essarily pull the trigger, which would cause the upper log to fall, thus pinning the animal like a vise between the two logs, and piercing it with the sharp pins. The trap was fully prepared and left to perform its work. It worked like a charm, and when examined, at the proper time, the bear which had returned, as was expected, for another feast from the carcass of the hog, was found dead between the logs, pierced through and through by the pins.

AN UNFORTUNATE AND LAMENTED OCCURRENCE.

About thirty-eight years ago, two young men, Phillip Knight and John Crum, entered a canoe on Nettle Lake for the purpose of spending a few hours in hunting and fishing. Time passed away, but they failed to return, though no uneasiness was felt by their friends, as it was well known that the young men were abundantly able to take care of themselves in the woods. Something over a day passed, but still no serious misgivings were entertained by the relatives of the boys. The second day of their departure, Thomas Knight, having occasion to pass along the lake, discovered, greatly to his alarm, the canoe, in which the boys had ventured out, floating bottom upward in the murky water. The boat was brought to land, and, when the circumstances became known to the friends of the boys, it was thought that possibly they had been drowned, and search was immediately instituted to ascertain if such was the case. After about an hour of sounding and dredging the bodies of both were recovered. From appearances they had been dead some time; but the cause of their death has never been, and, in the nature of things, will never be, unraveled. Both boys were bright, manly, and well known, and their untimely and melancholy death was widely and bitterly lamented.

FURTHER EVENTS OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT.

A few families arrived in the township for permanent settlement in 1839, 1840 and 1841, among them being those of William H. Billings, Ozias Billings, Thomas Whaley, John Whaley, Hiram Russell, Johnson Butler, Richard Parish, Asa Parish, Adolphus Rogers and George Matthews. After 1841, the settlers came in quite rapidly. The Whaleys, Billingees, Russells, Rogerses, and soon after several families of Johnsons, and others established themselves in the northwestern part near what afterward became Billingstown. The western part was much more attractive and inviting in early years than any other portion of the township. The soil was sandy, and was tolerably free from those marshy and unhealthful appearances which were so uncomfortably suggestive of fevers, ague, and their kindred ills. These facts caused the bulk of the early settlers to locate the western part, though scattering families were located, in 1843, in other portions. Early settlers had but little time to

spend in idleness or play. The question of successful life in the backwoods was a staggering one, and required unflinching hardihood and resolution to be met and overcome.

Mills and stores were miles away, and

the distance was rendered practicably double by the bottomless condition of the roads and the want of bridges. Sometimes a week would be spent in going to town, to Defiance, or to some distant village in Michigan or Indiana; after the return the ox or horse teams would be so harassed by the journey as to be unfit for work for many days. And even when the settlers went to the villages, the price of all supplies or commodities was so exorbitant as to be almost wholly beyond the reach of the settler's purse. Grain and other farm productions were scarcely worth hauling to market for the mere pittance they brought; and the almost total absence of money and the spiritless condition of the demand for farm supplies, compelled the settlers to forego, not merely all commercial luxuries, but too often the actual necessities of life. They were thus forced to rely almost wholly upon their home productions to sustain life. Pork and wild game were the meats; corn and wheat, ground often at home, and by hand, were the breads; and the hide of the deer, and linen, and (later) woolen, with the supply of clothing brought into the woods, were the clothes. Wild honey was abundant in the woods, and was often candied and of the finest quality. Maple sugar was easily obtained. Tea and coffee were rarities, their substitutes being barks, herbs and grains. In this manner the early settlers lived and labored. All subjected themselves to the

severest labor to clear the farms and fit them for remunerative cultivation. Women and men worked day and night, chopping and burning, and the results of their unceasing toil are the splendid farms and homes of to-day.

CATALOGUE OF EARLY SETTLERS.

It is impossible to give the names of all the early settlers in the township, as many remained but a short period, and their names have slipped the memory, and do not occur on the tax duplicates of the county. Those who paid tax on personal property for the year 1845 were James Burke, William H. Billings, J. B. Butler, O. M. Billings, A. C. Johnson, Aldis Johnson, George Matthews, John Maybee, William McLain, William Phelps, Adolphus Rogers, James Whaley, Washington Whaley, Thomas F. Whaley, Thomas Whaley, Richard Parish, Daniel Smith and Anson Smith. At this time, there were five horses and seventy-three cattle in the township. The settlers went to Defiance the greater portion of the time to do their trading, but often they went north to some of the larger towns in Southern Michigan, or to Lima, Ind.

MILLING INTERESTS.

No grist-mill, not even a corn-cracker, so far as known, was ever erected and operated in North West Township. Almost all the early families obtained their flour at Martin & Depew's Mill, in southern Florence, and those that did not were compelled to go nearly twice as far before finding another. The most of what little lumber that was brought in was obtained at New Buffalo also, as a small village had been laid out there in 1836 by Martin & Depew, who had erected a grist-mill and a saw-mill. Probably the first saw-mill constructed and operated in the township was built, between 1840 and 1845, by Richard and Jacob Parish, and located on Nettle Creek, above the lake, on the farm now owned by H. Waldron. It was a small, rude affair, with an up-and-down saw, set in motion by water that moved so sluggishly that, it is averred by old settlers, the sawyer could set the mill in operation on a large log, and take a nap before his services would again be required. The mill was conducted during the wet months for a few years, and was then abandoned, and has long since been almost forgotten even by the old settlers. Although this mill sawed but little, still it supplied the demand for four or five miles around, which is not saying very much. The second saw-mill, a much better one, was erected on Nettle Creek, below the lake, in about 1845, by Daniel Smith and Alpheus Petty. Smith had been a soldier in the war of 1812, and during the remainder of his life was a pensioner of Uncle Sam. The mill was located at the outlet of a large natural pond, and an easy and excellent water-power was secured by means of a dam. The mill, under different forms, managements and structures, is yet in existence, though the appearance of rapid portable mills has stolen the patronage of the older and slower. Thus it has ever been, the young and quick taking the place of the old and slow. During the early history of the township, this saw-mill was one of the most, if not the most, important industrial features within its limits. Settlers, after the earliest ones, preferred to locate near mills, stores, etc., that many of the privations of life in the backwoods might be avoided, and therefore this mill was one inducement for emigrants in search of homes to locate near it. During its more active career, it sawed enormous quantities of lumber. Two of the earlier owners were Adam Crum and Robert Russell. George Kint has owned it since not far from 1850. No steam has been used as a motor in this mill. A steam saw-mill was built during the early part of the last war by Alfred Gamber, and located about forty rods east of the Columbia schoolhouse. It passed to Ford and to several others, and was finally removed about ten years ago. About twelve years ago, Mr. Casebeer built

a steam saw-mill in the western part. It passed to Robbins and Brown. It is yet owned by the family of Robbins. The Spielman steam-mill was

built about five years ago. At the center of the township, Mr. Taylor has a saw-mill, a tile factory, a shingle mill and a small brick kiln. He is doing, in these various pursuits, an extensive business.

STORES, POST OFFICES, ASHERIES, ETC.

The first mail route that passed across the township started from Pulaski; thence passed to Eagle Creek, in Superior Township; thence to Spring Lake, in Florence; thence to Northwest and thence on northward to Hillsdale, Mich. It was established by Congressional enactment in 1843, and the office of "Northwest" was located at the house of William H. Billings, in the northwest corner of the township. Jabez Perkins is said to have been the first carrier over this route. He traveled on horseback, and was always loaded down with articles which the necessities of the settlers along the route required. Billings was, of course, Postmaster at Northwest. In about the year 1846, Mr. Billings opened a small store on his farm. He slowly increased his stock until it was probably worth about $3,000, and continued selling some fifteen years. A small village, named Billingstown, in his honor, sprang up around him. S. B. Braman, a blacksmith, built his shop there quite early. Whitney Foster, an excellent blacksmith and a well-known and respected citizen, worked at his trade there for a number of years, but lately has been at Columbia. Israel Shook is the Vulcan there at present. Charles Hall and Orin Fenton succeeded Billings in the mercantile trade, but they retired after a few months and were followed by Jacob Kintigh, who, for many years, kept a well-patronized country store. No goods are for sale at present. The post office "Northwest" has been changed to various residences until at present it is located at the store of E. W. & E. F. Welch, in the northern part, S. W. Houtz being the Postmaster. This store was opened about five years ago, but about three and a half years later the Welch brothers obtained it in a trade. They have for sale a fine general assortment of goods valued at $2,000. The brothers deal largely in produce, and have a wagon on the road six months of the year. Jacob Shake conducted a cooper shop at Billingstown for a short period, some ten years ago. The steam saw-mill in the northeastern part, near the Winebrennarian Church, was built by Ezra Welch some ten years ago. At his death it passed to Joseph Esterline, and is yet owned by him. Joseph Strayer had an interest in the mill for a time. Jacob Kintigh built an tightown" in about the year 1854, and at the same from a small stock of goods he placed in his dwelling. For the first few years his goods were weighed with steelyards; but, after about 1856 or 1857, when his small store-building was erected, he had a much larger stock of goods, and much better means for weighing the same. He did

ashery at "Kintime began selling

a thriving business. Citizens without money could take their ashes to him and get goods from his store in exchange. This was a great accommodation to the neighborhood. Mr. Kintigh manufactured a large quantity of fine pearl-ash, which was carted to Defiance, where it found a ready sale to Brice Hilton and others. His son, George, succeeded him in the mercantile trade in about 1866, while the father, as above stated, opened another store at Billingstown. At the death of George, some eight years ago, his brother Cyrus secured the store, but some time later sold to his father. Kintightown has had no store for the past three years. Dr. James Steward was located there for a short time some twenty years ago. Aaron Shinn was the first blacksmith there, and Mr. Butts the second.

FORMATION OF THE TOWNSHIP AND FIRST ELECTION.

On the 30th of March, 1835, the territory embraced within the township limits became, by the action of the County Commissioners, a part of St. Joseph Township. At that time the boundary difficulty between Ohio and Michigan was in full blast, and, while Ohio claimed the township with the remainder of the disputed land, and the Commissioners of Williams ordered its attachment to St. Joseph and its creation, Michigan likewise claimed the land, and attached it to the territory on the north. In 1836, the township became, definitely, the property of Ohio, but at that time not a settler, so far as known, resided within its limits. In 1837, Florence Township was created, and comprised the present townships of Florence, Superior, Bridgewater and Northwest. In March, 1839, Bridgewater was created, and comprised the present townships of Bridgewater and Northwest. At last, in December, 1840, upon the petition of William H. Billings and others, the Board of Commissioners ordered the creation of a new township, to be called "Northwest," by reason of its being in the extreme northwest corner of the county and State, to be composed of the present territory, and an election was ordered held at the residence of Adolphus Rogers, on the second Monday in January, 1841. Since this action, the boundary has not been changed. It has been stated (upon what authority the writer cannot tell) that the first township officers were as follows: Adolphus Rogers and William H. Billings, Justices of the Peace; J. C. Whaley, Treasurer; T. F. Whaley, Constable; William H. Billings, Clerk; Thomas Whaley, William H. Billings and Adolphus Rogers, Trustees. Thomas Knight says that, at the Presidential election in 1844, only eleven votes were polled in the township, nine of them being Democratic. It is highly probable that, while Northwest was attached to Bridgewater, some of the officers of the combined townships were chosen from what is now Northwest. The facts in this particular cannot be learned, although in the past it has