First Settlements and Settlers of Bloomingdale Twp., Van Buren Co., MI
The first settlement was made in December, 1837 by the brothers Mallory H., William H.H., Reuben J., and Merlin M. Myers, accompanied by their mother and sisters, Sarah O., and Ruth Ann.
The Myers were natives of Oneida Co., N.Y., where their father died in 1826. In later years they removed to the town of Bergen, Genesee Co., N.Y. Here the widow's children had nearly all reached the estate of manhood and womanhood ere a removal was contemplated to the new State of Michigan.
In the spring of 1836 the brothers Mallory H. and William H.H. started out on foot and walked the entire distance from Genesee Co., N.Y., via Canada to the State.
For six months Mallory worked in Monroe County, and during the same time William in White Pigeon. The latter then returned to the State of New York, and brought out with him the remainder of the family, all being established at White Pigeon in the fall of 1836.
One year later they deided to settle permanently upon section 36, in this township, and here, as previously mentioned, they arrived amid the snows and wintry blasts of December 22d, with no shelter awaiting them other than that afforded by the tall monarches of the forest.
The frozen earth, after snow one foot in depth had been melted away by a rousing fire, afforded them a resting-place the first night. The next day a rude cabin was built, which was followed soon after by a substantial log house, 14 by 33 feet in dimensions, whih, with no floors, was roofed after the primitive manner, with wooden troughs. Thus situated, their nearest neighbors seven miles distant, at Breedsville and Paw Paw, this family passed their first winter. Yet they were not idle. Slashings were made preparatory for crops the coming spring season, and considerable quantities of shingles were manufactured for the Paw Paw and White Pigeon markets. This latter branh of industry added materially to the exchequer of this family, as well as all other settlers, during the first and second decades of their residence.
Mallory H. Myers, the eldest of this family of brothers, was twenty-three years old at the time of is settlement in this township. He was one of the first officers in the old township of Clinch, also of Waverly, and in 1845 was the first supervisor chosen in Bloomingdale. He now resides in the small village of Berlamont.
Wiliam H. H. Myers taught the first shool, in the winter of 1838 and 1839. In later years he became a minister of the Free-Will Baptist Church. He died in 1865.
In the spring of 1838. Ashbel Herron, from Cayuga Co., N.Y., and Daniel G. Robinson, from Ohio, settled near the Myers', while Joseph S. Peck located in the extreme northwest corner of the township, on section 6. Mr. Peck's locality was for years known as "Pecktown," his early neighbors being Melvin Hogmire, Horace Humphrey, and Peter Smith.
Joseph Brotherton, from Cayuga Co., N.Y., settled upon setion 34 in the fall of 1838.
During this year a school-house was built upon section 36, and the first marriage took place. The contracting parties, James Scott, of Decatur, and Miss Ruth Ann Myers, of the Myers settlement in Clinch, were married at the house of M.H. Myers by Elder Warner.
Orlando H. Newcomb, who had previously lived in Almena, setled on section 36 in 1839.
Among other events of this year was the preaching of the first sermon, by Noah D. Sweet, Sunday, Aug. 11 1839. The services were held in the school-house. The burial of William Brownell, a young shingle-maker, who was the first person to depart this life in the new settlement. In December ocurred the fist birth. The child enjoyng the distinction is now known as John Wesley Herron, of the village of Gobleville. Elder Warner also preached in the school-house in the fall of 1839. The same year two of the settlers' houses took fire in a mysterious manner and were burned with all their contents. Suspicion rested upon the Indians, who still frequented the country in considerable numbers; but they were finally dispelled by the uniformly friendly manner and general good conduct of the aborigines.
Harviland Thayer, a native of New Hampshire, who afterwards became on of the prominent men in this township, came here first in the fall of 1839, and purhasing lands situated on section 34, partly completed a dwelling house thereon. He was then residing in White Pigeon whither he had removed from Cayuga Co., N.Y., in 1836. On the 3d of March, 1840, his family arrived here in the woods and began improvements, in the near vicinity of which many descendants still live.
Other settlers of 1840 were Alanson Todd, on section 24; Ira S. Frary, on section 25; and N. Kennedy, on section 15. Dennis E. Whelan settled in 1842.
Henry Mower, who was born in the town of Woodstock, Windsor Co., Vt., removed from the latter State to Herkimer Co., N.Y., in 1829, from then to St. Lawrence Co., N.Y., in 1830, and to Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1832. In Kalamazoo he entered the lands where are now situated the fair-grounds. From 1832 to 1843 he traversed on foot over the greater portion of Southern Michigan, while acting as quide to "land-lookers" and in the employ of Theodore Sheldon. He finally, in 1843, purchased land and settled where he now resides in this township.
He was present at the first township eletion, in 1845, and was elected township clerk in 1846, an office whih he continued to hold during the succeeding nine years. In 1849 he served as supervisor. Though chilled by the snows of early eighty winters, Mr. Mower is still the possessor of good mental faculties and much physical vigor, and to him we indebted for many facts concerning the early history of this and neighboring townships.
Thomas Hodgson, another active pioneer, settled on section 30 in 1844.
An early saw-mill (water power) was erected by
Daniel
G. Robinson & Co., upon section 16, in 1848. Messrs. Myers
&
Newcomb built the first steam-mill, about three years later.
John Hudson built the first grist-mill in
1866.
It was burned two or three years afterwards.
Here, as in other newly-settled regions, all the early settlers kept open house for the entertainment of weary and belated travelers. When ill, and previous to the coming of Dr. Baker, they were attended by Dr. Andrews, of Paw Paw.
Samuel Lane, at present a prominent resident of the village of Bloomingdale, removed from Monroe Co., N.Y., to Cheshire, then Trowbridge, Allegan Co., Mich., in the spring of 1845. He purhased 80 acres of land from the government, built a log dwelling, and became the third settler in that townshiip. In 1848 he settled upon the Cox farm, section 5. About the year 1866 he sold the farm, and removing to the village of Bloomingdale, became one of its early merchants, also the first hotel proprietor. Among other quite early settlers were Harrison Cooley, Isaac L. Knapp, John Barnard, Truman B. Dougal, Henry W. Durran, Zenas L. Chase, Chester Barber, William J. Merwin, O.M. Bessey, Rufus M. Brown, Arch W. Bishop, Alexander Miller, Christian Spicher, Shadrach S. Austin, Harvey H. Howard, Matthew Munn, E. Baughman, the Haven brothers, and Henry Killefer.
Augustus Haven, from Portage Co., Ohio, in the spring of 1854 settled one mile west of the present village of Bloomingale. There were then about 40 voters in the township, and Paw Paw was the nearest post-offie station. The only framed dwellings were in the Myer and Herron settlement, and the Methodists, the only religious organization, held meetings in Joseph Peck's barn. Since his settlement here, as a farmer, merchant, and township official, Mr. Haven has been prominently identified with the varied interests of the township. In 1860, with a herd of 20 cows, he first began the manufacture of cheese. His cows were gradually increased to 40 in number. In 1870 he began using the milk of his neighbors' cows, and in 1873 cheese was made from the milk of 200 cows. Since 1877 his brother Warren has continued the business with success, yet Mr. A. Haven still manufatures individually from a herd of 30 cows.
In wealth, numerical strength, and the embellishment of their homes, great strides have been taken by the people of Bloomingdale since the completion of the railroad, in 1870. In its course through the townhip the line of the Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad traverses sections 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24 and 25, and from the stations of Gobleville (on the east border), Bloomingdale (near the centre), and Berlamont (on the west border), the residents are afforded ample faclites for travel and the shipment of freight.
History of Berrien and Van Buren Co's Michigan - D. W. Ensign & Co., 1880