Notes:

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Gilbert Caswell b. 1753  d. 1812
     Hannah Foster   b. 1776  d. 1848

     Child: 
        Anna Caswell  b. January 24, 1803
                      m. November, 1819 to Jonathon Sherman
                      d. October 30, 1882

     Gilbert was in the Revolutionary War.
     He enlisted May 8, 1775 and was discharged August of 1775.
     Was also in war later, no details.
     Was in Col. Benjamin Bellows return of men -- 1777.

     From Philip Burns 3/30/1998

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Old time Recollections.

Written and read by Mrs. Lyman Cobb at the Pioneer meeting in Wm. Tillotson's grove Sept 26 - 1891.

In the year 1852 my parents, a younger brother and myself moved from the State of Ohio, town of Strongsville into the township of Duplain, Mich. We settled on the farm that G. W. Bates now owns (W & N & 1/4(?) Sec14) a little west of Elsie.

Some thought my father crazy to leave his home in Ohio and movve(sic) into a wilderness, as Michigan was then called. But he thought himself perfectly sane, and with Franklin Tillotson and family who accompanied us, started on the 6th day of May 1852. We had three spans of horses and wagons, took what household goods we could, and the rest of our goods we shipped to Detroit.

We were one week on the road. There had been heavy freshets that spring and carried off many bridges, so that sometimes had great difficulty in crossing. Would often walk over places we dare not ride. But not withstanding all these obstructions, there were many things connected with our journey that made it pleasant. Among our number was a sister of Mrs. Tillotson Mary Sexton, she and I would often get tired of riding and walk away ahead of the wagons, but careful not to lose sight of the white covers for fear of getting lost, as there were roads branching off in different directions. Often we would make the woods ring with our songs, my brother joining in the chorus.

When we were within two miles of and a half of what was to be our home we found a bridge gone and could not cross over with our wagons. My brother proposed to me that, being so near to the promised land, we could foot it the rest of the way. Of course I consented. He shouldered his gun and away we started. The rest of our company stayed over night at Mr. Gleason's. Some of you well remember the Gleasons.

I shall never forget that night. There was only one house where Elsie is now located. That stood on the corner where Mr. Dotys'(?) hotel now stands, and was occupied by J. D. Sickels and family. The other three corners were wilderness. As we turned the corner going west and found our way around the tall dark pines that dotted the road here and there, a sort of homesick feeling crept over me, a longing for the old home left behind.

The everlasting hum of the mosquitoes and the croakings of the frogs, while away in the woods the hooting of the owls, made every thing seem so weird and dreary, had no tendency to chase away the fast falling tears; nothing sounded pleasant but the song of the whipporwills which were very numerous here.

We, however, reached our future home where our friends were anxiously expecting us. G. W. Lewis and family, a brother in law of mine, had taken possession of the house for the day and had everything in readiness for our coming. It was a log house, standing where G. W. Bates house now stands, and there I spent my first night in Duplain.

After a few days father and Mr. Tillotson went to Detroit after the rest of our goods. That was the nearest point we could ship them. Railroads were not known here then.

I was a young girl of nineteen summers and not very favorably impressed with the idea of leaving my old home, where I had passed my girlhood days, leave all my old associates behind and try my fortunes in a wilderness land, infested with bears, wolves, and massangers, as I supposed it to be; and then Michigan was considered as being almost out of the world, a sort of jumping off place. But as I was always happy with father and mother I consented to come, with the promise of going back in a year.

But before the year came around other thoughts and duties occupied my mind, new acquaintances were formed, and I became attached to a certain young gentleman of this place, and am proud to say - I never regretted that attachment.

The next spring, one bright beautiful day, the 20th of April, I was married to Lyman Cobb. I can see quite a number here that witnessed that ceremony, but a still larger number that was present are sleeping in yonder cemetery.

Two weeks later saw us settled in a little log house on the farm I now own, East of Elsie. The little log cabin has disappeared and in its place a comfortable farm house. Our log cabin consisted of kitchen dining room and parlor -- all combined. We did not go to house keeping as many of our young married people think they must at the present time. No hanging lamps hung from our ceiling, no fancy lamps adorned our center table. The tallow candle took the place of these. Many a night have I worked until the wee small hours by the dim light of a tallow candle. Many an evening have I spent watching the log heaps and brush burn; how pleasant they looked as they crackled and snapped away. Every one made the number less.

We were happy and hopeful, working early and late to make our home bud and blossom like the rose. Years rolled on with now and then an addition to our family, which added to our cares and anxiety, yet we toiled on with a resolute will. On Sunday morning the oxen were yoked up and hitched to the lumber wagon and we, with our little ones went to the house of worship, just as proud and happy as in after years when we owned our horses and carriage. We thought nothing of going to the Colony to church with our oxen, and as many as could ride were welcome, and we always carried a load.

I want to tell the young people today how we built our home. It did not spring up in a few weeks or months; we were two or three years getting things together. We had no pine timber on our land, so Mr. Cobb went into the pinery, cut and drew the logs for Isaac Watson on shares, then drew the lumber to Owosso(?) and had it planed and got the door and window frames made there. The shingle timber he got in the same way. Every shingle on our house and barn he split and shaved, did it stormy days and long winter evenings. Many an evening have I invited him to bring his shaving horse into my best room. Of course it made some litter but it was clean dirt and made nice kindlings; and while he shaved the shingles I was knitting stockings for the children. And while we worked we would we would often fill the little cabin with our songs. Ah! Me! My mind often flies back to those years. I think they were the happiest days of my life.

But times changed. We old pioneers don't want to see our children endure the hardship and privation of pioneer life, in fact I don't think they could. I fear they would lack the muscle and the grit.

I am the mother of six children. All but one grown up to manhood and womanhood. One by one they have left the old home nest, with the exception of one. In 1882 there came the first great sorrow of my life. Our youngest, our baby boy was suddenly snatched away by death. Only six summers had passed over his head, yet it seemed we had had him always and could not live without him. Life never seamed just the same since then, but time healed, in a measure, the wound.

In 1888 another greater sorrow was mine to bear. My husband, the choice of my youth, the one who had borne the toil and privation of pioneer life was taken from me. He sweetly rests from his labors.

And now in conclusion let me say to the old pioneers, since we last met in these beautiful woods, many have been the changes, many have been called to their long time. I see many before me whose heads are white with the frosts of many winters. Time has laid his hand heavily on some of us. It tells by our silver locks and furrowed brow that time with us is short. Like the autumn leaf, we are silently falling one by one. Soon our places will be filled with the young men and women of today. Soon it will be said of us, they have gone to their rest!

No more our sweet sleep shall be disturbed by fevered dreams. No noise, no turmoil shall wake our weary eyes. Soon our loved ones will stand by our open graves, and hear the solemn words pronounced -- "dust to dust, ashes to ashes."

This article was written by Susan Hicks Cobb, daughter of Oliver and Sally Hicks, wife of Lyman Cobb. I thank Elizabeth Hess, her great-granddaughter, for sending it to me. See my website for more on Old Time Recollections   by Philip Burns.  by Philip Burns.

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In this year of 1957, it has been one hundred years since Elsie was platted as a village and, in commemoration of its Centennial various forms of entertainment and observances for the occasion are planned.

The first settlement in this vicinity was made in 1836 about three fourths of a mile west of the present village where West Main street crosses the Maple River. Thos. Craven Sr., with his sons, Robert E., Isaac, Joseph, Thos., Jr., and daughter, Rebecca, accompanied by their families, reached this location from their previous home in Delaware County, Ohio, after a long tiresome journey with oxen over mostly Indian trails, as there were no roads in this part of the state at that time. Dense forests of hard wood with occasional small tracts of white pine covered the area hereabouts. Mingled with the timber were many, many swamps and the early settlers suffered intensely from ague or "shakes" as it was called, due to the wet, humid climate.

The Cravens acquired some 640 acres from the United States government during the presidency of Martin Van Buren. Some of this lay south along the river from the above mentioned point, and Thomas, Sr., built his home directly across the road from the Joe Kelley farm. This home was torn down and moved away several years ago. Isaac Craven's home was built on the hill just south of the present feed mill and elevator on the river. It is still standing as the residence of Reg. Crosson. Next to the east came the home of Robt. E. Craven (this was the first frame building erected in this community) and this site is now occupied by the new home of Mrs. Harold Smith. Across the road from Isaac's place was the residence of Joseph Craven, which is still standing.

Robert Craven constructed a saw mill just northeast of the present feed mill. Later, he erected another dam and saw mill about a mile north on the northwest side of the Craddock bridge. He also cleared and built the original river road from here to the Colony or Mapleton as it was called at that time. Some of the lumber for the wooden capitol building at Lansing was hauled from these mills. He held township and county offices and was the first representative from Clinton county to the state legislature.

At the time of the Craven settlement, this region was a vast wilderness.inhabited by the wild animals of the forest, and the Saginaw Chippewa Indians. Luckily, these Indians were friendly and the children of the early settlers often played with the native Indian children. Hunting occupied the Indians principally and their pelts and furs were traded to the few French traders who occasionally plied the Maple and other rivers in their canoes. Saginaw was the center of this trade, which had developed before 1812, when Bolieu and Tremble established posts there, followed by Louis Campau, Chochios, Knaggs and others, In 1826, Geo. Campau opened a trading post at Maple Rapids. In 1845 Saggee's Camps was located on the banks of the Maple River in a grove of oaks on the Arthur Cobb, farm now owned by R. D. Martin. The Indians, in traveling between Saginaw, Maple Rapids and Grand Rapids often used the trail that passed this camp.

Soon following the Cravens to this community came Liberty Carter, Geo. W. Lewis, Joshua Cobb, Oliver Hicks, the Finchs, Blayneys, Bennetts, Galligans, Lettst, Staffords, J. Durfee, and Aaron Sickels, Hiram Curtis, Wm. Warner, The Linmans, Alpheus Beebee, Franklin Tillotson, Wm. L. Tillotson and Kingston Wooll. Later settlers were the Bates', Chases, VanDeusens, Nethaways, Dunhams, Williams and others. In the community today are still descendants of some of the above families.

The Cravens were hopeful of a village here and named the site Cravens' Mills and platted a few lots. Alpheus Beebe built a store and afterwards sold it to the Sickels Brothers. Mr. Beebe also built a wagon shop and a tavern. Hiram Curtis constructed a cabinet shop and many of the old pioneers were buried in coffins of his make. The red schoolhouse, which was the first school in the community was built in 1850 about 12 rods west of the Waldo Schwanbeck property. Beyond and on the same side of the road was Mr. Beebe's tavern.

Sickels Brothers moved their store three-fourths of a mile east to their farm and on June 18, 1857, recorded the plat of the village, naming it Elsie, in compliment to one of Franklin Tillotson's daughters, who was the first child born in the village. The second child to be born on the site of the new village was Julia Lewis, the grandmother of Kelley, Fred and Lewis Carter.

The origin of the village was due to the wise foresight and unsparing efforts of J. Durkee Sickels and his brother, William, who were partners in the firm of Sickels Brothers. They with their parents and other brothers and sisters came to Michigan from Palmyra, New York in 1836 and settled on a farm near Northville, Michigan. In 1847 J. Durfee Sickels reached the settlement on the river here. He served the township in several offices as well as being postmaster for several years and was one of the original trustees of the Methodist Church. He was a man much loved and respected in the village. His most laborious service given to the public was the supervision of the building of the state road extending from the center of Ovid township, twenty miles through Duplain, Elba and Hamilton townships to reach valuable timber lands there. In the village this road is called Ovid street. William Sickels came here in 1856 and established the first postoffice in the new village with Franklin Tillotson as postmaster. Mr. Sickels served Clinton County as Register of Deeds and Judge of Probate. He with Sheldon Wight also founded the village of Sickels in Gratiot county in l873, where he later made his home.

The original plat of the village extended from what is now Ovid street to Knowlton street and from Maple to Pine street. Additions were made to the east of Ovid Street and north of East Main street by Franklin Tillotson May 24,1858 and by Jonathon Hicks, June 23, 1858 comprising land south of East Main and east of South Ovid streets. Also by Elijah Cobb, July 26, 1876; Levi Randall and Kingston Wooll being associated with Mr. Cobb, June 26, 1870 and B. D. Hicks, June 23, 1871, all being for land north of West Main and West of North Ovid Streets. Mr. Tillotson's home was a log house situated on North Ovid street across from the present high school. Mr. Jonathan Hicks lived in a log house where Dr. Slagh's home is now located. Mr. Cobb's home was where R. D. Martin now lives on West Main street. The Levi Randall residence is now the home of Boyd Williams on West Pine street. Across the street was the home of Kingston Wooll, which is also occupied.

On the site of the present State Savings Bank, was the home of Rev. George W. Lewis, which was no doubt the first house in the village. This was a log cabin and the property was purchased a little later by J. Durfee Sickels and some of his children were born there, eldest of whom was the late Mrs. L.G. Bates, mother of Dr. Bion L. Bates of Ovid. Oliver Hicks' home was a log house, where now stands Orlo Mead's residence at 441 West Main street. The home of Joshua Cobb was located down the lane of Joe Clark's new residence at 402 West Main; while his son, Lyman Cobb's place is the farm home of Rep. Andrew Cobb on East Main, which has been in the family over one hundred years.

In 1855 about all the buildiligs that were to comprise the village were three or four log houses. The Sickels Brothers store stood aboutwhere the village hall is located. Aaron Sickels, who came with his brother, J. Durfee Sickels, to the settlement at the river went into partnership with E. W. Cobb and started a second store in 1858 on the corner where the Wooley Hardware store is located. The following year D. B. Fox built a tavern on the southeast corner of West Main and Knowlton streets, where the S. J. Keys home stands. A bee was held and the red school house was moved at this time with the help of fourteen yoke of oxen from the old location to a site at the edge of the clearing, where is now the home of Lloyd D.. Craven on the west side of North Ovid street between Oak and Elm streets. A. E. Gray, who had blacksmithed at Craven's Mill, opened a shop in the village and Farrell & Son started a chair factory that employed four men. Two years later it failed. The post office received mail from Mapleton and later from Ovid. In 1865 E. W. Gay built his wagon shop on the site of the present Oddfellow building. The first bakery was owned by Rice and Lucy Beebe and stood on the site occupied by the Mrs. Amy Litchfield home. Also in 1867 Geo. W. Doty built a hotel on the present bank corner. A large addition was made to it in later years, and this hostelry served the village until about 1921 when it was torn down to make way for the bank building. In its early days, the hotel had a ball room on the second floor, which was the scene of many dances and in its dining room, banquets and suppers were held. Elsie had only one well for many years and this was located on the Main four corners.

The village cemetery was given to the community in 1851 by Joshua Cobb, who was the first to be buried there, dying that same year. A stroll thru its paths will reveal on the stone markers and monuments, all of the early and even later settlers of this area. About 1890 the village purchased land, where is now located Riverside cemetery and Luther Eddy and Ira A. Eddy were hired to plat it out in lots and roadways

The site of our high school was purchased in 1868 and a two story ell shaped building was erected by M. W. Kelley, consisting of five rooms, each room heated by a large stove. Twelve grades were taught but no formal graduation took place until 1887. The flist graduating class was composed of Huldah-Eddy Elliott, Chas. Gruver, Deda Sokels-Rankin, Hattie Tillotson-Maynard, Meda McCombs-Wooley, Maude Doyle Dennis, Maurice Lewis, George Sexton and Leon L. Tyler. Mr. Tyler is the only one of this class living and resides at Niles, Michigan.

J. F. Hasty erected a stave and shook factory just south of the village in 1870 employing thirty men. The building burned the next year and was rebuilt on the property just east of the Roy Vincent farm. Mr. Hasty was a man of considerable wealth and built the home now owned by E. K. Hawes. He had a large keg and barrel factory in Detroit and owned extensive timber holdings in Arkansas. The employment of so many men gave an impetus to an increase in the population of the village.

In 1872 Mr. LaMott G. Bates, long a leading and successful merchant here, became a partner of Mr. Hasty in the mercantile business under the name of J. F. Hasty & Company. Later Mr. Bates bought out the interest of Mr. Hasty and continued the business under his own name at the same location, which store building was on the northwest corner of Main and Ovid streets. About 1890 Mr. Bates bought the property across Ovid street on the northeast corner. This store building was moved to the back of the lot and on its previous site he constructed, a large brick store where he further developed an extensive trade. In 1897 he took his son Clyde as a partner and they continued the business several years until failing health compelled the father to retire to a well earned rest. Clyde took in as partner Geo. L. Carter, under the firm name of Bates & Carter, and later Mr. Carter and Benj. Steere formed a partnership under the name of Carter & Steere, buying out Mr. Bates' interest in the business. The building was finally sold to the J. A. Byerly company and Carterer & Steere moved into the Odd Fellow building, where Dancers dry goods business is now located.

In 1858 J. Durfee and Wm. Sickels sold their store business to Aaron Durfee and in 1860 M. B. Kelley succeeded Cobb & Sickels. In 1865 Kelley Bros. and Johnson launched out in a new big frame store which was 1ocated on the northwest corner of Main and Ovid streets. In 1902 it was moved to its present address on West Main street and is used by Robt. Baker for electrical appliances at the present time. Kelley Brothers and Johnson also in 1865 built the grist mill at the river and completed the old log dam there that gave way to the present concrete dam about 1916. In 1870 they built a planing mill and in connection with considerable timberland interests, carried on a large business. Their grist mill occupied part of the site of the saw mill which they had purchased from the estate of Robt. E. Craven. Of late years, the grist mill was remodeled into a feed, grain and bean elevator and business is carried on as the Farmers Elevator with Merle Green and Earl Brown as owners.

It was in the late sixties that Sheldon and I. G. Eddy established the first cheese factory here, and in 1876 M. S. Doyle purchased the business. In 1879 it is recorded that he manufactured 68,700 pounds of cheese. His factory was located on the southeast corner of Pine and First streets.. Mr. Doyle also built the first brick store building in the village and carried on a mercantile business for a time. It was not until 1890 that milk was received on Sundays as it was considered a violation of the Sabbath for the farmers to bring in milk on that day. On the second floor of this building was a roller skating rink, which was used by the young and old of that time. It was in 1908 that Boyd W. Doyle, son of M. S. Doyle, together with others, had the old factory torn down and a new large concrete plant constructed on the southeast corner of Elm and Second streets. Several different companies operated here in the milk field and all kinds of dairy products were made, including pancake flour, which at one time had a wide acceptance in the consumer food market. At one time daily shipments of pancake flour in carload lots went out of this plant.. At the peak of its business there were over 100 persons employed. In 1929 the Detroit Creamery Company became the owners of the property and had the buildings razed so as to concentrate their business in Ovid where they had extensive building accommodations.

Without doubt the oldest firm in Elsie operating almost continuously under the same family control is the Wooley Hardware. It was started in 1880 by J. B. Wooley and L. B. Downey. Mr. Downey sold his interest to J. B. Wooley and his son B. M. Wooley and the firm became J. B. Wooley & Son. Later they sold the business to Crell & Pierce, and finally Mr. Crell bought out his partner and carried on the business under the name of H. B. Crell Hardware. The business was taken over by B. M. Wooley in 1933 and is still operating (as of this writing) under his ownership. His son Jim has been associated with him since 1948, and Mrs. B. M. Wooley takes an active part in conducting the business. Mr. Wooley has been one of the the most prudent and ambitious man in business here and his name is held in regard and respect through out the community. L. B Downey went into the hardware business himself, taking in his son Ray and they carried on many years.

The first doctor to practice in this region was Dr. Wm. B. Watson, who in 1839 came to Mapleton, now Duplain, later moving his office to his home on the river road where his great grandson Frank now resides. Elsie's first resident physician was a Dr. Taugerson, a Texan, who only stayed a few months. Dr. E. V. Chase moved from Ovid to Elsie in 1860 and practiced here until 1880 when he entered the drug store business. He continued as druggist until about the time of his death in 1910. He held public office in the village and also served as a Representative for two terms from this district.

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The following diary extract provided by Leonard C. Tillotson recounts the story of how Elsie was adopted as the name of the village where Franklin James Tillotson and Jane Ann Sexton Tillotson made their home.

Many years ago, one warm afternoon, a group of the citizens gathered in the parlour of Franklin Tillotson's house. It was a momentous occasion. The stiff collars, Sunday suits, and polished boots were uncomfortable, but a name had to be decided upon. The afternoon was passing. The buzzing of a fly on the window sill, the creaking of empty wagons returning from Ovid north to Poter's Mill, and the distant voices of children at play in the fields came to them, through the open door. Chore time was near and as yet no name for the village.

No one has ever recorded just what names were discussed pro and con; however, it is most likely that the names of a wife or sweetheart were suggested, and perhaps the name of some former home town came up for discusssion. Anyway the time passed and no decision. Then there was a sound of hurrying feet and a childish voice calling "Father." Suddenly on the threshold silhouetted against the bright sunlight stood the host's daughter, little Elsie. Her yellow curls were blown, and she was holding her little blue apron, full of daises, with both chubby hands. Her full skirted prim, little grey dress and ruffled panalettes were as demure as her sweet face which flushed with embarrassment at seeing the parlour full of men who suddenly sat silent and stared at her. She dropped a little curtesy and ran back to her play.

There was silence in the stuffy seldom-used parlour with its lace curtains, what-nots and framed hair wreaths. The men sat awkward and stiff on the hard horse hair covered chairs. The the chairman rose and in a relieved voice said "Gentlemen I suggest with due respect to our host and to his efforts in organizing this village that we choose the name "Elsie." Elsie for that fair, little lass, and Elsie for our new village. "Ay, ay," came the unanimous reply for it was hot and the chores were waiting and goodness knows what else, and there wasn't anything sweeter and fairer than little Elsie Tillotson.

So Elsie it was, and the years hurried by, as years had a habit of doing, and the little town grew, and flourished. There were churches, school, new stores, wooden sidewalks, which soon gave way to concrete, lights, and a water system. People went busily about their work perhaps writing the name Elsie many times a day, with never a thought of the Elsie for whom the place was named.

Through the years the name of Elsie was carried far in War, battlefields of the south, to Gettysburg, to Libby Prison etc. In each the name has gone with its citizens to places of honor and trust, and when the alloted years of many former residents were done, they were at last brought back to Elsie to rest. Now carefree boys and girls chanting their songs and cheering "Rah Elsie" lead their teams to victory. Now a tall water tower keeps vigil over the town and in the sunlight, in misty, shimmering moonlight, or through raging storms, proclaims in high, white letters the name 'Elsie.'

View Elsie's main street in 1998

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This Bible belonged to Gilbert and Polly Caswell.  There were papers in it with deaths and births of Gilbert's children and Gilbert's mother, Hannah Foster.

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Above on the left is a list of Gilbert and Polly's  children:  Asa, Benjamin, Horace, James, Gilbert, John, Hezekiah, Julia, Eliza, Ann, Hiram.

On the right is the record of Benjamin's death along with a Mary Snyder.
                             

Above on the left is the record of Hannah Foster, the wife of Gilbert Caswell and mother-in-law of Polly Eggleston and following a list of Gilbert and Hannah's children:  Elizabeth, Anna, Effy, Clarissa (not clear).  They did have a daughter named Clarissa according the DAR.

On the right is record of the deaths of Hezekiah and James.

Following is a dissertation written by Fern Caswell in her 1909 Senior Class Yearbook.

Memoirs of Mlle. Fern Caswell

Preface

Because the author has lived and felt the influence of a certain period of years in which no action of extreme national importance has exerted itself: because there were individual actions of serious consequence to numerous families and friends in a certain pastoral locality of our great nation: because the author was personally acquainted with all of the people, and can set forth their various virtues on that account; and, finally, because she has been urged to do so by her children’s children, to whom she has often related these stories, the author has now undertaken to write the history of the Elsie High School graduating class of 1909.