USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 44
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passed away in 1891, and the father in 1896. She was a member of the Baptist church society of Brighton.
Mr. Kingsbury's fitness for public posi- tions has frequently been recognized by his fellow citizens. He was four years Justice of the Peace in Leroy township and for four years Postmaster at Webberville, and later was twice elected Treasurer of Ingham county and served the people most accept- ably during his four years term. He is a zealous Grand Army man and is Past Com- mander of Fred Turrell Post, No. 93, De- partment of Michigan.
He also affiliates with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. and Mrs. Kings- bury are earnest workers along religious lines being especially active in Sunday school and church work.
Mr. Kingsbury is at present engaged in trade in a general store located in the village of Bell Oak, Locke township, and his many friends wish him well deserved success.
DANIEL JONES.
For more than half a century has Daniel Jones been a resident of Ingham county. His father, David Jones, and mother who bore the maiden name of Almira Frost, were both natives of New York, and came to Michigan in 1850 and settled in Leslie and there bought one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land. Here he erected a pioneer home of logs and built barns of the same material. With characteristic energy he be- gan the development of this place and made all the improvements and placed the fields under cultivation, and as he prospered he added more land until at the time of his death, September 6, 1884, he owned nearly three hundred acres of good productive land. Unto David and Almira Jones were born nine children of which four are still living.
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Daniel, Emily, Lafayette and Helen. The early lives of David and Almira Jones, after their married life began was spent in Mas- sachusetts, where they resided eight years. The mother died November 16, 1899.
Daniel Jones remained under the parental roof until the death of his father and then started out in life for himself. He was united in marriage in 1859 to Miss Mary Ann Hunt of Rochester, N. Y., and unto this union were born four children, of whom three are still living; the eldest, Mrs. Alice M. Austin who resides in Rives, Jackson county, Michigan; Thomas D., who resides at the old homestead with his father and Fred at Traverse City, Michigan. The wife and mother of these children departed this life on the 6th day of January, 1902, and her loss was deeply regretted by her host of friends and immediate family. She lies in- terred in 'the Leslie Cemetery. She was a devoted wife and loving mother, also a good christian woman.
Daniel Jones affiliates with the Republican party and is also a member of the I. O. O. F: Lodge of Leslie, where he has been a faith- ful member for nearly forty years.
Although seventy years of age, he is still of strong and vigorous mind and within his mind are recollections of many scenes and incidents of pioneer times. Few of this gen- eration have any idea or direct knowledge of the hardships and discomforts endured by our early pioneer settlers, the obstacles which they overcame and the difficulties which pre- sented themselves on every hand. With rare fortitude and courage they cleared away the forests, built their rude homes and primitive schools, and by so doing laid broad and deep the foundation of Ingham county's prosperity, and unto such men and women, who gave the best years of their life for such a purpose, is this volume dedicated, and these records may be preserved for future
generations, who may, in years to come look back and read these pages with pride, of the achievements of their early ancestors.
JAMES P. LAROWE.
Besides being a successful farmer, James P. LaRowe did valiant service for the cause of his country in the later strife between the north and south. He was born February 7, 1843, and is the son of John B. and Eliza (Clark) LaRowe. The father was born in 1813, and the mother in 1816.
John B. LaRowe was a farmer and came to Michigan in 1836 and first located in Liv- ingston county, where he obtained eighty acres of land from the government at one dollar and a quarter per acre. All this was wild land, but a log house was soon built and for a long time a carpet was used for a door to this cabin. This was the family home and here the father died August 7, 1890, at the age of seventy-seven years. The mother died January 14, 1905. The children in this family were Liddie, Henry, James, Mary (dead), Frank, Jerusha, Ida, Nancy (dead), William and Sophia.
James LaRowe was educated in the dis- trict schools where he later taught. At twenty-one years of age our subject enlisted as a recruit in the 9th Michigan Infantry, February 27, 1864, for three years, or during the war. The 9th Michigan Infantry was known as Gen'l Thomas' Provost Guard. They were mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., September 25, 1865.
After the war LaRowe bought eighty acres of wild land in Locke township which he later cleared up and traded for his present property, of one hundred and twenty acres. He is a member of the Church of God, and in politics votes the Republican ticket.
December 21, 1869, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte Faulk
HENRY W. LAWRENCE
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who was born March 21, 1846, at Vandilla, Livingston county, Michigan. Her parents were early settlers of Livingston county, who afterwards sold out and moved to White Oak, to Unidalla and then to Marion, where her father died September 1, 1869, owning at this time eighty-four acres of land. The mother died November 5, 1862. They were Methodist Protestant people and active in their church.
To Mr. LaRowe and wife have been born eight children: Addie E., born November 8, 1870; Eugene, born September 4, 1872; Pina, born April 14, 1878; Ervin H., born September 15, 1881; Liva, born March 6, 1883; John C., born January 21, 1887; Anna, born October 9, 1881, and Ida May, who died in infancy.
Mr. LaRowe devotes his time to general farming.
HENRY W. LAWRENCE.
In writing a historical sketch of the lives of the active and well-to-do citizens of al- most any community, it is noticeable that a large per cent of those who are making, or have made, a financial success are men, who in the formative years of their lives, were very largely thrown upon their own re- sources.
The boy selects the occupation for the man, and seemingly, by intuition, displays better judgment than the man of riper years. Henry W. Lawrence made his debut to the inhabitants of this old world on December 18, 1851, "away down east," in the Pine Tree State, Somerset county, Fairfield township. His parents were natives of the state in which they spent their lives, and where his mother still lives. His father, Henry Lawrence, died in 1868, aged forty- seven years. His remains were laid to rest in the old town cemetery at Fairfield Center.
His memory will long be cherished for the virtues of an upright life. His mother, whose maiden name was Hannah M. Bow- man, born August 7, 1833, in Maine, is a woman of sterling qualities of heart and mind. Henry was only ten years of age when he went out from the paternal home, to begin the struggle of life-odds seeming greatly against the boy in his early battles for a name and place in the world. The stern realities of life encountered in those early years of conflict, only served to de- velop the latent forces within him. He early learned that in this day of strife and strug- gle, he who wins must work, not only with his hands, but with heart and brain. He was at the foot of the ladder, and he knew others had climbed, and why not he? He would," and did, and today his possessions are all- sufficient for the needs and comforts of the years to be added to his active life. Work- ing for one's board and clothes, is not very stimulating to an ambitious boy, however, it is an experience that may be helpful in after years. It was the best he could do and he did it, and did it well. His early educa- tion was largely of the out door order, hard practical experience, just such as he was to need in the later years.
At the age of eighteen years, he having followed the course of progress, found him- self in the town of Emporia, Kansas, where he found employment in a flouring mill for a time, and later worked at such jobs, as he was able to secure. His health becoming some- what impaired, after two years in that vigor- ous country. he returned to his native town, and again took up milling. Six years wore away. but he had secured a "nest egg." Im- portant changes were taking place, life was re- vealing itself. the somber had given place to brighter hues, and in 1875 he was married to Miss Ida C .. daughter of William and Sarah (Pratt) Fish. Mrs. Lawrence's par-
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ents were of English extraction. They came to this country and settled in Somerset county, Maine, where she was born. Two children have been the fruit of their wedded lives, a son and a daughter : Guy, born Octo- ber 23, 1882, now a resident of Mason, en- gaged in the boot and shoe business. He is a graduate of the Mason high school in the class of 1901, and an exemplary young man of good business prospects. His name has recently been added to the list of Benedicts. He married Miss Lizzie Northrup, a young lady of estimable character, a former teach- er in the public schools of the county and a graduate of the Mason High School. These young people launched their craft on the sea of matrimonial life, under every prospect for a pleasant voyage. Hattie M., born De- cember 23, 1884, is a pupil in the city schools, living under the paternal roof.
After his marriage, Mr. Lawrence moved to California, the Eldorado of the West. This was to be his field of operation for the next seventeen years. He purchased six hundred sheep and followed the industry of sheep growing for six years, it proving a profitable venture. Later he branched out into fruit growing, and finally became a speculator in farms of this class. For twelve years he found it a remunerative employ- ment. In the year 1895, he exchanged a portion of his California interests for valu- able property in the city of Mason, which he has improved until his holdings here include the most valuable business property in the city. This property is known as the Law- rence block, located on the corner of Ash and Main streets, composed of four store fronts, facing the court house, also four on Main street. First State and Savings bank is located in the corner of the block, with of- fices and living rooms above. Mr. Law- rence also has a fine residence and other valuable property here. and elsewhere.
Amidst all his hustling, for Mr. Lawrence is a busy man, he always has time to make friends of those with whom he comes in con- tact. Honest and fair in his manner of deal- ing, plain and simple in manner of life, in- dustrious and frugal, Mason greatly appre- ciates his citizenship and recognizes in his liberal expenditures in the improvements of his property, a public benefactor. In politics he is a Jacksonian Democrat, which to him, stands for national simplicity. He never held office-he never wants to. He says that his own affairs absorb his time and he cheer- fully concedes the honor to office to others.
Mr. Lawrence is a member of the fraternal order of the Foresters. He has taken the Golden Rule as the mainspring of the ac- tions of his life and exemplifies it in his deal- ings with his fellowmen.
HARVEY LAMEREAUX.
The name of Lamoreaux has been insepar- ably interwoven with the pioneer history of the great State of Michigan, and we take great pleasure in recording in the pages of this volume the lives and deeds of those hardy men and women, who giving up the comforts of the older east, emigrated west- ward, and by heroic efforts opened up for civilization what was then a wild and unin- habited wilderness. Peter Lamereaux, the father of our subject was a native of New York state, and there spent his boyhood and youth. Upon reaching man's estate, he was there united in marriage to Miss Clarisa Fresbe, also a native of the Empire State. Peter Lamereaux was a farmer by occupa- tion, and desiring to better his conditions, emigrated to Michigan, locating in Lenawee county in 1835. Here he obtained posses- sion of an eighty acre tract of marsh and timber land, for four years he devoted his time and energies to the improvement of
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this property. It was in that year that he took sick, and died, this was in 1839. At the father's death the boys took in hand the task of improvement and development of this property, and thus remained at home until the death of the mother in 1844. The estate being settled, our subject decided to become a citizen of Ingham county, and ac- cordingly arrived in 1845.
Harvey Lamereaux and his brother, Franklyn, are the only surviving members of a family of six children, whose names are as follows: the oldest Cornelia, died in Lenawee county, having reached the age of sixty years; Angeline, the second in order of birth, died, about twenty-five years of age; the third is our subject; the fourth is Edwin, died in Lenawee county, in 1900; Franklin, the fifth member of the family is now a resident of Dallas, Tex., having reached the good old age of eighty years; Julia the sixth and last member of the family died when a child in Lenawee county.
The early education of Harvey Lamer- eaux was acquired in the early school of Lenawee county, and his boyhood and youth were spent in assisting in the development of the home farm. He was united in mar- riage in Lenawee county in 1843 to a Miss Emma Lucretia Glasbrooke, who was a na- tive of New York. Her birth occurred on the fifth day of July of 1825. Her parents were also natives of the Empire State, and came to Lenawee county about the same time as Peter Lamereaux's family. Mrs. Lamereaux was one of a family of eight children. None, however, are residents of Michigan. George, the youngest member of the family, became a member of a regi- ment in the Civil War, and was poisoned while in the service. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Lamereaux have been born eight children, as follows : Salem, born Feb., 1844, is now a. resident of Delhi township; Augetine, born
Sept. 10, 1847, is the wife of Jerome Nortli, a resident farmer of Delhi township; Fran- ces, born June 15, 1851. married L. Fergeu- son, also a farmer of Delhi township; Eu- nice, born Oct. 18, 1864, became the wife of John Bates of Kalkaska county, and died in June of 1902 ; Alice A., born Nov. 15, 1857, married William Wilson of Delhi township; James H., born Dec. 9. 1860, follows car- pentering at Holt; Josephine, born Jan. 31, 1864, is now the wife of Foster Reynolds of DeWitt, Michigan; Edwin F., the eighth member of this family, born Jan. 29, 1866, now resides in California, and follows the occupation of engineer.
Cornelia, the sister of our subject, was the first white woman to come to Delhi town- ship, and the next white woman did not ar- rive until six months later. Harvey Lamer- eaux is now the possessor of eighty acres of fine farm land in Ingham county, and has industriously applied himself to the improve- ments and cultivation of this property. For almost sixty years he has been a resident of Ingham county, and can recall with distinct- ness and interest many scenes and incidents of pioneer times. On the first arrival of the family to Michigan a party of three camped upon the ground where the Agricul- tural College now stands, the City of Lan- sing did not then exist, not even in imagina- tion, as an extensive forest covered the city's present location, in which not a tree had been felled. Mrs. Lamereaux has a distinct recol- lection of Michigan's capital being removed from Detroit, and helped the teamsters out of the mire in hauling the furniture for the new capitol. Many interesting tales of pio- neer times can Mr. and Mrs. Lamereaux relate, and we regret that limited space will not permit the recording in this volume. Unto you worthy pioneer men and women, who have given the best years of their lives to the opening up to posterity and civiliza-
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tion, this great State of Michigan, we dedi- cate this volume, for unto you Michigan and Ingham county owes its glorious history.
LORENZO MAINE (DECEASED).
Lorenzo Maine was born in 1815 in the State of New York. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Maine. His early life was spent in his native town, where he received a common school education. At about twenty- one years of age he branched out for himself. coming to White Oak, Ingham county. At that time the improvements in that section of the country were crude, indeed. Many pioneer experiences of those early days were woven into the life of our subject, who early learned the carpenters' trade, and followed it for several years.
Lorenzo Maine was united in marriage to Miss Hickox, daughter of Lewis Hickox, December 15, 1850. Mrs. Maine came with her parents, when but a child, from the Em- pire state, and settled in Jackson county, Michigan, this being in the year 1838, and the Hickox family were numbered among the early settlers.
After his marriage, Mr. Maine settled up- on a farm in Ingham township, near Dans- ville, where he remained for twenty years. Three children were born to them, as fol- lows: Eugene, born in 1852, died in 1863; Cassius R., born in 1855, died in 1863, and Ina J., born in 1867, lives with her mother in a pleasant home on Ash street of Mason City, where the family have lived since 1872, and where Mr. Maine died in 1892.
Ina has been employed as a saleslady in a dry goods store for several years. Mr. Maine was a highly respected citizen, quiet and retiring in manner, with pleasing ad- dress, and a genial friend. He belongs to the grand body of early pioneers, who carved out for themselves and posterity,
thrifty, productive farms from the primeval forest.
Mr. Maine was an honored member of the Masonic fraternity and believed in the cardi- nal principles of the order. After coming to Mason, in 1872, he lived a rather retired life. Having disposed of his farm, he was relieved from care and responsibility and enjoyed the closing years of his life in repose. In the active years he voted with the Democratic party, and rejoiced in its vic- tories, and had faith in' its principles. He was buried in Maple Grove cemetery, with the rites of the Masonic fraternity. Rest, old pioneer, rest.
WILLIAMS A. MELTON.
There are few better examples of what pluck and energy will do for a man, starting out in life empty handed, with a determina- tion to win out, than is exemplified in the life of W. A. Melton, of Alaiedon township. The subject of this sketch was a son of the Buckeye State where he was born July 2, 1846, County of Geauga. He is the son of William and Marcella (Ferris) Melton. The father was a native of Maryland, born in 1802, and the mother of Duchess county, N. Y., in 1812. To them were born eleven children, seven of whom are now living. Data with reference to the living is given as follows :
Francis, born 1832, is a resident of Clin- ton county, and widow of A. McEuen; An- geline, born 1836, widow of James Foley, resides at Lansing ; Ann, born 1840, wife of Alexander Blair, resides at Lansing ; Maria, born 1842, widow of Charles Chapin, a resi- dent of the state of Washington ; Elizabeth, born 1844, wife of William Wright of Mo- line: Ill .; Florence, born 1848, wife of Z. Myers of Denver, Col. Those deceased are Edward, born 1830, died 1851; John, born
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1851, died 1855; Susan, born 1838, died 1902 ; Viola, born 1853 and died 1899.
The father emigrated to Ingham county in 1853, settling in the Township of Delhi on a farm of fifty acres. Farming was his life occupation and he passed away in 1856. His wife died at the age of forty-six years. Both rest in the Holt Cemetery. In life they were highly respected members of the M. E. church. In politics the father fol- lowed the views of the Republican party. Owing to the death of his father which oc- curred when our subject was but eleven years of age, his educational advantages were limited. While a mere lad of fifteen years he went out to work for himself at farm labor. After the death of his father, from his savings he was enabled to purchase the inter- ests of the other heirs to his father's estate. This was the nucleus of the prosperity that attended him in his later years. Mr. Mel -. ton, after a time, sold this property and in- vested in one hundred and sixty acres of land. This was in the year 1869. He now owns one of the finest farms in Ingham county, consisting of two hundred and ten acres of choice arable land under a state of cultivation that makes farming for Mr. Mel- ton a prosperous business. The place is known as "Brookside Farm." The improve- ments in buildings, tiling, fencing, have all been made by Mr. Melton, and they are of a character that reflect credit upon his good judgment and taste. In politics Mr. Melton is a Prohibitionist, having the cour- age to vote his convictions upon a question of the greatest magnitude before the American people today.
The important event of our subject's life was solemnized July 3, 1870, in his marriage to Ann Eliza, daughter of Denselow and Delilah ( Phillips) Aldrich, a well-to-do and prosperous family of the Township of Delhi. Mr. Aldrich was a native of Connecticut and
Mrs. Aldrich of Rhode Island, the former being born in 1815, died at the age of sixty- three, and the latter born in 1818, died 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich were among the early pioneers of Michigan. Four children were born to them : Adelaide, wife of John Jones of Eaton county ; Almond, owns a portion of the old home in Delhi township, where he resides ; Mrs. Melton, wife of our subject, and Nathan, who died at the age of twenty- six.
It is recorded of Mr. Aldrich that he helped to clear away the underbrush where the grand capitol building of Michigan now stands. During his lifetime he was a recog- nized leader in local affairs.
Three daughters were born to our subject and wife: Myrtle, born 1871, and died at the age of two and one-half years; Addie, born September 21, 1873, was a graduate of the Mason high school, and later at- tended Hillsdale College from which she graduated in Elocution. In 1896 visited California with her parents, where she met Mr. Kyle Politte, whom she afterwards mar- ried. Mrs. Politte only lived to enjoy a brief period of her honeymoon. She died March 8, 1902, and was laid to rest in Rosedale Cemetery in "The El Dorado of the West." Grace, born June 3, 1878, a graduate of the Mason high school, also attended the M. A. C., where she took a special course in Do- mestic Science. She was united in marriage June 21, 1899, to Burt Leland Green of Al- pena. Mr. Green was a druggist, and for several years after their marriage they re- sided at Alpena, where he conducted a drug store. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Green, Leeland Melton, born August 30, 1900, and Ferris Kyle, born May 24, 1904. In 1903, Mr. Green closed out the business at Alpena and came with his family to Mason since which time he has erected a beautiful and attractive structure for a resi-
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dence on the premises opposite the parental home, and has assumed to a large degree the management of "Brookside Farm."
Mr. Melton takes pride in the fact that he is an active member of the Ingham County Farmer's Club, the oldest and most success- ful organization of its kind in the State. Mr. and Mrs. Melton are members of the Presbyterian church at Mason, to which Mr. Melton very generously contributed toward the erection of the new stone edifice. There are few men in Ingham county today who have done more hard days of manual labor on the farm than W. A. Melton, and there are few men who have more to show for their efforts.
Many souvenirs from the coast are in evi- dence in the Melton home, and a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Melton at "Brookside" is an inspiration and a benediction.
LOUIS B. MCARTHUR.
The profession of the law is one to which many aspire, but in which few succeed to any remarkable degree. The subject of this sketch is one of the few who have won suc- cess and is now recognized as one of the best attorneys of central Michigan. He is a na- tive son of Ingham county, his birth having occurred on the 7th day of July, 1872, three miles northwest of Leslie in Leslie township. His father, George McArthur, early became a resident of Michigan and Ingham county and settled in Leslie township. Extensive mention of his history appears elsewhere in this volume.
The early boyhood and youth of Mr. Mc- Arthur was spent, as in common with other farmer lads at the period, assisting his father in conducting the home farm during the summer season and attending the common district school in winter. He later attended
the high school in Leslie, where he graduated in 1890. Early in life he developed a liking for law and entered upon its study in the law office of Hon. Thomas E. Barkworth of Jackson, Michigan. During the winter fol- lowing his graduation he returned home and in the following spring began teaching school to obtain money to continue his studies. He continued this school teaching for two years and worked on the farm dur- ing the summer time. During this time he carried on a systematic course of study in ad- dition to his law study, which he kept up during his odd moments in the evenings. He applied himself to his studies, taking especial interest in Blackstone, political economy, and the sciences. In the spring of 1895 he re- sumed his law studies in the law office of Hon. S. L. Kilbourne of Lansing, where he remained until admitted to the bar in the fall of 1896. In the winter of 1896 he again re- turned home and taught school to replenish his resources. On January Ist, 1897, he formed a law partnership with Prosecuting Attorney A. M. Cummins and began the practice of law at Mason. Upon Mr. Cum- mins' removal to Lansing, at the conclusion of his term, he continued in business alone, and built up a very successful and desirable practice.
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