USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 41
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Mrs. Byrum was born March 10, 1850, at Aurelius. Her father lived until he reached the age of fifty-two, his death oc- curring in 1860, and the mother died ten years later at the age of fifty-nine years.
Ever keenly interested in politics, Mr. By- rum is an ardent Republican, though not a seeker after office. In his personal life he is an example of uprightness and straight- forward, simple honor. Mr. Byrum is one of the prominent men of his community.
R. F. GRIFFIN.
Among the names of those who are con- spicuous in the early. history of Ingham county, and with the various enterprises con- nected with its interests, few have to their credit more years of consecutive residence than R. F. Griffin of Mason, Michigan. He has not only witnessed the transition of the thin settlement into a busy and prosperous community, but has been permanently iden- tified with the growth and development of the county for the past sixty-two years. Mr. Griffin was born in Washington county, New York, August 17, 1819.
It was in the year 1834 that Oliver Grif- fin, then a resident of Washington county, New York, loaded his earthly effects, includ- ing a family of four boys and four girls. upon a lumber wagon and with a team of horses started for the wilds of Michigan.
At Buffalo they took shipping, crossed Lake Erie, and were landed at Detroit- then a frontier settlement. From Detroit to Napoleon, Jackson county, where the fam- ily first settled, the journey was continued with team, for the most part through un- broken forests, coming via Ann Arbor. Of
necessity the entire family were obliged to make the distance on foot. At this time the age. For seven years the family remained at Napoleon-the elder Griffin following the trade of shoemaker. Rosolvo also learned the trade of his father and worked at it for several years after the family moved to Mason, which was in 1841. Referring to some of the early privations of these days, Mr. Griffin recalls the fact that for several weeks the family subsisted on salt and pota- toes alone. At that time Detroit was the nearest point that flour could be obtained. A neighbor calling during the meal hour noticed the scant bill of fare. The next morning a sack of flour was found on the doorstep.
During the winter following the settle- ment of the family at Mason, ten acres of what is known as the Frank White farm, just south of the city limits, were "slashed" to furnish browse for the cattle. No fod- der other than the elm and basswood browse was fed the cattle the winters of 1842 and 1843, and upon it they seemed to thrive and contributed their share to the support of the family. The building first occupied here as a home was of slabs procured from a mill erected by Emmons White, located near the site of the old cheese factory. The house which was used as a residence and also as a shoe shop, stood on the first lot north of the old Isaac Horton residence on Main street north. Dr. J. D. Phelps was the only resident physician at the time. Dr. Minos McRoberts came the following spring. Both these names appear often in the transactions of these early years. Henry H. Smith was County Treasurer, and his office, with those of the other county officers, was located in a small building, standing where the Sher- iff's residence and jail now stand.
Although never a seeker for public office,
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the name of Rosolvo F. Griffin appears fre- and murrain hides and black, salty maple sugar were also taken and carted to Dexter with an ox-team and traded for leather ; six days being required for the round trip. Mr. Griffin served the Township of Vevay as Supervisor, while yet Mason was included; and he distinctly recalls that he received for his services in taking the assessment and spreading the tax, sixty- three dollars. When Mason was given a city charter, Mr. Griffin was chosen its first mayor. He established the Mason Carriage Factory, and was for several years its finan- cial backer. Through the mismanagement of others, the enterprise cost him many thou- sands of dollars. quently among those who carried the respon- sibilities of public affairs in the years before blanks were used and almost every document had to be written out in full. Mr. Griffin refers with some degree of pride to the fact that he served as an associate with John W. Longyear, as school inspector, at the time when two inspectors and the Township Clerk formed the Board for the examination of teachers. Mr. Longyear was at the time a young law student. This was the year the capitol was located at Lansing. A candi- date for pedagogy was asked to locate the capital of the State. He named Detroit, and of course lost one point in the count. The first schoolhouse, also used as a In June, the twenty-second day, 1849, Mr. Griffin married Miss Cynthia Ann Polar, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Seneca Polar, and together for more than a half century they have shared the fortunes of somewhat event- ful lives. Both are still active with the cares church, in the berg stood on the lot now occupied by the residence of Albert Hoyt on North Main street. The prepay- ment of postage was not required in those days, and as the postage on a letter was twenty-five cents, often a trip was made to . and duties of life. Seven children have been the office to find out if the letter was there and learn if the postage was paid, and if not, it was not an unusual thing for several days to elapse before the required amount was forthcoming to secure the letter.
Mr. Griffin helped to log off the ground now occupied in the court yard. He and "Deacon" Osborn have together hunted and killed wild turkey and deer within the city limits. For years after their settlement here, a tribe of Indians, of which old Johnnie Oke- mos was chief, maintained a camp on a part of their land. Exchange of "plunder" was frequent. Later young Johnnie, who succeed- ed his father as chief, has often visited Mr. Griffin and talked over the events of days long gone. The tavern was a log structure. and stood at the corner of the four sections. in the center of the street, in front of Mrs. Dr. Campbell's residence. Cobbling was ex- changed for anything the family could use,
born to them, a pair of twins dying in in- fancy. Four sons and a daughter are liv- ing : Charles and Oliver have remained at home, and are interested with their father in farming operations and dairy interests ; Capt. George P., commanded Co. F. 31st Michigan, and went with his command to Cuba, he is now engaged in the hardware trade at Albion ; Edwin R., resides at Den- ver, Col., having advanced through all the grades from station agent to superintendent of freight of the great Union Pacific line : the daughter, Nettie, is the wife of Clinton Lane of Mason.
From the birth of the Republican party to the year 1873. when the government de- monetized silver, Mr. Griffin was an ardent supporter of its principles. This act he deemed an outrage to the common people. He "lined up" with the Greenback party for a time, but of late has been a free voter.
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voting independently. In the matter of re- ligion, Mr. Griffin, holds liberal views. Mrs. Griffin has been for years a member of the M. E. Church.
Physically, Mr. Griffin is of a strong type of the Michigan pioneer. Clear in convic- tion, outspoken in manner, one has only to ask to learn his sentiments upon any ques- tion of policy of public interest. He has lived to read the epitaphs on the tombs of nearly all those who were once active with him in the affairs of life.
Hosts of friends wish for these well-pre- served old pioneers many returns of their wedding anniversary. Together they have fairly won the confidence and esteem with which they are held. In the enjoyment of a good competence, surrounded by children and grandchildren, they are going toward the setting of the sun.
DANIEL F. FOOTE.
Among the many biographies that we ap- pend to the history of this county and its townships, no subject is more worthy than the one whose name heads this sketch. Spending his early days in New York, he came to Michigan and through his energy, ambition and strength has achieved success and is today enjoying the reward of a well spent life.
Daniel Foote was born September 5, 1840, and was the son of George W. and Caroline (Davis) Foote, both having been natives of the Empire state, the birth of the former, February 23, 1815 and the latter, September 29, 1820.
George W. Foote spent his early life on the Erie canal and after his wife died, came to Michigan in 1855, settling first at Scio and later was employed on a farm by the month in Dexter. The father was again married to Mrs. Johnson, whose birthplace
was New York. In 1875 they moved to Ingham county, leased ten acres of land in Williamston township and there lived for six years, after which they moved to the Ferguson farm in Williamston and there Mr. Foote passed away at the age of eighty-five years.
Our subject was one of five children, he being the only one living. His education was acquired in the common schools of New York. After coming to Michigan, he lived with his parents for two years and then worked for three years in the woolen factory at Dexter.
April 7, 1863, Mr. Daniel Foote was uni- ted in marriage to Miss Chloe, daughter of John and Martha (Stansel) Miller, who were natives of New York, born August 15, 1821 and August II, 1821, respectively. Mrs. Foote was one of a family of eight children, five of whom are now living, and was born May 3, 1846, in Washtenaw county.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller were among those honored pioneers who came in the early days to the "far West" and gave their best years to the upbuilding of the country. In 1839, Mr. Miller bought one hundred and twenty acres of wild land in Williamston, which he cleared and improved and made the family home and there resided until 1860. His death occurred at Fitchburg, May 23, 1898. He was a loyal Republican and botlı he and his estimable wife were active mem- bers of the M. E. church, as were also the father and mother of our subject.
After the marriage of our subject and wife they came to Williamston and bought forty acres of the J. I. Miller farm and later added another forty and have since that time resided on this place. This union was blessed with nine children : George S., born January 23, 1864, lives in Dakota ; Jennie, born May 4, 1867, wife of L. A. Lamphear, lives in
HENRY I. NORTHRUP AND FAMILY
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Williamston; John, born May 15, 1869, lives in Williamston ; Phoebe, born Nov. 27, 1870, now Mrs. Thayer, residing in William- ston township; Cora, now Mrs. Harger of Oakland county, born May 19, 1874; Ora, born December 27, 1876, lives in Meridian township; Alta, born February 25, 1878, now Mrs. Rix, living in Monroe county; Edna, born March 27, 1885, married Burr Foster and resides in Lansing ; one child died in infancy.
Mr. Foote, following in the footsteps of his father, in his younger days was a Repub- lican in later years, cast his vote for the De- mocracy. In social matters Mr. Foote be- longs to the Masonic order and Grange, in both of which he takes a deep interest. Mr. Foote is of the large class of self made men and is a successful and prosperous agricul- turist.
HENRY I. NORTHRUP.
This progressive, intelligent and thrifty man of affairs, who enjoys the confidence of the business community, resides on sec- tion 13 of Vevay. He is a native of this township, and was born September 9, 1840. His parents, Enos and Belinda Warner Northrup, were born, respectively, January 13, 1813, and June 24, 1808. In 1837 Enos Northrup emigrated to Michigan and set- tled on one hundred and sixty acres of wild land in Kalamazoo county. He remained there two years, when he removed to Vevay, where a purchase was made of one hundred and sixty acres. Here he resided during the rest of the active years of his life. He spent the last six years of his life with his daugh- ter, Mrs. Walter Shafer of Pomona, Cali- fornia. He had two brothers, Thomas and Cornelius.
Mr. Enos Northrup was three times mar- ried, the first wife, Belinda Warner, bore
him two sons, Henry I, and Edward. The latter was born November 29, 1842, and died January 28, 1902. Edward lived at home until after the death of his father, when, he made his home with our subject. The father's second marriage was with Ly- dia Miller of Kalamazoo. Of this union was born one son, Luke, who died at the age of twenty-one years near Battle Creek. The third union was with Julia Monroe, a native of Vermont. To them were born four chil- dren : Enos, September 8, 1859, married Elizabeth Royston, and they had one child, Elizabeth, born September 10, 1883, now the wife of Guy Lawrence of Mason-his second wife was Emma Shultz of Kankakee, Ill. To them were born two children : Julia, December 8, 1894, and Harry Enos, November 8, 1898. The second son born to Mr. and Mrs. Enos Northrup, Sr., was Wil- liam, September 17, 1860, he married Lois Shattuck and they lived in Vevay township. The oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Enos Northrup, Sr., is May, born March 18, 1864. She is the wife of Walter Shafer of California, and they have two children : Winifred, born in 1893, and Mildred, born in 1896. The fourth child born to Mr. and Mrs. Northrup. Sr., was named Martha, 1865, and died in infancy.
Henry I. Northrup grew to manhood amid scenes of pioneer surroundings and early took up the work of the farm. His early education was of a practical sort and fitted him for the demands of the times al- though he did not go beyond the curriculum of the district schools of his times. He re- mained at home with his parents until twen- ty-one years of age, when he learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade with Morris Bowdish, which he followed until the break- ing out of the Civil War. The call came for volunteers to defend the nation's honor and he enlisted August 13, 1862, in Co. H, 26th
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Michigan Volunteers and served nearly three. Northrup was born July 23, 1864, on the years. His regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division of the 2nd Army Corps, commanded at the time re- spectively by Lieutenant Colonel Nelson A. Miles, later Lieutenant General of the U. S. A., Brigadier General Francis C. Barlow, Major General Winfield Scott Hancock. Mr. Northrup participated with his command in the following engagements : Suffolk, Wind- sor, Pebbles' Farm, Hatcher's Run, Boydton Road, White Oak Road, Southerland Sta- tion, Amelia Springs, Deatonville, Sailor's Creek, High Bridge, Farmville and Appo- To Mr. and Mrs. Northrup have been born two children : Belinda, April 2, 1885, and Charlie, May 31, 1888, both at home with their parents. mattox. It was through the lines of his regi- ment, then under command of Colonel L. H. Ives, that Grant operated with his flags of truce, capitulating terms of surrender with Lee. Mr. Northrup was for several months confined in a hospital, a portion of the time at Alexandria, Va., and later at Philadel- phia. He was promoted to the rank of Cor- poral, December, 1864, for his good soldierly qualities. He was mustered out and honor- ably discharged June 4, 1865, at Alexandria, Va.
Returning to civil life, Mr. Northrup worked on the home farm and at his trade for a time and later for several years made his home withi Henry A. Hawley, a distant relative. About the year 1887 Mr. Northrup bought sixty and one-half acres of land, where he has since resided. He has recently disposed of the old homestead of one hun- dred and sixty acres of which he has been in possession for several years-a legacy from his mother and brother.
Mr. Northrup is recognized as one of the successful and industrious citizens of his township. He was united in marriage July 3, 1883, to Lolah, daughter of James T. and Amelia ( Robinson ) Price. The Prices were natives of England, where Mr. Price was born in 1841, and Mrs. Price in 1858. Mrs.
Isle of Wight, England. She was one of a family of seven children, respectively, Amy, born November 12, 1862, wife of Percy Webb of Dakota: Adelle, born 1869, wife of Arthur Day, who resides in Buffalo, and have one child, Ruth, seven years of age; Emma, died in infancy ; Harry, born October 26. 1872, married Sadie Rich- ardson, residing in Rochester, N. Y., and . have one child, Charles; John, died in in- fancy ; James, now twelve years old, living with his parents in Buffalo.
Mr. Northrup is something of a machinist, runs a grist and sawmill on his premises and also operates a threshing outfit in season, aside from managing his own farm. He casts his vote for the Republican party. He is a member of the Grange, in which the family take a lively interest. He also fra- ternizes with the I. O. O. F. Mr. Northrup is a member of Steele Brothers Post, No. 441, Mason, Michigan. He has held the office of Town Treasurer for several years and in the year 1888 was Commissioner of Highways. Mr. Northrup and family are held in high esteem by all who enjoy their acquaintance.
JESSE GRAY.
Jesse Gray, who was the son of Manley and Mary ( Holt) Gray, was born in Vevay township in 1856. His parents were highly respected pioneers of Ingham county and gave the best years of their lives to the up- building and civilization of their county. To men and women of the type of Mr. and Mrs. Manley Gray, any community may pay hom- age, as they were energetic and honest and
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their friends were only numbered by those who knew them.
Our subject, Jesse Gray, grew to manhood on the home farm, where he resided until 20 years ago, when he sold the farm and moved to Mason where he has since been in busi- ness for himself.
In June, 1881, occurred an important event in the life of our subject, it being that of his marriage to Miss Nellie Jackson, daughter of Enos and Catherine Jackson of Lansing. Unto this union have been born two children, Mary and Elizabeth.
Mr. Gray is a member of the Elks at Lan- sing and in political convictions, he affiliates with the Democracy, believing its principles the best fitted to govern the people.
Mr. Gray has met with success in his busi- ness affairs and his good nature and genial ways have made many friends for him among his fellowmen.
EDWARD GRANDY.
One of the representative men of the Township of Stockbridge is Edward Grandy. who was born in Washtenaw county, Michi- gan, June 28, 1848. He was the son of Thomas and Betsey (Warfle) Grandy, the father having been born in New York in 1805, and the mother in the same state in 1810.
Thomas Grandy came to Michigan in an early day and located in Washtenaw county, where he rented land. He came to Ingham county in 1854 and bought one hundred and twenty acres of wild land in Stockbridge township. He located the land, cleared it and had considerable difficulty in finding it afterward, when ready to build, and built a log house on another man's property by mis- take. At the time of his death he owned one hundred and twenty acres of good farm- ing land.
Our subject's parents were married in the State of New York, and to them were born eleven children, our subject being the ninth in order of birth, and there being four alive: Jacob, dead; John, dead; George, dead ; Henry, dead; Oscar, dead; a child which died in infancy ; William, living at Bay City ; Anette, living at Stockbridge ; Delia Jane, at Dansville; our subject, and a child which died in infancy.
Edward Grandy acquired his early educa- tion in the district school and lived with his father until his death, in 1886. He now owns ninety acres of the old farm. The mother died, and is buried at Stockbridge.
Our subject was united in marriage in 1881 to Jane, daughter of William and Sara (Bassett) Barrett. Mrs. Grandy was born in Stockbridge township, Dec. 9, 1857. Mr. Barrett was born Nov. 3. 1822, and the mother, Dec. 16, 1837. Mrs. Grandy is one of four children, three of whom are living : Amanda, born Jan. 24, 1854; Perry, Oct. 18, 1855, died March 12, 1897, and Charles H., July 30, 1864.
William Barrett came to Michigan in the early days and located in Stockbridge and worked at his trade of coopering until the Civil War, when he enlisted in the army and endured the hardships of war, and when returned home bought eighty acres of im- proved land in Waterloo township, Jackson county, which he later sold and bought forty acres in Stockbridge township, and sold this and bought another eighty in Stockbridge, and again sold and bought forty-six acres, which he owned at the time of his death. Mr. Barrett died Jan. 10, 1891, and the mother, March 22, 1900.
Edward Grandy and wife are the parents of two children : Mettie, born Oct. 17, 1877, married to William Quinn, and they reside on a farm in Stockbridge township, and have five children : Agnes. Ethel. John, Lu-
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cile and Katherine. The second child of the Grandy family is William Thomas, born Nov. 31, 1891.
Mr. Grandy is a progressive agriculturist and commands the respect of the community in which he lives.
MORRIS HAYNES.
The pioneers who brought their families to Michigan in the early days, traveling with ox team and prairie schooner from the East and settling upon almost unbroken land, with no prospect of an immediate income, must have been possessed of brave hearts and a wonderful capacity for enduring hardships, and they are worthy of honorable mention. Such a one was the father of the man whose name appears at the head of this sketch. When this pioneer came to Michigan, with his ox-team hitched to a sled, he reached Grand river, and it was necessary to unhitch the oxen and draw the sled across by hand, and after settling in Williamston township, when looking for the oxen one night, he was pursued by wolves and only saved from be- ing eaten by his father's appearance, as he shot the animals, with the trusty rifle which was always kept by the pioneer settler of the wilds of the Wolverine State. The noble wife of this pioneer, in the early days fell heir to two hundred dollars and three of the neighbors disguised themselves and prepared to rob her but were frightened away by the timely appearance of the husband. These are only a few of the experiences of the fam- ily whose history we present.
Morris Haynes was born October 17, 1851, and was the son of Hiram and Sara (Worden) Haynes, the father having been born September 27, 1825, and the mother August 18, 1828. The father came to Mich- igan in 1838 with his parents from New York and settled in Locke township,
where he was married December 29, 1850. Hiram Haynes started for himself before he was of age, by going first to Wisconsin, where he stayed one year and earned enough to buy forty acres of land, which he lost in speculation. He immediately went to work again on a farm and earned enough to buy another forty acres, which he traded toward seventy acres in Williamston township, sec- tion I. He moved on this place where he lived until his death, August 13, 1900. The seventy acres were unimproved but the energy and ambition of this sturdy pioneer removed the forests and built a log house and later a frame house and two good barns. In politics, our subject's father was a Repub- lican, and while not a member of any church, was a conscientious, honorable man, much respected by his neighbors. The mother was a member of the United Brethren church, and died December 22, 1900.
Morris Haynes was the first of nine chil- dren, five of whom are living: Anthony, 1853, Lida L., 1855; Melvin, born in 1857, died in 1859; Lucy J., born in 1858, died in 1859; Eunice M., 1860; John J., 1863; James M., 1867, and Anna M., born in 1869 and died in 1869.
Our subject acquired his education in the district school and the graded school of Leoni, and started to work for his father at the age of twenty-one years, continuing at this for one summer, when he worked the place on shares for two years. He set- tled in Locke township, section 6, where he bought forty acres and had the use of nine- ty-four acres of his father's land, which was half improved. He now owns eighty acres of the father's estate which has not yet been divided, but of which he is administrator. In politics Mr. Haynes is a Republican. He has never married, but he and his brother, Anthony, live together.
Once in the early days the father of our
MORRIS HAYNES
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subject went to take something to eat to the Indians, who were sleeping on the ground near his home and they were so covered with snow, that he supposed they had gone, until calling them, they made their appearance. Hiram Haynes used to go to Detroit with wheat to trade for supplies. He helped to chop out the trees and built the first roads in Williamston. In 1849 our subject's father started for Colorado, at the time of the gold excitement, but only reached Kansas, when he became discouraged and returned to Michigan. He had traveled about the coun- try a great deal, and about thirty-five years before his death made a trip to California.
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