HISTORY OF TUSCOLA COUNTY

 

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TOWN OF ELKLAND

     This town, comprising township 14 north, of range 11 east, lies in the northeast corner of Tuscola County, having Huron County upon the north, and Sanilac on the east.  The town of Elmwood bounds it on the west and Novesta on the south.  The north branch of Cass river flows across the southeast corner of the town, about fourteen hundred acres lying south of the river:  viz., all of section 36, and parts of sections 13, 24, 25, 26, 34 and 35.  The surface of the country north of the river is generally rolling; the soil a clay loam, with more of a gravelly and sandy character along and south of the river.  the natural growth is beech, maple, elm, basswood, and along the river pine and hemlock.

     The pioneers of civilization in this town were Messrs. Cooper and Wright, whose logging operations brought in those who, pleased with the character of the country and its apparent healthfulness and fertility, located lands and alternated their labor in the logging camps in the winter, with the chopping, logging and clearing of their lands in the summer.

     among the earliest settlers of the town were Andrew Walmsley, Hugh Seed, William Edgar, John H. Bird, William Jacobs, Charles W. Smith, David Winton.  Of these, Walmsley, Seed and Bird, are still residing in the town, Edgar, Jacobs and Winton are dead, and Smith removed from Elkland several years ago.

     HUGH SEED, is a native of Down County Ireland.  He came to this country when a young man, and made his first residence in Oakland county, being there employed at farm work.  His first visit to Tuscola County was in 1854, drawn here as were hundreds of others of the first settlers by the lumbering operations, then becoming active throughout this county.  He spent two winters in the logging camps of cooper & Wright, in what is now Elkland, working on the farm in the summer.  In May, 1855, he selected and entered a piece of land in section 27, and soon after commenced chopping and clearing.  A brief experience having no doubt satisfied him that single blessedness, so-called, was, in the wilderness, simply solitary misery, he went to Pennsylvania, where he married Esther Orr, of Huntington County, and brought her with him to his forest home.  At that time there were no roads, except the "tote" roads and logging roads, and such few tracks as the settlers made to connect with them.  Supplies were mostly brought from East Saginaw, by the lumberman's teams.  Grain must be taken to Wahjamega or Vassar for grinding.  During one week Mrs. Seed was out of flour;  she had corn, but no coffee-mill even with which to grind it.  If necessity is the mother of invention, necessity is born of pioneer life.  The difficulty was solved with a towel for a bag, a flat-iron for a pounder, and a vigorous application of muscle:  the result was meal enough for a "Johnny-cake." Twenty-six years have seen great changes, and a portion of the village of Cass City is now on land then owned by Mr. Seed, and where then was unbroken forest, are now well tilled farms.

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    The same month that Mr. Seed bought his land, entries were made by Andrew Walmsley and William Edgar, who also shortly after commenced work on their lands, Mr. Edgar's land being located in sections 11, 14 and 15, and Mr. Walmsley's further south, in sections 26 and 27.  Mr. Walmsley, who is a native of Down County, Ireland, had his first view of Tuscola county and the town of Elkland in 1854, coming in to work in the logging camps.  He, Mr. Edgar, and Mr. Seed, making their entries of land the same month, May, 1855, went to work about the same time, and bing what then would be called near neighbors, exchanged labor, working alternately on their different tracts, clearing and putting up shanties.  Mr. Walmsley's sister kept house for him a portion of the time, he being then unmarried.  To come in from Vassar four days' time was required.  Axes were carried to open out the roads, and repair the wagon.  They had a span of horses and a yoke of oxen to one wagon, and two yoke of oxen to the other.  The same journey can be made to-day in a half day.

     WILLIAM JACOBS entered his land also in May, 1855, and came in subsequently with John H. Bird, who also entered land in the northeast part of the town.  They had to cut their road through from the point where now is Cass City, a distance of about six miles.  Their wagon could not be taken through the swamp, and whatever was carried in or out must be packed on their backs.  Their families were left at Watrousville until houses could be put up and preparations made.  The land was heavily timbered with beech and maple, and the labor of clearing severe.  The loneliness of their life is shown by the fact that at on time they did not for three weeks hear the sound of other human voices.

     Among other settlers coming about the same time, were Charles W. Smith, and William H. Winton and sons.
      The first religious service in the town was held by Rev. John Baker, of the Watrousville Circuit, Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1860, at the log house of Andrew Walmsley, on Sunday evening.  Notice had been sent by Mr. Baker, that service would be held, and the fact being made known generally, the settlers come in from a circuit of seven miles around, and the house was filled.  Arrangements were made by Mr. Baker to preach at the same place once a month, Rev. Mr. McKenney, of Ellington, once a month; and from that time services were held every two weeks, by these and others, first at Mr. Walmsley's for about a year, then at John Striffler's, afterwards at the school-house, standing where is now the Cass City Hotel.
      This school-house was the first built in the town, and here the first school was taught by Mrs. William Meredith, whose husband was at the time in the employ of Mrs. Walmsley.
     The first wedding was of Andrew Walmsley, to Eliza Orr, in 1861, at the house of Mr. Seed.  The ceremony was performed by Rev. McKenney, who walked from his home in Ellington, through a deep snow, to officiate.
     The first manufactory, in the town, except saw-mills, was the grist-mill now in of operation in Cass City, which was built in 1869 by Howell and Ale.
    The first saw-mill was built by Jesse Fox, on what is now the Weaver place.

LAND ENTRIES PRIOR TO 1860
TOWNSHIP 14 NORTH, RANGE 11 EAST

SECTION 1    David Ward, January 2, 1854
                        William Jacobs, May 4, 1855
                        Phebe Leach, October 17, 1855
                        John Bird, January 19, 1857

SECTION 2    William Jacobs, May 24, 1855
                        Joseph White, September 12, 1856
                        Stephen G. Pickle, October 13,, 1856
                        William S. Moore, November 28, 1856
                        Hiram McDowell, November 28, 1856
                        James Foster, November 28, 1856

SECTION 3    James Cleaver, June 19, 1856
                        Stephen G. Pickle, October 13, 1856
                        Robert Gamble, October 13, 1856
                        Benjamin Downing, November 26, 1856
                        William Wilcox, August 14, 1857

SECTION 4    James C. Edgerly, May 26,1 856
                        John Reader, October 13, 1856
                        Chester Whitacker, 2d, November 22, 1856
                        David McDowell, November 28, 1856
                        David McDowell, December 23, 1856

SECTION 5    David Ward, August 21, 1854
                        William H. Winton, April 18, 1856
                        James C. Edgerly, May 26, 1856
                        Edward Campbell, December 7, 1858
                        William H. Winton, January 27, 1859

SECTION 6     Franklin K. Beck, September 22, 1855
                         James Cleaver, June 19, 1856

SECTION 7    Franklin K. Beck, September 22, 1855

SECTION 8    David Ward, January 21, 1854
                        James Cleaver, June 19, 1856
                        James Grant, February 3, 1857
                        James Hopkins, December 7, 1858

SECTION 9    Homer Gear, November 22, 1856
                        David McDowell, December 23, 1856
                        Merit M. Greenfield, September 12, 1856
                        Abram Bolton, June 21, 1856
                        James N. Rowley, August 30, 1856

SECTION 10    Charles W. Smith, November 1, 1855
                          John A. J. Walker, June 20, 1856
                            Merit M. Greenfield, June 11, 1856
                        Merit M. Greenfield, September 12, 1856
                        Lorenzo Teachout, September 4, 1856
                        Burton H. Hines, April 8, 1858

SECTION 11    Peter Gregor, may 24, 1855
                           William Edgar, may 29, 1855
                        Zalmon L. Goodsell, May 24, 1856
                        Joseph White, September 12, 1856
                        John Anyon, September 25, 1856
                        John Hanna, May 19 1857

SECTION 12    James H. C. Blades, June 23, 1854
                        James H. C. Blades, June 27, 1854
                        Peter Gregor, May 24, 1855
                        Darius S. Cadwell, July 4, 1855

SECTION 13    Stephen D. Sayer, January 28, 1854
                        Darius S. Cadwell, July 4, 1855
                        Zalmon L. Goodsell, May 24, 1856
                        Ezra Pease, January 6, 1858

SECTION 14    Stephen D. Sayer, January 28, 1854
                        William Edgar, May 29, 1855
                        Zalmon L. Goodsell, May 24, 1856
                        John Anyon, September 25, 1856
                        John Hanna, May 19, 1857

SECTION 15    Henry Lehrna, October 21, 1854
                        Martin Watrous, February 28, 1855
                        William Edgar, May 29, 1855
                        Hermon Camp, August 4, 1856
                        Samuel Bradley, February 4, 1858

SECTION 18    Franklin K. Beck, September 22, 1855

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William S. Moore, November 28, 1856

SECTION 19    Ethan A. Dickinson, Jr., November 25, 1856
                        William S. Moore, November 28, 1856

SECTION 20    Z. Washington Wright, April 20, 1855
                        Edward Randall, July 29, 1856
                        Z. Washington Wright, December 15, 1856
                        Hiram Bailey, May 6, 1857
                        Z. Washington Wright, July 13, 1857

SECTION 21    Stephen D. Sayer, January 28, 1854
                         William F. Whitney, October 28, 1854
                        Hermon Camp, August 4, 1856
                        Hermon Camp, January 9, 1857
                        Sault Canal Company, May 25, 1855

SECTION 22     Joseph Kurs, October 21, 1854
                            Edmund H. McQuigg, October 28, 1854
                            Charles W. Smith, October 12, 1855
                            Hermon Camp, August 4, 1856

SECTION 23    William Winspear, June 24, 1852
                            Stephen D. Sayer, January 28, 1854
                            Charles W. Smith, October 12, 1855
                            J. Colman, July 30, 1858

SECTION 24           William H. Hayes, May 11, 1854
                            M. B. & George G. Hess, Aril 13, 1859
                            T. R. Colman, January 15, 1859

SECTION 25    T. R. Colman, January 15, 1859

SECTION 26    William H. Green, July 15, 1850
                            James Morgan Baldwin, May 15, 1851
                            Andrew Walmsley, May 11, 1855
                            Truman R. Colman, January 15, 1859

SECTION 27    William McKie, July 1, 1851
                            Stephen D. Sayer, January 28, 1854
                            Richard M. Smith, February 24, 1854
                            William H. Hayes, May 11, 1854
                            Hugh Seed, May 11, 1855
                            Andrew Walmsley, May 11, 1855

SECTION 28    William McKie, July 1, 1851
                            Stephen D. Sayer, January 28, 1854
                            Hiram Burk, January 28, 1854
                            William F. Whitney and E. H. McQuigg, October 28, 1854
                            Z. Washington Wright, April 18, 1856

SECTION 29    Dwight Herrick, September 18, 1855
                          Edward Randall, July 29, 1856
                            Z. Washington Wright, November 20, 1856
                        Sault Canal Company, May 25, 1855

SECTION 30    Franklin K. Beck, September 22, 1855

SECTION 31    Dwight Herrick, September 18, 1855
                         Travis Leach, March 19, 1859
                          T. Leach, November 16, 1858

SECTION 32    Samuel G. Hathaway, June 14, 1851
                         James Morgan Baldwin, May 15, 1851
                        Dwight Herrick, September 18, 1855

SECTION 33    William H. Green, July 15, 1850
                            William McKie, July 1, 1851
                            William Winspear, January 2, 1852
                            William Winspear, April 7, 1852
                            Job Halsted, January 1, 1852
                            Hiram Burk, January 28, 1854
                            Hermon Camp, August 4, 1856
                            James McMath, December 6, 1856

 SECTION 34    William McKie, July 1, 1851
                            William Winspear, June 24, 1852
                            William H. Hayes, May 11, 1854
                            Alexander P. Cooper, May 15, 1856
                            John Casler, July 14, 1856
                            David G. Slafter, May 5, 1853

SECTION 35    Stephen D. Sayer, January 28, 1854
                          Samuel Lewis, March 27, 1854
                          Samuel Lewis, April 1, 1854
                          Samuel F. Jones, May 2, 1854
                          John D. Smith, James M. Baldwin and David G. Slafter, May 24, 1854
                          Samuel Lewis, January 5, 1856
                          Samuel F. Jones, May 2, 1854

SECTION 36    David G. Slafter, May 4, 1853
                          Samuel F. Jones, May 2, 1854
                          Jay S. Curtis, June 22, 1859