USA > Michigan > Lenawee County > Illustrated history and biographical record of Lenawee County, Mich. > Part 10
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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
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ILLUSTRATED HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL
Mrs. Maria H. Hixon in the 104th year of her age.
years old the Government allowed her a pension, which she highly appreciates and is very proud of. She resides with a maiden daugh- ter at Clinton, this county. She was the mother of seven children, only two of whom are living. She attended the annual meeting of the Lenawee County Pioneer Society, in August, 1903, at that time being in her 104th year. She was the attraction of the occasion.
CHARLES W. SELLECK was born in Adrian township, Len- awee County, Mich., March 9th, 1843. His father, Ebenezer L. Selleck, was born in Stafford, Conn., September 19th, 1796, and when still a boy accompanied his parents, Peter and Mary (Lock- wood) Selleck, to Oneida County, N. Y., where they were among the early settlers. Ebenezer L. Selleck learned the trade of a mason, and followed that business in New York until he came to Michigan in 1836. April 3d, 1822, Ebenezer L. Selleck married Miss Nancy Wetmore, daughter of Elisha and Cynthia Wetmore, who were natives of New England and pioneers of Oneida County, New York. Ebenezer L. and Nancy Selleck became the parents of ten children,
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RECORD OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
six of whom were born in Oneida County, N.
Y., and four in Lena- wee County, Mich. They came to Michi- gan in the spring of 1836 and settled in Woodstock, this coun- ty, in June of that year. He resided in Woodstock until 1839, when he sold out and purchased 160 acres of land, two miles west of Adrian, on what is
now known as the old plank road. He re-
sided on this farm un- til 1868, when he again sold out and removed
to Adrian, where he died, January 31st,
1881. He was a sol-
dier in the war of 1812, for which service he received a government
land warrant, and upon coming to Michigan
he located land in Barry County. His
father, Peter Selleck,
was a soldier in the Revolution, and drew a government pension. Mrs. Nancy Selleck
was born in Oneida
County, N. Y., July
20th, 1802, and died in
Adrian, September 22d,
1874. Mr. and Mrs. Selleck were members of Christ (Episcopal) Church in Adrian,
were earnest workers
and liberal givers in all church, Sunday
school and benevolent causes, and were high- ly respected citizens.
Farm Home of Chas. W. Selleck, Section 7, Adrian Township.
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ILLUSTRATED HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL
Charles W. Selleck, the subject of this sketch, has always lived in Adrian township, Lenawee County, and has always followed farm- ing. As an evidence that he has an intelligent idea of his calling, and a familiar knowledge of practical agriculture, it is only neces- sary to visit his fertile farm of two hundred and seventeen acres, on section 7, near Wolf Creek, in Adrian township, to satisfy any ob- server. The fine picture accompanying this sketch shows his com- fortable home and buildings, the best evidence of thrift, culture and general usefulness. We doubt if any farmer in the county has a more complete and ample set of buildings. He has always taken an active interest in public affairs, having served his township as Clerk, four years as Supervisor, and four years as Justice of the Peace. In politics he is an earnest and consistent Democrat. January 23d, 1867, Chas. W. Selleck married Miss Phebe J. Kelley, daughter of Ira and Elizabeth (Bramble) Kelley, of Adrian township, this county. They have had three children, as follows: Clara I., born September 20th, 1869, married Lewis C. Brittain, November 11th, 1891, and resides on section 36, in Rome township; Lottie E., born March 27th, 1872, married John H. Maynard, January 25th, 1893, and is the mother of three children, Morris O., Phebe I., and Charles S. They reside on section 12, in Rome. Albert L., born February 7th, 1875, married Miss Eva F. Ayers, daughter of Andrew and Josephine Ayers, of Cambridge, who are natives of Lenawee County, December 12th, 1900, and resides on the home farm in Adrian. Mrs. Phebe J. Selleck was born in Lodi, Seneca County, N. Y., February 5th, 1843, and came to Michigan with her parents in 1864. Her father, Ira Kelley, was born in Lodi, Seneca County, April 29th, 1818. In his younger days he owned and commanded a boat on the Erie canal for many years, but on coming to Michigan he engaged in farming in Adrian township, and died there August 4th, 1883, aged 65 years. His father, John C. Kelley, was a native of New York, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was born March 17, 1796, and married Charity Covert, who was born December 9th, 1796. February 16, 1842, Ira Kelley married Miss Elizabeth Bram- ble, daughter of Clement and Elizabeth (Prindle) Bramble, and they had six children, Mrs. Phebe J. Selleck being the oldest. Mrs. Elizabeth Kelley was born in Lodi, N. Y., February 29th, 1820, and died in Adrian township, May 13th, 1893.
WILLIAM WEATHERBY was born in Manchester, Benning- ton County, Vermont, July 21st, 1813. His father, William Weath- erby, was born near Boston, Mass., July 22d, 1769, and lived there until about 1798, when he removed to Bennington County, Vermont, and purchased a farm. He lived there until about 1823, when he moved to Tioga County, N. Y., where he resided eight years, when
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RECORD OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
he came to Fairfield, Lenawee County, Mich., and died there August 19th, 1835. December 8th, 1797, he married Relief Miller, of Marl- borough, Mass., by whom he had eight children, William being the youngest of six sons. Mrs. Relief Weatherby was born in Marl- borough, Mass., February 20th, 1775, and died in Fairfield, this county, July 18th, 1835. William Weatherby, the subject of this sketch, lived with his parents until he was about eighteen years old, when the care of the family fell upon him, his father and mother
Mrs. Sarah C. Weatherby.
William Weatherby.
being old and feeble. In 1831 he came to Michigan, and located the west one-half of the southeast one-quarter of section 9, in Fairfield, this county, bringing his parents with him. That part of the town- ship was then a perfect wilderness. He followed marked trees and an Indian trail through the woods to his land, and was obliged to cut a road about two and a half miles to get his wagon through. He at once built a log shanty and went to "keeping house," his mother and sister being the housekeepers. This was just before the Black Hawk War, and occasionally Indians came along and wanted to stay all night, which caused the " women folks" considerable uneasiness, and the "men folks" were none too serene, as all Indians were re- garded with suspicion. William was warned to appear at Adrian, with his gun, ammunition and rations, but he was attacked with ague, which excused him, much to the relief of his mother and sister. He afterwards added to his first purchase, until he owned 260 acres of land, which he cleared up, improved and built good buildings
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ILLUSTRATED HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL
upon. In 1873 his house burned, with nearly all its contents. The following year he built a new and better house. In the spring of 1878 he purchased the south sixty acres of the northwest one-quarter of section 28, in Fairfield, his adopted son and heir, William W. Wyman, occupying the home farm. He was the first man to own sheep in the town of Fairfield, and his wife spun, wove and made into cloth the first wool manufactured in the township, Mr. Weatherby making two trips to Tecumseh on foot to get the wool carded and the cloth fulled and colored. His flock of sheep was twice destroyed by wolves, with the exception of one old ewe, the pioneer sheep of the county, which both times escaped, and afterwards raised five lambs in thirteen months. She was subsequently taken to Bean Creek, in Seneca township, where she was again a pioneer, and flourished and replenished her kind, and escaped the hungry wolves, living to a happy old age. One day in December, a few years after he came, some of the settlers had brought their hogs to his place, for the purpose of butchering, and making one job of it, which was the custom in those days. A little before noon a man came along with a gun, saying that he had wounded a deer, over in Ohio, and had followed him to that vicinity, and learning that Mr. Weatherby had a famous dog, after dinner, suggested that all hands turn out with the dog and catch the deer. Everybody was ready for the sport, and away they went. There was a good "tracking snow" at the time, the deer's tracks being easily followed, and before they had got beyond Mr. Weatherby's land, the deer-a large buck-was cap- tured. He had secreted himself in a tree top, and it so happened that Mr. Weatherby, Benjamin Baker, John Reynolds and the dog came upon the animal and started him, when Mr. Weatherby told his dog to catch him. The dog at once obeyed and grabbed him by the left ear. This so enraged the deer that in the struggle he threw the dog over his neck, and in this way the deer came down a little ravine in the direction of Mr. Weatherby, who jumped behind a small elm tree, which the deer, in his efforts to rid himself of the dog, ran against. At that instant Mr. Weatherby seized him by his large horns and brought them with all his strength against the op- posite side of the tree, holding him there until Benjamin Baker cut his throat. The dog kept his hold until strangled by the blood that spurted into its mouth. This was considered the best dog in the entire settlement. December 31st, 1835, Mr. Weatherby married Sarah C. Carpenter, daughter of Elder James and Catharine Carpen- ter, of Fairfield. Mrs. Weatherby never had any children, but a sister died, leaving an infant, which she brought up, was adopted, and became the legal heir of the Weatherbv estate, as follows: William W. Wyman was born in Fairfield, February 1st, 1844, and died March 31st, 1880. July 3d, 1865, he married Miss Salina DeLand. By this marriage children were born as follows : Cora S., born in Fairfield, January 26, 1867, died December 2, 1878; Delight, born January 6, 1869, died March 1st, 1874; Laura A., born March
119
RECORD OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
30, 1871, and was married to George B. Schomp, September 18, 1887, and is now the mother of two children ; Blond, born September 25, 1875, married to James B. Green, February 17, 1895, and now the mother of two children. Mrs. Selina Wyman was born in Fairfield, August 13th, 1847, and was the daughter of Joseph and Sally DeLand, who were pioneers in Fairfield. Mrs. Sarah C. Weatherby was born in Shelby, Orleans County, New York, August 10th, 1815, and died from an injury (the breaking of the femur) February 25th, 1903. William Weatherby died March 15th, 1893.
SAMUEL TINGLEY, Jr., was born in Ovid, Seneca County, N. Y., May 12th, 1818. His father, Samuel Tingley, Sr., was born in Sussex County, New Jersey, March 27th, 1781, where his father, Daniel Tingley, settled when he came to this country from Scotland. It was here that Daniel was married and reared his family. He afterwards lived some years in New York city, where he followed his trade of tanner and shoemaker. Accumulating some property there, he again sold out and returned to New Jersey, but finally removed to Seneca County, N. Y., where he died at the age of about eighty years. He married Miss Margaret Van Pelt, who survived
32
கு
Samuel Tingley, Jr.
Mrs. Johanna Tingley.
120
ILLUSTRATED HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL
her husband many years, and died at the home of her grandson, Samuel Tingley, Jr., in Adrian township, this county, December 1, 1844. Samuel Tingley, Sr., also learned the trade of tanner and shoemaker, and followed that trade, together with carpentering, for many years. In 1806 he married Miss Rebecca Holcomb, daughter of John H. Holcomb, who was a native of England, and a pioneer of New Jersey. Mrs. Rebecca (Holcomb) Tingley was a native of New Jersey, and died in Adrian township in 1846. Samuel Tingley, Sr., died in Adrian township in 1839. Samuel Tingley, Jr., always fol- lowed farming and made agriculture a study. He farmed for success and profit, and made a competence for himself and family by his energy, intelligence and close attention. His father died when he was about twenty years old, and he at once assumed the responsibil- ity of taking care of the family and clearing up the farm, which consisted of 240 acres on section 11, in Adrian, 160 of which was taken up from the Government by Samuel Tingley, Sr. Samuel, Jr., cleared and fenced the land, built the buildings, and made a success of the great undertaking. He ever after lived on this farm, where he died March 27th, 1895, after residing there for about sixty years. In 1844 Samuel Tingley, Jr., married Miss Johanna Engle, daughter of Jacob and Jane Engle, of Schoharie County, N. Y., and they had five children, as follows: Alfred D., born January 31st, 1845, and died June 1st, 1901 ; Charles E., born May 9th, 1851, mar- ried Miss Adela M. Willits, daughter of Darius and Eliza Willits, of Adrian. Charles E. died July 21st, 1899, and his wife, Adela, died December 12th, 1896. Samuel O., born March 31st, 1853, on the homestead ; Esther J. and Ella J. (twins), born November 8th, 1857, at the homestead. Mrs. Johanna Tingley was born October 27th, 1822, and died in 1882.
. JAMES L. CARPENTER was born in Norfolk, St. Lawrence County, N. Y., April 11th, 1834, and came to Michigan with his parents in the fall of 1834. His father, Joseph P. Carpenter, was born in Swanzey, N. H., July 18th, 1803, and was the son of William and Lucina (Sumner) Carpenter, who lived in Swanzey. William was born in Charlestown, Mass., September 25th, 1752. Six genera- tions before this, in May, 1638, William Carpenter landed in Massa- chusetts from the good ship "Beves," having come from his native place of Wherwell, England. He was an eminent Puritan, and set- tled at Rehoboth, Mass. His great-grandfather, John Carpenter, was a resident of London, England, in 1300, whose son, Richard, was the father of John, who was town clerk of London, and did more for education than any man of his century. He died there in 1442. William and Lucina Carpenter, of Swanzey, N. H., were the parents of twelve children, Joseph P. being the tenth child. William Car-
121
RECORD OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
penter was a minute man in the Revolutionary War. He was called into service three different times, and fought at the battles of Bunker Hill and Bennington, and became a Revolutionary pensioner. In 1806 he emigrated with his wife and eleven children to Potsdam, N. Y., where he died July 24th, 1843. His wife, Lucina, died there
James L. Carpenter and Family.
November 15th, 1838. Joseph P. Carpenter ("Uncle Joe," as he was known in Lenawee County) lived in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., until 1834, when he moved to Michigan and settled in Kedzie's Grove (now near Deerfield village), where he resided until 1841. He then moved to the village of Blissfield. When a young man he learned the trade of edge tool maker, and followed that work, with ordinary blacksmithing, after coming to Michigan. He was a man of probity and sterling honesty, and was a highly respected citizen. He was three times married, first to Lydia Tracey Wright, Sept. 6th, 1831, and seven children were born to them, James L. being the second child. Lydia Tracey (Wright) Carpenter died in Blissfield, February 24th, 1842. February 19th, 1843, he married Celestia Stone, and one child was born to them. She was born in Vergennes, Vt., November 23d, 1812, and died in Blissfield, March 10th, 1845. His third marriage occurred July 1st, 1847, to Mrs. Orrilla (Keyes) Miner, and one child was born to them. She died at Lansing, Mich., March 11th, 1903. Joseph P. Carpenter died in Blissfield, February 17th, 1892. He was an uncle of Guy, David and Joel Car-
122
ILLUSTRATED HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL
penter, of Blissfield. James L. Carpenter, subject of this sketch, was only six months old when he came to Lenawee County. In the fall of 1851 he went to Toledo, Ohio, and engaged in the mercantile business, where he remained until November 5th, 1862, when he en- listed as a private in the Seventh Michigan Cavalry. He was later commissioned first lieutenant, being assigned to Company F, was in General Custer's brigade, and was wounded at the battle of Gettys-
Mrs. Joseph P. Carpenter.
Joseph P. Carpenter.
burg, in command of his company, being shot through the lungs, July 3d, 1863. He was commissioned as captain, to date from July 8th, 1863. May 26th, 1865, he was commissioned major, was on de- tached service at Denver, Colo., as A. A. General and post ordnance officer, with General Upton ; was mustered out and honor- ably discharged at Detroit, Mich., April 3d, 1866. Upon leaving the army he went back to Toledo, and resumed the mercantile business with the same house he left to serve his country. In 1872 he went to St. Louis and engaged in the manufacturing business. In the spring of 1878 he went to New Orleans, La., in the same business. This was the year of the terrible yellow fever scourge. In 1879 he returned to Michigan, and located at Adrian, subsequently settling in Blissfield in the fall of 1880, where he still resides. February 20th, 1860, James L. Carpenter married Miss Mary E. Keyes, of Williamson County, Tennessee. She was born in Rose, Wayne
123
RECORD OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
County, N. Y., January 25th, 1836, and died in Toledo, Ohio, Janu- ary 8th, 1862. There were no children. October 16th, 1873, he married Miss Susan M. E. Thompson, daughter of Dr. E. D. and Emeline (Tucker) Thompson, of Chapel Hill, Marshall County, Ten- nessee, and they became the parents of three children, as follows : Joseph T., born in St. Louis, Mo., November 2d, 1876, married Miss Grace A. Parmenter, August 1st, 1900, and has one son. Anna M. S., born in Adrian, Mich., December 24th, 1880, at home. Ewing L., born in Blissfield, Mich., December 8th, 1884, died December 8th, 1900. Mrs. Susan M. E. Carpenter was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., June 22d, 1838. She was a woman of many lovely traits and gifted with womanly qualities that made her loved and respected by all with whom she came in contact. She was educated at Franklin College, near Nashville, Tenn. She was a member of the Campbellite church, was consistent, charitable, and remarkably free from prejudice. She early espoused the cause of temperance, was a natural leader, and for many years was president of the Bliss- field W. C. T. U. She was elected president of the Second district of Michigan four different times. and was filling that office at the time of her death, which occurred January 27th, 1902.
WILLIAM H. KNIGHT was born in Adrian township, Lena- wee County, Mich., October 30th, 1842. His father, William Knight, was born near Northampton, Mass., January 17th, 1807, and was the son of Erastus and Polly (Little) Knight. This branch of the Knight family in America, so far as is known, sprung from England, and the first record shows that Joshua Knight lived in Connecticut, was a farmer and shoemaker. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, won distinction for bravery and fidelity, and was promoted to lieutenant. William Knight was raised a farmer, and resided at home until he was about twenty years of age, when he went to New Jersey, where he worked at ship carpentering some time, but eventu- ally to Massachusetts, where he remained for about three years, when, in the spring of 1834, he emigrated to Michigan, and settled in Rome township, this county. This was new land, which he com- menced to improve, but being a single man, and finding some trouble in securing any conveniences or board, he soon determined to make a change, finally locating on section 18, in Adrian township. Here he at once began clearing and building, and by Christmas that year (1834) he had constructed a house, which he occupied until 1841, when merited reward for faithful labor enabled him to build a far more pretentious frame dwelling. He cleared up this farm and brought it to a high state of cultivation, enjoying the fruits of his
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ILLUSTRATED HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL
industry for sixty-six years. He was a prominent and highly respected citizen, enjoying the confidence and esteem of all classes. He was prominent in school and church matters. He was the first to organize a school in his district, and was prominent in organizing the West Adrian Congregational Church. He was a deacon in the church from its foundation, and was always a zealous worker for the cause. He died in Adrian township, November 8th, 1901. Decem- ber 25th, 1834, William Knight married Miss Anna Smead, daughter of Rufus and Anna (Hawks) Smead, and they were the parents of seven children. Mrs. Anna (Smead) Knight was born in Bolton, Warren County, N. Y., September 14th, 1810, and came to Michigan with her parents in 1834. She died in Adrian township, July 4th, 1885. Her parents were natives of Massachusetts, and settled on section 17, in Adrian, in 1834. Her father died at the age of 83, and her mother died in 1869, being nearly 95 years old. William H. Knight, the subject of this sketch, was brought up a farmer, and attended the district schools of his neighborhood, afterwards going two years to Raisin Institute, conducted by Aunt Laura Haviland ; two years at the Ypsilanti Seminary, afterwards taking a business course at the Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Business College. Upon return- ing home, he went back to the farm. In 1866 he purchased his present farm home, on section 9, in Adrian township, which he has carried on ever since. About one and a half years he was employed as bookkeeper at A. Stevenson & Son's coal and lumber yards at Adrian. He served his township as Supervisor for three years, and several years as School Inspector. He is a member of the West Adrian Congregational Church, and has been superintendent of the Sunday school for the last twenty years. His home is known as Mapleside Fruit, Grain and Stock Farm. He is largely interested in feeding cattle for market. He is president of the Lenawee County Horticultural Society, and is engaged to a limited extent in culti- vating and propagating choice fruits. November 25th, 1869, William H. Knight married Miss Frances A. Mckenzie, daughter of Charles M. and Ann (Hawkins) Mckenzie, and they are the parents of seven children, as follows: Anna E., born March 17th, 1871, married Harry Bartlett, is the mother of two children, and resides in Chicago ; Alice C., born August 19th, 1873, teacher in Chicago public schools ; Mary L., born February 14th, 1875, married E. C. Kenyon, a drug- gist, is the mother of one child, and resides in Chicago ; Grace A., born May 13th, 1877, teacher in Chicago public schools; Laura F., born July 19th, 1879, died November 21st, 1899; William H., Jr., born February 28th, 1881, unmarried, and lives at home ; Charles E., born January 9th, 1883, with First National Bank of Chicago. Mrs. Frances A. Knight was born in Woodstock, this county, May 14th, 1842. For a full sketch of her parents, see Whitney & Bonner's History and Biographical Record of Lenawee County, vol. 1, page 472.
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RECORD OF LENAWEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
HON. JOSEPH R. BENNETT was born in Shelby, Orleans County, N. Y., May 18th, 1819, where he lived until he was six years old, when his parents moved to Sweden, Wayne County, where the family resided until the Indian reservation in Genesee County was opened. At this time his father purchased two hundred acres of land near Alabama Center. In 1834 he came to Michigan with his parents, and remained a resident of the county up to the period of his passing away. His father, Deacon Matthew Bennett, was born in Orange County, New York, in 1778. In 1792 he removed with his parents to Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, where he resided until 1805, when he returned to his native state and purchased a new farm in Tioga County. Not being quite satisfied there, in 1816 he removed to Shelby, Orleans County, and again pur- chased a new farm, but subsequently settled at Alabama, in Genesee County. One of his sons, Davis D., came to Mich- igan in 1828, and lived in Adrian until the next year, when he returned to the old home in New York, with such glowing tales of the beauties and the opportunities in Michigan, that his father dis- posed of his property in Genesee County and came to Adrian in 1834, where his son, Davis D., who had married and returned, was then a pioneer in good standing. Deacon Bennett located four hundred and eighty acres of government land in Rollin, where he resided until the last few years of his life. He was the third man to build a house in Rollin township. He died in Fairfield in October, 1863. In 1790 Matthew Bennett married Miss Nancy Brace, of Wilkesbarre, Pa., which marriage resulted in ten children. Mrs. Nancy Bennett was born in Saratoga County, N. Y., and died in Rollin, this county. Joseph R. Bennett, the subject of this sketch, lived with his parents until he was twenty-one years old, and shared the hardships and privations of making two homes in the wilderness. His schooling and his opportunities were limited, and hard labor and a primitive life was his heritage. After assisting his parents in making a com- fortable home in Rollin, when he reached his majority, he still possessed pluck and endurance sufficient to start in for himself on a new farm in the southern part of the township. He remained on this farm about two years, when the people "found him out," and demanded his services in a public capacity. In 1841 he was appointed Deputy Sheriff, and removed to Adrian. He held this office about two years, but business was dull, and having a family, he was forced to "scare away the wolf" by hard labor. He found employment with Mr. Crittenden, in hauling ashes to his ashery. The ashes were found scattered over the country, being the residue of the magnifi- cent forest that had been burned by the settlers in clearing their land. Potash and pearlash, or saleratus, was made from the ashes. For this work Mr. Bennett was paid sixteen dollars per month. During this employment he was elected Constable, which led on to better things. In 1848 he was nominated for County Sheriff on the Whig ticket, but was defeated. He still persisted in his labors until
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