USA > Michigan > Oakland County > History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests Volume II > Part 9
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way commissioner for two terms and was supervisor for fifteen years, in all of which offices he acquitted himself in a manner wholly creditable to himself and all concerned. He was serving as supervisor at the time the court house was erected.
MONROE G. DUNLAP, well-to-do farmer of Oakland county, located in Oxford township, was born in Onondaga county, New York, on July 7, 1846. He is the son of David C. and Betsey E. (Comstock) Dunlap, both natives of New York state. The father came to Michigan in 1854 and located near Oxford, where he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land and remained until 1873, when he sold the farm to his son, Monroe, in 1875 and went to Missouri. He spent four years in that state, and then returned to Michigan. He it was who built the first house in Wolverine, Michigan, in which place he remained for a period of four years, return- ing then to Oxford, in which place he made his home until his death, which took place on April 16, 1886. The wife and mother died in May, 1873. They were the parents of seven children, named as follows: Ruth, the wife of Henry Benton, of Oxford; Robert, who died in infancy : Abbie, now deceased; Jefferson M., also deceased; Monroe G. of Ox- ford; Judd E. and Orange, both deceased. The father married a second time, Nancy Harris becoming his wife. They had two children, D. D. Garner and Gertrude Bigelow.
As a boy in Oxford, Monroe Dunlap attended the country schools. later taking a course of instruction in the normal school at Ypsilanti, and early was initiated into the mysteries of farm life. When he was twenty- seven years of age he bought his first farm, a tract of one hundred and twenty acres. This purchase was made in 1873. Since that time he has been able to add one hundred and forty-six acres to his holdings, so that he now has a fine farm. He carries on general farming and stock rais- ing, giving special attention to potato culture. On the whole, his work has been most successful and he is justly regarded as one of the most progressive and prosperous farmers in the township.
Mr. Dunlap is a Democrat in his political faith, and has always taken an active part in the political affairs of his township. He has served the township in various public capacities, being supervisor for ten years and a member of the school board for twenty years. He is a Mason, being a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, and is also a mem- ber of the Maccabees.
On February 11, 1874, Mr. Dunlap married Louisa M. Roberts, who died on February 22, 1878, leaving her husband and son to mourn her loss. Orin J., the son, is now a resident of Mattawan, Michigan. He married Mabel Link, and they became the parents of two children, Iva and Arthur. One other child was born to them, Blanche, who died in in- fancy. Mr. Dunlap chose for his second wife, Miss Althea Barnes, whom he married on October 29, 1885. She is a daughter of Richard and Mary (Olds) Barnes, natives of Ohio and Michigan. They were the parents of six children: Alice, the wife of David Bonsteel, of Pontiac; Augusta. who married Carson Wilder, deceased; Althea, the wife of Monroe Dun- lap; Alma, who married William Bearringer; Stephen, deceased; and Hannah, the wife of Byron Walton, of Oxford. Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap became the parents of four children. The eldest, Vern, died in infancy. Monroe G. Jr., is at home. The third born child died in infancy. Grace L., still shares the parental home. Monroe G., Jr., is married. having
MR. AND MRS. MONROE G. DUNLAP
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chosen Ethal Cowan for his wife, the marriage occurring on September 12, 19II.
EDWIN E. DELANO is a representative of an old eastern family, the DeLanos having lived for many generations in New York state. He was born in Michigan, however, and in Oxford township, which has repre- sented his home from the time of his birth, on March 23, 1863, up to the present time. He is a son of Oscar F. and Sallie (Earl) DeLano, the father being born at Pumpkin Hill, near Batavia, New York, on March 18, 1827. He was the son of Daniel W. and Rebecca (Swift) DeLano, also natives of New York, who were married there in Sep- tember, 1816. Rebecca (Swift) DeLano, the maternal grandmother of Edwin E. of this review, was the daughter of Lott and Elizabeth (Bar- low) Swift. Daniel and Rebecca DeLano were the parents of ten chil- dren, named as follows: Milton, born in Henrietta, New York, July 2, 1817, now deceased; Louisa, born July 14, 1819, died July 25, 1822; Elizabeth, born June 15, 1821, died July 18, 1822; Mortimer, born May 14, 1823, now deceased; Jane, born March 21, 1825, now deceased ; Oscar L., born in Byron, New York, March 18, 1827; Edwin, born October 20, 1829; Anna M., born October 18, 1832; Myron E., born July 17, 1835, and Amanda, born December 30, 1838, died July 4, 1863.
This family came to Oakland county, Michigan, in 1840, returning to New York after a short time. In 1842 they came again to Michigan, buying from the government the eighty acres of land in Oxford town- ship, now owned by Mr. DeLano, of this review, and settling in primitive fashion on the new home. The house they built of logs which they cut from the place, thick with timber as yet untouched, and literally hewed a home out of the forest. Eventually those of the family who lived to reach years of maturity settled in homes of their own, and to the union of Oscar F. and Sallie (Earl) DeLano five children were born. Dora, the eldest, is deceased, dying on July 15, 1908; Daniel L ... , was born in Oxford township on July 18, 1859, and died August 23, 1906; Myra, born March 24, 1862, died in infancy; Edwin E., of this sketch lives in Ox- ford; Herbert Earl, born September 29, 1866, died in infancy.
When Edwin E. DeLano was eighteen years old he entered in part- nership with his brother and bought eighty acres of land in Lapeer county. They worked this land for six years, and then bought another tract of eighty-six acres in Oxford township, in section one, which they continued to work for sixteen years. In 1909 Mr. DeLano bought the eighty-six acre farm on which he now lives, and his land holdings now have reached an aggregate of two hundred and fifty-seven acres of fine farming land in Oakland and Lapeer counties, and he is busily engaged in carrying on the work of his farm, in which he has been successful and prosperous from the beginning of his labors. In addition to his farming interests he is a representative of the Illinois Life Insurance Company and the Hastings Cyclone Insurance Company. He is connected with a number of fra- ternal orders, among them the Masons, the Maccabees and the Gleaners. On November 17, 1887, Mr. DeLano married Miss Jennie Loretta Kidder, a daughter of Ami and Rachael Jane (Bunnell) Kidder, born at Berlin, Michigan, on November 12, 1865. The Kidders were old resi- dents of Berlin. Ami Kidder was born on November 2, 1841, and died September 27, 1911. His father, Sidney M. Kidder, was born in Alex- ander, New York, April 7, 1807, and the wife of Sidney M. Kidder was Loretta Fisher, born at Alexander on May 25, 1821. He died April 9,
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1856, his wife passing away on February 10, 1868. They were the par- ents of three children,-Ami, the father of Mrs. Edwin DeLano; George Rex, born April 26, 1846, at Berlin, St. Clare County, now deceased ; and Martha Hall Kidder, born December 29, 1855, in Macomb county. She is the wife of C. K. Griggs, of Rochester, Michigan. Ami Kidder and his wife had one child, Jennie Loretta, the wife of Edwin E. DeLano. Mr. and Mrs. DeLano became the parents of one child, Ami Oscar, born January 27, 1890. He is now at home with his parents. Mr. DeLano is a Democrat in his political affiliations.
OSCAR D. LOOMIS. Prominent among the native-born citizens of Oakland county, who have spent their days within its boundaries, aiding in every possible way its agricultural and industrial growth and develop- ment, stands Oscar D. Loomis, whose birth occurred October 1, 1839, in Brandon township, on the farm which he now owns and occupies, it being the homestead property of his father, Thomas N. Loomis, one of the original householders of the township. He comes of substantial New England ancestry, his paternal grandparents, Jacob L. and Nancy (Noble) Loomis, having been born, bred and married in Massachusetts, although they afterward removed to Madison county, New York, set- tling in Hamilton, which became their permanent home.
Born in Hamilton, New York, July 3, 1808, Thomas N. Loomis re- mained there a number of years after his marriage. In May, 1836, am- bitious to secure for his children every possible advantage in the way of making a living, he migrated to Oakland county, Michigan, which was then in its pristine wildness, a comparatively small proportion of its forests having fallen by the axe of the pioneer. Locating in section twelve, Brandon township, he purchased four hundred and twenty acres of government land, and on the space which he cleared erected a pre- tentious log house, chinking it, and putting in a Dutch chimney. Clear- ing a valuable estate, he returned to New York. He brought his family here in the spring of 1837. . He became one of the more influential and prosperous farmers of his community, and acquired considerable fame as being one of the first to introduce the Spanish Merino breed of sheep into this part of Michigan, that having been the wedge that hastened the improvement of the stock raised in Oakland county, other importations of standard breeds of cattle, being subsequently imported. He filled many local offices of importance, and served as supervisor of Brandon township during the troublous times of the Civil war, when it required great tact and wise discretion to satisfactorily meet the exigencies arising in regard to the maintenance of the families of the soldiers, who had enlisted at the call for volunteer troops. Retiring from active pursuits, he moved to Oakwood, where he spent the remainder of his useful life, passing away in February, 1879. He married Julia Miller, who was born in New York state, and died in Oakwood, Oakland county, Michigan, in 1854. Nine children were born of their union, as follows: Jacob L .. deceased ; Mary C., deceased ; Franklin H., deceased; Nancy, widow of Porter L. Butler ; Emily, deceased, whose birth occurred in 1837, was said to have been one of the first white children born in Brandon town- ship; Oscar D., the special subject of this biographical review; Thomas, who died in infancy ; Agnes C., wife of Gleason F. Perry, of Pontiac; and Josephine, deceased.
Brought up on the home farm, Oscar D. Loomis received his early education in the pioneer schools of his district, and was well trained
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while young in the art of agriculture as carried on in those times. When twenty-six years of age he purchased two hundred and eighty-eight acres of land, and is now the owner of two hundred acres of good land, which he devotes to general farming and stock raising, making a spe- cialty of growing thoroughbred Durham cattle. Public-spirited and pro- gressive, Mr. Loomis has served in various public positions, and in ad- dition to filling offices of minor importance, having been township treasurer and supervisor. Politically he supports the principles of the Democratic party. Mrs. Loomis is a Congregationalist.
On March 27, 1863, Mr. Loomis was united in marriage with Carrie A. Chapel, who is of New England ancestry. Her father, Lyman Chapel, a native of New England, migrated to New York state soon after his marriage, and there lived until his death, in 1856. He married Betsey Miller, who was also of New England birth and breeding, and she sur- vived him, passing away in 1871. To them twelve children were born, as follows : Belinda, who died in childhood ; William, deceased ; Haddon, deceased ; Abner, deceased; Olive, Maria, Elizabeth and Lyman, also deceased; Payne, of Oakland county, Michigan; Mary, wife of Eugene Jeffers, of Wyoming county, New York; Perry, deceased, of New York ; and Carrie A., wife of Mr. Loomis. Mr. and Mrs. Loomis have two children, Alice J., living with her parents, and Robert E., of Brandon township.
WILLIAM O. DAVIS. Born in Detroit,, on July 21, 1842, William O. Davis has been a resident of the state of Michigan all his life and of the county of Oakland since 1868, and he is today looked upon in this dis- trict as one of the men who have contributed their full quota to the development and industrial well-being of the county.
Mr. Davis is the son of Robert W. and Harriet ( Newel ) Davis, the former a native of the old state of Maine and the latter of New York. In 1840 Robert Davis came to Michigan and located in Detroit, remov- ing in 1842 to Oxford, in Oakland county. He was a wagon maker by trade, and the first of that line of industry to settle in this township. In 1851 he went into the mercantile business, in the following year being elected register of deeds for Oakland county, an office in which he served for two terms, after which he was appointed United States marshal and later appointed custom house officer at Detroit. On November 3, 1861, he enlisted for the Civil war, and was a lieutenant colonel in the Four- teenth Michigan Infantry. On December 8, 1862, he resigned his com- mission and returned to Pontiac. in 1867 coming to Grand Rapids, and thence to Muskegon, where he died in August, 1907. The mother died in 1852. They were the parents of ten children, named as follows: Arretus, deceased ; Thomas. also deceased : William O .; C. P .. a resi- dent of Muskegon : Joseph H .. deceased. wounded in army service, from which he died : and Camella. Harriet. Elizabeth. Robert W. and Samuel are all deceased. In later years the father took for his second wife Sarah Sprague. and of this union children were born as follows: Twins, who died in infancy ; Sarah. deceased; Robert W., a resident of Denver, Colorado: Harriet, deceased : Camilla, the wife of George G. Jones, of Appleton, Wisconsin. The third wife of Robert Davis was Louisa Peck, and one son. Harold, was born to them.
When William O. Davis was but thirteen years of age he took up farming and continued in that work until the Civil war broke out. Then, with his father and brother, he enlisted with the rank of corporal in the
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Fourteenth Infantry, on February 10, 1862, at Pontiac, Michigan. He served three years and four months and was mustered out on February 13, 1864, re-enlisting on the day after he was mustered out. He was wounded in action at Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, November 3, 1863, and at Chattahoochie River on July 6, 1864. The same ball which struck him wounded his brother, Joseph H., who died August 5, at Nashville, Ten- nessee. Returning to Oakland county, he took up farming and bought eighty acres in Rose township in 1868. He cleared this spot and carried on the business of farming for twenty years, and in 1889 he came to the old homestead of his wife's father, and there he has lived ever since. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Masonic fraternity. Politically he takes an independent viewpoint.
On October 5, 1865, Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Nancy J. Shoemaker, who died July 1, 1903. Two children were born to them. Clara, born July 5, 1866, died on September 25, 1881. Joseph H., born March 22, 1868, lives at home. He married Mary Cross on December 19, 1888, a daughter of John and Lovina Cross. The mother of Mrs. Davis is now deceased, but the father still lives in Rose township. John and Lovina Cross became the parents of seven children, named as fol- lows : Minnie, the wife of Augustus Hines, of Rose township; Mary, the wife of J. H. Davis ; Henry, deceased; William, a resident of Detroit ; Anna, the wife of Floyd Miller, of Flint; Herman, living in Detroit ; and Albert, of Denver, Colorado. Joseph H. and Mary (Cross) Davis became the parents of two children,-Clara, born October 27, 1891, and Viola, born July 10, 1900.
ISAAC NEWTON, a farmer living in Oxford township, Oakland county, Michigan, was born in Lapeer county, Michigan, October 29, 1856, the son of Jerome and Mary (Goff) Newton. His father was a native of New York state and his mother of Ohio. The parents of Isaac Newton came to Michigan in the early 'thirties, settling first in Macomb and later in Lapeer county and then moving to Oakland county, where they set- tled in section 7, Oxford township. They still live in Oxford, where they have retired. They were the parents of four children, the eldest of whom was Isaac. There are two children deceased, Oneal B. and William, and one living besides Isaac, Mate, of Oakland county.
Mr. Newton has lived on the old homestead of eighty acres since it was deeded in 1876. He does general farming and stock raising. He married Miss Amelia Mensdorf, and two daughters were born to bless their union, Ada Belle, wife of Lewis Robinson, of Kingston, Michigan, and Eva May, wife of Charles Mooney, of Oakland county.
In politics Mr. Newton is a Republican and has held the office of justice of the peace and served on the school board for fifteen years. He is a good Mason.
JACOB BUZZARD. Pennsylvania was the native state of Jacob Buz- zard, who now resides on rural route No. 2, out of Rochester, Michigan. February 9, 1844, was his natal day, his parents being Enos and Sarah (Allest) Buzard, both of whom are now deceased. They were natives of Pennsylvania, where their death also occurred. There were two chil- dren in their family, Jacob, the subject of this sketch, and Ruben, who is deceased.
Jacob moved westward to Michigan in 1880, attracted by its mani- fold advantages, and located in Oakland county. In 1895 he bought
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eighty-two acres in section 34, Oakland township, where he does general farming. He was married in August, 1869, to Maria Ackerman, a daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Rertest) Ackerman, both natives of Pennsylvania and both now deceased. There were nine children in the Ackerman family, Mrs. Buzzard being the first born. The others are Henry, Abraham, Harry and Harriet, all residents of the Keystone state. The last named is the wife of Henry Wetzel. William is living in Shiawassee county, Michigan. Lydia is the wife of Milford Rowe, of Pennsylvania. Elie is deceased and Jacob resides in the home state of the family. Mr. and Mrs. Buzzard had two children, the first of whom died in infancy. Lillian H., their daughter, is at home.
Mr. Buzard is numbered among the substantial, progressive residents of Oakland county. His tastes are quiet and he has no craving for of- fice, but finds contentment, health and prosperity in his pleasant country home. He espouses the cause of the Democratic party, belongs to the Foresters and attends service at the Lutheran church.
EDSON TAYLOR. In the end every department of human industry finds its way back to the farm. Since began the awakening of Amer- icans to the necessity of conservation of all of our great natural re- sources, the farmer and the importance of his occupation have drawn more and more attention until today there are few universities in our country that do not have a department of agriculture. Oakland county is favored with a most fertile soil and also with a remarkable percentage of intelligent and progressive farmers, keen to the advantages which are theirs. One of the representative agriculturists of Oxford township is Edson Taylor, whose farm is located on section 7, and is devoted to diversified agriculture and to stock-raising.
Mr. Taylor is of staunch Scotch descent on the paternal side and from his mother's people has inherited the thrift and energy character- istic of the section of New England. He was born in Macomb county, Michigan, on the 17th of October, 1845, the fifth of six children that came to his parents, David and Lemira (Burr) Taylor. David Taylor was a native of Scotland. He became a pioneer settler in Macomb county, Michigan, in the territorial days of the state, or as early as 1833. and lived there a great many years, finally going to reside with a daugh- ter in Lapeer county, where his death occurred at seventy-three years of age, Lemira Burr was born in Connecticut ; she, too passed away in Lapeer county. The six children of this union were David, who was a Presbyterian minister and died when fifty-three years of age; Andrew. a farmer in Brandon township, this county : John and Hannah, deceased : Edson, of this review ; and Emma, the wife of R. A. MacRoy, of Imlay City, Michigan.
Mr. Taylor acquired his education in the district schools of Macomb county and at the Institute at Romeo. For some time after completing his studies he taught school during the winters and assisted in the duties of the home farm during the summers; then later he became employed in the machine shops at Buffalo, New York. He took up farming in- dependently in 1877, at which time he bought a tract of 120 acres in sec- tion 7, Oxford township, of this county. To this he has added by a subsequent purchase. his present estate comprising 160 acres of well improved and highly productive land.
On October 21, 1879, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Taylor and Miss Ellen M. Warner, a daughter of Erastus and Olive ( Patten) Vol. II-5
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Warner. The father, who was one of the early pioneers of Wayne county, Michigan, was born in 1806 and died in 1883. Olive (Patten) Warner survived her husband many years, her death having occurred on September 1, 1911, when she had reached the extreme age of ninety- six years.
Three sons have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor and the fact that all of them are graduates of the Michigan Agricultural College proclaims this family's attitude toward the value of education, toward progress and advancement. Charles B. and Ernest H. are now at home, and Orlow B., is located at Pontiac, traveling for the Flanders Auto- mobile Company. In his political views Mr. Taylor is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Congregational church. The family is one of high character, worth and ability and stands representa- tive of the best citizenship of Oakland county.
WILLIAM LUDWIG, one of the prominent and successful farmers of Oxford township, Oakland county, was born on Michigan soil June 30, 1864, his birthplace being Casco, St. Clair county, and from German parents has inherited abilities characteristic of the nationality of his forebears. In his career as a farmer has been evident not only the pro- verbial thrift and industry of his fathers but also the wide-awake spirit of the advanced agriculturist of the day. With the 'marked fertility of southern Michigan soil as an added advantage, Mr. Ludwig has made farming a successful business.
In 1863 his parents, Charles and Augusta (Milberg) Ludwig, im- migrated from Germany to America, locating in St. Clair county, Mich- igan, where they still reside and where the father's active years were spent as a farmer. Twelve children came to their union, as follows : William, the eldest and the subject of this review; Charles, deceased ; Frederick, now a resident of Lapeer county, Michigan; Annie, the wife of Charles Stayman, of Sanilac county, Michigan; Gustavus, a sailor on the Great Lakes; Martin and John, both residents of Oxford, Michigan ; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Henry Youngs, of Detroit, Michigan; Vena, who married Chris Slutman ; Charles, deceased ; and Otto and Lottie, both at home.
William Ludwig began life for himself as a farmer and has continued in that line of activity to the present time very successfully. In 1887 he made his first purchase of land, a tract of one hundred acres in Lapeer county, which he still owns. He made a subsequent purchase of eighty acres, but in 1902 disposed of this piece of land and bought a farm of one hundred and thirty acres in section 5, Oxford township, Oakland county, which is his present homestead. Besides general farming he is also interested in and has made a profitable business of stock-raising.
In 1890 Mr. Ludwig was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Eich- breth, and to this union have been born two sons, Marvin and Julius, both of whom are at the parental home.
The religious faith of Mr. Ludwig is expressed by membership in the German Lutheran church, and his fraternal associations are as a mem- ber of the Knights of the Maccabees and of the Ancient Order of Glean- ers. Politically he is a Republican. Though his residence in Oakland county covers but a decade, in that period Mr. Ludwig, by his worth and ability, has become recognized as one of the leading citizens of his sec- tion and on his part as a successful farmer is helping to sustain the
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prestige of Oakland county as one of the foremost agricultural counties of the state.
AUBURN W. DEWEY. Born in Macomb county, Michigan, Septem- ber 1, 1855, Auburn W. Dewey has been a resident of the state all his life thus far. He is the son of Archibald and Martha (Brabb) Dewey, the father a native of New York and the mother of England. Archibald Dewey came to Michigan in 1837, and here, as in New York, was en- gaged in farming, which business claimed his attention all his life. He ' died in 1902. There were nine children in this family. The eldest, Elizabeth, is married and living in Minnesota. Auburn W., of this review was the second born. Phoebe is deceased. Mary is the wife of Van Mc- Cafferty, living in South Dakota. Sarah is married to Hugh Fielding, of Oklahoma. Blanche is the wife of Lew Davis, of Washington, Michi- gan. George lives in Oxford. Charles is a resident of Macomb county, as is also Laura.
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