History of Kingston, 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. _____________________________________________________________________ Taken from The History of Tuscola County, Biographical Sketches and Illustrations, H. R. Page Co., Chicago, 1883. Thanks to Bonnie Petee. Town of Kingston This town occupies the middle position in the eastern tier of towns of Tuscola County, having Sanilac County as its eastern boundary, the town of Novesta on the north, Wells on the west and Koylton on the south. The Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin R. R., passes through the township from north to south. The town takes its name from Alanson K. King, one of its first setters. At a meeting of the board of supervisor held October 10, 1860, a resolution was adopted, ordering that township 12 north, of range 11 east, be erected into a township to be known and designated by the name of Kingston. The first township meeting was held at the house of Alanson K. King. The petition was signed by the following freeholders in the township: Jacob Shaw, Alvin Watson, Henry Hatherby, W. B. King, P. L. King, Oscar Watson, Alexander G. Corbet, David Fuller, J. L. Hatherby, M. Vites, G. Meidlein, Thomas Whitfield, A. K. King and G. R. Nelson. The first town meeting was held at the house of Jacob Shaw, April 1, 1861, when the following officers were elected: viz: supervisor, A. W. King; clerk, Oscar Watson; treasurer, P. L. King; justices, George Nelson and J. L. Hatherby; commissioners of highways, George Nelson, H. E. Hatherby and W. B. King; school inspectors, A. K. King and George Nelson; constables, A. K. King, H. E. Hatherby, W. B. King and Jacob Shaw. Early Settlement In the fall of 1857 William Walker settled in section 35 and built a log house, and in December following moved his family in. He came from Canada, and cut his road through the woods from a point on what is now the Almont and Cass River State road, in Sanilac County, to his house, a distance of about five miles. He remained until the following June, when he returned to Canada, coming back again in 1871. Alanson King, with his son, Philo L., took up the south half of section 32, in the fall of 1857. In January, 1858, they came in and built a log house, and on the 5th of March, following, Mr. King moved in his family. They came from Ohio and stayed with George Green in Dayton from January until March. In coming in they cut their own road for four miles to their home. They remained there until the winter of 1861-'62, when they removed to Juniata, returning to Kingston in 1870. In the fall of 1857 Thomas Constable bought the southwest quarter of section 21. In the fall of 1858 he did some chopping on his land, and in December, 1860, moved in with his family. Jacob Shaw with his family settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 34 in the fall of 1858. In the spring of 1859 came Alvin Watson, and in the fall of the same year his brother Oscar Watson. Joseph L. Hatherby took up the east half of northwest quarter of section 34, in 1858, and in December, of the same year, moved in. First Churches Henry E. Hatherby moved into the town in 1859, and in 1860 George Nelson and W. B. King. In the spring of 1860 came Elder Burgess; commenced preaching at once, and organized a class of the Methodist Church. He continued preaching until the fall of 1861, when he moved away. These were the first religious services in the town, and the commencement of the Methodist Episcopal Church here. From the fall of 1861 to this spring of 1863 there was no preaching in the town. Then Elder E. J. Doyle, a Free-will Baptist minister, commenced preaching here, and continued to preach in the vicinity for ten years. January 2, 1865, Rev. George Lee, preacher in charge of North Branch Circuit, appointed the following trustees, viz: Thomas Constable, Samuel Youngs, Alvin Watson, Oscar Watson, and Henry Seaman, to be described, known and incorporated as "The Kingston Board of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church." The first white child born in the town was George Shaw, the son of Jacob Shaw. His birth was on the 21st of February, 1860. The first death in the town was the young daughter of Joseph L. Hatherby. Her death was in September, 1860. October 6, 1862, Oscar Watson and Sarah Youngs were married by the bride's father, Samuel Youngs, J. P., this being the first wedding in the town. First School The first school district was organized May 14, 1864, and the first school was taught by Miss Crawford in the summer of 1865. The first school-house was built in 1865, and the first school taught in it was by C. Depew, in 1866. Provisions The early settlers in this region had to go to Wahjamega, Vassar, or Lapeer, to get their milling done, or else do their grinding by hand. Many of the first settlers had to pack in their provisions on a blazed trail from Wahjamega, Vassar, or some other point outside. Jacob Shaw was the great packer of the region. He packed fourteen bushels of potatoes from Dayton to his place, a distance of about ten miles. He would start with one bag on his shoulder and another under his arm, and carry them until he was tired; then drop one and carry the other some distance, returning for the first and bringing it up to the other; then carry the two for a while, and so on until he reached home. At one time he supplied a camp of seventeen men, on Sucker Creek, with provisions from Wahjamega, a distance of ten miles, making the trip every day, and carrying fifty pounds of flour and fifty pounds of pork at a load. The only roads through then were trails through the woods, impassable for a team much of the time. First Mail Route The first mail route through this section of country was established in 1857, from Vassar to Port Sanilac, about seventy miles, and back once in two weeks. George Sorter, of Wells, was the first carrier; but in 1858 A. K. King took the route, and he and his two sons carried the mails for several years. It was a hard and lonesome route most of the way through the woods. In many places for a long way it was simply a blazed trail, without any settlers near; some of the way through swamps, where they would have to wade in water up to their arm-pits, holding the mail bag above the head; and in some seasons breaking the ice before them. Mr. King carried the mail, and provisions for his family, from Vassar, twenty six miles. Most of the supplies for his family were brought in, in this way, on his back. Mr. King died September 4, 1878, at the age of sixty-eight years. He left a family of seven children, all settled in comfortable homes. His wife preceded him in death nearly two years. Copyright Bonnie Petee March 1998 dz