Another of the old settlers of Franklin was Schriva Blakeslee, who settles on the farm now owned by George Pickering. Mr Blakeslee died many years ago. Only one son is now living, Eli Blakeslee, of Four Towns. Frank Blakeslee and Arthur Blakeslee, of Birmingham, ar the grandsons of Sheriva Blakeslee. The old Van Every custom mills was built on the south west corner of the farm and at a later date Col. Van Every bought the farm.
Another of the old settlers was Dilucene Stoughton, who settled on the east half of the northeast quarter of section 5, township one north rangeten east, which township is now called Southfield. It originally was part of Bloomfield and divided off by the territorial legislature. The wording of the act reguarding its name read as follows: "Ans the name thereof, shall be called Ossewa. Approved Jul 12, 1830." Then it appears they were not satisfied with the name and another act was passed in less than twenty days, which read as follows: "An act to alter the name of the town of Ossewa in the county of Oakland, Secc 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan, that the township of Ossewa shall hereafter be called Southfield, any law to the contrary notwithstanding. Approved Jul 29, 1830."
What caused the change we are unable to inform our readers. As we said the E 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Sec. 6, Southfield, was taken up by Dilucene Stoughton, who soon after built a brick residence on the same, in which Dr. Ebenezer Raynale lived before he moved to Birmingham. It subsequently fell inot the possession of Winthrop Worthing who died there, leaving the property to his son Benjamin D. Worthing; he sold it to Mrs. chas. Sly, she to Peter S. Buck, of Commerce; he to Jane Owen, she to John German; and he to Dr. H. S. Buel and is now the property of the estate of Miss Helen Buel deceased. The brick house was burned by Abel Bigelow, another early settler, who lives about a mile north west of Franklin. Abel Bigelow was a grandfather of John A. Bigelow, of Birmingham, ex-county Treasurer of Oakland County.
Abel Bigelow had quite an extensive family of children, all remarkable for their statue and general good physique, being very tall, the females as well as the males. Levi jothom and Thomas A. were the only male portion of the family, the writer ever knew. Mrs Stocking, Mrs. Labin, Mrs. Irish, Mrs Markle and Mrs. Smith were five of Abel Bigelow's daughters. Perry Smith is a son of Mrs. Smith, above named.