USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 60
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Hon. William Mercer has lived on his present farm, sec- tion 27, more than thirty years, making the first improve- ments upon it and moving to it after his marriage. He has been a man of great prominence in both the township and county.
When the Mercer family came to the township four tav- erns were in a flourishing state of existence. These were the ones at Gambleville and Somerset Centre, and those of Elias Branch and Warner Bunday, west of the Centre, all on the Chicago turnpike. Their patronage was very ex- tensive in those days, and nightfall always found them full of weary travelers, who, when the beds had all been occu- pied, made temporary couches on the floor or in other con- venient places.
The first settlers in the southeast part of the township were Jacob Brown and Bela Norton, who located on section
35 in 1834-35. These were the only ones south of the Mercer place and east of the centre of the township when the latter family came, in October, 1835.
William Throop, living south of Somerset Centre, is one of the pioneers of the township, having emigrated hither from the State of New York, some time previous to 1840.
The year 1835 also witnessed the arrival of three families from Canandaigua, Ontario Co., N. Y.,-those of Deacon James Brezee, Warner Bunday, and Peter Shafer, who started from their old homes for Michigan together. Ar- riving at Buffalo, Mr. Brezee took passage on a boat, with the household goods, while the three families proceeded onward through Canada by team. Arriving safely in De- troit, they came on to Somerset. Mr. Brezee, who was accompanied by his wife and five children, settled on the farm in the northwest part of the township, now owned by McKee Lyons, who purchased it of him, he (Brezee) moving to another farm adjoining on the north, where he resided until his death. When the Brezee family first came they stayed a few days with Elias Alley, at Somerset Centre, until they could finish a house for themselves,- into the latter they moved in December, 1835. Of Mr. Brezee's children the youngest son, Loren, yet lives in the township, and another son, Wm. H. Brezee, is a resident of Morenci, Lenawee Co. The latter was elected inspector of schools in Somerset when but twenty-one years of age, and he and his father were both prominent in the political history of the township, as will be seen by reference to the list of town officers.
The following items were contributed by Warner Bun- day, now of Litchfield, to the Pioneer Society, from the records of which they are taken :
Mr. Bunday first came to Michigan in 1824; returned soon to Canandaigua, N. Y., and in 1835 came back and purchased nearly a thousand acres of land in Somerset; cleared 450 acres, and inclosed it with 62 miles of rail- fence. He built a log house in December, 1835, 22 by 32 feet, and in 1836 began keeping hotel on the Chicago turn- pike. At that time, in the distance between Jonesville and Monroe Junction-25 miles-there were, according to Mr. Bunday's assertion, 25 hotels, or one for each mile ! Re- ligious meetings were held in this neighborhood in the latter part of 1835.
Alvah Foster, who came from Roxbury, Cheshire Co., N. H., settled in Somerset, May 26, 1835, and is living yet. Jeremiah Belding located near Mr. Foster in the same year. He died in the fall of 1878, and was over ninety years of age.
Jonathan Haynes, who lived a mile north of Gamble- ville, at what was called " Haynes' Corners," was among the earlier settlers in the township. He afterwards became a local preacher in the Methodist Church.
Oliver C. McLouth purchased land from the government on section 36, and settled upon it in 1835. He came here from Wayne County. His son, John McLouth, has held numerous prominent positions-supervisor, justice of the peace, etc .- in the township of Wheatland, where he now resides.
It is related that when the township of Wheatland was
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RESIDENCE OF ANDREW MCDOUGAL, SOMERSET, HILLSDALE CO., MICH .
MR. ANDREW MCDOUGAL.
MRS. ANDREW MCDOUGAL.
ANDREW MCDOUGAL.
The parents of Mr. McDougal were natives of the county of Donegal, Ireland. His father came to this country when nineteen years of age, and settled in the town of Groveland, Livingston Co., N. Y. Here he resided until his death, which occurred in 1854, and it was here that Andrew was born, Sept. 18, 1817.
He lived with his father until he attained his majority, when he resolved to make for himself a home in Michigan. He accordingly came to Hills- dale County, in October of 1838, and purchased the northwest quarter of section 27, in the town of Somerset, upon which he has since resided. The land was entirely unimproved, and the fine farm of to-day is the result of his own industry and energy, and a monument to his thrift and frugality.
Mr. McDougal was married to Miss Mary Gam- bol, of Groveland, Livingston Co., N. Y., where she was born Oct. 22, 1815.
They have been blessed with three children,- Lucretia, born October, 1837; Margaret E., born June, 1841; John, born November, 1842.
Although he has taken an active part in all matters devoted to the interests of his town, county, or State, he has never sought political advancement. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat of the Jeffersonian type. He has occupied many positions in the affairs of his town, and has always discharged his duties with fidelity to the trust reposed in him, and with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his fellow-townsmen.
Mr. McDougal is a prominent member of the Methodist Church, and has done much to advance the cause of religion. An ardent friend of education, he has done his part in the advancement of educational interests. Socially he is genial and courteous, earning and retaining the regard and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact. He can look back upon his past life with the assurance that he has improved his opportunities, and that he has done his part in developing the resources of his town, in building up and advancing the best interests of the church and society, thus earning the position he occupies among the representative men of Hillsdale County.
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235
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
divided and Somerset formed, Thomas Gamble, from Wheat- land, Monroe Co., N. Y., wished the original name to be retained by the latter town (Somerset) ; but as a majority of the prominent settlers at that time had come from Som- erset, Niagara Co., and wished the name of their township to be given, it was decided in their favor, and Somerset be- came one of the sisterhood of towns, with a name remind- ing its inhabitants of the homes they had left in an eastern land.
Andrew McDougal settled in 1838, on section 27, north of the present school-house site, where he still resides. He came from the same locality in New York (Groveland, Livingston Co.) from whence the Mercer family had emi- grated three years previously, and is related to them.
Richard E. Weaver, of Hartland, Niagara Co., N. Y., settled in Somerset in October, 1835. He left the above county with his father, in company with four other families, May 1, 1835, and came through to Adrian, Mich. His father, William Weaver, located land in the township that summer, and they settled upon it in October, as stated. Mr. Weaver, Sr., was originally from the Green Mountain region, having moved to Niagara Co., N. Y., from Rutland Co., Vt.
Among those who entered land in Somerset township in 1834 were the following persons: Amos Hixson, Lewis Carrier, Samuel Mills, Elias H. Kelley, Hezekiah Griswold, Jeremiah Loucks, Daniel Strong, Samuel O. Clark, Eli Bugbee, George Oncans (or Omans), Arza Finney, David Binns, William Welch, Rufus Gilford, David Catelle, Ben- jamin D. Bond, Stephen Darlington, Gideon and David Harkness, Zachariah Van Duzar, Jabez H. Jackson, Wil- liam Gallup, Stephen Vail, Welcome Graham, and William T. Webster .* Probably many of these never located in the township, but it is known that part of them did.
From the records of Somerset are copied the following interesting agreements of parents to the marriage of their daughters :
"This may certify that I, Betsey Chichester, of the township of Tecumseh, State of Michigan, do hereby consent to the marriage of my daughter, Clarissa Chichester, to Nathan McLouth, now of the township of Somerset, in the County of Hillsdale, Michigan. In wit- ness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of January, 1838.
" BESTEY CHICHESTER.
" In presence of ELIZA IVES."
"This may certify that I, Edward Gould, of the township of Som- erset, County of Hillsdale, and State of Michigan, do hereby consent to the marriage of my daughter, Lavinia, to John Young, of the same place. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of March, 1839.
his " EDWARD X GOULD. mark.
" LEWIS CARRIS."
The first white child born in this township was Frances Griswold, whose mother was a sister to Orson Herrington (who settled in September, 1833). Mrs. Griswold lived but a short time after the birth of her daughter, and her death was the first one among the settlers in the township, occurring in the fall of 1833. Her father, David Her- rington, died the same winter, from a sickness contracted by overwork in drawing logs near Crystal Lake. Mrs.
Griswold's husband drove stage on the Chicago road, and after the death of his wife removed to Galena, Illinois.
OFFICIAL RECORD.
The act creating the township of Somerset specified that the first town-meeting should be held at the house of Thomas Gamble, but it appears from the records that it was held instead at the house of Cornelius Millspaw, on the third day of April, 1837, at which time the following officers were elected, viz. : Supervisor, Heman Pratt ; Town Clerk, John McKnight; Justices of the Peace, Warner Bunday, Heman Pratt, Amos Fairchild, William Weaver ; Assessors, William Mercer, Alvah Foster, Orson Herring- ton ; Commissioners of High ways, Daniel Strong, Chauncey Kennedy, Jonathan Haynes ; Collector, Samuel O. Clark ; Directors of the Poor, Cornelius Millspaw, David Weather- wax ; Inspectors of Common Schools, Warner Bunday, Al- vah Foster, Arza Finney ; Constables, Samuel O. Clark, Daniel Millspaw, William Hoard ; Overseers of Road Dis- tricts, James Gowin, Cornelius Millspaw, Orson Herring- ton, Samuel O. Clark, David Weatherwax, William Web- ster, Chauncey Kennedy, Daniel Strong.
At this meeting it was " Voted, to raise as much money for the support of common schools as shall be apportioned to our town from the general school fund."
In 1840 it was " Voted, to pay a bounty of $10 for killing full-grown wolves in this town, and $5 for killing any wolf under six months old, said wolves to be caught in said town."
" Voted, that any person who shall suffer his ram to run at large out of his own inclosure, between the first day of September and the first day of November, shall pay a fine of $5."
In 1841 wolf bounties were reduced to five and two and a half dollars, and fifty cents bounty was paid for each fox scalp. Cattle, horses, sheep, and hogs, " except rams, boars, and stud horses," were free commoners in 1841.
The following is the jury list for Somerset in the year 1841 :
Grand Jurors .- Jeremiah Belding, Samuel Dunn, Arza Finney, Alvah Foster, William P. Gibbs, Chester Hunt, Jonathan Haynes, Samuel B. Randolph, Azariel Smith, Newton C. Wolcott, William Weaver, Warner Bunday, Eli- jah Slayton, Mitchell Gue.
Petit Jurors .- James Brezee, Mahlon Brown, Samuel O. Clark, Timothy Gay, Edward Gould, Andrew McDougal, Ransom S. Olds, James Palmer, Peter Shafer, Ashur Strong, William T. Webster, Johnson Davidson, Sanford D. Hop- kins, Isaac Derby.
A list of the principal officers of the township from 1838 to 1877, inclusive, embraces the following names :
SUPERVISORS.
1838. William Weaver. 1856-57. William P. Richards.
1839. Elias Branch. 1841. William Weaver. Azariel Smith. 1858. William Mercer. 1859. William P. Richards. 1860. George A. Smith.
1842-44. William Mercer.
1845. Jabez S. Mosher. 1846-47. Chester Hunt. 1848-49. William Mercer. 1850-51. Chester Hunt. 1852. Daniel C. Crane. 1853-55. William Mercer.
1861-62. Sanford D. Hopkins. 1863-64. Newton C. Wolcott. 1865-68. Sanford D. Hopkins. 1869. William Mercer.
1870-73. Sanford D. Hopkins. 1874-77. Andrew N. Westcott.
* Hogaboam's History of the Bean Creek Valley.
236
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
TOWN CLERKS.
COMMISSIONERS OF HIGHWAYS.
1838. James Brezee. . 1848. Elias Alley.
William Knapp. Robert Bilby.
1849. John McKnight. 1850. Samuel Dunn. 1851. Sanford D. Hopkins.
1852. Jason Tayre. Alvah Foster.
1840. William Knapp. Elias Alley. Chester Hunt.
1853. Charles N. Lewis.
1854. Jesse D. Payne.
1848-50. Oliver Lathrop.
1866-68. Warner Bunday.
1869. David A. Turrell. 1870-77. Oscar D. Brown.
1841. Jeremiah Belding. Jonathan Haynes.
Orson Herrington.
1842. Jonathan Haynes.
Adam S. Dunn. William Knapp.
1860. Lemuel D. Brown.
1861. Martin C. Rogers.
1840. William Mercer. Anson Root. .
Charles L. M. Andrus.
1841. Newton C. Wolcott.
1861. George Brown.
1862. Charles L. M. Andrus.
1844. William G. Throop. John Munson. Lewis Fuller.
1866. Jabin Strong.
1843. William Mercer.
1844. Jabez S. Mosher.
1845. Adam S. Dunn.
1846. Elias S. Alley.
1847. William Mercer. Walter S. Moore.
1848. Walter S. Moore.
1849. Jesse D. Payne.
1850. Henry B. Fuller. William Weaver.
1851. Ransom S. Olds. Augustus G. Fisk. 1852. Walter S. Moore. William Mercer.
1853. William Weaver. Abel Scott.
William P. Richards.
1854. William H. Brezee.
1855. Augustus G. Fisk.
1856. William O. Smith.
1857. William Weaver.
1858. William H. Brezee.
ASSESSORS.
1838. Alvah Foster.
1843. Chester Hunt.
Elias Alley.
1844. William Weaver. Thomas Jolls.
William Mercer.
1839. James Gowans.
Alvah Foster.
1845. Newton C. Wolcott. Thomas Jolls.
1846. Thomas Jolls. Horace H. Smith.
1847. Horace H. Smith. William Weaver.
1848. Horace H. Smith. William Weaver.
1849. Horace H. Smith. William Weaver.
1850. Jonathan Haynes. Benjamin Houghtalin.
COLLECTOR. 1838-40. Jesse D. Payne.
TREASURERS.
1839-40. Charles Farnsworth. . 1856-58. Daniel Ostrom. 1859-60. Martin C. Rogers.
1841. Lemuel D. Brown. 1842-43. Jabez S. Mosher. 1844. Timothy Gay. 1845. John McKnight. 1846. Jabez S. Mosher. 1847. Thomas Jolls.
1848. Daniel H. Shepherd.
1849-50. Thomas Jolls.
1851-52. Matthias Slaght.
1853-54. Jason Tayre. 1855. Chester Hunt.
1871-72. Allen W. Dunn. 1873-74. Lucien B. North. 1875. Benjamin Dunn. 1876-77. Henry S. Walworth.
The officers of the township for 1878 are: Supervisor, Henry S. Walworth; Town Clerk, Oscar D. Brown ; Treasurer, Lucien B. North ; Justice of the Peace, Dennis Clancy ; Commissioner of Highways, Willis Baker ; Town- ship Superintendent of Schools, R. A. Randolph ; Mr. Randolph resigned and John S. Flint was appointed in his place, but failed to qualify, and the position was finally filled by the appointment of William T. Morous ; Inspector of Schools, Hosea C. Aldrich ; Constables, Charles Cam- burn, Stowell Jones, Ira Smith, Andrew J. Geer.
The ingenuity of the early settlers was considerably taxed by their endeavors to select marks by which to dis- tinguish their cattle, sheep, and hogs, which were permitted to run at large. Among those adopted were the following:
Sept. 30, 1835 .- Thomas Gamble's mark-a crop from the right ear, and a half crop from the upper side of the left.
April 16, 1836 .- John McKnight's mark-a crop from the right ear, and a slit in the same.
April 29, 1836 .- Elias Alley's mark-a crop from the right ear and a slit in the same, and a slit in the left.
May 18, 1836 .- Timothy Gay's mark-a swallow fork from the right ear, and a crop from the left.
June 1, 1836 .- Elias H. Kelly's mark-a hole in the right ear.
Nov. 7, 1836 .- Jacob Brown's mark-a crop from the left ear, and a slit in the same.
Same date .- Thomas Joll's mark-two slits in the left ear.
Dec. 5, 1836 .- Cornelius Millspaw's mark-a crop from the left ear, and a slit in the right.
Dec. 25, 1837 .- Mitchell Gue's mark-a crop from the left ear, and a half-penny from the upper and lower sides of the same.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1838. Elias Branch.
1859. D. C. Crane.
1839. Timothy Gay.
1860. Samuel O. Clark.
Seth Aldrich.
Andrew McDougal. Samuel W. Parsons.
1863. John S. B. Weatherwax.
1864. Benjamin F. Carney.
1842. Elias Alley. Heman Pratt.
1863. Seth Aldrich. Orson Herrington.
1864. David A. Turrell.
1865. Townsend Coats. George Brown.
1866. Dennis Clancy.
Samuel M. Hagerman.
1871. Henry Harper.
1867. Seth Aldrich.
1868. Joshua Davison.
1869. Isaac Kinney.
1870. Dennis Clancy. George Brown. 1871. Seaton Flint.
1872. Joshua Davison.
1873. George Brown. Robert Harper.
1874. William P. McKnight. Dennis Clancy.
1875. Seaton Flint. Lucius Powers.
1876. Lucien B. North.
1877. George Brown. Jonathan Haynes.
Phipps W. Hewitt.
1872. Jabin Strong.
1873. Andrew N. Westcott.
William Knapp. Elias Alley.
1874-75. Henry Harper. 1876-77. Willis Baker.
1838-39. Wolcott G. Branch. 1840. James Gowans.
1841-42. Charles Farnsworth.
1843. George L. Moore. 1844. Jabez L. Mosher. 1845. George L. Moore. 1846. John M. Munson.
1847. George L. Moore.
1851. Charles Farnsworth; died in office, and vacancy filled by the appointment of John McKnight.
1852. Orson Herrington. 1853-54. Roosevelt H. Davis. 1855. Charles B. Moon.
1856-57. Roswell R. Farnsworth. 1858-62. Aaron Bickford. 1863. Dennis Clancy. 1864. Aaron Bickford. 1865. Dennis Clancy.
1839. Jonathan Haynes. William Mercer. Elias Alley.
1855. Jason Tayre. 1856. Alvah Foster. Sanford D. Hopkins.
1857. Jesse D. Payne.
1858. S. D. Hopkins.
1859. Elias Alley.
1843. Jonathan Haynes.
1862. Rufus Smith.
1865. Jesse D. Payne.
1867. Benjamin F. Carney.
1868. Gardner Foster.
1845. William Hoard. D. F. Hurd. Samuel M. Hagerman.
1869. Jabin Strong. 1870. Benjamin F. Carney.
1846. Cicero J. Van Allen.
1847. Jason Tayre.
Orson Herrington. 1840. Freeman T. Kellogg. Alvah Foster. George Abbott.
1841. Freeman T. Kellogg. John McKnight. Lemuel D. Brown. 1842. John McKnight. F. T. Kellogg. 1843. John McKnight.
1861. Asher T. Strong. 1862. M. C. Rogers.
1863-64. James A. Strong. 1865. Jabin Strong. 1866-68. Nathaniel K. Haynes. 1869-70. Willis Baker.
HOSEA C. ALDRICH, MANUFACTURER OF DRAIN TILE, FLOWER POTS, BUILDING & FIRE BRICK. SOMERSET CENTRE, HILLSDALE CO,MICH.
237
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
May 24, 1847 .- J. S. B. Weatherwax's mark-a hole in the left ear by a punch and a " happany," done by the same punch, under the right ear.
These marks were all recorded in the township book of records, and each was illustrated in an artistic manner by drawing the outline of a sheep's head and showing the marks on the ears.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
The first school in Somerset was taught at Gambleville, in 1834, by Mrs. Clark, a daughter of Judge Heman Pratt. This was a summer school, and the term lasted three months, the number of scholars being but 5 or 6. Judge Pratt taught in the same building,-a rude log school-house, the succeeding winter and at later periods. His father was a school-teacher forty-six years. The judge had charge of the school in 1835, and among the scholars were several of Samuel Mercer's children.
The school district in which Hon. William Mercer now resides was organized in 1845, and a log school-house built half a mile north of the present frame school building at the corners, the latter having been erected in the neighbor- hood of the year 1850.
A log school-house was built in 1836 a mile south of the present residence of Elias Alley. It was difficult to main- tain a school here, as the number of pupils for several years was quite small,-the attendance sometimes being no more than three,-but by persistent effort it was kept up until it became one of the important schools of the township.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
In the spring of 1836, Rev. Mr. Wolcott organized a Presbyterian society at Somerset Centre, and remained as their minister for a short time. Rev. Mr. Morton was one of the early pastors also. The present frame church at the Centre was built about 1840-42. This society has no ex- istence at this date (January, 1879), and the old church is now the property of a Methodist Episcopal organization, whose pastor is Rev. Mr. Berry, of Fuller's Mills, Jackson Co.
Subsequent to the year 1850, numerous membership of the Presbyterian Church at the Centre seceded and formed the present Congregational Church at Gambleville, where they built a frame church. This society is at present in very good condition, and has for its pastor Rev. Mr. Branch, of Grand Ledge.
THE SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF SOMERSET was organized at Jerome in the fall of 1873, and the pres- ent frame church dedicated in the fall of 1875. This society had also been previously connected with the original church at the Centre, and when the division occurred and a new church was built at Gambleville, this part moved to the southwest part of town, and held meetings in the Payne school-house, moving to Jerome, and reorganizing, after that village was laid out. The membership in De- cember, 1878, was about 35, and the pastor is the same who has charge of the congregation at Gambleville,-Rev. E. T. Branch. A Sabbath-school is sustained during the summer months.
BRICK-YARD AND TILE WORKS.
It is the experience of farmers in this vicinity that underdraining pays at least twenty-five per cent., and the cheapest and most durable material to use in forming drains is the uniform drain-tile.
Seth Aldrich, one of the early settlers in Somerset, began the manufacture of tile and earthenware in this town in 1842, turning the first tile on a wheel. The demand for the article increased, and to keep up the supply he pur- chased a hand-tile machine, and in the spring of 1858 made his first " horseshoe" tile (it was so named from the shape of the orifice), which gave entire satisfaction. His son, Hosea C. Aldrich, the present proprietor of the works, assisted his father in his labors until 1862, when he enlisted in the 18th Michigan Infantry, and served three years, during six months of which time he was immured in one of those terrible places,-a rebel prison. He was finally released, and started for home on the ill-fated steamer "Sultana," which exploded her boiler on the passage up the Mississippi River, and hurried into eternity so many of the brave sons of Michigan. Mr. Aldrich was picked up for dead, but finally returned to consciousness, and ulti- mately to his home, where he engaged in the old work once more.
In 1866 he purchased the works from his father, and admitted his brother, B. F. Aldrich, as partner in the business. Each hired a helper, and the sales averaged $1020 annually. The demand, however, increased to such an extent that a larger machine-operated by horse-power -was purchased in 1870, and a factory built, which is 30 by 137 feet in dimensions, standing near the clay bed. In 1873, Hosea C. Aldrich purchased his brother's interest, built a larger kiln, and employed from four to six hands. In 1876 he purchased a brick-machine, and added a brick- yard to his establishment, which necessitated the employ- ment of more help. In 1877 he built a pottery, in which he placed two wheels and two turners, and erected another kiln in which to burn ware.
Mr. Aldrich has probably the best clay in the State for making drain-tile, and the truth of this assertion is demon- strated by the fact that some of the tile manufactured here have been in the ground thirty-five years, and are as sound to-day as when first laid. Mr. Aldrich now burns five kilns of tile, two of flower-pots (of which he makes a speci- alty), and one of brick annually. Increased facilities will be added as the demand warrants. Two kinds of clay exist here, and white and red brick are both manufactured and kept on hand, as well as flower-pots, pipe-tile from two to six inch, "D" tile from two to seven inch, and horse-shoe tile from two to eight inch. Mr. Aldrich is to be congratu- lated on the extent of his work and the favor with which his manufactures are everywhere received.
Among those who have furnished information in this town are Hon. William Mercer, Elias Alley, Esq., William H. Brezee (of Morenci), Oscar D. Brown, Lewis Fuller, Charles Sutfin, Hosea C. Aldrich, and numerous others whose names are not now recollected. Our obligations to all are hereby acknowledged.
238
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
SETH ALDRICH.
The ancestors of the Aldrich family were from Wales, Great Britain. Seth Aldrich, the grandfather of the sub- ject of this narrative, and the progenitor of the Aldrich family in this country, came from Wales previous to the Revolutionary war, and settled in Uxbridge, Mass. He had five sons,-Enoch, Abraham, Nathan, Abel, and Hosea. The latter was the father of our subject, and moved into On- tario Co., N. Y., in an early day, where he resided until his death. He was an active, energetic business man, and was extensively engaged in the manufacture of pottery. He married Miss Rachel Corrary. They had five children, who grew to maturity,-Sarah, Seth, Emiline, Hall, and Stephen. Seth was born in the town of West Bloomfield, Ontario Co., N. Y., March 3, 1801. He lived with his father until he attained his majority, when he went to Canandaigua, where he was engaged in the business of a butcher, which he followed until his removal to Michigan, in 1841. He purchased four hundred and eighty acres of land in the town of Somerset. About 1847 he commenced the manufacture of earthenware. He was the first manu-
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