A Twentieth Century History of Berrien County, Michigan by Orville W. Collidge, was published in 1906 by the Lewis Publishing Company of Chicago and it contains a history of Royalton Township in Chapter XXI. On page 260 and 261 you can read the following: "In 1834, David Shearer, a native of North Carolina, emigrated from Ohio, where he had lived form some years, with his family consisting of a wife and thirteen children, and located one hundred and sixty acres in section nineteen. His son Eli and A.J. Briney, who had accompanied the family from Ohio, located lands adjoining. There were no settlers nearer than five miles distant. They journeyed from Ohio in four two-horse wagons. They went to mill to Prairie Ronde in Kalamazoo County, thirty-five miles distant." "In 1835, A.J. Briney, William Miltenberger and William Baumgartner, all from Ohio, settled in the township."
The History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, was published in 1880 in Philadelphia by the D. W. Ensign & Company. In this book on page 304 and 306 under the Chapter heading "Royalton Township" you can read:
"In the spring of 1834, David Shearer and Eli, his son, with Adam J. Briney, of Darke Co., Ohio, journeyed in company on horseback to Michigan for the purpose of locating land. They visited with William Lemon, of Berrien township (whom they knew well), and upon asking his advice as to where they had better settle, were informed that he knew where there was land that would suit them. Thereupon he accompanied them to what is now section 19, Royalton township, and the land proving acceptable they subsequently entered upon that section, David Shearer 150, Eli Shearer 80, and Briney 160 acres. Briney and the Shearers returned to Ohio, and in the fall of 1834 David Shearer started with his family for the Michigan farms. David Shearer, a widower with seven children, had married a widow with six children, so that when he started for Michigan he had a family of thirteen children to bear him company, besides Abner Shearer, a nephew, who remained in Michigan only about a year. David Shearer was originally from North Carolina and removed thence to Kentucky, and from there to Ohio.
The journey from Ohio to Michigan was made with four two-horse wagons, and after cutting a road from St. Joseph road to section 19, they landed safely upon their new lands in the almost trackless forest. While sturdy members of the family engaged in the hurried construction of a log cabin, all hands were rudely sheltered by the side of a prostrate tree, where they had their abiding-place and ‘kept house' until the more convenient cabin was prepared for them. Eli and his wife lived with the old folks until Eli completed a cabin for himself, and then they turned their attention to clearing their land and preparing for crops.
In that portion of Royalton no settlers had preceded the Shearers, and they were as much apart from communion with their own race as if they had been cast adrift upon the ocean. They had no time, however, to think of the loneliness of their situation, for they had that to engage their attention which gave them no leisure for idle thought, and so they worked bravely amid the wolves and Indians, and grew contented with their lot. ‘Going to mill' was one of the unpleasant features of existence, but it was one of necessity and importance. Although there was a mill at Niles, the Shearers chose to go to Prairie Ronde, thirty-eight miles distant, and to that point the journey was often made. In those days of unbroken roads a trip of seventy-six miles was no slight affair, and that it was going to mill under difficulties may easily be understood.
David Shearer lived upon his farm until his death, in 1865. Of the thirteen children who came to Royalton with him, those now living are Eli Shearer, Andrew Shearer, Sarah Briney, Catherine Boughton, and Lizzie Edwards."
According to member#46975003: "Father: William Christian Shearer b: 1759 40208274,Mother: Hannah Hoover b: abt 1777 40208281"
The History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, was published in 1880 in Philadelphia by the D. W. Ensign & Company. In this book on page 304 and 306 under the Chapter heading "Royalton Township" you can read:
"In the spring of 1834, David Shearer and Eli, his son, with Adam J. Briney, of Darke Co., Ohio, journeyed in company on horseback to Michigan for the purpose of locating land. They visited with William Lemon, of Berrien township (whom they knew well), and upon asking his advice as to where they had better settle, were informed that he knew where there was land that would suit them. Thereupon he accompanied them to what is now section 19, Royalton township, and the land proving acceptable they subsequently entered upon that section, David Shearer 150, Eli Shearer 80, and Briney 160 acres. Briney and the Shearers returned to Ohio, and in the fall of 1834 David Shearer started with his family for the Michigan farms. David Shearer, a widower with seven children, had married a widow with six children, so that when he started for Michigan he had a family of thirteen children to bear him company, besides Abner Shearer, a nephew, who remained in Michigan only about a year. David Shearer was originally from North Carolina and removed thence to Kentucky, and from there to Ohio.
The journey from Ohio to Michigan was made with four two-horse wagons, and after cutting a road from St. Joseph road to section 19, they landed safely upon their new lands in the almost trackless forest. While sturdy members of the family engaged in the hurried construction of a log cabin, all hands were rudely sheltered by the side of a prostrate tree, where they had their abiding-place and ‘kept house' until the more convenient cabin was prepared for them. Eli and his wife lived with the old folks until Eli completed a cabin for himself, and then they turned their attention to clearing their land and preparing for crops.
In that portion of Royalton no settlers had preceded the Shearers, and they were as much apart from communion with their own race as if they had been cast adrift upon the ocean. They had no time, however, to think of the loneliness of their situation, for they had that to engage their attention which gave them no leisure for idle thought, and so they worked bravely amid the wolves and Indians, and grew contented with their lot. ‘Going to mill' was one of the unpleasant features of existence, but it was one of necessity and importance. Although there was a mill at Niles, the Shearers chose to go to Prairie Ronde, thirty-eight miles distant, and to that point the journey was often made. In those days of unbroken roads a trip of seventy-six miles was no slight affair, and that it was going to mill under difficulties may easily be understood.
David Shearer lived upon his farm until his death, in 1865. Of the thirteen children who came to Royalton with him, those now living are Eli Shearer, Andrew Shearer, Sarah Briney, Catherine Boughton, and Lizzie Edwards."
According to member#46975003: "Father: William Christian Shearer b: 1759 40208274,Mother: Hannah Hoover b: abt 1777 40208281"
A Twentieth Century History of Berrien County, Michigan by Orville W. Collidge, was published in 1906 by the Lewis Publishing Company of Chicago and it contains a history of Royalton Township in Chapter XXI. On page 260 and 261 you can read the following: "In 1834, David Shearer, a native of North Carolina, emigrated from Ohio, where he had lived form some years, with his family consisting of a wife and thirteen children, and located one hundred and sixty acres in section nineteen. His son Eli and A.J. Briney, who had accompanied the family from Ohio, located lands adjoining. There were no settlers nearer than five miles distant. They journeyed from Ohio in four two-horse wagons. They went to mill to Prairie Ronde in Kalamazoo County, thirty-five miles distant." "In 1835, A.J. Briney, William Miltenberger and William Baumgartner, all from Ohio, settled in the township."
The History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, was published in 1880 in Philadelphia by the D. W. Ensign & Company. In this book on page 304 and 306 under the Chapter heading "Royalton Township" you can read:
"In the spring of 1834, David Shearer and Eli, his son, with Adam J. Briney, of Darke Co., Ohio, journeyed in company on horseback to Michigan for the purpose of locating land. They visited with William Lemon, of Berrien township (whom they knew well), and upon asking his advice as to where they had better settle, were informed that he knew where there was land that would suit them. Thereupon he accompanied them to what is now section 19, Royalton township, and the land proving acceptable they subsequently entered upon that section, David Shearer 150, Eli Shearer 80, and Briney 160 acres. Briney and the Shearers returned to Ohio, and in the fall of 1834 David Shearer started with his family for the Michigan farms. David Shearer, a widower with seven children, had married a widow with six children, so that when he started for Michigan he had a family of thirteen children to bear him company, besides Abner Shearer, a nephew, who remained in Michigan only about a year. David Shearer was originally from North Carolina and removed thence to Kentucky, and from there to Ohio.
The journey from Ohio to Michigan was made with four two-horse wagons, and after cutting a road from St. Joseph road to section 19, they landed safely upon their new lands in the almost trackless forest. While sturdy members of the family engaged in the hurried construction of a log cabin, all hands were rudely sheltered by the side of a prostrate tree, where they had their abiding-place and ‘kept house' until the more convenient cabin was prepared for them. Eli and his wife lived with the old folks until Eli completed a cabin for himself, and then they turned their attention to clearing their land and preparing for crops.
In that portion of Royalton no settlers had preceded the Shearers, and they were as much apart from communion with their own race as if they had been cast adrift upon the ocean. They had no time, however, to think of the loneliness of their situation, for they had that to engage their attention which gave them no leisure for idle thought, and so they worked bravely amid the wolves and Indians, and grew contented with their lot. ‘Going to mill' was one of the unpleasant features of existence, but it was one of necessity and importance. Although there was a mill at Niles, the Shearers chose to go to Prairie Ronde, thirty-eight miles distant, and to that point the journey was often made. In those days of unbroken roads a trip of seventy-six miles was no slight affair, and that it was going to mill under difficulties may easily be understood.
David Shearer lived upon his farm until his death, in 1865. Of the thirteen children who came to Royalton with him, those now living are Eli Shearer, Andrew Shearer, Sarah Briney, Catherine Boughton, and Lizzie Edwards."
According to member#46975003: "Father: William Christian Shearer b: 1759 40208274,Mother: Hannah Hoover b: abt 1777 40208281"
The History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, was published in 1880 in Philadelphia by the D. W. Ensign & Company. In this book on page 304 and 306 under the Chapter heading "Royalton Township" you can read:
"In the spring of 1834, David Shearer and Eli, his son, with Adam J. Briney, of Darke Co., Ohio, journeyed in company on horseback to Michigan for the purpose of locating land. They visited with William Lemon, of Berrien township (whom they knew well), and upon asking his advice as to where they had better settle, were informed that he knew where there was land that would suit them. Thereupon he accompanied them to what is now section 19, Royalton township, and the land proving acceptable they subsequently entered upon that section, David Shearer 150, Eli Shearer 80, and Briney 160 acres. Briney and the Shearers returned to Ohio, and in the fall of 1834 David Shearer started with his family for the Michigan farms. David Shearer, a widower with seven children, had married a widow with six children, so that when he started for Michigan he had a family of thirteen children to bear him company, besides Abner Shearer, a nephew, who remained in Michigan only about a year. David Shearer was originally from North Carolina and removed thence to Kentucky, and from there to Ohio.
The journey from Ohio to Michigan was made with four two-horse wagons, and after cutting a road from St. Joseph road to section 19, they landed safely upon their new lands in the almost trackless forest. While sturdy members of the family engaged in the hurried construction of a log cabin, all hands were rudely sheltered by the side of a prostrate tree, where they had their abiding-place and ‘kept house' until the more convenient cabin was prepared for them. Eli and his wife lived with the old folks until Eli completed a cabin for himself, and then they turned their attention to clearing their land and preparing for crops.
In that portion of Royalton no settlers had preceded the Shearers, and they were as much apart from communion with their own race as if they had been cast adrift upon the ocean. They had no time, however, to think of the loneliness of their situation, for they had that to engage their attention which gave them no leisure for idle thought, and so they worked bravely amid the wolves and Indians, and grew contented with their lot. ‘Going to mill' was one of the unpleasant features of existence, but it was one of necessity and importance. Although there was a mill at Niles, the Shearers chose to go to Prairie Ronde, thirty-eight miles distant, and to that point the journey was often made. In those days of unbroken roads a trip of seventy-six miles was no slight affair, and that it was going to mill under difficulties may easily be understood.
David Shearer lived upon his farm until his death, in 1865. Of the thirteen children who came to Royalton with him, those now living are Eli Shearer, Andrew Shearer, Sarah Briney, Catherine Boughton, and Lizzie Edwards."
According to member#46975003: "Father: William Christian Shearer b: 1759 40208274,Mother: Hannah Hoover b: abt 1777 40208281"
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