Stockbridge 150th Anniversary

118 Pages·2016·20.98 MB·English

Forest Parke Library and Archives - Capital Area District Libraries
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STOCKBRIDGE TOWN H .. \LL
Designed by Alijah E. Myers, the Stockbridge Town Hall was constructed
by Mitter & Heuderlong in 1892. This stately Romanesque structure was
built to house local township offices and a community center. In addition
to local township business, the hall also has been the setting for lectures,
musicals and numerous social gatherings. It was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1980. A federal grant and local taxes
provided the money for the massive restoration that was completed in
1982.
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Michigan History Division, Department of State .
Registered Local Site No. 431
Property of the State of Michigan ,
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These words appear on a plaque designating the Stockbridge Town
Hall as an Historic Place.
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c)'l10CK [')QI DC,.E
c½1~8QLJ_ ICl~NTl~NNLAL
18)5 1985
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WITH JOYFUL REFLECTION
We, the members of the 1985 Sesquicentennial Committee, would like to express our gratiutude and
appreciation to all those who have made this 150th Anniversary Celebration a successful reality.
Without a doubt, it has been an undertaking of great effort, but the rewards have been manifold. It has
been an effort to gather many of the historical pictures and documents depicting our community and it's
past. For some, this has been an emotional experience-for others, an experience of learning and apprecia
tion. Most certainly, it has been a time of joy for all.
We hope that in our efforts to bring this historical perspective to the people of the Stockbridge area, that
in some small way it will help those of present and future generations to look into their past-to make it a
little easier for them to find their roots-to appreciate our communities' history.
We know, of course, that a peoples' past history is the footprint of it's future. It is with great respect and
admiration that we pause here, during the summer of 1985, to retrace the footprints and heritage of the
people from the Stockbridge area-to take time to appreciate the wisdom and industry of it's pioneers
and to-thank our senior citizens for their guiding hand.
However, even as we celebrate the importance of our past, let us take time to look at today. We, the people
of the Stockbridge area, have much for which we can be thankful. Our educational system has expanded
with new facilities and opportunities. Our utilities and public services have grown in accordance with our
population. Our farming community has kept abreast of new technology to allow it to grow and prosper.
Perhaps, most important of all, because of those who gave their lives in the past, we are free. Free to have
and to enjoy our prosperity. For these things, we are truly grateful.
We know not what the future has to offer. Perhaps it will be hardship, or perhaps it will be great
prosperity-maybe some of each. Only time will tell, but from that miserable winter in Valley Forge to the
agony of the Civil War, our forefathers struggled to make the future just a little brighter for the children
who followed. We will do the same for our children. We are doing it now. Through hope, hard work,
free enterprize, and civic pride, we will most certainly leave an enduring footprint to help guide those to
come. It is our duty. It will be done.
Douglas D. Mills, Chairman, Sesquicentennial '85
Elizabeth Doty Bloxom, Treasurer Shali Hurst, Secretary Martin Bliss, Headquarters Chairman
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STOCKBRIDGE
VARIETY SHOW
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HOW IT ALL BEGAN
by Mrs. Warner Pickett (Nellie)
Stockbridge Township was the first township
organized in Ingham County-March 26, 1836.
It was surveyed by Joseph Wampler in 1824 and
designated as TlN-R2E. The township is located
on the Baseline of Michigan and two townships
east of the Meridian Line.
Two streams are in the township: Portage
Creek flows from Lowe Lake, and these waters
end up toward Huron River- Ann Arbor Way;
Turtle Creek begins in Section 17 and flows
westerly and southerly into Grand River. Other
lakes are Fink, Carter, Jones, Standish, Mud, which he displayed in the limited area designed
Nichols, Lyons, Jacobs, and Spring. The 500 as a sleeping room, while the family enjoyed their
South Clinton block formerly had a footbridge peaceful slumbers in the loft above.
across it, and the early settlers went there with
their washings. When the early settlers came, they cleared a
spot and built a shelter. They stayed with earlier
Pottawattami and Ottawa Indians were in the settlers until their home was ready. The cleared
area. Their dancing grounds were Devils Elbow acreage was planted to wheat. This was taken to
and on Topith Road in the area of the Hardt Dexter for milling and sale by oxen team. Some
farm. times they went into Detroit after flour which
was brought back and sold for $20 a barrel. When
The early roads were the Dexter Trail to the neighbors came to visit, one treated them
Dexter and later to Lansing via Mason. When the with something made with white flour.
train came through Chelsea in 1841, the traffic
turned south on the path of M-52 which was Mr. Beebe reported seeing a 6-yoke team of
much shorter. Break of Day was the meeting oxen plowing in a field. Oxen were used early
place of oxen teams which gathered early in the they needed less shelter in the winter and could
day on their journey to Dexter. Howell Mason thrive better on the rough dried marsh grass in
Road has one, and there is one on Territorial the winter.
Road.
Early Food included many deer, salt pork,
and salt beef. There was less beef, for it was not
The plat of Stockbridge, earlier called Pekin, butchered until no longer of use otherwise.
was so named by a gentleman who has lived in Early settlers butchered in a sort of rotation, so
a Stockbridge in an Eastern state. Elijah Smith, while the meat was fresh it could be shared with
an Ann Arbor land agent has built a cabin in the their neighbors.
area. It and land in the area were sold to Ira
Wood and wife Jane, and Silas Beebe and wife They split rails for 50 cents a hundred. They
Marcia. He brought with him a trunkful of goods worked by the month. One early settler worked
by the month for 5 years to make improvements
on his place. Reverses came later, and he had to
sell his yoke of oxen with which his father and
family had journeyed from the East, to procure
the necessities of life. Next year the land yielded
an abundant harvest, and prosperity came again.
Warner's father, Eugene, came to Michigan in
1872 when he was 12 years old, Later, he helped
clear woods in the White Oak area. These beauti
ful white oak trees were put in huge piles and
burned the next season. Adam's Pegleg tells of
these burnings.
The first school building in the township was
4 miles north of Stockbridge with White Oak, a
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DANCER'S
ARE VERY PROUD TO HAVE SERVED THE
STOCKBRIDGE AREA FAMILIES
FOR ALL THEIR CLOTHING NEEDS
SINCE 1884
LtoR Rob Dancer, owner; woman unknown, clerk;
Ron Satterla, clerk- Frinkle, clerk
LtoR Tom Ford, owner; Mark Hurst, owner:
Darrell Williams, manager
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fractional district, in 1836. The first salaried there. In March of 1958 a group organized
teacher was Elizabeth Lowe. Her wages were entertainment for adults on the top floor of the
75 cents a week. The teacher boarded around hall. About 25 people attended. Games were
and had to teach every other Saturday. The first played. There was shuffle board, cards were also
school in Stockbridge was at 500 South Clinton. played. Later this group moved to the basement
It was ready for children in the fall of 1836. area, and pot luck dinners were held. The group
Salary was $70 for the full year. Men were hired now meeting in the basement every two weeks to
for teachers in December, January, and February play cards started from this group. The Golden
for discipline purposes. The older boys could be Years Senior Citizens meet each Friday.
spared from work easier in the winter. The brick
school on Wood Street, location of the present Some of the early factories were sawmill, chair,
Middle School, was built around 1880 or there cigar, broom cooper, blacksmith, cabinet, basket,
abouts. They kept adding as population increas harness, and cheese. Stores were open Tuesday
ed. Records indicate that there were at various and Saturday nights. Later free shows were on
times over 40 districts wholly or partially within the square on Tuesday nights. The prison furnish
the present system. (Stockbridge School System ed entertainment for field days. Their bands
History-Phillip Collins--1972). They began con played many times. A tri-county ball team in the
sidering reorganizing schools in this area in 1922. late teens and early twenties included Leslie,
Fifteen rural districts expressed a desire to be a Williamston, Fowlerville, Eaton Rapids, Mason,
part of the district in 1952. The first school and Stockbridge. Farmers quit work, and the
cost $54.75 to build- the most recent school stores closed for the games. Bull Green of Owosso
$4,400,000. The homes of Wilber Ostrander and was the Umpire. Members of the team included
Bill Myers, and the Derby and Stilson Schools in Vincent Berry; Ed Standish: Fred Moffet· Eddie
Stockbridge Township which are residences today Lau; John Fa.rmer, Paul, Herb and Robert Dancer;
were all schools at one time. The first church Guy Kuhn. Wilber Ostrander; Bill Niemans: Herb
building in the township was erected in Section 2 Collins was the manager. Later another team play
in 1857 near the North Stockbridge Cemetery. ed in the area. Thev were Parker Holl is, Warner
This building is the nucleus of the residence of Pickett, Lawton Votes, Bruce and Bob Reid,
Glen Walker on M-36 in White Oak Township. Jake Westfall, Grover Singleton, Andy Burgess,
North Stockbridge Epispocal meetings were held and Tom Howlett. They played at many county
early in 1837 in the log houses of early settlers, fairs and also at the prison.
and the barn of S. C. Proctor was used for relig
ious gatherings. I find that a Methodist Epispocal
society existed in Stockbridge in 1880.
WELCOME TO
Protestant also existed and met in the Presbyter
ian Church, which was organized in 1853. In
1833 a church was erected, dedicated in 1955,
but not regularly organized as First Presbyterian
until 1867. The Methodist Church of the Village
was formed in 1877. The present building was
built in 1882. The village of Unadilla seems to
have been the source of much evangelistic work in
the comm unity.
That community was tended by Drs. Morgan
and Fields of Unadilla for their ills. Early burials Ute
.n tD ANIIQ
were in Unadilla. The first cemetery in the vil HOTEL
lage was just back of the first school on Wood
Street between Rice and Spring Streets. The U MALL J
family of Ira Wood was buried there. Later he
sold lots to others. The village was incorporated
104 E. \1AIN STOCKBRIDGE. \11
in 1889. The cemetery was moved in 1889.
12.000 SQ. FT. OF QUALITY
DEALER SPACE IN A BEAUTIFUL
Silas Beebe by his sons H. H. and Leonard, OLD HISTORIC BRICK HOTEL.
gave the land for the Town Hall to the Township
of Stockbridge in 1883. Mr. Beebe was living in OPEN { 10-5 TUES-SAT
11-S SUNDAYS
New York State at that time. The Town Hall
CLOSED \10NDA YS
cornerstone was laid September 18, 1892. The
MALL: {517) 851-8223
Town Hall was used for public gatherings: a HOME: [phone]
dining room was used by the churches as they did MASTERCARD ,\ND VISA ACCEPTED
not have one; High School graduation exercises OTHER FINE ANTIQCE SHOPS
were held there; dances, traveling shows, home IN STOCKBRIDCE
talent shows, and later movies were presented
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Glenn Gardner was granted a franchise to build All trains daily except Sundays. Freight came
and operate an electric light plant in 1910. Later daily. When the train came through, business
he sold it to Mr. Kranzfelder who sold it to boomed. Merchants came to town. The depot
Consumers Power Company which was granted a area was a center of activity. Stock was shipped
franchise Jul'.1 13, 1925- 60 years ago. In early out each Monday from the stockyards. The ani
years the fire Qepartment was a man to man bucket mals were brought into town in those wagons that
brigade. In 1915 rural residents along with the had wing sides that raised, and end gates were
village purchased a chemical fire fighting out fit. It attached. Many times a bunch of cattle or a flock
had to be towed to a fire. It was kept in the of sheep was driven down the roads with the help
present village office building. When the present of neigh bars. Baled marsh hay was shipped to east
fire department moved from the Town Hall area to ern markets to be used for packing. Farmers ship
their present location (the former Ingham County ped 30 dozen cases of eggs, and the elevators
Garage on Elm Street) they found a picture taken shipped grain by rail. Coal, carloads of feeder
by Daisy Chappell on April 11, 1929. Fireman on lambs and cattle came to Stockbridge by rail.
the vehicle were Bill Robeson, Casper Glenn, Passenger service was discontinued in 1928. Then
Harold Smith, Wiley Usher, Ray Hardt, and Grant the mail had to be bussed to the Post Office. After
Richmond. The vehicle was a Reo Chassis. 1928 sometimes a coach was added to the freight
train. Later some rode in the caboose. The last
The first 411 Club in the township 1934-1935 train went through Stockbridge in 1974.
was M L D (McKenzie, Lowe, Derby) with eleven
members. It was a sewing club. The first 4H live Early Fiction in the area:
stock club was organized in 1936 with John Graf Table in the Wilderness by LuLu Dickinson
as leader. The first train went through Stockbridge Pegleg by Roy Adams (Mason)
on November 19. 1883. The schedule of train ser Chronicles of Break of Day author unknown
vice from the Bric[ S1111 December 3, 1903: How It Was Growing Up in the Century by
Leonard Field (Jackson)
Trains west to ,Jackson No. 27 10:00 A.M. A Corner of Ingham by Wm. J. Wright
No. 29 8:31 P.M. In the Palm of the Mitten by Bernice M. Chappell
Trains east to Pontiac No. 30 4:4 7 P.M. (Klein)
No. 28 8:30 A.M. A New Home by Caroline Kirkland (Pinckney)
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I
MY HOMETOWN
I
I have had the privilege of living in the Stock As a former businessman, I am proud of my
I bridge community when it celebrated its' 100th home town and of the friends and acquaintances
Anniversary, its' 125th Anniversary and now its' I have made throughout the area. I am proud of
150th Anniversary. the progress it has made since its' founding 150
years ago.
I Twenty-five years ago I was General Chairman
of the celebration and deemed it a great honor to Recently I ran across the following poem
work with all of my friends in the culmination of which depicts my feelings toward Stockbridge:
a successful and fun-filled event.
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I like to live in a little town
Where the trees meet across the street.
Where you wave your hand and say Hello
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To everyone you meet.
I I like to stand for a moment
Out side the grocery store.
And listen to the friendly gossip
I Of the folks who live next door.
For life is interwoven
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With the friends we learn to know.
And we hear their joys and sorrows
As we daily come and go.
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So I like to live in this little town,
I care no more to roam.
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For every house in this little town
Is more than a house-its' a home.
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Best wishes for a successful 150th Anniversary.
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I
Harold G. Lantis
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Rural Telephone Company -early 1900's
Mary Ann Budd
Rural Telephone Company of Waterlloo, Michigan -about 1910
Tree Pruning Crew -exact date unknown.
L to R Lynn Gorton, William Barber, Reuben and Victor Moeckel
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