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DANIEL STRANGE

PIONEER HISTORY

OF

EATON COUNTY

MICHIGAN

1833 — 1866

OE THE STOEY OF

The last to live the simple life, toiling, spinning, weaving, Cooking 'round the open fire; with axe and gun retrieving Nature's products from the soil, the wild-wood half concealing; Swinging cradles night and day, such human love revealing; Those "early leaders opening up the way" for coming neighbors, Who gave for us, their coming sons, their lives, their loves, their labors.

COMPILED BY

DANIEL STRANGE, M. Sc.

published undee the auspices of the Eaton County Pioneee and Histoeical Society

1923

Frank N. Green, Cynthia A. Green, J. Sumner Hamlin, Frank A. Ells Publishing Committee.

COPYKIGHT, 1923, BY DANIEL STRANGE.

The Charlotte Republican Print. H. T. McGrath and M. H. DeFoe.

INTRODUCTION

This book lias been published for the benefit of the people of Eaton County, who through life's an- cestral chain are lovingly linked to the past. Its pages cover portions of the history of the county in- cluding a third of a century, but they make no claim of entire completeness. If power were given the narrator a complete detailed history would resurrect and reveal all of the myriad of hardships, privations, afflictions, reverses and solemn visita- tions as endured by the pioneers, who leaving al- ready settled communities, wended their way into the primeval Michigan forests to carve out homes and enlarge the borders of civilization.

Such a reflection of a past generation cannot be reproduced in completeness. The impotence of mere words render its impossible.

But these pages as compiled and written cover- ing the early history of Eaton County by Hon. Daniel Strange of Oneida, a life-long resident and pioneer, supply a fund of interesting historical mat- ter and information that will grow in value with the years, and be treasured more and more as gen- eration follows generation through the years that are certain to follow.

All of these first settlers have passed on before. Nearly all of them — as we usually interpret life —

vii

viii INTRODUCTION.

are now sleeping beneath the sod which through their efforts and sacrifices was tilled and prepared. Every cemetery in the county bears within its bosom those who fought the heroic fight of dominion, pass- ing the fruits of their anxieties and toil to those of us who follow them. Surrounded and impressed by these sacred memories this rehearsal of events cov- ering a generation should be of great value, and to Mr. Strange, now advanced in years, a product of Eaton County and a nobleman by nature, who has gladly given of his time and strength in the compil- ing of this book should the people feel profoundly grateful.

To the readers of this book the suggestion is ventured that life is one continuous whole, in reality not broken by periods or generations, but past, present and future actually linked indissolubly to- gether as the moving picture may be viewed upon the screen. Thus families of the past and present are only seemingly broken, and we now in action, or possibly on the threshold of the future, are also pioneers working out the plan of a still more glor- ious destiny.

Frank A. Ells.

Charlotte, Mich., August 28, 1923.

PREFACE

"I hear the tread of Pioneers of nations yet to be,

The first low wash of waves where shall roll a human sea."

So spake in wise prophetic words the poet of the free.

While standing lone mid forests vast on Lake Superior's shore

This music broke upon his soul above the water's roar.

He listened then for coming men; let us con their mission o'er.

The coming men must clear the Vv'oods and conquer foes and

fears ; Their wives must share their toil and care and, smothering

many tears, Must children rear mid want and fear, while hope filled up the

years.

A noble race of stalwart men! their hearts must know no fear; With courage strong, eschewing wrong, they left all kindred dear And, last words spoke, with hearts of oak they came to conquer here.

Savage was Nature's gentlest mood, savage the beasts, they tell; Savage the blast of winter's gale, savage the trees that fell; Savage the blows of these savage foes, savage the men as well.

These were the foes that hedged them round, these were the foes o'ercome;

But their weapons were mainly those of peace, and they con- quered, one by one,

The pathless wood and the fordless flood and here they built their home.

Home, home, 'twas a humble home, but the love that there was

known Was the mother love and the father love and the love of their

children own; A love that grew dear because of the fear of the dangers they

shared alone.

Then neighbors came and strangers came and they welcomed one and all;

ix

X PREFACE.

And their hearts grew warm. No social storm and seldom a

a petty brawl Was permitted to break nor aught to take from the love they

bore for all.

So with sympathy vast they came at last to claim as brethren all The men who land from a foreign strand and settle within the

wall Of our oceans vast. So we came at last to form a Nation, small.

But soon to expand and cover the land and extend from sea to

sea, From perpetual snow to the gulf below and to islands in the sea. Our soldier bands in foreign lands fight old world tyranny.

But evils here we now must fear and fight with might and main

All sinful lust and lust of pride and lust of sordid gain.

The liquor curse and evils worse have bound us with a chain.

These are the foes that now disclose and all advance assail. The pioneers put by all fears; to conquer ne'er did fail. Shall we, their sons, prove recreant ones and let our foes prevail?

Let's emulate the pace they set and every wrong assail, And greeting give to all who live wherever they may dwell; Our brethren all both great and small to own them we do well.

In brotherhood to all mankind our love should none forsake.

Accept the task, if islands ask our freedom to partake;

Let's share this boon with them right soon, their energies awake!

Shout LIBERTY to all the world till heaven's vault is riven! And as we pray from day to day let charity be given. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as 'tis in Heaven."

So shall our land become more grand — home of the noble, free. I hear the tread of Pioneers' sons echoing from sea to sea. And I hear the shout their songs ring out, "LOVE, TRUTH and LIBERTY."

CONTENTS.

Foreword 1

Charlotte 7

Bellevue 15

Eaton 27

Hamlin 37

Vermontville 46

Sunfield 57

Trying Trails 62

Delta 70

Eaton Rapids 81

Eaton Rapids City 89

Chester 93

Pioneer's Golden Wedding 97

Kalamo 101

Walton 107

Olivet 109

Oneida 116

Grand Ledge 123

Roxand 127

M. A. C. Semi-Centennial 134

Benton 138

Brookfield 149

Windsor 156

Carman Golden Wedding 164

Carmel 165

Address to Pioneers 173

Pioneer Society 190

XI

PIONEER HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY

Inteoductoey Chaptee

Washington Irving, writing an humorous history of New York, thought it necessary to begin with the creation of the universe. It is not necessary, in writing of the Pioneers of Eaton County, to relate the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492, or even allude to its possible discovery by Lief Erricson some five hundred years earlier, but it is proper to note that among the early explorers the Spaniards over-ran Peru, Central America and Mexico in quest of gold and the region of the lower Mississippi in search for the fountain of eternal youth.

The Dutch explored the Hudson Eiver thinking to find it a channel across the continent. It is strange that these early navigators should have thought it possible that a rapidly flowing current of fresh water from the hillsides might prove a channel level with a distant ocean. The French, too, explored the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes to all their bound- aries thinking to find thence a passage to the Indies. In fact LaSalle did find the portage across to the Illinois River down which he floated to the Miss-

1

I PIONEEE HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY.

issippi and the Gulf and was surprised to find him- self still on the eastern side of the continent.

These were not home-seekers. The French inter- married with the Indians and continued for many years as explorers and left a race of half-breeds be- hind them. They established a mission at Sault Ste. Marie in 1641 and a more permanent settlement there in 1668. They founded a mission at St. Ignace in 1671 and a fort at Detroit in 1701, but made little progress toward permanent settlements. It re- mained to the English to colonize America.

Michigan was part of the Northwest Territory until 1800, when it became part of Indiana Terri- tory and in January, 1805, it was organized as Mich- igan Territory. It remained a desert wilderness until 1823, when it was given representative govern- ment. The southern portion, about fifty miles in width including Eaton County, was surveyed into townships, each six miles square and numbered from the base line and principal meridian, in 1825. These in turn were surveyed into sections one mile square in 1826 and 1827, or about ten years before settlers arrived. These government surveyors in 1825 met many bewildering hardships and became disgusted. They reported that the country was but a series of interminable swamps and sand barrens ''with not more than one acre in a hundred, and probably not more than one acre in a thousand, fit for cultiva- tion. ' '

General Cass, who was Governor from 1813 to

FOEEWOKD. 6

1831, knew better. He had helped to cut the army path through the wilderness from Urbana, Ohio, to Detroit in 1812. He had gone over the trail from Detroit to Saginaw, and he was the first white man who ever rode over the trail that led from Detroit to Fort Dearborn, the present site of the city of Chicago. With a view to counteracting the effect of these reports, and opening up the country, he secured government appropriations, one for the inauguration of a system of roads connecting De- troit with various distant points. At the terminus of one of these roads has since grown up the city of Port Huron ; of another, Saginaw^ ; of a third, Grand Eapids, and a fourth terminal is what is now the city of Toledo. By far the most important road was that stretching westward to Lake Michigan and ultimately to Fort Dearborn. Doubtless the settle- ment of Michigan was much delayed by the fact that the low lying lands about Detroit, and for thirty miles inland, were under water much of the year, thus presenting an almost impassable barrier to pioneer settlement. About 1830, pioneers began to occupy the higher and drier lands of Oakland and "Washtenaw counties. The government roads above named became available for pioneering fur- ther inland. No road led direct to Eaton County but many followed the "Grand River Road," after- w^ards the ''Plank Road," from Detroit through where now are Howell and North Lansing and thence a trail toward Grand Rapids. On this trail.

4 PIONEER HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY.

in Clinton County, at Eagle, a professional land- looker named Groger aided many in fording Grand River and locating lands in tlie north part of Eaton County but very many more took the "Territorial Road" toward Chicago. They followed this as far as Jackson or even Battle Creek whence they turned north and so entered Eaton County.

Eaton County was called into being by act of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Michigan on the 29th of October, 1829, when there was not a white inhabitant Avithin its bounds. Andrew Jack- son that year became President and the new county was named Eaton for his Secretary of War. On the 4th of November of that year the Council enacted that the County of Eaton shall be attached to, and become part of St. Joseph County. On the follow- ing day it was enacted that the Counties of Branch, Calhoun and Eaton should be set off into a town- ship by the name of Green. By act of July 30, 1830, Eaton County was attached to Kalamazoo for judicial purposes — and all of this before there was an inhabitant within the bounds of the county.

On March 18, 1835, the Territorial Council enacted that the County of Eaton shall be a township by the name of Belleville and the first township meeting shall be held in such place as the sheriff of Calhoun County shall appoint and said county shall be at- tached to Calhoun County for judicial purposes.

In 1835, the Territorial Council adopted a State form of government and applied for admission to

FOREWORD. 0

the Union. In 1836, this was granted with the pro- viso that Michigan accept a southern boundary as claimed by Ohio. Michigan accepted this and cast her electoral vote in 1836, w^hich was accepted and counted but the ''wireless" was slow in those days and it was not until January, 1837, that Congress proclaimed Michigan a State. Hence, outside of Michigan, that is called the date of her admission but inhabitants of the State claim an earlier date, and prove it.

On December 29, 1837, the State Legislature en- acted that ''the County of Eaton be and the same is hereby organized and the circuit court of the said County of Eaton shall be held at such place as the county commissioners shall provide." The com- missioners fixed upon Bellevue "until suitable rooms could be erected at the county seat." This had been legally fixed upon the Charlotte prairie before there was house or habitation there. G. W. Barns of Gull Prairie had purchased from the gov- ernment in 1832, a part of this prairie. He offered special inducements to the Territorial Commission- ers to locate the county seat here and he entered a bond of $1,000. The claim that Bellevue was once the county seat has shadow of truth. Courts and records were held there for a time.

The first purchases of land in the county were mainly by speculators and not by settlers. The first entry was in 1829, a part of section 30, in Vermont- ville, by T. Sumner. The second entry was in Oneida

6 PIONEEE HISTORY OP EATON COUNTY.

Townsliip, section 2, by H. Mason in 1831. This section includes the north part of the present city of Grand Ledge, includes the islands and the ledges, but it did Mason but little good. It was sold four years later for taxes.

In 1832, the Government Tract Book shows three entries only in the county, two by G. W. Barns, parts of section 18 in Eaton Township, and of section 13 in Carmel, both of these now in Charlotte.

The first settlement in the county was in Bellevue and will be described at length under that title, and the second was in 1835 in Eaton at the edge of Char- lotte prairie and will be fully described under Eaton.

Eight townships were first settled in 1836 and five in 1837, and last, but not least, Carmel in 1838. A chapter will be given to each in order of settle- ment as nearly as possible but for the present we look to the history of our proud county seat, Charlotte.

Its location was upon a most beautiful flowering prairie. The legend that this was first discovered by a Mr. Torrey in 1833, is not consistent with the fact that the village was platted upon the two one- eighth sections (one upon each side of the section line), which were bought from the government in 1832 by G. W. Barns. He secured the location of the county seat here and later sold his holdings to E. B. Bostwick.

The following statement was written and read by E. A. Foote, Esq., in 1877. It differs somewhat

CHAELOTTE. /

from otlier published statements but lie was pains- taking and thorough and had facilities not now available and he vouched for its accuracy :

"Jonathan and Samuel Searls found their way through from Bellevue in October, 1835, They worked five days cutting their track and then hired a team to bring Mrs. Searls and their household goods through. This track followed the Indian trail from Bellevue to the Indian village in Walton and then followed the ridge along the south side of Battle Creek until it reached the township line running through Charlotte. This was for a long time the only passable route to Bellevue.

' ' Jonathan and Samuel had no team to work with for one year after they came. By their own unaided strength they had to cut and move to the spot the logs for Samuel Searls' house, and then raise the logs to their place in the building. There was not another house or family within eight miles of them. These two men worked alone bare handed, laying the foundation of a city, until the first of February, 1837, when Japhet Fisher joined them as hired man and went to chopping for them. (He afterwards be- came, by accident, the first settler in Benton where fuller mention will be given). Stephen Kinne and his wife and brother, Amos, came through on the first of January, 1837, following the track cut in 1835, and built their house two miles south of Char- lotte. The nearest house then was Mr. Shumway's in Walton, two miles southwest of where Olivet is

8 PIONEEB HISTOEY OF EATON COUNTY.

now located. In 1837, the Searls brothers built a honse for Uncle Jonathan further west on Searls street. It was this log house of Uncle Jonathan's that became, for a time, the headquarters for the county. They held caucuses, conventions and county canvasses there. 'They most always stayed over night,' Aunt Sally said. She had them all to wait upon. She did the 'county cooking' for years. 'We had a great deal of men's company in those days,' she said, 'but we seldom saw a woman.'

"In 1837 or '38, a log house was built on the south side of Lawrence Avenue east of the site of the Methodist church, where Charles Piper once resided. This was the first building erected properly on the prairie; the house of Jonathan Searls was in the edge of the timber at the southeast corner of the prairie.

"Allen Searls, a half brother of Jonathan, Ste- phen and Samuel, moved with his wife in September, 1838, coming with a horse team via Jackson and Eaton Rapids. A road was cut out from the Rajoids to a point in Eaton Township and was passable for teams. From Charlotte a path was cut out as far east as the Holcomb place. When Allen Searls ar- rived he contracted with E. I. Lawrence to finish a tavern or 'court house' as it was called. Mr. Searls was unable to finish the building in time for the spring court in 1839, and the first court was not held here until the following year. ' '

The above v/as written by E. A. Foote, Esq., and read by him at the Pioneer meeting, 1S77.

CHAELOTTE. 9

Edward A. Foote settled in Micliigan in 1840. He entered tlie University of Micliigan in 1840 and on the 15tli of August, 1848, located in Eaton County of which he was elected clerk in 1856. In January, 1855, he established the Eaton Republican (after- wards the Charlotte Republican) and became its first editor. He was prominent in organizing the Republican party in the county and in the State.

Harvey Williams, who owned the first frame house, as successor to Simeon Harding, established the first store in the place. A block building, which stood on the lot between the hotel and the Metho- dist church, was built by Mr. Bostwick and occu- pied by a young lawyer. La Conte.

Dr. A. B. Sampson came to Charlotte in 1848, and won his place as one of its most enterprising citi- zens. The "Sampson Hall" in which the courts were for some time held, was built by him in 1856 and '57, and was the second or third brick building in the place.

Hiram Shepherd first came to Michigan in 1837, and purchased a tract of land about two miles southeast of Charlotte, then w^ent east for his fam- ily, returning with them in 1840. "Charlotte then contained but two or three buildings and neighbors were scarce." After moving two or three times he finally settled at what became known as ' ' Shep- herd's Corners" where his remaining years were spent.

Alonzo L. Baker settled in Eaton County in 1842,

10 PIONEEE HISTOKY OF EATON COUNTY.

and in Charlotte in 1848, which was his home until his death in 1880.

Henry Robinson settled in Vermontville in 184-1, and removed to Charlotte in 1852.

Hannibal G. Rice was a well known character and amassed considerable wealth.

Ellzey Hayden settled in Charlotte in 1844, and engaged in business with his brother John. He was a prominent citizen and held county office for many years.

James Johnson settled here in 1851, F. H. Kil- bourn in '57 and T. D. Green in '46.

Rev. Luman Foote, father of E. A. Foote, was an Episcopal clergyman and graduate of the University of Vermont ; he practiced law in the supreme court of Vermont in 1822, founded and edited the Burling- ton Free Press from which he retired in 1833. He preached in Kalamazoo from 1840, and came to Charlotte in 1846.

D. F. Webber came to Charlotte in 1857, and the following winter taught the village school, then took a census of the village and found less than seven hundred inhabitants. He taught in a brick build- ing on West Lovett street. The building afterwards became a wagon shop.

Mr. Johnston established the Eaton Bugle in March, 1845. The first number had advertisements of S. E. Millett & Co., ''All kinds of goods (for ready pay only) ; also, wanted 100,000 bushels of ashes delivered at our ashery in exchange for

CHAELOTTE, 11

goods." Joseph Hall, M. D. and M. S. Wilkinson, attorneys, had cards in this issue. J. & E. Hayden advertised tin, etc., for sale, ''Terms — ready pay. All kinds of produce taken in exchange." The editor was evidently an humorist. From his long editorial I clip but a fragment: "Where is the heart that hath ever imagined the inward pang that a half cracked swain endures when gazing where two of these flowers — the most lovely that ever grew — bringing their lips together with a sound not unlike that which a cider barrel makes when the bung flies out." The sixth issue of the Bugle announced, "Since our last paper there have thirteen settlers arrived in our prairie city. We are happy to an- nounce the prospects of our city were never better."

E. B. Bostwick of New York City had purchased of Geo. W. Barns the entire tract upon which the early village was located. H. I. Lawrence of Char- lotte was his agent. Bostwick wrote Lawrence from New York, December 29, 1838, a letter from which I extract the following : " I am much pleased with your purchase of the balance of the Eaton County-seat property and I will soon write you a long letter sub- mitting a plan for the to^\Ti. You speak of calling the place after me but I have just become a married man and I would prefer calling it Charlotte after my wife."

A petition from the citizens was handed to the board of supervisors at their session in 1863, and the order was issued on the twelfth of that month

12 PIONEER HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY.

incorporating tlie village of Charlotte. The first election was held on the first of March, 1864, when the following officers were chosen: President, A. D. Shaw; Trustees, W. L. Granger, Joseph Mnsgrave, Calvin Clark, Sylvester Collins, S. P. Webber, and T. L. Curtiss; Marshal, Henry Baughman; Treas- urer, E. T. Church; Clerk, E. A. Foote; Assessor, S. P. Jones.

By act of Michigan Legislature, March 29, 1871, the City of Charlotte was incorporated, but this is more recent than the pioneer period.

The first postmaster here was Jonathan Searls, appointed in 1838, and a mail bag, sometimes empty, came once a week from Marshall.

Musgrave & Haslett became dry goods mer- chants here in 1854. F. W. & P. M. Higby entered the same business in 1858.

Elisha Shepherd, in company with his father-in- law, L. H, Ion, began business here in 1852. They were proprietors of the old Eagle Hotel and oper- ated a line of stages to neighboring towns. About 1856, the firm of E. & J. Shepherd was established. Elisha Shepherd became very prominent and for many years was the president of the Eaton County Pioneer Society.

E. T. Church established a grocery here in 1856, and continued it until he was the oldest established merchant in the city.

Dr. Henry M. Munson came to Charlotte from New York in the fall of 1847, his family joining him in the following spring. The old Munson home.

CHAELOTTE. 13

near tlie Federal building, is still in possession of the family, tlie owner being a grandson, Carl Mun- son Green, the well known Chicago-Detroit adver- tising man. Dr. Munson was the county's first Probate Judge which office gave him the unique distinction of serving the people of the community at both ends of their earthly career — in the begin- ning as the family doctor, making his calls on horse- back and carrying his medicine in saddle bags, and at the close of the pilgrimage, as the county judge, disbursing their earthly possessions according to the meager laws of the time.

A. H. Munson and Theodore J. Thomas estab- lished a hardware store here in 1861.

Musgrave & Lacey established a banking busi- ness here in January, 1862. (These dates are copied as I find them in print. My personal recollection would question some of them.)

Hon. D. Darwin Hughes taught the school here in 1841-42.

N. A. Johnson, a manufacturer, came here in 1842, when there were but five completed houses in the city.

Charlotte may well be proud of her beautiful prairie but, financially considered, it is but a poor offset for the stream, water-power and sawmill possessed by other infant villages of the period. The Searls brothers were experts with the broadaxe and hewed boards (leaving no score marks) for many houses. The first load of lumber in Charlotte was drawn from Spicerville in 1838. It was used in

14 PIONEEK HISTOEY OF EATON COUNTY.

flooring the hotel in 1840, and in May, 1840, the first term of court was held in its upper room. The ^first permanent settlement in the county was in July, 1833. Allowing a full generation for pioneering the county, the county was well opened up in 1866. There were as many miles of road opened up in the county then as today (not so good, however). As many bridges, as many schools, churches, (not edifices), mills, etc. Pioneers no longer cut roads to their homes through trackless forests nor pounded corn upon stumps for their meal. The open fireplace had given place to the stove for cook- ing and carpets appeared upon their floors. About this time home-spun suits for grown daughters gave place to calico and young men began to buy some of their clothes "ready made."

The soldiers returned from the Civil War with some money and much enterprise in 1865. An era of rapid development then set in and the county has since multiplied its wealth many fold but not by pioneering methods. Perhaps as many acres have been cleared since that date as before but by quite different process. The grub hoe has given place to dynamite, the scythe to the mower, the sickle to the reaper, the ox to the horse and he to the motor. We talk with friends a thousand miles away and transport ourselves through the air and our thoughts by wireless to the ends of the earth.

The pioneers' proper work ended in 1866, and we may well end our history there and now bid a grate- ful farewell to the pioneers for a season.

BELLEVUE TOWNSHIP

The early prospectors and pioneers of Eaton County exhibited much esthetic taste. As we have seen the site of Charlotte was selected because of its beautiful flowering prairie; so too at Bellevue, the site merited its name when but an Indian vil- lage and long before white men beheld it. J. T. Hayt, the first postmaster there, thus described it : "The burr-oak plain where the village of Bellevue is now situated, contained about a half section of land and, in its original state, it was to me the most beautiful spot I had ever seen. I visited it in June, 1834, before the white man had marred its beauty. The wild grass was then about a foot high and in- terspersed with it were the most beautiful flowers that I had ever beheld. * * * * While gazing upon its beauty and inhaling its delicious fragrance, I formed a resolution that, Providence permitting, I would erect upon it a dwelling. ' '

A squatter whose name and fame are alike well nigh forgotten, Blashford or Blashfield, had erected here some kind of habitation as early as 1829 or '30. He owned no land and remained but a short time. Perhaps he should no more be counted than the sur- veyors who preceded him.

The first actual and permanent settler here, or in Eaton County, was Capt. Reuben Fitzgerald, in July, 1833. His habitation was so unlike that of

15

16 PIONEEK HISTOEY OF EATOX COUNTY.

other pioneers that it is jDerhaps well to pause to describe the early homes of pioneers here and, brief- ly, elsewhere. The item will interest the children of this and all succeeding generations. Pioneers everywhere readily adapt themselves and their houses to the available material. Near the rocky beds of western streams shelters were built from the easily quarried flagstones and covered by buffalo hides or other available material. In the distant southwest, an almost rainless region, walls were built of adobe or dried mud. The enclosed space covered with poles over which was thro^vn a few inches of earth. This made an admirable shelter from blistering sun and biting winds but would have been quite inadequate if rains were copious, but thousands of ''greasers" are dwelling in these today. On the great western prairies temporary homes were the well known sod-houses.

The most of Eaton County had abundant crude building material in the densely crowded forests where the straight trunks of trees were often sixty feet in height before a limb was found. From these trees straight logs, about a foot in diameter and from sixteen to forty feet in length, were cut and from these their houses and barns were built. The first shelter for the lone pioneer was usually a shanty of such poles as he alone could handle and covered with brush or bark and served for the few months until the better house could be built. Sometimes the shanty was of heavier and more permanent char-

BELLEVUE TOWNSHIP. 17

acter. A log pen sixteen feet square with wall higher upon one side than the other and covered with split half logs from hollow trees. These were laid side by side trough up to convey the water to the lower side. Crevices between were then covered by other half logs reverse side up thus forming a roof imper- vious to rain. The late Senator G. N. Potter and his numerous brothers and sisters were reared to their teens in a shanty of this kind where the village of Potterville now stands. The ruder form of log house was of rough logs encased in their bark, notched together at the corners so as to lie close, then the crevices chinked and plastered with mud. This was roofed with shakes or long shingles riven by hand. Holes were cut for door and window and a hole perhaps six feet square at center of one end. In this was built the open fireplace, enclosed with stones laid in mud upon the outside, but the inside opened into the house. A chimney was built of sticks encased in mud and carried higher than the peak of the rude habitation.

In the best kind of log house the logs were hewn to square sticks of timber. These were dovetailed at the corners thus forming solid walls. This was called a "block-house" and was comparatively rare. The Eagle Hotel at Charlotte was of this character, hewn and finished by the Searls brothers and nearly as smooth and perfect as a modern stuccoed house.

The most common character of log house here was of quality between these two. Elm logs were com-

18 PIONEER HISTORY OF EATON COUNTY.

monly chosen and tlie bark removed. These were then hewn upon one, the inner, side. When these were finished and papered one would scarcely see, when inside, that he was not in a ceiled and plastered room.

When logs w^ere rolled up to a height of about eight feet a longer log was placed at each end pro- jecting perhaps ten feet rearward. Long rafters ex- tended to the ends of these logs. The roof then covered a veranda or porch but by them always called a "stoop." This formed a convenient shelter for tools, work shop or fuel. A fireplace was built of bricks with brick chimney. The house was one and a half stories in height with floors, sometimes of sawed lumber but more frequently of ''puncheon" or boards riven by hand from straight splitting trees. All cooking was by the open fireplace which was provided with an iron crane from which de- pended iron hooks of various lengths to support the kettles over the flames or coal. Baking was in a tin baker placed before the fire. The frame suj)- ported bread tins in which were placed the loaves. A polished tin beneath sloping toward the fire re- flected the heat against the under side of loaves and a cover above sloping from the fire reflected heat downward. I well remember when my sister and I were stationed one at each side the fireplace to watch the loaves and to call mother when the ends began to brown that she might lift the cover and turn the loaves around to brown the other end.

BELLEVUE TOWNSHIP. 19

After 1850, cook-stoves came into general use in the county. Studding and siding could then be ob- tained at saw mills and with these the "stoop" was enclosed to form pantry and kitchen where the stove was installed. In such a home the writer was reared until twelve years old.

When Capt. Fitzgerald arrived at Bellevue with his wife and three children, with two yoke of oxen drawing his one wagon with his earthly possessions, he upturned the wagon box for a shelter which with some additions of bark formed his first temporary home. He found here what he thought was a deserted Indian village with wigwams of poles and bark. He took these flakes of bark, some four feet square, to roof a better shanty. When the Indians returned they were very indignant. It became necessary to send to Marshall for an interpreter. His explana- tion with sundry gifts quieted the Indians and all was well. The scattered burr-oaks had much the form of modern apple trees and were ill adapted for building purposes. The Captain had but little money to buy material but his friend Hunsiker, back east and planning to come soon, advanced the money and bought lumber in Marshall and Capt. Fitzgerald built the first two houses and, very exceptional in the history of pioneering in Michigan, they were framed houses instead of log. They moved into the new house before it was completed and before it was roofed. During a severe storm the Captain and another man held a buffalo robe over the sick bed

20 PIONEEK HISTORY OF EATOjST COUNTY.

of Mrs. Fitzgerald. On November 12, 1834, she gave birtli to a daughter, Sarah A., the first white child born in Eaton County, and on February 13, 1837, she gave birth to a son, Edwin. She succumbed, as did many another, to the hardships of pioneer life and died sixteen days after this birth. The Captain remained a widower nearly five years. He always regretted his lack of early education but now made up for it, in part, by marrying a very intelligent lady, Florinda, daughter of Judge Eldred of Climax. The Judge was a man of some eminence, twice in Michigan legislature and for many years president of Kalamazoo Baptist College. This second wife bore the Captain seven children, some of them living- more than a score of years into the twentieth cen- tury.

I have already mentioned the earliest entries of land in Eaton County ; one in Vermontville in 1829, one in Oneida in 1831, two entries in what is now the heart of Charlotte in 1832. All of these were by speculators who probably never saw their purchases. Another entry was made in Bellevue in 1832 by Isaac E. Crary. At that time he was a resident of Marshall but his interests in Eaton County in a man- ner antedates them all. He was twice our member of the legislature and, while his friend and neighbor, Rev. John D. Pierce is counted the father of the Michigan school system, Mr. Crary was its legisla- tive father, carrying into successful enactment into law the plans of Father Pierce. Mr. Crary became

BELLEVUE TOWNSHIP. 21

our representative in Congress and was so popular with his neighbors that the first male child born in the county was given his full name, Isaac E. Crary Hickok.

Mr. Crary was a partner in erecting the first flouring mill in the county. The inexhaustible beds of superior lime stone found at Bellevue proved a most valuable acquisition for Eaton and adjoining counties. The ashery here and the purchase of ''black salts," for which they paid cash and which they made into saleratus, furnished almost the only cash known to the pioneers for many years. Trade was by barter and taxes were paid by ''road war- rants." Pioneers took jobs at cutting out State roads and took in pay "w^arrants" which were good for taxes if naught else. The Territorial Legisla- ture enacted in March, 1835, that "the County of Eaton shall be organized into a township by the name of Belleville, and the first township meeting shall be held at such place as the sheriff of Calhoun County shall appoint within said County of Eaton." The petitioners were poor penmen and the name misconstrued. That enactment has never been re- pealed but the name was never used in that form and Bellevue is doubtless now correct by "adverse possession" so to speak.

The election was held as ordered in the log meet- ing house. At that time the township of five hun- dred seventy-six square miles contained but four inhabitants who had been here long enough to en-

22 PIONEER HISTOEY OF EATON COUNTY.

title tliem to vote: Reuben Fitzgerald, Sylvanus Hunsiker, Calvin Plielps and James Kimberly. They made Jolm T. Hayt clerk of the meeting and ordered Calvin Phelps to proclaim the polls open. This he did, stepping to the front, with his hat off, in a loud voice he proclaimed, ''The poll of this election is now open. I warn all men, under penalty of the law, to keep the peace." The four electors proceeded to elect each other to all the best offices and gave leaner ones to the later comers. All votes were cast within half an hour but, in accordance with the law, they sat the whole day through. There could be no question but it was a legal election. The law could now be enforced.

At a meeting of the board May 8, 1841, it was first ''resolved, that in the opinion of the board, the pub- lic good does not require the licensing of three places for the sale of spirituous liquors in this town; car- ried. Second, resolved that A. Grant have license for selling spirituous liquors. It was lost. Third, resolved, that license be granted to the stores in this village, with the exception of selling spirituous liquors. Carried. Fourth, resolved, that A. Grant have license, if he calls for it, with the exception of selling spirituous liquors and wines. Carried."

The first sermon in Eaton County was delivered in 1833, at the house of Reuben Fitzgerald, by Rev. John D. Pierce of Marshall, a Presbyterian minister. In the spring of 1834, three Methodist families set- tled in the place and Rev. Mr. Hobart preached the

BELLEVUE TOWNSHIP. 23

first Methodist sermon. In the fall of 1834, Rev. Davison organized the first Methodist class, consist- ing of five members, J. Kimberly, leader.

In 1835, there were in Bellevue the following: R. Fitzgerald, S. Hunsiker, D. Mason, Calvin Phelps, Asa Phelps, L. Campbell, John Hayt, J. Kimberly and J. Hutchinson, with their wives ; B. Bader, J. B. Crary, W. Streeter, N. F. Blossom, R. Slatel and J. Tripp, all single men. There was a saw mill and at this time a plat was made for a village and the sale of lots began at from $5