USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 12
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IGIL WELLS was born in Seneca County, N. Y., April 13, 1822. At the age of nine years he came with his parents to Bloomfield, Mich. In 1838 they moved to Almont, where his father entered 160 acres of land in section 17. He remained on the homestead until he was about twenty-two, when he commenced working for himself. His father then gave him a farm of forty acres in section 17. In 1850 he bought his present farm northeast quarter of northeast quarter of section 17, which was originally entered by Elisha Farnum. He has also eighteen acres in the west half of northwest quarter of the the same section. He married in 1846 Melissa A. Farnum, daughter of Elisha Farnum. They have five children, viz .: Mrs. Orville B. Eaton, of Almont; Mrs. Mark Braid- wood, of Dryden; Nita Wells, of Almont; Mrs. Horton Thurston, of Moore, Sanilac County; Charles J. Wells, at home. One child has died.
WILLIAM P. FARNUM was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., October 18, 1811. Was brought up on a farm. Came to Almont in 1834, reaching the town September 30th. There were then but two log houses in the village. His father entered the northeast quarter of northeast quarter of section 17, on which Igil Wells now lives. His present farm, which was originally entered by Elisha Farnum, comprises sixty acres, viz .: North twenty acres of north- west quarter of northeast quarter and east half of east half of north- west quarter of section 17. Mr. Farnum was married February 25, 1841, to Mary E. Wells, daughter of Leonard Wells, who settled in Almont in 1838. They have five children, viz .: Mrs. Reuben Hubbel, of Almont; Reuben W., of Sanilac County; Frank, Katie and Libbie, at home. One child has died. Mr. Farnum's father came to Almont in 1834; he died March 14, 1883, at the age of ninety-three. His mother is still living, making her home with him; her age is ninety-one.
F. E. GOULD was born in Batavia, N. Y., March 3, 1831. He came to Michigan with his parents, who settled in Dryden in 1839. At about eighteen years of age he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner in Dryden. Worked at his trade and taught school for about twelve years. Came to Almont in 1862 and engaged in the saloon business for a time. Then in the spring of 1864 engaged in the livery business, in which he has continued since that time. He has also for the last eight years been employed as postal clerk on the Detroit & Bay City Division of the Michigan Central Railroad. He was married in 1854 to Jane L. Parmlee, a native of Vermont. They have three children.
WILLIAM MUIR was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, August 30, 1810. His occupation was farming. He came to this country in 1848 and to Almont, where he bought the east half of northeast quarter of section 7, now occupied by his son William. He was married in 1848 to Janet Gilmore, a native of Ayrshire, Scotland. They have five children: John, William and Neil, of Almont; James living in Imlay, and Mrs. Hugh Cargill, of Burnside.
JAMES M. GUTCHES, or, as the name was formerly spelled, Goetchius, was born in Ulster County, N. Y., May 10, 1817. Dur- ing his infancy his parents moved to Chenango County, N. Y.,
where he remained until he was twenty-one years old. At the age of eleven years he commenced working for himself on a farm, and from that time supported himself. He left the farm when sixteen years of age and served an apprenticeship at the trade of black- smith in Chenango County. There he remained until May, 1837, when he came to Michigan. He lived in Romeo two and one half years, then (December 22, 1840,) came to Almont, worked at blacksmithing about twenty years, then moved to the farm where he now lives in the south suburbs of the village. He was married December 30, 1841, to Miss Mary Bristol, daughter of Oliver Bristol, one of the pioneers and the first supervisor of the town. They have three children living. Are living with their son, Oliver C.
OLIVER C. GUTCHES was born in Almont June 20, 1846. Has worked at farming most of the time since he became of an age to work. For the last two years has operated the farm on which he lives and of which he is part owner, his parents residing with him. He was married in 1878 to Miss Frances Wiley, a native of Mary- land, and has one child.
W. R. ARMSTRONG was born in Rochester, N. Y., July 4, 1842. At the age of five years, his parents having died, he came West with Mr. Kendrick, of Dryden. Lived on a farm until the age of eighteen years. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted as private in the Tenth Michigan Infantry, serving in the Army of the Cumberland. Was mustered out in 1863. He then farmed for several years, and was special agent of the United States Treasury Department five years. Since then has been engaged in breeding and buying and selling horses, and in the pool business, controlling now the most of the latter business in the United States. He has owned among others the following well known horses: "Ned Tester," with a record of 2:50 as a three-year-old; "Fred Hooper," record 2:23, who won thirty out of thirty-four races trotted in 1873 and '74, winning $32,000 purse money; "Mollie Morris, record 2:22; "Dan Donald- son," record 2:25; "Hardwood," record 2:243; "Sorrel Dan," pacer, record 2:14, and "Judge Abbott," record 2:50. Mr. Arm- strong took to California the two well known thoroughbreds, "Joe Daniels" and "Hubbard," running horses, who won the four mile repeat running races. He has been in every State and Territory of the United States except Oregon. He has contributed largely to the improvement of horse stock in the section of country about Almont, for which he deserves and receives the thanks of the farm- ing community. In October, 1874, he married Emily Strobridge, daughter of Dr. Strobridge. They have two children. Residence on West St. Clair Street, Almont.
HENRY B. GOETCHIUS, son of William R. Goetchius, one of the earlier settlers of Almont, was born in Almont in 1848. Has been employed at farming, and has learned and worked at various trades as carpentering, wool-carding, the ashery business, etc. He learned the miller's trade in 1868 and has worked at it about five years. Was married in 1871 to Elba C. Wells, a native of Erie, Pa., and has two children. At the time of the forest fires of 1881 Mr. Goetchius, with his wife and children, was in Sanilac County on a farm which he owns there. They had a narrow escape, barely saving their lives by wading into Cass River. Mr. Goetchius has not yet entirely recovered from the injuries received at that time. Mrs. Goetchius' father, Nelson Wells, was at that time residing in Sanilac County. He escaped with his family into the river, where they remained four hours, almost suffocated by the heat and smoke, from the effects of which Mr. Wells never fully recovered. He died January 23, 1882, aged sixty-five. He was for several years pro- prietor of the Exchange Hotel of Almont. Mrs. Wells is still living.
DAVID P. Ross was born in Randolph, Vt., November 12, 1836.
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
During his infancy his parents moved to Imlay and settled on a farm near the line between Imlay and Almont. He remained on the home farm until 1868, except during the time of his military service. In the fall of 1864 he enlisted as private in the Third Michigan Infantry, which was in the Army of the Cumberland. He was mustered out in the fall of 1865. In 1868 he bought the farm on which he now lives, sixty acres of north half of northeast quarter of section 4. He has also fourteen acres in the town of Imlay. Was married in 1868 to Agnes Laird, a native of Canada, and has six sons and one daughter, all of whom are at home.
B. R. EMMONS was born in Burlington County, N. Y., April 29, 1922. At the age of eight years he was bound out to a farmer until he was of age. During these years of hard labor and scant privileges of education he formed the firm determination to conquer success, a determination which he has carried out. In 1854 he came to Almont and bought a farm one mile west of the village, where he remained eight years. He then rented a farm in Dryden where he made a specialty of raising fine horses and stock, which he has since followed to a greater or less extent. Has had two of the largest horse sales ever held in the State. Though owning farms at various times, Mr. Emmons has generally cultivated rented farms, having at times as many as five farms under rental. He has found this method generlly more profitable than ownership. In 1878 he bought the farm on which he now resides, and on which he moved in the spring of 1882, west half of southwest quar- ter and south half of southwest quarter of northwest quarter of section 7. He was married in January, 1840, to Rebecca Branson, a native of New York. Soon after his arrival in Dryden he was elected highway commissioner and held the office nine years.
DAVID SLEEPER, son of Josiah Sleeper, one of the pioneers of Almont, was born in Murray, Orleans County, N. Y., May 8, 1819. During his infancy his parents removed to Hamilton, On- tario County, Canada, and afterward returned to Orleans County, N. Y. In the fall of 1829 they moved to Michigan and settled in Macomb County. In 1832 they came to Almont and bought of the government the land now belonging to Elizabeth Matteson, in section 9. Here he remained until twenty-one years of age-then worked out for several years. About 1845 he bought his present farm in section 15, where he has 28 acres. He has also 120 acres in other sections of the town. Was married in 1841 to Phobe Mathews, a native of Trumbull County, Ohio, a daughter of John Mathews, who came to Almont in 1836.
STOUGHTON SLEEPER, son of David Sleeper, was born in Almont, March 24, 1845. He was bred a farmer and has followed that em- ployment until April, 1881. He has at intervals learned the trade of engineer, and is now employed in James Sanborn's elevator at the Almont station of the P. H. & N. W. R. R. He owns a com- fortable house just within the limits of the village of Almont. He was married April 2, 1879, to Utilla Smith, of Almont. They have one daughter.
SAMUEL KIDDER was born at Enfield, Tompkins County, N. Y., May 15, 1816. Was brought up on a farm. In 1837 he came to Almont (then Bristol) and went to work by the month at farming. In the spring of 1838 he bought a farm in section 14, on which he cleared about thirty acres, and remained there four years. In 1842 he bought the south half of northeast quarter of section 22, on which he now resides. His first wife was Eliza Hallock, to whom he was married in 1844. She died in 1847. In 1849 he married Eliza Mead, a native of Lansing, Tompkins County, N. Y. Has three children living; one has died.
HIRAM HOWLAND was born in Middlebury, Mass., October 12, 1812. During his infancy his parents moved to Brown County, N. Y., where he lived until he was twenty-three years old when he came
to Almont and bought the west half of southeast quarter of section 3, on which he remained twelve years. He then bought his present farm, east half of southeast quarter section 9. Since he first came to Almont his occupation has been farming, and, during the winters, lumbering. In 1834 he married Mary Bishop. His second wife, to whom he was married in 1849, was Mary M. Vos- burgh. He has five children living. Mr. Howland has been town supervisor, road commissioner, deputy sheriff of the county for nine years, and has held various other offices.
WILLIS HOWLAND, son of Hiram Howland, was born in Almont March 25, 1854. Was married March 30, 1877, to Lydia A. Havens, a native of Oakland County, and has two children. He is living with his parents and carrying on the homestead farm. He has also thirty acres in southeast quarter of southwest quarter of the same section, 9.
VIRGIL S. PARMLEE was born in Cavendish, Windsor County, Vt., April 3, 1823. Came to Michigan with his parents in 1838. Lived in Armada four years, then moved to Almont and settled on west half of southwest quarter section 9, where Mr. Parmlee now lives. In 1854 he married Mya Webster, daughter of Elisha Web- ster, one of the earliest settlers of Almont. From her the town took the name of Mia which it bore for some time. They have two children; two have died. Mr. Parmlee has lost both legs below the knee by accident, one of them in 1866, the other in 1869. He is not, however, as might be expected, incapacitated for farm labor, artificial legs supplying to a considerable extent the loss of the nat- ural ones. In 1870 Mr. Parmlee engaged in mercantile business at Imlay, in which he continued four years. Since then has been en- gaged in farming.
L. M. RETHERFORD was born in New York, July 6, 1841. In 1842 his parents moved to Genesee County, N. Y., and in the spring of 1843 to Almont, where his father bought a farm in section 14. At the age of eighteen he commenced working on his own ac- count, learning the butcher's trade, which he has since followed, except during a term of military service. He enlisted in October, 1863, as private in the First Michigan Cavalry, which served with the Army of the Potomac. Mr. Retherford was in forty-three engage- ments, and was wounded at Trevilian Station, was promoted to commissary sergeant of his company, was mustered out and dis- charged March 10, 1865, at Salt Lake City. He was married in September, 1867, to Janet Hamilton, of Almont. Has two children.
MILTON H. WEBSTER was born in Farmertown, Saratoga County, N. Y., August 3, 1805. His parents removed to Northumber- land when he was five or six years old. Moved from there to Sen- eca County, and thence to Monroe County. In 1827 he came to Michigan and settled in Macomb County. Has lived at different places in Michigan. His first wife, to whom he was married Janu- ary 5, 1830, was Elizabeth Sessions. She died in 1859. July 12, 1859, he married Clarissa Coleman, who died in 1869. He has four children living. In 1880 he removed from Macomb County to Al- mont, and makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. McMonagle. Mr. Webster's parents resided until their death in Genesee County, N. Y.
CORNELIUS McMONAGLE was born in Donegal, Ireland. He came to this country about 1839. Lived in Pennsylvania about five years and then moved to Macomb County, where, in 1849, he mar- ried Maria Webster, daughter of Milton H. Webster. In March, 1851, he moved to Almont and bought a farm in section 7, west half of northeast quarter. He died March 4, 1880, leaving a wife and five children. His widow resides on the homestead.
HORACE M. BOOTH was born in Pembroke, Genesee County, N. Y., July 16, 1820. Was brought up on a farm. Lived on the old
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
homestead cultivating a portion of it, and worked at his trade of carpenter and joiner until 1865. January 1, 1845, he married Theda A. Curtis of Genesee County, N. Y. Came to Almont in 1865 and bought the west half of northeast quarter of section 20 on which he has since resided. Has six children of whom two, a son and a daughter, are at home. The son, Frank C., was born in Genesee County, N. Y., December 27, 1855. Came to Almont with his parents in 1865. Learned the trade of carpenter and joiner with his father on the home farm, and for the last six years has worked at it continuously, making his home with his parents.
JAMES MUIR was born in Scotland in 1806, and was bred a farmer. He came to this country about 1844, to Pontiac, Mich., where he worked on a farm one season, thence came to Almont and bought west half of northwest quarter section 8, where he died February 19, 1876. He was married in 1852 to Lodama Squier of Utica, Michigan. She remains upon the homestead with her son, Neil G., who carries on the farm. He also owns and cultivates the east half of northwest quarter section 8. He was born in Almont November 11, 1852. The other son, Gillis J., was born in Almont August 28, 1854. On division of the estate he received the west half of southwest quarter of section 5, on which he resides. He was married June 4th, 1879, to Frederica Roth, of Almont, and has one child.
MATTHEW WARNER was born in Lima, Livingston County, N. Y., April 29, 1821. Came to Michigan in 1836, and at the age of seventeen began working for himself at farming, and saw-mill work, in Oakland Co. In 1840 he went to Canada and remained sixteen years, engaged in lumber and mill business. He came to Almont in 1856, teamed for eleven years between Almont and Detroit; then kept hotel in Marlette three years, and in the town of Imlay five years. In 1861 he bought the farm on which he now lives, northeast quarter of northwest quarter section 9, on which he finally settled in May, 1881. He was married in 1844 to Sarah Ann Wilson, a native of Canada, and has three sons and five daughters.
E. B. HOUGH was born in Orangeville, Genesee County, N. Y., in 1819. In 1833 he came with his parents to Romeo, Mich., and in 1834 to Almont. The journey from New York to Romeo was made by team, and occupied a month and one day. (In Almont his father located the east half of southeast quarter of section 29.) He lived with his parents until he was twenty-five years old, being employed in farm work and in clearing land on contract. He then resided four or five years in Dryden. Returning to Al- mont he bought the northeast quarter of section 32, on which he lived about twenty-three years. Sold this and bought a quarter section further east. Hehas bought and sold lands extensively, and now owns 245 acres in different parts of the town. He has for the past nine years resided in the village of Almont. In 1845 he married Emaline L. Johnson, who died in 1866, leaving four children, of whom one lives in Attica, and three in Goodland. In 1867 he married Mrs. Lucretia E. Myers who has two children, William E. Myers and Mrs. D. P. Smith, both of Almont.
WILLIAM CLARK was born in Broome County, N. Y., October 22, 1795. Came to Michigan in 1836. Lived at Troy, Oakland County, two years; then came to Almont, and bought a farm in section 10, east half of northeast quarter. He settled on his present farm north half of northeast quarter section 16, in 1849. He was first married March 7, 1827, to Alathea Stoddard who died in 1840, leaving two children. His second wife, to whom he was married January 17, 1844, was Sarah Holmes, of West Bloomfield. She has two children, one has died. The children are Annis M., Romanzo T. (who carries on the farm), Flora E., and James T., who lives at Lapeer.
CHARLES WALKER was born in New Brunswick in 1829. During his boyhood his parents resided in Canada. Came to Almont in 1849, and in 1850 married Anna Deneen. He died in 1870, leaving eight children. Mrs. Walker resides with three of her children, upon a portion of the land entered in 1828, by her father, James Deneen, the first settler in the town. There are still stand- ing some of the trees of the first orchard, the seeds of which were brought from Ohio, and planted about the time the land was cleared. Mrs. Walker was born March 15, 1829, and was the first white child born in the county. A sketch of her father will be found in another part of this work.
WILLIAM CROSBY was born in New Hampshire, July 3, 1816. At the age of 21 he went to Massachusetts, and was there employed as engineer. In 1840 he came to Almont and bought a farm of forty acres, to which he has added sixty acres. His farm is the west half of west half of northwest quarter section 3, and part of east half of northeast quarter section 4. In 1843, he married Catherine Elliott, a native of New Hampshire, and has two daugh- ters, Mrs. E. J. Harrington, of Almont, and Mrs. John H. Bowman, of Imlay.
URIEL TOWNSEND was born in the State of New York, in December, 1829. When he was about five years old his parents moved to Micliigan, where he was brought up on a farm. At the age of twenty he bought a farm in Metamora (on which Clark Townsend now lives). He resided there about ten years, and then returned to the old homestead. In 1869 he came to Almont, and, with F. P. Currier, formed the banking firm of Townsend & Currier, of which C. Ferguson & Son are the successors. The firm built for the use of the bank the block now occupied by S. Smith and Taylor & Hopkin. They also engaged in the lumber business, and with remarkable success. In 1869 Mr. Townsend bought his present home (in the village of Almont), which he has rebuilt. He owns and operates a farm of 400 acres, west half of section 19, and 80 acres adjoining in the town of Dryden. In 1853 he married Mary J. Ferguson, a native of New York.
JOHN SHIPP was born at Swaffham Bulbeck, Cambridgeshire, England, in June, 1827. At the age of fourteen, he commenced working on his own account. In 1854 he came to Almont and bought a farm of eighty acres, the east half of northwest quarter section 30, of which he has seventy-five acres cleared. In 1881 he built his present residence. Was married July 8, 1855, to Louisa Plumb, of Brinkley, Cambridgeshire, England.
JOSEPH SHIPP was born in Longmeadow, Cambridgeshire, England, April 11, 1831. Was brought up on a farm. He came to Almont in 1853, and has been employed at farming. Having accumulated a competency, and being in ill health, he retired several years ago from active labor, and has ever since made his home with his brother, Jolin Shipp, on his farm in section 30.
EBERT W. LAWERNCE was born in Greene County, N. Y., January 9, 1799. His early life was spent on a farm. January 17, 1826, he married Eliza Van Wanoner, a native of New York. In 1836 they came to Almont. All of Mr. Lawrence's worldly wealth on his arrival, consisted of $2.50 in money, a wife and six children. He bought forty acres of land in the woods, southeast quarter of north- west quarter section 31, for $3.50 per acre, giving his note. Here he built a shanty and made a home, and here they lived to the present time. Are now residing with their son-in-law, Myron D. Closson, in the enjoyment of a vigorous and happy old age. They have six children living, two in the town of Almont, one in Maryland, one in Australia, one in Philadelphia, and one in Gratiot County, Michigan. Three have died. Since Mr. Lawrence became of age, he has voted at every election, and at the town --
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
meeting in every town in which he resided, except during his resi- dence in Canada. His first vote was cast in favor of General Jack- son.
MYRON D. CLOSSON was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., April 17, 1828. When about 14 years of age he came to Michigan and lived with his uncle in Macomb County. Came to Almont about 1852 and rented a farm near the south line of the town. In 1866 settled on a farm in section 31 and remained six years. He after- ward lived four years in Kent County and moved thence upon his present farm, southeast quarter of northwest quarter section 31. He was married March 11, 1856, to Matilda Lawrence. They have three children, one son and two daughters.
NELSON E. CLOSSON, son of Myron D. Closson, was born in Al- mont, September 10, 1860. In 1872 his parents moved to Grand Rap- ids, and remained upon a farm until 1876, when they returned to their former home in Almont. He is now operating a farm of eighty acres belonging to his grandfather, Ebert W. Lawrence, in sections 30 and 31.
SHELDON BRISTOL, son of Bezaleel Bristol, one of the earliest set- tlers of Almont, was born in Riga, Monroe County, N. Y., April 26, 1816. He came with his parents to this town in 1831, arriving May 22, when there were but three settlers in the town. His father "located" the east half of southeast quarter section 33. When he was twenty-one years old he went to work by the month on his own account. He assumed and paid up the debts on the homestead, which had become embarrassed, and in 1842 assumed possession of it. In 1881 he bought the west half of northwest quarter of section 34, 115 acres, on which he now resides, having one of the most beautiful of the many beautiful houses of the town of Almont. He was married November 20, 1842, to Emily Ingalls, of the town of Almont.
H. R. MOREY was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., September 9, 1824. His father kept hotel and dealt in stock. When he was fourteen years old his father died, and he then learned and worked at the carpenter's trade at Watertown, N. Y., where the family had moved after his father's death. When he was twenty-three years old he left home, residing in Waterloo, Niagara and other places in New York. He crossed Niagara bridge on the first train that went over. In 1855 he went to Wisconsin and was employed on the Fox and Wisconsin River improvement, and on the Manitowoc & Mis- sissippi R. R. He came to Almont in 1858, and lived in the vil- lage of Almont until 1866, when he moved to his present residence one mile north of the village. Was married in 1857 to Caroline Richtmyer, a native of New York, and has one child. Mr. Morey has constructed and aided in constructing many of the principal buildings in Almont, among others the Stevens, Currier and Town- send blocks, and the residence of James Johnson on St. Clair Street.
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