The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-10-29
Death Of Judge cou,stock.

Saturday afternoon TO learn of the
unexpected and sudden death of Elias
Comstock, one of Our best known and
highly esteemed citizens. He had
been in good health up TO few min.
utes before his death, and was on our
street Friday. We have no words to
express our regard for this mamie
embodied all that was good, lived and
died true Christian, and the mem.
DRY of his good deeds will long be
cherished by this community. His
age was 81 years. The funeral SER
vices were held at his last home
Tuesday afternoon and were attended
by large number of people who
gathered to pay their last respects to
the dead. Services were conducted
by Rev. Donneily, assisted by Rev.
Wilson. The following history is
taken from various histories of the
county:
Elias Comstock was among the earliest
settlers ofShiawassee county. The broth
ers a. l.. and b. O. Williams. the first
settlers, located in the county, in Aug
1881; in June, 1885, Mr.. Comstock came
from Oakland county, purchased land at
Owosso and made some Improvements
preparatory for permanent settlement,
and John ID. Overton and David Van
Wormer came on and located on il as
tenants: The County History says
"Early in July, 1885, the first settle
ment in the northern half of Shiawas.
see County was commenced at the Big
Rapids of the Shiawassee," the locality
now known as the city of Owosso, by
people of Oakland county. The move
ment WAS inaugurated by Elias Com
stock, Lewis Findley and kilburn Be-
dell "a son-in law of Findley) who, hav-
ing purchased lands here in June of the
same year, were DESTROYS of beginning
improvements upon them. Therefore a
party consisting of Elias Comstock,
Lewis Findley, Kilburn Bedell and wife,
John J. Overton, his wife and one child,
and David Van Wormer with his wife
and one child left Pontiac i'm the first
days of July, 1885 and began their jour
ney TO this point. Their household eff
were mounted upon two wagons drawn
by two ORLEANS; two or three COWS
were also brought along. July 4th was
celebrated by cutting out roads. An In
dian trail was follow ell mainly, but fire.
quently it was diverged from and
route of their own cut out in the en-
deavor 10 keep upon the dry ground and
the most direct course. Upon their ar
rival Mr.. Findley built Il log cabin and
settled on the east part of the northwest
fractional quarter of section - Mr..
Bedell located q short distance north on
section IL, while AessrS Overton and
Van WOrmer, who were in the employ
of Mr. Comstock, erected and occupied Il
double log house, which stood near the
river (the lot now in 1851 owned and
occupied by Hon. Jerome w. Turner
the latter being the first building erected
within the limits Of the city proper. At
ter his tenants were comfortably housed
and cared for, MIR. Comstock returned to
Pontiac where he passed the succeeding
winter"
In 1886, house having been pre-.
viously built, Mr.. Comstock removed
his family TO Owosso. In all transac-
tons for the development, improvement
and progress Of the county in its pio-
neer days, the name of Elias Comstock
is prominent. In 1887 he was one of
the corporators of the Owosso & Saginaw
Navigation Company, which was incor-
porated by act of the Legislature to
make the Shiawassee River navigable
between those points. The work was
quite eflectual for flat bottom boats, and
a Durham boat was built which carried
over 200 barrels of -four at one cargo
from OwossO to Saginaw
The organization of the county was
effected under authority ofan act of the
Legislature approved March Is. 1887,
and under this act special election was
held in May, 1887, at which Mr.. Com
stock was elected Judge of Probate. The
other officers elected were: Levi Rowe,
Sheriff; Andrew Parsons, County Clerk I;
Josiah Pierce, treasurer Jas. Rntan and
Alfred l.. Williams, Associate judges
Daniel Gould, County Surveyor. San
ford Nj. Green was made Prosecuting
Attorney by appointment. BY this cleo
ton the organization of Shiawassee
county was made complete.
The first session ofthe Probate Court
of which any record was extant, says
the County History, was held in the vii
lage of Owosso, Feb. Ii, 1888, Elias Com
stock, Probate Judge, presiding. The
first proceedings were the granting of
letters of administration IN the estate
of Samuel Carpenter. Judge Com
stock served as Probate Judge until
1871, when he was succeeded by Ira b.
Howard.
Mr. Comstock was elected County
Clerk in 1852, again in 1856 and 1858.
He was chairman of the Owosso town
ship school board in 1887, and his name
appears first on list of ncorporators OF
the "Owosso Literary Institute" which
WAS incorporated by act of the Legisla-
ture in 1916. Tie other names on the
list were Alfred l. and Benjamin 0.
Williams, Amos Gould, Cbas. l.. Goodhue,
a. Il. Chapman, j. Il. Barnes. The pro-
ject, however, never naterialized.
Mr.. Comstock was the first Supervisor
of Owosso township ut the first session
of a board OF Supervisors of which there
is any record, winch was in the fall of
1S3S-there is mention of Lewis Findley
as Supervisor in 1887. Mr.. Comstock
was reelected in 1889 and in lS40 The
records also show him to have been
Treasurer in 1S39-40, and Justice of the
Peaca in 1873 and 1S16 Ha vaa alacfc,l