Michael Thatcher came from Caneadea, Allegany Co., N.Y., and settled on the southeast quarter of section 5 in this town. He was a native of the State of New Jersey, and while living in Western New York had married Hannah, a daughter of Ezra Sanford. With his wife and three children, --two daughters, aged respectively thirteen and three years, and a son of eight,--he came through Canada to Detroit, and followed the Grand River road to Brighton and Howell, and the Indian trail from there through Sanford's Corners to his land, where they arrived July 15th having been twenty-eight days on the road. Upon. their arrival they built a small log shanty near the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of the section (stopping in the mean time at Ziba Stone's), where they lived till February, 1838 when they moved into a new log house they had built a few rods east of it, which furnished them a home for many years, and is still standing, the only log house in the town built by any of the earliest pioneers. Michael Thatcher remained a resident of the town to the day of his death, Feb. 9, 1854. His wife lived on the place till Nov. 29, 1878, when she died at the ripe age of seventy-nine years. Both daughters are dead, and the son, Michael Thatcher,* who is the present supervisor of the town, lives on the homestead with his wife, formerly Miss Abigail P. Sears, to whom he was married in 1875.

      Among the settlers in the summer of 1837 was Thomas Goldsmith, with his father, Elisha, and his sisters, Sally and Elizabeth. They were from the town of Rush, Monroe Co., N.Y., and, coming to Michigan, settled on rented land in Redford, Wayne Co., near Detroit, where they lived till the time of their coming here. Elisha died in this town in 1851, Sally married Robert Sowders,and Elizabeth married Joseph Brown. Both of these ladies are now dead. Thomas is still living on the homestead, on section 26. He has been a prominent citizen of the town and a frequent office-holder, having been elected twenty-two times. His official career includes one year's service as assessor, two as highway commissioner, six as town clerk, twenty-one as justice of the peace, and eight as supervisor. He, is also, the only voter now living who was present and participated in the first town meeting in 1838.

     Jared L. Cook was a native of Oneida Co., N.Y., and moved, when a young man, to the town of Clarendon, Orleans Co., N.Y., where he settled upon and cleared up a new farm. In 1836 he came to Michigan and settled in Calhoun County. A year later he sold his farm to his brother Elijah, and moved on to a new farm on section 32, in this town, bringing with him a family of four sons and three daughters. Here he passed through the usual trials met by the pioneers, and became an influential member of the society formed of the townspeople. He held the office of supervisor four years, and served repeatedly as treasurer, assessor, and as highway commissioner. In New York he had served with honor as colonel of a militia regiment. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, a firm, outspoken Christian, and died Jan. 29, 1849, at the age of forty-nine years, lamented and mourned by all. His wife, Mrs. Orrilla Cook, is now living with her youngest son, on the homestead, at the age of seventy-six years. Their family embraced the-following children: Horace L is now a 446. hardware merchant in Byron, Shiaiwasee Co. He was a prominent citizen during his residence here, and held several town offices, among them that of supervisor for three terms. Bradford was a gallant soldier in the Union army, and gave his life for his country. He was mustered into the service as second lieutenant of Company A, 10th Michigan Volunteer Infantry; he was promoted to a first lieutenantcy, and afterwards to the captaincy of Company E; he was wounded in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864, died from the effects of his wound on the 29th, and was buried on the field of battle. His remains were afterwards taken up and re-interred in a national cemetery. Jared L, Jr., now lives in Fowlerville, where he is engaged in the hardware trade. He, too, served in the war for the suppression of the Rebellion, enlisting Sept. 5, 1862, and serving to the close of the war, in Company D, 6th Michigan Cavalry. Joseph L., the youngest son, is living on the old homestead, and is one of the substantial men and successful farmers of the town. Charity, the oldest daughter, married Lewis B. Boyd, and lives in Cohoctah. Ruth died in Illinois, in October, 1872, but was brought home and buried in the family burial-place in Conway. Sophia died in Clarendon, Calhoun Co., in the year 1855.

     The first settler in the vicinity of Chemungville was Adam Fisher, who came from Montezuma, Cayuga Co., N.Y., in the fall of 1837, and settled on the north half of the northeast quarter of section 35, which he had purchased from the government in the spring of 1836. His family consisted of a wife and four children, one of whom--his son Edward--is still living in the town. He died on his place in September, 1853, and his wife died there in the winter of 1860-61.

     William Riker settled in 1837 on the northwest quarter of section 23, of which he owned all except the northeast 40 acres, which he had sold to Alva Preston. After living here ten or fifteen years he moved to Ionia County, where he died several years ago. His brother, Abraham Riker, settled in the fall of 1838 on the east half of the northwest quarter of section 28, and died there eight or nine years afterwards, leaving a family of a wife and five children, who, soon after his death, removed to Ionia County, and subsequently to Muskegon.

     Isaac Van der Cook arrived in Cohoctah, March 1838, and settled on the present Frisbee farm. He came from Clarkson, Monroe Co., N.Y., in April, 1832, and moved to La Salle, Monroe Co., Mich., from which place he moved to Kensington, Oakland Co., in 1834. While living in Kensington he married Mrs. Fisher, widow of Chauncey D. Fisher, who took up the Frisbee farm from the government, in 1836, and at the time of coming here had a family of four children, three of them being step-children. The farm was entirely new, and they built a log house that spring, into which they moved. They met with many trials and hardships, and were forced to undergo many privations. Especially was this true of the hard winter of 1842, when many cattle were lost from exposure and insufficient feed, and when all would have died but for the browse afforded by cutting down small trees-and letting them eat the tender twigs. Mr. Cook went that winter to the town of Lyons, from whence he came here, a distance of twenty-five miles, after a load of straw. He procured a small load, and on his way home met a man who offered him seven dollars for it, which he refused. There were plenty of deer in the woods that winter, and store-hogs were kept through the cold weather by being fed deer carcasses from which the people had cut the hams and other choice pieces for their own use. Mr. Van der Cook and his estimable wife are still residents of the town, living in the village of Chemungville, where he has considerable property. They have reared a large family of children, some of whom are prominent citizens of this town. Of these children, Cornelia married Edward Fisher, and lives in Cohoctah; Sarah A. married Alanson Blood, and now resides in De Witt, Clinton Co.; Esther M. married Henry Fay, and lives in the same place; William H. married Frances Martin, and resides on section 14, in this town; Lyman H. married Harriet Neely, and lives on section 35; Chauncey L. married Lucy J. Sessions, and lives in Howell; and Alfred F. married Margaret E. Frisbee, and resides in the town of Deerfield.

     Conrad Hayner, a descendant of one of the early Dutch families of the valley of the Hudson, came to the town of Parma, Monroe Co., N.Y., in the early days of its settlement. There he lived several years, until, in 1840, he moved to and became a resident of Michigan. Previous to his removal here he came, in company with some others, and assisted in the work of running a threshing machine, in which they all owned equal interests, and which was one of the first, if not the very first, machines operated in this State. He purchased his land on section 18 in 1836. It was a strip of eighty rods wide, extending across the section just west of the centre. He came to Cohoctah in the spring of 1842. From Sanford's Corners he was guided to his land solely by aid of a pocket compass and the surveyors' marks. He found it to be an excellent lot of land, free from swamps and marshes, and there established a home, in which 447. 

REMINISCENCES

     The first white child born in this town 

     The first wedding celebrated in this town was at the house of Ezra Sanford. The parties most deeply interested in the ceremonies incident to the occasion were William Stroud and Ernily Sanford, The ceremony was performed by Amos Adams, Esq., a Justice of the Peace in the town of Howell, on the 27th, day of July, 1836. Of all those present as spectators, but one, Mrs. Esther Barlow, is now living in Cohoctah. It was a rare circumstance in the infant settlement, and great pains were taken to honor the occasion with the best the country, afforded. The groom furnished a bountiful supply of wine, and aside from the more substantial articles of food, the table was supplied with an excellent appetizer in the shape of sauce made from the wild gooseberries found in the clearings. Some seventeen years later Mr. Stroud died, but his faithful companion still survives.

     The first death in town.is believed to have been that of Mrs. William Northrup, in 1837. She was buried in what was called the Boutell burying ground, on section 24.

     The pioneers had many things to contend against in their work of building up the prosperous community that has resulted from their perseverance and enterprise. The distance traveled in going to market to sell surplus produce or purchase needed supplies, was by no means the least of their disadvantages. Detroit, Pontiac, and Ann Arbor were the nearest points where trading and milling could be done, and the journeys, especially in times when the roads were bad, involved great expense of time and labor. Wild animals abounded, and not always of the most peaceable description. As illustrating this, we mention a couple of incidents that 448. transpired in the early days of the settlement. Abram Kanouse lived on what is called the Sand Hill, on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 10. One night, after the family had retired, the noise of a fierce fight, in which their dog was evidently taking part, fell upon their ears. Mrs. Kanouse hastened out and found the dog and a large wolf engaged in a fierce conflict. Near the scene of the fight work had been begun on a well and a hole, some five or six feet deep, had been excavated. Into this Mrs. Kanouse succeeded in forcing the wolf, and there kept him until help arrived and he was killed. At another time Mr. Thatcher's family was startled at bearing a loud squealing in the woods, a little distance from the house, where the old sow, on whom they depended their future supply of porkers, was feeding. Mr. Thatcher hastened towards the scene, and, seeing that it was a bear that had attacked his pig, shouted for the others to bring the axe. Arrived at the scene, he found the bear standing with his forepaws on the prostrate, squealing animal, and vigorously masticating a piece of fat and tenderloin that he had bitten from its back. As the rest of the family arrived his bearship became alarmed, and, taking a parting bite from his prostrate victim, turned and plunged into the forest. The most wonderful part of the whole performance was that the torn and bitten porker, though unable to walk to her pen, was placed in a sheltered position behind a large log, and was there cared for until she recovered from the effects of her adventure. And, though not thereafter particularly elegant in form, she lived to bring into the world a numerous progeny, and performed all her maternal functions as successfully as though she had not met with so narrow an escape and furnished a bear with a breakfast.

     The first bridge that spanned the waters of the Shiawassee in this town was built in the spring of 1836, near the old fording-place on the line between sections 15 and 22. Dyer Rathbun, who was moving to settle in the town of Burns, Shiawassee Co., arrived at Ezra Sanford's, and found the river swollen so greatly by the freshet as to be impassable. So he and his sons, assisted by Mr. Sanford and his hired man, set to work during the four days of their enforced stay and built the bridge, which enabled them to cross the stream and pursue their onward journey. It was a rude structure built of poles and logs, and after serving the pioneers as a place of crossing for two or three years, was abandoned in favor of a new, permanent bridge, nearly on the site of the present one.

     The first resident physician was Dr. Joel S. Stilson. He first settled in Deerfield. About 1845 he 

     The work of stopping the sale of liquor and thus cleaning out these places was largely performed by Judge Jacob Kanouse. Upon his election to the office of supervisor in 1848, he caused proceedings to be commenced against them, and procured indictments at the first grand jury meeting that year. He then suspended the prosecution provided they would stop selling, a promise the tavern-keepers were very glad to make, and which, so far as outsiders could learn, was carefully fulfilled. 449.

CIVIL AND POLITICAL

Upon the organization of this county, this town was made a part of the town of Howell, and so  continued until the spring of 1838, when the following act passed the Legislature, and was approved by the Governor, March. 6th, viz.:

     "SEC. 9.--All that part of the county of Livingston designated in the United States survey as township number four north, of range number four east, be and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township, by the name of Tuscola; and the first township-meeting shall be held at the house of James Sanford, in said township."

     According to this provision the first meeting was held at James Sanford's (which was John Sanford's residence), which fact is shown by the following record of the proceedings of that meeting:

    "At the first township-meeting of the electors of the township of Tuscola, in the county of Livingston, State of Michigan, held at the house of James Sanford's, on the 2d day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight, Calvin W. Hart was chosen moderator and Hiram Rix clerk of said meeting.

     "Names of Township Officers.--Alva Preston, Supervisor; Mason Phelps, Town Clerk; Alva Preston; Calvin W. Hart, Lott Pratt, Justices of the Peace; Justice ¥ Boyd, James Sanford, Hiram Rix, Assessors; Calvin W. Hart, Thomas Goldsmith, Robert Sowders, Commissioners of Highways; Calvin W. Hart, Hiram Rix, Alva Preston, Inspectors of Common Schools; James Sanford, Collector; James Sanford, William Riker, Abram Kanouse, Constables; Justice* Boyd, Elisha Goldsmith, Overseers of the Poor.

TOWNSHIP LAWS

     "Voted, that the Path Masters serve as fence-viewers, Pound-Keepers, and appraisers of Damage.

     "Voted, that every Path Master's yard shall be called a Pound for the ensuing year.

     "Voted, that a fence four feet and a half high shall be a lawful fence.

     "Voted, that the next annual Town-Meeting be held at the house of Ziba Stone's.

      "This I assert to be a true copy of the original.
     "Recorded this fourth Day of April, A.D. 1838.

     The place of holding town-meetings has always been of a migratory nature in this town, embracing the following range: in 1838 it was held at James Sanford's, on section 34; in 1839, at Ziba Stone's, on section 22; in 1840, at David H. Pearson's; in 1841-42, at Robert Ireland's; in 1843, at Anthony Clark's, on section 28; in 1844, at school-house in District No. 4; in 1845, at Nathaniel Smith's; in 1846, at Nathan A. Townsend's; in 1847, at Nathaniel Smith's; in 1848, at Nathaniel Davenport's; in 1849, at Mr. Fletcher's, on Ziba Stone's place; in 1850 at Dudley Woodworth's; in 1851, at Benjamin Crawford's; in 1862, at school-house near Mr. Crawford's; in 1853, at Chemungville; in 1854-5, at Nathan Grant's; and so it continues to shift about to the present day.

     The following list contains the names of all the officers of the town from its organization in 1838 till the present year of 1879:

CIVIL LIST OF COHOCTAH

     An effort was made in the spring of 1868 to have a town-house built. At the town-meeting a committee, consisting of Jacob Kanouse, Lewis B. Boyd, Arthur F. Field, Wm. Haskell, and Amos M. Eager, was appointed and empowered to locate a site, and post up notices containing specifications for the building, and to institute other necessary proceedings. They were to report at the next annual meeting. Their report stated that they had selected a site on land owned by J. N. Teller near Mrs. Davenport's. At this stage of the proceedings, for some reason, the project was abandoned, and was not revived until April 10, 1876, when a petition signed by 21 freeholders was presented, praying for a special town-meeting, to vote a tax of $600, for the purpose of building a town-house. The meeting was called and held at Daniel Neely's, on Saturday, April 29, 1876. The proposition to raise the tax was voted down, 39 voting for the tax and 96 against it.

     The first jury list was prepared by the assessors and town clerk, May 21, 1839, and contained three names--Anthony Clark, Eliel Stoddard, and Ezra Sanford, Jr.

     In 1837, while yet a part of the town of Howell, an assessment roll was prepared, which was the first one of which any trace now exists. The assessors by whom it was prepared were David H. Austin and Peter Brewer. The following portion of it contains the names of the resident tax-payers, the non-residents being omitted as of no particular interest in this connection:

     The first complete roll of this town was that of 1840, the names and taxes of the resident taxpayers being as follows:

      This tax was levied for the following purposes:

     From the foregoing statements we learn that in the eight years intervening between the first two assessments mentioned the proportion of resident to non-resident tax increased thirty-four-per cent., while at present the non-resident tax is a comparatively small amount. The valuation has increased in the forty-two years that have elapsed since the first assessment more than one thousand per cent.

     The first year's audit of accounts was as follows, part being audited March 19, 1839, and the rest March 26th:

     The reason for the giving of the name "Tuscola" to the town is unknown. It was probably chosen by some admirer of the aborigines, in honor of the Indian tribe of that name. On account of there being a Tuscola County in the State, it was thought best to have the name changed, and a petition was presented to the Legislature in the winter of 1856-57 for that purpose. An act was passed, and approved Jan. 29, 1857, which gave the town the name of "Bristol." This it retained only a short time, for, Feb. 5, 1867, the Governor signed a bill conferring on it its present name, "Cohoctah," which, it is supposed, was the name of a former Indian chief. The reason for this change is "one of those things, you know, that no fellow can find out."

     The town-meeting of 1841 evinced its good sense, literary taste, and appreciation of the usefulness of the press by voting that "the town should defray the expense of a State paper, to be kept at the office of the town clerk."

The following explains itself:

     "The Township Board of the Township of Tuscola met agreeable to previous appointment at the office of the Township Clerk for the purpose of providing to obtain Weights, Measures, Scales, and beams for the Township of Tuscola, and to appoint a sealer. The board agreed to procure dry measure of copper, Liquid Measures of Tin, and common scales, weights, and beam and a Drill and seal similar to those used by counties and Towns of this State. And we hereby appoint John Jones Sealer of said town. The Board agree to raise Fifty Dollars to obtain the above-named Articles and Contingent expenses."

"Tuscola, May 7, 1841

     On the question of temperance the town has usually been quite evenly divided, though it is now believed that the majority--and a larger majority than ever before--are opposed to the traffic. The only recorded votes on the question are three in (cont. in Part C.)