History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

CITY OF EAST SAGINAW.

495

Charles W. Grant, born in Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1818, settled
in East Saginaw in 1849. In 1850 he, with A. M. Hoyt, erected
the "Blue Mill" for the purpose of sawing plank for the road
between Saginaw and Flint. In 1850 he was elected the first town
clerk of the village of East Saginaw. In 1851 he urged the necessity of building a school-house, and succeeded in having one
erected where the Bancroft House now stands. Since his settlement he has filled many important offices, as well as being largely
interested in the lumber business.
William F. Glasby, born in Livingston county, N. Y., came to
Saginaw in 1850. He was one of the principal men in building
the three bridges which connect the two cities. He built the Valley City Hotel, which was opened as a boarding house by Adoniram
Dann.
Geo. Allison settled in East Saginaw in 1850.
Frederick A. Koehler arrived in East Saginaw in June, 1850,
and opened a blacksmith's shop.
Otto H. G. Moores arrived in the Valley in 1849, and a year
later was engaged in clearing the forest where the city of East
Saginaw now stands. In 1851 he entered the office of Thomas
Whitney, of Saginaw City, where he continued business until 1858.
During the three following years he was bookkeeper in the office
of D. H. Jerome, and in 1861 entered upon business for himself,
locating in Saginaw City.
Col. W. L. P. Little, Curtis Emerson, S. W. Yawkey, Alexander
English, Alexander Ferguson, John Elsffer, the Willey brothers,
Lyman Ensign and a few other early settlers of the city are
noticed in other pages.
Moses B. Hess settled at East Saginaw in 1850. He was born
at Verona, Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1825, settled in Michigan in
1837, and moved to the Saginaws in 1850. Previous to this period
he was postmaster and State librarian at Lansing. He was mail
carrier between the two cities for some time, and succeeded Morgan
L. Gage as postmaster at East Saginaw.
EAST SAGINAW IN 1853.
In the fall of 1853, the East Saginaw steam flouring mill was
erected, with a capacity of 1,000 bushels per day. Many predicted
that this mill would not continue in operation very long; but-their
prediction was wrong. It was a common thing to receive 500
bushels of wheat daily from farmers in the Valley. The import of
wheat from Chicago was also extensive, as is learned from the fact
that in September, 1853, two cargoes of wheat were landed at the
mill, each amounting to 6,000 bushels.
The same year the steamboat "T. Whitney," built here for
Thomas Whitney and Dr. Burns, was launched. Her measurement was 132 feet long, 24J feet beam, with capacity for 7,000
barrels, and accommodations for 60 passengers. Capt. AI. Smith
was placed in charge of this boat.