History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 96

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 96

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).

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

country in 1833, and the father still lives near Almont at the age of eighty-five years; her mother died in 1868. The parents of Mr. R. came from Scotland at an early day. and his father still lives in Bruce Township; his mother died in the year 1859. Mr. R. is a prosperous and successful farmer, makes the raising of wheat a specialty, in which he has met with remarkable success, and his average crop for some years has been twenty- two bushels per acre; he has fine outbuildings and a fertile farm; a member of the Pres- byterian Church, and a Republican in politics.

WILLIAM REID, a farmer, native of Scotland, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in April, 1814; was a farmer in the old country and emigrated to America in 1833, stopping a short time in New York State; thence to Ohio about one year; thence to Macomb, in 1835: in 1836, he bought land in Lapeer County, which he kept about two years and then soll this, and then bought in the eastern portion of same county; this he soon sold and set- tled on Section 12, Bruce Township, in 1839, which is his present home. He was mar- ried, in the year 1839, to Mary Gray, daughter of Neil Gray, of Scotland; she was born in Scotland in 1809, and came to America with the Gray family in 1832; their children were Neil G., born January 14, 1841; Joseph, December 21, 1842, ordained as a Presby- terian minister, and died while ministering to the church at Vassar, Mich., September 11. 1877: William H., February 1, 1847, a farmer of Macomb. Mrs. R. died June 17. 1859; he married again October 27, 1862, Annie Borland, born in Scotland June 29, 1828; their children are Thomas B., born September 9, 1863; John L .. September 20, 1866: James H .. July 30, 1873. Mr. Reid has cleared his farm from a state of nature to one of great fertility, and has surrounded himself with all the comforts of life; he is a member of the Presbyterian Church of the Scotch settlement; also his wife for many years. He is a Republican in politics. Mrs. Reid's mother was born in Ayrshire, Scot- land, in October, 1801, and lives with her daughter; her husband died in Scotland in 1841.

WILLIAM H. REID was born February 1, 1847, in Bruce, Macomb County, Mich .; was the son of William and Mary (Gray) Reid; father born in Ayrshire, Scotland; his wife Mary was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, April 29, 1809; died June 17, 1859, in Bruce, Macomb County, Mich. Mary Reid's parents, Neil and Mary Gray, came from Scotland in the year 1832, and settled in what is now Bruce, the same year, on Section 11, where they lived till the time of their death. October 6, 1864. Wilham Reid, the sub- ject of this sketch, married for his wife Janet A. Reside; wife born May 4, 1844, in the township of Bruce, and on the same farm on which she now resides: she was the daughter of James and Margaret (Gray) Reside; both her parents were natives of Ayrshire, Scot- land, the father born in the year 1789, died November 14, 1859, in Bruce; mother born December 8, 1804; she died October 12, 1868, in Bruce. Mr. and Mrs. Reid have five children living --- William J., born August 14, 1865; James M., December 30, 1866; Robert G., December 27, 1868; Neil E., April 24, 1871; Janet A., December 28, 1872. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reid and their three oldest sons are members of the United Presbyterian Church. He is a Republican, politically. Mr. Reid is now on the homestead of his wife's parents, on Seetion 1, which now consists of 275 acres of choice land, with good dwelling-house and ontbuildings. Mr. Reid is in a limited way engaged in breeding thoroughbred Short- Horn Durham cattle.

JOHN R. ROBERTSON was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. November 3, 1830; emigrated from Scotland in June, 1833 and settled in the "Scotch settlement " in the edge of Lapeer County, where he lived about five years. In 1838, he bought land in Bruce, on Section 2, and made it his home. The father died on this farm in 1852; the mother died in 1840. The subject of this sketch remained at home and came into possession of the homestead, and has made it a very productive farm. He married, in November, 1854, Sarah, daugh -

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ter of Andrew Braidwood, of Connecticut; she was born in Scotland in 1836. Her father died in Conneetient. t. They have had a family of eight children. seven of whom are living and at home. Mr. Robertson is a farmer, as were his ancestors in the mother country.

CHARLES A. SCHANCK, P. O. Romeo, was born August 7, 1843. in Bruce, Macomb County: he is the son of David and Ellen (Sutphen) Schanck: his parents were born in Monmouth County, N. J .. respectively December 1. 1795, and October 6, 1807: they died in Bruce January 21, 1867, and November 17, 1876. William and Anna Sutphen, Mr. Schanek's grandparents, were natives of New Jersey: the latter was born about 1753, in Monmouth County. and died in Wayne County. Mich., November 24, 1953: the former died September 7. 1847. in Macomb County. Mich. David Sehanek went from New Jersey to Wayne County and Monroe County, in New York. where he spent several years, and, about 1834. came to Michigan and settled in Washtenaw County: eight years later. he located in Bruce, Macomb County. He and his wife were married in Wayne County, N. Y .. and had eleven children, ten of whom are now living. born as follows: Jane, February 26, 1826: Mary, March 30. 1828, died October 10, 1829; John, January 9. 1830; Martha A., September 6, 1831: Elizabeth. June 17, 1833: William H., June 2. 1535. George, Febru- ary 10. 1838: Ally M., March 3. 1839: Sarah A .. September 14, 1811 : Charles A .. August 7. 1843: Lydia D., May 22, 1845. When David Schanck settled in Bruce. he bought eighty acres of land on Section 30, and afterward purchased sixty five aeres across the road on Section 19, where the dwelling stands in which he died. The homestead is now owned by Mr. Sehanck of this sketch, who has made an addition of eighty acres, making an aggregate of 195 aeres of first-class farming land. He was married, October 1. 1873, to Celia. daughter of Joseph and Julia (Lloyd) Keteham. of Bruce: the former was a na- tive of New York and lives in Laingsburg, Mich. : the latter died about seventeen years ago. Mrs. Sehanek was born March 11, 1851. in Connecticut: she is the mother of two children-David V., born September 12. 1874. and Vernon J., July 18, 1876. Mr S. is a Democrat. His maternal grandfather was Tunis Sehanck, born July 27, 1770. and died September 3. 1806: his wife, A. Vandevere, was born August 12. 1777, and died October 22, 1826: they were married December 13, 1792.

HIRAM SHERMAN was born March 9. 1510, in Greenfield, Saratoga Co., N. Y .: was the son of Levi and Prudence (Denison) Sherman: his father was born in January, 17 0, probably in the State of New York: died, in 1819, in Richmond, Ontario Co., N. Y. : his wife, Prudence, was born in Stonington. Con .. April 27. 1756; she died February S. 1873. in Bruce, Macomb Co., Mich. Levi Sherman and Prudence Denison were married April 2. 1809, in Saratoga County, N. Y. Caleb Sherman, father of Levi Sherman. was born probably in Rhode Island: his wife Mary was born about the year 1752. probably in New York; she died December. 1541. in Greenfield. Saratoga Co., N. Y. Hiram Sherman was married to Mrs. Mary W. Harris, of Almont, November 11. 1851; Mrs. Sherman was born July 21, 1812, in Pittsford, Monroe Co., N. Y. : she was the daughter of Solomon and Martha Clark Stone. Solomon Stone was born in Halifax, Vt., and died in Richmond, Macomb Co., Mich., February 3, 1853: his wife was born in Stonington. Conn., and died in Pittsford, Monroe Co., N. Y. in 1814, the same year as the birth of her daughter Mary, who is now Mrs. Sherman, the subject of this sketch. Elias Stone, grandfather of Mr. Sherman, was a sollier of the Revolutionary war, and died in Pittsford, Monroe Co., N. Y., about the year 1815. Mr. Sherman settled in Michigan in 1836; has held the office of Justice of the Peace, and also the office of Supervisor. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman are mem- bers of the Congregational Church, of Almont. Lapeer Co., Mich.

ANDREW J. SIKES was born May 19, 1529, at Granville, Washington Co .. N. Y. : his parents, Salmon and Betsey (Crippen) Sikes, were both natives of the samo county: his mother died when he was eight years old, and he stayed in his native place until March

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19, 1852, when he started for California in search of gold, and sailed from the city of New York April 1, 1852, in the ship Empire, via Cape Horn. The passage consumed 135 days and they reached San Francisco August 13. 1852. He remained in the Golden State until May 20, 1857; engaged in mining all the time save three months. At the date named, he took steamer for New York; his Father had died in 1855, and the family were scattered. He spent four weeks there and decided to come West, having a brother at Ro- meo: he arrived here August 1, 1857, and found a number of relatives and concluded to remain and invest his money. He was married. November 23, 1858, to Sarah C .. dangh- ter of Jonas Crisman. and the next spring bought a farm of 234 acres on the western out- skirts of Romeo, also ten acres of timber four miles southeast of the village. He is chiefly engaged in Farming. and has also been Treasurer of the Macomb County Insurance Com- pany since its organization. in 1576; has also been connected with the County Agricult- nral Society for sixteen years: has been Treasurer eight years and one of the Board of Directors eight years; has been sexton of the Romeo Cemetery three years, and a member of the First Baptist Church since April. 1858; has been Clerk of the church since June, 1858. He east his first Presidential vote for James Buchanan while in California. His farm is in an advanced state of improvement and finely located for a residence. His habits of good taste and order add much to the natural advantages of his place, and the general ap- pearance is appreciated by the public. Mr. and Mrs. Sikes have one daughter living --- Hattie H., born March 7. 1872: a son -- Willie W. born July 20.1860, died June 13, 1876.

JOHN SMITH, JR., was born in Lancashire, England, of Scotch parentage, June 17, 1828: is a son of John and Anna Smith, and came to America with his parents in 1837. and with them settled at Hudson, N. Y., where he went to work in the Calico Print Works for about two and two-thirds years, and then engaged in the same business at North Adams, Mass., for two and a half years; from there. in the fall of 1842, went to Lake County, Ill., to work on a farm for twenty months, and came from there here in 1844, his father having bought a farm on Sections 15 and 16. in Bruce, upon which he went to work, eighty acres of which he now owns. He was married. in March. 1851. to Nancy A. Black, of Bruce, and, for about one year, lived in Texas; in March, 1855, bought 130 acres of the farm he now lives on; has since. at various times, bought 270 acros in addition, making 180 acres in one body; he has about 700 acres of other lands in Michigan; in 1863, he became a stockholder in the First National Bank of Romeo, and still remains so: was one of its Directors until 1874, when he helped organize the Citi- zens' National Bank, of Romeo, of which he has been a Director and Vice President since that time, but residing on his farm, on Section 3. about six miles from Romeo: his wife died in October, 1855, and left him with four children-Agnes M., born Jannary 5, 1858; Florence N., January 26, 1861: Edward J., June 25, 1866: Philip Cameron, June 18, 1869.

OBED SMITH, SR. His wife's father was born at Ashfield, Mass., April 6. 1770: with his wife, Rhoda Sears Smith, born at Yarmouth. Mass., in May, 1771, moved about 1812 to Lewiston, N. Y., remaining in that vicinity during their life. The five children of William H. and Irena S. Pool were all born in Lewiston, N. Y. Achish Pool. March 3. 1830, married Gertrude S. Tillson. of Romeo. Mich., November 25. IS5S: are now living in Buffalo County. Neh. Aratus S. Pool was born January 11, 1832: married Per melia 1. Hosner, of Bruce. Mich .. March 27. 1856, now living at Romeo. Mich. Will- iam H. Pool, born March 17. 1844, married Eva Hoyt Williams, at Oil City, Penn., July 11. 1872, now living in Buffalo County, near Kearney. Neb .; B. F. Pool. September 29, 1837; and Hattie M. Pool. March 12, 1846, still reside with their father on the home- stead. unmarried. William H. Pool participated in Navy Island troubles, which many in Macomb County remember. The Methodist Church is and has been the family church.

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

SAMUEL B. SPENCER, P. O. Romeo, was born June 2. 1507, in Springfield, Otsego Co., N. Y .: he is the son of Arnold and Lavina Spencer. the former a native of Connecti- cut and the latter of New York: they came to Michigan in 1834 and settled in Washing- ton, Macomb County, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Mr. Spencer's pa ternal grandfather was a soldier in the Revolution, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Mr. Spencer came to Michigan in 1833 and settled in Washing- ton. where he bought 120 acres of Government land with John Hosner, and about a year after the purchase. the latter sold his half, and Mr. Spencer added eighty acres to his possessions: nearly fifteen years later, he sold out and purchased 280 acres of land on Sections 16 and 17. in Bruce; the deed is dated in IS4S: this land is under the best of cultivation and has a good dwelling, commodious barns and other accessory buildings. Mr. S. was married. August 6, 1835, to Lucena Graves, of Batavia. N. Y .; she was born November 25, 1814: they have had five children two of whom are living; their record is as follows: William R., born November 26, 1836. now resides in Jackson, (rundy Co., Mo., engaged in farming; he enlisted in the First Michigan Cavalry and served for four years: he lost his right arm at Petersburg and was discharged in July following; Lucena was born November 21. 1835, and died in infancy: Lucian H .. born December 15. 1539, enlisted August 18, 1862, in the Fifth Michigan Cavalry and served until June 11. 1864, when he was taken prisoner at Trevilian's Station, Va., transported to Libby Prison, Richmond, Va., thence to Andersonville and Millen. Ga., and finally to Florence, S C .: he was taken very ill with fever and was prostrated when the order came for the transfer of every man who could walk to the cars to be sent to Goldsboro. N. C. Oscar Wood ( see sketch) refused to leave his helpless comrade and townsman, but was driven by a guard of armed rebels to the waiting train: no further intelligence was ever received from the brave Lucian H. Spencer, whose memory is held most sacred by the friends of his youth and the com- panions of his sufferings for the integrity of his country's flag: Lucinda S., born March S. 1842, died December 13, 1855: Adelia E .. November 9, 1846. now Mrs. John A. Robinson. of Jackson. Grundy Co., Mo. Mrs. Spencer died September 3, 1854. Mr. S. was mar- ried again. September 13. 1855, to Mary J. Meeker, of Bruce, who died in the sunnner of 1866. Mr. S. was again married. March 12. 1567, to Julia E. Miller, of Dryden, La- peer Co .. Mich .: she is the daughter of James and Elizabeth Miller, and was born July 31. 1836, in Greene County, N. Y. Mr. S. is a Republican in politics: both himself and wife are members of the M. E. Church.

A. D. TAYLOR, son of John Taylor and Phebe Leech, was born at Mendon. N. Y .. in 1831: his father. John Taylor, was born in Deerfield, Mass .. June 30, 1792; his grand father. Rev. JJohn Taylor, was born at Westfield, Mass .. in 1762, graduated at Yale Col- lege in 1754, was pastor of the Congregational Church of Deerfield nineteen years. Los ing his voice in 1802, when as missionary to the Indians in Northern New York. he removed to Enfield, and from thence to Mendon, N. Y., where he was for several years ac- tive in the ministry: in 1832, at the age of seventy, he removed with his son John to Michigan: his father. Mr. E. Taylor, served the State many years and died on his way to the Legislature of Massachusetts; his grandfather. Rev. Edward Taylor, left England for America in 1645, on account of the sufferings of the dissenting clergy, after the restora- tion of Charles II; he was the first pastor of the Congregational Church at Westfield. Mass., ministering for nearly sixty years and helping also to carry the young colony through the perilous wars of King Philip. Mr. Sibley's second volume of " Harvard's Graduates " contains a full account of him. After having purchased a tract of land five miles from Romeo, where Mr. N. T. Taylor was already located. John Taylor began to develop the resources of the wilderness, where he made their new home. The Rev. John Taylor soon gathered the people of the neighborhood to that home for divine service.

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and there helped to form the Bruce and Armada Congregational Church, of which he was pastor until the time of his death, December 20, 1840; his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Terry, died September 16, 1818, at eighty-two years of age: his son, John Tay- lor, was married in Lima, N. Y., to Phebe Leech, May 30, 1827; their children were: M. E. Taylor, born March 5. 1528, and who lives at home: A. D. Taylor, was born July 1. IS31. he was married to Lucy M Ayer, of Romeo, Mich., in 1864, and they also live upon the home farm; Martha M. Taylor. born September 20, 1838, died July 11, 1853 Mr. John Taylor was actively engaged in all the interests of his neighborhood, and was Deacon of the church of Bruce, continuing so until the time of his death, May 21, 1865. Mrs. T. died January 14, 1877. The children of A D. Taylor are Martha Lyon Taylor, born June 19, 1867, and Mary Elizabeth Taylor, born June 12, 1875.

JAMES THOMPSON (deceased), familiarly known as " Scotch Thompson." resided on the county line; was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, about 1803: emigrated to America in 1834, and bought land on the county line, which was his home until 1876, when he removed to Almont Village, where he died in March, 1881. He was a printer of calico in the city of Kilmarnock, and worked at that business in the city of Philadelphia a short time; he was never married; he was something of an artist and a poet, rather inclining to the terrible in imagination and description; he was a great lover of fine horses, and made the breeding of them a specialty: his peenliarities of disposition and erratic temperament often made trouble with his neighbors. At the time of his death, Harper Hospital, of the city of De troit, received a benefit of more than $10,000.

JOHN C. THOMPSON, P. O. Romeo, farmer of Bruce Township, was born in Ca- yuga County, N. Y., June 29, 1845; his father, Jarvis Thompson, born in Cayuga County. N. Y., in 1520, removed to Macomb in 1957, and died in Bruce Township in 1865, April 9; his mother, Ahna Eldridge, of the same county, resides in Romeo at the age of fifty- three years. John C. remained at home, and, on the death of his father, bought the farm known as the Prentice place, in Bruce, and remained on it six years; he then went to the homestead, on Section 25, Bruce, where he has since resided. He was married, September 27. 1865, to Phebe, daughter of Russell Day; she was born May 22, 1848; the children of this marriage are Myrtie May, born November 27, 1870; Hattie, December 29, 1873. Mr. T. is a successful farmer and breeder of Merino sheep; a history of his flock is fonud in the agricultural chapter of this work: he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Macomb County Agricultural Society, a member of the Vermont Merino Sheep Breeders' Association: also of that of the State of Michigan, and the Sheep Breeders' and Wool (rovers' Society of Macomb County: also a member of the A. O. U. W .; in form of wor- ship, he is a Baptist.

JAMES WEED THORINGTON was born October 15, 1839, in Washington. Macomb Co., Mich. ; is the son of Elijah and Lydia Thorington: his father was born in Canada in 1809; his mother was born in Monroe County, N. Y., in ISIS, and died in Washington, Mich , in March. 1868, Mr. Thorington is engaged in agriculture and owns 140 acres of choice land on Sections 33 and 34, and good dwellings and commodious barns and ont- buildings: he is extensively engaged in raising Spanish sheep, bred from the famous Taylor flock. of Macomb County, and from that of L. P. Lusk. of New York; by careful attention to breeding and giving sheep the best of care summer and winter, Mr T. ex- hibits a flock second to few. if any, in the State. He was married, February 6, 1861. to Miss Martha, daughter of James and Roxanna Leslie Starkweather; she was born March 23. 1841, and died February 10, 1863; was again married, March 10. 1864, to Maria S .. sister of his former wife, born March 5, 1843; they have an adopted son- Lean H., born April 2, 1871. Both Mr. and Mrs. T. belong to the M. E. Church, of Romeo. Mr. T. is

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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.

a temperance man in principles and action, voting only for candidates for office of de- clared temperance proclivities.

JOHN TOWNSEND. of Bruce Township, was born July 26. 1791. in Dutchess County. N. Y .: in his early life. he was : tanner by trade, which business he conducted with suc- cess for many years In 1832. he visited Macomb County and located 1,400 acres of land on Sections 4, 5 and S: also a small tract in Addison Township. Oakland County, and re- turned home. closed out his business and removed his family to his purchase. and made that his home to the time of his death: he was a man of great energy and perseverance and stern integrity and at the front of all the improvements of that locality in which he lived. Both Mr. and Mrs. Townsend were active members of the M. E. Church for many years. which connection was maintained to the time of his decease: his family consisted of five sons and three daughters, all of whom are living, save one son and one daughter. Mr. T. died January 5. 1874. Mrs. T. (Ann Miller) still survives at the age of eighty. George Townsend, son of John and Ann (Miller) Townsend. was born in Bruce Township. Sep- tember 11, 1836; he was educated in the schools of his neighborhood, and for some years conducted the home farm, and. in 1960. bought the Hopkins farm, in Bruce, which, after four years, he sold and bought a portion of the homestead located on Section S. which is his present home. He was married. February 12. 1862. to Charlotte, daughter of James Ballard, of Lapeer County; she was born January 23. 1812: they have one child-Gracie B .. born April 22, 1872. Mr. Townsend's farm consists of 300 acres of land in good for- tility and is a pleasant home. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is a Repub- lican in politics. Mr. John Townsend was a soldier of the war of 1812. and drew a pen- sion a few of the latter years of his life.

EZRA WOOD (deceased) was born September 7, 1809. in Booneville, Oneida County, N. Y .; he was the son of Andrew and Azubah (Adams) Wood; the father was born August 24, 1783. in Middlebury, Mass, and. at the age of ten years. moved to Pitts- town. Rensselaer Co., N. Y., and, several years later, went to Booneville, where he was married in 1806 or 1807. Mrs. Wood was born in Fairfield Town and County, Conn. Lemuel Wood, father of Andrew, was left an orphan at an early age. and. at fourteen. was serving at Fort Stanwix. now Rome. N. Y., as captain's waiter, and was afterward in the Revolutionary war. He married Rebecca Warner. of Middlebury, Mass .: they have had eight children, of whom Andrew was the youngest son. Lemuel Wood died at the age of seventy-six: his wife in 1522, at the age of eighty. Azubah Adams was the daughter of Ephraim and Rebecca (Sherwood) Adams, who had three sons and six dangh- ters. Ephraim was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and died when about eighty- three years old; his wife died when fifty-three years of age. Ezra Wood went. in 1831. to Wilson. Niagara Co., N. Y., and. five years later, came to Bruce. Macomb Co., Mich. : he had two brothers and four sisters-Maretta. Andrew. Marcus. Clarissa, Perlina and Eliza. He was married, March 1. 1840, in Bruce, to Phebe C., daughter of William and Elizabeth Hasbrouck Cusick: the former was born December 25. 1779. the latter Decem- ber 11, 1792: they were married. December IS, 1813: their children were born as follows: Hiram, March 11. 1815; Sarah Maria. June 24, 1717: Phebe C. was born April 1. 1820. in Woodstock. Ulster Co .. N. Y., and moved into Bruce, Macomb County., in 1837; two years later. he went to Attica. Lapeer County, where he died in 1852. Ezra Wood and wife had ten children- Oscar C. (see sketch): Ezra A., born October 27, 1812, enlisted Angust 18, 1862. in Company A. Fifth Michigan Cavalry, served as a private and corporal: died of typhoid-pneumonia, in Douglas Hospital. Washington, D. C., February 7, 1864; Hiram C., born January 28, 1845. married, in 1869, and went to Grundy County. Mo. : died July 29, 1879: Eliza, born June 17. 1847, died September 20. 1854: Ida, born Janu- ary 16, 1852. died September 16. 1854: Arthur A .. August 29. 1854: Andrew H .. Decem-

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History of Macomb County, Michigan, Part 96

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