HISTORY OF TUSCOLA COUNTY

Page 206

TOWN OF WISNER

     This town comprises fractional township 14 north, of range 7 east, and occupies a position in the northwestern part of the county bordering on Saginaw Bay.  All that portion of the township lying upon the bay and extending back for a considerable distance is prairie.  The best farming land is in the southeast corner of the township.
     The town was organized by act of legislature in 1861.  The first town meeting was held in April of that year at the residence of Hiram Thomas.  The inspectors of election were N. H. Terry, W. B. Ormsbee and Elijah Gibbs.

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LAND ENTRIES PRIOR TO 1865

TOWNSHIP 14 NORTH, RANGE 7 EAST

SECTION 1.        Townsend North, November 15, 1861

SECTION 11        Augustus Lull, July 25, 1861
                            Harvey Dunham February 19, 1862

SECTION 12        W. P. Jewell, _____, 1861
                             Townsend North, November 15, 1861
                            William P. Jewell, July 31, 1862
                            Charles G. Learned, December 2, 1863

SECTION 13      Archibald Black, January 9, 1855
                            Joshua Terry, July 10, 1855
                            Elijah Gibbs, December 3, 1858
                            Townsend North, September 17, 1862
                            Henry Beebe, December 11, 1863

SECTION 14       Joshua Terry, July 10, 1855
                            Townsend North, July 20, 1861
                            Henry B. Shurtleff, February 3, 1863
                            Augustus Lull, June 19, 1861

SECTION 15      Grannis and Clark Mouthrop, April 7, 1859
                            Grannis and Clark Moulthrop, July 30, 1858
                            Townsend North, December 8, 1860
                            Townsend North, July 20, 1861

SECTION 21    Green Bird, July 24, 1854
                            Townsend North, December 8, 1862

SECTION 22      Hiram Thomas, May 5, 1862
                            Townsend North, December 8, 1860
                            Townsend North, September 17, 1862

SECTION 23      Russell Lapree, June 4, 1860
                            Hiram Thomas, May 5, 1862

SECTION 24      Simeon S. Carson, September 29, 1863

SECTION 25    Henry Beebe, August 24, 1860
                            Alexander Borland, April 19, 1862
                            Townsend North, January 28, 1864

SECTION 27      Isaiah Jester, May 15, 1855
                            Isaiah Jester, September 12, 1855
                            John Rees, October 7, 1864

SECTION 28        Joshua S. Briggs, May 7, 1855
                              Joshua Terry, October 11, 1853
                              Joshua Terry, September 17, 1853
                            Townsend North, July 20, 1861
                            Townsend North, December 8, 1860
                            William B. Ormsbee, January 1, 1862

SECTION 32        Nathan H. Hewitt, August 16, 1855
                               Matthew Little, January 22, 1863

SECTION 33      Almon McTerry, March 19, 1859
                            Townsend North, July 20, 1861
                            Matthew Little, February 8, 1863

TOWNSHIP 15 NORTH, RANGE 7 EAST

SECTION 36    Townsend North, February 4, 1862
                          Harriet S. Gibbs, May 31, 1865

TOWN OFFICERS SINCE 1877

STATISTICAL

     Census of 1864:     Population, 93; number of acres of taxable land, 680; number of acres of improved land, 70; bushels of corn preceding year, 381; bushels of wheat preceding year, 60; bushels of potatoes preceding year, 530; tons of hay cut preceding year, 305; pounds of butter made preceding year 3,095; pounds of cheese made preceding year, 200.
     Census of 1870:     Population 165; families, 32; dwellings 32; farms 17; voters 41; number of acres of improved land, 220; number of horses, 32; pounds of wool sheared, 625; pounds of butter made, 10,400; bushels of corn raised, 226; bushels of oats raised, 140.
     Census of 1874:  Population, 190; bushels of wheat raised, 150; bushels of corn raised, 815; bushels of apples, 511; bushels of potatoes, 724; tons of hay cut, 21; number of horses, 56; number of cows, 78.
     Population in 1880 was returned with Gilford, and cannot be accurately determined.  In 1882 the number of acres assessed was 11,907; total equalized valuation of real and personal property, $67,745.  Number of farms in 1881, 28; acres of improved land, 1,011.  Bushels of wheat raised in 1880, 5,072; of corn, 4,701; tons of hay, 233.

SCHOOL MATTERS

     The town of Wisner has two whole and one fractional school districts.  The directors are Warren A. Thomas, C.P. Johnson and John McLaren.  For the year ending September 4, 1882, there were reported ninety-five children of school age in the town, and four frame school-houses.

BIOGRAPHICAL

     GEORGE GAGER was born in York County, Ontario, in 1831.  When a mere boy he went to Lincoln and from there to Huron county, thence in 1864 to Flint, Mich., where he resided until 1872.  he then came to Tuscola county and settled in the township of Wisner on section 28.  In the fall of 1877 he purchased a hotel on the Bay City and Cass River State Road, which he kept for several years.  In 1882 he formed a partnership with A. W. Barney and built a steam saw-mill on section 32.  he was married in 1859 to Miss Margaret Morrison, of Huron County, Ont., who was born in Scotland in 1830 and came to America in 1844.  Mr. Gager has held the office of township clerk three years and that of justice of the peace seven years.
     E. P. JONES was born in the township of Durham, Oxford County, Ont., September 24, 1846, where he resided till he was twelve years of age.  He then moved to the township of Bayham, Elgin county, and in 1880 to Bay City, Mich.  In 1882 he came to Wisner and rented a hotel of George Gage on the State road, of which he is now the proprietor.  He was married in 1865 to Miss Nancy Jane Weeks, who was born in South Dorchester, Elgin County, Ont., January 5, 1846, and has three children--Charley Edward, born November 9, 1866; George Arthur, born August 25, 1868, and Clarence Whitfield, born March 14, 1880.