USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > Past and present of Shiawassee County, Michigan, historically; with biographical sketches > Part 33
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 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
this time he was preparing himself for the profession which he had chosen for his life work.
In order to have actual experience in the handling of drugs and medicines, that he might the more thoroughly equip himself. he spent six months in a drug store. He then attended the St. Louis Medical College for one year and in 1859 returned to his native state and was married to Sarah E. Fishell of Pembroke, Genesee county, New York. Af- ter their marriage they removed to the state of Missouri, where on the 16th of March. 1861, their son and only child was born. The son, Leon R. V. Cobb, after he arrived at manhood, conducted a farm for a number of years, and then secured the position of rural mail carrier on route number two, Perry. Michigan. He married Clara Bridger, daugh- ter of Lewis Bridger, a pioneer resident of Shiawassee county, and they have three sons- Stearns, born March 2, 1889; Donald, born December 13, 1901, and Arthur, born in March, 1904.
When Dr. and Mrs. Cobb reached Missouri they located at a place called Pleasant Gap, where subject began the practice of his pro- fession. In the troublesome days of 1861. their house and household goods and physi- cian's supplies, in fact, everything they had, was destroyed, and to save their lives they had to escape in the night time.
Subject volunteered twice to serve in the civil war and was drafted once, but was re- jected each time by the examining surgeons on account of being six feet tall and only weighing 130 pounds. After escaping from Missouri, he located in New York and began the practice of medicine at Eagle Harbor. Or- leans county, where he continued till 1868, when he removed to Indian Falls, Genesee county, on account of the enactment of a state law denying a physician the right to practice unless he was a graduate of a medical college, Dr. Cobb was compelled to pass an examina- tion, lasting two days, in which he was suc- cessful. He came to the village of Perry in
266
PAST AND PRESENT OF
the year 1879, and from that time has prac- ticed his profession at that place. He is a member of Perry Lodge, No. 350, Free and Accepted Masons; of the Order of the East- ern Star; and of the Perry lodge of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.
His wife, who was an active member of the M. E. church, died November 21, 1902. Dr. Cobb is a member of the Michigan State Med- ical Society and the Shiawassee County Med- ical Society, being an honorary member of all the branches of the state society and entitled to membership in the American Medical As- sociation.
Financially speaking, Dr. Cobb is "on easy- street" and, counting his varied experiences, he has good reason for personal congratula- tions for the favorable circumstances in which he finds himself as the more sombre years of life come on apace.
The Doctor has served the village of Perry as president. He gives loyal support to the Republican party, which honored him for six years with the office of justice of the peace. For nearly half a century Dr. Cobb has been connected with the Methodist Episcopal church, regulating his life by its teachings and doctrines.
WILLIAM FRANCIS COLWELL
The subject of this sketch was born in Springport township, Cayuga county, New York, August 5, 1835. He is now a resident of Hazelton township, Shiawassee county. His father, James M. Colwell, was a native of Cumberland county, England, where he was born in 1809, and he came to America in 1829, remaining in New York state until 1835, when he removed to Genesee county, Michigan, and took up eighty acres of government land. This he cleared, and later procured forty acres more, which he also improved. He lived there until his death, in 1874. His home was situ- ated on what was originally an Indian trail,
and he was compelled to go to mill in Detroit.
William F. Colwell started to direct affairs for himself at the age of twenty-four years, traveling through Michigan with a wagon, wholesaling and retailing Yankee notions. He continued at this for two years and then en- gaged in farming in Genesee county, on eigh- ty acres owned by his wife. He improved ten acres of this and then sold the property, buy- ing forty acres of improved land, in Atlas township, Genesee county. He did not keep this long, however, and after disposing of it bought eighty acres, half-improved, and set- tled on this land, in Elbe township, Lapeer county. He chopped ten acres of this and afterward sold the property. He then re- moved to his present home, on section 21, Hazelton township. This was in 1871. He bought eighty acres, ten acres of which was partly improved. Mr. Colwell went to work, with the aid of his son Charles, however, and the result is a beautiful, rich farm,-a monu- ment to their energy and labors. The log house in which the family lived for years has given place to a good frame structure, while a suitable barn has also been added.
October 14, 1861, William Francis Colwell married Mrs. Maine, a widow; her maiden name was Harding. Nine children were the result of this union, and five of the number are living: James, born March 2, 1862, died in May, 1862; Charles, born in Genesee coun- ty, September 16, 1863, lives at home and owns the homestead ; Fred and Frank, twins, born April 15, 1864, died when five months old ; Willis, who was born February 15, 1868, and who lives in Hazelton township, married Lettie Lewis, and they have four children --- Delta, Vera, Ethel and Lloyd; Bert, who was born January 1, 1871, and who lives in Hazel- ton township, married Laura Harding, and
they have two children; Lulu, who was born October 2, 1872, and who lives at Crump, Bay county, married Herbert Wood, and they have five children ; Della, born August 5, 1874, died September 16, 1875; Harry J., born May 24, 1878, is single and lives with his parents.
267
SHIAWASSEE COUNTY
Daniel Harding, father of Mrs. William F. Colwell, was born in Connecticut in 1804, and died in August, 1883; his wife, Emorillous (Swift) Harding, was born in 1808 and died in 1887. Her father's name was Seth Swift. Daniel Harding came to Atlas township, Gen- esee county, Michigan, in 1836 and took up eighty acres of government land, which he improved and sold. Then he bought eighty acres of wild land, built a log house on the same and later added two forties. He was nine days on his way from Detroit to the first land bought, a distance of fifty miles. Mrs. William Francis Colwell was the second in a family of five children, as follows: Lewis, born October 24, 1833, lives at Arenac, Mich- igan, and has five children ; Marion Harding, was born in Atlas township, Genesee county, Michigan, January 19, 1839 ; Delos, who was born June 28, 1845, and who lives in Tuscola county, Michigan, married Grace Gardner, and has two children; Inez, who was born April 11, 1850, and who lives in Atlas, Michi- gan, married George Campbell, and they have no children; Philo, born January 15, 1858 ; (lied at the age of eight years.
William Francis Colwell remembers when it was necessary to have fires burning at night to keep the wolves away. He used often to see them trying to get into his hog pen after dark. The father of Mrs. Colwell used to split 2,400 rails for a barrel of flour. He was at one time chased by wolves when carrying home some fresh meat from the home of one of his neighbors, after butchering. Had not his wife met him with a burning torch his life would have been in great danger. The con- venience of the country store was unknown to the early settlers in those days.
It is related of Mr. Colwell's stepmother that upon a certain occasion her home was in- vaded by a number of Indians from the tribe of. the Chippewas. She was boiling potatoes for dinner. These the Indians desired, so she exchanged them for some trinkets the Indians had to dispose of. The potatoes were at once devoured by the red skins, after which they
demanded the return of their trinkets. To this the plucky woman demurred, the Indians insisting, when she finally seized a poker and drove the invaders from her home. Our sub- ject's mother, Katharine (Collins) Colwell, was born in Cayuga county, New York, in 1800 and died in 1835.
In politics Mr. Colwell gives his influence and support to the Republican party, the "party with a history."
JAMES W. CONKLIN
This gentleman is a native son of Michigan, having been born in Livingston county, No- vember 3, 1851. He is now an honored and respected citizen of Hazelton township, and is a son of Samuel Conklin, who was born Sep- tember 16, 1797. in the Empire state. The lat- ter was thrice married, his second wife being Emily (Gould) Conklin, mother of the subject of this sketch. She was a native of New York state, where she was born September 16, 1797, and she passed to the life eternal on June 9. 1853. Ilis first wife was Lydia Mace, to whom he was wedded November 1, 1820. They came to Michigan in 1836, locating in Handy township, Livingston county, on eighty acres of wild land. Here both his first and second wives died, and on June 1, 1854, he married for his third wife Rhoda Gould. She died July 18, 1874. He cleared the land, con- verting it into one of the finest farms that could be desired. Mr. Conklin was largely imbued with the love of home, of constancy. of permanence-with a strong determination to let well enough alone. These character- istics seem to be giving place in the breast of the average American to the desire to "seek pastures new," to look for the "green fields beyond," so to speak-but these desiderata ex- ist only in the imagination as a general rule. Mr. Conklin, therefore, continued to live on the farm he had thus carved from the mighty forest. The idea of clinging to home. as exemplified by the gentleman in question, is
268
PAST AND PRESENT OF
so beautifully expressed by one of the poets, that we quote his words :
Cling to thy home ! If there the meanest shed Yield thee a hearth and a shelter for thy head,
And some poor plot, with vegetables stored ; Be all that Heaven allots thee for thy brood, Unsavory bread, and herbs that scattered grow
Wild on the river brink or mountain brow,- Yet e'en this cheerless mansion shall provide More heart's repose than all the world be- side.
Mr. Conklin did not add to his original pur- chase of land. In politics he was a Demo- crat. There were no children by the first mar- riage, but four were the result of the second. Hugh, who was born February 22, 1845, died at the age of thirty-six years, hav- ing been a lawyer in Fowlerville, Mich- igan. He married Mary Drew, no chil- dren being born of this union. The second in order of birth was the subject · of this sketch. Libbie, who was born October 10, 1856, died in infancy. Emily R., who was born March 23, 1853, and who is now dead, married Henry Silsby, lived in Webberville, and had six children. One daughter was the issue of the third marriage-Frankyette, who was born June 10, 1855, and died in infancy.
James W. Conklin was educated in the pub- lic schools in Handy township and lived at home until the death of his father, after which he took care of his stepmother during the re- mainder of her life. At the age of twenty- five he sold the old homestead in Livingston county, and set his face toward the setting sun, landing in Kansas, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land. He was in quest of health, but, receiving no benefit in "bleeding Kansas," he sold his property and returned to his native heath, where he re- mained for one year, his health meanwhile continuing bad. He next went to Nebraska, where he purchased eighty acres, but he didn't like that region and concluded to dispose of his holdings and return to "Michigan, my Michigan." He located in Hazelton township,
where he secured forty acres of timber-land. He first built a board house, in which he lived for twenty-two years. Four years ago he erected a fine large frame domicile, and in 1891 a big barn. He has added eighty-four acres to his original tract and is now rightly considered one of the most substantial farmers in Hazelton,-progressive, intelligent and thrifty, a gentleman who enjoys the confi- dence of people generally, as being trustwor- thy and honorable. Emerson says: "Trust men, they will be true to you; treat then gently, and they will show themselves great."
November 3, 1875, Mr. Conklin was mar- ried to Hannah T. Marble, who was born in Deerfield, Livingston county, Michigan, June 3, 1850. She was a daughter of Enoch .M. Marble, born in Maine, February 3, 1822, and of Theresa M. (Pike) Marble, born in New York December 30, 1826. The father of Enoch Marble was Ira Marble, who was one of the early settlers of Deerfield, Livingston county. Her parents lived on their farm in Deerfield until thirty years ago, when they re- moved to Handy township. They remained there some ten years and then changed to Shi- awassee county, since which they have made their home with our subject. Mr. Marble is totally blind and is also afflicted with rheu- matism, not being able to stand on his feet, but strange to say is not in any pain. His wife, however, is in excellent health, consider- ing her age. Mrs. Conklin is the first born in a family of eight children. William, who was born August 4, 1852, and who died at the age of thirty-five years, married Anna Pardee, and had three children, William, Oscar and Em- ma. Emma, third child of Enoch Marble, was born July 22, 1854, and is the wife of Elliott Brown, of Morrice, Michigan, and they have three children-Mason, Theresa and Cassie. Mason, who was born September 10, 1856, lives in Hazelton. Theresa, born June 21, 1862 ; died at the age of thirty years. Charles, born June 21, 1862, is living and is a bach- elor. Minnie, born September 11, 1864, mar- ried Mr. A. Shaw, of Hazelton. Harry, born
269
SHIAWASSEE COUNTY
September 27, 1861, lives at Clayton, Michi- gan. He married May Shaw, and they have two children,-Leah and Burt.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Conklin ; Hugh, who was born June 30, 1817. was graduated in the Owosso high school, State Normal School at Ypsilanti, and the American School of Osteopathy at Kirks- ville, Missouri. He taught school one year, and is now practicing his profession at Alına, Michigan. He married Ida Maeir. Chester J., who was born September 5, 1884, married Florence Confer, and they live on one of his father's farms in Hazelton township. Roy G- born August 13, 1886, and Claude M., borr January 26, 1894, remain at the parental home.
Mr. Conklin has always trained with the Republican party and has thrice represented his township in the councils of his party in county conventions. He attends the Method- ist Episcopal church and is altogether, as has been said, a highly honored and successful citizen of his township. of his county, of his state.
ERNEST W. CONVIS
Ernest W. Convis was born in Vernon township, Shiawassee county, March 10, 1877. He is the son of Edwin A. Convis, who was born in same county February 25. 1842. The mother of the subject of this sketch was Stella (Davis) Convis, who hailed from the Empire state, where she was born April 16, 1856. Her home is now in Henderson, Michigan. The son of these good people. Ernest W. Convis, received his education in the schools of Owos- so and Henderson. He lived with his parents until he reached his majority, after which he turned his attention to the agricultural-imple- ment business, entering the employ of Convis & Carmody, of Owosso. He remained with this firm for one year, and then began work- ing for Detwiller & Son, hardware merchants. ITe continued in the employ of that concern for nineteen months, proving a valuable and
competent man. In 1898 he bought an inter- est in business with a gentleman named Palm- er, at Henderson, continuing to be associated with Mr. Palmer for two years. Four years ago his father, Edwin A. Convis, purchased Mr. Palmer's interest, when the firm became Convis & Son, which name it still bears. The stock consists of a full line of hardware, lime. cement and plaster, together with farm imple- ments, wagons, buggies, etc. In addition to these lines the firm also manages an elevator, and buys grain and beans for Detwiller & Son, of Owosso. The parents of Ernest W. Convis were married in Michigan and lived on a farm in Vernon township for a number of years. They removed to Rush township about twenty-six years ago, and bought eighty acres of land, partly improved. It had a log house and barn. They resided on this farm five or six years, and then removed to the village of Henderson, after which Mr. Convis worked for Detwiller & Son of Owosso about seven years. He next went to Owosso and was in- dividually engaged in the farm-implement business for one year, afterward continuing in a copartnership in the business about nine years. Four years ago, as already stated. he removed to Henderson and succeeded Mr. Palmer as partner of his son. He continued this business alliance until his death in Aug- tist, in 1904. He was an Abraham Lincoln Republican in politics and a candidate several times for office. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, was a highly re- spected citizen and a good business man,- honorable and upright in his dealings with his fellows.
The stock now carried by the firm of Con- vis & Son at Henderson is much larger than it was when Ernest first became interested 111 it: while the volume of business transacted is nearly double what it was five years ago. In building up this fine and growing business. the words of the poet have been forcibly ex- emplified : "Honor is purchased by deeds we do: honor is not won until some honorable deed is done."
1
270
PAST AND PRESENT OF
Ernest W. Convis was the second in a fam- ily of four children. The first is dead, and the third, B. D., is now engaged in business with his brother Ernest in Henderson, and has also taken his father's place as auctioneer. He married Dora Warner, daughter of George Warner, of New Haven township; they have no children. Rolla, the fourth child, died at the age of one year.
The subject of this sketch was married No- vember 15, 1900, to Lena Arthur, who was born January 25, 1884. She is a daughter of Daniel Arthur, who now lives on a farm in Rush township. Mrs. Convis is one of a fam- ily of seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Convis have one child, Ruth, who was born March 30, 1901. Mr. Convis is a Democrat and served as township clerk in 1901. He is now treasurer of the Henderson Butter Company. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and it goes with- out saying that they are highly esteemed by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
ALBERT B. COOK
Hon. Albert B. Cook was born at the Agri- cultural College, Michigan, August 11, 1873, his father, A. J. Cook, being a professor at that institution.
His childhood was spent at the college, where he was graduated in 1893, at the age of nineteen. A love of the farm and farming seemed inherent in the young man and from the college he came to his father's farm in Bennington township, Shiawassee county, where he has since resided.
Mr. Cook has devoted his attention to gen- eral farming, but since the location of the sugar factory at Owosso he has made a speci- alty of the cultivation of the sugar beet. He has been active in the farmers' club work and has served as president and secretary of his local club, known as the Maple River Club, and also in the corresponding offices in the State Association of Farmers' Clubs.
At the present time Mr. Cook is serving his second term as state senator from the four- teenth senatorial district, comprised of Shi- awassee and Ingham counties.
In October, 1900, he was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Carruthers, of Bancroft. Two children, a boy of four, and a girl of two, complete their family circle. Their home is the Cook homestead, where Mr. Cook's grand- father settled in 1836.
CHARLES B. COOK
The path of success in any calling is usu- ally the path of common sense. The old Greeks said: "To become an able man in any profes- sion three things are necessary : nature, study and practice." These are the very tools that make a good business man. Sometimes men reach success through a series of failures. A striking illustration of this is found in Disraeli, the English statesman and writer. At the out- set of his career he was considered a literary lunatic. His opening speech in the house of commons was pronounced a "screaming farce." But, writhing under the jeers with which his studied eloquence had been received, he shook his long fingers at the house and ve- hemently exclaimed : "I have begun several times many things, and have succeeded in them all at last. I will sit down now, but the time will come when you will hear me." He set himself to work and carefully unlearned his faults, closely studied the character of his hearers, practiced night and day all the arts of speech and finally the house laughed with him instead of at him. He was one of the most ornate and effective speakers of parliament. Crowded galleries and floors hung breathless on his words. The people now eagerly seek after his books, and his manuscripts command almost fabulous prices. He has passed into the history of England as the "Great Premier." This was the result of "nature, study and prac- tice." The subject of this sketch, Charles B. Cook, owes his present success to these
271
SHIAWASSEE COUNTY
sources, and is a living example of what hard study, hard work and hard common sense will accomplish. Before becoming a successful horticulturist and live-stock dealer he was a member of the faculty of the Michigan State Agricultural College. He is a son and grand- son of educated, intelligent and progressive husbandmen,-the kind of men who have ele- vated agriculture to the plane of a science and art, so that the present generation is daily be- coming prouder to be identified with it. His parents were Ezekiel J. and Anna ( Benjamin ) Cook, the father having been born on section . Bennington township, October 13, 1839; and the mother, a native of Oakland county, having been born February 10, 1843. Ezekiel remained at home until he was of age, obtain- ing the benefit of some schooling, and, what was of equal importance, the training in prac- tical and progressive agricultural methods which his father was able to give him. It was through the advice and encouragement of the latter that the young man attended the Michigan Agricultural College for two years. He taught school for five winters in succes- sion, working upon the farm in the summer season. He was afterwards elected county su- perintendent of schools of Shiawassee county and satisfactorily performed the duties of that position for three years, when he resigned on account of his mother's death. Both in pri- vate and public life his example was one which was safe and worthy of being followed. He was married June 14, 1866, Charles B., our subject, being the eldest of three children- the issue of this union.
Ezekiel Cook, Sr., the grandfather, was a native of Rhode Island, where he was born December 16, 1798. He was first married to Drusilla Castle, November 14, 1823, and three children resulted from this union, his wife dy- ing September 9, 1833. A short time prior to his first marriage he had migrated from Roch- ester, New York, and located in Oakland county, Michigan, where on February 26, 1834, he was united to Barbara Ann Hodge. By her he had four children,-Seth : Anna, who after-
ward became Mrs. Hugh Cooper and a resi- dent of Riley county, Kans. : Ezekiel, the fath- er of our subject ; and Albert J., a professor of entomology in the State Agricultural Col- lege. Ezekiel, Sr., lived upon the old home- stead, on section 1, Bennington township, un- til the death of his second wife, January 20. 1874, after which he lived with his son, Eze- kiel J., until his own death, March 12, 1884. The deceased was a stalwart Republican, but clevoted his energies and abilities not to politi- cal reforms, but to the improvement of the scientific industry with which his useful life had been identified. He was the first man to introduce Durham stock into the county, breeding only the finest. He also actively par- ticipated in the work of the agricultural asso- ciation, encouraging his fellow members to im- prove the nature of their displays. At the time of his death he not only was highly respected for his progressiveness and honored for his strictly upright life but was also recognized as one who had made a practical success in his chosen calling, owning as he did four hundred acres of improved and valuable land. In his religious affiliations he was a faithful member of the Baptist church, having been one of the organizers of the Maple River society and a leader of the sect for many years. Thus, as stated, to go no further back than two genera- tions, our subject inherits not only sturdy and virile traits of the true American yeoman- their highest intelligence and their staunch- est morality. No combination could be better to form the best type of American manhood.
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.