, the Flint Cadets receiving them with military honors, and Col. E. II. Thomson welcoming them as fol- lows : " Mr. Gardner, and Gentlemen of the Band ; — I have been deputed in the absence of our worthy mayor, and al.so in behalf of the citizens of Flint, to welcome you home atrain — to the h(inie where loved ones, together with gen- crous and confiding friends, have watched your every move- ment from the time of your deiiarlure. In the providence of heaven you are permitted to return after having traveled from the lakes to the Atlantic seaboard without a casualty of any kind, and, I may add in this connection, covered with glory and honor. A wise man hath said, ' He that hath no music in his soul is fit for treason, stratagems, and spoils ;' and I am afraid that if in your travels such an one had ventured into your presence, that by the power of music, guided by your master-leader, you would have taken him captive and made him confess to the skill and potency of your marvelous proficiency. It is due to you to say that when you left Flint no lingering doubt remained that you would in any manner fail in your high mission either as gentlemen or musicians, but with all that pride and high character of your musical organization you would honor the noble commandory of Detroit Knights Templar, and stand like them at the very head of your profession. A noble lioinan was once raised from moderate circumstances to the pinnacle of prosperity. Cicero, the great orator of the iiuperial city, called on him and told him that Rome would now watch him with more than argus eyes in order to learu whether he could bear prosperity as well as he did his for- mer humble state. Mr. Gardner, and gentlemen of the band, — again I bid you welcome in behalf of this youthful and prosperous city, and soon again do we hope to hear from you those strains that have gladdened the hearts of millions in all Chi'islian lands, ' There's no place like home.' " In the summer of 1878 a grand State Band Tournament occurred at the capital, Lansing. Twenty leading bands of the State participated, and after a severe and very spirited contest, which excited the most intense interest, Gardner's Flint City Band bore away the prize, consisting of $100 in gold and an elegant gold-plated cornet. Congratulations poured in upon them I'rom all ((uarlers, and the city of Flint was wild with enthusiasm over their victory. Mayor Eddy welcomed them in an exceedingly complimentary address on their return, and amid banners and streamers they marched through the streets to their ((uarters. In the evening a reception was tendered them by the citizens. Thus, briefly, has been sketched the history of an organi- zation which has not more by its musical skill than by the high character of its members reflected honor upon the city to which it belongs. The following is very nearly a full record of the names of all the persons who have been connected with the band as musicians, from its first inception in 1848 to 187'J : Geo. Andrews, ba.cher, besides other places where there were no classes. The Conference of 1844 returned William Mothersill to the circuit, with William E. Bigelow as junior preacher, L. Chatfield, presiding elder. The first quarterly meeting for this year was held at the new church in Flint on the 21st of December, and the church was dedicated on the evening of that day. The sermon was preached by Rev. William Mothei-sill, the presiding elder being unable to officiate on account of indisposition. There remained a debt of about §oOO on the church after ihe opening ser- vices. The size of the building was 35 by 55 feet, with a small gallery in one end. The building of this church was a great achievement. Sevend times the work was discon- tinued for the want of funds, then little collections would be made and the work resumed. The ability of members and friends was taxed to the utmost. • Sinco dioil in tbo work. « Since Jicil in Iho work. FLINT CITY. 10.} The Conference of 184.1 appointed Harrison Monpin and William V. Cowlcs to the Flint circuit, h. Chatfiold still prcsiditif; elder. At the annual Conference of 1840, David liurns was sent to Flint Station as preacher in charge, with Iloaf; as assistant. (Mr. Iloag only remained a short time on the work, being removed to sonic other field by the presiding elder.) L. Chatfield, presiding elder. The following Conference of 1847 returned David Burns as preacher, and James Shaw presiding elder. This Confer- ence made Flint village a station entirely distinct from the circuit. Shaw remained on the district but one year. During Burns' administration some improvements were made in the interior of the church, and the inside was painted. M. B. Camburn was returned to Flint Station as preacher in charge by the Conference of 1848, and again in 1849, and George Bradley* was sent to the district as presiding elder. In 1850 the Conference sent Dr. B. S. Taylor to Flint Station. His health failing, he left- early in the year, and the work was supplied by T. B. Granger, who had been appointed by the Conference to the Genesee circuit. The Conference of 1851 returned William iMahon to the station, and Bradley returned to the district for his fourth and last year. Mr. Mahon was returned again fur the .second year by the Conference of 1852, and George Smith was again sent to the district as presiding elder. The Con- ference sent J. M. Arnold to the station in 1853, and returned him for the .second year in 1854, — George Smith continuing on the district. These were years of steady prosperity and growth. During Arnold's second year here 20 feet was added to the length of the church edifice. It was repaired and painted, and the session of the annual Conference was held in the church iu September, 1855, Bishop Ames presiding. At this Conference George Taylor Was appointed to Flint Station, — George Smith as presiding elder of the district. The Conference of September, 185G, returned Rev. George Taylor to Flint Station for his second year, and Rev. S. Clem- ent was sent to the district as presiding elder. The Conference of September, 1857, appointed Rev. John Russell to Flint Station, and S. Clement returned to the district as pr&siding elder. The Conference of 1858 returned Rev. John Russell to the station for bis .second year, and James Smart was sent to the district as presiding elder. It was found, towards the close of his term, that the church accommodations had become entirely inadcfjuate to the wants of the congregation, and the .subject of enlarging the building or dividing the society was frequently discussed, though no definite action was taken upon the subject. The Rev. John A. Baughman was sent to Flint Station by the Conference of 1859, and James Smart returned to the district. Baughman remained on the station but one year, but it was a year of great prosperity to all the inter- ests ■ .!' the church. A goodly nuniber of persons were added lo the member.->liip ; the church building was entirely remodeled, greatly enlarged, and beautified ; the old par- • Since died in the wortc. sonage was sold. The proceeds of this sale, together with the amounts raised by subscription and given at the time of the rededication, w;ls reported to be sufficient to entirely relieve the church from all indebtedness. With one of the most commodious churches in the State, entirely free from debt, a large niember.ship, — united and lively, — constant and increasing religious prosperity, and a most interesting Sunday-school, it did seem as if the church was just enter- ing upon a career of unexampled prosperity. Alas, how little we know of the future! The Conference of 18C0 appointed Rev. T. J. Joslin to Flint Station, and Rev. James Smart returned to the dis- trict as presiding elder. For several years preceding this time the subject of tcm- ■ perance had excited a good deal of interest in the commu- nity. The question of the practicability of mitigating or suppressing intemperance by the enactment and enforce- ment of prohibitory laws was discus.sed with great zeal and earnestness. Nearly all the members of the Methodist Episcojial Church, with their ministers, took sides with the advocates of prohibition, and the church was always opened for temperance-meetings. This aroused the evil pa.ssion3 of the men in the liquor interest, and threats were made that the church should be made to suffer. On Tuesday night, the 19th of March, 18C1, the church was discovered to be on fire, and in an hour it was reduced to a-shes, with all its content.s, Sunday-.school library, musical instruments, — in short, everything it contained, as well as the beautiful house, was consumed. There was no insurance. The fire was doubtless the work of an incendiary, probably incited to this dastardly act by the liquor men, who considered themselves aggrieved by the activity of the Methodist Church people in the temperance movement. Thus, after struggling for over twenty years, erecting a house at a cost of S4000, and repairing it at an expense of perhaps S3000, the society found themselves again destitute of a place of worship. The court-bou.se was secured temporarily for the purpose of holding meetings. Steps were immediately taken to secure subscriptions both in Flint City and the adjoining country. The people responded liberally, and in a fuvr weeks the society felt encouraged to commence the erection of a new brick church which should be larger than the one burned. The subject of location was earnestly di.scussed. By some of the members a more central lot was proposed, one that would accommodate, as was thought, the people on both sides of the river better than the old one. After a good deal of discussion, it was finally decided to erect the new edifice on the old ground. One of the first steps taken by the building-committee was the erection of a wooden building on the cbureh-Iots. which was soon iu a condition to be used by the society, and they continued to hold meet- ings in this building until the completion of the new church, in the summer of 18()2. This building has since been fitted up into a neat and commodious parsonage, and is now occu- pied by the preacher. Just at this time the members residing on the north side of the river revived the ]ilan of dividing the society, organ- izing a new church, and erecting a building to be located on the north side of the river. Some feeling had grown up in 16i HISTORY OF GP]NP:SEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. tlie official board, a portion of the nicmbersiiip regarding the means used in locating the new church on the old lot, instead of selecting a more central location, as had at one time been decided on, as unfair. The result of this agita- tion was the organization of the Garland Street Methodist Episcopal Cliurch and the erection of their present house of worship. The Conference of ISGl returned llev. T. J. Joslin to Flint Station for his second year, and James Smart was sent back to the district as presiding elder. These two years of Joslin's administration were years of toil, trial, and, we might almost say, suffering. The presiding elder, preacher, and the people bent all their energies to the one great business of cluuch-building. As a reward for all this they had the satisfiiction of seeing the new temple- steadily advancing towards completion. On the 20th of August, 1862, the present house was opened and dedicated by Bishop Ames. Ths agent of the building-committee, in presenting the statement of the financial condition of the church before the dedicatory service, showed an indebtedness of a little more than $3000 (say $3200), for which there was no provision. A subscription was opened, and the sum of $3237.52 was subscribed on the spot, whereupon the house was presented by the trustees and dedicated. Subsequent events have shown an amount of several hundred dollars" indebtedness that was not embraced in that report, all of which has since been paid. It is not possible to estimate the first cost of the present church edifice; no doubt, however, it approximates 812,000. The structure is 80 feet by 50, with walls 30 feet in height. and will seat comfortably a congregation of 500 persons. Rev. W. H. Perrine, A.M , entered upon his duties as preacher in charge of the Court Street Methodist Episcopal Cliurch immediately after the Conference of September, 1862. This Conference returned him to the charge for the second year, and T. J. Joslin was sent back as presiding elder. The Conference of September, 1864, returned the Rev. Wm. E. Bigelow to Court Street, and the Rev. T. J. Joslin returned to the district as presiding elder. It was found very difficult to secure a suitable house for the occu- pancy of the preacher's family. To obviate this difficulty, Mr. Bigelow called the attention of the official board to the subject of building a suitable hou.se. It was determined to begin the work as soon as an amount of subscription could be secured to justify them in so doing. Notwithstanding the financial and other embarrassments then existing, the work was soon well under way. The frame building which had been used for church purposes while the brick church was being erected, was moved, reconstructed, and trans- formed into a neat and commodious parsonage house, which was completed and occupied by the preacher's family on the 13th day of July, 1865. The cost of this house, not in- cluding the value of the old building, was about $1700. The Annual Conference of 18G5 was held in the Court Street church, commencing September 13, and closing Sep- tember 18, Bishop Clark presiding. Rev. "Wm. E. Bigelow was continued on the station, and T. J. Joslin returned to the district as presiding elder for his fourth year. At the commencement of this year a committee was appointed to ascertain the indebtedness of the church, and devise a plan for the payment of the same. H. C. Fairbank and George W. Fish, with the preacher, were elected as the committee. A careful examination was made, and the debts were found to be S1550. Every dollar of this amount was raised and paid during the year, together with the ordinary expenses of the church, so that at the close of this year the committee had the gratification of reporting the church entirely out of debt. The Annual Conference of September, 1SG6, re- turned Rev. Wm. E. Bigelow to the Court Street charge for the third and last year. Rev. Geo. Smith was sent to the district as presiding elder for the third time. The Annual Conference held in Saginaw City, September 4 to 9, 1SG7, appointed the Rev. Luther Lee, D.D., to the charge of Court Street Church, and the Rev. George Smith* was continued on the district. The presiding elder came to his woik in feeble health, and, on the fourth day of the fol- lowing May, he was removed from the scenes of his toil and labor by death. The bishop appointed the Rev. E. H. Pilcher, D.D., to fill the office of presiding elder, made va- cant by the death of Mr. Su)ith, which he continued to do until the following session of the Conference, which was held in Ann Arbor, August 26 to 31. Rev. Dr. Lee was returned to the Court Street charge. The Annual Conference of Sept. 1 to 8, ISGO, held in the city of Detroit, returned Rev. M. Hickey to the dis- trict as presiding elder, and the Rev. T. C. Gardner, A.M., was sent to the Court Street charge. The following year, 1870, the Conference, which held its session in Fenton, August 24 to 30, returned the Rev. Dr. Gardner to Court Street, and the Rev. M. Hickey to the district. The Conference of 1871 returned Rev. Dr. Gardner to Court Street Church for the third year, but, owing to some misunderstanding between the pastor and the congregation, he did not remain, and his place was supplied by Rev. J. F. Davidson, who had been appointed to Howell. The Conference of 1872 returned for a second year the Rev. J. F. Davidson to the Court Street charge, and Rev. W. E. Bigelow was appointed presiding elder of Flint Dis- trict. Mr. Bigelow remained on the district the full presi- ding-elder term of four years, and served with great efficiency and faithfulness. He had served Court Street Church as pastor for three years, and was greatly beloved by the church and by the citizens of Flint generally. In 1873, Rev. Dr. McEldowney was sent to Court Street, and remained the full term of three years. Dr. McEldow- ney had for several years filled the chair of Latin and Greek in Albion College, and prior to that had occupied a similar position in one or two other universities. But this had not disqualified him for the pastorate. His three years at Court Street were years of great efficiency and usefulness, and no person could be more beloved by the people than he was in Flint. The Conference of 1875 was held in Flint, and the Court Street congregation and citizens generally did nobly in entertaining its members. At this Conference Rev. W. E. Bigelow's term of presi- ding eldership expired, and his place was filled by the Rev. A. F. Bourns, who continues to fill it with much efiiciency and .acceptability. ® Since died in the work. FLINT CITY. 165 The Conference of 1876 appointed Rev. W. H. Peace to the Court Street congregation, wiiere lie remained two j'ears, and rendered valuable service to the church, especially during revival occasions. The lecture-room, chiss-room.s, and infant school-room were all either matted or carpeted, and fitted up with every comfort and convenience. In 1878, Rev. J. Venning was appointed to Court Street Church, and has just entered upon his new field of labor. He has the reputation of being one of the most scholarly and original thinkers in the Detroit Conference. The pres- ent membership of the church is about 400. The church propert}', including parsonage, is valued at §21,000. The Sunday-school numbers about 341. The following is a list of the ofiieers of tlie church : Rev. J. Venning, pastor ; Rev. Dr. Lee, superannuated minister; A. Tony, W. J. Mongo- may, B. Lewis, local preachers; lion. 0. Adams, Dr. Fairbank, D. Foot, A. Bcardsley, W. R. Morse, P. F. Cleveland, C. Green, H. AViison, E. Haver, members of the board of trustees ; Dr. Fairbank, A. Beardsley, C. Crawford, Hon. S. Howard, G. Bradt, C. Muma, A. Withey, E. Whitney, A. Ward, members of the board of stewards. The Sunday-school officers are as follows : W. J. Parker, Superintendent; E. Whitney, Secretary; F. Ford, Librarian. LiuUes Aid Societi/. — President, Mrs. E. L. Buslinell ; Vice-President, Mrs. A. Ford ; Secretary, Mrs. H. J. Fair- bank ; Treasurer, Mrs. J. Taylor. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF FLINT. The first settlers of Flint found church organizations on either side of them. On the Sabbath day they could elect to go to meeting, either to Genesee, four miles north, or to Grand Blanc, south. May 7, 1837, at the " River House," occupied by Mr. Lewis Buckingham, 17 persons were organized into a Con- gregational Church, by Rev. Jlr. Dudley. He was preach- ing at the time to the church in Genesee, and most of the members constituting this church were members there. They were Jonathan Beach, Mrs. Martha Beach, Ezra N. Carrier, Lyman G. Buckingham, Mrs. Salome Bucking- ham, Wait Beach, Mrs. Eunice Beach, Harvey Andrews, Mrs. Andrews, Daniel Andrews, Mrs. Aluiira Andrews, Lewis Buckingham, Mrs. Ann Buckingham, Mrs. Eliza- beth P. Beach, Miss Emily Harrison, Mrs. Julia Ann Seeley, and Mrs. Mariah Stage. There being no Congregational Association in this region , this church, in 1840, submitted its articles of faith to the Presbytery of Detroit, and was taken under the care of that body. Afterwards we find it appealing to tliis Presby- tcrj' in a case of discipline, and submitting to its govern- ment. The first place generally used for public meetings in the village was the room over Stage & Wright's store, east of Saginaw Street, and near the river. For some reason the first communion was held in a barn standing near the east corner of the sfjuare west of Saginaw and north of Kear.sley Streets. The same season of the organization of the church, a house of worship was erected where the Henderson ware- house now stands. Rev. Mr. Bates preached the dedication sermon of this house ill the late fall or early winter. A religious interest arising, he continued meetings. Rev. Orson Parker assisting and continuing the meetings after Mr. Bates left. As the result of that precious revival, 21 pereons united with the church on profession of faith the 14th of December, and 7 by letter. Of the original 17, 5 are still living and members with us. Of these original and first added members, many have ever been very active and useful members of the church ; and some became useful members of other denominations. Rev. Orson Parker supplied the pulpit a part of the first year. He was succeeded by Rev. John Beach. He was succeeded in 1841 by the Rev. L. P. Bates. The .same year, Aug. 7, 1841, the church, by its own resolution, changed to the Presbyterian form of government. Hiram Brown, Lewis Buckingham, and Ezra N. Carrier were elected the first board of elders. Tiiere is no record of the election of deacons under the Congregational form of gov- ernment. In August, 1842, Rev. P. S. Van Nest became stated supply of the pulpit and acting pastor. He labored in the congregation about two years. Under all of these four or five brief ministries of Messrs. Dudley, Parker, Beach, Bates, and Van Nest, in all eight years, 1 1 9 persons were received into the church. In July, 1845, Rev. J. G. Atterbury was ordained and installed pastor. This was the first regular pa.storate. In the mean time the first church edifice had been enlarged, and afterwards removed to the east corner of Saginaw and First Streets. Not long after Mr. Atterbury began his ministry here, the church entered upon the work of erect- ing a new liouse of worship; and Jan. 26, 1848, tlie present edifice was dedicated, Dr. Duffield, of Detroit, preaching the sermon. Mr. Atterbury resigned on account of ill health, May 5, 1851. There were added to the church during his pastorate 82 persons. In 1852, Rev. H. H. Northrop, having been called, en- tered upon his labors as pastor of this church. In April, 1855, 70 persons were added to the church, the largest number ever received at a single communion service. Dur- ing his ministry the church edifice was enlarged. At the close of the year 18G7 Rev. H. H. Northrop, having re- signed, closed his pastorate with this church. Three hun- dred and four persons were received into the church during liis ministry. In the year 1867 letters of dismission were granted at difi'erent times to 32 persons, who united in organizing the Congregational Church of this city. In March, 18(58, a call was extended to Rev. Archibald McSween to become pastor. September 'Jth, Mr. McSween was ordained and installed over this church and congrega- tion. Rev. William Hogarth, D.D., preaching the sermon ; Rev. Mr. Taylor, of Saginaw City, giving the charge to the pastor; Rev. H. H. Northrop, the charge to the people; and Rev. Thomas Wright offering the ordaining prayer. During Mr. ^IcSween's ministry the large and commodious leeture-rooui in the rear of this church was built. Mr. McSween closed his labors the latter part of the year 1871. During bis ministry 07 persons were received into member- ship with the church, and a parsonage was purchased and fitted up at an expense of $4000. IGG HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. In 1872, Rev. David R. Eddy was elected pastor. Aug. 2, 1875, after laboring witli tlie cliurcli and congregation as pastor elect for three years, Mr. Eddy decided not to ac- cept an installation, and clcsed his ministerial labors here. Sixty-eight persons were received into membership with the church during Mr. Paddy's ministry. On January 1st the present pastor commenced his labors with this church and congregation, from which time to this date (July 1, 1876) 14 membere have been added to the church. The whole number of persons received into this church as members from May 7, 1837, to July 1, 1876, is 724. Of this number 250 were reported as members to Presby- tery April, 1876. The following is the summary of contributions to differ- ent causes of benevolence since 1853, no record of former contributions being found : To Home Missions $3,207 Foreign Missions 3,088 Ministerial education {HI3 Publication (Bible Society) 1,809 Church election 1,440 Ministerial relief 25 Frecdmen 97 Sustentation 36 $10,755 A year and a half ago the church was largely damaged by fire, but was refitted in nearly or qnite its former condi- tion. The two senior members of this church in their family relations, and in each case by a former marriage, occupied a wide place in its organization and early history. The former, Jonathan Beach, had participated in the scenes of the Revolutionary war. At the East he had filled the office of deacon, and ho exercised the same office in the young church of Flint. His .son. Wait Beach, one of the origi- nal members, gave the land for the first house of worship of the Presbyterian Church ; also the land for the Methodist church and parsonage on Court Street ; also the land for the first cemetery, and the land for the court-house. His son, Harlow Beach, was the first clerk of the church, and the wife of the first acting pastor was his daughter. His sister, Jlrs. Mary Miles, by marriage linked to the de- scendants of Miles Standish, with her son and his family came in four months after the organization of the church ; several of them were among the first to unite with the young church by letter and profession of faith. Mrs. Slartha Beach was, by a former marriage, iMrs. Buckingham. She had two sons with their wives among the original members. At the house of one of them the church was organized. Both at different times held the office of clerk. One was a member of the first board of elders ; and, in this line, her great-grandchildren are in the Sabbath-school at the present time. Many other names among the members of this church on personal accounts — some of them of very fragrant memory — are worthy of special notice, but, from a lack of requisite knowledge, the writer of this sketch deems it un- wise to attempt further delineation in this interesting line of the church's history. Did he feel qualified for the ser- vice it would afibrd him great plea.sure to make extended mention of several esteemed members who have gone to their heavenly reward. Their " praise is in the church," and " though dead, their works do follow them." It will not be invidious to put on record the statement that a very fair proportion of the esteemed and valued citi- zens of Flint village and city have been active members and officers of this church. To them and their fellow-Christian brothers and sisters, together with the faithful and devoted ministers whom, from time to time, they have called to their aid, the community has ever been ready to accord the spirit of recognition and general good-will and co-operation. We wish also to record the fact that from the beginning the denominational differences have been no bar to social intercourse or united efiFort to promote piety and genuine morality. From the beginning they have been laborers to- gether, with other evangelical churches, for the salvation of souls and the extension of the Saviour's kingdom. Many very precious seasons of religious revival have been enjoyed, the first of which is gratefully remembered to this day by nearly a score of the early members, beginning with the dedication of the first house of worship. In comparison with what was reached in after-years that day may seem small, " but," said one who was there, " it was one of the best seasons of religious interest I ever enjoyed, for a work having no more people to work upon." The above sketch was prepared in 1876, and deposited in the library of the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, with sketches of other Presbyterian Churches written during the centennial year. Since the above date 46 persons have been added to the church. A floating debt of several hundred dollars has been paid, and the church-yard and the church-building re- paired and improved to the amount of several hundred dollars. The society is now out of debt, and current expens.;s are fully covered by the current income. The Sabbath-school numbers about 100, and is in a flourishing condition. H. P. Cristy is superintendent. The officers of the church are Rev. George P. Tindall, pastor; H. C. Walker, H. P. Cristy, A. L. Aldrich, Au- gustus Root, Selim D.irling, T. G. Smith, elders. There are three ladies' societies connected with the church, — a General Ladies' Society, which raises money for a variety of objects connected with the interests of the church and congregation; a Woiuan's Missionary Society, for both home and foreign missions ; and a Young Ladies' Mission Band, for foreign, home, and city missions. FIRST B.\PTIST CHURCH OF FLINT. As early as the year 1837* an attempt was made to secure the permanent organization of a Baptist Church in the village of Flint. Two efforts having failed, it was pre- dicted that a third effort, which was begun under the direc- tion of Rev. Alfred Handy, missionary of the American * The first society was organized at Benjamin Pearson's hall, and met agrecubly to a previous notice given out by Rev. Joseph Gambell, who presided as chairman of the meeting, while Robert F. Stage served as clerk. After adopting the title of the " First Baptist Church of the town of Flint," the fullowing-numed members were elected as the first board of trustees : Warner Lake, Jr., Alansou Dickinson, Ben- jamin Pearson, Sherman Stanley, and John A. Iloycs. The articles of incorjioration were signed by Joscpli (!ani' cll and Josiah Walker. FLINT CITY. 167 Biiptist Home Mission Society, would sliarc tlic same fate. But the cliurcli was organized after deliberate and prayerful consideration, and its constituent metuber.s did not propose to let it die. In the first year of its existence an event occurred which contributed to strengthen and enlarge the influence of the church. This event was the disbanding of a church of 15 members five miles distant, in what is now known as the township of Burton, whose pastor, llev. Wil- liam II. Fuller, spent each alternate Sunday with them. The question of transferring their interest and pecuniary support to a new field, miles away, was anxiously discus.sed, and finally, but reluctantly, decided upon. Among the members who transferred their membership to the strug- gling church in Flint were Deacon Perus Atherton, now the senior deacon of the church, and aged eighty-three years, and Deacon Samuel R. Atherton. Their first meetings were held in the court house, in a room over the jail. But they met under difficulties, fur the noise and loud profanity of the prisoners disturbed them greatly. Then they removed into a room in the Crapo building, on the north side of the river, until the church edifice was built. A pleasing illustration of the spirit which pervaded the entire membership, and showing that the sisters had a mind to work no less than the brethren, was given by Brother Atherton. In the building of their first meeting-house the brethren were compelled through poverty to give their own time and labor in order to secure its completion. Few in number, they had succeeded in raising the frame of the building, with the exception of the front part of the steeple. The timbers to be raised were about fifty feet long, and braced together by other pieces. The men set to work to raise " the bent" to its place, but above the height of their breasts it could not be lifted. They knew not where to look for assistance. By some means the sisters of the church, who were preparing dinner for the men close bj', heard of the difficulty, and, moved by a common impulse, they all, twelve or fifteen in number, hastened to the spot, and by their help the heavy frame-work was lifted up to its place. The hi-story of the First Baptist Church of Flint, for the twenty-five years of its existence, is a signal instance of success, achieved in the face of great difficulties. The church was constituted Nov. 2, 1853, and the sermon of re- cognition was preached by llev. Samuel Cornelius, of Troy. The church edifice was dedicated — sermon by llev. Na- thaniel Colver, of Detroit — Dec. 12, 1855. It was en- larged and rcdedicated — sermon by llev. A. E. Mather, of Detroit — in November, 18G8. The constituent members were six brethren and six sisters. The whole number of members who have been con- nected with the church is 852. Of this number 414 were baptized — 138 men and 27G women — into the fellowship of the church. The register of the dead numbers 40, — 18 brethren and 22 sisters. The picsent numbcrof names on the roll is 372. One- sixth of the members are non-residents. Eiglit pastors, including the present incumbent, have served the church : Alfred Handy, II. K, Tnj^per, J. S. Goodman, J. 8. Hoyden, C. Johnson, 8. Cornelius, S. W. Titus, and Jumcs Cooper. Five brethren were licensed to preach by the church : Thomas Robinson, A. C. INIerritt, George Atchinson, I. B. Nunn, and T. H. Bemish. Seven deacons have served the church, viz. : Eber Adams, C. Lancton, P. Atherton, 11. A. Carman, S. Carpenter, S. II. Atherton, and S. C. Church. The five last named still hold the office. L. D. Morse, J. Fortcn, and S. C. Church have served as clerks, — the last named since 18G5. The Sunday-.school of the church has on its rolls the names of 250 scholars, with an average attendance of 175. The superintendent is W. I'. King.slcy. The following gentlemen constitute the board of trus- tees: S. R. Atherton, C. C. Pierson, E. K. Jenkins, J. C. Decker, W. P. Kingsley, N. Bates, W. H. Piers. E. D. Pierson, treasurer. The first seven years of the church were full of trials and discuuragonicnts. From 1809 to 1874 it enjoyed a high degree of prosperity. In those years 227 bapti.sms were reported, and its contributions for home expenses and be- nevolence aggregated $18,000. The war record of the church is worthy of notice. Some of its members enlisted in the army, and went forth with the prayers of the church. Two of the number, Jas. H. Atchinson and John Q. Adams, sleep beneath the soil of South Carolina. The church re- tained their pastor, J. S. Boyden, while chaplain of the 10th Michigan Regiment, and contributed to the Christian Commission. The church has suffered from the general financial prostration of the past five years, but there is a good degree of spiritual prosperity and of fraternal accord. The future is full of promise. ST. Paul's church. In August, 1839, the Rev. D.uiiel E. Bi-own, having re- signed his appointment at Green B.iy as missionary to the Indians, visited Flint on a kind of prospecting tour, to see if any Episcopal Church was wanted. He describes it as " indeed iieiv ground," and says, " The voice of an Episco- pal clergyman in celebrating the services of our church had never been heard here." He gave a favorable report to the Missionary Committee, which resulted in a visit from the bishop on the 8th of October. He found everything in good condition, and remarks that "such zeal was mani- fested for the organization of a parish that I con.sented at once to the proposed mcaturo." Early in November the Rev. Mr. Brown visited Flint again and began his work. On the 23d day of November, 183!), ID persons associated themselves together for the purpose of organizing a Protestant Episcopal Church in the city of Flint. Most of the nineteen have " fallen asleep," but there are yet living in our midst three, viz. : George M. Dewey, Grant Decker, and Henry C. Walker. It was determined to hold a meeting for organization on the 14lh day of December. Notice was given, and the meeting held, at which the Rev. D.iniel E. Brown was present. At this meeting seven vestrymen and two wardens were elected, the wardens being T. D. Butler and Milton A. Case. Of these wardens and vestrymen elected, Reuben McCrcery is the only one now living. On this original vestry were also Jonathan D.iyton, Henry M. Henderson, 168 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Cliauncey S. Payne, and James B. Walker, all of them names connected with the early history of Flint, and most of them pillars of strength to the church in later years. The fii-st meeting of the vestry was appointed to be held on the 21st of the same month. At that meeting the real work of the mission began in the following resolution : " lirsohccl, Tlint the clerk be rcqucsled to draft a subseription for the payment of the incidcntiil cspcnscs of the service of St. Paul's Church." On the 25th of that month, being Christmas-day, the holy communion was celebrated for the first time in the new parish. Si-^teen persons partook thereof, of whom the following are still living here: Jlrs. R. J. S. Page, Mrs. S. C. M. Case, Mrs. Daniel E. Brown, Mrs. H. M. Henderson, and Mr. Reuben McCreery. Notice of the organization was promptly communicated to the bishop, and rendered coniplete by his acceptance, dated Jan. 15, 1840. At a meeting of the vestry, held Jan. 25, 1840, it was " Itesnheil, That the Rev. D.iniel E. Brown be and he is hereby called to act as rector." On the 20th day of April, 1840, the first annual parish- meeting was held, and a vestry elected, with Milton Case and Jonathan Dayton as wardens. Of the seven vestry- men, Reuben JlcCreery, George M. Dewey, and Grant Decker are still living. The two latter are still vestrymen. Mr. Grant Decker, the present senior warden, began his service as a vestryman at this time, since which he has had thirty-nine years of continuous service. He was first elected warden in 1854. Mr. George M. Dewey al.th inst." The letter was sent and the present rector ofiBciated for the first time in St. Paul's church, Sept. 26, 1869. He was requested at that time to officiate the next Sunday and administer the holy communion. On the occasion of the second visit, arrangements were made by which the church was practically placed under his charge till the ensuing Easter. On the 6th day of April the Rev. Marcus Lane was called as rector, at a salary of $1200 per annum. But a few weeks afterwards the parish met with a seri- ous loss in the death of the Hon. Henry M. Henderson. He was one of the original vestrymen, had been identified with the parish from the beginning, and had been, as the resolutions of the vestry read, " one of its oldest and most valued members " At a meeting of the vestry, held March 25, 1871, the subject of building a new church was duly considered, and the announcement made that Mrs. Hender- son would give $8000 to head the subscription list. At the same meeting it was " Jicsoh-cfl, That this vestry arc of the opinion that of the several propcsitions submitted, the Bcecher lot on Saginaw Street is the most desirable location available for the site of a new church." A committee was appointed to secure subscriptions. At a meeting of the vestry, held Sept. 23, 1871, it was deter- mined to build upon the Beecher lot. The rector and Mr. F. W. Judd were appointed a committee on plans ; Messrs. Judd, Decker, and Denham, a building committee. At a meeting of the congregation, held September 25th, the rector, wardens, and vestrymen were authorized to sell the church lot and the pareonage property. The church lot thirty years before had been a gift from the proprietors of the village of Flint River, — A. C. and Sherman Stevens, who owned five-sixths, and Ira D. Wright, who owned one-sixth. The compensation fixed in the deeds, nominal, of course, was $400 in the Sherman deed, and $50 in that of Mr. Wright. There seems also to have been some flaw in the title, for some years after- wards Mr. J. B. Walker gave a quit-claim deed of his right and title to the whole lot, compensation $100. This also was probably nominal. The church lot, valued as it would seem iu the beginning at $450, had in thirty years so increased in value that its sale netted the parish nearly $6000. The parsonage lot was exchanged for the Beecher lot, the parish paying $2000 in addition. The winter was spent in collecting subscriptions, fixing up the new rectory, quarrying and hauling stone. The stone of which the new church was built was taken from the quarries of John Sutton, near Flushing, he having liberally donated the same, provided the parish " would get it out." It took nearly 400 cords of stone to build the church, from which one can easily see the magnitude of the task undertaken. April 29, 1872, proposals having been invited, the bids were opened. The bids for mason-work ranged from $11,270 to $18,000, and the whole job from $26,000 to $34,G26. Mr. Peres F. Cleveland, of this city, being the lowest bidder, the contract was let to him, the church pro- viding all material for the mason-work. On Ascension Day, May 9, 1872, ground was broken fjr the new church, Mr. Judd, the chairman of the build- ing-committee, throwing out the first shovelful of dirt. May 29th the corner-stone was laid. October 14th a parish- meeting was held and the vestry were authorized to make a loan not exceeding $10,000. Under this authority the vestry borrowed $6000 from Miss Cumings. FLINT CITY. 171 Jan. 6, 187:1, the rector and Messrs. JudJ and Tliomson were appointed a committee on stained ^lass. From this time ou till the completion of the church the records .show constant labore under many di.scoura^cments and many hard struggles, which resulted in the adoption of various expe- dients for the raising of the moneys needed, some of which were successful and some not. While the wardens and vestry were thus laboring to get the now church completed, the Young Ladies' Society had undertaken to provide a suitable organ. They took the whole thing into their own hands, closed a contract with Messrs. Johnson & Co., of Westfield, Ma.ss., and in due time raised the money and made all the payments, and placed the new organ in the church as their share of the work, and as a free gift to the honor and glory of Almighty God. After it was supposed that the last service had been held in the old church, and before the new one could be used, came the unexpected death of the Rev. Daniel E. Brown, the first rector of the parish. The church was reopened and the last service in the old church was the funeral of its builder. Very strong and eulogistic resolutions were adopted by the rector, wardens, and vestry, who attended the funeral in a body. August 24th the first service was held in the new church. Intending to give due credit to all engaged in this good work thus brought to completion, the writer would briefly state their several parts as follows : Architect, Gordon W. Lloyd, of Detroit ; Committee on Plans, the Hector and Mr. Judd ; Building Committee, Messrs. Judd, Decker, and Denliam ; Stained Glass Com- mittee, the Rector, Messrs. Thomson and Judd ; Contractor, Peres F. Cleveland, of Flint ; Painting, etc., Stephens Bros., of Flint; UphoLstering, Marcus, Stevens & Co., of Detroit. The stained glass of the chapel was procured from Ham- ilton & Co., of New York, for the church from A. Fredrick, of Brooklyn, N. Y. Many of the minor details and little episodes connected with the building would be very interest- ing to the members of the church, but they would not be of like interest to the general reader. Hence they are here omitted. Unfortunately with the new church came a church debt, which would never have been a great burden but for the general financial prostration of the whole country. The record of proceedings since would be a plain story of many and determined efforts to reduce it. These efforts have been so far successful that the debt can never be the burden in the future that it has been in the past. The total indebt- edness is now a little more than S12, 000. On the 20th of April, 1878, it was $17,895. Tiie record of the spiritual work of the church, its gains and losses, are of little interest to the public. It is, there- fore, sufiBcient to sum them up. The present rector has had charge of the church nine years and eight months, the longest lime of any rector in its history. His official acts are as follows : Baptisms (infant, 1G5; adult, 71}, 23G ; confirmed, 195; marriages. 111 ; burials, 129. The foregoing sketch was prepared by the rector. ST. Michael's rojian catholic cnuRcn. Bishop P. Lcfever, of the diocese of Detroit, was the impulse which placed in form of organization the material for a Roman Catholic Church in Flint. The first efforts date back to September 2, 1813, though the building was several years in process of erection. The ground on which it stands was deeded by Chauncey S. Payne, and Hon. George 1*1. Dewey gave $200 towards the fund, while many leading citizens contributed more or less liberally, as their means permitted. Among the first missionary clergymen to visit the field were Rev. Lawrence Kilroy and Rev. Martin Kindig, now vicar-general of Milwaukee, Wis., who figured so conspicu- ously in the cholera epidemic which decimated Detroit in 1834. The reverend father was indefatigable in his efforts to alleviate distress among all sects and classes, and used his private means so liberally as to impoverish himself and contract an indebtedness which it required years to liquidate. He died recently, after a long life of ceaseless toil and be- nevolence, at the ripe age of seventy-two years. Among the friends from Detroit who rendered material aid to the struggling enterprise were Hon. Lewis Cass, Joseph Cam- pau. Bishop P. Lefever, Peter Desnoyer, and many other names well known in olden times. D. O'SuUivan, whose arrival in Flint occurred in July of 1834, was largely instrumental in the construction of the building, having contributed both in means and labor to the enterprise. The first regularly installed pastor was Rev. Michael Jlonaghan, who remained some time after the completion of the church, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Kinderkins, brother of Vicar-General Kinderkins, of Detroit, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. C. L. De- ceuninck, in 1856, who organized a school under the man- agement of two lay teachers. His pastorate extended over a period of fifteen years, during which time he was active in many benevolent enterprises and did much for the relief of the poor of the church. His successor was Rev. Father Flanigan, who remained two years. The school during his administration was dis- continued. Rev. James Gillespie was installed as pastor in 1873. He organized a school, and occupied for this pur- pose the church and an adjoining building, and had as instructors a principal and two assistant teachers, and an average attendance of 200 scholars during the regular term of ten months. A substantial school building of brick was meanwhile erected, at a cost of $7000, with rooms in which the various societies of the church hold their meetings. The present pastor is Rev. Robert W. Haire, who was installed Aug. 1, 1875. His administration has been suc- cessful, his energies being mainly directed to the main- tenance of the parochial school, to which he gives much of his time and attention. It at present numbers about 300 pupils, who are instructed by an efficient corps of teachers. The primary department is under the supervision of Sister Catherine, assisted by three rtlir/ii:!iscs, all of the order of the Immaculate Heart of IMary, from Blonroe, Mich. Tiie annual expenditures, which in tlie aggregate amount to $1300, are defrayed from the revenues collected from the congregation. The families who compose the parisli number about 300, and the amount of current expenses incurred by the church reaches the sum of $4000. About 400 persons compo.se the congregation during the early 172 HISTORY OF GExNESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. morninj: sorvico, and 500 are present at the later service. The music of tlie eliuicli reflects much credit upon tlie choir. The (Ireu'oriaii chnnt is about bein;^ introduced, which will embrace the finest male voices in the church. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. This society was orpranized as the result of a series of tent-nieelinj;s, hold in Flint and its vicinity by Elders D. II. Larason, of Armada, Mich., and E. R. Jones, of Battle Creek, same State. Their raeetin;^s bogau June 11, 1875, and continued with various intermissions until September 13th of the same year, when a district camp-meetiiii; closed their labors. On the 24th of October, 1875, a society comprising 46 members was formed. Prior to the forma- tion of this society, it is claimed that the only families of this belief residing in Flint were those of Elias J. Bump and John Harmon. Coggins' Hall was first used as a place of wcrship. Soon after Coven's Hall was leased for the same purpose at a rental of SlOO per year. A reorganiza- tion took place April 30, 1876, and S. H. Daniels cho.sen elder, Allen D. Newbury and llobert W. D.iy deacons. The first board of trustees, consisting of Robert W. Day, S. II. Daniels, and Samuel Woodhull, was chosen 3Iay 20, 1876. In April, 1877, Mr. Klias J. Bump donated Ibr a church-site a lot situated on the corner of Third Street and Stockton Avenue. Elder D. II. Lamson had received pledges for S1700, and the work of building a house of worship was immediately begun. S. H. Daniels, W. C. Althbuse, H. C. Thompson, and Horace Bristol formed the building-committee, and Dec. 27, 1877, the church edifice was completed and dedicated. The dedicatory services were conducted by Elders Uriah Smith, D. H. Lam.son, and E. R. Jones. The house is a neat structure with (iotliio roof, but without spire or bell. It is beautifully finished inside, and has patent sittings for 300 persons. The present membership is 75. They have no local pastor, and at present no elder. A flourishing Sabbath-school exists, which includes nearly all of the members. William J. Farrand, Superintendent ; Sarah E. Talliafero, Secretary. GARLAND STREET JIETIIODIST EPI.SCOI'AL CUURCII. This church is located on the corner of Garland and Second Streets, on the north side of the river. The society was organized in the early part of the year ISGl. Previous to this there had been but one church of this order within the limits of the city. The circumstances which called the new one into existence were at the time sorely afllictive to a majority of the good men and women connected with it. The noble edifice of the parent society had substantially passed out of human hands a few months before, though the ofibrings of a people, mostly poor in this world's goods, were embodied in it, — offerings made in human interests, yet unto Gml alone ; and, though an eloquent memorial of the faith, prayers, and heroic struggles of Christians, yet its fud was hastened. In the dead of night the cruel flames reduced it to ashes, with all its contents, in an hour. The black and smouldering mass that remained of the beau- tiful temple called fur tears and prayers. The teare were not wholly restrained, and prayers went up from sad Iiearts, imploring submi.ssiveness of spirit, and courage, and wisdom. Before the morning sun had come to look for the first time on that scene of desolation the losers were saying, " By the help of God we will build again." The pastor, Rev. T. J. Juslin, was laid aside at the time by severe and pro- tracted sickness, but amid all the discouragements it was decided to build at once. It was at this juncture that the pertinent question of lo- catton anchored itself in the harbor of a peaceful and united people. It was one of great importance to those at both extremes of city, north and south, and naturally swept with more or less toiichinrj force under other points of the com- pass. ]Members in the northern portion of the city pleaded for a central location, equally accommodating all parts of the town. Discu.ssion retarded initial steps, yet discussion closed with a n)ajority for the old site. This decision was as a signal at which a considerable number of men and women, young and old, including as good material in all respects as the old church ever contained, moved out of the old and honored lines, for the ])rotection and upbuilding of Methodism in their own part of the city. Thus to break up the pleasant associations of former year.«, and sei)arate themselves from those with whom they had long walked and taken sweet counsel, was the most grievous and trying point of their associated history. But the action of others liad made it necessary, and they were left to " cro.«s the Rubicon," which they did promptly but kindly. Their first board of trustees was appointed without delay. It consisted of Daniel S. Freeman, William Stevenson, Joseph Kline, John Owen, and Dr. Wood. The first board of stewards was also composed of the same men. The actual charter members were Rev. Daniel S. Free- man and wife, William Stevenson and mother (Maiy Stc- vensorO, John Sutton and wife and mother, and Helen, Josephine, and George (children of John Sutton), Sarah Freeman, Louisa Freeman, Mrs. Joseph Freeman and daughter (Ellen), Mr.s. Cynthia Abornethy, Joseph Kline and wife, Johanna Parrit^h, John Owen and wife, Charlotte Raymond, and Dr. Wood and wife, 24 in all. By means of transfers from the old church, their numbers were soon swelled to 80. The edifice in which the congregation has worshiped ever since was completed and dedicated before the close of IStJI , which, being the year of the inception of the enterprise, shows with what celerity these brethren carried on their work. The late Rev. Dr. T. M. Eddy, then editor of the Nortli- Western Christian Advoeate, of Chicago, III., ofll- ciated at the dedication. The lots on which the church was built had been generously donated by Chauncey L. P;lyne and Charles P. Avery. The structure itself cost something over $2500, and was free from debt when dedi- cated. The annual Conference of September, 1861, appointed Rev. Isaac Crawford as the first pastor of the new and then vigorous organization. He remained but one year, during which there were a number of accessions to the church, but not so many as might have been realized under other cir- cumstances. The man succeeding Mr. Crawford was essentially differ- ent. Endowed liberally with nature's best gifts, well edu- J. R. CHAMBERS. MRS. J. R. CHAMBERS. J. E. CHAMBERS. Jeremy R. Chambers was born in Madison Co., N. Y., in December, 1816. When he was twelve years of age his parents moved to Jefferson. Tiie family were poor, and Jeremy, the oldest boy, soon became the main support. Thinking he could better secure a home for the family in a new country, he and his brotlier William started for Micliigan on foot, witii only a few dollars. At Detroit he pur- chased an axe and pursued his journey; arrived in Burton, Genesee Co., March 27, 1836, walking the entire distance from Jefferson Co., N. Y., in fourteen days. Arriving in Burton, he hired out for a year. In July his employer let him have one hundred dollars, with which he entered eighty acres of land in Richfield. Not being satisfied with the location, he continued to work by the montii or job for three years, when he bought forty acres of land in Burton, and made improvements as best he could. In 1841 he built a house and sowed ten acres of wheat. In the spring of 1842 his parents, with five chil- dren, came on to live with him. In June a heavy frost killed his wheat, which was a serious blow, and he was obliged to sell the eighty acres of land in Richfield for thirty dollars, needed to buy seed-wheat the next fall. The fiimily struggled on for eight years, when the father and mother died, and the family was broken up. Mr. Chambers and two of his brothers engaged in fishing on Lake Huron for three years; from this enterprise he saved a few thousand dollars. Returning to Genesee County, he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in the town of Flint, and built a house on the land. From that time the improvements went on until he now has a fine farm, with such surroundings as indicate the wealthy farmer. In 1868 he sold the farm and moved to Flint, to enjoy a well- earned competency. On the 25th of October, 1853, he was mar- ried. Mrs. Chambers was the daughter of Charles Johnson, formerly from Ovid, N. Y. He moved to Oakland Co., Mich., and settled on the bank of Elizabeth Lake, in 1824; in 1836 he moved to Burton, this county, where he died in 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Chambers united with the Methodist Episcopal Church some twenty years ago. and have since remained consistent mem- bers. They have been the parents of two daugh- ters, one of whom died ; the other lives with her parents. FLINT CITy. 173 catod, of extensive and careful readinfr, and experienced l)y more than a score of successful years in the ministry, he entered the field to give sermons of cultuie and Gospel power, and to he a real pastor to his people and beloved by them. Such was the llev. Orin Whitniore, who re- mained the full term of three years, and left under the benedictions of those he had served. The close of this term brings us to September, 18C5, ■when the Rev. E. E. Castor was appointed to the charge, lie was eminently fitted for tlie place, — a good pastor, an earnest and eloc|uent preacher, crowding his house with hearers till enlargement became necessary, and was accom- plished by adding 20 feet to the length of the auditorium, at a cost of SI 200, which was paid in full before the .sound of the liammer-strokes had fairly died. Mr. Castor left at the end of two years in response to an earnest demand else- where. The fall of 18G7 brought, under Conference appointments, tlie llev. E. K. Haseall to Garland Street, as its pastor, and the/o«r//i one in number. Several names were added to the church list through his labors, but for sonw. rea.son he remained but one year. He was followed by the llev. William Q. Burnett, who proved to be an invpre.-^sible and successful worker. During his pastorate an addition to the church edifice, including three commodious rooms and a fine parsonage, located on the corner of Garland and Third Streets, — one block from the church, — was built at an aggre- gate cost of about §:;()0(), all paid, and an extensive revival of religion was wrought. Of course such a worker re- mained three years. llev. Wni. Fox was his successor, comniencing his labors September, 1871, and after two years of judicious, dignified, and successful efibrt was called to the presiding eldership of Romeo district, and left the people regretting his depart- ure. Rev. Jacob Ilorton was next appointed to the charge, and, with a somewhat varying suece.-is, remained for two years. He was a fine preacher and a decided worker. Under liis administration the church was internally repaired and beautified, at a cost of S700. Rev. George W. Lowe came to the charge in September, 1875, and had a successful term of three years, considering the adverse circumstances which, independent of the pastor and beyond his possible control, connected themselves most unfortunately with the church. Mr. Lowe's qualities of mind and heart need no eulogy other than that of his life- work. This brings us to September, 1878, when Rev. T. J. .loslin was appointed pa.stor, and now occupies the place. During the.«e eighteen years of the church's existence, its several clas.ses have been served at different intervals by the following li.st of class-leaders, namely: D. S. Freeman, Jo.seph Kline, R. \V. Dullam, Moses JIann, L. N. Moon, Thomas Stiltson, Porter Fleming, John C. Vincent, Wil- liam Haver, Daniel Frost, and J. II. Failing. The present official board is composed as follows : Class- licaders, D. S. Freeman, II. W. Dnilam, J. II. Failing, and Jo.seph Kline; Stewards, Jnhii Sutton, Alanson Bradford, Dr. Bela Cogsliall, J. II. Failing, Lewis Kline, John An- drews, Albert Hakes, Meno Kbe, and Joseph Freeman ; Trustees, D. S. Freeman, J. R. Chambers, John Whiting, John Armstrong, John Sherff, Cyrus Pomcroy, and J. D. Ilaight ; Located Ministers, D. S. Freeman, Hiram Adams, and Erwin Wilder. From the beginning there has been a fine Sunday-school connected with this church, and it is at the present time favored with a good corps of officers and teachers, and is in a fairly pro.sperous condition. The degree of success realized by the Garland Street Church in leading souls to Christ, and in mutually edifying, guiding, and cheering on to duty and to heaven the ser- vants of our God, and seen also in the fact that a membership of nearly 300 is now within its pale, after an almost equal number have been removed by certificates and by death, is, at least, suggestive of high approval, and disarms criti- cism of those who at first led the way, and, with others, have carried on the work. This sketch is prepared by the pastor. TUE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The Congregational Church of Flint came into being during the fall of 18G7. Its first membership was com- posed mainly of those who had been members of other churches of the same order elsewhere in the State, in the Western Reserve (of Ohio), or at the East, and who since the impetus given to Flint by the building of the Flint and Pere JIarquette Railway had cast in their lot with its en- terprising people. Many of these had connected themselves with the First Presbyterian Church of Flint, of which the Rev. H. II. Northrop was then the able pastor; but their independent ways were hardly congenial to the staid habits of the old families, and in the summer of 18G7 they be- came aware that in the opinion of the pastor and leading members it would be better for the old hive if they would swarm. After a few weeks' reflection and consultation a meeting was held, on the evening of the ISth day of September, 1867, at the house of Wm. L. Smith, Esq., to consider whether it was best to form a Congregational Church in Flint. The record shows there were present Mr. and Mrs. Wni. L. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Royal C. Rip- ley, Mr. and Mrs. George II. Ilolman, Mr. and Mrs. Henry II. Lovell, Mr. and i^Irs. Egbert L. Bangs, Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Farrar, iMr. and Mrs. George 11. Gold, Mrs. Sarah 0. Strong, 3Iiss JIargaret T. Olcott, Mr. George Andrews, Mr. Zelotes Truesdel, and Mr. Thomas Smith, and with them, by invitation. Rev. Frank P. Woodbury and wife, late of Mcriden, N. H. The meeting was or- ganised with Mr. Gold as chairman, and Mr. Truesdel as secretary. After earnest consultation it was agreed — Mr. Ripley alone di.s.senting — that there was room and work for a Congregational Church in Flint, and that steps should be taken to form one. Rev. Mr. Woodbury was invited to preach at Awanaga Hall on the following Sabbath, morning and evening. A provisional committee of .seven was chosen, consisting of Measrs. Lovell, Bangs, W. L. Smith, Ilolman, Farrar, D. W. Parker, and Gold. To them was committed the full guidance of affiiirs. Notice of the intended ser- vices was given in the local papers issued on Saturday, and William Stevenson, E.-^q , was secured as organist. The weather was fine, and the hall was well filled in the morn- ing and crowded in the evening. After the morning .ser- vice a Sunday-school was organized with about 23 children, 174 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. and Mr. AVilliam L. Smith was shortly afterwards made its .superintendent. On tlic Mondiiy following these services the committee made a formal contract with llcv. Mr. Woodbury to serve as pastor of the enterprise for one year, at a salary of SI 500, of which it was understood the Home IMis.sionary Society would pay §500, and to secure the regular payment of the remaining $1000 in monthly installments the committee gave the pastor their personal bond. Awanaga Hall was rented for Sunday services and other rooms for the weekly devotional meetings. The finan- cial support was secured by subscriptions payable monthly, and by Sunday collections. The interest in the enterprise continually increasing, on Oct. 18, 1867, letters missive were issued to the churches of the order in Lansing — St. John's, Owasso, East Saginaw, Pontiac, Detroit, Romeo, Almont, Adrian, Vienna, Burton, Grand Blanc, and Goodrich — to assemble on Oct. 20, 18G7, at Flint, by pastor and delegate, with Rev. J. W. Hough, of Saginaw City, Rev. Frank P. Woodbury, of Jackson, and Rev. Herbert A. Reed (the State Home Missionary agent), of Marshall, in council, to advise as to the forma- tion of a church, and to aid therein if the enterprise were approved. The council duly convened, organized with Rev. J. G. W. Cowles, of East Saginaw, as moderator, and C. B. Stebbins, Esq., of Lansing, as scribe. After mature consideration the proposition to form the church was heartily indorsed, the confession of faith fully approved, and on the following day (Sunday) a committee of the council as.sisted in the formation of the church, and in behalf of the council extended to it fraternal recognition. There were 40 members, 38 of whom joined by letter and 2 on profession of faith. On November 1st following, 6 more were received; on Jan. 3, 1868, there were 15 ac- cessions; on February 28th, 31 ; on June 25lh following, 5; and on December 30th next thereafter, 11 ; making a membership of 108, gathered during the first fifteen months. George H. llolman and Egbert L. Bangs were chosen the first deacons. Meantime proper steps were being taken to form an eccle- siastical society to take care of the temporalities of the church, and on the 12th day of November the Congrega- tional Society of the city of Flint became fully organized by the election of nine trustees, three for one year, three for two years, and three for three years, pursuant to the articles of association. The first trustees were Royal C. Ripley, Charles C. Far- rar, William L. Smith, Henry R. Lovell, Isaac C. Van Epps, Robert Pearson, George R. Gold, George Andrews, and De Witt Parker. Of these Royal C. Ripley was made president of the board of trustees, George R. Gold, clerk, and Henry R. Lovell, treasurer. The enterprise having thus become organized in its several departments, the pro- visional committee resigned their powers, and received the thanks of the church and society for their labors. On Jan. 3, 18G8, Rev. Frank P. Woodbury was by unanimous vote of the church " invited to become the pastor and teacher of this church," and on the 11th day of the same month this action was unanimously concurred in by the society, and the salary fixed at §1500, with a vacation of six weeks during the year, at such time as the pastor should choose to take it. The call was cordially accepted, and the pastorate filled with entire acceptance to the people until the close of July, 1870, when Mr. Wood- bury resigned on account of ill health. Early in May, 1868, a church site was secured at the southeast corner of Saginaw and Second Streets, in the Second Ward, and on the 11th of the same month, on motion of William L. Smith, the society voted, " that wo proceed at once to erect a house of wor.ship for the church and society." Thereupon, R. C. Ripley, Charles Smith, H. R. Lovell, G. H. Holman, and Zelotcs Truesdel were chosen a building-committee, with power to designate their chairman, and discretionary power to adopt plans, raise funds, and carry on the work, subject to revision of the society or trustees. The committee made H. R. Lovell their chairman, and set vigorously about the execution of their trust. Plans for a chapel, prepared by F. T. Oliver, architect, were procured and adopted, and the building was begun in June and completed and dedicated on November 22d following. The chapel was furnished by the Ladies' Aid Society very tastefully out of funds raised by it for the purpose. The whole expense of site, building, and furnishing was about §8500. Cordial and timely aid was given the project by many citizens not members, and gen- eral goodwill was shown to the young church and society. Among the donations noticeable for the generosity and modesty of the giver may be named that of the late Hon. Levi Walker, then an elder of the Presbyterian Church, who, in the evening before dedication, unsolicited and in the dark slipped into the hands of the chairman of the building-committee a hundred-dollar treasury note '' to help the cause," and hastily left before the extent of his gift could be known. The Congregational Union gave $500 " to pay last debts." But still the bulk of the funds came from the pockets of the members of the church and society. On Feb. 6, 18G9, the building-committee assumed all the indebtedness of the society on account of building its chapel, the society having relinquished to it all unpaid sub- scriptions therefor, and the latter then became possessed of its chapel free of debt. During the following spring lec- ture-rooms wei'e finished oS' in the basement at an expense of about SoOO. The church coa.seJ to bo a missionary one at the close of the first year. It steadily increased in membership during Mr. Woodbury's pastorate, and numbered 129 when he left. His salary after the second year was §1800. His departure was deeply regretted by all. After months of weary candidating, in January, 1871, the Rev. B. D. Conk- ling was unanimously called to the pastorate. He accepted and entered upon his labors the first Sunday in February following, — salary §1500. He was an able and godly young man, but his temperament was so different from that of Mr. Woodbury that he failed to give general satisfaction, and resigned in September following. Fifteen joined the church during his pastorate. In January, 1872, the Rev. Edward W. Baron, of New Haven, Conn., was unanimously called to the pastorate, — salary §2000, and §500 removal expenses, and accepted the call. He served the church and society until failing FLINT CITY. 175 health compelled him to resign in March, 1875. During his ministry 84 were added to the church. In the second year of his pastorate the parsonage was procured for the society, and its use furnished him as added support. Under his lead tlie church took decided ground in favor of tem- perance during the women's crusade, a position it has ever since maintained. This cost the society considerable loss of support from those engaged in and sympathizing with the liquor traffic, but the loss was borne rather gladly than otherwise. It was felt a great reproach was removed. In September, 1875, the Rev. Richard Cardely, D.D., came from Lawrence, Kan., to minister to this people, and continued his labors among them until April, 1878. His salary, at first S1500, was the second year increased to 61500 and the use of the parsonage. Forty- four were added to the church during his ministry. He was an able scrmon- izer and discreet pastor, with " an eye single to duty." In July, 1878, the present pastor. Rev. Frederick S. Ilaydcn, was called to the pastorate and accepted it the following August. Since his coming there have been 14 accessions to the church, making a total of 28C members since its formation to May 10, 1879. Of these, 117 joined on profession of their faith and 169 by letter. Seventy -one members have withdrawn by letter and 15 have "entered into that rest," leaving a present membership of 200. Deacon Holman having declined re-election was, in No- vember, 1873, succeeded in office by Washington A. Baron, who vacated it by death October G, 187G. In October, 1874, Ira Chase was chosen deacon, and in November, 1877, 1. C. Van Epps was also chosen to that office. The last two, with Deacon Bangs, are still in office. In Octo- ber, 1874, Mrs. Mary M. Gold and Mrs. Sophronia B. Gordon were chosen deaconesses. The Sabbath-school of this church has been well cared for and usually prosperous. Formed with Wm. L. Smith as superintendent, it attained its greatest strength and in- fluence during Mr. Woodbury's pastorate. Mr. Smith continued superintendent by annual re-election until Janu- ary, 1870, when, declining further service, he was succeeded in turn by Deacon Ilolman, Prof. Rufus E. Phinney, Wm. Stevenson, Esq., Miss Julia A. King, Chas. T. Bridgman, and Damon Stewart, the latter of whom " continues to the present time." The singing of the church is congregational in charac- ter, is led by a precentor accompanied by the organ, and generally aided by a choir. It was at first led for several years by that best guide of congregational singing, William Stevenson, E.sq., and afterwards by ^Irs. Woodbury, Mr. Haver, Mr. Parker, Mr. Ncale, Mr. Holman, and others, and now by Prof. Gardner with his cornet. In addition to the trustees first chosen the following-named persons have served the society a.s trustees, viz. : Charles Smith, Henry H. Woodruff, Zelotes Truesdel, Oscar M. BrowiLSon, Chas. T. Bridgman, David P. Halsey, John Orrell, David S. Fox, Hiram Smith, Bonj. W. W. Symington, Ira W. Wilder, Edward B. Clapp, and William Fobcs. The present offi- cers of the board arc G. H. Holman, President; C. T. Bridgman, Secretary ; and Charles Smith, Treasurer. The church and society are well united in their pastor, and have a pro-sperous outlook for their work. THE GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH. This church, which is located in the Fourth Ward, was organized in the year 18GS, with a membership of 40. Very soon after the formation of the society measures were taken for the erection of a church, which was completed the same year. The edifice is of brick, 60 feet in length by 34 in width, and was built at a cost of S5200. The membership has since increased to 70. The pastor is Rev. Lewis Brumm, and the trustees are John Zimmerman, J. Baker, K. Raab, E. Sager, W. Weimer, J. Foub, and G. Ackerman. AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. This society was organized about three years since, and own a hou.se of worship located on Seventh Street, near Saginaw Street. Service is held every other Sabbath, the officiating pastor being Rev. C. W. E. Gilmore, who resides in Saginaw, and includes the church at Flint in his circuit. The young men of the church have a debating society, the meetings of which are held on Friday evening of each week. A small admission fee is charged, which is devoted to the payment of the church debt, for which purpose the club was organized. The trustees are Geo. Bradley, Henry Fields, and Samuel Lawrence. THE CEMETERIES. In the year 1835 a piece of ground, an acre in extent, and known to the present residents of Flint as the " Old Patterson Homestead," in the Third Ward (bounded on the south by Fifth Street, west by Grand Traverse Street, north by Court Street, and east by Church Street), was deeded by Wait Beach and Eunice, his wife, to the super- visors of the county of Genesee, to be used for a burial- ground. This plat was in use about eight years, and 25 interments were made in it, when it was vacated. " An Act to authorize the County Connnisitoiierg of the County of Gene- ace to vacate a certain bttri/ing-f/ronnd. "Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the State of Michigan, tliat the County Coinmipsioncrs of tljc County of (Jeuesec be, and they are hereby, authorized to vacate the present burying-ground in the village of Flint in said county ; pro- vided they, the said County Commissioners, shall tirst procure an equal quantity of ground in said village of Flint, or adjacent thereto, to bo used and occuj)ied as a common burying-ground. "Section 2. That said burying-ground shall not bo vacated until after all bodies interred on said ground shall be raised and re-iutcrred in some other grounds. "JOHX BiDDI.E, " Speaker of the ITouse of Represeutalicet, "Thomas J. Dhake, " Pretiiticnt of the SenntCfpro teln. "Approved April 9, IS41. "J. WUIGIIT GoKDON. " A true copy. 'Thomas Kowlaxd, ''Secretary of State." The disinterments were made, and a new location chosen in 1841, on a plat now known as the " Old Burial-G round," which may be described as located on the north side of the Richtield road, about one-half mile east of Saginaw Street, on Kcarsley Street. The deed of conveyance is annexed : 176 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 'Charles C. IIascall WXSIllP OF Fl.IXT. I BoAnn OF Health for the Toi " This inilenturc, niafle the fiuvcnth day of AIa,v, in the year of oiir Lord one thousand fight hundred and thirty-nine, between Charles C. liascall and Nancy, wife of the said Charles, (tf the first l)art, and the Board of Health for the township of Flint, in the County of (icncscc, and their succcs-Jors in oIKce of the seeond part: AVituesseth that the said parties of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred dolhirs to thcui in hand paid by the said party of the second part, tiic receipt whereof is hereby confessed and ac- Ivuowled^ed, have granted, bargained, sold, remised, released, aliened, and eonfirtncd, and by these prcscn's doth grant, bargain, sell, remise, release, alien, and confirm unto the said party of the second part, and to their successors in oifice fopcver, the following described parcel of land to boused for a burying-ground, and for no other purpose what- ever, viz.: beginning at a point being the intersection of the north line of road number forty-nine, running from the cast end of Court Street north twenty-four degrees east and the west line of said ilascall land J thenee north along said line north thirty-two degrees ten min- utes west six chains fifty-eight links to an oak-tree on bank of marsh ; thenee on a line ]>arallel with said road (No. 49) three chains seventy- seven links; thence southerly at right angles we? t said road to the north line of the same; thence south twenty-f«)ur degrees west on said north line seven chains forty links to the place of beginning, containing three acres of land, together with all .and singular the hereditaments and ap- purtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise ajipcrtaining, and the reversion and reversion's remainder and remainder's rents, issues and profits thereof, and all the estate, right, title, interest, claim, or demand whatever of the party of the first part, either in law or equity, of, in, and to the above i>remises, with the said hereditaments and appurte- nances ; To have and to hold the said premises as above described, to- gether with the appurtenances, unto the said party of the seeond part and to their successors in office forever. And the said party of the first part, for their heirs, executors, and administrators, doth covenant, grant, bargain, and agree, to and with the parties of the second part and their successors in ofiice, that at the time of the unsealin'^ and delivery of these presents they are well seized of the premises, con- veyed as of a good, absolute, and indefeasible estate of inheritance in the law, in fee-simple, and that the said lands and inheritance are free from all incumbrances whatever, and that the above-bargained prem- ises in the quiet and peaceable possession of the said parties of the second part and their successors in office .against all and every person or persons lawfully claiming, or to claim the whole or any part there- of, he will forever warrant and defend. " In witness whereof, the said parties of the first part have here- unto set their hamls and seals the day and year first above written. " Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of Asa Andrews, John L. Gage. "Charles C. Haspall. [seal] " NANcr Hascall." [seal] In the year 18-12 a plat of ground was deeded by John Beach to the county commis,siunei"s of Genesee County " commencing at the southeast corner of the town buryinsr- ground, heretofore deeded by Charles C. Ilascall to the board of health for the township of Flint, in the county of Genesee, State of Michigan, on tlie road leading from the village of Flint_^to E. S. Walker's; thence along the line of said buryiiig-ground to the northeast corner of said ground ; thence on a line parallel with the afore-menlioned road one chain eighty-one links; thence southerly to said road five chains and fifty-one links ; thence westerly on the line of said road one chain and eighty-one links to the place of be- ginning, containing one acre of land." This was, as the location of the plat would indicate, intended as an addition to the " Old Burial Ground." Some years later its di- mensions were found insufficient, and in 1878 a deed was given by Artenias Thayer and wile to the city of Flint of a second addition, described as follows : "All that certain piece or parcel of land in the Second Ward of the city of Flint, included in Vine Street, as platted between the north line of Orchard Street and the south line of Mill Street, also included in Summit Street, as phitlcd between the north lino of Orchard Street and the south line of Mill Street, all in ]']ast Flint, as platted by Thayer & Stewart." This burial-ground is still in use, and is free to all citi- zens who desire to use it as a place of interment. The city also allows individuals to inclose portions which may be selected with a neat fence or coping, and reserve it for family use. The dimensions of this burial-ground proving inadequate to the demands of the growing city of Flint, a number of gentlemen formed an association known as the " Glenwood Cemetery Association of the city of Flint," each member of the corporation being a subscriber to its stock. The original subscribers were as follows : B. Pearson, Jas. Hen- denson, Artcmas Thayer, A. JIcFarlan, Levi Walker, 5Ior- rison & Eddy, C. Roosevelt, George S. Hopkins, Wm. M. Fenton, Wm. M. Tliurber, F. R. Tracy, A. T. Crosman, J. B. Hamilton, E. S. Williams, William Clark, J. B. Clark, H. M. Henderson, G. Decker, George W. Fish, Beecher & Higgins, G. M. Dewey, Leonard Wesson, Bishop & Bro., L. G. Buckingham, Reuben SIcCreery, Warner Lake, G. J. W. Hill, E. H. Ilazelton, J. B. Walker, Wm. Stevenson, E. N. Pettee, G. W. Thayer, E. H. Thomson, W. ODonoughue, E. H. McQuigg, E. C. Turner, J. Hamilton. The first officers of the as.sociation were as follows: Pres- ident, Benjamin Pearson ; Vice-President, Henry M. Hen- derson ; Secretary, Leonard Wesson ; Treasurer, James Henderson ; Trustees, William M. Fenton, George M. Dewey, George S. Hopkins, Levi Walker, Edward H. Thomson, Grant Decker, Alexander McFarlan ; Civil En- gineer, George T. Clark ; Standing Committee on Grounds, Edward II. Thomson, Leonard Wesson, Geo. S. Iloiikins. The location of the cemetery grounds was tiie result of a careful and extensive survey of the entire vicinity of Flint. The original inclosure is nearly 4'2 acres. Broad, substan- tial roads, bordered on the declivities with paved gutters, furnish, at all seasons, a hard and pleasant carriage-path of a number of miles, and conduct the visitor to every part of the cemeter}'. Commodious and inviting foot-paths, still more numerous and extensive, wind round every hill and explore each dell and shady nook. The work of grading the entire grounds, involving a large amount of labor, has been prosecuted with a constant regard both to beauty and utility. The entire surface of the cemetery has been surveyed and divided into rectangular sections where practicable. By reference to the field-book in which these are all platted, and where the occupied lots are duly entered, every foot of ground within the inclosure may henceforth be defined or identified with absolute certainty. As another result of this survey, a new and large map has been made, and is now in use. The visitor may avail him.self of a plain and perfectly reliable chart, on which he will find depicted not only the numerous and various inequalities of these grounds, but all their avenues and paths clearly delineated and dis- tinctly named. George E. Taylor was born in Oakland Co., Midi., March 21, 1838. His father, Isaac R. Taylor, was from Pennsylvania ; his mother was a Davis, and born near Belfast, Ireland. They were early settlers in Oakland County, where he was engaged in hotel and mercantile business until 1850, when, in consequence of some unfortunate business trans- actions, he lost most of his property. He then came to Genesee County, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of unimproved land in the town of Richfield, and commenced anew to make a farm and home. With poor health and a family of four children, the prospect was discouraging. The im- mediate subject of this sketch was then a lad of twelve years, and the oldest of the children. Upon him largely fell the burden of the family. He at- tended school at the log school-house near by, and finished his education at the academy at Clarkson, Oakland County. When eighteen years of age he commenced to teach school, and taught ten winters. When he was twenty-one he commenced the study of the law, and soon after, on Jan. 23, 1861, his father died, and he went home and took charge of the farm. Buying out the heirs, he commenced to make substantial improvements, building a large and fine residence, etc. ; he ha.s since added eighty acres of land, and now owns one of the finest farms in the county. Politically, Mr. Taylor is a Republican ; he was elected supervisor in 1865, and re-elected consecu- tively for eight years, at which time he was elected register of deeds for Genesee County, which office he held for six years. Since retiring from that office Mr. Taylor has been associated with Leroy Parker in the law and real-estate business, in the city of Flint. Mr. Taylor married Sarah E. Beardslee, of Oakland Comity, February, 1867. She died April, 1868, leaving an infant child. He was again mar- ried, January, 1871, to Miss E. Freeman, by whom he has had two children. His mother resides at the homestead in Richfield, in good health and spirits. In social relations Mr. Taylor is genial and com- panionable, in business matters prompt and reliable, and as a citizen respected and influential. FLINT CITi!'. 177 Wliether considered in reference to its position of near- ness iind accessibility, tlie uvailableness of its entire surface for purposes of interment, the extent, the diversity, and the beauty of the grounds, its native and varied forest- growth, or the loveliness of its surrounding landscapes, Glenwood compares most favorably witli other rural ceme- teries. To tliese unsurpassed advantages derived from nature must also be added all wliich has been accomplished by the unremitting care and toil of human ingenuity. With tile results of tlie experiment thus far, as exiiibited in the improvements of tlie cemetery and its daily manage- ment, the community for whose benefit it was designed seems to be more than satisfied. A substantial receiving-vault has been constructed for use during the period wlien the frost.«? of winter make burial in the grounds impossible, and near the centre of the cemetery is a commodious chapel where services may be held. Tlie present officers of the a.ssociation are Alexander McFarlan, President; Russell Bishop, Vice-President; Frederick Tracy, Secretary ; E. H. McCjuigg, Treasurer ; K. II. Thomson, U. W. Hill, Jerome Eddy, B. F. S. Card, E. C. Turner, Leonard Wesson, W. O'Donoughue, Directors. CALVARY CEMETERY. Calvary Cemetery is the burial-place exclusively of the Homan Catholic population of the city of Flint, and is located on the Flusliing road, about two and a half miles from the city. It was purchased during the pastorate of Father Deceuninck, and embraces about six acres. It is modest in its pretensions, and, though in its general appear- ance it indicates care and thoughtfulness on the part of its owners, lays no claim to beauty of design or imposing memorial structures. CITY OFFICERS. The following is a list of the principal city ofiicers, from 1855 to 1879, inclusive. Mayors. 1855. Grant Decker. 1850. Robert J. S. Page. 1857. H. M. Henderson. 1858. William M. Kenton. Charles Ilascall. 1850. " " " " ISCO. Henry II. Cr.ipo. ISCI. E|.li. ••<. Williams. 1862. William Patterson. 1803. William Hamilton. 1864. " " 1865. Wm. B. McCrcury. " " 1800. " " " " 1867. Austin B. Witherbec. George R. Gold. 1868. Samuel M. Axford. " " 180'.). Wm. .S. Patrick. Anson S. Witheo. 1870. James B. Walker. " " 1871. Davi.l S. Fox. Chas. E. McAlest«r. 1872. " " Franeis II. Rankin. 1873. George II. Durnn.l. Solomon V. Hakes. Recordei-s.* Levi Walker. Chas. B. Hissins. Treasurers. Elihu F. Frary. John C. Gri.swoId. George F. Hood. Lewis G. Bickford. John A. Kline. L. R. Buckingham. ** *' Julius Brousseau. " " H. R. Lovell. Alvin T. Crosman. Anson S. With.ce. William W. Barnes. 1874. " " 1875. Alex. .McFarlan. 1870. Wm. Hamilton. 1877. Ediv. H. Thomson. 1878. Jerome EdG. 1*17. IS.'iK. 18.59. 1800. Fi 1st Ward. J. W. Armstrong. Geo. W. Dewey. H. W. Wood. C. S. Piiyne. Jno. C. Allen. C.S. Payne. Jno. C.Allen. Oscar Adams. Alex. McFarlan. Pavid S. Fox. 0. F. For.«yth. ALDERMEN. Second Ward. Third Ward. Fourth Ward. Benj. Pearson. David Mather. Charles Rice. Wm. M, Fenton. A. T. Crosman. Henry T. Iliggins. Saml. N. Warren. Geo. W. Fish. Lewis AV.alker.f Saml. N. Warren. " '* Saml. It. Wicks. G. W. Skidmore. SaTnl. N. Warren, (i. W. Kisli. Saml. B. Wicks. J, Skidmore. Wm. Hamilton. Edw. i'. Turner. Wm. Hamilton. K. U. Turner. I. N. Eldridgo. Wni. Patterson. Wm. Clark. Paul II. Stewart. David Footo. Wm. Stevenson. Edw. C. Tcriior. Hiram Parsell. Geo. n. Dnrand. L. II. Roberts. David Foote. John Ilawley. " " " " Geo. H. Durand. I. N. Eldridge. Simmer Howard. Aimer Randall. Wni. Hamilton. Charles Smith. Geo. II. Durand. Orson B. Gibson. Sunmer Howard. Abner Randall. F. W.Judd. P.H.Pierce. M. S. Elumre. Wilson S. Tousey. W. O'Donoughue. " " " " " J. R. Clu-uiibers. Damon Stewart. J<»tin Willctt. AV. Buckingham. Chas. D. Smitli. Saml. C. Randall. " " Edw. B. Clapp. '• " Wm. Dnilani. J. B. F. Curtis. Josiali W. Bcgolo. James Williams. Benj. Cotliarin. " *' " '* " " .Saml. C. Randall. II. C. Spencer. P. Cleveland, Jr. Chas. D. Smith. Benj. Cotharin. J. B. F. Curtis. Wm. R. Morse. James Williams. Thomas Page. " " " " " Saml. C. Randall. Wm.Fobea. P. Cleveland, Jr. Chris. Becker. Chas. A. Mason. " " '* " " " Tlumias Pago. J. B. F. Curtis. Henry Brown. Clias. D. Smith. " " " " Wm. A. Atwood. " " Chas. A. Mason. Andrew J. Ward. Wm. A. Burr. J. Zimmerman. " " " " Henry C. Walker. " " Thomas Page. S. N. Androus. Wm. A. Atwood. Jos. M. tlorkey. Geo. L. Caldwell. Andrew J. Ward. S. 1. Beecher. A. R. Michaels. STREET COMMISSIONERS. First Ward. Sccoml Ward. Tliiid Ward. Wm. Moon. Wm. Eddy. John C. Griswold. Thos. McElhany. George Andrews. James McAlester. Wm. Baker. John A. Klino. John W. Palmer, .lolin S. Kyno. Benj. Peai-aou. Chas. II. Cudney. " " Elijah Diake. " " Benj. V. Goir. William Miller. " " Fourth Ward. t To fill vacancy. 178 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Firet Wiird. Si-cond Ward. Third Ward. Fourth Ward 1861. L. Brivlf..rd. S. C. Smith. Wm. Boomer. 1802. A. M. Hurd. L. Buckingham. Josiah Pnitt. 1863. L. H. Hobcrts James D. Hai^ht. 1864. David AVat8(in. Thos. Simons. L. Buckingliam. 1805. " " " " " " 1806. Wm. W. Joyner. Leonard Wesson. Jacob B. Covert. 1867. " Orson B. Gibson. Edmond Curtis. 1808. Wm. 0. Bassctt. " " Wm. Boomer. 1809. Jno. C. Clement. Josiah Pratt. Josiah Pratt. 1870. Itobt. W. Dullam. L. H. IU.bcrts. Sibis Austin. 1871. Robt. Patrick, Sr. " Almon Ueynolds. George Stanard. 1872. S. B. Wicks. " " Henry Stanley. 187.'!. " " Edmond Curtis. L. Biickinf;liam. Henry TIjayer. 1874. " " " " Josiah Pratt. " " 1875. " " •' " *' ** John Becker. 1876. Jolin Andrews. " " Augustus Itoot. " " 1877. " " " " John C. Dayton. D. C. Andi-ews. 1S78. Thomas Sullivan. '* " M. H. Whitn. 1879. Airred Ingalls William PiJd. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1S55 — Charles Sc;pinour. 1867-68.— Levi Walker. Levi AVnlker. 1869.— L. G. Bickford. Lewis G. Bickford. Lewis Buckingham. Wiliard E^>. G. J. W. in LI.. MKS. 0. J. W. HILL. G. J. W. niLL Was born in Gioucostcrshirc, Kii^lund, .Ian. 14, 1S20. When twelve year.s of .nge he came to America and joined his niullier, llion residing at Dansvilie, N. Y. Her hu-sbaiid Iteilig deceased, she had iigaiu married at that place Josiah Kent, In the fill of 1832, Mr Hill Went to loavn the cabinet^ maker's tiadj. In 1840 \h'. oauic to Flint, and, in company FENTON TOWNSHIP. 193 with David Footc, established the furniture business, which was the first in that line in Flint. This firm was dissolved the following year, but Jlr. Hill continued the business for more than thirty years. Jan. 5, 1848, he was married to Miss Helen Bidwell, formerly of Bath, N. Y. Her mother was a Grant, from Galloway, Scotland. In 1870, Mr. Hill concluded to change his business and try agriculture. He sold his fine property in Flint, and purchased a farm of two hundred acres some five miles west of the cit)', embracing fine and commodious buildings and land in the highest state of cultivation. Here, with their family of nine children (having buried two), they enjoy the comforts of a country home, and at the .same time retain their position in society in Flint, where they have been identified with the Presbyterian Church since 1845. lie has been leader of the choir in that church for twenty years, and his wife a prominent member of the same for a like period. She was one of the charter members of the Ladies' Library Association of Flint, and is still an active member. Mr. Hill was for many years a member of the first band in Flint, which was organized in 1848. In social life Mr. Hill is genial and companionable, in business matters prompt and reliable, and commands the respect of all. •^ i I f ■'^ Q C i < < >- FENTON. The township of Fenton includes township 5 north of the Michigan ba.se-linc, in range C east of the principal meridian, as designated on the United States Government survey. It lies in the southern portion of the county, and is bounded east and south by Oakland and Livingston Counties respectively. Its physical features are varied and interesting. The principal stream is the Shiawassee River, an insignificant affair at its entry in the southeast corner of town, but attaining to respectable proportions ere it leaves it on the west. Its general course is northwest, and its waters furnish several excellent mill-powers, — notably at Fenton and Linden villages. After leaving Fenton it re- ceives the surplus waters of numerous lakes, large and small. Of these lakes the township contains no less than 20, cov- ering a total area of about 21 GO acres, apportioned as follows: Long Lake, on sections 2, 11, 13, 14, 23, and 24, 850 acres; Hibbard's Lake, section 12, 30 acres; Crooked Lake, section 13, 50 acres; Loon Lake, sections 15 and 16, 150 acres; Squaw Luke, principally on section 15, GO acres; Ball Lake, section 21, 40 acres ; Mud Lake, section 22, 225 acres ; Silver Lake, sections 27, 28, and 33, 275 acres; Pine Lake, sections 28, 29, 32, and 33, IGO acres; Byram Lake, sections 29 and 30, 130 acres; others, not named on the map, 190 acres. Aside from these are mill- ponds, covering perhaps 80 acres, making the total lake and pond area of the township about 2240 acres, or more than that of the entire balance of the county. Many of the lakes of Fenton possess clean, bold shores, sandy bottoms, and deep waters, and most of them abound in numerous varieties of fish, such as bass, perch, and others. Thj Detroit and Jlilvvaukee Railroad passes between Silver and Mud Lakes, which arc separated by but a narrow space; Silver Lake is tributary to Mud, and through the latter to the Shiawassee River, and is so named from its clcii. .laters and bed of light sand. Byram Lake was named from an early settler on its shore, and the others from various circumstances and surroundings. Long Lake, the principal sheet of water in the township and county, is about three miles in length, and averages nearl}' half a mile in width. With the exception of its southwestern shore, which is marshy in places, its borders are most picturesque and lovely. The southern extremity, below " the narrows," is in most places shallow, and wild rice grows profusely in localities. " McOmbcr Point," ex- tending in a northeast direction to the narrows, is low and marshy, and below it is a grove of pines. The timber on the western shore is mostly cleared away, while on the east considerable has been left, extending to the water's edge, and rendering the effect one of great beauty. Occasional sombre pines are seen, the dark green of the foliage con- trasting with the lighter hues of the oak. High banks ex- tend along a great part of the eastern shore. The outline of the lake is broken by " points" and bays, and a fine island of over 20 acres is situated near the centre, north and south, and somewhat nearer the western than the east- ern shore. Another small island is near the extreme southern margin of the lake. The vicinity of the lakes of Fenton was the favorite re- sort of the red tribes who occupied the region ere the advent of a paler race. The clear waters tempted them to launch their canoes thereon and entice from their depths their finny inhabitants, or disport in wanton glee amid their waves. The surrounding hills and forests afforded them rare sport in the chase, for deer, wolves, bears, and other animals — fit targets for the hunter's skill — abounded. So much attached were the red men to this beautiful " land of lakes" that it was their desire, when their days of hunting on earth were over, to be laid to rest amid the scenes made dear by life-long association. Here, on the border of the lake, their remains were laid, their faces to the setting sun, and the rippling waters murmured their funeral songs, while the breezes wailed a mournful requiem through the pines, as the spirits of the warriors journeyed to the ha])py hunting-grounds of their fathers. The principal Indian burial-place in the township was on the northeast shore of Mud Lake, and close by was 194 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. their camping-ground. A large number of graves were long to bo seen in the burying-ground. Others were also found, but not as extensive. The Indian corn fields were sometimes sources of inconvenience to farmers, as they were difficult to plow, owing to the fact that corn was year after year planted in the saiue hills, while the latter were raised a little higher each year, and were often ten or twelve feet apart. Quite an extensive corn-field was found east of the present village of Linden. This was on a farm once owned by Alonzo J. Chapin, and now the property of -John Welch. In the edge of the township of Mundy dwelt a small tribe whose chief was one " King Fisher," or Fisher,* as he was generally called. Their burying-grouiid was the one mentioned as having existed near Mud Lake, in Fen- ton, and at present no traces of it can be found, owing to long cultivation. Fi.shcr's name will be found on another page, in an article bearing upon the history of Fenton, written by Col. William M. Fenton. He (Fisher) was a lover of athletic sports, as well as whisky, and on occasions of town-meetings was accustomed to visit the village and join in whatever of the nature of sport was going on. Among the feats of the young men of that day was the one of jumping over a string held at a certain distance above the ground. Alonzo J. Chapin was rather more than the equal of Fisher, one of whose toes was so long that it would catch on the string. The chief would take hold of it angrily, and exclaim, " D — n toe no good ! Me cut him off, — me jump you !" He was exceedingly loath to speak English, except when under the influence of liquor. In the fall of 1877, while constructing a dirt-road across Crane's Cove, on the west side of Long Lake, a party of workmen found a skeleton of very large size, some two or three feet below the surface. As it is a well-known fact that this locality was the favorite Indian resort for hunting and fishing, the skeleton was supposed to have been the frame-work of a gigantic warrior, though why he should have been buried just there was not satisfactorily explained, as it was some distance from their common burial-place on Mud Lake. ORIGINAL LAND ENTRIES. ' The following is a li.st of the land-entries in the township of Fenton, from the records of the land-offiee. Tlie first land entered in the township was taken in March, 1831, by Clark Dibble, and included the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 34, — forty acres, and the south- west quarter of the northwest quarter of section 3G, — forty acres. The remaining entries were as follows : Section 1. Acrca. Joshua L. Wheeler, Wayne Co., Mich.. May, 1836 160 William Tanner, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Alay, 1S36 195.90 h. O. Gorilon ami John Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., July, 18:i6... 160 William Ayhvaiil, (ienisec Co., N. Y., March, 1837 80 Alanson Shelley, Wayne Co., Mich., October, 18a0 3i>A2 Section 2. Wilkes Durkee, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1836 69 40 John Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., March, 1S3C SO K. I>. (iregory an J John Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1836. 80 Wilke^s Durkee, Oakland Co., Mich., March, 1S36. 80 Cook and (Sregorv. Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1836 118.69 Feli.x WcWilliams, Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1836 80.67 Ja*ob Snyder, Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1836 77.05 * Corrupted from Viei/cr, the name of a Frcn.'h-Indian half-breed. \ Skctio.v 3. Acres. Cook and Gregory, Wayne Co., Mich., March. 1836 80 Edward liingham, Wayne Co., Mich., iMay, 183(1 SO Michael Mct^hiffy, Or.ange Co., N. Y., June, ls:'.(i 81.44 Lyman Turner, Liyingston Co., N. Y., June, 1836 79.72 John Turner, New London Co., Conn., June, 18311 160 James Turner, New London Co., Conn., June, 1836 160 Section 4. William H. Cook, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June, 1836 159.23 LJ 0. Gordon and John Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836.. 79 John Turner, New London, Conn., June, 1836 400 Section 5, Cook and Gordon, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836 79.16 Lyman Turner, Livingston Co., N. Y., June, 1836 238.76 John Weaver, Oakland Co., Mich., Peceniber, 1836., 40 Charles W. Johnson, Genesee Co., Mich., March, 1843 40 Carlton L. Sage, Genesee Co., Mich., May, 1843 40 Asahel Martin, Jr., (ienesee Co., Mich., September, 1847 80 Anna Martin, (icnesee Co., Mich 40 Swamp land 40 Not entered 40 Section 6. Abijah B. Dunlap, Scneea Co., N. Y., April, 1836 74 14 John Turner, New London, Conn., June, 1830 158.92 Lyman Turner, Livingston Co., N. Y., June, 1836 16') Cook and Gordon, Wayne Co., Mich., August, 1836 147.20 Calvin P. Austin, llutland Co., Vt., Noycmhor, 1836 74.12 Section 7. Hiram L. L.amb, Wnvne Co., N. Y., May, 1836 160 Peter Lamb, Wayne Co., N. Y., May, 1836 145.76 William Kellogg, Ontario Co., N. Y., June, 1836 120 Reuben Kellogg, Ontario Co., N. Y., June, 1836 120 Jesse B. Odell, Genesee Co., Mich., March, 1839 06.24 Section 8. Ilir.'iin L. Lamb, Wayne Co., N. Y., May, 1836 80 Cook and Gordon, \Vayne Co., N. Y., June, 1836 SO Richard L. Lamb, Wayne Co., N. Y., July, 1836 40 Cook and Gordon, Wayne Co., Mich., July. 1836 240 Francis 11. llermon, Genesee Co., iMich., December, 1836 40 George Page, Washtenaw Co., Mich., January, 1837 SO Andrew Potter, Genesee Co., Mich., August, 1853 40 Swamp land 40 Si'X'TION 9. John Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., March, 1836 SO James Mdlenry, Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1830 120 Ne\vltold Lawrence, New York City, May, 1836 400 John Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., July, 1830 40 Section 10. Samuel Allison, O.akland Co., Mich., December, 1835 100 Walter Daven|iort, Orange Co., N. Y., December, 1835 160 E. B. tiregory and .lolin Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., March, 1830 80 John Peniiiman, Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1836 160 Gregory and Cook, Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1836 SO Section 11. Samuel Allison, Oakland Co., Mich., December, 1835 42.83 Walter Davenport, Orange Co., N. Y'., December, 1835 82.67 J. Thom))son and II. Lyon, Fairfield Co., Conn., May, 1836... 123.35 Edward Bingham, Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1836 71.70 Section 12. P. H. and Eliza McOmber, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1836.... 160 James Tui-ncr, New London, Conn., June, 1836 160 Moses W. Scott, Saratoga Co., N. Y., June, 1836 320 Section 13. J.din Dunenn, Wayne Co., Mich., March, 1836 111.40 P. 11. and Eliza McOmber, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1836.... 152.85 Philip H. McOmber, Oakland Co., Mich., June, 1836 40 Philip 11. McOmber, Jr., Genesee Co., Mich., June, 1836 40 Conrad Forbes, Oakland Co.. Mich., September, 1848 80 Hugh McCully, Oakland Co., Mich., December, 1848 40 John Pitte, Genesee Co., Micb., September, 1852 40 Not entered SO Section 14. P. II. McOmber and wife, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1S36 23.01 H. and V. R. Hawkins, Genesee Co., N. Y., June, 1836 230.70 FENTON TOWNSHIP. 195 Section 15. Acres. WiilU-r Davenport, Oningo Co., N. Y., December, 1835 76 Wullace Ditible. licncsco Co.. Mich., KeUniarv, I8:i6 "10 H. :ui(l V. U. Hawkins, (iencsie Co., N. Y., June. lS:iG 241) Cook an. I (Jordon. W.i.vne Co.. Midi., Augu.«t, l^'M 80 Abraham Xoyes, Wttjnc Co., Mich., February, 1S;!7 120 Section 17. Sihvs Warner, Hampshire Co., Maps., February, 1836 240 .lames Ripley, Warren Co., N. Y., May, KSIifi..". :i20 Orcn Skut, Wayne Co., Mich., October. lS:i6 40 Ira Lamb, Oonescc Co., Mich., November, 1836 10 Section 18. William Manifold, Washtenaw Co , Mieh., June, lS3fi 64.72 A\iM. and Wni. li. llawlcy, Ontario Co.. N. Y., Juno, 1836 80 Samuel W. I'altison, (Jencsee Co., X. Y., June, 1S3C 65.24 Jcdin S. Cooley, Wavne Co., Mich., July, 1S36 40 Robert T. Winehelli (ienesee Co., Mieh., August, 1836 80 John W. Hyatt, Oakland Co., Mieh., August, 1836 80 Jec Co., .Mich., October, 1835 40 Samuel Castle, Monroe Co., N. Y., November, 1835 80 (ieorgo Page, Washten iw Co., Mich., July, 1S3B •. 120 Consider Warner, Genesee Co., N. \'., February, 1836 240 Section 21. Alden Tuppcr, Lapeer Co., Mich., July, 1835 40 " •• (Jenescc Co., Mich., October, 1 835 40 Charles Tujipcr. Genesee C.>., Mich., December, 1835 SO George Page, Washtenaw (,'o., Alicb., July, 1836 40 Perry Lainb, (ienesee Co., Mich., May. 1,S36 40 Charles Tupper, Genesee Co., Mich., May, 1836 40 " '• " " •' June, 1836 SO John Herman, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1836 40 George Doty, Wayne Co., Mich., October, 1836 40 Charles Tup])er, (lene^ec Co., .Mich., April, 1837 40 Jefl'erson Eddy, Genesee Co., Mich., June. 1853 40 " " '• " " December, 1854 40 Seth C. Sadler, " " " July, 1855 40 Not entered 40 Section 22. J. Cranger and C. K. Carroll, New Y'ork State, August, 1836.. 160 Hiram B. I^Iadison. Genesee Co., Mich., November, 1836 40 Jefferson Bnwon, (Ienesee Co., Mich., February, 1S38 40 Jctlcrson Kddy, Genesee Co., Mich., December, 1854 120 Not entered 280 Section 23. John Duncan, Wayne Co., Mieh., March, 1836 66.83 1*. H. A E. MeOmbcr, Oakland Co., Mich., July, 1836 22.70 Moses W. .Seott, Sarat.iga Co., N. Y., July, IS3V1 04.40 Charles H. Carroll, Stale of Now Y'ork, August, 1836 135.30 Hiram L. L:imb, bert T. Winchcll, Ocnesco Co., Mieh.. October, 1835 Consider Warner, Genesee Co., N. ¥., February, 1836 Frederick F, Riggs, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1836 David W. Woo.lworth, Livingston Co., N. Y., October, 1836... John Weaver, Oakland, .Mich., December, 1836 Phileua Lalhrop, Ot-sego Co., N. Y., March, 1S37 Henry Larned, Oakland Co., Mieh., April, 1848 40 200 40 132 80 SO 40 196 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, iMICIIIGAN. Section 34. Acres. riark Diblile, Lnpcer Co., Mich.. March, 18.34 40 AValhicc Diliblc, Ontario Co., N. Y., May, 1835 SO Lauren P. Kigf;s. Shiawassee Co., Mich., June, 1833 40 Abram liale.v, Allegany Co., N. Y., June, 1835 40 lluslin Clieney, Shiawassee Co., Mich., .Tulv, 1835 40 .John Thorp, Chautauqua Co., N. Y.. October, 1835 240 AValhicc Dibble. Shiawassee Co., Mich., November, 1835 80 Henry Howard, Wayne Co., Mich., July, 183G 80 Section 35. Abram Baley, Allegany Co., N. Y., June, 1835 SO Ji.hn Thorp. Chaulauqua Co., N. Y.. October. 1835 240 Hiram li. JIadison, Monroe Co., N. Y., May, 1830 120 Daniel H. Chandler, Genesee Co., N. Y., June, 1860 160 Samuel VV. Patlison, Genesee Co., N. Y., June, 1836 40 Section 36. Clark Dibble, T.apcer Co., Mich., March, 1834 40 James Thorp, Oakland Co., Mich., March, 1835 40 John K. Jones, .St. Clair Co.. Jlich., April, 1835 40 Ebenezer Pratt, Ontario Co., N. Y., May, 1835 40 AVallaec Dibble, Ontario Co., N. Y., M.ay, 1835 40 John Galloway, Monroe Co.. Mich.. June. 1835 40 James Thorp. "Oakland Co., Mich., June, 1S35...-. 40 John Torrct, Oakland Co., Mich.. October, 1835 80 Wallace Dibble, Shiawassee Co., Mich.. November, IS35 80 ]I. it V. R. Hawkins!, Gcnisee Co., N. Y.. June, 1S36 80 Levi Warren. Genesee Co.. Mich., 'May, 1836 40 Norris Thorp, Genesee Co., Mich., June, 1836 40 John F. Bliss, Genesee Co., Mich., June, 1836 40 Assuming that section IG, reserved for school purposes, contains 040 acres, the foregoing figures will make the area of the township, aside from its water-beds, 21,629.91 acres. This would exclude only the larger lakes, as Long, Mud, Pine, Silver, Byram, etc., while the many small ones aid to swell the water area of the township to the figures given at the opening of this chapter, 2240 acres, or in that neigh- borhood. Much of the land originally in the midst of swamps, long left untouched, has been drained and re- claimed, and in places is among the most valuable in the township. The area apportioned to tlie larger lakes, as given in the preceding table of entries, is but 1410.09 acres, or 1000 acres less than the real water area of the township. The swampy portions were and are still in most places grown up to tamarack timber. EAULY SETTLEMENTS— INCIDENTS. The settlement of the township of Fenton dates back to 1834. In April of that year Dustin Cheney and family located where now is the village of Fenton, coming from Grand Blanc township, where they had lived a short time. They were followed the same month by other families, and soon a r&spectable settlement was flourishing. These will all be found mentioned in the history of the village. The southern portion of the town received the first settlers, and the years 1834, '35, '36, and '37 witnessed the arrival of a considerable number, some coming from other portions of Genesee County, others from Oakland and Livingston, with many direct from the State of New York. The village of Linden was settled two years later than Fenton, or in 1836, and at present is a prosperous borough numbering several hundred inhabitants. The northern part of the township received attention from settlers within a few years after the first pioneers had located on the southern border. Across the southeast corner extends a ridge of sand and gravel hills, rising perhaps a hundred feet above the Shia- wassee River. Similar elevations are found in the north- eastern part, though not as high nor well defined. The region between and extending westward is fertile and pro- ductive, and there were the farms of the pioneers, which in a few instances are yet occupied by the original owners, although most of them have changed hands many times. The first entries in the township, outside of what are now the incorporated villages, wore made, a few in 1835, and the greater proportion in 1836, which latter was the year which witnessed the most extensive immigration of any in the history of the State. From the few original settlers yet remaining are ascertained the following facts : Alonzo J. and Murzah L. Chapin, from Irondequoit, !Monroc Co., N. Y., were among the early settlers in Fenton. They came to Wayne Co., Mich., in 1833, and located in the township of Dearborn, where each owned a farm. Alonzo was a young man without a family, while his brother was married. The former during his residence in Wayne County came in 1835 to Fenton and located land, and in 1836 or '37 was here and voted. He moved his brother and family to the township in 1836, the latter settling one mile east of where is now the village of Linden. Return- ing to Dearborn County, he remained until the following year (1837), when he came with his wife, having been but a short time married, and located on a farm northwest of the village of Fenton, in the present Cheney neighborhood and near Mud (or Pinery) Lake. He afterwards removed to a farm near Linden, now owned by John Welsh, and in 1844 to the farm he still owns, immediately west of Fenton village, section 35. Upon this he continued to reside until the fall of 1867, when he moved upon his present village property. His farms are occupied by his sons. The circumstances which induced jMr. Chapin to locate in Fenton township were about as follows: In 1835 he and his brother left their homes in Dearborn, for the pur- pose of looking for land. Upon reaching Brighton, Living- ston Co., they fell in with a party of six men from Ann Arbor, and all set forth in company, hardly knowing in what direction to proceed. A man who knew of the dwell- ing-place of the Fisher tribe of Indians directed them on the trail towards that locality. Following this for some dis- tance, finding it well beaten, they came in time to branch- ing trails, and arriving at the site of Fenton village, or " Dibbleville," as the small settlement was then called, tliey concluded to locate in its vicinity, as five trails centered here, and they deemed it most' favorable on that account, and the abundance of water in the surrounding country. Mr. Chapin and his brother, together with two of the Ann Arbor men, located in the township, while the other four subsequently settled farther west, having found, on reaching the land-office at Detroit, that the sites they had selected had already been taken by other parties. When on their way hither from Brighton, they noticed occasional wagon- tracks leading away from the trail, — a few settlers having ventured into the wilderness, miles from any clustered hamlet, or " village." One of the gentlemen from Ann Arbor who located in this township was a Mr. Manifold ; the name of the other is not now recollected. Of the entire party, it is believed Alonzo J. Cluipiu is now the only one living in the township. FENTON TOWNSHIP. 197 The inhabitants of the Indian village luentioneJ as that of Fisher and his tribe, situated near the southern line of the township of Mundy, in time became scattered. Many of thcni removed, while others purchased lands and became farmers on a limited scale. A portion of them weut to the neighborhood of Gaines and others to Flushing. Wabanesa, quite noted among them, still owns a farm in Gaines town- ship, whore two of Fisher's .sons are also living. Mrs. Elizabeth Chapin, wife of Alonzo J. Chapin, has been a resident of Blichigan since 1828, and has witnessed the transition of the wilderness into a productive garden and the f\iding away of nearly an entire generation of pio- neers, while those who were but children, or were yet unborn when she first became acquainted with the State, have grown to mature manhood, and turned upon the down- ward slope of the way. Fifty years of life in the West have left their impress upon her, and filled her mind with a won- derful store of recollections, among which those of her ex- perience in her pioneer days are chief. In 1828 she came with her father, Henry S. Gale, from the town of Greece, Monroe Co., N. Y. (originally from Albany County, had lived in Monroe two years). 5Ir. Gale settled in Su- perior township, Washtenaw Co., Mich., and there spent the remainder of his life. He purchased the land from the government, and died upon the same place he originally entered. His daughter was married to Mr. Chapin during her residence in Washtenaw County, and soon after re- moved with him to Fenton (then Argentine). With the exception of two years of the time Mr. Chapin has resided in Fenton, his occupation has been that of a farmer. During the two years he aided in the construction of the Michigan Central Ilailway. He has known of the building of every house now standing in Fenton village. When, in 1836, he moved his brother into town, his team became mired where the Everett House now stands in the village. The spot seemed to have been caused by springs. The way taken by teams lay as close to the river as it was then thought expedient to drive, and passed over numer- ous places which at this day would scarcely be considered desirable for a road-bed. Mr. Chapin's team was a fine one, and had cost him four hundred dollars, yet there were not men enough in the .settlement to get the horses out of their muddy prison. Mr. Chapin took his axe, went into the neighboring woods and cut some stout poles, with wljich they literally pried the animals out of the mire, and the journey was resumed. About the year 1839, while doing hi.s spring plowing on his farm near Linden, Mr. Chapin unfortunately broke his plow-point. The nearest place at which he could procure another was " Piety Hill," now Birmingham, in Oakland County, seven miles south of Pontiac. Peter Lamb, who lived a short distance north of Linden, owned a span of ponies, with which he teamed between Linden and Detroit, being on the road almost constantly. He was, at the time Mr. Chapin broke his plow, aw.iy on a trip and had not yet started from Detroit on his return. This Mr. C. knew, as he was perfectly acquainted with Lamb's " time-table." Going into the house, he told his wife he was going to walk to Birmingham that night (it was then late in the afternoon, buy a new point, and return with Lamb the nest morning. Accordingly, collecting all the money in the house, amounting to fifty cents, and taking a loaf of brown bread, which Mrs. Chapin had just baked, he started. When he reached Dibbleville it was after sundown, and the distance through the woods to the Saginaw turnpike, in Springfield, Oakland Co., was sixteen miles. Nothing daunted, however, he started on. Twisting some hickory- torches, and taking them in one hand while in the other he carried a stout cudgel, he plodded along in the darkness, replacing his torches as necessary, and having sometimes to feel carefully for the trail to avoid becoming lost. Anon the howl of a wolf startled him to a more rapid pace. Soon it was answered from another direction, and in a remarkably short space of time numbers of the rapacious brutes had gathered in the forest around and were following liim, all the time keeping up their di.scordant and savage howling and barking. It may be supposed his nerves were not entirely in a state of rest when, at last, he reached the beaten turnpike. Pushing still on, he arrived at Pontiac some time after midnight, and, stopping but a few minutes, walked to Birmingham, which place he reached at daybreak. As soon as people began to stir he looked around and found that Lamb had not yet returned from Detroit. He concluded, after purchasing his plow-point, — which co.st " three bits," — to start on the back-track, and ride with Lamb when the latter should overtake him. This did not happen, however, and Mr. Chapin reached home in the afternoon at about the same time he had left it the previous day, having walked the entire distance to Birmingham and back, or more than sixty miles ! He thinks no other man in Genesee County ever under- took and completed as great a journey for as small a pur- pose or with as little money in his pocket. He states that the loaf of brown bread had disappeared beneath his waist- coat by the time he reached home, and he had not spent a cent for food while away. During the early years of his residence in Michigan, Mr. Chapin was engaged in teaming over various portions of the State, transporting goods for settlers and making trips as far west as Lake Michigan. In this way he became ex- tensively acquainted with the pioneer families and the re- gion in which they located. When he came from the State of New York he brought with him a cast plow of the Wood pattern, very likely the firet one brought to tlic State. Upon arriving in Detroit he was accosted by a stranger who desired to purchase it, but was unwilling to sell. Finally the man told him he owned a furnace in the place, and if he (3Ir. Chapin) would allow him to use the castings for patterns he would mould others and give him two for the one he had. The bargain was made, and the plows cast were unc^oubtedly the first of that design manu- factured in Jlichigan. Mr. Wood heard of the transaction, and came to Detroit and claimed damages for inlringement. He finally, however, for a stated sum (in the shape of a note), gave the founder the right to manufacture the plows. Wood was a machinist, or moulder, by trade, and on one occasion while in Canada had secured the patent from the inventor, and returning to New York had the first ones in that State cast in the furnace where he worked. Mr. Cluqiin has in hi.s possession an old-f;ishioncd splint- 198 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. bottomed rocking-chair, one of the firet made in the town- ship. The frame was made by Seth Rhodes, an early settler at Linden, and the bottom was put in by a man named Ball. For the frame Sir. Chapin worked an entire day at breaking with two yokes of oxen. For the first two years after the chair was purchased it was scarcely at liome a day, being loaned to families afflicted with the ague or other ills which flesh was heir to in those days. Mrs. Chapin has the second loom built in the township, upon which she wove cloth for settlers living far and near, and her fame as a weaver was something of which any matron in those days might well be proud. At one time she wove some cloth for Lauren P. Riggs, one of the first settlers at Dibbleville, her charges amounting to three dol- lars, and for her labor she received an iron shovel and a pair of tongs. The former was eventually broken and the pieces lost, but the tongs she still posse-s-ses. The first loom owned in town was made by Zenas Fairbank, at Linden, for use in his own family. The number of wolves and other wild animals which abounded in the forests was something remarkable. A ven- ture into the darkness of the night was almost certain to be rewarded with the sight of one wolf or more, and occa- sionally a more savage animal made his appearance, to the terror of the settlers. One night, while living in the pres- ent Cheney neighborhood, Mr. Chapin was aroused by the barking of a small dog which belonged to him. It was during warm weather, and the door was usually left open, while a smudge was built outside to keep oif the mosqui- toes. This night, however, owing to a rain, the door was closed. Anxious to see what the dog was barking at, he stepped from the door en dishahiUe, and noticing an ani- mal which in the darkness he took for a large dog, he threw several stones at it to frighten it off, but it only snapped at them and refused to move. Mr. Chapin, think- ing by this time that the better part of valor was discre- tion, made a quick spring inside the house, closed the door, and placed his back against it. No sooner had he done so, than crash ! came a huge form against the door, with such force as to nearly floor Mr. Chapin and frighten him into the belief that the door would bo broken in despite his efforts to prevent it. The animal's designs were happily frustrated, and he bounded away into the forest. Mr. Chapin, Perry Lamb, and another settler were at the time the only persons in the neighborhood in sufficient health to attend to the needs of the sick, and they usually took cer- tain routes among the log cabins of their neighbors and administered to their wants. Near Silver Lake resided Harrison Tupper and hi* brother, and to the house of the former Mr. Chapin went one night on his charitable round •some time after his adventure at homo with the unknown animal. Arriving at Tupper's, he found the man lying sick, with the head of his bed next to the window ; Mrs. Tupper had gone out to milk. While Mr. Chapin sat in the room he noticed the curtain moving at the head of the bed, and the next instant a huge paw pushed it aside and a savage looking head reached in and moved close to the fiioe of the sick man. Mr. Chapin cried out and started towards it with a chair, when it disap- peared from the window. Soon after, Mrs. Tupper came in from milking, and Mr. C. asked whose large dog was prowling around. She answered that she did not know, but she had seen it in the darkness several times of late. Mr. Chapin stepped out, and the animal sprang upon the house of Mr. Tupper's brother, across the way. He threw a stone at it, and it leaped off and disappeared. The glance he obtained revealed to him the fact that the animal was a panther. It was shot at a number of times afterwards, and finally, doubtless considering the locality too warm for com- fort, went off into Springfield, Oakland Co., where it was at last killed and the settlement rid of a dangerous intru- der. Numerous similar experiences fell to the lot of others, and the stories which most of them delight in relating of their adventures here when yet the forest was almost un- broken and the Indian trails occupied the places where now are well-constructed highways and a prosperous community, would fill volumes. In the spring of the year 1835, Joseph Thorp, from Genesee Co., N. Y., came to what is now Fenton town- ship, and located on section 25. Having previously pur- chased land on section 30, and owning none where he first stopped, he soon after removed to his farm on 36, — this after he had built a log house and prepared it for the re- ception of his family. This house stood on the south side of what is now the street in Fenton village leading to Holly, nearly opposite the present brick residence of his son, Joseph Thorp, and on the spot where now stands the dwelling of Charles Bu.sh. Joseph Thorp was but a boy when his father settled here, and has grown to mature man- hood since he became a resident of the State. The elder Thorp passed his remaining days here. Oliver Warren, now of the town.ship of Holly, Oakland Co., arrived in Fenton July 10, 1836, with his father, Levi Warren, who purchased land on section 30 and erected his house near the site of the present residence of M. Wal- ton. The elder Warren had been a soldier during the war of 1812, and received the bounty for his services after coming to Michigan. Both he and his son were members of the first Methodist class organized in Fenton (then Dib- bleville) in March, 1837. Oliver Warren was at the time a young man of eighteen. The old furm is now within the limits of the Fenton corporation. Mr. Warren, Jr.. in May, 1852, removed to the township of Holly, where lie has since continued to reside. William Remington, a native of Rhode Island, and after- wards a resident respectively of New Bedford, Mass., and Dutchess and Ulster Counties, N. Y., came from the latter to Michigan in November, 1835, the trip from New York being made by canal to Buffalo, thence up the lake by boat to Detroit, and on foot, in company with Elislia Larned, from the latter place to Fenton. Mr. Remington located where he now lives (land now partially within the corporate limits of Fenton), built a log house immediately south of the site of his present frame residence, and returning for his family brought it to the new home in 1830. Upon Mr. Remington's form, bricks were first manufactured in 1870. His son, John Remington, is engaged in this busi- ness, and burns from three to four hundred thousand bricks annually. Some years none are burned. Mr. Remington has been entratred in farminir durinic his residcuce in Miclii"an. FENTON TOWNSHIP. 109 ■ All amusing incident is related in connection with Mr. Rcmington'.s land-looking tour, and the parties concerned can scarcely be offended if it is here placed in print. Mr. Kemington's intention had originally been to go to Kalama- zoo, but in Detroit he met Eii.sha Larned, who was going out on the north trail and who persuaded him to do like- wise. Starting out afoot, they left the Saginaw trail in Springfield, Oakland Co., and proceeded to Dibblevillc and the southern portion of what is now Fenton township. A farm towards the southwest corner of town was selected by Mr. Remington, but Larned chose to take the same land himself, and it was given up to him. Tlie next choice was where he now resides, but Larned also said he propo.sed to have the land if he could get to Detroit first and make the entry. As he had succeeded in procuring a horse to ride the chances appeared slim for Remington, but the latter took the matter coolly, and refused to start with Larned that evening for Detroit. Larned, however, pushed on, in com- pany with Morgan Baldwin, of Mund}', who had a.scertaiued that Remington was a " Yankee," and told Larned he had better " look out or he would beat him yet." That idea was scouted, for with a horse to ride he was certain to reach De- troit before Remington could by any possibility do so. The man without a horse, however, might have been noticed to wink slyly after Larned and his companion had disappeared from view, and he, not long after they had departed, shoul- dered his pack and started through the woods to the turn- pike, which he reached in due time. Near the point where the trail joined the turnpike was a tavern, with another half a mile farther on. Towards the latter Remington bent liis footsteps, thinking to stop there for a short rest, not dreaming but that his competitor in the race had stopped at the first one. What was his surprise at seeing, as he walked up towards the house. Lamed pacing the floor 1 Thinking no more of resting he resumed his journey, and neither stopped nor stayed till Pontiac was reached, although expecting every minute that his rival would over- take and pass him. Baldwin, at intervals, asked Larned if he didn't feel afraid " the Yankee" would get ahead of him, but the answer returned was full of confidence that such could not po.ssibly be the case. In the mean time Reming- ton was plodding his weary way towards Detroit, which place he ultimately reached and entered his land in triumph, being hours ahead of the others, whom, to at least the sur- prise of one, he met on his return trip. Larned was crest- fallen. Remington triumphant, and Baldwin exultant over his correct estimate of the " Yankee's" character and per- severance. All three of the parties are yet living, — Mr. Remington on the farm he then located, Mr. Larned, in Fenton village, and Mr. Baldwin in the township of Mundy. Elisha Larned was from Yates Co., N. Y., and settled on the farm he had located in 1835 (.section 32). lie moved in the spring of 1837, arranged for improvements to be made upon his place, and came to the village and was employed by Messrs. Lc Roy & Fenton, then just starting business in the place. He is at present engaged in the sale of agricultural implements in Fenton. C. Kelly settled near Long Lake in 1844 with his fam- ily, consisting altogether of eleven persons. This was in the fall of the year, and he had not a dollar left with which to help him through the long winter. He '■ made a party," sent out invitations to the settlers, and, with the proceeds, paid pari down for a fat hog, promising to pay the balance before tax time. It is not stated whether the family had anything besides the " fat hog" mentioned to live on during the winter. Walter Sluytcr, froom Broome Co., N. Y., purchased land on sections 10 and 11 in Fenton, and settled here in 1839. The farm occupies a most picturesque location on the northwest shore of Long Lake, and is now the properly of Mr. Sluyter's son, Isaac Sluyter. It is finely im- proved and a most desirable property. Theophilus Stone emigrated to Michigan in 1834 from Niagara Co., N. Y., and in 1838 settled upon section 10 in Fenton township, where his son, Samuel Stone, at pres- ent resides. Charles Cooper, from Bradford Co., Pa., located on sec- tion 28 in 1840. Elijah Bird settled early on section 21 in Argentine, purchasing from government ; and Norman Collins, from Lewis Co., N. Y., located on section 36, in the same township, in 1838. These latter afterwards be- came residents of Fenton (?). Among others who settled in this townshij), the following names appear in the records of the Genesee County Union Pioneer Society : George S. WoodhuU, now president of the society men- tioned, 1843; M. Walton, from Genesee Co., N. Y., Nov. 10, 1837; A. Kirby, 1836; R. A. Carman, 1834; Joel Dibble, born in township in 1837 ; Jonathan Shepard, of Linden (now deceased), 1835 ; H. M. Thomp.son, 1836; H. ]jee, 1836; George Murray (Linden), in State, 1831 ; S. P. Thompson, 1839 ; L. D. Sweat (Linden), 1845 ; G. W. Curtis, 1841; E. G. Traver, now of Fenton, settled early in Livingston County, afterwards removing to Linden — came to State in 1831 ; J. Van Winkle (Fenton), 1837 ; A. S. Donaldson, 1834; James W^oodruff, 1840; W'illiam Mlddlesworth, early (now deceased) ; John Rceson, early, now living west of Fenton. Many others will be found mentioned in the histor}' of the respective villages of the township in which they settled and became influential citizens. Comparatively few of the early jiioneers of the township are now residing within its limits, and it is a most difficult matter to procure satisfactory information concerning those who once lived here but have since died or removed to other localities. TOWNSHIP ORGANIZ.VTION— CIVIL LIST. From 1836 until 1838 the present township of Fenton was a part of Argentine, and officers were elected jointly for both. In the spring of 1838, however, a petition having been sent forward praying for a division, owing tu some dissatisfaction over the election of officers as affairs then existed, the new township was organized under the name of Fenton. " At a town-meeting held at the Fenton- ville hotel, April 2, 1838, Samuel W. Pattison was chosen moderator and Benjamin Rockwell clerk. It was resolved that the officers be appointed on general ticket; also it was voted to elect three constables ; also a vote was taken to raise a tax of §50 towards building a bridge over the river at Fen'.onvillc, and carried unanimously ; also a vote for 200 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. raising $140 for town expenses, and carried; also a vote for raising S25 for poor-money ; also it was voted to raise $12.50 to compensate the highway commissioners for hiy- ing and surveying roads in this town the past year ; also it was directed by a majority that the next annual town- meeting be held at the house of H. Harris, in Linden ; also it was directed by a majority of 34 votes that it was unex- pedient to authorize the supervisor to borrow money towards erecting county-buildings at Flint."* The following officers were chosen, as attested by the record, " by decided major- ities:" Supervisor, Walter Dibble; Town Clerk, Lauren P. Riggs; Justices of the Peace, Asahel Tickuor, Thomas Irish, John Cook, Elisha Lamed ; School Inspectors, Asa- hel Ticknor, Charles J. Birdsall, R. J. Gage; Asse.ssors, P. H. McOmber, Herman Lamb, Jacob Knapp ; Commis- sioners of Highways, James Thorp, Seth C. Sadler, H. Garfield ; Collector, Elisha W. Postal ; Directors of the Poor, James Thorp, E. A. Byram ; Constables, John Nichols, Norris Thorp ; Pathmasters, William Nichols, Seth C. Sadler, Elisha Bailey, Perry Lamb, Charles Tup- per, William Remington, Philip H. JlcOmber, Jolin Cook, Hiram Lamb. The principal officers of Fenton township from 1839 to 1879, inclusive, have been the following persons, viz. : ]S39.— Supervisor, Wallace Dib'jlc ; Town Clerk, William M. Fenton; Ju.stice of the Peace, .4sahel Ticlinor ; Assessors, II. L. Lauib, William M. Fenton, A. D. Hunt: Collector, John Herman ; School Inspectors, William M. Fenton, Abel I>. Hunt, D. F. Morris; Directors of the Poor, Jacob Little, L. Fairbank ; Commissioners of Highways, Jacob Little, Seth C. Sadler, Hollis Garfield. The latter removed from town, and Lauren P. Riggs was appointed to fill vacancy. 1840.— Supervisor, Wallace Dibble; Town Clerk, William M. Fenton; Justices of the Peace, AVilliam Tanner, William M. Fenton (to fill vacan:;y) ; Treasurer, 0. P. Lamb; School Inspectors, H. W. K. Donaldson, A. D. Hunt, M. W. Easton ; Poormas- ters, Peter Lamb, Thomas Fairbank ; Commissioners of Highways, Elisha Holmes, Hiram L. Lamb, J. Harris, Jr. ; Assessors, Heman Harris, William JI. Fenton, Abel D. Hunt ; Collector, Jonas G. Wicker. 18-11. — Supervisor, Asahel Ticknor; Town Clerk, William M. Fenton ; Treasurer, 0. P. Lamb ; Justice of the Peace, William M. Fenton; Assessors, E. C. Waterman, D. F. Morris, Henry Bradley ; Collector, Jonas G. Wicker ; Commissioners of Highways, Jacob Little, Seth C. Sadler, John Herman ; School Inspectors, Don F. Morris, H. Bradley, Abel D. Hunt. 1842.— Supervisor, Wallace Dibble ; Town Clerk, William .M. Fenton ; Treasurer, Abel D. Hunt; Justices of tbc Peace, William F. Moseley, Heman Harris; Assessors, Edgar C. Waterman, Heman Harris; Commissioners of Highways, Morris Rip- ley, Elisha Holmes, Seth C. Sadler; School Inspectors, Aliel D. Hunt, Thomas Steere, Jefferson Bowen ; Directors of the Poor, 0. P. Lamb, Levi Warren. 184.3. — Supervis.)r, Wallace Dibble; Town Clerk, James M.Wilcox; Treasurer, Abel D. Hunt; Justice of the Peace, Seth C. Sadler; Assessors, Elisha Holmes, Morris Ripley: Commis- sioners of Highways, Elisha Holmes, Seth C. Sadler, Morris Ripley ; School Inspectors, D. F. Morris, Je.Terson Bowen : Directors of the P(jor, Levi Warren, Samuel Carter. 1844. — Supervisor, Augustus C. Riggs ; Town Clerk, William M. Thurber; Treasurer, Abel D. Hunt; Justice of the Peace, Samuel M. Marcy; Assessors, C.W.Johnson, H. Harris ; Commissioners of Highways, Morris Ripley, Lauren P. Rigg-=, Elisha Holmes ; School Inspector, II. P. Steward ; Directors of the Poor, Elisha Holmes, II. W. Cooper. ^ Township records, 1838. 1849.- 1850.- 1345. — Supjrviaar, Au^astus C. Ri^ga ; Town Clerk, William M. Thurber; Treasurer, Abel D. Hunt; Justice of the Peace, Charles Kelly; Assessors, Soth C. Sadler, William Thurber; Commissioners of Highways, Lauren P. Riggs, Charles Cooper, Morris Ripley ; School Inspector, Don F. Morris ; Directors of the Poor, Levi Warren, H. W. Cooper. 1846. — Supervisor, Augustus St. AmanI; Town Clerk, William M. Thurber; Treasurer, Seth C. Sadler; Justice of the Peace, Claudius T. Thompson ; Assessors, Charles Kelly, P:irdon Hicks; Commissioners of Highways, Charles W. Johnson, David H. Baker, Elisha Holmes ; School Inspector, William H.Shaw; Directors of the Poor, Elkanah Parker, Parley Warner. 1847. — Supervisor, Heman Harris; Town Clerk, David Smith ; Treas- urer, Seth C. Sadler; Assessors, Parley Warner, William Tann3r; Commissioners of Highways, D. H. Baker, Pardon Hicks, William W. Booth; School Inspector, Henry C. Riggs ; Directors of the Poor, James Thorp, Parley Warner. 1848.— Supervisor, J. P. C. Riggs; Town Clerk, George Le Roy; Treasurer, Seth C. Sadler ; Justices of the Peace, William M. Thurber, R. F. Morris; Assessors, William H. Shaw, Charles W. Johnson ; Commissioner of Highways, Joseph Harris, Jr.; School Inspector, R. F. Morris; Directors of the Poor, Parley Warner, James Thorp, Hiram B. Madison. Supervisor, J. P. C. Riggs; Town Clerk, J. B. Hamilton; Treasurer, Seth C. Sadler; Justice of the Peace, Charles Kcllcy ; Assessors, Parley Warner, William Tanner; Com- missioner of Highways, Martin Dast; School Inspector, H. C. Riggs; Directors of the Poor, P. Warner, J. Thorp. -Supervisor, Heman Harris; Town Clerk, David Smith ; Treas- urer, Abel D. Hunt; Justice of the Peace, S. N. Warren; Assessors, Hiram Lamb, Walter Davenport; Commissioner of Highways, John Sackner; School Inspectors, Luther Field, Abel D. Hunt; Directors of the Poor, James Thorp, Parley Warner. 1S5I. — Supervisor, S. N. Warren ; Town Clerk, Luther Field; Treas- urer, Wm. H. Shaw ; Justice of the Peace, Seth C. Sadler ; Assessors, Daniel Odell, Parley Warner; Commissioner of Highways, Joseph Harris; School Inspector, Abel D. Hunt; Directors of the Poor, Parley Warner, James Thorp. 1852. — Supervisor, Morris Ripley; Town Clerk, Charles II. Turner; Treasurer, William H. Shaw; Justice of the Peace, Henry C. Riggs; Commissioner of Highways, Charles E. Stroup ; School Inspector, Thomas Hollowell ; Directors of the Poor, Parley Warner, James Thorp. 1853. — Supervisor, Joseph Harris ; Town Clerk, William H. Shaw ; Treasurer, William Colbrath; Justices of the Peace, William Birdsall, Homer B. Smith; Commissioner of Highways, E. M.Crane; School Inspectors, Charles H. Turner, Abel D. Hunt; Directors of the Poor, Parley Warner, James Thorp. 1854. — Supervisor, Lorin C. Miles; Town Clerk, Alva U. Wood; Treasurer, Abel D. Hunt, Jr.; Justices of the Pe.ace, Wm. 11. Shaw, Charles Kelly; Commissioner of Highways, II. W. R. Donaldson ; School Inspector, Marshall M. Johnson ; Directors of the Poor, Parity Warner, James Thorp. 1855. — Supervisor, John P. C. Riggs; Town Clerk, Alva U.Wood; Treasurer, John Sackner ; Justice of the Peace, Joseph Harris; Commissioner of Highways, George F. Gamber; School Inspector, George W. Wilmot; Directors of the Poor, William H. Shaw, Charles Cooper. 1856. — Supervisor, John Galloway ; Town Clerk, Constance G. Young ; Treasurer, John Sackner; Justices of the Peace, Lorin C. Miles, Luther Field ; Commissioner of Highways, David Springsteen; School Inspectors, Lewis Severance, William F. Hovey; Directors of the Poor, Parley Warner, Morris Birdsall. 1857.— Supervisor, John Galloway; Town Clerk, William P. Guest ; Tieasurer, F. A. Waterman; Justice of the Peace, Jacob Little; Commissioner of Highways, Asa Martin; School Inspestor, W. H. Cook; Directors of the Poor, Seth C. Sadler, D. Smith. 1858.— Supervisor, Claudius T. Thompson; Town Clerk, Elias M. White; Treasurer, Frederick A. Waterman; Justice of tho Peace, Robert B. Reed; Commissioners of Highways, Ben- FENTON TOWNSllII*. 201 jainin Bung', Elain W. Crnnc ; Sehnol rnspeclors, John Booth, Wm. White; Directors of the Poor, Seth C. Sadler, John Sackncr. 1S59. — Supervisor, Claudius T. Thimipson ; Town Clerk, Elias >r. White; Treasurer, James B. Mushier ; Justice of the Peace, Benj. F. Fry; Commissioner of Highways, Y. E. Benton; School Inspector, B. F, Stone; Dire:;tors of the Poor, J. B. Hyatt, Elam W. Crane. 1860. — Supervisor, Claudius T. Thompson; Town Clerk, George W. Wilmot; Treasurer, James B. Moshier; JusticL'S of the Peace, AVilliam P. Guest, Henry C. Riggs; Commissioner of Highways, George W, Ripley; School Inspector, Dexter H or ton. 1S61. — Supervisor, James B. Moshier; Town Clerk, Cicero J. K. Stoner; Treasurer, P. Y. Foote; Justice of the Peace, Jacob Little; Commissioner of Highways, II. W. R. Donaldson; School Inspector, Edwin Hovey (resigned, and AVilliam R. Marsh appointed to fill vacancy). 1862. — Supervisor, James B. Moshier; Town Clerk, James F. Bishop; Treasurer, P. Y. Foote; Justices of the Peace, II. C. Riggs, Wm. H. Cook; Commissioner of Highways, Julian Bishop; School Inspectors, James M. Jameson, William II. Marsh. 1S63. — Supervisor, David Smith; Town Clerk, C. J. K. Stouer ; Treasurer, Myron Ripley: Justice of the Peace, Aaron B. Durfee; Commist^ioner of Highways, George W. Ripley; School Inspector, Thaddeus G. Smith. 1SC4. — Supervisor, David Smith; Town Clerk, James E, Busscy; Treasurer, Myron Ripley; Justice of the Peace, William P. Guest; Commissioner of Highways, Ficicrick Waterman; School Inspector, Xelsou B. Covert. ISGo. — Supervisor, David Smith; Town Clerk, J. E. Busscy; Treas- urer, Allen Beach; Justice of the Peace, Jacob Little; Commissioners of Highways, A. B. Durfcc, John Reeson, Asahel Martin; School Inspectors, Thaddeus G. Smith, Lorenzo D. Cook. 1S6G. — Supervisor, James B. Moshier; Town Clerk, J. E. Busscy; Treasurer, John Sackner; Justice of the Peace, Erastus M, Stevens; Commissioners of Highways, Henry G. Clark, John Reeson ; School Ins])ector, William R. Marsh. ISC". — Supervisor, James B. Moshier; Town Clerk, John W. McCoI- lum : Treasurer, Elbert N. Chandler; Justice of the Peace, ' J. B. Fairbank; Commissioner of Highways, John Keeson; School Inspector (no record). ISCS. — Supervisor, Lorenzo D. Cook ; Town Clerk, James E. Bussey ; Treasurer, Elbert N. Chandler; Justice of the Peace, Wil- liam B. Cole; Commissioner of Highways, Aaron B. Durfcc; School Inspector, Edwin M. Adams. ISGO. — Supervisor, Lorenzo D, Cook; Town Clerk, J. E. Bussey ; Treasurer, E. N. Chandler; .Justice of the Peace, Hugh McCann; Commissioner of Highways, Noel Harris; School Inspector. Aaron B. Durfee. 1870. — Supervisor, James B. Moshier; Town Clerk, J. E. Bussey; Treasurer, E. N. Chandler; Justices of the Peace, Edwin K. Briilges, Micliael W. Johnson : Commissioner of Highways, John Keeson; School Inspector, William K. .Marsh, 1871. — Supervisor, Lorenzo D. Cook; Town Clerk, F. D. Adams; Treasurer, Delos A. Perkins; Justices of the Pence, Aaron B. Durfee, Robert Deining; Commissioner of Highways, Aaron B. Durfee; School Inspector, S. W. Pearson. 1872. — Sujicrvisor, Lorenzo D. Cook; Town Clerk, F. D. Adams; Treasurer, D. A. Pcrkns; Justice of tlie Peace, Robert Deming; Commissioner of Highways, Noel Harris; School Inspector, John Owen; Drain Commissioner, Asahel Mar- tin. 1873. — Supervisor, Elbert N, Chandler ; Town Clerk, Lewis V. Curry ; Treasurer, John Owen; Justiei'S of the Peace, Samuel S. Knight, John W. Ingram; Cominisgioncr of Highways, John Keeson; School Inspectors, Silas K. Warner, Kul'us Z. Smith; Drain Commissioner, Jerome Z. Fairbank. 1874.— Supervisor, Elbert N. Chandler; Town Clerk, John W. Davis; Treasurer, Noah G. KeUey ; Justices of the Peace, Elniund E. Bridges; Commissioner of Highways, Jesse D. Crane; School Inspector, Cicero J. K. Stoner; Drain Commissioner, Noel Harris. 1875. — Supervisor, Elbeit X. Chandle.-; Town Cle.k, John W. I>avis; 20 Treasurer, Alonzo M. HoUiV lay ; Justice of the Peace, .Icromo Z. Fairbank: Commissioner of Uiglnvays, John Reeson; To\vuslii|i SuperiutcnJent of Schools, Jo-cpli M. Mcfirath ; School Inspector, Cicero J. K. Stoner; Drain Commissioner, Noel Harris. 1S7G. — Supervisor, Elbert N. Chandler; Town Clerk, John W. Davis; Treasurer, Noah (J. Kelsey ; Justice of the Peace, Joim AV. Ingram; Commissioner of Highways, John Ilceson : Town- ship Superintendent of Schools, J. M. M(;(irath ; School lu- ei»ector, Anson Morehouse ; Drain Commissioner, Noel Har- ris. 1S77. — Supervisor, Dexter Horton ; Town Clerk, Robc-rt Deming; Treasurer, Albert H. Buck: Justice of Peace, Isaac Sluy- tcr ; Commissioner of Highways, A. R. Durfee; Townsliip Sujicrintcndent of Schools, George E. Cochran; School In- spector, Cicero J. K. Stoner; Drain Commissioner, Addison v. Chapin. 1S7S. — Supervisor, Benjamin F. Stone; Town Clerk, Charles H. Tur- ner; Treasurer, Anson Morehouse; Justice of the Peace, Edmund E. Bridges; Commissioner of Highways, Ambrose S. Sadler; Townshij) Superintendent of Schools, George E. Cochran ; Scliool Inspector, Cicero J. K. St juer; Drain Com- missioner, John Reeson. 1879, — Supervisor, Benjamin F. Stone; Town Clerk, Charles H. Tur- ner; Treasurer, Edwin M. Hovey; Justice of the Peace, Leon:xrd H. Pierce; Commissioner of Highwa,ys, Joseph Thorp; Township Superintendent of Schools, George E. Cochran; School Inspector, Aaron W. Riker; Drain Com- missioner, John Reeson ; Constables, Andrew E. Downer, Thomas Balis, Edwin Rogers, Emerson C. Horton. FENTON CENTRE MILLS. In the year 185C, W. W. Booth built a grist-mill on the Shiuwiissee llivcr, south of Long Lake and northwest of Fenton village (section 23), at which he carried on a con- siderable custom business. He built a dam and raised a pond, which latter was long known as " Booth's Pond." The jjroperty was finally purchased by Williixm Colbratli, who made extensive improvements in the mill, — set in place new turbine wheels and three runs of French burrs, thereby affording facilities for grinding and packing 100 barrels of flour daily. He conducted a largo and profit- able business. On the night of Jan. G, 1873, the mill was burned down, and was never rebuilt. The dam has also been destroyed, and the mar.sh exists as it did previous to 1856. The business of the mill was principally transferred to the mills at Fenton, which are among the heaviest in this portion of the State. IMPROVED STOCK IN FENTON. Considerable attention has been paid in late years to the breeding of fine-wooled sheep and short-horn Durham cattle in this township. About 1855-56 a man pa.s.sed through this vicinity with a large flock of merino sheep, and wintered them on the farm of Alonzo J. Cliapin. 'J'lie latter purcluvscd ten head, and became the first breeder of this variety in town. For a number of years afterwards merino sheep were (he j)riiicipal ones handled, but in more recent years sheep-breeding has declined somewhat. Mr. Chapiii's second son, Addison P. Cliaj)in, was the first veteran breeder of short-horns in the town.ship, and tlic first bull recorded from Genesee County (recorded at Buffalo, N. Y.) was owned by him. This was about 1870-71. This well-known breed has since boon exten- .sivcly introduced in this region. Mr. Cliapin still breeds to as great an extent as the size of his farm will allow. A 202 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. gentleman named Stewart, residing in the township of Grand Blanc, started a herd with animals purchased of Mr. Cliapin,anJ has since become an extensive breeder and dealer, having probably the largest herd at present in the county. The qualities of the short-horn Durhams have rendered this particular breed the favorite with most farmers and dealers throughout this section of the State, and they were introduced farther westward even before they were here. RESIDENTS OF TOWNSHIP IN 1844. From the assessment roll for the year 1844, is taken the following list of tax-payers in this township at that time. Some are yet residents. A considerable number of those named were non-residents, and the list is perhaps half made up of those living at the time in the two villages of Fen- ton and Linden. The names are : William Crawford, John Cook, Murzah Chapin, Cook & Gordon, Solomon F. Cook, Joseph Child & Co., Walter Davenport, Michael Davenport, Eial Durkoe, John P. Dur- kee, Wallace Dibble, Nathan Eddy, Lafayette Fairbank, Zenas Fairbank, Henry C. Fairbank, Francis C. Fairbank, Joseph S. Fenton, John Findley, James Green, Asahel II. Lamb, Hiram L. Lamb, Richard S. Lamb, Henry Leo, Jacob Lurvey, Don F. Morris, H. B. Madison, Joshua Meeker, Philip H. McOmber, Sr., Philip H. McOmber, Jr., Peter MeCollum, John Nichols, Daniel Odell, Jes.se Odell, John Orr, Thomas Owens, JIary Owens, Alanson Owens, Z. L. Perkins, H.irvey Smith, Jonathan Shepard, Claudius T. Thompson, James A. Thorp, John Thorp, William Tanner, Asahel Tioknor, Aiden Tapper, David Terrill, John Wilber, Benjamin Westerbce, Samuel N. Warren, Moses Walton, David W. Woodwoi-th, E. C. Wa- terman, Parley Warner, William White, Levi Warren, Augustus St. Amand, Joseph Jacobson, Henry H. Brad- ley, Charles R. Pratt, Thomas Steere, Sr., Jefferson Bowen, Charles Beardslee, John Harmon, S. W. Pattison, Leonard Wesson, C. J. Blrdsall, Josejih McLean, Benjamin Rock- well, Daniel lluuyon, John Decker, David Smith, Henry C. Stanard, Samuel N. Warren, Joseph Harris, D. D. Young, Isaac Russell, Warren Fdkins, Eber Weed, Joseph Hedges, Elisha Holmes, William M. Thurber, James M. Wilcox, Lorin H. Norris, D. Burrows, William M. Fenton, Henry Bradley, H. W. R. Donaldson, Augustus R. Hall, John C. Gallup, J. A. Hamilton, Joseph Parker, Ebenezcr S. Pratt, Charles R. Pratt, Seth Rhodes, William Reming- ton, John Reeson, Anson Ripley, Morris Ripley, Alanson Ripley, John Roberts, Lauren P. Riggs, Augustus C. Riggs, Mrs. Walter Sluyter, Seth C. Sadler, Ephraim Stone, Samuel Stone, Matthias Graves, William Gibbs, Abel D. Hunt, Heman Harris, Joseph Harris, James Houghton, Robert Jadwin, Patience Jones, Charles W. Johnson, John Kimball, Elisha Larned, Peter Lamb, Oliver P. Lamb, Ira Lamb, John Ball, Elias Baley, Jarcd Ball, Jesse Bugbee, O. D. Beden, Jefferson Bowen, Samuel Cheney, Mrs. Dustin Cheney, Orlin Chipman, Alonzo J. Chapin, 5Ier- rick S. Chapin, Henry W. Cooper, Benjamin Castle, Estate of Samuel Castle, Richard H. Carl, Liberty Chamberlin, Jeremy Chapin, Warren Clough, E. A. Byram, E. T. Glass, E. Crane, D. Averill, W. Iloisington, G. Pratt, G. L. Downer, Frederick F. Riggs, P. Lathrop, Judge With- erell, D. H. Chandler, J. F. Bliss, J. L. Wheeler, James Turner, John Turner, J. Sturges, A. Colvin, Jeremiah Odell, Reuben Kellogg, William Kellogg, H. II. Dennison, William Gutridge, Newbold Lawrence, George Odell, Thomson & Lyon, E. D. Bingham, D. Sutherland, M. W. Scott, John Duncan, II. & W. R. Hawkins, A. Noyes, W. Blair, J. S. Clark, J. M. Murray, M. Singleton, E. J. Penniman, C. B. Baldwin, A. Bunce, George Doty, Gran- ger & Carroll, Solomon Jeffreys, John Patterson, D. B. Moore, S. S. Sage, John Sackner, M. Miller. Tlie tax levied in the township for the jear mentioned (1844) was apportioned as follows: .State, county, and township tax $7.^4.07 lli!;hwav tax 4,i.05 gchool tax ]:i;i.7:i Four per cent 37. .S8 Total $'J7l.i:i POPULATION.— OTHER STATISTICS. From the pages already written a close estimate may bo made of the resources of the township of Fenton during its earlier years. For the sake of comparison the following table is made up from the State census of 1874 : Population (males, 1S41 : females, 1965) .■5,806 Number of acres of taxable land 1U,024 '' *■ laud owned by individuals and fompiinies 10,2111 Number of acres improveil land ll,4H.i " '* of land exempt from taxation. ISO Value of same, witb improvements $1.'JO,000 Number of acres in scbool-hiuise sites 30 " " chui-ch and parsonage sites 5 ** ** burying-grouuds 45 " " railroad right of way and depot grounds 100 " of farms in township 221 " acres in farms 17,fi.oO Average number of acres in farms 7!'. 86 Number of acres of wheat sown in 1S74 2,724 " " " harvested in 1873.. 2,fiU'J " " ' corn " '• 787 " bushels of wheat " " 28,233 " ■' corn " " 20,320 " " of all other grain h.arvested in 1S73 27.320 " " potatoes raised in 1S73.. 8,718 " tons of hay cut in IS73 2.222 " lbs. of wool sheared in 1873 1.3,717 ** " jiork marketed *' 26,345 " " butter made " 14,595 " acres in orchards " 548 Value of all fruit and garden vegetables, 1S72.. $8,395 " " " 1S73.. ?7,296 Number of horses, one year old and over, owned in 1874 436 Number of mules, 1874 I " work-oxen, 1874 22 " milch cows, 1874 4S9 " neat cattle, one year old and over, other than oxen and cows, 1S74. 452 " swine over six months old, 1S74... 426 " sheep " " " " ... 4,318 " •' sheared in 1873 3,972 Number of flouring-mills in township in 1874.. 2 Number of persons employed in same 9 Amount of capital invested $40,00(1 Number of runs of stone 6 Number of barrels of flour made 18,000* Value of products $137,000 Number of saw-mills, 1874 2 Number of persons employed 3 Capital invested $5,500 Number of feet of lumber sawed 355,000 Value of products $5,680 Foundries and machine-shops 2 Persons employed 9 Capital invested $15,000 A''aluo of products $9,000 * See description of mills as at present operated. FENTON TOWNSHIP. 203 Agricultural implement works 1 I'erson^ employed .'i Ciipital invested $7,000 Value of products $10,00{) Ciirriage-fiictories..- 3 Persons emplovcd 1.S Capital invested $29,500 Value of pntducts $1-1, ."iOO Furniture- and chair-factories 2 l^ersons employed U Capital invested STj.'iOO Value of products S7,i'00 Pump- and safe-factory 1 Persons employed 5 Capital invested $8,0110 Value of products $5,260 Stave-factory 1 Person.-* emploved 11 Capital invested SS,000 Value of products $11,000 Coopering establishments 2 Persons employed 14 Capital invested $7,500 Value of products $13,500 Tannery I Persons employed 2 Capital invested $5,000 Value of product-J $5,000 Sa<^Argentine. In what now constitutes Fenton township, the only persons then living were Lauren P. lliggs, Clark Dibble, Dustin Cheney, John Wilber, and James Thorp. Others who had been here had moved away. Of those mentioned Mr. Riggs had moved upon a farm two and one-half miles west of Dibbleville. The village of Linden dates its origin from Feb. 3, 1840, when it was laid out by Messrs. Warner k, Harris. Addi- tions have been made since as follows: Walter Davenport's addition, Jan. 28, 1857; Linden Cemetery addition, by J. Z. Fairbank and Mrs. Fisk (formerly Mrs. Perry Lamb), April 20, 1870 ; Fairbank's addition, by J. Z. Fairbank, in the summer of 1878. Consider Warner, one of the original proprietors of the village, came here in the fall of 1836, from Genesee Co., T^. Y., in company with several others, constructed a dam across the river and erected a saw-mill, — the latter in the fall of 1837. The frame of a grist-mill was raised in 1838, and when the latter building was completed it contained one run of stones and a tub wheel. It was finally destroyed by fire, as was also the saw-mill, and the property lay idle for a number of years. In the winter of 1845-4G it was purchased by Messrs. Thompson & lleeson, who erected the frames of a saw-mill and a grist-mill, but did not com- plete them while they were the owners. In 1850, Seth C. Sadler purchased the ,suw-mill, and he and M. Warren be- came proprietors of the grist-mill. They finished the work on the buildings and operated the mills successfully. The grist-mill, which is yet standing, contains three runs of stones, and is owned by I. B. Hyatt. Eben* Harris, the partner of Mr. Warner in business, and one of the original proprietors of the village, came here in the fall of 1838, from Poiitiac, Oakland Co. In 1839 the firm opened a store in a frame building which » Should tliij be llcnmn Harris? 232 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. they had erected the same year on the same ground where now stands the west end of the brick " Union Block." It has been moved across tlie street and largely repaired, and is now used as a drug-store by Dr. S. D. Harris. The frame hotel now known as " Springer's Hotel" was built by Warner & Harris in 1840, the timber being drawn from the woods by Alonzo J. Chapin. It was afterwards the property of Seth C. Sadler, who rebuilt it, and has since been extensively repaired. It is now owned by Mrs. James li. Jloshier, formerly the widow of Henry Springer. Seth C. Sadler moved from his farm to the village of Linden in April, 1851, and engaged in business, purchasing the saw-mill and a share in the grist-mill, as stated, also the hotel. He built a carding-machine and a cloth-dressing machine in 1851, and operated them in company with others ; these were burned after the war of the Rebellion, as was also the saw-mill. The latter was rebuilt by Joseph A. Gardner, now of Petoskey, and a plaster-mill was subse- quently added by the same man. He finally sold to Myron Harris, who built a wagon-factory near, which is known as the "Linden Wagon- Works," and now owned by Harris & Beach, who manufacture on quite an extensive .scale. Jonathan Shephard, who died in 1878, was one of the early settlers of Linden, coming with Consider Warner from the State of New York, and helping build the first mills at the place. Benaiah Sanborn settled at Linden in the fall of 1836, and on the .site of the present Union Block built the first log shanty that was erected in the main part of the village. Two others were constructed at nearly the same time, by Richard Newton and Joseph Irving, the latter a Scotch- man. Mr. Sanborn came from Genesee Co., N. Y., in company with Consider Warner, for whom he worked that winter and helped build the saw-mill. In the following spring (1837) he removed to a farm south of Fliut, where he died in 18G1. His son, Rev. O. Sanborn, a minister of the IMethodist denomination, is now in charge of that church at Linden, serving his second term of three years. He was but ten years old when his father moved here with' the family. Mr. Warner did not bring his fiimily with him when be first came, but boarded with some of those who came with him, either with Mr. Sanborn or Jlr. Newton. His foreman, Heman Harris, boarded with the former. The first bridge across the Shiawassee River at Linden was a log structure which stood about a hundred rods above the present dam, and was built at some date between 183G and 1840, probably in 183G or '37, as, when the dam was raised, it was carried ofi' by tlie water. Soon after, a frame bridge was thrown across at the same place where the stream is now spanned, and since then several have been built, all, including the present one, frame. The first marriage in the village was that of Jared Ball and a Miss Sage, which was solemnized about 1840-41. Lafiiyette Fairbank and Almeda Hunt were also married early, a.s were Walter Davenport and Lucinda Hunt, and Alden Tupper and Louisa Lamb. The first school in Linden was taught in a long, low- roofed, one-story shanty which stood in front of the grist- mill, by a daughter of Abel D. Hunt, in the summer of I 1839. Hunt had settled here the same year.* The house was a temporary affair which had been used as a boarding- house by the men at work building the saw-mill. Walter Brown taught at the same place the following winter. This school, although the first in the main settlement, was not the first in the vicinity, as another had been taught in 1838, three-fourths of a mile east, by Walter Brown. The first building erected purposely for a school-house in what are now the corporate limits of the village was a log edifice which stood in the southeast corner thereof. A frame structure was afterwards built on the street running south from the hotel and " Union Block," and about thirty rods south of the hotel. The log house was built about 1840. Louisa Hillman and John Morris were among its early teachers. It was used but about two years, or until the frame building was erected. North of Linden the first school was taught in the sum- mer of 1840 in a small frame school-house, built by the district on the north end of Morris Ripley's farm. The teacher was a lady, whose name is forgotten. This school- house has been removed and a new one erected farther east. The Linden post-office was established in the fall of 1850, principally through the eflFurts of Seth C. Sadler, and Claudius T. Thompson received the first appointment as postmaster. His successors have been William II. Cook, Frank Fry, Charles Brown, and the present incumbent, N. B. Cochran. James Fairbank, now in Nebraska, about 1865-66, built the first brick store in Linden, and opened a hardware es- tablishment in it. The building is now owned by Myron Harris, who has enlarged it to accommodate his business. It stands opposite (west of) Springer's Hotel. The brick " Union Block," on the north side of the main street and oppo.site the hotel, was built in 1868-69, under the superintendence of I. B. Hyatt. The parties owning the property and who built the block were William Mid- dlesworth, Hyatt & Moshier, J. J. Johnson, Charles Brown, W. H. Cook, and Allen Leonard, beginning at the west end. Of these, Middlesworth is dead ; Moshier went out to take charge of tiie hotel ; and Leonard's part is owned by Asa Whitehead. The others still remain. James B. Moshier came to Linden in January, 1852, and in 1860 engaged in the mercantile business, which he continued until May 1, 1879, when he relinquished it in order to attend to the affairs of the hotel. He is from Warren Co., N. Y. I. B. Hyatt also located here in January, 1852, and en- tered into business with his brother, Jacob Hyatt. Their stock — considered large in those days — consisted of a wagon- load of goods which had been purchased at and brought from Detroit. I. B. Hyatt subsequently entered partner- ship with J. B. Moshier, with whom he long continued. He is the present owner of the grist-mill, and was the first Master of the Linden Masonic lodge. Charles Brown, still in business in the Union Block, started the first drugstore in the place, in 1858, and has continued since in the same line of trade. He came from the State of New York. * A. D. Hunt, Jr., informs us that he came in 183S, and his father in 1836. The above was obtained from other parties. — IIisTOiti.\N. FENTON TOWNSHIP. 233 About 1858-59 a foundry was built and started by Stephen Clark, who did general furnace work, and in two or three years added a steam stave-cutter. The foundry is now the property of Sadler & Lobdell. The addition laid out by Walter Davenport near the railroad is tailed North Linden. About 1857, a hotel was built near the depot by Mr. Davenport, since deceased. The present proprietor is William Gamber. The frame elevator and warehouse near by was built about 1868, by Joseph Middlesworth, and is still owned by him. Grain, lime, salt, land-plaster, etc., are handled. Mr. Middles- worth's father, John Middlesworth, settled in Argentine township in 1838, coming from New Jersey. He pur- cha.ort. 1879. — President, Leonard II. Pierce; Clerk, William H. Johnson; Treasurer, John II. Leal; Assessor, Stephen T. Davenport; Marshal, Lorenzo M. Howe; Trustees (two years), Alfred Cooper, Seth C. Sadler, Jr., George West. FIRE DEPARTMENT. A fire company was organized June 24, 1871, with 17 members, and buckets were supplied for use at fires. In the spring of 1879 the company was furnished with hand extinguishing pumps, the utility of which is to be demon- strated. Fire wardens are appointed each year, and the company is kept up to the regulation standard, 18 members. The village has suflfered from but few fires, none of which '^' See Fenton churches. were extensive, and all except one or two occurred before incorporation. In May, 1879, the village contained thirteen stores, a foundry, a wagon-factory (Linden Wagon-Works), a car- riage-fitctory (property of Joseph Beach & Son), Betich Platform Truss Gearing Company's factory, an axe- and pick-handle factory (owned by Gerow & Orton), a saw-mill, a grist-mill, two churches, a graded school, with one brick school-building and a small frame one, a newspaper called the Linden Record, edited and published by Orlando White,f several physicians, of whom the oldest is Dr. Leonard H. Pierce, who has practiced here twenty-five years, and the usual number of blacksmith- and other shops found in a place of the size. Its population is estimated as being in the neighborhood of 800. Immediately north of the village of Linden resides Par- ley Warner, who came to the township with his father at an early date, and who happened unfortunately to be tibseut from home when called upon for information. Farther north is the farm of Morris Ripley, who came from Queenstown, Warren Co., N. Y., to Michigan, in 1836, and located land where he now lives. In the fall of 1839 he returned to New York and was married, and in the spring of 1840 brought his wife with him to their future abiding-place in Michigan. He had then a log shanty built and one field cleared on the place. At that date (1840) no one lived in Fenton township north of them, and a road had not yet been cut through the timber. Mr. Ripley's brothers, An.son and Alanson Ripley, followed him to the township, the former locating three-fourths of a mile east of him, and the latter next south. An.son Rip- ley is since deceased, and Alanson resides at present in the township of Mundy. MOUNT PLEASANT. John and Solomon Cook were probably the first settlers in the immediate vicinity of this village, which was laid out by the former Aug. 8, 1840, and an addition platted by him Oct. 27, 1845. John Cook died many years ago; his brother still resides here. In August, 1856, Capt. Charles Bennett, an old lake sailor, came from Washtenaw County and located here. He was formerly from the State of New York. Since set- tling at this place he has entertained many persons in search of pleasure, having fitted grounds and built boats purposely for their accommodation. He is the owner of " Bennett's Island," in Long Lake, containing about 23 acrfes, which has been supplied with tables, sheds, and all necessaries to make it a most desirable picnic-ground. He owns the boat " Mettie Helm," formerly a steamer, now used for the accommodation of Sunday-school parties, etc. It is towed by the gay little steamer " Evening Star," which contains the engine formerly in use on the first-named boat, and which was built in 1874 by the captain's son, Capt. W. H. Bennett. The latter also sailed a number of years on the lakes, and during the winter of 1860-61 he stayed with his father on the island of St. Ignace, in Lake Superior. f See chapter on the press. Jerome Z.Fairbank, Seth C.Sadler ( J, H PhippS, Photdgr ) MRS.G.W. BERRYMAN G V/. BERRYMAN. '■:J'', JM. FENTON TOWNSHIP. 235- Capt. W. H. Bennett and his brother, Charles J. Ben- nett, are the proprietors of a saw-mill at the place, where the latter built and still owns a small hotel. The present " Long Branch House" is a large frame hotel which was erected in 1876 by Hugh McKean, who is still the owner. It is open every .season for boarders and visitors. A small grist-mill has been recently built on the northeast shore of the lake, and is owned by Mr. Judson. "IDLEWILD." On the eastern shore of Long Lake, below the " nar- rows," Philip H. McOmber settled in 1834, and long kept a public-house known as the " Long Lake House." A line of stages plying over the road, passing through Fen- ton to Flint, brought business to the door. This house was kept in 18G7 by John Snow. In the fall of 18G8, N. T. Thurber purchased the property with the view of repairing or rebuilding the house and opening a summer resort which should become popular throughout the imme- diate region. Extensive repairs were made, and in June, 18C9, the house was thrown open to the public with D. W. Denio as landlord. The latter has remained in charge since, with the exception of one year, wlien he occupied the " Fenton House," at Fenton, Cornelius Bergen admin- istering the affairs of Idlewild. This has become the pop- ular resort desired by its projector. A commodious steamer was built in the spring of 1875, named the " George C. Langdon," after the then mayor of Detroit, who comes here with his family every summer. No finer sheet of water for its size can be found in the State, and " Idlewild" and " Long Branch" and " Mount Pleasant" have become widely and favorably known. Report of Townsh ip Schools for the Year Ending September 2, 1878. PlSTBICTS. •0 •a = >• (sin ■£ •a e u (3 c v ■§^ c < 0. i c 3 a 5« 1% a! f-^ . 111 NlIMDKR OF ScnOOL- UOUSKS. 3> 1 •5 a £ 2 NUMBKB OF Tbaciikrs. TEACllF.llb ' Wages. Brick. Frame. 1 ^ Hale. Female. llale. Female. No. 1 762 186 29 53 22 41 32 44 21 694 108 22 49 15 44 29 36 19 47 7 3 i 2000 "143 160 160 162 165 160 157 3 1 ... 560 sio.noo 3 1 1 1 l 2 1 1 $2,000 450 86 44 $2,800 390 20 32.50 S3 101.62 36 10 36.60 48 " 35; " 4 140 40 60 45 60 40 611 44 1,200 500 600 400 800 200 1.000 600 ■' a " 6 120 157 150 100 " 8 " 105- " lis Total receipts for school year, $10,000.94; amount on hand Sept. 2, 1878, $903.54 ; expenditures, less amount on hand, §9097.40 ; number of private or select schools in township, 3 ; number of pupils attending same (estimated), 50. Tho.se who read the foregoing history of Fenton town- ship, with its villages, etc., will readily perceive that its com- pilation has been a work of no small magnitude. To those who have furnished information earnest thanks are hereby tendered, and if, in the mass of matter presented, there should be a few inaccuracies, it must be remembered that to straighten a mass of conflicting testimony and place /uc/* in print is an almost impossible ta.sk. However, the belief of the historian is that his labors have not been in vain, and he feels confident that a reliable history is here presented. Among those who have aided him in his researches are the following, viz. : At Fenton, Alonzo J. Chapin and wife, Robert Le Roy, Dr. Isaac Wixom, Kli.sha Larned, Charles II. Turner, Wil- liam Remington, Maxwell Thompson, Joseph Thorp, Mrs. Duslin Cheney and I'amily, the pastors and many members of churches, members of various societies, proprietors of newspapers, manufactories, etc., and many whose names are not recalled. At Linden, Seth C. Sadler, J. Z. Fairbank, Myron Har- ris, I. B. Hyatt, Rev. Orlando Sanborn, James B. Mo.shier, and others. In various parts of the town.ship, J. P. C. Riggs, Mrs. Mor- ris Ripley, D. W. Denio, the family of Capt. Charles Ben- nett, and many others. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. * Fnict'onal diatrlcts. JEROME Z. FAIRBANK. Jerome Z. Fairbank, son of Zenas Fairbank, was born in the town of Rose, Wayne Co., N. Y., Dec. 10, 1827. When eight years of age his father removed with his family to Michigan, settling in Washtenaw County, where he re- mained until the following May, when he removed to the town of Fenton, whither his son Jerome had preceded him, and where he resided until his death, which occurred in December, 1852. The early life of Mr. Fairbank was replete witli hard- ship and privation, and as showing their impecunious con- dition on their arrival in Michigan, and what they had to contend with in consequence, Mr. Fairbank relates that their household goods were held in Detroit for a freight bill of nine dollars. But industry and energy seldom go unrewarded. In a comparatively short space of time they were in ea.sy circumstances. When nineteen yeare of age he made his first purchase of thirty-nine acres of land, running in debt two hundred dollars. On attaining his majority he found himself free from debt, and possessed of a yoke of oxen and .some farm implements. From this 236 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. time success attended his efforts, and the little farm of thirty-nine acres has increased in size until he now counts one hundred and eighty acres of valuable land under a high state of cultivation. In December, 1857, Mr. Fairbank was married to Miss Amelia Clark, of Linden. She was born in Eaton, Madi- son Co., N. Y., March 27, 1825. Four children have been born to them, three of whom are now living. Mr. Fairbank has been prominently identified with Lin- den in all its interests, and occupies an enviable position among its more prominent citizens. He has taken a deep interest in educational matters, and has been an active member of the school board for years. In his religious affiliations he is a Presbyterian, and a zealous supporter of church interests. All in all, Mr. Fairbank is one of those courteous. Christian gentlemen, whose identification with any community is always productive of good. SETH C. SADLER was born in Ashfield, Franklin Co., Mass., March 12, 1809. He was the son of John and Sarah (Church) Sadler, who had a family of nine children. When a child his father removed to Madison Co., N. Y., where he remained until Seth was seven years of age. The elder Sadler was a blacksmith by trade, and a steady-going, industrious man. Seth remained with his father until he was twenty years of age, when he married Miss Sarah Andei-son, and bought a small farm, upon which he remained uutil 1831, when, desirous of bettering his fortunes, he exchanged it for eighty acres of new land in the town of Bloomfield, Oak- land Co., Mich., and in September of that year moved on to it with his family, then consisting of his wife and one child, Seth C, Jr. Mr. Sadler remained upon this farm until the following spring, when he sold it. After several changes, he bought, in 1835, one hundred and twenty acres of land in the town of Fenton. He immediately removed, and has since been a resident of the town. In 1850 he exchanged his farm for sixty acres, which comprised nearly all of what is now the business portion of Linden. The land was for the most part unimproved, there being only six or seven families in the town. In connection with the property there was a saw- and grist-mill, which he operated successfully until about 1864. Mr. Sadler has been engaged in various business enter- prises, and has probably done as much as any other man in building up the village of Linden. Since 1850 he has been actively engaged in business. Owing to his energy and good management he has been successful in all his un- dertakings. Mr. Sadler has filled many responsible posi- tions with fidelity to the trust reposed in him, and with credit to himself For over forty years he has served his fellow-townsmen in various capacities. He has been prom- inent in political matters, but has always shunned rather than courted political preferment. He is now in the seventieth year of his age, and is still hale and hearty, and possessed of much of his old-time energy. He has achieved success in all departments of life, and is an exemplar of the capabilities of character and manhood. GEORGE W. BERRYMAN, one of the prominent farmers of Fenton, was born in the town of Aurelius, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Sept. 2-t, 1822. He was the eldest in the family of John and Catherine (Covert) Berryraan, which consisted of five children. The elder Bcrryman was a prominent farmer, and met his death by accident when George was eleven years of age. Although a mere boy, he assumed control of his father's affairs, which he conducted successfully. At the age of sixteen he started in life by taking jobs of various kinds, among which were several contracts on the New Y^ork Central Railroad. Although young, what he lacked in years and experience he made up by energy and application ; and all his projects were successfully carried out. In 1849, Mr. Berryman was united in marriage with Angeline, daughter of James and Sally Seymour, of Vestal, Broome Co., N. Y., where Mrs. Berryman was born July 28, 1825. After their marriage, he purchased a farm in Aurelius, where he resided until his emigration to Michi- gan in 1867, at which time he purchased the farm where he now resides, — a view of which we present on another page. Mr. Berryman is a prominent and successful agriculturist, and his highly-cultivated fields and commodious buildings attest his thrift and enterprise. T^T ' '^^^ ' f^y^p^^.^irf! ! ^^^ ^ GRAND BLANC. Grand Blanc, the oldest township orijanizatioii in Gene- sec County, is situated upon the south hurdcr, and is desig- nated b}' the United States survey as township No. G north, range No. 7 east. Its boundaries on the north, east, and west are the re- spective townships of Burton, Atlas, and Mundy, in Gene- see County, and Oakland County on the south. The surface is a rolling upland. Originally, the northern part was covered with dense forests of the deciduous trees so common to Michigan, while the central and southern parts of the township afforded a fair representation of the lands called hazel-brush openings. Thread River, its principal water-course, takes its ri.se in Oakland County, and flowing to the northwest, leaves the town near the centre of the north border. This stream in its course affords good water-power privileges, which are not utilized, and, with its numerous small tributaries, renders fea.sible the complete system of ditching and drainage now being adopted where swampy lands exist. Grand Blanc Lake includes a small portion of section 31 ; Slack's Lake, of sections 34 and 35. A small lake of some 20 acres in extent, called Smith Lake, is situated upon section 22. Numerous springs are found in various parts of the township, some of them quite strongly impreg- nated with magnesia. The soil is of an excellent quality, and consists of a dark, sandy, and gravelly loara, alternating with clay loam and alluvial deposits of a vegetable character. Peat beds are found in some portions of the township, also brick and potter's clay of a good quality. Iron ore, in small quantities, exists iu the northwest and central parts. Tlie people are agriculturists chiefly, the staple pro- ducts being live stock, wool, j)ork, corn, fruits, and the various cereals. In the cultivation of winter wheat they are especially successful. The population in 1874 was 1389. LAND-ENTRIES. Tiie first entry for land in township (t north, range 7 east, was made by William Thompson and Charles Little, of Livingston Co., N. Y., and Samuel B. Perkins, from Ontario Co., N. Y. ; all of whom made purchases at the same date, viz. : June 17, 1824. Thompson's purchase embraced the northeast quarter and cast half of the southeast quarter of section 9, and the southwest (juarter of section 10, in all a tract of 500 acres. Little's the .southeast quarter of section 15 ; while Perkins chose the west half of the northwest quarter of the .same section. All of section 15 was taken up prior to July 4, 1829. Edmund and Rowland B. Perry purcha.scd the cast half of the southwest quarter of section 11 Oct. 20, 1825, and the east half of the northwest quarter of section 14 eight days later. Other early entries were by Augustus M. Button, on section 11, Sept. 15, 1827; Edward H. Spencer, section 9, May 25, 1827; Simeon M. Perry, sec- tion 14, Sept. 25, 1827; Caleb Embury, sections 12 and 23, June 2, 1829 ; Caleb S. Thompson, section 23, June 2, 1829; George E. Perry, section 13, June 3, 1829; same, on section 12, Sept.'25, 1829; Jonathan Dayton and Ezekiel R. Ewirig, on section 9, June 2, 1829; Charles Butler, the northeast (juarter of section 35, Oct. 12, 1830. The following list, arranged by sections, embraces the names of those who purchased in this township from the government: Section 1, 1836 :* Jacob Snapp, Rowland B. Perry, Norman Burgess, Warren Amiable, Sylvester Day, Samuel Day, Francis G. Macy, Alvah Bishop, William Fairhurst. Section 2, 1835: Samuel Colby, Xury Williams, Elihu Remington, William W. Paul, William Roberts, Rowland B. Perry, David Lyon, Samuel Thompson, Francis G. Macy. Section 3, 1832: Alfred Brainard, Alvah Brainard, John Remington, Peter Van Tifflin, Uriah Short, William Allen, Elihu Remington. Section 4, 1828 : John Tupper, Jonathan Kearsley, Jonathan Davison, Alfred Brainard, Oliver Short, Justus Smith. Section 5, 1832: Edward Brooks, Alonzo Ferris, Justus Smith, Chauncey Chapin, Tobias Stoutenburgh, Nicholas Bowns, Benajah Tupper, Nathaniel Ladd. Section 6, 1835 : Joseph M. Iri.sh, Grant Watkins, Tracy W. Burbank, Zcnas Goulding, James A. Kline, John A. Kline, William Blades. Section 7, 1835 : James II. Williams, Thomas Boals, Nathan Watkins, Arthur L. Ellsworth, Horace W. Bron- son, Chauncey Bronson, John W. Moore, Erastus Webber. Section 8, 1833: Daniel R. Williams, Philander Williams, Abial L. Shaw, William Blades, John Richards, Asa Bishop, Charles D. W. Gibson, Elisha S. Frost, Thomas Sheldon, Ira D.ivenport. Section 9, 1824: William Thompson, Edward II. Spencer, Jonathan Dayton, Ezekiel R. Ewing, Polly Day- ton, George Dibble. Section 10, 1824: William Thompson, Jeremiah Ketchum, Ellis Miner, Jo.seph McFarleu, Jr., Amitsa Short, John Richards, John Remington. Section 11, 1825: Edmond and Rowland B. Perry, Au- gustus M. Dutton, John P. Fritz, Xury Williams, Gilbert Phelps, Thomas Barger, Simeon M. Perry. * The figurca Ucnuto tliu ^car of tlic first purcliasc upon eaoli scctiun. 237 238 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Section 12, 1829: Caleb Embury, George E. Perry, Pearson Farrar, Jobn I. Carr, George E. Perry, Sylvester Day, Joseph Charters. Section 13, 1829 : George E. Perry, Neheniiah T. Bur- pee, Thomas Cartwright, William Fairhui-st, Samuel C. Robinson, William Collins, Silas Titus. Section 14, 1825 : Edmond and Rowland B. Perry, Simeon M. Perry, Benjamin Perry, Cyrus Baldwin, P]d- mond Perry, Jr., Ira Davenport. Section 15, 1824 : Charles Little, Samuel B. Perkins, Eurotas P. Hastings, Henry Howard, George E. Perry, Jeremiah W. Riggs. Section 16: School-lands. Section 17, 1833 : Philander W^illiams, Sephrona Straw, Daniel Williams, Asa Bishop, Nathan P. Wells, Fred- erick F. Riggs, Gilbert Phelps, Amos Hallock, Augustus W. Hovey. Section IS, 1835 : Othniel Williams, Asa Bishop, Horace AV. Bronson, Chauncey Bronson, Ira Justin, John W. Moore, James M. Wilcox. Section 19, 1836: Gilbert Phelps, Almira Phelps, James W. Wilcox, James I. Opp, Ely T. Marsh, Alfred Putnam, Prentice Yeomans. Section 20, 1835 : John Tupper, Silas Smith, James M. Wilcox, Gurdon G. Cook, Ira Davenport, Seth Beck- with, James Adams. Section 21, 1834: John H. Waterous, Jeremiah R. Smith, Lucy Roberts, William Roberts, Gershom Lewis, Ira Davenport, Seth Bockwith, Russell Bates. Section 22, 1829: Jeremiah W. Riggs, Silas Smith, Moses H. Lyon, Phineas Thompson, Elbridge N. Johnson, Washington Thompson, Jeremiah R. Smith, Silas Smith, Edward Parsons. Section 23, 1829 : Caleb Embury, Caleb S. Thompson, Washington Thompson, Hiram Stevens, Robt. McCartney, David Foreyth. Section 24, 1834 : Caleb S. Thomp.son, John M. Wine- gar, Caleb Embury, Russell Forsyth, William Collins. Section 25, 1834 : Nicholas West, Leonard Carlton, Jean Pier Dat, Alanson P. Hurd, Wilson McCarty, Phineas Thompson, Samuel Thompson. Section 26, 1831 : Robert McCarty, Sarah Miller, Ira Dayton, Reuben T. Dayton, Emmons Owen, Moses P. Butler, Charles C. Hascall, Samuel Thompson. Section 27, 1832: John M. Coe, Levi Parsons, Moses P. Butler, Peter De Graff, Joseph P. Worden, Stephen Grant. Section 28, 1832: David M. Lawrence, Charles Little, Edward Parsons, Gurdon Waterous, Robert Pollock, Hi- ram Brown. Section 29, 1835 : Alpheus Chapman, Nelson H. Em- mons, Abial L. Shaw, Barrage Rice, Levi Parsons, Joel Rice, Ira Davenport, Hiram Brown. Section 30, 1835 : Daniel 11. Williams, David La Rue, Levi Parsons, Ira Davenport, Eliza Ripson, Ely T. Marsh. Section 31, 1835: James Van Valkenburgh, Henry Straight, Caleb Embury, David La Rue, David Handy. Section 32, 1831 : Paul G. Davison, William Eames, Alvah Kennedy, Caleb Embury, Henry Brusie, Samuel Thompson. Section 33, 1832 : Benjamin Chase, John H. Waterous, Nathaniel Wood, Lewis Kennedy, Gurdon Waterous, Ira Davenport. Section 34, 1835 : Peter De Graff, David Butts, Charles Butler, Samuel Thompson, Ira Davenport, Jacob Parsons. Section 35,1830: Charles Butler, Ezekiel R. Ewing, John Butler, Marston W. Richards, Mary Booge, Samuel Thomp.son. Section 36, 1830: Charles and John Butler, John M. Coe, Anson Dayton, Caleb Embury, Charles C. Hascall, Samuel Thompson. FIRST SETTLEMENTS. Jacob Stevens and family, the first white family to reside in Grand Blanc township, and in all the territory now known as Genesee County, came from the State of New York, and arrived at Detroit during the month of Augu.st, 1822. The family consisted of Mr. Stevens and wife, sons Rufus W. and Sherman, and daughters Eunice, Martha, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and another daughter, the youngest, then some six years of age, whose name is now unknown. They first settled in Oakland County, on the old Saginaw trail, about twenty-five miles northwest of Detroit. Here they remained until the following spring, built a log house, dug a well, and made other improvements; but, finding that the title to the land they wore upon was defective, they sold out their improvements to Oliver Williams, the future father-in-law of Rufus W., and removed to Grand Blauc in the spring of 1823. Mr. C. P. Avery, in his history of the Saginaw Valley, speaks of Jacob Stevens as follows : " He was a true type of the gentlemen of the old school, to whose moral and physical courage as a pioneer was united a rare intelligence marked by a literary taste, showing itself conspicuously even in the few scattered remnants of his correspondence which have come down to this day." The following interesting letter, written by Mr. Stevens while his was the only white family in the present town of Grand Blanc, will prove of great interest to many read- ers, as it preserves to present generations facts of history which otherwise would have been lost : "GitA.NBLAW, July, A. I). 1825. " Ho.NORED Paiiexts, — The period since I wrote you I acknowledge is a long one; and I have not sufficient reasons to offer to justify so shameful a neglect. Various, indeed, have been the changes and vicissituiles of my life since tiuit time. Au attenii>t to describe them in a single letter would be unavailing. No I'amily, ]>erhaps, the size of mine can have enjoyed better health, say for twenty years past. Our doctors' bills have scarcely exceeded that number of dollars. " 1 sold my farm in Lima, soon after the close of the war, for $4000. I was some in debt, and my intention was to have waited a few years to see what the turn of the times might be, and then purchase some- where quite within the bounds of my capital; but fate or fortune de- termined otherwise. The family soon became uneasy at having no permanent home of their own. Indeed, /disliked a state so inactive to myself, and determined to jmrchase, and did, to nearly the amount of my money. It was well laiil out, but at a bad time. " I was sensible a depreciation on property must take jdace, but put it off till by and by, and some way or other was blind to its ajiproach. The farm admitted of great improvements being made, and a good house among the rest would be very convenient: and, accordingly, the best means we had were takm to procure materials, viz.: stone, brick, lumber, etc. About this time the amazing fall in the value of real estate, as well as of :ill olhcr ])rojtcvty, and the many complaiiits CHARLES DE WITT GIBSON. MKS. ARTEMISIA GIBSON. CHARLES DE WITT GIBSON. Charles De Witt Gibson was one of the earliest of the pioneer business men of Genesee County, His long, active career and inti- mate connection with the development and improvement of the county from the time it was almost an unbroken wilderness, peopled almost exclusively by Indians and wild animals, with here and there at long distances apart an embryo settlement of a few hardy and adventurous pioneers, make it proper and fitting that he should occupy a con- spicuous place in the annals of a county in which for forty-two years he had borne so distinguished a j)art. The ancestors of Mr. Gibson were of Welsh and Irish origin, and settled in the United States at an early date. John Gibson, the father of our subject, was a native of Montgomery Co., N. Y., where, in early life, he was married to Catharine Wasson, of the same county. They reared a family of nine children, — five sons and four daughters, — of whom Charles De Witt was the second son. He wns born at Pals- tine, Montgomery Co., on the 4th day of January, 1800. His boy- hood was spent in assisting bis father in the labors of farm life, and in obtaining a limited common-school education. He also learned the trade of cabinet-making. After reaching his majority he started out for himself, went to Western New York, and settled at Avon, Livingston Co., where he engaged in cabinet making. Here he be- came acquainted with Miss Artemisia Frost, daughter of Elisha and Artemisia Frost, old residents of Lima, in the same county. This acquaintance ripened into courtship and marriage, and they were united on the 11th day of August, 1831. Soon after his marriage Mr. (libson begun to look with longing eyes to the new and unsettled territories lying west of Lake Erie, which at that time presented a fine field for the activity and enterprise of the daring adventurer. Accordingly, in 1833, he left home with the purpose of securing a location somewhere in the Territory of Michigan. He finally decided on settling in the interior. He purchased at second-hand one hundred and sixty acres on which there was a small improvement, and soon after two hundred and forty acres more of the government, in the present township of Gran 1 Blanc, Genesee Co. He then returned to New York and purchased a stock of goods, which he shipped to the Territory, and then with his wife and child, his widowed mother, and a sister, came on to the new home in the wilderness. The}- were also accompanied by Chauncey S. Marvin, now deceased, who was for many years an inmate of Mr. Gibson's family. After his arrival Mr. Gibson opened a store and sold goods to the few early settlers, and traded with the Indians, who at that time were very numerous. Be- sides selling goods and clearing off and improving his lands, he in a few years became extensively engaged in other enterprises, such as building and running saw-mills, asberies, etc. He was also for many years engaged in the purchase and sale of lands in various parts of the State, both for himself and as the agent of others, and through- out his long and active life was uniformly successful in his business undertakings. His keen insight into the motives that govern human nature, sound, practical judgment, shrewdness, sagacity, and ripe ex- perience in so many branches of business, united to unflinching in- tegrity, honorable dealing, and unassuming manners, commanded the unlimited confidence and esteem of all: and he was known all his life as a man whose word was as good as his bond. Besides conducting and managing his many business interests, he at various times served his town and county as magistrate, supervisor, county treasurer, etc., and in all positions of trust and responsibility acquitted himself with satisfaction to his constituents. During his life he lost many thousand dollars by fire and otherwise, but at his death there still remained a handsome fortune for his widow and chil- dren. He was for many years a member of the order of Odd-Fellows, and in religious faith was a Protestant, with ultra-liberal views of the Unitarian and Universalist type. Mr. Gibson lived to the age of nearly seventy-seven years. His death occurred on the 3d day of May, 1876, his being the only death in the family since that of an infant daughter forty years before, — a remarkable fact in a family of eleven children. The memory of Mr. Gibson is fondly cherished in the hearts of his children and bereaved wife, and although the kind and indulgent father, the tender and afTectionate husband is no longer here, the wise counsels, useful lessons, pure life and example of one of nature's noblemen is ever present with them. A far richer legacy is an honor- able name and blameless life than silver and gold, or houses and lands. Mrs. Gibson, who is still a remarkably fine looking and intelligent lady, has nohly performed her full share of life's duties to her husband and children, and is held in great esteem by a large circle of warm and admiring friends and relatives. She resides at the old home, in the midst of kind friends and pleasant surroundings, in the peace and trantiuillity of a long life well spent. Mrs. Gibson and her de- ceased husband were the parents of eleven children, named as follows : Thornton W., Jane W., Charles F., Chauncey W., Caroline A., Coro- don De Witt, John E., Mary A.. Sarah J., Frances A,, and Stanford S. All of whom are now living except Jane W., who died in infancy, and all are married except Mary anf the country is openings, ami the cattle get their living in old fog and basswood sprouts in the swales. Tho greatest country for wild feed and hay I over saw. Wo can sammcr and winter any number of cattle if we had them. Blue point is the principal grass in the low meadows. On the higher partji is found considerable red-top ond foul meadow grass. Jemima* has a family, and lives in the State of New *. Jemima (Mrs. Samuel K. i*orkins), Horatio, and Augustus were children of Jacob Stevens, wlio remained in tho State of New York. York, Horatio and Augustus are merchants in that State. Horatio, I understand, is quite forehanded. Augustus is also doing well. Eunice and Charlotte are there at jircscnt on a visit. Patty keeps seliool this summer in the Territory. The rest of tho family aro in the woods." The elder Stevens is described by those who saw him here in 182G a.s a gentleman of fine proportions, about si.xty years of age, who was then living in a comfortable log house which stood upon the site of Col. Sawyer's pres- ent residence. His son, llufus W., had built a small log house upon the site of the present hotel, and was engaged in trade with the Indians, — trading whi-sky, tobacco, flints, cheap brooches, and such articles, for furs. The log trading-house of llufus W. Stevens was replaced in 1828 by a more pretentious one, the walls of which were constructed of timbers hewn square and placed upright side by side. This building, inclosed by clapboards, now forms part of the pre-setit Grand Blanc Hotel. He then, besides following his vocation as an Indian trader, became the post- master of Grumlaw, and opened the doors of his house to the public as a " place of entertainment." Many Indians were still located hereabouts. It is related by Mr. Brainard, in his pioneer sketches, that the Canadian government at this time gave every male Indian, young or old, a yearly bounty of fifty cents in silver, besides blankets, etc. On their return to Grumlaw they would spend it all with Stevens for whisky. To catch their half-dollars he sold them whisky for fifty cents per gallon. Thoy would appoint one of their number to take charge of their guns, knives, and hatchets, whose duty it was to secrete the weapons and remain sober. A general drunk would be inaugurated, which lasted some two or three days, during which time they fought, shouted, and performed all manner of antics. Stevens would then begin to water the whisky he sold them, and by degrees they became sober. This was his way of getting rid of them. In 1829, Kufus W. Stevens purchased a portion of sec- tion 19, in Burton township, and a year later, of Daniel Le Roy, a tract which adjoined his, though situated on section 18 in the same town.ship. This place afterwards became noted as the Thread Mill property. A saw-mill was commenced by Stevens in 1830, and soon after a grist- mill was erected, which for years supplied all the people living between Pontiae and Saginaw. The Steven.scs never purchased of the government any lands situated in Grand Blanc. The land upon which they first settled was entered by Samuel B. Perkins, Jacob Ste- vens' son-in-law. The elder Stevens, with the majority of his family, re- turned to Now York about IS.'il, where was passed the remaining portion of his life, llufus W, Stevens removed to Flint a few years later, and became identified with its interests. Sherman, the other son, was contieet^-d with the building of the first railroad between Detroit and Pontiae. In October, 182.'3, Edmund and Rowland B, Perry en- tered lands situated upon sections 11 and 14, Rowland was a nephew of Edmund Perry, During the following February, the same, accompanied by Simeon and Eliza, children of PMmund, left Avon, Livingston Co,, N, Y,, and traveled through Canada with horse-teams to Detroit, thence by (he Saginaw trail to Grand Blanc, They were 240 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. twcnty-fivo days upon flie road. Upon their arrival liorc thoy were received under the hospitable roof of Jacob Stevens, where they rcinaiiicd sonic four weeks, or until a house of their own could be erected. Tlic Fourth of July, 1820, was celebrated by all the white inhabitants of Gene- see County silting down to a banquet spread under a cheiry- tree which stood in Jacob Stevens' yard. Those assembled were entirely of the Stevens and Perry families. In the fall of 1826 Edmund PeiTy returned to New York, and brouglit out with hiui the rest of his family, viz., his wife Mercy, and children Clarinda, Edmund, Jr., Seymour, Irene, Esther, and Manson. ]avid B. Allen, Adin L. Annable, John R. Abbutt, Jufihua K. Abbott, C. 11. Urainanl, Kli. Bos.":, Julin S. Burrington, John. Bates, Charles. Braiuard, Alvab. Braiuard, (lurdon S. Brainard, Alfred. Brown, Chaimt;ey. BardwoM, Joel. Bijjelow, Hiram. Blades, William. Bishup, Julian. Bishop, Asa. Butts, David W. Buller, Moses P. Butler, Charles. Burbank, Tracy W. Chapel, Samuel B. Chapel, William. Chapman, Alpheus. Collins, William. Cartwright, Nathan. Chapin, Chauncey. Curtis, .Samuel. Cartwright, Thomas. Chapin, Barton B. Cook, Gurdon G. Dayton, Jonathan. Dayton, Ira. Dayton, Anson. Dickinson, Luther. Day, Samuel. Day, Sylvester. Embury, Caleb. Eamcs, William. Ecklcy, AVilliam. Ferris, Alonzo. Fritz, John P. Farrar, Pearsons. Forsyth, Ilussell. Forsyth, Orlando. Fritz, Alfred T. Ferguson, Cliarles. Gofi", Sylvester D. Goff, Cbarlcs W. Goff, JainQS l^f. Gillmau, Dudley. Golden, Zenas. Gamball, Jo:^cph. Giljson, Charles D. W, Uempstcad, Riebard B. Hamilton, Thomas J. llewett, Cyrus. Kallock, Amos. Uallock, Ilariuon C. Ilallock, Alfred. Ilcmpsteud^ Jame&. lUIsey, Silas D. I{all, James. Harger, Stephen. Ileinpstrari. " 1S;15. Samuel Kice. Augvistu? 0. Iliggs. " 1836. 1837. 1838. 1839. 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843. 1S44. 1845. 1846. 1S4-. 184S. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859. ISGO. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1864. 1865. 1866. 1S67. 1868. 1869. 1870. 1871. 1872. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1S7S. 1879. Suiicrvisors. Samuel Kiee. Tuvneliiii Clerks. Augustus 0. Riggs. Caleb S. TlKimpson. Treasurers. No record. C. D. W. Gibson. Joi=bua K. Abbott. Williiini Blades. Jeremiah R. Smith. (( >( Silas D. Ilalsey. Jeremiah R. Smith. Julian liifhop. .Tereuiiah R. Smith. Julian Bishop. John Remington. Julian Bishop. tt 1. Jeremiah R. Smith. Julian Bisho]). Dennis Wolverton. John Remington. Silas D. Ilalsey. H It Alfred Hullock. Caleb 8. Thompson. Joshua K. Ahl)o:t. Olhnicl Williams. Simeon M. Tyler. (i ii Ciecro J. K. Stoncr, Charles L. Smith. Morgan L. Curtis. Ciiarles D. Long. Jlorgnn L. Cut (is. T. Porter McWain. John Slack. Michael Ferguson. Edwin Ilarvcy. Jonathan Crapscr. tt u Oscar C. Beals. James Parsons, John W. Suell. No record. Jeremiiili R. Smith. tt t( Alfred Bruiiiard. It II Jereraiah K. Smith. Silas B. Ilal&ey. No record. Asnhcl King. Nicholas West. Thomas Cartwright. Silas D. Ilalscy. (( ti Alexander W. Davis. Addison Armstrong. Morgan L. Curtis. Bcnajah Tupper. tt n Zerah Curtis. (( it Thomas Cartwright. Elisha O. Jenning?. ti it Alfred B. Miner. li ti David P. Halsey. (( tt tt tt No record. Daniel E. Salisbury. Addison Armstrong, Charles J. Case. " " (}. R. Parker. " " And. J. Hempstead. ** *' Arthur C. MeCall. " " " *' ArthVB. Armstrong. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. Jeremiah II. Smith, Thomas Lowden, 1849 j John Remington, 1850; Ourdon Waterous, 1851; Charles Butler, 1852; Jeremiah R. Smith, 1853; James JI. GofT, 1854; Philander Williams, 1855; John Slack, 1856 ; Jeremiah R. Smith, 1857 : James M. Goflf, 1858: Alfred Ilallock, 1859; David P. Halsey, 1860 ; Jeremiah R.Smith, 1861; Gibson B. Shaw, John Slack, 1862; Alfred Ilal- lock, Chauncoy S. Marvin, 1863; John Slack, 1864; Alexander W. Davis, 1865; Chauncoy S.Marvin, 1S66 ; Alfred Hallock, 1867; John Slack, 1868; Alexander W. Davis, 1869. No record for the years from 1870 to 1873, inclusive. Hugh McCall, .Tohn Slack, Dennis Wolverton, 1874, 1875; David J. Mursc, 1876; Alexander W. Davis, Joseph P. Cook, 1877; Joseph P.Cook, John Slack, 1878. HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS. Gurdon G. Cook, John Remington, John Butler, 1841; Gurdon G. Cook, Alvah Brainard, Jeremiah R. Smith, 1842 ; (iurdon G. Cook, .^Ivah Brainard, 1843; Caleb S. Thompson, Alvah Brain- ard, James Van Valkenburg, 1844; Caleb S.Thompson, Xury Williams, Ira Dayton, 1845; Othniel Williams, James M. Goff, A. L. Ellsworth, 1846; Otbniel Williams, James M. Golf, A. L. Ellsworth, 1847; William Eames, James M. Golf, Othniel Wil- liams, 1S4S; Arthur L. Ellsworth, Othniel Williams, 1849; Joseph McFarlcn, 1850; Alfred Hallaek, 1851 : Xury Williams, 1853; Alfred HuUock, 1854; Isaac Schram, 1855 ; John Rem- ington, 1856; Alfred Hallock, 1857; Isaac Schram, 1858; Rus- sell Forsyth, 1859 ; Alvah Brainard, 1860; Isaac Schram, 1861 ; Russell Forsyth, IS62: Isa.ac Schram, 1864; Lucius King, 1865; fyr i V GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP. 245 Alvali Brainard, ISfifi; Isniic Schriiin, 1867 ; Benjamin Newman, 1S68; Alvah lirainarcl, 18G9. No records for the years from 1870 to 1873, inclusive. Jusejih P. Cook, 1874; Alvah Brainard, 1875-1878. CONSTABI,E.S. Asahcl King, Lucius King, 1819; Dudley S. Reed, Nicholas West, 1850; Nicholas West, Dudley S. Reed, 1S5I ; Alanson Burt, Asa- hoi Goff, 1853 ; Asahcl (ioff, John Case, 1854; Asel Goff, Lester II. Williams, 1855; James A. Rice, Lucius King, 185(); Charles A. Baker, Morgan L. Curtis, 1857; Benajah Tupper, Theodore J. Wells, George Kline, Asel Goff, 1858; Lucius King, Willard J. Lamb, Edward A. Sawyer, Asahel Collins, 1859; William J. Lamb, Orville Owens, Asel Goff, Horace Embury, 18C0; John J. Case. Asel Goff, ISfil ; Asel Goff, John J. C:u«e, Thos. Sheldon, 1862; Benajah Tupper, Lucius King. Orville Owens, 186.'! ; Benjamin Newmivn, Asel Goff, William II. Butts. 1664; Alfroil Bushaw, Benajah Tupper, Benjamin Newman, Robert Barnes, 1S65; Bena- jah Tupper, Benjamin Newman, Robert Barnes, 1866 ; Benjamin Newman, Benajah Tupper, Henry Kckley, Joseph Wakcman, 1867 ; Wing C. Eames, Benajah Tupper. Binjamin Newman, Eil- ward C. Waterous, ISfiS; Benajah Tupjier, Harrison Williams, Benjamin Newman, Daniel D. Howell, 1869. No records for the years 1870, 1871, 1ST2, 1873. William B. Evatt, Beuiijali Tapper, Benjamin Newman, Wing C. Eames, 1874; Benjamin Newman, Daniel D. Howell, Benajah Tupper, George Borden, 1875 ; Daniel D. Howell, Benjamin Newman, John Scott, Joseph Taylor, 1S7B; George W. Thompson, Arthur McCall, Benjamin Ncwmnn, Joa. A. Wakcman, 1877; Arlhur C. McCall, Benjamin Newman, John U. Cook, D. Freeman Kline, 1878. SCnOOL INSPECTORS. Joseph King, 1849; Edward Parsons, 1850; Julian Bishop, 1851; Jo.seph King, 1853; Edward Parsons, John Slack, 1854; Levi L. Way, 1855; Morgan L. Curtis, 1856; Edward Parsons, 1857; Henry C. Fairbank, 1858; Jacob L. Parsons, 1859; Henry C. Fairbank, I860; Morgan L. Curtis, 1861; Marcus D. Curtis, Henry C. Fairbank, 1862; Jacob L. Parsons, 1863; Henry C. Fairbank, 1864 ; Charles J. Cose, .Jacob L. Parsons, 1865 ; Darius II. Stone, 1866; Charles J. Case, 1867; Morgan L.Curtis, 1868; George R. Parker, 1869. No records for the years 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873. Edward D. Parsons, 1874; Jesse P. Dewey, 1875; Wing C. Eames, 1876; George S. Porter, 1877; Charles J. Case, 1878. The officers elected in April, 1879, were Oscar C. Bcals, Supervisor; Arthur C. McCall, Township Clerk; Arthur B. Armstrong, Tre;isurcr ; Darwin II. Forsyth, T. Porter McWain, Justices of the Peace ; Charles Baker, Jr., School Superintendent ; Charles J. Case, School Inspector ; Isaac Schraui, Highway Commissioner; George R. Shear, Drain Commissioner; Arthur C. McCall, George W. Thomp.son, G. F. Campbell, Freeman Kline, Constables. VILLAGES. The vilhige of Grand Blanc, a station on the line of the Flint and Pore Marquette Railw:iy, is situated seven miles southeast of the city of Flint. It contains two churches (Congregationalist and Methodist Episcopal), two stores of general merchandi.se, one drug-store, one agricultural im- plement store, one small steam grist-mill, post-office, school- house, several small mechanical shops, and about 250 inliabitants. Although it is the point where the Stevenses first settled in 1823, is situated on the old Saginaw road, and for many years was prominent in the history of Genesee County, its growth as a village dates only from the completion of tlic railroad in 1804. The post-office — Rufus W. Stevens, postmaster — was established in ]S2(i. lie opened his house to the public at about the same time. Previous to this, and for some years after, he sold goods to the Indians. The first regular store was opened by Robert F. Stage and Ira D. Wright in October, 1835. Thomas Irish and Daniel B. Wakefield were also early tavern-keepers here. The bond given by Irish, Jan. 5, 1835, is herewith appended : "You, Thomas Irish, do acknowledge to owe unto the United States of America the sum of fifty dollars ; and you, John Todd and Pbineas Thompson, do acknowledge to owe unto the United States of America the sum of twenty-five dollars each, to bo levied of your several goods and chattels, lands and tenements, upon condition that whereas the above-bounden Thomas Irish is adniilted to and allowed by this township-board to keep a tavern for the space of one year next ensuing, and no longer, in the house now occupied by the him, the said Irish, in the town of (irand Blank, and no other; now, there- fore, if the said Thomas Irish, during the time aforesaid, shall keep and maintain good order and rule, and shall suffer no disorder nor unlawful games to be used in his house, or in any of the dependencies thereof, antl shall not break any of the laws for the regulations of taverns, then this recognizance shall be void; otherwise, to remaia in full force and effect. This you do severally acknowledge. " Thomas Irish. " John Toon. " PniNKAs TnoMi'Soy. "GiiASD Blank, Jan. 5, 1835." Whigville, a small village of about 100 inh:ibitants, and known at various periods as Dlbhkville, Grand Blanc, and Glbsonville, is situated about one and one-half miles north- west of Grand Blanc Centre. It contains the church edifice of the Baptist Society, a school-house, and a few small shop.s. Here was erected the first sawmill in the county, by Row- land B. Perry, in 1828. At one jHTiod — during the life- time of Mr. C. D. W. Gibson — considerable business was done here. Stores, taverns, and busy shops existed. But since the completion of the railroad its trade has been trans- ferred to the centre. SCHOOLS. The first school-house — a small frame building — was erected by Edmund Perry, Sr., about 1830. It was sit- uated upon his own land, near the banks of a small stream, called the Big Run ; and Miss Surah Dayton, sister of Jonathan Dayton, taught the first school in this house. Mr. Edward Parsons, school inspector, presented the following account to the board of town auditors in April, 1842, which was allowed: " The town of Grand Blanc in account with Edward Parson.", as school inspector : 1842. Dr. Jan. 26. To visiting schools in the Fnrrar and Perry districts, an1 via SaratogJi, Johnstown, Sclicncctiid)', Uticii, Syracuse, and the usual route to Buffalo ; thence by the lake to Detroit. It was his inrention to stop at Toledo, and locate lands in Northern Ohio, or Southern Michigan. But the captain of the steamer for some re;ison would not make a landing at the latter city, and young McNicl, with others, came on to Detroit, lie then vi.sited Davisonvilie, and .soon after pur- chased the north half of .section 1 1. Returning to Detroit, lie horse-team was sold, and a yoke of Ohio steers sub- stituted in their stead. After building a shanty, some six feet sfjuare, which stood near his present barn, he began cutting down the forest, and cleaved a few acres of its primeval growth. His neighbors were two or three miles distant in either direction, wolves hovered about him each night, and as the Fourth of July came on, being of a social nature, he fully realized his lonely and uncomfortable position, especially as his mind wandered buck to the good old patriotic State of Vermont, and he viewed in thought the noisy celebration of the nation's birthday by his former friends and associates. Our young pioneer tiien determined to abandon the pur- suits of a life in the backwoods and return to the haunts of civilization. After placing his house in order and closing all modes of ingress, he proceeded to Judge Davison's resi- dence, and acquainted him with his determination. Judge Davison was an intensely practical man, a thorough pio- neer, and soon pointed out to young McNiol the benefits surely to arise by a continued, undeviating course in the path he had already marked out here. Judge Davison's counsels finally prevailed, coupled with the attractions of his daughter Sylvia, who was marned to Mr. McNiel in the fall of 1837. Mr. McNiel recalls the fact that he walked sixteen miles — to Lapeer — to obtain the marriage certificate. His brother, Charles McNiel, settled in the township in the fall of 1836, and another brother, David, in Grand Blanc, a few years later. John L. McNiel has occupied many prominent official positions in the gift of his political friends, which is mnie particularly referred to in an accompanying biographical sketch. Among the settlers of 1837 were Dr. Cyrus Baldwin, from Grand Blanc, the first resident physician ; Lewis Van Cleve; his .son, Lewis, Jr. ; Samuel Winsliip; Elias Ilocka- fellow, the first blacksmith and iron-fouiuler in the town- ship ; Fitch 11. Tracy, the first merchant; Samuel Walker, John K. Pearsons, from Canada ; William Goodrich, Moses Wisncr,* and Michael Bowers, — all from Cayuga Co., N. Y. Other settlers who became residents at about this time, or in years very soon thereafter, were Bradley Carlwright and Freeman Coolage, from Genesee Co., N. Y. ; John Van- tine, Erie Co., N. Y. ; Julius Barnes, who settled upon section 2; Amos H. Fisk, from Genesee Co., N. Y. ; Ste- phen Horton, William Surryhne, Moses Frost, William lloberts, Joseph Tyler, Edward Fortune, Albert Vantine, Charles Vantine, Jonathan Frost, Ephraim S. Frost, Ralph C. Atkins, Albert J. Bates, Ira G. Hootnn, Peter Vantine, Paul Li.seomb, James Vantine, .John Perritt, Mathew P. Thomas, Jacob II. Howe, Lsaac Carmer, Elijah Carmer, Oliver Palmer, who established the first woolen and cloth- ^ .Vrtcrwanlrt Governor of Miulii;;iiii. dressing works at Davisonvilie, Nathaniel Fairchild, Clark Hutehins, Hiram Masfield, and Marliu Davison, brother of Norman Davison. Many of these men, whose names have been but briefly mentioned, possessed an unwritten history which, if told in all its details, would rival the works of the most imagi- native author. But deaths and removals leave a blank which one who seeks to reproduce /ads cannot fill. Their places are now filled by others. The wilderness with which they once battled has given place to cultivated fields. Agriculture now spreads out its fields and lawns where the Indian pursued his game. Turnpikes and rail- roads are substituted for deer-paths and Indian trails, and the hum of the spindle and scream of the locomotive have taken the place of the yell of the panther and howl of the wolf. The following table gives the resident taxpayers in 1844, also the sections upon which taxes were assessed . Adams, Ebcr, 7, 8, 9. limpec, Ncheiniiih S., 18. Hnt,.'.S .Mbert J., .■!2. liurdi-n, .h.lin, 18, 19. Hurt, John C. Bird, John. Buzzcll, John, S. IJarnes, Julius, 2, 3. Bates, Ira, y>\. Blackall, William, 13. liuzzcll, Robert, :!1. Burden, James, 19. Blair, James, 22. Barnum, Charles M., 14. Brannock, Lyman II., 14, Britton, John, S.*), 36. Baldwin, Cyrus, 35, Blaek, Henry. Britton, William, 35. Britton, John (3d). Beardsley, F. D., 22. Barney, Daniel !>., 8, 10. Berry, Nathaniel M., 10. Brigham, John, 19, 22, 23. Carpenter, \Villiani, 21. Chadbourn, John, 7. Campbell, Charles S., 8. Coolage, Freeman, 14. Cummings, Lewis, 3. Carmer, Elijah, 30. Case, David, 8. Caldwell, James, 7. Davison, Marlin, 17. Davison, Paul 0., 8, 9, 22. Davison, D. C, 9. Dcmaree, David, 20, 27. Dcmaree, (Jarrett. Dancer, Elias, 27. Farj-ar, Asa, 18. Freneh, .Joseph L. Frost, Moses, 6. Frost, Jonathan, 24. Frost, Ephraim, 2.'!, 24. Fairchild, Nathaniel, 15. lioodrieh, Reuben, 22, 23. (joodrich, Enos, 22. (ioodrich, Miises, 15, 29. Ooodrich, John S., 15, 21, 22. Goodrich, Levi W., 9, 17,20, 21, 22, 27, 28. Goodrich, L. II., 29. Grow, Slillinan '!'., 24. tiriiUey, Barton, 17. llorloll, Ira J., 32, 33. IIoHinan, Henry, 1.3, IS. Hutehins, Clark, 18. lloleomb, Dani ATLAS TOWNSHIP. 255 1835, section 22: Levi H. Goodrich, Enos Goodrich, James McCrath, Ira Davenport, Smith Titus, Paul G. Davison, Levi Preston, Eliza S. Goodrich, Clinda Fay, Francis G. Macy. 1835, section 23: David Demaree, Ephraim S. Frost, Smith Titus, Poter Lane, James Kipp. 1836, section 24: Ephraim S. Frost, Peter Lane, Jona- than Frost. 183G, section 25 : Ira Davenport, E. Stone, A. B. Mer- rill, M. P. Thomas, Aaron D. P. Sackett, Hiram Husted, Peter Lane, Moses Wisner. 1835, section 26: David Dcuiareo, Daniel Swears, Man- ley Swears, Jacob Vantine, James Kipp, Charles Vantinc, Ira Davenport. 1835, section 27: David Demaree, Charles Vantinc, Ralph C. Atkins, Francis G. Macy. 1835, section 28 : Enos Goodrich, Albert Demaree, John Vantine, Charles Vantine, Eliza S. Goodrich, Francis G. Macy. 1835, section 29 : Levi W. Goodrich, John S. Goodrich, Aaron Goodrich, Francis G. Macy. 1836, section 30 : Charles Ilobson, Nelson McCarty, Phioeas Thompson, Edmund Perry, Jr., Francis G. Macy. 1833, section 31 : Noah Owen, Wallace Godfrey, Fran- cis G. Macy, Gerard Fitch, William Owen, Charles Hol- ton. 1834, section 32 : Ezra K. Parshall, Samuel T. Horton, Joseph R. Johnson, Albert J. Bates, Iluldah Bates, llos- wcll IIa.sford, Ira J. Horton, Daniel Powell. 1834, section 33: Samuel T. Horton, John Vantine, Peter Vantine, Charles Vantine, Joseph Jennings, Jr., Roswell Hasford. 1836, section 34: Hiram Fillmore, Harriet Conly, John Hassler, Paul Liscomb, Caleb Mills. 1836, section 35 : James Vantine, James Kipp, Stephen York, Daniel Swear.s, Jr., John Perritt, Cyrus Baldwin. 1836, section 36 : James Vantine, Ira Davenport, Matthew P. Thom;is, Jacob H. Hoover, Julia A. Webster, Isaac Carmer. CIVIL HISTORY. By an act of the State Legislature approved March 23, 183G, Atlas township was formed as follows: "All that portion of the county of Lapeer designated by the United States survey as township six, north of range number eight cast, and the south half of township number seven, north of range number eight east, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Atlas, and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at ' Davison's Mills,' in said town.ship." That portion which is now included in Davison township, viz., the south half of township seven, north of the same range, was set off to the former township in 1840. By an act of the Legislature approved March 9, 1843, Atlas, with other townships, viz., Davison, Richfield, and Forest, was detached from Lapeer and annexed to Genesee County. At the first township-meeting held in the township of Atlas, on the 4th day of April, A.D., 183G, Moses Good- rich was chosen moderator, and Ezra K. Parshall clerk of the day. There were 22 voters present, and the election for townshi]) officers resulted as follows : "Ezra K. Parshall, Supervisor ; Norman Davisnn, Township Clerk; John IJrighain, .\sa Karrar, James G. Horton, Assessors : James Lobban, Collector; Moses Gooilrieh, Aaron Brigham, Directors of the Poor; Moses Goodrich, Paul G. Davison, Asa Farrar, Com- missioners of Highways; James Lobban. Constable ; Oliver P. Davison, Levi W. Goodrich, Ezra K. Parshall, School Commia- eionurs for three years ; Norman Davison, Ezra K. Parshall, Moses Goodrich, Alexander Lobban, Justices of the Peace : Moses Goodrich, Oliver P. Davison, Alc.vaader Lobban, Samuel Lason, Fenco-Viewers ; Norman Davison, Pound-Keeper ; Road District No. 1 : Oliver P. Davison, Overseer ; Road District No. 2 : John Brigham, Overseer; Road District No. .3 ; Samuel Lason, Over- seer: Koad District No. 4 : Moses Goodrich, Overseer: Ezra K. Parsh:ill, Oliver P. Davison, James G. Horton, Paul G. Davison, Levi W. (looilrich, School Inspectors. " y^otatf That all fences be built of logs, poles, rails, and boards, and to be five feet high, and the spaces between the logs, jiole*, rails, or boards shall not exceed four inches, until it rises two feet abovo the ground, to constitute a lawful fence. " I'ofci/, That ten dollars be raised on tho taxable property of this township for tho purpose of purchasing blank books and stationery for the use of said township. *' Voted, That tho next annual township-meeting be held at Davi- son's Mills, in said township. (Signed) "MosK.s Goonnicii, jl/oi/fiuroi-. "EziiA K. Parshall, Gterk. " Norman Davison, Jiiatice of the Peace." The following is a list of the jurors selected May 4, 1839 : Daniel Hart well, Elias Iloekafellow, Oliver P. Davi- son, Moses Frost, Ira Bates, Ezra K. Parshall, James G. Horton, James Kipp, John Vantine, Lewis Mantor, Jacob H. Hoover, Charles Vantine, William Cai-peiiter, Levi Preston, Charles McNiel, Jr., John K. Pearsons, Neho- miah S. Burpee, Marlin Davison, Lewis Cummings, Ira J. Horton, A. A. Woodworth, Roswell Holoomb, John L. McNiel, Aaron Oldfield. The following wore chosen as jurors for 1840 : Ralph C. Atkins, John Anderson, Julius Barnes, Bradley Cartwright, Elias Dancer, Jonathan Frost, Nathaniel Fairchild, Enos Goodrich, Joseph Russell, Fitch R. Tracy, William Thomas, Jacob Thomas, Albert Vantine, John Chadbourn, Hiram Fillmore, Ephraim Frost, John S. Goodrich, Henry Hoff- man, Daniel Harding, Peter Lane, James Lobban, William Owen, William Surryhne, Manley Swears, James Vantinc, Lewis Van Cleve, Jr. TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. The principal township officers from 1836 to 1879, in- clusive, are as follows : Supervisors. Township Clerks. Collectors. IS.'Jfi. Ezra K. Parshall. Norman Davison. James Lobban. 1837. Enos Goodrich. Thomas Wilkes.® " " 18:',S. Ezra K. Parshall. F. R. Tracy. " " Treasurers. 1839. James ^Cipp. tt tt Elias Kockafellow.f 1840. (( it tt tt tt tt 1841. u tt it tt tt tt 1842. Fitch R. Tracy. James Lobban. ti it 1843. « n tt t( a n 1844. tt tt tt tt it It 1S45. James Kipp. Fitch U. Tracy, Reuben Goodrich. 1846. tt tf D. C. Davison. (( It * Eliai! Rockafollovr olootod in Novombor, 1337, to fill vacancy. f First treasurer. 256 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Siipervis-^rs. Township Clerks. 1847. James Kipp. E. G. Gale. 1S48. " ft tt 1849. Ueorge Kipp. tt tt 1850. (( it " " 1851. it ti " " 1852. tt (( George C. Bidwell. 1853. Elbridge G. Gale. Jesse Cram. 1854. George Kipp. Wm. H. Putnam. 1855. (t i< Wm. L. Barnum. 1856. tt tt tt tt 1S57. tt u John Algoe. 1858. William H. Putnam. Fred. G. Bailey. 1859. Hiram Adams. D. C. Davison. 1860. Elbridge G. Gale. Oscar H. Gallup. 1861. " " tt tt 1862. tc tt Jesse Eeles. 1863. George Kipp. tt tt 1864. tt It Wm. W. Lockwood 1865. It tt Isa,ac P. Iloberts. 1866. Elbridge G. Gale. Calvin Hyde. 1867. Thom;is Mathews A. W. Mattice. 1868. It tt Jesse Eeles. 1869. tt tt tt tt 1870. Wm. n. Putnam, Jr.David M. Scrivcr. 1871. u tt Eqos U. Goodrich. 1872. Jacob Bedtelyon. A. W. Mattice. 1873. tt tt F. C. Delano. 1874. Wm. H. Putnam, Jr. " 1875. Ja£ob Bedtelyon. Amos Dalby. 1876. tt It It tt 1877. tt tt it It 1878. Wm. n. Putnam, Jr. " 1879. Adrian P. Gale. ti tt Collectors. Reuben Gootlrich. (leorge Owen. Reuben Goodrich. Fitch R. Tracy. it ti Jacob H. Hoover. Elias Rockafellow. Jesse Eeles. Myron Bunnell. Jacob Vantine. B. Vantine. Daniel AV. Campbell. Calvin Hyde. tt tt Calvin Bunnell. Jamcf> R. Kipp. Isaac V. Roberts. Jacob H. Frost. (( ti Joseph Goodrich. (( a H. E. Rockafellow. Addison Bavis. Samuel Spicer. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. Norman Davison, Ezra K. Parshall, Moses Goodrich, Alexander Lob- b.-»n, 1836: James Kipp, 1837: &vmuel Wiuship, 1S3S: James G. llovton, 1S.!9; Fitch E. Tracy, 1840: James Kipp, 1841 ; John L. McNiel, 1842; Elias Rockafellow, 1843; Levi H. Goodrich, 1844; .James Vantine, 1845: John L. JIcNiel, Alanson L. Bar- num, 1846: Elias Rockafellow, 1847; George Kipp, 1848: Jesse Eeles, 1849; Charles Kipp, 1850; Alvah Bentlcy, 1851 ; James Kipp, 1852; Jesse Cram, John Vantine, 1853; Junius Sanford, David Royce, Levi Preston, 1854 ; Jesse Eeles, Ezra M. Crosby, 1855; William H. Putnam, Richard C. Satterlee, George Kipp, 1856 ; B. E. Rust, 1857 : Jesse Eeles, David Royce, 1858 ; Francis King, 1859: George Kipp, 1S60; Levi Gillett, Myron Bunnell, . Horace C. Tuttle, 1861; Bradley Cartwright, 1862; Horace C. Tuttle, Daniel L. Hartwell, 1863; Jacob C. Rose, Isaac P. Rob- erts, 1864; Levi Gillett, AVilliam Owen, 1865; Thomas Mathews, George Kipp, Samuel Larahee, 1866; Harrison Withee, 1867; John M. Withee, Samuel Larabee, 1868 ; Thomas Mathews, 1869- 70 : Samuel Larabee, Jacob Bedtelyon, 1871 ; William H. Putnam, Jr., 1872; Isaac P. Roberts, .\drian P. Gale, J.ames R. Kipp, 1873; Hezekiah R. Dewey, 1874; Adrian P. Gale, 1875; Roswell Preston, 1S76; Henry W. Brown, 1877; William H. Putnam, Jr., 1878; Adrian P. Gale, 1879. ASSESSORS. John Brigham, Asa Farrar, James G. Ilorton, 1836: John Vantine, John L. McNiel, Peter Lane, 1837: John Vantine, John L. Mc- Niel, Samuel Winship, 1S3S; John Vantine, James Lobb.an, Lewis Mantor, 1839 ; John Vantine, Daniel Hartwell, .John S. Goodrich, 1840 ; James G. Horton, D.aniel Hartwell, Daniel Harding, 1841. The supervisors have done the assessing since the latter date. COMMISSIONERS OF HIGHWAYS. Moses Goodrich, Paul 6. Davison, Asa Farrar, 1S36; John Hosier, Talford Powell, Moses Frost, 1837; Charles Vantine, John K. Pearsons, Asa Farrar, 183S; Ira Bales, John K. Pearsons, Arial A. Woodworth, 1S39; Ira Bates, Elias Dancer, Levi Preston, 1840; Ira Bates, James Vantine, Charles McNicl, Jr., 1841; Charles McNiel, Jr., James Vantine, William Owen, 1842; Ira Bates, Charles McXiel, Jr., James Vantine, 1843 ; Charles Mc- Niel, Ira Bates, Arial A. Woodworth, 1844; George 0. Mitchell, Paul G. Davison, Charles McNiel, Jr.^ 1845; William Owen, George C. Mitchell, Charles McNicl, 1846; Bradley Cartwright, William Owen, Samuel Wilson, 1847 ; John Vantine, Bradley Cartwright, William Owen, 1848; Phineas Thompson, 1849; Daniel D. Barney, 1850; George Hosier, 1851; John Vantine, 1852; Reuben Goodrich, 1853; James Hamilton, 1854; John Vantine, 1855; Barney Hammell, 1856; Jonathan Frost, 1857; Ira B. Gale, 1S58 ; William Owen, 1859 ; B.irney ILammell, 1850 ; Ira B. Gale, 1861; Roswell Preston, 1862: William L. Palmer, 1863 ; Ira B. Gale, 1864 ; Jacob Bedtelyon, 1865 ; Roswell Pres- ton. 1866; Jonathan Frost, 1867; Jacob Bedtelyon, 1868; Henry C. Sanford, Orrin R. Strong, Roswell Preston, 1869; Philip Jlothcrsill, 1870: Orrin Strong, Elijah A. Rockafellow, 1871; Jeremiah Marvin, 1872; Calvin Hyde, E. A. Rockafellow, 1873- 74: James R. Kipp, 1875; George Campbell, 1876-77; James Mancour, 1878; Robert T. Rockafellow, 1879. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. Oliver P. Davison. Levi W. Goodrich, Ezra K. Parshall, 1830: Cyrus Baldwin, Paul G. Davison, John S. Goodrich, 1837 ; Moses AVis- ner, Paul G. Davison, F. R. Tracy. 1838; Paul G. Davison, F. R. Tracy, Samuel C. Baldwin, 1839; Ezra K. P.'vrshall, John S. Goodrich, Paul G. Davison, 1840; Paul G. Davison, Ezra K. Parshall, James Lobban, 1841; Samuel C. Baldwin, Paul G. Davison, Fitch R. Tracy, 1842; Paul G. Davison, Henry C. San- ford, 1843; Albert L. Barnes, 1844; Paul G. Davison, 1845; William J. Lusk, 1846; George Kipp, Paul G.Davison, 1847; George Kipp, Paul G. Davison, 1848: Alvah Bentlcy, 1849; A. L. Barnes, 1850 ; Jasper Bcntley, 1851 ; A. L. Barnes, Samuel C. Baldwin, 1S52; Samuel C. Baldwin, 1853: Albert L. Barnes, James O'Donahue, 1854 ; Samuel H. Morris, 1855 ; Francis King, Wm. J. Lusk, 1856; Rich.ard C. Satterlee, 1857 ; Myron Bunnell, Wm. J. Lusk, 1858; Horace C. Tuttle, 1859; Ira Tuttle, Henry C. Crane, 1860; Myron Bunnell, 1801; Oscar H. Gallup, Wil- liam H. Putn.am, Jr., 1862; John K. Dunn, 1863; Oscar H. Gallup, 1864-65; Horace Dunning, 1865; Thomas Mathews, Horace H. Dunning, 1866-67; Thomas Mathews, 1868; Geo. Kipp, Philip Mothersill, 1869; Philip Mothersill, 1870; James R. Kipp, 1871; Daniel W. Campbell, 1872; Henry L. Hawes, James R. Kipp, 1873 ; Wm. Carpenter, Jr., 1874; C. I. Horton, 1875-76; George H. Cummings, 1877-78; Calvin Bunnell, 1879. CONSTABLES. James Lobban, 1836; George Hosier, James Lobban, 1837; George Hosier, James Lobban, 1838; George Hosier, Roswell Preston, 1839; George Hosier, Roswell Preston, 1840 ; John Britton (3d), Roswell Preston. 1841 ; George Hosier, John Vantine, 1842 : Wil- liam S. Farrar, John Britton (3d), George Hosier, 1843; George Hosier, David Case, 1844 ; Barney Hammell, George Hosier, 1845 ; George Hosier, Barney Hammell, Austin Macumber, Eber Adams, 1846 : George Owen, L. H. Brannock, 1847 ; John 0. Rockafellow, Jesse Eeles, 1848; John C. Rockafellow, Luman G. Husted, 1849; Austin Macumber, 0. Owen, 1850; Henry H. Sheldon, Austin Macumber, 1851; Samuel Larabee, John Buzzell, 1852: Simeon H. Hart, Austin Macumber, 1853; Samuel Larabee, Barney Hammell, 1854; Samuel Larabee, Lowell Roberts, 1855; Samuel Larabee, H. B. Falls, 1856; Samuel Larabee, Marvin Cummings, 1857; Walter P. Hyde, James Freeman, 1858; Samuel Larabee, Walter P. Hyde, 1859; Simeon H. Hart, Aaron Crego, 1860; Aaron Crego, Israel P.Witmcr, 1861 ; Aaron Crego, Walter P. Hyde, Calvin Hyde, AlbertN. Badgely, 1862 ; Aaron Crego, Calvin Hyde, Edward Hoard, E. 6. Gale, 1863; Aaron Crego, Edward Hoard, Orlando Caswell, Harrison Withee, 1864; Edward Hoard, Aaron Crego, Adrian P. Gale, Roswell Preston, 1865; Edward Hoard, Walter P. Hyde, 1866; Edward Hoard, Daniel W. Campbell, Harrison Withee, Roswell Preston, 1867; Edward Hoard, Ros- well Preston, 1868 ; William Lewis, Roswell Preston, Aaron Crego, John Joy. 1869; Edward Hoard, Roswell Preston, AValter P. Hyde, Orlando Caswell, 1870: Edward Hoard, Roswell Pres- ton, 1871; Edward Hoard, Geo. W. Endcrs, 1872; George W. Endcrs, Ira Howard, 1873; Hendy Hart, Robert Wood, 1874; Henry E. Rockafellow, Addison Davis, 1875; Orlando Caswell, ATLAS TOWNSHIP. 257 Henry E. Rocknfolluir, 1876 : Hyron Burt, Ilcnry E. Rockafcllow, Orlamlo Oiiswcll, )S7"; Henry E. Rnekarclloiv, William A. MfOnn.llish. 1S7S ; Henry E. Itookiifellow, Orlando Caswell, Georgo W. Endcrs, AVilliam Cari>cnler, Jr., 1S79. VILLAGES. The village of Goodrich* is situated upon the Kearsley River, and occupies a central position in the township. It is sixteen miles southeast from the citj- of Flint, and con- tains three churches, — Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, and Froe-M'ili Baptist, — one hotel, one saw-mill, one flour- ing-mill, lour stores of general merchandise, one union graded school, a post-office which receives a daily mail, many small mechaniciil shops, and about 450 inhabitants. The first land entered upon its site was by Levi II. and Euos Goodrich, in November, 1835. The mill-site, includ- ing a tract of 40 acres, was entered in the name of Enos Goodrich. In October, 1836, he underbrushed about one-quarter of an acre, and built a house of poplar logs 18 by 30 feet in size, which stood east of the Kearsley Creek, and about two hundred feet south of where the Congregational church now stands. The first framed building was erected in De- cember of the same year, and was placed upon the southeast corner of Main and Clarence Streets, direct!}' opposite the present brick store, and across Clarence Street, east from Bushaw's Hotel. Small as it was, it fulfilled a variety of useful purpo.ses, chief among which was a general store and the site of the " Goodrich Bank," an institution that honorably redeemed its circulation, and procured the full discharge of its securities from the auditor-general. The nest building erected in the village was the saw-mill, which was framed during the winter of 1836 and 1837, raised in March, and commenced to cut lumber iu the month of April of the latter jear. Nathaniel Fairchild came from Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y., and built and established the first blacksmith-shop in the fall of 1S37. The first framed dwelling — a small one-story structure — was built by Enos Goodrich, with his own hands, in the summer of 1838. It is still standing, and constitutes a part of the house in which the late William H. Putnam lived and died. The grist- and flouring-mill, known as the " Goodrich Mill,'' was built by the Goodrich Brothers in the year 1844. It was commenced in the spring of that j'car, but did not commence grinding grkts until the fall or winter, and was not finished for merchant work until the following year. The entire cost of the mill and dam, with raceway and other fixtures, was S8500. The brick store, the first brick structure in the village, was built about 1852. The post-office was first established in January, 1846, Enos Goodrich, postmaster. His commission was signed by Cave Johnson, Postmaster-General, appointment made Jan. 13, 1846, commission dated Feb. 21, 184G. It was first known as the Alias post-office, but was changed to the name of "Goodrich" — its present title — March 1, 1849. Lucius P. Atkins, who now resides in Bay City, was the L .~( mail-contractor, and be agreed to carry the mails from * Historical data derived (mm Hon. Enos Qoodrich. 33 Stony Run, in Oakland County, for the proceeds of the office, not exceeding 812 a quarter. The fii-st tavern was built and controlled by a Jlr. Has- kins, about the year 1846. Hon. E. H. Thomson, the first attorney, and at present a prominent lawyer in the city of Flint, first settled here in 1837. DAVISONVILLE, known as Atlas Post-Office, — the oldest village settlement in the township, — is situated on the Kearsley River, about three miles northwest from Goodrich. It contains two churches, — Baptist and Methodist Episcopal, — one flour- ing-mill, one saw-mill, one plaster-mill, one plow-foundry, one store of general merchandise, post-office, district school, a few small shops, and about 125 iuhabitant.s. The first settlers in its vicinity were Judge Davison and his family, who settled here in 1831. Here were located the first mills, workshops, post-office, schools, and merchants in the township. Elias Rockafcllow established the blacksmith-shop in 1837, and began casting plow-points and other necessary iron castings very soon thereafter. Fitch R. Tracy began the mercantile business at about the same time (1838). Norman Davison was appointed postmaster in March, 1837, and, it is believed, was in partnership with Tracy in the store. Oliver Palmer first began wool-carding and stock-dressing here about 1841. William Thomas opened the first tavern, in 1840. SCHOOLS. The earliest school of which we have any record, and very prob.ably the first, was Uiught by Miss Sarah Barnes, a daughter of Junius, in 1837. The building occupied was a lean-to, adjoining Davison's saw-miil, which had been erected as the dwelling-place for Lewis Mantor, saw- yer for, and son-in-law of, Judge Davison. Mr. Mantor 's wife, Sarah, died in 1836, the fii-st adult to depart this life in the township. Mr. Mantor, becoming discouraged with his prospects here in the wilderness, returned to New York, and subsequently his house was used as a school-room. The following are the school statistics for the year end- ing Sept. 2, 1878, as compiled from school inspectors' annual report: Number of whole districts, 6 ; number of fractional districts. 4. Number of children in the township of school age, 378 ; number of children attending school during the year, 354. Number of frame school-houses, 10. Seating capacity of school-houses, 513. Value of school property, S7203. Jlale teachers employed during the year, 3 ; female, 15. Months taught by male teachers, 18; months taught by female teachei-s, 70. Paid male teachers, SD60 ; paid female teachere, S1137.72 ; total, S2097.72. Jicceipts. — From moneys on hand Sept. 3, 1877, two- mill tax, primary-school fund, tuition of non-resident scholars, district taxes, and from all other sources, §3913.73. Expendllitris. — Paid teachere' wages, §2097.72 ; for building and repairs, on bonded indebtedness, and for all other purposes, §1313.05 ; amount on hand Sept. 2, 1878, §502.96; total, §3913.73. Total indebtedness of the dbtricts, §758.33. 258 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. The Methodists were the first to hold religious meetings in the township. As early as 1S3G their circuit preachers traversed this region, and held meetings in Judge Davison's house and the school-house, but no record of their names or the proceedings of these early meetings have been pre- served. THE ATLAS BAPTIST CUURCH. On the 2d day of April, 1S43, several members of the Baptist denomination, who resided in Atlas township, met at the house of Ebcr Adams and resolved, '• That as there is no church of our faith or order that we can conveniently unite with, and the moral destitution being very great, therefore, under these circumstances, after frequent consul- tations and prayerful deliberations, we deem it our duty to maintain the worship of God in this place, and that we do now band ourselves together for this purpose, and covenant with each other to observe the Sabbath, and constantly meet together to pray, speak, and sing of His goodness, every Sabbath, and oftener, as occasion may require. That it is our duty to raise the standard of the cross, to main- tain the preaching of the word and the administration of the ordinances as delivered by the great Head of the church, and that freely relying on His grace and promises, in His strength and through His assistance, we will thus do." The church thus formed consisted of six members, — two males and four females. Ebcr Adams was chairman of the meeting, and C. P. Jacobs clerk. April 15th of the same year the little church was recog- nized by a council, at which the churches of Hisrhland, Grand Blanc, Athertons, and Hadley were represented. The following-named ministers took part in the services of the daj', — Elders Jones, Potter, Grow, and Boothe. At this time the church had no minister, and the records are silent as to occasional preaching. The early meetinas were held in school-houses, and frequently in the dwelling-houses of members. In July, 1S43, a letter was received from the Hadley Church, signed bj' IS members, — apparently the whole church, — requesting to be received as a branch of the Atlas Church. The request was granted on certain conditions, which are not stated in the records. This union continued until April, 1S4S, when the Hadley Church, by its own wish, again became an independent body. In IS53 the members resolved to build a church edifice. This was completed under the ministrj- of Elder Fuller, in 1S55, and cost about §3500. A parsonage was erected in 1SG7, at a cost, including site, of §2000. The following minis- ters have labored with this church, the dates given being the time of their respective settlements : A. K. Tupper, 1844; Daniel Andereon, 1847; A. Stark, 1S49 ; I. H. Facer, 1850; W. Purdy, 1851; S. Goodman, 1852; W. H. Fuller, 1854 ; W. G. Wisner, 1856 ; S. Wilkins, 1860 ; I. C. Atherton, 1862; E.J. Bennett, 1865; B. Freeman, 1870; I. C. Atherton, 1871; B. Freeman, 1872; D. B. Miller, 1873; A. H. Wilkinson, 1S75; A. G. Cameron, present pastor, 1878. The church edifice is situated in the village of Davison- villc, and has sittings for about 300 people. Present mem- bership, 47 ; scholars in Sabbath-school, CO. Mr. John Macumber, superintendent of Sunday-school. Tiie deacons of the church have been Messrs. Ebcr Adams, Ira J. Hor- ton, Oliver Palmer, John Bainbridge, Oscar H, Gallup, and B, E. Rust. Messrs, Horton and Rust are the present incumbents. FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, In 1844, a class of some 10 or 12 members was formed in the village of Goodrich, Among them were John Thomas and wife, Jonathan Frost and wife, and John Withee and wife. The first meetings were held in the vil- lage school-house, and were continued there until 1852, when the present church edifice was completed, at a cost of S3000. The site, containing one acre, was donated by a non-resident, a Quaker by the name of Hussey. Among the early ministers were Revs. William Blades, Hem- ingway, and Israel Cogshall. Present membership, 50. Rev. C. R. Church, present pastor. The church building is situated in the village of Goodrich, and has sittings for about 300 persous. SECOND METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. This society was organized in the fall of 1849, in the school-house, village of Davisonville, Rev. Israel Cogshall presiding. Among the first members were John Buzzell and wife, Mrs. Jane Joy, Mrs. Lucia Selleek, Levi Gillett and his wife, Eliza M. This organization now forms part of the Goodrich circuit. The following is an incomplete list of tho.se ministei-s who have labored with this church since Mr. Cogshall : B. F. Pritchard, X, H, Brown, Thomas Wakeland, John Livingston, Belknap, Thomas Seeley, Isaac Crawford, Wesley Hagadorn, • Hascall, Bancroft, B. H. Hedger, H, W, Hieks, S. J. Brown, W. J. Jolinston, Wm. Birdsall, Ramsdall, Lyon, J. W. Crippen, Hood, J. B. Varnum, Steer, and C. R. Church, present pastor, A church edifice, situated in the village of Davisonville, was commenced in 1870 and completed and dedicated Aug. 1, 1872. Rev. William Fox preached the dedicatory sermon. Rev, William Bird- sall being the p.istor in charge. It has sittings for 300 people, and cost about S3000. The site upon which it is located was donated for church purposes by Judge Norman Davison, many years previously. Present membership, 12. FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH. This society was organized in Hadley township, Lapeer Countj', about forty years ago. The firet meetings were held in the Davenport school-house. In later years the Brigham and Pierson school-houses were occupied as places of worship. The first membership was composed entirely of people residing in Lapeer County, but at the present time a large majority arc residents of Genesee County. Their church edifice, a brick structure, is situated in the village of Goodrich, and was completed in 1867, at a cost of S4500. It has sittings for 300 persons. Among those ministers who have at various periods assumed the pastor- ate of this church are mentioned Elders Kingsbury, Good- rich, Jones, Williams, Shaw, Mills, Westgate, Howard, McElroy, Spencer, and N. H. Farr, the present pastor. Present membership of the society, 45 ; scholars in the RESIDENCE & FARM -OF-LEWIS fi/(ED 'ROM THE WEST. RY, Atlas, LrruntLaLL ouunir, Michigan. ATLAS TOWNSHIP. 259 Sabbntli-scliool, 110. E. E. Stimson, superintendent of Suuday-scliuol. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. During the summer of 1854, a number of persons rosid- injr in the village of Goodrich and its immediate vicinity, feeling disposed to unite for purposes of "worship under the Congregational form of church government, began a corre- spondence with llcv. Henry Bates, of Middlebury, Ohio, with a view of securing his services as a pastor. This re- sulted in the coming of Mr. Bates, and he began his labors in the village of Goodrich, October 1st of tlie same year. A meeting was held at the house of Reuben Goodrich, Jan. 25. 1855, at which it was resolved that a regular organiza- tion should be effected. At an adjourned meeting, held Feb. 2, 1855, a committee consisting of Rev. Henry Bates, Dr. J. Eastman, and J. W. Campbell was appointed to take the necessary steps to effect a regular organization, to prepare articles of faith, covenant, and by-laws. At an ecclesiastical meeting held in the church edifice of the Methodist Episcopal society, in the village of Goodrich, Feb. 28, 1855, composed of ministers and delegates from Detroit, Owasso, Pontiac, Romeo, Campbell's Corners, Utica, and Canandaigua Churches, Rev. H. Fletcher was chosen moderator. Rev. H. R. Kurd scribe, and the or- ganization of this church regularly effected. The members of this first organization were as follows : Henry Bates, Cyrus Baldwin, Samuel Baldwin, John W. Campbell, Jo- seph Eastman, William Saunders, George Hosier, S. Hall Morris, Keziah Bates, Susanna Baldwin, Lucy Baldwin, Eliza Campbell, Nancy Eastman, Ann McAllister, Electa Hosier, Mary Saunders, Lorinda Pratt, Hannah Cram, Mary Hoover, Eliza Goodrich, Martha Cram, Hannah Ferris, Margaret Woodworth. March ?>, 1855, John W. Campbell was elected deacon, and Joseph Eastman clerk of the society. A church edifice, costing about S3000, was completed in the fall of 1858. Rev. Herbert Read delivered the dedicatory address. The following pastors have succeeded Mr. Bates in the care of this church, viz. : Revs. Alonzo Sanderson, D. B. Camp- bell, A. M. Ashley, A. Blanchard, Alonzo Sanderson, and H. K. Crane. Present membership, 36. In the preparation of the history of Atlas township we have been ably assisted by information derived from the Hon. Enos Goodrich, Hon. John L. McNiel, Mrs. J. L. JIcNeil, Messrs. Moses Goodrich, Wm. Carpenter, Hiram Ilusted, Adam Brigham, J. W. Campbell, Samuel Lason, Morgan Davison, B. E, Rust, Mrs. E. M. Gillett. and many others, to all of whom we desire to return our sincere thanks for their uniform courtesy and kindness. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. LEWIS 0. MEDBURY. The ancestors of Mr. Medbury were early settlers in Rhode Island, and of English extraction. Charles Med- bury emigrated to New York while a young man, and settled at New Berlin, Chenango Co., where he married Miss Lucretia Arnold ; he reared a family of ten children. He was engaged nearly all his life in the mercantile busi- ness; served as .sheriff, and held numerous offices in his town and county. He died at the age of seventy-nine years. Samuel, his eldest son, was born at New Berlin, in 1808. He was reared and educated to the mercantile business, which he followed with success, at New Berlin, up to the year 1857. In 1830 he married Miss Lucretia R. Moss, of the same town. In 1857 he moved with his family to Detroit. He had previously become largely interested in several business enterprises in Michigan, such as banking, railroads, etc. Mr. Medbury came to Detroit shortly after the panic of 1857, and, in connection with his two brothers-in-law, took charge of and managed the Peninsular Bank, in which they were heavy stockholders. After three years they disposed of their stock to other parties, and Mr. Medbury sub- sequently became prominent in the organization of the State Bank of Michigan, the forerunner of the present First National Bank of Michigan. He was also for several years a special partner of K. C. Barker & Co., in the tobacco trade; he finally disposed of his interest in the latter firm, after which he gave his attention almost entirely to real estate, of which he was a large owner, embracing city prop- erty, pine-lands, and farms in various portions of Michigan and other States. His death occurred on the lOtli day of July, 1874, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. He left his widow and two children the memory of an unblemished character, the example of a moral and virtuous life, and a competency of this world's goods. Esther A., the daughter, resides with her mother at the old home-residence on Woodward Avenue, in the city of Detroit. Lewis 0., the son, was born at the old home of the family, in New Berlin, July 9, 1837. His boyhood days were pa.ssed in the schools, until the family came to Detroit, when he was employed in the Peninsular Bank ; after which he was engaged in the lumber business in Sanilac County for four years, and the ensuing five years in the firm of K. C. Barker & Co., in the tobacco business. In 1873 he purchased, in the town of Atlas, Genesee Co., what was known as the old Gould Davison farm, consisting of about three hundred acres, to which he has since added about ninety acres. Since his father's decease he has been en- gaged in improving and managing the farm in Atlas, and in looking after the interests of the estate. On the 19th day of July, 1866, he was united in mar- riage to Mi.ss Mary E. Sherwood, of Union City, Pa. Mr. Medbury has, since his residence in Atlas, made extensive improvements on liis farm, in fencing, farm-buildings, tenant- hou.scs, residence, etc. It ranks, in all its appointments, as one of the finest in the county. His residence has all the modern improvements, furnaces, gas, and every convenience. Mr. Medbury and his esteemed wife are the parents of five children, — two sons and three daughters, — named Lucy R., Truman M., Samuel, Julia L., and Mary R., all at home with the parents. The reader may find elsewhere in the pages of this work a fine view of the farm-home of Mr. Medbury in Genesee County. 260 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. STEPHEN JORDAN. Tlie ancestors of this gentleman were natives of Surry, England. John Jordan, the father of our subject, was born in 1791, on the same farm on which his father be- fore him lived all his life. He was reared and educated a farmer, and at the age of thirty years married Ann Brooker, of the same place. She became the mother of eight chil- dren, viz. : Mary, Caleb, John, James, Stephen, William, Ann, and Loui.se. Of these all are living at this time ex- cept John, who died in the twentieth year of his age. Mrs. Ann Jordan died in 1835. The year after his wife's death, Mr. Jordan decided to emigrate to the United States, where he could better provide homes for himself and motherless children. Accordingly, in March, 1837, he embarked with his children for New York City, where they arrived after a six weeks' voyage. He went to Orleans County, N. Y., where he remained until the spring of 1839, when he re- moved to JMichigan, and settled at Grand Blane. Soon afterwards he broke up housekeeping, and placed the chil- dren in diiferent families for homes ; three years later they were again united as a family under the charge of Caleb, the eldest of the children. From that time onward, until his death, John Jordan made his home with his children. His death occurred in January, 1878, aged eighty-six years. Stephen Jordan was born at the old Surry home, in Eng- land, on the 24th day of February, 1829. He was about ten years of age when the family came to Michigan, and the young lad was only twelve years old when he went to live with Charles Bates, an old settler of Grand Blanc. He remained with Mr. Bates until he was twenty-one years of age, attending the schools in the winter, and working on the farm in the summer season. On becoming of age he received from Sir. Bates one hundred and twenty dollars ; after which time he worked for Mr. Bates six months, and with his brother Caleb about a year, when he was seized with the " gold fever." He went by the Nicaragua route to California, arriving there in June, 1852. He went to Coloma, where his brother James was already located. With his brother and Esquire Davis, of Grand Blanc, he engaged in mining, in the placer and ravine diggings, with the "Long Tom" of early mining days in that country. For four years he followed mining, and then returned to Michigan, where he purchased his pre.sent farm, in the town of Atlas, Genesee Co. His first purchase was one hundred and fifty acres, but he has increased it since by another purchase of one hundred and seventy acres. He next sought and obtained the hand of Miss Emily A. Perry, with whom he had been acquainted since boy- hood. They were married Feb. 2-1, 1857. Mrs. Emily Jordan is the daughter of Simeon and Sarah Perry, and one of a family of six children, whose names are Isabel, Emily A., Mary, Joseph, Mary (2d), and Esther. Mrs. Jordan's parents came to Michigan among the first settlers of Genesee County. Simeon Perry came to the Territory with his father in 1827, and afterwards returned to New York and married Miss Sarah Cartwright, of Genesee County, N. Y. He has resided ever since on his farm in Grand Blanc. His wife died Sept. 17, 1876, in the seventy-second year of her age. Mr. Jordan and his esteemed wife are the parents of six children, named as follows : Mary K., Frank P., Jennie E., Louie A., Charles S., and Belle C, all living at home with their parents, except Mary, who died Feb. 21, 1877, aged eighteen years. Mr. Jordan is the owner of a valuable and fertile farm, beautifully situated and well adapted to the production of all the grains and fruit for which his locality is so widely celebrated. The portraits of this worthy couple, with a view of their farm-homo, may be found on another page. EDGAR E. STIMSON is the descendant of an old New England family. Robert Slimson and his family emigrated from Massachusetts about 1797, and settled on a new farm in West Bloomfield, Ontario Co., N. Y., where they remained until old age, when they went to Ohio and resided with their son, Robert, until their deaths. They were the parents of eleven chil- dren, — Robert, Rebecca, Sutley B., Nancy, Harriet, Betsey, Emily, Catharine, Mary Ann, Sarah, and Martha. S. B. Stimson 'was born Nov. 7, 1800, at West Bloom- field, N. Y. From boyhood he was a natural mechanic, and he became a carpenter and builder, which occupation he followed all his life. In 1822, on January 1st, he mar- ried Polly Earl, of Mendon. She was born March 30, 1800, and became the mother of six children, named Morris M., Charlotte T., Edgar E., Fancher, Jane, and Harriet H., — all of whom are living except Harriet, who died in childhood. Mrs. Polly Stimson died at the age of thirty-two years, Feb. 23, 1832. On the 28th day of April, 1S3G, Mr. Slimson married Olive Mansfield, of Mendon, by whom he had two children, — Warren and Robert E. His second wife died Oct. 8, 1851. Dec. 2, 1852, he married his third wife, Mrs. Cynthia Herrick, of West Bloomfield ; there were no children by the latter marriage. In 1859 the old gentleman emigrated to Kan- sas, where he lived for the ensuing eighteen years; his wife died in 1876, and about the same time he had a stroke of paralysis. His son Edgar brought him to his home in Michigan to reside with the children. He died at the home of his son Morris, in Kalamazoo, in May, 1877, at the age of seventy-seven years. Edgar E. Stimson was born at West Bloomfield, N. Y., Sept. 6, 1826. He lost his mother before he was six years old ; for two years after this event he had a home with Abel H. Peck, after which he remained with his father until he was seventeen years of age, when he went out into the world to do for himself. He worked at farm labor in the summer seasons and went to school in the winter; at the age of twenty he commenced teaching school, which he followed for several winters. He then, in company with liis father, bought a grist-mill and farm at West Bloomfield, and carried on milling and farming for several years. He subscqucntl}' exchanged his interest in that property for a new farm in the town of Waterford, Oakland Co., Mich. E. E. Stimson. — ' ' '-' " 4 t '"^pw ^^ feffiflpKai ^^* dH-- iff^y^^^^ E ^^^ ^ 1^ '1& 'Tlv ^- RESIDENCE OF E.E HiSL. MRS.E. E-Stimson. ON .ATLAS. Michigan. ATLAS TOWNSHIP. 261 He married Jliss Frances C. French, of West Bloom- field, N. Y., on the 11th day of April, 1854. Soon after his marriage he removed to Michigan, settled on his new farm, built a shanty, and commenced clearing and improv- ing his land. In 1805 he sold off his personal property and worked at the milling business in Ortonville ; soon after he sold his farm in Oakland, and purchased a farm of one hundred acres in the town of Atlas, Genesee Co., to which he has since added fifty-two acres, and has made extensive improvements in the farm-buildings, etc. Mrs. Frances C. Stimson, who is a remarkably intelligent and agreeable lady, was born at East Bloomfield, N. Y., on the 19th day of July, 1829; she was the daughter of John B. and Betsey French, old residents of the last- named place. She was one of eight children, namely, — Alexander H., Timothy D., John B , Marcia J., Reuben E., Mary M., Frances C, and Helen M. Her family were originally natives of New England, and settled in Western New York at an early day. Mr. Stimson and his wife are members of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and take an active interest in the advance- ment of the Gospel, and all enterprises for the upbuilding of society. They are both deservedly esteemed for their Christian and social qualities. They are the parents of five children, viz. : May V., Hattie L., Celia A., Frank E., and Lizzie J., all of whom are at home with the parents, except Hattie, who is the wife of Henry Brigham, and resides on the old farm-home of that family in Lapeer Co., Mich. On another page of this work may be found a view of the farm-home of this worthy family, with the portraits of the owners. THE McNEIL FAMILY. The ancestors of this family were of Scotch and Welsh nativity, descendants of whom settled in New England at an early date. Charles McNeil was a native of Vermont, educated and reared a farmer. Ho married Jerusha Ly- man, daughter of Maj. Lyman, of Vergennes, who was a soldier in the war of 1812, and received his death-wound at the battle of Piattsburg. Charles McNeil came into possession of the old home-farm of his father, on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, at Charlotte. The farm con.sisted of five hundred acres, on which he resided all his life. He also owned the ferry between Charlotte and Essex, across the lake. He reared a family of fifteen children, named as follows : Frances, Mary E., Nancy H., Laura L., John L., Charles, . David, James B., Charlotte, Henry, Jane, George, Ellen, William, and Julia. Of this large family eleven are still living. Charles died in 1860, at the age of seventy-nine years, and his widow attained to the same age, her decease occurring in 18G4. John L. McNeil, the eldest son, was born at Charlotte, Oct. 10, 1813. His boyhood was pa.sscd in attending the common sciiools and in farm-labor until he was (wenty-une, when he worked for his father a few months (at five dollare per month), and for the nextyear took charge of his father's hotel in Charlotte. In 1836 he concluded to go West and select a lojation for his future home. On the 2d day uf May, of that year, he started with a light, covered wagon, in which he carried some extra clothing, provisions, a couple of log-chains, an axe, a set of drag-teeth, and various other tools. He came by way of Saratoga, Johnstown, Auburn, and Geneva to Buffalo, where he shijjped his team and wagon for Toledo. On account of storms they did not land at Toledo, but came on to Detroit, when, hearing ill accounts of the Toledo country, he decided to settle in Michigan. He followed the old Saginaw road into the wilderness of Lapeer County ; selected and bought of the government three hundred and twenty acres in the township of Atlas, in the present county of Genesee, about sixteen miles southeast of the city of Flint. He then sold his horses and wagon, bought a yoke of oxen, built a small log house which he covered with elm-bark, and moved in and kept house, as happy as a king. About a year later he erected a commodious log house, in which he and his bro- ther Charles kept bachelor's hall until the fall of 1837, when he married Mi.ss Sylvia Davison. He went sixteen miles on foot to obtain the neccs.sary license of the county clerk. They were united on the 2Gth day of October, 1837. From that time he was busily engaged in clearing and improving his land, and in erecting suitable farm-buildings. In 1838 he was elected one of the assessors of Atlas, and two years later justice of the peace, which latter position he filled for the ensuing eight years. In 1848 he was elected a repre- sentative to the State Legislature. In all of these positions he served the public in a satisfactory manner. For the last forty-two years he has been a zealous adherent of, and active worker in, the Democratic party. Mr. McNeil has become widely known as a fine stock farmer, making wool-growing a specialty, and has done much towards the introduction and improvement of the fine wool varieties in his locality. John L. McNeil and his excellent wife are the parents of three children. Charles, the eldest, died in infancy ; Mary J. and Lyman are unmarried, and reside at home with their parents. Mr. McNeil is a man in whom the community have unbounded confidence, — shrewd and cau- tious in his business ventures, plain and unassuming in his manners, courteous and affable in his intercourse, and hon- orable in his dealings. He has never in the course of a long and active life had a suit at law. The ancestors of Mrs. Sylvia McNeil were also natives of New England and of Scotch descent. Paul Davison, the paternal grandfather, emigrated to Western New York, and settled on a farm at Lima, in Livingston County. He reared a family of seven children, — three sons and four daughters. Norman, the eldest child, was born in 1786; was reared a farmer, and also became a carpenter. Nov. 9, 1806, he married Huldah Brown. After his marriage he carried on farming for several years in various places in Monroe and Livingston Counties. In the spring of 1831 he and his two eldest sons made a trip to the Territory of Michigan in quest of a location for their future home. They came to Detroit, and thence followed the old Saginaw trail into the wilds of Lapeer. They selected and bought a government lot at the place now known as Davisonville, in the township of Atlas, now Genesee County. His was the second entry of land in Lapeer County. He erected a twostory frame house, which was the second house built in 262 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Atlas. In the foil of that year he returned to New York, and moved his family to their new home in the wilderness. To the west of them their nearest neighbor was two and a half miles distant, and in the opposite direction none nearer than Port Huron. His family consisted of his wife and ten children,— viz., Sarah G., Paul G., Oliver P., Sylvia, George A., Henry P., Dewitt C, Benjamin F., Jane A., and Mary F. Mr. Davison was in the early and pioneer days of Mich- igan a man of much influence and consideration, and under the Territorial laws was made judge of the courts by Gov- ernor Mason. He also served as supervisor and as magis- trate of his town. He died in 18il at the age of fifty-five, and his widow in 1848 at the age of sixty-two years. Their fourth child, Mrs. Sylvia McNeil, was born at Lima, Livingston Co., N. Y., March 28, 1812. She re- ceived the wholesome lessons and practical education of a farmer's daughter, and possessed with it the vigorous con- stitution and robust habits common to the atmosphere of farm-life. She was about nineteen years of age when the family emigrated to the wild woods home in Michigan, and she retains to-day a vivid remembrance of their early pioneer life, — of the days when the forests were alive with deer, wolves, and bears. She has always been an active, industrious housewife, and has nobly performed her full share of life's duties. She enjoys the respect and esteem of all her acquaintances, and the love and reverence of her children. On another page of this work may bo found the portraits and a view of the home of this old pioneer couple. DAVID MCNEIL was born at the old home, on Lake Champlain, April 21, 1816. He was also reared on the farm, attending school in his boyhood in alternation with farm labor. He remained with his father until he was twenty-three years old, when (in 1839) he came West. Soon after his arrival in Slich- igan he purchased at second-hand one hundred and sixty acres of wild land in the township of Grand Blanc, Genesee Co. He next built a log shanty, and therein kept bach- elor's hall for three years ; worked the while on his new farm, clearing off the timber, etc. During this time he made the acquaintance of Miss Jane A. Davison, the third daughter of Judge Davison, of Atlas. They were united in marriage on the 1st day of January, 1814. He then erected a more commodious log house, into which they moved. In a few years, by incessant toil and good management, Mr. McNeil had- become a well-to-do farmer, and one of the " .solid" men of the county, known and esteemed by a large circle of friends and acquaintances for his many good qualities as a citizen and neighbor. David McNeil and his wife have been blessed with four children. Ellen J., the eldest, is the wife of Sherman Townsend, and resides in Ionia ; Norman J. is married, and owns and resides on his farm adjoining that of his father; George D. and Arthur G. are young men, and reside at home with the parents, assisting in carrying on the old home-farm, which embraces two hundred and forty acres of fertile land, well adapted to all kinds of grain and fruit. On anollier page will be scon a line view of the farm- home, accompanied by the portraits of David McNeil and his excellent wife. JONATHAN FROST. Among the early settlers of Atlas town.ship there was no one who did more to advance the growth and prosperity of his township than he whose name heads this sketch. Jon- athan Frost was born in South Bristol township, Ontario Co., N. Y., Dec. 25, 1817. His father, dying when he was quite young, left him to find a home as best he could. For a time he lived around among his relatives, but finally made his home with his uncle, Col. Hawes, with whom ho lived until he grew to manhood. His chances for an education were limited to a few months in the winter at a district school, his summers being passed in working on his uncle's farm. He commenced life with only his hands, backed by an indomitable will, combined with energy and industry. In 183G he came to Michigan and bought of the govern- ment the northeast quarter of section 24, and of his brother the east half of the northwest quarter of the same section, in Atlas township. He remained in Atlas during the fall and winter of 1836, and then returned to New York, where he worked at farming by the month until after his marriage, in May, 1839, when with his wife he moved on to his farm in Atlas, no portion of which was then cleared. A log house was soon built, and life in the wilderness commenced. Under his skillful management the forest disappeared, and soon a beautiful farm, with fine buildings, orchards, and all the modern improvements, appeared where, but so short a time before, the wolves, deer, and other wild animals roamed undisturbed. To the two hundred and forty acres Mr. Frost added from time to time, until at the time of his death his farm comprised four hundred and ninety-three acres of fine land, pronounced to be one of the best in the township. As above stated, Mr. Frost commenced life with nothing, and for several years after moving into the woods life with the new-married couple was no holiday. He did the most of his clearing himself, and many times worked half the night burning off the fallows, often burning his hands to a blister handling the charred logs. As time passed and prosperity dawned upon him, Mr. Frost branched out in business. He dealt largely in real-estate and invested in mills, thus doing much to help his township. In early life Mr. Frost was a Democrat, but upon the organization of the Repub- lican party, and thenceforward until his death, he was one of its most ardent supporters, although he never solicited ofiice. He experienced religion at the age of fifteen, and was ever afterwards an earnest and sincere Christian. After he came to Michigan he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was active in the organization of that church in Atlas, and was for many years one of its officers. Mr. Frost died April 14, 1873. In his death Atlas lost one of its most enterprising citizens, — one respected and esteemed by friends and neighbors. He was married to Olive Cobb, May 30, 1839. She was the daughter of Job and Rhoda (Abbey) Cobb, and was born March 3, 1818. There were born to them the following children: Maryettc, born Sept. 17, 1840 ; Rhoda A., born Dec. 1, 1843; Emily and Emery, born June 23, 1847; RESIDENCE or W. M.CARPEN ATLAS, Genesee County, Mich ATLAS TOWNSHIP. 263 Ephraim, born Dec. 15, 1852. Emory died Oct. 15, 1848 ; Ephraim died March X,, 1877. Mrs. Frost died Dec. 16, 1852. For liis second wife Mr. Frost married Mrs. Ann S. Ilawos, dau};liter of William and Prudence (Case) Paul. She was burn April C, 1828. Their union was blessed with one daughter, Jenny Frost, born Aug. 22, 1861. THE CARPENTER FAMILY. The ancestors of this numerous family are from a long line in Engli-sh history. Of those who .settled in New York was George Carpenter, who reared a large family of children. His youngest sou, George, grew to manhood, and was mar- ried to Abigail Gilder.sleeve. He was a farmer in Dutchess County; about the year 1812 he removed with his family to Saratoga, and settled on a farm. His wife, who died in 1811, was the mother of Henry, Pamelia, Mary, Amy, Peter, William, and Abigail. He was afterwards married to Mrs. Jcrusha Case, of Dutchess County, by whom there were no children. He remained on his farm until 1837, when he came to Michigan, and made his home with his son William. He died at the extreme age of one hundred and two years, according to the family records. William Carpenter, the youngest son, was born Sept. 16, 1805, at tlie old Dutchess County home. He remained with his father until he was fourteen years of age, when he launched out for himself. He was employed on the farm of Jacob Denton, near Saratoga, where he remained fourteen years. During this time he paid court to Miss Luranie Pierce, who was also employed in the family of Mr. Denton. They were married in 1833, and soon after moved to Niagara County, bought a farm of fifty acres, upon which he settled and remained two years, when he sold out, and, in the spring of 1836, he, in company with Levi Preston, started for Michigan. They came on foot through Canada to Detroit, thence by the old Saginaw road to Atlas, Genesee Co. Mr. Carpenter selected and bought of the government two hundred acres, about fourteen miles southeast of the city of Flint. He next erected a log house, cleared off two acres, put in oats and potatoes. He then returned to New York, .settled up his business, and with his wife and child started for the new home in the West. Mr. Levi Preston and his family came in company with them. The journey was performed with ox-teams, — two yoke of oxen to each wagon. The wagons, besides the family, contained beds, clothing, provisions, tools, etc. They were thirty days on the tedious journey, but arrived .safely at the selected home in the wilderness. And from that little beginning in the wild woods, after pa.ssing through all the trials of j)io- neer life, has arisen the beautiful home of the Carpenter family, in Atlas, where William Carpenter and his worthy wife still reside, enjoying a happy old age in the compan- ionship of their children and old neighbors. They are the parents of seven children. — Jacob D., Mary E., Julia A., William, Jr., Amos, Pamelia, and George E., — all of whom are living except Mary E , who died in the eighteenth year of her age. Jacob is married, and resides on his farm in the town of Burton, and the others are all married, and own and reside on farms in Tus- cola County. William Carpenter, Jr., was born on the 9th day of August, 1844, at the old homestead in Atlas, whore he has passed his life thus far. His boyhood days were spent in the schools and on the farm. At the age of twenty-two he married Miss Kate Colwoll, daughter of James and Ann Colwell, old settlers of Atlas. They were united on the 24th day of October, 1805. In 1807, William Carpenter, his father, divided liis property among the children, since which time William, Jr., has bought out the others, and now owns the old home- stead and farm, consisting of two hundred and forty-five acres. He has made extensive improvement.s in the resi- dence, farm-buildings, etc. As will be seen by reference to the view on another page, he has one of the finest farms in that part of the county. JEREMIAH NARRIN. The ancestors of this gentleman were of Scotch and Welsh origin, and among the early settlers of New York State. Peter Narrin, the grandfather of Jeremiah, emigrated from Wayne County, N. Y., in 1838, to Michigan. He purchased one hundred and twenty acres of government land in the town of Groveland, Oakland Co. His family, which consisted of his wife and three sons, with their wives and children, all came at the same time and set- tled in the san)e locality. The names of the sons were William L., John S., and De Witt C. Together they located and occupied about one thousand acres in the same neighborhood. Peter Narrin died in 1851, at the age of seventy-four years, and his widow, in 1852, at the age of sixty-four years. William L., the eldest son, was born in Wayne Co., N. Y., April 21, 1811, and Feb. 1, 1832, he married Miss Sally Moore. In 1838 he sold his farm in New York, and, as above stated, came to Michigan, bought and settled on three hundred and twenty acres of government land in Oakland County. This became his home, where he reared his children, and where he remained until eight years since, when he removed to Ortonville and purchased two hundred acres adjoining that village. His death oc- curred on the 14th day of May, 1879, at the city of Flint, while under medical treatment for stone in the bladder. He was the fether of six children, three of whom died in infancy ; the others (John S., Jeremiah, and George W.) grew to manhood. John S., the eldest son, went to the Western country about twenty-two years ago, and the family have had no tidings of him for the past twelve years. George W., the youngest son, resides on the old homestead in Groveland. Jeremiah Narrin, the second son, was born June 20, 1838, at the old home in Wayne County, N. Y., and while he was an infant his parents moved to Michigan. From the time he was fifteen months old he lived with his grand- mother, until her death, when he had attained to his four- teenth year. By the old lady's bequest he became the owner of the old home-farm of Peter Narrin, in Oakland County. After the death of his grandmother he worked 2C4 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. by the montli for Enos Goodiioh, witli whom ho continued six years, during wliieh time he "courted" Miss Matildii L., the daughter of his employer. He was successful in his suit, and they were married on the 4th day of October, 1859. He had previous to this sold his farm in Grove- land, and after his marriage he purchased his present farm in the town of Atlas, on which he settled and where he has resided ever since. Mr. Narrin has made extensive im- provements on his farm, so that now it is one of the best farm-homes in that locality. Mrs. Matilda L. Narrin, who is a remarkably intelligent lady, of pleasant and agreeable address, is the eldest child of Enos and Ann Goodrich, who were among the earliest settlers of the town of Atlas. Enos Goodrich was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Aug. 11, 1813. He came with the Goodrich family to Michigan in 183C, and settled at the place where now stands the village of his name. In com- pany with his brother Reuben he erected mills, stores, and other buildings at that place, and carried on an extensive business for many years. On the 26th day of June, 1838, he married Miss Ann Atkins, of the same place. They are the parents of two children, — Matilda L. and Enos H. Since 1863, Enos Goodrich has resided at Watertown, Tuscola Co., where he is engaged in farming. His son, Enos H., is married, and also resides on a farm near his father. Mrs. Matilda Narrin was born in the village of Goodrich, April 4, 1841. She is the mother of three children, namely, Annie E., Ella C, and Ellis, the latter of whom died in infancy. Annie and Ella are at home with the parents. Mrs. Narrin resided in the village of Good- rich until fifteen years ago, when she removed to the farm one and a half miles southeast of the village. The reader's .special attention is called to the view of their beautiful farm-home, on another page of this work. FLUSHING. Thk township of Flushing lies on the western bound- ary of the county of Genesee, and includes township 8 north, in range 5 east, as denoted on the United States survey. It is watered by the Flint River and it.s tributa- ries, the stream named entering near the southeast corner of town, and, after a winding course, leaving it near the centre of the northern boundary. The mill-sites along the river were early improved, and it still furnishes power at numerous places within the limits of the county. Along the river the surface of the township is somewhat varied, the banks in places being high and steep and the land in the immediate vicinity rolling, while at others they are gently .sloping and the neighboring country nearly level. A largo portion of the township is exceedingly level, and the whole was originally covered with a dense growth of heavy timber, in which was considerable pine. The soil of Flushing is pf the nature of that common to this region, having a large proportion of sand. Upon the lands where pine grew thickly it is more sandy than elsewhere, and some' of the "pine plains," or " jiine bar- rens," as they are called, are of comparatively small value. Game was exceedingly plenty during the earlier years of settlement, and but for this fact many of the pioneers would have endured even greater suffering than they did through the scarcity of provisions at times. Life in the wilderness at that period was attended with manifold difficulties, and hard trials and extreme privation fell to the lot of nearly all. L.^ND ENTRIES. The entries of land in township 8 north, range 5 east, now constituting Flushing, are as follows : Section 1. Acres. Elislm B. Strong, .Monroe Co., N. Y., June, 1S36 SO James WiKlswoitli, Livingston Co., N. Y., July, 183G 364.59 llugli liirkhead, Baltimore, Md., July, 1836 240 Section 2. Acres. A. McArtluir and C. Ilurlbut, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836.. SO Elisha B. Strong 240 James WuJsnorlh, Livingston Co., N. Y., July, 1836 371.49 Section 3. Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835 03.60 •' " " " '• " " 68 " " " " " " " 51.35 Charles C. Ilascnll, " " " February, 1836 6.52 Isaac I. Voorhcis and Ira C. Seeley, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1836 81.82 Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1836 175.89 " " " " •• " " 186.20 Section 4. Thoiniis L. L. Bient, Virginia, March, 1836 Entire, 610.10 Section 5. Charles D. Bartlett, Hampshire Co., Mass., June, 1836 SO John H. Cherwuand, New York Citv. June, 1836 188.52 Eph. B. Bishop, Wayne Co., Miob.. July. 1836 160 James Bailey. Genesee Co., Mich., December, 1S40 40 John Ileed, (jenesee Co., Mich., December, 1840 120 Vacant 80 Section 6. James Butler, Livingston Co., N. Y., September, 1836 112.44 Thomas Hough. Sr., Uoueseo Co., Mich., June, 1842 40 Thomas Hough. Jr., " " " " " 40 Joseph Vernon, " " " July, " 40 WilliMiu Bailey, " " " August," 40 John Tibbies, land-warrant, January, 1852 133.13 Enucli Vernon, Uenesee Co., Mich., December, 1853 40 George Bush, " ■' " October, 1854 '.M.92 Vacaut 40 Section 7. Erastus Jones, Genesee Co., Mich., September, 1836 80 Martin Curley, Monroe Co., N. Y., October, 1836 108.04 James Wood, Genesee Co., Mich., June, 1842 40 Samuel Wood, " " " " " 40 Uiebard Bipinlen. Genesee Co., Mich,, June, 1842 SO Harvey Miller, land-warrant, July. 1852 108.20 -Martin Darby, Erie Co., Ohio, November, 1853 40 Uichard Bowden, Genesee Co., Mich,, May) 1854 40 Exchange: hotel, r.parsell.pkopriliuk, Flushing, mich. Residence of Wm D. PENOYER, Flushino, Michigan FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. 2G5 Skction 8, Acrt'ti. Charles F). Tiurtlctt, Hiimpshirc ("n., Mass., June, 1830 ICll Gaylonl lliiakin.s (liicunlaga Co., N. Y., .Juno, 18:!6 80 John Knovvk-s, Jr., Mailison Cci., X. Y., June, 18:JB 2J0 FroJerick .St. John, New York City, June, I8.)G 100 Skition 9. Royal II. Latham, .\shtabula Co., Ohio, May, 1830 100 Oran-f Latham, •' " " " " 80 ChurUs 1). liarllett, Ilampshiro Co., Mass., Juno, 1830 SO Freiieriok St. John, New York City, Juno, 1830 320 Skctio.v 10. Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., Oclober, 1835 40.03 Elijah P. Farnhalii. Niagara Co., N. Y.. Oi-tuhcr, 1835 IM.IO Thouias J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835 21.45 Thomas L. L. lirint, Virginia, .\|iril, 1830 10" fieorge Maeoniber, (ienesec Co., N.Y., June, 1830 811 Noah Hart, Wavno Co.. Mich., June, 1830 80 Frederick St. Jolin, New York City, June, 1830 80 .Skitio.v 11. Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835 8.91 Thomas L. L. lirent, Virginia, March, 1830 15'.l " " •' " '• April, 1830 141.10 Eurotiis 1*. Hastings, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1830 100 Jeremiah lienton, " " " " ** 80 Alexander D, li'raser, " " " " " 80 Skction 12. E. S. Stickner, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, 1830 240 Lyman Strobridge, " " *' " " 100 Albert (i. Stone, " " " " " 100 John Domund, " " " " " 80 Skction 13. Lyman Strobridge, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, 1830 100 Amos Smith, Huron ('o., Ohio, .Juno, 1830 100 Hugh liirkhead, Baltimore, Md., July, 1830 320 Skctio.v 14. Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, May, 1830 100 James MeLallen, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, 18.30 100 Amos .Smith, Huron Co.. Mich., June, 1830 80 Hugh Birkhcad, Baltimore, Md., July, 1830 240 Skction 15. Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co.. Mich., October, 1835 40.02 Newell Furman, Niagara Co., N. Y., October, 1835 92.3(1 Moses Smith. iJcnesee Co.. Mich., November, 1835 154.00 Thomas L. LI Brent, Virginia, March, 1830 292.52 Skctio.n 17. Frederick St. John, New York City, June, 1830 400 Seth Beach, Oakland Co., Mich., June. 1830 80 John llollstander, Living.^tcm Co., Mich., April. 1.S37 40 Ralph D. Curtis, Ccuesce Co., Mich., August, 1844 80 Asahel Johnson, " ** " October, 1854 40 Skctios 18. Eleazer S. Holdridge, Niagara Co., N. Y'., June, 1830 100 E. Cash and H. Wright, (Jenesce Co., N. Y., August, 1836.... 100 George R. Somcrs, Cleveland, Ohio, May, 1847 108.07 John Batesly, " " July, 1848 108.80 .Skctio.n 19. Lewis Halsey, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June, IS39 98.94 Andrew Harrison, (icncsee Co., Mich., May, 1842 80 William Turner, ** " " December, 1843 40 Wm. .1. Snooks, land-warrant, April, 1843 40 John .McCartney, Genesee Co., Mich., November, 1843 40 Hiram Fnos, " " " December, 1843 49.40 Hiram Knos, " " " " " 49.40 Walter J. Crimk, '■ " " March, 1854 40 Eph. Morgan, Medina Co., Ohio, April, 1354 80 Skction 20. E. Cash and H. Wright, Genesee Co., N. Y., August, 1830 160 Knocli Sweat. Genesee Co., Mich., August, 1830 SO Isaac Baldwin, " " •' February, |8I| 80 Abiel C. liliss, " " " December. 1841 80 Warren Y. Swazce, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, .August, 1842 40 Harry N. I'ayne, Oakland Co., Mich., January, 1851 80 L. I'. lieardslee, Genesee Co., Mich., June. 1853 40 John lluiilcr, March, 1848 (0 John Hunrer, ' October, 1848 40 34 Section 21. Acres. Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835 80 Wm. Lockyer, Genesee Co., Mich., July, 1830 80 Ilcrmun Camp, Tompkins Co., N. Y., July, 1830 100 Ralph 1). Curtis, Genesee Co., Mich., August, 1844 80 Swamp lands, " " " " " 40 Wm. Locker. " " " November, 1354 80 Wm..l. Kent, " " " " " 80 Asaliel Fuller, " " " January, 1855 40 Skction 22. John Paton, Esse.K Co., N. J., June, 18.34 83.20 Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1835 01.35 John li. Kellogg. Genesee Co., N. Y., October, 1835 145.25 John I'aton, (Seneseo Co.. Mich., February, 1.830 80 Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, March, 1830 158.03 Thomas L. L. Brent. Virginia, April, 18:10 40 John Evans, Genesee Co., Mich., April, 1.S30 40 .Skction 23. John Greenfield and C. Hurlbut, Wayne Co., Mich., May, 1.830. SO Ira Arms and Sol. Sincad, Franklin Cu,, Mass., June, 1830... 500 Skction 24. Arms and Snu-ad, Franklin Co., Mass., .June, 1830 040 Skction 25. Waterman Ncfi', Genesee Co., Mich., September, 1835 80 W. NcH' an 1 t'lark Albec. Windham Co., Vt., Oclober, 1835... 80 Thomas L. L. lirent, Virginia, March, 18:!0 160 Abncr II. Enos, Erie Co., N. Y., June, 1830 100 Allen Bump, Genesee Co., Mich., June, 1842 80 Elijah Anderson, tjcnesee Co., Mich., September, 1845 40 William Avery, " " " November, 1854 40 Skction 20. Hunt, Farley .t BicMIe, Detroit, Mich., May, 1823 90.10 James Murphy, Shiawassee Co., Mich., September, 1834 40.25 Clark Albee, Genesee Co., Mich., September, 1835 77.15 Lntting Coutant, Wavne Co., ilich.. January, 1336 100 Thomas L. L. Brent, Virginia, .March, 1830 240 Skction 27. John Paton, Essex Co., N. J., June, 1834 47.85 James Murphy, Shiawassee Co., Mich., .September, 1334 23.90 George W. Newell. Tioga Co., N. Y., October. 1834 50.00 John Wchr, Trumbull (^o., Ohio, January. 1835 55.12 C. and W. J. Cronk. Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1835 90.45 Ale.\. Ten Broeck, Ulster Co., N. Y., November, 1835 157.38 John I'aton, Essex Co., N. J., November, 1835 77.00 Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835 69.00 Skction 28. James Seymour, Monroe Co., N. Y., March, 1836 100 Hcrninn Camp, Tompkins Co., N. Y., July, 1336 320 Rolicrt Pollock, Westchester Co.. N. Y., September, 1830 80 Brigham AVood, (Jenesce Co., Mich., October, 1830 80 Suction 29. Samuel A. Godard, Birmingham, England, August, 1830 80 John Trucsdell, Genesee Co., N. Y., October, 1830 80 Wm. Bingham, " " " " " 80 R.iwlcv Morri.-, " " " " " 80 Natha'niel Wood, Livingston Co., N. Y., October, 1830 320 Suction 30. Philander Truesdell, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1330 100 John T. Van VIeck, St. Joseph Co., Mich., October, 1830 107.20 Ebon Sloicr, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1836 80 Thomas Diamond, Genesee Co., Mich., July, 1838 30 AValler J. Cronk, " " " October, 1851 108.40 Skction 31. Thomas Manchester, Wayne Co., Mich., August, 1836 80 Herman Van Vechten, Genesee Co., Mich., September, 1830... 208.10 Rowley Morris, G,-nesee C.i., N. Y., October, 1830 100 John T. Van VIcck, St. Joseph Co., Mich., October, 1830 113.80 Skction 32. Samuel A. Godard, Birmingham, England, August, 1830 160 Paul llildreth, Worcester Co.. Mass., September, 1830 SO Rowb-v .Morris, Genesee Co., N. Y.. October. 1836 240 Jos.ph S. Whitney, Oaklanil Co., Mich.. August, 1842 80 Iliiam Ransom, Genesee Co., .Mich., April, 1853 40 .Swamp land 40 266 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Section 33. A<'res. George W. Bullock, Monroe Co., Mich., Maj', 1S36 IfiO E. B. Bishop, Wavnc Co., Mich., July. 1836 160 E. Cash and H. Wrij;ht, Genesee Co., N. Y., August, 1.S36..... 80 Samuel A. Godard, Birmingham, England, August, 1836 80 Asa A. Norton, Yates Co., N. Y., September, 1836 160 Section 34. Elijah Curtis, Trumbull Co., Ohio, Octoher, 1835 76.50 James Uossie, Esse.\ Co., N. J., November, 1835 560 Section 35. John Biddle, Detroit, Mich., May, 1823 .3.82 William Curtis, Trumbull Co., Ohio, June, 1835 78.30 Thomas J. Drake, Oakland Co., Mich., November, 1835 32.60 Alex. McArthur, ") A. D. Eraser, ^ Wayne Co., Mich., Fehruarj, 1836 200 Chauneey Hurlbut, j Thos. L. L. Brent, Virginia, March. 1836 160 Harriet E. Hoyes, Genesee Co., Mich., May. 1836 80 Isaac Bennett, Onondaga Co., N. Y., April, 1836 80 Section 36. John Biddle, Detroit, Mich., May. 1S23 33.60 Robert I.e Roy, Oakland Co., Mich.. February, 1834 57 Henry Cobb. Crawford Co., Ohio, March, 1835 169.39 Kul'us Il.arrison, Shiawassee Co., Mich., June, 1835 78.50 Henry French, Windsor, Vt., October, 1835 109.60 Tho.s. h. L. Brent, Virginia, M.irch, 1836 80 Isaac Bennett, Onondaga Co., N. Y., April, 1836 SO EAKLY SETTLEMENTS— PIONEER INCIDENTS. The first white man known to have taken up hi.s abode within the limits of what is now the township of Flushing was llufus Harrison, who settled in the fall of 1835, on the farm in the southeast part of the township, on the north side of the river, — locally speaking, — where Wm. Schram now lives. Mrs. Harrison is yet living in the township. She and the wife of David Penoyer, who came a little later, were always close friends, and have so continued to the present. William D. Penoyer mentions the fact that Mrs. Harrison made him, during the early days of their residence here, two pairs of deerskin pants, which caused his boyish pride to swell to the utmost. Mr. Harrison built the first house in the township — a simple structure of logs — upon his farm, and resided in it for some time. Two young men, named Clark Abby (or Albce) and Waterman Neff, entered land on the north side of the river (section 25), in the fall of 1835, and came on and did some clearing upon it, but only stayed a short time. They sold their farms to Jarvis Bailey, who settled with his young wife in 1836. They had come directly from the State of New York. The second permanent settler in the township was Henry French, now of the village of Flushing. In the fail of 1835 he and bis brother, Ira French, passed through this vicinity in search for land, and Henry finally located on section 36, in the month of October, of that year. Ira French went on to Saginaw, but is now a resident of Flush- ing township. The French's were from Windsor Co., Vt., — town of Woodstock, — at which place their father, ApoUos French, a native of Taunton, Mass., was an early settler. When Henry French purchased his land there was no one living in the township, but Harrison came soon after, as stated, as Mr. French settled the same fall. Before the season was over he was married to Miss Abigail Ensign, - al.so from Vermont, and then living in Grand Blanc. The marriage took place at Flint, and aside from the liict that Mr. French is now the oldest male settler in the township, he was the first one from it to be joined in matrimonial bonds. He was also one of the many who worked at some time for Thomas L. L. Brent, and in 1836 aided in build- ing the latter's saw-mill. Mr. French's brother, Ebcnczer French, at present residing .south of Flushing village, located in town in the fall of 1836. John Evans, from Manchester, Eng., emigrated to the United States in 1830, and located at Stockport, Columbia Co., N. Y., where he remained five }'ears. In October, 1835, he moved with his daughter to Flushing, the trip occupying three weeks, and that portion of it from Detroit forward being made on foot. They settled in November, 1835, and a log house was built on the place, the latter now forming part of the farm owned by John Paton, who married Mr. Evans' daughter Mary, Nov. 22, 1835. John Paton, a native of Blackford, Perthshire, Scotland, and later a resident of the State of New Jersey, came to Genesee County in 1834, and purchased part of his present farm-land, on sections 22 and 27, in June of that year. Owing to the f\ict that no one else was at that time living in the township, Mr. Paton settled up the river a few miles, in what is now Flint township, on the farm at present occu- pied by Mr. AVarren. Nathan and Isaac Miles were the only persons between that location and Flint, while down the river there was no one between Mr. Paton and a Mr. Hayden, who was eighteen or twenty miles away, in Sagi- naw County. In February, 1837, Mr. Paton brought his family to what is now Flu.shing township, and settled on the farm he still occupies. After living some time with his wife'.s father, Mr. Evans, he built a frame house on his own place, and moved into it. Henry French, Mr. Harrison, and a few others were then living in the neighborhood. In July, 1837, Mr. Paton found a dead squaw, the scent of the body having attracted the dog to the spot. She had died with the smallpox, having been left to her fate by the Indian.?, with a cup of water and a crust near her. Mr. Paton and others from the settlement buried her. Mr. Paton's entry was the first one made in town with the view of settling, but he did not choose to locate perma- nently until later. For several years after his arrival he and his family experienced with others the stringency of the times and the hardships which accompany the life of a pioneer. A letter which was written by Mrs. Paton in the spring of 1843, to a friend in England, was published in the Manchester (England) GiiarJidn, and, as it illustrates better than anything else the condition of aifairs at that day, it is reproduced here for the benefit of the reader. It was written during the dosing days of the famous " hard winter :" "Flishino, SE.iR Flint RiVEn, April 6, 1843. ' I will not attempt to apologize for not writing earlier, but let the simple truth sutlice. I have had four letters, I may say, written (one entirely finished), but tacf.-cd funds to past iheiti. It is easier to release a dozen letters than to prepay one. For the one they will take j)ro- duce, for the other they exact cash : and that is a very scarce article here, for our business is carried on mostly by barter. We sold about two hundred dollars' worth of stock in the last year, and it was with great difficulty we got si.\ dollar.'^ in cash. Times have been very bard, and I fear not yet at the worst. According to accounts that can be relied on, we have had the hardest winter that has occurred for o ? o 2 N 1 . \^ \ ./ 33 C/) O ■X. z o z FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. 267 fifty-four years. It oommencpil in October, and is now snowing ; the snow in the woods is from two to three feet deep. But we don't suffer on the timbered liind anything like those on the oal<-openings, as re- gards our stock, altliough we arc destitute of anything in the shape of fodder in our barns, for we have the woods to resort to, where there is plenty of mnple and basswood, and we cut them down, and the cattle feed on the tops, and look pretty well where they are well atleniled to. But we hear of cattle dying in all directions, and of some farmers knocking the whole of their cattle on the head, to save tliem from a lingering starvation, after feeding out all their store; others sustaining them on flour victuals, all other being exhausted. Last winter (I.e., 1841-42) we had an unusually open season and a very early spring. Our fields never looked so well, — fruit-trees in full bloom, — and all seemed cheering in the month of April, but our hopes were soon blighted. Wo had severe frost in May, which cut off our blossoms, and, what was still worse, our com ; then a tedious drought succeeded, which almost burnt up the wheat, — at least stunted it so the straw was little worth ; then, to finish, when it was in the uiilk, there were sunny showers that struck it with rust, — the late sown suffered most. . . . I am happy to say I have enjoyed better health this winter than I have since I came in the woods (over six years), and, if the tontictitht;/ atjne will keep away, I will excuse it. It is a singular thing to find, one part of the day a person will feel able to go about and do a little work, and another part not able to rise from the pillow, and as crazy as can be. Such has been hanging on me four years. New settlers generally have it, but after they get ac- climated it is very healthy. Considering the hard times, our country is settling very fast. There are six families from Stockport settled near to us, and there are several more coming out from there this spring. We have let a brick-ground to two of these. I must tell you wo have had the good luck to find a coal-mine on our farm, but we have not been able to ascertain its extent; it is of excellent quality. We sold seven dollars' worth of it last fall when we found it. Things generally prosper with us since I last wrote you." Mr. Paton had emigrated to America in the spring of 1827, with his sister, landing at New York May 8. He was a weaver by trade, and soon began work at Paterson, N. J. He continued in that business until his removal to Michigan, in 1834, since which time his attention has been turned exclusively to agricultural pursuits, and with marked succes.s. One of the most prominent among the early settlers of Flushing was Thomas L. L. Brent, who, before coming here, had acquired a national reputation, and was the pos- sessor of a large fortune. He expended the latter in pur- chasing government lands in Michigan, and lived on .section 3, in Flushing. He at one time paid taxes on about 70,000 acres of land in the State, and it is said of him that he would never dispose of a good lot at a reasonable price. The farm on which he lived is now owned by Mr. Mcln- tyre. Brent built a log cabin on his place, and planted locust- trees around it for shade and ornament. He was a Vir- ginian by birth, and married a noble Spanish lady, with whom he had become acquainted while on a mi.ssion to that country in the employ of the United States Government. Ill the face of the bluff near his cabin he constructed a wine-cellar, where the choicest brands were kept. He had one son and one daughter. Various stories are told con- cerning his family relations, and, although differently pre- sented, all point to the undoubted fact that his married life was more or l&ss unhappy. When he died he was taken out of the small upper window of his log cabin. His death came at a time when he had sunk his fortune and become " land poor." According to the memory of all the men iicjw living who were here at tlie time, Brent built a dam across the river in 183C, and erected a saw-mill on his place in the summer of the .same year. Jarvis Bailey, previously mentioned, was employed as foreman, at a salary of $000 per annum, and his wife and William D. Penoyer, then a boy, did the work for the 10 or 15 hands who were working in and around the mill. This mill was destined never to perform the work in- tended for it. In the spring of 1837 a severe freshet in the river washed away the dam, and the mill was only saved by rolling logs into it. Five basswood-treos near one end of the dam were washed out, which left the water free to undermine it. The following extract from an act of the Legislature approved March 22, 1837, speaks for itself: "Section 7. Thomas L. L. Brent, his heirs, administra- tors, and assigns, are authorized to construct a dam across Flint River, at some point on section 3, in township 8 north, and in range 5 east, in the county of Genesee ; said dam shall not exceed 6 feet in height, and shall contain a convenient lock for the passage of boats, canoes, rafts, and other water-craft, and shall not bo less than 75 feet in length and 15 feet in width." The old mill was repaired but was never used, and logs lay in the mill-yard until they rotted. A second mill was built on a small stream some sixty rods away, and up from the river, out of danger from freshets. This part of the township contained a large acreage of pine, but none of consequence is now left. The best is now probably on the fitrms of William D. Penoyer and the Messrs. De Land, farther south. Some authority states that Alden Tupper contemplated building a mill on the river-below the site of Flushing vil- lage, but it was never constructed. Nearly every man who located early in the township worked at one time or another for Mr. Brent, clearing up land, and thus earning money enough to pay for homes of their own. The " Brent farm" was widely known throughout this region. James Penoyer, from Onondaga Co., N. Y., and after- wards for two or three years a resident of Ohio, moved from the latter State to Michigan in 1838, and settled in Flush- ing, south of the village, on the town line. He had, in 1830, been here and worked on the Brent farm with his brother, David Penoyer. He now resides north of Lyons' Corners, in the township of Clayton. David Penoyer came first to Michigan in the spring of 1835, and in the fall of the same year, after having been back to New York, returned and purchased a small tract of land (fifty-seven acres), where John L. Green now lives. This second trip ho made with a horse, and traded the animal for the land. In the early part of May, 1836, his family followed, landing at Detroit on the 9th of that month, and meeting Mr. Penoyer there. Acquaintances named Belden lived at Birmingham, Oakland Co., and thither they repaired. Jarvis Bailey, who had started from Baldwinsville, Onondaga Co., N. Y., a week before Mr. Penoyer's family, arrived at Detroit the same day they did. William D. Penoyer, a son of David, left the family at Birniinghain and came on with Mr. Bailey, who settled on the farm now owned by John Sutton, of Flint, and occu- pied by Calvin Luce. Bailey had purchased this land on 268 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. a previous trip made in the company of David Penoyer. When Bailey and the younger Penoj'cr came in tliere had been an ox-team driven through by Messrs. Abby (or Albee) and NefF, the parties whom Bailey bought out. They had made a few improvements on the place. Wm. D. Penoyer thinks he drove the first horse-team and wagon which entered the township. Mrs. John Paton is of the opinion that the first horse-team which came through here was driven down to the Brent place by Samuel Weeks, of Flint, who took down a load of goods. Weeks (afterwards Judge Weeks) was then in Brent's employ. This circum- stance is not remembered by Henry French, who thinks goods were transported at that time by water. And from these three opinions the reader is left to choose the right. About six weeks or two months after Bailey and Penoyer arrived, the former, with his wife, hired to Thomas L. Ij. Brent, and William D. Penoyer went down with them. In the succeeding fall the latter's father took a job of clear- ing fifty acres for Brent, on the east side of the river, where the buildings of Sidney Mclntyre now stand. Mr. Penoyer died in 1846. When the families went down the river to the Brent farm, it was necessary to build rafts upon which to transport their goods, as no roads had been cut through, and no boats larger than Indian canoes plied on the river. Mr. Penoyer lived on the Brent place something over a year, or long enough to pay for 1 60 acres of land in work. This land joined the 57 acres he had previously purchased. When he left he had to cut a road, as the current in the river was too swift to raft against. William D. Penoyer has lived on the farm he now occupies, north of the village of Flushing, since the winter of 1850. Considerable of his land, like other in the neigh- borhood, had originally a large proportion of pine growing upon it, and the array of pine-stumps rolled into line for fences bears witness to the labor necessary to clear up ready for cultivation. The first resident white child born between Flushing and Flint was John Paton, Jr., now in business in Flushing village, his birth occurring September 15, 1836, while his parents were living on their farm in Flint township. The first birth in Flushing township was that of Henry French's son, George French, which occurred on Nov. 13, 1837. Mary M. Paton, sister to John Paton, Jr., was born July 23, 1839. Among the first settlers in the township was a man named Terbush, who located down the river from the present village, on a stream called " Cold Creek," where he built a log shanty and lived for six or eight years. This was on the farm at present occupied by Erustus Packard, Simeon M. Smith lived upon it after Terbush had removed, and died there. Terbush moved to Oakland County, and is now living in Bay City. He traded his farm in Flushing to Smith for another in Oakland County. Ezra Smith, the father of Simeon M. Smith and Mrs. Alexander Barber, came with his wife and one son, Ezra Smith, Jr. (the latter accompanied by his wife and two children), in the fall of 1839, as did also Alexander Barber and family. All were from Madison Co., N. Y., and lived about four miles below Flushing village. Mr. Barber sub- sequently moved into the village, where he died in Feb- ruary, 1878. Settlers, when these families came, were accustomed to go quite often to mill at Pontiac, and the hardships endured can scarcely be described. Mrs. Barber feared the Indians very much, never having seen any before coming to Michigan. They, at one time, dug up Mr. Barber's potatoes afler the sprouts were six inches high, leaving the sprouts in the ground, and the reason why they did not grow faster was only discovered when Mr. Birber dug down to see what the trouble was. Origin Packard settled in town as early as 1838. In the fall of 1839 he had a small board shanty built on his place. His wife did her cooking at a burning log-heap near by. The shanty was formed by setting up a few poles and cov- ering them with boards. When the Smiths and Barber came, in 1839, Packard had chopped 10 or 12 acres, and was burning the logs. He piloted these families to their land along an Indian trail, Mrs. Barber stopping with Mrs. Packard while they were gone, in response to that lady's invitation to " come and sit with her by her log-heap." This was Mrs. Barber's first neighborly call in the wilder- ness, and the circumstance is still fresh in her memory. Some of the trees felled by Mr. Packard obstructed the trail, and the wagons had to be carefully engineered around them. Mr. Packard died in June, 1879. John Hallock, now living below Flushing village, was an early settler of the township, as was also Asahel Johnson, residing on a farm on the west side of the river. Andrew F. Sutton, a native of New Jersey, moved into town about 1853, and purchased a portion of the Jarvis Bailey form. His wife's mother, Mrs. Davenport, settled about 1837, near Clarkston, Oakland Co. Mr. Sutton's brother, John Sutton, resides in Flint, where he settled in 1841. THE ENGLISH SETTLEMENT. In the northwestern part of town is what is known as the " English Settlement," from the fact that it was early set- tled by a number of families from England, some of whom yet reside in the vicinity. The first families of that nativ- ity to locate in the neighborhood were John Heed and James Bailey, who came in the fall of 1840. Mr. Bailey's family followed at a later date. Samuel and James Wood came from Lancashire,* England, in May, 1842, to Flush- ing, and in March, 1843, the former was married to Mrs. Mary Vernon, a widow who had come over the same spring with her father, John Bailey (father also to James Bailey), and lived at Flushing village. Her mother died on the Samuel Wood place, and the latter died in March, 1875. His widow still survives him, and lives with her son-in-law, Thomas H. Kelland, on the old place. Mr. Kelland came from England in 1850. Other families of the same nativity who settled here were those of Thomas Hough, Sr. and Jr., Richard Bowden, William Bailey (brother of James Bailey and Mrs. S. Wood), and Thomas Newell, now of Flint, who came with the Houghs and Bowdens. The houses of J. Wood, Bow- den, and Hough were all erected in one and the same day. Most of the English families who settled here had been farmers in the old country, but some of them were entirely ■Were natives of l>erb^-t;hir('. James brought bis family. FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. 269 new at the business, and knew nothing about chopping, milking, etc., and the consequence was some of their expe- riences were hiughable in the extreme. When these settlers came, they hired a surveyor from Flint to come out and locate their land for them, paying him a sovereign in gold for his services. James Wood says that, in those days of " wild-cat" money, the whole county of Genesee could have been bought for SIOOO in gold. Thomas Hough bought a yoke of oxen some four miles south of the settlement, paying £1: in gold for them. They were four years old, yet Hougli said he believed that " for another sovereign he could have bought the old man's farm and his wife too." It was necessary to hire a man to drive the oxen up, and after he lefl they were kept yoked night and day, as no one knew how to yoke them. They were fed on basswood-leaves, and at the end of two months were nearly starved. The oxen were greatly afraid of the Indians ; as one of the early settlers remarks, " they didn't like the smell of 'em !" John Keed, who it seems was possessed of a fiery temper, on one occasion became angry with his cow, and drove her away into the woods to the north, kicking her at every step, until finally both were tired out. He had tried to turn her back at first, but she was obstinate, and that roused his ire. His boot came up at the same time, and when at last he stopped to rest he found himself in a strange neighborhood, lost in the forest. He finally pulled off one of his boots, milked the cow in it, drank the milk, and lay down on a log, where he was found the next day by the neighbors, who had instituted a search for him. He had fought mosqui- toes all night, and looked somewhat the worse for his adventure. Bears, wolves, and other species of wild game were ex- ceedingly plenty, and the pig-pens of the settlers suffered upon numerous occasions. James Wood had a single hog, weighing, about 200 pounds, which was one night killed and dragged off by a bear, leaving a track as if a "saw- log" had been dragged along. RESIDENTS OF FLUSHING TOWNSHIP IN 1844. The following list of resident tax-payers in what is now Flushing in 1844 is made up from the assessment roll for that year : Armstrong, James. Atkins, Kobert. Adams, Montgomery. Bowman, Richard. h\\6s, Abial C. Hailey, Jarvis. Bennett, Isaac. Brown, William. Bowen, Benjamin. Bumj>, Elias J. Boucher, William. Barker, Josejih. Begole, Thomafl. Bcgole, Frederick. Bump, Uideon. Barber, Alexander. Bartlett, Charles D. Baldwin, Isaac. Bailey, William, Bowden, Kicbard. Bailey, Jamee. Brent, Thomas L. L, Beebe, Sylvester. Chamberlain, Barney. Carpenter, Joseph C. Chase, William. Cooper, William U. Coutant, Latin. Cogswell, Chauncey. Chapman, James. Crocker, (icorgc. Crocker, Stephen. Curtis, Hiram. Carpenter, Barnard. Case, James II. Carter, James. Chase, James. Curtis, David. Curtis, Comfort. Chilflon, C. C. Dehm, Jacob. Dimond, Ilcnry. Dye, He u ben. Dimund, Thomas. DelbriiJge, William. Evans, John. Ewing, E. R. Eddy. Willinm. Egglcston, John A, Eggleston, John D. French, Ira. French, Ebcnczer. French, Henry. Farnham, Elijah D. Green, Robert. Goir, William. Gilbert, Anson. Greenfield, John. Granger, EM. Godard, William. Gilkey, Levi. Ilopson, Nathaniel. Hughes, William II. Harrison, Rufus. Hayef, Aaron G. Horton, John. Hyslop, Andrew. Ilerrick, Alan.=on. Hosic, James, Uosie, Andrew. Hosie, John. Hough, Thomas. Heal, Charles. John.-'on, Asahcl. Jcnner, William. Kelley, Dominick. Locker, William. Miles, Nathan. Miles, Tbeophilus. Miller, Jeremy T. Miller, James H. McCormick, Joseph. Marshall, John. Martin, Asahcl. Person, Marvin B. Parrish, Nathaniel, Parscll, Robert. Paton, John. Packard, Thomas J. Penoyer, David. Penoyer, Hiram. Pctlingill. Samuel. Pettingill, Daniel. Person, David. Packard, Asahcl. Perry, George K. Packard, Origin. Runyon, Vincent. Ransom, Benjamin. ■Ransom, Robert. Rino, Aaron B. Rino, Stiles. Ball, Benjamin. Rail, Jacob W. Rood, G. B. Rood, Norman L. Reed, John. Stoddard, John. Smith, Orcn. Shcpard, William. Sullivan, Daniel. Smith, Simeon M. Smith, Ezra B. Seymour, James. Turner, William. Taylor, John. Thorn, John. Todd, Joseph, Vernon, Joseph. Vosburgh, Edward. Van Antwerp, Norman. Welch, Russell. Wright, Alvin. Wood, James. Wood, Samuel. Washburn, Philip., W^illace, Robert. Williams, Henry A. NAME AND OPvGANIZATION OF CIVIL LIST. TOWNSHIP- The township of Flushing was formed in 1838, and origi- nally included the whole of townships 7 and 8 north, in range 5 east, and the west half of townships 7 and 8 north, in range (3 east. This territory has been subdivided until the present town of Flushing includes only township 8 north, in range 5 east, as designated on the United States government survey. At a preliminary meeting, held at the house of Ezekiel R. Ewing, in what is now the edge of Mount Morris town- ship, to choose a name for the proposed new township, a considerable number of settlers were present. Each one offered a name, and that of Dover, given by Ebenezer French, was finally adopted, and sent in to the Legislature. Owing to the fact that another township of the same name existed in the State, that body substituted Flushing, and as such the township was organized and still remains. The early records of the township cannot be found, and it is therefore impossible to give a complete list of township officers. The first town clerk (1838) was Abiel C. Bliss; Aaron G. Hayes followed in lS?>d ; Alfred Pond, in 1840- 41; Jeremy T. Miller, from 1842 to 184G ; and B. F. Warner, in 1847. Abiel C. Bliss and Jarvis Bailey were 270 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. school inspectors in 1838. The officers from 1848 to 1879, inclusive, have been as follows, viz. : SUPERVISORS. 1S48. EzckicI R. Ewing. 1849. Eber G. Liingilon. 1850. John HiUIoek. 1851. James Seymour. 1852. Warren Harrison. 1853. Eber G. Langtion. 1854-56. Warren Harrison. 185". John Hallock. 1858. Eber G. I.angdon. 18511. Asahcl Packard. 18B0. Charles F. Poland. 1861-65. Ebenezer French. 1866. William J. Kent. 1S67-79. Charles F. Deland. TOWN CLERKS. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852- 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. 1859- 1S48, 1849 1851. 1852. 1853. 1854. 1855. 1856- 1S59- 1861 1863. 1864. Alanson Nilcs. Washington I. Warner. Robert H. Green. Eber G. Lnngdon. 54. Arthur C. Andrews. Alanson Xiles. Jacob Rezoau. Minor S. Newell. Charles Seymour. -60. Iliram A. Packard. TRE John Hallock. -50. Warren Harrison. No record. John Hallock. Warren Harrison. Henry French. John Hallock. -58. Henry French. -60. Robert Parsell. -62. Daniel W. Robinson. Charles Lusk. George W. Hicks. 1861. John Paton, Jr. 1S62-G4. David Sanford. 1865. Franklin A. Nilcs. 1866. Hiram A. Packard. 1867. Wallace R. Cahlwell. 1868. Theron E. Haskins. 1869-70. Franklin Roman. 1871-78. William Hosie. 1S79. Daniel B. Perry. ASURERS. 1S65. Oscar F. Clarke. 1866. John Kimniell. 1867-69. Alanson Niles. 1870. Nelson Talbot. 1871. Alanson Niles. 1872-74. Hiram A. Packard. 1875. Hiram P. Ransom. 1876. Mortimer N. Park. 1877. Franklin Roman. 1878. Hiram A. Packard. 1879. Henry A. Ingham. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1848. E. G. Langdon. 1864. C. J. Reed. Andrew J. McDowel. 1865. Ezra B. Smith. 1849. Truman Herrick. Samuel B. Kinimell. E. G. Laugdon. 1866. Harrison Parker. 1850. Thomas Chapin. Arthur C. Andrews. 1851. No record. 1867. William Grinnell. 1S52. Andrew Fisher. 1868. Consider S. Swain. 1853. Eber G. Langdon. 1869. Ezra B. Smith. 1854. Benjamin F. Warner. 1870. Arthur C. .-indrews. 1855. Henry French. 1871. Henry L. Williams. Robert H. Green. Isaac G. Hotchkiss. 1856. Ogden Clarke. 1872. Jacob C. Rezeau. 1857. Eber G. Langdon. 1873. Is!iac G. Hotchkiss. 1858. Minor S. Newell. Daniel Tarry. 1859. Asahel Packard. John H. Button. 1860. George Worden. 1874. A. C. Andrews. 1861. Thomas Hough, Jr. Seth S. C. Caldwell. 1862. Alanson Niles. 1875. Hiram Howe. Solon C. Bliss. 1876. David Sanl'ord. 1863. S. C. Bliss. 1877. Isaac G. Hotchkiss. Charles F. Deland. 187S. A. C. Andrews. 1864. Oscar F. Clarke. W. E. Partri.lge. C. F. Deland. 1879. William E. Partridge S. D. Sanford. ASSESSORS. 1848. S. Wright. Ezra B. Smith. 1849. Harry Bchan. Truman llerrick. 1850. Robert Ransom. 1850. Truman Herrick. 1851. Charles F. Deland. A. Fisher. 1852. Asahcl Johnson. .\llen Bump. COMMISSIONERS OF HIGHWAYS. 184S. Eber G. Langdon. 1864. James Ingham. Henry French. Algernon .?. Freeman. Amos M. Woodruff. 1865. Ranstord W. (Jraham. 1849. Alvin Wright. 1866. Nelscm Talbot. 1850. Alexander Barber. 1867. John Hallock. 1851. John Hallock. Henry French. Joseph Deland. James Ingham. 1852. Truman Herrick. 1868. Alex. J. Deland. Arthur C. Andrews. Jacob Kimmell. 1853. Andrew Fisher. 1869. Jiioob Kimmell. 1854. Amos M. Woodruff. 1870. Carlos Packard. 1855. Robert Parsell. Ebenezer French. Ezra B. Smith. 1871. James W. Brown. 1856. Ezra B. Smith. 1872. .lohn Rowe. 1857. William Lockyer. 1873. Ebenezer French. 1858. Robert C. Ransom. Carlos Packard. 1859. Charles F. Deland. 1874. John H. Button. 1860. John Kimmell. 1875- -76. Nelson Talbot. 1861. John Hallock. 1877. William .\. Garner. 1862. Nelson Talbot. 1878 John Dillon. 1SG3. Henry Bowden.* 1879 James W. Brown. TOWNSHIP SUPERINTENDENTS OP SCHOOLS. 1875-76. Lewis J. Gibson. 1S77. Gilbert V. Chamberlain. 1878. James L. Spencer. 1879. Albert E. Ransom. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1848. Iliram S. Penoyer. 1862 1849. Elijah D. Farnam. Eber G. Langdon. 1863 Jeremy T. Miller. 1864 1850. Alanson Niles. 1851. Alexander Barber. 1865 1852. Nelson W. Butts. 1866 Eber G. Langdtm. 1867 1853. William J. Kent. 1868 1S54. Eber (j. Langdon. 1S69 1855. William J. Kent. 1870 1856. Eber G. Langdon. 1857. Alanson Niles. 1871 1858. Eber G. Langdon. 1872 1859. Milton B. Deland. 1873 1860. Alanson Niles. 1874 Arthur C. Andrews. 1875 1861. Bronson Turner. 1878 . Franklin A. Niles. . Alanson Niles. Solon C. Bliss. . Bronson Turner. Alex. J. Deland. . Samuel B. Kimmell. . Lodowick C. York. . Selden A. Banning. . Alexander .J. Deland. . Theron E. Haskins. . A. J. Deland. Jacob C. Rezeau. . No record. . Franklin Roman. . AlexaU'ler Barber. . Franklin Bouian. -77. Alexander Barber. -79. Ebenezer French. OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. 1848. W. I.Warner. William Coutant. 1849. Isaac Bennett. Ebenezer French. 1850-52. B. Chamberlain. A. A. Martin. 1853. A. A. Martin. Alanson Payson. 1854. A. A. Martin. 1854. S. S. C. Caldwell. 1855. George W. Hicks. John B. Copp. 1856-57. Consider Swain. George W. Hicks. 1858. George W. Hicks. James Ingham. 1859. Asahcl Johnson. AVilliam W. Brown. DRAIN COMMISSIONERS. 1872. Henry French. 1873. Dauiel Tarry. 1874. A. S. Partridge. 1875. Alexander Barber. 1 1876. Nelson Talbot. 1877. William A. Garner. 1878. George A. French (two years). CONSTABLES. 1848-49. William D. Penoyer. Seth S. C. Caldwell. 1S50. Joseph Dunbar. S. S. C. Caldwell. 1851. No record. 1852. Daniel Pettingill. Wm. D. Penoyer. i853. Henry Van Buren. Daniel Pettingill. Wm. D. Penover. * Resigned, and Henry French appointed to fill vacancy. FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. 271 1853. Asahel Packard. 186.5. Franklin Boman. 1851. Daniel Pcttingill. George A. French. Asahel A. Martin. ISfiG. Willis K. Hill. 1855. A. A. Martin. 1S66. Hiram E. Parker. Homer Peno3xr. John Yattor. 1856. Wm. D. Pcnoyer. Dennis Falhy. Perry Smith. 1S67. Arza N. Niles. John B. Reed. Homer D. Penoyer. Homer D. Penoyor. Henry Hough. 1857. Wm. D. Pcnoyer. John M. Caldwell. Daniel Coteher. 1868. Daniel N. Fenner. Jacob Kimmell. Charles Kna]i|). Charles D. Fisher. Ale.N. J. Dcland. 1858. Arthur L. Ellsworth. Lafayette W. Wisner Wm. D. Pcnoyer. 1869. Wm. J. Ottawa. Daniel Coteher. L. W. Wisner. Edwin F. Elmore. Wm. Ingham. 1859. John R. Reed. George Hosie. Asahel A. Martin. 1S70. L. W. Wisner. Peter W. Rifcnbury. A. N. Nilcs. .John 11. Spitzcr. Horace D. French. 1S60. Wm. D. Penover. Daniel N. Fenner. Wm. E. Hicks. 1871. Murza Swartz. Edwin F. Elwell. Samuel E. Ottawa. Elisha B. Coddington. Amos B. Hurd. ISGl. Willis K. Hill. Cornelius E. Ilulison James E. Barnh-art. IS72 S. E. Ottawa. AVm. E. Hicks. C. B. Payson. Edwin i\ Elwell. Elliott Hough. 1862 W. K. Hill. John Caldwell. C. Brockaway. 1873 A. D. Elliott. Henry Bowden. F. T. Baker. E. F. Elwell. J. A. Rezcau. IS63 Wm. D. Penoyer. John Allen. E. F. Elwell. 1874 George Jeflers. Wm. E. Hicks. John Allen. Henry Bowden. Harley Hills. 1804 Erwin Cadv. Charles E. Mallory. John Caldwell. 1875 H. P. Ransom. Henry Hough. N. Partridge. John II. Roscmire. H. H. Kahl. 1865 Ana N. Niles. C. B. Payson. James E. Barnhart. 1876 G. W. Parmclce. 1876. S. Mulkins. S. E. Ottawa. H. H. Kahl. 1877. S. E. Ottawa. H. H. Kahl. W. E. Partridge. Robert Hosie. 1878. S. E. Ottawa. J. B. Brown. H. H. Kahl. Robert Hosie. 1879. Henry H. Kahl. Benjamin F. FrceJand. James B. Brown. Samuel E. Ottawa. SCHOOLS. In October, 1838, the township of Flushing was divided into five school districts, the school inspectors being Abiel C. Bli.ss and Jarvis Bailey. As the township was then nine by twelve utiles in dimensions, or containing one hun- dred and eight square miles, the districts were very large ; yet, as the population was scattering, but few schools could be sustained. Perhaps the first school in the township, as it was then, was taught by Marshall Talbot (a cousin to William D. Penoyer), in a board kitchen attached to the house of Eze- kiel 11. Ewing, just across the line in what is now Mount Blorris, — the first farm east of the Rufus Harrison place. To this school children gathered to the number of about 15, some of them going a distance of five or six miles. Mr. Ewing had originally settled in the town of Grand Blanc. His son, Lueion Ewing, was born in the latter town, and is said to have been the first white child born in Genesee County. At the English settlement a frame school-house was built about 18-15 on the corner near the location of James Wood's present dwelling, and Huldah Ann Felt, whose parents lived in Clayton township, taught the first term of school. From the school inspectors' report for the year ending Sept. 2, 1878, the following table is arranged for this town- ship, showing the condition of its schools at that date : DlSTItlCTS. No. 1.. " 2.. « 4« " 6.. " 7.. " 9» « ]i«. " 13.. " 14.. " IR.. " I7» 75 5) - to 44 2110 29 64 67 69 24 65 70 52 59 28 158 37 48 47 "23 39 59 47 e 136 200 138 160 78 iTfi'i 138 160 157 SCUOOL-HOUSKS. Frame. . M X "s s ^ la 50 ?ciin 10,00(1 56 4{)n 70 500 70 600 30 ioo 100 "eij 800 700 500 NL".MOEtt OF TeACHEKS. Teachehs' Wages. Male. $700 91.25 120 112 70 140 160 $130 900 33 138 60 48 48 80 198 130 Total receipts for year, S4969.63 ; amount on hand Sept. 2, 1878, $454.85 ; total expenditures, less amount on hand, ?4514.78; number of private or select .school.'* in town, 1. . METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ENGLISH SETTLEMENT. The liouses of the several English families who settled in this township, as meotioDed, were built nearly at the same Fractional districts. time. That of Samuel Wood was built last, he living with his brother, James Wood, until his own was completed. Not long after the settlement, a Methodist Episcopal class was formed, and the first meetings were held in James Wood's log house. Their first preacher was one Mr. Whitwam, a mason by trade, who was afterwards killed at Flint by a fiill. The first cla.ss-leader was James Wood, who Sitys, " We were Methodists wIivmi wc came, and didn't want to •'!) long without meetings. " 'J'he frame for a 272 HISTOKY OF GENESEE COUNTY", MICHIGAN. church was raised in 1863, and the building was finished in 1864. Rev. Albert Allen was the preacher in charge at the date of its dedication. The first quarterly meeting was held at Flushing village, in a barn, about 1844, and for the benefit of the hungry, a turkey was baked in an oven built by James Wood. The church now belongs to Hazleton circuit, in charge of Rev. Duncan Ward, of Hazelton, Shiawassee County. It has a membership of about 40, and sustains a good Sunday- school, with Henry Kahl as superintendent. A Roman Catholic church is located iu the west part of the township. EARLY EOAD. The first road cut in the township was the river-road from the east, which was surveyed, iu the summer of about the year 1835, through to the farm of John Paton. That gentleman was instrumental in procuring the road, and brought the surveyors down from Flint. They were Mes.srs. Williams, of Grand Blanc, and Benjamin Pierson, of Flint. This road has been changed somewhat since, and extended. COAL AND SALT. The first coal discovered in the township was that found on John Paton's farm, in the fall of 1842. It is a bitumi- nous coal of fair quality, and exists on both sides of the river. It has never been worked except where it cropped out at the river. The vein on the Paton farm was 29 inches thick. Several parties have prospected on the west side and taken out considerable quantities, and one or two geologists, who have examined the locality, aver that plenty of coal would be found by digging. The dip of the strata is towards the north. Some parties, in boring for coal on the farm of Henry French, on the south side of the river, above the village, passed through thirty feet of sand-rock. A company owning coal-mines at Corunna, Shiawassee Co., leased considerable land along Flint River, in Flushing, drilled a few holes and did no further work, and the people were unable to ascertain whether they found coal or not. A well was at one time drilled here for salt ; britie was .struck at a depth of seven hundred feet. The hole was deepened subsequently to fourteen hundred feet, and from some cause abandoned. Brackish water still flows from it. FLUSHING SANDSTONE. A gray sand-rock crops out at several places along the river in this township, and at a few of them has been quar- ried. The principal beds, or those nearest the surface, are on the farms of Henry French and John Sutton, east of Flushing village, and the Hallock farm, below the village. The first quarries were opened on the French farm by the " Flushing Stone-Quarry Company," since discontinued, and on the Luce (now the Sutton) farm by Sutton and Luce. O. W. Parsell, J. W. Kimmell, and others formed a com- pany and opened a quarry on the Hallock farm. John Sutton, of Flint, is the owner of the principal quarry ; the stratum is from ten inches to four feet in thickness, and the stone can easily be quarried, as the water does not run in from the river, as it does in other places. By a light stripping, about 15 acres on the Sutton place can be pre- pared for quarrying. The river is lined here with sand- stone for three-fourths of a mile, and large slabs occupy the bed of the stream. St. Paul's Episcopal church, in Flint, was constructed from this stone, 126 cords being taken from the Sutton farm, and a considerable quantity from that of Henry French. About 400 cords have been quar- ried on the Sutton place, and used in various places. The foundation of the Flushing mills is of this material, and much has been used in numerous buildings in Flint and elsewhere. Owing to inadequate means of transportation, the work has been temporarily abandoned. The stone ap- pears to harden by exposure to the atmosphere, and lias been pronounced by experts to be of excellent quality for building purposes, and the best in the lower peninsula of Michigan. The first of any account taken out was for the church at Flint. Robert Patrick, who came to Flint, Aug. 27, 1835, and still resides there, took a contract from the State, about 1841, for removing stone in the river-bed in Flushing, and changing and improving the channel, in order that rafts might be run down. Some very large slabs were removed. A lock was inserted in the dam at Flushing village, and everything prepared for " raft-navigation." STATISTICS FOR FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. The following items from the State census for 1874 will serve to show the condition of the township in that year, and enable the reader to compare its resources and present standing with those of the same territory two-score years in the past : Population (ilS9 males, 926 females) 1S65 Number of acres of taxable land 21,910.75 " " improved land 7,S1)7 " " land exempt from taxation 11.25 Value of same, with improvements $1,255 Number of acres in school- house sites 3.25 *• " church and parsonage sites 3 " *' burjing-grounds 5 *' '* of wheat raised in 1S74 1,558 " " " " 1873 1,458 " " corn raised in 1873 822 " bushels of wheat raised in 1873'. 22,705 " " corn raised in 1873 23,705 « " all other grain raised in 1873 36,503 ** " potatoes raised in 1873 ll,fiS3 " tons of hay cut in 1873 2,088 " pounds of wool sheared in 1873 8,852 " " pork marlieted in 1873 80,tiG8 " " butter made in 1873 83,270 *• barrels of cider made in 1 874 191 '* pounds of luaple-sugar made in 1874 6,339 " acres in orchards 420 " bushels of apples raised in 1872 18,713 " " " " 1873 7,972 " bush, melons and garden vegetables, 1872 225 " " " " " 1873 700 Viiluo of all fruit and garden vegetables, 1872 $0,863 '• " " " " 1873 $5,506 Number of horses one year old and over, 1874 478 " mules, 1874 3 " work-oxen, 1874 82 " milch-cuws, 1874 676 ** neat cattle, one year old and over, other th.an oxen and cows. 1874. 624 " swine over six mouths old, 1874 501 " sheep over six months old, 1874 2,482 " shee[i sheared in 1S73 2,008 Number of flou ring-mills in township 1 Number of persons employed in same 4 Amount of capital invested $7,000 Number of barrels of flour made 5,000 Value of products $35,000 Number n{ saw-niills 2 Number of persons emploved 10 Capit:il invested .". $6,500 yeet of lumber sawed 615.000 Value of lumber $6,150 FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. 273 Number of p1;iDiiig-iuill$ 1 Per^ms employ ed o (.'apiul invested $;i.4O0 Value of pnxluets $1,W0 Number of agricultural implement shops and foun- dries 1 Persons employed 2 Capital iurcsted $1..!00 Value of products $1,000 VILLAGE OF FLUSHING Horace Jerome, from St. Clair, Mich., purcluised the water-power at what is now Flushinw was then in openition. Jerome soon after left, and Seymour repaired the mill and carried it on until 1S43, when he sold the pmjierty to his brother, James Seymour. Charles Seymour did not move to the county to make it his permanent home until Febru- ary, 1843. On the first Monday in April of that year, election day, the snow lay on the ground to the depth of three feet. This was at the close of the memorable '' hard winter." Charles Seymour afterwards built a mill with a single saw on the west side of the river. In the year 1S40, after the completion of the first saw-mill, he, in company with Benjamin Bowers, built the first grist-mill in the place. It stood on the site of the present " Flushing Mills," contained two runs of stone, and was finally de- stroyed by fire. When James Seymour purchased the property at Flush- ing he lived at Brockport, N. Y., and it was not until some time later that he moved out. He subsequently re- moved to Lansing, where he died. He was one of the ablest men of his time in the State. Horace Jerome, who had been Charles Seymour's partner, conceived the idea of establishing a " wild-cat bank" at Flushing, and in company with Rufus Brown and Delos * Mr. S., now of Flint, says he oerer owned a "wild-cat" bill in bis life. 35 Davis, of Detroit, started the institution in the fall of 1838. Each man gave his note for S30,000; a building Wits erected and preparations made for carrying on the business according to the fashion of the day. Whatever business w.as done was transacted at Flint. The concern soon broke down, Jerome lost repute and left the country, and the notes of the three men were sold at auction for S5 each ! The building erected for a bank is now used as a barn. Jerome died within recent years somewhere in the Saginaw Bay region. The bank was known as the " Flint Rapids Bank." The failure of this institution resulted in considerable loss to its stockholders and others. A village plat, bearing the name of Flushing, after the township in which it was located, was laid out Dec. 3, 1840, on sections 2t> and 27, — both sides of the river, — by Charles Seymour. Sufficient allowance was not made in the survev for variation from the true meridian, and in 1847, afler the property had passed into the hands of James Seymour, the second plat of the village was laid by him, surveyed by Eber G. Langdon. This was not projHirly recorded, and it was not until July. 1855, that a full de- scription was placed on record. James Seymour laid out an addition Feb. 22, 1S50, and block 31 was subdivided by Charles Seymour June 1, 1857. The mills finally became the property of Judge Ogden Clarke, who settled at the village in I84t>. He had located as early, probably, as 1834 on Kearsley Creek, above Flint, in Genesee township, where he owned a farm, and was also the proprietor of a store and a mill. The original mill was burned in 1SG4, and Messrs. Hart and Clarke — the owners of the present structure — built another one, which burned in 1872. The present new mill contains five runs of stone, and manufactures in prosperous times about 8000 barrels of flour annually. The same firm owns a mill a few rods below, whit-h is not now in operation. It w;ts built for a s;ish, blind, and door flictory, by Benjamin F. Warner and William F. Cull, and afterwards converted into a grist-mill, being finally purchased by the present owners. Oscar F. Clarke, one of the firm, came here with his uncle, Ogden Clarke, iu 1846; he was born in 1837, in Genesee town- ship. Orrin Hart, the other member of the firm, settled in Genesee township in 1836. Probably the first person who sold goods in the village was Eber G. Langdon. although he had no regular store. One of the Hendersons, from Flint, afterwards brought in a stock of goods and sold them out, and Ogden Clarke established the first permanent store in the place upon his arrival iu 1846. He owned also an ashery. Messrs. Rogers and Payson established the nest store of any account. Daniel Cotcher is at present the oldest merchant in the village ; that is. he has been in business here longer than any other now in the place. He came here in 1855. Daniel 0"Sullivan lived early on the site of what is now the " Half-way House," on the river road, between Flint and Flushing, and worked at the latter place on the early mills. He is now engitged in the mercantile business at Flint. Robert Patsell, from the town of Newstead, Erie Co., N. Y., came with his wife and one child to Flushing town- 274 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ship in September, 1837. For one season he cleared land for Thomas L. L. Brent, and in the spring of 1838 moved upon a farm of his own on section 3G, — that now owned by C. L. Fuller. Upon it he resided until January, 1805, when he purchased and moved into the hotel in the village known as the " Flushing Exchange,'' of which he is still the proprietor. This hotel was built by Eber G. Langdon as early perhaps as 1840 ; it was the first and long the only one in the village. Langdon kept it for a considerable period, and became one of the prominent men of the village and township. Mr. Pansell puroha.sed the building of Asahel Fuller (since deceased), who had kept it six years. Langdon removed to Bay City, where he died. The house was kept by numerous other parties before it passed into the hands of Fuller. The " Lyons House," originally a store, was converted into a hotel by D. B. Lyon, now a prominent merchant of Flint. It stood on the opposite (north) side of the street from the " Exchange," and was finally torn away by Mr. LyoD, who has the present season — 1879 — erected a sub- stantial brick hotel on the same site. A building which stood on the ground now occupied by the " Laurel House" was converted into a hotel, and, in 1878, was destroyed by fire. The " Laurel House" is a three-story brick building, with French roof, since erected by Mrs. Passmore, its present proprietress. Mr. Parsell keeps a livery in connection with his hotel, and is also proprietor of a biacksmith-shop. The first insti- tution of the latter kind in the place is said to have been opened in 1842, by Isaac Lyons, Esq., of Clayton. His was but a temporary shop, and in the same year Messrs. Sharp and Van Wormer established the first permanent one. Mr. Parsell's father, Robert Parsell, Sr., settled in the township of Clayton several years after his son had located in Flushing, — probably about 1842, — and died in the first- mentioned township. His son, Harry Parsell, settled in Flint in 1840, and another son, Hiram, came in 1848. These two are both residents of Flint. Walter and Porter Cronk, brothers-in-law to Robert Parsell, came with the latter to Flushing in 1837. Mr. Par- sell's oldest son, Eugene, recently sheriff of Genesee County, was a year old when his father's family came. A daughter, Olive Parsell, now the wife of Robert McGlinchy, of Clayton, was born in Flushing township, Feb. 21, 1839, and is there- fore one of the oldest white natives thereof. Mr. Parsell is the father of 14 children, 11 by his first wife, who died in 18G8, and 3 by his second. He was first married in 1835. James Ingham, from Onondaga Co., N. Y. (a native of Sharon, Schoharie Co.), visited Flushing in the summer of 1838, looking for land. His wife's half-brother, Calvin Clark, also related to the Penoyers, purchased for Jlr. Ing- ham 50 acres off from an 80 owned by James Penoyer. Mr. Clark lived in Medina Co., Ohio, and he and Mr. Ing- ham came from there together. The population of Flush- ing at that time was very meagre. Mr. Ingham visited the locality once afterwards, on his way back from Iowa, where his parents were living. In 1845 he removed with his family to this place, having but seventy-five cents left on his arrival. He had given the landlord of a Grand Blanc hotel, where he stopped on the way, a due-bill for $2.50, and this he paid several years afterwards. He never moved upon the place which had been bought from Pen- oyer, but lived farther up the river until 1849, when he purchased and moved upon the one he now owns in the village. When he came he had nine children, and the entire family experienced the liardships of a pioneer life. Mr. Ingham worked on a farm and in the pineries for $10 a month, and the family lived on " bagas" and "johnny- cake." Mr. Ingham was one of the first abolitionists in the place, and always fearlessly advocated his principles. The first post-office in the neighborhood of Flushing was kept by Ezckiel R. Ewing, two miles up the river from the village, in what is now Mount Morris township, as early as 1839— iO. The first one at the village was kept at the store of Me.s.srs. Green & Langdon, with Loren Green as first post- master. The mail was brought from Flint, and was at one time carried by Samuel Paine. A stage at present jilies between Flushing and Flint, carrying the mail. The pres- ent incumbent of the office at Flushing is Mrs. Mary Hills, who, uj)on the death of her husband, was appointed to suc- ceed him. The village was incorporated March 21, 1877, by the following " Act to Incorporate the Village of Flushing:" "Sec. 1. The Pvojih nf the Sliile nf Mkhit/iiu enact, Tbilt the fol- lowing lands and territory in the township of Flushing, county of tienesee, and described as follows, to wit: The southeast quarter of sec- tion 27, and all that part of the southwest quarter of section 26 as lies northerly of Flint River, and all the land on said section 26 lying between Flint Uiver and Chamberlain Street, as said street is laid out, and extending easterly to Flint River, the same being in township 8 north, of range 5 east, be and the same is hereby constituted a village corporate, by the name of the village of Flushing. '* Sec. 2. The first election of oiScers of said village shall be held on the second Tuesday in May, in the year nf our Lonl one thou.^and eight hundred and seventy-seven, at Flushiug Hall, in the said village. "Sec. 3. A. N. Niles ami William llosie are hereby constituted a board of registration, for the purpo.^e of registering votes for the first election to be held in .saiil village ; and said board of registration are hereby required to meet on the Saturday preceding the second Tues- day of May, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven aforesaid, and reg- ister all persons presenting themselves for registration, and having the qualifications of voters at annual township-meetings. " Sec. 4. Notice of said first election of officers of said village shall be posted in three of the most public places in said village, at least ten days before the time of said election, which notice may be signed by any five freeholders in said village. " Sec. 5. The bridge or bridges now built, or that may ereafter be built, across Flint River, within the territory described in section one of this act, shall be built and maintiiined, as heretofore, by the town- ship of Flushing at large. " Sec. 6. The said village of Flushing shall in all things not herein otherwise provided be governed by, and its powers anil duties defined by, an act entitled * an act granting and defining the powers and duties of incorporated villages,' approved April first, eighteen hundred and seventy-five. " Sec. 7. In ease the said officers are not elected at the time tlesig- nated in section two of this act, an election for officers may be had at any time within one year from the time designated in said section two of this act, on notice being given as provided in section four of this act. " Sec. S. This act shall take immediate effect." The first village election was held May 8, 1877, when 82 votes were polled. The following officers were chosen, viz. : President, Oscar F. Clarke ; Trustees (1 year), William J. Ottaway, Daniel Cotcher, Corydon Crouk ; (2 years), :^m3S 3 ^ m o n 33 " -**« O . ^ p; % 3D \ > ■ \: 3> . ^ 3> w Q > X > CO Q > \ FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. 275 Henry French, Jacob Kimmell, Hiram P. Ransom ; Village Clerk, William Hosie ; Treasurer, Hiram A. Packard; Street Commi.ssiom;r, Samui'l E. Ottaway ; Assessor, Aza- riah S. Partridge; Constable, Joseph Topliam. Samuel E. Ottaway was subsequently chosen marshal. 1878. — I'resident, Arthur C. Andrus; Trustees (2 years), James W. Brown, George W. Hutton, Mortimer N. Park ; Clerk, William Hosie; Assessor, Carlos Packard; Treas- urer, Nelson Talbot ; Street Commissioner, S. E. Ottaway ; Constable, George W. Parmeleo. 1879. — President, Arthur C. Andrus; Trustees (2 years), Nelson Talbot, Jacob Kimmel, Elisha B. Coddington ; Clerk, Wes.son G. Sprague ; Treasurer, Hiram A. Packard; As- sessor, M. M. Bliss; Street Commissioner, S. E. Ottaway; Constable, George Ball. The " Wolverine Fire Company" was organized about the year 1874, with about j5 members. Arza N. Nilcs was chosen first chief engineer. A subscription was raised, and a small hand-engine, bell, buckets, etc., were purchased. These were turned over to the village after its incorpora- tion. The engine was made by Capt. Haas, of Flint, and is of his own model and patent. It is an excellent one for a small engine, and in 1878 was the means of saving the business portion of the village from entire destruction by fire. A saloon and hotel were at that time burned on the corner where the " Laurel House" now stands. NEWSPAPERS. The Flushing Patrol, a seven-column folio sheet, was established October 18, 1878, by D. C. Aslimun, the pres- ent editor and proprietor. A small job-ofl5ce is operated in connection. The subscription list of the paper numbers 700 or 800. A small amateur paper had been previously printed for a time by a young man named Burton Smith, a nephew of 0. S. Pond. BRIDGES. The present wooden bridge across the river at the village is about 200 feet in length, and was built in the neighbor- hood of 1872. Its predecessor, also a wooden structure, stood some sixteen years, and the first one — wood — about the same length of time, having been built about 1839-40. MANUFACTORIES. A woolen-factory, carding-machine, etc., was operated here at one time. It was finally discontinued in that ca- pacity and moved up and made part of a flouring-mill, which stood below the present one, and was afterwards burned. The saw-mill now standing on the west side of the river was originally built by Messrs. Cull & Warner (the same who owned the present lower grist-mill) for a sash-factory. The furnace now owned by Jlr. Somers, near the west end of the bridge, was originally built for an ashery by Mr. Henderson, of Flint, and converted into a furnace by Ogdeii Clarke. Green it Jjangdon used it for a time as an ashery. A shingle-factory on the nortli side of the street, west of the bridge, belongs to Mr. Willett, and a saw-mill and rake-factory near it is owned by Mrs. Henry French, and managed by Smith & Martin. An old steam saw-mill stands on the flat above the gri.st-niill, but is not now in use. In June, 1879, tlie village contained ten or twelve stores of various kinds, and the usual number of mechanic-shops found in a place of its size. SOCIETIES. The secret orders are Flushing Lodge, No. 223, F. and A. M.; Rankin Lodge, No. 139, I. 0. O. F. ; Valley Lodge, No. 093, Knights of Honor; The Royal Templars' Lodge, a temperance organization ; Flushing Grange, No. 387, Patrons of Husbandry. THE FLUSIIINQ CORNET BAND is a fine organization, numbering sixteen members. It is under the leadership of U. L. Smith. A neat uniform of gray is worn on parade. As early as about 1849 a band was formed in the village, having nine members, and at first without drums. After a year or two a teacher was hired and music procured. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1801 some of the members of the band entered the army, and the organization was nearly broken up, but after the war it started again in better .shape. The first leader was William Reed, who is playing again with the present band. He is the oldest player among the number. Henry French joined soon after the original band was formed, and, with the exception of a couple of years, has belonged to it until the present. This band is much better than the average of those found in places of equal size. FLUSHING PUBLIC SCHOOL. District No. 2, including the village, was organized as a union district previous to 18C6. The present fine two- story brick school-hou.se was built in 1871, at a cost of $5000. The present trustees of this district are A. S. Partridge, Director ; M. N. Park, Daniel Cotcher, J. Paton, Jr., 0. F. Clarke, J. B. Gallup. The teachers are : I'rin- cipal, James Spencer; Assistant, Hattie Chipman ; Inter- mediate Department, Hattie L. Collar ; Primary Department, Prudic E. Andrews. CHURCHES. Methodist Episcopal Church. — The Methodists have the honor of having organized the first religious society in the village, as a class was formed previous to 1840. But two of tho.se who were members at that time are now living ; of these, one is Mrs. David Penoyer, of the village. Meet- ings were held for some time in the old school-house, and afterwards in a building which stood on the south side of the main street, east of the bridge. In 1845 the society began getting material together for the purpose of building a church, but, through .some misfortune, it was not com- pleted for two or three years. It is a frame edifice, stand- ing i[i the eastern part of the village. A portion of the original spire has been taken down. This church has been prosperous from the beginning. Among the early preachers were Revs. Bigolow, Barnes, Scth Rin-d, T. J. Joslin, Syl- vester Calkins, and others. Elder William J. Kent became a member of the church when he first came to the town- ship, in 1843, and is still connected with it. He was one of the most steadfast supporters of the early church, as were also Columbus (JhiLson, William Lockycr, and Ogden ' Clarke. The first circuit embraced a large number of ap- 276 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. pointiuents, nnd the work of the pastor was by no means light. First BiqUki Church. — The Baptists organized the sec- ond society in the village, and at first had services as a branch of the Flint Church, but in time became an inde- pendent organization. The members of the Deland family were early influential members, and Elder Deland, father of Charles F. Deland, was for a long time the pastor. The present frame building occupied by the society stands in the western part of the village, and was erected fur a union church by tlie Baptists and others. It subsequently be- came the property of the Baptist society alone. Among the more recent pastors have been Rev. P. Reynolds, in 1868; succeeded in 1870 by Rev. A. Tilden, and he by Rev. Edward Selleck. The church was then supplied for a time, but had no settled pastor until Rev. Edward Blan- chard came, in August, 1876. The latter is still in charge. The membership of this church is about 150. A Sabbath- school is sustained, with a good attendance, and has for its superintendent Eugene Herriman. Tke Pi-eshi/tLriana organized the third society and also built a frame church, the Seymours being among the most influential members. The organization has become greatly depleted in numbers, has no pastor and does not hold meet- ings, and practically does not at present exist. FLUSHING CEMKTERY. A cemetery association was incorporated in 1847, land purchased from Barney Chamberlain, and the " Central Burying-Ground" laid out upon it. Adjoining land was subsequently purchased and added by the township, to which it still belongs, while the cemetery corporation owns the original purchase. The first meeting of the association was held March 6, 1847. The original members were eighteen in number, viz. : William Coutant, Seth S. C. Caldwell, A.sahel A. Martin, Columbus C. Chillson, E. 11. Ewing, William L. Delbridge, Richard Bowman, John Paton, Thomas J. Packard, H. S. Penoyer, Joseph Dunbar, R. H. Green, James E. Brown, E. B. Smith, Ebenezer French, William J. Kent, Alexander Barber, A. M. Wood- ruff. "The present officers are: President, Henry French, since May, 1872; Secretary, Samuel J. Paine; Treasurer, Ebenezer French ; Sexton, John Caldwell. Among the societies of Flushing village is the " Flush- ing Ladies' Library Association," which was organized at the house of Mrs. James A. Button, July oO, 1873, when Mrs. George Button was chosen President and Mrs. E. G. Bryant, Secretary. Fifty-two persons became members at the organization, and a fund of $67.60 was the amount in the treasury. Mrs. T. V. Rogers was chosen as first per- manent president. The first order for books, 41 volumes, amounted to $63. The number of volumes in 1876 was 480, and the membership was 102. Sincere thanks are tendered to those who have aided in the compilation of the foregoing sketch of this township and village. Among the number who have kindly rendered valuable services are Henry French, Mr. and Mrs. John Paton, Sr., James Ingham, Robert Par.sell, Messrs. Hart ct Clarke, Daniel Cotcher, and numerous others in the village ; Elder William J. Kent, William D. Penoyer, James Wood, Mrs. Samuel Wood, and others in the township ; and vari- ous manufacturers, members of churches, the town and vil- lage clerks, beside many whose names are not recollected. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. HENRY FRENCH. Henry French was born in Woodstock, Windsor Co. Vt., in the year 1813. His father, Apollos French, came from Taunton, Conn., at an early date, and settled in the place where our subject was born, where he married Miss Abigail Carpenter. The fruit of this union was iis follows : Robert, Rhoda, Betsy E., Ira, Ebenezer, Henry, George, Pliotu. by .1. P. l:h.»lM. HENRY FRENCH. and Joseph, — all living except George and Rhoda. Mr. Apollos French died at his son's residence in Flushing, and was buried in Flint. Mrs. French died in Vermont, and was buried there, previous to her husband's coming to Michigan. At the age of fifteen, Henry French was bound to Tracy Bingham, in Woodstock, Vt., and lived with him until he attained the age of twenty-one. He subsequently worked for Mathew Cushing and Seth Brewster, and until be started for what was then considered the " Far West," the State of Michigan, with his brother Ira. They traveled by wagon and canal to Albany, rail to Schenectady, thence by canal to Buffalo, and by steamer to Detroit. Remain- ing in Detroit but a single night, he started out (in com- pany with his brother and two young men) on a prospecting tour in the new country, arriving at the village of Flint (consisting at that time of a few frame houses) about the 18th of October, 1835. He located on section 36, town- ship 8, since called Flint and Flushing, taking up one hun- dred and nine and a half acres of land. Constructing a log house, he commenced his labors, fully prepared for the hardships and privations which all early settlers had to un- dergo. FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. He married in Flint, in November, 1835, Miss Abigail Maria Ensign, of Greenwich, N. Y. By this union were born a family of four children, viz. : George, Althaea, Klioda, and Henry H., — all living. Mrs. French departed this life the IGth of November, 1871, and was buried in the Flushing cemetery. He married, June 23, 1872, for his second wife, Mrs. .Susan Delbridge, widow of Wil- liam L. Delbridgc, with whom he now resides. Mr. French, by his indu.stry, has ac(|uired a competency suflS- cient to enable him to live in ease. He has enjoyed the full confidence of his townsmen, they having successively elected him town treasurer and justice of the peace ; the latter position he filled for six years. At the present time (Sep- tember, 1879), he is sixty-six years of age, and seems to be possessed of as much energy as a young man of thirty. He believes this to be the result of a life of total abstinence. J'liutus. by J. I*- Rluides, FluMliiiig. EBENEZEK FRENCH. MRS. EBENEZER FRENCH. EBENEZEIl FRENCH. The rock-ribbed Green Mountain State sent many of her hardy sons to the western wilderness to help build there a mighty and prosperous commonwealth, and than those from the green-clad walls of the State, whose people " in the name of Vermont defied all the world," none nobler nor more staunch came to this region to erect their homes. The gentleman above named was born in Woodstock, Windsor Co.. Vt., May 12, 1810, and lived with his father until sixteen years of age, after which time he worked out during summers, and attended the district schools winters until he was twenty-one. Still continuing his farm labors, he taught school winters until 1834. On the 31st of August, in that year, he was united in matrimony to Martha S. Dunham, daughter of Simeon and Sophia Dun- ham. Sept. G, 1831), he started for Jlichigan with his family, going over the mountains to Whitehall in a lumber-wagon, thence down the canal to Troy, thence by the Erie Canal to Buffalo, and from the latter place to Detroit by steamer. From Detroit the remainder of the journey to what is now Flushing township was traversed in a lumber-wagon. Mr. French purcha.sed and .settled on land in this town, and in common with the other .settlers endured the various privations and .sore hardships incident to the life of a pioneer. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. French, viz.: Martha A., Harriet E., Mary S., Horace D., Morris F., Harriet E. (2d), Simeon E., Wilber F., and Willard O. Of these all are living except Harriet E. (1st) and Simeon E. Mr. French has been placed by the citizens of the town- ship in nearly all its oflBces, of which he held that of super- visor seven years, and is at present inspector of schools. DANIEL COTCHER. This gentleman was born in Bethlehem, Albany Co., N. Y., Oct. 10, 1833, his father, John Cotcher, having emi- grated from England about 1820, and settled in that town, about two miles from the city of Albany. He owned a farm and managed it until 1846, when he removed to the township of West Bloonifield, Oakland Co., Mich., purcha.sed a place, and lived \ipon it till his death, which occurred Jan. 13, 1873, when he was seventy-six years of age. His widow and one .son, James Cotcher, still reside there. Until 184S, Daniel Cotcher aided his father in his farm duties, but in that year he entered the store of 0. C. & 11. B. Morris, at I'ontiac, and remained there five years. Tlie greater part ol' the two following years he spent in the West. Nov. 5, 1855, he came to Flushing village and began work at his trade in the establishment of Charles Seymour, Mr. Cotcher doing the first tinner's work in the first tin-shop in the village. Ho subso(|uently purcha.sed the tin-shop and hardware department, and conducted bu.si- ncss for himself about eight years. In the spring of 1865 he entered into a business ])arlr)crship with I'ranklin A. Niles, forming the firm ofNiles & Cotcher, which luus con- tinued to do a successful business lo the present time. Mr. 278 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Cotcher has been continuously in trade in Flushing longer than any other merchant now residing in the village, and his mercantile life has not been niaikcd with any of the disasters whicli many less careful managers have experi- enced. He has served a number of years as a member of the union school board, and was one of the fii'st board of village trustees, elected in 1877. Sept. 25, 1860, Mr. Cotcher was married to Mary M. WoodruflF, a native of Pittsfield, Mass., where she resided most of her life previous to her marriage. Her father, Amos M. Woodruff, settled in the township of Flushing about 1844, and died April 17, 1875, aged sixty-four years. Mrs. Cotcher is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Flushing. Two children — a son and a daughter — have been born to this couple. The family is one of the most highly esteemed and respected of any living in the place. JOHN PATON. At least one native of " Auld Scotia" built for himself a home in the wilds of this township, entering his land before a single white inhabitant had reared his humble cabin in its forest. Born in Blackford, Perthshire, Scotland, Nov. 5, 1801, his thread of life has spun out to moie than an aver- age degree, owing largely, perhaps, to the pure air inhaled among his native hills in his youth. He learned the trade of a weaver, and followed that occupation until his removal to America. On the 21st day of March, 1827, in company with his sister, Marian Paton, he left his old home, and, after stopping a short time near Glasgow, sailed for New York on the 9th of April, arriving at the latter place May 8, 1827. There he saw the first colored people his eyes had ever rested upon, and the sight was a novelty to hira. The day following his arrival in New York he visited Pat- erson, N. J., and a few days later commenced weaving duck at that place for a friend, Mr. Burton. He shortly after obtained a situation in the factory of Mr. Heights, at Little Falls, near Pater.son. He afterwards, in company with James Woodhouse, operated a factory on commission, and continued in the business until he came West. Early in 1834, Mr. Patton came to Michigan, and in June of that year purchased land which comprises the principal part of his present farm. As he was unwilling to move upon it at that time, — so far from any others, — he located up the river in what is now Flint township, on the place at present owned by Mr. Warren. Farther up the stream, and about five miles out from Flint, were then living Nathan and Isaac Miles, and eighteen or twenty miles below, in Saginaw County, was one Mr. Hayden. These were the nearest families to Mr. Paton living on the river, and the only ones in the distances mentioned. At the time he located in Flint township, Mr. Paton was unmarried, but was ac- companied by John Stothers and wife, from Canada, Mrs. Stothers doing the housework. This couple remained but a short time. Nov. 22, 1835, Mr. Paton was married to Miss Mary Evans, and in February, 1837, moved with his wife and one child to the farm where they now reside. Mrs. Paton was born Jan. 30 or 31, ISIG, in Manchester, England. Her parents, although natives of Ireland, were botli of English descent. Her mother died in England, and in 1830 her father, John Evans, removed with his daughter to Stockport, N. Y., five miles north of Hudson, Columbia Co., where they remained five years. Their trip, in October, 1835, to Flushing, occupied three weeks' time, the journey being made by caual to Buffalo, thence to De- troit by boat. The Saginaw turnpike was not then com- pleted, although work was progressing upon it, and as Mr. Evans was unable to procure a team in Detroit, he wished his daughter to remain there until he could go to Flushing and bring a team back after her. She demurred, however, thinking she was as well able to walk as her father, and together they started, making Hamilton's tavern, eleven miles out, the first day. The following day they walked to Waterford, twenty-one miles farther, and attended a quilt- ing at that place in the evening. The third day they reached Thomas Irish's tavern in Grand Blanc. Upon arriving there, Mr. Evans drank a quantity of cider when quite warm, and serious results very nearly followed, he becoming for a short time like one dead. His daughter was greatly alarmed, and the presence of a crowd of roughs and horse- thieves, who deliberately proceeded to strip her father and hunt for his valuables, tended to heighten her anxiety, she in the meanwhile being scoffed and jeered by them. At length the landlord appeared and stayed proceedings. Mr. Evans finally recovered, and the next day they walked on through Flint and down to where Mr. Paton was living. In Novem- ber following, Mr. Paton and Mi.'is Evans were married, as stated, and after moving to Flushing (in 1837) stayed for a short time in Mr. Evans' log house until a frame structure could be erected on their own place. They are the parents of four children, all living but one, who died at birth. The names and births of those living are respectively as follows : John Paton, Jr., born in Flint township, Sept. 15, 1836. Mary M. Paton, born in Flushing, July 23, 1839. Annie B. Paton, born in Flushing, Feb. 12, 1842. Since coming to Michigan, Mr. Paton's occupation has been that of a farmer. He and his wife were both mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church at Flushing, which .society is now so disorganized as to hardly be considered an or- ganization. The daughters are both members of the Meth- odist Church. Politically, Mr. Paton was a member of the old Whig party until the llepublicans organized, since which time he has stood on the same platform with them. For some account of the trials this estimable i'amily endured in the days when they were pioneers, the reader is referred to the foregoing history of the township of Flushing. THOMAS H. KELLAND. In the northwest part of Flushing town.ship is a neigh- borhood known as the " English Settlement," from the fact that those who located there were from the mother-coun- try, and others have arrived in later years. Mr. Kelland, who was born in Devon.shire, England, July 18, 1835, emigrated with his sister to America in 1850, and for two years lived south of Flint, removing subsequently into the border of Shiawassee County, west of his present residence. After remaining there two years he came to the place he now occupies, formerly the home of Samuel ^Vood, and still partly owned by his heirs. On the 30th of April, FLUSHING TOWNSHIP. 279 1862, Mr. Kelland was married to Mr. Wood's daughter, Martha A. WixkI, wIki was born on tlic farm July 19, 1844. To Mr. and iMrs. Kelland liave been born two children, viz. : Fannie A., born Aug. 18, 18(54; George E., born Dec. 8, 1868. Both Mr. Kelland and liis wife are members of tlie Methodist Episcopal Church, located near their residence. Politically, Mr. Kelland is a Republican. Mrs. Kelland's father, Samuel Wood, a native of Der- byshire, England, emigrated from Lancashire in May, 1842, and in March, 1843, was married to Mrs. Mary Vernon, also from Lancashire, who had come with her father, John Bailey, the same spring, and lived at Flushing village, where Mr. Bailey soon after died. His wife died on the Wood place. Samuel Wood's death occurred March 22, 1875, when he was sixty-one years of age. His widow, who was also a widow when married to him, still survives, and her home is with her son-in-law and daugliter, Mr. and Mrs. Kelland. A more full account of the settlement of tlie English families, with their experieuee as pioneers, will be found in the township history. ANDREW F. SUTTON. Mr. Sutton, the third son and the third child in a fiimily of seven children, was born Nov. 20, 1817, in the State of New Jensey. His parents were Micaiah and Rachel (Free- man) Sutton, and were farmers. The elder Sutton also carried on the tanning and currying business. A. F. Sutton came to his present location in Flushing about the year 1853, and purchased — opposite his present resi- dence — a farm of Jarvis Bailey. Aftt'r his arrival in Gen- esee County, Mr. Sutton was married, in Flint, to Jeannette Boomer, who died in Flu.shiug, and in 1865 he married the widow of Linus Jacox. Mrs. Sutton was born Aug. 15, 1817, in Putnam County, N. Y., and about 1837 came to Michigan with her mother, Jlrs. Davenport, who pur- chased a farm near Clarkston, in Oakland County. Mr. Davenport's decease occurred before the family removed from New York. The daughter was subsequently married to Linus Jacox, who also lived near Clarkston, and about 1854 came with her husband to Flushing, he purchasing the place where Mr. and Mrs. Sutton now reside. Mr. Bailey, the former owner, had cleared to some extent on the farm, but made no further improvements, and Mr. Jacox built the house now standing east of Mr. Sutton's residence, and also erected barns. The present dwelling of Mr. Sutton was built in 1875. The farm now contains one hundred acres. Linus Jacox died in November, 1861, and his widow (whose maiden name was Rachel Daven- port) was married to Mr. Sutton, as above stated. Mr. Sutton and Mrs. Jacox had each four children — three sons and a daughter — when married. Mr. Sutton is a Repub- liam in politics, and both he and his wife are connected with the Methodist p]piscopal Church at Flushing. ALEXANDER BARBER. Among the residents of Flushing who were during their lives held in great esteem, the person above named is one of the first to be mentioned. His birth occurred Oct. 17, 1815, among the hills of the town of Morrisville, iNIadison Co., N. Y. April 15, 1838, he was married to Amanda Smith, who was also a native of Madison County, the date of her birth being May 24, 1816, and the town, Hamilton, of classic notoriety. In the spring of 1839 they buried an infant son, and in June of the same year Mr. and Mrs. Barber removed to Michigan, stopping until fall with Mrs. Barber's brother, Simeon M. Smith, in Groveland, Oakland Co., where he had settled early. He afterwards came to Flushing, where he died Upon their arrival in Flushing, Mr. Barber and his wife located on a farm on the west side of Flint River, four miles below the village. Mrs. Barber's father, Ezra Smith, came to the township with his wife and one son — Ezra Smith, Jr. (the latter having his wife and two children with him), — and both owned land down the river. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Barber, and both died in infancy. Mr. Barber's ])rineipal occupation was that of a farmer, although much of his time was spent in teaching school — principally winters — in both New York and Michigan. In 1865 he moved to Flushing village, where his widow still resides. During the last ten years of his life he had the agency for several insurance companies, among them the " Watertown," of Watortown, N. Y. He was a firm Republican in politics, and one of the most prominent citizens of the township, as is evident from the ftict that for many years he was elected to its various oftices, and honored with the trust and confidence of those whom he represented. He was a member of the BaptLst Church at Flushing, with which Mrs. Barber is still con- nected, she having, before her marriage, united with the church of that denominalion at Hamilton, N. Y. The farm Mr. Barber settled on when he came to this township he purchased from second hands, yet no improve- ments had been made upon it. Until he and Mr. Smith could erect board houses on their own places, they lived in a small shanty on the Brent farm. Mr. Barber's board house, when completed, was twelve by sixteen feet in di- mensions, and one story high. The hardships the settlers endured in those early days are scarcely to be described, but they live vividly in the recollection of those who ex- perienced them. Sickness was added to other trials, and many times were the dwellers in the wilderness discouraged at their gloomy prospects, but the end truly crowned the work, and success and prosperity at last smiled upon them. A couple of years after he settled, Mr. Barber met with a serious accident. While riding his Indian pony in the pursuit of his township duties, it fell with him and crushed his foot badly, and he never fully recovered the use of it. This and his age prevented his acceptance as a volunteer during the Rebellion, which circumstance he very much re- gretted, lie .suffered much from sicknes's, especially dur- ing the last eight months of his life, and a combination of the most serious diseases finally cau.sed his death, on the 27th of February, 1878, and those who were acquainted with him and knew his worth were called upon to mourn the loss of a respected friend and citizen, while the wife who had stood by him in trial and in prosperity was left utterly alone, to mourn till she, too, is called. M U N D Y. The township of Mundy includes Congressional town- ship No. G north, in range (5 east, or one-half the territory originally set off to it. It is bounded north by Flint town- ship, east by Grand Blanc, south by Fenton, and west by Gaines, which was until 1842 included within its limits. The natural characteristics of Mundy are much the same as those of its sister-towns, consisting of a generally level sur- face, with portions considerably undulating, a variety of soil, and a considerable acreage of timber. In many respects it is one of the best townships in the county, and its improve- ments are very generally excellent. It was settled by an energetic, thrifty class of fermers, and the success which has attended their efforts to build up substantial and comfort- able homes in the wilderness is everywhere apparent in the fine forms, tasty dwellings, and the various accompaniments of a well-ordered agricultural community. Unlike many portions of the country, its first settlers possessed a greater intelligence than those in other localities, and this, combined with enterprise, wrought a wonderful change in the face of the region which frowned upon them over forty years ago in all the majesty of a forest-crowned domain, where the brute creation held almost undisputed sway and the axe of the pioneer had never swung nor its strokes echoed through the primeval aisles. But as change is the order elsewhere, so was it here, and the pleasant and peaceful homes of to-day are a marked contrast to the wilderness of earlier years. LAND ENTRIES. The following is a list of land-entries in this township, transcribed from the tract-book of George M. Dewey, Esq., of Flint: Section 1. Acres. James Spier, Livingston Co., N. Y., June, 1836 240 Josciiii Lawrence, Westchester Co., N. Y., .June, LS;i6 1GS.73 Junalhiin G. Firman, Oakland Co., Mieh., Nov. 1S35 SU Hiram Kusco, Ucncsce Co., Mich., Nov. 1835 169.03 Section 2. Nathaniel Nelson, Genese* Co., Mich., June, 1836 167.59 James Sjiicr, Livingston Co., N. Y., *' " 80 Noble Beagle, " " " " SO John llamcr, Monroe Co., " " " 160 Samuel I'reble, (ieuesee Co., " " " 86.75 Wm. Taylor, Saratoga Co., " July, 1836 SU Suction 3. James M. Ilutchings, Monroe Co., N. Y., June, 1836 80 lirailhury Kastman, Genesee Co., N Y. " " 80 Phehe llatch, " " " " SO Uewitt C. Gregory, Chenango Co., N. Y., July, 1836 80 Abraham C. Mattron, Genesee Co., Mich., July, 1836 80 Wm. Taylor, Saratoga Co., N. Y., July, 1830 85.89 Robert Cuun, Wayne Co., Mich., March, 1S36 163.67 Section 4. Henry H. Ilowland, Oakland Co., Mich., June, 1836 80 Beiij. Simmons, *' ** *• " 80 Abigail Simmons, " " " " 80 Abraham Ueckoru, Morris Co., N. J., June, 1836 80 Wm. Taylor, Saratoga Co., N. Y., July, 1836 163.38 Wm. Eddy, Genesee Co., N. Y., March, 1836 84.25 Abraham liuckhind, Genesee Co., N. Y., April, 1836 80 280 Section 5. Acres. Tlcnrv II. Ilowland, Oiikhmd Co., Mich., May, 1830 160 Hiram Wright, (ienosee Co., N. Y., June, 1836 83.94 Thomas Durleo, " " " " 80 Cook A Gordon, Wayne Co., Mich., July, 1836 160 Truman B. Wilkinson, Genesee Co., Mich., Oct. 1836 164.58 Section 6. John L. Eastman, Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 1830 159.80 A. E. Mather, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836 488.62 Section 7. A. E. Mather, Wayne Co., Mich., June. 1836 SO Isaac W. Morton, Washtenaw Co., Mich., June, 1836 40 Daniel Tookcr, Orange Co., N. Y., September, 1836 321.16 Sprague Wilkersou, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1836 160 David Gibson, " " April, 1839 ' 40 Section S. Jonathan Collins, Jr., Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1836 80 Alonzo ¥. Alger, (jenesee Co., " June, 1830 120 Smith Titus, Cayuga Co., N. Y., . " " 120 Samuel Dibble, LitchHeld Co., Conn., " " 160 Elijah Bishop, Jr., Chautauqua Co., N. Y., " " 160 Section 9. A. H. Ilowland, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1836 SO Wm. M. Hodge, Otsego Co., N. Y., June, 1S36 SU Bildad Hodge, " " " " 80 Abigail Siuiuions. Oakland Co., Mich., June, 1836 80 Abraham Beckorn, Morris Co., N. J., " " 80 William Smith, Oakland Co., Mich., " " 80 " " " " July, 1836 SO Sprague Wilkerson, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1836 80 Section 10. McHenry, Hurley, Kurcheval, and Smith, United States, May, 1836 160 Irwin C. Simmons, Oakland Co., Mich., June, 1836 80 Jacob Bentlev, Ontario Co., N. Y., " " SO Charles Wilcox, " " " " 40 Samuel Perry, Columbia Co., " " " 200 Stephen Cha'thcld, Oakland Co., Mich., " . " 80 Section 11. Volney Stiles, Monroe Co., N. Y., November, 1833 40 Eli Gilbert, Oakiiind Co., Mich., June, 1835 40 Birdsell N. Johnson, Broome Co., N. Y., September, 1835 120- Dennis Brainard, Niagara Co., " November, 1835 40 J. Whij.ple and G. Bartlett, Livingston Co., N. Y., June, 1836 240 Samuel Perry, Columbia Co., " " " SO John R. Martin, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836 40 Ira D. Wright, Genesee Co., " July, " 40 Section 12. Bradbury Eastman, Tompkins Co., N. Y., November, 1833 40 Hiram liusco, Genesee Co., Mich., November, 1835 120 John Lewis, Jackson Co., " February, 1836 80 Smith Titu.s, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June, 1S36 320 " •< «' •' " 40 Chauncoy Brown, Livingston Co., N. Y., June, 1S36 40 Section 13. Daniel Williams, Lapeer Co., Mich., M.-vy, 1833 80 John Lewis, Genesee Co., " Novcmljcr, 1835 160 Bradburv Eastman, " " March, 1836 80 Peter Crise, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June, 1836 320 Section 14. John Richards, Niagara Co., N. Y., September, 1833 80 Birdsell N. Johnson, Broome Co., N. Y., September, 1S35 40 Isaac W. Morton, W.^shtenaw Co., Mich., February, 1836 SO John Hempstead, Monroe Co., N. Y., May, 1836 280 Seth Beckwith, Livingston Co., " " " SO Washington D. Morton, Washtenaw Co., Mich., May, 1836 80 MUNDY TOWNSHIP 281 Skitiox l.'j. Acres. Mellcnry, Kurcheval, et til., United States, May, lS3f) CiO Skction 17. NfwboM l,ii»rcnce, New York Citv, Ma.v, 18.-!6 160 Maxwell Tliom|ison, Ontiirio Co., N. Y., " 100 Klijuh Bishop, Jr., Cliautauqua Cu., N. Y., June, ISIiC 320 Seitio.v 18. NcwboM Lawrence, New York City, May, 1S3C IfiO Morri.-J T.vler, Saiiihusky City, Ohio, *' '* SO David .'^liank, Cayuga'Co., N. Y.. June, 1836 81.18 Jacob Morton. Wa.slitenaw Co., Mich., June, 1836 SO A. E. Mather, Wayne Co., " " " 211.30 Skitiox 19. Williani Thompson, .Seneca Co.. N. Y., April. 1S36 321. -18 Morris Tyler. .Sandusky City, Ohio, May, 18.ifl 811 Newltold Lawrence, New York City. " ** 160 Daniel Mcreereau, Cayuga Co., N." Y., June, 1836 81. 2t Section 20. Ahijah B. Dunlap, .Seneca Co., N. Y., April, 18.16 SO Williani Thompson, '• " " " 320 Ma.xwell Thompson, Ontario Co., N. Y., May, 18,36 160 Edmund Probyu, Gloucester, Kngland, June, 1836 -SU Skctio.v 21. William Thompson, Seneca Co.. N. Y., April, 1836 SO Josiah Alger, Oakland Co., iMnh., •' " 160 A. li. Alger. •' " " " SO Lewis II. AlgiT, " " " " SO Cornelius Valentine, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1836 80 .Joseph Carr, Wayno Co., N. Y., " '* 160 .Skctiox 22. Ka-ka-ge-sic, Shiawassee Co., Mich., December, 1835 120 Williani Thompson. Seneca Co., X. Y., 4pril, 1S36 SO Messrs. I'ark.s, Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1836 80 Easter .\lger, •' '■ ■' '• " SO Newbold Lawrence, New York City, May, 1836 280 Skction 23. Abijah B. Dunlap. Seneca Co.. N. Y., April, 1836 160 Jliron B. Smith, Oakland Co.. Mich., May, 1836 160 Dai id JI. Jewell, New London, Conn., " •' 160 Levi Parsons, Onondaga Co., N. Y., June, 1836 80 Ilirain L. Dickinson, (jenesee Co., Midi., June, 1836 80 Surno.v 24. Eunice Austin, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1835 40 Levi Parsons, Onondaga Co., N. V., March, 1836 SO Ebenezer Bishop, Genesee Co., Mich., March, 1836 SO .Saiiiiiel L. Chapin, Livingston Co, N. Y., May, 1836 160 Koyal Cliainberlin, Orleans Co., N. \'., May, 1836 120 Andrew Snider, Cayuga Co., " " " 160 Seotiox 25. James Van Valkenburgh, Livingston Co., N. \'., May, 1835... 40 David Shuiik. Cayuga Co., N. Y., June, 1835 320 JJaniel K. Williams, Ueneseo Co., Mich., July, 1835 40 llirain Sherwood, " " " " May, 1835 80 Stephen Sherwood, Livingston Co., N.Y'., June, 1836 160 Section- 2fi. Nelson Mcakcr, Shiawassee Co., Mich., November, 1834 40 Thomas Van Sickle, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June, 1835 120 '• " Se|ilomber, 1835 SO Edmund L. .Jennings, Tioga Co., N. v., '■ " 160 Cornelius Bray. Ontario Co., X. Y., October, 1835 SO ilirain Sherwood, tieneseo Co., Mich., May. 1S3() 80 Slejdien Sherwood, Livingston Co., N.\'., June, 1836 80 Sectios 27. Morgan Balilwin, Tioga Co., N. Y., March, 1834 160 James lloiigliton, " *' " *' " SO Wa bc-lte-no-'-se, Shiawassee Co., Mich., .January, 1S35« 40 L^iis (i. II. Conant, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, t'i'liruary, 183.) SO Chc."ter Keynolds. Genesee Co., N. Y.. June, 1835 80 Cyrenius Simmons, Oakland Co., .Mich., August, 1835 160 Wabe-be-nes-so, Shiawassee Co., .Mich., December, 1835 40 Section 28. Horace Welmore, Oakland Co., Mieh., AugusI, 1835 80 Calvin Nelson. Jr., Ontario Co., N. Y., September, 1835 40 Josiah Alger, Oakland Co., Mich., .April. 1836 SO Hester Valentine, Oakland Co., Mieh., April. 1836 .80 Cornelius Valentine, " •' •■ .May, 1836 80 Stephen S. Durkee, '• " " March, 1 836 SO Willi.im Kvaus, " •' *' July, " 40 Acres. Uobert Covel, Jr., Tioga Co., N. Y., July, 1836 80 Hiiel W. Scovel, Oneida Co., N. Y., October, 1836 40 John F. Durkee, Oakland Co., Mich., March, 1837 40 Section 29. (leorge W. Paul, Ontario Co., N.Y., Scpiember, 1835 160 Asa T. Pierce, " " " October, " 80 Abijah B. Dunlap, Seneca Co.. N. Y., April. 1836 80 Josiah II. Alger, Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1836 80 Newb(dd Lawrence, New York City, .May. IS36 SO Nelson H. Sanders, Niagara Co., N. Y., May, 1836 100 Section 30. Sally Pierce. Ontario Co., N. Y., Ociolier, 1835 40 Charles Smith, liene.sce Co., N. Y., April, 1836 242.80 .losiiih II. Alger. Oakland Co., Mich., April, 1836 240 William Evans, *• '* '* " " 40 Sprague Wilkerson, Ijeneseo Co., Mich., October, 1836 82 Skn 36. David Hume, Monroe Co.. N. Y.. June. ISS.-i SO Kber ILinily. Shiawassee Co., Mich.. August, IS35 160 Newbold Lawrence, New York City, May, 1836 320 Davi.l Shunk, Cayuga Co., N. V., June, 1836 SO KAKLY SP:TTLEMENTS. Regardiii!; the first early settler in what is now the town- .sliip (if Miiiidy tltcTO is .some di.spute, but the dates which will here be iiiveii must settle the matter conclusively, as they are all authentic. It has been tcenerally accepted as a fact that Morgan Baldwin and tieorge Judson were the first to settle in this town, and even tho.se gentlemen them- selves .still believe such to be the c.ise. It is undoubtedly true that, in the then existing condition of the country, covered as it was with timber, it must have been difficult to learn at once who the inhabitants of the iK'ighborhood were, and this probably accounts for the mistaken opinion regarding the first settlement. 282 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. On the 17th day ot May, 1833, Daniel Williams pur- chased the west half of the northwest quarter of section 13, — eighty acres, — which he divided equally between Eli Gilbert and Jason L. Austin, who had come with him, and who settled on the portions assigned to them at the same time. Mr. Williams returned to the State of New York, and in October of the same year (1833) came back to Mundy in company with Volney Stiles. The latter, in November following,* entered the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 11, and settled upon it imme- diately. Mr. Stiles is yet living at Mundy Centre, and beyond a doubt came into the township earlier than any pereon now numbered among its residents. He and Lester Williams built a shanty and lived in it together,! neither of them being at the time married. Morgan Baldwin, a native of Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y., started from that place for Michigan on the Gth of Septem- ber, 1833, and on the 10th arrived at Put-in-Bay, where the passengers cheered themselves hoarse iu honor of the millant commodore and the men who had aided him to win o so signal a victory just twenty years before. After his arrival at Detroit, Mr. Baldwin pushed on immediately for Bloomfield, Oakland Co., where his uncle, Wilkes Durkee, was then living. In December following he went back to Elmira, sold his property, and returned to Bloomfield, ar- riving in that town early in February. During the same month (St. Valentine's Day) he married a second time, his first wife having died some time previously. In the spring of 1834, Mr. Baldwin and George Judson started together on a land-hunting expedition, and, after ranging over the counties of Livingston and Shiawassee, finally selected loca- tions in what is now Mundy, the entries being made in March, 1834. Mr. Baldwin still lives on the place he then purchased. Mr. Judson first chose the next lot west of Baldwin's, but soon changed it for the place he now occu- pies. Mr. Baldwin the same month built a log house 16 by 24 feet in dimensions, with a puncheon-floor, blankets hung up to answer for doors, etc. In this work he was helped by George Judson, and by Stephen Durkee, of Oakland County, a carpenter by trade. Some Indian traders who lived fifteen miles away, in Shiawassee County, and who were passing over the trail near which Mr. Baldwin located, also helped raise, and the favor was returned two or three years later by the two gentlemen going to some place in Shiawassee County and helping raise a barn. Mr. Baldwin moved into his house April 5, 1834, the same day Dustin Cheney settled at what is now Fenton, and was one of the party who a few days later aided in the search for Mr. Cheney's little girl, who had been lost in the woods. | Four years after Mr. Baldwin settled his wife died, and he is now living with his third wife. When he came here with his family he cleared five acres. One day an Indian trader from the West came by, and Baldwin told him if he knew of any one who wanted to hire out to send him along. Soon afterward Nelson Meaker made his appearance at the place, and Mr. B. hired him. He squatted on a piece of ^ Record of entry, November, 1S33. in traet-book for Genesee County. t Information by T. 1'. Stiles. J See history of Fenton. land near by, afterwards selling his " chance" for it to David Gibson. Meaker lived in the township many years, and is now a resident of the township of Argentine. George Judson, who had helped Mr. Baldwin build his house, went back to Oakland County to make preparations for coming on to his own land and clearing up a portion of it. When Baldwin went after his family he met Judson on his way to begin chopping. The latter cleared a tract on his place and put in some wheat and potatoes, in order to have something to live on. He did not move upon his farm, however, until November, 18.34. He had also built during the same summer. Mr. Judson is a native of Ot- sego Co., N. Y., and his parents were from Connecticut. He lived in Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y., until 1832, in which year lie came to Michigan, locating in Bloomfield, Oakland Co., where he remained until his removal to Mundy at the date above given. Thomas Glover, from Birmingham, England, and a Scotchman named David Gibson, entered land in Novem- ber, 1834, on section 34, and settled upon it the same fall. The two men arranged for their wives to remain in Detroit until they could come on and prepare a shelter for them, but IMrs. Glover thought herself as well able to stand the jour- ney as her husband, and accompanied him, living with Mr. Baldwin's family until her future homo — the proverbial log shanty — was ready for occupation. Mrs. Gibson stayed in Detroit until everything was ready for her, and then moved on and occupied the shanty her husband had prepared. Seth Kitchen and family settled in the fall of 1835. Several members of the household were consumptive, and all who were afflicted finally died with that dread disease. The first one to go — and the first death in the township, so far as is now recollected — was IMrs. Kitchen herself, who died in the spring of 1836. Her children — Thomas, Wil- liam, and Mary — followed her within the year, also the wife of her son John. The first burials were in what is still used as a cemetery near the school-house in District No. 1. Among those buried here are the following : Daniel Odell, died April 9, 1872, aged 69 years. Reuben Winget, died May 27, 1859, aged 53 years. Thomas Glover, died Feb. 14, 1855, aged 50 years. Robert Co.x, died July 16, 1868, aged 52 years. John Ilollowell, "born at Ravensthorp, Northamptonshire, Eng- land, October 16, 1794; died September 11. 1859." John Judson, died March 24, 1865, aged 70 years. Eber Handy, died Oct. 15, 1846, aged 52 years. Ebenezcr Conant, died Dec. 31, 1833 (in the East), aged 36 years. Lois, his wife, died Sept. 26, 1843, aged 42 years. Al.igail, wife of Henry Borst, died April 6, 1841, aged 33 years. Harriet, wife of J. Meaker, died Nov. 13, 1843, aged 22 years. Susannah, wife of George Judson, died Aug. 14, 1836, aged 24 years. Emily, wife of George Judson, died March 29, 1S74, aged 61 years. Delilah P. Sage, died Feb. 10, 1857, aged 62 years. Mary Jane, wife of M. Baldwin, died March 31, 1 838, aged 22 years. Besides these, there arc numerous other old settlers, at whose graves headstones have never been placed. Ebenezer Bishop, from Lima, Livingston Co., N. Y., came to Michigan in 1833, and stopped at Springfield, Oak- land Co., through that fall and winter, with his father's cousin, Giles Bishop. In the spring of 1834, Mr. Bishop came on into Grand Blanc, where he remained until the fall of 1836, when he returned to New York, married, and MUNDY TOWNSHII' 283 in Juno, 18l!7, Hcttl(;il in Miindy, on tlur [ilat'o he Htill oc- cuptcH. J:i8on h. AiiHtin anil liatxlall Willianm were tlion living near him. The former, who has been previously mentioned, lived in a lo<^ house. Ili.s wife died within a year or two, and lie sold out and removed to Sajrinaw County, hK'atin<5 near the Tittihawawtcc River. Williams soon sold to C. I). W. Gib.wn, who lived at Whifrvillo, in (Jrand Blanc township, and went away with the ,M(jnnons. C'hauti(«;y Cofffidell, now of the township of Flint, came to Mundy when a boy, in wjmpany with ElHjnczer iJi.sliop. He had worked for the latter's father and father-in-law in New York, and was allowed to come to Michi;.'an with Mr. Bishop, lie stayed with hira until he became of a;;c, working with him also afterwards. When Mr. Bishop came (IH'.il ), there were living; near him — besides those mentioned — Han'ey I'arks and Gilbert Plielps, the latter just over the line in Grand Blanc. Parks lived on section l.'i, on what was afterwards the Daniel Mawjn, now the Todd, farm, lie removi^ not (onj; after U> the township of Oceola, Livingston Co., where he died. The region of " oak-openings" extended north inUj Mundy as far as the farm of Mr. Bishop, or a little beyond, his place being clo.sc on the edge of the heavy timber. Swartz Creek was the division between the timber and the openings. After numerous attempts in thu town to hear of some hairbreadth escape from wild animals, or desperate struggle in a swamp, or other of the tales so often told, the follow- ing incident was the only one related which could be safely called an adventure. Mr. Bishop was on one occasion " packing" home some fresh meat, and while yet some dis- tance away from home, and in the township of Grand Blanc, the howl of a wolf broke upon his ear, causing him to quicken his pace. It was answered by others, and finally he imagined he saw one of the .savage brut<« standing in the pathway ahead of him. Making up his mind that it would be worse for him to run than to advance boldly for- ward, he U)ok out his jack-knife and opened it, and prepared to manufacture an excellent article of mince-meat from the carcass of the wolf. Upon arriving at the object, he was agreeably surprised at finding it U) be nothing more dan- gerous than an oo/c hugh, which in the moonlight he had taken for a wolf Mr. Bi.shop thinks many of the won- derful adventures related have no more foundation in fact than this of his own. Josiab Alger, a native of Mas,sachusctts, and afterwards a resident of Bloomfield, Ontario Co., N. Y., settled in Troy, Oakland Co., Mich., in 1823, and removed to Mundy in May, 18)50, with his family. At that time the Uiwn- ship was thinly populated, but th<' same season witne8.scd the arrival of several families. Mr. Alger was one of the organizers of Mundy tfjwnship, and became its first super- visor, holding the position a number of years. lie located a large amount of land in the township, and lived on section 21. Ilis family consisted often children, — seven Sfins and three daughters ; atid of these two arc now living, — -Josiah H. Alger, at Birmingham, Oakland Co., and Lewis Alger, now of the town.ship of Fenton. Mr. Alger gave 80 acres to each of his children. He was by protVswion a physician, and the fimt who practiccovc, hicated the farm where his son, William K. Alger ^present supervisor of Mundy), now lives. lie did not settle until 1841, but in that year made the first improvements on the place, — built a log hou.s<; with split stuff for diKjrs, a stick chimney, etc. In 1857 he moved back to Oakland County, and since about 1870 has resided at Birmingham. He was also for some years sufiervisor of the township of Mundy, besides holding other jxjsitions. William K. Alger, aside from his farming operations, is en;:agcd to some extent in dealing in st/x;k, as was alwj his father while living here, and has at present a few head of improved stock, — horses, cattle, and sheep. He is one of a family of eight children, six of whom are living. His only brother, John F. Alger, is now in Colorado. One of the early settlers in the Alger neighborhood was Mr. Barnum, father of Daniel P. Barnum, who now lives on the old farm. The first white male child born in the township of Mun- dy was Thomas Glover's mil, Henry Glover, and the first white female child was Hannah Baldwin, daughter of Mor- gan Baldwin, her birth oceurring March 30, 1835. What is known as the " Baldwin road' was the first one laid out in the town, and follows in places nearly the route of an old Indian trail which extended from Springfield, Oakland Co., to Shiawassee. This was the main traveled rout« through the township. Asa Pierce, a native of Mas.sachasett8, at)d afterwards a resident of Ontario Co., N. Y., came to Mundy with his family in 1835. His son, Asa T. Pierce, still living in town, came in the fall of the same year, and settled on the place he yet occupies, alKjut a hundred rods east of the spot on which his father resided. The latter died Feb. 11, 1853, aged sixty-three years, but hU widow is yet living at the okl place, and is now eighty-five years of age. Asa T. Pierw is alwj a native of Massachusetts Ttown of Ileho- \xil\t), his father moving into the State of New York while his son was a small boy, or not long sulwcjuent to the year 1814. Ilis wife, Mrs. A. T. Pierce, Ls a native of the U>vin of De Kalb, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in the famous " Black River Country," and came with her husband to Michigan in 1835, settling on 8noas chant, as they passed by in single file, walking or riding, is vividly remembere > ' 284 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. "William Odell, from Soutliport, Tiojra Co.,N. Y., came to what is now the township of Mundy in the year 1834. The Cth day of December he purchased 1(50 acres of land from government. In March, 18o5, he built a log house, and in April his mother came. He was then twenty-three years of age. In November, 1836, he was married to Miss Mary Sly, of Oakland County. He voted at the first town- meeting, and attended the first court held in Genesee County as petit juror. He has cleared 140 acres of his land, and still lives upon it. Has had ten children, of whom five are living. His wife died in August, 1S72, and he is now living with his second wife, whose maiden name was Lois H. Leach. She came to Mundy in 1835, being then six years of age. " Jeshurun Leach came from Ohio to what is now the township of Mundy in April, 1835. He was formerly from Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y. His family at the time he came consisted of his wife, three sons, and two daughters. He purchased 80 acres of land at $1.25 per acre for his wife's sister, IMrs. Conant, who came with her family the following June. Mr. Leach did much towards improving the country while here. Was one of the firat voters in the township. In October, 1837, he returned with his family (to which had been added one more son) to Ohio. In April, 1843, Mrs. Leach returned to Mundy (Mr. Leach and the oldest daughter having died in Ohio) with five sons and two daughters, the youngest two born while in Ohio. The youngest daughter died soon after ; the rest lived to act in various capacities. Several .school districts in the township remember them as teachers, the oldest three sons and the daughter having taught. The second son, D. C. Leach, taught as many as twelve terms in the Baldwin district. He was in the State Legislature, and was also sent from the Sixth Congressional District two terms as member of Congress. He is now in Springfield, Mo. The eldest son, M. L. Leach, has been a practicing physician in Clinton County for more than twenty years. A. J. Leach, the third son, has settled in Nebraska. William H., the fourth son, who was a Methodist minister, died in 1876. The youngest son, W. H., has settled in Kalkaska Co., Mich. The only remaining daughter is the present wife of William Odell, of Mundy. Mrs. Leach died in 1872." Mi's. Odell mentions that her fiither (Mr. Leach) used to go to Pontiac to mill, and on one occa.sion heard her mother say they were out of flour. She suddenly imagined herself very hungry, but felt better after her father procured some flour of George Judson. At one time provisions were so scarce that the family lived for two weeks on potatoes and salt. It was not unusual for an Indian to come in and lie by the fire during a cold night, and, as the latch-string was always out, their red neighbor came as they pleased. The children knew not the feeling of fear in the presence of the Indians. Fisher, the chief, is described as being a noble specimen of his race. Hon. D. C. Leach, who for a number of years resided at Traverse City, Mich., is now living at Springfield, Mo., where he is engaged in the publishing business, being ed- itor and proprietor of the Patriot Advertiser. In his con- nection with the Grand Traverse llerald before leaving Michigan he won distinction among the journalists of the State. John Remington, living near Mundy Centre, although but a short time a resident of this town, settled in Grand Blanc in 1834, and lived there until 1865, holding nu- merous important ofiiccs. It is related of Dr. Josiah Alger that at one time when provisions were very scarce in his neighborhood, and the settlers were glad even to gather cowslips and use them for greens, he made occasional trips to Pontiac, and brought back supplies of necessary provisions, and dealt them out to those who had neither money nor food, while those having funds he told to get what they wanted at the same place he did. As a remarkable case of ingratitude, it is stated that some of the poorer ones, who afterwards had plenty of money, never remunerated the doctor for his kindness in their hour of need. The following " Reminiscences of Early Michigan" were furnished for the Feiiton Gazette by W. I. Williams, of Mundy, and published in that paper in the spring of 1871. They are descriptive principally of the experiences of-thc family during their residence of four years in Saginaw County, before coming to Mundy, yet are applicable to all cases of pioneer life, as those who participated in the scenes of forty and fifty years ago will readily acknowledge. The experience was, generally, nearly the same, — the actors only were diff^erent. Mr. Willium.s' article is as follows : " I have often thought that, could every one having any experience, practically, of pioneer life in Michigan, be pre- vailed upon to furnish a written statement of those experi- ences, all, compiled in book-form, would make one of the most interesting works of the kind in existence. " How often do we dwell, more or less, upon scenes of early days, in our commonplace lives, where all has been smooth and placid, with naught to ' trouble or make afraid,' or drive us from the even tenor of our ways ! How much more, then, should the vivid imaginations of the early set- tlers of Michigan be interested in the past, — tho.se recol- lections of early life in a new country, often beset with dif- ficulties and dangers connected with the hardships incident to a pioneer life in the wilderness ! . . . " Living in the State of New York, in 1835, when a mere lad, I often heard strange stories of the wilds of Mich- igan, — of its Indians, wolves, and bears, — little dreaming that my experiences in after-life would be so closely allied with its interests. Well do I recollect the excitement of moving to Michigan, in the fall of 1836, and a brief sketch of the journey may not be uninteresting My step-father hired a man with his team to move us and our household goods to Bufialo, a distance of sixty miles or more, starting from Mount Morris, Livingston Co., on or about the middle of September. We stayed two nights on the road, and after a tedious journey of tliree days over rough and muddy roads, we arrived at the port of Bufl'alo just in time to take passage on the steamer ' Governor jMarcy,' which plied between Bufl^alo and Saginaw every two weeks, and which many of the early settlers of Michigan will probably recol- lect. Nothing occurred worthy of notice except a good deal of sea-sickness on Lake Erie (which, by the way, is about the stormiest of all the lakes), until we arrived at MUNDY TOWNSHIP. 285 Detroit, wliere we stopped for wood niid passengers, and had a chance to see what there was of the City of the Straits. It was then, comparatively speaking, a small vil- lege by the side of its present dimensions, with but one business street of any importance, buildings mostly of wood, and small at that. While lying at the wharf, a negro, black as the ace of spades, left tiie boat with a large satchel in hand, and soon after a general stir was made to find him. A new overcoat belonging to one of the officers was missing, and the theft was laid to him, which proved to be true, as a general search brought him to light with the missing overcoat done up compactly in his large satchel. The negro showed some fight, which gathered quite a crowd on the quay, but he was soon brought under by putting the irons on liis wrists and marching him off to jail, where he was probably dwelt with according to law. Thus ended quite an exciting scene to my boyish imagination. " All went well as wo continued our voyage until we ar- rived near the entrance of Saginaw Bay, when a severe northeaster came swooping down upon us, making every limber in the old ship creak and tremble, while many a stout heart quailed under the threatenings of the fearful tempest. Towards the close of the day preceding that fearful night there was strong talk among the passengers that the captain should put about for port, but he still kept on his course, regardless of the warring elements. We had strong hopes of weathering the storm, now we were so near our port of destination, but with increasing fury the wild storm sped, and, when nearly midnight, the violence of the gale forced our captain to return back to port, where we ar- rived next morning. The turning back was often spoken of as a critical moment in our existence, as we turned on the top of a huge wave, when, if wo had turned in a trough of the sea, the probabilities are that none would have lived to tell the tale. But the horrors of that fearful storm, to- gether with the wailings of anguish which rose above the howling of the tempest, will never be erased from my memory. The scenes of that dismal night of storm, dark and rainy ; the loud cries of those bewailing their hapless fate, and wishing themselves on shore ; and often when some bold dash of the elements, more furious than common, would override all barriers, and deluge the innermost cabin to the tune of ankle-deep in water, — then you might hear, far above the roar of wind and water, the cries and wailings of the distressed, calling on the good Lord to deliver them out of the depths of the sea in all the agony of a broken and contrite spirit. Well do I recollect my sensations as I lay crosswise the boat in my berth, holding on to a stan- chion for dear life, as the old boat careened first to one side and then the other, describing the various gradations of an inclined plane with my head and feet. One of the eccen- tricities of our capt;iin I will have to relate, although it may Dot be much to his credit. He was a very still sort of per- sonage as a general rule, rather rotund in form, apparently given to good living, as well as good drinking; you would think, to see him, there was (to use a common phrase), not much snap about him ; but when the storm broke upon us, a new spirit seemed to take possession of him. With oaths more dreadful than the storm itself to the tired sailors, his pent-up tongue was let loose with voluniiuous iin]irecations on God and man, while with stentorian lungs he gave his com- mands about ship, and the louder the storm or the wail- ings of the fearful, still above all you could hear his all- powerful commands, efficiently setting the ship to rights ; but when the storm had ceased, the spell was broken, and once more the ealtn and placid serenity of manner, before noticed, had spread its mantle upon him. " After the storm on Saginaw Bay we arrived the next day sai'ely in the harbor of Fort Gratiot. Here we had to lay over until the next morning, for some slight repairs and the lulling of the storm, which had been quite severe on all the lakes. Some few of our goodly company left us here to make the balance of the journey by land, feeling quite averse to a renewal of the preceding night's ' unpleasant- ness.' Here we had a chance to look about the premises, and, it being ((uite a pleasant day, the most of the passen- gers made good use of our delay in seeing the sights about the fort and vicinity. Long rows of bristling cannon, re- cently painted black, run out from under their rough sheds to dry, made things look quite warlike, and to those of us who never saw anything of the kind before, the sight wa.s quite interesting. Kach row of cannon had a number of soldiers on duty to guard them, and many times through the day would they have to speak sharply to some of the boys, whose curiosity demanded a closer inspection, to keep ' hands ofl^,' and not a few had black hands to show for their pains. After a few days' sojourn on terra Jirnui, the most of the passengers had regained somewhat their wonted equilibrium, and the pleasant weather, succeeding so severe a storm, made them feel more courageous in regard to re- newing their journey by water. The next morning, on awaking, the thumping of machinery and noise about the decks told us that we were once more on our journey. The bright sun overhead, and a steady breeze from off shore, gave us high hopes of reaching our place of destina- tion without again coming in contact with nature's warring elements. We had a pleasant day running up the bay, as near the land as was prudent, often looking with spy-glasses at the native Indians, gathered about their wigwams, watch- ing the ' big canoe,' or roaming the forest in all its pristine loveliness. The weather towards night changed somewhat, and we had the first snow of the season just as we were entering the mouth of Saginaw River. It turned to rain in the evening. Our journey up the river was rather dis- mal than otherwise, — the snow and the extensive marshes for miles inland, covered with water, looking more like a lake than a river, — with no human habitation on either shore to break the monotony of the scene. Some few miles below Saginaw City, all hands, as well as passengers, were called on deck to help get the boat adrift, as we had run out of the main cliannel and stuck in the sand. First to one side of the boat and then the other we were all ordered to run at the word of command, while the opposite wheel would turn a few strokes each time, helping us to loiijylu the boat, like some huge anaconda, through the sand. After an hour's struggle, where all got some tired, — although having considerable merriment at each other's expense, — some tuinliiing about like porpoises, as the boat careened nearly on her beam ends, we finally shoved into deep water and sleamcd on our course, by where East Saginaw now 286 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. stands (which, by the way, was a howliog wilderness down to the water's edge), and soon arrived at the only dock in Saginaw City. A sightly place indeed to be called a city ! A clearing in the woods, extending in area perhaps two hundred rods back from the river, and about three hundred in length, with a very few houses, — a large majority of which were log, or block, as some were called, being made of hewn timber, with port-holes, and the frame houses small and inconvenient. "We landed Oct. 1, 183G, having been nearly eight days in making the passage from Buffiilo, and you may suppose that it was a great relief to many anxious hearts when we arrived ; for all, more or less, had friends, relatives, and acquaintances whom they were anxiously expecting on this boat, which was the only one then plying between Saginaw and Buffalo, making the trip generally in two weeks. As we landed the whole city turned out en 7nasse to welcome us, offering us the best hospitalities it afforded, and its free range — if we had a mind — afoot in the mud. As it was about the time that cities generally lighted up their gas, we looked in vain for any intimation of such a state of things, except what was bandied between the crew and some jolly fellows on shore. It was said we were a city within a city, for the population aboard the boat num- bered nearly as many as those on shore, there being about thirty families. The boat had brought up quite a number of influential men — men of capital — representing the most of the real valuation of the city, and speculators in lands of the surrounding country. This great addition to the place in population and capital bade fair to make it one of the most thriving cities of the then far West. Thriving, I say, and safely so, for who ever heard of a city doubling its population in so short a time ? Among those most con- spicuously governing its interests were the Littles, the Rich- monds, the Millers, and a few other forehanded gentlemen, who came to make this their permanent abiding-place. But the main question was, after we had all debarked. Where are we going to lodge? Where are all the taverns? — the Metropolitan, the National, the Waverley, anywhere to get out of the pitiless storm that was drenching us to the hide? In vain we listened for runners to these different hotels, but we soon had the unwelcome assurance that there were none, except the Saginaw Hotel, and there we proceeded, tramp, tramp, through the mud ankle-deep, and soon ar- rived at — -what? A common double block-house, the only tavern in the c(Vy. The old stockade fort, with its heavy- built block-houses, wore still iu passable order, but rather on the decaying list, as might be noticed in the mossy roof and in the decayed pickets, here and there one falling over by its own weight. On a closer inspection you might see the traces of the leaden missiles that years before, perhaps, were sent with deadly intent, marring the houses and pickets in many places. One general dry-goods store, two or three groceries, oue or two saloons, one steam saw-mill, and one log tavern constituted the principal places of business iu the city. " At the date of which I write there was no farming community of any importance settled about the vicinity of Saginaw, as that branch of industry was in its first stages of infancy. Consequotilly we had to dcjiend almost entirely on receiving our supplies of provisions from regular trips of the steamboat ' Governor Marcy,' which made the round- trip— generally — once in two weeks. " At one time during the summer of 1837, some acci- dent happening to the boat, its trip was delayed nearly four weeks, which caused nearly a famine iu our community. Famine prices were necessarily prevalent, and glad was many a poor family if it had a potato even to still the ap- peals of hunger. More than one family was known to have dug up its seed potatoes after planting, so great were their necessities, to keep from starving. Some instances were known where they had planted potato-parings and were forced to exhume them to satisfy the demands of nature. Money seemed to be plenty among the business portion of the community, but that we could not eat, and a few who were dealers in provisions made small fortunes on what they had to sell. But when the boat did arrive, was there not a day of rejoicing ? Some men iu canoes brought the in- telligence up the river, ahead of the boat, that she had been sighted on the bay, and such a turnout, according to the population, is seldom witnessed as that which gave them welcome. Provisions generally were about the following prices, to wit: $1.5 per barrel for flour; $40 per barrel for pork; 75 ceuts per pound for butter; $1.50 for potatoes; and other things in proportion. So, you perceive, it wanted no small capital to set up housekeeping iu the line of the necessaries of life. " This was about the period when ' wild-cat banks' were plenty, and speculations of all kinds were in vogue on the high-pressure principle. Especially was this the ciuse in real estate. Agents were continually sent East with the avowed intention of swindling the Eastern capitalists out of their money, and the chief outfit of au agent would be his map of Saginaw City, or perhaps a map of some im- aginary city gotten up for the occasion, penciled and colored in the highest style of perfection that art could produce, showing the many hundreds of blocks and streets you might search for in vain, even with a map and compass, — not forgetting a guide, — for you would be likely to find some of the best pictured avenues or blocks an hour's walk in the dense forest, where you would need some expert to guide you out into the sunlight. And so it was in numer- ous instances where there was not the least foundation for such a swindling operation. Some ' very eligible' sites were located on the extensive marshes lining the shores of Sagi- naw River, and you might search for them in almost any season of the year, and there would be nothing to be seen but one wide expanse of water. But the excitement of speculation was in its zenith, and many a fortune was made easily by the sharpers of the day in duping E;istern men who had taken the Western fever, which nothing but a step off into one of their imaginary streets would cure. It was rather laughable, sometimes, to see a trio of Eastern men starting out on a voyage of discovery, with canoes and guides, in quest of real estate, and more 9o to see them on their return, chopfallen and disheartened, though puttting the best face they could on the matter, hoping to dupe some one else to get their money back ; and instances were known where they doubled on their money instead of losiiiir. MUNDY TOWNSHIP. 287 " Under the wild-cat excitement Saginaw must needs have a bank, and men and money were on liand in plenty to in- vest in the speculation. The denomination of twenty-five dollars was to be called a share, and it was within the reach of all to participate to some extent. But the speculation, after running a few months, culminated in the absorption of the little fish by the larger ones, — the • busting' of the bank, — and some one made money out of it. So ended the first experiment of the banking system in Saginaw City. At that tijne the place looked very well, as far as the site was concerned, from the river for perhaps a half-mile back, when it degenerated into a rather low, wet, and heavy-tim- bered country, where one commodity was easily raised by simply presenting your card in person, viz. : mosqmloes. When planting-time came it was a common practice to wear gloves and veils, and have them well tied on, or it was im- possible for human nature to stand the pressure. While speaking of the natives of the forest I will give you a short chapter on wolves. It was nothing uncommon, almost any evening, to listen to a serenade from their melodious throats, and as they could be heard the whole length and breadth of the city, the music was rather too cheap to be popular. Many an evening, while their melodious voices were in full concert, have I sat and listened to highly-wrought pictures of their ferocity and deadly encounters with some of the first settlers as well as Indians, which would make one's hair seem to stand on end. The first day after our arrival, to- wards evening, having just moved into a house near the suburbs of the city, our people .saw something they took to be a dog, resting its forepaws on a log some ten rods from the door, but which some of the neighbors, who happened to be present, told us was a wolf, — a rather early call on neighbors, we thought, before we could get settled. While living at Saginaw, which was nearly four years, my stop- father caught about a dozen in large traps, which I used to go with him to set just in the edge of the woods, and many an exciting time did we have in dispatching them. On going near them, when fast in the trap, they would look sneaking enough, and would hardly make the least resist- ance while we dispatched them with hand-spikes. " I recollect one large gray wolf which we had trapped and killed, and which we brought up to the door a.s usual and laid down on the doorstep, caused quite an excitement among the bystanders who happened to be present. A large cat happening to pass by the wolf and smell of it, some one of the company picked it up and threw it with full force on the wolf as it lay stretched at full length in front of the door, upon which the wolf immediately sprang up, as with a new life, gave a leap in the air, and with one long-drawn sigh breathed his last. You can readily guess there was a scattering among the curious who stood immediately over, and some screeching among the ladies, who were considera- bly frightened. " There wiis one very large wolf which we caught in the trap, and concluded to take him bodily to town for a show while alive, to receive the bounty, which I believe was 88. So we got some bark for cords, and after lassoing him around the nose he gave up completely, while we bound him securely ; then, running a long pole between his legs and under the thongs, carried him in triiiinpli to the city. Afler interviewing him to their hearts' content, some of the citizens, who had lost quite heavily by the devouring na- ture of him and his brethren, concluded to make an exam- ple of him. So, after making up a purse to replace the bounty, which could not be drawn from the State unless the wolf was killed, they commenced to treat poor Mr. Wolf after the manner of the barbarous savage. First they cut off his ears close to his head, next his tail close to his body, otherwise making him look as hideous and unlike himself as it was in their power to invent ; then they put on his neck a loud-sounding cow-bell and sent him on his way re- joicing (they, not he) to ' see his friends once more.' It is hardly possible to conceive the alteration made in his looks, and I am sure his most intimate friends would not have recognized him. The result was the wolves were cleaned out of the adjoining forests for a long time after- wards. About six months afterwards the famished remains of a wolf with a bell on were found in the edge of a clear- ing in the city." In the sjiring of 1840 the writer of the foregoing, Wil- liam Ira Williams, came from Saginaw in company with his mother and step-father, Arden Moses, the family lo- cating on a rented farm in Grand Blanc. In the spring of 1842 they settled on a farm in the north part of Mundy township, now owned by John L. Jennings. Mr. Moses died a few weeks later, and in the fall of the same year the family moved south to a location on the Baldwin road, half a mile east of Mr. Williams' pre.sent residence. Mrs. Williams, Sr., is yet living. Her son purchased the farm he now owns in the winter of 1849-50, and made upon it the first clearing at the corners, except a lot which had been made ready to build a school-house upon in 1847. Mr. Williams prepared a considerable amount of cooper- stufi" from timber which grew upon his place, made a part of his tools and bought others, learned (he trade alone, and worked at it some six years. He now has a finely-improved farm, and in connection with it is keeping the Mundy post- office and a small general store. He has written to con- siderable extent for the press of the county, and aspired to poetical fame with greater success than have many who inflict their effusions of poor rhyme and bad grammar upon publishers. By reference to the list of township officei-s it will bo soon that ho has been the recipient of numerous official favors from the hands of his townsmen. Although yet comparatively young, there are few in the township wlio have bottor-iniiiroved farms, and none, perhaps, who arc better or more influential citizens. The following poem, by Mr. Williams, was read by the author at one of the meetings of the Genesee Pioneer Society : THE PIONEEIl. Once more, my friends, wo meet again on tliis our feptul day, To tall< of scenes lant the corn for winter's need; For many a mile of crooked road we'd have to travel o'er If industry should fail to give to us the bounteous store. Yet still wc fought on manfully to do our humble part. While joy and sorrow often mingled in the peasant's heart. Hut through them all we often saw the placid seas beyond, Which gave our strength new energy, and bade us not despond; For ofttimes iu the future would we see the welcome li"ht That came to us in prophecy, and made our hearts delight. How well do we remember that dear oM brindle cow Which gave us milk, and raised those steers to which we hitched the plow ; That drew our wood, our fallows logged and helped us manv a time ; .■\nd the boys ivould strive to see which should drive the o.\en Duke and I>ime. And often when the bright moon shone would wc hitch to the wood- shod sleigh To visit some near neighbor, perhaps five miles away ; AVhilc the glistening trees with splendor shone, and childhood's happy shout. With happiness o'ersurging. went merrily ringing out. How happy were those visits ! — and we often made them o'er. Anil which were oft relumed again— by which we set much store. Thus, mingling oft together, we cheered each other on. When taking from each other's hopes would bid our cares begone. Though oft through many a care-worn path we trod the walks of life, Wc had no neighbors' gossip, no neighbors' feud nor strife, — No jarring nor discordant notes to give our bliss alloy, For all was peace and unity, which gave a genial joy. And when new-comers sought our door.s, latch-strings were always out, With hearty welcome to our fare, which never gave the gout; And often, with the compass as our only guide and fricntl. Would we look with them for future homes, a helping hand to lend. IIow every man, with axe in hand, would hurry to the spot, When told that a new-comer needed help to raise his cot, — When logging-bccs were ]>Ienty, and huskings all the go, Aud youngsters tripped, with merry zeal, the light fantastic toe. Oh, yes, those days were happy ones, the thoughts of which still cheer — When first we cleared the forests wild, a hardy pioneer. Indelibly those times of yore are stanqted upon the mind. And who would e'er forget them ? 'Twould not be human-kind. So oft Ihnuigh many hardships the pioneer has passed. Till hopes, now in fruition, have come to him at last; And many of life's changes bright visi()ns often seem, M'bile early days of hardship are but a pleasant dream. The wolf no more with fearful howl his nightly vigils keeps: No more the luring panther will wake y<>u from your sleep. No more the savage war-cry shall give you harrowing fear, Forsuch things long have given way to things of better cheer. Instead, the church bell's welcome sound comes ringing through the air. And noisy cars, with human freight, go hurrying here and there, — With the busy hum of thousands, which falls upon the ear, — But withal you still remember when you were a pioneer. And once where nature's forests covered ail this land. You now see towns and cities in their places stand, — And ask in wondrous awe, — who made such changes here? While we but answer truthfully, the hariiy piimeer. Nathan W. Shelden, a native of Haddam, Conn., and afterwards a resident of the town of Le Roy, Genesee Co., N. Y., came to Miehijran in 1835 and took up the land upon which his widow now resides. In 1836 he came attain, cleared a small tract, and partly built a log house. Au idea had entered the heads of some of the settlers that he was only a speculator, and it was with difficulty he could get help enough to raise his house. He moved here with his wife in October, 1838, arriving on the 26th of the month, and here has been the home of the family since that time. The log house was finished and occupied De- cetnber 13th succeeding their arrival. During the interim they had lived with the family of Henry N. Thompson, next east of their own place. Mr. Thompson, who was a carpenter by trade, was then working in Highland, Oak- land Co. Times were so hard that it was almost impossible to obtain provisions. As an example of the effect of Mich- igan food on the cattle the following will answer: Mr. Selden at one time bought of George Judson a quarter of beef, paying at the rate of seven dollars per hundred-weight, and from it Mrs. Selden procured but two poinuk of hdluw! Yet no one had any better, and people could not complain of being in wor.se circumstances in this respect than others. On one occa.sion the families of H. N. Thompson, Esquire Baldwin, and Daniel Brewer — the latter also aiv.early set- tlor in the neighborhood — had to put their provisions together in order to have enough for a meal, for neither .^, MUNDY TOWNSHIP. 289 had a sufficient quantity alone. Mr. Brewer, who had settled a little previous to 1838, afterwards returned to New York, but finally settled permanently in Micliiu;an, in whieh State he died. Mr. Seldeu died in May, 18G!). For the first two or three years after coming here the times for all the settlers were the hardest. Dr. Algor, on one of his missions of mercy, went to I'ontiac and bought several barrels of Indian meal, — a portion of it sour, which mattered not to the hungry, — and out of the whole used but two mes.ses in his own family, having distributed it among his suffering neighbors. Mr. Seldcn was known to have sent to Fenton, Flint, Grand Blanc, Highland, and even to Pontiac, for tea, but without success, nor could he get it any place nearer than Detroit. John Thompson, from Cayuga Co., N. Y., came to Mich- igan in 18-tl and located in the township of Convis, Cal- houn Co., where he lived until 1843, working at his trade (that of a mason) part of the time in Hattic Creek, where he helped build the first brick building. In the latter year lie removed to Mundy and .settled on the place where he now live.*, section 20. He purchased of Maxwell Thomp- son, now of Fenton, and the latter had purcliased the place from Cornelius Bray, who had entered it in October, 1835, cleared about 7 acres, and built a log house. Bray became dissatisfied and returned to New York. Mr. Thompson helped build the first brick house in Geno.sec County,* — a small brick school-house on Chauncey Paine's lots on the north side of the river at Flint. Ilazelton's brick block, on Saginaw Street, was built the same season. Mr. Thomp- son continued to work at his trade until about 187(), since which time his whole attention has been paid to his farm. John Slaght, a native of New Jersey, and later a resi- dent of Seneca Co., N. Y., to which he moved in 1802, has lived in Mundy since June, 1847, and is now in his eighty- ninth year. During the war of 1812 he belonged to an independent rifle company, which " went out to the lines." Mr. Slaght, who had been badly poisoned in his limbs, was unable to follow them until two weeks later. Mr. Slaght's sons — Dr. Andrew Slaght, of Grand Blanc, and his brother, Joseph Slaght — had come to Hillsdale County the previous spring, and the rest of the family came the following winter. Peter Hempstead, from Genesee Co., N. Y., came to Mundy in December, 1843, and settled on the place where he now lives, having previously resided several years in Grand Blanc. He married there the widow of James H. Beebe, who settled in Grand Blanc about a year iifter Mr. Hempstead had come, or in 183tJ. Mr. Beebe and his wife had lived a short time in Ohio. Mr. Hempstead's father also settled in Grand Blanc, living near Whigville."!' Jason F. Allen came with his family from Mendon, Monroe Co., N. Y., to Genesee County in 1837, and set- tled in the township of Burton. He had previou.sly lived in Livingston Co., N. Y. In 1843 he came to Mutidy and purcha.sed a farm north of his present residence, a part of which he still owns. He made the first improvements upon it, and has only lived upon his present place since about 37 • So Mr. Thoinp.^on wa.-< toM at thv time. I Infurraiitinn by Mrd. lturn|it:iko. — eight miles away, — and, on arriving, found he could not get it ground for some time ; so he left it there, started homeward, and borrowed 79 pounds of flour at a house one mile on his way, and carried it home. The way the family relished a portion of it when cooked will un- doubtedly never be forgotten by them. In October, 1837, Mr. Howland was summoned to Flint on county business, ami walked up in the morning without a cent in his pocket, sat there all day, aiiff. and the office was discontinued. About 1845 an office was established in Fenton town- ship, north of Long Lake, and called " Long Lake Post- 3IUNDY TOWNSHIP. 291 Office." In March, 1851, it was moved to Goors;o Judson's place, in Muiuly township, Mr. Judsoii appointed post- master, and the name of the office clianged to Mundy, which it still retains. About 1858 the offiee was moved to the " Baldwin Road," and Benjamin Hunt appointed to take charge of it. He held it about two years, and was succeeded by Morgan Baldwin, who held it about the same length of time. Ara Hopkins was postiuitster from about 1862 for several years, and was succeeded by Nathan W. Selden, now deceased. From 186!) to 1873 it was held by William II. Borden, and in the spring of the latter year, William I. Williams, the present incumbent, assumed charge and hits held it since, keeping the office at his house. Up to and including Mr. Baldwin's term of office mail was brought from Fentonville, but since then from Linden. The following were resident tax-payers in 1S44, as appears from the iissessment roll for that year : Allon, Hopkins S. Alger, A. B. Algor, Lowiii H. Alger, Samuel W. Austin, .Ttisdti L. Alger, Josiah ]I. Beckwilh, Ijoilowiok. Uentlcy, Thoiiiiis E. Bentley. Joiiiah. BrainurJ, Diulley. Bigelow, Alvah. Bishop, Alvah. Bigelow, Jainis, Jr. Brninunl, llirniu, Bigelow. .\Uiert. Harrett, Milhia .1. Bit.lu>p, Ebenezer. Borst, Henry. Barnuui, Briiymond. Curtis, Joseph A. ChaltieM, .Tosiab. Chatfiel.l, Cyrus. Clark, William D. Dibble, Samuel. Davis, Samuel B. l>unning, Ira. Ka:>tnian, Bradbury. Firman, Jonathan O. FairchiUI, Vhilo. Fellows, Jonathan. Gillett, Daniel. Qillett, liarilner. Glyver, Thomas. Gregory, Lewie. Gibson, David. Gilbert, Kli. Howlanil, Henry H. Hill, Henry. Hodge. Bildad. Hill, Darius U. Huxley, Hiram. HeuipsteatI, Peter. Houghton, James. Hathaway, Daniel D. Hopkins, .\ra. Handy, Kber. Ji)hnson, Timitthy J. Johnson, Abner C. Judd, Henry. Jameson, John B, Judson, George. Kirklinger. Andrew. Kirklingor, Jacob. Linsley, Orange. Lawrence, Joseph. Lewis, John. Lovejoy, Palmor. Leach, DeAVilt C. Lovejoy, David B. Lanioreux, Joseph. Morton, Washington D. Jlcaker, Nelson. Martin, Mrs. Mead, Burton. Marble, David C. Nelson, Nathaniel. Newton, John. Odell, William. Odell, Moses. Odell, Daniel. Parrish, John. Parks, Harvey. Phillips, Joseph. Phillips, James. Pearsall, Joseph. Pierce, William B. Pierce, Asa T. Pease, Granger. Perry, Joseph. Rusco, Hiram. Ri.x, James. Rusco, Horace. Richards, John. Stearns, Edmund. Storrs, Harvey. Smith, William. Scovel, Ruol W. Seovel, Nathan. Smith, Homer B. Sage, William. Selden, Nathan M'. Stuart, William. Thomjison, Lyman. Tup]>er, Charles. Thompson, Ma.xwell. Volcntine, Cornelius. Wilcox, Henry. Wilco.x, Charles. Whitmorc, Horace. Wilkerson, Spraguc. White, (Jeorgc. White, Orson. White, Alphcus. Wbitmore, Noah L. AVinget, Kcuben. NAME AND ORGANIZATION OP TOWNSHIP- CIVIL LIST, Etc. When the petition for a new township was sent in to the liCgislature, the name liulependence was proposed for it, but owing to the fact that a township in Oakland County bore the same name, that of Mundy was substituted by the Legislature, in honor of Edward S. Mundy, then lieuten- ant-governor of the State. The act forming the towuship was approved March 11, 1837, and reads as follows: " Skc. 9. All that portion of the county of Genesee designated in the United St4ites survey as township 6 north, of ranges 5 and 6 east, be, and the same is hereby, set off and organized into a sep- arate township by the name of Mundy ; and the first township-moet- ing therein shall bo held at the bouse of Josish Alger, in said town- ship." On the 16th of February, 1842, the west half of the township, as formed above, was set off and organized into a separate township, called Gaines, leaving Mundy with its present dimensions, or including township 6 north in range 6 east. " The election in the town of Mundy, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, met at the house of Jo- siah Alger, in said town, on Monday, the 3d day of April, 1837. First chose Josiah Alger, Moderator, and Morgan Baldwin, Clerk. Then, moderator and clerk being duly sworn, the meeting proceeded to business according to law, and made choice of Seth Kitchen, George Judson, Ben- jamin Simmons, Inspectors." This extract is from the account of the first town-meet- ing, as it appears in the township records. It was " Voted, That all overseers of highways shall be fence-viewers ; all horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs shall be free commoners." The following were the officers chosen, viz. : Supervisor, Joseph Alger ; Town Clerk, Morgan Baldwin ; Assessors, Jonathan G. Firman, Morgan Baldwin, Benjamin Simmons, Seth Kitchen : Collector, George Judson ; Commissioners of Highways, J. G. Firman, George Judson, Je-shurun Leach ; School Inspectoi-s, .Jonathan G. Firman, Ira Dun- ning, Dudley Braiuard ; Justices of the Peace, Benjamin Simmons, one year ; Josiah Alger, two years ; Morgan Baldwin, three years ; Henry M. Thompson, four years ; Constables, George Judson, Volney Stiles. At the above election but eighteen votes were cast, and of these only three were from the west half of the town- ship. At the annual election in 1838 it was " Voted, That SlOO be raised by a tax for the purpose of assisting to make bridges acrost the Swartz Creek in said town," but at a special meeting held on the 25th of September in the same year, the appropriation was voted down. At an clco- tion held Nov. 4 and 5, 1839, to vote upon the amend- ments to the State constitution, as proposed by the Legisla- ture of 1838, they were rejected by a vote of 40 to 9. At the general election in November, 1840, 89 vot<» were cast, the following being the names of the voters : 1. William Gazley. 2. William Smith. .*). Morgan Baldwin. 4. Palmer Lovejoy. 5. William J. King. G. J. W. Morton. 7. William Pierce. 8. Marvin Williams. 9. Seth Hathaway. 10. Gideon Hathaway. 11. Nelson Meaker. 12. W. D. Morton. i;i. E. D. Crane. 14. Josiah Algor. 292 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 15. W. B. Young. 16. David (Jregiiry. 17. J. U. Williams. IS. Daviil Cf^ler. 19. Joshua Dart. 20. George Juilson. 21. Frederick Wilcox. 22. Williaiu Knapp. 23. Henry H. Uowland. 24. Bildad Uodgc 2.1. .\aron Decker. 26. Philander McLain. 27. Kli^ha Martin. 2S. MMlin DarU 2;t. Marvin Davis. so. SpRigiic Wilkerson. 31. G. M. I>art. 32. David Gibson. 33. Jesse B. Martin. 34. HarvcT Parks. 35. Noah Whitmore. 36. lliraui Huxley. 37. Liidowiek Bcckwilh. 3S. .Aluieron .-llherton (?). 311. William Lovejoy. 40. Knol W. &.wvel. 41. H. A. Brainard. 42. Eber Handy. 43. Jason L. .Austin. 44. Lewis Liregory. 46. Dudley Brainard. 46 Ir^ Dunning. 47. Ebenezcr Bishop. 4S A. Bishop. 49 Horace Whitmore. 50 Myron Whitmore. 51 Orange Lindsey. 52 Henry Hill. 5.1. 54. 55. 56. 57. 5S. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 6S. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 7S. 79. SO. SI. 82. 83. S4. S5. S6. S7. 8S. 89. William Stewart. L. H. Alger. .Jacob Bcntley. Josiah Chatficld. N. W. Sclden. B. B. Bradley. Charles Wilcox. Bradbury E;4stnian. Ganlner Gillett. Daniel Brewer. T. J. Johnson. A. B. Alger. Nathaniel Nelson. William Sage. W. M. Hodge. John Xeivton. Henry Borst. Hiram Rusco. Jonathan G. Finnan. Horace Ruscxi. William Odcll. Moses iMell. Elisha Rusco. James Houghton. Jonas M. Martin. Joseph W. Bissell. Darius G. Hill. Burton Me:ul. A. R. Pc;ise. Ephmim Fletcher. Thomas Glover. Cornelius Yolenline. John Wo<>d. Reuben Winget. Asa Pierce. Josiah Bentley. Thomas E. Bcntley. The following are some of the stock marks which were adopted by the settlers in the township in 1S37 : Morgan Baldwin's mark, square crop on left ear. J. G. Firman's, '' hapiny" under side each ear. Ira Punnings, one hole and crop in right ear. Abigail Simmons', slit in right ear, " hapiny" under left. Josiah Alger's, crop off left ear and "hapiny" ander right. Seth Kitchen's, square crop off left ear. hole in right. George Judsons, " hapiuy " under right ear. IKidley Brainard's, square crop in right ear, slit in left. Volney Stiles', two slits in end of left e:ir. William Odell's, swallow fork in right car. Reuben Winget's, slit in left ear. Pavid Gibson's, hole in left ear. Tl\e following is a list of officers of the township, from 1S3S to 1S79, inclusive, as compiled from the township records: SUPERVISORS. 1S3S-39. Josiah Aiger. 1540. George Judson. 1541. David Gibson. 1542. Darius G. Hill. 1543. Nathan W. Sclden. 1844. Ebcuczer Bishop. 1S45. J?o record. 1846. Ebenczer Bishop. 1847. Homer B. Smith. 1S4S. Ebeneicr Bishop. 1S4U-51. George Judsou. 1S52. Josiah H. Alger. JS.i-l-oC. -Abncr 0. Johnson. 1857. Silas Jameson. 185S. Ebcneier Bishop. 1859. H. B. Smith. 1860. Julian Bishop. 1861. Ebcneier Bishop. 1862-63. Cyrus G. Chatficld. 1864. Abner C. Johnson. 186.1. Cyrus G. Chatficld. 1866. William 1. Williams. 1867-69. Cyrus G. Chatficld. 1870. No record. 1871. John A. Kline. 1872-73. No record. 1874-75. William I. Williams. 1876-77. William R. Alger. 1878. Cyrus G. Chatficld. 1879. William R. Alger. 1838. Morgan Baldwin. 1839. William Smith. 1S40-41. Josiah Alger. 1842. Asahcl H. Beach. 1843. Morgan L. Leach. 1844. .Albert Bigelow. 1845. No rcc*»rd. 1846. William Griswold. 1847. J»»siah -\lger. 1848. John Richards. 1849. Beujamin Phelps.* IS50. Cyrus Chatficld. 18.il. Benjamin Phillips.* 1852-53. Cyrus Chatficld. 1854. David Richards. 1855. Benjamin Phillips. TOWN CLERKS. 1856. Edward W. Savage. 1857. William I. Williams. 1858. .\Ibert Hathaway. 1859-60. William I. Williams. lS61-6:i. Samuel C. Baldwin. 1864. Charles M. iMell. 1865. .Andrew Slaght. 1866-68. John Richards. 1869. Samuel A. Williams. 1870. No record. 1871. William I. Williams. 1872-73. No record. 1874. Volney Stiles. 1875-78. Henry G. Mason. 1S79. John Richards. 1838. Jonathan G. Firman. Josiah Chatficld. Cornelius Volentine. David Gibson. Volney Stiles. 1839. Thomas Glover. William Galley. W. D. Morton. 1840. Thomas Glover. W. D. .Morton. Martin Dart. 1841. Samuel Dibble. E. D. Crane. Asa T. Pierce. 1842. Jwiah .\lger. Nelson Mwvker. 1843. Gardiner Gillct. ASSESSORS. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850. 1851. 1852. Josiah H. Alger. John B. Jameson. Lyman Thompson. No record. John Parrish. Asa T. Pierce. No record of ivssessors. Cyrus Chatficld. John Parrish. Caleb Winget, John Richards. J. H. Alger. J. Chatficld. M. J. Barrett. E. Steiirncs. Same as previous year. COLLECTORS. 1838-39. George Judson. | 1840-41. Cornelius Volentine. DIRECTORS OF THE POOR. 1850. Thomas Glover. 1851. D. G. Hill. H. H. Uowland. 1838-40. George Judsou. Josiah .\lger. 1841. William Smith. Palmer Lovejoy. 1842. C. Volentine. R,W. Scovel. 1843. Palmer Lovejoy. Jairus Bigelow. 1844. P. Lovejoy. H. S. Allen. 1845. No record. 1846. Bradbury Eastman. P. Lovejoy. 1847. Thomas Glover. Rucl W. Scovel. 1848. William Smith. Hopkins S. Allen. 1S49. William Sage. John C. Mathowsou. 1850. Josiah Bentley. 1852. Reuben Winget. J. Chatficld. 1853. Peter Hempstead. J. Chatficld. 1854. R. W. ScovcL M. J. Bjirrett. 1855. John Reid. William Griswold. 1856. R. W. Scovel. James llempst&ul. 1857. M. Baldwin. J. Slaght. 1858. P. Hempstead. M. Baldwin. 1859. Robert J.adwin. B. W. Siiini»nil, . Dtivi)! Hiuuly. . J. C. Muthowson. . Asa Bigoluw. . W. M. Armstrong. Honry Hill. . Geo. W. Poer. . Joshua C. Covert. . Cyrus Hewitt. Win. M. Arm::trong. . Henry H. Howhind. . Walter Crosu*. . William M. Armstrong. . No record. . Walter Cross. Joseph M. Peck. -73, No record. . William R. Alger. -76. John li. Jennings. . B. Glover. . Benjamin F. Pooso. . Getirgo W. Peer. JUSTICES OP THE PEACE. 1838. Henry 11. Howland. 1859. William I. Williams 1839. Josiah -Alger. 1860. Josiah Bentloy. 1840. Washington D. Morton. David Winget. 1841. Nathan Sclden. 1861. N. W. Selden. 1842. Josiah Chalfield. Josiah Bentloy. 1843. Ebcneier Bishop. 1862. Ebenezer Bishop. 1844. W. D. Morton. 1803. Volnoy Stiles. 1845. No record. 1864. David Richards. 1846. Josiah Bentlcy. 1865. Nathan W. Selden. 1847. Ebenezer Bishop. 1866. Josiah Bentley. 1848. Jabei Close. 1867. Ebenexer Bishop. 1849. Nathan W. Seldcn. 1868. David Hichards. 1850. Xorwin C. .Tohnson. Henry Hill. 1851. John Thompson. 1869. Nathan W. Seldcn. 1852. Josiah Bontley. 1870. No record. D. C. Leach. 1871. Ebenczer Bishop. 1853. N. W. Sclden. 1872- 73. No record. James E. Spicer. 1874. John H. Slaght. 1854. N. C. Johnson. 1875. John Richards. J. Bontley. 1876. Charles D. llnyt, Jr. Silas Jameson. 1877. Reuben AV. Sago. 18.15. Asa T. Pierce. 1878. John H. Slaght. 1856. Josiah Bentley. 1879. S. A. Williams. 1857. John B. .Tameson. Hiram B. Gilbert. 1858. John 11. Slaght. TREASURERS. 1839. Comolins Volenline. 1840-41. William Odell. 1842. No record. 1843-44. John Richards. 1845. No record. 1816. John Richanls. IS47-49. Charles Wileo.\. 1850-51. Thomas Glover. IS52. John C. Mathewson. 1853. Reuben Winget. 18.14-56. George White. 1857. Cyrus Chatfield. 1858. William M. Avery. 1859. Andrew Slaght. 1860. John a. Slaght. 1S6I. Hiram B. Gilbert. 1862. John C. Mathewson. 1863. Elisha A. Moses. 1864. Edward H. Savage. 1865. Francis Hopkins. 1866. Josiah Bentley. 1867-68. Edward 11. Savage. 1869. John Richards. 1870. No record. 1871. George White. 1872-73. No reconl. 1874. Francis 1'. Alger. 1875. George S. Witherell. 187t>-77. Francis P. .\lger. 1878. John L. Jennings. 1879. Francis P. Alger. SCHOOL INSPECTORS. 1838. Dutlley Brainard. 1852. W. I. Williams. W. 1>. Morton. S. Mathewson. Josiah Alger. 185.3. Marshall Armstrong. 1839. Nelson .Mcakor. 1854. Francis Hopkins. W. I). Morton. 1855. W. M. Armstrong. Josiah .\Igcr. 1856. Andrew Slaght. 1840. W. D. .Morton. 1857. William M. Armstrong G. Judson. 1858. Stephen Mathewson. M. Dart. 1S59. James Jameson. 1841. Nelson Meakor. 1800. Albert Hathaway. W. D. Morion. 1861. William M. Armstrong Duilley Brainard. 1862. David Richanls. 1842. W. I). Morton. 1863. Andrew Slaght. A. H. Beach. 1864. David Richards. N. Meaker. 1865. James Brewer. 1843. Ira Dunning. IS66. David Richards. Dudley Brainard. 1867. James T. Brewer, 1844. Dudley Brainard. 1868. M. D. Stuart. 1845. No reconl. John C. Howland. 1846. Albert Bigelow. 1869. John L. Jennings. M«.vwoll Thompson. 1870. No record. 1847. Jabez Close. 1871. Henry Mason. 1848. Jabez Close. 1872- 73. No record. N. C. Johnson. 1874. George Hill. 1849. DeWitt C. Leaeh. 1875. Joseph M. Peek. Jabez Close. 1876- 78. Nathan E. Seldcn. 1850. Jabez Close. 1879. Theodore George. 1851. D. C. Leach. TOWNSHIP SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS. I 1877-79. De Wilt J. Lawrence. 1875. Abram Peer. 1876. Theodore George, TOWNSHIP DRAIN COMMISSIONERS. 1874. Nohoiniah Countryman. 1875. Dudley S. Keid. 1876. E. H. Sherwood (2yr3.). No record since. CONSTABLES. 1838. 1839. 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843, 1844. 1845. 1846. 1817. George Judson. Almoron S. Simmons. George Judson. Is.aac W. Morton. Albert B. Alger. Cornelius Volentine. Isaac M'. Morton. William Young. Cornelius Volentine. Isaac W. Morton. Palmer Lovejoy. William Odell. Josiah Bentley. Isaac W. Morton. John Wood, ,Iohn Richards. Jairus Higelow, Jr. Palmer Lovejoy. Charles Wilcox. Anilrew Kitchen. Henry ,ludd. Cyrus Chalfield. Charles Wilcox. No recfird. Levi Hodge. Charles Wilcox. Henry .ludd. Alpheus White. Charles Wilcox. Palmer Lovejoy. .\r.i Hopkins. Jacob Buutlcy. 1848. Henry S. Richards. A. S. Hopkins. Cyrenus Parrish, James Northway. 1849. Hopkins S. Allen, Edmund Rix. 1850. Alvah Bigelow. Charles Wilcox. E. Rix. Orson White. 1851. 0. White. J. T. Williams. L. B. Jcwett. Barnabas Greenfield. 1852. George Brown. J. T. Williams. D. L. Lighthall. 1853. John Howe. J. Bigelow, Jr. D. L. Lighthall. J. 0. Northway. 1854. Nelson Stormcs. J. T. Williams. Win. Van Tifllin. 1855. J. C. Pratt. A. Halloek. J. Bigelow, Jr. J. T. Williams. 18.'i6, .John Howe, Everett Booth. .Samuel A. Williams. John Slaght. 294 HISTORY OP GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 1857. 1858. 1859. 1860. 1861. 1862. 1863. 1S64. 1865. 1866. 1867. William Avery. Nelson Stormes. A. Hallock. Charles ^Vilcox. William M. Avery. John Wells. Samuel Brown. Almon Hallock. Henry Childs. J. T. Williams. James Lovejoy. Thomas Davis. Ira Remington. Kcuben Sage. Daniel Gillett. J. T. Williams. Walter Cross. Riley Tupper. Reuben Sage. Asa Wilson. W. Cross. R. Tupper. Salmon Lacy. Samuel Brown. R. R. Tupper. W. Cross. Charles Bell. Samuel Brown. John L. Jennings. Peter Phillips. Stewart Curie. Manville Bloss. Jesse Buck. Cyrenus Hodge. Peter Phillips. Samuel Brown. W. Cross. R. Tupper. Alfred Lovejoy. John D. Light. Caleb Gillett. 1867, 1868. 1869. 1870. 1871. 1872- 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. W. Cross. R. Tupper. John D. Light. C. Gillett. John D. Light. Riley R Tupper. Reuben W. Sage. R. R. Tupper. Chester Collins. George Borden. Samuel Brown. No record. Stewart Carle, John A. King. George Borden. Almon Hallock. 73. No record. James Hempstead. Riley Tupper. George Borden. Peter Phillips. Eugene George. Edward H. Sherwood. John H. Soper. James Hemp.stead. James Hempstead. John H. Soper. Lockwood Barnum. Peter Phillips. P. Phillips. John Hill. Charles Eckley. John H. Soper. Peter Phillips. John Hill, Jr. Dan Brown. Peter Phillips. William Cross. Wm. E. Van Tifflin. Charles Eckley. SCHOOLS. The first school district organized in the township was what is still known as District No. 1, in the Baldwin neigh- borhood. It was organized in the spring of 1837,* and a school taught the summer following, by Miss Mary Gazley, in a log school-house which stood on the corner of the farm now owned by LaFayette Odell. This building was subse- quently burned. Before this school was taught — or in the summer of 1836 — the few settlers living in the neighbor- liood, wishing for a school to send their children to, hired Mrs. Conant, the widowed sister-in-law of Jeshurun Leach, to teach one for them, paying her ten shillings a week for her services. The school was held in her own house, — ^a small log shaiity, — and she proved an excellent teacher. This was the first school taught in the township. Mrs. Conant was the mother of Avery G. and Wesley Conant, now of Fenton. The first winter term was taught by a Scotchman named McClerganf (or McClagan). DeWitt C. Leach taught a number of terms afterwards, as is elsewhere mentioned. In Fractional District No. 9, also on the Baldwin road, a lot was cleared and a log school-house built about 1845. This building was never finished or used. In 1847 a frame school-house was put up on the opposite corner, and is the one still in use. The first teacher in this district was Mary Ann Odell, who taught in the summer of 1847. In what is now District No. 6 a log school-house was built about 1841—42, on the northeast corner of section 29, and Mary S. Williams, sister of William I. Williams, was probably the first teacher. The following was the condition of the schools in Mundy township on the 2d of September, 1878, according to the annual report of the school inspectors : a >. ^- ■ |g u 11 i ^ i n. ■c 9 P4 tc £ ■s s Ndmbeb of Teach EKS. Teachers' Wages. Districts. o - !S 1' C p tS o u s o 3 ^?/s 2 B 11^ a iS 15 < & Frame, i^ Male. Female. Male. Female. No. 1 37 45 68 53 37 89 44 62 34 40 35 54 48 27 65 30 60 31 4 2 "s 4 180 150 160 208 160 178 160 150 140 1 60 50 80 60 65 40 40 $600 300 800 300 600 500 1000 250 400 1 1 1 1 1 "i 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 $160 105 120 100 112 •Tl5 $44 56 64 48 40 151.40 102 56.25 136 " 2 " 3 " 6 " 10 . " 11 « 41 " 9t " lot Beceipts for year, $2001.88; amount on hand, Sept. 2, 1878, $341.51 ; total expenditures, less amount on hand, $1660.37. KELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MUNDY CENTRE. On the 28th of July, 1844, a church was formed, and given the name of the " First Presbyterian Church of Mount Pleasant." March 7, 1856, the name was changed to the " First Presbyterian Church of the Town of Mundy." An organization had previously existed, which was known as the " First Church of Christ in Mundy," but this was finally discontinued, and the Presbyterian church formed iu its place. The latter was organized by Rev. Peter H. Burg- hardt, of Fenton, and consisted of the following members, viz. : Nathan W. Sclden, John Cook, Palmer Lovejoy, Theophilus Stone, — these four from the " First Church of Christ in Mundy," — and Joseph Child, from the Houston Street Presbyterian Ciiurch, in New York City. Nathan W. Selden was chosen ruling elder, and held the position until his death, in Mayf 1869. Joseph Child was first clerk. Aug. 10, 1844, four additional members were re- ■*■ 1836 according to some authority. "I" Information by Hon. D, C. Leach, of Springfield, Mo. J Fractional districts. MUNDY TOWNSHIP. 295 ceived, viz. : William B. Ferris, Mrs. Emeline Roys, Mrs. Sophia MeOmber, and Mrs. Isabella Cook. The first services were held by Rev. P. H. Burghardt. Revs. George P. Kiiif; and Ira Duuuing preached in 1845, and in June or July, 184C, Rev. J. Copeland came, re- maining about three months. Rev. J. B. Jewell became stated supply in September, 1851, and preached for a num- ber of years. He finally removed to California, in which State he yet resides. While ministering to this church he lived in the township of Gaines. Rev. Alanson Herrick and family united with the church in February, 18G4, and Mr. Herrick began preaching soon after. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. Armon Spencer, whose name first appears on the records in August, 1873. Rev. William Wood- mansee, from the Congregational church at Grand Blanc, was the next pastor, coming in 1874. Rev. L. P. Frost took charge in May, 1876, and, after a stay of two years was succeeded in May, 1877, by the present pastor. Rev. A. T. Waterman. For many years this church was only a mission, and re- ceived aid from the Home Mis.sionary Society. The pres- ent frame house of worship was built in 18()9, a portion of the funds being taken from the " church-erection fund" of the Presbyterian society. The dedicatory sermon for this church was preached by Rev. Mr. McSween, of Flint. The membership in June, 1879, was 51. A Sabbath- school is sustained, with John H. Slaght as superintendent. Meetings were at first held in dift'erent school-houses. BAPTIST CHDRCH, NEAR iMUNDY CENTRE.* This society was organized in 1845, and has a present nicnibership of about 50. A tasty frame church has been erected. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHnRCU, NEAR MUNDY P. O. This is known as the " South Mundy Methodist Episco- pal Church," and has a membership of about 90. A class was formed in 1 837, at or near the Odel sehuol-house, and a log school-house was subsequently built near the south line of the township. The location was finally changed to Long Lake, in Fenton township, where a class still exists. The South Mundy class was organized in 1840, and is at present a part of the Linden circuit. The present frame church was built in 1872, and dedicated in December of that year free from debt. The pastor in charge of the Linden circuit is Rev. Orlando Sanborn, now serving his second term of three years. To those who have furnished information which has been incorporated in the foregoing history of Mundy town- ship, the thanks of the historian are hereby tendered. Among those included are Hon. DeWitt C. Leach, of Springfield, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. William Odell, Volney Stiles and his son, T. P. Stiles, Morgan Baldwin, George Judson, .John Thompson, William I. Williams, Mrs. N. W. Selden, Asa T. Pierce, William 11. Alger, Mrs. J. F. Allen, Henry H. Howland and wife, John Richards, Ebenezer Bishop, Mrs. Peter Hempstead, John Remington, and many others not now recollected. Numer- ous points in the history of the township have been difficult to ascertain correctly, but this article is submitted with the belief that it is accurate and reliable so far as it is possible to make it so. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. MORGAN BALDWIN. Around the name and memory of the first settler of a town, county, or State, there will always cling a peculiar interest,- — an interest felt for no other class of men. Who was the first settler of this town ? Why did he come in here alone? What must have been his feelings when he knew that for miles around him there was no other white » Item.? furnished by .John Remington. It is regretted that noth- ing further was Iciirued of ibis urgnnization, which ia the second in uge in the ton'nshi|>. Pliut... hy J. n. Phipps, Fenlon. AlOKCi.VN HALDWIN. man ? — will be the (jueries in after-years. Such a man was Morgan Baldwin, the first white settler in the town of Mundy. He was born July 15, 1796, in what was then called Newtown, Tioga Co., N. Y., but what is now known as Elmira, Chemung Co. His father. Col. Thomas Baldwin, was born in Norwich, Conn., Feb. 23, 1755, where he re- sided with his parents until the breaking out of the Revo- lutionary war, when he joined the American army, and served as a private in Gen. Morgan's command. He served seven years and participated in many battles and skir- mishes. He was slightly wounded at Red Bank and Brandywinc, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. .\fter the war, he, with his father's family, emigrated to the Wyoming Valley, where they lived until the Wyoming massacre, when they were driven out, two of his uncles being killed by the Indians. After the ma,s.sacro. Col. Baldwin joined (Jen. Sullivan as a scout, and for meri- torious conduct was breveted ensign. The history of Sulii- 296 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Tan's campaign speaks of Ensign Baldwin being wounded at the battle of Chemung. In another place the history speaks of him as Col. Thomas Baldwin, and mentions that he was severely wounded. Col. Baldwin afterwards pur- chased as his farm the ground where he fell wounded, and the orchard he .set out still stands near the battlefield. On this farm he lived until his death, which occurred Jan. 14, 1810. Morgan lived with his parents until he arrived at his majority, when he started out in life for himself In Feb- ruary, 1818, he married Miss Hannah Sly. The result of this marriage was three children, viz. : Almira, Mary, and John. Mrs. Baldwin died Aug. 4, 1826. After the death of his wife, Mr. Baldwin resided with his father-in-law until the fall of 1833, when he resolved to seek a home wliere land was plenty and cheap. He came to Michigan, and in February, 1834, located the land he now owns, on section 27, in Mundy township. There was then no white residents in the township, nor for many miles around. The following March he built a log house on his land, and April 5th following moved his family into it. He had previously (Feb. 14, 1834) married Mary Jane Yanger. Their daughter, Hannah, born March 31, 1835, was the first white child born in the township. She married David Joslyn. Mr. Baldwin had lived in the town a year and nine months, when Thos. Glover and David Gibson moved in and settled near him. Mr. Baldwin says it seemed to him then that the town was full, and he the happiest man in the county. The first summer he cleared ten acres, and in the fall sowed five acres of wheat, which yielded twenty- seven bushels to the acre, and was threshed by Thomas Glover. Mr. Baldwin soon learned to talk with his Indian neighbors, with whom he lived on intimate and very friendly terms. They were of great assistance to him, and saved his family much sulfering. The land he first bought has increased by subsequent additions to two hundred acres under good cultivation, upon which he still resides, and in- tends to pass the remainder of his days. He has lived to see the wilderness disappear, and in its place fine farms, with beautiful homes, churches, and schools. The six miles square of woods and swamps, which he saw when he first settled, is now one of the finest towns in the county. Then, the home of the Indians and wild animals ; now, the home of an intelligent, enterprising people. Mr. Baldwin in early life was a Whig, and is now an ardent Republican. He was one of the first justices of the peace in the town, and held the office several years. Was town clerk, and has held other minor offices. In the war of 1812 he enlisted, but saw no active service. Has been for twenty years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Baldwin married, for his third wife, Eunice Dart, daughter of Joshua and Susannah (Stebbins) Dart. She was born Jan. 16, 1816; married Dec. 13, 1838. Children, — Mathew S., born Sept. 17, 1839; Ency, born April 12, 1842 ; Thomas, born Dec. 27, 1844, died Oct. 26, 1847 ; Morgan G., born Aug. 26, 1847 ; Susan, born June 7, 1851 ; and Vine, born Oct. 12, 1854, died Dec. 5, 1857. PETER HEMPSTED was born in Rice township, Monroe Co., N. Y. His father, John Hempsted, was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., in 1776, where he grew to manhood ; he was a weaver by trade, and worked at it when he was not farming. Soon after his mar- riage to Miss Amy Barker he moved to Monroe Co., N. Y., where he bought a small farm. Here Peter lived until he was twenty-three years old, working on the farm, or at whatever he could get to do. In 1836 he was attacked by the Western fever, and determined to go West and make himself a home where land was cheap. He came to Grand Blanc, in Genesee County. The first year he worked for Ro- land Perry ; in 1837 he bought of his father the west half of the southwest quarter of section 14, in Mundy township, a lot which his father had purcha.sed of the government. On this farm, now one of the best in the county, Mr. Hempsted still resides. In 1843 he built a small house on his farm, and made a permanent settlement. At that time there was no road to his land, and the family came and went by blazed trees. From Flint and Grand Blanc he carried his supplies to the new home in the woods with the help of an old fashioned neck-yoke. Their nearest neigh- bors were Indians, with whom they lived on the most friendly terms. The wolves were then a great source of annoyance, killing their sheep and making it unsafe for the family to be out in the evening. Mr. Hempsted is one of the most successful agriculturists in the county, and his farm is a model after which the young men of to-day would do well to pattern. One secret of his success is his versatile skill in labor, making most of his farming tools, and assisting to erect his buildings. In politics Mr. Hempsted is a Republican, but not a seeker of office. He has been a member of the Baptist Church for nearly half a century, as has also his wife. He is spoken of by his neighbors as an honorable and successful business man, one whom to know is to respect. On the 8th day of June, 1841, he married Mr.s. Mind- well Beebe, daughter of Guernsey and Asenath (Brainard) GofF. She was born Jan. 9, 1814. There have been born to them eight children : Arthur, born April 6, 1842 ; Adelia, born Feb. 22, 1844; Eliza, born Feb. 11, 1846, died March 24, 1848 ; Cyrus, born April 30, 1848 ; Eme- line, born Dec. 17, 1849, died Aug. 6, 1850 ; Sylvester, born July 23, 1851 ; Peter J., born Oct. 12, 1853; and Frank, born Dec. 9, 1857. To Mrs. Hempsted, by her first husband, were born two children, — Zala Beebe, born Oct. 25, 1837, and Edmund Beebe, born Nov. 25, 1839. Three of their children served in the Union army during the war of the Rebellion, — Arthur Hempsted, in Co. E, 5th Michigan Battery, enlisted Dec. 9, 1862, and served until the war closed ; Zala Beebe, served in the same com- pany and battery about a year ; Edmund Beebe, enlisted Dec. 9, 1 862, and served during the war in the same com- pany as his brother. EBENEZER BISHOP. Among the early settlei-s of Mundy, there is no one who has done more lor the advancement of the township and the county at large than Ebenezer Bishop. He was born in MUNDY TOWNSHIP. 297 Montville, New London Co., Conn., April 9, 1807. In 1818 his father uioved to Livingston Co., N. Y., and bought a farm, on which Ebenezer grew to manhood, working with his father, and spending a few of the winter months at the district school. At the age of twenty-one he left the pa- ternal home, and started out in life for himself For two years he worked out by the month, then leased his father's farm for three years. With the money thus earned he started for Michigan, ariiving at Springfield, Oakland Co., in 1833. The next .'spring he came to Grand Blanc, Genesee Co. The following year he was sick, and instead EBENEZER BISHOP. of gaining ground he ran behind over one hundred dollars. In 1835, Mr. Bi.sliop bought a farm near Flint, but soon sold it. During the next year he bought and sold farms, and helped new comers in locating land. In the fall of 183G he returned to New York and there spent the winter, but returned to Genesee County the ensuing spring, and brought his newly-married wife with him. Previous to this he had purchased from the government eighty acres of the farm he now owns, on section 24. At that time Mundy was a new and wild country ; there were no roads, and but few white people. Mr. IJi.shop procured his supplies from Grand Blanc, going by an Indian trail and bringing the goods home on lii.s back. On this lot of wild land he built a log house, and at once commenced to improve and clear the land. Their neighbors were Indians, of whose kindness Mrs. Bishop speaks in the highest terms. Some of the Indians' descendants still visit them, and are always kindly received. When the plank road was built from Flint to Fentonville, Mr. Bi.shop took an active part in its construction, and at one time owned a controlling inter- est in the same. He was throughout one of its directors, most of the time its treasurer, and for a while its president. The road did not prove a financial success, and Mr. Bishop lost many thou.sand dollars in this enterpri.sc. Still, what 38 was his Joss was the community's gain, as they still have the benefit of five miles of gravel road built by Mr. Bishop. At an early day Mr. Bishop was a Whig, and later a Re- publican, of which latter party he is a firm adherent, lie has been supervisor of his township several times, and one of its justices for more than thirty years. Mr. Bishop is now, at the age of seventy-two, a hale and hearty man, — one of whom his neighbors and fellow-citizens speak in the highest terms. To the form of eighty acres first bought of the government, he has added until he now owns a fine farm of over three hundred acres under good im- provement. April 10, 1837, he married Miss Mary P. Morgan, who was born in Lima, Livingston Co., N. Y., July 17, 1817. She was a daughter of John and Mary (Pierce) Morgan. Their union has been blessed with three children, viz. : Thomas S., born Oct. 2-4, 1838 ; Eliza W., born Jan. IG, 1844; and Mary Frances, boru May 10, 1858. JOHN L. JENNINGS was born in Ennis township, Shiawassee Co., Mich., April I, 1842. His father, Abram M. Jennings, was born in New Jersey, Aug. 26, 1802 ; he married Miss Emily Lay- ton, and afterwards lived for a time in Lyons, Wayne Co., N. Y. In 1837 he emigrated to Shiawassee Co., Mich., and purchased an eighty-acre lot of the government. On this lot he built a log house and barn, and commenced to improve. At the time of his death, which occurred Jan. 13, 1848, he had improved his land and made a comfort- able home. John L. continued to live at home after his father's death and until he was sixteen years of age, when he started out in life for himself. His chances for an edu- cation were very limited, yet he acquired enough book knowledge to do any ordinary business. His start in life was obtained by working on the farms of his neighbors at twelve dollars per month. In 18G3 he purchased the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 9 in Mundy township, and ran in debt for the .same and for his team. The only assistance he received was two hundred dollars from his father's estate. Since then Mr. Jennings has owned more land than he now possesses, but, believing that more money can be made on a small farm properly managed, he has reduced his farm to sixty acres, and his success proves the truth of his belief He is accounted as one of the most successful and energetic business men of his town. In politics he is and ever has been a Republican. He has always taken an active interest in political matters, and has held the positions of town treasurer and commis- sioner of highways. On the IGth day of April, 18C8, he was married to Miss Harriet E. Dibble, who was born Dec. II, 1842, in Mundy. She is the daughter of Samuel and Juliza (Hill) Dibble. Their union has been blessed with four children, as follows: Julia D., born Feb. 23, 1863, married to Charles Countryman, April 30, 1879; Henry M., born Aug. 20, 1805 ; Emma J., born Nov. 11, 1872 ; and John D., born Jan. 3, 1874. A view of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jennings will be found elsewhere in this work. 298 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MIC RIG AN. JOHN SLAOUT. MRS. JOHN SLAGHT. JOHN SLAGHT. Tliis venerable geutlemaii is the fourth in a family of eijrht children, hi.s birth occurring in the State of New Jersey, June 2, 1790. The name, as its orthography indi- cates, was originally Holland Dutch, although a portion of French blood flows in the veins of those in this family. Mr. Slaght and one sister, residing in Ingham Co., Mich., are the only survivors of the family of their father, Matthias Slaght. Time dealt gently with all its members, and their years were prolonged much beyond the ordinary span of human existence. Mr. Slaght's father served a few months in the patriot army during the Revo- lutionary war, being at the time but sixteen years of age. When the son was twelve years old his father removed to Seneca Co., N. Y. Upon the breaking out of the war of 1812 the young man was not found lacking in a love of country, but went to the front with the rifle company to which he belonged, commanded by Capt. Swick. Mr. Slaght grew to manhood upon his father's farm of two hun- dred acres, receiving a common-school education and ex- periencing the varied phases of pioneer life in the then wild region of Central New York. On the 13th of December, 1814, he married Miss Phebe Howell, and began work for himself on his father's place, erecting thereon a small tan- nery and a saw-mill, both of which he operated for many years. Mrs. Slaght, who was born Aug. G, 1792, was one of a family of seven children, — five sons and two daughtei's. Her grandfather and his brother emigrated to this country, before the Revolution, from Scotland, and settled in New Jersey. Her father, too young to serve as a soldier in the Revolutionary army, yet aspiring to fame, carried dispatches for the American commanders, placing them between the soles of his slioes. After the war was ended he settled also in Seneca Co., N. Y., and engaged in farming and the man- ufacture of bricks. Mr. and Mrs. Slaght were the parents of eight children, as follows: Mary, born Nov. 5, 1815; Joseph, born Dec. 6, 1817; Matthias, horn Jan. 12, 1821 ; Catherine, born May 9, 1823 ; Susan, born Oct. 8, 1825 ; Julia, born Oct. 10, 1828; John, born Dec. 6, 1830; Andrew, born Dec. 1, 1832. Mi-s. Slaght died July 8, 1871. In 1847, 5Ir. Slaght sold his property in Seneca County and removed with his family to Michigan, locating in Mundy township, upon the farm he still owns. He pur- chased two eighty-acre lots from Peter Chriss, and, aided by his sons, has cleared up the farm, upon which no timber had been felled when he came, and built his present resi- dence. Mr. Slaght's hospitality has been almost phenom- enal, he never having turned a person away from his door. Politically, he was a Democrat until the organization of the Republican party, since when he has been found in the ranks of the latter. He voted for the lamented Lincoln, thus aiding in the overthrow of .slavery in the Republic. For many years not a drop of liquor has been tasted by him, and for more than sixty 3'ears he has been a member of the Dutch Reformed and Presbyterian Churches, first of the former in New York, and, since coming to Mundy, of the Preiibyterian Church at the centre. At the age of eilihty-nine he possesses much vigor, yet the weight of years is reminding him at length of a home with those who have " gone before. ' WILLIAM I. WILLIAMS. Among the self-made men of Genesee County there are none who better deserve the title, or who by their acts have made their influence more felt, than William I. Williams, of whom this brief sketch is written. Mr. Williams was born in Darlington, Canada, May 31, 1828. His father, Adna Williams, was born in Connecticut, but moved to Canada, where he married Jliss Ellen Cutcher, who was born Oct. 23, 1809. Soon after William's birth bis father moved back to the States, and settled in Livingston Co., N. Y., where he worked at his trade, that of a machinist. After the death of his father his mother again married, and the family at once came to Jlichigan, settling in Sagi- naw, then a place of about two hundred inhabitants. This was in 1836. In 1840 they moved to Grand Blanc, where his step-father worked a rented farm. He afterwards pur- chased the farm now owned by Johu L. Jennings, but, his death occurring a few weeks later, the farm was given up. William I. was then but fourteen years old, and the eldest MUNDY TOWNSHIP. 209 of llie cliildioii ; he tlius parly Iiccnnio the lioad of the liimily. With the hi'l)i of an uncle a log house was hnilt, and tlie first three acres cleared and got into wheat, hut tlie farm had to be given up as above stated. He then bouglit five years of a ten-year lease of fourteen acres of land on the farm of Mr. Baldwin, and paid the rent for the same by clearing land. He lived on tiiis land five years, and endured many privations, there being days in tlieir lives when, with nothing in tlic house to eat, hunger and grim want stared them in the face. Yet William showed him- self equal to the occasion, and the family were reared and educated, he himself having had but limited ojiportunitics in that direction, being wholly embraced by a i'ew months' attendance at a winter school and studying nights by the light of a fireplace. So well did he avail himself of liis advantages that when seventeen years of age we find him teaching school, wliich he followed successfully for several terms. In 1850, Mr. Williams bought the south half of the west half of the southwest quarter of section 28, which was then all new, he cutting thereon the first tree. On this tract he built a log house, and moved his mother's iiimily into it. Six years after, he bought the remainder of the eighty acres which he now owns, and which are under a good state of iuiprovemcnt, with a fine new house, good barns, orchard, etc., and where the aged motlier still finds a home. Mr. Williams owes his success in life to the fact that he lias always been able to turn his hand to almost any kind of work. He has worked at the cooper's trade, has helped build Lis own buildings, iu his younger day was a success- ful sheep-shearer, and has never rei'used to work on account of low wages. He is now working his iarm and is also engaged in the mercantile business, keeping a small stock of general merchandise iu connection with the post-ottice at Mundy, of which he is and has been ibr several years postmaster. He has for several years passed his leisure hours in writing poetry and articles on temperance and pioneer life, many of which he has contributed to the county press. In politics he is a Democrat. He has been for five years supervisor of his town, filling the ottice to the satisfaction of his Constituents ; lias also served as town clerk for several years, and many times as highway com- uiissioner and school inspector. Iu 187U lie was the Demo- cratic nominee fur State senator, and in 1872 for sheriff, but, his parly being largely in the minority, he was not elected. On the 1st day of January, 1859, Mr. Williams married Miss Julia Merrill, daughter of Horace Merrill. This union was bles.sed with one child, Ida J., born Sept. 19, 1859. Miss Williams is now teaching in Oregon. Mrs. Williams died April S, 18l)2. For his second wife Mr. Williams married Miss Seliua L. I'eck, daughter of Wil- liam A. and Kliza (Lindsleyj Peck, born May 15, 1839, married March 29, IHii'J. There have been born to them four children, — Charles B., born Dec. 8, 18(J8 ; William E., born March 8, 1870; Julius 1., born April 15, 1873; and Clarence M., born Dec. 25, 1875. VOLNKY STILES was born in Aurelius, Cayuga Co., N. Y., April 10, 1811. His father moved to Livingston Co., N. Y., when Mr. Stiles was a small lad, and engaged in farming. Volnoj-, like the farmers' boys of that day, worked on his father's farm as soon as he was old enough, and went to school a few weeks during the winter months. Arrived at his ma- jority, lie started out in life for himself, with only his indus- trious habits and health and strength as his capital. His first money was made from raising wheat on shares. But VOLNEY STII.ES. this was too slow a method, and he determined to go to a new country where land was cheap, and there obtain a farm of his own. The fall of 1833 found him in Mundy town- ship, Genesee Co., Mich., then an almost unbroken wilder- ness. Two or three settlers only had preceded him. Mr. Stiles, who was then a single man, bought of the govern- ment the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 11, and erected a shanty thereon. He pa.ssed the winter of 1833-34 on his lot, and made a clearing. In the fall of 1834 he sowed a few acres of wheat. Two years later he sold this land and bought the west half of the northwest quarter of section 13, in Mundy, a few acres only of which was improved. On this he built a log house, and cleared and improved thirty acres. The wolves were then numerous, and their howling at first kept Mr. Stiles awake, but he soon became accustomed to it, and slept :ts soundly as though in the midst of civilization. The subsetpicnt death of his wife was a sad bereavement, and caused him to sell his place and, (or a time, work for others. In 1840 he again married, and then bought another (new) farm, in Grand Blanc, which he cleared up and improved. Since then Mr. Stiles has owned several farms, and has done his share towards improving and making Genesee County what it is to-day. And now, at a ripe old age, respected and esteemed by his fellow-townsmen, he resides in the town- 300 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. ship which he has seen develop from a wilderness into one of the finest in the county. In politics Mr. Stiles is a Democrat. He has held the office.s of town clerk and jus- lice of the peace, filling the latter position for eigiit years. He is liberal in his religious views, and is not a member of any church. In 1834, Mr. Stiles married Miss Mary Page, who was born in Lowell, Mass. Their union was blessed with one child, Caroline E., born Dec. 25, 1835. He married, Jan. 28, 1840, llhoda Dayton, who was born, Dec. 2, 1805, in Bennington Co., Vt. There have been born to them the following children : Thomas P., born Oct. 13, 1842; and Mary L., born Nov. 16, 1844. Thomas P. married, March 8, 1869, Miss Wealthy Whit- more, who was born Dec. 18, 1844 ; they have had two children, viz. : Horace, born Feb. 25, 1871, died Aug. 15, same year; Edith May, born May 6, 1876. HENRY H. HOWLAND. Since the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth Rock, the pioneers of America have been men of iron nerve, of energy and perseverance, — men who, when they had once turned their faces westward, turned not back for trifles, but kept resolutely on, until to-day a great and beautiful country shows the work of their strong arms and willing hearts. Such a man is Henry H. Howland, one of the first settlers in the town of Mundy. He was born in the town of Ira, Rutland Co., Vt., April 30, 1807. His father. Banister Y Howland, was born in the town of Scituate, R. I. After his marriage to Miss Mary Forbes, the elder Mr. Howland moved to Monroe Co., N. Y., where he bought, in 1808, a farm of unimproved land. Here he remained four years, when he moved to the town of Hartland, Niagara Co., N. Y., of which section he was one of the first settlers. The country was then an almost unbroken wilderness. He had just got a start in the new home when the war of 1812 broke out; he was drafted, and served through the war, as his father, Samuel Howland, had previously in the Revo- tionary war. At the close of the war Banister went back to his farm, and lived there until 1836, when he again emi- grated to a new country, settling in Oakland Co., Mich., where he died, June 11, 1856. Henry H. lived at home with his father until he was twenty-two, helping to clear up and improve the new farms, and having but a limited chance to acijuire an education. He then started out for himself, with no capital save a strong constitution and an abundance of energy and industry. He commenced by taking jobs of chopping and clearing land, and in this way earned the money to buy eighty acres of new land in Troy, Oakland Co. This farm he sold in 1836, when, in company with his uncle, he came to Mundy, Gen- esee Co., looking for land. It was then a wilderness, with but few inhabitants save its original owners, the Indians. They followed the section lines by the aid of the trees marked by the surveyors. When they came to the land now owned by Mr. Howland, he told his uncle he should locate there unless he found something better. They went west till they struck the big swamp. Mr. Howland climbed a tree, and saw before him only swamp, with the water up to a man's arms. They then struck south, and the uncle selected his land in Gaines township, while Mr. Howland bought of the government four eighty-acre lots, two hundred and forty acres of which he now owns. There was then no one within one mile of his land, and but twelve families in the town. The next spring, at the first town-meeting, there were but eighteen voters in what is now Gaines and Mundy. In the spring of 1837, Mr. Howland moved his family, consisting of his wife and two children, to the new home. He had built a log shanty, eighteen by twenty feet, covered with shakes, and without doors or windows. He had to cut his roads in, and ford the streams. Swartz Creek was partly frozen over, and Mr. Howland waded it seven times in one day, with the water up to his arm-pits, breaking the ice with a pole, and then driving his own and his father- in-law's team through, the last trip leading a pig through by the ear. In the log shanty they lived five years, while Mr. Howland was clearing and improving his farm. His sup- plies were bought in Bloomfield, and five days were consumed in making the trip with an ox-team. He sold his first wheat for " three-and-sixpence" a bushel, oats ten, and potatoes eight cents per bushel, — not for cash, but in trade out of the store. He was then a man of great strength and powers of endurance, there being few men who could do more of any kind of work than he ; by his energy and industry the forest disappeared as if by magic, and soon a well-improved farm was to be seen where so short a time be- fore was only a wilderness. The howl of the wolf w;is no more to be heard, but in its stead the bleating of sheep and the lowing of cattle. In 1854 the old home was replaced with the present commodious home, which was at the time of its erection the finest house in Mundy. At the first term of court held in Genesee County, Mr. Howland was one of the jurors, few of whom now survive. Mr. Howland is now in the seventy-third year of his age, the owner of one of the finest farms in Genesee County, the reward of a lifetime of labor ; and here, under his own " vine and fig-tree," he intends to spend the remainder of his days. He is spoken of by those who know him well as a citizen esteemed and respected by all. There are but few men of his age who, like Mr. Howland, can say they never drank a glass of liquor, or any beverage save water. In politics Mr. Howland is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, having in early days been a Whig. His sons likewise are all Republicans. Mr. Howland married, for his first wife, Polly M. Sprague. She was born June 12, 1814. They were married July 15, 1832. Their children were : Barnibas S., born Sept. 8, 1833, died July 23, 1859 ; Harley H., born Sept. 10, 1836, died July 12, 1854 ; Banister F., born Aug. 7, 1839, enlisted in Co. G, 8th Michigan Infantry, in July, 1861 ; killed June 16, 1862, at James Island, S. C, while storm- ing the fort at that place. Mrs. Howland died Dec. 4, 1839. For his second wife he married Esther P. Van Tifllin (born in Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 25, 1822), daughter of Peter and Hannah (Allen) Van Tifflin. There have been born to them five children : Mary P., born Sept. 28, 1840 ; Aretus S., born Dec. 14, 1841 ; John C., born Sept. 27, 1843 ; George W., born April 30, 1845 ; Millard F., born , TENANT RESIDENCE OF H•^^•/^Ov \ND,MUNDY, Michigan MUNDY TOWNSHIP. 301 March 15, 1856. The latter was killed by the cars at Du- raiid, Dec. 9, 1877; he was conductor of a freight train, and was making his last trip as such, prior to taking the position of a passenger conductor. Aretus Howland is now living on and owns a part of the old farm. The daughter, Mary P., is married and lives at Charlotte. John C. graduated in the literary class of 1870, at Ann Arbor, and afterwards was graduated in the law school. He subsequently practiced law three years with Judge Swift, in Detroit, but is now by himself, and has a good practice. George W. went to Ann Arbor in 1867, and was graduated in the medical school in 1870; he prac- ticed medicine in Pontiac during 18G'J ; since graduating he has had an office in Flint, where he has a good practice. SAMUEL W. ALGER. The subject of this sketch was born in West Bloomfiold, Ontario Co., N. Y., Dec. 2, 1821. He was the son of Jusiah Alger, of whom an extended notice is given on an- other page of this work. Samuel W. came into the town of Mundy in 1836, where he grew to manhood. By long association with the Indians he learned to talk their lan- guage fluently, and became an interpreter for them, often going with them to Detroit, where they exchanged their fui-s for blankets, provisions, etc. He was looked up to by them, and ti them his advice and word were law. His sou Alvah well remembers his being called to their village to settle disputes. Arrived at his majority, his father gave him the east half of the southwest quarter of section 22 in Mundy, which was then all new. There was then no road to it, Mr. Alger going and coming by Indian trails. On this land he built a log house, set out an orchard, and improved it. He afterwards bought the west half of the southwest quarter of section 22, and also the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of the same section, which he improved, and part of which is now owned by his son, Alvah W. In politics, Mr. Alger was a Democrat, although he never took an active part in political matters. He was married April 24, 1843, to Mary Lovejoy, who was born Oct. 27, 1826. There were born to them Alvah W., born April 11, 1846; Albert, born Dec. 25, 1847 ; and Charles, born March 21, 1857. Mr. Alger died July 18, 1805. Alvah W. Alger was born on the old homestead, and intends to make it his permanent home. He has done much to beautify it, having built a new and handsome liou.se, good outbuildings, iences, etc. He was married April 17, 1867, Miss Iloseltha Childs becoming his con- sort. She was born in Broome Co., N. Y., April 24, 1846. She is a daughter of Jesse and Clara (Ilub- bardj Childs. There have been born to them two children, as follows: Benuie E., born Aug. 22, 1871 ; and Alonzo, born Nov. 28, 1875. In politics, Mr. Alger is a Democrat. JOHN llEID was born in the township of Hush, Monroe Co., N. V., July 16, 1822. His father, Benjamin T. Ilcid, came, with his Aunily, to Michigan in 1834, with the intention of locating, but were taken with the cholera on their way, and within five weeks of tiicir arrival Mr. and Mrs. Reid, one son, and a daughter died. John was then a boy of twelve, and was thus left an orphan and without any means. He made his home with his sister, Mrs. Tupper, with whom he resided until after his marriage. The country was then JOHN llEID. new, and his chances for an education were limited ; still he acquired sufficient to fit him for the active and successful business man he afterwards became. He first bought fifty- four acres of land in Clayton, which he afterwards deeded to Dudley Bruinard in exchange for the one hundred and twenty acres now owned by his wife, and which is called the Reid farm. One con.sideration of the exchange was that Mr. Reid should support Mr. Brainard and his sister during their lifetime. This was his start in life. The farm was cleared and improved by his hard labor, and to it he added, until at the time of his death he was the possessor of three hun- dred acres of land under improvement. He was the owner and proprietor of the Reid House for twelve years, and be- came widely known. In politics, Mr. Reid was an ardent Republican, and used his influence and money to advance the interests of his party, although he was never an office- seeker or office-holder. He died Jan. 12, 1875, mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Reid married, Nov. 20, 1845, Miss AWnira Halleck, daughter of Amos and Rachel (Crane) Halleck. Mrs. Reid was born, March 5, 1824, in Chittenden Co., Vt. Their union was blessed with four children, as follo\»s : Adelaide J., born May 27, 1847; Su.san A., born April 4, 1853; George W., born Nov. 1, 1857; and Alfred H. born Sept. 3, 1860. NATHAN W. SELDEN was born in Haddam, Conn., Nov. 25, 1810. When he was four years old his father moved to Leroy, Genesee Co., N. Y., where Nathan grew to manhood, going to school winters and working on the farm summers. Arrived at his majority, he started out for himself, with nothing to com- 302 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. mcnce with but a strong constitution and rectitude of pur- pose. He worked by tlie month on a farm, and at other times duj; wells, thus gettiiit; his first start b)' the hardest kind of labor. In 1833 the Western fever was at its lieight, and Mr. Selden with many others determined to seek his fortunes in a new country. To think with him was to act; and he came to Michigan and bought of the government the east half of the northwest quarter of section 33, in the town of Mundy. He then returned to New York and stayed one year ; the following year he returned, and dur- ing the winter cleared a small spot and eoninionced a log house, after which he returned again to New York. On the lOlh of October, 1838, he led to the altar Miss peace, which oiBce he held until his death, with the excep- tion of four years, — an incumbency of twenty-four years. He also served as supervisor of his townsliip. Before leaving Leroy, Mr. Selden joined the Presbyterian Church, and lie continued a member of that society until his death. Two years after his final settlement in Michigan the first Presbyterian Church of Mundy was organized, Mr. Selden taking an active part in its institution and growth. He was one of its first deacons, and filled that ofifice while he lived. There were born to 3Ir. and Mrs. Selden eight children, as follows: Phiiicas C, born July 17, 1839, died Aug. 1, 1839; John K., born Feb. 12, 18U,died June 24, 1841; William H., born May 5, 1842; Nathan E., NATHA.N W. SELDt.V. Mils. NATHAN W. SELDEN. Harriet R. Dudley, a native of Madison, New Haven Co., Conn., and daughter of Phineas and Elizabeth A. (Graves) Dudley. Soon after their marriage the young couple moved to the farm previously purchased in Mundy, where a partly finished log house awaited them. The house was soon completed, and life in the wilderness began. There were no roads, and near them no clearings; while white neigh- bors were few and scattering. Yet Mrs. Selden, who proved to be a true pioneer wife, says they enjoyed themselves, and she believes those were the happiest days of their liv»s. The Indians were their nearest neighbors, but were very friendly, and Mrs. Selden was never afraid of them. Wolves, deer, and other game were numerous, but were unmolested by Mr. Selden, as he was no hunter. With his accustomed energy he at once commenced to improve his place, and soon a well-improved farm, with good (build- ings, orchards, etc., took the place of the forest. And on this farm he passed the remainder of his life, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He died May 1, 1869. In polities Sir. Selden was in early life a Whig, subse- quently a llepubliean. He always took an active interest in political and educational matters, and was for many years a school-director. In 1841 he was elected a justice of the born April 10, 1844; Eliza A., born Dee. 12, 1843 ; Ste- phen D., born July 18, 1847 ; Mary E., born April 20, 1849; and Francis G., born May 16, 1851. CHAIINCEY L. BADGLEY was born in Batavia, Genesee Co., N. Y., March 5, 1836. His father, William H. Badgley, was born in New York about the year 1809. He married Miss Lovica Green. The result of this union was thirteen children, Chauncey L. being the .sixth. The elder Mr. Badgley moved to Michigan in 1849, and settled in Grand Blanc, Genesee Co., where he worked land on shares. When Chauncey was fifteen he went to Flint to learn the moulder's trade, and worked for King & Forsyth. Remained in Flint three years, then went to Grand Rapids, where he worked at his trade one year. Until 1858 he worked in Chicago and Grand Haven at his trade, and also in a saw-mill. In 1858 he joined a party which was formed in Grand Haven to go to California. In St. Louis the party broke up, and Mr. Badgley, who was determined to see the Western world, en- listed on the 29th day of January, 1858, in Co. I, 7th ARGENTINE TOWNSHIP. 303 Rej^imerit U. S. Iiifantiy, Major Paul cuiuiiiainliiiL'. Soon afturwards his company went to Utali, whore they were kept scouting after the Indians and watching the Jlurmnns. From Utah they were sent to Fort Filniorc, New Mexico, marching the entire distance. Remained tliere, doing frontier service, until the war of the Rebellion broke out. After the first Bull Run, he, with the entire command, was surrendered by Maj. Lynde to the rebels without firing a gun. They were paroled and sent to Fort Jlontgomory, Rouse's Point, N. Y., where they remained until October, 1862, when they were exchanged, sent to the Army of the Potomac, and assigned to the 5th Corps. Mr. Badgley was in the battle of Fredericksburg and other minor en- gagements. His time iiaving expired, he was discharged Jan. 29, 18{)3. Mr. Badgley lost three brothers in the war; one died in Andcrsonvillc. After bis discharge he returned to Rouse's Point, the attraction being one of its fair daughter.?. He was married, Feb. 11, 1803, to Mi.ss Atma Doly, daughter of Samson and Arrilla Doty. She was born Nov. 12, lS3li, at Peru, Clinton Co., N. Y. Her father, Samson Doty, was born in Wallingford, Rutland Co., Vt., Feb. 23, 1809; her mother, Arrilla Sulfin, was born in Northumberland, Saratoga Co., N. Y., July 19, 1803. Of their two children, Jlrs. Badgley was the eldest. Mr. Doty came to Michigan in 1863, and on the 22d day of February, 1804, he enlisted in Co. F, 8th Michigan In- fantry Regiment. Although exempt from military service by reason of his age, he was an ardent patriot, and resolved to fight for his principles. He was killed the Oih day of May, 180+, in the battle of the Wilderness. After Mr. Badgley 's marriage, be, with his father-in-law, came to Michigan and purchased the east half of the south- west quarter of section 28 in Mundy, to which have since been added ten acres. The farm was partly improved, but the subse(|uent labor and care bestowed upon it have de- veloped it into one of the finest in the town. Sir. Badgley is a Republican, but not a politician. There have been bom to Mr. and Mrs. Badgley children as follows: Katy Doty, born April 19, 1804; Ida I., born Sept. C, 1800; Lillian M., born Feb. 0, 1809 ; Ruby, born Oct. 10, 1871 ; Chauncey L., Jr., born June 27, 1875 ; and Mary E., born Jan. 19, 1878. ARGENTINE. Abqentine is the southwest-corner township of Gene- see County, and is bounded north by Gaines, east by Fen- ton, .south by Livingston County, and west by Shiawassee County. Much of its surface is rolling, and many pleasing landscapes are beheld within its borders. Its .soil has the same characteristics as all that in the inimodiatc region. Fine improvements are met with throughout the township, and evidences of prosperity and wealth are seen on nearly every hand. The township is well watered by the Shiawassee River and its tributaries, which furnish considerable power, and numerous lakes and ponds add to the water-area. Principal among the latter are Lobdell, on sections 35 and 30, named after an early settler on its shore; Murray, on section 34, named after the first .settler in the township ; McKane, on sections 28 and 32 ; McCaslin, section 22 ; Bass, section 27, etc. Lobdell Lake has been changed somewhat in area by the raising of a dam at Argentine village. The shores in many places are marshy, and in various parts of the township tamarack-swamps exist. This town.ship at first included what is now Fenton, which latter was first settled. A large acreage of timber is yet left, although but a portion of this township was heavily timbered, the balance being " oak-openings." Through this town, as through all others in this region when first settled, roamed great numbers of wolves and deer, with an occasional bear or panther, and the lover of sport could enjoy himself to the utmost. LAND ENTRIES. The following is a list of the entries of land in what now constitutes the town.ship of Argentine : Section 1. Acreg. Ahijah B. Dnnlap, Penecii Co , N. Y., .'^iiril fi, IS.'lfi So 84 Nflson Stiokncv. Oaldancl Co., Mi,-h,. June 14, 1836 ; 80 Gilman Davis, Wayne C.i., Mieh., .June 14. I8:'.6 95.41 Phinens Davis, " •• " Au^. ■•!■ lS:iG 240 Ira Lamb, (icncsee Co., Mich., Nov. 14. 18:tfi 80 Philip S. Ilubboll, Livingston Co., Mich., Nov. 14, 1836 80 Section- 2. Cyrus E.My, .TefTcrson Co.. N. Y.. .Tunc 13, 1836 160 Hiram 15.11. iws, Fianldin Co.. N. Y., June 25, 1836 80 John Pattcr.son. U'avne Co., N. Y., Au;,'. 1, 1836 176.57 llinman Kexf.ir.l. I.'iviii-.ston Co., Mi.th., Aug. 3, 1836 174.27 David Tilhnan, Genesee Co., Mielj., Nov. 14, 1836 80 Skction 3. David and William I. Willianis, Jctferson Co., N. Y'., June 13, 1836 SO Iloraee Parmelee, Clermont. .M. II., July 16, 1 S36 IliO Jiinies Wa.lsworrh, Livin„'.s|..n Co., N. Y., July 16, 1836 343.12 Charles Comlen. St. Clair Co.. Mieh., June IS, 1846 40 Thomas U. Gilbert, Genesee Co., i\lieh., June 16, 1849 40 Skction 4. Allen Spencer, Allegany Co., N. Y., July 13, 183G 657.73 Sectio.n 5. Allen Sp«noer, Allegany Co., N. Y., July 13, 1836 48,8.83 James liogcrt, Orange Co., N. Y., July 16, 1836 169.72 Suction 6. Sarah A. Preston, Oakland Co., Mich., July 13, 1836 S5.66 James N. Smith, Ulster Co.. N. Y., July 14, 1836 160 Foster I). Prest.m, Oakland Co., Mich., Aug. 1, 1836 79.60 Seott, Bi.vley .t Co., Ail.lison Co., Vt., Aug. 2, 1836 238.84 Clarissa li. Preston, 0.ikhind Co., Mieh., .luly 14, 1836 SO.OS Section 7. John Myers, Cavuga Co., N. Y., July, 1836 80 Scotl, Hi.\lcy .t C.I.. Ad.lisr)n Co., Vt., August, 1836 80 Phineas D.ivis, Wayne C... Mieh., 237.30 George G.ill. Onlari.) Co., N. V., October, 1.836 80 " ' •• '• 155.84 304 HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN. Section 8. Acrrs. Phiiioas Davis, Wayno Co., Micb.. August, ISi^e S*l) Scth Wi'iil, Cii.vugii Co., N. Y., Soptcuiber, " li:il iirj;L- (ioft. Ontario Co., N. Y., Octuhcr, " 160 Aliraln Middlesworth, Gencsce Co., Mich., Noveniljor, 18:!6.... 80 Daviil Tillman, Ucnescc Co., Mich., November, 1836 80 John Myers, Cayuga Co., N. \'., September, 18:17 80 Skction 9. Bartimeus Packard, .Jr., Wayne Co., N. Y., Juno, 18.16 80 Cook A Gordon, Wayne Co., Mich., July, ISIifi 160 E. L. Goodman, " " " August, 18:!6 160 Ziba Got!', Ontario Co., N. Y., October, 1836 80 William Urady, Genesee Co., Mich., August, 184'.l 40 David Jlyers," " " " December, 1853 40 Thomas Wbaram, " " " January, 18,'i4 40 Gustavus V. Condon, Genesee Co., Mich., November, 18o4 40 Truman Atherlon, " " " December, 1854 80 Section 10. William B. Mead, Tioga Co., N. Y., June, 1836 160 M. h. I'ratt, Ontario Co., N. Y., July, 1836 160 John Patterson, Wayne Co., N.Y'., .Vugust, 1836 SO Dclos Davis, Wayne Co., Mich., Sciiteinhcr, " 160 Jacob A. Clark, Genesee Co., Mich., October, 1853 40 To be entered 40 Section 11. William B. Mead, Tioga Co., N.Y'., June, 1836 160 David Brooks, Oakland Co., Mich., July, " 120 Moses S. Soott, SaratogaCo.,N.Y'., August, " 160 ScotI, Bi.\Iey, Morgan, and Richards, Addison Co., Vt., August, 18.36 120 William U. Scott, Saratoga Co., N. Y., August, 1836 80 Section 12. Asahal Ticknor, Oakland Co., Mich., September, 1836 80 Edwin A. Seymour, Albany Citv, N-.Y"., " " 160 Joseph lladley, Oakland Co., Mich., October, 1836 SO Everett L. Y'ates, Montgomery Co., N.Y'., November, 1838.... 160 Philip S. Hubbell, Livingston Co., Mich., " " .... SO Swamp land 80 Section 13. William Manifold, Washtenaw Co., Mich., June, 1836 80 Samuel W. Pattison, Genesee Co., " " " SO Alfred A. Coy and Wm. Lathrop, Otsego Co., N. Y'., July, 1836. 480 Sectio.n 14. Enoch Stark, Washtenaw Co., Mich., June, 1836 160 Asaph C. Smith, Oakland Co., " " •' 16fl Edwin A. Seymour, Alb.any City, N.Y., September, 1836 160 Philip S. Hubbell, Livingston Co., Mich., November, 1836.... 160 Section 15. Enoch Stark, Washtenaw Co., Mich., June, 1836 SO llezekiah Seely, Seneca Co.,"N.Y\, " " 160 John Myers, Cayuga Co., N. Y'., July, 1836 SO John Patterson, Wayne Co., Mich., August, lS:ifi SO Delos Davis, " " " September, 1 836 160 Dauiel Alger, Orleans Co., N.Y''., December, 1836 80 Section 16. School land 640 Section 17. Isaac R. Middlesworth, Sussex Co., N. J., June, 1836 320 Ziba (ioff, Ontario Co., N. Y., October, 183fi IfiO George Goff, Genesee Co., Mich., July, 1838 80 Samuel Kollcy, " " " September, 1838 40 Abram Middlesworth, Genesee Co., Mich., January, 1864 40 Section 18. Jabin W. Elliott, Wayne Co., Mich., June, 1836 76.36 Abram AMiddlesworth, Sussex Co., N. J., June, 1830 160 Scott, Bixlev, Morgan, and Richard Addison, Vermont, Au- gust,'l836 154 52 William II. Scott, Saratoga Co., N. Y., August, 1836 80 Ralph J. Smith, Livingston Co., N.Y'., Sejjtember, 1836 SO Calvin AV. Ellis, Genesee Co., Mich., January, 1839 76.36 Section 19. Samuel W. Dexter, New Y'ork, September, 1824 160 " " " " December, 1824 160 William Chapman, Washtenaw Co., Mich., April, IS3(; 80 Azel Pcttibone, Genesee Co., N.Y. , May. 1830 221.04 Section 20. Acr(*8. Daniel 11. Chandler, Genesee Co., N. Y'., May, 1836 480 Alfred L. Coy and Wm. Lathrop, Otsego Co., N. Y., July, 1836. 160 Section 21. Solomon Sutherland, Orleans Co., N. Y'., May, 1S36 160 Elijah Bird, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Julv, 183B 320 Orates H. Wright. Adilison Co., Vt., July, 183fi ; 40 Alfred Coy and Wm. Lalhrop, Otsego Co., N. Y., July, 1836... 80 Elijah Bird, Ginesee Co., Mich., June, 1838 40 Section 22. A. Coy and Wm. Lathrop, Otsego Co., N. Y., Julv, 1836 240 John Paitcrsou, Wayne Co., N. Y., August, 1836 160 B. B.Kircheval, Wayne Co., Mich, December, 1836 80 Nathan E. Shaw, Gcucsce Co., Mich., October, 1830 SO Not given 80 Section 23. Daniel II. Chandler. Genesee Co., N". Y., June, 1830 240 A. Coy and Wm. Lathrop, Otsego Co., N. Y., July, 1836 400 Section 24. II. and R. Rhodes, Washtenaw Co., Mich., January, 1830 80 IMiilemon C. Murrav, Washlenaw Co., Mich., February, 1836.. 160 E. J. Penniman, Win nc Co., N. Y., March, 1836 240 • A. Coy and Wm. Lathrop, Otsego Co., N. Y., July, 1836 160 Section 25. Philemon C. Murray, Washtenaw Co., Mich., Fobrury, 1836.... 80 Philoihv Dutchcr, " " " " " .... 80 Wm. Benmer, Oakland Co., Mich., February, 1836 80 Jiiab Uillman, Lewis Co., N. Y.. May. 1836 160 Henry Singleton, Devonshire, England, June. 1830 160 John Patterson, Wayne Co., N. Y., August, 1836 80 Section 26. James B. OInov, Monroe Co., N. Y., May, 1836 320 Elijah Crane. Wavne Co., Mich., May, 1S26 80 David II. Chandler, (ienesee Co., N. Y, June, 1836 80 Samuel Fowler, Macomb Co., Mich., January, 1837 40 Swamp lands 120 Section 27. Samuel W. Dexter, New Y'ork, November, 1824 160 Charles E. (Jreen, Washtenaw Co., Mich., March, 1836 SO Calvin W. Ellis, " " " June, 1836 SO Charles A. Green, " " " " " 40 Johu Patterson, Wayne Co., N. Y., August, 1836 80 Wm. C. Ruby, Macomb Co., Mich., November, 1837 80 John Middlesworth, Warren Co., N. J., October, 1838 40 Margaret Bird, Genesee Co., Mich., July, 1843 40 Swamp land 40 Section 28. Jarvis Bailey, Onondaga Co., N. Y., March, 1830 120 Thomas Sturgis, Oakland Co., Mich., May, 1830 160 Josei)h D. Beers, Tompkins Co., N. Y., May, IS30 120 Calvin W. Ellis, Wa.«btenaw Co., Mich., June, 1S36 80 Benjamin L. King, Wayne Co., Mich., August, 1836 160 Section 29. David Penoyer, Onondaga Co., N. Y., March, 1836 120 J. and S. Beers, Tompkins Co., N. Y., May, 1830 80 John Myers, Cayuga Co., N. Y., .lulv, 1830 100 Henry L. Whipple, Wayne Co., Mich., August, 1830 80 John Myers, Cayuga Co., N. Y'., September, 1830 80 B. Thorp, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, May, 1850 120 Section 30. John Myers, Caynga Co., N. Y'., July, 1830 148.04 William" Chapman, Washtenaw Co., Mich., July, 1830 80 John Cooper, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y'., July, 1830 200 Elixur L. Goodman, Wayne Co., Mich., August, 1836 148.76 Abram Middlesworth, Genesee Co., Mich., November, 1830... 40 Section 31. Boutwell and Moore, United States, May. 1830 80 McGregor and Alctiraw, l!ostlaec duriiij; the winter. He was the owner of a wagon and three horses, and found plenty of en)ploymont in transporting pioneer families and their effiets through to Grand lliver. On one of these trips he found the land upon which lie afterwards settled. He teamed more oi- less after settling in Argentine, besides working his farm. The lake near the village was named for him. Mos((uitoes were so plenty during tho.sc days that it was almost impossible to live in comfort, or to open the mouth, or go through the woods without taking something to brush away the troublesome pests. Mr. Lobdell's liouse, like nearly all other pioneer habitations, was always open to set- tlei-s who were on their way to their new homes, and one night I'orty persons slept in it. As usual the mos(|uitoes were on hand with their Oilh, and sleep was almost out of the fjue.'^tion. One Irishwoman among the number re- marked, " The muskethers erawl through a veri/ small liole." They were coming in through the chinks. While the settlers themselves were inventing means to keep off the mosf|uitoes, it was necessary also for them to look well to their pigpens, lest the wolves should carry off the inhabitants thereof, as those animals were numerous, and never loath to indulge in a choice morsel of fresh pork of their own killing. Ui)oii the old Lobdell farm (which was east of Argentine village, and is now owned partly by John Hyatt, of Fenton) were two most excellent springs, one of which was near the shore of the lake, and never froze over. Murray's dam finally caused its overflow by back-water. The other was farther back, and the Indians often encamped beside it. In INlrs. liolKlcH's possession is a fine fossil tooth, which was found on the farm when it was first settled. The first death in the township was very probably that of an infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lobdell, which died in June, 183G. A man named Bugbee lived in the neigh- borhood, and perhaps a son of his, born on his place, Wiis the fii-st white child born in town. It died when about a year old. Mr. Lobdell's little girl, Kstlicr L., who died when a year and a half old, was also born in the township, and one or two children were boru early in the family of William Bcauicr, who had settled early in the sumnior of 183U. lie st;\yed with William Lobdell until he could build a house for himself. He finally sold out to Bciija- luin Taylor. A man named Ayers, who lived on the White Lake road, iu Tyrone, Livingston Co., showed Mr. Lobdell the laud he purchased, and iu 1837 the iMessrs. Rhodes, who lived also ill Tyrone, came up and helped BIr. Lobdell cut his mai^sh hay ; this was plenty, and the only kind to be pro- cured. The log bouse built by William Beamer was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1837 or 1838, including its con- tents, among which was a lot of maple-sugar and maple- syrup. The families made maplc-sug;>r on an island in Lob- dell's Ijiikc. Hannibal Lee, although not a resident of Argentine, lived close enough to bo a neighbor, his home being just across the line in Livingston County. His place was sub- sequently sold to Daniel Locke. After a short time, Charles Green settled to the west of the village. The Mid- dlesworths, David and Abram, settled early, — the latter op- posite the present hotel in the village, and the former far- ther west. William Alger and William Jennings settled a short distance east. Among the early residents of the village were William and Henry Pratt and Ira Murray ; the latter was a cousin to James H. Murray, and moved afterwards to Owasso, Shiawassee Co., where he died. Israel Crow lived we.st of the village. Calvin W. Ellis, brother to Mi-s. J. H. Murray, came with Mr. BL to the village. He was then a single man ; i\fter- wards owned and lived on a farm on the bank of McCaslin Lake, where he died. Mr. McCaslin, for whom the lake was named, occupied the same farm in later years ; he is also deceased, but two of his sons live on the place. Before Murray's grist-mill was built, Benjamin Taylor came in from Vermont, and lived with Mr. Murray seven or eight years. He afterwards married and settled in Linden, where he died about 18G9. A post-ofiice was established at the village at an early day, and called Booton, but, owing to its inconvenience on account of another office existing in the State with a some- what similar name, it was finally changed to Argentine. James H. Murray was the first postmaster, and to him is given the credit of naming the township. Mail was carried on horseback over a route which extended from Pontiac to Ionia. William Hubbard, now of Flint, was an early mail- carrier, as was also Brown Hyatt, now of Linden. The present incumbent of the oflice is Luman Bishop. Amos Sturgis, a native of Avon, Oakland Co., Mich., came with his father, Thomas Sturgis, to Argentine in 1837 or '38, the latter settling with his family on the Byron road, two miles northwest of Argentine village. Two other sons, John and Lewis Sturgis, are also now living in the township. Among the residents of the town when the Sturgis family came were James H. JMurray, David Brooks, Solomon Sutherland, — who kept a tavern on the bank of what is now known as Myei-s' Lake, — William Lobdell, Halsey Whitehead, and possibly George GofiF, who was either here then or cauie soon after, and is uow living in Byron, Shiawassee Co. Asa Athcrton settled about 1838, and took up consider- able land, including that upon which his son, Freeman Atherton, now lives. He lived north of the railroad, on the place now occupied by Stephen Atherton. Samuel Atherton, Asa's brother, came soou after the latter, and now lives east of Freeman Athcrton. Halsey Whitehead, a native of Hanover, Morris Co., N. J., and afterwards a resident of Seneca County, N. Y., came to Michigan in 1832, and in 1837 settled in Argen- tine, where he lived until his death, which occurred Sept. 2, 1874, when he had nearly reached the age of eighty- three years. He was a prominent citizen of the township, and had served in the army during the war of 1812. David Brooks, who located first in Oakland County, sot- tied in Argentine in 1830. He was elected, in 1837, the >i^b ' r^"j':^^'^i g g^^^.bS'.yi ! i^ - ■V:'t^^'^^-^^^^^tf^'^^:^^!b!^g ';j^ Lew/sLahrino. -iirl^ f 'jl T I' 1 "]1 li Jii.=;P^^.i ,;.■' ^^3!^-:'.-«|ti #• RESIDENCE OF _iW;i „AHRiN ..'.IS s-^r^' Hfiu£.NT.\£, 'JiMSLL LG ,M!CH, ARGENTINE TOWNSHIP. 307 first justice of the peace in the township, and has continued to hold the oflSce to the present. Most of the supplies for family use had then to be procured at Detroit, while Pon- tiac was the customary objective point for those wishing grists ground, as the nearest grist-mill was at that place. Mr. Brooks one year raised 40 bushels of wheat, which he had threshed out with a flail and winnowed by pouring back and forth between two blankets laid on the ground and held down by rails. He finally took 30 bushels of wheat in his wagon, bitched two yokes of oxen to it, and started with that and his family to Pontiac, to get a grist ground, having to cut his road a good share of the di.stance, and being guided the greater part of the way by marked trees. On the evening of the second day after starting they reached Pontiac. On going to the mill, Mr. Hrooks found the miller reading. The latter inquired of Mr. B. if he had come to mill, to which he replied that ho had come forty miles, cutting his road most of the wa}', and asked when he could have his grinding done. Ilis disappointment can scarcely be imagined when he was told that he would have to wait four weeks, as the water was very low ! Upon mentioning to the miller that he and his family had Heed for three weckn im boded wheat, — which was a fact, — his heart .soft- ened, and he at once ground Mr. Brooks' grist and let him go on his way rejoicing, even though the mill was then full of grain waiting to be ground. It took two days to grind the 30 bushels. John Boyd, of Scotch descent, located in the town.sbip in the spring of 1845, returning soon afterwards to Hart- ford, Conn., for his family, and bringing them back with him. The farm upon which he settled had a log house previously built upon it and a few acres improved. Mr. Boyd died in March, 1862. George \V. Hovey, from Livingston Co., N. Y., came to Argentine in 1843. Upon his arrival in Flint he traded his horses and wagon to George M. Dewey for the 80 acres upon which he now lives, and after the transaction was completed had but thirty cents left. In 1850 he built a saw-mill, which he continued to operate until 1875. Stephen Jennings, a cooper by trade, settled half a mile south of the village in 1843. Isaac 11. Middlesworth, a surveyor by profession, from Newark, N. J., bought 400 acres of land in the township June 1, 1837, and settled in 1840. From the assessment roll for 1844 is made up the following list of resident tax-payers in Argentine township in that year: Alger, Daniel. Alger, Wiliift'ii. Atliertdii, Asabcl. liiril, lOlij.ih. ISr4hncll, Joseph. Cuininin:', William. Chiiac, .John F. Coehran, .lolin B. Collins, Norman. Cuinphell, Miner. Cory, Cyrus 11., A Co. (near Murray's Mill). Dodge, Ira. Ellis, Calvin W. Ferris, William 13. Goir, Ziba. (iotr, George. Green, Charles A. Il4>lilson, Uobert. Harmon. AlinonER SCnOOI.-IlOlSE CI,.\Ss"' was originally org-anized in Feiiton township, at the Blair school-house, in February, 1867, by Rev. James Berry. B. F. Hitchcock was chosen first class-leader. This class * Fraotional district. was subsequently changed to the Dodder school-house, in Arjj^entine, where its meetings are still held. It is a part of the Linden circuit, in charge of Rev. O. Sanborn, and has a membei-sbip of 27. Among those who have furni., she, with her mother, accompanied her husband to Michigan, arriving at Detroit, Sept. 27, 1S40. After spending a year at the " City of the Straits," they moved into the township. Oct. 8, 1841, aud commenced ■' clearing up" the farm where they ever afler lived. It was a great change for Mrs. Cochran, from the so- ciety and etimfort.-; of au E;istern city to the quiet and solitude of an almost uubrokeu forest ; but for her young husband she felt, " Whither thou goest, I will go ; where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried." How true, indeed, of her ! as she only survived her husband a short time, aud her mortal remaius now rest by the side of her husband's, in the beautiful cemetery at Linden, where, in her own words, — ■• The silent sleepers, one by one, Rest with their kindred lieail ; Whore youth and ,"ige put off their pride, — Forg:et there's rank or birth. And by this softly-rippling tide Mingle again with e.irth. And so 'twill be in afler-yesirs Our forms will slumber too : Friends will plant flowers amid their tears, Whieh fall like evening dew. Stringers will walk amid these grounds. Drink from this purling spring. And joyous birds above these mounds Will linger oft to sing. Oh, sacred s)>ot, — serenely calm, To rest at life's glad ev'n With glorious hope, — the spirit's balm, Of a home above, in heaven," Though Mrs. Cochrau wrote of Massachusetts, her native State, — '■ I hail thee with pride, dear State of my birth. And think thee the fairest and brightest of earth," — she livevl to love her own adopted county, Genesee, and wrote of her, — " I've wandered 'nealh the orange tree, And culled the tropic flowers : My cheek was fanned by ocean broeie, I've dreamed in Southern bowers: But naught so fair, no air so free, As thy lair county, Genesee." Mrs. Cochran was a lady of fine literary tastes and taleuts, and often contributed both prose aud poetry to the periodical press of the country. Many of her productions appeared from lime to time in the different county papers. It was a pleasure for her to write ; and, as she often ex- pressed it, " she wrote for her own ainu.