USA > Michigan > Lenawee County > History and biographical record of Lenawee County, Michigan, Volume I > Part 22
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
USTUS LOWE was born in Camillus, Onondaga county, New York, November 10th, 1815. His father, John Lowe, was born in 1790, in New Jersey. When he was a small boy he moved with his father, Daniel Lowe, to Kinderhook, New York, where he lived until he was about seven years old, when he again moved with his parents, to Onondaga county, who were among the very first settlers there. He assisted in raising the first house in the present city of Syracuse, going ten miles to attend the "raising," there being scarcely enough settlers, at that time, in the vicinity, to raise the building. He lived with his father until after he was married, and received a limited education. He own- ed a good farm in Camillus, where he lived until 1827. In the spring of that year he came to Michigan, and located eighty acres in the town of Raisin, this county, and at once commenced to clear and put up a log house. In August, 1828, the land was entered in the name of his son, Justus. This is a part of the farm now owned by Joshua Taylor. He lived on this farm until 1836, when it was sold, and he moved to Jackson county, and purchased land on Vineyard lake. He lived there seven or eight years, and afterwards went to Barry county, and lived with one of his sons, where he died 1858. In 1812 he married Miss Mary Skutt, of Onondaga county, New York, by whom he had ten children, four sons and six daughters, Justus being the oldest. Mrs. Mary Lowe was born in New York, in 1799, and died in Brooklyn, Jackson county, Michigan, in 1838. Justus Lowe was brought up by his grandmother, Mrs. Jane Lowe, from the age of nine months, to thirteen years, and had very little schooling. He came to Michigan with his grandmother, and arrived at Tecumseh about the 15th of July, 1828, after a voyage of seven days on the Erie canal, fourteen days on Lake Erie, and five days from Detroit to Tecumseh. He commenced doing business for himself at the age of eighteen, and since that time has gone steadily on, from a labor- er by the month, and has owned, at different times, seven hundred and eighty-five acres of land, and now resides on a fractional quarter of section nine, in Ridgeway. He has always been a prominent man in Ridgeway, where he has resided forty-two years, and has filled the office of justice of the peace eleven years, high - way commissioner several years, town assessor three years, supervisor five or six years, and county drain commissioner six years. July 16th, 1837, he married Miss Mary Lamberson, daughter of Coon- rod and Lydia Lamberson, of Ridgeway, this county, by whom he has had eleven children, nine of whom grew to be men and women, as follows : Coonrod L., born in Raisin, June 25th, 1838, a farmer of Ridgeway ; John W., born in Ridgeway, November 11th,
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
1842, an artist, and died in Trinidad, British West Indies, of fever, August 21st, 1867 ; Adelia M., born in Ridgeway, October 11th, 1844, wife of James L. McIntyre, a farmer of Raisin ; Jay J., born in Ridgeway, April 23d, 1847, a farmer of Ridgeway ; Mabelle, born in Ridgeway, August 12th, 1842, wife of Edward DePuy, a farmer of Saline, Washtenaw county ; Eleanor C., born in Ridgeway, November 2d, 1853, wife of F. M. Henry, of Loweville, Lewis county, New York; Logier L., born in Ridge- way, April 7th, 1856, a farmer on the old homestead, in Ridgeway; Amiable, born in Ridgeway, December 23d, 1857, at home; Elridge L., born in Ridgeway, September 10th, 1860, at school, at Janesville, Wisconsin ; one son and daughter died in infancy. Mrs. Mary Lowe was born December 28th, 1820, at Camillus, New York. Her father was born in New Jersey, in 1787, and died in Ridgeway, in 1867. Her mother was born in Schoharie county, New York, in 1791, and died at Camillus, New York, in 1823.
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ON. BENJAMIN L. BAXTER was born in Sidney Plains, Delaware county, New York, April 7th, 1815. His father, Hon. Levi Baxter, Jr., was born in East Windsor, Connecticut, October 5th, 1788. His mother, Lois (Johnstone) Baxter, oldest daughter of Col. Witter Johnstone, was a native of Sidney Plains, born January 19th, 1792, where they lived until the spring of 1831, when they moved to Tecumseh, Michigan, arriving there the 4th of July. They were married at Sidney, January 12th, 1814. They came to Michigan with five children, three sons and two daughters. Benjamin L. married Miss Adaline Frances Cheever, daughter of Rev. Ebenezer Cheever, of Tecumseh, Octo- ber 21st, 1846. Witter J. was born at Sidney Plains, June 18th, 1816, and was married at Jonesville, Michigan, July 28th, 1852. Henry was born at Sidney Plains, September 8th, 1821. He was married to Ellen Elvira George, at Jonesville, May 2d, 1854. Mary Jane, now Mrs. George Kellogg, of Jackson, Michigan, was born at Sidney Plains, April 2d, 1818. Helen N., now Mrs. Carlton North, of Elkhart, Indiana, was born at Sidney Plains, December 18th, 1829, and married at Jonesville, June 15th, 1850. Lois Frances, relict of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert O.
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Selfridge, was born at Tecumseh, August 1st, 1834; was married to Colonel Selfridge June 15th, 1853, and now resides at Jackson, Michigan. About the year 1837, Judge Levi Baxter, Jr., moved from Tecumseh to White Pigeon, leaving his two sons, Benjamin L. and Witter J., at the former place attending school. After about one year the two sons joined their father at his home in White Pigeon, where Benjamin L. remained until the fall of 1840, when he left for Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, and remained there until the fall of 1843. He then returned to Tecumseh to take charge of the Tecumseh branch of the Michigan University, where he remained three years, in the meantime studying law with Hon. Perley Bills. He was admitted to the bar, and the same year became his law partner, and remained so for twenty-five years. In the year 1871, Mr. Bills withdrew from practice, when Mr. Baxter formed a partnership with Edwin S. Ormsby, then of Deerfield, which co-partnership lasted for about three years, when Mr. Ormsby went to Illinois. Mr. Baxter was elected Regent of the Michigan University for six years, from 1858 to 1863, and in 1869 he was elected representative in the legislature, and served one term. Mr. and Mrs. Baxter have two children, Harriet C., now Mrs. James Winans, of Toledo, Ohio. She was born at Tecumseh, June 7th, 1848, and married December 13th, 1877. Witter Frank, born at Tecumseh, July 28th, 1853, and was married to Miss Susie F. Stevens, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, October 19th, 1876.
ZRA ALLEN WASHBURN was born in Middlebury, Vermont, June 1st, 1807. His father was at one time a merchant in Middlebury, and afterwards went to Lockport, New York, where he was elected justice of the peace, but subse- quently took a contract and helped to construct the Erie canal. He was elected a State Assemblyman from the Lockport district. He afterwards went to Pennsylvania and took contracts on some of the canal improvements of that State. His mother was Miss Clarissa Allen, a descendant of Ethan Allen. Ezra A. Washburn went to Lockport with his father, and March 21, 1828, married Miss Mary L. Hall, daughter of Nehemiah Hall, a farmer of Monroe county, New York, by whom he had thirteen children, as follows, eight of whom are now living: Daniel G., Roswell A., Ann A., Byron, Ugenia, Mary F., Ezra Allen Jr., Martin E., Ezabel, Lura,
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
M., Homer, T., Norman A., and one died an infant. In August, 1831, Mr. Washburn emigrated to Michigan with his family, then consisting of his wife and two children, and settled in Adrian, and purchased the land now known as the Col. Wood farm, just south of the city, and cleared it up. He afterward sold the farm to Jesse Treadwell, and purchased another of Samuel Maples, located about one mile south of the present L. S. & M. S. depot, which is now owned by Ira Cary. In 1844, he again sold out and moved to the village of Adrian, and engaged in the meat business. He was afterwards a veterinary surgeon, and well known throughout the county. In September, 1836, he was appointed sheriff to fill a vacancy, by acting governor of the territory, Stevens T. Mason, and held the office until January 1st, 1837, when Michigan became a State. He was also a candidate for sheriff on a split Democratic ticket in November, 1836, but was defeated by J. H. Cleveland. He was elected alderman of the city in April, 1858, and was made chairman of the committee on streets, when much public work was done, especially in the way of bridges, culverts, etc. He was a thorough, practical man of sound judgment and integrity. He died December 26th, 1862. His third son, Martin E. Washburn, was elected marshal of the city of Adrian in 1874, and was re- elected each year until 1879, serving in this important office with distinction and satisfaction for five consecutive years. Mrs. Wash- burn is still living, and enjoying the pleasures and comforts of life, and the society of her children. She has lived a long and useful life, and seen the city and county grow from a wilderness to its present beauty and greatness.
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URTON KENT was born in Londonderry, New Hampshire, July 24th, 1814. His father, Hon. Richard Kent, was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, October 30th, 1786. He was the son of Mariner and Sarah Kent, of Newburyport, Massachusetts. Mariner Kent was the son of Richard Kent, Jr., and grandson of Richard Kent, Sr., of England. Mariner Kent was born August 14th, 1757, and moved to Londonderry, New Hampshire, in 1798, and died there December 7th, 1843. His wife, Sarah Kent, died the same year. Richard Kent, Jr., was born in 1710, and married Miss Hannah Norton, of Boston, in 1734, and died at Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1794. His
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
wife, Mrs. Hannah Kent, died in 1790. Burton Kent's father, Richard Kent, was brought up a farmer, but received a good edu- cation, being a graduate of the Londonderry academy. He taught school for several years, and practiced surveying at times. He owned a farm about two miles east of the village of Londonderry, where he brought up his family. About the year 1809 he married Miss Lois Ela, daughter of David and Nancy Ela, of Londonderry, by whom he had five sons and one daughter, Burton being the second child. Mrs. Lois Kent was born at Londonderry, April 1st, 1788, and died in Adrian, Michigan, February 5th, 1876. Her father, David Ela, was a native of the same place. Her mother, Miss Nancy Ela, was the daughter of Deacon Samuel Fisher, who came to this country in 1740, in the nineteenth year of his age. He was born in the north of Ireland, but of Scottish descent. The ship in which he came to this country was usually spoken of as " The Starved Ship." The vessel was so scantily supplied with pro- visions, that long before the voyage was completed one pint of oat- meal, for each individual on board, and a proportionate allowance of water, was all that remained. Mr. Fisher once went to the mate with a table-spoon to obtain some water, which was refused him, there being but two-thirds of a junk-bottle full on board. Mr. Fisher's custom was to take a table spoonful of meal daily, and having moistened it with salt water, to eat it raw. The pas- sengers and crew, having subsisted in this manner for fourteen days, were at length reduced to the necessity of eating the bodies of those who died. Even this resource failed them, and at length Mr. Fisher was selected to give up his life to preserve the lives of the rest. Providentially, however, a vessel hove in sight, and their signals of distress being observed, they obtained relief, and were saved. So deep an impression did the horrors of that passage make upon the mind of Mr. Fisher, that, in after life, he could never see, without pain, the least morsel of food wasted, or a pail of water thrown carelessly upon the ground. Richard Kent lived on his farm in Adrian township until he died in August, 1867. He was a man of prominence in his township. He represented Lenawee county in the State Senate about the years 1852-3. He was twice elected supervisor of his township, and was for several years township school inspector. Burton Kent came to Michigan with his parents, arriving in Adrian, March 7th, 1835, coming all the way from New Hampshire in stage-coaches, being two weeks on the road, and sleeping only about eighteen hours during that time. He immediately purchased a farm of eighty acres for four hundred and fifty dollars, three miles west of Adrian, on the old territorial road, better known as the " plank road." The farm then had
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
ten acres of "improvement," with a small log house. It is now owned by Peter Diermyre. At the same time his father purchased an eighty acre farm two miles west of Adrian, on the same road. Burton Kent was educated at Londonderry, New Hampshire, for a surveyor, and has always made that his profession, but for about fifteen years after he came to Michigan he lived upon his farm and carried it on. He has been elected surveyor of Lenawee county for twenty-eight consecutive years, and for about twenty years has been elected surveyor of the city of Adrian. He was for eight years county superintendent of the poor, and was chairman of the building committee, drew the plans, and was superintendent of the construction of the present county house. He was also justice of the peace for one term during his residence in Adrian township. He was chief engineer, and did all the surveying for the road-bed, and construction of the now defunct Adrian and Saline railroad. He has resided in the city of Adrian since 1859. December 4th, 1844, he married Miss Caroline A. Palmer, daughter of Thomas B. and Ruth Palmer, of Masonville, Delaware county, New York, by whom he has had a son and a daughter, as follows: Augustus Palmer, born May 19th, 1847, now editor and one of the proprie- tors of the Elkhart, Indiana, daily and weekly Review, and super- intendent of the Elkhart public schools. Ellanor E., born in Adrian, November 9th, 1852, now the wife of Augustus E. Curtis, for eight years principal of the Saginaw City high school, and now principal of Adrian high school. Mrs. Caroline A. Kent was born in Masonville, Delaware county, New York, October 10th, 1823. Her parents were natives of Connecticut. Her grand-parents were Italians-her grandfather being an Italian nobleman.
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ON. JAMES H. PARKER was born September 2d, 1803, in Masonville, Delaware county, New York. His father, Farington Parker, was born in Weston, Worcester county, Massachusetts, in 1777. At the age of fifteen he left home, and went to Ballston, Saratoga county, New York, where he lived with a man named Baldwin, a " bound boy," until he was twenty-one. He went to school some, during this time, and assisted Mr. Bald- win, who was a surveyor, in surveying and laying out a large tract of country, between the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, in
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Delaware county. In 1801 he took up a piece of new land, in the township of Masonville, Delaware county. He cleared up the land, and improved it until it was a desirable home. He had rather an ingenious turn about him, and could " turn his hand " to many things. After going on his farm, he commenced laying stone chimneys, and finally, as the settlers came in, he was called upon so much that he gave his attention, during a part of each year, to mason work. On rainy days he tapped and patched the neighbors' boots and shoes. He held important town offices, and was a prom- inent and respected citizen. He died in Masonville, Delaware county, New York, in 1861. In 1799 he married Miss Anna Herrick, daughter of Stephen and Anna Herrick, of Ballston, Saratoga county, New York, by whom he had eight children, six sons and two daughters, James H. being the second child. Mrs. Anna Parker was born in Nine Partners, Dutchess county, New York, in 1779, and died in Masonville, Delaware county, New York, in 1871. James H. Parker lived with his parents until he was twenty-one years old, and received a common school education. He always worked at farming and lumbering while at home, except during the winters, after he was seventeen, when he taught school. After arriving at his majority he worked at the carpenter's trade for ten years. When eighteen years old he was enrolled in the fourth State militia of New York, and at the first drill was elected corporal, and by regular gradation and election, made captain of the company, eight years afterward. He served two years and re- signed. In the spring of 1833 he came to Michigan, and located the s. w. 4 of section 14, in Rome, and at once built a shanty and that fall put in two acres of wheat, and returned to Delaware county, New York, and taught school during the winter. The The following spring he returned to Michigan with his family, and settled on his land, where he lived about thirty years. He sold, in 1864, to Delos Gates. Since that time he has lived in the city of Adrian four years, where he built a house; in Raisin six years, and Adrian township, his present residence, about six years. October 5th, 1825, he married Miss Betsey Palmer, daughter of Thomas B. and Ruth Palmer, of Masonville, Delaware county, New York, by whom he has had two children, as follows : Mary Jane, born in Masonville, Delaware county, New York, August 4th, 1826, and died in Raisin, March 29th, 1872; Helen A., born in Rome, this county, August 22d, 1843, and died February 19th, 1846. Mrs. Betsey Parker was born in Masonville, Delaware county, New York, May 30th, 1807. Her father was born in Connecticut, but went to New York, and settled on the Mohawk river, with his parents, when he was a boy. He lived there until
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
after he was twenty-one, when he went to Delaware county, where he bought a farm, and lived until his death, in 1850. Her mother was born in Connecticut, and went to Delaware county, New York, with her parents, where she always lived, and died there in 1830. Mrs. Parker's grandparents were Italians, her grandfather being an Italian nobleman. During Mr. Parker's residence in Rome, this county, he served six years as supervisor of the township, and six years as justice of the peace. He has been director of schools in Adrian township for six years. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives, of the Michigan Legislature, in 1855, it being the first Republican Legislature in Michigan. Mr. Parker was a prominent, earnest, and consistent abolitionist, and he, with his wife, during the slavery days, did much to help through many fugitives who came along. Mr. Parker has never professed any Orthodox religion, but has always been radical in his beliefs, and calls himself a " Free Thinker." Mrs. Parker is a conservative "Free Thinker," and an advocate of woman's rights.
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AMES B. COLVIN was born in Groveland, Livingston county, New York, May 5th, 1826. His father, William Colvin, was born in Antrim county, Ireland, March 4th, 1788. When a boy he learned the hatter's trade, which he follow- ed until he came to America. The earliest recollection which he has of his ancestors is of one Dr. Colvill, a clergyman, who came with his wife from Scotland to the county of Antrim, Ireland, during the reign of Charles II, of England, and built Gilgorm Castle, where he lived and died. The castle is still in good preservation, and parts of the walls of its park are still standing. William, when a boy, often visited the old castle, and remembers seeing, in the family vault, under the chapel, the leaden coffins of his ancestors - the doctor, his son, and grandson. As was, and is often the case, the ancestral name, Colvill, in time, was allowed, through carelessness, to be called Colvin by this and other branches of the family, both in America and Ireland, but the name Colvill, is still retained by a brother in Philadelphia, several of whose family are engaged in the mercantile business. In 1811 William Colvin married Miss Lettitia, daughter of James and Jennie Smith, of Carnlea, Antrim county, Ireland, by whom he had eight children, three sons and
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
five daughters, as follows : John, born in Antrim county, Ireland, December 15th, 1814, a farmer of Raisin; Jennette, born in the same place, June 15th, 1817, widow of Jacob Snyder, of Macon ; Mary, born in the same place, July 15th, 1819, wife of John Potter, of Oakland, California; Jane, born in Brighton, New York, September 6th, 1822, wife of the late Hugh McConnell, of Fairfield, this county ; William, born in Groveland, New York, February 19th, 1823, a stock raiser of Larned, Pawnee county, Kansas ; James B .; Elizabeth, born in Groveland, New York, February 6th, 1829, and died in Raisin, in September, 1837; Caroline N., born in Groveland, New York, May 1st, 1831, at home. Mrs. Lettitia Colvin was born in Carnlea, Antrim county, Ireland, July 10th, 1791, and followed her husband to America, two years subsequent to his coming, with three small children, in 1820. She died in Raisin, at the old homestead, December 5th, 1878. James B. Colvin was brought up a farmer, but received a liberal educa- tion, having attended the best schools of the county, during the time of his school days. He lived with his father until he was seventeen years old, when he commenced life for himself. For a period of eight years he worked by the day and month, five years of the time being spent with Judge C. A. Stacy. In 1853 he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on section six, in Raisin. In 1865 he purchased fifty acres on section nine, in Raisin, and moved there in 1867, and has added one hundred and fifteen acres to it. He still owns forty acres on section six. He is now building one of the finest farm houses in the county, on his last purchase, it being the site of the old John Lovett house, where he first settled. January 27th, 1856, he married Miss Harriet A. Tilton, daughter of William and Matilda Tilton, of Raisin, (now of Tecumseh,) by whom he has had three children, one son and two daughters, as follows : Josephine L.,born September 25th, 1857, at home; Herbert J., born October 12th, 1860, at home ; Nora V., born June 27th, 1870, at home. Mrs. Harriet A. Colvin was born in Raisin, Michigan, October 6th, 1832. [For her family connection, see William Tilton's record.]
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REDERICK W. WICKWIRE was born in Litchfield, Litchfield county, Connecticut, March 7th, 1807. His father, Grant Wickwire, was born in Colchester, New Lon- don county, Connecticut, in 1751. He moved to Litchfield county
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
in 1778, where he afterwards owned a farm of two hundred and fifty acres, and was one of the prominent men of that county. He served as a soldier, all through the Revolutionary war, and was at most of the important battles of that great struggle. During his latter years he received a pension, and in proving his claim, his name was found on thirty-six of the old muster rolls. About 1789, he married Miss Sarah Throop, daughter of William Throop, of Litchfield county, Connecticut, by whom he had thir- teen children, ten of whom lived to be men and women. Grant Wickwire died at Litchfield, in 1847. Mrs. Sarah Wickwire was born in Litchfield, where she died, in June, 1821. Frederick Wickwire lived with his father until he was twenty-one, and has always been a farmer, only receiving a common school education. After he was twenty-one, he worked his father's farm on shares, and in the spring of 1832, started for Michigan, and arrived in Tecumseh May 27th. He immediately started out to locate a farm, and finally selected the s. } of the e. ¿ of the s. e. Į of sec- tion 22, in Raisin. He brought his family on the land, and lived about six months in a shanty, without floor or windows, the nearest neighbor being a mile away. During the fall of 1832, they built a log house, and for eight years they had nothing but pole bed- steads, a cross-legged table, of rough boards, with stools for chairs, made of a piece of board, with sticks for legs. During the first six months-their residence in the shanty-all of the cooking was done by the side of a stump. Mrs. Wickwire being sick most of the time, with ague and chill-fever, Mr. Wickwire was obliged to do all of the cooking, do all of his farming, take care of his sick wife, and fight mosquitoes at night. He has lived on the origi- nal purchase ever since, and has added to it, until he has now one hundred and fifty-four acres, one hundred of which are cleared and fenced, without a stump. He has built a good brick house, with barns and sheds sufficient for all purposes, with an abundance of fruit, and all the comforts of life. April 4th, 1830, he married Miss Susan A. King, daughter of David C. and Rebecca King, of Litchfield, Connecticut, by whom he has had five children, two sons and three daughters, as follows : Charlotte M., born in Litch- field, Connecticut, January 2d, 1831, wife of Edwin S. Mudgett, a law- yer of Vallejo, California ; Henry G., born in Raisin, September 25th, 1832, a farmer, near Du Valls Bluff, Arkansas ; Mary E., born in Raisin, March 5th, 1835, wife of Homer E. Wilson, a farmer of Raisin ; William K., born June 14th, 1838, a farmer of Hud- son, Lenawee county ; Susan J., born February 11th, 1847, wife of John W. Niles, a merchant of Brooklyn, New York. Mrs. Susan A. Wickwire was born in Bethlehem, Litchfield county, Con-
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