USA > Michigan > Gratiot County > Biographical memoirs of Gratiot County, Michigan : compendium of biography of celebrated Americans > Part 25
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Mr. Stone has taken an active part in all township affairs, has always taken an ac- tive interest in politics (but has never cared for office) and is a member of the board of school trustees of Breckenridge. He and his estimable wife have always been active church workers, and he is superintendent of the Baptist Sunday-school, in which he has been an active worker since his sixteenth year. Mr. Stone is a liberal, public-spirited citizen, and, while he has always devoted close attention to the uplifting of his own enterprises, has always been interested in the development of other industries in this section. His progressive, energetic methods have encouraged others and the result has been very beneficial to all concerned.
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E PHRAIM METCALF, an honored survivor of the Civil war, is a most highly esteemed resident of Sumner town- ship, Gratiot county, where he owns one hundred acres of land. He was born in Massachusetts, September 25, 1838, son of Nelson and Eliza (Kjes) Metcalf, the former of whom was also a native of the Old Bay State, while the latter was born in Connecticut. The parents of our subject came west from Massachusetts to Seneca county, Ohio; from Ohio to Indiana, thence to Wisconsin, where in Clark county they died.
Ephraim Metcalf was three years old when brought West by his parents. For a number of years he lived in Seneca, Wood and Sandusky counties, Ohio, being en- gaged in a lumber mill in Wood county for sixteen years. In the spring of 1866 Mr. Metcalf came to Gratiot county, Michigan, with his wife, formerly Miss Ruth Ann Forest, whom he had married in Fremont, Ohio, of which State she was a native. They settled in Arcada township, where they lived until 1892, at that time locating in Sumner township, on the farm which he now occupies. He owns one hundred acres of land and of this eighty acres are cleared. Mr. Metcalf has erected good buildings and his farm compares favorably with others in the township. To Mr. and Mrs. Metcalf have been born these children: Ida A., the wife of Charles Day; Charlie; Minnie, wife of George Culver; Hyra; and Amy P., wife of Claude Phelps.
In September, 1861, Ephraim Metcalf enlisted in Company I, Seventy-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served one year, being shot through the right wrist at the battle of Shiloh, which wound incapac-
itated him for further army service, he con- sequently being honorably discharged. Mr. Metcalf is a member of Moyer Post, Grand Army of the Republic. The Grand Army is worthy of the respect of every citizen in the land. It represents a body of men, rap- idly growing smaller and smaller, who re- sponded to the call of duty when their coun- try needed them and who faltered not when the trying times came. These men suffered that their country might live; they were heroes of the greatest strife the world has ever known; they fought for principle and not for conquest, and it is because of their noble deeds of heroism that our country to- day is the greatest and best on the face of the globe.
SCAR M. EVERDEN (deceased)
was one of the best known citizens of St. Louis, Michigan, and publisher of the Republican Leader of that city, in that connection being for a number of years an important factor in township and county politics. He was born in Emerson town- ship, Gratiot county, Michigan, January 10, 1861, a son of the late Oscar A. and Har- rietta (Phelps) Everden, natives of New York, who migrated to Michigan in 1854 and settled in Emerson township. The father died in St. Louis, March 18, 1903, leaving three children, of whom Oscar M. Everden was the youngest.
Oscar M. Everden was reared in Em- erson township, and educated in the com- mon schools and at Ithaca high school. At the age of nineteen years he commenced teaching, in 1883 removing to Montana, where he spent one year. He then returned to Gratiot county and taught school until 1888, when he entered the newspaper field,
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purchasing a one-half interest in the Alma Record. In 1893, selling his interest in that publication, he removed to Ithaca and took charge of the Gratiot County Journal, con- tinuing with that publication until 1896, when he purchased the Republican Leader, of which he was the publisher at the time of his death, which occurred in St. Louis, June 14, 1905. He was buried in the city cemetery. The interests of the paper were assumed by his widow.
The Leader is an official organ of the Republican party in this section and reaches a great number of readers, the subscription list having over twelve hundred names. Mr. Everden's services were in a measure rec- ognized by his party in his appointment to the office of deputy State oil inspector in 1899 and 1901, a position that he admirably filled. He took a deep and practical inter- est in all movements which promised to ad- vance the industrial and commercial stand- ing of his city, serving as the first secretary of the St. Louis Sugar Beet Company, and for four years as secretary of the St. Louis Board of Trade. Locally he also took a very prominent part in educational and re- formatory movements, and on all occasions was ready to perform his part in advancing the interests of the community. He served from 1884 to 1887 as a member of the county board of school examiners.
Mr. Everden was married, June 24, 1890, to Miss Anna M. Bahlke, a native of Michigan, and to them was born one son, Raymond J. Fraternally he was a member of the Masonic order.
H AZEN GIDLEY, who is living some- what retired on his farm in Section 2, Bethany township, Gratiot county, Mich-
igan, has been identified with the agricul- tural interests of this section for twenty-two years. Mr. Gidley was born November 29, 1845, on a farm in Morrow county, Ohio, son of Moses and Ruth ( Wood) Gidley, na- tives of New York State.
The parents of our subject came to Ing- ham county, Michigan, in 1865, where the father followed farming until his death, at the age of forty-six years. Mrs. Gidley died at Grand Lodge, Michigan, being seventy years old at the time of her death. They had ten children, of which family Hazen was the fourth member.
While in Morrow county, Ohio, Hazen Gidley enlisted in Company A, One Hun- dred and Seventy-ninth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, and served with that regiment until June 17, 1865, when he was honorably dis- charged with a good war record. After the war he came to Ingham county, Michigan, and found employment at farm work, at which he continued until August, 1883, when, having accumulated enough money, he came to Gratiot county and purchased eighty acres in Section 2, Bethany township, mostly wild land, where he now resides. He has erected good buildings, and farming has been Mr. Gidley's life work, and he has been successful. Years of labor were required to clear his farm, but under Mr. Gidley's good management about sixty acres are now thoroughly improved.
Hazen Gidley was married in Ingham county, October 24, 1869, to Miss Helen L. White, born in Poolville, Madison county, New York, January 20, 1846, daughter of Merritt and Jane (Hunt) White, natives of New York. The parents of Mrs. Gidley came to Michigan in the latter part of the sixties and settled in Ing-
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ham county, where they still reside. They had three children, Mrs. Gidley being the eldest of this family. To our subject and wife three children have been born: Anna L., the wife of Martin J. Holton; Arthur R., and Jennie L., the wife of Herbert Mc- Lean.
Mr. Gidley has held the office of justice of the peace for four years, and for fifteen years has been school assessor. He is a valued comrade of William D. Wilkin Post, Grand Army of the Republic.
A DOLPHUS HOFFMAN, one of the old and honored residents of North Star township, is engaged in farming his eighty-acre tract in Section 30. His birth occurred June 19, 1848, in Sandusky county, Ohio, and he is a son of Peter and Eliza- beth (Kay) Hoffman.
Peter Hoffman was born in Germany, and came to the United States when he was fourteen years old, locating in San- dusky county, Ohio. Here he married Eliz- abeth Kay and they removed to Hillsdale county, Michigan, where they lived for. sev- eral years, later locating in Gratiot county. In the spring of 1854 they settled in what is now North Star township, and Mr. Hoff- man gave the township its name. Here they resided the rest of their lives, Mr. Hoff- man dying in Ithaca while on a visit to his son, our, subject, in 1901, aged eighty-six years. He and his wife were the parents of the following children: Eliza, the wife of John Trask; Charles, a brick manufac- turer of North Star; Adolphus; Ann M., the wife of Thomas Street; Mary, the wife of George Houseman; and Foshen, a mer- chant of Pompeii.
Adolphus Hoffman was about one year
old when he was brought to Hillsdale county by his parents, and he came with them to Gratiot county. He resided at home until twenty-five years of age, and then settled on a farm of his own in North Star township, on Section 28, where he lived for sixteen years. He then removed to the village of North Star and engaged in the manufacture of brick, at which he continued for six years, and then lived re- tired for three years in St. Louis, after- wards settling on a farm in Pine River township, between St. Louis and Alma, where he remained three years. He next settled on a farm in Emerson township for sixteen months, later removing to Ithaca, where he engaged in the sale of agricultural implements, in which line he continued for several months. In the spring of 1904 he located on the farm where he now lives, on Section 30, where he owns eighty acres of good land.
Mr. Hoffman was married, March 26, 1872, in North Star township, to Miss Aurilla Ward, born in Huntington, Lorain county, Ohio, March 24, 1847, daughter of Eli and Aurilla (Graves) Ward. Eli Ward was a native of Massachusetts, while his wife was of Vermont, and after marriage they located in Lorain county, Ohio, where they passed the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of twelve children, Mrs. Hoffman being the youngest. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman one child was born, namely: Guy A., who married Nellie Mc- Carthy, and resides in St. Louis.
Adolphus Hoffman is one of the oldest settlers of North Star township. He is well known for his honesty and integ- rity, and is highly respected in the com- munity.
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JOSEPH BRUMBY, who resides on an
improved farm of eighty acres, situ- ated in Section 16, Wheeler, township, Gra- tiot county, is a prosperous farmer and a survivor of the Civil war. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, October 29, 1837, son of Thomas and Hannah ( Bateman) Brumby, and was fourth in their family of ten children.
Joseph Brumby was reared in Lincoln- shire, and spent his early life there, work- ing on a farm. At twenty years of age he came to America, and locating in Lorain county, Ohio, worked at farm labor until the spring of 1861. At the outbreak of the Civil war. he enlisted in Company D, Twen- ty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving for three years. With his regiment he took part in many great battles, including South Mountain, Antietam and Buffalo Gap, and many minor engagements. After the war he returned to Lorain county, Ohio, and there he remained until April, 1866, when he came to Gratiot county, Michigan, and bought eighty acres of wild land on Sec- tion 16, Wheeler township, where he has since resided. He has improved his farm greatly, and has erected good substantial buildings.
Mr. Brumby was married in Lorain county, Ohio, April II, 1865, to Miss Clara C. Comstock, born in Wellington, that county, July 25, 1847, daughter of John B. and Sarah (Williams) Comstock, the latter of whom died at Camden, Ohio, while it is supposed that Mr. Comstock died in battle. Mrs. Brumby was the only child of her parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Brumby one child has been born, Elsie, the wife of Frank Powell, of Wheeler township. Mr. Brumby has been highway commissioner,
township treasurer and justice of the peace, and has always been prominently identified with the Republican party in township af- fairs. He is actively connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, while his wife belongs to the Congregational Church. He is a valued comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic.
JOHN V. BEHLER. Among the agri- culturists of Pine River township, most widely and favorably known, is John V. Behler, whose farm of one hundred and sixty acres is located on Section I. He was born on a farm in Crawford county, Ohio, October 21, 1848, son of Leonard and Mar- garet (Meck) Behler, who left the home- stead to settle in Kent county, Michigan, when John V. was five years of age. He died on the old Michigan farm at the age of seventy-five, his widow (born in 1822) still residing there, a venerable and hon- ored member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
John V. Behler was reared on his fath- er's farm in Lowell township, Kent county, and lived there until he was twenty-five years old. He had learned the carpenter's trade, and worked at that occupation in con- junction with farming. Mr. Behler was married, December 25, 1873, to Miss Sarah E. Graham, a native of England and a daughter, of William Graham, deceased. In February, 1874, Mr. and Mrs. Behler set- tled in Pine River township, where he has followed farming ever since, with the ex- ception of one year, when he was employed at his trade. In August, 1877, he located on the farm which he now occupies, the tract consisting of one hundred and sixty acres on Section I. His property is well
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located, his buildings commodious and con- venient, and his home surroundings indica- tive of taste, thrift and good management. Mr. Behler has set out a number of shade and fruit trees around his home, thereby greatly beautifying his grounds, as well as increasing the value of the property.
To Mr. and Mrs. Behler these children have been born: Louis M., who lives on a part of the homestead, married Catherine Curtis and has four children, Freda, Cath- erine, Ruth and Lois ; Jessie married Charles Curtis, of Midland county ; and Elmer lives at home. Mr. Behler has held the office of highway commissioner for two terms; was a member of the board of review of Pine River township and a school director thereof for four years, township treasurer, and has always taken a noteworthy interest in town- ship matters. He is independent in poli- tics. He and his wife are members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of St. Louis, Michigan. Fraternally he affiliates with the Loyal Americans of the Republic. Mr. Behler has an unimpeachable standing in the community as a man of honor and integrity, and as one of the first-class agri- culturists of the township.
L EWIS B. WOLFORD, the owner of
a one-hundred-acre farm on Section 22, New Haven township, is one of Gra- tiot county's well known agriculturists, and was born November II, 1847, in Cayuga county, New York, son of David and Lavenia (Conger) Wolford, natives of New York. The parents of our subject came to Gratiot county in April 1859, and settled on Section 22, New Haven township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying in No-
vember, 1866, the mother surviving until August, 1892, when she passed away, aged seventy-six years. They had five children, and of this family our subject was the fourth member.
Lewis B. Wolford came with his parents to Gratiot county, where he received a com- mon school education. He was reared to a farmer's life, although for several years he was engaged in lumbering. He has al- ways made his home in New Haven town- ship, where he owns the one-hundred-acre homestead, and his careful management and strict attention to business have made his agricultural operations an unqualified suc- cess. Mr. Wolford was married (first) in New Haven township, January 14, 1881, to Ellen M. Wiles, a daughter of the late Peter and Mary (Babcock) Pendell, and to this marriage one child was born, a daughter, who died when sixteen years old. Mr. Wolford's second marriage occurred January 19, 1895, when he married Mrs. Anna Dumas, whose maiden name was Woodward. She was born in Simcoe, County Norfolk, Ontario, and to her union with Mr. Wolford one child was born: Artie L., November 26, 1896. Mr. Wol- ford is greatly interested in educational matters and has held various school offices. He has been a member of the board of re- view for several terms, is a member of the Republican County Committee, and at one time was a candidate for sheriff of Gratiot county. For many years he has taken an active interest in the success of the Repub- lican party in this section, and is consid- ered one of the stanch supporters of that organization in Gratiot county. Frater- nally he affiliates with the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, is a Maccabee, and
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belongs to the Ancient Order of Gleaners. He and his estimable wife are connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which Mr. Wolford contributes liberally.
C HARLES L. MARTIN, a well-to-do agriculturist of Emerson township, Gratiot county, living on his farm of eighty acres, was born October 18, 1859, in San- dusky county, Ohio, son of George and Mary (Slaughter) Martin, the former a na- tive of Sandusky county, Ohio, and the lat- ter of New York, both still residing in Ohio .. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, of whom our subject was the eldest.
Charles L. Martin received his educa- tion in the common schools of his native township, and was reared on his father's farm, making his home with his parents until his marriage, October 2, 1884, to Miss Caroline Bloom, born in Sandusky county, Ohio, December 3, 1862, daughter of George and Anna (Coleman) Bloom. The parents of Mrs. Martin are natives of Ger- many and still reside in Sandusky county. Of a family of eight children, Mrs. Martin was the eldest.
After marriage Charles L. Martin set- tled on a farm in Sandusky county, where he continued to reside until 1901, when he came to Gratiot county, Michigan, and set- tled on an eighty-acre farm in Emerson township, where he now resides. To him and his estimable wife these children have been born : Ralph L., Blanche A., Vinnie F., Mabel M., Iva A., Walter E., Irene E. and Velma M. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are both greatly interested in church work, he being of the Lutheran faith, while she is a valued member of the United Brethren Church.
W TILLIAM D. SCOTT, M. D., who
for many years has been a prom- inent physician of Ithaca, Michigan, is one of the well known and highly respected members of the profession in Gratiot county. He was born November 15, 1841, in Essex, Clinton county, Michigan, son of Samuel M. Scott, a native of New Hamp- shire. Dr. Scott's mother, whose maiden name was Sarah S. Gilmore, died in Es- sex, Michigan, in September, 1863, her hus- band having passed away April 26, 1850.
Dr. Scott passed his early school days in the common schools, and also spent a few years at a select school. When eighteen years of age, after a preparatory course of reading, he entered the office of Dr. C. W. Brown, of Maple Rapids, with whom he was connected until that gentle- man's death in May, 1863. Dr. Scott had entered the University of Michigan in Oc- tober, 1862, and had taken one course of lectures. He returned to Maple Rapids, where he remained until October, 1863, and in that year removed to Bridgeville, Gratiot county, remaining there until January, IS65. He then became a resident of Ithaca, and in the fall of 1865 went to Chicago, to attend Rush Medical College, graduating therefrom as a physician and surgeon in the class of 1866. He at once returned to Ithaca, where he has since de- voted his entire time to professional work, building up a large and lucrative practice. He is a man of great strength of character, and stands high in public esteem.
Dr. Scott was married at Ithaca April 25, 1868, and to him and his wife have been born four children, Ella M., Sarah J. and Blanche surviving. One son, William M., died when five months old. Soon after
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locating in Ithaca Dr. Scott was appointed United States Examining Surgeon for Gratiot county, a position he held until the spring of 1881, when he resigned and went South for a few months, owing to poor health. The Doctor is a member of the State Medical Society and is a Knight Templar Mason and an Odd Fellow. Po- litically he is Democratic and has been prominently identified with the workings of that party in his section. He is a physician and surgeon of skill, and possesses the con- fidence of the people to a marked degree.
M ILTON L. PERRIGO, clerk of Pine River township, has held that office continuously since 1891, and has been a resi- dent of Gratiot county for, twenty-two years. He was born in Niagara county, New York, June 2, 1873, son of John J. and Mary E. (Fishback) Perrigo, now residents of Pine River township-his father's birth- year being 1843, and his mother's, 1850. They have been lifelong and firm adherents to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Milton L. was their first-born, their others children being: Charles L., now residing in St. Louis, Michigan; Frank, living in Grand Traverse county, Michigan; and Marvey, a resident of northwestern Michigan. The paternal grandparents were natives of Penn- sylvania, where they married and whence they moved to New York, remaining in the Empire State as substantial members of var- ious agricultural communities.
Milton L. Perrigo was ten years old when he came with his parents to Gratiot county, and he was educated in the com- mon schools and at Gerrington College, St. Louis, Michigan. He served an apprentice- ship of four years to the blacksmith's trade,
also learning carriage painting, and was em- ployed at different shops for seven years, in August, 1899, locating at Forest Hill, Pine River township, and selecting his present location. He purchased his blacksmith shop from E. L. Vilett, and has since added to his facilities and increased his business. At the present time he is not only prepared to accommodate his patrons with all kinds of blacksmith work, but deals in hardware, buggies, wagons, harnesses and agricultural implements.
Mr. Perrigo was united in marriage April 25, 1895, at St. Louis, Michigan, to Miss Florence A. Griffith, born in Emerson township, Gratiot county, June 2, 1870, daughter of Daniel and Nancy M. (Bur- gess) Griffith, who still reside in St. Louis, Michigan. Daniel Griffith is a na- tive of Montgomery, New York, born Janu- ary 9, 1820. Trained irregularly in the dis- trict schools and most thoroughly in all agri- cultural matters, when he was twenty years of age he traveled alone to far-away Michi- gan, locating at Marshall. There he re- mained for about five years, when he re- turned to New York, and in May, 1846, at the outbreak of the Mexican war, enlisted in Company F, Eighth New York Infantry. Although he escaped unhurt he participated in the actions at Cherubusca, Molino del Rey, and the storming and capture of the City of Mexico, being honorably discharged at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, with the rank of orderly sergeant, in August, 1848. He then returned to Michigan and located as a farmer in Oakland county. On De- cember 19, 1849, he was married to Miss Nancy M. Burgess, who was born in Alle- gany county, New York, and whose parents had settled in that county in 1837. She her-
M.L. Perigo
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self was educated in Oakland and Livings- ton counties. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Griffith, of whom Mrs. Perrigo was the tenth. Two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Perrigo, Iva G., born March 4, 1896, and Fern C., born December 27, 1902.
In 1901 Mr. Perrigo was elected town- ship clerk of Pine River township, and, as proof of his popularity, has been his own successor at each subsequent election. Mr. Perrigo is progressive, enterprising, popu- lar, highly esteemed, and has a bright as well as a substantial future.
C HARLES A. GREEN, whose fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres, situated in Lafayette township, Gra- tiot county, has been his home all his life, was born in Hillsdale county, Michigan, June 19, 1858, son of Joseph and Miranda (Popple) Green, who came from Saginaw county, Michigan, to Gratiot county, and settled in Lafayette township in 1869. Jo- seph Green died aged sixty-four years and his wife passed away aged seventy-two. They had five children, and of this family, Charles A. Green was the fourth member.
Charles A. Green was brought to Gra- tiot county by his parents and was reared to manhood in Lafayette township, where he has spent the greater part of his life. He has given his entire attention to farm- ing and has been successful in all of its branches. Sixty acres of his one hundred and twenty-acre farm are improved and Mr. Green has erected a fine set of build- ings, and a comfortable, well-situated home. He was married in Lafayette town- ship, April 28, 1879, to Miss Annie D. Aldrich, born in Michigan, June 9, 1859,
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