Thursday, April 14, 2011

1840 Livingston County

In a recap of the 1840 history of Livingston County, republished in The Fowlerville Review in 1880 from the Livingston Democrat, entitled Livingston Forty Years Ago, the following items were listed:

The first settlement was made in the south part of the county, this being more accessible to immgrants.

The first white settler in the county who came to make his home was Col. Solomon Peterson, who settled in Putnam, then a part of Washtenaw county, in 1828.

Green Oak was settled two years later by Stephen Lee and Benjamin Curtiss.

Col. Mapes, of Niagra county, N.W., was the first settler in Hartland.

Hamburg's first hamlet built by a white man was 'laid up' in 1831 by Jesse Hall.

Brighton was settled in 1832 by Elijah Marsh and Job Cranston.

Eli Ruggles felled the first timber in Unadilla, with which he built a hut to shelter himself and family.

Gilbert W. Prentiss is said to be the first settler in Cohoctah, but who really went there in 1834 to trade with the Indians.

In Deerfield, the first actual settlement was made in 1834 by John How, Sr.

George Cornell cut his way into Tyrone about the same time that settlements were first made in Deerfield and Cohoctah, and was the first settler there.

Sardis Davis was the first white settler in Marion. He immigrated in 1834.

H.H. Graves was monarch of all he surveyed in Oceola in 1835, being at that time the only white settler in the township.

Thomas Pinckney and Eli Barnard were the first two settlers in Geneo. Date of settlement, 1835.

Calvin Handy was the first man who settled in the township which was named for him, in 1836.

The people of Iosco are largely indebted to Geo. C. Wood, Richard M. Guggins and Asel Stow -- the first pioneers of that township.

Julius F. Parsons, Levin Parsons, the Strong and Fay families, Timothy Wait and Robert Coburn first settled in Conway in 1837.

Three-fourths of the first settlers in Livingston county immigrated from New York state.

The Chippewa and Pottawatta Indians, who inhabited our now well-tilled county forty years ago, were fortunately peaceful, and the early settlers seldom met with any hostile movements from them.

The first will admitted to probate was of James Sage, first settler in Howell, who died A.D. 1837.

The first election of officers was held in 1836. The following was the county ticket: Sheriff, Justus J. Bennett; County Clerk, F.J.B. Crane; Register of Deeds, Eli Barnard; Treasurer, Amos Adams; Judge of Probate, Kingsley S. Bingham. Total number of votes cast, 108.~~Livingston Democrat

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