The Lapeer Pioneers

Article from 16 Feb 1875

The Lapeer Pioneers.

The Lapeer County Pioneer Society held its annual meeting at the Court-house in Lapeer, on Feb. 12, and notwithstanding the extremely cold weather the attendance was very good. On account of the illness of the President, Hon. James Merrill, Capt. W. H. Hart was chosen chairman. The court room was finely decorated, and its walls hung with portraits of the most prominent early settlers in the county. A correspondent gives the following report of the proceedings:

Mr. Hart on taking the chair said he came to Lapeer over forty-two years ago, and down to 1840 knew every man in the county. When he came her provisions of every kind were obtained from Detroit, flour costing $16 per barrel, and other things in proportion. After prayer by Elder E. L. Little, the Glee Club by request sang “Wells.” This was the tune used at the first religious services held in the county, and was sung to hymns of three different metres during the service, a feat that the Glee Club was not able to perform.

Hon. Enos Goodrich, a recent Congressional aspirant, made a politico-pioneer speech, winding up with a fling at the present condition of affair in the country, especially on emergency matters, and presented the society with one of his “wild-cat” bills of 1838.

Remarks were also made by Hon. Horace Rood of Lapeer, Joseph Bristol of Almont, John Evans of Lapeer, J. Brigham of Hadley, A. S. Hatch and John Look of Lapeer, all of whom recited interesting incidents of the early history of the country.

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:

President—Capt. W. H. Hart, Lapeer.

Secretary—Mrs. R. G. Hart, Lapeer.

Treasurer—S. S. Hicks, Lapeer.

Vice-Presidents—Arcadia, Joseph Bristol; Metamora, John Look; Hadley, John Brigham; Burnside, S. P. Gates; Marathon, John Clark; Mayfield, G. B. Evans; Imlay City, W. B. Eldridge; North Branch, Henry Gallinger.

The company then repaired to the Marshall House where a splendid collation was in readiness, to which attention was directed for nearly an hour. The following toasts were given: “The Old Pioneers;” response by Capt. W. H. Hart. “The Press;” response by S. J. Tomlinson of the Lapeer Clarion. “The Clergy;” response by Rev. E. L. Little. “Our First President;” response by S. S. Hicks. “The Medical Profession;” response by O. C. Comstock. “The Bar;” response by Hon. Enos Goodrich. The exercises closed with an original poem by Mrs. R. G. Hart. The society decided to hold a reunion at Imlay City in June. The next annual meeting will be held in this city, February 11th, 1876.

The Times Herald (Port Huron, MI) Tuesday, 16 Feb 1875, page 4

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