Portrait and biographical album of Gratiot county, Mich., Part 50

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

USA > Michigan > Gratiot County > Portrait and biographical album of Gratiot county, Mich. > Part 50

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Mr. Willett was graduated from the High School at Grand Rapids in 1867, after twoyears' study, then, in the fall of the same year entered the Literary De- partment of the University of Michigan at Ann Ar- bor, where he graduated in 1871. He went to [Chel- sea, Washtenaw County, and officiated as Principal of the Union School there a year. He returned to St. Louis and obtained a situation as clerk in the Gratiot County Bank, where he operated two years. In 1874, associated with Hiram Harrington, Lemuel Savins and Aaron Wessels, he organized the Mer- chants & Farmers' Bank. He was its cashier, and acted as such about two years. He had devoted his leisure to the study of law and was admitted to the Bar, Jan. 4, 1877. Ile entered upon the duties of active practice immediately after. He has been en- gaged in a lucrative and increasing law business ever since, and has attained satisfactory prominence in his profession through his connection with several cases of more than ordinary importance.

In the fall of 1880, Mr. Willett was elected Prose- cuting Attorney of Gratiot County, and held the po- sition one term. He has been Village Treasurer and President of St. Louis one year each. In the spring of 1881, he was nominated by the State Con- vention of the Greenback party as one of the Re- gents of the University, but was defeated, and in the fall of 1882 he was placed in nomination by the

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Democratic and Greenback parties to represent the Eighth Congressional District, against R. G. Horr, but was defeated. In 1883, he was again a candi- date for Regent, on the Union ticket, and was elected. In addition to his law business, Mr. Willett is en- gaged in real-estate and loan brokerage, in compa- ny with E. C. Phillips, and has extensive relations in these branches in Gratiot and neighboring counties.

He was married at St. Louis May 13, 1874, to Har- riet Crossman. She was the daughter of Abisha R. and Margaret S. Crossman, and was born in Pelham, Ontario, Aug. 25, 1852. Her father died in 1867, and in 1871 her mother removed to St. Louis, Mich , where she died in 1876.

avid F. Courter, a progressive young far- mer on section 12, Sumner Township, is a son of Jonathan and Sarah (Barton) Courter (see sketch of Jonathan Courter), and was born in Orleans Township, Ionia Co., Mich., Oct. 18, 1850. Four years later he came with his parents to Gratict County, and the family settled on section 7, Arcada Township. David remained with his father on this place until 22 years. old, securing an elementary and practical education. He then purchased 120 acres of timbered land on section 13, Sumner Township, where he remained a year and a half, cutting timber, etc. Selling this place, he then bought his present farm of So acres on section 12. He has now 60 acres in a good state of cultivation, and has erected suitable farm buildings.

Dec. 24, 1875, at Aima, he was united in the bonds of matrimony to Miss Dena Clark, daughter of Charles and Harriet (Davis) Clark, natives of New York and Connecticut respectively, and of Scotch and English extraction. Mr. Clark was a farmer, and died in Sumner Township, this county. Mrs. Clark now lives in Canada. Their daughter, Dena, was born in Ontario, Canada, June 28, 1860, and came to Michigan with her parents when 15 years old. Since marriage Mr. and Mrs. Courter have lived on the farm which he improved previously. March 22, 1881, his house and household goods were all destroyed by fire, the loss exceeding $700. He is not a man to be long set back by such a loss, how- ever, and is rapidly recovering.

Mr. and Mrs. C. are the parents of two children, Bertha M. and Allan F. Politically, he votes the Democratic ticket.

braham W. Russell, resident of Ithaca, and Supervisor of the township of Ithaca, is a son of James W. and Jane (Wolfcale) Russell, natives respectively of the Keystone State and the Shenandoah Valley, Va. The father was a farmer, and settled in Trumbull Co., Ohio, as early as 1802. He served under Gen. Harrison in the second war with Great Britain, and was sta- tioned at Fort Meigs, at Perrysburg, on the Maumee River. After his discharge, he returned to the old homestead in Trumbull County, afterwards removing to Paulding County, where he died. The mother died in Mahoning Co., Ohio.

The subject of this sketch was born Oct. 13, 1830, in Trumbull Co., Ohio, and remained with his par- ents until the death of his mother. He worked at various employments, until 19 years old, and then served an apprenticeship of one year in the wagon- making trade, which occupation he has since fol- lowed. In 1853, he went to Fostoria, Seneca Co., Ohio, where he lived until 1861. He enlisted in Co. E, 49th Ohio Vol. Inf., and, attached to the Western Army, participated in the great battle of Pittsburg Landing and in several other engagements. He was after a time transferred to the Signal Corps, in which he served the remainder of his term. He was finally discharged Aug. 22, 1864, at Chattanooga, Tenn. Returning to his home, he remained one year more in Fostoria, and in 1865 came to Gratiot County, locating at Ithaca.

In June, 1852, in Canfield, Mahoning Co., Ohio, he was united in marriage to Miss Emeline Morey, who was born July 10, 1829, in Perry Co., Pa., and is the daughter of William and Betsey (Sulibarger) Morey. The parents were natives of Pennsylvania, and settled in Ellsworth, Trumbull Co., Ohio, in 1836. Mr. Morey died the same year, his widow living until 1874, when she died at Champion, Trumbull County. To Mr. and Mrs. Russell, eight children have been born, five of whom survive: Willis A., Florence R. A., Carlos B., Fred G. and Cora C. I.

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Mr. R. is a member of the 1. O. O. F., F. & A. M., G. A. R. and K. of Il .; and is politically an earnest Republican. He has been Supervisor of Ithaca Township from 1882 to the present time; Justice of the Peace from 1871 to 1882; and Superintendent of the Poor for nine years. He and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a Trustee.

lijah Curtis, farmer, section 3, Hamilton Township, and one of the pioneer settlers of the county, was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., June 6, 1802. His father, Ashbel Curtis, removed his family to London, Canada, in 1820, and there Elijah remained until 1836, assisting his father, and receiving limited educational advantages, when he came to this State and settled in the county of Oakland. There he remained, en- during the trials and deprivations of the pioneer set- tler in clearing and cultivating his land until 1855, when he came to this county and settled on section 3, Hamilton Township, where he at present resides.

Mr. Curtis was married Feb. 21, 1826, to Abbie Burdick, and eight children have been born to their union, only three of whom, James, Winthrop and Abigail, are now living. Mrs. C. died in February, 1868, and Mr. C. was again married in January, 1869, this time to Mrs. Rebecca Pickett, who had four children by a former marriage, namely : Mary, Joseph, Charlotte and Perry.

Mr. Curtis now owns 107 acres of land in this county ; was Justice of the Peace 16 years, Postmas- ter seven years, and Supervisor of the township two years, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

oolf Netzorg, general merchant at Ithaca, is a native of Russia, and is a son of Abraham and Rebecca (Keidan) Netzorg. He was educated in his native country, and at the age of 20 came to the United States. He joined his uncles, H. and J. Netzorg, at St. Charles, Saginaw Co., Mich., where they were in bus- iness. In order to accustom himself to the customs and language of the new work in which he found

himself, Mr. Netzorg followed peddling about two years and a half, after which he engaged as a clerk in the store of this uncles, where he remained about six months. He came to Ithaca in September, 1877, and entered into partnership with Nyman E. Yesner, and opened a store for the sale of general merchan- dise. This relation existed until Feb. 26, 1883, when Mr. Netzorg purchased the interest of his associate, and has since been engaged in the prosecution of a prosperous and gradually extending business. His stock is estimated at a value of $12,000, and his an- nual business transactions represent an aggregate of $25,000. He is a member of the Masonic frater- nity.

Since Mr. Netzorg came to America he has aided his brother Mayer and sister Dessie to come to this country. The former is in his employ as clerk and the latter is attending school.

He was married Jan. 6, 1881, at St. Charles, Mich., to Fannie Sodekson, of Mineola, Texas, and a native of Russia. Mr. and Mrs. Netzorg have a son and daughter, the former, Sallie, born April 12, 1882, the latter, Celia, May 29, 1883.

oseph W. Kemp, grocer and dealer in boots, shoes, crockery and glass-ware at St. Louis, was born May 28, 1834, in Richland Co., Ohio. He is a son of Jacob M. and Harriet (Hoey) Kemp, who went to Williams Co., Ohio, in 1851. They were pioneers and settled on a farm which was mostly in an original state. Seven years later the family came to Michigan and settled in Coe Township, Isabella County, where the father bought a farm.

Mr. Kemp obtained his education in the common schools and was reared on a farm. He helped his father clear a considerable part of the farm in the Buckeye State, and accompanied the family to Isa- bella County. Soon after he went to Jackson County, where he spent two years. In 1858 he had bought 100 acres of land in Coe Township, where his father resided, located on section 24, where he cleared 40 acres and made other improvements. He came to St. Louis in January. 1872. His father had preced- ed him and established himself in trade. The son operated for a time as his assistant, and, later, enter-

THE NEW. PUBLIC LIB:

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ed the employ of Joseph Tibbett, where he remained 18 months, On the termination of this relation, he formed a partnership with W. A. Williams, and en- gaged in the sale of groceries and provisions at St. Louis. This relation existed nearly two years, when Mr. Kemp, Sr., bought out the interest of Mr. Williams and the business was conducted by the father and son four years. Mr. Kemp then became sole proprietor by purchase and has continued since to manage the business singly. He established him- self where he is now located in the winter of 1878-9, and is meeting with reasonable success. He owns his residence and grounds and four lots with dwell- ings, besides 40 acres of land on section 12, Pine River Township, and 200 acres of land in Jasper Township, Midland County.

Mr. Kemp was married Dec. 25, 1860, to Roxana, daughter of Joseph and Margaret A. Davison. She was born in Warren Township, Trumbull Co., Ohio, April 27, 1844. Of this marriage one child was born, in Isabella Co., Mich., Nov. 21, 1862 : Josephine C., now the wife of George Wilson, salesman in the store of Mr. Kemp. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have one child : Maud, born March 10, 1881, at St. Louis.

oseph H. Dodge, farmer, section 4, Wash- ington Township, is a son of Alonzo and Mary A. (Morton) Dodge-the former born in Vermont in 1828, and the latter in Ohio in 1829. Alonzo Dodge came to Clinton County in 1855, and 12 years later came to Gratiot, locating on 80 acres of wild land on section 4, Wash- ington Township. his present residence. He had to cut a road a mile and a half to his place. During his residence here, his occupation has been farming and threshing.

The subject of this sketch was born in Medina Co., Ohio, Dec. 17, 1848. At the age of 20, he was united in marriage to Ella C. Krepps, third daughter of a family of eight-four sons and four daughters. She was born Oct. 5, 1852, and her parents are Christian and Elizabeth A. (Bear) Krepps, natives of Pennsyl- vania. Mr. Krepps is a farmer, and came to Michi- gan in 1852, locating in Clinton County, where he and wife yet reside, on a farm of 160 acres.

When 19 years old, Mr. Dodge purchased 80 acres

of land, and by industry and good management now has an excellent farm of 120 acres. In 1881, he erected the finest house in his township, at a cost of $1,600, his former dwelling having been destroyed by fire the previous year. He has been Highway Commissioner, and has also held the office of Director in his school district. He is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 318, F. & A. M. Politically, he is a Democrat.

ne ganiel R. Sullivan, farmer on section 33, Pine River Township, is a son of Cornelius and Margaret (Murphy) Sullivan, natives of Ireland. They were married on the Emer_ ald Isle, and soon after, in 1829, came to America, first settling in Boston for one year. They then removed to Newport, R. I., and in 1836 came to Michigan and settled in Washtenaw County. Six years later they removed to Jackson County, where they both died. They had a family of 12 children, eight sons and four daughters.

Daniel R., the subject of this narrative, was the eldest son of the family, and was born in Newport, R. I., June 8, 1830. When six years old his parents removed to Michigan, and he remained with them much of the time until 32 years of age. He received a common-school education, and at the age of 18 went to New Orleans, La., where he remained 13 years, chiefly engaged in steamboating.

In August, 1854, he located 160 acres of wild land in Pine River Township, this county, and in the fall of 1861, on his return from the South, he came to Gratiot County and settled on his farm, where he has since resided. He first built a frame house, but this was finally superseded by a fine brick residence, into which he moved Dec. 24, 1877. He has added to his estate 320 acres in Pine River and Arcada Town- ships, and now has one of the model farms of the county, 250 acres being under cultivation.

In December, 1862, in Arcada Township, he was married to Miss Jeannette, daughter of Emery and Maria (Lewis) Adams (see sketch of Emery Adams). She was born in Liberty Township, Jackson Co., Mich., Dec. 28, 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan have had four children: William C., John D., Pearl (died in infancy) and Maggie M. Mr. S. has held the

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offices of Supervisor one year, and llighway Com- missioner several years. In the spring of 1883 he was elected Township Treasurer, which position he now fills. He is a member of the Masonic Order, and politically is identified with the Democratic party. Mrs. Sullivan is a member of the Episcopal Church.

The portrait of Mr. Sullivan on page 472 is that of a representative farmer and citizen of Gratiot County. ITis character as a man has secured for him the permanent respect and confidence of his fel- low-citizens, which is expressed in the various trusts committed to his care.

illiam S. Townsend, farmer, section 33, Emerson Township, was born on the At- lantic Ocean Ang. 22, 1843, while his par- ents were on their way from Edinburgh, Scotland, to America. He is a son of Will- iam W. and Dorothy (Smith) Townsend, natives of Scotland. Mr. Townsend, Sr., was a dry-goods merchant in that country, and died in Toronto, Can- ada, soon after his arrival. The mother also died about the same time, leaving three children : George, now a farmer residing near St. Thomas, Canada ; Martha (died in Toronto) ; and William S., the sub- ject of this sketch. The last named learned the blacksmith trade in Belleville, Canada, and followed that calling for a number of years in Belleville, Can- ada, Albany, N. Y., Rome, N. Y., New York city, and Oswego, N. Y.

On the breaking out of the war, he became infused with the idea of serving his country, and in August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, 147th N. Y. Inf., under Capt. Gary. He served two years, being in a num- ber of engagements, and was discharged at Washing- ton City. Returning to Oswego, he settled on 141/2 acres a mile and a half from that city, and engaged in raising garden truck. He resided on this place, which he had purchased before entering the army. until 1869, and then exchanged for his present farm of 160 acres. The next three years were spent in the mines in California, and then one year in Oswe- go. July 4, 1876, he arrived in Ithaca, and settled on his farm a mile and three-fourths from town. It was then all timber, but he has cleared 50 acres,

chopped 20 acres, and made other improvements.

He was married in Oswego, N. Y , July 12, 1860, to Jane, daughter of Jesse and Thyrsa Gray, born near Oswego, May 3, 1843. They have one son, William E., born in Oswego July 11, 1861, and an adopted daughter, Minnie, born Sept. 7, 1876. Mr. Townsend is a citizen of standing in the county. Ile is a member of Ithaca Lodge, No. 70, F. & A. M.

gavid Elliott, superintendent of the Wright farm, on section 4, Arcada Township, near Alma, was born in Durham Co., Canada, on the banks of Lake Ontario, and in the vicinity of the city of Toronto, April 10, 1833. His parents, Moor and Catharine (McCombs) Elliott, were of Irish and Scotch descent, followed farming for a livelihood, and died in Canada. He passed the years of his youth on his father's farm, and was educated in the common school. Arriving at the age of independence, he worked at farming for himself for six years, and then, in company with his brother, went to Brant Township, Bruce Co., Canada, where they each purchased a farm. David kept " bachelor's hall " for one year, when the destroy- ing element, fire, consumed his dwelling and all its contents, entailing a loss of $1,000. He then re- turned to his native county, and one year later, in the spring 1864, he came to Michigan, locating in the vicinity of Adrian, Lenawee County. Here he was connected with a nursery, and also worked at farming. He next spent a short season in Canada. Returning to Adrian, he was for five years engaged with Mr. Brackley Shaw, the present State Senator from the Sixth District.

Oct. 19, 1869, he was married in Hudson, Lenawee County, to Miss Jane, daughter of Henry and Jane (Burns) Burns. They were of Scotch descent, but were reared in Ireland. Jane was born in Adrian, Sept. 1, 1845, and resided in her native place until marriage. Immediately after this event they went to Bruce Co., Canada; and two years later, selling their farm of 50 acres, they returned to Lenawee County and lived for three years on a rented farm. In the fall of 1875 they came to Gratiot County, where Mr. Elliott purchased So acres of partially improved land in Pine River Township. This farm he operated

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until recently, when he leased his farm for five years, and engaged with Mr. Ammi Wright, of Alma, as superintendent of his beautiful farm just east of the corporation limits.

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have one daughter, Alvira, born Sept. 2, 1870. Mr. E. is a scientific farmer, an intelligent citizen and a pleasant neighbor. Politi- cally, he is a Democrat.

mery W. Burgess, farmer, section 25, Pine River Township, was born May 2, 1837, in Northville, Wayne Co., Mich. He is the sixth child and second son of his parents, Hiram and Betsey (Placeway) Burgess (see sketch of Hiram Burgess). He was 17 years old when the family came to Gratiot County, and passed his entire minority assisting his father on the farm, and experiencing all the incidents common to pioneer life. Gratiot County was unorganized, set- tlers were few and far between, and everything was in the most primitive condition. Emigrants to Gra- tiot County found no accommodations between Ma- ple Rapids and St. Louis, save at the " Half-Way House," in what is now the township of Ithaca, one- fourth of a mile from the village, which institution deserves permanent record as auxiliary to the first settlement of this section. It was built and managed through the enterprise of a man named Paul Avery. It was constructed of basswood bark, and was about eight by sixteen feet in dimensions. It had two apartments-one inside for a dormitory, and the other outside for a dining-room. The floor of the sleeping- room was covered with boughs and straw, and accommodated from two to twenty persons. Mrs. Avery was always the first to retire. Mr. Avery fol- lowed, and the guests arranged themselves in the space that remained. The furniture of the estab- lishment consisted of a table, constructed of bark laid across supports of poles, which were supported in turn by forked stakes driven into the ground, and the arrangements for sitting at a meal consisted of a bark bench similarly constructed. Later, Mr. Avery built a log house, which served as a tavern until the influx of inhabitants, the progress of civilization, and the building of good routes of travel made it no lon- ger necessary. One incident related by Mr. Burgess

exhibits alike the perplexities of the early settlers and their solicitude for the welfare of each other. His father reached his home late one night from Maple Rapids, bearing supplies for the nearest neighbor, who lived miles away in the vicinity, and set out at daylight in company with his son. They followed the road up to a certain point indicated by a beech tree, which was "blazed " to mark the turning off place. On reaching it, they turned to the right and drove until dark through the woods and over a trail, covered with 14 inches of virgin snow, and indicated only by the absence of under-brush. It was a weari- some day. The horses moved reluctantly, and never faster than a walk, and the light which shone through the trees from the huge fire outside the cabin they were seeking was the most welcome sight Mr. Bur- gess can remember in all his life. The cabin was built of logs without chinking; the floor was of the variety known under the term "puncheon," and the roof was made of " shakes," with one square left out to serve the purposes of a chimney. Warmth was maintained by the fire outside, which was half the size of the domicile. This is one picture of pioneer life in Gratiot County in 1855, and it is believed that this was the first time a horse team passed over that route.

Mr. Burgess was married Jan. 1, 1859, in Pine River Township, to Marcelia S., daughter of Abraham and Annie M. (Barrett) Woodin. The ceremony was performed in the log house of the bride's father by Elder Fay, a Baptist minister, in the presence of 16 invited guests. At the time, Mr. Burgess owned 40 acres of wild land, a yoke of two-year-old steers, and a cow. He rented a farm, and moved thither with his wife and all his earthly goods. The latter were drawn at one load on an ox sled by the steers aforesaid. After buying one-fourth of a pound of tea and a pound of saleratus, he had 25 cents left where- with to begin the world. The nearest neighbors were a mile and a half away in one direction, and three miles in another, and six weeks elapsed before Mrs. Burgess saw the face of a white woman. Mr. Bur- gess drove the team to St. Louis which moved Dr. Gifford, the first resident physician at that place, who went to housekeeping in a bough house with his wife and one baby. The party spent one night in the woods while en route, Mrs. Gifford and her infant daughter, four months old, being made comfortable in the shelter of a fallen pine, while the men slept

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under the sky. The "baby " is the wife of John Nobles, of St. Louis. Mr. Burgess drew the logs to build the "Crawford House," the first hotel erected at St. Louis.

The family lived on the rented farm a year, and took possession of the place they owned. This was increased by the purchase of So acres additional, and they resided on it six years. In 1869 it was soll, and Mr. Burgess bought 80 acres, where he has since resided, and managed his agricultural interests with success. He has 60 acres cleared and improved, and has erected a good house and barn. He is a Republican in political connection.

Mrs. Burgess was born in Harmony, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., Nov. 22, 1881. Abraham Woodin, her father, was born in Gorham, Ontario Co., N. Y., Oct. 3, 1809, and died Nov. 23, 1860. Jeremiah Woodin, his father, was born in Cobleskill, Schoharie Co., N. Y., in 1784, and died in 1871. His wife, Martha (Wal- lin) Woodin, was born in the same place in 1796, and died in March, 1862. Anna (Barrett) Woodin was born in Gorham, Ontario Co., N. Y., July 1, 1811, and is still living. Her father, Cornelius Bar- rett, was born Nov. 6, 1778, on Martha's Vineyard, and died Nov. 10, 1853. Elizabeth (Sawyer) Bar- rett, his wife, was born in Connecticut Nov. 13, 1784, and died in November, 1864. Mrs. Burgess had four brothers and four sisters : Wallace W., Washington H., Jay A., Hiram U., Martha A., Ophelia N., Eliza- beth M. and Olilia E. She has been the mother of six children, born as follows: Etta, March 10, 1861; Lillie M., June 2, 1871 ; Glen H., Sept. 16, 1878. Elberon C. was born Jan. 4, 1860, and died March 9 following; Clark was born March 10, 1864, and died March 20, 1866; Maud was born Aug. 14, 1866, and died July 7, 1867.

ilbert B. Porter, jeweler at Alma, was born at Vermontville, Eaton Co., Mich., May 6, 1854, and is the son of Stewart H. and Cornelia T. (Hopkins) Porter. His father was a native of New York, his mother of Vermont. They were married and settled where their son was born, and the mother is still resident there. The father died Nov. 10, 1882. Seven children were born to them-Robert S., Clara T., Gilbert B., Frederick

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Portrait and biographical album of Gratiot county, Mich., Part 50

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

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