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