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In the year 1833 the cholera prevailed to such an extent
in New York City as to induce many people to think of seeking homes away from
the metropolis. Among them were a number of gilders and other artisans who had
heard of the advantages offered to settlers in Michigan, and determined to
purchase land in the Territory, some of them intending to become residents here.
With that end in view, one of their number,
Richard
Lyons, of New York, was intrusted with about $8000 with which to make
purchases in the county of Livingston. He came in 1835 and located many hundred
acres, and with such entire satisfaction to those for whom he had acted, that in
the following year he was intrusted with a similar commission.
The aggregate
number of acres purchased by him was nearly 20,000, most of it being in this
county. Mr., Lyons, who settled later upon a portion of this land, was preceded
by William Valentine, for whom he entered 160 acres on section 22, and
who took possession of his land in 1836. He does not seem to have met a very
happy experience in his efforts to become a pioneer farmer, for at the end of
one year the club of gilders, of which he was a member, by a subscription of $10
apiece, raised a sufficient-sum to enable him to return to New York and resume
his former occupation.
The following is a list of the parties for whom Mr. Lyons entered land,
together with the sections on which they were located: Francis J. LeCount,
80 acres on section 7 and 200 acres on section 9;
Samuel M.
Conely, 80 acres on section 27; Wm. Porter, 40 acres on section
20; Isaac L. Platt, 160 acres on section 21, 160 acres on section 15, 80
acres on section 3, and the same number on section 27; William T. Tunis,
160 acres on section 28 and 320 acres on section 17; Isaac Van Voorhes,
160 acres on section 9;
William S.
Conely, 80 acres on section 27, 80 acres on section 28, and 80 acres on
section 15; Evander D. Fisher, 80 acres on section 28; Moses Lyons,
a gold-beater, 160 acres on the same section; N. T. Thurston, a gilder,
35 acres on section 6, 160 acres on section 4, 80 acres on section 1, and 120
acres on section 13; J. McKinsey, 160 acres on section 17; Allan
McDonald, 80 acres on section 8; --Ring, 40 acres on section 5; B. W.
Conklin, 80 acres on section 21; Robert L. Lane, 80 acres on section
21; Peter Hemmel, an upholsterer, 160 acres on section 21; George W.
Ruckle, 40 acres on section 21; W. N. Betts, 80 acres on section 15,
and 80 acres on section 14; Lemuel F. Williams, 160 acres on section 7;
H. Thurston, 40 acres on section 24; Jacob Bendernagle, 480 acres
on the same section and 240 acres on section 23; A. Woolrabe, 80 acres on
section 23 and 120 acres on section 13; Robert Lane, 80 acres on section
21, 80 acres on section 23, and 40 acres on section 26; William Paul, 80
acres on section 20; J. S. Winkler, 80 acres on the same section. Mr.
Lyons entered for himself 160 acres on section 22 and an additional 120 acres on
section 27.
Of this number Messrs.
S. M. Conely,
Lyons,
Fisher,
William S. Conely, Tunis, and Rogers came in 1837, and became permanent
residents. William Paul, a gilder, found that his land embraced the
waters of a lake in the township, and returned to the city in disgust. Mr.
Rogers worked upon the farm of
William S.
Conely until he purchased for himself 40 acres on section 20 and later
he added to it another 40 acres, which he secured from Conely and LeCount.
William S. Conely added to the land he entered 200 acres on section 7, 160 acres
on section 18, and 65 acres on section 6. Much of this land was bought on
speculation, while upon a portion of it the owners settled some years later.
Richard
Lyons with his family and the settlers from New York who accompanied
him, left Detroit on the 16th of June, 1837, for their homes in Livingston
County, the portion of the township they located in having been known as upper
Green Oak, until it was later set off as Brighton. Before leaving Detroit Mr.
Lyons had provided himself with two farm-wagons, two yoke of oxen, three milk
cows, their calves, and a man to assist him in clearing his farm. They arrived
at their destination in Brighton on the 19th of June, 1837. The log house, built
by William Valentine during the brief time he remained on his farm
afforded them all a comfortable shelter until they could erect cabins on their
own land. In this little house twelve persons took refuge, and a few weeks later
the number had swelled to twenty-two, by the arrival of
Samuel W.
Conely's family from New York City, whose land was adjacent to that of
Mr. Lyons. William S. Conely and Isaac L. Platt joined the little colony
a few years later. Both of these early settlers are since deceased. Most of
these settlers built for themselves comfortable frame houses the same year of
their arrival, and in these houses early religious services were held until a
school-house was built in the neighborhood, which was for years known as the
Lyons School-house. The first clergyman who ministered to the early settlers was
Elder Cosart, though Elders Bibbins, Fleming, and Gillet also held
services during the first settlement of the township. Father Padley also
held very early services in the house of Mr. Scollard, near Woodruff's mills.
The second township meeting was held at the house of
Richard Lyons,
whose hospitable wife on that occasion prepared a dinner for the electors,
making preparations for sixty, but the whole number present did not exceed
forty, who partook with grateful hearts of her hospitality, and re-elected her
husband to the office of supervisor.
The farming experiences of these settlers from the city of New York were
certainly novel, and their ignorance of everything pertaining to their calling
was a source of much diversion to their more practical neighbors. They
persevered, however, and with each year came the wisdom which is born of
experience, until bountiful crops rewarded their industry and they became
prosperous and contented.
Evander Fisher, one of the New York emigrants, let his farm, and
remained in Detroit to follow his trade of cabinet-maker, and with him Mr.
Samuel M.
Conely and family remained for a time, In fact, Mr. Fisher's house seems
to have been the hospitable headquarters of nearly all the early emigrants who
left the comforts of New York City for the privations of the Western wilderness.
After purchasing an ox-team, wagon, flour, pork, and such other goods as, they
might need, Mr. Conely, with his wife, sister, and four children, started on his
journey, not knowing, the way, and depending entirely upon the uncertain guide
which might be obtained from the blazed or marked trees along the way. Not being
accustomed to oxen, they had much trouble in managing them. On one occasion they
became so refractory that he was wholly unable to guide or control them, and he
called to his assistance a woman whom they passed on the way, and who very soon
brought the, stubborn beasts to terms. On reaching, the end of their journey
they found the farm entirely unbroken. Mr. Valentine's log house afforded them
shelter, though it seemed already to be more than full, Mr. Lyon and family, Mr.
Tunis, and Mr. Rogers being already domiciled within its walls. For three weeks
the little hovel contained 22 people, the men being sent to the upper story for
lodging, while the ladies occupied the more luxurious quarters below. But soon a
house was completed with the aid of Allan McDonald, to which Mr. Rogers
and Mr. Tunis transferred the families.
