History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, profusely illustrated with portraits of early pioneers, rare pictures and scenes of olden times, and portraits of representative citizens of today, [Vol. 2]

420

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY

years, natural channels through which it passes to some little brook. These
rivulets, in turn, augmented by the waters of other small spring-fed channels,
gradually assume the size of creeks which, flowing on and draining more
lands, at length become small rivers. These, multiplying in depth and force,
finally join to form the principal waterways.
In drilling for spring water, of that quality free from mineral or other impurities, the average depth necessary to reach an abundant supply in Brant is
said to be from sixty to two hundred feet, although in some places excellent
water has been found at a depth of only twenty-five feet from the surface.
Organization
As early as 1857 the settlers of this favored district thought it expedient
to organize a separate township, and nineteen electors made application to
the county board, asking that the territory now known as Brant and Marion
should be established as a township under the name of Brant. On the eighth
of January, 1858, the application was granted by the following resolution:
"The board of supervisors orders and enacts that the territory described as
township number 10, North, of range 1, East, and township number 10, North,
of range 2, East, be, and the same, is hereby erected into a township, to be
called and known by the name of the township of Brant. The first annual
meeting thereof shall be held at the house now occupied by Albert A. Aldrich,
on the first Monday of April, 1858, and at said meeting, John B. Adams, Ezra
T. Cogswell and Thomas Berry, three electors of said township, shall be the
persons whose duty it shall be to preside at such meeting, and exercise the
same powers as the inspectors of election at any township meeting, as the law
provides."
First Township Meeting
The first township meeting was held on April 5, 1858, at the place above
designated, and with the inspectors named in the order presiding. The nineteen voters present elected Thomas Berry supervisor; John B. Adams, clerk;
Ezra T. Cogswell, treasurer; Bushrod W. Lamb, Bradley Adams, Jason B.
Eldridge, C. L. Luther, Jason P. Eldridge and Benjamin Colville, justices of
the peace; Alpheus Oliver and Bradley Adams, school inspectors; Purchase
R. Hill, Albert A. Aldrich, Charles H. Cogswell and G. M. Campfield, constables; and Bradley Adams, overseer of the poor. The latter office was
almost superfluous, as there were none so poor as to require public aid, and
the township was too distant from the main highways and villages to attract
ordinary tramps.
Schools
The education of their children received due attention of the electors of,Brant, and in two decades the primitive log school house, with its rude
benches and box stove, gave way to larger and more conveniently arranged
buildings. In 1881 there were seven school districts, each with its own
school; and the total enrollment of pupils was three hundred and thirty-four.
The average attendance was two hundred and thirty-three, the pupils being
instructed by twelve teachers, of whom three were men. At the present writing (1918) there are eight schools, mostly well built and equipped, in sections
2, 5, 14, 15, 20, 28, 30 and 35; and instruction and training is said to be of as
high a standard as in any of the county schools.
Honored Pioneers
Perry Crane, a prosperous farmer of Brant, was born in Canada in 1837.
He came to this district in 1858 and purchased eighty acres of land for three
hundred dollars, giving one horse, valued at one hundred dollars, in part payment, and working at the carpenter's trade to pay the remainder. By great
industry he cleared the land and accumulated more property, so that in