ADRIAN CITY AND TOWNSHIP

Adrian and Tecumseh were the leading and rival settlements of Lenawee county.  The first settlement of what is now known as Adrian Township dates back to 1826, at which time it was but the minor part of Logan Township, which embraced nearly one-fourth of the County.  Even so late as 1834 it was but sparsely settled, as is evidenced by the fact related by Samuel Gregg, Esq. (who was Collector for Logan that year), that the entire tax amounted to but $477.  The first election of Logan Township was held May 28, 1827, and the following officers: Elias Dennis, Moderator, A. J. Comstock, Clerk, Darius Comstock, Supervisor.

Among the very earliest settlers were Anson Howell, Warner Ellsworth, James Whitney, Walter Whipple, Osmeyer Salsbury, David Wiley, A. J. Comstock, and David Bixby.  The first birth and the first death in Adrian was that of Leader Comstock, son of Addison J. and Sarah Comstock, born August 9, 1927, died October 9, 1827.  In 1825, A. J. Comstock purchased of the United States government the land upon which Adrian now stands, and his wife christened the town after the Roman emperor.  The first house, a log one, was built in 1826, and a saw mill the same year, by Mr. Comstock.  Rev. John James preached the first sermon, at the house of Noah Norton, in 1827.  The year 1827 also witnessed the advent of the first doctor (C. N. Ormsby), and the first manufactur of brick, by N. Norton.  Andrew J. Webster finished the first buggy manufactured in Adrian.  The “Michigan Exchange,” was the pioneer hotel, in 1828, in which year also the first store was opened, by E. C. Winter.  The first celebration of the Fourth of July occurred this year, and all the inhabitants far and near, to the number of 40, got together and jollified.  An amusing incident is told of this affair worth relating:  Turner Stetson, the tall Vulcan of the village, bored and turned his anvil into a cannon for the occasion, which was a notable one, for after several salvos the anvil burst with a tremendous crash, scattering the Indians in all directions; squaws and all whoopin and shrieking as if the very Indian devil was after them.

The first school was kept by Miss Doreas Dean; the first school-house built in 1829, and the first church erected in 1832.  Orange Butler built the first brick house in Adrian.  In 1833 the first lawyers settled in Adrian.  Half a dozen stores and shops comprised all the business houses at that time.  In 1834 the first paper in the Township (and claimed as the first in the County) was issued –the Lenawee Republic and Adrian Gazette, afterward known as the Watchtower. Adrian had no railroad facilities until 1836, when the Erie and Kaalamazoo Railroad was finished to Adrian, being the first road built in the State, or in the Northwest.  Adrian was incorporated as a village March 28, 1836, and as a city January 31, 1853; became the County seat in 1837, at which time its population was but 500.  The Court-House was erected in 1839, but the County needs and deserves a new one.  The post-office was established in 1829, and A. J. Comstock was the first to handle the mails.  The first County fair was held in 1848, at the old Bradish warehouse.  Dr. P. J. Spalding is the oldest resident physician, and W. A. and A. Whitney the oldest living residents of Adrian.  Adrian College was incorporated in 1859, and buildings commenced in 1860, a fine view of which may be seen in another place.  There are two churches and twelve school-houses in the Township, not including those in the City.

The City of Adrian is situated near the center of the County, in the southeast and northeast corners respectively of Adrian and Madison townships, -- the north boundary-line of the latter dividing the City into two nearly equal parts.  It is seventy-four miles from Detroit, and thirty-three from Toledo, and contains a population of about 11,000.  The City is built on high, rolling ground; its business streets are well paved and lighted by gas, while good sidewalks and rows of ornamental shade-trees mark the City throughout.  The buildings are mostly of brick, and some are very fine and costly.  That both its public buildings and private residences are equal to those of any Western metropolis will not be disputed after an examination of the lithographic illustrations of the Masonic Temple, business blocks, and residences of Messrs. Wilcox, Geddes, Doctors Andrews and Kimball, Mrs. Whitney, and others, found elsewhere in this work.  The leading manufactories are the car-shops of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad, the Illinois Manufacturing Company the Adrian Paper Mill Company, the Adrian Car Manufacturing Company, the foundries of H. A. Angel, A. C. King, and James Farrar & Co., and three first-class flouring mills, beside an organ factory, a saw-mill, three breweries, a tannery, woolen-factory, sash, door and blind, spoke and hub and plow factories, etc.  There are over one hundred mercantile establishments, many of whom do a wholesale business, and some of whose cards can be found in this Atlas.  There are eight hotels, ten churches, three banks, four newspapers,  two of which (viz., Press and Times) issue daily editions,  The City boasts also an opera-house and several fine public hassl, a military company, five fire companies, and two steamers; it has also a goodly representation of the Masonic order, Odd Fellows, Good Templars, and other civic societies and associations.  The schools and school-structures are second to one in the county.   There are also several fine parks, upon one of which is erected the Soldier’s Monument, fifty feet in height, constructed at a cost of about $10,000.  Adrian now enjoys railroad communications with all parts of the country, -- with other roads still progressing.  The present postmaster is Jerome H. Fee.  We give a list of the successive majors since the organization of the City government:

The value of real and personal property of Adrian City and Township, based upon the recent equalization, aggregrates  $6,966,927.

Copyright Ed Van Horn, 2006, Port St Lucie, Florida

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