USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 61
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Mr. Elmer recalls the fact that when he first came to Ingham county there was no railroad to the City of Mason and only one line to Lansing. At that date Dan Hib- bard's stage line was in operation, from Jackson to Lansing. Mr. Elmer, although a man of wide and varied experience, is still active in business affairs, a man of good judgment, careful, conservative and held in high esteem by his fellow citizens.
JAY W. FREEMAN.
Foremost among the highly respected men of real worth of life and character in the Township of Aurelius stands the name of Jay WV. Freeman, who was born in Bellville, Jefferson county, N. Y., in 1836. He was the son of H. H. and Harriet Freeman, his father being a native of the Empire State, born in 1801, and the mother in 1804 in Connecticut. Seven children were born to them, two of whom are now living. Besides our subject, D. G. Freeman of Oshkosh, Wis.
Mr. Freeman's father settled with his family in Jackson county in the year of 1835, but two years later came to Ingham Co. At that time there was practically no public highway from Jackson through to his place. They were obliged to cut the underbrush and go by blazed trees through the forests with their teams and goods. The land was purchased from the government and was covered with huge black walnut and maple trees, which if standing today, would be worth thousands of dollars more than the farm, with all its modern improvements. Our subject's father died in 1859 and the mother had the misfortune to be bitten by a poisonous rattle-snake and died when our subject was but seven years old. Both par- ents were buried in the Aurelius cemetery. Following the death of his first wife the father was married to Hannah Hawkins, and to them were born four children, only one of whom is living, Mary, now Mrs. Morrison of Mason. The second Mrs. Freeman died and is also buried in the Aurelius cemetery.
J. W. Freeman received his early educa- tion in the district schools and in the year of 1842 settled on the farm where he still re- sides. He was united in marriage in 1854 to Miss Isbella, daughter of L. A. Heath of Aurelius township. Mrs. Freeman was born
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in Carrolton, N. Y., and came to Michigan with her parents in 1839. Five children have been born to them. Two boys and one daughter are living: James died in infancy, and was buried in the family plat at Aurel- ius; Nettie A., born in 1861, married Delmar Crane, and one child was born to them. Claude L., who owns a half interest in a general store at Aurelius Center. Mrs. Crane was remarried, to her present hus- band, Chas. W. Hyatt, now deceased. One son, John, has been born to them. J. J. Freeman married and now lives in Jackson, Michigan, and is general agent for the Mass- achusetts Mutual Insurance Co., and two children have been born to them, one living. Pauline M .; Leroy D., now deceased. John C., married Miss Jennie Simpson and he is a farmer residing in Aurelius and they have one child, Lulu Belle.
Mr. and Mrs. Freeman are highly respect- ed members of the Baptist church at Aurel- ius Center. Among the fraternal organiza- tions with which Mr. Freeman has affili- ated himself are the Master Masons at Onondaga. Lodge No. 197. In politics he is a conservative Democrat ; has served his township as Justice of the Peace for 35 years and also been Notary Public for nearly the same length of time. He takes an active interest in public affairs, giving the weight of his influence to every enterprise looking to the social and moral well-being of society. He takes pleasure in performing the duties of his chosen vocation and is living in the enjoyment and confidence of his neighbors.
JESSE HOLDEN.
Jesse Holden, one of the hustling young men of Vevay township, was born Novem- ber 24, 1876, upon the farm where he still resides. He is the son of Carlos A. and
Lucy Dresser Holden, who were married April 23, 1863. His father was born in Leroy. N. Y., November 21, 1835, and his mother November 26. 1839, in Cortland. Co., N. Y.
Carlos Holden died March 14, 1899. He was a man of many good qualities of heart and mind, and will be remembered as a just and upright citizen. His widow was uni- ted in marriage to Chauncey Breed, a vet- eran of the Civil War, June 17, 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Breed are living at the old Holden homestead, happy in the love of dutiful chil- dren and many warm friends and neigh- bors.
In the year 1844, Amadon Holden, born June 19, 1795, a native of Northfield, Frank- lin Co., Mass., with his wife, Olive, who was born August 27. 1801, in Thetford. Orange Co .. Vt., emigrated to Michigan with his family and settled upon the farm now occupied by his grandson, Jesse. The grandfather bought the land from the gov- ernment, erected a log house, and with his family occupied the same for several years. Later he cleared away the forests and erec- ted comfortable farm buildings. Jesse's father was the youngest of four children and the only son. His sisters' names were : Pluma A., born July 23, 1824; Jeanette, August 21. 1826; Mary Jane, January 12, 1833. The grandfather of Jesse Holden on his mother's side, John Milton Dresser, was for many years a highly respected citizen of Vevay township, enjoying the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. Mr. Dresser was born August 22. 1807. His wife, Eliza Mary Hicks, was born February 25, 1814. The names and dates of birth of their chil- dren were: Matilda E., August 28, 1841, died in infancy : Orinda Ann, July 14, 1844 : Eliza Mary, March 2, 1846; John Milton, January 24, 1850: Horace M., June 15, 1852 : Almeda, December 3, 1858 ; Elmer E.
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May. 1861 ; Olive Lucy, born November 26, 1839.
John Milton is a successful man of busi- ness, and Elmer E., a well-known and high- ly respected minister of the gospel in the Baptist church.
Jesse Holden, like his father was an only son, having been blessed, however, by the birth of four sisters, three of whom died in early girlhood : Jennie Grace, born January 30, 1864, died May 4, 1877; Florrie, born January 25, 1867, died December 7, 1880; Alice Lenora, born October 8, 1869, died May 5, 1877 ; Nellie Mayford, born Novem- ber 18, 1878. She is a bright and intelli- gent young lady, is a graduate of Cleary College, and is employed as a stenographer at Lansing. She was united in marriage December 28, 1904. to Carl Hodges. They have taken up their residence in the capital city.
Jesse Holden acquired his education in the district school, attending the same school where his father attended in former years, and where his mother in her young woman- hood was a successful teacher. He was married January 6, 1904, to Miss Blanche Hockman, who was born June 16, 1884. daughter of Albert and Emma Hockman. Mrs. Holden has one brother, Clifford, born March 28, 1891. Her father is a Christian gentleman, highly respected in life, and died while yet a young man May 22, 1898, at the age of forty-two years.
Mr. Holden and his sister Nellie own the farm, owned successfully by his father and grandfather. He has followed general farm- ing and stock-growing in the main, how- ever, he has recently been giving some at- tention to the handling of agricultural imple- ments and indulging in other speculations. In politics Mr. Holden is in line with his father and grandfather, and is a Republi- can all the year around and has unquestioned
faith in the principles of his party. He is a member of the Gleaners, in which himself and wife are active. Socially the Holdens are highly respected members of society.
O. J. HOOD. CITY ATTORNEY OF LANSING.
O. J. Hood, one of the rising lawyers of the Wolverine State and City Attorney of Lansing, since May, 1904, was born in Mon- roe county, Michigan, in the year 1866. He is the son of George W. and Angeline Hood, his father being a native of New York state, where he was born in 1829. The elder Mr. Hood lost his father, when a small boy and came with his widowed mother to Shiawas- see county, Michigan, and after residing. there for a short time, went to Washtenaw county, where in the midst of elevating sur- roundings he reached manhood. Gradu- ating from the University of Michigan in the class of '58 with the degrees of B.A. and M.A., he subsequently pursued a course at Auburn Theological Seminary and was a school teacher for a number of years. He now resides with his son, our subject ..
In 1865 George W. Hood married Mrs. Angeline Hawks Palmer, a widow, the wife dying when the present City Attorney was but fifteen months of age. When but two years of age, the boy went to live with his uncle at Corunna, Shiawassee county, pass- ing through the city schools and graduating from there in 1885. In the fall of the year named, he entered the law department of the University of Michigan, graduating there- from in 1887. He practiced in Corunna during the succeeding three years, removing to Mason, Ingham county, in April, 1890. He there continued professional work with most gratifying results, and from 1893 to 1897, with Judge Cowles, served as Probate Register.
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Not satisfied with the field of his activities, in March, 1897, Mr. Hood located at Lan- sing, entering into a co-partnership with Q. A. Smith, this strong professional combina- tion soon resulting in a well established busi- ness. Mr. Hood's professional specialty is the investigation of legal questions and briefing cases for the Supreme Court. Mr. Smith is pre-eminently a trial lawyer and is perfectly at home in court, or, as the words run, when "on his feet." This prom- inent trait of his professional character led to his appointment as City Attorney in 1904, and his subsequent record has sustained the wisdom of the appointment.
In 1892 Mr. Hood was married to Miss Hattie A. Makley, daughter of William J. Makley of Mason, Michigan. One child has been born to them, Homer T., now eleven years of age. Mrs. Hood is identified with the Presbyterian church, also a member of the Eastern Star. Mr. Hood is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is prominent in Masonic circles. He is also allied with other fraternal organizations. They are both recognized leaders in all elevating local en- terprises or institutions.
JESSE VAN HORN.
The first authentic record of this family is found in the Documentary History of New York, volume 110, page 618, stating that Jaques Von Horne and Albert K. Burgh, committee of Board of Trade on resolutions to form a plan to colonize the Netherlands, sent a report to the West In- dia Company of Amsterdam, in Holland, against the private complaints of the patrons. This document was dated June 26, 1834. and thus it may be seen that the sub- ject of this review is a representative of one of the oldest and highly respected families of the United States.
The father, Phillip Van Horn, was born July 20, 1787, and the dates and records of the birth of his children were as follows : Nella, born November 12, 1813, is now de- ceased; Barnet, born August 14, 1812, died August 15, 1893; Daniel, born August 12, 1814, died Jan. 21, 1863 ; David, born Feb- ruary 28, 1816; Ephraim, born March 29, 1818, died August 21, 1893; Aron, born April 8, 1820, died October 28, 1842; Cor- nelius, born June 16, 1822, died March 27, 1853; William, born September 15, 1824; Mariah, born February 21, 1827, died Octo- ber 24, 1881; Margaret, born May 23, 1829; Jesse, born June 28, 1831 (our sub- ject ) ; Phillip, Jr., born November 25, 1833, died October 17, 1839. and John, born Octo- ber 23, 1836, and settled in Jackson and there resided until his death, which occurred December 31, 1841. The mother died in 1859 on the 20th day of January in the same locality, and they were honored and re- spected citizens of Michigan.
Jesse Van Horn, a prominent agricul- turist of Ingham county, was a native of the Empire State, his birth having occurred the 28th day of June of 1831, and was but five years of age when he accompanied his parents upon their removal to Michigan. He was one of a family of thirteen children, of whom three are now living, namely : Wil- liam, who lives near Jackson; Margaret Cole and our subject, Jesse.
The early boyhood and youth of Jesse Van Horn was spent upon the old home place near Jackson and in a manner in com- mon with the farmer lads of that period. It was in this locality that he started out in life for himself, by purchasing forty acres of the old place, but later sold this and came to Leslie, where he resided for one year. He soon returned, however, to the old home. He bought one hundred and fifty-nine acres of land in Leslie township, Ingham county,
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JESSE VAN HORN
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MRS. JESSE VAN HORN
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upon which he made many improvements, having a fine house and splendid barns, and he and his son now own two hundred and eighty acres of rich and arable land.
In the year 1853, Mr. Van Horn was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Slaght, a native of Canada, and this union has been blessed with four children, of whom two are now living, namely, Arthur W., born No- vember 26, 1859, who married Emma Frary and resides near his father, and is identified with him in farming; the second, Inez, born December 14, 1868, who became the wife of Lewis S. Marshall; Arvila A. Van Horn, born January 20, 1856, died February 6, 1859: Jay F. Van Horn, born September 6, 1862, died September 24, 1893. Mr. Van Horn is a member of the Masonic fraternity and has lived in harmony with its beneficent teachings. He affiliates with the Democracy.
He is in every respect a self made man, as he practically started out in, life empty handed and has by close application to busi- ness and strong determination, acquired a good property which enables him to enjoy all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
For more than thirty-six years Mr. Jesse Van Horn has been a pioneer resident of this locality, and has therefore witnessed many of the changes and scenes that have taken place in the marvelous development of Ingham county.
W. W. HILDRETH, LANSING.
W. W. Hildreth, the organizer and now vice president of the Hildreth Motor and Pump Company, was born in Buffalo, N. Y .. the son of William B. and Clarissa Hildreth. His father, a native of New York, was by trade a moulder and blacksmith : his grand- father, Jonathan Hildreth, was a local preacher and also served in the Revolution-
ary war. As his mother died when he was only four years old, the boy was placed in care of an uncle, E. Adams, who, in 1836, settled in Highland Corners, Oakland county, Michigan. There he remained on a farm until he was twelve years of age, when he removed with his uncle's family to Genesee county.
When our subject was seventeen years of age he returned to his father, who was then a resident of Birmingham, Michigan, work- ing at his trade. For about two years he attended select school.
His next move was to Farmington, Mich- igan, following his occupation as a moulder for a year. Within the succeeding two years he is found, always hard at work, in Flint, Michigan, Tompkins county, N. Y. (his father's old home), Allegany county, N. Y. (in the employ of his cousin), Genesee county (where he taught school for one winter ) and Coldwater, Michigan.
In 1854, being then twenty-two years of age, Mr. Hildreth became a citizen of Lan- sing, being first connected with the dry goods store of Richard Elliot for two years. After spending a year with F. M. Cowles, the dry goods merchant, he returned to Mr. Elliot, and remained with him until he began his permanent career as an iron worker and manager.
Mr. Hildreth's first employment in that line was in the foundry of James Turner, and after working there for about a year, spent another year in Appleton, Wis .. after which he located in Kendalville. Indiana, where he was engaged in the foundry business for about a decade. In 1871 he returned to Lansing and purchased the building now known as the Porter Hack Barn, in which he established a foundry and machine shop.
Later Mr. Hildreth became one of the organizers of the Lansing Iron Works. The
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business failed in 1875 and he returned to Indiana, conducting a foundry until 1887. and continuing in the same line of manufac- ture at Decatur, Ind. In 1890 he went to Minnesota, but, after spending a year there, returned to Lansing to found the business in which he is at present engaged. In 1892 he purchased the machine business of P. Abfal- ter, and his son subsequently bought W. E. Cady's interest in the establishment, which was afterward conducted as Cady & Hil- dreth's.
In Nov., 1902, W. WV. Hildreth & Son or- ganized the Hildreth Motor and Pump Works, now incorporated, with Mr. Hil- dreth as vice president. The business, since its organization, has shown a steady increase and the plant is well equipped with modern machinery. Originally only six men were employed ; now there are about thirty. Ned E. Hildreth, one of the sons, is superintend- ent of the works, and a promising young business man.
Mr. Hildreth was married February 20, 1858, to Mrs. Celestine Welsh, a daughter of John Laylin, who was a soldier and scout in the War of 1812 and a pioneer of Huron county, Ohio. Mrs. Hildreth came to Michi- gan when the capitol was first located at Lansing, living with her sister, Mrs. Richard Elliott, and becoming at that time a resident of the city. Of the three children born to them two are still living-Theodore A., who resides in Boston, and Ned E., men- tioned as being connected with his father in the Hildreth Motor and Pump Company.
Our subject is self-educated, as he is self- made in every particular. He is a remark- ably well informed man and his natural busi- ness talents were trained and broadened quite early by attendance at Gregory's Col- lege, at Detroit.
For nearly half a century he has taken an active and, for much of that period, a promi-
nent part in the extension of Free Masonry. In 1856 he joined the old lodge, No. 66, in Lansing. He was Deputy Grand Lecturer of the State of Indiana for one year and Grand Lecturer for another year. During his entire mature life he has also been iden- tified with church work-indicating, all in all, that Mr. Hildreth has an intellectual and a spiritual side to his nature as fully devel- oped as his practical traits of character.
H. L. HENDERSON (DECEASED).
H. L. Henderson figured so conspicuously and honorably in connection with the public interests, business activity, and substantial development of Ingham county, for many years that no history of this locality would be complete without the record of his career. To say of him that he arose from compara- tive obscurity to rank among the most suc- 'cessful men of this portion of the state, is a statement that seems trite to those familiar with his life, yet it is but just to say in a history that will descend to future genera- tions, that his business record was one that any man might be proud to possess.
Beginning at the bottom round of the lad- der, he steadily advanced step by step until he occupied a position of trust and prominence reached by few. Throughout his entire busi- ness career, he was looked upon as a model of integrity and honor, never making any engagement that he did not fulfill, and stand- ing as an example of what determination, combined with the highest degree of busi- ness integrity, can accomplish for a man of natural ability and strength of character.
He was respected by the community at large and honored by his business associates. A native of the Empire State, H. L. Hender- son was born in 1829 and died in Mason in 1897. The parents of our subject, John and Mary Henderson, were also natives of New
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York and there lived and died. John Hen- derson was an agriculturalist and followed that occupation throughout life.
H. L. Henderson was one of a family of eight children. He spent his boyhood days on the home farm, acquiring his education in the common schools of his native state. At an early age he started out in life at teaching school and then began the study of law with one of the prominent men of New York. It was in the continuation of this practice that he became identified in Mason at an early day.
In 1867 he became identified with the financial interests of Mason, by the estab- lishment of a private bank, which was the following year made a National bank. In its organization, as a national bank, he was made its cashier. This institution success- fully continued its financial operations until its charter expired. With the organization of the First State and Savings Bank at Ma- son, he was made its President and so con- tinued until his death. He was the prime factor in the organization of this institution and the safe and conservative policy, which he inaugurated made it one of the substan- tial and reliable financial institutions of this part of the State. In banking circles, as in all other relations of life, Mr. Henderson sustained an unassailable reputation, because of his business capacity and unswerving probity. Intricate business propositions he seemed to comprehend at a glance and he mastered everything that he undertook, car- rying forward to a successful completion. every business interest which engaged his attention. He made judicious investments in property from time to time until he became the possessor of valuable interests.
In 1868 Mr. Henderson was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Robson, who was born at Farmington of this State. She was the daughter of Thomas and Rachel Robson,
who were both natives of England. It was at the age of fourteen years that she first came to Lansing and Ingham county. Here she taught school some time and was en- gaged in this ocupation when she made the acquaintance of Mr. Henderson. She is a woman of estimable character and proved a valuable companion and help mate on life's journey. This union was blessed with two children, namely, Charles R., now a resident of Houston, Texas, and is engaged in the in- surance business ; the second child, Marion, is now the wife of M. J. Buck of Lansing.
For many years Mr. Henderson was very prominent in affairs aside from his business interests. He served as Alderman and also on the School Board and the Water Works Commission. He was one of the principal promoters of the Mason Electric Light Plant, in which he was interested prior to its purchase by the city. Every measure for the advancement of Mason along the material. social and intellectual lines received an in- dorsement and encouragement, and to him in no little degree, is due the present advan- tage which the city enjoys in its excellent system of electric lights, its water works and general improvement. Prospering to an un- usual degree, he became blessed with ample means, which he liberally devoted to progres- sive uses. A member of the Presbyterian church, he was a liberal and ready supporter of church interests. As a Mason, he was held in high esteem by his brethren of the craft. Politically, he was a life long sup- porter of the Republican party, and while he took an active part in local and state poli- tics, he was not a politician in the sense of office seeking, but preferred the activities of business life to those of the political stage.
The strong traits of his character were such as endeared him to all with whom he came in contact. He was the soul of honor and integrity in business life. was a man of
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broad humanitarian principles and the de- serving poor always found in him a friend. He gave generously for the public good, was faithful in friendship, devoted to his family and stood as a high type of our chivalrous American manhood.
JAMES A. WILCOX (DECEASED).
Although death has laid his chill hands upon the heart of Mr. James A. Wilcox, still there is living the spirit which character- ized each act of his daily life with nobility and activity. He was born in Genesee coun- ty, New York, February 3, 1835, the son of Noyce and Martha ( Pollock) Wilcox. The father was born December 12, 1800, and died May 5, 1884, and the mother, January 2, 1814, and died April 5, 1892. James A. Wilcox was the fourth of a family of five children, two brothers and a sister now liv- ing : William P., born April 25, 1828, died September 7, 1899; Mary J., born October 19. 1830; Warren P., born February 5, 1833; our subject and Henry J., born No- vember 24, 1842.
Mr. and Mrs. Noyce Wilcox came to Michigan in the early forties and settled in White Oak, when the country was covered with woods and there were no roads. War- ren, a brother of our subject, bought one hundred and sixty acres of land. James Wilcox emigrated from New York to Mich- igan, settling in White Oak in 1863, when he bought eighty acres of his brother, War- ren. This property was partly improved and Mr. Wilcox finished clearing it and here re- sided until his death, March 10, 1894. For a number of years his parents made their home with him and there died.
James A. Wilcox was united in marriage September 7. 1857. to Polly Ann, daughter of Andrew and Polly (Watson) Crocker.
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