Grand Traverse Herald Newspaper 4 April 1889 Traverse City, Michigan Mr. John Drew of Old Mission was 90 years old on the 29 of March. Mr. Drew is well and of as active a mind as at forty, and the present prospect is that he will live to be one hundred years old. Mr. Drew came from Detroit to Old Mission in '64. Mr. and Mrs. Beers came to Old Mission in 1860. Mr. Beers is 89 while the age of Mrs. Beers is 82 years and they have been married 62 years. They did not celebrate their silver wedding day but should they live long enough will celebrate their diamond wedding. Uncle Jud Parker came to Old Mission in '64 and will soon be 80 years old, and would easily pass for 50, he is so active. Mr. Thomas Tyrer came to Old Mission in '54 and since that time Old Mission has been his home. Mr Tyrer was one of the first wheels men on the old Alleghany. Mr. and Mrs. Ladd came to Old Mission in '52. At that time there were only three other white families here, but about 500 Indians. Mr and Mrs Pratt came at the early date of '49. Mr Pratt was Indian farm assisted by W. R. Stone who came just a little later. At that time Mr. Lewis Miller now of Charlevoix, Mr. Doughtery, and Mr. Boardman, the founder of Traverse City, were the only white familles here. Myron Chandler, John McClusky, who died last fall, and W. Golden, came to Old Mission '55 from Ogdensburg, NY and lived in the district south of Old Mission which is still the Ogsdenburg district. E. K. Wait came two days later and now has a beautiful fruit farm with in site of Old Mission dock. Many of the early settlers have passed away, still their merits are discussed around the fireside, of the few old settlers who were here to share there hardships when Old Mission was a wilderness. Only a short time and all will be gone, only the silent reminders that tells us that there were others before us who have left their footprints in the sand of time the end Enjoy.. will be on GT website also Brenda kingsley@aol.com