German Settlement in the Township of Wheatland Mecosta Advance by the Big Rapids Current September 27, 1882

What is known in this community as the German Settlement embraces about one third of the township of Wheatland. Its nearest point to Mecosta is perhaps half a mile distant. It is composed almost wholly of German farmers, whose characteristic industry and thrift have turned what was not many years ago an unbroken wilderness into beautiful farming lands, and placed themselves in positions of independence. In the autumn of 1860, when the larger part of this section of Michigan was inhabited only by aborigines, two brothers, John W. and Eli Gingrich, made their way through these northern forests to a point three and a half miles southeast of where Mecosta now stands. Surrounded by almost imprenetrable vastnesses, and many miles from civilization, these Teutonic began the laborious task of clearing farms. Great must have seemed the undertaking to them as they felled the first tree on the land which was to be their future home. They were obliged to get their provisions at Greenville, forty miles to the southwest, whither journeys were made sometimes on foot and sometimes on horseback. During the same fall Daniel Houk emigrated to what is known as the John Simmons place. The next year brought in Geo and Mike Minkle, whose farms are only a short distance east of this place. Near the same time Moses Muselman arrived and settled where Peter and John Gingrich now live. Year by year the community continued to grow, drawing perhaps four-fifths of its settlers from Canada. In 1870, a log church was erected in which to worship, and five years later a fine school house, 30 X 40 feet, was built and furnished in modern style. What was a dense wilderness has been made to blossom like the rose, and the German settlement can now boast some of the finest farming lands in this section of the state. The soil is diversified, ranging from a sandy loam to a heavy clay. The timber is hard wood, being principally maple. The farmers have a good market, near home for all they can raise. Their chief products are wheat, corn, oats and hay. They are peacable, law-abiding, hospitable, and (what is quite important) with scarcely an exception are subscribers to the Advance.

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