counties in this great and growing State. It has passed from the critical lumber stage of its existence, and is now fairly entered upon a period of unsurpassed agricultural and horticultural prosperity. Washed by the waters of Lake Michigan, the heat of summer and the rigors of winter are modified, while the invigorating breezes from this great body of water, fan the villages and country, sweeping away the germs of malaria, making a climate delightful and healthy.

The surface is high and rolling. The soil sand and heavy clay loam and light sand. The county is divided by a range of hills running from the southwest to the northeast, making two water basins. From the southeast the White river, fed by small streams, takes its way to White lake, while the two branches of the Pentwater river flow through the northern and central portions of the county and empty into Pentwater lake. These streams have been used in the past for transporting millions of feet of logs from Oceana's grand forests to its great mills. These streams flowing into the main river find their source in springs which furnish waters favorable for the propagation of trout and other fish. The grayling, next to the trout, is the most highly prized, and is native to these waters. In 1878 some enterprising sportsman planted in several of these streams 2,000 brook trout. In 1880, 9,000 more, and in 1881, 75,000. The result of this has been astonishing. At the present time the streams of Oceana county furnish the most delightful fishing waters for sportsmen. Trout weighing from two to four and one-half pounds have been caught; and as many as fifty in a day by one person. The time is not far distant when these streams will have a national reputation for their fish.

For agricultural purposes this county is adapted to the successful cultivation of hay. Corn, oats, wheat, rye, barley, and peas are as successfully raised as in many of the southern counties of the State. Potatoes and all kinds of vegetables are grown in perfection.

It is perhaps the adaptability of soil and climate for fruit raising that has given this section its greatest reputation. The Michigan fruit belt, as it is called, is a strip of territory extending along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan from Benzie county on the north to Berrien county on the south, and being from ten to twenty miles in width. By an examination of the map of Michigan, it will be seen that Oceana county lies about midway between the northern and southern extremes, and it has the greatest projection into Lake Michigan of any portion of the State.

The population of the county is 20,000. Its assessed valuation is about $4,000,000. It has eighty-six school districts employing teachers

and four union schools. The school buildings as a general thing are new. commodious and furnished with modern appliances. There are twenty organizations having church edifices. There is invested in manufacturing enterprises over $1,000,000 capital. There are four banks, five flouring mills and five newspapers. The Chicago and West Michigan railway traverses' the county from its southern boundary to Pentwater, its northern terminus. It has one lake harbor located at Pentwater, repaired and maintained by government appropriation. The United States also has a life saving station and lighthouse established at this point, and a lighthouse at Petite Pt. Au Sable.

It has a fine large court house building located at Hart, the county seat, and a poor farm in the same township, well improved, under a good state of cultivation and with good commodious buildings. Standing upon the threshold of a new era in its development, it presents three prominent characteristics that have attracted general attention and which will have great influence upon its future growth and prosperity. We here refer to its fish, fruit, and health. It has been known in the past principally for its lumber productions, but from this time it will be known as the center of Michigan's fruit belt, the healthiest location in the state and a favorite resort for sportsmen.

In February, 1855, an act to provide for the organization of Oceana, Mason, and Manistee counties was passed by the legislature and the first election of county officers was held at Stony Creek (now Benona) on the first Monday of April following, and consisted of the following named persons: John Barr, sheriff; Amos R. Wheeler, treasurer; Harvey Tower, clerk and register of deeds.

The act provided that when by a certain day named, the clerk. and register and treasurer elect should file their oaths of office with each other, the official machinery of the county should begin to move, having a legal existence.

On the last day of the time allowed for filing their oaths, the officers elect with other prominent citizens met to consider the question whether, after all, it was not better to remain attached to Ottawa for judicial purposes, as the taxes then were light, than to incur the much greater expense of supporting a separate county organization. But as the people had expressed a desire to organize by electing county officers, it was deemed best to perfect the organization.

How the oath was to be administered was a question that seemed greatly to trouble some of the knowing ones. Anxious to avoid any error that would vitiate the proceedings, they insisted that the officers must be sworn in on the Bible; but to those upon whom devolved the

duty of qualifying that day there was a matter of greater concern than the matter of administering the oath. The nearest officer qualified to do that resided at White River, fifteen miles distant, the only road being the sandy beach of Lake Michigan. Before a conclusion was reached the clock numbered 2 p. m., and it took another hour at least to obtain horses for the journey. About three o'clock Tower led off mounted on his elegant "Brutus," Wheeler closely following on his less showy, but more plucky, "Old Rob." Arriving at White River, after some delay, Justice J. D. Stebbins was found, who going immediately to his office administered the oath with great dignity. Meantime the horses had rested and the officers, full fledged, save filing their oaths of office, mounted their steeds for home, which they reached about ten minutes before the time expired.

To say that the rain fell in torrents would give but a faint idea of that storm encountered on the home stretch. I doubt if it ever rained harder since the time of Noah. The clothing of the riders was wet through and the water ran down filling their boots and running over in streams. Arriving at Stony Creek we found the fire fair, blazing, and the vestment warm, and the new treasurer, after his first official act of filing the clerk's oath, came from an adjoining room with glass. and decanter in hand, remarking as he appeared: 'Tower, I don't believe a little good Bourbon would hurt either of us." What could poor Tower do but take a little? Ye teetotalers, say-say, ye severest, what would ye have done?

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The first board of supervisors was composed of the following persons named: A. S. Anderson, of Claybanks, and Warren Wilder, of Stony Creek, with Harvey Tower county clerk. There were raised for county purposes three hundred dollars, and by a resolution established the county seat at Whisky Creek and adjourned.

Claybanks was the first township organized by authority of an act of the legislature of February 13, 1855. The first election took place the 2d day of April, 1855, supervisor, A. S. Anderson; clerk, Timothy Brigham, Stony Creek (now Benona). The first township meeting was held at the house of Amos R. Wheeler, April, 1855, with Harvey Tower chairman. Warren Wilder was elected supervisor, and Malcom Campbell clerk. Pentwater held its first town meeting at the house of Edwin R. Cobb, April 7, 1856; E. R. Cobb was elected supervisor, and James Dexter clerk. In 1858 Greenwood held its first town meeting at the house of Wm. R. Wilson and elected Oliver Swain supervisor, and Cyrus W. Bullen clerk. 1858 Eldridge (now Hart) held their first

town meeting at the house of S. G. Rollins and elected S. G. Rollins supervisor and H. H. Fuller clerk.

ANECDOTE.

During the month of November, 1866, the Hon. A. B. Turner, then as now, editor and proprietor of the Grand Rapids Eagle, having a curiosity to learn something concerning the new territory north, made a trip through Oceana county in the United States mail stage. Being a gentleman of intelligent appearance, well dressed, and accompanying the mail, and making frequent inquiries of the settlers, he was taken to be a government officer and as such looked upon as an important personage. Writing of this trip he says: "We drew up at a postoffice. Here we are glad to get off and warm while the mail is changing. The contents of a large bag are emptied on the floor and the postmaster and his wife are down in the necessary posture assorting the packages. We are in Oceana county, from which we have not heard the result of the election, and we open a conversation thus:

"Are you the postmaster here?'

"Receiving an affirmative reply we ask:

"How are political matters with you?'

"Evidently understanding the question as referring only to himself and family, promptly answers:

"Assuming an air of as much solemnity as possible we remarked that 'the president has a right to the support of the office-holders of the country and that support is expected.' The postmaster here raises himself to an erect position, full six feet high, and giving us a withering look square in the face, emphatically says:

"Sir, we don't keep principles for sale here, but you can have the office if you like.'

"The wife keeps her recumbency but pauses in her work long enough to give us a searching look over her spectacles and ejaculates:

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'Guess you'll have hard work to find a Johnson man on this road to make a postmaster of.'

"Our solemnity here gives out, but before an explanation can be made to satisfy our friends that we are not an agent of the president on a 'bread and butter' mission we resume our seat in the stage and proceed northward."

And now, brothers and sisters, fearing I have trespassed too long upon your time and patience, I will listen to the experience of others.

REMINISCENCES OF MRS. NANCY B. WHITE, AS WRITTEN BY HERSELF.

Mr. President, Brother and Sister Pioneers:

I am of the opinion that as time passes we are inclined to dwell too much upon the past. But today we are expected to recall some of our pioneer experience, and I will try to do my part as best I can.

We started the first of May, 1857, from Erie county, N. Y., for western Michigan. We were the first to start from the home nest, and our parents thought we could hardly have made a poorer selection; we would have fever and ague and mosquitoes to contend with, besides other hardships too numerous to mention. This was the encouragement we had to commence with.

However we (husband, myself, and two little boys, the oldest not quite four and baby sixteen months old) started Monday morning, after bidding parents, brothers, sisters, and friends a sad good by. By boat on lakes and rivers; by rail, stage, and private conveyance, we arrived at Nelson Green's, in Claybanks, the eleventh day from the time we left home, a distance we can now pass over in twenty-four hours.

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To me that journey was the most trying of my pioneer experience. Most of the petty trials I could laugh at, but not that. The hardest was by stage from St. Johns, the terminus by rail, to Lyons, eighteen miles, where we took a flat boat on Grand river.

The stage was two lumber wagons; the women and children rode in one, the men and baggage in the other; so I had to carry the heavy baby alone. Mr. White had to walk a good part of the way and help to lift the wagons out of the mud. We were the best part of two days going that eighteen miles. But I will not go over that journey farther.

The third day after our arrival at Mr. Green's we took up our abode on the plains, where we stayed until the fifth day of July. There were seven miles of road to cut through an unbroken wilderness before we could reach our land. I have heard Mr. White say that was "quite a chore." He had no help to commence with but millions of mosquitoes. But Providence favored us, I think. About the third week after he commenced work, Mr. J. M. Wilson came from Lenawee county with his wife and three children. He had taken land just north of us and would help to cut the road. This was company we appreciated.

Our living while there was very plain.

We had started some