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The town of Larrabee is one of the northern tier, west of Matteson and north of Bear Creek, and was organized April 2, 1861. Norman Clinton, from whom the thriving village of Clintonville took its name, was the first settler, locating in March, 1855. He died April 7, 1875, his con, U. P., coming to Clintonville in 1857. He still resided there. Rev. Alfred C. Lathrop preached the first sermon at the funeral of Mrs. U. P. Clinton, whose death in June,1858, is the first recorded in the town of Larrabee. U. P. Clinton was the first Postmaster, commencing his service in that year, and also kept the first store during 1858. His father built the first saw-mill (burned in 1861) the year before, and, upon the organization of the town in April, 1861, the following were chosen its first officers: U. P. Clinton, Chairman; H. P. Turesdal and G. Smith, Supervisors; E. W. Bennett, Treasurer. The first school was taught by Jenny Marsh in 1861, in the Clintonville log schoolhouse built two years before.
LARRABEE TOWNSHIP
In November, 1860, the Township of Larrabee was taken from Bear 'Creek by action of the county board, and the first town meeting ordered to be held "at the schoolhouse in District No. 2, of Bear Creek." It appears, however, to have been held at the house of U. P. Clinton on the 2d of April, 1861. The town officers then and there elected: Chairman, U. P. Clinton; supervisors, H. P. Truesdale and G. Smith; clerk, L. W. Clinton; treasurer, E. W. Bennett; justice of the peace, John Sharp, J. Bird, J. Doty and D. Melton; assessors, N. Clinton, L. W. Clinton and D. Melton.
The earliest history of Larrabee centers in and around the Village of Clintonville. As already stated, the first settlement was made by Norman and U. P. Clinton on section 23, in March, 1855. Charles Matteson is said to have broken the first land, on July 7, 1855, and planted it to potatoes.
In 1857 the Clintons built the first sawmill at Clintonville; the first school was taught at that point, in the same year, by Miss Jennie Marsh; also in 1857 was born the first child, George V. Bennett, son of "Chet."; Mrs. U. P. Clinton's was the first death, and the sermon delivered at her funeral by Rev. Alfred Lathrop, was the first preached in the township. Then, in 1858, the first postoffice was established at U. P. Clinton's store, with the proprietor as postmaster; and his was also the pioneer mercantile establishment of the township. The first apple trees were planted by E. W. Bennett, in the spring of 1858, but the first fruit was grown by U. P. Clinton.
Before Squire Bennett was brought the first suit at law, in 1862. By 1872, it was considered that the population of Clintonville and the surrounding country would support a grist mill, which was accordingly erected by the busy U. P. Clinton, and the equally energetic W. H. Stacey, a later arrival at the village.
Outside of Clintonville, the Town of Larrabee has steadily come to the front. It leads the townships in the value of its lands, which are placed at $1,806,520; those figures representing the average selling price for a number of years past. It is also first in the total value of all its property, $2,042,784. The township is third in the true value of its neat cattle and equines, which is given respectively at $98,316 and $86,198. There are seven cheese factories and creameries in the township, which fact conveys an idea of how large a source of wealth and prosperity lies in its dairy industries.
The Town of Larrabee is also a leader in the scheme of county education. It has the largest school population (outside of the villages and cities) of any of the townships, 513, and supports eight well organized rural schools.
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