USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests Volume II > Part 16
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Like the great majority of our better citizens, Mr. Fox and his family prefer a life of quiet, worthy endeavor, with its peaceful re- creations, to the activities of public life. Their home in section 4 of Avon township is an attractive one, characterized by informal hospi- tality. The great and shifting political differences on which the divi- sions of our political parties are based have always found Mr. Fox in the Democratic camp.
JOSEPH YOUNG, of Rural Route 3, Rochester, Michigan, is a native of Pennsylvania, although the soil of Michigan has been his home since his childhood in ante-bellum days. His worthy progenitors were John Young and Frances Susan Beard, his wife, both of whom were born in the Keystone state. During their residence there their son, Joseph Young, the subject of this biographical sketch. was born on September 17, 1849.
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When our subject was seven years of age-in 1856-his parents located in Oakland county, which continued to be the home of the fam- ily until after the death of the father, which took place in 1861. The mother and children continued to occupy the homestead farm of one hundred and sixty acres, the family being a large one and loyal to their mutual home duties. The brothers and sisters of Joseph Young were the following: Sarah, now deceased; John, who is also a resident of Oakland county ; James, who settled in Tuscola county, Michigan ; Mary, the widow of John Lynch, of Penn county, Michigan; Fullmer, a resi- dent of Ingham county, Michigan; and two others whose lives were cut short in infancy.
Until he was twenty-one years of age Joseph Young remained with his mother. He then took up the agricultural vocation on his own ac- count. At that time he was united in life's most sacred bond with Miss Mary Frances Hadley, a daughter of Jacob and Mary Ann Hadley. Mrs. Young's father was a native of New Hampshire and her mother, of New Jersey. The family came to Michigan in 1830, settling first in Detroit and, after two years, in Rochester, where Mr. Hadley was in mercantile business. In 1849 he bought eighty acres of land in Oak- land county, to which he repeatedly added until at the time of his death, in 1892, he owned one thousand acres of rural property near Rochester. Mrs. Hadley died in 1901. The brothers and sisters of Frances Had- ley Young are the following: Charlotte, who is Mrs. Mortimer Wil- cox, of Oakland county; Margaret, who is no longer living; Jacob Hadley, Junior, of Rochester; Howard and Carlos, twins, both de- ceased; Marshall Hadley, of Montana; Abbie and Samuel, deceased; and Belle, who is the wife of Dr. Butts, of McComb county.
Mr. and Mrs. Young are well and favorably known throughout an extensive section of the state. They are essentially home-loving in their tastes and political publicity has no attraction for Mr. Young, although he is a loyal and consistent Democrat in party affiliation.
PHILLIP MILLER COLE. For sixty-five years members of the Cole family have occupied a distinctive place in McComb and Oakland coun- ties. Farming has been their principal vocation, and they have at- tained a signal success in this, the first and noblest of all callings. It was in 1837 that the first of that name, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Cole, who were both natives of New Jersey, came west and settled in Mc- Comb county, Michigan. They were of German descent, the wife's name before her marriage being Sarah Mann. By trade Mr. Cole was a blacksmith, but the fertility of the soil and the wonderful oppor- tunities that presented themselves in the realm of agriculture attracted him and he took up farming in Oakland county, living there until the time of his death, which occurred on February 18, 1893. His wife preceded him in death on January 20, 1876. Their family comprise eight children, Elizabeth and Becky Ann, who are now deceased; Phil- lip M., the subject of this sketch; Lanie, widow of John Major, of McComb county ; Catherine, deceased; Margaret, widow of Melvin Mc- Clure ; George W., of Mt. Vernon; and Sarah, wife of Edward Farmer, of Rochester.
Phillip Miller Cole, more commonly known as Miller Cole, was born on December 20, 1838, in McComb county. He remained with the home folks until he was twenty-four, and then engaged in farming for
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himself. For three or four years he operated tracts which he rented for that purpose. His first realty operation was the purchase of ninety acres, which he sold and in partnership with his father bought a farm of two hundred and eighty-six acres in sections 22 and 23, where he now resides. The place has been extensively improved by Mr. Cole, with all the equipment that makes for general farming and stock rais- ing, and the property is extremely productive, P. M. Cole owning two hundred and eight acres of the original place.
Mary Elizabeth Chapin was the bride of Mr. Cole. They were united in marriage on November 28, 1861. She was a daughter of Charles and Lydia (Kearn) Chapin. She died on October 18, 1894. Her father and mother were the parents of : John, Carson, Burtin and Francis, who are deceased; and Mrs. Cole. Eight children graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Cole; Ladora May, wife of Elsworth Ax- ford, of Oakland township; Charles E., of Rochester; Sarah L., wife of George A. Ford, of Detroit; May Alice, wife of Samuel Karey, of Rochester; George E., of Orion; Christie, who is deceased; Lillie Kate, wife of Ward Carey, and with her father on the home place; and Bertha, wife of Charles Schumaker, of Detroit. In the subse- quent generation there is one child, George W. Carey, a son of Ward Carey and Lillie Cole Carey. He was born on July 8, 1904.
Mr. Cole is a Democrat and has held the minor township offices, such as treasurer, highway commissioner and member of the school board. He is a man who is looked upon by his fellow citizens as worthy of their highest confidence and esteem.
JOHN J. HADDEN. Oakland's fruitful fields and rich meadows have since his childhood proven attractive to John J. Hadden, who resides in Oakland county, Michigan, on rural route No. 2 out of Rochester. When a small boy he aspired to own a handsome farm, and when he arrived at the years of manhood he was not long in realizing that am- bition.
Mr. Hadden was born in Oakland county on February 26, 1840, a son of A. S. and Abbie (Thompson) Hadden. There were six children born to their union: James, who is deceased; Hiram C., of Rochester : John J .; Polly and Phoebe, who are both deceased; Mary A., wife of H. Briggs, of Rochester.
Until he was twenty-one Mr. Hadden remained on the farm with his father and assisted in the many duties that operating the place neces- sitated. He then rented one hundred and twenty acres for one year, and with the proceeds of his industry was able to purchase twenty acres, which represented his start in life. He added to these from time to time until he had a couple of hundred acres of fine farming land. In 1876 he bought a tract of one hundred and fifty acres in section 25. There he follows general farming and in addition gives considerable of his time to stock raising, which he has made quite remunerative and which he believes is one of the greatest helps in maintaining the fer- tility of the soil.
On August 23, 1862, he was married to Martha S. Briggs, who died on November 18, 1906. She was a daughter of Ganeer and Rachel (Knapp) Briggs, who were originally from New York. Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Hadden were blessed with five descendants-Frank, who lives in McComb county ; Abbie, wife of Elston McClure, of Oakland county ;
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Abraham S., of Oakland; Mabel, who is deceased; and Jay B., who is at the old home.
Jay B. Hadden married Lady Maroa Wing on October 31, 1900. She was a daughter of Walter and Kansas M. (Roberts) Wing, both of whom were natives of Michigan. The father is dead. Mrs. Wing remarried and is now living at Orion, Michigan, the wife of Morgan Gulick, of that place. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Wing the daugh- ter mentioned was the only child born. By her marriage to Jay B. Hadden there is one child, Vergie M., who was born on April 6, 1906.
John J. Hadden takes an active interest in public affairs, but does not care to participate personally in political clashes. He is a thor- ough independent as concerns men and the issues of the day. Frater- nally he is affiliated with the Maccabees, and he is a member of the Methodist church. He is a good citizen in every sense of the word.
WILLIAM C. PETERS. Of sturdy German ancestry is William C. Peters, who farms at Goodison. Few residents of Oakland county embarked on their own account at such a tender age, for Mr. Peters was but fifteen years old when he struck out for himself. He was born in Macomb county, April 20, 1865. His parents were Henry and Sophia Peters, both of whom came from Germany in 1860, locat- ing in Macomb county. The father died in June, 1881, but the mother is still living, at the age of eighty-seven, her home being at Mt. Clemens. Their progeny were seven in number: Gust, of Mt. Clemens; Fred, de- ceased; Ernest, of Mt. Clemens; Mary, Henry and Annie, deceased ; William C., of Goodison. When a strong, active lad of fifteen Mr. Peters decided to go to work for himself. In 1885, when still a year under his majority, he came to Oakland county, and continued farm work. In 1900 he rented two hundred and forty-four acres in section 19 and worked this farm continuously until 1911, when he was enabled to buy it. He makes it his home and raises stock in addition to the general farming that is conducted on this large place.
Annie Schof, also of German descent, was the maiden name of Mrs. Peters. They were married on June 9, 1888. She is a daughter of John and Mary Schof, both natives of Germany. Her father is now living in Macomb county. There were ten children in their family, all now living but one. Mr. and Mrs. Peters have four children, all of whom are at home. They are Arthur, Laura, Ralph and Clarence. The family are Lutheran in their religious preference. Mr. Peters is a Democrat.
FRANK THURSTON. The old idea that a college education was a waste of time for a man who intended to follow the soil for a living is amply refuted in the life of Frank Thurston, one of Goodison's most honored and respected citizens. Not only has his advanced training given him a better grasp of agricultural methods and conditions, but it has served as a stepping stone to other things. In consequence it is not surprising to find him president of the Citizens Bank of Orion, a member of the board of supervisors for seventeen years, two of which were as its chairman, and at other times on the important building com- mittee of Oakland county. He is a Democrat and a Mason, and his country place on the rural route out of Goodison is one of the show places of the vicinity when model layout and scientific culture are con- sidered.
Vol. II-8
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Oakland township was the birthplace of Frank Thurston on Octo- ber 21, 1864. His parents, Martin R. and Elizabeth (Coon) Thurs- ton, were natives of Michigan, but their parents were New York peo- ple. The elder Thurston was a farmer and was claimed by death at the untimely age of thirty-eight. His widow passed away on April 1, 1909. They had three children: Jesse J., who lives in Orion township; Sarah A., wife of George Prewitt, also of Orion township; and Frank.
The latter attended the district schools and then the Northern In- diana Normal at Valparaiso. He graduated from the scientific depart- ment of the latter in 1888, and returned to Michigan, living in Lapeer county for seven years. He then returned to the home place and after renting it for five years bought it, and installed many improvements. Here he lives the independent life of the true agriculturist, planting diversified crops and reaping a bounteous return on his industry.
He was married to Josie Sutton on March 16, 1892. His parents, Cornelius and Elizabeth (Brower) Sutton, came from New York. In their family were seven children: Amy, deceased; Louis J., of Ox- ford; Susan, wife of Manley Brandt, of Sanilac county, Michigan; Hattie, widow of Alonzo Skinner, of Lapeer county; Josie, wife of Frank Thurston; Marion, of Oxford township; and May, wife of Wil- liam Schoof, of Orion.
FRANK P. GERMAN. It has been the good fortune of Mr. Frank P. German to spend all his life "close to the soil' 'in the pleasant pastoral occupation of agriculture. He was born in Southfield township, Oak- land county, on the 22d of February, 1854, of English parents, John and Jane (White) German, themselves of stanch and sturdy rural origin.
John German, the father of Frank P. German, was born at Bede- ford, England, the son of John and Grace German, both natives of England and of British origin. In 1834, when Mr. German's father was about twenty-two years of age, he came with his parents to the United States, coming direct to West Bloomfield and settling there, where later his parents passed into the other life. He gained his early experience in farming in connection with his father's farm, living with his father until his marriage. At that time he settled on a farm in Southfield township, and also ran a mill in connection with his farm. Being one of the earliest settlers in that region it may well be imagined that the management of a mill was much more primitive and difficult than it would be now in these days of wonderful and efficient modern machinery. In those early days it was necessary to carry flour by team as far as Detroit. That was when the strap rail was on the Grand Trunk Railroad.
John German was married twice, the first time to Miss Benjamin ; their union was blessed with one child, a daughter Elizabeth. After the death of his first wife he married Miss Jane A. White, the mother of Mr. Frank P. German. To this second union were born nine children, only four of whom are still living. They are: Clarissa, the wife of Thomas Furse, of Birmingham; John D., of Birmingham; Frank P .; and Emanuel, the youngest, who lives in West Bloomfield on the old homestead. John German, the father of these children, passed away in West Bloomfield on the 31st of August, 1884, at the ripe old age of seventy-five years.
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Mr. Frank P. German was reared amid rural surroundings on his father's farm and worked in his father's mill, at the same time ac- quiring a common school education and a practical business education in the Pontiac schools.
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When Mr. German was twenty-two years of age, on the 8th of November, 1876, he married Miss Emma Durkee, the daughter of Mr. William P. Durkee, of Bloomfield township, whose family is of Welsh origin, though William and his wife, who was Miss Polly Ann Pratt before her marriage, were both born in New York state. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. German settled on a farm in Franklin, the old homestead where all their children were born. There they lived for ten years, until they moved to the William P. Durkee farm in Bloom- field township. They lived on this farm for six years, at which time they moved from there to their present home farm.
Three children, all of whom are living, came to bless their mar- riage. They are: Winnifred, the wife of Dr. J. M. Rainey; Grace, the wife of Dr. J. A. Miller, of Farmington; and Walter A., who mar- ried Miss Orpha Spicer, who died in 1910. Walter, the only son, lives at the home of his parents.
Mr. German is a Mason, affiliating with lodge No. 44 at Birming- ham, where he and his family are also devout members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. He believes in voting the Republican ticket, though he does not take an especially active part in politics. He is the happy possessor of eighty acres of land in Bloomfield township, section 330, Oakland county.
EUGENE DERRAGON. The sturdy stock from which Eugene Der- ragon, one of Pontiac's prominent residents, drew his being is evidenced by the mature years to which members of different branches of the family attained. Pioneer life in the forest and the pure air and pure food of the northern country, together with upright lives of even tenor, have brought to them length of days that is noteworthy indeed. Although past fifty-four years of age, Eugene Derragon, the subject of this sketch, until recently carried the suffix "junior" after his name and was proud to do so, for the original of that name, his honored father, lived until June 20, 1912.
The subject was born at Port Huron, Michigan, September 5, 1857, a son of Eugene and Mary (Hall) Derragon. The father came from Montreal and the mother from Amsberg, Canada. The senior Der- ragon followed the occupation of a lath maker. He came to Michigan in 1847, locating at Detroit, and he came to Pontiac in 1883. His wife died in 1907. Their four children were: Samuel, who is deceased ; Alexander and Louise, also deceased, and Eugene.
The latter accompanied the family when they located in Pontiac in 1883, and engaged in the tea and coffee business, which two years later he broadened into a general grocery line. This he followed with much success until 1898, when he disposed of his business and retired. Mr. Derragon did not send abroad the competency that he had acquired while in business in Pontiac, but invested it at home, purchasing different rent properties, which now afford him an assured and satisfactory income. He has a fine home, some brick apartments and other dwellings. It is his belief that improved real estate is one of the best investments, and he demonstrates the consistency of his opinions by practicing them.
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Miss Lena C. Desroches, descendant of a leading family, became the wife of Mr. Derragon on August 22, 1887. She is a daughter of Rev- erend Romulus B. and Margaret M. (Gregory) Desroches, the father from Canada, the mother from New York. The father died when seventy-six years of age, but the mother is still living in Detroit, past the age of eighty-three years. There were five children in this family : Lena C., wife of the subject; Addie, John and Mary, who are all dead ; and Earnest, a resident of Detroit. To the union of Eugene Derragon and his wife there were born five children, all of whom are living, and who form one of the happiest of home circles. Eugene is attending the university at Ann Arbor. Mary Bell graduated from that institu- tion June 27, 1912, receiving a special diploma. Don C., Grace and Ralph G. are at home with their parents. Mr. Derragon is a member of the board of public works and the tax revision board, of Pontiac. He is a member of the Baptist church and adheres to the tenets of the Re- publican party.
CHARLES A. TODD. A representative of the worthy agriculturists of Oakland county, and a much respected citizen of Bloomfield township, Charles A. Todd is successfully engaged in farming and dairying in section 26, his unflagging industry and skill bringing him satisfactory results. A son of James Todd, Jr., he was born in Berlin township, Monroe county, Michigan, October 24, 1859, of pioneer stock. His grandfather, James Todd, Sr., immigrated from Whitehaven, England, to Michigan in territorial days, making their first stop in Detroit. Sub- sequently pushing farther into the wilderness, he came with his family to Oakland county, journeying through the well-nigh pathless forest with an ox team. Taking up land in the vicinity of Birmingham, he began to clear and improve the estate now known as the Charlie Moore farm, and there spent the remainder of his life. His wife, Ellen, was born in Inverness, Scotland, and died on the home farm in Michigan.
James Todd, Jr., lived in his native place, Whitehaven, England, until twelve years old, when he came with his parents to Michigan, where he grew to manhood on the Oakland county farm. Marrying at the age of twenty-one years, he subsequently lived in Troy town- ship, on the farm of his father-in-law, Washington Stanley, until after the death of his bride, eleven months later. The following two years he operated a sawmill in Monroe county, Michigan. Marrying again, he then settled on a farm in Berlin township, Monroe county, where he lived four years. Removing at the end of that time to Wayne county, he spent two years on the Ed Hill farm, and afterwards carried on general farming in Monroe county until 1907. He then removed with his family to Flat Rock, Wayne county, where he resided until his death, April 14, 1908. He married first Martha Stanley, who died, as pre- viously stated, within a year after their marriage. His second wife, whose maiden name was Sally Elizabeth Chamberlain, passed to the life beyond in June, 1907. Five children were born of their union, as follows: Lewis J., of Wayne county, Michigan; Charles A., the special subject of this brief personal review; Maria, who died in infancy; Wil- liam, of Wyandotte, Michigan; and Clinton J., of Detroit.
Brought up principally in Monroe county, Charles A. Todd received a practical education in the rural schools of his district. At the age of eighteen years he began learning the trade of a butcher, and subse-
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quently, after spending a year with his parents, was engaged in the butchering business on his own account for two years and seven months. After his marriage he bought eighty acres of land in Wayne county, and was there employed in tilling the soil for twelve years. Return- ing then to Monroe county, Mr. Todd bought eighty acres of land, and there continued his agricultural labors for a period of nine years. In March, 1904, he removed with his family to Bloomfield township, Oak- land county, where he has since been prosperously engaged in gen- eral farming and dairying, he, with his wife and son, owning one hun- dred and sixty-five acres of highly productive land in section 26.
Mr. Todd married, December 12, 1882, Clara E. Peters, a daughter of Charles G. Peters and granddaughter of Henry Peters, a pioneer of Michigan. Henry Peters was born in Seneca county, New York, where his father, Heinrich Peters, located on coming from Germany to the United States. He married Rachel Cone, who was born near Water- 100, New York, and was of Pilgrim ancestry, being a descendant of a Mayflower passenger. Fifteen children blessed their union, five of whom served in the Civil war, three of them being still alive. Charles G. Peters was born in New York state, and there reared and educated. In 1849, following the pathway blazed by the old gold seekers, he went to Cali- fornia, and as a miner made some money, being more fortunate than many of his companions. He married Nancy J. Jolly, also a native of the Empire state, and they became the parents of twelve children as follows: Emma, wife of G. W. Dauncy, living near Utica; Clara T., wife of Mr. Todd; Henry ; Ida, deceased; Edward; Tilborn, deceased ; John, Felix; Frances; Alice, wife of D. Carson; and Myrtle, wife of George B. Martin, of Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Todd have two chil- dren, namely: George D. Todd, who was educated in the common and high schools, and is now associated with his father in farming; and Jane Elizabeth Todd, who was graduated from the Birmingham high school, and is now a student at the Michigan Agricultural College, in Lansing. Politically Mr. Todd is a Republican, and religiously he and his family are members of the Baptist church at Birmingham.
ELMORE HIGBY. Successfully employed in the prosecution of the calling upon which the health, wealth and prosperity of our nation largely depends, Elmore Higby, of Bloomfield township, ranks well among the skillful agriculturists of Oakland county. A son of Nathaniel Higby, he was born October 12, 1849, in West Bloomfield township. His pa- ternal grandfather, Aaron Higby, was born, it is supposed, on Long Island, although the greater part of his mature life was spent in Orange county, New York.
Born and bred in Orange county, New York, Nathaniel Higby came to Oakland county, Michigan, as a young man, arriving here just after it had been admitted to statehood. He assisted in much of the pioneer task of clearing the land, and when ready to settle permanently bought land in West Bloomfield township, and on the farm which he hewed from the wilderness spent his remaining days, dying in 1893. He was widely and favorably known throughout the community in which he resided, and was quite prominent in the Republican party. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Barkley, was born in Orange county, New York, a daughter of John Barkley. She was married in 1848, and died on the home farm in 1875, while yet young. Josiah Barkley.
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a pioneer of Oakland county, settled on what is now the Casper & Stanley farm about 1835, and two years later Thomas Barkley lo- cated in the same township, on the Broughton homestead. The Higbys were of German descent, without doubt; the Barkleys were of Scotch and Irish stock; and the Haynes family, into which John Barkley mar- ried, was of English lineage. Thus we see from this brief review that Mr. Higby has in his veins strains of German, Scotch, Irish and Eng- lish blood, a good combination, speaking of industry, thrift, keen per- ceptive faculties and resolution of purpose. Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Higby were the parents of two children, twin boys, Elmore and Aaron.
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