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 51 Through 60 The Rev. William E. Warner had, in the State of New York, been a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, at times taking r temporary work under Presiding Elders. Here he found himself providentially thrown in the midst of a large family of Methodists, and he improved the occasion by preaching at the house of Noah Cressey the next Sunday, November the 15th, and organizing a class, of which he appointed Lorenzo L. Brown leader. The congregation that day was made up from the members of three families, viz.,Brown, Cressey and Dillon. As Mr. Lane remembers the incident, on the llth day of December, 1835, Friday, the Rev. William Wolcott preached the first sermon in the Lanesville settlement. He also organized a temperance society. Both the religious and temperance meetings were held at Mr. Lane's house. In the fall of 1835, Miss Abigail Dickinson taught a school in the vi llage of Lanesville. July 8th, Beriah H. Lane sold a one-fourth interest in the saw-mill to William H. H. Van Akin, and December lst sold a one-fourth interest to Simeon and William H. H. Van Akin. During the year the following persons purchased land in the west third of Lenawee township, viz.: Edward Knapp, John Johnson, Lester C. Bennett, Ezekiel Yerrington, Ezra Lord, Reuben Snell, Calvin Jenks, Jesse R. Treadwell, Samuel Sager, Dudley Worden, Thomas Keeley, Edward Keeley, James Green, Ami Crosby, Griswold Latham, Edward Edmunds, Silas Palmer, Benjamin Palmer, John Hutchins, Reuben Hutchins, John W. Stockwell, Uriah Daniels, Jeremiah D. Thompson, L. Hotchkiss, John R. Willis, Elias Gage, John Hooper, Prudence Page, Constans Rowley, John Townsend, William Clark, Porter L. Howland, Noah Palmer, Moses Moore, Pardon Davenport, James Van Akin, 2d, Elizabeth Van Akin, Thomas Will, Benjamin Mills, Joseph Mills, Reed Sutton, Joseph R. Reynolds, John Rice, Solomon Seymoun, Caleb D. Ferris, John Colwell, Daniel C. Cooper, Augustus W. Childs, Oren C. Nichols, Gideon L. Bebee, James Grannin, Jason Gratton, Peter Bovee, Abram Bovee, Thomas Farroll, Joseph Rickey, Richard Hawkins, William Haley, Matthies H. Bovee, John H. Bovee, Oliver W. Alverson, John Drew, Dennis Dwyer, William Carson, Noah Cressey, Hiram Van Akin, Alexander D. Anderson, John Beal, Henry Barton, Thomas J. Huntington, Artemas Allen, Edward H. Miller, Gordon H. Leeds, Jacob LeRoy, Timothy Sabin and Nathan Elliott. On the twenty-fourth day of February, 1836, several persons assembled at the house of Alpheus Pratt in Wheatland (now Pittsford), to consider the propriety of organizing a church. The Rev. William Wolcott presided as moderator. Twenty-four persons presented letters of church membership, viz.: Salmon Trask, John L. Taylor, Elijah B. Seeley, Nelson R. Rowley, Daniel Loomis, Ozen Keith, John Perrin, Simeon Van Akin, Jesse Smith, Stephen W. Perrin, Beriah H. Lane, Ceci Keith, Orinda Seeley, Phoebe Lane, Sarah Nye, Emily Perrin, Bethesda Perrin, Huldah Caldwell, Sarah Frazee, Clarinda Taylor, Minerva Rice, Margaret Van Akin, Zeruiah Trask and Martha Keith. These persons adopted a resolution agreeing to unite themselves together in a church of Christ, to be called the "First Presbyterian Church of Bean Creek," and on their request thus expressed, the Rev. Mr. Wolcott constituted them a church by such designation. William Frazee and Caroline Loomis, upon profession of their faith, were baptized and received into the new church. Salmon Trask, Elijah B. Seeley, Nelson R. Rowley, and John L. Taylor were elected Elders, and the three first were immediately ordained. Beriah H. Lane was elected church clerk. The reader will have noticed that the meeting for organization convened in the township of Wheatland, now Pittsford, and it is equally true that seventeen out of the twenty-four persons participating in its organization, lived in the township of Wheatland as then organized; but as the church afterwards became the Congregational church of Hudson, it is grouped with the historical incidents of western lenawee. The same day there was a wedding at the house of Beriah H. Lane, in Lanesville. The bride was Miss Abigail Dickinson, and the groom Mr. George Salisbury. The Rev. William Wolcott performed the ceremony. WESTERN FAIRFIElD. William Cavender settled on his land in the month of March, 1835, and his brother-in-law, Samuel Gregg, built a house on the land Cavender purchased in town eight south, one east, and commenced keeping tavern. That original tavern stood on the site of the present hotel in Canandaigua. Of this enterprise Mr. Gregg says: Mr. Cavender moved on his premises, and in March, 1835, I went there and built me a log house twenty by thirty feet, took my lumber from Adrian, and moved my family Apri1 16th. Soon after I made an addition of twelve feet to one side, for a cook-room and dining-room, and came to Adrian to purchase some groceries--whisky and brandy--and told them I was going to keep tavern. They thought that was a novel idea, and laughed at me, and had their own fun about it. I told them all I wanted of them was to send on the land-lookers; and in June and July I had more customers than I could attend to, frequently from twelve to twenty at a time, and one night thirty-five land-lookers. Francis H. Hagaman, Burns Cavender and Orrin Pixley stood ready at all times, with compass and chart, to pilot the land-lookers to where they could find government land, at a charge of two dollars per day. In less than six months most of the land in the township was purchased, and a large portion by actual settlers. Among the persons who purchased land in town eight south, range one east, in the year 1835, were these, viz,: William M. Woodworth, Feb 2d; Joseph Pixley, March 12th; Henry Barton, Jan. 29th; Thomas Williams, May llth; W. V. J. Mercer and H. Handy, June 15th; Dan B. Miller, July 3Oth; Moses S. Beach, June 2d; William T. Pratt, June 18th; William H. Manning, June 2Oth; Joseph Fellows, June 16th; Calista Budlong and Alfred W. Budlong, Jan. 18th; Thomas Dewey, Aug. 14th; Benjamin C. Durfey, May 25th; Lorenzo G. Budlong, Jan. 18th; Salem T. King, Jan. 22d; Alexander Duncan, July 6th and 22d; Paul Raymond, July 1Oth; Luther Bradish, June 23d; Bartlett R. Bradish, Seth W. Bradish and Charles W. Bradish, June 23d; Jacob Le Roy, Dec. 5th; Samuel Warren, July 3Oth; John D. Sutton and Levi Salisbury, May 29th; H. Edmunds, June lOth; S. Johnson, June 4th; Joseph B. Marry, June 13th; John Martin, Dec. 12th; John L. Bean, May 29th; Samuel Ranger, Jan. 29th; Joseph Hagaman, Feb. lOth; Morris Boughton, April 18th; Henry McCumisky, April 22d; Jonathan N. Pickard, May 7th; Peter Countryman, May 7th; John L. Hall, May 26th; Robert Craven, June 8th; Russell Forsyth, June 29th; Suffrenas Dewey, Jan. 21st; Alexander D. Anderson, Aug. 17th; John Starkweather, March 16th; Simon D. Wilson, June 2d; Richard P. Hunt, July 27th; Alanson Munger, Sept. 18th; John Powers, May 21st; Cornelius DeMott, Oct. 13th; Mary P. Todd, May 27th; Gabriel H. Todd, June 12th; Orphelia B. Hopkins, Jan. 13th; Ruel Thayer, July 11th; John O'Brien, Sept. 8th; George Bennett, July 21st; Joseph Bailey, October 3Oth; William B. Waldron, June 3d; William Walworth, May 22d; James A. Rogers, June lst; John B. Skinner, July 23d; Willard Stevens, Sept. 18th; Seba Murphy, Oct. 3d; John Countryman, May 7th; Amasa P. Converse, May 16th; Christopher H. Stillwell, June 1st; Russell Forsyth, Jan. 29th; James S. Dawes, Sept. 26th; James Murray, Jan. 13th; Martin Millett, Jan. 13th; Chester Savage, Feb. 25th; Rollin R. Hill, May 7th; George Lee, May 22d; Theodore Coburn, June 29th; Lewis Shepardson, May 15th; Noah K. Green, June lst; Thomas Denny, Aug. 14th; Calvin L. Rogers, June 6th; Ephraim Baldwin, June 6th; Cornelius Bayless, Oct. 5th; Hannah Camburn, April 18th; Paul Raymond, June lst; John McVicar, June lst; Alexander Seeley, Oct. 6th; James W. Morris, Dec. 22d; Almon Palmer, Sept. 9th; George W. Brower, Dec. 3d; David Countryman, Dec. 9th; James Hornbeck, July 2Oth; Elkanah Parker, May 19th; Cornelius G. Palmer, May 22d; Lorenzo D. Perkins, June lOth; Justus Cooley, Oct. 29th; E. J. Baldwin, June 2d. In town nine south, one east, Ca]vin King, March 3Oth; Juba S. Palmer, March 31st; Tibbals Baldwin, June 2d; Dennis Wakefield, Aug. 29th; Levi B. Wilder, March l3th; Cornelius G. Palmer, May 22d; Levi Goss, July 11th; E. Barnes, July 7th; Lewis M. Gates, July 14th; Isaiah Townsend and Jabin Townsned, June 29th; William Jones and John Jones, July 14th; David Cross, Jan. 26th; Cornelius G. Palmer, May 22d; Azaph R. Porter, May 22d; Marquis Baldwin, June 2d; Christopher Bush, Jan. 15th; John Gould, Feb. 19th; Jacob TenEyck and Moses C. Baker, Jan. 19th; Uriah E. Wright, May 8th; Peter Burns and Patrick Burns, May 19th; W. Lee, May 22d; Joseph W. Turner, June 8th; Adam S. Sebring, Jan. 9th. In the month of September, 1835, the first sermon was preached by the Rev. William Wolcott, then of Adrian, now a resident of the village of Hudson. The sermon was preached in Gregg's bar-room, on the invitation of Mr. Gregg. In October, 1835, Dr. Increase S. Hamilton settled in Canandagua. The same fall the first school house was built, on the farm of William Cavender. Dr. Hamilton taught the first school in the winter of 1835-6. In the fall of 1835, William Cavender bought the land owned by William Walworth--the site of the Canandaigua mills--and commenced building a saw-mill. It sawed its first lumber April 12th, 1836. In the month of November, 1835, the Rev. William E. Warner settled on section four in town eight south, one east. He had formerly resided in the State of New York; was there a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a local preacher. His large and still increasing family rendered it impossible for him to enter the itinerancy permanently, but for several years he had traveled circuits under the direction of the Presiding Elders thereof. In 1835, feeling the importance of finding a home for his large family, he traded what property he had for Michigan land, never having seen the land or even been in the territory. He came by wagon to Adrian, and there inquiring for the Bean Creek country, was directed to go out on the Territorial road. After several days' travel, he found himself on the Chicago road, north of Devil's Lake. He then turned southward through the forests, and made his way as well as he could towards where he supposed his land to be. After a tedious journey he arrived at the abode of Noah Cressy, on section thirty-two, in town seven south, two miles from his land, on the evening of Sunday, the eighth day of November, 1835. There he found brethren of his own church, for the Brown families had arrived only the Monday previous. A few weeks later he moved into a cabin on his own land. Mr. Warner was one of the most eloquent men this country was ever blessed with. Always ready, he obeyed every call for ministerial services, whether to break the bread of life on a Sunday, or to speak words of consolation to mourning friends on a week day. He had no regular work; he went everywhere, among all classes of people--fearless always, reposing with confidence on the promise, "Lo, I am with you always." His name was a household word among the settlers, from the Chicago road to the Maumee river, from the Raisin eastward to the utmost bounds of the west, as applied to the Bean Creek Valley. As without regular work, so he was without salary. However hard the labor endured in answering the demands for ministerial labor, he always accepted the proffered remuneration, whether it was a silver dollar or a peck of potatoes, with a pleasant smile and a hearty "God bless you." He lived in Medina township for several years, and then removed, about l852, to the township of Ransom, Hillsdale county, where he lived until his death, which occurred about the year 1871. After his removal of Hillsdale county, Mr. Warner united with the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He was a strong Abolitionist, and believed the Methodist Episcopal Church would go to pieces on that question, and that he only preceded by a few years the transfer of the entire body of anti-slavery Methodists to the Wesleyan fold. But, whether Episcopal or Wesleyan Methodist, he always had a word for the Master's cause, which he never failed to deliver with impassioned eloquence. And yet Mr. Warner was not a backwoods preacher; he was possessed of considerable culture, and would have made his mark in polished society. The old man always wrestled with poverty. His responsibilities increased year by year, and with so much time given to others, it was impossible for him to meet them and accumulate property. Some years after he had removed to Ransom, and while his fame as an orator still lingered in the memories of his brother pioneers, he was invited to Hudson to deliver a Fourth of July oration. The messenger found him boiling potash, but he promised to come. He never could say no, when the interests of others required sacrifices on his part. When he appeared on the streets on the morning of the Fourth, his wardrobe was in a sad plight. The Hon. William Baker, a man of large heart and generous impulses, took the matter in hand, and when the order to march was given, the Elder appeared in procession dressed from top to toe in a new suit of clothes. Well were the donors repaid by the fervent eloquence that fell from the old man's lips that day. He always spoke extemporaneously, and as he warmed with his subject, his spirit was lifted to the regions of prophecy, and he portrayed the certain retribution awaiting the nation's sins in words enchanting, yet appalling. The old man lived to see the beginning of the end. After the Rev. Mr. Wolcott's sermon in Gregg's bar-room in September, 1835, Mr. Wolcott continued to preach there once in four weeks during the fall, and a Congregational society was organized, but it soon became extinct. The religious element of the Upton and Gregg settlements was largely of the Baptist order, and on the 29th day of January, 1836, a church was organized under the name and style of "The Baptist Church of Canandaigua." Mr. Cook Hochkiss was Deacon, and Superintendent of the Sunday school. Religious services were held in the school house at Canandaigua. SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD. Comparatively but little land was sold in towns eight and nine south, two east (Seneca), in 1834, but in 1835 many purchases were made, among which were the following: Joseph Griffeth, July 22d; Jacob LeRoy, Sept. 26th and Dec. 5th; Washington Perry, July 25th; Jonathan Marsh, Jr., Sept. 12th; Leeds & Miller, Dec. 5th; Almon Palmer, June 9th; Lucy R. Haywood, Aug. 19th; Edgar Webb, Dec. 12th; Samuel Bean, May 29th; Alexander Duncan, July 6th; Orrin Pixley, Jan. 19th; Ira White, July 6th; James D. Manchester, May 3Oth; Joseph Hagaman, Edgar Webb and Samuel Skinner, July 1Oth; Theron White, Sept. 25th; James S. Kinney, May 26th; David Dunlap, June 13th; Elias Kinney, July 2d; John B. Allen, July 8th; Hiram B. Reed, July 22d; Philemon Newman, June 17th; Cornelius S. Randolph, Nov. 13th; Horatio L. Forbes, June 6th; Thomas Gerrish, Nov. 3d; Robert P. Thompson, Sept.23d; Joseph Ferguson, May 22d; Thomas C. Aldrich, May 25th; James Rogers, June 1st; Hiram Flager, Oct. 15th; Asa Farley, Peter Flughler and Zachariah Flager, Feb. 25th; Benjamin F. Archer, June 29th, Alexander B. Callison, July l6th; Wilmarth Graham, July 18th; Samuel Lammon, Oct. 2lst; John Coddington, Nov. 11th; Joel Shapley, Jan. 15th; Oliver Welch, June 24th; James R. Westcott, June 24th; Lucius Atwood, Aug. 14th; Lyman Wilcox, Nov. 26th; Reuben G. Field and Jesse W. Thayer, Sept. 23d; John W. Eaton, Oct. 2Oth; Richard H. Whitney, Oct. 24th; Cyrus Whiting, Oct. 24th; Erastus C. Woodworth, James Dalton and John Osborn, May 19th; George W. Sparks and George Brown, Sept. 23d; John Halstead, Sept. 3Oth; Norman H. Thurber, Nov. 3d; Oliver Phelps, Nov. 3d; David Price, Russel Forsyth and Mary Lammon, July 3d; Paul Raymond, Nov. 2d; Jeptha Whitman, Oct 6th; Benjamin Hornbeck, May 27th; David Burgess, Dec. 7th; Ezra Cole, Dec. 8th. Town nine south, two east, Joseph R. Williams, Nov. 1Oth; Howland Hagaman, Nov. 14th; Nehemiah Crane and T. Coburn. Mrs. Brower is said to have been the first white woman settler within the present limits of Seneca township. The first child born, which must have been early in 1835, was named Alma Brower. In January, 1835, Judith P. Hayward died. In May, the second day, the first school house in town eight south, two east, was finished. Miss Parson, now Mrs. Miller, still residing in the township of Medina, taught the school that summer, and Simon D. Wilson taught it the next winter. The school house was a log structure, and was situated in the grove just north of Charles B. Wilson's residence. The first saw-mill was built in 1835. WHEATLAND. In the month of January, 1835, Eli Eastman moved into town six south, one west, and built a log house on the land he had entered the year previous. He left the State of New York in 1833, coming to Fairfield, Lenawee county, in November, 1833. Here he spent the winter of 1833-4, and in January, 1835, moved to Wheatland. Before he had the body of his house up, Harvey McGee came in and commenced a settlement on his land. Mr. Eastman names, as living in that township, the following families: Moore, Brown, Knapp, Jackson and Farmer. On the 17th day of March, 1835, the Legislative Council organized towns five, six, seven, eight, nine and fractional ten south, one west, Into a township and named it Wheatland. The first township meeting was held at the house of Thomas Gamble, on the Chicago road. The records of that township meeting are lost, and it is uncertain who were elected to office, but it is believed that Heman Pratt was the supervisor. A large number of persons settled within the territorial limits of the township during the year 1835. In town five south, one west (Somerset), the following were among the settlers: Robert T. Brown, C. M. McLouth, Robert Bilby, Abraham West, Alonzo 01ds, Elijah Slayton, Albert Woods, Leonard Bailey, Elisha Smith, Aaron Van Vleet, Simon H. Baker, Isaac Derby, Alpheus Hill, Albert Parmelee, William Weaver S. Mercer. Mr. Mercer came in the month of October. He bought a yoke of oxen near Detroit, and his two sons--William, a young man, and Andrew, a lad--drove them in. Mr. William Mercer ways there were plenty of taverns on the road then; there were fourteen or fifteen between Clinton and Gambleville. All the old settlers agree that during this year there was an immense travel on the Chicago road. There was no time during daylight that there was not some teams in sight, and usually there was a continual and close procession throughout the whole day. The Chicago road had become pretty well settled, the LaPlaisance Bay road had been completed, and the Adrian Territorial road had been so far completed as to be used to some extent. Mr. Geddes, speaking of the scenes on the LaPlaisance Bay turnpike in 1835, says: "One living on the turnpike to-day can scarcely realize the wonderful changes that have taken place upon that thorughfare since its construction. From 1835 to 1840 there was one continuous procession of movers' wagons. Six four-horse coaches each day ran over the road, loaded with passengers, and all was life and activity. This immense travel of the LaPlaisance Bay road united with the travel from Detroit at Walker's Junction, in the township of Cambridge, and thence westward it was a mighty procession. Among those who purchased lands in town six south, one west (Wheatland), were the following: John L. Johnson, Amos White, Sylvester White, Bartlett Bump, Benjamin Johnson, Stephen L. Gage, Henry S. McQuig, Elijah Gillett, Jr., Albert Vreedenburg, John L. Edmonds, Jonathan Robbins, Lyman Crothers, Samuel Clement, Edwin L. Way, Calvin Carr, Van Rensalaer Conover, Stephen Hoeg, John Bradish, Edson Witherell, Isaiah Straw, Gamaliel Burbank, Darius Douglas, Almon Goff, Zachariah Paddleford, Samuel D. Douglas, Joseph W. Ashley, George Miller, George Whitney, Abel S. Bailey, Nathan P. Colwell, Nathan Whitney, Adam Lull, John McKnight, Joseph Paddleford, Charles Carmichael, Bradford Carmichael, Silas Carmichael, Zebulen Williams, John Bailey, Isaac Lamb, A. N. Martin, James McGee, Simeon P. Gillett, David Currier, Charles H. Tucker, George Nokes, John Penover, Lyman P. Gillett, Edward Lumley, James A. Bissell, Samuel Brown, Hiram Ferguson, Wi lliam Bigelow, Charles Mitchell, Ebenezer Trumbull, Jeremiah Ferguson, Lyman Pease, Ambrose Allen, Levi W. Harrington, Griffin Sweet, Joseph R. Briscoe, Simon Jacobus, Henry Walker, Anthony Ten Eycke, Abram Viel, Fred Van Patten, Charles Osgood, George D. Bradford, Isiah Talmadge, James Wescott, Fifield H. Richardson, Barnard Gregory, Willis Kelley, David Strong, Seymour Van Alstine, Abram Van Alstine, Leonard Bilby, Jesse Elsworth, Cromwell McLouth, Alonzo Olds. Charles Carmichael moved into the township in the month of October, 1835. He left his old home in 1834, and came to Michigan. He tarried about one year a little south of Adrian, and then in October, 1835, came to this township. He came alone and commenced building a house. He boarded with Eli Eastman, who lived in a small, one-roomed log house. There was a large emigration that year, and many land-lookers, and the house was full of people day and night. Mr. Carmichael says Mrs. Eastman kept the table spread all the time, and all were welcome; at night they lodged on the floor, and the floor was covered nightly. Henry Carmichael came December 24th, 1835. He was an unmarried man, and had stopped in Ohio the year previous, when the family were coming through that State on their way to Michigan, and taught school for several months. He entered his land in 1836. During the winter of 1834-35 Stephen Knapp and his boys fenced a part of their wind-fall lands, and in the spring planted eight acres to corn. There were only two log heaps on the eight acres, and it plowed as easily as sward land. Going to mill was no easy task in those days, although they went no farther than Adrian or Tecumseh. From four to five days was the usual time, but Mr. Knapp went to mill once when it took eleven days to make the round trip. While outward bound and waiting for the grinding it rained so hard that bridges were carried off and the causeways submerged; the bridges had to be rebuilt and the causeways repaired before the return trip could be accomplished. Sometime in the summer of 1835 Edmund B. Brown--or Burrows Brown, as he was called--sold out his property in this township and traveled westward. In 1852 he owned a pleasant and valuable farm on the shore of Sand Lake, in St. Joseph county. In the fall of that year, while grinding cider apples, he was bitten by a horse; his arm was so badly mangled that amputation was necessary, but this he refused to have done, and he died. Seaton Hoxie was a justice of the peace, whether appointed by Territorial authority or elected by the people at their first township meeting does not appear. He was not very highly educated, and it was difficult for him to follow the forms of the law, or to understand the necessity or utility of so doing. Being called upon to swear a party to an affidavit in attachment, he put it in these terms: "You swear by G-d that you are afraid of your pay." But this is no more amusing than the performance of that other man, who, seventeen years later, desiring to be sworn to an affidavit, the officer having administered the usual oath,--"you do solemnly swear that the statements set forth in the affidavit by you subscribed are true," pulled off his hat and assuming a grave aspect answered, "Yes, by G-d, I do." Among those who purchased land in town seven south, range one west, during the year 1835, were the following: Samuel Van Fleet, Joseph Webster, John L. Edmonds, George W. Merrick, George Williams, Henry Rose, Stephen Clapp, Peter W. Dean, Joel Alexander, Bowen Whitney, William Edmonds, William Donaldson, Olive Howard, Asa Worden, Warren Day, Charles Howard, Lewis Nickerson, David Strunk, John Williams, Samuel Starkweather, Harvey A. Anderson, Henry Lindenbower, John Osborn, Lewis Woodruff, James Grant, John Perrin, John Berger, Reuben Davis, Samuel Lawrence, Stephen B. Johnson, Elijah K. Blythe, Ira Rose, John B. Broklebank, Elijah B. Seeley, James B. Marry, Joseph Maxon, Reuben Mallory, William H. Davis, Sidney S. Ford, Charles Boyle, Julia Seeley, Michael Stuck, Jr., Theron B. Seeley, Archibald Dunn, Stephen W. Perrin, Israel Smith, Theron Skeel, James Wheeler, Charles Helm, Nathan G. Elliott, Charles Converse, Henry W. Seymour, Charles Spear, Henry Barton, Archiba]d Mercer. In the spring of 1835 Theodore, son of Charles Ames, died. He obtained access to the medicine chest and drank from a vial of wintergreen oil. Rufus Estes was immediately dispatched to Adrian for a doctor, but before the doctor arrived he was dead, having died within twenty-six hours after drinking the oil. On the fourth day of September, 1835, the wife of Henry Ames died at the house of Charles Ames. During her illness she had been removed for convenience of nursing from the house on the Clark Ames farm to the residence of Charles Ames. In the spring of 1835 Mr. Alpheus Pratt set out an orchard of thirty-two trees. These he purchased of Jesse Maxson, who had brought them from the State of New York, and he carried all of them on his back at one time from Jesse Maxson's farm to his own house, a distance of two and one-half miles. He paid eight dollars for the trees, and he says it was all the money he could raise. In the fall of 1835 the citizens of town seven south, one west, met at the house of Alpheus Pratt to consider the propriety of asking the Legis]ature, at its next session soon to be hald, to organize the township. They determined that it woutd be proper to do so, and decided to call the township Dover. The petition was signed by Charles Ames, Jonathan French, John L. Taylor, William B. Ames, Ozen Keith, Daniel Loomis, Elijah B. Seeley, Jesse Kimball, James Sprague, Samuel Day, Robert Worden, Robinson H. Whitehorn, Lewis Gillett and Jesse Smith. In the fall of 1835 Isaac A. Colvin bought a stock of merchandise, a large part of which was whisky and tobacco, and opened a store on the Charles Ames farm. He occupied a small building nearly opposite the large building used as a cheese factory by the late Charles Ames. In 1834 William Ames and Pennock engaged in the shoe business in Adrian, but now William, having closed his business there, was installed chief salesman in "Colvin's grocery." The grocery was the center of attraction of the settlement. The settlers were working very hard felling timber. In all directions the sound of falling timber could be heard--in some directions almost continually; and the grocery was the only place at which to procure the little delicacies of life, such as pipes and tobacco, and the more substantial comforts in the grocery line, and it became the center of traffic. Here the Indians brought their furs and game and exchanged for tobacco and the much used "fire water." Their encampment was at what was then known as the Squawfield, on the little St. Joseph, in the township of Pittsford. This St. Joseph river rises in Hillsdale county, flows southerly, and unites with the Maumee river, and is called on the maps the "St. Joseph of the Maumee," and must not be taken by the reader for that other St. Joseph which takes its rise in the vicinity of the head waters of the first and flows westward into Lake Michigan. Their chief, Meteau, his sone John (Indian John the settlers called him) acting as interpreter, was their principal trafficker. He carried the purse of the tribe. They would have nothing to do with paper currency--their medium of exchange was silver only, which they called shuniah. Having disposed of their articles they would purchase their bags full of corn and turnips, and such other articles as they needed, not for once forgetting the indispensable whisky, and then return to camp. William kept a bottle standing on the shelf, from which he dealt out the whisky by the drink to those who only wanted that quantity at a time. One day Meteau came alone to make the purchases of the tribe, and having learned William's ways, walked up to where the bottle stood and waited for his drink. The bottle and tumbler were set down; he turned out a tumbler full, paid his six cents, and drank his whisky. He sat down and smoked for a long time, and then walking up, repeated the operation, again taking a tumbler full, and retiring to enjoy his pipe. William was alone and he began to fear that the Indian meant mischief, for becoming intoxicated he might also become quarrelsome. In such an event the Indian would have much the advantage, for he was armed with two large knives and a large cavalry pistol. Meteau came up for a third drink. William tried to make him understand that it would take him down. The Indian, evidently understanding William's fears, and determined on getting his drink, said, "Give whisky, marche quick," thereby meaning if William would give him another drink he would go away. William gave him the drink, but the Indian did not seem disposed to go home. William stepped up to him and told him to go away home. Meteau, saying "I shoot you," drew his pistol and pointed it at William, who quickly struck it with his hand, and throwing the muzzle upward the ball passed over his head; then fearing that he would draw his knife, William closed in, and after a severe struggle succeeded in throwing him on the floor, where he held him until he became so drunk he could not help but lie still. William then disarmed him and drew him forth to rest upon the snow without. Henry Ames in the meantime coming in, as soon as Meteau could stand they filled his bag with corn and turnips and started him home; but he only went a little way, built a fire on Pennock's place, the Finney farm, and sat down in the snow all night. In the morning he returned to the grocery and asked for his pistol. Ames told him he must "marche quick"--he tried to shoot William, and he could not 'have it. In about a week he returned and laid upon the counter a nicely dressed twenty-four pound wild turkey. William walked up and laid down a twenty-five cent piece and said, "Swap?" Meteau, smiling, said, "Very good." William sat the bottle down, they drank and smoked together, the feud was healed and they were friends; and William was duly installed the Indian trader for squawfield, which arrangement continued until the Indians were removed west. Soon after this settlement with Meteau, Bawbeese and some other Indians came to Colvin's grocery for more whisky. William told them if he sold them whisky and they did any damage he was liable to be fined twenty-five dollars. They plead so hard, and so faithfully promised to do no harm, William gave them some to drink. Then they wanted some to carry to a sick squaw. A half pint was given them for that purpose, but it has always been supposed that the squaw got well without it. The next morning a man came in and reported that the Indians, passing Mr. Barrett's house just as his supper was ready, gathered round the table and ate every bit of it, and as they evidently had been drinking they were supposed to have obtained their liquor at Colvin's grocery. But William, with that innocence of expression and apparently honest appearance which have not yet forsaken him, professed entire ignorance of any such transaction, and the matter passed off without investigation. An Indian died near the present residence of Bishop Ames, and the Indians buried him near by in a sitting posture. They prepared a grave of such a depth that in a sitting position hls head would be one foot below the surface of the ground. After placing him in the grave they repaired to Colvin's grocery to obtain a bottle of whisky for the dead Indian to carry with him to the hunting grounds of the Great Spirit. William's theological training being at that day rather deficient, he told them the Indian did not need it; but they insisting, William filled a half pint bottle and repaired with them to the grave. They placed the bottle in the dead Indian's hand and covered him to the chin with earth, and covered the grave over with bark. They then commenced a mournful howl, which continued for some time, and then saying "Haukebe,"--gone to sleep,-- they left him to pursue his journey alone. Whisky was sold for thirty-eight cents a gallon at the Colvin's grocery, but if we may judge from the following story told of Father Alpheus Pratt, it contained quite as much spring water as corn juice. The story, for the truth of which we will not vouch, runs as follows: In mid-winter Alpheus Pratt and Samuel Day prepared to go to mill. Alpheus having some knowledge of the effect of frost upon human bodies, provided himself with a pint of Colvin's whisky, which he hid in one of his bags. When two-thirds, perhaps, of the journey had been accomplished and they had wearied themselves whipping arms and stamping feet, Pratt slapped Day upon the shoulder, saying, Well, neighbor Day, let's take something to warm us up." "Have you anything?" asked Mr. Day. "Certainly," said Mr. Pratt; "I have some of Colvin's best whisky, and it will send the blood tingling through our benumbed limbs and give us courage for the journey." While talking, he had undone the bag and produced the bottle. His changed looks told the story--the whisky had frozen solid. A Dutchman named Johnson occupied the house on William Ames' farm. He had been having the ague so long he had been shaken nearly to death, without being able to seriously disturb it by all the means known to the early settlers. One night a bear that would weigh between two and three hundred pounds thrust his paw through the glass of the window, with a savage growl that scared the Dutchman gray and effectually cured him of the ague. To use his expression, "scared it out of him." A laughable, yet serious, incident occurred among a party of hunters during the fall of early part of the winter. Jesse Smith and his son William Smith were hunting in company, and Thomas Lewin was out by himself. While Jesse was sitting beside a log he was espied by Thomas, peering through the brush, and mistaken for a turkey. Thomas blazed away, putting a bullet through Mr. Smith's arm just below the shoulder. The old man's cries discovered to Thomas his mistake; he assisted him home and then went for Dr. Hall, who lived near Devil's Lake, to dress the wound. When everything had been done to make the patient comfortable, Thomas returned home. His father had heard of the adventure, told Thomas he should hunt no more, and demanded a surrender of the gun. Thomas did not surrender unconditionally. A struggle for the possession of the rifle ensued, during which it was discharged, the ball inflicting a flesh wound in the old man's arm, passed through the chamber floor. Thomas succeeded in keeping possession of the gun and made good his escape to the woods. On the second day of January, 1836, Mr. John Griswold and family, then late of Ontario county, New York, arrived at the house of William Frazee, on the southwest corner of section nineteen, Hudson, where William Ocobock now lives. They had made the journey by team and wagon, at first coming to Adrian, thence to Canandaigua, I west on the town line (as near as roads then ran on lines) to the county line, and thence northerly to Mr. Frazee's residence. Mr. Griswold found only the following houses on his route from Canandaigua, viz: That of Mr. J. R. Foster, near the present Tiffin mills, Elder Warner, near the northwest corner of section four, Medina, and Whitbeck, on town line, half mile east of the west line of the towns. The family stayed with Mr. Frazee until Monday morning,--the day of their arrival being Saturday,--when they removed to the house of Ira Rose, where they remained until a log house could be built. Before coming, Mr. Griswold had purchased the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section twenty-four, town seven south, one west, of John B. Brocklebank, who had entered it the year previous. Here, now, Mr. Griswold built a log house, into which he moved his family a few weeks later. On this place, just beyond the southwest corner of the village of Hudson, he lived more than thirty-five years. He died April 17th, 1874, aged eighty-seven years. Mrs. Griswold preceded him about two years, having died April 8th, 1872. January eighth the village of Keene was platted by Charles Ames. The village was all on the farm lately owned by him in the township of Pittsford. As has before been remarked in these pages, persons desiring to find homes, and land speculators as well, were very active during the year 1835. In this one year nearly all the land in the present townships of Seneca, Medina and Wright was purchased of the Government. Among the persons who purchased land in town eight south, one west, were these, viz: On section 4--Gates, Lothrop & Olney, Lewis H. Gates and Charles Converse, Feb. 15th; N. Bryant, Nov. 4th; David Short, Nov. 16th. Section 5--Lewis Gates, July 15th; Mary Marshal and Royal Raymond, Nov. 3d; John M. Lickley, Nov. 7th; David Short, Nov. 16th. Section 6--Christopher Clement, Oct. 17th; Royal Raymond, Nov. 3d; Wilber Ames, Nov. 7th. Section 7--Jonathan Howland, Oct. 24th; Samuel Miller, Nov. 2d; Stephen Thorn and S. D. Daken, Nov. 9th. Section 8--Michael Lickley, Nov. 7th; Moses Moore, Nov. 9th; Stephen Thorn, James Sager and James Thorn, Nov. lOth. Section 9--Lewis M. Gates, July 15th; John B. Skinner, July 31st; David Short, Nov. 16th. Section lO--Lewis M. Gates, July 15th; John B. Skinner, July 23d; A. S. Berry, Nov. 12th. Section ll--Alexander Duncan, July 6th. Section 12--Job S. Littlefield, June 26th; Alexander Duncan, July 6th; Asa D. Reed, July 18th; Thomas C. Sawyer, Sept. 3Oth; William Cavender and Arthur Lucas, Oct. 7th. Section 13--Alexander Duncan, July 6th; Thomas C. Sawyer, Sept. 29th. Section 14-- Alexander Duncan, July 4th; Hiram Lucas, Oct. 7th; A. J. Comstock, Dec. 26th. Section 15--Nathaniel Silsbee, July 3Oth; Samuel Coman, Oct. 7th. Section 17 Isaac M. Sturgis, Nov. 9th; Stephen Thorn, J. Sawyer, Nov. lOth; Nathan Birdsall, Dec. 12th. Section 18--David Short, Nov. 16th. Section 2O--Joseph R. Williams, Nov. lOth; Jane Shute, Nov. 26th. Section 21--Joseph R. Williams. Section 22-- Alexander Duncan, July 6th; Joshua Tompkins, July 18th; Samuel Coman, Oct. 7th. Section 23--Alexander Duncan, July 6th; William Tappenden, July 9th; William Raleigh, Oct.27th. Section 24--William Tappenden, July 7th; Alexander Duncan, July 21st. Section 25--Thomas Smith, July 9th; Benjamin F. Bown, Dec. lOth. Section 26--Thomas Smith, July 9th; Henry P. Gardener, Oct. 27th. Section 27--Langford G. Berry, Nov. 12th. Section 29--Charles H. Conall, Oct. 2Oth; Jane Shute, Nov. 26th. Section 31-- Charles H. Conall entered entire section Oct. 2Oth. In the spring and summer of 1835 Mrs. Hiram Lucas, then a resident of the village of Adrian, wrote her father, Samuel Coman, then residing at or near Rome, in the State of New York, such glowing descriptions of the emigrants. Eldorado-- the Bean Creek Country--that he resolved to move Westward. He wrote his son Russell, then residing in Dearborn county, Indiana, to meet him at Adrian on such a day in the