THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR, Bulletin of The Sebewa Association;
Volume 17, February 1982, Number 4. Submitted with written permission of Grayden D. Slowins, Editor:

A SCHOOL REPORT FROM THE SEBEWA CENTER SCHOOL OF 100 YEARS AGO
March 8, 1882:

PUPIL, DEPORTMENT, SCHOLARSHIP
Maggie Gunn,100%, 96%
Ella Gunn, 100%, 98%
Rosetta Gunn, 100%, 95%
Josephine Deatsman, 100%, 96%
Jane Deatsman, 100%, 95%
Alva Deatsman, 100%, 95%
Mattie Britton, 85%, 87%
Katie Britton, 80%, 85%
Willie Puffer, 100%, 98%
Frank Showerman, 80%, 97%
Ella Showerman, 100%, 95%
Jay Showerman, 85%, 96%
Henry McClelland, 85%, 90%
Welton McClelland, 95%, 96%
Willis McClelland, 92%, 95%
Ai Green, 100%, 90%
Eva Probasco, 100%, 95%
Jay Bretz, 90%, 95%
Webster Hastings, 100%, 100%
S. F. Deatsman, Teacher

SAWMILLER GLEN RAIRIGH – By Grayden Slowins
I wanted to get my walnut lumber planed and people I asked about it said to contact Glen Rairigh. His mill is located just off M-50 on the old gravel Clinton Trail (now called Sandborn Road) about 1 ½ miles southeast of Woodbury. When I went there to get the work done he threw in the story of sawmilling, Glen Rairigh style.

He first set up his portable mill and steam engine on the Jacob Sayer farm in 1913. Here he sawed out lumber for Jake’s “new” front barn and tool shed. He said Clarence was just a kid and still at home. However, I buried Clarence five years ago at age 87, so he was 25 then---six years older than Glen.

Clarence and Glen were second cousins. Clarence had told me this and his grandmother Gunn’s tombstone tells it too. Glen’s father may have been involved in the mill in those early years also, because his younger brother, Meryl, followed the mill crew and attended Sebewa Center School for a time. Glen is now 86.

In 1914 he set up the mill just south and across the road from the West Sebewa store where he sawed for Uncle John Lehman and others. In 1915 he set up for Charles Ralston in the pasture just west of the brick house that is now our home. Mrs. Charles Ralston was Hattie Olry and our west 30 acres belonged to Charlie and Hattie from about 1906 to 1942.

Glen thought it was about 1916 that he set up for Dan and Roman Slowinski in Section 35, Berlin Township. He recalls they used the lumber for some of their tool sheds and other small buildings. He thought it was one of the years that he operated the Chase mill out of Grand Rapids. I believe Chase later bought out Cheesebrough at Freeport and someone still operates a mill there, though not the Blough mill.

Glen said he had worked with just about every mill man in Michigan. I asked about Ezra Good (Mother’s cousin in the Wenger line). “Oh, yes. We logged together in the North.” Glen eventually bought Allie Rader’s mill from Portland and it is part of his present mill. Everything is powered by electricity now. I think Allie Rader’s wife was a daughter of Sid Osman and the mill stood on that low field just east and across the Portland Road from Donald and Warren Roger’s place. That was the old Hyland farm. Mrs. Osman was a Hyland.

The morning when we planed was rather misty and the day before was very foggy. Glen said “Fifty-one years ago yesterday was foggy, too, and Old (then young) Doc Finnie had to lean out the window and watch the ditch to get to our house and deliver Glenwood.

I said “well, fifty years ago come January he had to fight a blinding snowstorm and drifts to get to our house.”

Glen’s son-in-law, Donald Curell, was helping with the planing. He piped up, “What day in January?” When I said it was the 20th he said, “Well, he came to our house on the 24th”.

Glen was pastor of the Portland Nazarene Church in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. I gather he commuted, because his son and daughter were never in Portland school with us. I think he continued to saw and farm.

A month ago he was in Hastings hospital and later in Provincial House. Wilfred had said he probably would not be able to run the mill. But somebody told him there was a load of logs on the skids. He got out of bed, put on his clothes and was waiting for the doctor to say he was going home. The next day he had the mill fired up, but I still had to wait ten days for my turn, including time to overhaul his corn picker. Doesn’t that sound like a grand-nephew of Theodore and Amelia Rairigh Gunn? November 5, 1981

RECORD OF MARRIAGES BY PASTORS OF LEVALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: (By “Principals”, “Birthplace”, and “Witnesses”)

Married by Parson O. E. Wightman:
10-15-1885: Warren Fogleson born (bpl) in OH, to Sarah Bates Bird, MI; witnesses John Hinds and Ella Hinds
10-17-1885: James A. Mills, bpl MI; witnesses Will Janes, Lizzie Wicks
11-4-1885: Edward Weisgerber, IN, to Sarah J. Little; witnesses Bertha Weisgerber and R. C. Wightman
11-26-1885, Florence W. Eddy, MI, to Sarah J. West; witnesses George West and Olive Thomas
1-13-1886: Culmer Wilson, Ont., to Minnie Castle, MI; witnesses Edwin Wilson and Zelphia Wilson
1-27-1886: James H. Oatley, MI, to Mary E. Franks, OH; witnesses John Franks and Clara Franks
3-9-1886: Archie Green, MI, and Ida Rader Merritt, OH; witnesses Ella Green and Albert Green
3-9-1886: Albert Green, MI, and Ella Rader; witnesses Archie Green and Ida Green
3-14-1886: Frank Patrick, MI, to Carrie Eddy, MI; witnesses Clark Galloway and Marian Patrick
4-21-1886: Charles E. Williams, MI, to Mary E. White, MI; witnesses Rillie C. Wightman and Nellie Gates
6-3-1886: Lyman J. Lyon, MI; witnesses N. M. Moon and Chauncey Moon
7-25-1886: Charles Smith, NY, and Melisa Briggs, OH; witnesses Henry Deline and Rillie C. Wightman
8-15-1886: Marius Miller, Denmark, and Clara Bates, MI; witnesses John O. Hinds and Ella Hinds
8-19-1886, Eli A. Coleman, NY, and Macy Lida, OH; witnesses Mahlon Pocooks and Burnie Townsend
9-1-1886: Martin A. Green, MI, and Lydia Stanton, MI; witnesses Mary Green and Lillie Snyder
9-12-1886: Henry A. Rogers, PA, to Alice Knapp, MI; witnesses B. H. Custer and Laura Custer
12-22-1886: Charles A. Wilson, MI, to Elizabeth Barnard, MI; witnesses Homer Adgate and Maggie Adgate
12-29-1886: John H. Crane, MI, to Jennie Perry Crandall, MI; witnesses J. S. Locke and Hannah Locke
1-5-1887: George W. West, MI, to Bertha Weisgerber, MI; witnesses Herman Schlosser and Carrie Gates
12-29-1886: Frank Sherwood, MI, to Ida A. Miner; witnesses Altheus Chamberlin and Jennie Sherwood
1-16-1887: Edwin T. Baitler, MI, to Ruth Gates, MI; witnesses Cyrus A. Baitler and June Schnobble
3-15-1887: Edward C. McQuillan, MI, to Jennie M. Peckins, MI; witnesses C. G. McQuillan and Gertrude C. Peckins
5-14-1887: Christian Waller, Germany, to Rebecca Bird Jones, OH; witnesses R. C. Wightman and Ellen Gates
5-25-1887: George E. Perry, MI, to Eva M. Goodenough, MI; witnesses O. A. Perry and Emma Perry
6-22-1887: William H. Ferguson, MI, to Allie J. Ritenburg, MI; witnesses Emery Ferguson and Drucilla Ritenburg
7-6-1887: John A. Scott, VT, and Laura Luther Petitt, NY; witnesses Rillie C. Wightman and Eva Wightman
12-11-1887: Emmett Wooden, PA, to Julia Steinburg; witnesses R. C. Wightman and Emmet Wightman
12-24-1887: Elias B. Wightman, NY, and Kittie Dunham, MI; witnesses Robert D. Lernen and Estelle Lernen
7-3-1888; Presley Franks, PA, and Mary Uri; witnesses James D. Cox and Huldah Cox
7-29-1888: John W. Young, MI, to Adelaid Whitmore; witnesses Wm. D. Bennett and Orvilla Whitmore
1-19-1888: Stephen A. Ware, MI, and Mary J. Misner, NY, witnesses W. W. Worden and Cornelia H. Worden

Married by Parson F. A. VanDeWalker:
12-25-1888: George H. Myers, MI, to Helen Gates, Canada; witnesses Henry Gates & wife
12-26-1888: James F. Smith, MI, to Rosa Kimmel, MI; witnesses Ozini Smith and Mrs. Frank Caswell
1-1-1889: Geo. W. Acker, NY, and Sarah E. Shilton, MI; witnesses Florence Shilton and Clara Shilton
1-30-1889: John Fullington, MI, and Hattie Goodenough; witnesses Mrs. F. A. VanDeWalker and Alma VanDeWalker
3-2-1889: Nelson Willitt, MI, and Stella L. Benedict, MI; witnesses Aaron Taylor & wife

Married by Parson Albert Smith:
4-22-1890: Ira Corser, NY, and Elizabeth Smith, NY; witnesses Annie E. Smith and James Marsh
7-4-1890: Ralph Crane, MI, and Elmie Sargent, MI; witnesses Annie E. Smith and Willis M. Smith
11-17-1890: John Seter, Germany, and Delia Tanner, MI; witnesses G. F. Guernsey and Phebe Guernsey
Married by Rev. John Dobson:
10-21-1891, Luis A. Perry, MI, and Emma Cadwell, MI; witnesses Charles A. Randall and Monica Randall
12-24-1891: Asahel A. Merritt, MI, and Emma Ritenburg, MI; witnesses John Wright and Druscilla Ritenburg.
2-3-1892: Ozro B. Shetterly, OH, and Lillie C. Rowe, MI; witnesses Fred VanLennen and Bertha Shetterly
2-8-1892: Chauncey Chamberlain, MI, and Olive Sherwood, MI; witnesses Iva Sherwood and Grace Hicking
2-10-1892: Edwin F. Hollbuch, MI, and Orpha Rader, OH; witnesses Albert Green and Ella Green
5-12-1892: Walter Warner, MI, and Eva Dye, MI; witnesses Mrs. J. Dobson and Ida May Benedict
10-28-1892: Dick K. Taylor, MI, and Kate Kuhtz; witnesses William Kuhtz and Violet Kuhtz
5-18-1892: Leon Bromberg, MI, and Florence Jordan, MI; witnesses Charles Price and Hattie Price
6-15-1892: Louis L. Holmes, ONT., and M. Ella Townsend, MI; witnesses Edd S. Townsend and Flora E. Adgate
11-15-1892: Albert Keefer, MI, and Eva Taft; witnesses Riley Taft and Eva L. Keefer
1-18-1893: Frank Deniston, NY, and Lillie May Stanton, MI; witnesses John H. Stanton and Minnie A. Stanton
3-1-1893: Augier Dickerson, MI, and Minnie Stanton; witnesses J. E. Dobson and Mrs. John Dobson
9-14-1893: Edwin A. Buck, OH, and Lulu A. Klotz, MI; witnesses A. B. Buck and Florence Klotz
1-1-1894: John Miller, MI, and Daisy Blow, MI; witnesses George Miller and Mary Baker
4-11-1894: Charles Chamberlain, MI, and Barbara Kuhtz, MI; witnesses George Khutz and Ada Khutz, Dick K. Taylor and Kate Taylor
1-23-1895: Lewis Rowe, MI, and Olive E. Wilson, Canada; witnesses A. J. Borton and Minnie Brickley