Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

ONONDAGA TOWNSHIP AND ITS HISTORY

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scendent of Oliver Booth is Gerdun Goold, a grandson, and son
of Gerdun Goold, another son-in-law of Oliver Booth.
Benjamin Rossman, from Cayuga county, N. Y., came to Michigan in 1834, and to Onondaga in 1836, bringing with him his wife,
Eliza Westfall Rossman, and seven small children. He purchased a farm one mile east of the village now owned by his son
Wallace.
Thomas Paddock Baldwin, from Dorsett, Vt., and later from
New York, learned through a land speculator of the wonderful
hunting in Michigan, came to investigate in 1836. He served
in the Vermont militia in 1812. He found two log cabins where
the village of Onondaga now stands. One occupied by the Booth
family and the other one empty, having been built by Lowing
Sherman (a veteran of the War of 1812), who had moved into
Jackson county. Later his son John returned to Onondaga and
built the Sherman house. He, with others, in 1870, laid out the
original plat of the village. It is said that he was instrumental in
getting the railroad through Onondaga instead of Kinnieville. A
great grandson of Lowing Sherman. Lowing Sherman Barnes,
still lives in the township.
Thos. P. Baldwin located large tracts of land and returned
home. He at once told Martin Sibley and William Wolcott, his
brothers-in-law, of the beautiful country he had visited, where the
forests were alive with wild game, and the clear running streams
with fish. They, with their young wives, Betsey Baldwin Wollcott
and Ruth Baldwin Sibley, came immediately to Michigan and
began planning homes in the wilderness. The Wolcott home is
occupied by Ed Holleken and the Sibley home by George Sibley,
a grandson. Thomas P. Baldwin remained in New York and
married Ursula Coleman.
In 1837, leaving his wife and infant son with his father, he came
again to Onondaga to build a home for them. He located one
mile west of the village, directly across the road from Benjamin
Rossman. This farm is now owned by his youngest son, Martin
Coleman Baldwin. Many times that winter Thos. Baldwin
walked to Jacksonburg for the expected letter from his wife.
In May, however, she with her baby, James Baldwin, accompanied by her husband's brother, Mosely A. Baldwin, and his wife,
Electa Gibbs Baldwin, came to the new home.