LEVI S. ALWOOD was born in Harrison County, Ohio, Oct. 13, 1826, and while quite young moved to Fulton County with his parents. He had the advantages of a common school education, and resided there until 1861, when he came to Tuscola County and settled in Elkland, on section 34. In 1870 he removed to Indian Fields and lived on a farm in Caro, where he remained until 1873, when he sold his property and went to Tennessee. He settled in Coffee County, remaining there until 1876, when he removed to Illinois, where he resided about two and one half years. In 1879, he returned to Tuscola County and, in 1880, purchased eighty acres of land, which he traded for property in Cass City, and in the fall of 1881, traded that for land in section 10, in Novesta. He was married in July, 1849, to Miss Delilah McQuilling, of Fulton County, Ohio, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in 1830, by whom he has ten children, of whom nine are now living. Mr. Alwood has been a hard working, industrious man, working in the woods winters and on the farm summers. He kept the hotel now occupied by George Tennant, in Cass City, and has held all the township offices except those of supervisor and justice of the peace.

WILLIAM H. BROWN was born in Ontario County, N. Y., September 1, 1825, where he attended the common schools and acquired a fair education, becoming in after years a teacher. In the spring of 1843 he came to Wayne County, Mich., with his father, and in the spring of 1869 came to Novesta and settled on section 6. He was married in 1846 to Miss Nancy Fisk, of Brandon, Ruthland County, Vt., and has eleven children – seven of whom are living. Mr. Brown came to the county with a family of eight children, and with but $20 in his pocket, two months provisions, a yoke of oxen and a cow. Previous to bringing his family he had built a house, but in order to support his family was obliged to get out pine which hecould convert into the necessaries of life, his little boys going to Cass City by boat after supplies. Sometimes their stock of provisions would become exhausted and they would then have to subsist on wild fruits. Mr. Brown was appointed supervisor the first year of his residence in the township, and held the office six years, and has also held the office of highway commissioner.

ROBERT O. CURTIS, one of the oldest settlers in the township, was born in the township of Dryden, Lapeer Co., Mich., February 1, 1843. After he was eighteen years of age he commenced business for himself, working on a farm, in a saw mill, and in the lumber woods till the fall of 1868, when he took up a homestead in what is now the township of Novesta. During the winter of 1869 he worked in the woods, and the following spring finished his house. His father and brother helped him carry a cook stove three miles through the swamp to his place, where he began keeping bachelor's hall. He remained on the place, as the law required, to make good his claim; and having realized $160 from the sale of some personal property, he purchased 100 acres of land. He was married May 28, 1878 to Miss L. V. Cooper, formerly of Augusta, Granville County, Ont. Mr. Curtis suffered somewhat in the fire of 1871 and in that of 1881 lost all of his farm fences. He has seen some of the hardships of pioneer life in Tuscola, and also rapid improvement and development of the surrounding country. Was one of the organizers of the township, of which he has since been a resident.

JOHN DICKSON, one of the oldest settlers of the township of Novesta, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, February 4, 1825. When about seven years of age, his mother and family came to America, and after landing in New York, went directly to Port Stanley, Ont., and settled in the northern part of the township of Yarmouth, in the county of Elgin. When fourteen years of age he was bound to a farmer until he was twenty-one. After serving his time he went on the lakes, as a sailor, for four seasons, and then worked at various occupations till 1857, when he married Miss Catherine McCallum, of Yarmouth, who was born January 12, 1836, and is the mother of eight children. Sarah Jane, born July 15, 1859; Archibald Alexander, born May 3, 1860; Catherine Margaret, born January 31, 1863; Daniel, born April 6, 1865; John, born May 14, 1868; George Washington, born October 2, 1870; Flora Janett, born August 20, 1873; and Edith, born October 20, 1879. In the spring of 1858, Mr. Dickson and family went to Oakland County, Mich., and stayed two years, when they returned to Canada, and worked a farm five years. They then returned to Oakland County, Mich., and settled in the township of Oxford, where they remained four years, then (1870) came to the township of Novesta, and took up a homestead on section 9, where they now reside. Mr. Dickson and family have passed through many of the hardships incident to pioneer life, having come to the township when there were no roads and but few neighbors, and have succeeded, through great privation and suffering, in establishing themselves in a comfortable home. During the devastating fires of 1871 and 1818, they lost everything of a perishable nature, and were, for the time being, rendered homeless and destitute. Their fortitude and energy, under the most trying circumstances, are worthy, of emulation, and are records to which they can point with becoming pride.

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