USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 38
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Enos M. Miller was born near Mt. Morris, New York, October 25, 1822, son of Adam and Margaret Miller, who came to the Territory of Michigan in 1836 with their family and settled in Clayton township, this county, where they established their home in the wilderness and where they spent their last days, Adam Miller dying not many years after coming out here. His widow kept the family together and in time the homestead farm was cleared and developed. She was one of the most vigorous of the pioneer women of this section and was one of the founders of the Methodist Epis- copal church at Swartz Creek. For years, or until the coming of physicians to this section, she practiced midwifery hereabout and her services in that connection were in wide demand throughout the neighborhood in which she lived. Adam and Margaret Miller were the parents of thirteen children, of whom Enos M. Miller is now the only survivor. Adam Miller homesteaded a tract of one hundred and sixty acres upon coming to this state and several others of the Miller family settling there about the same time, that vicinity became known as the Miller settlement and was long known as such.
As noted above, Enos M. Miller was a well-grown lad when he came out into the wilds of Michigan with his parents. Shortly after they had located here they sent him back to his old home in New York to complete his schooling and upon finishing the course there he returned to Michigan
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and grew to manhood on the homestead farm, becoming a farmer on his own account after awhile, the owner of a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Clayton township, where he made his home and reared his family and which he still owns, but is now living in the village of Swartz Creek at a ripe old age. His wife, Martha J. Chapman, also was one of the early settlers in that part of the county and the two for many years were active in the work of developing the general social activities of that community, earnest workers in church work and in all neighborhood good works. At present Enos M. Miller is affiliated with the Church of Christ (Scientist), in the affairs of which he takes a warm interest. He has ever taken an active interest in the local political affairs of his community and for years was post- master of Swartz Creek, the postoffice being established in his residence. To him and his wife seven children were born, of whom five are still living, namely : Clarence J., who for years was engaged in the grain business at Swartz Creek and is now president of the bank at that place; Wilbert L., the subject of this biographical sketch: A. T., who is engaged in the real- estate business at Flint ; John A., a farmer in Clayton township, and C. E., for years agent for the Grand Trunk Railroad, now a resident of Flint.
Wilbert L. Miller was reared on the paternal farm in Clayton township, receiving his elementary schooling in the district schools of that neighbor- hood and supplementing the same by a course in the schools at Saginaw and Flint. In 1876 he engaged in the general mercantile business at Swartz Creek and after his marriage in 1878 established his home there. In 1882 he changed his line of mercantile activities and engaged in the hardware business, continuing in that line until 1904, when he sold out and has since been engaged in the banking business, in connection with his elder brother, being now the assistant cashier of the bank of Swartz Creek, of which his brother is the president. Mr. Miller has for years taken an active part in local political affairs. On August 28, 1897, he was appointed postmaster of Swartz Creek and served in that capacity until July 1, 1915. He also has served as clerk and treasurer of Gaines township. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and of the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Swartz Creek, past noble grand of the lodge of the latter order, while both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star, of the local chapter of which he is worthy patron, and of the Daughters of Rebekah, in the affairs of both of which organizations they take a warm interest.
It was in 1878 that Wilbert L. Miller was united in marriage to Alice Ingalls, who was born and reared in this county, daughter of Benjamin and Betsy Ingalls, and to this union three children have been born, Laverne O.,
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now connected with the Cadillac State Bank at Cadillac, this state; Cassie F., who married William W. Blackney, of Flint, and Ford B., a merchant, connected with the firm of H. B. Freeman & Company at Swartz Creek.
ROBERT CARMICHAEL.
Robert Carmichael, a well-known and substantial farmer and stockbuyer of Clayton township, this county, doing an extensive business in live stock, under the name of Carmichael Brothers, and proprietor of a fine farm in section 15 of Clayton township, on which he makes his home, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Flint township on January 1, 1872, son of Alexander and Catherine (McNaughton) Carmichael, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Canada, who came to Michigan in 1865 and spent their last days in this county.
Alexander Carmichael was but a child when his parents emigrated from Scotland to Canada and he grew to manhood in the Dominion. There he married Catherine McNaughton, who was born in the town of London, Ontario, and for some years thereafter made his home in that city, or until the spring of 1865, when he moved with his family to Michigan and settled in Genesee county. It was on April 19, 1865, that Alexander Carmichael and his family arrived in this county and he lost little time in getting located on a farm in Clayton township, where he established his home. Starting with one hundred and sixty acres in section 5 of Clayton township, he gradu- ally increased his land holdings, as he prospered in his operations, until he became the owner of two hundred and forty acres of fine land and was accounted one of the most substantial citizens of that part of the county. He and his wife were earnest members of the Presbyterian church and their children were reared in that faith. There were eleven of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being as fol- low : Mary, widow of George Burleson and the owner of much valuable real estate in Flint; Nancy, wife of James Ottaway, of Detroit; Rev. John Car- michael. D. D., now deceased, who was a minister of high standing in the Presbyterian church in Canada; Elizabeth, deceased; Malcolm W., a well- known farmer of Clayton township, this county; Albert and Edmund, who are engaged in the live stock business at Swartz Creek, this county ; Lawrence, a college graduate, who held a life certificate as a teacher in the West; Mina, wife of Bert Harris, of Swartz Creek, and Maude, deceased.
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Robert Carmichael was reared on the home farm in Clayton township and received his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, supplementing the same by a course in the high school at Flint, in the meantime continuing his labors on the home farm and has always been a farmer, though laterly his chief attention has been given to the live-stock line, he and his brothers at Swartz Creek, under the firm name of Carmichael Brothers, doing a large business in that line as shippers, besides which they give much attention to the breeding of high-grade Herefords on their broad acres in Clayton township. Mr. Carmichael is a Republican, but has never been an aspirant for public office.
On December 31, 1912, Robert Carmichael was united in marriage to Grace Brooks, who also was born in this county, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Alexander B., born on October 28, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael are members of the Presbyterian church and take an earnest interest in the general beneficences of the same, as well as in all the local good works, and likewise take a proper interest in the general social activi- ties of their home community.
WILLIAM BROOKS.
William Brooks, justice of the peace in and for Argentine township this county, an honored veteran of the Civil War and one of the best-known farmers of that township, proprietor of "Maple Grove Farm," a well-kept place of eighty acres in section II, four and one-half miles northwest of Linden on rural route No. 2, out of Gaines, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Argentine township, November 7, 1841, son of David and Abigail (Shippy) Brooks, both natives of the state of New York, who were married in Oakland county, this state, later coming to Genesee county, where their last days were spent.
David Brooks was born in Genesee county, New York, in 1808. His father, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, was killed in the battle of Queenstown Heights. When a young man David Brooks came from New York to Michigan and settled in Oakland county, where he married Abigail Shippy, who also had been born in the state of New York and had come to Michigan with her parents, the family settling in Oakland county. After his marriage David Brooks established his home on a farm in Oakland county, but in 1837 sold that farm and moved over into Genesee county,
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entering a tract of one hundred and twenty acres in section II of Argentine township, the farm on which his son, William Brooks, the subject of this sketch now lives, and there he established his permanent home in the forest wilderness, the second settler in that township, the only other settler there at that time having been James Murray. David Brooks cleared and improved that farm and there he spent the rest of his life, living to the age of seventy- two years, his death occurring in November, 1880. He was a Democrat and ever took an active and influential part in the political affairs of the county. Three of his sons, James, Edward and William Brooks, served as soldiers of the Union army during the Civil War and Edward Brooks was killed at the battle of Coosa River, South Carolina, January 1, 1862.
William Brooks grew to manhood on the old homestead farm in Argen- tine township and remained there, a valuable assistant in the labors of develop- ing and improving the same, until the spring of 1865, when he enlisted for the term of one year, or during the continuance of the Civil War, and served with his command until it was mustered out eight months later. Upon the conclusion of his military service, Mr. Brooks returned to the home farm and has ever since lived there, thus having been a continuous resident of the one place all his life. He established his home there after his marriage in 1874 and he and his wife are thus included among the oldest continuous residents of that community. They have a very pleasant home and for many years have been looked on as among the leaders in the general life of their neighborhood. Mr. Brooks is a Democrat and has ever taken a warm interest in local political affairs, at present and for years past serving as justice of the peace in and for Argentine township.
It was on July 3, 1874, that William Brooks was united in marriage to Alice Chase, who was born in that same neighborhood, daughter of one of the first families that settled thereabout, and to this union four children have been born, namely: William, who was a soldier in the United States regular army during the Spanish-American War and who was killed at the battle of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, 1898; Myrtle, who was graduated from the high school at Linden, married Arthur Wright and has four children; Mina, a graduate of the same school, who married Allie Baird, and Grace, who also was graduated from the Linden high school, and who married R. S. Carmichael, of Clayton township. Mr. Brooks is a member of the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Linden and is a past noble grand of the same, for many years having taken a warm interest in the affairs of the lodge.
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GEORGE FROST PUTNAM.
George Frost Putnam, well-known dealer in automobiles at Goodrich, this county, and the owner of a fine farm of three hundred acres in the vic- inity of that flourishing village, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here the better part of his life. He was born at Goodrich, April 6, 1871, son of William Henry and Rhoda A. (Frost) Putnam, both born in that same vicinity, members of old and prominent pioneer families there- about and both of whom spent their last days at Goodrich.
William Henry Putnam was born in Groveland township, in the neigh- boring county of Oakland, June 21, 1840, son of William Henry and Mary Jane { Sawyer ) Putnam, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Massachusetts, who settled at Goodrich about 1850 and at once became leaders in the community life of that part of the county. The Put- nam family in this county is of the same stock as that from which Gen. Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame, sprang and members of that large and notable family have achieved distinction in various walks of life and in various parts of this country. The founder of the family in America was John Putnam, who settled in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1634. John Putnam had three sons, Thomas, Nathaniel and John. Gen. Israel Putnam was the great-grandson of Thomas, the eldest of these sons, and the Putnam family in this county is descended from John, the youngest of the three sons, who had a son John, whose son, Caleb, was the father of Moses Putnam, father of Peter and others. Peter was the father of Caleb and others, this last- named Caleb being the father of William Henry Putnam, father of William Henry Putnam, Jr., father of the subject of this sketch. This last-named Caleb Putnam was born in 1766 and his son, William H. Putnam, Sr., was born at Rome, New York, April 14, 1808; married, at Pembroke, New York, May 9, 1829, Mary Jane Sawyer, born at Dracut, Massachusetts, November 3, 1811, and in 1836, back in territorial days, came with his family to Michigan and settled in Groveland township, Oakland county, where he lived until 1850, in which year he moved with his family over into Genesee county and settled at Goodrich, where he engaged in the drug and general merchandise business and where he spent the rest of his life. The senior William H. Putnam also possessed considerable knowledge of law and practiced law quite a bit thereabout during the early days. For many years he was retained in the office of justice of the peace in and for Atlas township and was affectionately known throughout that whole region as "Squire Put." He was appointed postmaster and for years also held
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM H. PUTNAM.
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that office. He was a charter member of the Masonic lodge at Goodrich and was a past master of that lodge. About the time of the close of the Civil War he sold his store to his son, William H. Putnam, Jr., and retired from business, continuing, however, to make his home at Goodrich, where he died on November 20, 1878. His widow survived him for more than ten years, her deatlı occurring at Flint on July 6, 1889.
The junior William H. Putnam grew to manhood in the village of Goodrich, receiving his schooling in the schools of that village and at the academy at Clarkston. From the days of his boyhood he was a valuable assistant to his father in the work of conducting the store there and in look- ing after the affairs of the postoffice. On June 2, 1864, he married Rhoda Ann Frost, who was born on a pioneer farm in the vicinity of Goodrich. daughter of Jonathan and Olive (Cobb) Frost, who were among the most prominent of the early families of that section of the county, a history of which family is set out in a biographical sketch of Mrs. Emily Goodrich, a sister of the late Mrs. Putnam, presented elsewhere in this volume. Not long after his marriage, William H. Putnam, Jr., succeeded his father in the management of the Putnam store at Goodrich and continued thus engaged until he sold the store and retired from business about the year 1890. He also was active in civic affairs thereabout and for years was one of the lead- ers in all community movements. For a number of terms he served as town- ship supervisor, for many years was justice of the peace, as his father had been, and also served for some years as postmaster, as had his father. He was a public-spirited and progressive citizen and when the movement to con- struct the trolley line from Flint to Detroit was inaugurated was one of the leaders in that work in his section of the county. He had held most of the township offices, at one time and another, and was for years a valued mem- ber of the school board. He was a life-long Democrat and was a charter member of the Order of the Loyal Guard and of the Knights of the Macca- bees at Goodrich, taking a warm interest in the affairs of these organizations. William H. Putnam, Jr., died at his home in Goodrich in June, 1905. His wife had preceded him to the grave a little less than four years, her death having occurred on October 21, 1901. They were the parents of four chil- dren, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Mary S., who married Nelson A. Strong and lives at Eaton Rapids, this state; Olive Grace, who died on October 1, 1881, when three years of age, and William Jonathan Putnam, born on July 21. 1884, postmaster at Goodrich and a well-known merchant of that place, the
(25a)
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third of the family in successive generations to be in business at Goodrich and to hold the office of postmaster there.
George F. Putnam spent his boyhood in his native village and upon completing the course in the Goodrich schools went to Chicago, at the age of eighteen years, and took a course in watchmaking, going from there to Edwardsville, Illinois, then to Buffalo, New York, where he worked a year. Returning to Michigan, he located at Eaton Rapids, where he engaged in the jewelry and watch-making business, also dealing in wall paper and books. He was in business there for nearly nine years, during which period, in the fall of 1897, he married. Not long after his marriage Mr. Putnam sold his store at Eaton Rapids and for about five years thereafter was engaged in the establishment of Wright, King & Company, jewelers, at Detroit. He then returned to Genesee county and for two or three years thereafter was employed in the jewelery business and in the manufacture of steel tape In 1905 Mr. Putnam returned to Goodrich, the home of his boyhood, and has ever since made his home there. In 1914 he formed a partnership with William Yerke in the automobile business at Goodrich and has since then been thus engaged. The firm acts as local agents for two popular makes of automobiles and has a well-conducted garage and service station at Good- rich. In addition to his business interests, Mr. Putnam is the owner of a fine farm of three hundred acres east of Goodrich, a part of which is a por- tion of the old Frost homestead tract, entered from the government by his Grandfather Frost and which has been in the family's possession ever since. Mr. Putnam is a stockholder and a member of the board of direc- tors of the Bank of Goodrich and takes an active interest in the general business life of the community. He is a Democrat and takes a good citizen's interest in local politics, but has not been included in the office-seeking class.
On November 10, 1897, at Eaton Rapids, George F. Putnam was united in marriage to Ida M. Springer, who was born at that place, a daughter of Oliver H. P. and Electa (Boardman) Springer, natives of Huron county. Ohio, who were married at Eaton Rapids, where for years Mr. Springer was engaged in the lumber business and also owned an ax factory. He died on May 24, 1895, and his widow now makes her home with her dangh- ter, Mrs. Putnam. Oliver H. P. Springer was an honored veteran of the Civil War, having served for about four years, or until the close of the war. as a member of Company A, One Hundred and First Regiment, Ohio Volun- teer Infantry. During his service one of his thumbs was shot off and he was taken prisoner by the enemy, but was later retaken by Union troops. He received his honorable discharge in September, 1865, and the next year
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came to Michigan, locating at Eaton Rapids, where he was engaged in lum- bering and in the manufacture of edged tools the rest of his active life. Ida M. Springer was reared at Eaton Rapids, receiving her schooling in the high school there and in a business college at Toledo, Ohio, and remained at home until her marriage to Mr. Putnam in 1897. To that union two daughters have been born. Grace Electa and Jennie Louise. Mrs. Putnam is a member of the Baptist church.
MALCOLM W. CARMICHAEL.
Malcolm W. Carmichael, a well-known and substantial farmer of Clay- ton township, this county, former treasurer of that township and the pro- prietor of "Clover Leaf Farm," a well-kept and profitably operated place of one hundred acres in section 23 Clayton township, eight miles west of Flint, on the Corunna road, rural route No. 5, out of Flint is a native of the Domin- ion of Canada, but has lived in Genesee county since he was fifteen years old and has consequently been a witness to and a participant in the develop- ment that has marked this part of the state within the past half century. He was born in the city of London, Ontario, April 20, 1853, son of Alexan- der and Catherine (McNaughton) Carmichael, the former a native of Scot- land and the latter of Canada, who later came to Michigan and settled in Genesee county, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Alexander Carmichael was born in 1819 and was but two years old when his parents emigrated from Scotland to Canada, where he grew to inanhood and married, making his home in London until 1866, when he came to Michigan with his family and settled in Clayton township, this county. where he spent the rest of his life. Upon coming here he rented a farm, but in 1869 bought a tract in section 14 on which he established his permanent home, clearing and improving his farm and becoming a substantial farmer. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, eight of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch, who was the third in order of birth, being as follows: Mary, wife of George Burleson, of Flint ; Nancy, wife of James Ottaway, of Detroit; Albert, of Swartz City, this county ; Edmund, also of Swartz Creek; Mina, wife of Bert Harris, also of Swartz Creek, and Robert, a farmer of Clayton township.
As noted above, Malcolm W. Carmichael was about fifteen years of age when he came to this county from Canada with his parents and he grew
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to manhood on the home farm in Clayton township, completing his school- ing in the district schools of that neighborhood. As a young man he began working in the lumber woods hereabout and presently bought a tract of eighty acres in section 23 of his home township, which he proceeded to clear and drain and otherwise improve. He later added an adjoining tract of twenty acres and now has a fine farm of one hundred acres, "Clover Leaf Farm" being regarded as one of the model farms in that part of the county. Mr. Carmichael is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, for some time having been treasurer of the town- ship.
Mr. Carmichael has been twice married. His first wife, who was Martha Goodes, died in 1883, leaving one son, William M. Carmichael, born on January 6, 1880, who received his schooling in the Fenton high school and is now operating a cattle ranch in Arizona. On March 17, 1886, Mr. Car- michael married Harriet Bartlett, who was born in Nova Scotia, February 9, 1860, and who was about thirteen years old when her parents came to Michigan and settled in Flint, where she grew to womanhood and where she was living at the time of her marriage to Mr. Carmichael. To this union two children have been born, Maude, born on June 2, 1888, who was graduated from Bliss Business College at Flint and is living at home with her parents, and Donald H., November, 1889, who also was graduated from the Bliss. Business College. He married Gladys Houghton and is making his home on the old home farm, a valuable assistant to his father in the active management of the same. The Carmichaels have a very pleasant home at "Clover Leaf Farm" and take a proper interest in the general social activi- ties of their home community.
WILLIAM H. SHAW.
William H. Shaw, a well-known and substantial farmer of Clayton township, this county, former overseer of highways of that township and proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in sections 31 and 32, two and one-half miles southeast of Lennon, is a native of England, but has been a resident of Michigan since he was six years of age and has there- fore been a witness to and a participant in the wonderful development that has marked this region during the past half century and more. He was born on March 29, 1847, son of Charles and Mary A. (Grant) Shaw, both
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