USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 58
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Mr. Cutler's first dwelling at his new location was a log house, which stood a little in the rear of the present post- office, and in it he kept tavern,-the first in the township. A frame was subsequently built over it, and the log part torn out. In 1851 he built the hotel now owned and oc-
cupied by H. W. Comfort, and known as the " Comfort House."
In honor of Mr. Cutler the settlement which grew up around him was called "Cutler's Corners," and long bore that name. About 1846 he erected a small frame building, and in it established the first store in the village, afterwards associating with him William Foote. Mr. Cutler died in July, 1869. The store he built is yet standing on its old site, on the north side of the street, nearly opposite the " Comfort House," and is at present filled with a stock of millinery and fancy goods.
H. W. Comfort, proprietor of the hotel previously men- tioned, is a native of Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y., and in his early manhood was engaged in the lumber business at Troy, Pa., from which place he emigrated to Michigan in 1843. He stopped for a short time on the old Warner Bunday farm in Somerset, and aided in reclaiming a nursery which had belonged to the latter, and which had been allowed to run down. From there he removed to Moscow village. He has since lived in Ohio, and has occupied the hotel at North Adams since Dec. 1, 1873.
North Adams Post-Office .- The oldest post-office in this locality was called Adams, and was first kept by Salmon Sharp, at his residence on the north line of the township. It was established as early as 1836-38. Mail was carried by Mr. Sharp's brother, Sheldon W. Sharp, over the route which extended from Adrian to Jonesville, via Addison. Norman S. Sharp succeeded his father as postmaster, and the office was subsequently moved across the line into Mos- cow, and kept by Benjamin I. Kenyon (father of Albert Kenyon), still retaining its original name. Meanwhile a post-office was established at Cutler's Corners and called North Adams, with William Cutler as first postmaster. The Adams post-office was continued for some time under charge of Mr. Kenyon, and finally withdrawn from the list, all mail going thereafter to the North Adams office. The village itself from that time began to be known by the same name as the post-office. The present incumbent of the latter office is M. F. Lamb.
Although numerous lots had been sold "by metes and bounds" to parties locating here, the village was not regularly surveyed, platted, and recorded until 1871. The proprietors as it was laid out were Franklin Noyes, G. C. Morehouse, L. E. Russ, William McConnell, Ethel Judd, B. F. Vree- land, G. W. Relyea, Solomon Armstrong, Charles H. Wil- bur, William H. Wilbur, John Wilbur, N. Lamb, M. F. Lamb, H. Bowman, Albert Kenyon, J. M. George, W. Mallery, C. W. Knapp, James Fitton, S. S. Wiley, Esther Cutler, George W. Cutler, A. J. Spear, F. Corey, E. F. Smith, and O. C. Smith. The village, unlike the beautiful town of the same name in Berkshire Co., Mass., is not sur- rounded by " the everlasting hills," but is located on very level ground.
The North Adams Cornet Band was reorganized in 1877, and at present has 15 members, with Charles Sabins as leader. It has a very neat uniform, and, for the time it has been in practice, discourses excellent music.
Adams Lodge, No. 189, F. & A. M., was organized in 1863, with Albert Kenyon as first Master. It has a pres- ent membership of between 30 and 40, and occupies a
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
room in the fine brick block on the northwest corner of the streets, built by a stock company, in 1868. The present officers of the lodge are : Worshipful Master, Norman S. Sharp ; Senior Warden, George Stevens; Junior Warden, George Kalder ; Treas., D. B. Kempton ; Sec., B. D. Ack- moody ; Tyler, Seth Wiley.
Fidelity Lodge, I. O. O. F., has been an organized body about twenty-five years. Its membership at present is not large. It occupies a room in the same building with the Masons
Summary of North Adams .- The village contained in December, 1878, 10 stores of various kinds, 4 millinery establishments, 1 tailor, 1 agricultural implement store, 4 blacksmith-shops, 1 cooper-shop, a steam saw-mill, 2 har- ness-shops, 1 shoe-shop, a post-office, a union school build- ing, 3 churches, lodges of Masons and Odd-Fellows, 3 physicians (Drs. - Wood, W. R. Ditmars, and Frank Noyes, the latter a homoeopathist), an extensive wagon- and carriage-factory, owned by Z. Schaad & Co., and a popula- tion of nearly or quite 400. The place has been built up principally since the completion of the Detroit, Hillsdale and Southwestern Railway.
The Crater Brothers are contemplating the erection, during 1879, of a three-story brick building, 45 by 100, on the vacant corner north of the "Comfort House," to be used for stores, offices, and public hall. The brick block on the south side of the street, west of the corners, was built by G. W. Rockwood and William Brooks, the former erecting the western part and the latter the eastern.
We are indebted to the following persons in this town- ship for information furnished while compiling the fore- going article : Norman S. Sharp and wife, James Foote, Saxton S. Bagley, George W. Cutler, Albert Kenyon, Capt. Ethel Judd, Russell J. Fuller, H. W. Comfort, Mrs. Joseph Woolston, and many others.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
THE GRAY FAMILY
are entitled to special mention in this work for the progress they have made in developing the resources of the country, the progress they have made, the hardships they have en- dured, and the obstacles they have overcome. They were from Ohio ; being of limited means, compelled to seek cheap land. George Gray, the pioneer, left his native State, with his wife and three children, in 1846, and came to Hillsdale County by wagon. Stopped in Wheatland for two years, where they suffered many privations ; the family were nearly all sick, and the youngest child died. They then came to Adams and purchased eighty acres of unimproved land, where they now reside, and by diligence and perseverance have improved that, and added other lands, erected fine buildings, and secured a comfortable home. Joseph H., the oldest son, is a large farmer in the same town. Wil- liam Harrison remained with his father, and his strong arm has been instrumental in pushing back the forest and estab- lishing the comfortable home for himself and parents. He
was born June 13, 1841. Married Dec. 13, 1866, to Mary Wayman, of Lockport, N. Y. To them have been born five children,-two sons and three daughters ; one daughter died in her sixth year. These children are the fourth gen- eration now living. Their great-grandfather, David Gray, is now living in Lake Co., O., in his ninety-ninth year. .
HORACE P. HITCHCOCK
was born at Lowville, Lewis Co., N. Y., Oct. 17, 1809. Son of Amasa Hitchcock, one of the early settlers of that county, who raised a family of five children, of whom Hor- ace P. was the youngest son. He lived at home until he was twenty-one years of age, worked in the neighborhood at such jobs as he could get for three years. During this time he
Photo. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale
HORACE P. HITCHCOCK.
was married to Miss Elmira Day, sixteenth child of Lewis Day, a soldier of the Revolution. In 1833, Mr. Hitchcock took his wife and a child, four weeks old, and went to Chau- tauqua Co., N. Y., where he left them, and came to Michi- gan ; entered eighty acres of land one mile south of Hudson, but in this county, January, 1834, for which he received pat- ent, signed by Andrew Jackson. After securing his land Mr. Hitchcock returned to Chautauqua, making the journey out and back on foot. The next fall he purchased an ox-team, took his family with their little household effects, and after a journey of twenty-two days arrived on the land he had previously purchased, and commenced the task of making a home in the wilderness, his only capital being a pair of strong arms and twenty-two dollars in money ; the latter was at once paid out for provisions. At that early day life in the wilder- ness was not without its sweets, for the first day he was there he found a bee-tree that yielded eighty pounds of honey. He remained on this place two years, when he sold it for one thousand dollars, and purchased the land where he now
FURMAN HUFF
MRS . FURMAN HUFF .
RESIDENCE OF FURMAN HUFF, ADAMS, HILLSDALE CO., MICH.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
resides. Here he not only cut the first tree, but cut a road a mile and a half to get to it.
Sept. 16, 1859, Mrs. Hitchcock departed this life, leaving nine children,-four sons and five daughters. Mr. Hitch- cock was again married, Oct. 16, 1860, to Miss Esther Cook, daughter of Samuel Cook, who settled in Lenawee County in 1827. He came to Allen (this county) in 1844. By this union Mr. Hitchcock has been the father of five children, three of whom are now living.
NICHOLAS SCHMITT
was born in Beber, Kur-Hesse, Prussia, Jan. 22, 1811. He lived with his father, who was a farmer and miller. June 12, 1831, he married Miss Gertrude Grat, who was born Aug. 13, 1809. In 1834 they came to America with their two small children ; the first winter in this country was spent at Ann Arbor. In the spring Mr. Schmitt came to Fayette, Hillsdale Co., and selected eighty acres of land, which he took from government, and moved on to it July, 1835, and commenced to make him a home. Here they remained until 1851, when he sold out, and in 1852 went to California, where he remained four years. When he returned he purchased of L. R. Gay one hundred and twenty acres from the Gay farm, where he died Jan. 14, 1870, leaving a wife and five children. The oldest, Elizabeth M., married L. R. Gay; he died in 1860, leaving one son. She was again married to William B. Clark ; they have one daughter. John C. lives in California; is superintendent of the Lady Bryan Mine at Virginia City. Henry W. died in California. Franklin is a farmer, living in Reading. Daniel died at ten years of age. Wilhel- mina C. died at five years of age. George, the youngest, lives at home with his mother and works the farm. He married Miss Anna Warner ; they have one son, George, Jr.
WILLIAM WRIGHT
was descended from a Scotch-Irish family, his father, Robert Wright, having been born in Tyrone County, in the north of Ireland. He was a man of sterling worth, and estab- lished an enviable reputation as a business man, having been largely engaged in the manufacture and sale of linen, which was at that time an important element in the productions of his native country.
Mr. Wright, Sr., was at one time in possession of con- siderable wealth, but having been induced to become surety for parties who subsequently proved irresponsible, and thus brought on business reverses, he lost the greater portion of his means. He finally emigrated to the State of New York, and located in Cayuga County, following agricultural pur- suits until his death, in 1846.
William, after the death of his father and until his seven- teenth year, spent his time upon the farm or attending the neighboring district school, and in the year 1849 was em- ployed as clerk in a store at Montezuma, that being the year the enlargement of the Erie Canal was begun.
The following year he received an appointment from the superintendent of his county to the State Normal School at Albany, and remained at that institution until failing health compelled him to relinquish his studies, although within a few months of graduation.
He spent the summer of 1852 on the farm for the pur- pose of regaining his health, and taught the neighboring district school the winter following. In the spring he went to Wheeling, Va., and remained there engaged in teaching until the fall, when he departed for Missouri, and followed the same profession in that State until 1854. During that year, the Golden State presenting superior attractions for him, he joined a company who took the overland route to California, reaching Sacramento Sept. 10 of the same year, making the trip in four months and ten days. He remained there but a short time and departed for Oregon Territory, arriving there early in 1855, and pursuing teaching for two years as a profession. He then embarked in the mercantile business until 1859, when he returned to his old home, crossing the Isthmus of Panama on the way and reaching New York City early in February.
After a summer spent on the farm in Cayuga County, he determined to come to Michigan, and chose the township of Adams as his residence, purchasing there one hundred and sixty acres of wild land. He has since resided there, divid- ing his time in clearing up, improving his farm, and shipping stock to the Eastern market ; has made a specialty of keeeping and feeding a superior quality of beef-cattle, in which branch of business he has been unusually successful; is prominent in all enterprises calculated to raise the agri- cultural status of his county. He is, and has been for several years, a member of the board of directors of the Hillsdale County Agricultural Society.
Was married in 1868 to Miss Martha M. Hosmer, daughter of the Rev. William Hosmer, of Auburn, N. Y. Has two children, both boys,-Winthrop H. and William R. Wright,-aged respectively nine and six years.
FURMAN HUFF
was born in Hunterdon Co., N. J., Sept. 23, 1810. Son of John Huff, who moved to Ontario Co., N. Y., the spring of 1835, and died in the fall of that year, leaving a widow and eight children.
Furman lived at home until he was twenty years of age, when he bought a piece of land and commenced for himself. Was married Sept. 15, 1831, to Miss Ann Eliza Sargeant. In the spring of 1835 he left Ontario with a wagon which contained his wife and two children (having buried one child in Ontario); they came through Canada to Saline, Washtenaw Co., where he left the family, and came on foot to Hillsdale County to look for land; decided upon section 1, Fayette township. Went to Monroe, entered a quarter of that section, returned to Saline for his family, and arrived on the land in June. They lived in the wagon until a cabin could be erected, their only neighbors for miles being the wild beasts, of which the wolf and bear played a conspicuous part. Mr. Huff remained on this land until the spring of 1837, when he exchanged for the land where
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
he now resides, which was better adapted to a man of his limited means. Upon this land there was a small log house and a few acres of the timber girdled. In August of that year Mrs. Huff died, leaving two small children. The future as well as the forest must have looked dark, but the sturdy pioneer, determined to have a home for his children, moved steadily on. Dec. 25, 1838, was again married, to Miss Mary Driscal, formerly of Onondaga, N. Y. By this union Mr. H. has been the father of two children,-William H., who is a farmer in the town of Adams; Mary Eliza, married Emery Kasey, and lives near the old home. John U. and Lyman P. were children by the first wife. The former is a farmer in Kansas. Lyman P. was a soldier in the war
of the Rebellion, enlisted in a battery, was taken prisoner at Pittsburg Landing, and died at Macon, Ga., May 16, 1862. Politically, Mr. Huff is a Republican ; is now serving his fifth term as justice of the peace, which term will make twenty consecutive years ; was sergeant of a company at the time of the Toledo war; warned out his company, and had them at Jonesville. Mr. Huff is a member of the Congregational Church. Has been identified with all the improvements of his day. There has been no sudden ac- cession of property, but slowly the work has been carried forward year by year, amid the severest hardships and pri- vations, until in the lapse of time ease and comfort have been reached.
Photos. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale.
WILLIAM KIRBY.
MRS. WILLIAM KIRBY.
WILLIAM KIRBY
was born near Leeds, Yorkshire, England, in 1805. He married Miss Hannah Sykes. They emigrated to this country about 1825. Landed at Quebec, and crossed over to Ogdensburg, where they remained for a time; then went to Ohio, near Painesville, where they became acquainted with the Fowler family. In the spring of 1834, in company with Richard Fowler and Caleb Bates, Mr. Kirby came to Adams, and took land from the government. Mr. Fowler moved on to his land the following fall, and was the first settler in the town of Adams. Mr. Kirby came the next spring (1835), with his large family of small children, all the money he possessed being seventy-five cents. He went out to work by the day for Mr. Fowler, and at Jonesville; and slowly, amid the severest hardships and privations, they struggled on. Frequently did the mother divide the last morsel of food among her children ; heroically did she stand to her post until the original forty acres of land had ex- panded to a well-cultivated farm of two hundred and forty acres, and ease and comfort had been secured. She died May 12, 1876, aged seventy-five years. Mr. Kirby, al- though in feeble health, lives to relate many a thrilling in- cident of the times that run back to the cutting of the first
tree in the town of Adams. The children are Emma, who married Chas. White. Mary is the wife of the Rev. Isaac Taylor. James is a farmer, and has a portion of, the old farm. Reuben lives in Jefferson. William lives on the old home. Francis N. is a farmer in Adams. Ann Louisa married James Braynard. Cordelia died when a child, and Edwin died in infancy.
LEMUEL ROBERTS
was born in Junius, Seneca Co., N. Y., March 18, 1822. The next year his father, with his family, moved to Niagara County, where he remained some ten years, then went to Erie County, where his wife died in 1840. In 1841 he came to Adams, Hillsdale Co., and died in 1845, leaving five children,-four sons and one daughter,-of whom the subject of this sketch was the third son. He lived at home until he was eighteen years of age. He worked out for two years for small wages. When he came to Michigan he had no money ; worked at chopping, clearing land, etc. The second year he cleared a piece of land and put in wheat on shares ; sold his part of the wheat at Hillsdale for forty-four cents per bushel. In 1846 he was married to Miss Alice
VINING BARKER.
MRS. VINING BARKER.
Photos. by Carson & Graham, Hillsdale.
MRS. VINING BARKER. [Deceased.]
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Fitton, daughter of James Fitton, who emigrated from England, about 1828, to Lowell, Mass, where he had a woolen-mill. He settled in Moscow, this county, in 1835. Soon after Mr. Roberts was married, he, in company with his father-in-law, bought a saw-mill, which they operated one year; and in 1848 he bought eighty acres of land, where he now resides, which had a small improvement, and commenced in earnest to make himself a home. In 1852 he went to California, where he remained two years, during which time he bought eighty acres adjoining his home, and since has added other lands, erected fine buildings, until he now has one of the finest farms of Hillsdale County. Although this pioneer and his wife have not yet reached their threescore years, through the severest privations and hardships they have secured an ample competency. They have two sons, -- Walter L., who lives at Big Rapids, Mich., and Albert K., who is a farmer and resides near the old home.
SAMUEL STEVENS
was born in Worcester Co., Mass., Sept. 19, 1793. He married, for his first wife, Lucy Johnson, who was born the 11th of July, 1797. On the 5th day of November, 1829, was married to Mary Johnson, who was born in the same county, April 5, 1803. To them were born eleven children, -Adaline, born Nov. 11, 1818; Lucy A., born Dec. 29, 1819; William S., born March 31, 1822; Louisa, born Dec. 5, 1823 ; Permelia, born May 17, 1825; Lyman, born June -, 1827; George, born Jan. 21, 1831 ; Roxana, born March 27, 1833; Samuel E., born March 10, 1835 ; Henry, born March 5, 1837; Freelove, born Nov. 25, 1843; and William I., born Feb. - , 1846 .* Mr. Stevens moved to Adams township, Hillsdale Co., Mich., in November, 1838, and bought eighty acres of wild land, built a small log house, and at once commenced to improve his farm. To this he added, so that he owned at the time of his death one hundred and fifty acres of fine land, with good build- ings and well improved. In politics he was in an early day a Free-Soiler and an Abolitionist. On the formation of the Republican party he became a member of it, but never was an office-seeker, though he was several years a justice of the peace. Mr. Stevens was a consistent Chris- tian, and for many years a member of the Methodist Church. He always took great interest in schools, and was a strong advocate of free education. He died June 22, 1870, re- spected and esteemed by all.
George Stevens was born in Worcester, Mass., where he resided until 1839, when he came to Michigan and joined his father (Samuel Stevens), with whom he resided until his marriage to Miss Roxana M. Betts, daughter of James and Catherine (Case) Betts, who was born in Orleans Co., N. Y., Jan. 19, 1835. They were married the 21st day of January, 1855, and in the following May he bought eighty acres of new land, which he has cleared and im- proved. An elegant brick house has taken the place of the plank one built in an early day, and Mr. Stevens is now one of Adams' most successful farmers. He, like his father,
was an Abolitionist, and has many times driven all night helping escaped slaves on their way to freedom. He is now a strong Republican and votes with that party, believ- ing the principles set forth by it to be right and just. To Mr. and Mr. Stevens there have been born four children,- Archie E., born May 3, 1856 ; died April 27, 1859 ; Laban P., born April 24, 1860; died July 7, 1870; Myrta L., born Sept. 21, 1865; and Arthur L., born Nov. 27, 1870.
VINING BARKER.
Among the men who have aided in transforming the primeval forest to a civilized community is Vining Barker. He was born at Schuyler, Herkimer Co., N. Y., Jan. 11, 1806. Son of Paul Barker. Vining lived at home and worked the farm. Jan. 5, 1823, he was married to Miss Sally Davis. Upon the death of his father, which occurred Sept. 27, 1833, the property was distributed among the children. In 1837 he came to Adams, Hillsdale Co., Mich., and located eighty acres of land, taking the title from the government, then returned to Schuyler, and in January, 1839, he left the home of his childhood with a wagon which contained his wife and seven children, in company with his brother Amos, to make the long journey to this county. The second day they encountered a heavy snow-storm. After several changes from wagons to sleighs and sleighs to wagons they arrived on the land they had previously purchased, Feb. 27, 1839, after a journey of thirty-six days, and proceeded to build a log house, which was finished in a few days. The spring was early, and everything favored the improvement of the forest home, which was destined to be one of the important neighbor- hoods in the county.
Mr. Barker has been the father of eight children, five of whom are now living,-four sons and one daughter; the lat- ter, Hannah B., married Iram Shadwick, a farmer in Kan- sas. The four sons, Isaac, James, Luther, and Anson, are all well settled near the old home. The second daughter died when a child; Jane married Daniel Sears, and died Nov. 14, 1866, leaving four children ; Davis J. was killed by the explosion of a steam-boiler, Jan. 8, 1873; and soon after followed the death of the mother, Jan. 22, 1873; and thus the worthy couple were separated after a married life of more than a half-century, they having celebrated their golden wedding just previous to her death. Mr. Barker was again married, Sept. 2, 1874, to Mrs. Paulina Webbe, formerly Miss Carter, daughter of Oney Carter, of Wayne Co., N. Y. Mr. Barker and his first wife united with the Baptist Church at Schuyler, N. Y. Upon com- ing to Michigan they joined the church at Jonesville, and transferred their membership to the Baptist Church at North Adams, where Mr. Barker has been a deacon since its organization. After an industrious and exemplary life this veteran pioneer finds himself in the enjoyment of an ample competency, surrounded by his sons in like good circumstances, in good health, and with the same cheerful spirit which has cast a ray of sunshine along his pathway. Future generations will regard him as a kind father, an upright man, and a consistent Christian.
# The six last named were children by his second wife.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
LEVI VANAKEN
was born at Parma, Monroe Co., N. Y., March 25, 1827 ; son of Benjamin H. Vanaken, who emigrated from that county and settled on the land now the home of Levi. He purchased the land in 1846 and moved in 1848. The family suffered not only the privations of pioneer life, but severe sickness, and in March, 1852, the father and mother both died. Within a week before his father's death Levi
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