Portrait and biographical album of Gratiot county, Mich., Part 37

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 856

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He was married Sept. 11, 1856, in Medina Co., Ohio, to Almeda, fourth daughter of Daniel and Susannah (Whitcomb) Ross. She was born March 12, 1840, in Medina County, and her parents were natives respectively of Vermont and Canada. Mr. and Mrs. White have five children living : Cora A., Myrtie A., Orrin E., Ardie L. and Lettie E. They are the foster parents of a boy whom they took in charge when he was two weeks old, and have reared him as their own child. He is called Ernest White. Mr. and Mrs. White belong to the Disciples' Church.

ohn L. Sinclair, Register of Deeds of Gra- tiot County, residing at Ithaca, was born March 26, 1848, at Inverness, Scotland. His father, John Sinclair, was a native of the same place, born Aug. 26, 1818, and died near London, Ontario, Dec. 4, 1855, whither he emigrated and worked at his trade of contractor and builder until his death. The mother, Catherine (McKay) Sinclair, is a native of Scotland and is still living, near London, Ont.

Mr. Sinclair was still young when his father died, and at 12 years of age was left to face the world alone. He went at 14 years of age to Ailsa Craig, Ont., where he engaged as a clerk in the store of A. G. McIntosh, general merchant. He remained there until the fall of 1866, when he came to St. Louis, and engaged a short time in lumbering. His next em- ploy was with Luther Smith as clerk in his mercan- tile establishment, and he passed the next two years in his service and that of J. W. Wesels. He returned at the expiration of that time to London, Ont., where he became a clerk for R. Mckenzie, grocery and provision merchant. He came to Ithaca in the fall of 1873 and entered the employ of John W. Howd, with whom he remained three years. He next en- gaged with Nelson & Barber, with whom he remained until the fall of 1882, when he was placed in nomi- nation for the office of County Register, on the Dem- ocratic ticket, and made a successful run against George S. Van Buskirk, scoring a considerable num- ber of votes in advance of his ticket. He has served a number of years as Village Clerk of Ithaca. Mr. Sinclair has taken 12 degrees in Masonry, of which Order he has been a member nearly 15 years. He

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has been Master of Ithaca Lodge, No 123, three years.

He was married June 10, 1870, at St. Louis, to Mary J. Finch. She was born in Waterloo, Jackson Co., Mich., in August, 1847, and is the daughter of Reuben and Jane Finch. She died in Ithaca in 1877, leaving two children-Anna S. and Ernest L. Mr. Sinclair was again married in May, 1880, to Juli- ette L., daughter of Lathrop M. Lyon, and was born in Clyde, N. Y.

Charles R. Wright, farmer, section 19, Pine River Township, was born Oct. 28, 1846, in Parma, Jackson Co., Mich. He is the son of Frederick and Sarepta (Fox) Wright, and his father was a prominent pioneer of Gratiot County, with whose progress and comparative rank among the counties of the Peninsula State his name is inseparably connected.

Mr. Wright was nearly 13 years of age when his parents came to Gratiot County, and he has resided chiefly in Pine River Township from that period of his boyhood. He has pursued farming all his life and now owns So acres of land, with 65 acres under first class cultivation. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party.

Mr. Wright was married Oct. 28, 1866, in Pine River Township, to Sarah, daughter of Henry and Susannah (Bigley) Wolf. She was born in Ravenna, Ohio, Jan. 17, 1845, and her parents were natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have lost two children by death : Charles R. and Jessie M., who died in infancy. There are now living: Mary E., Susannah and James K.

lijah Beard, formerly clergyman and farmer, section 5, North Star Township, was born in Erie Co., N. Y., Jan 12, 1807. He is a son of Victory Beard, deceased, a native of Connecticut and a soldier under Gen. Wadsworth in the war 1812, and who moved his family to Delaware Co., Ohio, in 1816. Here our

subject attended subscription school, assisted on his father's farm and developed into manhood.

Elder Beard was married Aug. 16, 1829, to Miss Emeline, daughter of Peter Sunderland, a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in Miami Co., Ohio, in 1810, and to their union six children, all girls, have been born, namely: Mary E. (Martin), Louisa (Vance), Elmira (Vance), Catharine (Herrington), Christina (Herrington) and Annie E. (Morris).

In early manhood Elder Beard turned his attention to the gospel, and in addition to his farm labors was engaged in preaching in the Christian Church until 1855, when he moved with his family to this county. His labors as a minister have been quite extensive. He organized the first Christian Church in Green- bush, Clinton Co, this State; and the first one in Gratiot County, in Barns' settlement, North Star Township, and preached throughout this and Clinton Counties. He has recently sold his farm to his son- in-law, who has taken possession of it, and has also retired from the ministry, satisfied with his labors.

ilas Moody, farmer, resident on section 9, Pine River Township, was born in Chat- ham, Medina Co., Ohio, May 30, 1839. His parents, William and Maria (Ross) Mcody, were natives respectively of Massachusetts and Vermont. The father is a minister of the Dis- ciples' Church, and has been an active laborer in its interests for more than 50 years. He was born Aug. 29, 1810, and was married Aug. 29, 1838, in Granger, Medina Co., Ohio. Ebenezer Moody, his father, was descended from one of three brothers who emigrated from England to Newburyport, Mass., about the year 1632. He married Lucy Wood about the year 1776, and of their family of nine children, two yet survive. He was a soldier of 1812.

Mr. Moody was a pupil in the common schools until he was 17 years of age, after which he spent four years in teaching and study, and attended a select school at Chatham summers. He spent seven winters in teaching school. In 1861, he came to Gratiot County and bought 80 acres of wild land. Subsequent purchases have increased the aggregate of his estate to 400 acres, and of this 200 acres are under cultivation. He taught two winter terms of

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school in Gratiot County, and spent the winter sea- sons of the following 20 years in traffic in hay, in which he has been extensively engaged, as well as in the purchase and sale of oats, pork and other agri- cultural products. His stock includes eight horses, 17 head of cattle, 180 sheep and ro hogs.

In political connections, Mr. Moody is a Republi- can of decided type, and has been for many years an important factor in local affairs. He has been Town- ship Clerk, School Inspector, Highway and Drain Commissioner, and has held several other positions of trust. He is President of the Gratiot County Ag- ricultural Society, and has been connected with the County Board eight years.

Mr. Moody was married in Chatham, Medina Co., Ohio, April 6, 1861, to Ellen M., second daughter of Luther and Hannah (Jackson) Clapp. She was born in Chatham Jan. 8, 1842, and her parents were na- tives of Hampshire Co., Mass. The household in- cludes two children, George A. and Ira C. Two others, Arthur N. and Edith C., have passed to the land of voiceless mystery.

Mr. and Mrs. Moody are both zealous members of the Disciples' Church, and during the past 14 years Mr. Moody has officiated as Superintendent of a Sunday-school. He is also President of the county Sunday-school organization.

ohn Lanshaw, farmer, section 17, Pine River Township, was born Jan. 25, 1830. He is the son of Hans and Anna Lanshaw, who passed their entire lives in the Father- land. Mr. Lanshaw passed the first 25 years of his life in his native country in the vocation of a farmer. He came to the United States in July, 1854, and went at once to New Jersey, where he re- mained four years, coming thence to Detroit. He spent three years in that city, and after a subsequent stay in Oakland County for a short period, he came in January, 1866, to Gratiot County, for the purpose of engaging in farming in accordance with early plans and purposes. He bought too acres of land in Pine River Township, to which he has added by subse- quent purchase, and now is proprietor of 180 acres, with Io in a state of advanced cultivation.

Mr. Lanshaw took a deep interest in the events of

the civil war, and finally became a soldier. He en- listed in March, 1865, in the 22d Reg. Mich. Vol. Inf. Three months after going to the field, 500 members of the regiment were transferred to the 29th Mich. Vol. Inf. He was among the number, and served in that command until his discharge at De- troit on the last day of August, 1865.

In the summer of 1883, he replaced his pioneer house with a substantial residence, where he now re- sides in the comfort and content which is sure to follow persistent and well-directed effort. He be- longs to the National Greenback party.

Mr. Lanshaw was married Aug. 3, 1856, in New Jersey, to Anna Ziesse. She is a native of Germany, where she was born Nov. 29, 1833. Of six children born to them, four are living .: William C., John H., Lillie A. and Minnie L. Eliza L. died when she was II years old. Another child was lost in early infancy.

albert H. Lowry, agent of the American Ex- press Company and manager of the West- ern Union Telegraph office at St. Louis, was born April 13, 1854, near Romeo, Macomb Co., Mich., and is the son of William H. and Charlotte (Teeter) Lowry. His father resides in East Saginaw ; he is a native of New York, and was mar- ried in Jersey City. In 1851 he removed his family to Romeo, and in 1865 to East Saginaw. The wife and mother was a native of New York and was born in Dryden, April 12, 1824, She died Feb. 6, 1883, at South Saginaw.

Mr. Lowry received a good common-school educa- tion, and, at the age of 16, entered a grocery in the capacity of clerk, where he remained two years. Ile then learned telegraphy in East Saginaw, and af- ter six months' study in that art he took an office at Vassar, Mich., where he remained a few months and went thence to Bay City, where he was manager of the American Telegraph office at the Frazier House. He continued in that position three months and came to St. Louis in the interest of the Saginaw Valley & St. Louis Railroad Company. He operated at the depot two years, when he took the city office for the West- ern Union, and during the last three years has been agent for the American Express Company. In the

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS R

Thomas A. Harrod

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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

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ASTOR. LEAOX AND TILDEN F R 1

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spring of 1881 he was elected Village Clerk of St. Louis by a majority of three, himself and the candid- ate for the office of Assessor being the only Repub- licans elected on the ticket. In the spring of 1882, he was re-elected by a majority of 45 votes, and was the only representative of his party elected. He is a member of the Masonic Order, belonging both to the blue lodge and chapter. He belongs to the Fire Department of St. Louis, of which he has been a member five years, two of which he has acted as Fore- man of the Citizens' Hose Company, No. I. In Oc- tober, 1880, Mr. Lowry and Gen. Nathan Church, of Ithaca, built a telegraph line between St. Louis and Ithaca, which is the only line running into the coun- ty seat. It is owned and operated solely by Messrs. Church & Lowry. Mr. L. owns also a building lot at St. Louis. He is Captain of the St. Louis Bicycle Club, organized in January, 1884, with nine wheels.

homas H. Harrod, surveyor and civil engi- neer, section 5, North Star Township, was born in England, Oct. 27, 1847, and is a son of Jeremiah Harrod, also a native of that country. He came to Canada in the fall of 1871, and to this country in June, 1872, locat- ing where he now resides. He has been Deputy County Clerk one term, County Drain Commissioner one year, and Deputy County Surveyor one year. He is now engaged in the business of surveying, in Bay City.

Mr. Harrod was married March 9, 1873, to Mrs. Jame E. Leappard, who was born in England, in 1839, and was brought to New York State by her parents, in emigration, in 1856, and to this county in 1864. Mr. and Mrs. H. have one child, John J., and one adopted daughter, Clara M. Harrod. Mrs. H.'s first husband, John Leappard, was born in England, April 15, 1848 ; was married Feb. 8, 1861 ; enlisted in the war for the Union in the fall of 1861, and died in Belle Island Prison, April 17, 1863. Mrs. Har- rod's father, John Humphrey, of North Star Town- ship, was born in Corydon, Surrey Co., England, July 29, 1810, and settled on section 5, this township, in 1864. He married Ann Best, and they had 13 chil- dren, eight of whom are now living, viz. : Jane E.,

Emma, Richard, Susan, John W., Ambrose, Eliza and Robert.

Mr. Harrod is in every sense a self-made man. He received a little schooling before he was io years old, but educated himself almost entirely by his own efforts. He acquired his knowledge of surveying before leaving England, at the age of about 20. Since 1876, Mr. H. has been licensed to preach in the M. E. Church, and he has labored regularly for the cause of Christianity. The likenesses of Mr. and Mrs. H. are given on contiguous pages.

eorge S. Quick, farmer on section 3, Sum- ner Township, was born in Oakland Coun- ty, this State, Aug. 6, 1853, the son of Ralph and Calista (Treat) Quick, natives of Pennsylvania and New York, and of German and English descent. Ralph Quick was reared in his native State until eight years old, then in New Jersey until 16 years old. Ite then went to Seneca Co., N. Y., where he lived until 1834, work- ing as a common laborer. IIe then came to Oakland Co., Mich., where he followed carpentry and farming until 1871. He then made his last move, to this county, purchasing 120 acres on section 3, Sumner Township. Here he has since lived, being an active worker until the death of his wife, March 29, 1882, but now living a retired life, with his son, to whom he leases the farm. He has been an active man, a pro- gressive farmer and an intelligent citizen. He has been Highway Commissioner and Justice of the Peace one term each, was Supervisor of his town- ship in 1875-6, and has held other minor offices.

He has always been connected with the Presby- terian Church, and politically has supported the Re- publican party. His wife was the mother of 12 children, and she left five of them, and a large cir- cle of friends, to mourn her departure. She was 70 years of age.

The subject of this biography attended the com- mon and graded schools and worked on his father's farm until 19 years old, and then came with his parents to this county. He has remained on the home farm until the present time, and now has the active management of it himself.

June 25, 1878, at St. Louis, he was married to

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Miss Alvira, daughter of Nicholas P. and Lucy (Wright) Watts, natives of Ohio and Kentucky. She was born in Mercer Co., Ohio, May 27, 1852, and came with her parents to Michigan when very young. The family lived in Jackson County eight years, then came to Gratiot County. She lived in Arcada Town- ship until her marriage.

Mr. Quick is an enterprising young man, inherit- ing the business ability, as well as the political faith, of his father, to whom he is a worthy successor of the the family name.

artin Montigel, of the firm of J. M. Mon- tigel & Co., at Alma, was born at Erie, Pa., Oct. 6, 1856, and is a son of J. M. and Anna Barbara (Segrist) Montigel. (See sketch of J. M. Montigel.) The parents of Mr. Montigel went to Ashtabula, Ohio, when he was seven years old. They were residents there eight years, and there the son was a student at school nearly that entire period. In 1871 the family came to Alma, where he again attended school, and when of suitable age he was employed in his father's foundry. In 1878 he was admitted to a partnership in the business, and the connection still continues.

Mr. Montigel is a member of the Order of Masonry and belongs to the blue lodge, No. 244, at Alma. He has also taken the Royal Arch degree and be- longs to Chapter No. 86, at St. Louis. He is a Republican in political sentiment and is Treasurer of the Fire Department at Alma.

rank Gilken, farmer on section ro, Arcada Township, was born in Prussia, at Cologne, on the river Rhine, Feb. 14, 1828. His parents were German, and his father was a farmer and grape-grower. He received a good education in his native tongue, and worked on his father's farm until 18 years old. He then set out for America, unaccompanied by either friend or rela- tive. Landing at New York, he presently came to Detroit, where he was employed on the wharf for about two years. Thence he went to lonia County, this State, where he engaged in farming for 15 years.

Feb. 18, 1863, he was married in lonia County to Miss Ursula Raycroft, a native of Ireland, born in the city of Cork, Dec. 25, 1843. When two years old, she was brought by her parents to this country, and she was reared in Rochester, N. Y., coming to this State some time before her marriage.

Mr. and Mrs Gilken, after three years of wedded life, came to Gratiot County and purchased 320 acres of wild land. By his own efforts, Mr. Gilken has cleared of the primitive forest and prepared for the plow 120 acres of good farming land. In place of his log hut and slab stable, he has now a substantial residence and good barns. One needs but to look at his buildings and stock to see that he is a pro- gressive, intelligent farmer.

Mr. and Mrs. G. are the parents of eight children, six of whom are living: Frank D., born Dec. 14, 1863; Clara, April 5, 1865; Lizzie, Feb. 16, 1868; Mattie, Jan. 17, 1870; Elias J., July 29, 1877; Freddie, June 15, 1883 ; Thora, born Dec. 29, 1875, and died July 29, 1876; Alfred, born July 6, 1880, and died Feb. 6, 1882. In political sentiment, Mr. Gilken is an ardent Democrat.

illiam Hayes, farmer, section 22, Pine 9 River Township, was born in Geneseo, Livingston Co., N. Y., Oct. 3, 1821, and is the son of Dennison and Margaret (Daily) Hayes. ITis father was a native of Pennsylva- nia, and his mother was born in Ireland. After their marriage they located in Livingston County, where they resided until the death of the father, which occurred in 1846. The mother died in Alle- gany County, N. Y.

Mr. Hayes remained at home as his father's assist- ant on the farm until he was 23 years old. At that age, in 1847, he came to Ann Arbor, and after a res- idence there of two years removed to Ionia County. In the fall of 1867 he bought So acres of land in Gratiot County, of which he has since been the pro- prietor. It was principally in a state of nature, and he has now a fine farm of 40 acres, all under im- provement. He disposed of 40 acres by sale. Mr. Hayes is an adherent to the principles and issues of the Democratic party.

He was married in Geneseo, Nov. 26, 1843, to

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Tirzah J., daughter of Silas and Cheney (Kent) Nor- ton, natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Ilayes have had six children : William O., John D., Isadore C., Marion A., Flora E. and Ilerbert N. The eldest son became a soldier in the war of the Southern Re- bellion. He enlisted in February, 1865. On arriv- ing in Washington his command was detailed for frontier sevice and ordered to Dakota to aid in quell- ing the Indians. He was seized with typhoid pnen- monia, and died Sept. 9, 1865. He was 23 years old and at the dawn of a promising manhood. He left a widow and one child.

amuel H. Loveland, dealer in furniture and undertaker's goods, at Alma, is the youngest son and child of Erastus and Olive (Forbes) Loveland, and was born July 28, 1832, in Washington, Berkshire Co., Mass. The parents were natives of Connecticut, where they continued to reside for several years fol- lowing their marriage, when they removed to Wash- ington, Mass., where the father engaged in the occu- pation of agriculturist. They continued to reside there between 30 and 40 years, when they went to Hinsdale, in the Bay State. Eight years later they returned to Washington, where they lived during the remainder of their lives. The father died Aug. 12, 1840, and the mother followed to the land of ever- lasting peace, in July, 1847. Four sons and four daughters were born to them, in the following order : Lewis, Amanda, Lucy, Erastus, William, Orrin, Al- mira, Louisa and Samuel.

Mr. Loveland was 15 years old when his mother died, and about the same time the privilege of con- structing his own fortunes devolved upon himself. He hired out as a common laborer at $5 a month, and worked diligently and steadily eight months. He bought a good suit of clothes, a trunk and minor articles necessary to a comfortable and creditable ont- fit. Thus equipped, he attended school and contin- ued two years in alternate labor and study. At 17 years of age he began to work in a saw-mill, where he was employed two years. He next went to Seneca Co., N. Y., where he worked about 18 months in the machine shop of Messrs. Silsby, Race & Holly. (The senior member of the firm was the patentee of the Silsby fire engine, and the junior partner was the

inventor of the celebrated Ilolly water works sys- tem.) The employ proving unwholesome, he aban- doned it and came to Midland Co., Mich. He arrived there in June, 1855, and bought 80 acres of pine land, where he spent 18 months in lumbering. He sold his place and went to Isabella County, where he bought So acres of farming land and en- tered upon the realities of pioneer life. He reached the county Feb. 7, 1857, and was the fourth settler in the township of Isabella, and for nearly two years his log house was the only meeting-house in that section.

Isabella Township was organized in 1856, and in the spring of 1857 the county was organized and 14 townships. Mr. Loveland was elected first Clerk of Isabella Township. He was the first Class-leader in the county, and the first Sunday-school Superin- tendent. He was also the first licensed exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal Church in the county, and his house was open to the preachers of every denom- ination who came to that section.

His tract of land was wholly in a state of nature and he proceeded with energetic and patient, untir- ing labor to the work of clearing and improving. He pursued his purpose until Aug. 13, 1862, when he yielded to the spirit aroused in him by the de- mands of the nation for help in her sore extremity, and enlisted in the 8th Mich. Vol. Inf. He was in the service nearly three years and experienced the pains and privileges of the soldier's fate at South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, Jackson, Knoxville, Blue Springs, Wilderness and Petersburg and numerous other engagements of minor importance. He was wounded in the side, at the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, and was confined a month in the hospital. He was honorably discharged in 1865, at Detroit, and returned to his family and labors in Isabella County. He there re- sided until the spring of 1874, when he sold his farm and entered into a partnership with David Lamb, in the manufacture of lumber, locating in Saginaw County. They were engaged in the prosecution of a prosperous and extending business when their prop- erty was almost entirely destroyed by fire. Mr. Loveland lost $2,000. He removed to St. Louis, Gratiot County, where he engaged in labor as a car- penter. This he followed about a year, and subse- quently spent one and a half years in the meat

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business. In 1877 he bought a stock of furniture, in company with S. C. Smith. After operating two years they divided the stock, and in January, 1879, Mr. Loveland moved to .Alma, established himself in the business in which he has since been engaged, and which he is managing with satisfactory results. In spite of his several reverses he has continued his efforts with brave hopefulness, and is fast regaining what he has lost.

Mr. Loveland was married at Seneca Falls, N. Y., May 24, 1854, to Sarah E., daughter of H. H. and Eleanor (Runyon) Baker, natives of New York. The mother died in the Empire State, and the father in Washtenaw Co., Mich., at the residence of his son. Mrs. Loveland was born Jan. 12, 1831, in On- tario Co., N. Y., in the village of Bethel.

Mr. Loveland is a decided radical in religious, moral and political sentiments. He has been from early life active and zealous in the interests of Chris- tianity, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church. ITis religion is a concomitant of his daily life. In Isabella County he brought his views into bearing upon all his intercourse with the world at large, and was a pioneer representative of Christian principles coequal with his solicitude for the agricultural progress of the locality. lle was there licensed as an ex- horter and local preacher and aided materially in the construction of the first church structure built in Isa- bella County. He was true to his convictions of his obligations to his fellow-men while a soldier in the army, and by his consistent life and unremitting en- deavors accomplished much permanent good. He is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows and belongs to the Good Templars. In the work of the latter society and the cause of temperance generally, he is fearlessly outspoken and zealous. He is a Repub- lican in political connection.

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Portrait and biographical album of Gratiot county, Mich., Part 37

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers Number of Pages: 856

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 856