USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan > Part 34
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JOEL B. NORRIS.
The late Joel B. Norris, of Woodbridge town- ship, who departed this life on March 11, 1895, aged nearly seventy-five years, was for a long time one of the leading citizens of Hillsdale county, serviceable to its people and influential in its development and progress in many ways. He was born at Canandaigua, Ontario county, New York, on April 2, 1821, the son of John B. and Betsey (Gage) Norris, the former a native of New Hampshire, born at Chester, in that state, in 1789, and the latter born and reared in Massa- chusetts. The father, a farmer and carpenter, worked at both occupations in New York until 1836, when he came to Michigan and entered two half sections of government land. being the north half of section 11 and the south half of section 2, in what is now Woodbridge township. Soon after taking up the land he divided it among his four sons and returned to New York. They set- tled on it and cleared it for cultivation and homes. In the fall of 1840, accompanied by his son, Joel B., he again came to Michigan and built a log house on the southeast quarter of section 2, re- turning to New York. There was but one house between this house and Hillsdale at that time and the nearest house was three miles away. In 1855 he came back to this state and bought a farm in Cambria township, where he died in 1872, hav- ing been married three times. The first marriage was to Polly Bishop, who died leaving one son, Jared B. Norris, now deceased. The second wife was Betsey Gage, the mother of Joel and Jason Norris and two other sons and one daughter. She died in 1829 in New York state, and all of her offspring are dead except Jason B. Norris, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. The third wife was Lydia Densmore, who also preceded him to the grave, leaving one child,
Joel B Norris
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their daughter, Cordelia, now the wife of W. C. Barrett, of Stanton, Michigan. The martial spir- it has been prominent in the family for genera- tions. The father of Joel B. Norris was a colonel of militia in New York and held the rank of cap- tain in the United States army in the War of 1812. His father, Samuel Norris, was a native of New Hampshire, and he, too, was a soldier, seeing much active and arduous service in the War of the Revolution. He died in New York.
Joel B. Norris was reared and educated in his native state, finishing his schooling at an ex- cellent academy in his native town. He then en- tered upon the vocation which had been followed by the family for generations, and became a pros- . perous farmer in New York, carrying on this industry until 1853, when he came to Michigan and aided in the clearing of the land his fa- ther had taken up. He lived in Woodbridge and Cambria townships until 1889, then moved to Hillsdale, where he passed the rest of his days, dying on March II, 1895. He served as super- visor of Woodbridge township during some years in the fifties and when he lived there was the highway commissioner of Cambria township. Later he became interested in the Farmers' Mu- tual Insurance Co., of Hillsdale county, and served as its agent in Cambria township for sev- eral years, and in 1889 succeeded Doctor Fal- ley as secretary of the company. He was also superintendent of the poor for the several years immediately preceding his death, and was in the incumbency of the office when that event oc- curred. He was married in 1846 to Miss Mar- garet M. Brown, a native of New York, where the marriage was consummated. She was born on March 5, 1825, the daughter of Luther and Lora A. Brown. Her father died in New York and her mother in Hillsdale county. Mr. and Mrs. Morris had two children, their son, Charles S. Norris, and their daughter, H. Ellen, now the wife of Edwin Doty. Mr. Norris was a leading Democratic politician and one of the best known and most prominent citizens of the county. He was an influential man in all matters of local importance and never withheld his support from any good enterprise in which the advancement or
improvement of the county or township was in- volved.
Charles S. Norris, only son of Joel B. and Margaret M. (Brown) Norris, was born in On- tario county, New York, on March 2, 1852, and came to this county when an infant in his moth- er's arms. He here grew to manhood and in the public schools of the county began his education, which was finished at Hillsdale College. Throughout his mature life he has been an ener- getic and progressive farmer and has made his intelligence and labor effective in improving and adding to the value of his farm. He owns the old homestead in Woodbridge township, which he has made a model country home in every re- spect. He was married, in 1879, to Miss Mary C. Wendt, a native of Huron county, Ohio, and a daughter of Gustave and Caroline (Seekmann) Wendt, who were born and reared in Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1840. Her father died some years ago in Huron county, Ohio, and her mother entered her eternal rest on October 15, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Nor- ris have one child, Leon H. Mr. Norris is a Democrat in politics, but has never been an active partisan or desirous of public office. However, in the fall of 1902, he consented to become a can- didate of his party for sheriff, but, while receiv- ing. a gratifying vote throughout the county, could not overcome the adverse majority and failed of an election. He belongs to the Patrons of Husbandry, holding membership in the grange at Cambria. In all the relations of life he has borne himself creditably, winning by his upright and serviceable career the general esteem and approval of his neighbors and fellow citizens.
SAMUEL WATKINS.
Samuel Watkins, one of the honored pioneers of Hillsdale county, whose life ended on his Allen township home on April 1, 1882, at the age of seventy-seven, was a native of County Kent, England, where he was reared and educated and whence he emigrated, in his early manhood, to the island of St. Christopher in the West Indies, accompanied by his brother Thomas Watkins.
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His occupation at St. Christopher was that of a large sugar plantation, and, after a residence of a year or two there, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Jane Ann Parry, the daughter of his employer. The first few years of their married life were spent on the plantation, then they removed to Nova Scotia, where they lived five years, then determined to come to the United States and came at once to this county, locating in Allen township. This portion of the state became their final home, on its soil they passed the rest of their days, the father dying here on April 1, 1882, as has been stated, and his widow on September 22 of the same year. They were valued and valuable members of the com- munity in which they settled, contributed the fruits of their best energies to the development and improvement of the township, and left at their deaths memories of well-spent lives, which incited others to renewed exertions for progress and the elevation of the community and the ad- vancement of its best interests. They were the parents of thirteen children, four of whom died in childhood. Of the nine who reached years of maturity only four are now living. They are Margaret S., wife of Thomas Frarey ; Susanna, wife of Henry D. Pessell, of Quincy, this state : Joseph P., a resident of Reading, of this county ; and Victoria, wife of Nelson T. Brockway, of Allen township.
The father purchased eighty acres of land in section 19, when he came to the township, and built on it a log shanty covered with bark. He had very limited means, almost no experience in the kind of developing farm work then required in this part of the country, but he was endowed with a spirit of dogged determination and enter- prise, and, withal, was a close observer, readv in adaptation of the knowledge of others as it came to his apprehension. He cleared his land and then added eighty acres more, which he also cleared and made productive. Stimulated by his success in these two ventures, and having ac- quired skill by experience, he bought an addi- tional tract of 120 acres, already partially im- proved, and this, too, he brought to an advanced state of cultivation. In the tilling of this land he
discovered rich beds of clay and soon after in- augurated an industry in the manufacture of brick, which he continued with profit for a num- ber of years. While a Republican in political faith, he never took any special interest in party matters, devoting himself to his farm work, his domestic affairs and to the interests of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, of which he and his wife were faithful and serviceable members. He be- came an excellent farmer and was widely known and highly esteemed.
JASON R. WATKINS.
Jason R. Watkins is one of the carly settlers of Jefferson township, this county, and was born in the state of New York on December 8, 1830, his parents being Johnson and Eunice (Randall) Watkins, natives of Vermont, a more extended account of their history appearing in the sketch ot his brother, David Watkins, on another page of this volume. Mr. Watkins passed his childhood and youth in his native state, and had there the usual experiences of country boys of the time and section, attending school in the winter months and working on the farm during the re- mainder of the year. For several seasons he also worked on the Erie canal in various capacities. He became very efficient in steering and was re- cognized as an expert. In 1852, soon after reaching his majority, he came to Michigan, and, locating at Blissfield, Lenawee county, entered the employ of the Michigan Southern and North- ern Indiana Railroad, running a hand-car ahead of the passenger train to see that the track was clear of obstructions. Later he served as a brakeman, remaining with the road until 1856, when he came to Hillsdale county and purchased forty acres of land, the nucleus of the farm on which he now lives. It was a virgin forest then, and he at once began to make a clearing and build a house. In 1858 he moved his family thither and it has since been their home. The farm now comprises 170 acres and has been brought to an advanced state of improvement and cultivation.
Mr. Watkins, on January 15, 1852, in Mont-
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gomery county, New York, before leaving for this state, was united in marriage with a Miss Margaret A. Feltis, a native of that county. They have had eight children, seven of whom are liv- ing: Josiah, of Hillsdale; Nancy J., wife of J. B. Price ; John H., of Ransom township ; Ira and Judson, of Jefferson township; Carrie, wife of Theron Duryea ; and Miland, of Reading.
Mr. Watkins is a Lincoln Republican, but he has never taken an active part in political work and has never sought or accepted office for himself. His long residence of nearly half a century in the county has given him an oppor- tunity to see all of the phases of its transforma- tion from an unbroken wilderness to a highly cultivated garden region, rejoicing in its progress and bringing forth in abundance everything nourishing, and fragrant and valuable, and furn- ished ample room for the exercise of his enter- prise and public spirit in aiding to effect the won- derful change. He has been a potential factor in the development and improvement of the sec- tion, being well esteemed throughout the town- ship as one of its leading citizens and most force- ful builders and leaders of progressive thought.
WILLIAM WATKINS.
On of the substantial and progressive farmers of Allen township, who has well earned his comfortable condition in this life and the high place he holds in the public regard, is William Watkins, who resides on a fine farm of 240 acres of well-improved and carefully cultivated land not far from the village of Allen. His farm is largely the product of his own industry and thrift, giving the expression of his taste and en- terprise in the matter of improvements. He has expended the whole of his mature life up to this time on it and devoted all his energies and his skill in its development and tillage. He is a na- tive of County Kent in England, born on No- vember 30, 1847, in the portion of that county in which his ancestors had lived and labored for many generations. His parents were William and Ann (Field) Watkins, his father being a butcher by trade, who worked at this craft in his
native land until 1850, when his son William was three years old. Then, deeming the opportuni- ties for advancement better in the United States than in his own country, he gathered his house- hold goods about him and set sail for the New World, where he had an elder brother well estab- lished and working out a gratifying prosperity. His family then consisted of himself, his wife and their two small sons. One of the sons died on the ocean voyage and was buried at sea.
Deeply grieved by this bereavement, but not disheartened by its ill-boding suggestions, the sur- vivors made their way to Michigan and settled in Hillsdale county, where the father's brother lived. The father bought eighty acres of land, set to work industriously to make a home out of its unpromising conditions, clearing away for this purpose the forest, which for ages had kept apart the soil and the sunshine, and gladdening the land full soon with a more comely and a more immediately serviceable harvest. The forest yielded a ready and cheerful submission to his dominion, and, in course of time, he bought an additional tract of forty acres, which he also cleared and made productive. On these two tracts, which he combined in one fine farm, he lived and labored until his death on April 27, 1874. His wife died on April 27, 1854, and later he married his second wife, Miss Mary Wass, who was also a native of England, and died on April 4, 1903. In political faith he was a faithful Democrat, but was in no sense, nor at any time, an active partisan and never held an office.
William Watkins, the only surviving child of his father, inherited the farm where he has since the death of his father continued the skillful and systematic cultivation and management which his father had inaugurated and conducted, having learned the science of agriculture under that mas- ter of all its operations. In 1885 Mr. Watkins bought an addition of 120 acres to his patrimony, and now owns and tills the whole body of 240 acres with excellent judgment and gratifying re- sults. He was married, is this county, in 1885, to Miss Lizzie Thompson, who was born and reared in Chautauqua county, New York, being a daughter of James and Mary A. (McKittrick)
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Thompson, natives of Ireland and early settlers in this county. Her father died at Quincy in this state, where his widow is now living. Mr. and Mrs. Watkins have three children, Albert Ed- ward, William J., and Anna E. Mr. Watkins is a member of the local grange of Patrons of Husbandry, and belongs also to the Episcopal church, as did his parents. He is a Democrat in politics but has never taken an active part in the campaigns or held office.
MOSES WILLITS.
This pioneer of pioneers in Cambria town- ship, who is one of its two surviving citizens that became dwellers within its limits with their fam- ilies prior to 1840, was born at Farmington. On- tario county, N. Y., on April 13. 1814, the son of Jonathan and Rachel (Bunn) Willits, natives of New Jersey. Six of their children reached years of maturity ; three are yet living. Moses, Jona- than, of Three Rivers, this state, and George, of Green Bay. Wisconsin. The paternal grand- father, John Willits, was a Quaker ; the maternal grandfather, Barron Bunn, was a soldier in the Revolution and received serious wounds in battle for which he drew a pension from the govern- ment. Moses Willits was reared and received a limited common-school education in his native state, residing at what is now Lockport when it was in the wilderness. In 1837 he came to Mich - igan, making the trip in a sleigh, and coming by the way of Canada. He here entered 160 acres of land. built a little log house and then went back and brought his family to their new home. Baw Beese, the local Indian chief, was a fre- quent visitor at his house and he was well ac- quainted with other early characters of promi- nence, both Indian and white. He assisted in the organization of Cambria township and has been an active worker in its interest ever since. In 1835, two years before he moved to this state, he married Miss Angeline Alvord, a native of the state of New York, and they had six children, of whom three are living, Mrs. Levina Messinger, of Niles, Michigan ; Henry F., of this township, and Alice, yet at home. Their mother died in
1854, and two years later, Mr. Willits married Miss Sarah Bishop, a sister of Bani Bishop, a sketch of whom appears on other pages of this work. Of this marriage two children were born, Sarah B. Willits, of Shelby, this state, and Mrs. Byron L. Reed, of Detroit. Their mother died in 1889. Mr. Willits was a Whig and an Aboli- tionist until the organization of the Republican party, since then he has been a devoted and loyal member of that body, having cast his vote in 1856 for its first presidential candidate, Gen. John C. Fremont. He has never taken any interest in secret societies, and has never sought or de- sired political office. His autumnal evening of life is passing happily and quietly on the spot where the meridian height of his years and his industry were reached, and he is esteemed by all the people of the community, as an honored patriarch in their midst, whose career is a credit to the county and exemplifies in an impressive way the best attributes of American manhood.
PHILO WAY.
Philo Way was born on June 17, 1846, on the farm in Jefferson township, which is now his home, and has been all his life, and on which his father lived nearly fifty years. It was virgin and unbroken forest when the father purchased it, and the beautiful and productive estate it is now, is the product of the systematic and per- severing labor of two generations of intelligent and skillful farmers. Mr. Way's parents were William and Orcelia (Ferguson) Way, natives of New York state. In his native home the father followed farming until 1840, when he came to Michigan, making the journey across the lake to Toledo, from that city coming by team to the farm which was thereafter his home until his death in 1885. This domain was then a tract of eighty acres of heavily timbered land, on which he erected a log house, and at once began to make a clearing for the development and culti- vation and for the production of food for his family and his stock. He was twice married, first to Miss Sarah A. Wickwire, in 1836, by whom he had three daughters. One of these is
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dead and the others, Mrs. Selleck and Mrs. A. C. Clark, reside at Portland in this state. Their mother died in 1844, and, in 1845, Mr. Way con- tracted a second marriage, being then united with Miss Orcelia Ferguson. Their family con- sisted of two sons and three daughters, all living but one daughter, and residents of this county. While deeply and intelligently interested in the welfare of the township, which he helped to or- ganize, and the county, to which the record of his life was given, Mr. Way never sought or ac- cepted public office nor took active part in poli- tics, except with reference to the general welfare, although he was an earnest Republican from the organization of the party. In church affiliation he was a Universalist.
Philo Way was reared and educated in Hills- dale county, and, as soon as he was able, assisted in the farm work, hard though it was, and gave his aid very cheerfully and energetically. He was- closely identified with all the farm interests fron the beginning, when his father died took charge of the property and has successfully managed it continuously since that event. He married, in Hillsdale county, on March 31, 1871, Miss Alice Davis, a daughter of Perry M. and Hannah (Lewis) Davis, all natives of New York. Her father was for a number of years a resident of Lenawee county, this state, and died at Kalama- zoo, on May 20, 1890. His wife died in Wilson, Niagara county, N. Y. in July 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Way have two children, their daughter, Edith Adell, and their son Alfred D., both living at the parental home. Mr. Way is a Republican in politics and a member of the local grange of the Patrons of Husbandry. The family attend the Congregationalist church and all are well esteemed throughout the township wherein their useful lives have been a blessing.
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HENRY S. WALWORTH.
Henry S. Walworth, of Jerome in Somerset township, this county, has for many years been one of the quickening spirits in the commercial and industrial life of that portion of the county. As a merchant, a banker, a manufacturer and as
a leading citizen he has given life and direction to the business factors of the township. He is a native of Shelby, Orleans county, New York, where he was born on January 23, 1848. His parents, Calvin and Amira M. (Arnold) Wal- worth, were also natives of that county and there lived until 1853, when they came to Michi- gan and settled near Moscow on a tract of un- improved land which they purchased. On this farm both parents died, the mother in 1866, the father ten years later. Their five sons and one daughter grew to maturity, all the sons becoming residents of Hillsdale county.
Their son, Henry S. Walworth, was reared on the farm and his preliminary, education in the public schools was supplemented with an attend- ance of two terms at Hillsdale College. Going to Kansas in 1860 he secured employment first from the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, then from the Kansas Pacific, first being an agent and later a stockkeeper. The road was then in its course of construction to Denver, and the daily life of its employes was full of adven- ture. Life on the plains was wild, rough and trying, savage beasts and savage men were here uncontrolled, buffaloes were plentiful and other game was also abundant. Distinguished men came from all parts of the world to enjoy the enjoyment of the chase. Mr. Walworth accom- panied the Russian Grand Duke Alexis on his renowned hunting trip under the guidance of "Buffalo Bill" of Wyoming, sharing in all the pleasures and incidents of the expedition. In 1874 he came back to Michigan and became agent for the Hillsdale & Ypsilanti Railroad. A few years later he turned his attention to commercial activities and began the handling of grain and farm produce in large quantities. From this he drifted into general merchandise and he also be- came extensively interested in dealings in farnı property.
The success of Mr. Walworth in mercantile pursuits was pronounced from the beginning, and he soon had capital for other financial ven- tures. He was one of the founders of the Hills- dale Savings Bank, being its vice-president from its start. In addition to his other business en-
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gagements he has a private bank of his own at Jerome, which is one of the valued and service- able institutions of the town. He is also the treasurer of the Jerome Brick & Tile Co., of which he was one of the creators. In political connection he is a Republican, was chosen as the candidate of his party twice to the office of supervisor and twice to that of township treas- urer. In fraternal relations he is actively affili- ated with the Maccabees and the Odd Fellows. To the town of Jerome he has contributed in worth and appearance by the erection of large business blocks, warehouses and grain elevators, and to its business and social life in many ways of appreciated and stimulating usefulness. Ile is one of the most widely known and most highly respected citizens of this part of the state, worthy in all respects of the public esteem he enjoys.
MICHAEL WOLF.
Michael Wolf, of Woodbridge township, who has served the people of this county in various public capacities, and has won by his strict at- tention to business, that of the public, when he had it in charge, and his own, at other times, the respect and confidence of all who know him, is a native of the county, born in Amboy town- ship on December 29, 1853, the son of Frederick and Magdalena (Wantzig) Wolf, natives of Alsace-Lorraine, at the time of their birth a prov- ince of France, but in 1871 wrested from that country by Germany through fortunes of war. They emigrated to the United States in 1852 and settled in Hillsdale county, where the father pur- chased forty acres of forest land in Amboy town- ship, being a part of section 32. They arrived in the county without means, only armed for the struggle before them with their resolute spirits and indomitable determination. By their per- sistent efforts and their stern endurance of the many hardships here encountered, they made their little portion of the western wilderness in time to blossom as the rose and fruitful with all the products of advanced and skillful cultivation.
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