Philip Dyer, Livingston Co., Mich., June 7, 1836

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The following paragraghs come from:
History of Livingston County, Michigan.
Author: Ellis, Franklin
Philadelphia : Everts & Abbott, 1880

"The cemetery at Plainfield was taken from the Dyer property about 1838-39. The first death in that vicinity was that of a man named Welsh, from the State of New York. His grave was begun on the south side of the road, but before it was completed Mr. Dyer offered to give half an acre of ground from his farm for a cemetery. The grave was accordingly dug on the site given, and Welsh was the first person there interred. The cemetery is now filled with graves, and marble headstones are reared over the remains of many of the early and prominent settlers of the county".
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"Fleet VanSickel bought land at Plainfield, but soon sold to Philip Dyer, who became the second settler at the place. Dyer was also from New Jersey, and located here in 1836. He and Dunn both kept taverns. The place was originally known as Dyersburg, but upon the establishment of a post-office the name, Plainfield, was given by Mr. Dunn, after a town in New Jersey. John Cool and family came with Dyer and located west of the village, where two of his daughters are now living. Samuel Townsend settled in the fall of 1836 on the farm now occupied by John Van Sickel, who married one of his daughters. Philip Dyer's youngest son, John Dyer, occupies his father's old farm. A daughter of Mr. Dyer is now the wife of A. L. Dutton, living on section 16".
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"The body of a log school-house was built at Plainfield, in 1837, on ground given by Philip Dyer, being the same lot on which the present frame school-house stands".
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Philip's wealth in 1850 was $11,000.00

~Inflation Calculator: What cost $11000.00 in 1850 would cost $280,201.26 in 2009
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