USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 46
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Jennie E. Sanford grew up on the home farm and received her educa-
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tion in the common schools of Thetford township. Later she took a course in music at the normal school in Flint, where she made rapid progress, being gifted in this branch of the fine arts by nature, and she taught school for some time and also gave music lessons successfully. On October 8, 1893, she married Edmund Sanford, who was born in Forest township, Genesee county, September 5, 1864, and there he grew to manhood and received his education in the common schools. He devoted his active life successfully to agricultural pursuits. His death occurred on January 9, 1900.
To Edmund Sanford and wife five children were born, namely: Ber- nice Aurilla, born July 11, 1895, is a graduate of Clio high school and the Flint normal school; she is now teaching school, and is organist at the Meth- odist church near the homestead; Hazel Estell and Marjorie Belle, twins, were born on December 1, 1896, are single and live at home; Dorothy Kathryn, born February 13, 1899, is attending Clio high school; Roy W. died in infancy on March 12, 1901.
Mrs. Sanford and children attend the Methodist church. Her farm con- sists of forty acres, which is well improved and well cultivated. She is a woman of sound judgment and business ability and has a host of friends throughout the neighborhood.
WILLIAM H. DAVIE.
William H. Davie, a prominent farmer of Genesee county, was born in Flushing township on September 11, 1865, being the son of Lyman E. and Puella L. (Parsall) Davie. Lyman E. Davie was born on April 15, 1841, at Eagle Village, New York, the son of Edward P. Davie and wife, both natives of the state of New York. At the age of three years, Lyman E. came with his parents to Michigan and settled in Mundy township, three miles west of Flint. Here Edward P. Davie opened a blacksmith and wood shop, which he operated until 1861, at which time he enlisted in a Michigan regiment and served in the army for about four years. At the close of the Civil War he returned to Michigan and opened a shop at Ossego, where he remained until he removed his shop to Luddington, and here conducted the same until his death in 1891. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and took an active part in local politics, as a Democrat.
To Edward P. Davie and wife were born the following children: Mar- tha, the wife of J. B. Washborn; Leo, William H., Lyman E., Jefferson,
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Edward, James, Lottie and Rastus. Mrs. Davie was a native of the state of New York, where she was born in 1809, and died at her home in Ludding- ton in 1883.
Lyman E. Davie remained at home until 1861, at which time he made a visit to the state of New York and there enlisted in a New York regiment for service in the Civil War. He was later transferred to a Michigan regi- ment, under Colonel Lutman, and attained the rank of captain. In 1863 he came home on a furlough and was married, on February 22, of that year, to Puella L. Parsell, who returned with him to the front.
Puella L. (Parsell) Davie was born on August 8, 1842, in Flushing township, being the daughter of Robert P. Parsell and wife, prominent resi- dents of the county. Mrs. Davie died in 1897. She was the mother of William H. and Robert P. Davie, Elizabeth A. Moss, the wife of Charles T. Moss, of Flushing, and Laura Ellis, the wife of Ray Ellis, of Lemon.
Lyman E. Davie had learned the blacksmith trade before the Civil War and after his return from that conflict he opened a shop at Flushing, where he remained for a number of years. He later bought a farm northwest of Flushing, where he made his home. He also owned one hundred and sixty acres in Nebraska and six hundred and forty acres in Kansas. He died in Flushing in 1907. Fraternally, Mr. Davie was a Free and Accepted Mason and belonged to the Knights Templar at Detroit.
William H. Davie grew to manhood and was educated in the schools of Flushing township, remaining at home until his marriage to Gertrude Turner. After his marriage he removed to Colorado and worked for a time in a grocery store at Colorado Springs. He also clerked in a drug store there and later conducted one of his own, first at Victor and then at Flor- ence, Colorado. Having sold his drug business, he located on a ranch at Buford, where he remained for one year. In 1909 he returned to Michigan and purchased his present farm of ninety-seven acres in Flushing township. He has a large gravel pit on the place and furnishes a large amount of gravel for the roads of that section. He does general farming and raises cattle and hogs. He has a large number of hogs and some fine registered Jersey cattle.
Politically, Mr. Davie is a Republican and has always taken an active part in local politics. While living in Colorado he served on the central committee. Fraternally, he is a Free and Accepted Mason and has attained the Royal Arch degrees; he is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Elks. His membership in these orders are all held in Colorado.
Gertrude Turner Davie, the daughter of Brunson and Caroline (Chani-
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berlin) Turner, was born on December 28, 1863, in Flushing township. Her parents were natives of the state of New York, Brunson Turner having been born, on May 15, 1823, at Pine Plains and Caroline Chamberlin Turner on August 21, 1826, at Scotia. They grew to manhood and womanhood in their native state and were there married. In 1854, soon after their mar- riage, they came to Michigan and for a time lived in Maple Grove, Saginaw county. They later located in Flushing township and made this their future home. Mr. Turner was by trade a mason. but devoted much of his life to farming, being a large landowner. For many years he was one of the prominent business men of Flushing. His death occurred on February 24, 1908, and Mrs. Turner died on October 15, 1907.
Brunson Turner and wife were active members of the Methodist Epis- copal church and took much interest in all church work. Politically, Mr. Turner was a Republican and served his township as justice of the peace. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for many years.
Brunson and Caroline Turner were the parents of the following chil- dren : Mary Ellen, the wife of Charles A. Smith, of Flushing; Lillian, the wife of James L. Huks, of California; Adella, the wife of George Renoyer, of Flushing; Byran, deceased; Alice, deceased, was the wife of J. W. Mo- land; Carrie; Gertrude, (Mrs. Davie) ; Nellie, the wife of H. H. Charter, of Flushing; Herbert, deceased; Grace, the wife of Ray Ballard, and Viola, the wife of Jessie McMichael, of California.
William H. and Gertrude Davie are the parents of one child, Mildred C., who is talented in music and is at present teaching music in the Baker Business College, at Flint.
BISMARK KAHL.
For various reasons, often through necessity, man leaves his childhood home and seeks his fortune in other countries, even seldom revisiting the hearthstone around which he played as a child. Fate has favored Bismark Kahl, a farmer of Flushing township, this county, in permitting him to spend his life on the homestead, and he is still living on the farm on which he was born, October 28, 1871. He is a son of Henry and Maggie (Church) Kahl, both natives of Ohio, where they spent their earlier years, coming to Michi- gan shortly after the Civil War, in which the father participated. He is now living retired in Brent Creek, after an active life as a general farmer. His family consists of eight children.
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Bismark Kahl grew up on the home farm and received his education in the district schools. He has always engaged in farming on the home place which he now owns, with the exception of eight years, six of which were spent on a farm west of Brent Creek, working as a hired hand, the other two years were spent in the elevator at Brent Creek, which business he later bought, in 1906, and he has made a pronounced success in this line of en- deavor, a large annual business being carried on. He is one of the stock- holders and a director, also secretary of the company. He divides his at- tention between the elevator and his farm, which latter he has kept well im- proved and is there carrying on general farming and stock raising.
Mr. Kahl was married in 1900 to Fannie Kelland, who was born in Flushing township, this county, where she was reared and educated. She is a daughter of Thomas and Martha (Wood) Kelland. The father was born in England, from which country he emigrated to the United States when a young man, coming to Michigan and locating first in Flint, where he met and married Martha Wood. He spent the major portion of the rest of his life on the farm where his wife was born. His death occurred in March, 1908. His widow is now living with her son, George, in Flushing. She had but one other child, Fannie, wife of Mr. Kahl, the subject of this sketch.
Politically, Mr. Kahl is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order at New Lathrop, in which lodge he has passed part of the chairs. He is also a member of Lodge No. 319, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at New Lathrop, and has passed all the chairs in the same. He is also a member of the Order of Eastern Star.
JOHN R. MACOMBER.
John R. Macomber, a well-known retired miller, living in the pleasant village of Atlas, this county, was born in that village and has lived there all his life. He was born on April 2, 1846, son of Austin and Jane (MeNeice ) Macomber, the former a native of the state of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ireland, who spent their last days in this county.
Austin Macomber, who was born on April 27, 1813, and died on May 6, 1857, was a son of John and Silence Macomber, who moved from Pennsyl- vania to Genesee county, New York, when he was a child and in that latter county he grew to manhood, remaining there until he was about twenty-four
John B Macomber
MARY I. MACOMBER AND FIVE GENERATIONS OF THE MCCANDLISH FAMILY.
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years of age. He was a carpenter and in 1843 came to Michigan, settling at Atlas, in this county, and pursued his vocation there until a few years before his death, when he moved to Goodrich, where he died at the age of forty-four years. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Austin Macomber was twice married. His first wife, who was a Waugh, died in New York state, leaving one child, a daughter, Angeline, who died many years ago. He then, on January 12, 1843, shortly before coming to Michigan, married, at Leroy, Genesee county, New York, Jane McNeice, who was born in Dungannon, Ireland, May 16, 1818, and who died on September 12, 1880. She was a daughter of John and Rebecca McNeice, who emigrated to Canada, where they died not long afterward. leaving their daughter a mere child. She grew up in the household of Sidney Warner, in Genesee county, New York, where she was living at the time of her marriage to Mr. Macomber. To that union three children were born, Harriet F., who died when eighteen years old; John R., the subject of this sketch, and James A., who died in 1888, leaving two daughters.
Austin Macomber's father, John Macomber, was born on July 18, 1769, and died on March 25, 1834; his mother, Silence Macomber, was born on April 9. 1779, and died on March 20, 1854.
John R. Macomber was about eleven years old when his father died and he grew up in the village of Atlas, for a few years in his young man- hood following farming. He married in 1870 and in 1873 became employed in the flour-mill at Atlas, where he remained for many years, becoming one of the best-known millers in this part of the state. When the owner of the Atlas mill, Mr. Atherton, died in 1896, Mr. Maconiber was placed in charge of the same and operated it for Mrs. Atherton until she sold the mill in 1908, after which, for two or three years, he was employed in the mills at Goodrich and Grand Blanc and then returned to his established home at Atlas, where he has since been living practically retired.
It was on September 22, 1870, that John R. Macomber was united in marriage to Mary I. McCandlish, who was born at Hyde Park, a suburb of New York City, March 27, 1847, daughter of John and Margaret (Stiveus) McCandlish, who came to Michigan and settled in Atlas township, this county, in 1847, a biographical record of whom is set out in a memorial sketch relating to John McCandlish, presented elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Macomber was but an infant when her parents came to this county and she grew to womanhood on the home farm, where she was living at the time of
(30a)
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her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Macomber have been born three children, Letitia, Earl D. and Roy W., all of whom are still living. Letitia Macomber married William Niles and lived at Detroit until 1915, when she was taken seriously ill while on a visit to her parents in Atlas and has since been com- pelled to remain there by reason of her invalid condition. She is the mother of two children, Gladys and Wayne. Gladys Niles married James Reed, of Atlas, and has a little son, William James. Earl D. Macomber married Jessie King, of Detroit, and makes his home in Atlas. Roy W. Macomber, who is in the employ of the Edison Light and Power Company at Detroit, makes his home at Dearborn, a suburb on the western edge of that city. Mr. and Mrs. John R. Macomber are members of the Baptist church and for years have been among the leaders in good works in their community. For a time their household sheltered and gave residence to five generations of the same family. That was during the time of the residence there of Mrs. Macomber's mother, the venerable Mrs. Margaret McCandlish, who lived to the great age of ninety-three years, she and her daughter, Mrs. Macomber, the latter's daughter, Mrs. Niles, the latter's daughter, Mrs. Feed, and the latter's son, William James Reed, constituted the five generations. A photograph of the five, taken in a group, attracted much attention at the time it was taken, being published in Detroit newspapers and in the news- papers of several other cities, and is reproduced in this work.
MARSHALL C. LEFURGEY.
Marshall C. Lefurgey, postmaster at Mt. Morris and for years engaged in the undertaking business at that place, is a native son of Michigan and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a farm in Lenox town- ship, Macomb county, December 25, 1866, son of Dennis and Rachael (Sea- man) Lefurgey, natives of the state of New York, of French and German ancestry, members of pioneer families in Macomb county and the former of whom is still living, making his home at New Haven, where he has been living retired for some years.
Dennis Lefurgey was born on a farm near Sodus, New York, on Aug- ust 16, 1839, son of Jacob and Mary Ann (Wright) Lefurgey, natives of that same state, who came to Michigan with their family about 1855 and settled in Macomb county, where they spent the rest of their lives, Jacob Lefurgey being eighty-nine years of age at the time of his death, and his
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wife eighty-four. They were the parents of four children, namely: Mary Jane, who married Edwin Collins and is now living at New Haven, this state; James, now deceased, for years a substantial farmer of Macomb coun- ty; Sarah, who married Charles Tubbs, of Detroit, and Dennis. The latter was about sixteen years old when he came to Michigan with his parents from New York and he grew up on the paternal farm in that county, remaining at home until his marriage, after which he bought a farm in Ray township, Macomb county, where he lived for a few years, at the end of which time he sold his farm and engaged in the mercantile business at New Haven, where he conducted a general store for seventeen years. He then sold the store and bought a farm in Chesterfield township, that same county, where he lived for five or six years, at the end of which time he sold the farm and en- gaged in business at Meade and continued thus engaged until his retirement from business and return to New Haven, where he has since lived retired.
Dennis Lefurgey was twice married. His first wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was Rachael Seaman, who was born in New York and whose parents, natives of that same state, came to Michigan and settled in Macomb county about the same time that Grandfather Lefurgey and his family settled there. Grandfather Seaman became a substantial pioneer farmer and he and his wife spent their last days on their farm in Macomb county. Grandmother Seaman before her marriage was Margaret Dums- bach. There were five children in the Seaman family, of whom but one now survives, Margaret, the last-born, the others having been Mrs. Lydia Wood- ward, John, who left home when sixteen years of age and went to sea, re- maining a sailor the rest of his life; Henry and Rachael. To Dennis and Rachael (Seaman) Lefurgey three children were born, Mary, who died when sixteen years of age; Marshall C., the subject of this biographical sketch, and Vashti, who married the Rev. S. F. Dimmock, a Baptist minister, now living at Medina, Ohio. The mother of these children died in 1869 and in 1873 Dennis Lefurgey married Clara Carl, who was born in Macomb coun- ty, this state, daughter of David Carl and wife, both now deceased, the former of whom was a well-known farmer and undertaker.
Marshall C. Lefurgey received his schooling in the schools of New Haven and early began working on his own account, engaged in various forms of occupation in and about New Haven and working for an uncle on the farm. After his marriage in the summer of 1888 he bought a farm in Macomb county and farmed the same for four years, at the end of which time he sold his place and formed a partnership with his father in the grocery business at Meade and was thus engaged until the store was sold and the
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elder Lefurgey retired from business. Marshall C. Lefurgey then, in 1902, moved to Mt. Morris and engaged in the undertaking business and has ever since been thus engaged at that place, being one of the best-known funeral directors in that part of the state. Mr. Lefurgey is a Democrat and has long given his thoughtful attention to local political affairs, being regarded as one of the leaders of his party in the northern part of the county. In 1915 he received his commission as postmaster of Mt. Morris and has ever since been administering the affairs of that office there.
It was on July 4, 1888, that Marshall C. Lefurgey was united in mar- riage to Louisa Todd, who was born in Gratiot county, this state, in June, 1870, and to this union three children have been born, Linn, who died when twenty-two years of age, and Ethel and Floy, who are at home with their parents. Mr. Lefurgey is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters.
EDWARD C. VAN DEWALKER.
Edward C. Van DeWalker, well-known banker at Mt. Morris, treasurer of that village and otherwise actively identified with the business and civic interests of the northern part of Genesee county, is a native of the state of New York, but has been a resident of Michigan since the year 1899. He was born at Chadwicks, in Oneida county, New York, October 28, 1869, son of William and Susan ( Wolfe) Van DeWalker, both natives of central New York state, whose lives were spent in that state, for many years hav- ing been prominent residents of the city of Utica. William Van DeWalker was for years a merchant and hotel keeper at Utica and took an active part in the affairs of that city. Both he and his wife spent their last days in that city, he having been sixty years of age at the time of his death. They were the parents of four children, two of whom died in infancy, the survivors being Mildred, widow of Henry Addington, of Utica, and the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Addington is now making her home with her brother at Mt. Morris.
Following his graduation from the high school at Utica, New York, Edward C. Van DeWalker engaged in business with his father and was for some time thus engaged. He married in 1890 and some time later turned his attention to the study of medicine, entering the medical department of the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated in 1899. He opened an office for the practice of his profession at Suttons Bay, this state,
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and was engaged in practice there for seven years, at the end of which time failing health determined him to give up the practice of medicine. He then went to Kingsley, this state, where he bought an interest in the Bank of Kingsley and was actively engaged in the banking business there until 1911, when he sold his interests at that place and bought a half interest in the Bank of Mt. Morris. Mr. Van DeWalker moved to Mt. Morris upon ac- quiring his banking interests there and has ever since made his home there. He is in active charge of the bank and is widely known in commercial circles throughout this part of the state. Mr. Van DeWalker is a Repub- lican and for some time has been serving as treasurer of the village of Mt. Morris. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the blue lodge at Northport, of DeWitt Clinton Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, at Grand Rapids, and a noble of Saladin Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Grand Rapids.
Mr. Van DeWalker has been married twice. It was in 1890 that he was united in marriage to Ada Woodrow, who was born near Otisville, this county, daughter of Joseph and Harriet (Phelps) Woodrow, both of whom were born in the neighborhood of Mt. Clemens, this state. Mrs. Ada Van DeWalker died in 1913 and in 1914 Mr. Walker niarried Margaret Fenner, who was born at Mt. Morris on December 2, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Van DeWalker are members of the Congregational church and take a proper interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in all local good works in and about their home town.
JOHN HUGHES.
John Hughes, a well-known and well-to-do retired farmer and manu- facturer of Mt. Morris, an honored veteran of the Civil War and for years prominently connected with affairs in the northern part of the county, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here the larger part of his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Vienna township, this county, November 16, 1842, son of Christopher and Mary (Flanigan) Hughes, natives of Ire- land, who came to the United States immediately after their marriage, when Christopher Hughes was about twenty-one years of age, and settled near Rochester, New York, where they remained five or six years, at the end of which time they came to Michigan and settled in Genesee county, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Upon coming to this county Christopher Hughes contracted to clear a
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forty-acre tract for one of the pioneer settlers of Vienna township, and was given a deed to one-half of the tract, twenty acres, for his labor. He then became employed on the work of constructing the plank roads throughout this section and thus received a material start which led to success, for he gradually became a large landowner and a man of large influence in his community. He and his wife were members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these children, all of whom grew to maturity, but of whom but three now survive, Michael, William and the subject of this sketch.
John Hughes grew to manhood on the pioneer farm of his father in Vienna township, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood school and proving a valuable assistant to his father in the work of developing the lat- ter's extensive farm interests. During the Civil War he enlisted for service in Company C, Twenty-third Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war with that command, being mustered out as a corporal. His brother Mathew, who had gone South before the war, served during that struggle as a member of a Mississippi battery in the Con- federate army, and at the close of the war, upon comparing notes with his brother, Corporal Hughes, of the Twenty-third Michigan, found that on numerous occasions the brothers had been engaged in the same battles, on opposing sides. Despite the active service of both, neither of the brothers was wounded during the war.
Upon the conclusion of his military service, John Hughes returned to Michigan and in 1886 married in his home county, shortly afterward open- ing a general store at a cross-road on the county line between Genesee and Saginaw counties and also contracted to furnish wood for railroad use. Not long afterwards the railroads ceased burning wood in their locomotives and Mr. Hughes lost quite heavily on the engagements he had made in that connection. He then closed his store and moved to Evart, in Osceola county, where he engaged in business, but when the panic of 1873 again put him out of business he engaged in carpentering and presently began to make some money. Mr. Hughes remained at Evart for twenty-seven years, the latter twelve years of which time he operated a machine shop there and also en- gaged in the manufacture of wood handles, in both of which industries he did well in a financial way. Upon selling his shop in Evart he returned to Genesee county and settled on a farm on the outskirts of the village of Mt. Morris, where he remained for ten years, at the end of which time he moved to Mt. Morris, where he built a house and where he since has made his home. For some years after moving to Mt. Morris, Mr. Hughes again
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