The following article of interest pertaining to the family of William "Uncle Billy" and America Harrison was acquired by Marie Mackey at the Climax Library.
"Gorden Eldred, former Climax postmaster, rests his hand on the Harrison's "pork barrel stone" on the Rual Free Delivery monument. One stone came from each of 230 farms on the first routes [original article includes a photo of the monument].The pork barrel stone is one of the most interesting, as it came from the family of Benjamin Harrison, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and father of President Harrison, It was used by the family in Virginia and later in Maryland.
It was brought to Michigan by William Harrison, son of Judge Bazel Harrison who was the first settler in Kalamazoo County. That stone was for 87 years to hold the pork under the brine in the family pork barrel. John Harrison, youngest son of William, gave the stone to the monument committee to be used in it's structure.
Judge Bazel Harrison (1772-1874) was born in Frederick Co., Md. His father, also named William, was a brother of Benjamin Harrison, and consequently the judge was cousin to President Harrison.
Bazel was nearly nineteen and Martha Stillwell was three years younger when they married, March 17, 1790. The happy courtship of Bazel and Martha was objected to by Mrs. Stillwell, who wished her daughter to wed the possessor of broad acres and not a penniless man. She would not consent to the marriage but the father was encouraging and conspired to plan an elopement. As the etiquette in 1790 did not permit a bride to appear shoeless at her wedding, and ready-made shoes were unknown in the town, Martha's foot measurements were needed. The day before the wedding, the father invented a ruse to accomplish the object. In the afternoon of the last day of grace, he came into the weaving room where mother and daughters were at work at the loom, and shortly began to joke Martha on the size of her feet. Picking up a shingle (carefully placed earlier) he drew a diagram of measurement of her pedal extremities, the dimensions of which he laughed immoderately about with his wife, then carelessly threw the shingle out the window. Fifteen minutes after, that shingle was in shoemaker Wilkins' shop and the worthy cobbler worked half the night to finish the pumps in which the runaway bride was to stand at her wedding on the morrow.
They had seventeen children, the first of whom was William, and resided for periods of time in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and Ohio before coming to the township of Prairie Ronde in Kalamazoo County in 1828. Harrison and the farmers who followed recognized the lush top soil of the prairie, called "fire plain" by the local Pottawatomi Indians.
In 1833, Judge Bazel Harrison was called upon to settle a case of a stolen cherry tree. Kalamazoo's Titus Bronson was charged with stealing the tree from Joseph Edington who intended to use the same to make furniture. Bronson was fined the cost of the tree - $4.621/2 plus court costs of $10.25. (Gazette Sep. 11, 1983)
1838 township statistics for Bazel Harrison were - 165 acres, 6 horses, 3 cows, 11 young cattle, buildings, $450.William Harrison (1790-1887) was born in Frederick Co., Va. He was the oldest son of Bazel and Martha Harrison, William came to Kalamazoo Co. from the old home in Ohio in 1829, broke the first furrow and raised the first crop in Charleston Twp. The land comprising his farm on Section 25 had been secured from the government with the deed being signed by Pres. Martin VanBuren.
Assisted by the friendly Pottawatomies, a rude log cabin was erected during the spring and early summer of 1830, and soon after he and his good wife, America, became it's occupants, and the first settlers within a radius of twenty miles. The indians helped them during their first year with venison, corn, etc, else they would have starved.
William and America Harrison had eleven children. Joseph, born in 1839 was the fifth child and second son. John who gave the pork barrel stone was born in 1849.
The Peninsular Railroad was being built through Climax in 1871. When the surveying was being done for the tracks, Uncle Billy Harrison's house was in the right of way. Even though it was in the way it didn't stop the surveying. They simply opened the windows and doors and extended their line on through. Later Uncle Billy moved his house. (CHS Yearbook 1941)
Most of this Harrison history is from Fuzz and Leona Harrison's Book containing the History of Kalamazoo County, Michigan 1880. From this book is the story of Uncle Billy's encounter with a bear.
He was walking to Goddard's on Goguac, about eight miles, to use his grin' stone to sharpen his axe. Goddards was reached near noon, the axe was ground, and the steps retraced towards home. "Tearcoat" his dog gave signs of wild animals being around, by growls and a sudden start up the hill. A large black bear slowly moved away and "Tearcoat" was bearing down upon him at full speed. The first bout resulted in bear catching dog in his paws and fastening his jaws upon his shoulder. Uncle Billy ran to the rescue of his dog, grasped the hind legs of the bear and began jerking and Kicking him. Bruin let go of the dog and got a mouthful of Uncle Billy's boot. They rolled over and and over down the steep hill together. Uncle Billy go loose and Tearcoat began a second attack, bear beating a retreat up a large tree. Neighbors were summoned and the old Bruin was soon brought down by their rifles.
1839 Statistics for William Harrison - Sec. 36 120 acres 5 horses, 2 oxen, 2 cows, 3 young cattle, 1 swine, $275 personal estate, and $900 Real Estate.
Joseph Harrison (1839-1917) was born in Charleston Township. he went to a log schoolhouse and worked on the farm as soon as he was old enough. At age seventeen he went to Battle Creek to learn the trade of a blacksmith. he was there two years, and then bought a smithy at McKain's Corner's, Pavillion Twp. and business there three years. He watched the course of the war in August 1862, enlisting in Company L, Sixth michigan Cavalry. After three years and three months, Joseph was discharged from the army at Jackson.
The story is that Joseph brought his anvil from Detroit to Climax in a wheelbarrow. Fuzz has that anvil which was his grandfather's and he is very proud of it.
In 1867 Joseph married Jennie Sliter, a native of New York. They had four children: Clarence U. in 1869, William S. in 1870, Cassius J. in 1875, and Dottie Bell in 1881. Joseph was Justice of the Peace twelve years, and township Treasurer two years. He belonged to the Blue Lodge in Climax. Their home was located at the present Jan Vosburg site on Mercury Drive.
Cassius J. married Burnella force and their children were: J.C. in 1902, William in 1904, Clarence (Fuzz) in 1906, Marguerite in 1909, Robert in 1915, and David (Bud) in 1920. Their home was at 15515 East M Ave, the present home of the Chases. Cassius J. was a farmer and also did many odd jobs. They lived on M Ave until 1922 when they moved to the village of Climax. The three older boys owned trucks and plowed snow for the county in the mid 1920's. They also trucked celery from Kalamazoo to Chicago.
J.C. married Blanche Hoskins and settled in Lawrence. William married Ruby Bartlow, living in Hastings. Marguerite married Kenneth Ratliff and their home was on Lovell St. in Climax. Fuzz married Leona Stofflet, their home on Mercury Dr. being the Harrison school, originally. Bob married Evelyn Hazen and their N. Lovell home was once the residence of Burnella, their mother. The grand total of these six unions is 14 children and 33 grandchildren, comprising the area descendants of just one line of that first settler in Kalamazoo County, Judge Bazel Harrison.
P.J. Nov. 1987"
This web page is authored by Scott Duncan. All information listed without a reference should be verified. Home