History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 78

Author: Leeson, Michael A., [from old catalog] comp
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, M. A. Leeson & co.
Number of Pages: 952

USA > Michigan > Macomb County > History of Macomb County, Michigan > Part 78

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).

COLLINS BRADLEY was born January 19, ISOS, in Bennington County. Vt. He

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

is the son of Ethan Allen and Christiany Wood Bradley; his paternal grandfather, Lem- uel Bradley, was born in 1750, and was a Captain in the Federal army and fought in the battle of Bennington, Vt .: he died in 1800. Ethan Allen Bradley was born in 1774; lived in Vermont and served several terms in the Legislature of that State, dying in 1845. Mr. Bradley of this sketch lived in his native county until the age of twenty, when he went to Auburn, N. Y., where he remained for eight years; five years of this time, from 1832 to 1836, he was engaged in the importing and manufacturing house of P. Hayden & Co., and, from 1836 to 1838, with the Hon. W. H. Seward, as cashier and general book-keeper in the land office, located at Westfield, Chautauqua Co .. N. Y .: from 1838 to 1840, he was employed in the same business with P. Hayden & Co., at Columbus, Ohio: in 1840, he opened a branch house in Detroit, Mich., as a partner with P. Hayden & Co; in 1846, he came to Macomb County and located a farm, partly in Bruce and partly in Washington, where he lived for twenty-seven years. During his stay at Detroit and on the farm, he entertained Mr. Seward as his guest on two occasions. Mr. Seward spent one night at his house while he was United States Senator. Mr. B. was married, in 1836, at Anburn, N. Y., to Juliette E. White, who was born January 11, 1811, at Canaan, Conn .; they had five children-Helen, born in 1837, lived two years and died, 1839, at Columbus, Ohio; Henry W. was born 1839, and Charles C. in 1840; Alice M., in 1846, and Francis H., in 1849. Henry and Charles are partners in an extensive tobacco business in Romeo, Mich. In 1850, Mr. Bradley and wife united with the Baptist Church, at Mt. Vernon, and, in 1873, took letters and unite l with the Baptist Church in Romeo; they moved to Romeo in 1873, and located on Pleasant street, where they now live.

ALEX. A. BRIGGS, proprietor of the American House, was born at Colchester, Canada West, November 27, 1841; he purchased the principal hotel building at Romeo, November 13, 1878, and has since that time made Michigan his home; his hotel is noticed in the history of Romeo, He moved to Detroit in 1853, and made that his home until he moved to Romeo.

DANIEL B. BRIGGS, P. O. Romeo, was born at Adams, Berkshire County, Mass .. February 13, 1829; his parents were natives of the same State; after pursuing for some years an academic course of study, he entered Williams College, Mass., in 1844, from which he graduated in 1848; he immediately commenced the study of law, and was ad. mitted in 1850 to practice in the courts of the commonwealth. About the close of that year, his native town established, in compliance with the Legislative enactment, a free high school, and Mr. Briggs was chosen to the Principalship, which position he held for three years. During this time, he also did service as a member of the School Committee of the town. In March, 1854, he removed to Detroit, and, in the month of May follow- ing. located at Romeo, Macomb County, Mich., and entered upon the practice of law. The following year, he became Principal of the Dickinson Institute-formerly a branch of the State University-located at that place, and was connected with that institution for three years. During the years 1858, 1859 and 1860, he held the position of Superintend- ent of Public Schools in the city of Ann Arbor; from thence he removed to Jackson, where he held a similar position for five years. On leaving school work in the summer of 1865, he returned to Macomb County and engaged in farming. During the Legislative session of 1867, he acted as Clerk of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, and, in the month of April of that year, was elected County Superintendent of Schools for Macomb County and, on the Ist of May following, he entered upon the duties of that office, in which he served four years. During his last official term, he was made President of the State Association of County Superintendents of Schools. He was Director of the Romeo Union School District for eight years, and, for about the same length of time, was Secretary of the County Agricultural Society; he also had charge of the public schools of

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Mt. Clemens, the county seat of Macomb County, for the school year 1871-72; in Novem- ber, 1872, he was elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction, which office he re- tained for four years, having been re-elected at the close of his first term, in 1874. In 1879, Mr. Briggs was appointed to the office of Deputy Secretary of State, which official position he still occupies. Mr. B. cherishes the welfare of old Macomb, and during all of his absence he has never lost his residence in the county.

MARTIN BUZZELL was born May 16, IS11, at Boston, Lower Canada; is the son of Daniel and Lydia (Adams) Buzzell, the former born in New Hampshire, the latter in St. Johnsbury, Vt., the first white child born there; her ancestors belonged to the old Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts. The family went to Derby, Vt., soon after the birth of Mr. B. of this sketch, and, in 1817, to Honeoye Falls, Monroe Co., N. Y., where they resided until 1831, when he came to Michigan and settled at Grand Blanc, Genesee County. Mr. B. came to Romeo in July of the same year, where his parents afterward joined him; his father died at fifty-one, his mother at eighty-five, years of age. He was married, Novem- ber 4, 1832, to Clarissa T. Winchell; she died in the autumn of 1836, leaving one son -- - Julius C., who married Phebe Hamlin; they buried three children in infancy. Mr. B. was married again in 1843, to Harriet Burk; she died in 1846, and left one living son- Marcus H., who married Mary Rogers; they have one child-Helen M., born February 14, ISSO; one child was buried in infancy. Mr. B. was married, to Julia A. Wing, April 26, 1849; four children of this marriage survive-Fred C., editor of the Romeo Democrat, born July 3, 1855; Clyde H., foreman of the Romeo Observer, February 27, 1857; Ida L. and Eva R. (twins), November 24, 1859; Eva is the wife of George E. Stranahan, and was married August 7, 1878, they have one son-Claude M., born December 16, 1879: Frank M. was born March 12, 1850 and died July 16, 1876; Helen C., September 27, 1851; died March 2, 1880; Byron L. and Burton S. (twins), born September 26, 1854: died August 7 and 17. 1855; Malcom W., born December 10, 1863: died March 1, ISSO; he and his sister were buried in one day. Mrs. B. is a native of Missisquoi County, Province of Quebec; on coming to Romeo. Mr. B. engaged in mercantile business as a clerk; in the fall of 1837, he went to Natchez, Miss., and was similarly employed until the fall of 1840, when he returned to this county and was on a farm a few years, in Armada, remov- ing to Romeo in 1845; he was the first Town Clerk of Bruce, and, in 1861, was elected Justice of the Peace, serving two terms in Bruce; in July, 1872, he was elected to the same office from Washington and has filled the office continuously since. He is in the in- surance business, also, which he has been operating since 1861.

ELISHA CALKINS, son of Hiram and Abigail (Lockwood) Calkins, was born Octo ber 1, 1816, in Cayuga County, N. Y. His father was born in Connecticut, his mother in New York. In 1825, his parents came to Michigan and settled in Washington Township, where his father located 160 acres of Government land, to which he subsequently made considerable additions; he died in June, 1875. On coming to Romeo, Mr. Calkins en- gaged about eighteen months in general merchandise, when he sold out and went to Sault Ste. Marie, and had the management of a portion of the canal construction two years, after which he returned to Romeo and, opened a mercantile enterprise in connection with A. McLeod, which he pursued two years. In 1861, he embarked in the drug business, selling out six years later, and, going to Detroit, engaged in the Union Iron Company, in which he still holds an interest. He was connected with Amos Palmer in the furniture business, from March, 1880, to May, ISS1: he inherited Democratic principles and voted for one President in accordance with them, but, being a Radical in his views generally, he became an earnest supporter of the Republican party on its organization. He was elected Supervisor of Washington Township, in 184S, and has held the office five years; has also been Village Trustee. In 1850, he engaged in lumbering in Lapeer County, where he

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

continued two years. In the spring of 1838, he was married to Caroline Wales (born in Lower Canada), who died in 1852: from this marriage there were three children-Horace, who died when two years old; Orpha and Abigail, both deceased. Mr. Calkins was mar- ried again, in the spring of 1854. to Eliza Wales, sister of his first wife: they have one child-Cora G. Mr. Calkins owns village property at Romeo; also at Imlay City, La- peer County.

CHARLES N. COE, jeweler, was born in Milford, Pike Co., Penn., July 28, 1848; he is the son of Charles R. and Lucetta ( Wells) Coe: when he was three years old, he camne with his parents to a farin two miles west of Oxford, Oakland County; they removed to Romeo two years later, where, with the exception of one year spent in the State of New York, he has since resided: he is engaged in the prosecution of the jewelry trade, on Main street; the concern was first established in 1858 in a small building on West St. Clair street, by H. P. Piper, and was removed a short time after to the present location of the restaurant of J. L. Benjamin: its second removal was to its present quarters, in Gray's block. About that date, Mr. Piper associated Capt. Milton Thompson with himself, and they continued in the partnership until November 26. 1873, when C. N. Coe became its proprietor by pm. chase.

THOMAS D. COE & CO., druggists. The drug house of Coe & Co. was established originally by a man named B. F. Castle; several years later. in 1856, it passed into the hands of Pool & Hosner. by whom it was managed until August 4, 1857. when the firm style became Pool. Tilson & Hubbard. by whom the business was prosecuted until early in 1860, when Mr. Hubbard retired and it became Pool & Tilson; February 20 of that year, another change was made to Pool & Calkins, and soon after, on the death of the junior partner, the concern became E. & L. Calkins; in September, 1861, Joseph Holland succeeded L. Calkins by purchase, and the firm became Calkins & Holland; September 20, 1866, another change occurred, and the house did business under the name of Holland & Reade; T. D. Coe & Co. succeeded to the proprietorship, March 22. 1875; predecessors remained as silent partners until the death of Holland, about a month after, since which Mr. Reade has occupied that position alone. T. D. Coe was born in Pike County, Penn., June 29, 1846: is the son of Charles R. and Lucetta (Wells) Coe; his parents moved to Michigan when he was five years of age and settled in Oakland County, ou a farm, coming to Romeo two years later. Mr. C. entered the drug store of Calkins & Holland in 1861, and has been in the drug business ever since, finally succeeding to the proprietorship of the established and reliable house where he began to familiarize himself with the details of his life's pursuit. He was married. February 16, 1874, to Anna Washer, a native of New Jersey. Mr. Coe has a residence on Prospect street.

MASON COLE was born November 5, 1819, at Bristol, Ontario Co., N. Y .: is the son of Nathaniel and Sally (Mason) Cole; the former was a direct descendant from the pil- grim stock of New England, and was born at Rehoboth, Bristol Co., Mass., in 1794; his wife was born at Attleboro, Bristol Co., Mass., in 1798, also of English Puritan lin- eage. June 16, 1837, Mr. Cole's father set out for Michigan, accompanied by his wife and six children: the overland journey consumed eighteen days (Mr. Cole slept every niglit in the wagon). They located on the north line of Ray Township, where the father bought 200 acres of land and they entered upon pioneer life, clearing away the timber and improving the farm. They brought a year's provisions, consequently their first ex- periences were comparatively free from difficulties, but the next year, 1838, many hard- ships overtook them, consequent upon the large influx of emigrants, which rendered sup- plies insufficient. There was money enough, but everything must be brought from De- troit and no one had time to spare. During that year, Mr. Cole sometimes wore shirts without sleeves, and subsisted on roasted corn with milk -- if the cow could be found.

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He was seventeen when his parents came to Michigan, and until he was twenty one he had no opportunities for an education. After that age, he exerted himself to acquire such attainments as he foresaw he should require to become a successful business man. He taught school thirteen consecutive terms, in Macomb County-terms ranging from three to six months. During eighteen months of this time, he was troubled with fever and ague, and had, besides, a school of seventy pupils on his hands, but he made no stop, save for an occasional half day. The gleanings from pioneer experiences show how advantageous to the human mind is the necessity for struggle to attain, not the benefits of the world, but the discipline that prepares a man to justly estimate his own value among men. Mr. Cole studied law two years for the express purpose of managing his business intelligently. He was by heritage and training a Democrat, and, while a mem- ber of that party, was a delegate to five conventions; he adopted Free-Soil principles and eventually became a Republican, assisting in the organization of the party in Macomb County; was once delegate to the Republican State Convention, and twice a delegate to the Eighth Republican District Convention; since 1854, he has been. with two excep- tions, a delegate to every County Convention; he has been identified with the politics of this county since 1840; he was School Inspector of Ray eight years, and, in 1866, was elected Justice of the Peace; was, during the time, elected Highway Commissioner, serv- ing four years; in 1879, was again elected Justice of the Peace, but resigned on coming to Romeo; he has served as juryman on occasions for thirty-five years in this county, and one term on the United States jury at Detroit. He was married, in 1847, to Charity Gamber, a native of Ontario County, N. Y .; she died May 24, 1877, leaving two sons- Simeon G. (married Ida Parker, and resides on the farm in Ray) and William B., a grad- uate of Kalamazoo College. Mr. Cole was married a second time, January 2, 1978, to Mrs. Ann Eliza, widow of Burchard Throop; he has been Director of the Macomb and St. Clair Mutual Fire Insurance Company for two years.

CHESTER COOLEY was born June 19, 1817, in Cambria, Niagara Co., N. Y,; he is the son of Samuel and Polly (Dyke) Cooley; at the age of eighteen, in the fall of 1835, he settled with his parents in the town of Bruce. He was married. August 24, 1838, to Jane, daughter of Jacob Kisoe, of Ontario County, N. Y .; by request of his father, it was arranged that the patrimonial estate should revert to him, consequently it was his home. and he cared for his father and mother through their declining years; in 1868, he left his homestead and bought his residence on Main street, north, where he has since resided; he still owns 200 acres-the old farm in Bruce, a part inherited from his father and the rest purchased from the several heirs; also owns two farms in Ray, including 227 acres; also cedar and pine lands and village property in Romeo. He was an inherent Democrat, to which party he adhered until the rise of the Free-Soil party, and afterward became a Re- publican ; they have seven children Noah. Polly. Anna. Chester Dike, Sarah Jane, Eunice Beach and Manley Benjamin. Samuel Cooley was born November 14, 1775, in Vermont: his father was Benjamin Cooley, a Colonel in the Revolution, and was with Ethan Allen when he demanded the surrender of Ticonderoga, in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress; Col. Cooley was one of the first settlers in Ver- mont, from Massachusetts, and was for years a Representative in the Vermont Legislature: he was Clerk of his county, and, being a leading member of the M. E. Church, he was foremost in holding open doors for the entertainment of the itinerancy of that body of Christians; on one occasion, when a quarterly meeting was in session at CoI. Cooley's home, it took fire and was destroyed, the county records being preserved only through the most strenuous efforts. Samuel Cooley was the second son; he came to Vermont, and, as soon as he was eligible, he was elected to the Legislature, and continued to serve there until 1815, when he went to Cambria, Niagara Co., N. Y. He was married, in Vermont.

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October 5, 1797, to Polly Dyke, born August 4, 1781; he followed the occupation of farm- ing in New York State until the fall of 1832, when he came to Michigan and entered 320 acres of land, receiving his patent of ownership from Andrew Jackson; on this farm he lived and died; he made the route to Michigan overland through Canada, bringing with him his wife and four sons; on the organization of the State, Mr. C. was urged to accept a nomination as Representative in one of the first Legislatures, but he declined; he was a Democrat, acted as Assessor for Bruce for a number of years; he laid out the first road of any extent in that township: he died February 2, 1843; Mrs. C. died September 10, 1838.

AMOS O. CRISSMAN was born October 8, ISIS, in Warren County, N. J .: his parents, Benjamin and Mary (Kern) Crissman, were both natives of New Jersey, of Ger- man descent; they settled in Washington, Macomb County, in 1830, and purchased 240 acres of land having some improvements, afterward adding to it until it included 600 acres; the father died in 1861, the mother in 1855; there were six sons and one daughter. The estate was inventoried at $20,000 on the father's death. Mrs. Crissman acted as the administrator. He remained on the farm until he was twenty-eight years old; after he reached his majority, he received $110 a year, with board and clothes; he was married, in 1846, to Abigail Pettinger, a native of New York; with the money he had earned, he bought eighty-seven acres of land in Washington, which he afterward traded for a farm of 120 acres, in Bruce, where he lived eighteen months. In the winter of 1563, he bought his property-six acres -- in Romeo. Mr. and Mrs. Crissman have had three children, one of whom died when an infant; two danghters-Mary F. and Addie L .- reside at home. Mr. Crissman was formerly a Whig but is now a Republican; he is one of the substantial citizens of Romeo and represents a considerable amount of property vested in mortgages, notes, etc.

WILLIAM B. CUYLER, photographic artist, was born March 22, 1847, East Guil- lumbury, Province of Ontario, Canada; is the son of William E. and Julia A. (Pnrdy) Cuyler; his father was born in Vermont, June 23, 1809, his mother in New York, June 15, 1805: they had seven children -- three sons and four daughters. Mr. Cuyler, Sr., died April 28, 1876; he was the son of John and Elizabeth (Thompson) Cuyler. Mrs. Cuyler is still living; she is the daughter of William and Philinda (Vieder) Purdy, of Holland extraction. 'Mr. Cuyler's paternal ancestors were of English lineage. Mr. Cuyler of this sketch was trained to the vocation of a machinist in his native town, which he pur- sued until 1869; he came to Michigan in 1865, locating at Attica, obtaining employment at his trade; in 1869, he began the preliminaries of his profession and was under instruc- tions until 1871, when he opened business independently in his present quarters, at Ro- meo, where he has since continued. Mr. Cuyler is entitled to distinctive notice as a sci- entific empiricist in his profession, consequently his work exhibits merits of much more than ordinary pretension; he keeps pace with all modern progress in the art and is always in readiness to exhibit to his patrons the latest and best styles of pictures. He was mar- ried, April 18, 1872, to Hattie E., daughter of Eli and Catharine (Rooney) Woodrow, born in Norwich, Province of Ontario, Canada, April 15. 1853; they have three children N. Kitty, born September 19, 1873: Mauviette, March 27, 1876: Zoe, August S. 1881. Mr. Cuyler adheres to the principles of the Democratic faith. Mr. Woodrow was born May 14, 1809; his wife January 31, 1807.

FRANK W. DASH was born September 26, 1849, in Oxford County, Ontario, Can- ada: is the son of Charles and Louise Dash; came to the States April 28, 1868, when he came to Romeo; by occupation he is a tinsmith; learned his trade in Canada; is now foreman of the tin department of Henry Rawles' hardware establishment. June 5, 1872, Mr. Dash married Irene Washer, of Romeo; wife born January 5, 1852; she died Sep- tember 30, 1878; had one child, Carl W., born September 17, 1875. Mr. Dash married

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

for his second wife May E. Washer, sister of his first wife; were married June 10, 1SS0; his wife was born November 23, 1853; she was the daughter of George and Isabel Wash- er, of Romeo; they have one child-Frank G., born November 19, 1881. Mr. Dash is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dash are members of the Baptist Church of Romeo; politically, he is a Republican.

ISAAC DOUGLAS, D. D. S., was born in Troy, Oakland Co., Mich., May 25. 1830; he is the third son of Nathan Douglas, son of Rev. Caleb Douglas, of New London, Conn. Nathan Douglas came from Whitestown. N. Y., in 1824, and settled in Troy, hav - ing six months previously been united in marriage with Frances Smith, of Whitesboro; he located in the primal wilderness, cleared a space and built a log home, in which they lived four weeks before doors and windows could be procured. The time was made inter- esting by the screeching of owls and howling of wolves; they reared eight children to ma- turity; after the marriage of the youngest, in 1864. the farm was sold and the parents went to reside with their second son-William-in Otisco. Ionia County, where Mr. Douglas died December 6, 1874: he and his wife celebrated their fiftieth wedding anni- versary March S of the same year. Mr. and Mrs. D. were two of the constituent mem- bers of the Troy Baptist Church, having been dismissed from the Pontiac Church for that purpose. Mrs. D. died at Pewamo, Ionia Co., Mich., January 18, 1882; the ancestry of Dr. Douglas is reliably traced to Deacon William Douglas, who came from Scotland in 1640, with his wife. Ann Mattie Douglas, to whom he was married in 1636, at Ringstead, England; they are the ancestors of the now famous New London family, which has spread to all parts of this country: the line descends to Dr. Douglas as follows: William, Robert, Thomas, John, Caleb and Nathan; it is taken from a genealogical history of the Douglas family. Dr. D. had in early life only the advantages for education common to the sons of Michigan pioneer farmers; during his twentieth summer, he studied dentistry with his brother Caleb, who settled in Romeo at the season's close, and continued to study with him until March, 1852, and remained with him until his death, in June, 1852, and suc- ceeded to his business: he felt that he needed a knowledge of medicine of a wider scope than was to be obtained from dental books and he began to read with Dr. Wyker, of Ro- meo; in 1854, his health failed and he abandoned his profession, partly to receive medical treatment, which he did a year and one-half, under the old-school treatment, without benefit: he tested homeopathic remedies and method, and in four weeks resumed the du- ties of his profession at Romeo and commenced the study of homeopathy. under the direc- tion of Drs. Ellis & Drake, of Detroit: in the winter of 1858, he entered the college at Cleveland, Ohio; here he passed all the examinations and ranked among the highest in his class: he returned to Romeo in 1859, and began the practice of medicine, together with dentistry, which he continued until 1865, since which time he has confined his at- tention to dentistry as closely as circumstances would allow; since that date, he has given instruction to a number of young men in dentistry, homeopathy and allopathy, who are practicing in their professions. As a dentist, Dr. Douglas has been signally successful; from January 1, 1866, to January 1, 1872, he put in 4,394 fillings with but seventeen re- placements within two years of the first operation; February 1, 1852, he made his first experiment in removing nerves and filling nerve canals in roots, with a three-rooted tooth, which was in good condition twenty-three years afterward: April 9, 1559, he exerted his skill for the first time in filling ulcerated teeth; the experiment has proved a success to this date, twenty-three years after. Dr. D. is one of the organizing members of the Michigan Dental Association, seldom failing to attend its meetings, contributing greatly to their interest by verbal or written discussions, or both: has occupied or declined every official position; he assisted in organizing the Michigan Homeopathic Institute, and was a member until its dissolution, in May, 1877; he was constituted a member of its suc-

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History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 78

Author: Leeson, Michael A., [from old catalog] comp Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, M. A. Leeson & co. Number of Pages: 952

Author: Leeson, Michael A., [from old catalog] comp
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, M. A. Leeson & co.
Number of Pages: 952