gaged in threshing for several successive falls. In 1840 he lost an arm, a circumstance which stirred his ambition unremittingly to make all possible exertions to secure himself against an old age of privation, and he has accomplished a success, comparing fairly with that of men in full physical perfection. He owns 160 acres in a fine farming region, and his circumstances are such that he can rest secure in his advancing age. His character of integrity and probity has given him a wide and permanent influence, and secured for him positions of trust among his fellow citizens. He was married in Michigan to Electa, daughter of Calvin and Emily Wilson, natives of Vermont, who settled in Kent county in 1837. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have three children-Louisa (Mrs. J. N. Cranmer), Charles H. (married Carrie Kellogg), and Ida J. (Mrs. E. Stone).

Simeon R. Wright, son of Geo. and Sarah (Starkey) Wright, was born in Knox Co., O., in 1831. His parents were natives of Greene Co., Pa. Mr. Wright came to this county in 1854 and has followed lumbering winters and engaged in farming and shingle-making summers. He has run the Rouge river 17 springs, and his hardy constitution is beginning to show the effects of a long period of toil and exposure. He was married in May, 1855, to Emily Bouton, of Erie Co., O. They have the following children: Parmelia A. (Mrs. J. F. Culver); Wm. A. and Cora May reside at home; Geo. F. (deceased).

SPARTA TOWNSHIP.

Sparta formed a portion of the town of Walker until 1846, wher at a meeting held at the house of Clark Brown it was organized as a town by itself, April 6. At this meeting 23 persons were present and voted, of whom the following were elected to fill the town offices: Lewis W. Purdy, Supervisor; John M. Balcom, Clerk; Myron H. Balcom, Treasurer; Wm. Rodgers, Charles B. Hatch, Edward H. Wylie, Elihu Rice, Justices.

The following is a list of voters then in the town, which included Tyrone, with some who are known to have come in the next year: Caleb Amadan, Benj. Blackall, Clark Brown, John M. Balcom, Win. Blackall, Myron H. Balcom, Wyman M. Bartlett, Newel Barker, Myron H. Bird, Jacob A. Bradford, Anthony Chapman, Joel French, James Huff, Charles B. Hatch, Jacob Hiles, Minor Letts, David B. Martindale, Benj. Myers, Jno. E. Nash, Parsly Otis, Berry D. Pearl, Lewis W. Purdy, Elihu Rice, Wm. Rodgers, John A. Simmons, Jacob Spangenberg, James V. Simmons, Geo. Spangenberg, Philip Slaght, Lyman Smith, Luther Van Horn, Harvey Van Horn, Edward H. Wylie.

In 1848 39 voters were present and voted, and in 1849 the poll list was 100, indicating a rapid settlement.

The records of the township were destroyed by fire March 18, 1876, when Edwin Bradford's store, wherein Town Clerk Taylor kept the records, was burned. In 1876 a town hall was built, and a set of town books purchased; for the years preceding 1876, the record given here must be credited to the memory of Jonathan E. Nash and other early settlers.

The general surface of Sparta is high and rolling, and it contains but little waste land. There are several small swamps in various . parts of the township, but none of much account except in the north and northwest parts. On sections 2 and 3 is a swamp of some extent, requiring the services of the drain commissioners. Also a series nearly or quite connected, extending west across sections 4 or 5, and passing off into the south part of Tyrone. There are two quite extensive swamps which commence on the west part of section 6, and run west into Chester. Between them is the ridge, well known to those accustomed to travel the Grand Rapids and Newaygo State road, as the Hog-back Hill. The highest hills and deepest valleys are in the northwest; still it contains some as nice farming lands as are to be found in the township.

The timber is mostly beech and sugar-maple, with some pine in the northeast and southeast parts. There is some hemlock interspersed with the pine in the northeast. The soil is generally a rich loam, suited to the production of wheat, corn, oats, grass, potatoes, etc. Nearly all kinds of fruit which can be raised in the county, do well here.

Rouge river is the principal stream of Sparta, entering it on section 1, from Tyrone, and passing south and southeast through the east tier of sections; thence out into Algoma, from the east part of section 25. Ball creek, which has also been considerably used for logging, enters Sparta from Tyrone, near the central part of the line, and flows in a southeasterly direction across sections 3, 2 and 11, into Rouge river, of which it is the principal branch from this township. Nash creek, formed by several small branches from the west, flows through the central part, and empties into Rouge river on the southeast corner of section 14. Symes creek, the River Jordan and a few other small streams, are known in the township.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The lands of Sparta were selected, by John Ball as "State Lands," with the exception of sections 3, 5, 12 and 13. The purchasers of such lands, composed in these sections, were: Rodney D. Hastings, section 3, May 7, 1849; William Campbell, section 3, Oct. 27, 1851; Eli Whitney, section 5, July 5, 1848; Jonathan E. Nash, section 12, July 27, 1840; Henry Shangles, section 13, Feb. 17, 1848.

Among the earliest settlers in the north half of Sparta were three brothers, Henry C., Edward H. and William M. Wylie, from

Lebanon, Madison Co., N. Y. In November, 1845, Edward H. and William M. explored "Town 9, Range 12" (now Sparta), and selected 320 acres of land on sections 3 and 10, in the interest of the three brothers. The same lands are now owned principally by V. W. Caukin, Mr. Brace, Ephraim Bradford and Mr. Walcott.

The purchase of the land was completed Jan. 7, 1846, and in the latter part of February, 1846, E. H. entered upon the land and began cleaning.

William having returned East, came back late in the fall of 1846, with Henry and his family, wife and three boys, Henry H., George P. and William D., ages from four years down to, say, two months. The family of Henry C. Wylie was the first family that settled in that part of the township. The clearing (before named) begun by E. H. Wylie, and another near to it begun a few days earlier by Myron H. Burd, were the adventures of lone-handed men in "batchelors' camp. At the time of those beginnings, Anthony Chapman and family, three miles southward, were the nearest inhabitants.

Of those above named, Edward H. Wylie, after a residence of nearly four years in Sparta, went to Muskegon, Mich., where he yet lives. William M. Wylie remained in or near Sparta till the spring of 1879. He is now helping to subdue another forest land in Antrim Co., Mich. Henry C. Wylie spent his life in the vicinity of his first settlement-the last 15 years or over living about five miles from the township of Tyrone; he died there in 1878 (?), leaving behind him a large family.

In the summer of 1846 came Myron H. Balcom, just turned 21, with his bride of 18 years at his side, and located just north of the creek, where the ambitious village is now spreading her northern extension. Myron "went West" some years ago. Soon after Myron's advent, came his brother, John M. Balcom, and located next north of Myron's "holding." John, being less restive than his brother, still holds the acres of his original purchase, but lives in the village, where he and the wife of his youth are known to all who travel thereaway as the genial host and hostess of the Balcom House.

During the year 1845 came Lyman Smith, a lumberman, who is said to have been the first resident of the township. He operated among the pines on section 36. A few years later he went to the Grand Traverse region.

Next came Lewis W. Purdy, the first farmer settler, who remained a few years, and then left for other fields. Soon followed Mr. Kinyon, who, after a few years, went back East; Clark Brown, who yet remains; Messrs. Huff, Barker and William Rogers, the latter of whom, after three or four years, removed to Ravenna, Muskegon Co., Mich., where he yet lives; William Blackall, then an old man, who died several years later; Lyman Manny, who soon removed to the adjoining town of Alpine, but has lately returned; two brothers, Simons; Nathan and Owen Whitney, who