Out On A Limb Research

11/18/2014

Need some free printable charts to help organize your research? Ruthann has a nice collection of them here.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ruthann/charts/chartsrecbooks.htm

If you would like a free Genealogy Chart or Census Forms, please Click on the link you would like. The Gif is a printable page and the Zip is a download, you can download to your own hard drive and open/save for future printing use. Also included for downloading is a program you can use to unzip the…

12/16/2012

We are working on getting the missing files back up on the group page. Debating on if we'll keep this one but since some know Holly as OOLR we might just keep for that and redirecting. The group format is working out well. Timeline is ugly.

09/24/2012

RICH TOWNSHIP
T10NR10E

Easy

Rich

Rollo

Silverwood 48760

Smart

Wait

09/24/2012

OREGON TOWNSHIP
T8NR9E

CARPENTERS STATION
-- Samuel CARPENTER owned land here at this stop on the railroad in Oregon Twp. He also owned land elsewhere in Lapeer County, including Almont. The builders of the railroad needed to use his land but he refused unless a stop was made here. The old railbed is still present from the old Depot on Nepessing Street downtown Lapeer well past Oregon Twp into Marathon, where many places use the nice compacted material as driveways. An example of this can be seen just north of Carpenter's Station at the intersection of Carpenter and Stanley Roads (sec 14). There was a hotel and a mill on the Flint River to the east. Samuel's home is still present on the curve of Carpenter Road near Stanley. A marker from the Lapeer County Historical Society marks the site. UPDATE: As of 2012, the house that was there as a part of the station burned again (2011?) and was torn down completely. The historical marker is missing. Only thing that remains is a metal sign that looks like a hockey stick and the barely visible railroad bed.

Millville

Oregon

THOMPSON

Torzewski

09/24/2012

NORTH BRANCH TOWNSHIP
T9NR11E

BRANCHVILLE
-- Listed side by side with North Branch on the 1874 Lapeer County Plan Map.

BEECHVILLE
see North Branch, there was a gentleman who lived in the area named BEECH

Bottom Creek - Located at/near the intersection of Oak Grove and Jefferson Roads. Once had a church and a cemetery.

North Branch 48461
-- Named for its location on the Flint River

Sandy Town

Whiting

09/24/2012

METAMORA TOWNSHIP
T6NR10E

AMBOY
(see Thornville)

Barrows Corners
(see Metamora)

Burrows Corners
-- A mistake for Barrows Corners

ETNA
-- The "Michigan Place Names" book says "Harry F PERKINS became the first postmaster of this rural post office on Oct 4, 1841, but the office was changed to Metamora on June 6, 1854." My 1863 map calls Metamora Barrow's Corners not Metamora yet.

Metamora 48455
-- Just a hamlet in 1864,

Rock Valley

THOMAS
-- A stop on the railroad north of Oxford. It's actually just over the county line in Oakland County but Thomas School was in Metamora Twp, Lapeer County.

THORNVILLE

09/24/2012

MAYFIELD TOWNSHIP
T8NR10E

ASA
(see Five Lakes)

FISH LAKE
-- Though technically the same place, on the 1874 Lapeer County Plan Map it shows Fish Lake and Stephens side by side as if they were two places.

FIVE LAKES
-- First settled in 1855, Piper and Thompson built the first sawmill here in section 1 of Mayfield township. They were followed by Sage, Ferry and Lee and AB Royce, inn-keeper William G STONE became the first postmaster on May 28, 1869, with the office being named Asa on April 6, 1874 but changed back on April 29, 1878. Named from its nearby lakes, the little village overlapped into section 6 of Arcadia Twp. Once all of its pines were removed the village faded out. It had a depot, grain elevator, sawmill, shingle mill, planing mill, blacksmith, store and around 40 homes. The school that remains is made of brick and is slowly deteriorating. In the tall pines just to the west of the school is where the old cemetery is. The last burial had to be around 1910. There is only proof of 8 burials there but there has to be many more for the nearest cemeteries are Mount Hope and Stiles as well as Lum, but many miles away. A party store is still ran in what is believed to be the original general store. Though it doesn't resemble what was, homes are still being built here and the old lumbermans shacks can be seen just south of Kings Mill Road on Five Lakes.

LAPEER DEMOCRAT
February 8, 1879

FIVE LAKES

A correspondent of the Michigan Sun has the following to say about this little burg and the people who live in it:

Five Lakes contains a depot, telegraph office, post office, grain elevator, one saw mill, one shingle mill, one planing mill, one blacksmith shop, one store and about forty houses, all owned and controlled by the lumbering firm of Piper & Thompson. It is also the terminus of the northern branch of the Detroit and Bay City Railroad. The store is stocked with everything, from a cambrie needle to a hogshead of sugar, and is presided over by Mr. A.B. Mathews, formerly of Flint.

The saw mill contains one circular mill complete; also an upright saw driven by an 18x24 engine, Mr. Michael O'Laughlin, engineer.

The shingle mill contains one Hall machine, which at this writing is turning out an average of 35 M per day of eleven hours.

The planing mill contains two large, double-cylinder planing and matching machines of W.A. Woods' manufacture, siding saws, etc. Both shingle and planing mill are 400 feet from the saw mill, and are driven by an engine 16x24, located in the saw mill, power communicated by means of wire rope.

Mr. A. Gray has charge of all saws; does his own hammering, grinding, etc., and a glance at the lumber and shingles is sufficient to convince any practical man that he has no superior in that line.

Mr. Trumbull (not Lyman), but a man who thinks of himself quite as well posted in his line, has charge of the planing mill.

Mr. Hugh Jackson has charge of inspecting and shipping the manufactured lumber; and discharges the duties of his position with marked ability.

Mr. F.M. Thompson has charge of the books of the firm, and a general supervision of the business in the absence of E.L. Thompson, the general manager.

The general office of the firm is at Lapeer, eight miles from this place, and is connected with this office by an Edison telephone, by means of which the general manager directs the details of his large business as easily when sitting in his cozy office in town as though he was here.

It would be impossible within the compass of a short letter to give you a detailed description of this model concern. Suffice it to say that under the able management of the junior partner, Mr. E.L. Thompson, everything works with clock-like precision.

Trains arrive and depart twice each day, Sundays excepted, carrying lumber, shingles, staves, square timber and grain.

Norway Lake

Stephens

Stephens Mill

09/24/2012

MARATHON TOWNSHIP
T9NR9E

COLUMBIAVILLE
-- Levi D CUTTING became the first permanent resident on the village site in 1847. George and Henry NIVER built a sawmill here in 1848 and the place became known as Niverville. Their old neighbor in Columbia Co, NY, William PETER, came to work for them here. He came into possession of their entire property here and his business interests largely built up the village. There is a road named for him that angles into the village, which is located in sections 27, 28, 33 and 34. It was given a post office named Columbiaville, after their New York home, suggested by the NIVERS, on April 25, 1857, with Peter VAN D**E as its first postmaster. Incorporated as a village in 1879. The Flint River was dammed nearby and the Holloway Reservoir was created. The village thrived for many years with its mills, the river and railroad but with fires and declines in the lumber industry Columbiaville has all but died out. The Holloway provided a lot of recreation from fishing to waterskiing. Some businesses have managed to survive, including a party store, doctor's office, restaurant, library, and gas station. The grocery store shut down many years ago. Residents have to go to Lapeer, Otisville, North Branch or Deerfield for their groceries.

Holloway

Marathon

North Lake

Otter Lake 48464

Piersonville

Zemmer Park

09/14/2012

09/14/2012

**I didn't finish getting the info for all of Lapeer Twp. Place Names but here's the list anyway. Feel free to add your comments below.**

LAPEER TOWNSHIP
T7NR12E

HIGLEY MILLS
-- Also known as Winn's Dam and Winn's Pond, this place is where Jesse HIGLEY and his family settled in the township early. The old HIGLEY home was not built by the HIGLEYs but by Samuel CARR in 1859. He sold it to the HIGLEYs 2 years later, removing himslef and family first to Tripp's Mill nearby then to the Buckingham School area of Attica Twp. He is buried in Roscoe Cemetery just to the west of the school. Higley Mills had a flourishing flouring mill and later a power plant that furnished electricity to the city of Lapeer. Mills are gone but a lovely bridge and waterfall remain. Waterfall is pretty when frozen.

Hunters Creek

Lapeer 48446
-- Factory buildings moved to Greenfield Village in Dearborn (an auto industry and invention museum and park)

Mirror Lake - The area around where Mirror Lake Market was.

Pepper Mill - Same as Winn's Pond.

Piety Hill - I have a map on this page in the photo albums.

Slaterville

Sullivans

Tripps Mill

Whitesville

Winn's Pond
(see Higley Mills)

09/12/2012

Past and Present

IMLAY TOWNSHIP
T7NR12E

Named for William H IMLAY, a Connecticut capitalist and lumberman who began to buy pine forests in the area as early as 1836. The township was organized in 1850 and in 1863 the only post office was at Imlay (more below). Due to the site of Imlay City and the duplication of the name and switching that post office from Imlay to Blacks Corners, the history of the towns get a bit confusing. Examining plat maps will help with any questions. Today Imlay Twp is a thriving farming community with the mucklands that run north and south through the middle of the township. The mucklands have a great history from the Indians, to early farming and today's farming. Imlay is home to some of the largest producers of celery, carrots, onions and potatoes as well as cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers. Vlasic Pickle factory is here. Imlay has its own school district.

BLACKS CORNERS
-- Located in sections 5, 6, 7 and 8. It was called Black's Corners Dec 24, 1866 with Abel H. SMITH being the first postmaster; the office operated until April 10, 1869, reopening at an unknown date until Nov 10, 1897. BC was becoming more popular than the original Imlay so it was renamed Imlay. This was short lived and went back to being known as Black's Corners but still used Imlay name for mail delivery for a while longer. Due to the railroad going through Imlay City, it was voted all business take place there and soon BC died out. Nothing is left that shows it was a town with a school, around 25 homes, a mill and a doctor. The Harrington Hotel was located here. There are a couple side streets and the homes are close together in small parcels. Those are the only clues left.

CLARKS CORNERS
-- Located in section 15, on Old M-21 and Brown City Roads. There used to be the mill of Rood and Mosher. The old school still sits, abandoned.

IMLAY
(see Blacks Corners and Imlay City)

IMLAY CITY 48444
-- Its original location was in the area of Corneil and Newark Roads, as shown on the 1863 Plat and was the only post office in the township at the time. To add confusion, there were two Imlays, one being part of the present day town and the other that was renamed Black's Corners. For that reason some of the info here may be actual history of Blacks Corners. At the Newark Road site, John N DENEEN became its first postmaster on May 14, 1857, the office closed Dec 14, 1868. On April 10, 1869, the Blacks Corners office was renamed Imlay. Once the village of Imlay was established, there were Imlay and Imlay City post offices. When the Port Huron and Lake Michigan railroad first came through here on July 28, 1870, it was nothing but forest and a few buildings at the original site on Newark. Charles PALMER, chief engineer for the road, saw the need for a market place here closer to the railroad, purchased land and built a hotel. Edward E PALMER became the first postmaster Dec 12, 1870. By Aug 1872, it had 15 stores, a grain elevator, a sawmill, grist mill and a shingle mill. Imlay was incorporated as a village in 1873.

08/23/2012

GOODLAND TOWNSHIP
T8NR12E

Children go to Imlay City Schools, a few might go to Brown City or North Branch.

GOODLAND
-- James HILLS became the first settler here in 1851, although he did not remain. Members of his family did. He is said to be the one who recommended the name given to the township when it was organized in 1855. John C MARRIS became it's first postmaster July 11, 1856. The office operated until April 15, 1901. Located in section 21.

MOFFATS CORNERS
-- Named for Hugh MOFFAT who owned the entire section 4 and another 160 acres of the NE corner section 5, this little place on the border of Burnside Township no longer has a post office only a party store named after it. It also has another party store, a mill, gravel pit and garbage company.

YEREX CORNERS
-- Once located in sec 19 on the corner of Armstrong and Blacks Corners roads, this lumber settlement on Mill Creek operated at least until 1882. No evidence of it remains, even the hotel is gone. It's strictly farm field.