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

HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

283

- --....

and the liquidation of the debt incurred was a work of no
small magnitude. In February, 1850, Mr. Luce was married to Miss Sylva R., daughter of Daniel S. and Rhoda
Brown, of Erie Co., Pa. The paternal grandfather of Mrs.
Luce was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, while her
father served in the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Luce have
been blessed with one child, a son, Ernest M., who was
born December, 1850, in the town of Harbor Creek, Erie
Co., Pa.
In his political belief Mr. Luce is a Republican, and has
been prominently identified with the politics of his district
and county, although not a politician in the common acceptation of the term, never having sought political advancement. He has filled many positions of trust and responsibility, the duties of which he has discharged with fidelity
to the trust reposed in him, and with honor to himself and
to the satisfaction of the public. In 1850 he was elected
supervisor of Jefferson, re-elected in 1851, and since that
time has served seven terms. On the Board he was regarded
as an efficient member, and served on important committees.
For four years he served his fellow-townsmen as treasurer,
and for seven years was on the Board of County Superintendents. In 1872 was elected to the representative branch
of the Legislature, serving on the committees of Education
and Engrossment and Enrollment. Having acquired an
enviable reputation for integrity and business ability, he
was urged to accept the position of president of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Hillsdale County,
which position he now holds.
Mr. Luce is emphatically a self-made man. Commencing
life with only his natural resources for his capital, he has
attained success in every department of life, and his career
is an example to young men of the capabilities of character
and manhood.

THOMAS HUTCHINGS.
This gentleman, one of the substantial farmers of Jefferson, was born in Somersetshire, England, Sept. 16, 1820.
He learned the trade of a shoemaker, which occupation he
followed until his emigration to this country, in 1850. For
several years preceding his settlement in Hillsdale County
he was engaged in farming in the State of New York; but,
his means being limited, he came to Michigan in order to
attain the acme of his ambition, the possession of a home
of his own. He first purchased, in company with his
brother-in-law, Mr. Trivett, the farm now owned by the
latter gentleman. The copartnership existed about ten
years, when Mr. Hutchings sold his interest, and purchased
and cleared the farm now owned by Henry Duryea. Mr.
Hutchings has been a sober, industrious man, and in his
chosen calling has been very successful, and is considered to
be one of the thorough, energetic farmers of Jefferson. He
attributes much of his success to the substantial aid rendered
him by his worthy wife, whom he married Sept. 5, 1855.
Her maiden name was Elida A. Betts. She was born in
Barry, Orleans Co., N. Y., Dec. 3, 1829. Her parents
were farmers, and came to Michigan in 1849, and settled
in Jackson County. On another page will be seen a view
of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hutchings, and of the birthplace of Mr. HIutchings, which is situated in a little hamlet
in Somersetshire, about five miles from the city of Chard.
The house is built of stone. The central part was built by
the elder Hutchings, the subsequent additions being made
by the members of the family. The left-hand portion of
the building is used for the manufacture of shoes, and is
thatched with straw. The building in the baclkground is
one of the ordinary English tenant-houses, immediately in
front of which is the holly hedge. Altogether it affords
a very pretty view of English scenery.

RA NSO M.

THE township of Ransom includes sections 1 to 30 of
congressional township 8 south, range 2 west, and its municipal genealogy may be traced as follows: When, on the
17th of March, 1835, the county of Hillsdale was divided
by ranges into four separate townships, range 2 west was
given the name of Moscow. March 23, 1836, the town of
Adams was formed, including all of the range from what is
now Moscow south to the Ohio line. March 11, 1837, that
portion south of what is now Adams was given the name
Florida, from part of which-townships 8 and fractional 9
south-was formed Rowland, Jan. 28, 1840. The remaining portion of Florida was changed to Jefferson, March 17,
1849, which name it still retains, including township 7
south, range 2 west. The name of Rowland was given in
honor of the first settler of the township, Rowland Bird.
Several years after the death of Mr. Bird a second act was

passed, through the influence of certain parties living in
what is now Amboy, and by this the name of the township
was changed to Ransom; this was on the 9th of March,
1848. The inhabitants were not satisfied with this, and
desiring that the name of the pioneer of the township
should be duly honored, they secured the passage of an act
the next year (April 2, 1849) changing the name to Bird.
The strife was not yet at an end, for in the succeeding
year (March 28, 1850) the act was passed which changed
the name finally to Ransom, which has since been retained.
By the same act the east half of Amboy was formed from
fractional township 9 south (range 2) and the south tier of
sections of township 8, the west half being taken from the
south part of Woodbridge in the same manner.
Three considerable streams, with their lesser tributaries,
furnish abundant water for this township. These are Silver