Amrod and Catherine Moon, of Niagara Falls, New York, arrived in Hamburg Township c. 1837.  They came with sons Luther (b. 1824), Alfred (b. 1827), Samuel P. (b. 1829), Hiram (b. 1832) and William (b. 1836).

Samuel’s obituary tells us that by 1850, at 21 years, he made his first of four trips across the continent by mule train, arriving in hangtown, California, August 15, 1850.  One hundred fifty years ago.  (He may, perhaps, have been in the company of Edwin B. Winans who made his first trip in 1850 also, finding gold in Rough and Ready, California.  Winans married Elizabeth Galway in 1855, who joined him on his ventures.)

Luther and Samuel each bought property in Sections 11 and 12, Hamburg Township, in 1853.  The brothers’ property straddled Hamburg Rd. ½ mile south of Bauer Rd.  Their combined acreage equaled over 300 acres, some of it along the north shore of Ore Lake.  Ore Creek courses through but here is sufficient high, fairly level land for farming.  Perhaps Samuel found enough gold in California to fund his purchase.

In 1855, Samuel married Delphine Elton, Her parents also were from New York and owned land within a mile of Samuel and Luther’s.  Two children, Fanny and Fred, were born.  In the 1860 census Delphine and children are with her parents, perhaps while Samuel is out west, leaving the farming to Luther it would appear.  Tragically, Delphine died in 1869.  Later that year Samuel married Isabelle Butler whose father was also from New York.  Three sons were born – Louis, Roy and Edward.

By the time Samuel died in 1915, the developmental potential of frontage on Ore Lake is beginning to be realized.  That area was not overlooked in the ensuing years, which have seen the population growth of the area.

Compiled by Marieanna Bair from census records and Atlases of Hamburg Township.  Also from First Land Owners, Early Land Owners and Settlers, copies of local obituaries and cemetery transcription records all by Milton Charboneu; Ellis’ 1880 History of Livingston County.