This article was one of a series of articles

published during the year 1879, in

The Lake County Star called “Progress In Lake County.”

 

Transcriptions were done by Chi (Rouse) Benedict, unless otherwise credited.  If you would like to contact the transcriber,

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Appeared in:  The Lake County Star

Date Published:  February 6, 1879

Volume:  VI  Number:  XLI  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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G. W. Townsend—Settled by homestead entry on the northeast quarter and Lot 1, Section 32, Webber township, in the Spring of 1872; prior to the platting of the Village of Baldwin.  The soil of his land—about 200 acres—is sand plains and his buildings at present are a comfortable log house and barn.  He intends to build a frame barn, 36x42, with basement, next Spring.  The situation for building in this manner is excellent; as is also, the entire location of Mr. T.’s farm.  The lay of the land is rolling; and there’s a beautiful lake at one side.  He has 70 acres under improvement; has 250 apple trees, with a variety of small fruit.  He has also, turned his attention somewhat to the ornamental, and has fourteen fine maples started on the front of the door yard.  He has a span of horses, two cows, with hogs and poultry.  In 1878 he had 23 acres of wheat, ten acres of corn, three acres oats, four acres potatoes, two acres rutabagas, and two acres beans.  We must not forget to mention a fine garden each year; the especial care of Mrs. T., who is a help mate in every sense of the word.  They express themselves as fairly satisfied with the progress they have been able to make, and are full of hope for the future.

 

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Clark Albertson—Settled by entry on the southwest quarter of Section 12, Webber township, in the Spring of 1873.  He now has eighty acres, having sold the east half of his quarter section to L. Putnam, in 1877.  Forty acres of his place are under improvement, and next Summer he expects to finish clearing twenty acres more.  The soil is sand plains, and quite level.  Has about 100,000 feet of standing pine, and a few apple trees, with small fruits, such as currant, gooseberry and strawberry.  He has an ox team, cow, two hogs and poultry.  In 1878, he raised four acres wheat, two and a half corn, four buckwheat, one of potatoes (yielding 85 bushels of as nice taters as he had ever seen, so he states) and twelve acres of rye.  In the Fall of 1878 he sowed twelve acres of wheat and six acres of rye.  He has two low places, (dry marshes) which he intends to convert into meadow, believing they will prove valuable.  During the coming season he expects to put up a log barn, 30x40 feet.  Seems well contented.

 

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Frank Holford—Settled by entry, on the northeast quarter of Section 6, Eden township, in the Fall of 1875.  There are seven acres improved.  The soil is sand plains, and has a frame house, 12x18 feet.  Mr. H. had three acres of rye on the place, in 1878, and in December, last sold his interest to Sam’l J. Wood, of Ingham county, who intends to settle next Spring.

 

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Nathan Holford—Settled in Eden township, in the fall of 1872; but now owns the southeast quarter of Section 6, originally entered by Edward Holford.  He intends to go on and improve the place next season.  There are ten acres improvement now.  The soil is sand plains, and has a log house upon it.  There is some small fruit—currant and gooseberry.  In 1878 thee were four and a half acres of rye and one and three-fourths acres clover.

 

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Edward Holford—Also, settled in Eden township in Fall of 1872, and now occupies the northeast quarter of Section 6, originally entered by Humphrey Holford (deceased).  The soil is sand plains—15 acres of which are improved.  There is a log house and barn.  In 1878, there were four acres of wheat, one of rye, and four of timothy.  Mr. Holford intends to go on and improve the place the coming season.

 

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Mrs. W. D. Holford—With her husband (now dead) settled by entry, on the southeast quarter of Section 32, Eden township, in the Fall of 1872.  The soil is sand plains, a little better quality than much of that land.  Five acres are improved.  Log house.  This place lies on the Manistee River, and has considerable pine and oak timber.  Mrs. H. is at present in Ionia county, and we understand wishes to dispose of the land.

 

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George Oviatt—Settled by entry upon the south half of the northeast quarter of Section 10, Chase township in the Fall of 1865.  The soil is gravelly loam, with some clay; heavy beech and maple timber.  He has forty acres improved, and good fences.  Has a frame house, barn and granary.  Has sixty apple trees, with currant, gooseberry, strawberry; and a dozen “centennial” maples, with various ornamental shrubs.  Having been elected Sheriff, two years ago, he has not been on his place during that period.  At present he rents to A. H. Grant.  In 1878, there were produced six acres wheat, three acres corn, four acres oats, one acre buckwheat, two acres potatoes, quarter acre beans, and twenty-one acres Timothy and clover.  Six acres of wheat were sown last Fall.  Mr. O. has material on ground for building a frame barn, next season, 32x50 feet; 18-feet posts and stone foundation.  He came out of the army in July, ’65, and took up his homestead that Fall—keeping “bachelor’s hall” for the first five years.

 

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Augustus Towner—Settled by homestead entry upon the north half of the northeast quarter Section 2, Ellsworth township, in the Fall of 1869; and in 1874, homesteaded the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 2, same township, under the additional soldier claim act.  The last named tract is wild land; but of his original eighty, he has improved thirty acres.  The soil is sand and clay loam; beech and maple timber.  The buildings are log house and barn.  Fruit—about 20 apple trees, with cherry, currant and strawberry.  Mr. T. has been County Clerk for the past four years, and has not occupied his farm.  In 1878 he had, however, ten acres of wheat, four acres of potatoes, and fourteen acres of timothy and clover.  Last Fall he put in four acres of wheat.  He has splendid spring water on his place; and expects to build a fram house next Summer; having a portion of the material already on the ground.

 

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Peter Miller—Took up his homestead claim on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter and the northeast quarter ofthenorthwestquarterSection 18, Lake township, in the Spring of 1871; and now has twelve acres improved; log house and barn; has a fine yoke of oxen, one hog and poultry.  The soil of his place is sand and clay loam.  He has twelve apple trees started.  In 1878, he raised two acres corn, one-half acre of potatoes (from which he had 60 bushels) and two acres of timothy.

 

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Elliott B. Kinne—Settled by homestead entry upon the southeast quarter of Section 36, Elk township. in the Spring of 1871.  The soil is sand plains, with some pine.  He estimates that he still has about 450,000 feet of standing pine.  There are fourteen acres improved; and he has a comfortable house, part frame, part log; a frame barn.  There is plenty of excellent water, good well, and a fine stream (Kinne Creek) of water runs through the farm.  Mr. K. has 820 apple trees, and a variety of, cherry, peach, quince, currant, strawberry, and twenty grape vines commencing to bear.  For stock he has a span of horses, two cows, yearling heifer, two hogs; and keeps poultry.  In 1878 he raised four and a half acres of wheat, one-half acre of corn, and five acres of same on A. B. Kinne’s place, one-fourth acre potatoes, one-fourth acre beans, and three acres rye.  Last Fall he sowed two and a half acres of wheat, besides about five acres of the same on each of the places of A. B. Kinne and C. P. White, same town.  Says he is satisfied he can get a living, at least, off his sand plains.

 

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Isaac Grant—First came to Lake county in the Spring of 1872, and engaged in the mercantile business at what was then known as Hannibal, just north of and adjoining the present site of Baldwin.  (The plat of Hannibal was vacated in 1874).  When Baldwin was platted, Mr. Grant moved his store building here, but soon after abandoned business; and in 1873 settled on his homestead—the southeast quarter of Section 4, Pleasant Plains township, adjoining the town plat of Baldwin on the west.  He now has 50 acres under improvement, with frame house and two frame barns, one of the latter being 26x36 feet.  He has set out 50 apple trees, and has, besides, cherry, plum, crab apple, currant, gooseberry and strawberry.  He has paid considerable attention to ornamental trees, having left a number of original oaks standing, and has set out about 29 maples, besides some basswoods, &c.  He has 3 horses, 5 cows, 7 young cattle, 15 hogs, 28 sheep, and poultry.  In 1878, he had 8 acres of wheat, 3 acres corn, ½ acre potatoes (which he estimate yielded 40 bushels).  In addition to the above he raised from the Kilpatrick place, Webber township, 30 acres wheat, 5 acres corn, 24 acres oats, and 60 acres rye.  In the Fall of 1877, he seeded to timothy 8 acres (seed sown with wheat), which promised well last Fall.  He has far more fodder than he will feed out to his stock this Winter.  During the coming Summer, he intends to put up a board fence around his entire 160 acres, to enable him to keep his stock pastured on his own premises.  In addition to his homestead, Mr. G. owns the Amasa B. Cleveland homestead—the west fl ½ of n e fl ¼ and Lot 1, Section 6, Yates township; also, the Hezekiah F. Lacey homestead—e ½ of s w ¼ and s e ¼ of n w quarter Section 12, in Yates.  Each of the last named tracts has a log house; but no other improvement, to speak of.

 

 

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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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