Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY, MICHIGAN by Florence McKinnon Gwinn Huron County Pioneer & Historical Society, 1922 [page 36] CHAPTER III EARLY TOWNSHIP HISTORY SHERMAN TOWNSHIP Down in the very southeastern part of the county was the division known as White Rock, first organized with Sherman under the name of "White". The name was afterwards changed by special act of the legislature to White Rock and the other part of the territory was set off as Sherman. A Mr. SMITH is said to have been the first settler at White Rock in 1845. The land here is flat and a sandy loam. On the site of the village fish- ermen and shingle weavers would camp for months at a time when they pursued their avocations. The first clerk of Huron County was a pioneer in this section, ROBERT IRWIN. He bought an extensive salt block, which was established in 1871 by THOMPSON & Bros. JOHN STOCKS, who came in 1852 was another pioneer. He had been a soldier in the Mexican war, enlisting in 1846. ROBERT MUNFORD was a leading merchant in White Rock, coming to that vicinity in 1860. CLARKE MUNFORD, now president of the Huron County Pioneer and Historical Society, is his son. Sherman was organized under its present name in 1865. It was settled in 1856 by JOHN HUERSANGER and JOE WILLY and others. The land of this township is rolling except in its northerly portion. The timber was beech, maple, ash, helmock (sic), elm, and bass- wood. The soil is a clay loam in spots and clay or sandy in other parts. The entire township was burned over in the fire of '71 and the northwest corner in '81. There are several creeks in the township, Welsh, White river, Elm and Sucker creeks. At an early date there were four schools and two churches. ROBERT CAMPBELL had a fine residence in the town of Ruth as well as a general store. This town is on the Sand Beach division of the railroad. The town was formerly named Adam's Cor- ners. It had a hotel and two saw mills. Mr. CAMPBELL [page 37] PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY acted as express and station agent as well as postmaster and lumber manufacturer. Mr. HANSELMAN was one of the pioneers in this section of the county, locating here be- fore Sherman became a township. Such men were the beginners of progress and the builders of civilization. They cleared away forests, bridged streams, opened roads, built houses and barns and thus paved the way for those who followed them. Mr. HANSELMAN was a member of the board of organization and the privilege of naming the township was accorded to him. He greatly admired General SHERMAN and his achievements in 1862, and thus selected the name of Sherman to honor his memory on the Huron peninsula. Mr. HANSELMAN served the new township for 13 years as its efficient supervisor. Other settlers followed and among the names we find that of L. TSCHIRHART, who was the fifth man to make this township his home. To such men the log cabin was a necessity, but the first thing was to reach his location. This often meant the cutting of a path into the unbroken wilderness. In many places the ground would be soft and yielding, if not covered with water. Thick undergrowth varying with the open forest would meet the eye of the traveler and a few miles a day would be the most that could be gained. When the site was finally reached the sturdy settler with the help of the few neighbors would erect the "log cabin", his future home. The cracks between the logs of which were stopped with wedge-shaped chinks and plastered with clay. The single room was divided by hanging up quilts or sheets. In this cabin the pioneer and his wife and children set up that sacred thing we call home. ==========================================================================