party. A more complete sketch of his life appears elsewhere in this work.

     John How, Senior's, two daughters were married and lived in this town, and are still residents here. Susannah married Philander Sackner, who died Feb. 25, 1862, and is now living with her daughter. Mary married Ira O. Marble, and has since resided in the south part of the town.

     The second company of settlers consisted of William Hatt and his son-in-law, Horace H. Nottingham, and their respective families, who came early in the spring of 1836. William Hatt built a house near the south quarter-post of section 12, and Nottingham built his near the southwest corner of the same section. Mr. Hatt lived here until he removed to Argentine, where he died a few years since. His son, William Hatt, is now living on the homestead. Nottingham was a well educated man, one of the earliest school-teachers of the region, and held the office of school inspector several years. Some twenty or twenty-five years ago he lost his wife, and soon after removed to Grass Lake, Jackson Co.

     At about the same time the Bennett family made a settlement here. William and Benjamin Bennett were sons of Robinson Bennett, and were formerly from Springfield, Otsego Co., N.Y., coming early with their parents to Michigan, and settling in Salem, Washtenaw Co.. After their parents' death they decided to locate new farms, and came to Deerfield, in the fall of 1835, to locate their land. In April, 1836, Benjamin came with his wife and children, and built a large, double log house near the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 10 into  which they moved and where they lived for a good many years. It was at that time and for several years thereafter the largest and best house in the town. The public business was transacted there because of its size, which made it more convenient than other buildings. In a little more than a year after coming here his wife sickened and died, her's being the first death in the town, so far as known to the writer. He remarried, as is shown by the following extract from the town records which we give entire, as being an interesting memento of the early times:

     So far as known this was the first marriage solemnized in Deerfield, and the parties are both living, after forty-two years of wedded life, on their original homestead. Their present residence is on section 11 nearly opposite the site of the old log house. George Bennett, a son by his second wife, and Mrs. Matilda H. Wesley and Mrs. Christina Deitz, children by his present wife, are also at present residents of Deerfield.

     William Bennett was captain of a vessel on the lakes, and followed that calling for a number of years. He came to Deerfield, with his wife and three children, a few weeks later than his brother Benjamin, and built his house on the west side of North Ore Creek, at the foot of Bennett Lake, which received its name in honor of him. There he lived for fifteen years, when he removed to Argentine, went from there to Saginaw, and finally brought up in Detroit, where he died, Dec. 25, 1876. His wife survived him, and is now living in the city of Jackson. One of his objects in purchasing the land at the foot of the lake was that he expected to be able to utilize its outlet for a water-power, and during his life here he tried to fulfill this expectation by building a dam preparatory to the erection of mills at that point. But some one at Argentine bad been a little more expeditious in utilizing the stream, and had built a dam that sent the back-flow of water to the foot of Mr. Bennett's dam, who, seeing the folly of proceeding further, at once abandoned the project.

     James Pratt was another settler of 1836, coming from Salem, Washtenaw Co., with his wife (nee Clarissa Thompson) and one child. He was (though as a boy) one of the early residents of Michigan, coming with his father, Dr. Pratt, from Monroe Co., N.Y., in 1826. Upon his arrival here he built a log house on the southwest corner of section 2, where, several years later, he built his first frame house,--still standing, and now occupied by his son Allen. He was quite a prominent man in the town, though never a very ardent politician, and was elected to several town offices. In the fall of 1866 he sold his place to his son, Allen, and moved to Fenton, where he has since resided. His family consisted of four sons,--John E., who lives in Tyrone; Edwin S., in Traverse City; Jay F., in Argentine; and Allen, on the homestead.

     Joseph Walsh was a native of Lancashire, England, born and reared near Blackburn, and emigrated to this country with his wife and three children in 1828. After living a while on Long Island, N.Y., he came to Michigan, which was then a Territory, and took up some land in the towns of Lodi and Scio, in Washtenaw County. From there he kept writing back to his cousin, George Green, urging him to leave the old country, and come to America, where land was cheap and there was a good chance to do well. George's 422. brother, William, much impressed with the statements contained in these letters, decided to come, whether his brother did or not; and in January, 1832, he started for Liverpool to embark his brother accompanying him, though not intending, at least at that time, to leave England. But after they had got aboard the vessel, George concluded that he too would cross the ocean, and remained on board. The letter containing the directions for them to reach their destination had become badly worn, and upon their arrival in New York, the emigration officers hastily concluded that it must mean "Scio, Allegany County, N. Y.," and sent them to that place. The brothers arrived there and made inquiries for Joseph Walsh, but unsuccessfully, and finally learned their mistake. Being somewhat short of funds, and also determined to be independent and pay as they went, they both hired out to work for Judge Church, William as the gardener, and George as the family coachman. Mr. Walsh learned of their mishap, and came to Scio, expecting to take them back to Michigan with him, but the Judge would not release them unless they forfeited their wages, which they would not consent to do. So Mr. Walsh returned to Michigan, where George followed him in the fall of 1832. William became disgusted with America, and, in June, 1832, returned to England. Walsh and Green lived together in Scio till 1836, when they came to Deerfield. They first came in March, and entered 320 acres of land on sections 23, 24, 25, and 35, and built a log house, which stood near the site of the present residence of Mr. Green. They hired Thomas Parshall, Mr. Neff, and Samuel and Benjamin Griswold, all of Oceola, to break up 30 acres of the land on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 35, where there was a considerable plain. In the fall of 1836 they moved the family and goods, and occupied their house. In the spring of 1837 they built the first frame barn in the town, and a year later a large frame house, about thirty rods south of the log house, which was the first frame dwelling erected in Deerfield. Both these buildings are still in existence, and the latter is occupied by John Walsh, a son of Joseph. Joseph Walsh died in February, 1848. Of his children, Mrs. Ann, wife of Frederick Gurdon, Mrs. Jane, wife of Edward Bunting, Mrs. Ellen, wife of George Green, John and James Walsh are still residents of Deerfield; Mrs. Martha O'Connell lives in Tyrone; Mrs. Mary Cottrell in Fenton; and Joseph Walsh in Conway.

     George Green married Ellen Brindle, a stepdaughter of Mr. Walsh, in the summer of 1842, and continued to live with the family till 1856, all the business of both families having been transacted in common under the firm-name of Walsh & Green till after Mr. Walsh's death. Soon after this event the property was divided, and in 1856 Mr. Green built himself a house, a little north of the old log house, and went there to live. In February, 1872, this house was burned, and in the summer following the present residence was built. Both himself and wife are still living there in the enjoyment of peace and plenty, after many years of laborious toil to secure them. Four of their children are also residents of Deerfield. Their names are William and James, Mrs. Mary A. Hatt, and Mrs. Alice Holcomb.

     Among the settlers of 1836 were the Faussetts, who were of Irish descent, and who came here from Lodi, Seneca Co., N.Y. In the spring of 1836, Thomas and George Faussett, brothers, their brother-in-law, Henry Faussett, and their cousin, Thomas Sharp, came through Pennsylvania and Ohio to Oceola, where they hired Asa Parker to guide them through the surrounding country in search of land. On the 12th of May they entered their land, George and Henry purchasing 80 acres each, and Thomas and Sharp each taking a quarter section. They then worked on the Michigan Central Railroad until harvest time, when all but George returned East. Soon after, Thomas Sharp married Mary Faussett, a daughter of Richard Faussett, of Dundee, and in September a party was made up to start for Michigan. Thomas Faussett and his widowed mother, Thomas Sharp and his wife, Henry Faussett with his wife and one child, and William Faussett (a brother of Henry's who settled in Clinton County) composed the party. In Oakland County they were joined by George, and all came on to Deerfield together. They had to camp in the woods while a house was being built, which required several days to accomplish. The site selected was a little north of the Yellow River and near the centre of the northeast quarter of section 33. There they all lived until the next spring, when Sharp and Henry Faussett built houses of their own, the former on the southeast corner of section 21, and the latter on the northwest corner of section 33. Mr. Sharp died on his place about twenty-one years ago. Mrs. Faussett died March 6, 1838, a little over sixty years of age. Thomas Faussett was married, Sept. 16, 1841, to Miss Mary A. Marvin, of New Hudson, Oakland Co., and continued to live in the old log house till about 1846, when he built a better and larger log house near the northeast corner of section 33, on the site of his present residence, which was erected in 1861. Henry Faussett and wife, and George Faussett, who has never married, are also among the pioneers of the town, who are still its citizens. 

     423. Caleb Wood settled in 1836, on the corner of section 3, opposite James. Pratt's, and lived there till about twenty years ago, when he moved to Mundy, Genesee Co., where he is now living.

     One of the most prominent of the early settlers in Deerfield was Charles D. Topping, familiarly known as "Judge" Topping,--a title he obtained by having served as a side judge of the County Court. He was a native of Mentz, Cayuga Co., N.Y., and settled in Scio, Washtenaw - Co., in 1832-33. He entered his land, on sections 12 and 22, June 20 and July 7, 1836. Preparations having been made for the removal of the family then consisting of himself and wife and six children--late in the fall or early in the winter of that year, they and the household effects were loaded into three wagons, drawn by oxen, and started for their new home through a blinding snow-storm that continued nearly the whole of the three days that they spent on the road. They met with the usual experiences of the settlers, suffering some privations and having their full share of the fever and ague, but had no serious troubles. Mr. Topping was a very sedate, candid, and conscientious man, carefully exact in his speech, because he so greatly despised exaggeration and deception, industrious in his habits, but not over anxious to accumulate wealth, a respected citizen, and an honored member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. During his life in this town he held several offices, was treasurer one year, supervisor three years, and justice of the peace upwards of a score of years. He accumulated a competency, and afforded his large family of nine children the best education within his means. He sold his farm here and moved to Fenton, where both he and his wife died. Of his children, Mrs. Ellen S. Gardner, Mrs. Eliza Caruthers, Mrs. Kate Barber, and Albert D. Topping live in Newburgh, Shiawassee Co.; John F. and Charles H. live in Deerfield, the latter on the old homestead; James L. and Orlando live in Fenton; and William W. lives in East Saginaw. James L. and William W. served in the Union army, the former as second lieutenant of the 16th Michigan Infantry, and the latter as a private in the 20th Illinois Infantry. While the latter was sick in the hospital be was nursed back to health by the woman who, after the close of the war, became his wife, and is doing so much to make pleasant the life she was instrumental in saving.

     Henry I. Lown came from Western New York in the fall of 1836, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 34, building his house about one hundred rods from the present residence of Ira O. Marble. He became insane about nine years after coming here, and a couple of years later disappeared, and has not since been heard from. About the year 1852 his family returned to their former home in New York.

     Samuel Leonard was one of the first comers in the spring of 1837. He was a native of Great Barrington, Berkshire Co., Mass. About 1812 he started in life for himself, selecting the town of Brighton, Monroe Co., N.Y., as the field of his operations. There he met Miss Margaret Lindley, a daughter of a New Jersey family, to whom he was united in marriage. In 1826 he bought a 80 acre firm near the village of Penfield, in the same county, where he lived till he came to Michigan. In January, 1836, he came to Deerfield, selected his land, and returned East in the spring, stopping at Detroit to enter the three lots he had selected. After harvesting his crops and settling up his business he packed up and moved to Michigan. In the fall Mr. Leonard and his eldest son, Calvin W., came on and cut logs enough for a house, and in March, 1837, they again came on, and with the help of the Hatts and Nottingham, put up the house. As early as possible the family and goods were brought on and occupied the house, which stood on the northwest corner of section 14. Here they continued to live till the fall of 1866, when the place was sold, and they moved to Linden, Genesee Co. In the fall of 1868, Mrs. Leonard died, and from that time till his own death, in the spring of 1869, Mr. Leonard lived with his son, Calvin W., at Deerfield Centre. Four children--Calvin W., William, Orange W., and Mrs. Mary Bagg--are now living in this town. Mr. Leonard was a Whig in politics, and was not, therefore, called to office in this Democratic town, as he would otherwise undoubtedly have been. In his religious belief he was a Baptist, though not connected with any church here, and his wife at the time of her death had been a member of that connection upwards of forty years.

     Joseph Wise was of German ancestry--the name being more properly spelled Weiss, but the anglicized form being adopted by the present generation. He came from Prattstown, Steuben Co., N.Y., in the spring of 1835, settling in Southfield, Oakland Co. Two years later he moved to this town, where he purchased 180 acres of land. His house was built on the northwest quarter of section 1. He was accompanied by his wife, two sons, and a married daughter with her husband, Daniel T. Hyatt. Another daughter, Catharine, was then living in Marshall. He remained a resident of the town till his death, in 1867. His wife survived him about five years. Of his children, Joseph and Mrs. Benjamin Bennett are still residing in Deerfield; John lives in Argentine, Mrs. 424. Maria Hyatt, in Fenton; and Mrs. Christina Moore, in Genesee, Genesee Co.

     Daniel and Lorenzo Boutell were among the settlers in the spring of 1837. They were from Onondaga Co., N.Y. Daniel, with his wife, two sons, and one daughter, settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 30, and built his house at the southwest corner of the quarter section. He at once assumed quite a prominent part in town affairs, and frequently held office. He was the first collector, and served five years in that position. He also held the offices of assessor, high-way commissioner, constable, and supervisor In 1856 he removed to Saginaw County, and a couple of years later to Bay City, where he died eleven or twelve years ago, and where his wife and several children still reside. One son, George T., remained in this town, and died here but a few years; ago, at the age of thirty-two years. Daniel was a great fisher and hunter, a fluent. talker, and the most amiable of men in family and society. He was one of the first members of the Oak Grove Methodist Church, and lived an exemplary Christian life. Lorenzo Boutell settled on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 19 and built his house near the southeast corner of his lot. He was three times married, and by his third wife had one child,--a son,--named Chauncey, who is now living with his widowed mother on the homestead. Mr. Boutell's second wife was Mrs. Sarah Chapman, who died in 1840,and his third wife was Mrs. Polly Hart. He moved to Fenton. eleven or twelve years ago (1867-68), and died there in September, 1875, having been an invalid for several. years. He was a very social, agreeable, and benevolent man, much interested in church matters, and a member of the Methodist Church. He was not very deeply interested in the strifes of politics, but was elected to the office of overseer of the poor fifteen years, and, with the exception of three years, these elections were consecutive. Having no family of his own, he yet was very fond of children, and made this of practical use by taking a number of children at different times, and keeping them until they were able to do for themselves.

     Michael Bennett, with his wife and three small children, came from Northfield, Washtenaw Co., in the spring of 1837, and built a house near the north quarter-post of section 34. He was of Irish birth, and had lived for some time in Eastern New York before coming to Michigan. He purchased the north half of section 34 the year before he came here, and subsequently sold 120 acres to James Conklin who came here with him. He and his wife died some four or five years ago. Two of their sons are living on the homestead, and one daughter, Mrs. Mary, Downey, also lives in the town.

     James Conklin commenced living on the place he bought of Mr. Bennett, in 1839, and his mother, two brothers,--Patrick and Thomas,--and two sisters came at that time and lived with him for two or three years, when his sisters married, and his brothers went to live on section 27, where Patrick had bought a farm. The mother remained with James and died in 1843. In 1844 he married Margaret Dougherty, of White Lake, Oakland Co., and lived here till his death, which occurred some six or seven years ago. His wife survived him till the spring of 1879. Their children--two daughters and a son--are now living on the homestead.

     Robert Chambers and wife, and David S. Ireland, With a wife, four sons, and two daughters, came in company from Scottsville, Monroe Co., N.Y., in the spring of 1837, and settled in this town. Mr. Chambers settled on the northeast corner of section 29. He was for many years a prominent man in the town, was one of the first justices of the peace, and was once elected supervisor. He was a successful farmer, and brought his land under a state of high cultivation. About ten years ago he moved to Fenton, and died there in 1877. His widow is now living at Deerfield Centre.

     David S. Ireland bought the north half of section 28, and built his house on the northwest corner of the section. He died in 1848, and the family moved to Holly, Oakland Co., some time during the war.

     Bryan Corr, Dennis and Timothy McCarthy, John Ryan, and John Lyons were all Irish emigrants, who came here at different times and settled in different parts of the town. Corr is still living on section 24, where he settled in 1836. John Ryan settled on the county line, on section 3, at an early day, and died there in 1875. The McCarthys and Lyons came in 1837 and settled on sections 25 and 36. Timothy was killed at an early day by a falling tree, and Dennis died in this town some twenty years ago. Several other brothers and sisters have lived in Deerfield some portion of their lives, but none of them are here now, with the exception of one of them, Charles McCarthy.

     Samuel L. Bangs, with his wife and one child, and his brothers, Benjamin and Mark, came from Monroe Co., N.Y., and settled on the northeast quarter of section 24, in 1837. Lyman was quite prominent as a leader among the Whigs during his short stay here. In 1839-40 he moved to Ann Arbor. He subsequently emigrated to Illinois, where he is now living. Benjamin lived on what is now the McKeone farm till 1859 and then moved to Fenton, where he is still living. Mark left here 424a. 

Image of
COL. C. SUTHERLAND

     Among the early settlers of the city of Ann Arbor no name is more familiar to the people of Washtenaw than that of Col. Sutherland, and perhaps it may be said that no name is more carefully treasured or will be longer remembered by those who knew him. Col. Sutherland was born in Geneva, N.Y., Nov. 11, 1790. In 1828 he came to Ann Arbor, where he remained until 1834, when he removed to the town of Deerfield, where he purchased a farm, and where he lived until about 1850 when he returned to Ann Arbor, where he resided until his death, which occurred July 13, 1862. Col. Sutherland was a gentleman of the old school, a man of sterling integrity, with a firm and unswerving devotion to the right. Patriotism was one of the prominent points in his character. He enlisted in the war of 1812, and was employed by the government in making and repairing guns, which avocation he subsequently followed many years. During the war of the Rebellion he was frequently heard to express regret that he had not strength to bear arms in the defense of his country.

     Col. Sutherland was prominently identified with Deerfield. He held many positions of trust, and was everywhere recognized as a man of ability, a kind neighbor, and a firm friend.

     Solomon Sutherland, the youngest in a family of eleven, was born in Scio, in 1833. He resided in Deerfield until he came to Green Oak in 1860 where he now resides. He married Miss Myers, a granddaughter of John Myers, one of the town's first settlers.

425. in 1840 went to the State of New York, and from there to Illinois, where he engaged in the practice of the law. He has risen to considerable prominence there, having been a candidate for Governor.

     Castle Sutherland was formerly from Geneva, Ontario Co., N.Y., settled in Ann Arbor, in 1832, and came to this town in 1837, locating on section 12. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, and was familiarly known as "Colonel'' a title derived from militia service, or perhaps from actual service in the war of 1812. He arrived here some twelve or fifteen years, and then, his wife dying, he returned to Ann Arbor, and lived with his sons until his own death occurred, a score or more of years ago.

     One of the self-made men of this town is Joseph Chamberlin, who is now residing on the farm on which he originally settled forty-one years ago. He was formerly from Lester, Livingston Co., N.Y., and first came to this State in August, 1831, working in Saline, Washtenaw Co., for two years, and then returned to New York. Having purchased his time from his father, he worked until he had saved enough money to pay for two 80 acre lots of government land, and in May, 1836, bought the east half of the southeast quarter of section 25, in this town, and 80 acres adjoining it, in Tyrone. In 1838 he married Delia Kittle, of Groveland, Livingston Co., N.Y., and in November of that year came here, stopping eight weeks with Orson B. Stevens, in Tyrone, while building his house on the southeast corner of section 25. In 1874 he built his present tasty and commodious residence. During his life he has added 400 acres to his original purchase, and, having disposed of a portion of it, still retains upwards of 240 acres. Commencing life as a poor man, he has, by faithful industry and economy, succeeded in accumulating a competency, and has earned the reputation of a public-spirited citizen.

     Darius Lewis was a settler of 1838. In company with Nathaniel and Jabez Lindley, he came to locate his land in the spring of 1836. In October, 1838, he came from Newstead, Erie Co., N.Y., with his wife and two children, and settled on his land on section 15. There he lived until 1863, when he moved to Deer Creek, on section 6, and lived there till his death, January 1, 1871. He was rather a peculiar man, full of a nervous energy, and exceedingly tenacious in accomplishing anything he undertook to do. He was engaged in farming, but also practiced law in the justice's courts of this and adjoining towns, and acquired considerable reputation as a successful pettifogger. He was the first postmaster at the Centre, and enjoyed the distinction of being the only Whig or Republican ever elected to the office of supervisor of this town. His widow and two sons, Hartwell Philander, are still living in Deerfield.

     The Marbles have been among the most prominent families of the town since their arrival, in April, 1840. Ira Marble was a native of East Douglass, Mass. When a youth the family moved to    Dixfield, Oxford Co., Me., and there he afterwards married Miss Hannah Park. With her and three sons, in 1829, he came to Nelson, Madison Co., N.Y., rented a farm, and lived on it one year. Then he came to Ann Arbor and took up an 80 acre farm. Five years later he sold that, and took up another new farm of 80 acres, which he also cleared before coming to Deerfield. In 1840 he traded his Ann Arbor property with a Mr. Jones for 160 acres on section 26, in this town, and moved into the house he had built, about twenty rods east of the southwest corner of the section. Here he devoted his life to farming and dealing in real estate. At one time he owned 760 acres of land in this town. He was supervisor of the town three years, and retired from the office only because he would not accept it again. He gave each of his children a farm, or its equivalent, and retained a homestead of 170 acres. He died June 26, 1870, and his wife died Dec. 26, 1873. He had six children,--four sons and two daughters. The eldest of these, Moses P., married Elizabeth, a daughter of John Anderson, of this town, and is now living on the homestead with his second wife, formerly Mrs. Rhoda Graves; Enoch M. married Theresa Pike, a daughter of William Pike, and lived in this town till, some seven or eight years ago, he moved to his present home in Handy. He was quite prominent as a political leader of the Democratic party of this town, and served one year as constable, six terms as school inspector, two terms as highway commissioner, three years as town treasurer, four years as town clerk, and one year as supervisor. Ira O. married Mary, daughter of John How, Sr., in 1849, and is now living on section 34, on the farm he purchased from the heirs of Henry I. Lown. He has been prominent in political life, having held the offices of constable, school inspector, highway commissioner, treasurer, justice of the peace, and supervisor in this town,--the last-named office for four terms,--and has served one term as treasurer of the county. Oscar V. married Margaret, a daughter of John Anderson, and is now living in Nebraska, where he moved in 1878. Polly E. married John H. BristoI, and died in this town in September, 1869, Maria married John Merrill; and.is now living on section 21, in this town.

     426. William A. Hull and his son, Mishal, came from Newark, Wayne Co., N.Y., in the spring of 1845, and settled on section 22, on land they had bought of Rensselaer Pomeroy, who entered it in 1836. They were originally from New Jersey. In 1866, William A. removed to Hartland village, and died there a few years since. Mishal is still a resident of Deerfield and one of its prominent men, and is living on section 30 having removed there in September, 1878.

     No doubt there are others among the earlier residents who are worthy of special mention, and whom we would gladly give a place in this sketch had we material in hand to enable us to do so. Among them would appear the names of the Adams's, David Dickson, Joseph Hosley, B. W. Sherwood, Edwin P. Spencer, the Sellers family, E. F. Cooley, Sidney M. Hawley, Alfred Holmes, William Pike, Robert McGarry, Freeborn Luce, John W. Locke, James Van Benschoten, Lyman Lee, David Royce, William Payne, Bela Fenner, David B. Bradley, James Scullin, and others of more or less prominence in the subsequent history of the town. But it is impossible to go into detail as we have already transcended the usual limit of space assigned to this branch of the work. Before proceeding farther, however, We will give the earliest tax-roll of the town now to be found, or, rather, so much of it as contains the names of resident tax-payers. The earliest roll, of which any record has been preserved, was made in 1838, and a warrant for the collection of taxes, hereafter mentioned, was issued to Daniel Boutell, collector, by the Board of Supervisors, on the 6th day of October. It was signed by John How, Jacob Snell, Richard Lyon, Andrew Osborn, Robert Worden, Jr., Ralph Fowler, John J. Blackmer, George W. Lee, Joseph M. Becker, and Solomon Sutherland. The tax included the following items, viz.: For township expenses, $120.75; for township poor, $25. To which was added the State and county tax, the amount of which was not specified, and an additional sum of five per cent. for collector's fees. Only a small portion of this roll, containing the names of non-resident taxpayers, has been preserved, and for the first complete roll we are obliged to take that of 1844. We copy from that the names of the resident taxpayers, with the number of the section on which they were located, the number of acres assessed to them, the valuations of their real and personal estate, and the amount of their tax. The list is as follows:

426a. 

Image of Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Chamberlain

Photos BY J. H PHIPPS. FENTON MI

     Joseph Chamberlain, one of the pioneers of the town of Deerfield, was born in the town of Scipio, Cayuga Co., N.Y., May 13, 1814. He was the son of Ezekiel Chamberlain and Sally A. Palmer, who had a family of eleven children. The elder Chamberlain was a native of Thetford, Vt., and settled in Scipio in a very early day. He was an industrious, thrifty farmer, and highly esteemed. His father, Benjamin Chamberlain, was a Revolutionary soldier, who served seven years and participated in many of the decisive battles of the war. At its close he settled in Thetford, Vt, where Ezekiel was born, about 1764. When Joseph was six years of age his father removed to Livingston Co., N.Y. Up to the age of seventeen he worked on the farm with an occasional term at the district school. Frequently, after chopping all day, he pursued his studies far into the night by the light of hickory barks. At the age of seventeen he resolved to commence life for himself. He purchased his time of his father for the sum of one hundred dollars, and, with a scanty wardrobe and a few dollars in money, started for Michigan. He went to Saline, Washtenaw Co., where he engaged himself to work as a farm-hand at ten dollars per month. At the expiration of two years he returned to New York, where he remained several years.

     In 1836 he made a second visit to Michigan, and located one hundred and fifty acres of land where he now lives. He again returned home, and in the autumn of 1838 removed with his family, which consisted of his wife and one child. Here he has since resided, and in his chosen occupation has been very successful. He now owns a fine firm of three hundred and ten acres.

     The life of Mr. Chamberlain has been devoted to the cares of his farm and his family. He has never courted political advancement, preferring the quiet of the farm to the excitement of politics. In 1878, Mr. Chamberlain was married to Miss Fanny Reed, a lady of much culture and refinement. She was born in Virgil, Cortland Co., N.Y., April 29, 1836. When she was a babe her parents. emigrated to Michigan and settled in Jackson County. Mr. Chamberlain is emphatically a self-made man. Commencing life in a new county, with only a strong pair of hands and a robust constitution, he has attained success in whatever he has undertaken. 427.

     Of the experiences of the pioneers we can speak but briefly, though the trials and adventures they met with would be sufficient to fill a volume. The nearest trading point was at Pontiac for a number of years, and some went even so far as Detroit to find a market for their produce, and a satisfactory stock of goods from which to select what they wanted. When Howell was made the county-seat, and stores were established there, this trade was gradually transferred to that point. The grain market was at Pontiac until the building of the Grand River plank-road afforded a better transportation route from Howell. The pioneers had to go to Pontiac, too, to get their milling done, and each trip occupied at least four days, and often a. week's time would be necessary to complete it. On one occasion John How had to go to mill, and before going had to get wheat at Farmington. The trip was a long one, and before he returned the family's stock of provision had run very low, and for a few days they lived on bran pancakes and on buckwheat cakes, made from flour ground in a coffee-mill and screened in a flour-sieve. The boys, who were hard at work splitting oak-rails, used to speak feelingly of the unsatisfactory character of this kind of food as a strength-producer. The How family used to dress in deer-skin, and, before they learned to prepare the skins for themselves, used-to go to Shiawassee, where Alfred Williams kept a trading post, and get of him skins he had purchased of the Indians. Game of all kinds was abundant, and the usual supply of small fruits was found to assist the pioneers in providing a variety for their tables. The Irish settlers were strangers in a strange land, and did not understand the customs of the country. This ignorance, coupled with the natural superstition of their minds, made them very suspicious and fearful of everything they could not at once understand. Of course this has worn away, as time and experience have shown them its uselessness, but it was often the cause of curious misunderstandings and laughable mistakes. One of them had a large lot of hay to sell, and, hearing of it, one of his Yankee neighbors who was not known to him went to buy some. Coming up to him, he said, "Well, squire, I hear you have some hay to sell. How much do you ask a ton for it?" The unwonted appellation sounded so strangely to the foreigner's ears as to alarm him, and he refused to have anything to do with the person whose use of such a title in connection with his name he deemed to be a covert underhanded attempt, in some mysterious way, to deprive him of or abridge his liberty.

CIVIL AND POLITICAL

     When the county of Livingston was organized, this town formed a part of the township of Howell, and so remained till the spring of 1837. In the winter of 1836-37, the inhabitants began to think that they were entitled to become a separate political division, and held a meeting at the house of Charles D. Topping to consider the question. The meeting was held in the evening, and was attended by about a half-dozen persons. A petition was drawn up and signed preparatory to its presentation to the Legislature, and several names were proposed. This petition was duly forwarded, and the Legislature, ignoring all of the names proposed, gave the town the name that it pleased them to select. The act of erection read as follows:

     "SECTION 3. All that part of the county of Livingston, designated by the United States Survey as township four north, of range five and six east, be, and the same is hereby set off and organized into a separate township, by the name of Deerfield; and the first township-meeting therein shall be held at the house of Benjamin Bennett, in said township."

     As will be seen, the territory thus set off embraced the present town of Tyrone, which a year later was taken off and made into a new township.

     Pursuant to the provision of the act, the first town-meeting was held at the house of Benjamin Bennett; but the record of the meeting being kept 428. on loose paper, has, along with those of several succeeding years, become lost, thus making the task of procuring a list of officers laborious and perplexing.

CIVIL LIST OF DEERFIELD

     The following list contains the names of all the officers of the town of Deerfield, from its organization in 1837 to the present year, 1879, as far as it has been possible to learn them from any trustworthy source, either from records, or from 'memory when records failed. The books of this town, like those of most other towns, have generally been kept in a careless and slovenly, and utterly unbusiness-like manner, and the work of gleaning from them the statistics needed for a work of this character has been laborious, vexatious, and unsatisfactory. The present clerk, Mr. Cameron, is an exception to the, general rule. His books are kept in a tasty, methodical, and careful manner, rendering them ready for reference, and reliable as to statement. For the benefit.of future historians it is to be hoped that the citizens of Deerfield will continue so capable and efficient an officer in that position as long as he can be induced to accept it. With these preliminary remarks, we now introduce the list of officers, by years, as follows, viz. :

     The places at which the annual town-meetings have been held are as follows: in 1837-38, at Benjamin Bennett's; 1839, at Robert Ch