USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests Volume II > Part 11
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Mr. and Mrs. Lessiter were charter members of the Order of the Eastern Star, which was organized at Orion in 1905. Mrs. Lessiter was worthy matron of the chapter for four years, also grand Martha of the Grand Chapter of Michigan, and was secretary for three years and president for two years of the Oakland County Association, Order of the Eastern Star.
JOSEPH M. FLUMERFELT. Numbered among the progressive farm- ers of Oakland township is Joseph M. Flumerfelt, whose farm of 216 acres is located in sections 26 and 27. With his activities in this direc- tion he couples the duties of justice of the peace, and administers that office in a manner that commads the respectful admiration of his con- stituents. Mr. Flumerfelt is youthful so far as years go, being not yet forty. He was born in Oakland township on November 30, 1873, his parents being also natives of Michigan. They were Samuel and Emma E. (Perry) Flumerfelt. The former farmed all of his life in Oakland township and died September 20, 1909, leaving six hundred acres of land as evidence of his industry and frugality. His widow is still living in Rochester. There were three children in their family, Joseph being the eldest. The others were daughters, May B., who married Frank Lan- hoff, of Detroit, and Vida E., who became the wife of E. Roy Whims, of Oakland county.
Joseph attended the district schools of the neighborhood and then turned to farming. For fifteen years he rented from his father, then bought his present place in 1910. He married Mrs. Edna Stranahan, widow of Claude Stranahan. She is a daughter of William and Amelia (Axford) Miller, both of whom are now deceased. Mr. Miller was from New Jersey. Mrs. Flumerfelt was their only child. By her union with her first husband she had one child, William A. Stranahan, who is now making his home with his mother and foster father. Mr. and Mrs.
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Flumerfelt have two children, Mary E., who was born on June 4, 1910, and Joseph M., junior, born June 23, 1912.
The Flumerfelt place is on rural route No. 2, out of Rochester. Its genial proprietor is a believer in the principles of the Democratic party. He attends the Congregational church and socially is affiliated with the Masonic lodge.
GEORGE BOGIE. Among the many estimable families of Oakland county, none commands more esteem than that of George Bogie, who is a prosperous farmer living on a farm of one hundred and fifty-one acres in section 33, of White Lake township. His is a family notable alike for its modest integrity and its ancestral dignity. In daily pursuits, faithful and efficient ; in church relations, unobstrusively loyal; in public affairs, capable yet unassuming,-in all phases of his activity, Mr. Bogie is counted a typically worthy citizen.
On the farm, which is still his home George Bogie was born Septem- ber 29, 1850. His parents were Andrew W. and Harriet (Dodge) Bogie, the paternal line being of pure Scotch origin. Andrew Bogie was the son of Alexander Bogie, who lived and died on Scottish soil. It was after the father's death that Andrew Bogie came alone, in 1840, to America. His interest in promising Michigan lands brought him to Springfield township, where he purchased a farm, on which he lived, steadily improving it, for six years. At the end of that time he moved to the farm, which he had bought in White Lake township, on which he and his wife lived until the death of each and where their son, the sub- ject of this sketch, has continued to reside with his family. Their eldest son, Wallace, still lives at the old home with his brother.
George Bogie's education was that of the average farmer's son. Even at that time Michigan's school system was such that his country schooling, supplemented by intelligent reading and practical training at home, gave the young man sufficient equipment for a useful life. Unlike too many modern youths, he worked and planned in close companionship with his father, until in 1879, the latter gave the farm into the son's charge.
Mr. Bogie's marriage in 1871 to Clara Andrews, daughter of Burton Andrews, brought to his family an historical dower rich in genealogical interest, particularly in the earlier generations. Her father, Burton Andrews, born in Stafford, New York, was the son of Arthur Andrews, of Richmond, Massachusetts, whose father was Elizar Andrews, a min- ute man of the Revolutionary army. He was the son of Benajah An- drews, who was born at Newington, Massachusetts, in 1717, his father being Dr. Joseph Andrews. The father of the latter, also called Joseph Andrews, was the fourth son of John and Mary Andrews, who had settled in the town of Tunxis, later called Farmington, Connecticut, in about 1640. Another of Mrs. Bogie's numerous notable ancestors was a Richard Andrews of London, England; he was a haberdasher at the Mermaid, Cheapside, and was an alderman. It is said of him that he gave £500-no small sum in those days -- for the founding of the Massa- chusetts Bay colony. saving the enterprise from failure now and again by his constant support financially and also helping to provide cattle, a most important commodity to help meet the needs of the colonists. Every generation of the Andrews family seems to have had its con- spicuous patriots and public-spirited men, its Civil war veterans, includ- ing a chaplain, and the Spanish-American war claiming representation
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- as well. Nor can we forbear mentioning that famous kinswoman of Mrs. Bogie's-her maternal great-grand-aunt, Miss Deborah Sampson, who in sturdy patriotic enthusiasm courageously arrayed herself in the uniform of a Revolutionary soldier and fought shoulder to shoulder with her colonial brothers in that momentous struggle. Her worn and faded military habiliments are still preserved by the family, who treasure as carefully the data concerning her acting as aide to an officer and her personal acquaintance with George Washington, to whom as to her fel- low soldiers she was known as Robert Shurtleff.
The present generation of the Andrews-Bogie family consists of the three children, now grown, who have been born to Mr. and Mrs. George Bogie : Isabella Ollidene, born September 25, 1872, now the wife of John Barrett, of Brant, Saginaw county ; Clare Alexander, born April 29, 1874, and now a resident of Pontiac ; and Lena, born April 5, 1877, now the wife of Albert Westpfahl, of White Lake township.
With their family creditably settled in life, George Bogie and his worthy wife are now enjoying comparative leisure and a satisfying de- gree of public activity. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Bogie's popularity among his acquaintances and the respect accorded his superior judgment have brought him the responsibility of a health officer in his township, which he has heretofore ably served in the capacity of justice of the peace. Religiously Mr. Bogie is allied with the Methodist church and his wife with the Congregationalist denomination, to which her family have belonged for many generations. In fraternal affiliation he is a Mason.
MRS. EVA IOLA THORNHILL, the widow of the late Henry Thornhill, and now owner and proprietor of the store he operated during his life- time, was born in Detroit Michigan, the daughter of Joseph P. and Jane (Burnham) Whiting. The father was born in Connecticut and the mother in Vermont. Joseph P. Whiting came to Michigan when eigh- teen years old, locating in Detroit, and there he established himself in the butcher business. Later he was elected sheriff of Wayne county, Mich- igan, and held the office for several terms. He was inspector of customs for several years at the port of Detroit and also special inspector of sugar and tobacco in this district, as well as being deputy United States mar- shal at Detroit during the war. In 1875 his health failed, and Mr. Whit- ing, with his wife and three children, Eva, Nellie and Bert, came to Milford, where the father purchased a farm, and there he continued to live until his death, which occurred in 1887. The mother survived him until 1902.
Mrs. Thornhill's early education was received in Detroit and she finished at Milford high school after the family removed to this point. In 1887 she was married to William C. Stobart, a farmer of Milford, Michigan, who died in 1891. Three years later she married Henry Thornhill, a merchant of Milford, who was born in the town of Milford. He was the son of Edward and Eliza (Lee) Thornhill, natives of Lin- colnshire, England, who came to the United States in early life, settling in Milford township. They later purchased land in Commerce township, where they made their home until death called them. Henry Thornhill passed his boyhood days on the farm with his older brothers, Edward and John, and they kept up the old home until the death of their mother. In 1872 they came into the town of Milford and erected a brick store building, which they rented to P. A. Shepard in the following year.
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They later purchased the Shepard stock and engaged in the mercantile business as Thornhill Brothers. The firm continued in that way for some years, until the brothers Edward and John sold their interest to Henry, who remained in the business until his death in 1907. Since his death Mrs .. Thornhill has carried on the enterprise successfully and car- ries a stock of dry goods, carpets and wall paper to the extent of from $10,000 to $12,000. Mrs. Thornhill has proven herself a good business woman, and the establishment of which she is the proprietor is a credit to the town of Milford. She is one of the heaviest tax-payers in the town.
THOMAS A. BELL. Among the prominent and influential citizens of Royal Oak, Oakland county, Michigan, Thomas A. Bell holds prestige as one who has carved out his own career and who is making a distinct success of the real-estate business. He is deeply and sincerely inter- ested in community affairs and is ever ready to give of his aid and influence in support of all measures and enterprises projected for the good of the general welfare.
A native of Oakland county, Michigan, Thomas A. Bell was born in Royal Oak township July 2, 1874, and he is a son of John and Annie (McBride) Bell, the former of whom was born at Belfast, Ireland, and the latter of whom was a native of the province of Ontario, Canada. John Bell is a son of William Bell, who was likewise born in Ireland and who came to America when John was a lad of about fourteen years of age. William located, with his family, in Royal Oak township and there John grew to maturity and was educated. He turned his attention to farming after he had reached his. legal majority and he is now living in retirement on his fine estate of one hundred acres, three miles distant from the village of Royal Oak. He married in 1862, and his wife is also living. They became the parents of eight children, six of whom are liv- ing, in 1912, namely : William, who operates a farm in Bruce township, Oakland county ; Jennie, who is the wife of Samuel Read, of Troy town- ship, Oakland county; Ephriam, who remains at home and conducts the farm; Thomas A., the subject of this review : Lottie, who is the wife of George Robinson, of Troy township ; and Edna, who is at home.
Thomas A. Bell passed his boyhood and youth on the old homestead farm, in the work and management of which he early began to assist his father, and his educational training consisted of such advantages as were offered in the district schools. He remained at home until he had reached his twenty-seventh year, in 1901, when he was married and re- moved to Royal Oak, where he has since been interested in the real- estate business. He is the owner of considerable valuable property in Oakland county and his real-estate transactions are of broad scope and importance. In politics he is a stalwart Republican in affairs of na- tional import, but in local affairs he votes for the best and most capable man. He is affiliated with a number of representative fraternal organiza- tions and in religious matters he and his family are devout members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in whose faith he was reared.
In Oakland county, October 13, 1900, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Bell to Miss Mattie B. Campbell, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Campbell, of Royal Oak. Mr. and Mrs. Bell are the parents of two sons, Milton Harold and Erwin LeRoy, both of whom are attending school in Royal Oak.
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FRED A. SMITH. The descendant of an honored pioneer family of Oakland county, Fred A Smith is an able representative of the agricul- tural interests of Holly township, where he is busily and prosperously engaged in general farming, owning a part of the parental homestead, which lies three miles east of Holly. He was born in Holly township, Janu- ary 17, 1868, a son of Lott Smith and grandson of Moses Smith, who settled in this part of Michigan while it was still under territorial govern- ment.
Born in Ulster county, New York, Moses Smith was engaged in farm- ing in the town of Olive until 1835. Accompanied by his wife, Catherine Smith, he followed the tide of emigration westward in that year as far as Michigan, spending the winter in Groveland township, Oakland county. In the spring of 1836 he took up a claim of two hundred acres of land in Holly township, and with an energetic spirit and his pioneer axe, began the clearing and improving of a homestead. As his means' increased, he added to the acreage of his farm, becoming an extensive landholder, and for many years carried on mixed husbandry successfully. Having accomplished a satisfactory work, he finally removed to Fenton, where he lived retired until his death, July 5, 1884, at a venerable age, having outlived his wife, who died in 1887, three years. Six sons and two daughters were born of their union, as follows: Jonathan, who died in childhood; Dennis, a member of Company I, Third Michigan Cavalry, died of typhoid fever at San Antonio, Texas, during the Civil war; Matthew died while en route for California, his death being caused from exposure after being wrecked off the west coast of Mexico; Nehemiah, who settled on a part of the parental homestead, died in 1902; Lucinda died in California, in 1908; Lott, father of Fred A .; Frank, now a resi- dent of California; and Sarah, widow of Eben Remington, of Oakland county.
Lott Smith was born on his father's farm, Groveland township, Feb- ruary 15, 1836, but was brought up in Holly township, where his parents moved when he was but a few weeks old. Succeeding to the ownership of two hundred of the parental acres, he was an able assistant in the advancement of the agricultural prosperity of this part of the county, and as a man and a citizen was active and influential in advancing the public welfare of his community. In 1861 he enlisted in Company I, Third Michigan Cavalry, in which he served as orderly sergeant, taking an active part in twenty-one engagements, the more important of which was the one at Mobile, Alabama. Returning home on being mustered out of service, he resumed farming, and later bought a tract of land con- taining one hundred and twenty acres, all of which he managed advan- tageously, remaining on his home place until his death, September 29, IOTI.
Lott Smith married, in 1867, Miss Ida Searles, who was born and reared in Charlotte, Michigan, but subsequently moved to Syracuse, New York, where they were married, Her parents, Allen and Emily Searles, had three sons and five daughters, as follows : Charles, Benjamin, George, Elda, Cecil, Eva, Capitola and Ida. Mr. and Mrs. Lott Smith became the parents of three children, namely : Fred A., the special subject of this brief biographical review; Howard L., engaged in farming on a part of the parental farm, married Colema Halstead, of Groveland township, and they have two children, Stella and Dorothy ; and Daisy, living in San Ber- nardino, California. The mother of these children died before her hus- band, passing away December 23, 1909.
Amos Otis-Lumber and Coal, Lime, Cement, Hardwall Plaster and Commercial Fertilizer.
Established 1901
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Lott Smith was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, and also of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Brought up in Holly township, Fred A. Smith was educated in the public schools, after which he spent a year in Saginaw, Michigan, where his father had financial interests in a grocery, flour and feed store. Re- turning to Holly township, he continued life as an agriculturist, in 1909 coming into possession of a part of his father's land. He has since given his time and attention to its management, and having profited by his early knowledge and experience has met with unquestioned success as a general agriculturist, in addition to his work as a tiller of the soil raising some stock each year. He is exceedingly fond of outdoor sports, especially of hunting, each year taking a hunting trip.
A stanch Republican in politics, Mr. Smith was for nine years a member of the board of education. Fraternally he is a member of Holly Lodge, No. 134, Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons; of Holly Camp, No. 4399, Modern Woodmen of America; and of Olive Branch Homestead, No. 3025, Brotherhood of American Yeomen.
Mr. Smith married Minnie Kneale, of Springfield township, a daugh- ter of James and Ann Kneale, old and respected residents of Oakland county, who reared eleven children, nine of whom are residents of Oakland county. Mr. Kneale came to Michigan with his parents in boyhood, and lived first in White Lake township, then in Springfield township and later in Pontiac. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have three children, namely : Frederick Kneale, born January 31, 1898; Marion Elizabeth, born No- vember II, 1905; and Josephine Catherine, born April 6, 1908.
AMOS OTIS, a dealer in coal, wood, lumber, cement, brick, tile and all kinds of building material, is undeniably one of the most prosperous of the business men of Farmington, as well as one of her most prominent and progressive citizens. Beginning at the tender age of twelve to make his own way in the world, Mr. Otis has been independent of all outside in- fluences since that time, and has, as a direct result of his many praise- worthy qualities of initiative, perseverance and all around general integ- rity, built up a splendid business from an infinitesimal beginning in Farm- ington some eleven years ago.
Born in Wayne county, Michigan, on November 18, 1874, on the farm of his father, he attended the district schools until he was twelve years old, when he secured his independence by taking a place at work upon a farm in the community, where he remained between two and three years. His parents, Albert and Mary Otis, both natives of Wayne county, are still living there. The father of Albert Otis, Amos Otis, came to Wayne county with his parents when he was nine years of age. They made their way into the county through a dense forest, cutting their way through in a most literal sense of the word. The road thus blazed by those pioneers afterwards became known as the Snyder Road, as it is so called today. Amos Otis became prominent in Wayne county, and was one of the best known men in his section in his day.
Returning to the subject, when he was fifteen years old, Amos Otis left the farm where he had been employed and became a carpenter's ap- prentice, and when he was twenty years of age he had completely mas- tered the trade. His first business association therafter was with Frank Streb, the firm being known as Streb & Company, contractors and build- ers, and their partnership endured for the space of one year, after which
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he went into business for himself in Detroit, continuing until 1901. In that year he secured a contract to build a church and four residences in Farmington, which marked his first connection with this village. There were no coal or lumber yards at Farmington then, and in order to handle the required material more easily, Mr. Otis started a yard, which he has ever since continued, increasing its capacity from time to time and fre- quently adding to the commodities handled. He now deals in cement blocks and tiling, brick, lumber and coal, and handles on an average one hundred and twenty-five cars of material annually, manufacturing all his own cement blocks and tile. In 1910 Mr. Otis opened a branch yard in Redford, Michigan, which he still controls. On the whole his operations in Farmington have been of a highly successful nature, and he ranks among the leading business men of the community, having reached a state of comparatively financial independence in the years of his residence here.
In 1900 Mr. Otis married Miss Minnie Wagner, of Farmington, and she died in 1902, without issue. In 1905 he married Miss Hattie Spaller, also a native of Oakland county, and three children have been born to them,-Howard G., Mildred and Henry A.
Mr. Otis is one of the most popular fraternalists in Farmington, and his Masonic affiliations are of a comprehensive nature. He is a member of the Blue Lodge, No. 151, of Farmington ; Union Chapter, No. 55, R. A. M., of Northville. Michigan; the Commandery at Northville: the Knights Templar and the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Moslem Temple. He is a member of Farmington lodge. No. 560, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Maccabees of Farmington and the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoos. He is also a member of the Michigan Retail Lumber Dealers' Association and of the Michigan, Ohio and Indiana Coal Association.
Mr. Otis is known for one of the most open handed and generous men of the community, and is a leader in every movement calculated to tend to the betterment of civic conditions and to advance the growth and pros- perity of the town. He and his family are attendants at the Methodist Episcopal church.
MILLARD LOREN FRINK, of Oxford, Oakland county, Michigan, although he is now engaged in the cement culvert business there, was at one time a prominent stock breeder of the state, making a specialty of the Jersey stock. He never missed a year, from 1876 until he gave up the work in 1895, in winning one or more prizes at the state fairs, and also won the silver cup and medal given at the state fair held in Detroit in 1892. At one time Mr. Frink owned three Jersey cows of his own breeding, each one of which had a record of twenty-one pounds of butter in one week. One year he had thirty head of the Fancy Jersey thorough- bred at the same time.
Mr. Frink was born in Oxford township, Oakland county, Michigan, May 26, 1852, the son of Harry and Eliza (Earl) Frink. Although Mr. Frink's parents were both natives of New York, he, as well as his wife, can trace their ancestry back to England. Mr. Frink, Sr., came to Michi- gan to look over the ground in 1835, and two years later came back to settle permanently. He first made his home in Southfield, but in 1839 exchanged his farm of one hundred and twenty acres which he had there for one of equal extent in Oxford township, and moved there, keeping it as his residence for the remainder of his life. He was a carpenter and
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joiner by trade, but devoted all of his time to farming after he moved west. He died in November, 1889, and his wife, February 22, 1892. They had six children, William Munroe, of Oxford; George Volney, of Bloom- ington, Illinois ; John Hershal, of Detroit, Michigan; Byron, of Detroit; Elfreda A., now living with Millard Loren, in Oxford.
Mr. M. L. Frink stayed with his father until he was twenty-two years old, when he started farming on his own account. This was in the year 1876. He remained at this work, putting most of his interest on the breeding of fine cattle, until 1895, when he sold out his holdings and moved to Oxford. He now owns his own home in the village and eighty acres in Troy township. He was married March 2, 1887, to Laura M. Edgerley, a daughter of Columbus and Emaline Davis Edgerley, both na- tives of New York. Mr. Edgerley was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and when they first settled in Oakland county he went into the business of making fanning mills. After fifteen years of this he decided he had exhausted its possibilities, and in partnership with C. W. Killburn bought about six hundred acres of land, and spent the rest of his life in clearing and farming it. He died in May, 1883, and his wife, in 1901. They had five children, Frances J., Ann, Eugene C., Ellen Gertrude and Laura, all of whom are now dead except Laura. the wife of Mr. Frink. Mr. and Mrs. Frink have had one child, Harry, born September 7, 1889, who died in infancy. Mr. Frink is a Republican and a Maccabee.
One of Mr. Frink's nephews, Dwight E. Frink, the son of his brother, George Volney Frink, has already made quite a reputation for himself as an artist and cartoonist. He has just lately drafted a monument for the soldiers of the Civil war of McLean county, Illinois which is to be erected at Bloomington, Illinois. The monument weighs fifty-two tons and will cost $50,000. The artist is a resident of Bloomington.
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