with 12 other families, and, soon after arrival, settled on his present farm, where he has since resided. He married Kate Laesel, whose father was an early pioneer of Frankenmuth tp. They have 6 children. Mr. Rodammer is a member of the Lutheran Church. George L. Roedel, farmer, was born in Bavaria, Germany, and in 1852 accompanied his father to this State, locating in Frankenmuth tp., where he remained until 1861. He then enlisted in Co. B, 16th Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf., and in the latter part of the war they were assigned to the 2d Brig., 3d Div., 14th Army Corps, participating in "Sherman's March to the Sea," and the final grand review at Washington, D. C. Mr. Roedel returned to Frankenmuth, where he has since been engaged in farming. In 1873 he married Barbara Woeltzlein, whose parents were among the earlier settlers of this county. They have 3 children-Mary E., John H. and George Willie.

John Rupprecht, a native of Bavaria, Germany, was born in 1841. When 10 years old, he accompanied his parents to this country, where his father died shortly after arrival. Mr. R. was engaged in the brewing business for five years, but in 1876 bought five and half acres on N. E. qr., sec. 27, which he laid out in village lots. Quite a number are sold, and substantial buildings erected thereon. This summer (1881) Mr. R. proposes to erect a neat twostory brick hotel, over which he will preside as "mine host."

Herman Goetzinger, one of the live young men of the village of Frankenmuth, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1855. In 1861, with his parents, he emigrated to this country, coming direct to Frankenmuth tp., where his mother still resides, his father having died in 1871. In 1875 Herman was married to Miss Caroline Kurtz, who was born at Detroit, in 1857. His family consists of 2 children-Louis and Charlotte. Mr. G's home and shop are pleasantly located in the thriving little village of Frankenmuth, where he carries on a wholesale and retail butcher business.

FREMONT TOWNSHIP

was organized under authority granted by the supervisor, March 2, 1857, in the following order:

"Resolved, that the territory described in said application, bounded as follows, to wit: Township number 11 north, of range i east, and township number 11 north, of range 2 east, be, and the same is hereby erected into a township to be called and known by the name of the township of Fremont. The first annual township meeting thereof shall be held at the house of Thomas Guilford, on the first Monday of April, 1858, and at said meeting Nathan Herrick, Thomas Guilford and Joel Draper three electors of said township, shall be the persons whose duty it shall be to preside at said meeting.

The following is a list of officials serving from 1867 to 1881:

The other township officers elected in April, 1881, are Joel Gulick, School Superintendent; John A. McLellan, School Inspector; Rory McIntire, Drain Commissioner; S. W. Graham,

Road Commissioner; Nathan P. Crampton and John Grahamn, Constables.

There are four school-houses in the w nship, valued at about $2,193, all of which are good buildings. Two of the schools are taught by males, and two by females. The total expenditure in 1880 for school purposes was $1,149. The number of children enrolled is 144, of which 122 attend. Ashley West, George Vander Heyden, S. J. Crook, and Erastus Jones are the School Directors. The sum derived from the primary school fund in 1880 was $63. The number of farmers in the township is set down at 100; the number of electors, 122.

A large area in this township is still in its wild state. Settlers flock thither annually; but notwithstanding the immigration, thousands of acres must remain uncultivated for many years, until the enterprise of those who have become permament residents leads others to share in the profits and enjoyments of life in that township.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

The elements of the history of Fremont township will mostly be found in the personal sketches which follow:

William W. Bolt, farmer, sec. 31, was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., in 1817. He is a son of Celic and Orphia (Sweet) Bolt. He received only a limited education, and learned to read while driving a stage coach in the Southern States. He was a soldier in the Mexican war, and was wounded four times. On one occasion himself and two companions were the only persons in the company not wounded or killed. After many wanderings he settled in Illinois, but in 1879 located on his present farm. He was formerly a Whig, but now votes the Republican ticket. Mr. Bolt was married in 1855 to Mercy Sweet. Two children have been sent to bless their union-Elbertine W. and George B.

K. S. Crook is a native of Wayne Co., Mich., where he was born in 1847. His father and mother, Aaron and Dinah Crook, are natives of England, who came to America about 1830, and settled in New York State; then they moved to Wayne county, where the subject of this sketch was born. Mr. Crook was brought up in that county, but secured his education in Monroe county. He was married there in 1869 to Eliza Baumeister, a native of Germany, but was brought up in Monroe county. In the spring of 1870 he settled in Fremont tp., and bought his present farm of 40 acres. The land had a very wild appearance when he came here, but through industry and hardships he made all the improvements himself. Mr. Crook is at present Town Treasurer, which office he has held three years, at different times; was also Justice of the Peace two years. He has 2 children-Minnie E., 11 years old, and Clarence, one year.

Thurston B. De Wing, was born in Niagara Co., N. Y., in 1827, a son of Elihu and Orpha De Wing, of French and English descent. He came to Saginaw county, Oct. 13, 1872, and settled in St. Charles tp., working a short time in the lumber business, when he bought his present place. He was married Oct. 22, 1851. to Julia Royce, a native of Vermont. They have 2 children-Emma, and Rodney P., who married Aquilla Thompson, of Chesaning. He was Trustee of Schools in Niagara Co., N. Y., and worked as foreman in Government employment for seven summers, building a harbor in Lake Ontario; also has had 21 years' experience in the lumber business; is a carpenter by trade, and also an ingenious artisan in all kinds of hand carving, a great many specimens of which are on exhibition at his house. He has also been in the missionary work for 20 years.

Thomas P. Hynes, sec. 28, general farmer, is a native of Ireland, where he was born in 1831; son of James and Ellen (McAfee) Hynes. Mr. Hynes came to Canada in 1846, and settled at Quebec, where he remained one year, and then moved to New York State. About this time he enlisted in the army, and served five years in the Mexican war, being at Vera Cruz and New Orleans, and Governor's Island, N. Y. At the close of the war Mr. Hynes went back to Ireland, remaining there three years in viewing the land of his birth; then returned to the United States and settled at Bay City, where he was employed for two years in Frost & Bradley's saw-mill. Then coming to St. Charles, was two summers in the lumber woods, when he went to Fremont tp., and bought his present farm, consisting of 160 acres of land. In 1860 he was married to Nancy M. Nelson, a native of New York, and they have 3 children-James I., Willard L., Mary E. Mr. Hynes was Supervisor of Fremont tp. 12 years.

Wm. S. Reynolds, a native of Delaware Co. N. Y., where he was born in 1812. He is a son of Stephen and Sarah Reynolds, who died in New York State in 1870. He came to Michigan and located at Monroe, remaining there four years, when he came to this county and bought his present farm, in Fremont tp., comprising 40 acres. He was brought up in New York and received his education there. He was married in 1836 to Jane A. Dumond, a native of New York, and they have 10 children--Cornelius, John, Mary, George, Caleb, Richard, Julia, William, Harriet E. and Minerva. Only 6 are living. John died in the war with typhoid fever. Mr. Reynolds was not an office-seeker, although he was Tp. Trustee three times in New York State.

JAMES TOWNSHIP

was organized under authority given by the county board in a resolution passed Oct. 22, 1874. The application to organize the township was made by 14 freeholders of that portion of Swan Creek now comprised in James. The order of organization is as follows:

That all that part of the township of Swan Creek as now heretofore last organized, bounded as follows, to-wit: Commencing on the north line of township eleven (11) north, of range three (3) east, in said township of Swan Creek, at the northwest corner of section two (2), in said township eleven (11) north, of range three (3) east, to the northeast corner of said last-named section one (1); thence north on the section line between section thirty-six (36) in township twelve (12) north, of range four (4) east, to the northwest corner of said last-named section thirty-one (31); thence east on the north line of said section thirty-one (31) last named to the center of the Tittabawassee river; thence down and along the center of said Tittabawassee river to its junction with the Shiawassee river; thence up and along the center of said Shiawassee river to a point where the east line of township eleven (11) north, of range three (3) east, crossed the said Shiawassee river; thence south on and along the said east line to the southeast corner of township eleven (11) north, of range three (3) east, to the southwest corner of section thirty-five (35), township eleven (11) north, of range three (3) east; thence north, following the west section line of sections thirty-five (35), twenty-six (26), twenty-three (23), fourteen (14), eleven (11) and two (2), in township eleven (11) north, of range three (3) east, to the place of beginning, be, and the same is, hereby set off from the township of Swan Creek, and organized into a separate township by the name of "James," and the first township meeting in the said town-ship of James shall be held at the school-house of school district number one (1) in said township, formerly school district number one (1) of the township of Swan Creek; and Resolved, That the first township meeting of the said township of James shall be holden on the first Monday in April next, and that Edwin S. Dunbar, Jacob Zieroff and Joseph Egerer be, and they are, hereby appointed inspectors of said township meeting,

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FIRST TOWN MEETING.

The first township meeting was held April 5, 1875, at the schoolhouse on section 6, with Edwin S. Dunbar, Moderator, Joseph Egerer and Jacob Zieroff, Inspectors of Election. Edwin S. Dunbar was elected Supervisor; Jacob Zieroff, Clerk; Joseph Zieroff, Treasurer; Joseph Kauffman, Commissioner of Highways; Felix Heinrich, W. P. Putman, Justices; Edward Fayerweather, School Superintendent; George Hanks, School Inspector; Charles Hanks, Drain Commissioner; Geo. E. Wood, James Brady and Allen E. Britts, Constables.

The following is a list of the principal town officers since 1875: