Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2011, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Containing a Full Account of it's Early Settlement; Its Growth, Development and Resources; An Extended Description of its Iron and Copper Mines. Also, Accurate Sketches of its Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages, Improvements, Industries, Manufactories; Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early Settlers; Views of County Seats, Etc. Published by The Western Historical Company, Chicago; 1883 A. T. Andreas, Proprietor Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott May 24, 2011 ====================================================================== FIRST UNITED STATES LAND ENTRIES. ====================================================================== Page 513 The first thing which the pioneer of actual settlement does is to secure a piece of the earth's surface for his abiding-place, upon or in which to earn his bread. Thus it was with the pioneers of Ontonagon County. Those who preceded the Government surveyors made claims to such tracts as they desired, by pre-emption, and, when it was surveyed and placed in market for sale purchased it at the Government price of $1.25 per acre, except mineral lands, which were more. The United States survey of Ontonagon County was commenced in 1845 and completed in 1849. The following are among the first entries made in the county at the first United States land offices in the Upper Peninsula, established at Sault. Ste. Marie early in 1847, and subsequently moved to Marquette in 1857. Joshia Chandler, Luther W. Clark, J. W. Yandes, Augustus Coburn and William H. Stevens, the northeast quarter of Section 36, Township 51 north, of Range 38 west, entered August 12, 1848, now belonging to the Ohio Mining Company; F. P. Harrington, Section 35 and Section 36, October 27, 1848, now belonging to the Venture Mining Company. William Petit, lot in Section 29, and lots in Section 32, Township 51 north, Range 39 west, November 22, 1849; Thomas Oats, lots in Section 29, November 5, 1849; Simon Manelbaum, Lot 3, Section 29, November 5, 1849; Ransom Shelden, lots in Section 1, Township 52 north, Range 39 west, June 22, 1850; Josiah B. Jeffrey, on Section 31, Township 52 north, Range 39 west; Joel A. Vaughn, Section 19, Township 51 north, Range 39 west, July 15, 1850; Minesota Mining Company, on Section 7, Township 50 north, Range 39, September 10, 1851; the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 9; south half of Section 10; south half of Section 11; west half of southeast quarter and southwest quarter of Section 12; west half of northeast quarter, and west half of southeast quarter, and west half of Section 13, Sections 14 and 15, Township 50 north, Range 39 west, November 7, 1851; Edward Sales, Lot 7, Section 20, Township 50 north, Range 39 west, September 10, 1851; Augustus Coburn and Edward Sales, Lot 1, Section 20, Township 50 north, Range 39 west, September 10, 1851; Edward Lockwood and Robert McFeeley, east half of northwest quarter of Section 19, Township 50 north, Range 39 west, September 15, 1851; Charles Whittlesey, on Section 17, Township 50 north, Range 39 west, September 15, 1851; Forest Mining Company, northwest fractional quarter of Section 31, Township 50 north, Range 39 west, May 20, 1851; Sherman I. Bacon, northeast quarter of Section 5, Township 51 north, Range 39 west, May 9, 1851; James K. Paul, northeast quarter of northeast quarter of Section 10, Township 51 north, Range 39 west, October 12, 1852; Daniel Beaser, Lot 1 and all of Fractional Section 12, and east half of northeast half of Section 13, Township 51 north, Range 42 west, May 30, 1850; Daniel S. Cash, northeast quarter of northwest quarter and northwest quarter of northeast quarter of Section 27, Township 51 north, Range 42 west, May 5, 1853; William A. Pratt, east half of northeast quarter of Section 35, Township 50 north, Range 41, February 3, 1855. The above list includes the property of several of the pioneer citizens and mining companies. A man named John Wilson made the claim of what is now known as Evergreen Bluff in the summer of 1850. After proving it up under the name of Wilson, he returned to Saratoga County, N.Y., his former home, where he resumed his true name of Conkling. He had his name of John Wilson legalized by the Legislature of Michigan about 1856 or 1857, to protect the title to his claim and to avoid criminal prosecution. He was a brother to ex-Senator Roscoe Conkling, of New York. He was a mining captain in the iron region for a number of years. He afterward went west. ======================================================================