USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan > Part 77
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His life began on November 17, 1838, near Mount Vernon in Knox county, Ohio, where his parents, Jacob and Louisiana (Nelson) Gorsuch, settled when they emigrated from their native
state of Maryland soon after their marriage. They belonged to old English families, whose descend- ants ware among the carly settlers of the Mary- land colony. The respective families have been conspicuous in the history of that common- wealth since Colonial times. and the father of Mrs. Gorsuch was a prominent Methodist Prot- estant clergyman in Maryland, the Rev. Burgess Nelson, who preached until he was ninety-eight years old.
Jacob Gorsuch was by nature and practice a conqueror of the wilderness. He was a tanner by trade, but passed the greater part of his life in clearing up new farms and reducing them to systematic productiveness and fertility. When he settled in Knox county, Ohio, in 1837, he took up land that had never been touched by the ax of the pioneer or the hoe of the husbandman, and. after bringing it to an advanced state of cultiva- tion, he sold it and removed to Fulton county, in the same state, and there repeated his beneficent enterprise. He died in that county in 1874, hav- ing survived his first wife thirty years, she hav- ing passed away in Knox county, in 1844. They had six children, four of whom are living, three sons and one daughter. Some time after the death of his first wife Jacob Gorsuch married with Miss Catherine Ely, who died after a few years of married life, leaving two children.
Captain Gorsuch was reared in what is now Morrow county, Ohio, until he reached the age of twelve years. and then moved with his father to Fulton county in that state, where he passed the rest of his minority, received his education and learned carpentry. 'He worked at this trade until the Civil War broke out, when, hearkening to the first call for volunteers to defend the Union, he enlisted on April 17, 1861, in Company E. of the Fourteenth Ohio Infantry, for a serv- ice of four months. The regiment was ordered to West Virginia and there participated in the battles of Phillippi, Laurel Hill and Garrick's Ford.
At the close of his first term of enlistment Captain Gorsuch returned to Ohio and in Fulton county recruited a company for a more extended service, which was mustered in as Co. K. Thir-
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ty-eighth Ohio Infantry, and he was its first-lieu- tenant. The regiment to which it was assigned became a part of the Army of the Cumberland, was in the Fourteenth Army Corps, and was continually in the thick of the fight in the south- west, where it took part in the battles of Wild Cat. Ky., Stone River, Pittsburg Landing, Mur- freesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and those of the Atlanta campaign.
Subsequently, at Jonesborough, Ga., the regi- ment was almost cut to pieces, losing 165 of its 300 men in the battle at that place. The rem- nant that remained then accompanied General Sherman in his famous march to the sea, and took part in the capture of Savannah. After that Captain Gorsuch was in charge of a com- pany of foragers ranging through North Caro- lina, and, at the close of the war, he participated in the Grand Review of the army in Washington. He was shot through the shoulder near Decatur, Alabama, and was also taken prisoner, but was soon after paroled. In the fall of 1863 he was promoted as captain of his company for meritor- ious service, and held that rank when he was mustered out.
After the close of the war Captain Gorsuch returned to Ohio, and for six or seven years was engaged both in farming and in dealing in stock. In 1872 he came to Hillsdale county, Michigan, and purchased a farm in Wright township, which he conducted for ten years. He then removed to Waldron and engaged in general merchandis- ing for a year, then turned his attention exclus- ively to the drug business, in which he is still en- gaged under the firm name of C. H. Gorsuch & Son. Their establishment is one of the favor- ite commercial institutions of the town, and is conducted on a high plane of enterprise and up- rightness.
Captain Gorsuch' was married in October, 1864, to Miss Lydia Masters, a daughter of Hon. E. Masters, of Fulton county, Ohio, where the marriage occurred, being also a sister of Frank Masters, of this state, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Captain and Mrs. Gor- such have two children, Edwin I., the accommo- dating postmaster at Waldron, and William E., the druggist.
Captain Gorsuch is a Republican in politics and has held important local offices, serving four years as justice of the peace, four years under President Harrison as postmaster, and, during the last two years, he has been the super- visor of his township. He has been a member of the county central committee of his party for years. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and to the Grand Army of the Republic, being com- mander in the local post of the latter organiza- tion. He is an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal church, the superintendent of the Sun- day school, and in many directions his influence is felt.
WILLIAM C. BERRY.
Mr. Berry is one of the pioneers of Reading ' township, Hillsdale county, and is one of the few men now living who settled here when this was an unbroken wilderness. He is a native of Seneca county, New York, having been born there January 1, 1818. The parents of Mr. Berry were William and Rhoda Berry, natives of England. The father came to the United States when a child and grew to manhood in the state of New York, where he operated a carding factory for dressing cloth and also operated a distillery. In 1835 the family came to Michigan and settled on a tract of wild land in Reading township and was the sixth white family to settle in this town- ship. Here the father cleared up a farm' on which he made his home the remainder of his life. He was three times married and had a large family, sixteen in number.
The subject of this mention grew to man- hood in this township. He received a limited education in the primitive schools of those days. but early in life was compelled to assist in the maintainance of the family and did so by work- ing for others in clearing land. He later bought land of his own which he cleared and improved and in all has cleared and improved three dif- ferent farms.
Mr. Berry was married in this county on November 8. 1846, to Mary Ann Bailey, whose family were among the pioneer settlers of Hills- dale county. She died June 13, 1852. Two chil- dren were born to this union, Wm. L. and Wm.
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E., both deceased. He was again married in 1854 to Harriet C. Hart, a native of Onondaga county, Van Buren township, New York. Three children have been born to them as follows : Nettie (deceased). Ettie (deceased) and Edmond, who is now living on the old homestead looking after his father's interests.
Mr. Berry has been a lifelong Democrat. but has never sought or filled public office. He has been a consistent member of the United Brethren Church for many years and has aided in the erection and maintainance of many of the churches in this part of the county and has served as trustee of his own.
LAFAYETTE POST.
Among the well-known, old-time citizens of Hillsdale county is Lafayette Post. the subject of this sketch. A native of the village of Castile, in Wyoming county, New York, he was born on the 10th day of September, 1837, and is the son of Aaron and Elizabeth (Sevea) Post, the former a native of the state of Vermont, and the latter of the State of New Hampshire. The father was a farmer by occupation, and grew to man's estate in the state of his nativity. Subsequently he removed his residence to the state of New York, where he remained up to the year 1844. He then disposed of his property there, and, with his family, started overland for the then frontier country of Iowa. He remained but a short time here, however, and spent the winter of 1844 and 1845 in the state of Illinois. The following spring he removed to the town of North Adams, Hillsdale county, Michigan, where he purchased a tract of wild land consisting of some two hundred and forty acres, and began to clear it of timber in order that it might be cultivated for farm purposes. Attacked by sudden illness, he passed away in the year 1849. The mother and her four sons continued the work of clearing. and in time completed it, and paid for the land. a portion of which is still owned by the subject of this sketch. The mother survived until October 25, 1878, when she passed away. Of the family of nine sons and one daughter, all
are now deceased, except three, Elizabeth A. (now Mrs. Lathrop), Aaron W., and the subject. The paternal grandfather was named Aaron Post, who was also a native of the state of Vermont. He was a member of the famous "Silver Greys," and served during the War of the American Revolution, as well as during the War of 1812. The maternal grandfather, whose name was Nathaniel Sevea, was a native of the state of New Hampshire, and he also served as a member of the American army during the wars of both the Revolution and of 1812. Dur- ing a part of the War of the Revolution he was a member of the body guard of General Wash- ington.
The parents of the subject of this sketch were active members of the Christian church, and the family were instrumental in founding the first Christian church of Adams, which was erected on land belonging to their farm.
The subject of this sketch was brought up in Hillsdale county and received his early edu- cational training in the public schools of the vicinity of his boyhood home. Subsequently, he attended the college at Hillsdale, where he pur- sued a thorough course of study. Upon the completion of his education he returned to the family homestead, and entered upon the business of farming, in which he has since been occupied. He has met with success in his business, and still resides upon the old home place.
In the year 1873 Mr. Post was united in marriage to Miss Grace E. Short, a native of the county of Oakland, whose parents were well known and highly respected residents of that locality. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Post has been born one child, namely, Bessie, who is now Mrs. William Shepherd.
Politically, Mr. Post is identified with the Democratic party. and has taken an active interest in the work of that political organization, although he has never been a seeker for office, and has never permitted the use of his name for any public position.
He is an active worker in the church, and for a period of thirty-seven years was the super- intendent of the Sunday-school. He is now a
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trustee and deacon in the church, and is always foremost in all matters calculated to promote the religious and social life of the community in which he maintains his home.
The family of Mr. Post are widely known throughout the county for their works of benevo- lence and charity, and are highly respected by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
CHARLES H. WILLIAMS.
Charles H. Williams, of Wheatland township, Hillsdale county, is one of the best-known and most highly respected farmers of this county, and one of the most renowned breeders of Delaine- Merino sheep in the business. Since 1890 he has been engaged in producing this breed of sheep, and his product has taken more prizes at county and state fairs than that of any other man in Michigan. It also received a medal and very complimentary mention at the Columbian Ex- position of 1893 at Chicago. Throughout Wis- consin and Minnesota and as far east as New York he is known to all sheepbreeders, and has a high rank among them as a successful producer of the best grades of stock in his line.
Mr. Williams was born in Wheatland town- ship on October 14, 1858, a son of Zebulon and Louisa (Sawyer) Williams, natives respectively of Monroe and Orleans counties, New York. The father came to Michigan in 1834 with his parents. The mother's people came later. In this state they were married and here they reared their family and carried on a flourishing farming industry to the end of their days, the father dying on April 8, 1893, and the mother on July 17, 1897. They were held in universal esteem and looked up to by all who knew them as per- sons of high character, progressive ideas and great generosity to the needy. The mother was a devout member of the Congregational church and was greatly beloved. One of her brothers, John B. Sawyer, of Orleans county, New York, was circuit judge for seventeen years and at times represented his district in the Congress of the United States.
When Mr. Williams's parents settled in
Wheatland township the county was as yet un- developed and but sparsely populated. His father was the first man in the county to drive a team along the road on which he now lives, and as they were pioneers of an early day in this section of the state, they were compelled to endure many of the hardships and privations and face many of the dangers incident to frontier life. Their son, Charles, was reared and edu- cated in his native county, and had the advan- tage of one year's schooling in New York state. When he reached the age of nineteen years he took charge of the homestead and has been an active and energetic farmer ever since. His suc- cess in his chosen vocation and the side lines of activity connected with it, has been steady, con- stant and progressive. He is a wide-awake man of the present day, fully up-to-date in his business and with a wide sweep of vision ahead. His sheep industry has already been noticed. In addition to his enterprise in this respect he has been a breeder of a high grade of road horses which have an elevated rank and a sure place in the stock markets. On November 5, 1879, he was united in marriage with Miss Jennie Annette Livermore, a daughter of John and Mary (Mar- tin) Livermore, natives of New York and early pioneers in this county. Two children have blessed their union, Orpheus A. and Clifford. In politics Mr. Williams has always been a Re- publican. He has served the township as drain commissioner and in 1900 was elected supervisor. In both positions he discharged his duties with intelligence and fidelity. In fraternal relations he is connected with the Masonic order and that of the Modern Woodmen of America. It should be noted that he is about to change his residence to Scipio township, not far north of Jonesville. He is now located on the farm in Scipio township.
THE REED FAMILY.
In compiling a history of Hillsdale county it has become necessary to make individual mention of many of its pioneers both living and dead, and none occupy a higher position or took a more prominent part in the settlement of southern
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Michigan than the "Reed family," of Allen town- ship.
The first of these sturdy pioneers to find his way to this then unbroken wilderness was Thomas Reed, a native of Pennsylvania. He was by nature a pioneer and early in life left the parental fireside, and founded a home for himself in the then unsettled region of Ohio. This. however, did not prove to be his home but for a short period for he again joined in the great stream of emigration which even at that early day was steadily flowing westward, and in the summer of 1829 we find him among the first, if not the first settler to locate in Allen township. Hillsdale county, Michigan.
The journey was made the greater part of the way with ox-teams and this was indeed an under- taking as there were no roads, the only path to be followed was the Indian trail leading from Detroit to Chicago, and as this was only a bridle path which turned out for each stump or fallen tree, the difficulties to be overcome can be better imagined than described, there were streams to be forded, swamps to be crossed and a road cut in many places through the heavy timber to allow the wagons to pass, but each difficulty was over- come and he at last reached the end of his jour- nev.
The land on which Thomas Reed settled was adjoining the "White Marble springs" of Allen township. They were twelve in number and fur- nished an abundant supply of clear, cold water. It was also a favorite camping ground for the Indians in those days. The first tract of land entered or owned by Thomas Reed consisted of 160 acres, to this he later added 120 acres more, part of which remains in the family to this day. He at once began clearing the land and made this
his home for some time. He later, however, disposed of part of it and removed to Indiana, in which state he passed the remainder of his days. He was the father of two sons and five daughters, all of whom are now dead. One of the sons, John S. Reed, who came to this county with his father, remained on the old homestead in Allen township after the removal of the family to Indi- ana. He assisted his father in clearing and opening up the farm and later conducted this work alone and resided on that farm until his death in about 1800. At the time of the Black Hawk War he enlisted but was not called upon to do any active service. He was twice married. but no children were born to his first marriage. His second wife was Hannah Broughton, a na- tive of New York state, to this union was born three children, namely: Lida (deceased), John T., who resides on the old homestead where he was born in November, 1842. He married Nancy J. Perry, widow of F. N. Perry, her maiden name was Nancy Gilbert, a native of Ohio. They have two children, Fred T. and Lenna M., who is now Mrs. Will Mannering, of Jonesville. The third child born to John S. Reed is Mrs. A. B. Whitmore, of Allen, Mich., who is well-known to the people of Hillsdale county, having been engaged in general merchandising and the drug trade for a number of years in that village.
It is impossible in this short space to embrace many of the instances of interest which the pioneers of this region passed through. Grist- mills were very few and it often consumed from two to three weeks' time to go and return. Their nearest neighbor was miles removed and wolves and other wild animals were often the source of danger and annoyance to them.
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