USA > Michigan > Lenawee County > History and biographical record of Lenawee County, Michigan, Volume II > Part 42
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
October 25, 1857, at Adrian College; Henry Winter, born Decem- ber 18, 1861, at home; Clara May, born February 28, 1864, at home; Hattie Bell, born July 26, 1867, at home; all born in Cambridge, Lenawee county, Mich. Mrs. Mary Daniels was born in Armagh, Ireland, September 7, 1828, and came to America when two years of age. Mr. Daniels' education was very limited, as he lived the most of the time where clearing land was thought more of than schooling or learning of any kind. He has always attended to his own business as a farmer, never loooking for any office, and never wishing any, but willing to assist in all enterpris- ing schemes, either for town or school purposes. His religion is to let every one think as he pleases, and his political faith is Demo- cratic.
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AMUEL BRIDGES was born in Puckington, Somersetshire, England, May 24, 1816. His father was a farmer, and Samuel lived in Somerset and followed farming there until he was twenty-nine years old, when, in the spring of 1845' he came to America and settled in Cambridge, this county, where he then had a brother and sister living. He immediately purchased a farm on section 13, where he has resided ever since. The land was covered with timber (it being what was known as timbered open- ings), which Mr. Bridges has cleared off and improved, having erected good buildings, and he has a very pleasant and desirable home. Mr. Bridges' whole life has been spent in working land, and he knows nothing of any other business. His parents, Sanmel and Mary Bridges, were natives of Somerset, England, and were of that class who worked leased land. They raised a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, the subject of this sketch being the youngest of the family. Mary Bridges died in Puck- ington. in January, 1837, and her husband died there in Novem- ber. 1845. December 10, 1847, Samuel Bridges married Ellen Murphy, daughter of Thomas and Ann Murphy, by whom he had two children, as follows: Mary Ann, born in Cambridge, Sep- tember 4, 1850, at home; Thomas, born same place, August 16, 1852, at home. Mrs. Ellen Bridges was born in County Wexford, Ireland, May 16, 1822, and came to America in 1845.
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Her parents were natives of Wexford, Ireland, and always remained there. Mrs. Bridges died in Cambridge, May 17, 1877. Mr. Bridges has never taken any active part in public affairs in his township, but has attended quietly to his own affairs, always, however, doing his duty in relation to public improvements, and has never shirked any responsibilities that he has been called upon to perform during the settlement and organization of the township, and its schools, churches, etc. He was brought up a member of the Presbyterian church, and has always adhered to that faith. His first vote in this country was cast for the Democracy, and lie still acts with that party.
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E LEAZER HOLDRIDGE was born in Onondaga county, N. Y., September 14, 1814. He was the son of Felix and Deborah (Slocum) Holdridge, who were farmers of Onondaga county. Eleazer lived with his parents until he was married, and was reared a farmer. He received a good education for those days, and during several winters taught school. The most of his life previous to his marriage was spent in Royalton, Niagara county, whither his parents moved when he was six years old. He lived in Niagara county until the fall of 1836, when he came to Michigan and settled in Raisin, this county. He and his father (who came with him), purchased 200 acres of land on sections 22 and 23. This entire tract he cleared up, built a large brick house with barns, set out an orehard, etc. The first purchase was added to until he at one time owned 340 acres of valuable land. Immedi- ately after his settlement in Raisin he became active and energetic in all public matters. He was largely interested in the growth and progress of the county, and lent every energy to its development. Being a man of good intelligence and education he soon held a prominent position in society, and the same year of his settlement was made school inspector. He always took an active part in all public meetings, and discussed questions with terseness and intelii- gence. He was quite a politician, and his actions were swaved solely by conviction. He was elected justice of the peace and. served several years, and was the candidate of his party many times for other and more important offices. He resided in Raisin on his original purchase until 1867, when he moved to the city of
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Adrian, purchased a good home, and resided there until his death, which occurred May 4, 1873. September 18, 1836, Eleazer Hold- ridge married Mehitable Stone, daughter of Isaiah and Mercy Stone, of Royalton, Niagara county, N. Y., by whom he had eight children, as follows: Warren J., born August 1, 1838, a farmer of Raisin, and resides on the old homestead; Horace, born August 28, 1840, a farmer of Raisin; Eliza E., born December 4, 1842, now the wife of Harmon Camburn, of Adrian city; Thomas J., born August 13, 1844, a miller of Anthony, Kan .; Hannah E., born May 2, 1846, now the wife of Amos Graves, a farmer of Williamstown, Ingham county, Mich .; Spencer, born February 2, 1849, died the same year; Mary M., born August 4, 1850, now the wife of G. Olin Green, of Adrian; Elezer S., born September 11, 1854, of Rome, this county. All of the children were born on the old farm in Raisin. Mrs. Mehitable Holdridge was born in Bradford, Orange county, Vt., November 8, 1812. Her father was a native of Massachusetts, went to Vermont in his boyhood, lived there until after he was married, and in 1818 moved to Royalton, Niagara county, N. Y., and purchased a farm, where he resided until 1835, when he removed to Knox county, Ohio, and purchased a farm in Liberty township. He died there December 2, 1843, aged fifty-eight. He married Mercy Sawyer, who was born in Bradford, Vt., by whom he had eleven children, Mrs. Holdridge being the second daughter and fourth child. Mrs. Mercy Stone died in Marion, Lynn county, Iowa, March 14, 1861, aged seventy -seven years. Mrs. Mehitable Holdridge still survives her husband, and resides in Adrian. She has been a resident of Lenawee county for forty-four years, never having returned to her old home in New York since her marriage. Her wedding tour consisted of a journey through the woods and mud from New York to Michigan, being two weeks on the road in a wagon. She still lives, in good health and mind, and enjoys the comforts of a pleasant home and the society of her children. Felix and Deborah Holdridge, parents of Eleazer Holdridge, came to Michigan also in 1836. Felix was a sturdy man of the New England type, hon- est, industrious and worthy. He was a pioneer in every sense, and did his utmost in the early days of the settlement to develop the country. One of the saddest catastrophies in the settlement of Lenawee county occurred in his family. One day in October, 1839, his wife went into the woods to gather rushes with which to scour her wooden-ware, and was never seen again alive. It was soon discovered that she was lost, the alarm given, and a general and systematic search was made by all the inhabitants, far and near, which was continued for two weeks, and finally abandoned
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
by all except Mr. Holdridge, who still persisted, when, at the end of about six weeks, two hunters discovered her body in an Indian hut, in the township of Dundee, Monroe county, and about seven miles from her home. Felix Holdridge died in Raisin, October 15, 1855. Elizabeth Holdridge, sister of Eleazer, was born in Onondaga county, August 13, 1803, came to Michigan with the family, married first Urial Spencer, of Maumee City, Ohio, who afterward resided in Raisin, where he died. She married second Lewis Horton, of Royalton, N. Y., where he owned a farm, and where she died in December, 1872.
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OSEPH LIBS was born in Alsace, near Strasbourg, France, February 2, 1832, where he resided until he was seventeen years old. In the summer of 1848 he came to America, and settled in Toledo. He followed common labor until the spring of 1849, when he went to learn the wagon and carriage maker's trade with Mr. Wall. In the spring of 1851 he came to Adrian, follow- ing his trade with A. B. Palmer for nearly two years, when he returned to Toledo, where, after again working for Mr. Wall about six months, he started in business for himself, carrying it on for about two years, and in 1856 he returned to Adrian and worked for Andrew Clement until 1857, when he bought Clement out, since which time he has carried on business in Adrian. For many years he has carried on wagon and carriage making and general blacksmithing, and has a large shop and carriage room on North Main street. In 1860 he erected a large brick house on the cor- ner of Michigan and Division streets, Adrian, which he afterward sold to J. S. Brown, his present residence being No. 9 Railroad street. He subsequently purchased the business property which he now occupies, and has erected a large brick structure for a carriage repository and paint shop. He also, in company, with J. D. Hinckley, erected a wagon and blacksmith shop on West Maumee street. Mr. Libs has, during the past twenty-five years, been an active business man of Adrian, doing his share in crecting build- ings and furnishing employment for both skilled and unskilled labor. June 25, 1855, Joseph Libs married Caroline Senbert, daughter of George and Catharine Seubert, of Adrian, by whom he has had eleven children, as follows: Mary Louisa, born June
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
3, 1856, died February 17, 1858; Frank .J., born April 29, 1858; Katie M., born March 18, 1860, died in January, 1861; Mary E., born March 10, 1862; Ida M., born April 8, 1864; Olive A., born May 19, 1866, died April 19, 1871; Rosa A., born July 25, 1868; George J., born October 1, 1870; Clara J., born January 16, 1873, died January 30, 1874; Joseph, Jr., born October 31, 1875, died January 4, 1876; William, born May 7, 1877. Mrs. Caroline Libs was born in Neunkirchen, Bavaria, November 7, 1836, and came to America with her parents in 1846, settling in Adrian. Her parents were natives of Bavaria. Her father went to California in 1850 and died there that year. Her mother is still living in Adrian, in her sixty-eighth year. Joseph Libs' father, John Libs, was a native of Alsace, and owned a small farm near Strasbourg, where he died in 1870, aged seventy-three years. He married Catharine Dishler, by whom he had six chil- dren, Joseph being the second child. Mrs. Catharine Libs died there in 1847. Joseph Libs visited his native place in 1870, remaining there about three months.
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ON. WILLIAM CORBIN was born in Nichols, Tioga county, N. Y., July 30, 1825, and lived in that region of country until 1842. His father, Horace Corbin, was born in Charlestown, Sullivan county, N. H., and learned the carpen- ter's trade, following it until his death, which occurred at Nichols, N. Y., March 31, 1828. January 8, 1824, Horace Corbin mar- ried Frances Wright, daughter of Thomas and Sally (Murphy) Wright, by whom he had two children, William and Horace. Horace is now a lawyer of Plymouth, Ind., having been a judge of a court there, and member of the State senate. Mrs. Frances Corbin was born March 13, 1806, at Nichols, N. Y. She married 2d, April 19, 1829, Ebenezer Dunham, who died September 4, 1879. Mrs. Dunham lived with her second husband over fifty years, came to Michigan in the spring of 1863, and settled in Petersburg, Monroe county, where she still resides. She had six children by her second husband, only two of whom are living, James W., a merchant of Petersburg, and Ellen J., wife of David A. Curtis, a Methodist preacher, now stationed at Farmington,
421
OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Oakland county. One son, Edwin A., was a soldier in the great rebellion, and died in the service.
William Corbin lived at home until he was fifteen years old, and only received a common school education. At the age of fifieen he went to Burlington Flats, Otsego county, N. Y., to learn the wagonmaker's trade, continuing there only about one year, as the treatment he received from his "boss" was very unsatisfactory. He then went to Chittenango, where he worked for his board dur- ing one winter and went to school. In the spring of 1843 he left Chittenango without any settled purpose, went as far as Buffalo, where he formed an acquaintance with a man who was coming to Michigan, and having a little money in his pocket, he purchased a steamboat ticket for Detroit, and landed in the latter city about the first of July. After arriving in Detroit he remembered that a brother of his step-father, Dr. Dunham, lived in Dundee, Monroe county, whither he immediately went, and where he found employ- ment at farm work. He afterward worked on the Michigan Southern railroad, in 1844, under Joseph H. Cleveland, but soon after drifted into other business. He at one time leased a grist and saw mill at Dundee, running them successfully. He then entered the mercantile business, and in 1847 opened a general store at Petersburg, and continued in merchandizing for about fifteen years. During this time he, in company with John W. Conlogue, purchased the water-power and mill property at Petersburg, car- rying it on for several years. He at one time owned about 2,000 acres of land in Monroe county, a part of which was valuable farms. Mr. Corbin was the first station agent appointed at Petersburg by the Michigan Southern Railroad company, hold- ing the position about fifteen years. He was elected township clerk, justice of the peace (twelve years), supervisor (three terms). and State senator in 1863. He was a member of the constitutional convention in 1867. He resided in Petersburg until 1872, when he removed to the city of Adrian. Since his residence in Adrian he has been identified with many important enterprises. He was one of the original incorporators of the Adrian Paper Mill company, being its president during the existence of the company. He subsequently engaged in the hardware business, and finally became a member of the Adrian Packing company, the firm con- sisting of Lambie, Corbin & Chittenden. He has been a member of the Adrian Board of Education for five years, and secretary of the board three years. He was elected a member of the State House of Representatives in 1880 from the Second district of Len- awee county, which is strongly Republican, he being the only Democrat elected for at least twenty years. December 20, 1849,
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
William Corbin married Eliza Ann Drew, daughter of William and Margaret Drew, of Dundee, by whom he has had seven chil- dren, three of whom are living, as follows: Mary M., now the wife of Frank A. Douglass, of Houghton, Lake Superior; Alice E. and Edward A. Mrs. Eliza Ann Corbin was born in Clarkston, Monroe county, N. Y., March 10, 1827, came to Michigan with her parents in 1831, and settled in Summerfield, Monroe county.
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OHN LEE was born in Springport, Cayuga county, N. Y., January 3, 1825. His father, Wilson Lee, was a native of Ireland, born September 29, 1801, came to America with, his parents when a child, and settled in Hunterdon county, N. J. He resided in New Jersey until 1824, when he removed to Livingston county, N. Y., and settled in Mt. Morris. He resided there until 1836, when he came to Michigan and purchased a farm on section '24, in Cambridge, this county, where he resided until his death, which occurred January 29, 1850. In 1820 Wilson Lee married Mary La Rue, daughter of John and Rebecca La Rue, of Hunter- don county, N. J., by whom he had thirteen children, John being
the third child £ Mrs. Mary Lee was born in Hunterdon county, N. J., May 4, 1804, and died in Cambridge, August 21, 1866. John Lee came to Michigan with his parents in 1836, and has resided in Cambridge, this county, ever since. He was reared a farmer, but learned the carpenter's trade and followed it for several years, his principal business being that of building barns, as in those days the people mostly lived in log houses, not being able to build frame dwellings. In 1846 he purchased eighty acres of new land on section 23, in Cambridge, where he now resides, having cleared it up, built good buildings, and made a comfortable home. His life has been mostly spent in the quiet pursuits of industry ; being of a retiring nature, he never entered into the real strifes and turmoils of life until 1862, when he went into the army. August 8, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company E, Captain C. D. Stevens, Eighteenth Michigan Infantry, was soon after made cor- poral, and served three years. During about eighteen months of this time he was detailed as a nurse in the hospitals at Lexington, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn. He has no knowledge of how near he came to being killed while in the army, but he knows just exactly
423
OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
how narrowly he escaped while plowing on his farm one day. He had set some trees on fire, and was plowing a new picee of land for corn, and while he was passing along holding the plow, a tree fell between himself and the plow handles. The top crushed him down, wounding his sealp badly, and injuring him seriously inter- nally. At another time, while assisting in tearing down a barn, a plank broke, letting him down from the purline plate. He was very severely injured about the head and faee, his nose being split open, three ribs were broken, one knee-eap split, together with many other cuts and bruises. May 14, 1848, John Lee married Hannah Young, daughter of Isaae and Hannah Young, by whom he has had two children, as follows: Jenny Lind, born in Cam- bridge, August 3, 1850, now the wife of Frank D. Avery, of Cambridge; Amanda Jane, born same place, Mareh 20, 1852, now the wife of Jonathan Hand, of Cambridge. Mrs. Hannah Lee was born in Livonia, Livingston county, N. Y., July 11, 1811, came to Michigan in 1846, and has resided in Cambridge ever since. Morgan Young eame from Ireland in 1725, and settled in Randolph, Morris county, N. J., purchasing land of William Penn's agent, where he lived until his death, which occurred in August, 1775. His son James inherited his property, and lived on the old farm until his death, July 8, 1819, his wife dying there February 11, 1821. The family were all interred in the Friends' burying-ground, in the town of Randolph. The country was almost a wilderness when Morgan Young settled there. He was a gunsmith, being on the most friendly terms with the Indians, and upon leaving that part of the country they offered him all the land he could see from a neighboring mountain if he would go with them, but he deelined. Isaac Young (father of Mrs. Lee), was born in Randolph, N. J., November 1, 1770, was the 'son of James Young, who was born in the same place, July 8, 1738, being the son of Morgan Young, who was born in County Derry, parish of Windermare, town of Langashalin, Ireland. Mor- gan Young's father was killed by a Scotchman, while at work at the forge in Seotland. His mother soon after started for Ameriea with a family of eight children, died on shipboard, and was east into the sea a few leagues from Liverpool, near an island called the Lizard. Isaac Young lived in New Jersey until 1796, when he removed to Pennsylvania; in 1806 he removed to Ontario county, N. Y., where he died JJanuary 26, 1849. In 1799, he married Hannah Trembly, daughter of John and Peggy (de Bepo) Trembly. Mrs. Hannah Trembly was born in Hunterdon county, N. J., December 21, 1781, and died in Livonia, Livingston county, N. Y., July 29, 1823.
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HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
AMUEL CARPENTER, JR., was born in Shelby, Orleans county, N. Y., January 18, 1822, and resided there until 1828, when he came to Michigan with his parents, Samuel and Polly Carpenter, Sr., and settled in this county, about two miles south of the then little hamlet of Logan (now city of Adrian), on Jand purchased of the government. Samuel Carpenter, Sr., located 320 acres of land in one body, and cleared and improved nearly the whole of it, erecting good buildings, setting out an orchard, etc. It was on Sunday, July 22, 1828, that Mr. Carpenter came into the village with two wagons drawn by oxen, with his family, consisting of his wife and eleven children, and a valuable and favorite dog under one of the wagons. At that time the village consisted of A. J. Comstock's house, a log one, which stood on the east side of the river, where Joseph Jones now resides; Noah Nor- ton's residence, which stood a little east and north, it being con- structed of slabs split out of logs, standing one end upon the ground, the other end against a pole held up by two crotches. Captain James Whitney and family resided on the west side of the river. Mr. Carpenter drove directly to Captain Whitney's house, they being old friends and neighbors in the State of New York. Mr. Whitney and family received the new comers gladly, and cared for them cheerfully and kindly for one week. Mr. Whit- ney's house was a log structure, 16x20, and during that week shel- tered and protected the two families, consisting of twenty-four persons. Mr. Whitney and his sons turned out and assisted Mr. Carpenter in putting up his house during this time. Mr. Carpen- ter was a thrifty, enterprising, well-to-do farmer in New York, and having been a pioneer in Orleans county, he was conversant with all the phases of life in a new country ; hence he was a valu- able acquisition to the new settlement here. His wide experience gave him confidence in himself, and established him firmly in his new home at once. He soon became known to all the settlers, and was of great assistance to many who came in from time to time. All new comers who applied to him for assistance were kindly received and helped in their efforts to locate and become comforta- ble. He resided on his farm, which was finally set off into. the township of Madison, until his death, which occurred October 3, 1871. He was born in Orange county, N. Y., February 29, 1779, and was the son of Joshua Carpenter, who was a soldier in the revolution. September 10, 1805, Samuel Carpenter, Sr., married Polly Rickey, of Horseheads, Tioga (now Chemung) county, N. Y., by whom he had thirteen children, Samuel, Jr., being the ninth child. Mrs. Polly Carpenter was born in Horseheads, February 11, 1790, and died September 14, 1878. Mr. Carpenter was a sol-
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OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
dier in the war of 1812, and drew a pension for many years. Samuel Carpenter, Jr., came to Michigan with his parents in 1828, and has resided in this region of country ever since. He lived with his parents until 1844, when he purchased a farm on sections 21 and 22, in Royalton, Fulton county, Ohio, sixteen miles south of Adrian City, where he now resides. There are only about six or seven men now living in or near Adrian who settled there as early as Mr. Carpenter, and his recollections of carly times are very pleasant, His boyhood days were mostly spent here, and his recollections of incidents are vivid. Nathan Pelton was the first constable of Adrian, and owned a pony which he had broken to ride, and had learned to kick at a given signal. One day when he was coming into the village from the south he overtook some Indians and invited a squaw to ride with him, calculating to have "some fun" with her when he got "into town." He expected the pony would kick the squaw off when he gave the signal, but to his great chagrin he utterly failed in his caleulations. It should be understood that squaws always ride " man-fashion," and when the pony began to kick the squaw threw her arms around Pelton, and he was obliged to get off himself first, while the people in the street shouted and jeered at him. One day some Indians stopped at Mr. Carpenter's house to beg, and one of their dogs stole two hams which he was smoking in a barrel. Mordecai, one of Mr. Carpenter, Sr.'s sons, declared he could cure the dog of stealing, and at once filled a goose-quill with powder, and plugged it with punk. When the Indians came along again Mordecai took a piece of pork, crowded the loaded quill into the pork, lighted the punk, putting another piece of the punk over the one he had fired to protect the fuse, and threw the morsel down, which was soon swallowed by the dog. During the next half hour there was an explosion and then a dead dog. The incident caused great con- sternation among the Indians, but they soon buried their favorite canine in the side hill, and never passed there afterward without visiting the grave. Mr. Carpenter's oldest sou, John R., was something of a wag. After his marriage he lived on a farm north of his father's. During wash day in the spring, when he was very busy plowing, his wife discovered that she was out of indigo, and hustled him off "to town" to get some, telling him to get four ounces. He started off immediately, going to E. C. Winter's store, which was the only one in town, and ordered four pounds of indigo. Mr. Winter told him there must be some mistake about it, it must be four ounces that he wanted instead of four pounds. But John R. insisted on four pounds, and got that amount. It took nearly all there was in the store, and, as the arti-
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