History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

CHAPTER VI.

SKETCHES OF HISTORY
In local history, a large number of important events have to be
recorded, some of which claim a detailed account, others merely a
mention. In the former instance a chapter may be devoted to
each topic, while in the latter it is only necessary for the writer to
group all in one section or chapter of the book. Here, then, will
be treated smaller items which go to make up a county history.
Each of them gained some attention from the people of the past,
some of them are known to those of the present, and all will be
instructive to the coming generations.
ERA OF TERRITORIAL ROADS.
Some years after the great western highway to Chicago was laid
off, the Council of the Territory directed some attention to the
northern districts, and declared, ' that there shall be established
a Territorial road from Mt. Clemens up the north branch of the
Clinton, following as near as practicable the route of an old survey, to Romeo, thence on the most elegible and direct route to the
to the seat of justice in the county of Lapeer; thence to the seat
of justice in the county of Saginaw; thence to the northern extremity of the Peninsula; thence to the Sault Ste. Marie in the
county of Chippewa. The commissioners appointed to establish
this great thoroughfare were Daniel L. Roy, Horace H. Cady and
Nathaniel Squires. If they were unable to perform the entire
duty, they were instructed to establish the road, at least, as far as
the seat of justice in Saginaw county. This authority was given
by a Legislative enactment under date of March 4, 1831, and the
duty of the commissioners carried out faithfully so that within the
succeeding year the northern highway was open to immigrants.
Within the 12 months succeeding, the people of the township
of the county of Saginaw desired to lay out township roads.
Eleazer Jewett was appointed deputy county surveyor.
The earliest records of road surveys made in Saginaw township,
are reviewed as follows:
A survey of a road from Saginaw to the Tittabawassee river was
made by Eleazer Jewett, April 12, 1832. This roadway extended
a distance of 11 miles and 9.57 chains from a point near the corners of sections Nos. 23, 24, 25 and 26, township 12 north, range
4 east, to a point one chain east of the east bank of the Tittabawassee in section 2, township 12 north, range 3 east,
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