"In October 1852, two years before my father (John Augustus Nash) was born, Grandfather (Alden Nash) sold his property in Welshfield, Ohio and he and grandmother (Olive Noyes Poole Nash) and their 5 children aging from 1 year - 14 years, came to the wilderness of Michigan with a covered wagon.
Alden had a one horse buggy for his wife and his sister Clarissa Waterman to travel in. They crossed Lake Erie from Clevland, Ohio to Detroit, Michigan and were soon on their way to a new world and a new life.
Uncle Dan (Daniel Nash) rode in the wagon and held onto his two sisters - Aunt Mary (Nash), 3 years and Aunt Eleanor (Nash), 5 years - to keep them from being bounced out of the wagon. Uncle Dan was only 9 years old. Uncle Jim (Nash) was 14 years old and Uncle Alden Nash II was a baby of 1 year. My grandfather was 41 years old and Grandmother was 36 years. The going was rough as they went over logs, mud, and bad roads day after day.
The weary journey finally came to an end November 2, 1852. All were happy that the hard journey was over but what a contrast it was from the old Ohio homeland where Grandfather had lived for about 40 years - to a log cabin in the deep wood of Bowne Township in Kent County, Michigan.
Relatives and friends had come a year or so before and everyones house was built of logs. Grandfather had a chance to buy 160 acres of heavy timbered farm land with a double house and about 4 or 5 acres cleared. It was nearly across from the Holcomb farm and on the north side of the road. Philancie Holcomb across the road was a niece of Grandfathers and a cousin of my fathers. She was married to Martin Holcomb.
Alden turned in the wagon, buggy, and horses for payment on the farm. The household goods had been shipped by rail to Battle Creek, Michigan, 60 miles away, and a man was to haul them from there. Michigan's railroad history goes back to 1837 when the only railroad in Michigan was built from Toledo, Ohio to Adrian, Michigan, a distance of 33 miles. It was run over wooden tracks and was pulled with horses. By 1852, it had reached Battle Creek.
The winters meant hard work to chop 10 to 15 acres of heavy timber and get it ready to burn. Then they had to log and fence during the summer and fall. There were plenty of wild ducks, turkeys, deer and small game, so they didn't suffer for want of meat, and they found happiness with their hard work and deprivations.
Later on, Grandfather sold his farm in Bowne Township and bought farm land in Muskegon Co., Michigan where he died unexpectedly of pneumonia on April 13, 1871 aged 60 years. My father was 16 years old at the time. My grandmother spent her last days with Aunt Eleanor Johnson and died Sept 7, 1900 in Grand Rapids, Michigan while visiting her daughter Mrs. Rose Califf. She was nearly 84 years old. Grandfather was a fine singer and choir leader. They are both buried in the cemetery at Bowne Center, Michigan."
FOOTNOTES:
"Grandfather" is Alden Nash, born Aug. 28, 1811.
"Grandmother" is Olive Noyes Poole Nash, Alden's wife, born Oct 5, 1816.
"My father" is John Augustus Nash, born Sept 6, 1854.
"Uncle Dan" is Daniel Lorenzo Nash, born Nov. 30, 1843.
"Aunt Mary" is Mary Elizabeth Nash, born Aug. 8, 1849 who later married John C. Johnson.
"Aunt Eleanor" is Eleanor Louisa Nash, born May 1, 1847 who later married James Chandler Johnson.
"Uncle Jim" is James Morrison Nash, born Jan. 18, 1838.
"Uncle Alden" is Alden J. Nash, born II, born Dec. 12, 1851.
"Philancie Holcomb" is Philancia Patchin, born July 6, 1829, daughter of Alden's sister Emily Nash (Patchin, Halkins, Pike). Philancia married Martin Holcomb.
"Clarissa Waterman" is Clarissa Nash, born July 10, 1799, sister of Alden Nash, who married Calvin Waterman.
"Mrs. Rose Califf" is Frances Rosalia Nash, born May 1, 1857 in Bowne Twp., Kent Co., Mich. She married Jonathan W. Califf.