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Gratiot County Michigan Gratiot County
Some left the country, disposing of what they had in the county for merely enough to get away with. Others braved it through, and are now reaping their reward in plenty.
In the seasons of 1855 and 1856 the crops were very severely injured by frost; the first wheat crop was an entire failure, which added largely to the distress and scarcity of provisions. The constant travel and team- 1 ing over the roads, which at that time were destitute of bridges or cross- ways, rendered them almost impassable. Here it became necessary for those living in the north part of the county to resort to boats, and follow the river to Saginaw and procure provisions there, polling and towing their canoes up the stream homeward, a distance by water of over one hundred miles.
Mr. Ely, who had during this time furnished a large amount of pro- 1 visions for the settlers, hauling them in over the roads from Ionia, Mather- | ton and Maple Rapids, conceived the idea of building large or double canoes, which, when completed resembled a small flat or pall boat, for the purpose of obtaining supplies from Saginaw by water.
Michigan Counties
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