Gladwin County Record - 6 JAN 1888

Mrs. Jas. Colbeck Jr. is visiting her former home at Farwell

Stephen White's baby is very sick with inflammation on the lungs.

Roby Ann Riley, whose disappearance was noted last week, has returned to her father's house in Billings. The sheriff pursued her and her Italian paramour fruitlessly; but like the prodigal son, after having wasted the filthy lucre in her possession, she returned to her father's house richer in wisdom and minus 40 acres of land.

Gladwin County Record - 20 JAN 1888

The infant child of Stephen White of Billings died Tuesday, of Spinal fever. The funeral was announced to take place yesterday. *This was the death announcement for Anna L. White, who was buried in Edenville, next to her sister Violet, and later in 1932, next to Alfretta White, and in 1979 William D. White. (very likely Anna Lucinda?)

Gladwin County Record - 27 JAN 1888

Very cold weather in Billings for a few days.

Thomas Bowers is hauling logs for Jas. Colbeck, sr.

Gladwin County Record - 17 FEB 1888

There has been quite a number of teams coming out of camp on account of the deep snow.

Marshal Kent caught two nice coons last week

Gladwin County Record - 30 MARCH 1888

Billings Bits- The job of building a frame schoolhouse has been let to Issac Hanna for $700.

township caucuses included candidates: jas. Colbeck Sr. for highway commissioner; Frank Colbeck for constable

=the editor noted that more Billings news received, but since it was unsigned, he could not print it

Gladwin County Record -20 APRIL 1888

Billings election results included: Jas. Colbeck Jr. for treasurer at 21 of 30 votes cast; Jas. Colbeck Sr. for highway commissioner at 18 of 30 votes cast; and one of the constables elected was Frank Colbeck

Gladwin County Record -EDENVILLE - 11 MAY 1888

Young Swanton died Sunday afternoon. He had as usual been drinking. Dr. Herrles set at rest a rumor that he had been drugged by pronouncing death due to apoplexy.

Gladwin County Record - REAL ESTATE TRANSFER -11 MAY 1888

Wilber W. Steele and wife of Gladwin to Jas. Colbeck Jr. of Billings, s h of sw q of sw q sec 27, t 17 n, r 1 e, $100.

Gladwin County Record - 18 MAY 1888

May circuit court jury duty roster included James Colbeck Jr.

31 students reported enrolled in Bilings school

Gladwin County Record - 25 MAY 1888

Fall wheat looks well Farmers have nearly finished spring work.

County surveyor Bowers and Jas. Colbeck Jr. and Mr. Nottingham have traded farms and will take possession of their newly acquired places in the fall.

Jas. Colbeck Sr. of Billings was a caller at the Record office Wednesday.

Gladwin County Record -REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS - 1 JUNE 1888

Jas. Colbeck Jr. to John Nottingham, part of ne q of sw q of sw q of sec 27, t 17 n r 1 e, $600.

Gladwin County Record -1 JUNE 1888

James Colbeck Sr. is fitting up a new barn.

Gladwin County Record -22 JUNE 1888

The crops in Billings township are extra this season. Wheat is heading out....Potatoes are doing well.

Jas. Colbeck Sr. has his new barn nearly completed. It is 40 x 60.

Jas Colbeck Jr. has the lumber on the ground for a house on his new farm.

Gladwin County Record -6 JULY 1888

Crops are in need of rain.

Material for the new schoolhouse is all on the ground and Billings expects to have as good school building as any district in the county.

Arrangements have been made to add 1/2 acre to the school grounds by purchasing the same from Jas. Spence.

Jas. Colbeck Sr., visited the county seat Monday.

Gladwin County Record - 10 AUG 1888

Republican county convention...Billings township committee on credentials members listed: James Colbeck Sr., Stephen White, ...

Gladwin County Record -24 AUG 1888

Isaac Hanna has just completed a new house for Jas. Colbeck Jr.

Jas. Colbeck Sr, director of district no. 1 Billings, was in town Saturday, and informs us that the district's new schoolhouse is completed. The contractor, Isaac Hanna, has done his work in a manner extremely satisfactory to the district, which claims now to have as fine a schoolhouse as is found in Michigan, outside of the villages. Its dimensions are 25 x 35 with 12 foot ceiling. A new bell has been procured and patent furniture. The sand for the mortar used in building the foundation was probably the most expensive material used in the building, it being necessary to haul the same from the county seat, none good enough for the purpose being found any nearer. This district is probably the first in Gladwin county to build any kind of a building without bonding itself to raise the requisite funds, having very nearly the amount of cash required in its treasury at the time work was commenced. This speaks well for the financial condition of the district. The members of the building committee were S.R. Plummer, Thos Bowers, Obiatha Ordiway, Jas Colbeck Jr. and Lyman Ordiway.

Gladwin County Record - 31 AUG 1888

Jas. Colbeck Jr. has moved into his new residence. John Nottingham has moved into the house vacated by Mr. Colbeck.

Temperance meetings were held in our new schoolhouse Sunday and Monday evenings and a lodge of 17 organized here. Pretty good for this town.

Crops are good. Potatoes will be a large crop. The farmers of this place are preparing to sow a great deal of wheat.

Gladwin County Record -21 SEPT 1888

Aug 28 Sabbath school organized...Jas. Colbeck Sr. librarian=

Big Jack Frost ripened the corn and potatoes in a hurry.

Several teams have gone to camp through this settlement.

Gladwin County Record - 28 SEPT 1888

Following have been drawn as jurors to be in attendance upon circuit court, which will sit Tuesday October 23:...Stephen White, Billings...

Gladwin County Record - 26 OCT 1888

Jas. Colbeck has a job putting in 500,000 feet for E.O. and S.L. Eastman.

Gladwin County Record - 23 NOV 1888

two of the Gladwin county school districts had failed to hold the required minimum number of months of school that would have entitled them to primary money: no. 5 Grout (none held); and no. 1 Billings (3 months held but 5 required)

Gladwin County Record - 7 DEC 1888

E.O. Eastman of the firm of Warner and Eastman and E.O. and S.L. Eastman of East Saginaw was in town Wednesday. He is kept busy nowadays in looking after the firms' camps, of which with jobbers, they have ten in operation...(jobbers included Thos. Bowers and James Colbeck in T 17 n 1 e)

Gladwin County Record - 28 DEC 1888

Mrs. James Colbeck Jr. is seriously sick with typhoid fever. Mr. Vandegrif; her father, of Farwell, visited her.

Our school is progressing finely.