Carrollton Township

This township was organized under authority given by the Board of Supervisors, Jan. 4, 1866, and the first town meeting was held April 2, the same year. Charles E. Gillett was elected Supervisor; Archibald Baird, Clerk; Martin Stoker, Treasurer; Fred S. C. Ross, Reuben Crowell, E. F. Gould and Fred Goesman, Justices of the Peace. The order to organize was passed in the following form:

It appearing to the Board of Supervisors that application has been made, and that notice thereof has been signed, posted up, and published, as in the manner required by law, and having duly considered the matter of said application.

The Board order and enact that the territory described in said application, bounded as follows, to-wit: all that part of the township of Saginaw, lying north and east of the following boundaries, to-wit : beginning at the northwest corner of Saginaw City; thence running west on the protraction of the north line of Saginaw City to the center of section sixteen (16); thence north on the quarter line of section sixteen (16), nine (9) and four (4) to the north line of said township of Saginaw; and also including that portion of said township lying east of Saginaw City and the Saginaw river, known as the village of Florence, be, and the same is, hereby erected into a township, to in called and known by the name of the township of Carrollton.

The first annual township meeting thereof shall be held at the schoolhouse in the village of Carrollton on the first Monday in April, A. D. 1866, the polls to be open during the hours required by law, and at said meeting, Charles E. Gillett, Christian Ulrich and James Barrenger, three electors of said township, shall be the persons whose duty it shall be to preside at such meeting, appoint a clerk, open and keep the polls, and exercise the same powers as the inspectors of elections at any township meeting, as the law provides.

The names of township officers from 1866 to the present time are thus given :

SUPERVISORS

CLERKS

TREASURERS

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

CARROLLTON VILLAGE.

As early as 1835 the site of the present village of Carrollton was entered by Judge Carroll; but not until 1860 did the place give promise of its present importance. The population of the village proper is 825; that of the township 912, giving a total population of 1,737. As recently as 1868 the inhabitants of the entire township did not number over 600 souls. It will therefore appear that the advance of this division of the county has been comparatively rapid.

The schools and Churches of Carrollton are well administered; the manufacturing interests extensive, and the prospects for the future of both township and village exceptionally good.

The village was organized in 1869, with Geo. E. Dutton President; A. T. Driggs, Clerk, and Thomas J. O'Flanagan, Treasurer. The list of village officers since organization is as follows:

PRESIDENTS

CLERKS

TREASURERS

TRUSTEES

MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.

Among the manufacturing industries of the Valley, those of Carrollton hold a high place. From the following sketches of the more important mills and salt works of the village and township, it will be evident that enterprise not only exists in a high form, but also gives promise of continued advance.

Le Duc & Fenney's Oar Factory.—The factory building, erected in 1877, is two stories in height, 40x130 feet, with wing 20x40 feet. The total cost of building and machinery is set down at $30,000. The lumber used is white ash; the length of the oars varies from 6 to 26 feet, principally from 12 to 18 feet. There are over 1,000,000 feet of oars sent into the market annually, 250,000 of which are marketed in the United States and 750,000 in foreign countries.

Le Duc & Fenney's Salt Works.—The salt works in connection with the oar factory are supplied from four wells, each 777 feet deep. The tubing blocks, etc., were refitted and rebuilt in 1878-'9, comprising seven cisterns of a capacity of 125 barrels each; two settlers each 8x6x115 feet; four grainers 12x135 feet each; one 1x8x100 feet; and one pan 12x100 feet. The salt block is a two-and-one-half-story building, 88x190 feet, with a total capacity of 325 barrels per day. The storage shed is 26x100 feet, with bins capable of containing 8,500 barrels. Two railroad tracks enter the yard.

Le Duc & Fenney's Shingle Mill, was built in 1878. The structure is 20x40 feet; it contains three machines, which cut 15,000,000 shingles per annum. The saw-mill, in connection with the oar factory, has a capacity of 8,000,000 feet of lumber per season.

The works extend over 20 acres, with 2,000 feet river frontage, and give employment to 125 men. The engines are 18x24, 16x20 and 12x16 feet. The company operate an oar factory and circular-saw mill at Breckenridge, Gratiot Co., which was purchased in 1880. The first premium for the best oar was awarded to Le Duc & Fenney by the commissioners of the Paris Exhibition of 1867.

Sanborn & Bliss' Saw-Mill was built in 1879 and opened in 1880. The building is 50x120 feet, with wing 50x30, and engine room 80x60. The cost of building is estimated at $3,000; that of machinery at $4,000; capacity of mill, 14, 000, 000 feet lumber, 50,000 headings, 2,000,000 lath, and 800,000 staves per year. This industry gives employment to 33 men.

There are three salt wells,—the first 763 feet deep, the second bored in 1879, 760 feet deep, and the third, bored in 1880, 760 feet in depth. There are six cisterns, of 125 barrels each. The salt block is 120x80 feet; two settlers 8x12x120 feet, grainers 11x120 feet, storage shed 80x60 feet, and annual product 50,000 barrels. This branch of Sanborn & Bliss' business gives employment to nine men. The works stand on 115 acres, with 1,300 feet river frontage. There were on hand in June, 1881, 6,000,000 feet of lumber.

T. Jerome & Co.'s Saw-Mill was erected in 1868, at a cost of $3,500. It is a two-story building 44x150 feet, with engine-house 50x60 feet. The machinery is valued at $25,000, including seven boilers 4x16 feet. The annual product is 12, 000, 000 feet lumber and 800,000 staves.

Their first salt well was bored in 1871 to a depth of 750 feet, the second in 1879, and the third in 1880. The salt block is 75x200 feet, with seven cisterns of an aggregate capacity of 900 barrels.

The works stand on 17½ acres, with railroad track and storage sheds for 10,000 barrels of salt. The company employ 75 men.

E. F. Gould's Saw-Mill was built in 1862'3 ; is 75x121 feet, with fire room 30x40 feet, and engine-room 12x20 feet. The buildings and machinery are valued at $20,000. The annual capacity of the mill is 11,000,000 feet lumber, 1,500,000 lath, 600,000 staves, and 43,000 headings, giving employment to 40 men.

Their first salt well was bored in 1875, the second in 1877, each reaching a depth of 700 feet. There are four cisterns of 125 barrels each; the salt block is 86x196 feet, containing every requisite for the manufacture of salt. The storage sheds have a capacity of 4,000 barrels; the cooper shop, in connection with the works, turns out 24,000 barrels per year. The number of men employed is 15. The works stand on 15 acres, with 640 feet river frontage.

H. A. Tilden's Salt Works.—The first well was bored in 1865 to a depth of 730 feet. The buildings comprise a block 40x120 feet; five cisterns of an aggregate capacity of 600 barrels, with all the machinery known in first-class works. The block stands on three acres, with 600 feet river frontage; give employment to 10 men. The manufacture of salt is carried on here under the direction of James Reilly, manager.

W. B. Mershon's Saw-Mill was built in 1871. The structure and the machinery are valued at $25,000. Apart from the main building, which is 96x40 feet, there is a wing 96x40 feet, a box factory 80x60 feet, an engine-room 16x30 feet. The custom planing mill possesses an extensive patronage, shipping 250 car loads during the year 1880; of boxes there were 200 car loads shipped.

Their first salt well was bored in 1879, to a depth of 730 feet. In connection with the salt block, which is 80x50 feet, are two cisterns and one large settler, with a capacity of 13,000 barrels annually. The works stand on three acres of ground, and give employment to 60 men.

J. W. Perrin's Shingle Mill was built in 1871. It is a two-story building 50x80 feet, supplied with modern machinery, and is valued at $8,000. It produces 12, 000, 000 shingles annually.

This first salt well was bored Feb. 1, 1880, to a depth of 725 feet. The salt block, then erected, is 80x150 feet, with four cisterns of an aggregate capacity of 500 barrels. The actual product is 15,000 barrels of salt per annum, all shipped in bulk. The works stand on three acres, and give employment to 27 men.

BACK TO LIST OF TOWNSHIP HISTORY 1881

Source: History of Saginaw County Michigan, By Michael A. Leeson, Damon Clarke, Published 1881 Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Chicago pages 786-790.

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