USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan > Part 24
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HORACE ELDRED.
Horace Eldred grew from childhood to man- hood by the parental fireside with his brothers and sisters, and with them attended the schools located near their home. In 1861, when armed resistance threatened the continuance of the Union, at an early call for volunteers for its de- fense, himself and his brother William promptly enlisted in the Union army, the brother in the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry and Horace in the Sixteenth Michigan Infantry. Both saw active service, William in Kentucky,' Ohio and eastern Tennessee, his company being present when the Confederate raider, General Morgan, was killed at Greenville, in the last mentioned state, while Horace was one of the Army of the Potomac, be-
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ing in the front of the unrolling columns at Gaines Mills, the Seven Days' fight under Mc- Clellan, Second Bull-Run, Antietam, Fredericks- burg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and on many another ensanguined field where, on both of the embattling sides, American valor contended for the mastery. He was wounded at Rappahannock Station, and thereafter remained in the hospital until his discharge in 1864. His regiment had a greater percentage of loss in active service in this great war than any other organization from this state. After his discharge Mr. Eldred re- turned to his Hillsdale county home, and, since that time, he has been continuously and indus- triously engaged in farming in Allen township and in building up and promoting the interests of her people, assisting all of her elements of mate- rial, intellectual and moral progress.
Mr. Eldred was married on December 13, 1867, to Miss Julia Nichols, a native of Portage county, Ohio, a daughter of Jared and Matilda Nichols, of that county. Her mother died in Ohio, before her father came to Michigan in 1847 and settled at Quincy in Branch county. He was deeply interested in public affairs, always ready to do his part in defense of his convictions, whether in arms or in peaceful pursuits. In the War of 1812 he made a good record as a gallant soldier, and, whatever line of activity enlisted his energies, it gained force and effectiveness from his participation in its work. Mr. and Mrs. Eld- red now have one child, their daughter, Minnie S., wife of A. D. Pierce, of Allen township. Fred Eldred was born on December 13, 1872, and died on June 6, 1874. Mr. Eldred has given unwaver- ing allegiance to the Republican party all of his mature life. He has served the township six years as a highway commissioner and twelve as a justice of the peace. Fraternally, he is con- nected with the Masonic order and with the Grand rmy of the Republic, and Mrs. Eldred belongs to the Baptist church.
DR. ROBERT A. EVERETT.
For more than a third of a century the late Dr. Robert A. Everett lived a life of usefulness
and benefaction among the people of Hillsdale county, giving them the full benefit of his wide professional and general knowledge, his skill and industry in practice and his genial and inspiriting companionship. His medical practice began here in the early pioneer days, and, for a long time, he was one of the leading physicians of this por- tion of the state. He was born in the state of New York, on November 22, 1839, the son of Dr. Augustus and Pamelia (Holdridge) Everett, also native in that state. His father, Dr. Au- gustus Everett, born on October 2, 1811, was graduated from the Geneva (N. Y.) Medical Col- lege, and practiced his dual profession of medi- cine and surgery in his native state until 1849, when he came to this state and settled at Te- cumseh, in Lenawee county. From there he went to Toledo, Ohio, in 1856, returning to Mich- igan and locating at Hillsdale, remaining here until his death on January 5, 1874. His parents were Robert and Laura (Hooker) Everett, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Vermont.
Dr. Robert A. Everett was one of three chil- dren, one son and two daughters, born to his par- ents, one daughter, Mrs. C. H. Smith, being now a resident of Hillsdale. Dr. Everett was educated in this state and studied medicine under the ef- fective tutelage of his father until 1857, when he entered the State University, from which he was duly graduated in 1859, with the degree of M. D. He began practicing at once, in association with his father, and was actively engaged in the du- ties attached to an extensive medical ride until the 'opening of the Civil War in 1861, when he enlisted as a hospital steward with the Fourth Michigan Infantry. He was soon after trans- ferred to the Fifth Michigan as an assistant sur- geon, having the rank of major, and, some little time thereafter, he was commissioned surgeon of the Sixteenth Michigan, and, with that regiment, he served to the end of the war. His command was a part of the Army of the Potomac, where he saw active field service in most of the battles of that army, but was fortunate enough to escape serious harm or injury. On being discharged he resumed his practice at Hillsdale and continued
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it actively until his death on October 20, 1897, being, also, for a great portion of the time, en- gaged in the drug business. He was a Demo- crat in politics, but was not an active partisan, serving capably as mayor of Hillsdale and as an alderman, only accepting these positions at the solicitation of the people for the welfare of the city. In the line of his profession he took a cor- dial and intelligent interest in everything that might make it better and more serviceable, to this end holding membership in the State Medical Society and various other organizations of a sim- ilar character, aiding at all times in making their proceedings of value to the profession and to the people. He was married on October II, 1863, to Miss Janette G. Lancaster, a native of New York and a daughter of James and Cornelia (Spock) Lancaster, also New Yorkers by birth. They came to Hillsdale county in 1841, made their first location at Jonesville, and there the father erected for his use the first framed house erected in the town. He removed his family to Hillsdale soon after, and here carried on business as a merchant tailor until he died, his wife also dying here. Dr. Everett was a prominent Freemason, holding membership in the lodge, the chapter and in the commandery. For eight years he served his lodge faithfully as its worshipful master, be- ing also active in the work of the other branchcs of the fraternity of the mystic tie. He was also a prominent and serviceable member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and served eleven years on the pension board for this county.
BERT E. FORD.
Mr. Ford, the obliging postmaster at Allen, is a native of this county, born on January 6. ' 1861, at Moscow, in the township of the samc name. His parents are Stellman W. and Cor- nelia (Strong) Ford, the former being natives of Onondaga county, New York, and the latter of Clinton, Michigan. The father is by trade a carpenter and joiner, having been for twenty- seven years a manufacturer of carriages, buggies and other commodities in that line in Allen. He is now also engaged in the furniture and under-
taking business, in partnership with his son, the postmaster. The family consists of the parents and two sons, Bert E. and Stillman D., the lat- ter a resident of Detroit. The grandfather was John M. Ford, a native of New York, also a car- penter and joiner. He came to Michigan in 1838, after a residence of several years in this state he removed to Kansas, where he died.
Bert E. Ford grew to manhood in this county and received a good education in the district 'schools, then began life for himself as a clerk and salesman for F. P. Condra in the meat busi- ness, and, after two years passed profitably in his employ, he entered that of C. H. Winchester & Co., in the hardware trade, remaining with that firm seven years. The next seven he spent with John S. Lewis, of Jonesville, a dealer in the same line, while the following three years were devoted to farming. He returned to Allen in 1895 and started in business as a furniture deal- er and funeral director, and is still in charge of a flourishing enterprise in these lines in part- nership with his father. In April, 1902, he took charge of the village postoffice, by virtue of a commission from the President, and has since performed the duties of postmaster with consci- entious regard for the interests of the gov- ernment and for the convenience and advantage of the patrons of the office. Previous to this he served two terms as treasurer, one term as clerk of the township, and, in 1900, he took the cen- sus in this part of the state.
Mr. Ford married in 1887 Miss Mary A. Gilchrest, a native of this county and a daughter of Harvey and Emeline J. (Twitchins) Gilchrest. They have two daughters, Ruth and Naomi, both living at home. In political allegiance Mr. Ford has been a life-long Republican, active and vig- ilant in the service of his party. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Knights of the Maccabees. In his business he is prosperous and progressive ; in official life con- siderate and attentive; while in the estimation of the general public he stands deservedly high, well established as one of the leading citizens of this part of the county and a representative of its best aspirations and sentiments.
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CAPT. JOHN L. FRISBIE.
No man's career, and scarcely any one's voca- tion, can be predicated or predicted with any de- gree of certainty amid the mobile conditions of American life. The man who enters upon the stage of action at twenty years as a lawyer, doc- tor, mechanic or what not, may, perhaps, be found at forty pursuing a very different calling. The country schoolboy of 1850 becomes the prom- ising teacher of 1861, the gallant major of 1863. the successful lawyer of 1870, the renowned pub- licist of 1890 and the martyred President of 1901. So the carcer of Capt. John L. Frisbie, of Hills- dale, illustrates in a forcible manner the possi- bilities of American life, and also the versatility of the American mind, with its adaptive power to mold a shapely destiny out of any conditions that fate may fling before it. He was born on March 26, 1837, in Ontario county, New York, the son of John and Samantha (Spencer) Fris- bie. His father was a native of Hartford, Conn., and was reared and educated in that state. By profession he was a civil engineer, becoming well known as a mathematician in New York, where he died, being at the time the principal of the Par- ma Academy. His wife's father was Rev. Ira Spencer, a Universalist clergyman well-known in Western New York, and also in Michigan, having come hither to live in Macomb county, in 1838, and dying there in 1865, at the age of ninety-five.
When Captain Frisbie was but two years old the family moved to Hillsdale county, settling at Litchfield, where he received his elementary edu- cation. In 1850 he entered the office of the Jones- ville Telegraph as an apprentice, and, after learn- ing his trade as a printer, he worked at the case until 1861. Then, when armed resistance threat- ened the integrity of the Union, he enlisted in Co. A, Eleventh Michigan Cavalry, and soon rose by rapid promotion, for gallantry on the field and by meritorious service, to the rank of cap- tain. During the last year of the Civil War he was an assistant inspector general on the staff of Gen. S. B. Brown. At the close of the long con- test he returned to his home and to his trade, and. in 1868, having been active in politics in behalf
of the Republican party, he was elected county clerk. He had successive reelections and held the office eight years. He was later an enrolling and engrossing clerk in the State Senate, and then the superintendent to remove the Ponca Indians from Dakota to their reservation in the Indian Terri- tory. In 1878 he received the appointment of U. S. consul at Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and passed three years in that country. He was next appointed U. S. consul at Rheims, France, a position which he held for seven years, until a change of the national administration at Wash- ington opened the place to a man of another po- litical party, but he received the special thanks of the U. S. Department of State for the fidelity with which he had discharged his duties and for the value and interest of his official reports. Upon his return to his Michigan home he engaged in mercantile life for some years at Hillsdale, but has lived retired from active business since 1898. He is still interested in agricultural operations in Camden township, in this county, and he is still an earnest worker in the ranks of his political party. He belongs to the Masonic order in lodge, chapter and commandery, and is an enthusiastic worker in the cause of temperance. In 1867 and 1868 he was the grand worthy pa- triarch of the Sons of Temperance for the state, and, in this capacity, gave great vitality and act- ivity to the order, organizing many subordinate lodges. He is a gentleman of great uprightness and a high character and has an exalted position in the esteem of his fellow men.
PHILIP S. GAIGE.
Many of the pioneers of Michigan, who trod her virgin soil as scouts, prospecting far in ad- vance of the army of industrial conquest for which they blazed the trails and opened the way, lived long enough to see the attractive wilderness in which they here first camped transformed into a rich and productive commonwealth, blooming like the garden of the gods, rejoicing on every side, laughing, clapping its hands, bringing forth in spontaneous abundance everything brilliant, and fragrant and also nourishing. This was the
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fortunate fate of Philip S. . Gaige and his par- ents, Wilson and Annie Gaige, natives of New York, who came to this state in 1833, and took up government land in the primeval. forest by the side of the long, lone highway of that day, known as the Chicago Road, and, from its hard and unpromising conditions, built comfortable and well-appointed homes, presided over the birth. of civilization in these western wilds, hewed out a competence for life, and aided in founding here a new member of our glorious galaxy of mighty states of the great American republic.
Mr. Gaige was born in Cortland county, New York on July 5, 1809, where he was reared and received a rather advanced scholastic training for a country boy of his day, by attending the best schools of his neighborhood and applying himself with diligence to their teachings. After leaving school he was for a number of years engaged in teaching, and while so occupied was united in marriage with Miss Emily Mahan, a native of the same county as himself and also a popular teacher. In 1833, with his parents and his wife, Mr. Gaige determined to seek opportunity for a more substantial advancement in the new coun- try of the West, which was then attracting the attention of emigrants from all parts of the world, and came to Michigan, locating in this county. The elder Gaiges settled on government land in Fayette township, on the old Chicago Road, and lived there many years, clearing up the land and developing it into one of the best and most at- tractive farms in this section of the county. In their declining years they retired from active pur- suits, thereafter maintaining their residence at Jonesville, where they died at ripe old ages, se- curely established in the esteem and good will of the people among whom they had lived so ac- ceptably and labored so faithfully.
. Their son, Philip S. Gaige, and his wife lo- cated their Michigan home near the present vil- lage of Litchfield, remaining on the farm they first occupied for a period of six years. Mr. Gaige was elected the first justice of the peace of the township and gave its people a highly ap- preciated service for a number of years. From there he moved to Fayette township, locating on 10
section I of its new survey, purchasing 120 acres of woodland, which he at once began to clear and improve, and which became his home until his death in June, 1892. He survived his wife twenty- nine years, she having passed away in 1863. This worthy couple were the parents of five children, four of whom are now living : Melissa, at home ; Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Howell; Mariamna, wife of Liberty Day ; Isabella, wife of F. Lacore. Dur- ing all of his mature life, Mr. Gaige was an ardent and serviceable Democrat in politics, showing his zeal and activity in behalf of his party by wisdom in its councils as an adviser, by valued service for its candidates as a worker, and his disinter- estedness and sincerity by steadily refusing all overtures to accept public office. At his death, at the age of eighty-three years, after a career of unusual length and usefulness, he left his farm in a state of advanced improvement and cultiva- tion, and the township rejoicing in the fruits of his judicious thought and labors, as exhibited in ev- ery form of industrial, commercial and intellec- tual development, to all of which he had made valuable contributions.
Liberty Day, the son-in-law of Mr. Gaige, and husband of his daughter, Mariamna, who now oc- cupies and conducts the home farm, is a native of Ontario county, New York, born on Septem- ber 24, 1840, the son of Samuel H. and Sophia (Lincoln) Day, who came with their family to Michigan in 1857 and are now prosperous farmers living near Jonesville. Mr. Day re- mained at home with his parents until 1864, then enlisted in Co. K. Fourth Michigan Infantry, for service in the Union army during the re- mainder of the Civil War. He participated in many of the bloody battles which marked the closing years of the gigantic struggle, among the most noted being those at Cold Harbor, Spott- sylvania and Preble Farm in Virginia, and he was present at Lee's surrender at Appomattox. While he saw arduous and exacting service, be- ing many times in the very deluge of death in the terrible battles in which he fought, he es- caped unharmed, at the close of the war re- turning to his Michigan home, and he has been a resident of Hillsdale county continuously since.
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On July 7. 1866, he was married to Miss Mari- amna Gaige, and, almost from the date of their marriage, they have lived on the old Gaige home- stead. Mr. Day has been and is one of the most successful and progressive farmers in the county, also one of its most respected citizens. He is a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
ZELA HADLEY.
The useful life of nearly fifty years duration in this state; which it is the province of these paragraphs to briefly outline, ended on Christ- mas day, 1899, and spanned a period of seventy- seven years, lacking but little over one month. It was passed almost wholly on the frontier, cov- ering pioneer experiences in two states. In cach it was fruitful of good, full of energy devoted to the development and improvement of the re- gion in which it was passing. And in each Mr. Hadley won the commendation and high respect of those who witnessed its upright and service- able course, and its fidelity to every duty.
Zela Hadley was born at Sandy Creek, Os- wego county, New York, on February 10, 1823. His parents were Samuel and Betsey (Wilder) Hadley, natives of Vermont, and members of old families resident in New England from early Colonial times. Samuel Hadley was the son of Jesse Hadley, a son of Ebenezer Hadley and a grandson of Benjamin Hadley. Benjamin was a native of Brattleboro, Vermont, and died in 1776 aged ninety-two years. Ebenezer died in 1815. aged eighty-eight, and Jesse, born in 1781, died on December 10, 1840. In their several generations they were farmers, men of local prominence in the places of their residence, fill- ing many neighborhood offices of importance and exerting a healthy and helpful influence on the public life and activities of their time and locality. Samuel Hadley, father of Zela, was born on September 17. 1779, and died in New York on August 1, 1858. His wife was born on March 28, 1783, and died on November 28, 1825. They were the parents of nine children that reached years of maturity, Zela being the
youngest. One son, Truman Hadley, is still liv- ing and resides on the old homestead at Sandy Creek, New York.
Zela Hadley grew to manhood in his native state, had the advantage of regular attendance at excellent schools, and, as he made good use of his time, he secured an excellent education for his day. He remained at home until he reached his majority, in 1844 came to Michigan and joined his brother, Horatio Hadley, who was running a sawmill in this county. He pur- chased eighty acres of land in that part of Flor- ida township that is now Jefferson, it being a part of section 2, and began clearing it up to create a home for himself. Later he purchased fifty acres on section 11, adjoining his original purchase, and in the process of time cleared that also, and on this land he lived until his death on December 25, 1899. He was married in Hillsdale county on June 17, 1849, to Miss Amy L. Ambler, a native of the county and a daugh- ter of Erasmus D. and Sarah S. (Schofield) Ambler, natives of New York, who came to Michigan and settled in Hillsdale county in 1835, making their home near Jonesville until 1842, when they moved into what was then Florida township. The father was a contractor in rail- road construction and helped to build the line through the county, for a number of years also operating a gristmill south of Osseo. He was the first supervisor of Jefferson township and gave it the name it now bears. He died in the county, on March 31, 1852, aged fifty-one years ; his wife died on May 6, 1891, aged eighty-seven. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley had three children, Edwin A., a resident of Jefferson township; Alice M., wife of George L. Loomis of Fremont, Nebras- ka ; Sadie E., wife of M. L. Rawson, who resides on the family homestead in this township. (See sketch on another page.) Mr. Hadley was a Republican in politics and was elected as town- ship treasurer for two years and to other local offices. In early life he and his wife were Meth- odists, but later they became connected with the Free Baptist church at Osseo. He was one of the solid and substantial men of the township, passing his life in a laudable endeavor to build
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up his section of the county and state in every proper way, and to foster and conserve their best interests in all directions. He went down to his grave full of years and of honors amid the friends, scenes and associations that were dear to him through long connection with them, blessed with the general respect, confidence and . esteem of the people of the whole county.
WILLIAM H. GRAY.
A prominent pioneer, one who has done much to aid in the building up of this section of Michi- gan, is William H. Gray, the subject of this sketch. He was born on June 13, 1841, in Ge- auga county, Ohio, the son of George and Zilpha (Stafford) Gray, both natives of New York state. The father left his native state of New York, when a young child, going in company with his parents to Ohio, where he grew to years of maturity, receiving such limited edu- cation as the frontier conditions afforded. In 1846, he removed from Ohio to Hillsdale county, Michigan, coming the entire distance by wagon and settled in the township of Wheatland, where he remained until 1848, when he removed to the township of Adams and there purchased the farm which continued to be his home during the remainder of his life, and which is now the prop- erty of his son, William H. The ground was then covered with timber, and, after erecting for temporary accommodation a cabin and stable, he at once set about the work of clearing the farm. The hardships which the pioneers of that day were compelled to endure, in order to prepare the way for succeeding generations, cannot be described within the limits of the space allotted to this article. In 1894 the father passed away, who had survived the mother, her death occur- ring in 1890. To this worthy couple were born two sons and one daughter, all now dead, except William H. Gray. The father of George Gray was Daniel Gray, the paternal grandfather of William, who was a native of Massachusetts, and who, at the time of his death, in Lake coun- ty, Ohio, had attained to the advanced age of
pioneers of Geauga county, Ohio, having settled there as early as 1818. His family consisted of four sons and two daughters, all now deceased. William H. Gray attained manhood in Hillsdale county and, after completing his early educa- tion, the opportunities for which in those days were very limited, he began active life by as- sisting his father in the clearing, and afterwards in the care and management, of the home farm. This has been his place of residence ever since, and he has gradually added to and improved the farm, until now it consists of about 120 acres of land, being one of the best and finest farms in that portion of the county.
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