USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 32
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on May 13, 1891, who was graduated in 1915 from Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and Sidney Estelle and Frank Niles ( twins), born on March 28, 1897, the former of whom is a student in Wellesley College, and the latter a midshipman in the United States Naval Academy at Ann- apolis, Maryland.
Mr. Sayre served as village and township clerk for seven years, was president of the village and also served as justice of the peace. He was a member of the board of trustees of the State Industrial School for Boys from 1893 to 1899: was state senator from 1899 to 1901, and state tax com- missioner, 1901 to 1907. Politically, Mr. Sayre was a Republican until 1912, when he was a delegate to the Chicago convention which nominated Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Sayre has membership in about a dozen secret orders, including the Masonic fraternity, in which he is a Knight Templar and a thirty-third degree Mason.
WILBERT H. KEDDY.
Among the Canadians, and there are many, who have cast their lots with the people of the Wolverine state is Wilbert H. Keddy, successful farmer and stock raiser of Fenton township, Genesee county. He was born in Huron county, Ontario, February 19. 1868. and is a son of Ralph and Susanna (Down) Keddy. Robert Down, the maternal grandfather, was a native of Devonshire, England, from which country he came to Canada in 1840 and spent the rest of his life in Ontario. Robert Keddy, the paternal grandfather, was a native of Yorkshire. England, and married Elizabeth Slater. They immigrated to Canada in 1846, located on a farm in Ontario, where they spent the rest of their lives. Ralph Keddy was born at Port Hope. Canada. July 6, 1834, and his wife was born in England. They reside on a farin at Exeter, Ontario. Their family consists of the follow- ing children: Wilbert H., of this sketch: Charles, who lives at home; Nel- son, who lives in Alberta, Canada; Norman, who is engaged in the real estate business in Detroit: Herbert, who lives in Melfort, Saskatchewan. ('anada : Hannah, who lives at home: Nettie, the youngest, who also is with her parents. The father is a Liberal in politics and he and his wife are Methodists and active in church work.
Wilbert H. Keddy grew up on the home farm in the province of Ontario and received a public school education. He came to Detroit, Mich-
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igan, in 1899, where he found employment in a wood-working establishment. Then he was connected with the Keddy Grille Company there for ten years; then exchanged Detroit real estate for a farm, sold out and moved to Gen- esee county and has since operated his farm of one hundred and thirty-six acres in section 26, just north of Fenton. He has made many improve- ments, rebuilt the barn, erected two large concrete silos and put up new fencing. He is a breeder of pure-bred Guernsey cattle, and in connection with general farming maintains a dairy. He has installed a milking machine and all modern, sanitary equipment. He is president of the Linden Co-operative Creamery Company, of which he was one of the organizers. He has been president from the start and the pronounced success of the undertaking has been due largely to his excellent management. He takes an active interest in all movements having for their object better farming and the raising of better grades of live stock and has done much to encourage both in this locality. He was president of the Farmers Institute from 1913 to 1915, inclusive, and has been one of the most influential members of the same for years. He is also an active member of the Methodist church at Fenton. He belongs to the Gleaners and the Grange. At present, and for two years past, Mr. Keddy has been secretary of the Genesee County Pomona Grange No. 48. Politically. he is a Republican.
Mr. Keddy was married on September 11, 1895, to Nellie Hicks, who was born in Elgin county. Ontario, August 27, 1874. This union has resulted in the birth of two children, Herbert, born August 17, 1896, and Beulah, born June 13, 1906.
FRANK DOLAN.
Frank Dolan, a retired farmer of Mt. Morris township, was born on March 25, 1830, in County Tyrone, Ireland. He came to the United States with his parents, who settled on a farm in Pennsylvania and remained there for some years. The father believing that Michigan was a better state in which to obtain a home, prepared to move his family further west. In 1856 they left their home in Pennsylvania and located in Mt. Morris township, this county. There the parents spent the rest of their lives. They were sturdy pioneers and endured the hardships and privations common to the early settlers in a new country.
(21a)
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On the death of his parents, Frank Dolan became the possessor of the farm and there he lived many years, during which time he greatly improved and developed the place. He later moved two miles east of the old home, and there he lived for two years. He then purchased sixty acres in section 14, where he now lives. Owing to his advanced age, he has for some years been living a retired life.
Frank Dolan was married to Bridget Murphy, a native of Ireland, and to this union two sons were born, Nicholas and Barney, both now residents of Mt. Morris township. Their mother died years ago. Some years after the death of his first wife, Frank Dolan married Kate McCawley, who died on January 10, 1914.
Frank Dolan is a member of the St. Mary's Catholic church at Mt. Morris and is a devout and consistent Christian. During his eventful and busy life he has always been faithful to his vows as a member of the church, which now mean so much to him in his old age. Mr. Dolan is a Republican and has always taken an active interest in local politics. It has never been his desire to hold office, yet he feels it the duty of all good citizens to take an interest in the selection of public officers.
EDWARD C. MOORE.
The business of the farm and the business of farming, while in many points analogous, are in reality quite distinctive. The former carries with it the consideration of expenditure in the employment of labor, in buildings, improvements, and cost of raising crops as against the revenue received after harvesting and sale. Edward C. Moore of Burton township, this county, seems to look carefully to both phases and is therefore successful. He was born on March 2, 1868, in Richfield township this county, a son of Edward B. and Mary J. (French) Moore, the former of whom was born on Sep- tember II, 1822, at Batavia, Genesee county, New York, and there attended school and grew to manhood. When twenty-six years of age, in 1848, he and his brother, John W. Moore, who had both learned the carpenter's trade, left the home farm on which they had been reared and came to Michigan, locating in Richfield township, this county, where they followed their trade for a year or two, then entered forty acres of land from the government in Richfield township, on which they lived until 1873, when they located in the village of Davison, later moving to the village of Flint. In the spring
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of 1876 they purchased seventy-seven acres in that locality where they con- tinued to reside until the death of Edward B. Moore, October 21, 1907. His wife was born in Middlebury township, Genesee county, New York, March 22, 1834. When seven years old, in 1841, she came with her parents to Genesee county and in Richfield township grew up, attended school and lived on the home farm until her marriage to Mr. Moore. To their union three children were born, namely: Carrie E., who died when six years of age; Edward C., the subject of this review, and Jennie, who married Timothy Russell, and died at her home in Mt. Morris township, this county, Feb- ruary 28, 1905.
Edward C. Moore grew to manhood on the home farm and received a common-school education, supplementing the same by a course in the Normal at Flint. He has remained a farmer and now owns a productive place of seventy-seven acres in section 10 of Burton township, four miles from Flint.
On July 19, 1911, Edward C. Moore was married to Mary Williams, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret ( Patterson) Williams. She was born in Perry county, Ohio, from which her parents moved to this county, living for some time in Flint. They now reside in Bay City. To Mr. and Mrs. Moore one son has been born, Edward Thomas Moore, whose birth occurred on September 22, 1912.
Politically, Mr. Moore is a Democrat but he has never been very active in public affairs.
EDWARD DORR PARSONS.
Edward Dorr Parsons, one of the well-known and prominent retired farmers of Grand Blanc, was born on March 1, 1846, in the south part of Grand Blanc township, this county, the son of Edward and Sarah (Baldwin) Parsons.
Edward Parsons was born at Marcellus, Onondaga county, New York, August 29, 1810, and was educated at Williams College, Massachusetts. It was at Marcellus that he lived until he was twenty-five years of age, at which time, in 1837 he left the state of his birth and young manhood and came to Michigan, where he entered two hundred and twenty acres of land in Grand Blanc township, this county. The land at that time was undeveloped and unimproved, but in time, Mr. Parsons succeeded in making the tract one of the best in the township, and there it was that he made his permanent
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home. Sarah Baldwin, to whom Mr. Parsons was later married, was born at Brattleboro, Vermont, and later moved to Baldwinsville, New York, and then in 1837, came with her parents to Michigan, the family settling in that county. She was the daughter of Dr. Cyrus Baldwin and wife, who located two miles southeast of Grand Blanc, on the Saginaw road, or turnpike. They remained there but a short time, after which they moved to Kepps Corners, southeast of Goodrich, where the Doctor spent the rest of his life. He was the first physician in that part of the county, and was well and favor- ably known throughout a wide territory. His wife was a Dorr. During his life in the state of New York, Edward Parsons, Sr., was a merchant at Bath, where he was both successful and prominent. After coming to Gene- see county, he devoted his life to farming and became prominent in the social and civic life of the community. He was always interested in the schools and took much interest in their development. He had a full realiza- tion of the importance of good schools to the youth of the township, and knew that the future of the district depended much upon the training the child received in the public schools of the township. For many years he was school inspector of his township, and under his administration the schools made rapid advancement. Mr. Parsons and wife were members of the Con- gregational church, and from the very beginning of the local society, were interested in its success and growth. Mrs. Parsons died in 1883 and there- after Mr. Parsons made his home with his son, Edward Dorr Parsons, until his death in 1889.
Edward Parsons and wife were the parents of four children, James and Jacob (twins), Almira and Edward D. When the latter was eleven years of age the children were sent to their grandfather, in the state of New York, where they could receive better school advantages. Edward D. Par- sons later returned to the home of his father and there he grew to manhood. In 1875 he was married to Abigail M. Parker, who was born in the neigh- boring county of Oakland, daughter of Jonathan and Abigail Parker, further mention of whom is made on another page in this volume. Soon after his marriage, Edward D. Parsons established his home on a farm in section 27, two miles south of Grand Blanc, where he lived until within recent years. The farm at that time was all wood and there were no improvements, not even a house. It was there that he cleared a patch and erected a small house, in which he and his wife lived for some years. He later succeeded in clear- ing and developing the farm, until today he has one of the very best farms in the county. He has erected good and substantial buildings, all of which are in excellent state of repairs. His house is modern, with hard-wood
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floors and acetyline-gas lights, with every convenience. There are one hun- dred and thirty-seven acres of land in his farm all of which is under high cultivation. For the past ten years his younger son, Ivan E. Parsons has been managing the place, though Edward D. Parsons and wife continued to live on the farm until 1915, at which time they moved to Grand Blanc, where they now reside.
Edward D. Parsons and wife are the parents of two sons, Cassen Eugene and Ivan Earl. The Rev. Cassen Eugene Parsons was born in 1877, and after completing the course in the grade schools was graduated from the Flint high school. During 1896 he attended college, leaving at the beginning of his junior year for a course in the Chicago Bible Institute. After spend- ing two years as general missionary of the American Sunday School Union, for Central Michigan, with headquarters at Clare, he took a course in Liv- ingston College, an institution founded as a memorial to David Livingston, at Leyton, London, England, and sailed for China, as general missionary of the China Inland Mission, in 1903. During six years in China Mr. Par- sons helped lay the foundation for the reclamation system of China, for which service he was recognized, together with thirty others, by the late Emperor Kuang Hsu. The Manchu viceroy of Liang Kiang, Tuan Fang, also gave special recognition to the work accomplished, which, through the distribution of vast sums of international relief, saved the lives of a million famine-stricken persons in the alluvial plains of eastern China and set in motion the reclamation and reforestation movement of the Republic of China. Passing through the threatened second Boxer crisis of 1909, during which the combined efforts of the Chinese officials and the foreigners, includ- ing Mr. Parsons, at Anking, averted disastrous war, Mr. Parsons traveled in India, Egypt, Palestine and Europe. Upon his return to this country and after taking his degree, including the degree of Bachelor of Divinity and the degree of Master of Arts at Yale University, Mr. Parsons engaged in peace work in Michigan and is now thus engaged, with headquarters at Detroit.
Ivan Earl Parsons was born in 1883 and after completing the course in the local schools, entered Michigan Agricultural College, from which institution he was graduated in June, 1906, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. In that same month he married Bessie Kirby, who was born and reared at Almont, this state, a daughter of George and Anna Kirby. Since his marriage, Ivan E. Parsons has farmed the home place south of Grand Blanc and has been successful in his general farming and dairying operations. He has a fine herd of Jersey cattle, some of which are registered. He has done much in the way of improving the place, and in 1915 rebuilt the barn
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and today has one of the finest barns in the county. He is a progressive farmer, a firm believer in the modern methods of conducting a farm. In 1915 Mr. Parsons was secretary of the Michigan Farmers Experiment Association, located at the Michigan Agricultural College, East Lansing, and is the present president of that association. He also is secretary of the Farm- ers Exchange Bank of Grand Blanc, which has a capitalization of two hun- dred thousand dollars, and is in other ways actively identified with the develop- ing interests of that part of the county.
To Ivan Earl and Bessie (Kirby) Parsons three children have been born, George Edward, Anna Louise and June Mary. The family are promi- nent in the social and religious life of the community and take much inter- est in church work. Edward D. Parsons and wife as well as Ivan Earl Parsons and wife are members of the Congregational church, being among the prominent and inflential members of the same. No fewer than twelve generations of the Parsons family in America are to be found in the con- gressional library, at Washington. Edward Parsons was descended from one of the earliest arrivals of the family in this country, Cornet Joseph Parsons, a founder of Northampton, Massachusetts, who arrived in 1630 from England. Cornet Joseph Parsons was descended from Sir John Par- sons, of Hereford, England, the coat of arms of this branch of the family indicating distinguished ecclesiastical and military service. The earliest established ancestor is John Parsons, of Cuddington, England, 1284. The family in America has been closely identified with the political, educational, and religious development of the country, in the East and central West. occupying many positions of prominence throughout its history.
REV. JOHN BRADFORD PENGELLY, A. M., D. B.
The Rev. John Bradford Pengelly, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church at Flint, is a native of the Dominion of Canada, born at Brantford, in the province of Ontario, May 12, 1881, son and eldest of the five children born to the Rev. John Henly and Elizabeth Ann (Bradford) Pengelly, natives of England, who are now living at Woodstock, Canada.
The Rev. J. H. Pengelly was born in Cornwall, son of the Rev. Thomas Pengelly and wife also natives of Cornwall, the former of whom, a clergy- man of the Wesleyan faith, died there when about sixty-four years of age. His widow, who still survives at the advanced age of ninety years, is now
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living in Liskeard, Cornwall. They were the parents of five children, John Henry, James, Thomas, Joseph and Emma. The Rev. John H. Pengelly married Elizabeth Ann Bradford, who also was born in Cornwall, daugh- ter of the Rev. John and Harriet (Eastcott) Bradford, natives of Hen- wood, in Cornwall, and who were the parents of seven children, of whom Mrs. Pengelly was the first-born, the others being as follow: Jane, who died in youth; John; James, who died in childhood; James, the second; Alvena, who died unmarried at the age of twenty-two years, and Theodore, who died young. Immediately after their marriage, in 1879, Rev. John H. Pengelly and his wife came across the Atlantic and located in Canada. For years Mr. Pengelly continued in his profession as a minister of the Baptist church, but for some years past has been connected with the Karn-Morris piano corporation of Woodstock and Listowell, Canada.
Upon completing the course in the public schools at Leamington, Can- ada, J. Bradford Pengelly worked at a trade for four years, after which he entered Woodstock College, from which he was graduated in 1902. He not only was the valedictorian of his class, but was awarded the Hiram Calvin scholarship for general proficiency in his studies. In 1906 he was graduated, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, from McMaster University, Toronto, in which institution he also received conspicuous honors, having been presi- dent of the Literary Society and of the Inter-College Debating Union, as well as honor pupil in his class in philosophy, history and English literature, while he was equally well known in the athletic life of the college, having been captain of the Rugby team. Following his graduation, Mr. Pengelly spent a short time in a rural parish in Canada and then, in 1907, entered Har- vard University, where he spent two terms in post-graduate work. In 1908 he entered the University of Chicago and following three years of post-gradu- ate work there received his degrees of Master of Arts and Bachelor of Divin- ity. He then was placed in charge of St. Edmund's mission, Chicago, being ordained on June 19, 1911, and was thus engaged until he accepted the call of St. Paul's parish at Flint in the fall of 1913. During the time he was in charge at St. Edmund's, Mr. Pengelly increased the membership of that mission from forty-two to three hundred and thirty-six.
It was on September 1, 1913, that the Rev. J. Bradford Pengelly was called as rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church at Flint. In that same month he married and established his residence in the rectory, at 412 East Kearsley street, where he ever since has been located. St. Paul's is the largest parish in the diocese of Michigan, with a membership of about four- teen hundred and the church, situated in South Saginaw street, is generally
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regarded to be one of the most beautiful church edifices in the country. Mr. Pengelly is not a partisan in his political views. Fraternally, he is a Mason, a member of Flint Lodge No. 23, Free and Accepted Masons, and Friendship Lodge No. 174, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
It was on September 17, 1913, at Woodstock, Canada, that the Rev. J. Bradford Pengelly was united in marriage to Edith Maude Campbell, who was born in Oxford county, Ontario, January 2, 1879, daughter of Capt. Robert and Elizabeth Allen (Craig) Campbell, natives of Scotland, both of whom died at Woodstock, and who were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Pengelly was the last-born, the others being Margaret Anna. Jessie Agnes, Robert Colin, James Craig and Helena. Capt. Robert Camp- bell was a son of Robert and Margaret (Orr) Campbell, who were the par- ents of four children, the Captain having had a brother, William, and two others who died in infancy. His wife was a daughter of James and Margaret (Walker) Craig, who were the parents of five children, those besides Mrs. Campbell having been Isabel, Margaret, William and John, the latter of whom died in infancy. To the Reverend and Mrs. John Bradford Pengelly one child has been born, a son, John Bradford Pengelly, Jr., August 15. 1914.
GEORGE W. HILL.
George W. Hill, a prominent and successful farmer of Burton township, and the owner of "Red Clover Farm," of two hundred and eight acres, is a native of Genesee county, the son of John and Betsy ( Ballinger) Hill, and was born on July 29, 1865.
John Hill was born in the state of Vermont and Mrs. Hill in the state. of New York. Mr. Hill came to Genesee county at the age of eighteen and worked as farm hand for a number of years. He later purchased a farm of his own, which he cleared and improved. He is still living, at the age of eighty-eight; his wife died in 1869. They were the parents of six children, three of whom are living: Bert, a farmer in Davison township; Lavonia, the wife of William F. Baldwin, a Methodist Episcopal minister, of Saginaw county, and George W.
George W. Hill was reared on the farm of his father and at the age of seventeen went to work for himself. On October 7, 1888, he was united in marriage to Fannie L. Day, a native of Genesee county. She is the
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George W Hill
Fannie Lo Hill
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daughter of Byron and Abigail (Alexander) Hill and was born on March 14, 1860. She married Clark C. Day, who is deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Hill are the parents of six children: Oliver G., born March 28, 1890; Ernest L., November 1, 1894; Nellie F., September 23, 1896; Norman J., March 4, 1900; Clarence S., January 15, 1902; and Lena Grace, February 6, 1904. She has one son by her first marriage, Melzor C. Day, of Flint, born on August 2, 1882; he married Alice Rheinhart and their children are Irene and Dorthy A., at home, and Douglas, deceased."
Mr. Hill is a Republican in politics, has served as moderator of the school district for twenty-six years and is at present a justice of the peace. He is a man of much influence and highly respected in the community in which he lives.
ALBERT M. DELAND.
Albert M. DeLand, a well-to-do farmer of Genesee county, was born in Flushing township, on the old DeLand homestead, on October 8, 1848, the son of Joseph M. and Mary Ann (Hinkley) DeLand.
Joseph M. DeLand was born in Candor, Tioga county, New York, March 3, 1823. There he received his education and grew to manhood. On March 14, 1844, he married Mary Ann Hinkley, who was born in Tomp- kins county, New York, January 30, 1827. In 1847 the family came to Michigan and for a short time remained in Ann Arbor. They then came to Genesee county and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Flush- ing township and it was there that Mr. and Mrs. DeLand spent the rest of their lives, the latter dying on July 25, 1897, and the former on March 14, 1914. Mr. DeLand was a quiet and unassuming man, but public spirited and did much for the development of the community in which he lived.
Joseph M. DeLand was the son of Rev. Charles and Susan (Wilmont) DeLand, natives of the state of New York and Massachusetts, respectively. the former having been born on December 13, 1797, at Hartford, Washing- ton county, and the latter at West Stockbridge, May 1I, 1796. Before com- ing to Michigan they lived in Hector, New York. In 1847 they settled in Genesee county and for many years the Rev. Charles DeLand was pastor of the Flushing Baptist church and of the church at Mt. Morris. For thirteen years before coming to Michigan, Mr. DeLand was active in pastoral work in his native state. To the Rev. Charles and Susan DeLand were born six children, Virgil, Milton, Alexander J., Joseph M., Charles F. and Mary C.,
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