Elkland Pioneers, Tuscola County, Michigan


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

 

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Elkland Pioneers

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


Hugh Seed, is a native of Down County, Ireland. He came to this country when 
a young man, and made his first residence in Oakland County, being there 
employed at farm work. His first visit to Tuscola County was in 1854, drawn 
here as were hundreds of others of the first settlers by the lumbering 
operations, then becoming active throughout this county. He spent two winters 
in the logging camps of Cooper & Wright, in what is now Elkland, working on 
the farm in the summer. In May, 1855, he selected and entered a piece of land 
in section 27, and soon after commenced chopping and clearing. A brief 
experience having no doubt satisfied him the single blessedness, so-called, 
was, in the wilderness, simply solitary misery, he went to Pennsylvania, 
where he married Esther Orr, of Huntington County, and brought her with him 
to his forest home. 

At that time there were no roads, except the "tote" roads and logging roads, 
and such few tracks as the settlers made to connect with them. Supplies were 
mostly brought from East Saginaw, by the lumberman's teams. Grain must be 
taken to Wahjamega or Vassar for grinding. During one week Mrs. Seed was out 
of flour; she had corn, but no coffee-mill even with which to grind it. If 
necessity is the mother of invention, necessity is born of pioneer life. The 
difficulty was solved with a towel for a bag, a flat-iron for a pounder, and 
a vigorous application of muscle: the result was meal enough for a 
"Johnny-cake". Twenty-six years have seen great changes, and a portion of 
the village of Cass City is now on land then owned by Mr. Seed, and where 
then was unbroken forest, are now well tilled farms.

The same month that Mr. Seed bought his land, entries were made by Andrew 
Walmsley and William Edgar, who also shortly after commenced work on their 
lands. Mr. Edgar's land being located in sections 11, 14, and 15. and 
Mr. Walmsley's further south, in sections 26 and 27. 

Mr. Walmsley, who is a native of Down County, Ireland, had his first view of 
Tuscola County and
the town of Elkland in 1854, coming in to work in the logging camps. He, Mr. 
Edgar, and Mr. Seed, making their entries of land the same month, May 1855, 
went to work about the same time, and being what then would be called near 
neighbors, exchanged labor, working alternately on their different tracts, 
clearing and putting up shanties. Mr. Walmsley's sister kept house for him a 
portion of the time, he being then unmarried. To come in from Vassar, four 
days' time was required. Axes were carried to open out the roads, and repair 
the wagon. They had a span of horses and yoke of oxen to one wagon, and two 
yoke of oxen to the other. The same journey can be made to-day in a half day.

William Jacobs entered his land also, in May, 1855, and came in subsequently 
with John H. Bird, who also entered land in the northeast part of the town. 
They had to cut their road through from the point where now is Cass City, a 
distance of about six miles. Their wagon could not be taken through the swamp, 
and whatever was carried in or out must be packed on their backs. Their 
families were left at Watrousville until houses could be put up and 
preparations made. The land was heavily timbered with beech and maple, and  
the labor of clearing severe. The loneliness of their
life is shown by the fact that at one time they did not for three weeks hear 
the sound of other human voices.

Among other settlers coming about the same time, were Charles W. Smith, and 
William H. Winton and sons.


Copyright Bonnie Petee

March 1998






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