USA > Michigan > Midland County > Portrait and biographical album of Midland County, Mich. containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 18
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Mr. Halbert has spent three years of his life in the army, enlisting Aug. 28, 1861, in the Second Mich. Cav. Most of the time he was military store- keeper at Detroit, Mich .; about six months he was in Tennessee, or, detached service. He was discharged Sept. 25, 1864, at Louisville, Ky., and returned to Midland, where he has since lived. Politically, he is a National and an anti-monopolist.
He was married in Cortland Co., N. Y., July 4. IS54. to Lydia, daughter of Abel and Emeline (Champlain) Sanders, who were natives of Vermont and Rhode Island. Mrs. H. was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., Oct. 27. 1834. Mr. and Mrs. H. are the parents of five children, viz .: Adelaide D., Edward, Willie, Seth and Duane B. Edward, Willie and Seth are deceased.
ames Major, farmer, section 35, Midland Township, is a son of Timothy and Esther (Bennett) Major. who were natives of Bris- tol, England. In their family were seven children : Eliza. James, John, Charles, George, Emma and Matilda.
The eldest son, the subject of this biographical sketch, was born in Bristol, June IS, IS2S. At the early age of ro12 years he was bound out for five years to a ship owner, who was a resident of the island of Jersey.
Young James served his time, and received his license to command a sailing vessel. He then went on a trip to the East Indies as a common sailor, and made various voyages, until he was 19 years old, when he took command of a Dublin brig to Ham- burg. Germany, thence to the White Sea, and re- turned to Dublin. This trip required six months of time. Then, in 1847, he sailed under the United
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States flag and came to America. He was on the sea for 11 years, on the lakes three years. In Octo- ber, 1851, he came to Midland County and bought 54 acres of land, in Midland Township, where he has since resided. He has since added 40 acres, in Ingersoll Township, to his original purchase, and has now about 65 acres in cultivation.
Mr. Major has been honored with the offices of Township Treasurer one year, Township Clerk one year, Justice of the Peace four terms (still holding this office), and School Director 23 years. He votes the Republican ticket.
Mr. Major was married in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 12, 1850, to Martha, daughter of William and Kittie (Beatty) Glass, natives of Ireland and of English and Scotch ancestry, who settled in Londonderry, Ireland, where she died in 1845 : he afterward came to America, and died in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1852. Mrs. Major was born in Londonderry, Dec. 12, 1833, and the record of the children in Mr. and Mrs. M.'s family is as follows: Ada A., born July 29, 1851; William G., Oct. 8, 1853; Eliza J., Feb. 20, 1856; James E., Sept. 21, 1863 ; Bently A., April 18, 1870; and Kittie E., March 10, 1873.
Mrs. Major is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church.
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lbert M. Button, farmer on section 12, Geneva Township, was born in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, Jan. 7, 1853. He is a son of Wm. R. and Sarah Jane (Harris) Button, the former a native of Ithaca, Tompkins Co., N. Y., and the latter of Ohio. His father left Tompkins County in 1840 and went to Ashtabula Co., Ohio. He was a ship-builder and carpenter by trade, and spent 25 years of his life on the " bosom of the deep," being engaged 12 years of that time as master of a vessel. He also had five brothers who followed the same vocation. He cleared a small farm (40 acres) in Ashtabula County, then sold it and purchased another some six miles distant from the first. On this latter farm his family lived and he followed his vocation on the waters summers and re- mained at home winters. In 1869 he came with his family to this State and county. At that time there was but little improvement here. The railroad through Geneva Township was being graded and
tied, but was not finished until the June following. Having faith in the future development of the county, he, in company with four others, purchased all of section 12, Geneva Township, except 120 acres.
Albert M. Button, the subject of our biographical notice, remained on the parental homestead, with the exception of four years, until he attained his majority. A portion of the four years he was engaged in railroading, and one summer of the time sailed on the brig " E. N. Peck." During his latter service, while on the brig, he was taken sick with typhoid fever and went home to recuperate. On arriving at the age of majority his father gave him a saw-mill. The mill was given on condition that the son would give up railroading and accepted on that condition. He ran the mill for some time, when it was burned, and in about 60 days his father had an- other built and running, near the depot. It was a planing, shingle, lath and circular saw-mill. He ran this mill for his father with signal success for three or four years, and then ran a mill on Harrison Branch, called the "Button Mill," and belonging to his father, for two years. At the expiration of the latter date he brought the machinery from the latter named mill to Buttonville and started an upright saw-mill. He ran this for five months and then moved it three miles below, where he again ran it for about three months, and then sold it, reserving the "power." He then engaged for about ten months in railroading for the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad Company, when he returned home and purchased a circular saw-mill and again engaged at his former occupation, which, together with that of making shingles, he has continuously followed to the present time. May 28, 1884, his mill was burned, and at this writing he is re-building.
Mr. Button was united in marriage Aug. 5, 1875, to Miss Mary, daughter of James and Mary (Welsh) Martin. Her father was of Irish descent, a native of the Empire State, and died in Canada when the daughter was only eight months old. The mother was born in Canada, and is of Irish descent. Mr. and Mrs. Button have two children, namely, Minnie Rose, born March 25, 1877, and Willie Burt, born Sept. 20, 1878, both in Buttonville.
Mr. Button has a farm of 80 acres, on 30 acres ot which he has chopped the trees, and he has cleared 15 acres. He has no buildings erected on his land,
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but contemplates the erection of a house and barn this summer.
Politically, Mr. Button is a believer in and sup- porter of the principles of the Republican party. He has held the office of School Commissioner, and is an esteemed and respected citizen of his township. Religiously, he is a member of no Church. Mrs. Button belongs to the Catholic Church.
ohn Currie, farmer on section 31, Mid- Iand Township, is a son of John and Mary (McDonald) Currie, natives of Scotland; and he also was born in that country, June 15, 1847. When two years old he was brought by his parents to Canada, where they lived till 1 860. He then came to this county, which has since been his home. In 1867 he purchased So acres of wild land where he now resides, to which he has added eight acres by purchase. Of the whole, 55 acres are under cultivation.
April 23, 1868, in Midland Township, he was united in marriage with Miss Jane, daughter of Archibald and Annie (Nesbitt) Yule. Parents and daughter were natives of Scotland, where the latter was born May 20, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. C. have one son, John. They incline to the Presbyterian faith, and Mr. C. is politically independent.
B enjamin Lee, farmer and builder, section 13, Edenville Township, was born March 16, 1843, in County Wicklow, Ireland. His parents were natives of the Emerald Isle, and came to Canada in 1852. They settled in the county of Victoria, and in the town of Omemee, an Indian name signifying pigeon. His father was a miner and was employed on the railroad.
When Mr. Lee was 14 years old his mother died, and he was apprenticed for five years by his father to learn the wagon-maker's trade, but the indentures were broken at the end of the first year by his em- ployer's abandoning the business in consequence of falling heir to a considerable property. Mr. Lee then turned his attention to farming, to which he
devoted himself one year, after which he went to learn the trade of builder. He was a natural me- chanic, and soon acquired sufficient technical knowl- edge of the use of tools to operate in his own in- terest, and he has pursued the same vocation to the present time. He came to Edenville Oct. 17, 1871, and after working as a builder for a year he bought ten acres of unimproved land. He has placed the entire property under cultivation, with good house, barn, well and orchard. He is a Republican and has served four years as Justice of the Peace.
He was married Aug. 29, 1867, at Bobcaygeon, Can., to Mary Ann, daughter of John P. and Mary Ann (Reith) Patterson. The mother of Mrs. Lee died in Ireland at her birth. The father died in Hope Township, in 1883. Both parents were natives of County Antrim, Ireland. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lee are named and were born as follows : Edward, Sept. 6, 1869; John P., June 29, 1873; George D., Jan. 26, 1876 ; Martha Jane, Aug. 9, 1882.
illiam W. Allen, farmer, section 24, Mid- land Township, is a son of Ashabel and Catherine (Baldridge) Allen, natives of Vermont. The latter, after marriage, resided awhile in their native State, then removed to St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., then to Oneida County, same State, and finally to Geauga Co., Ohio. He was a blacksmith, and died at Akron, Ohio. After his death, his widow continued for some time to reside in Geauga County, and then removed to Eaton, Lorain Co., Ohio, where she died March 20, 1862. In their family were three sons and one daughter, viz .: Matilda S., born May 16, 1831; Ethan P., born in 1834, enlisted in Co. G, 12th Ohio Cav., and died at Lexington, Ky., in July, 1864; William W., the subject of this sketch, born Feb. 28, 1837 ; and Henry N., Dec. 31, 1839.
Mr. Allen remained at home, farming and attend- ing school, until 18 years of age, and then for six years he worked by the month at farming, and taught school during the winter seasons. In 1858 he at- tended school one term at the Hiram Institute, when the late President Garfield was Principal, and Mr. Allen was in his class, in analysis and mathematics. The next year he attended the Baldwin University,
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at Berea, Ohio, one term, and the following year, 1860, he attended one term of the High School at Elyria, Ohio.
He was married in 1861, and went to Henry Co., Ohio, and bought a farm, where he lived a year and a half. In October, 1863, he enlisted in the 12th Ohio Cav., for the cause of the Union, and served to the close of the great life-and-death struggle of this nation. Most of the time he was in Kentucky, in scout and border service. The principal battles in which he was engaged were Mount Sterling, Ky., and Cumberland Gap.
After the close of his military service he returned to his home in Lorain County. Having disposed of his farm in Henry County, he bought a farm, which he carried on 11 years, and then sold and came to Bay City, Mich., where he remained two years. In February, 1879, he came to Midland County and settled on an So-acre tract of land in Midland Town- ship, which he had bought in 1876, and where he has since resided. He now has about 25 acres under cultivation.
Mr. Allen, in religion, is a member of the Presby- terian Church ; in politics, of the Republican party ; in social affairs, of the G. A. R., Dwight May Post, No. 69. In August, 1883, he was elected a County Examiner on the School Board; has been School Moderator two years, School Director, and Road Master four years. In the spring of 1884 he was elected Treasurer of Midland Township.
July 3, 1861, at Eaton, Lorain Co., Ohio, Mr. Allen married Miss Mary, daughter of James and Sarah A. (Fleming) Burns,-the latter, natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. B. died in Pittsburg, l'a., in September, 1844, and Mrs. B. came to this county in 1880, and is now the wife of James B. Burtless, residing in Midland Township. Mrs. Allen was born in Pittsburg, Pa., Jan. 23, 1845, is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and is the mother of three children, namely : Bert E., Charles H. and Mabel M.
J. Shepherd, farmer, section 2, Edenville Township, was born Nov. 11, 1844, in the town of Scruple, Oswego Co., N. Y. He is the son of Peter D. and Laura (Hofftaling) Shep- herd. His parents were natives of New York, and descended from Holland Dutch ancestry. His mother resides in Tobacco Township, Gladwin
Co., Mich. In 1857 they emigrated to Wayne Co., Mich., where they settled on a farm and resided five years. The father died and the family removed to East Saginaw, where they remained five years.
Mr. Shepherd came to Midland County several times previous to his final settlement, which he made about the year 1868. He engaged in the liquor busi- ness at Edenville, in which he was occupied about four years. He went thence to Clare, where he re- mained nearly one year. He bought the farm where he now resides in 1873.
He was married July 20, 1872, to Eleanor R., daughter of William and Adelia Idella (Belote) Mitchell. Her parents live in Vernon Township, Isabella County, and are members of the farming community. They are natives of New York, and the father is of Irish parentage. The mother is of un- mixed Yankee descent. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd were born in the following order : Carrie Agnes, Oct. 4, 1873; Laura Adelia, Dec. I, 1875; William Case, Aug. 18, 1877; Edna May, March 23, 1879; George Presley, April 3, 1883. Mr. Shepherd is a Democrat in political faith.
ylvester Leonard, farmer, section 9, Mid- land Township, is a son of Robert and Susan Leonard, natives of the Empire State. He was born in 'Tioga Co., N. Y., April 22, 1827, in which State he remained, engaged in farming and lumbering, until about 1864; then was in Lapeer County, this State, about two years, managing a farm of his own; then sold, and bought a farm in Saginaw County, where he lived until the fall of 1870; then, for six years, he followed teaming at Midland City, during which period he bought his present place, of 40 acres, and since about 1876 this has been his residence. Thirty acres are improved.
Mr. Leonard was first married in Tioga Co., N. Y., to Miss Samantha Butler, a native of that State, and by this marriage were three children,-Robert, de- ceased, Oliver and Sidney. Mrs. L. died about 1862, and Mt. L. was again married, June 23, 1868, in Genesee Co, Mich., to Mrs. Argina Allen Alger, widow of George W. Alger, who died in the army in 1862. She had by her first marriage five children :
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David, Eugene, Leonard, Sophia and Virginia. Mrs. L. was born in Monroe Co., N. Y., April 30, 1826; is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her grandfather was one of the first American soldiers to enlist in the Revolutionary war.
On national questions Mr. Leonard is a Repub- lican.
oseph D. Short, farmer, section 12, Mid- land Township, is a son of William and Elizabeth (Dolamore) Short, who were na- tives of England and came to this county in 1878. Father died March 28, 1882, and mother survives, aged 73, and resides in Mid- land.
The subject of this sketch was born in Lorain Co., Ohio, Aug. 15, 1844, and has resided in this county since the immigration of the family. His father bought 400 acres of land on his arrival here, and at his death 120 acres were left to Joseph. Of this tract, 40 acres have since been disposed of, and a small portion of the remaining 80 is cleared.
Mr. Short was married in Jackson, Mich., Oct. 27, 1872, to Miss Elizabeth Lester, who was a native of Sturgis, this State.
In regard to political affairs, Mr. Short is counted a Republican.
avid Burton, retired farmer, section 12, Edenville Township, was born in Fairfield, Somerset Co., Me., Sept. 13, 1801. His parents, John and Peace (Bowman) Burton, were Quakers and of English origin, born re- spectively in Maine and Massachusetts. They died at Dexter, Maine, and are buried in the cemetery in that place. The father was a black- smith by trade, and sometimes pursued it to a limited extent in connection with his chief occupation as a farmer.
Mr. Burton passed the entire period of his minority with his parents, and on reaching the age of 21 he bought 80 acres of land in the adjoining township of Garland, and went to work by the month to obtain
money to pay for it. He remained three years in the employment of one man, and at the end of that time he had saved $200, the amount he required to dis- charge his indebtedness for his land During his first year of service he received $9.50 per month for eight months; during the second year of labor he was paid monthly $10.80, and during the last year about SII for the same time. He attended school winters and did chores for his board. At the end of three years he entered upon the work of improving his farm, and erected a frame house and frame barn. He was married Nov. 22, 1830, to Sarah R. daughter, of Isaac and Hannah (Bartlett) Copeland, by whom he had two children : Hannah, born Aug. 13, 1831, and an unnamed infant, who died a month after birth. The mother died at Dexter, Maine.
Mr. Burton was a second time married Oct. 29, 1834, to Emeline Copeland, a cousin of his first wife. She was born Aug. 24, 1815, and died in April, 1881. Eight children were born of this marriage, as follows: Elizabeth L., Sept. 29, 1835; Edwin N., June 20, 1837 (see sketch); Augusta A., June 4, 1839; Fran- ces E, April 17, 1841: Caroline A., Oct. 15. 1843; Frank S, July 17, 1845 ; Frederick M., April 3, 1847; Lillian A., May 14, 1859. Elizabeth married George Jacobs, of Midland, and died in child-birth, July 6, 1863. Her babe died a few days later. Frances married Daniel Judge, of Osceola County, and died in child-birth, Feb. 21, 1860. The life whichi was the price of the young mother's existence was preserved, the child-Walter Judge-being brought up by his maternal grandfather. He is married and resides in Edenville Township.
Mr. Burton resided on his farm four years, sold out and went to his father's homestead to take care of his parents and a younger brother, but matters did not progress smoothly, and Mr. Burton purchased 100 acres of his father's farm, on which he resided four years. At the end of that time he sold again, and bought 80 acres of land, where he resided until 1851. In that year he came to Washtenaw Co., Mich., and bought 80 acres. Three years later he sold out and went to East Saginaw, where he left his family through the winter and came to this county and managed a lumber camp, where Midland is now situated, as he had done the previous winter. In March, 1855, he removed his family and interests to Edenville Township, where he became the proprietor by purchase of 160 acres of land, paying therefor 50
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cents an acre. He removed hither on the last day of March, transporting his effects on the ice in two sleigh loads. The family moved into a log house which had been used for a camp the previous winter. Mr. Burton took charge of the men in the woods, and proceeded to chop and clear in the interests of Tift Jerome, in order to raise food to supply the camp the coming winter. He also cleared two acres of his own property, and planted it with turnips and potatoes. In the fall he built a log house and took possession of it with his family, commencing his pioneer life. He has resided on the place ever since, and has been identified with the interests and progress of his town- ship. He is a Democrat in political connection, and was the first Supervisor after the organization of the township. He was Town Clerk several years, and has served as Township Treasurer.
harles H. L. Hubbell, farmer, section 9 Midland Township, is a son of Charles B. and Anna A. (Metler) Hubbell, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New Jersey.
The subject of this sketch was born in Bridgeport, Conn., Oct. 31, 1840. At the age of 19 he came to Oakland Co., Mich., and for two years, worked out by the month, at Rose. Aug. 10, 1861, he enlisted in the Seventh Mich. Inf., and served until Jan. 8, 1863, when, on account of having re- ceived a severe wound, he was honorably discharged. His left leg was broken by a musket ball, in the bat- tle of Antietam. He also participated in the battles of Winchester, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Bull Run (2d), South Mountain, etc.
On leaving the army, he returned to Oakland Co., Mich., and resided there till the spring of 1872, when he came to Midland County and purchased 60 acres of land, in Midland Township, where he has since resided. He now has half this tract under cultivation.
Mr. Hubbell was married in Fentonville, Genesee Co., Mich., July 2, 1863, to Miss Angeline, daughter of Nicholas and Nancy (Hall) Yorton, who were natives of the Empire State. She was born in Holly, Oakland Co., Mich., Oct. 30, 1843. The chil-
dren of Mr. and Mrs. H. are five in number, namely: George B., Nora A., Fayette S., Myron H. and Anna H.
Mr. Hubbell has been Overseer of Highways for several years; is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, and also of the G. A. R., Dwight May Post, No. 69. In politics he is in sym- pathy with the Democratic party.
eslie F. Babcock, farmer on section 9, and acting Postmaster at North Bradley, was born May 19, 1855, in Grant Co., Wis., and is the son of William and Angeline R. (Con- verse) Babcock. His father was born Feb. 11, 1818, in the State of New York, of English an- cestry. The mother was born Sept. 10, 1824, in Cayuga Co., N. Y., and comes of the genuine New England Puritan stock, as indicated by her family name of Converse. The family of the senior Bab- cock moved to Wisconsin in 1849, and settled in Grant County. After a residence there of 11 years they started, in the spring of 1860, for Pike's Peak, traveling thither in a prairie schooner, in a caravan train. They remained among the mountains six weeks and retraced their steps to Manchester, Del- aware Co., Iowa, where the father opened a shop for the prosecution of his trade of wagon-making. He conducted his interests in that line two years at that place, selling his wagons to farmers. In 1863 he came to Livingston Co., Mich., and spent eight years at Leroy and Fowlerville. While in that county he managed a hotel at Leroy and at a point two miles west of Fowlerville, on the road from Detroit to Lan- sing, before the construction of the railroads through that region. In 1870 he sold out and moved to San- ford, where he operated three years as a hotel-keeper. In 1873 he removed his family to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he remained a few months. He bought two two-horse teams, one saddle horse and seven head of cattle, and went to the eastern part of South- ern Iowa, and settled for a winter opposite Nebraska City, where he sold out all his stock except one team, with which he moved back to Michigan. He built a hotel at North Bradley, this county, and the family continued to conduct it until 1878. The father died Dec. 19, 1874. His eldest son was the first Post-
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master at North Bradley, and still retains the position, with his mother as deputy.
The family included four sons and an adopted daughter : Charles J., born Aug. 2, 1847, died Dec. 21, of the same year; William A., born March 10, 1849; Franklin M., born Feb. 19, 1851, died May 12, 1862; and Alice (adopted).
Mr. Babcock is a Republican in political connec- tion and has been active in local official positions. He has served five terms as Supervisor, two terms as Town Clerk, two terms as Treasurer and is now Deputy Sheriff.
He was married Aug. 9, 1878, to Alice, daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Emlan) Geary. Her father was born in Kent, England, and died Feb. 2, 1879; her mother is of French descent and resides at Cen- tral Lake, Antrim Co., Mich.
eorge W. Covert, of the firm of Haley & .... + Co., lumbermen and agriculturists, and as- sociated with John Haley in the livery business, located at Midland, was born Aug. 31, 1844, in Yates Co., N. Y. His father, Isaac Covert, was a farmer and lumberman and died in Penn Yan, N. Y., in 1882. The mother, Margaret (Mitchell) Covert, died in February, 1846, in the State of New York.
Mr. Covert passed the first 14 years of his life in his native State, the most of that time as canal-driver on the Erie Canal ; and in 1859 went to Allegany Co., N. Y., where he operated in the lumber woods three years. He came to Midland March 4, 1865, and entered the employment of John Larkin, in whose service he continued 14 years, acting as foreman in the lumber woods and on the drive. In 1882 he formed an association with John Haley, and has since operated in lumber jobbing in the interest of various parties. Their outfit includes 26 double horse teams, and they generally employ about 125 men. In the winter of 1883-4 they put in 15,000,- ooo feet of lumber. They own 200 acres of land, known as the Eastman farm, rated as one of the most valuable pieces of property in the county. They also Own 160 acres of farming land in Larkin, Midland County.
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