USA > Michigan > Gratiot County > Biographical memoirs of Gratiot County, Michigan : compendium of biography of celebrated Americans > Part 26
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daughter of George W. and Martha (Stur- gis) Aldrich, old settlers of Lafayette township. To this union two children have been born : George B. and Bert. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Green settled on the old homestead, where they have since resided. Mr. Green is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a good farmer, a kind husband, a care- ful father and an excellent citizen of La- fayette township.
Nº JOAH WILSON, who owns and op- erates a farm of seventy-three acres in Section 7, Bethany township, is one of Gratiot county's substantial farmers and good business men. He was born in Ot- tawa county, Ohio, December 25, 1846, son of John O. and Mary (Jones) Wilson, the former of whom died in Ottawa county, Ohio, January 18, 1859, in his sixty-fourth year.
The mother, of our subject came to Gratiot county, Michigan, to live with her daughter, Mrs. Mary Boggs, in 1879, and she died in Bethany township December 28, 1881, when seventy-nine years old. Our subject was the youngest member of a fam- ily of thirteen children.
Noah Wilson was reared in Ottawa county, Ohio, where he attended school and lived until nineteen years old, when he came to Michigan, locating in Monroe county, where he spent one year. In December, 1867, he came to Gratiot county and soon afterwards purchased sixty acres of wild land on Section 7, Bethany township, where he has since resided. He has increased his farm, now owning seventy-three acres, of which seventy are improved, and under his good management the farm has proved pro-
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ductive and his operations have been quite successful.
Mr. Wilson was married in Ottawa county, Ohio, February 14, 1869, to Miss Frances Essig, born in Stark county, Ohio, October 14, 1839, daughter of William and, Rebecca (Rymers) Essig, the former of whom died in Ottawa county, Ohio, while the latter passed away at the residence of her daughter, the late Hester A. Manahan, of St. Louis, Michigan. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were: William J .; Martha, the wife of Dr. H. M. Piper, of Denver, Indiana; Edith M .; Dean N., and Mary, who died in infancy. Mr. Wilson has held the office of township treasurer of Bethany township for two terms. He has taken a great deal of interest in all town- ship and county affairs, is a stanch tem- perance man, and a strong adherent to the principles of the Prohibition party. In August, 1904, at Ithaca, Mr. Wilson was nominated on the Prohibition ticket for the office of county treasurer. He has served as school director. Since four- teen years old Mr. Wilson has been a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, with his estimable wife, is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of St. Louis.
C EPHAS E. WOOD (deceased) was born August 31, 1862, in Greene county, Pennsylvania, son of James N. and Elizabeth (Leonard) Wood, natives of the Keystone State. The parents of our sub- ject came to Michigan about 1866, and settled in Pine River township some two or three years later. The mother died in Isabella county, leaving nine children, of which family our subject was the fourth
member. They were as follows: William L., now of Foley, Minnesota; Archibald H., deceased; Levi L., a resident of Isabella county, Michigan ; Cephas E .; Lena L., wife of C. D. Perrine, of Pine River town- ship; Sarah B., Mrs. Arthur Baldwin, of Midland county, Michigan; Ada H., living in Ann Arbor, Michigan; and George T. and Henry F., jewelers of Charles City, Iowa.
Cephas E. Wood was reared chiefly in Pine River township, where he spent most of his life. He was married in St. Louis, Michigan, September 29, 1888, to Miss Etta Smith, who was born in Bethany township February 3, 1862, daughter of David P. and Harriet (Hoisinton) Smith. After their, marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wood settled on his father's farm, where they re- sided for several years, at the end of which time they settled on the forty-four-acre farm upon which he resided until his death, August 25, 1905. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wood-Eva and Leota Belle.
Mr. Wood was a Republican in politics, and took a very active part in all township and county affairs. He and his estimable wife united with the Christian Church, of which he was deacon at the time of his death. He was fraternally connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he was a popular member.
G EORGE GIBSON, one of the sub- stantial residents of Bethany town- ship, Gratiot county, Michigan, owns and conducts a fine farm of eighty acres, situ- ated in Section 35. He was born in County Kent, England, June 27, 1856, son of. George and Mary (Wallace) Gibson, na-
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tives of County Kent. They had three children, our subject being the eldest.
George Gibson, our subject, was reared and educated in his native place, and for three years was employed by the British government in building dry docks, and was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade for seven years. He only continued at this for eighteen months, however, and not be- ing satisfied with his employment, came to the United States, landing at Portland, Maine. He came west to Jackson county, Michigan, where he found employment at farm labor, receiving eight dollars per month for the first season. In 1881 he came to Gratiot county, having accumulated enough to buy a farm of eighty acres of wild land on Section 35, Bethany town- ship, and Mr. Gibson has been a resident of this township since that date. His prop- erty is well located, his buildings commo- dious and convenient, and his home sur- roundings indicative of thrift and good management. His success tells its own les- son of the advantage of perseverance and industry.
Mr. Gibson was married in Jackson, Michigan, to Miss Cornelia Clark, a native of Jackson county, daughter of the late William Clark. To this union these chil- dren have been born : Charlie, Ted and Roy.
R OBERT S. MILLER, a well known and highly respected farmer of Se- ville township, Gratiot county, makes his home in the pleasant village of Elwell, where he has been prominent in agricultural matters and political affairs. He was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, January 22, 1840.
When nine years old Mr. Miller was brought to America by his uncle, John Miller, and for a short time lived with him in New York City. He then went to Pat- erson, New Jersey, where he resided with his mother for about a year, at this time leaving home to work on a farm near Pat- erson, where he continued three years. Mr. Miller traveled extensively in the next few years of his life. He spent one year in a harness factory in New York City; two years at farm labor in Oakland county, Michigan; two years on a new farm in Shiawassee county, Michigan, and two years in Lake county, Ohio, on a farm. He then went to County Lambton, Ontario, where he worked in the oil region near Pe- trolia, and assisted in putting down one of the first wells in that region. There he re- mained about two and one-half years, at the end of which time he returned to Lake county, Ohio, remaining but a short time, however, before going to the oil fields of Pennsylvania. There he remained some three years, again returning to Lake county, Ohio, where for some years he followed railroading. After leaving this occupation Mr. Miller located in Tuscola county, Mich- igan. Farming there a short time, he re- turned to Ohio, living in Hancock county about six years, engaging in railroading. In 1878 he located in Gratiot county, Mich- igan, settling on the farm upon which he now resides, in Elwell. He first purchased eighty acres, which he improved, and started the village of Elwell, selling the first vil- lage lot. Since locating in Gratiot county, Mr. Miller has engaged in agricultural pur- suits, and in this he has been very suc- cessful.
Mr. Miller was married in Lake county,
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Ohio, to Miss Mary Hutchins, born in that county, and to this union one son has been born-John R. Mr. Miller has held the office of township clerk, and was justice of the peace for nine years. He has always taken an active part in township affairs and is a stanch adherent of the principles of the Republican party. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
E LIAS M. WAGNER, a resident of Breckenridge and previously a prom- inent and successful farmer of Bethany township, Gratiot county, has been promi- nently identified with the agricultural inter- ests of that section of the country, owning a fine one hundred-and-twenty-acre farm which he successfully operated for a number of years. He was born January 25, 1862, in Sandusky county, Ohio, son of Jonathan and Margaret (Myer) Wagner, the former a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Pickaway county, Ohio. The father of our subject died in Hamil- ton county, Indiana, aged seventy-one years, and left a family of ten children, Elias M. being the sixth member.
Elias M. Wagner spent the early years of his life in Sandusky county, Ohio. At the age of sixteen years he left home and went to Seneca county, Ohio, where he was employed at farm work for five years, and while in that county he was married, May 18, 1881, to Miss Amanda E. Need- erhouser, who was born in Seneca county, Ohio, January 15, 1862, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Kinsley) Neederhouser, both of whom died in that county. Mrs. Wagner was the twelfth member of a fam- ily of thirteen children. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wagner remained in Seneca
county for. several years, and then returned to Sandusky county, remaining there until July, 1890, when they came to Gratiot county, Michigan, and settled on the farm upon which they resided until recently. There they remained, with the exception of four years spent in St. Louis, where Mr. Wagner was employed in an agricultural implement store until January, 1906, when he and his family moved to Brecken- ridge, Michigan. There he is employed as salesman for agricultural implements by Stone Brothers. Mr. Wagner owns one hundred and twenty acres of land in Bethany township, one hundred being highly improved, and he has been very suc- cessful in his farming operations.
Mr. and Mrs. Wagner have children as follows: Orlo J., Ethel M. and Nina G. One child, Clarence L., died in childhood. Mr. Wagner is a member of the board of review of Bethany township, and has been school moderator for several years. For some time he has been connected with the Gratiot and Clinton Counties Fire Insurance Company, and is collector for the townships of Wheeler and Bethany. He and his esti- mable wife are very active in church work. Elias M. Wagner is one of the good, prac- tical farmers of Bethany township, and bears the reputation of being a man of in- tegrity and honor.
G' EORGE W. MAURER, a good, practical farmer of Bethany town- ship, Gratiot county, Michigan, is one of the useful citizens and reliable men of that township, belonging to that class which gives a section its honorable standing be- fore the world. Mr. Maurer was born in Thompson township, Seneca county, Ohio,
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March 31, 1856, son of Samuel and Eliza- beth S. (Suter) Maurer, both of whom died in Seneca county, Ohio. The other children of the family were: Samuel, who is deceased; Frederick, an electrician and a resident of Ohio; Rudolph; and Eliza- beth, wife of Daniel Stout, of Seneca county, Ohio.
George W. Maurer was the fourth member of the family of five children. He was reared on his father's farm in Ohio, where he remained until coming to Gratiot county, Michigan, in the spring of 1883. He first settled in Pine River township, where he purchased a farm and remained eleven years, at the end of which time he disposed of his land and located on his present farm in Bethany township, pur- chasing fifty acres. He has added to his farm from time to time, and is now the owner of one hundred and twenty-nine acres, of which eighty are improved. Mr. Maurer's farm is furnished with conven- iently situated buildings and a good, home- like residence.
Mr. Maurer was married September 16, 1878, to Miss Barbara Schneider, born in Medina county, Ohio, July 24, 1854, and to this union these children have been born : Albert S .; Merilla A., the wife of Roy Oster, who has two children, Rena A. and Margaret ; Edwin R., and Irvin V. Mr. Maurer has taken an active interest in ed- ucational matters in his township, and has served as a careful, interested school di- rector of his district for nine years. Polit- ically he is independent, voting rather for the man than the party. He and his worthy wife are connected with the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Maurer bears among his neighbors the reputation of being an hon-
orable man, whose word is as good as his bond. He is identified with the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, the Gleaners and the Grange.
F FREDERICK W. GRISWOLD, editor of the Gratiot County Journal, Ithaca, is a native of the Wolverine State, and, al- though still comparatively a young man, has fairly earned his way to prominence. He is active, able and progressive, and is not only conducting the Journal with decision and editorial enterprise, but is coming into prominence as a member of the town coun- cil, to which he was elected in 1905.
The Gratiot County Journal is no ex- periment in newspaperdom, having been established since 1858. In that year type and other material were brought from Owosso, and Frank Miller was installed as its first editor. Originally its politics was neutral, but before the end of the first jour- nalistic year the paper was distinctly Re- publican, and it has not since swerved from that standard. In 1865 the Journal was discontinued for a short time, but was re- vived and imbued with new vigor by Na- than Church. It has been continued unin- terruptedly ever since, Mr. Griswold pur- chasing the plant from C. H. Chase. The paper has a distribution of three thousand copies, and is influential both in Gratiot county and the State of Michigan.
Frederick W. Griswold was born in Chesaning, Saginaw county, Michigan, on May 2, 1870, son of William and Adelia (Ortner) Griswold, both of Michigan. The father died in that place, in the year 1888, at the age of sixty-four. His active life he passed in the sawmills, being at times the foreman of various gangs. The mother re-
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sides in Ithaca, aged fifty-six. Frederick W. was the third and youngest of the chil- dren, his brother, Ray I. (the second born) being his partner in the newspaper busi- ness, and the oldest, Charles H., is an in- surance man in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Until he was seventeen years of age Frederick W. Griswold attended school at Chesaning and St. Charles, Michigan, aft- erward being employed .as a clerk or in any other honorable capacity. For twelve years he was connected with a clothing store in Ithaca, after which business experience he purchased the Gratiot County Journal. It was in Ithaca that Mr. Griswold was united in marriage, January 24, 1894, to Minnie J. Smith, the daughter of Gilbert C. and Celia Smith, of York State. They were early settlers of the village of Ithaca, where their daughter Minnie was born and where Mrs. Smith died. Mrs. Griswold's father removed to California, where he is still en- gaged in mercantile pursuits. It should be added regarding Mr. Griswold, of the Journal, that besides being personally pop- ular and sociable, his fraternal association with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Knights of Pythias gives him a wide and influential acquaintanceship.
As to the genealogy of the family, it is known that the Griswolds were of English extraction and originated in Wales. Its members were among the earliest settlers of Owosso, settling there when the region was a wilderness, and one of them was a hardware merchant in that place for many years. It was therefore quite fitting that Frederick W. Griswold should come into possession of a newspaper which had its real origin in Owosso.
E DWIN J. CHURCHILL, a prominent
business man of Gratiot county, su- pervisor of North Star township, and a resident of that place, where he owns twen- ty-five acres of good land, was born De- cember 12, 1854, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, son of Edwin and Ann Jane (Martin) Churchill, natives of England. Edwin Churchill died at Shirland, Winnebago county, Illinois, in his thirty-eighth year, while his wife still survives him, a resident of the same place. They had four children, of whom Edwin J. was the eldest; Lucy Ann, the second, married Henry Maurett, a farmer of Knox county, Nebraska; Wal- ter resides at Hastings, Nebraska; and Nellie, Mrs. Floyd Carter, is living in Rock county, Wisconsin.
Edwin J. Churchill was reared to the age of fourteen years in Wisconsin and Illinois, and in January, 1867, located in Gratiot county, Michigan, making his home with his grandparents, Joseph J. and Eliza- beth Martin, on Section 18, North Star township, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Churchill has been engaged in farm- ing, contracting and building, most of his time being devoted to the latter. Mr. Churchill was married in North Star town- ship April 2, 1876, to Miss Mary J. Heath, born in Portage county, Ohio, October 3, 1854, daughter of William H. and Emily (Heath) Heath, natives of Massachusetts, who located in Gratiot county in 1865, set- tling in North Star township, where they died, leaving five children, of whom Mrs. Churchill was the third.
To Mr. and Mrs. Churchill have been born these children : Harry E. married Nel- lie Hapgood, of Beloit, Wisconsin; Elsie
1 1
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A. is the wife of B. J. Quick, of Newark township; and Walter J. and William A. were twins, the latter marrying Emma Lott, and residing on the homestead. Mr. Churchill was elected supervisor of North Star township in the spring of 1904, on the Democratic ticket. He held the office of township treasurer for. two terms, and was school director and assessor for twelve years. He and his estimable wife are mem- bers of Liberty Grange, No. 391, Patrons of Husbandry. Mr. Churchill has won his way through his energetic and able person- ality, and has not only acquired a hand- some competency but general respect and esteem.
FRANK SMITH. Although compara-
tively a newcomer to Ithaca, Mr. Smith is already well and favorably known as the genial proprietor of the "Imperial Hotel." He is a native of Mich- igan, born at Three Rivers on June 21, 1857, the son of Dr. John W. and Mary E. (Boyer) Smith. At present his parents are residents of Macon, Georgia, where his father still practices his profession. W. Frank is the youngest of three children, his oldest brother living in Hughesville, Penn- sylvania, where he is employed as a rail- road engineer, while Clarion was last heard from in the Black Hills about 1878.
From the time he was three years of age until he was eighteen W. Frank Smith passed his life in Meadville, Pennsylvania, removing thence to Buffalo, New York, where for five years he was employed at various railroad occupations. His experi- ence demonstrated that he was adapted to mercantile pursuits, however, and he con- sequently engaged in those lines at Syra-
cuse, New York, until the year 1891. In the year, named he located at Jackson, Mich- igan, to embark in the hotel business, con- tinuing there until 1896, and later engaging in the same field at South Bend, Indiana. For two years, at the latter place, he op- erated the "Sheridan House," and extended his hotel experience subsequently at Pontiac (one year) and South Lyon, both places in Michigan. On July 24, 1905, he located at Ithaca as proprietor of the "Imperial," which he completely remodeled and refur- nished, transforming it into one of the best and most popular hotels in the State.
Mr. Smith has been twice married, first at Buffalo, New York, in the year 1877, to Miss Josephine A. Nerrick. Two chil- dren, a son Clarion and a daughter Flos- sie, were born to this union. The second marriage, in 1898, was to Mrs. Nettie San- ford, and of this there has been no issue.
Fraternally Mr. Smith is identified with Jackson Lodge, No. 17, Free and Accepted Masons, and Syracuse (New York) Lodge, No. 607, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. He is a Republican but, before all, a good business man and a first-class hotel proprietor.
G ORDIS SMITH, supervisor of Pine River township, has served effi- ciently in that office since 1890. He was born in Onondaga county, New York, in the village of Skaneateles, September 7, 1832, being the son of Ira and Sadie (Hitchcock) Smith, of Connecticut. His parents were married in that State and mi- grated to Michigan in 1856, the father lo- cating as a farmer in Pine River township. Thus he was engaged until the date of his death, February 20, 1878. He had just
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passed his eighty-fifth birthday, having been born February 2, 1793. His wife, born March 20, 1793, died on the 8th of October, 1883. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church. To their union were born besides the subject of this sketch: Andrew, Abigail and Henry, all deceased; Elizabeth, Mrs. S. E. Matteson, living at Napoleon, Michigan; Cephas E .; Mary, widow of Allen H. Reed, of Clinton county, Michigan; and Luther, a resident of Portland, Oregon.
Mr. Smith passed his early life on a farm in Onondaga county, and one in Cayuga county, New York, living there un- til about eighteen years old. He then came West, traveling in different States for sev- eral years until he came to Gratiot county, Michigan, locating here about 1857. He worked in the woods and on the river driv- ing logs, and was also employed in Sagi- naw in the mills and on the Saginaw river, driving logs. He followed that business for a few years, when, in April, 1864, he married Mrs. Jane M. (Badger) Rice, who was born in Cambridge, Washington county, New York, April 13, 1828. She came to Gratiot county with her husband, Elijah B. Rice, and settled in Pine River township, where he died. After their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. Smith settled on a farm on Section 27, which land was taken from the Government, being in a wild con- dition. Mr. and Mrs. Smith improved eighty acres, and the old log houses which had been built when the farm was first oc- cupied have given way to good modern frame structures.
By her first marriage Mrs. Smith had one son, George T., deceased. Mr. Smith has been director of his school district for
the past twenty years, has been supervisor of the township since 1890, and has also served his constituents as commissioner of highways. He is well known both as man and public official throughout Pine River township, and he bears an enviable reputa- tion for honesty and integrity.
D ANIEL FRANK ARNOLD, the owner and operator of a farm of eighty acres, located in Section 14, Beth- any township, Gratiot county, Michigan, was born on a farm in Defiance county, Ohio, September 17, 1857, son of Jacob and the late Mary Ann (Shook) Arnold.
The parents of our subjejct came to Michigan early in the sixties, and settled in Eaton county, where they lived for sev- eral years and then returned to Ohio, set- tling in.Williams county, where Mrs. Ar- nold died, aged about thirty years. Her husband still survives. This good couple had three children, and of this family our subject was the second member.
The early years of Daniel F. Arnold's life were spent at home with his parents, but after the death of his mother he came to Michigan, and lived in Eaton county for about five years. In 1876 he came to Gratiot county and engaged in farming in Newark township, continuing quite suc- cessfully for six years, at the end of which time he located in Bethany township on Section 14, where he has since been a res- ident. He owns eighty acres of good land, all of which he has improved, and his farm buildings are well situated and substantially built.
Daniel Frank Arnold was married in Bethany township, Gratiot county, March
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I, 1883, to Miss Ellen D. Holton, born in Bethany township, October 20, 1866, daughter of the late Joseph and Elizabeth (Barnes) Holton, and a sister of Thomas Holton, of Bethany township. To our sub- ject and his estimable wife these children have been born: Ruth L .; Mary G., who died when two years old; and Leo, who died when nine months old.
Daniel Frank Arnold takes a due amount of interest in the affairs of his township, and supports all good move- ments. He casts his vote with the Demo- cratic party.
THOMAS GLADSTONE, one of the
substantial farmers of Gratiot county, Michigan, resides on his well cultivated farm of eighty acres, located in North Star township. Mr. Gladstone was born March 22, 1850, in Oakland county.
Thomas Gladstone's father died when the former was very young, and he was reared in Clinton county, and has spent his life in Clinton and Gratiot counties. Mr. Gladstone was (first) married in North Star township to Ida M. Toles, a native of that township, and a daughter of Matthew and Sarah Toles. Mr. Gladstone and his wife settled on the farm, where Mr. Gladstone has always engaged in agricultural pursuits, and where he has lived since 1877. He owns eighty acres, of which he has cleared and improved about sixty-five acres, and has erected good substantial buildings on his land.
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