Fremont Township

Fremont Township was organized under authority granted by the supervisor, March 2, 1857, in the following order:

"Resolved, that the territory described in said application, bounded as follows, to wit: Township number 11 north, of range 1 east, and township number 11 north, of range 2 east, be, and the same is hereby erected into a township to be called and known by the name of the township of Fremont. The first annual township meeting thereof shall be held at the house of Thomas Guilford, on the first Monday of April, 1858, and at said meeting Nathan Herrick, Thomas Guilford and Joel Draper three electors of said township, shall be the persons whose duty it shall be to preside at said meeting.

The following is a list of officials serving from 1867 to 1881:

SUPERVISORS.

CLERKS.

TREASURERS.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

The other township officers elected in April, 1881, are Joel Gulick, School Superintendent; John A. McLellan, School Inspector; Rory McIntire, Drain Commissioner; S. W. Graham, Road Commissioner; Nathan P. Crampton and John Graham, Constables.

There are four school-houses in township, valued at about $2,193, all of which are good buildings. Two of the schools are taught by males, and two by females. The total expenditure in 1880 for school purposes was $1,149. The number of children enrolled is 144, of which 122 attend. Ashley West, George Vander Heyden, S. J. Crook, and Erastus Jones are the School Directors. The sum derived from the primary school fund in 1880 was $63. The number of farmers in the township is set down at 100; the number of electors, 122.

A large area in this township is still in its wild state. Settlers flock thither annually; but notwithstanding the immigration, thousands of acres must remain uncultivated for many years, until the enterprise of those who have become permanent residents leads others to share in the profits and enjoyments of life in that township.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

The elements of the history of Fremont township will mostly be found in the personal sketches which follow:

William W. Bolt, farmer, sec. 31, was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., in 1817. He is a son of Celic and Orphia (Sweet) Bolt. He received only a limited education, and learned to read while driving a stage coach in the Southern States. He was a soldier in the Mexican war, and was wounded four times. On one occasion himself and two companions were the only persons in the company not wounded or killed. After many wanderings he settled in Illinois, but in 1879 located on his present farm. He was formerly a Whig, but now votes the Republican ticket. Mr. Bolt was married in 1855 to Mercy Sweet. Two children have been sent to bless their union—Elbertine W. and George B.

K. S. Crook is a native of Wayne Co., Mich., where he was born in 1847. His father and mother, Aaron and Dinah Crook, are natives of England, who came to America about 1830, and settled in New York State; then they moved to Wayne county, where the subject of this sketch was born. Mr. Crook was brought up in that county, but secured his education in Monroe county. He was married there in 1869 to Eliza Baumeister, a native of Germany, but was brought up in Monroe county. In the spring of 1870 he settled in Fremont tp., and bought his present farm of 40 acres. The land had a very wild appearance when he came here, but through industry and hardships he made all the improvements himself. Mr. Crook is at present Town Treasurer, which office he has held three years, at different times; was also Justice of the Peace two years. He has 2 children—Minnie E., 11 years old, and Clarence, one year.

Thurston B. De Wing, was born in Niagara Co., N. Y., in 1827, a son of Elihu and Orpha De Wing, of French and English descent. He came to Saginaw county, Oct. 13, 1872, and settled in St. Charles tp., working a short time in the lumber business, when he bought his present place. He was married Oct. 22, 1851. to Julia Royce, a native of Vermont. They have 2 children—Emma, and Rodney P., who married Aquilla Thompson, of Chesaning. He was Trustee of Schools in Niagara Co., N. Y., and worked as foreman in Government employment for seven summers, building a harbor in Lake Ontario; also has had 21 years' experience in the lumber business; is a carpenter by trade, and also an ingenious artisan in all kinds of hand carving, a great many specimens of which are on exhibition at his house. He has also been in the missionary work for 20 years.

Thomas P. Hynes, sec. 28, general farmer, is a native of Ireland, where he was born in 1831; son of James and Ellen (McAfee) Hynes. Mr. Hynes carne to Canada in 1846, and settled at Quebec, where he remained one year, and then moved to New York State. About this time he enlisted in the army, and served five years in the Mexican war, being at Vera Cruz and New Orleans, and, Governor's Island, N. Y. At the close of the war Mr. Hynes went back to Ireland, remaining there three years in viewing the land of his birth; then returned to the United States and settled at Bay City, where he was employed for two years in Frost & Bradley's saw-mill. Then coming to St. Charles, was two summers in the lumber woods, when he went to Fremont tp., and bought his present farm, consisting of 160 acres of land. In 1860 he was married to Nancy M. Nelson a native of New York, and they have 3 children—James I., Willard L., Mary E. Mr. Hynes was Supervisor of Fremont tp. 12 years.

Wm. S. Reynolds, a native of Delaware Co. N. Y., where he was born in 1812. He is a son of Stephen and Sarah Reynolds, who died in New York State in 1870. He came to Michigan and located at Monroe, remaining there four years, when he came to this county and bought his present farm, in Fremont tp., comprising 40 acres. He was brought up in New York and received his education there. He was married in 1836 to Jane A. Dumond, a native of New York, and they have 10 children—Cornelius, John, Mary, George, Caleb, Richard, Julia, William, Harriet E. and Minerva. Only 6 are living. John died in the war with typhoid fever. Mr. Reynolds was not an office-seeker, although he was Tp. Trustee three times in New York State.

BACK TO LIST OF TOWNSHIP HISTORY 1881

Source: History of Saginaw County Michigan, By Michael A. Leeson, Damon Clarke, Published 1881 Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Chicago pages 846-848.

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