History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 116

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166

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Isaac Storm is a native of Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., N. Y. Nicholas Storm, his father, was born July 15, 1785, in Washington county, N. Y. His mother, Hannah (Hall) Storm, was of Ger- man extraction. They were married July 15, 1811, in Otsego connty, N. Y. The father of Nicholas Storm, Isaac Storm, was born in Washington county, N. Y., Sept. 2, 1752. He was a sol- dier in the Revolution, and a commissary in 1812, operating at Buffalo. His wife was born Dec. 24, 1759. The fruits of this marriage were 11 children, all of whom reached maturity, and were born as follows: Nicholas, July, 15, 1785; Jaines, Nov. 25, 1786; Esther, Aug. 23, 1788; Sally, Sept. 25, 1790; Isaac, July 12, 1792; Rebecca, April 29, 1794; Polly, April 14. 1796; Catharine, Feb. 16, 1798; Garry, Dec. 18, 1800; Eleanor, April 27, 1802; Hannah, Ang. 12, 1804. Mr. Storm settled in Monroe county, Mich., about

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1830, where his wife died and was buried. In 1834 he returned to New York where he died in 1842. His son Nicholas removed from Otsego county, N.Y., to Genesee. in 1824. He was the father of 8 children, 5 of whom are living. They were born in the follow- ing order: John, March 19, 1812, now living in Ionia county; Saralı, Sept. 5, 1814, living at Warsaw, N. Y .; Lovice, June 23, 1816, residing at Hanover, Mich .; Isaac, Sept. 9, 1823; Hannah, Dec.31. 1825, resident at Alta, Pope Co., Minn. Isaac, the subject of this notice, was married to Elizabeth Ann Wood, at West Bloom- field, Ontario Co., N. Y .. Feb. 17, 1850. She was born at West Bloomfield April 5. 1>29. and has 5 children living. Their births occurred as follows: Orson J., Feb. 10, 1851; Frank B., Sept. 13, 1852; Geo. L., June 1, 1858; Cassius M., Oct. 12, 1862; Clayton W., Dec. 17, 1864. Mr. Storm owns 140 acres of land, valued at $65 per acre. He has always been a Republican.

Hawley F. Thomas, of the Central City Nurseries, was born Aug. 24, 1837, in Ohio, at Hiram, near the college where President Garfield commenced his public life. Hawley was the youngest of 5 children. His father, Rev. Heman Thomas, a Baptist minister. died and was buried at Mantua Center, five miles west of Hiram, in September, 1840. His influence lives while he sleeps. His dying request, that his boys should always be tem- perate and avoid all profanity, has been carefully observed. On the death of the father the two eldest children went to live with relatives on the reserve; Henry, the next, came to Michigan to live with his grandfather, Reuben Henry, of Napoleon. He staid but a few years, and returned and died at Stone in 1849. The mother returned to Hiram to the old farm with the two youngest- Martha and Hawley, to live with their paternal grandfather, Deacon Benajah Thomas. Here in Hiram commenced the school- days at a little village on the Caryhough river, called the "Rapids;" there, down the river a few miles on Judge Atwater's farm (now Mantna Station), among the grand old orchards, chest- nuts and maple groves, was spent the heyday of youth. Then a step-father's home was substituted, and more school-days in Hiram, under Henry Canfield. But in 1848 life changes to a

new farm in northwestern Ohio, Hicksville, Defiance Co. Here little was known but hard work for the next four years, at which time he left his mother and went into the world to make his own way. Three months were spent at school under the Rev. James Hadsell, where he imbibed a desire for a more liberal education, and toiled on farms and rail- roads then in process of construction until he had accumulated a sufficient fund to visit his old home on the western reserve and enter Hiram College; but a serious and long sickness exhausted money and a natural strong constitution. A few years in Medina and Summit counties and he returns to Edgerton, Williams Co., en- tering in '56 the engineer corps that built the Air-Line railroad west of Toledo, with his sister Martha's husband, J. O. Coburn, a civil

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engineer. After the railroad was finished, the nursery business was engaged in. In the spring of '59 he visited Michigan, and relatives in Jackson county. His mother settled at Christine, in Columbia, where he taught school the next winter, and in the winter of '60 and '61 in the village of Brooklyn. That spring, or in June, his sister Martha died, at their mother's home, and was buried at the head of Clark's lake; the husband went to Big Rapids, this State, and engaged in the practice of law until the 6th Michigan Cavalry was formed, when he enlisted. He was clerk of the regiment at the time of his capture. He was thrown into Libby and there starved to death under the very eyes of that arch traitor, Jeff. Davis. Hawley was married Nov. 14, 1861, to Cynthia D. Harvey, second daughter of Silas Harvey, of Napoleon (seesketch in that tp.). The first events of married life were spent in Ovid, this State, where he taught the village school, and had, previous to marriage, started a nursery. The war now affected the business and he sold out and re turned to Jackson county. Their first 2 children were born in Napoleon-Lillian May, Feb. 6, 1863, Grantie Heman, March 14, 1864. In the spring of '69 they moved to the city here. Sept. 28 the second son was born -Fernie Harvey. The next winter, March 5, little Grantie died. He was buried at Napoleon. June 28, 1871, their 2d daughter was born-Venia Flony. After being in the agricultural implement business and building, Mr. Thomas engaged in his old business again, the nursery and fruit line being congenial to his tastes. On Sept. 6. 1878, his mother died at Bronson, this State, in her 70th year, loved by all for her virtues and Christian graces. Mr. Thomas has always been an Independent Republican, for the last decade voting for no man, on his ticket or off, who catered to the whisky interest.

Tunis Vrooman was born April 29. 1802,in Middleburg, Scholarie Co., N. Y. He was the son of Barnet and Maria (Root) Vrooman, both natives of Schoharie county. Tunis came to Michigan in the fall of 1835, and located at Jacksonburgh, near Summit, on sec. 19. He married Hannah Knieskern in 1823, in Carlisle, N. Y. She died six years after the marriage, of consumption, in Orleans county Two years after he married Eliza Craig .of Shelby, Orleans Co .; 6 children were the result of this union-Hannah E., born Dec. 10, 1831, married John Stewart, who was mortally wounded at the bat- tle of Spottsylvania. and died in Washington; she is now the widow of Calvin Walworth and lives in Moscow, Hillsdale Co. Olive was born Nov. 10, 1833; she married Daniel Brickley, of Isabella connty; David, born May 22, 1836, is a farmer in Isabella connty. Cornelia A., born September, 1838, married William Goldsmith of Isabella county; Melinda, born April, 1841, married Edward Creech, and lives in Gratiot county. Her husband was a soldier in the 1st Michigan Infantry, from 1861 to 1865. At the battle of Gaines' Mills in '62 a bullet entered his face below the right eye and passed entirely through his head, coming out back of his right ear. After lying on the field three days, he was taken to

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Richmond, and shared the horrors of Libby prison and Belle Isle. Maggots got into his wound, and buying two plugs of tobacco from a rebel, he gave them to a comrade, who chewed it and expectorated the juice into the wonnd, thus establishing a healing and cleansing process. Six months after he was taken prisoner he was exchanged and sent to York hospital in Pennsylvania. He rejoined his regiment just prior to the battle of Gettysburg and participated in that fearful conflict. In 1864 he re-enlisted and fought in the battles of the Wilderness, at Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, in the siege of Petersburg, the battle at Five Forks, and was present at the surrender of the Army of North Virginia. At this time he held the rank ot Sergeant. He is a farmer in Gratiot county, and receives a pension. Tunis, Jr., was born in November, 1846, and lives with his father on the old homestead. Mr. Vrooman's second wife died Jan. 2, 1853. Two years thereafter he married her sister Mary, then the Widow Cliilds. Her first husband died in the fall of 1848. She died Ang. 8, 1868. Jan. 26, 1871, he married his fourth and present wife, Mrs. Eliza Freeman, of Jackson. Mr. V. is her third husband. Her maiden name was Eliza Huggins; she was born in Salem, $Washington Co., N. Y., April 25, 1811. She was married to Nathan Baker, May 30, 1833, at Batavia N. Y .; she died Jan. 30, 1862, in Burlington, Mich. There is 1 child resulting from this union; Warren D., born Sept. 10, 1834, in Alabama, N. Y. She was married to her second husband, Daniel M. Free- man , of Summit, Dec. 25, 1867. He died the following April. Mr. Vrooman's farm consists of 160 acres of land in flourishing con- dition, and is worth $8,000. He is a Democrat and both himself and wife are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Vrooman had 2 children by his first marriage-Hiram, born in N. Y. September, 182-, died in Jackson county, Jan. 5, 1851; and Maria, born in New York, in 1825. She married Lewis Ellsworth, and died in Isabella county, in 1861.

Edwin H. Wait was born April 22, 1838, in Steuben county, N. Y .; he was the son of John and Petrey (Scidmore) Wait. His father was born April 9, 1790, in Rhode Island, and died Sept 10, 1877, in N. Y. His mother was born Jan. 12, 1808, in Saratoga county, N. Y. Edwin married Malvina Dibble,(sister of Alanson Dibble) Nov. 14, 1867. They have 5 children-Colbie D., born June 15, 1868; Cora E., born Nov. 20, 1869; Merrill, born Apr. 25, 1871; Willie, born July 23, 1873, and Mertie, born Jan. 20, 1880. Mr. Wait owns 107 acres of land in his home farm, worth $50 per acre. IIe is a National in politics.

John W. Watts, farmer and real-estate dealer, was born in Leoni tp., Jackson Co., Jan. 13, 1838; was reared on a farm and received a common-school education. In 1865 married Miss Henrietta Hemen, daughter of Henry and Julia, father a native of England and mother of this country. She was born in Jackson county, Nov. 19, 1847. The fruit of this marriage is 3 children, viz .: Florence, Lottie and Mary. Mr. Watts has been identified with the

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county from his boyhood, and is noted for his strict integrity of character, and unyielding in his convictions of right. He has held several local offices of trust. Mr. Watts has some valuable land adjoining the city, and in 1874 laid ont what is known as Watts' addition to the city of Jackson.

Thomas Wilson (deceased) was born in Rutherglen (now New Glasgow), Lanarkshire, Scotland, June 15, 1802. His grandmother was the daughter of the Duke of Hamilton, and his father was a merchant in the city of Glasgow during the French wars. The fall of Napoleon at Waterloo ruined him financially and he died soon after. John Wilson, his brother, was a soldier in the British army. He served in Sir William Ponsonby's cavalry brigade at the battle of Waterloo. He subsequently enlisted under General Bolivar and went to Peru. His fate is unknown, as he was never heard from. After the reverse of fortune and death of his father, Thomas engaged in the calling of shepherd and herder for a time, afterward learning the trade of weaver, which vocation he followed until his departure for America, which took place when he was 18 years of age. He landed at Quebec, Canada, in 1820, and had but 50 cents in his pocket. With a party of others, seeking like himself some means of securing an honorable livelihood, he went to Ogdensburg, N. Y., in a scow which was propelled by poles. He spent a winter in the lumber woods on Black River, N. Y., and went thence to Utica, where he obtained employment as overseer in a woolen factory. At the termination of his engagement there lic engaged in the same vocation at Oriskany. From there he went to Morrisville to aid in the establishment of a new factory, and from there he went to a locality in Madison county, known as Log City. July 6, 1828, he married Henrietta Wing at Otselic, Che- mango Co., N. Y. He went to Cazenovia, where he remained about one year, going thence to Manlius Square, Onondaga Co., living there three years and returning to Cazenovia. Here and at Log City he remained until 1836, when he brought his family to this State (then a Territory). He and his wife took up 120 acres of land in Spring Arbor, 80 in his name and 40 in hers. The latter tract is still in her possession. He sold his division and purchased what is now the homestead and residence of his widow and youngest son. He made this purchase in 1847 and occupied it until his death. Mav 28, 1835, in his 73d year. He was a Democrat po- litically, and both himself and wife were Methodists. He was a Royal Arch Mason. Oct. 5, 1835, he became a citizen of the U. S. by taking ont naturalization papers in Eaton, Madison Co., N. Y. Mrs. Wilson was the daughter of David S. and Marion (Cronkheit) Wing. Her father was born at Hoosac, N. Y., abont 1777. He was a farmer and drover by occupation and died at Albany in August, 1817. Her mother was born about 1788 at Hoosac. Mrs. Cronkheit was of high German descent on the pater- nal side; her mother was English. David Wing's ancestry on the father's side came from the English Quakers, on the mother's side

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from the English. Mrs. Wilson was born at Hoosac, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., July 25, 1810. She became the mother of several children, 5 of whom are now living-Wm. H., a heavy dealer in grain in Jackson, was born Dec. 10, 1829; Cornelia M. was born Sept. 15, 1833, and married Wn. Hutchings, of Liberty; Thomas A. was born April 22, 1836, and is a practicing lawyer in Jackson. Ellen M. was born Oct. 14, 1838, and married Clark Thompson, of North Plains, Ionia Co .; she is now a widow. Gilbert H. settled the claims of the other heirs of his father's estate and became the pos- sessor of 280 acres, valned in the aggregate at $8,400. He was born March 17, 1850. He is pursuing the avocation of farmer on scientific principles-seeking to secure profitable returns from the cultivation of his land without impoverishing the soil. His leisure is devoted to the study of general subjects and topics bearing upon the cultivation of his farm.

Daniel B. Walworth was born in Shelby, Orleans Co., N. Y. His father, Thomas Walworth, was an Englishman, and was born Dec. 14, 1794, in Vermont, and died in Liberty in 1853. His mother. Amanda (Demary) Walworth, was Holland Dutch by descent, and was born Dec. 6, 1800, in New York. She became the mother of 5 sons and 4 daughters, and died in Liberty in 1866. When Daniel was four years old his parents settled in Michigan. He married Mary E. Sharpe, daughter of Seth and Susan Sharpe, Feb. 22, 1861. She was born May 23, 1839, in Stafford, Genesee Co., N. Y. Her mother was of Scotch lineage, and died Jan. 30, 1872. Her father was English by birth, and died Nov. 30, 1869. Mrs. Walworth is the mother of 2 children-Frank S., born Feb. 14, 1862, and Fred. D., born Nov. 5, 1864. Mr. Walworth is a Democrat. He owns 80 acres of land in sec. 23, valued at $75 per acre.

TOMPKINS TOWNSHIP.

When Tompkins was set off as a separate township, some of the townsmen wished to name it after David Adams, but he mod- estly fell in with the suggestions of Col. R. II. Anderson, to have it named after Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York, of whom he was a great admirer. David Adams built the first farm barn in the township. He was buried March 1, 1879, in the quiet little graveyard that he had helped to purchase and beautify. After his long and useful life of 79 years and six months, he passed peace- fully away, leaving his wife, two sons-G. P. and W. H. Adams- two daughters-Mrs. G. J. Townley and Mrs. J. Pope-also 10 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, to mourn him. His death was the first in the family for over 47 years.

Richard Townley, in his historical sketch, states that the first settler in Tompkins township was Nicholas Townley, who was born in Pennsylvania, and moved to Tompkins county, N. Y., with his father's family, at the age of four years. He entered land in Tompkins township in September, 1834. This was on sections 19 and 30, upon which the first ground was broken the same fall, and a log house was erected, the first in the township. Jan. 5, 1835, Mr. Townley prepared to go back East, for the purpose of bringing his family to their home in the then far West. His

son Edward had come with him to Tompkins, and it was decided that he should remain behind while his father was absent on his journey. The latter, on the date mentioned, placed a double harness on one of his horses; and saddling and mounting the other, bade his boy good-bye, and started on his four-weeks trip for Tompkins county in the Empire State. He went by way of Canada, and, encountering snow in that province, paused in his journey long enough to construct a jumper, in which he rode across the line to near Rochester, New York, where he left it, and again mounting his horse rode the rest of the distance on horseback, arriving at his destination about Feb. 5. As his son Anson was in business there, it was finally thought best to not remove the family at that time, and April 8, 1835, Mr. Townley, accompanied by his son Richard, the present county treasurer, and at that time 13 years of age, set out on his return with a wagon containing some articles of household furni- ture, provisions, etc., and on the last day of April they reached the farm in Tompkins, having made the journey by way of Ohio. The remainder of the family, consisting of Mrs. Townley and five children, came in June. A piece of land on section 21 was en- tered prior to 1834, but none of it was improved until two years later, when some 10 acres were broken.

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The next settler was Gardner G. Gould, who came with his fam- ily from Parma, and took up his residence on section 4, where he lived until his death, some three or four years ago. Mr. Gould was a good and respected citizen, and was for several years Super- visor of the town. His widow is still living. as are also a large family of children. In September, 1835, David Adams, of Lyons, New York, visited the township and located 360 acres of land, upon which he settled with his family in the spring of 1836.

In October, 1835, Auren Lyon and wife, the third family to arrive, came in and settled on section 17, on the old Clinton road, on the farm now owned by Edward W. Forel. The same fall Joseph Wade and James Davenport entered land from the Gov. ernment, upon which they settled. In 1836 there was quite an influx of settlers, among whom were Robert H. Anderson, Silas Pomeroy, Loring Sherman, James A. Nichols, Simeon Edson, Eben Dorr and many others. The pioneers were industrious and thrifty, and had plenty to eat, although at times of the plainest description. Occasionally, families would be compelled to subsist upon potatoes and milk, but usually venison could be obtained of the Indians, who, in those days, roamed at will over all sections of the State.

The first child born in Tompkins was a girl in the family of Rev. Marcus Harrison, but the little new-comer survived but a short time. The oldest native-born child in the township now living is Ellen L., daughter of Nicholas Townley, who first saw the light in June, 1836, being the second child born in the district.

The first school was taught by Miss Mary Hurlburt, the present wife of Anson Townley, Register of Deeds of this county. This school was taught in a small log school-house, on the land owned by James Davenport, on section 19.

In June, 1837, a terrible event occurred about half a mile from this school-house, the particulars of which are as follows: A man named Mason, who had been in the neighborhood a year or more and had a large family, was complained of to the authorities for abusing his wife. A constable was deputized to arrest him, and he was taken before 'Squire Adams, a justice of the peace, on Sunday afternoon, and not wishing to proceed with the examination on that day, the prisoner was allowed to go on his own recognizance, he promising to appear next day for trial. That night Mason put a handful of powder into a musket, and charged it with bullets, which he dug from a tree that had been used as a target by some of the settlers. He then left his weapon at the foot of his bed, and rising early the next morning, took the gun and, going out into a grove of trees a short distance back of the house, placed the muzzle of the gun against his heart and then discharged it with a stick. A hole was blown through his body large enough to admit a man's arm. This was the first death of a grown person in the township. Coroner Whipple, of Sandstone, summoned a jury, a verdict was

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

rendered in accordance with the facts, and the suicide was buried in a grave dug near where he perished by his own hand.

The first religions service held in the township was conducted by Rev. Mr. Parks, a Congregational or Presbyterian minister, living in Sandstone, and was held at the house of Nicholas Townley, some time in the summer of 1835. The congregation was com- posed of the neighbors in Sandstone and the nine members of Mr. Townley's family. Soon after, the Rev. Marcus Harrison held divine service regularly in the house of Mr. Townley. The first religious service held in the east part of the town was at the house of Robert H. Anderson, on section 24.

The first township election was held at the house of Joseph Wade on the first Monday of April, 1838. At this election Nicholas Townley was elected supervisor, James Davenport town clerk, Jesse Ferguson treasurer and collector. Mr. Townley was again elected the following year when the county commissioner system came into vogue, and for three years acted as county commissioner. Up to the spring of 1838 Tompkins was a part of Sandstone town- ship. In that year the town was organized, by act of the Legislat- ure, approved March 6, 1838, and it is proper to add that the township of Tompkins took its name from Daniel D. Tompkins, a former Governor and distinguished citizen of the Empire State. The name was proposed by Robert H. Anderson, then a citizen of the town, but now a citizen of the town of Rives. Mr. Ander- son, Anson Townley and Jesse Ferguson are the only persons now living who were present at the meeting held to recommend the organization of the town and give it a name.

Such are a few of the facts connected with the very early pioneer history of this township.

Of those who may be properly claimed among the pioneer settlers of Tompkins in addition to those already mentioned are; Marcus P. Wade, Willis S. Wade and family, John C. Southworth and wife, Thomas Godfrey and wife, Richard Lord and family, Silas Pomeroy and family, Apollos Lincoln and family, Daniel and John Smith, Warren Sanborn, George W. Rhea, John E. Brown, Jotham Wood, George Wood, Joseph C. Wood, James C'hurter, Asahel Bryant, and others who settled on new farms.

From this begininng Tompkins has steadily increased in prosperity, thrift, and population until the present time. From a single family of nine persons, its population, in less than half a century, has grown to probably not less than one thousand four hundred persons, who have the advantage of schools, are blessed with church privileges, and have pleasant and comfortable homes. The wilderness there has been made to blossom as the rose, and enjoyments are realized year after year by the descendants of the early pioneers.

Tompkins Lodge, No. 193. I. O. O. F., located at Tompkins. Center, was organized July 25, 1872. The following were charter members: Samuel Western, Robert Godfrey, William Hetfield.

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The first officers were: Rodney Simmons, N. G .; William H. Wes- tern, V. G .; George W. Barnes. Sec .; Marcus P. Wade, Treas. The present membership is 25; present officers-Ewing French, N. G .; Eber Simmons, V. G .; Robert Cox, Sec .; Lee Botsford, Rec. Sec. ; Lewis Barson, Treas .; Marcus P. Wade, Chaplain. The lodge is in a prosperous condition for the number, having only lost one member. The hall is used by the Odd Fellows and Masons jointly, and is used for lodge purposes only.

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

Brief biographies of pioneers and other prominent citizens of Tompkins township constitute an essential feature of its history, and accordingly we publish them in this connection:

George W. Barns was born in Galen, Wayne Co., N. Y., April 15, 1822; is the oldest child of John and Mary Barns; the father was a native of New York; mother of Ireland, and came to America when she was three years old; father died in New York, in 1873, and the mother in 1871. George W. left his native country, came to Michigan and settled in this tp. on his present farm in sec. S, in 1863. He has been married twice, the first time to Miss Martha Ann Rhea, March 8, 1855, who died July 24, 1869. The second time he was married to Mary S. Cook, March 1, 1871, daughter of Peter and Abigail (Holben), and was born in West Fayette, Seneca county, N. Y., Nov. 23, 1840; she came to this tp. in 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Barns are the parents of 1 child-Anna E., born March 14. 1872. Mr. Barns is a member of Lodge No. 152 of I. O. O. F., at Onondaga. In politics he is an uncompromising Republican.

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History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 116

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1166

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166