USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume II > Part 83
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a valuable assistant in the work of the home place. After his father's death, in 1898, he finished paying off the other heirs for their interest in the estate of one hundred acres of the home farm and there established his home. He continued to reside there for eight years afterward, or until 1906, when he retired from the farm and he and his wife moved to Swartz Creek, where they now reside and where Mr. Knight is engaged in the agri- cultural-implement business. In addition to looking after his farming inter- est. Mr. Knight for sixteen years served as secretary and treasurer of the Patrons Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Genesee and Shiawassee counties, continuing that connection until January 16, 1916.
On October 23, 1895, A. B. Knight was united in marriage to Estella Felt, who was born in Mt. Morris township, this county, April 9, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Knight are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Swartz Creek, in the affairs of which they take a warm interest, as well as in all local good works, Mr. Knight being secretary of the board of trustees of the church. He is a Republican, a Mason, member of the lodge at Swartz Creek, and is one of the charter members of the Clayton Grange, past master of the same and for sixteen consecutive years secre- tary of the grange, the hall of which is located on his farm.
AMBROSE BODINE.
Ambrose Bodine, one of the best-known of the survivors of the old pioneer generation in Genesee county, a native son of this county and a resi- dent all his life of the farmi on which he still lives in section 3 of Genesee township, was born on that farm on February 6, 1844. He is a son of Abraham and Philinda (Trumbull) Bodine, natives of New York state, the former born in 1808. They were married in that state and came to Mich- igan in 1837, the year the state was admitted to statehood, settling in Genesee township, this county, being among the earliest settlers of that part of the county.
Upon coming to this county Abraham Bodine established his home in a cabin on section 3, in the deep woods in the northern part of Genesee town- ship, and began working for Sherman Stanley, one of the early timbermen of that section. A year later, in consideration of services rendered, he was given a deed to the "eighty" surrounding his home and there he spent the rest of his life. The first pair of calves he raised he used for hauling his
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produce to Detroit and Pontiac, the nearest markets in those days, and his wheat he hauled to Saginaw, receiving for the same forty cents a bushel. Abraham Bodine died in August, 1864, leaving his widow and the survivors of his family of eight children, namely: George W., born on July 24, 1835, now living in Flint; Harriet, who died in infancy; Henry, born in October, 1840, who died in December, 1910; William, May 29, 1842; Ambrose, the subject of this sketch; Charles, born in 1846, who died in 1858; Olive, born in 1848, who married Seymour Judd and is now deceased, and Ella, who died at the age of ten years. The mother of these children remained on the home farm after her husband's death until 1868, when she married Simon King, a farmer of Genesee township, and lived until August, 1883.
Ambrose Bodine grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Genesee township, receiving his schooling in the Bodine district school. From early boyhood he was a valuable assistant in the work of improving and develop- ing the home place. He was twenty years of age when his father died and he and his brother, Henry Bodine, then bought the home farm in partnership and continued to operate the same under this mutually agreeable arrange- ment for fifty years, or until the failing health of Henry Bodine compelled his retirement, since which time Ambrose Bodine has been the sole owner. In addition to his general farming, he has long given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done very well. His farm is well improved and he is very comfortably situated. Mr. Bodine is an independ- ent voter and the only public office he has ever held was that of highway commissioner some years ago. He is a member of Genesee Grange No. 31 and has for many years taken an active part in Grange affairs as well as in all movements designed to advance the general interests of the community which he has seen develop from early pioneer days and to which develop- ment he has contributed much of his time and energies.
Mr. Bodine has been twice married. On March 24, 1866, when twenty- two years old, he was united in marriage to Adaline B. Rogers, who was born on June 22, 1848, daughter and only child of Millard F. Rogers, a pioneer mechanic and carpenter of Genesee township. To that union five children were born, namely: Herbert H., born on March 8, 1870, who died on August 9, 1870; Jessie, May 12, 1872, who married Lester Scott, of Linton, Iowa; Florence S., February 4, 1874, who married Leslie Bor- den, of Flint: Ray L., August 22, 1878, who died in infancy, and Edith, June 14, 1880, who married Clarence Workman, of Flint. The mother of these children died on July 12, 1880, and in November, 1883, Mr. Bodine married Adaline Williams, who was born at Swartz Creek, this county.
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January 22, 1841, daughter of Marvin and Elizabeth ( Pettit) Williams, pio- neers of this county, who were the parents of six children. Mr. and Mrs. Bodine have a very pleasant home and in their declining years continue to take an earnest interest in neighborhood affairs.
JOHN L. PIERCE.
John L. Pierce, of the Windiate-Pierce-Davison Company, dealers in real estate and insurance at Flint, is a native son of Flint and has lived there all his life. He was born on November II, 1878, son of Franklin H. and Mary (Lamond) Pierce, the former of whom was born in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, and the latter in Flint, in which latter city their home was estab- lished and their children reared. There were three of these children, Jolin L .; Frances, born January 11, 1881, the wife of H. H. Hills, of Detroit, and Sarah, who died early.
Franklin H. Pierce grew to manhood in New Hampshire and then came to Michigan, stopping first at Coldwater, proceeding thence, after a time, to Ionia, where he remained until 1865, in which year he located in Flint. where he spent the rest of his life. In 1865 he engaged in the general mer- chandise business in Flint and was thus engaged until his retirement from business in 1897. His death occurred on June 24, 1901, he then being sixty years of age. His father, John Pierce, a native of New Hampshire, where all his life was spent, lived to the great age of ninety-seven years. He was the fatlier of six children, those besides Franklin H. being John, Mrs. Mary Sinclair, Mrs. Eliza Woodward, Mrs. Sarah Sawyer and Edward. Frank- lin H. Pierce's widow still survives. She was born in Flint, April 20, 18.40, daughter of Robert D. and Sarah H. Lamond, early settlers of Flint. Robert D. Lamond was born in Middlefield, Otsego county, New York, February 5, 1804, and died at Flint, Michigan, August 14, 1872. Sarah (Holmes) Lamond was born in Howard, county of Kent, Upper Canada, April I, 1815, and died at Detroit on April 1, 1892. Robert D. Lamond and wife were the parents of three children, Mrs. Pierce having a brother, Robert. and a sister, Jennie. Franklin H. Pierce was a member of St. Paul's Epis- copal church, as is his widow, and was senior warden of same at the time of his death. He was a Republican and a member of the Masonic order.
John L. Pierce was reared at Flint, the city of his birth, and was gradu- ated from the high school there in 1897, after which he entered the Uni-
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versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1901. He then entered the employ of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company at Flint and was thus engaged for six years, at the end of which time he engaged in the real-estate and insurance business in partnership with John G. Windiate and Arthur M. Davison, under the name of the Windiate-Pierce-Davison Company, and has been thus engaged ever since. The company is incor- porated, with a capital stock of forty-five thousand dollars, and does an extensive business in and about Flint. The company owns Homedale, Kearsley Park, Chevrolet Park, General Motors Park, and Kearsley Park, No. I, addition to the city of Flint, and during the season of 1915 erected more than one hundred houses. Mr. Pierce has other interests in the city and is vice-president of the Flint Savings Association. He is a Republican, but has never been an aspirant for public office.
On May 17, 1905, John L. Pierce was married to Hazel Waldo Tracy, who was born at Cadillac, this state, November 2, 1881, daughter of Fred- erick and Lydia Agnes (Pike) Tracy, both now deceased, the former of whom was born in Atlas township, this county, November 8, 1845, and died February 24, 1914, and the latter born at Grand Rapids, May 13, 1850, and died February 7, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Tracy were the parents of two chil- dren, Mrs. Pierce having a brother, Howard. Mrs. Pierce's paternal grand- parents were Abram Ward Pike, born October 5, 1813, and died October 15, 1906, and Elenora Louise (Prior) Pike, born July 6, 1824, and died October 5, 1853. Mr. and Mrs. John L. Pierce are the parents of four children: Mary Agnes, born July 4, 1906; Katherine Sarah, born Novem- ber 30, 1907; Frances Emma, born February 2, 1909, and Florence Tracy, born July 23, 1916. The family are members of the Episcopal church. Mr. Pierce is a thirty-second-degree Mason, affiliated with Michigan Con- sistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and is a noble of Elf Khurafeh Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Saginaw. His local connection with the Masonic order is through Flint Lodge No. 23, Free and Accepted Masons; Washington Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Masons; Flint Council No. 56, Royal and Select Masters, and Genesee Valley Commandery No. 15, Knights Templar. He also is a member of Flint Lodge No. 222, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of Burton Center Grange No. 1072, Patrons of Husbandry. While at the university Mr. Pierce became affiliated with the Zeta Psi fraternity and still retains his interest in that organization.
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GEORGE W. CHASE.
George W. Chase, cashier of the Citizens Bank at Gaines, this county, and clerk of Gaines township, is a native son of Genesee county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Argentine township, October 31, 1870, son of George W. and Sarah T. (Parker) Chase, both natives of the state of New York and prominent and influential residents of the southwestern part of this county. The senior George W. Chase came to Michigan in the days of his youth with his parents, the family settling in this county, where he grew to manhood and where he married Sarah T. Parker, who had come to this county with her parents when she was two years of age and who had grown to womanhood in Argentine township. After his marriage, Mr. Chase established his home on a farm in that same township and there he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in October, 1914. His widow is still living. They were the parents of ten children, six of whom are still living, namely: Frank, a traveling sales- man, who makes his home at Grand Rapids; Belle, wife of John Collins; George W., the subject of this biographical sketch; John, a retired farmer, now making his home in the village of Gaines; Robert, a resident of Argen- tine township, and Otto R., who is the foreman of the water-service of the Detroit division of the Grand Trunk Railroad, with residence at Detroit.
George W. Chase was reared on the home farm in Argentine town- ship, receiving his schooling in the neighboring schools, and upon the com- pletion of his school course began working on his own account and for three summers was engaged in farming. After that he spent two years prospecting in the upper peninsula of Michigan and then returned to this county, locating at Gaines, where for three years he was engaged as a clerk in a hardware store. He then was made foreman of a timber crew in the Prince Albert section of Canada and spent two winters there and one winter in the lumber woods of Wisconsin, returning then to this county, where he ever since has resided. When the Citizens Bank of Gaines was organized in 1907, Mr. Chase, one of the owners of the bank, was made cashier of the same and has since occupied that position, being one of the best-known bankers in the county. The bank was organized with a capital of five thousand dollars and has grown to be recognized as one of the strong financial institutions of this section of the state. The present officers of the bank are as follow: President, W. B. Cozada; vice-presi- dent, A. T. Miller, and cashier, George W. Chase, who, with Ira T.
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Sayres, are the directors and the owners of the same. Mr. Chase also has valuable real-estate interests and is the owner of a fine farm of eighty- three acres situated in Gaines and Argentine townships. He is a Repub- lican and during the years 1911-12 served as treasurer of Gaines town- ship. In 1915 he was elected clerk of the township and is still serving in that capacity. Mr. Chase is a Royal Arch Mason and Knight Templar, affiliated with the commandery at Fenton, and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
In 1894 George W. Chase was united in marriage to Bertha Shephard, who also was born in Argentine township, this county, and to this union three children have been born: Edith, a graduate of the Gaines high school, who is now a clerk in a general store at Gaines; Cleo B., who is still in school, and George L., born in 1910. The Chases have a very pleas- ant home at Gaines and take an earnest interest in the general social activ- ities of their home town and the community at large, helpful in the work of promoting all good causes thereabout.
HENRY H. KERR.
Henry H. Kerr, a well-known and well-to-do farmer of Davison town- ship, this county, and one of the most substantial citizens of that part of the county, is a native of the great Empire state, but has been a resident of Michigan since he was a boy and has therefore been a witness to and a participant in the wonderful development that has marked this region dur- ing the past generation. He was born in Hunter township, Greene county, New York, near the Catskill mountains, February 28, 1841, son of Robert and Anne (Terns) Kerr, natives of Ireland, of Scottish-Covenanter descent, who later became well-known and substantial pioneer residents of this part of Michigan.
Robert Kerr was eight years old when his parents came from Ireland to this country and settled in Greene county, New York, where he grew to manhood and where he married Anne Terns, who had also come from Ire- land to this country with her parents when a child and had grown to woman- hood in that same vicinity. In 1855 Robert Kerr and his family came from New York state to Michigan and settied in Hadley township, Lapeer county, where he started with' four "eighties" of land, which he and his sons pro- ceeded to develop and improve. The family later acquired a similar tract
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in Genesee county, three "eighties" in the southeastern part of Davison township and one in the northeastern part of Atlas township. Robert Kerr and his wife were energetic and earnest pioneers and their influence in the early days of the community in which they settled was of marked benefit to all thereabout. Both spent their last days on the farm. They were the parents of ten children, seven sons and three daughters, of whom the subject of this sketch, the sixth in order of birth, and Mrs. Emily Graham, of Sag- inaw, the ninth in order of birth, are the only survivors, the others having been John, Moore, Mary Jane, Robert, William, Ann, Thomas and James.
Henry H. Kerr was fourteen years old when he came to Michigan with his parents and the other members of the family and from boyhood he proved a valued assistant in the work of developing the considerable landed inter- ests the family gradually acquired. When twenty-five years of age he mar- ried and then began farming on his own account, establishing his home on one of the "eighties" in the southeastern part of Davison township. He remained there until about 1894, when he moved to the old Walker farm in that same vicinity, where his wife was born and where he ever since has made his home, long having been regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in that neighborhood. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Kerr has given considerable attention to the raising of a good grade of sheep and has done very well in his operations.
On August 31, 1866, Henry H. Kerr was united in marriage to Mar- garet Ann Walker, who was born on the farm on which she and her hus- band have been living for many years, daughter of Matthew and Maria (Ackerson) Walker, early and prominent residents of that neighborhood. Matthew Walker was born in Ireland, of Scottish-Covenanter descent, in April, 1826, later emigrating with his parents to New Brunswick, he then being seventeen years of age. While still a young man, he came with his parents, Matthew and Sarah (Huston) Walker, to Michigan, the family settling in Hawley township, Oakland county, where he helped take care of the home farm until he was thirty years old, when he married. Two years later he came to this county, buying the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Kerr now live and there he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring on February 5, 1904. His widow survived him about seven years, she being eighty-four years of age at the time of her death in 19II. She had been a resident of Michigan since she was twelve years old, her parents, David and Catherine Ackerson, having come here from New York state then, about the year 1839, and settled in Hawley township, Oakland county, among the very earliest settlers of that part of the state, where they
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spent the rest of their lives. Matthew Walker was a member of the Presby- terian church and his wife was a Free-Will Baptist. They were the parents of four daughters, of whom Mrs. Kerr is now the only survivor. Mr. and Mrs. Kerr have one son, Manson A. Kerr, who was born on April 4, 1871. He married Orella Baucus and for years has been farming the old home place in Davison township, where his father and mother started their house- keeping fifty years ago. The years have dealt lightly with both Mr. and Mrs. Kerr and they retain a large measure of their former full physical vigor. They have many vivid recollections of pioneer days hereabout and have in their house numerous interesting relics of housekeeping in those days, candle molds and the like, which are yearly growing in sentimental value as the time separating the present from those stern pioneer days lengthens.
CHARLES MOON.
The record of the successful self-made man is always interesting and instructive. It encourages those who have been held back by an unfavor- able environment. Charles Moore, for many years one of the leading farm- ers of Genesee county, who is now living in retirement, has worked his own way up from the soil. He is one of the honored veterans of the Civil War who did what he could in saving the Union.
Mr. Moon was born in Yates county, New York, March 4, 1843, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Hyatt) Moon, natives of Pennsylvania and New York, respectively. They were married in the latter state and lived there several years, then moved to Indiana in the fall of 1860, locating in LaGrange county, but a number of years later they returned to New York, where they spent the rest of their lives. They engaged in farming on a small scale and never knew much of the luxuries of life. Their family consisted of eleven children, of whom Charles was the third in order of birth.
Charles Moon spent his boyhood in New York state, where he attended the district schools. On September 1, 1861, he enlisted in Company G, Thir- tieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and saw a great deal of hard service with the army of the Cumberland, being in a number of the important battles of the war, including Shiloh, in April, 1862; Stone's River, Nashville, Frank- lin, Chickamauga and those of the Atlanta campaign. However, he escaped without serious injury. He was honorably discharged on December 9. 1865,
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after which he returned home. He spent two years on a farm at Kendall- ville, Indiana, then took up the carpenter's trade. Leaving Kendallville in 1869, where he had resided since 1866, he came to Otisville, Genesee county, Michigan, and worked for George Reed in his sash and door factory for several years. He then worked at Clare, this state, two years, later return- ing to Otisville and sawing shingles for a local firm for several years. He finally purchased a farm in Forest township and engaged in general farming and stock raising until a few years ago, when he retired from active life ยท and is now living quietly in Otisville. He has been a stockholder and director of the State Bank of Otisville ever since its organization.
Mr. Moon was married, in 1864, to Maria Lown, who was born in Michigan, in October, 1847. In her youth, her parents moved to the state of New York, where she attended the district schools. Mr. Moon was married while at home on a furlough during his military service. To him- self and wife two children have been born, both in Kendallville, Indiana, namely : Mary, who is the wife of George Bryan, of Clare county, Michigan, and Effie, who is the wife of Jacob Coon, of Forest township, Genesee county.
Mr. Moon is a Prohibitionist and he served two terms as justice of the peace. He is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic and is a member of the Methodist church and of its official board, having long been active in church work.
LESLIE WISNER.
Leslie Wisner, the son of Lafayette and Lydia (Liby) Wisner, was born in Flushing township on September 1I, 1868. Lafayette Wisner was born at Lockport, New York, and, as a young man, settled in Flushing town- ship, where he purchased forty acres of land in section 10. The land was all in the wild and had to be cleared by Mr. Wisner. Before coming to Michigan, Lafayette Wisner was united in marriage to Lydia Liby, a native of the state of New York, where her parents were early pioneers. Mrs. Wisner died in 1898. To Lafayette Wisner and wife were born the fol- iowing children: Lewis, deceased; Minnie, deceased; Nellie, the wife of Hugh Kane, a farmer of near Gladwin; Leslie; Bertha is the wife of Mr. Beeler, of California; Guy, a farmer of Gladwin; May is the wife of George Spring, a merchant of Saginaw; Ottie, the wife of Hugh Rollins, of the state of New York ..
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Leslie Wisner received his education in the schools of Flushing town- ship. Here he attended school in the winter and worked on the farm in the summer. With the exception of ten years spent on his farm in section IO, Mr. Wisner has spent his entire life on the original farm of his father in Flushing township. After the death of his father he purchased the farm of the heirs and has since made that place his home. Here he is engaged in general farming and the raising of cattle and sheep.
Leslie Wisner married Sarah Long Brophy, of Flushing township, the daughter of Michael and Mary (Long) Brophy, natives of Ireland. The parents of Sarah Wisner came to the United States with their parents and settled in the state of New York, where they were married. They later removed to Flushing township, where they still reside. Michael and Mary Brophy are the parents of the following children: Edward, living on the old homestead; Mary was the wife of D. Dunford, now deceased, and is living at home; Sarah; William, at home; Julia, the wife of Timothy McCarty, of Mt. Morris; Henry; William, deceased. The boys are all unmarried.
To Leslie and Sarah Wisner have been born three children: William, born in April, 1896; Edward, born on October 17, 1898, and Nellie, born on August 28, 1901, all at home.
Fraternally, Mr. Wisner is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Eagles and the Gleaners, having filled all the chairs in the lat- ter lodge.
JOHN . B. COLWELL.
One of the most enterprising of Genesee county agriculturists is John Colwell, now living retired in Fenton. He believed from the outset of his career that the "wisdom of yesterday is sometimes the folly of today," and that while the methods of our ancestors in tilling the soil were all right in their day, yet in the twentieth century we have been compelled to adopt new methods of doing things, owing to changed conditions.
Mr. Colwell was born in Livingston county, Michigan, July 10, 1849, and is a son of David Gilbert and Phoebe (Larned) Colwell. Grandfather Henry Larned was a native of the state of New York and a pioneer farmer of Oakland county, Michigan; he also lived in Livingston county. He mar- ried Harriet Bailey and they reared a large family, a part of them being born in Yates county, New York, and the rest in Michigan. Of the num-
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