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.

H-ISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

351

ganization to the present date are: I. W. Ruggles, I824-28; George Hornell, I828-32; Noah M. Vells, 1833; J. F. McEwen, 1834; George Howell, 1835; L. P. Bates, 1841-45; Charles Rockwell, 1846; J. A. Clayton,
1847; Luke Stafford, I848; William Hamilton, I849; W. P. Jackson,
1850-5I; Joseph Penney, I852-53; J. W. Cooper, I854-56; W. P. Mosher,
1857-6I; J. H. Jennison, 1861-64; W. J. Parrott, 1871-73; C. R. Wilkins, 1873-75; J. Mills Gelston, I875-78; W. S. Jerome, I888-I898; S. H.
Thompson, I898-I899; J. R. Mitchell, I900-I902; Charles E. Blanchard,
1904 to 19I1." Rev. J. R. J. Milligan is the present pastor of the church.
How TIlE FIRST CHURCH WAS BUILT
The following is vouched for, by an old settler (who told the story
at a meeting of the County Pioneer Society in 1874) as the origin of the
building of the first Presbyterian church in Pontiac:
"One cold, stormy night in the fall of 1831, Samuel C. Munson and
E. P. Hastings-the former at present an honored citizen of East Saginaw, and the latter has passed away-having been visiting the pinery
north of Pontiac, returned to that then little hamlet wet and chilled
to the bone, besides being hungry as bears. In accordance with the
usual custom of those days, our friends stopped at the village tavern,
kept by Solomon Close, of happy memory, whose suggestive sign-'Entertainment for man and beast'-had for them an attraction, the power
of which, under the circumstances, was really not to be resisted. As
they crossed the threshold of the room the glitter of the well-filled decanters behind the bar and the genial warmth of the crackling fire in
the old fashioned fire place made them feel that their lives had fallen
in pleasant places. After their tedious day's tramp, being hungry as
bears, as we before intimated, they concluded they would take supper
with mine host before going home, which they accordingly ordered.
Both being of a social nature, a further inducement to remain was a
company of old chums, some of whom were seated around a table playing euchre. Among these were Daniel Leroy, G. O. Whittemore, H. N.
Howard, J. J. Garland, Frank Darrow, E. W. Barber, E. Comstock, a
Mr. Palmer, and a few others, making in all, including our two friends,
seventeen individuals.
"After partaking of a hearty meal, Munson was invited to take a
'hand' with the card players. His companion having been, we believe, a
church member 'down east,' did not choose to participate in their pastime.
He, however, had something else in his head beside a game of cardsa project which he wished to have carried into execution, and it occurred
to him then and there that this was the time to introduce the subject that
had been long near his heart; and that was the building of a house of
worship in Pontiac. And when we reflect that in these early days the
name of Pontiac was synonymous with that of a certain hot location
whose chief product enters into the manufacture of matches, we cannot
but be impressed with the importance of the mission our Friend Hastings
had in view. Therefore, clearing his throat he called out: 'Gentlemen, I have a few words to say to you this evening, and would like
your attention a short time. You all have at some period in your lives