The Way We Are

 
Home
Old Settlers
Square Dance
Old Settlers Honored
History
Old Settler Families
Historical Events
Memoirs
75th Reunion
Historical Schools
Wheatland Church
Letter From Home
Transitions
Gladys Guy-Harper
Military
Gift Shop
Norman-Cummings
The Way We Are
Benjamin Banneker
Cemeteries
Guess Who?
Negro Folktales
The Old Settlers: Vol. 1
The Old Settlers:  Vol. 2
Old Settler Sayers
Links
Todd Ghost Stories
Beyond The Gate

 

Doraville Whitney was the first Black settler in Isabella County in 1860.  The first documentation of an African-American settler in Mecosta County Michigan was James Guy.  His deed was signed by Abraham Lincoln.  He  obtained 160 acres in Wheatland Township on May 30, 1861.  Lloyd & Margaret Guy were the first Black settlers in Montcalm County in 1861. The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed each settler 160 acres in Michigan.  By 1873 African-Americans owned 1,392 acres in the three counties of Isabella, Mecosta and Montcalm.  In the 1860's most of the land in Remus was owned by the Old Settlers. 

 

Norman-Allen-Crawford Families

 

 

Brandi Norman

Daughter of

Alvin & Helen Norman

 

Harris Family

 

Kim Harris

 

Kim Harris just received her Master's Degree. 

She is the daughter of Charles (Chucky) Harris and the Granddaughter of Reva Cook and

Howard Harris.

 

Cummings Family

 

Caleb, Joshua & Naomi Gatling

Children of

Margo Cummings-Gatling

& Sterling Gatlin

 

Robert Jr., Elizabeth, Eric &

Sandra Shelby

Children of Betty Cummings-Shelby

 

Green Family

 

Demetrius (Eli) Walker

Son of Alford & Tera Green

Morgan Green

Daughter of

William & Sara Green

 

Kayla Green

Daughter of Deonna

(Todd)

& Grant Green

Kayla Green

Daughter of Deonna

(Todd)

& Grant Green

 

Chris Penix & Kayla Green

 

Justus, Tevin, Tomarrah &

Janessa Green

Children of Victoria and Gary Green

Tevin & Tomarrah Green

Children of Victoria and Gary Green

Liberty, Janessa, Justus,  and Tyler

Green

Children of Victoria and Gary Green

Janessa, Tomarrah &

Liberty Green

Children of Victoria and Gary Green

 

Goings Family

 

Senator Carl Levin & Todd (Toddy) Murphy

 

Guy Family

 

Gerald Edward & Kenneth Marshall, Jr.

These are the sons of Kenneth Marshall.

Grandsons of  Marguerite Guy DeLyons

 

Flowers Family

 

Corey A. Flowers

 

Lett Family

 

Becky Blackmer-Kurtz & Marvin Lett

Receiving Service Plaque (16 Years)

Wheatland Township Library Board

 

Jessica Robin Lett

Class of 2007

Bachelor of Science

Keene State College

Daughter of Fred Lett

Granddaughter of

Victor and Beulah Lett

 

Philip Christopher Lett Sherrill

Phyllis Lett-Sherrill

 

Philip, Charlotte and Philip Sherrill

 

Philip Christopher Lett Sherrill 

Baseball Team

 

Steven Street

 

Ariel Lett

 

Porter/Maki/Rice Family

 

President Obama & Raymond Ampy

Great Grandson of Ida Porter

 

The Maki Family

Daughter of Dickie/George Maki

Sondra LaSalle, Kimberly Maki

Deontray Maki

 

Richard, Dickie, Marquis, Joe, Deontray  Maki

 

L-R: Roger Rice, Susan Fowler, Boyd West

Marlene Fowler, Dennis Rice, Dyann Hayes

Elaine Privett, and Dick Maki

Raymond and Catherine Rice’s Grand Children: Photo Taken: July 22, 2006

Place: Lake Lansing

 

Jchon (Shawn) - 15 Frank Samantha - 13 Jackie  

Isaac - 6 Langston - 3 Noah - 2
The Hughes Family

Children of Patricia (Maki) Walker

 

John Johnson

Son of

Patricia (Maki) Walker

 

Mumford Family

 

Gayle Brown-Terry

Mother was Dottie Mumford

 

Todd Family

 

Houssam & Amira Salloum

Children of Sam &

Jillian-Stewart Salloum

 

Haywood Family

 

John & Jammie Haywood

Married June 5, 2004

 

 

 

 

Back to Top

 

The Way We Are

 

There are "Old Settlers" who came from Canada via "The Underground Railroad."  It was the most dramatic nonviolent protest against slavery in the United States that began in the Colonial Era and reached its peak between 1830 and 1865. An estimated 30,000 to 100,000 slaves used the "railroad" to get to Canada; many others escaped to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe.