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 73

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1434

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 73

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).

Alexander Bragg, a pioneer of this tp .; was born in Ches- terfield, Vt., Dec. 2, 1818. His parents, Ebenezer and Sallie (Howe) Bragg, were also natives of Vermont. His grandfather, Ebenezer Bragg, served through the Revolutionary war. When he was a boy his parents removed to Glen's Falls, N. Y., and in 1828 to Orleans county. In 1836 they came to Somerset, Hills- dale Co., where he lived until 1851, when he came to this county. He purchased 160 acres on sec. 13, this tp., of which he now owns 120 acres in an advanced state of improvement. At the pe- riod of purchase it was a complete wilderness. Mr. Bragg has done pioneer duty in all its phases, and has aided in all public enterprises from the first movement of organization. He was

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

married Nov. 1, 1842, to Laura Coleman, widow of Lowden Cole- man, and daughter of Neziah and Rachel Fox, born in Hartford Co., Conn., July 30, 1809. They have two children-Elmer N. (married Harriet Hufftelan) and Geo. M. (married Mary Rouse). By her first marriage Mrs. Bragg had six children, three of whom are living, Samuel E., Eliza A., and Melissa (Mrs. Calvin Pine).

Wesley M. Brewer, son of William and Elsie (McMath) Brewer, was born near Ypsilanti, Aug. 24, 1837. His parents settled in Superior, Washtenaw Co., in 1825, and his father was one of the organizers of that town. He came to this county and entered 160 acres. He was engaged in the organization of the towns of Paris and Gaines, and in 1848 went to Miles, Berrien Co., and entered land where he now resides. Mr. Brewer, of this sketch, passed his early life in Michigan " pioneerdom," and was married Sept. 26, 1860, to Frances J. Higby, daughter of Marcus and Mar- garet J. (Brown) Higby, born in Steuben Co., N. Y., Oct. 16, 1843. Five of six children are living, born as follows : Edwin M., Jan. 8, 1863 ; Arthur C., Dec. 13, 1866 ; Lewis A., Aug. 19, 1868 ; Elsie J., Oct. 8, 1871 ; Earle, Aug. 30, 1880. In 1867 Mr. Brewer went to Macon county, and in September, 1877, came to Gaines, where he owns a farm of 110 acres on sec. 18. Politically he is a Democrat.

Fletcher Brown, farmer, was born in Albany Co., N. Y., July 26, 1826. His parents, Isaiah and Deborah (Fisher) Brown, were natives of the same county and went to Medina Co., O., in 1835. In 1853 he came to this tp. and located 200 acres in sec. 29, and in August 1854, he settled with his family in his " forest home." He now owns 160 acres of his first possession, with 100 acres in a state of advanced improvement, all of which has been accomplished by his own hands and under his management. He was married Jan. 1, 1854, to Lovina, daughter of Seth and Betsey (Martin) Lucas. They have three children-Benj. F., born Dec. 3, 1856 (married Meda A. Smith) ; Geo. A., born Aug. 10, 1859 ; and Alice J., born July 26, 1863. The latter is the wife of Edward J. Cook. They have one child, Arthur L., born July 27, 1878. Mr. Brown is a Republican in politics, and has served as Justice of the Peace four years and as School Superintendent one year. He and Mrs. Brown are members of the U. B. Church.

Rev. S. C. Buck was born in Ulster Co., N. Y., April 30, 1818. His parents, David S. and Susan Buck, were natives of Litchfield Co., Conn. Mr. Buck came to Monroe Co., Mich., in 1835, return- ing in 1838 to New York. Four years after he came back to Mon- roe, and in 1845 went to Ypsilanti, remaining a year ; thence to Wayne county, and subsequently to Allegan county, where he stayed until 1867, when he came to this tp. At 21 he was licensed to exhort, and from 1852 to 1856 licensed to preach by the M. E. Church. Holding radical views concerning secret societies, and differing from the General Conference on the subject of slavery, he withdrew from that body, and in 1858 com-

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menced his labors as a circuit rider with the U B. Church. He traveled Allegan circuit, Ogden Mission, Gun Plains Mission, Gaines, Barry, Tyrone, Grand River, Ganges and Thornapple cir- cuits ; the latter is his present field. He was the founder and or- ganizer of Gaines Church.

Oscar P. Carpenter, farmer, was born in Lima, N.Y., Oct. 7, 1829. His parents, Rev. Eber and Alsia (Platt) Carpenter, were natives of Connecticut and Steuben Co., N. Y. They went to Dexter, Washtenaw Co., in 1831, where his father entered 80 acres of land. In 1833 they went to Salem, same county, where his father took up 210 acres of land. Oscar passed his early life in the forest of Salem and was married Oct. 7, 1851, to Lovina, daughter of Darius C. and Betsey (Eddy) Arnold, natives of Canandaigua Co., N. Y., born in Wayne Co., Mich., July 12, 1833. They had three children-Eugene A., born Oct. 26, 1854; Mary L., born Jan. 29, 1857 (Mrs. Leman Dickenson), and Elsie Bell, born Jan. 12, 1859. Mr. Carpenter came to this county in October, 1852, and renewed the pioneer experience of his boyhood. His resources were lim- ited, and his present independent circumstances are the result of his own honest toil and judicious management. He owns 120 acres on sec. 32. His father, Rev. Eber Carpenter, was a Baptist minister and established a Church at Dexter and one at Salem, which still exist. He died in March, 1856, and his wife in Sep- tember, 1854. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the U. B. Church. Politically he is a Republican; was formerly a Whig. His Grand- father Carpenter was a Revolutionary patriot.

Calvin Church, son of Seth and Elizabeth Church, was born in Windham Co., Vt., Feb. 17, 1806. At the age of 19 he learned the stonemason's trade, which he followed 42 years. He was mar- ried June 10, 1830, to Harriet, daughter of Moses and Betsey DePew, born in New York, Feb. 27, 1809. Of their eight chil- dren, five are living-Henry S., born Sept. 30, 1831; Allen H., May 30, 1835; Frank H., April 30, 1852; Elizabeth, Feb. 1, 1837 (Mrs. John I. Cutler); Helen S., Feb. 21, 1856 (Mrs. Delbert Stebbins). Mr. Church came to Kent county in November, 1867, and settled on sec. 7, where he has a finely improved farm of 71 acres. Mr. Church's family have made an enviable record in their country's history ; his grandfather was a patriot of the Revolution; his brother, Moses Church, was a Major General in the war for the Union and was killed in action; his son, Howard P. Church, enlisted in the Engineers and Mechanics' Regiment in November, 1864, and died at Chattanooga in November, 1865.

Noah B. Clemens was born in Waterloo Co., Ontario, Can., Oct. 29, 1849. He is a son of Amos M. and Mary Wismer Clem- ens, the former a native of Bucks Co., Pa., born Feb. 13, 1819, and the latter of Canada, born June 21, 1821. They were married in 1841 and had seven children, six of whom are living-Henry, Abram, Mary A. (wife of Ed. Williams), Noah B., Rachel. Edwin W. C. and Lydia (Mrs. W. B. Bowman). Mr. Clemens was mar-

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

ried April S, 1873, to Mary M., daughter of Owen and Mary Lev- agood Dodge, born in Waterloo Co., Can., April 4, 1850. They have two children-Vermellie, born Sept. 11, 1874, and Andie, born Feb. 26, 1878. Mr. Clemens came to this tp. with his parents in 1863, and now owns a farm of 120 acres on sec. 17. He is a Republican. Mrs. Clemens' parents settled in Gaines in the pioneer days of 1855. Her brother, Samuel Dodge, enlisted in the late war November, 1861, in Co. A, 3d Reg. Mich. Inf., and was killed at Fair Oaks. He sleeps with the heroic dead on the battle- field where he fell.

Orson Cook, fourth settler in Gaines, was born in Seneca Co. N. Y., July 6, 1814. He is the son of Ezekiel and Charity (Laraway) Cook. His father was a carpenter and he served a long apprenticeship under him, learning every detail of the business and fitting carefully for a first-class craftsman. In October, 1829, his parents settled in Wayne county, and he worked at his trade in Washtenaw county till August, 1836, when he went to Grand Rapids, and a short time after entered 240 acres of land in Gaines and also 80 acres in Paris, near the county fair grounds. He returned to Washtenaw county, and in 1837 made a second trip to Kent county. In January, 1838, he came back for a permanent stay. At that time Grand Rapids was a village composed of a few inferior log houses, and Mr. Cook built the Bronson tavern and belonged to the corps of builders engaged in the erection of the court-house, a huge and altogether remarkable structure for the times in which it was built. Mr. Cook is familiar with every phase of pioneer life. He built a log house 16 x 24 feet for his family in the wilderness where he fixed his location; he trafficked with the Indians and became expert in the hunt; he cleared with his own hands and under his supervision 150 acres of land and, while striving to place his family in comfort, still remembered the needs that were imminent to the community forming around him, and gave his thoughts and energies to the permanent welfare of the public. He aided in the construction of the "Old Gull" road, built the first school-house in Gaines (on sec. 5) and assisted in organizing the tps. of Grand Rapids, Paris and Gaines. He helped with his counsel and encouragement every enterprise that afforded any promise of ad- vancing the public interest. He was one of the earliest supporters of the Grand Rapids Enquirer, the first journalistic enterprise in the county, and he was the "pioneer" citizen of Gaines, who lent support to the "History of Kent County." He was married Jan. 1, 1837, to Mariette, daughter of Ira and Minerva (Sexton) Rice, born at Palmyra, Ontario Co., N. Y., Oct. 14, 1819. Offive children born to them three are living-Martin V., born June 19, 1839, married Cordelia Clark and lives in Dakota; Josephine A. (Mrs. John Ross, of Gaines tp.), born Aug. 5, 1844; Ira E., born Oct. 10, 1848, who now lives on a part of the homestead property. Mrs. Cook is descended from English, Scotch and French ancestry. Mr. Cook comes of Scotch and German lineage, his ancestors being

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GAINES TOWNSHIP.

among the earliest generations that settled New York. Politically, Mr. Cook is a Democrat; has held the offices of Justice of the Peace and Town Treasurer. He owns 120 acres on secs. 17 and 18-finely improved land. The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Cook appear on another page from photographs taken when they were 66 and 62 years old.

Gerhard W. Crumback was born in Waterloo Co., Pro. of Ontario, Can., April 9, 1834. His parents, James and Catherine (Wheeler) Crumback, settled in Gaines in April, 1854, and the family have experienced all the vicissitudes of successful pioneers. Mr. Crumback was reared to agricultural pursuits and received his education in the common schools. He was married Oct. 31, 18-, to Mrs. Charlotte Gotthard, widow of James Gotthard, and daughter of William and Marianne Higgins, born in Toronto, Canada, Dec. 10, 1828. Three of five children born to them are living-Laura A., born Dec. 14, 1859; Hattie, March 12, 1861 (Mrs. Nelson Lutz); Lewis R., Sept. 25, 1866. Mr. C. is a Dem- ocrat in political views and has been Constable two years. He owns 80 acres of land on sec. 34 in an advanced state of improve- ment.

James T. Crumback, a pioneer of Gaines, and a man who shows many traces of his early struggles with circumstances and respons- ibilities, is a native of Wayne Co., N. Y., born Jan. 31, 1808. His parents, Henry and Mary Crumback, were natives of Bucks Co., Pa. In 1811 they went to Ontario, Can., and in 1824, at the age of 16, he came to this county with a band of Indians on a hunt- ing and trapping expedition. In 1853 he located land in Gaines, on sec. 26, and the following year took possession as a landholder. The country was all in its original condition, infested with troops of Indians and wild animals. He won a wide renown as a deer- hunter, and has a supply of adventures and anecdotes of his ex- periences and those of others, sufficient to fill a respectable volume. The first year of residence in Gaines, he killed 158 deer, and, from first to last, the aggregate of his successes with that kind of game alone numbers 2,997, beside other varieties. Mr. Crumback is a physician of the Thompsonian school. He has studied the best authorities on herb medication, and practiced 50 years. He comes of patriotic and country-loving ancestry, both his grand- fathers having been in the Revolution from first to last, under General Washington, and his maternal grandmother, Mary Froup, was in the action at Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill), and her clothing was riddled by 16 bullets. Mr. Crumback was married March 18, 1828, to Catherine, daughter of Gerhard and Agnes Wheeler, born in Montgomery Co., Pa., Dec. 16, 1807. Of 10 children born to them five are living-Harriet, Gerhard W., Samuel, Mary and James. When he first came to Gaines, Mr. C. was elected Justice of the Peace, and served one term. In politics he is an adherent to and advocate of the principles of the Democratic party.

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

Jackson B. De Tray (deceased) was born at Providence, R. I., Feb. 18, 1816. He is descended from French ancestors, and his patronymic was originally spelled Des Tres. His great-grandfather, Jean Baptist Antoine Des Tres, was one of the court of Louis Sixteenth, and was beheaded March 16, 1794. He had two sons, Francois and M. Pierre. The first was a Marshal in the French Army, and served in the seven-years' war with Germany, and was guillotined at the second confiscation in Paris, in 1811. M. Pierre (or Peter) came to America during the Revolution as an officer in Rochambeau's Division, and acted in that war as Commissary. He was wounded at Yorktown, and after being discharged from the army, settled in Providence, R. I. He died at Woodstock, Conn., in 1824, while journeying to see Lafayette on the occasion of his last visit to America. M. Des Tres left five children-Nancy, Emeline, Antoine, Pecky and Bachez. The father of Jackson B. De Tray settled in Crawford Co., Ohio, in 1820. There were three other children-Wm. R., Amy and Nancy. Mr. De Tray, of this sketch, was married Nov. 30, 1840, to Charlotte, daughter of David and Louisa Hilliard, born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., July 30, 1823. Of six children four are living-Henry M., born Oct. 11, 1841; James H., April 1, 1843; Albert C., Nov. 7, 1845; Willard W., Nov. 7, 1850. Mr. De Tray settled on sec. 26, in Angust, 1853. Two years before he entered 320 acres of land on secs. 24, 25 and 26. That and the surrounding country was unbroken forest, and the family underwent all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, and bore the burdens with the unflinching and conra- geous fortitude that met so bountiful a reward in the noble fields and beautiful residences that make Kent county so pre-eminent. Mr. De Tray died Aug. 29, 1873, aged 57.

Webster B. Ewing, son of Henry and Thirzah Ewing, was born in Eaton Co., Mich., Jan. 28, 1838. He was married July 8, 1860, to Mary L. Hard. She died June 9, 1863, leaving two children- Webster L. and Leroy. Mr. Ewing was married again July 8, 1866, to Irene C. Hickox. They had two children, one of whom is liv- ing-Dora M., born Aug. 11, 1868. Mr. Ewing enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in Co. H, 21st Mich. Vol. Inft. and fought at Perrysville, Ky., and at Stone River, where he was wounded. He was confined in the Nashville hospital and afterward at Louisville, Ky., where he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. He was honorably discharged Aug. 11, 1865, and returned to Byron, where he had settled in 1846. Jan. 15, 1867, he located on the farm he now occupies on sec. 6. He is a Republican.

Chas. H. Finton, son of Asa and Harriet Finton, was born at Romulus, Seneca Co., N. Y., Dec. 24, 1834. His parents came to Washtenaw county in 1843, where his father died. He went to Wyoming in March, 1856, and four years later located in this tp. In November, 1864, he enlisted in Co. B, 3d Mich. Vol. Inf., in Gen. Thomas' Division. He was discharged at San Antonio, Texas, in March, 1865, for disability, and returned home and resumed his former occupation. He was married Dec. 29, 1857, to Mary B.

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Arnold. They had two children, Harriet May, and Charles Ed- win (deceased). Mr. F. is a strict adherent to the principles and tenets of the Republican party and owns a farm of 160 acres on sec. 20. He has an orchard of 25 acres, containing 1,200 peach, 300 apple and 50 pear trees.

Nicholas Geib, the representative German farmer of Gaines, was born in Bavaria, Germany, Dec. 24, 1821, and came to America in June, 1844. He remained some time in New York city and went to Providence, R. I. In 1842 he went to Waterloo Co., Pro. of Ontario, Canada, where for five years he followed well-digging, coming to thistp. in November, 1854, and buying 160 acres on sec. 22. The tract of land was unbroken wilderness, three miles from the nearest road, infested by roving bands of Indians and wild ani- mals. He added 160 acres to his first purchase, and by the prac- tice of energy and economy has converted the wilderness to fertile fields. He had about $500 when he located, and at present he ranks fairly with the substantial citizens of the county. He is a member of the Lutheran Church and is Republican in politics. He was married in June, 1853, to Elizabeth Shafer, who died Feb. 24, 1864, leaving three children, Valentine, Mary and Peter. The latter was born Dec. 30, 1860, and died May 17, 1872. Mary was born April 30, 1857, and was married Nov. 28, 1876, to Simeon Bowman. Valentine, the oldest, was born Jan. 30, 1854, and was married Jan. 12, 1876, to Ellen, daughter of Jacob and Catherine Bowman, natives of Ontario, born in Waterloo Co., Pro. of Onta- rio, Oct. 10, 1858. They have two children-Fred P., born Nov. 26, 1878, and Warren J., Jan. 6, 1880. Valentine was a member of the Board of Supervisors in 1877; was Tp. Clerk in 1875-'6, and re-elected this current year. He is a Republican.

Simon Gill (deceased) was born at St. Francis, Pro. of Quebec, Canada, Aug. 12, 1809, and came to Grand Rapids in 1836. He was married Aug. 12, 1844, to Sarah Frisbet, daughter of John and Julia A. (Plank) Frisbet, born in Quebec, May 24, 1824. Mr. and Mrs. Gill have had 11 children, nine of whom are living, born in the following order : Isaac, May 14, 1845; Chas., Sept. 16, 1847 ; Elizabeth, Dec. 23, 1849; Eli M., June 22, 1851; Lewis O., Feb. 9, 1853 ; Alexander, March 1, 1855 ; Simon A., June 11, 1859 ; Francis J., Oct. 31, 1860 ; Frederick L., March 1, 1862 ; John D., April 21, 1869. In 1842 Mr. G. permanently located in this tp., on sec. 15, where he died Nov. 14, 1872, loved and highly re- spected.

George G. Graves, farmer, sec. 6, was born in Leroy, Genesee Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1816. His parents, Lebbeus and Lucena, Graves, were natives of Massachusetts and New York. He was mar- ried Sept. 19, 1831, to Amy M. Marsh. They had seven children, three of whom are living; Lebbeus P., born May 15, 1842; Cordelia F., Dec. 10, 1847; Amos G., March 20, 1853. Mrs. Graves was born in Medina Co., O., Sept. 6, 1822, and died Oct. 26, 1863. Mr. Graves enlisted in Co. B, 3d Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf., May 20, 1861, and served 17 days, when the regiment was disbanded. He came

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

to Grand Rapids in 1860 and subsequently to his farm on sec. 6, where he owns 50 acres of land. Politically he is a Republican.

Wm. Hendrick, a pioneer of Gaines, was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., May 5, 1801. His parents, Joel and Esther Hendrick were natives of Connecticut. He was married Dec. 27, 1826, to Mariette Post, born in Hartford Co., Conn., Jan. 16, 1807. They have nine children-Lewis, Anna (Mrs. Selden Baley), Alonzo C., Erwin, Harlan, Livius, Elizabeth, Henry, and Hannah (Mrs Richard Collins). Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick celebrated their golden wedding in December 1876. They have 25 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren without the occurrence of a death. They came with their family to this country in 1852 and celebrated the election of Pres. Pierce by moving into their new log cabin on their farm on sec. 5. It was 16 x 28 feet, in the midst of a wilder- ness, and was more to that family than a palace would be to-day. The forest that surrounded the home has given place to fair, fertile fields, golden with grain and emerald with waving corn, and an un- broken family circle live to rejoice in a well-earned prosperity. Mr. Hendrick has 160 acres on secs. 5 and 6. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.

Monroe Holly, farmer, was born in Ovid, Seneca Co., N. Y., May 17, 1824. His parents, Ransom and Sarah Holly, were na- tives, respectively, of Delaware Co., N. Y., and Providence, R. I. They came to Washtenaw county in 1831, and thence to Northville, Wayne Co., and in 1836 to Shiawassee county. Mr. Holly of this · sketch passed his youth and early manhood in the obscurity of pioneerdom ; attended the schools of that period, which were con- ducted in log houses, and at 21 studied surveying with Nelson Ferry, of Corunna. In 1857- 8 he received the appointment of County Surveyor of Shiawassee county. He followed that calling for about 29 years. His father was Treasurer of that county two years, during which time he acted as Deputy. His father was County Commissioner three years, Supervisor of Vernon tp. 12 years and Justice of the Peace. In March, 1874, Mr. Holly came to Gaines. He was married Dec. 25, 1855, to Mary, daughter of John and Sarah Arthur, born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., May 23, 1831. Of eight children born to them, four are living, born in the subse- quent order: Sarah A., Feb. 1, 1859 ; Raymond A., Jan. 19, 1865; Minnie M .. Nov. 11, 1866; Nellie G., May 12, 1868. Fre- mont, Flora M., Rudolph A. and Elton R. are dead. Mrs. Holly died Sept. 3, 1876. Mr. Holly is a member of the U. B. Church and is a Republican. He owns 40 acres on sec. 29.

Abraham Hoover, a pioneer of this tp., was born April 6, 1831, in Seneca Co., Ohio. Heis son of John and Maria Hoover. His father was born May 31, 1795, and was a soldier in the second con- test between the United States and Great Britain, and afterward settled in Seneca Co., Ohio. Mr. Hoover was married in Novem- ber, 1855, to Esther J. Houk, who died July 1, 1868. They had five children, of whom 3 survive-Frank, Fred and Anna. Mr. Hoover was again married, March 10, 1869, to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob

Sarah A Blain

Wilmot . H. Blain

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and Hannah Rozenberger, born in Waterloo Co., Can., April 12, 1839. They have one child -- Minnie. In February, 1853, Mr. Hoover came to Kent county and entered 160 acres on sec. 36, which he has converted from primeval forest to productive fields, exhibiting successive years the evidence of careful management and arduous toil. He is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry and a Republican in politics.

Augustus L. Kelley was born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., March 16, 1829. His parents, William and Mary Kelley, were natives of New York. His father died when he was 16 years old, leaving him to support his mother, a duty which he. discharged faithfully and well, working by the day and month. She died June 14, 1853. Mr. Kelley was married Aug. 4, of the same year, to Martha J. Cutler, born in Athens, Greene Co., N. Y., March 16, 1834. Their children were born as follows: Mary C., Dec. 3, 1855 (Mrs. Allen Putnam); William, May 27, 1858; George, Jan. 15, 1868, and Ida (adopted) Nov. 21, 1862. Mr. Kelley came to this county in September, 1850, and six years later located on his present farm on sec. 4, con- taining 40 acres. His grandfather was a soldier of 1812.

Henry Kelley, son of Foster and Mary (Blaine) Kelley, and one of the most enterprising citizens of Gaines, was born in this tp., June 4, 1842. He was reared on a farm, and educated in the " pioneer schools," finishing in the Grand Rapids union school. He was married Nov. 5, 1868, to Rosamond Rouse, an estimable lady, born in Watertown, Jefferson Co., Wis., Feb. 14, 1869. Her parents, Henry M. and Isabel Rouse, were formerly of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Kelley have one child-Audie S., born Oct. 18, 1869. Mr. Kelley has been Treasurer of Gaines two terms, and is a radi- cal Republican. He owns a fine farm of 160 acres on sec. 17.

James Kennedy was born in Coner Parish, County Antrim, Ireland, Jan. 22, 1815. He is son of John and Mary (Dill) Ken- nedy, and was brought up on a farm, receiving a common-school education. His mother died when he was 14 years old, and he learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, which calling he pursued until he came to America in February, 1852. He went to Phila- delphia, and then to Mifflin county, where he worked at his trade until April, 1866. He came to Gaines and purchased 160 acres on sec. 14, for which he paid $3,000. He shipped his goods for Gaines, and they were lost by the burning of the D. & M. depot at Detroit. Subsequent purchases have swelled the sum total of acres in his possession to 400, 300 of which are under improvement. It was a forest when he bought it and now is one of the best and most pro- ductive farms in the tp. In 1871 he built a residence at a cost of $2,000. He was married Aug. 17, 1833, to Elizabeth, daughter of Robert and Esther (Ferguson) Jamison, born June 10, 1820. They have had 10 children, seven of whom are living-Esther (Mrs. Robert Carson), James (married Agnes Monson), Robert J. (mar- ried Martha J. Rogers), Jane A., Sarah E. and Joseph. Mr. Ken- nedy is a leading farmer of the eastern part of Gaines and adopts the principles of the Democratic party.

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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 73

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 1434

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1434