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.

448

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

England. The first house of worship was built in 1844, and the brick
church in 1875-76.
In the summer of I838 a Presbyterian church was organized, which
divided temporarily in 1841 into Congregational and 'Presbyterian
societies. In 1845 they reunited under the name of the United Presbyterian and Congregational church of Milford. The ecclesiastical relations
of the church have since been maintained with the Presbytery of Detroit. The original house of worship of the First Presbyterian church
of Milford was built in I845 and dedicated in I846 by Rev. Alson
Smythe. It was a small frame building with a stone foundation and a
seating capacity of three hundred and was completed at a cost of about
$3,000. In I900 a handsome brick structure was erected, complete in
every respect, with basement, dining rooms and parlors, at a cost of
$I5,ooo. Rev. A. C. Wilson, the present pastor, presides over a church
of 278 members. Among his predecessors since I839 have been Revs.
A. Worthington, S. Carey, Anson Smythe, E. S. Shepherd, W. P. Jackson, D. W. Shaw, B. F. Murdin, Henry M. Swift, Jasper W. McGregor and Rev. W. K. Ingersoll.
SOCIETIES
The Masons organized the first lodge (i65) at Milford in 1865, and
dedicated their first temple in 1869. The chapter (71) was organized
in 1870. In 1873 the Odd Fellows formed themselves into Pettibone
Lodge No. 208, and Knights of Honor No. 564 was instituted in 1877.
The G. A. R. had a post at a later day, and the Woman's Relief Corps
was organized in I888. The latter has a present membership of sixty,
and since its organization the following have served as presidents: Julia
Crawford, Eliza Smith, Mary Shelly, Lorena Babcock, Hattie F. Austin, Lena McCall, Belle Tower, Lelia Ormsby, Elsie Rexford, Addie
Bullard and Fanny Van Leuven.