USA > Michigan > Gratiot County > Biographical memoirs of Gratiot County, Michigan : compendium of biography of celebrated Americans > Part 4
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their team nearly sliding into a reach of icy water, the woman and children having pre- viously been piloted over from Windsor to Detroit on the broken ice which had come down from the lakes. But the dangers were finally all passed, and, as stated, the travelers located in what is now the township of Deer- field, Livingson county, Michigan.
Mr. Winton remained with Mr. Boutell until he had reached the age of twenty-one years, and in the fall of 1839 returned to New York to transact some business for him. While there he had a chance to visit his father's family, but the rough-and-ready life which he had been leading had so changed his appearance for the better that he was not recognized by the family.
On November 27, 1842, Mr. Winton married Miss Sarah Ramsdell, who was born October 2, 1821, at Fairport, New York, a daughter of Noah and Polly (Mary) Rams- dell, of Livingston county, that State. Mrs. Winton died June 22, 1852, having borne her husband three children: Sarah J., born December 9, 1843, died September 23rd of the following year; Mary D., born October IO, 1845, is deceased ; and John H. was born May 31, 1852.
Within the following five years Mr. Win- ton participated in not a few important events. In 1853 he visited the world's ex- hibition at the Crystal Palace in New York, and in July, 1858, was introduced to Gen. Winfield Scott, at the West Point Military Academy. In the following August he at- tended the celebration at New York City of the laying of the first Atlantic cable. Mr. Winton, having had only the advantages of a common-school education, spent six years in teaching, attending school and reading law, and in August, 1858, graduated from
the State and National Law School, at Poughkeepsie, New York, and was admitted to the Bar of Michigan September 10, 1858, at Howell, Michigan. In October, 1858, he received the nomination for prosecuting at- torney of Livingston county, on the Republi- can ticket, but was defeated with the balance of the ticket.
On April 4, 1859, Mr. Winton married (second) Miss Mariette Thompson, born March 15, 1831, at Columbia, Herkimer county, New York, daughter of Joseph R. and Mary J. Thompson, of Corunna, Michi- gan. On March 28, 1860, Mr. and Mrs. Winton removed to Ithaca, Gratiot county, where, in November of that year, Mr. Win- ton was elected Circuit court commissioner. He was appointed deputy county clerk in January, 1861, and, having received his com- mission, enrolled all persons liable for mili- tary duty in 1863 who resided in the south half of Gratiot county, and continued to hold that position until the conclusion of the war. During the same period he served as superintendent of the county poor, and, as such, was called upon to make provision for a large number of families left destitute by the patriotic service of their male members. In November, 1864, Mr. Winton was elected to the offices of Circuit court commissioner and prosecuting attorney; was re-elected to the latter office in 1866; was a delegate to the Congressional Convention in 1866 and 1868, and was elected Judge of the Probate court in November, 1872, for a term of four years. Mr. Winton was also the first presi- dent of the village of Ithaca, being elected to that office in November. 1869.
During his years of practice Judge Win- ton was successfully connected with many of the most important suits in the county, both
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of law and equity, but retired from active practice in the autumn of 1904. For people of their years both Mr. and Mrs. Winton are possessed of remarkable vigor and activ- ity. In 1890, at an age when most couples are content to remain by their own warm firesides-and often are in no state of health to do otherwise-the Judge and his wife started on a European trip, their itinerance embracing Scotland, England, Holland, Bel- gium, Germany, Switzerland, and return to Great Britain. They reached their Michi- gan home in October of that year, even rein- vigorated by their trip abroad.
Mr. Winton is a member of the A. F. & A. M., belonging to the Blue Lodge, and both he and his wife are connected with the Order of the Eastern Star. They are both examples of a remarkable preservation of the mental and physical activities into the even- ing of lives which even in years are far be- yond the average. Mr. Winton for many years has been a very active member of the Presbyterian Church, to which he has given liberally of his time and money. Both he and Mrs. Winton have been teachers of the Bible in the Sabbath-school for many years, and still continue their work in that capacity.
JOHN H. WINTON, a legal practitioner J of note, who follows his profession at Ithaca, Gratiot county, was born May 31, 1852, at Cohoctah, Livingston county, Mich- igan, the only son of Judge William E. and Sarah (Ramsdell) Winton.
William E. Winton came to Michigan in 1837 with the family of Daniel Boutell, lo- cating in Deerfield, Livingston county, and remained with him until he was twenty-one years of age. He engaged in teaching and
attended school, studying law in his leisure time. He was admitted to the Bar in Sep- tember, 1858, at Howell, Michigan, and in October of the same year was nominated on the Republican ticket for prosecuting at- torney of Livingston county, but was de- feated with the balance of the ticket. Mr. Winton's first wife, the mother of John H., died in 1852, and in 1859 he married (sec- ond) Mariette Thompson. Mr. Winton be- came very prominent in politics, and was elected Circuit court commissioner in No- vember, 1860; deputy county clerk in Janu- ary, 1861 ; was drafting officer and superin- tendent of the poor throughout the period of the Civil War; Circuit court commissioner and prosecuting attorney in 1864, being re- elected to the latter office in 1866; delegate to the Congressional Convention in 1866 and 1868; judge of the Probate court from 1872 to 1876, and the first president of the vil- lage of Ithaca, being elected in November, 1869. Judge Winton still makes his home in Ithaca, where he is highly honored and esteemed.
In March, 1860, John H. Winton came with the family to Ithaca, Michigan. He attended school until he was eighteen years of age, and then taught for several terms, at the end of which period he entered the State Normal School at Ypsilanti, Michigan. He then pursued his legal studies in the office of his father, and was admitted to the Bar April 8, 1881, at Ithaca, and in March of the following year was appointed village at- torney. He retained that office for three years, and was afterward appointed by Gov- ernor J. T. Rich a Circuit court commis- sioner to fill out an unexpired term of two, years. He has also served for one year as moderator of the school board. In all his
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public functions he has conducted himself with such tact and ability that his future pre- ferment is assured. In his private practice he has met with a success both gratifying to himself and his friends. He has been en- gaged in several important suits involving interesting questions of law and equity, and has been very successful in matters affecting real estate, of which specialty he has made a thorough study.
On May 31, 1881, John H. Winton and Annie S. Sickels were united in marriage. She was born at Northville, Wayne county, Michigan, August 10, 1854, daughter of William and Isabel B. Sickels. To Mr. and Mrs. Winton have been born one son and one daughter : William, a graduate of the Ithaca high school and Alma College, is at present district manager of the Mutual Ben- efit Life Insurance Company, of New Jersey ; he resides at Ithaca, and in the near future intends to fit himself for the ministry. Beu- lah, the daughter, is a graduate and a mem- ber of the faculty of the Detroit Conserva- tory of Music. Mr. Winton and his entire family are active members of the Presby- terian Church at Ithaca, Mr. John H. Win- ton having served as elder for many years.
W ILLIAM SICKELS (deceased), formerly one of the leading busi- ness men of Sickels, and a representative man of Gratiot county, was born in Palmyra, Wayne county, New York, May 30, 1824, son of John F. Sickels, a native of the same State, whose ancestors settled on the Mo- hawk river over two hundred years ago.
Until he was twelve years of age Will- iam Sickels received his education in the common schools of his native place, when with his parents he settled in Wayne county,
Michigan, where he attended the Northville Academy. At the death of his father, in 1839, he took charge of the farm, which he conducted for a year, and then returned to Northville Academy to finish his education. Again locating on the farm, he remained un- til 1849, when he settled in Howell town- ship, Livingston county, and there remained until 1854. In the latter year Mr. Sickels removed to what is now Wyandotte, Wayne county, at which place he erected the first store and dwelling and established the first post office. There he remained until 1856, and in that year removed to what is now Elsie, Clinton county, where he also estab- lished the first office, becoming deputy post- master. In that capacity he continued at Elsie until 1861, when he removed to St. Johns, same county, and there held the posi- tion of register of deeds until 1863; deputy register, from 1863 to 1865; judge of Pro- bate, from 1865 to 1869; and from 1865 to 188I was chief of a division in the post office department at Washington, D. C. In May of the latter year he resigned his government position and joined his family at Sickels, this county, whither he had removed in Sep- tember, 1873.
For a short period Mr. Sickels was a sol- dier in the Civil War, enlisting in Company E, Twenty-third Volunteer Infantry. He was appointed first lieutenant and had com- mand of the company most of the time for about six months, when, contracting typhoid pneumonia, he was compelled to resign.
In 1883 Mr. Sickels erected a steam flouring-mill at Sickels, and equipped it with the best and most modern machinery. In addition to his other business he devoted considerable time to the propagation of fine live stock, and handled, with success, a
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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF GRATIOT COUNTY.
species of the Shorthorn breed of cattle known as the "Rose of Sharon." He at one time owned a two-year-old from the herd of H. M. Vale, of Independence, Missouri, which was considered one of the finest and most celebrated herds in the United States. Mr. Sickels and his entire family were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which faith he died September 3, 1904. Fraternally he was connected with the Free- masons and the I. O. O. F.
Mr. Sickels was married November 8, 1846, to Isabel B., the estimable daughter of Dennis Kingsley (deceased), a native of Vermont and one of the early settlers of Wayne county. Mrs. Sickels was born in Orleans county, New York, March 13, 1828. Four children were born to her and her hus- band : Dennis K., clerk of the Probate court at Seattle, Washington ; Annie S., Mrs. John H. Winton; Hettie E., deceased, who mar- ried (first) Warren Abbott and (second) Dr. Roy Weaver; and William C., a farmer residing at Maple Rapids, Michigan, and a supervisor of the town of Essex.
C HARLES L. DELAVAN, mayor of Alma and member of the well-known mercantile firm of C. L. & G. M. Delavan, is one of Alma's prominent and public-spirited citizens. He was born in Jonesville, Hills- dale county, Michigan, March 17, 1851, son of Henry A. and Mary T. (Leake) De- lavan, the former of whom died in Alma, September 5, 1903, and the latter in Jones- ville, in August, 1870. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom grew to maturity, and of these six, Charles was the fifth in order of birth.
Henry A. Delavan was the son of Tompkins C. and Esther (Jessup) Delavan,
and was born August 1, 1810, in Seneca county, New York. His father was a native of Dutchess county, New York, and his mother was born in Norwalk, Connecticut. After marriage they settled in Seneca county, where they resided forty years, and became, after that long period, residents of Jones- ville, Michigan. Of thirteen children born to them ten reached maturity. Henry A. Delavan was the third son. His parents were pioneers of the county where he was born, settling there about the close of the eigh- teenth century, and the son obtained his pre- liminary education in the common schools, whose sessions were held in a primitive log house. He finished his studies at the Acad- emy at Ovid, in Seneca county. At the age of sixteen years the privilege of self-support devolved upon him, and he embraced the op- portunity to become an assistant in the coun- try store at eight dollars a month. He soon became an expert and efficient helper, and after eight months made a contract with his employer to serve at $200 yearly, receiving this compensation two years, after which his salary was $300 for a year's services. He remained in the same establishment until he was nineteen years old, after which he clerked for his brother-in-law two years and then went into business at Jefferson, now Watkins, where he operated a general store and ran a warehouse, respectively, in the counties of Schuyler, Steuben and Che- mung. He continued to operate from that stand seven years, when in October, 1838, he forced a sale of the bulk of his stock, and transferred the remainder to Jonesville, Hillsdale county, Michigan, where he estab- lished himself in traffic in general merchan- dise. He continued to operate there until 1844, speculating in land to a considerable extent. He purchased two thousand acres
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of land in Hillsdale, Branch and Jackson counties, and engaged in farming near Jones- ville, continuing there about ten years when he sold his farm and moved into town. In 1861 he was appointed, by the government, assessor of Internal Revenue in what was then the First Michigan District, and dis- charged the duties of the position until 1865, when he again turned his attention to farm- ing. In 1870 he removed to Alma, where he resumed his former occupation of merchant, and in 1876 erected an elevator at Alma, having a capacity of seven thousand bushels. Four years later he associated himself with his two sons, Charles and George. Mr. De- lavan was married in Watkins, New York, December 8, 1835, to Mary T., daughter of Isaac Q. and Catherine (Tillinghast) Leake, and nine children were born to them ; Cornelia, Anna L., and Julia, deceased; and Mary C., Catherine, Agnes E., William A., Charles L. and George M. Mary C., Cath- erine and George M. are all unmarried and reside together at Alma. Mrs. Delavan died August 18, 1870. Politically Mr. Delavan was a Whig.
Charles L. Delavan grew to manhood in Jonesville, Michigan, attending the common school and assisting his father on the farm. In October, 1870, he located at Alma, and after being employed in his father's store for three years became associated with him and an elder brother in a mercantile business, under the name of H. A. Delavan & Co. This partnership continued until 1878, when William retired and George took a place in the firm. This partnership was dissolved in 1891 and Charles engaged in farming until 1893 in Arcada township. In that year he again engaged in a mercantile business with his brother, George M. Dela-
van, and has continued in that line ever since. The firm of C. L. & G. M. Delavan has a well established reputation, the business cov- ers a wide territory, and under the enterpris- ing management of the partners is prosper- ing. Mr. Delavan is much esteemed, and the firm enjoys the confidence of the public.
Mr. Delavan was married in Chelsea, Washtenaw county, Michigan, October 21, 1885, to Miss Belle C. Tuttle. Mrs. Dela- van was born in that county June 28, 1858, a daughter of Frank B. and Jane L. (Chase) Tuttle, the former of whom died in Chelsea, Michigan, aged seventy-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Delavan have had three children : Paul T., Carlyn C. and Marjorie.
Mr. Delavan has been prominently iden- tified with the success of the Republican party, being a strong adherent to that party's principles, and has been supervisor of Arcada township since 1899, first being ap- pointed and subsequently elected to that position ; he has also served several terms on the council of Alma. In April, 1905, Mr. Delavan was elected first mayor of Alma.
W ILBUR NELSON, president of the Nelson Grain Company (organ- ized in 1899), dealers in grain and other farm products, at Ithaca, Michigan, is a native of this state, born January 15, 1839, in Madison, Lenawee county, son of Fran- cis and Deborah (Cotton) Nelson, natives of New York State, where the former was born in 1808. Francis Nelson served as the first supervisor of Arcada township, and was also judge of the Probate court for several terms. He was a man of ability, clear judgment and upright character, and his value as a citizen was understood and appreciated by his fellow townsmen.
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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF GRATIOT COUNTY.
Wilbur Nelson attended the common schools of his locality and supplemented the training there received with a course at Gregory's Business College, at Kalamazoo. He returned to Ithaca in August, 1861, and enlisted under the second call for troops after the disaster at Bull Run. His com- pany-C, of the Eighth Michigan Volun- teer Infantry-was commanded by Captain Ely, and took part in some of the bloodiest battles of the war. Before he left the State Mr. Nelson was promoted to sergeant of his company, was in the engagement at Coosaw Ferry, South Carolina, and in the action at James Island received a wound in the left side from a musket ball. He was disabled for two months, and on rejoining his command was promoted to first sergeant. He was under fire at the second battle of Bull Run, Chantilly and Fredericksburg, after which he was promoted to second lieutenant. He was at Vicksburg and Jackson, Missis- sippi, and in the engagement at Campbell's Station, Tennessee, he was again wounded, by a minie ball, this time in the knee. He resigned his commission and came home Jan- uary 1, 1864. On March 20th of the same year he re-entered the service of the Union with a captain's commission, in command of Company I, One Hundred and Second. United States Colored Troops (First Mich- igan Colored Infantry), organized at Detroit. The regiment was in South Carolina, Geor- gia and Florida, and engaged in many im- portant raids and skirmishes.
In -November, 1865, Mr. Nelson returned to Ithaca, and formed a partnership with Gen. Nathan Church, in the mercantile busi- ness, and they opened a general store at that place, which they conducted until July, 1872, when General Church sold his interests in
the business to G. C. Smith. Two years later Mr. Nelson became sole proprietor and for one year continued alone. In August, 1875, he formed the partnership with A. S. Barber, and they erected the present building in 1879. Their business interests were exten- sive, and in addition to their traffic in general merchandise of all kinds they purchased and shipped all kinds of produce, including grain, wool and pork. Mr. Nelson had also en- gaged extensively in lumbering, in the pri- vate banking house of Church, Bills & Co., and in real estate dealing, discontinuing these lines in 1899 and organizing a grain busi- ness under the name of Nelson Grain Co., Mr. Barber remaining with the general store.
Mr. Nelson was appointed assistant as- sessor of Internal Revenue in 1867, and. served four years in his district. He has served two years as president of the village of Ithaca, and in the fall of 1880 was elected on the Republican ticket to represent his dis- trict in the Legislature of Michigan. While' serving in that body Mr. Nelson was a mem- ber of the committee of the State Public School at Coldwater, and on Drainage; was chairman of the committee on Manufactures, and served his constituents very satisfactor- ily. He was tendered the nomination to suc- ceed himself, but refused to accept.
Wilbur Nelson was married, November 22, 1865, in Arcada township, to Cornelia, daughter of Rev. Lafayette and Sophronia Church. She was born August 3, 1842, in- Ionia county, Michigan, and died March 23,. 1878, at Ithaca, leaving two daughters: Mary, Mrs. Harvey Morrison, of Traverse City, Michigan, who is the mother of six children ; and Nellie, a school teacher of that place. Mr. Nelson was married (second) June 13, 1882, to Mary H. Hamilton, daugh-
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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF GRATIOT COUNTY.
ter of Rev. D. D. Hamilton, and five children have been born to this union, namely: Ar- thur, Gladys, Gaylord, Theodore and Miles.
H JON. KELLY S. SEARL, Judge of the Circuit Court of the Twenty- ninth Judicial District, one of the most prom- inent Republicans of central Michigan, now a resident of Ithaca, was born at Fairfield, Shiawassee county, in that State, February 4, 1862. He was elected by the voters of Gratiot and Clinton counties in the spring of 1905, his term of six years commencing January 1, 1906.
Judge Searl comes from the substantial middle classes, most of his ancestors and his immediate relatives being of yeoman stock. His parents, Chauncey D. and Harriet E. (Kelly) Searl, migrated from Ohio to Shia- wassee county in 1854. The mother, who was a native of the Buckeye State, died Oc- tober 6, 1890, at the age of fifty-six years; the father, born in Vermont, on December 10, 1831, is still residing on his farm in Shia- wassee county. The paternal grandfather of the Judge, Phineas Searl, also a native of the Green Mountain State, was a carpenter and contractor. He migrated to Michigan, settling in Fairfield, Lenawee county, where he died December 25, 1875, at the age of seventy-five years. Besides Kelly S., there were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey D. Searl the following children : Frank C., now a farmer of Ashley, Gratiot county, and Anna M., Mrs. James W. Hay- ley, a resident of Bay City, Michigan.
Judge Searl attended the village schools at Elsie and Ovid, Clinton county, until he was about sixteen years of age, completing his literary education at the Indiana Normal School, Valparaiso. For several years
thereafter he taught school, his aim being to form a private educational fund which should defray his expenses in the law depart- ment of the Michigan State University. In 1884 he commenced his legal course at that institution, graduating in 1886. In March of the following year he opened an office for the practice of his profession at Ashley, Gratiot county, continuing there for the suc- ceeding three years. His continuous resi- dence at Ithaca dates from April, 1890, since which time he has enjoyed a practice which has made him a leader at the Mich- igan Bar and brought to the public a realiza- tion of those substantial and analytical qual- ities which have finally been the means of his elevation to the Bench. Although a Re- publican ardent in the defense of party prin- ciples, Judge Searl never allowed his political zeal or his personal inclinations to blind his legal judgment. He was always able to appreciate the justice even of an opponent's arguments, and, at an individual sacrifice, often harmonized instead of promoting the legal disputes between contending parties. Before he ascended the Bench he became especially noted, aside from such judicial qualities, for his broad knowledge of the law and practice, his concise statement of legal propositions and his skill and courtesy as a pleader. When to such requisites were added unimpeachable honesty, it is evident that it was most fitting that he should be selected for judicial honors. At the time of his elevation he was the senior member of the firm of Searl & Monfort, resigning from the partnership in September, 1905.
As a practitioner Mr. Searl was asso- ciated with the trial of many important cases in the district over which he now presides as judge. Among others may be instanced
Kelly S. Sand
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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF GRATIOT COUNTY.
that of the Portsmouth Savings Bank vs. the Village of Ashley (91 Mich. 670). The question involved was whether the president and clerk of a village had the legal right to deliver waterworks bonds, without the authority of the council, and whether the innocent purchasers of such bonds could hold the village for their payment. Mr. Searl was attorney for the defendant, and his contention was sustained by the State Supreme Court, which decided that the vil- lage was not liable and that the bonds were void.
One of the foremost Republicans of his section of the State, Judge Searl was so absorbed in the practice of his profession that upon several occasions he refused to be a candidate for political offices. But when the people of Gratiot county insisted, in the spring of 1899, that he should allow his name to be used for the Circuit judgeship, he gave his consent. The judicial convention was held at St. Johns, Clinton county, the Re- publicans of that county presenting as their candidate Judge S. B. Daboll, who had already occupied the position for about ten years. The twelve delegates of each county refused to desert their respective candidates, and, after remaining in deadlock for two weeks, the convention was obliged to ad- journ sine die without making a choice. This remarkable state of affairs was the means of placing upon the Circuit Bench the can- didate of the Silver ticket, Hon. George P. Stone, of Ithaca, who was elected without opposition. In the summer of 1900 Mr. Searl was urgently requested to allow the presentation of his name as a candidate for Congress in the Eleventh District. He de- clined on the ground that Hon. A. B. Dar- ragh was entitled to the honor, and immedi-
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