Short History of Howell Michigan

History of Howell from 100 year anniversary booklet published in 1963

The city of Howell as we know it now was established as a village as an act of Legislature March 14, 1863, consisting of sections 35 and 36 and the south half of sections 25 and 26 of Howell Township.  The first actual settlements in Howell were made by George T. Sage, John D. Pinckney, James Sage and David Austin in the year 1834.  The village was laid out by Flavius J. B. Crane and Edward Brooks in July 1835, and was named Howell in honor of Thomas Howell a friend of Mr. Crane and son of Judge Howell, of Canadaequa, New Jersey.  The name did not come into immediate use however, as it was called Livingston Centre for quite some time.

In 1835, John D. Pinckney built the first log house in this area and the settlement became known as Livingston Centre.  In this year Moses Thompson and his family migrated here from New York and Livingston Centre began to grow in population.  The first building erected, was a two story, frame house which was a public house.  This structure was built by Misters Crane and Brooks and was known as the Eagle Tavern, or hotel, for Mr. Amos who was the first settler within the village.  The establishment stood on the southeast corner of Grand River and Walnut streets.

After the erection of the Eagle House, came other public houses and taverns.  There was the “Old Stage House”, midway between East and Walnut St. on Grand River, in the year 1840.  Then the Temperance Hotel, which was just what the name inferred – “No Liquor”.  It was said you had to get a room in the Temperance to get a good night’s sleep as there were taverns connected with all other public houses.  Mr. Gay who built, owned and operated this hotel was a brave and noble man and met much opposition, but carried his project out in spite of all.  After these followed the Union Hall, Shafts Hotel, and the Melvin House.

The pioneer manufacturing enterprise of Howell was the saw mill built by Moses Thompson in 1836.  This mill was built on the stream which forms the outlet of our present Thompson Lake, which was named after him.

January 1836, saw the establishment of the first post office.  Flavius J. B. Crane was post master, and it was located in the Eagle Tavern.  In March of this same year, there was a mail route started between Howell and the village of Kensington and West to Grand Rapids.  March 24, 1836, the legislature passed an act organizing Livingston County and Howell was slated to become the County seat.  This claim was vigorously opposed by a group from Brighton and was never wholly relinquished by them until the county Buildings were actually erected twelve years later.  Howell at once assumed the dignity of the County seat.

The year 1836, also saw migrate to this village, from his native Scotland, one who was to become one of the most respected and wealthiest men.  This was William McPherson who came here with his wife, two sons and daughter.  Mr. McPherson was a blacksmith and started a blacksmith shop with his father-in-law Andrew Riddle, also a native of Scotland.

1837 saw several new businesses established.  Mr. Edward F. Gay established the first general store, Mr. Richard Fishbeck, a shoemaker, and Mr. James White, a cabinet maker, also came in this year.  Two more new arrivals came in 1838 that were very important to the community.  Mr. Wellington A. Glover a lawyer opened his office and Dr. Gardner Wheeler was the first resident physician.  Before Dr. Wheeler arrived in Howell, the people of the community had to travel to Washtenaw or Oakland Counties or, at least to Brighton.

Mr. John R. Neely came to Howell in 1839, and was the first mason.  Mr. Joseph Rowe also settled in the year and opened a tailor shop.  In 1844, the first iron—working establishment was begun.  This was the foundry of Hickey and Gallaway.  Its works was “the manufacture of box, cook, and parlor stoves, plows and hollow ware” and all kinds of agricultural implement castings.

The “Phoenix Foundry and Machine Shop” was built in 1857, by W. Smith.  They manufactured the double team plow known as the Bathgate, the Curtiss the North Bend, the Seventy-Six and every kind of corn-plows wanted.  This foundry was destroyed by fire in 1860, and rebuilt the same year by Benjamin and Henry Curtis.  They manufactured more types of machinery and in 1861, built the first stream engine ever made in Howell.

The “Howell Foundry” was built in 1849, by Stephen Clark and made stoves and agricultural castings.  The Carnegie Library is now located on the land where this foundry was established.  About eight years after the original survey and plat of the village by Crane and Brooks, the Village began to extend eastward and Mr. Peter Cowdrey platted another parcel of section 36, which was called “First Cowdrey Addition” being an addition to the original village plat.

The first wagon shop was established by Andrew L. Hill in 1842.  He made very kind of wagon for farms or other use, “also Buggies, Buffalo Wagons and Sleighs.”  The first cutter made in Howell was made by Mr. Hill for the Dr. Gardner Wheeler.  The next wagon-shop was opened by W. R. Melvin and James Lawther.  These two men were also blacksmiths and went into business in 1846.

In the year 1849, Morris Thompson, George W. Lee and Frederick Lee, commended a grist-mill on the same stream outlet as the saw-mill, but did not actually go into business until 1850.  In 1860, this mill ground a thousand pounds of flour.  In 1851 the “Old Bickhart Four Mill” was built on North Walnut Street.  This is the site of the present “Co-op Mill”.

The Howell Stream Saw-Mill was built in 1850.  The proprietors were D. D. T. Chandler, George W. Kneeland and Shubael B. Sliter.  This mill was destroyed by fire the following year but was rebuilt by Judge Kneeland.  A large amount of work was done here in sawing plank for the Detroit and Howell and Lansing plank roads.  The engine that drove the machinery for most of this work was the first steam engine manufactured in Howell.

John Wright built the first planning mill in the village in 1869.  This mill was located on Clinton Street, between Center and Walnut Streets.  It was destroyed by fire in 1875, but was rebuilt soon afterwards.

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