Military History for Fremont, Fremont, Tuscola, Michigan Copyright © 1998 by . 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. ___________________________________________________________________ MILITARY HISTORY On the 12th day of April, 1860, Fort Sumpter was fired upon by order of General Beauregard, and the key-note for war was sounded. Shortly after the president's proclamation sounded to the four corners of the country asking for aid. Nor was Fremont backward in answering to the many patriotic calls that were made to the young men of the country. With a population then of not more than forty-two or forty-three persons liable for military duty, the township furnished as volunteers (most of whom went in the Twenty-third Michigan Infantry), twenty-one men of the nerve and sinew of the then struggling township - almost one half of the men at that time liable for military duty. Their names are historical, and must be mentioned here because they are honored heroes. The most of them fought with Sherman in his victorious march to the sea. Their names are: William Wells, Asa Foote, Alford Tripp, Allison Bryant, Lanson Bryant, William Graubner, Leonard Fox, F. H. Kitchen, Eli Brooks, John Turner, William Turner, Elisha Kitchen, Welcome Innman, John Schermerhorn, George Shultz, Peter Lauber, Gustavus A. Frenzel, David Butricks, Samuel Bessey and Shaw and W. C. Schermerhorn. Of these twenty-one men who went forth at the call of the president, nine paid the tribute with their lives, and their graves, if unknown, are hollowed by the thought that they died heroes battling for their country and its flag. The names of those who fell are: William Wells, Alford Tripp, John Schermerhorn, Asa Foote, Welcome Innman, Lanson Bryant, Elisha Kitchen, Peter Lauber and Walter Schermerhorn. The first mail route was from Lapeer to Vassar through Fremont once a week and Ezra Tripp was postmaster. The route was established in 1860, and a man by the name of Hays was the first person to carry the mail through the township. At about the same time Ezra Tripp opened a small grocery store on section 34, and was the first person engaged in the mercantile business. In the year 1864 a hotel was opened on section 30, known as Kelley's Tavern, now Juniata Station, and was the first house opened for the public. The first death of a native resident was a child of James Mead, but I have been so unfortunate as not to gain the date thereto. I have been waiting patiently and earnestly to be able to recount the marriage of a born resident, but up to this moment, I believe that happy circumstance has not arrived. Alas! for natural progress of our beautiful township. The first steam engine brought into and used in the township was that of Rosell and Rosenberger on section 27 about the year 1866. Farming and stock raising has been the chief product of the township, though in former years large amounts of pine were handled. The first church built in this township was on the northwest quarter of northeast quarter of section 28, and was dedicated on the 15th day of September, of 1867, by Presiding Elder Miller, and was named the Zion's Church of the Evangelical Association of North America. The first Fourth of July celebration occurred in the year 1862 on section 27, at the quarterly meeting of the Methodist Protestant Church. The orator was John Leach, presiding elder of the circuit. Politically speaking, the township of Fremont is Republican, and has ever been so. Four years ago at the presidential election it cast 128 Republican votes and no Democratic, and was known as the banner town through the Republican papers of the State for that year. We claim now over 900 inhabitants, and have 180 registered voters. RECAPITULATION 1855 April 27, James Wells settled: the first settler: the first house built April 28, 1855. 1856 C. B. Mills, first minister, April 9, 1856; preached first sermon April 21, 1856; June 22, Cynthia Mills first child born. 1857 January 6, township organized. April 4, first church society formed, C. B. Mills, pastor; same spring William Hamilton married; first marriage; November 28, first deed made, Anderson to Schermerhorn. 1858 January 21, L. C. Schermerhorn died; the first death; first school-house built, school taught by Margarette Kinney, 1859 First saw-mill built on Houghton Creek by William Hamilton. 1860 First postmaster and grocery, Ezra Tripp. 1861-62 Twenty-one soldiers enlisted, nine of whom died. 1863 First Fourth of July celebration. 1865 First house built in Mayville by H. K. Crittenden. 1866 Hotel and store built by Tubbs & Coffeen. 1867 Coffeen's store burned late in December, 1867. German Church dedicated September 15, 1867. 1870 March 31, village platted. 1870 Methodist Episcopal Church built. 1872 November 1, grist-mill burned, owned by Horace Fox. 1873 June 19, Great conflagration in the village. 1876 First centennial celebration. 1881 Railroad finished September, 1881. Copyright Bonnie J. Petee July 1998 dz