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.

416

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

liam Frenken, organist; F. C. Miller, chaplain; F. T. Taylor, sentinel.
The lodge has a total membership of sixty-four members.
Rochester Lodge No. 68, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was
instituted April 19, I866, by R. W. Dennis, grand master of Michigan,
and the first officers of the lodge were as follows: W. J. Weir, N. G.;
Dr. F. 1I. Wilcox, V. G.; C. S. Goodison, recording secretary; John H.
Hutaf, per. secretary; C. F. Cook, treasurer; L. Woodward, P. G.; H.
King, chaplain. Six candidates were admitted at the first meeting. The
present officers of the lodge are: H. Hotchkiss, noble grand; E. Louden,
vice grand; H. Bigger, financial secretary; G. Goodison, treasurer; A.
Steward, conductor; William Wood, warden. Present number of members about two hundred.
Rochester Rebekah Lodge No. 390, was organized on February 25,
I903, with the following officers: Worthy grand, Matilda Fisher; vice
grand, Gertrude Fox; recording secretary, Emma Drabner; financial
secretary, Louise Heinze; treasurer, Ann M. Goodison. The present
officers are: Worthy grand, Eda Goodison; vice grand, Carolyn Spaulding; recording secretary, Gertrude Fox; financial secretary, Eva Livingston; treasurer, Lena M. Bridges. The lodge has a Ipresent membership
of seventy-seven members.
B)IOLO(ICAL Ft\ARM, PAR\KD\LE
Close to the village of Rochester is situated one of the most unique
enterprises known to the country,-the Biological Farm at Parkdale,
owned and operated by the Biological and Research department of Parke,
Davis & Company, wholesale druggists, of Detroit, Michigan. This progressive concern has for many years been deeply engaged in the study
of therapeutics and has given valuable aid to medical science through
their research department.
In 1908, in the furtherance of their work, it was decided best to purchase a suitable farm near Detroit where horses producing antidiphtheric
and other sera, cattle producing small pox vaccine, and other animals,
might be kept under the best possible natural conditions. After a great
deal of search it was finally concluded that the district around Rochester,
offered almost ideal conditions, the country being rolling uplands with
a certain amount of well drained river bottoms, thus offering a variety
of forage grasses throughout the grazing season.
The farm consists of three hundred and forty acres, located directly
east of and immediately adjacent to the corporate limits of the village
of Rochester. It is most excellently drained by Clinton river, which
crosses the farm from the west, and Stony creek, which crosses it from
the north, joining Clinton river on the premises. All low spots have been
drained by tiling. Clinton river and Stony creek are natural trout streams,
the water being clear, cold and swiftly flowing, their sources being in the
numerous springs in the gravel hills extending along their banks. In
those fields which are not supplied naturally by the streams, springs
have been developed and their waters conveyed into large cement troughs,
which insures that every field in which animals are kept is well supplied
with the best of living water. Special endeavors are being made to de