History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 85

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

USA > Michigan > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Michigan > Part 85

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

811

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

Edgar D. Pratt, son of Silas Pratt, who was a physician and surgeon, and a pioneer of Liberty tp., this county, was the second son of his father's family and the fourth child. Silas came to Michigan in the year 1839, and settled in Liberty tp., this county, with his family, then consisting of 5 children-Cavillo S., Eliza, Sarah, Edgar D. and Darwin. Silas Pratt married Miss Sallie Wakefield, and was a native of Otsego county, N. Y. Edgar, being young when his father came to Michigan, received most of his edn- cation in the town of Liberty and finished in Brooklyn. July 12, 1857, he married Miss Ann Gallup, daughter of G. J. Gallup, a farmer, and an early pioneer of Columbia tp., where she was born Jan. 29, 1841. Mr. Gallup came to Michigan from Erie county, N. Y., and the town of Clarence, and was a native of Otsego county. He located 200 acres of land on sec. 13, where he developed a good farm. He was married Feb. 12, 1824, to Miss Polly S. Crego, danghter of John Crego, a farmer of this tp .. and they have 8 chil- dren-Horace M., Lucy H., Nathaniel, Diadema, Harlow, Louise, Ann and Anson. Mr. Pratt's family consists of George S., Addie D., Clarence and Alonzo.

Flavius J. Randall, one of the reliable and substantial farmers of Columbia tp., was born at Lenox, Oneida Co., N. Y., May 14, 1828. His father, William Randall, was a native of Connecticut, and was born in Stonington, March 7, 1797. He was a farmer by occupation. and a pioneer of Oneida county. He afterward moved to Madison county, and from there to Michigan in 1834. He was married Nov. 1, 1816, to Cynthia Ray, who died Ang. 21, 1822, leaving a family of 5 children-Austin A., Arzella, Panline, Will- iam A. and Gideon C. Nov. 3, 1826, he again married, Miss Freelove Crarey, who died July 25, 1862, in the 74th year of her age, leaving 2 children-Esther C. and Flavius J. Flavins J. is very properly called an old pioneer of Jackson county, having lived on the old homestead abont 47 years, where his father located and lived until his death. Feb. 28. 1862. Flavius received his schooling at Jefferson district school, and Jan. 15, 1854, married Miss Ln- cinda A. Freeman, daughter of Whitaker and Almeda (McClure) Freeman. Mr. F. was born in Vermont, Oct. 10, 1798. He had 3 sons, and Lucinda was his only daughter, who was born in Leoni tp., this county, Sept. 3, 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Randall have 1 son, Will E.

Valentine M. Redner was born July 2, 1815. He came to Michigan in 1855, from Tioga county, Penn. His father, Henry Redner, was a shoemaker by trade, and a native of Orange connty, N. Y. He moved to Pennsylvania, where he died, in the town of Hector, Butler Co. Valentine when a young man left his home in Pennsylvania and spent his early manhood in the State of New York, and in the day of the early settlement of Jackson county he made his way westward to Jefferson, where he spent a few years working for the settlers by the month, until he had sufficient means to purchase his present home of 40 acres, of sec. S, upon which he

812

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

has just erected a new dwelling. In June, 1867, he married Mrs. Eliza French, formerly Miss Eliza Keelan, daughter of James Keelan, a native of Onondaga county, N. Y., who settled at Onon- daga, Ingham Co., Mich., where he died in 1872.

James Reed came to Michigan in 1861, from the State of New York, Orleans county, and the town of Gaines. He was born May 22, 1816, in the town of Providence, Saratoga Co., N. Y., and son of a carpenter. John Reed, deceased at the age of 80 years. James received his early education in the town of Providence, and after residing in Orleans county he moved to Michigan, as above stated, and settled on his present property. Jan. 7, 1837, he married Miss Lydia Delano, daughter of Jonathan Delano, of Newstead, Erie Co., N. Y., who was a miller by ocenpation. In 1834 he moved to Akron, and organized the Akron Water Cement Co., where he died April 13, 1842. He was born Dee. 9, 1784. Lydia was born June 8, 1816, in the town of Providence, Saratoga Co., and they have-Mary, born May 20, 1839; Jay D., Sept. 6, 1840; Will, June 14, 1845. Jay D. was married in 1868 to Miss Francelia Preston, daughter of Othniel Preston, a farmer of Napoleon, and lives on a farm of his own near his father's, in Columbia tp. Will W. was married in 1875 to Miss Alice Towner, daughter of Henry Towner, of this tp., and works the homestead.

Abram Sanford was born in the town of Mount Morris, Genesee Co., N. Y., Sept. 10, 1822. He is the son of John Sanford (de- ceased), who came to Michigan in 1832 and settled at Saline, Wash- tenaw Co. He at this time took up a tract of land from the Government lying in Dundee tp., Monroe Co., but made jobbing on the Chicago turnpike, at that time in process of construction, his business for several years. Abram was an only child, and received his schooling at Liberty. Columbia tp., and lived on a farm until 1863, when he became ambitious to see the West. He sold out his worldly effects. exeepting horses and wagon and sufficient wearing apparel and cooking utensils, and started on an overland trip to California with his family, which was accomplished in six months' time. This trip was fraught with many incidents that might be of interest to the general reader, had we space to record them. He remained in California one year only, during which time he kept the Summit House at Virginia City, when he returned to Brooklyn, where he has since remained. He married, March 10, 1841, Miss Miranda Stranahan, and they have 2 children living-Sarah E., now wife of John L. De Lamater, and Cordelia, wife of L. Q. Jones.

Michael Sheridan, one of the enterprising and substantial mer- chants of Brooklyn, Columbia tp., was born in Ireland Jan. 12, 1829, at Castle Bar, in the county of Leone. He lived in Ireland until 15 years of age, where he received what was termed in that conntry at that time a liberal education, and Sept. 30, 1844, sailed from Liverpool for New York city, arriving there in due season, and proceeded next as far as Seott's village, Monroe Co., via boat to Albany, where he joined his father's family, who had pre-

813

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

ceded him in 1833, excepting his mother, who died before the family emigrated to this country. Michael Sheridan is a black- smith, and as such worked for several years in different parts of the State until 1856, when he, in company with his brother, Patrick Sheridan, formed a partnership and erected a blacksmith shop on the lot now occupied by the Episcopal Church on Main street. The lumber for their shop, which consisted mainly of slabs, they carried on their shoulders from Swain's mill, and this laborious mode of moving lumber was not adopted so much on account of their per- sonal inclinations as it was a necessity. Here they continued business for two years, when they sold out, dissolved partnership, and Michael went to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he followed his trade about six months. He then returned to Brooklyn and worked for Justice Day Jones (since deceased), then proprietor of the Brooklyn House. In 1859 he made a six months' trip through the East, and returning Oct. 30 of that year to Brooklyn he entered the grocery and provision trade, in which business he has since been engaged, and in 1860 he moved into his present store, front- ing on the public square, where he has done a thriving and in every way a successful business. Sept. 13, 1864, he married Maria O'Brien, daughter of William O'Brien, of Fort Wayne, Ind. They have 3 children-Anna M., Hattie L. and Mary L.

W. B. Sherman, one of the most influential, enterprising and public spirited citizens of Brooklyn village, is a native of Fairfield county, Conn., and was born in the town of Huntington, Dec. 6. 1823. His father, Lemnel Sherman, was a farmer by occupation, and moved from Huntington to Schuyler county, N. Y., when Mr. B. was a boy, and it was there, in the town of Veteran, that he received his schooling, and at intervals worked in their neighbor- hood at odd jobs, driving an ox team and running the tan-bark mill at the village tannery; in 1845 he came West and made his halt in Columbia, then Napoleon tp., where he taught school a few years; worked on a tarm for a time, and then commenced his thus far very successful business career, by entering the store of Harmon & Couk, at that time the principal mercantile house in Jackson county, as salesman, until 1854, when he purchased Mr. Harmon's interest in the business, and the firm name was changed to Cook & Sherman. This latter arrangement continued for two years, and the partnership dissolved. Mr. Sherman then spent two years with Mosher & Chapman, merchants in Jackson. In 1858 he returned to Brooklyn and the firm of Cook, Austin & Sherman was formed. consisting of George P. Cook, S. L. Austin and W. B. Sherman, and under the above title conducted a general mercantile business nntil 1863. The years 1864-'5 Mr. Sherman spent in the war with the artny of the Potomac in the quartermaster's and pay depart- ments, nnder Gens. Hooker, Mead and Grant, and since that time has been a general merchant, grain and wool dealer of Brooklyn. Mr. Sherman is a popular man in his community, open-hearted and free- handed, and does business on a broad and liberal basis. He is the present President of the Village Council.

814

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Andrew Springer was born Nov. 30, 1824, in Baden, Germany. His father, Michael, was a stone-cutter and mason by trade. He came to America in 1856, and landed at New York. His first engagement in America was in Monroe county, N. Y., where he worked on a farm. In 1857 he married Miss Elizabeth Keber, daughter of George Keber, a farmer and a resident of Brooklyn village. They have 6 children-Frederick W., Mary E., Dora, Helena, Margaret and Maria B. He owns 85 acres of land in sec. 26.

Henry Stacy was born in Kent county, England, Feb. 11, 1800. His father, Richard, was a brick-mason by trade, and died when Henry was a small boy, leaving him entirely without friends and entirely on his own resources. At the age of 10 Henry was pressed on board of an English man-of-war, and at the breaking out of the war between England and the United States in 1812 this war ship was sent into American waters to fight against the stars and stripes in the English navy. Mr. Stacy did not touch American soil until 1825, when he landed at Nantucket, or Martha's Vineyard. He then came to Otsego, N. Y., where he pursued farming until he came to Michigan in 1842, and settled in the town of Franklin, where he remained only two years, and then removed to Columbia tp., and purchased of A. P. Cook 62 aeres of land on sec. 30, where he still lives. Aug. 5, 1831, he married Miss Eliza Nash, who died Nov. 19, 1839, leaving 5 children. July 21, 1842, Mr. Henry Stacy again married, this time Miss Margaret Gault, daughter of John Gault, then a farmer of Otsego county, N. Y. He was a pub- lic-spirited man, and took an active part in the local politics of the day. Her grandfather, William Gault, was a weaver by trade, and a native of Ireland. Her great-grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier and died on the battle-field. They have 2 sons-Charles Franklin and William Albert, the former of whom is living on the homestead and assumes charge of the farm and the care of his aged parents. He married Miss Annie Laura Johnson, daughter of Thomas Johnson, of this tp., who is son of Elder Thomas Johnson, a pioneer of Columbia, and they have 1 little son-Leo IIenry.

Edwin Stearns was born Ang. 25, 1818, in the town of Lanes- boro, Berkshire Co., Mass. His father, Cyrus Stearns, was a farmer by occupation, and a radical Whig in politics. In the fall of 1834 he left Berkshire county, came to Michigan, and settled in Blissfield, Lenawee Co. In 1852 he removed to Columbia tp., and settled on the farm where Edwin and his 2 only sisters, Sarah and Mary, now live. Two of the brothers are now residents of this State, in Blissfield, one a merchant, the other a mason by trade. Mr. Stearns' mother was Diantha Rockwell. She was a daughter of Jabez Rockwell, a shoemaker by trade, of Milford, Pike Co., Penn. She was a native of Danbury, Conn., and died May 1, 1880, at the age of SS, leaving 4 sons and 2 daughters, as above stated. Mr. Stearns' father. Cyrus, died at the homestead in 1863. This farm consists of 63 acres, is under good cultivation

815

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

and is very productive. Sarah, the oldest of the daughters, was born Jan. 27, 1823, and Mary, Nov. 18, 1828.

George Stranahan, son of George S. Stranahan, was born Aug. 24, 1816, in Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y. In the summer of 1833, at the early age of 17, Mr. Stranahan beeame a pioneer, coming with his father to the wilds of Michigan, and at the head of Clark's lake assisted the former in clearing land and ereeting a log cabin. Finishing their work, the two went baek in the autumn, spent the winter, and returned with the family the following spring. George was the main help of his father, and in those days of the sparsely settled State and distant neighbors, families were much more de- pendent upon their individual members than they now are. At one time, in the absence of the father, the whole family was strieken with the fever common to Michigan, and only George was left to eare for them. Night and day did he watch and work over them until almost exhausted; after nearly two weeks of such labor he was relieved by the return of his father. The daughter, Catherine, fell a victim to the fever. The Pottawatomie Indians, then inhabiting this country, were loeated very near at hand, and their young white neighbors had frequent frolics with their youthful braves.

At the age of 20 Mr. Stranahan went back to his former home and spent one winter attending select school. Two or three years later he went to Batavia, Braneh Co., Mich., where he was more or less engaged in business with his brother-in-law, Leonard Tay- lor, for two or three years, and where he formed the acquaintance of Miss Caroline Brink, then teaching sehool in that neighborhood, who afterward beeame his wife. At the age of 25, in 1841, Mr. Stranahan was married and settled on 50 acres of the home- stead given him by his father. A few years subsequent to this he purchased the whole homestead, upon which he erected what for those days was a fine brick dwelling, and eventually sur- rounded himself with the buildings and comforts of a well-appointed farm home. They have 1 ehild, George B., who, having failed in health, visited California for its improvement in 1872, and re- mained more than two years in that far-off State alone. Mr. Stranahan sold his farm for the purpose of joining him there (hav- ing lived upon the homestead more than 30 years), which he did in company with his wife in the spring of 1875, remaining 10 months, which gave him opportunity to witness one of its famous winters. Ile returned with his family the following spring to Coldwater, Mich., where the family spent two years, after which they removed to the village of Brooklyn, April, 1878 (six miles from the old homestead), where he has always been acquainted, and where he has already been given places of trust by the people.

Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Stranahan began life in very limited cireumstanees, that his health has never been vigorous, and that he has had a certain unusual peenniary tax, his financial success is very fair, and he is now living on his ineome. Nearly 50 years have passed since his advent to Michigan, and in that time

816

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

he has seen civilization advance and the Indian disappear, the forest melt away and the country blossom as the rose.

George S. Stranahan was born Oct. 4, 1783, probably in New Canaan, Columbia Co., N. Y., where in his father's family he spent much of his early life. From that place he removed to about 20 miles east of Buffalo, on the Holland purchase, Erie Co., where he remained many years in the capacity of a farmer, and where he also taught school. The spring of 1833 Mr. Stranahan, in company with his son-in-law, Leonard Taylor, visited Michigan with the view of prospecting for a home in that State. Arriving at Napoleon, they were shown the country about Clark's lake, one of the most beautiful sheets of water in Southern Michigan. Here he decided to settle and accordingly purchased from Government about 400 acres of land adjoining the north and west sides of the lake, on secs. 17 and 18, and went back to New York. Spending a few weeks with his family, he with his son George returned to the site of their new home the following summer, where they elcared some land and erected a log cabin at the northwest corner of the lake. Purchasing 100 apple-trees at Clinton, he also put ont the first orchard in the tp., of which about 70 trees remain. Going back in the fall, they remained until spring, when Mr. Stranahan re- turned with his family, consisting of his wife, George, Catherine, Maranda, now wife of Abram Sanford, of Brooklyn; Julia A., now widow of J. D. White, of Columbia; Mariett, now wife of Stacy Clark, of Liberty; Cordelia, now wife of George W. Lobdell, of Jackson; Caroline, now the widow of Leonard Taylor, of Branch county, Mich .; Betsey (deceased), who was wife of A. S. Clark, for- merly of Columbia; Hiram (deceased), Minnesota.

The family saw a great difference in their western from that of their eastern home: inany incidents of venture came with it. One may be worth recording. One night Mrs. Stranahan was awakened by the squealing of a pig kept in a pen a few rods from the house, and informed her husband accordingly. Mr. Stranahan immedi- ately arose and, seizing a large fire-shovel common to the fire.places of those days, proceeded to the pen, where, despite the darkness, he was able to discover some animal annoying his hog. Letting down the fence for the hog to escape, the animal jumpedu pon him just as the hog was passing from the pen, wherenpon Mr. Stranahan struck and killed the intruder with his shovel. Further investiga- tion showed this creature to be a wolf; and what was Mr. Stranahan's surprise when after nine days the hog ran mad, proving that the wolf had hydrophobia!

In the war of 1812 Mr. Stranahan served in the American army and witnessed the burning of Buffalo, N. Y., when that now impor- tant city was but a small village. On another occasion he was a spec- tator of the blowing up of the British by the Americans, in retalia- tion for a like act done to our men by the enemy. His brother, Farrand Stranahan, was Colonel of a regiment in the same war, and is favorably mentioned in the history of that event.

817

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

Mr. Stranahan came of a large family, remarkable for fearlessness and independence of spirit, and for vigor of body and mind. He was a public-spirited man and of much benevolence of heart. He was Justice of the Peace, and Road Commissioner, which last was a responsible office in those days. In politics he was a staunch, un- comprising Democrat.

Mr. S. had the honor of naming the tp. of his adoption, which he called the beautiful and national name of Columbia, after Co- lumbia, his native county, in New York. In his home in the West Mr. Stranahan lived about 30 years, and died at the ripe age of 81 years.

Theophilus W. Thompson, a man whose untiring energy and ambition has served in developing one of the most productive farms in Jackson county, is a native of the Empire State, and was born in Oneida county, Oct. 29, 1808. His father's name was Cyrus Thompson, a farmer and a native of Massachusetts, as was also his grandfather. Mr. Thompson's boyhood and youth were spent in the town of his nativity, where he received a liberal schooling accord- ing to the general understanding of the meaning of the phrase in those days, and in 1837 left his home and friends to seek his fortune in a wilderness, and pressed his way westward to Manchester, Wash- tenaw Co., and here he remained two years, during which time he taught school. In 1839 he came to Columbia tp., and located on sec. 23, where he bought of Royal Watkins 120 acres of land, which from year to year has gradually been transformed to rolling meadow and productive wheat fields. He has from time to time added to his homestead until it now contains 280 acres. Mr. Thomp- son married April 25, 1839, Miss Ruth M. Watkins, daughter of Royal Watkins, of Norvell, and they have 2 children-Freeman, and Edwin Clarence. Mrs. Thompson's great-grandfather, Nathan Watkins, was of old Connecticut stock and of Welsh and Scotch descent. Different branches of the family were of the original set- tlers of New England and Virginia, and the family ancestry are traceable as far back as the 15th century. Mrs. Thompson now has in her possession several very old family relics that establish without a doubt the fact that she is a descendant in a direct line from May Flower stock, via the Carpenter and Howard family, of which the late Hon. Matt Carpenter, of Wisconsin, is a member.

Edward Tompkins was born July 25, 1836, in Columbia tp., on the homestead which his father. William Tompkins, had taken from the Government that year, having come from Saratoga county, N. Y., and the town of Stillwater. Edward received a common- school education at Clark's Lake school-house, and learned the car- penter's trade in Liberty tp., which he followed for several years until 1872. He hired to the United States Government in 1863, and went West to Little Rock, Arkansas, and worked at his trade on Government warehouses then being erected there. His father was one of the first settlers in Jackson county, and was an experi- enced and skillful hunter and trapper. He raised a family of +

818

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

sons, all of whom are now living in Columbia tp. Edward was married Aug. 1, 1870, to Miss Ellen Loomis, daughter of Benjamin Loomis (deceased), who was a resident of Liberty tp., and they have 3 children-Bruce C., Percy B. and Charley L. Mr. Tompkins owns 122 acres of good farming land, well improved, on sec. 30.

Henry Warnes was born at. Norfolk, England, July 21, 1837. His father, John Warnes, is a farm laborer of Norfolk. Henry was reared and received his schooling in his native county, and came to America in 1861, making the first halt in his journey at Te- cumseh, Mich. Here he worked on a farm for B. J. Bidwell six years and nine months, and then bought 10 acres of land in the town of Raisin. This property he soon sold and came to Columbia tp., and bought. 100 acres on sec. 21, of N. H. King, on which he has made many improvements, among them a fine residence, where he lives in independence and comfort. Jan. 3, 1865, he married Miss Elizabeth McCaughen, daughter of Dougal McCaughen, then a blacksmith of Tecumseh. They have 3 children-Ellen J., Lucy E. and Henry Lester.

Wm. P. Watterman was born in Massachusetts, Franklin county, in the town of Shutesbury, Oct. 29, 1828. His father, Dexter Watterman, was a farmer, and was born at Royalton, Ver- inont. His mother's name was Polly Severance, and of her father very little is now known, from the fact that he died when Polly was a small child. William lived with his parents until 17 years of age, and received his early schooling at Shutesbury, and, being possessed of a mechanical turn of mind, soon turned his attention to that trade. From 1866 to 1870 he resided in the town of Bloomer, Montcalm Co., Mich. From Bloomer he came to Columbia tp., and settled on sec. 20, where he purchased 80 acres of land of M. Grosvenor, which property he sold to Philip S. Howland, and pur- chased his present farin of 80 acres, one-quarter of a mile east of his former home. He was married June 6, 1854, to Miss Har- riet N. Hemingway, daughter of N. H. Hemingway, at that time a resident of Prescott, Massachusetts, and now living at Mr. Howland's. He was born in Cumberland county, R. I. His father, Josiah, was a blacksmith by trade, and figured quite conspicuously in the local politics of his county. Mr. Hemingway was married Oct. 23, 1831, to Miss Hannah B. Hill, daughter of Cyrus Hill, of Shntesbury, Mass., a native of that State, who had married Miss Olive Hunting. Mr. Hill died at his native home in 1843, and Mrs. Hill at the same place in 1867. Mr. Hemingway's father, Josiah, died in 1865, at the age of 84; and his mother, whose maiden name was Betsey Hall, died in 1863, aged 84. Mr. Howland has 2 sons-Edward W., an instructor by profession, and Fred. N.

John T. Week's, whose portrait appears in this volume on page 821, is another one of the pioneers to whom Columbia tp. owes not a little of her early history and development. His father, James Weeks, was born in Vassalborough, Maine, June 7, 1784, and

819

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

moved from his native State to Weathersfield, Mass., in 1808, where he remained until 1834. He married Miss Betsey Tilton, danghter of John Tilton, a farmer of Genesee county, N. Y. They had a family of 5 children, of which John T. was the oldest. A sister, Lurinda, was next, and next were Laura, Erastus and Lucy. James Weeks came directly to Columbia tp. and set- tled on sec. 10, entering from the Government five lots, or 400 acres. His first dwelling was soon erected from logs cnt on the place; it was a single-story cabin 18x20 feet square. John T. Weeks came on with his young wife and son, Willard C., in the spring of 1835, and settled on the first 100 acres west of his father, James, on sec. 10. He had married the previous year, Jan. 19, Miss Lucy Phelps, daughter of John Phelps, of Oneida county, N. Y., who became the mother of 6 children, of whom 3 are now living: Willard C., on the homestead; Lucy M., now Mrs. Julius P. Dean, of Napoleon tp; and Allie A., wife of Chas. A. Wood, of this tp.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 85

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