History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers (1879) (14799915353)

Identifier: historyofbranchc00john (find matches)
Title: History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers
Year: 1879 (1870s)
Authors: (Johnson, Crisfield) (from old catalog)
Subjects: Branch County (Mich.)
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Abbott
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation



Text Appearing Before Image:
ction 17, coveringnearly 160 acres. Beside these there are several smallerones, not given names on the map. These lakes, duringthe spring and autumn, are the resort of considerable num-bers of wild fowl, though not to such an extent as thelarger ones farther east and south. The improvements throughout the town of Noble aregenerally excellent, although in places the primitive loghouse is seen, or the deadening lifts its blasted tree-trunks in sad array, as if mourning their fate. The landis usually free from large stones, rendering it easy to culti-vate. The soil is a sandy loam, with some gravel in places,and is well adapted to the growth of wheat and othergrains, while fruit of most kinds yields abundantly. Clayis seen in but few localities. The township is inhabited entirely by those devoted tothe pursuit of agriculture, and has not a village within itslimits. The nearest railway station is at Bronson, andthither, or to Orland, Ind., do the farmers repair to domost of their trading.
Text Appearing After Image:
HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 825 LAND ENTKIKS AND SETTLEMENT. The first entries of land in tlio township were madeabout 1835, by William Robinson and a Mr. Dusenberry,the former locatinv; an eij^hty-acre lot and the latter aquarter-section. In the fall of the same year (1H35), Walter W. Smith,from Caledonia Co., Vt., came to Michigan, and in Febru-ary, 1836, entered the northwest quarter of section 10,upon which he now resides. He remained in the Stateuntil the fall succeeding, staying at Nilcs, Berrien Co.,and then returning to Vermont. In the spring of 1837 heouce more came to Niles, and for some time lived there andin Indiana. He subsequently removed to the State ofNew York, and in 1S42 located permanently on his farmin Noble. He was among the first to take up land in thistownship, and although he did not settle until others hadbuilt their cabins and made tlieir clearings, yet he has beenfamiliar with the region from the time it began to be lookedupon with favor by immigrant