USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > Past and present of Shiawassee County, Michigan, historically; with biographical sketches > Part 52
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Mr. Morrice, like his father, has always been a Republican. He has been honored by his party with responsible and honorable offices, and the length of time which he has served in office is the best testimonial of the fitness of the man for the duties imposed upon him. For twelve years he has been supervisor of his township. He has been town clerk, and held the highest office in the county for. four years, that of sheriff. He and wife are mem- bers of the Congregational church. Mr. Mor- rice is a Mason, being a member of the blue lodge at Perry, of the chapter at Owosso and the commandery of Knights Templar at Cor- unna. He makes a business of general farm- ing, and has the respect and confidence of all who know him.
WILLIAM G. MORRICE
In writing biographical sketches of the va- rious citizens of distinction in Perry township,
Shiawassee county, Michigan, it will be a pleasure to the reader to have included the name of the son of the prominent pioneer, after whom the village of Morrice was named.
William G. Morrice was born in Perry township, Shiawassee county, Michigan, on the 9th of September, 1839. He is the oldest son of William and Elizabeth (Cooper) Mor- rice. The parents were born in Aberdeen- shire, Scotland. Wm. Morrice, Sr., came to the United States in the year 1836. The year following he sent for his affianced wife and they were married in Detroit, Michigan. He worked on the Shiawassee mill race for the period of two years and then moved to Perry township, where he located a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres. The man after whom the village of Morrice was named slept upon the ground in his rude shanty while the wolves howled about the door. The howls of wild beasts could not frighten him, neither could the fear of famine. He traveled sixty miles to Pontiac for his flour and meal and continued the work of subduing the forest that had stood since its creation. In 1862 he bought the forty-five acres of land on section 2, where subject now lives.
There were four children of the family, the oldest being the subject of this sketch. The second, John A., was born July 28, 1841. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Walker, in 1868, and to them were born two children, Agnes and Dunston. Agnes married Earl Rann, and they have one son, Morrice; Dun- ston married Kittie Cook, and they have one son, Leon. John A. Morrice died in 1901. His wife survives him and lives in the village of Morrice. The third son is Francis G., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this vol- ume. Mary J., the fourth, married Warren Manning, of Corunna, and to them have been born two children: Effie, who was born in January, 1869, married a Mr. Berry, of Bay City; and George was born December 24, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Manning are both de- ceased."
Our subject received his early school train-
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ing in the district schools of Perry township. He knows what pioneer life means. He was permitted to attend school a short time during the most severe weather of the winter months, but the greater part of the year was spent at hard labor on the farm.
At the age of twenty-one he started for himself, working three years for his father. He then came into possession of the forty-five acres of partly improved land, on section 2, Perry township. This land he has improved, building himself a commodious dwelling house and three fine large barns. His business abil- ity and industry are best shown by the fact that from time to time he has added to his or- iginal farm until at the present time he is the owner of four hundred and eighteen acres of good land, on section 2.
In the year 1860 Mr. Morrice was united in marriage to Ella, daughter of George and Harriet (Mathew) Smith. She was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and came to Amer- ica with her parents in the year 1854. Her father is one of the old and respected settlers of Perry township. To our subject and his wife have been born seven children, as fol- lows: Eva B., born in 1861, died when sev- enteen years of age. Lena E., born in 1863, is the wife of George Winegar, a Perry town- ship farmer. They own the old Morrice home- stead, and have four children,-Clare, George, Helen, and Mary. Mary Edith married Dr. I. W. Norris, of Corunna, and they have one son, William. Ethel May is the wife of James Hubbard, of Williamston, Michigan. Lillian married M. Rann, in 1896. He is engaged in the mercantile business in Perry. They have one daughter, Marian. Bessie married George Mckay, of Morrice. They have one son, named Morrice. William H., the only son, a student at the Michigan Agricultural College, is also assisting his father in carrying on the home farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Morrice have given each of their daughters a college education, each hav- ing diplomas from either Olivet or Alma col- lege. The family are esteemed members of the Presbyterian church at Morrice.
REUBEN H. B. MORRIS
Mr. Morris, who has been a resident of Shiawassee township for a period of fifty-four years, is proprietor of a fine farm, in sections 13 and 24, in the township named, and after a test of more than half a century is pro- nounced by the hundreds with whom he has come in contact as one of the most able and honorable men in the community. He was born in Porter, Niagara county, New York, on the 27th of September, 1826, and is a son of Joseph and Maria (Shelly) Morris. His father was a native of Monmouth county, New Jersey, and in early life was a carpenter and joiner, but later bought the farm in Ni- agara county, two miles from Youngstown, which was the birthplace of our subject. They were among the first settlers on the so-called Holland Purchase, and there passed the bal- ance of their days. The husband died at the age of seventy years; his, wife survived him for many years, dying in August, 1889, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. The mother of our subject was born in Essex county, New Jersey, and came of a family noted for the tenacity with which its members clung to life. Her father had entered his one hundred and third year before he gave up the fight, and others of the family have lived to patriarchal ages.
This venerable mother brought fourteen children into the world, two of whom died in infancy. Those who reached maturity were: Levi; Ellen ; Samuel, who resides in Shiawas- see township; Sarah Jane, a resident of New York; our subject; Mary; Lucy; Frank, on the old New York farm; Joseph, who lives in Vernon ; Roxanna ; James ; and Oscar, the last named living in Morrill.
Reuben H. B. Morris attended district school, and worked upon the parental farm until he was twenty-two years of age, when for two years he rented a piece of land near the family homestead. In 1854 he removed to Shiawassee township and carried on a farm which he rented, a few miles south of Ban- croft. In the spring of 1856 he rented the
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farm of Mrs. Hannah M. Wright, the widow of Edward Wright, an Ohio man who had settled in Michigan over twenty years before, but had gone to California a number of years prior to that date and had died there in 1854, while engaged in mining ventures. On Oc- tober 6, 1856, Mr. Morris married the widow, whose maiden name was Hannah M. Harder. Her father was Dr. Nicholas P. Harder, a pioneer physician of Shiawassee county. Dr. Harder's first wife was Margaret Snyder, who died when Mrs. Morris was seven years of age. He later married Sarah Purvis. By her first marriage Mrs. Morris had two sons, Charles and Marion, both residents of Owos- so. Mr. Morris bought their interests in the homestead, but, on account of failing health, he was obliged to leave the farm for a number of years, and engaged in business in Vernon. He there opened a meat market and also dealt in live stock and provisions. He erected a residence in Vernon, for which he soon paid out of the proceeds of his business, in con- ducting which he showed remarkable shrewd- ness and foresight, considering that he had enjoyed little experience in trade. With the improvement of his health he spent consider- able time upon the farm, the original of which was one hundred and fifty-six acres. Much of this he improved; he built a comfortable home on a commanding site, erected large barns for his crops and live stock, and en- gaged quite extensively in buying stock and shipping it to Buffalo. He continued this profitable combination of farming and busi- ness until within comparatively recent years.
Mr. and Mrs. Morris have been blessed with six children, as follows: Nellie is Mrs. Andrew Huff, of Bancroft; Edward is a resi- dent of Genesee county ; Frank R. resides in Golden, Colorado; Denver lives in North Da- kota ; Donabell is Mrs. Christopher Matthews, of Durand; and Maggie married Milton East- wood, of Genesee county. Both Mr. and Mrs. Morris are members of and active work- ers in the Methodist Episcopal church.
It should be added that our subject is a Republican and has served as constable for a
period of fourteen years. Although he has al- ready passed the Biblical age of three score years and ten, by nearly a decade, and his health has not been of the best, his temperate habits and well balanced disposition may long keep him with his hundreds of friends who admire him for his unpretentious strength of character.
GEORGE MORTIMORE
Among the more prominent citizens whom England bequeathed to Michigan and Shia- wassee county, none is more worthy of con- sideration in this collection of pioneer sketches than is George Mortimore, now deceased. He was born in Devonshire, England, February 14, 1835, and died on his farm, in section 26, Antrim township, in September, 1901. When eighteen years of age our subject came to America, locating near Guelph, Canada, where he subsequently bought ninety acres of timbered land, upon which he built a log house, and in time he converted the property into a good farm. He eventually sold this and removed to Flint, Michigan, then in mourning over the death of Abraham Lin- coln, who had been assassinated but a few days previously. Before leaving Canada, however, or, rather, when he was twenty-five years old, he married Elizabeth Barton, who was born in England, May 7, 1842. He bought sixty acres of land near Flint and lived there two years, when he sold the property and removed to Antrim township, where he secured one hundred and twenty acres, eighty acres of which were improved, being provided with a smal frame house and barn. He cleared the rest of the farm and bought forty acres more, making one hundred and sixty in all. It is now a well improved farm and was owned by him at the time of his death; his widow still owns the property. Some twenty- four years ago Mr. Mortimore built a fine frame house, which contains ten rooms ; also, two large barns and several other buildings. His father, George Mortimore, Sr., came to America when about fifty years of age and
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was a local preacher. Our subject was one of seven children. His brother John came to this country some twenty years before he did and bought land. The wife of our subject is a daughter of Henry and Hannah (House) Barton, natives of England. They came to America when Mrs. Mortimore was seven years old and settled on a farm near Guelph, Canada. They afterward came to Michigan and lived in Flint, where the mother died. The father passed away at Fentonville, Mich- igan. Seven children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Mortimore: Elizabeth is the wife of Elmer Ellsworth and they live on a farm in Antrim; John is single and lives, at home; Mary is the wife of Henry Howard and they live on a farm in Antrim; William lives on a farm in Shiawassee county ; George lives near Bancroft; Fred and Frank remain with their mother on the old homestead.
Mr. Mortimore was a Republican and was township treasurer for two years. He was also a school officer for several years. Though not a communicant, he attended the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife belongs. For several years prior to his death he was in poor health, and within this time returned to his native country, thinking the change would improve him; but this resulted in no benefit. He was a very successful farmer and is highly spoken of by his friends and neighbors. He therefore died leaving a good name and a valuable property as an inheri- tance to his family.
CHARLES B. MUNSON
Charles B. Munson, the subject of this sketch, has been a respected resident of Fair- field township, Shiawassee county, since his . birth, which here occurred March 30, 1855. His father, George B. Munson, was born in the state of Ohio August 10, 1824, and came to the state of Michigan in 1853, purchasing one hundred and twenty acres of land from the government. He shipped his goods by water to Detroit, and drew them with a team from there to Fairfield township, there being
at that time no railroads in this part of the state. Five families constituted the entire population of Fairfield township at that time and in 1856, when the township was organ- ized, at the home of Henry Stebbins, he fur- nished the dinner for the voters,-then twelve in number. He held office in that early day and was one of the leading men of the com- munity, possessing the courage and indomita- ble will necessary to cope with and subdue the difficulties of pioneer life. He died in the township which he helped to organize and develop,-on the 18th day of September, 1891.
Our subject's mother, Zelinda (Peck) Munson, was born in the state of New York, August 29, 1827, and died in Fairfield town- ship, July 11, 1903. She shared the hard- ships of her husband and lived to see the forest give place to the field, and her sons and daughters grow up to be honorable men and women. There were five of the children: Almira, born June 30, 1848, is the widow of Beardley Bennett and at present is living with our subject; William, born in 1850, died 1852; Charles B. was the next in order of birth ; Edwin R., born January 14, 1863, is liv- ing at Ovid; Emma, wife of Albert Van- Dusen, was born February 7, 1866, and is living at Ovid.
Charles B. Munson was united in marriage with Sara Dodge, September 15, 1875. She was born September 29, 1855, and died De- cember 15, 1900. She was a daughter of Wil- liam and Amanda (Shoat) Dodge. Her father was born in Vermont and her mother in Canada. Her father was one of the pio- neers of Gratiot county, Michigan, moving there in 1857. He died the following year, and her mother then moved with the family to Shiawassee county where she died. Mrs. Munson was the fourth of five children. Wil- liam died in Minnesota; Charles is living at Elsie, Clinton county ; Lucinda is the wife of David McCarty, of Fairfield . township; and Francis died in infancy.
At the age of twenty-one, Mr. Munson pur- chased from his father fifty-eight acres of land upon which he now lives, in section 29, Fair-
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field township. The land was partly cleared when he purchased it, and he has not only succeeded in reclaiming the remainder but has also erected fine buildings thereon, having one of the best barns in the township. He has purchased forty acres of adjoining land, mak- ing him a fine farm of ninety-eight acres. He is a man who has made his own way in the world, starting for himself when young and acquiring his property by honest earnest in- dustry. He has two children, twins, who were born April 17, 1882. They are G. Earle and Merle. G. Earle married Bertha Her- rington, in August, 1902, and has one child, Algertha, born March 27, 1903. Merle mar- ried Gertrude Altoff, in July, 1903. They have one child, Percy, born February 5, 1904.
Mr. Munson adheres to the party of his father and is a Democrat. He has been hon- ored by the party in the township in which he lives, having been elected supervisor, for seven years. He was also town treasurer for four years. In 1904 he was placed in nomi- nation by his party as their candidate for county treasurer but was defeated, scarcely a Democrat in the state being elected. He is a member of the Baptist church at Elsie. He has done much for his township and for the county, and well merits the uniform esteem which his neighbors and the citizens of the county in general accord .him.
IRVING W. NORRIS, M. D.
One of the prominent young physicians who has already made himself a name in the city of Corunna, is the subject of this review. The young professional men of Corunna are an element in the development of this pro- gressive city and are a centralizing force in drawing within its boundaries the best people in that section of the county. By their char- acter and repute they are adding to the repu- ยท tation of the town and giving it a high stan- dard among other places in the county.
Irving W. Norris was born at Holly, Oakland county, Michigan, September 25, 1864. He is a son of William Y. and Amelia
(Mason) Norris, the father a native of New York and the mother of Michigan. William Norris was born October 5, 1837, and his wife June 18, 1846. They are now residents of Ann Arbor.
Our subject's grandfather, Michiac Nor- ris, came to Michigan and settled in Oakland county on a farm when his son William was but six years old. During the most of his life William Norris has been engaged in spec- ulation and the real estate business. Until 1885 he lived in Detroit, then moved to Min- neapolis and later to Ann Arbor, where he now resides."
Dr. Norris was afforded the advantages of the schools of Detroit and was graduated in the Michigan College of Medicine & Surgery, in the class of 1901. This young physician first "hung out his shingle" at Morrice, but not being satisfied with the field of his activi- ties, fourteen months later moved to Corunna, where he has since successfully practiced his chosen profession. He is counted among the most reliable of physicians and his counsel is in demand on every hand.
June 12, 1901, Dr. Norris was united in marriage to Mary E. Morris, who was born May 5, 1870. Mrs. Norris the daughter of William H. and Helen (Smith) Morris, resi- dents of Morrice, Michigan, and early settlers of this state. Mrs. Norris is one of a family of six children, all living but one. Dr. and Mrs. Norris are the parents of one child, Wil- liam Arthur, born February 9, 1904.
Our subject is a supporter of the principles of the Democrat party, though in no sense of the word an office-seeker, as he devotes his entire time to his chosen calling. Socially he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, Mod- ern Woodmen of America and Knights of the Maccabees. A skillful physician and surgeon, . his services are in constant demand by the best class of patrons in the city.
ALBERT H. NORTHWAY
The cold, material facts of a man's life are not his history. The world cannot know the
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master motives of his actions. A man's life is what he really is, and his biography is the grouping together of the prominent events and known characteristics that have come into his activities and experience. A life of activ- ity along certain lines establishes for the in- dividual a reputation and character, and so in answer to a query the response is often made "Yes, I know him well," which implies a fa- miliarity with the trend of the life of another.
Our subject is a native of the Wolverine state, having been born in Mundy township, Genesee county, Michigan, November 28, 1856,-a Thanksgiving gift to his parents, and judging from the record, one for which they have had great reason to be thankful and proud during all the intervening years. His mother, Eliza (Forbes) Northway, was born at Clarkville, New York, in the far famed Mohawk valley, October 28, 1832, and his father, Alsup Northway, was born in Massa- chusetts. They immigrated to the wilds of Michigan early in the '30's at about the period the territory was admitted to the sisterhood of states, and they first settled at Fenton, Gen- esee county, where eighty acres of unimproved land was purchased and the carving out of a home in the wilderness was begun. Within a few years they found themselves "out of the woods," with a comfortable farm home in their possession. In the year 1860 Alsup Northway exchanged his Genesee county farm for one hundred and sixty acres of choice land in the township of Venice, Shiawassee county, only ten acres having been improved. With characteristic energy and perseverance Mr. Northway set himself to the task of clearing away the forest from his new pos- sessions, and before his death had brought about one hundred acres under a fine state of cultivation. The old Northway homestead is known as one of the best farms in the town- ship. The farm had been disposed of but a short time prior to the death of Alsup North- way, which , occurred March 18, 1873. The mother is still living, at an advanced age and makes her home with her son Fred, at Du- rand.
Three sons were born to these highly re- spected pioneers, of whom Albert H. was the eldest ; Truman, born January 13, 1859, is a resident of St. Louis, Missouri ; Fred J., born December 8, 1866, is an attorney residing at Durand, Michigan: he married Miss Lizzie Eveleth, and they have three bright, promis- ing children,-Juanita, Reginald and a baby.
Albert H. Northway added the finishing touches to his public-school career in the Co- runna high school, and at the age of twenty- one years entered a grocery store as clerk, re- maining thus employed for some time. In the year 1880 he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and for two and one-half years was in the employ of the Thomas Mabley clothing house. Re- turning to Michigan, he was for several years variously employed in clerical work, in the city of Owosso. In the year 1890 he launched out in business for himself, with Albert Todd as a partner in the coal and wood trade under the firm name of A. Todd & Company. This enterprise was successfully carried on until 1904.
An important event in Mr. Northway's ca- reer was his marriage, August 6, 1880, to Miss Carrie, daughter of William H. Chaffee, a pioneer of Burns township. Mr. Chaffee passed away February 24, 1901, at the age of eighty-seven years. The wife and mother still lives on the old home farm, and at this writing, is eighty-six years of age. Mrs. Northway was the youngest in a family of five children. The eldest, Eureta, born De- cember 24, 1843, is now the wife of George Eddy, of Burns township; Harrison and Har- riet were born October 8, 1847, the former dying in infancy, and Harriet being the wife of W. F. Close, of Byron; Seward, who was born January 8, 1852, married Miss Betsey Ray, of Fenton, and they occupy the old home farm. Two children have come to bless the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Northway : Harry, born June 2, 1883, and Roy, born September 12, 1885. Both sons were graduated in the Owosso high school. Harry is in the employ of Albert Todd & Company, of Owosso, and
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Roy is serving as deputy county treasurer, in his father's office.
In the fall of 1902 Mr. Northway was named as his party candidate for the responsi-' . ble position of county treasurer, to which he was elected in the November following. At the expiration of his term of office, he was chosen as his own successor, a position for which he has peculiar adaptability. Mr. Northway is one of the well known and high- ly respected men of affairs of his county, and being yet on the sunny side of life, has a bright outlook as a business man and useful citizen.
Mr. Northway shows the fraternal side of his make up bv his membership in the Owosso Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Owosso Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Corunna Com- mandery 41, Knights Templar ; Knights of Py- thias ; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Knights of the Maccabees, and the Woodmen, of Owosso.
He is lined up politically with the Republican party, the party with a record,-a record of which he is justly proud. He maintains his home at Owosso, although his official duties require much of his time at the county seat. Mr. and Mrs. Northway are among the most highly esteemed citizens of Owosso and their numerous friends wish for them yet many years of usefulness and enjoyment.
JOHN NORTHWOOD
Nothing is dearer to the patriotic citizen than one of the brave "boys in blue" who sac- rificed all that he held dearest upon the altar of our country. The sight of an old soldier who left a limb upon the battle field causes the heart to thrill again with the emotion which stirred the breast in the days of the civil war.
Colonel John Northwood was born at Addle Hill, St. Paul's parish, London, England, on the 17th of July, 1838. He is the youngest son and only surviving child of William Northwood, who was born in Shropshire,
England, April 19, 1809, and of Mary (Rought) Northwood, born in the county of Norfolk, England, August 29, 1806.
The parents were married in London, Eng- land, and there the children, twelve in number, were born to them. But two were living, the subject of this sketch and his sister Eliza, when the parents came to this country. Sub- ject is now the only surviving member of the family.
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