Ralph Fowler--in his sketch about the early days of living in this area-- wrote the following…

 “During the first few years of our settlement in Handy, the bears, wolves, and deer were very thick. During the first winter I have looked out of the door of my log house and counted eight or ten deer browsing on the timber. The bears frequently killed and carried off our hogs.

 “One more little feature I wish to mention. The first year we mowed our marsh land, which was accomplished by swinging a scythe by hand, we killed 125 massaugers, besides black snakes measuring from three to eight feet in length.

 “The years ’37, ’38, and ’39 were enthusiastic years for us. The state having been admitted into the Union and an appropriation of five thousand acres of land from the general government for the completion of the Detroit and Grand River, and the Detroit and Saginaw (rail) roads, which the government was at work upon. (The roads were not completed until years later because of the economic depression which hit the country.)

 “At the arrival of newcomers we all made it a point to make their acquaintance as soon as possible, anxious to know about their teams, wives and children, also their money as well as their dogs and how efficient the men were with an ox.

 “Our township had so populated that during the winter of 1838 we organized and called it Handy. Our town then numbered 14 voters and we had a blacksmith shop kept by Elizer Tucker.

 “From ’38 to ’40 were years of hope and prosperity. Then came a change – from 1841 to 1847 were discouraging times indeed.

 “The combined amount of wheat raised by the settlers amounted to 4500 bushels. I bought a threshing machine and the wheat was threshed and stored as best we could. We sold the wheat for 44 cents in “St. Clair’ or 50 cents in ‘Wild Cat’ money. I sold my money in Detroit for 50 cents on the dollar, netting me 22 cents per bushel with expenses yet to be deducted.

 “A little later the balance of the wheat was sold in Howell for 33 cents per bushel, delivered.

 “During these years everybody sold out who could and our town almost depopulated. Fever and ague were rampant, many died and those remaining were greatly discouraged. These days were dark indeed.

 “Still with this sad and depressing condition our hopes and energies were somewhat revived knowing the time had nearly arrived when the Constitution of our State provided for the permanent location of the State Capitol. We hardly dared hope that it would be taken from Detroit and placed in Lansing, yet we learned to hope against hope, knowing such an event would add greatly to the interest of our town. We put all our efforts to work for the accomplishment of said object-- happy were we when Lansing was named our Capitol.

 “The plank road from Lansing to Howell was now in contemplation, there being one from Detroit to Howell already commenced. This road was commenced in 1849 and complete in 1853. I took the job to furnish the plank from Cedar River to Howell, one and one-half million feet. They were delivered on the road by Levi Munsell and Jeremiah Nichols for 75 cents per thousand feet from Fowlerville to Howell.

 “The plank road being finished it became one of the most business thoroughfares in the state, lined with teams from end to end with four horse coach each way twice a day, frequently carrying from 12 to 20 persons. Our village commenced to rapidly populate.

 “This state of things was of short duration as the building of the Detroit and Milwaukee and Jackson and Saginaw railroads shut the travel from our road as suddenly as the closing of a door.”