The 7th of eight children born to first cousins Nathaniel Lynde Raymond and Louisa Raymond, Oliver Raymond was reared in a well-established, prominent Colonial New England home. Educated, adventurous and eager, Oliver became a merchant at Dunkirk, New York where he met and married his wife Eunice. Drawn to tales of the newly available lands in Michigan, they arrived in St. Joseph County in 1832 and he began to farm. As a natural leader, local residents entrusted him to secure lands needed to create a town. In 1839, he patented over 3000 acres of the "Michigan-Toledo Strip", later plotted to formally become the city of White Pigeon.
Oliver Raymond held many positions of public trust; in 1832 he was appointed by the Governor as a Justice of the Peace at White Pigeon. In 1833, he served as a Delegate to the Territorial Convention at Ann Arbor. In 1837, he was appointed a Michigan State Road Commissioner of the newly admitted State to establish a road from Grand Rapids, through Kalamazoo to Lima, Indiana. His actions created what today is known as US Highway 131. At the same time, he served as Postmaster for Sherman Township, Michigan; an area just north of the town of Sturgis.
In 1848, gold fever swept St. Joseph County and southern Michigan. Some residents traveled to California and returned with tales of gold and wealth to prove it. In 1849, Oliver left his wife at White Pigeon and traveled with a couple locals who had gone, returned and were headed back. Eunice and their youngest children, Helen (7), William (4) and John (2), moved in with her brother, physician and surgeon Dr. William Nelson Elliott. About 1860, Oliver returned from El Dorado County, California to find his wife Eunice had died the year before at the age of 51.
Folklore provides that Oliver was very successful as a miner and that, on his return from California with a sizable fortune and accompanied by another White Pigeon miner returning home, the two were bushwhacked; Oliver losing all or the majority of his gold and, his travel partner: his life. Another story relates his travel companion lived, but both lost their fortunes.
Oliver stayed on at his brother-in-law, Dr. Elliott's, home and worked as a clerk at the local foundry. He died soon after at the age of 61.
Oliver Raymond held many positions of public trust; in 1832 he was appointed by the Governor as a Justice of the Peace at White Pigeon. In 1833, he served as a Delegate to the Territorial Convention at Ann Arbor. In 1837, he was appointed a Michigan State Road Commissioner of the newly admitted State to establish a road from Grand Rapids, through Kalamazoo to Lima, Indiana. His actions created what today is known as US Highway 131. At the same time, he served as Postmaster for Sherman Township, Michigan; an area just north of the town of Sturgis.
In 1848, gold fever swept St. Joseph County and southern Michigan. Some residents traveled to California and returned with tales of gold and wealth to prove it. In 1849, Oliver left his wife at White Pigeon and traveled with a couple locals who had gone, returned and were headed back. Eunice and their youngest children, Helen (7), William (4) and John (2), moved in with her brother, physician and surgeon Dr. William Nelson Elliott. About 1860, Oliver returned from El Dorado County, California to find his wife Eunice had died the year before at the age of 51.
Folklore provides that Oliver was very successful as a miner and that, on his return from California with a sizable fortune and accompanied by another White Pigeon miner returning home, the two were bushwhacked; Oliver losing all or the majority of his gold and, his travel partner: his life. Another story relates his travel companion lived, but both lost their fortunes.
Oliver stayed on at his brother-in-law, Dr. Elliott's, home and worked as a clerk at the local foundry. He died soon after at the age of 61.
The 7th of eight children born to first cousins Nathaniel Lynde Raymond and Louisa Raymond, Oliver Raymond was reared in a well-established, prominent Colonial New England home. Educated, adventurous and eager, Oliver became a merchant at Dunkirk, New York where he met and married his wife Eunice. Drawn to tales of the newly available lands in Michigan, they arrived in St. Joseph County in 1832 and he began to farm. As a natural leader, local residents entrusted him to secure lands needed to create a town. In 1839, he patented over 3000 acres of the "Michigan-Toledo Strip", later plotted to formally become the city of White Pigeon.
Oliver Raymond held many positions of public trust; in 1832 he was appointed by the Governor as a Justice of the Peace at White Pigeon. In 1833, he served as a Delegate to the Territorial Convention at Ann Arbor. In 1837, he was appointed a Michigan State Road Commissioner of the newly admitted State to establish a road from Grand Rapids, through Kalamazoo to Lima, Indiana. His actions created what today is known as US Highway 131. At the same time, he served as Postmaster for Sherman Township, Michigan; an area just north of the town of Sturgis.
In 1848, gold fever swept St. Joseph County and southern Michigan. Some residents traveled to California and returned with tales of gold and wealth to prove it. In 1849, Oliver left his wife at White Pigeon and traveled with a couple locals who had gone, returned and were headed back. Eunice and their youngest children, Helen (7), William (4) and John (2), moved in with her brother, physician and surgeon Dr. William Nelson Elliott. About 1860, Oliver returned from El Dorado County, California to find his wife Eunice had died the year before at the age of 51.
Folklore provides that Oliver was very successful as a miner and that, on his return from California with a sizable fortune and accompanied by another White Pigeon miner returning home, the two were bushwhacked; Oliver losing all or the majority of his gold and, his travel partner: his life. Another story relates his travel companion lived, but both lost their fortunes.
Oliver stayed on at his brother-in-law, Dr. Elliott's, home and worked as a clerk at the local foundry. He died soon after at the age of 61.
Oliver Raymond held many positions of public trust; in 1832 he was appointed by the Governor as a Justice of the Peace at White Pigeon. In 1833, he served as a Delegate to the Territorial Convention at Ann Arbor. In 1837, he was appointed a Michigan State Road Commissioner of the newly admitted State to establish a road from Grand Rapids, through Kalamazoo to Lima, Indiana. His actions created what today is known as US Highway 131. At the same time, he served as Postmaster for Sherman Township, Michigan; an area just north of the town of Sturgis.
In 1848, gold fever swept St. Joseph County and southern Michigan. Some residents traveled to California and returned with tales of gold and wealth to prove it. In 1849, Oliver left his wife at White Pigeon and traveled with a couple locals who had gone, returned and were headed back. Eunice and their youngest children, Helen (7), William (4) and John (2), moved in with her brother, physician and surgeon Dr. William Nelson Elliott. About 1860, Oliver returned from El Dorado County, California to find his wife Eunice had died the year before at the age of 51.
Folklore provides that Oliver was very successful as a miner and that, on his return from California with a sizable fortune and accompanied by another White Pigeon miner returning home, the two were bushwhacked; Oliver losing all or the majority of his gold and, his travel partner: his life. Another story relates his travel companion lived, but both lost their fortunes.
Oliver stayed on at his brother-in-law, Dr. Elliott's, home and worked as a clerk at the local foundry. He died soon after at the age of 61.
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