USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 25
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Wilbert E. Morrish lived on the home farm until he was nineteen years old, being for some time in charge of the same, and received his education in the district schools and in the Flint high school. On October 28, 1887, he married Alice E. Vernon, a daughter of Enoch and Hannah Vernon, both natives of England, who came to Michigan when young and located in Genesee county, where they married, and established their home in Flush- ing township, where Enoch Vernon spent the rest of his life and where his widow is still living. To Mr. and Mrs. Morrish three children have been born, one of whom died in early life, and Iva G. and Vernon W. Iva G. Morrish, who married W. C. Thatcher, of Clayton township, was
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well educated, her schooling including a course in the county normal, and she taught four terms of school in Clayton township. Vernon W. Morrish was graduated from the Flushing high school, after which he took a two- year course in the Michigan Agricultural College. He now lives on the home farm, which he helps to operate. He married Florence E. Whitney, a graduate of the Swartz Creek high school, who later was graduated from the county normal, after which she taught one year in Clayton township and one year in Mount Rose township.
Wilbert E. Morrish owns a well-improved and productive farm of one hundred and forty acres. In connection with his general farming, he makes a specialty of breeding Shropshire sheep and Shorthorn cattle, having kept fancy stock for breeding purposes during the past eighteen years, and has done much to encourage the raising of better live stock in his township.
Mr. Morrish is a Democrat. He was township treasurer for two terms, and from 1894 to 1900, inclusive, was township supervisor. He again served as superintendent in 1901 and 1902. He was at one time nominated by his party for county treasurer and at another time for the office of state repre- sentative from this district. He has long been active in public affairs and is one of the leaders of his party in Genesee county. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of Flushing Lodge No. 223, and of the chapter of that place.
JOHN A. MILLER.
John A. Miller, one of the well-known and progressive farmers and stockmen of the western part of Genesee county, once a resident and post- master of Swartz Creek, one of the owners of the bank at that place, man- ager of the Calkins farm, proprietor of considerable real estate interests and otherwise actively identified with the work of developing the community in which he was born and in which he has lived all his life, is a native son of Genesee county, a member in the third generation of the Miller family which was so prominent in the development of the Swartz Creek section of the county in the early days hereabout, and has consequently been a witness to and a participant in the wonderful development that has marked this region within the past half century. He was born on the old Miller farm in Clay- ton township, January II, 1865, son of Enos Miller and a grandson of Adam Miller, the latter of whom was the first settler in Clayton township and the founder of the community so long known as the Miller settlement,
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the forerunner of the present well-established and prosperous Swartz Creek community.
It was in territorial days, previous to 1836, that Adam Miller came out into the wilds of the then Territory of Michigan and entered from the government a section of land where the village of Swartz Creek is now situated. Others of the same family later came out here from New York, following the example of their pioneer kinsman, and the Miller settlement early took its place as one of the most progressive communities in this part of the state. Adam Miller's family retained its substantial lead in the com- inunity and representatives of that family have been leaders in the various activities of that neighborhood to this day. Enos Miller, one of the sons of the pioneer, Adam Miller, had six children, four of his sons, C. J. Miller, W. L. Miller, John A. Miller and A. T. Miller being the founders of the Swartz Creek Bank. John A. Miller grew to manhood on the home farm and married Nellie Calkins, who was born in 1878, the daughter and only child of Daniel E. Calkins, also a member of one of the oldest families in the western part of Genesee county, his father, Caleb Calkins, having come here as early as 1840 and entered the southwest quarter of section 12 in Clayton township, where he became one of the leaders in that community. Daniel E. Calkins was an excellent farmer and stock raiser, a good manager. and became one of the most substantial residents of the county, the owner of as much as five hundred acres of land. His old home farm of three hun- dred acres in the Swartz Creek neighborhood is now being managed by John A. Miller, who, in addition to his general farming, has for years given much attention to the feeding of cattle and sheep, feeding about two thousand sheep on that place each year. Mrs. Eunice D. Calkins, widow of Daniel E. Calkins, still resides in the family home which she helped to make one of the finest in the county.
In addition to his extensive farming interests and considerable real estate interests, Mr. Miller has for years been interested in the banking busi- ness at Swartz Creek, he and his brothers having, in 1906, organized the Swartz Creek Bank, and he retains his interest in that institution, an active member of the board of directors of the same. This bank is a private insti- tution, incorporated with a capital of ten thousand dollars, and the present officiary of the same is as follows: President, C. J. Miller; vice-president. Del Davison; cashier, Frank P. Wildman; assistant cashier, Wilbert L. Miller, and directors, Charles Chambers, John A. Miller, Enos M. Miller and A. T. Miller. Mr. Miller is a Republican and during the administration of President Harrison served as postmaster at Swartz Creek. He is a men-
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ber of the Masonic lodge at Swartz Creek and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller six children have been born, Daniel C., Dorothy J., Reo E., John Arthur, Eunice D. and Wilbert E., all of whom are still in school.
CLARENCE THOMAS.
The business of farming is to make the farm produce the utmost pos- sible at the lowest cost, and to be certain of a ready cash market for all that is produced. This, of course, involves care and close attention to the various phases of the occupation. One of the general farmers of Burton township, this county, who seems to understand the true business of farming is Clar- ence Thomas, who was born in the above-named township and county, on May 1, 1882. He is a son of Edward and Esther (Pratt) Thomas. The father was born in Davison township, Genesee county, and was a son of Will- iam Thomas, who was a native of England, from which country he came to America when a boy, nine years old, with his parents, the family coming to Michigan and locating in Davison township, Genesee county, where William Thomas grew to manhood. For a while after their marriage, Edward Thomas and wife lived on a farm which they rented in Burton township, later buying a farm there, and devoted their active lives to general farming. Two chil- dren were born to them, Lettie, wife of John Wagner, of Flint, and Clarence L., the subject of this sketch. The mother of these children died in June, 1914.
Clarence Thomas grew up on the home farm, where he worked when a boy, and attended the district schools. When fourteen years of age he started to work out by the month. At the time of his marriage he moved to his father-in-law's farm, on which he still lives. The place consists of eighty acres and is known as "Willow Dale Farm." It is located four and one-half miles from Flint, in section 14 of Burton township. Mr. Thomas has added many important improvements to the place and has made a good living as a general farmer and stock raiser.
On May 23, 1900, Clarence Thomas was married to Mabel Halleck, a daughter of Ransom and Mary J. (Hunt) Halleck. The father was born in New York state, where he was reared and married. Mary Jane Hunt, who was born in England, was ten years old when her parents came to this country, settling in New York state. Three years after their marriage, Ransom Halleck and wife came to Michigan, locating in Richfield township.
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this county, where they lived two years, at the end of which time they moved to Burton township where the family has since resided. Mr. Halleck's death occurred in 1889. His widow is still living on the home place, being now well advanced in years. To these parents four children were born, namely : Jessie, who married Charles W. Nash, of Flint, and has three children, Mary E., Lena, and Ruth H .; Florence, who married R. A. Pratt, of Flint, and has two children, Leslie C. and Charles H .; George W., who lives on a farm in Burton township, and Mabel, wife of Mr. Thomas.
To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas two children have been born, Gertrude L., born on June 1, 1901, now in her second year in the Flint high school, and Earl Dean, born on December 31, 1904, now attending the district school.
Politically, Mr. Thomas is a Republican, and he is active and influential in party affairs. He has served both as county committeeman and as town- ship committeeman, and has been active in local conventions. He has been township treasurer for the past two years, and in the spring of 1916 was nominated for highway commissioner. He was a director in school district No. 9 for six years. He is a member of the Gleaners and of the Grange in Burton township, and is also a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, Lodge No. 159, at Flint.
WILLIAM J. PUTNAM.
William J. Putnam, postmaster at Goodrich, this county, and one of the best-known and most progressive merchants of that flourishing village, is a native son of that village and has lived there all his life, now represent- ing the third generation of his family engaged in mercantile pursuits there, his grandfather and his father also having been merchants there in their respective generations. Mr. Putnam is descended from the same common stock as that of Gen. Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame, and a history of this family is set out in full in a biographical sketch relating to George F. Putnam, also of Goodrich, elder brother of the subject of this sketch, presented elsewhere in this volume, to which the reader is respectfully re- ferred for additional information in this connection. The first of the family to come to Michigan was William H. Putnam, Sr., for many years affec- tionately known throughout this section as "Squire Put," who came here in territorial days and later settled at Goodrich, where for years he was en- gaged in the mercantile business. He was postmaster and justice of the
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peace and his son, William H. Putnam, Jr., succeeded him in the ownership of the store and was also postmaster and justice of the peace. William H. Putnam, Jr., married Rhoda A. Frost, daughter of Jonathan Frost, one of the foremost pioneers of the Goodrich neighborhood, a history of which family is set out in detail in a biographical sketch relating to Mrs. Emily ยท( Frost) Goodrich, of Goodrich, aunt of the subject of this sketch, presented elsewhere in this volume, and William J. Putnam was the last born of the four children born to that union.
William J. Putnant was born on July 21, 1884, and grew to manhood in his native village, receiving his schooling in the schools of that town and supplementing the same by a course in the Ferris Institute. When he was twenty-one years of age, in 1905, he and N. S. Strong engaged in the lum- ber business in the northern peninsula, under the firm name of the Strong Lumber Company, and he was thus engaged until 1909, when he returned to Goodrich and there formed a partnership with Homer W. Day, the part- ners purchasing the general store of D. M. Scriver, which they since have very successfully conducted. Since taking over that business they have added a general line of agricultural implements to their stock and are doing very well. In 1914 Mr. Putnam was postmaster of Goodrich, the third of his name in successive generations to hold that office, and is now serving the public very acceptably in that capacity.
On September 27, 1915, William J. Putnam was united in marriage to Philena M. Pierson, who also was born in Goodrich, daughter of William S. and Addie (Salisbury) Pierson, both of whom were born in the near vicinity of that village, members of old pioneer families, who are now living in the city of Portland, Oregon. William S. Pierson's father, Deloss Pier- son, was born near the city of Rochester, New York, where he grew to manhood and where he married Philena Douglass, who was born in Gorham township, Yates county, New York. In 1856 he and his wife came to Michi- gan and settled in this county, where they spent the rest of their lives. Deloss Pierson bought a farm of two hundred and forty acres in Atlas township from Levi Preston, one of the first settlers in that section, and lived there until late in life, when he and his wife moved to Flint, where both died in 1904, about seven years later. They had three sons, Sumner H, of Good- rich; Herbert, of Atlas township, and William S. The latter grew to man- hood on the home farm in Atlas township and married Addie Salisbury, who also was born in that same township. He followed farming here until about 1902, when he and his wife moved to Portland, Oregon, where they are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Putnam take a farm interest in the general
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social and cultural activities of their home village and are among the leaders in all movements having to do with the advancement of the best interests of the community thereabout.
CLINTON ROBERTS.
Clinton Roberts, of the law firm of Black & Roberts, at Flint, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here practically all his life. He was born in the village of Argentine, in the southwestern part of the county, June 21, 1864. He is a son of David N. and Martha (Owen) Roberts, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Michigan, who were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mary, wite of John T. Matthews, of Ithaca, this state. The mother of these children, whose parents were natives of Wales, died in 1868 and David N. Roberts later married Mrs. Eliza Beach, which second union was without issue.
David N. Roberts was reared on a farm in Chemung county, New York. and became a millwright and practical miller. When about twenty-one years of age he came to Michigan and located in the village of Parshallburg, in Livingston county, where he erected a flour-mill which he operated for awhile, presently moving to Deer Creek, where he built the first mill in that place. From there he moved to Argentine, where he ownd and operated a mill for a number of years, hauling his flour from there to Detroit by wagon. He then moved to Hartland Center, where he owned and operated a mill until failing sight compelled him to give up the milling business, after which he moved to a farm he had bought years before in Argentine town- ship and there spent his last days, his death occurring in 1892, he then being seventy-two years of age.
Owing to the several changes of residence on the part of his father, Clinton Roberts received his schooling in several different villages. He was graduated from the high school at Fenton and then for several years taught school, devoting his leisure to the study of law, presently pursuing these studies systematically under the preceptorship of James H. McFarlan at Flint and was admitted to the bar in 1886. Mr. Roberts began the practice of his profession at Flint in partnership with Mr. McFarlan and later formed a partnership with George O. Crane, which mutually agreeable association continued until the death of Mr. Crane, after which Mr. Roberts became as-
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sociated in practice with Edward D. Black, under the firm name of Black & Roberts, which association continues.
On May 25, 1897, Clinton Roberts was united in marriage to Lulu Gillis, daughter of Andrew and Marcia (Persons) Gillis, further mention of whom is made a biographical sketch relating to Andrew Gillis, presented elsewhere in this volume, and to that union were born three children, Russell C., David G. and Francis L. The mother of these children died in 1910, at the age of forty-one years, and on June 14, 1912, Mr. Roberts married Mrs. Lonisa A. Burns, who was born at Alpena, this state, daughter of William L. Macdonald and wife, the former of whom, a native of Scotland, came to Michigan from Brantford, Canada, and settled in Alpena, where he is still living. Mrs. Roberts is a member of the Episcopal church. Mr. Roberts is a Democrat. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Masonic order, being a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight Templar, a member of Flint Lodge No. 23, Free and Accepted Masons: Washington Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Ma- sons, and Genesee Valley Commandery No. 15, Knights Templar. He and his wife reside at No. 615 East Court street, Flint.
WARREN A. ROGERS.
Warren A. Rogers, well-known miller at Genesee, this county, pro- prietor of the old-established "Genesee Mills" at that place and long one of the leaders in affairs thereabout, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born at Whitesburg on August 14, 1864, son of Isaac O. and Mary S. (Meade) Rogers, natives of New York state and for many years well-known residents of Genesee county, whose last days were spent in the village of Genesee, where for years Isaac O. Rogers operated the mill now owned by his son, the subject of this sketch.
Isaac O. Rogers was born in Genesee county, New York, February 20. 1827, and was left an orphan in his early childhood. He was reared on a farm and when grown left the farm and went into the grinding department of a distillery in the neighborhood of his home and there began his life- long career as a miller, later acquiring further experience in that line in mills at Lockport and at other points thereabout and then came to Michigan, locating in Genesee county. Upon coming here he had a horse and buggy and a watch, which he traded for a farm near Mt. Morris, but he found (17a)
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his farm under water and presently sold it to Robert Dyball. He then re- turned to New York and there, on July 10, 1851, married Mary S. Meade, who was born at Alabama Center, Genesee county, that state, March 13. 1833, and shorly after his marriage returned to Michigan, arriving at Flint with his wife, a watch and forty cents in cash. For some time after his re- turn to this county, Mr. Rogers worked in the Hamilton mill at Flint and in the mill at the village of Genesee and then went to work in the mill at Fayville, two miles north of Mt. Morris, later buying that mill and moving the same to Whitesburg, re-erecting it on Butternut creek, the money for that operation having been furnised him by Mr. Hartson. Mr. Rogers operated the mill at Whitesburg for about ten years and while there made some money. In 1871 he traded the mill to John Hibbard for eighty acres of land and the next year, in the summer of 1872, he went to Genesee, where he and George Lisett bought the mill that had been established there for years. Not long afterward Mr. Rogers bought his partner's interest in the mill and thereafter operated it alone. In 1882 the mill was destroyed hy fire, but he rebuilt it better than before and continued operating it until his death, in June. 1889, he then being sixty-two years of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave a little more than a year, her death having occurred on March 12, 1888, she then having been fifty-five years of age. Isaac O. Rogers was a Republican from the time of the organization of that party until the organization of the Greenback party, in 1874, when he be- came affiliated with that party. For some years he served as supervisor of Thetford township and in other ways contributed of his time and service to the public. He was a Royal Arch Mason affiliated with the "blue" lodge and the chapter at Flint, and took much interest in Masonic affairs.
To Isaac O. and Mary S. ( Meade ) Rogers five children were born, namely : Nancy J., born on August 31, 1856. who died on September 8, of that same year; William O., November 6, 1861, now living at Otter Lake, in the neighboring county of Lapeer: Warren A., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Frank G., merchant and postmaster at Genesee, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and Carrie May, born on July 19, 1870, who died on April 13, 1874. William O. Rogers, now living at Otter Lake, was married on October 4, 1882, to Johanna Clapp, who was born on March 29, 1864, daughter of Horace and Mary J. ( Dickerson ) Clapp, the former born on October 28, 1835, and the latter, March 17, 1837, who were married on April 6, 1836, and for more than forty years were well-known residents of Genesee township, and to this union five children have been born, as follow: Nellie M., born on
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October 18, 1885, who married George Dewey; Claud A., July 20, 1891; Pearl Georgia, March 9, 1894, who died on April 8, of that same year; Otto B., October 17. 1895, who died on September 7, 1896, and Francis A., November 1, 1898.
Warren A. Rogers was but a child when his parents moved to Genesee and he received his schooling in the schools of that village. From the days of his boyhood he was a valued assistant of. his father in the work of the mill and upon their father's death he and his brother, William O. Rogers, assumed the management of the mill and continued to operate the same under the firm name of Rogers Brothers, until in April, 1916, when Warren A. Rogers bought his brother's interest in the mill and has since been operating it alone. The Genesee Mills is one of the best-known establish- ments of its kind in this part of the state and its product is in wide demand. Mr. Rogers makes a specialty of white and regular Graham flours, buck- wheat flour and a special-process flour known as "Breakfast Wheat," which has become widely popular. Mr. Rogers's mill is a burrstone mill, run by water-power, the water confined by the concrete dam across the creek at the point turning five water wheels of thirty horse-power each. Mr. Rogers is a Mason, a member of the lodge of that order at Otisville, and is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, keeper of records in the "tent" of the latter order for five years. Politically, he is a Prohibitionist and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Protestant church, in which he has been an office bearer and for many years Sunday school superintendent.
Mr. Rogers has been twice married. It was in November, 1903, that he was united in marriage to Mary Sheldon, who was born in Forest town- ship, this county, and who died on November 1, 1904, eleven months after her marriage, after having given birth to a babe which lived but a short time. On October 26, 1909, Mr. Rogers married Lucy Fitch, who was born in Genesee township, this county. daughter of Edwin H. and Lettie ( Ward) Fitch, the former of whom was born at Clinton, this state, July 14, 1837, and the latter in Ohio, November 9, 1841, who married on September 4, 1861, and had seven children, of whom Mrs. Rogers was the last born, the others being Winnie A., Nina. Lena, Cora, Bessie and Archie. Edwin H. Fitch was for more than twenty years a farmer, living near the village of Genesee, until his retirement from the farm and removal to Flint, where he now lives. His wife died on March 29, 1895. Lucy Fitch completed her schooling in Oberlin College and then bgean teaching in the city schools at Flint, teaching in the Doyle school for one year and six months and in the Walker school for two years and six months, at the end of which time
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she went to California and had been teaching in that state for three years at the time of her marriage to Mr. Rogers. To that union three children have been born, Lena Marie, born on October 1. 1910; Kenneth Warren, June 12, 1912, and Catheryn Louise, December 3, 1913.
WALTER DRISS KNICKERBOCKER.
Walter Driss Knickerbocker, supervisor of Mt. Morris township and one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of that part of Genesee county, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in section 7, Genesee township, May 18, 1876, son of Walter and Mary (Abram) Knickerbocker, both natives of the state of New York, who spent their last days in this county, both living to ripe old ages, honored and influential residents of the community in which they had lived for many years.
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