USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 55
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Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Stephens are the par- ents of two children: Phoebe May, born August 29, 1898, and Raymond Edwin, born September 8, 1901. Carrol J. Stephens is independent in politics, voting every time for the best man.
Fraternally, Mr. William M. Stephens was a member of the Masonic order. Polit- ically, he was a strong Democrat and repre- sented his town and district in the State Legislature in 1874 and 1875, which posi- tion he filled in a manner pleasing to all.
ABRAHAM SIMON (DECEASED).
Few men were more prominent or more widely known in the enterprising City of Lansing than Abraham Simon. With a beginning in the humble walks of life, he ascended the ladder of success, step by step,
until he became an important factor in busi- ness circles and his success in all his under- takings were of so marked a degree that his methods were of interest to the commercial world. He was energetic, prompt and nota- bly reliable. Tireless in energy, keen in per- ception, honest of purpose and possessing a genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time, and these joined to every day common sense, were the chief characteristics of the man.
Abraham Simon was born in Poland in 1846. At the age of twenty-one years, or in 1865, he emigrated to America and pro- ceeded to Detroit, where he resided until 1888. That year witnessed his arrival in Lansing. Engaging in the iron and steel business, he also became possessor of other extensive business interests, becoming prom- inent as one of the organizers of the Peer- less Motor Co. He was also identified in an official capacity, as its vice president.
Prior to his emigration to America he had been married to Rachel Simon and unto them were born five children,, as follows : Lena, married George Polasky; Jacob B .; Molly, married to Joseph Gersen; Rose J., and Mamie. Abraham Simon, the subject of this review, was a man of exceptional character and was truly self-made in every respect .- He began life with practically nothing but a good stock of determination and a pair of willing hands. The success he achieved in the following years he carved out for himself. As has been truly re- marked, after all that may be done for a man in the way of giving him early opportunities for obtaining the requirements which are sought in the school and in books, or the advantages of wealth, he must essentially formulate, determine and give shape to his own character, and this is what Mr. Simon did. He was shrewd, yet ruggedly honest, and in the accumulation of his property,
ABRAHAM SIMON (Deceased)
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which became extensive, he knew no man that he could not honestly look in the eye and shake by the hand. These strong traits of his character were such as endeared him to all with whom he came in contact. He gave generously for the public good, was faithful in friendship and devoted to his family. He was ever ready to assist an enterprise that would be of benefit to his adopted city. He departed this life October 14, 1903, honored and respected by all who knew him. The success which he achieved embraced several business enterprises, which have been taken in charge by his son, Jacob B., who had been identified with his father for a number of years.
Abraham Simon was a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 66 of Lansing, also of the K. of P. and Elks.
Jacob B. Simon was marred May 7, 1901, to Miss Fannie Robinson of Ontario. This union has been blessed with one son, Abra- ham. Jacob B. Simon is a member of the Masonic Order and also of the Elks. In his political views, he is, as his father was, a Republican. He is in every way a worthy son of a worthy father and stands deservedly high in the estimation of his fellow citizens.
DANIEL B. STEVENS.
The ranks of the pioneers of Ingham county are becoming smaller with each pass- ing year. Among the few who still survive to enjoy the results of former years of toil is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. He was born July 16, 1834, in the State of Michigan, and is the son of Jolus and Mabel (Sottles) Stevens, the father be- ing a native of Connecticut, and the mother of New York. Mr. Stevens' parents came to Michigan in 1846 and located on eighty acres in Wayne county, this being all wild land, which the father improved. Later,
Mr. Jolus Stevens sold this land and came to White Oak, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, twenty-five of which he improved. At this time there was no road leading to the property in which he had invested his savings. This pioneer was a supporter of the Democrat party, was not a member of any church, but died a Christian gentleman in the year 1875.
Our subject was the seventh of nine chil- dren who came to bless the home of their parents ; the living are : our subject, Andrew, Julius and Betsey, and the deceased Peter, Polly, Sally, Asa and Lewis.
Early in life Mr. Daniel B. Stevens was thrown on his own resources. Shortly after coming to White Oak and being thoroughly acquainted with the various details of farm- ing, he worked by the day and month at this work. When twenty-two years of age, from his savings he bought eighty acres of land, forty of which he afterwards sold and cleared the balance. Later, he bought forty- four acres more of which twenty acres were improved.
September 1I, 1870, Mr. Stevens was uni- ted in marriage to Melinda, daughter of Hiel and Watie (Johnson) Phelps. Mrs. Stevens was born October 4, 1837, and died October 9. 1892. Mr. Phelps came to Michigan · about the same time of the arrival of our subject in this place and located in White Oak township on one hundred and twenty acres of land, a part of which was already improved. To Mr. and Mrs. Phelps were born six children, all living except our sub- ject's wife: Jasper, George, Ella. Otis and Philo being the names of the children.
To Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. Stevens were born two children : Claud D., July 7, 1871, and died September 11. 1872, and Vernie E., September 16, 1875. married Myrtle Jones, June 8, 1904, and they live with our subject.
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Mr. Stevens is a staunch Prohibitionist, but prefers domestic quiet to the confusion of public life. His religious views lead him into the Methodist Protestant church.
WILLIAM H. POST.
To be a son of a pioneer is considered an honorable distinction in Ingham county, and when that pioneer was one who built up the community and thus did effective work for all who came in contact with him and his influence, it is an added cause for con- gratulation. This pioneer, the father of our subject, came to Michigan in 1838 and loca- ted in Iosco, Livingston county, on eighty acres of wild land, which he improved and upon it built a frame house. This property he however sold and bought another eighty in White Oak township, which he cleared and built upon, when he again sold out and bought the place where our subject now lives. This land was in a wild state, but the energy and ambition of the sturdy pioneer soon removed the forests and in their place erected commodious buildings and to the present property added twenty more acres. The careful management of the father paved the way for a bright and prosperous future for our subject.
William H. Post was born in White Oak township, Ingham county, February 23, 1853. His father, William C. Post, was born in Connecticut, December 5, 1811, and the mother, whose maiden name was Ursula Caroline Smith, was born in New York, October 31. 1819. The parents were mar- ried in Michigan, October 1, 1840. The fam- ily were members of the Methodist Protes- tant church and the father cast his vote and influence for the principles of the Democ- racy. He died June 30, 1875, and the mother, December 15, 1898.
Our subject was the youngest of four chil-
dren: Corinna Jewell and Emma Jewell, twins, born October 23, 1841 ; Corinna died about 1890. She married John A. Sly and to them were born three children: Addie, Mattie and William C. Addie married Ed- gar Granger and they have two children, Bruce and Ray ; Mattie married James Run- ciman and they have one child, Roy; Wil- liam C. married May Grimes ; Emma mar- ried Chas. Wood and they live in Bunker Hill township and have five children ; Elmer married Lydia Morse and they have two children, Irvin and Rayner; Bert married Myrtle Bushnell, who died, and they had one child, Lloyd. He married again and they have one child. Emmett married Ella Robin- son : Arthur married Blanche Wilbur and they have one child; Rena married Ernest Wright and they have three children, Donald, Bethel and Kenneth ; Sally was born October 17, 1843, and married James Pad- dock and they have eight children: Millie, Alice (dead), Jesse, James, Ford, Kate (dead), Bert (dead) and Alice, and the fourth is our subject.
William Post was educated in the com- mon district school and upon the death of his father started out for himself. He took the old farm and has always lived there. In 1892 he bought eighty acres more owning at the present time one hundred and eighty acres of good farming land.
May 24, 1871, our subject was united in marriage with Ella Dakin, who was born May 20, 1854. Her father, Michael Dakin was born in New York, and the mother, whose maiden name was Eveline Jessop, was also a native of New York. Michael Dakin first located in Ingham township, Ingham county, and lived on several different places around Dansville. He was a supporter of the Democrat party. Mr. and Mrs. Dakin were the parents of nine children : Florine, who married Charles Osborn, and have two
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children; Fred, who married Reta Dobie, and Addie married Herbert Sawyer, and they have one child; Charles; Mrs. Post ; Fred, married Bertha Hyne, and they have one child, who is dead; Ray ; Willis, is mar- ried, and they have two children; Nora (dead), married Abner Whitney; Jennie (dead), married Frank Teachout, and they have one child; Bertha, who married Arthur Miller : Elmer, married Jennie Dunsmore, and they have one child, Murel ; Elpha, mar- ried Dell Grimes, who died in the Spanish- American war, they had one child. She again married Theron Cooper of Detroit, Mich.
Our subject and wife have one daughter, Lottie, born June 30. 1876, who married George Runciman in October, 1897, and they reside on a farm in Wheatfield and have two children : Clyde, born in 1898, and. Wayne. born in 1903.
William H. Post was elected by the Demo- crat party to the office of Township Treas- urer for two terms. Fraternally he is allied with the Odd Fellows, Maccabees and the Grange. He is one of the prominent men of his locality and is conspicuous for his good citizenship and energy.
EUGENE D. PICKETT.
The intelligent young farmers of Ingham county are the bone and sinew of the com- munity, as their strength and vitality, their enterprise and energy are carrying forward not only the agricultural interests but the foundations for commercial success through- out this section of the State. None of them is more justly appreciated than he whose name stands at the head of this sketch, and his fine farm, lying on section II of Stock- bridge township, is well adorned and im- proved, and contains one hundred and fifty acres of land.
Goodman H. Pickett, the father of our . subject, was born in Wyoming county. N. Y., as was the son, in the year 1822, and the mother, who bore the maiden name of Sarah A. Bennett, was born in Vermont, Sept. 4, 1826. The father and mother of our subject came to Michigan in 1873 and for a few years lived on a rented farm in White Oak. Mr. Goodman Pickett died at the home of his son, in Locke township, Nov. 24, 1888, and the mother passed away May 22, 1881.
Father and son, alike, were supporters of the Democrat party, but never sought for office. Goodman Pickett was a member of the I. O. O. F., and both he and his estima- ble wife were highly respected Christian people. To them were born six children, four of whom are living: Helen J., born Dec. 17, 1850, wife of James English of Nebraska; Frank A., born Nov. 11, 1853. was a single man, living in New York and died May 5. 1872; Laura E., born Nov. 2, 1856, and died Oct. 7, 1873 ; Henry G., born Nov. 2. 1856, married Sterephene Roy of Locke; our subject: Eugene D., born Dec. 16, 1860, in New York, and Nettie P., born April 5, 1864. the wife of George Crossley of Stockbridge.
Eugene D. Pickett, the subject of this re- view, acquired his early education in the dis- trict schools of New York and White Oak, and at the age of fifteen started out for him- self by working on a farm by the month. This he continued until Jan. 7, 1886, when he was united in marriage to Esther H .. daughter of Benjamin and Eliza (Sharp) Asquith of Stockbridge. She was born Sept. 21. 1863. a daughter of the Wolverine State. Mr. Asquith, the father, was born Dec. 2, 1821, and the mother, June 2, 1828. Ben- jamin Asquith came with his parents and several brothers to Michigan in the year 1840. They were among the early settlers
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of Stockbridge, coming here when the coun- try was all a wilderness. He worked with the parents, clearing up the farm, and after the father's death the land was divided, and this was the home of the Asquith's, upon which place our subject, Eugene D. Pickett, now lives.
Mrs. Pickett was one of six children, the other members of the family being: Uriah, born March 21, 1848, died June 4, 1848, Elizabeth, born April 30, 1849, and died May 9, 1849: Sarah Ann, born March 10, 1850, died May 23, 1852 ; William H., born Nov. 4, 1851, died May 20, 1852; Joseph Royal, born May 28, 1855, married first to Florence Cleveland, and afterwards to Flora Sanders.
To Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Pickett were given three children : Mabel, born Sept. 29, 1887, died Sept. 16, 1888; Bessie M., born Nov. 15, 1889, and Warner E., born Dec. 16, 1900, both being at home with the par- ents.
As prosperity attended Mr. Pickett, he added forty acres to the original farm, and today is in possession of a fine piece of prop- erty, consisting of one hundred and fifty acres of highly cultivated land.
Mr. and Mrs. Pickett are highly prized members of the M. E. church of Stockbridge in which society they find a broad field for activity and usefulness.
S. J. P. SMEAD (DECEASED).
The ways of Providence are mysterious and past finding out. Human wisdom fails to solve the problem connected with life. One full of vigor and strong manhood, lov- ing and beloved, having made provisions- in abundance for himself, and dependent to a ripe old age, useful, intelligent, re- fined, this man's life is suddenly snuffed out as a candle.
Another has lived out the allotted years of man, the mind weakens, the body is de- crepit, the friends of his early years are gone his substance is wasted, he becomes a bur- den, possibly a public charge, he lives on un- til no one knows his history, and still lives praying for death to come and relieve. We ask why, and the answer comes echoing down the ages, why, why, why? One of the unsolved problems of life. The first descriptive picture was that of S. J. P. Smead.
Mr. Smead was born at Bethany, N. Y., August 5, 1817, died at Mason, Michigan, April 24, 1888, and his remains were laid to rest in Maple Grove cemetery, where lov- ing friends have caused to be erected a beau- tiful monument to commemorate his mem- ory. Mr. Smead's parents, Charles and Al- meda ( Howe) Smead were natives of Mas- sachusetts and of New York, respectively, and died in New York. They were the parents of nine children and their occupa- tion was farming. Mr. Smead school ad- vantages were better than the average young man's in the country at that early date, and he improved his opportunities. He fitted himself for teaching, which occupation he followed for six years, beginning at the age of nineteen years. His ability was recog- nized in his election as County Superintend- ent of Schools; the duties of which position he discharged with the fidelity which was a marked characteristic of the man all through his active life. On the 12th of May, 1842, Mr. Smead was united in marriage to Pluma, daughter of Amadon and Olive Kendal Holden then of Bethany, N. Y. To them were born three children.
Jeannette, the only living heir, has always remained at home with her parents, and since the death of her father has been the com- panion and comfort of her mother. After marriage, Mr. Smead settled upon a farm
蛋
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near his old home, and by enterprise and good management, accumulated a comfort- able competence. He was very successful as a fruit grower, apples being his speciality. From an orchard of ten acres, he is said to have cleared from a single year's crop, $4,000. He remained upon the farm about thirty years. In the year of 1871 he came to Michigan, and settled in Mason, which has since been the home of the family. Mrs. Smead's parents, two years after her mar- riage, in the year of 1844, sold out their holdings in New York state, came to Mich- igan and settled upon a new farm in the Township of Vevay. It was to be near her father's family and to be with her parents in their old age, formed their decision to come West.
After becoming a citizen of the Com- monwealth of Michigan, Mr. Smead es- tablished himself in business by form- ing a co-partnership with Peter Lowe, organizing what is now known as the Farmers' Bank, under the corporate firm name of Lowe, Smead & Co., the busi- ness was conducted successfully for ten years. Mr. Smead retired, never afterward engaging in business. He set himself to the task of erecting a new home, that when fin- ished was the most attractive and complete in all its apartments of any in the city. It was while finishing up the same on the premises that he accidentally stepped on a rusty nail which caused the lock-jaw result- ing in his death. He was a man of good presence, possessing a quiet dignity, yet easy of approach. Having by his integrity and uprightness of life established himself in public confidence. He was called upon to serve as administrator in the settlement of important estates, which trust he always performed to the entire satisfaction of all those interested. In his religious faith he was an Universalist in belief; in the absence
of the church of his choice he and his family affiliated with the Presbyterian society of which he was a liberal supporter, and at the time of his death was an active member of the board of trustees.
His death was a great shock to the com- munity, and many a good citizen felt that he had sustained a personal loss in the death of this just man. Loving hands bore away his manly form to the silent city, with a good hope that his soul
"Passed through Glory's morning gate, And walked in Paradise."
Mrs. Smead's father, Amadon Holden, was born June 18, 1795, was a native of Franklin county, Massachusetts. He pos- sessed a rugged hardy constitution.
"He came from the mountains Of the old Granite State,
Where the hills were so lofty,
Magnificent and great."
He married Miss Olive Kendall, August 22, 1814.
Mrs. Holden was the mother of four chil- dren, all growing to manhood and woman- hood. She died January 10, 1874. Mr. Holden lived to the age of 92 years, dying at the home of his daughter, Mrs. S. J. P. Smead, May 10, 1887.
He reared his family with pioneer sur- roundings and pioneer simplicity. All were numbered among the best citizens in the community in which they lived.
A. J. RAYNER.
The name of "Rayner" is inseparably in- terwoven with the pioneer history of Ingham county, as the father of our subject, John Rayner, came to Michigan and Ingham county in an early day, and thus became one of the factors in its pioneer development.
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PAST AND PRESENT
He was a farmer by occupation and first located in Vevay township.
A. J. Rayner is a native son of this county, his birth having occurred in Vevay township, July 27, 1841. His early education was ac- quired, as other farmer lads of his time, in the common schools of his locality. His boyhood and youth was spent on the home farm, by assisting his father, early becoming
familiar with the duties that fall to the lot of an agriculturist. Here he remained until the breaking out of the Civil war, when in response to his country's call he enlisted on the 22d day of August, 1861, in Co. B, 7th Michigan Regiment, and in the discharge of his soldier duties he has a record of which he may well be proud. He saw much active service, being engaged in a number of im- portant battles, such as Fair Oaks, Antietam, Fredericksburg Chancellorsville, Wilder- ness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Gettys- burg, Petersburg and numerous smaller en- gagements. While in the service he had many close calls, but was never seriously wounded, although his horse was killed un- der him at Spottsylvania.
At the siege of Vicksburg, there occurred an incident in the career of Mr. Rayner, as a soldier, well worthy of mention : His com- pany had been on picket line by the river, where they were concealed in the weeds; there had been no firing when suddenly a woman appeared near the river, crying for help. She explained her difficulty, but said there was no one there to harm them, but a little later, when the troops were about to cross the river, the rebels opened a deadly fire of volley after volley-the woman had simply been a decoy. Col. Hall returning from headquarters asked for volunteers to cross this river; Col. Baxter, who was wounded just as he entered the river, refused to go back, the troops followed him, and entered the boats and wended their way
across. It is a matter of record that A. J. Rayner and Captain Steel were the first two men to enter the boat in response to the call for volunteers. This occurred on the 11th day of December, 1862. After this engage- ment, Mr. Rayner, in recognition of his serv- ices, was promoted to mounted orderly and was offered a lieutenancy, but declined to accept. After three years service in behalf of the preservation of the union he was honorably discharged on the 21st day of August, 1864, and returned home to Mason to resume his duties as private citizen. After his return home he spent two years at school at Ypsilanti. On the 19th day of December, 1866, he married Emma Jane Reynolds, daughter of D. M. and Martha D. Reynolds.
Mrs. Rayner's mother was a native of New York, born in Sullivan county in 1813 and there resided until her marriage. Her father then came west and settled in Ingham county, in Stockbridge, in June, 1839. They made this trip amid the scenes and hard- ships of pioneer times, coming from Detroit with a team of oxen, and oftimes found it necessary to chop their way through under- brush. Arriving here her father took up forty acres of government land in White Oak township, and there resided until Mrs. Rayner was five years of age, when they re- moved to Washtenaw county. Here he en- gaged in the lumber business, running a saw- mill, until he eventually removed to Bunker Hill, Ingham county, and there resided un- til he took up his residence in Leslie in 1875. where he lived continuously until his death, which occurred August 22, 1892. The mother also died at the home of Mrs. Ray- ner in 1894.
To our subject and wife have been born three children, two of whom are now living : the eldest, J. B., who is successfully engaged in real estate business in Lansing, married Lulu M. Higdon of Jackson; the second,
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Laura, is the wife of Walter S. Root of Mason, and they have two children, Reno Rayner and William Jehial. After the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. Rayner, they removed to Bunker Hill, and were there engaged in farming for about twelve years. This prop- erty consists of about four hundred acres of well improved and highly productive land. At the expiration of this time he removed to Leslie and became identified with the real estate business in which he has engaged suc- cessfully ever since.
Mr. Rayner has been remarkably success- ful, and has accumulated valuable property holdings, as he also owns independent of this, four hundred acres, three highly im- proved farms in Jackson county, as well as six farms in Ingham county, and is in all probability one of the most extensive land owners of this locality. Mr. Rayner is a member of the G. A. R. Post of Leslie. He affiliates with the Republican party and has taken a citizen's interest in the success of its candidates. He has served as a member of the Council of Leslie for nine years and has been President of the village for one term.
Having spent his entire life in Ingham county, he has a wide acquaintance within its borders, and the strength of his character, his honorable conduct, and his fidelity to manly purposes have made him one of the representative and valued citizens, and unto such men, who have by their frugality and thrift, contributed to the commercial pros- perity of this county is this volume dedicated.
LEMUEL ALLEN ROYSTON.
The name of "Royston" is inseparably connected with history in Michigan, for it was in 1835 that James Royston, who was a native of New Jersey (but who, when six- teen years of age accompanied his parents to New York state) located land in this state
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