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 131 Through 140 Page 131 in 1835 or Ô36. Only one member, Mrs. Sarah Camburn, is now living. A church building four miles west of the village of Moscow was begun in 1853 and finished I in 1854. Another class was formed, at the village of Moscow, in 1852; in 1854 they built a church, which in 1874 was refinished, making it as good as new and adding greatly to its beauty. A church of the Associate Reformed Presbyterians was formed in 1838 or '39 and a church building was erected some two years later. They were firm believers in Divine decrees of election and reprobation, believed in infant baptism, and were close communion. The church became extinct by deaths and removals. Their building yet stands, but is used for other purposes. A Baptist organization was formed about the same time, (1839,) but they built no church. The Moscow mills are situated on the east branch of the Kalamazoo river, one mile south of Moscow village, on the site of the first saw mill in this part of the country, built by Benjamin Fowle in 1836. The saw mill was rebuilt in 1859, and a run of light stones added, which did some grinding. The present flouring mill was built in 1865, by Orrin Fowle, sone of the original mill man. The water power was afterward supplemented by steam power. The engine being a Woodbury No.8, has of itself sufficient power to drive all the machinery, therefore the mill is never idle; when water is plenty it is used as a matter of economy, but usually the saw mill furnishes sufficient fuel for the steam power. The mill is only a little more than a mile from Jerome, a station on the Detroit, Hillsdale & South- western railroad, and with an additional run of stone might greatly increase its business. SUPERVISORS.--The township was organized in the spring of 1835, but the records of the township meetings for the years 1835, Ô36 and Ô37 appear to have been lost. Subsequent years the township was represented on the board of supervisors as follows: 1838, Zachariah Van Duzer; 1839, Orthnill Allen; 1840, Daneil A. Wisner; 1841, Zachariah Van Duzer; 1842, Ô43 and '44, Brooks Gale; 1845, Zachariah Van Duzer; 1846, Osmon B. Blackmar; 1847 and Ô48, Joel Moore; 1849, Zachariah Van Duzer; 1850 and 151, Wallace H. Godfrey; 1852, Benjamin Fowle, 1853, Orlando C. Gale; 1854, Benj . J. Kenyon; 1855, Horatio N. Rowley; 1856, Abram Ramsdell; 1857, Horatio N. Rowley; 1858, Henry C. Mallory; 1859, Horation N. Rowley; 1860, Wallace H. Godfrey; 1861 and '62, Joel Moore; 1863, '64 and '65, Horatio N. Rowley; 1866 and '67, Albert Kenyon; 1868 to '72, both inclusive, Elisha C. L. Mumford; 1873, Ô74 and Ô75, Parker B. Shepard; 1876, William Armstrong. The township has furnished one judge for the bench of Hillsdale county. ADAMS. This township was settled principally through Moscow. It was for a year a part of the township of Moscow, and therefore the history of the two are somewhat blended. Adams was organized as a separate township in the spring of 1836. It is believed the following named persons were then residents: Salmon Sharp, Abijah Smith, Henry N. Wilcox, Alpheus Hill, W. W. Jackson, John M. Foote, Milton Foote, Stephen Birdsell, William Cutler, Peter Sprowls, Henry Huff, Joseph B. Dowley, Luke Bross, David Bagley, Roswell Parker, Reuben Fuller, R. J. Fuller, Nicholas Worthington, John O. Swift, William C. Swift, Easton Wilbur, James Kirby, Horace Hitchcock, Seth Kempton, Roderick Wells, Orrin Blackmar, Benjamin Moore, Joseph W. Atard. Page 132 The first township meeting was held on Monday, the fourth day of April, 1836. Salmon Sharp was moderator, and Nicholas Worthington clerk. Officers elected:--Salmon Sharp, supervisor; Seth Kempton, clerk; Benjamin Moore, William Cutler and William W. Jackson, assessors; Nicholas Worthington, William W. Jackson and Easton Wilbur, commissioners of schools; Stephen Birdsell and Joseph W. Atard, commissioners of highways; Joseph B. Dowley and Julius O. Swift, directors of the poor; Easton Wilbur, collector. At a special election held on the 12th day of September, to elect a delegate to the State convention, sixteen votes were polled. It will be perceived by scanning the list of officers elected that the people of the township of Adams were strict constructionists and elected officers under the Territorial laws, and not under the State constitution. This may account for the absence of justices of the peace and school inspectors. The first mill built in the township was built by Swift & Co., in 1837 or '38. Soon after, another mill was built, on section five. Afterwards mills were built, one at North Adams by John Lane, one in the east part of the town by L. H. Up dyke, and one in the south part of the town by Kerney & Howe. Supervisors:--1836 to '40, both inclusive, Salmon Sharp; 1841, David Bagley; 1842, Ethel Judd; 1843 and Ô44, Peter Gates; 1845 and '46, David Bagley; 1847, Norman S. Sharp; 1848, Easton Wilbur; 1849, Andrew Wade; 1850, Asa S. Edwards; 1851, Norman S. Sharp; 1852, John M. Foote; 1853, Easton Wilbur; 1854, Peter Gates; 1855, Nelson Nethaway; 1856, William Cutler; 1857, Nelson Nethaway; 1858, Andrew Wade; 1859, Nicholas G. Vreeland; 1860 and Ô61, James S. Fowler; 1862 and '63, Nelson Nethaway; 1864 to Ô68, both inclusive, Ethel Judd; 1869, John Phillips elected, resigned and Ethel Judd appointed to vacancy; 1870 to Ô74, both inclusive, James Foote; 1875, Albert Kenyon; 1876, Saxton Bagley. Township Clerks:--1836 to '39, both inclusive, Seth Kempton; 1840, Nicholas Worthington; 1841, '42 and Ô43, William D. Moore; 1844 to '48, both inclusive, Nelson Nethaway; 1849, David Bagley; 1850, Warner Spooner; 1851, David C. Fuller; 1852, James H. Fowler; 1853, Nicholas G. Vreeland; 1854, Firman Huff; 1855 and '56, Allen Kinney; 1857 to '61, both inclusive, Saxton S. Bagley; 1862, '63 and 64, Henry Wade; 1865, Darius J. Thompson; 1866, Saxton S. Bagley; 1867 and '68, John B. Kemp; 1869, David M. Foote; 1870, '71 and '72, Thomas J. Nethaway; 1873 to Ô76, both inclusive, George Kinney. The first school house was built in 1838, in the district now known as number six, and Mary Driscoll taught the first school. Now the township has nine school houses, and the people are proud of their schools. The Methodist Episcopal church is the oldest, having an organization older than the township. The other churches are the Baptist, Congregationalist, Christian, and Wesleyan Methodist. The township has one hotel and one saloon, both in the village of North Adams. The village, which was nothing more than a country four corners until the completion of the Detroit, Hillsdale and Indiana railroad, is growing rapidly, and bids fair to become a business point of some importance. JEFFERSON. This town, first named Florida, was first a part of the township of Moscow, and afterwards of Adams, but the Legislature of 1837 organized towns seven, eight and nine south into a new township, named it Florida, and directed the first Page 133 township meeting to be held at the house of William Duryea. Mr. Chauncey Leonard gives the following list as containing the names of every voter in the township at the time of its organization: John Perrin, John Perrin, Jr., S. W. Perrin, J. H. Thorn, M. B. Howell, William Duryea, Peter Failing, James Bullard, R. McNeil, Jr., Rev. Jacob Ambler, Chauncey Leonard, W. S. Coon, Rowland Bird, J. H. Springer, James P. Howell, H. P. Adams, H. Hadley, William Heacox, O. B. Coffin, William Green, Frederick Duryea, H. Bullard, R. McNeal, Sr., A. McNeal, Fourtelett O. Anderson, H. Black, Perez Demmick, A. Orcutt, John M. Duryea. The township meeting was held April third, 1837, on a log near William Duryea's house. The proceedings of that meeting, as related by Mr. Leonard, are very amusing. There was but one party, no ballots or ballot-box, and they held the caucus simultaneous with the election. They caucused among themselves as to whom it was best to have for supervisor, and having determined that point, a motion was made that he be elected, which of course was carried, the vote being vive voce, and then the same process was gone through with for each of the other offices. The official records show the following officers elected: Henry P. Adams, supervisor; Chauncey Leonard, township clerk; James Ballard William Heacox, Alonzo McNeal, assessors; John M. Duryea, collector; Horatio Hadley and Michael B. Howell, directors of the poor; Orrin Anderson, Frederick Duryea and Robert McNeal, Jr., commissioners of highways; Wait Chapin, William S. Coon and John Perren, Jr., school inspectors; William Duryea, William S. Coon, Henry P. Adams and Horatio Hadley, justices of the peace; John M. Duryea and Orrin Anderson, constables. The justices drew terms as follows: Horatio Hadley, one year; Henry P. Adams, two years; William S. Coon, three years; William Duryea, four years. A special township meeting was held on the fourth day of May to elect a supervisor, and the Rev. Jacob Ambler was elected. The first school house was built on section four, in 1837, and Emeline Sears taught the first school. The first frame school was built in district number two, in 1840 or Ô41. In 1849 the name of the township was changed to Jefferson. The township is well supplied with mills for sawing and grinding. Chauncey Leonard owned a saw mill on the present site of the Wood mill, in 1846. The grist mill was built by Wood about seventeen years ago. There are several other mills in the township. Supervisors:--1837, Henry P. Adams to May 4th; from May 4th, Jacob Ambler; 1838, Jacob Ambler; 1839 and '40, William Heacox; 1841, William Duryea; 1842, Chauncey Leonard; 1843, William Heacox; 1844, Chauncey Leonard; 1845 and '46, James H. Thorn; 1847 and '48, Warren Thompson; 1849 and '50, James H. Thorn; 1851 and Ô52, Charles D. Luce; 1853, William Heacox; 1854, James H. Thorn; 1855 and Ô56, Henry F. Sutton; 1857, Moses Rumsey; 1858 and '59, Henry P. Sutton; 1860, Charles D. Luce; 1861, Joseph Slaight; 1862, Silas A. Wade; 1863 and Ô64, James Leonardson; 1865, Moses Rumsey; 1866, '67 and '68, James Leonardson; 1869 Ô70 and '71, Charles D. Luce; 1872, Moses Rumsey; 1873, James Leonardson; 1874, Ô75 and Ô76, Charles D. Luce. Mr. Luce has also represented his district in the State Legislature. TOWN EIGHT SOUTH, TWO WEST. The town described in the title to this section was first a part of the town- ship of Moscow, 1835, of Adams, 1836, and of Florida, 1837-40. Page 134 Rowland Bird was the first settler in the town, his advent to its wilds bearing date March the eighth, 1836, while the town was yet a part of Moscow, but it is fair to presume the authorities of Moscow knew nothing of his coming. Mr. Bird was a native of Massachusetts. In 1832, after a sojourn in the State of New York, he came to the Territory of Michigan and settled in or near Sylvania. During the Toledo war he determined to be an inhabitant of Michigan at all hazards, removed from the disputed territory, and settled in town eight south. Mr. Bird's family consisted of his wife and seven children,--three sons and four daughters,-- and a young man named Leander Candee. The next family settled in the town was Orrin Cobb, on the west line. Thomas Burt, family and brother, settled in 1837 or '38 probably, as he speaks of stopping over night at the Medina tavern and with Augustus Finney at Lanesville. The Burts were English people. Thomas, when he first came to America, settled on the Maumee river, near Perrysburgh. A few years after, he returned to England, and then his wife and brother came over with him. Having sold his Ohio posessions, he sought a home in the wilderness of Michigan. When they came to Medina, on their way in, they were penniless. Mr. Burt explained his situation and was cared for as well as though he had money. At Lanesville the same course was pursued with like results. The family carried their own provisions, and only needed shelter for themselves and shelter and provender for their beasts. Near the northwest corner of Pittsford the family were left while the men pushed on to build a cabin, and very soon they were settled on their own land. A few years later they were able to repay the worthy landlords for their kindness. The way having been opened, the town was settled quite rapidly, and some settlers found their way into town nine south. The first school was taught in a shanty on the northwest quarter of section eight, by Lucinda Bird, in the summer of 1838. Three families sent to this school,-- Orren Cobb, Israel S. Hodges and Rowland Bird. The same year, Mr. Bird built the first frame barn. Some of the men who helped at the raising came from Jonesville for that purpose. Indeed, the settlers of that town know what hardships and privations mean. One of them desiring sash for the windows of his new log house, walked to Jonesville, bought five sash, paid all his money, lashed the sash to his back, and returned without having a mouthful to eat. Another man desiring some seed oats, started out, accompanied by his thirteen-year-old boy, in search of some; he bought three bushels three miles west of Hudson. Two bushels were put in one bag and one bushel in the other. The bags were shouldered respectively by father and son, and carried the whole distance home. In the year 1839 a child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Babcock,--the first birth in the township. March the eighth the first death occurred. It was Allen Bird, aged sixteen years. He died just three years after the arrival of the family in the town. The Rev. Jacob Ambler, of Osseo, preached the funeral sermon,--the first sermon in the town. In March, 1840, occurred the first marriage in the territory now embraced within the limits of Ransom. Leander Candee and Miss Lorinda, eldest daughter of Mr. Rowland Bird. It is said to be the first because, although Miss Drake, of town nine south had been married the year previous, yet as both towns were then Florida, and the scene of the marriage is now in Amboy, it is difficult to see how it can be credited to Rowland or its successor, Ransom. The inhabitants having become numerous,--about one hundred,--the Legislature of Michigan, at its session in the winter of 1840, was petitioned to organize towns Page 135 The following comparison of the Ransom of to-day with the same territory in 1836 is from the pen of Samuel B. Brown, her local historian: "In 1836, forty years ago, Ransom was an unbroken forest,--not one acre of cleared land, but all heavy timber. Of the 19,185 acres of land in Ransom, 12,074 acres are improved, 2,111 acres are included in the highways and partial improvements, and 5,000 acres are wood. The improvements, including highways, average nine acres to every inhabitant of the town. Forty years ago people traveling in Ransom with a team had to cut and clear a road; to-day there are in Ransom seventy miles of highway, occupying 560 acres of land. The inhabitants of Ransom have invested in their highways a capital of $70,400, and are expending annually $2,000 in repairing them. (It is no part of this history to state whether the roads are as good as the investment ought to furnish.) Forty years ago there was not a rod of fence in Ransom; to-day there are 420 miles of fence, at 50 cents a rod is $160 a mile, making $67,200, the cost of fences, not including any repairs. Forty years ago there was one dwelling house in Ransom; to-day there are 341. Then there was one family; to-day there are 346. Then there were ten inhabitants in the town; latest statistics give us 1,539. The census of 1874 furnish us with items of interest, some of which we will record. In 1873 1,962 acres of wheat were harvested in Ransom, yielding 24,871 bushels, 13 bushels per acre; 1,852 acres of corn were harvested, yielding 99,660 bushels of ears, 54 bushels per acre. In 1874 there were 522 acres of apple orchards in Ransom; sheep, 1,848; hogs, 1,138; horses, 577; mules, 5; oxen, 46; cows, 886; wool sheared in 1873, 16,079 lbs.; pork sold, 183,504 lbs.; cheese made, 49,882 lbs., butter made, 89,580 lbs.; In comparing the productions of Ransom in 1873 with the productions of Hillsdale county in 1840, we have the following results: In 1840 Hillsdale county produced 80,250 bushels of wheat; Ransom in 1873 produced 24,871 bushels of wheat. In 1840 the county produced 82,757 bushels of corn; Ransom in 1873 produced 99,660 bushels of corn. The dairy product of Hillsdale county in 1840 was worth $5,626; the dairy product of Ransom in 1873 was $21,152.75." Ransom furnished for the armies of the Republic, during the great rebellion, one hundred and forty-three men, forty of whom were killed, or have died of wounds received, or disease contracted in the service. The following were among the number enlisted: James Tarseney, Riley Ainsworth, Hiram Hartson, Ira Williams, Emery Yost,---Yost, John Williams, Horace Doty, Darius Howe, Marshal Tooth, Ephraim Baker, Charles Baker, C. Button, Samuel Wheaton, William Kelley, John Durgan, William Palmer, William Britton, Sidney Palmer, ---Hall, Andrew Booth, Hollis Hammond, ---Higley, Charles Coppins, Samuel Halsted, Geo. Dewey, Orrin Olds, E. H. Goodrich, J. M. Bailey, William Doyle, Oscar Barnes, William Clark, Amos Smith, Charles Hartson, Edgar Ainsworth, Richard Hart, James Burt, William Pet tit, S. Bliler, John Smatts, Hiram Hurd, H. Perkins, Chas. Olds, Capt. Hill, Wm. Rose, Geo. W. VanGauder, Loren Hammond, Geo. H. Cornell, John Palmer, Isaac Brown, James H. Thiel, Kincade Shepardson, D. W. Litchfield, J. Schermerhorn, William H. Shepard, Michael Howland, Lewis Deuel, John Croop, Alfred Deuel, Wm. Liddall, Willis Woods, Loren Whitney, John Williams, Sidney Dodge, Daniel Clemens, Sheldon Carey, Daniel Brogan, Henry Common, John C. Cooper, William Manning, John Tarseney, Thomas Plumley, George Brewster, Thomas Tarseney, Andrew Tarseney, Quincy Britton, Aaron Boyer, Michael Helmick, James D. Cornell, Horace Gay, Warren Perham, William Mapes, Geo. Mapes, Aaron Smith, Cornelius Boington, James Hoover, Samuel Kingsley, Geo. R. Palmer, Benj. S. Ward, Collins Wilcox, William Youngs, T. C. Baker, Chas. Hannibal, Isaac Smith, H. Bailey, Orsamus Doty, Harry Mott, David Litchfield, John Ainsworth, William H. Allen, Samuel Cressey, Edwin Camp, George Casterline, Jeptha Casterline, Henry Tary, John Hosman, Geo. Hart, Frank Hoover, Elias Hoover, Thomas Lozier, Israel Lozier, Benj. Olds, Asahel Parks, Charles Parks, Frank Runell, Lewis Smith, Orville Thompson, E. W. Warner, Fred Olds, Jacob Rorrick, William Agnew, George W. Booth, William Lile, Andrew Crandall, Page 136 eight and nine south into a new township. By an act approved April 1st, the township was organized and named. ROWlAND. The first township meeting was held on the sixth day of April, 1840, at the house of Alexander Palmer. James H. Babcock was moderator, and Israel S. Hodges secretary, (so says the record), and Rowland Bird, Orrin Cobb and Rufus H. Rathburn were inspectors of election. Officers elected: Leander Candee, supervisor; Israel S. Hodges, township clerk; Rowland Bird, treasurer; Matthew Armstrong, Israel S. Hodges and James H. Babcock, school inspectors; Joseph Howe and William Phillips, directors of the poor; James H. Babcock, Alexander Palmer and Henry Cornell, commissioners of highways; Rowland Bird, James H. Babcock, Matthew Armstrong and Henry Cornell, justices of the peace; Alexander Palmer, Joseph Phillips, Amos S. Drake and Alexander Findley, constables. The justices elect drew terms as follows: Henry Cornell, one year; Matthew Armstrong, two years; Rowland Bird, three years; and James H. Babcock, four years. The township voted five dollars bounty for wolves, and one hundred and twenty-five dollars for contingent expenses. On the ninth day of April, 1840, Mrs. Candee died,--the bride of a month filled the second grave in the township. The same day her sister, Eunice, the youngest daughter of Mr. Rowland Bird, died. In the September following, the 18th day, Mr. Bird's youngest son died, aged six years, and on the 22d day of the same month Rowland Bird died, aged forty-seven years. In 1839 or '40 the first school house in the township was built. It was in district number two, near the site of the present school house. There are now eight school districts in the township, numbered from one tonine, except there is no number four. Three of these districts have brick, and five have frame school houses. The first frame school house was built in district number seven in 1844. In October, 1841, the first fire occurred in the township. C. B. Shepard, then of Adams, was preparing to become an inhabitant of this township. He had put up the body of a house and covered it; he hauled a load of lumber for doors and floors from the Kidder mill in the township of Hudson. This he unloaded near the shanty he had built for a temporary shelter, and went to Adams to spend the Sunday and bring a load of goods on his return Monday. But when he returned, his shanty and lumber were ashes. He supposed it to have been occasioned by the accidental explosion of some gunpowder he had deposited in a boiler. In 1848 began a series of skirmishing for township name, and it was not until 1850 that the township had a settled name. From April 1st, 1848, to April 2d, 1849, it was known as Ransom; from April 2d, 1849, to March 28th, 1850, it was called Bird, but since 1850 it has uniformly been known as RANSOM. In 1848 a Congregationalist church was organized, and 1855 that church built a house of worship, and since that, churches have been built, until now the Methodist Episcopal and the Seventh-Day Adventists have each one, the United Brethren two, and they are preparing to build a third. Dr Lee was the first resident physician. He settled in Rowland about 1842. He also opened the first store in the township, and Ichabod Steadman kept the second, or the first in Ransom village. Page 137 Aaron Stocker, Jonas Smith, William Young, A. Howell, W. Young, E. P. Barson, George N. Sacrider, I. C. Hinds, Frank Smith. ACCIDENTS.--In 1851, Mr. Featherly was killed by a falling limb while in the woods east of Danforth, Bugbee's Corners. In 1860, Mr. Joles was killed by lightning. Not far from that time, old Mr. Siddle was killed while falling a tree in the southwest part of the town. A young man by the name of Ward was killed by falling on to a pitchfork, in the south part of the town. The explosion of a steam boiler in a sawmill, on the farm of Charles Burt, in the southeast part of the town, in 1872, killed four, and injured a number of others. But one case of homicide has occurred. February 6th, 1876, Jacob Stevick killed Horace A. Burnett. He was tried in the Hillsdale circuit court, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. Supervisors of Rowland: 1840, Leander Candee; 1841, Nelson Doty; 1842, Thomas Burt; 1843 and Ô44, Nelson Doty; 1845, Israel S. Hodges; 1846 and '47, Thomas Burt. RANSOM--1848, Leander Candee. BIRD--1849, Wi Iliam Burnham, jr. RANSOM--1850, Thomas Burt; 1851, John J. Andridge; 1852, William E. Warner; 1853, Thomas Burt; 1854, Israel B. Norris; 1855, Jared B. Norris; 1856 and '57, Nelson Doty; 1858, Lemuel J. Squire; 1859, Ephraim C. Turner; 1860, Warren Mc Cutcheon; 1861, Henry W. Russell; 1862 to '68, Warren McCutcheon; 1869 and Ô70, Miles G. Teachout; 1871 and Ô72, Warren McCutcheon; 1873 and Ô74, Samuel B. Brown; 1875 and Ô76, William H. H. Pet tit. AMBOY. Only the eastern part of this township comes within the scope of our undertaking. Amos S. Drake settled in town nine south, two west, in December, 1838, but the town settled quite rapidly. In February, 1839, Sarah N. Drake died; her funeral sermon was preached by Elder Stout, who, at that time, lived in the vicinity of Bird Lake. It was the first sermon preached in that town. In December, the same year, Samuel Carl and Jane Drake were married by Mr. Fowler, of Camden. When Rowland was organized, town nine south was attached, and shared in all the mutations that township endured. In 1850, all that part of towns nine south, ranges two and three west, lying within the State of Michigan, and one tier of sections off the south side of town eight south, ranges two and three west, were organized into a new township, and called Amboy. Nearly all the improvements have been made since that time . The grist-mill, owned by Waldron & Hall, was built about thirty years ago, but there was a saw-mill there several years earlier. Besides this, there is the Higby & Osborn mill, the Manly or Lewis mill, and the Bryan mill. There has been a Chilson mill, but it has ceased to work. There are two churches, the Baptist and Methodist, and both have neat and commodious houses. Page 138 The first township meeting was held on the 22d day of April, 1850, at the house of Amos Drake. John King was moderator, and Gideon G. King clerk. Amos S. Drake and John P. Corey were inspectors of the election. officers elected: Nathan Dewey, supervisor; Gideon G. King, clerk; Charles Clark, treasurer; Nathan Edinger, John King and Charles S. Baker, justices of the peace; Henry Prestage, John Goforth and Gideon F. King, commissioners of highway; Charles Farley and William Drake, school inspectors; Amos S. Drake and John King, directors of the poor, and Joseph Philbrick, Charles H. Barton and Paden Marshal, constables. Supervisors: 1850, Nathan S. Dewey; 1851 and '52, Gideon G. King; 1853, William Gay; 1854, Charles S. Baker; 1855, William Gay; 1856 and '57, Gideon G. King; 1858, and '59, Charles Farley; 1860, Gideon F. King; 1861 and '62, William Drake; 1863 to Ô67, both inclusive. Augustus G. McClellan; 1868 and '69, William Drake; 1870, Augustus G. McClellan; 1871 and Ô72, William Drake; 1873, Augustus G. McClellan; 1874, Augustus G. McClellan, until he died, and then William Drake; 1875, James M. Baker; 1876, James Bat tel. Page 139 SUPPLEMENT. HUDSON. BOOTS AND SHOES.--In the early years of this township, the articles mentioned at the head of this article were found in all general stores, and there were several shoe-makers who made to order such articles in this line as could not be supplied from the stores; but there was no distinctively boot and shoe store until Hiland and Clark R. Beach came to the village, in the spring of 1849, and opened a boot and shoe house. The house first took the name of H. Beach, and has been continued by one or the other of the brothers under various styles, sometimes with partners, sometimes alone, until the present time it bears the name of C. R. Beach. Alfred A. Finney, the only child of Augustus Finney, esq., settled on a farm on section seven, Hudson, about the time of his marriage with Miss Harriet Kidder, eldest daughter of Hiram Kidder. Soon after the discovery of gold in California, perhaps in 1849, he went to that State. He made the journey by sail vessel, around Cape Horn. Soon after his return, he established the old Elephant boot and shoe house. He served one term as justice of the peace, but the most of his time was devoted to his store. He died Sept. 8th, 1871, but his business has been continued by his only child, Mr. Byron A. Finney. CARRIAGE MANUFACTORIES.--In the early years of Hudson township, several men worked at wagon-building, but the first establishment that deserved the name of a manufactory was that began by Alexander M. Ocobock, on the present site of the spoke factory, in or about the year 1852. Mr. Perley Chase was associated with him until the spring of 1857, when Chase was succeeded by Munson. The same spring, carriage-building was abandoned by Ocobock & Munson, and they turned their attention to the manufacture of hubs and bent work. George W. Carter, in September, 1854, came to Hudson, and commenced black- smithing. He did the ironing of carriages for Ocobock & Chase, until, in the spring of 1857, he bought out their carriage business and commenced manufacturing on his own account. He yet continues the business. His original one-story wood buildings have given place to large two-story brick buildings. The change was necessitated by the increase of his business, managed with skill and care, always under his own personal supervision. The original foundry was erected by Samuel Eddy for Loren Chapin, and it now forms a part of the Elliott House. The original drug store was kept by Hall & Wells. Among the business houses of to-day are the following: Two banks; four dry goods, eleven grocery, four hardware, four drug, two furniture, four boot and shoe houses; one hat, one tobacco, one tea and one jewelry house; three clothiers, two bakeries; six millinery, four barber, one gun, three cooper, five blacksmith, one tailor and two paint shops; one pump, one fanning mill, one tub, two carriage, one wheel-barrow manufactory; one machine shop, three planing mills, three lumber yards, two liveries, one saw mill, eight physicians, two dentists, eight lawyers, two artists, two hair-dressers, four insurance offices, five saloons, three meat markets, one butter and egg store, four hotels, two book stores and two printing offices. By the census of 1874, Hudson township had 3,927 inhabitants, of which 1,946 were males and 1,981 were females; excess of females, 35. Of the males, 25 were Page 140 between seventy-five and ninety years of age; 433 between forty-five and seventy-five; 602 between twenty-one and forty-five; 452 between ten and twenty-one years of age, while 434 were under ten. Of the females, 41 were upwards of seventy-five years of age; 474 between forty and seventy-five; 722 between eighteen and forty; 361 between ten and eighteen years of age, while 383 were under ten. Eight hundred and fifty of the males over twenty-one years of age were married; 51 were widowers or divorced persons; 159 had never been married, and one person only, under twenty-one years of age, was living in the marriage relation. Of females over eighteen years of age, 824 were married; 171 widows or divorced persons; 274 had never been married, and 9 persons under eighteen years of age were living in the marriage relation. We had enough marriageable maidens to mate our bachelors and 83 more, while we had maidens and widows enough to mate our bachelors and widowers, and 203 more. Against the 451 unmarried males under twenty-one years of age, being prepared by time for the marriage state, we had only 352 females under eighteen years of age. In 1873, there were 26 marriages, 37 deaths and 77 births. There were 4 deaf and dumb persons, 1 blind and 4 insane. Twenty-six persons were of African descent. In 1873 there were 3,470 acres of wheat and 1,938 acres of corn harvested. There were 3,346 acres of wheat to be harvested in 1874. It had 614 acres of peach, pear, apple, plum and cherry orchards; 10 acres of raspberry bushes; 11 of strawberry vines; 5 of current and gooseberry bushes, and 30 acres of melons and garden vegetables. In 1873, 10,432 lbs. of wool were sheared; 288,020 lbs. of pork, 44,945 lbs. of cheese and 209,502 lbs. of butter were marketed. In the same year, 42,365 bushels of wheat, 96,945 bushels of corn and 21,000 bushels of other kinds of grain; 35,525 bushels of apples, 71 bushels of pears, 51 bushels of cherries, 27 cwt. of grapes, 27 bushels of strawberries, 35 bushels of currants and gooseberries, and 463 bushels of melons and garden vegetables were harvested. There were 20,650 pounds of fruit dried; 4,380 pounds of maple sugar made; 7,555 bushels of potatoes raised; 830 barrels of cider made, and 2,586 tons of hay raised and cut. It had 214 persons employed in its manufacturing establishments, and the amount of capital invested was $185,500. It had only two flouring mills, with two run of stone each, and four saw mills, worth $7,300, which sawed in 1873, 530,000 feet of lumber. CORRECTIONS.--As was stated in the introduction of this book, it is impossible to make it free from errors, especially in dates and in Christian names. A few have already been discovered. That many more exist, seems very probable. There are also some typographical errors, but they are few, and easily corrected by the reader. HUDSON: On page 84, the last clause of the eighth paragraph reads that sundry persons were "admitted to membership on probation." It should have read, "were admitted to membership on profession of faith.