USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan > Part 72
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
MR. AND MRS. CHARLES E. FULLLER.
427
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
tion of the underground railway before the Civil War, in which two of his sons gave gallant serv- ice as soldiers. After the formation of the Re- publican party, he became an enthusiastic member of that organization, remaining in it until his death. He was prominent in local politics and filled many township positions with credit. He and his family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. His father was Reuben Fuller, who came to Michigan about 1837 and also settled in Adams township where he spent the rest of his life.
Charles E. Fuller was reared and educated in this county and remained at home until he was of age. In 1861 he purchased eighty acres of land, all wild and most of it heavily wooded, and began to clear it up for a home. He has resided on this land ever since and has made of it oneof the choice homes of Adams township. In 1856 he married in this county Miss Phebe E. Burger, a daughter of Benanciel and Almyra Burger, early settlers in this part of the state, and they have had five chil- dren, Mary A., wife of J. T. Winch, of New York; W. Eugene and Charles H., residents of this county; Helen G., living at the paternal home ; Edwin S., a prosperous business man of Toledo, Ohio. Their mother died in 1897. Mr. Fuller has been a lifelong Republican in politics, but has never held office, except that of justice of the peace, which he filled for four years. He and his family are active members of the Baptist church and he was for one year clerk of the or- ganization. His long life of usefulness and up- rightness has won him the esteem of the whole community, giving him a position in public esti- mation as one of the representative men of the county.
ANGUS H. ABBOTT.
Angus H. Abbott, a prosperous and progres- gressive farmer and a leading citizen of Reading township, in Hillsdale county, is a native of the township born on March 6, 1851. His parents were Henry K. and Olive P. (Grinnell) Abbott, the former born in Vernon township, Tolland county, Conn., and the latter in Jefferson county, N. Y. When the father was twelve the family
moved to Cayuga county, N. Y., and there he grew to manhood, received his education and learned his trade as a carpenter at which he worked for ten years. In August, 1842, he was married to Miss Olive P. Grinnell, daughter of Ezra and Cathryn (DeGolyer) Grinnell, and with his bride came to Hillsdale county, settling in Reading township on a farm of 286 acres which he bought and cleared, and on which he reared his family and lived until his death on June 20, 1899. Here his wife also died, passing away on Octo- ber 13, 1899. The grandparents on the father's side were Delano and Polly (Bingham) Abbott, both natives of Connecticut, that peerless old New England commonwealth.
Angus H. Abbott was the third born of six children in his father's household, and was reared to habits of industry on the farm. He attended the district schools in Reading township and fin- ished his education at Hillsdale College. After leaving school he engaged in farming and this has been his chosen vocation ever since. He was first married on July 29, 1874, at North Reading to Miss Rilla Archer, of that place. She died in February, 1878, leaving one child, their daugh- ter, Eugenia K. Abbott, now wife of Emory Flint, of Reading, and mother of one daughter, Gertrude Flint, who was born on January 10, 1898. On March 19, 1879, Mr. Abbott was mar- ried to his second wife, Miss Mary Hosmer, of Bankers, born on March 30, 1846. Her father, William S. Hosmer, was a native of Grafton. Windham county, Vt., born on May 20, 1809, and her mother, whose maiden name was Alma Tut- tle, came from Oneida county, N. Y., where her life began on September 7, 1815. They were early pioneers in Michigan, and died at Bankers, the father on June 20, 1885, and the mother on September 24, 1888. The fruit of Mr. Abbott's second marriage is one son, William H. Abbott, who was born at the homestead on December 24. 1879. Mr. Abbott has served the township in va- rious official capacities and is at present (1903) serving his second term as supervisor. He is recognized throughout its extent as a leading and public spirited citizen, useful to every commend- able movement for the improvement of this part
428
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
of the county and worthy in every way of the high respect and good will in which he stands among the people. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church of West Reading.
IRA J. STONER. M. D.
Dr. Ira J. Stoner, of Ransom Center. Hills- dale county, was born at Dalton, Wayne coun- ty. Ohio, on July 9. 1868. and is a son of Eli and Mary C. (Heister ) Stoner, who were natives of Stark county, Ohio. In 1869 they returned to Stark county, and lived there until 1881. when they moved to a farm northeast of Bryan, in Wil- liams county, where the parents still live. The Doctor is the oldest of five sons and two daugh- ters born in the family. He was reared on the farm and educated at the district schools until he reached the age of sixteen. He then attended Fayette Normal School two terms, but began teaching school when he was seventeen, and for six years followed this vocation in Williams, Stark and Van Wert counties, his last engage- ment being as principal of a graded school. At the end of the period named he entered a drug store belonging to an uncle at Massillon, remain- ing three years. After that he entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, where he completed the course in pharmacy in 1894.
On leaving this institution he bought a drug store at Bradford. Ohio, which he sold in 1896 after conducting it about two years. During the last year he was there he studied medicine with a view to making it his profession. and continued his studies in that line at Louisville. Ky., after selling the drug store, and later at St. Louis, Mc .. finally being graduated at the Memphis Hospital Medical College in March. 1898. While there he had the advantage of good clinical training and a practical experience in the hospital for six months or more. He practiced medicine for a short time at Pulaski. in his native state, then, in the autumn of 1898. settled at Ransom Center. in this county. Here he has since been actively engaged in medical practice and has built up a large and lucrative business. rising to good stand- ing in the profession and winning a large and rep-
resentative body of patrons and friends. He is a diligent student of the literature of his profes- sion and a close and discriminating observer of all features of the practical side of it.
Holding active membership in the county and state and the Northern Inter-State Medical asso- ciations, the Doctor takes an earnest and helpful interest in their proceedings, and gathers aid and inspiration from their meetings. He is a medical examiner for the Northwestern, the New York, the Union Central and the Odd Fellows Mutual Life Insurance Companies, and is a prominent member of the order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge at Ransom, of which he is at pres- ent noble grand. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias at Bryan, Ohio, and of the Masonic fraternity at Waldron, in this county.
In politics Doctor Stoner is a devoted and loyal Republican, and for many years he has been active and earnest in the service of his par- ty. He is now the clerk of Ransom township, having held the office four years, and he has been health officer of the township also during the last four years and is serving now his second term as county coroner. In March. 1899. the Doctor was married to Miss Lizzie A. Hoover, a native of this township and daughter of Franklin A. and Julia ( Hart) Hoover. natives of Ohio. but for years residents of Hillsdale county. They are retired farmers and are now living in the city of Hillsdale. The Doctor and his wife have one child, their daughter. Nellie M. Stoner.
EDWARD BURT.
Edward Burt, of Ransom township, who now owns and lives on his paternal homestead, which he helped to clear of its primeval forest and farm into a comfortable and productive home, is a na- tive of London, England, where he was born on June 30. 1832. the son of Thomas and Sarah ( Bartlett) Burt. a sketch of whom appears on other pages of this volume. Edward accompan- ied his parents to the United States when he was vet a child, making the trip across the Atlantic in a sailing vessel and occupying five or six weeks in the voyage. They came at once to Toledo,
429
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
which was then on the frontier, and, in the en- suing October, moved on to Michigan, reaching the homestead on which they settled in Ransom township on Christmas day, 1837. They had come from the center of the highest civilization and now found themselves in the midst of a vast forest and wilderness, with many forms of sav- age life in vigorous activity around them. But with the characteristic energy and pluck of the British people, they accepted the situation as they found it, and went to work with a will to im- prove their condition and make their new home worthy of their efforts and themselves. A log house had been earlier built, while the family was at what is now Lickly's Corners, and into this they moved and began to clear their land and get it ready for cultivation. In the course of time they were able to put up a more substantial and commodious dwelling and supplant their earlier efforts at other improvements with structures mere in keeping with their prosperity.
Edward Burt received a limited and fragment- ary education at the crude and irregular schools of the time, and remained at home assisting in the work on the farm until he reached the age of twenty-two. He then went to Ohio, but without money, and equipped for the battle of life with nothing but his resolute spirit, excellent health and the habits of systematic industry which he had formed at home. In Ohio he found work on farms by the month, and, on February 28, 1863. having made some progress in the accumulation of means for independent action, he was married in Lucas county of that state, to Miss Anna M. Hake. They settled on a farm in Lucas county, where they lived for twenty-one years. Their offspring numbered four. Charles. George, who died at the age of eleven, James and Elizabeth, the last named being now the wife of Edward Venier, a prosperous farmer in Wright township of this county. Mrs. Burt died on November 10. 1882. and in the spring of 1883 Mr. Burt re- turned to Ransom township, Hillsdale county, with his family, and located on the old homestead, which he purchased.
Here he has since resided, industriously culti- vating his land and keeping it in the best condi-
tion, and also maintaining the improvements at the highest standard of excellence attainable under the circumstances. On February 4, 1884, he mar- ried a second wife, Miss Harriet Hoard, who died in 1893, leaving no children. His third wife was Miss Lydia Keckler, a native of Ohio, and she also is without children. Until recently, throughout his mature life, Mr. Burt had a strug- gle for advancement and won every foot of his way in the world by his own persistent energy and push. He had also a taste of the Civil War, enlisting in May, 1864, as a member of the One Hundred and Thirtieth Ohio Infantry, Co. A, and serving 100 days in the Army of the Potomac. In politics he has always been a Republican, be- longing to the post at Ransom Center. His farm comprises 153 acres of land and is a model of thrift and foresight in husbandry, enriched with all the essentials of an excellent rural home. He is highly esteemed throughout the township and in other parts of the county.
ALBERT W. DOTY.
Albert W. Doty, a farmer of Hillsdale county, who has dignified and elevated his calling with an enterprise and progressiveness, and adorned his citizenship with a public spirit and breadth of view that are highly commendable and inspir- ing. is a native of Ransom township, where he was born on August 4, 1845, and where the whole of his life has been passed except a few years during which he was away at school. He is a son of Orsamus and Lydia (Ingersoll) Doty, who were pioneers in the county, and among its most respected citizens, and is their only offspring. He is also a descendant of Edward Doty, one of that historic band who came to this county in 1820 in the Mayflower, and whose name is signed to that Compact of the Pilgrims signed at Province- town Harbor by the forty-one heads of families constituting the embryo Plymouth Colony. before they yet had landed. His father was a native of Rutland county. Vermont, where he lived with his parents until he was nineteen years old. work- ing on his father's farm. He then left home, and during the next two years was employed on a farm
430
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
in Worcester county, Massachusetts, carning the money from which he got his start in life. While living there he rode on the first railroad train that ran from Boston to Worcester. On September 20, 1838, with his two brothers, Orsamus Doty, came to this county, which was then an almost unbroken wilderness, and, in partnership with his brother Nelson, located the southeast quarter of section 8, and a few years later they together bought the southwest quarter of section 9. On these two tracts they worked together until 1843, when they divided the land, Orasmus taking the southwest quarter of section 9, which he owned and operated until his death on December 10, 1888, at the age of seventy-three.
On their way thither the brothers traveled by boat from Buffalo to Toledo, and found on their arrival at the latter city that the old strap-iron railroad was just building. They worked at Te- cumseh in this state a year or two, helping in the construction of a mill, and after it was completed Orsamus learned the milling business, and for some little time thereafter operated this same mill. In the meantime they had bought forty acres of land in Ransom township, on which they had built a log cabin for a dwelling. In 1840 they settled on the larger tracts already alluded to, and began building permanent homes, Orsamus carrying the window sash for his house twenty miles on his back, and paying his last cent for them, going without his dinner in order that he might have enough to complete their purchase. Their only neighbors were Indians, but they never had any trouble with them. At the second town meeting held in the town Orsamus was elected justice of the peace, and for ten years thereafter held this office by successive reelections. No life in this community has been more worthily or usefully expended, and no record stands more to the cred- it of humanity than his. He came into the town with almost no means ; he cleared up a large farm and made it comfortable and well equipped with good buildings ; he labored diligently and lived frugally : he acquired more than a competence of worldly wealth ; he served the people and the township faithfully and creditably in official posi- tions and as a private citizen ; and, when the end
of his usefulness came, he was as well established as man could be in the lasting esteem and confi- cence of the whole community.
On October 31, 1844, Mr. Doty married with Miss Lydia Ingersoll, and they had one child, their son Albert W., who was born on August 4, 1845, and she died on August 30 of the same year. Mr. Doty was subsequently married three times. In August, 1861, soon after the beginning of the Civil War, although he was then past forty- five years of age and no longer subject to draft for military service, he enlisted as sergeant-major in the Seventh Michigan Battery of Light Artil- lery. At Richmond, Ky., on August 30, 1862, his command was engaged with the enemy, all but him and a few others being taken prisoners. His health failed from exposure and he was in a hos- pital at Memphis for a few weeks, and was soon thereafter discharged on account of his disabili- ties. In politics he was a Whig until the forma- tion of the Republican party, and for the remain- der of his life he was a member of that organiza- tion. Among the official positions he filled, in ad- dition to that of justice of the peace, were those of highway commissioner and a director of the county agricultural society, both of which he held for a number of years. His first wife, the mother of Albert, was a native of New York, and came to this county with her parents when she was young, carly in the fortics.
Albert W. Doty, son of Orsamus, was reared on the home farm in this township and was edu- cated at the district schools and at Hillsdale Col- lege, where he spent two years. He also attended the commercial department of Oberlin College, Ohio. After returning from this institution, he rented land and began farming, also working on 'farms by the month for a time. He then culti- vated his father's place for several years, after which he bought sixty acres, and now has eighty, which he has improved and made very productive. In April, 1867, he married with Miss Laura Wil- cox, who was born in Lorain county, Ohio, the daughter of Gordon and Jane (Bassett ) Wilcox. the former a native of New York and the latter of Vermont. They became residents of Hillsdale county in 1856, and some years later moved to
431
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Missouri, where most of the family have since died. The father, however, is still living at Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is far advanced in years. By his wife Mr. Doty became the father of two sons, Irving A., now a farmer in Gratiot county, this state, and Arthur G., a physician at Frontier in this county. Their mother died in 1873, and, on October 4, 1876, Mr. Doty married with Miss Ella Huffman, a native of Summit county, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Mary ( Myers) Huff- man, the former born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Ohio. Both died in her native county, the father in 1897 and the mother in 1899. Two children have been born to Mr. Doty by this mar- riage, one that died in infancy, and a daughter, Grace, now a popular teacher in the public schools of Jonesville. Mr. Doty is a Republican in poli- tics, but he has never been an aspirant for public office, although he served a term as township treasurer. He was also for fifteen years a direc- tor of the Hillsdale County Agricultural Society. He is a member of the grange at Ransom Cen- ter, of which for two years he has been master.
JOHN McNAIR.
John McNair, of Prattsville, is one of the sig- nally successful merchants of Hillsdale county who has seen many ups and downs in business, but always had the thrift, energy and business capacity to overcome his difficulties and to make substantial progress against great odds. He was born on April 13, 1849, in the state of New York, where his parents, Robert and Lucy Ann ( Bliss) McNair, also first saw the light of this world and passed the earlier years of their married life. In his boyhood the father made a trip into this part of Michigan and remained six months, becoming well acquainted with the salient features of Wright township. In 1851, some little time after his mar- riage, he moved his family to that township and settled on twenty acres of land situated a mile and a half southwest of the present village of Prattville. From there he moved to the Coman farm, eighty rods south of the village site, and soon afterward to another place near Hudson. Later he returned to the vicinity of Prattville,
and from there entered the Union army, in which, after a year's service, he was killed at the battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing. He left a widow and five children, his son John being the eldest and only thirteen years of age.
After this bereavement John McNair began to do for himself, working diligently at job and day work for two years, then going into the pine for- ests of northern Michigan to labor in connection with the lumber industry. He passed some time there, then returned to Hillsdale county, and three or four years later here married with Miss Amanda Long, the daughter of Nicholas Long, a native of Ohio and an early settler in Michigan, who came to this state in 1859. This wife lived only ยท nine years, when she died of consumption, leaving three children, two of whom are yet liv- ing, Ella, the wife of Lemuel Boon, and Cora, the wife of George Austin. The other child, Frankie, died when a year old. After the death of his wife the children were boarded out, and Mr. McNair worked by the day for a time, after which he started a butchering business at Pratt- ville. He had expended all of his money during his wife's illness, and started this enterprise with $25 in cash, his horses, wagons and other equip- ment being bought on credit. From July to De- cember in 1879, Mr. McNair handled nothing but meats, but he then added to his stock a small sup- ply of groceries, which cost him $21, five of which was borrowed for the purpose of paying for these goods. In the spring he sold the business and had $280 in clear money. He then intended to work in the lumber business in Indiana for Mr. Gillin, but was taken ill and for two months was thought to have the consumption. He however rallied, regained his health, and again entered the grocery business, this time with $120 as his cash capital. Succeeding beyond his expectations, he borrowed money and built a store of his own in which he conducted his business successfully for three years. At the end of that period he formed a partnership with Eli Bennett, but a year later he bought Bennett out, giving a mortgage on the stock for the necessary purchase money. Aft- er this transaction he found himself in debt $2,300 more than he was worth, and had but four months
432
HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
in which to discharge his obligations, but by the end of the year he made deals that put him prac- tically out of debt.
In the meantime Mr. McNair had married a second wife, Miss Lovica Thompson, a daugh- ter of Henry and Nancy Thompson, pioneer set- tlers of Wright township. Three of the children born to this union are living, John H., Ada, and Edna; two are dead, Millie J., who was killed in an elevator, and Ruha. Mr. McNair next formed a partnership with Hile Bennett, with whom he was associated fourteen months. Ben- nett then sold to John Kizer, who was in the firm two years, and during this time the partners also engaged in lumbering and in milling, being successful along all lines, except that during the period they lost heavily by the dishonesty of clerks. The partnership with Kizer was dis- solved, and a year later Mr. McNair sold out to one Bullin, and had $3,800 in property and money. The next year he built a part of his pres- ent business block, and formed a partnership with Jasper Smith, which lasted four months.
Mr. McNair was then obliged to go again into debt, for which he gave his obligations to run from one to five years, but he paid them off in eight months. He conducted his business three years by himself, then sold it to F. L. Stone, and during the next three months he took a rest. After that he started a store in Pittsford and turned it over to his brother-in-law, Orrin Per- rin, who managed it about four years, Mr. Mc- Nair during that time being engaged in the lum- ber industry. Later he repurchased $1,200 worth of stock from F. L. Stone, and, regaining the pos- session of his building, removed the store from Pittsford to Prattville. A few months afterward he bought Perrin out, and since then has been conducting the business alone, at odd times do- ing something in lumbering.
Mr. McNair now owns his dwelling. the busi- ness block which is the headquarters of his mer- cantile operations, and merchandise worth at least $9.000. besides the old Clark farm, and is about out of debt. In politics he was originally a Re- publican, but he left that party at the time of the Greenback movement, and since then he has
been independent of all parties. The only office he has ever held is that of township constable, and he did not desire to hold that, preferring al- ways to devote his time to his business.
JOHN H. WATKINS.
John H. Watkins, of Ransom township, one of the prosperous, progressive and successful farmers of Hillsdale county, is a native of the county, born here in Jefferson township on Au- gust 22, 1861, and with the exception of a short time spent in farming in Ohio, his life has passed among the people of the county, entering fully into the spirit which animates them, helping to advance the interests of the section and taking an active part in its public life. He is the son of Jason R. and Margaret A. (Feltis) Watkins, an interesting account of whose lives will be found elsewhere in these pages. He remained at home until he reached his legal majority, getting his education at the district schools and Hillsdale College, where he attended one year. After leav- ing college he rented land in Ohio, and during one year was engaged in farming in that state. He then returned to his native county, and here fol- lowed the same pursuit, farming rented land, un- til 1896. In that year he bought the eighty-five acres on which he now lives, and which he has since managed with skill and intelligent industry, making it an excellent farm and a very comfort- able and attractive home.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.