Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

MIEDINA TOWNSHIP.

511

parts of this road are now used from Maumee to Morenci and for
for some miles this side of Jonesville.
In the year 1832 the legislative council of the territory established a
road, commencing at Virtula (Toledo), in the town of Port Lawrence,
running on the most eligible route to the forks of the Ottawa river,
thence westerly in towns nine south, on the most eligible route to the
eastern boundary line of the state of Indiana. But little was done on
this road until 1834 and 1835. In the fall of 1834 Benjamin Hornbeck
and Jacob Baker took a contract to build one mile of this road from
Siver creek, near Morenci, west into the town of Medina, including the
bridge across Bean creek. This bridge was built in January, 1835,
and the first bridge across Bean creek, and where Col. Fletcher run the
present state line between Michigan and Ohio. In the summer of 1835
they crossed Bean creek on this bridge. Levi Thompson settled on
section four, in the town of Rollin, on the first days of June, 1833,
and he must have the honor of being the first settler in Bean creek
valley south of Devil's lake. In August, Erastus Aldrich settled on
section' nine in Rollin, and in the month of October, Joseph Beal and
his son Porter, settled on section ten in the same town. October 29,
Hiram Kidder came with his family and made a settlement on section
six in Hudson, the first settler in that town. On the ninth of November,
F. H. Hagerman purchased on section thirty-one in Dover, and at the
same date Gersham Bennett purchased on section six in Seneca. A
house was built by Bennett and his family moved there the same
month. In December Charles Ames settled. on section twelve, and
and Alpheus Pratt on section thirteen in Pittsford, and Henry Ames on
section eighteen in Hudson. William Beal settled in Rollin in December, 1833, but these il believe to be all the settlers on the first of January, 1834, in Bean creek valley; but in January, Reuben Davis purchased the west subdivision of the southwest quarter of section eighteen,
in Hudson, and settled upon it. This, I believe, to be the situation of
the settlement in Bean creek valley when I came here on the first day
of May, 1834.
Some tracts of land had been purchased before this date in Medina.
Samuel Jordan purchased the southeast quarter of section one, September 2, 1833. This land was deeded to William Cavefider and is a
part of the Daniel Die and Asa Die farms, and the village plat of
Canandaigua. Gersham Bennett purchased the northeast quarter of the
northeast quarter of section one, and the northeast quarter of section thirteen in December, 1833. Horace Garlick purchased on section twenty-five,
March 10, and Cook Hotchkiss and John Knapp on section two, April