USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 48
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RESIDENCE OF WINSLOW H. DAY, PITTSFORD , MICHIGAN.
-
MR. AARON CLEMENT.
Photos. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale.
MRS. AARON CLEMENT.
AARON CLEMENT.
The Clement family are of French origin. John, the great-grandfather of Aaron, fled from France to escape the religious persecution against the Huguenots. He sought an asylum in the English colonies of America, and settled on Staten Island. He reared a family of four children.
Peter, one of his sons, settled near Schenectady, and reared a family of five children. His son John grew up to manhood, married, and reared five children, of whom Aaron was the youngest. He was born at Westina, on the 10th day of April, 1774. He obtained a good education in the common English branches, and remained in the family with his father until the old gentleman's death in 1822, at eighty- nine years of age. At twenty-three years of age Aaron was married to Elizabeth Ottman. The family at that time lived at Root (then known as Canajoharie). He was en- gaged in farming until 1837, when he sold out his farm and joined the tide of emigration for the West. He came to Michigan and made a purchase of three government lots in the township of Pittsford, about four miles northwest of the village of Hudson, on which he settled, and this became the permanent home of the old people. They were the parents of twelve children, all born at the old home in Montgomery Co., N. Y. Their names are Jane, Henry, Mary, Catalina, John, Christopher, Samuel, Lycker, Peter, Gertrude, Margaret, and Cornelius. Of this large family all are living except Jane, .Mary, John, and Samuel; and all are married except Peter and Catalina, who occupy the
old homestead in Pittsford. Mr. Clement assisted all his sons to obtain farms and comfortable homes, and they are all in good circumstances.
Mr. Aaron Clement lived to the extreme old age of ninety-four years, dying in 1868, a very patriarch in his own family and in the Reformed Church, of which he had been an honored member for sixty years. A kind and faithful husband and father, a sincere patriot, a devoted and child-like Christian, he lived respected and beloved by all who knew him. Born before the Republic, he remembered our Revolutionary struggle, served as captain in the war of 1812, and watched with intense solicitude our country's fearful contest with the great Rebellion. A constant reader of the Scriptures, he communed with God as his dearest friend. He was for many years an elder in the Reformed Church, organized in his western home. In 1856 he was bereaved in the death of the wife and companion of his youth, and he also became afflicted with partial paralysis; but he bore all with Christian cheerfulness, patiently waiting all the days of his appointed time, until his change came.
With long life did God satisfy him, and show him his salvation. As a memorial to the worth and excellence of this old father and mother in Israel, and pioneers in the early settlement of Hillsdale County, the above portraits, and this brief and imperfect sketch of their pilgrimage on earth, are affectionately contributed by their children.
185
HISTORY OF' HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Case ; Treas., Peter Snyder; Sec., E. M. Carroll; Gate- keeper, Warren Johnson ; Ceres, Mrs. Mary Wallace ; Pomona, Mrs. Jane Filkins; Flora, Miss Sarah Wallace ; Stewardess, Mrs. George Snyder.
Present Officers .- Master, G. A. Clark ; Overseer, James P. Howell; Lecturer, John Perrin; Steward, James Cousins; Assistant Steward, Miss Winnie Abbott; Chaplain, M. W. Tuck ; Treas., Peter Snyder; Sec., E. M. Carroll ; Gatekeeper, Ernest Perrin ; Ceres, Mrs. John Perrin ; Po- mona, Mrs. M. W. Tuck ; Flora, Mrs. Peter Snyder ; Stew- ardess, Miss Winnie Abbott.
The present membership is about sixty, and the meetings are held semi-monthly.
The town of Pittsford may be said to be wholly agricul- tural. Indeed, what little mechanical work is done is al- most wholly in the line of preparing the fruits of her fields and forests for home consumption. Saw-mills were built at an early day,-one of the first being that built by John Perrin, south of the village,-and multiplied for a time until the timber was so far cleared away as to lessen the necessity for them, when they were nearly all removed or abandoned. Of grist-mills there are two in the town. The first of these was built by John Perrin, on the site formerly occupied by his saw-mill, and the second is Lowe's mill, on Bean Creek, in the southeastern part.
With this we bring to a close our imperfect sketch of the interesting history of this town. May the sun of pros- perity that has so long shone upon it still shed its beneficent rays over its fair fields and pleasant homes, bringing peace and plenty to the hearts and households of its worthy people !
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
IION. JOIIN M. OSBORN.
John Osborn, the father of our subject, was a native of Connecticut, who in early life was married to Mercy A. Swift, of Eastern New York. In 1840 he emigrated to Michigan, and settled in the village of Hudson, where for the next eight years he worked at his trade, that of carpen- ter and joiner, and also as contractor in laying the superstruc- ture of the Michigan Southern Railroad. In 1847 he and his son purchased a farm of eighty acres, on the east line of the township of Pittsford, in Hillsdale Co., adjoining the village of Hudson, to which John M. added sixty acres more; this became the permanent home of the family. Mrs. Mercy Osborn died in 1865, at the age of seventy- two years, and Mr. John Osborn two years afterwards, at the age of seventy-six years. They were the parents of two children,-John M. and Delora.
John M. was born in the town of Perrinton, near Fair- port, Monroe Co., N. Y., on the 9th day of March, 1819. Until sixteen years of age he was kept at school, and he became proficient in the English branches, especially the mathematics. After nineteen years of age he was alter- nately engaged winters in teaching, and summers in farm labor and other employments, for the next eight years. About the time he reached his majority he came with his father to Michigan, and was soon after employed in the
engineer corps of the Michigan Southern Railroad, in estab- lishing the grade for superstructure of that great thorough- fare. Having accumulated some capital, he, in 1846, in company with his brother-in-law, Wm. Baker, went into the mercantile trade, which in those days comprehended and included dry-goods and groceries, buying and selling all kinds of farm produce, in short, general traffic in every- thing there was to buy or sell. This business was carried on with some changes in the company, such as at first the firm-name of J. M. Osborn & Co., Osborn, Eaton & Co., and then again J. M. Osborn & Co., until 1858, when he retired from the business. From this time until 1851 he was extensively engaged in the purchase and shipment of black-walnut lumber, at all available points in Michigan and Indiana. He then again became engaged in the mercantile business in Hudson, under the name of Osborn & Eaton ; at the expiration of five years they closed up their business. Soon after this, in order to protect his own financial inter- ests, Mr. Osborn was compelled to purchase the stock of an insolvent firm, for whom he had been a heavy indorser. He again carried on the mercantile business for two years, when he closed up and retired from trade. In 1867 he organized and opened the banking house of Osborn, Per- kins & Co., of Hudson, in which he continued until 1876, when he retired from the firm, since which he has not been actively engaged in business, except in overseeing his farm and various other property interests in Hudson and else- where. Mr. Osborn has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth E. Daniels, of Hudson. They were married in 1851, and her death occurred in 1866, at the age of thirty-nine years. After four years of dreary lone- liness he filled the vacancy in his home by choosing another companion,-Mrs. Harriet A. White Robinson, daughter of the Rev. Wm. White, of Linden, Mich.
His union with this intelligent and companionable lady has been productive of much happiness to both, and they are known and appreciated in society by a large circle of warm and admiring friends.
Mr. Osborn's business life has been one of success; his sound, practical judgment, shrewdness, and sagacity, with his large experience in so many different branches of busi- ness, his keen, intuitive perception and knowledge of human nature, together with an open-handed, generous disposition and an honesty of purpose in all his dealing that no love of gain could swerve, have gained for him the unlimited con- fidence and esteem of all. He has served, with honor to himself and profit to his constituents, two consecutive terms in the Legislature of the State, as representative, and after- wards one term as senator, besides numerous other less im- portant positions of trust and responsibility in his locality.
Politically, he was originally a Democrat, but on the un- holy affiliation of that party with the cause of Southern slavery he repudiated it, and with his characteristic zeal and influence has been known ever since as an active ad- herent of the Republican party.
His sister, Delora, was born at the old home in New York, on the 9th day of March, 1821. The birthdays of the brother and sister both occurring on the same day of the same month, their custom is (and one they never miss) to dine together on that anniversary.
24
186
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
She was in early life married to William Baker, a well- known business man of Hudson, who died in 1870, leaving his widow and two sons-named John M. and Gamaliel O. -in good circumstances. She resides in a beautiful home in the suburbs of Hudson, near the residence of her brother.
Mr. Osborn is at this time erecting a substantial brick residence on his farm, a fine view of which may be seen on another page of this work.
JOHN H. KEAGLE
is a native of Devonshire, Eng. He was born in the parish of Bickleigh, Sept. 2, 1802. He was one of a family of ten children. John received a limited education up to four- teen years of age, after which he was alternately employed in farm labor and assisting his father in his cooper-shop. He worked for one farmer three years, at fifteen cents a day the first, twenty-two the next, and twenty-six the last. At twenty-two years of age, with two sovereigns in his pos- session, he started out for himself, and for the next ten years he was employed in the granite- and slate-quarries as a stone-cutter. In 1834 he and his brother James took passage from Plymouth to New York. They were fifty- three days in making the trip to America. They came West to Toledo, and stopped with their sister and brother- in-law, who resided at that place. After a few months the young man started out to look up a location for himself. He came West as far as Jonesville, Hillsdale Co., Mich., and in a few days after found a place to suit him in the township of Allen. He entered, at the land-office at Monroe, three hundred acres of wild land, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. He next worked out through the fall months, and sold off his best clothing to get provisions with which to commence housekeeping. He then, with the assistance of another settler, cut the timber, and the two carried the logs and erected a shanty ten by fourteen feet in size.
At that time the wilderness was swarming with wild animals and Indians, and only one neighbor in three miles. The first night he stayed in his shanty he was annoyed by the wolves, who were attracted by the offals of a deer he had killed, and it was with difficulty he kept them out of his cabin, as he as yet had no door to the entrance, at which he stood guard nearly all night with axe in hand to defend himself and provisions ; but in a day or two he had a door and a roof on his castle, and could bid defiance to wolves and bears. But then he still had some difficulty, for .one night he was obliged to run out with nothing on but his shirt to drive the wolves away from the sheep. With the Indians he was on friendly terms, but the wild animals were very annoying for some time, eating up his sheep, etc .; but about this time the settlers began to pour into the country, and soon after the wild animals began to disappear. He kept bachelor's hall until 1836, when his father and sister arrived from England, and they lived in one family. The same season they built a more commodious log house and moved into it.
From that time until 1845 he was busily engaged in clearing off and improving his farm ; he then returned to
England, and was married to Miss Betsey Pearse, of Walkhampton. He shortly after returned with his wife to Michigan, and settled down to the routine of farming, and as the years rolled on the industry and good management of Mr. Keagle, assisted by his devoted wife and helpmate, made him widely known as one of the solid and reliable farmers of Hillsdale County. In 1865, in consequence of his wife's failing health, he sold out his farm and stock for twenty-five thousand dollars, with the intention of return- ing to England and remaining there. His father had died in 1850, at the age of eighty-seven years.
Soon after selling out in Allen, he purchased a farm of eighty acres in the township of Pittsford, near Hudson, which he placed in charge of a tenant, and then with his wife returned to England. His wife's health continued to fail until January, 1870, when she was released from her sufferings by death. In July following Mr. Keagle returned to the United States, bringing with him Grace Pearse, a sister of his deceased wife, to whom he was married in October, 1870. They settled on his farm in Pittsford, and he has since erected a new house and several substantial out-buildings, besides planting evergreen hedges and trees, so that he has one of the finest farm-homes in that part of the county. He has also recently purchased another farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on which is one of the finest orchards in the vicinity.
His family consists of himself and wife, his nephew, Richard Pearse, and Miss Betsey P. Oxenham, a niece, who has long been a cherished member of his family. To his many friends and relatives, and the patrons of this work, are presented on other pages of this volume a view of his beautiful farm-home, and the portraits of himself and his first and second wife.
JAMES H. MINER.
Sylvester S. Miner, the father of our subject, was a native of Connecticut. He was engaged the most of his life in teaching, both in the common branches and singing. In early life was united in marriage to Miss Ruby Bennett, and soon after removed to Otsego Co., N. Y., where he remained until 1819, and then removed to Ontario County, in the same State. In 1839 he emigrated to Michigan, and settled in the township of Pittsford, Hillsdale Co., where he remained until his death, which occurred at eighty-three years of age, having survived his wife's death ten years. They were the parents of eight children, named Herkimer B., Homer L., Mary A., James H., Lorinda L., John N., Cornelia V., and George W., who are all living and married.
James H. Miner was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., on the 11th day of April, 1811, and his boyhood was spent in attending the common schools, and later he worked out by the month and job, remaining under the control and supervision of his parents until he reached his majority ; from this time on until he was twenty-five years old he labored for himself, working out and jobbing. At this time he was united in marriage to Miss Maria C. Spencer, daughter of George Spencer, an old settler of Farmington, Ontario Co. From that time until 1841 he worked farms
187
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
on shares. In 1838 he was bereaved in the death of his wife, leaving him alone in the care of two small children. On Feb. 19, 1840, he filled the vacancy in his household by uniting in marriage with Miss Phebe Dillon, daughter of Benjamin Dillon, an old resident of Farmington.
In 1841, Mr. Miner decided to move out West and secure a farm and home of his own. He came to Michigan and purchased a wild lot in the township of Pittsford, Hillsdale Co., which has been his home ever since. His farm now consists of one hundred acres. Here he has lived and labored, cleared up his farm, reared his family, and is to- day in the quiet enjoyment of a comfortable independence, good health, and the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances; a man of generous impulses, unflinching integrity, and sound judgment ; an influential citizen, possessing the entire confidence of his fellow-towns- nien, as may be seen in the fact that he is now serving the fifth consecutive term as magistrate. He is the father of seven children,-Jane A. (who died in infancy) and Irvin S. were children by his first marriage, and by his second are Austin D., Orlando L., Maria J., Herkimer L., and Lorinda L. Austin was a soldier for the Union, and was killed in the battle of Chancellorsville, May 4, 1863. All the others are living and married except Herkimer, who is in business at St. Louis, Mo. The reader will find a fine view on another page of this work of the residence of Esquire Miner, and with it we present this brief sketch of his family.
JOHN PERRIN.
The ancestors of John Perrin, during the religious per- secutions of the Huguenots, found a refuge in England ; from whence they emigrated to America, and were among the first settlers in Massachusetts. They first settled near Boston, but afterwards removed to Woodstock, Conn.
John Perrin, the great-grandfather of our subject, reared a large family of children, and died at an advanced age. Elijah, one of his sons, was the father of one son and four daughters. The son, whose name was John, on reaching manhood, was married to Bethesda Skinner, of Woodstock. They were the parents of nine children, and in 1835 the whole family emigrated to Michigan. The family remained in Detroit, while the father and the two eldest sons went in quest of a location for the future home. They made a selection of seven government lots, all in one tract,-four in Jefferson and three in Pittsford townships. They next built a log house, with the usual bark roof, hewed-log
floor, and stick chimney. They encountered hard times at first from sickness and the inevitable privations of the early settlers in Michigan. The old gentleman and his wife were both sick all the first summer, and he never fully regained his health. He died in 1839, at fifty-four years of age, and his widow only survived him two years, dying in 1841, at fifty-six years of age.
The names of the children are as follows: Alma, Wil- liam, Emily, John, Elijah, Mary, Dwight, Bethesda, and Mason, who are all living except William, Dwight, and Mason ; and are married and have families.
John was born at the old Woodstock home, on the tenth day of July, 1816. He was eighteen years of age when the family emigrated to Michigan; and from that time on, for a number of years, he was engaged, in com- pany with his brother William, in clearing and improving the farm. They cleared off over three hundred acres, and erected three saw-mills and one grist-mill at different points. John and his brother were partners in business the most of the time up to 1850, when they made a division of their interests, and John exchanged his interest in the mills for a farm about one mile south of Pittsford village, where he has since resided. He was married, in 1842, to Miss Caro- line A. Goodrich, of Pittsford. She was the mother of four children, of whom two died in infancy, and the others (Charles and John) own farms, and reside in Montcalm County .. Mrs. Caroline Perrin died in 1849, at thirty-one years of age. In 1852, Mr. Perrin was married to Mary A. Nichols, of Jefferson. The fruits of this union were four children,-Ada, Caroline, William, and Ernest.
Ada and Caroline are both married, and reside in Mont- calin County. William and Ernest are both single, and live at home with their father, and have the charge and man- agement of the farm. In 1869, Mr. Perrin was called to mourn the loss of his second companion, who died at the age of forty years. In 1871 he was married to Miss Sarah A. McNeal, of Jefferson.
Mr. Perrin is held in high esteem by his fellow-towns- men for his integrity and sound judgment ; and he has at various times discharged the duties of clerk, assessor, com- missioner, and magistrate of his town in a satisfactory manner. He has been for many years a member of the Reformed Church. He has lived to see what was an almost unbroken wilderness, with here and there a log house or shanty, developed into one of the most beautiful farming countries, with thriving towns and villages, where, in the brief space of forty-five years, stood the wigwam of the Indian. On another page may. be found a view of the farm-home of Mr. Perrin.
WHEATLAND.
WHEN, on the 17th of March, 1835, the township of Vance (Hillsdale County) was divided from north to south (by ranges) into four separate townships, range 1, or the eastern quarter of the county, was given the name of Wheatland. From the same territory have been formed three additional townships, leaving Wheatland embracing only township 6 south, of range 1 west, of the principal meridian. Somerset, formed from township 5 south, was created March 20, 1837 ; Pittsford, originally including all south of what is now Wheatland, March 23, 1836; and Wright, originally Canaan, from the south part of Pitts- ford (townships 8 and frl. 9 south), March 6, 1838.
This town is remarkable from being the source of four of the great rivers of Michigan, and one of lesser note that flows into Ohio; these are the St. Joseph, of Lake Michi- gan, Kalamazoo, Grand, and Raisin, and the St. Joseph, of the Maumee; the latter-also called " Bean Creek," from the abundance of wild beans which in early times grew upon its banks-flowing in a southwesterly direction to Fort Wayne, Ind., where it unites with the St. Mary's and forms the Maumee, thence flowing in a northeasterly course to Maumee Bay and Lake Erie.
The surface of the township is much diversified. In places it is comparatively level, and in others undulating or hilly. The soil is in general excellent, and the improvements throughout the town are good. In fact, as a farming town- ship, Wheatland has been called the best in Hillsdale County. It is exclusively an agricultural township, as its water-power is not sufficient to enable the inhabitants to turn their attention to manufacturing. Neither has it the advantages of railway connections with the outside world, yet the natural advantages it does possess, coupled with the energy and enterprise of its citizens, have rendered it one of the most prosperous and wealthy in the State.
In 1838, according to a " Gazetteer of Michigan" pub- lished that year by John T. Blois, Esq., now of Jonesville, the township of Wheatland contained a post-office, a popu- lation of 729, a saw-mill, 309 head of neat stock, 10 horses, 18 sheep, and 387 hogs .. The State census of 1874 con- tains the following summary, which will prove interesting in comparison with the above figures :
Number of acres of wheat harvested in 1873
2,448
" of corn
2,104
bushels of wheat
of corn
"
126,600
of all other grains harvested in 1873
26,807 8,496
tons of hay cut
2,682
pounds of wool sheared
28,243
pork marketed
389,593
cheese made
1,320
66
fruit dried for market in 1873.
37,069
¥
barrels of cider made in 1873. 849
66
" pounds of maple-sugar made in 1874 .. acres in orchards
6,695 591
bushels of apples raised in 1872.
1873.
22,858
cwt. of grapes
1873
9
Value of all such productions (fruit and vegetables), 1872.
$13,821
Value of all such productions (fruit and vegetables), 1873 ..
$13,574
Number of horses, one year old and over, owned in 1874
676
Number of mules, one year old and over, owned in 1874
10
Number of work oxen, one year old and over,
42
owned in 1874
Number of milch cows, one year old and over, owned in 1874
813
Number of neat cattle, one year old and over, other than oxen and cows, owned in 1874.
734
Number of swine over six months old owned in 1874.
1,367
Number of sheep over six months old owned in 1874
5,500
Number of sheep sheared in 1873.
5,380
Number of saw-mills in township in 1874 (one making staves)
3
Number of persons employed in same.
y
Amount of capital invested in same
$4,500
Amount of lumber sawed (feet)
650,000
Value of products
Shingle-mills (with cider-press attached)
$9,750 1 2 $1,000
Capital invested
$500
Woolen-factory ..
1
Persons employed in same. Capital invested
$1,000
Value of products
$500 2
Vinegar and cider establishments
4
Persons employed in same ... Capital invested
$700
Value of products.
$230
Peppermint oil factories.
1
Persons employed in same.
2
Pounds of oil manufactured.
40
Value of same.
$180
Capital invested.
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