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.

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HIISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

and some of them are more than sixty years old. On the north and
west sides of the orchard are green walls more than thirty feet high,
which are formed by hundreds of fir, pine, spruce and hemiock trees,
which were planted as a wind break years and years ago.
"The orchard yielded one thousand barrels of apples last year, every
one of which was handled by the old man. He brought them into Holly
to be shipped. Mr. Rood was in California for three years in the
fifties, and he spent a week at the world's fair at Chicago. These were
his longest trips away from home."
I)ESCENDANTS OF THE PI(ONEERS
Not long ago the venerable Thomas L. Patterson, of Holly, remarked to the writer that there were few localities in Oakland county
in which so many of the descendants of the pioneers still resided on the
old homesteads as in Holly township. In the following contribution to
this history he proves his assertion: "The record discloses," he writes,
"that Nathan Herrick took from the government the first patent for
land in the township on section i. Soon after, Mr. Gage located on
section 6. A little later Terrence Fagan also located as among the first,
as did also George Mitchell, who located on sections 9 and Io. Hugh
BIelford was also among the oldest.
"This reminiscence is not undertaken or given to individualize, b1ut
to show some of the work and the lessons taught by the early pioneers
that have been recognized and adhered to by their children, heirs and
kindred, and to estimate a percentage of the original locations that are
still kept in the families of the pioneers.
"The years 1835-1839, took all or nearly all of the government lands
in Holly. That is, the lands were mostly located and settled by pioneers
within those years. Of the lands located in the first five years of the
thirties, there are but eight of the locations so made by them that are
held by descendants in direct line, viz.:
"Land of Hugh Ielford, held bv his sons, Joseph and Hf-enry, on
sections 3 and 4.
"Land of John D. Parker, held by his son Henry, on sections 5 and 6.
"ILand of William Gage, held by grandchildren, in part, Mrs. John
Fagan and George White, on section 6.
"Land located by Morris -Green, held by himself and son.
"Land located by George Mitchell, held by his son, David Mitchell.
"Land located by Terrence Fagan, held by his grandson, William
Fagan, on section ii.
"Land located by iDarius Austin on sections o1 and 15, held by his
(laughter Nellie.
"Land located by Jonathan T. Allen. held by his granddaughters,
daughters of Mr. Ira Allen, Mrs. J. W. Mfothersill and.Mrs. T. S. Patterson, on section 35.
"There are now owned and occupied by the kindred of those who
located lands in the township in the last five years of the thirties, fifteen
families, viz.:
"Land located b1 Samuel Green, held 1)v himself, on section 4.