children and buried them all. The mother joined her babes in October, 1854, and Mr. Wood again was married in February, 1855, to Mary A., daughter of Amos and Abigail (Barber) Stiles. They have had three children, two of whom are living-Wm. H., born March 18, 1860, and Martha L., June 29, 1858. Mr. Wood owns 60 acres of land, with 52 under cultivation. In 1863-'4 he was a member of the Board of Supervisors, and during that time had charge of the families of 31 soldiers. He was a Supervisor in 1868 and 1872 CANNON TOWNSHIP. This township is 150 miles northwest from Detroit, has a rolling surface and good soil, well adapted to grazing and farming purposes, and well watered by numerous small streams. The town presents a great variety of surface and soil, has half a dozen or more lakes in it, among which Bostwick and Silver lakes are the largest and finest, well stocked with fish, and a favorite resort for fishing parties. The south part of the town, particularly along Bear creek, is very rolling, as is also the north and northwest portions of the town. Much of its surface, however, is gently undulating and very desirable for all farming purposes. Silver lake, on sections nine and ten, lying just north of and touching the line of the Grand Rapids & Ionia State Road, as its name indicates, is a most beautiful sheet of water, containing about 300 acres. One mile directly east of Silver lake we come upon Bostwick lake, a huge crystal, in emerald setting. No more beautiful scene can well be imagined. Its waters are very cold, evidently emanating from springs, as it has no visible inlet or natural outlet. This was a favorite resort in early days for fishing parties, and parties of pleasure coming from the village often camped on its banks and tarried over night. A huge canoe, fashioned by an Indian, from a white-wood tree grown a mile south of Cannonsburg, was transported with a vast amount of labor to its shores and launched upon its waters. The distance traversed was five miles, occupying two days in the transit, and employing four yoke of oxen. There, in the later years, the settlers on lands adjacent to the lake found the deserted canoe, a monster of its kind, over 30 feet in length. Wind and wave have long since done their works upon it, only a fragment of it remaining as a relic in the family of S. B. Kutz. This lake also lies north of the State Road, which bends slightly in passing round its southern shore. It contains about 400 acres. Bear creek, the principal stream of the town, rising in the northeast corner, flows south about four miles, and then turns abruptly west for six miles, and falls into Grand river about the town line. It has a great deal of fall, perhaps near 200 feet in 12 miles, and furnishes remarkably good motive power for a stream of its size. In section 1 is a noble hill rising pretty abruptly near 100 feet above the high lands around it, and furnishing a grand view of the landscape for 10 to 20 miles in almost every direction. It is strikingly visible for five or six miles in several directions, and is well named "Prospect Hill," though sometimes known as "Ball (677) Hill," in honor of John Ball. The top of this hill, or knob, is probably little less than 300 feet above Grand river, and the view from its top is well worth a trip of many miles. These heights were once the property of John Ball. The land was purchased by Thomas Cowan, who converted it into a great orchard in 1868-'9. The first entries of land in the township of Cannon were made on sections 30 and 31, in 1835. The first entry was made by James S. Potter on section 30, July 15, 1835, and the second entry on section 31, Dec. 4, 1835. These men did not become permanent settlers. A few of the purchasers from 1839 to 1845 are named: Hugh E. McKee, section 29, Aug. 19, 1839; James Thomas, section 20, Aug. 12, 1840; Hiram Rood, section 32, Aug. 19, 1839; Isaac Tomlinson, section 31, Oct. 10, 1839; Charles Knapp, section 18, Aug. 10, 1839; Ethiel Whitney, section 19, Aug. 3, 1839; John Boldy, section 19, Oct. 24, 1839; Kendall Woodward, section 7, Aug. 7, 1840; John French, section 9, Aug. 26, 1844; Alexander Charter, jr., section 19, Dec. 19, 1845. The first permanent settlers of the township were: Zebulon Rood and Mariette Rood, in 1840; Isaac Tomlinson, Mary Tomlinson in 1839; Andrew Watson, Mrs. Watson in 1839; Ethiel Whitney and Elizabeth Whitney in 1839; Hugh E. McKee and Betsy McKee in 1830; James Thomas and Elizabeth Thomas in 1840; Wm. M. Miller in 1839; A. D. W. Stout and Mrs. Stoutțin 1839; Oliver Lovejoy, Rev. Freeze, in 1840. John French and Collins Leach were squatters within the boundaries of Cannon as early as 1840. The former patented his lands in 1844. Samuel Steele, Eben C. Smith and M. A. Patrick selected their lands in 1844. Demas Hine, John Hartwell, and James Dockeray located in 1845-6. Among the other early settlers who made their appearance before the organization, were H. II. Worden, Lewis D. Dean, Loyal Palmer, Martin Johnson, Cornelius Wample, Robert Howard, Mindrus Whitney, John C. Chapman, Cornelius Slaght, Harlow T. Judson, John Hartwell, John Bishop, Jared Spring, together with others mentioned in the organic section of this sketch. In 1844, E. B. Bostwick got the Indians to make a large dugout canoe, the first among the white settlers of this township, on Patrick Fingleton's farm. This was brought to Bostwick Place, and the genial Bostwick asked his neighbors, James Thomas, Major Worden, Sydney S. Haskins, Zebulon Rood, Tom Hall. Whisky was plenty. A wagon-load of fish was caught that night. Hugh E. McKee is said to have married Miss Betsey Burgess, in 1841. This is said to be the first marriage. The first white children born in the township were Jeannette Watson and Mary Stout, born Sept. 27, 1837. The first death was that of Martha Jane Tomlinson, who died May 6, 1842. She was a daughter of Isaac Tomlinson, one of the first settlers. The house of Hyde was burned about eight years ago, when the owner was burned to death. When rescued, he was burning; and so unconscious that he was not aware of his terrible sufferings. THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF CANNON was dedicated March 27, 1875. The society was formed_about 1861. The first members were: Abraham Kromer and wife, Joseph Moore and wife, Jesse B. Armstrong and wife, George Armstrong and wife, Mrs. Schoomaker, Mrs. Allen, Charles Allen, Virgil Haines and wife, Mrs. Carten, Charles F. Judson and Eretta Judson, Mrs. Emily Thomas, Mrs. Lacey, and M. W. Wiley. The church property at Cannonsburg is valued at $5,000. Rev. D. L. Eaton is pastor. The Congregational Church north of Cannonsburg is the first church building erected in the township. The society was organized June 6, 1846, with the following members: Nathaniel Steele, Sydney Weller, W. C. Youngs, F. B. Ray, Edgar Weller and Thomas Cowan. The present pastor of Lowell and Cannonsburg was one of the early ministers of the Church here. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Methodist church at Steele's Corners was built about 1848. Among the original members were: Eben. Smith and wife, Urias Goss and wife, A. J. Provin and wife, and Mr. Shotwell and wife. The M. E. church, of Cannonsburg village, was built in 1848. The society was formed about 1846, when services were held in the first school-house. Among the first members were: John Hartwell and wife, Robert Hartwell and wife, Wm. Provin and wife, Thomas Noy and wife, James Thomas and wife, Mrs. Louisa Litle and Isaac Tomlinson and wife. ORGANIC. The first record of the township is given under date April 6 1846. It points out the fact that the Legislature organized the town under the name Churchtown, in the spring of 1846, and that the first meeting was held at the house of C. Slaght. H. T. Judson presided as Moderator; H. H. Worden, Loyal Palmer and Harrison Russell, Inspectors; with H. H. Worden, Clerk. The following is a list of the first Grand Jurors: Ethiel Whitney, Willis Aylsworth and H. T. Judson. The Petit Jurors were: Robert Hartwell, L. D. Dean and John Adams, May 12, 1846. The first license granted by the township Board of Churchtown, or Cannon, was that to Cornelius Slaght, granting him to sell ardent spirits June 15, 1846. The first meeting of the town of Cannon (formerly Churchtown) was held April 3, 1848. |