382 GENERAL HISTORY. 



In Crystal Lake townsliip, the earliest settler was Joseph Oliver, a hunter 

 and fisherman, who purchased lands February 19th, 1857, and built a log 

 house on the banks of Betsie lake, near the outlet. He was followed by Wm. 

 Cogshell a«d L. A. Doughby, in 1859. There are now about two hundred 

 acres of orcharding in the township The best commercial orchards are 

 those of D. C. Whitwood, of Detroit, twenty acres ; A. G. Butler, forty acres; 

 Dr. J. Voorhees, twenty acres; and H. M. Spicer, fifteen acres. There are 

 many others of ten acres or less. 



The first settlers in the township of Colfax were D. Gr, B. Morris and C. 

 A. Carpenter, who made homestead entries on November 24th and 29th, 1865. 

 There is little fruit grown in the township. L. Marble has a fine location for 

 a cranberry plantation, which is little improved at present, but promises well 

 for the future. 



In the township of Weldon the earliest settler was A. T. Case, on May 4th, 

 1863, who has a small orchard, as have a few others. Apples only are grown. 



Joyfield township was first settled by Amaziah Joy, from whom it was 

 named. His settlement occurred July 11th, 1863, and that of Wm. Davis 

 (colored) on July 22d. The finest orchards are those of J. and M. Spalding, 

 A. Joy and Mrs. Parker. 



Gilmore was probably the earliest settled township in the count}", Joseph 

 Robarge having located there on May 23d, 1856. John Greenwood also 

 located laud here in 1857. The high lands in this town are all good fruit 

 lands. John Greenwood, Henry Cooper and Seth Bailey are successful fruit 

 growers. There are a number of small orchards in the town, as well as pears 

 and plums, all doing well. 



In Blaine township, Harrison Averal became a settler. May 14th, 1859 ; 

 Frank Martin, February 17th, 1863, and John Hunt, May 29th, 1863. The 

 township has some good fruit lands. Among the best orchards are those of 

 J. Goodrich, Orrin Blood (peaches), Hufus and Marshall Putney, Wm. Voor- 

 hees and F. R. Axtel. There are also other prosperous orchards. 



The Benzie County Agricultural Society was organized June 5th, 1865. 

 It has held an annual fair every year since, except in 1866. The exhibit of 

 fruit at the first fair, in 1865, was small, being one peach. Last year (1885) 

 there were entered four hundred and seventy jslates of apples, thirty-seven 

 of grapes, thirty-four of pears, thirteen of plums, four of peaches, and six of 

 quinces — a total of five hundred aud sixty-four plates of fruits, while the 

 entries in all departments of the fair numbered about one thousand. 



On October 8th to 10th, 1875, the fifth annual fair of the Grand Traverse 

 Union Agricultural Society, and when the State Pomological Society was in 

 attendance, Benzie county exhibited forty-eight varieties of apples, nine of 

 pears, eight of peaches, twelve of plums, four of grapes, seven of raspberries 

 (artificially preserved) and two of strawberries (artificially preserved). 



This collection competed for premiums against a similar collection from 

 Grand Traverse county. The committee, in awarding the premiums to the 

 Grand Traverse collection, remarked: — 



" These two collections compete very evenly so far as the quality of the 

 specimens is concerned, and moreover, they both embrace the great mass of 

 our best known and most desirable varieties, so that the real difiference in 

 value is less than would at first sight appear." 



In 1880, in History of Michigan Horticulture, J.J. Hubbell says: The 

 Benzie County Agricultural Society has given much attention to horticulture. 



