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Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
by Florence McKinnon Gwinn
Huron County Pioneer & Historical Society, 1922

[page 85]

CHAPTER III
EARLY TOWNSHIP HISTORY
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP

      Bloomfield township was organized in 1872 and
  WILLIAM E. ELLIOT elected supervisor.  The fire of '71
  swept over two-thirds of this township and the fire of '81
  caused much suffering and loss.  CLINTON GAGE came to
  Bloomfield in 1875 and he saved the lives of his family
  in the great fire of '81 by getting under a wet carpet for
  several hours.  Later in the day another family, that
  of Mr. GREGOR also took refuge under this same cover-
  ing.  The whole atmosphere seemed to be filled with
  smoke and fire.  The first clearing made in this section
  was by HENRY B. GILLARD, who came in 1871.  RONALD
  McDONALD also located here in that same year.  He was
  a Scotchman by birth but had spent several years in
  India.  He served in the Crimean War two years and
  was a soldier in India in the English Army 19 years.  He
  married the daughter of another English soldier in Se-
  cunderabad and here his son, HARRY McDONALD, was born.
  The writer has heard him relate many thrilling exper-
  iences that befell him in that far off land.  Two well
  known men who settled in Bloomfield in the 70's were
  HUGH WALKER and ROBERT BEATTIE.  Another early settler
  was JOHN CLARK, who served as justice of the peace for
  over 20 years.  In 1878 LEWIS W. COON came and settled
  in the township.  There were other men belonging to
  this period whose names are not recorded.
  
[page 86]          PIONEER HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY

      The life of these early settlers was full of toil
  and hardships.  Their first task after putting up the log
  cabin home was to clear and break up the virgin soil,
  then put in the crops so necessary for their sustenance.
  No easy task amid the stumps.  Potatoes were the main
  crop then.  The land in this township is flat and a sandy
  loam soil.  It is drained by the east and west branches
  of Willow Creek.  Port Hope was the nearest market.
  The little hamlet of Redman is situated in this township
  and JOHN KINCH, who came in 1876, was one of the post-
  masteres there.  The M. E. church was organized in 1883.
  There were also two Baptist churches and one Episcopal
  society.
  
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