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

291

PONTIAC VILLAGE INCORPORATED
The village of Pontiac was incorporated by legislative act approved
by the governor March 20, 1837. Its original limits were one and a half
miles square, including all of section 29, the north half of section 32,
the west half of section 28 and the northwest quarter of section 33,
comprising an area of 1,400 acres. The first regular election for village officers was held at the court house on the first day of May, 1837,
and the result is told on the first page of the first book of village and
city records, still in a good state of preservation in the possession of the
city clerk of Pontiac. The words are as follows: "At a meeting of the
qualified electors of the village of Pontiac held at the courthouse in said
village on the first day of May, A. D., 1837, pursuant to public notice,
to elect seven trustees of said village, Origen D. Richardson and Amasa
Bagley were elected (viva voce) judges of said election.
"Origen D. Richardson was sworn by J. P. LeRoy, Esq., and Amasa
Bagley and James A. Weeks were sworn by O. D. Richardson, in conformity to law. After the ballotting and canvassing were finished, it
appeared that Schuyler Hodges received IO5 votes; Randolph Manning
103 votes; George W. Williams, 103; Gideon O. Whittemore, Io6; Orisen Allen, 103; Benjamin Davis, IOO; Daniel LeRoy, IO5; David Paddock, 57; William Draper, 54; Seth Beach, I56; Alonzo Barber, 54;
John P. LeRoy, 58; Elkanah B. Comstock, 57; Abel H. Peck, 57; and
scattering, 4.
"Origen D. Richardson then declared to the meeing that Schuyler
Hodges, Randolph Manning, George W. Williams, Gideon O. Whittemore, Orisen Allen, Benjamin Davis and Daniel LeRoy were elected
trustees for the village of Pontiac for the current year.
"The meeting was then adjourned.
"We hereby certify that the foregoing is a true account of the proceedings of the meeting for the purposes aforesaid.
"0. D. RICHARDSON
"AMASA BAGLEY, Judges of Election.
"JAMES A. WEEKS. Clerk.
"I hereby certify that I have this day notified the within Schuyler
Hodges, Randolph Manning, George W. Williams, Gideon O. Whittemore, Orisen Allen, Benjamin Davis and Daniel LeRoy that they were
elected trustees for the village of Pontiac for the current year.
"JAMES A. WEEKS, Clerk of within named election.
"Recorded May 8th, A. D., I837. JAMES A. WEEKS, Clerk."
Thus with due formality and solemnity, was the nucleus of Pontiac village created. On the 8th of May six of the trustees elected met
at the courthouse-Messrs. Hodges, Manning, Whittemore, LeRoy, Williams and Davis-were sworn into office and elected Daniel LeRoy president. James A. Weeks was chosen clerk.
EARLY TRUSTEE MEETINGS
At a meeting held a week thereafter the by-laws creating the village
offices and defining their duties, drafted by Messrs. Manning, WhitteVol. I-19