The Founding of Charlotte
The area that would become Charlotte was owned by the U.S. Government until 1832, when George Barnes purchased the land. George Barnes eventually sold the land to New York land speculator Edmund B. Bostwick in 1835. H.I. [or Thomas] Lawrence, Townsend Harris, and Francis Cochran bought a portion of the land from Francis Bostwick. These 4 men can be given credit for creating the village they named after Bostwick's wife, Charlotte. On October 10th, 1863 Charlotte was incorporated as a village. It was incorporated as a city nearly 8 years later on March 29th, 1871. Charlotte was designated the County Seat as early as 1835. Due to a lack of suitable buildings, Bellevue conducted county functions until the end of 1839.
The Founders of CharlotteEdmund B. Bostwick
Edmund Bostwick was born in Vermont in 1801. While living in New York City, he bought the site of Charlotte from George Barnes in 1835 as part of land speculating activities. Later, Bostwick sold a portion of his Eaton County land to 3 men, each receiving 1/4 of the land. The village built on that land was named after Bostwick's wife Charlotte. Bostwick later died on an overland journey to California in 1850. H. I. Lawrence Received land from Bostwick in 1835. Lawrence was Mr. Barnes Agent that stayed at the land of Charlotte when Bostwick bought the land he sold part of the land to Lawrence for the work he did when Barnes owned the land. Francis Cochran Cochran received a portion of Bostwick's land in 1835. In the beginning years of Charlotte living bears were in the area, Mr. Francis Cochran gathered a group of men and boys to rid the area of bears. Townsend Harris Harris was the last land speculator to receive land from Bostwick. He also was a land owner that lived in New York buying and selling land. |