USA > Michigan > Mecosta County > Portrait and biographical album, Mecosta county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches > Part 17
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submission of the instrument to the State Legislature it was passed without change.
The Hon. A. H. Giddings, Judge of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, died Dec. 10, 1876, and ten days later, Gov. Bagley appointed Mr. Brown to fill the remainder of the term. At the regular fall election of 1878 Judge Brown was elected to the same office without dissent. He resigned the post Jan. 3, 1881, and is now attorney for the B. R. Boom Company, and has been the local legal adviser of the G. R. & I. Railroad Company since the completion of their road.
Judge Brown was married Aug. 3, 1870, to Mary A., daughter of Levi J. and Mary (Lyman) Osbourn. She was born in Speedsville, Tompkins Co., N. Y. in 1852. Of five children born to them, Maud S. and Herbert 1. are deceased ; the remainder are Carrie, Lillian H. and an unnamed infant.
Judge Brown is a member of the order of Masonry and Knights Templar. He owns his residence and four city lots therewith, besides several lots in other quarters of the city. We give his portrait in this Album.
has. H. Ludington, farmer, sec. 3-1, Deer- field Tp., P. O., Morley, was born in Dryden, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Aug. 31, 1845 His father, Stephen Ludington, died in his native State in 1861. Emily (Stathoon) Ludington, his mother, died in 1849, when her son was placed in charge of his grandparents, remaining in their care for six months, after which he was " bound out " to serve his minority. At the age of 17 he came to Allegan, Allegan Co., Mich, and engaged four years as a lumberman.
At the age of 21 he came to Mecosta County and bought 40 acres of land, built a log house, ent down the forest and improved his land for the pur- pose of tillage. Five years later he added as much more to his estate, and now has 70 acres in a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Ludington is a Republican in politics, and has been Assessor of his school dis- trict eight years.
Our subject was married Nov. 20, 1866, to Clara
E., eldest daughter of Horace and Clarissa Hill, nee Smith, natives of New York and Rhode Island, re- spectively, who went at an early date to Tioga Co, Penn., where they were farmers and passed the re- mainder of their lives ; the father died June 14, 1848, the mother, May 17, '80. Mrs. Ludington was born Oct. 27, 1843, and taught school four years previous to her marriage in her native county. The only child, Sarah E., was born Dec. 22, '67. The parents belong to the M. E. Church. Mr. Ludington is Steward of the society at Morley.
B. Hummer, farmer, sec. 25, Morton Tp. (P. O., Mecosta), was born in New York, July 10, 1844. He is a son of George and Eliz- abeth (Swezey) Hummer. then resident in Che- mung Co., N. Y., near Elmira. The family circumstances were such that Mr. Hummer re- ceived but a limited education. When he was but 17 years of age he enlisted at Elmira in Co. B, First Reg. N. Y. Cavalry, which was atttached to the command of Gen. Phil Sheridan. Mr. Hummer was in action in 26 engagements, the last being at Cedar Creek. The father was also a soldier for the Union and was in the service one year, belonging to Co. D, 107th Reg. N. Y. Vol. Inf. He was in two battles, South Mountain and Antietam ; he now re- sides on a farm adjoining his son's and is crecting a new frame house.
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In 1874 Mr Hummer left the state of his nativity, came to Michigan and purchased So acres of un- broken forest, made a small clearing and established his home. He now has 20 acres under the plow. Mr. Hummer recently sold a part of his place with the intention of buying to better advantage. He is at present sexton of Greenwood cemetery, which lies adjoining his farm on the northwest; has been School Director four years, but recently resigned.
He was married Dec. 2, 1871, to Lydia, daughter of Isaac and Mary Wood, of Bradford Co., Penn. They have had but one child-Owen, who died with diphtheria when eight years old. The pangs of their loss are still as keen as in its first freshness, and the memory of their only son will ever be cherished
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in the home made bright by his short life, and which is rendered more dear because he was for a brief period its light and joy.
athan Osborn, farmer, sec. 36, Deerfield Tp., P. O. Rustford, is a son of Stephen and Rachel (Rumsey) Osborn, natives and resi- dents of New York.
Mr. Osborn was born Dec. 19, 1844, in the State of his ancestors, and remained under the guid- ance of his father until about 17 years old, when he enlisted as a Union soldier in Co. B, 35th N. V. Vol. Infantry. After serving a period of 18 months he received his discharge for disability. During this time he was in action at the battle of Rappahannock Station, Va. On his recovery he re-enlisted in the 179th N. Y. Reg. Vol. Inf, Co. B, and served until the end of the contest. He was under fire at Peters- burg, Va., where he was captured by the rebels and for three months endured the oft recited horrors of the prison pens of the South. He was confined at Libby and at Danville, Va. On being taken ill he was sent to Annapolis under parole and one month later was exchanged and rejoined his regiment, then stationed in front of Petersburg. Previous to the surrender of Lee's army he was in action in several important battles. After the "Grand Review" at Washington he returned to Elmira, N. Y., with his regiment and was mustered out June 21, 1865.
He came to Michigan in the fall of that year and bought 80 acres of land in Montcalm County, which he sold, and in 1869 purchased 80 acres in Mecosta County, under partial improvements. In 1874 he sold 40 acres, went to Texas and "took up" 160 acres of land, and remained thereon three years, when he made sale of it, and was occupied in lumbering two years. He returned to Mecosta County in the fall of 1879 and settled where he now resides.
He was married in this county to Nancy A., daugh- ter of Alanson and Esther A. (Hedges) Rickar. Her parents came to Mecosta County from the Empire State in the winter of 1865, and in the spring of 1881 moved to their present location in Missaukee County.
Mrs. Osborn was born in New York, Sept. 10, 1846. The five children born of this marriage are Ethelyn born Oct. 13, 1866; Floyd, Aug. 10, 1870; Laura, Feb. 2, 1874; Jessie M., April 17, 1878; Ralph, Sept. 26, 1882.
Mr. Osborn has been Justice of the Peace three years, and in politics is independent in thought and action.
athias Kassner, deceased, was a native of Germany, born Aug. 22, 1822. Ilis parents were also natives of Germany and there passed their lives.
Mr. Kassner came to America in 1847 and located in Canada, where he resided 15 years. In 1862 he came hither with his family and, under the Homestead Act, made a claim of 160 acres of land, of which he cleared 30 acres. He died May 10, 1878.
Mrs. Magdalene (Neuswanger) Kassner, the wife of the subject of this sketch, was born in Ger- many, Dec. 1, 1817. Three of the six children of this marriage yet survive : Veronica, born Feb. 25, 1850; Amanda, Feb. 25, 1852, and John E., June 20, 1860. The deceased are Christian, David and Benjamin. The family still reside on the farm.
lijah F. Dowey, attorney at law and Justice of the Peace, Big Rapids, was born at Ovid, Seneca Co., N. Y., May 1, 1837. His father was a millwright and carpenter Mr. Dewey was brought up on a faim and at- tended the common schools until he was 19 years of age, when he became a student at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, his uncle being a Professor at that institution. Here he pursued a full literary and classical course of study, graduating in June, 1860. His first engagement was as Assistant Principal
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of the High School at Pontiac, Oakland Co., Mich. Upon the expiration of this engagement he went to Chicago as reporter on the Times. A year after, in company with A. C. Wheeler, he started a literary paper in Chicago,- The Spirit of the West,-which he ran a few months, and subsequently accepted an en- gagement in the office of the Provost Marshal at Pontiac, Mich., meanwhile studying law with his brother, Judge J. S. Dewey. He was admitted to the bar in 1866 and engaged in practice.
He came to Big Rapids in the winter of 1868 and at once entered upon the practice of his profession. He served as Circuit Court Commissioner in 1870- 71. During the year 1870 he was Recorder at Big Rapids. He was first elected Justice of the Peace in 1869, and has occupied the position most of the time since. His business as attorney and magistrate is successful and steady. fle also operates to some extent in real estate.
Mr. Dewey was married at Pontiac in December, 1867, to Sarah L, daughter of the late Hon. Rufus and Sarah (Chamberlain) Hosmer. Her father was a prominent politician, and was for some years the editor of the old Detroit Advertiser, and was after- ward editor and one of the proprietors of the Lan- sing Republican. In 1861 he was appointed by Presi- dent Lincoln Consul General to Frankfort-on-the- Main, Germany, and died while making preparations to assume the duties of the appointment. Mrs. Dewey was born in Pontiac, Mich. The family in- cludes four children-Harry S., Josephine H., Mary L. and Ruius H.
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dward R. Quigley, farmer, sec. 2, Deer- field Tp., P. O., Altona, is a son of George and Jane Quigley, the former a native of New York the latter of Wales. They were married in Canada, where their son was born Dec. 19, 1845. When he was seven years of age his parents came to Newaygo Co., Mich., after- ward settling in Mecosta County, where they were the first white settlers of the township of Deerfield. (See sketch of David Quigley.)
Mr. Quigley passed the years of his early life in acquiring an education, and as assistant on his father's farm. At 17 he engaged in lumbering, and pursued that branch of business until 1881, when he began to devote his attention exclusively to farming. In 1876 he bought 56 acres of forest land, built a house, and now has 25 acres under cultivation. Mr. Quigley is an adherent to the Democratic political tenets, and is zealous in the interests of the party.
He was married in Muskegon County, Sept. 3, 1863, to Fannie Barnhart. Her parents settled in Mecosta County in the year 1862. She died, leav- ing one child, Walter, born July 4, 1864. Har- riet, daughter of Benjamin and Betsey (Monroe) Whit- man, became the wife of Mr. Quigley Nov. 22, 1868. One child was born of this marriage, Oriel, whose birth occurred Oct. 15, 1869, and death Jan. 22, 1882. The father and mother of Mrs. Quigley were natives of the State of New York.
eavitt S. Griswold, M. D., physician and surgeon at Big Rapids (office in Roof block Michigan avenue), was born Jan. 3, 1853, in Trumbull Co., Ohio. His parents were Jesse and Helen (McWilliams) Griswold, the father following the double occupation of farmer and stone mason.
Dr. Griswold was reared on a farm until he was 17 years old, meanwhile obtaining his elementary education. He attended the union school at Green - ville five years, and began the study of medicine with Dr. Mulhern, of Greenville, going thence to the Detroit Medical College, where he was graduated in the spring of 1879. He had the benefit of several months' practice as an assistant in Harper's and St. Mary's Hospitals in Detroit, and first established his business at Sand Lake, Kent Co., Mich., but decided to make a transfer to Big Rapids, which he did in October, 1881. He has a good practice in the city and adjacent country, both in medicine and surgery, and is steadily rising in his profession.
Dr. Griswold was married at Vassar. Tuscola Co., Mich., June 12, 1879, to Mattie A., daughter of John Liston. She was born at Bowling Green, Wood Co.
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Ohio. Their two children, Carl A. and Roe Oscar' infant, were born in Big Rapids.
Dr. Griswold is a member of the Union Medical Society of Northern Michigan, of which, in 1882, he was Secretary; also belongs to the State Medical Society. He owns his residence at 223 West Pine Street.
B arnabas Bacon, farmer, sec. 26, Deerfield Tp., P. O., Rustford, is a son of Benjamin ' and Polly (Hone) Bacon, the father a native of New England and the mother born in the State of New York : both are deceased. Mr. Bacon was born in the State of New York, Feb. 14, 1817. He spent the first 30 years of his life in the Empire State, in Canada and Michigan. His residence was fixed in Canada until the spring of IS71, when he came to Deerfield and bought 40 acres of forest land. He has improved 20 acres and has added 70 acres since by purchase.
He was married in 1848 to Mary, daughter of John and Jane (Moul) Leach, natives of Canada. The names of Mr. and Mrs. B's 12 children, all living, are as follows : Mary J., Gad, Reuben, Annie, Margaret, Timothy, David M., Eleanor, Barney, Henry, William and Emerald.
Mr. Bacon is independent in politics.
games O'Neil, farmer on sec. 35, Deerfield Tp., P. O. Morley, is the son of John and Mary (Martin) O'Neil, natives of Ireland, and now resident in Mecosta Co., Mich.
Mr. O'Neil was born in Camden Tp., Canada, July 30, 1855. When he was 15 he came to Shiawassec Co. with his parents and lived until the fall of 1873, which time they removed to Mecosta Co. Mr. O'Neil bought 40 acres of wild land and began the life of a pioneer, building a primitive log house and procceding to clear up the forest. In 1877 hc bought another "40" and in 1882 added 40 acres
more to his possessions. He has one of these tracts under cultivation and is erecting a fine frame house.
He was married Oct 12, 1873, at Owosso, Shia- wassee Co., to Marietta, daughter of Michael and Julia (Leveck) McKeen. They have had five children, born as follows : James B., Sept. 14, 1879 ; Mary E., April 31, 18SI; John S., Oct. 5, 1882; Julia, born Nov. 29, 1875, died May 7, 1881; Ambrose, born June 5, 1877, died May 8, 1881. These children died of diph- theria, after eight days' illness.
Mr. O'Neil acts with the Democratic party and is an adherent of the Catholic Church.
harles Ostrander, miller, resident a Rustford, Deerfield Tp., was born in the county of Elgin, Province of Ontario, Oct. 15, 1838. He is the son of Andrew and Sarah (Buchner) Ostrander, who removed to Bayham, Ont., in 1822. The ancestral descent of Mr. Ostrander is German, his progenitors having come to America at the close of the last century.
He received a common-school education and was under his father's supervision until he was 21 years of age, when he spent a year in the employ of John McDonald, his first effort for himself, for which he re- ceived eleven dollars a month. He next worked a farm on shares for Ebenezer Buchner, remaining one year, when he and his brother Simeon took their father's farm to work on shares and carried it on two years. At the end of that time his father gave each a deed of one-half (75 acres) of the place. Mr. Os- trander bought 50 acres adjoining. In 1874 he dis- posed of his farm and located at Rustford, where he now resides.
He bought and put in operation the grist-mill at that place and entered into partnership with Ebenezer Buchner, whose interest he purchased in 1880. He now carries on the grist and saw mill and is engaged in the manufacture of shingles. In politics, Mr. Os- trander is a Republican, and is now serving his see- ond term as Township Treasurer. His home was burned on the 220 of October, 18So, and he at once erected his present substantial residence.
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He was married Jan. 13, 1861, to Margaret A. Mil- ler, born in Canada, June 13, 1843. Their children were born in the following order : Alvonetta, Dec. 2, 1861; Carrie, Dec. 7, 1863; Sarah M., Aug. 1, 1871. Mrs. Ostrander died March 29, 1874. Mr. Ostrander was a second time married, Aug. 8, 1877, to Mary, daughter of David and Martha (Glass) Dalzell. She was born in Columbiana Co., Ohio, Aug. 4, 1841. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania, but re- moved to Lake Co, Mich, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Ostrander have two children: Henry D., born Jan. 3, 1879, and Lewis R., May 6, 1883.
atrick Mckeon, farmer, sec. 27, Deerfield 'Tp., was born in Canada, April 22, 186r. He is a son of Michael and Julia (Leveck) MeKeon, the former a native of Ireland and the latter born in Canada. The father died in Shiawassee Co., Mich., in February, 1882 ; the mother resides with her son.
The parents located in Shiawassee County, in 187 1. Our subject accompanied them and continued to re- side there twelve years. In '73 he bought 40 acres of land in this county in a partly improved state. He is a believer in the faith of the Catholic Church, and in polities endorses the principles of the National party.
olomon F. Frye, Postmaster at Altona, was born in Pennsylvania, July 22, 1844. His parents, David K. and Elizabeth (For- dyce) Frye, were born in the Keystone State and died in West Virginia when the son was 14 years of age.
From that time he had his own way to make in the world. He found a home with his uncle, Archibald Fordyce, the two years succeeding his parents' death. He was then 16 years old, and enlisted at l'hila . delphia, enrolling in the regiment under Col. Baker. He was finally assigned to the 7ist Pennsylvania
Volunteers, and remained in the service 14 months, receiving honorable discharge for physical disability, the result of excessive exposure. He saw active service at Little Bethel, Munson Hill, Ball's Bluff and Malvern Hill. He was captured at Ball's Bluff, and the severe marching and hardships following his capture were the cause of his impaired health. He was without food for four days and three nights, and then only received the small quantity of four ounces of bread. The experiences of Mr. Frye at Libby prison are those whose horrors are renewed every time they are repeated, and never lose their dread character. The strong man who weighed 176 pounds on being incarcerated, on his exchange four months later weighed but 60 pounds. Upon his being sent to Wash- ington he received a furlough and returned to Harris- burg, where, by special order of Gov. Curtin, he acted as recruiting officer. In March, 1862, he re- turned to his regiment, but soon after was seized with the small-pox, and sent to the small-pox hospital, near Fortress Monroe; but not long after he was or- dered to Albany, N. Y., for treatment. Two months later he rejoined his regiment in time to partici- pate in the battle of Malvern Hill. In a month he was discharged at Harrison's Landing and returned to his native State. He was so enfeebled that he could not labor for two years.
On regaining his health in a measure he was em- ployed as watchman on the Ohio River for a year, and was afterward in the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., where he worked for two years. He came to St. Louis, Mich., and was first engaged in rafting to Bay City, and then was in the employ of different parties, locating lands in Northern Michigan.
In 1877 he returned to Pennsylvania and taught primary schools two years. He came back to the l'eninsular State and located in Clare County. There he was occupied four years as superintendent of a shingle-mill. He formed a partnership with R. M. Shumway, in mercantile business at Farwell, Clare Co., selling out two years later, soon after coming to Hinton Tp., Mecosta Co., and engaging in the drug business with Dr. J. E. Gruber, of Altona. This relation was dissolved in May, 1882. He ie- ceived his appointment as Postmaster Oct. 31, 1882, under President Arthur.
Mir. Frye was married in Isabella Co .. Mich., March 3, 1867, to Lucy, daughter of David, and
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Sarah Leonard. Her parents were natives of l'enn- sylvania and spent their entire lives there. Of this marriage four children have been born-Edward B. and Edwin (twins), born June 5, 1878; Archibald F., July 3, 1877, and Edith MI., Aug. 13, 1882.
Mr. Frye is a Republican, and has been Town- ship Clerk three terms, and is a member of the Re- publican County Committee. Hle and his family at- tend the United Brethren Church, of which Mr. Fiye is a member.
eorge F. Haist, farmer, sec. 8, Deerfield Tp., was born June 12, 1844, in Canada. He is a son of John and Christine (Sten- gel) Ilaist, natives of Germany, who came to Canada in '31. Mr. Haist, senior, came with his family to Newaygo County, Mich., in '53. - and after a residence there of seven years removed to this county and pre-empted 80 acres of land. This property he deeded in '73 to his son, retaining a life lease for himself and wife.
The subject of this sketch has spent his life thus far with his parents, making the paternal interests his own and has proved himself a faithful and devoted SON. He is a Republican and has been elected several times as Constable; he is at present School Assessor. He was married in Morley, July 4, 78, to Kate, daughter of Isaac and Catherine (Cole) ()s- born. They have one child -- Nelson Frederick, born Jan. 31, 'S1.
harles D. Carpenter, merchant, Big Rap- Fids, was born in Lawrenceville, St. Law- rence ('o., N. Y., Sept. 7, 1856. He is the son of John T. and Emily (Blish) Carpenter. His father was a physician of prominence and gave his son a good education, sending him to the common school until 12 years of age and to the Academy at Lawrenceville until he was 18 years old. At that age Mr. Carpenter came to Big Rapids and
engaged with the mercantile firm of Phelps & Parker as clerk. He acted in this capacity 18 months, when he bought the interest of Mr. Phelps and the house became Parker & Carpenter. Mr. Parker died May 7, 1882, and his widow soon after sold her husband's share of the business to the remaining partner and his brother, Frank B. Carpenter, M. D. They oper- ated together one year and May 26, 1883, Mr. Car- penter of this sketch, became sole proprietor of the establishment by purchase. Ile carries an average stock of about $20,000 value in dry goods, carpets, sewing-machines, etc., and transacts annually an amount of business aggregating $70,000.
Mr. Carpenter was married at Evart, Newaygo Co., Oct. 19, 1881, to Nettie E., daughter of Howard and Jeannette Wiltse. She was born at Evart, May 14, 1857. and her parents were among the earliest set- tlers of Newaygo County. Her father came to Me- costa County in 1860 and died at Big Rapids in 1865. Her mother died in 1857. The father of Mr. Car- penter died April 30, 1869 ; his mother is yet living, at Lawrenceville. Mrs. Carpenter was a teacher at Big Rapids six years.
enry Seaton, farmer on sec. 17, Hinton Tp., P. O., Altona, was born in Guelph, Canada, April 7, 1843. His parents, John and Elizabeth (Smith) Seaton, were natives of England, who came to America in 1838. The mother died in November, 1877, and the father is still living, in Canada.
Mr. Seaton remained an inmate of his father's house until he was 24 years of age, when he rented the paternal farm for a period of two years. In the summer of 1866 he came to Mecosta County and bought a half interest in the saw-mill owned by his brother, W. N. Seaton and Bartley Davis, succeed- ing to the claim of the latter. The Seaton brothers managed the mill together six years, and sold out to W'm. Egbert. Mr. Seaton and his brother were again associated in farm interests, which they carried on nearly four years, when they dissolved, and Mr. Seaton established himself on the So acres which has
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since been his homestead. He is a Republican. Mr. Seaton was married in Canada, June 6, 1867, to Agnes, daughter of Richard Kenning. Her parents were natives of Ireland, and she was born in Hamilton, Canada, Nov. 12, 1846. She died Dec. 26, 1879, leaving four of six children of whom she was the mother. They were born as follows: Ida M. E., June 6, 1869 ; Hervey J., April 16, 1872; Albert N., Oct. 23, 1875 ; Gracie A, Jan. 11, 1877. Asa and Lillian died in infancy.
llis Davis, farmer, sec. 6 of Deerfield Tp., was born in Ireland, Aug. 27, '27. He is a son of William and Mary (Laverty) Davis, also born in the Emerald Isle, and came to America in '51. They located in this county and continued to reside there until their death. Our subject was an inhabitant of his native land until he attained his majority, when he came to the United States and settled in Mecosta Tp., this county, continuing to reside here nearly ten years, when he took up 240 acres of uncleared forest under the State law. He commenced operations after the most approved pioneer plan, built a log house and went vigorously to work clearing away the timber to make room for the plow and other appurtenances of civilization. The 140 acres of cultivated land which his labors have laid bare to the sun and other influ- ences that quicken them to a marvelous life show the character of their owner. The Jog house disappeared in the summer of 1882 and a neat frame structure succeeded it at an expenditure of $1,000. Mr. Davis is a Democrat in political views. Ile resides with his two sisters and with them belongs to the Presby- terian Church.
obert Telfer, engineer of the City Water Works. Big Rapids, was born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Feb. 21, 1844. He is the son of Gavin and Janet Telfer, and learned the trade of tanner and currier in his native town. At the age of 18 he left home and went to Glasgow and worked there at his trade until July 26, 1865, or until after twenty-one.
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