Part I - Agriculture, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.



CLEARING THE LAND
Stump pullers were used to clear the land of acres and acres of stumpage after the loggers clear-cut the virgin pine forests, leaving early settlers with a most formidable task. Both pictures of the teepee-frame type structure were taken in the Barryton area. There is no identification available for the one with the white horses but the outfit in the other photo was owned by Elton "Elt" Darnell who lived west of Weidman. He is pictured holding the reigns to the horses on the right. Also pictured are his brothers, Jim (leaning on the shovel ) and Bailey (in the background) and his brother-in-law Tom Loomis (in bib-overalls). The third photo was taken Grant Township in 1908 at a location just south of the Pickeral Lake School and just north of Pickeral (Burgess) Lake. (Pioneer file photos)

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