Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 10

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

to Michigan when twenty-six years of age. In 1873 he came to Antrim county, taking up a homestead claim, in Enoch township, in May of that year and forthwith initiating the reclaiming of the heavily timbered land. That he has succeeded in the herculean task which he thus set himself is evident when we direct attention to his present finely im- proved farm, which comprises eighty acres of most fertile land, of which sixty acres are under effective cultivation, devoted prin- cipally to the raising of 'wheat, oats and hay, while on the place the owner has a nice orchard, from which he secures good yields of apples and other fruits. Mr. Henning also finds it profitable to include the raising of cattle in his farming enterprise, and he keeps an average of twenty head of cattle of excellent grade, and also raises a consider- able number of Poland China swine each year. He assisted in the laying out of the early highways in the county and otherwise actively supported enterprises of a public nature, not hedging himself in with his private interests, even though the labors de- volving upon him in connection with the im- provement and cultivation of his farm seemed to be about all that could be de- manded of one man. He stated to the writer that in clearing off the timber from his land he burned up material from which he could realize a fortune if he were in possession of the same today, as the timber on his place was of the best quality. In political affairs Mr. Henning is a stalwart supporter of the Republican party so far as national and state affairs are concerned, but in a local way. where no issues are involved, he is not strenuously partisan. He served for four years as justice of the peace of Echo town- ship, has been a member of the school board

for a quarter of a century and for eighteen years held the office of township treasurer,- preferments which indicate the high esteem in which he is held in the community. In a fraternal way he is identified with the local organization of the Grange, taking an active interest in its affairs.

In 1872 Mr. Henning was united in mar- riage to Miss Isabel Hastings, who was born in Tumbury. Canada, being a daughter of Robert Hastings, a native of Scotland. To Mr. and Mrs. Henning have been born thirteen children, of whom nine are living, namely : William. Jessie, Rhoda. Mabel, WVretta, Belle, Georgia, Lottie and Ovida. Three died in infancy.

WILLIAM SISSONS.

Magnificent development has been made in the agricultural resources of the northern half of the lower peninsula of Michigan within the past score of years, and among the most attractive and prosperous sections is that which comprises Antrim county, among whose prosperous and representative farmers is the gentleman whose name initi- ates this paragraph and who has a well im- proved farm in Echo township.

Mr. Sissons is a native of the province of Ontario, Canada, where he was born on the 6th of March, 1863, and he is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Ogeltree) Sissons, of whom further mention is made in the sketch of the life of his brother, F. E. Sis- sons, appearing on another page of this work. The subject was reared to the dis- cipline of the farm and has passed practically his entire life in Michigan, his parents hav-

WILLIAM SISSONS AND FAMILY.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

ing come to this state when he was but six years of age and having located in Antrim county, where he grew to manhood, receiv- ing his educational training in the public schools. Mr. Sissons figures as one of the pioneers of Antrim county, where he has maintained his home for nearly two score of years, so that it is evident that he has as- sisted in the upbuilding of the industrial and civic structure of the county. When he came to this section it was practically an un- broken wilderness, the native timber still standing and waiting the ax of the sturdy pioneers who were to prove so successful in the reclamation of the fine land to culti- vation and profitable industry. He now has a fine landed estate of two hundred and fifty-three acres, of which eighty acres are under cultivation and devoted to general agriculture and horticulture, in which latter department of his farming enterprise he has made a specialty of raising potatoes, a pro- duct for which this section has become widely noted, and his average crop in this line reaches an aggregate of fully two hun- dred bushels. He has a good orchard on his place, also raises the smaller fruits and has about forty acres of valuable second-growth timber. Mr. Sissons has been prospered with the passing of the years and this fact is amply attested in the appearance of his fine farmstead, which is equipped with good buildings, including an attractive residence, and which figures as one of the model farms of this favored section of the Wolverine state. Mr. Sissons' parents were numbered among the first settlers in Central Lake township and due mention is made of them as sterling pioneers, while the name has thus been prominently identified with the growth and advancement of this county. 6

In his political adherency Mr. Sissons is arrayed as a stalwart supporter of the principles of the Republican party, with which he has been identified ever since at- taining his legal majority, and he has served as justice of the peace and been accorded other marks of popular confidence and esteem by the people of the community in which the major portion of his life has been passed. For the past eighteen years he has been a member of the school board of his district. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Gleaners' organization in the town- ship of Echo.

In the year 1889 was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Sissons to Miss Nettie Fletcher, who was born in Rochester, New York, and reared in Antrim county, Michigan, being a daughter of Thomas and Josephine (Bence) Fletcher, the former of whom still lives in the old Empire state, his wife being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Sissons have seven children, namely : Ethel, Kate, Orville, Wil- liam. Clarence, Charles Porter and Beulah.

LEMUEL AND JOHN FREEMAN.

The history of northern Michigan would be far from complete did it not mention those men who came to the new country when it was an unbroken wilderness and paved the way to its present prosperity. Amid hardships and suffering such as the present generation cannot realize, those sturdy men and women braved sickness and peril to establish homes on the frontiers, transforming the broad expanse of wild, un- settled country into flourishing fields of grain, dotted here and there by the small

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

cabin of the settler, which in turn gave way to the neat frame and brick houses of more recent times. It is a pleasure to do honor to the memory of such men and none are held in more sacred regard than they whose names head this sketch and whose lives have been so closely interwoven with the early history of Banks township, Antrim county.

Lemuel and John Freeman are both na- tives of the dominion of Canada, having been born at London, Ontario, in 1838 and 1840 respectively. They are the sons of Lemuel and Jeanette (Edgar) Freeman, who removed from "the states" to Canada. The father was a sailor for fifteen years on a man of war and later spent six years in whale fishing. He was of a rugged type of honesty and reared to sterling manhood a large family of children, namely : James, Lemuel, John, Moses, Thomas, Matilda, Elizabeth, Mary, Reuben and Daniel. The father of these children died in 1847, while the mother still survives him and makes her home in Canada.

Lemuel and John Freeman came to An- trim county, Michigan, in 1870 and at once homesteaded the land on which they now re- side in Banks township. At the time of their emigration John brought with him a yoke of oxen which materially facilitated the clearing of the land of the dense timber which covered it at that time, these animals being for a time the only assistance they had in tilling the soil. Lemuel is owner of one hundred and sixty-two acres of land, of which eighty are under the plow, while John is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred and twenty of which are under cultivation. Both farms are favorably situ- ated and as they are cultivated by wise and

discriminating owners they are yielding very satisfactory returns for the labor bestowed upon them. The farms are well fenced and upon them are neat and substantial resi- dences, barns and outbuildings and modern machinery and methods are being made use of in the cultivation of the land, proper at- tention being given to the rotation of crops and other means by which the fertility of the soil may be retained.

Both gentlemen are stanch Republicans in their political attitudes and Lemuel has been a member of the local school board for fifteen years. Both stand high in the regard of their fellow citizens.

In 1879 Lemuel Freeman was united in marriage to Miss Mary Dysore, who has presented him with ten children, namely : John, Robert, Vernon, Alvin, Martin, May J., Mary E., Drusilla, Lemuel and Ralph. John Freeman was married to Miss Mary E. Arms, whose family were residents of Lon- don, Ontario, Canada, and to this union there have been born no children.

The Freeman brothers have maintained at all times a fidelity to the public good that is above question, and over the record of their careers there falls no shadow of wrong nor suspicion of evil. Their names are synonymous with honorable dealings in busi- ness affairs and their life records stand in exemplification of the fact that success is ambition's best answer. They find in this country wider fields in which to give full scope to their industry and enterprise, their dominant qualities, with the result that they are now prominent citizens here. Though not born in "the states," they are thoroughly American in thought and feeling and are patriotic and sincere in their loyalty to the stars and stripes.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

DUNCAN McMILLAN.

It is a well authenticated fact that suc- cess comes as the legitimate result of well applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance in a course of action when once decided upon. She smiles not upon the idler or dreamer, and only the men who have persistently sought her favor are crowned with her blessings. In tracing the history of Mr. McMillan it is plainly seen that the prosperity which he enjoys has been won by commendable qualities and it is also his per- sonal worth which has gained for him the high esteem of those who know him.

Duncan McMillan is a native of Canada, having been born near Ontario on the 23d of May, 1837, and comes of Scotch ancestry, inheriting all the dominant characteristics belonging to that race. His parents were Duncan and Flora (McCallom) McMillan, who, though born and reared in Scotland, went to Canada about the time of obtaining their majority. The subject's father was a sailor for eighteen years on Lake Ontario, but later in life relinquished a life on the water and took up the pursuit of farming and passed the remainder of his days in Canada. He was the father of nine chil- dren. all of whom are living but one. The subject of this, sketch was given such op- portunities for education as were to be found in the common schools, in which the ac- commodations were in his day of a very primitive and crude type; however, such knowledge as came to him was retained and has been liberally supplemented during his · subsequent years by habits of close reading and keen observation. Mr. McMillan was among the early pioneer settlers in Antrim county, having located here in 1869 and set-

tling at once upon his present homestead in Echo township. This section of Michigan at that time presented a wild and forbidding aspect, as it was clothed with the virgin forests into which few settlers had then ven- tured. During the first periods of Mr. Mc- Millan's residence here he found it necessary to pack his household goods many miles on his back, as there were no other means of getting them into the settlement; however, he persevered and labored industriously to get a home and time honored his early strug- gles and today he is the owner of one of the comfortable and tasty homes of the town- ship. He possesses eighty acres of good land, about one-half of which are under an- nual cultivation and on which he raises all the crops common to this latitude. He is in- defatigable and painstaking in his efforts and meets with a success commensurate with his efforts.

In politics Mr. McMillan is in thorough harmony with the platform of the Repub- lican party, having never been a follower of false gods and, though a staunch supporter and earnest advocate for his party's success, he has never been a seeker for public office of any character.

Mr. McMillan was united in marriage to Miss Grace Mckay, the daughter of John and Mary McKay. Mrs. McMillan's par- ents were natives of Scotland where they followed the pursuit of farming, but came to Canada in an early date, and subsequently to Michigan, where they died. To Mr. and Mrs. McMillan have been born the following children : Flora, Johanna, Duncan, Mary, Dougal, Robert, John, Harry, Jeanette, Charles, Daniel and Ira, Jeanette, Charles and Ira being deceased.

Mr. McMillan has given his entire atten-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

tion to farming and carries on his work in a manner that enables him to gain a good financial return for his labor. He is public spirited and his interest in the history of his community is deep and abiding. In all his work he has been practical, accurate and honorable and his business reputation is un- assailable. His interest for the good of others has given him an enviable position in the regard of his fellow men and such quali- ties make him well worthy of representation among the prominent citizens of this locality.

JAMES THOMPSON.

This gentleman, who is entitled to special mention because of the distinction that is his of having been the first settler in Echo township, Antrim county, is a native of Canada, having been born at Hotaway September 23, 1838. He is the son of James Thompson, who was a native of England and whose wife was born in Scotland. He was a farmer and came to Canada in an early day, dying there while the subject of this sketch was a boy. James Thompson was one of a family of four children and was given the advantages of a fair common school education. The death of his father, however, compelled him to take up the re- sponsibilities of life on his own account be-

fore he had completed his education, but not- withstanding this handicap, he has by habits of close reading and observation become an intelligent and well informed man. In 1867 Mr. Thompson, becoming convinced that the United States offered better opportunities for advancement than his native land, emi- grated to Michigan, coming at once to An-

trim county and, as before stated, being one of the first men to take up land in what is now Echo township, Antrim county. He was not only in very poor financial circum- stances at that time, but was compelled to do day labor for a time before he possessed money enough to buy a homestead. The tract he took up consisted of eighty acres, but this he has subsequently added to from time to time as his circumstances permitted, until he is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, of which eighty are cleared and under cultivation.

Mr. Thompson states that during his early years in this place he literally burned up a fortune in the timber which was neces- sarily destroyed in order to get it out of the way, there being no market for the same nor means to work it up in lumber. Mr. Thomp- son helped to blaze the first roads through this section' of the state and during the early days had to pack household provisions many miles on his back from the nearest stores. Neighbors were few and far between and solitude reigned supreme through that sec- tion; however, he was not discouraged at the outlook, but manfully settled to work to prepare a home there and how well he suc- ceeded is abundantly evidenced by the well kept and comfortable home which is his today. Mr. Thompson has devoted the sub- sequent years to general farming and has also given considerable attention to live stock, finding it profitable to combine the two branches of farming. Among his stock he has some fine specimens of Chester White hogs, Durham and Jersey cattle and fine draft horses. He also has a large orchard and raises a large amount of choice fruit thereon. His present neat and commodious residence was erected in 1893 and many

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

other valuable improvements have been made on the property. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Thompson has done all in his power to advance his party's interests and has been honored by the electors of his town- ship with offices of responsibility. He was commissioner one year and has served as a member of the school board for the long period of twenty-five years.

Mr. Thompson has been twice married, the first time to Miss Maggie Wilson, to which union there were born four children, namely : William, Edward, Lillian and Er- win. His second marriage was to Miss Ella Powers. Mr. Thompson's entire freedom from ostentation and self laudation has made him one of the most popular citizens of An- trim county, with whose history he has been so long and prominently identified. He has not only been a witness of the development of the county, the cultivation of its farms, the building of its roads, the construction of its railroads, establishment of its towns, the introduction of its business enterprises, but in many ways has given his time and service for the general good. He has a wide acquaintance and the favorable judgment which the public passed on him in the early days of his residence here has been in no degree set aside or modified as the years have gone by.

FRED COLBURN.

In the respect that is accorded to men who have fought their own way to success through unfavorable environment we find an unconscious recognition of the intrinsic worth of a character which not only can en- dure so rough a test, but gain new strength

through the discipline. The gentleman to whom the biographer now calls the reader's attention was not favored by inherited wealth or the assistance of influential friends, but in spite of this, by perseverance, industry and a wise economy, he has attained a com- fortable station in life.

Mr. Colburn was born in the state of New York on the 27th of October, 1857, and is the son of Ezra and Delia (Fitch) Colburn, natives also of the Empire state. The subject of this sketch was in his boy- hood given the advantages of the public schools of his native state and eagerly im- proved such avenues of knowledge as lay open before him. He was reared to a life of strenuous toil and devoted his early years to the lumbering business. Hearing of the splendid opportunities open to that calling in Michigan, he came to this state in 1879 and in 1880 located in Grand Traverse county where he toiled in the woods for about six months. He then went to Colorado, but after a six months' residence there he re- turned to Michigan, locating in Wexford county for a short time, from whence he went again to Grand Traverse county. In 1881 he came to Antrim county and settled at East Jordan, but a year later traded his property there for eighty acres of land in Jordan township, Antrim county, where he lived for about six years. He then sold that property and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Echo township, Antrim county, and has since made this his home. About ninety acres of this tract are under a high state of cultivation and Mr. Colburn has made many improvements upon the property, including the erection in 1900 of a neat and attractive residence and a large and commodious barn. He has been en-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF

gaged in diversified agriculture, combining with the cultivation of the soil the raising of horses, cattle and Poland China hogs, and also giving some attention to the raising of fruit. He has so managed his affairs as to find a profit in all branches of his farm labor and by persevering industry and wise economy has acquired a comfortable com- petence. Mr. Colburn's farm is very pro- ductive, arable soil, yielding quick returns to the owner. He is practical in his work, seldom at fault in matter of judgment and through the proper conduct of business af- fairs he has secured standing among the prominent and progressive men of his com- munity.

Mr. Colburn was married in 1881, the lady of his choice being Miss Myra Stata, and to them have been born three children, namely : Frank, Edward and Herbert. A staunch Republican in politics, Mr. Colburn has been honored by his party by election to the position of highway commissioner and served two years as a member of the town- ship school board. Fraternally, he is a mem- ber of Lodge No. 360, Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; Lodge No. 365, Daughters of Rebekah, at East Jordan; Tent No. 130, Knights of the Maccabees, at East Jordan, and the Grange at Beach Hill.

Mr. Colburn has never desired to figure prominently in public affairs, his attention being fully occupied in his efforts to pro- vide a comfortable home for himself and family, in which he has been fully rewarded. There has been no exciting and startling chapter in his life history, but his record is that of a man who has been found true to duty in every relation and now richly merits the esteem which has uniformly been given him.

HARVEY B. SCOTT.

Success is not a matter of genius, as held by many, but rather the outcome of clear judgment and experience. The suc- cessful man is he who plans his own ad- vancement and accomplishes it in spite of opposition. Difficulties and obstacles will always disappear before determination and unfaltering energy, and, while the road to prosperity does not always seem plain, there can ever be found a path leading to the goal of one's hopes. Mr. Scott is among the farmers of Antrim county who have prospered in their methods and, therefore, he is entitled to distinction as one of the representative men of his community. He is a native of the old Keystone state, having been born on the 27th of April, 1834. His parents were John and Artemissa (Frost) Scott, both natives of Vermont. John Scott spent nearly all his life in a sawmill, but passed his later years and died in St. Clair county, Michigan, where also his wife passed away. Mr. Scott was a Republican in politics and very active in public matters. He and his wife became the parents of six children, namely: Amassa, Amos, Hiram. Harvey, Samuel and Lydia. In the usual manner of farmer lads of the period Harvey Scott passed the days of his youth and at the usual age entered the public school, mas- tering the studies taught therein and striv- ing continually for additional knowledge. He remained in his native state until 1873. when he came to Antrim county and home- steaded eighty acres of land in Echo town- ship and at once set to work clearing it of the dense timber which then covered it and rendering it fit for cultivation. It was a herculean task, but by persevering industry

NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

and much hard labor he succeeded eventually in creating one of the best farms in the town- ship. Fifty acres are under the plow and, though less in area than some other farms in the locality, few of them have a larger proportionate return annually for the labor expended upon them.

Mr. Scott has made all he has today by his own exertions and now is the possessor of a comfortable competence. Years have passed since he first came to this part of Michigan, finding the conditions of pioneer life, the uncut forests, uncultivated fields, the streams unbridged and the roads un- surveyed. He has watched with interest the transformation which time and man have wrought and has taken a helpful part in reclaiming the wild district for purposes of civilization. His methods of farming are in keeping with the advanced ideas of the twentieth century and in his work he is systematic, energetic and diligent. In town- ship and county affairs Mr. Scott takes an active and abiding interest and views such matters from a practical and beneficial stand- point. He votes with the Republican party and is one of its staunch advocates. He has never been active as an office seeker, pre- ferring to give his time and attention to business affairs, though prevailed upon at one time to serve as pathmaster. He is a man of varied experiences, gained through his residence in different parts of the coun- try. There is nothing narrow in his nature and he looks at the world from a broad standpoint and stands as a type of American manhood.

Mr. Scott has been twice married, the first time to Miss Elizabeth Terry, to which union was born one child, Medora, who be- came the wife of Edward Derenzy. The

subject's second union was with Adeline Kile and they became the parents of ten chil- dren, namely : Willis, Martha, George, Elizabeth, Harry R., Charles, Mary, Wash- ington, Albert and Hattie.

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Biographical history of northern Michigan containing biographies of prominent citizens, Part 10

Author: Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 966

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 966