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 36
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When the family came to Midland, the "staple product" of this section was Indians. The children had only Indians for playmates and companions, and they readily acquired the Indian language, which they still retain. Wild game was plentiful and served for food. Trapping wolves was easy and fascinating sport, as they were a great annoyance in carrying off pigs and other domestic animals. Deer were to be found in considerable herds, and bears were frequent visitors to the clearings. The family grew up in the woods under circumstances which required all their efforts to make a living, with little to incite them toward obtaining an education, which was then difficult to secure.
At the age of 22 Mr. Cronkright entered a claim of 120 acres of land in Bethany Township, Gratiot County, but never took possession of it for a resi- dence. After making some improvements, he ex- changed the property for 123 acres on section 22 in Homer Township. On this he has since resided and has improved about 20 acres. He has sold a con- siderable portion and only retains 40 acres of his
original purchase. He has been occupied in real- estate traffic and has engaged extensively in lumber- ing. One season he put in upwards of a million feet of logs. Mr. Cronkright is independent in political opinion, and has officiated in all the more prominent local offices in his township.
He was married Oct. 12, 1862, in Homer Town- ship, to Mrs. Catherine Starks, widow of George Starks. She was born Sept. 16, 1836, in Genesee Co., N. Y., and came to Midland County before the death of her first husband, by whom she became the mother of five children. Four are living and married, and are residents of Homer Township. Their names are George, Martha, Emma J. and Hiram. The five children born of her second marriage are Lydia L., Charles E., Ida, Catherine and Frederick. The eldest of these is married and lives in this township.
amuel Turner, general farmer, section 19, Jasper Township, was born in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., April 25, 1816, and remained with his parents until their death, in that county. He was married, in his native county, June 6, 1849, to Miss Grace Mclaughlin, who was born in Washington Co., N. Y., March 16, 1827, of Scotch parentage.
A year after their marriage they moved to Jeffer- son, Co., Wis., where he followed farming for 14 years ; then they resided a year in Lapeer Co., Mich., and in January, 1865, they settled at their present place, being pioneers in that part of the county. To his original purchase of 80 acres, he subsequently added 100 acres, which he has since divided between his two sons. These lands were obtained from the State, under the Swamp Land laws, which required five years' residence before giving a deed. Mr. Turner has improved about 25 of the 80 acres which he now owns. Much of the land in this vicinity is low and swampy, and Mr. T. has had to encounter an un- usual number of hardships as a pioneer. Sometimes the water covered the ground in places from one to two feet deep.
Mr. and Mrs. Turner are the parents of three chil- dren, namely : Robert A., born Sept. 11, 1851 ; Dan- iel, Jan. 29, 1854; and Mary A., Oct. 28, 1857. The
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parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. T. has held the office of Township Clerk, Justice of the Peace two years and Township Treasurer two years. On national issues he votes the Democratic ticket.
john McCormick, farmer and lumberman, resident on section 17, Porter Township, was born about the year 1830 in Dublin, Ireland. At the age of seven years he began a seafaring life, under the guidance of an uncle who was a sailor, and spent seven years ac- quiring a thorough knowledge of nautical affairs. At the end of that time he returned to his home, and soon afterward shipped as a seaman on a whaling- ship. His cruises continued three years, and he experienced numberless hairbreadth escapes and ro- mantic adventures in the waters of the Northern and Atlantic Oceans. He next came to Boston and sailed on a fishing vessel to Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy, which occupied his time for one year. The next year he went to the West Indies, stopping at Kingston, on the island of Jamaica. His vessel en- countered shipwreck while returning to Halifax and every soul on board was lost but two,-Mr. McCor -. mick and a man named Cota! They clung to the wreck and passed eight days without food or drink, and only retained life by chewing bits of a greasy moccasin which came by chance within their reach! They were rescued by an American vessel and brought to Boston, Mass. The ship proceeded to New York and sailed thence to the coast of South America, finally arriving at New Orleans, where the crew was discharged, and Mr. McCormick received $1,800 in gold for his services. Ile came to Chicago, where he entered the lake service and continued thus occupied until his marriage, Aug. 11, 1860, to Mary Benson. She was born Nov. 17, 1832, in Saginaw Co., Mich.
After marriage Mr. McCormick located near the village of Midland, and in the fall of 1865 became the first settler in the part of Porter Township where he now resides. He bought 100 acres of land, of which he has improved 50 acres; and his place affords the strongest possible contrast to the early days, when he was surrounded with all the features of pio-
neer life, wild game abundant and wolves more numerous than welcome, their starved condition and rapacity making it necessary to continue to keep large fires burning through the night to protect the young stock on the farm. The story is one oft-re- peated, but loses none of its vividness of reality by repetition.
Mr. McCormick is a Democrat in political views and connections, and has served several terms as Township Treasurer. The family attend the Metho- dist Episcopal Church.
Following are the names of 15 children born to Mr. and Mrs. McCormick : Frank, Charles, Ellen, Thomas, John, Mary A., Flora, Emily, William, An- drew, Charles, Alif, Patrick, Peter and Alexander. The five last named are deceased.
llan R. McMillan, farmer, section 14, loger- soll Township, is a son of Hugh and Jean- nette (Cameron) McMillan, who were natives of the county of Glengary, Ont., and changed their residence to the county of Ottawa, same dominion, where they passed the remainder of of their lives.
He, too, was born in the county of Glengary, Sept. 30, 1832, and lived in Canada until 1870, following an agricultural life. He then came with his family to Midland County and bought 40 acres of unim- proved land in Ingersoll Township, to which he has since added about 53 acres, and has now about 55 acres in a good tillable condition. In 1882 he built a fine residence.
Mr. McMillan is now serving his fourth term as Township Supervisor, has been Township Treasurer three terms, School Inspector two terms, and has held the other school offices in his district. In politics he sympathizes with the "National" party. He and his wife are members of the Catholic Church.
He was married in the county of Ottawa, Ont., April 14, 1859, to Margaret, daughter of John R. and Catherine (McPhee) Cameron, who were also natives of the Dominion. She was born in the county of Glengary, in February, 1837. Mr. and Mrs. McM. are the parents of 12 children, eight of whom survive,
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viz .: Hugh, Jane A., Catherine, Mary A., Margaret, Allan, John and Ida E. The last mentioned mar- ried Michael W. Ryan, and died April 3, 1880, leaving one child, Sarah A. The other deceased are John O., John A. and Florence I. They are also the foster parents of Sarah A. Ryan, bringing her up as one of their own children.
charles Oscar, proprietor of the Oscar House at Midland, was born Oct. 15, 1841, in Somerset Co., Maine. He is the son of William and Jane (Drummond) Oscar, and was reared on a farm, attending school winters.
At the age of 16 he went to Lowell, Mass., and engaged in a cotton factory, where he was em- ployed in the position usually assigned beginners. He gradually advanced to the place known in cloth- manufacturing establishments as "second hand." On leaving the mill, he learned the barber's art and fol- lowed it as a business several years. When he was 23 years old he returned to Maine and again tried farming, but found it distasteful. Two years later, in the fall of 1868, he came to Midland and opened a barber shop. After continuing its management about two weeks, he opened a billiard room, which he conducted some time and engaged in the business of a wholesale and retail liquor dealer, in which trade he was interested about a year, when he sold out. He was elected Marshal of the village, and filled the position about six months. In the fall of 1874 he was elected Sheriff of the county on the Republican ticket by a majority of 150 votes. He was re-elected two years later, with a majority of more than 900 votes. In r878 he went to Chicago, and soon after- ward received a serious injury by jumping from a carriage while the team was running away. He broke his left leg, and before it was fully healed, he contracted typhoid fever, from which he barely re- covered. Five physicians pronounced his case hope- less, and his burial outfit was provided.
But he recovered and returned to Midland, where he purchased the grocery stock of A. Bacon. He conducted its affairs a few months and next found employment in a billiard room, where he remained a few months, after which he leased the "Findlater House " for two years. During the time he built the
hotel which he is now managing. The building is of brick, two stories high, 60 by 100 feet in size, with accommodations for 50 guests. The establishment is fitted with all modern appliances for the accommoda- tion and comfort of its patrons. A fine brick barn, 40 by 60 feet in dimensions, two stories above the basement, is located in the rear of the hotel. Mr. Oscar owns 40 acres of farming land in Ingersoll Township. He is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, and has held all the subordinate and camp offices. He belongs also to the Order of Patrons of Husbandry.
Mr. Oscar has been twice married, and has two sons-Charlie J. and Earl.
John W. H. Brooks, farmer, section 12, Jerome Township, was born Oct. 3, 1811. As he was deprived early of the care of his parents, he is uncertain as to his birth-place, but believes he was born on the sea. His earliest years were spent in the care of a man named John Patterson, near New Castle, Delaware, but being cruelly treated by him he ran away, intend- ing to make his way to the city of Philadelphia. He supplied himself against possible want by laying in a stock of johnny-cake and molasses, stopping nights in stables. On reaching the city of his destination, he made the acquaintance of some boys whose fathers were machinists, and through their instru- mentality he obtained employment in a machine shop and learned his trade. He went to a school in Plymouth, Montgomery Co., Pa., taught by Allen Carson. He remained in the Quaker City and in other Eastern cities until he was about 25 years old, when he went to sea. The line of navigation with which he was connected combined the coasting trade, wrecking and fishing.
When the issues between the United States and Mexico came up for adjustment and war was deter- mined upon, Mr. Brooks enlisted in the regular army, enrolling at Carlisle Barracks, Pa., in the Second U. S. Cav., in the company of the (afterward) cele- brated Captain May. He was in the famous cavalry charge at Palo Alto and received a severe sabre cut in the left temple. He was a participant in the battle of Monterey, and was present at the capitula-
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tion of the city of Mexico. In 1849 he went to Japan with the expedition under Commodore Perry to negotiate the terms of the treaty between that country and the United States, and was on the "St. Lawrence," which bore the dispatches to the United States squadron. This enterprise terminated in 1852, and Mr. Brooks went in 1854 on the Walker expedi- tion, proceeding to Central America in the famous "Star of the West," commanded by Admiral Holling- broke. He was present at the bombardment of Graytown. His next engagement was as engineer on the "General Rust," a steamer connected with the mail service at Galveston, Texas.
When the civil war broke out Mr. Brooks re- sponded to the first call for troops, and enlisted at Norristown, Montgomery Co., Pa., in Co. A, Fourth Pa. Vol. Inf., Col. Hartranft, enlisting for three months, under Capt. W. Bolton. He was wounded in the contest with the celebrated Black Horse Cav- alry at Fairfax Cross-Roads, below the right knee, by a minie ball. He came home and spent some time and a considerable sum of money in endeavoring to raise a company for the service, but the enterprise was successful only in the loss of his investments. He returned to Pennsylvania and enlisted in Co. E, in the 2d Pa. Vol. Cav., under Col. B. R. Price, of Philadelphia, going out as First Sergeant. The regi- ment was assigned to the command of Col. Buford. At the second battle of Bull Run, Mr. Brooks re- ceived a wound above the ankle of the left leg, and was discharged Oct. 27, 1862, at Howard Hospital, Washington. Sept. 7, 1863, he again enlisted, in Co. H, 28th Pa. Vol. Inf., better known as "Geary's Old Regiment." He was wounded May 18, 1864, at Buzzard's Roost, receiving an injury in his left side from a piece of a shell, and a wound on the left ankle, which left the foot completely paralyzed. He was also wounded in the right thigh by a gunshot. He was in the hospital about a month after his regi- ment was discharged, and was mustered out of the military service of the United States July 18, 1865. He carries in his body three bullets as credentials of his bravery in action.
Mr. Brooks made his first acquaintance with the State of Michigan in 1858, and passed two years at Detroit. On his return from the war he went to Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1869, when he came to Saginaw and resided about a year. In
1870 he came to Jerome Township and entered a soldier's homestead claim of 160 acres.
Mr. Brooks was married Oct. 20, 1858, in Wilming- ton, Del., to Mary, daughter of Andrew and Mar- garet (Stewart) McClelland. Her parents were of Scotch nativity and are dead. Following is the rec- ord of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Brooks : Mary Jane, born July 9, 1861, died Dec. 13, 1882 ; Andrew John, born June 8, 1862, died the same day. Willie J. was born Dec. 12, 1863; Margaret A. was born Dec. 12, 1866 ; Alfred Henry was born Oct. 9, 1869, and died the same day; Samuel Kosciusko was born March 8, 1870, and was the first child born at the Grand Army Post at Norristown, Pa.
Mr. Brooks is a Republican in political affiliation, and has served three terms as Justice of the Peace, has been School Inspector and Township Clerk three times, and in 1873 was appointed Notary Public, the duties of which position he is still discharging.
ratten A. Visger, farmer on section 7, Lar- kin Township, is a son of Jacob and Elea- nor (Baubier) Visger, natives of the State of New York, who came to this county in No- vember, 1865, and settled in Averill. They now reside in Larkin Township. Mr. Visger owns 120 acres, of which 30 are improved.
The subject of this notice, the second son, was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., July 2, 1858, received a good common-school education, and lived at home until 18 years old. He then bought 97 acres of wild land in Larkin Township, where he now lives, with 18 acres improved.
ohn Maxell, farmer on section 14, Hope Township, was born in Pittsburg Township, Can., March 3, 1844, the son of William and Alice (Lavery) Maxell, natives of Ireland. Mr. M., senior, is now living in Hope Town- ship. His wife died in the same township, in October, 1878.
Their son John came to Midland County in April, 1873, and bought 40 acres of wild land in Hope Township. He has since sold ten acres to his brother
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William E., and of the remainder he has improved 20 acres.
May 24, 1867, was the date of his marriage to Miss Martha Jane Lawrence, daughter of Henry and Eliz- abeth (Parsley) Lawrence. Mr. and Mrs. L. died when Martha was a child, the former in Canada, the latter in Ireland; Mrs. M. was born in Ireland, in 1844, and came to this country with her father when four years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Maxell have seven children living, and four dead: Margaret A., born March 17, 1868, in Galway, Can .; Win. Noble, Oct. 23, 1869, in same place ; Susan, June 6, 1870, in same place; Mary A., June 22, 1871; Robert and Anthony (twins) April 3, 1872, and died three days later; Jane Elizabeth, May 16, 1873; Robert Henry, Feb. 27, 1876; Alice Susan, June 4, 1878; Leonora Victoria, May 24, 1880; and John I,., May 17, 1882.
Mr. M. is a Republican, and has been a school officer for seven years. He and wife are members of the Christian Church.
ilas W. Lines, farmer on sec. 25, Larkin Tp., is a son'of Elijah and Olive (Whee- lock) Lines, natives of Vermont and Con- necticut, and was born in Erie Co., N. Y., Dec. . 30, 1845. His parents removing to this State three years later, he was reared and educated in Oakland County.
In 1864 he enlisted in the Fifth Mich. Vol. Cav., and served six months, when he was discharged on account of disability. Returning to his home in Oakland County, he afterwards enlisted in the Third Mich. Vol. Cav., in which organization he served until March, 1866. After his return from the army he removed to Genesee County, which was his home until the spring of 1877. At that date he came to Midland County and purchased 40 acres in Larkin Township, where he has since lived, with the excep- tion of about two years in the city of Flint. Aug. 20, 1869, in Genesee County, he celebrated his nuptials with Miss Nellie R. Cody, a native of the State of Ohio. She was born Aug. 7, 1849, in Huron County, that State. Of three children born, only Silas A.
survives, as the two remaining died in infancy. He was born August 6, 1871.
Mr. Lines is a member of the Republican party. He has been at different times Township Clerk, School Director and Overseer of Highways.
eorge Brown, farmer, section 36, Ingersoll Township, is a son of Aaron and Submit (Howe) Brown, natives of New Hampshire. He was born in the town of Westmoreland, N. H., June 6, 1797, and was 11 years old when he went to Montgomery Co., N. Y. He lived in different parts of the State until he came to Michigan in the fall of 1860, when he bought 80 acres of land in Saginaw County. After living there a year he exchanged the place for 40 acres in Inger- soll Township, on which he settled and where he has since lived. The entire " 40" is under cultiva- tion
Mr. Brown was married in Monroe Co., N. Y., Aug. 29, 1824, to Julia Stebbins, who was born in Sherborn, Conn., Dec. 16, 1808. Of their seven daughters and two sons, eight grew up to years of maturity.
Mr. and Mrs. Brown are pioneers of Ingersoll Township and Midland County, and are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. B. is a Re- publican in his political views.
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John Schearer, farmer on section 22, Hope Township, was born June 11, 1843, in Liberty Township, Fairfield Co., Ohio, the son of Felix and Anna (Magley) Schearer, and is the sixth of a family of eight, all living. The father was born in September, 1811, in Switzer- land, and the mother is also a native of that country. Both are of German descent. The subject of this sketch emigrated to Ohio when 16 years old, with his father and grandfather, and he lived at home until 24 years old, working his father's farm on shares during the three years after he attained his majority.
He then came to this county, and, after working
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three years in John Larkin's mill, homesteaded So acres on section 22, township 16 north, 2 east. Here he lived five years ; but after receiving his patent he bought 60 acres on section 22 of the township west of that, in order to live near other people, his first selection being several miles from a settlement.
He was married Oct. 14, 1869, to Miss Sarah Freidiger, daughter of John N. and Lizzie Freidiger. She was born Dec. 24, 1843, in Licking Co., Ohio, where her parents yet reside. She has four brothers and sisters living.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. S., in Midland Township: Katie S., Feb. 14, 1871; and Willie C., March 27, 1874. Mr. S. has been Township Treasurer two years, and is in political faith a Republican.
enry F. Linton, editor of the Coleman Advocate, first saw the light of day at Co- lumbus, Bartholomew Co., Ind., on the 27th day of July, 1847. His father was a successful physician of that place, where he and his wife are still living, at a ripe old age.
Mr. Linton was educated in the common schools of that town and studied the higher branches under the tutelage of a Presbyterian minister. Being of a disposition that sought to be posted in the general news of the day, he spent most of his spare moments about the newspaper offices of his native town, and thus attained a fondness for the fascinating "art preservative." At the early age of 11 years he began setting type in the office of the Columbus Democrat, of which I. C. Dillie was editor. In this office Mr. Linton worked between school hours for about three years, or until the breaking out of the war, when the office was closed that all hands might enlist in the defense of their country. For the next two years the subject of our sketch attended school, but early in 1863, when scarcely 16 years old, he too was seized with a war fever, and hurried to the front, taking part in the battles of the Army of the Cumberland and of the Tennessee, until after the fall of Atlanta. Hav- ing had a taste of war, he could not rest contented at home, and after a short stay he again enlisted, and with his regiment did valiant service in the Shenan-
doah Valley, in Virginia, until again discharged, in the fall of 1865.
Again he entered a printing-office (a job-printing establishment in Louisville, Ky.) and remained at work until the fall of 1866, when he entered the law office of Col. A. W. Prather, where he studied for two years that he might better prepare himself for the newspaper business. During these years he was a regular paid correspondent of the Indianapolis and Cincinnati daily papers, and in 1868 made a trip through Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado and the other Western States and Territories as a newspaper cor- respondent. While at Lawrence, Kansas, in the spring of 1869, he was admitted to the Bar, after a strict examination conducted by ex-Gov. Shannon and Judge James Christian. Being "in love" with the newspaper business, however, Mr. Linton had no idea of engaging in the practice of law, and soon re- sumed his journeying as a newspaper correspondent, and since that time has been an almost constant traveler, principally through the States of the South and West, except part of the time when he was engaged in office work on the Indianapolis (Ind.) Sentinel, of which he was news editor for some time. About six years ago Mr. Linton came to Michigan, and, becoming enamored of one of the daughters of the State, he concluded to settle down and lead a "quiet life!" In the year 1878 he was married, and for a time was engaged in publishing a paper in Southwest Michigan; but, not being successful, he accepted the city-editorship of the Columbus (Ind.) Republican, to which place he removed; but his wife not having good health there, he resigned his posi- tion and returned to Michigan, and again attached himself to a Michigan paper.
In 1883 he received propositions from the people of Coleman to establish a paper in that thriving little village. After a careful survey of the town and its surroundings, Mr. Linton made up his mind that there was a bright future for the village and accepted the offer, and on the rrth day of August, 1883, he issued the first number of the Coleman Advocate, which has been a more successful venture than he dreamed possible to attain for several years. Being so thoroughly in earnest in his belief in the future of the town, Mr. Linton is preparing to spend the com- ing years in the village by building one of the finest and most convenient residences in that region.
B.J. Dean
Jane Jean
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Being, also, of an active disposition, he has plunged into a hearty support of the vital interests of his adopted State, and by his aggressiveness is making his part of the county known and felt in business as well as in political circles, and is fast moving to the front in the ranks of Republicanism in his county. The only secret organization to which Mr. Linton be- longs is the G. A. R., of which he is an ardent mem- ber.
B enjamin F. Dean is a farmer on section 22, Midland Township. His parents were Benjamin and Jerusha (Dewey) Dean. (See sketch of Benj. Dean.) He was born in Peru, Mass., July 12, 1839; attended the common school and Lee High School until 20 years of age. In 1862 he came to Sanilac Co., Mich., where he followed farming ten years, and then came to this county, settling where he now re- sides, taking possession of 70 acres of land. He now owns about 570 acres, in Midland Township, almost 25 of which is under cultivation.
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