USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 36
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On June 10, 1902, Elmer N. Phillips was united in marriage to Olive May Attridge, who was born in Canada, March 17, 1882, daughter of Rich- ard and Priscilla (McMane) Attridge, both natives of the Dominion, who were the parents of four daughters, Elvina, Olive May, Minerva and Eliza- beth. Richard Attridge died in Canada and his widow married William Schnock, to which second union four children were born, Caroline, Grace, Noble and Viola. Richard Attridge was the son of Michael and Kate (Ducklow) Attridge, natives of County Cork, Ireland, who emigrated to Canada and there engaged in farming. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, William, James, John, Thomas, Samuel, Edward, Robert, Mary Ann, Frances and Richard. Mrs. Phillips' maternal grandparents, Charles and Ellen ( Barr) McMane, emigrated from Dublin, Ireland, to Canada, where they also engaged in farming and where they reared a family of eleven
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children, Jane, Eliza, Sarah, Allan, Ellen, Ann, Charles, Robert, Priscilla, Fannie and Rebecca. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips are members of the Episcopal church and he is a Republican in his political views.
JOHN W. RILEY.
John W. Riley, a well-known and substantial farmer of Clayton town- ship, this county, and the proprietor of a well-kept farm of something more than eighty acres on rural route No. 2, out of Swartz Creek, is a native of the great Empire state, but has been a resident of Michigan since he was a child. He was born in New York state, June 2, 1861, son of John and Nora (Ryan) Riley, natives of Ireland, who later came to Michigan and settled in Genesee county, where their last days were spent.
John Riley came from Ireland to the United States with his parents when a boy and grew up in the state of New York, where he married Nora Ryan, who was twenty years old when she came to this country from Ire- land. Some years after their marriage, John Riley and his wife and the children born to them in New York came to Michigan and located at Grand Blanc, in this county. Later he bought a farm of forty acres in Mundy township and established his home there, continuing to live on that place for twelve years, at the end of which time he sold the "forty" and bought an "eighty" in that same neighborhood, where he spent the rest of his life. He was a Democrat and he and his wife were members of the Catholic church, in the faith of which they reared their children. There were eight of these children. of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follow: Ella, wife of S. Algree; Thomas, a farmer of Clayton township; Timothy, a farmer of Mundy township; Mate, deceased, who was the wife of Frank Wadley; Elizabeth, wife of George Irzentrier, of Gaines township; Nora, wife of Fred Robenger, of Mundy township, and Edward, a farmer of Mundy township.
John W. Riley was but a child when his parents came to this county from New York and he was reared on the home farm in Mundy township, receiving his schooling in the district schools in the neighborhood of his home. He remained at home, a valued assistant in the work of developing and improving the liome place, until he was twenty-two years old, after which he began working on his own account. In 1893 he bought the farm on which he is now living and after his marriage, in the fall of 1895, estab-
MR. AND MRS. JOHN W. RILEY.
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lished his home there and has ever since lived there, he and his wife being very pleasantly situated. Mr. Riley is a Democrat and takes a good citizen's interest in local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.
It was on October 2, 1895, that John W. Riley was united in marriage to Mary Gable, who was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1868, daughter of Martin and Ann Gable, who came to Michigan and settled on a farm in Clayton township, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Riley are mem- bers of the Catholic church and take a warm interest in parish affairs and in the general good works of the community in which they live.
FRANK A. BARKER.
Frank A. Barker, a well-known and substantial farmer of Gaines town- ship, this county, owner of a well-kept farm on rural route No. 2, out of Swartz Creek, is a native son of Michigan and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a farm in Wayne county, March 31, 1870, son of John and Harriet (Bemiss) Barker, both natives of the state of New York, who came to Michigan in the days of their youth with their respective par- ents and grew up and were married in Wayne county.
After his marriage John Barker established his home on a farm in Wayne county and lived there until about 1873, when he moved into Shia- wassee county and located on an unimproved farm of eighty acres in the vicinity of Henderson, where he spent the rest of his life, becoming a sub- stantial farmer and a useful citizen of that community. He and his wife were the parents of six children, of whom four are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being Albert, a farmer in Saginaw county, this state; Nettie, wife of John Spitler, who lives in Shiawassee county, and Lester, who owns the old home place in that county.
Frank A. Barker was about three years old when his parents moved from Wayne county to Shiawassee county and he grew to manhood on the home farm in the neighborhood of Henderson, receiving his schooling in the schools of that town, and remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, after which he engaged in farming on his own account. He was married when twenty-three years of age, and continued making his home in Shiawassee county until 1904, in which year he moved over into Genesee county, bought the farm on which he is now living in Gaines township and there has lived ever since, doing very well in his farming operations. In
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addition to his general farming Mr. Barker has given considerable attention to the raising of Holstein cattle and has prospered. He is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has never been a seeker after public office. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that order.
It was in June, 1893, that Frank A. Barker was united in marriage to Lillie Davis and to this union eight children have been born, John, Edith, Beatrice, Helen, Louis, Alice, Ernest and Ethel. The Barkers have a very pleasant home on their well-kept farm and take a proper interest in the various social activities of their home community, helpful in the work of promoting all good causes thereabout.
HON. GEORGE E. HOUGHTON.
Hon. George E. Houghton, former representative in the Legislature from the first Genesee district, a well-known retired farmer of the Swartz Creek neighborhood in this county, now living in the village of Swartz Creek, and for years actively identified with the development of the inter- ests of the community in which he lives, is a native of the state of Ohio, but has lived in Michigan since he was a boy. He was born in Mantua town- ship, Portage county, Ohio, October 8, 1840, son of George E. and Rosina S. (Thomas) Houghton, natives of Vermont, who came to Michigan in 1855.
The senior George E. Houghton moved from Vermont to Ohio, where he married Rosina S. Thomas and where he made his home until 1855, in which year he came to Michigan and settled on a farm in Gaines township, this county, where he established his home. In his home county in Ohio he had been prominent in politics and upon coming to this county took an equally active part, affiliating with the Republicans upon the formation of that party and for some time serving as justice of the peace, an office he also had filled at his old home in Ohio. His wife died here on December 16, 1880. The senior George E. Hougliton and wife were the parents of ten children, six of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch, the eldest, being as follows: Hiram W., a retired farmer of Clayton town- ship, this county; Adelia R., wife of Charles M. Miller, of Clayton town- ship; Fred, of Riverside, California; Thomas E., a farmer of Venice town- ship, in the neighboring county of Shiawassee, and Otis E., a field man for the Owosso Sugar-Beet Company.
The junior George E. Houghton was about fifteen years old when he
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came to this state from Ohio with his parents in 1855 and he continued his schooling here, attending the high school at Flint, after which he became a school teacher and for five years taught in the district schools. In 1863 he returned to his old home in Ohio in 1864, enlisted as a private in Company E, One Hundred and Second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served until discharged. Upon the completion of his military services, Mr. Houghton returned to Genesee county and took up farming, and on March 4, 1875, he married Emma N. Decker, who was born at Meta- mora, in the neighborhoring county of Lapeer, April 25, 1853, daughter of William W. and Eleanor (Johnson) Decker, both of whom were born in Chili township, Genesee county, New York, and who had come to Michigan with their respective parents, the two families settling in Oakland county, where they grew up and were married. Mrs. Decker died at Grand Ledge, this state, February 6, 1912. Mr. Decker spent his last days in Henry county, Illinois, his death occurring on January 23, 1864. Their daughter Emma received her schooling at Pontiac and became a teacher, having taught school for four years at the time of her marriage to Mr. Houghton. After their marriage Mr. Houghton established his home on a farm in the neighborhood of Swartz Creek, where they lived, developing a fine property, until their retirement from the active labors of the farm on March 13, 1912, when they moved to the village of Swartz Creek, where they built a fine steam- heated house, into which they moved in September of that year, and where they since have made their home, being very pleasantly and comfortably situated. They have five children, Carrie E., George E., Howard M., Dale B. and Gladys R. Carrie E. Houghton received her schooling in the Swartz Creek schools and in the State Normal School at Ypsilanti and for some time taught school. She married Arthur J. Holden, proprietor of a com- mercial school at Laurium, this state, and is now an instructor in her hus- band's school. George E. Houghton was graduated from the Swartz Creek schools, later attended the normal school at Mt. Pleasant and then taught school for a time. He married Stella M. Root, of Swartz Creek, and is now living at Detroit, where he is employed as a passenger conductor on the Grand Trunk railroad. He and his wife had a daughter, Dorothy E., born on March I, 1907, who died on March 25, 1916. Howard M. Houghton, who also was graduated from the Swartz Creek schools, married Elizabeth LaCass, of Clayton township, and is now the owner of a farm in that town- ship. Dale B. Houghton was graduated from the Swartz Creek schools and is now a machinist, living in Detroit. He married Dorenza Wendell, of Muskegon, and has two children, Alene M., born on May II, 1912, and
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Dale B., Jr., June 28, 1916. Gladys R. Houghton was graduated from the Schwartz Creek schools and from the county normal and then for six years was engaged as a school teacher. She married Don H. Carmichael, of Clayton township.
Mrs. Houghton is a member of the Baptist church at Vernon and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, associate matron of the local chapter of that order. Mr. Houghton is a Democrat and for years has taken an active part in local political affairs, having served the first Genesee district in the lower House of the Michigan Legislature and having served for five years as supervisor of Clayton township.
HERBERT FRUTCHEY.
Herbert Frutchey, manager and one of the proprietors of the elevators of the Swartz Creek Grain Company at Swartz Creek, this county, and for years prominently identified with the grain business in this part of the state, is a native of the great Keystone state but has lived in Michigan since he was a child. He was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, on May 17, 1875, son of A. and Lydia (Ettinger) Frutchey, both of whom were born and reared in that state, married there and continued to live there until 1878, when they came to Michigan with their family and settled in Tuscola county, later locating at Deford, in that county, where they still live and where A. Frutchey has for years been actively engaged in the grain, live-stock and gen- eral mercantile business, head of a string of grain elevators throughout this part of the state, including the towns of Swartz Creek, Cass City, Kingston, Decker and Deford, each one of which is individually incorporated under the laws of the state. The business at Swartz Creek is incorporated under the name of the Swartz Creek Grain Company, A. Frutchey, president, and Her- bert Frutchey, secretary-treasurer. To A. Frutchey and wife three children have been born, those besides the subject of this sketch being Alice, wife of Frank Nettleton, and Joseph Frutchey, secretary-treasurer of the Cass City Grain Company at Cass City.
Herbert Frutchey was about three years old when he came to Michigan with his parents. He completed the course in the grade schools of Cass City when seventeen years old and then took a course in a business college, after which, in 1893, he became associated with his father in the grain business and has ever since been thus engaged, having been manager of the elevator at
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Swartz Creek and secretary-treasurer of the company operating the same since 1913. In addition to his extensive grain interests, Mr. Frutchey is interested quite heavily in the great Alpena Ranch Company, incorporated, which is operating a ranch of something like five or six thousand acres, most of which is given over to the raising of live stock. Mr. Frutchey is a Demo- crat, but has never been an office seeker. He is a member of the lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Bay City and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that order.
Herbert Frutchey married Elsie Murphy, of Cass City, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Elizabeth L., born in November, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Frutchey have a very pleasant home at Swartz Creek and take a proper interest in the various social activities of their home town.
ABRAM MELVIN TRUMBLE.
Abram Melvin Trumble, a well-known and well-to-do retired farmer of Davison township, this county, now living at Davison, where for some time he has been actively engaged in the buying and selling of live stock, is a native son of Michigan, and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a farm in Hadley township, in the neighboring county of Lapeer, December 29, 1855, son of Stewart and Deborah E. (Tryon) Trumble, natives of New York state, the former of whom was killed in battle while serving as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, and the latter of whom spent her last days in the village of Goodrich, this county.
Stewart Trumble was but a lad when he came from New York with his parents, David Trumble and wife, who settled in the vicinity of the village of Hadley, in Lapeer county, where he grew to manhood and where he married Deborah Eliza Tryon, who was born at Ransomville, New York, daughter of Thomas S. and Wealthy (Church) Tryon, who became pio- neers in Lapeer county, the latter of whom was a member of the extensive church family, which traces back through John, Simon, Samuel and Edward Church to Richard Church and through the latter on back to John Church, of Sussex, England, in 1355. Some time after his marriage Stewart Trumble moved to Iowa and was living there when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted as a private in Company I, Fourth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command until he met with a soldier's fate at the battle of Pea Ridge. His widow returned to Michigan with her son,
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the subject of this sketch, and married William Cole, of Elba township, and after the latter's death on January 31, 1867, married, in 1869, Peter Lang- land, of Davison, this county, who died in 1871. She survived until January 9, 1889, her death occurring at Goodrich, this county. By her first marriage she was the mother of one child, a son, the subject of this review; by her second marriage she was the mother of one child, a daughter, Lucretia Cole, who married Mark Hoard, and is now living at Leonard, this state, and by her last marriage was the mother of two children, both of whom died in infancy.
Abraham M. Trumble was about three years of age when his parents moved from Hadley to Iowa and after the death of his soldier father, he returned to this state with his mother and grew to manhood in this county, starting out for himself as a farmer in Davison township. He completed his schooling in the high school at Goodrich and presently bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in the southern part of Davison township, where his mother and his sister, Lucretia, lived with him until 1881, when they moved to the village of Goodrich, where his mother spent her last days. For more than twenty years Mr. Trumble has been engaged in the buying and selling of live stock, making his shipments from the village of Davison, and in 1904 moved to that village, where he since has made his home and where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. He continues his live- stock business and is one of the best-known shippers in the county. Mr. Trumble is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Ancient Order of Gleaners, and of the Loyal Guard, in the affairs of which organizations he takes a warm interest.
On May 24, 1877, Abram M. Trumble was married to Lillian M. Ball, who was born in Davison township, this county, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Pettis) Ball, natives of New York, early residents of this county and for many years prominent in the life of the southeastern part of the county. Henry Ball was born in Newstead, New York, August 18, 1826, son of John and Sarah (Ayres) Ball, the former of whom homesteaded a tract of land in the vicinity of Akron, Erie county, New York. He became a school teacher and about 1848, came to Michigan, settling at Grand Blanc, for several years teaching in the schools of that vicinity; and in that neigh- borhood, on January 1, 1851, married Elizabeth Pettis, who was born at East Pembroke, New York, August 21, 1833, daughter of Charles and Rachel (Tracy) Pettis, who came to Michigan in the latter part of that same year and settled in Grand Blanc township, this county. After Henry Ball's mar- riage he engaged in farming in Davison township, buying a quarter of a
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section of land on the Irish road, one-half mile north of the line of Atlas township, and there spent the rest of his life, adding to his original tract until he became the owner of two hundred and twenty acres of choice land, being accounted one of the most substantial farmers in that section of the county. About 1870 he started a cheese factory, which some years later he leased to a stock company which operated it until it was destroyed by fire. Mr. Ball took an active part in civic affairs, and for some time served as justice of the peace in and for his home township. He died in 1877 and his widow survived until January 7, 1906. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Mrs. Trumble was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follows: Charles H., who died in infancy; Ella J., who died in infancy ; Flora E., who married George Taylor and lives at Argentine, this county ; Charles N., deceased; Fred H., deceased; Jennie R., who lives in Davison township, widow of William H. Howe, and Cora D., wife of James Trollope, of Goodrich, this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Trumble two sons and one daughter have been born, Oscar Stewart, born on September 30, 1878; Charles Henry, August 30, 1882, and Myrtle Estelle, February II, 1881, who died on May 13, 1884. Oscar S. Trumble early devoted himself to an educational career, and is now a teacher in the high school at Jackson. On June 27, 1905, he married Jessie Blanche Harbison, of Bath, this state, and has two children, Donald Charles and Melvin Joseph. Charles H. Trumble early turned his attention to a mercantile career, and was engaged in the drug business at Brown City until 1915, since which time he has given his atten- tion to the manufacturing and automobile business, owner of a large garage at that place, local agent there for two popular makes of automobiles and a partner in the Brown City Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of plows, sleighs and the like. On September 24, 1907, he was married to Minnie E. Rooney, and has two children, Eleanor Faye and Charles Stewart.
ARTHUR G. CARRIER.
Arthur G. Carrier, postmaster of Duffield, this county, and a well- known and progressive merchant of that village, is a native of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Gaines township, July 26, 1869, son of Lyman and Maria (Warner) Carrier, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Vermont, who came to Michigan with their respective parents in the days of their youth and grew up in Genesee county, where they married and afterward estab-
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lished their home on a farm in section 7 of Gaines township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Lyman Carrier was a substantial farmer and a useful citizen. He and his wife were were the parents of five children, of whom four are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow : Adelbert, a farmer in Clayton township, this county ; Fred, a resi- dent of San Francisco, California, and Lyman, who was graduated from the Michigan Agricultural College and is now employed in the office of the agricultural department at Washington, D. C.
Arthur G. Carrier was reared on the home farm in Gaines township, receiving his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood, and remained on the farm until he was twenty-one years of age, a valued assistant in the labor of developing and improving the same. When of age he started out on his own account, but after his marriage in 1901 established his home on the old liome place and there remained for twelve years, the active manager of the farm. He then bought a stock of merchandise in the village of Duffield and has ever since been engaged in business there, having built up a large trade throughout that part of the county. Mr. Carrier is a Repub- lican and has served his township in the capacity of treasurer and as high- way commissioner. In 1912 he was appointed postmaster of Duffield and is still serving in that important public capacity, conducting the postoffice in his store.
It was in 1901 that Arthur G. Carrier was united in marriage to Ora Barker, who was reared at Byron, and who died on February 24, 1916. Mr. Carrier is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was his wife, and he has long been a member of the board of trustees of the same, taking an earnest interest in church work and in the general good works of the community. He is a Royal Arch Mason and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
HARRY C. PIERSON.
Harry C. Pierson, one of the best-known and most progressive farmers of Clayton township, this county, and the proprietor of "Plain View Stock Farm," a well-kept place of one hundred and fifty-one acres in section 2 of that township, situated one mile east and one mile south of Flushing, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Mt. Morris township on December 11, 1877, the son of
Harry le Person
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James L. and Sophia (Crocker) Pierson. The father was born on that same farm and in the same house, December 19, 1846, the son of William Pierson, one of the best known among the early settlers in that part of Gen- esee county. The mother died in January, 1878, when her son, the subject of this sketch, was three weeks of age. James L. Pierson married again, about four years later, and continued to make his home in this county, a substantial resident of the Mt. Morris neighborhood, the rest of his life, his death occurring on December 19, 1886.
As noted above, Harry C. Pierson was but an infant when his mother died and he was cared for during his early childhood by his aunts, resum- ing his place in the household of his father after the latter's second mar- riage. He received his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, in the high school at Flint and in the normal college, continuing working as a farmer during school vacations. About the time of his mar- riage, in the fall of 1899, he then being not quite twenty-two years of age, he bought the farm on which he is now living and where he has lived ever since, he and his wife being very pleasantly situated there. Mr. Pierson is a progressive farmer, carrying on his farming operations in accordance with modern methods, and has done very well. He is a Republican, taking an active interest in local political affairs, but is not an office holder.
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