On

settlements. The mail route from Traverse City to Manistee by way of Benzonia was only a trail or foot-path marked by blazed trees. In summer the mail was carried on horseback; in winter on a sort of sled, not unlike the dog sledges in use in some arctic countries. It consisted of a single plank, eight feet long and a foot and a half wide, turned up in front like a sleigh runner. this the mail bags were securely fastened by straps passing over them. The plank was drawn by a single horse, scarcely sinking into the snow and running over fallen trees without difficulty. The driver usually ran behind, but when fatigued sometimes rested himself by riding. When, as was sometimes the case, the mail carrier was an Indian, he used dogs for his team in true arctic style. An incident or two will illustrate the difficulty of winter travel at that time.

Mrs. Jacob Barns was the first woman who passed over the trail. Her journey was accomplished, in company with her husband and others, in February, 1859. A party of eight, including two Indians with the mail, left Traverse City together, being conveyed over the first seventeen miles of the route in a sleigh, when they encamped for the night. The sleigh could go no farther. The next day Mrs. Barns rode a favorite pony, sometimes being obliged to leap over the obstructions in the path. They reached Benzonia the second night. On the morning of the third day they went down to the shore of Lake Michigan, at or near the present site of Frankfort, where Mrs. Barns exchanged the saddle for a seat on the dog train of the Indians. They traveled the remainder of that day and a part of the following night on the ice, encountering a terrific snow storm and finding considerable difficulty in passing a stretch of open water. It was midnight when they reached a place of shelter at the mouth of Portage Creek. From Portage they were conveyed by teams to Grand Haven, arriving at that place ten days after leaving Traverse City.

There was a postoffice at Herring Creek, and a man named Averill was postmaster. In 1859 that office was removed to Benzonia. The trail between Manistee and Traverse City at that time passed three miles south of the site of the colony, and they opened a trail to connect with it. The postoffice was brought from Herring Creek by boat and once for a brief time the office and postmaster entirely disappeared under water by the upsetting of the boat. Mr. John Bailey was the first postmaster at Benzonia. He held the office until about the first of 1875, when he was succeeded by W. S. Hubbell who held the office until June, 1875, and was succeeded by David B. Spencer, the present incumbent.

In the meantime operations were beginning in other parts of the county, which we will speak of hereafter.

The Congregational Church at Benzonia was organized June 8, 1860, with eighteen members, at the house of Rev. Charles E. Bailey, who was installed as pastor. John R. Barr and L. W. Case were elected deacons. Meetings were held at the house of Mr. John Bailey and in the log school-house, which, in 1864, had to be enlarged to hold the congregation. In 1862 Rev. Elias E. Kirkland supplied the church for a time, and May 31, 1863, Rev. Reuben Hatch began to preach. In 1866 Rev. Otis B. Waters came to Benzonia to take charge of the school in which capacity he continued about five years, and after Mr. Hatch he preached for the society. In 1872 the church had a membership of 140. The church has been mainly supplied by teachers in the college. After Mr. Waters, Revs. D. N. Goodrich and John Pettit preached a short time, and then for nine years the pastor was Rev. A. E. Gridley. In August, 1888, the society was incorporated First Congre

gational Church of Benzonia. Services have been held in the college building, but a church edifice has recently been commenced.

About two years ago a Methodist society was organized, and a church built.

In 1862 or 1863 the first store was started by Rev. C. E. Bailey, under the firm name of Bailey & Metcalf. The style of the firm was subsequently changed to C. E. Bailey & Co. There was no other store at Benzonia for several years. The next one was started by W. S. Hubbell on the east side of the creek, about the year 1867. Mr. Bailey's store shared the primitive character of its surroundings, being started in his kitchen, and afterward promoted to the dining-room, when that convenience was added to the house. Subsequently he put up a store building, and made a separation of business and domestic interests.

During this time the interests of the college were being fostered. Dec. 3, 1862, a college charter was obtained, and June 10, 1863, the first meeting of the board of trustees of the college was held. Dr. Walker was elected president of the college, and Mr. Hatch professor of languages. Under the charge of Prof. Hatch, a preparatory department was opened on the first day of July, in an unplastered room in the house of Mrs. C. T. Carrier, with thirteen pupils.

November 13, 1863, the first work on the college chapel was performed, but it is doubtful if the logs sawed at that time were ever used in the chapel. Work on the chapel progressed slowly, but it must be remembered that there was much to contend with. It was finally completed and dedicated Sept. 19, 1869, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. C. E. Bailey, from the text "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

With the completion of the chapel the future of the college seemed promising, and its friends felt greatly encouraged, but the enterprise seemed destined to be severely tried, for March 24, 1874, the entire building was destroyed by fire, and as there was no insurance the financial loss was a severe one. The cost of the building had been about $7,000.

While the timbers were yet burning the trustees met and decided that the work of rebuilding must be begun at once, and steps were taken in that direction, but the hard times interfered with the progress of the work and it was decided to abandon that project. Mr. John Bailey had erected a large three-story building for a hotel, and the college made a purchase of that property, Rev. C. E. Bailey donating $2,000 to aid in the purchase. The school was continued in that building until a recent date, when it was temporarily suspended, and at this time it is not certain what plan will be adopted by the trustees.

This enterprise has been sustained by a severe struggle, and whether it has accomplished all that was hoped for it or not, it has been an important factor in the history of this region. Out of this effort churches have been organized in neighboring communities, the cause of education has been advanced, and under proper management the college may yet become still more useful and important in the future than in the past.

The location of Benzonia is very desirable, the climate salubrious, and the surrounding country excellent for farming purposes.

The Benzonia Citizen was started about 1870 by Dr. J. B. Walker, and was kept up about two years, when the enterprise was abandoned.

The Benzie County Journal, Benzonia, was established by a joint stock company in 1872. The editors were R. H. Brainard, James A. Pettit, Bailey & Betts and John B. Betts.

A brother editor visiting Benzonia, described the Journal office as follows:

'Benzonia's most attractive curiosity to us was its printing office, where a disciple of Faust manipulates the leaden messengers of thought' and gobbles on to the county tax sales as often as

possible. The office of the Benzie County Journal, John Betts, editor, is located in a small building in which the carpenter forgot to put the front in. It is rough boarded half way down to the floor, an organ box at the corner serving as a door. Swinging the box around on one corner, we entered the sanctum sanctorum, but the editor was absent-down on his farm finishing haying. Aside from a hand press, a small job press and a few cases of type, we mentally inventoried the contents of the office as follows:-One carpenter's work bench, a scythe stone, a bass drum, a jack plane, two cornets, two organs and two or three sewing machines (taken for advertising). In addition to his editorial labors, Mr. Betts acts in the capacity of organ and sewing machine agent, real estate agent and village barber. Realizing the varied duties and consequent troubles of Brother Betts, we haven't a particle of ambition to start a newspaper in the north woods and grow up with the country."

The Journal was Republican in politics, and was discontinued in March, 1883.

CHAPTER XLIV.

EARLY SETTLEMENT CONTINUED THE FIRST GRIST-MILL-ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY-COUNTY OFFICERS FIRST MEETINGS OF SUPERVISORS-COUNTY SEAT-ORGANIZATION OF TOWNS-AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY-SCHOOL MATTERS-POSTOFFICES--BIOGRAPH

ICAL.

Immediately after the establishment of the colony at Benzonia, Benzie County, and the adjacent parts of Grand Traverse, Wexford and Manistee began to be dotted with settlements. A company was formed for the purpose of opening business at Frankfort, who built a saw-mill, established a store for the sale of goods, and engaged to a limited extent in the manufacture of staves from elm timber, and the exportation of hemlock bark. As early as 1861, besides the three families already mentioned as being there in 1858, there were living in that vicinity Richard Ball, Dr. A. J. Slyfield, Richard Weston, L. A. Dauby, William Cogshall, and J. Hadsall. The first three were located at various points north of what is now the village, Mr. Hadsall a short distance south of it, and Messrs. Dauby and Cogshall at the mouth of the river. Mr. Dauby was employed as the business agent of the company, and Mr. Cogshall kept their boarding-house. The operations at the mouth of the river are followed out in the history of Frankfort.

Mr. William Steele came to Benzonia in 1861, and soon afterward settled in Homestead. In 1863 John Hunt settled near Herring Lake; Rev. A. Joy, a Baptist minister, in Joyfield, after whom the township was named; and George B. Pierce in Pleasanton.

In February, 1862, H. E. Steward and L. W. Hubbell went from Benzonia to Traverse City and returned, with ox teams and sleds, for the double purpose of carrying grain to the mill and purchasing supplies. The snow was two and a half feet deep, and the track was little more than what had been made by the mail carrier's horse and plank sled. At that time the woods were more open than at a later period, and it was possible to get through with sleds by frequently running over the trunks of fallen trees. They were six full days in making the round trip, camping in the woods two nights both going and returning. On their way out a supply of fodder for the teams was left at each camping place to be used on their return.

A road was cut through the woods from Benzonia to Manistee, by way of Bear Lake, in January, 1862. In the fall of 1863, one was cut out and made passable for wagons between Benzonia and

Traverse City, the citizens of each settlement by agreement doing the work on that half the route next their own locality.

In 1863 the first grist-mill was got into operation at Benzonia. The It was a log building containing a single run of stones. builder, Mr. W. S. Hubbell, who, with his sons, had come to the settlement the year previous, had been obliged to bring the millstones and the machinery from Glen Arbor, where they had been landed from a propeller, along the shore of Lake Michigan and up the Betsie River in a small boat.

September 3, 1864, the Congregational Church in Homestead was organized and became an auxiliary of the college in the religious activities of the county.

We pass now to the civil history of the county.

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

The county was laid off by an act of legislature approved Feb. 27, 1863, which reads as follows: "All that part of the county of Leelanaw which lies south of the south line of Township 28 north, shall be and remain the county of Benzie, and the several townships thereof shall be attached for civil and municipal purposes to the county of Grand Traverse."

In the fall of 1868 the question of securing a separate county organization was agitated by the people, and December 12th a mass meeting was held at the school-house in Frankfort to consider measures looking toward securing that object. Resolutions were adopted that petitions be circulated, and that Hon. W. H. C. Mitchell, who was the representative-elect from this district, be requested to lend his aid in securing the passage of a bill which would provide for county organization. The result was the enactment of a law, approved March 30, 1869, which provided as follows: "That the county of Benzie, consisting of the territory embraced by the present county of Benzie, be and the same is hereby organized into a separate county by the name of Benzie, and the inhabitants thereof shall be entitled to all the privileges, powers and immunities to which by law the inhabitants of other organized counties in this state are entitled.

"At the township meeting to be held in the several townships in said county on the first Monday in April next, there shall be an election of all the county officers to which by law the said county may be entitled, whose term of office shall expire on the first day of January, A. D. 1871, and when their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

“The county canvassers under the provisions of this act shall meet on the second Tuesday succeeding the day of election, as herein appointed, in the village of Benzonia, in said county, at the house of John Bailey, or at such other place as may be agreed upon and provided by said board, and organized by appointing one of their number chairman and another secretary, and shall thereupon proceed to discharge all the duties of a board of county canvassers, as in other cases of the election of county officers, as prescribed by the general law.

"The location of the county seat of said county shall be determined by the vote of the electors of said county at a special election which is hereby appointed to be held by the several townships of said county on the first Monday in July next. There shall be written on the ballots then polled by the qualified electors of said county one of the names of the following places, to wit:-Frankfort, Benzonia, and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 28, Township 26 north, of Range 14 west, and that one which shall receive a majority of all the votes cast at such elections shall be the county seat of the county of Benzie: Provided, That in case no one of said places shall at said election be designated such county seat in the manner aforesaid, another election shall be held on the first Monday of October next, in the same places, at

Benzie County as organized consisted of the territory separated from Leelanaw and designated as Benzie by the act of 1868, which had since remained attached to Grand Traverse. It already contained eight organized townships-Almira, Benzonia, Crystal Lake, Gilmore, Homestead, Joyfield, Weldon and Colfax. The first election for county officers was held on the first Monday in April. Addison P. Wheelock was elected sheriff; Roland O. Crispin, county treasurer; Theodore C. Walker, county clerk and register of deeds; Digby B. Butler, judge of probate; James B. Delbridge, prosecuting attorney; William J. Young, circuit court commissioner; George E. Steele, county surveyor; A. E. Walker, superintendent of schools; A. J. Slyfield and L. Kenny, coroners.

Sufficient care has not been exercised in preserving the early records of the county, and as a consequence some things cannot be stated as fully and accurately as might be desired. We have been unable to find any record of county officers elected for the several terms, and have been obliged to make the list from the recollection of persons best situated to remember correctly. As nearly as we can gather, the following persons were elected at the several elections:

1870:—Sheriff, Addison P. Wheelock; county treasurer, A. G. Butler; county clerk, C. H. Parker; register of deeds, C. H. Parker; judge of probate, J. H. Adams; prosecuting attorney, N. A. Parker; circuit court commissioner, N. A. Parker; surveyvor, George E. Steele; superintendent of schools, A. E. Walker; coroner, A. J. Slyfield and L. Kenny.

1872:-Sheriff, Morris Case; treasurer, A. G. Butler; clerk and register, Job R. Green; prosecuting attorney, Watson J. Young. 1874:-Sheriff, David M. Fish; treasurer, L. P. Judson; clerk and register, Job R. Green; prosecuting attorney, W. H. Francis; J. H. Adams.

1876:-Sheriff, David M. Fish; treasurer, L. P. Judson; clerk and register, A. T. Case; prosecuting attorney, W. H. Francis.

1878:-Sheriff, Camden Johnson; treasurer, L. P. Judson, clerk and register, A. T. Case; probate judge, J. M. Goodrich; prosecuting attorney, C. L. Northrup.

1880:-Sheriff, E. T. Huntington; treasurer, Silas F. Judson; clerk and register, A. T. Case; prosecuting attorney, C. L. Northrup.

1882:-Sheriff, Alfonso Brown; clerk and register, A. N. Whitcomb; judge of probate, J. M. Goodrich; treasurer, John J. Hubbell; prosecuting attorney, Isaac B. Woodhouse; circuit court commissioner, E. S. Heffron; surveyor, F. D. Stanley; coroners, J. E. Talmadge, A. S. Worthington.

The supervisors of the several towns in 1884 are as follows: David E. Wright, Almira; Thomas B. Pettitt, Benzonia; Benjamin Hopkins, Blaine; Hiram M. Spicer, Crystal Lake; William G. Bunting, Colfax; John L. Chandler, Gilmore; William Palmer, Homestead; Norman Johnson, Inland; Charles H. Parker, Joyfield; Daniel C. Thomas, Platte; Arther T. Case, Weldon, F. E. Thurber, Lake.

FIRST MEETINGS OF SUPERVISORS.

The first meeting of the board of supervisors was held at the school-house in Benzonia April 22, 1869. The record of proceedings is as follows:-The board was called to order by the clerk.

On motion Silas F. Judson, of Benzonia Township, was made. permanent chairman. The following supervisors were present from the several towns:-M. D. Campbell, Almira; Silas F. Judson, Benzonia; Henry Woodward, Crystal Lake; B. Hopkins, Gilmore; William Palmer, Homestead; George Dair, Joyfield; A. B. Crittenden, Platte; A. F. Case, Weldon.

On motion of A. F. Case committees were appointed on finance, assessments and public buildings.

Two dollars per acre was agreed upon as the basis of assessment on wild lands, and from three to ten dollars per acre on improved lands.

The committee on public buildings recommended that the county officers be allowed to do business at their homes until the county seat was permanently located. The report was adopted,

The first annual meeting convened at the school-house in Benzonia Oct. 11, 1869. Salaries of county officers were fixed as follows:-Clerk, $250; probate judge, $100; treasurer, $500; sheriff, $150. Other routine business was transacted.

The valuation of property in the several towns in 1870, as follows:- Benzonia, $55,659; Homestead, $29,330; Gilmore, $15,220; Inland, $27,700; Joyfield, $19,450; Colfax, $20,317; Weldon, $39,410; Platte, $27,482; Almira, $33,720; Crystal Lake, $142,147.

The first meeting at Frankfort was in April, 1870.

COUNTY SEAT.

The organic act provided that the location of the county seat should be determined by a vote of the electors. For this purpose an election was to be held the first Monday in July. There was to be written on the ballots one of the following names of places Frankfort, Benzonia and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 28, Township 26 North, Range 14 West. The place last named was in the township of Homestead. If one of the places received a majority of all the votes, it was to be the county seat; if no place received a majority, then another election was to be held on the first Monday of the following October, at which the electors should designate by a majority vote one of the two places which should have received the highest number of votes at the July election. At the first election the vote stood, for Benzonia, 75; Homestead, 237; Frankfort, 194. As there was no choice the second election was held, resulting in favor of Frankfort by 301 to 265.

The contest over the location of the county seat was not an exception to the general rule, and was characterized by a great deal of bitterness and foolishness.

In 1872 the board of supervisors again submitted the question to a vote of the people. This time the contest was between Frankfort and a site about a mile east of Benzonia. There was a strenuous effort to establish the site on the hill at Benzonia, and liberal offers were made in case that site should be selected. A portion of the people, however, would not consent to have the county seat located in the village of Benzonia under any circumstances, but were willing to have it removed from Frankfort. The consequence was that the present site was selected as one of the competing points. The result of the election showed that a majority of the votes cast were in favor of Frankfort, but it was alleged that illegal votes were cast at the polls in Frankfort, and the board of canvassers rejected that vote, and decided the result of the election to be in favor of removal, but the legality of their doings was questioned, and a long course of litigation ensued. In the meantime, the removal was accomplished in fact, and when a final judicial decision was reached the act of removal was sustained.

The present site furnishes a striking illustration of the follies men are capable of when prompted by a spirit of jealousy or spite.

The county building is a common board structure situated in a solitary place a mile from a hotel, postoffice or any business place. The only creditable thing about it is the probability that the site will be removed to some suitable point. The circuit judge has already ordered a suitable place provided in the village of Benzonia for holding court.

ORGANIZATION OF TOWNS.

A number of towns were organized by the supervisors of Grand Traverse County before the county of Benzie was organized. Others have been organized as follows:

The town of Lake was organized by the legislature in the winter of 1873, and embraced territory described as follows: Surveyed fractional Township 27 north, of Range 15 west, fractional Township 27 north, of Range 16 west, and fractional Sections 5, 6, 8, of Township 26 north, of Range 15 west, and fractional Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Township 26 north, of Range 16 west. The first annual meeting was held at the house of V. F. Thurston, on the first Monday of April, 1873, and V. F. Thurston, Robert Bancroft and Jebram Carter were inspectors of election.

The town of Blaine was organized by the board of supervisors in June, 1876, and embraced the following described territory: Bounded on the north by the section line, running east and west, one mile south of the congressional township line in the township of Gilmore, on the east by Joyfield, south by Manistee County and west by Lake Michigan. The first town meeting was appointed at the school-house in the "Hunt" District June 28, 1876. The inspectors of election were John Hunt, Almon Crawford and W. G. Voorheis.

Crystal Lake was organized in October, 1859, by the board of supervisors, and embraced the following described territory: Commencing on the shore of Lake Michigan where the township line between Townships 27 and 28 strikes the shore of said lake, thence running east to the range line between Townships 12 and 13 west; thence south to the township line between Townships 24 and 25; thence west following said township line to the shore of Lake Michigan; thence northerly following the shore of said lake to the place of beginning. First town meeting was appointed at the store of D. A. Dauby. D. H. Moore was the first supervisor.

The town of Benzonia was organized by the board of supervisors of Grand Traverse County at the October session in 1861. The territory embraced was described as follows: Commencing at the point on township line between Townships 27 and 28 north, where said line intersects the shore of Lake Michigan, running thence east on said line to township line between Ranges 12 and 13 west; thence south on said line to township line between Townships 24 and 25 north, thence west on said line to the section line between Sections 31 and 32, Town 25 north, of Range 15 west; thence north on said section line, to the shore of Lake Michigan; thence on said shore to the point of starting. The petition was signed by the following named persons: Charles E. Barber, George Thompson, David Piper, Isaac J. Carver, A. T. Case, William Stub, Horace Burr, O. A. Clark, John Bailey, H. E. Steward, H. M. Marsh, L. W. Case, J. R. Barr, E. L. Neel, William Westor, Morris Case, J. K. Smith. The first annual meeting was appointed at the school-house in Benzonia Jan. 1, 1862.

The town of Almira was set off from Crystal Lake, and organized by the board of supervisors of Grand Traverse County at the January session in 1864. It embraced the territory of Township 27 north, of Range 18 west. Horace Abbe was the first supervisor.

The town of Homestead was organized by the board of supervisors of Grand Traverse County at the October session in 1864, and embraced the territory of Townships 25 and 26 north, of Range

18 west, and Towns 25, 26 and 27 north of Range 14 west, with the exception of the west tier of sections of Town 26 north, of Range 14 west. First town meeting appointed at the house of E. E. Kirkland.

The town of Platte was organized by the board of supervisors of Grand Traverse County at the January session in 1866, and comprised Townships 27 north, of Ranges 14 and 15 west. The first town meeting was appointed at the house of F. B. Van Platten. The first supervisor was V. F. Thurston.

The town of Gilmore was organized by the board of supervisors at the October session in 1866, and embraced the following described territory: Sections 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32 in Township 25 north, of Range 15 west; fractional Section 10, all of 11, 12, 13, 14, Fractional 15 and 22; all of 23, 24, 25, and 26, Fractional 27 and 34; all of 36 and 37 in Township 25 north, of Range 16 west. The first town meeting was held at the house of M. Putney. John Hunt was the first supervisor.

The town of North Climax was organized by the board of supervisors of Grand Traverse County at the April session in 1867, and embraced the territory of Township 26 north, of Range 13 west. The first town meeting was appointed at the house of Nathaniel Barrows. The first supervisor was Downs. The name was afterward changed to Inland.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The honor of leading in the matter of agricultural fairs belongs. to Benzie County. The first was held at Benzonia, on the eighth of October, 1864, several years before the organization of the county agricultural society. The previous notice was short, and the day was blustering and unpropitious, yet the fair was not a failure. The grains and vegetables exhibited were, for the most part, first crops from new ground imperfectly worked. There were no premiums, the only award being an honorable mention by the committees, the merit of the article being classed as extra, good, or fair. There was but little fruit. Of live stock of all kinds, only three animals were mentioned by the committee, presumably the only three present. This fair was mainly gotten up by W. S. Hubbell and H. E. Steward. Among the articles exhibited were twelve green pumpkins, and one solitary peach, in a bottle. The next year the fair was a little better and continued to improve as the county developed. In 1867 a county society was organized and the following year the grounds at Benzonia, consisting of six acres of land, were purchased.

In 1873 the State Pomological Society was held at Traverse City, and Benzie County exhibited 400 plates of fruit and divided the first premium with the peninsula in Grand Traverse County.

The annual fairs have been uniformly successful and the society is in a flourishing condition, being entirely free from debt and some funds on hand. The officers in 1884 are as follows: President, W. S. Hubbell; vice-president, Albert Kent; secretary, Albert Adams; treasurer, H. O. Merrick.

SCHOOL MATTERS.

The following information is from the reports of school inspectors of the several towns for the year 1888:

Homestead:-There are six school districts; 181 school children; four frame school-houses.

Weldon:-Two school districts; twenty-five school children;

two frame school-houses.

Joyfield:-Two school districts; seventy-three school children; two school-houses.

Almira:-Six school districts; 121 school children; one log and four frame school-houses.

Benzonia:-Three school districts; eighty-six school children; two frame school-houses.

Blaine:-Four school districts; 101 school children; two frame and two log school-houses.

Colfax:-Two school districts; sixty-three school children; one frame and one log school building.

Crystal Lake:-One school district; 351 school children; two frame school buildings.

Gilmore:-Three school districts; 204 school children; three frame school-houses.

Inland: -Five school districts; 124 school children; five frame school-houses.

Platte:-Four school districts; sixty-three school children; one frame and two log school-houses.

POSTOFFICES.

The following postoffices are in Benzie County: Almira, Benzonia, Frankfort, Gilmore, Grace, Homestead, Inland, Joyfield, Platte, Print, South Frankfort, Weldon.

POPULATION.

The population of Benzie County at different periods has been as follows: 1870, 2,184; 1874, 2,663; 1880, 3,433.

In 1880 the population was distributed among the towns as follows: Almira, 356; Benzonia, 322; Blaine, 244; Colfax, 131; Crystal Lake, 1,297; Gilmore, 109; Homestead, 208; Iuland, 287; Joyfield, 173; Lake, 42; Platte, 170; Weldon, 94.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

REV. AMARIAH Joy was born in Putney, Vt., May 15, 1809. He took his preparatory course at South Reading, Mass., and graduated in Waterville College, Maine, now Colby University, in 1835, and at Newton Theological Institute in 1838. He then served fifteen years as pastor in the regular Baptist churches in Maine, New Hampshire and Ohio. In 1863 he removed to what is now Joyfield, Benzie County, Mich., then unorganized, and with his wife and son spent the first winter four and a half miles from any settler. He assisted in organizing the township which was named for him, and he sees with pleasure the advance of settlement around them, and also the social, educational and above all the religious progress of the place. He has suffered severely from ill-health, but when health has permitted he has often preached twice on a Sabbath in various parts of this and adjoining counties. He preached the first sermon preached by a Baptist minister in the Grand Traverse Region, and baptized the first person baptized there by a Baptist minister. He organized the church at Acme, and assisted in organizing that on the peninsula, and in organizing and supplying churches in various other places. His homestead consisted of 160 acres, and was the first taken in the township. He has about twenty acres under cultivation, has a thriving orchard, a good dwelling and pleasant home surroundings. secured the institution of the Joyfield Postoffice, and has been postmaster twenty years. It was the second postoffice started in the county. Mr. Joy's marriage was on Nov. 15, 1838, to Miss Louisa Dwelly, also of Maine. She was born there Dec. 2, 1811, and resided in her native state until their removal to Ohio in 1853. She was early distinguished as a scholar, and commenced writing for the country press at sixteen years of age. They have three children, Frances R., now Mrs. Ingle Barker, Adelia C., now associate principal of Mount Carroll Female Seminary, at Mount Carroll, Ill., and William A.

He

mill business. On March 27, 1844, he was married to Miss Emeline R. Fitts, also of Gustavus. She was born in Huntington, Conn., in 1820. Their children are Edward P., Nancy W.; Walter N., Alden B., now Rev. A. B. Case, of Howard, Dak, Charles E., William L., Albert B. and James Walker. Mrs. E. R. Case died. Dec. 27, 1866. Mr. Case's second Larriage was on Sept. 3, 1868, to Mis. Rosanna C. Fitts, also of Gustavus. She was born there June 25, 1824. In the spring of 1860 Mr. Case and his family removed to Benzoria, Benzie County, Mich., purchased lands, prepared them a home and entered upon pioneer life. When he first came to Traverse Region no propellers could land at Frankfort. His cattle, when they arrived there, were backed off the gang-way of the steamer into the lake, and on rising in the water were guided ashore by persons with boats. One valuable ox, left to follow his mate, lost sight of him as he started for the shore, and swam quite round the steamer, looking wistfully for a chance to get on, and then swam far out into the lake, but finally caught a side view of the bank and turning swam ashore and lay down on the beach almost exhausted. The goods were put on small boats and were brought in by poling the boats up the Aux Becs Scies River. Their supplies they got mostly at Traverse City. It took four days to go and return with an ox team. They camped in the woods one night in going and one in returning, refreshing the team with browse from the trees. In 1864 Mr. Case erected a saw-mill, the first permanent mill built in the locality. He continued business in the mill until age seemed to invite his retirement, and the mill was then transferred to his sons, Walter N. and W. L. Case, who still conduct the business. The water power which drives the wheel is a beautiful spring stream, rising only a little over a mile above the mill, yet furnishing a full supply of water almost unaffected by freshets or by drouth; and now abounding with most excellent fish. Mr. Case also took 330 acres of government land which he has chiefly divided among his heirs. His beautiful residence is on the home farm, near the mill. He has served several years as highway commissioner and as township treasurer. Religiously Mr. Case and family are Congregationalists. He has held the office of deacon in that body since the organization of the church in June, 1860.

WILLIAM S. HUBBELL, miller, Benzonia, was born in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1812. He removed to Gustavus, Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1832. In August, 1833, he was married to Miss Eliza Case, daughter of A. Case, Esq., of Gustavus She was born in Simsbury, Connecticut. Their living children are Lucius W., Helen L., John James, Buel C. and Elizabeth J. In 1861 they removed from Ohio to Benzonia, Benzie County, Mich., before either the township or county were organized they came in by the way of the Aux Becs Scies River. There were then only three families in Frankfort. Mr. Hubbell at once purchased lands and prepared a pioneer home in the wilderness. Soon after he erected a small log-mill, and thus furnished means for the home manufacture of flour, greatly to the relief and convenience of the settlers. The stones for the mill were brought in a small boat from Glen Arbor to Aux Becs Scies River, and thence up the river by poling the boat along with poles. In this way all supplies had then to be brought in. No wagon roads had then been built. The first year's grinding in the mill, 1863, was 300 bushels. In about 1867 a small stock company was formed for commercial purposes, and a store was commenced in a building built by Mr. Hubbell, on the east side of the creek. In the fall of 1877 the firm B. C. Hubbell & Co., (W. S. Hubbell being the other partner) was organized. The business was conducted by that firm some three years. Since then various changes have occurred. The business is now, in 1884, conducted by C. E. Case. Mr. Hubbell has also