USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Biographical history of Genesee County, Michigan > Part 17
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Our subject, Samuel J., was born in Thetford township September 3, 1849. He was reared there and received such education as the schools of the
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times afforded. He remained at home until he was of age, receiving that discipline and training that makes so often for the sturdy characters of maturer days.
After reaching his majority he was engaged for two years in saw milling and lumbering. He then returned his attention to farming, and purchased a farm in Forest township, which was at that time but poorly improved. He continued upon this farm for some eight or nine years, and succeeded in bringing it to a satisfactory state of productiveness and improvement. He then sold the farm and transferred his operations to Flint, becoming engaged with is brother, Nahum T., and others, in the manufacture of cabinets, creameries and other dairy articles patented by himself and brother.
Mr. Wilson was married in Thetford township September 19, 1869, to Miss Elizabeth Perry, daughter of James and Mary (Greenway) Perry, who was born in Simcoe, Ontario, January 24, 1851. There were four chil- dren born to this union, one of whom died in infancy. The three living are Virgil A., Guy M. and Mabel C., who is now the wife of Charles H. Vickery. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson died on November 29, 1881, and Mr. Wilson was again married, this time to Miss Harriet P. Clark, the daughter of John D. and Emma (Daniels) Clark, having been born in Tuscola county, Michi- gan, January 12, 1863. Mr. John D. Clark was a soldier in the Civil war and died in the army. Mrs. Clark died in Arbela township, Tuscola county. By this second union there were two children, Corwin D. and E. Marguerite.
Mr. Wilson has for eight years held the office of alderman and has faithfully and efficiently represented the interests of his constituents. While in Forest township he held the office of highway commissioner. He takes an active interest in all the affairs that pertain to the advancement of the city. He has been especially responsible for much of the change for the better in matters pertaining to paving the city's streets. He was instrumental in bringing about the change from the use of the old wooden block system to that of the modern paving brick, and subsequent developments in this and other cities have demonstrated the wisdom of the change. He is also the secretary and treasurer of the Michigan Dairymen's Association, which office he has held for the last sixteen years. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, Blue Lodge, No. 23; Washington Chapter, No. 15, and Genesee Valley Commandery, Knights Templars, No. 15. He is also a member of the order of the Eastern Star.
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JAMES H. FAILING.
Mr. James H. Failing, retired blacksmith, living at 1319 Detroit street, Flint, was born in Marshall, Calhoun county, Michigan, November 20, 1841. He was the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Howe) Failing, both from the Mohawk valley, New York. Henry Failing followed the occupation of farm- ing, and after his marriage in New York he came to Michigan in 1831. Upon his arrival at Marshall there was but one house in the neighborhood. He took up a tract of government land and set to work to improve it and bring it under cultivation. Later he disposed of this farm and removed to Albion, Michigan, where he and his wife continued to live until their life's close. They were devout and industrious people, members of the Methodist church and active participants in affairs generally. Mr. Failing was a Re- publican, having been a member of the Whig party, which proved to be the forerunner of the Republican party. The family consisted of four children, . three of whom, Margaret, Wesley M., and Charles M., are deceased, while the fourth, our subject, still survives.
James was brought up on the farm and continued there until sixteen years of age, at which time the family removed to Albion. He was educated in the Albion schools and remained at home until nineteen years of age.
At this time he enlisted in the Federal army, and no patriot rendered better or more willing service in the cause of the flag than did he. He was out in the field for four years and six months.
After the war he returned to Michigan and made his way to Flint, where he started up in the blacksmith business. This he followed for about one year, and then sold out his interest on account of ill health. Since that time he has acted as clerk and has given some other work his attention, also, but is now practically retired.
On August 30, 1872, he was married to Angeline Dullam, daughter of Robert and Mary Ann Dullam, both very early settlers of Genesee county, Michigan. They were prominent farmers and are now both deceased. Two children blessed the union of Mr. James H. Failing and wife, viz., Bessie S. and Nina E., the latter becoming the wife of Earl B. Adams.
Mr. and Mrs. Failing were active workers in the church and were uni- versally loved and respected.
Mr. Failing is a Republican and a Maccabee, also a member of the Gov-
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ernor Crapo Post, No. 145, Grand Army of the Republic. No part of his life is of more interest than his experiences while in the southern clime.
He enlisted in 1861, joining Company D, Twelfth Michigan Infantry. This enlistment was made at Albion, Michigan, for a term of three years. His experiences in the field were both hazardous and trying.
On April 6, 1862, he was taken prisoner at Shiloh and was not exchanged until February 26, 1863. On March 8th, the same year, he was made ser- geant and on December 21, 1863, he re-enlisted and was mustered in at Little Rock, Arkansas. In April, 1864, he was made first sergeant. He was dis- charged on January 7, 1865, to accept the commission of second lieutenant. Some of the battles of note in which he participated were Shiloh, Pittsburg Landing and Little Rock. He was often engaged in exciting and dangerous skirmishes, and can entertain one for hours rehearsing his experiences in the guerrilla warfare in Arkansas. He was mustered out at Camden, Arkansas, February 15, 1866.
TALMON C. OWEN.
Talmon C. Owen, retired farmer and soldier, living in the village of Gen- esee, was born at Almont, Lapeer county, Michigan, June 30, 1841. His parents were Amos H. and Louise (Shaw) Hewitt, both natives of the "Green Mountain state." He was adopted by his uncle, William B. Owen, and has since borne the name of Owen. His boyhood days were spent in the wholesome surroundings of life on the farm, having been brought up in Al- mont township, Lapeer county, Michigan. His education was obtained at the district schools in the vicinity, and at a neighboring academy. Talmon was one of a family of eight children, his brothers and sister, in order of birth, be- ing as follows: Dwight, of Michigan; Cornelia, Clarissa, Horace, Calvin, Henrietta and Mary.
In January, 1862, Talmon enlisted in Company F of the Tenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out in the same month, but re-enlisted in the same regiment and company. He then went out into active service and cheerfully faced the dangers, privations and exposures incident to the life of those that went into the firing line.
His experiences were such as were common to the soldier's lot, and an enumeration of a few of the engagements in which he took part will enable our readers to form an estimate of what it meant to defend our flag. He
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participated in the conflicts at Farmington, Corinth, Laverge, Antioch, Mis- sionary Ridge, Chickamauga, Ringgold, Buzzard's Ridge, Resaca, Rome, Dal- las, Kenesaw, Chickamauga, and Chattahoochee. At the latter place Mr. Owen received a serious wound. Although he went back to the field after recovering, the contest soon closed. He was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, on July 19, 1865, and returned home to a well earned rest.
On January 3, 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet V. Boles, who was born in Lapeer county, Michigan, in 1846. She was the daughter of William and Sarah (Deneen) Boles, both natives of the state of Ohio, but early settlers in Lapeer county. They were farmers, also, and de- voted their lives to the tillage of the soil. Their family consisted of the fol- lowing ten children : Nixon, Arminta, Melissa, Phoebe, Cyrus, Wallace, Osmer, Harriet, Alfred and Lemuel. In this large and robust family the genial spirit of fellowship and helpfulness was ever present, and Mr. and Mrs. Owen have in a measure reproduced the atmosphere of the old home in their own family fireside, around which they gathered the following family of eight : Jennie, deceased; Nettie, now the wife of Henry Hookwith; Perry, now liv- ing in Idaho; De Loss; Harry, deceased; Roy, now a soldier in Alaska; Alton and Viola. For a few years they lived in the town of Flint, later removing to their farm in Genesee township. For the last ten years they have occupied their home in the village of Genesee.
The Owen home has been a place of welcome to many friends, and the kindly greeting is never wanting to the many friends who are privileged to call at the homestead. Mrs. Owen has been especially helpful in doing active work in the Methodist church.
JOHN CHARLES C. STEPHENS.
In the person of John Charles C, Stephens we have another pioneer resi- dent of Genesee county. He was born in Groveland township, Livingston county, New York, March 9, 1826, and was the son of Albert T. and Siana (Raper) Stephens. His father was a native of Connecticut and his mother was born in Pennsylvania. She was of German and Scotch-Irish extraction,
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and she and her husband were held in high esteem by neighbors and friends as good Christian people. They were members of the Congregational church. Mr. Stephens was a Whig and later became a Republican. They were the parents of five children, of whom, John was the first, and is the only surviving child. The deceased are Edwin, Harrison, Wellington and Cornelia. The circumstances attending the birth of John were indeed precarious. The par- ents were living in a log cabin in the bottoms of the Genesee river, in New York state. A severe freshet came on and it seemed as though the cabin would be swept away, the water having risen so suddenly that no escape was possible. A part of the cabin was used in making a raft and on this raft John was born while floating down the stream. A circumstance more dis- tressing than this can hardly be imagined; yet, through it all, matters seemed to shape themselves favorably, and the whole incident has become a matter for family reminiscence.
In 1834 the family came to Michigan, it being still a territory. They settled in Genesee township, Genesee county, and took up a tract of govern- ment land, making their home from timber on the land. In making the trip they drove to Buffalo, New York, and then took boat to Detroit, and from there drove by wagon to Genesee county. At that time Flint was a town made up of three cabins.
John has spent almost his entire life in the county, the exceptions being time spent in the army and about one year while living at Saginaw and Bay City. In early life he learned the cabinet-maker's trade, and followed that extensively, but gave some attention to farming also. He now owns and lives upon a neat little farm of twenty acres in section sixteen of Genesee township.
In February, 1865, he enlisted in Company H of the Twenty-third Michi- gan Infantry and continued in the service until the close of the war.
Mr. Stephens is an ardent Republican, but would never consent to hold public office. He is a loyal member of the Masonic fraternity, and is also a member of the Fred Walker Post, No. 134, Grand Army of the Republic. He has served four terms as commander and has been officer of the day for fourteen terms. He has one of the most interesting and instructive collec- tions of Indian relics to be seen in this section of the state. This includes shells, samples of Indian workmanship, and some good specimens of petrified objects.
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GEORGE E. LOVE.
The subject of this sketch, George E. Love, was born in Clinton county, Michigan, May 31, 1859. His father, John Love, was of Scotch descent and was a native of New York state. His mother, Mary (Gay) Love, was of English ancestry. They came from New York and settled in Clinton county, and there became engaged in farming. Mr. Love ended his days on the farm, reaching the age of sixty-five years. His death occurred in Decem- ber of 1884. Mrs. Love afterward removed to Flushing, where she died De- cember 31, 1904, at the age of seventy-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Love were highly respected people, well known in their community as pious and indus- trious neighbors. Their family of children was quite large, George being the sixth child. He was reared on the farm, thus getting his first experiences in life from contact with the hardy problems set by mother nature. As a boy he was active and energetic, receiving such education as was afforded by the rural schools of the times. Possessed of an ambition to assist in maintaining the affairs of the paternal home, and at the same time desirous of working on his own responsibility, he became engaged in various occupations away from home, beginning at the age of seventeen, and continuing until about twenty-six. His attention was turned toward buying and shipping stock, and in prosecuting this occupation he obtained a reputation for honorable methods
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of dealing with his patrons, as well as making a record for himself as a man of keen business insight. Following this he became interested in lumbering, transacting this business in Mecosta county, Michigan. This occupied him for many years, and in this work, as in previous occupations, he distinguished himself with the same fortitude and success. In 1900 he transferred his ac- tivities to Flushing and re-engaged here in the lumber business also. Since his arrival in Flushing he has achieved not only success in business, but has obtained the confidence and respect of his fellow townsmen as well. He has been chosen as a member of the city council and is looked upon as a conserva- tive and reliable exponent of the people's interests.
He was married in Gratiot county, Michigan, on December 29, 1885, to Miss Ida B. Currence, who was born and reared in that county. She was a young lady of estimable standing in the community and has proved to be an able and worthy helpmeet to her husband. Their union has resulted in the birth of three children, one of whom, Edith M., was called home to the Shepherd's fold when nine years of age. The two surviving children are Earl D. and Florence E. Earl D. was born October 8, 1886; Edith M., born July 12, 1889, and died December 9, 1897; Florence E. was born Febru- ary 13, 1897.
Mr. Love is an esteemed member of the Masonic fraternity and is looked upon as a valuable factor in maintaining and disseminating the principles of that venerable order. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
EDWIN O. WOOD.
The following sketch is a plain account of the active and energetic life of one of the best-known native sons of Genesee county :
Edwin O. Wood was born at Goodrich, Genesee county, Michigan, October 29, 1861, where his parents, Thomas P. and Paulina M. Wood, lived for nearly sixty years.
At twelve years of age the subject of this sketch began clerking in a general store at Goodrich, and, save for some time spent at the Saginaw city high school, he continued in mercantile pursuits for quite a number of years, finally going on the road as a commercial traveler for the wholesale grocery house of W. J. Gould & Co., Detroit, Mich., where he remained five years, leaving to accept a position as Michigan representative for Hackett, Carhart & Co., wholesale clothiers of New York. Previous to his engagement with W. J. Gould & Co. he was appointed railway mail clerk at the request of Congressman Edwin B. Winans, who afterward became governor of Mich- igan. Mr. Wood resigned from the mail service immediately, preferring a commercial to a political or government position.
The friendship between Governor Winans and Mr. Wood was continued up to the time of the death of the former. When Governor Winans was elected he tendered to Mr. Wood the appointment of commissioner of insur-
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ance for Michigan, but as the position held by Mr. Wood with Hackett, Carhart & Co. netted over $4,000 per year, which was considerably more than the other, the proffered appointment was declined.
In 1892 Mr. Wood was chairman of the Genesee Democratic county com- mittee, and upon the inauguration of President Cleveland, in March, 1893, he was appointed a special agent of the United States treasury department. He was assigned to the states of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, with headquarters at Detroit, but was for over four years engaged much of the time in special work, taking him over various portions of the United States and Canada. He was chosen by President Cleveland and secretary of the treasury, John G. Carlisle, to investigate the conditions of the customs service on the Pacific coast and in the northwest.
In May, 1893, before he had been in the service three months, he seized the merchant steamship, "Haytien Republic," on Puget sound for the illegal importation (smuggling) of opium and Chinese laborers. The vessel was confiscated and sold by the government after the case had been appealed to the United States circuit court of appeals and finally to the United States su- preme court, the judgment being affirmed by both courts.
Mr. Wood requested the calling of a special United States grand jury at Portland, Oregon, in June, 1893, and when it had completed its work in July over thirty indictments had been handed down upon evidence presented to it as the result of Mr. Wood's investigation. At the subsequent trials it was proved that over fifteen hundred Chinese laborers had been admitted into Portland illegally, and that the government had been defrauded out of over $340,000 in customs duties upon opium smuggled during a period of seven months preceding Mr. Wood's assignment to the case. Also that the col- lector of customs had received fifty dollars per head for admitting Chinamen, or a total of over $75,000 in less than one year, and also that the local special agent of the treasury had received a regular salary of $1,200 per month from the smugglers' combine in addition to his salary as a United States government official, and that other customs officials and merchants were connected with the conspiracy which existed to defraud the United States gov- ernment revenues.
At the trials in the United States district court the collector of customs, James Lotan ; the special treasury agent for Oregon, C. J. Mulkey ; the owners of the steamship line, Messrs. Dunbar & Blum; the super-cargo of the "Hay-
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tien Republic," and many others were convicted and sentenced. Mr. Dunbar, one of the steamship owners, after conviction, escaped to China.
President Cleveland and the treasury officials extended to Mr. Wood the thanks of the government for his work in these cases.
Following the work on the Pacific coast many important investigations were assigned to Mr. Wood, notably an examination of the port of Boston, a task which took three months, and one of the results was the bringing to light of the fact that the government had been defrauded out of about thirty thou- sand dollars in a private bonded warehouse where bonded glass was stored. This money was recovered and paid into the treasury department. Another case brought to light by Mr. Wood was a defalcation of four thousand dollars in the cashier's office of the Detroit custom house.
In July, 1897, Mr. Wood resigned his position, although assured by the treasury officials, of the then Republican administration, that because of his record, as well as the fact that the office was embraced in the civil service, he would be retained permanently.
In 1895 Mr. Wood originated and founded the Knights of the Loyal Guard, a fraternal beneficiary society, the name of which has since been changed to Loyal Guard. He was its first secretary, and two years later was chosen as president, which position he has held continuously since, or a period of eleven years at the writing of this sketch.
In 1902-3 he was president of the National Fraternal Press Association, and in 1903-4 was president of the National Fraternal Congress, which is made up of the leading fraternal societies of the United States and Canada, and represents an individual membership of about five million persons.
In 1904 Mr. Wood was chosen chairman of the Democratic state central committee for Michigan, and conducted a memorable campaign, whereby the opposing candidate for Governor received one hundred and fifty thousand fewer votes than were cast for President Roosevelt in Michigan at the same election.
In 1905 the city of Flint celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its in- corporation as a municipality. The Hon. C. H. Wisner, circuit judge, was chosen chairman of the general committee and Mr. Wood was elected chair- man of the executive committee, his associates on this committee being J. D. Dort, J. H. Crawford, Rev. C. A. Lippincott, W. H. Edwards, with I. J. Al- len, secretary, and C. T. Bridgeman, treasurer. The "Golden Jubilee" was a
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notable event, not only in the history of Flint, but of Michigan. The Vice- President of the United States, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, all of the judges of the supreme court of Michigan, the governor, state officers, congressmen, President Angell of the University of Michigan, Bishop Foley, of Detroit, and many other noted personages were present.
Mr. Wood has been connected with various matters pertaining to the public life of the city, county and state where he resides. He has been president of the Genessee County Pioneer and Historical Association, a trustee of the Glen- wood Cemetery Association, and upon the organization of the Flint Improve- ment League in 1905 Mr. Wood was chosen a member of the executive com- mittee, which position he holds at the time of this writing.
He is a member of the board of trustees of the Masonic Temple Asso- ciation of Flint, and was one of the soliciting committee of five who raised $47,000 within a period of two weeks toward the erection of a new Masonic temple.
He is at present the editor of the "Loyal Guard Magazine" and has been for the past twelve years, and is a member of the Michigan Press Asso- ciation. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution ; mem- ber of Genesee Lodge, No. 174, Free and Accepted Masons; Washington Chapter, No. 15, Royal Arch Masons; Genesee Valley Commandery, No. 15, Knights Templar ; Michigan Sovereign Consistory, Scottish Rite Masons; Moslem Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; also a member of the Elks, Odd Fellows, Ben-Hur, Royal Arcanum, Modern Woodmen, Woodmen of the World, Supreme Tent of the Maccabees, Modern Maccabees, Independent Order of Foresters, Protected Home Circle, Knights and Ladies of Security, Knights of the Grip and United Commercial Travelers.
In 1907 he was appointed by the branch of the United Commercial Travelers located at Flint to represent that body at a hearing given by the Michigan legislature upon the bill to reduce passenger fares to two cents per mile, and was present at the hearing and took an active part in bringing to a successful termination the contest of the Commercial Travelers of Michigan for lower fares. He also was present at the hearing and took part at the time the bill to create a railroad commission for Michigan was before the legislature, which bill was subsequently enacted into law.
He served three years in the Michigan state troops, Company A. Third Regiment (Flint Union Blues), and was honorably discharged July 8, 1885.
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Mr. Wood has from time to time been one of the heaviest purchasers of real estate, not only in the city of Flint, but in the county, having owned several farms, and being at various times a member of the American Oxford Down Sheep Record Association and American Red Polled Cattle Club; also was one of the incorporators of the American Tamworth Swine Record Association, and was one of the first importers of the Tamworth breed into the United States.
Mr. Wood has several times been honored with positions by the city government. He was appointed by the mayor to attend the national confer- ence upon the coal question, held in the city of Detroit, and was a member of the committee appointed by the common council to visit Washington and present to congress the claims of the city of Flint for a new postoffice build- ing, which mission was successful; the other members of the committee being Hon. John J. Carton, Hon. George E. Taylor and W. C. Durant.
In 1905 he was appointed by the mayor of the city a member of the police commission, which position he held during part of the terms as mayor of Hon. Bruce J. Macdonald and Hon. D. D. Aitken, resigning after serv- ing one year, during which time the gambling houses of the city of Flint were closed and the practice of permitting women and girls to visit saloons was stopped.
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