USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 39
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natives of England, who left their native land in 1853 and came to the United States, locating in Courtland county, New York, where they lived for two years, at the end of which time they came to Michigan and settled on a farm near Birmingham, in Oakland county, where they made their home until 1876, when they moved over into Genesee county, where they spent the rest of their lives. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Clio and took an active part in church affairs. To them ten children were born, of whom eight are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow: Joseph, of Emily City; Robert, of Clio; Lucy, wife of Mert Fairbanks, of Mt. Morris; Libbie, wife of John Beardsley, of Clio; Albert, of Clio; Fannie, widow of William Walters of Saginaw, and Lillie, wife of Victor Sheppard, of Alma. Those deceased are Thomas, and Etta, who was the wife of Dayton Hurd, of Clio.
William H. Shaw was six years old when he came with his parents fron England to the United States and was about eight years old when they came from New York state to Michigan. He received his schooling in the Bloomfield Center school in Oakland county and was reared on the home farm in that neighborhood. He early began working on his own account, working on farms and in the lumber woods and after his marriage came to Genesee county. For twenty years thereafter he made his home at Flint, engaged in various forms of occupation, living there until 1891, when he settled on the farm in Clayton township, where he now lives. During his residence in Flint Mr. Shaw was for some time engaged in the livery busi- ness and in the sale of agricultural implements and threshing-machine out- fits. He brought the first steam threshing-machine to this county and in one year sold one hundred and ten threshing outfits, his traveling connection with the New Burdsall Company, of Albany, New York, continuing for more than twenty years. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Shaw has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done very well. His farm is well improved and he is regarded as one of the pro- gressive farmers of his neighborhood. In his political views he is a Demo- crat and has served his township in the capacity of overseer of highways. He is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.
On August 11, 1867, in Oakland county, William H. Shaw was united in marriage to Martha Bellis, who was born on December 19, 1847, daugh- ter of John and Sarah (Jones) Bellis, natives of New Jersey, who came to this state at an early day in the settlement of this region and settled on a farm in the Clarkson neighborhood in Oakland county, becoming influential
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pioneers of that section. Mrs. Shaw is a sister of Professor Bellis, of Mt. Pleasant. John Beliis and wife were the parents of thirteen children, Henry, John, Amos, George, Matilda, Francis, Hannah, Sarah, Martha and four who died young. To Mr. and Mrs. Shaw five children have been born, namely: Sarah A. deceased; Nettie E., deceased; Charles J., a graduate of the Flint high school. now the state manager for Michigan for the Sterling Manufacturing Company, of Sterling, Illinois, who married Effie Whitmore and has three children, William F., Hobart and Vesta M .; Ida, wife of C. A. Crippen, of Lansing, and Nellie, who married C. B. Smith and has two children, Velma and Martha. The Shaws have a very pleasant home and take a proper interest in all measures having to do with the advancement of the best interests of their home community.
JOHN E. KOUNTZ.
John E. Kountz, a well-known and substantial farmer of Clayton town- ship, this county, township treasurer and proprietor of a well-kept farm of ninety acres one mile north of Swartz Creek, on rural route No. 8, out of Flint, is a native of Maryland, but has lived in Genesee county since the year 1888. He was born on September 22, 1860, son of Silas and Nancy ( Stouffer) Kountz, the former of whom was a son of Henry Kountz, also a native of Maryland, and the latter a daughter of Abraham and Susanna ( Fahrney) Stouffer, natives of Pennsylvania, but whose last days were spent in Maryland. Silas Kountz was a tailor by trade and both he and his wife spent their last days in that state. During the Civil War he served as a soldier for two years. He and his wife were the parents of six children. of whom four are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow: William H., of Chicago; D. S., of Philadelphia, and Della, wife of John Gaylor, of Boonsboro, Maryland.
When he was sixteen years old John E. Kountz left his home in Mary- land and went to Pittsburgh, where he worked for the Pullman Company for four years, at the end of which time he went to Chicago and was there for two years employed in the plant of the Woodruff Sleeping Car Com- pany. He then entered the employ of the Grand Trunk Railroad and was for a time located at Flint, shortly afterward beginning work as a farm laborer in this county and has been farming ever since. For ten years he was employed as a farm laborer, but found that he was unable to save any
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money and when he was married in the spring of 1893 he had but twenty dollars. After his marriage he rented a farm and established his home, continuing as a renter until 1913, when he bought the farm on which he is now living and where he and his family have made their home ever since, and where they are very pleasantly situated. Mr. Kountz is a Democrat and is at present serving the public in the capacity of treasurer of his home town- ship.
It was on April 25, 1893, that John E. Kountz was united in marriage to Nora Remington, who was born in this county on April 29, 1874, daugh- ter of Loomis Remington, who was a son of Eli Remington, a native of New York state. Loomis Remington married Artemesia Hempstead and to that union four children were born, of whom three are still living, Mrs. Kountz having a brother, Fred Remington, of Clayton township, this county, and a sister, Wealthy, who married George Parker. To Mr. and Mrs. Kountz two children have been born, Claude A., who was graduated from the Swartz Creek grade schools and from the Flint high school and is now employed in the postoffice at Flint, and Theresa B., who is at home with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Kountz are members of the Grange and of the Ancient Order of Gleaners and take a warm interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in the general social affairs of the community in which they live.
WILLIAM T. McALLISTER.
William T. McAllister, the owner and proprietor of the "Elm Grove Farm", in Flint township, was born in Oakland county, Michigan, on June 22, 1876, a son of William and Eliza (Comden) McAllister, the former of whom was born in Canada on June 4, 1839, while the latter was a native of England, born on April 2, 1853. She was but two years of age when she came to the United States with her parents who located near Pontiac, this state. There she grew to womanhood and later married. After their mar- riage William McAllister and wife lived for a time in Oakland county after which they located in Montcalm county, near Stanton, where they spent the rest of their lives, Mr. McAllister's death occurring in 1912. William Mc Allister and wife were the parents of five children: Ella, the wife of Charles Anderson of Enid, Montana; Albert E., of Montcalm county, this state; Marrian G., wife of Elroy Tellotson, of Eagle; Lewis, of Lansing, and William T., the subject of this sketch.
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William T. McAllister was reared on his father's farm in Montcalm county and attended the district school in the winter, working on the farm in the summer. He remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age, when he was married to Mattie L. Morrish, March 6, 1901. Mrs. McAllister was born on the farm where she now lives, September 21, 1874, the daughter of Richard and Adelia ( Herrick) Morrish. The mother. Adelia Herrick, was the daughter of Rev. Lawson Herrick. The father, Richard Morrish, was born in England in 1839 and died on October 14, 1915. Mrs. Herrick was born in Michigan in May, 1848, and died on March 7, 1908. Richard Morrish and wife were the parents of four girls : Minnie, the wife of H. S. Pease, of Denver, Colorado; Rose, the wife of Ephraim Judson, of Durand, Michigan; Cora, wife of A. C. Meddanugh, of Denver, Colorado, and Mattie, the wife of William T. McAllister. Mat- tie Morrish McAllister was reared on the farm and was educated in the district schools. She lived with and cared for her parents until their death.
Mr. and Mrs. McAllister are the parents of two children, Mabel A .. born on June 11, 1903, and Ford M., August 19, 1908. They are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, Mr. McAllister being a member of the official board. He is a Republican in politics and treasurer of the school district.
JOE FROST.
Joe Frost, a well-known and substantial farmer of Clayton township. this county, proprietor of the old Rosebine Chopping farm on the Duffield road in sections 7 and 8 of that township, so called in honor of its original owner, one of the earliest settlers of that part of the county, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of this country since he was twenty-two years of age. He was born at Mecklenburg Schwerin, on May 17, 1862, son of Charles and Sophia ( Benear) Frost. He received his education in his native land and there learned the trade of blacksmith, working at the same there, as a journeyman, until he was twenty-two years old, when he came to the United States, landing at the port of New York. Not long afterward he came to Michigan and settled in Venice township, Shiawassee county, where he began working on a farm and where he presently married. After living four years in Shiawassee county he came over into Genesee county, locating in Clayton township, where he worked on a farm for about
JOE FROST AND FAMILY.
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three years, at the end of which time he bought a forty-acre farm of his own in that township and there made his home for six or seven years. He then sold that place and bought the "eighty" on which he is now living in section 8 of that same township. That was in 1900 and he later bought a "forty" in section 7, across the road from his home, and as he prospered in his farming operations later bought the adjoining forty acres, thus secur- ing a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he has brought to an excellent state of development. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Frost has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done very well. He is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Evangelical church, in the various beneficences of which they take a warm interest.
Mrs. Frost before her marriage was Sophia Brandenberger. She was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Edward and Sophia (Herring ) Brandenberger, the former a native of that same county and the latter of Germany. These parents were married in Pennsylvania and when their daughter, Sophia, was nine months old, came to Michigan, settling in the neighborhood of Corunna, in the neighboring county of Shiawassee. where they spent the rest of their lives and where Sophia Brandenberger was living when she married Mr. Frost. To that union six children have been born, all of whom are living, namely: William, who was born on September 24, 1893; Edith, October 9. 1896; Ella, March 1, 1899; Louie, January 7, 1901 ; Minnie, January 13, 1903, and John, July 17, 1906. In 1913 Mr. Frost made a trip to Germany and spent two months in that country.
SAMUEL MORRISH.
Samuel Morrish, the proprietor of "Forest Lawn Farm" near Flint. is a native of England, where he was born on February 9, 1849, the son of Richard and Mary (Crelock) Morrish, both natives of that country, where they were married, after which they came to the United States in 1850, locating in Flint township, this county, where they purchased one hundred acres of land. The farm was later increased to five hundred and ten acres. Richard Morrish was not only a good farmer, but a successful stock dealer, and was quite successful.
On coming to the United States, Richard Morrish took out his natural- ization papers as soon as possible and during his life in this county took
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much interest in politics. He voted for Stephen A. Douglas, but after that he cast his influence with the Republican party. Mr. Morrish died on May 9, 1873, and Mrs. Morrish in the fall of 1880. They were the parents of nine children, four of whom are living: Sarah, the widow of Byron Hew- ett : George, a farmer in Flint township; Priscilla, the widow of Monroe Winget and Samuel, the subject of this sketch.
Samuel Morrish was but little past a year old when he came to the United States with his parents. He was reared on his father's farm in Flint township and attended the district school. He has read law and is well versed in the same. After leaving school he farmed his father's farm for some time, after which he went West, but soon returned to this county, where he engaged in farming.
Samuel Morrish was united in marriage to Ellen J. Kellicut and to that union two children were born, Fred R. and Grace, the former of whom died at the age of thirteen years. The mother of these children died and on July 1, 1886, Mr. Morrish married Louise Sells, who was born in Can- ada on July 14, 1857, the daughter of Abraham and Mary A. (Sharon) Sells. To this union one child has been born, a son, Dr. R. S. Morrish, a physician and surgeon, of Flint, a graduate of the medical department of the University of Michigan.
FRED D. ATHERTON.
Fred D. Atherton, a farmer of Burton township and the proprietor of the sixty-four-acre farm, three miles south of Flint, known as "Rural Home," was born in that township on April 8, 1857, son and only child of Gustavus and Sallie (Felkins) Atherton.
Gustavus Atherton was born in Henderson, Jefferson county, New York, on September 19, 1822, and died on June 27, 1895. He was the son of Perus Atherton, a native of Vermont, and one of the early settlers of Genesee county. In 1834 Perus Atherton entered government land in Bur- ton township, where he lived until seventy-five years of age, when he and his wife moved to Flint, where Mrs. Atherton died, he dying some time later in Burton township. Mr. Atherton was one of the founders of the Baptist church in the vicinity of his home and was a deacon for thirty years. Perus Atherton and wife were the parents of four children, Gustavus, Shubeal, Lucretia and Emily, all of whom are deceased.
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Fred D. Atherton was reared on the home farm and attended the dis- trict schools. In 1876 he married Georgie A. Wiltse, who was born at Peoria, Illinois, and to that union three children were born, Katie, the wife of Arthur Seely, of Grand Blanc; Winifred, wife of John Willett, of David- son township, and Lucretia, the wife of Myron Taber, of Grand Rapids. The mother of these children died on July 16, 1907, and on November 23. 1908, Fred D. Atherton married Mrs. Rosena Crago, who was born on July 14, 1867, and who by her first marriage is the mother of one daughter, Dorothy, born on March 7, 1900.
Mr. and Mrs. Atherton are members of the Baptist church at Grand Blanc. He is a trustee of the society and was clerk of the church for ten years. They are active in all departments of the church work and take much interest in the success of the society. Mr. Atherton is a Republican and takes an active interest in the work of his party. He was justice of the peace for a time and for two years was township clerk. He is a prominent and influential citizen of the community in which he lives and takes much interest in all that tends to the betterment of the same. Mrs. Atherton is a members of the Knights and Ladies of Security.
J. FRED SCHRAM.
J. Fred Schram, a prominent farmer and the owner of the "Maple Lawn Farm", consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, five miles south- east of Flint, was born on the farm he now owns, on July 31, 1857, being the son of Henry and Caroline (Curtis) Schram, the latter of whom was a neice of Charles G. Finney, who was the second president of Oberlin College.
Henry and Caroline Schram were natives of the state of New York, he having been born in Jefferson county in 1815 and she in Adams county in 1814. Both grew to manhood and womanhood in their native state. They were married there in 1834 and in the fall of that same year came to Michigan, stopping at Flint, which at that time had nothing but a land office, a blacksmith shop and a bridge over the river. They had but two dollars and fifty cents and an ax, yet they had the determination to make a home. They walked to Pliny Skinner's and later took up a claim, built a log hut and moved in. By hard work and much economy they in time acquired two hundred and forty acres of land, the most of which Mr. Schram cleared and improved himself. He built the house that J. Fred Schram was born
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in and now lives in, and it has the distinction of having been the home of three generations of the family. It was there that Henry Schram lived until the time of his death in 1888. His widow survived him until 1897. They were the parents of five children: Herbert, who is deceased; LaRue, a farmer of Burton township: Adelbert, who died in June, 1906; Cornelia, the wife of A. M. Kimball, and J. Fred, the subject of this sketch.
J. Fred Schram was born and reared on the farm where he now lives. He received his schooling in the district schools and spent two years at the high school at Flint. After leaving school he engaged in farming, having rented the home place. On February 23, 1881, he married Caroline Nesbitt, who was born in Flint township, on September 23, 1863, a daughter of Thomas and Aura ( Hoag) Nesbitt. of that township, natives of the state of New York. She completed her schooling in the high school and lived on the farm with her parents until she was married.
J. Fred Schram and wife are the parents of five children : Cland H., who married Leah Pidd, of Flint, and has one child, a son, James H .; Clare F. M., a graduate of the medical department of Columbia College, who mar- ried Mazie Porter, of Sandusky. Ohio, and has two children, Jean C. and Hobart P .; Harold L., a graduate of the Business College of Oberlin, Ohio, who married Margaret Deming, and has one son, J. F., Jr., who was born in the same room in which his grandfather and father were born; Russell, who is at home, and Donald F., a student in the Flint high school.
Mr. and Mrs. Schram are members of the Court Street Methodist Epis- copal church at Flint, and are members of the Loyal Guards and of the Ancient Order of Gleaners.
CHARLES K. WARNER.
Charles K. Warner, a prominent and successful farmer and the owner of a one-hundred-and-forty-one-acre farm, known as the Hiller farm, and another eighty acres in Burton township, was born in Orleans county, New York, on February 25, 1856, the son of Calvin C. and Melissa C. (Wilder ) Warner, both natives of the state of New York, having been born in the same township and attended the same school. After their marriage they came to Michigan, arriving at Flint in the fall of 1865. They located on one hundred and fifty-eight acres of land in section 5, Flint township, and there Mr. Warner lived until his death on February 11, 1896. Mrs. War-
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ner is still living in Flint. She was born on December 14, 1829. Mr. and Mrs. Warner were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and for years Mr. Warner was an office bearer in the same.
Calvin C. Warner and wife were the parents of five children, two of whom are living, Dwight, a graduate of the law department of the Uni- versity of Michigan and a practicing attorney of Lansing, who has served as a representative in the Legislature, and Charles K., the subject of this sketch.
Charles K. Warner was reared on the farm in Flint township and com- pleted his schooling in the high school. Soon after leaving school he became engaged in farming and the raising of cattle. From 1895 to 1901 he lived in Flint, where he was chief of police and later became under- sheriff of the county. He later returned to the farm.
On February 12, 1878, Charles K. Warner was united in marriage to Jennie Hiller, who was born on the farm where she now lives, the eleventh child of John Hiller and wife, and to this union four children have been born, Calvin John, who died in infancy; Melissa, Cyrus and Lavira. Me- lissa Warner received her education in the Flint high school and the business college and married Ralph A. Crasper, to which union three children were born, Charles N., Ruth W. and Ralph A. Mr. Crapser, who was a railroad fireman, was killed while on duty. His widow later married Frank O. Robinson, of Burton township, and to this second union two children have been born, Frank W. and John L. Cyrus Warner attended the Flint high school and business college and is at home, assisting his father on the farm. Lavira Martin, a graduate of the Flint high school, is the wife of John Rutherford, of Flint, and has two sons, John and James.
Charles K. Warner is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Flint. He is a Republican and has served as highway commissioner. Be- sides his general farm work he conducts a dairy and keeps twenty cows. He is a successful business man and has the confidence and respect of the community in which he lives. Mrs. Warner has the deed that her father received from the government, signed by Martin Van Buren, then President. This farm is now the Warner homestead. Ten of the Hiller children were born there and all of the Warner family but two were born there and Melissa, the daughter, had two children born in the room where her mother was born and where her Grandmother Hiller died. The Rutherford chil- dren have two grandfathers, two grandmothers, three great-grandmothers and one great-grandfather.
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JOHN J. COLES.
John J. Coles, a farmer and the owner of the "Gilkey Springs Farm," four miles east of Flint in Burton township, was born in Saginaw county. this state, June 16, 1858, the son of John and Martha (Lasier) Coles, the former a native of England and the latter of the state of New York. John Coles came to America with his parents when but a child and located with them in the state of New York, where he was educated in the district schools. He was married there to Martha Lasier, after which they came to Michigan, settling in Oakland county and later in Saginaw county, where he owned one hundred and sixty acres of land. He and Mrs. Coles were active members of the Methodist Protestant church and took much interest in both the church and Sunday school work. He died in 1870. She sur- vived until 1881.
John Coles and wife were the parents of nine children, seven of whom are living: William H., a retired farmer of Emmett county; Benjamin F .. a farmer of Hillsdale county ; Jesse, who is engaged in the grocery business at Bay City; Rachel, the wife of J. E. Miller, of Richfield township, this county ; Fannie L., wife of Levi H. Roat, of Davison township; Elmer, of Tuscola county, and John J., the subject of this sketch.
John J. Coles lived on the farm in Saginaw county until fourteen years of age when he came with his mother to Genesee county in 1872. He remained at home until he was twenty years of age and until he was twenty- four he worked at various things. He purchased eighty acres of land sev- eral years before he was married and on September 17, 1881, he was mar- ried in Flint, by Elder Northrick, of the Presbyterian church, to Emily E. Roat, who was born in Burton township, this county, January 8, 1865. daughter of Levi and Elsie J. (Rump) Roat, natives of the state of New York, who came to Genesee county after they were married and settled on one hundred and sixty acres of wild land which they took from the gov- ernment and which they developed and improved. They later increased their holdings to two hundred acres. Besides their active life on the farm they devoted much time to the work of the Presbyterian church, of which they were members. Mr. and Mrs. Roat were the parents of seven children : Jane M., wife of G. W. White. of Lapeer county ; Levi, a farmer in Davison township; Dora, the wife of George Thomas, a retired farmer, of Flint; Estella, the wife of Willard Hill, a retired farmer, of Ithaca, Michigan;
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Emily E., wife of Mr. Coles; John W., a farmer, of Burton township, and David, also a farmer.
To John J. and Emily E. (Roat) Coles eight children have been horn, namely: Ernest J., who married Charlotte Brown, of Oakland county, and lives in this county; Ray L., who married Gertrude Young, of Flint; Bessie, who married Floyd Murphy; Grace W., wife of G. W. Riness; John E., who is farming in this county; Florence, the wife of Ralph Jacobs; Hazel, who is at home, and Lulu May, who died when nearly three years of age. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper interest in church work. Mr. Coles is a Republican, but is sufficiently independent in his political views for the man rather than for the party ..
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