Elkland Civil History, Tuscola County, Michigan Copyright © 1998 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. _____________________________________________________________________ Elkland Civil History Taken from The History of Tuscola County, Biographical Sketches and Illustrations, H. R. Page Co., Chicago, 1883. Thanks to Bonnie Petee. CIVIL HISTORY The town of Elkland was organized by the board of supervisors at a meeting held October 14, 1857, and comprised the territory of townships 13 and 14 north, of range 11 east. The names of the freeholders of the township to be organized, who signed the petition, are as follows: Hiram Bailey, Alden Bird, H. F. Cooper, A. Walmsley, William Edgar, Hugh Seed, J. W. Saulsbary, William Jacobs, William H. Winton, David Winton, John Bird, A. P. Cooper, Lorenzo Teachout, Burton Himes. At a special town meeting held at the house of H. F. Cooper, June 23, 1858, Charles W. Smith was chosen moderator, William H. Winton and Andrew Walmsley, inspectors; H. F. Cooper, clerk; and John H. Bird, assistant clerk. The meeting then proceeded to election of town officers. The total number of votes cast was fourteen, and the followingwas the result of the election: Supervisor, John H. Bird; clerk, Charles W. Smith; treasurer, Andrew Walmsley; school inpsectors, John H. Bird, and H. F. Cooper; overseers of the poor, David Winton and William Jacobs; commissioners of highways, Charles W. Smith, S. P. Ramsdell and William H. Winton; justices of the peace, John H. Bird, Hugh Seed, Andrew Walmsley, David Winton; constables, Robert H. Winton, S. P. Ramsdell, Lorenzo Teachout, William Edgar. Charles W. Smith was chosen overseer of Road District No. l, and David Winton of District No. 2. It was voted to divide the town into two road districts, north and south, through the center of the town, the east half to be designated as District No. 1, the west half as No. 2. The sum of $600 was ordered to be expended on roads designated, and $150 to be raised by tax for township purposes. The treasurer was allowed four per cent on all taxes collected by him. It was voted that the next annual town meeting be held at the house of Charles W. Smith. The voters present at this town meeting were William Edgar, William Jacobs, Burton H. Himes, John H. Bird, Andrew Walmsley. David Winton, Robert H. Winton, S. P. Ramsdell, Charles W. Smith, Hugh Seed, Lorenzo Teachout, William H. Winton, H. F. Cooper and A. P. Cooper. The first recorded meeting of the town board was held December 21, 1858, the only business transacted being the auditing of various bills to the amount of $84.50. At the annual meeting of the board the following March the accounts of Andrew Walmsley, treasurer, were audited as follows: Money received, $260.69; paid out, $250.11; collecting fee, $10.42; receipt from county treasurer for $1,284.53; cash on hand, ten cents. The amount charged to the treasurer was $1,587.83. At the annual town meeting for 1859 it was ordered that $100 be raised for opening the State road east of the line of sections 14 and 15, or 10 and 11, to the county line of Sanilac County; also$100 for a road between sections 27 and 28, and 27 and 22; also $100 for a road from the southwest corner of 27 to the corner of 5; and $100 for contingent expenses. The number of voters at this election was fifteen. At the annual election in 1860 the poll list showed ten voters. At a meeting of the schol inspectors, held at the house of John Anyon, April 16, 1860, School District No. 1 was designated, comprising sections 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, and 35, and a meeting of qualified voters of the district for the purpose of electing officers and choosing a site for a school-house. The second district comprising the northeast nine sections was formed April 28, 1860. The inspectors of election in 1861 met at the house of Charles W. Smith, but adjourned the town meeting to "the building known as the "County Building" on the southwest quarter of section 34, of township 14 north, range 11 east. The register being missing, and supposed to be stolen the supervisor, John Anyon, demanded a search warrant, which was issued by John H. Bird. Mr. Anyon, assisting the constable in the performance of his duty, found the missing record in his own coat pocket. The whole number of votes cast at this election, was nineteen. Considerable progress was made in the direction of opening and improving highways, $800 being appropriated for that purpose. The board of registration, meeting April 5, 1862, was presented with the names of George Katahkecoons, Joseph Katahkecoons, and Jacob Wandahbetong, but from the fact that they were Indians who had come into the town simply for the purpose of hunting, and not "civilized" within the meaning of the statute, they were not allowed the privilege of voting. It appears, however, that one Indian, whose name is not given, perhaps from the difficulty of spelling it, did swear in his vote at that election. An appropriation of one-half of the two mill tax was made for town-library purposes. The whole number of votes cast at this town meeting was twenty-nine. In April of this year, District No.3 was organized, comprising the northwest quarter of the town. At a meeting of the town board September 3, 1863, Hiram Bailey was elected supervisor of the town, and Travis Leach highway commissioner. Mr. Bailey in the following November resigned the office of supervisor. At the annual town meeting in 1864 it was decided to raise $400 for a volunteer bounty fund, and at a special town meeting held the following September it was voted that "a volunteer bounty fund of $100 a head be raised for all volunteers accredited to the township since January 1, 1864, or that may hereafter be raised or accredited to said township." The annual town meeting in 1866 adjourned to the school-house in District No. 1, the school-house in District No. 4 having been burned. $200 was appropriated for a bridge at the forks of Cass River. The town meeting of 1868 appropriated $1,000 for highways and $300 for contingent expenses. The whole number of votes cast at this election was sixty-one. September 13, 1869, the town boards of Elkland and the newly organized town of Novesta met at Cass City to apportion moneys and credits belonging to Novesta. It was determined that the amount of money due that town was $1,150. The claim of $343 from the two mill tax was left for the decision of the prosecuting attorney. At a special town election held in August, 1870, it was unanimously voted to issue the bonds of the town to the amount of $500 for the purchase of a burying ground to be selected by the board of health. Grounds were selected in the northeast quarter of northeast quarter of section 34. The records of town meetings in 1872 and 1873 appear to be missing. December 17, 1878, the town board elected Sylvester Ale supervisor, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Travis Leach. In November, 1874, Samuel Miller was appointed town clerk to fill vacancy. At the annual town meeting in 1875 it was decided to raise no money for highway purposes. Four hundred dollars was appropriate for contingent fund. In September, 1876, John Randall was by the town board appointed township superintendent of public schools. In February, 1878, Homer E. Gordon was appointed town clerk to fill vacancy. By treasurer's report for that year there was a balance of $1,058.61 in his hands. The number of votes on the registry list in March, 1878, was one hundred and fifty-five. In June, 1878, Homer E. Gordon resigning as town clerk, Robert Tennant was appointed to fill vacancy. In May, 1880, Samuel C. Armstrong was appointed town clerk to fill vacancy, caused by the resignation of A. G. Houghton. In June the same year Peter H. Gage was appointed drain commissioner. November 16, 1880, a special town meeting was held to vote on a proposition to bond the town in the sum of twenty-six hundred dollars for the purpose of building a town hall. There were ninety-five votes cast, sixty-one in favor of the loan, and thirty-four against. At a meeting of the town board held December 11, 1880, the size and character of building was determined on. A building committee, consisting of S. Ale, S. C. Armstrong and J. C. Laing, was appointed, and S. C. Armstrong was directed to get up plans and specifications. Subsequently thirty-eight feet off the west side were offered by J. L. Hitchcock as a site for the hall, and were accepted by the board. In due time the building was completed, a substantial brick, 80 x 30 feet, and two stories in height. The first floor is used as a hall and offices for town purposes, and furnishes a convenient hall for public meetings and entertainments. The second floor is occupied by the Cass City Enterprise and the Odd Fellows Hall. Up to the year 1860 the town of Elkland lacked the facilities of a U. S. Mail. Mail had been brought by private individuals from time to time from Watrousville and Wahjamega. In that year a weekly mail was established from East Saginaw, by way of Watrousville and Wahjamega, thence up the river and to Forestville, mail being carried sometimes on horseback, sometimes on foot. A post office was established at John Winton's, Mr. Winton being appointed postmaster. In 1868 the village of Cass City was platted, and the following year the postoffice was removed to Cass City, and John C. Laing appointed postmaster, holding the office until 1874. The incumbents of the office since than have been Warren Weydemeyer, Dr. Deming, H. E. Gordon, and again Warren Weydemeyer, the present postmaster. At one time during the county seat controversy a point in the town of Elkland, between the site of Cass City and the river, was designated by the county board of supervisors as the county seat, and given the name of "Moonshine." The exact object and significance of this act is somewhat uncertain. It probably was not a bonafide designation. A log building for county purposes was, however, commenced, and the body of it completed, but the roof not put on. The fire of 1871 was, as compared with that of ten years later, but little disastrous to the town of Elkland. The conditions were less favorable to a great conflagration; there was less down timber and dry and combustible material. And there was less of property to be destroyed. A number of families were, however, burned out, and considerable suffering would have resulted but for the prompt and humane relief accorded by neighbors and by other parts of the county. This fire was, however, a preparative for the subsequent one, having, as it did, so much dead and fallen timber as food for the flames. Copyright Bonnie J. Petee March 1998 dz