History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 90

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 90

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).

BIOGRAPHICAL.

The personal history of the township constitutes a very essential part of the history of the county. It is the record of industry, of enterprise and of duty done. This most important branch of local history has been treated extensively, every effort was made to render it full and correct, and therefore, we have pleasure in referring our readers to the pages devoted to it in this volume:

WILLIAM BROWNELL, P. O. Utica. Mr. B. was born November 16, 1830, in Farmington, Oakland Co., Mich. ; is the son of George and Clarissa Grant Brownell; his

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

father was one of the pioneer settlers of Oakland Connty, was born in New Lisbon, Otsego Co .. N. Y., and died August 15, 1879; his mother was born January 3, 1802, in the State of New York, and died September 17, 1855; in the spring of 1851, Dr. Brownell came to this county and began the practice of his profession, which he has since continued, with the exception of three years' service in the war of the rebellion. as Surgeon of the Second Regiment Michigan Cavalry; he was married, May 10, 1856, at Jackson, Mich., to Jane E. Scudder, born September 13, 1834, at Utica: two of three children born to them are living-Lizzie M., born May 21. 1859, died September 28. 1862: Kate G., February 23, 1865, and William S., May 14, 1868. Dr. B. was elected to represent his district two terms in the Legislature: he has been a member of the School Board of Utica fifteen vears, and has been its President since 1867; has been actively connected with school in- terests thirty years; he is a Democrat in politics.

IRA H. BUTTERFIELD, SR., was born December 6, 1812, in Perry, Wyoming Co .. N. Y .; removed permanently to Michigan in November, 1838, where he settled on Section 32. township of Shelby: there he resided continuously until the spring of 1866, when he removed to Lapeer, Lapeer County. where he still resides. Mrs. Rachel McNeill Butter- field was born in Antrim, N. H., in 1811, and was a direct descendant of the Scotch-Irish people who settled Londonderry, N. H. They were married in 1538, just before settling in Michigan; this lady died in October, 1846.

IRA HOWARD BUTTERFIELD, JR., was born December 22, 1840, on Section 32, township of Shelby, one and one-half miles northwest of the village of Utica, where he lived until the spring of 1861, when he went to California overland, with stock, remaining away nearly three years; was then two years at Utica on his father's farm: in the spring of 1866, removed to Lapeer, Mich., and purchased a farm, and, up to May, 1879, was en- gaged in stock-raising and farming; since then and at present he is a Deputy Collector and Inspector of Customs at Port Huron, Mich., and is also one of the Directors of the State Agricultural Society. August 29, 1866, he married Miss Olive F. Davison, who was born Angust 8, 1842, in the township of Atlas, Genesee County, Mich. ; her father was Oliver P. Davison, a native of New York, who settled in that township in 1831; they were the parents of four children, two of whom died young: two boys are now living-Kenyon L., born in 1868, and Clinton D. in 1878.

ELIPHALET J. CANNON, P. O. Washington, farmer, Section 3, was born Novem- ber 18, 1812, in Shrewsbury. Rutland Co., Vt., he is the son of Pearl and Mary (Fuller) Cannon (see sketch of Gen. G. H. Cannon). Mr. C. came to this county in September. 1856, and purchased eighty-three acres of land; he now owns 164 acres of first-class land with good dwelling and commodious and substantial buildings. Mr. Cannon was mar- ried, November 30, 1834, to Tryphonia MJ. Prouty, a native of Granville, Washington Co .. N. Y. ; her mother was born July 4. 1793, in Hartford, Washington Co., N. Y., her father in 1775, in Worcester County, Mass. : her grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Cannon have had six children, whose record is as follows: Mary J., born March 19, 1836; Anna M., January 9, 1837, died January 23. 1855: Paulina T., July 4, 1839. married James S. Lawson, May 22. 1861; Juliette I., April 25, 1842. died June 17, 1862; Levi E., April 21, 1844, married Lucelia M. Manley, December 16, 1868; Ella A .. October 23. 1847, married Martin C. Williams, July 16. 1872. died April 19, 1880. Mr. C. is a Republican in politics and himself and wife are members of the Christian Church, of Romeo. Levi Cannon. only son of Eliphalet and Mahala Cannon. of English and Ger- man descent, was born April 21, 1844, in Day, Saratoga Co., N. Y .: removed with his parents to Shelby, Macomb Co., Mich .. in October, 1856; married. December 16, 1868, to Lucelia M. Manley. second daughter of Joel W. and Julia Manley, of English and Irish descent, born June 28, 1846, in Shelby, Macomb County; they have always been residents

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

of Shelby and have no children. Mr. C. is a farmer and, for the past ten years, has de- voted considerable time to locating and estimating pine and hardwood lands in the northern part of the States; latterly he is in the employ of the D., M. & M. R. R. Company of the Upper Pennisula.

GEORGE HENRY CANNON, P. O. Washington, was born in Day. Saratoga Co., N. Y .. December 30, 1826: he is the son of Pearl and Mary ( Fuller) Cannon, natives of Warwich, Mass. ; the latter was born April 10, 1786, the former in 1784; they were mar- ried in 1805, and had eleven children, seven of whom survive, as follows, Rev. John Can- non. September 21, 1808; Rev. Isaiah Fuller Cannon. September 16. 1810; Eliphalet Johnson, November 18, 1812: Mary. July 16, ISIS; George H., December 30, 1826; Levi Hathaway, April 19, 1830, and Sarah, April 11, 1832. The senior Cannon removed his family to Saline, Washtenaw County, in 1833, and, four years later, to Bruce, Macomb County, settling in Shelby in 1846; he died in that township January 6, 1852, and his wife died March 25, 1862; both grandsires of Mr. Cannon were engaged in the country's earliest struggle for existence. and their descendants have preserved names guiltless of divorce or criminal records. Mr C. is a creditable sample of what a man may make of himself; in his youth, Michigan had no free schools, and he obtained his education through his own exertion, working nights and mornings for his board and for the teacher at the close of his term to pay his tuition; at nineteen, he entered the service of a party explor- ing in the Lake Superior regions, with whom he remained one year, meantime coasting in an open boat nearly around that lake. The record of his travels were published in a series of letters soon after his return: he attended the academy at Rochester, Oakland County, two years: the institution was under the charge of Peter Moyers, of Washington Township, during the first year: he died and was succeeded by Prof. R. C. Kedzie, now Professor of Chemistry of the Agricultural College at Lansing; after leaving the academy, Mr. C. taught two winters in Oakland County and two in Macomb County; in the spring of 1849. he was employed by Judge W. A. Burt. in company with others, in making an examina- tion of a district north and west of the Saginaws; in 1850, he had charge of the surveys for Mr. Burt, and. during that season, made the sub-divisional lines of about ten town- ships: on the 9th day of August. he was appointed United States Deputy Surveyor, in which capacity he has performed a large amount of surveying on the Government lands as embraced in nine contracts, including the Grand Traverse Region, many towns near Cheboygan and the islands of Saginaw Bay: he also did much work on the Upper Penin- sula and examined by appointment the condition of the surveys in the territory between Lakes Superior and Michigan, and from the meridian line as far west as the pictured rocks, consuming two seasons in the work and crossing the peninsula from lake to lake several times; he was also appointed to survey an extensive district of township lines on the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota, which extended to Pigeon River, the national boundary line. During the summer of 1856, he made the survey of an extensive Indian Reservation; since the closing of the public surveys, he has been largely engaged in examining and selecting pine and farming lands in Michigan and Wisconsin. Mr. Cannon resides on Section 4: besides his homestead, he owns extensive lands in several counties of this State; he was married, October 31, 1852, to Lucy Marie, daughter of Isaac Cole. of Erie County. N. Y. : their children's record is as follows: Alice, wife of Dr. A. Clarke, of Cannonsburg, Kent County. born August 10, 1853; Eber P., born January 20, 1855, deceased; George Lee, November 18, 1856, deceased; Frank E., June 24, 1860, deceased: Howard B., February 5, 1868, and William A .. September 23, 1870. Mr. C. is a man of quiet and retiring manners, yet sufficiently mindful of his inherent obligations as an American citizen to respond cheerfully to the summons of his peers to official duty. Since the days of Fremont. he has been an unwavering supporter of the principles of

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

Republicanism and an uncompromising Union man during the rebellion and is always found in the service of practical Christianity; he contributed generously to the erection of the Union Church at Washington, and is, with his wife, a non-resident member of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church; his religions views are characterized by tolerance of the opinions and beliefs of others; he is a warm-hearted friend to all worthy humanity and entertains his guests with a marked generosity: his moral character is without a stain ; his word is a bond and his judgment in practical business life is considered justly uner- ring.

REV. JOHN CANNON (autobiography). I was born in the town of New Salem, Mass., September 21, 1SOS, and was the eldest child of Pearl Cannon and Mary Fuller, his wife; both parents were of English ancestry; my paternal and maternal grandfather each served during the Revolutionary war; my family moved westward, to New Hamp- shire. in 1810; thence to Vermont, in 1820; thence to Day, Saratoga Co., N. Y. I shared the toils and hardships incident to a pioneer's life in the rocky, mountainous portion of Eastern New York, our chief occupation being lumbering, shaving shingles and " peeling tanbark." March 28, 1830, I married Sally Cook, daughter of Stephen Cook, of Welsh descent, and Thankful Creal, whose parents came from Holland; we have raised a family of seven children-Stephen B., born September 30, 1832 (see sketch); Sarah M., Septem- ber 22, 1834; John W., Jan. 17, 1836; Hannah M., April 10. 1838; Ellery C., December 28, 1842; Mary L., August 21, 1846; Thedee A., Angust 30, 1849. The year following our marriage, we began to hear of the land of " milk and honey," where porkers ran about ready roasted. with carving-knife and fork stuck in their back, and money grew on bushes -even the Territory of Michigan; being tired of climbing hills and desirous of obtaining a home, we left our kindred and set out for the promised land. After a weary journey, we arrived in Washtenaw County. in the fall of 1831; the following year, we purchased land near Ypsilanti, building a comfortable frame house, and, feeling much elated with our success, began to improve our home. I had been converted at the age of sixteen, and united with the Christian Church, whose creed is the Bible, and had early been impressed that it was my duty to preach the word to a perishing world. After much prayer, I laid the matter before my faithful wife, who, with her accustomed bravery, answered: "Do what is your duty, and I will do all 1 can to help you." In the year 1834, we sold our home and moved to Royal Oak, Oakland County. I now gave my time to the work of traveling and preaching, while my family lived upon short rations and fared hard, as the pioneer minister's wife and children are often obliged to do. My circuit embraced Wayne, La- peer. Macomb and part of Washtenaw Counties: my road lay through the forest. following bridle-paths, or old trails, always on horseback, preaching on an average 250 sermons a year and traveling 3,000 miles. From the year 1538 to 1842, I held meetings each day in the year. The people thronged to hear the Word, and in many a log schoolhouse, or simple settler's cabin, precious seasons of revival and wondrous outpourings of God's power were manifested. Since the beginning of my ministry, I have baptized nearly 900 believers, married 210 couples and attended 419 funerals. In 1535, we purchased a small place in Shelby, Macomb County. and have resided in the county ever since. By means of farming and other mechanical pursuits, and the small remuneration I received for my preaching (having never received a salary), we brought up our children, and now, in 1882, remain an unbroken family circle. My wife and I celebrated our " golden wedding " March 25, ISSO, on which occasion we were generously remembered by a host of kind friends. As an illustration of the difficulties we encountered in those early days, I relate the following incident: Having an appointment to fill at Ridgeway, Lenawee County, while proceeding thither on horseback, I arrived at Ypsilanti and found that the high water, caused by a June freshet, had carried away the bridge over the Huron River; they

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

had made a temporary bridge to accommodate foot passengers, by placing saw-horses at proper intervals, and placing a single plank from one to the other; on account of the high bank on one side of the river and the low land on the other, this frail bridge was in some places several feet from the water. I must cross this bridge with my pony, or fail to reach my appointment at the hour, as this was the direct route. My horse had walked logs when lying lengthwise over miry places, so I resolved to try her on the bridge. I dis- mounted, and removed the saddle and indispensable saddle-bags. A crowd came out to witness the strange spectacle. I started out on my strange journey, the pony following, nothing daunted by the unusual path, and we reached the shore in safety, amidst the cheers of the crowd. Thus by hard paths, and through manifold trials. God led the pio- neers of Michigan in all safety, until we who are left to tell the story of our simple, la- borions life of trials and triumphs, see our children and children's children inheriting a goodly land, and we look forward to "a better country, whose Builder and Maker is the Lord."

ALFRED CARLTON, farmer, Section 2, P. O. Disco, was born August 21, 1826, in Monroe County, N. Y. : is the son of Richard and Lucinda Whitney Carlton: his father was born December 25, 1784, in Orange County, Vt., and was of English ancestry; his mother was born in the same county in 1786, and was of French extraction; they removed to Macomb County, Mich., in October, 1832, and died, the former in 1862. the latter in 1866. Alfred Carlton's grandfather was born in Connecticut: his name was Richard Carlton and he married Ruth Baker, of Tolland, Vt. ; he served five years in the Revolu- tionary war under Gen. Washington; he died at Brookfield, Vt., in 1824, and his wife followed him in 1837. The great-grandfather's name was also Richard Carlton; he was born in Vermont and married Hannah Hutchins, of the same State. Alfred Carlton was six years of age when his parents moved to Michigan; he was the youngest of a family of seven children. whose names and ages are as follows: William Carlton, born August 11. 1813: Aaron Carlton, August 9, 1815; John A. Carlton, August 22, 1817; Henry Carlton, November 21, 1819; Eliza Carlton, June 5, 1821; Hannah Carlton, August 21. 1824; Al- fred P. Carlton, August 20, 1826. When twenty-two years of age, Mr. C. purchased fifty acres of land in the township of Washington, which he afterward sold and bought sixty-seven acres in another locality; he now owns 120 acres of valuable land under culti- vation; he was married to Eliza A. Preston, daughter of Ira and Deborah Preston, Sep- tember 16, 1852; they have two children-Emma D., born January 28, 1862; Etta L .. August 80. 1866. Mr. C. held the office of Drain Commissioner and belongs to the Masonic order: in politics he is a Republican.

ELAM CHAPIN (deceased) was born February 18, 1811, in Steuben County, N Y. ; was the son of Johnson and Phebe (Gaston) Chapin, respectively of Welsh and English descent; he came to this county in 1832 and purchased ninety acres of land two years later: he afterward bought eighty-three acres of partially improved land, now owned by his widow; he married, for his first wife, Lavancha S. Davis, born in Covington, Genesee (now Wyoming) Co., N. Y., November 24, 1818; her father, Calvin Davis, was born April 27, 1793, in Worcester County, Mass; his wife, Sylvia (Beardsley) Davis, was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., N. Y., February 19, 1798; they were married, January 29, 1815, and have one child-Andrew B .. born April 5, 1839. He married, for his first wife, Josephine H. Rose; they had three children-Elam P., Lavancha M. and Andrew B., Jr. His second wife was Alice Osborn; he was a surgeon in the war of the rebellion. from October, 1862, to its close; was with Gen. Butler in his expedition up the James River. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and is a Knight of the Red Cross; also is a member of the A. O. U. W. Mr. Chapin of this sketch was in the Toledo war and was a Demo- erat in politics; he died February 24, 1866.

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

HASWELL H. CHURCH, P. O. Utica, farmer, on Section 29, was born March 7, 1521. in Jericho, Chittenden Co., Vt. : is the son of Ezra and Lucinda (Mead) Church; his father was born in March. 1799. in Chelsea. Vt., and died in August, ISS1: his mother was born in 1797. in Underhill, Chittenden Co., Vt., and died in January, 1825. Mr. Church came to the township of Macomb, this county, in September, 1843, and, a few years after, purchased eighty acres of wild land on Section 4, which he afterward sold, and purchased forty acres on Section 1, in Shelby; this he also disposed of and bought eighty aeres in Ray, selling again and buying his present homestead of 120 acres. He was married, January 5, 1848, to Mary A. Davis, a native of Shelby Township, born January 5, 1828; they have had ten children, six of whom are living, born as follows: Frank S., December 28. 1848, in Shelby, married Millie H. Carter, January 11, 1870; Hattie M., March 4, 1855, in Macomb, married Arthur E. Van Eps, October 2S, 1881; Calvin D .. September 5. 1858: Libbie L .. January 7. 1862; Jennie L., February 3, 1864: Florence V., July 15, 1865. The four last named were born in Shelby Township. Mr. Church is a man whose whole life has secured the confidence of his townsmen wherever he has lived; he was School Director of Macomb several terms; has been Sheriff two entire and a fraction of a third term: has also served as Treasurer of Shelby two years. In politics, he is a Republican; is a member of the Masonic order and a Granger. Mrs. Church belongs to the M. E. Church. of Utica.

JOHN CLARK, Utica, son of Thomas and Matilda ( Wooley) Clark, born September 16, 1858, in Lincolnshire. England: removed with his parents when eighteen months old to. Detroit, Mich. ; removed from Detroit in the fall of 1862, with his parents, to Saginaw County, Mich. ; lived at a number of places in the State until the spring of 1865, when he removed with his parents to Sterling Township. Macomb County, Mich., where he has lived until the present date, February 20, 1852; was educated at the common schools and followed the occupation of a farmer to the present time.

SYLVESTER DARLING (deceased), was born June 2, 1785, in Oneida Coun- ty. N. Y. ; he was married July 4. 1814. to Amy Imman; she was born May 26, 1797, in Greene County, N. Y. Mr. Darling came to this county in October. 1823, and pur- chased eighty acres of land on Section 4, where his widow now resides; they had eleven children, six of whom are living: they were born as follows: Orpha, October 28, 1820; John, October, 1818: Mary, May 20, 1822: Nathan, November 14, 1523: Henry, October 29, 1826: Clarissa. November 8, 1831; Martha Matilda, March 25. 1837; Francis Mar- ion, January 30, 1839: Abner. November 7, 1814: Samuel, December 27. 1815: Emily was born May 30, 1817, in Rush, Monroe Co., N. Y .: she was married to Elisha Went- worth, June 23, 1836; he was born August 4, 1812, and they live on the homestead with Mrs. Darling. Mr. Darling was a soldier of 1812 and his widow draws a pension.

JOSEPH EMERSON, P. O. Utiea, son of Elemuel and Lydia (Emerson) Emerson. born December 10, 1823, in Kennebec County. Me .: removed to Section S, Macomb. Mich., in June, 1848; has lived in Macomb County until the present time; educated in the common schools of Maine in his younger days; worked in a brickyard, and at farming. and in running logs down the Kennebec. Penobscot. Merrimack and St. John's Rivers, and in the lumber business in Western Pennsylvania; since removing to Michigan, he has been engaged in farming and dealing in sheep, cattle, hogs and real estate, and is now dealing in real estate. He was married to Elizabeth Hanscom, of Monroe County. N. Y., daughter of Cyrus and Martha (Matthews) Hanscom. December 13, 1863, in Utica. Mich. : their child's name is Kate Emerson, born October 30, 1865. His ancestors came. from England about 100 years ago, and settled at Irish Hill, Me.

JAMES N EWELL. P. O. Utica. farmer, on Section 17. was born November 20. 1832. in Shelby, Macomb County. where Le has resided all his life: is the son of Phi-

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

lander and Lydia A. (Wells) Ewell. April 1. 1855, he located on the farm where he has since resided: he purchased 195 acres in 1860, and now owns 280 acres of choice land in an advanced state of improvement, with good buildings. Mr. Ewell was married, April 15, 1855, to Elsie A. Cannon; she was born in Day Township, Saratoga Co., N. Y. : her father was of Scotch lineage, her mother of Welsh parentage. Mr. and Mrs. Ewell have had five children. as follows: Lydia M., July 27, 1856. died October 7, 1873; Herbert P., January 23, 1862; Ada M .. August 31, 1865; George N., September 26, 187]; Frankie, August 9, 1876, died December 9, 1876. Mr. Ewell is a Democrat in politics, and has

been Road Commissioner three terms. Both himself and wife are members of the Uni- versalist Church, of Rochester, Oakland Co., Mich. Mr. Ewell has been and still is an active, energetic man, and has been zealously interested in the prosperity of the schools and educational interests of the township. When a boy, seated on a slab for a seat in the old log schoolhouse, where he obtained his early education, he hoped aud believed he should live to see a good school in a comfortable building. When the money was raised to build the present schoolhonse, parties to take the contract were wanting, and Mr. Ewell. in company with Mr. Wells, assumed the charge, and the result is one of the finest and most substantial brick schoolhouses in the county.

JESSE GILLETT, P. O. Washington, fruit farmer on Section 5, Shelby, was born December 10, 1810, in Cairo, Greene Co., N. Y .; is the son of Benjamin and Asenath (Grimes) Gillett; his father was of French descent. born June 27, 1755, and died Septem- ber 28, 1838; his mother was of English extraction, born October 22, 1789, and died No- vember 3, 1864. Mr. Gilleit came to this county June 1, 1833, and purchased 120 acres of wild land-eighty on Section 21 and forty on Section 14; he afterward sold this and purchased the farm where he now lives, in July, 1855. February 4. 1838, he was mar- ried to Anna Mook, of Ohio; she died November 12, 1857; they had five children-Maria, born March 5, 1839; Asenath K., December 2, 1844; Luella, March 10, 1850; Anna F., September 10, 1855; Benjamin, February 21, 1847, died August 30, 1850. Mr. Gillett was married, a second time, January 31, 1859, to Mrs. Elizabeth (Johnson) Hawley, born April 26, 1834, in Wheatland, Monroe Co., N. Y .; her parents were natives of New En- gland: they have two children-Jesse, born July 16, 1865, and Nellie M., October 30, 1867. Mrs. Gillett's first husband, Edgar J. Hawley, was born September 5, 1826, and died December 6, 1856; they were married, February 26, 1Sal, and became the parents of three children, born as follows: Lncy A .. March 11, 1853; Olive E., September 12. 1854; Ellen J., December 8. 1856. Mr. Gillett is a Republican in politics and liberal in his religious views.

ORRIN GOFF, aged seventy years, was born in Monroe County, N. Y., May 10, 1812: his parents, Roswell and Fanny Goff, were natives of Connecticut. Mr. Goff re- moved from Monroe County to Orleans County, N. Y., at the age of thirteen years; he re- sided there until 1836, then removed with his parents to Utica, Mich .; he was educated in the public schools of Monroe and Orleans Counties, N. Y. He was married. in November, 1837, to Sarah Eddy, aged twenty years. of Orleans County, N. Y., daughter of Osmer and Hannah Eddy. Mr. Goff settled in November, 1837, at his present residence on Section 10, Shelby, where he has lived since that time: has had two children, one son, born December 30, 1840, and one daughter, born December 9, 1846; the daughter died March 17, 1861. at the age of fourteen years and three months; her name was Amelia J. Goff: the son is now living on the old homestead; is Supervisor of the township and a very es- timable member of the County Board. Mr. Goff, Sr., is a plowmaker by trade, which bus- iness he pursued until about 1862, since which time he has been farming. When he located in Shelby, the nearest house was one mile distant; the surrounding country was a wilderness; game was plenty and wolves were everywhere; the nearest store or mill was

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History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 90

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