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

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OTHER STATIONS
Outside of the village of Orion, there is no settlement of any account
in the township. The only railroad stations are Eames and Cole, on the
Pontiac, Oxford & Northern line, the former in the southern part of
the township, and the latter just northeast of the center. Mahopac is
a little plat which has been laid out south of Mill lake in section 20.
MILFORD TOWNSHIIP FORMED
On December 30, 1834, the congressional township of Milford was
detached from Novi and erected into a separate body politic, Alfred
Hayes being its first supervisor and John Vincent, the first township
clerk.
REASON FOR NAME
The Huron river, which flows from a series of lakes in the adjoining township of Commerce to the east, enters Milford at about the
middle of section 13, passes northwest and west through the village by
that name, and thence, in a generally southwesterly direction into Kensington lake which stretches over the southern line into Lyon township.
Within the corporation of Milford, the Huron river receives Pettibone
creek from the north, which is the outlet of Pettibone lake in this and
the adjoining township of Highland. In its entire course through Milford township, the Huron is unobstructed by lakes, and has therefore
a strong and unimpeded flow; Pettibone creek is fed from the lakes
and highlands of the north, and the two streams were the means of furnishing such valuable water powers as to give both the village and the
township its name.
The first entry of land in Milford township was made by Amos
Mead in 1827. This was the west half of the northwest quarter of
section Io, and constitutes that portion of the village of Milford lying
north of the quarter line and west of Main street. iMr. Mead made the
entry for Levi Pettibone, from which fact originated the name of the
lakes and the creek.
THE RUGGLES BROTHERS
Elizur Ruggles purchased lands of the government in 1831 and in the
following year, with his brother, Stanley, located on what afterward
became known as the Armstrong addition of Milford village, in 1832,
Henry, the third brother, joining them in the following year. As
Elizur Ruggles was a bachelor and Stanley a widower, the two boarded
with a family named Parks, who moved into the township about the
same time. To accommodate them all a log house was built-the first
in the township.
PIONEER MILLS
In 1832 Elizur and Stanley Ruggles built the first sawmill at Milford, on the Huron river. They operated it until 1839, when it passed
into the possession of Stephen and John L. Armstrong. The Armstrongs retained and operated the plant until 1853, when, with the water
power, it was purchased by Major Hughes. The dam created so much