Bellevue, Michigan

Bellevue Historical Society "Preserving The Past For The Future".

Bellevue is located in the outermost southwest corner of Eaton County, Michigan, along Highway M-78. Bellevue was the county seat from 1837 to 1840. The Village of Bellevue was incorporated in 1867.

The Bellevue Museum holds many of Bellevue's Historical artifacts; Period Dress, Books, Obituaries, Scrapbooks, Vital Records and much more.

Many families from the East - Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and from the North - New York and Canada, found a place to raise their children and sow their pedigree's. There was abundant farm land and other resources, such as Lime Stone, with which they could earn a living. In the early years, 1833 to 1838 many inhabitants of Bellevue had no idea that they had neighbors until a stray cow found their way to another farm, looking for that invaluable animal brought friendships.

"Local History - Early Settlements -Emigration of 1835-1836" Taken from the "Past and Present of Eaton County"

The first settlement in the County was made by Captain REUBEN FITZGERALD in July 1833 in what is now the township of Bellevue. His daughter, SARAH FITZGERALD, whose birth took place on November 12, 1834, was the first white child born in Eaton County, Michigan. The first white male child born in Eaton County, Michigan was ISSAC E. CRARY HICKOK, son of Captain JAMES HICKOK. He was born on September 7, 1836. Captain HICKOK was the first settler in the town of Walton, but his son was born in Bellevue.

On December 26, 1855, SARAH FITZGERALD was married to JOHN SPAULDING by Reverend G.W HOAG. These are the names of a few prominent and well documented "First Inhabitants" of Eaton County; SARLES pioneer of Charlotte, ROGERS, HAYT, BAKER

Membership: $10 per year for Individuals, $15 Families and $125 LIFETIME

Bellevue, Michigan Historical Society and Museum