Edgar Peirce of Colfax Township and shingle mills

Edgar Peirce responded to the editor's request for a farming history from Colfax and was published in the Pioneer Magnet (Big Rapids, Mecosta County, Michigan) from Thursday May 9, 1878.

Edgar Peirce found on Page 1 Column 3

I have been engaged in farming to some extent in the town of Colfax for five years past, and now have about fifty acres under cultivation.  Soil is sandy and clay loam.  We have in this township nearly every quality of soil one can mention, except black muck.  I have raised wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes, all with good success.  My wheat has averaged fifteen bushels per acre; corn about sixty, and potatoes 150 bushels per acre.  Have found home consumption for everything raised, and can therefore give no prices.

E. Peirce


I copied the area around Edgar's property from the 1879 Atlas of Mecosta County.  It shows Edgar Peirce and his two parcels of land in Colfax Township, one of which is listed as a shingle mill.

Edgar Peirce has a short biographical sketch in the Portrait and Biographical Album of Mecosta County.  He seems to have been quite a successful local politician being elected County Treasurer in 1878.  By 1880, Edgar is living in the city of Big Rapids, so his letter to the Pioneer Magnet arrives about the same time as major changes in his life.

Aside from the above mentioned articles, I did not find a whole lot of information on this family.  I would bet there is likely to be all kinds of interesting little 'tidbits' waiting to be discovered in Mecosta County for anyone researching this family!