USA > Michigan > Lenawee County > History and biographical record of Lenawee County, Michigan, Volume II > Part 11
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
93
OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
was not a house nor a "chopping " west of this place until the Chi- cago turnpike was reached, and there was no road cut out west of James Whitney's house, which then stood where the Hart place stands on west Maumee street, in Adrian. After Mr. Chapman sold to Mr. Torry he went about one mile further west, and took up the farm now owned and occupied by Isaac A. Dean, and this year (1830) a road was cut through west along the shore of Devil's lake, to the Chicago turnpike. There was no work done on the road at that time, except simply to cut the small timber and draw away the old logs, so that a wagon could be drawn through. It was some time after that before the road was permanently laid out and straightened. After living there until 1833 Mr. Chapman sold his farm to Isaac Dean, and went to Fulton county, Ohio, and lived about one year, when he moved to St. Joseph county, Mich., and finally purchased 240 acres of land in Ingham county, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1846. John Chap- man married Miss Electa Ann Coats, of Phelps, Ontario county, N. Y., by whom he had twelve children, Jonathan being the seventh child. Mrs. Electa Chapman was born in the State of New York, and died in Adrian in 1850. Jonathan Chapman came to Michigan when he was seven years old, when the territory was in its infancy, and before Lenawee county had over 200 inhab- itants. He saw the land where the city of Adrian now stands be- fore there were any streets or roads, and before there were over six log houses, and when there were three Indians to one white man to be seen at any time. He attended the first school and was one of the first scholars, and Dorcas Dean (now living) was the teacher. He saw the first frame building erected (by Isaac Dean), and saw the first well dug (also by Isaac Dean for his hotel). The settlers at that time got water at a spring on the bank of the river, now known as Jones' spring. The red mill was built in 1829, and Jonathan and Charles Smith carried dinner to the men employed on the work. Jonathan Chapman is the only man now living in the south half of the county who came here as early as May, 1828. In 1837 Jonathan Chapman went back to Ontario county, N. Y., and remained until 1840. He then returned to Adrian, and for about one year he worked for Addison Comstock and Isaac French. In 1842 he got married and went on a farm in Fairfield, and in . 1850 he purchased a farm on section 27, in Fairfield, where he has resided ever since. October, 1841, Jonathan Chapman was mar- ried to Miss Caroline Terry, daughter of Newman and Eliza (Booth) Terry, by whom he had three children : Caroline, born in December, 1843, now the wife of Charles Pierce, of Hawley, Orleans county, N. Y .; Ophelia, born in 1847, now the wife of (12)
94
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Asa Vanderpool, of Fairfield, this county; Albert, born March 22, 1851, now a farmer of Fairfield. Mrs. Caroline Chapman was born in the State of New York, and died in Fairfield, in 1852. August 30, 1856, Jonathan Chapman married Miss Caroline Smith, daughter of Simeon and Abigail (Mosher) Smith, by whom he has had one child, Chauncy, born June 1, 1857, now at home. Mrs. Chapman was born in Candor, Tioga county, N. Y., Novem- ber 11, 1817, and came to Michigan, in the spring of 1855.
-: 0:
F REDERICK A. HOADLY was born in Lowville, Lewis county, N. Y., February 14, 1821. He lived in Lewis and Alleghany counties until 1836, when his father, Jacob Hoadly, came to Michigan and settled on section 18, in Fairfield, this county. Frederick A. lived with his parents until after he was twenty-one, and was brought up a farmer. He worked his father's farm for some six years, when he, with his brother James C., purchased the homestead. In 1854 he sold his interest in the homestead to James C., and purchased a farm on the same section, where he resided until 1864, when he sold out and purchased the. Nathaniel Baker farmer on section 9, in Fairfield, where he now resides. In 1873 he rented his farm and lived in Adrian about two years, and with that exception he has lived in Fairfield forty- four years, and is a brother of George and Henry Hoadly, of the same town. His father, Jacob Hoadly, was born in Massachusetts, October 7, 1779, and died in Fairfield, in 1856. February 28, 1802, .Jacob Hoadly married Miss Betsey Crandle, who was born in Massachusetts, February, 28, 1787, by whom he had eleven children, Frederick A being the ninth child. Mrs. Betsey Hoadly died in Adrian, April 1, 1848. October 23, 1845, Frederick A. Hoadly married Miss Mary Baker, daughter of Orin and Cynthia Baker, of Fairfield, by whom he has had eight children, as follows : Lydia A., born November 24, 1846, now the wife of Austin Thayer, of Fairfield; Orin J., born March 6, 1849, died Septem- ber 16, 1851; Cynthia R., born December 14, 1850, now the wife of George Imerson, of Tecumseh; Sarah E., born March 9, 1853, now the wife of Henry Henderson, of Fairfield; Emma J., born February 9, 1855, now the wife of Dr. A. W. Gould, of Cleve-
95
OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
land, Bradley county, Tenn .; Myron B., born November 11, 1856, a farmer of Bradley county, Tenn .; Charlie P., born October 15, 1860, died in Fairfield, November 22, 1879; Chauncy H., born April 21, 1865, at home. Mrs. Mary Hoadly was born in Mace- don, Wayne county, N. Y., March 26, 1825, and came to Michigan with her parents, and settled in Fairfield, in 1832. Her father, Orin Baker, son of Moses and Cynthia Baker, was born in Pal- myra, Ontario (now Wayne county), N. Y., February 21, 1801, and died in Fairfield, this county, January 30, 1871. He was among the very first settlers in Fairfield. He came with his brother John, and settled near his brother, Moses C. Baker, who settled in Madison, this county, in 1830. May 5, 1822, Orin Baker married Miss Cynthia Raymour, daughter of John Ray- mour, of Palmyra, N. Y., by whom he had three children, Mrs. Mary Hoadly and Mrs. Sarah Clark, who were twins, being the youngest. Mrs. Cynthia Baker was born in Vermont, in 1804, and died in Palmyra, N. Y., September 29, 1829. Frederick A. Hoadly now resides on the farm formerly owned by Nathaniel Baker, who was a soldier in the war of the rebellion, and died at Nashville, March 16, 1864, from injuries received in the service. The farm was taken up from the government by Orin Baker, in 1833.
-: 0:
EREMIAH HYATT was born in the city of New York, March 3, 1813. His father, Edward Highatt, was born in Gosport, England, October 5, 1778, and lived there until he was about nine years old, when his father put him on board an En- glish merchant vessel as cabin boy, which occupation he followed until 1792, when he was pressed into the British naval service as a " powder monkey," and remained in the navy until 1803, when his vessel touched Quebec, Canada, where he deserted and made his way to New York city, where he settled and remained until his death, which occurred July 1, 1850. When he first went to New York he commenced rigging vessels, and soon established himself in that business, and always followed it. August 2, 1804, Edward Highatt married Catharine Stillvell, of New York city, by whom he had eleven children, Jeremiah being the fourth child and
96
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
second son. Mrs. Catharine Highatt was born in New Jersey, May 4, 1782, and died at Kankakee, Ill., in December, 1861. Her ancestors came from Germany, and were among the first set- tlers of New Jersey. Jeremiah Hyatt was brought up in New York city, were he was educated, and learned the coach-smiths' (or blacksmiths') trade in Henry street (where he was born), with James Ross, who carried on quite an extensive business in the manufacture of coaches and carriages. He followed his trade there until 1836, when he went to Coxsackie, and soon started business for himself, and carried on a general blacksmith shop .. He
remained there until 1840, when he sold out and went to Rocky- stone, near the village of New Baltimore, in Green county, where he carried on a shop some time, and afterwards went to New Balti- more village in the same business. He also purchased a dock and warehouse, and did a steamboat business for eight years, in connec- tion with his shop, his work here consisting principally of doing the iron work on boats. In 1855 he came to Michigan, and pur- chased a farm on section 29 in Dover, this county, where he now resides. His father spelled his name the same as his ancestors (Highatt), but Jeremiah, for reasons of his own, spells it Hyatt. In Gosport, England, the name was so common and there were so many families, that they used up all the letters in the alphabet and all combinations in figures below one hundred to distinguish them- selves and enable individuals to get their mail at the post-office ; and as the family is becoming numerous in this country, Jeremiah thought he would forestall all trouble, and spelled his name the simplest way. February 22, 1835, Jeremiah Hyatt married Ann Eliza Morgan, daughter of Ambrose and Ann Morgan, of New York city, by whom he had eleven children, as follows: Edward, born in New York city, March 27, 1836, now a farmer of Wright, Hillsdale county, Mich .; Maria Louisa, born in Coxsackie, N. Y., October 26, 1837, died in August, 1852; Jeremiah, born in the same place, August 22, 1839, now a resident of Jasper, this county; Sarah, born in New Baltimore, N. Y., March 21, 1841, and died in June, 1850; Matilda, born in the same place, April 24, 1843, now the wife of Leonard Marshall, of New Baltimore, N. Y .; Catharine, born same place, April 9, 1845, a resident of Adrian ; Alice, born same place, September 3, 1846, now the wife of Emory Randall, of Adrian ; John, born same place, October 17, 1849, died in July, 1851; three children died in infancy. Mrs. Eliza Hyatt was born in New York city, March 26, 1816, and died in New Baltimore, N. Y., in August, 1852. Her ancestors came from Holland. September 6, 1856, Jeremiah Hyatt married Mrs. Mary Bovee, widow of the late Peter Bovee, and daughter of
97
OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Jacob and Polly Millens, of Medina, this county, by whom he has had three children, as follows: George, born in Dover, June 17, 1857, died January 30, 1864; Seth, born same place, June 21, 1859, at home; Fred, born same place, July 13, 1861, at home. Mrs. Mary Hyatt was born in Bridgewater, Oneida county, N. Y., August 9, 1823, and came to Michigan with her parents in 1837, and settled on section 34 in Hudson. Her parents were natives of Vermont, and were pioneers in Oneida county, N. Y., as well as in Lenawee county, Mich., where they both died. October 6, 1839, she was married to Peter Bovee, by whom she had four chil- dren, three of whom are now living, as follows: Eliza Jane, born in Dover, September 5, 1840, now the wife of Burritt Graves, of Clayton; James H., born in Dover, November 5, 1849, now a farmer of Flint, Steuben county, Ind. Peter Bovee died Septem- ber 6, 1853, aged thirty-nine years.
- --: 0:
ARON COMFORT was born in Falls township, Bucks county, Pa., 11th mo. 8th, 1791. He was the son of Moses and Elizabeth Comfort, of the same county. The ancestry of the Comfort family is traced back to the time when three brothers, named respectively Robert, John and (one whose given name has been lost), came to this country from England. Robert settled on the Hudson river, New York. John settled first in New Jersey, and afterwards in Pennsylvania, and the other brother settled in Maryland, and "Old Point Comfort," now known as Fort Monroe, was named after him. The Pennsylvania branch of the family became quite numerous, most of them living in Bucks county, and near Philadelphia, and nearly all were members of the orthodox branch of the Society of Friends. The family, with very few exceptions, have been for generations farmers, a few, however, finding their way to the city, and engaging in mercantile pursuits. Moses Comfort's farm was situated in Penn's Manor, Bucks county, and adjoining the old homestead of William Penn. Moses Comfort married Elizabeth Mitchel, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Knight) Mitchel. Aaron Comfort and Ann Woolston, daughter of Joshua and Mary Woolston, were married at Middle- town (now Langhorn, Penn.), 10th mo. 17th, 1816. They had ten
1
98
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
children, as follows: Joshua and Jonathan died in infancy ; Mary, now the wife of Joshua Taylor, a farmer of Raisin, was born in Falls, Bucks county, Penn., 1st mo. 13th, 1820; Elwood, 1st mo. 29th, 1822, a farmer and manufacturer of brick and tile in Raisin ; Elizabeth, 9th mo. 29th, 1824, was the wife of J. C. Satterth- waite, now deceased ; Jane, 3d mo. 8th, 1828, now the wife of Samuel M. Satterthwaite, a farmer of Raisin; Dr. Jonathan J., 1st mo. 9th, 1830, now a resident of Philadelphia; Aaron R., 6th mo. 29th, 1832, a resident of California; Woolston, 3d mo. 27th, 1834, a farmer and miller of Raisin ; Moses, 5th mo. 1st, 1836, a farmer of Raisin ; all born in Falls township, Bucks county, Pa. The descendants of Aaron and Ann Comfort now living, number seven children, twenty-three grand children, and four great grandchildren. Ann Comfort was born near Middletown (now Langhorn), Pa., 2d mo. 27th, 1795, and is still living with her daughter Mary, in Raisin. Her mother was Mary Richardson, daughter of Joshua Richardson and Sarah Preston, who lived at Middletown, Pa. Her ancestors on both sides for several generations appear to have been highly esteemed members of the Society of Friends, originally from Eng- land, and were prominent amongst the early settlers for their in- telligence and respectability. Aaron Comfort came to Michigan in the spring of 1840, and arrived in Tecumseh the 16th of 5th mo. He came from Philadelphia with his own teams, crossing the Alle- ghany mountains by the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh pike, seven- teen days traveling from point to point, spending nineteen days on the road, being laid by about two days of the time. He pur- chased 160 acres of improved land on section 4 in Raisin, of Thomas Sisson, at $28 per acre, where he settled. He, with Samuel Satterthwaite owned a valuable water-power and mill site, and in 1848 they erected a large grist-mill, which is now known as Com- fort's mill. Friend Comfort was an intelligent, honorable, ener- getic man, full of hope and confidence. He was a consistent mem- ber of the Society of Friends, whose daily life and conduct and pure principles drew to him many friends; and his upright daily walk was a constant lesson to every one, that a spotless life was indeed a pleasant and happy one. He took a lively interest and was liberal in the support of schools, both public and those belong- ing to the society of which he was a member, as well as of all measures which he believed would tend to the upbuilding of the church, and the cause of Christ in the earth. He and the late Samuel Satterthwaite were warm personal friends, and for more than twenty years were partners in business, and on the most intimate terms. Their deaths occurred only about three months apart. Aaron Comfort died at his home, in Raisin, 11th mo. 28th, 1852.
99
, OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
AMUEL SATTERTHWAITE was born near Columbus, Burlington county, New Jersey, 7th mo. 2d, 1790. He was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Satterthwaite, who were natives of the same county. The ancestor of the Satterthwaite family came from England, and a copy of the English record says: "In 1532 Will Saterthwet was a monk of Ferness Abbey, and Edward Satterth wet, John Satterthwet and Richard Satterthwet were tenants of the Abbey. In 1546 the name was spelled Satherthayte; the present spelling of the name dates from about the year 1600, when one Clement Satterthwaite was born. In the year 1733 or 1734 William Satterthwaite emigrated to America, and married Pleasant Mead. His descendants are believed to be numerous about Phila- delphia ; there is no record of any other brother ever going to America. The records of the Society of Friends at about the year 1650 show the existence of four families of Satterthwaites in Hawk's Head meeting. There is one Samuel and one Hannah mentioned, whilst Michael and Margaret seem to be the favorite names." Samuel Satterthwaite was brought up to farming, and remained in New Jersey until the spring of 1831, when he came to Michigan, moving with his own teams, bringing his family (wife and six children) with him. He came to Tecumseh in 1830, in company with his younger brother Reuben Satterthwaite, on a pros- pecting tour (the latter taking up the land on section 3, town of Raisin, where Michael Smeltzer now lives). When Samuel came the next year he rented a farm for one year, and in 1832 purchased 160 acres of improved land on section 33, town of Tecumseh, of Moses Smith, paying $2,000 for it. This proved to be a good investment, and is to-day one of the very best farms in Lenawee county. Friend Satter- thwaite lived on this farm until his death, which occurred 8th mo. 21st, 1862. A man of deep, practical piety, he was a pioneer not only in a temporal point of view, but was liberal and energetic in organ- izing and building up the Society of Friends (of which he and his ancestors were active members), their institutions of learning, etc. He was one of the kindest of men, and was known for his hospi- tality and benevolence throughout the community. No new set- tler or traveler went from his house weary or hungry if they were disposed to rest or refresh themselves. Samuel Satterthwaite and Hannah Atkinson were married at Old Springfield, Burlington county, N. J., 12th mo. 10th, 1818. They had seven children, viz .: Sarah A., born 1st mo. 15th, 1820, married Asa U. Sutton, of Raisin, both deceased ; Joseph C., born 7th mo. 17th, 1821, married Elizabeth M. Comfort, both deceased; William, born 2d mo. 5th, 1823, married Mary Jane Kelly, deceased ; Caleb, born 2d mo. 10th, 1825, died in youth; Samuel M., born 2d mo. 21st, 1827, a
100
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
farmer in Raisin, married Jane R. Comfort; Elizabeth R., born 7th mo. 26th, 1829, married Elwood Comfort, of Raisin ; Daniel Satterthwaite, A. M., born 11th mo. 14th, 1831, a professor in Gran- ger Place school, Canandaigua, N. Y., married Cornelia J. Hoag, and there are now living of the descendants of Samuel Satterthwaite three children as above, twenty-three grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. Hannah Sattertliwaite, daughter of Caleb and Sarah Atkinson, was born at Cinaminson, Burlington county, N. J., 2d mo. 12th, 1797, and died in Tecumseh, 1st mo. 11th, 1834. Her father, Caleb Atkinson, lived to a. very advanced age, lacking only about four months of being one hundred years old at his death, and was remarkably healthy and active for one of that age. 2d mo. 13th, 1840, at Adrian meeting, Samuel Satterthwaite was married to Elizabeth Atkinson, daughter of Moses and Sarah At- kinson. She was born in Burlington county, N. J., 3d mo. 1st, 1792, and is still living on the old homestead in Tecumseh.
--: 0 :-
BRAM W. BRITTAIN was born in Huntington, Luzerne county, Pa., March 13, 1810. He lived with his father on his farm until he was fifteen years old. When he was about six years old he went with his sister (who was just married) to Bradford county, near the New York State line, where his brother-in-law owned a new farm. There were but few settlers there then, and one day at a logging bee, a dog belonging to some of the men barked and made considerable fuss for some time, when Abram was sent to the edge of the clearing to see if the dog had treed a coon. The boy soon returned, and reported that the dog had "treed a calf!" This of course caused a great shout of laughter among the men, but they all knew what he meant, and all soon after started with guns and other weapons, and brought down from a tall tree a monster panther. In the spring of 1825 Abram went to learn the carpenter and joiners' trade, and served four years. In March, 1830, he went to Maunch Chunk, and worked for the Lehigh Coal and Navigation company, and for over one year served as foreman of a large gang of men. He also engaged, on his own account, for about one year in building canal boats. In the spring of 1834 he went to Akron, Ohio, and operated there as
101
OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
contractor and builder, and erected some of the best buildings in that place. In the early spring of 1836 he came on further west, for the purpose of purchasing land. He first went to Toledo, but found there was no accommodation there, and he went on to Per- rysburg, and from there he went on foot and alone to Fort Defi- ance, and finally to Fort Wayne, where there was then a land office. On the way from Defiance to Fort Wayne he stopped over night at the State Line house, then kept by two men named Crapo and Coon, and their wives. This house bore a hard name, and Mr Brittain came near being robbed during the night; but having a large, old-fashioned dirk-knife, with a "spring back," he man- aged to scare off the thief by the sound of the "snap" when he opened the blade, and threatened him with destruction if he at- tempted to interfere with him. He finally located 160 acres of land in DeKalb county, near the present village of Auburn. After taking up his land he started back for Perrysburgh, but took the trail on the north side of the Maumee river. The first night out, he stayed in the woods and stood backed up against a large log and fought wolves until daylight. He cut a hickory stick and tied it to his wrist with his handherchief, so that it could not slip out of his hand in striking a blow, and grasped his dirk-knife (his only weapon) in the other hand, and stood guard all night, with the woods full of howling, hungry wolves, and many of them ven- turing very close to him. He took a trail a little below Fort De- fiance, which brought him through to Adrian, and the first house he saw after he left the Fort was at Baker's Corners, six miles south of Adrian. He afterwards went to Kalamazoo and entered eighty acres of land in Calhoun county, east of Homer, but subse- quently returned to Adrian and followed his trade until the spring of 1838, when he went into the grocery business, his store being near the old Erie & Kalamazoo railroad depot, on north Main street. He manufactured the first candy, and owned and run the first soda . fountain in Adrian, and did a large business, but owing to sickness in 1839 he sold out. He afterwards went west as far as the Rocky mountains in company with a friend, returning after an absence of about three months by the way of St. Louis, coming across Illinois to Terre Haute, then to Fort Wayne, and back to Adrian. After returning to Adrian he again followed his trade, mostly at millwright- ing. In 1844-5 he was elected collector and treasurer of the village and township of Adrian, and was again elected in 1848-9. He was a member of the board that organized the village of Adrian. He was a member of the first fire company in the village. In the fall of 1851 he went to California, and was there about one year, where he was captain of a company of miners, and was a stockholder in (13)
102
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
the mine. He served as street commissioner of the city of Adrian for four years. In 1860 he was appointed one of the census mar- shals of the county by the government. In 1859 he purchased a farm on section 32, in Adrian, three miles west of Adrian city, where he has resided ever since. Abram W. Brittain's father, Joseph Brittain, was a native of Philadelphia, was born in 1770, and was killed by the falling of a tree in Huntington, Pa., in 1832. His ancestors were Scotch and English. His wife was Miss Annie White, a native of Pennsylvania, of German parents. Abram W. Brittain was married to Miss Harriet Crane, daughter of Turner and Phebe Crane, of Madison, this county, February 9, 1843, by whom he has had seven children, as follows: Ann Maria, born December 12, 1843, now the widow of Oscar F. Kent; America, born August 8, 1845; Willett, born July 20, 1847, and died September 17, 1848; Charles H., born February 19, 1849; Louisa, born January 20, 1851, now the wife of Willard Kelley, of Franklin; Ella Phebe, born January 6, 1855, and died August 12, 1856; Lewis Cass, born July 22, 1863. All the children were born in Adrian. Mrs. Harriet Brittain was born in Palmyra, Wayne county, N. Y., May 15, 1824, and came to Michigan with her parents in the fall of 1833. Her father, Turner Crane, was born in Taunton, Mass., January 24, 1789, and died in Madison, July 23, 1843. November 26, 1812, he married Miss Phebe Arnold, who was born November 10, 1796, near Taunton, Mass., and died in Madison, this county, March 10, 1868.
-: 0: -
AVID WILEY was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., Sep- tember 6, 1799. His father, Alexander Wiley, was a car- penter and joiner, and lived in Schoharie county for many years. He came to Michigan in 1827, and died in Madison. He was twice married, and was the father of fourteen children, David being the eighth. When David was young his father moved to Cayuga county, where he bought a farm. David's mother had died, and he left home when he was eleven years old and went to Genesee county and worked on a farm for five or six years, when he went to Rochester and learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed for many years. He worked in different places, and in the
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.