Our Hidden Settlement

Our Hidden Settlement; Atherton to Burton, now and then. As 2019 ended, I talked with Gary Gould editor of the View newspapers, it was time to write down, what I have learned from all my research, and he offered me a column. My mother Doris had always encouraged me to write, so to honor her on her birthday in 2019, I said yes (Hoping my brain would be recovered enough from a car accident). With much hope from friends. My Mom Doris had been gone a year and my dad eight years ago, it is time to do it. I had been thinking about of all the changes that our ancestors had seen in their lifetime, in the past few centuries. I had tried to walk in their footsteps. Traveling to 49 states and the UK to follow their paths (the past 20 years)to find the blessings of God. Arriving in North America to a new land, finding freedoms they had never had before. Being able to establishing a government of democracy, having freedoms of religion to worship God, purchase their own land, without high taxes from the government, they fought for our freedoms during the Revolutionary War 1776 and the War of 1812. Pioneering across a vast country of land, making new settlements without a kingdom ruling over them. The Civil War 1861-1865 equality for all not division for monetary gains. The Atherton Settlement was established during that era (1835-1855), landowners farmed their own land. I graduated from Atherton School in 1976 and found out we are the 3rd oldest school in Michigan, 2011. put in the Library of Congress Washington D.C. by Congressmen Dale Kildee. Wow! I was really curious about our high school with the only one with a wolverine as a mascot. The name changed to Burton Township in 1855 (separate part of Flint Township) became the City of Flint in 1855, so the boundary lines on both sides of the City of Flint changed. In 1855 Burton Township didn’t have its own U.S. Post Office, so Flint volunteered. Why we had a postmaster in 1861? Very confusing with Flint on everything, we thought we lived in Flint, but we did not, the taxes went to the Burton Township. I was told because there was a Burton Township in Shiawassee County, you can’t have two townships within the same state with the same name. Our parents knew this, but unless they paid the property taxes, they would not have known they lived in Burton Township, all our mail said “Flint, Michigan” (until 1972). Even, where the Flint Culture Center Area is now, was all Burton Township, until part was annexed out in 1920’s when Mr. Mott and others wanted to be annexed into Flint for more tax money from the state. Burton Township still had land on the map from 1907 Plot map in back. Mr. Ackerman of Burton Township worked for the treasurer in 1915, his daughter Rosa, remembers riding with her father to collect Burton Township taxes in a horse driven buggy on Kearsley Street. (In the cultural area).On the western border it went to the old Flint Farmers Market on East Boulevard Street and Burton Street by the Flint River, (by where the Flint United States Post Office on Robert T. Longway now). Most kids had no idea they lived in Burton Township, at that time all our mail came through Flint, Michigan post office, (until 1972 when became a city, got our own Burton Post Office on Davison Road). Then we finally saw our boundary, because our mail came to our homes with Burton post mark! I have the United States Postal service document written to Mayor Thomas for our postal service to be changed to Burton. The Genesee County map of 1907 showed how the boundaries started to change from 1855, all around the City of Flint. According to the 1869 Michigan state charter, the City of Flint could annex a smaller city by unanimous votes on the city council of the larger city (like Flint) and they did it, for tax revenue. Until Burton became a city in 1972 and NOW, WE ARE BURTON! Now let’s go back to a simpler time with less stress trusting God, growing our own food and neighborhood fun. I would like to share stories about family, holidays, inventions, Burton stories, and fun historical facts, I have found the past ten years to make my city known.