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 35
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Mr. Young was married in Monroe Co., N. Y., May 13, 1845, to Philinda Ketchum, who was born in that county, Jan. 4, 1826. They have had four
children, namely: Reuben F., Clista J., Elizabeth P. and Mary. Clista and Mary are deceased.
Mr. Young has been School Director for four years, in politics is a Republican, and is a member of the Baptist Church, as is also his wife.
eorge W. Wardell, farmer, section 29, Jerome Township, was born Aug. 4, 1839, in Albion, Wellington Co., Can. His par- ents, William and Nancy (Stooks) Wardell, are respectively of English and Canadian birth, and descendants of parents who belong to the nationality known as Pennsylvania Dutch. They reside in Tuscola Co., Mich.
Mr. Wardell found himself at liberty to construct his own fortunes at the age of 13 years. He served three years' apprenticeship in the business of cloth- making, and worked as a journeyman until April, 1858, when he enlisted in the 100th Prince of Wales Royal Canadian Regiment and was sent to England for military drill. The regiment was ordered to Gibraltar, the depot of supplies for the East Indies during the Sepoy Rebellion. The mutiny was quelled before the command received orders to pro- ceed to India. While the regiment was at Gibraltar Mr. Wardell was sent to England on recruiting service and operated in that capacity two years, re- joining his regiment in 1864. In the summer of 1865 the command was ordered to Malta, where it remained until November, 1866, when it was trans- ferred to Canada. Mr. Wardell enlisted for ten years, and on reaching Canada had one and a fourth years to serve. He went to Collinswood to drill the seventh company of the 37th Regiment at Clarks- burg. He remained at that place three years and came thence to Oakland Co., Mich., where he re- mained until 1872. He bought three acres of land in Davisburg, Oakland County, which he sold in the year mentioned and went to Bay City, where he remained until November, 1881. At that date he came to Jerome township and entered a claim of 80 acres under the Homestead Act. In February, 1882. be removed his family hither, and has improved 18 acres of his land.
While in England on recruiting service he was married to Miss Margaret, daughter of Thomas B.
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and Margaret (Bennett) Huntley. She was born at Dover, Aug. 14, 1840, and was married on the Isle of Wight. Her parents were natives of England and are both deceased. The record of the 14 chil- dren that have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wardell is as follows: Lydia Ann was born Jan. 12, 1864, at Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of Wight, and died Aug. 9, 1865, at Gibraltar; Anna E. was born March 12, 1865; Margaret A. was born March 19, 1866 ; Rich- ard was born Dec. 18, 1866. (The three last named children were born at Malta.) Emily Jane was born Nov. 24, 1867; Minnie M., April 8, 1869; Beatrice M., April 17, 1870. (These children were born in Canada.) Clara was born May 24, 1871; Cora Nancy was born June 24, 1873. (These were born in Oakland Co., Mich.) George W. was born Aug. 24, 1874; Georgiana Victoria was born Aug. 14, 1875; Ava Clement was born April 25, 1876; Ed- ward James was born Jan. 27, 1878; Phebe H., June 8, 1880. These last named were born in Bay County.
Mr. Wardell's portrait appears on a preceding page.
ilas W. Drew, farmer, section 12, Ingersoll Tp., is a son of John and Nancy (Huff) Drew, natives of New York, who lived and died there. He was born in Cattaraugus Co. N. Y., Aug. 10, 1840; when 16 years of age he began to work on the New York & Erie rail- road, and afterward on the Atlantic & Great Western railway, as track hand and section foreman,-opera- ting in those capacities altogether about ten years. In September, 1867, he came to Midland County and for six months was employed in a saw-mill and six months on a farm. He next worked at dairy farming a year in New York State, and in the fall of 1870 re- turned to this county and rented a farm for one year. In 187 1 he bought 20 acres of section 12, where he now lives, to which he has added by purchase 311/4 acres from section 1; he has about 30 acres in a state of good cultivation.
Mr. Drew has been School Treasurer of his district for two years, and takes Democratic views of national questions.
He was married in Ingersoll Township, April 19,
1868, to Miss Anna, daughter of Charles and Laura (Graves) Blodgett, who was born in Lorain Co., Ohio, Oct. 20, 18449.
illiam McNeil, farmer, section 2, Porter Township, was born Feb. 9, 1845, in Can- ada West. When he was two years old his parents came to lonia Co., Mich., where he passed the entire period of his minority. He celebrated the arrival of the age of his legal freedom by establishing himself in married life. He was married in Berlin Township, Ionia County, to Abigail McCreery. She was born March 14, 1844, in Kent Co., Ont., and came with her parents to Ingham County, this State, when she was four years old. They still reside near Lansing.
Soon after his marriage, Mr. McNeil removed to Wheeler Township, Gratiot County, where he pur- chased 160 acres of wild land on section 26 : here he resided one year. On coming to Midland County he settled first in Mt. Haley Township, but later pur- chased 160 acres of land on section 2 of Porter Township. It was a valuable piece of property, heavily wooded with hard and soft timber. He has developed a fine farm, with So acres cleared and under good improvements. He is a Democrat in political connection, and has held the office of Town- ship Treasurer seven years, Justice of the Peace three years, School Inspector four years, and is now serving as Supervisor. He has also officiated in the various positions connected with the school affairs of his district.
The several children born to Mr. and Mrs. McN. are named William A., Charles A., George C., Orin C., Sarah A., Cora A. and Lavinia B.
eil McDougall, general farmer, section 17, Jasper Township, was born near Toronto, Ont., Dec. 30, 1844, and when he was quite young the family moved to the village o of Newfield, Chemung Co., N. Y., afterward to Bridgeport, that county.
Feb. 25, 1862, he enlisted in the Fifth N. Y. Heavy Artillery, Co. C, in the Army of the Potomac, and
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A
two years afterward he was discharged for re-enlist- ment. Accordingly he re-enlisted, Feb. 27, 1864, and was in five active engagements, viz .: Piedmont, Lynchburg, Snicker's Gap, Winchester and Martins- burg,-all in Virginia. Mr. McD. escaped unhurt, further than exhaustion and exposure to hardships from over-marching. Having served over three years, he was honorably discharged, July 19, 1865, at Harper's Ferry.
After spending a short time in Chemung Co., N. Y., he came to Jasper Township, this county, where, Feb. 21, 1866, he married Miss Anna S. Anderson. (This was the first marriage in that township.) Mrs. McDougall was born in Grand Isle Co., Vt., March 5, 1850, and when she was but three weeks old her father died, and when about five years old her mother moved with her to Clinton Co., N. Y. Subsequently she returned to Vermont, and one year later to Steuben Co., N. Y., and finally, in 1865, to this county. Mr. and Mrs. McD. have one child by adoption,-Sophronia S., who was born May 27, 1878.
Mr. McDougall owns So acres where he now re- sides, with 20 acres under good cultivation. Con- cerning national questions he holds Republican views, and in this county he has been Constable, Justice of the Peace, Health Officer and School In- spector. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R.
illiam D. Gibbs, general farmer and lum- berman, section 18, Jasper Township, was born in Addison Co., Vt., March 22, 1859. His parents, Trumans and Frances R. (Straight) Gibbs, were natives of the Green Mountain State, of New England parentage and of English ancestry. His father, now aged 61, is a farmer, residing in Greendale Township, this county, was the first permanent settler in that town- ship, and was the only resident there for six tedious years. His wife died in that township in 1869.
The subject of this sketch was the second son, and second child, in the above family. of seven children, and was about 12 years old when they emigrated to this county. At that time there was not so much as 50 acres of improved land in the whole township of
Jasper,-6 miles by 18 in dimensions. He has since been engaged in farming, and up to 1880 also in lumbering. About a year after marriage, he settled on a farm of So acres, where he now resides, and where he has erected a fine dwelling and made many substantial improvements upon the place.
Mr. Gibbs is now Deputy Sheriff, and in politics is a Republican.
June 9, 18So, at Mt. Pleasant, he married Miss Lucy E., daughter of Reed and Samantha (Straight) Bohannon, natives of Vermont and of English de- scent, and now residing in Jasper Township, on a farm. She was born in Grand Isle, Vt., Sept. 16, 1856, and came with her parents to this State when 21 years of age. There are two children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs,-Carrie B., born Nov. 19, 1882, and Florence M., March 8, 1884.
ganiel Weed, general farmer, section 18, Lee Township, was born in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., Sept. 27, 1846, and was nine years old when the family removed thence to Warren Co., Pa. Remaining at home until he was 26 years old, he enlisted mn Co. F, 151st Pa. Vol. Inf., Sept. 20, 1862, which was attached to the Army of the Potomac. He was in the famous battles of Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, and was wounded while standing sentinel near Woodward Ford, Va., by being shot through the left leg with a musket ball and buck-shot, the latter remaining in the flesh. Having served his term of enlistment, he was discharged Aug. 13, 1863.
Returning to Crawford Co., Pa., he followed farm- ing for a while, then the same vocation in Berrien Co., Mich., for six years ; then going to Jackson Co., Kan., and canvassing that State for a patent right, he returned to Erie Co., Pa .; and one year later he came to this county and established himself on 120 acres of unimproved land, where he now lives, which he took under the Homestead Law. He now owns So acres, one-half of which is finely improved.
Mr. Weed has held the school offices of his dis- trict and that of Highway Commissioner, and in his political views is a Republican.
Sept. 10, 1865, in Warren Co., Pa., Mr. Weed was married to Miss Jane Vanciske, a native born and
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bred in Crawford Co., Pa. She had four children,- Maria M., Jane, James and Martha, the latter de- ceased. Mrs. Weed died at her home in Crawford Co., Pa., about 1867, and Mr. Weed was married again, in 1876, in Saginaw Co., Mich., to Miss Nancy L. Boyce, who was born in Lapeer Co., Mich., and brought up in Oakland and Saginaw Counties. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
oring S. Winslow, deceased, was a farmer on section 35, Ingersoll Township. His parents, Joseph and Anna (Curtis) Winslow, were natives of New York State. He was born in the same State, March 12, 1807, and early in life learned the blacksmith trade, of his uncle, in Barnard, Vt. He also was engaged in stone-cutting some years. At the age of 21 he mar- ried Joanna Richmond, who died two years and a half afterward. After five years of widowerhood he married Mary, daughter of Josiah and Submit (Per- ham) Brown, natives of New England. She was born in Goshen, Vt., May 21, 1817, and became the mother of seven sons, namely: Joseph J., Charles H., Loring S., Curtis J., John E., Willie G. and Frank P.
In the fall of 1867 Mr. Winslow came to Midland County, and settled upon 200 acres of land, which he had " taken up " several years previously. Here he remained until his death, which occurred March 26, 1876. In connection with his other business, he also practiced medicine for some time. He also held the office of Justice of the Peace in Ingersoll Township. Ile took an active part in political affairs, being identified with the Democratic party.
oseph Lain is a farmer on section 2, Inger- soll Township. His parents, Archibald and Mary (Camp) Lain, are natives of England, where they still live. Joseph is the eldest of the children, was born in England Aug. 15, 1827, and by the time he was 22 years of age he had put in five years of time "before the mast " as a sailor, part of this time as " mate." At the age mentioned he came to America, and in 1852 to Mid-
land County, first purchasing 40 acres of Government land. For the first ten years he spent the summer seasons on the lakes, and the winters in clearing his land and cutting wood. He has since added another 40 acres to his possessions, and of the total he now has 60 acres in a good state of cultivation, with fine buildings. On national questions he is independent.
Mr. Lain was married in Midland City, June 10, 1865, to Clara, daughter of Henry and Mary Ran- dall, who were natives of Canada. Mrs. Lain was also born in that dominion, May 13, 1849. Of the six children born in this family, one died in infancy, and the five living are, Willard A., C'ora E., Emma A., Bertha E. and Laura.
orton W. Ellsworth, farmer, section 24, Jerome Township, and clerk with Wells, Stone & Co., at Sanford, was born April 15, 1841, in Genesee Co., Mich. He is a son of Arthur L. and Caroline E. (Chapin) Ells- worth. His father died in Saginaw in 1874. His mother resides in Memphis, Macomb Co., Mich. When Mr. Ellsworth was 12 years old he went to Flint, Mich., whither his parents removed and settled on a farm. He attended the High School at Flint for some time, and when the mining excitement at Pike's Peak arose, he went there and engaged in gulch min- ing. He operated with the varying fortunes common to the majority of miners, sometimes with success, sometimes otherwise. When the civil war broke out he became a soldier, enlisting Dec. 23, 1862, in Co. G, Second Col. Vol. Cav., and was mustered out of service in September, 1865. His regiment was chiefly engaged in the frontier service. One of its first operations was in fighting General Price in South- western Missouri, and during the period of enlist- ment it was engaged in numberless Indian skir- mishes. On leaving the military service of the United States, he returned to Michigan and engaged as sales- man with the grocery and provision house of Mosher & Mickley, of East Saginaw, where he remained three years. At the expiration of that time he and his brother went to Watrousville, Tuscola Co., Mich., where they established mercantile relations, which existed until the fires of ISSo and ISSi forced the firm to suspend. Mr. Ellsworth returned to East
John Larkin
Amanda Larkin .7
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Saginaw and engaged as clerk with H. N. Doty in the grocery business, in whose employment he remained three years. He then rented a farm near East Sagi- naw, on which he lived one year, when he entered upon his present employment, and is now general manager of the mercantile business of the firm at Sanford. He is a Republican, and has served as a member of the School Board.
He was married Dec. 5, 1867, at East Saginaw, to Roselle, daughter of Ira and Roxana (Clark) Mason. Her parents were natives of the State of New York, and died in Wayne Co., Mich. One son and two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth, as follows : May R., Aug. 24, 1868; Ida MI., Jan. 24, 1873; Ray N., Jan. 31, 1884. The two elder children were born at East Saginaw.
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ohn Larkin, senior member of the firm of Larkin & Patrick, manufacturers and deal- ers in lumber, shingles and salt, resident at Midland, was born in Phelps, Ontario Co., N. Y., Oct. 10, 1826. He is the son of Bradford and Martha (Ellsworth) Larkin. His father was a farmer and passed his life in the pursuit of that vocation. He died at Midland, Aug. 11, 1870. The mother is still living, in Midland.
The building of the Erie Canal in the near vicinity of his home was a momentous event at the time when Mr. Larkin was receiving his impressions of the march of progress in the world, and at the age of 15 years he left home to engage in the service of the canal. He passed through the various grades of as- sistants, and at the age of 20 was captain of a pass- enger line boat plying between Buffalo and the city of New York. When railroads superseded transport- ation by canal, Mr. Larkin decided on a wider field of operation, and, in the spring of 1850, came to Saginaw City to take a prospective view of business. Finding that the outlook met his views, he removed there in the fall of 1851. One of the motives which incited him to investigate the probabilities of this section of Michigan were the fabulous accounts of the profits accruing to hunters and trappers, who plied their craft in the woods of the counties now consti- tuting the lumber region of the Peninsular State. During the winter ensuing his arrival in Saginaw
County, Mr. Larkin spent some time in hunting, up the Tittabawassee River. He was thoroughly equip- ped for the work, having brought with him a com- plete outfit of dogs and hunting paraphernalia. His home for about a year was at a point below " Free- land's," eight miles above Saginaw, and Dec. 7, 1852, he and Mrs. Larkin removed to the "Bluff's," a point on the river three miles from Midland, where they remained about six weeks. In January they came to the present site of Midland. Mr. Larkin cleared a small piece of ground, now occupied by the pail, tube and hoop factory and residence of Mr. Peters, built a log house, the first structure in the place, and entered it Jan. 14, 1853. It was simply laid up and chinked; and Yankee ingenuity and providence devised ways and means to make it comfortable. Mr. and Mrs. Larkin are, par excellence, the repre- sentative pioneers of Midland City and a tract of surrounding country several miles in extent. They were the sole individuals "this side " the river, and, at intervals, months would elapse in which Mrs. Larkin did not see the face of a white woman. All the society she had were Charles H. Rood and his daughter, half-breed Indians. Wild animals were abundant but not troublesome. The same fact was true of the Indians-plentiful and harmless, save when intoxicated, when they were a source of dread. The Indians were all located across the river because of the better quality of the land. But one individual among them inhabited a log cabin: the remainder lived in bark shanties. When Government deeded to each of them five acres of land they advanced some- what in civilization, but a few years later, by another of the wise regulations which have distinguished the American Government in its operations with the noble red men, they were removed to Isabella County. The family occupied the log house three years, living in true pioneer style, entertaining lum- bermen and land-lookers, and sharing with all comers their supplies of the necessities of life. The cabin in the woods was frequently filled to overflowing with temporary sojourners, and often the family resigned the last bed and divided the domestic supplies, even to depriving themselves of couch or coverings to render comfortable for a night those who, on the following day, would pass on to encounter sharper privations and hardships. Mr. Larkin bought 52 acres of land where his house was built. He had cherished from the first the purpose of obtaining a
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tract of 62 acres where his present residence is lo- cated and which constitutes the main portion of what is now Midland City. It was owned by the Ameri- can Fur Company, and he was unable for a long time to obtain a clue to either owner or title, and he only became its actual possessor by repeatedly purchas- ing the so-called titles of the respective claimants, whether fraudulent or otherwise. In 1858 Mr. Larkin built a steamboat called the Midland City, to ply between the place for which it was named and Saginaw. Not long afterward he bought the "Belle Seymore, " for the same purpose. Both boats were of light burthen and were used for purposes commen- surate with their construction and capacities, some- times being employed as tugs for laden boats on the river. When the country became the field of opera- tion for the extensive lumber interests which have been prosecuted since its resources in that direction have been understood, these steamboats, as river craft, fell into disuse, the booms and saw logs mo- nopolizing the stream to the exclusion of all other ventures, and the channel being practically ruined through the same means. In 1855 he erected a frame building on block 11, where is now the Reardon Block, where he established himself as a landlord. This was really the first building worthy the name in Midland City. In the changes which have suc- ceeded each other in the place, all traces of this building have become obliterated. Within the first year of their life in the new hotel all the voters of Midland County,-seventeen in number, were there at dinner on the occasion of a county election. The hotel business was prosecuted six years, when, in 1860, Mr. and Mrs. Larkin became a part of the general community which had grown up about them and, so to speak, through their instrumentality, to a considerable extent. The second building in the place was erected by L. P. Bailey, to whom Mr. Larkin gave a lot on the condition that he should build a store thereon, which was fulfilled, the build- ing serving the two-fold purposes of residence and place of business. The houses of Dr. Jennings, John McLean, Harvey Lyon, Daniel Wilsor and George Turner were built next in order, after which the construction of residences and influx of popula- tion at Midland City became general. In the winter of 1853 Mr. Larkin engaged in lumbering in com- pany with E. G. Buttles, his brother-in-law. The same fall he bought So acres additional of pine land
in the county. He had previously purchased 52 acres, now lying in the southeast portion of the vil- lage of Midland. He afterward made considerable purchases of land now included in Midland. The platting of the village was nearly all accomplished under his management. He continued one year in company with his brother-in-law. In 1858 he, in company with Philo Sumner, built a saw-mill on the site now occupied by the mill where he is operating, which he afterwards took down and replaced by one on a larger scale. This was burned in the fall of 1874, with a loss of $40,000, partly reimbursed by an insurance of $17,000. He at once rebuilt and put his works in first-class running order. In 1877 he formed an association with William Patrick, under the firm style of Larkin & Patrick. In 1878 they erected extensive salt works and sunk two wells, which have yielded incessantly 150 barrels daily. They have a considerable export and local trade and ship their products West. Their working force in the lumber works include about So men, besides be- tween 30 and 40 in the woods, and they manufacture all varieties of lumber products. They also conduct a retail lumber yard. The firm of Larkin & Patrick own about 6,000 acres of timber land in Clare County, besides extensive tracts of farming land. In 1864 Mr. Larkin erected his residence, which was, at the time of its construction, probably the best in the county.
When Mr. Larkin became a resident of Midland County, it included about 20 voters. It was organ- ized in 1855, and he was a prominent factor in the arrangement of its municipal affairs. In 1856 he was elected County Treasurer and was successively re-elected 10 terms to the same position. He served as Supervisor in 1883. He was married in August, 1847, in Lyons, Wayne Co. N. Y., to Amanda But- tles, born Feb. 14, 1829, in Phelps, Ontario Co., N. Y., daughter of Isaac and Ariett Buttles. Of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Larkin two children- Lewis and Eugene-have been born, both of whom died in early infancy. They have three adopted daughters. The two eldest are sisters. Mary is the wife of B. F. Bradley, merchant at Midland. Eliza- beth married Samuel Foster, a merchant at Midland. Nellie is aged 14 years.
The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Laskin may be found on other pages. They are those of pioneers, pure and simple. The East, from which they came
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when life was in its full flush of hope and ambition, seemed to narrow in its possibilities for all they de- sired to achieve. With cheerful heroism they sought a satisfactory field for their life work; they formed the nucleus of the incoming population of Midland City, and they still sustain that relation to its com- munity. They have aided and encouraged the ad- vancement and progress of Midland City and County and lent substantial countenance to all projects cal- culated to enhance the best interests of the place and people.
Charles Cronkright, farmer and lumber- man, resident on section 22, Homer Town- ship, was born June 11, 1837, in Genesee Co., N. Y. His parents located in Midland Co., Mich., when he was five months old. Theirs was one of the first families that made a settlement in the county. They afterward removed to Saginaw County, where the father was killed, at Vestaburg, by the explosion of a saw-mill steam boiler, a fragment of which passed through the house where he was sleeping, killing him instantly. The mother died in Midland County, in July, 1866.
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