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

35

WATERFORD AND INDEPENDENCE
In town 3, north of range 9 east, now called Waterford, Major
Oliver Williams, called by the Indians, Togee, settled on the west bank
of Silver lake, in I819, on section 13. His brother-in-law, Alpheus
Williams and Captain Archibald Phillips, settled early at the crossing
on the Clinton river, where the village of Waterford now stands and
erected there a sawmill as early as 1824. David Mayo purchased on
the 25th of September, 1821; Captain Chesley Blake, Harvey Durfee
and Austin Durfee in 1822; Harvey Seeley, John S. Porter, Samuel
Hungerford, W. M. Tappan, Thaddeus Alvord, Charles Johnston and
Joseph Voorheis, in I823.
In town 4, north of range 9 east, now called Independence, Alpheus
Williams made the first purchase on the Ioth of October, 1823.
The point was well known to the Indians, and by them called Saepee.
In I819, Major Joseph Todd, William Lester and Orrison Allen, were
residents in the village; in the same year Calvin Hotchkiss and Jeremiah Allen entered lands, and Judah Church in I820.
In 1821 Abner Davis, Eastman Colby, Alexander Galloway, Rufus
Clark, Enoch Hotchkiss and James Harrington purchased; and these
men, with G. W. Butson, John Edson, Joshua S. Terry, Joseph Harris,
Stephen Reeves and Capt. Joseph Bancroft, were among the early settlers
of the town of Pontiac.
ORION AND OXFORD
In town 4 north, range Io east, now called Orion, Judah Church and
John Wetmore made the first purchase; on the I8th of October, 1819,
they purchased a lot on section I9, being the first choice, in what was
known as the Big Pinery. In 1824, Moses Munson, Powell Carpenter,
Jesse Decker, Phillip Bigler, Jonathan Pinckney and Simeon Simmons
purchased. Alexander McVean, David Bagg, John McElvery and Daniel
McVean, were among the early settlers.
In town 5 north, range Io east, called Oxford, the first purchase
was made by Elbridge G. Deming, on the 28th of January 1823. But
few inhabitants settled in this town until 1833, when Joseph Rossman,
Fitz Rossman, John Shippy, John Wellman and S. Axford purchased.
Daniel Applegate, Jeremiah Hunt, Jutish Bixley and Messrs. Van
Wagoners were among the early settlers.
The plains about the village of Oxford were passed over by those
seeking for farms for many years; and places less valuable were settled
in the far off forests, under the supposition that those were valueless
for agricultural purposes. Thus one of the best portions of the county
remained uncultivated till a late period.
ROYAL OAK AND TROY
In town I north, range I east, called Royal Oak, L. Luther and
D. McKinstry made the first entry; on the 6th of July, 1820, they entered a part of section 33. In 1821, Henry Stephens, Alexander Camp