USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 60
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It was on October 20, 1884, that Perry W. Gale was united in marriage to Mrs. Sarahı (Carpenter ) Warner, who was born in Genesee township, this county, daughter of Sylaman and Jane ( Palmer) Carpenter, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Canada, who were married in Ohio and came to Genesee county before the Civil War and settled in section 23, Genesee township. Sylaman Carpenter died when his daughter, Sarah, was fifteen years old and his widow is still living, now making her home at Flint, at the age of eighty-five years. Sarah Carpenter grew to womanhood on the home farm in Genesee township and married Dr. Eugene Warner. who was reared on a farm on the river road between Flint and Flushing and who, upon becoming a physician, located at Milford, where he was engaged in practice until his death about 1880. In 1913 Mr. Gale erected a beautiful brick bungalow house at Atlas, where he and his wife are very pleasantly and comfortably situated. They have for years taken an earnest interest in the various social and cultural activities of their home community and have long been regarded as among the leaders in all movements having to do with the promotion of the best interests of that part of the county.
MENNO F. DOWNER.
Menno F. Downer, one of the most enterprising and energetic mer- chants of the village of Davison, this county, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born in the city of Flint, January 31, 1868, son of Francis and Barbara (Hough) Downer, the former a native of England and the latter of Canada, both of whom spent their last days in Flint.
Francis Downer was born at Barnstable, England, and as a young man emigrated to Canada, locating near Bemisville, in the vicinity of St. Cath- erines, Ontario, where he married Barbara Hough, who was born in that
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province. Not long afterward they came to Michigan and settled at Flint, where Francis Downer died in 1868, seven months after the birth of his son, the subject of this sketch. His widow married Jacob Raab, a cabinet maker, of Flint, and continued to make that city her home the rest of her life, both she and her husband dying about 1904.
Upon completing the course in the city schools at Flint, Menno F. Downer took a course in the Devlin Business College at Jackson and then became a bookkeeper for George W. Hubbard and was thus employed for nine years. at the end of which time he became a clerk in the store of Algoe & Miller at Flint and was thus engaged for three years. In the meantime. in 1896, he had married and in 1904 he and his brother-in-law, Alfred Fair- child went to Davison, where they bought an established business in the hardware and agricultural implement line and have ever since been con- ducting that store, dealing also in paints, oils, harness and various farm supplies. In 1915 they extended their business by opening a five- and ten- cent store in a room adjoining their old established store and have since been conducting both places. Mr. Downer takes an active interest in the general civic affairs of his home community and has for the past six years or more been a member of the Davison school board. He is a member of the local lodge of the Masonic order and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.
It was in 1896 that Menno F. Downer was united in marriage to Anna Fairchild, who was born in Devonshire, England, daughter of Richard and Susan (Branton) Fairchild, who came to Michigan about the year 1874 and settled on a farm near the village of Flushing, this county, where they still are living. To Mr. and Mrs. Downer two children have been born, daugh- ters both, Louise M. and Christina F.
CLARENCE E. LEACH.
Clarence E. Leach, a well-known and well-to-do retired farmer and merchant of Atlas, this county, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here practically all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Atlas township, November 10, 1872, son of George and Anna (Blackmore) Leach, well-known and substantial residents of that community, members of pioneer families, a good record of whom, together with the family genealogy going back to England, is set out in a biographical sketch relating to William J.
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Leach, of Davison, brother of the subject of this sketch, presented else- where in this volume.
Clarence E. Leach grew to manhood on the home farm in Atlas town- ship, receiving his elementary schooling in the neighboring schools, supple- menting the same by a course in the normal school at Flint, and remained at home until his marriage in 1893. The following spring he bought a farm of sixty acres on the line between Atlas and Davison townships, about one- half mile west of his old home, and there established his home, remaining there until the fall of 1907, when he rented the farm for a year and took a trip West. Upon his return he bought a store in the village of Atlas and conducted the same until he sold it in the fall of 1915. He and his wife have a very comfortable home, besides other property in the village, and continue to make that place their home. Both are members of the Knights of the Maccabees and take an active interest in the affairs of that organ- ization.
It was in 1893 that Clarence F. Leach was united in marriage to Frances H. Campbell, who was born in Davison township, this county, daughter of John and Fidelia (Johnson) Campbell, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Michigan. John Campbell was born at Stockbridge, New York, April 4, 1840, son of John and Barbara (Russell) Campbell. His mother died when he was ten years old and his father came to Michigan with his five sons and located in Groveland town- ship, in the neighboring county of Oakland, later moving over into Genesee county, where he bought the Fisk farm in Davison township and established his home. In a biographical sketch relating to George M. Campbell, brother of the junior John Campbell, presented elsewhere in this volume, there is set out a further history of the Campbell family in this county. John Camp- bell did not accompany his father when the latter moved to Genesee county, but at the age of seventeen went to Peoria, Illinois, where he was engaged in bridge work for five years, at the end of which time he rejoind his father in this county. Two years later, in 1863, he married Fidelia Johnson, who was born at Groveland, in Oakland county, this state, a daughter of Daniel F. and Amanda (Husted) Johnson. who came to this then Territory of Michigan from Genesee county, New York, in 1834, and homesteaded a tract of land in Oakland county. After John Campbell's marriage he lived on the farm with his father for awhile and then bought a farm in the south- ern part of Davison township, where he became the owner of one hundred and twenty acres and where he lived for nearly fifty years, or until the winter of 1910-II, when he moved into the village of Atlas, where he died on
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March 13, 1914, and where his widow is still living. John Campbell for years was prominent in the civic affairs of this county, for twelve years was supervisor of Davison township and for four years immediately following that public service was treasurer of the county. He and his wife were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Leach was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Alexander D., born in 1865, who died in 1901; Emma, who married John Gavitt and lives at Hammond, Indiana; John E., who lives in Flint, this county; Mary A., wife of Duane Tyler, a farmer, living near Atlas, and Julia A., wife of Forrest E. Barnhart, of Flint.
WILLIAM P. GOODRICH.
William P. Goodrich, one of the best-known and most substantial farm- ers of Atlas township, this county, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres west of the village of Goodrich and for many years actively identified with all proper movements for the advancement of the interests of the community in which he lives, was born on the farm on which he now lives and has lived there all his life. He was born on May 22, 1844, son of Levi W. and Olive (Payne) Goodrich, prominent and influential members of that community, whose last days were spent on the farm on which their son, the subject of this sketch now lives.
Levi W. Goodrich was one of the sons of Levi H. Goodrich, head of the family of that nanie which exerted so large and so useful an influence upon the Atlas township community in the early days of that now well- established and prosperous farming region; a name inseparably linked with all the social, commercial and political history of the township of Atlas since territorial days. It was in September, 1835, that two of the Goodrich brothers, Moses and Enos Goodrich, sons of Levi W. Goodrich, came from the town of Clarence, in Erie county, New York, to the then Territory of Michigan and bought from the government more than one thousand acres of "Congress land" in the central sections of Atlas township, this county. They erected a small log house on section 20 of their purchase and then returned to Clarence, returning thence, in February, 1836. Their mother. their brothers, Reuben, Levi W .. John S., and other members of the family came in the following May to the cabin home in the wilderness and it was there that the Goodrich home was established, a home that has been main- tained, in unbroken descent, to this day. The father, Levi H. Goodrich,
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who was a native of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, joined his family here in the fall of that year, his journey to the new home in the wilderness having been delayed by reason of his official duties as supervisor of the town of Clarence, it having been necessary for him to remain there until the fall meeting, 1836, of the board of supervisors of Erie county.
From the time of their settlement in Genesee county the Goodriches became recognized as among the most potent factors in the vast work of developing the incalculable riches of this region. They established and operated mills, opened stores, founded the village which bears their name and opened for cultivation wide fields of the finest land found in this part of Michigan. In the fall of 1846 Enos Goodrich was elected to represent this district in the state Legislature and sat as a member of that body in the last session held at Detroit. During the struggle to move the capital to Lansing, he took an active and vigorous stand in behalf of his measure to establish the capital at his village of Goodrich and pressed that measure with such vigor that it came within one vote of being carried. In 1852 he was elected to the state Senate and after a long and eventful career in this county moved to Tuscola county, where he spent his last days. Reuben Goodrich, who was so long in business at Goodrich, spent his last days in Traverse City. John S. Goodrich became a successful lawyer, a member of the bar upon the establishment of the Genesee circuit court, and was taking a pron- inent and useful part in the early affairs of this county when death stopped his promising career. Aaron Goodrich moved from here to Tennessee and in the latter state achieved fame and distinction. Moses Goodrich "stuck to the farm" and for years was one of the most substantial and influential farmers in the southern part of this county, where his last days were spent.
Levi W. Goodrich was a young man when he came here with his family from New York state and he also stuck to the farm, becoming one of the most progressive agriculturists in that section, the owner of a half section of fine land west of the village of Goodrich, where he had a comfortable home and where he spent the rest of his life. He was a Democrat and ever took an active and influential part in local civic affairs, always foremost among the leaders in the work of creating proper conditions hereabout in the early days. Levi W. Goodrich was twice married. By his first wife, live Payne, who was born in the state of New York, daughter of William Payne and wife, he was the father of six children, Eliza, Joseph, William P., James, Sidney (who died in infancy) and Alice, now deceased. The mother of these children died in 1850 and Mr. Goodrich later married Mrs.
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Sarah (Bates) McBride, a widow, and to that union one child was born, a daughter, Ada. Levi W. Goodrich died on March 9, 1871.
Willianı P. Goodrich grew to manhood on the farm on which he was born and has always lived there, the owner of a quarter of a section of the old home farm, a tract which he has brought to a high state of cultivation and on which he has a very comfortable home, he and his family being very pleasantly situated. On December 25, 1870, he was united in marriage to Phebe Ford, who was born at Lock Berlin, New York, daughter of Ira and Eleanor (Swartz) Ford, who came to Michigan and settled at Grand Rapids at a time when there were but seven stores in that town. Ira Ford was a blacksmith and he built a log blacksmith shop near the present site of Sweet's Hotel in Grand Rapids, which he operated for some years, later moving to Berlin, ten miles west of that town. where he and his wife spent their last days. Phebe Ford became a school teacher and had taught school at Good- rich for five years before her marriage to Mr. Goodrich. To that union three children were born, Clinton, who died when sixteen months old ; Myrtie, who is at home with her father, and Ford, who owns and is successfully operating a farm in section 32 of his home township. Ford Goodrich mar- ried Hattie Adell Titsworth, who was born on a farm about one mile north of Goodrich, daughter of George and Nettie Titsworth, and to this union two children have been born, Raymond and Bernetta. Mrs. Phebe Ford Goodrich died on April 25, 1912.
MARTIN C. STINE.
Martin C. Stine, a well-known and progressive farmer of the southern part of this county, who for some years past has been making his home in the pleasant village of Goodrich, where he and his wife are very comfort- ably situated, is a native of New York, born in Erie county, that state, December 29, 1856, but has been a resident of this state since he was four years old his parents, John and Caroline (Essig) Stine, having come to Michigan in 1860, their last days being spent on a farm in Atlas township, this county.
John Stine was a German, born in Bavaria, who grew up in his native land, where he was trained to the trade of a tailor. When a young man he came to the United States and settled in Erie county, New York, where he began work as a farmer and remained a farmer the rest of his life. In
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Erie county he married Caroline Essig, who was born in Schwobeland, Ger- many, and who had come to America when eighteen or twenty years old to join her sister. In 1860 John Stine and his family came to Michigan, locating in Hadley township, Lapeer county, whence they moved a couple of years later to this county and settled on a farm in Atlas township, becom- ing substantial residents of that neighborhood. There John Stine died in 1878. His widow survived him ten years, her death occurring in 1888. They were the parents of nine children, all of whom grew to maturity, namely: John, now deceased; Edwin, of Hadley township; Mrs. Eliza- beth Bowles, deceased; Mrs. Louisa Riley, deceased; William, deceased; Mrs. Sarah Warn, of Flint; Mrs. Mary Miller, of Lapeer county ; Martin C., the subject of this sketch, and Mrs. Anna DeWitt, of Flint.
Martin C. Stine was but a child when his parents came to this county and he grew to manhood on the home farm in Atlas township, where he lived until his marriage in 1883, when he began farming for himself on the old Jonathan Frost farin a mile and a half east of Goodrich, where he lived for six years, at the end of which time he returned to the old home farm and there lived until the spring of 1907, when he moved to the village of Goodrich, where he erected his present house and where he and his wife have since made their home. In addition to a farm of eighty acres in section 13 of Atlas township, Mr. Stine owns eleven acres surrounding his home at the edge of Goodrich. Both his farm and his home place are well improved and kept up in good shape.
It was in 1883 that Martin C. Stine was united in marriage to Mary Mellendorf, who was born in Grand Blanc township, this county, a daugh- ter of John and Dora May (Klein) Mellendorf, both of whom were born in Mecklenburg, Germany, and who had come to this country on the same boat with a considerable party of young people, locating at Detroit, where they were married in 1857. In this party was Mrs. Mellendorf's younger brother, Christopher Klein. In the latter fifties John Mellendorf and his wife came from Detroit to Genesee county, settling in Grand Blanc town- ship, where they made their home for fourteen years. In the meantime John Mellendorf had bought a farm near Millington and he then moved to that farm where both he and his wife died in 1908, Mrs. Mellendorf dying about six months before her husband. They were members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were six of these children, of whom Mrs. Stine was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Emma, who married Charles Storms and lives at
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Millington; Sarah, who married Valentine Crydeman and lived at Milling- ton, where both she and her husband died; Charles, who lives at Alberta, Canada; Louisa, who married Jacob Hegel and lives on a farm west of Goodrich, in Atlas township, and Minnie, wife of Prince A. Richards, of Flint.
FRED W. McCANN.
Fred W. McCann, a well-known manufacturer of drain tile and brick at Gaines, this county, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm on the Baldwin road in Mundy town- ship, June 21, 1870, son of William and Elizabeth (Glover) McCann, the former of whom was born in Marietta, Ohio, and the latter in Mundy town- ship, this county, to whom six children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follow: Jessie, wife of Solomon Kimball, of Jackson county, this state; Hugh, a resident of Detroit ; Grace, deceased; Flora, wife of Earl Fish, of Holly, this state, and Eva, wife of Herbert Gilbert, of Detroit. The mother of these children died in 1887 and the father is now living in Detroit.
Upon completing the course in the common schools of his home town- ship, Fred W. McCann took a course in the Flint Normal School and then began teaching school, continuing to teach in the schools of this county for thirteen years. He is also a graduate of the Columbian Correspondence College of Law, Washington, D. C. In 1903 he bought a half interest in the tile and brick works at Gaines and afterward acquired his present fine farm of eighty acres on the eastern edge of the village of Gaines and estab- lished his home there. He has ever since been successfully engaged in the manufacture of a high grade of tile and brick and has created a wide market for his products. He also for years has taken an active interest in local civic affairs; has served the public as president of the village, as trustee, as justice of the peace, and is now the secretary of the local school board. Mr. McCann is a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight Templar, affiliated with the commandery at Fenton, and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
It was in April, 1895, that Fred W. McCann was united in marriage to Minnie Coon, of Long Lake, this county, who was born there, educated in the schools of Fenton, became a school teacher and was engaged in teach- ing at the time of her marriage to Mr. McCann. To this union there has been born one son, Hugh A. McCann, born on July 27, 1896, who was
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graduated from the Fenton high school and is now a student in the Detroit College of Law. The McCanns have a very pleasant home at Gaines and take an earnest interest in the general social activities of their home town and the community at large, helpful in the work of promoting all good causes thereabout.
PHILIP SMITH.
Philip Smith, of Argentine township, Genesee county, is making a suc- cess as a general farmer and stock raiser, employing such of the progressive methods of agriculture as are consistent with this locality and climate, and his well-cultivated land and comfortable home would indicate to the observer that his efforts have been well rewarded. He was born in Oswego county, New York, May 5, 1851, and is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Robinson ) Smith. The father was born in Belfast, Ireland, and remained in his native land until the age of twenty-three, working on a farm when he became old enough. He then set sail for America and located at once in Oswego county, New Yok, where he met and married Margaret Robinson, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, but was of Scotch descent. There she spent her girlhood and came with her sister to America, after both had reached young womanhood. They located in Oswego county, New York, and there she met and married Samuel Smith and they located on a farm in that county. In the fall of 1851, when Philip was an infant, they removed to Davison, Genesee county, Michigan, but in the spring of 1852 located in Grand Blanc township, where they lived on a farm for two years. In 1854 the father bought eighty acres in Argentine township, on which he lived until his death, July 21, 1895. He was a successful farmer and became owner of a good farm of two hundred acres, having added to his original eighty. His widow survived until July 11, 1911. They were parents of nine children, all living at this writing but one, namely: Mary M., wife of William Jones, of Tuscola county, Michigan; Philip, of this sketch; Jane is the wife of John West, of Clayton township; Catherine, now deceased, was the wife of William M. Ellison; James lives on the old home place; Archie lives in the state of Washington; S. Edward lives in Argentine township; Eliza is the widow of William L. Smith, of Argentine township; Albert lives in Argen- tine township.
Philip Smith grew up on the home farm and was educated in the dis- trict schools. He lived at home until his marriage, March 6, 1901, to Carrie
Philip & with maggie Jane Smith
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E. Wilds, a daughter of Stephen and Harriet Wilds. She was born in Argentine township, this county, where she was reared and received a good education. She taught school for about thirteen years. Her death occurred on February 3, 1902. On November 16, 1914, Mr. Smith married, for his second wife, Maggie J. Kirkdale, a daughter of William and Mary Kirk- dale. Mrs. Smith was born in Wigtownshire, Scotland, from which coun- try she came to America when nineteen years old, to reside with relatives in Genesee county, Michigan.
Politically, Mr. Smith is a Democrat. He served a term as highway commissioner, then as justice of the peace for four years, and in 1895 and 1896 as township treasurer, discharging his duties as a public servant in an able and praiseworthy manner. Fraternally, he belongs to Linden Lodge No. 276, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a charter member of the same. He also belongs to the grand lodge and has served twice as noble grand of the lodge at Linden. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church.
JERRY F. YORK.
Jerry F. York, a well-known and progressive farmer of Atlas township, this county, was born in that township and has lived there all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in section 36 of that township, south of the village of Goodrich, March 28, 1855, son of John H. and Anna (Crothers) York, both of whom were born in Erie county, New York, who came to Michigan in 1850 and settled in this county, where they spent their last days.
John H. York was born in 1823, son of Jeremiah and Rhoda (Sweers) York, the former of whom was a soldier in the War of 1812 and a person of prominence in his home community, a well-to-do farmer, who at one time and another held various local public offices. John H. York grew up to the life of the farm and in 1847 married Anna Crothers, who was born in 1825, daughter of John and Mary (Wycoff) Crothers, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of the state of New York. In the fall of 1850 he came with his family to this state and settled on a farm of forty acres in the north half of section 36 of Atlas township, this county, and there estab- lished his home. He later added to his farm until he became the owner of one hundred acres and was accounted one of the substantial farmers of that neighborhood. He was a Republican and he and his wife were members
(39a)
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of the Methodist Protestant church, in which he was a class leader and in which his wife served as a steward. He died on November 12, 1898, and his widow survived until February, 1904. They were the parents of seven children, of whom three are deceased, one who died in infancy, one who died when two years old and Marium, who married Henry Frick and died in 1912. The survivors are Mrs. Ella Dillenbeck, of Atlas township; Mrs. Matilda Watkins, of Goodrich; Jerry F., the subject of this sketch, and James L., who is living on the old home.
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