(Mrs. William Jakeway), Inez V. (Mrs. William Warnock, dec.), Fred. W., Lilla M., Lida M., Gen. Lee, Col. Mulligan, Minnie B, John and Hattie (twins). Theron Lambertson was born in 1838; is son of Jacob and Betsey (Cramer) Lambertson, natives of New York, of Scotch and German descent. His parents settled in Oakland county in 1839, where Mr. L. obtained his education at the common schools. In 1854 he settled on sec. 17, in Spencer tp., and in 1858 was married to Amanda Brown. They had eight children, one of whom is the wife of William Hunter, a farmer on sec. 16, this tp. Mr. L. owns 200 acres of land; when he came here there were but 20 acres cleared in the town. He moved in on an Indian trail and cut a road through the woods. He is a Democrat; has been Commissioner of Highways five years and Tp. Treasurer four years. He was drafted in 1864 in Co. B, 3d Reg. M. I., and was discharged the next year.

John Moran was born in Ireland Aug. 31, 1839; is son of John and Bridget (Hangle) Moran. His parents came to America in 1847, and after looking through Ohio, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, finally settled in Albany, N. Y., and in 1855 came to Michigan, settling on sec. 9, in Spencer tp. Mr. Moran was married in 1860 to Margaret Mooney, a native of Kent county, of Irish descent. They have three boys and two girls, Mr. Moran is an independent in politics, with a leaning toward the Democratic policy. He has served as Supervisor, Commissioner of Highways and Tp. Treasurer. He owns 200 acres of land, and with the help of his wife has accumulated a snug fortune, In the present year he is building a neat residence, at an expenditure of $2,000.

Beriah G. Parks was born in New York in 1826; is son of Robert and Mary (Ogden) Parks, born in New York. Mr. Parks attended the common schools to obtain his education, and was trained to the vocation of farmer. His father died before he can recollect; and he had his own fortune to make. He came to Michigan in 1847, and returned to New York, where he was married the following year, which was commemorated by another accident, the losing of nearly the whole of one hand, only the thumb and part of one finger being left. On his return to Michigan, he settled in Jackson county, and in 1856 went to Spencer tp., then Oakfield. He came to the State 50 cents in debt, a d saved $100, working by the day and month, and now owns 260 acres of well improved land. His marriage to Mary Ann Skutt, a German by descent, occurred in 1848. They have had four children, three of whom are living. Mary Elizabeth, the eldest daughter, married John Hunter, and died in 1873, leaving two children, who are cared for by Mr. Parks. He was a Democrat, but latterly has united with the Greenback party. He has been Tp. Treasurer 11 years, Highway Commissioner and Justice of the Peace, and ranks among the best citizens of the tp. The first house he built, in 1856, is standing and occupied.

George kutt was born in New York in 1833; is son of Peter and Betsey (Decker) Skutt, natives of New York, of Dutch descent. He was married in 1841 to Jane Hall, born in New York. They have one child-Oscar, born in 1859. Mr. Skutt settled on sec. 19 in Spencer in 1866, and owns 80 acres of land, which he has paid for in hard work. He is a Democrat, and has acted as Commissioner of Highways; has operated a thresher two years.

Henry Stocks was born in England in 1820; is son of Thomas and Sarah (Graves) Stocks He went to school in his native country, and learned the business of tailoring. In 1850 he engaged in farming, which he has never abandoned. He came to America in 1847, and stopped in Wastenaw county one year, when he came to Kent county. He was married in 1850 to Elizabeth Smith, born in Germany, and died in 1879. They had seven children. Three of his sons are young men, active and industrious. Mr. Stocks manages 80 acres of land, 40 of which were the property of his wife.

Henry Stroup was born in 1815, in Pennsylvania, and was brought up and educated in Seneca Co., N. Y.; is son of Michael and Sarah (Graves) Stroup natives of Pennsylvania, of English descent. The great-grandmother of Mr. Stroup, Amanda Whitmore, lived to the enormous age of 126 years. His life has been one of varied occupations; he was a driver on the canal seven years, and was engaged about 20 years running logs on Flat river, and in 1847 he settled on 80 acres of land on sec. 34, which he located from the Government at a period when all of Spencer was an unbroken forest. He was the second settler in the tp., and could fill a volume with pioneer reminiscences. He was married in 1841 to Mary Sandford, born in New York, of Scotch and English descent. They have five children. Mr. Stroup is a Republican, and has held the office of Highway Commissioner, Justice of the Peace, and other official positions.

TYRONE TOWNSHIP.

One-half of Tyrone township was originally pine lands. Along the Rouge river on the east, and extending across the north part of the town are extensive forests. The remainder of the town was clothed with heavy timber, and the soil is counted among the best, and especially esteemed for fruit-raising. The town is well watered by Rouge river, which crosses from north to south. Within half a mile and one and one-half miles from its east line, two considerable tributaries of this stream enter it from the east, while two smaller ones, having their sources in Tyrone, drain the middle and western portions of the town. There are two or three small lakes in the western part of the town, but not of sufficient importance to claim much attention in a county where such abound. The eastern portion of the town, bordering upon the river, is quite rolling, as is generally the case throughout the entire length of the stream.

There is a very noticeable curiosity on the farm of H. C. Wylie, on section 33. It is a very extensive beaver dam. The plow has done damage to it, but still a part of it is in the woods untouched. The whole length of the dam is some 60 rods, and its average height two feet, the embankment reaching a height of five feet at the outlet of the stream. This was built of earth and so constructed that it caused a little lake of 12 acres in area to spring up, where previously a little rivulet flowed through the forest.

ORGANIZATION, ETC.

This township was attached to Sparta until, in 1855, it was organized as a separate township, under the name of Tyrone, the first annual meeting being held at the only school-house, which stood on the west line, near the residence of Mrs. Scott. The township meetings were held in the same school district, the house used being about a mile north of where the old one stood. The first township officers were: Supervisor, Uriah Chubb; Clerk, Albert Clute; Treasurer, Harlow Jackson; Justices, Patrick Thomp son, Albert Clute and Uriah Chubb.

Mrs. Louisa Scott, the first settler, came in 1849; Lot Fulkerson came the next year. Just over the line, in Casnovia, was Mr. Waterman. In 1852 Jacob Smith and Harlow Jackson settled in the same vicinity, and the year following John Thompson and Joseph Keyes also became citizens.

The following is a list of the principal township officers down to

the present time:

Uriah Chubb..

Albert Clute

SUPERVISORS.

The record of the Board of Tyrone township goes back only to the year 1868. For this reason the names of the Justices from 1856 to 1867 could not be obtained:

The first school was taught by Miss Susan Field, now Mrs. Myron Buck, at Cedar Springs. The next winter the school was kept by Miss Nettie Wetmore, of Grand Rapids, who subsequenty married Mr. Rood.

The advance of the school interest in the township is best shown in the following statement:

District No. 1 (fractional with Casnovia) was organized in 1853, with nine scholars in attendance at school. A small log house was

erected and used until 1861, when the present frame building was erected at a cost of about $500. The former stood on section 31, and the latter stands on the west side of section 30, near the residence of Mr. Chubb.

District No. 2 (fractional with Sparta) erected a frame house, worth about $400, in 1863. This house stands on the northwest corner of section 36, and is commonly known as the Clark schoolhouse.

District No. 3 (fractional with Casnovia) erected a small frame house in 1864, on the southwest corner of section 6, known as the Murray school-house.

District No. 4 was organized in 1861, and a nice frame house. was built, worth $500, the following year. It stands on the southeast corner of section 29, and is known as the Leander Smith school-house.

It

District No. 5 was organized in 1868, and a good frame house erected at a cost of $500, known as the Ross' school-house. stands on the northeast corner of section 19.

District No. 6 was organized in January, 1870. It has four scholars in summer, and about 20 in winter-being in the midst of a pine country, which brings in the people in winter and drives. them out in summer. This district has no school-house yet, school being held in the house of Mr. L. R. Burch. It has been chiefly sustained by Mr. B. thus far, at a cost of $50 per term.

District No. 7 was organized in 1870. A house was erected on section 22, at a cost of $500, in 1871.

District No. 9 was organized in 1880, and a house erected in 1881-'2.

There are now (1881) 434 school children in this township; 12 teachers, whose total salary is $1,323; value of school property $3,925; total expenditure for the year, $2,523.13.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

The first sermon preached in the town was by the Rev. Francis Prescott; it was in the school-house in 1854. After that a missionary preacher, a Methodist, held meetings there once in two weeks. During the first year, Elders Bennett, Congdon and Smith held meetings. A Sabbath-school was started at an early day, of which Wm. N. Wylie was superintendent. There is now one house of worship in the town. Three religious societies are in existenceFree-Will Baptist, United Brethren and Methodist. The Methodist society was the first organized; the Free-Will second, and then the United Brethren. The United Brethren church of Kent City was built in 1878 by that society. Among the original members were John Adams, Peter Snyder and Spence Colby.

KENT CITY.

Kent City, located on sections 32 and 33, was settled in 1874. The village is 19 miles north of Grand Rapids, and 16 south of Newaygo. Here is a depot of the G. R., N. & L. S. R.R., a meeting