The Township Of Northfield

Uon. Geo. Sutton, one of tbo pioneers of this coiinty who has kindly furnlshed i number of very Interestiog anieles on theearly settlement of tbo township of: Xorihfied. whtoh liavc been publisbed in i Tuk Dbmochat, continúes tbr subject j iMis week. r lln . JOHN KKNWU'K was bi.rn in the State of New York, of Knglish párente. He received u common school educatlon, iru marrled to Miss Klizii Pratt, and etnigrated to Northfleld in the year 18'-7, aml died 1800, leaving a wife and toar childrcn. His wifesurvivcd liim two or t h ree years. Mr. Rcnwick was tOO fond of ronding and social ment to bc a vcry sueccssful farmer, vet he acquired an ampie fortune. His hospltality was liberal and generous, -nnd no oae went froin his door wanting. He was fond of light readlng - Cooper was Mis "ideal." Mr. Renwick was wholly I imbued with American ideas. In politics he admired Henry Clay. His motto was vircumstanccs mak.es the man." He held several posülons in Mie township s supervisor, town clerk, cc, aud was elected once or twice to the state legislature, which he filiad with ability and honor. HOK, MICHAKI. 8TUBB8, resided here sometime previous to 1830, and owned whut 8 now kno:n as the Thomas Fohcy farm. Mr. Stubbs was elected ooe of the delégales to the territorial conveiition froin Washlcuaw coinly, which begau in the city of Detroit on the 2d day of May in the year lH:!."i. He was elected liy the democratie party who ; look the posilion that all who were in the lerritory at the time of formini! the coniittuion preparatory to beiag admitted to the unión, asa freo and sovreign state. shotlld be cous.dered inhabitants of said state of Michigan, and Bhould be eliglble to vote at future state elections. Mr. Stiiiibs was an ardent supporter of that doctrine, uk', contrlbuted largely to i promúlgate ;. Botue few yjars ; wards Mr. Stubbs sokl bis farm in j lield and went to join 1 1 ï ■- brother In Washington, D. C. In the year 1826 IOS1 l.l I N emigrated from the Btate of New ïork wlth bis fumily and stttluil on landadjoining Uenj. Sutton's. líe pureluised tbc first apple trees and pencb pits n the town and plantod an orehard. In tbe year 18'5O be sold out to Natlmn Sutton's son and moved to tbe town nf Plymoutb, Wayne connty. He lived lo aíiuro a large estáte. V.UKJN ANATTA was bom in Wanen countv, Newjer sej', in 180Ö. He married Miss Sidney Ann Banghart. Tbey moved to Michigan in the year 1832. Mr. V. died In 1877, leaviug six childreu. He was elected at different times to Uil oflices in the town. He was kind and generous to the poor, 'ind during bis tifo gave large suras of inoney to bis children. and at nis death left a Imndsome property to bis hei ra JOSKPII I.ANK purebased in 1820 80 acres in tbe Sutton oeighborhood. He put up a log house and made somc otber improvementB, and in 1829 sold out to NatUantel Brundage. Tbe year after, Mr. lirundagc died leaving a wife and four children. Mrs. (lage lived to a good oíd age. Her sou Nelson Brundace now resides on ïhe homestead. PUOK. MiCIIAEL aiBNSY, of Iowa, was bom n Xorthfield. He received a common education at tlie Sliaw school house. Graduated in the literaiy :ind law departmeuts of the University of Michigan. AVhc-n at college he was known as the Websterian elocutionist. TETEU SEARS was bom in town of Ashfield, Massachartts, August 24th, 1787 ; was marri&d to a lady of the same town May 15, 1808 ; emlgrated to Northfleld in November, 1826. He settled on a good tract of land, ihat finalty improved in value aud is worth lo-day a lmndsome fortune. Mr. Sears rctaiaed to his dcatli the custom of liis New England ancestors. and died on the 18th day of January, 1867, bighly respected by liis f riends and neigbbors. Mía Sears dled on tlie 33d day of Pebruary, 1875. Mr. Soloman Sears, one of the sous, retains and still lives on the old liomeslead. IUKIS MATTHKW8 cmigrated from the state of New York, and setlled in Northfleld in the year 1831. He held for sevcral years the oflice of supervisor of the town ; was chosen by i the bonril of supervisors and held the office of cominissioner of the county. Ile was was one of the commissioners appointed to parchase the county poor farm, and 10 superiutend the location of buildings ihereon. lic was conlinued in office for seyeral years thereaf ter ts superintendent, lic built the ürst frame bridge over the Huron river ,-,t Ann Arbor in 1832. Mr. Matthews was a man of line executive and mechanica] ahiHtics, and in religious matten a strict disciplinarían, llis house turnished many a poor sojourner hospi talites. A few years beforc his dcatli, he BOtd liis farm to Calvin Mitchel, and moved lo Ann Arbor. In lus advanced age he snffered with rheumatism, and died in the ycar 1860. Thomas EABJÜ, now uf Aun Arbor, of whicu honorable ment ion shouldbe made, moved to Xortlitield in tbe year 1833. He lived there long enougb. to clear lip a line farm. Af ter the death of his daughtcr, a riño young lady, he retired from the farm and went to Ann Arbor, wherelie still resides. MICHAKI. QUIOLEV purchasod governmeut land and moved in the town in the year 1833. He soon cloared up a nice farm and plauted a large apple orchard and other fruit trees, but did not live long tocnjoy the fraila of his labor, lic was father to John Qulgley,} and father in law to 1'. XS'all und P. Conners. GILBEBT A. liAIIDNKlt was bom in Séneca, county. New VorkP and his wifc, Mable Baldridjre, of the same place. Thcy eame to Northfield June Ttb, 1831. Mr. Garduer wa-satuan of flne abilities, bat did uot have a. coustitutioa strong cnough to enduro the bardshipg of a pioneer lifc. He 1iil in the yént L886 much rcgretted iy liis neigbbors and friend Hb wifa is stili umi in the vigor of bealth. Mr. Gaidncr teft one duughtcr, Augusta, who mirrled Mr Alonzo Doty, of Ann Arbor. Mr. Xathun Sulyer came in IKW Hd mar ried Mrs. Gardnor the saiue year. In tbc yoat 1848 hc was elected to the stuit legis latine, imi sabwquotl; beldotner offices in the town. He dicd in tbc ycar 1980, leaving two chililrcn, Jodson Salyrr and Mrs. Brokaw. CAPTAIN .IOH.S MC IK emigruted with bis family to tbc territory in tbu yenr 1827, and purchased wbat alterwards proved to be one of the most valuablu tracts of luud ia Wasbtenaw county. Tberewere few raorc intelligent, enterprising men than Captain Moe. He died in 1855, aged 54 years. Abraham Moe, one of the metnbers of the family, is still living nnd resides in Adrián. HOK. J. (í. LEI.ANM) was bern in Madison county, state of New York, n the year 1805. He received a eommon school education, and was inar ried to Miss Nancy Bly and eraigrated to Michigan and setlled in the township of Ann Arbor in the year 1801 . He stayed tbere a vear or two and sold out to James Mowry, who owncd a half interest in the 1 ferm, and purchased a farm ia Northfleld. Mr. Leiand had great executive ability, u healthy, strong coustitution, a persevcrance that never faltered, and an indomitable will that never forsook him. Quick of aDDreheiision, he couli'. apply himself to any eraergeney. He was ambiliousto acquire wenlth and renown. He held by appointracnt justicc of the peace under Gov. Cass in 1833,and subsequently many otber lownship offices. In the years 1844 and 1840 he was elected a member of the stute Legislatura, During that session an j acl was passcd to sell the Michigan CentraJ railroad, in wblch lic bore & conspicuous part. In the yeaM89 Mr. Leiand retired trom bunnen and moved to Ann Axbor where lic died in tlw year ïöTfi. Mrs. Lelanfl surviTed bino onlya few ycars. Tbelr ctalldren are Mrs. c. II. Worden, Mrs. Rausom Townwnd, Mrs. Hascall i Laraway, and Mr. Emory Lelud, who still owns the old bomestead In NorthfleJd. Capt. Joíhua Lclaud, auotber son, U'd in the aimy during our Inte wr. TUK MKTITODIST CHUIKJ1. , In the ycar 1883 Hev. Alvin ÍMHiugü preacbed at the Murray school house, tiearly all the settle.s In t hit ! hood were fnmi the&tate of tTew Vork. Tlic same yew he formed a class of the ; following petbons: [saac Burhans, Culvin ; Holmes, Sidncy Smith and wlfe, Jotl Smitli, Orrin JeffordS and wife, Mr. l'attc and wïft, Orrison Lcland aud wife and Mrs. Leet. Inuic Burhans was chosen class leader. About the same lime or ! soon after, a class was formed ;it tue Matthewï school house and was recognicd in tke Methodist general confer. anee with stated preaching until boot the year 1840. In the yeai 1847, Methodist churcfa w$a built at Leland's Cïr.iers and the two societies united, and was known as the first Methwlist church of Northfield. A burial ground was laid out in connfftion with the church the same yew. UTHERA.V CIUIU 11 The first Germán Lutlierau church was built in 1875 and dedicated the sfime year Rev. Mr. Stines, of Gcrmany. paster. lts mcmbers weie 0. F. Kapp and wife, Abraham Steffln and wife, Fredrick I5eui der and wife, George J. Cook and wife, Christian Rosen burger and wife, Jacob Swerget and wife, Mr. Ludwick and wife, George Kempf and wife, CUristian Ltttz and wife, Charles Procner and wife, Bermird Bower and wife, John Garlock and wife. Dr. Smith and wife, CUristian Fry and wife, Mr. Waggoner, Henry Wessel and wife, Gottlob Bessinger and wife, Enso Giger and John Kapp and wife. They have preaching on Sundays, and a sehool is taught in the basement of the church by the minister. SCTTON SCHOOL 1IOUSE. There has been more or less talk among historians of Washtenaw county relative to when and where the first school house wns built, and for years past I have been gathering information on the subject. Xelson Biuudage's fatbercame into the neighborhood in 128. Nelson was then about seven or eight years oíd, and has lived there ever since. He thinks the first school house was built in the year 1820, swd the first school taught was by Sally Ann Greca. Mr. Hurd thoiight the school house n:ar Benjamin Sutton's was built in the spring of 1828, and the first school was taught by Miranda Lelaud. She and David Hurd were raarried the January following by Uev. Mr. Page. The school house east of Sut.ou's was built in 1828 or 129.' The same winter a debating society was organized and a spelling school taught, and in 1800 a Sunday school was started under tbc care of a young man by thename of Merrell,assi8tej by Miss Parmelia Leiand. My first knowledge of the Sutton school house was in the year 1830. It was built of logs with a small window bcside the door, and ft four pane sash on the other slde, giving only a small amount of light for the inmates. The henrth was made of mortar cement, the chimuey back was laid up with undressed alones for about. four feet, and the rest was ftnished with what was called a "stick chimncy " oomposed of mortiir nul sticks. NAMKS OK I.AKKC. Whilmore lakc reccives its name under the followlng circumstances : Jonathan E. Straten, who was the only surveyor in Washtenaw county at the time, in company with Mr. Whitmore, who lived near Ann Arbor, had been out ' prospecting," i as the old settlcrs called land lookiog. On i their way home thuy feit weary and tircd, and as uight was approaching they concluded to pitch their tent on tho bank of the lake near by. The next morr.ing aftcr breakfast and the prelunlnariM for slurting through witb, Mr. Straten proposed to Mr Whitmore that thcy give a name to the lake, and that they cali it Wuitmore lake. It was so put ou the maps and ba fincc been known by tlmt name. INDEPENULNCi: LAKE. Some time previous to 1830, a few of the old scttlers of Northfield and adjoiuingtowushada "picnic party " on the 4th of July on the bauk of the lake, and cbristcned Indepcndenee lakc. JACK LAKE was so called from the fact that Jack, a horse owned by Benj. Sutton, strayed away from home . Jack was tracked ly frieudly Indiana a distance of nome six or se ven miles, and found ou a small island in the middle of the lnke. Jack could nol be gol off except by means of raft, owiug (o iho softness of the ihore. More rocentíy it lias been known as Wall'a lk: and Tobln'9 lake. iikuíy i.aki; touk la Dame írom Michao'. Heaiy, wlio wos one of tlic urlglnal pnrchasera of land odjointug (he luko. ül VANATTA IAKKJ „ was called afterAaron Kaaatta, wlio was the tirst setllor aod wlio ownod laod ndjoining.