The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-01-15
HOW OUR VILLAGE
GAINED ITS NAME
SCHOLARLY COLONEL HILL DIDN'T
LIKE VARNEY
Thought Clio, the Muse of History and
Poetry, About Right and the Ladies
Agreed With Him

Our readers will recall that several
weeks ago the question OF how Clio
came to receive it's name was raised.
We believe we now have the informa-
tion covering that point, thanks to one
of the early settlers in this part OF
the country and one of the very few
persons who can, after the lapse OF
many years, recall the circumstances.
Our informant is Mrs. H. w. Cooley,
who came to Clio, or Varney, as 1t
was then called, in 1864 At that
time a certain Colonel Hill, who had
served in the army during the rebell-
ion. which had but recently been con-
cluded, kept hotel in Varney, known
as the Revere House. This hotel stood
on the ground now occupied by the post
Office and was large wooden structure,
surmounted by cupuloa which was an
unmistakable token of architectural
Importance in those days. The colonel
was associated in business with his
brother. Eben, and their hotel, which
of course contained bar, was not
only the popular rendezvous for woods
men and people of all classes, but was
frequented by the most prominent citi-
zens in the community and was the
scene of many gay parties and balls.
1t CHANGED that Col Hill was a man
of considerable learning and of a liter
ary turn of mind, and the name Var
new got on his nerves, so to speak.
He was continually advocating that the
name of the town be changed. His
literary bent is evident in the name ne
favored. "Clio," being one OF the
muses., the daughter of Jupiter, accord
ing to Grecian mythology, king of gods
and men, and Mnemosyne (memory).
Clio was the muse of history and epic
poetry and was represented as bearing
halfopen scroll of book. But Col.
Hills desire for classic name for the
pretty little village had fallen on deaf
ears except for the ladies The men
paid little attention to it, but one even
ing when party was in progress, at
which were present many of the ladies
of the community, the colonel held
forth eloquently to them about Clio,
with the result that he won their APP
proval and, as is generally the case, the
ladies had their way, and Varney
straightway became Clio. The subse-
ouent history of Colonel Hill and his
brother. Eben, has been lost with the
passing years and the common meander-
ings of mankind. At the time of which
we write there wasn't much of vii
lage to name; score of houses. per-
hops. most of them farm houses, a
frame store building or two and mills
and lumber without end, seemingly.
Where the business section of the town
is now located, were titled fields or
woods, and remnant of the olden time,
still remaining in fine state of pres
eryation. is the residence of l.. b. Full
ler, which was once the farm house at
tached to the estate of Charles Cooley.
The earliest, or at least among the
earliest, religious services in the vii
lage, were held in the upper story Of
a planning mill, later in the school house,
and then the Congregational church,
now known as Grange Hall, was built,
which was the first regular church edi-
flee in the village of Clio. The first
school building of which our informant
has knowledge was large frame
structure standing on the corner OF
what is now Young and New Sts., which
was sold when the present school build
ing was completed, and which has since
been cut up and remodelled into two or
more comfortable homes.
1t is our purpose. if time and circum-
stances permit. to give something more
concerning the early history of Clio
and some of the pioneers who were
identified with that history and we beg
to thank Mrs. Cooley for the informa-
ton which is incorporated in this arti-
Gle