USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 34
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1858-Supervisor, Norman B. Blood; clerk, E. P. Barrows; treasurer, Addison Griggs.
1859-Supervisor, Norman B. Blood; clerk, E. P. Barrows; treasurer, Addison Griggs.
1860-Supervisor, Norman B. Blood; clerk, John Hamler; treasurer, Addison Griggs.
1861 -Supervisor, H. C. Babcock; clerk, R. C. Plass; treas- urer, Addison Griggs.
1862-Supervisor, Tobias Price; clerk, R. C. Plass; treasurer, Carlos Hill.
1863 - Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, Henry Townsend; treasurer, Carlos Hill.
1864-Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, Henry Townsend; treasurer, A. S. Cowan.
1865-Supervisor, William N. Varnum; clerk, B. P. Acker- man; treasurer, M. B. Pitcher.
1866-Supervisor, E. A. Brownell; clerk, Philo Isham; treas- urer, O. P. Morse.
1867-Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, E. Barrows; treas- urer, O. P. Morse.
1868-Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, E. P. Barrows; treasurer, O. P. Morse.
1869- Supervisor, Isaiah C. Smith; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Harvey Butler.
1870 -- Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Justin H. Butler.
1871-Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Henry Townsend.
1872-Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Henry Townsend.
1873-Supervisor, Abraham Hunt; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Henry Townsend.
1874-Supervisor, E. P. Barrows; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Henry Townsend.
1875-Supervisor, E. P. Barrows; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Henry Townsend.
1876-Supervisor, E. P. Barrows; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Henry Townsend.
1877-Supervisor, E. P. Barrows; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Frederick Price.
1878-Supervisor, E. P. Barrows; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Frederick Price.
1879-Supervisor, Clark Townsend; clerk, Henry L. Baker; treasurer, Mark N. Kelley.
1880-Supervisor, William Park; clerk, Heman Kelley; treasurer, John Barden.
1881-Supervisor, William Park; clerk, Heman Kelley; treasurer, John Barden.
1882-Supervisor, William Park; clerk, John Barden; treas- urer, Heman Kelley.
1883-Supervisor, Mark N. Kelley; clerk, Rufus E. Wilder; treasurer, George C. Morse.
STATISTICAL.
In 1840 the population of Metamora was 351.
Census of 1874: Population, 1,314; acres of taxable land, 21,428; of improved land, 13,418; number of sheep, 5,284; of horses, 600; of milch cows, 590. Products of preceding year, 26,978 pounds of wool; 63,322 pounds of pork marketed; 290 pounds of cheese, and 59,030 of butter made; 34,075 bushels of wheat raised; 24,923 of corn; 38,723 of other grain; 14,668 of apples; 404 of pears; seventy-six of plums; 785 of cherries, 4,140 pounds of grapes; 991 bushels of melons and garden vegetables; 10,559 bushels of potatoes, and 1,484 tons of hay; 437 barrels of cider were made, and 8,373 pounds of fruit dried for market.
In 1880 the town had a population of 1,384.
Aggregate value of real and personal property, as equalized by the board of supervisors in 1882, was $810,000.
The annual report of the school inspectors of the town of Metamora for the year 1882, shows the number of school children to have been 430, number of school buildings, six. The inspectors for the ensuing year were: E. F. Conner, George C. Moore, Thomas Mitchell, Jerome C. Walton, M. Johnson, Thomas Dirstine.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
DAVID F. STONE, M. D., was born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., in 1843, and in 1864 began the study of medicine at Toronto, Ontario. In 1867 he came to Metamora and after practicing two years returned to Canada, and was graduated at the Toronto University in 1870. He then came back to Metamora where he has since enjoyed an extensive and lucrative practice. During 1874 he visited London and Paris, continuing his studies to the end of the year, his brother, Dr. George Stone, taking charge of his practice until his return, with whom he has since been associated, both in his practice and the drug business. In 1877 he married Miss Eliza- beth Griswold, of Bay City.
W. WILDER, of the firm of Wilder Bros., general merchants, was born in Prince Edward County, Ontario, in 1857, and in 1878 came to Michigan and for a short time engaged in carriage manu- facturing in Detroit. He then came to Metamora, and continued the same business until 1880, when he engaged in farming which he continued till 1882, when he formed a partnership with his brother for the purpose of carrying on a general mercantile busi- ness. He was married in 1879 to Miss Virginia Price, of Meta- mora.
R. E. WILDER, of the above named firm, was born in Prince Edward County, Ontario, in 1853, and in 1872 engaged as a sales- man in Detroit, where he remained until 1882. He then came to Metamora and opened a general store in connection with his brother.
B. F. WILDER, farmer on section 12, was born in Ontario County, N. Y., in 1824, remaining there until 1835 when he came
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
to Michigan and settled in Wayne County. He remained there ten years when he removed to Bloomfield, Oakland County, thence to White Lake, where he resided seven or eight years, then came to Metamora and took up wild land on section 12, where he now resides. He was married in 1858 to Miss Maria Shippey, of the township of Oxford, Oakland County, and has four children.
TOBIAS PRICE, deceased, was prominently identified with the early settlement of Lapeer County. He was born in Monroe County, N. Y., in 1804, and came to Macomb County in 1828, where he took up eighty acres of land from the government one half mile east from the present village of Romeo. He returned to Monroe County, N. Y., in 1829, and was there married to Miss Emma Fellows, of Mendon, and again came to Michigan with his wife and settled in Shelby, Macomb County, where he resided till 1837. In that year he came to Metamora and took up 320 acres of land, which he improved and resided upon, until his death in 1879. Mr. Price held many of the township offices including that of supervisor, for many years. He had three daughters of whom two are now living-now Mrs. Govan and Mrs. Fellows-who reside on the homestead which is one of the finest farms in the county.
Julia M. Price the eldest daughter, married J. Orren Govan, of Metamora, in 1857, and Ervilla Price married David Fellows, of Metamora, in 1873. The first, second, and third town meetings were held in Mr. Price's house, the first sheep brought to Meta- mora were purchased by Mrs. Price in Troy, Oakland County, from the sale of socks and mittens, knit by her from wool which she brought from her old home, as filling in comfortables.
WILLIAM SAGE, farmer on section 28, was born in Brant County, Ontario, in 1816, and in 1822 came to Michigan with his parents, locating in Oakland County, where he remained until 1829. He then returned to Canada and in 1832 removed to Monroe County, Ohio, residing there one year when he again made Oakland County his home until 1835. In that year he went to St. Joseph County and a year later returned to Oakland County. In 1842 he came to Metamora and settled on wild land on section 29, which he im- proved, and in 1857 removed to section 28, where he now resides. He was married in 1840 to Miss Lorinda Gillet, of Rochester, and has two sons and seven daughters.
ORVIL SAGE, farmer on sections 29, 31 and 32, was born in Mon- roe County, Ohio, in 1844, remaining there until 1849, when he came to Michigan with his parents and settled on the farm where he now resides. He enlisted in 1865 in the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry. In 1866 was married to Miss Mary Fellows, of Metamora, and has two sons.
EDWIN SAGE, farmer on section 29, was born in Monroe County, Ohio, in 1834, remaining there until 1850, when he came with his parents to Michigan and settled on section 32 in Metamora, where he remained until 1856. He then removed to Hadley and purchased a farm on section 13, where he resided till 1865, when he came to Metamora and located on the farm where he now resides. He was married in 1856 to Miss Francis Cady, of Hadley, and has one daughter.
SAMUEL ERLES, deceased, was born in New York in 1820 and about 1830 came to Michigan with his parents and settled near Pontiac. In 1841 he came to Metamora and settled on wild land on section 33, where he remained until his death, in 1871, with the exception of three years he spent in Pontiac engaged in the marble business. He married Miss Esther Hible, of Pontiac, by whom he had two sons and two daughters. Edward, the youngest son, remains at home and carries on the farm.
JAMES H. LEE, son of Jesse Lee, who was one of the pioneers of Lapeer County, was born in the township of Metamora in 1835, and when twenty-one years of age purchased a farm adjoining the
homestead where he now resides. His farm contains 105 acres and he has become known as one of the most successful wheat growers in the county, his crops of that grain aggregating 19,000 bushels in the past thirteen years, the principal part of which he has drawn to Pontiac. He was married in 1863 to Miss Mary Riches, of Thornville, and has two sons and two daughters.
ADAM WINEGAR, deceased, was born near Albany, N. Y., in 1806, and at an early day came to Michigan. He worked at the wagon- makers' trade in Avon, Oakland County, until 1850, when he came to Metamora and settled on section 20, where he engaged in farming and resided until his death in 1881. He was married in 1843 to Miss Lucinda Ruby, of Macomb County, by whom he had two chil- dren, who are now living. Henry resides on the homestead with his mother and sister. Mr. Winegar held the office of justice of the peace twenty-five years.
D. STOCKER was born in Ontario County, N. Y., in 1822, and moved to Niagara County with his parents, where they resided until 1828. They then went to Canada and settled in Holton County, Ontario, remaining there till 1843, when he came to Metamora and settled on section 21, where he now resides. He was married in 1839 to Miss L. A. Varnum, of Holton County, Ontario, and has five sons and six daughters living. Willard, the eldest, married Miss Tena Lee, of Almont, and is living near Metamora. William N., the second son, married Miss Sarah Dunkel, of Clinton, where he now resides. John B., the third son, married Miss Rosa Palmer, of Metamora, and is now living in Hadley. Z. D. and G. W. still remain on the homestead. The eldest daughter, Ropena, married R. Stimpson, of Metamora, and now resides in Genesee. Julia married Geo. W. Simpson, of Isabella County, where they now re- side. Martha married James Palmer, of Metamora, where she resides. The Misses Hester, Lotta and Vira are unmarried and remain on the homestead.
WILLIAM PARK was born in Scotland in 1830 and came to America with his parents in 1836. They settled in New York, where they remained until 1842, when he came to Michigan with an uncle and located in Lapeer County, where he took up 200 acres of wild land. After a residence there of five years he engaged in railroad con- tracting in Ohio, Illinois, and other States until 1862, when he returned to his farm where he now resides. He was married in 1835 to Miss Ellen P. Shanks, of Missouri, and has ten children living. Was one of the contractors on the Missouri & Pacific Railroad. He was elected supervisor for three terms in Metamora. His farm now consists of 314 acres located on sections 13, 23, and 24.
HIRAM ROSSMAN, farmer on section 21, was born in Macomb County in 1833, went to Oakland County at an early age with his parents and remained till 1857. He then came to Metamora and on the farm where he now resides. In 1859 he was married to Miss Sarah N. Porter, of Oakland County, and has two sons and three daughters. Carrie, the eldest, married George Morse and now resides in Metamora.
JOHN MARSDEN, dealer in grain, salt, lime, etc., was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1841, and came to America with his parents in 1842. They settled in the State of Wisconsin, where he re- mained till 1862, when he enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry, serving until the close of the war. He then returned to his old home and attended school one year when he engaged in mercantile business in Platteville, Wis., where he remained until 1867. The next four years he spent in Kansas and then came to Metamora and purchased the Kelley grain elevator, where he handles grain, salt, lime, etc. He was married in 1870 to Miss J. M. Smith, of Franklin County, Kansas.
CLARENCE E. BROWN was born in Columbus, Wis., in 1860, and in 1861 came to Saginaw with his parents and when nine years of
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age went with them to Flint. From there they went to Kipp's Corners, near Goodrich, where his father died, and afterward went to Canada where he engaged in the manufacture of cheese, which he continued for five years. He then returned to Flint and engaged as a salesman with Wetherell & Bro. with whom he continued two years, and the next three years was with F. H. & E. Pierce. He then came to Metamora and purchased a stock of goods of L. D. Campbell and is doing an extensive business. He married Miss Jessie Campbell, of Flint, and has one son.
MARK N. KELLEY was born in Troy, Oakland County, in 1831, and came to Lapeer County in 1844. He attended the district school at Hadley, and when twenty-one years of age went to Louisville, Ky., where he remained six months, and then returned to Lapeer County and engaged in farming on the homestead. In 1868 he formed a partnership with Robert Hutton for the purpose of carrying on a general mercantile business, from which he re- tired in 1870. He then came to Metamora and built a large grain elevator, engaging in the grain trade until 1881, when he sold his business to John Marsden. He was married in 1875 to Miss Mary Henderson and has four children, three daughters and one son. Mr. Kelley was elected supervisor in 1883. He still owns the old homestead on section 1 in Hadley.
O. C. THOMPSON was born in St. Clair County, Mich., in 1846, and afterward moved to Detroit with his parents, where he attended school until sixteen years of age. He then went to Oberlin, Ohio, where he attended school for a time, and in 1862 joined the Christian commission at Alexandria, remaining there two years, when he enlisted in the army and served to the close of the war. He then engaged in farming in Wayne County, which he continued till 1875, when he removed to Spring Lake, Ottawa County, and engaged with A. Bilz of that place in the hardware trade, where he remained two years. He next went to Davisburg, Oakland County, where he engaged in the same business, which he continued till 1879, when he came to Metamora, where he is also engaged in the hardware trade. He was married in 1868 to Miss Annie Scongall, of Oakland County, and has two children-one son and one daughter. Mr. Thompson is a son of the Rev. O. C. Thompson, of Detroit, one of the pioneers who came to the State while it was a Territory, and at so early a day that there were no roads west of Jackson.
JOHN A. HARP was born near Albany, N. Y., in 1830, and in 1860 went to St. Louis, and the following year came to Lapeer County and engaged in wagon making, which he continued till 1869. He then went to Murfreesboro, Tenn., where he resided until 1881, when he came to Metamora and formed a partnership with J. H. Lewis, and they are now engaged in the manufacture of wagons and carriages, doing general blacksmithing and dealing in agricultural implements. Mr. Harp was married in 1868 to Miss Harriet A. Price, of Metamora, and has one child.
WILLIAM HENDERSON was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1819, in the town of Henderson, which was named after his grand- father, who was one of the pioneers of that county. He remained there until 1836, when he went to Canada with his parents, who settled on wild land, remaining there till 1839, when they went to Monroe County, N. Y. They remained there until 1844, engaged principally in farming, when they came to Michigan and took up school and government land in Lapeer County, townshin of Metamora, where he. now resides. Few men know more of the hardships of pioneer life than Mr. Henderson, having passed through all its different phases. He was married in 1842 to Miss Phoebe E. Munger, of Monroe County, and has one daughter-Mrs. Alvah Townsend, who resides on the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson's first experience in housekeeping in their forest home
was precipitated by the unexpected arrival of Mrs. H. while the log house was in that progressive state representing four solid walls without windows, doors or roof. The first night they had to climb over the walls to reach the inner compartment, and for a roof put some boards over one corner.
H. C. BABCOCK was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1830, and in 1834 moved from there to Rome, Oneida County, and after- ward to Oswego, where he remained until 1841. He then made Rochester his home until 1843, when he returned to Oswego, resid- ing there till 1848. In 1851 he came to Michigan and settled in Macomb County, and in 1853 came to Metamora and located on section 18, where he now resides. He has held the office of super- visor and other minor offices. In 1854 he married Miss Rosetta C. Morse, of Metamora, and has four children.
CLARK TOWNSEND was born in the township of Bruce, Macomb County, in 1843, remaining there until 1861, when he came to Metamora and settled on section 8, where he now resides. He has just completed one of the finest farm-houses in the county; has held the office of supervisor. In 1866 he was married to Miss J. Blair, daughter of John Blair, of the township of Lapeer.
I. C. SMITH was born in Mercer County, Pa., July 8, 1815, remaining there until 1834, when he went to Trumbull County, town of Kinsman, Ohio, and engaged in an edge tool manufactory as an apprentice, where he remained until 1837. He then returned to Mercer County and worked at blacksmithing for a year and a half, and in 1838 came to Metamora. In 1840 he went to Canada and spent the winter, returning to Metamora and settled on section 7, where he now resides. He was married in 1844 to Miss Lucinda Wadsworth, of Lapeer County, who died in 1882, by whom he has a son and daughter. In 1869 he was elected supervisor, and has held the office of justice of the peace eight years. In 1870 he took a trip through the Southern and Western States as far West as Leavenworth, Kansas, remaining about three months. In August, 1882, he made a trip to the Lake Superior copper region, and the fall following made a trip with his son to Dakota, also visiting Nebraska and other Western States.
RICHARD MORS, the subject of this sketch, was born in Saratoga County, N. Y., in 1816, and in 1832 moved with his parents to Buffalo where he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for several years. In 1843 he came to Metamora and took up 120 acres of wild land, which he improved and increased by subsequent purchases to about 400 acres. In 1877 he came to the village of Metamora, where he now resides, the homestead being occupied by two of his sons. He was married in 1843 to Miss J. Cooley, of Wyoming County, N. Y., and has five children-four sons and one daughter.
GEORGE C. MORSE, attorney at law, is the eldest son of Richard Mors, and was born in the township of Metamora in 1847. He remained there until 1869, when he commenced his studies in Olivet College, from which he graduated in 1876. He then went to Detroit and read law with Trowbridge and Dowling, afterward with George E. Halliday, remaining with the latter until 1878. He then went to Lansing, where he was admitted to the bar, and then returned to Detroit and formed a partnership with J. Bassett, the title of the firm being Bassett & Morse, which was continued until 1879, when he came to Metamora, where he has since resided. He was married in 1882 to Miss Carrie B. Rossman. In 1880 was elected justice of the peace, also holds the office of township treasurer and school inspector.
H. F. PERKINS was born in Genesee County, N. Y., in 1810, and at three years of age moved with his parents to Ontario County, where he resided until 1837. He then came to Lapeer County, taking up land from the government on section 12 in Metamora, where he now resides. Of his early residence in the township, Mr.
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HISTORY OF LAPEER COUNTY.
Perkins can recite many interesting pioneer experiences, few more interestingly than he. He often had to go to Birmingham, Oakland Co., on foot for plow points. He has served the township as treasurer, highway commissioner and in other minor offices. In 1834 he was married to Miss Mary Ann Pomroy, of Bristol, Ontario County, N. Y., who died in 1835, leaving one child; was again married to Miss Paulina Banker, of Metamora, by whom he lias five children.
MASON PORTER, son of the late Alvin Porter, was born in Shelby, Macomb County, in 1839, and in 1843 came to Lapeer County with his parents, and settled in the township of Metamora. In 1859 he purchased 130 acres on section 16, where he has since resided, and which he has materially improved and added to until he owns 210 acres. He was married in 1859 to Miss E. J. Price, of Metamora, and has two daughters. The eldest married Sidney Copeland, of Oxford, Oakland County, where they now reside.
A. A. PITCHER, son of M. D. Pitcher, one of the pioneers of Lapeer County, was born where he now resides, on section 33, in 1846. His farm contains 143 acres of land. In 1877 he was mar- ried to Miss Alice V. Simmons, of Oxford, Oakland County, and has two sons.
ALBERT PORTER, farmer on section 21, was born in Niagara County, N. Y., in 1830, remaining there until 1834, when he came to Michigan with his parents, who settled in Macomb County on wild land. They remained there for several years, then removed to Shelby, same county, where they resided until 1843, when they came to Metamora, and settled on the farm, where he now resides. In 1855 he went to Saginaw County, and located on 83 acres of government land, where he lived till 1871. In 1862 he enlisted in Company . D, Twenty-Third Michigan Infantry, and served two years, when he received his discharge. In 1871 he returned to Metamora, and settled on section 27, where he remained until 1882 when he again took up his residence on the old homestead. He was married in 1853 to Miss Ann M. Allen, of Genesee County, and has two sons and two daughters.
ALVIN PORTER, deceased, was born in the town of Rush, Monroe County, N. Y., in 1807, and in 1816 moved to Genesee County, where he remained two years, then went to the town of Stafford, Monroe County, where he resided until 1824. He then removed to Niagara County, and in 1834 came to Michigan, and settled in Macomb County, taking up land from the government, residing there until 1843; in that year he came to Metamora, where he resided until his death in 1882. While in New York, he was married to Miss Samantha Goff, who died soon after coming to Michigan. He was again married to Miss Mary Ann Ruby, of Macomb County.
NATHANIEL REED was born in Oakland County in 1841, remain- ing there until 1871 engaged in farming. He then came to Metamora and settled on sections 21 and 28, where he now resides. He was married in 1872 to Miss Rudema Porter, daughter of the late Alvin Porter. They have two sons.
F. P. LAWRENCE was born in the township of Addison, Oakland · County, in 1842, remaining there until 1876, when he moved to Oxford, making that his place of residence until 1882. He then came to Metamora, and located on section 26, where he now resides. He was married in 1870 to Miss Phoebe D. Porter, daughter of the late Alvin Porter. They have one son and one daughter.
A. S. COWAN, farmer on section 25, was born in Oneida County, N. Y., in 1836, and when six months of age came with his parents to Michigan. They settled near Troy Corners, Oakland County, where they remained ten years, when they removed to Bloomfield, where he remained until 1858, thence to Shiawassee County, and from there came to Metamora in 1860. He settled on
section 19, remaining until 1863, when he removed to his present place on section 25. He was married in 1860 to Miss Adelaide Porter, daughter of the late Alvin Porter, and has four sons. He has held the offices of township treasurer and commissioner of high- · ways.
SYLVESTER GARK, farmer on section 26, was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1828, and when three years of age moved with his parents to Canada. He remained there until 1855, when he came to Michigan and settled in the township of Elba, Lapeer County, removing in 1857 to North Branch and a year later came to Metamora. Two years thereafter he returned to North Branch where he resided until 1862 when he again came to Metamora and located on sections 21 and 22, removing in 1868 to section 26 where he now resides. He was married in 1856 to Miss Mary Ann Thomas, of Metamora, and has two sons and one daughter.
E. ISHAM, deceased, was born in Batavia, New York, in 1804, remaining there until 1835 when he came to Michigan. After re- siding two years in Macomb County he came to Metamora and took up land from the government on section 11, where he remained until his death in 1847. He was married in 1840 to Miss Julia Miller, of Metamora, by whom he had two sons and one daughter. Philo, the eldest son, was born in 1842, and in 1877 married Miss Mary Watkins, of Lapeer County. He now resides on the home- stead and has held the office of township clerk. J. H., the second son, was born in 1843 and in 1880 married Miss Erva White, of Metamora. Jane, the daughter, married George Barber.
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