HISTORY OF TUSCOLA COUNTY

 

Page 58

 

THE TOWN OF JUNIATA

 

    This town is bounded on the north by Fair Grove, having Denmark on the west, Vassar to the south and Indian Fields east. Cass River flows through the southeast corner of the town, about three sections lying to the south and east of the river.  The most of the town is rolling; about one-third perhaps, in the southeast corner along the river, being level and having a more sandy soil than the other two-thirds, which is generally a clay loam.

    This was among the earliest settled towns in the county.  The first settlers in the town were Levi Rogers and family, who came in early in 1850.  The first blow struck for improvement was by Andrew Jackson Rogers on land which his father had purchased of Townsend North. From Levi Rogers the town took the name of Rogers under which it was organized.

     Shortly after came two German families, and about the same time William Jameson, Jonas Belknap, Ezra A. Belknap, John Freeman, S. H. Moore, Daniel Gorton Truman, and within the next two years Patrick McGlone, Ephraim Smith, Frank Fairman, Daniel Kinyon King Allen, Hiram Gibbs, Lucius Marvin, James Wing, Henry S. Russell, William Law, Andrew Schultz, Nelson Vickery, William Fenner, Daniel T. Tonkrey, E. Miller, R. G. Black.

    Until 1852 the only roads were the lumbermen’s supply and logging roads, very serviceable in winter but almost impassable in spring and summer.  In 1852 a road was laid out from the present site of Watrousville which was cut through in 1853, the people generally turning out and helping to open the road.  The Commissioners to lay to this road were Jackson Rogers and William Jameson.  Martin Miller, of Tuscola, was surveyor.

    The first marriage in the town was of Silas H. Moore, son of Alfred and Hannah Moore, of Canton, Wayne County, Mich., and Sarah Rogers, daughter of Levi and Abigail Rogers, December 24, 1851, by Orin A. Gibbs, of Vassar.

   The first death was of William Law, February 5, 1852.

     The First birth was of Charlotte, daughter of King and Sarah Allen, November 24, 1851.  She died March 24, 1852.

    The first school meeting was held in May, 1853, at the house of Patrick McGlone.

    The first school in the town of Juniata was taught in the summer of 1853 by Miss Ellen E. Miller, now wife of Charles R. Selden, of Caro.   The building used was a low log shanty, built by D. G. Wilder to live in, until he could construct a better habitation.  It stood nearly opposite the present site of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Watrousville.  The following are the names of pupils who attended this first tem of school:  Sarah, Arvilla and Eliza McGlone, George, Charles and Abraham Pettingill, Nancy, John and Dall Streeter, Jennie and James King, George Smith, mary, Sally, Albert and Emily Schultz, Martha Huntley, Lemuel Gamble, Jonathan, Clarissa and Salmon Simons, nelson and Dana Miller and Ann Morrell.

    Mrs. E. H. Hudson, daughter of Mr. William Jameson, speaks of the first sermon preached in the town of Juniata, ws preached in my father’s house by the Rev. Mr. Selden, a brother of Mr. Joseph Selden, who for years was our beloved and respected neighbor.

     “The Rev. gentleman came from his New England home to visit his brother, and spent the Sabbath there.  As my father’s house offered larger room than any other in that vicinity, he accepted an invitation to preach there and did so to about thirty souls, a pretty well-filled house for those days.  This was, I think, in the second year of our pioneer life.  You that sit every Sabbath in your grand churches little know how sweet to us were the words of life as they fell from the lips of that good man.  We had no churches then; we had no schools, no art galleries, no rail roads.  No set forms of society troubled us, no social inflictions marred our peace.

     “But we had a hearty welcome for all. Alike we welcomed the friend or stranger, the old and the young, the rich and the poor; the cultured or the child of nature shared the hospitalities of our humble homes.  Society made no chains for us, but our motto was charity and good will to all.”

 

LAND ENTRIES PRIOR TO 1860

 

TOWNSHIP 12 NORTH, RANGE 8 EAST

 

Section 1.                 James Fraser, April 26, 1851

                        Daniel Kinyon, August 13, 1851

                        John Chaffee, August 17, 1852

                        Hiram Utley, November 13, 1851

                        August Howell, August 3, 1852

 

Section 2            David Kestler, September 1, 1851

                        Matthew Hiller, August 3, 1852

                        William Patterson, May 6, 1852

                        Samuel H. Hewes, July 1, 1852

                        Samuel Hewes, July 2, 1852

                        Lewis K. VanGieson, Augst 10, 1852

                        Matthew Hiller, April 3, 1855

                        Warner W. Vandersen, October 23, 1855

                       

Section 3            Andrew Hartman, December 8, 1851

                        Charles Low, January 16, 1852

                        Ebenezer Jennings, August 23, 1852

                        James VanValkenburgh, November, 10, 1852

                        James H. Streeter, August 12, 1853

                        James King, August 24, 1853

                        William Burton, December 12, 1854

William D. Willson, August 6, 1855  

 

Section 4            Erastur Marr, Aug 23, 1850

                        Erastus Marr, June 14, 1852

                        Michael Thornton, April 27, 1853

                        John Borland, December 2, 1853

                        Aaron Watrous, Jr., December 14, 1853

                        Franklin Poppin, January 27, 1854

                        Charlotte Luther, December 11, 11854

 

Section 5            Thomas Rutherford, November 17, 1852

                        James Gibson, November 19, 1852

                        James Gibson, March 22, 1853

                        David Eaton, October 15, 1851

                        Gurdon Mathewson, October 15, 1851

                        Jane Blanck, June 23, 1852

                        Thomas Rutherford, October 27, 1852

                        Seymour Winchell, May 10, 1853

                        Anthony R. Cook, May 10, 1853

                        Mark Carrington, April 24, 1854

 

Section 6            Isaac Hodges, September 5, 1851

                        William F. Roth, November 15, 1851

                        Abraham B. Smith, December 13, 1851

                        James Edsall, December 13, 1851

                        Townsend North, November 17, 1852

                        Townsend North, December 1, 1852

                        Henry Hutchinson, January 10, 1853

                        Andrew Schultz, December 13, 1853

                        Mark Carrington, April 25, 1854

                       

Section 7            William R. Young, April 13, 1852

                        Porter Edmunds, December 20, 1852

                        Francis Rogers, March 2, 1852

                        Aaron Rogers, Jr., November 29, 1853

                        Aaron Rogers, Jr., May 22, 1854

 

Section 8            Alexander Thorn, February 16, 1852

                        Alexander Schackleton, February 26, 1852

                        John Borland, March 3 1853

                        Levi Rogers, October 20, 1851

                        Daniel Gorton, November 5, 1853

                        John Borland, November 26, 1853

                        Aaron Watrous, Jr. May 22, 1854

 

Section 9            Daniel Gorton, June 10, 1850         

                        Hannah McGlone, July 6, 1850

                        Erastus Marr, April 30, 1852

                        Asa Stoddard, January 19, 1852

                       

Section 10            Jacob Winchell, November 20, 1850

                        Clarissa Webster,September 20, 1850

                        Noah Felt, April 5, 1852

                        Darius Hodges, September 19, 1851

                        Ezra Haley, December 8,  1851

 

Section 11             Martin Watrous and Aaron Watrous, Jr., May 5, 1851

                        Hiram Gibbs, March 1, 1852

                        Edwin K. Pulsipher, May 6, 1852

                        Nelson Hewes, May 6, 1852

                        James Sanders, May 14, 1852

                        Elijah Gibbs, June 19, 1852

                        David Black, et. al., April 25, 1852

 

Section 12            King Allen, October 20, 1851

                        Henry S. Russell, May 18, 1852

                        Eli Hyde, June 2, 1852

                        Amos Andrews, June 2, 1852

                        Hiram Allen, September 15, 1853

                        Martin Watrous, January 5, 1853

                        David H. Andrews, November 3, 1853

 

Section 13            Martin Watrous and Aaron Watrous, Jr., May 5 1851

                        Martin Watrous August 23, 1851

                        Martin Watrous, January 9, 1852

                        Charles G. Southworth, June 4, 1852

                        Martin Watrous, May 19, 1853

                        Samuel T. Atwater, July 1, 1854

                        Nelson Kile, April 1, 1858

 

Section 14            Martin Watrous and Aaron watrous, jMay 5, 1851

                        Martin Watrous, August 23, 1851

                        John Moore, September 15, 1851

                        John Latham, September 15, 1851

                        Christian Burns, May 18, 1852

                        David Gamble, December 1, 1852

                        Aaron Watrous,Jr., June 16, 1853

                        Aaron Watrous, Jr., September 13, 1853

                        Patrick McGlone, August 24, 1855

                        Patrick McGlone, November 14, 1856

 

Section 15            Daniel G. Wilder, March 16, 1850

                        Thomas Chapman, October 9, 1850

                        James P. Toncray, January 13, 1851

                        Henry Pettingill, September 20, 1852

                        Aaron Watrous, Jr., May 10, 1853

 

SECTION 16            E. Briggs, May 4, 1851

                        James Gotham, September 15, 1851

                        S. Andrews, September 15, 1851

                        Lot Wilder, October 27, 1852

                        P. H. Rickert, October 4, 1853

                        Aaron Watrous, January 15, 1859

                        Lot Wilder, December 19, 1853

                        D. R. Sortwell, December 30, 1853

 

Section 17            Townsend North, February 14, 1846

 

Section 18            Townsend North, February 14, 1846

 

Section 19            Townsend North, February 14, 1846

 

Section 20            Townsend North, February 14, 1846

 

Section 21            Alfred Moore, November 29, 1850

                        Alfred Moore, May 3, 1851

                        Alfred Moore,  April 30, 1851

                        Aaron Watrous, June 29, 1853

                        Alfred Moore, October 25, 1853

                        Alfred Moore, November 22, 1849

 

Section 22            Gearhart Kile, April 10, 1852

                        Martin Watrous, may 19, 1853

                        Aaron Watrous, Jr., June 4, 1853

                        Lafayette Wilder, March 15, 1855

                        Stephen G. Miller, October 29, 1857

 

Section 23             Russell Merrill, March 29, 1856

                        William Fenner, August 11, 1856

                        Martin Watrous, November 16, 1858

                        Martin Watrous, November 17, 1858

 

Section 24            Gardner D. Williams and James Fraser, February 11, 1857

                        David Robinson, September 30, 1851

                        Samuel T. Atwater, July , 1854

                        Martin Watrous, December 28, 1854

                        William Fenner, November 6, 1855

 

Section 25            Gardner D. Williams and James Fraser, February 11, 1837

                        Samuel T. Atwater, July 1, 1854

                        William King, August 11, 1856

                        Moses B. Hess, August 26, 1856

                       

Section 26            Douglass Houghton, May 10, 1836

                        Martin Watrous, February 23, 1853

                        William King, August 11, 1856

                        Edmund H. Hazelton, August 21, 1856

                       

Section 27            Horace C. Babcock, December 7 1852

                        Martin Watrous, January 5, 1853

                        Daniel Castle, January 22, 1853

                        Martin Watrous, August 2, 1853

                        Joshua D. Smith, August 23, 1853

                        Henry D. Braddock, November 14, 1855

                       

Section 28            Stephen J. Miller, October 29, 1857

                        Aaron Watrous, August 5, 1858

                        Aaron Watrous, November 23, 1858

 

Section 29            Alfred Moore, May 3, 1851

                        Thomas Rutherford, February 10, 1852

                        Benjamin Ames, February 6, 1852

                        Aaron Watrous, Jr., December 14, 1853

                        Wm. Allen, August 31, 1855

                        Joseph Gamble, June 11, 1859

                        Aaron Watrous, August 5, 1858

 

Section 30            James M. Edward, February 28, 1850

                        James M. Edwards, April 19, 1850

                        James M. Edwards, April 28, 1850

                        Townsend North, February 14, 1846

 

Section 31            Sabin Gibbs, November 22, 1850

                        Ezra A. and James G. Belknap, December 17, 1850

                        Timothy Showerman, June 6, 1851

                        Rufus Brown, June 6, 1851

                        Amos Parks, January 13, 1853

                        Alonzo P. Rowland, November 6, 1855

 

Section 32            David Ringle, August 22, 1853

                        Norman W. Perkins, August 25, 1854

                        Silas Rich, August 10, 1855

                        Alonzo P. Rowland, November 6, 1855

                        Norman W. Perkins, February 11, 1856

                        John Chase, September 27, 1858

 

Section 33            David Ringle, August 22, 1853

                        Levi Fairchild, November 10, 1855

                        John Terwilliger, December 18, 1855

                        John J. McDougall, June 22, 1857

 

Section 34            Gardner D. Williams and James Fraser, February 11, 1837

                        Daniel Castler, January 22, 1853

                        Henry D. Braddock, November 14, 1855

                        Susan Miller, August 18, 1858

           

Section 35            Douglass Houghton, May 10, 1836

                        Edmund H. Hazelton, August 24, 1857

                        Mary E. Berry, August 24, 1857

                        John Bourn, December 9, 1859

 

Section 36            Douglass Houghton, May 10, 1836

                        Daniel D. Dewey, March 13, 1854

                        Joshua D. Smith, James M. Baldwin and David G. Slafter, May 26, 1854

                        Moses B. Hess, August 30, 1856   

 

 

CIVIL HISTORY

 

     The township of Rogers was organized by act of legislature, approved March 2, 1851, and comprised the following territory, to wit:  Townships, 12, 13 and 14 north, of ranges 7 and 8 east, and township 15 north, of range 8 east.

     In 1857, the name of the town was changed, by act of legislature, from Rogers to Juniata.

     The first town meeting was held April 7, 1851, at the house of Levi Rogers, at which the following officers were elected, viz,  Supervisor, Ephraim Smith; clerk, Joseph Selden; treasurer, Truman H. Lake; commissioner of highways, Silas H. Moore; school inspector, Daniel Gorton; justices of the peace, Jonas G. Belknap and Levi Rogers; constables, Andrew J. Rogers and William S. Jameson; poor-master, P. McGlone; overseers of highways, Ezra Belknap, District No. 1, and G. W. P. Rogers, District No. 2. The whole number of votes cast was thirteen.

     At a meeting of the town board, September 30, it was voted to raise $60 for town expenses.

    In 1852, the town meeting voted to raise $250 for highway purposes.

    December 14, 1852, Daniel Gorton was appointed treasurer, to fill vacancy occasioned by Truman H. Lake, being elected sheriff of the county.

     In 1853, $250 was voted for highway purposes.  In December of the same year, Silas H. Moore was appointed agent for the town to sell spirituous liquors.

     The treasurer’s statement, dated December 10, 1853, shows:

            State and county tax………………………..$321.65

            Town tax………………………………….…100.00

            Highway tax…………………………………250.00

            Non-resident delinquent tax…………………277.71

            School districts………………………………482.25

            Mill tax………………………………………..65.00

     In 1856 the whole number of votes cast at town meeting was 103.

     In July, 1856, the boards of Rogers, Fairgrove and Akron, met at Watrousville, for the purpose of effecting a mutual settlement.  The following rule of division was adopted, viz.  That moneys credits and debts, be debits, be divided in the proportion of 59/100 to Rogers, 275/1000 to Fairgrove, and 135/1000 to Akron, on which basis a settlement was made.

     September 4, 1857, Theophilus Baldwin was appointed clerk by the town board, in place of O. P. Chubb, resigned.

     Under date of October 17, 1857, appears a report of Patrick McGlone and Frederick Schilling, commissioners under act of the legislature, appointed to lay out a road from Sebewaing to Cass River, and of D. E. Cranston, surveyor, that they have laid out and established a road, on a line described, from the northeast corner of section 4, through the town to the right bank of Cass River; and of B. A. Wood and Henry Wideman, commissioners, that they have laid out and established a road from the southeast corner of section 36, on a line described, to an intersection with the Sebewaing and Cass River road.

     In 1858, $300 was raised for highway purposes.

     In 1859, 109 votes were cast at town meeting.

     The annual settlement with the treasurer in 1850, showed the following debits:

                        Supervisor’s warrant……………………..$1169.69

                        Cash of county treasurer……………………..50.00

                        Primary school money……………………….84.16

                        County orders……………………………….164.44

            The number of votes cast in 1860 was 130.

            November 16, 1860, the supervisor reported taxes to be collected as follows.

                        Town purposes……………………………...$378.29

                        School………………………………………..708.76

                        Highway……………………………………..114.80

                        State and county tax…………………………711.60

                                                                                                ______

                                                                                             $1,913.45

                                   

     April 8, 1861, A.B. Weaver was by the town board appointed supervisor, in placeof Andrew Davidson, resigned.

     January 6, 1854, a special town meeting was held at the house of H. G. Vaughn for the purpose of raising money to relieve the town for the draft. It was voted unanimously, to authorize the town board to issue bonds to the amount of $3,000, for the payment of bounties to volunteers for military service, and in the following March the board executed bonds of $200 each, to the amount of $2,600.  The amount of the assessment roll for the year, as per warrant, was $2,40.35.

     The total number of votes cast at the annual election in 1864 was 152.

     At a special town meeting August 15, 1864, it was voted to raise by tax $100, for each man credited to the town on the two last calls from this date, for military service.

     At the presidential election is 1864, 160 votes were cast.

     The annual meeting for 1865, authorized to pay out of the contingent fund a sufficient sum to pay the amount due volunteers, who went into military service the previous fall and were credited to the town, under the call for 500,000 men, money which had been raised by subscription, to be paid into the treasury; and $2,600 was ordered raised, to pay bonds coming due the following spring.

     Taxes for 1865, as per supervisor’s warrant, were $5,764.68.

     In 1866, $2,000 was ordered raised, to pay soldiers’ bonds.

Total number of votes cast at the election, 161.

     In 1867, a bounty of $12 was voted for every wolf killed.

     At the annual meeting in 1868, 79 votes were cast for the annual sessions of the legislature, and 20 for the biennial sessions.

90 votes were cast for prohibition, and 17 against.

     At a special town meeting held June 25, 1868, it was voted to raise for per cent on the assessed valuation of the town, as a bonus to the East Saginaw & Watrousville Plank Road Company, on conditions specified.

     August 29, 1868, the town board appointed Benjamin A. Wood supervisor, to fill vacancy caused by the death of J. W. Rogers.  In October, Mr. Wood having resigned, Henry P. Atwood was appointed supervisor.

     The amount of tax roll for 1869 was $4,491.13.

     The number of votes cast in 1870 was 170.

     At the November election of 1872, 210 votes wer cast for governor.

     The amount of the tax roll for 1874 was $3,684.30; for 1875 it was 4, 466.04.

     In April, 1878, the town board appointed John M. Cole supervisor, in place of E. B. Hayes, resigned.

     The total tax for 1878 was $7,113.73.

     InOctober, 1882, a vacancy having occurred in the office of treasurer, by the death of John Walton,. Perry Y. Yohnson was appointed by the board.

     In December, 1882, E. B. Hayes having resigned the office of supervisor, T. M. Rutherford was apponted to fill the vacancy.

 

STATISTICAL

 

     Census of 1860:   Population, 643; number of families, 134; number of dwelling, 124; number of farms, 135; number of acres of improved land, 3,045; number of horses, 82; number of cows, 192; bushels of wheat, 7,695; bushels of rye, 152; bushels of corn, 7,250; bushels of oats, 4,579; bushels of potatoes, 3,579; pounds of wool, 512; pound of butter made, 14,773; pounds of cheese made, 500; tons of hay cut, 333; flouring-mills, 1; saw-mills, 1.

     Census of 1864:  Population, 766; number of acres of taxable land, 12,780; number of acres improved, 4,034; bushels of corn preceding year, 9,010; bushels of wheat preceding year, 11, 692; bushels of potatoes preceding year, 4,943, tons of hay preceding year, 844; pounds of wool sheared, 2,073; pounds of butter made, 19,175; pounds of cheese made, 870; flouring-mills, 1; saw-mills, 1

     Census of 1870: Population, 1,042; families, 204; dwellings, 202; farms, 133; voters, 231; bushels of wheat raised, 2132; bushels of corn, 13,471; bushels of oats, 11,356; bushels of potatoes, 16,995; tons of hay, 1,467; number of acres improved land, 6,012; pounds of wool sheared, 9,121; pounds of butter made, 36,569; pounds of cheese made, 730.

     Census of 1874:  Population, 1,041; number of horses, 319; number cows, 427; bushels of wheat raised, 17,377; bushels of corn, 21,490; bushels of apples, 4,496; bushels of potatoes, 17,670; tons of hay, 1,493.

     Population in 1880, 1,302; total equalized valuation in 1882, $549,194; number of farms in 1881, 157; acres of improved land, 9,091; bushels of wheat raised in 1880, 50,634; corn, 79,625; tons of hay, 1,211.

 

SCHOOL MATTERS

 

     In Juniata there are eight school districts, one of which if fractional.  The directors are Q. Tappan, E. B. Hayes, W. J. Lawe, Ambrose Lewis, David Johnson, J. F. Riley, Nelson Miller.

     Whole number of children of school age in the town, 400; number that attended school during the year, 320.

 

TOWN OFFICERS

 

YEAR            SUPERVISOR            CLERK                   TREASURER       COMMISSIONER

1883    James R. Borland            John A. Hatch               Perry Y. Johnson            Nelson Miller

1882    Eleazar B. Hayes            John A. Hatch               John Walton            Perry Y. Johnson

1881    Eleazar B. Hayes            John A. Hatch               John Walton         Perry Y. Johnson

1880    Eleazar B.Hayes            C. T. Jarvis                Perry Y. Johnson    T. M. Rutherford

1879    Eleazar B.Hayes            John A. Hatch               Perry Y. Johnson     Richard M. Ross

1878    Eleazar B.Hayes            John A. Hatch               Daniel G. Wilder     D. W. Altenbury

1877    Eleazar B.Hayes            John A. Hatch               James R. Borland            ……………..

1876    Eleazar B.Hayes            John A. Hatch               James R. Borland            ……………..

1875    Eleazar B.Hayes            John A. Hatch               James R. Borland            ……………..

1874    Eleazar B.Hayes            John A. Hatch               James R. Borland            ……………..

1873            Washington Ball            Chas T. Jarvis                James R. Borland            ……………..

1872            Washington Ball            John A. Hatch               James R. Borland            ……………..

1871            Washington Ball            John A. Hatch               James R. Borland            …………….

1870    Eleazar B. Hayes            A. R. Carter              James R. Borland            ………………

1869    Eleazar B. Hayes            A. R. Carter              James R. Borland            ………………

1868    J. Warren Rogers            R. C. Burtis               James R. Borland            ………………

1867    J. Warren Rogers            A. R. Carter              James R. Borland            ………………

1866    D. G. Wilder              A. R. Carter              James S. Deming            ………………

1865    Benj. A. Wood            A. R. Carter              James R. Borland            ………………

1864    Richard C. Burtis            John Harmon                        James R. Borland            ………………

1863    D. G. Wilder              John Harmon                        James R. Borland            ………………

1862    D. G. Wilder              J. M. Watrous                       James R. Borland            ………………

1861            Andrew Davidson            J. M. Watrous                       James R. Borland            ………………

1860            Jonathan F. Black            Theo. Baldwin                        James Simonds            ……………...

1859            Jonathan F. Black            Theo Baldwin                        B.A. Wood              ……………...

1858    Aaron Watrous            Theo Baldwin                        William King                 ……………...

1857    Aaron Watrous            Orvil P. Chubb  William King                 ……………

1856    D. G. Wilder              J. W. Wilber              G. Kile                         ……………..

1855                                        No Record

1854    Daniel Kinyon             David M. Black            G. Kile                         ………………

1853    Joseph Selden              Silas H. Moore  D. G. Wilder              ………………

1852            Ephraim Smith            Joseph Selden              Truman H. Lake            ………………

1851            Ephraim Smith            Joseph Selden              Truman H. Lake            ………………

 

 

 

THE VILLAGE OF WATROUSVILLE

 

     This village is located in sections 9, 10, 15 and 16 of the town of Juniata.  In February, 1851, Patrick McGlone settled on section 9 and built a log house.  This the necessities of travel compelled him to turn into a tavern, this being on the thoroughfare for lumbermen, settlers and prospectors seeking pine or farming lands.  Mr. McGlone was also a woodman and well acquainted with the surrounding country, which fact caused his aid to be constantly sought by seekers after homes in the wilderness.

     In October, 1852, came to McGlone’s Aaron Watrous with a crew of men to commence lumbering on the Cass River, and made his home with McGlone during the winter.  The latter proposed to him to build a mill at that point, to which Mr. Watrous assented, provided sufficient pine could be located to warrant a mill.  Returning in June, 1853, with A. B. Weaver and Wright, and finding from Mr. McGlone’s report that the necessary pine could be secured, a site was purchased of D. G. Wilder in the northwest quarter of section 15 and the mill built in 1853.  In the same year Mr. Watrous built a frame “lean-to” to his log boarding-house and put in a stock of goods.  This point thus became established as a center of trade.  It was for many years the depot of supply for all the country to the north and northeast.  Mr. Watrous put in a run of stone and at once tended to this point the steps of settlers from every direction, bringing, generally, on their backs their small bags of grain.  The miller was A. B. Weaver, and never did a miller have a more motley array of grists to grind.  The average did not exceed a half bushel, and it was mostly corn. The elevating at first was very primitive, a box beneath receiving the meal which was carried up by hand, for bolting.  This, however, was a great improvement on the more primitive coffee-mill method, and was welcomed accordingly.

     Not only for his business enterprise is Mr. Watrous remembered, but also for his kindly heart and for the ready aid he gave to many an early settler about whose door the wolf of privation, hunger and distress was prowling.  Many instances are related of his prompt response to the appeal of the struggling pioneer, and many a pack was loaded by him with flour and pork, for which his only payment was a promise of an honest man and the pleasant consciousness of a kindly act.

     We find the following paragraph written by E. E. Caster while on a visit to Watrousville in May, 1867.  He says:  “Watrousville is in reality only about eight or ten years old.  I remember sleeping in the woods one night, near this place, and listening to the howling of the wolves until nearly daylight, when they ceased their music.  Mr. McGlone’s long shanty then stood here, a lone sentinel in the wilderness.  Now there is a very tasty little village here, which contains, by actual count, upward of seventy buildings of various dimensions.  One steam saw-mill, which also drives a run of stone for custom work, two hotels, six stores of various sizes and kinds, a good school building, which is used for church purposes also, and three residences especially noticeable for their elegance.”

 

 

POSTOFFICE

    

     Prior to 1856 the people of Watrousville and vicinity had received their mail by private conveyance from Vassar.  Uniting together for that purpose they employed a messenger who came in on foot or on horseback once a week, usually on Saturday or Sunday, and was paid one dollar for the trip.  Chauncey Furman was the carrier most of the time.

     In 1856 a mail route was established from Vassar to Sebewaing by way of Watrousville, Mr. Furman being contractor, and a postoffice was established at the latter place with Aaron Watrous as postmaster.  In 1861 B. A. Wood became postmaster.  The following persons have held the office since, viz: Henry B. Wilber, R.C. Burtis, Geo. Rogers, B. A. Wood, a second term, John Walton, J. A. Hamilton, and again B. A. Wood, the present incumbent.

 

SCHOOLS

 

     A graded school was established in District No. 4, which includes the village of Watrousville, about 1875.  It has two departments and an attendance of about seventy-five pupils, the number of children of school age in the district being, by the last census, one hundred and four.  The teachers engaged for the year, commencing in September, 1883, are Thomas Allen and sister.  The trustees are:  Am. Lewis, director; R. S. Weaver, assessor; J. M. Cole moderator; Dr. Richard Morris and R. D. Black.

 

WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION

 

     This society was organized in Watrousville in 1882.  It has from the first been deeply interested and attentive to the work for which it was established.  Meetings are held every alternate Thursday evening at the Methodist Episcopal Church.  The membership is now fifteen.  The officers are:  President Mrs. A. Stafford; corresponding secretary, Mrs. R.S. Weaver; recording secretary, Mrs. D. R. Lewis; treasurer, T. Rathburn.

 

THE CHOSEN FRIENDS

     Tuscola Council, No. 47, of this order, the primary object of which is mutual life insurance, was organized January 5, 1883, with sixteen members.  Ten have since been added.  The officers are: Russell D. Black, C. C.; Mrs. Annie E. Fish, V.C. C.; D. r. Lewis, secretary; Mrs. E. M. Black, treasurer; Mrs. D. R. Lewis, prelate; Jas. H. Simpson, marshal; Mrs. M. A. Arnold, warden; Edwin Hardy, guard: Chas. Thursby, sentry.

 

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHUARCH

 

   

 

     A church of this denomination was organized in the fall of 1865 by Elders I. D. Van Horn and D. M. Canright with thirty-seven members.  It was formally organized for incorporation February 24, 1866, when at a meeting of persons who had signed articles of association for the purpose of forming a religious society to be known as the Society of Seventh Day Adventists of Watrousville, the following persons were elected trustees, viz: Zephaniah Wilber, Andrew J. Rogers and John Walton.  Services were held in school-houses until 1869, when a neat plain church edifice was erected in the village of Watrousville, with a seating capacity of about one hundred. Services are held every Saturday, with occasional preaching by Elder Wm. Ostrander and others.  The present membership is about thirty-two.  The Sabbath-school has about twenty-seven members.  The trustees of the church are J. A. Hatch, C. W. Hartson and Calvin Jewett.

 

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

 

     About the year 1856 a class of the M. E. Church was organized at Watrousville.  Services were held regularly at the school-house until the building of their house of worship.

     At the quarterly conference held at Vassar, February 18, 1865, the following persons were elected trustees of the church at Watrousville, Viz.: William King, James Simonds, Elisha Kenyon, Harris Stillson and Philip Davis; the corporation to be “described and known as the Trustees of the First Methodist Society in Watrousville.”

     In 1871 a church building was erected under the pastorate of Rev. J. B. Russell.  It is a convenient and commodious structure and built with excellent taste.  Its dimensions on the ground are 36 X 60 feet, and its seating capacity about 400.  The present membership of the church is thirty-eight.  The pastor at the present time is Rev. W. J. Bailey.  The trustees of the society are E. Higgins, G. Kile, E. B. Rose, R. S. Weaver, Wm. Eckley, A. Stafford and W. Walton.  A prosperous Sunday-school numbering eighty members is connected with the church.

     A class also meets at the Belknap school-house in the southwest part of the town, supplied by Rev. Mr. White, of Vassar, services being held every Sunday.