USA > Michigan > Gratiot County > Biographical memoirs of Gratiot County, Michigan : compendium of biography of celebrated Americans > Part 21
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Mr. Vedder enlisted August II, 1862, in Company I, Eighteenth Regiment, Mich- igan Volunteer Infantry, in which he served faithfully for two years and ten months. He took part in the engagements at Athens, Alabama, and Decatur, Alabama, his regi- ment being on provost duty much of the time.
Clark Vedder engaged in agricultural pursuits at an early age and has been a life- long and successful farmer. After his mar- riage he pursued his chosen calling in Dover township, later removing to Hills- dale county, Michigan, where he remained
two years, and from that time until he lo- cated in Gratiot county in 1876, farmed in Lenawee county. On settling in Gratiot county he bought fifty acres of land in Sec- tion 28, North Star township, which he greatly improved, and which by various ad- ditions has been increased to eighty acres of fine farm land. On this tract he has erected a modern commodious brick resi- dence, with convenient up-to-date out-build- ings. He is a careful business man, man- ages his affairs judiciously, is possessed of tireless energy, and is, moreover, exceed- ingly popular. Mr. Vedder is a stanch ad- vocate of any measure that is beneficial to the community, and takes a great interest in township and county affairs.
F RANCIS A. SENSABAUGH was born December 25, 1857, in Cayuga county, New York, the son of the Rev. Peter H. Sensabaugh and Mary (Brigden) Sensabaugh, the former of whom was born in Canada, of German parentage, and the latter in Connecticut, of Puritan ancestry. The father of our subject died in Tioga, Pennsylvania, at the age of eighty-one, while Mrs. Sensabaugh still survives.
Francis A. Sensabaugh was the young- est member of his parents' family, and as his father was a Methodist clergyman, he lived in many different places. Our sub- ject remained with his parents until seven- teen years of age. On June 17, 1875, he was married to Miss Louisa Moore, born in Steuben county, New York, where she was reared. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Sensabaugh removed to a farm in Potter county, Pennsylvania, where he had pur- chased a farm, and there they lived until the spring of 1887, when he sold his farm and
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located in Vassar, Tuscola county, Michi- gan. There he worked at carpentering, which trade he had learned in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and he remained at Vassar about nine months, at the end of which time he located in Ashley, Gratiot county, for about six months being employed as a clerk in a store. Mr. Sensabaugh's next location was Lennon, Shiawassee county, where he engaged in a mercantile business for three years. At the end of that time he removed his stock to Durand, where he remained in business for two and one-half years, when he sold out and purchased eighty acres of good land on Section 2, Hamilton township, locating there in July, 1893. He has im- proved about fifty acres of his property and has erected good, substantial buildings.
Mr. and Mrs. Sensabaugh had these children : Edward F., Ora L. (wife of Her- bert Cramer), Peter H., Lena M., George W., and Charles L. Mrs. Louisa Sensa- baugh died on the farm in Hamilton town- ship, February 22, 1895. Mr. Sensabaugh's second marriage was on April 24, 1897, to Miss Eva C. David, born in Bengal town- ship, Clinton county, Michigan, September 25, 1871, a daughter of Byron C. and Sarah K. (Georgia) David, residents of Lafayette township. To this union have been born : Ithiel L. and Ernest C. Mr. and Mrs. Sensabaugh are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Sensa- baugh has held several of the church offices, and has been superintendent of the Sunday- school for several years.
W TILLIAM H. ZIMMERMAN, a prominent and substantial farmer of Lafayette township, Gratiot county, who is also well known as an auctioneer, was .
born March 10, 1854, in Stark county, Ohio. His parents, Joseph and Louisa (Rodgers) Zimmerman, were also natives of that State, the former dying in Knox county, Ohio, in August, 1867, at the age of sixty-five, while his wife passed away in Stark county, that State, in May, 1856, aged thirty-six. Their family of four chil- dren consisted of the following: Joseph, a farmer of Midland county, Michigan; John, an agriculturist residing in Knox county, Ohio; Margaret, wife of Henry Shontz, an expert engineer living in Bloomville, Ohio; and William H., the youngest.
When William H. Zimmerman was very young his father removed to Knox county, Ohio, and there he died when the boy was thirteen years of age. William then went to Sandusky county, Ohio, with an uncle, with whom he remained until he reached manhood. He was married November 18, 1873, to Sarah Jane Huff, a native of that county, and there he resided until 1881, in the spring of which year he migrated to Michigan and settled in Breckenridge, Gra- tiot county, where for one year he was em- ployed in a sawmill. At this period of his career his affairs were at a very low ebb; it is stated that when he located in Brecken- ridge his earthly possessions were reduced to five dollars, four of which he at once paid for house rent. From Breckenridge he moved to a farm in Wheeler township, which he worked for one year, and then bought forty acres in Hamilton township. After paying for the farm he had the mis- fortune to lose it, on account of a defective title. This is but one of the many hardships which Mr. Zimmerman has bravely and suc- cessfully buffeted. After spending several years in Hamilton township he removed to
man
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Lafayette township, where he has since re- sided. Farming has been Mr. Zimmerman's chief occupation since locating in Lafayette township, but he has also engaged in auc- tioneering, at which he has been very suc- cessful. He owns one hundred and fifty acres of good land, of which about one hun- dred and thirty acres are under cultivation. His property is well managed, and has been improved with a fine set of farm buildings, which are substantially built and conveni- ently situated. From about October 30th to May Ist of each year he devotes to his auctioneering business.
Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman are the parents of the following children: Ida J., wife of Frank Smith, a farmer of Hamilton town- ship, and the mother of Harry A., Harvey, Lena, Milton and Ruby; Robert Wilson, who married Miss Edna Christler, of New York, who died leaving three children, Mer- tie, Bertha and Louisa ; Wealthy E., wife of Wesley Reed (a cigar manufacturer of Ca- dillac, Michigan), and the mother of a son, Rollo; William R., a farmer of Lafayette township, who married Miss Vera Fleegle and is the father of one daughter, Loretta ; Joseph Franklin, who married Nora Cole- ma; Ina May, James Walter, Edna Jane and Mabel Alice.
Fraternally Mr. Zimmerman is associa- ted with the I. O. O. F., in which he is a popular comrade. In his general political belief he is a Republican, but for several terms has efficiently served all classes in his district in the capacity of school director. He takes a common-sense stand upon tem- perance, as on all other vital questions ; per- sonally he does not use tobacco in any form, and liquor only for medicinal purposes.
TESSE L. GUTHRIE, who owns a fine D
farm of eighty acres in Emerson town- ship, Gratiot county, Michigan, is one of the substantial and representative citizens of his section. He was born in Antrim town- ship, Shiawassee county, Michigan, Sep- tember 9, 1850, son of Joseph A. and Emma M. (Convis) Guthrie.
The parents of Mr. Guthrie were na- tives of New York, who removed from Shiawassee county to Gratiot county in March, 1856, settling in Section 15, where Joseph A. Guthrie died, in December, 1892, aged seventy-seven years. His widow, born April 29, 1829, resides at Ithaca, Michigan. He was the father of three children, and of this family Jesse L. Guthrie was the sec- ond member. Justus N., his elder brother, resides in Ithaca, Michigan, his younger sister, Ella A., being the wife of John Fitz- gerald, a farmer of Isabella county, Mich- igan.
Jesse L. Guthrie accompanied his parents to Gratiot county and was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Emer- son township, where he resided until Oc- tober, 1879, when he moved to an eighty- acre farm in Section 1, Emerson township, which he now owns and actively operates. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he pursued to some extent, but farming is his chief occupation. Mr. Guthrie was mar- ried November 30, 1872, to Miss Anna Sutton, born in Orleans county, New York, daughter of Thomas and Kitty (Brown) Sutton, who located in Gratiot county in 1865. Thomas Sutton had a farm in Em- erson township, in Section I, where he died in 1892, aged seventy-eight years.
To Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie have been
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born: Kitty M., the wife of William Mus- cott; Joseph T .; Hetty A., Mrs. William Purdy; and Earl E. Mr. Guthrie takes a good citizen's interest in the affairs of his township, and in politics he is a firm Repub- lican. He is a member of the K. O. T. M. MI., at Breckenridge, Michigan.
J USTUS B. GARDNER, whose fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres is situated in North Star township, Gratiot county, is one of the prominent and success- ful farmers of the locality. Mr. Gardner was born June 8, 1857, in Jefferson county, New York, son of David and Naomi (Belcher) Gardner, natives of New York State, who came from the county named to Ionia county, Michigan, and thence to Gratiot county. In 1873 they settled in New Haven township, where they lived some time prior to locating in North Shade township. where the father still resides at the age of seventy-seven years (born April 24, 1829). The wife and mother died January 30, 1905, at the age of sixty- seven. Besides Justus B., who was the eld- est, they were the parents of three children : Dora is the wife of Joseph Jarvis, a farmer of North Shade township; Charles H. is in the livery business at Middleton, Michigan ; and James A. is also a farmer of North Shade township.
The boyhood, youth and young manhood of Mr. Gardner were spent on his father's homestead, where he learned the practical methods of farming which have made his operations in Michigan particularly success- ful. He was twenty-four years of age when he left his father's farm, being first em- ployed as a clerk in Carson City for eight months, and then he engaged in the mer-
cantile business at Brice for ten and one- half years, at the end of that time trading his stock of goods for a farm in North Star township. There he remained two years, when he purchased the property he now oc- cupies. This was in the spring of 1893, and he has since been engaged there in farm- ing, erecting good buildings, and making general improvements. He owns one hun- dred and sixty acres, ninety-five of which are under cultivation.
On July 23, 1882, Mr. Gardner was married, in New Haven township, to Miss Cora L. Vail, born October 10, 1860, in Jefferson county, New York, daughter of Simeon and Jane (Fradenburgh) Vail. They had one child, Ford R., who died Au- gust 31, 1889, at the age of three years. While in North Shade township Mr. Gard- ner held the office of treasurer for three terms, performing its duties to the entire satisfaction of the people and with credit to himself. He and his estimable wife are active workers in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is one of the trustees and a class leader, while his wife has for some time been one of the stewards and has for several years been president of the Sow- ers Memorial Woman's Christian Tem- perance Union, of North Star township.
W ARREN J. BROOKS is a leading and highly esteemed farmer and
business man of Pine River township, Gratiot county, owning and cultivating a productive. farm of sixty acres. He was born in De Kalb county, Indiana, Septem- ber 15, 1848, son of Elisha H. and Laura Jane (Bartlett) Brooks, natives of Trum- bull county, Ohio.
In the fall of 1854 Elisha H. Brooks
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removed to Michigan and located one hun- dred and sixty acres of land in Section I, Pine River township. He spent the follow- ing winter with his family at Maple Rap- ids, Clinton county, and in the spring of 1855 installed his family in the little log cabin he had built when he located the farm. There he lived engaged in the cultivation of his land until his death, September 10, 1890; his wife still survives him at the ad- vanced age of seventy-six years. They had seven children : Daniel, deceased ; Warren J .; Jessie I., who married Charles J. Dutt ; Cal- lie and Lincoln, both deceased; Flora, wife of Chester Alexander; and Nellie, Mrs. Anson Fowler.
Warren J. Brooks was reared to man- hood on his father's farm in Pine River township, where he has always resided. His life has been spent in agricultural pursuits, and he owns a farm of sixty acres, forty of which have been improved. He was mar- ried in Pine River township, March 4, 1870, to Miss Emeline Payne, born December 29, 1849, in Greene county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Amos and Eleanor ( Reeves) Payne, the latter of whom died in Pennsyl- vania, and the former in Gratiot county (in which he had located in the late sixties) at about seventy years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks have had five children : Ange- line A., wife of Conrad V. Reese; Alta D., wife of Thomas Leonard; Elsie A., wife of John Thomas; Mintie R., who died at the age of eight years; and Willie B. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are true Christian people, al- though belonging to no particular religious sect. They are representative people of Pine River township, and generally es- teemed for their substantial and kindly qualities.
S IMEON A. SPAULDING, a promi-
nent and well-to-do farmer of Lafay- ette township, Gratiot county, where he owns a fine farm of eighty acres, was born September 5, 1847, in Leona, Jackson county, Michigan, son of Alonzo and Louisa (Rudd) Spaulding, the former of whom died in Jackson, Michigan, and the latter, who was of English parentage, in Woodhull, Shiawassee county, Michigan.
The parents of our subject had six chil- dren, and of this family he was the second member and eldest son. He was quite young when his parents located in Ingham county, Michigan, where they lived a short time prior to removing to Shiawassee county, Michigan. While living in the lat- ter county Mr. Spaulding enlisted, Feb- ruary 4, 1864, at the age of sixteen years, in Company F, Ninth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, with which regiment he served gallantly for twenty months, at the end of which time, the war being over, he returned to his home in Shiawassee county. Here he worked for three years at farm labor, and then bought forty acres in Wood- hull township, that county, which he con- tinued to work until March, 1884. He then traded his farm for eighty acres in Lafayette township, Gratiot county, where he has re- sided ever since. His farm is located on Section 12, and is in a good state of cultiva- tion, and supplied with commodious farm buildings.
Mr. Spaulding has been married three times. His first wife was Lamyra Green, of Shiawassee county, Michigan, by whom he had two children : Inez, who died at the age of twenty months ; and Hattie, who died in Lafayette township, aged eighteen years. Mr. Spaulding was married (second) in
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Sciota, Shiawassee county, to Miss Eliza Hudson, of Sciota township, and she died in Shiawassee county, leaving two children : Katie, who died young; and Martha E., who survives. Mr. Spaulding's third marriage took place in Saginaw county, Michigan, and was to Miss Maggie McDonald, by whom he has had four chil- dren, the first two dying in infancy, and Jeanie L. and Simeon A., Jr., surviving.
Mr. Spaulding has held the office of justice of the peace for several terms, hav- ing been elected on the Republican ticket, and has also served one term as school di- rector. He is a member of Billy Cruson Post, No. 347, Grand Army of the Repub- lic. He has always been active in church work and is a valued member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Fraternally he af- filiates with the Masonic fraternity, Breck- enridge Lodge, No. 406, and Breckenridge Lodge, No. 162, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
S AMUEL M. BARNES, who is exten- sively engaged in agricultural opera- tions on his fine farm in Bethany township, is a substantial and representative farmer citizen of Gratiot county, Michigan. He was born in Lorain county. Ohio, August 3, 1849, son of Henry and Mary (Day) Barnes. The former is still a resident of Lorain county, a retired farmer of Roches- ter, where his wife died in 1883, aged sixty years. Henry and Mary Barnes had five children besides Samuel M., who was the eldest, viz .: Eliza married Avery Fisher, of Wellington, Ohio; Alvira (deceased) was Mrs. John Dagnan; Matilda became the wife of Nelson Robinson, of Ashtabula, Ohio; Henry is a resident of Rochester,
Ohio; Wright died when six years of age. The paternal grandparents, Moses and Eliza (Stone) Barnes, were Massachusetts farming people who migrated to Ohio at an early day and became part of the pioneer life of the middle west, or, as the region was known in their day, the "far west."
Samuel M. Barnes was reared on his father's farm in Rochester township, Lorain county, Ohio, where he sturdily progressed to manhood, and was married March 5, 1870, to Miss Emeline Rogers. His wife was born in Huntington township, that county, Jan- uary 26, 1848, daughter of Samuel G. and Azuba (Hills) Rogers, the former of whom died in Lorain county, when over eighty years old, while the latter passed her last days in Bethany township, Gratiot county, Michigan, dying aged seventy-seven years. Mrs. Barnes was the third member, in a family of six children. For the first year after his marriage Mr. Barnes lived in Ash- tabula county, Ohio, and then returned to his native county. He later located in Huron county, Ohio, and in the spring of 1879 removed to Gratiot county, Michigan, in the following autumn settling on the farm where he now resides, on Section II, Bethany township. There he owns one hundred acres, of which ninety acres are improved, and his buildings are as finely constructed and conveniently situated as any in this section of the county. Mr. Barnes has been very successful in his farming operations, and is rated among the best agriculturists of Bethany township.
Mr. and Mrs. Barnes have become the parents of the following children: Wilbur Url, who married Linnie Doan, and is the father of a daughter, Gladys; Minnie G., wife of Arthur Welling, and mother of
Mr. Barnes
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Lola L., Ivan, Ross and Eva; Morris Wright, who married Eva McDonald and has one daughter, Melva I .; Clayton V .; Ray A., married to Pearl Cramer, by whom he has had three children, Melvin R., Erma, and one not named; Mary A., Mrs. Lewis Schulthiess; Matilda M .; S. Henry, and George E.
Fraternally Mr. Barnes affiliates with the K. O. T. M. M., of which he is a valued comrade. He has always been a supporter of any movement of benefit to the commu- nity and is one of Bethany township's re- spected, popular and public-spirited citizens.
W TALLACE PERKINS, who owns a magnificent farm of one hundred and fifty-three acres in Bethany township, is one of the substantial and representative agriculturists of Gratiot county. He was born on a farm in Steuben county, New York, December 9, 1847, son of Philip W. and Susan A. (Rathbun) Perkins. The father of our subject, who was a distant relative of Daniel Webster, was born in Canada, while Mrs. Perkins was a native of Pennsylvania, and they both died in Steuben county, New York. They left twelve children, of which family our sub- ject was the eldest member.
Wallace Perkins was reared in Steuben county, New York, where he received a common school education. He was mar- ried in his native county, March 26, 1871, to Miss Alice L. Aldrich, born in Addison, Steuben county, New York, March 1, 1852, daughter of Aden T. and Caroline L. (Coon) Aldrich, natives of New York, who came to Midland county, Michigan, thence to Saginaw and finally to Gratiot county, settling, in 1884, in Bethany township. Mrs.
Perkins was the eldest of a family of four children. To Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Per- kins five children have been born: Lena R., the wife of Adelbert Giles, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere; Susan A., the wife of Fred McLean; Philip A .; and Guy A. and Nina B. died young. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Perkins lived in Steuben county, New York, for seven years, and then re- moved to Midland county, Michigan, where they remained but one year, at the end of which time they located in Saginaw county. In 1884 they came to Gratiot county, where Mr. Perkins purchased forty acres of farm land on Section 21, Bethany township, and this he cleared and improved. He has added to the original purchase until he has now one of the finest farms in the county, con- sisting of one hundred and fifty-three acres, and supplied with a good set of modern buildings.
Mr. Perkins has held the office of high- way commissioner for one term, and has always taken an active interest in township affairs. He and his estimable wife are con- sistent and valued members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the Loyal Guards. Mr. Perkins is a practical business man and a reliable citizen, and he is well known and highly esteemed through- out the community.
P HILIP A. PERKINS, an enterprising young farmer of Bethany township, Gratiot county, Michigan, was born in Ad- dison, Steuben county, New York, January 25, 1877, son of Wallace and Alice L. (Aldrich) Perkins.
Philip A. Perkins was quite young when brought to Gratiot county by his parents, and was reared to manhood in the town-
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ship of Bethany, being educated in the St. Louis schools. Mr. Perkins was reared to a farmer's life and has always followed ag- ricultural pursuits. He was married in Bethany township June 14, 1903, to Miss Blanche A. Gardham, born in the county of Norfolk, Ontario, July 2, 1882, a daugh- ter of John A. and Annie E. (Moore) Gardham, of Bannister, Gratiot county. To Mr. and Mrs. Philip A. Perkins one child has been born : Carolyn A. He is also con- nected with the fraternal order of Glean- ers. He has inherited his father's sterling traits of character, and is becoming recog- nized as one of Bethany township's good farmers, and is respected and liked by all.
F 'RANK E. ROSA, who is engaged in agricultural operations on his farm of sixty-six acres on Section 5, Wheeler town- ship, Gratiot county, was born July 27, 1859, in Oberlin, Ohio, son of James and Helen (Bates) Rosa, natives of New York, who died in Kipton, Lorain county, Ohio.
Frank E. Rosa was the seventh of the nine children born to his parents, and he was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools of his district. He lived at home until eighteen years of age, when he started out in life for himself. He was married February 24, 1878, to Miss Hattie Mapes, born in Vermillion, Erie county, Ohio, October 5, 1860, daughter of Frank and Mary (Conover) Mapes. Frank Mapes was a native of New York, and died in Vermillion, Ohio, while his wife was born in New Jersey. Mrs. Rosa was the next to the eldest child of her parents' fam- ily of seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Rosa have had these children : Helen A., the wife
of Walter C. Swope; Harvey M .; George H .; Frances E. and Hattie M.
After marriage Mr. Rosa located in Henrietta, Lorain county, Ohio, and rented a farm for ten years. In the spring of 1888 they came to Gratiot county, Michigan, and here Mr. Rosa bought forty-four acres on Section 5, Wheeler township, where he has since lived. He has added to the original purchase, and among other improvements has erected a fine set of buildings. His farm of sixty-six acres is nearly all culti- vated and compares favorably with any in the township. Mr. Rosa has held the office of school inspector of Wheeler township, and has taken an active interest in the suc- cess of the Republican party in this section. He and his family belong to the Free Meth- odist Church. Mr. Rosa is one of the pub- lic-spirited citizens and substantial business men of the township, and is held in the high- est esteem by his neighbors and all with whom he comes in contact.
M ILLARD F. FRANKS. Among the prominent and substantial farmers of Gratiot county, Michigan, may be men- tioned Millard F. Franks, whose fine one- hundred-and-seventy-acre farm, located in Bethany township, was his home until his death, January 25, 1906. He was born in Spencer, Medina county, Ohio, Septem- ber 4, 1851, son of Ezra and Ellen (Brown) Franks, natives of the Buckeye State, the former of whom died in Springfield, Mis- souri, when seventy-six years old. They had four children, viz .: Oran, a retired farmer living in Topeka, Kansas; Millard F .; Josephine, Mrs. W. C. Calland, of Springfield, Missouri, and William, pro-
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