History of Oakland County, Michigan.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, M~ICHIGAN.

187

The first houses on the site of the villa-e were built in Auaust, 1833, by
Jesse Seeley and Cornelius G. Wyckoff. Both were loog structures. Seeley's
stood on the ground now occupied by the brick residence near the Presbyteriann
church, and Wyckoff's on the place ownedl by J. Van Valkenburg. A party of
settlers gathered to help the men build their houses, and both were raised the
same day. The next morning an incident occurred which was very nearly the
means of causin- serious trouble between the sett~lers and a considerable number
of Indians who were encamped on the shore of White lake. As an article not to
be dispensed with on such occasion, whisky bad flowed freely ait the raising, and
some of the men were somewhat under its influence. This was conside'red as no
disarace, however, as everybody expected it at such gatherings. The partly before
dispersing towards their respective homes concluded3 to go down to the lake, a mile
away, and visit the Indian camp. Among the men who had taken a little more
liquor than they could carry 11 with ease and comfbrlt" was "L Uncle Nate Colvin,"
as he was called. Passino, the Indian encampment one of the dogs bit him
severely, and be becomingr enraged, as was quite natural Uinder the circumstances,
killed it. The squaws immediately set up an unearthly din, for it was about as
safe to kill an Indian himself as his doo, and soon the dusky braves gathered from
every direction, bent on revenge upon 11 Uncle Natte." Luckily there were two
persons in the party who could talk the Indian Ianguage,-T~saac I. Voorheis, of
W~7aterford township, and one of the Williamses, from Pontiac. They paid for
the doo, and pacified the Indians by telling them. the man was drunk, and they
would 11 fix him" when be became sober. It may be supposed that the settlers
were greatly relieved at havings the affatir pass off without bloodshed. This was

by 'a man named Adams, -and a man named Baldwin opened a blacksmithshop about the same time. Shops of other descriptions were also carried on, and
the little settlement Ion-s bore a busy appearance, and bad the stage business been
continued or a line of railway been built through this part of the county, White
Lake villaue might have been as prosperous and thrifty a town as could be found.
But the iron horse rolls along the solid track several miles to the northward, and
the era of prosperity which dawned on her forty years ago flickered and went out
in the smoke of the the migbty trains which began to thunder over the railway
Yet the country immediately surroundings is rich with agricultural products, and
the tiller of the soil is well repaid for his labor in harvesting heavy crops of
golden grain and luscious fruits.
The first tavern at the village was kept by John Rhodes, as early as 1834-35,
before the stage-line was established. It stood in the western part of the settle

mn and was a log buildingr. It was at one time called the 11 Butckhorn tavern,"
but that name was afterwards transferred to the tavern, creek, and lakes in Rose
townsh~ip. The name in the latter locality was given by Isaac 1. Voorbeis, who
was through there looking for land, and on arrivingo at the stream found a pole
across it some twenty feet 10D,, hung full of bucks' borns, which the Indians bad
left there. At one time there were two taverns at White Lake'flourisbina finely,
but the jolly landlords have departed, and the places which were wont to echo to
the mirth of travelelrs who stopped in them are silent, and their palmy days are
all but forgotten. The 11halls of the fathers" who here kept public-house are
deserted, and no tavern-staznd greets the eye of the weary traveler.
Altbough the W~hite Lake road is extensively traveled, a Sabbath quiet reigans
alODO' it as compared with the busy scenes of thirty and forty years ago.
Whi'te Larke Gran.)ge, No. 253, Pa~trons of Husbandry, was organi zed in January, 1874, with fifty members. Its first Mlaster was Robert Garner, who was
three times successively elected. The organization holds reg;ular meeting's in the
W Vhite Lake chur<:h," which has also been used for festivals, revivals, etc. The
present membership of the -ran-e is about forty. The officers are: M~aster, Mr.
Lake; Overseer, Mr. Flowers; Lecturer, Herman WJyckoff; Steward, Jacob
Bachman; Assistant Steward, Andrew A. Garner; Chaplain, Bannister Howland; Treasurer, Myron Voorbeis; Secretary, Mrs. Stinebaugh; Gate-keeper,
Lucius Wilbur; Pomona, Mrs. Morehouse; Ceres, Nellie Bachman; F'lora, Mary
Oaden; Lady Assistant Steward, Miss Beckyr Ogden.
The Temnperance Reform Cl~ub of I~hite Lake was orgranized in the winter of
1876-'77. Robert Garner occupies the position of president of the club. The

The church buildhigr is thirty-six by sixty-six feet in dimensions, and will
seat about three hundred and fifty persons. The 'society has had a gradual, steady
growth, with numerous revivals, and is now in a flourishingr condition. The membership in June, 1877, was about ninety-five.
The first pastor, Rev. Georgre Hornell, began to preach to the congregation in
November, 183-5, and was ~first made moderator of the session, January 30, 1836.
He was not re-ularly installed, however, until August 2, 1837, after which time
be preached about ten years, his name last appearing on the session records as
moderator M4ay 30, 1847..
The second pastor was Rev. H. Hyde, who canle in December, 1847. He
was never installed bhut bad charge about five years. F'ollowing him came Rev.
M~r. Boardman, about 1852. He stayed two years, and was succeeded by Rev.
0. W. Mlather, whose name first appears on the records May 13, 1855. He
continued in the pastorate until the summer of 1857.
The next, and fift pastor, was Rev. W. P. Wastell, who took charge October
37 1857, and stayed until the latter part of Acpril, 1862. Rev. N. Tucker was
pastor from July 5, 1862, until the 1st of June, 1865. Next came Rev. J. A.

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*- The office may httve been est~ablished under this name in 1836 —3'7.