Merriman Farm 15490 Buss Road

Manchester Township Washtenaw County, Michigan

Historic District Study Committee Final Report

September 15, 2004

circa 1910

2003

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Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………. 1 Description of Farmstead………………………………………… 2 Summary of Resources on Property…………………………… 6 History of Property…………………………………………………. 7

Pratt Years (1835 to 1858)……………………………….. 7 Merriman Years (1858 to 1955)…………………………. 8 Recent Years (1955 to present)…………………………. 14

Significance of Property…………………………………………. 15 Boundary Justification………………………………………….. 17 Conclusions and Recommendations…………………………. 18 Bibliography……………………………………………………….. 19

Attachments Attachment A Letter Petitioning Designation Attachment B Letter from Manchester Township Supervisor Attachment C Washtenaw County Historical Preservation Ordinance,

Section 3 Attachment D Resolution Appointing Study Committee Attachment E Legal Description of Property and Boundary Attachment F Summary of Tax Roll data, Section 6, Manchester

Township, 1838-1871 Attachment G Animal and plant species on Merriman Farm Attachment H Brief History of Merriman Family

Illustrations

Front Cover: Merriman Farmhouse (ca. 1910 and 2003) Figure 1. Site Plan/Landscape features of Merriman Farmstead Figure 2. View of south and west elevations of farmhouse Figure 3. Detail of frieze and brackets, south elevation Figures 4.A&B View of south and east elevations of east wing Figure 5. View of north and west elevations Figures 6.A&B Views of greenhouse and garage, looking south and west Figure 7. Diagram of existing floor plan, Merriman farm house Figure 8. Horse Barn, front (north) and west elevations Figure 9. Horse Barn, front (north) and east elevations Figure 10. Interior view of Horse Barn, upper level

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Figure 11. Big Barn, front (north) and east elevations Figure 12. Big Barn, interior, lower level, looking north and west Figure 13. Big Barn, rear (south) and west elevations Figure 14. Outhouse, north and west (front) elevations Figure 15. Pig House, east elevation Figure 16. Row of Maple Trees along Buss Road Figure 17. View of Sugar maple trees in front yard Figure 18. Basswood Tree Figure 19. Marsh Marigolds Figure 20. Wetlands to the west Figure 21. George O. Merriman Figure 22. Mary Kief Merriman Figure 23. Merriman Brothers: George B., Charles F., and William H. Figure 24. Aerial Photograph of the Merriman Farm, 1940. Figure 25. Merriman Farmhouse, looking SE, between 1955 and 1959 Figure 26. Charles Merriman and team in front of Merriman Farm house Figure 27. Agosti Renovations, 1959, looking SE towards the rear of the house Figure 28. Painting of Agosti Residence, after renovations Figure 29. View of Agosti residence with Big Barn roof visible in background Figure 30. 1856 Plat Map Figure 31. 1864 Plat Map Figure 32. 1874 Plat Map Figure 33. 1915 Plat Map Figure 34. 1967 Plat Map Figure 35. 2002 Plat Map

Washtenaw County Department of Planning and Environment Anthony VanDerworp, Director

Marnie Paulus: Historic Preservation Coordinator 705 North Zeeb Road, PO Box 8645

Ann Arbor, MI 48107 734-222-6878

paulusm@ewashtenaw.org http://histweb.ewashtenaw.org

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Merriman Farmstead Historic District

Manchester Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan

Final Report September 15, 2004

Introduction

In a letter dated March 14, 2002 (Attachment A), Betty Jean Kafka Murray, the current owner of the Merriman Farmstead at 15490 Buss Road, Manchester Township, Washtenaw County, petitioned Manchester Township to have the farmstead along with 78 acres designated a historic district under the jurisdiction of the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission. Manchester Township Supervisor Ronald Mann notified Ms. Murray on July 16, 2002 that the township board had passed a motion granting this request (Attachment B). Following the provisions of Section 3 of the County’s Historic Preservation Ordinance (Attachment C), the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners appointed a Historic District Study Committee by resolution on November 6, 2002 (Attachment D). The resolution charged the Study Committee to evaluate the property and determine if the farmstead meets criteria for historic district designation, as outlined in Section 3 of the County Preservation Ordinance. The members of the Merriman Farm Historic District Study Committee are: Lorry Wagner (chair) – Ms. Wagner is a graduate of the Historic Preservation program at Eastern Michigan University. She has researched and written a National Register Nomination for the Merriman Farmstead for her final project in the Historic Preservation program. She is a member of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Brighton Area Historical Society, and currently serves as the Treasurer for the Green Oak Township Historical Society. Ina Hanel-Gerdenich – Ms. Hanel-Gerdenich is a graduate of the Historic Preservation Program at Eastern Michigan University. She currently works as an independent consultant in historic preservation, specializing in the agricultural history of Michigan. She was formerly employed as the Preservation Planner for Washtenaw County, serving the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission. Suzanne Smucker – Ms. Smucker owns and farms property that borders the northern boundary of the Merriman farmstead. The Smucker farm is diversified, raising lamb, beef and chickens as well as growing small grains and maintaining pasture. The farm is certified organic and shares farming methods similar to those conducted during the time when the Merriman Farm was active. Ms. Smucker has an interest in the history of the area. Bob Kellum (ex-officio) – Mr. Kellum has served as a member of the Raisin Valley Land Trust, the former Washtenaw County Metropolitan Planning Commission, and the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission. He was born and raised in Ann Arbor and since 1960 has spent weekends and summer days on the family property in Manchester township where he now lives

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and does carpentry work. Working on historic structures has been a logical extension of his interest in history. Betty Jean Kafka Murray (ex-officio) – Betty Jean Murray, Ph.D., plant physiologist, is the current owner of the Merriman Farmstead. She is the founder of Marigold Marsh Tree Farm, a business she operates that specializes in field grown conifers and research in SPRINGRO(R) forced conifers. Marnie Paulus (staff) – Ms. Paulus currently serves as the Preservation Planner for Washtenaw County in Department of Planning & Environment. She has an M.S. in Historic Preservation Eastern Michigan University, and serves as a Board Member of the Michigan Barn Preservation Network and Ann Arbor Historical Foundation. She also is serving as the staff member for two additional Washtenaw County Historic Study Committees (2426 Whitmore Lake Road and Old Zion Parsonage Study Committees).

Description of Farmstead

The Merriman Farm is located at 15490 Buss Road in Manchester Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan. The property is situated in the Southeast fractional ¼ of the Northwest fractional ¼ of Section 6, Manchester Township and is located approximately five miles west of the Village of Manchester. The property consists of 78 acres of rolling open fields, wetlands, and forested land. The historic farmstead is situated along the southern boundary of the land, bordering the public road. The farmstead includes a mid-19th century farmhouse, two 20th-century barns, and two smaller outbuildings. One is an older outhouse that was moved onto the property before 1971 and the other outbuilding is a newer pig house (Figure 1). In addition, the farmstead is characterized by a collection of mature sugar maple trees in front of the house and along the access drive, and a large basswood tree adjacent to the house. The house and barns are situated on a small rise, approximately 130 feet north of the road, lending to the majestic setting of the property. From the house, the property owners, both current and past, have been able to view additional farmland owned to the south and east.

Residence: The Merriman farmhouse is a one-and-one-half-story structure exhibiting elements of the Greek Revival and Italianate architectural styles characteristic of the mid-19th century. The house faces south and the roof ridge is parallel to the façade. There are two, one-story gabled-roof wing additions: one attached to the east elevation of the main block, and one attached at the rear of the house on the north elevation. The profile of the core block of the farmhouse resembles a New England-style saltbox house with a short slope in front and a long slope in back (Figure 2). The front of the side-gable structure is 1½ stories tall, whereas at the rear, the house is only one-story tall. It is 1½ rooms deep. The timber frame house rests on a rough fieldstone foundation. The walls are covered with wood clapboard siding, and trimmed with simple narrow boards around the window and door openings, as well as at the corners. The walls are capped at the top by a wide frieze board placed under the simple, rather thin eaves. The frieze board is decorated with numerous single,

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sawn brackets around the perimeter of the house (Figure 3). The roof is covered by wood shakes. A large, rather tall, brick chimney punctuates the rear roof near the center of the house, and is not readily visible from the front. On the front elevation, the block is six bays wide, consisting of two front doors, each flanked by a double hung, 6/6 window. Each window, in turn, has a matching 3-light “frieze window” located above it on the second level, but below the actual frieze board (which is covered with brackets). The windows on both levels are flanked by wide shutters and some are covered with aluminum storm sashes. An attached open front porch extends ¾ the width of the façade of the core block and encompasses the two doors and two windows between them. The porch has a very shallow hip roof supported by simple, paired columns along the front and a cluster of three columns at each outside corner. The columns are decorated near the top with a small piece of molding, and are square in cross section. The porch floor consists of a concrete slab surrounded by a brick skirt. The west (side) elevation highlights the saltbox profile of the house. It has two 6/6 double hung windows with shutters on each level, and an additional matching window towards the rear on the first level. The frieze board and brackets continue on this elevation. The rear elevation is marked by a narrow, almost full-width extension of the house, situated under the main roof, covered with clapboard siding, but without a frieze board or an extending eave at the top. It is punctuated by two large sets of casement windows, one on each side of the rear door. The rear door itself is sheltered by a small, projecting, open gable roof. The core block of the house has a one-story, gable-roofed wing attached to its east elevation (Figures 4A and 4B). The front elevation of the wing is set back several feet from the façade of the main portion of the house. The wing is approximately three bays (29 feet) long and one bay (23 feet) deep. It rests on a concrete block foundation and is also covered with matching clapboard siding, narrow trim and corner boards, wide frieze, and brackets. It also has a wood shake roof and double hung 6/6 windows with shutters. The second one-story wing is attached to the rear of the house (Figure 5). This wing measures approximately 36 by 24 feet, and includes a two-car garage at its northern end. Like the house, it, too, is covered with wood clapboard and matching wood shakes, but it is constructed on a concrete block foundation (Figure 6B). The shallow-pitch gable roof has a cross-gable situated at the northern end over the two single-car garage doors. The doors are marked by four rows of recessed panels. The panels in the two upper rows are of glass. The gable over the garage doors is decorated with clapboard in the lower half and a wide, flat board in the upper portion. The upper portion lies under a small projecting gable that is visually supported by two brackets. A newer, one-story greenhouse is attached on the east elevation of the wing (Figure 6A). On the interior, the house exhibits a simple floor plan, consisting of two front rooms, each with its own exterior door opening onto the front porch. Mid-20th century changes to the floor plan have opened the small rooms once located at the rear of the house to the front of the house (Figure 7). Separating the front from the rear near the center of the house is the large brick chimney, including a brick oven and large fire place. The sloped ceilings of the saltbox architecture also dominate the interior. The current owner of the house was told by a real estate

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agent in 1981 that the ceilings were constructed of rough sawn black walnut and were thought to be from a tree growing on the farm. The kitchen and a bedroom are housed in the east wing. The second level of the house contains two bedrooms, a small storage room and a bathroom. The smaller bedroom exhibits the original tulip wood flooring. Throughout the house, timber frame members are exposed, and in the basement of the original section of the house, one can readily see twelve-inch wide logs with the bark still attached serving as floor joists. Horse Barn: The horse barn is a two-story structure with a gambrel roof situated west of the farmhouse and driveway (Figures 8 and 9). The building is oriented so that its main elevation is at one gable end, facing north. This building measures 36 by 24 feet. The foundation is made of poured concrete. The wood frame structure rests on top, and is composed of sawn boards and hand hewn timbers covered with relatively narrow, vertical boards painted red. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles. The barn exterior is embellished by the use of white paint highlighting the corners and eaves, and outlining the door and window openings. The window trim consists of simple boards on the side and bottom of each opening, and a board forming a shallow-pitch peak situated at the top of each opening. There are up to three matching windows on each elevation at the lower level. There are two sliding doors on the north elevation, and each one has a single sash window with trim that matches those windows found on the side elevations. A third door is situated on the west elevation, and a fourth one on the south elevation. The doors are outlined with edges painted white. The white area of the sides join together at the top in a curve, forming a visual arch of white superimposed on red. There is an unmarked opening in the gable of the north elevation, providing an opening to the hay loft on the second level of the barn. The opening is sheltered by a slight extension of the roof (hay roof) and a projecting board for the use of a hay fork. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles and is topped with three lightening rods added during the 1970s.

On the inside, the ground level of the barn is divided into two sections along its length. Along the east half, there are five horse stalls with feeding bins accessible by a drop door opening from the adjoining section. A channel acting as a drain in the cement floor for use in cleaning the stalls runs the length of this section. The western section of the barn has a small door in the south wall enabling small animals to access an adjacent yard. The upper level of the barn consists of one large room formerly used for the storage of hay (Figure 10). A large door on the north end opens downward to the outside revealing a pulley arrangement to carry the hay to the back area of the loft. Big Barn: The big barn is situated west of the farmhouse and the horse barn. The barn is larger than the horse barn, measuring 46 by 35 feet. It has a side-gable orientation, and is a two level banked barn (Figure 11). It was built into a hillside, and has an earth bank on its north (front) elevation. The structure is capped by a gable roof with a low pitch and shallow eaves, resembling the profile of a mid-20th century pole barn. Its foundation is constructed of uncut fieldstone and mortar. The walls are constructed of sawn and hand-hewn timbers covered on the exterior by three tiers of vertical boards. The upper level of the structure is supported by four, round wood timbers placed on raised, rounded concrete platforms at the basement level (Figure 12). These timbers appear to have been treated with creosote and are reputed to be part of a bridge that was

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torn down in the township.1 The roof is composed of asphalt shingles. The barn has two large, nine-light, metal sash windows on each gable end. The lower (basement) level contains awning windows (Figure 13). A double sliding door and a smaller door are located at the top of the earth bank on the north elevation. There are three doors on the south elevation at the basement level: one double sliding door and two single doors. A survey of the barn’s interior suggests that the barn is a rebuilt structure composed of salvaged material, resting on an older fieldstone foundation. On the inside, the main floor of the barn is open, serving as one space. The space is distinctive due to tongue-and-groove boards placed on the diagonal. Recycled hand-hewn timbers serving as support columns for the framing of the exterior walls and roof are placed on top of the floor. The basement level is accessed by a stairway near the northeast corner. The concrete floor of the basement is six inches lower in the center third of the barn than the floors on each side. An 18 by 6 inch thick, composite beam runs the length of the north wall serving as a sill plate. Outhouse: The outhouse located adjacent to the horse barn measures six by eight feet (Figure 14). It has a gable roof, side-gable orientation, and faces west. The building has no foundation. Its walls are made of horizontal clapboard siding, and the roof is covered with asphalt shingles. There is a five-panel door on the west elevation, and one single sash window at each gable end. The windows and door trim consists of simple boards capped by a small lintel. The house also exhibits corner boards and a medium-width frieze board. The outhouse is not original to the site. It was moved from the Spafford School located at the corner of Austin and Lamb Roads before 1971.2 Pig House: The pig house is a small, narrow rectangular structure with a steeply-pitched gable roof extending down to the ground. The structure is seven feet wide and six feet deep (Figure 15). The siding on the gable ends consists of horizontal wooden boards painted red with white trim. The gable roof is covered with asphalt shingles. There are two openings; a double door on one side and a screened window on the other. Two rails inside suggest that this structure may have also been used for chickens. In the corner, there is a wooden box of unknown age, with the markings, “Ola-Kiss Flame Tokays. East side fruit grower. Net wt. 26 lbs. Product USA.” Like the outhouse, the pig house is located between the two barns. It was moved from the south field to its present location by Bill Merriman (descendent of William H. Merriman) circa 1983.3

1 Interview on May 23, 2003 with Manchester Township Supervisor, Ron Mann, who indicated that the Duncan Street bridge was removed in the 1950s and the Main Street bridge was replaced in the 1960s. 2 Betty Jean Murray, current owner. Interview on January 7, 2004 with the Study Committee. 3 Ibid.

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Landscape Features: Originally, the Merriman farm consisted of an oak-hickory forest and a mixed hardwood swamp. Over the years, farming changed the surrounding vegetation so that the farm now encompasses cropland and shrub range land, as well as some wetlands and numerous landmark trees. Many of the remnants of the land when it was a working farm are still visible. For example, according to Merriman family members there was an orchard in the field to the East of the house. An old apple tree that still bears fruit stands there. The farm lane which leads to the seven acre field to the Northwest of the house is still in use. Undoubtedly, this path served many of the Merrimans when they needed to till and harvest the crops from those fields. An aerial photograph of the Merriman Farm from the 1940’s illustrates some of the features (Figure 24). The property is landscaped with large shade trees, including 18 large sugar maples along the main road and dispersed on the property (Figures 16 and 17). A very large basswood still stands at the east end of the house (Figure 18). This basswood measures 11.5 to 12 feet in circumference at a height of 4.5 feet off the ground. A group of white lilacs continues to grow (and produce) east of the house. Currently, the farm is being used as a horticulture research facility and its name, Marigold Marsh Tree Farm, is derived from the Marsh Marigold wildflowers that one can still find along the stream bed, which runs through the property (Figures 19 and 20).

Summary of Resources on Merriman Farm Resource Date 1. Farmhouse* late 1860s or early 1870s 2. Garage 1959 3. Greenhouse 1995 4. Horse Barn* late 19th or early 20th century 5. Big Barn* mid-19th century and 1960s 6. Outhouse early 20th century, moved on site before 1971 7. Pig House* mid 20th century 8. Maple Trees* late 19th and early 20th centuries 9. Basswood* early 20th century 10. Driveway & farm lane* 19th century

*Resources considered to be historically significant. Resources no longer extant Date Removal Date 1. Carriage House (rear wing) mid-19th century 1950s 2. Outhouse (rear wing) 4 unknown 1950s 3. Outbuildings (2) 2nd half, 19th century after 1940, probably 1950s

4 The outhouse was located in the rear wing of the house. An earlier outhouse may have existed east of the house, adjacent to a white lilac bush. The association of lilac trees and outhouses east of the farmhouse has been observed on other farmsteads in the Manchester area (Bob Kellum, Interview, January 7, 2004, by the Study Committee).

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History of the Property

Much of the history of the Merriman Farm is derived from oral history, census and tax records, county history and atlases, newspaper articles and some secondary references. In addition, Merriman family genealogical information was obtained from research conducted for a National Register nomination by Ms. Lorry Wagner.5 Mrs. Nancy Krohn of the Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County identified the death date of the original farm owner, Mr. Levi B. Pratt.

The Pratt Years (1837-1858) The land that was to become the Pratt-Merriman farm was first purchased as a 114.1-acre parcel by Levi B. Pratt in March of 1837.6 The parcel was part of a larger tract that Mr. Pratt assembled over the course of several years.7 Levi B. Pratt was one of the earlier settlers in the Washtenaw County, arriving sometime in or before 1827 when he was appointed to serve on the County’s first grand jury.8 He subsequently participated in the inaugural meeting establishing the township of Manchester, and held several public offices, including a Commissioner of Highways and an Overseer of the Poor.9 Little else is known about the personal life of Mr. Pratt. He was born in 1794, and lived in Manchester township from the time he settled there in the early 1830s (possibly late 1820s) until his death in April 1855.10 He was married to Sarah (Sally) Pratt, and conducted real estate transactions with relatives Almon (and wife, Lucy) and Aaron Pratt (see below). By 1850, L. B. Pratt owned 200 acres of land in Manchester Township, half of which is described as "improved." Unlike his neighbors, including the Merriman family, Mr. Pratt did not own any livestock at this time. The agricultural census of that year shows that the surrounding farmers owned horses, milk cows, working oxen, sheep and/or swine.11 Mr. Pratt did grow wheat, corn, oats, peas, potatoes and hay. However, since he had no cows or sheep, he did not produce milk, butter, or wool that year, although the census lists "$30" as the value of animals slaughtered. Chapman (1881) does mention in passing Mr. Pratt’s branding mark used to identify his livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs), suggesting that at an earlier date, at least, Mr. Pratt did own some animals.12 5 Lorry Wagner, “Merriman Farm,” National Register Nomination, August 21, 2001. See also Attachment H of this report. 6 Patent Deed, dated 3/20/1837, issued to Levi B. Pratt, Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records, Accession/Serial No. MI0490__.029. Paul Peck (1986, page 94) lists the date as June 23, 1835. 7 Paul Peck (1986), p. 94. 8 Chapman (1881), Volume 1, p. 220. 9 Chapman (1881), Volume 2, p. 1313. 10 Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County, Capers, Volume 11, No. 3, p. 56 (quoting the English Papers, collection housed at the Bentley Historical Library). Mr. Pratt purchased land in Section 31 of Pittsfield Township, Washtenaw County, in 1829 (Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber A, page 426), and in Section 5 of Manchester Township in 1832 and 1834 (Paul Peck, 1986, page 94). 11 U.S. Agriculture Census, Manchester Township, 1850. 12 Chapman (1881), Volume 2, p. 1359.

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The lack of livestock and Levi’s advancing age (or poor health?) must have had at least a small financial impact on the Pratt family during the 1850s. In 1851 and 1852, the taxes on the farm were paid by Almon K. Pratt, suggesting that he may have been the person actually farming the land. In 1853, the amount of tax owed doubled for the Pratt and surrounding farms (Attachment F). Levi and Sarah took out a mortgage on the farm, which was never repaid.13 And in 1854, they sold ten acres in the southwest corner of their parcel to Thomas Green, a neighbor, for $250.14 The price excluded the timber on the property. Levi Pratt died on April 18, 1855. The property was then sold by his widow, Sally, to Almon K. Pratt in 1857 in two parts. Almon purchased the land for $700 in June, and obtained a sheriff’s deed in August for $139.81.15 In the following year, Almon and his wife Lucy Pratt relocated to Vermont, and sold the farmstead, consisting of 74.72 acres, for the tidy sum of $1400.16 The remaining acreage was purchased by neighbors Amos Ballard and D. Gillet.17 The Merriman Years (1858-1955) I. George O. Merriman Farm: 1858-1886 George O. Merriman (Figure 21) purchased part of the Pratt farm from Almon and Lucy Pratt in October 1858. Mr. Merriman was a member of a neighboring family that emigrated from Connecticut via New York to Washtenaw County in 1836. A summary of the Merriman family’s genealogical history can be found in Attachment H of this paper. The family initially settled in Freedom Township, but relocated to Manchester Township in 1839 when Benoni Merriman, father to George, purchased 160 acres just southeast of the Pratt farm. Benoni also owned land in Sections 5 and 7, and farmed with his two grown sons, George and Luther. In the 1840s and early 1850s, George worked as a store keeper in the village of Manchester. He married Mary Kief, a member of a local family there in 1846. Mary was the daughter of George’s partner in the mercantile business (Figure 22). After a fire in 1853 that burned the store, George and Mary moved with their growing family back out to the Merriman family farm area near the northwestern corner of the township. In 1857, George purchased 172 acres of land in Sections 6 and 7 from his father, Benoni, for $3500.18 The following year he bought the 74 acres and farmstead of the nearby Pratt farm.19 It is not known what was on the land when George Merriman purchased the farm. At the very least, George purchased land that had been mostly cleared, and one house, as indicated on the 1856 plat map.20 It is possible that there were one or more barns and/or outbuildings, given that the Pratt family had farmed the land previously. By the time the 1860 census data was collected, George Merriman had owned the farm for 1 1/2 years, during which there was one growing season. George’s household included his wife and a

13 Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber 20 of Mortgages, p. 68. 14 Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber 39, pp 132-133. 15 Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber 42, p. 422; Liber 43, p. 672. 16 Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber 44, p. 234. 17 Manchester Township, Michigan, Tax Records, 1857 and 1858. 18 Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber 42, p. 14. 19 Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber 44, p. 234. 20 Bechler, Gustavus R., “Map of Washtenaw County, Michigan from surveys by G. R. Bechler and E. Wenig,” (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Bechler, Wenig, and Co., 1856).

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number of children, age 12 and under, but it did not include a resident farm laborer.21 The former Pratt farm was now part of a larger enterprise totaling 230 acres, of which all but 60 acres had been developed in some manner. George owned some livestock: four horses, four milk cows, two oxen, eight other cattle, 180 sheep, and ten swine. This collection suggests the need for animal shelter, such as a medium-sized barn, but not much more. Approximately 75% of the Manchester Township farmers raised sheep during this census year, including all of those that worked the farms surrounding the George Merriman farm. The latter are included among those who had the largest number of sheep in the township. In addition to raising livestock, George Merriman grew wheat, corn, oats, buckwheat, potatoes, and hay in 1860, and he sold wool and butter. Because of the hilly terrain of the former Pratt parcel, it seems possible that the land around the house was used as pasture for sheep, and that the other farm land owned by George to the south and east was tilled for the field crops. During the following decade, George consolidated his land holdings, centered on the former Pratt Farm. By 1870, he owned 270 improved acres, and 130 wood land acres. 22 He sold a 40 acre parcel that he owned in Section 4 sometime before 1864, and was no longer part owner of the farm that he formerly shared with his father in Section 5. The latter went to his brother, Luther. The value of George’s farm is listed as $20,000 in the 1870 Agricultural census, which when compared to many of the other farms in the township which are valued at $10,000 or less, suggests that George was relatively successful. George continued to be diverse in his livestock selection, owning seven horses, seven milk cows, 20 other cows, 20 swine, and 170 sheep, according to the 1870 agriculture census. Again, the number of horses and sheep suggest that George's farm included pasture land as well as tilled fields. George also kept dogs on his farm during this time. The tax rolls for the year 1868 included a tax on dogs. While surrounding neighbors were taxed $1.00 that year, George was taxed $3.00, suggesting that he owned more dogs than his neighbors, perhaps to help herd and guard the sheep.23 During 1870, George raised wheat, oats, hay, and a relatively large quantity of corn. He also produced some peas and potatoes, and sold wool, butter, and orchard products. The latter indicates that by this time, the apple orchard to the east of the house, of which there is one tree remaining, was established. The orchard is depicted in the plat map from 1874.24 The 1870s also marked a prosperous time for George Merriman. By this time he had three sons who were in their teens and twenties, and seven daughters, all of whom were able to assist with the farm operation. In addition, he employed a young laborer. In 1874, George owned the former Pratt farmstead parcel, Lot “B” across the road to the south, and 80 acres in Section 10.

21 Both George’s brother and brother-in-law operated nearby farms with the help of a laborer who lived with their respective families (U. S. Federal Agricultural Census, Manchester Township, 1860). 22 U. S. Agricultural Census, Manchester Township, Michigan, 1870. 23 Manchester Township, Michigan Tax Records, 1868. 24Ypsilanti Historical Society. Combination Atlas and Map of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Reproduced by Unigraphic, Inc., Evansville, Indiana, 1981. Reprint of Illustrated Atlas, Chicago, Illinois: Everts and Stewart, 1874.

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He sold the 100 acre parcel in the southeast quarter of Section 6. According to the 1878-1879 County Directory, the Merriman farm included a total of 347 acres of land owned in Sections 6, 7, and 10 of the township. At this time, the village of Manchester, located approximately five miles east of the farm, offered a ready market for the farm’s products. With two railroads, a woolen mill, a flour mill, an agricultural implement store, a cider mill, and hop yards just west of the village, George was able to readily sell his surplus and purchase the necessary supplies.25 It was also during this period that George Merriman traveled to Kansas where he began purchasing several tracts of land near what eventually would become the city of Wichita. The relative prosperity of the Merriman farm, as indicated in the census records, is also visibly apparent in the embellishments of the Merriman farmhouse. Most notably, closely spaced Italianate-style brackets placed under the eaves reflect dripping prosperity on a farm house that would otherwise be considered a vernacular one. The house was also enhanced by a full-length, wrap-around front porch, that continued along the front of the adjacent 1 ½-story side wing to the east, and an extended rear, giving it its distinctive saltbox shape (front cover). The front porch had a relatively shallow hip roof supported on turned columns across the front, connected by a railing with turned spindles. Openings in the railing were located in front of the east main entry door and at the west end of the porch. The actual construction date of the house is not known. However, there are several clues that suggest that the house was probably constructed or sufficiently altered enough to reflect the period after the Civil War when the farm operation was near its peak. Photographs of the house at the turn of the 20th century illustrate its architectural features, including a medium-pitch roof, narrow clapboard siding with narrow corner boards, 2/2 double hung windows, turned columns of the front porch, and the placement of frieze windows below, rather than in, the frieze. These are all features on a house that would be considered up-to-date during the second part of the 19th century. Other features indicate that the house was probably built earlier rather than later in the second half of the century: the use of timber frame construction technique, the presence of frieze windows at all, and the saltbox profile. These are characteristics on the house that reflect back to an earlier time. The earlier elements may have been maintained for practical reasons: timber was plentiful on the Merriman farm, and the men employed to build the house were probably familiar with timber frame construction techniques. The frieze windows enabled light to enter the second floor rooms while leaving sufficient room above on the exterior to incorporate an unbroken row of brackets, and the selection of the saltbox profile provided additional space for George’s growing family as well as protection from the northern winds. It also enabled a full-size side wing to be added onto the house in a manner that would not dominate the front elevation. And, finally, the selection of the profile may have been influenced by the New England roots of the Merriman family. The saltbox configuration was one form of house characteristic of New England and later New York State during the 18th and early 19th centuries.26 It is not very common in the Manchester, Michigan area. Also unusual on the house is the use of two doors on the front elevation. This is particularly the case because the house otherwise does reflect some of the New England/New York architectural 25 Ibid, p. 22 and p. 124. 26 Noble, Allen G., Wood, Brick and Stone: the North American Settlement Landscape (Volume I: “Houses.” Amherst, Massachusetts: The University of Massachusetts Press, 1984).

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traditions of the 18th and first part of the 19th centuries. The use of two front doors on side-gable homes has been associated with German carpenters in Iowa.27 Out of four farmhouses depicted in the 1874 Washtenaw County Atlas with two front doors, three had side-gable roofs.28 The use of more than one front door was probably very functional on a working farm during the second part of the 19th century. In addition to the common and distinctive architectural characteristics of the house, plat maps suggest a construction date between 1864 and 1874. A comparison of the plat maps from this time shows that the farmhouse location was shifted approximately ¼ mile to the east between these years. This suggests that the farm house occupied by Levi Pratt was either moved by George at this time, and then remodeled sufficiently to reflect the period of the late 1860s and early 1870s; or that the original Pratt house was removed and the Merriman house was built new.29 The 1880 Agricultural census indicates that George continued to be even more prosperous. George's total land holdings of 400 acres included improved and unimproved land as well as a 60-acre forested tract. The overall farm value was among the highest in comparison to that of the surrounding farms. George now owned eight horses, a herd of 30 cows (milk cows and cattle), 150 sheep, 40 swine, and 150 poultry. His farm produced cut wood, butter, eggs, wool, and grew corn, oats, wheat, and potatoes. His orchard included three acres of 60 apple trees. The increase in number and variety of livestock other than sheep suggest that George was beginning to diversify his farm operation to one that was characteristic of the late 19th century in southern Michigan. In addition, the diversification suggests the type of barns and/or outbuildings that may have been present on the farm. The larger number of cows suggests that a livestock barn was most certainly constructed by this time, if not earlier. The fieldstone foundation and dimensions of the “Big Barn” currently on the property are consistent with such a typical barn from this time. Its location, relatively far from the house, would have been near the former location of the Pratt house, suggesting that perhaps the barn foundation (or at least the site location) precede the date of the construction of the Merriman house. In addition to the livestock barn, the larger number of horses suggests that the second livestock barn might have been built at this time. Its location closer to the current farmhouse might suggest that it was built after the Merriman farmhouse was constructed. Similarly, an increase in the number of poultry and egg production suggest the possibility of the presence of a chicken house.

27 Domer, Denis, “Genesis Theories of the German-American Two-Door House,” Material Culture, v. 26:1 (Spring 1994): 1-35. 28 Ypsilanti Historical Society. Combination Atlas and Map of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Reproduced by Unigraphic, Inc., Evansville, Indiana, 1981. Reprint of Illustrated Atlas, Chicago, Illinois: Everts and Stewart, 1874: 31, 41, 73, 97. 29 There also remains the possibility that the editors of the plat maps made a typographical correction, and that the house was indeed always located at its current location. The correction, however, would have been a major one that included correcting for a pronounced curve in the road. This kind of correction would be quite unusual for these sources (Bechler, Gustavus R., Map of the counties of Washtenaw and Lenawee, Michigan from special surveys and official records by G. R. Bechler and E. Wenig, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Samuel Geil, publisher, 1864; and Ypsilanti Historical Society, Combination Atlas and Map of Washtenaw County, Michigan, reproduced by Unigraphic, Inc., Evansville, Indiana, 1981; Reprint of Illustrated Atlas, Chicago, Illinois: Everts and Stewart, 1874).

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II. Charles F. Merriman Farm: 1886-1955 In 1886, at the approximate age of 65, George Merriman divided his farm holdings between sons Charles and William (Figure 23). The Washtenaw County Directory of 1888-1889 lists the Merriman brothers owning 267 acres together in Section 6 with a total value of $10,800.30 Charles was the older of the two brothers, and continued to live in the family home. William eventually moved east on Buss Road to the former home of his grandfather, Benoni Merriman, and uncle, James McMahon. George’s oldest son, George Benoni, had moved to the Wichita, Kansas, where he and his father played a prominent role in the settlement of that area. George, the father, maintained ownership of the 80 acre parcel in Section 10 (valued at $1700), but spent more and more time in Kansas with his real estate dealings there. In fact, George O. Merriman died there in 1902. During the 1890s, the Merriman brothers formally separated their farming operation. According to the 1894 Washtenaw County Directory, Charles owned the 114.5 acre Pratt farmstead in Section 6, which is listed as having a value of $3700. His personal value was $900. William owned the remaining 153 acres, with a value of $7200, and a personal value of $450.31 The 1895 plat map of Manchester Township shows Charles as owner of his father’s farm, and William owning the 100 acre parcel in the southeast quarter of the section. The land in Section 10 has been sold by this time. County Directories, family history, and a few undated photographs made available by descendants of the Merriman family to the current owner of the farm provide a glimpse of how the Merriman farm appeared during Charles and wife Mary’s ownership. Two years after Charles’ death in 1919, his widow and daughters moved to the village of Manchester, leaving the farmstead vacant for the next 35 years. Because no changes were made to the farm during this time, photographs from the 1940s and 1950s provide additional clues as to how the farm appeared when it was still a working farm under Charles’ supervision. During Charles’ and Mary’s time, buildings that are known to have existed include the farmhouse, at least two barns, and several outbuildings. The 1896 County Directory indicates the value of the farm doubled from that reported in 1894 to $7800, raising the possibility that some change and/or improvement to the infrastructure had been made.32 It is also known that there was a horse barn on the same location as the current one. The older barn burned around the turn of the century or possibly later. Charles, who was blind by this time, was able to save the horses in it.33 The barn was replaced by the one standing today. According to a Mr. Fox, the construction of the current barn was one of the last barn-raising events in the area. 34 In addition to the farmhouse and the two barns currently standing, it is known that there were several outbuildings present. A 1940 aerial photograph shows two outbuildings situated north and northeast of the Horse Barn (Figure 24). The western-most one was approximately as wide

30 Washtenaw County Directory, 1888-1889 (see Table 1 of this report). 31 Washtenaw County Directory, 1894 (see Table 1 of this report). 32 Brother William’s farm maintained its value at $7200 during this time. 33 Marie Knorpp Interview, circa 2001. 34 Interview with Mr. Fox of Fox and Boley Well Drilling by Betty Jean Murray, 1984 or 1985. Mr. Fox’s father was a barn builder during that time.

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as the horse barn and about 1/3 as long. The eastern building was smaller, and appeared to have a front-gable orientation. The Horse Barn and Big Barn, as well as the house, are also visible. The house has a rear addition, which is further documented in Agosti-era photographs from the mid-1950s (Figure 25). The addition is a barn-like outbuilding attached to the rear of the house, including a carriage house (or older gable-roofed attached garage), outhouse, and possibly a wood shed and summer kitchen.35 This assembly was replaced by the current garage wing in 1959. The original wing was one story tall, and approximately as long as the current rear wing is today. The landscape of the Charles Merriman farm consisted of open fields and rows of mature trees. A photograph of Charles as a young man in front of the house reveals a row of mature trees either along the driveway, or marking the boundary of the front yard with the adjacent field to the east (Figure 26). In 1940, the fields to the north and northeast of the house were plowed, but the larger ones to the west and south of the farmstead exhibit narrow trails and appear to be used as pasture. The house itself is also surrounded by larger trees. In 1918, the farm doubled in value again, according to the County Directory of that year (Table 1). It is not known why the sudden increases in value when the acreage remained approximately the same. The first reported increase in 1896 suggests that perhaps some improvements had been made by Charles as he took over the farm’s operation by himself. The second increase in 1918 was at a time when Charles was in his later 60s (and just one year before his death). It seems less likely that a large-scale change to the infrastructure of the farmstead was made at this time. Table 1. Ownership Data from Washtenaw County Directories. YEAR OWNER ACRES VALUE 1908 CF Merriman 205.5 acres $5400. Mary E. personal value=$1200, William = 151.5 acres, value=$6250. 1910 CF Merriman 205.5 acres $5450. Mary E. value=$1200, William = 151.5 acres, value=$6250. 1912 CF Merriman 195.5 acres $5450. 1915 Charles Merriman 204.5 acres none provided also owns Lot “A” of SW frl. ¼ of Section 6. 1916 CF Merriman 217 acres $5450. 1918 CF Merriman 216 acres $10,600. 1919 Charles dies. Wife Mary E. moves to Manchester in 1921, leaving farmhouse

35 Yvonne Huber. Interview by Bob Kellum, May 8, 2003.

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vacant. 1920 Mrs. C.F. Merriman 206 acres $10,600. 1925 Mrs. C. F. Merriman 205.5 acres $9950. 1930 Mary Merriman 108.7 acres none provided 1934 Mary Merriman 204.5 acres none provided During the years between 1921 and 1955, when the farm was owned by Charles’ widow, the farmstead itself remained vacant. Neighbors and nearby relatives recall playing in the house and outbuildings. Marie Knorpp, who later married Charles and Mary’s grandson, remembers a covered walkway leading to an outhouse, a heated water tank on the second floor that was used to provide warm water for baths, a telephone, and a carriage house.36 Sue Kent recalls that a shed situated northwest of the house contained buggies.37 And Yvonne Huber remembers that the rear wing behind the house contained a summer kitchen, an outhouse with a chemical toilet, and one garage.38 She also stated that there was a pond beyond the apple orchard to the east, and that George O. Merriman had a team of matching black horses. According to the 1940 aerial photograph, the land surrounding the house was clearly being farmed during this time (Figure 24). Yvonne Huber recalls her father, George E. Merriman, grandson of George O. Merriman, helping to stash hay in one of the barns.39 George E. Merriman was a prominent farmer, specializing in sheep and sheep shearing.40 The Recent Years: 1955 to present In 1955, Albina M. Agosti purchased the vacant Merriman farmstead and 127.3 acres from Tosselo and Mabel Merriman Knorpp.41 Mabel was the daughter of Charles and Mary Merriman, who, along with her sister, inherited the property after their mother passed away in 1953. The purchase marked the end of the Merriman era on the farm, and the beginning of a series of rehabilitations to the house and farmstead by several subsequent owners. The farmhouse had been vacant for over thirty years, and so Albina Agosti was the first to conduct a series of major renovations and repairs in 1959. She hired the architectural firm of G.C. Morhous of Ypsilanti to design a new rear addition that included a two-car garage (Figure 27).42 Additional exterior changes made included replacing all the wood siding with new siding; adding a new front porch; extending the rear (north)-facing wall with two, long bays; rearranging

36 Marie Knorpp interview, circa 2001. 37 Sue Kent Letter, January 18, 2001. 38 Yvonne Huber interview, circa 2001. 39 Yvonne Huber interview, circa 2001. 40 Jackson Citizen Patriot, no date (after October 1942), page 13. 41 Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, Liber 848, p. 161. 42 Betty Jean Murray letter to Dr. Ted Ligibel, February 5, 2000.

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window openings at the rear end of the house, replacing all windows with 6/6 double hung windows; removing the chimneys and building a single new one on the main portion of the house, and replacing the east wing with a much shorter, one-story wing (Figure 28). Interior changes were also made at this time. These included the gutting of the interior, reconfiguring the layout, and constructing a prominent fireplace/oven. Sometime during Mrs. Agosti’s tenure on the farm, the Big Barn lost its gambrel roof during a storm. The barn was rebuilt as a shorter one on the existing fieldstone foundation. The barn was made one-story tall and capped by a side-gable roof. Round posts in the basement and main level, floor boards laid at an angle, metal windows, and the barn’s profile reminiscent of a pole barn all suggest post-WWII changes. An early Agosti family photograph from the mid to late 1950s shows the Big Barn with its tall gambrel roof in the background, suggesting that the barn reconstruction probably took place in the 1960s (Figure 29). The next owners of the house were Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Nathan. They purchased the house and surrounding 78.12 acres in 1971. Like Mrs. Agosti, they, too, made a few changes to the farmhouse, using the same architectural firm, now known as Swarts & Morhous, of Ypsilanti, Michigan. They added a kitchen and bedroom to the east end of the house, essentially extending the east wing to its original footprint, although keeping it at one level. The current owner, Betty Jean Murray, purchased the farm on a land contract from the Nathan family in 1981. The warranty deed was issued in 1986. Mrs. Murray built the greenhouse in 1995 to support her work with nursery seedlings. As the Merrimans had in the past, Mrs. Murray purchased additional land across the road from the house, bringing the total acreage of the property up to 100.5 acres. She also hired experts to survey her plant and animal species on her farmstead, a list which will be of incalculable interest to future generations (Attachment G). Because of minimal disturbance except for natural succession, the net effect has been to preserve the sylvan setting of the farmstead, not unlike during the 19th century when the farm experienced its heyday.

Historic Significance of the Merriman Farm

Criteria for historical significance are referenced in Section 3 of the Washtenaw County Historic Preservation Ordinance, and are based on the criteria established by the National Register of Historic Places.43 The George O. and Charles F. Merriman farmstead meets criteria A for historic significance as defined by the National Register of Historic Places because of its association with 19th and early 20th century agriculture in southwestern Washtenaw County. The period of significance begins in 1858, when George Merriman, one of the first pioneering settlers in the northwestern corner of Manchester Township, purchased the farm. It was under his direction that the farm was developed into a relatively prosperous sheep farm operation in Manchester Township, as documented in the agricultural census records of the 19th century. During this time, Manchester Township, as well as much of western Washtenaw County, was known for its sheep 43 National Register Bulletin #15.

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specialization. In fact, for most of this time the area was ranked as the number one county in number of sheep and production east of the Mississippi.44 George O. Merriman’s farm was part of that tradition, but unlike many of the neighboring farms, his farmstead was not later modified into a dairy operation. The absence of a milk house, silo, corn crib, and other outbuildings typically associated with 20th century dairy farms make this farm relatively distinctive in the region. The Merriman farm most likely did not develop into a dairy farm because the Charles Merriman family removed to Manchester village after Charles’ death, leaving the farmstead vacant. The farmhouse, the center piece of this proposed historic district, is representative of several construction trends that were used on farmhouses during the 19th century and period of significance. In building his house, George Merriman selected timber framing and the use of a saltbox profile, which reflect back to construction techniques and features more common during the first half of the 19th century and the New England area from whence the family emigrated in 1836. The brackets on a wide frieze board and the frieze windows located below the frieze on the house suggest the Italianate-style influence of the mid-19th century. The use of narrow corner boards is typical of the second half of the 19th century. The house also exhibits an unusual feature, the presence of two front doors, that is generally not common in an area first settled by emigrants from New England and New York, but can be found on several houses in the county and in areas that were settled by Germans and German-Americans such as Old Zion Parsonage at Rogers Corners in Freedom Township.45 However, study committee member and neighbor, Suzanne Smucker, has informally surveyed the immediate area for two front door examples and concedes that the Merriman farmhouse is unique. The period of significance ends in 1921 when the Charles Merriman family moved out, leaving the farmstead vacant. By this time, the farm also included two large barns, a farm lane, and rows of maple trees along the driveway in front of the house. These features all remain today, contributing to the integrity of the pastoral setting of the farm. The farm is surrounded by rolling hills, pasture land, woodlands and wetlands, and additional mature farmyard trees. In summary, the property exhibits integrity of location (original), design (original, although a couple of small outbuildings are missing), and feeling. It has some integrity of association, because the house has its original brackets and general exterior appearance, and workmanship, as evidenced by the timber framing and brackets on the house. The horse barn, too, contributes to the integrity of association and workmanship due to its unaltered state, including the presence of the original horse stalls and hay fork. As a whole, the farm has lost some of its integrity of materials, due to the loss of a fair amount of original material both in the house and Big Barn. Altogether, when evaluating the seven aspects of integrity of the Merriman Farm, as defined by 44 Hanel-Gerdenich, Ina, Washtenaw County Thematic Survey, Covering Portions of Lima, Lodi, and Scio Townships, Washtenaw County, Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Washtenaw County Historic District Commission, 1997), Attachment I, Agriculture Context, page 10. 45 The use of two front doors has been associated with German floor plans in Pennsylvania (Dennis Domer: “Genesis Theories of the German-American Two-Door House,” Material Culture v.26:1 Spring 1994: 1-35). There were German builders in the Manchester area, and it is possible that they influenced this aspect of the overall design of the house. The two rooms, each behind one of the front doors, functioned in tandem: one served as the formal parlor, and the other was the more informal family space. This was also the situation for the Merriman Home (see Figure 7-floorplan).

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the National Register of Historic Places46, the property, as it stands today, illustrates five of these.

Boundary Justification The farm’s acreage has been altered over the years as adjacent parcels have been bought and sold by all of the farm’s owners. However, since 1858, when George Merriman first purchased the farm, the land around the house and barns has been maintained as part of the farm. This parcel consists of 78.12 acres. Amos Ballard owned the farm to the north of Levi Pratt and later George Merriman as evidenced by the 1856, 1864 and 1874 Plat Maps (Figures 30–32). By 1895 C.A. Ballard has inherited the land to the north of the Merriman Farm. The 1915 Plat Map shows E.M. Silkworth as the owner of 129 acres to the north of Charles Merriman’s Farm (Figure 33). In 1986, study committee member Suzanne Smucker and her spouse John purchased the acreage and named it Lamb Farm. The land to the east of Merriman Farm was farmed by James Stevens in 1856, J. McMahon in 1864, Mathew Prout in 1874, O.H. Bivens in 1895, S.W. First in 1905, the Paul family from 1930-1977, and by James Samonek to the present (2004). The boundary to the south has been Buss Road which in 1856 and 1864 was a straight east/west line. Between 1864 and 1874, the road was reconfigured to make a jog just west of the Merriman house, presumably to avoid a boggy area (source: Ken Reiter, Washtenaw County Road Commission). M. Prout owned a small parcel of boggy land to the north of the jog according to the 1874 and 1895 Plat Maps. By 1915 Charles Merriman had purchased the boggy parcel as well as some land to the south of Buss Road, land which stayed with the farm at least until 1967 (Figure 34). The 2002 plat map shows that boggy land is no longer part of the 78 acres (Figure 35). The land to the west of Merriman Farm has also been associated with an agricultural context from 1856 to the present. In 1856 the western boundary was the Jackson County line. In 1864, J. P. Gillet owned the acreage to the west of Merriman Farm and east of the county line. T. Green owned the acreage from 1874 to 1915 at which time Schaible(?) appears as the owner. Donald Silkworth acquired the western acreage until 1982 when VanderSchalie took possession. The legally recorded boundary lines have been selected to make the boundary. The boundary encompasses much of the original Merriman farm and all of the remaining historic resources. The seventy-eight acre parcel has always been part of the farm, and provides a sufficient buffer around the farmstead to maintain the integrity of the setting and location (Attachment E).

46 Reference Criteria of Integrity on National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places website, http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listing.htm.

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Conclusions and Recommendations The Merriman Farm Historic District Study Committee finds that the Merriman Farm, consisting of the farmhouse, two barns, an outhouse, and a pig house, all surrounded by approximately 78 rural acres, has local historic significance under Criterion A of the National Register of Historic Places. Criterion A is defined as “any property that has character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the community, state or county.” The Study Committee recommends that the Merriman Farm be designated as a historic district by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners.

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Selected Bibliography Barton, Richard. “Early Settlers of Washtenaw County 1820 – 1880”. Course #320 – History of Michigan, May 1947. Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Accession/Serial No. MI0490__.029. Chapman, Charles. History of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Volumes I and II. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1881. DAR of Michigan. Miscellaneous Genealogical Records compiled in 1946. Domer, Denis. “Genesis Theories of the German-American Two-Door House.” Material Culture, v. 26:1 (Spring 1994): 1-35. Fox, Mr. Interview by Betty Jean Murray, 1984 or 1985. Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County. Capers. Volume 11, No. 3, p. 56. Hamlin, Talbot. Greek Revival Architecture in America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1964. Originally published by Oxford Press, 1944. Hanel-Gerdenich, Ina. Washtenaw County Thematic Survey, Covering Portions of Lima, Lodi, and Scio Townships, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Washtenaw County Historic District Commission, 1997. Huber, Yvonne Merriman. Interview by Bob Kellum, May 8, 2003. Huber, Yvonne Merriman. Recollections of Merriman Family, as told to Betty Jean Murray, circa 2001. Jacobus, Donald. Reunion of Descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Connecticut on June 4, 1913. New Haven, Connecticut, 1914. Kent, Suzanne Merriman. Letter to Betty Jean Murray, January 18, 2001. Kent, Suzanne Merriman. Merriman Family Genealogy Tree Line from William Harvey Merriman. Knorpp, Marie. Interview by Betty Jean Murray, circa 2001. Manchester Enterprise. Obituary of George O. Merriman, December 25, 1902. Manchester Enterprise. Obituary of Mary (Lowery) Merriman, August 13, 1953.

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Manchester Historical Society. Historic Calendar of Manchester, 1991. Manchester Historical Society. Manchester’s First Hundred Years 1867-1967. Manchester, Michigan: Manchester Historical Society, 1967. Manchester Township Tax Records, 1850-1871. Mann, Ron, Supervisor of Manchester Township. Interview by Marnie Paulus, May 23, 2003. McAlester, Virginia & Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1997. Murray, Betty Jean. Letter to Dr. Ted Ligibel, Department of Geography and Geology, Eastern Michigan University, February 5, 2000. Murray, Betty Jean, owner of Merriman Farm. Interview by Study Committee, January 7, 2004. National Register of Historic Places. Bulletin Number 15. Newcomb, Rexford. Architecture of the Old Northwest Territory. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1950. Noble, Allen G. Wood, Brick and Stone: the North American Settlement Landscape. Volume I: “Houses.” Amherst, Massachusetts: The University of Massachusetts Press, 1984. Peck, Paul. Landsmen of Washtenaw County – An Atlas and Plat of the First Landowners of Washtenaw County. Clarke Lake, Michigan: Liberty Town Press, 1986. Poore, Patrica. “The Greek Revival Style.” Old House Journal. July/August 1998, 67 - 74. Poore, Patrica. The Old House Journal - A Guide to Restoration. New York, 1992. Portrait & Biographical Album of Washtenaw County Michigan containing sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company, 1891. Wagner, Lorry. National Register Nomination for the Merriman Farm, August 21, 2001. Washtenaw County Directory, 1888-1889, 1894. Washtenaw County Register of Deeds. Miscellaneous Libers and Libers of Mortgages (refer to footnotes for specific numbers). United States Agricultural Census, Manchester Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880. United States Population Census for Washtenaw County, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880.

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Map Collections

Agriculture Farm Acres after 1981, Washtenaw County. Washtenaw County Extension Service, n.d. Bechler, Gustavus R. Map of Washtenaw County, Michigan from surveys by G. R. Bechler and E. Wenig. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Bechler, Wenig, and Co., 1856. Bechler, Gustavus R. Map of the counties of Washtenaw and Lenawee, Michigan from special surveys and official records by G. R. Bechler and E. Wenig. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Samuel Geil, publisher, 1864. Comer, P. J. and D. A. Albert, H. A. Wells, B. L. Hart, J. B. Raab, D. L. Price, D. M. Kashian, R. A. Corner and D. W. Schuen. Michigan’s Presettlement Vegetation, as Interpreted from the General Land Office Surveys 1816 – 1856. Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing, Michigan. Digital Map, 1995. Land Use Map 1978 for Washtenaw County, Manchester Township. Landcover from Michigan Resource Information Service, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 1978. Rockford Map Publications, Inc. Plat Maps of Manchester Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publications, Inc., 1930, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981-1982, 1982-1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2002. Weinlander, Paul. Township Plats of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 1934. Ypsilanti Historical Society. Combination Atlas and Map of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Reproduced by Unigraphic, Inc., Evansville, Indiana, 1981. Reprint of Illustrated Atlas, Chicago, Illinois: Everts and Stewart, 1874; and Standard Atlas of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois: George A. Ogle and Co., 1895 and 1915. Web Sites Referenced:

Pedigree of the Family of Merriman, http://www2.memlane.com/merriman/history.html. United States Bureau of Land Management Website, http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ United States Department of the Interior. National Register of Historic Places, http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listing.htm.

Attachments and Illustrations

Attachment A Letter Petitioning Designation

Attachment B Letter from Manchester Township Supervisor

SECTION 3 ESTABLISHMENT, MODIFICATION, AND ELIMINATION OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS A. The Washtenaw County Historic District Commission may, by ordinance and in cities, villages or townships where there is a contract explicitly addressing the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission’s jurisdictional authority within that governmental entity, establish one or more historic districts. The County Historic District Commission pursuant to section 4 shall administer the historic districts. B. Before such establishment the Board of Commissioners shall appoint an historic district study committee. The committee shall contain a majority of persons who have a clearly demonstrated interest in or knowledge of historic preservation, and shall contain representation from one or more duly organized local historic preservation organizations. C. The Committee shall: Conduct a photographic inventory of resources within each proposed historic district following procedures established or approved by the bureau. Conduct basic research of each proposed historic district and the historic resources located within that district. Determine the total number of historic and non-historic resources within a proposed historic district and the percentage of historic resources of that total. In evaluating the significance of historic resources, the committee shall be guided by the selection criteria for evaluation issued by the United States secretary of the interior for inclusion of resources in the National Register of Historic Places, as set forth in 36 C. F. R. part 60, and criteria established or approved by the bureau, if any. Prepare a preliminary historic district study committee report that addresses at a minimum all of the following: The charge of the committee. The composition of the committee membership. The historic district or districts studied. The boundaries for each proposed historic district in writing and on maps. The history of each proposed historic district. The significance of each district as a whole, as well as a sufficient number of its individual resources to fully represent the variety of resources found within the district, relative to the evaluation criteria. Transmit copies of the preliminary report for review and recommendations to the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission, the Washtenaw County Planning Advisory Board, the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, Michigan Historical Commission, State Historic Preservation Review Board and the SHPO. Make copies of the preliminary report available to the public pursuant to subsection F on the next page.

Attachment C Washtenaw County Historic Preservation Ordinance, Section 3

Not less than sixty (60) calendar days after the transmittal of the preliminary report, the committee shall hold a public hearing in compliance with Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976, as amended, being sections 15.261 to 15.275 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. Public notice of the time, date, and place of the hearing shall be given in the manner required by Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976, as amended. Written notice shall be mailed by first-class mail not less that 14 calendar days before the hearing to the owners of properties within the proposed historic district, as listed on the tax rolls of the local unit. After the date of the public hearing, the committee and the County Board of Commissioners shall have not more than one year, unless otherwise authorized by the County Board of Commissioners, to take the following actions: The Committee shall prepare and submit a final report with its recommendations and those of the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. If the recommendation is to establish a historic district or districts, the final report shall include a draft of a proposed ordinance or ordinances. After receiving a final report that recommends the establishment of a historic district or districts, the County Board of Commissioners, at its discretion, may introduce and pass or reject an ordinance or ordinances. If the County passes an ordinance or ordinances establishing one or more historic districts, the County shall file a copy of that ordinance or those ordinances, including a legal description of the property or properties located within the historic district or districts, with the register of deeds. The County shall not pass an ordinance establishing a contiguous historic district less than 60 days after a majority of the property owners within the proposed historic district, as listed on the tax rolls of the local unit, have approved the establishment of the historic district pursuant to a written petition. F. A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by a committee in the performance of an official function shall be made available to the public in compliance with Act No. 442 of the Public Acts of 1976, as amended, being sections 15.231 to 15.246 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. G. The Commission may at any time establish by ordinance additional historic districts, including proposed districts previously considered and rejected, may modify boundaries of an existing historic district or may eliminate an existing historic district. Before establishing, modifying, or eliminating a historic district, a historic district study committee appointed by the Board of Commissioners shall, except as provided in Section 3, subsection H, comply with the procedures set forth above and shall consider any previously written committee reports pertinent to the proposed action. To conduct these activities, the Board of Commissioners may retain the initial committee, establish a standing committee, or establish a committee to consider only specific proposed districts and then be dissolved.

Attachment C Continued

H. If considering elimination of a historic district, a committee shall follow the procedures set forth in this section for issuing a preliminary report, holding a public hearing, and issuing a final report but with the intent of showing one or more of the following: The historic district has lost those physical characteristics that enabled establishment of the district. The historic district was not significant in the way previously defined. The historic district was established pursuant to defective procedures. I. Upon receipt of substantial evidence showing the presence of historic, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance of a proposed historic district, the County Board of Commissioners may, at its discretion, adopt a resolution requiring that all applications for permits within the proposed historic district be referred to the commission as prescribed in sections 4 and 5. The commission shall review permit applications with the same powers that would apply if the proposed historic district was an established historic district. The review may continue in the proposed historic district for not more than one year, or until such time as the County Board of Commissioners approves or rejects the establishment of the historic district by ordinance, whichever comes first. J. If the County Board of Commissioners determines that pending work will cause irreparable harm to resources located within an established historic district or a proposed historic district, the County Board of Commissioners may by resolution declare an emergency moratorium of all such work for a period not to exceed six months. The Board may extend the emergency moratorium for an additional period not to exceed six months upon finding that the threat of irreparable harm to resources is still present. Any pending permit application concerning a resource subject to an emergency moratorium may be summarily denied.

Attachment C Continued

Attachment D Resolution Appointing Study Committee

Attachment D continued

Legal Description of Property and Boundary Location: 15490 Buss Road, Manchester, MI 48158 Commencing at the North 1/7 corner of Section 6, Town 4, Range 3 East, Manchester Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan: thence South 1675.2 feet along the North-South 1.4 line of said section for a PLACE OF BEGINNING: thence West 2470.7 feet; thence south 1315.8 feet to the East-West 1.4 line of said section; thence East along the East-West ¼ line to a point 1320 feet West of the center of said section; thence south parallel to the North-South ¼ of said section to the center line of Buss Road; thence northeasterly along the center line of Buss Road to a point in the East-West 1.4 line 481.51 feet West of the center of said section; thence North 481.51 feet along the East-West 1.4 line to the center of said section; thence North 1317.5 feet along the North-South 1.4 line of said section to the Place of Beginning, being part of the West ½ of Section 6, Manchester Township. Total acreage – 78.12 acres Square Footage – House is 2821 square feet with a two car attached garage. Attachment E Legal Description of Property and Boundary (next page)

Attachment E (continued) Legal Description of Property and Boundary N

Attachment H – Merriman Family Genealogical History The original Merriman settler to America was Nathaniel Merriman. Nathaniel settled in Connecticut and several of the generations that followed him remained in Connecticut and spread down along the Eastern Coast. Nathaniel and his descendants made a number of contributions and sacrifices to the young nation. By the fourth and fifth generations, various branches of the family had begun their migration west ending up settling in the states of Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, and also in Canada. From these locations, the families moved further west with the opening up of the Northwest Territory and lands west of the Mississippi. The Merriman family of Manchester can trace their roots back to Connecticut to Nathaniel Merriman, who in his early twenties, arrived from England in 1632. Family genealogical accounts indicate that Nathaniel Merriman was from London and was the son of a cooper. The Merriman family of London traces their roots back to Oxford County from a family whose trade for generations had been weaving. A copy of this early English family tree is located on the web at the address http://www2.memlane.com/merriman/history.html. Originally arriving in Boston in 1632, historical accounts indicate that Nathaniel was a member of the Puritan Plough Company, which left Massachusetts to found the colony of New Haven, Connecticut. Indeed, his signature appears among the Planters in the New Haven Colony, which signed an agreement dated June 4, 1639. In addition, it was during this time he was also to have participated in the Pequot Indian war. Nathaniel Merriman obtained land in the New Haven colony and it was during his years there that he married and fathered eleven children. Seven of these children survived infancy and made it into adulthood. Nathaniel held several positions in the community during this period. In 1670 at the age of 57, Nathaniel, his wife and five children, moved to Wallingford, Connecticut and built a log house. While living in New Haven, Nathaniel is said to have held a subordinate position in the community. But this would change with his move to Wallingford.”i His move is substantiated by the fact that in 1669, Nathaniel’s name was fourth on the list of thirty-eight men who founded the village of Wallingford, Connecticut. While he was living in Wallingford, Nathaniel continued to hold a significant amount of real estate in New Haven and made frequent trips back to check on his holdings. Historical accounts indicate that at the age of 60, Nathaniel, became a prominent leader in civil and military affairs. During his years in Wallingford, he helped organize the militia, which was needed for the village’s protection due to the “close proximity of the Indians”.ii Nathaniel and his son, Nathaniel Jr., later served time in battle under King Philip. Nathaniel resigned his responsibilities in the military when he was 78 years old. Nathaniel Jr. died during the defense of the colonies in “great swamp fort fight in Rhode Island on December 19, 1675.”iii In addition, Nathaniel Sr. served as the town clerk of Wallingford for eight years, selectman for five years and was “nine times a deputy from Wallingford to the General Court of the Colony of Connecticut.”iv By the time Nathaniel died in 1694 at the age of 81, he had thirty-eight grandchildren and several great grandchildren. A majority of these family members were still located in the village of Wallingford. Thus, this first Merriman

played an important part in the development of the state of Connecticut and by the time of his death was well known throughout the colony.v Nathaniel’s descendants continued to settle the New England area and many of his male descendants served in the French and Indian, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and the War of 1812. All of these conflicts have helped to form and define this nation. After several generations, which had remained in the New England area, Benoni Merriman who was six generations removed from Nathaniel, and his father, Charles J. Merriman, migrated to Otisco Township, in Onadongo County in New York State. Benoni was born in Wallingford, Connecticut in 1778. From historical records we know that he married and that his children were born in New York State. From researching the early Merrimans, it appears from the census data that Benoni and his father did not come alone to New York. Federal census data lists several other Merriman family members and a brief review of the family tree indicates that these members were Benoni’s brother, Elisha, and cousins, Lephony, Titus, and Zephrany. Historical accounts indicate that Charles and Benoni brought their wives with them and were among the first settlers to the Onadongo area, arriving in 1801. Benoni was noted to have “kept a tavern in a log house near Otisco Center in 1804.”vi Charles, a Revolutionary soldier, built the first grist mill in Otisco in 1806 and was said to have also constructed a saw mill within the town.vii Historical accounts make reference to Charles Merriman as Esquire indicating that he had embraced the law as a profession. Charles and his wife, Rachel, also helped to organize the Congregational Church of Otisco. “This church adopted its name as The Washington Religious Society of Otisco.”viii Death records indicate that Benoni’s father, Charles, died on May 27,1823 at the age of 71. His wife, Rachel died in 1826 at the age of 69 and both of them are buried in a cemetery East of Otisco Center. Federal census data indicated that the rest of the Merriman family remained in New York State for the census of 1830. “By 1836 Otisco Center had a post office, two churches, two stores, a tavern, tannery and fifteen dwellings.”ix It was around this time that Benoni, who was in his late 50’s, chose to move farther west. The entire family, even the grown children, traveled with Benoni to the Michigan Territory, this time arriving in Freedom Township in Washtenaw County Michigan. Family genealogical records and obituary information support the premise that the Merriman family arrived in Michigan around 1836. Benoni Merriman first purchased property in Freedom Township, where he bought a farm. By 1839, Benoni Merriman had purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Section 6 of Manchester Township from Thomas Green and established a family farm. It is here that the story of the Manchester branch of the Merriman family begins. The Merriman family which moved to Manchester, Michigan consisted of Benoni, his wife, Azubah, and their children; George O., Luther, Theodocia and Harriet. From researching this family, there are references to other branches of the Merriman family who also came from New York and settled in other parts of the state. Historical records indicate that the majority of settlement of Manchester, Michigan during the decade of 1830 to 1840 was by settlers from the state of New York. According to a paper written in 1947 by Richard Barton,

twenty-seven out of the thirty-eight arrivals to Manchester Township were originally from New York State.x Of the thirty-eight who settled in the Township, twenty-seven of those were farmers. These settlers were not single men looking to make their fortune, but were family men. Together during the decade of settlement of 1830 to 1840, they brought a total of 146 children. From 1840 through 1880 there were only thirty-three new settlers to Manchester Township. It is quite possible that the number of arrivals decreased due to fewer parcels of land available for purchase within the Township and that settlement had moved farther west. Federal census data finds that by 1850, the Merriman family had firmly settled into the Manchester area. Both of Benoni Merriman’s daughters, Harriet and Theodocia, married into the McMahon family and had started families of their own. The McMahon’s were also early settlers to the Manchester area and made a number of contributions as well. Benoni Merriman’s descendants, through his daughters, made many contributions to the success of Manchester and to the state of Michigan as well. Many grandsons continued in the field of agriculture, including one grandson who moved to Ludington, Michigan and established a fruit farm. Another grandson, James B. McMahon, became a lawyer and eventually became a probate judge in Ludington, Michigan. Granddaughter, Nellie McMahon, became a doctor’s wife when she married Dr. H.W. Schmidt from Chelsea. It was Benoni Merriman’s son, George O., who helped to establish the original farm, which is being proposed as a local historic district in this document. George O. continued farming this property and deed records indicate that he added acreage to the property until his health began to fail and he was no longer physically able to farm. It was at this time that George O. went into the mercantile business and formed the Kief & Merriman mercantile in the town of Manchester. He eventually married his business partner’s daughter, Mary E. Kief, in 1846. Together, the couple had a total of ten children, three sons and seven daughters. Great granddaughter, Suzanne Merriman Kent, indicated that Mary Kief was noted as having a “stern countenance, but was a devoted wife and mother of ten children”.xi George O. remained in the mercantile business until the great fire of Manchester in May of 1853 when the store was burned. With his business gone, George O. then went back to the family farm, which he worked with his sons, Charles F. and William H. Merriman. Historical accounts indicate that George O. traveled to Kansas in the 1870’s and began purchasing land probably for speculation purposes. In fact, even in Manchester, it is clear that the Merriman family was speculating in land. The County Deed office has records of various parcels of property transferred between the Merrimans and other individuals in the area. George O. purchased several tracts of land near what eventually would become the city of Wichita, Kansas. One of these pieces of land was retained by him and afterwards platted as Merriman Park. “He was a staunch friend and firm believer in Wichita, and even throughout its darkest period, after the so-called boom, he steadily refused to sell any of his property, believing that the future of the town was only a question of time.”xii Thus, like his early ancestor, Nathaniel Merriman, George O. Merriman was a major player in the development of a new state. One item to note is that one of the parcels is located on the Saint Louis and San Francisco rail line and one of the stations near the parcel is

Manchester Station. It is unclear whether George O. Merriman was responsible for naming this station, but the reference to Manchester is leading. George O. Merriman held most of this land until his death in 1902. At the time of his death, George O. Merriman was one of the largest landowners in Wichita and before he died he deeded much of his property over to his wife and children. Accounts noted that George O. was known to visit the area at least once or twice a year. In addition, his visits and financial success in the west must have peaked the interest of his oldest son, George Benoni Merriman, who moved west to Kansas and established his own farm near Ottawa, Kansas. Again, descendants of the Merriman family began to move westward in search of land and adventure. Descendents of George Benoni Merriman continued to settle around the Kansas area and the Merriman name is associated as being one of the oldest families of the area. George O. Merriman eventually passed the farm in Manchester onto his sons as he concentrated on his business dealings in Kansas. Thus, the Merriman farm was split between George O. Merriman’s sons, Charles F. Merriman and William Harvey Merriman around 1891. The 1895 Plat map shows 114.5 acres belonging to Charles and 149 acres owned by William. Charles F. Merriman’s section contained the original Merriman house. Both sons continued to farm until William died in 1902. His death occurred in the same year as his father, George O. Merriman, except that he died a few months earlier. William’s property passed into the hands of his son, William F., and then to his grandson, George E., who continued to own a portion of the property well into the 1960’s. William H.’s wife and children moved to Cranberry Lake near Jackson, Michigan to live with her parents after his death. Charles F. Merriman continued to farm his section of land that encompassed the Merriman house. (An early photograph of Charles with his team of horses heading down Buss Road can be found in Figure 5 of Appendix D). According to the 1915 Plat Map, Charles F. had expanded the acreage of the farm to over 200 acres. Charles F. Merriman and his wife, Mary, had two daughters, Annette (Nettie) and Mabel. Charles F. Merriman continued to farm until his death in July of 1919. Charles’ wife, Mary Merriman, moved into Manchester a few years after his death around 1921. She lived in Manchester until her death in 1953. At the time of her death, she was living with her daughter, Mabel, in Manchester. During this time the Merriman house on Buss Road remained abandoned for nearly thirty five years until 1955 when Mr. Agositi purchased the property. After Mary’s death, the property was willed to her daughters, Annette Fry and Mabel Knorpp. These daughters sold the property to Albina Agosti who renovated the abandoned structure. The property was then sold to Aaron Nathan and eventually came to reside in the hands of the present owner, Dr. Murray who is submitting this request for the property to be designated as a historic district. Thus, the Merriman house, which was held in the Merriman family for over one hundred years, is representative of a family story that represents the legacy of a single man who immigrated to the “Americas” in the early 1600’s. It is a piece of the story of the

Merriman family who through their efforts helped to build a county. After all, it was families such as the Merrimans, the McMahons and their descendants who helped to shape the state and the nation through their hard work and desire to take risks. The descendants of Nathaniel Merriman have spread throughout the U.S. and even today, Merriman family members can be found from coast to coast. These early family members have played important roles in the development of our country as they pushed boundaries as they forged their way across the frontier. i Jacobus, Donald. Reunion of Descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Connecticut on June 4, 1913, (New Haven, Connecticut in 1914), page 64. ii Jacobus, Donald. Reunion of Descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Connecticut on June 4, 1913, (New Haven, Connecticut in 1914), page 64. iii Jacobus, Donald. Reunion of Descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Connecticut on June 4, 1913, (New Haven, Connecticut in 1914), page 139. iv Jacobus, Donald. Reunion of Descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Connecticut on June 4, 1913, (New Haven, Connecticut in 1914), page 65. v Jacobus, Donald. Reunion of Descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Connecticut on June 4, 1913, (New Haven, Connecticut in 1914), page 65. vi Clark, Joshua. Onondago or Reminiscences of Earlier and Later Settlers (Syracuse: Stoddard and Babcock, 1849), page 344. vii Beauchamp, William. Past and Present of Syracuse and Onondago County New York from Prehistoric Times to the Beginnings of 1908 (Chicago: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1908), page 403. viii Bruce, Dwight. Onondago’s Centennial: Gleanings of a Century (Boston: The Boston History Company, 1896), page 924. ix Beauchamp, William. Past and Present of Syracuse and Onondago County New York from Prehistoric Times to the Beginnings of 1908 (Chicago: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1908), page 406. x Barton, Richard. “Early Settlers of Washtenaw County 1820 – 1880”. Course #320 – History of Michigan, May 1947. xi Recollections of Merriman Family by Suzanne Merriman Kent. xii Obituary of George O. Merriman, December 1902 in Wichita Daily Eagle.

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Figure 3 - Detail of Frieze and Brackets

South Elevation (Photo by B. J. Murray)

Figure 2 – View of south and west elevations of farmhouse (Photo by Ina Hanel)

Figure 4A- South elevation of wing with study committee (2002 photo by Ina Hanel)

Figure 5

View of North and West Elevations of Farmhouse (2002 Photo by Ina Hanel)

Figure 4B- East elevation of wing with view of greenhouse (2000 photo by B.J. Murray)

Figure 6A-View of greenhouse looking SW

(Photo by B. J. Murray)

Figure 6B-View of garage and barns looking SW

(Photo by B. J. Murray)

Floor Plan of Basement under Main Core (Courtesy of B.J. Murray)

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Figure 7 – Diagram of existing floor plan (Betty Jean Murray)

Figure 9

Horse Barn showing East and North Elevations

(Photo by B.J. Murray)

Figure 10

Interior View of Horse Barn, upper level (Photo by M. Paulus)

Figure 8

North and West Elevations of Horse Barn and North Elevation of Outhouse (Photo by

B.J. Murray)

Figure 11

North and East Elevations of Big Barn (Photo by B.J. Murray)

Figure 12

Big Barn, interior, lower level, looking NW (photo by B. J. Murray)

Figure 13

Oblique View of Big Barn featuring South and West Elevations

(Photo by B.J. Murray) Figure 14

Outhouse, north and west elevations (Photo by Ina Hanel)

Figure 15 – Pig house, east elevation (Photo by I. Hanel)

Figure 16

Maple Trees off of Buss Road (Photo by B.J. Murray)

Figure 19

Marsh Marigolds (Photo by B.J. Murray)

Figure 20 Landscape -Looking west towards wetlands (Photo by B.J. Murray)

Figure 18

Basswood and Sugar Maple (Photo taken by M. Paulus)

Figure 17

Sugar Maples (Photo by M. Paulus)

Figure 22

Portrait of Mary Kief Merriman, Wife of George O. Merriman

Figure 21

Portrait of George O. Merriman

Figure 23

Sons of George O. Merriman L to R: George Benoni, William &

Charles F.

Figure 26

Charles F. Merriman with horses looking down Buss Road in front of Merriman Farm

Figure 25-Merriman Farmhouse, looking SE between 1955-1959

Figure 24 – Aerial Photograph of Merriman Farm from 1940 Courtesy of Washtenaw County Planning and Environment

Figure 29- View of Agosti residence with Big Barn roof visible in background (post-1959)

Figure 28 – Painting of Agosti Residence, 1959, after renovations

Figure 27- Agosti Renovations, 1959, looking SE towards rear of house.

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Figure 30- 1856 Manchester Township Plat Map

Figure 31 – 1864 Manchester Township Plat Map

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Figure 32- 1874 Manchester Township Plat Map

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Figure 33- 1915 Manchester Township Plat Map

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Figure 34- 1967 Manchester Township Plat Map

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Figure 35 - 2002 Manchester Township Plat Map

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Notes