History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.

HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

209

all kinds common to Michigan waters, but their numbers
have been greatly depleted by long-continued and unseasonable fishing.
The town is bounded north by Pittsford, east by Medina,
Lenawee Co., south by Milton Creek, Fulton Co., Ohio,
and west by Amboy and Ransom. Its population in 1874
was 1980. Its schools are well sustained, and its school
buildings are comfortable and substantially built. Its population is almost wholly engaged in agricultural pursuits,
though considerable lumbering is done every winter, the
logs and wood being sawed in the town or sold at Hudson.
The name of the town was changed by act of the Legislature, approved Feb. 24, 1844, from Canaan to Wright.
The three names, Camden, Cambria, and Canaan, presented
so great an obstacle to a correct and speedy delivery of the
mails that it was thought necessary to change the name of
this town, and as the representative from this district at
that time, Hon. Eason T. Chester, of Camden, was an
ardent admirer of that great Democratic leader of the State
of New York, Hon. Silas Wright, he had the town named
in his honor.
The early pioneers were largely indebted for ministerial
services to the Rev. Peter Foote, a preacher of the Protestant Methodist Church, who preached here frequently, and
by his representation of the needs of this people to the
Protestant Methodist Conference, induced that body to send
Father Milligan, in 1843, to organize a permanent work.
He was followed by Rev. D. C. Oaks, and he by other
ministers until, for some reason, this field was abandoned
by that denomination.
The next effort at church organization was made by the
Baptists. Several members of that denomination had settled
in the northwestern part of this town, and in the adjoining
town of Ransom, and they were anxious to organize a
church. To accomplish this a meeting was held at the
school-house in district No. 2, at Lickley's Corners, on the
29th of October, 1847, at which an organization was
effected under the name of
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF WRIGHT.
A number of visiting brethren from other churches were
present. Their names were Peter B. Houghmont, J. M.
Young, Lester Monroe, David Monroe, and Zebina Wood.
P. B. Houghmont was called to preside, and J. M. Young
acted as secretary.
The Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant were
read and adopted, and letters were presented by David,
Lucetta, Martha L., and J. B. Woods, James and Lovina
Lickley, and Mrs. Mary Raymond. The letters were accepted, after which Samuel Stuck, Morris, William, and
Charlotte Lickley, Sarah A. Howell, and Miss Mary Raymond were received as candidates for baptism. These
thirteen persons constituted the first membership of the
church. But five of them are now living in this vicinity.
At this first meeting James Lickley was elected clerk for
one year.
December 9, 1848, the first regular election of deacons

occurred, and David Woods and Homan Barber were
elected to that office.
May 18, 1851, a circular was received from the Hills27

dale Church regarding the admission of members of secret
societies as members of the denominational churches. In
reply, the following was adopted: " Resolved, That we will
not receive any person into this church who is a member of
any oath-bound secret society, and continues to hold membership with such society."
During the pastorate of Rev. B. G. Lewis a protracted
meeting of unusual interest was held by him at the Tarseney school-house, in Ransom, by means of which twentythree persons were on one occasion admitted to the clurch.
The ceremony of baptism was at this time performed in
Burt Creek, near the residence of Mr. Higley.
The society was incorporated on Saturday, July 23, 1853.
The meeting was held at the Lickley's Corners school-house.
Deacons Woods and Barber presided, and Z. D. Hammond
acted as secretary. Seven trustees were elected, whose
names were David Woods, President; Z. D. Hammond,
Secretary; Perrin Shepardson, Treasurer; Jonas Goodell,
Homan Barber, James Lickley, and Philip Crandall.
David Woods and Philip Crandall were the committee
appointed to superintend the building of a meeting-house.
A church site was bought of David Woods for the sum
of $25. It contained 100 square rods of ground, and was
15 rods south of Lickley's Corners, on the west side of the
road. The building was commenced in the spring of 1854,
but was not completed until the summer of 1856. It cost
about $2000. The money was at first attempted to be
raised by subscription, but finally was raised by an equalized
tax on all the members. It never has received any other
than ordinary repairs, and is still in a serviceable condition.
The pastors of this church have been Revs. Wm. Smedmer, B. G. Lewis, L. L. Wisner, William White, Wm. D.
Stout, John Kelley, J. B. Kemp, Wm. D. Stout, Wm. M.
Bassett, D. D. Walden, Wim. Frary, Isaac Noyes, Lyman
H. Monroe.
Since December, 1877, the church has held no meetings.
The membership, which at one time reached as high a number
as 112, is now widely scattered and reduced to about 40.
The Sabbath-school was formally organized May 15,
1853, at the school-house, and maintained an existence
with varying fortunes, until about seven or eight years ago,
when it was given up.
The present officers of the church and society are as follows: Deacons, George Carlisle, Luther Hammond; Clerk,
Luther Hammond. Trustees, George Carlisle, President;
Z. D. Hammond, Clerk; Luther Hammond, Treasurer;
A. F. Parmelee, J. B. Wheeler, Martin V. Stuck, Samuel
Stuck.
The next denomination to enter upon this field of religious labor was the Methodist Episcopal. They formed
a class at Lickley's Corners, some time previous to 1854.
Sawyer B. Downer and Samuel Hinkle were the only male
members of this class, of which Hinkle was the leader.
It was a small class, probably not exceeding 10 in number.
It was at that time a station on the Osseo circuit, and was
connected with it until Ransom circuit was organized, about
1858-59, when it was attached to that. The class flourished

for a few years, and then began to run down until it was
practically defunct, though still not formally disbanded.
Some five years ago, probably in the fall of 1873, it was