Pioneers of Bean Creek Country, Lenawee Co, Michigan; James J. Hagaoam; published by Jas. M. Scarritt, Hudson, MI, 1876 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Mary Teeter ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Pages 91 Through 100 Page 91 It does not appear where the mission headquarters was, but no doubt it was in the saddle. There was no appointment in the village of Lanesville. It had scarcely began to be. He had one appointment at Keene and another in the Brown settlement. At the latter place the preaching was alternately at the houses of Father Elisha Brown, Noah Cressey and Michael Dillon. Mr. Dillon was then a communicant of the church of Rome, but his wife was a Methodist, and he opened his house for Methodist preaching. The first quarterly meeting of the mission was appointed to be held in the Brown neighborhood, on New Year's day, 1837. The presiding elder of the district, the Rev. Henry Colclazer, was unable to be present, and as the missionary was in his second year, and consequently unordained, the Rev. Father Foote, a local elder, preached on Sunday and administered the sacrament of the church. The next quarterly meeting was held in the Keene neighborhood July 15th and 16th, and the Sunday services were held in Mr. Ames' barn. Capt. Brown tells of going with his class to attend the meeting, in a lumber wagon drawn by an ox team, and being quartered at the farm of Father Alpheus Pratt. Mr. Davis served his large mission as well as its extent permitted, and at the conference of 1837 was succeeded by John Scotford and Allen Staples. Mr. Staples had been received the year previous from the Adrian appointment of the Tecumseh circuit, and appointed to Salem. Mr. Scotford was received on trial at this conference (1837), and although a year the junior of Mr. Staples, was placed in charge of the mission. Mr. Scotford moved into a house situated, as near as can be remembered, on the farm now owned by Clark Ames. At the time of Mr. Scotford's arrival, Mr. and Mrs. Carleton, John and Sabra Griswold, Mrs. Champlin and Mrs. Ann Cobb, all Methodists, were living in and around Lanesville. In the winter following, Mr. Augustus Finney brought his wife from Vermont, and soon after her arrival it was determined to organize a class in Lanesville. Mr. Finney, then keeping the pioneer hotel of the future Hudson, near where the Friend bakery now stands, threw open his house for the services, and on the night appointed, the boys, with flaming torches of hickory bark, proceeded to the house of Mr. Scotford and escorted him to the village, where he preached and organized the above mentioned persons--viz: Mr. and Mrs. Carleton, Mr. and Mrs. Griswold, Mrs. Champlin, Mrs. Cobb and Mrs. Finney,--and Sabra Ann, daughter of Mr. Griswold, (now Mrs. N. O. Cady,) who had been baptized and admitted to the church at Keene, and perhaps a few others, into a class, with John H. Carleton for leader. The only surviving members of this nucleus of Hudson village Methodism are Mrs. Carleton and Mrs. Cady. At the conference of 1838, held at Tiffin, O., Bean Creek mission was erected into Jonesville circuit, and attached to the Marshall district, E. H. Pilcher, presiding elder; Peter Sabin and Zebulon C. Brown, circuit preachers. So far as any information can be obtained from the published minutes of that year, the boundaries of the Jonesville circuit were co-extensive with the boundaries of the old Bean Creek mission. We have been unable to learn of any incidents occurring that year in the history of the Lanesville class, illustrative of the times. At the conference of 1838 Bean Creek mission was reported to have five hundred and twenty-seven members, and at the Conference of 1839, held at Ann Arbor, Jonesville circuit was reported to have four hundred and fifty-six members. This year John Scotford and Peter Sabin were appointed to Jonesville circuit. These preachers, like their predecessors on circuit and mission, saw pretty hard times, both for bodily comfort and the facilities for inaugurating denominational work. The settlement was new; the people lived in small, 1ncommodious log tenements. Where school houses existed at all they were of the same material, but in the village of Lanesville there was not even a school house in 1839 and 1840, the old log school house Page 92 having been burned. But these Methodist preachers, on their monthly rounds, preached in a log house standing in the vicinity of the gothic house occupied by Mr. Rawson, on North Market street. The house had been used as a dwelling. It was the pioneer house of the town, the foundations of which were laid by Reuben Davis in 1834. It was about twenty feet square, and had a hole about ten feet square underneath for a cellar. The floor was made of plank split out of basswood logs, sized on the under side where they rested on the sleepers. This split flooring was about ten feet long, and met in a continuous joint on the middle sleeper. One Sunday in mid-summer, in 1840, the people had gathered here for divine service, and were calmly listening to the word from the lips of the Rev. Mr. Sabin, when all at once the floor gave way in the middle, letting the central portion of the audience into the cellar. The preacher, leaning on the back of the chair which served him for a pulpit, waited patiently until the people had scrambled out, and then proceeded as though nothing had happened. At the conference of 1840, held at Marshall, Mr. Scotford was returned to Jonesville circuit, now attached to Monroe district, with the Rev. Jonathan Jones for a colleague. This year there was a dividing up of religious influence and support, and denominationalism established. The religious condition of the people was somewhat peculiar. The country had recently been settled by people from the East; everyone of whom had brought with them early religious impressions, and in this sparsely settled country, among the part that are religious at all, were to be found adherents of all the prominent religious bodies of the East. Religious privileges were so rare that all who cared about them at all had hitherto united in sustaining them. In the village of Lanesville and vicinity the Congregationalists and Presbyterians were the more numerous; in the social I meetings, in the Sunday school and in society they carried the sway, and were the ruling power. Indeed, so late as 1840 the Methodists of the Lanesville class were completely subject to their neighbors, and donominationally without influence. About that time some Methodists moved into the community who had not been used to wearing the yoke of ecclesiastical inferiority, and by earnest effort induced the Methodists to move independently, and very soon, with the help of the Brown class, they had a Sunday school of their own started, and general independence followed. No remarkable event marked the last year of the pastorate of the Rev. Scotford, and at the Conference of 1841 Hillsdale circuit was organized, to which Hudson was attached, and Revs. Charles Babcock and Gideon J. Shurtliff were assigned to it as preachers. In the spring of l842 Babcock and Shurtliff held a protracted meeting, which resulted in the conversion of a large number of quite prominent personages. The Rev. Babcock was a fine appearing man, and an impressive preacher. He was energetic, and fearless in the performance of duty. At one of the inquiry meetings, during his protracted meeting, a prominent man, but a backsliding Methodist, was present, and when spoken to in reference to his soul's interest, replied that the church was so full of hypocrites he couldn't live a christian life; and at some length berated the members of the church for their ungodly ways. "Brother," said Mr. Babcock in reply, 'you remind me of the squaw who, reeling through the streets of Boston, filled with people, exclaimed, 'See, all these people are drunk!" The fact was, she was the only drunken person there." His usefulness was somewhat impaired, however, by his performances as a phrenologist. Phrenological teachings were then quite novel, and it was the subject most talked about in mixed gatherings. Mr. Babcock believed in the theories of phrenology, and believing rt, gave it a prominent Page 93 place in his thoughts, and discoursed it everywhere. Standing of an evening in a village store and talking phrenology and examining heads, is not the most effective way to preach the gospel. But he was an enthusiast in all his convictions, and for him to conceal them, or refrain from discussing them with unbelievers, was impossible, and so his influence became impaired. The following incident shows the fearlessness of the man, and his honesty of expression when it became necessary for him to say anything. Discussing phrenology in the village store one day, a man named DeForest--suspected of dishonesty, but a stranger to Babcock--said: "Feel of my head." Babcock passed his hand carelessly over his head, and kept on talking to the others with whom he had been conversing. Pretty soon DeForest said, "What do you think of my head?" Babcock said nothing in reply, appearing not to have heard the question. Waiting a little while, DeForest again said, "What do you think of my head?" "I think," said Babcock, "you can hide as well as you can steal." DeForest never became an enthusiastic believer in phrenology. Mr. Shurtliff, on the other hand, was a man of abundant sympathy--kind in manner; eloquent in expression, and apparently absorbed in the ministry, making it the one business of his life, and, to all appearance, possessing great piety; he was beloved by all, and almost idolized by the young people of the community. The annual distribution of work made by the Conference of 1842, returned Mr. Shurtliff to Hillsdale Circuit, with the Rev. Washington Jackson in charge. The arrangement of the work brought Mr. Shurtliff to Hudson first. After the sermon, he, of course, remarked on the fact of his having been returned to this circuit, and proceeded to introduce his colleague. Said he, "You must not form a hasty opinion of him at first sight, for you will find him as the old Dutchman found his horse--like a singed cat, better than he looks!" The magnates of the class were disposed to find fault with what they thought an undignified and un-minister- like style of introduction; but when the senior came here, they revised their opinion of the improbability of his portraiture being correct, if it was undignified. The Rev. Washington Jackson, was probably, the homeliest man that ever graced the pulpit of the Michigan Conference. Externally, he presented an uncouth appearance in, as well as out of, the pulpit; and, to add to his misfortunes, he had no roof to his mouth, which rendered articulation difficult. He was a christian, however, and a faithful christian minister. His piety was of the substantial rather than the showy kind, and he commanded the respect of all with whom he became well acquainted. He located in 1845, and long since fell asleep, no doubt with a rational and blessed expectation of awaking in the likeness of his Divine Master. It has been stated in a former part of this work that the west side school house had been embellished with a porch and tower, at the expense of the Congregational people. Soon after it was done, the Rev. Mr. Babcock, then in charge of the Methodist work,.asserted his right to use it half the time, and during his stay had held it by a display of check; but in the fall of 1842 the right of the Methodists to its use was disputed by the Congregationalists, and a series of adjourned school meetings were held to determine the matter, but the district voted that the two denominations should divide the time. In a few weeks they were occupying it on alternate Sundays, and since then but little has occurred to disturb the good feeling between those large and influential churches. During the next summer, however, a little incident occurred which created a little i11-feeling for a short time. The incident was trivial in itself, and only shows how much strife a very little fire kindleth, especially when persons are on the watch for offenses. Mr. Shurtliff was as kind-hearted a man as ever lived--a true christian gentleman, who generally was careful of Page 94 the feelings of others, and scarce ever injured them by any words of his. He was preaching one day to a mixed congregation, and while elucidating a point of his subject, he said he was reminded of a prayer of an old Presbyterian elder; "Oh, lord, bless me and my wife, my son John and his wife--us four and no more; amen." No sooner were the words out of his mouth, than some of the Presbyterian portion of the congregation, deeply offended, started for the door, and left the preacher to get along without their presence. One old lady said she had often heard the story told of an old man, but no one had ever before intimated that he was a Presbyterian elder. When, a year and a half later, Mr. Shurtliff became insane, these inopportune speeches were attributed to an insane predisposition, rather than to a desire to wound the feelings of others. At the Conference of 1843 Mr. Jackson was returned, with Adam Minnis for junior. The Rev. Mr. Minnis became a resident of Hudson. Although junior preacher, he had had considerable experience in the ministry. He was first "admitted on trial" at the Conference held at Tiffin, Ohio, in the fall of 1838, and stationed at Defiance, in the Maumee District. In subsequent years he had preached at Plymouth, Dexter, Dearbornville, and Brooklyn. At the Conference of 1842 he was ordained Elder, and stationed on the newly-made Medina Circuit, 1c in charge. As a preacher, Mr. Minnis was exegetical rather than declamatory. His sermons were a series of premises traced to their logical conclusions; or known effects traced to their logical and inevitable causes, rather than a declamation brilliantly studded with sparkling ideas, startling phrases, and impassioned appeals. Mr. Minnis was a very quiet man, never in any manner lowering the dignity which became his ministerial position; yet he immensely loved, and could quite easily lend himself to aid the perpretration of an innocent joke. To illustrate this point, also to show how bigotry will sometimes over-reach itself, the following story is given as it was related to the author several years since: The minister appointed to the Morenci Circuit in 1855, early in 1856 vacated his pastorate, and the Presiding Elder of the District directed the Rev. John Crabbs, a local deacon living at Morenci, and another local preacher, to fill the appointments for the remainder of the year. The Rev. Crabbs is a Free Mason, and quite a large faction of the church at Morenci refused to hear him preach. During that summer Mr. Minnis, who had become a photograph artist, stopped at Morenci, and there prosecuted his business. The malcontents had known him as the preacher in charge of Medina Circuit, and immediately they solicited him to preach for them at the Wilson Grove school house, just out of Morenci, the day and hour Crabbs was to preach at the church in Morenci, which, after conference with Mr. Crabbs, he consented to do. Regularly on Crabbs' preaching day these devoted Methodists wended their way to the Wilson school house and listened to the ministration of the word, prepared especially for them by the Rev. Minnis. In preaching ability there was not much difference between the two men, but there was a difference, of which his hearers were ignorant, but which the ministers could fully appreciate; Crabbs was a Master, but Minnis was a Royal Arch Mason. The Rev. Minnis remained on the Hillsdale Circuit two years--the last year in charge, with Robert Dubois as junior. In the fall of 1845, William P. Judd and Thomas Seeley were appointed to Hillsdale Circuit. They only remained one year, but it was a year of revival influence in Hudson. At the Annual Conference of 1846, the townships of Adams, Wheatland, Rollin, Hudson and Pittsford were set off from the Hillsdale Circuit and called Hudson Page 95 Circuit, and Revs. Henry Worthington and Robert Bird were appointed to the new work. The first Quarterly Meeting was held in the North Wheatland church on the 5th day of December, 1846--present, Josiah Brakeman, presiding elder; Henry Worthington and Robert Bird, circuit preachers; Barber M. Sheldon, local preacher; L. D. Welton and Hiram Haynes, exhorters; Lorenzo Dobson, Harley Bump, Nathan Whitney and A. S. Wells, leaders. W. H. H. VanAkin, William B. Foote, Charles Carmichael, David B. Tuttle, Gaylord G. Tabor, Wm. Brooks and David Strunk were appointed stewards; W. B. Foote was elected recording steward, and W. H. H. VanAkin district steward; Augusta Thomas and the two circuit preachers were appointed a camp meeting committee. There was little of interest transpired under the pastorate of Worthington and Bird, or their successors, Joseph Jennings and Hiram Roberts. The year these last were in charge of the circuit, 1847, the church in Hudson was almost rent asunder by a controversy which arose in consequence of Mr. Roberts joining the Odd Fellows. John H. Carleton led the anti-secret society raid, and the preacher in charge sympathized with it, and altogether poor Roberts had a hard time. Jennings was a fair preacher, but his wife sickened and died that year, the affliction taking him from his work much of the time. The persecution of Roberts rendered him powerless for good, and altogether the church not only made no advancement, but rather retrograded. The next year, 1848, Worthington was returned to Hudson, but he was unable to arouse the church to action. In the fall of 1849 Ebenezer Steele and Isaac Taylor were appointed to the Hudson circuit. They were men of earnest piety, and although neither of them were great preachers, they succeeded in arousing the church, and there was considerable revival spirit manifested. They agitated the question of church building, and got the frame up and covered. At the Conference of 1850 Mr. Steele was returned alone. He pressed the church building along, and succeeded in having it dedicated during his pastorate. During 1851-2 William Nothersill was in charge of the work, and made it but little progress. The Rev. Henry Penfield came in 1853. He was by odds the most intellectual preacher that up to that time had been sent to the church, and if he had no revival, those already attendants had the pleasure of listening to sound sermons, intellectually and theologically. The Rev. Harrison Morgan succeeded Penfield in 1854. During the first part of his pastorate the Rev. Mr. Adams, an evangelist, came here and held a series of meetings, and large accessions were made to the church. In the latter part of the year another attempt was made at anti-secret society persecution, again led by Mr. Carleton. Mr. Morgan deemed it his privilege to join the Masonic lodge, and Carleton at once declared war. But Morgan was not as easily persecuted as Roberts had been. He assumed the offensive, and pressed the anti-secret society men'to the wall. Quite a large party secretly sympathized with Mr. Carleton, but seeing the determined attitude of their preacher, they quietly left the more valiant Carleton to fight it out alone. Carleton left the church, and the Conference sent Morgan to Coldwater the next year, but this was the last attempt at antt-Masonic persecution in the Methodist church of Hudson. For~arly half the time since 1854 their pulpit .as been fi lled by Masons; some of them have been popular, and all have been useful. Page 96 In the fall of 1855 the Rev. Fred W. Warren came to the Hudson church, and remained two years. They were prosperous years spiritually, but in the month of January, 1857, the church building was burned. It was on Sunday; the morning service was ended and the Sunday school commenced when the cry of fire was raised. In one short hour the sanctuary was destroyedÐ"burned with fire ." The remainder of that year was consumed in getting material for a new house. The next year, 1857, the Rev. C. M. Anderson came, and the house was commenced; but like the Samaritan of old, he hindered the work, so at the Conference of 1858 he was sent elsewhere, and the Rev. A. R. Bartlett came to the church at Hudson. He remained two years. Under his pastorate the new house was finished and dedicated. In the fall of 1860 he was succeeded by the Rev. John A. Baughman. We shall leave the history of the Methodist Episcopal church for the succeeding sixteen years unwritten, save to give a list of pastors, and to state that during the first year of the pastorate of the Rev. Thomas Stalker the church was enlarged and improved. Pastors.--John H. Burnham, William G. Stonex, E. R. Haskill, Thomas Stalker, William E. Bigelow, Richard R. Richards, Daniel C. Jacokes, and Joseph Frazer. THE BAPTISTS.--On the eighth day of July, 1843, the following named persons met and organized themselves into a church, viz: Samuel R. Close, Charles Coats, Ansel Coats, M. S. Lathrop, Daniel Saulsbury, John C. Lewis, Abiathar Powers, Melinda Close, Harriet Lewis and Emily Lathrop. Their action was recorded in the following form; 'We, the undersigned, having letters of dismission and recommendation from sister churches of our faith and order, do hereby resolve to hand in our letters, and unite ourselves together for the purpose of forming a Baptist church of Christ in Hudson, to be known as the Baptist Church of Christ in Hudson, to receive members, either by baptism or by letter, and to do and transact any business, in obedience to the Gospel and according to law, in such case made and provided. "Resolved, That we adopt the declaration of faith and church covenant, recommended by the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, October 6th, A.D. 1842." On Wednesday, the 27th day of September, 1843, a council, composed of delegates from the churches of Wheatland, Pittsford, Dover, Medina and Adrian, convened in the village of Hudson to constitute the new church. Abiathar Powers represented the new church in the council. On the 14th day of February, 1844, the church called the Rev. Jacob Ambler to the pastorate for one year. May 19th the church appointed the Rev. Mr. Ambler, M. S. Lathrop and Abiathar Powers delegates to set in council with the Jonesville church, for the purpose of ordaining their pastor. On the 10th day of June, 1845, the church called the Rev. Lauren Hotchkiss to the pastorate "for the ensuing year, one-half of the time." On the 14th day of March, Samuel Eddy, Samuel R. Close, A. Coats, A. Wadsworth, Wm. Ames and Abiathar Powers, were appointed to meet the Dover church in council, for the purpose of ordaining Mr. Pack to the ministry. The same day they extended a call to Mr. Pack to become their pastor. August 7th, 1847, the church invited Peter Houghwout to preach to them one year from the first of October. Mr. Houghwout was at that time a student, and resided in Medina. In the summer and fall of 1847, the church secceeded in putting up and covering the frame of a church building, and in the winter of 1847-8 they finished it. It stood about where William B. Ames'store now is. Page 97 February 3d, 1848, the church met and passed the following resolutions: Resolved, That P. B. Houghwout is well qualified to preach the gospel, and we desire to see him fully set apart to the work of the ministry; therefore Resolved, That we will call a council to determine the qualifications of P. B. Houghwout, and for the purpose of ordination. By a vote of the meeting the following churches were invited: lst and 2d Rollin, Wheatland, 2d Rome, Medina, Dover, Medina and Wright, Adrian, Fairfield and Seneca. It was also determined to dedicate the church on the 23d day of that month, and that the ordination council convene on the 24th. The house was dedicated on Wednesday, the 23d day of February, 1848, Elder Tucker, of Adrian, preaching the dedicatory sermon. The Baptists had the first dedicated house of worship in Hudson. For some reason, Mr. Houghwort was not ordained on the day designated. On the l0th day of June the church called Peter B. Houghwout to the pastorate, and fixed his salary at three hundred and twenty- five dollars. At a church meeting held Sunday, April 22d, 1849, it was resolved to call a council for the ordination of Peter B. Houghwout on Tuesday, the 15th day of May next, and churches were invited as follows: Medina, Wright, Wright and Medina, Wheatland, lst and 2d Rollin, 2d Rome, Adrian, Clinton, and Dover. Samuel R. Close, Samuel Eddy and Abiathar Powers were appointed delegates to the council. The church was now vacant from Mayor June, 1849, to May 19th, 1850, and on the 16th day of September, 1849, it was voted "to invite the Methodists to preach in the Baptist house until such time as we get a pastor." Upon this invitation the Methodists occupied the house until they occupied their own house in the spring of 1850. May 19th, 1850, Elder Samuel Jones, jr., was called to the pastorate for one year. On the 26th day of October following, twenty-six persons united with the church--twenty-five by profession of faith and baptism. On the 2d day of November twelve persons were received, and on the 9th thirteen persons were received, all by baptism. April 27th, 1851, Elder A. P. Howell was called to the pastorate for one year, at a salary of three hundred dollars, to commence on the 18th day of May then next. In the month of December, 1851, the church building was consumed by fire. But the church were not easily discouraged; they at once set about rebuilding, and on the 8th day of October, 1852, the new house was dedicated, Rev. U. B. Miller preaching the dedicatory sermon. Elder Howell was continued in the pastorate a second year. In the spring of 1853, the church enjoyed more than usual revival influence, and many persons were received into membership. On the 30th day of November, Elder Howell tendered his resignation, which was accepted. January 6th, 1854, Elder Volney Church was called to the pastorate of the church. It seems that Elder Church preached on Sundays, but attended to his own business on week days. At the close of his first year he was re-engaged on a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars, he to give one-half of his time to the service of the church. Increased labor worked good to the church, for on the 19th day of May following seven persons were baptised and received into the fellowship of the church. Page 98 Some time in the summer of 1856, Elder William Pack became pastor of the church. May 18th, 1857, Elder William Pack resigned the pastorate of the church. His resignation was accepted. Late in the summer, or in the fall of 1857, the Rev. Jas. G. Portman became the pastor of the church, on a salary of four hundred dollars, and the use of a house for residence. The winter of 1857-8 was another revival season for the church, upwards of thirty persons uniting with the church on profession of faith. In May, 1858, this church had an attack of Masonry, as witness the following resolution: WHEREAS, We believe that all secret societies are inconsistent with the principles of the gospel; therefore Resolved, That we disclaim all church fellowship with such societies, and we affectionately entreat our brethren to withdraw from and disclaim all such connection, for in so uniting and continuing with such societies will bring a grievious burden upon the brethren, and cause the Zion of God to mourn, and the hand of fellowship to be withdrawn from them. After adopting the above resolution, the church appointed Bros. Wright, Wood and Van Epps a committee to labor with a brother accused of being a Free Mason. At a subsequent meeting Brother Wright reported that the offending Brother expressed affection for the church, but said his being a Mason was none of their business, or words to that effect. The church was sensible enough to refrain from excommunication, but in lieu thereof gave him a letter of dismissal, stating his relation to Masonry. But the proceeding seems to have had a bad effect upon Wright and Van Epps, for since then they have become both Odd Fellows and Masons. The ministry of the Rev. J. G. Portman extended through 1858 and until December, 1859, and was very successful so far as accessions to the church was concerned, until about June 1st, 1859, his further usefulness was destroyed by charges preferred against him. He was accused of adultery with a young girl--a member of his church--and with unchristian conduct in his intercourse with the ministers of the other village churches. He was tried on the charge of seduction in the Circuit Court, but the jury failed to agree. The remainder of the year was occupied with church meetings and councils. As is usual in such cases, there were two parties, and the church was well nigh rent asunder. The action of the majority toward the minority was severe, and produced feelings of resentment that were never effectually healed until the first year of the ministry of the Rev. C. T. Chaffee, when the church once more resumed her proper work, and was rewarded with more than old time prosperity. The house was found too small for them; it was enlarged and improved, and under his successors--Cressey, Osborn and Shanafelt-- it has been marching on to victory. The history of the church is dropped with the year 1859, for the same reasons that the modern history of the other churches was left unwritten. THE ROMAN CATHOLICS--CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART.--Very early in the settlement of this township and Medina, Roman Catholic families formed a part of the population, and at quite an early date--just when we have been unable to ascertain-- a church was built on the line between the two towns, where occasionally the priest from Monroe would officiate. About the year 1858 or '59 the Rev. Father Van Erp was sent here, and he at once set about transferring the church to Hudson. A building was purchased and fitted up for a church, services were held each Sunday except the last in the month, on which day services were held in the Medina church. During the ministry Page 99 of Father Van Erp a priest's residence was built, and then a church commenced, and so far finished as to be used before his departure. Recently a spire has been added, which greatly adds to the beauty of the structure. The parish has increased in number until it has become the largest religious body in the town. OTHER CHURCHES.--At a very early day there was a Baptist church in Dover, which has now become one of the Clayton churches, and is located in this town- ship, but we have not the materials at hand for a sketch.

There were from the beginning a number of persons very restive under Congregational rule, and these, being reinforced by several new arrivals, several years ago organized a Presbyterian church. They purchased the house built by the Free Will Baptists several years since, and refitted it. They are not numerous enough, however, to maintain worship all the time; indeed, for the most part their pulpit has been vacant. In 1860 a Protestant Episcopal parish was organized and named Trinity. There was but little done, however, until the Rev. Mr. Smythe became rector in 1869, since which time the parish has been reasonably prosperous. Under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Webster a church was bui lt and finished, except the tower, But this church being one of the modern institutions of the township, does not come within the purview of this work. THE SCHOOLS OF HUDSON VILLAGE. For want of records we shall not be able to give a full and complete history of the schools of the village of Hudson. The founders of the village took a deep interest in the education of the young; schools were established on each side of Tiffin river at an early day. The main building on the West Side was erected in 1860, at a cost of $6,000. In 1874 the West Side put up a fine branch building with two rooms, north of the railroad, at a cost of $3,000. The East Side school building was erected in 1862, at a cost of about $3,000. By an act of the Legis- lature in 1866, the East and West Side were united and became a chartered school under the appellation of the Public Schools of the Village of Hudson. After being united for several years, the East Side, bya legislative act, was set off from the public schools of the village of Hudson, and organized as a graded school under the primary school law. This separation was effected May lst, 1869. In 1873 an effort was made to reunite the schools, but at an election held in June to decide the matter, it failed by a small majority. Since that time no effort at union has been made. The number of children of school ages in the West Side district at the time of the last enumeration, was 475. Among the early Principals of the West Side school, may be mentioned Prof. James, now Assistant Superintendent of the Cleveland schools, and Prof. Carson, of Hudson, formerly Principal of the Medina Academy. In october, 1860, Prof. F. B. McClelland, now at the head of the Albion Union School, became Principal. He remained in charge unti 1 April, 1862, when he took charge of the East Side school, which position he held until July lst, 1867. Rev. C. Van Dorn had charge of the school a large part of the time whi le they were united. He was succeeded by Prof. E. G. Reynolds, Jan. 5th, 1869, who held the position until June 23d, 1869. Prof. C. D. West, of Blissfield, was the next Principal. He held the position two years. Mr. West was succeeded by Capt. C. T. Bateman, former County Superin- tendent of Schools for Lenawee county, who took charge of the school Sept. 1, 1873. The first class of graduates left this school in June, 1875. The class consisted of Miss Hattie Beach, Miss Clara Boies, Miss Lillie Galusha, Miss Ida Harris, Miss Page 100 Allie Perkins, and Mr. Edmund Childs. The organization of the School Board, at present, is W. F. Day, president; J. M. Scarritt, secretary; R. J. Eaton, treasurer; J. K. Boies, W. J. Mosher, A. Loyster.

The following extract from the Superintendent's report for the school year of 1875 and 1876, is given: I submit the following brief report of the condition of the Public Schools of the Village of Hudson, and of the work done in them during the past year. Number of weeks of school during the year. 40 Number of children between the ages of five and twenty in the district 475 " " pupils enrolled. 435 " " foreign pupils. 43 Enrollment in Grammar and High School 127 " " Second Intermediate 60 " " First Intermediate. 48 " " Second Primary 48 " " First Primary 76 " " North Branch. 74 Number of teachers employed 9 The corps of teachers at present consists of Prof. C. T. Bateman, superintendent and principal; Miss Ezoa Phelps and Mrs. C. E. Richards, assistants in grammar and high school. The other assistants are Miss Delia Carpenter, Miss Della Hutchins, Mrs. Maria L. Graves, Mrs. C. Plympton, Mrs. Anna Chapman and Miss Alice Perkins, Among the principals of the East Side school since Prof. McClelland left may be mentioned Prof. Carson; Prof. J. C. Dutton, now in Eurpoe, from September, 1872, to June, 1873; Prof. Overholt, September, 1873, to April, 1874; Prof. Luther W. Covell from September, 1874, to June, 1876. Prof. Coleman Williams, aided by three associate teachers, has charge of the school at present. The school officers consist of the following named persons: Ira Swaney, director; M. R. Hazlett, moderator; D. Carpenter, assessor; B. Wright, J. Van Akin, T. J. Hiller. The schools of Hudson have generally been in good hands, and have been prosperous to a marked degree. In the management and support of their schools the people of Hudson and vicinity have shown prudence, economy and wise generosity, and they may well be proud of their schools, which have done and are still doing good work for the youth of our community. May the good work of education in our beautiful village ever prosper. BENEVOlENT ORDERS. ODD FELLOWS.--In 1847 Hudson lodge No.26, I.O.O.F., was chartered. It worked for a number of years, and then suspended. Subsequently it was resuscitated, and has worked prosperously since. A list of its officers has been furnished, but as rotation in office has been the general rule, a list of Noble Grands, as the pre- siding officer is called, only is given, it being premised that the subordinate offices were filled, with but few exceptions, by the same men preparatory to the more exalted station. Noble Grands.--Edward D. Larned, Henry M. Boies (two terms), J. B. Tucker, Augustus Thomas, Judson R. Hyde, Beriah H. Lane, Joseph M. Johnson, Dr. David P. Chamberlin, John C. Hogaboam, Reuben A. Beach, William W. Morrous, Jesse Maxson, Jackson M. Wood, Alexander H. Hall, Jabez J. Daniels, David R. Stroud, Dr. Leonard G. Hall, Edwin M. Hulburd, Henry G. Stevens, Levi Saulsbury, Dexter Gray, Robert B.