USA > Michigan > Isabella County > Portrait and biographical album of Isabella county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches > Part 29
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of Loomis he has been occupied. as a carpenter and lumberman.
Mr. Quick belongs to the Democratic party in pol- itics. He has been prominent in public life and was first elected Supervisor of Wise Township in the spring of 1873. He served one year, and in the spring of 1876 was re-elected and continued in the incumbency of that office until the spring of 1881. He has been Highway Commissioner two years, Jus. tice of the Peace two years, and in 1876 was ap- pointed Notary Public, which position he still holds. He is a member of the Masonic Order and belongs to Waubon Lodge, No. 305, at Loomis.
He was married March 10, 1865, in East Saginaw, to Abby A., daughter of Russell and Loretta (Fan- cher) Lytle. The parents were natives of the State of New York, and the daughter was born Jan. 14, 1 848, in Shiawassee Co., Mich. Of five children born to them three are living,-Effie M., Charles M. and Ella L. Martha J. and Vida are deceased.
ames L. Bush, farmer and proprietor of the "Half-Way House," between Clare and Mount Pleasant, at present residing on section 10, Isabella Township, was born in Petersboro Co., Ont., June 25, 1837. He is the oldest of a family of nine children, and was reared on the farm, assisting his father in the maintenance of the family. He remained under the parental roof-tree until he attained the age of man- hood, when he engaged on a steamboat and soon became a pilot on a Rice Lake boat, which position he held for ten years.
Among the reminiscences of his life during his vocation as a pilot, he relates that on one occasion a lady passenger missed her footing and fell into the lake, and he, being a good swimmer, jumped in and rescued her from a watery grave. On another occa- sion,-having from boyhood turned his attention to music and become proficient in the use of the violin, -while a large dance was in progress, he began play- ing on his violin in the immediate neighborhood, and soon the hall was vacated, and the dancers stood listening to the sweet music of our subject's skillful performance rather than keep time to that of a first- class string band which was playing for them.
Three years after the death of his father, Mr. Bush brought his mother, brothers and sisters to this State and located in Midland County. At this time he became proprietor of the "Half-Way House" between Midland City and Mt. Pleasant, and for six years successfully conducted the same. At the expiration of that time he went to Clare, Clare County, and es- tablished the first hotel ever built in that place. At this period in the life of Mr. Bush he received a very severe injury, which was undoubtedly the cause of his mother's death and came very near costing him his life. He was at Mt. Pleasant, and while there and engaged in moving a house, a beam struck him, breaking his jaw and also his shoulder. Few men could have received the injury he did and recover, and to his hardihood and iron constitution he is in- debted for his life.
In December, 1873, he came to this county and located on section 10, Isabella Township, and en- tered at once on the laborious task of improving his land. The purchase he made was all wild land-a forest-and with his usual energy and perseverance he entered on the arduous though pleasant task of clearing and improving it, determined to make a permanent home for himself and family.
Mr. Bush was united in marriage at Sidney, Ont., Dec. 23, 1873, to Miss Nancy J. Hanna, a native of the same county in which Mr. B. was born, and of Scotch extraction. She was born Aug. 5, 1839, and lived with her parents until the date of her marriage. Mrs. Bush is the mother of five children born to her husband. The living are Jerry T., born Nov. 25, 1873; and Emily J., Sept. 28, 1882. Mary J., James H. and Hattie M. are deceased. The husband and wife are members of the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal Churches respectively, and in politics Mr. B. is a Republican.
harles W. Robinson, farmer and mer- chant, section 23, Rolland Township, is a son of Barton C. and Henrietta (Ransford) Robinson, natives of Ohio. His father, an agriculturist, emigrated to Gilead, Branch Co., Mich., and afterward to Calhoun County, where he now resides, in the city of Marshall, en- gaged in gardening for the city. His mother died in 1859, in Branch County.
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Mr. R. was born Aug. 22, 1852, in the last named county; was nine years old when the family returned to Calhoun County ; was in Iowa two years; then in Branch County a year; then worked on a farm in St. Joseph County four years, and finally came to this county, settling on 80 acres of section 23, where he now resides ; but half of this he has since sold.
Politically, Mr. R. is a Republican, and he has held the official position of Constable.
In 1875, Mr. Robinson married Elizabeth Kreigh- baum, who was born May 25, 1858, a daughter of George and Caroline (Dougherty) Kreighbaum, natives of Ohio. Her mother died in 1876, in this county; her father, who has been a farmer and a carpenter, is still living with this family. Mr. and Mrs. R. have three children, namely : Charles H., born March 29, 1877 ; George F., May 28, 1879; and Barton, July 7, 1881.
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onas C. Cope, farmer on section 9, Vernon Township, was born in Brant Co., Ont., Feb. 7, 1831 ; and is the son of David and Amanda (Patrick) Cope, natives of Canada and New York. The parents are yet living in Brant County, aged respectively 85 and 83. They have reared six children,-Melinda M., Frances L., Charlotte C., Ransom M., Jonas C. and Lewis C. All are living and reside in Ontario, with the excep- tion of Ransom M., who served four years in the army and now lives in Nebraska, and Jonas C., the subject of this sketch. The father of the family is worth about $15,000, and his sons are well-to-do farmers.
The subject of this sketch attended school and worked on his father's farm until 16 years old, when he apprenticed himself to Messrs. Fisher & McQues- tion, of Hamilton, Ont., to learn the trade of molder. After serving his time (four years), he came to this State, first locating at Romeo, Macomb County. Here, for some five years, he worked at carpentry, which he had learned without special preparation. Returning to Ontario, he lived nine years more in his native country, working at the same trade. In April, 1869, he came to Ovid, Clinton County, and for the next four years he carried on farming. In the
fall of 1873 he came to this county and settled on 160 acres, the northeast quarter of section 9, Vernon Township. This farm, covered with an unbroken forest, he had purchased in 1869. By industry and perseverance, he has redeemed a large portion of his farm to a condition of usefulness, has erected good buildings, and is now beginning to reap the rewards of his labor.
He was married in Romeo, Macomb Co., Mich., Jan. 1, 1856, to Miss Orpha Beagle, who was born in that county April 19, 1837. Her parents, Charles B. and Salomi (Inman) Beagle, were natives of New England, followed farming, and died in this State, the mother in 1839 and the father in 1878. Mrs. Cope lived with her father and step-mother until mar- miage, receiving a good English education. Follow- ing is the record of the children of this marriage: Rosetta M. E., born June 4, 1858 ; Charles D. M., Dec. 29, 1859; Ella A., May 4, 1865; Lewis Frank- lin, Nov. 21, 1866: Ransom M. W., Dec. 31, 1870; and Cora E., Nov. 30, 1871. The two deceased are : a child which died in infancy ; and George A., born Nov. 21, 1861, and died Oct 22, 1863. Rosetta M. E. was married Jan. 1, 1878, to John A. Allen, a farmer of Vernon Township. Charles D. M. is em- ployed in a mill at Mt. Pleasant. The others are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Free Method- ist Church, with which denomination he has been long connected. He filled the pulpit for ten years. He is politically an "Andrew Jackson Democrat." Being no office-seeker, he has invariably declined the positions of trust and honor which have been ten- dered him.
imothy Dingman, farmer, section 26, Isa- bella Township, was born in Lexington, Co., Ont., June 15, 1834. His parents died when Timothy was only two years old and he went to live with his uncle in North- umberland County. He remained with his uncle, working on the farm and a portion of the time attending the common schools, until he attained the age of 14 years. On arriving at this age, Mr. Ding- man went to work in the lumber woods, which voca- tion he continued until 26 years of age. He then
Wan. H. Whitaker
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went to Clearfield Co., Pa., and there engaged in the same occupation for one year, when he went to Niagara Falls and ran a saw-mill for five years.
On leaving Niagara Falls, Mr. Dingman came to this State and settled in Ovid, Clinton County. Five years later, in 1873, he came to this county and after a year at Mt. Pleasant, rented the " poor farm," which he cultivated for three years with a moderate degree of success. Leaving that farm, he moved to Isabella Township. He had purchased 40 acres on section 26, in 1873, and in 1874 purchased 40 acres on section 22, that township, and it was on this land he moved and began the arduous task of improving it. The land was heavily timbered, a perfect forest ; and yet, having a firm faith in the future development of the county and the neighborhood, the enormous amount of labor necessary to clear and improve it did not daunt him. He has battled against obstacles and trials, and now has 40 acres of his land under a good state of cultivation. He has met with considerable disaster, his house, which cost him $1,000, having been destroyed by fire May 23, 1883, with almost all his household goods; and yet he never gave way to despair, but went manfully to work and soon had the burnt structure replaced. His energy and persever- ance, coupled with integrity and fair dealing, has given him a prominence in his township, and his prosperity in the face of adversity has demonstrated his right to be denominated one of the progressive farmers of the township.
Mr. Dingman was united in marriage, May 7, 1865, with Miss Maggie J. McKnight, a native of Ireland, where she was born Oct. 15, 1846. When six years of age her father emigrated to Canada. Mrs. Dingman, though young when she crossed the waters, remembers well the seven-weeks voyage. A terrible storm arose and daylight was almost dark- ened by the overhanging clouds, when the vessel became disabled by losing her main-mast, bulwarks and cook's cabin. The storm came on with all its fury, and the Captain said "One more wave and we shall all be lost!" The passengers fell on their knees, and then, in the center of the mighty ocean and in the midst of the raging elements, offered their united prayers to the Ruler of the Universe for deliverance. Their prayers were heard, and the disabled vessel, with its thankful passengers, landed safely at its destination.
Mrs. Dingman remained with her father in Canada
until 17 years of age, when she went to Niagara Falls. On arrival at that place she engaged to learn the profession of dress-maker. She acquired the knowl- edge of that art and followed the same for 16 years. In 1868 they returned to Canada, but did not remain long, believing they could do better in the " States;" and the following year, 1869, they moved to this State and settled at Ovid, Clinton County.
The husband and wife are the parents of three children, born and named as follows: Ida K., April 13, 1867; Lorena E. M., April 23, 1869; Harry J., Aug. 12, 1875. The father and mother are both connected with the Presbyterian Church, and are respected and esteemed citizens of their township.
Mr. Dingman, politically, is a Democrat. He has been honored with the district offices of his township, and is prominent for the stand he takes in the advo- cacy of temperance. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 97, Ovid, Mich.
illiam H. Whitaker, Justice of the Peace in Broomfield Township, and farmer on section 23, is a son of William and Lepha (Morrison) Whitaker, natives of New York. The father was born in Hamilton County, April 26, 1804, came to Michigan in 1854, and is now living in the State of Indiana. His wife was born in 1802, and died in Branch County, this State, in 1866.
Their son William was born June 24, 1833, in Hamilton Co., N. Y., and attended school until 16 years old. He then came at that age to Branch Co., Mich., and worked by the month one year. He then shipped on board the barque Samuel Thomas, on which he sailed six years. During this time he visit- ed Africa, the Western Islands, West Indies, and Cape Verde Islands, and landed at New Mattipoisett, Mass., in Sept., 1851, after a three years' trip. Re- shipping on the same vessel, they visited nearly the same places, and went on a whaling expedition, cap- turing a great number of those animals. After a trip of three years and four days, he landed once more at the same place. He then shipped at New Bedford as second mate of the "Oliver Crocker," also a whaler. This voyage lasted four years and nine days, and took them through the Indian Ocean, China Sea, to
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New Zealand and Australia. He came to this county in 1879.
He was married in the State of New York, Feb. 14, 1859, to Miss Mary Steele, who was born April 1, 1843, in Fulton Co., N. Y., the daughter of Simon and Amy (Van Wart) Steele, natives of New York. Mr. S. was born in 1805, and died in 1877. Mrs. S. was born in 1806 and died in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker have three daughters,-Mary B., born June 26, 1861 ; Lydia M., Nov. 18, 1862 ; and Hattie, born March 15, 1876.
Mr. Whitaker has held the office of Justice of the Peace, and is now Drain Commissioner, to which office he was elected in the year 1882. He is a Re- publican, and a member of the I. O. O. F. In 1864 he enlisted in the Union Army, and was assigned to the navy, on board the monitor Mahopac. This vessel was engaged at the battle of Fort Fisher, N. C. He was discharged at City Point, Va., Nov. 26, 1864, for disability caused in the line of duty.
We take pleasure in adding Mr. Whitaker's por- trait to the " art gallery" of this ALBUM, as that of an exemplary citizen of Isabella County.
ohn A. Wolfe, farmer on section 2, Broom- ffield, is a son of Eli and Nancy (Allen) Wolfe, natives of New Jersey and Pennsyl- vania. The parents were born respectively in 1806 and 1814, and mad their home in New Jersey, where the father died in 1876, and where the mother yet lives.
Mr. Wolfe was born May 10, 1834, in Warren Co., N. J., and lived at home until 23 years old. He was at that age, Aug. 30, 1856, married to Miss Harriet Garrison, who was born July 11, 1839, in Sussex Co., N. J., the daughter of Henry and Mary A. (Brush) Garrison, natives of New Jersey. After marriage, Mr. W. lived in his native state until 1867, then was seven years in Ionia County, this State, and then moved on his present 80 acres, of which 40 are im- proved.
Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have two children,-Matilda A., born May 17, 1858, and Eli E., born Oct. 29, 1863. Mr. W. is politically a Republican. He has been Highway Commissioner, Superintendent of Schools and Justice of the Peace. His wife is a member of the United Brethren Church.
ames Ostrander, Postmaster and general merchant at Loomis, Wise Township, was born May 13, 1821, in Elgin Co., Ont., and is the son of William and Sarah (Ryckman) Ostrander, both of whom are natives of Can-
ada. The father died July 24, 1875; the mother is still a resident of the Dominion.
Mr. Ostrander passed the period of his minority in the fulfillment of his filial duties, aiding his parents in the support of their family and working on his father's farm. On reaching the age of 21 years he undertook the management of his grandfather's farm, which he continued two years. His next enterprise was as a peddler of tinware and agricultural imple- ments, in which he was engaged five years. Mean- while, he bought 100 acres of land in Howard Town- ship, Canada, on which he commenced operations as a pioneer, building a log house and entering vigor- ously into the work of clearing and improving his land. He remained on the place about eight years and had placed about 30 acres under improvements when he sold his farm, for $1,400, which he invested in 200 acres in the same town. He occupied this place until 1862.
In 1860 he opened a daily stage route from Thamesville to Ridgetown and Morpeth. He opened business as a general merchant at Ostrander post- office, where he was appointed Postmaster. He con- tinued his operations three years, but, meeting with adverse fortune, he found himself under the neces- sity of arranging for a different line of business, and he sold his stock. In 1864, he came to the city of Detroit, where he remained through the winter. During that time he encountered further disaster in the form of severe illness, which dissipated his entire means. In the spring of 1865 he came to Saginaw City and kept a boarding house one year. The en- terprise did not prove an encouraging success, and he rented a small tract of land near Saginaw and commenced gardening. The season was unfavorable and he gave up that business. He was again afflict- ed with illness during the winter of 1873, and in the spring following he employed himself a short time in the sale of fish at Saginaw, by which means he ob- tained something of a start; and soon afterward se-
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cured a situation as a peddler of tinware, in which he was engaged three years. In 1876 the Saginaw capitalist and lumberman, Ammi W. Wright, engaged him to take charge of the business owned by him at Loomis and managed under the firm style of Wells, Stone & Co. He operated in that capacity two win- ters. In 1878 he rented a small building at Loomis and began business for himself. He gradually ex- tended his field as his relations multiplied and wid- ened, and he is now doing a good business. In 1881 he received his appointment as Postmaster from President Arthur. In political affiliation Mr. Os- trander is a Republican. He belongs to the Order of Good Templars, and is a member of the Masonic Order, Farweil Lodge, No. 335.
He was married Dec. 10, 1859, at Orford, Canada, to Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Webb) Gos- nell, both of whom were natives of Ireland, where Mrs. Ostrander was born, May 20, 1830. Ten chil- dren, born to Mr. and Mrs. Ostrander, were named as follows: Rachel, Mary, William L., George H., Sarah E., Eliza A., James H., Frances C., Ellen J. and Ida A. George and Ida are deceased. All are married except Ellen J., and all are sober, industri- ous and happily surrounded.
genry E. Ward, farmer, section 5, Deerfield Township, is a son of Charles L. and Emily (Parmelee) Ward, natives of Genesee Co., N. Y .; she died in September, 1854, and he af- terward moved to Hillsdale Co., Mich., where he still resides. They have two daughters and two sons.
The eldest son, the subject of this biographical notice, was born in Genesee Co., N. Y., Oct. 22, 185 1; when about six years of age his father came to Mich- igan, where he remained at home with him until about 30 years old, the last nine years of which time he worked his father's farm on shares. In the spring of 1881, he came to this county and bought 80 acres of partly improved land in Deerfield Township, where he now resides and has about 33 acres under culti- vation. He is an exemplary farmer and citizen, a man of sterling principle, and in politics is inde- pendent.
He was first married in Hillsdale Co., Mich., Nov.
26, 1876, to Miss Susie L .; daughter of Edwin and Elizabeth Dunn, who died the 7th of the following September; and Sept. 27, 1880, in the same county, Mr. Ward married Miss Clara R., daughter of Lewis and Rosanna (Brower) Hager, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Switzerland. Mrs. W. was born in Monroe Co., N. Y., Nov. 26, 1859. By this marriage there are two children,- Lewis M. and Ethel M.
oderick Campbell, farmer, section 2, Gil- more Township, was born March 1, 1828, 5. on Tiree Island, on the west coast of Scot- land. His parents, Daniel and Nancy (Mc -. Donald) Campbell, were born, reared and lived nearly their entire lives in the Scottish Highlands.
Mr. Campbell left Scotland in July, 1845, and land- ed at Halifax, N. S. He went to Sidney, Cape Bre- ton Island, where he remained three years, working one year as a farm laborer, and the two years fol- lowing, in ferrying by the month. He came thence to Boston, Mass., and went to Springfield in that State, where he stayed less than a year. He then moved to Wayne Co., N. Y., and engaged in farming at SII per month. Two years after, he emigrated to Washtenaw Co., Mich., and worked on a farm three years, at $144 a year. At the expiration of that time he commenced to work land on shares, and he spent about eight years as a farm assistant and renter. In 1867 he purchased 40 acres in the town of Augusta, Washtenaw County, for which he paid $600. On his arrival in Washtenaw County he had but 50 cents in money and a few household articles, which collec- tion did not include a stove. In the upper part of the first house they lived in, Mrs. Campbell found an old baker which she scoured bright and made serviceable for six months. The farm purchased by Mr. Camp- bell was in an unbroken state of wildness, and he sold it 14 years later for $1,700. In February, 1882, he purchased a farm of 160 acres of partly improved land in Isabella County, for which he paid $1,000 cash. On this he is expending his strength and ener- gy with all the effectiveness of good judgment and laudable purpose.
Mr. Campbell was married June 4, 1846, to Mary
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Jane, daughter of Herman and Mary (Thompson) Calhoun. She was born June 25, 1824, in Nassau, Rensselaer Co., N. Y. The following is the record of the six children born of this marriage : Josephine, born Aug. 6, 184 -; John C., April 24, 1852; Mary Ann, Aug. 19, 1855 (died July 10, 1861); Eliza Jane, July 26, 1858 (died July 16, 1861); Mary E., Oct. 1I, 1861 ; Benj. H., June 18, 1864.
enry Adams, farmer and shoemaker, re- siding on section 35, Isabella Township, was born in Hesse, Germany, Sept. 29, 1840. When six years of age he was brought to the New World by his brothers and sisters, the parents having both deceased. They first located in Erie, Pa., and three years later moved to Ashtabula Co., Ohio. When 15 years of age, our subject ap- prenticed himself to a Mr. Nehemiah Phillips, for four years, to learn the shoemaker's trade, and con- tinued in that vocation until the expiration of his ap- prenticeship, working the last year as a "jour." He then came to Alma, Gratiot County, this State, and engaged with Mr. James Gargett.
During the civil war, Mr. Adams enlisted in Co. A, Eighth Mich. Vol. Inf., Feb. 25, 1864, commanded by Col. Ely, of Gratiot County. The company was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He partici- pated in the battle of the Wilderness (six days) and all the battles in which his company was engaged up to the time of the battle of Petersburg. During the latter named action he was taken sick and sent to the hospital at Philadelphia, where he remained until the close of the war; and he was honorably dis- charged May 5, 1865. He was several times wounded but received no injury of a serious nature. At the time the war opened, Mr. Adams was not a citizen of the United States, never having taken out his pa- pers, and he took them out mainly for the purpose of joining the army.
After his discharge, in 1865, he came to Alma, this State, and in the fall of that year went to Mt. Pleas- ant and worked at his trade for Mr. L. Bently for one year. He then worked for himself, at Alma, and continued to carry on his trade at that place until the summer of 1874, when he disposed of his village property by trading the same for 70 acres of wild
land on section 35, Isabella Township, this county. He immediately moved on his newly acquired land and entered on the task of improving it, and now has 55 acres under a good state of cultivation.
Mr. Adams was first married in Alma, Sept. 17, 1863, to Miss Hannah S. Rogers, a native of Ohio, where she was born June 22, 1844. She bore to Mr. Adams three children : George, born Feb. 27, 1866; Frank W., born Aug. 14, 1868; and William H., born April 12, 1873. Mrs. Adams died at her home in Isabella Township, of a congestive chill lasting one hour, April 27, 1876, mourned as a loving wife, kind mother and generous friend.
The second marriage of Mr. Adams occurred Sept. II, 1876, at St. Louis, and the lady of his choice was Miss Augusta Buchholz. She is a native of no country, being born on the "bosom of the waves " while her parents were en route from Germany to this country, Aug. 21, 1855. She has borne her hus- band two children: Minnie, Oct. 23, 1877; and Charles, Oct. 27, 1883.
Politically, Mr. Adams is a believer in and sup- porter of the principles of the Republican party. He has held the position of Director of his school dis- trict, and is a progressive citizen of his township.
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