History and biographical record of Lenawee County, Michigan, Volume II, Part 33

Author: Whitney, William A., 1820-; Bonner, R. I. (Richard Illenden), b. 1838. 1n
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Adrian : W. Stearns & Co.
Number of Pages: 506


USA > Michigan > Lenawee County > History and biographical record of Lenawee County, Michigan, Volume II > Part 33


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


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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


wife of Fred. G. Banks, of Rome. Mrs. Eliza H. Bates was born in Ridgeway, Orleans county, N. Y., March 10, 1818, came to Michigan with her parents in the fall of 1836, and settled in Rome, this county. Her father, Curtis W. Stoekwell, was born March 9, 1795, probably in Herkimer county, and died in Rome, February 17, 1858. Her mother was Therina Fisher, who was born July 27, 1799, in the same county, and died in Rome, March 13, 1880. John H. Bates' father, John Bates, was a native of Rhode Island, and was born in 1778, and died in Rome, October 11, 1862. He married Charlotte Colvin, who was born in Ira, Rutland county, Vt., in 1784, and died in Rome, in 1866.


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ULTON JACK was born in Antrim county, Ireland, in 1799, where he lived until 1822, when he came to America. He worked for General Wadsworth in Geneseo, N. Y., for several years, and in the spring of 1830 he came to Michigan, in company with Robert Boyd, and located 240 acres of land on see- tion 10, in Raisin, this county. He came here a single man, made quite a start, cleared considerable land and built a house, when he returned to New York, where he was married. He brought his wife immediately back to Michigan, and commenced life in real earnest. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, cleared and improved one hundred acres, built good barns, set out orchards, and was one of the sturdy, active, earnest and thriving pioneers of this county, and lived to be well known as a useful citizen, and the father of a promising family who needed his care and protec- tion. He became a victim of consumption, and died July 6, 1843, when in the very prime of his life and usefulness. In 1832 Ful- ton Jack married Ellen Boyd, daughter of James and Jane Boyd, of Groveland, Livingston county, N. Y., by whom he had two children, as follows: Jane, born in Raisin, this county, October 3, 1833, was the wife of the late Fulton MeLain; Nancy, born same place, April 14, 1835, now the wife of James Jack, of Groveland, Livingston county, N. Y. Mrs. Ellen Jack was born in Luzerne county, Pa., in 1811, and died in Raisin, December 31, 1849. Her father and mother came from Ireland and first settled in Luzerne county, Pa., but subsequently went to Groveland, Living- ston county, N. Y., where they purchased a farm and ever after


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lived. March 12, 1856, Jane Jack, daughter of Fulton and Ellen Jack, was married to Fulton Mclain, by whom she had seven children, as follows: Fulton, born in Raisin, this county, Febru- ary 25, 1858, a farmer of Raisin; Ellen, born in same place, December 6, 1860; Jane, born same place, June 26, 1862; George, born same place, August 3, 1864; Henry, born same place, July 31, 1866; Mary, born same place, September 22, 1872; one son died in infancy. Fulton McLain was born in Sparta, Livingston county, N. Y., May 23, 1828, came to Michigan with his parents and settled in Franklin, this county, in 1836. He died in Raisin, this county, of heart disease, May 21, 1879. He was a thrifty, enterprising farmer, a good citizen, neighbor and friend, and was respected by all. He owned and resided upon a part of the original purchase of Fulton Jack.


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ACOB WILSON was born in Hempstead, Rockland county, N. Y., September 10, 1807. When he was four years old his father, Andrew Wilson, moved to Sodus, Ontario (now Wayne) county, N. Y. He lived in Sodus until 1821, when he went to Rochester, where he served five years as an apprentice to the shoemaking trade. Like many other young men of those days, he was anxious to see the country, and for three years he traveled about from place to place as a "jour" shoemaker. In the spring of 1830 he came to Michigan, arriving in Tecumseh in June, and stopped at Musgrove Evans' hotel. Within a few days after arriving in Tecumseh he commenced work for Amos Stocking, who then ran the only shoe-shop in the village, and remained with him until the spring of 1832. In May of that year he enlisted in Captain Drown's company of infantry for the Black Hawk war. After the "war was over" he went to Adrian, stopping for some time at Isaac French's hotel, and worked in Joseph John's shoe shop for about two years. Mr. John's shop was a log shanty, which stood on North Main street, about where the present council build- ing now stands. In the spring of 1834 he went to Monroe to enter a lot of land, on section 21, in Madison, but on arriving there he discovered that Jesse Hill had entered it the day previous. Mr. Wilson immediately returned, and finally gave Mr. Hill $27 for his chance and took the land. He hired some chopping done


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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


that year, and in the spring of 1835 he erected a log house and moved in. He has cleared off sixty acres, pulled nearly all the stumps, erected a good frame house, two barns, set out an orchard, and now has a very valuable and productive farm. About the year 1848 he went to Monroe and lived five years, when he returned to his farm in Madison. Jacob Wilson's father, Andrew Wilson, was born on shipboard, while his parents were coming from Scot- land to America in 1765. He lived in New York eity until he was about twenty-three years old, and followed the stone-mason's trade. He died in Madison, this county, August 16, 1853. Andrew Wilson married Letitia Smith, who was born in Rockland county, N. Y., by whom he had thirteen children, Jacob being the eighth child. Mrs. Letitia Wilson died in Adrian, December 25, 1846, aged seventy-four. January 8, 1833, Jacob Wilson married Miss Evelina A. Parker, daughter of William and Betsey Parker, who then lived two miles east of the village of Adrian, on the farm now owned by Comfort Rogers. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have had six children, as follows: Jane, born in Palmyra, November 4, 1833, now the wife of Benjamin Whiting, of Monroe; Sarah, born in Madison, September 20, 1836, now the wife of Robert Bluff, of Madison ; Betsey, born in Madison, July 21, 1838, now the wife of Horace Bradish, of Madison; Mary, born in Madison, August 14, 1840, was the wife of E. H. Lyman, and died December 13, 1872; Robert, born in Madison, December 2, 1854, at home; William, born May 22, 1859, at home. Mrs. Evelina Wilson was born in Providence, R. I., December 1, 1811, and came to Michi- gan in the fall of 1829 with her parents. Her father was born December 4, 1790 in Rhode Island, and died in Madison, in March, 1855. Her mother, who was Betsey Turner, was born near Providence, R. I., August 17, 1792, and died in Palmyra, in January, 1839.


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EACON JAMES K. POTTER was born in Cambridge, Washington county, N. Y., September 23, 1809. When he was eight years old his mother moved to Lyons, Wayne county. His father, Godfrey Potter, died when James was four years old, leaving his mother poor, with twelve children, and no means of support exeept a loom. Godfrey Potter was undoubtedly


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a native of Rhode Island, where he lived until after he was married. He married Sally Pullman, who was also born in Rhode Island. She died in Lyons, in May, 1829. When James K. Potter was eleven years old he commenced working on a farm for one shilling per day. He followed farming until he was twenty years old, when he went to learn the blacksmith's trade. He followed his trade in Wayne county until 1835, when he came to Michigan and took up government land on section 18, in Rome, this county. He cleared up his land, purchased forty acres more, built a log house and a frame one; also, a log blacksmith shop and a frame one, with barns, sheds, etc., and resided there until 1863, when he sold out and went to Wheatland, Hillsdale county, where he pur- chased a farm and resided until 1867. He then again sold out, and purchased a farm on section 31, in Cambridge, where he now resides. Since his residence on this farm he has erected a good, large frame house, built one new barn, overhauled the others, and greatly improved the farm. He also owns thirty-three acres of land on section 32, adjoining, and altogether has a valuable and desirable farm. When Mr. Potter was a young man he served three years in the New York State militia, and held the office of orderly sergeant. In 1835 he was warned out to appear at Tecum- seh, armed and equipped for the Toledo war, but was sick with fever at the time. He was once warned to appear at Adrian for general training, and was on hand as the law directed, but there was a small attendance, and he was never called out again. Mr. Potter is a member of the Second Baptist church of Rome, having joined that denomination in Sodus, Wayne county, N. Y., in 1832. He was made a deacon in 1872. September 22, 1831, he married Sally Ann Wallen, daughter of James and Sally Wallen, of Lyons, Wayne county, N. Y., by whom he had three children, as follows: Charles E., born in Rome, this county, June 17, 1840, a resident of Rome; Sarah Jane, born in the same place, May 4, 1842, now the wife of A. W. Douglass, of Wheatland, Hillsdale county, Mich .; Albina Helen, born in the same place, August 28, 1844, now the wife of A. W. Church, of Wheatland. Mrs. Sally Ann Potter was born in Bath, N. Y., May 16, 1810, and died in Rome, May 23, 1850. April 29, 1852, James K. Potter married Sarah E. Smith, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Smith, of Cambridge, by whom he has had no issue. Mrs. Sarah E. Potter came to Michigan in 1837 with her parents, and settled on section 31, in Cambridge. Her father, Joseph Smith, was born in Alkham, Kent, England, April 13, 1786, and came direct from there to Cambridge and purchased a new farm. He died April 20, 1861, aged seventy-five. Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, his wife, was born at


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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


Shepherd's Well, Kent, England, April 12, 1786. She died Sep- tember 22, 1865, aged seventy-nine. The village of Shepherd's Well is a small hamlet, and derived its name from a very cele- brated well there that supplied the people with water. This well is 1,320 feet deep, dug through chalk rock the entire distance, and at the time Mr. Smith lived there the water was drawn with a windlass and bneket, the rope being over one quarter of a mile in length. No person then living knew anything about the origin of the well, but an old legend said it was dug about two thousand years ago, for the accommodation of the shepherds who herded their sheep in that locality.


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YER H. MUDGE was born in Plymouth, Windsor county, Vt., August 1, 1818. His father, William Mudge, was born in the same place, being the first white child born in the township, about the year 1778, where he lived until about the year 1826. He was married there and owned a farm, but he sold out and went to New Fane, Niagara county, N. Y., and purchased a farm of the Holland Land company, in the spring of 1826, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1856. About the year 1800 William Mudge married Abigail Averill, daughter of Samuel and Polly Averill, of Plymouth, Vt., by whom he had eleven children, Dyer H. being the sixth child. Mrs. Polly Mudge was born in Plymouth, Vt., she being about three years younger than her husband. She died in Wilson, Niagara county, N. Y., in 1872. Dyer H. Mudge lived with his parents on a farm until he was twenty-five years old, and in the fall of 1843 he came to Michigan and settled in Raisin, this county. In the spring of 1847 he purchased a farm, on section 30, in Raisin. This was a new farm at that time, with only a very few acres chopped over. He cleared up the farm, built a good frame house and barn, and resided there until 1866, when he sold to Jolin Patterson, and sub- sequently purchased a farmi on section 14, in Adrian township, where he now resides. Mr. Mudge has but a limited knowledge of his ancestors, but it has been shown that the name originally came from England, and that two or three brothers bearing the name settled in New England. August 29, 1846, Dyer H. Mudge married Eliza G. Macy, daughter of Obed and Lydia Macy, of


(41)


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Raisin, by whom he has had three children, as follows: Emily Maria, born February 17, 1852; Alvira Louisa, born November 19, 1858, now the wife of Charles S. Hoag, of Middleport, N. Y .; William H., born September 15, 1865, at home. Mrs. Lydia Mudge was born in Nantucket, Mass., September 15, 1821, came to Michigan with her parents in 1833, and settled in Raisin, this county, on land located from the government. Her father was born in Nantucket, Mass., in 1770, and died in Raisin, in January, 1849. His ancestors came from England and settled on the island during the seventeenth century. In 1797 he married Lydia Coffin, daughter of Nathaniel and Priscilla Coffin, of Nantucket, by whom he had nine children, Mrs. Eliza Mudge being the youngest. Nathaniel Coffin was of French extraction, his ancestors having come from France and settled on the island early in the history of New England. Mrs. Lydia Macy was born in Nantucket, in 1780, and died in Raisin, this county, April 15, 1863, In 1827 Obed Macy moved with his family from Nantucket, and settled in Cambria, Niagara county, N. Y., where he purchased a new farm, and resided until he came to Michigan six years after.


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ON. DANIEL H. DEMING was born in Sharon, Litch- field county, Conn., September 25, 1804, and was the son of Daniel and Cynthia Deming, of Litchfield, Conn. Daniel H. lived in Sharon until about the year 1829, when he went to Poughkeepsie, where Mr. Beecher, his brother-in-law (and father of Robert R. Beecher, so well known in this county), was engaged in the hotel business. Mr. Deming was employed as clerk in the hotel, and remained there about two years. He then went to Canandaigua and acted as agent for a stage line for a time. In the spring of 1834 he came to Michigan and settled on section 26, in Dover, on the south bank of the lake which now bears his name. He was the first settler in that locality, his nearest neighbor being Samuel Warren, two miles east. The nearest house or road west of him was at Canandaigua village, five and a half miles dis- tant. He located 160 acres, and cleared nearly 100 acres, built a log house and a good barn, and resided there until 1860. He then sold and purchased a farm on section 35, in Rome, where he


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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


resided until his death, which occurred April 7, 1871. During his residence in Dover he served the township for nine years as super- visor, besides holding the office of assessor one term, and justice of the peace four years. In 1846 he was elected a member of the Legislature, and during the controversy of 1847-8 in regard to the removal of the State capitol from Detroit to Lansing, he took an active part, favoring the change, because, as he said, "the Detroit folks are controlling the State, and will continue to do so as long as the capitol remains there." He was re-elected in 1848, and was a member when the capitol at Lansing was dedicated. He often in after life related his trip to Lansing to attend the first session there. He took a stage as far as Ypsilanti, where an ox team and sleigh were engaged to take them a certain distance, when they walked into the village. During the session of 1848-9 he took up 160 acres of land, which is now mostly within the limits of the city of Lansing. During the fall of 1846, while hunting deer with a party, he was shot, the ball passing through his body, a distance of eleven inches. Hiram Lord shot at a deer, and when the ball struck the animal it glanced and struck Mr. Deming. In 1850 he was a candidate for State senator, and would have been elected had it not been for certain men in his own party (who sought the nomination), bolting and working against him at the polls. He was an active, enterprising man, of good sense, judg- ment and discretion, was a good citizen, accommodating neighbor, and kind husband and father. In 1841 he married Mary J. Bailey, daughter of Samuel and Sally Bailey, of Dover, by whom he had three children, as follows: Erastus H., born in Dover. August 18, 1842, now a farmer of Rome; Julia Ann, born in same place, January 2, 1848, now the wife of Fleming McMath, Jr., of Dover; Harriet A., born same place, February 14, 1854, now the wife of Edwin Nichols, of Dover. Mrs. Mary Jane Dem- ing was born near Rome, Oneida county, N. Y., November 29, 1817, and still survives her husband, residing with her daughter, Mrs. McMath, in Dover. She came to Michigan with her parents in 1836, and settled on section 15, in Dover. Erastus H. Deming is the only male representative of his family, and resides on sec- tion 35, in Rome. October 6, 1869, Erastus H. Deming married Nancy Schriver, daughter of Hiram and Mary Schriver, of Mad- ison, by whom he has had two children, as follows: Ralph E., born in Rome, October 1, 1870; Belle Maria, born in Blooming- ton, Ill., May 1, 1872. Mrs. Nancy Deming was born in Madison, this county, April 14, 1844. Her father came to Mich- igan in 1836, and settled in Adrian. He was a cabinet-maker by trade, and died August 29, 1846. Her mother was the daughter


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of James and Elenor Green, and was born in East Palmyra, Wayne county, N. Y., September 16, 1818. She came to Michigan with her parents in 1839, and settled in Madison, and now resides with Mrs. Deming, in Rome.


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AVID H. CHASE was born in Providence, Saratoga county, N. Y., June 4, 1818. His father, Wing Chase, Jr., was born in the same place, December 15, 1794, where he resided until 1859, when he sold his farm and came to Michigan, and lived with his son David until his death, which occurred Au- gust 16, 1878. He was always a farmer, but a quiet, unostenta- tious man, honest, upright and industrious. He was a birthright Quaker, his father, Wing Chase, Sr., being also a Quaker, was a native of Rhode Island, and was a pioneer of Saratoga county. Wing Chase, Jr., married Cynthia Howland, daughter of David and Sarah Howland, of Mayfield, Montgomery county N. Y., in 1817, by whom he had fourteen children, David H. being the oldest. Mrs. Cynthia Chase was born in Mayfield, Montgomery county, N. Y., in 1795, and died in Raisin, March 29, 1859. She was a birthright Quaker; her father was a Quaker preacher, and very prominent man in Montgomery county, N. Y. David H. Chase always lived with his parents, he being the oldest son. He was brought up a farmer, and after he became of age took charge of the farm and carried it on until he came to Michigan, at which time, besides one hundred acres of land which he purchased in company with his father, he has added to it until he now owns over 200 acres on sections 31 and 32, in Raisin, where he resides. He has erected a good brick house, together with sufficient barns, sheds, etc. The most of the land was new when he purchased it, but he now has about 180 acres under good improvement, and through his own untiring energy and good management, he says he has now no reason to complain of Dame Fortune. He came to Michigan a poor man, but he determined to make a desperate struggle for a home and comforts, and he has conquered, thanks to the good soil and genial climate. Since his residence in Raisin he has served two terms as justice of the peace, one term as town clerk, and one year as road commissioner. Mr. Chase has dealt considerably in stock for several years, and during the past thirty years he has owned over 850 horses and colts, besides large num- bers of cattle and sheep. July 19, 1842, David H. Chase was


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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


married to Ruth M. Bovee, daughter of Philip and Ruth Bovee, of Broadalbin, Fulton county, N. Y., by whom he has had eleven children, as follows: Mary, born in Providence, Saratoga county, N. Y., November 4, 1844, now the wife of A. T. Knee- land, of Grandby, Newton county, Mo .; Philip B., born in the same place, March 15, 1847, a farmer of Dover ; Cynthia, born in the same place, December 29, 1848, now the wife of John Muck, of Palmyra; Wing, born in Raisin, this county, February 22, 1851, died September 9 1865; David, born in the same place, July 6, 1852, a farmer of Raisin; William H., born in the same place, May 29, 1855, now a farmer of Shiawassee county, Mich .; Peleg, born in the same place, January 18, 1858, at home; Mo- sher, born in the same place, October 6, 1859, at home; Jacob H., born in the same place, November 22, 1861, at home; Benjamin, born in the same place, June 6, 1864, at home; Lorenzo, born in the same place, February 27, 1866, at home. Mrs. Ruth Chase was born in Broadalbin, Fulton county, N. Y., July 19, 1824, and died in Raisin, August 4, 1870. Her parents were natives of the State of New York. Her father's father came from Holland. Her mother was the daughter of Benjamin and Ruth Shephard, of Broadalbin, Fulton county, N. Y. Io 1871 David H. Chase was married to Esther Jane Chase, daughter of Artemas and Julina Chase, of Raisin, by whom he has had no issue. Mrs. Esther Jane Chase was born in Barre, Orleans county, N. Y., November 11, 1833, and came to Michigan with her parents in 1866. Her father was born in Providence, N. Y., May 2, 1810, and died in Raisin, December 17, 1876. Her mother was the daughter of William and Submit Densmore, of Conway, Mass., and was born April 3, 1813.


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OMFORT ROGERS was born in Mexico, Oswego county, N. Y., July 4, 1809. His father, Samuel Rogers, was born near Boston, Mass., in 1773, where he resided until after he was married. Abont the year 1797 he moved with his family to Oneida county, N. Y., and carried on smelting works and a blacksmith shop, for several years. He afterward moved to Mexico, Oswego county, and carried on a blacksmith's shop, saw mill, grist mill, carding machine and ashery, besides a distillery and a store. He resided in Mexico until his death, which occurred November


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17, 1831. He married Rhoda Newell, who was born in Boston, in 1772, and died in Reading, Hillsdale county Mich., June 11, 1863. She was the mother of ten children, Comfort being the fourth son and sixth child. The ancestors of the Rogers' family were Eng- lish, and many of them lived to a very old age. Comfort Rogers lived with his parents until he was twenty-three years old, and after his father died, he and his elder brother, were two year's in settling his father's estate. In the fall of 1832 Comfort went to Somerset, Niagara county, N. Y., and purchased a farm of the Hol- land Land Co., and cleared up 150 acres. He remained there until the spring of 1836, when he sold out, and started with an ox-team, for Litchfield, Medina county, Ohio. He purchased 300 acres of land, but never accomplished much there, as he soon got homesick and disheartened. He sold out in 1838, and came to Michigan. He first landed in Michigan at Detroit, but afterwards went to To- ledo, and drove his horse team and one cow through the cotton- wood swamp, and settled on a farm on section 31, in Raisin, which he purchased during the winter previous, while on a prospecting tour. After living there one year he sold out, and purchased 180 acres on section 9, in Palmyra, where Lenawee Junction is now lo- cated, where he resided until the spring of 1852. During the winter of 1852-3, he purchased of W. S. Wilcox, 100 acres of new land on section six, in Palmyra, where he now resides. The land was nearly all covered with timber, which he has cleared off himself. He has added to his farm until he now owns 175 acres. He has erected good buildings, set out good orchards, and has a very valuable farm in sight of the city of Adrian. He also owns 328 acres of land on section 1, in Riga, upon which he has cleared 100 acres, which is now under good cultivation. September 9, 1833, Comfort Rogers married Ann Cone, daughter of Gordin and Lovina Cone, of Mexico, Oswego county, N. Y., by whom he has had eight children, as follows: Sutina, died in infancy; John K., born in Litchfield, Medina county, Ohio, March 4, 1838, a resident of Burlingame, Osage county, Kansas; Albro, born in Palmyra, this county, December 23, 1840, now a farmer of Riga; Byron, born in same place, April 15, 1842, a farmer of Palmyra; Julia Ann, born same place, June 20, 1845, now the wife of Jo- seph G. Nash, of Palmyra; Comfort Jr., born same place, Sep- tember 23, 1849, now of Burlingame, Kansas; Mila, born same place, November 5, 1853, died at the age of two years. Mrs. Ann Rogers was born in Mexico, Oswego county, N. Y., June 13, 1811. Her parents were natives of the New England States, and were pioneers of Oswego county. They had eight children, Mrs. Rogers being the third daughter and seventh child.


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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


EACON WILLIAM COLYER was born in Brigstock, Northamptonshire, England, August 18, 1808, and was the son of Robert and Keziah (Caps) Colyer. . William lived in England until he was in his twenty- second year, when he came to America. He sailed from Liverpool, May 11, 1830, in the brig Caroline, Capt. Weeks, and landed at Boston, after a voyage of 58 days, July 9th. He only remained in Boston during one night. He came to America with the sole intention of becoming a farmer and owning a farm. He left Boston without any partic- ular destination, and after traveling two days found employment with a farmer in Ware, Massachusetts, where he remained for about six weeks. He then went to Sand Lake, in the State of New York, and found employment for a short time, but returned to Massachusetts and worked in Berkshire county, where he remained most of the time until the fall of 1833, when he came to Michi- gan, and settled in Blissfield, this county, locating a farm on sec- tion 22, where he now resides. His first purchase was only 40 acres, which he soon cleared, and got into crops. Since that time he has gradually added to his farm until he now owns 300 acres, nearly all of which he has improved. He has erected a good franie house, with barns and all necessary conveniences. When he located his land there were only two other settlers in the vi- cinity, John Preston and Joseph Rawson, on section 28. Avery Pool lived on the northwest quarter of section 22. Mr. Colyer at once took an active interest in the material and general prosperity and improvement of the county, and besides working early and late in improving his own premises, he found time and opportu- nity to assist in all the first public improvements that were made. Roads had to be laid out and opened, bridges built, schools or- ganized, churches established, and society materialized, and Mr. Colyer never shirked a single responsibility. . He early identified himself with the Presbyterian church, at Blissfield village, and assisted liberally in building the present church edifice. He has been a Deacon in the church for many years, and has acted as trustee. He came to America without money or friends, deter- mined by honesty and perseverance to make a comfortable home, and when he came to Michigan he had but $40. He has suc- ceeded better than he ever hoped for, even in his most visionary boyhood days, and thanks God for the circumstance that brought him to America, and then to Michigan. December 3, 1840, Wil- liam Colyer married Olive E. Pool, daughter of Avery and Olive Pool, of Blissfield, by whom he has had nine children, as follows: Martin W., born February 16, 1842, died in infancy; William H., born May 6, 1843, a farmer of Blissfield; John W., born Sep -.




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