USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests Volume II > Part 50
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
CHARLES L. STUART. Lying in section 14, Pontiac township, is the flourishing farming property of Charles L. Stuart, who has been identi- fied with the three principal lines of industry which give to Oakland county its pre-eminence-agriculture, stock raising and lumbering. In his present vocation he has met with excellent success, and is to be classed among the representative agriculturists and stockmen of the county. Mr. Stuart, whose family has been known in Oakland county for over three-quarters of a century, is a native son, having been born in a log house, in Brandon township, September 29, 1854, his parents being Ormal G. and Minerva (Hammond) Stuart. Ormal Stuart was born February 6, 1818, in Connecticut, and came to Michigan as early as 1836, spending the rest of his life in agricultural pursuits here and dying May 22, 1886. His wife was born in New York state, September 2, 1820, and died May 16, 1890, having been the mother of six children, as follows : Ira J., who died February 3, 1849; Levi N., born March 3. 1846, and died December 31, 1848; Mary A., born January 7, 1849, and now residing in Pontiac; Ira Newell, born April 7, 1852, died September I, 1855: Charles L., born September 29, 1854; and James Franklin, born April II, 1858, and now living in Pontiac.
Charles L. Stuart received excellent educational advantages in the district schools and the high school at Pontiac, where he spent two years, and until twenty-one years of age remained on the old homestead assist-
854
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
ing his father. On reaching his majority he rented one hundred acres of land in Pontiac township, section 21, and during the next fifteen years continued to carry on operations on rented land. For three years he followed the lumber business in Pontiac, but the call of the soil was too strong and he returned to agricultural pursuits as the owner of forty acres. During this time he also carried on operations with a threshing machine, in this line visiting the farms of the various neighbors in his township, and also purchased forty acres additional in section 14. This was all woodland at the time he purchased it, but industry and energy have served to make it a fertile, well-cultivated tract, highly productive, well fenced, and improved with modern buildings of sub- stantial character and handsome architectural design. General farming has received his attention from the start, although he keeps some cattle and is recognized as a skilled breeder of stock.
On December 15, 1875, Mr. Stuart was married to Miss Adelia Osburn, daughter of David and Mary (Hall) Osburn, natives of New York. Mr. Osburn came to Michigan at the age of twenty-one years, and, locating at Big Bear, engaged in farming, in which he continued throughout his life. He died February 18, 1907, his wife having passed away February 18, 1904, and they had two children: Lavina, deceased, who was the wife of Joseph Malloy, of Oakland county ; and Adelia, who married Mr. Stuart. Mr. and Mrs. Stuart have had four children : Emery Wilbur, born June 9, 1879, and now associated with the Willard Automobile Company, of Detroit; Edith E., born October 17, 1882, a bookkeeper at Pontiac ; Clarence, born April 12, 1887, and now living in Detroit ; and Ethel Maud, born June 17, 1889, and now a telegraph operator at Pontiac. Mr. Stuart is a Reublican in his political views and has been honored by his fellow citizens with election to public offices, having served as school director on several occasions and as pathmaster for twelve years. His fraternal connection is with the Maccabees, while religiously he belongs to the Baptist faith. In the community he is a man of high standing and has the esteem of all classes, both as a man and an official.
FRANK B. TERRY. Taking advantage of the opportunities afforded the enterprise in connection with the industrial activities of Oakland county, Frank B. Terry has here been successful in his efforts, and is today recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of Pontiac town- ship, where he owns three hundred and forty-six acres of finely culti- vated land in sections 10 and 15. Mr. Terry's entire career has been spent in Oakland county, where he was born March 4, 1859, a son of Uriah and Betsy (Smith) Terry, the former a native of New York and the latter of the Dominion of Canada.
Uriah Terry was born May 21, 1826, and as a lad of nine years ac- companied his parents from the Empire state to the new country in Michigan, first settling in Commerce township, Oakland. His entire life was spent in agricultural pursuits, and at the time of his death, which occurred March 21, 1899, in Avon township, he was the owner of a fine property. He was married in Michigan, May 5, 1850, to Betsy Smith, who was born July 28, 1829, and she died December 22, 1895, having been the mother of two children: Belinda, the wife of Henry Covert, of Pontiac ; and Frank B.
Frank B. Terry was given good educational advantages in his youth,
855
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
attending the district schools during the winter months and assisting his father in the work of the home farm in the summers, and continued to reside with his father until the latter's death. In 1879, however, he purchased a tract of forty acres in Avon township, and worked this property for twenty years, in the meantime adding sixty-six acres more. He subsequently accumulated one hundred and three acres in Pontiac township, which he sold in 1905 to purchase one hundred and eighty acres in sections 10 and 15, and to this has since added one hundred and sixty- six acres, now having three hundred and forty-six acres, all in a high state of cultivation. Here he carries on general farming and stock raising, in addition to which he operates a threshing machine during seasons, thus adding materially to his income. He has made excellent improvements upon his property, including a modern residence, sub- stantial barns and other requisite out-buildings, and is an adherent of the use of modern power farm machinery and scientific methods have found in him a stanch devotee.
On March 18, 1883, Mr. Terry was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Wyman, born March 15, 1863, a daughter of Moses M. and Melissa Ann (Taylor) Wyman, natives respectively of New York and Vermont, who came to Michigan in 1865 and located in Avon township. Mr. Wyman followed farming all of his life and passed away October 13, 1869, Mrs. Wyman surviving him until January 7, 1905. They had four children, as follows: Judson T., residing at Romeo, Michigan ; Charles E., of Gaylord, Michigan ; Sarah, who married Mr. Terry ; and Belle, deceased, who was the wife of Walter Bailey, of Romeo. Mr. and Mrs. Terry have had three children : Charles H., born July 13, 1884, and now engaged in operating the farm with his father; Davis D., born December 31, 1885, at home: and Isabel, born October 7, 1902, also at home. The family is connected with the Baptist church. Mr. Terry is a Democrat in his political views, but has never been an office seeker, although like all thinking men he takes an interest in the political prob- lems of the day. Thoroughly public-spirited, he has interested himself in movements calculated to benefit his community, and has many friends among the leading men of Oakland county.
ARTHUR M. BUTLER. The agriculturists of Oakland county are men of intelligent foresight who understand the possibilities of their work and are developing their farms in a manner to reflect credit upon themselves and their county as well. Many of these have found that by specializ- ing along certain lines they can further their interests to a considerable extent, and among this class may be mentioned Arthur M. Butler, who owns and operates a tract of seventy acres located in section 14, Pontiac township, which he devotes to general farming and stock raising, as well as specializing in dairy work. Mr. Butler is a native of Oakland county, and was born August 7, 1871, in Pontiac township, a son of Lowells and Sarah (Case) Butler, natives respectively of New York and Michigan. His father, who came to Michigan at an early day and lo- cated near Amy, Oakland county, died about 1899, and when Arthur M. was seven years of age his mother married a second time, her husband being Albert Robertson, by whom she had four children. Wilbur, of Leonard, Michigan ; Harry, living in Oakland county ; Bessie, the wife of George Briggs, of Pontiac; and Warren, living in that city.
The only child of his father, at the age of eleven years, Arthur M.
856
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
Butler left the home of his stepfather and went to live with Ransome Stage, of Pontiac township, where he made his residence for nine years, being educated in the district schools and reared to the vocation of an agriculturist. When he had reached the age of twenty-three years he rented eighty acres of land for three years, then spent nine months on a rented tract of sixty acres, and finally purchased seventy acres in sec- tion 14, Pontiac township, on which he has since carried on operations. The improvements on this land alone testify to Mr. Butler's modern and progressive methods, including a fine residence, large, substantial barns, outbuildings, ice house and two handsome silos with a capacity of two hundred and fifty tons. He makes a specialty of dairying and keeps a large herd of fine cattle. He has made his farm a valuable one and is regarded as one of the substantial and reliable men of the town- ship, but while successful in his farm work he has held progressive views of life and kept well abreast of the times, so that he is recognized as an authority upon current events. All measures calculated to be of benefit to his community receive his hearty support and co-operation, and his operations have been so carried on as to gain for him the entire respect and esteem of the community at large.
Mr. Butler was married September 20, 1894, to Miss Edith Blue, daughter of Richard and Sarah (Groner) Blue, the former a native of New York and the latter of Pennsylvania, who came to Michigan in 1853, locating near Rochester, where Mr. Blue was engaged in farming. Four years ago he came to Pontiac township. He and his wife had two children : Mrs. Butler and George, living in Pontiac township. Two .chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Butler : Lewis Ray, July 12, 1896, and Harry Mark, September 29, 1901. Living with Mr. and Mrs. Butler is Mr. Butler's foster mother, Mrs. Alonzo D. Farnsworth, a remarkable old lady who has reached the advanced age of ninety-eight years. Her maiden name was Betsy Lewis, and she came with her parents, Michael and Betsy (Spencer) Lewis, through from New York to Michigan in 1836, on foot, her parents driving a team of cattle through from Detroit to Pontiac, a journey that consumed a week's time. She was twice married, her first husband passing away in 1888, and in 1893 she was married to Mr. Farnsworth.
In political matters Mr. Butler is a Republican, but at no time in his career has he been an office seeker, and his only fraternal connection is with the Foresters. He and his wife have numerous friends through Pontiac township, where both have spent their lives, and where the members of their families are well known and highly esteemed.
STEPHEN REEVES. For more than sixty-one years, that is during the whole of his life to the present time ( 1912), the interesting subject of this brief review has stuck to the home of his birth, the farm in Pontiac township, Oakland county. Michigan, which his grandfather took up as a homestead in 1822, and on which his father passed his life.
Mr. Reeves was born on the farm now occupied and farmed jointly by himself and his brother Frank, where his life began on March 21, 1851. He is a son of George and Helen ( Phelps) Reeves, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Massachusetts. The father came to Michigan with his parents in 1823, in his boyhood, and passed the remainder of his life in Oakland county. He died in 1905, and the mother passed away in 1908. The father was a farmer from his
857
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
youth, and at his death owned an excellent farm of two hundred acres, one hundred and twenty acres of which are owned and cultivated by his sons Stephen and Frank. Five children were born in the house- hold: Clara, who is now deceased and who was the wife of James K. Voorheis, of Pontiac; Stephen, the immediate subject of this memoir; Frederick, who lives in Waterford township, this county; Frank, who lives on a part of the old homestead with his brother Stephen; and George, who died a number of years ago, in 1898.
Stephen Reeves was reared and educated in this county. On March 6, 1891, he was united in marriage with Miss Susan Colby, the daugh- ter of Ephriam and Belinda ( Allen) Colby, natives of New York state, who came to Michigan in 1828 and located on section 3, Pontiac town- ship, Oakland county. Mrs. Reeves' father died in 1868 and her mother in 1901. She was the last born of their eleven children. The others living are her brothers James and Calvin, who reside in the state of Oregon, and her other brother, Frank, whose home is in Pontiac town- ship. John, Amos, Maria, Mary, Sarah, Almeda and Alice have died. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves have one child, their daughter Clara, who is still a member of the parental family circle. *
Mr. Reeves is a Democrat in political relations and always active in the service of his party. He has been supervisor of Pontiac township for thirty years and is still holding that office. He has served two years as township treasurer and also, for some years, as a member of the school board. He has always taken an earnest interest and an active part in helping to promote the progress and improvement of his town- ship and county, and is looked upon as one of the useful and public- spirited men of the region. All who know him respect him highly.
JOSIAH P. TERRY. Holding prestige as a native son of Oakland county, Josiah P. Terry is one of the successful and enterprising farm- ers of Pontiac township, where he is engaged in carrying on operations on the original family homestead and has been well identified with the various lines of industrial activity typical of his section. He is the archi- tect of his own fortunes, and assumed individual responsibilities when still a youth, hence he is deserving of much credit for the good showing he has made as a man of industry and integrity, and an outline of his life history will be perused with interest by his many friends in Oakland county, where he has spent his entire career. Mr. Terry was born on the farm which he is now operating, in Pontiac township, April 16, 1865, and is a son of Joseph Preston and Margaret E. (Buckbee) Terry.
Joseph Preston Terry was born in the state of New York, and as a young man accompanied his parents to Michigan in 1840, locating first in Commerce township, Oakland county, for one year, and then coming to Pontiac township, where two hundred and forty acres were purchased in section 13. Mr. Terry continued to be engaged in agricultural pur- suits throughout his life, and passed away February 21, 1905, his wife having died January 17, 1880. They had two children, of whom one died in infancy. On completing the public school work, Josiah P. Terry began to assist his father in the work of the home farm, but when he had reached his eighteenth year started to farm on his own account, on forty acres of land which had been left him by his mother some three years previous. There he continued to successfully operate until the death of his father, in 1905, when he fell heir to the old homestead.
858
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
This was a well improved, highly productive property, with a good set of buildings, the latter including the old original cobblestone home, a two story building of eleven rooms which was made of cobblestones picked up on the farm when it was being cleared from its original wilderness. Mr. Terry has made numerous improvements of an extensive nature, among which may be mentioned the erection of one of the finest cattle barns in the township, a structure thirty-six by seventy-two feet and equipped with all modern improvements. General farming and dairy work have occupied Mr. Terry's time and attention, and in both lines he has met with a very satisfactory degree of success, being recognized as one of those who thoroughly understand their business and who bring to their labor intelligent ideas and modern methods. A recognized factor in the progress of the township, he has been called upon to fill various offices within the gift of his fellow townsmen, and has served as justice of the peace, constable and member of the school board, displaying much exe- cutive ability and contributing greatly to his township's advancement. He is an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party and a faith- ful member of the Episcopal church.
On February 22, 1887, Mr. Terry was married to Miss Mary E. Ross, daughter of David and Lydia (Knight) Ross, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New York. Mr. Ross came to Michigan when still a young man and located first in Avon township, where he spent many years in agricultural pursuits, although he has now retired from business activities and is living quietly in Rochester. He and his wife had three children : Mrs. Terry ; Alice J., residing at home with her parents ; and William J., of Rochester. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Terry : Maggie N., the wife of Harry Hiltz, of Pontiac, and Ernestine B., wife of William Roy Thompson, of Pontiac.
ALBERT STARKEY. With his childhood and boyhood darkened by the terrible shadow of death, which descended on him when he was three years old in the loss of his father, and which was deepened a few years later by the death of his mother, Albert Starkey, now one of the pros- perous and progressive farmers of Pontiac township, Oakland county, began his career with a very serious handicap. He was forced to make his own living at an age when he should still have had care and provision from his parents, and to do it without even the counsel and direction of any person particularly interested in himself, his present comfort or future welfare.
His father and mother were Karl and Amelia Starkey, natives of Germany, where he also was born, his life having begun on December 31, 1854. The father was a stonemason and worked industriously at his trade while he was able. But death cut short his labors at an early age, and before he was able to make any provision for his family. He and his wife were the parents of two children, Bertie, who died a num- ber of years ago, and Albert, the immediate subject of this brief re- view, who is now the only living representative of the family.
When he was but twelve vears old Albert Starkey came to the United States and landed in New York. He went up into the state and secured employment on a farm for a time. In 1868 he came to Michigan and found a home with the Terry family in Oakland county, and with that family he lived and labored on the farm in Pontiac town- ship for thirty years. When the widow Terry died he found that by
859
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
the terms of her will he was her heir to sixty-eight acres of land in section 26. He bought an adjoining tract of twenty acres, and on this land he has lived ever since, carrying on general farming operations and raising live stock on a small scale.
He has been successful in his business and accumulated a comfort- able estate. On his land he has built a fine two-story, six-room dwelling house, a commodious and conveniently arranged barn, first-rate fences, and all other necessary structures, and he has applied both labor and intelligence to the cultivation of his acreage, making all his toil tell to his advantage, and omitting no effort required on his part to get the best results in every way.
-
But Mr. Starkey has not allowed his own affairs to wholly absorb him. Attentive as he has been to his own business, he has also given the affairs of his township and county due consideration, and has aided in the promotion of every worthy undertaking for their progress and improvement. In politics he is independent of all parties, and has never mingled in partisan contentions. But he has never neglected his duty as a citizen, although never himself seeking or desiring any political recognition in the way of public office. He is universally regarded as an excellent farmer, an upright and conscientious man and an enter- prising, progressive and serviceable citizen, and the people esteem him generally according to this estimate of his value, which in his life among the residents and activities of this locality he has demonstrated that he richly deserves.
SPENCER SOPER was born in Pontiac township, on March 2, 1838, and has spent his whole life in the county of Oakland, being now a citizen of Pontiac, retired from the agricultural pursuits which pro- vided amply and well for his advanced years.
He is a son of Owen and Ann ( Hayes) Soper, both natives of New York. His father came west and located in Pontiac township, follow- ing farming all his life. At one time he worked over 300 acres in gen- eral farming and also followed stock raising. Owen Soper died in 1859 and his wife, just ten years subsequently. Eight children blessed their union, of whom the five eldest are now all deceased. These were: Sally Ann, Emeline, Charles, Almeta and Andrew. Next in line was Spencer, the subject of this sketch; Jane, wife of Henry Newman, of Fentonville, Michigan; and Helen, wife of George Mann, of Oakland county.
With filial devotion Spencer remained with his father until the lat- ter's death, then purchased 133 acres of the old home place and worked it for about forty-three years, buying and selling stock in addition to raising the crops to which the soil was adapted. He retired in 1907, sold his farm and came to Pontiac, where he lives quietly in a hand- some home on Norton avenue, content with his lot and possessing the regard of those about him. His wife was before her marriage Hen- rietta Terry, and was born in Pontiac township, March 16, 1841. They were wedded on December 10, 1867. Her parents, Merritt and Emily (Lewis) Terry, like those of her husband, came from New York state to Michigan in the early days, settled in Pontiac township and follow- ing farming. Mr. Terry passed away in 1898 and his wife in 1902. All of their five children with the exception of Henrietta, the wife of Mr. Soper, who died September 4, 1912, are living: Lucy, is the widow of
.
860
HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY
John Beard, of Flushing, Michigan; Eugenie, is the wife of O. Gunder- man, of Orion, Oakland county; Frank, of Alpena, Michigan; and Lewis, of Oakland county.
Mr. Soper is an adherent of the policies of the Republican party. He takes a keen interest in local and general matters, but has never aspired to public office.
ALFRED WEBB. The late Alfred Webb, of Pontiac, who died on November 6, 1901, at the age of sixty-one years, was one of the sub- stantial and influential citizens of Oakland county, showing himself to be as warmly interested in its progress and that of Pontiac, and the en- during welfare of their residents, as if he had been born and reared among them and had never known any other home. His services to this part of Michigan stand out prominently to his credit and are still commended frequently, although he has been dead eleven years and the places he occupied in the public mind and the affairs of the city and county have long been occupied by men of a later date. He wrought well for the common weal in his time, and full credit for his fidelity to duty is nowhere denied him.
Mr. Webb was born in Berkshire, England, on January 18, 1840. His parents, William and Caroline Webb, were also natives of Eng- land and passed the whole of their lives in that country, as genera- tions of their respective families had done before them. They were persons of moderate means but highly respectable and truly represent- ative of the best English yeomanry in all the relations of life.
Their son, Alfred Webb, came to the United States in 1864, when ยท he was twenty-four years old, and at once located in Pontiac, where he passed the remainder of his life. He was a butcher and meat mer- chant, and prosperous in his business, owning at the time of his death the block in which he conducted his trade, which is located on North Saginaw street, a fine residence at 257 Park street and twenty acres of land on the Franklin Road, besides some property in Wichita, Kansas.
Mr. Webb was also prominent and very active in the public affairs of Pontiac, and served in the city council as the alderman from his ward. While occupying this office he succeeded in having water in- troduced into the city and provision made for it by the construction of the city water works. He was a Democrat in political relations and at all times zealous and effective in the service of his party. He was also influential in its councils, and recognized by its leaders and its rank and file alike as a man of good judgment in party affairs, intel- ligent, far-seeing and judicious. In church affiliation he was an Epis- copalian and in fraternal circles a member of the Order of Odd Fel- lows.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.