USA > Michigan > Shiawassee County > Past and present of Shiawassee County, Michigan, historically; with biographical sketches > Part 63
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Newcomb W. Steele was a Democrat in politics, and, although greatly interested in public affairs, he never held office, nor did he have any desire to. He did not belong to any church but was a man of integrity and honor and was highly respected, leaving the heritage
of a good name, which is far better than great riches.
William W. Steele was the fourth of a fam- ily of ten children, who are enumerated below. Eunice married Robert Bailey, of Oakland county, and is now deceased ; Harriet married Alfred Thompson, and they are now living in Coldwater, Michigan; Catherine, now de- ceased, married Nathaniel Farren, a farmer of Oakland county ; our subject was next in order of birth ; David is supposed to be living, but nothing is known of his whereabouts ; Alonzo, now deceased, married Ellen Symes, of Actonville, Michigan; Egbert died at the age of twenty-five years, a bachelor ; Julia mar- ried Charles Tulley and lives at Ludington, Michigan; John F., who died at the age of thirty-five years, married Susan Storem, of La- peer county, Michigan ; George Chase, a child of the second marriage, lives at Ludington, Michigan.
William W. Steele received such educa- tional advantages as the district schools of the day afforded, attending the school at Oxford Corners. He continued to live with his par- ents until he was fourteen years of age, when his father died, thus throwing him upon his own resources. He began working by the month at farming, at which he continued until he was married February 21, 1865, to Char- ity Lanning, who was born in Oakland county, November 17, 1840. Her father was Phillip Lanning, who was born in New Jersey, March 4, 1813, and who died at the ripe old age of eigthy-seven years. Her mother, Delila (Phillips) Lanning, also was a native of New Jersey, where she was born in 1812, and she died at the age of eighty-seven years, being about the same age as her husband and dying about the same age. They were among the early pioneers of Oakland county, having lo- cated there soon after their marriage. They secured forty acres of government land on which they lived and died, their little log house having been built when they took up their residence on the farm. There were eight
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children in this family, only two of whom are living. Caleb, who died in 1900, at the age of sixty-four years, was never married. Eliza married a man named Graham, with whom she lived on the old farm till four years ago, and she makes her home now with her sister, Mrs. Steele, having sold the old homestead in Inde- pendence, in the spring of 1905. Johanna mar- ried Charles Lewis and resides in Detroit, hav- ing no children. Katie, wife of Alva Wiser, lives in South Dakota and has one child. Vesta, who married a Miss McCrae, and who lives in Sanilac county, Michigan, had two children, who died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Steele lived in Oakland county about ten years after their marriage, removing to Shiawassee county in 1878. They bought forty acres of wild land, on which there was a small log house. This was made habitable and they occupied it for twelve years. A new frame house was then built and this is now their home. Although never adding to the size of his farm, Mr. Steele has been quite successful on a small one, demonstrating the fact that a small farm well tilled is much more profitable than greater possessions poorly cul- tivated. In 1900 he built a large and hand- some frame barn, as good as any in the town- ship, considering its size. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Steele; but they took a boy from the State Industrial School, at Lansing, keeping him but two years. They adopted a little daughter at the age of eight years, and to her was given the name of Ida Steele. She finally became the wife of Charles Helmore and is now a resident of Corunna.
Mr. Steele has always acted with the Demo- cratic party in political matters, but never aspired to any office. He has often served as pathmaster, however, but has always declined to go higher, preferring to follow in the ranks. He is not connected with any church or sect. He enjoys telling a good story about the early days in the state and is greatly interested in pioneer history. He takes great pleasure in telling how he carried grist on his back to Rat-
ville. Many and great were the hardships of those days, but they form a green spot in memories of all who took part in them. He is one of the well known and highly esteemed citizens of Hazelton township.
CARSO K. STEVENS
Carso K. Stevens, one of the leading farm- ers and live-stock raisers of the township of Woodhull, was born within its limits, on the 12th of April, 1859. He is a son of Henry and Mandana (Proctor) Stevens. His father was born in Steuben county, New York, April 9, 1818, and his mother, a native of the Green Mountain state, was born April 27, 1819. The parents died in Woodhull township, the father passing away on the 5th of September, 1894, and the mother on the 9th of June, 1897.
The fruits of their marriage, which was celebrated on the 2d of July, 1840, were four children, as follows: Alonzo, born July 14. 1841, served in the civil war as a private in the Seventeenth Michigan Infantry, and was killed at Campbell Station, Tennessee, Decem- ber 11, 1863; Almond, born November 14, 1843, is a retired farmer, residing at Perry, Michigan ; Horace B., born July 24, 1849, is living on a farm in section 10, Woodhull town- ship, and the fourth child is the subject of this paper.
Mr. Stevens' father came to Michigan in 1854, after the birth of three of his children, and first bought eighty acres of wild land in Woodhull township. On this farm, the birthplace of our subject, he remained twelve years, within which period he not only sup- ported his family from the proceeds of the farm, but also so improved the place as to be able to exchange it for one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land. In the clearing and improving of this latter tract the father had the assistance of both Carso and his elder brother, Horace, and there the parents resided until the time of their death.
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Our subject obtained the major part of his education in the Graham district school. When twenty-three years of age, or at the time of his marriage, he set up housekeeping with his parents, assuming the responsibility of caring for them and the farm. This condition of things continued for a period of twelve years, when, upon the death of his parents, he became proprietor of the old homestead, of about eighty acres. Mrs. Stevens has proved herself a helpmeet, indeed, to her husband during all the years of their wedded life. The farm in section 10 continued to be their home until a short time ago, when he exchanged the prop- erty for one hundred acres in section 16, about eighty acres of which were already im- proved. This is now the family homestead, and one of which any American farmer might justly be proud. It offers sufficient evidence of Mr. Stevens' wisely directed industry, his skill as a husbandman and his judgment and good taste as a man of practical ability. It also explains why, although a firm Republican and a popular man, he has never spent the time in laying and working out political plans. As he has been an unassuming and faithful Republican, so for many years he has modestly but firmly upheld the tenets of the Methodist Episcopal church, being connected with Wood- hull township, district No. 2.
Woodhull township was the scene of our subject's marriage to Flora B. Powell, on the 21st day of March, 1882. They are the parents of three children. Anna, born April 4, 1884, was married to Burt McConkey, July 30, 1902. The second child, Floyd H:, was born July 10, 1890, and the birthday of Roland L., the third, was June 21, 1894.
Mrs. Stevens is the sixth in a family of eight children, and is a native of Seneca coun-, ty, Ohio, where she was born June 18, 1866. Marion Powell, the oldest, was born March 10, 1851, and is a farmer of Woodhull town- ship. The second, John M., born July 1, 1853, also follows the same occupation in that town- ship. Jacob, born September 16, 1855, is a
business man in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Mary D. is Mrs. Melville Harvey, and has herself a married daughter, Flora Murphy. Mr. Har- vey is proprietor of a farm near Shaftsburg. Joseph, the fifth child, did not reach mature years. He was born August 11, 1863, and died August 12, 1872. As stated, the sixth was the wife of our subject. Kate, born July 2, 1869, married L. M. Sufphin on the 31st of October, 1894. Charles W. Powell, the eighth and youngest of the family, was born January 16, 1871, and is a telegraph operator, residing in Ypsilanti.
Mrs. Stevens' parents located in Michigan in 1870, originally purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of partly improved land in Wood- hull township. After residing thereon about eight years they rented the farm for a time and then removed to Ashley, Gratiot county, Michigan. Their residence at that place was destroyed by fire, and they then returned to Shiawassee county, where they lived at the time of their death. It is due to the true worth and substantial standing of this couple that a few details should be given tracing their lives from east to west. The father, Jacob Powell, was born in Bedford, Pennsylvania, on the last day of December, 1819. In 1832 he migrated with his parents to Ohio, launching himself into the world as an independent farmer at the age of twenty-six. As above mentioned, he became a Wolverine in 1870, and the date of his death was March 7, 1904. On the 20th of January, 1848, Mr. Powell married Miss Sophia Pope. She was born July 27, 1828, was a native of Pennsylvania, and when a girl of five years removed with her parents to Ohio. She died in Woodhull, Michigan, April 23, 1899.
MILO STEWART
It is gratifying to the historian to recount the experiences of the early pioneers in the Wolverine state, and especially to tell the story of those who are still remaining in our midst
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and whose life work has extended over most of the last century. These "plain and sim- ple annals" do not sound the trumpet to an- nounce great and world-famous deeds, but they recount the story of quiet, unostentatious lives which have been made emphatic by truth and justice, industry and uprightness.
It is a pleasure to see a hard-working, in- dustrious and enterprising man reach the point where he can lay aside the anxieties of life and the arduous details of a farmer's career and spend his later days in quiet and comfort. Among the number who belong to this class of retired farmers we find Milo Stewart, who was born in Genesee county, New York, Au- gust 29, 1830. He is a son of Eli and Polly (Burt) Stewart, who were natives of the Em- pire state, the father having died at the age of sixty-six and the mother at eighty-eight.
Farming was the occupation of the father of our subject and it was in the year 1834 that he brought his family to Michigan, first settling near Ypsilanti. Here he bought and cleared eighty acres of government land and here dwelt for thirteen years. He then traded for eighty acres of land in Caledonia township, Shiawassee county. This property was par- tially cleared and here he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives.
Our subject was the youngest of a family of nine children. Rose Ann died at the age of eighty-three ; she was the wife of Dexter Carl- ton and lived on a farm near Lansing. Har- low died at the parental home, at the age of thirty-six years. Louisa, the wife of S. W. Cooper, of Corunna, died at the age of sixty- five. Auburn, a resident of Corunna, died when sixty-five years old. Priscilla, the wife of Gary Tuttle, lived to the age of seventy- eight. Maria, the wife of William Lemon, of Missouri, died at the age of seventy-one. Brooklyn died at home, when thirty-six years old. Mary Ann is Mrs. Wooster, of Leslie, Michigan.
Milo Stewart was educated in the district schools near Ypsilanti and lived on the farm
with his parents until their death, when he came into possession of the farm and made it his home until two years ago, when he retired from the activities of life, renting the farm to his son, and taking up his residence in Cor- unna.
July 24, 1852, Mr. Stewart was married to Alvira Shipman, who was born in Monroe county, Michigan, and whose death occurred fourteen years ago, when she had reached the age of sixty years. They became the parents of eight children. Edgar M., born May 22, 1853, died May 22, 1868 ; Alice, born July 20, 1854, died April 21, 1863; Eva L., born Sep- tember 7, 1856, died April 6, 1872; Ida A., born October 21, 1858, died January 25, 1878 ; Adella, born February 2, 1867, is the wife of George Bartell, of Caledonia; Landon M. is living on the home farm; Eva M., born Jan- uary 20, 1874, the wife of Hugh Morris, died - four years ago; Valeria, born March 27, 1878, is the wife of Clarence Kinne, of Corunna ; and two children, Roswell and Viola, died in infancy.
Twelve years ago our subject was married to Hanna E. Ketcham, who was born in New York state.
Until a few years ago Mr. Stewart was found among the voters for the Democratic ticket but he now affiliates with the Prohibition party. He served his township as highway commissioner for one term and was school director for several terms. The Methodist Episcopal church receives the support of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart and they are counted among its most zealous members.
WILLIAM C. STIFF
William C. Stiff is a native of New Jersey, having been born in Warren county, Novem- ber 20, 1843. He came to Michigan with his parents in 1854, the family locating in Oak- land county, where they remained five years, then removing to Shiawassee county. Our
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subject was educated in his native state and in Oakland county. The advantages he has had in this respect were confined to district schools, the greatest colleges of the masses. He continued to live at home. with his parents until he had reached the age of eighteen years. In 1862 the sound of war was heard through- out the land.
And there was mounting in hot haste: the steed,
The mustering squadron and the clattering car
Went pouring forward with impetuous speed, And swiftly forming in the ranks of war, And the deep thunder peal on peal afar ; And near, the beat of the alarming drum Roused up the soldier, ere the morning star ; While throng'd the citizens with terror drunk, As whispering, with white lips, "The foe! they come! they come !"
Our subject enlisted in Owosso, in Com- pany E, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, under Captain J. B. Talton, August 9, 1862. When the regiment left the state, September 26th fol- lowing it had on its rolls one thousand two hundred and thirty-three names of officers and men and its destination was Louisville, Ken- tucky. He was in all the engagements in which the gallant regiment took part, some of which were: Gallatin, Spring Hill, Wilson's Creek, Jefferson Bridge, Stone River, Sparta, Reed's Bridge, Chickamauga, Tunnel Hill, Farmer's Bridge, Thurston, Lost Mountain, Big Shanty, Wilson's Cross Roads, Noonday Creek, Selmer Mills, Kenesaw Mountain, Ros- well, Stone Mountain, Covington, Flat Rock, siege of Atlanta, Fair Oaks, Jonesboro, Love- joy Station, Selma and Double Ridge. He was present at the capture of Jefferson Davis and family at Irwinville, Georgia, May 10, 1865, over forty years ago. The regiment charged into the camps of the Confederate president at early dawn, completely surprising them and making the arrest. On the march to Macon with the prisoners Davis talked but
little, says the record. On the morning of the capture a fine horse, saddled and bridled and equipped with holsters and valise, was seen by a soldier of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry in front of one of the tents. He secured the animal, which was evidently intended for the use of Davis in effecting his escape, as the horse was owned by the chief executive of the "lost cause."
This soldier was permitted to ride the horse to Macon and while on the way approached Davis and said: "Mr. Davis, you won't need this horse any more, hadn't you better give him to me?" Colonel Johnston, of Davis' staff, being near, rode up in great haste, and impa- tiently said, "How dare you insult the presi- dent in that manner?" "President," said the soldier most contemptuously, "H-11 ! what's he president of?"
Mr. Stiff was honorably discharged July 1, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee. Enlisting as a private, he was afterward made a corporal. He was in the hospital for three months from chronic diarrhea. Wounded in the right eye by a spent ball, he still feels the effects, but he has earned an army record of which he is justly proud, for Milton says :
'To overcome in battle and subdue
Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite Manslaughter, shall be held the highest pitch Of human glory.
The father of this soldier was Amos Stiff, who was born in New Jersey, March 24, 1814, and who died August 17, 1899, having been thrice married-first, in New Jersey, June 20. 1840, to Elizabeth Leyda, who was born in that state October 2, 1821, and who died July 21, 1853. Three children were born of this union : Sarah, born July 4, 1841, died June 24, 1843 ; our subject was the second child; Pris- cilla, born November 10, 1849, died February 2, 1854. The second marriage of Amos Stiff was to Rebecca Ann Von Sickle, who was born February 19, 1836, and who died May 8, 1869. They had two children. Lewis Jay, who was
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born April 20, 1856, lives in Texas, and when last heard from was foreman in a factory in the state prison; he is married. The second child is Luther Winfield, who was born July 11, 1861, and who lives in Owosso, being em- ployed in the Robbins table factory. The third wife of Amos Stiff was Mrs. Morehouse, no children having been born of this union.
As already stated, Amos Stiff came to Mich- igan in 1854, and he located in Avon township, Oakland county, where he bought an eighty- acre farm, all improved, with buildings. He lived there five years and then sold the prop- erty, removing to Middlebury township, Shi- awassee county, where he bought eighty acres of new land. On this he built a log house and barn, and remained there three years, during which he cleared part of the land. He then disposed of the property, and removed to Bur- ton, Michigan, where he engaged in the mer- cantile business in company with his son, our subject, carrying a stock of dry goods and groceries. With this enterprise he was identi- fied until his death. He was postmaster of Burton for ten years, was a Republican in poli- tics but never held office except that of post- master. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and took an active part in religious work. His death was the result of general debility and advanced years.
Our subject, like his father, was thrice mar- ried-first, to Phobe Mason, daughter of A. B. Mason, one of the early settlers of Shia- wassee county. To them three children were born: Albert A. died at the age of three months ; William died at the age of five years ; Ulysses G. lives in Burton, Michigan, is the owner of a farm and is a rural mail carrier. Mr. Stiff's second marriage was to Florence I. Cline and their union occurred December 31, 1874. She was born in Millersburg, Ohio, January 24, 1855, and was a daughter of Charles S. and Elizabeth (Risnor) Cline, both of whom are now deceased. The result of this union was three children: Charles C., born February 13, 1877, is unmarried and is chief
train dispatcher of the Marinette & Tomahawk Railroad in Wisconsin; Ira A., who was born October 27, 1879, and who is unmarried, is. ticket agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Homer C., born August 25, 1886, is single, and is at the paternal home. The third marriage of Mr. Stiff was solemnized June 15, 1898, when he wedded Mrs. Addie Simpson, widow of Edward Simpson. She was born at Howell, Michigan, August 14, 1848. By her former marriage she had six children, five of whom are still living.
After the war our subject engaged in the mercantile business with his father at Burton, as already noted, and he continued in this for more than eight years. Since 1874 he has owned and operated a saw mill, cider mill and custom feed mill. He also owns considerable village property. He is a Republican in poli- tics and was postmaster at Burton from 1866 to 1893. He served as highway commissioner for many years and has been justice of the peace twelve years. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and formerly af- filiated with the Grand Army of the Republic. He receives a pension of twelve dollars per month.
F. D. STOWELL
There are always a few men in every munici- pality upon whose shoulders is placed the re- sponsibility of all movements for the benefit of the public welfare. They are broad minded, patriotic and respected citizens of their com- munity, and deserve to have their memories perpetuated. Such a man is the subject of this sketch, who is the efficient postmaster in the village of Byron.
F. D. Stowell was born in the state of New York, in the year 1863, being a son of Edward and Eliza (Stewart) Stowell, both natives of the state of New York. Edward Stowell im- migrated to the state of Michigan in the year 1866, settling in the township of Burns, Shia-
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wassee county, where he purchased land, which he cleared and improved. He constructed from time to time more comfortable buildings, and resided there until he removed to the village of Byron, a few years before his death, which occurred in November, 1898. His widow now resides in the home of the subject of this sketch. Of the five children in the family four are living, namely : Charles, who resides in the village of Shaftsburg ; Mrs. C. J. Smith, Mrs. E. J. Stewart, and F. D., the subject of this sketch. Nettie died in 1899.
Our subject attended the district schools of Burns township, and later went to Flint, Michigan, where he learned the jewelry busi- ness. After thoroughly equipping himself, he located in the village of Byron, where he opened a jewelry store, in the year 1891. He started with a small stock, but by good busi- ness management and a natural integrity and an ability to make friends, his patronage rap- idly increased and at the present time he car- ries a complete stock of jewelry, silverware, china and glassware, clocks, watches, etc.
Mr. Stowell is a stanch Republican, and to politics, like all other matters of a public na- ture, he devotes a share of his time and talents. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the Modern Woodmen of America. He has served as president of the village of Byron, and has held the office of village clerk and most of the other town offices. In 1901 Mr. Stow- ell was appointed postmaster of the village of Byron, which position he now holds. He has taken a great interest in all matters that tend to advance the social or civic standard of the village in which he lives, and the citizens in turn have conferred upon him the honor of holding almost every office in their çift.
In the year 1900 he was united in marriage to Miss Cora Sorage, daughter of Frank Sor- age, of Byron. To them have been born two children, Gordon and Dorothy. Gordon was born October 15, 1901, and Dorothy, who was born January 1, 1903, died July 21, 1905.
AUGUST STRAUCH
Happy is the man who has lived a life that has been characterized by uprightness of pur- pose, integrity of principle and whose high mental and moral standing is gratefully recog- nized by his fellow men.
It has often been noted that our German- American citizens have more than ordinary qualities of industry and enterprise and excep- tional ability for succeeding in life, and this is, no doubt, due to the fact that traits inherited through generations of quiet, persistent energy have been broadened and awakened by the full- ness and stir of American life. Whatever the theory, the fact remains that we find in this class some of our most worthy and desirable citizens.
Shiawassee county is full of farmers whose ability, energy and enterprise have made them prominent and prosperous, and there is prob- ably no one of them whose record is more worthy of our pen than he whose name intro- duces this review.
August Strauch was born near Hamburg, Germany, January 7, 1833. He is a son of John and Mary Strauch. The father was born in 1802 and died at the age of eighty years, and the mother, who was born in 1808, died in 1851. John Strauch was a farmer and also ran a distillery. There were six children in the Strauch family and our subject is the only member of the family who came to America.
Our subject learned the blacksmith's trade in the fatherland, serving an apprenticeship of three years and working from one place to another, as was the custom in those days.
After learning the trade our subject stayed in Germany one year. Hearing of the brilliant opportunities offered in the new world, he started from Hamburg, in August, on a sail- ing vessel, and landed in New York after nine weeks on the water. The sailing vessel was an old freighter fixed up for a passenger boat. The voyage was at times greatly de- layed, from the fact that sometimes the ship
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