History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND.COUNTY

93

family I was a young girl and testify of my own knowledge that the
above facts are true as I heard them related by my grandmother, Lydia
Potter, in my childhood.
"ABIGAIL H. McARTHUR."
"State of Michigan, County of Lapeer-On this g9th day of August,
I9II, personally appeared before me, a notary public in and for Lapeer
county, Michigan, Abigail H. McArthur who being duly sworn deposes
and says that the above is true to the best of her knowledge and belief.
"WM. E. MCCORMACK, Notary Public."
JAMES HARRINGTON AND JACOB PETTY
James Harrington's name appears as one of the earliest pioneers of
this county, coming to Pontiac in I820 or 21. He made the first purchase of land in the township of West Bloomfield on the I5th of May,
1823. He entered the entire section 36. He served in the Rhode Island
troops as corporal in the Revolution. He died in Oakland county I825,
aged sixty-two. His wife was Martha Gould and his daughter Mary
married Elias Gates.
Jacob Petty, of Independence, Oakland county, claimed to have
belonged to Washington's bodyguard. His remains were removed from
the farm where he died, to the cemetery at Sashabaw Plains, Oakland
county.
JOHN BLANCHARD AND ALTRAMONT DONALDSON
John Blanchard's name is given in the pensioneer's list of I840, his
residence is mentioned as White Lake, and his age as seventy-seven. The
county records show that a John Blanchard of Farmington in 1834 deeded
land to his daughter, Sophia Laqui, which in 1852 was sold by Sophia
and Abraham Lakey to Ira F. Gage. In 1835 John Blanchard deeded
eighty acres of land to his son David, whose wife was Sally. David
owned the west one-half N. E. quarter section 17 and deeded same to Benjamin Sage in 1839. John Blanchard's former residence was Meredith,
Delaware county, New York.
Altramont Donaldson, another soldier given in the pension list, was
aged seventy-seven and resided at Holly in 1840. No further information can be given concerning him.
JOSEPH VAN NETTER
Joseph Van Netter was the first Revolutionary veteran to file an
application for pension in the Oakland county court. On the date of
his sworn statement February 12, 1822, he was fifty-nine years old. He
enlisted for one year, in April, 1775, in Captain Wendell's company of
Colonel Wynkoop's regiment, in the line of the state (colony) of New
York, Continental establishment, served till November, and then reenlisted for the war, in the same company and regiment, the latter then
commanded by Colonel Van Schaick. He completed his term of service,
being engaged with the enemy at the battles of Monmouth and York