THE VILLAGE OF TUSCOLA, Tuscola County, Michigan

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

 

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THE VILLAGE OF TUSCOLA

In the spring of 1848, Col. John H. Richardson and his brother, Dr. Paschal Richardson, 
arrived in Tuscola.  They found ten or eleven families in this part of the county.  
There were the saw-mill, tannery, and the dam across the river.  This about completes 
an invoice of the population and industries of the county at that time.

A RETROSPECT

Col. Richardson furnishes us with a retrospective view, as follows:

"In the spring of 1838, I landed in Tuscola County, with the expectation of making my 
future home here.  I arrived in the spring, and found a small band of farmers struggling
to make themselves comfortable.  That little band consisted of about nine families; 
they had chosen their locations and had made some improvements, little patches of corn 
and wheat and potatoes.  They seemed to enjoy the life of the pioneer.  All seemed 
happy in the avocations, and appeared very much interested in the arrival of strangers 
from the outside world; were full of hospitality and were very anxious that strangers 
should know of the wealth and see some of the beauties of this county.  I confess I was 
completely captivated by their friendly interest and the undeveloped beauties which 
surrounded me.  Looking up toward the tops of the tall forest trees, such as oak, the 
sugar maple and the pine, all so useful and so plenty in this county at that early day, 
I found almost everything so different from what had been represented to me when I 
first landed in Detroit.  The representation made to me at that time was, a cold and 
barren soil, fit for no one but Indians, half-breeds and trappers.  I was happily 
disappointed in not finding moss on the bodies of the trees from top to bottom, and the 
lower branches touching the ground.  I found the early settlers of the county most 
beautifully located upon the banks of the Cass River, upon good, clay loam soil, with 
every prospect of securing a competence.  I became satisfied, after a few days 
prospecting, that I could not do better than select my location and commence operations.
I immediately did so, and then wrote on for my friends to come, and they kept coming, 
one after another; and they had some friends and would send for them; and so the number 
of families kept increasing, and has continued to do so until now. The forest trees 
kept disappearing before the sturdy arms of the pioneer, and beautiful orchards of 
mixed fruits and waving fields have taken their place."

"And so Tuscola County of 1848, with its new developed resources, its dark woods, its 
bridle paths, and Indian trails, and log cabins, has passed away, and now beautiful 
villages, palatial dwellings, broad and rich fields of wheat, oats, and corn, and most 
of the different varieties of fruit, enough for home consumption, and a large amount 
yearly for export, leaving good profits in the hands of the operators, is the 
recompense of the inhabitants of Tuscola County."

"Tuscola County was attached to Saginaw County for judicial purposes, and remained so 
until 1850, when an act of the legislature was passed, organizing Tuscola County, where 
there was but one organized town and that was the township of Tuscola.  About that time 
Messrs. North & Edmunds located at Vassar, and commenced building mills; and the 
inhabitants commenced settling around them, coming in on the trail of the little band 
located on the banks of the Cass River, at Tuscola.  And so from the few inhabitants 
of 1848 and 1850, Tuscola County has advanced to its present position, having in 1880, 
according to the census, a population of upward of 25,000.  Not only has the face of 
the country been improved, but the stock has changed for the better in as great a ratio 
as our farms.  When we look to 1848 we see the cattle running in the woods with the 
tinkling bell upon their necks.  A small ox, sometimes a pair of bulls or a steer and a 
heifer yoked together constituted the teams of the county.  The hogs running half wild, 
with jewels hanging to their chops and necks, constituted the pork family. Compare the 
past with the present: then the rude log cabin, now the stately mansion: then the log 
barns and hay ricks and scanty crops, now the well-filled frame barns; from the trails 
and log causeways to well constructed turnpikes; from the ox team and two wheeled cart 
and sled we have now beautiful horse teams and top carriages; and from the small native 
cow we have changed to the well-bred imported stock."

BEGINNING OF GENERAL PROGRESS

The two Richardsons purchased the mill property and water power of Mr. Ripley, and 
completed the dam.

In 1849 the Slafters came, and Townsend North, began operations at Vassar.

In 1850 William Harrison started the first mercantile business done in Tuscola.  His 
cash capital was $16.00, and his first purchase of good amounted to $116.  He bought 
his goods of Daniel H. Eaton, of Saginaw, and brought them in on a wagon.  His 
salesroom was in his dwelling house.

During the year 1850 Col. Richardson built the big store, still standing, and opened 
the first regular store in the county.  The postoffice was moved into it, and Dr. 
Richardson was postmaster.

The features of a village now began to appear.  This was the gateway through which 
every one had to pass in going from Saginaw up the Cass River.  People swarmed in to 
buy pine lands, and for several years following 1850 settlers poured into the county 
rapidly.  They were lively years for Tuscola Village.

The village was platted and its future looked promising.

In 1854 the Cass River House was built by John Currey, and called the Currey House.  
About two years later Dennis Harrison built the Tuscola House, and in 1857 Dr. William 
Johnson, now of Vassar, moved into it, and served the public in the double capacity of 
physician and landlord. During 1854, Mr. Philo B. Richardson arrived and engaged in the 
mercantile business.

The mill property and water has remained in possession of the Richardsons, but a sash, 
door, and blind-factory and a woolen-milll have succeeded the old saw-mill and tannery.

The postmasters at Tuscola have been as follows: Ebenezer Davis, Dennis Harrison, Dr. 
Paschal Richardson, William Harrison, Sabin Gibbs, P. B. Richardson, Horace E. Harrison 
and Dr. Shoff. The office was at one time called Worth, but afterward changed to 
Tuscola.

The village is located on section 28, and was platted in 1850.  It has one of the 
finest natural locations on the Cass River, but having no railroad connection it has 
retrograded rather than advanced.

BRIDGES

The first bridge across the Cass River at this point was a rude affair, built by the 
State.   The first permanent bridge was commenced by Dennis Harrison and E. W. Perry, 
and finished by the latter.  The present magnificent iron bridge is the finest 
improvement the town has ever made, and it was largely due to the efforts and good 
judgment of Hon. D. G. Slafter that it was secured.  It was built in 1877 at a cost of 
$7,000. 

TRACES OF COAL

For some time prior to the year 1848, John Miller, a blacksmith, was in the habit of 
getting his coal from a vein that cropped out in the river, near the mouth of Colt's 
Creek, and which was accessible when the water was low.  The attention of the few 
people who were in this locality was absorbed in lumbering, and but little thought was 
given to the matter.

In 1859 the Richardsons sunk a shaft to a depth of sixteen feet, near the tannery, and 
struck a vein of coal underlaid with fire clay.

A few years ago Mr. Philo Richardson sunk a well on his farm, and at the depth of 
fifty-five feet drilled through a vein of coal, about five feet in thickness.  Mr. 
Peter Baldwin had a similar experience in sinking a well on his farm.  Specimens of 
the coal have been preserved, and it is believed that the country about Tuscola village 
is underlaid with this valuable mineral, but in what quantities has not been determined.
  





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