Fennville City (part 5 of 6)

* at the age of six months, adopted by Augustus Pease, and residing successively in Ohio and Michigan. She began when quite young to teach school, and as a teacher in Michigan filled that useful field until her marriage. Of their six children four still live. Isaac H., born June 22, 1856, is now in company with his father doing, to all appearances, a successful retail dry goods and general merchandise business, which is entirely in his charge; William E., Aug. 28, 1859; Miner S., Oct. 18, 1862; and George L., April 8, 1865. Edwin A., born Sept. 26, 1853, died March 24, 1877 ; a daughter, born April 10, 1858, died in infancy. Mr. Keeler has won a worthy name as an honorable merchant and upright citizen, not only in his adopted home, but throughout Barry County. Integrity and honesty have been the watchwords of his business career and the steppingstones to his success. He has labored faithfully to gather the fruits of earnest toil and manly action, and in the evening of life enjoys to the full a well-won reward.

Dr. Amos Hanlon

Among the well-known and skillful physicians of Barry County, Dr. Amos Hanlon, of Middleville, occupies a deservedly prominent place. He was born at Niagara Falls,

Canada, July 1, 1842, of Irish and American parentage, his father, Dennis B., having emigrated from Ireland to Quebec, Canada, in 1825. His mother,.a native of Vermont, went to Canada in 1800, and is now eighty-three years old. The elder Hanlon came of an aristocratic Irish family, and, being a young man of excellent education, became, upon his arrival in Canada, a school-teacher, - a pursuit that he followed several years. He was intended by his parents for the Catholic ministry, but he preferred Protestantism, and during his life in Canada occupied several places of important public trust under the government up to his death, in 1865. Upon the cessation of his common-school studies young Amos took up the study of medicine and pursued it in Canada until prepared to graduate. He determined, however, to become ultimately a practicing physician in the "States," and to that end entered the Ann Arbor University as a member of the class of 1867-68. Graduating, he returned to Canada, and for a year studied, while he also practiced. In 1869 he located as a physician in Bay Co., Mich., and in October of that year, discovering a more inviting field, passed over to Middleville, where he has been a practitioner continuously since 1869.

Dr. Hanlon conceives it to be important for a physician to continue in diligent study even while in practice, and that principle he has practically maintained and still maintains. During the winter of 1875-76 he attended a course of study at the Hahnemann Medical College and Cook County Hospital of Illinois, and received a doctor's degree. He received also an honorary degree from the Chicago Homeopathic College, and these valuable college and hospital experiences he proposes to follow, after a two years' interval, with a winter at Bellevue Hospital, in In recognition of his skillful proficiency he has been tendered a chair in one of the medical colleges of Canada, but this honor he was forced to decline, because he preferred to remain where he had made his professional reputation, and where his large practice made it his duty to remain. Mrs. Mary A. Hanlon was born in Michigan in 1850, and married Dr. Hanlon in July, 1878. Her father, Oliver A. Lewis, a native of Massachusetts, and her mother, Eliza, born in Connecticut, became Michigan pioneers in 1835, in the town of Dryden, Lapeer Co., where Mr. Lewis still lives.

J. C. Bray

The parents of J. C. Bray were John and Joanna (Sweazy) Bray, natives of Sussex Co., N. J., and about the year 1820 settlers in Dumfries, Brant Co., Canada. In that place J. C. Bray was born, May 26, 1832, and there made his home until he reached his twenty-second year, when, receiving from his father one thousand dollars as his portion, he decided to become a Michigan pioneer, and, purchasing in the spring of 1855 a partially improved eighty-acre lot on section 28, in Thornapple township, Barry Co., thade a permanent settlement thereon. His first habitation was a 12 by 16 board shanty, with but one window and one door, and in this primitive structure he opened "bachelor's hall." During the first twelve months of his occupancy he cleared and broke considerable land, when, receiving a good offer for the property, he sold it, remaining, however, long enough to take off the crops which had been reserved. Subsequently he visited Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Missouri in search of a new location, but returned eventually to Michigan and settled in Johnstown township, Barry Co., upon one hundred and sixty acres in section 17. At the close of a two years' residence in Johnstown he disposed of his place and bought an eighty-acre farm in section 28, Thornapple township, about fifty acres being partially improved. He set at once _ about the work of improving the place. He replaced the dwelling with a substantial and imposing edifice, put out additional orchards, added by and by one hundred and twenty acres more to his first purchase, and continued to steadily improve the appointments of his possession, until he owns to-day one of the best farms in Thornapple, a 'sketch of which, as well as his residence, will be found in this book. April 27, 1867, Mr. Bray married Mrs, Harriet E. Johnson, widow of Amos H. Johnson, M.D. Mrs. Bray (whose maiden name was Harriet E. Leek) was born in Catlin township, Schuyler Co., N. Y., July 19, 1834. Mr. Bray has long been actively connected with the Barry County Agricultural Society, and, as its president and superintendent during several terms, contributed largely towards the society's present flourishing condition. Mr. Bray is in politics a Republican, but he is in no sense a politician. The cares of his business.demand his whole attention, and he prefers to the empty honors of a political life the consciousness that he is respected:by his fellow-citizens as one who joins with them in prosperously maintaining the substantial interests of the community in which he lives. He is, moreover, a staunch advocate of temperance principles, and in their behalf he is always foremost in lending the influence of his voice and example.

George Cisler

About the year 1780, George Cisler, a native and resident of Germany, conceived a desire to emigrate to America, but so poor was he that to furnish sufficient money to pay his passage was for him an impossible task. In this emergency he offered to mortgage himself to a ship captain for the price of his passage, and upon such terms was carried over sea to the New World. In the State of Pennsylvania he made his first habitation, and there, by laboring for the owners of the vessel that had brought him over, soon discharged their claim upon him. His after-life he spent in Pennsylvania, and at his death left a family of six children, of whom the youngest (Huston) married, upon reaching manhood, Miss Rachel Scott, of English parentage, and reared in his turn a family of six children, including, like his father's, four boys and two girls. Huston Cisler, with a portion of his family, removed in 1830 to Washtenaw Co., Mich., and after spending six years there as a pioneer migrated to Irving township, in Barry County, where he took charge of the farm of Albert E. Bull. George Cisler, one of his sons (born in Lycoming Co., Pa., Oct.

28, 1821), who had not moved westward with the family, joined his father at Mr. Bull's place in 1837. In Irving he stopped until 1844, and labored here and there as a farmhand. In 1844 he purchased with his savings a forty acre tract of wild land upon section 28, in Thornapple township, and in 1845 took up a permanent residence upon it. In common with all pioneers, he encountered all the hardships and privations incident to life in the West at that him strength to sustain his labors 'and to acquire eventually a°handsomely-improved farm of two hundred and eighty acres. Recently he has disposed of some of his land, and has now one hundred and twenty acres, containing substantial and commodious farm-buildings, fide orchards, ete. In 1852 Mr. Cisler married-Helen M. Stephens, by whom he had four children, of whom but one (Frank A.) is living. Mrs. Cisler died in 1861, and in 1865 Mr. Cisler married for his second wife Mlizabeth A. Warfield, widow of William Warfield, who lost his life in the military service of the United States. Of the last' union havébeen born two children, Martha G., Sept. 5, 1868, and George T., Jan. 25,1877. Mrs. Elizabeth Cisler died, May 6, 1880. Mr. Cisler has ever stood in the foremost rank among the industrious and prosperous farmers of Thornapple township, and amid the busy cares of existence he has found neither time nor inclination to seek political distinction. He is content to fill with credit the place in the social sphere to which events have assigned him, and wisely believes that in such a field, well cultivated, one may win more honors and greater esteem than in the broadest area ever embraced in a political career.

John Carveth

JOHN CARVETH. The parents of John Carveth, of whom this article will treat, were' Edward and Emeline (Brant) Carveth. John, the second in a family of four children, was born in Saranac,

Tonia Co., Mich., March 12, 1841, and resided in Ionia County until he reached his twelfth year. He obtained his education upon his father's farm and at school. At the age of twelve he removed with his father to Monroe Co., Mich., and four years after that his father died, aged fiftynine. Between the ages of sixteen and twenty John passed | his time in educational pursuits, as school-pupil, and later as school-teacher. In 1866 he entered the mercantile business in Lowell, Mich., and, abandoning it at the end of a year, commenced the study of the law at Middleville. In 1868 he was admitted to the bar, and since then he has been steadily engaged in a successful law practice. Mr. Carveth is esteemed one of the most prominent and capable attorneys in Barry County, and during his comparatively brief legal career has accumulated through his professional labors a handsome competence. His profession is his pride, and, although he has enjoyed political distinction, he prefers to abide within the sphere of his professional callings and win all his honors there.

Of his father's children there are three living. William, the eldest, died at the age of thirty-eight, leaving a widow and two children, who have been provided for since William's death by his brother John. The latter was the second of his father's children. Hamilton, the third, resides upon _ his brother John's farm, one and a half miles from Middleville. Margaret, the fourth, is the wife of George Hart, of Keene, Ionia Co.

Mr. John Carveth's family consists of his wife and threeyear-old daughter. Mrs. Carveth is the daughter of Aaron and Mercy Clark, the latter now a resident of Grand Rapids. Mr. Carveth's mother, aged seventy-four, is living at Mr. "arveth's home, in Middleville.

Torrey Smith was born in Crittenden Co., Vt., in the year 1800, and in the Green Mountain State and Western New York passed thirty-six years of his life amid the disturbing and trying events which besct the pioneers of those localities in the earlier days. Marrying Jane Redden, a native of County Cavan, Ireland, he determined to become a Michigan pioncer, and in 1836 settled in Ada, Kent Co., where he purchased ninety acres of wild land, and where he continued to live until his death, in 1871, aged seventyone, his wife having died there about two years before. At the first election held after the organization of the Whig party he cast the only vote polled in his township by that party, but lived long enough to see them win conspicuous triumphs after all. Of his nine children six are now living, viz., Charles (present residence unknown) ; Alvira, widow of the late Judge Tracy, of Grand Rapids ; Henry, hotel proprietor at Ada, Mich., and owner of the Smith homestead; George, a farmer of Ravenna, Muskegon Co., Mich.; Eliza, now Mrs. Charles Skellenger, of Ada, Kent Co.; and S. B. Smith, the subject of this sketch, a prominent merchant in Middleville, Barry Co., Mich.

at the age of twenty-one began to build his fortunes by hiring himself by the month for farm labor. He was still pursuing the even tenor of a farmer-hand when, in 1861, the first gun in the Southern Rebellion sounded from Fort Sumter. Prompt to the call for three months' men he enlisted, April 23d of that year, in Company A, Third Michigan Infantry. Before the regiment was ready to leave for the seat of war, notification was received. from the Governor that men were desired for three years, and upon that announcement nearly every man in the Third re-enlisted for that term of service. The regiment proceeded to Washington, reaching there June 16th, Smith being then a corporal of the color-guard of the command.

The first engagement participated in by the Third took place at Blackburn's Ford, July 18, 1861, and on the 21st there was the second conflict at the same place. 'hen followed the affairs of Mason's Cross-Roads, Munson's Hill, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, and Chickahominy. At the latter engagement, which was fought May 31, 1862, Smith reccived a musket-ball through the neck and right shoulder, a second in the right lung, where it still reposes, and a third through the left hip, while no less than thirteen balls passed through his coat. Into that memorable action the Third Michigan was led by Gen. Phil. Kearney, and bore itself in a gallant and glorious manner. Among the wounded conveyed from the field was Smith, who, along with other similar victims of the conflict, was at White House Landing put aboard a vessel and shipped to Fortress Monroe. Just before the fortress was reached, Smith learned that those of the wounded considered able to stand the journey were to be taken to hospital at New York City, while the residue were to be left at Fortress Monroe. He, being considered badly hurt, was set aside for the latter place, but he was more anxious to go to New York, and by the judicious expenditure of five dollars induced some soldiers to transfer his cot to the party intended for that point. So he reached the metropolis, and after a brief stay in the hospital at that point was conveyed by his friends to Michigan, where he remained until the following August. On the 19th of that month he reported again for duty, and found his regiment with the Army of the Potomac, under Gen. Pope. Directly thereafter the command was concerned in the advance from Warrenton Junction, and was in a continuous skirmish with the enemy until the advance reached Groveton, or field of the second Bull Run fight, where a two days' engagement ensued, and this on the third day was followed by the fight at Chantilly, where Gen. Kearney met his death. Later the regiment fought under Burnside at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, and for gallant services on that field Smith was commissioned second lieutenant, and assigned to the command of Company D.

The Third Michigan encamped at Falmouth during the winter of 1862-63 with Burnside's command, and took part in several skirmishes, but none of these were fruitful save in loss of men. Lieut. Smith was with his regiment under Hooker at Chancellorsville, took part in the action of the previous night, in which Stonewall Jackson was killed, and at Chancellorsville, on the 30th of May, 1863, had his left leg carried away by a twelve-pound shot. His leg was amputated upon the field of battle, and in due time he was transferred to hospital at Alexandria. When recovered sufficiently to undertake the journey he obtained a sixty days' leave, and visited his Michigan home for a season of recuperation. While at home he received notification of his transfer to the Veteran Reserve Corps. He was assigned to duty at the Judiciary Square Hospital, Washington, D. C., and commissioned captain by President Lincoln (the commission being now in his possession). He remained on duty in Washington until August, 1865, and was then transferred to Fairfax Co:, Va., where he took charge of the interests of the freedmen over a district "covering that portion of Virginia lying between the Rappahannock and Potomac east of the Blue Ridge, Alexandria excepted, with headquarters at Leesburg, Loudon Co. Capt. Smith was, moreover, in charge of affairs incident to the reconstruction of Virginia, and under his direction the reconstructed State held its first election.

In that field of duty he remained until Nov. 16, 1868, when he retired permanently-from public service to the old homestead at Ada, having meanwhile married, Sept. 3, 1866, Miss Mariana Sutton, of Flint Hill farm, Fairfax Court-House, Va. Upon his return to Michigan he became the editor of the Lowell Journal, and after an editorial life of a year entered upon the business of lumber dealing and milling at Lowell, which he discontinued in August, 1872, to engage in the September following in the hardware trade at Middleville. In 1877 he added to that business that of dealing in 'agricultural implements, in which he carries on now one of the most flourishing and extended of all similar branches of trade in Barry County.

Of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith seven are living, viz.: Florence and Frank, born in Virginia; Gracie and Sidney, born in Lowell; Frederick, Blanche, and Jessie in Middleville. Willie, who was born in Middleville, died February, 1875. ;

Woodland

Townsuip 4 north, in range 7 west, known since Feb. 16, 1842, as Woodland, occupies the northeastern corner of Barry County, and has the Ionia county-line on the north, Castleton township on the south, the Haton county-line on the east, and Carlton township on the west. The township occupies high ground, and of its 23,040 acres but 646 are occupied by " waste-lands,"' most of these being covered by a portion of Jordan Lake, which penetrates the township on section 4. The surface of the country is generally level, and from almost any point one may obtain for miles around a charming view of one of the handsomest agricultural districts in the State.

Agriculturally, Woodland stands at the head of all the townships in Barry. The soil is remarkably productive and varied in character. For fruit, wheat, and vegetables it is especially noted, and that the pursuit of farming is a profitable occupation goes without saying. Indeed, handsome and substantial farm-houses and wide-reaching farms are in Woodland the rule rather than the exception. Its people are prosperous, and need but a railway through the township to make them doubly so.

Woodland is also famous for containing within its borders more church buildings by far than can be boasted by any other township in the county. Nine temples of worship are inclosed by its lines, while upon its south and west, in Hastings, Castleton, and Carlton, are three more, liberally supported by Woodland people, and the erection of still another edifice is in contenyplation in the " Canada" settlement.

Pioneer History

The township of Woodland was opened to the advance of the army of civilization. in the autumn of 1837, by Charles Galloway, Jonathan Haight, ind Samuel S. Haight. The latter has passed from the stage of life, but the first two still live in the township, of which they have been honored citizens since they first struck their axes into the trunks of Woodland's forest monarchs, forty-three years ago.

These three were young bachelors when in 1836 they met in Livingston Co., Mich., each eager to~participate in the great work of pioneering in the West. Pending the arrangement of some plan to further this interest, Samuel Haight and Galloway pushed on to Ionia County, where they secured employment with .a carpenter, and in April, 1837, being joined there by Jonathan Haight, they agreed to start with the latter on a land-looking tour. Isaac Knapp, who had been through Barry County, suggested to them that township 4 north, in range 7 west, then an unbroken forest, offered fine inducements to the pioneer, and into that town the three bachelors penetrated in company. Timbered land was what they sought, and timbered land forsooth they found in township 4 so much to their taste that they promptly made locations therein, Jonathan Haight on the southwest quarter, Samuel Haight on the west half of the northeast quarter, and Galloway on the west half of the southeast quarter, all on section 15. It was in May, 1837, that they made this visit, and all hands returned at once to Portland, Ionia Co. There Samuel Haight and Gallo- way resumed their carpentering, while Jonathan Haight, meeting Isaac Knapp there, agreed to return to town 4 with the latter, who was going over to look at some land he owned on section 17. To stay them on their journey they carried a bag of provisions and a bushel of potatoes.

Knapp and Haight camped on section 17 long enough to chop an acre or so, throwing the parings of the potatoes, upon which they subsisted during their stay, upon the ground and covering them with leaves. Knapp and Haight then returned to the haunts of civilization, but in pursuance of previous agreement the two Haights and Galloway met at Scott's, in Clinton County, in October of that year, equipped with a supply of provisions, and otherwise prepared to venture into township + for a permanent settlement. They journeyed wid@ the river in a canoe to Portland, capsized their craft, and lost some of their supplies, but reached Portland alive. At Portland they hired a Mr. Kilburn to carry their goods across the country with an ox-team, and for the entire journey of twenty-two miles through the woods Samuel Haight marched ahead with compass and tomahawk "blazing" a route, while Jonathan Haight and Galloway followed with axes cutting out a road for Kilburn's conveyance. After a two days' trip they reached their destination, Oct. 14, 1837, and that night _ slept under a bark shanty, which Samuel Haight had put up on his piece of land during the summer, in anticipation of the move in the fall.

The shanty had, for the sake of room and convenience, been built over a depression in the ground, and into this inviting place the four tired travelers crept to sleep the sweet sleep of the just, only, however, to be rudely awakened during the night to the conviction that a heavy rainstorm had deluged their bed-chamber and converted their search for dry spots in their habitation. Karly the next morning they began the construction of a better domicile, and by nightfall they had a decently comfortable log house.

In that log cabin the three bachelors lived in delightful harmony three years, and then, one of their number, Samuel Haight, marrying, 'bachelors' hall" became a thing of the past. After the bachelors got their cabin up in good shape, it occurred to Jonathan Haight to go over to Knapp's chopping and see what the potato parings had yielded. That the parings had done exceedingly well was manifest in the sight of a fine-looking potato-patch, and "from this patch," says Jonathan Haight, " we dug and carried to our cabin eighty bushels of excellent potatoes." After housing their potatoes.and killing a few deer the bachelors set about the work of clearing land, and for three months worked so steadily and bravely that at the close of that time they had chopped 30 acres.

In January, 1838, they returned together to Livingston County for a fresh supply of provisions, and, coming again to their bachelors' hall, in March, brought with them a pair of oxen and two cows. Apropos of these two cows, the bachelors found them a source of much vexation as well as comfort. The creatures wandered about, of course, at will, and at first had a bad habit of wandering back towards the country whence they had been brought. When upon retiring at night the bachelors would hear the jingling of the cow-bells off in the northeast, they knew that one of the three would: have to set out at daylight the next morning to bring the bovines back from the Grand River, whither they were sure to stray. The one selected to make the chase would be off at break of day on a twenty-two-mile jaunt to the river at Portland, and there overhauling the cows would drive them home at a lively pace. Such an incident was a common occurrence, and upon one occasion, when Samuel Haight made the trip, he was gone twentyfour hours; living during that time on milk which he got from the cows, and using his hat for both milking-pail and drinking-cup.

Mush and milk was a favorite diet, and in the preparation of this, as well as of most of the dishes they consumed, Galloway was the master-mind, or cook, and a skillful cook he was, too, so report saith. One hot July day, as usual, he was boiling a pot.of mush in the roomy fireplace, when, his attention being drawn to "something white" that appeared to be falling from the chimney into the mush, he called out to Jonathan Haight: " Jonathan, what's that dropping into the mush? Looks like ashes, don't it?" Jonathan took a hasty glance and said : " Yes, of course, that's ashes ;" and then, appalled by a sudden thought, went out upon the roof and inspected a saddle of venison he had a few days before hung in the chimney to be smoked. Just as he had expected, the venison had succumbed to the heat by breeding skippers, and under the influence of the ascending fire the skippers had loosed their hold upon the venison to drop into the pot of mush below. The 'something white'' which Galloway thought was ashes was something else of not quite so inviting a character. Jonathan concluded that to reveal the truth would be to condemn the mush to destruction, and, as mush was mush those days, obtained after much tribulation and prized accordingly, he held his peace, and with his two friends dined heartily upon the mush, milk, and skippers. He told them the story, however, after dinner, and, although they took it sorely to heart that they had been so put upon, philosophy gave them resignation to the belief that it would have been a sin to waste the mush anyway.

Galloway's pioneer bread, made of salt, flour, and water, had a most extraordinary faculty for growing as hard as a stone after being baked a little while, and when, one day, an Indian stole a half-loaf from the cabin during the absence of the bachelors, it was voted that no pursuit would be made of him, since any attempt on his part to eat the bread would recoil upon him with disastrous effect, and thus, poetically, his sin would be also his punishment.

Jonathan Haight was laid up for a time with an axewound, but, getting impatient at confinement, ventured out one day, although quite lame, to get a deer. He encountered a fine buck and shot him, but when he sought to lay hold of him his buckship proved to be full of life, and ran away until he fell apparently exhausted in a " cat-hole." Jonathan sought once more to drag him by the heels, when the animal showed fight. The hunter fled, and the deer gave such hot chase that the crippled young man had hard work to escape from him. The buck, however, soon weakencd from loss of blood, and ere long fell and gave up the ghost.

Among the many recollections recalled by Mr. Galloway of life at bachelors' hall, is one that the bachclors used, on the warm summer days, to split rails stripped to the skin, for the work was so hard and the weather so hot that the knowledge of the fact that there was no one within miles of the locality readily suggested the comforting idea of getting along without such annoyances as clothes. Mr. Galloway recalls further that the first furrow made in Woodland was made by him on Samuel Haight's place, and, still further, the fact that when the bachelors went to Ionia to mill they cut out a road every step of the way, and, still further, that when one of a pair of steers broke his neck, the owners sent word to the settlers that beef was to be given away, and that the settlers came from far and near for the promised luxury, and carricd it ancy with rejoicing and thankful hearts.

' April 12, 1841, and Charlotte' Brown, of Danby, Eaton Co.,-was the bride. She made her bridal-tour from Danby to her Woodland home upon an Indian pony, with no trappings upon him except a folded blanket in place of a saddle and a bark halter. Bachelors' hall received the newly-married pair, and there they made their home. Galloway married, in 1843, one of Daniel Hager's daughters, and they, for their wedding-tour, walked through the woods from the home of the bride's father to the bridegroom's cabin, where their first meal was eaten from x*table made of a bea and a board.

The Hagers

The' next settlers in Woodland were the Hagers, who located upon section 36, in the spring of 1838. Daniel Hager came from Pennsylvania in the fall of 1837, to Haton County, with a family of ten children, of whom seven were boys. Of the latter, William, Joseph, and Daniel, Jr., made settlements of their own upon section 36, in Woodland, in. March, 1838. In their neighborhood fever and ague caused much tribulation and trouble. For three months the Hagers and everybody about them were so generally afflicted with the sickness that there were not enough well people to look after the sick ones, and when little Huldah Hager died, in October, 1838, there were but four people among all the Hager families well enough to assist at her burial. Into the southeast corner of the town directly after the Hagers came the Cooper brothers, - Allyn B. and J. H., - who located upon section 35, and at a little later date came also J. M. Cole, D. C. Sheldon, and J. Corsett.

The Jordan Neighborhood

In the fall of 1838 the neighborhood south of Jordan Lake received its first settlers in Phineas Coe and family, who after tarrying two weeks with the three bachelors went over to their land, upon section 9. The Coes were, however, ill suited to Michigan pioneer life, and after struggling two years or more gave up their arduous task. He eventually moved to California, and died there; while she, a well-educated woman, went to New York City, and in after-years became an attorney-at-law.

infant child and John Potts, journeyed together from Livingston County to Woodland, where the former had land on section 4, and the latter some on section 3. Their trip, at best a weary one through trackless woods, became on Christmas day too dreary for expression when in a blinding snowstorm they came to a halt several milcs from the cabin of the Haights and Galloway, whither they were bound. They had cut their road from Portland, and for the most of the time had subsisted upon the milk of their cow, but on Christmas day they found themselves in a wooded maze out of which they could not well hew a thoroughfare. So they slept in the snow that night, or tried to sleep (for hunger and cold fought against comforting rest), and in the morning, leaving their oxém chained to a tree, set out afoot to find bachelor's hall, which they reached after a miserable tramp, and were heartily welconied.~

Jordan Lake, near.which Mr. Jordan lived, was a favorite resort for Indians, who gathered thereabout in great numbers to hunt and fish. During the spring and summer of 1842 they slew a great many deer, and left the carcasses to fester in the sun, from which troublesome odors arose in the land and much loud complaint went up upon all sides from white settlers.

A War-Cloud

At this time a party of settlers, including John Potts, Issac Hoyt, Orlien Jordan, J. A. Jordan, Jonathan Haight, Joseph Hager, William Hager, and H. H. Smoke, gathered upon the bank of Jordan Lake, where there was a party of Indians, one of whom was engaged in repairing a canoe. Potts had a hatchet in his hand, and when J. A. Jordan dared him to throw it at the Indian canoe-mender, to see how wuch he could scare him, Potts threw it at once, - glad to show his dislike for the savages, - and although he didn't hit. the Indian he did hit the canoe, and badly damaged it. At this the Indians rose up to a man, and with angrily-flashing eyes grasped their weapons as if to take speedy vengeance for the offense.

Potts and his brother pioneers became considerably alarmed, and prudently but slowly retired, fearing all the while that the savages would attack them, but bravely determined nevertheless to make a good fight should the issue come in that shape. The Indians did not, however, press the matter toa conflict, but they made many demonstrations of anger, in which it must be admitted they were fully justified. The incident served, nevertheless, to fan the fires of opposition to the' red man already lighted by the public feeling about the deer carcasses, and as a result a council of citizens from Carlton, Woodland, Odessa, and Sunfield decided that the Indians must go. A company of twenty-five armed men being formed; with Moses Durkee in command, a march was made for the lake, where the Indians were met, and warned that their presence in the vicinity could no longer be tolerated. To this order they ventured to object, - at first mildly and then emphatically, - but Durkee and his men were resolved to make them go or fight, and when the savages were convinced of this they went away, although very reluctantly. They came back after that, but as they were not disturbed again it is presumed they took better care of their slain deer.

Orlien Jordan, a New Yorker, was in Macomb Co., Mich., in 1836, and in that year entered 80 acres of land on section 3, in what is now Woodland. In April, 1837, he, Henry Lee, and Daniel Moors walked from Utica, in Macomb County, to Woodland to see the land, traveling one hundred and forty-four miles, mostly over the Indian trail between Pontiac and Grand Rapids, and going sometimes thirty-five miles " between houses."

Their first night on Jordan's place was spent in camp under a tree which held three bear-cubs. They kept a watch-fire all night to keep off the old bear, and slew the cubs in the morning. Mr. Jordan returned at once with his companions to Utica, and did not come to Woodland for a permanent settlement until 1841, when he found already on the ground John A. Jordan on scction 4, H. H. Smoke, David Hyatt, and John Potts on section 3, and Phineas Coe on section 9.. Settlements in that portion of the town were at first slowly made, but in moderately rapid succession came Reuben Haight in 1842, George N. Meyers, Z. B. Meyers, Samucl Meyers, John Meyers, John Otto, L. W. Otto, David Hough, and Parsons Hall.

The Holmes Neighborhood

Levi Holmes walked from Detroit, in 1842, to Woodland to look at some land he had bought on section 29, and walked east again as far as Jackson. In 1843 he brought his family to his Michigan wilderness and settled them temporarily in a shanty on Jesse Townsend's farm, in section 30, where Mr. Townsend had begun to pioneer in July, 1838. In that shanty, Mr. Holmes humorously remarks, it didn't rain very much more than it did out of doors, "except in places." Richard Youngs and his son Samuel were on section 30. Section 29 was an unbroken wilderness, and on section 20 was Chas. Palmerton, whose brother

_Jerome was on section 17. Upon section 17, too, Lawrence Shriner had been living since 1839. John McArthur, a settler in Ann Arbor in 1834, had made a start on section 20 in January, 1843, and near him on the same section was Sylvester McDerby.

Lawrence Shriner, mentioned above, was an eccentric old fellow. He had been a canal-boatman and was rough and tough, but good-natured. He used to say that he knew sap was got from trees by squeezing them with log-chains, but he couldn't make sugar, because he didn't know how to stop the sap when it got started. He would loan his ox-team when called upon, but never unless the borrower would solemnly pledge himself to whip the off-ox mercilessly. He would often start for mill through the woods at sundown, and was in short always doing something odd, and constantly surprising his neighbors with some queer freak.

Holmes was sorely discouraged soon after he settled. The rain poured into his shanty and made life therein a misery, work was hard, provisions were scarce, and, to cap the climax, he wounded himself so severely while putting up his log house that he was forced to take to his bed. " Had I had money enough to go," says he, " I would have gone back to New York and stayed there, but money wasn't to be had, and I could do nothing but stay and make the best of it." He moved his family into his log house before it had either door or window, and the fear of Mrs. Holmes that wolves would be sure to get at them through the blanketed openings he remembers with a laugh. When he went to mill he carried an axe just as sure as he carried a grist, for everybody on a journey in those days had to cut his own road.

Two of Mr. Holmes' children went out one afternoon to look up the family cows, and, not returning by nightfall, there was an alarm, and the neighbors speedily gathered with horns and lanterns to hunt for the lost ones. An eager but protracted search discovered the little ones asleep upon a bed of leaves. They said they went "around and round," and when they found they were lost resolved to say their prayers, go to sleep, and in the morning try to find their way home.

An Indian chief called Sobba called on Mr. Holmes and said he wanted to trade a\pony for a yoke of steers. Upon being asked where his pony was, he replied, " Oh, off in the woods somewhere." 'But I can't trade that way,"' said Mr. Holmes. 'I must see your pony." " Well," replied Sobba, 'the pony is in the woods: you give me the steers and hunt the pony; you'll find him." Sobba thought it hard that he couldn't make a bargain as he proposed. Upon another occasion Sobba called at Holmes' house, and, there happening to be a female visitor, he said, '""Mr. Holmes, these your two squaws?" 'Qh, no," said Holmes ; " one is all I can take care of." "Um!" grunted the chief. "I thought you had two, and I wanted to trade my squaw for one of them."

Into the Holmes neighborhood, soon after 1843, came, among other settlers, George Demond, Samuel Durkee, J. N. Curtiss, and James Swin; and north of there, at a later date, S. V. Anway, Ira Stowell, G. W. Rising, and J. G. Flowers. Four years before Mr. Holmes, or in 1839, and Edward Bump on section 27, Asa Wheeler was a settler, in 1840, upon section 27, and in the same year, on section 26, Miner Mallett became his neighbor. Isaac Barnum came to section 27 in 1842, and in that year Ebenezer Sawdy located on section 15, his nearest neighbor then being Nehemiah Lovewell, on section 22. When Ira Ingersen settled upon section 22, in 1845, he found there, besides Lovewell, also Melvin Barnum. Some years after, George Cramer settled in section 27, upon land occupied by George Davenport in 1855.

The German Community

What is known as the "German community" in Woodland was founded, in 1846, by Michael Rowlader, who came to the township in September of that year, and made, with his family, a settlement upon section 14, where at the same time John H. Dillenbeck and Thaddeus Houghton also located. Mr. Rowlader and the married sons who came with him brought families whose numbers aggregated 17. Their first night in Woodland was spent at the house of Alonzo Barnum, who himself had a family of seven, and in Barnum's log cabin, boasting but one apartment, the 24 people slept that night, and closer quarters no pioneers were perhaps ever called upon to occupy.

tian Berkley upon section 14, and Conrad Hanes upon section 15, the three families having come to the township in company. Shortly after that the Germans came in rapidly. Among those coming earliest were the families of Michael Reiser and his son Jacob, J. F. Smith, Mr. Neidhammer, Jacob Funk, A. Baetinger, John Cramer, Gottfried Risler, J. G. Swartz, George Hitt, M. Schwitzer, J. Buling, the Schaibleys, Bayhas, Schulers, Wagners, Bitzas, Eckhardts, Rhineharts, Broadbecks, Fenders, Entzes, and Metzgers.

The northwest corner of Woodland, known as Canada, by reason of many of the settlers being Canadians, was first occupied in 1844 by James Matthews and his sons, who came hither from Kalamazoo County, chopped 40 acres on section 6, and lived there in a log cabin about a year, when all returned to Kalamazoo. There the elder Matthews died, and the sons, not caring to continue in the pioncer business, sold the land to George Myers, who came out in 1849, and made the first permanent settlement in "Canada." Following him the settlers in the neighborhood were Wellington Curtis, Albert Main, John M. Curtis, P. Cunningham, David Smith, Allen Lipscomb, and Henry Bower.

The Kilpatricks

The Kilpatrick neighborhood, on section 24, was first settled in 1847, when John Kilpatrick, his wife, and nine children came to the township to occupy land: bought by John Kilpatrick, Jr., in 1844. When John, Jn, first went to the place he found himself two days making the trip from Joseph Shore's place, on section -35, to the Kilpatrick place, on section 24, with an ox-team, his roads having to be cut and his bridges having to be built as he went along. John, Jr., built upon section 24, in 1854, a hewn log sawmill, the pioneer one in Woodland. It seemed a late day for a pioneer saw-mill, but water-power was not plentiful there, and, as saw-mills were near at hand in neighboring townships, the Woodland settlers were not so anxious for one as were early settlers in other townships. Joel St. John now carries on a mill on the site of the one built by Kilpatrick.

The Glorious Fourth

The first Fourth of July celebration in Woodland was held at Asa Wheeler's house in 1844, on which occasion about 200 people, from five towns, enjoyed themselves with a picnic, listened to an oration delivered by I. A. Holbrook, of Hastings, fired occasional patriotic salutes with a mounted musket-barrel, and had a glorious time generally. The second celebration was held in 1845, at Jordan Lake, on section 4, when lawyer Jennings, of Hastings, was the orator, he and his wife having ridden out on horseback to the merrymaking.

As to the first birth in town there appear to be conflicting opinions. Generally, it is understood that the distinetion of "first-born in Woodland" belongs to Jesse Jordan, now living on section 28. The date of his birth was Sept. 29, 1839, and the place his father's farm, on section 4. On the other hand, it is stoutly maintained by many, and with good reason, that the first child born in the town' was

Huldah, daughter of Joseph Hager, then living on section 36. The date of her birth is given as May 14, 1838; the date of her death, October, 1838 ; and the place of her burial, William Hager's farm, on section 36. Admitting the truth of the statements as to the Hager child, she was not only the first-born of white children in Woodland, but was also the first to die therein, and the first to be buried in the township. There are extant no public records of the births and deaths of that time, and, as the parents.of both of the children have passed away, the surest evidence upon the disputed points is not available. The best living witness is Mrs. Charles Galloway, who declares that Huldah Hager was the first. As she was a sister of Joseph Hager, and was a young lady at the time, she would naturally recollect the facts, and there is every reason for considering her statement correct. A ares

The first funeral sermon heard in Woodland was preached in 1841, by Rev. Mr. Worthington, preacher in charge on the Hastings Methodist Episcopal Circuit, at the house of Miner Mallett, on the occasion of the death of the wife of J. W. Buckle, of Hastings. The text of that sermon is remembered to have been taken. from Job xvi. 22. Mrs. Buckle was visiting her sister, Mrs. Mallett, at the time of her death, and was buried on Mr. Mallett's farm. She was doubtless the first adult person to die in the town.

The first marriage was that of Rhoda Wellman, of Woodland, to Oliver Racey, of Castleton. The happy event took place in the house of the bride's father, in the year 1841. The second marriage was that of Joanna Wellman to Edward Bump. 4 g where it still serves its original purpose. The first burial therein-was that of Martha Ann, daughter of John Potts, Sept. 19, 1846. The first grown person buried there is believed to have been Moses Wadleigh, who, in 1848, was killed by the fall of a tree. Similarly, the first person (Ira Ingersen) buried in the second cemetery laid out in the township, on section 27, was killed while riding to mill upon a load of saw-logs, which were overturned and crushed him. The date of the casualty was Jan. 27, 1853.

In 1865, Samuel Perkins was killed by a falling tree, and in 1876, Kdwin Maples, while logging, met with an accidental death. In 1869 a party of pleasure-seekers, including Alonzo and Estella Otto, Miss Melissa Simmons, and a Miss Spalding, - the latter of Kalamazoo, - were boating on Jordan Lake. While their merriment was at its height Miss Spalding fell from ker place into the water, and, although she was promptly rescued, the confusion incident upon the restoration was so great that no sooner had she been landed safely in the boat than the little craft capsized, and of the six persons therein, the four already named were drowned. In June, 1852, Kdward Lovewell went out upon Jordan Lake to fish, and in an unlucky moment fell from his canoe, and was drowned.

Educational History Residence Of

school taught by a teacher holding a-certificate from the school inspectors was one kept by Mrs. Alonzo Barnum, in the winter of 1841-42, at her home, on section 34. She taught the school three months,,and had among her pupils, besides her own children, those of the Malletts, Wheelers, and Wellmans. School district No. 1 was formed May 9, 1842, and included sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, and the west half of section 35. No. 2 was organized June 8, 1842, and contained sections 2,3, 4,9,10,11. Fractional district No. 2 was organized Sept. 2, 1845, and included portions of Carlton, Castleton, and Hastings, with section 31 and the west half of section 32 in Woodland. May 28, 1842, fractional district No. 1 was formed, to embrace portions of Sunfield, Vermontville, and Woodland. Fractional district No. 3, formed Oct. 26, 1844, included portions of Castleton and Woodland. District No. 3 was organized in 1845, and that winter Matilda Ingersen taught the first school there, receiving for her services the sum of seventy-five cents a week. In the Wheeler district, the teacher next following Hattie Bidwell was Hlecta Lee, of Ionia County. The annual school reports for 1844, 1845, and 1848 give the following as the teachers in those years: 1844, - Mary E, Wheeler, Eunice Lacey, Sarah Crippen, T. B. Barnum, Alida Youngs.

School Moneys

In 1844 the books used in the schools were Cobb's and Elementary Spelling-Books, Cobb's Juvenile Reader, Parley's Geography, English Reader, Grammar, and " Testaments." SCHOOL MONEYS.

The Doctors Of Woodland

The pioneer" resident physician of Woodland was Dr. Jackson Wicks, who lived on section 15 and practiced medicine in the township from 1850 to his death, in 1861. Dr. Joseph Adolphus lived for a while north of the present village, and practiced from 1852 to 1855. Previous to Dr. Wicks' time Dr. Upjohn, of Hastings, was the medical reliance of Woodland, as he was in the early days pretty much all over the county. The third Woodland doctor was John W. Gaucher, whose period of service was from 1859 to 1865. The first physician to locate at the village was Dr. A. 8. Brandt, who came hither in 1862 and left in 1864. R. B. Rawson came in 1864 and remained until 1374. In 1865 Dr. Henry Smith became one of the village physicians, and continued to be one until 1873. Dr. David Kilpatrick now practices in the village, where he has been a physician since 1866, and there, too, Dr. H. C. Carpenter has been in practice since 1871. As to other physicians, apart from the foregoing, Dr. Driscoll was in the village from 1868 to 1871; Charles Russell, from 1876 to 1879 ; Henry Tremain, from 1874 to 1877; Dr. Turner, about six months in 1876; and Dr. Johnson six montlis in 1879.

Under an act of the Legislature approved Feb. 16, 1842, town 4 north, in range 7 west, was set off from Hastings township and called Woodland, the name being bestowed as appropriate to a town densely covered with heavy timber.

The first town-meeting was held the first Monday in April, 1842, at the house of Alonzo Barnum, and at the election then held 21 votes were cast. The full list of the officials chosen on that occasion is as follows: Supervisor, H. H.Smoke; Clerk, Samuel S. Haight; Treasurer, John A. Jordan; Justices of the Peace, Charles Palmerton, Asa Wheeler, Jonathan Haight, H. H. Smoke; Highway Commissioners, Samuel Youngs, A. B. Cooper, John Potts; School Inspectors, Alonzo Barnum, A. B. Cooper, 8. S. Haight; Overseers of the Poor, Nehemiah Lovewell, Orlien Jordan; Constables, Jerome Palmerton, A. B.

In 1843 the money raised by the township included $86.31 for general expenses, $21.96 for schools, $25 for library, and $200 for highways. Below are given the names of those chosen each year, from 1843 to 1880, to serve as supervisors, clerks, treasurers, and justices of the peace:

The Voters Of 1843

Ata special election in April, 1843, for associate judge of the Circuit Court, the votes cast in Woodland numbered fifteen, as follows: S. Haight, Jonathan Haight, C. Palmerton, D. Hyatt, S. 8. Haight, R. Youngs, H. H. Smoke, A. Wheeler, P. Hall, Nehemiah Lovewell, J. A. Jordan, O. Wellman, J. Potts, H. Bump, H. Bennett.

The Voters Of 1844

At the annual election in 1844 the voters were 40 in number, as follows: Isaac Barnum, Melvin 6. Barnum, D. Hyatt, P. Hall, J. Hyatt, O. Jordan, J "Haight, J. McArthur, J. Palmerton, HE. Sawdy, C. Palmerton, I. Hoyt, T. Galloway, M. L. NW bese i. Bump, R. Youngs, 8. S. Durkee, Levi Holmes, H. H. Smoke, A. B. Cooper, A. Wellman, J. A. Jordan, 8S. McDerby, O. S. Wheeler, C. Sheldon, S. C. Skinner, M. T. Wheeler, J. Potts, A. Wheeler, H. L. Wheeler, C. Galloway, E. Bennett, L, Shriner, N. Lovewell, J. Hager, William Hager, S. S. Haight, J. M. Cole, D. Hager, M. Mallett. .

The Voters Of 1845

The voters at the annual election in 1845 were 44, all told. They were James A. Galloway, Richard Hyatt, H. H. Smoke, David Hyatt, George Dennen, Samuel S. Durkee, Miner Mallett, Orvill Wheeler, John McArthur, Richard Youngs, John A. Jordan, Isaac Hoyt, H. L. Wheeler, A. B. Cooper, Asa Wheeler, Warren Wickham, S. McMurray, E. Hynes, Edwin Bennett, Samuel McMurray, Jr., Isaac Barnum, Hiram Bronson, Michael Hynes, M. L. Wheeler, Clinton Sheldon, Charles Galloway, Orlien Jordan, William Hager, Levi Holmes, Joseph Hager, John Potts, Milo T. Wheeler, A. Wellman, Nehemiah Lovewell, Samuel S. Haight, Jonathan Haight, D. Hager, J. Palmerton, S. C. Skinner, E. Sawdy, C. Palmerton, James M. Cole, Melvin C. Barnum, Lawrence Shriner.

Haight, S. C. Skinner, Levi Holmes, John Potts, Joseph Otto. The petit jurors were Hiram Bronson, Asa Wheeler, J. W. T. Orr, John Durkee, Jesse Townsend, and Miner Mallett.

In 1847 Nathan Clifford, J. M. Cole, Jerome Palmerton, Orlien Jordan, Jonathan Haight, and Hiram Wood were the grand jurors, and H, H. Smoke, Ira.Ingersen, Hiram Bronson, Daniel Hager, Levi Holmes, and Nehemiah Lovewell the petit jurors.

Early in the history of Woodland the settlers obtained their letters from Hastings. In 1849 the Woodland postoffice was established, and the appointment of postmaster given to Nehemiah Lovewell. Ebenezer Sawdy was the earliest mail-carrier, and at first brought the mail from Odessa afoot once a week in his vest-pocket or a handkerchief, as happened to be most convenient. There was, however, some protest against that method of transporting the United States mail, and at the end of six months a mailpouch was provided. The succession of postmasters after Mr. Lovewell was A. B. Cooper, 1854; Lawrence Hilbert, 1861; Asa- Pike, 1863; Milo T. Wheeler, 1865; Milo Barnum, 1868 ; Lawrence Hilbert, 1870; Ward Shriner, 1870; J.G. Meyers, 1873; S.S. Haight, 1874; David Kilpatrick, 1875. Mail is received from Hastings three times a week.

Blair Post-office, in the sotitheast, was established about J.M. Cole served as postmaster several years, when the office was moved into Castleton. Returnitg to Woodland, it was given in charge of Mahlon Cooper, and in 1878 was discontinued

Religlous History

Probably the first public religious worship in Woodland was held at the house of Alonzo Barnum, in 1839 or 1840, when, in the presence of a few neighbors, Mr. Barnum conducted the services, which included a prayer and a brief sermon. Elder Hess, of Portland, visited Woodland about then, and held meetings at settlers' houses occasionally. Alonzo Barnum was an excecdingly diligent and zealous man in religious affairs, and labored earnestly from the period of his arrival in the settlement 'for the advancement of the cause of public piety. In the winter of 1839 he heard of the presence, in Mrs. John Potts, on section 4, of a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and went over to see her, promptly organizing a prayer-meeting in her house, the first ever held in the township.

" Father'' Daubney, the pioneer Methodist Episcopal circuit-rider, assisted by a missionary named Bennett, organized Woodland's first Methodist Episcopal class in 1840. The members were five in number, and the house of worship was Alonzo Barnum's residence. Since then religion has flourished apace in Woodland, and boasts to-day in the township twice as many temples as it can find in any other town in the county.

minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, although later he joined the United Brethren Church. During his early residence in Woodland he kept a journal of events, devoted more especially to the progress of religion in the new settlement. From that diary is taken the subjoined extract:

"Sunday, June 14, 1841, town of Hastings, Barry Co., Michigan State. - Glory to God for his goodness and mercy to me and my little family! Though my pen has long been silent through a multitude of cares and perplexities, yet my Lord has been with me, In the year 1839, in the month of November, I moved to Michigan, Barry Co., township of Hastings. But few inhabitants and all woods, no society, and no meetings of any kind held in the township twelve miles square, In consequence of this I lost much ground. I left the bosom of a good society in which I lived ten years. I now felt the loss of brethren. In the summer of 1840 I proposed to my neighbors to come together, and I would read » sermon of Wesley's to them, and we would spend an hour in worshiping the Lord who made us. The people seemed very willing, and on the Sabbath we met for the first time.

'"T prayed to my heavenly Father that he would open some way that the gospel might be preached to us likewise. The good Lord heard my prayer, and sent Brother Daubney to preach to us for the first time. He came forty miles. On May 26, Brother Bennett, the missionary from Eaton County, preached to us, and formed a class of 12 members, of which I was chosen leader, and oh, may the gracious Lord bless them! I here insert their names: Alonzo Barnum, Jane Potts, Sophia Barnum, Daniel Hager, Abel Barnum, Emeline Cooper, Anna Barnum, Reuben Haight, Betsey Burnum, Sally Ann Haight, Esther Durkee, Charlotte Haight."

Woodland Methodist Episcopal English Church

The Woodland Methodist Episcopal class now worshiping at Woodland Centre was organized in the Galloway school-house in 1847 by the preacher in charge of the Hastings Circuit. The organizing members were John H. Dillenbeck and wife, Charles Galloway and wife, Pattie Rogers, and Mrs, J. W. T. Orr, Charles Galloway being chosen class-leader. In 1860 the class removed its place of worship to the school-house at the centre, and there a house ..of worship was erected in 1871, and dedicated in August of that year. The class is attached to Woodland Circuit, in charge of Rev. J. F. Orwick, who preaches at the centre once in two weeks. The membership is 42. The class-leader is William P. Hawley; the assistant classleader, John H. Dillenbeck. The trustees are J. W. Stinchcomb, C. A. Hough, George W. Smith, and William P. Hawley. The Sunday-school, in charge of Burt. S. Hawley and eight teachers, has an average attendance of 90 scholars.

Free-Will Baptist Church

On the 12th of March, 1867, a meeting was held at the house of David Eastman, for the purpose of organizing the Free-Will Baptist Society of Woodland, when James Tyler, Jeremiah Filley, and William Root were elected trustees. Previous to that date, on Feb. 9, 1867, in the Gordon school-house, Elders Santee and Tupper had organized the church, under authorization from the Grand River Quarterly Meeting, assisted by Elder G. W. Moffit, who had for a week or more been holding a series of meetings. On that occasion those received into church fellowship were James Tyler, William Root, Ann Root, Lucien Nichols, Caroline Eastman, Deborah Roosa, and Delia Roosa. William Root was chosen clerk. Elder Myron Tupper, who was culled to the pastorate, preached about three years, during which time he declined to receive any pay for his services. April 2, 1870, John R. Barnum was chosen clerk, and since that time has filled the office uninterruptedly. Directly upon the organization of the society the erection of a meetinghouse was begun, but the work, which was mainly contributed by members of the church, progressed so slowly that it was not completed until1871. The succession of pastors after Elder Tupper included Elders Bascomb, Weaver, and Bates. Elder Bates preached about three years to April 1, 1879, since which time the church has been without a pastor.

The church is attached to the Lansing Quarterly Meeting, and has a membership of 13. The trustees are J. R. Barnum, George Tyler, and Joseph Nichols. No deacon has ever been chosen.

The First Baptist Church

At the request of Rev. H. T. Fero there was a meeting at the house of Ira Ingersen, May 13, 1846, to discuss the project of organizing a Buptist Church in Woodland. At a subsequent meeting, July 11, 1846, Elders H. T. Fero and Samuel Lamb being present, the organization was effected with the following members: H. H. Smoke, Thirza Jane Smoke, Isaac Barnum, Roxey Barnum, Amos Wheeler, Wealthy Wheeler, Heman Dodge, Sarah Ingersen, Henry Barnum, Nancy Palmerton, E. P. Barnum, Almira Wheeler, John Barnum. In the church council were representatives from the churches of Ionia, Lyons, Kalamazoo, and Rocksand. Heman Dodge was chosen clerk, and Isaac Barnum deacon.

Among the early pastors were Elders Lamb, Tompkins, Pillsbury, Munger, and Gould, among the later ones Elders Bassett, Wheelock, Monroe, and Burgess, the latter being J. P. Holbrook is now the deacon, and B. F. Densmore the clerk. The church membership is 34. Services are held in the Free- Will Baptist church once a fortnight.

The two Baptist Churches have a Union Sunday-school, which has regular Sunday sessions, winter and summer. S. 8. Ingersen is the superintendent. The average attendance is 53, and the number of teachers employed eight.

A German Methodist Episcopal class was formed about 1855, in the Galloway school-house, and included the families of Jacob Felta, George Hitt, Conrad Hanes, and Gottfried Risler, Risler- being chosen class-leader. Rev. Jacob Krebil, the first pastor, preached two years, and, following him, supplies were furnished from Grand Rapids once in two weeks for some years. The church struggled feebly for a long period and gathered strength slowly. Meetings were held in the Galloway school-house until 1871, when the Methodist Kpiscopal (English) church at the centre was occupied. In 1876 the German Society built a handsome church edifice at the centre, and enjoys now a season of considerable prosperity.

To 1874 the class - having then a membership of 17 - was attached to the Grand Rapids Circuit. Since then it has belonged to the Irving Circuit, and hee preaching once in two weeks, the preacher in charge being Clements Heid- myer, and the class-leader John Schaibley. The trustees are John Schaibley, C. A. Hough, Jacob Felta, John Buling, Lawrence Hilbert. John Geiger is superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has an average attendance of 24 scholars, and a corps of six teachers.

A Wesleyan Methodist class was organized in the Cheney school-house, Carlton, in 1858, by Elder Tapley, with 15 or 20 members, and after a time a portion of the class was transferred to the Canada school-house. In 1874, Elder Clark held a revival meeting at that point, and since then services have been held regularly once in two weeks. The class is on the Woodland Circuit, in charge of Elder Tapley, has a membership of 10, and is under the leadership of Samuel Campbell. Worship is now held in the schoolhouse, but measures are afoot for the speedy erection near there of 2 church building.

The German Baptists, now worshiping in a church on the south town-line and in the Galloway school-house, were organized into a church at Enos Crowell's house by elders Isaac Miller and George Long, and at organization numbered about 30 members. Enos Crowell, I. N. Miller, and Saml. Smith were chosen deacons, and Elder Isaac Miller the pastor. Elder Miller has continued in the pastorate from the first, and preaches now once,a month in each place, - the school-house and the church. Enos Crowell and Henry Smith are now the deacons, and Alexander Price and David Flora "speakers in the first' degree." The church membership is 45.

United Brethren Churches

The first church edifice erected in Woodland was built by the members of the Meyers United Brethren class, on section 3, about 1852. The class was organized June 30, 1850, with 6 members, as follows: George N. Meyers, classleader; Ziba B. Meyers, class-steward ; Mary Meyers, Hlizabeth Meyers, John Meyers, and Catherine Meyers. July 31, 1852, the class had a membership of 22, and was a point in the Barry mission, in charge of William Kennard, missionary. The class has now a membership of 40, and is attached to Barry Circuit, oa which the preacher in charge is Rev. William N. Briedenstein, who preaches at the Meyers church once in two weeks. Jacob King is superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has 48 scholars and five teachers. The class-leader is Silas Meyers, and the trustees are Emanuel Cramer, Silas Meyers, and Philip Davis.

The Kilpatrick United Brethren class was organized in the Kilpatrick neighborhood about 1856, and was at first chiefly composed of members of the Kilpatrick families, George Kilpatrick being the class-leader. The class was on a circuit that reached from Charlotte, in Eaton County, to Cascade, in Kent County, and was able to have preaching only once a month. Meetings were held in the Kilpatrick school house until 1871, when the present house pf worship was built. The class is now on the Castleton Circuit; in charge of Rev. Isaac Maurer, and meets for worship once a fortnight.

The class-leader ig A. G. Kilpatrick, and the trustees Charles Galloway, John Kilpatrick, and A. G. Kilpatrick. In the Sunday-school, of which W. D. Berry is superintendent, the average attendance of scholars is 60, and the teachers 'six in number.

In the " Canada"' settlement is the Third United Brethren or "Tamarack" church, which. was built in 1878, and in which now worships the United Brethren class formed by Elder A. Miller in 1860, in the " Canada" school-house. The organizing members were H. B. Lipscomb, leader'; David Smith, steward; Annie Lipscomb, Balsar King, Jacob G. King, exhorter; Hugh Dodd, Miles Lipscomb, Angeline Lipscomb, Margaret Dodd, Polly A. Haskins, Anna Curtiss, Ferington Todd, Mary J. McInarie, Nancy Mclnarie, William Sears, and Fanny Sears. Since 1860 there has been preaching ence in two weeks. Rev. William N. Briedenstein is the preacher in charge, Randy Lipscomb is the class-leader, Jacob Bear, Calvin Demary, and Ezra Pierce the trustees, Norton Rainsford the classsteward, and Dennis Haskill the Sunday-school superintendent. The church is exceedingly prosperous, and has a membership of 80.

German Lutheran Church

About the year 1856 the German Lutherans in Woodland began to hold religious meetings in the Galloway school-house, and after that at. the houses of Michael Reiser and others. The worshipers included the Reiser, Baetinger, Berkley, Mauch, Metzger, Richart, Schmidt, Swartz, Smith, and Neidhammer families. Rev. Mr. Folz, of Lansing, the first minister, preached once in six weeks for a year, and then Rev. Adam Berkly, of Lansing, entered upon a pastorate which lasted upwards of ten years, during which he preached once a month... Upon Mr. Berkly's departure the members of the church built a parsonaze and engaged Rev. Mr. Dubring as their first stationed pastor, who preached for them each Sunday. His successors have been Revs. Klein and Charles Adams, the latter of whom has been in charge since 1872... A church was built on section 10 in 1862. The Sunday-school in charge of Jacob Reiser has an average attendance of 40 scholars. The first trustees of the church were M. Baetinger, C. Bayha, and J. G. Swartz. The present trustees are Adam Baetinger, Jacob Funk, and George Mauch. The elders are Jacob Reiser and Jacob Mall.

About 1860, Rev. Mr. Geiger was delegated by the Indiana Conference to organize an evangelical church in Woodland, and he formed accordingly two classes, - one' at the Meyers church, and one at the red- school-house. Among the families represented by the organizing members were those of the Millers, Wagners, Schulers, Bayhas, Rowladers, Eckardts, Hutz, Smiths, Schaibleys, and Feltas. In 1861 the erection of a church edifice upon section 12 was begun, but the work was not finished until 1866, about which time both classes were consolidated.

Miller is the pastor, George Smith the class-leader, W. Rowlader ' assistant class-leader, Frederick Eckardt Sunday-school superintendent, and W. Rowlader, Frederick Eckardt, and Jacob Smith trustees.

Secret Societies

was organized Aug. 29,1871, and chartered Jan. 11, 1872. The first officers chosen were John P. Phillips, W. M.; Wm. H. Lee, 8. W.; S. S. Ingersen, J. W.; Lawrence Hilbert, Treas. ; D. B. Coville, Sec. ; Samuel Stowell, S. D. ; C. A. Hough, J. D. John P. Phillips was Worshipful Master continuously until June, 1875, when Wm. P. Hawley was chosen, and he was in turn followed by John P. Phillips, the present Master. The lodge has now a membership of 62, and is a flourishing organization.

Woodland Chapter, Order Of The Eastern Star

was organized Feb. 19, 1880. Mrs. Ellen Carpenter is the Matron; W. H. Lee, Patron; and Mrs. Frank Stowell, Assistant Matron. The membership is 23.

was instituted Feb. 5, 1877, with the fullowing members: O. P. Abbott, N. G.; George Barden, V. G.; Henry Stinchcomb, P. 8.; John Stevens, Treas.; Michael Rupe, Warden; John Valentine, I. G.

Since the organization of the lodge the office of Noble 'Grand has been filled by O. P. Abbott, G. D. Barden, Wesley Meyers, D. B. Cooper, Joshua Glenn, Andrew Carpenter, and C. 8. Palmerton. The present membership is 43. The officers are C. S. Palmerton, N. G.; James Black. V. G.; Eugene Davenport, Sec.; F. P. Palmerton, P. Sec.; Douglas B. Cooper, Treas.

Woodland Centre

There is at the centre of the township a smart little village, which has been growing of late as if its vigor were just beginning to make itself felt, and which, with a railway through, would rapidly become a business point of no trifling importance. The citizens have recognized this fact, and

| more than one effort has been made to have a railwayline through. the township, but, beyond the surveys of two or three proposed routes, nothing has yet been accomplished. Just now there is some talk of a railway between Grand Rapids and Lansing, vi@ Woodland, but how it will eventuate remains to be seen.

The first location near the present village site was made in 1847 by John McArthur, who then moved to the place on section 21 he now occupies. The centre of the township was then a wilderness, which was first intruded upon by Nicholas Snyder, who, about 1849, set up a blacksmithshop, which he carried on until 1854, and then sold to Melchior Baetinger, who still occupies the site and still devotes it to its original use. In 1853, Stephen Haight, a carpenter and joiner, located upon the present site of the village, and there has since continued to live. Presently along came one Jacob Strauss, a Hebrew peddler, with a pack on his back, who, concluding that the centre invited the attention of a resident trader, rented a log house previously occupied by Snyder, the blacksmith, as a residence, - diagonally opposite the shop, - stocked it with a handful

Woodland Centre. Strauss' advent occurred in 1853, and shortly after his coming he engaged Stephen Haight to build for him a framed residence, - the first framed house erected in that locality.

Booth & Chapin, of Lowell, followed him as traders, and to them succeeded Lederer & Cookingham, but neither firm discovered inducements sufficiently 'strong to call for a long stay, and thus the early commercial history of Woodland Centre partook of a changeable character. In 1859, when the field of trade lay unoccupied, a Mr. Richardson, of Hastings, engaged Ira Stowell and Stephen Haight to build him a framed store in Woodland Centre, on the present " post-office corner.' This store Richardson filled with a decent stock of goods, but he failed to make a success of his venture, and gave it up at the end of a year. Solomon Goodyear, of Hastings, rented the building of Richardson, and brought out two loads of goods, but was discouraged at the prospect of gain in so thin a neighborhood, and without unloading his wagons ordered them back to Hastings. He straightway sold his lease to Lawrence Hilbert, who, in 1860, reopened the place, and, unlike his predecessors, stuck to the business, and made a success of it; having continued in trade at the centre to this day, and having ever since his advent been the leading merchant of the town.

After 1860 the village began to exhibit some improvement.. Henry Bauer followed Hilbert with a second store, which he kept in a 10 by 15 shanty, and carried on about three months, Barnum & Eastman came in and made a bid for trade, but at the end of a year their establishment was consumed by fire, and they closed their experience at the centre. In 1866 the hamlet had got along so far that Jonathan Haight, Lawrence Hilbert, and John McArthur, owners of property thereabout, platted a village there. In 1874 they made an addition. As remarked at an earlier stage, Woodland Centre is now a place of some pretensions. Its business interests are represented by two general stores, a hardware-store, drug-store, shoe-store, two millinery-stores, grocery-store, etc. In manufactures it has a grist-mill, saw-mill, oar-fuctory, cheese-factory, and wagon-shops.

John Kilpatrick

John Kilpatrick, a view of whose home appears upon another page of this work, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, "May 12, 1820, and the eldest in a family of eleven children. He lived at home until June 8, 1842, when he set sail for that land of promise of which so many longing hearts in the Old World dream, - America. After a month's tossing on the broad Atlantic, he found himself in New York City, literally a stranger in a strange land. Leaving the city behind him, he found himself in Monroe County, where he went to work on a farm by the year, afterwards buying a quarter-section of wild land in Michigan from the man he worked for, and in the summer of 1847 sent for his father, who sold what little property he possessed in Scotland and brought his family to Rochester, N. Y., where John met them, and together they came to Michigan. They built a house on his land and lived together about one year, when his father, John (Senior) built a house on land he had bought, and where he resided until his: death, which occurred March 14, 1869, when he was seventy-one years of age. His wife, Janet, survived him until Oct. 22, 1878, aged eighty-one.

John, the subject of our sketch, was married Feb. 29, 1852,:'to Eunice Wilson, a native of New York. To this 'marriage were born John Bruce, Sept. 1, 1853, died May 18, 1856, and Mary E., born Sept. 9, 1857, who died Feb. 7, 1858. The wife and mother soon followed, departing this life Dec. 7, 1858.

Nov. 2, 1859, Mr. Kilpatrick married Miss Margaret Hagar, whose people were very early settlers in this State. Two children were born to them, - Mary A., born Aug. 6, 1860,-died Sept. 10, 1861; and Andrew C., born Nov. 21, 1862. Again Mr. Kilpatrick was afflicted by the loss of his wife, which occurred Nov. 30, 1863.

In politics Mr. Kilpatrick is a Republican ; started as a Free-Soiler ; has held several town offices. Is a member of the United Brethren Church, of which he has been one of the trustees since its organization in his neighborhood.

Levi Holmes

Isaac, the father of Levi Holmes, was a native of New York, and by trade a harness-maker ; married a Miss Losee, had by her eight children; Levi, the subject of our sketch, being the seventh, and born in 1811.

At an early age Levi was hired out by his father as a common farm-laborer, and remained in that condition until he was about twenty-one years old. Then he began life for himself, continuing in the same employment, working for Mr. Philo Reed, a farmer in Dutchess Co., N. Y. By economy and industry he was, in 1843, enabled to buy of his employer oné hundred and sixty acres of wild land in Michigan, where he now resides. He came during the same year to improve his purchase, first building a log hut. In 1858 he built the residence he now occupies, which is one of the best in the township.

In 1844 he was elected supervisor, serving one year, then one year as town clerk, and-as justice of the peace for sixteen years. Has also been highway, commissioner, and for several years school director.

Mr. Holmes is known as a zealous churchman ; has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church all his life in Woodland, and during that time has acted as local preacher some five years. Has been class-leader during his entire church experience. In 1874 the church known as the Holmes church was erected. This shurch has been freely endowed by Mr. Holmes; in fact, he is its chief supporter,

Mr. Holmes' life has been ekosbilialy upright and pure, temperate in all things, using neither liquors nor tobacco, and devoting his spare time, energies, abilities, and means towards the advancement and betterment of many of his neighbors and fellow-citizens.

George M. Davenport

Solomon Courtright, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was of English origin and a resident of New Jersey all his life, and a soldier in the Revolutionary

Martin Davenport was his grandfather on his father's side, of German descent, and also'a resident of New Jersey. His grandmother was Catharine Courtright. His father, Alanson Davenport, born in New Jersey in 1807, was by occupation a farmer. His mother was Eliza (Meddaugh) Davenport, and born in 1806.

We have thus briefly sketched the genealogy of Mr. Davenport as giving evidence in itself of the sterling qualities which our subject in nature possesses. George M. was the eldest in his father's family of eight children, and born in Caroline, Tompkins Co., N. Y., March 3, 1828. He, to use a common expression, worked out a good part of his time until twenty-one years of age, giving his wages to his father. Then he began to learn the carpenter and joiner's trade; came to Michigan, June 10, 1855, locating on the land where he now resides. He had previously married in Ohio, where she then resided, Miss Hester Sutton. They have had one child, Eugene Davenport, born to them. A view of the old log hut where he was born may be seen in the sketch of Mr. Davenport's residence, which appears upon another page. Kugene now resides at home ; was educated at the agricultural college at Lansing, where he pursued his studies for four years and graduated. He has purchased a half-interest in his father's property, and together they propose to put into practice the principles of business and scientific knowledge he has acquired. Their farm is under a high state of cultivation, while the house is said to be one of the best, if not the best, in the township, and was built by Mr. G. M. Davenport himself. The family is an unusually harmonious one, working together in all things. None of them are members of any church, but have a wide reputation for liberality, aud as citizens and neighbors are kind and obliging. Mr. Davenport is one of those men who will overcome any and all obstacles to meet his obligations ; and by this and his business qualifications has established a reputation of undoubted credit, which has assisted greatly in his material prosperity.

Joseph W. Stinchcomb

Joseph W. Stinchcomb is a son of James and Priscilla Stinchcomb, and a native of Perry Co., Ohio, where he was born July 2, 1828. When he was two years of age his father removed to Bloom township, Seneca Co., same State. Here his boyhood and youth were passed, receiving not only a liberal academic education, but also a practical education in the labor of the farm and at the carpenter's and joiner's trade, which latter business he followed winters, working at .. farming summers, with the exception of ten terms of schoolteaching, until the fall of 1860, when he removed to Michigan, and settled in the township of Sunfield, Haton Co., on a new piece of land, upon which he cleared some seventy acres, then removed to Woodland township, where he has since resided. In the fall of 1858 he married Mary Ellen Winters, of Crawford Co., Ohio, a daughter of Eli Winters of the same place. They are the parents of five children, four of whom are still living.

Mr. Stinchcomb says when he first came to his present home it was a wilderness, but he has made it blossom like the rose, his farm being in a high state of cultivation, with excellent improvements and a residence universally admired by all beholders.

Mr. Stinchcomb has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over thirty years, and during that time has held many of the various church offices. He has also held many political offices; was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party, with which he has since been identified ; has held the office of school inspector, of highway commissioner, justice of the peace, and was elected as the Republican candidate, by a popular majority over all opposition, representative of the first district of Barry County in 1876. In all positions of public trust as well as in his private life and business Mr. Stinchcomb has won an enviable reputation for integrity, ability, industry, and exemplary conduct, being of good habits, honorable in his dealings with his fellow-man, and conscientious in all things.

Stephen S. Ingerson

Stephen 8. Ingerson can trace his lineage from the Bidwells, of England, his grandfather, George Bidwell, being a native of Connecticut, and a Revolutionary soldier. In 1784 moved his family and household goods to Starksboro', Vt., being the first settler in that township. Here Sarah Bidwell was born, Jan. 4, 1795, and on the 10th of October, 1813, married Ira Ingerson, also a native of Vermont. This union was productive of nine children, of whom our subject was the youngest, and born in Huntington, Vt., July 3, 1835. Here he lived until five years of age, when they removed to Monkton, Vt. Then, in 1845, came with his parents to his present home, where his father purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild land and began the clearing necessary to the planting of crops, etc. From the age of six to sixteen, Stephen spent about onehalf of his time in the district school; his father, being determined to educate his children, used to work at shoemaking until after midnight in order to keep them in school and pay their bills. In consequence, all his children received a liberal education, although he three times lost his property through the dishonesty of others. He was accidentally killed while on his way to a saw-mill, some three miles distant, with a load of logs, the ox-team which he was driving turning out of the road for water to drink, overturning the sleigh with him. After this sad event, which happened when Stephen was seventeen years old, he remained with and supported his mother until Dec. 7, 1856, when he married Miss Frances HK. Lee, of Woodland, although a native of Ulysses, Tompkins Co., N. Y. They have had four children, three of whom are living.

Mr. Ingerson is not an actual member of any church, although contributing liberally towards their support, and being superintendent of the Union Sabbath-school of the Free-Will Baptist Church for the last three years, and for ten years has been an active attendant and supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In politics he is a Republican ; was elected township clerk when twenty-one years old; held that office four years; then for several terms was township treasurer, afterwards town clerk, again was deputy postmaster two years, and commissioner of highways two years, which office he still holds. Has been administrator of several estates, and held the position of guardian of minors since he was twenty-three years old; for three years has been president of the Township Insurance Company.

He began the battle of life at the age of seventeen, with his interest in the farm, then said to be worth one hundred dollars, and fourteen dollars in personai property, and by industry, thrift, and good habits, alone and unaided, except by his good wife, secured a fine property and home; says he has never turned a person from his doors who applied in the name of charity for bread or hospitality, and has supplied their needs without asking a question, simply because he felt it his imperative duty.

Dr. David B. Kilpatrick

The ancestors of this gentleman are well known in Scotland as an ancient and warlike family, and the lineage is traceable back to the struggles of the Covenanters. The doctor himself is a native of Ayrshire, Scotland, where he was born April 7, 1837, and was the ninth in 'a family of eleven children. In 1847, when ten years of age, he, in company with his father, came to America; settled first in Hastings, Mich. After a stay of one winter, came to Woodland, and located on theefarm known as the Kilpatrick farm, which he assisted in clearing. From 1856 to 1858 David attended school in Vermontville, the latter year removing to Kalamazoo, where he attended the Kalamazoo College classical course until the spring of 1864, with the exception of six months' service in the Second Michigan Infantry, Company K, during the year 1861, being one of four brothers in the war against the Rebellion. He then entered the Michigan University, at Ann Arbor; remained six months, when his health failed. Then he went to Rochester University, and was graduated July 12, 1865, as A.B. in the classical course, continuing his studies in the medical department of the Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, until the spring of 1866, and began the practice of medicine in 'Woodland in summer of the same year. In 1874 took another course of lecture-drill in hospital clinics, and was graduated at the Detroit Medical College on the 3d of March, 1875.

Dr. Kilpatrick married, March 7, 1872, Miss Minnie McArthur, a native of Woodland township, born in 1850, and a daughter of John McArthur, one of the early settlers, who came as early as 1842. They are the parents of two children, both daughters.

In religious convictions the doctor is a Baptist, and in politics a radical Republican, an advocate of temperance, and has never used either spirituous liquors or tobacco. Has educated himself, or by manual labor (working in haying and harvest during the summer vacation and teaching school two winters) acquired the means to prosecute his

Mrs. David B. Kilpatrick

His character and standing in the community are best evinced by the respect and esteem in which he is held, not only as a citizen, but as a professional man.

Washington Rowlader

Washington Rowlader was the youngest son and seventh child in the family of Michael RB. and Margaret (Velta) Rowlader, his birth occurring in Herkimer Co., N. Y., Dec. 8, 1830. He remained at home, attending school some eight or ten terms, until after his father had moved to Woodland township, which occurred in 1848. Upon reaching the age of twenty he commenced to support himself, as he was not needed at. home. With nothing but his clothes, which he says were not worth six dollars, he resolutely began the struggle of life, and with determination to not only obtain the living which the world is supposed to owe every one, but something more and better. Returning to Steuben Co., N. Y., he labored six months for seventy-two dollars, then, in company with his brother, came again to Woodland, and, buying a Mexican land-warrant, secured the tract of land upon which he now resides, and which by perseverance and industry he has made into one of the finest farms and homes in Woodland township. Mr. Rowlader relates that upon first taking up his land he tried to borrow money enough of his uncle, who had plenty, to purchase an axe, but he refused, saying he was fearful he would never be repaid.

In 1855 he married Miss Parmelia Myers, of Odessa, Tonia Co., Mich. They were the parents of three children, of whom two are living. Mr. Rowlader was afflicted by the loss of his wife, who died July 23, 1865. He was again married March 14, 1866, this time to Miss Kate Miller, also of Ionia County, daughter of Gotleib and Christina B. Miller, who emigrated to this country from Germany in 1836. To this last union five children have been born, of whom four are living. Among the other drawbacks Mr. Rowlader has experienced was the paying out during the first twelve years of his married life eleven hundred dollars for medical attendance. ;

Mr. Rowlader belongs to the Evangelical Church, of which he has been a'member for fourteen years, although his Christian experience extends over a period of twentyfive years; Mrs. Rowlader has also been a member of the same church for twenty-one years. He is Republican in politics, eschews tobacco, whisky, tea, and coffee, and in his life and labor gives abundant testimony of the virtues and preserving power of temperance. He seldom walks, nearly always runs, and, although following this practice and laboring carly and late for years, is in good health and well preserved, and says no day's work has ever done him harm yet. Is a splendid type of German thrift and industry. His farm consists of two hundred and thirty acres, one hundred and sixty being under high cultivation.

Iienry C, Carpenter Dr. Henry C. Carpenter

was ason of Cyril Carpenter, born in Brunswick, Medina Co., Ohio, March 28, 1836, and the only son in a family of four children. , At the age of one year moved with his parents to Geneva, N.Y. At the age of three he returned to Brunswick, Ohio, where they resided until Henry was fifteen years old, and then removed to Ionia Co., Mich. Henry, having had the advantages of a good district-school education, taught school winters, working on the farm summers. This continued until 1864, when he commenced the study of medicine, graduating in Cleveland in 1868. After his return from college he did not, as most young professionals do, go West, but settled down at home, building up a good practice in the town of Sebewa, Ionia Co. In the spring of 1872 he moved to Woodland, where he now lives, doing a large and increasing business. In practice, a homoopathist.

Sept. 15, 1864, he married Miss Ellen S. Cooper, a native of New York, born Aug. 30, 1843. Her father, Israel Cooper, was one of the first settlers in Woodland, coming to this township about 1835, afterwards returning to New York, and subsequently to Michigan; this was in 1852; they there remained until their death.

Mrs. Henry C, Carpenter

Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have both been members of the Dr. Carpenter is in politics a Republican, although not seeking political preferment. They are surrounded by a large circle of friends, who esteem the doctor not only as a professional man, but himself and estimable wife for those social qualities and sterling virtues, which are the foundation and superstructure of our society and social system, and through these the woof and warp of our free government.

Alanson P. Holly

although not a pioneer in the township of Woodland, was one of its most enterprising men and citizens, being truly what is called a self-made man. He was born in the township of Whitehall, Washington Co., N. Y., June 7, 1817. His father, Birdsill Holly, was a carpenter by trade, and Alanson, early giving evidence of a natural taste for mechanics, was apprenticed at the machinist trade and soon became one of the best, and worked as foreman in the shop of Abel Downs for twenty years. He then went to Lockport, N. Y., and worked for his brother - who was the inventor of the Holly water-works - in the Holly Manufacturing Company's shops.

In August, 1866, Alanson, together with his family, moved to Woodland, where he bought a tract of land, but for eight years traveled for the Holly Manufacturing Com- pany; at the expiration of that time he returned to his farm in Woodland, and continued farming operations until his death, which occurred May 15, 1879.

Mr. Holly's wife, whom he married Oct. 13, 1840, was a Miss Harriet Stowell, a native of Bainbridge, Chenango Co., N. Y., and the second in a family of ten children. To this union were born five children, - Ira A., born March 27, 1843; Susan J., born Feb. 22, 1845; William Perry,

Jan. 8, 1847; Fred Henry, born June 28, 1850; and Burt S., born Noy. 10, 1857. Ira A. Holly is settled in Burlington, Iowa, the others in different parts of Michigan, the mother and one son living on the second farm purchased by Mr. Holly, the one he first purchased when he came to Michigan being one-half mile east of the centre, where he resided two years. A view of their present home we give upon another page of this work.

Tus township, lying on the western border of the county, "is composed of survey-township 3, in range 10, and is bounded on the north by Thornapple township, south by Orangeville, east by Rutland, and west by the Allegan county-line. The surface of the town on the west is occupied by numerous small lakes or ponds, while in the southwest corner Gun Lake, lying in four townships, covers upwards of 2000 acres. This lake is a somewhat noted resort for anglers, picnic-parties, and other pleasure-seckers, and on its western shore, in Smith's grove, the Spiritualists of Barry and adjoining counties gather each-summer in considerable numbers for camp-meeting exercises, which last generally about a week, and attract crowds of curious people. The waters of the lake are clear, and in many places deep. -Whitefish and other choice specimens of the finny tribe abound, and, as the waters are free to all who care to cast the seductive fly, the fishing season always brings troops of anglers. The Wayland Fishing Club and the Hastings Fishing Club have boat-houses on the lake in Yankee Springs, and partake there each year of much refreshing sport. :

There has latterly been talk regarding a project looking to the drainsge of Gun Lake and adjacent ponds into the Thornapple River, but whether the enterprise is likely to culminate in success very soon is somewhat uncertain. Certain it is that the reclamation of the country covered by these lakes will provide a vast acreage of valuable pasture or meadow-lands.

A singular feature in the topography of the township is the fact that on the west the streams flow southward, while on the east they run towards the north.

On the west the township was originally pretty well occupied by swampy pine-lands, which are, however, now well cleared and drained. The rest of the township was an oak forest, and in many places a very attractive region.

At this time Yankee Springs is a township of fairly good agricultural resources, and it is, moreover, replete with scenic beauty. Looking towards the west, one may discern from the eastern elevations a wide and varied natural expanse, dotted with forest, lake, and plain, and presenting a most pleasing and picturesque prospect.

The township contains two post-offices, but neither village nor church edifice. Schools are abundant, farming is a profitable pursuit, and the people form an industrious and well-to-do community.