Allegan County, Michigan - Chapter 1: Organization and Civil Government, 1907

Strictly speaking, the settlers of Allegan county were not pioneers. The majority of them were people of more or less education and culture, trained and accustomed to the usages of civilization. In the settling of the country there was no interim between savagery and civilization. The pioneers did not come and build their cabins and defend them with their rifles for some years until the civil officers, courts, schools and churches made their appearance. This was necessary in some settlements but not here. In Allegan county civil government sprang into being almost at once. The settlers brought civilization with them. They brought the common law with them, and, in harmony with the legislative statutes, they saw to it at once that the community should be governed thereby. The machinery that governed populous and organized communities was elastic and adaptable, and could be readily extended to this new county. Utilizing it, the people provided for courts, public buildings, for roads, and every possible institution necessary to a civilized country. And the result was that Allegan county soon became a populous link in the great chain of similar political communities stretching 'from the Atlantic beyond the Mississippi, maintaining without a break the institutions of civilization at the standards of older states and counties.

A resume of the early history of Michigan up to the time of the organization of the Territory will be valuable for understanding the history of organization and the beginnings of Allegan county, which is but a more detailed continuation of the larger story of the state.

In 1778-9 George Rogers Clark, a young Virginian of extraordinary character, who has well been called the Hannibal of the West, captured Kaskaskia and Vincennes, thus cutting off the supplies of the Indians. He had been sent out by the government of Virginia, and that state therefore laid claim to all the territory northwest of the Ohio river, which was the same territory ceded to Great Britain by France in the treaty of 1763.

On March i, 1784, through her authorized delegates in Congress, Virginia ceded this territory to the United States. She stipulated that it be divided into states, but specified no boundaries. By virtue of ancient royal charters, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut also claimed large territories north of the Ohio river, but these claims were all transferred to the United States, Connecticut alone reserving a tract, which was called the Western Reserve. Thus the general government obtained jurisdiction over the Northwest Territory and the lands, subject, however, to the proprietary rights of the Indians.

When Congress assumed the jurisdiction there was no established government anywhere in the territory. The French commandants of the posts had administered the laws dictated by France, the British succeeded them and proclaimed the common law of England to be in force. Virginia also had extended her laws, but there were no courts to enforce any of them. The question of forming some kind of government for the newly acquired territory at once attracted the attention of Congress.

At first a report was made providing for the formation of the territory into ten states, with fanciful names, but no action was taken upon it. This was Thomas JeiTerson's scheme. From the time of its acquirement by the government til! 1787 there was no organized control over the Northwest Territory. The people who were settling in it were left to struggle along as best they could. But on April 23, 1787, a committee in Congress reported an ordinance for the government of the new territory. It was discussed from time to time, and very greatly amended, and finally on the 13th of July it passed Congress. This is the celebrated Ordinance of 1787, a document which next to the Constitution of the United States perhaps has occasioned more discussion than any other on account of its sound principles, statesmanlike qualities and wise provisions.

On May 7, 1800, Congress divided the Northwest Territory by a line running from the mouth of the Kentucky river to Fort Recovery. All the region east of this line was still to be Northwest Territory, and that on the west was erected into the Indiana Territory. It will be seen that this division threw about one-half of the Michigan country into Indiana, and left the other half in the Northwest Territory. All that portion of the east Michigan country which lay north of the line drawn through the southerly bend of Lake Michigan was organized as Wayne county of the Northwest Territory, and its settlers supposed that their fortunes were thenceforth identified with those of Ohio.

The Northwest Territory was rapidly filling with settlers, and in accordance with the provisions made for admission into the Union, the whole population, including Wayne county, were agitating the question of statehood. On April 30, t8o2, Congress passed an enabling act, the first of its kind, according to which Ohio might frame a constitution and establish a state government. In harmony with the enabling act, a convention met at ChiUicothe, Ohio, November ist to. frame a constitution for the new state. The constitution was adopted on November 29th.

The act enabling the people of Ohio to form a state provided that Wayne county might be attached to the new state if Congress saw fit. Congress did not see fit, but on the contrary, attached it to Indiana Territory, and in 1803 Governor Harrison formed a new Wayne county, which comprised almost all of what is now Michigan, North and east if was bounded by Canada, but on the other sides it was bounded by a "north and

But the Michigan country thus united was too strong to remain long a part of a territory, and hence, on January ii, 1805, Michigan territory was formed by act of Congress. It was bounded on the west by a line extending through the center of Lake Michigan, and on the south by a line running east from the southern extreme of the same. It will be seen that at this time Michigan was deprived of a strip of land on the west shore of Lake Michigan, which as Wayne county Congress had given her. Had she contended for that as persistently as she did for the strip on the southern boundary she would have sought something more valuable. For Chicago is situated in that very strip. That spot was comparatively worthless then, and the future is hidden from states as from individuals. It is interesting, however, to think what would have been the results if Michigan had retained the boundary lines which she had as Wayne county.

It will assist in understanding the division of Allegan county into townships and the organization of civil government by referring to the formation of the various counties up to the time the history of Allegan begins.

Of Wayne countv we have already spoken. Monroe county was formed in 1817 ; Mackinac in 1818 ; Oakland in 1820 ; Washtenaw in 1826 ; Chippewa in 1826 ; Lenawee, from Monroe, in 1826. To Lenawee county was attached all the territory (comprising the greater part of southern Michigan) to which the Indian title had been extinguished by the Qiicago treaty of 1821. In September, 1S28, this already vast domain was further increased by the addition of all the lands to which the Indian title had been extinguished by the Carey Mission treaty of 1828. This entire area, comprising about ten thousand square miles, was constituted and organized as the township of St. Joseph, being attached to Lenawee county.

By an act approved October 29, 1829, twelve counties were carved from this immense township. The boundaries of counties could not be laid ofl until the land survey liad been completed, and the survey could not be undertaken until the country came into the possession of the government through the extinguishment of the Indian title. The Indians had ceded nearly all the land south of Grand river and west of the principal meridian at the treaty of 182 1, so that the surveys of this region into townships was completed between the date of this treaty and the formation of the counties.

The survey of the public lands of Michigan was begun in 1815. Due honor should be accorded the employes of the government who made the survey, for this work had to be done before people could begin to live upon the land and form such associations with one another as constitute a county. Only on condition of this preliminary work having been done can definite individual ownership exist, and those mutual rights and duties of men with each other be established which make an organic body such as a county or township possible. The legislative council of Michigan were able to declare where and what the area of this county should be, because the United States measurers of land had already laid their measuring chain upon the land out of which the county was to be made.

In 1796 Congress enacted the law in accordance with which all the public lands were to be surveyed. The system embodied in this act is known as the "Rectangular System.'" The entire territory of the present state of

Michigan has been surveyed and divided into townships in accordance with this system and with reference to a certain "meridian" and '"base line."

The meridian spoken of so freq^uently in determining the location of counties and townships was a north and south line known in the U. S. survey as "the principal meridian of the peninsula of Michigan." It is a line running due north from the mouth of the Auglaize river, near Defiance, Ohio, and coincides with the eastern boundary of Hillsdale coimty. The "base line," or the east and west line from which reckoning was made in the survey, is a line crossing the principal meridian on the parallel of 42 degrees and 25 minutes, or, in other words, the line forming the southern boundary of Allegan and other counties to the east of it. With this principal meridian and this base line established, the surveyors of the general government began to go over the public land of the peninsula of Michigan with compass and chain, and to mark trees and set posts for the boundaries of townships and sections and quarter-sections. These surveyors knew, of course, no names of counties and townships as we know them now, neither did they give names at all to townships or groups of townships as they surveyed them. They recorded and dated carefully day by day their measurements and topographical notes in their note-hooks, thus creating the original "Field Notes," which in Allegan county and every county today are of such primary and incalculable importance for titles, deeds, mortgages and all transactions involved in buying, selling or owning of land. As they tramped over the surface of the country, measuring and marking it off into portions each exactly six miles square, making a township, they gave no names to the townships, but merely numbered them in their relation to meridian and base line, according to the ingenious but simple system, the principles of which were struck in the land ordinance of 1785, but which appeared fairly well developed in the Congressional act of 1796.

The laying off of the base line and the meridian and the laying off of all the territory south of the base line, as well as part of the country north of it, had been completed, evidently, before the act previously referred to, according to which a large part of southern Michigan was blocked off into counties. The act of October 29, 1829, constituted with their present boun- :!aries the following counties: Ingham, Eaton, Barry, Jackson, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Van Biiren. Hillsdale, Branch, St. Joseph, Cass and Berrien. It will be understood that this act provided only for the erecting of the counties by territorial limits; it did not organize civil governments in each. Most of the counties mentioned did not have a white settler at the time, and the territory was merely blocked off into convenient squares for the organization of separate governments when the time should come.

Allegan coimty was not carved out at this time, doubtless because the survey had not yet been completed of all the townships west of Barry. The outside lines of the towns bordering on Barry county were surveyed in 1825 by John Mullett and Lucius Lyon, what are now Gun Plains, Wayland and Martin being outlined in that order, and also the boundaries of the present Dorr township were laid off. But the remaining townships were not surveyed until 1830. A large territory of the country adjacent to Grand river must have been blocked off about this time, for by an act approved March 2, 1831, the legislature laid off the boundaries of the

At this time, then, Allegan county was given form and name; just preceding the advance of settlers into this region, for when the act was passed not more than four families were permanently located in the new county. But from that time on the survey-townships grouped together by the legislature might be conveniently referred to as Allegan county. The portion of the act defining the boundaries of the county is as follows :

"That the country included m the following limits, to wit : north of the base line and south of the line between townships four and five north; west of the line between ranges ten and eleven west of the meridian, and east of the shore of Lake Michigan, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county, hy the name of Aliegan."

So much for the marking of boundaries. The township or section lines within the county had been or were being marked at this time. This was all preliminary to actual settlement and civil organization. But civil government can have no real existence except among people, and since there were no inhabitants to speak of in Allegan county, civil government was not yet a necessity.

Nevertheless, the legislature had wisely provided for any chance settler in this region that he should not be beyond the reach of justice, even though it might be necessary to travel a hundred miles to get it. On November 4, 1829, a few days after the twelve counties in southwestern Michigan were laid off as mentioned above, the legislature provided for the organization of civil government in two counties of this territory and attached all the rest of the unorganized country to them for judicial and other civil purposes. St. Joseph and Cass counties were constituted with all the rights and privileges of other civil counties of the Territory, a court was established in each, and provision made for the election of civil officers. Each of these county governments had jurisdiction far beyond its own boundaries. To St. Joseph county were attached the counties of Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Branch, Barry and Eaton (which had been surveyed), and al.so all of the unsurveyed country north of the base line to the straits of Mackinac, and included between the principal meridian on tlie east and the line between ranges 12 and 13 on the west. This latter line cut off the two eastern blocks of townships in this county, so that so much of Allegan county was attached to St. Josepli county for civil purposes. If any settlers along the river in what are now Gun Plains and Otsego townships or any of the towns north of them (provided there were settlers at that time) had desired to attend court for a settlement of differences, it would have been necessary for the litigants to travel through the woods nearly fifty miles to White Pigeon.

To Cass county were attached, for hke reasons, both Berrien and Van Euren counties, and all the country north of those counties to Lake Michigan, a strip of land extending along almost the entire eastern shore of Lake Michigan. A glance at the map will show that this included all that portion of Allegan county lying directly north of Van Buren county ; in other words, all the townships not included in these attached to St. Joseph county. So that the county seat for an inhabitant of the west two-thirds of the county was fixed at that time in Cass county.

On November 5, 1829, the day after the passage of the act just mentioned, the legislature went a step further in providing a temporary civil arrangement for all this unorganized country of western Michigan. It was provided that the counties of Kalamazoo and Barry and all the unsurveyed country north of them (including the east part of Allegan county) should be organized into a civil township named Brady.

The first settlers of Allegan county, Giles Scott, Turner Aldrich and others, in the southeastern corner of the county, were for some months citizens of this Brady township of St. Joseph county. The first town meeting of this large territory was held at the house of Abram J. Shaver, in Kalamazoo county, but there is no record, and it is unlikely that any person from the limits of present Allegan county attended.

By the same act the west two-thirds of the county became a part of another civil township, belonging to Cass county. Van Buren county and all the country lying north of it, as already described, were formed into a township by the name of Penn. So far as Allegan county is concerned, these townships of Penn and Brady have an empty significance, for whole counties were soon organized within their limits and their names were abolished or applied to restricted boundaries.

The rapid progress of settlement across western Michigan beginning with the thirties brought about the organization of one county after the other, so that by the time the Territory was admitted to statehood there was a solid block of settled and organized counties from Detroit to Lake Michigan. The establishment of civil government is a ready index of this process of settlement, and it will be interesting to note the various changes of civil condition which preceded the organization of Allegan county into a separate and independent political entity.

By the act approved July 30, 1830, the township of Brady ceased to be a part of St. Joseph county, for on that date the county of Kalamazoo was organized, and all the remaining portion of country to tlje north hitherto mentioned as forming Brady township, as well as Calhoun and Eaton counties, was attached to Kalamazoo county for legal purposes.

Thus the east side of Allegan remained a legal part of Kalamazoo county, and the western portion was attached to Cass county, until the important legislative act of March 29, 1833. Then for the first time the Allegan county as we know it was recognized as a legal entity.

This act provided that all that district of comitry which had been set off into a separate county by the name of Allegan (according to act of March 2, 1831) should be a township by the name of Allegan, "attached to the county of Kalamazoo for all legal purposes whatsoever," and that the first township meeting should be held at the house of Samuel Foster.

The civil history of the county of Allegan thus really begins with the history of Allegan township. For three years, while the first mills were being erected along the Kalamazoo and Pine creek, the first roads were being laid out, the first postoffices established, and the institutions of civilization securing firm foothold, the twenty-four township areas comprising Allegan county were grouped together for civil purposes under the name of Allegan township.

The first township meeting of the township of Allegan, designated by the legislative act just mentioned, brings into notice the first men connected with the civil history of the connty, who were, of course, likewise among the first settlers. This township meeting was held April 6, 1833, at the house of Dr. Samuel Foster, whose pioneer home was on section 'Z-i, of what is now Otsego township and was within the present corporate limits of the village of the same name. Hull Sherwood was moderator of the meeting, and the other town officials chosen were ; Cyrenius Thompson, clerk; Charles Miles, supervisor; Ebeiiezer Sherwood, Calvin White,

D. A. Plummer, assessors ; Martin W. Rowe, collector ; Giles Scott and H. C. White, overseers of the poor ; Turner Aldrich, Norman Davis, R. Sherwood, commissioners of highways: M. W. Rowe, constable; Orlando Weed, Ebenezer Sherwood. U. Baker, Abijah Chichester, overseers of roads; S. Foster, C. Miles, S. Thompson, school inspectors.

These township officers were elected in accordance with the territorial laws governing the selection of such oflficials. The full complement was chosen to comply with the provisions of the law, not, surely, because they were all needed to conduct the business of such a thinly settled region as Allegan county was at the time. It is probable that nearly all the citizens of the township, with the exception of the few located near the mouth of the Kalamazoo, were required to fill the numerous offices.

July 8, 1833, a general election was held, and the voters of the township cast ballots for a delegate to Congress (Lucius Lyon) and a member of the legislative coimcil. Twenty-two votes were counted. The citizens who took part in this election and in the second township meeting in April, 1834, were residents about Otsego. At the township meeting of April 6. 1835. held at the schoolhouse near the mouth of Pine Creek, the name of Alexander L. Ely of Allegan village appears as school commissioner, and also that of William G. Butler, the Saugatuck pioneer, as constable. By that time the citizenship all along the river was represented.

The new names added to the official list at the town meeting of 1834 were Almerin L. Cotton. John L. Shearer. Ezekiel Metcalf. and John H. Adams, Jonathan Russell. Friend Ives. Dan Arnold ; and those at the election of 1835: Oka Town, Silas Dunham, Benjamin Plimimer, Randall Crosby, William Still. L. S. Prouty, R. S. Crosby.

VVith the township election of 1835 the official record of Allegan township as a civil division of Kalamazoo county ceases. Its territory was organized the following year as Allegan coimty. with a civil government of its own. Already in October. 1834, the governor had appointed three commissioners to locate a county seat for the prospective county. These commissioners, whose names were Oshea Wilder. Cyrus Lovell and Isaac

E. Crary. taking into consideration the advantages of the new and enterprising village of Allegan, its central location in the county as a whole and with respect to the river Kalamazoo, decided that the seat of government should be located there and the governor subsequently made proclamation to that effect. No marked dissent to this decision was made by the citizens, and consequently Allegan county has never had a "coimty seat contest." Allegan has retained the prestige undisputed for over seventy years.

August 12, 1835. a meeting was held at Otsego to undertake the preliminary steps of county organization, Elisha Ely was chairman of the meeting, and John L. Shearer secretary. The first resolution of the meeting declared the expediency of immediate organization of the county. Then nominations were made for the principal county offices - Elisha Ely and John Anderson for associate judges; Alexander L. Ely for county clerk; J. L. Shearer for sheriff; Martin L. Barber, for surveyor; Oka Town for judge of probate. A committee, consisting of Eber Sherwood, D. A. Plummer and Joseph Fisk, was chosen to forward the resolutions to the governor and council.

The resolutions were acted upon by the legislature and a ineasure approved during the same month for the organization of the county. The commissions for the officers mentioned in the resolutions were signed by Stevens T. Mason on August 25th.

September i, 1835, the civil machinery of Allegan county went into operation. The county still had but a single township, so that the olificers of the latter had jurisdiction over as wide a territory as the county officers. Accordingly when, shortly after the organization of the county, an election was held on the adoption of the new state constitution and the election of the first state officers, notice was given to both "the electors of the township of Allegan and the county of Allegan." The election was held at Otsego on October 5th and at Allegan on the following day. Allegan's strength of political numbers is shown by the fact that Elisha Ely, the village's candidate for the legislature, won against I_insford B. Coats, the candidate from the southeastern part of the county, by 31 to 30 votes.

With this election, which resulted in the adoption of the constitution, the state government of Michigan became in force. Nevertheless Congress did not accept the state into the Union until January 26, 1837, so that for over a year Michigan was in the anomalous position of being a state, yet not a member of the Union.

The county government having been organized, it has gone on without interruption to the present time. The business of a county is much the same everywhere, and in a history extending through a period of over seventy years it is hardly proper to select the administration of one year for special mention, any more than it is possible to describe the routine transactions of each successive year. Concerning the personnel of the county officials, it is hoped that the official lists published in another part of this volume, and the individual mention of some wha have held public position, will prove a satisfactory record of the men who liave faithfully administered the affairs of county. The courts and those connected with them will be treated in a special chapter. It now remains to continue the general subject of organization by describing the court house and other public buildings and institutions of the county, and then taking up the formation of the townships and the early affairs of each.

The proprietors of Allegan, in platting the village, made provision for the county seat by the dedication of a square of land to afford sites for the county biuldings. The plat as recorded by the proprietors, Samuel Hubbard and C. C. Trowbridge, June 23, 1837, designates this public square, and ten years later these same men deeded this land to the board of supervisors, and this deed was supplemented by another deed to the board from the village of Allegan, waiving its claims and titles to "as much of the public square * * * as may be wanted or used for county buildings and necessary appurtenances, and this grant is for no other purpose." It is not likely that the county's title in this land could ever be disputed, even though the county buildings do not cover the entire site.

The county of paid out $32 in- rent for the use of the first schooihoiise in the village to serve as a court room from the organization of the county through the years 1837 and 1838. County buildings lacked the character of permanence and adequacy during the first few years. Tlie inevitable schooihoiise had multiple uses in those days, and the first temple of justice was likewise the building where the pioneer children met for instruction and where on other days divine worship was held. This schoolhouse that must go down in history as Allegan's first court house stood, when built, on the south side of Trowbridge street, just east of Pine street. At the time of the laying of the corner stone of the present beautiful court house, Mr. Phillip Padgham. in an address, referred to the old structure as follows: "It now stands in plain view of us all, on the south side of Hubbard street, directly across from this public square, and is occupied by James Forward as a salesroom for agricultural implements. Its age is an excuse for its appearance, and its size compares with that of its new rival relatively as the amount of business to be transacted therein. It has outlived many of the pioneers who built and used it, and is one of the few landmarks remaining that remind us of the early history and struggles of the heroic little band that located the site of our beautiful village."

Only court sessions were held at the schoolhouse. Inquiry as to where the various offices of clerk, treasurer, register, etc., were kept leads only to the general answer that they were kept at the residence or place of business of the incumbent at the time. We can imagine a citizen of the time passing from the office of the count}' clerk to the treasurer's and going clear across town. The grand jury in 1838 met in a room of the Michigan Exchange, opposite from the northwest corner of the public square.

Until i88g the word "court house" did not convey the meaning that it did in most counties, denoting the usually ample building in which all the courts and the county administration were housed. For many years the courts were held in one place, the county offices were in another, and the jail in still another.

Judge Padgham, in the address already quoted, has given the story of the various quarters occupied by the circuit court after it ceased to be held in the schoolhouse. "Several terms of the circuit court were held in the old school building, and afterwards the circuit court held its session in a building known as the Methodist chapel, which was located near the present site of the Methodist Episcopal church (Trowbridge and Walnut streets). The chapel was afterwards burned down, and the different courts for a time were held in a basement to the building occupied by the jailer. This basement was fitted up for county offices and was used for county and court purposes. It stood on the north side of Hubbard street in the southwest corner of this public square. The courts were next held in the basement of the Baptist church. This church was a brick building.

the upper part being unfinished, and in 1854 the county purchased the building of the Baptist society for court purposes, and the upper part was then finished off for a court room, and the sessions of the circiut court were held there until the building was condemned by the village and county authorities, in the year 1887. The court then moved its quarters to the dining- room of the Chaffee block, where two sessions of the court were held, and since then to the present time {1889) the circuit court has occupied the room over Delano's store on Locust street, known as Grange hall. The business of the court, instead of being disposed of in one day as m November, 1836. has increased to such an extent that it now has, sometimes, a session of three or four weeks with a jury, besides cases heard and determined bv the judge himself. But the present place of holdmg the court is not verv'much in advance of the modest old building which, as I said before, has' retired to the business of sheltering agricultural imple-

This scantiness of accommodations for the county government was not due to a lack of enterprise on the part of those in authority, but obviously the wealth of the people during the early decades did not warrant large expenditures for such purposes. It was perhaps a reflection of the wdlingness to mortgage the future felt throughout the state during the boom period of the thirties that led the board of supervisors at their meetmg m November. 1837, to propose the raising of the sum of fifteen thousand dollars to be expended on public buildings. The proposition, if submitted to the vote of the people, failed to receive their assent, and the first practical moves for countv buildings, undertaken a year or so later, indicated that the era of extravagance was over and the time of economy was in full realization. ...

The supervisors at their meeting in November. 1837. had authorized the sheriff to procure quarters for the confinement of "debtors and criminals." at not greater charge than one hundred dollars a year. April 25, 1839. the board of countv commissioners (who had succeeded the supervisors: for which see official lists) directed that S. F. Littlejohn submit a plan for the construction of a jail, a house for the jailer, and a room to serve for county purposes, at a total cost of not more than $1,200. Mr. Littlejohn was given the contract for the erection of this the first county building. It was completed and accepted February 27, 1840. The late Judge W. B. Williams thus described this structure: "The first court house, jail and sheriff's residence was erected upon the southwest corner (of square). It consisted of a small frame building with a lean-to of logs attached. The lean-to was the jail, the upper floor of the upright was the sheriff's residence, and the lower floor the court room. The budding was used for a jail and sheriff's residence until condemned by a grand jury as a nuisance. The jail was low, damp and unheaithy, and some of the prisoners who were fond of quiet and rest complained that 'they did not dare turn over in bed for fear of rolling out of jail.' " The total cost of this building was $1,567.98. t-- u 1 1

The county offices were next given a separate building. Five hundred dollars was appropriated October 15. 1846. and the following January it wa.s directed that a fire-proof brick building, one story, and containing three rooms, be erected. Thomas M. Russell constructed this building, under the direction of Henry H. Booth, Ralph R. Mann and David D. Davis. The total cost was $528.50, and it was completed in October, 1847. It stood on the northwest corner of the square, near the later county offices, and the probate judge, the treasurer and county clerk and register had their offices there. The part of the jail previously occupied by county offices was then remodeled for a court room.

The next provision was for a suitable court quarters. As already mentioned, the supervisors - after failing to secure a specific tax for the building of a court house^negotiated the purchase of the unfinished Baptist church, which was remodeled for court purposes at a cost of $1,106.63.

Soon the old log jail became unfit. A proposition to raise five thousand dollars for a new one was submitted to the people in the spring of 1859, and was carried. It was decided to locate it on a lot in the block west and opjjosite the public square, the building to be of brick with stone foundations, 40 by 50 feet on the ground and two stories high, the west side for jail purposes and the front for the sheriff's residence. This building was completed by January, 1862, at a cost of $4,890.

A few years later the building for county offices was reported of not "sufficient capacity/' as "dilapidated," and generally inadequate for its purposes, Ab attempt was made at this time, 1867, to obtain the consent of the people to erect a court house and office building, but the board finally had to be content with the erection of quarters for the county offices alone. The agitation was continued for several years before anything definite was brought about. In October, 1870, the supervisors resolved to submit the question of raising $6,000 for the purpose to the people at the following April election. The proposition was carried. The office building was erected, the two-story brick building still standing on the northwest quarter of the square, and at this writing not used for any permanent offices. It was first occupied January i, 1872, and its total cost to the county, including furniture and fixtures, was $9,561.25. The lower floor was occupied by the register and treasurer, and the upper by the clerk and judge of probate.

Such were the count}' buildings before the modern structures now in use. Until the latter part of the eighties, the square was adorned by the office building just described in the northwest corner, and in the opposite, the southeast, comer stood a village engine house. West of the sqiiare stood the brick jail which has only recently been replaced, and north of it was the court house, remodeled from the old church and soon to prove unsafe and be condemned.

January 7. 1887. a committee of the boarils of supervisors, to whom had been intrusted the investigation of ways and means for obtaining a new court house, made the following report:

"Your committee to whom was referred the consideration of the motion to submit to the voters of said county a proposition to raise, by tax, a fund for the purpose of erecting a court house for the said county, do respectfully submit a report thereon as follows: And it having become necessary to build a court house for the county of Allegan for the reason that the present court house is not only unsafe, but is lacking in the requisites necessary for the transaction of the business of the county, consider that a new court house should be erected, and for that purpose the sum of $45,000 should be raised by tax, and would recommend that at the township election next ensuing a proposition be submitted to the voters of the county to spread a tax of one mill on the dollar of the state equalized valuation, each year, for the tenn of three vears."

The result of this motion is given in a resolution offered Apnl 24, 1888: "Whereas, it appears fron the canvass of votes cast at the last spring election for and aga tl e proposed new court house that the proposition was defeated b a all ajority of 115; And, whereas, it further appears that in the to v 1 p f baugatuck the vote against the proposition was mainlv the result of a s derstanding of the voters therein in relation to a matter entirel fore gn to the court house question, thereby defeating the will of the people of the county on the matter; And, whereas, believing that a new court house is necessary at the earliest possible moment for the preservation of the records of the county and accommodation of the business thereof; Therefore resolved, that at the next general election to be held on the sixth day of November, 1888, there be submitted to the voters of Allegan county for their action a proposition authorizing the building of a new court house not to exceed in cost when built and furnished with necessary furniture the sum of $44,000."

This motion was lost, but the following offered the next day, was carried: "Whereas, it appears that Allegan county has no court house and from the records of said county it appears that said county is now payirig $547.50 for a night watch to guard the county records, and $300 is paid for rent of a room for the circuit court, with prospects of being obliged to pav more ; and also about $250 in repairs for the owners of building that is iiow rented: Therefore, be it resolved, that at the next general election to be held in November, 1888. there be submitted to the voters of Allegan county a proposition authorizing the building of a new court house not to exceed in cost when built and finished with all the necessary apparatus and furniture $44,000. * * «

"If on canvassing the votes a majority of the votes cast shall favor the raising of said money for building said court house the sum of $15,000 shall be spread on the tax rolls of Allegan county for the year 1889, and $15,000 on said rolls in 1890, and the balance spread on the tax rolls of Allegan county in 1891."

Court house committee were Charles Johnson, Frederick Schracier and A. E. Calkins. The building committee were Charles Johnson. A. E. Calkins, Frederick Schrader, John Crispe and B. F. Granger. S. L Osgood was the architect.

The laying of the court house comer-stone, August 29, 1889, was a celebration attended bv a great number of people from over the county and from abroad. Some of the addresses made on that occasion have been quoted, and altogether it was an event of more than ordinary importance.

The building committee's report on January 9, 1890, thus describes the progress of the building : "That since the report at the special session of this Board, June last, the work has progressed with commendable fidelity, both as to character of work and material, until the building is enclosed except the tower, which has been carried above the roof and covered with a temporary roof. Considerable work has been done inside. Steam connections nearly completed. The delay of the glass has greatly annoyed the contractor, but expect this will soon be completed and the plastering soon commenced. Whole amount paid contractor to date $28,969.85, which is 85 per cent, due him at last estimate."

June 10, 1890. the committee reported in part as follows: "That since their report made at the January session of the Board the contractor has pushed forward the work of construction so that it is now completed, and he is prepared to give up the keys into your hands. provide<l the work proves satisfactory to your Board. The committee met frequently during the progress of the work and unite in expressing their full appreciation of the fidelity and honest effort on the part of Mr. J. M. Crocker to present to this county a building so constructed, from foundation to turret, that will bear the closest scrutiny, and in a style of finish rarely excelled in far more costly buildings. Your inspection will convince you of this fact. Your committee take pleasure in stating that they have not seen any attempt toput in anv reprehensible work, but always the best care and skill attainable."

After more than forty vears of use. the old jail, with its ivy-grown front.- was declared obsolete. Its unfitness was ground for a resolution hv the board of supervisors on January 13, 1905, reading partly as follows: ''Your committee would therefore respectfully recommend that the proposition to raise the sum of $25,000 for the purpose of building a new jail and sheriff's residence be submitted to the electors of Allegan county at the spring election of this year 1905, said $25,000 to be raised as follows : $12,500 to be raised in the year 1905, and $12,500 to be raised in the year 1906; provided, however, that the sum aforesaid of $25,000, together with the $1,500 already on hand in the jail fund, shall be all the money that shall be used in the construction of said jail and sheriff's residence. Raised in this way, it would mean a rate of less than seven-tenths of a mill on each $1 assessment of the county ; or, to a man paying on a house and lot assessed at $500, the cost of building a jail as proposed would be only 33 cents each year for two years."

This report, submitted to the board by Albert L. Nichols, J. W. Sturgis and L. B, Scholten, was adopted, and the proposition was referred in proper form to the voters for action. The result of the vote taken the following April 17, 1905, is thus tabulated:

The architect of the new jail was Mr. Hall, of Detroit, and Crocker and Knapp were awarded the contract for its construction. The special committee appointed to supervise the building were Roscoe N. Ellis, John Lubbers, Fred C. Wilcox, Alvah H. Tracy, Daniel D. Harris; the membership did not remain the same throughout, however.

Gentlemen : Your committee on the building of the new jail would respectfully submit the following report: The jail has been accepted with a guarantee that some work that coidd not be finished till the old jail was out of the way, should be completed as specified. The jail has been built at a cost of $54,940.09. * * *

At the first township meeting, April 6, 1833, when Allegan township comprised the entire county, Giles Scott and H. C. White were elected overseers of the poor. Such officers were elected at each township meeting until county organization. Doubtless their office was a sinecure, being both without duty and without pay. But even when the county was young and its inhabitants were few, there were some poor among them, and some public provision had to be made for their care. The board of supervisors in 1837 constituted a poor fund of one hundred dollars, this being the first definite provision for the destitute, and in the following year a pauper was supported nearly a month at the pubHc charge. Until 1839 each township cared for its own poor, but in that year it was voted to make paupers a county charge.

No systematic method of caring for the poor was adopted until 1849. Previous to that time, the paupers being few, the need of a regular institution for their care was not seriously felt. In that year a proposition was made before tbe board that a farm be purchased at an expense not greater than twelve hundred dollars. No action was taken, and the matter remained in an unsettled state for a number of years, the superintendents of the poor meanwhile making such provisions as they were able by obtaining temporary quarters for those in their charge.

Finally a committee was appointed to examine farms suitable for the purpose, and its report, made January 14, 1866, recommended the purchase of the quarter section owned by J. P. Pope, in the southeast quarter of section 5, Allegan township. In accordance with the report, tlie farm was purchased for $7,000, the deed being recorded June 15, 1866, This has since been the site of the poorhouse and institutions.

The farm as first purchased soon proved inadequate, and a committee urged the erection of a poorhouse. This structure was erected during 1868, and was reported completed in January, 1869, at a cost of $2,090.07. This was only one of the smaller buildings of the group as contemplated when all the buildings should be completed, and it was soon found that the new structure was insufBcient to meet the needs of the institution, and that the old building was rapidly falling into decay. Accordingly, in January, 1870, the board of supervisors instructed the superintendents of the poor to procec:' with the erection of the main building. This was built within contract time, ana c->s accepted as complete on October 13, 1870, the total cost being $7,461,97.

The next building to be erected on the farm was an asyhim for the insane. The consideration of this matter was introduced before the board of supervisors in 1874. The asylum, a two-story brick building, with four rooms in the basement and sixteen above, was first occupied Januarj- i, 1876. its cost being $1,328.62.

That the chihlren of the institution might have a building apart from the adult inmates, a juvenile building was next constructed. The supervisors took the first steps for the building of this addition in January, 1877. and the building was completed ready for occupancy before the end of the year. The total cost of this building was $1,633.39.

Oct. 20. 1898. - " . . . Your committee further finds that in the main building every available room is occupied, also the so-called insane building, and it is impossible to classify the inmates as they should be. The sick and also those who are afflicted with contagious diseases ought to be separated, but it is totally impossible with the limited room at present. And the committee thereupon would recommend that upon investigation to see if practical, the old school building be moved on the groimds in front of what is called the 'insane asylum,' as near as practical to a place that is most convenient to be heated and secure as much as possible from fire, and it be elevated enough on a stone foundation so it can be heated from the main building; and we recommend that it be so connected, and said building be used as a hospital as far as necessary, especially for the isolation of contagious diseased patients, the expense not to exceed $50. We also recommend that the poorhouse be connected with a telephone at a cost not exceeding $25 and the regular rates for use of same.

Jan. 10, 1899. - "Whereas, your honorable body, at the October session of 1898, did vote to move the building known as the school building situated at the county farm and the repairing and the heating of the same, and to put telephone into the county poorhouse, but failed to appropriate the money for so doing ; and inasmuch as the superintendents of the poor, in compliance with the action there taken, have contracted for the moving of said school building and caused to be put into the poorhouse a telephone, there being no fund for that purpose, we, the undersigned superintendents of the poor, do recommend that the sum of five hundred and twenty-five ($525) dollars be taken from the county contingent fund to be used as a building fund for the moving, repairing and heating of said building, to be paid by the county treasurer on orders drawn by the superintendents of' the poor, said orders to be for the moving, repairing, or heating of said building."

The platting of the territory now comprised within Allegan county into township blocks six miles square, and the further subdivision of each town into thirty-six sections, was the work of the surveyors of the government. As already stated, the first of this work was done in 1825, but most of it was not completed until 1830 and later. The township lines of Gun Plains were run in 1825, but the sections were not run until March, 1831, by Sylvester Sibley. John Mullett was also the surveyor of the township of Martin on the north, in January, 1826, while Mr. Sibley followed in 1831, making the section lines. Lucius Lyon's name is connected with the survey of Wayland township in 1826, while Mr. Sibley's work on the section lines was done in March, 183 1. The same men were connected with the surveys of Leighton. and the dates are approximately the same, as would also be true of Dorr township, except that Mr. Lyon also did the sectional work in the spring of 1831. Mr. Mullett was connected with the survey of the east line of Otsego in 1825 ; the south line, the base line, was traced out by William Brookfield in 1827 ; the north and west lines by Mr. Lyon late in 1830, and he then con- tinned with tlie subdivision of the township into sections. Thus the survey went on with the other townships until every section in the county was de-

Wc have referred to the various townships by the names of the present. These names designate both the survey and the civil townships. But at the time only the survey townships existed. The organization of a separate civil government within the town boundaries had not been attempted ; such organization, like the organization of the county itself, had to wait upon the increase of population and multiplication of material and social interests. It is a very interesting process to follow the division of the county's territory into civil townships, for, taken in chronological order, it denotes with tolerable accuracy, the movement of population into each division.

For several months after the county was organized its territory constituted one township. The legislature possessed the power to divide the county into convenient areas for government purposes, and on March 23, 1836, the first act for the creation of civil townships was approved. At this date four townships came Into existence. The division was clearly made with reference to the position of population at that time. The settlers were mainly grouped along the river from Allegan to the southeast. Therefore, the first civil township on the east was the column of four survey -townships along the east line of the county. To this the name Flainfield was given. The next column to the west was formed into a civil township by name Otsego. Plainfield and Otsego were each six miles wide from east to west, and twenty-four miles long.

But the third town, next west of Otsego, was made twelve miles wide, or, in other words, two columns of survey-townships were used to make this one civil town. This was Allegan township. What remained of the county after these three townships were formed, consisting of one fuli-width column and the narrow column along the shore of Lake Michigan, became one township to which was given the name Newark.

To make these four original townships the coimty was divided vertically from north to south into four strips. But these elongated towns did not long remain. Rapid settlement soon called for the organization of townships with smaller boundaries.

The first division was made March 6, 1838, when the civil township of Manlius was organized, its first town meeting to be held at the hou'e of Ralph R. Mann. As botmded on that date, Manlius was survey -town' hip 3 north, in range 15. its present territory. But an act of March 15, 18 ;r, detached the remaining three townships in the same coltmin from Newark and constituted them a part of the civil township of Manlius. So that r/hat are now Fillmore. Clyde and Lee were also a part of Manlius until separated to form other town areas,

Plainiield was the next to be divided. March 22, 1839. the lowest survey-township in the column was constituted a civil township by itielf. retaining the name Flainfield, while the three other towns were linkjd together under the name of Martin. Flainfield, which was changed t< its present name of Gun Plain on March 19. 1845, was the first townsh'p to assume permanently the boundaries by which it is defined today.

February 16, 1842, is the next date of township division. Both Otsego and Allegan suffered contraction on that date. Otsego fared as Flainfield had three years before. The bottom town was constituted the Otsego as known today, while the other three towns remained under the name of Watson. On the same day the two lower survey-towns of Allegan were set off and named Trowbridge, embracing just twice the area of the present township of that name.

Gun Plain and Otsego were tlie first towns whose settlement and development had progressed far enough to receive independent organizations. We must next look at the town of Martin, which the legislature soon divided. Martin was constituted with its present area on March 9, 1843, while the two towns to the north were at the same time made Wayland township.

March 16, 1847, several changes were made on the map of Allegan county. Watson township was constituted with its present boimdaries, and the two northern towns of its previous area were made Dorr township. On the same day Allegan lost three of its township areas by the formation of Monterey, a right-angled township, covering the area of the present Monterey, Salem and Overisel. By the same act Ganges was formed from Newark, consisting of the two lower towns on the lake shore, that is, the present Ganges and Casco.

March 9. 1848, the north half of Wayland was set off and given the name Leighton. Thus the four townships on the east line of the county were organized with their present limits.

By its separation from Manlius, Fillmore township was constituted with its present boundaries March 15, 1849. But on the following year, March 28, its area was doubled by the cutting oH of the present Overisel from Monterey and placing it with Fillmore.

March 28, 1850, was created the original Pine Plains township. This contained the two lower survey-townships in range 15 {Clyde and Lee), previously a part of Manlius, and all of the present Valley township that lay west of the Kalamazoo river. It was unusual to boimd a township otherwise than by its rectangular outlines, and making the river a boundary took off a triangular piece of land and left it with the original township. By this time the original Allegan township had been much reduced from its area of eight survey-townships. Trowbridge had been taken off in 1842, Monterey in 1847, and Pine Plains in tSso, so ail that remained was the present Allegan, the irregular piece of land along the east side of the next town to the west, and the present Heath township.

But on March 18, i8.=;i, Allegan township was constituted with its present boimdaries, and on the same day the township of Heath was created. For twenty years Heath contained the fractional township east of the Kalamazoo just described. In 1871 Valley, or Pine Plains as it then was, was squared off by the addition of this triangle.

April 2. 1851, the legislature divided the original Trowbridge, and named its western half Cheshire, since which time both towns have retained their present areas and names.

Until 1852 the formation of townships was a matter controlled entirely by the legislature. Of course the legislature usually acted in accordance with petition from the citizens of the proposed town, and generally acceded to the wishes of the inhabitants, but no town came into official existence until the legislature so enacted. In 1852 this power of township creation was transferred from the legislature to the board of supervisors of each

December 29, 1852, Dorr, which had contained two town areas since T847, was divided, the north half retaining the name of Dorr, and the name Hopkins was given the south half. This was the first township formed bv the board of supervisors.

As we have seen, Monterey originally embraced three survey-townships; in i8fo it was reduced to two. and on October 10. 1855, the supervisors set off its north half as Salem township, leaving Monterey with its present boundaries.

In the meantime, the extreme southwestern town of the county had been organized. Casco was set off from Ganges December 27, 1854, the townships then assuming their present areas.

Only a few more townships remained to be organized. October 14. 1856, Overisel was created by being set off from Fillmore, to which it had been attached in [850.

Original Newark township had been greatly reduced since it was first constituted in 1836. All that now remained were the two upper fractional townships along the lake. These were separated and Lake Town was organized October 13, 1858. The remaining town continued to be known as Newark until 1861, when the legislature changed its name fo Saugatuck.

Pine Plains was the last to be subdivided. January 4. 1859, the township of Lee was set off, and the following October 12th the two remaining towns were formed as Clyde and Pine Plains, Pine Plains still lacked the northeastern corner, which was given it in 1871. The name of Pine Plains was changed to Valley in January. 1898.

As each of the townships was formed, as previously described, township government was instituted. At the first town meeting following the act for organization, there were usually present and active in the proceedings the citizens who by right should be regarded not only as the pioneers of the particular township, but the men upon whom devolved the civic and industrial responsibilities of the locality during its earlv years. There is a peculiar fitness_therefore in naming so far as possible the first set of officers chosen by the townships at their first town meetings.

The personnel of the principal township officials during the subsequent years will be found tabulated elsewhere in the volume, under Civil Lists, to which the reader is referred. But the first set of officials gives us acquaintance with men, many of whom are mentioned prominently in connection with other affairs, and many of whose descendants remain in the county to this time.

For this purpose it will be well to describe the organization of the townships with reference to their origin. Plainfield, Otsego, Allegan and Newark, being the four large divisions from which all the twenty-four townships have been formed, the plan will be to describe the organization of Plainfield and then, in order, of each of the towns taken from its original area, and so on with Otsego, Allegan and Newark.

In the various acts creating tlie townships, among other provisions, the legislature designated the place where the first township meeting should be held. The house of Isaac Aldrich was designated for the holding of the first town meeting in Plainfield. The act dividing the county into four civil townships was approved, it will be remembered, March 23, 1836, and the town meeting was held two weeks later. On April 4, not only the citizens living in the present town of Gun Plain, but all who lived in the other three towns to the north line of the county, were entitled to attend and participate in this meeting. Of course the majority of those present were of the Gun Plain neighborhood, where was then the nucleus of the settlers. In this respect the town meeting was the first one in the civil history of Gun Plains township, and its record usually begins the civil history of that town. But in a minor degree the same record is a part of the civil history of each of the other three towns, which at the time were attached to Pla'infield.

The business of this first town meeting began by the clioice of temporary officers in the persons of John Murphy, moderator; William Forbes, clerk; John Anderson, clerk of election. The first township officers chosen in the meeting were : John Murphy, supervisor ; William Forbes, town clerk; William Still, collector: Curtis Brigham, John Anderson. Peter Dumont, John Murphy, justices of the peace: Orlando Weed, Justus B. Sutherland, Chester Wetmore, highway commissioners; Curtis Brigham, John Anderson. William Forbes, school commissioners ; Charles Bush. Friend Ives, Elisha B. Seeley, assessors: Peter Dumont. Chester Wetmore, overseers of the poor ; Friend Ives, Elisha B. Seeley. Warren Caswell, fence viewers; William Still, Peter Dumont, S. H. Upson, Chester Wetmore. Orrin Orton. Warren Caswell. Leman G. Orton. John H. Adams, constables ; Charles Bush. Charles Ives, Elisha Tracy. Elisha B. Seeley. pathmasters.

When Martin was set off in 1830. with the two townships on tiie north attached for civil purposes, the first town meeting was held at the house of John H. Adams, mentioned above as constable in tlie first Plainfield election, on April 13, 1839. The township ofilicers elected by the. seventeen voters present were; Cotton M. Kimball, supervisor; Timothy

The township of Wayland, with the present Leighton attached, was organized March 9, 1843. The first township meeting was held at the house of Isaac Barnes, April i, 1844. The township officers elected were: George W. Barnes, who was one of the first of Martin's officials, was elected supervisor; Luther Martin, town clerk; Oziel H. Rounds, treasurer; Steven S. Germond. Solomon Filkins, assessors ; Isaac Barnes. George W. Barnes, school inspectors ; Nelson Chambers, Joseph Heydenburk. directors of the poor; Isaac Barnes, Oziel H. Rounds, Nelson Chambers, highway commissioners; George W. Barnes, Steven S. Germond, Oziel H. Rounds, Nelson Chambers, justices of the peace; Calvin Lewis, Nelson M. Pollard, constables; Joel Bronson, Samuel E. Lincoln, Solomon Filkins. W'ilHam S. Hooker, overseers of highways.

Leighton was organized as a separate township March 9, 1848. and the first town meeting was held at the Green Lake schoolhouse, April 3. 1848. Township ofl!icers elected: George W. Lewis, supervisor; Samuel B. Hooker, clerk; George W, Lewis, treasurer; John Woodward, Jehu Wilson, assessors; Seth A. Lucas. Alfred Mann, school inspectors; Levi S, Bagnell, Samuel E, Lincoln. Jehu Wilson, highway commissioners; Homer Hulett, Seth A. Lucas. Alfred Mann, justices of the peace: William S, Hooker, John Woodward, poormasters; Philetns W. Wood, John Goodspeed, constables; John Woodward, Steven Hartwell, roadmasters.

Otsego. Otsego, In its original form, containing the three towns to the north, had its first town meeting at the house of Samuel Foster, April 6, 1833. Township officers chosen ; Qiarles Miles. Supervisor ; Cyrenius Thompson, town clerk; Martin W. Rowe. collector; Eber Sherwood, Calvin C. White. D. A. Plummer, assessors; Giles Scott, Calvin C. White, overseers of the poor; Turner Aldrich, Norman Davis. Roval Sherwood, highway commissioners: Charles Miles, Samuel Foster. Cyrenius Thompson, school inspectors; Martin W. Rowe. constable: Orlando Weed, Eber Sherwood. U. Baker. Abijah Chichester, overseers of roads.

Wat.son. Watson, cut off from Otsego, with the two towns to the north, and organized February 16. 184.2. had its first tow nmeeting at the house of Eli Watson, April 4, 1842. The first town oflScers were: Amos D. Dunning, supervisor; Eli P. Watson, clerk; Eli Watson, treasurer; Peter Richart, John J. Lardner, assessors; William H. Warner, William S. Miner, Amos D. Dunning, school inspectors ; Charles Benson, director of the poor ; Jesse D. Stone, Harvey N. Barker, highway commissioners; Erastus Condon, William Allen, justices of the peace; Jesse D. Stone, J. Baker, constables.

Dorr, also containing the present town of Hopkins, was set off from Martin in 1847, and the first town meeting was held at the school house in district number 3, April 5, 1847. Fourteen votes were cast for the following officers : John Parsons, supervisor ; Jonathan O. Round, clerk ; William H. Warner, treasurer; Edward Moore, William H. Warner, school inspectors; Orrin Goodspeed, Erastus Condon, Jonathan Brewer, highway commissioners; William H. Warner, Harvey N. Baker, directors of the poor; William H. Warner, Edward Moore, Harvey N. Baker, justices of the peace: Orrin Goodspeed, John Parsons, Jason Baker, Jonathan O. Round, constables ; Jonathan O. Round, Jonathan Brewer, John Parsons, Edward Moore, overseers of highways.

Hopkins, after obtaining separate organization in December, 1852, held its first town meeting at the log house on section 26 in school district No. I, in April, 1853, the first officers being: J. O. Round, supervisor; John Parsons, clerk; Erastus Condon, treasurer; Hiram Loomis, William R, Ingerson, highway commissioners; John Truax, Jason Baker, justices of the peace; D. C. Ingerson, M. Vanduzen, school inspectors; Thomas Wilson, T. J. Crampton, directors of the poor; O, Perry, W. R. Ingerson, constables.

The original Allegan township, comprising two columns of townships through the center of the county, held its first town meeting following the act of organization in the village of Allegan, in April, 1836. The officials chosen were : Alexander L. Ely, supervisor ; Nathaniel Llvermore, clerk ; Joseph Fisk, Elisha Ely, Elisha Moody, Enoch S. Baker, justices of the peace ; Elisha Moody, Hiram Abbott, Joseph Fisk, assessors ; Elisha Moody, Ehsha Ely, Enoch S. Baker, highway commissioners; Lyman Fisk, Elisha Ely, overseers of the poor; Sylvester Aldrich, Benjamin McCoy. Enoch S. Baker, school commissioners; Alexander L. Ely, William C. Jenner, Joseph Allen, school inspectors.

Trowbridge, set off from Allegan in 1842. embracing also the area of the present Cheshire, had its first town election at the Prouty school house, district No. i, in April, 1842. Those elected: John Weare, supervisor; Sidney Smith, clerk; John Billings, Sr., treasurer; J. H. Blackman, John Weare, Walter H. Rood, Leander S. Prouty, justices of the peace: William Porter, William Granger, John Orr, highway commissioners ; H.

Cheshire, as set off from Trowbridge and separately organized held its first town meeting in April, 1852. Otticers: James G. Lindsley; supervisor; Harvey Munger, clerk; Marcus Lane, treasurer; Marcus Lane,

C. W. Lindsley, S. Strong, Dustin Murcli, justices of the peace; Marcus Lane, Dustin Murch, S. Strong, highway commissioners; C. Lindsley, S. Strong, school inspectors; Caleb Ward, A, B. Eaton, directors of poor; Ezra Whaley, A. B. Eaton, constables,

Monterey, as orgaiiized from Allegan in 1&47, had its citizens in the present Salem and Overisel as well as in its own proper area. The first town meeting was held April 19, 1847, and those elected were: John Chase, supervisor; Noah Briggs, clerk; Frederick Day, treasurer; James M. McAlpine, Horace Wilson, N. H. Brown, Gil Bias Wilcox, justices of the peace; Gil Bias Wiicox, James M. McAlpine, George W. Kibby, highway commissioners; John Chase, Henry Wilson, school inspectors; Thuruni Ross, Joseph Tanner, directors of the poor; George M. Kibby, Silas Reed, Harvey Kenyon, Horace Dexter, constables.

Salem, as set off fi-oui Monterey, October 10, 1855, with its present boundaries, held its first town election at the house of James Burnip, April 7, 1856, with the following results: L. P. Brown, supervisor; Henry Bear, clerk; James Burnip, treasurer; Henry Wilson, John Schwagert, justices of the peace; A. A. Goodman, Robert Pettingall, Aaron Bassett, highway commissioners; A. A. Goodman, Isaiah Mannes, school inspectors; Thomas Henton, director of the poor; Florida Henton, A. A. Goodman, Abner Hunt, Jacob Brandigan, constables.

Heath, set off from Allegan in March, 1851. held its first town meeting in April, 1851, with the foliowing results: James M. Heath, supervisor; John M. Heath, clerk; George P. Heath, treasurer; Simon Howe, Samuel Bigsby, James Albro, James M. Heath, justices of the peace; Simon Howe, school inspector; L. P. Ross, Harvey Howe, directors of the poor; Daniel Rhodabaugh, Charles Howe, L. P. Ross, Henry Ammerman, constables.

Pine Plains, as organized in 1850, had the present Lee and Clyde attached to its territory, and even then had a very limited popnlation, as may be inferred from the fact that at the first town meeting held April i, 1850, only two officers were chosen, namely: Timothy Coates, supervisor; EH Hathaway, clerk.

Of the original township of Newark, comprising two columns of townships, none of the township records remain, and only the first supervisor, Daniel A. Plummer, can he named.

Manlius, which was set off by itself, in 1838, held its first town meeting at the house of R. R, Mann April i, 1839, with the following persons elected as officers : John Allen, supervisor : James A. Poage, clerk ; Samuel Town, Orrin Ball, John Allen, assessors; R. R. Mann. John Allen, Truman D. Austin, commissioners of highways; Orrin Ball, constable and collector; Samuel Town, Paul Shepard, Isaac Vredenberg, school inspectors; Paul Shepard, treasurer; R. R. Mann, Samuel Town, James A. Poage, J. W. Palmer, justices of the peace; R. R. Mann. Isaac Vredenberg, directors of the poor : John Allen, James McCormick. overseers of highways ; Truman D. Austin, poundmaster. Only ten voters were in the town at the time.

Fillmore was a part of Manlius until 1849. and no doubt from 1841. when its area was attached to Manlius, until 1849, some of its residents served as officers in Manlius and voted at its town meetings. The first town meeting was held in Fillmore as a separate town in April, 1849, at which time Isaac Fairbanks was chosen supervisor: Benjamin Fairbanks, clerk; Anton Schomo, treasurer; Isaac Fairbanks, Anton Schorno. George N. Smith, George Harrington, justices of the peace.

Overisel, being attached to Fillmore in 1850. took part in the town meetings of the latter until its separate organization in 1856 gave it power to hold town meetings of its own. The first meeting was held at the school house in district No. i, April 6, 1857, when the following were chosen oificers: C. J. Voorhorst, supervisor; Jan Boers, clerk; Hendrick Broiiwers, treasurer; Lucas Daugermond, Hendrick Brouwers, school inspectors: Harm Walters, R. Van Dan, Hendrick Bellman, highway commissioners: Gerret J. Wolterink, Barteld Vredeveld, justices of the peace; Egbert Nykerk. Harm Schepers, directors of the poor; Mannes Hulsman, Albert Woerding, constables.

Lee, at first a portion of Newark, from 1847 to 1850 a part of Manlius. and then until 1859 a part of Pine Plains, contributed its township activity in various directions. At its first township meeting after organization, held April 4. 1859. the officers elected were: Thomas Raplee, supervisor; E. H. Heath, clerk; H. B. Rice, treasurer: H. B. Rice, Henry Davidson. Thomas Raplee. John Orr,* justices of the peace: Michael Hoy. David

W. Matthews, highway commissioners; Henry Davidson, school inspector; David W. Matthews, Winchester Jenkins, Michael Hoy, constables ; H. B. Rice, Winchester Jenkins, Michael Hoy, overseers of highways.

Clyde, detached from Pine Plains in 1859, held its first town election April 2, i860, there being thirteen voters present, who cast their ballots for: Ralph Parrish, supervisor; George G. Smalley, clerk; E. H. Heath, treasurer; C. T. Billings, justice of the peace.

Casco, taken from Ganges in 1854, completed its civil organization at the first town meeting held in April, 1855, when Timothy McDowell was elected supervisor. The records of the meeting and early township affairs were destroyed by fire in 1869.

Saugatuck, really the nucleus of the original Newark, which name it retained imtll 1861, had a continuous civil history from 1836, but the carlv records were destroyed.

Laketown, set off from all that remained of the original Newark, in October, 1858, held the first town meeting April 4. 1859, when the following officers were elected: John Rouse, supervisor; Gerrit Ruttgers, clerk; A. J. Neerken, treasurer; A. J. Neerken, John Rouse, Harm Rouse, Albert Klomparens. school inspectors; Reinderd Boorenkamp, Gerrit Ruttgers, John Lucas, highway commissioners; A, J. Neerken, H. J. Brinkman, John Ruttgers, Harm Klomparens, justices of the peace; Gerrit Heneveld, B. J. Brinkman, Derk Ten Cate, Hendrick Bakker, constables; G. H. Lubbers, Gabriel Rosbach, Harm Bouws, overseers of highways.