History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 118

Author: Wing, Talcott Enoch, 1819-1890, ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York, Munsell & company
Number of Pages: 882

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THOMAS JEFFERSON PETTY, son of Thomas and Mary Petty, was born in the town of Henrietta, Lorain county, O., in 1838. 'He enlisted in 1864 in Co. D), 178th Regt. O. V. I., and served to the close of the war. He was at the battles of Stone River and Murfreesboro, Tenn. ; was mustered ont at Charlotte, N. C., and discharged at Columbus, O., in 1865. He was married in 1866 to Miss Antoinette Jay, danghter of William and Permelia Jay, of Lorain county, O., by whom he has three children now living and three deceased. He came to Monroe City in 1870, and in company with John Wellman engaged in business as carpenter and joiner and builder, which he followed eight years. In 1878 or 1879 he came to the town of Summerfield and pur- chased the farm on which he now resides, of 120 acres. His postoffice address is Deerfield.

MRS. ALICE L. PIERCE was born in Cuyahoga county, O., in 1848. Her parents were Joshua and Lucina Turner. She married James Pierce of Franklin county, O., by whom she has five children. She came to Monroe county, Mich., with her family in 1871, locating at Petersburgh, where she now resides.

WILLIAM L. PIERCE was born in the town of Whiteford, this county, in 1840. His parents were William and Mary Pierce. He married Mary Lee, of Milan, Erie Co., O. Her parents were Jacob and Jerusha

Lee, who were formerly residents of Seneca county, N. Y. Wm. L. Pierce and wife have three children. He came to Summerfield in 1873, and purchased the farm of SO acres on which he now resides. Ile en- listed in 1864 in the Mechanics and Engineering Corps, and was discharged at Nashville, Tenn., in the same year.

DAVID RAINSBERGER was born in Tusearawas county, Ohio, in 1852. His parents were Lewis and Sarah Rainsberger, and in 1856 they removed to Blackford county, Ind., where they died. David married Miss Lucy J. Grimes, of Blackford county, Ind., and they have six chileren living. In 1877 Mr. Rainsberger returned to Ohio and settled in Allen county. In 1878 he came to Monroe county, Mich., and purchased 30 acres of land in Summerfield, where he now resides.

THOMAS ALLEN REA was born at Dartmouth, Crystalcounty, Mass., in 1823. In early life he came with his parents to Wyoming county, N. Y., where in 1848 he was married to Miss Esther E. Mann, by whom he had two children. From Wyoming county he next settled at Aurora, Erie county, N. Y., where his wife died in 1859, and in 1861 he was mar- ried to Miss Harriet E. Havens, of Aurora, by whom he has three children now living. In 1868 Mr. Rea came to Monroe county, Mich., with his family, and located on 60 acres of land about one-half mile east of Petersburgh, where his widow still resides, and where he died May 19, 1887. He had been a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church for seventeen years.

N. MYRON ROBERTSON is a native of New York State, born in the year 1868 in Oswego county. He accompanied his parents to Huron county, Ohio, at an early age. He settled in Summerfield township in the year 1887. Miss Rose Adel Pearl, of Erie county, Ohio, became the wife of Mr. Robertson pre- vious to his arrival in Michigan. His postoffice ad- dress is Petersburgh.

LEWIS ROE, son of Dominick and Julia Roe, was born in the town of Erie, Monroe county, Mich., in 1854. His father, Dominick Roe, was also born in the town of Erie, about the year 1817; he died in 1881. In 1879 Lewis left the town of Erie and located in the town of Dundee on a farm of 40 acres, and re- mained there until 1876, then purchased 50 acres of land in Summerfield, on which he now resides. He married Miss Sarah Brenar, of Bedford, Mich. They have three children, two of whom are now living.

EDGAR W. SPENCER came to the State of Miel- igan in the year 1867 and located at Coldwater. He settled in Summerfield township the following year. He was born in Erie county, Pa .; his wife, Mary De Wolf, was born in Connecticut. They are the par- ents of four interesting children. Mr. Spencer is a dealer in commercial fertilizers and machinery ; also a shipper to a considerable extent. He receives his mail at Petersburgh, Monroe county.

WILLIAM C. STAIIL is a native of Union county, Pa., where he was born in the year 1859, settling in this township in 1882. He is the owner of a farm of 72 acres. Previous to purchasing the farm he taught school for nine years in this county. Miss Rosella B. Knapp, of Raisinville, became the wife of Mr. Stahl, and they are the parents of two children. Peters- burgh is the postoffice address of Wm. C. Stahl.

PETER STAUFFER was born in the town of Riley, Putnam county, Ohio, in 1843. His parents were David and Catherine Stauffer. The family removed to Adams county, Ind., and remained there until 1853, then returned to Allen county, Ohio, and there Peter was married in 1868 to Sarah A. Faunce, by whom he has eight children. In 1875 Peter Stauffer came to Monroe county and purchased 80 acres of land in Summerfield, where he now resides.

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

ALEXANDER E. STEWART, a native of Edin- burgh, Scotland, came to this county in 1863, locating first at the city of Monroe and remained there until 1867, and then came to Petersburgh, which has since been his principal place of business. He has been twice married, first to Eliza Edwards, by whom he had eight children; next to Mary E. Todd, of Sum- merfield, by whom he has four children. Now owns 20 acres of land in southeast part of section 37 of Summerfield township.

ADOLPH SULIER was born in Bedford, this county, in 1838, and was married in 1861 to Adeline Cuseno, of Bedford. They have had five children, four of them now living. He came to Summerfield in 1862 and engaged in the harness-making business at Petersburgh, and in 1865 purchased the farm of 175 acres in Summerfield, on which he now resides. He has served as drain commissioner for six years. His parents were Benjamin and Mary Sulier, of Bed- ford. Himself and wife are members of the Roman Catholic church.

BENJAMIN H. THAYER was born in the town of Macedon, Wayne county, N. Y., in 1829. He came to this State with his parents in 1840, locating in Livingston county. He soon went to Detroit, re- maining there six or seven years, thence to Monroe. Enlisted in 1861 in Co. F, Ist Mich. Engs. and Mechs .; was at the battle of Mill Springs, Ky., in 1862, also at Perryville and others; discharged at Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 12, 1864, returning to Petersburgh. Engaged in business as a carpenter and joiner, which has since been his principal business. He has been twice married, first to Ann Humphrey, of Monroe, next to Lizzie Zibbel, of Petersburgh. He has no children.

LEWIS TROMBLEY was born at Chazy, Clinton county, N. Y., March 24, 1805; died Feb. 13, 1880, aged nearly 75. He was married in 1831 to Sophia Gregory, of Isle of Mott, Vt. He emigrated to this State in June, 1833, when he settled in this county, near the present village of Petersburgh. He was ac- companied by Horace Hill and wife, the latter being a sister to Lewis Trombley. They came on the first steamboat that landed in Toledo, then in the Terri- tory of Michigan. The steamer was named "Walk- in-the-water." There was at that day but 25 or 30 families in what now comprises the township of Summerfield. The country was yet comparatively a wilderness. Wild game was abundant, and Lewis, who was passionately fond of hunting, secured many a trophy in the shape of deer and wild turkeys, and an occasional bear. He located on a small farm, which he worked when not occupied in hunting. He was also for many years in the lumber business. He became familiar with every uninhabited portion of Summerfield at an early day; could guide any one through the woods to any desired spot, and thus be- came useful on more than one occasion. He was the first butcher in Petersburgh, supplying the village and vicinity for a few years. He also held public offices of trust, among them being township treas- urer, in which capacity he served several terms. He was a zealous supporter of the old Whig party, and afterwards became a firm member of the new Repub- lican party until his death. He became the father of ten children, but four, however, attaining the age of manhood, viz .: Jerome, William, Lewis E. and Vic- toria E., who are now living in and near Peters- burgh.

MOSES TROMBLEY, son of Lewis and Victoria Trombley, was born in Clinton county, N. Y., in 1820. He came to this county in 1839, and in 1849 took 44 acres of land in section 5 of Summerfield township, which he still owns and occupies. He was married in 1847 to Edith Drewior, daughter of John and Catherine Drewior, of the town of LaSalle, this county. They have two children.

HORACE JEROME TROMBLEY was born Nov. 20, 1837, about three quarters of a mile north of the village of Petersburgh, in this county. His parents were Lewis Trombley, of Chazy, Clinton county, N. Y., and Sophia (Gregory) Trombley, of Isle of Mott, Vt. He at an early age manifested a fondness for music. When 13 years of age he became posses- sor of his first violin, on which he soon became quite a performer for a boy self-taught. His younger brothers, William and Lewis E., also having a musical turn of mind, the three brothers formed themselves into a band, which became known as the " Trombley's Quadrille Band." This little trio was much sought after to furnish music on all occasions, and for many years enjoyed the reputation of being the best in the county. Jerome, in after years, became a traveling musician in connection with circus and theatrical companies, being leader of orchestra for eight or ten years. This gave him an opportunity of seeing much of this great and glorious country and its people. He gave up traveling in 1874 and has since lived on the old homestead, one mile west of Petersburgh. For several terms he has been elected treasurer of the township of Summerfield, and is the present town- ship treasurer (1887). For the last few years he has devoted considerable time to the study of natural history, his favorite branches being ornithology and conchology. He now possesses a fine collection of bird's eggs, which it is believed will compare favor- ably with any in the State, there being over 300 species of eggs in clutches and comprising nearly 1,500 specimens. The eggs of every species of bird in the country is represented. His collection of shells, consisting of land, fresh water and marine, includes over 500 species, and his library, chiefly devoted to natural history, contains about 200 volumes.

JOHN N. WADSWORTH was born in Monroe Co., N. Y., in the year 1801. In the month of October, 1824, he came to this county and took up about 100 acres of unimproved land in what is now Summer- field township, about two miles northeast of Peters- burgh, remaining thereon through the winter of 1824-5, making a clearing of five acres. The follow- ing spring he returned to Rochester, N. Y., and there married Martha Cox, by whom he had one son, now deceased. In 1829 he returned to his farm in this county, and remained there until his death in 1877. Having lost his first wife he was married again in 1830 to Maria Ward, a native of New Jersey, who came to this county with her parents, Elihu and Rebecca Ward, in 1825; by this marriage there were eight children, six of whom are now living, three sons and three daughters. Mrs. Wadsworth, his widow, is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Emma Baker, on the old homestead, and is now 79 years of age.

CHARLES WERTHER, a farmer of Summerfield township, was born in Germany Nov. 25, 1819; came to America in 1849, settled in this county in 1854. He married, December, 1862, Harriet Sortore, who was born in Germany Dec. 25, 1816. Mr. Werther enlisted in Co. K, 15th Mich. V. I., December, 1862, and was mustered out Aug. 6, 1862. He was wounded in the knee at the battle of Pittsburg Landing. He is a member of the G. A. R. Order, of Petersburgh, and of the Lutheran church.

GORDON R. WOLF, who is agent of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway at Petersburgh, was born at Morenci, Mich., in the year 1863. In the year 1884 he settled in Petersburgh, where he was married to Mamie Piper, of Deerfield, in 1886. His postoffice address is Petersburgh.

MICHAEL YOST was born in Franklin county, Pa., in 1839. His parents were Peter and Elizabeth Yost, who now reside in Wood county, O. Michael married Sarah C. Griffin, daughter of David F. and Sarah Griffin, of Wayne county, O. They have ten

PERSONAL HISTORIES.

children, five boys and five girls. Mr. Yost came to this county in 1885, and located on the farm of F. R. Stewart in Summerfield, where he now re- sides. He enlisted in Wayne county, O. (where his parents had lived for 20 years), in 1862, in Co. F, 102d O. V. I., and served to the close of the war, and was discharged at Chicago in 1865. He was at the battle of Nashville, Tenn.

WHITEFORD TOWNSHIP.

ELMER E. BAKER was born in Whiteford in 1861, son of Jesse and Jane Baker. His father was a native of Massachusetts, and came to this county in 1847, settling first at Ottawa Lake; in 1859 he bought the farm where his widow now re- sides. Elmer E. married Sarah Friess, daughter of Elias and Sophia Friess, by whom he has three children. His occupation is painting, graining and paper hanging ; postoffice address, Ottawa Lake.

WILLIAM BELL was born in Lincolnshire, Eng- land, in 1828, son of Thomas and Sarah Bell. He was married in 1850 to Sarah Ann Mayfield, of Lin- colnshire, by whom he has five children. In the year of his marriage he came with his wife to Amer- ica, and located at North Chili, Monroe county, N. Y., and remained there three years. He came to this State from Fairport, N. Y., in 1853, and settled at Ottawa Lake, where he purchased 80 acres of land, on which he now resides. Mrs. Bell died in 1872, and in 1877 he was married to Mrs. Mary Ann Whalin, of Toledo.

CHARLES S. BEMIS, son of Abel and Esther Bemis, was born in the town of Springfield, Lucas county, Ohio, in 1841. Enlisted Sept. 29, 1861, in Bat. H, Ist O. L. A., and served with said battery till September, 1864, when he was discharged, his term of three years for which he enlisted having then ex- pired. On the 8th day of the following March he re-enlisted in Co. H, 3d Ohio Cav., and was dis- charged at Columbus, Ohio, during the first part of August, 1865. He was in the battles of Fredericks- burgh, Wilderness and Cold Harbor, and also at the siege of Petersburg from June to October. He was married on the 19th day of March, 1866, to Lucetta A. Osborne, daughter of John W. and Mary W.Osborne, of Tecumseh, by whom he has six children. At the close of the war he came to Whiteford, this county, and settled on the farm of 57 acres where he now re- sides. He has filled the office of treasurer of White- ford two terms; is a member of Page Post, No. 471, G. A. R., of Sylvania. Lucas county, Ohio.

JOHN M. BOTIMER, son of Christian and Susan Botimer, was born at LaSalle in 1843. He was mar- ried in 1866 to Caroline Bischoff, of Whiteford. by whom he has four children: John C., born Feb. 29, 1868; Margaretta F., born Sept. 4, 1869; Magda- lena J., born July 29, 1872; Caroline M. C., born May 31, 1880. Mr. Botimer came to Whiteford from LaSalle in 1881, and purchased the farm of 120 acres on which he now resides. Himself and wife are members of the Lutheran church, of Whiteford Centre. His father, Christian Boti- mer, was a native of Germany, and came to America with his parents in 1832. The family first settled at Monroe City and remained there about two years, and then removed to LaSalle and remained there through the balance of life. Chris- tian married Susan Denninger, of LaSalle, for his first wife, and by her had two children, of whom John M., of Whiteford, is the only remaining one. Christian was married twice after his first wife died.

CHARLES CYRUS BROWN was born in the city of Toledo, Nov. 22, 1856, son of Jonathan and Harriet Brown, and made Lucas county his home until April 1, 1862. He then came to Monroe county and located on the farm of O. D. Johnston, in the town of White- ford, where he now resides. He was married in 1881

to Fannie L. Taylor, daughter of George and Susan Taylor, who were natives of England, but at this time residents of Lucas county, Ohio. Charles Brown and wife have three children; his business is farm- ing; his postoffice address is Ottawa Lake.

WILLIAM F. BROWN was born at Tremaines- ville, Lucas county, Ohio, in 1850. His father died when he was a child, and the mother was married to a Mr. Holamer and located at Lambertville, this county, to which place William was brought in childhood. In 1885 he married Lucy A. Wood, daughter of Joseph and Rosina Wood, who were early settlers of Whiteford township. In 1885 he settled on the farm of 33 acres which he now owns, in Whiteford.

WILLIAM CLAMPITT, son of Gabriel and Mary Clampitt, was born at Devonshire, in the parish of Chagford, England, in 1828. He married Elizabeth Thorn, of the same parish, in 1850, by whom he had twelve children, eight of whom are now living. In 1852 Mr. Clampitt left his native country and family, and came to America, and made his first permanent stop at Sylvania, Lucas county, Ohio, where he landed with only 50 cents in money and $10 in debt, and it was not until 1854 that he was able to procure a passage for his wife to this country. He remained at Sylvania until 1864, turning his time to the best account; he then purchased 60 acres of land in Whiteford, on which there was a small clearing, and settled thereon. He now owns 140 acres of valuable land, of which 120 is under cultivation. On his ar- rival in America he at once applied for naturalization, and cast his first vote for president for John C. Fre- mont, and from that time to the present has been identified with the Republican party, and has taken a lively interest in American institutions and im- provements.

EZRA N. DANIELS was born in Wolcott, Wayne county, N. Y., in 1847. His parents were Orrin and Esther Daniels, who came to this county from New York in 1848, locating at Whiteford Centre, and re- mained there through the balance of life. Ezra N. enlisted in 1864, in Co. B, Sth Mich. Cav., and served to the close of the war; he was in the engagement at Atlanta, Ga., and several skirmishes; he was mus- tered out at Nashville, Tenn., and discharged at Jackson, Mich., in 1865. He was married in 1877 to Ida Gunn, daughter of Solon and Sarah Gunn, of Whiteford, by whom he has two children. In 1872 he purchased and opened the stone quarry near the head of Ottawa Lake, where he keeps two men em- ployed in getting out building stone, of which he turns out from three to five hundred cords annu- ally. A supply is kept constantly on hand at the quarry.

JASPER FERRIS was born in the town of White- ford, in 1839. His father, Samuel W. Ferris, was born in New York City, in 1809, and we next find him in Montgomery county, N. Y., from whence he came to Lucas county, Ohio, and settled near Toledo, and from there to this county, where he located on 40 acres of land in the southeast part of section 4, and remained there the balance of his life. He was married in 1831 to Margaret Cranker, of Montgomery county, N. Y., by whom he had eight children, of whom six are now living. His widow still survives him, and resides at the old homestead. The address of Jasper is Whiteford Centre.

SAMUEL L. FLETCHER was born in the town of Norwich, Huron county, Ohio, in 1820. His par- ents were John and Ellen Fletcher, who settled in Ottawa Co., Mich., at an early date, and remained there through life. In 1841 Samuel located near Toledo, Ohio , and remained there until about the year 1858, and then came to Whiteford and purchased the farm of 82 acres on which he now resides. He was mar- ried in 1857 to Mrs. Anna Cornwall, of Whiteford,

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

by whom he has two sons and two daughters. He served as constable several years in Lucas county, Ohio, also as an assessor, school director, etc .; in 1886 took contract from the government for carrying the mail from Sylvania via Whiteford Centre to Lam- bertville, for four years.

GEORGE FOWLER born in Columbia county, Pa., Sept. 12, 1818. His grandfather was an Englishman, and came to this country as a soldier under Cornwallis, during the Revolutionary war; he was taken prisoner at Yorktown by the American Army, and afterwards settled on Long Island. The parents of George Fowler were Benjamin and Eliza- beth. George has been twice married, first in 1841, to Caroline Varner, daughter of Daniel Varner, of Luzerne Co., Pa., by whom he had eight children, five of whom are now living; she died in 1870. In 1871 he was mar- ried to Mrs. Emma Pool, of Whiteford. In 1845 Mr. Fowler removed to Licking county, Ohio, where he followed milling and the mill-wright business for a number of years. In 1863 located on his present farm of 80 acres, in Whiteford, to which he was obliged to cut his own road through the forest two miles; he now has 60 acres under improvement. He was originally a member of the old Whig party, but afterwards became a Republican and took a deep in- terest in the Union cause during the Rebellion, as- sisting in the formation of three regiments in Ohio.

ROSWELL W. GRAHAM was born in Lake county, Ohio, in 1825. His father, David Graham, was born in New Hampshire in 179S, and came with his parents to Seneca county, N. Y., in 1799; about the year 1820 came to Lake county, Ohio, and there married Hope Cone, by whom he has seven children, of whom Roswell W., of Whiteford, is the only sur- viving one; in 1831 he came with his family from Lake county, Ohio, to this county, and located in the town of Erie, where he purchased a farm; he served there as a magistrate, town clerk, etc .; he died in 1864 at Coldwater, Mich .; his wife died in 1832. In 1849 Roswell went to California and remained three years, and on his return to this county purchased the farm on which he now resides, and with the excep- tion of eight years in Fulton county, Ohio, has been a resident of Whiteford to the present time. He was married in 1853 to Sarah Smith, daughter of Robert and Nancy Smith, of Whiteford, by whom he has had nine children, six of whom are now living. In 1864 he became a traveling agent in the division of the Mississippi, in the employ of the government, for the protection of railroad property. With the exception of one term has held the office of magis- trate for the past 20 years, and now holds that office.

JOSIAH HALL, son of Elihu and Maria (Wilson) Hall, was born in Vienna, this county, Dec. 4, 1840; graduated from Monroe high school in 1860, came to Whiteford in 1867 and taught school for three years. On Nov. 23, 1870, he married Viola, daughter of Charles and Cassandra Mallett. Has three children living : Edna, born Feb. 22, 1872; Fay, born Aug. 28, 1876, and Stephen, born Jan. 23, 1884. Clarence, born Sept. 3, 1879, died Aug. 31, 1882. Has held the office of supervisor for several years, superinten- dent of schools for three years, school inspector and teacher in the township most of the time for the past twenty years.

LYMAN R. HINDS was born in Huron county, O., in 1836. His parents were Alfred and Sarah Hinds, who removed from Huron to Muskingum county, O., in 1837, and from thence, in 1851, came to this county, and settled in the town of Whiteford; 320 acres of land were purchased, on which the parents lived and died, and of which Lyman R. now owns 80 acres. He was married in 1861 to Phoebe Hopkins, of White- ford, by whom he has ten children. He has served

as commissioner of highways four years. He is a member of Sylvania Lodge, F. & A. M.

CHRISTIAN HOBART was born in the town of Pompey, Onondaga county, N. Y., in 1826. His par- ents were Jacob and Mary Hobart, who, in 1836, re- moved to Huron county, O., and remained there one . year, going thence to this county, locating first in Summerfield, and then in Vienna, in the town of Erie, and in 1844 purchased 80 acres in the town of Whiteford, where they died. Of this family five children are now living. Christian was married in 1852 to Esther Ann Dolby, a native of Detroit, a daughter of Robert and Mary Dolby, now of White- ford; they have four children. In 1871 Mr. Hobart was chosen to the office of magistrate in the town of Whiteford, but declined to qualify ; was elected again in 1875, and served, by re-election, eight years. In 1883 was elected drain commissioner, and now holds that office ; also held the office of town clerk four years, school inspector, etc., and is now a notary public in and for the town of Whiteford.

SAMUEL C. HOTCHKISS was born in the town of Harpersfield, Ashtabula county, O., in 1826. He was married in 1864 to Helen Tuttle, daughter of Lyman and Sabra Tuttle, of Oneida county, N. Y., by whom he has two children. In 1861 Samuel C. Hotchkiss went to Washington, and was soon after appointed as clerk in the pension office, and on the 14th day of April of the same year offered his services in defense of the city by enlisting in Co. A, National Rifles, which was soon transferred to the 1st Dist. Regt., but in consequence of the pressure of business at the pension office, was recalled to his desk, and served in that department eleven years. His parents were Doctor Anson and Chloe Hotchkiss, natives of Litch- field county, Conn., who came to Ashtabula county, O., at an early date. Dr. Hotchkiss there followed his profession through the business part of his life, and in 1853 the family came to Whiteford and pur- chased 240 acres of land, now owned by Samuel C. and Arthur Hotchkiss.

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History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 118

Author: Wing, Talcott Enoch, 1819-1890, ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: New York, Munsell & company Number of Pages: 882

Author: Wing, Talcott Enoch, 1819-1890, ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York, Munsell & company
Number of Pages: 882