Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2021 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The History of Tuscola, Michigan H. R. Page & Co., Chicago - 1883 JOSEPH M. DODGE, farmer and lumberman, was born in Essex County, N.Y, January 27, 1828. He went with his parents to Ohio when eight years of age. He received his education and early culture there, and spent part of his time in agricultural work. He came to Tuscola County in August, 1854. He bought land in Tuscola, and at once cleared some on it and built a dwell- ing, but soon sold it and bought in what is now Ellington. He had been married July 4, 1848, to Miss ARVILLA M. STONE, of Claridon, Ohio. She was born there November 2, 1829. They have one son, HENRY A., born January 15, 1850. Mr. DODGE and his son have 400 acres of land, 150 of which are under cultivation. They also have excellent buildings and inviting home comforts. They have also spent some time in hunting during parts of the season. Mr. D. has killed 218 deer, two bears, and one elk. His son has killed at least 250 deer. Thirty-six of them he killed in the last season in twenty days. He killed five in one day. They came to Ellington in March, 1855. WILLIAM MEDCALF, S. BOTSFORD, Rev. I. J. B. McKENNEY and E. R. BURNETt came the same winter. WILLIAM C. BEACH came a little later. JONATHON WHITE and his two sons had come the season before. These were all the settlers there were for two years. Mr. BEACH when he came began clearing lands, and also started a general store. He was so kind and liberal and obliging among his fellow settlers that he rendered more help to the early settlers than any other man in Tuscola County. The site of Caro at this time had not even been lumbered. The only road the settlers had was a lumber road from Tus- cola to the forks of the Cass River. Mr. DODGE has carried fifty pounds of flour on his back from Watrousville, seventeen miles, to his home. The Vassar saw-mill was running when they came, but the stones for flouring wheat had not yet been put in the grist-mill. Mr. and Mrs. DODGE baked and ate biscuits from part of the first bushel of flour ground in Tuscola County. It was ground on Sunday and eaten at breakfast on Monday, and was nearly as black as a stove. The nearest post office they had at first set- tling in Ellington was Watrousville. The neighbors took turns in going for the mail up to 1862. Soon after this they got the Ellington post office. Mr. D. has served as highway commissioner one term and four years as justice of the peace, and he has been nine years supervisor. ================================================================================