C. 1865, Henry Ratz moved his family (three sons and a daughter) from Canada to Michigan coming to Brighton shortly after. Henry, a blacksmith, worked in the Henry Herbst Blacksmith shop. (south side of W. Main, one block east of Hyne St.) In 1874 Henry purchased land from Jacob Euler in Section 14 of Genoa […]
Thomas Woulds was an early land owner in Brighton Township; however not among the first. With his older brother, John, 240 acres in Section 15 (E ½ NW ¼, W ½ NE ¼ and E ½ SE ¼) were purchased in 1855 from John Jackson, son of Cyrus, a land speculator of New York. Before […]
It is given that early settlers in Livingston County were an adventurous, hardy lot. (Of course, those that returned to their former homes in the east are rarely noted in local history resources. This life did not agree with him, is the statement made.) Among them is found the John C. & Eliza Winans family […]
Early censuses record a number of settlers to Michigan Territory by the name of Boylan. Several came from Pennsylvania, including Moses M. Boylan. Born November 30, 1805, Moses brought his family to the Territory at an early date. He must have bought a substantial number of acres in Washtenaw County. It is believed he donated […]
As was true of many early purchasers of land in Michigan, Elijah and Betsey Marsh, born 1802 and 1806 respectively in Massachusetts, bought acreage in Brighton and surrounding townships, even before coming to Michigan. Research shows much land speculation occurring at that time. Two hundred eighty acres were bought and sold in Brighton Township before […]
On Thursday, April 21st, the Spring Cluster Meeting of local historical societies and libraries took place at the Brighton District Library (BDL). Thirteen representatives from local organizations were in attendance from 6-9 pm. The cluster meetings allow the representatives from local libraries and neighboring historical and genealogical societies to meet and share information. Sharing of […]
Henry W. b. 1831 and Elizabeth Buek b. 1833 Pipp were both born in Germany. Henry, an orphan at 16 came to America in 1847. Before his apprenticeship as a wagon maker Henry worked in a brick yard. Their shop was on the south side of Fitch (E. Main) between East Street and Grand River; […]
In 1830, Stephen Lee, wife Lydia (Emmons), and nine children arrived in Green Oak Township, at that time still a part of Washtenaw County, from New York State. They purchased the E 1/2 NW 1/4 of Section 20 recorded October 6, 1830. (West side of U.S. 23, from Winans Lake Road north to the Huron […]
The John F. and Margaret Lawson family arrived in Livingston County in 1836 from New York with four children under 10 years of age. Eighty acres in Genoa Township, Section 9, were recorded July 9, 1836. In Section 4, 120 acres were recorded September 22, 1836. The first order of business would have been the […]
The son of a veteran of the Revolutionary War, Ira Warner came to Michigan in 1839 from his home state, New York. Ira was only nine when his father, Col. Seth Warner, died in 1812. There were three siblings. Until he was 18, he worked on his mother, Rebecca Tylers farm. December 27, 1829, he […]
