History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 81

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

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During the panic of 1837, like many others, Mr. White lost everything except his good name and reputation as an honest dealer. He again began the struggle of life with the de- termined push, vim, and energy he had inher- ited from his Puritan forefathers, and with his good wife as a partner and counselor, without engaging in any speculation, but by a strict at. tention to his business, he accumulated another fortune, which at the time of his death amounted to over one hundred thousand dol- lars, an uncommon estate in those days in Michigan. Shortly before his death he became a stockholder in the First National Bank of Monroe.

In politics Mr. White never took any active part, generally voting the Democratic ticket, and in local elections always voting for the candidate who in his estimation was the best qualified to fill the office, without regard to the

party by whom he was nominated. With the exception of collector of customs, postmaster, and justice of the peace, he refused all offices.

While he was the direct descendant of pure Puritan stock, he was a member of the Baptist church, and always lived a godly, upright, and Christian life. In his Christian charities he carried out the biblicalinjunction of not letting his right hand know what his left hand did, and after his death among his papers were found memorandums and notes of nearly twenty thousand dollars' worth of accounts due him and which he had canceled, as they, in his opinion, were too poor to pay the amounts owed to him.

When but eleven years old, thinking par- tiality was shown his brother by his parents, he left home with the intention of going to sea ; but the captain, who had known him all his life, instead of taking him to sea, sent bim to his wife, with whom he lived for several years, and of whom he learned many secrets in pickling and preserving fruits, etc., which stood him well in after years.

Losing everything in the panic of 1837, the " Patriot war " gave him a new start, and be- ing widely and favorably known as a business man of more than usual ability, he soon began to retrieve his fortunes. In his habits, while odd, his oddities were methodical, and to a pur- pose to identify himself with his business and make both himself and his business known by them. In his family relations there was always the utmost confidence and harmony. Every night with his wife around the family circle looking over and advising with her in regard to what he had done during the day, and what he intended to do the next. In his business matters everything was kept in the utmost or- der, on the principle that " Order is Heaven's first law," and at the end of the year, by look- ing over his books one could almost read his innermost thoughts and wishes by the nota- tions which he was in the habit of putting on his accounts.

His last illness was of only a week's duration, and resulted from becoming overheated in hur- rying to catch the train from Monroe (where he was preparing a home for his old age) to go to Newport, the result of which was congestion, from which he died at his home in Newport, November 22, 1866, leaving a wife and six children to mourn his loss.

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

AUSTIN BOSTWICK CHAPMAN.

One of the most enterprising and independ- ent farmers in the county, with large farms under a high state of cultivation, unincumbered by mortgages, and a man who has largely con- tributed in laying the foundations for moral, religious and educational interests of Ash and Berlin, resides now on the Chapman road, the main traveled road from Monroe via Newport to Flat Rock. He has a fine two-story house, with mansard roof and many of the modern improvements, with barns and outbuildings - a farm of which any farmer might greatly be proud. In 1839, when but eighteen years of age, he moved to Ash (now Berlin) with a mother, brother and two sisters dependent on him, built a log house in 1840, and by perse- verance and hard work cleared up his farm. In the winter of 1843, with his brother, he pur- chased cleven head of cattle, cows and three- year old steers, for thirty dollars. The winter was exceedingly cold and severe ; feed could not be purchased in that vicinity, and they were compelled to chop down basswood trees as a last resort. This winter the French citi- zens occupying the farms farther east and near the lake, drew straw on the ice from Canada as late as the first of April. The hay on the island, " Grosse Isle," was held at twenty dol- lars per ton, and the owners, by refusing to sell at that time, found it a very poor investment as it was entirely destroyed by rats and mice.

Mr. Chapman married Catharine Burton, July 4, 1847, and by their united efforts, en- ergy, prudence and economy, added to their possessions until they owned 520 acres in one body. At a time when a small sum was realized for produce, he remembers purchasing of William White, the merchant, of Newport, a plain calico dress for his sister at twenty. eight cents a yard (now sold for five), and re- ceiving for his lard six cents per pound and five cents a dozen for eggs ; but Mr. Chapman states that six or eight yards were in those days ample for a dress. His wife had the same de- sires that characterize mothers of the present day ; but instead of an upholstered, lace-cur- tained, willow baby wagon of the present day, costing from $30 to $50, she sawed from logs the wheels, pierced with a wooden axle, made a rough box, and it proved apparently as satis- factory as those of greater pretensions of mod- ern manufacture.

He employed the first school teacher for three months, Sarah Crook, boarding her at one dollar per week ; then was instrumental in forming the first school district and building the first school house.

When the Michigan Southern Railroad was built through Ash by Ransom Gardner, of Jonesville, contractor, the bills of Mr. Chap- man for boarding the laborers were promptly paid, amounting to $1,999.88.

A prosperous Sunday school was organized and for two years maintained with the assist- ance of Mrs. T. E. Wing and Samuel M. Sackett, who attended each every alternate Sunday from Monroe. To the good seed sown at this time, Mr. Chapman attributes the organization of the Congregational church at Rockwood.

Mr. and Mrs. Chapman have been bereaved of two sons and two daughters. Have two sons living : Austin B. Chapman, residing on the farm adjoining the old homestead on the north, married and has two sons and two daughters; H. H. Chapman, the sixth child, resides on the farm next south of the old home- stead, married, and has four children, three sons and one daughter.

Bostwick Chapman is yet hale and hearty, living on the old farm, surrounded with all the comforts of life, very energetic and enterpris- ing, and identified with every enterprise that has for its object the improvement and good of the town in which he lives. He is entitled to great credit for his contributions and energy in erecting the Congregational church, one of the most convenient brick churches, complete in all its appointments, situated on the north side of the river.

JOSIAH C. ASELSTYNE

Was born April 24, 1802, at Swanton, Ver- mont. His parents were Henry and Clarinda (Cheeney) Aselstyne. His father was a farmer, and while clearing land to build a house was killed by a falling tree. Mr. Aselstyne came to Monroe county in the fall of 1833, and the same year aided in building the Stickney saw-mill, the first one built in Toledo, Ohio. In 1834 he commenced to clear his farm ; his patent bears the signature of General Jackson. The farm consisted of 160 acres. In June, 1834, he re- turned to his native village and there he mar-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ried Miss H. E. Blodget, September 25, 1834. Miss Blodget was the daughter of Henry and Zernah (Harrington) Blodget, and was born September 16, 1812, in George, Vermont. Soon after their marriage they moved to the farm where they now reside, living at that time in a log house in the woods, with the In- dians. as their only neighbors. Six children were born to them, one of whom, Byron J., born December 2, 1842, died October 9, 1863. He was a member of Company G, Thirty- third New York State Volunteers. He died in a hospital at Bakersville, Maryland.

Horace Aselstyne was born February 17, 1851. Married Elizabeth M. Clark May 18, 1873. Seven children were born to them: Byron J., Mande E. and Mary E.(twins), Blanche L., Harry E., Frank L., and Elvina, the last named dying in infancy.

Mr. Josiah Aselstyne died May 15, 1853. Mrs. Aselstyne married for her second husband a Mr. Southworth, who .died December 31, 1885. Mrs. Southworth can relate many inter- esting stories of her early life in Monroe coun- ty. Her early friends were deer, wolves, etc. She resides on the farm where she has always lived. She has resided in one Territory, one State, one county and three towns: French- town, Ash, and Berlin. She has been a mem- ber of the M. E. church for thirty-six years. Mrs. Southworth has returned to visit her friends but once since she went to reside on her farm.

ISAAC ASELSTYNE,

One of the first settlers in the town of Ash, was born in Swanton, Vermont, March 7, 1807, and at the age of twenty-seven purchased of the Government of the United States 120 acres of land, which he improved and resided upon up to the time of his death, January 24, 1885, aged seventy-eight years. Helped chop and clear the old State road from Monroe to Flat Rock. Was a minister of the gospel in the Wesleyan Methodist denomination, and minis- tered to the people in the northern part of the county from the time he entered his land to the time of his death. Was the first supervisor of the town of Ash ; enjoyed the confidence of the people, and a number of times was elected and held offices of trust in the town. When he first located in Monroe county, Josiah Col-

burn was his nearest neighbor; soon after Isaac Donaldson and A. C. Thayer purchased land adjoining his farm, about eight miles from Monroe, three miles north of the settlement of Stony Creek.

He was married four times ; the daughter by the first marriage, Mary E. Skinner, resides at Swanton, Vermont. His second wife he mar- ried in Michigan, but she lived but one year after their marriage. Married for his third wife Susan Burgess, of Ash, by whom he had three children, two sons and one daughter : Darius Aselstyne, born in 1846; resides two miles from Carlton ; fought during the last war, to use his own language, " through eight different States of the Union ;" returned to his birthplace, married and settled down for life, conscious of having proved his devotion to his country, hazarded his life in many hard-fought battles for the preservation of the Union. Susan Aselstyne was born in 1848 ; married Mr. Rickabough ; resides at Malden, Iowa; Abram C. Aselstyne was born in 1850; married and settled in Northern Michigan.

JOHN B. SANCRAINT

Was a native of Quebec, and accompanied his father, Flazet, in the year 1765, on a mission- ary tour to the Indians in the Northwest. They spent some time establishing missions at Black Rock, Fort Meigs, Maumee, Rockwood, Gibralter, and present site of Toledo, having for their guide an Indian chief -consuming in all eighteen months. Mr. Sancraint returned to Quebec, and from that time was engaged as a trader with the Indians, making his annual trips from Quebec to Detroit, his headquarters. He then made the acquaintance of and married Miss Margaret Soleau in the year 1785. Con- tinued an Indian trader until 1805, at which time he was commissioned by the Government of the United States post trader, with head- quarters at Detroit. Through his influence many of the early French settlers were res- cued from the barbarity of the Indians. In 1801 he accompanied Father Richard on his missionary tour to the Indians and half-breeds at Lake Huron and Lake Superior. He re- ceived a commission from the United States Government and assisted in removing the In- dians west of the Mississippi, when he died in

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

1838. Five of his sons enlisted in the United States army in the War of 1812, and thirty sons and grandsons as soldiers in the United States army in the year 1861.

THOMAS SMITH EDWARDS

Was born in Conneaut, Ashtabula county, Ohio, April 12, 1824, and is the third son of Obed and Marcia (Wright) Edwards. His is a splendid example of a well-spent life, and at the age of sixty-five looks younger than most men fifty. His grandfather was of Scotch and Eng- lish extraction, and served through the Revo- lutionary War with a company of colonial soldiers raised in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. After the war his son Obed, who was born in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, March 2, 1783, was bound out for a term of six years to learn the mysteries of carriage-making, after which he moved to Connecticut, where he pursued his trade until 1809, when he moved to Ashtabula county, Ohio, and was one of the first pioneers of the Western Reserve. He served in the War of 1812, after which he turned his attention to clearing up a farm, his trade being of small account in such a new country. After several years he built and operated a saw-mill on Ashtabula Creek. He died November 5, 1849. His wife, Marie Wright Edwards, was born in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, May 19, 1791, and died at Chicago, Illinois, October 20, 1868.

In the saw mill on Ashtabula Creek, the subject of our.sketch worked during his minor- ity. In 1849 he moved with his brother-in- law on a dairy farm in Dorset, Ohio, where he remained until 1860, when he went into the oil business on Oil Creek, Pennsylvania. Here he met with fair success, having an interest in the third flowing well in the State ; but at that time the opportunities for getting oil to market and storage being worth more than the oil, made the dividends rather small. In 1863 he moved back to Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he farmed and dealt in lumber until the spring of 1874, when he came to Carlton, Monroe county, Michigan, and in company with Messrs. Adams & Blinn, started a mill for the manufacture of staves and heading. After- wards Mr. Edwards bought the Blinn interest, establishing the firm of Edwards & Adams. In the year 1887 the mill was destroyed by fire.

At Andover, Ashtabula county, Ohio, Febru- ary 19, 1861, he was married to Mary, daugh- ter of Salmon and Mary (Cadwell) Case, whose children are : Frank Luzerne, born April 17, 1864 ; Fred. Wright, born October 6, 1866; and Charles Loomis, born July 2, 1868. When Mr. Edwards first moved to Michigan, it was necessary to locate, his family at Deerfield while their new home was being erected at Carlton. He had just completed the same and furnished it ready for occupancy when Mrs. Edwards was taken sick and died at Deer- field, October 6, 1874. The loss of a wife and mother fell heavily on the bereaved family, occurring as it did just as they were about to have a comfortable home, and the sister of Mr. Edwards, Martha J., took a mother's place to the boys, and as housekeeper for Mr. Ed- wards, brought them up with more than a mother's care.

In 1885 Edwards & Adams erected a two- story brick block, 66x80, on Monroe street, di- vided into three general departments, and well filled with all kinds of general merchandise, including clothing, hardware, stores, farming tools and agricultural implements. The firm is doing a very large business, and is con- ducted by Mr. Edwards and his three sons. They also manufacture pressed brick and tile, which find a ready sale, and are extensively interested in farming and raising fine Percheron horses.

Mr. Edwards has never connected himself with any religious denomination, but has always, in both social and business transac- tions, made it his aim to live up to the golden rule, and by honesty of purpose and square- ness of dealing, has built up a large and pros- perous business in a small town. He has never taken any active part in politics, but being brought up on the Western Reserve of North - ern Ohio, the home of Joshua R. Giddings and Benjamin F. Wade, he early imbibed an ardent love for the principles advocated by Garrison and other anti-slavery reformers, and has been a strong Republican ever since the organization of that party.

HON. DANIEL GOODWIN

Was one of the early emigrants to the Territory of Michigan, where he successfully practiced law. Was for many years the United States

This &. Edwards

THE NEW YORE UBLIC LIBRARY,

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.

477

BIOGRAPHICAL, SKETCHES.

District Attorney for Michigan. Was subse- quentiy appointed judge of the circuit court, and for years presided as judge of circuit court of Monroe county. He served repeatedly in our State legislature. Was president of the constitutional convention of 1850. Appeared for the people in the great trial of 1851, known as the " Railroad Conspiracy Case." Was sub- sequently judge of the circuit court for the Northern Peninsula of Michigan.

GENERAL LEVI S. HUMPHREY

Was born in Vermont, and one of early emi- grants of Michigan after it became an organized Territory. He was for many years a promi- nent proprietor of the stage coaches on the south shore of Lake Erie ; probably did more than any man of his day to improve the breed of horses in the Northwest. For many years he was prominent in Southern Michigan as a politician. Was many years engaged in mer- cantile pursuits with Hon. Daniel S. Bacon, and was publicly known as

Talleyrand the great and grand, Talleyrand the Dickerer.

He was a member of the State legislature, one of the commissioners to locate the Southern and Central Railroads of Michigan ; was con- nected with the government as register of the land office at Monroe, and as United States marshal for the district of Michigan. Was afterwards a contractor on the Great Western and Grand Trunk Railroads in Canada. Sub- sequently returned to his old home and re- mained until a few months previous to his death, when he removed to Wayne and there died. Those who knew him personally can never forget his imposing appearance as well as his gentle manners and kind heart.

WILLIAM V. STUDDIFORD

Is the son of Peter Studdiford, who was born in 1763, at New York city. In 1786 he studied for the ministry under L. Livingston, in the Christian Synod of R. D. Church. Was ap- pointed professor of Hebrew in 1812. Possess- ing large views of Divine truth, and a rich store of various knowledge, he was ready, in- structive, and forcible in his preaching. He loved his work, and shrank not from effort in

its performance. He was a faithful and affec- tionate pastor, a patriotic citizen, and a humble, devout, and liberal-minded Christian. He ex- celled as an extemporaneous preacher, tran- scending himself, when suddenly called on to take the place of some absentee These efforts had more than the force of an elaborate prepara- tion.

Rev. Peter Studdiford's church called his son, the Rev. P. O. Studdiford, who was pastor of the Presbyterian church at Lambertsville, New Jersey. His church was so united in him, and opposed his going, that he declined the call and was pastor of that church for forty-five years. They then called his son, who contin- ued their pastor until his death. For more than seventy years father and son filled the same pulpit.

In 1833 the subject of this sketch left his native State and spent two years in Ovid, Sen- eca county, New York, and in 1835 came to Monroe. Previous to coming here he had se- cured a fine library, thinking he was going out of civilization. To his surprise when he ar- rived here he found a population of as intelli- gent people as he ever met, far above the aver- age of places of the same size in the East, with all the culture of the older States, with a bar far exceeding any other place in the State, with such men as Wing, Noble, Felch, McCleanland, Thurber and others, placed it ahead of any place in the State. He arrived here just in time to enter into the excitement of the specu- lation of 1836. In that year he bought the upper water power and saw mills, and so great was the demand for lumber to build, that the mills netted $6,000 profit that year. He also made a contract in Buffalo, and shipped the first black walnut, oak and ash lumber that was shipped from the State. In 1837 came the great revulsion that swept over the whole country. When the times began to improve, he built the brick store above the upper bridge, the stone store on Front street, and several dwellings. When the Presbyterian church was built he was chairman of the committee, with Charles Noble and D. S. Bacon, paying about $3,000 and taking some fifteen pews as payment. Along about 1844 he was elected justice of the peace. In 1849 and 1850 he be- came quite largely interested in steamboats. June 20, 1850, one of the steamers in which he was interested (the Griffith) burned, with a

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

loss of 250 lives, including Captain Roby and his entire family, with Mr. Studdiford's own dear wife. The same fall he lost the steamer Wave, a new boat he had built. This was a sad and disastrous year for him. In 1852 he moved to Buffalo, New York, and in 1856 to New York City. He has been actively en- gaged in business since he has been there; ob- taining two charters for city railroads in Brooklyn, building them both, and was presi- dent of one for years. He is now seventy- seven years old, waiting the Master's call, with a firm faith and not a doubt.

WALTER P. CLARKE

Was born in Rhode Island, came to Michigan in 1832, and settled in Monroe in 1834, where he commenced the grocery business, which he continued for some years. In 1842 he was elected mayor of the city, and until his removal West, in connection with railroad construction contracts, he was one of the leading business and public men of the place. In connection with the late Thomas G. Cole, Mr. Clarke was a moving spirit in the construction of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Rail- road from Monroe to Adrian. They founded the village of Deerfield, and built the mills at that place. After the completion of this work, Mr. Clarke, with his three sons (Walter P., Stephen G., and Frank B. Clarke), undertook heavy contracts for construction of sections of track on the Michigan Central, the Illinois Central, the Rock Island, and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroads. After the completion of these enterprises he purchased a farm in Illinois, upon which he resided for several years, but finally returned to Monroe, where the mother of his children and partner of his joys and sorrows died, April 11, 1870. Mr. Clarke was a kind and devoted husband and father, a warm-hearted, genial, and oblig- ing friend and neighbor.

He was buried on Tuesday, March 5, 1875, at 2 o'clock p. m., from Trinity church, of which he was a member, leaving in addition to the three sons named above, one daughter, who was mar- ried to the Hon. Joseph M. Sterling, of Monroe.

STEPHEN G. CLARKE,

Son of Walter P. Clarke and Abigail (Marsh) Clarke, was born March 24, 1822, at Plainfield,

Otsego county, New York. His father was for many years a prosperous merchant in Monroe, and subsequently a railroad builder and con- tractor. The subject of this sketch was edu- cated in Monroe and first attended school taught by John P. Rowe, Esq., subsequently a wealthy farmer and stock-raiser in Erie. Spent two years at Milnor Hall, preparatory deparatment of Kenyon College, Ohio, and finished his course of study with the Rev. Samuel Center, principal of the Michigan branch of the University, at Monroe, Michi- gan. He was married November 20, 1844, to Martha Davidson Darrah, daughter of George W. Darrah, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Has one daughter, Mrs. Lottie Shephard, wife of a lumber merchant of Chicago, and two sons, Harry and Byron, both with their father en- gaged in railroad enterprises. Their son Frank, a very promising young business man, married Miss Mary Holly, formerly of Mon- roe, died at his father's residence at Wright's Grove, in Chicago. Mr. Clarke was for two successive terms mayor of the city of Monroe, chief of the fire department, for three succes- sive terms clerk of the county of Monroe. Re- moved with his family to Chicago, and has been largely engaged as a contractor and builder of railroads up to the present time. He is now president of the International Construc- tion Company, which is building 1,500 miles of railroad in Mexico; president of the New York Construction Company, which is now building a railroad from Columbus, Ohio, to Saugatuck, Michigan ; president of the North- western Colonization and Improvement Com- pany, which owns 2,500,000 acres of land in Mexico ; president of the Lansing City Rail- way .Company, also of the Janesville Street Railway Company ; is largely interested in the construction of the Sonora, Sinaloa and Chihua- hua Railway, also in the Deming, Sierra Madre and Pacific Railway, also in the Columbus, Lima and Milwaukee Railway, the belt line around Columbus, and a line of steamers to run be- tween Saugatuck and Milwaukee, as well as large land interests in Mexico, which occupy his entire time and attention.

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History of Monroe County, Michigan, Part 81

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