HISTORY OF MILAN 
By Ann E. Delaforce 

 Author:  Ann E. Delaforce 

 Title:  History of Milan, Michigan   

 Date:  Essay presented to Milan Woman’s Club, May 9, 1939.

 Milan is located partly in Milan Township of Monroe County and partly in York Township of Washtenaw County and on the Saline  River.  The dividing line of Washtenaw and Monroe  Counties passes through Milan  which is mostly in York Township of Washtenaw County.  Most of the early history of  York  Township centers around  Milan, York, Mooreville, and Saline.  It is very hard for us to realize that in the dim past the land lying south of the Ridge Road [Stony Creek Road] was a part of the bed of Lake Erie.

On March 7, 1824 an American pioneer came and settled in the wilderness which is now  York  Township. The land divided into quarter sections which were soon settled by other pioneers.  The people of these quarter sections elected a proprietor to look after the allotting of claims.  Alanson Snow was one of these first settlers and was an Indian hater.  His family was massacred in front of his eyes and from that time on he vowed to kill every Indian he saw.  The Indians believed him to be sent by “The Great Spirit” to destroy them and tried to keep away from him.

When the aboriginal inhabitants stood on the heights of York Township and surveyed the stormy Tehigikitchigami, which is Lake Erie, it could hardly occur to them that in future ages another people would take their stand there and look eastward over the fields of golden grain, and over a land dotted with happy homes. It came to pass, however, and now what was once a portion of the great Erie Lake forms one of the most beautiful districts of the beautiful Peninsula .

The soil is gravelly and sandy, with sandy loam and clay sub-soil in many sections.  The forest or timer tracts were of great value.  The Saline River, its tributaries, Sugar Creek and various other rivulets add much to the natural advantages, all conspiring to render York Township a fit home for a good people.

John Marvin, the first settler in this vicinity located and built a log house in the year 1830 [NOTE:  1830 is not correct, Warren Hale says it is 1831] about where James Doyle lived.  After a time, the log house was replaced by a frame building.  This property owned by Mr. Doyle was sold and moved to make room for the Tooman Gas Station, and is now serving [as] a residence on Church Street.

William E. Marvin, a son of John Marvin, settled soon after upon what is called the Woodward [NOTE: should be “Woodard”] farm, east of town, and started a small store, the first place in this locality where both wet and dry goods were sold.

Mr. Bethuel Hack and Mr. Harmon Allen settled here in the year 1832.  Mr. Hack settled upon the farm now owned by the Hack Estate.  Mr. Allen came to Detroit from Buffalo by sail boat, then walked to Milan  and settled on the farm east of the depot where his son Roscoe Allen lived.  This farm has since been owned by Mr. White and is now owned by Walter Johnson.

FLOUR MILL

William E. Marvin and David Woodward [NOTE: should be Woodard] built the first flour mill in 1834, which contained two very small run of stone.  A saw-mill was also built by Marvin and Woodward adjoining the flour mill.  These mills changed hands a number of times and were finally bought by Thomas Wilson and Sons, who became the proprietors of the principal industries of the town and did a thriving business for many years.  The flour mill was later sold to Mr. Michael Neckels.  After the saw-mill had burned the lumber business was bought by P. T. Johnson [NOTE:  Johnston?] and Sons.

These properties were then bought by Mr. Henry Ford.  The power plant occupies the saw-mill site [NOTE:  This may be incorrect, the saw mill was probably nowhere near the location of that power plant.] and the old grist mill has been remodeled for the extracting of soy bean oil. 

About the same time that the saw-mill and grist mill were doing business, there were two stave factories along the Wabash Railroad, one east and the other west of the depot, operated by Mr. Bailus and Mr. Hayden, respectively.  There was also a cooper shop for the making of barrels with a cider mill adjoining that was owned and operated by Mr. William Whaley Sr. and Sons.  This shop was located on West Main St. between the Ann Arbor Railroad and the Whaley house on the North side of the street.

HENRY TOLAN

Henry Tolan, a brother-in-law of William E. Marvin, built a small potash factory here in 1840 on the property best known as that owned by the late Dr. Cassidy.  [NOTE: Potash is obtained from wood ashes.  It is used for making soap, and for agricultural or industrial uses.]  Soon after, Mr. Tolan built a store of which the dimensions were about 10 by 12 feet, located where Tolan Street now enters Main Street, where drugs were sold.  Adjoining this store he built a hotel which was bought and run by Cal Edwards.  [NOTE:  Could it be “Calvin” Edwards?]  Later this hotel was moved and occupied as a residence by James Doyle.  [NOTE:  in another part of this essay, he had a residence on West Main that was moved to make room for a gas station.  Did he have two houses moved?]  The frame store building having been moved was bought by James Gauntlett Sr. and was occupied by him as a shoe and repair store for many years.  Later it was bought by his son, Charles Gauntlett who built the brick block now owned by his daughter, Mrs. Cecile Gauntlett Kileman and occupied by the D&C Store.  [NOTE:  this apparently refers to the brick store on NW corner of Main and Tolan.] The moving of the original store and hotel was the first step in opening the street now known as Tolan.

BABCOCK HOTEL

Another frame hotel was built and in later years known as the Babcock Hotel.  This was built onto from time to time until it was a large rambling building.  Now the Moore and Minto Clothing Store and the Sanford Hardware occupy that corner.

ELIJAH ELLIS

Elijah Ellis built and occupied a store in the year 1845 where the Blackmer Estate building now stands.  [NOTE:  Ellis Building still stands on SE corner of Main and Wabash. "Blackmer Building" refers to 20 E. Main St. At one time, the Blackmer family owned both buildings.]   Mr. David Blackmer Sr. moved from Saline in 1868 and in the early 70’s built the present Blackmer store [probably 20 E. Main].  It was sold in the summer of 1938 and is now occupied as one of the Gamble Chain Stores.  [NOTE:  Gamble Store was at _______________ ]

SCHOOLS

The first school was organized in this vicinity in the year 1837 [NOTE:  Warren  says the first log school was built in 1856, he says 1837 is the wrong date.] and the first schoolhouse was built on the site of the Blackmer residence. [NOTE: 122 E. Main Street.]  This [first school] soon became too crowded and was sold to make room for a larger one and [the first one] was moved and remodeled for a dwelling for Thomas Dexter.  A new frame building was built by William and George Hanson where the Blackmer home now stands.  [122 E. Main .]  After doing service for some time this also became crowded and it was sold and moved on the corner where Bassitt’s Store now stands.  [NOTE:  49 E. Main St.].   There it was used as a hardware and implement store by C. M. Burt.  Later Henry Ford [NOTE: this is John Henry Ford, not related to the auto industrialist.] replaced it with a brick store now occupied by Mr. Bassitt.

In 1862 a two room brick [school] building was erected where the present school now stands. [NOTE: on Hurd Street between Ferman and North, probably a lot closer to North Street.]  Later it was built onto until it had six rooms and a library.  In 1885, the school was graded under Mr. Eugene Gregory and also the first graduation occurred.  On January 12, 1900, the schoolhouse burned and was replaced by the east half of the present building.  [NOTE:  Ms. Delaforce didn’t realize that the present school building was made up of two separate buildings.]   The west wing [NOTE:  newer school] was built much later and finished in the fall of 1926.

SAW MILL

In 1848, Nicholas Childs built a saw-mill about where Mr. Charles Wilson lived by the old river bridge on Wabash Street.  [NOTE:  Where the Milan Area Fire Department is located today.].  This saw mill was operated by Charles Denton’s father for a number of years.   Mr. Childs also built a potash factory on the river bank near the rear of Mrs. Nelson Rice’s residence, which used to be the home of Moses Edwards.

TOLL ROADS

The first road in this section was made and paid for by an appropriation  by Congress in the year 1828, and located where the present road runs from Monroe to Dexter.  This road was extensively traveled as all the wheat grown in this region, and all the flour ground by the three mills in Saline was drawn to Monroe and shipped.  A large amount of it was drawn by ox teams.  Eight or ten hotels were kept between Milan and Monroe, and five toll gates were kept between Monroe and Saline.  This toll was charged for keeping up this plank road.

POST OFFICE

The first post office in this section was at Mooreville.  In 1833 a Post Office was opened in Milan with Bethuel Hack as Postmaster, and the town was known as Tolansville or Farmers.  In 1834, David A. Woodward [NOTE:  Woodard] was appointed Postmaster and in 1836 the name was changed to Milan.  Although up to 1859 it was called Tolansville, Woodard’s Mills, and Milan, at which time the name was officially changed to Milan by order of the Postmaster General.

DOCTORS

The first physician to administer to the people of Mooreville and Milan was Dr. Bowers who came to Mooreville in 1832 and practiced in the surrounding country for over forty years.  He was followed by Dr. Oakley, a surgeon in the Civil War who also located at Mooreville and was well known throughout the surrounding country.  The first physician to live in  Milan and serve the people was Dr. Issac Hurd who came to Milan from Dansville,  New York  in 1837 and built a lot house where the Simon Gay house now stands.  He lived and practiced here about seven years, when he died in 1844 leaving his wife with five children.  She afterwards married John Bunce.

Dr. Bigelow continued the practice of Dr. Hurd and built the west wing of the house now located at 74 W. Main St .  He used the middle room on the first floor, opening off the port at that time, for an office.  Dr. Bigelow sold this house to Lyman Burnham from whom Nathan Putnam bought it and added the east wing in 1884 or 1885. 

Dr. Bigelow sold his practice to Dr. H. B. Bessac who was a graduate of the University of  Michigan and came here from Manchester in 1874.  He lived and had his office where the late Dr. Calhoun’s residence now stands.  [NOTE:  Dr. Calhoun, a dentist, lived and had a dental practice at 52 E. Main.]    Dr. Bessac was followed by Dr. Pyle and Dr. Chapin.  [NOTE: Dr. Pyle's home at 52 E. Main also served as his medical office, and the building was later occupied by Dr. Calhoun.] After being in the military several years Dr. Bessac sold his property and moved to California .  There were additions built onto the house, and it was used for a hotel for a number of years.

FIRE

From the Gamble Store to the late Miss Snell’s residence there were small frame store buildings owned by Simon Gay, Miss Nettie Palmer, and Russ Wilcox.  In 1891, there was a large fire that burned all these buildings to the ground.  As there was no fire protection in those days the frame buildings from time to time were wiped out by fires or torn down and replaced by the brick buildings you see today.

Dr. Pyle bought the site where the [burned] hotel stood and built the home and office now owned by Mrs. Calhoun.  [NOTE:  the word “now” refers to 1939 and 1941 when this essay was written.]

CHURCHES

The first sermon preached in Milan was by the Rev. John Walworth in the home of Stephen Bonner.  The first minister of the gospel to preach regularly to the people in  Milan was John Roughman of the Methodist faith.  Previous to 1866 some of the people attended services at Moreville and York.

The Union Church was erected in 1866 and according to the deed given by Thomas Braman was to be used by all Christian denominations.  The different denominations held services alternately in the church.  The building was 35 by 50 feet in size and cost $3,500.00.  This church is now the York Township Hall.  [NOTE:  “now” means 1939-1941.]

As the different denominations increased in numbers they finally broke away and erected their own churches.  The Presbyterian Church of Milan was formed by a committee of the Presbytery, October 16, 1878 with a  membership of eight.  In July, 1882 the ground was broken for a house of worship which was dedicated in 1883.  It is now called the People’s Church. 

The Milan Baptist Church was organized October 5, 1881 with eleven communicants.  A lot was purchased in April, 1883 and in the September following a church edifice was commenced and dedicated December 10, 1884.  In 1885, the bell of the Baptist Church was given by David Blackmer Sr., father of the late Charles Blackmer Sr. 

In 1888, the corner stone of the Marble Memorial Methodist Church was laid by the Rev. M. Bartram. 

The corner stone of the Catholic Church was laid by Bishop Gallager of Detroit in the fall of 1911 and was dedicated in July of 1912 by Father Soast.  The committee that started the building of the church was headed by John Keller.  There were twenty-five families that signed up for the building of the church.

The Free Methodist Church  has a membership dating from the winter of 1865-66.

NEWSPAPER

The Milan Leader was started in March, 1882 by A. B. Smith and A. E. Putnam, the former purchasing the entire interest in 1884.  In 1898 or 1899 A. B. Smith sold out to William Houseman, and he edited the paper until 1906 when he sold to Frank L.  Gates. Mr. Gates built the building where the Leader is now housed.  [NOTE:  In 1940, the Leader was probably located at 29 W. Main]

In 1912, L. B. Johnson bought the paper and edited it until he died.  His wife, Mrs. Etta Johnson carried on his work until her death in 1938.  The Leader is now controlled by their son-in-law, Mr. Everett DeRyke.

BANKS

The first bank in Milan was organized about 1887 by two young men from Quincy, Michigan, Mell Barnes and Starr Joseph.  They opened the bank in the building now owned by Ty Woolcott.  [Note:  ______________ would that building be 13 E. Main, where Chad Nitray has his business?]   After some time, Starr Joseph sold out to Tom Barnes, a brother of Mell Barnes.  The two brothers operated the bank for some time.  As their business increased they moved into the building now occupied by Mr. Beauregard. [NOTE: that is 1 West Main, SW corner of Main and Wabash, where the Collins Shop is today.]  These men soon after became interested in the manufacturing of Stimpson Scales and moved to Detroit.

A stockholder’s bank was formed and called the Farmers and Merchants Bank.  They occupied the corner until the new bank building, where the Post Office now stands, [NOTE:  That is 17 W. Main, the I. O. O. F. building.]  was completed.  The Farmers and Merchants Bank occupied this site [17 W. Main] until it merged with the Milan State Savings Bank located on Wabash Street, and it was renamed The Peoples State Bank of Milan.

LIBRARY

About 1873 or 1874, Miss Lucy Maynard died and left a legacy of $1,000.00 to the school district of  Milan.  The income from this money was to be used to establish and maintain a library to be known as The Maynard Library.  The district carried the fund as a loan for some time and paid the interest into the library fund each year for the purchase of new books.  When the school building burned in 1900, the library was partially destroyed, but due to coverage by insurance the loss was replaced and more volumes added.  The school district still pays $60 per year from the general fund for the maintenance of the library which is in the school building.  The Maynard Library and the School Library have been combined. 

In 1935, after much talk and consideration by some of the public spirited citizens of  Milan, it was decided to open a Free Library with headquarters on the second floor of the Village Hall.  Dr. J. S. DeTar has done much to promote the project of a Free Library.  The Village Council appointed a library committee for the purpose of investigating the sources from which books might be obtained.  This library committee was composed of Dr. J. S. DeTar, Mrs. C. W. Steidle, Mrs. Newton Licoln, Mrs. Ray Frisbie, and Mrs. John Ryan. 

People of the community were urged to donate books to start the new library.  This request was met with a substantial response.  Clubs were formed and books purchased for the support of the library until there were about eight hundred books and hundreds of magazines available.  The library was formally opened March 14, 1935 with Mrs. Fannie Greashaber as librarian.  It was open on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings.

At the opening meeting of the Library Committee, Miss Nina Preston, Librarian of the University Library, and Miss Cora McClanch, supervisor of nurses at the University Hospital related the efforts of the Ann Arbor Business and Professional Woman’s Club to establish libraries throughout the county.  By saving pennies the members of this organization have made a fund which has been used to purchase new books for rural schools. 

The Milan Free Library is the first adult library to be established with the aid of this Club. Many fine volumes now in the library were purchased with pennies saved by the public spirited women of this Club.  On September 19, 1935 when the F.E.R.A. ceased to pay the librarian, the Village took over the responsibility and now pays the general maintenance costs and provides the council rooms as headquarters. 

In April 1936, a drive for membership in the Milan Free Library Association (MFLA) was conducted.  The fee for membership was no stated amount and pledges ranged from ten cents up to fifteen dollars.  All funds collected from this Association were used for the purchase of new books.  At the present time the Library is supported by state aid and other contributions.

RAILROADS

The Toledo, Ann Arbor, and Northern Michigan Railroad, later known as the Ann Arbor Railroad, was opened here June 8, 1878.  The Wabash Railroad was opened in the summer of 1880.  After the building of these roads Milan steadily grew from five or six dwellings in 1846 into a thriving village. It was incorporated as a village by the legislature March 26, 1885 and reincorporated February 25, 1895 and now has a population of nearly 2,500.

The chief contributing factors to the growth and beauty of Milan  may be summarized as the following:  the two furnace factories, the Ideal and the American; the Saco Factory; [NOTE:  Saco Factor was run by Mr. Squires and Mr. Auten, and it ran the elevator.] the Ypsilanti State Hospital, built and dedicated in the year 1931; the Federal Detention Farm built and opened in 1933.  Mr. Ford’s project begun in 1936 and finished in 1938 which consisted of the changing of the river bed the tearing away of the old bridge and the filling in, and the building of the new bridge where the old race bridge was located, the building of the dam and the forming of a lake where the flats were on the west side of Wabash Street, the filling in of the village park, and the building of a power plant and two factories, is proving to be one of the chief boons to the beauty and prosperity of our town.

Some of the early pioneers who have not been mentioned in this history and who settled in  Milan and its immediate vicinity prior to 1850 are as follows:

• The Richards’ came from England in 1830.

• The Dexter’s came from New York in 1831.

• The Hanson’s came from New York in 1832.

• The Braman’s came from New  York in 1833.

• The Goodings came from New York in 1834.

• John W. Blakeslee Sr. emigrated from England in 1836.

• The Kelseys’ came from New  York in 1837.

• The Redmans’ came from Beeping, Lincolnshire, England to Monroe in 1849 and then to Milan in 1850.

• Mr. Riley Butler, grandfather of Fred Butler came from New York in 1838 and settled on the farm now owned by Fred Butler.

• Mr. James Gauntlett Sr. and James Delaforce Sr. came from Battersea , England in 1846 on a sailing vessel which took from six to eight weeks for the trip.  They took up government land across from the cemetery and extending to the corner.  All this land was later owned by James E. Delaforce Jr.  This property is now owned by John Neckel.

• Lovatus Allen, brother of Harmon Allen came from New Jersey and settled in Milan in 1850.

Many other families came after 1850, among them the Murrary’s and Wanty’s.

HISTORY OF MILAN
PART TWO

  LOGGING

Dexter Street extends north to the Ridge Road .  Taverns which were usually maintained for the accommodation of overland travelers were located  at Stony Creek, Mooreville, Lake Ridge, and Ridgeway.  All roadways leading off these roads were merely winding trails leading through dense forests.  Dexter Street from the County Line , for three quarters of a mile north was cut through heavy forests and trees arching over the highway gave the appearance when approaching from the north of the entrance of a giant tunnel.

The eight acres on the northeast corner of Dexter and County Streets was timbered heavily with white wood, oak, elm, hard maple, hickory, black walnut, and ash measuring as much as 5 1/2 ft. in diameter.  In the summer and winter of 1869 forty acres of this beautiful timber was slashed down in winrows and burned, reserving only the best of the bodies of the whitewood, white ash, white oak, and butt logs of hickory and walnut.  This property was then owned by Mrs. Hannah Wilcox Marble.

The southwest corner of Dexter Street was owned by Thomas Richard who had about four acres cleared or cut over when he built a one story shack on the spot which is now the southwest corner of Lafayette and Dexter Street. The forty acres adjoining this on the west belonged to Simon Gay with only two acres cleared, where he built the house now standing on the northwest corner of Main and Gay Streets.  [NOTE:  The house is actually on the northeast corner of  Main and Gay.]  The balance of his property was heavy timber and fenced in with a poorly built rail fence.

The only other house on the north side of County Street was a log house opposite the north end of Wilcox Street. A one story frame shack, 14x16, stood on the corner of the County Line and Dexter Street with a single rail fence around the dooryard.

FLATIRON

There were three houses standing on land which was bounded on the east by the section line rail fence extending from Main Street to County Street, north by the County Line, south by the Monroe and Saline Plank Road, now East Main Street. This was called the flatiron.  

The two story wagon and paint shop standing on the point of the flatiron was built over a swale on posts four feet high.  This was owned by Lyman Burnham, and George Hanson.  The paint shop was run by Joshua Hanson, a wagon striper and painter who ground and mixed his own paint. Charles Stever later occupied this same building and was the wagon maker.  

The brick building now standing on this spot houses the fire engine and village jail, downstairs, and the village library, upstairs.  A five room house stood where Mr. Robb’s house now stands and was occupied by George Hanson.  The only other house on the flatiron was a one story two-room house built of 2 inch white wood plank, standing upright and battened.  It had single sash windows, 12 lights 6x8 inches, and battened doors, and was occupied by David Hitchcock Sr., grandfather of the late Mrs. J. R. Gump.  The flatiron was owned by Alexander Hitchcock and fenced with black ash and black walnut rails.

The 40 acres where the Ideal Furnace Co. now stands was owned by O. W. Leonard who with his wife and sons, Edward and Frank had moved from New York state in the spring of 1869.  On the little bend in the highway a few rods east of the Leonard house stood a small house owned by David Woodward [NOTE:  His name was Woodard.] who up to 1868 had acted as Postmaster, pettifogger, and Justice of the Peace and usually carried the mail in his hat or pocket.

On the south side of West Main Street stood a small one story three room house painted yellow that was the Freeman Wilcox home.  This house stood in a large apple orchard where the Stevens and Bush funeral home now stands.  [NOTE:  the funeral home is located at 218 E. Main.  Mrs. Delaforce meant to say "East" Main Street.]  In the summer of 1869 Mr. Freeman Wilcox built the large square house now owned by the F. M. Miller family, which was the only house standing on Main Street east of what is now the village Water Works Park, which was then owned and occupied by Thomas Richards, who drove stage and carried the mail from Monroe to Saline.  This old house stood on the same foundation as the present home of Mrs. J. L. Marble and was fenced in with a black walnut picket fence.  These grounds included all the west half of the Water Works Park, the Marble Home, the Methodist Church, and Dr. Noble’s home, and was then a thrifty bearing apple orchard.

The old house which stood on the foundation where Mrs. J. L. Marble now lives was moved east about 30 feet.  In 1871, the present house was erected by B. W. Marble who moved from Delphia, New York in the fall of 1869.  The old house which had been moved off this foundation was built in 1837 by George Wilcox, first husband of Mrs. Hannah Marble, who was married to B. W. Marble in 1867. 

OLD SCHOOLHOUSE

Next west of this house was the old red schoolhouse, a one room building with wooden desks and bench seats extending the whole width of the room, and heated by a long box stove with a  sheet iron round drum 12 inches in diameter and 3 feet long, elevated about 12 inches above the stove and fired with 22 inch stove wood.  On each side of the stove was a long desk and bench seats. The Teacher’s table was elevated on a platform between the two entrance doors.  This school stood where the Blackmer house now stands.

The new brick schoolhouse was completed about Christmas day in 1869.  The first day after the holiday vacation, January 1870, the teachers and pupils met in the old building [NOTE: Old school building was at 122 E. Main] and gathered up their books and made a grand rush for the new two story two room brick schoolhouse, in a clearing on the edge of the woods, where the present school building now stands.  [NOTE:  It was probably on the NW corner of Hurd and Ferman Streets.]

SHINGLE SHOP

At the north end of Gay Street stood a shingle shop operated by William Taylor who resided in the house now owned by Mrs. Ellen Draper Haight.  Mr. Taylor manufactured split and hand shaved shingles.  [NOTE:  house on southeast corner of Gay and Ferman.]

Going west on the north side of Main Street, the first building beyond the Simon Gay house was the old Tolan hotel [NOTE:  This was probably not the Tolan hotel.  The Babcock hotel was located where Moore and Minto later opened their business.]  purchased in 1870 by Mr. Whiting and stood on the spot where Minto and Sill erected their brick store buildings on the northeast corner of Main and Tolan Streets.  The only building west was the Edwards home about 10 rods beyond the Whiting hotel.  All west of this part was timber and cutover land.

Starting from the old schoolhouse on the south side of Main Street was the home of Mr. Harmon Kelsey where the late Miss Alice Snell lived.  Where the Gay block stands was a one story frame store building owned and occupied by Simon Gay, carrying a general stock consisting of dry goods, groceries, hardware, drugs, boots, and shoes.

On the southwest corner of Main and River Streets stood the old store building [NOTE:  wooden Pool Hall] which was moved on the Lamkin property [NOTE: for use as an electric power generating facility] and recently torn down by Henry Ford.  Alonso Braman, son of Thomas Braman, owned and occupied this property.  He died in 1870 and was succeeded by Eugene Reynolds and still later by Reynolds and Charles Blackmer who ran a dry goods store together.  William Whitmarsh then bought and operated the store until it was moved.  William Easterly was associated with Mr. Whitmarsh for some time.

In 1899, there was a big fire that wiped out some of the frame buildings west of the corner.  Mr. Whitmarsh then built two brick stores, the one on the corner now the Beauregard Store [Collins Shop] and the store adjoining, occupied by the late C. E. Patterson. Mr. Kelly also built two stores, the DeMerritt hardware store and the Miller drug store.

The next building was the home built and owned by James Gauntlett, later owned and occupied by his son Archie Gauntlett, now owned by Mr. Storl.  This home has been moved to the back of the lot on the edge of Ford Lake .  The New Milan Theatre [NOTE: 37 W. Main ] has been built on the site by Mr. Storl.

The next building was the small home of Mr. Kronk built for him by his brother-in-law, Thomas Braman, now the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts.

The next building was the old Union Church, now the York Township Hall, which was built on the Thomas Braman farm in 1866.  In 1869, the pulpit was occupied one Sunday by Rev. Buxton of Baptist faith who resided on his farm on Dexter Street, and the following Sunday by an Universalist minister from Tecumseh.  The choir occupied the choir loft for all services.  The custom at that time was for the women to occupy the seats on the east side of the church and the men on the west side.

The only other building on that side of the street was the old Braman hotel which has been remodeled into a residence on West Main Street. It was used for a lodging house for overland travelers. The entire third floor was used as a ballroom and for public functions such as church donations and social gatherings.

At the corner of West Main Street and the Platt Road we have the history of an anciety landmark. This mammoth and ancient landmark sprang into existence in the following and remarkable manner. In the very early days when Michigan was still a territory, the land lying south of what is now known as the Ridge Road, then the Detroit and Chicago Pike, was heavily timbered. The territory built what was known as the Monroe and Saline Plank Road, traversing the high lands bordering the crooked Raisin and Saline Rivers from Monroe to Saline, a distance of twenty-nine miles. Five toll gates were located along the line. A daily mail service dropping off mail at the junction, London, Tolanviolle (now Milan), Mooreville, and Saline was established.

At the intersection of this highway and the west line of Section 35, York Township and what is now known as the Platte Road was located a well for the accommodation of the settlers and overland travelers. A branch trail at this point passing MarblePark Cemetery was blazed through the heavy timber nearly straight to the York Church, from there zig zaged across the openings to Ann Arbor. This well designated the trail leading to Ann Arbor.

Mr. Home[r] Warner (in later years widely known as Grandpa Warner) was the proud possessor of this noted well. He drove his ox team one day to Monroe to do his trading and on his return drove to the well to water his team. Jabbing his willow ox whip stalk in the ground, he led his team away forgetting his whip. Sometime later he discovered that a stalk had sprouted and permitted it to grow.  It soon took the place of the old well as a noted landmark.  This tree has been cut down within the last two or three years, much to the regret of a great many people who knew its history.  Only a stump remains at the present time.  [NOTE:  Present time was 1939-1941 when this essay was written.]  The tree measured 20 feet around its base.  At  a point four feet from the ground three separate trunks formed, running straight up, two of them measuring eleven feet in circumference and a third twenty-one inches in diameter.

This account was handed down from Grandpa Warner to his son, William Warner who was born on the old homestead in 1845.  This account was verified by Albert Case an early settler who purchased the property of the old homestead many years ago.  This property is now owned by Joseph P. Neckel.

CEMETERY

From this landmark as you turn to the right and to the north for a very short distance is the Marble Park Cemetery .  The Marble Park Cemetery Association was formed in the spring of 1896 by J. L. Marble.  The Cemetery is located at the border line of the thriving village of Milan across from the farm owned for years by James E. Delaforce, who was the father of Ann, Arthur, Nellie, and Mable Delaforce.  This farm is now owned by John Neckel.  There is a cement walk leading to the cemetery and good gravel roads to the entrance, all with in convenient distance from Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Whittaker, Willis, Saline, Dundee , Cone, and Britton.

At a short distance to the right, and north of the East entrance to the Park is Fawn Rock.  This meteorite was removed from its lodgings on the Albert Johnson farm, two miles southwest of Milan, to the Cemetery and mounted on a triangular base.  The name Fawn Rock was derived from a historic tragedy.  The daughter of an Indian chief of the Erie tribe camped at Monroe and the son of a chief of the Potawatomie tribe camped on Lodi Plains formed a courtship.  Being opposed by their parents who were bitter enemies, the young couple chose this rock which was then in the midst of a dense forest, as their meeting place.  The father of the maiden followed her to this secluded spot and shot her suiter.  The grief stricken maiden returned to the tragic spot and took her own life.  Fawn meaning “young lovers” the stone was named by the tribes, “Fawn Rock.”  [NOTE:  This fable is a bunch of bunk.]

Following River street or Wabash, was located the Charles Wilson home, built in the summer of 1869 on what is now the village parking ground.  [NOTE:  Corner of Wabash and Neckel Court.]

On the west side of Wabash St. on the Lamkin site was the home of Mr. Denton, grandfather of Lee, Ernest, and Ray Denton.  The old wooden bridge was but a trifle above the flats, and in the spring of the year and rainy seasons it was under water and the traffic was practically cut off.   [NOTE:  This is apparently the bridge over the Saline River , in front of where the Milan Area Fire Department is located.  Later the river was moved so that it crossed Wabash further south.]  The river was crossed on old wooden bridges wither about one mile west of the village on what is now known as the Platt Road, or a mile and a half east of the old town line road where Chase’s sawmill was located.

On the property recently occupied by the Johnson Lumber Co. and now owned by Henry Ford, stood Charles W. Wilson’s sawmill which was an upright saw, run by water power, capable of cutting about 3,000 feet of lumber per day.

Close to where the old race bridge stood was a small house owned by William Bogardis who alternated with Thomas Richards in running the stage and carrying the mail from Monroe to Saline.

THOMAS WILSON

On the south side of the race was the home of Thomas Wilson, father of Charles, Sarah, and Myron Wilson, who owned and ran the grist mill which was run by an overshot water-wheel.  This mill is now owned by Henry Ford.

On the opposite side of the road close to the river stood a three room frame house occupied by Mr. Pepper.  The next building was a log house which stood for years where the Webster hotel now stands. This building is now used as a residence by Mr. Deem.

AZALIA, "EAST MILAN"

Beyond this was no road running south except the River Road which followed the west bank.  Off of this ran a winding trail into East Milan, now Azalia, then a hamlet of four houses and a store building.

The only road leading into Milan other than these mentioned was a winding road running from the race bridge in a southwesterly direction, passing through what was known as the Mead settlement to West Milan, now Cone.  Along this road were the farm homes of the Child’s, several families of Mead’s, and Phillip’s, the Bartholmew’s, and the Campbell’s.

WILDLIFE

The greater part of the country south of Milan was very heavily timbered with very little clearing done on any of the farms. Because there was no drainage whatever and no turnpike roads, the inhabitants were isolated the greater part of the year.  Water holes and ponds furnished dwelling places for frogs which supplied music to charm the savage breast.  Snakes and pollywogs were abundant as well as wild game galore such as rabbits, quail, an occasional wild turkey, fox, badger, and in the fall of the year the cooning season furnished great sport for the hunters. An occasional deer, wild turkey, and bear were brought in from the heavy timber southwest from here.

WOOD AS FUEL

The principal occupation of the farmer at that time was nursing fever and ague.  Between chills and fever he spent his time clearing his land, logging and burning timber that would make him independent if he had it today.  The hard wood, maple, beech, and hickory were worked into four foot wood and in the winter hauled to Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Monroe .  Treetops out of which good saw logs would be obtained in these days went into the logging heap and were burned.

The Michigan Central running through Ypsilanti , and the Lake Shore through Monroe , firing their engines with wood helped supply a market for wood as other fuel was unknown to this section of the country at that time.

FRYBERG SCHOOL

The trails or highways were mostly winding roads following the higher ridges through the forests. Oakville was reached by going down the plank road which is now East Main Street to the farm house now owned by Mrs. Kuhn, then the house of Edgar Haight, near the Fryberg schoolhouse, then following a ridge passing a log house and a one story frame house.

In the spring of 1879, the County Line Road was only marked by a wagon track, running a mile East of the Dexter Road to accommodate three farmers, Orange Wilcox, Dan Murray, and Joseph Murray.

FREAK TREE [CROOKED TREE]

The freak tree now standing in front of Leland Schultz’s gas station [corner Dexter and County] has a history that will be interesting to all who have observed the tree.  One afternoon Mr. Marble in the returning home from cutting timber with his father, called his father’s attention to a little twig that had rooted and was growing on one side of a rail fence, and the top end of it growing on the other side under the rail.  In the summer of 1871, owing to the prevalence of fever and ague, Mr. Marble went west.  In the winter of 1878, he returned for a short visit.  In passing by this corner he observed the twig had made sufficient growth to lift the entire corner of the rail fence from the ground.  On his next return to Milan in the fall of 1884 he found the little tree had been relieved of its heavy burden and was a thrifty, but crooked tree, and we all sincerely trust that it may be permitted to stand until it dies of natural causes.  

[NOTE: Milan residents are divided on this. Some say it is impossible for a tree to become so severely bent by a fence rail. They say it was bent by Native Americans to serve as a trail marker, and that the tree was located at a bend in the Potowatomi trail.]

WATER AND SEWER

As Milan grew the people felt the need of a water works system.  In 1908 the properties of Dr. Messic and Mr. Vincent were purchased.  The attraction being the flowing wells at the back of these lots near the river bank.  The residences were moved.  Dr. Messic’s house was originally owned by Thomas Richards and was moved on North Street .  In 1940, it was again moved on Michigan Avenue and has been remodeled by Howard Smith.  Mr. Vincent’s house was moved back of the Delaforce property and was used as the residence of the superintendent for some time.  A power plant was built on the properties, machinery installed, and shrubbery planted in the foreground to beautify the grounds.  Later on in the year 1925, the James Gauntlett Jr. property was purchased of Mr. Arthur Smith and repaired for a residence for the superintendent.  The old house was then taken over as an office for paying water taxes.

Milan Water Works has only had two superintendents during its existence. Jay B. Stanton occupied the position for the first four and a half years. Willlis Culver has been the superintendent for the past 28 years and is still Milan ’s superintendent of the Water Works System.

A half acre was purchased in 1934 of Mr. Meyers, formerly known as the Dan Case property, for wells for additional water.  This property is located on Allen St. not far from the [train] depot.  A power house was built and machinery installed July 12, 1940.  Fifty by two hundred fifty feet of land was bought from Fred Backman for future wells.

These power houses are capable of pumping 2,000 gallons of water per minute.  These wells not only supply the village of Milan but the Federal Prison, the Wabash and Ann Arbor railroads, and the two furnace factories, the Ideal and the American.  The churches are supplied with water free of charge.  Ten wells have been drilled, seven of which are in use.  A feeder line system is used to equalize the pressure.  These wells are pumped by electricity, but in case of an emergency they are supplied with two 50 horse power gasoline engines, and one forty horse power gasoline engine.

The bonds were all paid the first of October 1939.

In July 29, 1940 about fifty acres of land was purchased from Mr. J. R. Gump for a sewage disposal plant which will be used later by the village.  This property is located on East Main Street across the railroad tracks and runs back for some distance.

PARKS AND RECREATION

Milan has two recreation parks.  Mr. Mr. Charles Wilson donated to Milan village the park on Wabash Street across from Ford’s Lake .  It was to bear the name of Wilson Park and to be under the control of the village council.  No shoddy or temporary structure should be erected on it.  No fence or hedge was to obstruct the view from Wabash Street . At no time should liquor or gambling games, foreign, circus or tent shows be permitted there on, and that at least $100 per year should be expended on it for five years.  The council accepted this gift July 1, 1921.  This park contains about 38 acres and has enlarged with additions. On October 16, 1930, twenty acres adjoining the Wilson Park was purchased of Alf Van Wormer, and on June 17, 1937, five acres was purchased from Dr. Hannum to give more space for recreational purposes, making a total of about 63 acres.

The other park is called the Athletic Field, located at the corner of North Street and Michigan Avenue .  This land containing five acres was purchased Nov. 9, 1926 of Mr. Thomas Gotts and is used exclusively for athletic purposes.

In August 1940, Mrs. Sarah Gay passed away.  In her will she left the use of her home, located at the corner of Gay Street and US 23, known as county Street, to her brother Ben Bogus for his life time, after which it is to go to the village of Milan for a hospital and is to be known as the Sarah Gay Memorial Hospital.

CONCLUSION