USA > Michigan > Newaygo County > Portrait and biographical album of Newaygo County, Michigan : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county also containing a complete history of the county, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 47
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In February, 1865, he enlisted at Grand Rapids from Big Prairie, enrolling in Co. A, Ninth Mich. Inf. He enlisted for three years or during the war, and after being in the service nine months, was dis- charged at Nashville, Tenn. On his return to Mich- igan he engaged in lumbering one year by the month, and since that time has operated in the same busi- ness on his own interests. Since 1869 he has been engaged in jobbing. In 1870 he bought 120 acres of land in Goodwell Township, which he has improved to the extent of clearing 50 acres and putting it under advanced cultivation, with suitable farm build- ings and other improvements creditable to his ener- gies and judgment. He is an adherent of the Na- tional Greenback party, and is at present Township Clerk.
Mr. Graham was married in Croton, by A. P. Car- penter, Dec. 31, 1864, to Calista J., daughter of Jotham and Diantha (Garrett) Hall. (See sketch of J. J. Hall.) She was born Sept. 17, 1849, in Kent County. The day on which Mr. and Mrs. Graham
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were married was the last of the month and year. They have no children.
Mr. and Mrs. Graham are progressive members of society within their sphere, and valuable in their generation, as representing the thrift and energy which have placed their township and county in the front rank in Northern Michigan. Their portraits may be found on pages 428 and 429.
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homas J. Knowles, farmer, section 30, Beaver Township, was born Aug. 2, 1839, in Ashtabula Co., Ohio. His father, John Knowles, was a native of Connecticut. His mother, Mary A. (Early) Knowles, was born in Ohio. They belonged to the agricultural class and reared their family on a farm.
Mr. Knowles was married to Arcola Congdon. Two of their three children are living. Flora M. is deceased. The mother died in 1871. Mr. Knowles was married again in 1872, to Lavera Frazier, born Feb. 28, 1855, in Ohio. Two children, Frank and Amorell, have been born to them.
Mr. Knowles is the proprietor of 160 acres of fine land, and has improved 90 acres, which he has under fair cultivation.
B arzillai Giddings, farmer, section 20, Beaver Township, was born Dec. 25, 1830, in Ashtabula Co., Ohio. He is the son of Joshua H. and Rhoda (Wakefield) Giddings. His father was born in 1806, in Ashtabula County, and his mother was likewise a native of the Buckeye State, and was born in 1807.
Mr. Giddings was brought up by his father to the age of 16 years, when he learned the trade of wagon- maker, which was his vocation up to the date of his settlement in Newaygo County. He bought a farm in Beaver Township, where he located May 22, 1863. When he made his claim of 160 acres of land his resources were small, and his working capital repre- sented an amount that would be judged absurd in view of its forming the basis of future successes in the light of modern tactics; but his manhood's
strength and determined, energetic, well-directed effort has placed him in the proprietorship of 360 acres of land, 170 of which are under cultivation.
Mr. Giddings was married Oct. 29, 1854, in Ohio, to Jane, daughter of William and Hannah (Collins) Farley. The parents were natives of Canada, and the daughter was born June 7, and died Oct. 21, 1836, in Crawford Co., Penn. The children born of this marriage are five in number: Pluma P. was born Sept. 12, 1855 ; Plumer, Jan. 8, 1856; Eugene S., March ro, 1867; Addison, July 22, 1869; William W., May 14, 1872.
Mr. Giddings was the fust permanent settler in the township of Beaver, and on its organization was elected the first Justice of tlie Peace. He is identi- fied with the Democratic party.
ohn C. McCowen, merchant at Hesperia, was born in Chemung Co., N. Y., Dec. 26, 1844. He is a son of Henry and Sarah A. (Wier) McCowen, natives of New York, and is of German-Scotch extraction. His parents came to Michigan when he was only six years of age, and settled in the town of Tecumseh, Lenawee County; here he lived with his father until he was eight years of age, when the family removed to Moscow, Hillsdale County ; at the age of 18 years he temporarily quit the farm, entered Hillsdale Col- lege, and pursued a select course of studies for a period of three years. He was married, Feb. 22, 1869, in Lenawee Co., Mich., to Miss Ida M., daughter of Bishop and Delia (Murry ) Ames, na- tives of New England. Ida was born in Hillsdale Co., Mich., Feb. 22, 1848, her parents having previ- ously removed to the State, and lived at home until her marriage. She attended Hillsdale College and had all the advantages of a good education.
After his marriage, Mr. McCowen settled on a farm in the vicinity of Moscow, Hillsdale Co., Mich., where he was engaged until the winter of 187 1, when he came to this county and settled in the town of Hesperia. Here he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness, and by energy, integrity and strict attention to business has increased his annual trade from $4,000 to $20,000, and has every indication of a still greater increase. Since Mr. McCowen first came to Hes-
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peria he has accumulated quite a competency, and is now the owner of 120 acres of good timber land, besides four lots and two business houses in Hespe- ria, and his present business.
Mr. and Mrs. McCowen are the parents of three children, all living, born as follows : Henry B., Nov. 22, 1861 ; Maud, May 12, 1871, and Willie, Oct. 26, 1874. He is now holding the office of Treasurer of Newfield Township, Oceana County, and has held the position of Postmaster at Hesperia for ten years. In politics he is a staunch Republican.
ilvenus K. Slocum, farmer, section 33, Beaver Township, was born Aug. 19, 1827, in Montgomery Co., N. Y. His father, Elisha Slocum, was born in Canada, Nov. 8, 1804, and his mother was also a native of the Dominion, born Aug. 16, 1805. Her name before her marriage was Rebecca (Keller) Slocum. The parents were members of the agricultural com- munity of Montgomery County until 1848, when they removed to Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., and thence to Pennsylvania, where the mother died. The father came to Newaygo County, where he died, in Febru- ary, 1876.
Mr. Slocum remained on his father's farm until his marriage. That event occurred Sept. 6, 1849, when Jane A., daughter of Oliver H. Adams, became his wife. The parents were natives of the State of New York and afterwards removed to McKean Co., Pa., where the family occupied and conducted a farm containing 150 acres of land, which was after- ward sold and a removal to Newaygo County made. They settled Oct. 16, 1864, in Beaver Township, on 160 acres of land in its original, unimproved state. The farm now includes 135 acres of cultivated land, and the possessions of Mr. Slocum embrace .240 acres of land. The farm buildings are of a superior class.
Mr. Slocum has been a member of the M. E. Church a long time and has for many years been a local preacher. He is a declared Republican, and has officiated seven years as Justice of the Peace. Nine sons and daughters have been born to him, four of whom survive : Euphemia, Burdette, Elisha
L. and Oliver W. The deceased are Clark L., Ma- rion M. and Archie. Two children have been lost in early infancy.
Ifred Knowles, farmer, section 20, Beaver Township, was born March 24, 1844, in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, and is a son of John and Mary A. (Ainsley) Knowles. The former was born in New York, the latter in Ohio, and both are now deceased.
Mr. Knowles was reared on a farm and brought up to the duties attendant upon the career of an agricul- turist, until he was 16 years of age, when he began to work as a farm laborer away from home, and was thus employed two years, when he became a soldier of the United States in defense of the assaulted integrity of the Union. He enlisted Aug. 8, 1862, in the 105th Ohio Reg. Vol. Inf., Co. I. He was transferred to Company D, in the same regiment, and served three years. He was in active service at Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta and in the campaign to Savannah, and thence to Richmond. He resumed farming after receiving his discharge.
He was married in 1867 to Emily Thurber, born in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, in 1844. In 1870 the family came to Newaygo County and settled on 200 acres of land in Beaver Township, where they have since resided. Of the original tract of unimproved land 50 acres have been cleared and improved. Two chil- dren, Alice and Myrtle, are included in the family. Mr. Knowles is a Republican in political connection.
eter Mclellan, farmer, section 26, Garfield TOKYOY Township, was born in October, 1837, just above the site of the city of Grand Rapids. € He is an Indian of the Ottawa tribe, and a grandson of Keshawas, one of the second-class chiefs of the Grand River, who was a party to the treaty of 1836. Keshawas was his paternal grandsire, and died at the age of 85 years. He was buried at the mouth of the Muskegon River. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Mclellan was the chief, Blackskin, who gave the land on the west side of
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Grand River at Grand Rapids for the building of the first Catholic church. The tract contained about 65 acres, and on it a chapel and a small house were erected in 1833. Rev. Frederick Baraga was then in charge of the mission. Less than two years after- ward the chapel building was removed to Waterloo Street, Grand Rapids, where it now stands.
Mr. Mclellan's father, "Miguanini," married Quamixiqua, who died before she was 30 years old, leaving three sons : William (Keshawas), Peter (Shaw- nageeshuk) and Louis (Waguantigun). The English names were given them in baptism, conferred by the priest at Grand Rapids. After the mother's death the father came to Bridgeton with his children. Although the Ottawas were scattered by the cession of their lands to the United States, they clung to their tribal customs until time and decay obliterated their identity. The father inherited the position of chief, and on his death it devolved upon his eldest son, William. The latter died when Peter was less than 20 years of age, who declined the honor to which he was heir, and the succession fell to an uncle, the husband of his mother's sister. The father died at 50 years of age, and is buried in the Catholic cemetery at Muskegon.
Joseph Trottier, better known as Truckee, took charge of Peter after his father's death, gave him the name Mclellan, and kept him until he was 21 years old, subjecting him to all kinds of severe labor and giving him no advantages. On reaching manhood he took the control of his own affairs. He performed every sort of service incident to the condition of the country, and became a raftsman on the Muskegon, which employ he followed until 1873.
He was married June 1, 1861, to Adeline, daughter of Louis and Mary Badeau. The father was from Montreal, Can., and was a Frenchman. The mother was a half-breed, and was brought up in the mission at Grand Rapids. Mrs. McLellan was born in June, 1845, in Newaygo. Ten children have been born to them, as follows: William was born Feb. 17, 1862, and is a lumberman; George was born April 22, 1864; Elizabeth, boin May 1, 1866, died in August, 1867 ; Frank was born Feb. 17, 1868; Hubbard, May 7, 1870; Ingar was born in June, 1872; Robbie, born in 1874, died in December, 1876; Rachel was born April 22, 1876; Lui, Oct. 8, 1878; Ida, March 21, 1882. The seven children first
named were born in Bridgeton; the three last in Garfield Township. Mr. Mclellan resided in Bridgeton until 1877, when he bought 20 acres of land on section 24, which he afterward gave to his eldest son, and in 1881 bought 21 65-100ths acres where he now resides. He has eight acres cleared.
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Physically, Mr. Mclellan is a fine specimen of his race. He is thoroughly Anglicized and is a creditable member of the community. He retains a clear sense of all that his people suffered at the hands of the agents who dishonored the trust of the U. S. Govern- ment, and regards the approaching extinction of the Ottawas as a fact of the not distant future. He places his unassuming record on these pages to preserve his name and descent from the oblivion which is fast engulfing the few remaining members of his tribe. In the coming years they will be grati- fied to know that his identity is made imperishable.
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ndrew Mudge, farmer and carpenter, sec- g tion 6, Beaver Township, was born in Can- ada West, July 30, 1832. He is a son of Micha C. and Emmeline (Godfrey) Mudge, natives of Canada, now residing at Benton Harbor, Mich. They came to Kent County in 1838, and settled in Vergennes, where the son was educated and brought up a practical farmer.
He learned the trade of shoemaker when 20 years old, at which he worked in various places. He finally established a boot and shoe trade in Berrien County, which he conducted seven years. In 1869 he entered a claim of 160 acres of land in Beaver Township, under the provisions of the Homestead Act, on which he settled on the first day of Decem- ber. He still holds his original tract, a portion of which he has cleared and shows a finely advanced state of cultivation. Mr. M. belongs to the Repub- lican party and has officiated in some of the most important positions in the local government of the township, among them those of Supervisor, Justice of the l'eace, Clerk and School Inspector. He held the office of Director nine successive years.
Mr. Mudge was married in Vergennes in 1853, to L. Lucinda Cross. She was born in Canada Dec. I, 1834, and is the daughter of Abel and Rhoda (Ford) Cross, natives of the State of New York. The family
A. P.Bournau
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of eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Mudge have nearly all reached the period of adult age and are mostly settled in life, all having chosen their voca- tions. Oliver D. is a farmer ; Morris E. is a black- smith ; Edson H. is a printer ; Elliott M., Cassius M., Achilles C. and Linneus S. are farmers; Marion M. is an artist and photographer.
hiletus Monroe, merchant at Hesperia, was born in Berkshire Co., Mass., July 17, 1815. He is a son of Dan and Hannah (Sexton) Monroe, natives of the same State. His parents removed to Chenango Co., N. Y., when Philetus was only 1 1 months of age, and here he received the advantages of a common school education.
Mr. Monroe was variously employed from the age of 14 to 18, when he apprenticed himself to a Mr. Johnson, of Onondaga, Onondaga Co., N. Y., to learn the shoemaker's trade ; but, after a few months, went to Syracuse, Onondaga Co., N. Y., where he com- pleted his trade and remained, working at the same until the year 1838. In the summer of that year he left Syracuse and wandered around until the year 1841, when he located in the village of Rome, Oneida Co., N. Y., began business for himself and met with good success.
Mr. Monroe was married at Rome, N. Y., May 18, 1842, to Miss Mary A., daughter of Ephraim and Susan Larkin, natives of New York, where Mary A. was born May 18, 1819. She died in Chenango Co., N. Y., Aug. 31, 1861. By this union they had seven children, four girls and three boys, two of the latter having died.
Mr. Monroe was again married Jan. 9, 1862, in the city of Albany, N. Y., to Miss Wealthy M., daughter of Frederick and Mary (Tyler) Cunningham, natives of New England and of Scotch and Irish descent. She was born in the town of Butternut Grove, Dela- ware Co., N. Y., and was educated in the select schools of that town.
After this marriage, Mr. Monroe removed to Oxford, N. Y., where he followed his trade until the spring of 1864, when he came to Michigan, settled in this county and purchased 160 acres of wild land. He remained on this land until the year 1873, dur-
ing which time. he had improved 80 acres of it, when he traded the entire tract for property in the village of Hesperia, moved there and engaged in mercantile business, and met with excellent success, his annual trade amounting to $25,000.
He is now selling out his stock of goods preparing to live a retired life on his farm near the town of Hesperia, this county. He is a member of the Masonic Order and of the I. O. O. F., and has held the office of Treasurer in each. He is now Treasurer of the village of Hesperia, and has also been Treasurer of the township. In politics he is an active Republi- can. Himself and wife attend the M. E. Church.
By his last union Mr. Monroe has had no children.
M. Bowman, a citizen of Fremont and one of the leading and enterprising business men of that village, was born in Ohio, Dec. 5, 1852. His parents, Solomon and Re- becca (Jones) Bowman, were natives of Penn- sylvania, and were reared amid the rugged sur- roundings of the old Key-stone State, but under the ennobling influences exerted by the genuinely good people of that commonwealth. After their marriage they came West as far as Ohio, and, after living there for a time, thought to still better their fortunes by moving further westward. They came to DeKalb Co., Ind., where the father died and where the mother continues to reside.
Mr. Bowman lived at home until he was 18 years of age, and as his father, whose death occurred pre- viously, had left him little or no means, he started out in life relying wholly upon his own exertions. Often such seeming misfortunes are the greatest of blessings. Faculties, which otherwise might have lain dormant, are brought into action by force of necessity and developed to a high degree. Almost all of our most eminent and successful business men have begun their career in life without any help or assistance from others.
Our subject came to Fremont in April, 1879, and embarked in business. He formed a co-partnership with James F. Hart, under the firm name of Hart & Bowman, for the purpose of dealing in liquors and carrying on the livery business. In his business enterprises Mr. Bowman has been remarkably suc-
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cessful. By strict attention to his affairs he has gained a competency and enjoys the confidence of those with whom he comes in contact. In the spring of 1888, in company with Mr. Hart, he began the erection of a fine business block on North Division Street. This was completed before the close of the year and is now used as a music hall.
Mr. Bowman was united in marriage, in Fremont, May 1, 1880, with Miss Harriet Schweitzer, of Law- rence, Kansas. As one of the representative men of the county we place the portrait of Mr. Bowman in this Album, and in connection with this sketch.
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lburtus Andrus, farmer, section 5, Beaver Township, was born in Clarence, Calhoun Co., Mich., May 1, 1846, and is the son of Charles L. and Lydia (Warren) Andrus. His parents were natives of Canandaigua, N. Y., and removed to Michigan in 1838, residing in Calhoun County until 1846, when his mother died. His father went to California, where he passed the remainder of his life. The son became an inmate of the family of Samuel Andrews, of Eaton County, where he received care and education until he was 17 1/2 years of age.
He enlisted Nov. 5, 1863, in Co. B, First Mich. Sharpshooters, and was in the service until July 1, 1865. The reginient rendezvoused at Chicago and proceeded thence to Petersburg, Va., going almost immediately into action. He was captured by the rebels July 30, 1864, and incarcerated in the rebel prison at Danville ; was sent thence to Libby prison, where he was held until Feb. 22, 1865, the date of his exchange, when he went to Camp Royal, Md., starting thence to Camp Chase, Ohio. The squad were so reduced by want and exposure that it became necessary for them to change their original plans, and they remained three weeks at Martinsburg, W. Va., where they quartered in an old church, and on attaining some degree of convalescence were sent to their destination. On reaching there Mr. Andrus received a furlough of 30 days and returned to his home. He went back to Camp Chase when the time for his discharge arrived, and left there to rejoin his regiment at Georgetown, remaining with his com- mand until he was mustered out of service.
On returning to his home he resumed farming, and was married in 1867 to Mary L., daughter of George and Nancy (Stanton) Shay. She was born Aug. 21, 1849, in Barry Co., Mich. Her parents were natives of the State of New York and are both deceased. Mr. Andrus resided in Barry County until 1860. He came to Newaygo County in October, and bought a tract of land containing 40 acres. He began the work of improvement, and resided there two years, when he moved to Whitehall, Muskegon County, and after a brief residence went to Cass County, return- ing later to Newaygo County, where he owns 80 acres of land, constituting his homestead. His family in- cludes five children : Lydia B., Charles L., Cora L., Samuel R. and Eva L.
Mr. Andrus acts with the Republican party and has served his township as Supervisor, Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace.
A Imeron S. Seeley, farmer, section 25, Ev- erett Township, was born in Jackson, Mich., July 9, 1837. His father, Alexander M. Seeley, was born in Vermont, and his mother, Harnet E. (Moon) Seeley, was a native of the State of New York. Soon after their marriage they came to Jackson, and in 1838 removed to Ionia County, where they lived several years, when they came to Newaygo County and became residents of Big Prairie Township. They are both living.
Mr. Seeley accompanied his parents to the differ- ent points where they established their home. In the spring of 1861 he bought 80 acres of partly im- proved land in Everett Township, where he has since operated satisfactorily as an agriculturist. He has bought 80 acres additional, and has one half of his place in fine farming condition. Mr. Seeley be- longs to the National Greenback party. He has operated in the capacity of Constable of Everett Township for four years, and two years as School In- spector.
He was married in Big Prairie, Dec. 28, 1864, to Marena V., daughter of Arvin N. and Icy B. Pratt. She was born June 26, 1842, in Massachusetts, of which State her parents were natives. Her mother died there Aug. 20, 1863, and her father still lives in the historic old "Commonwealth."
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NEWAYGO COUNTY.
amuel Lewis, farmer, section 7, Beaver Township, was born in London, England, Jan. 15, 1842. His father, James Lewis, was a soldier in the British army, in which he served 25 years. He fought through the entire Crimean war, and returned to the New World in 1858, immediately after the termination of that memorable contest. He died in Canada, at the age of 92 years. The mother, Mary (Heath) Lewis, is still living, in the Dominion. She is a native of Ireland.
Mr. Lewis was but two years old when his parents settled in London, Can., where he was brought up on a farm. He came to Port Huron, Mich., in 1857, where he remained until he came to Newaygo in 1871. He bought a farm in Beaver Township, where he has since resided. In political affiliation, he is a Democrat.
He was married March 14, 1870, to Ellen Ken- nedy, a native of Ireland. She died April 2, 1877, leaving three children, James, Mary E. and Margaret. His second wife, to whom he was married in Novem- ber, 1877, was Philotheta, daughter of Edwin and Roxanora (Giddings) Gleason (see sketch). She was born Oct. 26, 1863, in Ohio. Otto H is the only surviving issue of the last marriage. Clinton is deceased.
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ohn Painter, farmer, section 5. Beaver Tp., was born in Columbiana Co., Ohio, Dec. Io, 1817, and is the son of Jacob and Barbara (Shingledaker) Painter, natives of Westmore- land Co., Pa.
Mr. Painter was brought up on his father's farm and was an inmate of the paternal domicil until he had reached the age of 19 years, when he acquired the blacksmith's trade and pursued it as a vocation for seven years. In 1870 Mr. Painter came to Newaygo County, where he now owns a farm of 40 acres of land, a good share of which is under im- provements, with a creditable and suitable farm home.
He was married in Ohio, in 1838, to Charlotte De- long, a native of Ohio, born in 1823, and daughter
of Jesse and Mary Delong, natives of Pennsylvania. Four of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Painter are living, Jessie D., Andrew J., Martha J. and Sid- ney L. The deceased are Mary Ann, Sarah, James and an infant. The mother died Feb. 18, 1880, and Mr. Painter was again married Jan. 8, 1881, to Mrs. Sarah (Delong) Dow, a sister of his former wife, who is the mother of five children, the issue of her first marriage. Mr. Painter is a Democrat in political be .. lief and action, and has officiated as Justice of the Peace.
harles Wilcox, farmer, Hesperia, was born in Lewis Co., N. Y., April 12, 1831. He is a son of William L. and Catharine (Cratsenberg) Wilcox, natives of New York. His mother died when he was two years old, and his father moved to Jefferson Co., N. Y., where young Wilcox received a common-school education. He lived there and assisted his father on the farm until Oct. 17, 1852, when he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Ressequie, who was born in that county in May, 1835, and lived with her parents until her marriage.
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