This article was one
of a series of articles
published during the year 1879, in
The Lake
County Star called “Progress In
Lake County.”
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Transcriptions were done by Chi (Rouse) Benedict, unless otherwise
credited. If you would like to
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Please contact her by E-mail.
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Appeared in: The Lake County Star
Date Published: February 20, 1879
Volume: VI Number: XLIII Page: 1
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Progress in Lake County.
[Under this title we give a
series of short sketches, descriptive of the time of immigration of each
settler in the county, with amount of improvement, present and future
prospects; crops raised in 1878;
grain sown last Fall, &c. Also,
sketches of manufacturing and business interests. Correspondence is solicited from all
interested in the growth and prosperity of our county. We would suggest to our readers that
they cut out and preserve,in scrap books these
sketches; as they will doubtless find them of more interest in the future than
at this time].
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Herbert Little—Settled, in Spring
of 1878, on the southwest quarter of Section 10, Town 20-13 (Eden), originally
taken up by Urban C. Smith. The
soil is plains; 25 acres improved.
The buildings are log. There
are a few apple trees, with small fruits.
For shade, some of the original oaks have been left standing. Mr. L. has a span of horses, a cow, and
poultry. In 1878, he had ½
acre corn, 2 acres buckwheat, 1 ¼ acres potatoes (yielding 100
bushels), and ¼ acre beans.
Sowed 7 acres rye, last Fall.
Water of excellent quality is obtained from a well 12 feet in depth.
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Stephen E. Dickens—Homesteaded
the northeast quarter of Section 34, Town 20-13 (Eden), in the Spring of 1876,
and now has about 15 acres under improvement. The soil is plains, and water from a
well 75 feet
deep. Has a log house, barn and
corn house. Has about 25 apple
trees, with some small fruit ----eral original
oaks—consists of a span –ing cattle, 1
hog; ad 1 acre
corn, --- acres potatoes ¼
acre beans, and ---material together --- for a frame barn, ----x40, to be
erected next season.
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Latham M. Little—Settled by
homestead entry on the northeast quarter of Section 4, town 20-13 (Eden), in
the Spring of 1874, and now has about 70 acres under cultivation. The land is plains. Buildings, log house and barn. Has started a number of apple trees from
seeds. Has some peach trees large
enough to commence bearing the coming season with a variety of small fruits. For shade, he has left oaks
standing. His stock consists of a
span of horses, a cow, 3 young cattle, 2 fine hogs, and poultry. In 1878 he raised 3 acres Spring wheat, 3 acres corn, 3 acres buckwheat, 2 acres potatoes (yielding 200 bushels), ¼ acre beans,
and 17 acres
rye. Sowed 15 acres rye, last Fall.
Has a good garden each year.
Has a fine well of soft water; 14 feet deep.
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Hiram Millis—Has recently
purchased the southeast quarter of Section 6, Pleasant Plains township
(originally entered by L. J. Daily) and, we learn. Intends to settle next
Spring. This place has about 25 acres improved; log house and barn. Mr. Millis comes from Clinton county.
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Jas. L. Veeder—Of Quincy, Mich., has
purchased the north half of southeast quarter Section 16, Pleasant Plains
township; and we understand intends to settle and improve it, this year.
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Benj. Tripp—Settled by homestead
entry on the northeast quarter of the northwest and south half of northwest
quarter Section 4; and southeast quarter of northeast quarter Section 5, town
20-13 (Eden), in the Summer of 1875.
The soil is plains; about 12 acres now improved.
He has a log house and barn, and some small fruits. For shade, has left some oaks
standing. At present has a cow, and
poultry. Last season he had 3 acres wheat (Spring), 3 acres corn, 2 ½ acres buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes, ¼ acre beans, and 4 acres rye. Had
about 100 bushels potatoes from acre.
Obtains water from a well, 24 feet deep.
Expects to build a log barn, next Summer.
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E. P. Griffes—Settled
in Spring of 1875, by homestead entry, on northwest quarter of Section 10, town
20-13 (Eden); the soil being plains.
Has now about 12 acres improved, with log house and barn. Has a running stream, from a spring, on
his place, and excellent well of soft water, 16 feet deep. For
fruit, has apple, peach, and small fruits.
Has a grove of original pine and oak about the house. Has an ox team, a cow and 2 young
cattle, with poultry. Had 2 acres potatoes (200 bushels), ½ acre beans, and 2 acres rye, last year.
Last Fall he sowed 5 acres rye.
Intends to build an addition of a log kitchen to his house, next season.
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Wm. Bonney—Settled in Summer of
1878, on the northeast quarter of Section 20, Webber township, (originally
entered and improved by Eber L. Harger). The soil is sand plains, with 11 acres improved.
There is a frame house. A
well, 24 feet
deep (the last 3 feet in solid clay) affords soft water for culinary
purposes. There is a cistern,
cemented with water-lime, capable of holding about 30 barrels of water. Mr. B. sowed 4 acres of rye, last Fall; and during the coming season
expects to build an addition to the dwelling.
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Levi W. Ricker—Purchased the
northwest quarter of Section 33, Pinora township, in
the Fall of 1878, and is commencing the work of creating a farm. There are about 60 acres heavy beech and maple land; 15 or 16 acres cedar and ask swamp, and the balance stump land. Mr. R. has a frame house erected,
20x32. Good water.
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Wm. Messenger—Settled by homestead
entry on the northeast quarter of Section 14, Cherry Valley township, in the
Spring of 1872, and has 14 acres under improvement. Has a hewed log house, plastered, and
good water from a well 51 feet deep. He
also, owns the southeast quarter of northwest quarter Section 8, Chase
township, where he now resides. Has
on this a frame house, 15x24 feet, and intends to build a frame barn, 30x40
feet next Summer. The soil is sand
and clay loam, with beech, maple, elm, &c., for timber. The Pere
Marquette Creek runs across this tract, affording fine water for stock. Has a well 14 feet deep, which gives good water for culinary uses. Mr. M. is an excellent gunsmith, and
works at his trade, but expects to farm it the coming season.
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S. Dunham—Homesteaded
the southeast quarter of Section 4, Yates township, in 1870; being one of the
first settlers of the township. Has
10
acres improved;
soil, plains. Has a log house, and
obtains supply of water from well.
In 1878, he had 2 acres corn, 2 acres buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes, ½ acre beans, and 2 acres millet.
Sowed 2 acres wheat, last Fall.
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W. Newell—Purchased the southeast
quarter of Section 4, Yates, in 1877, and now has 10 acres improved.
Sowed 5 acres wheat, last Fall. Is making a good beginning for an old
man, and especially one who depends on his daily labor for a living. The soil is plains, with thick growth of
black pine.
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A. J. Newell—Homesteaded half of the
southeast quarter of Section 4, Yates township, in 1870, and was the second
person to settle in the township.
The soil is plains, good quality; 15 acres of which are under improvement. He has a log cabin and outbuilding. Mr. Dunham and himself have each sold 20 acres to W. Newell, so that they now have only 60 acres each. Mr.
A. J. Newell is unmarried.
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Lee S. Cobb—Homesteaded 80 acres on Section 8, Yates township, in Fall of 1871. The soil is plains, about 20 acres improved.
Has a good frame house, and log barn, 20x34 feet, and good
outbuildings. Has material on the
ground for a new frame barn. Has 75
fine apple trees, and pears, plum, cherries and a variety of small fruit. Has some timber suitable for
lumber—pine and oak. About 10 acres are “bottom land” of a very good
quality. Has a fine spring, but
gets water from a well. Lack of a
team, and loss of a horse and cow, last season, has kept Mr. C. back to a great
extent with his improvements. For
ornamental and shade trees, he has maple, hemlock, oak and balsam. For stock he has a cow, 2 young cattle,
50 sheep. Has a fine lot of
poultry; Black Spanish, Brown
Leghorns, and Buff Cochins. In
1878, he raised 2 acres wheat, 2 acres corn 1 acre potatoes, 2 acres rye and ½ acre clover. Sowed 1 acre rye, and 3 acres wheat, last Fall. Has a fine vegetable and flower garden
each year.
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Martin L. Drake—Settled by homestead
entry on half of the southwest quarter of Section 4, Yates township, in 1872;
plains soil; and now has 25 acres out of his 80 under improvement. The buildings are comfortable frame
house and barn. Good supply of
water from a well. He has 50 apple
trees started, and some small fruit.
Has a horse, 1 hog, 2 sheep, and poultry. In 1878, he had 2 acres wheat, 1 acre corn, ¼ acre oats, 2 acres buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes, 1 acre beans, 6 acres rye, 4 acres millet, 1 acre roots. Sowed
4
acres wheat, last
Fall. Mr. D. succeeds with a nice
garden of vegetables and flowers, each year, and thinks he can secure a good
living off the plains.
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Riel Armstrong—Homesteaded 80 acres on Sec. 8, Yates, in 1871, and has 12 acres improved.
The soil is plains; timber black pine, and oak. Has a small frame house. Mr. A. is an old man, a wagon-maker by trade,
and having lost his team (oxen) the second year after settling and not having
had another since, his progress has, of course, been slow. In 1878, he raised 3 acres corn, 3 acres buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes, ½ acre beans, 2 ½ acres
millet.
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John
Armstrong—Homesteaded 160 acres on Section 8, Yates township, in 1871, and has 16 acres improved.
The soil is plains; with pine, oak and white cedar for timber. In 1878, he raised 5 acres wheat, 3 acres buckwheat, 2 acres rye.
Sowed 6 acres wheat, last Fall. Mr. A. lives at Cedar Springs, at
present, and is on his place here, but little.
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Elias Griffiths—Settled by homestead
entry on the north half of the northeast quarter Section 10, Chase township, in
the Fall of 1868; and now has about 20 acres improved.
The soil is sand and clay loam, with some muck. Has a frame house and log barn. Has excellent water for house from a
well 22 feet
deep, and for stock has a fine spring stream running for a distance of about 80
rods, across one corner. Has some
25 apple trees commencing to bear, with some small fruit. For shade, has left some of original
forest trees standing. Has a yoke
of oxen, 2 yearlings, 2 cows, 3 hogs; and keeps poultry. In 1878 he raised 6 acres wheat, 2 acres oats, 1 acre potatoes (yielding about 100 bushels), and 7 acres timothy.
Sowed 5 acres wheat and 1 acre rye, last Fall.
This farm was originally entered by a Mr. Monroe. Then by Henry Smith,
whose claim was purchased by Mr. Griffiths.
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A. Fiandt—Settled by homestead
entry on the west half of southwest quarter Section 22, Chase township, in the
Spring of 1867, and now has 35 acre improved.
The soil is sand and clay loam; good water—a spring stream. Has a log house and barn, and frame
granary. Has 50 apple trees, some
of them bearing; and small fruits.
For shade has left some of original forest trees standing. His stock consists of a span of horses,
2 cows, 2 young cattle, 6 hogs, and poultry. In 1878, he raised 16 acres wheat, 5 acres corn, 2 acres oats, ½ acre potatoes, which he states yielded
him about 100 bushels, 3 acres barley, and 8 acres timothy hay.
Sowed 9 acres wheat, last Fall.
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Jesse Bradford—Settled in the Fall
of 1877, on northwest quarter of southwest quarter Section 2, Pleasant Plains
township. The soil is plains, 10 acres of which are improved. Has a log house and barn, and intends to
build another log barn, 25x45 feet the coming season. Has 3 horses, 3 cows, 2 hogs, and
poultry. Raised in 1878, 1 acre corn, 2 acres oats, 2 acres buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes (yielding over 100 bushels), and 3 acres rutabagas, producing 250 bushels. Sowed 4 acres rye, last Fall.
Has excellent water from a well 25 feet deep.
This place was originally entered by a man named Proctor; who sold it to
A. Otto; who first settled in Fall of 1870, by homesteading on part of Section
18, Yates township. This homestead
was sold to Geo. Forman, prior to Mr. Otto’s purchasing on Sec. 2, this
township. In the Winter of 1873-74,
while Mr. O. was engaged carrying mail to and from Baldwin and Reed City, he
suddenly and mysteriously disappeared from the latter place, and the public has
never heard from him since. Various
opinions are entertained as to the cause and manner of his disappearance.
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James M. Fisher—Bought the southwest
quarter of the southwest quarter Section 3, (R. R. land) Chase township, and
settled in spring of 1874. The soil
is sand and clay loam; 18 acres improved.
Timber beech and maple.
There is abundance of good water; a spring stream on northwest corner;
and a well 16 feet deep, affording soft water. Mr. F. has a small board house now, but
intends to build a larger frame house, next Summer. In 1878 he raised 7 ½ acres
wheat, 1 acre
corn, 2 acres
oats, ½ acre potatoes, and 4 acres rye.
Sowed 10 acres wheat last Fall.
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John Q. Patterson—Homesteaded
the northwest quarter of Section 12, Pleasant Plains township, in the Summer of
1873, and has about 30 acres improved.
The soil is plains; buildings, frame house and stable. He has about 40 apple trees, and some
cherry. Mr. P. is at present
residing at Reed City and practicing law, and wishes to rent his place in this
county. He intends to have 20 acres of it summer-fallowed next season.
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John J. Andrews—Homesteaded the
north half of the southwest quarter Section 36, Yates township, in the Fall of
1870. The soil is gravelly, with
some muck. There are 20 acres under improvement. His house is part frame, part log, with
log barn, horse barn, granary; and he has excellent supply of water from a
spring, with a small stream running through the place. Mr. A. has a fine lot of fruit;
consisting of some 200 bearing apple trees, with pear and plum. Has nearly ½ acre of currants and
gooseberries, and ½ acre of strawberries. For shade he has maples, Balm of Gilead,
locust, &c. He keeps 3 cows and
poultry. In 1878, he raised 2 acres corn, estimated yield, 40 bushels per acre; 1
½ acres potatoes, ½ acre beans, and 7 acres timothy, which yielded about a ton to acre, first
cutting. He also, raised 70 bushels
of roots of various kinds. Sowed an
acre of wheat, last Fall. Mr.
Andrews was the first settler in Yates township, and seems to be doing well
with his farm.
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Chas. Sage—Settled by homestead
entry on the southwest quarter of Section 28, Town 10-13 (Eden), in the Fall of
1878, erecting a comfortable hewed log house, clearing 5 acres, and sowing 1 ½ acres wheat. Next Spring, he intends to set out fruit
trees. Thinks he can make a farm on
the plains.
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John V. Quick—Homesteaded the
southeast quarter of Section 8, Webber township, in the Spring of 1873. Soil sand plains. He has 18 acres under improvement; and a board house and barn. Has most of the material at hand, with
which to build a frame house, 16x24, during the coming season. He has 51 apple trees growing, with
cherry, peach, and small fruits.
Intends to set out considerable fruit next Spring. For shade he has left original oaks and
wild cherry trees standing. Has an
ox team, a hog and poultry. In
1878, he had 4 acres wheat, 3 acres corn, 1 acre buckwheat, 1 ½ acres potatoes (yield, about
135 bushels). Sowed 5 acres wheat, last Fall.
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Chas. P. White—Bought the southeast
quarter of Section 26, Town 18-14 (Elk) of T. E. Bishop, and settled on it in
the Fall of 1877. The soil is sand
plains; 15 acres of which are improved. The buildings are a comfortable log
house, with cellar, and log stable.
The fruit consists of 60 apple trees, 20 peach trees (some of the latter
commencing to bear), and small fruits.
Mr. W. has no team, which is a drawback. Keeps a cow, and poultry, and fatted his
own pork last year; and raised 3 ½ acres corn, 1 acre buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes, (yield about 75 bushels), ¼ acre
beans. Sowed 6 acres rye, last Fall, and 5 ½ acres acres of wheat was put in by E. B. Kinne. Water is supplied from a well 50 feet deep.
Since taking possession Mr. W. has built 140 rods of board fence, and is
going to put 10,000 feet into the mill, for lumber to fence and build
barn. Has about 100,000 feet of pine on his place. Intends to set out a number of maples,
for shade and ornament, next Spring.
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Henry H. Isbell—Settled
by homestead entry on the northwest quarter of Section 28, Webber township, in
the Fall of 1873; the soil being sand plains. He has now 35 acres improved; frame house, log stable. Has 24 apple trees, and will set out 50
more, in the Spring; cherry and small fruits. Has set out 10 maples and left a number
of oaks and pines for shade. Has an
ox team, 2 cows, and poultry; fatted hogs last season. Mr. I. has been unfortunate in losing a
house by fire, and has been compelled to go off his place and work a good
deal. He was not on his place, last
year, but raised ¾ acres buckwheat, 1 acre rutabagas (150 bushels), and 2 acres rye.
Sowed 7 ½ acres wheat and 2 acres rye; last Fall.
Has a well 50 feet deep, water hard. Expects --- next season by building a
----- fencing in his entire 160.
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[Note—Should any of our readers find an error in any of the
above sketches, they would confer a favor by sending us the proper correction].
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These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed transcriber with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the transcriber to store the file
permanently for free access.
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Page Notes:
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All of these sketches are typed as they appeared in the newspaper
(spelling and so on).
- - - = Is missing some lines.
I will be making another trip to be able to get the missing items of this
article, image for this name became blurry in sections.
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Contact Information:
The contact information below is provided for people related to those
pioneers named on this page to provide to each other so contact with one
another is established. If you
have an ancestor listed on this page, please contact the transcriber/web
mistress and she will add your name to the list with the appropriate
ancestors!
Don’t forget to let the transcriber/web mistress know if your
e-mail address changes at any time!
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Name:
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Contact E-mail:
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Bradford, Jesse
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Chi Benedict
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