History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 93

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 93


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).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121


HARVEY WILCOX. P. O. Washington, farmer, Seetion 2. was born August


741


HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.


S, 1828. in Rush, Monroe Co., N. Y .; he is the son of David and Anna (Brainard) Wilcox. both parents descendants of the English; his father was born October 1. 1789, in Connectient, his mother October 22, 1794, in Maine. Mr. D. Wilcox came to Michi- gan in May. 1831, and settled on the farm of 178 acres, now under good improvements and with commodious buildings, on which H. Wilcox now resides. H Wilcox was mar- ried to Maria Hughes, April 7, 1852: she was born July 26, 1826, in Canada West; they have had three children, two of whom are now living-E. R., born July 25, 1857, and George L., August 13, 1861. E. R was married to Metta N. Preston, August 11, 1878; she was born Angust 5, 1859; they have an infant child, born July 8, 1881. Mrs. H. Wil- cox's father died June 16, 1871, at the age of eighty-one years eight months and fifteen days, and her mother July 7. 1876, at the age of eighty-one years eight months and six- teen days. The former served nine months in the . or of 1812. Mr. Wilcox of this sketch has held the office of Justice of the Peace for two je rs, and entered on his second term of four years; he is a Democrat in politics. and i- M. V'er of Grange, No. 403.


JAMES WILLIAMS, P. O. Utica, Justice of the Peace and Deputy Town Clerk, Utica, was born November 15, 1807, in Essex County. Ontario: is the son of Thomas and Mary (Loomis) Williams: his father was born in 1760, in Maryland; he was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was with Mad Anthony Wayne in the Wabash and Miami Indian war, and also with Gen. Harrison at the building of Forts Defiance, Wayne and Meigs. Mr. Williams came to this county in 1532, and located at Mt. Clemens, where he did business as a tailor and dry goods merchant: he was engaged for a time in oil speenla- tion, at Oil Springs, Ontario; in October, 1579, he came to Utica, where he now resides. He was married, in October, 1832, to Adelia Ann Cook: they had two children, one of whom. Mrs. Mary H. Wooley, is now living in Chicago. Mrs. Williams died in Febru- ary, 1852, and Mr. Williams was married. in January, 1853, to Mrs. Mary A. Green; they have had three children, two of whom are living-Frank F., married Miss Hudson: Julia M., married James McGarvy. Mr. and Mrs. Williams belong to the Congregational Church of Utica. Mr. W. is a thoroughgoing Republican, and a member of the Masonic fraternity.


BYRON WRIGHT, P. O. Utica, farmer, Section 28, was born February 25, 1830, at Honeoye Falls, Monroe Co., N. Y .; is the son of Richard and Lany Seramlin Wright. Mr. W. settled in the county in 1846, and purchased 120 acres of land, which had been partially improved; it is now his homestead and is under a good state of cultivation. with fine and substantial buildings. He was married, August 15, 1880, to Mrs. Mary A. Beech, born February 21, 1830, at Rochester, Monroe Co., N. Y .: in 1850, Mr. Wright went to California, and remained there eighteen years; he had an adventurous passage home, there being several cases of yellow fever on the boat, a severe storm off Cape Hat- teras. Mr. Wright is a Democrat in politics.


742


HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.


CHAPTER XXXIII.


BRUCE TOWNSHIP.


On one of the first days of April, 1832, the inhabitants of the Fourth Town met in a log schoolhouse on the corner four miles north of Romeo, and half a mile west of Parme- lee's house, for the purpose of forming a township. Mr. Goodrich was called to the chair, and Martin Buzzell was chosen Clerk.


Various names for the new township were proposed, which. each in turn, met with various objections, until one of the Grays proposed the name of Bruce, in honor of Scot- land's renowned chieftain. The name being short, easily written and pronounced. com- mended itself to the people at once, and was accepted.


That portion of Macomb County comprised in surveyed Township 5 north. Range 12 east, was erected into a township under the name of Bruce March 9, 1833, and the first town meeting ordered to be held at the schoolhouse near James Bushnell's, the first Mon- day in April, 1833.


The first town meeting was held at the schoolhouse near James Bushnell's house, April 1, 1833. Gideon Gates was Moderator, and Martin Buzzell, Clerk. The election resulted in the choice of Gideon Gates. Supervisor; Martin Buzzell, Clerk; Isaac Thompson, J. W. L. Collins and Jesse Bishop, Assessors; Erastus Day. George Throop and Heman Holmes, Commissioners of Highways: Gad Chamberlin, Poor Director; Asahel Bailey. Treasurer; Hiram Hopkins, Collector and Constable: Erastus Day, Ezra Finch. Lure Hovey. Rho- minah Bancroft, Daniel Olverson, Levi Washburn and Mark Winchell, Overseers of High- ways.


The municipal officers elected since that time are named as follows:


Supervisors-Gideon Gates, 1833-35; Isaac Thompson. 1835-37: Herman Parmalee, 1837-38; Connty Commissioners, 1838-43; Minot T. Lane, 1843-45: Hiram Sherman, 1845-50; Hugh Gray. 1850-51: George Chandler, 1851-53; Harvey Mellen. 1853-55; Joseph Ayres, 1855-59; Hiram Sherman, 1859-60; Joseph Ayres, 1860-81: Harvey Mel- len, 1881-82.


Clerks -- Martin Buzzell, 1833; Henry Porter, 1834; James Bushnell. 1835-36; Gid eon Gates, 1837-38; Cornelius Everts, 1839; Colatimus Day, 1840-41; Oliver Canfield, 1842-44: Joseph A. C. Leech, 1845-46; Ebenezer French, 1847-48: Watson Loud, 1849; Oliver Canfield. 1850; Watson Lond, 1851-52; Joseph Ayres, 1853; Dexter Mussey, 1854; Martin Buzzell, 1855; William A. Frazier, 1856-60; Levant C. McIntyre, 1861-63; Sam- uel A. Reade, 1864; Charles Jones, 1865; William A. Frazier, 1866-68; George D. Muz- zey, 1869-71; Henry P. Piper. 1872-73: Charles N. Coe, 1874-82.


Treasurers -- Asahel Bailey, 1833-36; John W. Day. 1835-36: Jeremiah Miller, 1837-38; Hiram Hopkins, 1839; Cornelins Everts, 1840: James Starkweather, 1841; Henry Howarth, 1842; Martin T. Sonthwell. 1843: Samuel H. Ewell, 1844: Jeremiah B. Avres. 1845-48: Nathan Palmer, 1849: Lewis D. Owen, 1850-52; William B. Sutton, 1853-56; Martin Buzzell. 1857: William B. Sutton, 1858-64; Almagro Parmelee, 1865-67; Robert Turner, 1872-74; George D. Muzzey, 1875-77; Jed Predmore, 1878-79: Ephraim Van Burger, 1880-82.


743


HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.


Justices of the Peace-Gideon Gates, 1836; William Allen, 1836; William Cooley, 1836; Denis Scranton, 1836: Ezra Standish, 1837: Henry Porter, 1837: Martin Buzzell, 1837: Hiram Sherman, 1838; Jesse Bishop, 1838: Rufus Prentiss, 1838; Hiram Sherman, 1839: Azariah Prentiss, 1840; Jesse Bishop, 1841; Gideon Gates, 1842; Hiram Sherman, 1843: Martin F. Southwell. 1844; Dexter Mussey, 1845: Jesse Bishop, 1845; Gideon Gates, 1846; Hiram Sherman, 1847: Dexter Mussey, 1848: Jesse Bishop, IS49; George Chandler, 1850; Gideon Gates, 1851; Stephen H. Fitch, 1852: Dexter Mussey, 1853; Robert Mckay. 1854; Asa B. Avres, 1855: Joseph P. Foster, 1856: Dexter Mussey. 1857; Robert Mckay, 155%; A. B. Ayres, 1839; Joseph P. Foster, 1860, Robert Hamilton, 1861; Martin Buzzell, 1861; Dexter M. Mussey, 1862: Robert McKay, 1862; Edward S. Snover, 1863: Robert Hamilton, 1864; Martin Buzzell, 1865: Robert Mckay, 1866; Achish H. Pool. 1866; Edward S. Snover, 1867; Chester Cooley, ISGS; Robert Hamilton. 1868: Hiram Sherman, 1869; Dexter Mussey, 1870; Robert Mckay, 1870; Edward Snovel, 1871; Thomas Dawson. 1872: John Smith, Jr .. 1873: Daniel Wooden, 1873; Robert McKay, 1874; Dexter Mussey, 1875: William 7: French, 1876: Daniel Woodin. 1877; Alburtius Pierson, 1878; Robert MeKay, 1878; Dexter Mussey, 1879 : George Townsend, 1879; George Townsend, 1880: Daniel Woodin, 1881 82.


The election of ISS22. resulted as follows: Supervisor, Mellen. Democrat, 157: Ayers. Republican, 172; Democrat majority, 15. Clerk, F. N. White, Republican, 193; James McFarlane, Democrat, 168; Republican majority, 25. Treasurer, A. H. Shelp, Republican, 198; Charles Fillmore, Democrat; Republican majority, 36.


GRAND TRUNK RAILROAD OF MICHIGAN.


A resolution was adopted. at a meeting of tax-payers held February 12, 1868, grant- ing a loan of $33,000 to aid in the construction of the Grand Trunk Railroad of Michigan. The vote stood 201 in favor of the loan. and 20 dissenting.


MICHIGAN AIR-LINE RAILROAD.


On June 9, 1869, a meeting of tax-payers was held at Romeo, when 239 votes were recorded in favor of a loan of $25,000, and 86 votes against such loan.


SCHOOLS.


In this township there are six district and five fractional district schools. The Direct- ors for the year 1881-82 comprise Irving D. Hanscom, H. B. Cornell, Lawrence Hosner, Enoch Wilson. John C. Thompson. Lucius Parmelee. M. D. Closson, Oscar C. Wood, Charles Schanck, Carey Eldred and John Smith, Jr. The number of children of school age in these districts is 831. of which number 544 belong to No. I School. There are thirteen frame school buildings, valued at $13,600. The amount paid teachers for the year ending September, 1881, was $5,225, while the aggregate expenditure was $8,922. The corps of teachers comprised four males and twenty three females.


THE SCOTCH SETTLEMENT.


In the year 1830 or 1831, the portion of the township known as the "Scotch Settle- ment" began to be occupied. One or two families -- Crawford and Wylie, also David Taylor were there previously. Dr. Neil Gray and his brother Hugh came to Romeo, and. acting on the advice of Jesse Bishop, located the tract since known as the Gray farm. The relatives of the Grays came over from the country of Robert Burns and settled near the Gray farm. The Resides. Reids, Hopkinses, Muirs, Wassons, Hamiltons, Borlans, Stephenses and many others soon followed. Josiah T. Sanborn, one of the first settlers of Bruce, still resides in the northeast part of the township.


C


741


HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.


BOUNTY FOR WOLF SCALPS.


At the period of organization, the northern and eastern sections of the township were sparsely settled, and were infested with wolves and other forest animals. Sheep and hogs could not be kept at all, unless closely watched by day and safety secured by night. The State offered a bounty of $S for the destruction of each wolf. and the county added to this the sum of $3, in order to stimulate our hunters to greater exertion. The various town- ships offered bounties of from $3 to $5 for each wolf scalp brought to the Town Treasurer.


In times past, the treasury of Washington suffered from the action of a man who pro- duced a whole litter of wolves, in the most helpless state of infancy. Bruce made it a mule to provide against such an outlay by ordaining that the bounty of $3 should not be paid to wolf-slayers who could not produce the scalp of a wolf which was not able to stand and walk alone.


A bounty for wolf scalps was offered in this township, as well there might be, for, in the summer of 1836, sheep were killed by woives within twenty-five rods of where Mr. Wilkinson now resides, and the boys killed coons in those days in a cornfield, within forty rods of the present residence of Isaac Brabb.


The principal natural curiosities of Bruce are the miniature lakes, of which there are four or five. The largest of them is called "Cnsie Lake," and is located about three miles west of Romeo. It contains about twenty-five acres, and is always full of clear water. The next in size is Hall's Pond, which covers about ten acres. Cusick Lake is on the line between Washington and Bruce Townships, and gives promise of being a most popular re- sort before many years.


The township is watered by the North Branch of the Clinton River and Leslie's Creek. There are some saw-mills and other industrial institutions situated on these streams.


STATISTICAL.


In 1850, the township contained 136 farms, containing 11,859 acres of improved land. with 9.128 acres of wood and other unimproved land, the cash value of which was esti- mated at 8319,330. In live stock. it exceeded any township in the county, as indeed it did in the above enumerations. Of horses there were 230 (only one ass, and no mules); milch cows, 486: working oxen, 216; other cattle. 638: sheep. 5,682: swine, 769; total value of live stock, $44,520: wheat, 34,986 bushels: rye, 430 bushels: Indian corn, 20,695 bushels: oats. 16,024 bushels: barley, 652 bushels; buckwheat, 2,141 bushels; potatoes. 2,231 bushels; w ol. 16,270 pounds. Value of orchard products. $996. Dairy produce: Butter, 23.115 pounds: cheese, 9,265 pounds; maple sugar, 2,255 pounds. Contrasted with the statistical showing of 1874, it makes the following comparison: Number of farms, 205: acres improved, 16,3063; wood and other unimproved land, 7,675; total cash value of same, $1,228,970. In live stock. the following figures are given: Horses, 714: mnles and asses, 6: milch cows, 514; working oxen, 16: other cattle, 595; sheep, 10,523: swine, 579; total value of live stock. $145,834. Wheat, 50.666 bushels; rye, 40 bushels; Indian corn, 33,803 bushels; oats, 18.450 bushels: barley. S.405 bushels; buckwheat. 850 bushels: potatoes, 10,717 bushels; wool, 57,790 pounds. Dairy produce: Butter, 48,815 pounds: cheese, 1,04 . Maple sugar, 345 pounds. Vale of orchard produce. $11,726. Pork marketed. 90.067 pounds. The statistics for 1880 SI show a still more remarkable advance. The population of the township in 1850, including that portion of Romeo north of Main street, was 1,555; in 1873. the number increased to 2,045; and in 1880, to 2,112.


THE LOSS OF THE RESIDE CHILD.


In the spring of 1836, or about that time. John Reside, a Scotchman, living in the northern portion of Bruce, was engaged in sugar-making in the woods, and in the after-


G


745


HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.


noon of one day, his little daughter. Jane, about five years of age, who had spent the after- noon with her father, started to go home alone, and became lost in the woods. The mother, supposing the child to be with her father, felt no alarm, and the father knew not of her loss till his return late in the evening. Search was soon made, and neighbors flocked in to give such aid and sympathy as they could, but, owing to the darkness in the timber, the search was unsuccessful.


The weather was quite cold, and a storm threatening. The men, however, kept in the woods, and, by lights and incessant shouting, kept the beasts away. In the morning, Luke Fisher came with a dog, which was allowed to smell a stocking worn by the child. The dog soon traced the way the girl had gone, and, followed by his master, soon came upon her. She had become completely exhausted and overcome by the cold, and had fallen on her face upon the ground. Her uncle, a doctor, was at hand, and she was restored to life and brought home. Her hands were frozen, and the complete use of them never fully re- turned. She still dimly remembers the scenes of that terrible night, and never forgets that she owes her life to the sagacity of a faithful dog.


PERSONAL HISTORY.


In the personal history of Bruce are given brief biographical notices of prominent citi- zens and old settlers of the town, They will prove as instructive and interesting as the legitimate history of the district, since they form the history of those who raised it to its present prosperous condition.


RUSSELL BATES, P. O. Romeo, was born May 30, 1840, in Chesterfield, Macomb Co., Mich. He is the son of Russell and Elsie Bates, natives of the State of New York. His father died June 3, 1842; his mother died December 10, 1881, aged sixty-seven years. Mr. Bates has been a farmer all his business life, except six years when he was engaged in trade at Romeo. In 1875, he settled on the farm where he now lives, including the 100 acres of fine land on Section 31, well stocked and supplied with a good home and suitable buildings. He was married, March 23, 1861, to Fidelia H., daughter of James and Fanny Hosner, of Bruce. She was born January 15, 1838, in Bruce. They have had two chil- dren-La Fayette H., born March 17, 1866: and Alice, April 17, 1873, died September 25, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Bates are members of the Free- Will Baptist Church of Bruce. Mr. Bates is an active member of the Republican party.


GILBERT S. BISHOP, P. O. Almont, was born July 30, 1841, in the township of Bruce, Macomb Co., Mich. He was the son of Truman and Mary Bishop. Truman was born in 1806. Livingston County, township of Richmond; died in the township of Bruce, Macomb Co., Mich., in July, 1859. His wife. Mary, was born in Richmond, Livingston Co., N. Y., in August, 1811. She died in Bruce in September, 1859. They came to Michigan about the year 1837 and settled in Macomb; the same year, bought the farm on which the subject of this sketch now lives, which now consists of 200 acres of choice land, with good dwelling and outbuildings, on Section 5. September 24, 1862, Mr. Bishop married Angeline Patch. She was the daughter of Anson B. and Ann L. Jewell Patch; wife was born June 1, 1812, in the township of Ray, Macomb Co., Mich: her fa- ther was born in Massachusetts in 1SI4; mother, born in New York in the same year: died in Oakland County, Mich., in 1546. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop have had five children. as follows: Frank L., born January 27, 1864; Mary A., born September 10, 1865; Flor- ence L., August 25, 1867, died May 4, 1875; Jennie M., born November 22, 1870; Emma C., born August 30, 1880. They are members of the First Congregational Church of Al- mont. Politically, he is a Republican.


THOMAS BORLAND, of the township of Almont, Lapeer County, was born in Cragie Parish. Ayrshire, Scotland. October 15. 1826. His father, Thomas, was a farmer in that


46


-


746


HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.


country, and died there. Soon after coming of age. Thomas, Jr., having received an edn- cation in the schools of his native parish, took, in accordance with the custom of that country, 900 acres of the estate of the Duke of Argyle. This was a farm adapted to the dairy and grazing business. While moving from the old home to this new one, the drove of cattle, consisting of sixty head, became scattered, and one cow was lost, and was taken up by a farmer and secured in his barn. She was soon recovered, and. soon after reaching the farm, was seized with the disease, pleuro-pneumonia, and soon died. The disease soon spread through the herd, and forty head were sacrificed to the disease, many of them worth $75 to $100 cach. The loss extended into the second year, and the income of both years became a total loss. This so affected his calculations that he could not re- cover, and so conceived the idea of coming to America. Taking the benefit of a small patrimony of Mrs. Borland, they took passage, and arrived in Macomb County May 9, 1853, with good health and very little means. On leaving the ohl country, his chamber- lain gave him a letter highly complimentary to his character and management, which was an uncommon thing for a landlord to do. Spending a couple of years as laborer on the farm of John Taylor, of Bruce, he bought forty acres of land in Armada, which he kept four years. This he sold, and spent a year on a farm near Almont, and then bought eighty acres in Bruce, on Section 8. which he kept five years, and sold at an advance of $2,000. He then bought a farm on the county line, in Lapeer County, of 120 acres, adding afterward 230 acres. He has erected fine buildings on this farm, and is out of debt, and prosperous- showing that industry and perseverance are sure to be rewarded. He was married, in 1848, in Scotland, to Janet Wilson, who was born January 13, 1827. She was a daughter of David Wilson, farmer, of Haining Mains, Ayrshire, Scotland. Of this marriage there were five boys, three of whom survive-David W., born May 11, 1850, married and living on the homestead; Thomas J., born July 6, 1864; James W., born December 1, 1866; also two sons who died in childhood. He has always taken an active interest in the various political questions of the day, and has always been a Republican, voting first for Lincoln in 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Borland are members of the United Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Borland is an Elder.


ALEXANDER BRAIDWOOD, farmer, of Bruce Township, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in January, 1818. In Scotland he was a clerk in a grocery store, and also clerk in a ship-building yard in the city of Troon. In the year 1842, in company with two brothers, emigrated to America and located on the north line of the county in Bruce Town- ship. Section 2, in the Scotch settlement, and has since resided there; was married, in 1847. to Mary Milliken, daughter of John Milliken, of Scotland; she was born in Ayrshire March 17, 1828 ; they have had ten children, four of whom are married and set- tled in Lapeer County, and six still at the homestead. Mr. Braidwood has been a suc- cessful farmer and breeder of fine cattle, having 330 acres of fertile land, with good build- ings and other things necessary to a profitable business. In politics, lie is a Democrat.


CHESTER D. COOLEY was born September 15, 1845, in Bruce, Macomb Co., Mich. ; is son of Chester and Jane Kisor Cooley (see sketch of Chester Cooley), of Romeo. Mr. Cooley was married, June 22, 1873, to Hannah M., daughter of Aaron and Rhoda S. Cole Ingalsbe, of Ray, Macomb Co., Mich., natives of New York; the former was born Sep- tember 26, 1823, in Camless, Onondaga Co., N. Y., and died August 16, 1877; the latter was born August 28, 1829, in Jerusalem, Yates Co., N Y., and is still living. Mrs. Cooley was born Angust 11, 1851, in Lenox, Macomb Co., Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Cooley have one child, William M., born July 28, 1875, in Bruce, Macomb County They reside on Sec- tion 21, Bruce Township. Mr. Cooley is a member of the Masonic Lodge, No. 41, of Ro- meo, and is politically a Republican. Mrs. Cooley is a member of the Patrons of Hus- bandry.


747


HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.


S. B. COOLEY was born in Bruce Township, Macomb County. July 1, 1533. His father, Benjamin Cooley, referred to in these pages, came to Michigan in October. 1832. Here Mr. Cooley was educated and at the Romeo Academy. In 1855, he left for Minnesota, where he located 155 aeres, near Mantorville, and remained thirteen months; returning, he bought the Willett farm, on Seetions 19 and 20. May 4. 1864, he entered on his West- ern trip to the gold mines, reaching the Montana mines June 1. 1865, he, with his party, wintering at Salt Lake City, where he disposed of a $2,000 stock of boots and shoes, pur- chased at Chicago, in company with his brother-in-law, Mr. George Schenck He returned to Macomb County in June. 1866, and resumed farming. In 1870, he inherited the homestead farm, consisting of 280 acres, on Sections 17 and IS, Bruce, which he has con- ducted since that time. This landed property in Macomb is 640 acres, of which 400 aeres are under cultivation. Recently, he has built farm laborers' houses, or tenant houses. His stock consists of 375 sheep, eighty hogs. twenty-two horses and mules. Mr. S. B. Cooley is a member of the Blue Lodge. F. & A. M., of Almont, and of the Romeo Com- mandery and Chapter: is a charter member of Romeo Grange, and member of the Pomona Grange. Mrs. Clarissa Wood Cooley, a native of Oneida County, N. Y., born in 1814, came to Michigan with her husband, Benjamin Cooley.


SAMUEL G. COOLEY. P. O. Almont, was born September 29, 1853, in the township of Bruce, Macomb Co., Mich. He was the son of Samuel and Maretta Cooley, His fa- ther was born in Pittsburg, Vt., March 7, 1804: died November 6, 1872, in the township of Bruce. His father came to Michigan in 1832, and first settled in Washington, Macomb County; left Washington in 1840 and settled in Bruce, on 1673 acres of land on Section 6; on this he lived until his death. Samuel Cooley, father of this sketch, was married, November 15, 1850, to Maretta Wood; they had one child. Samuel G., born September 29, 1853; his mother was born in Boonville, Oneida Co., N. Y., March 29, 1808. On the death of his father. Samnel G. came into possession of the homestead. December 10, 1872, he was married to Ada Bell Lane, of Dryden, Lapeer Co., Mich. His wife was born July 26, 1858. She was the daughter of Charles and Elmina Lane. They have three children-Samuel M., born August 28, 1874; Maretta May, born September 30, 1876; Charley Elwin, born December 28, 1880. They have on their homestead 120 acres of choice land, with good dwelling house and outbuildings. Politically, he is an Independ- ent. Charles Lane, Sr., was born in the year 1793, in the town of Queensbury, Warren Co., N. Y. He moved to Michigan and died in 1856. Charles Lane, son of the senior, was also born in Warren County, in 1814, and died May 20, 1852, in Dryden, Mich., aged sixty-seven years and seven months. When he was twenty-three years old. he came to Michigan, and finally settled in Lapeer County. At the age of twenty-eight or twenty- nine, he married Elmina Gould, who was born in New York State in ISES, and, with her parents, moved to Michigan at the age of nine years. At the age of eighteen, she was married to Mr. Lane. Ada Bell Lane was born in the year 1858, in Lapeer County, town of Dryden, Mich. At the age of fourteen, she married Samnel G. Cooley.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.