History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.

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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.

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truly said to have in-AUGER-ated the first effort in behalf of temperance. When the whisky came to be used, it didi not have the expected effect; suspicion was excited, an investigation instituted,
and the discovery made that the keg had been tapped. So it was
then and there decided to call this place Tapshire, and the oldest
inhabitants often call it so to this day. Philip Frisbie suggested
the name.
1835-'36. In 1835 the first parcel of land was sold to second
hands on the village site. December 19th Hubbard Hall bought of
Oliver Bristol eight acres on northwest corner of section 27 for
$80, and soon after sold to Philo Farnum one acre from the northwest corner for $10. Tile present value of this acre, with its buildings, is something near $20,000. Here he built a log house, and
shortly after a small shop; and commenced as pioneer in the shoemaking business. In the spring of 1836 or thereabouts, Daniel
Black sold out his land to Otho Bell, excepting a small piece on the
southeast corner where his house stood. This he disposed of to
Lewis Alverson, who here kept the first stock of groceries ever
brought for sale into this place; but the first building raised for a
store and occupied as such was Charles B. Keeler's. It was built
on the present site of Farquharson & Taylor's store, and was filled
with a general stock of dry goods and groceries, in 1836. Albert
Southwell established the first blacksmith shop about this time; and
the first hotel building, the present Exchange, was erected by Hubbard Hall, immediately purchased and kept by Henry Wing. In
this year the State government was organized, though the State was
not admitted to the Union till the following January; the county of
Lapeer was also organized, and the township incorporated therewith, and the name Newburg adopted by the village, which now
consisted of a school-house, hotel, store, blacksmith shop, shoe shop
and five dwellings.
A PLATTED VILLAGE.
The first plat of the village was made and recorded September
8, 1836, by Oliver Bristol, Jonathan Sleeper, C. B. Keeler and James
Thorington. John Dawitt, James Lsarmont, George W. Allen,
Gerritt Schenck, Samuel Kidder, Garry Goodrich, Amasa Ross,
Hiram and Reuben Howland, Truman and Calvin Shaw; William
B. Owen, Amos Hewitt and John Matthews became settlers here
during this and the following year. Caleb Carpenter was supervisor in 1836, and C. B. Keeler in 1837 and 1838.
For many years during those early times Dr. Caleb Carpenter
used to carry the mail once a week on horseback through from Royal
Oak, and often the weather and roads were so bad as to prevent his
getting through as often as that. And people were glad enough to
get the news once a week and to get letters even at the rate of two
shillings a piece. The first regular postoffice was in Caleb Carpenter's house, in 1835; the second was in C. B. Keeler's store, in
1836. Ezra, Hazen became postmaster in 1838.
In 1837 Dr. Jones came and built the first physician's office,
the building now occupied by McGeorge's meat market, and Stephen
A. McGeorge commenced gunsmithing.
In 1838 a grist-mill was built by Adam Boles one half mile
east of the corners, Orrin Belknap commenced mercantile business,
William and John Steele succeeded Charles B. Keeler in the Newburg store, and Dr. F. K. Bailey settled in the northern part of the
township and commenced practice. Cook Wells also settled in the
northwest. On this year's 4th a crowd was assembled, a pole was

raised, the flag displayed, and anvils fired to celebrate the day for
the first time.
EARLY JUSTICE.
During much of this time Squire Oliver Bristol was chief justice
of the peace, and administered the judicial affairs of the town with
due rigor and impartiality. One case is recalled to illustrate the

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times. It was a jury trial. During the progress of the case a jug
of first-rate whisky had been introduced among other arguments, a
proceeding which completely disarmed the prosecution. Several of the
jury were soon so powerfully affected that in the words of truthful
James, "the subsequent proceedings interested them no more;"
the judge became so mellow that he exclaimed, "Come, boy,/let's
quit lawing and settle this thing up." The council and cliei[ts literally laid their heads together and wound up the suit witf a compromise-and another drink! Both Oliver and his brother Bezaleel
have long since departed this life. Their children are still among
us, and to the excellent memory of Joseph and Sheldon, sons of
Bezaleel, this history is indebted for most of its earlier dates and
inciden ts.

BUSINESS PROGRESS.
In 1810 Beach & Rundell started the first wagon shop; in
1842 John Roberts joined the firm, withdrawing a few years later
to go into the grocery and fur trade with his brother Amariah.
In 1843 Isaac McKeen opened the first law office in town. A
pearlash factory was also established by Daniel Black and Garry
Goodrich a few rods north of the present Congregational Church, and
Stephen Briggs built his carding and fulling-mill, which is still
in operation. Henry Stephens, afterward so prominent in the
business of this place, now made his first adventure in the mercantile
line, also running opposition in the ashery business; but at this
time he only remained about six months. In November Calvin A.
& D. R. Shaw succeeded the Steeles in the Newburg store, and soon
worked up a business that took the lead for about eleven years.
In 1844 the firm of Muzzy & Barrows started another foundry,
James H. Andrus and James Lyons other stores and Matthew Tacey
another blacksmith shop, James Goetchius having been engaged in
the latter business for some time. There was a revival among the
Methodists this year, and a church edifice, the first in town, was
built, under the ministry of Elder Noble. All through these years
down to the present time the circuit has been regularly supplied with
preachers by conference.
J. S. Jenness opened a store in 1845, and soon became one of
our most active business men. O. P. Strobridge, M. D., joined us
this year, and entered upon an extensive practice. Both these gentlemen became of some note in public affairs, and served the State
in the legislature. About this time the lumber business developed
into one of the most important branches of our trade. In 1844
Beach, Imlay & Morse had erected a large steam saw-mill in Imlay,
(F. P. Currier being builder); and that enterprise, together with the
completion of a plank road from the mill through the village to Mt.
Clemens via Romeo, and the establishment of a starch factory, on
a large scale, two years after, by Moody, Chamberlin & Co., gave
such an impetus to the general prosperity of the place as to mark
an important era in our history.
In 1846 Silas D. McKeen, attorney, became a resident, practicing with his brother Isaac. He was a man of unusual ability,
and might have attained to any position in the State; but intemperance ruined him. The first hardware and tin shop was opened
this year by McGeorge & Cardwell. It soon passed into the hands
of R. I. Goetchius. William Colerick was the first tinsmith. Bird
Johnston & Hiram Wells also established the first furniture store
the same season. These times are especially memorable to many
here on account of the potato rot. 25,000 bushels in the starch
factory rotted in a mass, and polluted the neighboring air with a
horrid stench. Coincident with this, whether caused by it or not,
there occurred a terrible epidemic in the winter of 1847-'48 known as
the "potato fever." The disease was very malignant, about fifteen
deaths occurring in a short time, among them that of Isaac McKeen,d<

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