History of Shiawassee and Clinton counties, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of their prominent men and pioneers.

DE WITT TOWNSHIP.

407

the County in a preceding portion of this work. The
uncertain tenure by which De Witt maintained its prestige
as the county-seat offered strong obstacles against the erection of county buildings, and on the occasion of its later
removal to St. Johns not a single structure of importance
had been devoted to county uses. This fact also materially
influenced the growth of the village, and has effectually
checked the development of its business interests since 1857.
The village now has one hotel, of which R. Durham is the
landlord; two general stores, kept by J. E. Jayne and A.
A. Woodruff; one drug store, owned by Dr. G. W. Topping; two millinery-shops, kept by Mrs. Ware and Mrs.
Woodruff respectively; one shoe-store, by J. Averill; one
wagon-shop, of which A. Lott is proprietor; and three
blacksmith-shops, owned by Messrs. Tout, Pilbeau, and
Worden. J. A. Sweet holds the commission as postmaster.
There are two saw-mills, owned by William M. Potter and
E. G. Holmes & Son, and a completely-appointed flouringmill, equipped with four run of stones and enjoying an extensive custom trade, of which Messrs. Osgood & Co. are
proprietors. There is also a foundry, owned by R. Merritt.
De Witt has two churches, whose early history, found elsewhere, is coexistent with the primitive days of the hamlet.
The second pioneer in the township of De Witt came
there to settle in 1834. This was Chauncey S. Ferguson,
who brought with him his family, including his father,
Daniel Ferguson, and located upon section 6, where he
entered in the same year one hundred and sixty acres of
land. He removed from Oakland County, and at once
erected a log house, but effected little in the way of clearing. Mr. Ferguson seems not to have been well satisfied with the advantages Clinton County offered to the settler, for the year 1837 found him a pioneer to the wilds of
Ionia County, where he became a land-owner. Mr. Ferguson exercised a generous hospitality to subsequent comers,
who never failed to receive a cordial welcome to his humble
home and frugal board on their arrival.
The third pioneer in order of arrival was Franklin Oliver,
who came from Niagara Co., N. Y., in 1835, and settled
upon two hundred and four acres, which he entered the
same year. He remained with Chauncey Ferguson while
building a house, and very early effected a considerable
clearing. Four years later he constructed a saw-mill, which,
however, for want of power, was never operated successfully,
and was ultimately abandoned. Mr. Oliver died a few
years later, and the estate was purchased by Morris S.
Allen.
William M. Webb has with justice advanced his clainl
to having'been the fourth settler. He entered, in 1835,
one hundred and seventy acres on section 6, upon which he
located in the same year, having come from Plymouth,
Wayne Co., Mich. The land he found entirely uncleared,
and for four weeks enjoyed the hospitality of Mr. Ferguson's log cabin afforded while constructing a temporary
abode for his own family. At De Witt there was an Indian
village, several families of whom were still enjoying peace

able possession of their wigwams. Bears and wolves were
frequent visitors, and caused consternation among the sheep
and swine. Mr. Webb was very successful in construct

I

ing pitfalls by which the stock of bears was considerably
diminished. He still resides upon the land he at first entered, where a highly-improved farm is the result of his
industry. The first Fourth of July a gathering of a social
character was held at the house of Mr. Webb in 1837,
dancing having been enjoyed upon a puncheon floor.
The next settler in order of arrival was Ephraim H.
Utley, who also came from Plymouth, Wayne Co., and
arrived the day following Mr. Webb's coming. He entered
thirty plats of eighty acres each in De Witt and elsewhere,
and made a settlement upon section 7. He cleared and improved this farm, but ultimately removed to Newaygo
County, where he died on Big Prairie, in 1860. Mr. Utley held office the first year of the township organization,
and was also at one time county commissioner. He occasionally practiced as a lawyer, and was a man of influence
during his brief residence in De Witt.
Alanson Goodrich was among the pioneers of 1835, as
stated by his early neighbors, though he does not appear to
have made an entry of land until 1836, when he secured
one hundred and sixty-six acres on section 7, and resided on
it until his death. The earliest school-house in the county
was built upon this land, and the Goodrich neighborhood
was, until 1840, the centre of the educational interests of the
township.
Isaac Hewitt arrived in 1835 and located on section 17,
where he had one hundred and twenty acres, having been
a former resident of Steuben Co., N. Y. He devoted himself with much- energy to the clearing of his farm, being
greatly aided by his six sons, but one of whom-Edmond
-now resides in the township, where he has a farm on
the same section.
Gilbert Cushman came from Putnam Co., N. Y., in
1836, three of his sons having preceded him to this State
and located in Bath. He remained with them until a
house was built upon eighty acres on section 24, when all
removed to the township of De Witt. There was no
neighbor within five miles, and Dexter, sixty miles away,
was the most convenient milling point. With the circuitous route usually followed the distance was increased to
nearly one hundred miles. A mill was later built at Wacousta, which enjoyed a very liberal patronage from the adjacent country. On the farm of Mr. Cushman, and those
of his six sons, forty acres were cleared the first year. Of
this large family, embracing the parent and six sons, all of
whom followed agricultural pursuits, but two survive, both
of whom reside on section 24, in De Witt. George Cushman has one hundred and twenty acres, and an additional
forty on section 13, while Russell has one hundred and
twenty on each section. The father's death occurred in
De Witt during the year 1855.
In 1836, among the prominent arrivals, was that of
Jonathan R. Pearsall, who in the year previous had entered
eighty acres on section 17. He found this land uncleared,
and began at once the work of chopping, with a view to
the erection of a log house, and became soon after absorbed
in the improvement of his farm. He was an industrious

farmer and a leading man in all religious enterprises. Mr.
Pearsall served among the earliest township officers, and
held many positions of influence in De Witt.