Portrait and biographical album of Gratiot county, Mich., Part 53

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

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teward Harrison, farmer, section 10, Pine River Township, was born in Ontario, Can- ada, Dec. 25, 1835, and is the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hunter) Harrison. His father was born in Ireland and his mother in Scotland.

Mr. Harrison resided in Canada until 1861, when he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and there followed the vocation of a saddler about six years, having learned the trade in Canada. In the fall of 1867 he came to St. Louis, Gratiot County, and established his busi- ness there, working at his trade until the spring of 1876, when he sold out and bought So acres of land, to which he has since devoted his time and energies. He has placed 40 acres under cultivation, and built a comfortable and creditable house. Mr. Harrison belongs to the Order of Masonry, and is independent in political belief.

He was married Oct. 14, 1869, at Ithaca, to Mary, daughter of George and Nancy (Lackey) Woolley. Parents and daughter are natives of Canada, where the latter was born March 19, 1854. Two of three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Harrison are living- Thomas H. and Nettie M. John died in infancy. The parents belong to the Presbyterian Church.

r. John H. DeMay, physician, at Ithaca, was born Aug. 22, 1851, in Fairport, Mon- roe Co., N. Y., and is a son of Abraham and Nancy (Davitt) DeMay. His father was born Aug. 18, 1814, in Amsterdam, Holland, where he was a musician. In 1856 he came to Shiawassee Co., Mich., and adopted the occupation of a farmer. He bought two farms in Conway Township, one containing 65 acres, the other includ- ing 80 acres. He sold his property three years later and went to Livingston County, where he bought 120

acres of land in the township of Deerfield, and was there resident seven years, going thence to Wright Township, Hillsdale County, where the family still reside.

During the early manhood of Dr. DeMay he fin- ished his elementary education attending school win- ters, and passing the summer seasons as a clerk. He attended the High School at Hudson, after which he passed five years as salesman in hardware stores at Jackson, Mich., and St. John's. He began to pre- pare for his profession at the latter place, and read medicine under the direction of Dr. A. J. Wiggins. He afterward entered the Medical Department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he remained three years, and was graduated with the the class of 1879. He at once opened an office at Ithaca, where he has since continued the practice of his profession and has established a large and grow- ing business. He is now Medical Examiner for the Knights of Honor and the Knights of the Maccabees.

Dr. DeMay was married Sept. 6, 1876, to Ella, daughter of Henry and Zilpah W. (Allen) Wal- bridge. She was born at St. John's, Oct. 31, 1856. Of this marriage there is one child, Gracie, born Jan. 2, 1879. The Doctor is a member of the State Medical Society of Michigan, and belongs to the fraternity of Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Village Council of Ithaca.

conrad Westenhaver, farmer on section 22, Fulton Township, is a son of George and Sarah (Brown) Westenhaver, natives of Ohio, where the mother died. The father died in the State of Wisconsin. The subject of this biography was born in Stark Co., Ohio, May 16, 1822.

Losing his mother when he was only seven years old, he was " bound out " on a farm until he should be 18 years of age. He was consequently deprived of the usual privileges of home, and his education was very limited. When he was 13 years old, his master lost his wife, and he was left to shift for him- self. He followed farming for some time, and then came to Michigan. In June, 1854, he came to Gra- tiot County, and entered 160 acres of wild land on section 36, Newark Township. This land he soon

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after traded for So acres on section 22, Fulton Town- ship, where he has since resided. He has 70 acres under good cultivation.

Aug. 31, 1843, in Seneca Co., Ohio, he married Miss Rebecca Clark, daughter of Matthias and Maria (Copeland) Clark, natives of Pennsylvania. She was born in Huntington Co., Pa., Jan. 5, 1827. Mr. and Mrs. W. have had ten children: Maria E., Sarah R., Ananias, Sylvia E., Hettie, Minerva, Matthias, Effie and Nancy. Alt these grew to be adults. An- anias died Aug. 28, 1881, aged 32 years, seven months. Sarah R. died April 21, 1879, aged 32 years, five months. Mr. and Mrs. W. are active and consistent members of the Christian Church. Polit- ically he has always been identified with the Demo- cratic party.

oman Fyler, farmer, section 24, North Shade Township, is the son of Shaler and Mary (Hulbert) Fyler, of Puritan descent, the former a native of Connecticut, and the latter of New York. Mr. F. was a farmer, and still lives in New York State. He was married in June, 1819, in that State; his wife, the second child of a family of eight, died in September, 1824, in the same State. He came to Michigan in an early day and located land, but returned to New York, where he died, Oct. 12, 1850.

The subject of this sketch was born Aug. 28, 1822, in Madison Co., N. Y. After his mother's death he lived at various places until 1843, when he settled in Jackson Co, Mich. In about ten years he came to this county and located on section 24, where he still resides. He took possession of 160 acres of wild land, 60 acres of which he has reclaimed from the forest and put into a fine tillable condition.

Politically, Mr. F. is a staunch Republican. He has been Justice of the Peace some four or five terms, Highway Commissioner, School Inspector, etc. ; indeed, he has held office almost continuously during his residence in this township. He has been Dele- gate to the County Convention a number of times ; was one of the first jurors of the county, while it was attached to Clinton County; had to go to DeWitt to serve on the jury ; and was also a member of the only grand jury ever subpoenaed in the county.

In 1852, Mr. Fyler was married to Miss Elizabeth M., daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Kinney) Brink, the former a native of New Jersey. They were the parents of five sons and five daughters. Mr. and Mrs. F. have no family of their own.

The portrait of Mr. Fyler, on the opposite page, is a valuable addition to this Album.

ddis C. Gillett, farmer on section 15, Ful- ton Township, is a son of Jason and Emma (Fellows) Gillett, natives of Onondaga Co., N. Y. They came to Washtenaw County, this State, and resided there, on a farm, over 30 years. Then selling out, he bought a farm in Law- rence Co., Mo., where they lived a year and a half. He died there in 1861. His wife returned to Wash- tenaw County, where she died, Nov. 16, 1867.

The subject of this biography was born in Wash- tenaw Co., Mich., March 4, 1842, and was educated in the common schools. Feb. 16, 1862, at the age of 20, he enlisted in the 14th Mich. Vol. Inf., and served three years and four months. He participated in Sherman's famous march to the sea, and on this march, while out with eight others foraging, he was taken prisoner. After four weeks of confinement, he was paroled, and set at liberty. At the expiration of his term of service, he returned to Washtenaw Coun- ty, and for a year worked by the month on a farm.

In February, 1868, he came to this county and pur- chased 40 acres of partly improved land on section 15, Fulton Township, where he now resides. He has since added 80 acres by purchase, and of his whole farm, about 70 acres are cultivated. The house which he built soon after coming to Gratiot County was de- stroyed by fire, Feb. 19, 1881 ; and the following spring he built the fine residence which he now occu- pies.

Aug. 29, 1867, in Sharon, Washtenaw Co., Mich., he married Miss Mary T., daughter of Moses T. and Harriet L. (Brown) Graham, natives of New York, where they were both veteran school-teachers. Mr. Graham died in March, 1851. Mrs. Graham after- ward came to this State, and now resides in Washte- naw County. Mrs. Gillett was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Aug. 29, 1850. She and her husband are the parents of two daughters : Winnie 1. and Emma H.

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Mr. and Mrs. G. are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Politically, he is a Republican and a firm Prohibitionist. He is an active worker in all temperance movements.

lexander C. Henry, farmer, section II, Pine River Township, is the son of John and Elizabeth Henry, and was born April 7, 1857, in Washington Co., Pa. His parents were also natives of the Keystone State, and in 1866 they came to Michigan and settled in Pine River Township, where the father died Oct. 9, 1869, and the mother followed him to the land of eternal rest and peace July 24, 1877.

Mr. Henry came to Michigan with his parents, and has followed farming most of his active life. In 1878 he bought 80 acres of land, part of which was under some degree of improvement, and he has in- creased its value and appearance by his judicious expenditure of labor and good judgment. He now has 55 acres under cultivation. In 1882, he built a commodious house and convenient barn.

Mr. Henry was married Nov. 22, 1880, at St. Louis, to Clara R., daughter of Jerry and Henrietta Davis, natives respectively of Michigan and Pennsylvania. Mrs. Henry was born Sept. 29, 1865, in Midland Co, Mich. Clyde W., their only child, was born July 4, 1883. Mr. Henry is a Republican in political senti- ment.

ark Burdette Suydam, deceased, form- erly resident on section 29, Bethany Township, was born March 28, 1854, in Granby, Oswego Co., N. Y. He is a son of John H. and Harriet A. (Buel) Suydam, and in 1856 his parents removed to Ohio, where they passed about 18 months in determining upon a loca- tion. They settled in Elmore, Ottawa County, where they remained six years. In April, 1865, they re- moved to Gratiot County, and an incident of their ar- rival was the announcement by them of the fall of Richmond and the surrender of Gen. Lee, the first intelligence of the event which reached Ithaca.

The family settled a mile and a half southeast of St. Louis, and a few months later removed to the village.

The first marked event of the life of Mr. Suydam happened when he was less than three years old. He was playing in the yard and fell in the well. The screams of an older brother brought the mother, who instantly descended into the well and rescued the struggling child. But she could not climb to terra firma with him, and she ordered the other child to lower the bucket, which was fastened to an old- fashioned well-sweep, and the brother drew the child up in safety. The mother remained in the well un- til help came to her relief. The farm where his par- ents settled was in the " uneut forest," and Mr. Suy- dam remembered clearly the howling of the wolves and other incidents of pioneer life, which impressed themselves deeply on his childish mind. He first attended school in Gratiot County in an old log build- ing, without desks or other conveniences, which was located near the site of the Vincent school-house. After his father's removal to St. Louis he attended school there winters, and skated on what is now Milk Street. A wheat-field lay on the west side of the route and there were not more than a dozen frame houses in the village. He was a bright scholar and acquired an excellent education, which he at one time purposed to utilize in teaching, but his genius for tools and natural love for mechanical labor tri- umphed and he became a carpenter, and worked at that business some years.

He was married June 8, 1873, to Mary E., daughter of Dr. Chauncey J. and Cornelia (Lombard) Goode- nough. The young couple set out in life with little means except erergy and determination, which they put into effective operation, the husband working as a carpenter, the wife as a teacher in the then "high school " of Brenckenridge, officiating in a small board house in the woods with only a small patch of ground cleared. In January, 1876, they settled on 40 acres on his father's farm, where he built a nice residence and barn. He worked without intermission until he had cleared 35 acres and had placed himself in cir- cumstances to live in comparative ease. In 1881 he disposed of most of his personal property and took a trip through the northern part of the State, for the benefit of his health. He was seized with fever im- mediately on his return, which left him in an enfee-

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bled condition, and a violent cold in the spring of 1882 ended in bronchial consumption, of which he died, Jan. 10, 1884. His two little sons died within If months, during the last 15 months of his own life, which affliction depressed him greatly.

Mr. Suydam was generous to the needy, provident for the future and a firm though affectionate father. He was conscientiously opposed to liquor, tobacco and secret societies.

Mrs. Suydam was born in Lapeer, Mich., where both her grandfathers were among the earliest pio- neers. She was the eldest of six children, three of whom died young. Two brothers, Albert and Willard Goodenough, reside in Isabella County. Her father came to St. Louis in the fall of 1869, where he re- sided until his death, June 15, 1875. Mrs. Suydam holds 31 acres of her homestead, where she resides, with her remaining child. Her children were born as follows : John C., April 25, 1874, and died Oct. 8, 1882 ; Carrie E., March 18, 1876; Charles B., Dec. 21, 1882, and died Sept. 10, 1883.

Henry A. Delavan, merchant at Alma, is the son of Tompkins C. and Esther (Jessup) Delavan, and was born Aug. 1, 1810, in Seneca 'Co., N. Y. His father was a native of Dutchess Co., N. Y., and his mother was born in Norwalk. Conn. After marriage they settled in Seneca County, where they resided 40 years and became, after that long period, residents of Jones- ville, Mich. Of 13 children born to them ten reached maturity.

Mr. Delavan is the third son. His parents were pioneers of the county where he was born, having settled there about the close of the eighteenth cen- tury, and the son obtained his preliminary education at the common schools, whose sessions were held in the primitive log house. He finished his studies at the academy at Ovid in Seneca County.

At 16 the privilege of self-support devolved upon him, and he embraced an opportunity to become an assistant in a country store at eight dollars a month. He soon became expert and efficient, and after eight months made a contract with his employer to serve at $200 yearly, and he received this compensation two years, after which his salary was $300 for a year's

services. He remained in the same establishment until he was 19 years old, when he .clerked for his brother in-law two years and then went into business. He opened a store at Jefferson, now Watkins, and did business, boarded and ran a warehouse, respectively in the counties of Schuyler, Steuben and Chemung. He continued to operate from that stand for seven years, when, in October, 1838, he forced a sale of the bulk of his stock and transferred the remainder to Jonesville, Hillsdale Co., Mich., where he established himself in traffic in general merchandise. He con- tinued to operate there until 1844, combining his mercantile affairs with speculation in land to consid- erable extent. In the year last named he purchased 2,000 acres of land in Hillsdale, Branch and Jackson Counties, and engaged somewhat extensively in farming, locating near Jonesville. He continued ag- ricultural operations about ten years, when he sold his farm and moved into town. In 1861 he was ap- pointed by the United States Government, Assessor of Internal Revenue in what was then the First Michigan District. He discharged the duties of the position until 1865, when he again turned his atten- tion to farming. In 1870 he removed to Alma, where he resumed his former occupation as merchant. He has since operated continously as such, combining therewith transactions in grain. In 1876 he erected an elevator at Alma having a capacity of 7,000 bush- els. His possessions include two farms of 80 acres each in Arcada, and 60 acres of land in Seville. Of the aggregate 220 acres, 100 are in tillage.

In 1874, Mr. Delavan associated with himself his two sons, Charles L. and George M. Their mercan- tile operations reach about $30,000 yearly, with heavy transactions in grain, the latter sometimes amounting to an aggregate of 140,000 bushels annually.

Mr. Delavan was married in Watkins, N. Y., Dec. 5, 1835, to Mary T., daughter of Isaac I. and Cath- erine (Tillinghast) Leake. The parents were natives respectively of New York and Connecticut. The daughter was born Oct. 8, 1812, in Albany Co., N. Y., was educated in the common schools and at- tended school of higher grade at Hyde Park, Dutch- ess County, in her native State. The issue of her marriage with Mr. Delavan was nine children, of whom three are dead-Cornelia, Anna L. and Julia. Those still living and who survive the mother are named Mary C., Catherine I., Agnes T., William A.,

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Charles L. and George M. Mrs. Delavan died Aug. 20, 1870, in Jonesville, Ilillsdale County.

On attaining to the dignity of man's estate and the assumption of the prerogatives of his citizenship, Mr. Delavan identified himself with the old-line Whig party under the leadership of Henry Clay. IIe is now a member of the Republican party.

atthew H. Udell, farmer, section 15, Pine River Township, was born July 10, 1835, in Canada, and is the son of Matthew and Mary (Hamilton) Udell, both of whom were natives of Canada. Mr. Udell pursued the vocation of a farmer in the Dominion until April, 1880, when he came to Gratiot County and bought 120 acres of land under partial improve- ments, on which he has since resided. Seventy acres of the farm are now under first-class cultiva- tion, and the place reflects credit on the proprietor in every detail. Mr. Udell is a Republican in his political belief.

He was married in the County of York, Canada, Feb. 15, 1858, to Melinda, daughter of James and Nancy (Kester) Foresyth. She was born in York County Dec. 25, 1841, and her parents were also na- tives of the Dominion. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Udell includes seven children : Rachel A., Albert E., Arthur S., Solomon O., Nathan B., Jane G. and David H. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

illiam D. Dickinson, farmer, section 17, Bethany Township, was born in Marion Township, Wayne Co., N. Y., July 28, 1838. His parents, David G. and Catharine (Foote) Dickinson, were also natives of New York, and were of English and German descent. His father, a farmer most of his life, died in Ohio, June 2, 1880, and his mother is still living, in that State, now aged 69 years.

Mr. D. was 13 years of age when the family moved to Medina Co., Ohio, settling in Spencer Township, where he attended the public school until 18 years

of age; then, after spending a year in the East, he followed farming a couple of years in Iowa, and two and a half years in Whiteside Co., Ill. Returning to Ohio, he was married, in Ashland County, Sept. 2, 1862, to Miss Harriet F., daughter of Leroy and Sophronia A. (Close) Chaffee, natives of New York and of English ancestry; she was born Jan. 21, 1837, in Medina Co., Ohio. The children of Mr. and Mrs. D. are, Merrit N., born June 28, 1863; Leroy D., Aug. 3, 1867 ; and William H., Dec. 15, 1870. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson resided in Spencer Township, Medina Co., Ohio, until the fall of 1868, when they came to Gratiot Co., Mich., and settled on a quarter-section of land where they now reside. Of the original tract they have sold 40 acres, and of the remainder 60 acres are improved, and a comfortable home is established. Mr. D. has proved himself to be a skillful agricultur- ist and an esteemed member of the community.

avid Fry. retired farmer, resident on sec- tion 28, Sumner Township, was born in Cumberland Co., Pa., July 4, 1820. His father, John Fry, a native of Pennsylvania, was by occupation a farmer, and went from that State to Missouri, where he died in 1878, aged 81. His mother, Eve, nee Fockler, was also a native of Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania Dutch descent. and died in Missouri in 1878, aged 85.

The subject of this biographpy came with his parents to Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, when he was two years old, and two years later they went to Wayne County, same State. Thence the family removed to Seneca County, where they resided 30 years on one place. David remained under the paternal roof until 23 years old. Oct. 15, 1843, in Seneca County, he was united in marriage to Miss Susanna, daughter of Jacob and Letta (Marshall) Green, natives of New England and Ohio. Jacob Green was a farmer and carpenter, and both he and his wife died in Ohio.

After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Fry settled on his father's homestead, which he worked on shares for seven years. In 1856 he went for a time to Mar- shalltown, lowa. Returning, they went to Hancock Co., Ohio, in the summer of 1857, where he farmed and ran a threshing-machine until 1866. In the

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summer of 1866 they came to Gratiot County and located 120 acres of wild land on section 28, Sumner Township. There were at that time but few perma- nent settlers, and only one other on the same sec- tion. Mr. F. has by his own efforts improved 113 acres and built the necessary farm buildings, includ- ing a comfortable residence.

Mr. and Mrs. F. have a family of 10: Sarah J., Lucinda, Rebecca, Joseph, Anna G., Jacob, John, Grandville, Mary D. and W. George. Mr. Fry has held various school offices, but has declined all other offices tendered him. Politically, he is a Democrat of high standing.

?idney S. Hastings, farmer, surveyor and engineer, resident at St. Louis, was born in Champion, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Aug. 25, 1827, and is the son of Sidney S. and Clarissa (Fitch) Hastings. His father was a mechanic during the early part of his life, and in later years a farmer. He removed his family to Medina Co., Ohio, in 1837, and there bought 160 acres of land in Guilford Township. This land was mostly covered with dense forest, and absorbed the labor of ten years of himself and three sons wholly to im- prove it and put it in tillable condition, with com- fortable buildings.

The educational advantages of Mr. Hastings were limited to two or three months at the district school in the winter, and when in his 20th year he attended one term at the village academy. The winter succeeding his attaining his majority, he taught a district school in a small log house, very dilapidated, where he ex- ercised the authority of a pedagogue over 54 pupils at the rate of $11 per month of 24 days. He taught school during the next two winters, and worked through the summers at the carpenter's trade. He spent part of a fall term at the village academy re- viewing his studies, and attended one term at Twins- burg Academy. In the winter of 1852-3, in company with a young friend, he went to Cincinnati, thence down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Or- leans. After a few days in that city, they proceeded across the Gulf of Mexico to Matagorda Bay, in Southern Texas, where they remained four months,

working at the carpenter's trade, and receiving good wages. They returned by the river to Galena, Ill., where they hired a conveyance to Rockford, the rail- road terminus west of Chicago.

Mr. Hastings taught school in the winter of 1853-4, and in 1855 came West to look for a location. . He remained two months at Lansing, where he learned something of Gratiot County through A. M. Craw- ford, who was a land-holder there, and had platted the village of Pine River. The Legislature of Mich - igan had, during its session in 1854-5, passed an act creating Pine River the county seat, and Mr. Hast- ings accompanied Mr. Crawford to Gratiot County, both walking the entire distance from Lansing. He located 200 acres of land on section 27, Bethany Township, went to Flint, and entered his claim. He proceeded to Lansing, and a few days later returned to St. Louis, where he arrived July 5, 1855. He found two log houses, one built by Sylvanus Groom, on the south side of the river, and on the east side of Main Street; since removed. The other was built by Joseph Clapp near the dam. Mr. Clapp was then building a saw-mill, and Mr. Hastings as- sisted in its completion. About the middle of August he decided to remain at St. Louis, and received from Mr. Clapp a lot, situated on the corner of Mill Street and Washington Avenue. It was covered with the primeval forest, and Mr. Hastings cleared a small space and built a log house, the third erected in the village, where at the time there were but 20 acres of partially cleared land. The house was raised by four white men and 12 Indians, and when it was finished Mr. Hastings sent for his wife, and proceeded in a canoe to Saginaw to meet her. They came by the same means of transportation to the "Forks," now Midland, where the man whom he had engaged to bring the party to Midland unloaded the family and effects on the bank of the river, five miles below Mid- land, whither Mr. and Mrs. Hastings walked. They found some friendly persons, who went with a flat- boat and conveyed their goods to Midland, where Mr. Hastings succeeded in engaging an Indian, who brought himself and wife and trunk to St. Louis, to whom he paid $8 for the service in advance. The journey consumed three days, and on his arrival at St. Louis Mr. Hastings engaged two Indians and two canoes, and returned for the goods left behind at Midland, camping at night.

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Portrait and biographical album of Gratiot county, Mich., Part 53

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

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