rar, 1877; Horace H. Spencer, 1878; Gideon Draper, 1879; JoBarringer, 1879Albert F. Stowe, 1880; E. Wells True, 1880; Merril P. Farrar, 1881.

In this town the whole Republican ticket was elected in 1882, as follows: Supervisor - Charles Andrews, Republican, 196; A. H. Peabody, Democrat, 98; Sabin 0. Stump, Greenback, 23; Andrews' plurality, 98. Clerk-B. C. Preston, Republican, 181; Thomas A. Flower, Democrat, 118; Preston's majority, 63. Treasurer Hiram J. Barrows, Republican, 187; G. F. Hebblewhite, Democrat, 113; Barrows' majority, 74. Justice of the Peace-George F. Adams, Republican, 156; H. H. Spencer, Democrat, 148; Adams' majority, 8.

PIONEERS OF ARMADA.

Among the first settlers of the township were John Proctor, Erastus, Day, Nathan Rowley, Neil Gray, Norman Perry, Eri Butterfield, Elisha D. Andrews, Elijah Burke, Norman Burke, Chauncey Bailey, Leonard Lee, Darius Sessions, Israel G. Belknap and Daniel Draper, and a man named Aldrich.

A trip from the Eastern States to Armada, so late as 1831 was one attended with many difficulties. The usual vicissitudes of canal travel from Rochester to Buffalo, and thence per steamer to Detroit, had to be experienced. The journey from Detroit via Royal Oak to Armada, so well known by many an old settler, was traversed; Mother Handsom's house was visited, and the nucleus of Romeo surveyed. S. H. Corbin and other settlers came in 1831. After a short time passed at Romeo, the land-hunters pushed forward by the locations of Leslie, Day, Edget, Farrar, Iddo Warner, Job Howell, and stayed that night with a man named Belknap, whose log shanty stood on the corner of Section 29. The travelers next packed the necessaries for a two-days' journey, and proceeded en route to Section 25, driving their oxen in the yoke. The only houses on the trail at that time were Edmund Stewart's and Andrew Ward's. Previous explorers had cleared a road as far east as Belle River, and so the present travelers had comparatively few obstacles to encounter. They camped on the site of Holly Goyer's house, where they were entertained by whip-poor-will songs and the hum of the ubiquitous mosquito. Goodell, who formed one of the party, is inclined to think there were no less than one hundred whip-poor-wills and ten millions of mosquitoes round their camp-fire that night. The next day, the party was joined by Goodell, Sr., who brought his family to Romeo from Detroit the day previous. Within a few days, the family went out to their future home, and entered the proverbial log house of the pioneer June 17, 1831, just one month after they left the old homestead in York State. Here they found themselves in the position of Robinson Crusoe. Leonard Lee was the nearest neighbor, two miles distant, and his home unknown; the Wards were three miles westward, and Peter Aldrich was living on the John Corbin farm. There were no settlers between them and the Tittabawassee River on the northwest, Lake Huron on the northeast, and St. Clair River on the east. Mrs. Goodell did not see the face of a white woman for almost three months, until Mrs. Nathaniel Carter and her sister came, in the latter part of September, and passed a portion of a day with her. The Indians were frequent visitors during the summer, and at one time they were in camp close by for nearly two weeks. Those savages came from their village west of Romeo. They brought with them about five bushels of whortleberries in bark mocacks, which they traded for flour and meal. At this time, the forest was full of strawberries and blackberries, so in this respect the pioneers were fully supplied. During the summer, an acre of land was cleared round the house, and on July 1, 1832, a tract laid down under oats. During the fall, six acres were cleared, and timber prepared for a story-and-a-half house, 18x24 feet. This house was boarded and shingled, the lumber being procured at the Tremble Mill, three miles from Romeo. Steward, Sessions and Mather came to assist the Goodells in raising this house.

explain to Mr. Freeman that they had no money just then, but, so soon as they would obtain some, the barrel of flour should be paid for. Freeman had no alternative but to wait.

In 1832 or 1833, there was a small grocery store established at the Branch. The owner was generally employed clearing land in the vicinity. To render himself equal to the work of watching two things at the same time, he hung a dinner-horn on the door, with a notice below, stating, "If no one is here, blow the horn.'

The winter of 1842-43 was known as the hard winter. The weather continued severe from "Cold Friday," in November, until the first Monday of April, 1843, when the snow was two and one-half feet deep on the level.

She

The first child born in the eastern part of the town was Solomon Butterfield. The first death in the eastern part of the town was that of Mrs. David Page. was buried with her head to the north, on a spot where the old cemetery of years ago was located.

The number of acres of improved land in the township in 1850 was 7,600; of unimproved lands, 9,711; total cash value of same, $222,880. Agricultural products: Wheat, 8,615 bushels; corn, 20,070 bushels; oats, 25,186 bushels; all other kinds of grair, 2,960 bushels; potatoes, 5,696 bushels; wool, 11,632 pounds. Dairy products: Butter, 23,916 pounds; cheese, 7,410 pounds. Value of orchard produce, $729. Live stock: Horses, 230; milch cows, 486; working oxen, 215; other neat cattle, 657; sheep, 5,191; swine, 1,112; total value of live stock, $34,820.

We

The above is quite a creditable showing, but appears somewhat meager when compared with the statistical report as returned by the Supervisor in the spring of 1874. quote: "Number of acres of improved land in occupied farms, 11,922; wood and other unimproved land, 9,340 acres; cash value of farms, $935,895. Agricultural products: Wheat, 20,751 bushels; corn, 32,126 bushels; oats, 43,800 bushels; all other kinds of grain, 13,891 bushels; potatoes, 10,932 bushels; wool, 34,577 pounds; pork marketed, 73,211 pounds. Dairy products: Butter, 45,070 pounds; cheese, 9, 420 pounds; cheese, 9,420 pounds. Live stock: Horses, 605; milch cows, 625; working oxen, 17; mules, 3; number of neat cattle (other than oxen and cows), 830; sheep, 16,592; swine, 875; value of live stock of all kinds. $130,653."

These figures show an average increase of 250 per cent for the past quarter of a century. The population of the township in 1880 was 1,734, including Armada Village, 800. In 1850, there were only 1,146 inhabitants; in 1874, 1,562.

ARMADA VILLAGE.

Armada is a thriving incorporated village of 800 inhabitants, settled in 1830, and pleasantly situated in Armada Township, Macomb County, about midway between Romeo and Ridgeway. It is on the Michigan Air-Line Railway, and is the center of a prosperous farming region. It has no water-power, and its manufacturing enterprises are limited, embracing a stave and handle factory, sash and blind factory, cheese factory and a flouring-mill. Armada has four churches-Methodist, Congregational, Baptist and Adventist. The Telegraph is published by C. J. Seely. A good hall in connection with the National Hotel has recently been built. Grain, flour, apples, cheese, staves and handles constitute the principal shipments.

Among the principal business men of the village are: Hiram Barrows, Postmaster, general store-keeper and cheese manufacturer; Elbert M. Cook, C. A. Lathrop, Theodore H Hinchman, J. W. Jackman, E. D. Lathrop, G. C. Phillips, William E. Preston, Robert F. Robertson, S. B. Shaw, R. B. Stevens, A. H. Telfer and Ephraim A. Jennings, merchants: Edward Bailey, operator of a grist-mill and foundry, three miles east of the village; Lewis Granger, proprietor of Evaporated Fruit Factory; Horace, William and Albert