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

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COONTY.

man-western continuation of Plank Road-Williams, Hayden,
Millard, Thomson, Hoyt and Emerson. The streets running north
and south, parallel with the river, were named, Water, Washington, Franklin, Cass, Jefferson, Warren, Webster, Clay and Rockwell.
The additions to the city since that period have been made by
well-known citizens. Some few of them are comparatively insignificant in area, but valuable on account of the magnificent buildings erected thereon.
The Genesee plank road was built in 1850, stage coaches placed
on the road, and a postoffice established. During the year the first
store was opened by Alfred B. Hoyt and James Little.
The first school building was erected on the site of Leon Snay's
dwelling house, in 1851, and was taught by Miss Ingersoll.
The clearance was just effected so far as the center of the block
on Water, between Genesee and Tuscola streets, when the building
of the Valley City Hotel was entered upon by Winm. F. Glasby.
This hotel was completed in 1851 and opened to the public with
Adoniram Dann as host.
The East Saginaw select school was opened by Truman B. Fox
in 1852, and claimed on its roll 83 children. The shanty which
formed the First Episcopal church of the city, was built near
Emerson street the same year.
The ferry, projected in 1851 by E. N. Davenport, became a paying industry in 1852. The entire affair consisted in a primitivelooking scow, propelled with poles, and attended by a quaint dugout to escape by in case the scow, went to the bottom. The course
of this ferry is now occupied by the abutments of the Genesee
street bridge.
The first birth within the village limits was that of Lyman
Ensign, in 1850.
The first death which occurred within the old limits of East
Saginaw, was that of a German, drowned near the eastern bank of
the river.
PIONEERS OF THE CITY.
Among the founders of the city the following names will live
long in its records. It is true that men came after them equally
energetic and enterprising; but to those who entered the wilderness and prepared it for the habitations of a people, are due
especial honors.
Alfred M. Hoyt settled in the Valley in 1850, as the representative of his father. James M. Hoyt. His efforts to build up the city
of East Saginaw were crowned with success. He was the first
postmaster at East Saginaw. In 1852 he was elected State Representative. Two years later, however, he disposed of his interest in
the new city to his brother, Jesse Hoyt, and returned to New
York.