USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 40
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MARION DYE.
Marion Dye, a successful farmer of Flint township and the owner of "Grassmere Farm" of one hundred and fifteen acres, five miles west of Flint, was born on October 10, 1856, the son of Leonard and Eliza ( Brock- way) Dye.
Leonard Dyc, a native of the state of New York, born on March 14, 1830, died at his home in Michigan on February 13, 1901. Mrs. Dye, a native of Madison county, Ohio, born on October 22, 1835, died on March 2, 1916. Both came with their respective parents to Michigan and were married at Flint on November 8, 1854. Soon after their marriage, they moved to the farm in section 20, Flint township, where Leonard Dye cut the first timber on the place. By diligence and hard work the farm was cleared and improved, and became known as one of the best in that locality. It was there Mr. and Mrs. Dye spent the remainder of their lives. They were members of the Free Methodist church, known as the Dye church, they having given the land for the location of the same and contributing more liberally for the building of this church and the support of the society. Leonard Dye and wife were the parents of four children, but two of whom are now living, William L. and Marion.
Marion Dye was reared on the home farm and attended the district school near by. On October 20, 1878, he was united in marriage to Jennie Link, who also was born in Flint township, February 4, 1861, daughter of Abraham and Pamela ( Marshall) Link, the former of whom was born on December 11, 1835, in Flint township, where he has always made his home.
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Mrs. Link is a native of England, where she was born on May 11, 1839. Abraham and Pamela (Marshall) Link, the former of whom was born on of four children: Jennie, wife of Mr. Link; Cora, the wife of Fred Brown; Henrietta, wife of Clarence Brockway, and Ruth, who died at the age of six years. Jennie Link was reared on the home farm and received her edu- cation in the district school, the same school attended by Marion Link. The two grew to manhood and womanhood in the same community and later married. In 1899 they removed to the farm where they now live. They are the parents of the following children: Fred, born on April 6, 1880, now deceased having been killed by the cars on the railroad at Plymouth, where he was working as a telegraph operator; Floyd, November 29, 1883. who was educated in the district schools, married Hattie Miller, and now lives at Detroit, and Frank M., January 13, 1887, who attended the Bliss Business College and the Ferris Institute, and now is located at Flint.
Mrs. Dye is a member of the Free Methodist church and has served as church treasurer. She has been an active member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union for many years. Mr. Dye is a Democrat and has served the people in a number of the offices of the county, being elected by large majorities.
MRS. EMILY GOODRICH.
Among the residents of the southeastern part of Genesee county there is none better known, more highly respected or more definitely connected with the early history and development of Atlas township than is Mrs. Emily Goodrich, widow, who is now living in her comfortable home in the pleasant village of Goodrich, enjoying many evidences of the high esteem in which she is held throughout that whole community. A daughter of Jonathan Frost, who, in his day, was perhaps the strongest individual factor in the development of the interests of Atlas township, and by her marriage con- nected with the Goodrich family, which was equally prominent and force- ful in the work of bringing about proper social and economic conditions in the formative period of that now well-established and prosperous com- munity, she has lived to sce wonderful changes in the methods of living since the days of her girlhood and has been a no inconsiderable factor in the work of effecting that marvelous change for the better. Emily Frost was born on a pioneer farm one and a half miles east of the present village of Goodrich, in Atlas township, this county, June 23. 1847, daughter of Jona-
NELSON AND EMILY (FROST) GOODRICH.
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than and Olive (Cobb) Frost, and has lived in this county all her life. Jonathan Frost was born on a farm in South Bristol township, Ontario county, New York, December 25, 1817. His father died when he was quite young and his home thereafter was made with kinsfolk, presently being taken into the home of an uncle, Colonel Hawes, where he grew to manhood. His opportunities for securing an education were very limited and he started out in life with but slight equipment in the way of schooling, but possessed of strong hands, a willing heart and tireless energy. In 1836, being just past nineteen years of age, Jonathan Frost came to Michigan and bought from the government the northeast quarter of section 24, Atlas township, this county, later buying from his brother the east half of the northwest quarter of the same section. During the fall and winter of that year he remained in Atlas and then returned to New York, where he resumed his work on the farm and remained there until after his marriage to Olive Cobb, in May, 1839, when he and his bride entered upon the occupation of his wilder- ness farm in the forests of Atlas township. He erected a log house and there he and his wife established their home, thus being among the very earliest settlers in that part of Genesee county. Jonathan Frost set about clearing his place and in due time had a well-improved and profitably oper- ated farm. As he prospered he added to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and ninety-three acres and was regarded as one of the most substantial citizens in that part of the country. He also dealt largely in real estate, invested in mills and in other ways made himself one of the most prominent and active factors in the development of the material interests of that section. Mr. Frost had grown up as a Democrat, but upon the organization of the Republican party, affiliated with that party and ever afterward was one of the leaders of the organization in this county. He also took an active and prominent part in church work, was one of the founders of the Methodist church at Atlas, of which he for many years was an officer, was active and influential in all neighborhood good works and at the time of his death, on April 14, 1873, left a good . memory throughout that whole section.
Jonathan Frost was twice married. On May 30, 1839, he was united in marriage in his old home county in New York to Olive Cobb, who was born at Honeoye, Ontario county, New York, March 3, 1818, daughter of Jobe and Rhoda (Abbey) Cobb, and to that union five children were born, namely: Maryette, now deceased, who was the wife of Carleton Horton, of Atlas, this county; Rhoda A., also deceased, who was the wife of William
(26a)
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H. Putnam, Jr., of Goodrich, this county; Emory and Emily, twins, the former of whom died when fifteen months old and the latter of whom is the immediate subject of this biographical sketch, and Ephraim, deceased. The mother of these children died on December 16, 1852, and Jonathan Frost married, secondly, Mrs. Ann S. Hawes, a widow, born in Ontario county, New York, April 6, 1828, daughter of William and Prudence (Case) Paul, and to this union one child was born, a daughter, Jennie, now deceased, who was the wife of Dr. J. B. Bradley, of Eaton Rapids.
Emily Frost was reared on the farm on which she was born, east of the village of Goodrich, received her schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and remained at home until her marriage, on December 29. 1870, to Joseph Goodrich, who was born on a farm two miles west of the village of Goodrich in 1840, son of Levi and Olive (Payne) Goodrich. pioneers and prominent residents of that part of the county. The Good- rich family early became one of the best-known and most influential families in. Genesee county and the name is inseparably linked with the history of Atlas township and of the village of Goodrich. A more detailed account of the activities of this family in Genesee county is set out in a biographical sketch relating to William P. Goodrich and family, presented elsewhere in this volume, and the reader is respectfully referred to that sketch for further information in this connection. Levi Goodrich came to this county with his father's family in 1836, back in territorial days, and engaged in farming in Atlas township the rest of his life. His son, Joseph Goodrich, grew to manhood on his father's farm and after his marriage was given part of the latter, established his home there and continued farming until his death in June, 1876. He was an active participant in the civic affairs of his home community and for some time had served as treasurer of Atlas township. To Joseph and Emily (Frost) Goodrich was born one child, a son, Frank J. Goodrich, born on April 26, 1872, who was graduated from the normal school at Flint and has for years been a resident of that city.
On December 29, 1883, Mrs. Emily Goodrich married, second, Nelson Goodrich, who was born and reared on a farm two miles southwest of the village of Goodrich, son of Moses and Hannah ( Anderson) Goodrich and a cousin of Joseph Goodrich. Nelson Goodrich also was twice married. his first wife, who was Emaline Swart, having died, leaving one child, a daughter, Mary, who married Merton Towne, of Fenton, this county. In 1899 Nelson Goodrich retired from the farm on which he had ever made his home, the old Moses Goodrich farm, rented the same, as Mrs. Goodrich had done for some time with her farm, and moved to the village of Goodrich.
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where he spent his last days, his death occurring on February 5, 1910. Nelson Goodrich was a charter member of the Order of the Loyal Guards at Goodrich and was also a member of the local tent of the Knights of the Maccabees.
Mrs. Emily Goodrich continues to reside in her pleasant home at Good- rich. From the days of her girlhood she has been earnestly interested in the various social and cultural activities of that village and the community at large and still retains that interest. She is the only charter member now living in Goodrich of the Ladies Library Association, that founded the library at Goodrich in 1879, and is now the president of that association. She also was a charter member of the local tent of the Knights of the Maccabees and has ever taken an influential part in the affairs of that organization. Her son, Frank Goodrich, assumed the management of her farm, the old Joseph Goodrich farm of a quarter of a section, which Mrs. Goodrich still owns, after completing his schooling, and remained there until 1902, when he moved to Flint, where he since has made his home. Two years before moving from the farm, in 1900, he married Maud Revely, of Flint, and he and his wife have a very pleasant home in that city. Frank Goodrich is a Mason and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, taking a warm interest in the affairs of both of these organizations.
WILLIAM P. HYNES.
The farmers of this generation are learning that they must employ somewhat different methods in tilling the soil; learning, among other things, that continued cropping exposes the land to various weaknesses of the par- ticular crop that is grown, and as no two crops exact the same proportion of plant food, the continually-grown crop is bound to lessen the available fertility of one or more of the available soil constituents. One of the care- ful farmers of Gaines township, is William P. Hynes, who was born there on March 2, 1878, a son of Terrence and Mary (O'Brien) Hynes, natives of Ireland and of Canada, respectively. They came to Michigan when young and were married here, establishing their home in Genesee county. Eight children were born to them, all still living save one, namely: Frank, who is engaged in farming; Anna, Ellen, Tressa, James, Bina, Joseph, a druggist in Detroit, and William P., the subject of this sketch.
William P. Hynes was reared on the home farm and attended the dis-
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trict schools in Gaines township. He remained at home with his parents. and he and his brother, Frank, own the homestead, "Grand View Farm," which consists of two hundred acres, which they have kept well cultivated. and where they carry on general farming and stock raising, handling a good grade of live stock of all kinds.
Mr. Hynes is a Republican and has served as highway commissioner of Gaines township for the past four years, being still incumbent of that office, the duties of which he is faithfully performing. He was reared in the Catholic faith and is a member of the church of that denomination at Gaines village. He has remained unmarried.
CLEMENT H. BOOMER.
Clement H. Boomer, a prominent farmer of Genesee county and the proprietor of "Sunny Side Farm," consisting of eighty acres of well-in- proved and highly-cultivated land, was born in Flint township on May 24, 1867, son of Benjamin and Unity (Forton) Boomer, the former of whom was a native of the state of New York and the latter of London, England. The mother came to the United States when but six weeks of age, with her parents and settled in Burton township, this county, while the father came with his parents when but a boy and located in Flint township. After their marriage they located in Flint township, where Benjamin Boomer spent the rest of his life. His widow survived him and died on April 20, 1916, at the age of eighty years. They were the parents of three children, Florence, who is the wife of Elmer Gotshall, of this county; Clarence B., who married Flora Sheldon and lives in Flint township, and Clement H., the subject of this sketch.
Clement H. Boomer was reared on his father's farm and was educated in the district schools. After the death of his father he lived with his mother until he was past twenty-one years of age. On April 17, 1895, he was united in marriage to Isabelle F. Henry, who also was born in this county, October 9, 1873, daughter of William and Catherine (Cotter) Henry, the former born in Toronto, Canada, and the latter at Belle River, Canada. After their marriage in Detroit the Henrys located in Otterburn, Michigan, where they lived for a number of years. Mrs. Henry died in September, 1894, and Mr. Henry died in May, 1904. William and Catherine Henry were the parents of six girls, four of whom are living. Isabelle was the
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youngest of the family. She was educated in the district schools, the Flint high school and the normal and after finishing her schooling taught for a time.
After their marriage, Clement H. Boomer and wife moved at once to the farm where they now live. In 1903 a barn thirty-six by seventy feet was erected and Mr. Boomer also erected a sheep barn, fifty-four by seventy feet. Mr. Boomer being an extensive feeder of sheep, needs a modern and convenient barn. He feeds as many as seven hundred sheep at a time. In 1912 they built their modern residence, which is complete in every way, having a heating and water system, making it one of the finest in Flint town- ship.
Mr. and Mrs. Boomer are the parents of three children, Harold, born on August 15, 1900, now in the high school at Flint; Ethel, August II, 1903, who has completed her course in the common schools, and Lunetta E., March 22, 1907. Politically, Mr. Boomer is a Republican. He has. served his township as treasurer and has served twenty years as director of the school district.
PETER HUGHES.
From the fair Emerald Isle have come to America many enterprising and courageous young men who have found in the free republic of the West peaceable homes, and they have always been welcome here, for, as a rule, they are most desirable citizens in every respect. Not so many are found in Genesee county as in other places, but among the number the name of Peter Hughes, a retired farmer of Otisville, is worthy of mention. He was born in Ireland, March 16, 1846. He is a son of Peter and Alice (Fox) Hughes, both born, reared and married in Ireland, but who later immigrated to the United States, locating in the state of New York, where they spent the rest of their lives, dying at early ages, he at thirty-two, and she at twenty- nine. They left a family of four children.
Peter Hughes was a small boy when he was left an orphan, and he was taken to Pennsylvania and put on a farm, where he worked five years. When the war between the states began in 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Sixty-ninth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, which formed a part of the famous Irish Brigade. Although but a boy he proved to be a cour- ageous and efficient soldier and saw much hard service with the Army of the Potomac, fighting in many of the greatest battles of the war. After
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serving the term of his enlistment of three years and receiving an honorable discharge, he returned to Pennsylvania in 1864, and began working in a tannery at a salary of twenty-four dollars a month. He came to Michigan in 1873 and located on a farm in Forest township, this county, the place consisting of eighty acres, where he resided until 1913, when he retired from active life, moving into the village of Otisville, where he is spending his declining years quietly and comfortably.
Mr. Hughes married Mary A. Burns, a native of Ireland, and to this union three children have been born, John F., who is unmarried and lives at home; Catherine, wife of Thomas Hennessey, of Pontiac, Michigan, and James J., at home. Mr. Hughes is a Democrat, but has never been active in public affairs. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church.
ARTHUR PROSSER.
There are a great many people who would make a great deal more of their opportunities if they had the proper encouragement at the proper time. Although possessing excellent natural abilities Arthur Prosser, the present cashier of the Otisville State Bank, needed a stimulus to his ambition and talents when starting ont on his career, which he fortunately received, and therefore has been successful. He was born in Livingston county, Mich- igan, July 4, 1877, and is a son of Frank and Ella (Joslin) Prosser. The father was born in the same vicinity as was the subject of this sketch, but the mother was a native of New York state. When a child her father brought her to Michigan, locating in the town of Brighton, Livingston county, where he conducted a photograph studio. Frank Prosser and wife were married in Livingston county and located on a farm there, on which their son Arthur was reared. The latter received his education in the public schools of Brighton and upon leaving school accepted a position in the bank at Brighton, in 1894. He was well suited for this work by nature, and he has continued in the banking business, during a period of twenty-two years. Being alert, faithful and ambitious he soon mastered the various phases of the banking business and on January 1, 1916, he located at Otisville, as cashier of the Otisville State Bank, of which he is a stockholder, and he is holding this position in a manner entirely acceptable to the other stock- holders and patrons. The officers of the Otisville State Bank are as follow : C. D. Doan, president : Andrew Reese, first vice-president : James Waverill,
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second vice-president; Arthur Prosser, cashier; directors, C. D. Doan, An- drew Reese, James W. Averill, Cleo D. Parker, George Coon, John C. Brandt and Charles Moon. The bank was organized on March 26, 1907, has a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, and is doing a growing business.
On January 1, 1899, Arthur Prosser was married to Amy McClements, who was born at Brighton, Michigan, where she grew to womanhood and was educated. Mr. and Mrs. Prosser were neighbors and schoolmates. They have one child, a daughter, Agnes, born on September 7, 1906.
Mr. Prosser is a Republican and has served as township treasurer. He is a member of Brighton Lodge No. 247, Free and Accepted Masons, of Brighton Lodge No. 245, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he served as junior warden for some time; of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Royal Neighbors.
S. C. MONTGOMERY.
We of the present generation do not fully appreciate what the Union soldiers did for us. We should hold them in the highest respect and show them every honor for the hardships they endured, the dangers they faced, the sacrifices they made in order that the nation might live and that poster- ity might be enriched. One of the worthy veterans of the grand army that saved the flag a half century ago is S. C. Montgomery, a farmer of Argentine township, this county. He was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, April 23, 1844, and is a son of John and Matilda (Smith) Montgomery, who were the parents of three children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only survivor.
S. C. Montgomery was twelve years old when his father died and he was thus thrown upon his own resources, therefore having little chance to obtain an education. When a boy he worked on a farm in Ohio during the summer time, attending the district schools in the winters until he was fourteen years old. On August 22, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, Second Ohio Cavalry, with which he served in the West for eighteen months, then went East and served under General Burnside, remaining .in the service in all three years and one month, being honorably discharged in September, 1864. He was in many important engagements, saw much hard service, and proved to be a good soldier.
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After the war Mr. Montgomery returned to Ohio and on May 6, 1866, he came to this county, where he has since made his home. During this period of half a century he has played well his part as a citizen and has seen this region undergo great changes; in fact, redeemed from its wilder- ness state to its present high state of improvement. Mr. Montgomery pur- chased forty acres of timbered land in Argentine township when he first came here. This he cleared and planted to crops, fenced the fields and erected buildings. He worked hard and managed well and, adding to his original purchase from time to time, is now owner of a fine farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres, on which he carries on general farming and stock raising. He has a comfortable dwelling and numerous substantial outbuildings.
On January 1, 1868, S. C. Montgomery was married to Ellen Barron, a native of this county, whose parents had settled here in early pioneer days. She is a daughter of John and Rosetta (Whitehead) Barron. To Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery two children have been born, Wade, who married Elsie Moran and makes his home with his parents, and Agnes, who was married, but now lives at home. Politically, Mr. Montgomery is a Republican, but has never been an office seeker. He has, however, held township office.
JAMES M. GREENFIELD.
James M. Greenfield was born in Detroit, Michigan, July 30, 1841, and is a son of John and Mary (Davenport) Greenfield. The father was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1810, and the mother was born in Utica, New York. When a young man, John Greenfield came with his parents, Robert and Jeanette Greenfield, to the United States and settled in Flushing town- ship, Genesee county, Michigan, where they continued to live until they died at advanced age.
John Greenfield first settled in Flat Rock, New York, where he was married. Afterward he came to Detroit, where he was engaged for some time as railroad engineer. In this capacity he ran one of the first trains out of Detroit on the Michigan Central railroad. In 1848 he went to Bruce Mines, at the head of Georgian bay, in Canada, and was there for two years in official capacity. He then went to Sault Ste. Marie and took a contract to build a plank road from Ontonagon to Greenland for a mining company.
James In Greenfield
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He and his partner owned part of the village of Ontonagon. He remained in this place until his death, which occurred on March 10, 1861, at the age of fifty-one years. During his residence in Ontonagon Mr. Greenfield was elected to public office at various times. He was elected on the Democratic ticket as representative in the Legislature from that county, in 1859, and was elected sheriff of the county in 1860. As a member of the Legislature he had to travel overland to the state capitol, that being before the day of railroads in the county. Mary (Davenport) Greenfield, mother of the sub- ject, was born in Utica, New York. There were six children in this family. of whom James M., the subject, Charles and Elizabeth Sweet, of Ontonagon, are the only ones living. Those deceased are. George, William Adair and Walter.
James M. Greenfield spent his early years in Ontonagon, Michigan, and there received his education. On August 11, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Seventh Michigan Infantry, then being organized in Detroit, under Ira R. Grovenor as colonel. Mr. Greenfield went with his regiment to Wash- ington, D. C., September 5, where the regiment remained for two weeks. The regiment then went to Maryland, where they had an engagement with the Confederates, October 4, at Poolesville; then to Harper's Ferry, cam- paigning in that section, at Berryville, Winchester, and other places, until the early part of 1862, then back to Washington, where they took a trans- port for Fortress Monroe. The Seventh Michigan Regiment was a part of the Army of the Potomac, commanded in the early part of the service by Gen. George B. McClellan. Under this command the regiment participated in the battle of Yorktown, the "on to Richmond" campaign, the battle of Fair Oaks and other engagements; then on to Harrison's Landing, to New- port News and back to Alexandria ; from there the regiment was hurried to the relief of the forces engaged in the second battle of Bull Run. Then they crossed over into Maryland and participated in the battle of South Mountain, September 14, 1862, and the battle of Anteitam. September 17. 1862. The regiment returned to Harper's Ferry. In the battle of Fred- ericksburg. December 13, 1862, the regiment participated in the charge on Mary's Heights, volunteering to lay pontoons on the river for the arny to cross and succeeded. although the attempt was regarded as a forlorn hope. This was on December 11, 1862. In this engagement Mr. Green- field was severely wounded and was sent to the hospital in Washington. Having recovered from his disability, he returned to his regiment, then at Alexandria, in the spring of 1863. He participated with his regiment in the
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