Firsts in Fenton

First Family - Clark Dibble, May 1834

First Log House - Dustin Cheney, May 1834

First Mill-Dam and Sawmill - Clark Dibble, May 1835-6 Dam raised and grist mill added by Robert LeRoy and William Fenton May 1837.

First Store - on Mechanic Street now 119 E. Shiawassee - Robert LeRoy, May 1837

First Hotel - Northwest Corner of LeRoy and Mechanic Streets, where A.J. Phillips museum stands now. - Roggs House was built by Fenton and LeRoy, April 4, 1837. Thomas Irish, 1st landlord.

First Physician - Dr. S.W. Pattison, June 1837

First Brick Mason - John Harman, June 1837

First Murder - Geo. "Freeley" Caldwell, age 15 years, 8 mos. and 2 Johnson children, by Mr. Johnson. October 13, 1857

First Blacksmith - Elisha Holmes, June 1837

First White Child Born in township - Harrison Cheney, June 1837

First Lawyer - William Fenton, June 1837

First Preacher - Smith from Holly (then called Bussy Wille) June 1837

First Plat - Fentonville laid out by Fenton and LeRoy. Surveyed by Harvey Parker, August 1837 (board is in the Museum); 1 3/4 miles square.(Old paper says center of town telephone pole back of Mickey's dairy, I do not know this location)

First Post office - August 1838 Robert LeRoy was postmaster for 13 years.

First School House - Mr. Nottingham, teacher, August 1838

First Church - August 1838 (Old paper says where Burt Osmun's house now stands. I do not know the location of that house back then)

First Flour Mill - rebuilt and enlarged August 1838

First Church organized - Presbyterian, February 28, 1840

First Town Board licensed in Fentonville, March 2, 1841.

First Tavern Keeper - H.M. LeRoy

First Retailers - M.S. McOmber, L. Wesson, A. St. Amond, Consider Warner and D. Smith,

Common Victualler - S.C. Sadler

First Tinsmith - Frank Carrier's ad in the Observer, "Tin-ware and copper, stovepipe made and repaired. March 2, 1841

First Newspaper - Weekly Observer September 21, 1853. (Printed over Booth's store)

First Dentist - George Porte(paper gone) June, 1855

W.W. Booth erected a dam and a 100 barrel-a-day flour mill two miles northwest of Fenton (?. Wadley's farm), 1856 burned January 6, 1873

First Private Bank - Trump and Wilmot at 209 South LeRoy Street 1856

First National Bank - David L. Latourette, summer 1863

First Railroad - which ended here for a year 1856

First Brewery - Philip Dauner, 1859

First Village Election - April 29, 1863 - B. Bangs, president - D. Horton, T.G. Smith, William Dunham, S.G. Alexander, trustees; B.F. Stone, clerk; R.L. Sheldon, treasurer; G.G. Perry, marshall; David Smith, assessor; Henry Judevine and Kingsley Beckwith, street commissioners; E.E. Bridges, poundmaster; G.O. Chipman, George S. Riker, and James Baker, fire marshalls.

Fentonville incorporated as a village September 10, 1862. Name changed to Fenton many years later.

Zera Patterson opened drygoods store 1872. May 1879 moved south of old post office, 2nd door north of M.E. church.

First Circus, 1850 showed on lot back of A.J. Chapin home (618 W. Elizabeth Street, corner of davis Street.