HISTORY OF TUSCOLA COUNTY

 

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TOWN OF KINGSTON

     This town occupies the middle position in the eastern tier of towns of Tuscola County, having Sanilac County as its eastern boundary, the town of Novesta on the north, Wells on the west and Koylton on the south.  The Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin R. R., passes through the township from north to south.  The town takes its name from Alanson K. King, one of its first settlers.
     At a meeting of the board of supervisors held October 10, 1860, a resolution was adopted, ordering that township 12 north, of range 11 east, be erected into a township to be known and designated by the name of Kingston.  The first township meeting saw held at the house of Alanson K. King.
     The petition was signed by the following freeholders in the township:  Jacob Shaw, Alvin Watson, Henry Hatherby, W. B. King, P.L. King, Oscar Watson, Alexander G. Corbet, David Fuller, J. L. Hatherby, M. Vites, G. Meidlein, Thomas Whitfield, A. K. King and G. R. Nelson.
     The first town meeting was held at the house of Jacob Shaw, April 1, 1861, when the following officers were elected: viz: supervisor, A. W. King; clerk, Oscar Watson; treasurer, P.L. King; justices, George Nelson and J. L. Hatherby; commissioners of highways, George Nelson, H. E Hatherby and W. B.. King; school inspectors, A. K. King and George Nelson; constables, A. K. King, H. E. Hatherby, W. B. King and Jacob Shaw.

ENTRIES OF LAND PRIOR TO 1861.

TOWNSHIP 12 NORTH, RANGE 11 EAST.

SECTION 1    Daniel F. Pickering, May 7, 1856
                        William Sanborn, April 15, 1857
                        John Bings, February 25, 1859

SECTION 4    Martin Watrous, June 9, 1860

SECTION 5    Jas. H. Bacon and Amasa Rust, May 24, 1859
                        Martin Watrous, June 9, 1860

SECTION 6    Henry Hayden, November 10, 1857
                        Robert H. Weidmann, November 10, 1857
                        J. H. Bacon and A. Rust, May 24, 1859

SECTION 7    Henry Hayden, December 8, 1857

SECTION 9    David G. Slafter, August 9, 1858
                        David G. Slafter, January 30, 1858

SECTION 10  Henry Hayden, December 8, 1857
                        James H. Bacon and Amasa Rust, May 24, 1859
                        David G. Slafter, Janaury 30, 1858

SECTION 11  Daniel F. Pickering, May 7, 1856
                        David G. Slafter, January 30, 1858

SECTION 12 Daniel F. Pickering, May 7, 1856
                       David G. Slafter, January 30, 1858

SECTION 13 Daniel F. Pickering, May 6, 1856
                       David G. Slafter, August 9, 1858
                       David G. Slafter, January 30, 1858

SECTION 14 Daniel F. Pickering, May 6, 1856
                      Martin Watrous, May 18, 1858
                      Martin Watrous, June 10, 1858
                      David G. Slafter, August 9, 1858
                      David G. Slafter, Janaury 30, 1858

SECTION 15 Daniel F. Pickering, May 6, 1856
                       Martin Watrous, August 2, 1858
                      Amasa Rust and James H. Bacon,, May 22, 1859

SECTION 17    Henry Hayden, November 10, 1859
                        Martin Watrous, January 30, 1858

SECTION 18   Valentine Reynolds, November 2, 1858
                       
SECTION 19    Daniel D. Dewey, April 23, 1853
                          David G. Slafter, January 30, 1858

SECTION 21    Martin Watrous, May 5, 1854
                        James M. Edmunds, May 10, 1854
                        Thomas Constable, November 12, 1857
                        Thomas Constable, Deecember 22, 1857
                        Alexander G. Corbet, November 22, 1860
                        Sault Canal Co., May 25, 1855

SECTION 22    Martin Watrous, May 5, 1854
                          James M.. Edmunds, May 10, 1854
                       David G. Slafter, August 9, 1858
                      J. H. Bacon and A. Rust, May 24, 1859
                      David G. Slafter, May 30, 1858
                      Joseph Colman, January 15, 1859
                      Amasa Rust, March 19, 1860

SECTION 23    Martin Watrous, November 20, 1858
                    Martin Watrous, February 22, 1859
                    Stephen H. Farrington, May 7, 1859
                    Martin Watrous, November 16, 1858
                    George Wallace, February 22, 1859

SECTION 25  Martin Watrous, May 18, 1858
                    Martin Watrous, June 3, 1858
                    Joseph Colman, November 2, 1858
                   
SECTION 26  Martin Watrous, May 21, 1858
                        Martin Watrous, June 3, 1858
                        Caroline Dunton, August 31, 1859
                        Royal C. Remick, August 6, 1852

SECTION 27    James M. Edmunds, May 10, 1854
                        Amasa Rust, June 3, 1859

SECTION 28    James M. Edmunds, May 10, 1854
                        Oscar Watson, September 17, 1860

SECTION 30    Nathan Raymond, April 28, 1858

SECTION 31    Daniel D. Dewey, May 2, 1853
                          Daniel D. Dewey, April 23, 1853
                          James Gillespie, September 12, 1860
                          Charles Featherly, September 12, 1860

SECTION 32    Alanson K. King, November 9, 1857
                        Rebeckah Shuman, May 15, 1858

SECTION 33    James M. Edmunds, May 10, 1854
                          Martin Watrous, July 8, 1857
                          George Meidlein, January 3, 1860

SECTION 34    Pembroke S. Chapel, September 5, 1857
                          John T. Clark, October 6, 1857
                          Silas Murch, March 13, 1858
                          Jacob Shaw, June 24, 1859
                          David Fuller, June 15, 1860

SECTION 35    John Deo, July 13, 1857
                        Silas Murch, March 13, 1858
                        William Walker, May 11, 1858
                        Caroline Dunton, August 31, 1859

SECTION 36    Samuel Barstow, June 17, 1854
                        Dennis Burch, February 2, 1858
                        Martin Watrous, May 18, 1858
                        Thomas H. Whitfield, March 7, 1859

EARLY SETTLEMENT

      In the fall of 1857 William Walker settled in section 35 and built a log house, and in December following moved his family in.  He came from Canada, and cut his road through the woods from a point on what is now the Almont and Cass River State road, in Sanilac County, to his house, a distance of about five miles.  he remained until the following June, when he returned to Canada, coming back again in 1871.
      Alanson King, with his son, Philo L., took up the south half of section 32, in the fall of 1857.  In January, 1858, they came in and built a log house, and on the 5th of March, following Mr. King moved in his family.  They came from Ohio and stayed with George Green in Dayton from January until March.  In coming in they cut their own road for four miles to their home.  They remained there until the winter of 1861-'62, when they removed to Juniata, returning to Kingston in 1870.
     In the fall of 1857 Thomas Constable bought the southwest quarter of section 21.  In the fall of 1858 he did some chopping on his land, and in December, 1860, moved in with his family.
     Jacob Shaw with his family settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 34 in the fall of 1858.
      In the spring of 1859 came Alvin Watson, and in the fall of the same year his brother Oscar Watson.
     Jospeh L. Hatherby took up the east half of northwest quarter of section 34, in 1858, and in December of the same year, moved in.

        Henry E. Hatherby moved into the town in 1859, and in 1860 George Nelson and W. B. King.  In the spring of 1860 came Elder Burgess; commenced preaching at once, and organized a class of the Methodist Church.  he continued preaching until the fall of 1861, when he moved away.  These were the first religious services in the town, and the commencement of the Methodist Episcopal Church here.  From the fall of 1861 to the spring of 1863 there was no preaching in the town.  Then Elder E. J. Doyle, a Free-will Baptist minister, commenced preaching here, and continued to preach in the vicinity for ten years.
     January 2, 1865, Rev. George Lee, preacher in charge of North Branch Circuit, appointed the following trustees, viz.:  Thomas Constable, Samuel Youngs, Alvin Watson, Oscar Watson, and Henry Seaman, to be described, known and incorporated as "The Kingston Board of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church."
     The first white child born in the town was George Shaw, the son of Jacob Shaw.  His birth was on the 21st of February, 1860.
     The first death in the town was the young daughter of Joseph L. Hatherby.  her death was in September, 1860.
     October 6, 1862, Oscar Watson and Sarah Youngs were married by the bride's father, Samuel Youngs, J.P., this being the first wedding in the town.
     The first school district was organized May 14, 1864, and the first school was taught by Miss Crawford in the summer of 1865. 
    The first school-house was built in 1865, and the first school taught in it was by C. Depew, in 1866.
     The early settlers in this region had to go to Wahjamega, Vassar, or Lapeer, to get their milling done, or else do their grinding by hand.  Many of the first settlers had to pack in their provisions

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on a blazed trail from Wahjamega, Vassar, or some other point outside.  Jacob Shaw was the great packer of the region.  He packed fourteen bushels of potatoes from Dayton to his place, a distance of about ten miles. He would start with one bag on his shoulder and another under his arm, and carry them until he was tired; then drop one and carry the other some distance, returning for the first and bringing it up to the other; then carry the two for a while, and so on until he reached home.  At one time he supplied a camp mega, a distance of ten miles, making the trip every day, and carrying fifty pounds of flour and fifty pounds of pork at a load.  The only roads through then wer trails through the woods, impassable for a team much of the time.

FIRST MAIL ROUTE

     The first mail route through this section of country was established in 1857, from Vassar to Port Sanilac, about seventy miles, and back once in two weeks.  George Sorter, of Wells, was the first carrier; but in 1858 a. K. King took the route, and he and his two sons carried the mails for several years.  it was a hard and lonesome route most of the way through the woods.  In many places for a long way it was simply a blazed trail, without any settlers near; some of the way through swamps, where they would have to wade in water up to their arm pits, holding the mail bag above the head; and in some seasons breaking the ice before them.  Mr. King carried the mail, and provisions for his family, from Vassar, twenty-six miles.  Most of the supplies for his family were brought in, in this way, on his back.  Mr. King died September 4, 1878, at the age of sixty-eight years.  He left a family of seven children, all settled in comfortable homes.  His wife preceded him in death nearly two years

THE VILLAGE OF NEWBURY

     In the summer of 1866, John Kingsbury and sons bought the southeast quarter of section 32, and made preparations to build a saw-mill, which they got to running early in the spring of 1867.  In the fall of 1866 Elder Johnson put up a small bulding on this same tract, near the section corner, and opened a store, with James Perry as clerk.  This was the beginning of the village of Newbury.  Sometime the next winter P. L. King bought the store.
     In April, 1868, Joseph A. Pepoon, M.D., came to Newbury form Ohio.  Up to this time the people of this region had been obliged to go to Watrousville or North Branch, when in need of medical aid.
     The Methodist Episcopal Church of Newbury, was dedicated February 11, 1873, and is the only church building in the town.
    The first and only grist-mill in the town was built in 1874.
    The village of Newbury was described in the fall of 1867, as follows:
     "Newbury is the name given to a place, recently sprung up in Kingston, a town that has improved as rapidly in the past two years as any in the county.  At Newbury, P.L. King has a store 24x20 feet, with a wing 24x16 feet, the latter doubtless furnishing a resdence for his family.  The store is two stories high, and at present contains a stock of boots and shoes, groceries, dry goods, Yankee notions, etc., etc.
     "J. Kingsbury & Son have a saw-mill which is doing a good business.  During the past six months it has sawed 600,000 feet of pine lumber.  The same firm will soon erect a grist-mill, to be run in connection with the saw-mill.  A part of the timber for the purpose is already out.  they have also a planing-mill, now on its way from Ohio, to which they will attach a matcher, and run the whole in connection with their other machinery.
     "D. Fuller is putting up a blacksmith shop, and also a swelling house.  A man by the name of William Depew, a cabinet maker, is at present prosecuting his trade at his dwelling, but will soon build a shop for the purpose.
    "The postoffice here bears the same name as the place---Newbury, and is kept in King's store.  The postmaster is John Kingsbury.
     The surrounding country is being very rapidly cleared up, the woods giving place to fine farms, and the unregenerate wilds to pleasing improvements.  The population is increasing very rapidly, emigrants arriving in no part of the county in greater numbers."
        The village lies on both sides of the line between the towns of Kingston and Koylton, in sections 32 and 33, of the former, and sections 4 and 5, of the latter,  It is the center of trade of an excellent farming country, and being a station on the Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin Railroad, is destined to become an important point for shipment of grain and other products.  The population of the village is about 200.  It has three general stores, one hardware establishment, one drug store, one harness shop, one meat market, one saw-mill, one grist-mill, an elevator under construction, a millinery store, postoffice, two hotels and a livery stables.  There are two church organizations, the Methodist Episcopal, under the pastorate of Rev. William Allman, and having a house of worship, and the Baptist, under the care of Rev. Mr. Rogers, meeting at the school-house.

STATISTICAL

     Census of 1864:  Population, 47; number of acres of taxable land, 5,832; number of acres improved, 97; bushels of corn, raised preceding year, 165; bushels of wheat raised preceding year, 418; bushels of potatoes, 395; pounds of butter made preceding year, 655.
      Census of 1870:  Population, 324; families, 53; dwellings, 63; farms, 33; voters, 56; pounds of butter made, 4,290; bushels of wheat raised, 612; bushels of corn raised, 695; bushels of oats raised, 205; bushels of potatoes raised, 2,676; tons of hay cut, 75.
     Census of 1874:  Population, 383; bushels of wheat raised, 973; bushels of corn raised, 989; bushels of potatoes, 3,921; tons of hay cut, 212.
     In 1879 there were 87 farms, and 1,802 acres of improved land.  For the preceding year 4,742 bushels of wheat, 2,950 bushels of corn and 387 tons of hay.
     Population in 1880, 649.  In 1882 the number of acres assessed was 22,890.  Total equalized valuation of real and personal property, $233,196.

SCHOOL MATTERS.

     From the annual school report of the town of Kingston, for the year ending September 4, 1882, the following facts are obtained.  Directors for the ensuing year:  James B. Beverly, H.S. Youngs, Martin B. Luce, Andrew Osborn and George B. Rossman.  There are four whole and one fractional districts, with five frame school-houses.  Number of children of school age, 297; attending school during the year, 222.

BIOGRAPHICAL

     JOSEPH A. PEPOON, M.D., was born in Ohio, in 1843, studied medicine at Ann Arbor, Mich., graduated from the medical department of the Western Reserve College, in Cleveland, Ohio, and came to Kingston village in 1868, where he has since practiced his profession.  He was married in 1873, to Miss Louise L. Simmons, and has one son.

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     J. A. TESKEY was born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1835, and came to Kingston in 1862, and located over 700 acres of land.  He now owns 310 acres on sections 7, 8 and 17, and resides on section 7; has fifty acres improved.  Mr. Teskey is the present county surveyor, which position he has held two terms, and was deputy two terms; has also been supervisor five years, and justice of the peace sixteen years.  He was married in 1868, to Miss Eleanor Jeffrey, and has four children.