Michael Krigger (b. February 26, 1803, d. December 16, 1880)
Michael Krigger (son of John Krigger and Elizabeth//) was born February 26, 1803 in Williamstown Mass, and died December 16, 1880 in Ashland Township Mich. He married Hannah Carpenter on September 19, 1842.
Notes for Michael Krigger: Michael and Hannah became residents of Mich. in their youthful days, married here and settled on a farm one mile south of Hillsdale, Mich.
Our grandfather had become restless on the farm and had decided to go North into the woods. He wanted to go into the dense woods, find a nice river or creek, erect a saw mill and cut the big trees into boards for building purposes. He was a carpenter and cabinet maker by trade. A chest of drawers that he made is owned by the Emmit Rielly family of Kent City, Mich.
In the spring of 1853 he sold the Hillsdale farm, put some household goods, his wife and four youngest children in a covered wagon, tied two cows to the back of the wagon and started for the North woods. There wasn't any railroad north of Kalamazoo; only a trail through the woods to Grand Rapids which consisted of a general store, post office, school house and a handful of small houses. Being tired from the trip, for the road had been rough and long, they decided to make camp and rest for a few days.
There was a large group of Indians camped on the west side of the river and grandfather was on the east side. He could have bought a large tract of land on the west side of Grand River for about two dollars an acre, but after thinking about it for three or four days he decided not to locate there but to push on into the woods until he found the spot that he had set out to find. So they broke camp and again started north into the woods.
The trail led them north and west for about thirty miles. There, flowing across the trail, was a stream of pure clear water now known as Crockery Creek. Grandfather had found the pot of gold at the end of his dreams. He bought a large amount of acreage from the government for about two dollars an acre, felled the trees and cleared a spot for a new home in the woods. Of course, the house was of logs, had one large room with a huge fireplace and two bedrooms. As soon as the house was finished and a cover for the horses and cows was made, he next set his thoughts toward building the mill down on the creek. In due time the mill was finished. Then a dam was made across the creek to furnish the power to run the saw. The mill operated for many years. Grandfather cut the lumber for the new schoolhouse in Newaygo. The new barn that was built on the home land to shelter the stock is still standing.
Several years have passed now and the boys that came from the Hillsdale home have grown to manhood. John is twenty one years old. A nice looking girl, Helen Snow, has been in the Kriger home for some months. Usually something happens when boy and girl meet, so they were married on Feb. 26, 1863. Father was born Sept. 19, 1842 and Mother was born Oct. 20, 1845.
More About Michael Krigger and Hannah Carpenter: Marriage: September 19, 1842
Children of Michael Krigger and Hannah Carpenter are:
Michael Krigger (b. February 26, 1803, d. December 16, 1880)
Notes for Michael Krigger: