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HISTORY OF ALPENA COUNTY BY WILLIAM BOULTON IN 1876
Before any investigations had been made as to the character of the soil on these lands, a dense undergrowth of poplar, birch, basswood, and other small timber, covered the entire surface of the country, and notwithstanding the land has mainly proved so valuable, as the outset appearances were against it, and those who made the first break into this unkempt bramble were called fools by all the very wisest men in the Alpena region, except Hon. J. K. Lockwood, who holds so sublime a' faith concerning that quarter of Michigan that he can see therein reasonable hope for the development of every industry and enterprise under heaven, gold and copper mining not excepted. And, by the way, his faith has been the means of developing many incidental resources that have added materially to the business and prosperity of that whole section.
'•Some years ago the first improvements were commenced, but little had been accomplished up to 1871-3, when the success of the first farmers began to be understood by a few outside, and then there was rapid settlement and civilization in all quarters of the burnt lands. Three years ago came Mr. Thwaits, the only man as yet who has nothing to do with lumbering, winter or
summer, but makes farming his sole business. Of 333 acres he has 100 under cultivation, and his crops this year will be worth at least $ 3, 000. On the place he has a mowing machine, threshing-machine, sulky rake, hay lifter, fanning mill, and all the smaller agricultural implements. His fall wheat is nearly five feet high and as thick as it can stand; spring wheat four feet high and well headed; clover, small kind, four feet high, bright and compact; timothy, equal to the 'best raised in any country, and of roots and garden crops, a showing that would compare favorably with the best raised in the Saginaw Valley.
ALPENA COUNTY MICHIGAN
Page 26
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