USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, and representative citizens > Part 62
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beginning he took an active part in public affairs; was selectman in 1647; surveyor of highways in 1654 and 1662 ; chimney viewer in 1659, but owing to his age was excused from military duty. He died May 25, 1683, aged IOI years. His name is inscribed on a large monument erected in memory of Hooker's party, which still stands in the old Center Church burying-ground in Hartford, where also rests the dust of the ancestors of some of the most distinguished men and women of the present generation.
Deacon Samuel Stocking, son of George Stocking, was born in England and came to America with his father. In 1650 he removed from Hartford to Middletown, Connecticut, and became one of the founders of the town and was one of the three signers to the Indian deed of Middletown. He was the first deacon of the church organized there in 1668 and was a representative in the State Assembly in 1658-59-65-69-74-77 and 81. He died Decem- ber 3, 1683, and his widow later married James Steele of Hartford. Deacon Samuel Stocking was a sergeant in King Philip's War. His business as ship-owner and builder brought him a large fortune for that time; his estate at his death inventoried £648, 8s., 8d. On May 27, 1652, he married Bethia Hopkins, daugh- ter of John and Jane Hopkins, and grand- daughter of Samuel Hopkins, one of the sign- ers of the "Mayflower" compact in 1620. The last named was a member of Capt. Miles Standish's military company in 1621 ; was sent by Governor Bradford with Edward Winslow (afterward Governor Winslow) on a special mission to Massasoit, the Indian chief; was a member of the Governor's Council from 1632 to 1636; and was a member of the council of war for Plymouth in 1643.
George Stocking, son of Deacon Samuel Stocking, was born February 20, 1664. Prior
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to 1770 he moved from Upper Middletown to what is now Portland, Connecticut. He ap- pears to have been a man of affairs and was one of a committee appointed to build a church in 1710. He died February 17, 1714, leaving an estate of £359. 9s., Id. His widow afterwards married Deacon Samuel Hall, and died No- vember 16, 1787.
Capt. George Stocking, son of George Stocking, was born August 16, 1705 and re- sided in Middle Haddam, where he died in 1790. On March 1, 1727, he married Mary (Mercy) Savage. Prior to 1740 he owned a grist-mill. In 1752 he was captain of militia. He served in the "Lexington Alarm" in Capt. Eleazer Hubbard's company, which marched from Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Capt. Abner Stocking, son of Capt. George Stocking, was born April 1, 1726, followed the sea and lived in Middle Haddam, Connecticut. On May 6, 1775, he joined Capt. Ezekiel Scott's second company which was in Brig .- Gen. Joseph Spencer's regiment. He marched to Roxbury, Massachusetts, was in the siege of Boston and fought at Bunker Hill. He was then assigned to the forces in Arnold's expedi- tion against Quebec, and was taken prisoner by the British December 31, 1775, but was re- leased and then honorably discharged. During the Revolution he sailed from New York in a privateer, commanding his vessel, and was one of the leaders in the Point Judith expedition. He was commanding captain of the Sixth Com- pany of the 23d Regiment Connecticut Militia, Alarm List, in April, 1780. On February 8, 1749 he married Ruth Higgins.
Rev. Benjamin Stocking, son of Capt. Ab- ner Stocking, was baptized July 15, 1770. He resided many years at Chatham, Connecticut, and was a Methodist minister. He died at Fabius, New York, September 13. 1848. aged 78 years. In August, 1789, he married Dimies
Shaler, of Haddam, who died May 25, 1841.
Rev. George Abner Stocking, grandfather of Mrs. Knaggs, was born in East Haddam, Connecticut, October II, 1796. In early life he worked as a drug clerk and clock-maker, but was later ordained a minister in the Meth- odist Church. He was a man of vigorous in- tellect and was logical in the application of the doctrines he espoused. He was a man of dig- nified presence. Later in life he served many years as a justice of the peace at Montezuma, New York, where he died December 21, 1869. On December 26, 1813, he married Tryphena Coe, who was born at Chatham, Connecticut, and died September 4, 1863. He married as his second wife Sarah D. Mack.
Dr. Charles Giles Stocking, father of Mrs. Knaggs, was born June 23, 1822, and died June 8, 1898. On December 25, 1844. he mar- ried Mary Woodhull. He resided at different times at Penn Yan, Seneca Falls, Montezuma and Westburg, New York. He was an emi- nent member of his profession, and a man of splendid address and benevolent disposition. His best strength and most intelligent efforts were always given to the poor from whom he expected no return. He found his compensa- tion in the satisfaction of relieving human suf- fering and comforting the desolate.
Mrs. Knaggs is worthy of this illustrious ancestry. She has long been prominent in Michigan public life. For several years she was one of the capable, competent and thor- oughly interested guardians of the Michigan Industrial Home for Girls, at Adrian. For four years she was president of the State Equal Suffrage Association and for several years was a member of the board of directors of the Home of Industry for Discharged Pris- oners, at Detroit. Her ability as a writer, her fluency as a speaker and her organizing and administrative capacity, have placed her in the
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fore-front of intellectual reform and philan- thropic movements. She was one of the first of her sex to be honored with membership on the Bay City Board of Education. She is a lady of much charm of manner, possessing all the feminine qualities in addition to a facility for handling public matters with masculine strength of mind.
Mr. Knaggs is a member of H. P. Merrill Post, No. 419, G. A. R., of which he is at present commander. Since the days of Abra- ham Lincoln he has been identified with the Republican party. He has been active .in ad- vancing the interests of Bay City. He was one of a company of six capitalists, who started the first beet sugar factory in Bay City.
RANK GRISWOLD WALTON, jus- tice of the peace and attorney-at-law, located at West Bay City, Michigan, was born at Chardon, Geauga Coun- ty, Ohio, March 5, 1857, and is a son of Dr. Andrew J. and .Caroline F. (Griswold) Wal- ton.
The Walton family is a very old one and has had many distinguished members. Ac- cording to a history which has been carefully compiled by the brother of our subject, it origi- nated in England where the record of its coat of arms may still be seen. In the days of Will- iam Penn five brothers of the name settled in Pennsylvania. George Walton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was a member of this family. Another noted member was Izaak Walton, whose quaint old "Compleat Angler" has been the guide and in- spiration of several generations of fishermen.
James Walton, the paternal grandfather, was born at Saybrook, Ohio, the family having probably been established in that State in the
time of his father. As one of the early pio- neers, he subsequently came to Michigan, where he died in 1896, aged 92 years. His son, Dr. Andrew J. Walton, was born in 1829, at Say- brook, Ohio, and died May 1, 1886, in Bay County, Michigan. He graduated in medicine from the Western Reserve Medical College, at Cleveland, Ohio, having prepared himself dur- ing the time he officiated as sheriff of Geauga County. In 1873 he came West and settled at Almont, Lapeer County, Michigan, where he devoted all his time to the practice of his profession until 1879, when he removed to Bay City. Shortly after locating here, he was appointed keeper of the Bay County Poor Farm, a position he held for a number of years until the death of his wife caused him to resign. During the Civil War, Dr. Walton enlisted in Colonel Berdan's famous regiment of United States Sharpshooters, and remained in the service three years, being wounded on several occasions. He was a noted shot, having the true eye and steady nerve requisite for a sharp- shooter. Our subject recalls many instances of his unerring aim. He was a member of the U. S. Grant Post, No. 67, G. A. R., at Bay City, and the branch known as Walton's com- mand was named in his honor. Like the ma- jority of the intelligent and responsible men of his day, he was a Mason, entering into fra- ternal relations at Chardon, Ohio. At the time of his death he was a member of Bay City Lodge, No. 129, F. & A. M., of which he was past master. He belonged also to Blanchard Chapter, R. A. M., and his wife belonged to the affiliated Order of the Eastern Star.
The death of his wife was a great blow to Dr. Walton, one from which he never recov- ered. She was a daughter of Timothy Gris- wold, and was born at Middletown, Connecti- cut. They had two sons,-Frank Griswold and Clifford Stevens. The latter is a prominent
HARRY GRISWOLD
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attorney at Washington, D. C., who has gained considerable fame as a government translator. His translation from Spanish of "The Civil Law in Spain and Spanish America" is a stand- ard work.
Our subject attended the common schools of his native county and began to turn his at- tention to music while still a schoolboy. His talent was such as to make it seem expedient for him to devote his whole attention to that science and he continued its study and prac- tice after the family removed to Almont, Mich- igan, where he was elected leader of the band. In 1879 he came to Bay City as first cornetist of the old Knight Templar Band, of which he continued a member until it was disbanded. After settling here, Mr. Walton was led to take up the study of the law and under the encour- agement and direction of the late John W. McMath he prepared for the bar and was ad- mitted to practice on December 12, 1893. Dur- ing the years 1895 and 1896 he served as cir- cuit court commissioner and was city comp- troller of West Bay City during 1898, 1899 and 1900. In the spring of 1904 he was elected justice of the peace for a term of four years and has given efficient service in that position ever since. For a number of years he served as a member of the Board of Supervisors and has also been city assessor of West Bay City. Politically he is a stanch Republican and is prominent in all party movements.
In 1883, Mr. Walton was married to Isa- bella Murdock, who was born at Almont, La- peer County, Michigan, and was a daughter of John Murdock of that place. Mrs. Walton died September 4, 1904, leaving three children : Nora Belle, Clifford F. and Anna V. Mrs. Walton was a beloved member of the West- minster Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Walton is also a member.
For many years our subject has been con-
nected with the leading fraternal organiza- tions. He belongs to Wenona Lodge No. 256, F. & A. M .; Blanchard Chapter, R. A. M .; Bay City Commandery, No. 26, K. T .; Othello Lodge, No. 116, Knights of Pythias; Phoenix Tent, No. 8, Knights of the Modern Macca- bees; Royal Arcanum; Independent Order of Foresters and the Musicians' Union, No. 127.
For more than 20 years, Mr. Walton was a successful band leader. The Third Regi- ment and Walton's military bands were under his leadership and he has visited many parts of the country with these well-known organiza- tions. He has also been a teacher of instru- mental music and has had pupils from all over the State.
ARRY GRISWOLD, a citizen of Bay City, Michigan, whose portrait is herewith shown, has been identified with the city's interests since the early days when her commercial importance was rep- resented by the trading done in what was then the only business center-Water street-and its magnificent proportions presented only a landscape of forest and brush. The intervening years have wrought wonders of improvement, due to the energy and capital of citizens like Mr. Griswold. He was born September 25, 1820, at Geneva, New York, and is a son of Joseph and Anna (Thomas ) Griswold.
Joseph Griswold was born August 2, 1776, in Grafton County, New Hampshire, and died in 1853. His wife was also of New England birth, born at Lebanon, Connecticut, April-21, 1776, and deceased April 20, 1847. They mar- ried in New Hampshire, September 15, 1797, and became the parents of seven children, viz : Nancy, born February 29, 1798; Amanda, born December 22, 1799; John, born November 22,
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1803 ; Joseph, Jr., born December 6, 1805 ; Fan- ny, born December 29, 1807; William, born December 16, 1809; and Harry, born Septem- ber 25, 1820.
Mr. Griswold was reared on his father's farm, and possibly his subsequent robust health and continued vigor may be, in a measure, at- tributable to this healthful early life. His edu- cation was secured in the old log school house near his father's home in Orleans County, whither the family had moved when our sub- ject was six months old, and he retains many recollections of those early school days. The teacher "boarded round" in those days. In order that the students might enjoy the benefits of his instruction, they had to take a little phys- ical exercise in the way of bringing in wood for the great open fireplace, which was the usual ac- companiment to the puncheon floor and split- slab benches. He also attended subscription school at the little hamlet of Murray, which has now grown into the town of Kendall. Aft- er he had reached man's estate, he carried the mail between Murray and Clarendon, covering the distance of 20 miles on horseback, and he also worked with his brother William on the latter's farm. Later he was variously employed in the occupations open to young men in his locality, these being for the most part lumber- ing, work in saw-mills and farming, until 1846, when he removed to Lapeer County, Michigan.
Mr. Griswold was accustomed to a heavily timbered country and when he located in Mich- igan the surrounding forest was quite to his liking, and he soon had four acres cleared for farming. To this he added, neighbors came shortly afterward and the little settlement grew into Barrows Corners, now the prosperous town of Metamora. Mr. Griswold embraced the opening for a store and carried on a general mercantile business until he decided to seek a wider field and moved to Lapeer, and still later
to Bay City, reaching the latter place in 1865, finding business conditions promising but in the state mentioned in our opening paragraph. Here he embarked in a general mercantile busi- ness which he carried on for a number of years, in the meantime interesting himself in real es- tate and pushing forward public improvements. He built many of the substantial business houses here, the Union Block and the Griswold Block and many fine residences, including the first brick house on Center avenue, at the corner of Farragut street, and, later, his own magnifi- cent brick mansion at No. 1611 Center avenue.
Mr. Griswold has been the financial backer of many enterprises here, and has been con- nected with every bank, with one exception, and his aid and advice has been noted in the greater number of the successful industries of this city. Practically retired from active participation in business, he still conducts his own affairs and looks personally after his investments.
Mr. Griswold was married January 1, 1847, at Metamora, Lapeer County, Michigan, to Anna Eliza Perkins, who was born in 1825 in New York, and they have two children : Al- bert B. and Frances Elizabeth. The former, who is a merchant in Bay City, married Ro- sella Chapman and they have two children : Elizabeth R. and Jennie. Frances Elizabeth is the wife of Dr. David F. Stone of Bay City, and they have two children : Anna R. and Al- bert F.
Mr. Griswold is one of the leading members of the First Baptist Church of Bay City, one of the trustees for several years and has always been one of its most liberal supporters. He was instrumental in getting several of the lead- ing railroad lines through Bay City, and, in fact, has been identified prominently with the city's commercial, educational and social de- velopment far beyond the efforts of almost any other citizen.
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OHN A. LINK, a successful general farmer of Frankenlust township, Bay County, Michigan, who owns 100 acres in section II, was born on his present farm February 6, 1858, and is a son of Casper and Anna Margaret (Stengel) Link.
Casper Link was born in Rostall, Baiern, Germany, September 3, 1813, and learned the carpenter's trade in young manhood. He came to Bay county in 1851 with his wife and one child and settled down on an uncleared farm, where he put up a log cabin, 16 by 30 feet in dimensions. Here the family lived for 10 years and then a fine home and two large barns were constructed. Fortunately game was still plenti- ful and the larder was usually well provided with meat, but when other supplies were wanted the father had to follow a trail to the river and go in a canoe to Saginaw. Mr. Link was one of the earliest settlers of Frankenlust township, where he died in 1878. He married Anna Margaret Stengel, who was born in Baiern, December 13, 1823, and still survives, a member of her son's household, a lady full of remembrances of the early days of this section. They had six children : George, who died in childhood; Anna Barbara (Mrs. Timm), of South Bay City; Katie (Mrs. Nunke), of Bay City; John A., of this sketch; John Jacob, a Methodist minister, located at Detroit; and Barbara (Mrs. Erhardt), of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Our subject has always lived on the old home farm which he assisted to clear. He has made of it a splendid property and carries on general farming, making a specialty of raising sugar beets, and does a large business in fruit- growing.
On November 8, 1884, Mr. Link was mar- ried to Barbara Kreuzer, who was born in Baiern, Germany, November 10, 1862, and came to Bay County, Michigan, in 1873, with
her parents, John Jacob and Anna Margaret (Enser) Kreuzer, who lived the rest of their lives in this county. Our subject and wife have seven children : Clara, Herman, Walter, John, Oscar, Elmer and Selma. Mr. Link is a sup- porter of the Republican party. He is one of the leading members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church in his vicinity.
ERBERT ALFRED EADES, M. D. Although but 31 years old, the sub- ject of this sketch, who is a resident. of Bay City, has alread become noted as a surgeon, and is ranked among the "com- ing" men in his profession.
Dr. Eades was born in Sherman, Chautau- qua County, New York, in 1873. He pursued a course of study in the Sherman Academy, and subsequently studied medicine in the Baltimore Medical College. He then took up clinical work in the Maryland General Hospital, where he gained a valuable practical training. After this he completed a course in the Detroit Col- lege of Medicine, from which he was gradu- ated with the class of 1901.
Having spent four years in collegiate study, Dr. Eades took special work under the tutor- ship of Dr. C. A. Ellis, of New York, which has proved of great service to him.
Soon after obtaining his diploma, Dr. Eades opened an office in Bay City, making a specialty of surgery. He has had remarkable success in the many critical operations he has performed. In cases of appendicitis, espec- ially, he has made his mark. He is accounted the most careful operator among the younger surgeons of the city. His general practice has been attended with most favorable results.
Dr. Eades was married in New York to Myrtia J. Harrington, a lady of much culture
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and refinement. The Doctor is a member of the American Medical Association, the Michi- gan State Medical Society and the Bay County Medical Society.
many.
OSEPH LIJEWSKI, a well-known farmer of Monitor township, whose excellent farm is located in section 15, was born February II, 1852, in Ger- He is a son of Anthony and Rosie ( Martynski) Lijewski.
Anthony Lijewski was born in Germany in 1832 and there died in 1892 at the age of 60 years. He was a farmer all his life and had 90 acres of land. He and his wife had 13 chil- dren, of whom but four are now living : Vin- cent, Peter, Stanislaus and Joseph. Peter served in the German Army, and now runs a grist-mill in the fatherland.
In 1874 the subject of this sketch came to America and worked on a farm in Iowa. After staying here two years, he went back to Ger- many and spent two years with the old folks. While there he was married. Upon his return to America, he proceeded to Wayne County, Michigan, where he was employed in firing and engineering in a mill. In summer time he was a section hand on the railroad and, later, worked on boilers in the railroad shops. Leav- ing Wayne County, he came to Bay County and bought the farm on which he now lives. It was partly cleared and he finished the work, and afterward built a fine two-story brick house -large and very comfortable-and a barn of sufficient size to hold 100 head of cattle. He has 160 acres of land, of which 40 are in pas- ture and over 100 under cultivation. He fol- lows general farming.
Mr. Lijewski was married in Wiatrowo, Germany, in 1877, to Annie Kukla, a daughter
of John and Mary (Slazinski) Kukla. Mrs. Lijewski's father and mother had 13 children, of whom four are deceased. Of the nine chil- dren living, Annie is the wife of our subject; Joseph lives in Kawkawlin township; Stella, wife of Julian Sochacki, lives in Kawkawlin township; and Maria, Stanislaus, Prakseda, Kostancija, Antinana and Victoria live in Ger- many on the home farm, their father owning 27 acres of land.
The subject of this sketch and his wife have had 13 children, of whom those living are as follows : Stanislaus, who lives at home; Annie (Mrs. Kaczmarek), of Monitor township; and Rosie, John, Joseph, Anthony, Helen, Frank and Lucy, who are at home. The others died in infancy, and are buried in Monitor town- ship.
JOHN FOWLER, one of the leading cit- izens of Linwood, Bay County, Mich- igan, was born in Sullivan County, New York, July 7, 1825, and is a son of Edmond and Hannah (Townsend) Fowler.
The Townsend family as well as the Fowler family, is an old established one in the "Empire" State, but through family removals the old records have been lost and little is known of the grandfathers beyond the fact of their birth and decease in that section. Edmond Fowler and family moved to Albion, Michigan, in 1845, where he died aged 80 years and the death of his wife followed at the age of 75 years.
John Fowler was reared in an old settled section and had the advantage of good district- school opportunities. He was of a mechanical turn of mind and learned the trade of stationary engineer, one which he has followed during the greater part of his active years. He was 20
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years of age when the family moved to Michi- gan, and one year later he accepted work in Missouri and in Iowa, in various mills. He worked for three years in Adair County, Mis- souri, in one of the large sawmills there, and in 1857 returned to Albion, Michigan, and in 1869 came to Bay City, where he followed his trade for 20 years. In 1890 Mr. Fowler en- gaged in business in Linwood, and in 1892 ex- changed his home in Bay City for the hand- some residence he now occupies. This is by far the finest dwelling in the place, being finished with hard-wood throughout and fitted with modern improvements. Since coming here, Mr. Fowler has been interested in the operation of a stave-mill.
While in Adair County, Missouri, Mr. Fowler was married to Emily Palmonia Cain, who is a daughter of John and Emily (Hill) Cain. The former was the first white settler in Adair County and participated in the Indian warfare on the border. He was a pensioner of the Black Hawk War and at the time of the great Indian uprising was one of the fighters in the block-house, at his home five miles from Kirksville. He married Emily Hill, who was born in Osage County, Missouri, and who died in Adair County, on the old homestead, at the age of 80 years. Mr. Cain lived to the age of 65 years. He owned 1,000 acres of land in Missouri and was known far and wide. Be- side Mrs. Fowler, Mr. and Mrs. Cain reared these children : Jackson, who was a veteran of the Mexican War; Bathsheba, deceased; George, a survivor of the Civil War, residing on the old homestead in Adair County ; Mary and Ruth, both deceased, the latter dying in California; John, who died during his service in the Civil War; and Philip, who resides in Missouri where he practices osteopathy.
Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have had five children, viz : Jennie, who is the widow of Paul King;
Minnie, who is the wife of Warren A. Chatfield of Bay City; Frederick, who probably lost his- life in the Spanish-American War; Frank, also deceased; and one who died when about four years old.
Politically, Mr. Fowler has always been identified with the Republican party, his asso- ciation being one of principle and not for politi- cal honors. He is one of the representative. men of Linwood and is held in high esteem by his fellow-citizens.
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