Annake Jans. Soon after marriage Mr. Wood went to the Indian reservation in Delaware Co., Ohio, where he was, so to speak, a pioneer in the center of civilization. In 1837 he located in Calhoun county, and in 1847 settled in Grattan, where he had located land in 1843 on secs. 15 and 22, and once more put in practice the tested skill and ingenuity of his former pioneer experience. Of his family of eight children, but two are living-Geo. D. and Wm. H., the latter in Manistee county. George D. Wood entered Olivet College at the age of 16 with the design of fitting for a professional career, but his father becoming incapacitated for business, he was obliged to relinquish his plans and has remained since upon the family homestead. He has been active in the affairs of the township, has served as Supervisor and Clerk, and is a member of Grattan Masonic Lodge, No. 196. He was married in 1854 to Martha, daughter of Asa and Mary Rogers, born in Canada, Mr. Rogers was a participator in the Canadian troubles of 1837, and lost his property by confiscation. Mrs. Wood died a year after her marriage, leaving one son-Wm. H., a resident of Dakota. In 1856 Mr. Wood was again married to Anna H. Rogers. They have two children-Asa R. and Geo. E., the latter in Dakota. Mr. Wood enlisted in his country's service in Co. F., Second Reg. Mich. Cav., and was with the regiment three years in its entire campaign, and during the time spending but three months in the hospital. He was a Sergeant, and the last year of duty served as Ordnance Sergeant.

GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP.

Most of the township is rolling, and a considerable portion very hilly, and generally oak openings or heavy timber. Å half a dozen or more small lakes dot its surface. The only one, however, of much consequence is known as Reed's lake, which is much the largest, being about three-fourths of a mile wide by about two miles in length. It is finely stocked with fish, and has been long a summer resort for pleasure seekers; a hotel and grounds, with boating facilities in season. are among the attractions, and a small steamer glides over its placid bosom. The lake is in the southeast direction, about three miles from the center of the city, and a splendid drive may be enjoyed to its shores. A street railway is in operation from the city to this miniature inland sea, and during the summer season the cars make regular trips. Grand river runs within half a mile, or less than half, of the east side of the town in its great bend to the northward, and after flowing across the town of Plainfield, barely cuts the northwest corner of the town, and then keeps within half a mile, or less, of the west line of the town for five miles.

There are no streams of any considerable size in the township. The soil of this township is not so good as some others, though some of it is first-class. A portion of it is heavy clay, but much of it a sandy loam, very valuable for either cereals or fruit-raising. The history of this township is so intimately conneeted with that of the county and city, there is no existing necessity to do more than make a mere reference to its settlement here and give a full record of the officers.

The township of Kent, the original or Territorial town, embraced all of the county south of the river, and appears to have been organized at the house of Joel Guild, April 4, 1834. This appears to have been the legitimate forerunner of Grand Rapids township, which retained the records, but merely changed the name. Grand Rapids township is south and west of the geographical center of the county, and lies north and east of the city limits, to which some three and a half square miles of the town have been surrendered; the remainder of the corporation domain, about seven square miles, being originally a portion of Walker township.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first settler within what is now the town of Grand Rapids, was Ezekiel Davis, who settled near Reed's lake in 1834, followed almost immediately by Lewis, Ezra and Porter Reed, David S.

Leavitt and Robert McBarr; George Young, Simeon Stewart and James McCrath, appear to have arrived in 1836; I. W. Fisk, Matthew Taylor and Robert Thompson, settled in the town in 1837. Mr. Fisk erected a hotel near Reed's lake, known as the "Lake House." There were doubtless several other families, whose names we have not obtained.

Among the first land-buyers were: Samuel Dexter, section 19, Oct. 13, 1832; Toussaint Campau, section 30, Dec. 1, 1832; Horace Gray, section 28, Dec. 15, 1834; Daniel W. Coit, section 18, Oct. 25, 1833; Henry S. Walbridge, section 15, Sept. 12, 1835; Amasa Wood, section 15, Jan. 26, 1836; Joel Guild, jr., section 8, July 19, 1834; John M. Gordon, section 3, Jan. 18, 1837; John Ball, section 4, Feb. 15, 1837; William A. Richmond, section 5, Jan. 14, 1837; John Almy, section 11, Dec. 26, 1835; Robert Barr, section 15, Dec. 25, 1835; Richard P. Hart, section 17, June 13, 1835; Consider Guild, section 17, June 18, 1835; Nicholas S. Vedder, section 17, Aug. 8, 1835; John Ward, section 17, Aug. 3, 1835; Edward Dalton, section 17, Nov. 2, 1835; James Dalton, section 17, Nov. 2, 1835; Joseph D. Bent, section 18, Aug. 26, 1835; Samuel Sherwood, section 18, Aug. 26, 1835; Benjamin H. Silsbee, section 19, July 8, 1835; Alanson Hains, section 19, July 21, 1835; Vincent L. Bradford, section 19, July 31, 1835; Winthrop W. Gilman, section 19, Aug. 10, 1835; Isaac Bronson, section 20, Aug. 3, 1835; Samuel Hubbard, section 20, Sept. 12, 1835; Isaac Parker, section 20, Sept. 12, 1835; John Runnell, section 21, Nov. 21, 1835; George W. Dickinson, section 21, Dec. 14, 1835; Lyman Gray, section 21. Jan. 25, 1836; John B. Kemp, section 22, Jan. 27, 1836; James S. Wadsworth, section 23, April 25, 1836; Jonathan Wisner, sec tion 24, Nov. 7, 1836; William Owens, section 27, Sept. 9, 1835; Jere Bennett, section 27, Dec. 14, 1835; Jason Winslow, section 28, May 30, 1835; Belcher Athean, section 28, Aug. 22, 1835; Warner Dexter, section 28, Aug. 25, 1835; Levi D. Smith, sectio n 29, Jan. 22, 1835; Walter Sprague, section 30, Nov. 2, 1833; Ir a Jones, section 31, July 22, 1833; Stephen Wooley, section 31, Dec. 24, 1834; John Shuert, section 32, July 6, 1835, and Townsen d Harris, section 32, Sept. 1, 1835.

The following sketch of Mrs. Barney Burton contains much valuæble historical matter:

Mrs. Harriet Burton, born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., June 23, 1813, came to Grand Rapids with her parents in the year 1833. Her father built the first frame house here, where now stands the city of Grand Rapids. This house was located at the foot of Monroe street, where the City National Bank is now located. April 13, 1834, the subject of this sketch was married to Barney Burton, their marriage being the first one solemnized in Kent county. Mr. Burton, her husband, was born in Greenfield, Saratoga Co., N. Y., March 16, 1807, and died April 17, 1861. The same year of their marriage they settled on the farm now owned by Charles W. Garfield in the town of Paris, about three miles from the city of Grand

Rapids. On this farm they built them a log house, and in a short time he built himself a frame barn, being the first frame barn built in township of Paris, or Kent county. Three years after their settlement on this farm they built a frame house and occupied it as their dwelling, till they removed back to the city in 1855. This house was afterward sold and removed from the farm, and is now the barn of one Mr. Winchell, living about one mile east of the old homestead.

At the time of their marriage the law required them to have a marriage license before the ceremony could be solemnized. In this case, as the town was not yet organized, they had to wait some four weeks for the first town meeting to organize the town. At this meeting there were but nine voters in the town. They were mar. ried by Rev. Mr. Slater, who was a missionary among the Indians on the west side of the river, it being the first marriage in town. Nearly everybody in town was present.

In this year (1881) we find Mrs. Burton as well preserved an old lady as most women are at 45 and 50. Never had any children, but has brought up several to man and womanhood. She now resides in the family of William Laraway, in the township of Grand Rapids, a distant relative by marriage.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN OF KENT:

The

At the first annual township meeting in the township of Kent, held at the house of Joel Guild, agreeably to an act of the Legis. lative Council of the Territory of Michigan, Rix Robinson was: chosen Moderator, and Jonathan F. Chubb, Clerk pro tem. following persons_were elected: Rix Robinson, Supervisor; Eliphalet Turner, Town Clerk; Joel Guild, Barney Burton, J. H. Gordon, Assessors; Ira Jones, Collector; Luther Lincoln, Poormaster; Louis Campau, Barney Burton, Luther Lincoln, Commissioners of Highways; Myron Roice, Ira Jones, Constables; J. F. Chubb, Overseer of Highways.

Voted, that a fence five feet high (the distance between the rails for three feet high, six inches), shall be a lawful fence.

Voted, that Luther Lincoln, Jonathan F. Chubb, G. H. Gordon and Barney Burton, shall serve as fence-viewers.

An election was held at the house of Joel Guild April 4, 1835, for the purpose of choosing delegates to form a constitution for the State of Michigan, when Lucius Lyon received 41 votes; Lyman J. Daniels, 41 votes; Lovell Moore, 40 votes; Wm. H. Welch, 32 votes; Joseph Miller, 12 votes; Hezekiah G. Wells, 21 votes, and Isaac Barns, 2. This paper is signed Rix Robinson, Supervisor; Joel Guild, Assessor, and Eliphalet H. Turner, Clerk.

The last meeting of the township of Kent was held Dec. 31, 1841. The first meeting of township of Grand Rapids was held March 19, 1842. No record of particulars of change appears.