From Michigan County Atlas
John Talbot built the first gristmill in Woodstock Township (section 33 SW quarter) in 1835, and a settlement developed named PERU. It was "a small affair," and soon Mr. Talbot decided there was better waterpower downstream. His new mill was in operation by 1838, and the town moved to the new site. A P.O. named MANETAU opened in 1838: renamed Peru, then BROWNELL'S MILLS, then JACKSON'S MILLS when Darius Jackson added a new mill in 1844. The village was platted as HARRISON in 1847. In 1851 Addison Comstock, the founder of Adrian, purchased and platted land here, and settled the issue of the name for the village - the P.O. took the name Addison the next year. Incorporated as a village in 1893. The place was nicknamed "Coon Town," from the 1840s, because of the many Whig party (anti-slavery) people who lived here, "an appellation it did not outgrow for many years." One of the Whig campaign emblems was a "coon skin" displayed at their door.