USA > Michigan > Isabella County > Portrait and biographical album of Isabella county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches > Part 17
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
Mr. Murtha was reared on the farm and was en- gaged in farm labors until he was 19 years old. He obtained a fair education by devoting the winter sea- sons to earnest study, and, after the age named, he spent some time in teaching and as a clerk. He owns a farm in Coe Township, which is located on section 9, and contains 40 acres of land, with 25 acres under cultivation.
Mr. Murtha has officiated as Clerk of Coe Town- ship one term, and as School Inspector several years. He has also served as Township Treasurer two terms. In the fall of 1882 he was placed in nomination on the Democratic ticket, for the position he is now fill- ing. running against C. W. Gardner, and was elected by 66 majority. He is a member of the Order of Masonry. He was married Oct. 23, 1872, at Salt River, Coe Township, to Sarah, daughter of James C. and Hannah W. Merrill. She was born in Portland, Me., Oct. 3, 1845. Their children are : James M., born Aug. 31, 1873; Anna, May 9, 1879 ; and an in- fant child, unnamed.
Mr. Murtha's parents were among the first settlers of Coe Township. Following is the record of their children : Stephen l'. is a farmer of Coe Township, and married Catherine Gruber; George W. is a farmer in the same township, and married Maria Struble; Arthur is acting as clerk for Mr. Murtha, of this sketch; Richard E. is a student at the State Normal School at Ypsilanti; Sarah A. is the wife of Dr. J. P. Young, of Turlock, Cal.
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llen S. Fay, farmer on section 33, Chip- pewa Township, is a son of Silas and Roba (Allen) Fay, natives of Connecticut and Ver- mont. The parents first settled in Wyoming Co., N. Y., and about 1865 they removed to Iowa, where the mother died, in November, 1865. The bereaved husband went on a visit to New York and Pennsylvania, and while at Attica, N. Y., he died, in June, 1873. His remains were taken to Iowa and buried beside his wife. Their family comprised three sons and five daughters, Allen being the eldest.
He was born in Wyoming Co., N. Y., Dec. 26, 1826, and remained at home until nearly the age of 21, alternately attending school and working on his father's farm. He bought seven months of his time from his father, paying for the same $40, and then worked out by the month. He then went to Penn - sylvania, where he worked in a saw-mill off and on for six years.
He was married in Wyoming Co., N. Y., Aug. 22, 1853, to Miss Salina E., daughter of George and Eliza (Buck) Wood, natives of New York. Mrs. Fay was born in Cattaraugus Co. N. Y., Oct. 18, 1828. Before marriage, Mr. F. had purchased a farm in Mckean Co., Pa., and they at once settled on the same, where they lived three and a half years. He then sold, returned to New York State, and bought a steam saw and shingle mill, which he ran about seven years. In the meantime he made a ten-months visit to Pike's Peak in search of health. In the spring of 1865 he came to Isabella County and bought 80 acres of land on section 33, where he has since resided. He now owns 260 acres, 155 under cultivation,-a handsome farm.
Mr. Fay is politically a Republican. Heis a mem- ber of the F. & A. M., and has belonged to the I. O. O. F. He and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been Steward 15 years.
Mr. F helped to build the tram-road for the Tuny Lumber Company, in Mckean Co., Pa., which he ran for three years. Ife formerly made frequent trips down the Ohio River to Cincinnati, on rafts. He spent altogether seven years in the employ of
that company, and on the river and on his Pennsyl- vania farm. Since coming to this county he has worked some in the woods, and was foreman for T. E. Arnold in the winter of 1865-6.
He has held the office of County Superintendent of the Poor for seven years, Township Treasurer three years, and Highway Commissioner four years. He takes a deep interest in the welfare of the township, and is pre-eminently one of its representative citizens.
idney Clark, druggist and Postmaster, Salt River, is a son of Robert and Martha (Clark) Clark, natives of New York State who first settled in St. Lawrence County, that State, and removed to Isabella County in the fall of 1864, settling in Coe Township, where they now reside. Their family comprised six sons and two daughters.
The second son, Sidney, was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., May 7, 1843, and was educated at the common school. He came with the family to this county in 1864, and for about four years was in the employment of Aaron Wessells, at St. Louis and Salt River. He next engaged in mercantile pu suits at the latter place, but soon abandoned thei selling out and buying 50 acres of land on section 1 Coe Township, where he resided a year and a half; he then sold out and removed to Calhoun Co., Mich., residing there two years, engaged in mill work and carpentering, and one year as a clerk ; next he had charge of the machinery in a woolen factory in Van Buren Co., Mich., one year, when, on account of ill health, he returned to St. Louis, Gratiot Co., and for a year was employed as clerk by A. Wessells. He was next engaged for two years in a shingle-mill in Clare County, this State, and then, at Bay City, he was first engineer for N. B. Bradley for six years. Then he returned to Coe Township and settled on a farm of 20 acres, which he conducted until January, 1883, when he sold out, moved to Salt River and established himself in the drug business, in which he is succeeding well. He was appointed Postmaster at this place Nov. 8, 1883. He has also held the offices of Constable, Deputy Township Clerk and School
alexander Brodie €
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Director. He is a member of the Masonic Order and of the G. A. R.
In the fall of 1861, Mr. Clark enlisted in the 92d N. Y. Vol. Inf., served a year and over, in the " Bal- loon Corps," and was honorably discharged at Fort- ress Monroe, for disability. In political affairs he is a Republican, and, with his wife, a member of the M. E. Church.
Mr. Clark was married in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., Feb. 14, 1864, to Miss Ruth Dunn, a daughter of Edward and Jane Dunn, natives of the Empire State. Mrs. C. was born in that county, Feb. 9, 1844. They have had three children : Hollis N., now deceased, Iva M. and Eddie.
lexander Brodie, farmer, section 26, Union a Township, was born Aug. 13, 1834, near Greenock, on the River Clyde, in Scotland, and is a son of James and Christina (Thomp- son) Brodie. Mr. Brodie was sent to school until he was 19 years old, and acted during the last four years of that time as an assistant in the school he attended. He came to Norfolk Co., Canada, be- fore he was 20 years of age, and spent three years there in teaching. In 1858 he transferred his inter- ests to Sanilac Co., Mich., where he remained several months. In the spring of 1859 he went to Saginaw, and in the fall of the same year he made a prospect- ing trip to Isabella County. The next spring he settled in Union Township, where he has since re- sided. His farm was a part of land that came into market about two years later, when he entered a claim of 160 acres under the provisions of the Home- stead Act. The estate now includes 130 acres of cleared and improved land. Mr. Brodie now owns 440 acres of land, located on sections 26, 35 and 36, and on the entire tract 180 acres are improved and in tillage.
Mr. Brodie has been a prominent citizen of Isa- bella County since he settled within its limits. He taught two terms of school in the days of his early residence, and has been identified with school mat- ters quite extensively, having officiated in school
offices some years in the locality where he is most closely interested. In the fall of 1878 he was nom- inated on the Republican ticket for the office of County Treasurer, running successfully against Rich- ard Hoy. He was again nominated and elected in 1880, and held the position altogether four years. He has acted as Supervisor of Union Township for many years.
Mr. Brodie was married at St. Louis, Mich., May 12, 1866, to Jennie E., daughter of Samuel and Grace (Craig) McLeod. She was born Jan. 15, 1844, in the city of Auburn, N. Y .; Lillie, the eldest child, was born Feb. 10, 1868, in Lincoln Township. The three other children were born as follows, on the homestead : Hugh, July 12, 1870; Grace, Dec. 28. 1876; Jessie, Nov. 1, 1881.
In 186r the parents of Mr. Brodie came to Union Township, where his father died, in June, 1872. The mother is living, in a small house built expressly for her use and independent comfort, on her son's farm. The father of Mrs. Brodie removed from Shiawassee County to what is now Lincoln Township, in Isabella County, in 1862, and entered a claim of 160 acres of land. The mother died there in 1869. The father was killed in the lumber woods, in 1864.
Upon a page in proximity to this sketch is given a fine lithographic portrait of Mr. Brodie, as a worthy and prominent citizen of Isabella County.
obert Laughlin, conductor on the Sag- inaw & Mt. Pleasant branch of the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad, and residing at Mt. Pleasant, was born May 2, 1830, in Henrietta, Monroe Co., N. Y. His father, Robert Laughlin, was born in 1785, in Ireland, spent his life in the pursuit of agriculture and died at Henrietta, at the age of 58 years. His mother, Eliz- abeth (Kincaid) Laughlin, was also born in Ireland, in 1787, and died at Dunkirk, N. Y., in 1863.
Mr. Laughlin was the ninth of ten children born to his parents, and was reared on a farm. At the age of 20 years he left home and engaged as a brakeman on the New York & Erie Railroad, where he was employed from 1850 to 1865. He operated as a brakeman eight months, when he was promoted to
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the position of conductor, in which capacity he oper- ated four years. He then became a fireman, and, after serving in that position 15 months, he became an engineer. During the last 18 months of his stay in his native State, he acted as Secretary of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
He came to Ionia, Mich., in 1865, where he pur- chased an interest in the mercantile establishment of Peter Hackett, in which he continued one year. At the expiration of that date, he engaged in the furniture trade, in which he operated alone one year. In 1867 he accepted a position as conductor on the Ionia & Lansing Railroad, in which capacity he officiated a few months, when he was appointed Superintendent and Master Mechanic of the railroad. Two years later, after the consolidation of the road with the Detroit, Lansing & Northern, he was ap- pointed Assistant General Superintendent and Master Mechanic. He resigned the position at the expira- tion of 30 days, and became an engineer on the Ft. Wayne & Jackson Railroad. He continued in that employment one year, and went to Greenville, Montcalm Co., and took charge of the Grand Rapids, Greenville & Alpena Railroad. The affairs of the line were brought to a termination by the failure of the owners of the road six months after his appoint- ment, and he entered the employment of the Chicago & Lake Huron Railroad, as conductor. He spent two months in managing freight trains, after which he was a passenger conductor. The road became merged in the Chicago & Grand Trunk, and he remained in its service until October, 1880, when he entered the employment of the Flint & Pere Mar- quette Railroad Company, as a conductor on its Eastern Division. He ran a freight train about six weeks, when he took charge of a passenger train and has since continued in that position.
In the spring of 1881, he removed his residence to Mt. Pleasant. He is a member of the Conductors' Insurance Association, and is prominent in Masonic circles. He has been connected with the order since he reached the period of his legal freedom. He has taken several degrees and is High Priest of Mt. Pleasant Chapter, No. 111, Royal Arch Masons. He was chiefly instrumental in the organization of that branch of the Order at Mt. Pleasant, in the spring of 1883, and it was instituted Feb. 4, 1884.
On the ioth of March, 1884, Mr. Laughlin was
elected President of the village of Mt. Pleasant, on the Democratic ticket. He owns his residence and grounds, and another lot, where he intends to build a dwelling ; is also the owner of three building lots in the city of Grand Rapids.
His marriage with Mary McDonald occurred Oct. 15, 1854, in Greenwood, Steuben Co., N. Y. She was born Aug. 15, 1834, in Ireland, and is a daughter of Joseph and Bridget McDonald.
eorge W. Fouts, farmer, section 13, Lin- of coln Township, is a native of the State of Ohio, where, in Carroll County, he was born, Feb. 22, 1846. His parents were George and Eleanor (Hemming) Fouts, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively, and of German and English extraction. The father followed the trade of a mechanic, and died in Ohio, in 1875, aged 63 years. The mother is still living, and resides in Carroll Co., Ohio, and has attained the venerable age of 68 years. George W. lived on the farm and assisted in the maintenance of the family until he attained the age of 15 years.
At this age of his life the Nation called on her sons to protect her flag from rebel shot and shell, and Mr. F. went forth to fight for its perpetuity. He enlisted in Co. A, Both Ohio Vol. Inf., and his company was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee. His corps was known as one of " the Bloody 15th," commanded by Gen. Logan.
Mr. F. was at once placed in the “drummer corps " as tenor drummer, which position he occu- pied for three years. He was in all the active en- gagements of the company during its service in the Army of the Cumberland. Together with the rest of the musical corps, Mr. F. was detailed as " stretcher bearer," which threw him in many dan- gers.
After serving in the army for nearly three years, he was discharged, and thereupon immediately re- enlisted for the remainder of the war. After the close of the great contest, Aug. 14, 1865, Mr. F. was honorably discharged after an active and continual service of three years and ten months.
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After his discharge from the service, Mr. F. imme- diately returned to his home, that of his parents, in Wayne Co., Ohio, where he remained until the fall of 1867, when he came to this State. He located in this county and engaged in working in a mill. He followed this occupation for some time and then pur- chased an interest in the mill and remained as one of the firm for three years. At the expiration of this time he began farming for his father-in-law, which he continued for a period and then purchased 40 acres of land on section 13, Lincoln Township, where he has constantly resided ever since.
Mr. F. was united in marriage, Sept. 14, 1869, in Coe Township, this county, with Miss Mary E. Estee, who was born in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., Sept. 6, 185 1. She was the daughter of Perry H. and Carrie E. (Dole) Estee, whose biography may be found in this work.
Mrs. F. came with her parents to this State and county and remained under the parental care until her marriage. She attended the "log-cabin school " at Salt River when six years of age, and, in company with her brother, seven years old, walked two miles to obtain this privilege. Later she attended the union schools at Mt. Pleasant, and there, together with oc- cupying her leisure moments in study, she acquired a good education.
One child has been born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. F., namely, Free 1 .. , Feb. 28, 1875. Mr. F. is at present Justice of the Peace. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge 239, of Salt River, and of the G. A. R, of the same place.
Politically, he is a believer in and supporter of the principles and doctrines of the Republican party.
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A arthur B. Caldwell, farmer, section 12, Fre- mont Township, is a son of James C. and Nancy R. (Russell) Caldwell, the former born in Massachusetts in 1824, and the latter in New York in 1829, and died in this county, in August, 1867. In this State they first lived in Macomb County, then Clinton County, then located on section 12, Fremont Township, this county, where the subject of this sketch still resides. Mr. J. C. Caldwell has followed farming and lumbering since
coming to Isabella. On the above place he improved 100 acres, and added two lots, of 45 and 351/2 acres. He finally sold this farm, and he now lives at Two Rivers, Deerfield Township, this county.
Arthur B. was born Nov. 8, 1849, in Macomb Co., Mich., lived at home with his parents until of age, and at the age of 25 married Miss Mary E. Preston, who was born Dec. 15, 1852, in Wyoming Co., N. Y. She is a daughter of Albert A. and Martha (Nichols) Preston. Mr. P., a farmer, moved with his family from New York State to Wisconsin in 1854, returning in a short time to New York, and in 1863 came and settled on a quarter-section in Lincoln Township; but since the autumn of 1882 he has resided at Mt. Pleasant.
Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell have had three children, as follows : Lillian M., born Oct. 31, 1875, died Dec. 31. 1877 ; Geneva M., born June 5, 1878 ; and Alice M., Oct. 10, 1881.
In regard to national issues Mr. C. votes with the Republican party.
W. Carr, junior member of the firm of Carr & Granger, merchants at Mt. Pleasant, was born June 15, 1848, at Prairieville, Barry Co., Mich. He is the son of David O. and Chloe M. (Granger) Carr. His father was a hotel-keeper and lumberman, and removed from the State of New York to Michigan in 1836.
Mr. Carr was but a small boy when his parents re- moved to Charlotte, Eaton Co., Mich., where he at- tended the common schools until he was 16 years old; and then he was sent to Bryant & Stratton's Business College at Detroit. After finishing a com- plete commercial course, he went to Grand Ledge, Eaton County, and there formed one of the partner- ship of Babcock & Carr in the sale of drugs. The relation existed until 1870, when Mr. Carr sold his moiety to his partner and opened an exchange bank, which he conducted one year.
In 187 1 he came to Mt. Pleasant and bought out Worden & Gavett, druggists. Mr. Granger was ad- mitted to an interest in the business soon after and the partnership has since remained intact. The firm is the oldest unchanged business connection in the
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town, and, it is supposed, in the county. They are the oldest liquor dealers in Isabella County, and handle also groceries, drugs, books, stationery, paints, oils, etc., and carry a stock which is estimated to represent $35,000. They employ five assistants.
Messrs. Carr & Granger transacted their business six years at a location on the north side of Broadway, which is now occupied as a furniture store. They were burned out Aug. 5, 1875, rebuilt at once, and in 30 days were in running order. Their loss by the fire was about $5,000. In 1877 they built the fine brick block in which their business is now established. The building faces on Broadway and Main Street, and is constructed in the shape of an L, 175 feet long. The wing is two stories in height, and the main portion is three stories high above the base- ments. The proprietors occupy the entire structure with the exception of one room, which is used for an office. They own three lots on Broadway, known as the Wm. N. Harris property. Mr. Carr is the owner of his residence and grounds. His marriage to Annie, daughter of Alexander Hapner, occurred May 11, 1873, at Mt. Pleasant, the ceremony being performed by G. W. Gosling. Mrs. Carr is a native of Indiana. Bessie, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Carr, was born at Mt. Pleasant, Sept. 7, 1875.
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charles Demlow, farmer, section 29, Fre- mont Township, is a son of John and Sophia (Canford) Demlow, natives of Prussia, who came to New York State in 1863, locating on a farm. Mr. D. is yet living in Erie Co., N. Y., but his wife died in 1873, in that county. They had three sons and four daughters : one of the former is deceased, and all the living except one are married.
The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was born March 12, 1846, in Prussia, came with his par- ents to America, lived at home with them on a farm until 18 years of age, and in the fall of 1877 came to Muskegon County, this State, remaining there four years. He then settled on his present place of 120 acres, 20 of which are well improved. He has a comfortable house, and in 1883 he erected a large
and commodious barn. In regard to political issues Mr. D. is counted a Democrat.
Nov. 19, 1869, Mr. Demlow married Miss Minnie, daughter of Charles and Sophia Hillman : the former died in New York and the latter in Michigan. She was born in Michelburg, Prussia. Mr. and Mrs. D. are the parents of six children, viz .: Charlie, Will- iam, Emma, Mary, George and Edward.
dam Hance, farmer, section 23, Lincoln Township, was born in Licking Co, Ohio, Feb. 3, 1825. His parents were Thomas and Polly, nee Douglas, Hance, the former a native of New York and of German descent, and the latter a native of Scotland. The name Hance, as spelled by our subject, is a patronymic of Hause, as it was spelled by the father of Thomas.
The father of Adam was a farmer by occupation, and moved his family from New York to Licking Co., Ohio, in 1817 When he first went to that county it was but little settled, and the hand of improvement was hardly visible. He remained there for some time and then moved to Knox County, same State, and then went to Morrow (then Delaware) County and lived there until his death, in 1879, being at that time in his 92d year.
Adam was three years of age when his parents went to Morrow (Delaware) County, and spent his years until manhood in that county. He assisted his father on the farm and attended the common schools of the county, procuring a good common-school edu- cation and developed into manhood. When 22 years of age he engaged with his father in the mercantile business, and successfully continued in the partner- ship for two years. At the expiration of that time he and his brother, jointly, followed farming on the old homestead, and so continued until 1865.
During the above named year, Mr. Hance dis- posed of all his real estate and came to this State. He came direct to this county and purchased 640 acres of heavily timbered land, on sections 23 and 24, Lincoln Township. On this land he established his "pioneer cabin," and entered on the arduous, though in many respects pleasant, task of improving it. He encountered all the privations and obstacles
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of the early pioneer, but, having faith in the future development of the country, he fought against all obstacles with a determination to overcome them, and succeeded. To his original purchase Mr. Hance has added 240 acres, on section 25, same township, and of his entire estate he has 200 acres under good cultivation.
Mr. Hance was united in marriage, in September, 1838, in Ohio, with Miss Mary Morrison, who was born in Licking Co., Ohio. She was of English and Welsh extraction, and was reared under the parental roof-tree, receiving the advantages afforded by the common schools of her native county.
Mr. and Mrs. Hance were the parents of six chil- dren, named as follows : Albert W., born Oct. 8, 1841 ; Henry M., born Nov. 11, 1843; John W., born Aug. 2, 1849; David W., born Dec. 10, 1852; Sam'l. W., born Feb. 2, 1856; and Phebe, born Nov. 30, 1854, and died Sept. 29, 1872.
Mrs. Hance departed this life at her home in Lin- coln Township, Nov. 6, 1881, mourned as a true wife, a loving mother, a faithful friend and a generous neighbor. She lived to see all her children estab- lished in good homes and honorable callings, and " crossed the river " to meet her daughter gone before. Religiously, Mrs. Hance was a Spiritualist. In the maidenhood of life she was a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, but later in life became a be- liever in Spiritualism and was strong in that faith at the time of her death.
Mr. Hance is a Republican in politics ; has held the offices of his school district, but outside of edu- cational matters withholds his acceptation of office. He takes a great interest in education, and is an honored and respected citizen of his township.
eorge Earl, farmer, section 19, Fremont Township, is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Little) Earl, natives of Ohio. The former was born in 1802, was a blacksmith by trade, lived in Sandusky County most of his life, and died in 1883; was a farmer in the latter part of his life. The latter died in 1872.
The subject of this biographical notice was born March 20, 1834, in Columbiana Co., O .; remained at
home until he was 20 years old, assisting on the farm. He was then variously occupied until 24 years of age, residing two and a half years in Muskegon Co., Mich .. , then seven years in Ohio, and finally, in 1865, he settled at his present place of residence, on 80 acres of primitive woodland. Half of this is on section 19, and half on section 18. Twenty-five acres of this tract is now subdued to the plow, and corresponding improvements of every kind made or placed under headway. In the spring of 1883 he built a neat residence.
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