First Settlement of Indian Fields, Tuscola County, Michigan

Copyright © 1998 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for use in 
the USGenWeb Archives.  

 

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INDIAN FIELDS

Taken from The History of Tuscola County,Biographical Sketches and 
Illustrations, H. R. Page Co., Chicago, 1883. Thanks to Bonnie Petee.

FIRST SETTLEMENT

The first settlers of the town of Indian Fields were Charles Stuck, 
Isaac Crane, Walter Holmes, Orville Williams, Oliver Dickinson, Elonza 
Bigelow, Daniel Dopking, Franklin Fairman, Samuel P. Sherman, Amos 
Andrews, Sr., David H. Andrews, Leman Andrews, William A. Heartt, and 
David Gamble.

Mr. David H. Andrews speaks of the early operations as follows:

"In the year 1851, November 12th, Charles Stuck, of Ypsilanti, Mich., 
came to this town and commenced on section 20, the northwest quarter, 
to build a house for himself, being aided by Samuel Barlow, who came 
with him.  On the 15th of November of the same year Daniel Dopking 
arrived, Mrs. Dopking being the first white woman in this town.  The 
roads being very bad and teams hard to get, Mr. Stuck on the 17th of 
November made a raft and went to Vassar for the purpose of rafting 
lumber up the Cass River to his place.  On the 18th he started up the 
river with his lumber, but soon found it to be up-hill business, and 
was obliged to abandon the undertaking.  Simon Caster, wife and child 
and brother, came on the 20th of November, 1851, Mrs. Caster being the 
second white woman in the town."

"On January 3, 1852, Mr. Stuck resumed his work on the house which he 
had previously commenced, this time proving successful."

"In 1853 William A. Heartt formed a partnership with Mr. Stuck, and 
notwithstanding the many difficulties under which they were obliged to 
labor, succeeded in building a mill and making various other 
improvements which none but energetic pioneers could have accomplished.  
Mr. Heartt afterward bought Mr. Stuck's interest, and remains 
proprietor of the place at the present time.  Being an enterprising 
man, he has been a great help in opening up and settling the township 
and surrounding country.  It will not be necessary to relate the trials 
of the early settlers, for none but the pioneers can realize them."

"The first death among the actual settlers was that of Amos Andrews, 
Sr., who was away on business in Ohio, where he died on the 31st of 
August, 1853, aged seventy-two years.  He purchased his land in 1850, 
it being the north half of section 18, in the town of Indian Fields."

"The first marriage was Orville Williams to Amanda Bigelow, the 
ceremony being performed by Isaac Crane, justice of the peace."

"The first minister sent by conference was T. J. Joslin, a Methodist, 
who formed a society of eight members.  The names of the members of 
the class were D. H. Andrews and wife, Leman Andrews, G. Kile, Henry 
Russell, Mrs. Hiller and David Kesler and wife."


POSTOFFICES

The first postoffice in the present town of Indian Fields was at 
Wahjamega, established in 1859; the next was Tuscola Center, 
established at Centerville in 1866.  A history of each is given on 
another page.





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