455 



Butler, No. 5 South of Range 5 West 



Girard, ..., No. 5 " 6 " 



Union, No. 5 " 7 " 



Sherwood, No. 5 « 8 " 



Quincy, No. 6 " 5 " 



Coldwater, No. 6 « G " 



Batavia, No. 6 « 7 " 



Matteson, No. 6 « 8 '• 



Alganse, No. 7 « 5 " 



Ovid, No. 7 « 6 " 



Bethel, No. 7 « 7 '^ 



Bronson, No. 7 «' 8 " 



California, No. 8 « 5 '' 



Kinderhook, .- .No. 8 « 6 " 



Gilead, No. 8 " 7 « 



Noble, No. 8 " 8 « 



This county is situated west of the highest land between lakes Erie 

 and Michigan, with a slight western slope. Its surface is undulating, 

 but not mountainous or very hilly. Some portions of it are quite level. 



It is divided into timbered land, oak openings, and prairies inter- 

 spersed. There are some small and beautiful lakes scattered in various 

 parts of the county. There are also many streams of water. The St. 

 Joseph River enters the county in its northern part, and passes through 

 two towns, viz: Union and Sherwood. 



The Coldwater river is formed by two branches, one from the east, 

 and one from the south- west, which unite near the centre of the county,, 

 in the town of Coldwater, and, pursuing a northerly direction, unites 

 with the St. Joseph river at Union City. Both of these streams afford 

 excellent water-power, and many mills are erected upon their banks. 

 Some of the smaller streams furnish water sufficient for saw-mills, and 

 are improved for that purpose. There are two belts of timbered land 

 running through the entire length of the county from east to west. 

 One is on the north side of the county, and varies in width from 3 or 

 4 to 6 or 8 miles. The other is south of the centre of the county, 

 and is also several miles in breadth. The soil of these tracts of tim- 

 bered land is a deep, rich, sandy loam, except upon the river bottoms, 

 where it has more the appearance of muck. It is excellent for all kinds 



