Native Americans. This part of the present state of "Michigan" -- derived from the Ojibwe term Michi'gami or "big lake" -- is on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe First Nations. The southern Lower Peninsula was primarily inhabited by the Three Fires People: the Ojibwe (Chippewa), Odawa (Ottawa), and Potawatomi. This land was taken from the First Nations in cession 66. We regret that the most thoroughly documented histories of our present home (including, previously, this one) begins with European colonization, with so much information on prior periods merely noting occupation by "Native Americans," a stunningly generic categorization of so many rich and varied cultures.
We believe Centennial Lane was mostly populated by the Potawatomi. Evidence suggests that this property was apparently only lightly farmed and much of it remained undeveloped over the last 200 years. We like to think that some of the flora we see here today may be similar to what the Potawatomi and their sister tribes may have experienced during their residence. We try to steward this land as best we can under the present Anthropocene conditions to honor and remember their history.
Horace H. Nottingham. HNH was the original landowner of two
portions of land that are now the properties of Centennial Lane. He
purchased the land in two ~63-acre plots in 1833 and 1834. In November 1835, he also acquired two parcels in Deerfield, Livingston County. This is where he decided to settle; he appears in The History of Livingston Co., Michigan as arriving and settling in Deerfield Twp. in spring 1836.
HHN was from Cayuga, New York, born around 1808, and
was no doubt one of the many from that part of the United States that
came west when the Erie Canal was completed in 1825. He was a schoolteacher.
John Godfrey (Johann Georg) Pietsch (often misspelled Peitsch). In 1836, he purchased the land from Nottingham for $700. Originally from Pennsylvania, he was the father of Araminta, Adelaide Louisa, and Charlotte. Araminta married Dr. Moses Ricksecker of Ann Arbor, Adelaide stayed in Pennsylvania, and Charlotte married Peter Kern, and died of consumption in 1836 and is buried in Scio Twp. When John died in 1841 (he is buried in Saline, MI), the land passed to Araminta and Adelaide.
Peter Kern. In 1842, Kern acquired the land from his sisters-in-law for $1489 in May 1842. PK was from Pennsylvania, born in Germany around 1795. He and wife Charlotte moved to Michigan around 1835 with their three children. After her death, he remarried Catharina Andres (later Andrews) in 1839 (they eventually had five children).
PK is listed in Lodi Twp. in the 1845 Michigan census, but in Scio Twp. in the 1850 federal census. In the 1850 portion of the census that lists agriculture production in Scio, PK (as Peter Kearn) is listed as have 240 acres (160 improved) worth $400. Various livestock are listed (seemingly for work and personal consumption), but his production is listed as 700 bushels of wheat (the largest producers in the township), plus rye and Indian corn.
In 1847, their fourth child, like the previous three, was listed as born in Lodi Twp., meaning somewhere on the 126 acres there must have been a house. Their last child was born in 1851, listed as being born in Scio Twp. Peter died in 1859, and his wife and children moved to Galesburg, IL.
Joseph D. Irish. A local merchant, he purchased the Lodi land in 1847 from the Kerns for $2000.
Araminta Ricksecker. The land went back to Araminta Pietsch Ricksecker in 1850, again for $2000.
Jacob Aprill. Moses and Ricksecker sold the land to Aprill in 1853 for $1200. JA was born in the Stuttgart area (then the Wurttemberg region) of Germany in 1808, and arrived in the U.S., in NY, around 1829. With his wife Magdelena, he travelled to Michigan (where his brother-in-law had already settled) by 1833 and was one of the pioneer families of the county. A group of German settlers purchased land in southern Scio Township, northern Lodi Township, southeastern Lima Township, and northeastern Freedom Township.
JA was a shoemaker, and worked at his trade, though he bought and sold land along what is now Scio Church Road, some of which he farmed. He built the family farmhouse on the north side of Scio Church, in section 32 of Scio Township. The home is still present at 6800 Scio Church, but it is no longer occupied by family, to the best of my knowledge.
JA died in 1889, and is buried at the church on Scio Church and Strieter.
Jacob and his wife had a number of children, one was George (see below), the next landowner.
George Aprill. Landowner from 1876 to >1915. Son of Jacob Aprill, born in 1852, died 1934. GA took over the family home/farm on Scio Church and used the small creek running through the property to run a cider mill and jelly works. In the 1930 census, Elton Frey was shown as living with the family (including son George, Jr.) as a hired man.
 |
| From the Ann Arbor Argus, Oct 9, 1891 |
 |
| From the Ann Arbor Argus, Sep 22, 1893 |
 |
| From the Ann Arbor Argus-Democrat, December 8, 1899 |
Frey's daugher Marilyn (crowned Dairy Princess in 1962) married Robert McFarland -- the owner of the strip of land bisecting Frey's land in the Land Changing Hands post. They still own and farm this land today.
