USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 49
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the military spirit he united with Co. F, M. N. G., and has been advanced to the position of orderly sergeant. Among Mr. Jewett's savings he has forty acres of land in Aure- lius township and a comfortable home in Mason. Mr. and Mrs. Jewett are members of the First Congregational church at Lan- sing, and as such are highly respected.
ANDREW JACKSON STEVENS.
Andrew Jackson Stevens was born in Con- necticut, July 20, 1827, and the son of Julius . and Mabel (Sottles) Stevens. The father was a native of Connecticut, and lived to be eighty-six years old, while the mother, who was eleven years younger than the husband, was a native of New York, and died at the age of seventy years.
When our subject was one year old his parents moved to Wayne county, Michigan, where he lived seventeen years. They then moved to White Oak,. where they bought one hundred and sixty acres, a part of which our subject now owns, and where the par- ents died.
To Julius Stevens and wife were born nine children : Asa, our subject : Julius, who lived in Dakota: Peter, deceased, lived in Iowa; Louis, died at the age of forty years ; Polly, the wife of James Clements, lived in White Oak and died twelve years ago: Betsy (Cooper) (Green), widow, lives in Howell ; Sally, Mrs. Dietz of Leroy township, and Daniel, who lives in White Oak.
July 11, 1858, Andrew Stevens was united in marriage with Emaline Clark, born June 8, 1831. She died, and our subject married again in 1869, Miss Cynthia Moon, who also died. Four children were born to thesc people : Emaline. April 3. 1861, wife of Owen Sutton, is deceased: Ada May, Au- gust 5. 1862. died December 23, 1862: Am- brose Clement, June 23, 1864, married Mina
Carter of White Oak and lives in Gratiot county, Michigan : Mark D., May 30, 1866, married Mary Pulling, who died; he mar- ried again and lives in South Dakota and has five children.
Since the death of our subject's wife, Mrs. Jennie A. Cottington has kept house for him. She was born in New York, July, 8, 1846, and is the daughter of Alex and Samantha (Cutter) Martin. Her mother is living in New York at the advanced age of eighty- four years, while the father died in 1861. She was one of five children, two of whom are living: Mrs. Edna Gamet, a widow, of Buffalo, N. Y .; Mrs. Cottington, was mar- ried in New York. Her husband was a painter and cooper and died several years ago. She is the mother of Mrs. William H. Patrick of White Oak.
Mr. Stevens has always given his support and vote to the Democrat party and is active in politics, though never an office holder. Mr. Stevens is an honest and industrious man and a great student of the bible. He is engaged in general farming on ninety-six acres of well improved land.
FRANK SKADAN.
Frank Skadan, a son of Sammuel and Mercy C. (Atwood) Skadan, was born on section 13 of Ingham township, October 26, 1857, and has resided continuously on this farm to the present time. His father was born November 28, 1808, in Cayuga county, N. Y. He came to Michigan in the year 1840 and bought one hundred and seventy acres of unimproved land in Ingham town- ship. During the active years of his life Samuel Skadan was one of the prominent figures in public affairs in the county. In 1848-1850 he served as County Treasurer, residing in Mason at the time. Latcr he was for twenty-five years Supervisor of his
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township, a record seldom duplicated. For him a nomination was equal to an election. A man of rather retiring disposition, pleas- ing in manner, seldom engaging in argu- ment. He enjoyed the confidence of his ac- quaintances to a marked degree. Although recognized as a strong partisan, Democrat that he was, he seldom gave offense. For ten years he was the president and treasurer of the Ingham County Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company. He also was Coroner of the county for a term of four years.
During the years of his activity a Demo- cratic convention without his presence would have been a misnomer. He died April 3, 1896, and was buried in the cemetery at Dansville. Mrs. Skadan was born May 3, 1824, and came with her parents, Z. and Hulda Atwood, into this county, locating in Ingham township. They were married April 14, 1853. Mr. Skadan was of Irish and Mrs. Skadan of English descent. Frank was the sixth of seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Skadan, their names and date of birth being respectively as follows: Juliette, born July 28, 1833, died March 17, 1867: Louisa J., December 25, 1836; Hiram M .. May 19, 1839; John W., November 14. 1849; Floyd C., April 2, 1855; Samuel F., October 26, 1857: Jennie Irena, December 10, 1864.
Frank received his early education in the district schools and later at the Dansville High School. His father's time being much employed in public affairs, at the age of twenty-one Frank was given charge of the farming operations, which he directed in a successful manner during the remainder of his father's life and unto the present time. He owns the old homestead, having bought off the other heirs. He has added to the place, by purchase, until he now owns one hundred and ninety acres. He carries on mixed farming, feeds stock for the market,
in which he has a good reputation. This has been his special line for several years, and has been the means of liberal acquisitions to his exchequer. He was united in marriage October 22, 1890, to Katherine Phillips. They have five children, three of whom are now living : Irena M., born July 27, 1891, died October 20, 1892 ; Dency, born Decem- ber 7, 1893 ; Mabel, born October 12, 1895, died March 26, 1902 ; Jennie, born July 12, 1897: George Samuel, born April 22, 1900.
In politics Mr. Skadan is in line with his father, being a Democrat of the old Jack- sonian sort. He has held several positions 'of trust and honor at the hands of his fel- low citizens, among which is that of Town- ship Treasurer for four years. He is a member of the Masonic order, I. O. O. F., Elks, Modern Woodmen and Maccabees.
Mr. Skadan by thrift and energy has se- cured a competence which will enable him to enjoy all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life during his remaining years.
ORLANDO MACK BARNES.
The present generation owes a debt of gratitude to the pioneers of this great State that can never be repaid. The trials and hardships endured by them to make the State what it is today, one of the foremost in all the union, cannot be realized by those en- joying the present comforts of advanced civilization.
Orlando M. Barnes was a pioneer of Ing- ham county, and was one who in early life, knew little or nothing of the present day comforts, and who in his boyhood and youth, little dreamed that there was much else in life but hard work and a struggle for ex- istence. He was born in the Empire State in 1824 and was the son of John and Anna (Abbott) Barnes, who were both natives of N. Y. The early boyhood and youth of
ORLANDO M.BARNES
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our subject was spent in the state of his nativity until the age of sixteen years. In 1840, the father, believing that there were better opportunities in the growing West, emigrated to Michigan, and settled upon a tract of land in Aurelius township. With characteristic energy he began the clearing and development of this property and there built a home and reared his fam- ily. The son, however, being ambitious and desiring to enter upon a broader field of knowledge, where his energy might find a wider scope, entered the University of Mich- igan at Ann Arbor, where he graduated with honor in 1850.
On leaving college he chose the law for his profession, and after devoting one year to preparatory studies was admitted to the bar and located in Mason, the county seat of Ingham county. Here his strict attention to the duties of his profession, his eminent ability and profound knowledge of the law soon secured him a large practice. In the spring of 1852, on the death of the Prose- cuting Attorney, Mr. Barnes was appointed to fill the vacancy. On the expiration of the term, in the ensuing autumn, he was elected to that office, and in 1854 was hon- ored by a reelection. In 1871 he withdrew from the active practice of his profession, in order to devote his entire attention to the interests of the Jackson, Lansing and Sag- inaw Railroad Company. He was secretary of the company from its organization, and served it in the legal capacity of counselor and general attorney with marked ability and to the entire satisfaction of the corpora- tion. From 1872 until his death he had been land commissioner. In this position, which requires the management of vast tracts of land granted to the company, and to which labor and responsibility commen- surate with its importance are attached, his performance of duty was above criticism. In
political circles Mr. Barnes' talents secured honorable recognition. In 1862 he was elec- ted to the State Legislature, where he served one term, and in April, 1877, he was called to the office of Mayor of Lansing. He was president of a national bank in Lansing, and was held in the highest esteem by his fellow- citizens of all classes. He also efficiently served as president of the Prison Board. In this he took a particular pride, using the full force of his energy and intellect toward the improvement of prison management. Upon this subject he edited several articles, which were eventually published in book form and which gave him a national repu- tation. Personally Mr. Barnes was of a fine appearance and commanding presence. There were few subjects of interest of which he had not made himself master.
Law with him was a study, a profession and to that profession he gave the greater part of his life's energy. There was never any inducement placed before him that would make him swerve from his chosen work, although he had been associated in some outside business enterprises. As the years advanced, he became successful and accumulated a desirable competence, which enabled him to gratify his literary tastes, and he had at the time of his death an ex- tensive library of several thousand volumes.
In the year 1852 Mr. Barnes was united in marriage to Miss Amanda W. Fleming, who was born in Romulus, Seneca county, N. Y., a daughter of John Fleming, who was an early settler of that state. He was a farmer by occupation and emigrated to Michigan in 1844 and settled near the town of Albion. Here he resided until his death.
During the years 1872-73 Mr. Barnes travelled in Europe, gaining information as well as enjoyment. His conversational pow- ers were of superior order, and in his hours of relaxation from the cares of business he
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was a most genial and interesting compan- ion. Mr. Barnes was a member of the Masonic fraternity and had held various of- ficial positions in that body.
Orlando M. Barnes departed this life No- vember 11, 1899. There passed away a man, who stood deservedly high among the legal fraternity, his ability being recognized by all. He was able, painstaking and conscien- tious in his work and he also had many warm friends and possibly some enemies, as what man has not that possesses any force of character? As a citizen, he was ever ready to assist in any and everything that would tend to the advancement of Lansing and Ingham county, and evidence of that interest is shown on every hand.
Mrs. Barnes, the widow, still resides at her beautiful home in Lansing, occupying a prominent social position and also is now serving in the official capacity as president of the Women's Hospital Association, and likewise in the Ladies' Society and the Lans- ing Woman's Club, of which she has been a member for twenty years ; her influence has been a helpful factor in their advancement. She is also a member of the Presbyterian church and has contributed liberally of her means towards its support.
ANDREW J. BARTOW.
Andrew J. Bartow is one of the influential and progressive citizens of Williamston township. He was born March 27, 1827. at Warren county, New Jersey, and is the son of James and Margaret (Snover) Bar- tow, both natives of New Jersey. The father was born in 1787 and the mother in 1788. James Bartow was a carpenter and joiner and lived in New Jersey until his death in 1878 and the mother died in 1858. They were married in 1818. In politics, James Bartow was a Democrat.
Andrew Bartow is the sixth of eleven children. two living : our subject and James, while the names of the deceased are Isaac, Levi H., Aaron L., Charles R .. Jane, John R .. Ruth, David C., and Ellen.
Our subject was educated in the district schools of New Jersey and has added great- ly to his meager early training by extensive reading. He started for himself at twenty years of age and lived with his mother's uncle on a farm for three years and then went with the brother, Charles, to learn the carpenter and joiner's trade. In the winter time he worked on a farm. In 1849 our subject came to Michigan with his wife and landed in Detroit the last day of September, from there went to Clarkston, Oakland coun- ty and bought two acres of land upon which he built a house and worked at his trade until 1858, when he came to Williamston township. Ingham county, and bought eighty acres of wild land on section 15. lived in a log shanty, and built another log house be- fore he built his present place. He worked at his trade and cleared the entire eighty acres, evenings and during spare times. He now owns one hundred and forty acres and in 1902 gave his son twenty acres. In poli- tics, the man whom our subject thinks best fitted to fill the office, gets his support. In the year 1880 our subject gave his oldest son forty acres and in 1882 his son Frank, forty acres.
Andrew Bartow was married April 24, 1847. to Ellen Dates, who was born August 14, 1829. She is the daughter of William and Ann ( Smith) Dates, who were married in 18II and to whom twelve children were born, five living: Huldah Rounsifer, Mrs. Bartow, Matilda Davis, William and Nicho- las, while the deceased are Elizabeth, Sally, Ann. Jane, Levinah, Mary and Henry. Wil- liam Dates was a farmer, born in 1793 and died in 1836. Mrs. Dates died in Oakland
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county, Michigan, in 1854. William Dates and his family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mrs. Bartow kept a basket until recently, which was made by the Indians and given her mother by her father before they were engaged to be mar- ried.
Andrew Bartow and wife are the parents of five children : Seron, born August II, 1848, married Ida Miller and resides in Wil- liamston. They have had five children : Lulu B., February 3, 1883; Jack, Septem- ber 17, 1884 ; Ellen, February 25, 1889, died August 22, 1901 ; Hazel, July 21, 1891, and Irene, January 5, 1902; Frank E., born March, 9, 1853, married Clara Cushman and resides on a farm in Williamston township and has one child. Jay, September 7, 1881 ; Delia A., born April 29, 1856, married Lorenzo Harmon and resides on a farm in Williamston township, and they have one child, Byron, December 27, 1886; John W., born June 11, 1861, married Florence Dunn, resides on a farm in Williamston township and has two children, Earl, November 24, 1890, and Ina, April 8, 1896; Dr. Joseph G., born October 23, 1863, married Emily Mur- ray and is practicing medicine in William- ston and they have three children: Ethel, June 17, 1888 ; Clarence, October 29, 1891, and Zarepha, October 18, 1894.
Andrew Bartow served his township as Treasurer for two terms. He is highly re- spected in the community in which he lives and is interested in all movements that tend to the improvement of his community.
RICHARD T. BRIGGS.
Richard T. Briggs was born April 11. 1833, in Canada. He was the son of Stan- ley and Ann (Dane) Briggs. His parents were natives of Ireland. The father was born in Ireland and the mother in Ireland.
They emigrated to Michigan in 1840, first settling in Dewitt, Clinton county, where they purchased eighty acres of land. But small improvements had been made upon the place and a log house had been erected. The elder Briggs set about to improve his new possessions, and in due course of time had carved out a comfortable house for himself and family. He later moved to Lansing, where he was for some time engaged in con- ducting a general store. He died at Lan- sing, June 9. 1867. The mother died in April. 1867.
Our subject was one of twelve children born to his parents, four of whom are still living : Catherine, James, Elizabeth Whitely and Richard. During the years when our subject would ordinarily have been acquir- ing his education, he was deprived of this advantage, because there was no schoolhouse within five miles of his father's house at that time. Such knowledge as he acquired has been gleaned from books, observation and experience. When seventeen years of age he began working by the day, and con- tinued to do so until he was twenty-two years of age.
Richard T. Briggs was married February 21, 1854, to Miss Orilla, daughter of Levi and Anroid ( Valentine) Hunt, residents of Birmingham, Oakland county, Michigan. Her father was born January 18, 1802, and in early life served as a sailor, but later en- gaged in the dry goods business also the grocery trade, which he managed for a time and later "kept tavern" at Argentine. After a time he disposed of his property there and moved to Ionia, here he managed a hotel for a time. From Ionia he moved his family to Lansing and engaged in the meat market trade. After a time Mr. Hunt sold his market and moved to a farm in Leroy and from there to Flint, where he engaged in the hotel business. He was there for four or
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five years when he returned to Leroy, where he spent the remainder of his life with his children, and died January 13, 1884. The mother died October 13, 1881. Mr. Hunt was an old Jacksonian Democrat. For some time he anchored his faith to the Universal- ist doctrine, but later joined the Catholic church, and was buried in the Catholic ceme- tery at Williamston.
Mr. and Mrs. Briggs first settled in Locke township, where he bought fifty acres of wild land, there never having been an axe laid to a tree, and but one road, but Mr. Briggs was equal to the emergency. He began in earnest to make for himself and family a home; after years of hard labor, practising economy and with his frugal help- mate's assistance, they were out of the woods. Today he is happy in the possession of ninety-six acres of well improved land.
He is a Democrat all the year around, never having voted any other ticket. In his religious views he is liberal, as he terms it, a free thinker.
Mr. and Mrs. Briggs have had born to them six children, four of whom are living : Edwin, married Elva Davis; Minnie, mar- ried John Davidson, deceased; Annie, mar- ried J. Nowlen, deceased; Nora, married Frank Maxwell; Richard, married Rose Jas- per ; Myrtle, married Daniel Rice.
Mr. Briggs has never held office and never desired to or had ambition in that direction. He belongs to the Patrons of Industry, in which he has taken a lively interest, believ- ing in the doctrines of the order.
Our subject's father was the oldest mem- ber of the Masonic order at Lansing. He was an American soldier in the War of 1812.
Mr. Briggs takes a commendable degree of pride in the fact that a portrait of himself representing an early Michigan pioneer, has
been on exhibition at the St. Louis Exposi- tion. Subject and his father built the first frame house ever built in Lansing. Mrs. Briggs' father built the first tavern in Lan- sing.
JOHN REASON (DECEASED).
John Reason was born in England, Feb. 24, 1821, and died Nov. 29, 1889. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Reason, natives of England. The parents of our subject came to Michigan about 1838 or '40, and settled on new land near Stock- bridge. Our subject was yet a young man, but helped to clear the land and make a home. About the same time the family of Peter and Mary Force came to Michigan and settled on land west of the village of Stockbridge.
Dec. 24, 1842, John Reason was united in marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of Peter and Mary Force, and was one of eight chil- dren, two of whom beside herself are now living: Newton, in Iowa, and William, in Minnesota. Mrs. Reason was born Aug. 6, 1826.
To John Reason and wife were born seven children : Mary Ann, June 29, 1844, wife of Benton Force, who is now deceased. Their home was in Stockbridge. Benton Force served in the war in a Michigan regi- ment; Elmira, Sept. II, 1847, the wife of Frank Standish, living in Stockbridge town- ship; Harriet, April 24, 1850, Mrs. McAr- thur of Stockbridge; James H., Feb. 15, 1853, died May 13, 1855 ; William H., Sept. 6. 1855, died March 4, 1861 ; Horace L., Dec. II. 1858, died Dec. 23, 1862, and El- mer, Jan. 20, 1864, married Nettie Holmes, in 1892, living in Stockbridge.
Two brothers of our subject were among the number who offered their services, and if
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need be their lives, in defense of the country during the Civil War. These brothers were Samuel and William.
John Reason was an extensive land own- er, having at the time of his death several hundred acres, which have been divided among the children. He also owned a whole block south of the public square in the vil- lage of Stockbridge. He lived in Stock- bridge for many years, but engaged in farm- ing, as his farm was just outside of the cor- poration. He was an earnest worker in the M. E. church, and politically was in sym- pathy with the Republican party. though never an office holder. He was noted for his thrift and industry and the harmony of his public life was only a reflection of the kindness that was found in his family.
EDWIN D. BINDING.
Those men who came to Ingham county in the very early days and made the first settlements here were men of more than or- dinary calibre, broad in their views, earnest in their life's aim and full of enterprise. They "builded better than they knew" and laid the foundation for the splendid develop- ment which we see today. Our subject, Ed- win D. Binding, is descended from one of these honorable old pioneers. His birth oc- curred in White Oak, November 29, 1851, and he is the son of James and Grace (Stephens) Binding. The father was born in Somerset county, England, March 18. 1794. and the mother in Armont county, Ireland, April 2, 1817. The father died June 30, 1878. the mother's death following later.
The marriage of James Binding and wife took place in New York in 1836 and about 1838 they emigrated to Michigan, and when they came to White Oak there were only
three houses between there and Dexter. Mr. and Mrs. Binding were the parents of ten children : Samuel, born in Sullivan county, N. Y .. November 31, 1835, and died No- vember 18, 1898. November 14, 1874, he was married to Lavina Disler, and they were the parents of one child, Floyd, who died at the age of one year. Samuel served nearly four years in the Confederate army, being in Texas at the time the war broke out, where he was pressed into the service ; Jane, born at Schungon, Sullivan county, N. Y., March 18, 1837, died October 5, 1888. She was married to J. B. Wilson in 1853 and they have four children, J. D., Etta., Maude (dead), and John, who died at five years of age: William, born in White Oak, Jan- uary 27, 1838, died July 27, 1852 ; Charles, born in White Oak May 10, 1841, married Kate Sikenger, April 8, 1874, and they have three children, Maude, Willis and Ross, and live in Oklahoma territory. Charles served in the Civil war : Orpha, born in White Oak. June 17, 1843. married Benjamin Westfall, April 3, 1865, who is dead, and they had two children, Daisy and May. Daisy is de- ceased : Richard, born in Stockbridge town- ship. December 7, 1846, married a Kentucky girl, and they have two children, Leo and Jesse, and live in Oklahoma: William, born in White Oak, April 2. 1848, lives in Stock- bridge township ; our subject : Clara E., born in White Oak, July 1. 1854, married An- drew Hall and they have one child. Mr. Hall died and Clara married Jacob Westfall, November 22. 1904: Frederick W., born in White Oak. August 14. 1858, married Cora VanBuren and lives in White Oak. He and Edwin own 210 acres of land together : Ed- win living on the farm owned by his par- ents.
Our subject started our for himself in 1877 and travelled nearly all over the Uni-
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ted States. November, 1878, he settled on one hundred and twenty acres of land, where he now lives. He was united in marriage February 23, 1892, to Ella Pulling, born October 4, 1859: she is a member of the M. P. church. Mrs. Binding's father, George Pulling, was born September 5. 1832, in Saratoga county, N. Y., and died March 21, 1903. Her mother, Elizabeth (Wilson) Pulling, was born in Parma town- ship, Monroe county, N. Y., December 19, 1835, and now lives with her son Cassius on the old farm in White Oak, which is the same farm that her father, Lucius Wilson, settled on in 1837 ; since that time this farm has always been owned by a member of the Pulling family. Mrs. Pulling came to Mich- igan when two years of age, with her par- ents, and can well remember how the wolves howled around the door, and how the In- dians in large numbers visited the farm and bought tobacco from her father. She re- calls how, at one time her father went to market, and was detained eleven days on account of the bad roads; during his ab- sence an Indian chief visited them and stayed all night at the house ; they were ter- ribly frightened, but were not harmed.
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