Kalkaska County MI Archives Biographies.....Copeland, William August 6, 1822 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Pat McArthur http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006091 February 15, 2009, 7:48 pm

Author: H.R. Page & Co., 1884 - Chicago


"The Traverse Region, Historical and Descriptive, with Illustrations of 
Scenery and Portraits and Biographical Sketches of some of its Prominent Men 
and Pioneers"
Chicago: H.R. Page & Co., 1884
Page 315

The first settler in Kalkaska County was William Copeland, who located in what 
is now the town of Clearwater, in the fall of 1855, and is still a resident of 
that town. For twelve years Mr. Copeland and wife were the only permanent 
residents of the county. About the time Mr. Copeland located there a dam was 
built on Barker Creek, but the parties did not build a mill, and did not 
become residents of the county. Mr. Copeland was near the Grand Traverse 
County line and had neighbors in that direction, but in his own county he was 
the monarch of all he surveyed and a good deal more. The following is a brief 
personal sketch of Mr. Copeland: WILLIAM COPELAND, farmer, Clearwater, was 
born in Nottinghamshire, England, Aug. 6, 1822. He spent his youth in his 
native country, and removed to America in 1814. He resided for a short time at 
Grandville, Mich., and then spent some years in millwright work in various 
places. He came to what is now Clearwater, Kalkaska County, then a part of 
Antrim County, in the fall of 1855, located land in Section 31, and opened a 
pioneer home in the magnificent Traverse forest. He was the first settler in 
the county. On July 11, 1859, he was married to Miss Mary Swaney, of Old 
Mission. She was born in Crawford County, Penn., Jan. 26, 1836. She came to 
Old Mission when only sixteen years of age, and consequently has had personal 
experience from childhood of the stern realities of pioneer life in Traverse 
Region. Mr. Copeland has in all 360 acres of land, with about 160 under 
cultivation and grass. They have some two acres of thriving orchard, part of 
which has been in bearing over twenty years. They have good buildings and 
commodious and inviting home surroundings. Thus while they were the first to 
invade the lofty forest, the first to grapple with the untold hardships of 
pioneer eperience in the wild domain, having nobly met the emergency. and 
grandly fulfilled the task, they now enjoy the reward of their early toil and 
momentary hardships. Multitudes of others also have imitated their worthy 
example, and the mighty forests of the county already bud and blossom as the 
rose.  Mr. Copeland has been treasurer of Clearwater six years, and has been 
school assessor ever since the district was organized in 1870. 


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