Original Highland Township Landowner Joseph Frost Stratton SW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Section 27 NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Section 27 Joseph Frost Stratton was born circa 1808, the son of Jonathan Frost and Ruth (Foster) Stratton of Erie County, Pennsyvania. In 1825 his family moved to Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan, where he grew to manhood. In 1833, however, the family relocated to Highland Township, Oakland County, where Joseph's brothers Jonathan Foster Stratton and Samuel Stratton, and brother-in-law Enos Leek, were likewise original landowners. In 1843 Joseph accompanied his brother Jonathan on the latter's migration to Appanoose County, Iowa. He was present and voted at the first county election held at his brother's home on April 1, 1844, at which he was chosen a constable. He soon after returned to Highland, however, where he married, in 1849, Rosanna Haines, born circa 1818, and settled in the Village of Spring Mills. The couple thereafter appear on the 1850 Census for Highland with their first child, Hannah. Joseph F. and Rosanna (Haines) Stratton were instrumental in establishing the "Highland Centre Class" of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1866, with Joseph serving as class leader from the group's inception through at least 1877. The "class,"which initially met in the Union a/k/a Highland school, grew to became the Methodist Episcopal Church of Highland Station. Joseph Frost Stratton died at Spring Mills, Highland Township, on March 10, 1882, at age 63 years, 3 months, 25 days. His wife Rosanna followed him eight years later, dying on May 1, 1890, at age 62 years, 11 months, 28 days. No reason is known for the 25-year delay between Joseph Stratton's purchase and the actual issuance of his patent. The patent itself has the words "Examined" and "Graduation" written in hand across the top, suggesting there may have been a need to review original paperwork or replace some lost record. |
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