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 48
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After their marriage they moved on a farm in the neighborhood, and remained there until the spring of 1854, when Mr. W. went to California. He was there three years engaged in mining, and during that time was seriously injured by the bursting of a can- non, which crushed his thigh and left him a cripple for life. In the spring of 1857 he returned to New York, and again engaged in farming, which occupa- tion he followed until Aug. 20, 1864, when he enlisted in Co. A, 186th N. Y. Inf., and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac.
Leaving New York city, his company went to City Point, thence along the line of contest to North Carolina. During the march he was engaged in the battle of Hatcher's Run and the taking of Richmond. In the latter engagement he was severely wounded in the knee by the bursting of a shell. It threw him high in the air and some 30 feet from where he was standing, and so seriously injured him as to cause his removal to the hospital at Washington, D. C. He was there confined for some time, when he was honorably discharged and returned home, and again engaged in farming for some time, and then came to
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Michigan, locating on an 80-acre farm, which he pur- chased in Newfield Township, Oceana County. He lived on this farm two years, when he purchased a farm in another part of the township, and remained on it until March, 1880, and then exchanged it for property in the town of Hesperia, where he now lives and farms in the vicinity of the village.
Mr. W. was again married July 15, 1869, to Mahala C., daughter of Ephraim and Lydia (Wolver- ton) Rolf, natives of New England. She was born Oct. 18, 1835, in New York, and came to Michigan in 1880. By this union they have one child, Charley L., born June 12, 1873.
Mr. Wilcox is an ardent Republican, and himself and wife are both members of the M. E. Church.
dwin Gleason, farmer, section 18, Beaver Township, was born October 14, 1834, in Geauga Co., Ohio. He is a son of Archi- bald and Clarissa (Beal) Gleason, the former a native of Massachusetts, the latter of Ohio. The family removed to Trumbull County in that State, where the mother died and the son was placed in charge of Henry Gleason, his paternal uncle, with whom he remained five years. His father bought a farm, and he engaged with him in clearing and improving it.
He was married . Jan. 1, 1855, to Roxanna C., daughter of Joshua H. and Rhoda C. (Wakefield) Giddings. She was born Oct. 3, 1834, in Ashtabula Co., Ohio. Her father was born in the Buckeye State and now resides there. Her mother was born in Canada and died Nov. 5, 1857, in Ohio. After his marriage Mr. Gleason bought 48 acres of land in Trumbull County and performed pioneer service in its improvement until he had 40 acres under culti- vation. He sold out and in the fall of 1864 bought I20 acres of timbered land in Beaver Township. To this he has added by subsequent purchase until he now owns 350 acres of land, and has improved 70 acres. He is a Democrat in political connection, and has officiated as Treasurer of the township five years. The seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Gleason were born as follows : Forest C., May 30, 1857 ; Philotheta, Oct. 26, 1859; Atalanta, April 6, 1863; Ariel, July 30, 1865; Abigail, Oct. 29, 1868; Frederick, April 30, 1871; Ellsworth E., Sept. 23, 1875.
rving H. Barlow, merchant and liveryman, Hesperia, was born in Lansing, Mich., March 26, 1850. His parents, R. K. and Maria (Bailey) Barlow, were natives of Catta- raugus Co., N. Y. They moved to Michigan and settled in Lansing, being the third party who built a shanty in that place, before any village was even thought of. Irving H. lived at home and attended the schools of that place, receiving a fine academic education, and when 14 years old he engaged himself to A. J. Viele, who kept a large book and stationery store at Lansing, and worked three years for his board and clothes. During this time he employed his leisure moments in reading the best books in the store. At the expiration of the three years he went with his parents to Grand Ledge, Eaton County, where his father engaged in the hotel business. Here Irving again availed himself of school advantages and attended the. academy of that place one year. Upon the completion of his school course he went to Ionia, where he engaged as clerk in the Bailey House, remaining in that capacity two years, thence to Spring Lake House, a place of resort in the vicinity of Grand Haven, staying two summers. While here he became acquainted with one Capt. Patterson, of the United States Navy, who induced him to join the navy as ship writer, or, as is usually termed, "schoolmaster." During this time he was transferred to the N. S. Richmond, that was just then merging into the service. While here he became disabled on account of climatic influences, and was obliged to leave the crew, and was honorably dis- charged in February, 1872. Soon after this he came to this county and located in Fremont, engaging with a commercial house at that place.
Sept. 7, 1872, at Spring Lake, Mr. Barlow was married to Miss Anna Seaton, daughter of James and Charlotte (Bagworth) Seaton, natives of London, . England, who was born in that city April 6, 1855. When five years of age she came with her parents to America, who settled in Geneva, N. Y., where she was educated in the colleges of that place, and in 1868 they came to Curlin, Kent Co., Mich., where Anna lived until her marriage. In May, 1873, Mr.
James R. Odell
NEWAYGO COUNTY.
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Barlow came to Hesperia and kept books for E. R. Swain, lumberman, for one year. During this time he purchased 120 acres of timbered land in Newfield Township, Oceana County. In the spring of 1874 he became engaged with G. D. Webster for three years, one year intervening, in which he was with Swain & Co. In 1878 he established a furniture house at this place, in which he has since been en- gaged until quite recently.
Since coming to Hesperia Mr. Barlow has mani- fested great public enterprise, and been of great benefit to the town. He has built a livery barn at a cost of nearly $1,500, with a stock worth $5,000. He has just completed a house for merchandise, above which is the City Hall, at a cost of $1,600, with a stock of $1,500. He has 15 surveyed lots in the village of Hesperia. He is an active member of the I. O. O. F., of Hesperia; was Town Clerk for two years, and is an active Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Barlow have an adopted son, Renby, born June 14, 1871.
ames R. Odell, druggist at Fremont, is the son of Jonathan and Mahala (Prouty) Odell; was born in Hillsdale Co., Mich., April 21, 1841. His parents were natives of New York, where they were married, and soon after re- moved to Michigan and settled in Hillsdale County. They remained there for several years after the death of his father, which occurred in 1854, when his mother came to this county and settled in Fremont, about the year 1867.
James R. remained under the parental roof until 16 years of age, attending the common schools. He then learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, which he followed for nearly five years previous to the breaking out of the rebellion. In September, 1864, he enlisted in the 11th Mich. Cav., and, after serving till the close of the war, was honorably discharged at Knoxville, Tenn. He participated in several engage- ments, and was at the capture of Salisbury prison, N. C. After his term of service had expired he re- turned to Hillsdale Co., Mich., and worked at his trade a short time, when he was taken very sick with typhoid fever, in consequence of which he was unable to work for eight months. After his recovery, in the
spring of 1866, he came to Fremont, where he worked at his trade about two years. He purchased 90 acres of wild land in Sheridan Township, upon which he worked during one summer, and was after- ward employed in a general store in Fremont, owned by John Delamater. In two years he purchased a one-half interest in the store, and the firm was known as Delamater & Odell. This partnership continued for about six months, when Mr. Odell sold out his interest to John DeHaas, but remained as clerk until the store was destroyed by fire some two years later. He assisted in settling up the business of the firm, and during the following winter was engaged in lum - bering, and was also afterwards in the employ of John DeHaas for a short time. Afterwards he and his brother bought out the stock of drugs and gro- ceries owned by Dr. Root & Son. This partner- ship continued about two years, when he bought out the interest of his brother in the drug department, and in another year sold his own interest in the grocery department to his brother. For a short time the drug store was carried on by Odell & Manly, when the latter withdrew, and the business is now conducted by Mr. Odell, who is the leading druggist of the county. He commenced in 1877 to build the fine brick building he now occupies, and moved his stock of goods in February, 1878.
Mr. Odell was first married in Hillsdale Co., Mich., March 3, 1861, to Mary, daughter of Francis and Minerva (Smith) Morse, a native of Michigan. She afterward died, October, 1864, leaving one child, born Dec. 27, 1863. Mr. Odell was again married, in Hesperia, this county, in the year 1867, to Alice, daughter of Daniel Joslin, and they have had three children: Mary, Eva M. and Pearl; the former is deceased. Mr. Odell has held the office of Town- ship Clerk for ten consecutive years ; is a member of the Masonic Order, and has filled various offices in his lodge, having served two years as Master, and is also Commander of Henry Dobson Post, G. A. R. In politics he is identified with the Democratic party. He has been a member of the Village Board, serving as President or Trustee since its incorporation ; was also a member of the School Board when the graded system went into effect, and is still a member of the same.
Among the portraits of prominent business men and pioneers given in this Album may be found that of Mr. Odell.
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NEWAYGO COUNTY.
dward Edwards, nearly 20 years a resi- dent of the village of Newaygo, was born July 28, 1839, at St. Neot, a village well known to fame in the county of Cornwall, Eng- land, St. Neot, of legendary fame, being a brother of King Arthur, immortalized by Ten- nyson in his " Idylls of the King." His grandfather, Edward Edwards, of an old Cornish family, having sold his paternal acres at Silverwell, combined the pursuit of mining with mercantile business in his new home. His father, Edward, senior, one of many sons in a direct line inheriting with the family name the family patrimony, was a young and rising man when he left the old homestead and sought to lay the foundations of his family fortunes in a new soil. As a keen debater he leveled swords with the late Sir John Lawrence, " Lord Mayor of London," and being an enthusiastic follower of John Wesley, he was recommended to the British Wesleyan Con- ference for admittance to its itinerant ranks. But he was of too radical a temper and too independent of control to put his destiny in the hands of any one less than his Creator, and declined the proffered honor. The same spirit of independency in a later day caused his severance from the church communion of his youth and early manhood. A Liberal of Liber- als, yet conservative of the last inch of personal right, he was always in opposition to aristocratic Toryism ; and, at a time when sympathy with Repub- licanism meant something, was an outspoken disbe- liever in the " divine right of kings " and superiority of blue blood.
He married as his first wife, at Silverwell, Eliza- beth Roberts, a worthy and congenial companion, who soon left him a widower with one daughter, since dead. Phillippa Doney, in the rural coterie noted for her beauty and early development with the grace of womanhood, took pity on the lonely widower, and the village belle linked her fortunes with the stranger whose early misfortunes bespoke her pity. The mother descended from a line of Doneys whose his- tory was co-equal with that of the parish, and the Gummoes of St. Minver, who as yeomen of worth and stamina had paralleled the records of the county and were as true to the old Anglican Church as def-
erence to aristocracy and full faith in Toryism could desire. The marriage of a daughter of the church, and at the date of her marriage a member of the Rector's famil ;, with the enthusiastic Methodist, was never relished by her family ; but she was too devoted and he too independent to sue for pardon, and they set out to make the journey of life on their own own hook.
Edward, the subject of this sketch, was the sev- enth child born to them, of whom only two others survive: Timothy, whose sketch will be found in another part of this book; and Charles, of local noto- riety as a breeder of Short-horn and Ayrshire cattle in the neighborhood of Ingersoll, Canada, with whom the widowed mother makes her home, Charles and his father having jointly bought the farm on which he lives. As a child Edward was delicate, and the rough manners and tyrannical rule of the parochial school, when he received his first lessons from the man whose glory was to wield a ruler or a stick with skill and force enough to beat his lessons into his in- fant brain, came very near to calling for the requiem couplet,-
" Since I am so early done for, I wonder what I was begun for! "
As a boy he was taken out of school and put to . run on errands, attend store, etc., till he had reached the age of 15 and a fair degree of growth and vigor. At that time he was sent to an academy for young gentlemen, Rev. Mr. Geake, Head Master, at Dub- walls, and took his seven miles' walk .every day, rain or shine ; but, manifesting a decided talent for me- chanics and a penchant for music, he was, in consid- eration of the payment of $250 by his father and the rendering of his own personal service seven years without pay, apprenticed to the trade of harness- maker and saddler. But not the blandishments of a smiling boss, nor the pleasantness of an open parlor, nor a seat at the family table with all the freedom of home, could blind him to the treatment bestowed upon the senior apprentices in the establishment who had signed and sealed the instruments with their own hands that bound them to seven years of unpaid servitude. So he refused to put his signature to the indenture for over two years. He worked on till he acquired a good knowledge of the business, and was advanced to the position of cutter for the shop. This close and unremitting attention to busi-
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NEWAYGO COUNTY.
ness was too much for his constitution, and a fit of typhus fever relegated him to the realm of out-of- door workers. His uncle Richard was conducting at St. Agnes a large joint farming and butcher's business on the old family homestead, and there Edward was sent to gain health and become a man. A regime of roast beef and plum pudding in two years developed him into a strong, healthy young man, and to " Uncle Richard " he is indebted for much of example and instruction that through life has been his helper.
The ship " Gipsy Queen," commanded by his ma- ternal cousin, brought the family to Quebec in 1858, and soon a Canadian farm life demanded the labor of mind and muscle. The family settled near In- gersoll, and there the future of his life beamed upon him in the smiling eyes of one Miss Eunice Laurena Minkler, on her niother's side a Hyde of the Green Mountain State, and older still of the suite of Will- iam of Orange, when Protestantism removed the last of the weakly and tyrannical Stuarts from the English throne. They were married at her father's home on the 4th day of January, 1865, and in a few days thereafter, bidding adieu to friends and home, they started for the wilds of Michigan, and in the home of Timothy, his brother, found their first resting place in Newaygo.
Here he started the first harness shop; was burnt out and went to work at carpentry, for which his nat- ural bent was very decided. He obtained means to start another harness shop, and finding it disagreed with his health, sold out and entered into partner- ship with Wellington Persons, Newaygo's veteran Register of Deeds, and prepared with him the first set of abstracts of title for Newaygo County, which partnership still continues. He has filled the office of Deputy Register of Deeds for several years, Deputy Clerk of the County for one terni, and Deputy Treasurer under M. S. Angell, and is now Deputy Treasurer under the administration of T. S. Fry. He is a Republican in politics, and (with his estima- ble wife) may be considered of inheritance a part and parcel of the Methodist Church, having filled nearly all offices (successfully) but that of " preacher- in-charge." He was twice elected Assessor of his village, twice elected a lay delegate to the Annual Conference of his communion, and for years the chorister and often organist of his church. Scarcely any one would be more missed than he out of Ne-
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waygo Methodism. From childhood a total abstainer, for years a prominent Mason, filling with accepta- bility the offices in the gift of his brethren, Edward Edwards has had no mean place in the upbuilding of all that is good in Newaygo, and with his estima- ble wife and three children,-Mary, a successful yo ing teacher; Stanly Warden, a boy of eight years, and Emma, a girl of four years,-may they long live to enjoy happiness under their own vine and fig- tree !
amuel D. Bonner, lumberman, resident at Newaygo, was born Jan. 7, 1842, in Craw- ford Co., Pa., and is a son of John and Elvira (Cummings) Bonner, the former a na- tive of Vermont, the latter of Massachusetts. His parents came to Michigan when he was 14 years old, reaching Casnovia Township, Ottawa County (now Muskegon), Sept. 10, 1856. The father had been a soldier of 1812, and located 160 acres of land on section 5, in Casnovia, on a soldier's warrant. He died there Sept. 12, 1866. The mother died at Newaygo, Sept. 9, 1879.
Mr. Bonner was married at Casnovia, May 7, 1863, to Harriet L., daughter of Augustus and Martha Cook, a native of Huron Co., Ohio, born June 26, 1843. The family comprises two adopted children,- John and Blanche.
In 1864 Mr. Bonner went to Bridgeton Township to engage as assistant in the shingle-mill of I. D. Merrill, and operated in that capacity one year, suc- ceeding to the position of manager, which post he filled one year and then took charge of a boarding house for A. A. Maxim in Bridgeton. He remained in this position two years and came to Newaygo, en- gaging in the same capacity with the Newaygo Lum- ber Company, where he continued four years, at the end of that time transferring his services to another branch of their business and operated three years as foreman in the lumber yard. He was next employed as manager of the saw-mill of D. P. Clay, where he continued two years, and then served as night-watch 18 months. He afterwards engaged in the general management of the saw-mill, lumber-yard, planing- mill, and tub and pail factory for a period of eight months, when he engaged as foreman of the river
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NEWAYGO COUNTY.
force of Mr. Clay, sorting and running logs on the Muskegon River, in which he is still occupied. He owns a house and lot on Jarse Hill, 40 acres of land adjoining the village corporation on the north, and 300 acres of land in Big Prairie Township. He also owns 260 acres of land in company with George Taylor.
Mr. Bonner was re-elected a member of the Com- mon Council of Newaygo in the spring of 1883 (cur- rent year) and is present School Inspector of the township.
reeman Mallory was born in Columbia Co., N. Y., Feb. 8, 1823. His parents, Stephen and Maria (Waldorf ) Mallory, were natives of the State of New York, but moved to Connecticut in an early day, and af- terward came to Hillsdale County, this State, where they lived until their death. Freeman lived at home until 30 years of age. He bought 80 acres of land in Hillsdale County, which he managed until the spring of 1868, when he came to Newaygo County and located in Dayton Township for one year, and then bought 80 acres of wild land on sec- tion 32, where he now resides; 50 acres are under cultivation.
Mr. Mallory was married in Waterbury, Conn., in October, 1853, to Sarah Allen, a native of Connecti- cut, and they have had two children, one living: Stephen E. Mr. M. is a member of the Democrat party.
esse P. Delong, farner, section 8, Beaver Township, was born June 13, 1829, in Trumbull Co., Ohio. His parents, Jesse and Marie ( Winnings ) Delong, were na- tives of Pennsylvania and are both deceased.
The early training of Mr. Delong fitted him for the business which he has followed throughout his active life thus far. When in boyhood, he found a friend in a man named Thomas Fenton, and he was chiefly under his guidance until he approached
manhood. At 20 years of age he came to Michigan and located in Berrien County, where he labored on a farm and remained in that vicinity until 1878, when he transferred his family and interests to Ne- waygo County. He purchased 40 acres of land in Beaver Township, where he has applied his time and energies to the best advantage, and has already placed 25 acres of the primeval wilderness in a fine state of improvement. He affiliates with the Democratic party, and has acted as Postmaster at his present residence, to which post he received his appointment Sept. 18, 1880, and officiated therein one year.
He was married in 1853, to Mary Davis, daughter of Benjamin and Catherine (Williams) Davis, natives of Wales. The daughter was born Dec. 12, 1833, in Cumberland Co., Penn. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Delong: Emma M. is the wife of John Trowbridge; Harriet A. is Mrs. Jesse Tennant. The others are Sidney B. and Bertie. Miles E. is deceased.
ichael Turcotte, farmer and lumberman, section 30, Beaver Township, was born Dec. 30, 1843, in Ontario Co., Canada, and was a son of Joseph Turcotte. His parents were natives of Lower Canada and of unmixed French ancestry. Both are deceased. Mr. T. began his career as a lumberman when he was 14 years of age, passing the winters in the woods and laboring as a mill hand summers, until he was 20 years old, when he made his entry upon a course of life in his own interest. He was variously occupied until the first of January, 1876, when he located in Newaygo Co., Mich. He was the owner of a cash capital of five dollars when he arrived, and imme- diately found employ at his wonted calling, engag- ing in logging at $1.50 per thousand, for E. L. Gray. He was prudent and economical. His labor was hard but was soon remunerative, and he was able after a time to purchase a farm of 120 acres in Beaver Township, where he has principally resided. He has placed 95 acres under cultivation, with good buildings. His real estate now includes 540 acres of land, chiefly in heavy, valuable timber.
Mr. Turcotte was married in 1875 to Maggie,
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Jours Respectfully R & Track
Mors, L. M. Trash
4.5 I
NEWAYGO COUNTY.
daughter of Isaiah and Mary (Lengerman) Turcotte, who was born in Canada, in January, 1844. One child was born, March 25, 1882, who died Nov. 5, of the same year.
saac D. Merrill, deceased, was born at Fal- mouth (now Portland), Maine, Dec. 16, 1810. He came of a hardy stock of New Englanders, his father, a sea captain, losing his ship during the last war with England.
The subject of this sketch early engaged in lumbering on the Penobscot and St. Croix Rivers of his native State. In the year 1839 he turned west- ward to the pine woods of Michigan, then attracting considerable attention; engaged in lumbering on Grand River soon after. In 1844 he returned to Maine on a visit, where he married, and then brought his wife to Michigan, in the fall of that year. Lo- cating in Newaygo, he engaged in lumbering in part- nership with John A. Brooks. One year later he removed to Bridgeton, ten miles below Newaygo, on the Muskegon River, where he lived up to the time of his death, continuing here in the lumber business until failing health compelled him to retire from active business life. The only settlers in the now township of Bridgeton at the time Mr. Merrill located there, were Dick. Ryerson and Joseph Trottier, who were then living at the "Dam." He was a member of the first Board of Supervisors for Newaygo County, and helped organize said county. Associated with him on the Board was James Barton, now Judge of Probate. For many years Mr. Merrill filled the office of Supervisor of his town. In the year 1859, or thereabouts, he was appointed by Governor Wis- ner one of the commissioners to examine the Flats Improvement which John A. Brooks had constructed. That improvement was accepted as well done by Governor and commissioners, but the State failed to remunerate the projectors of the work, and the " Beard claim " hangs fire until this day.
In school matters Mr. Merrill was deeply in- terested, and was ever the friend of education. A staunch Whig when that party went to pieces on the rock of slavery, he at once identified himself with the Republican party, of which he was always a con- sistent member. On one occasion he was urged to
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