USA > Michigan > Kent County > History of Kent County, Michigan, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 72
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William H. Rounds, farmer, sec. 31, Courtland, was born in Jeru - salem, Yates Co., N. Y., Oct. 14, 1819. His parents were Horton and Araminta (Towsley) Rounds. In 1845 he came with his parents to Courtland. He was married in Yates Co., N. Y., Dec. 26, 1841, to Maria Alden, and had one child-Henry C. Mrs. Rounds died Jan. 7, 1851, and he was again married in May, 1853, to Orlina Mor-
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
rison, a daughter of William Morrison. This union was blest with one child-Edwin D. Mr. Rounds owns 80 acres of land, 60 of which he cleared and well improved. Politically he is a Repub- lican.
Sebastian Schaner, son of Sebastian and Catherine Schaner, was. born in Baden, Germany, in 1827; reared on a farm. In 1839 they came to Ontario, where they resided till 1869, when they removed to Courtland tp., and bought 120 acres of land on sec. 20, and im- proved 20 acres. The subject of our sketch now owns 80 acres of this, having sold 40 to his son. In 1874 he bought 160 acres adjoining; now has 240 acres, of which 130 are under cultivation. He was married in Ontario, in 1851, to Sarah, daughter of Christian and Rosina Kranter, born in Canada, in 1833. They have 10 children, born in the following order: Elizabeth, John, Sebastian, Christian, Mary, Adam, William, Catherine, Odelia and Emeline.
George N. Shaw was born in Jerusalem tp., Yates Co., N. Y., March 9, 1830, and is a son of Sisson and Sophia Shaw, natives of Rensselaer Co., N. Y. The former was born Jan. 19, 1801, and died Jan. 2, 1879; the latter was born June -, 1800. They came to Algoma tp. in September, 1853. George passed his early life a farmer boy. He was married Jan. 2, 1864, to Miss Saralı E. Johnson, daughter of Salem G. and Clarissa (Merritt) Johnson, who were early pioneers of Kent county. Mrs. Shaw was born in Livingston Co., N. Y., Jan. 5, 1841. Mr. Shaw is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and politically he is a Republican. He owns a valuable farm of 80 acres on sec. 30.
Frederick C. Stegman, farmer, sec. 16, is the son of Ernste and Carlina Stegman, and was born in Germany, Nov. 5, 1829. He came to this country in 1849, to Oakland Co., where he was engaged working on a farm three years, and then returned to Germany. In 1853 he again returned to this country, to Kent county, and bought 160 acres of land on sec. 16, Courtland tp., and 40 acres in Nelson tp. He now owns 220 acres, of which he has cleared 175 acres. He was married in 1854 to Odelia Tishner, born in Germany, June 12, 1837. They have had eight children, five living, born in the follow- ing order: Henry, Julia, Emma, Bertha and Frederick. Mr. S. has filled several positions of trust in the tp., among others that of Treasurer two or three years. Mr. S. makes annually about 600 barrels of cider, having three large cider presses worked by horse- power. Two years ago he had the pleasure of killing a fine black bear weighing 350 pounds.
Amos B. Tefft, a pioneer of Courtland, was born in Springport, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June 25, 1821. He is a son of Jabish and Hannah Tefft, who were natives of Washington Co., N. Y. Amos was reared on a farm and received a common-school education. July, 1852, he came to Courtland and " took up" 40 acres on sec. 17, and bought 50 acres on sec. 20; also entered 40 acres on sec. 17 for L.
elaction Bitch
729
COURTLAND TOWNSHIP.
Sperry. November, of the same year, he went back to New York, and in 1854 he removed to this county, and in '55 settled on the farm he previously located. He was married on the 24th of March, 1864, to Jane A., daughter of Rensselaer L. and Hester Ann Under- hill, born in Allen, Allegany Co., N. Y., Nov. 11, 1838 .- They have had three children, two living, viz. : Mertilla Clementine, born March 18, 1865; and Melvin A. Rensselaer L. (deceased) was born July 24, 1872, and died Aug. 30, 1873.
Mr. Tefft is Republican in politics. He owns a farm of 140 acres on secs. 17 and 20; well improved.
42
GAINES TOWNSHIP.
Gaines, or township 5 north, 11 west, is the most elevated division of the county. Plaster creek and Buck creek, two important streams, which unite with the Grand river in Wyoming township, have their sources in sections 21 and 27 of this district, with the main feeder of the first-named stream rising in the spring marsh in the northeast quarter of section 23. Another stream flows into Mud lake, section 26, from the eastern township.
Orrisa lake, a small oval-shaped body of water, is found in the southeast quarter of section 30, and the southwest quarter of section 29. Mud lake, an insignificant pond, is actually the receptacle of a special supply stream, flowing from the Caledonian heights; while in the southwest quarter of section 33 is the largest body of water, commonly called Burton lake, named after Barney Burton.
The land is undulating, in some places hilly, but throughout characterized by a fertile soil, every acre of which is capable of high cultivation. Fortunately all the beautiful forest has not disap- peared before the woodman's ax; groves of heavy timber still remain to decorate the land.
LAND-BUYERS.
Among the first to receive patents for the public lands in this township were the following: Daniel Guild, sec. 2, Oct. 4, 1837; Electus Backus, sec. 3, May 18, 1836; Thomas Titeston, sec. 4, July 6, 1835; Isaiah Burton, sec. 7, Jan. 2, 1835; Allen A. Rob- inson, sec. 8, Nov. 5, 1836; Charles Cleland, sec. 10, July 20, 1836; James J. Godfroy, sec. 15, Nov. 4, 1836; Alanson Sumner, sec. 18, Sept. 29, 1836; Ansel Belding, sec. 33, May 4, 1836; John J. Covert, sec. 34, Sept. 27, 1836; Nehemiah O. Sargeant, sec. 21, Aug. 29, 1836; and Richard Blood, sec. 20, Nov. 9, 1838.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Among the early settlers the first is said to have been Alexander Clark, in the spring of 1837, who took up land at the part of the town since called Kelloggville. The next year added Alexander L. Bouck, and the Kelly brothers, Foster and Charles, Joseph Blain, Andrew Mesnard, Rensalear, his son, and Orson Cook. In 1839, Silas Burlington was added to the little number.
In 1840 came R. R. Jones, Thomas Blain and Wm. H. Bud- long. With those three families the town was stationary for some years. Wm. Kelly came in the fall of 1843, and after him followed Bryan Greenman, Stephen A. Hammond, R. R. Sessions, Wm. Kelly, Daniel Woodward, John E. Woods, James M. Pelton, Peter Van Lew, Peter, William and David Dias.
The pioneer school in the town was taught by Miss Mary Dar-
(730)
731
GAINES TOWNSHIP.
ling, in a little building near where stands the " Red School-House." This was in 1842. She afterward married a Methodist minister.
The United Brethren have a flourishing society, and a church in the south part of the town. The society was organized by the Rev. S. C. Buck, in 1858. As a result of a protracted meeting, he gathered a band of about 40. They held their meetings in school-houses until the erection of their church, in 1867; this cost $2,700. The society have a parsonage and settled pastor. The membership of the Church at present is estimated at 60. Among its pastors were Rev. B. Hamp, Stephen Ferguson, B. H. Mower, S. T. Barnaby and S. B. Ervine. The original members com- prised R. C. Sessions, John Walcott, Fletcher Brown, O. P. Car- penter, Christian P. Friend and James Reynolds. R. C. Sessions is Leader, and Valentine Geib, Steward of the Church Society at present.
ORGANIC.
The first annual township meeting was held at the school-house of district No. 4, April 3, 1848, with Stephen A. Hammond, Moderator; James M. Pelton, Clerk, and Robert R. Jones and Peter Van Lew, Inspectors of Election. The first business brought before the meeting was a motion made by Alex. Clark, to raise by direct taxation the sum of $75 to meet town expenses during the year. Orson Cook moved that a tax of $2.50 be raised as a bounty for every wolf killed in the town. Robert R. Jones moved that Alex. Clark, James M. Pelton and Josiah Drake be appointed a committee to select and purchase cemetery grounds for the town- ship. All those motions were adopted. The cemetery grounds were located on the Joseph Blain farm, and comprised only one and one-fourth acres.
Among the candidates for office at the first town meeting were the following:
VOTES.
VOTES.
Peter Van Lew, for Supervisor .35
R. Mesnard, for S. Inspector 2
Alex. Clark,
2
Levi Cheney,
1
Josiah Drake, 1
Charles Kelly,
1
James M. Pelton, for Clerk. .34
Orson Cook, for D. P 28
W. Fletcher Cowles 3
Levi Cheney, 28
Jothram Rice, 3
Clinton Shoemaker,“ 3
Stephen Hammond,“ 2
Foster Kelly, 2
Elliott Cheney, " 66
4
Aaron Brewer, 2
1
Foster Kelly, for Assessor .34
31
Lorenzo W. Landford, for Constable. 33
66 33
Norman Andrews, “
3
John E. Guild,
66
Foster Kelly,
29
1
Wm. H. Budlong,
Daniel Williams,
29
Alex. Clark,
7
Orson Cook,
5
Alex. L. Bouck, “ 3
Smith Clark,
3
Rensselear Mesnard, for S. Inspector.34
James Reynolds,
66
3
Thomas Blain,
3
Abram T.Andrews, 66 .. 31 Levi Dewey,
.. 3 John Giles, ‹ ‹
2
Charles Kelly, for Treasurer 38
Joseph Blain, for Justice. .37
Josiah Drake, 66
.33
R. R. Jones, .31
A. T. Andrews, " 3
Wilmot Blain,
J. M. Pelton, 1
A. T. Andrews,
Levi Cheney, 1
3
A. T. Andrews,
Daniel Rice, for Com. H. W. 38
.38
Levi M. Dewey, “
.34 Wm. Kelly, 6
732
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
SUPERVISORS.
Peter Van Lew 1848-53
Charles Kelly. 1867
Alexander Clark. 1854-5
Henry L. Wise
1868
Peter Van Lew 1856
James M. Pelton. 1869-70
Aaron Brewer.
1857-60
Aaron Brewer 1871
Charles Kelly 1861-2
Wm J. Hardy ..
1872
Aaron Brewer 1863
Aaron Brewer 1873-6
Geo. Fields.
1864
Valentine Geib
1877
Charles Kelly
1865
Lewis A. Solomon
1878-9
James M. Pelton
1866
Nelson Kelly
1880-81
CLERKS.
J. M. Pelton. 1848
Foster Kelly 1865-6
Foster Kelly. 1849-52
Geo. Cook. 1867-70
Aaron Brewer. 1853-6
Geo. W. Woodward. 1871
Benj. Colborn. 1857-8
Wm. Overholt, jr 1872-4
Alex. Clark .. 1859-60
Valentine Geib. 1875-6
Wilmot H. Blair
1861
Simon Bowman 1877
Alex. Clark ...
1862-3
John Ross.
1878-80
Wilmot H Blain.
1864
Valentine Geib
1881
TREASURERS.
Charles Kelly.
1848-51
Fletcher Brown. .1864
Alex. L. Bouck 1852-3
William Freeman 1865
Orson Cook ..
1854-5
Harlan Hendrick. 1866-7
Christian Friend
1856
Morris Freeman. 1868-72
Isaac Stauffer. 1857-8
Freeman Brewer. 1873
Charles B. Keefer. 1859-61
Nelson Kelly.
1874-7
Owen Dodge.
1862
Freeman Brewer
.1878-9
Orson Cook.
1863
Henry Kelly
1880-1
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Jos. Blain. 1848
O. P. Carpenter 1864
Josiah Drake.
1848
John A. Woods. 1865
R R. Jones. .
1848
T. G. Houck. .1866
Robert R. Jones.
1849
H. L. Wise. 1866
Henry F. Hillard. 1850
J. M. Pelton. 1867
Henry F. Hillard.
1851
Chester C. Mitchell.
.1868
L. M. Dewey.
1851
John E. Woods
.1869
Stephen A. Hammond.
1852
Robert R. Jones.
1853
Daniel Williams.
1854
Benj. Colborn.
1855
John E. Woods. . 1873
Stephen A. Hammond.
1856
Orson Cook.
1857
W. H. Solomon
1858
Christian Clemens
1876
R. R. Jones. 1858
C. H. Deming. .1877
Orson Cook.
1859
Isaac W. Tyson. 1877
Stephen A. Hammond. 1860
Kennedy Hanna 1878
Chester C. Mitchell. 1861
Stephen A. Hammond. 1878
A. D. Taylor 1862
Wm. Mc Crodan 1879
Orson Cook .. 1863
Isaac W. Tyson. .1880
H. W. Griffin
1864
Christian Clemens. .1881
T. G. Houck. .1870
James M. Pelton. 1871
W. B. Woodward
1872
Fletcher Brown 1874
James M. Pelton. 1875
-
-
SCHOOLS.
The progress made in the matter of education since that time in 1842, when as few pupils assembled to be instructed by Miss Mary Darling, may be seen in the following data : There are now (1881)
733
GAINES TOWNSHIP.
eight school-houses in the township, all frame ; 17 teachers, whose aggregate wages are $1,691.10 ; value of school property, $3,900 ; total expenditures for the year, $2,514.60.
CORINTH.
Corinth was platted for Jacob and David Rosenberg, Sept. 14, 1871, by Robert S. Jackson, surveyor. The place was formerly known as Cody's Mills. It originated with three brothers by the name of Cody, who in 1866 put up steam grist and saw mills. They did business about three years. The mills then passed through several hands, and were unsuccessfully operated. In 1872 they became the property of Isaac D. Hazen and W. R. Russell, who have successfully carried on the business since. In 1869 a furniture factory was started by a joint-stock company. The com- pany did a good business one year, when the factory was burned. The company re-built, but failed to make the concern a success, and broke up deeply involved. The location of Corinth is 12 miles south of Grand Rapids and 37 miles north of Kalamazoo, and one and one-half miles east of Ross station, on the G. R. & I. R. R. The manufacturing industries of the village are represented by R. W. Purcell's flouring and saw mills, and C. J. Ayres' broom fac- tory. The stores are kept by J. F. Hacker and George Heintz. P. B. Wright is the only physician in the district. The village is within a half mile of Örrisa lake and in the midst of a rich farm- ing country.
HAMMOND.
The village of Hammond, a railway station on the G. R. div. of M. C. R. R., nine miles south of Grand Rapids, and 154 west of Detroit, was platted Dec. 29, 1875, for Stephen Hammond, by Robert S. Jackson. The place was settled five years previously and claims to-day a population of 110. There is not a manufact- uring industry in existence, yet the business houses of the village are well supported. These comprise the stores of Charles Dem- ing, Charles Keefer and J. R. Stall. The hotel is conducted by Mr. Keeble. J. McQueen is the principal grain-buyer of the płace.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Most of the settlers of Gaines, as is usual, were poor, having barely means enough to enable them to purchase their lands of the Government for $1.25 an acre, get their families and household goods transported through the wilderness, and gain a foothold on their farms. But with persistent energy they set to work and the heavy forests began to disappear. It was soon found to be one of the richest tracts in the vicinity for agricultural purposes, and at the present date is one of the best in the country. The following personal notices form a very important addition to the history of this township. They go to prove what industry and energy can
734
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
accomplish, and lay down precedents which, if followed, will lead to most prosperous results.
Wm. T. Allen, farmer, sec. 29, was born in the city of New York, Jan. 24, 1819. His parents, Peter and Naomi (Merrill) Allen, were natives of Long Island ; the former was a soldier of 1812. The family went to Medina, O., in 1833, and settled near Cleveland, where William grew to manhood. Meanwhile lie re- turned to New York and enlisted in a company of 32 men to chop live-oak timber in the forests of Florida and Louisiana. After a month he, with two others, deserted, constructed a raft of slabs and floated six miles across Grand lake in Louisiana. They arrived at New Orleans after some adventures and a foot journey of 100 miles, and he soon found employment on a steamboat, by which he came to the mouth of the Ohio river. Being then dis- charged he went to Cincinnati, worked at shoveling gravel, was placed finally in charge of a herd of cattle which he drove to New York city, and eventually reached his home in Ohio. He was married July 4, 1847, to Margaret, daughter of Isaiah and Deborah Brown, born in Albany Co., N. Y., May 6, 1823. Of eight children six are living, Lacelia E., born Dec. 26, 1850 (Mrs. Theodore Houk); Julia A., born March 21, 1853 (Mrs. James Benawa); Leroy D., born Jan. 14, 1857 (married Mary M. Benawa); Wm. E., born Nov. 22, 1858; Mariette, born Dec. 18, 1862 ; Frances R., born Oct. 11, 1868. Mr. Allen settled on sec. 29, in September, 1853, where he purchased 200 acres of land. He now owns 157, same section, and 120 acres in. Elbridge, Oceana Co. He is a Re- publican, and his Grandfather Allen served under General Wash- ington in the war of the Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Allen were charter members of the U. B. Church, with which they are still connected.
Jonathan Aukney, son of Michael and Martha Aukney, was born in Somerset Co., Pa., Oct. 12. 1826. In 1832 his parents went to Crawford Co., Ohio, where he was brought up, obtaining his education in the "pioneer " schools. He was married May 27, 1852, to Sarah J. Frees. She died March 5, 1864, leaving three children-Mary C., born June 9, 1855 ( Mrs. Abraham Shantz); Homer, April 8, 1858 ; Loella J., May 12, 1860 (Mrs. Herndon Frees). Mr. Aukney was married a second time, Nov. 23, 1865, to Susan Furtney. She died June 1, 1867, and Mr. Aukney was again married, Dec. 6, 1868, to Miss Maria Gage, daughter of Matthew and Mary Robinson, born in Bethel, Vt., Oct. 8, 1822. In 1851 he entered 160 acres of Government land on sec. 35, where he took up his residence in 1854 and has cleared a valuable farm. He was drafted Nov. 28, 1864, in Co. G, 8th Mich. Regt. Vol., and did soldier's duty during the remainder of the war, being honorably discharged July 30, 1865. He is a zeal- ous Republican.
William R. Bainbridge, one of the most enterprising citizens of Gaines, was born at Ovid, Seneca Co., N. Y., April 6, 1826. His
735
GAINES TOWNSHIP.
parents, Nicholas and Ann (Cornell) Bainbridge, were natives of Somerset Co., N. Y. His grandfather, John, and his brother, Theodore Bainbridge, came from England to America prior to the war of the Revolution, and both achieved fame in that contest. They served under Gen. Washington one and a half years, when Theodore was commissioned a Commodore, and assigned to a ves- sel running from New York to Long Island, and his brother was appointed his aide-de-camp. Both served through the war with dis- tingnished patriotism. £ Barnet Cornell, maternal grandfather of
Mr. Bainbridge, was one of Gen. Washington's staff officers during the war, and lived at Millstone, N. J., near the home of Washing- ton, and the families were on terms of the most familiar intimacy, Mrs. Cornell frequently riding with Mrs. Washington. Mr. B. was married Sept. 16, 1847, to Mary Kramer. They had two children- John N., born Oct. 5, 1848 (married Rose Gates), and Ira M., born March 27, - - (married Mila Cole). Mrs. B. died March 12, 1850, and Mr. Bainbridge was again married April 14, 1851, to Lettie E. Cornell, daughter of Peter and Catherine (Smith) Cornell, natives of New York, born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Feb. 11, 1828. They have one child-Noyes A., born April 13, 1854. He married Eva L. Winchester. Mr. Bainbridge came to Kent connty in March, 1851, and spent three years in Grand Rapids. Subsequently he went to Hammond, and four years after to Gales- burg, Kalamazoo county, returning to Kent county in 1862, when he located in this tp., on sec. 9. He owns 160 acres on secs. 4 and 9. He is a member of the order of Masons, and Mrs. B. belongs to the Reformed Church. Mr. B.'s father was a soldier of 1812; and died June 15, 1849; his wife died June 12, 1877.
Rev. Horace F. Barnaby was born in Angelica, Allegany Co., N. Y., April 26, 1823. His parents were Alvin P. and Amanda Barnaby. His father died when he was an infant, and his mother in 1834. He was left thus early to make his own way. in the world, and went about it with a resolution that has never, through a long and eventful life, flinched or wavered. He worked for his board and clothes until 16, going to school winters, and un- til 18 as a laborer, when he went to Potter Co., Pa., and engaged in teaching, a business he has followed winters for nearly 23 years. In 1842 he went to Hillsdale county. In 1851 he took the "gold fever " and went to California, and from there sailed to the Sand- wich Islands, and thence to Valparaiso, Chili, S. A. He spent six months in South and Central America, a portion of which time he ran a whale-boat on the San Juan river. He went to New Orleans' in April, 1851, and followed boating on the Mississippi and its tributaries that summer, and then went to Logansport, Ind., and subsequently to Hillsdale county. He went to Gratiot county in April, 1854, and resided until 1875, when he came to Kent county. He was converted to Christianity in 1853, and the following year was licensed to exhort. He was ordained in November, 1858, and. in 1860 joined the United Brethren, Michigan Conference. He
736
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
traveled Gratiot circuit in 1860; was County Clerk of Gratiot in 61-'2; was ordained Elder in '63; preached at Eaton in '64, and at Fair Plains in '65; was Presiding Elder on the East District in '66-'7-'8; represented the Michigan Conference in the General Conference at Lebanon, Pa .; represented the Gratiot District in the State Legislature in '68-'9-'70; traveled Bengal circuit in '71; was Presiding Elder at Grand Rapids in '72; was Elder of St. John's District in '73-'4; was in Gaines circuit in '75-'6; was Elder of Grand Rapids District in '77; on Gaines circuit in '78-'9, and in 1880 was Elder of the East District. In 1861, while County Clerk of Gratiot, he edited the Northern Courier, of Ithaca. He was married July 20, 1844, to Lydia Wilson, who died in December, 1855, leaving two children-Maria and Aurelia A. Mr. Barnaby was married again, Nov. 6, 1856, to Jane Franklin. She died Feb. 27, 1862. Her husband was married to Susanna Franklin Sept. 21, 1862, who died Oct. 23, 1863. Mr. Barnaby was married a fourth time to Sophia J. Abbey, Dec. 6, 1864; born June 1, 1842. Of six children, five are living-Alvin P., Horace T., Milton W., James L. and Addie B. Mr. Barnaby is pre-emi- nently a self-made man. He is the type of a class always unique, even in the developing element of the West, and who, in the com- mon course of our history, must inevitably become traditional. Our national types have become so varied as to well nigh destroy all classification, a fact much to be regretted, as our greatest need is representative men.
Joseph Blain, a pioneer of this tp., was born in Gaines, Orleans Co., N. Y., July 11, 1811. He came to Ionia county in 1835, and to this county in December, 1836. He stayed for a time in Grand Rapids, then a village of small extent. He entered a claim of 160 acres of land in sec. 5, then in its original condition. He cut the roads to his farm, roved at will, and became a skilled hunter by his almost daily practice in shooting wild animals for food and self- protection. Ile was married in March, 1839, to Emeline, daughter of Edward and Mary Robinson, and niece of Senator Robinson. They had seven children, four of whom are now living-Joseph R. (married Lncy Richardson), George (married Catherine O'Connor), Charles (married Mary A. Smith), and Albert (married Lucretia Kessler). Mr. Blain was first Justice of the Peace in the tp. He is a Republican, and member of the Pioneers' Association. Both grandfathers were men of Revolutionary fame.
Wilmot H. Blain, pioneer of Gaines, was born in Gaines, Or- leans Co., N. Y., Jan. 23, 1821. His parents, Joseph and Sarah (Halsted) Blain, were natives of Orange Co., N. Y. His father was a soldier of 1812, in Capt. Haskell's company, and was in the engagement at Fort Erie. He died in 1850. Mr. Blain grew to manhood on his father's farm, where he remained until 25 years old, going to school winters until he was 17. He was married June 11, 1844, to Sarah Marean, daughter of John and Electa Ma- rean, of Broome Co., N. Y. Mrs. Blain was born in the same
737
GAINES TOWNSHIP.
county March 6, 1823. In September, 1842, Mr. Blain came to this county and entered 160 acres of land on sec. 19, Gaines tp., and in 1846 removed here his family, including himself, wife and one child. His sole weapons in the warfare of life were head and hands. Through their efficient aid he has become independ- ent in means, and is a most striking illustration of the sort of en- ergy that has made Kent county an agricultural paragon within the short period of a quarter of a century. After M.r. B. had acquired a competency, he received a small bequest of $500 from his father's estate; otherwise his possessions are the result of his own industry and perseverance, aided by the thrift and economical management of his wife, to whom he gratefully accords her meed of credit. With his own hands he chopped and cleared 75 acres of land on the northwest and northeast quarters of sec. 19, this tp. No white man had cut a tree in the forest where he made a clearing and built a log house. It was 20x24 feet, and the family occupied it in cheer- ful content 20 years. It gave place to a small frame house, which has been replaced by an elegant brick residence, one of the best and most attractive in the tp. It is two and a half stories in height, with an L, and arranged in modern style. It cost $4,000, and occu- pies the site of the pioneer log cabin. The surrounding grounds are attractively laid out and ornamented with shrubbery. Contiguous are handsome and commodious barns, carriage-houses, granaries, etc., worth, in the aggregate, $2.000. As he cleared away the pri- mal forest, with wise forethought Mr. Blain planted slips of walnut, chestnut and evergreen trees to mark his handiwork when other generations shall have replaced the fast-disappearing pioneer ele- ment. The chestnuts have yielded abundant fruitage for 15 years, and the walnuts have yielded, some seasons, 40 to 50 bushels of nuts. Taken as a whole, the place is one of the finest improved farms in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Blain have had five children, three of whom are living-Ellen, born Jan. 18, 1846; Eliza, born Aug. 4, 1848; Owen, born Jan. 11, 1859; John and Laura are de- ceased. In 50 years Mr. Blain has never had a day's illness. A portrait of Mr. Blain, taken from a photograph at the age of 60, is on another page; also, that of Mrs. Blain, who shared and cheered his pioneer life.
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