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By Jim Kessler
My name is Jim Kessler, and I grew up on the E.V. Esmond homestead on East Curtis Road near Hale, Michigan. Many people today may ask, “Who was E.V. Esmond?”
E.V. Esmond was born in Jackson County, Michigan, on August 24, 1844, and died in Hale on January 6, 1925. Around 1873, he and his brother, Clark Esmond, brought their families to the Hale area and became among the township’s earliest settlers. E.V. established his homestead in what was then known as Range 5 East, and his daughter, Jessie Esmond, was the first white child born in the township.
Before becoming a pioneer farmer and lumberman, Esmond served during the Civil War with Company I of the 6th Michigan Heavy Artillery Regiment, rising to the rank of sergeant. During his service, he was captured by Confederate forces in Alabama and required to sign a parole agreement promising not to take up arms against the Confederacy. After his release, however, he returned to his unit and served until the end of the war.
After settling in Hale, Esmond became a successful farmer and was active in the lumber industry. His homestead on Curtis Road reflected both his success and influence within the growing community.
Built shortly after the Civil War, the Esmond home was an impressive structure for its time. It featured ten-foot ceilings and two separate living quarters, one for the Esmond family and another for the logging crew who worked at his sawmill along Smith Creek, now known as Esmond Road. The bunkhouse section housed up to ten men.
The home contained separate fireplaces with chimneys rising more than thirty feet high. Gas lighting, powered by a water-fed system connected to a cistern, illuminated the house. The original structure also featured a wraparound porch and an entrance near the kitchen. Behind the kitchen was a large room used as the foreman’s quarters, while another room served as the washroom. Water came from upstairs storage tanks, and beneath the home was a simple Michigan basement.
The house was heated entirely by wood-burning stoves, with stovepipes passing through floor grates to warm the upper level. As a boy exploring the house, I discovered hiding places built into the stairways, many concealing secret storage compartments.
The first post office in Hale was located within the Esmond home. Esmond also served as township supervisor from 1877 to 1878 and again from 1882 to 1887, helping guide the township during its formative years.
E.V. Esmond was an influential and determined man whose home reflected his stature within the community. Today, the Esmond homestead stands as a reminder of the pioneering spirit that helped build Hale and the enduring legacy of one of its earliest settlers.
For more information about E.V. Esmond and other Plainfield Township pioneers, visit the Plainfield Township Historical Museum.
