USA > Michigan > Macomb County > History of Macomb County, Michigan > Part 98
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JOHN A. FRIES, born in Milan. Dutchess Co .. N. Y .. April 18. 1807; he was mar- ried to Margaret Mink. September 14. 1856; she was born March 2. 1809, in Livingston County; to them were born ten children. all of whom are living and all natives of New York-Henry, born June 3. 1827; Catharine E., September 10, 1829; Andrew. June 17. 1831: John. Jr .. September 5. 1833: Mary Jane, July 30. 1836; William, May 6. 1SBS; Lewis. October 6, 1810: Louisa. October 10, 1842: Jacob F .. February 18. 1845; Charlie E .. June 19, 1850. John A. Fries, grandfather of the subject of this sketch. was a na- tive of Germany: when a boy he was stolen. brought to New York. sold, and served three
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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.
years for his liberty: then he settled in Columbia County. N. Y. Andrew, father of John A. Fries. Jr .. was born there and settled in Dutchess County: he married Christina Shrant. of Dutchess County. N. Y .; he died April 12. 151. at the age of fifty-one years; his wife died February 25, 1850. aged eighty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. F. are the grandparents of thirty-five children and thirteen great-grandchildren. In 1840. Mr. F. moved to Wayne County. N. Y .: lived there nineteen years; in 1861, he moved to Michigan, and settled in Mt. Clemens: from there he moved to the town of Macomb. bonght a farm of 100 acres of good land, and now has a good home. Mr. F. is an honest. upright man, and he and his family are much respected by their neighbors. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church and his wife belongs to the Lutheran Church.
JOHN H. C. GARVIN was born December 13. 1526. in Genesee County, N. Y .. near Rochester: son of John and Olive (Bacon) Garvin, both natives of Vermont, who came into New York State at an early date. The family came to Michigan in 1832; settled in Ray; afterward, in the spring of 1835. moved to Macomb and located 160 acres, forming the southwest quarter of Section 2: this land they purchased from the Government; his father was a carpenter and joiner; he built the house of Col. Norman Perry, in 1831. which is among the first frame buildings put up: he followed carpentering. which was his main business; worked at ship building at Mt. Clemens in the winter of 1834 35, walking from his home in Macomb to the village in the morning and back at night, taking his supplies of provisions, etc .. on his back. Mrs. Garvin died August 30, 1865, in her sev- enty- fourth year: she was born April 12, 1792. Politically, he was a Whig, and. in later years a Republican; he came here with a family of two daughters and one son. the daughter being among the first teachers in this part of the country: they lost two children by death: both his father and mother were members of the Christian Church after it was organized; two daughters were also members of the same church: his father was well versed in the Bible; had a strong mind and memory, and was accustomed to give a great deal of time to reading: was posted in all general matters. and carried a strong argument in his
debat.s. He cut the road from Ray to his farm in Macomb. so that he could move his personal property to his home. John remained on the farm until his father sold it and moved to Washington. when he went to work with his father; having learned the carpenter trade of him, he followed it as a business for fifteen years, and has done some work at it since. He was married, December 15. 1851, to Rosannah Harris, a native of Lester County. N. Y., who came to Michigan in 1530 with her father. Jacob Harris, an old settler of Washington; in 1850. he bought the homestead farm in Macomb Township, and resided there until March, 1581: he has been a Republican and a warm supporter of the cause: has been 'Clerk of Macomb one year: takes great interest in gaining and sporting; has killed a great many deer and turkeys. and otherwise contributes to keep the spirit of the old hunting days living.
LESTER GIDDINGS (deceased) was born June 25. 1792. at Granville, Washington Co., N. Y .; in 1810, he located at Warsaw. Wyoming Co., N. Y .; remained there until 1825. when he settled in Michigan Township; he purchased eighty acres in the town of Washington, Macomb County. from the Government. in 1823; returned to. New York and settled here in 1525: lived there until April. 1831. when he settled in Macomb Town- ship. Section 5, on his first purchase of eighty acres, and afterward took up twenty acres more: the county was a wilderness with only one family in the neighborhood; he lived on the place until he died. January 2. 1879. He married Rebecca E. Miller, in Warsaw, N. Y .; came here with a family of five children. and five more were born in this country, two of whom are dead: his wife died November 15, 1868. Politically, he was a Republican - a man who thought a great deal of his family; had a strong mind and was well posted -- both on things that have taken place in the past, as well as on more recent events; was well
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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.
thought of by all his neighbors and was very patriotic; served in the war of 1812. for which he received a pension: his children are-Niles; Delia L .. who died October 20, 1875: Dur M .. who died December 25. 1876; Levi. Adeline C .. Lucy E .. Lafayette W .. Adam Clark. Arthur E. and C. Eugene. Lafayette W. Giddings. son of Lester and Rebecca Miller Giddings, was born in the town of Washington. June 2. 1830; April. 1831. his parents removed to Macomb Township, where he was raised and has lived most of the time on the old homestead, which passed into his hands after the death of his father. He was mar- ried. October 17, 1855, to Mary A. Pryor, a resident of Oakland County. town of Mil. ford; she died July 7. 1856: was married again. October 4. 1866, to Mrs. Mary A. (Dryer) Sutherland. a native of Lenox Township; they have a family of four children-Cleora. George R .. Delia and Fisk C. Mr. G. is a Democrat. though not strictly adhering to any particular party.
COLUMBUS C. HALL was born in 1840 at the Hall homestead, Section 36. Macomb Township; he married Miss Elizabeth C. Shook, to whom were born four children- Ger- trude W .. Florence A .. Howard J. and Columbus C., Jr. Mr. Hall is the owner and cut- tivator of a 100-acre farm, just north of Mt. Clemens City boundary. in Macomb Township.
NELSON H. MILLER was born July 27. 1832. in Washington Township: son of Daniel and Lucinda (Hulbert) Miller: his parents, when he was a year old. removed to Macomb, Section 8. where his father took up 160 acres from the Government: he lived on the place until he was eighteen years old. when he had the gold fever in 1850, and went o California: traveled over the greater part of the State, mostly in the central and north- ern mines; spent most of his time in Sierra County; returned in 1854, after an absence of nearly five years, his farm being mostly the homestead he purchased while he was in California: he started to Pike's Peak. got nearly there, when, being satisfied from report that it was a mere speculation more than anything else. he returned. In 1862. August 9. he enlisted in Company F. Twenty-second Michigan Infantry; he went with his com- mand to Kentucky, thence to Nashville. Tenn. : next. to Chattooga, thence he went into the battle of Chickamauga, where he was captured by the enemy. September 20. 1863; he was taken from Atlanta to Belle Isle, thence to Richmond, Va .; next. to Danville, and subsequently to Andersonville; next. to Charleston, and lastly. to Florence, S. C .; at Florence, he was exchanged as nurse for the sick and wounded; went back to Charleston. and thence to Annapolis, Md .; then home on a thirty days' furlough, making in all about fifteen months' imprisonment: he rejoined his regiment at Chattooga: soon after he ar- rived there. he was detailed in charge of twenty men on board the steamer Chickamanga. and served on the steamer until the regiment returned home: he first enlisted as Sergeant and served as such through his time: returned July. 1865. He has been on the farm sinee; politically he is a Republican. He was married. September 12. 1855. to Caroline I. Dixon. daughter of Silas Dixon, an oldl settler of Mt. Clemens, in 1859: they have had seven children. six of whom are living - Charles F .. Hattie L .. Lena M., Carrie I .. Flor- ence E .. Willie H. and Daniel N .: the oldest son -- Charles F. - died while Mr. M. was in the war. Mr. Miller is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1850. Mrs. M. is also a member.
JOHN NORTON was born in New Jersey January 3. 1776; was married to Miss Elizabeth Benjamin October 21. 1802: moved to Macomb, Mich .. in November, 1834. and died September 2, 1561: Elizabeth Benjamin Norton was born August 27. 1787. died No- vember 29, 1875; to them seven children were born. viz .. Anna. January 1. 1805; Jesse, April 17, 1807: Sarah W., August 27. 1809; Lneinda. January 5, 1812; John N .. March 9. 1819; Sylvia D., April 13. 1822: Loring G., October 28, 1828; Sarah died June 3, 1879: Johu N. died May 14. 1867. Loring G. Nortou enlisted in the Twenty second Michigan Infantry as Drum Major when the regiment was organized, and. at the battle
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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.
of Chickamauga, he received a severe wound in the left shoulder while he was picking up the wounded on the battle-field; he was the fifth man of the command who fell from a rebel who was secreted in a tree. When the sharpshooter was discovered, twelve men, with Sharp's rifles, tired on him, every bullet taking effect. Mr. Norton's occupation is a musical teacher and dealer in musical instruments.
ALFRED STEWARD was born April 24, 1828; son of Charles and Elizabeth Stew- ard, the former born in 1791, died March 5. 1855, the latter born in 1797, died August 18, 1860; Charles S. came from Mt. Morris. N. Y .. to Detroit, in the summer of 1811, and engaged in the manufacture of liquor; he was present at the surrender of Hull; was made prisoner, paroled, joined Harrison's corps and marched with the troops to Moravianville, on the Thames, in Canada; in 1817, he settled in St. Clair County. Clay Township, where he was married, in 1819, to Elizabeth Peck, a native of the district. eight miles below Chatham, in Canada, danghter of Col. Richard Peck, of the British Army. Daniel Erway was born in Seneca County, N. Y., in 1806, and came to Michigan in 1854: his wife, Hi- lah Clark Erway, was also a native of Seneca County; they were the parents of one dangh- ter-Mrs. Amelia Erway Steward, born October 19, 1835, and married to Alfred Stewart, at Armada, by Rev. Mr. Shaw, December 13, 1855. The following-named children of this marriage are living: Willie I. Steward, born March 15. 1859: 1da S .. born February 16, 1861: Eugene S .. December 27, 1863: Estella S., November 25, 1874; Nora D., December
16, 1872; Earnest A., August 27, 1876. The following-named are deceased: Fred, died October 15, 1868: Guy. May 2, 1858: Byron, October 9. 1866; Sherman, September 6, 1868; Grant, April 4, 1869: Elmer, September 6, 1869. Mr. Steward held some town offices previous to his removal from Columbus Township. St. Clair County. to Macomb Township. in 1859: in 1871, he located at Otsego Lake, Otsego County; he was honored with a few township offices and elected County Surveyor in 1875: his salary, while em- ployed by Smith. Kellam & Dwight, ranged from 82,000 the first year, to 82,500 the sec- ond: he returned to his farm in Macomb in June, 1576: here he was elected Supervisor in April, 1878: received a unanimous vote of the convention in nominating Sheriff in 1878, and was beaten by his nominators, as he received a large Democratic vote; he was commissioned Census Enumerator for the Twenty-eighth District in ISSO. Mr. S. has lived in five different school districts, and served as a Director in each. Politically, he is a Republican: his farm of 200 acres is numbered among the best cultivated and im- proved farms in the county.
JACOB STROUP was born March 26, 1511. in Seneca County, N. Y .; his father was (feorge Stroup, a native of Pennsylvania. of German descent; his mother was Susan Rigel Stroup. also born in Pennsylvania and of (ferman descent: they moved to the State of New York in 1796: his mother died in New York State in 1825. leaving a family of thirteen children: one of the children died in New York State in 1833: five children moved to Michigan in 1827 and 1828: his father married again and moved to Michigan, in 1534, with a family of seven children: of this family seven are now living three sons and four daughters. George Stronp located in Macomb Township, Section 10, southeast quarter; took up 240 acres of land, where he lived until his death, October 31, 1855, in his eighty- second year Mr. S. received his education in New York State. He was married. Sep- tember 16. 1841, to Betsey Jane Perkins, a native of Seneca County, N. Y., whose parents came to Michigan in 1837; he is a Democrat and has never changed his political views: in 1840, when the town of Macomb comprised that of Chesterfield, he was elected Consta ble: in 1842, he was elected Town Clerk, the first one elected after the division of the township: in 1873, he was elected Supervisor of Macomb, and has held the office eight years. Mr. S. is an influential man in the town, and carries a great deal of weight in political matters: the office of Clerk he has held for twenty-three years at different times.
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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.
Mr. S.'s family comprises five children-Paulina, George M., Samuel J., Charles MI. and Frank L. The daughter is residing in Seneca County, N. Y. Samuel J. resides in Mt. Clemens, and the others in the town of Macomb; he was Inspector for several years, and continues to take a deep interest in political matters, as he does in the social well-being of his division of the county.
GEORGE STROUP was born September 13, 1806, in Fayette, Seneca Co., N. Y. (The history and names of his father and mother can be found in JJacob Stroup's sketch. ) He was raised in Seneca County until seventeen years old; his father moved to Potter, Yates County; September, 1531. he left Yates County for Michigan; landed at Detroit September S; from Detroit, on the Gratiot Turnpike, then a wilderness road all the way through, with the exception of a half-way house, kept by an American; traveled all the distance on foot and carried his rifle to Mt. Clemens; left Detroit about 9 o'clock and got to MIt. Clemens between 4 and 5 in the afternoon, a distance of twenty-six miles by road; located in Macomb on Section 14; this was an eighty-acre farm; he afterward exchanged forty acres of this lot for the south forty-acre lot on Section 13, just across the road: he took the land from the (foverment; he followed his trade of carpenter and joiner for two years after he came here. He married Hannah, daughter of Aaron Conklin, Jr., in 1833: she died July 12, 1866; the family comprised seven children, of whom four are living; viz., Leander, Lorin, Lorinda (twins) and Hiram; Lorin resides in Shiawassee County, Lorinda resides at Detroit; Leander, in town, and Hiram at home: Susanna died when six months old, December, 1836; Alcina died April 20, 1852; Nancy, February 13, 1554. Mr. Stroup has always been a Democrat; was School Inspector soon after he settled in the town.
NOBLE R. SUTTON. born February 18, 1821, in Monroe County, N. Y .. son of Ben- jamin and Anna ( Ward) Sutton: his father was of English and French descent: the father (lied when Noble was four years old; was brought up a farmer; in 1842, he, with his mother and an elder brother, came to Michigan and settled in Macomb, where he bought sixty acres of land. on Section 8; in October, 1844, he married Marion M. Miller, daugh- ter of Daniel Miller, an old settler of the county; his mother lived with him during the latter years of her life, and died May, 1875, in the ninety-first year of her age; she was one of the pioneers of Western New York: in 1853, he kept toll gate on the MIt. Clemens & Romeo plank road for two years, and returned to the farm in 1856, where he has since resided. Politically, Mr. Sutton is a Republican; he never has been an office seeker; they have three children, all living-Mary A., Nelson B., Corydon D. Mary A. is the wife of T. M. Giddings, residing at St. Louis, Mich .; Nelson B. married Ida Chukey; in 1878, he made an addition to his farm, and now has ninety-six acres under cultivation.
JOHN WHITNEY. born October 25. 1809, in Middlesex. Ontario Co .. N. Y., now Yates County. Potter Township, son of Isaac and Susanna (Turnbach) Whitney; his father was born in Massachusetts and his mother in Pennsylvania. Isaac Whitney left Massa- chusetts and emigrated to New York at an early date and died in 1817; his mother died February 9, 1882, in Ray Township: the family came to Michigan and landed in Detroit September 2, 1834, from Pennsylvania. where they passed about two years previons to his coming to Michigan. In 1836. he settled on the farm he now owns; bought his place of Caleb Culver, when in the wilderness state; worked hard and has now 100 acres improved and fertile lands. He married Phebe Nelson May 17. 1838, daughter of Richard and Ann Vaughn Nelson, of Chesterfield Township. Richard Nelson was born in England in 1780; Aun Vaughn Nelson was born in England in 1783; Phebe Nelson Whitney was born December 24, 1819. in Bichnor, Kent, England; she came to America in June, 1831: her mother died in Chesterfield, Macomb County, October 20. 1869; her father died Do- cember 3, 1869; seven children were born to Mr. Whitney-Sarah Ann Hartway, born
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May 20, 1839, died September 21. 1876: Mary R., August 8, 1842, died September 13. 1865: Electa M. Axtell. December 26, 1845, married March 15, 1864, to Julien H. Ax- tell. M. D .; he served four years in the rebellion, was honorably discharged from the First Michigan Infantry, on account of the wound received at the battle of Five Forks; Stephen was born May 12. 1850; Florence G .. September 7, 1853, died October 15, 1865; Charles. September 13, 1856, died October 4, 1865, and Courtland, born August 23, 1862. Mr. W. in politics is a Republican. Mrs. John Whitney was one of a family of twenty- three children, all of one father and mother.
SAMUEL WHITNEY, born July 9. 1811. in the town of Middlesex, Ontario County, now Potter, Yates Co., N. Y., son of Isaac and Susanna (Turnback) Whitney: his father was born in Massachusetts and his mother was born in Pennsylvania; his father died when Samuel was six years of age. Isaac Whitney left Massachusetts and emigrated to New York at an early date and died in 1817; his chances for education in the early days were limited, probably his attendance at school not exceeding in all two years; his mother died February 9. 1867. in Ray Township; the family came to Michigan, landed in Detroit September 2, 1834, from Pennsylvania, where they passed about two years previous to coming here; he located in Macomb Township on an eighty-acre lot, purchased from the Government; the next year he added forty acres more of Government land; in 1853, he added eighty acres more, making in all a farm of 200 acres: when he first came in. George Stroup was his nearest neighbor. and Mr. Whitney eut a road from the Stroup farm to his own; he made all his improvements himself. He was married, April 21. 1836, to Ann Stroup. daughter of George Stroup. The Indians were plenty. often called and stayed overnight. The wolves were also very plenty and committed depredations on his young stock many times, carrying off a fine sheep or calf. Politically. Mr. Whitney is a Whig, and has always tried to fight the Democratic party all the way through; since the Whig party went down, he was one of the first members of the Republican party. When the town was connected with Chesterfield, he was elected one of the School Inspectors; in 1842, he was elected Justice of the Peace, which he held four years; in 1856, he was elected Supervisor of Macomb, and again ran, in 1857, but lost it by four votes, owing to his strict temperance principles, which were opposed by many of the Germans of the town; in 1858, he was elected Supervisor, which he held one year: he was a strong temperance man and has done all in his power to advance that cause; he is a good friend and neigh- bor and has been a witness of the advance of the county from its wilderness condition; he is the father of thirteen children, nine sons and four daughters -- Sophronia. William II., Esther Ann, wife of Warren Crawford, of North Branch, Lapeer County; Jason C., mar- ried Elida Barney, residing at Fort Sanilac; William H., married Mary E. Kellogg, of Maple Grove, Barry County; George C., married to Martha J. Friese, resides in Macomb Township: Milton J., married Elizabeth Fuller, resides in Negaunee, Principal of the school there; Samuel E .. Principal of the Hancock High School; Lora A., wife of .ra H. Briggs, resides in Macomb Township; Allen S., teaching the Quincy School, near Han- cock: Engene C., Loton D., Milo H., Florence H .; two of the sons-Milton J. and George C .- were in the war and honorably discharged at its close. When Mr. W. raised his house. which was one of the first in the county, he was told it could not he put up without the use of liquor; he made three efforts to raise the building without success. and finally went up in the Macomb neighborhood, told the people there the circumstances of his case, and they turned in and raised the house, which was the first temperance building put up in the Whitney neighborhood.
STEPHEN H. WHITNEY was born May 12. 1850, son of John Whitney and Phebe Nelson Whitney: his mother was born in England, and came to this country with her parents when she was young; his father was a native of Yates County, N. Y .; he came to
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HISTORY OF MACOMB COUNTY.
Michigan at an early age, and bought his land from the Government, in Macomb: Stephen. the oldest son. was born on the homestead farm, in a log house; grew up to manhood. attended a district school when opportunity offered, and lived on the farm with his parents until he was twenty-two years old. He was married, April 11, 1872, to Emma S. Immen, born in New Baltimore August 28. 1854, daughter of John H. and Frances Taylor Immen, early settlers in Chesterfield; he then went on a rented farm of forty acres, on the turn- pike road, one mile north of Mt. Clemens, and lived there two years; at the expiration of this time, he moved back on his father's place. on Section 15, and worked there for one year; in 1875, he had an opportunity of buying his farm, consisting of 1663 acres, on Section 8, then owned by Broughton Adams, originally purchased from the Government by Channcy Church; his investment was a good one in every particular: he takes special pride in having everything in good order, and has one of the finest farms in this section of the country. Politically. he has been and is a Republican; their family consists of four children -- Florence L .. born August 17. 1873: Clara E .. November 7. 1875: Bertha F., March 27. 1878; Grace P .. April 23, 1881.
CHAPTER XXXV.
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP.
The township of Richmond was organized under Legislative authority March 6, 1838. The new township comprised within its bonndaries Town 5 north, of Range 14 east. The first meeting was hekl at the house of George Perkins, or rather on the wood-pile close by. The name of the township was proposed by Phillip Cudworth. Hiron Hathaway was elect- ed Supervisor; George Perkins, Clerk; Durfee Simmons, John Hicks and Jesse Huff. Assessors: William Simmons and John Goodar, Overseers of the Poor: Jesse Welden and Russell Peters, Commissioners of Highways; Jesse Welden, James Flower, Horace Ewell and W. P. Simmons, Justices of the Peace: Jeremiah Robinson, J. S. Durfee, Constables; Jeremiah Robinson, Collector: Durfee Simmons, Pliney Corbin and Ben Elsworth, Com- missioners of County Schools; P. Cudworth, C. C. Davis and H. M. Curtiss, Fence View- ers; and John Bates, Poundmaster.
The first clearing made in what is now ealled Richmond was in Section 30, by Edwin Rose. The entry of this land bears date December I, 1832, and has since been known as the Goodar farm on Clay street. Another entry is made on the same day, and located on the same section, by John Hale. The next entry is dated May 13. 1833, by Anson Petti- bone, still owned by the family. Charles Hicks settled on the ridge in 1834, and Phillip Cudworth in 1835. John Hicks, the Beebes, Mr. Halt Perkins and others moved in soon after. The township was organized and named after the township of the same name in Ontario, N. Y , at the suggestion of Phillip Cudworth. This was done in the spring of 1838, on the wood-pile of Mr. Perkins, who had settled on the ridge. The meeting to or- ganize the town was called to meet at his honse, and, the honse being small and the meet- ing large, it was adjourned to the wood-pile, where elbow room was plenty, and the young township was brought into being and properly named there.
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