Civil History of Ellington, Tuscola County, Michigan Copyright © 1998 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ___________________________________________________________________ Contributed by Bonnie J. Petee. Extracted from, "The History of Tuscola, Michigan", H. R. Page and Co., Chicago, 1883. ELLINGTON CIVIL HISTORY The town of Ellington was organized by the board of supervisors at a meeting held December 31, 1855. The territory comprised townships 13 and 14 north, of ranges 10 and 11 east, under the jurisdiction of Almer. The names signed to the petition are as follows, being of freeholders of the townships to be organized; Eliot Burnett, A. P. Cooper, William Wilcox, Simeon Botsford, Inman J. B. McKenney, William Robinson, W. Goodsell, W. John, James Andrews. J. M. Dodge, Joseph White, W. C. Beach, P. Higley, Jonathan White, J. A. White. At a meeting of freeholders, inhabitants of township 13 north, of ranges 10 and 11 east, held at the house of Simeon Botsford Dec. 19, 1855, for the purpose of selecting a name for the town; Simeon Botsford being moderator and William R. Robinson clerk, on motion of Wm. C. Beach the name of "Eden" was selected by an unanimous vote. Simeon Botsford was chosen delegate to represent the town before the board of supervisors, and he was directed, if the supervisors would not grant the name selected, to then apply for the name of "Paradise." It appears, however, that neither name met the approval of the board, as the name "Ellington" was selected. The first town meeting was held April 7, 1856, at the house of Simeon Botsford. Simeon Botsford, William C. Beach and William R. Robinson, having been appointed by the board of supervisors inspectors of election, the meeting was organized by the appointment of William C. Beach, moderator, and Elijah S. White, assistant clerk. The polls were opened at ten o'clock and closed one hour at noon, and finally closed at three o'clock and fifteen minutes. The result of the election was as follows: Supervisor, Inman J. B. McKenney by a majority of two; town clerk, Simeon Botsford, by a majority of four; treasurer, Benjamin W. White by a unanimous vote of twenty-four; justices of the peace, Hugh F. Cooper by a majority of twenty-three, William R. Robinson, nineteen, Joseph M. Dodge, fifteen, Jonathan White, fifteen; school inspectors, Inman J. B. McKenney twenty-two, Elijah S. White twenty-two; commissioners of highways, Joseph M. Dodge for three years by a majority of twenty-three, Benjamin W. White for two years by a majority of twenty-three, William Edger for one year by a majority of twenty-three; constables, Alexander Cooper by a majority of nineteen, Jonathon A. White by a majority of nineteen, James Andrews by a majority of twenty-two and Elijah S. White by a majority of twenty-four; directors of the poor, Simeon Botsford by a majority of twenty-two, Inman J. B. McKenney by a majority of twenty-two. It is recorded that upon the same day the ballot box in use was presented to the town by the inspectors of election. The meeting further voted unanimously to raise $200 for highway purposes, and $130 for incidental purposes. It was moved by James Andrews as a by-law that swine should not be free commoners from the tenth of May. The vote being by the usual sign there was a dispute as to the result, and on a division of the house, the motion was lost. The terms of the justices being determined by lot, William R. Robinson was chosen for four years, Joseph M. Dodge for three years, Hugh F. Cooper for two years and Jonathon White for one year. The report of the town treasurer for the year 1856 was as follows: Treasurer's Report 1856 Dr. For roads, raised by vote of town - $200.00 Incidental Expenses - $130.00 Road Tax on non-residents - $443.20 Mill taxes for library and school -$68.77 Rejected tax re-assessed - $70.00 Total - $911.97 Added to this is four percent for collecting - $48.24 Also for State and County tax - $292.64 Also, if all is collected, an excess of taxes - $51.51 Total - $1,311.36 To this should be added for building of school-house in District No. 1, and to come out of excess of tax - $27.37 Total - $1,338.73 All of which was covered by receipts, orders of cash on hand The first meeting of the town board appears to have been held May 8, 1856, at the house of Simeon Botsford, the only business transacted being the appointment of Wm. C. Beach as highway commissioner, to fill vacancy for one year. At the town meeting held April 7, 1857, it was voted to raise $500 for highway purposes and $150 for incidental expenses. In April, 1859, the electors of the town voted to raise $250 for highway purposes, $125 for contingent expenses, and to appropriate one half of the two mil tax to the purchase of a town library. The vote on the question of township or district library, was fourteen for town and twelve for district. The appearance of small-pox in various parts of the county is indicated by a meeting of the board of health Nov. 21, 1859, and arrangements made for vaccination, for the expense of which it was voted to raise a tax of $50. At the town meeting held April 2, 1860, $25 of the two mill tax was appropriated to the purchase of a library, $500 for highways and bridges and $150 for incidental expenses. The year 1860 appears to have been a fruitful one, in town meetings. On account of local differences several special meetings were held but no action taken which changed the results of the annual meeting. At the annual town meeting April 6, 1863, it was voted that $150 should be raised to refund the bounty of volunteers: $700 was voted for highways. At a meeting of the town board of Almer and Ellington, Dec. 23, 1863, it was agreed that $300 should be raised for each volunteer procured in those townships or drafted, the question to be submitted to a vote of the people at a special election; Almer to raise $660 and Ellington $540. The election was held in Ellington Jan. 9, 1864, and there were nine votes cast, all in favor of raising the money. The tax roll for 1863 was as follows: State tax - $81.28 County tax - $521.12 Non-resident highway - $290.00 Township highway - $700.00 Military bounty - $150.00 Contingent fund - $194.43 School District No. 1 - $46.24 Two mill tax District No. 1 - $16.60 School District No. 2, contingent - $24.00 Two mill tax District No. 2 - $20.54 Mill tax unorganized territory - $46.31 Collector's fees - $83.63 Total - $2,174.15 At a special town meeting held March 3, 1864, the total number of votes cast being nine, it was decided by a vote of eight to one to raise a bounty of $100 for each volunteer under the last call of the President or any future call. In 1864 at the annual town meeting an ordinance was passed restraining swine from running at large; $1,000 was voted for highways. The total number of votes at this election was thirty-eight. The vote on removal of county seat from Vassar to Wahjamega was thirty-eight in favor, none against. The board of health met June 10, 1865, and to prevent the spread of small-pox, ordered all schools and public meeting stopped, and to stop travel on certain roads. The number of votes cast in 1866 was fifty-five, showing a material increase. It is evident that not every man owned a dog, for the list of taxable canines is but twenty-one. The number of votes at annual town meeting in 1868 was sixty-six. Four years later it was seventy-two. In 1871 provision was made for a bridge over Cass River by an appropriation of $500. In 1872 $200 was appropriated for the purchase of a burial ground. The town of Ellington appears to have kept the even tenor of its way, nothing of particular moment appearing in the records. The last report of the treasurer February 16, 1883, shows debits to the town of Ellington as follows: State Tax - $339.01 County - $678.02 Contingent fund - $300.00 To pay outstanding orders - $125.00 General highway tax, 1882 - $150.00 Non-resident highway tax - $150.40 School District No. 1 - $290.95 Ellington and Elmwood Fractional No. 2 - $174.93 Ellington and Elmwood Fractional No. 6 - $9.20 Ellington and Alma Fractional No. 3 - $140.65 Dog tax - $62.00 Received from Elmwood - $72.65 Received from Alma - $79.24 Excess of roll - $13.74 Received from W. Ostrander, April 1882 - $546.42 Total - $3,304.64 Principal school money - $255.44 Library money - $6.38 Board of health money - $8.00 Total - $3,574.46 Credits: Orders returned - $3,444.44 Orders remaining on hand - $130.02 Total - $4,574.46 At the last annual meeting, held April 2, 1883, the whole number of votes cast was 109. The money voted for township purposes was $300 for contingent fund and $150 for general highway purposes. SCHOOL MATTERS September 11, 1856, the school inspectors of the town of Ellington organized a school district consisting of sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, township 13, range 10: and south half of sections 32 and 33, township 14, range 10, to be known as District No. 1. At the first annual meeting of the district, Waterman Goodsell offered a site for a school-house in the west half of northwest quarter of section 9, township 13, range 10, which was accepted. It was voted to raise $25 for material for a school-house; that a three months school be had, beginning January 1st, and that the school officers employ a woman teacher. Miss Myra Selden, now Mrs. John Johnson of Vassar, was employed, and the following winter taught the first school in Ellington, in a small log building, near where the village now is. >From the annual school report of the town of Ellington for the year ending September 4, 1882, the following facts were obtained: Directors for the ensuing year, V. W. Mallory, B. F. Eayrs and Joseph W. Crea. The number of districts is three, one whole and two fractional, with one brick, and two frame school-houses. Whole number of children of school age, 222; number attending school during the year, 173. ELLINGTON VILLAGE This is an unincorporated village, situated near Cass River, in section 8, town of Ellington. The first house was built by Simeon Botsford. About 1864 Darius H. Gould built the house now occupied by Ozias Hutchinson, and started a general merchandise store. This was the nucleus of the village of Ellington, or Ellington Corners. While lumbering operations were brisk on the Cass River, Ellington was prosperous, and drew trade and travel from a large extent of the country. The lumber supply having resulted in the establishment of other markets, the trade of Ellington has gradually narrowed. It has now two stores, seven or eight houses, a Methodist Episcopal Church and other buildings. The postoffice was established about 1861, and located a mile from the present village, with I. J. B. McKenney, as postmaster. About 1865 it was moved to the "Corners," and Ozias Hutchinson was appointed postmaster, which office he has held ever since, with the exception of one year, in 1878,'79. The office receives two mails a day by stage from Caro and Cass City. dz