USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 42
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Mr. Billings has been very successful as a general farmer and stock grower. He owns "Willow Shade Farm," consisting of two hundred and twenty acres in Richfield township. He has been retired from active work for some tinie, merely overseeing his large farm. Mr. Billings is a Republi- can and served for some time as township superintendent of schools. He is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees.
Watson W. Billings is a Republican and was treasurer of Richfield township for two years. He is a member of Davison Lodge No. 236, Free and Accepted Masons, and is master of Enterprise Lodge, Grangers, of Richfield township.
DAVID PROWANT.
David Prowant, a prominent farmer of Richfield township, this county, was born in Paulding county, Ohio, February 12, 1856, the son of Henry and Catherine (Eyer) Prowant.
Henry Prowant was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, February II, 1826, and Catherine Prowant, in Canada on February 18, 1830. Henry Prowant's father moved to Stark county, Ohio, from Pennsylvania and later settled in Putman county. The early members of the Eyer family came from Canada and located in the same neighborhood. There Henry Prowant and Catherine Eyer were children together in school and there grew to manhood and womanhood. After their marriage they located on a farm in Paulding county, where they spent the rest of their lives. They were the parents of the following children: David, the subject of this sketch; Sarah, who is the wife of Douglas Reynolds, of Crawford county, Ohio; Emma, the wife of C. V. Thresher, of Paulding county, Ohio; Samuel, also of Paulding county ; William, a merchant of Mandals, Ohio, and three who are deceased. Henry Prowant and family were members of the German Baptist church.
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David Prowant was educated in the district schools of Paulding county and remained on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age, assist- ing with the farm work. On July 10, 1879, he was united in marriage to Hannah Bidlack, and to that union two children have been born, Lawrence and Jennie. Lawrence Prowant is married and lives on a farm in Putman county, Ohio. Jennie Prowant married John Wagner, of Carroll county, Indiana. The mother of these children died on December 23, 1886, and on April 12, 1888, Mr. Prowant married Catherine Weller, who was a native of Hancock county, Ohio, but was reared in Putnam county. To this union the following children have been born: Rebecca, the wife of N. M. Stoner, of Holly, Michigan; Mary, David E. and Edward, at home. Mr. Prowant and family are members of the German Baptist church, Mr. Prow- ant being a minister in that denomination. He and his family were among the early founders of the church they now attend. They organized the old German Baptist church in Richfield township on September 1, 1911, with nine members, and John W. Clear as first elder. The church membership was built up by people from Paulding and Putnam counties, Ohio; from Wisconsin and from Howard county, Indiana. The membership now num- bers thirty.
David Prowant came to Genesee county in November, 1910, and now has a well-improved and highly-developed farm of one hundred and eighty acres, all of which he has accumulated by his own efforts. He is a man of sterling worth and highly respected by all who know him.
ARTHUR E. GALBRAITH.
There are farmers who might be known as one-idea men, for they give too much attention to some particular phase of their work to the neglect of the general system required to make farming a success. Such men have a bad influence on the community. Fortunately none of the tillers of the soil of Thetford township, this county, seem to be of this class. Arthur E. Gal- braith, who is farming there successfully, was born in Orleans county, New York, June 21, 1885, a son of Charles and Isabelle (McClew) Galbraith.
Charles Galbraith was born in Scotland, in October, 1854, from which country he came to the United States with his parents, the family locating in Michigan. He later went to Orleans county, New York, where he was mar- ried and where he made his home until 1887, when he came back to Michigan
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where he spent the rest of his life, dying on October 13, 1913. He devoted his active life to farming. He was a Republican and served as justice of the peace for some time, a man of high standing in the communities where he resided. He was a member of Vienna Lodge No. 205, Free and Accepted Masons, and belonged to the Methodist church. His family consisted of five children, namely: Warren C., who lives in Flint; Marion, the wife of C. D. Butler, of Fairgrove, this county; Arthur E., the subject of this sketch; Neal. who is farming in partnership with the subject of this review, married Mabel Brabazon, a daughter of A. J. Brabazon, and Wayne C., who is married. After the death of the mother of these children, in 1902, Charles Galbraith married Nora Buck and to that union two children were born, Edith and Gordon.
Arthur E. Galbraith was reared mostly in Thetford township, this county, and he received his education in the district schools. He began life for himself as a clerk in a store in Fairgrove, which position he held for a period of six years. He was wide-awake, industrious and courteous and thus gave his employer entire satisfaction. He then bought the old home place and has since engaged in general farming and stock raising there. The place consists of one hundred and forty-five acres and is known as "Look- away Farm." He and his brother Neal have kept it well improved and well tilled.
In February, 1907, Arthur E. Galbraith was married to Mabel E. Brown, who was born at Clio, this county, in March, 1887, a daughter of George Brown, a farmer of Thetford township. She is a member of the Presbyterian church at Fairgrove. Mr. Galbraith is a Republican. He is a member of Vienna Lodge No. 205, Free and Accepted Masons, and also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
JAMES B. FRENCH.
James B. French, a well-known hardware merchant at Flushing, was born in Flushing, June 14, 1858, a son of George A. and Harriett S. (Wood- ruff) French, the former of whom, born in 1838, was the first white child born in Flushing township. He was reared and educated there and followed the occupation of a farmer, being the owner of a considerable body of land in Flushing township. In his younger days he operated a threshing-machine. He lived to be fifty-nine years of age, his death occurring on September
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13, 1897. His political affiliations were with the Republican party, and he was identified with the local organization of the Grange. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and one of the officials in the congrega- tion with which he was identified.
Harriett (Woodruff) French was born in Genesee county in 1839. Her death occurred in 1905 while on a visit to a son in Washington state. There were fifteen children in this family all of whom grew to years of maturity, as follow: James B., the subject of this sketch; Irving, who is living in Flint; Inez, deceased; Orla L., living in the state of Washington; Minnie, who married Graham Harris and is living in Cleveland, Ohio; Jennie, deceased; Louis, who is living in Yakima, Washington; Lena, who married Herbert Marshall, a Clayton township farmer; Hattie, who mar- ried H. D. Packard and is living at Merrill, Michigan; George, who is living in Washington; Viola married William Nevins and is living in Ohio; Fred, who is living in Pullman, Illinois; Myra, who married Ellis Roberts and is living in Pullman, Illinois; Mary, who married John S. Wilson and is living in Lansing, Michigan, and Winnie, who married Clarence Roberts and is living in Chicago.
Henry I. French, grandfather of James B. French, was born in Ver- mont and came to Genesee county when a young man, being among the earliest pioneers of Flushing township. Shortly afterward his father, Apolus French, came and located a home here. Henry French built the second log house in Flushing township. It was located on the bank of Flint river, east of the village of Flushing. All of his active years were spent in farming. When he retired from farining he moved to Flushing village and made his home there until his death, which occurred in 1885. He was the father of five children, all of whom are dead except Henry H., the young- est. The names of these deceased are George A. and Joseph (twins), Althea and Rhoda.
James B. French received his education in the Flushing graded and high schools, and then entered the Flushing mills to learn the milling trade. He was employed in these mills for thirteen years, advancing from apprentice- ship to superintendent and manager. In 1891 he embarked in the produce business at Flushing, at a location on Elm street, and continued in that business until 1908, when he sold out. Meantime, in 1895, he also engaged in the hardware business, starting in a frame building located on the site of his present building, and in 1897 he built a fine, large, two-story building to accommodate his increased business. He is still engaged in that business, occupying both floors and the basement with a stock of goods comprising
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everything in his line. Mr. French also gives some attention to his farming interests in the county. He is a stockholder and director of the Peoples State Bank, and is a stockholder and president of the Flushing Canning Company, organized in 1911.
On September 14, 1881, James B. French was married to Julia Sam- mer. Rexford S. French, the only son of James B. and Julia French, was born on February 3, 1885. He was educated in the Flushing schools and afterward attended Assumption college, Sandwich, Ontario. Returning to Flushing he went to work in his father's hardware store, where he is now employed. He was married in 1906 to Winnie Goddard, who was born in Flushing township, and they have one son, Robert.
James B. French is a Republican and has served as township treasurer and filled several village offices. Fraternally, he is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the blue lodge and chapter at Flushing, and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias in Flushing.
REV. SETH REED, D. D.
The name of Rev. Seth Reed, D. D., has been one of the most con- spicuous in Michigan Methodism for many decades and has been a potent factor for the general moral uplift. Like a sheaf fully ripened, he is serenely waiting the Reaper, looking backward over his long, useful and honorable life with no compunction. and forward with no fear. He was born in Hartwick, Otsego county, New York, June 2, 1823, and is there- fore in his ninety-fourth year. He is a son of Seth and Polly (Buell ) Reed both natives of Connecticut. They grew up in the East, were married there and had six children, namely: Miranda, who died in early childhood ; Juliet, who married P. M. Stonebraker; Laura, who married Abram Randall; Maria, who married J. H. Gray; Horace William and Seth, Jr. The father of these children, who was known as "Captain" Reed, devoted the major portion of his active life to farming. He was for some time a member of the New York militia. After his marriage in Connecticut he moved to Otsego county, New York, where he died before his son. Seth, Jr., was born. His widow survived him many years and reared the family. except Laura, who went to live with an uncle. She removed with the rest of her children to Cattaraugus county when it was only sparsely settled, but brought her family to Michigan in 1842. Some of the younger children
Seth Reed
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lived with their elder brother. The family settled near Grand Rapids, where the mother spent the rest of her life, reaching an advanced age. She died in the Methodist faith, which she did not embrace until she was past fifty years of age, having previously affiliated with the Universalist church with her husband. She was a woman of many strong characteristics and reared her children well.
Rev. Seth Reed remained in the state of New York until he was nine- teen years of age, being twelve years old when he removed with the rest of the family from Otsego county to Cattaraugus county. He received his early education in the district schools and an academy at Springville, Erie county, New York. Ill health interfered with his early development until he was past twenty-one years of age. He began teaching school when only sixteen years old, teaching three terms in New York state. Coming to Michigan in 1842, he located with the family near the city of Grand Rapids when it was merely a village and taught one term of school there, teaching at Otisco the next winter. Prior to that he had read law at home and, later, was in a law office in Grand Rapids, but while he was teaching his last term of school he decided that a legal career was not altogether attractive and that the ministry of the gospel should be his true life work. Accordingly he gave up the study of Blackstone for the Bible and began at once to expound the doctrines of the original universal Law Giver, this being the field in which nature undoubtedly intended him for. He continued to preach earnestly, ably and eloquently for a period of about fifty years, becoming one of the best known known divines in the state of Michigan and not unknown to the wider circles of Methodism. His license to preach was dated June 15, 1844, at the quarterly conference of the Methodist Episcopal church held in Grand Rapids at that time. His first work was in Flat River circuit, which embraced parts of Montcalm, Ionia, Kent and Ottawa counties. After that he preached as pastor of the churches of his denomination in many cities, including Mt. Clemens, Pontiac, Ypsilanti, Monroe, Ann Arbor, Port Huron. Detroit (two churches), and spent four years in New Eng- land, one year in Edgartown in Martha's Vineyard, and three years in Provi- dence, Rhode Island. Returning to Michigan, he became presiding elder, the duties of which he performed for a period of eighteen years, after which he was placed on the superannuated list. However, he has continued to preach occasionally and has "gone about doing good" in many ways during his old age, not being contented unless he is "about his Master's business." He has lived in Flint three different times, about fifteen years in all. When
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presiding elder on the Saginaw district he had one band of converted Indians under his charge and preached to them a number of times.
Rev. Mr. Reed was married on October 8, 1846, to Harriet Newell Russell, in Hadley, Michigan. To their union four children were born, namely : Edmund Roscoe, Louisa, Wilbur F. and Harriett Ella. Wilbur F. Reed is a physician and lives in Cheboygan. He has been twice married, first to a widow, who died without issue; his second wife, Sarah, has borne him two children, Seth and Harry. Louisa Reed married Dr. C. H. Stowell after her graduation from the University of Michigan, from which institu- tion Mr. Stowell also graduated, and they are now living in Lowell, Massa- chusetts. Edmund R. Reed, who is in business in Detroit, married Delia Cook, of Ann Arbor, who died in 1915; they were the parents of four daughters and one son, Louise, Minnie, Edith, Charles and Exene. Harriett Ella Reed married William H. Cooper, who died leaving one daughter. who has since died, and the widow then married C. E. Baldwin, a com- mercial photographer in Flint.
The death of the first wife of the subject of this sketch occurred in March, 1898, at the age of eighty-three years. On September 13, 1899, Doctor Reed married for his second wife Henrietta Andrew, a daughter of John and Hannah (Farley) Andrew. She was a native of Canada. Mr. Andrew was born in Yorkshire, England, and his wife in Quebec, Canada. The Andrew family moved to the United States in 1876, locating in Sanalac county, Michigan, where they spent a few years, the death of Mrs. Andrew occurring there in November, 1906, at the age of sixty-five years. Mr. Andrew is still living, making his home in Bad Ax, this state. His father, Joseph. Andrew, married Elizabeth Lee. They were both born in Hull, Yorkshire, England. To their union six children were born, namely: John, Joseph, Elizabeth, Mary, Phoebe and Rachael. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Reed were James T. and Anna (Herbert) Farley, the former of Irish and the latter of French extraction. To their union seven children were born, namely: Mary, John, James, Susanna, Hannah, Jane and Rich- ard.
The parents of Doctor Reed were born in southern Connecticut, the progenitor of the Reed family, John Reed, coming to Providence, Rhode Island, in the year 1660. The emigrant ancestor on the maternal side came to Boston in 1630. Both families trace their ancestors back many centuries in England, each having owned estates in England prior to the coming of. William the Conqueror in 1066. The first of the Buel family in America was William Buel, a religious enthusiast known as a Puritan. Both families
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were represented in the Colonial councils and also fought in the Revolution- ary War.
During the Civil War, Doctor Reed was down in Tennessee and Ala- bama on the Christian Commission and was an abolitionist in his sentiments. He assisted in taking care of wounded soldiers taken from Chickamauga and other battlefields. He is well preserved in his old age, being tall and erect, with good memory and clear faculties-active both in body and mind. He has been a close observer and a profound student and is therefore a well informed man, both an entertaining conversationalist and an instructive and forceful speaker. He relates many very remarkable incidents of the pioneer days. He reads without glasses, never having used them. In his early career as minister he made long journeys on horseback, through the wilderness, often beset with dangers and hardships. The circuit was large and it took him several weeks to make the rounds. On one occasion he had a miraculous escape from a bear, which charged him. But he minded not wild beasts nor Indians, nor blizzard nor hunger, so long as he was conscious of doing his Master's will. For his services for one of the years that he thus traveled and preached among the pioneers he received a total sum of fifty-nine dollars and fifty-six cents. But in later years he was pastor of some of the finest and richest churches in Michigan and ranked for half a century as one of the leading churchmen of his denomination in the country.
WILLIAM S. FOWLER.
When the farmer matures his plans and operates his farmi on the basis of a real purpose for the future, just as the business man, the railroad, or the corporation, then will he be enabled to get the many privileges that busi- ness organizations now enjoy. One of the far-seeing farmers of Richfield township, this county is William S. Fowler, who was born in Illinois, Novem- ber 9, 1859. He is a son of Jackson and Susan (Sanborn) Fowler, natives of Pennsylvania and Vermont, respectively. The Fowlers moved to Illinois in an early day, and the Sanborns to New York state, moving on to Illinois later, and it was in Illinois that the parents of the subject of this sketch met and married, and there located on a farm, coming on to Michigan in 1867. locating in section 34, Thetford township, Genesee county, where they remained until 1873, when they moved to Richfield township and settled in section 5, several years later moving to seetion 1, in Genesee township, where
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they spent the rest of their lives. Both were active members of the Method- ist church, and he was a member of Genesee Lodge No. 24, Free and Accepted Masons at Flint, and was past master of a Masonic lodge while living in Illinois. Politically, he was a Republican. His family consisted of four children by his first wife, namely: William S., the subject of this sketch; Etta, who died in childhood; Nettie, wife of Loron Reese, of Genesee town- ship, and Frankie, deceased. Jackson Fowler's second wife was Harriet Hubbard, by whom he had the following children : Lillian, deceased; Harry, cleceased, and Mertie, wife of Albert Urch, of Flint.
William S. Fowler was eight years old when his parents removed from LaSalle county, Illinois, to Michigan, and here he attended the common schools. When about eighteen years old he started out in life for himself. and has devoted his attention to general farming and stock raising, now being the owner of one hundred and sixty-five acres in Richfield township. He was married on November 16, 1884, to Carrie E. Rogers, who was born on the farm where she now lives, and where she grew to womanhood, receiv- ing her education in the district schools. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, Ona J., at home, and Mildred S., now a student in the Flint Normal School.
Mr. Fowler is a Republican and has served as justice of the peace and as township treasurer. He is a member of Otisville Lodge No. 401, Free and Accepted Masons, having joined the order in Davison in 1882, and he has held offices in the same. He and his wife are both members of the Order of Eastern Star at Otisville.
JOHN H. RUSSELL.
John H. Russell, a well-known and substantial farmer living in section 30 of Genesee township, has lived there, the pioneer farm on which he was born, all his life and has consequently been a witness to all the wonderful development that has marked this region during the past generation. He was born on November 20, 1852, son of Hiram and Ann (Williams) Russell, natives of New York state, who had come to Michigan in the days of their youth with their respective parents, both families having settled in this county in early days, and here they were married and spent their last days.
Hiram Russell was born on May 26, 1823, son of Howland and Cath- erine (Eichelsamer) Russell, the former of whom was born on April 19.
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1774, who were married at Pittstown, Pennsylvania, January 22, 1803, and who came to Michigan with their family in territorial days, back in 1835, settling in Livingston county and six years later coming to Genesee county and settling on the farm on which their grandson, the subject of this sketcli, now lives, where they spent the rest of their lives, useful and influential pioneer residents of that part of the county. Howland Russell died there on January 24, 1869. His wife had preceded him to the grave a little less than five years, her death having occurred on March 21, 1864. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom Hiram Russell was the tenth in order of birth, the others having been Sallie, Peter, Gideon, John, Almira, Nicholas, Harriet, Richard, Janet and Betsy. Hiram Russell was about twelve years old when his parents came to Michigan with their family and he grew to manhood in this state. He was a valued assistant in the work of developing the homestead farm in this county and after his marriage in the early fifties continued to make his home there. He married Ann Williams, who was born in Monroe county, New York, August 30, 1829. daughter of John and Miranda (Weaver) Williams, both natives of that same county, the latter of whom died there, after which John Williams and his two daughters, Ann and Cordelia, came to Michigan and settled in this county. Hiram Russell died on June 3, 1896. He and his wife were the parents of four children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being Georgiana, born on June 2, 1854, who died on August 2, 1855; Ida W., April 23, 1857, who married, April 24, 1877, Edwin Robison and died on August 19, 1878, and Helen J., August 1I, 1863, who died on December 4 of that same year.
John H. Russell was reared on the homestead farm his grandfather had entered from the government, receiving his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, and, being the only son of his father was from early boyhood a valuable assistant in the work of carrying on the labors of the farm. After his marriage in 1814 he established his home on the old home farm and after his father's death, as the sole survivor of the family, came into full possession of the same. The Russell farm consists of two hundred and thirty acres, one hundred and ten acres in Genesee township, and the remainder in Mt. Morris township, and is a valuable piece of property, Mr. Russell for years having been regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in that neighborhood. He is a Democrat and ever since arriving at a voting age has given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.
It was on October 6, 1874, that John H. Russell was united in mar-
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riage to Sarah J. Taylor, who was born at Flint, this county, February 12, 1856, daughter and only child of Nathaniel and Sophia (Davison) Taylor, the former a native of Ohio, born on March 16, 1832, and the latter, a native of England, born on August 29, 1835, who died on October 29, 1856, when her only daughter was an infant. Nathaniel Taylor was a well- known farmer and carpenter. To. Mr. and Mrs. Russell three children have been born, Florence, born on February 3, 1878, who married Driss Knickerbocker, of Mt. Morris township, in 1901 and died on January 28. 1906, and Ellen and Elmer, twins, November 21, 1892, the former of whom married, February 2, 1916, Clayton W. Kurtz, of Genesee township, and the latter of whom is aiding his father in the management of the home farm, ably representing the fourth generation of Russells who have con- tributed to the development of that place.
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