Birmingham, Mich. : its past, present and future.

BIRMINGHAM, ITS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

THE POWER HOUSE.
The Detroit and Pontiac Electric Car power house is a mammoth brick building, seventy by one hundred and thirty feet. The
machinery in the building are three boilers with a combined capacity
of four hundred horse-power, two Westinghouse engines of three
hundred horse-power each, and three large dynamos with a combined power of six hundred and seventy horse-power.
THE SECRET SOCIETIES
consist of Birmingham Lodge No. 44, F. and A. M., the K. of P.,
the Foresters and the Maccabees. All of these societies are in a
flourishing condition and hold regular meetings.
TELEPHONES AND TELEGRAPHS.
The Western Union, Postal Telegraph, Michigan and New
State Telephones, also the National Express Co. have offices here.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
THE FIRST ACCOUNT of Methodist worship in Birmingham is that of a sermon preached by a traveling itinerant in the
Willits log tavern in 1821. The first records of the church preserved date back to 1838. The charge was then a circuit and included Southfield, Red School House, Royal Oak, Pontiac, Auburn
(now Amy), XVaterfcrd and other places. Josiah Brakeman was
pastor of the circuit. The first records of the present society date
back to 1854, Salmon Steele, pastor. From 1854 to 1898 there have
been twenty-six pastors. The present fine brick church was built
in 1875, and the church has now a total of two hundred and ten
members, an increase of thirty-five during the past two years. Rev.
Eugene Allen, the present pastor, was born in Addison, Lenelle
Co., Mich., and received his primary education at Detroit and Pontiac. He graduated at Albion College in 1895 and his first church
was at Watrousville, Tuscola Co. He came to Birmingham in the
fall of 1896 and has the respect and esteem of the people of Birmingham.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
The history of the Baptist church extends back to 1833. The
church was first organized as the "Regular Baptist church of
Bloomfield." The members were few in numbers and poor in
worldly goods. Having no regular place of worship, the meetings
were held at the houses of members. The organization was continued with difficulty until 1840, when it was dissolved. The Rev.
J. M. Martin was the last and probably the only pastor. For a
period of thirty years after this there was no Baptist organization
in Birmingham. The present organization was effected in 1870 and
the church built in 1873. Prior to this two lots were purchased on
Saginaw street.nd arrangements were made to build there, but the
project was not carried out, and meetings were then held in the old
Academy building, and later in the Methodist meeting house. Rev.
F. L. Church, the present pastor, was born in Holly, attended the
University of Michigan and has been a resident of Birmingham
about one year. He is an able preacher and a man of high
principles.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The organization of the present Presbyterian Church Society
was effected in 1834, and the church was built about the year 1850.
The membership at this time is about eighty members. The church
and Sunday school is in a flourishing condition. Notable among
the members of this church in the past were Tilman C. Trowbridge
and James Quick. both of whom were educated at the University of
Michigan and became foreign missionaries, the former going to
Turkey and the latter to India. Rev. Augustus Marsh, the present
pastor. was born in Aurora, Erie Co., N. Y., is a graduate of Michigan University and of the Aul.rn Theological Seminary, New
York. He came to Birmingham ii, 1889. Mr. Marsh has the lovt
and esteem of all who know him.
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
This Church Society was organized in 1896-but two years ago
-but during this short time they have accomplished a great deal.
A year ago they erected a very handsome little church, and have
now about sixty members. Although the church is temporarily
without a pastor, meetings are held regularly every Sabbath day.
ST. JAMES PROTESTANT EPISCOP LL CHURCH.
The St. James church was erected in 1895. and the first services
held in it on November 24th of that year. It is by all odds thc
prettiest church in Birmingham. The church has a good membership, but no resident pastor. The Rev. Sidney H. Woodford, of
Detroit, conducts the services, which are held regularly.
THE NEAREST CATHO~LIC CHURCH
is at Royal Oak, about four miles southeast of Birmingham. The
Capuchin Fathers are in charge,

THE ADVENTIST CHURCH.
This church was established here in 1878. Regular meetings
are held, and there being no resident pastor, services are conducted
by one of the elders of the church. The membership is about
twenty.
Of the future of Birmingham there can be no doubt. Situated
as it is eighteen and one-half miles northwest of Detroit, and
seven miles southeast of Pontiac, in the County of, Oakland, upon
a high tableland and surrounded by a rich farning district, the
town is bound to grow rapidly during the next few years. The
population is now over one thousand souls, and this place is said
to be one of the healthiest spots in the whole state. The townspeople of Birmingham are an educated and highly cultivated people.
Moreover, they are a home-loving people, as the extraordinary
number of pretty houses in the place will testify. We can, with the
greatest sincerity, recommend the town of Birmingham to anyone
in search of a home with the pleasant<-t surroundings.
OLD RESIDENTS OF BIRMINGHAM.
HUGH IRVING was born in the north of Ireland in 1815 and
went to England in 1819. Came to Birmingham in 1849 and engaged in the hardware trade, which he continued for forty-two years.
He retired in I802, and Mr. and Mrs. Irving are now enjoying the
quiet reward of lives well spent.
ALANSON PARTRIDGE was born in the Township of Cato.
New York State, in 1827. Came to Birmingham when but six years
of age. He followed the occupation of wagon and carriage builder
from 1846 to 1870 and then retired.
MRS. ELIJA WILLITS is the oldest living resident of Birmingham to-day, and has reached the advanced age of eighty-eight
years. She was married to Mr. Willits in Birmingham in 1829.
and has resided here continuously ever since. She was Mr. Willits'
second wife and had seven children, only one of whom is now
living-Mrs. Hubbard Lee, who resides with her mother at the old
homestead.
JAMES GRINLEY was born in Scotland in 1814 and when
he was ten years of age his father came to America and settled in
New Jersey. Mr. Grinley came to Birmingham when he was
fifteen years of age. He was a painter by trade and kept hotel here
for about two years. He atid his wife are now living quiet, retired
lives at their home in Birmingham
EDWIN BALDWIN was born in Vergennes, Vt., in 1802. He
reached Detroit in 1817 and started the first ferry, a rowboat, there.
He came to Birmingham in the year 1819 and engaged in farming,
and lived here until his death in 1888. Mrs. Baldwin is still living
at the advanced age of eighty-three years, at the old homestead on
Maple avenue west.
TOHN BODINE was born in New Jersey in 1815. He came
to Birmingham in 1855 and engaged in the clothing and tailoring
business. He was a justice of the peace here for seventeen years.
He and his wife are living in quiet retirement at their home on
Maple avenue west.
HUBBARD S. LEE was born at Gulford. Ct.. in 1822, and
cane to Birmingham in 1843. He was engaged in the mercantile
business and retired in 1868. He has lived in the olace almost
continmucmnsly since 1843. Mr. Lee married the daughter of Mrs.
Eliia Willits. and Mr. and Mrs. Lee are now living at the old
Willits homestead on Saginaw street, enjoying well-earned rest.
OPRIN POPPLETON was born in Richmond, Ontario Co.,
N. Y.. in 1817. He camne to Michigan in 1825 and settled in Birrcinyhnm in I840. He engaged in the general merchandise business,
w,,ihich he continued Un to the time of his death in 1892. Mrs. Poppleton, who is still living at the advanced age of eighty-three years,
Came to Birmingham at the same time that her husband did,
pt1hogh, they were not married at that time, but were married in
Birmingham.
In addition to the above, the names of Gaylord Simpson, Lewis
S;iinson. Patrick Wilson. Herbert Hall, Palmer Sherman, Mrs.

Mary Bloomberg, William Satterlee. Mr. and Mrs. Asher Parker,
olin B. Adams and Edward Miller may properly be added to the
Jist of old residents of this vicinity.