USA > Michigan > Oakland County > Portrait and biographical album of Oakland County, Michigan, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 105
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108
Elischer Hill.
931
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
lican with strong temperance principles. He has passed the Chairs of the Masonie Blue Lodge in Milford, and is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. He was on the Building Committee during the erection and the repairing of the house of worship, has been Trustee and Recording Steward for years, and Class-Leader as well. For ten years he has been Superintendent of the Sun- day-school.
Mrs. Pearson is also a devont believer and an earnest worker, is connected with the Ladies' Aid Society and the Women's Foreign Missionary So- ciety, and holds the position of Corresponding Secretary in the latter In a word, Mr. and Mrs. Pearson have not only been successful in worldly affairs, but have been useful to their fellows and are constantly aiming at a higher life. They have three sons -Charles B., a graduate of Ann Arbor, who is now practicing medicine at Munday, Gene- see County ; John M., a student at Albion in earlier years, and now a music-teacher in Flint, and organ- ist in the Court Street Church; and Clarence L., who has not yet left his parents' home.
E LISHA IIILL has been identified with the agricultural . interests of Troy Township since 1847, when he located on section 13. When he reached Detroit on his arrival from the East he had $109.50 and an old team. Coming into this county he selected a quarter section of land, for which he was to pay $950. Ile made a payment of $50, and set energetically to work to free himself from indebtedness and secure the home. There was a little log house on the land, and bere he placed his household goods, occupying it for some time. He received twenty cents per bushel for the first oats he raised on the place, and in order to support his family and the sooner to pay for his property be chopped wood for three shillings per cord whenever he could find such work to do, and spent every leisure moment in re- moving timber and breaking ground on his farm,
He now has a nice brick house which cost $2,000, and other valuable improvements, and his land is well tilled and productive. He has slightly re- duced the acreage and now holds but one hundred and thirty aeres.
The birthplace of Mr. Hill was Schoharie County, N. Y., and his natal day September 2, 1811. Ilis father, D. G. Hill, was born in Massachusetts, and was a shoemaker by trade. His mother, Desire Page, was born in Connecticut, and their marriage is supposed to have taken place in Vermont. They had five sons and one daughter, and Elisha was their first-born. He was reared in Monroe County, where he received his only seliool privileges, and remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years old. He then married; and made a home of his own, and in due course of time came West, as before stated.
January 8, 1832, was the date of the marriage of Mr. Hill and Miss Adelia Bentley, who shared his fortunes until September 10, 1880, when she de- parted this life. Eleven children came to bless the union-four sons and seven daughters. Those now living are Martin V., a farmer in Oregon; Sophronia A., wife of Chester M. Chatfield, of Barry County; Harriet M., wife of Henry Rey- nolds, of this county ; Mary E., who married Loren Donaldson and lives in Genesee County; Laura Ann, wife of Ellis Bookham, of Genesee County, and Stephen C., who lives in Troy Township. A second marriage was made by Mr. Ilill, December 4, 1884. His bride was Mrs. Miriam E. Gardner, nee Andrews. She was born in Bennington County, Vt., October 23, 1825, and was the widow of A. Gardner, by whom she had three children; her first born, Susan, wife of A. Franklin; Carrie, who married George Post, and Preston, all living in Genesee County.
Mr. Ilill has always been a Democrat, and his first vote was for Andrew Jackson. He was once elected Justice of the Peace, but declined to serve, and has never shown any desire for publie office. He has strong temperance principles, and was at one time a member of the Sons of Temperance. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in his younger days was Steward, and took an active part in carrying on the work of the society.
932
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
He still gives words of counsel and encouragement to other members, but does not work as he formerly did, owing to his advanced age. Notwithstanding the hard work which he did, and the self denials he practiced years ago, Mr. Hill has always been very rugged and taken such care of himself that he was never helpless from illness until he was seventy- six years old. He still manages his farm and oversees the work done by hired help. His por- trait is presented in connection with this sketch.
OIIN CAMPBELL, one of the most intelli- gent men of Groveland Township, is a man of remarkable intellect and character. Ilis fund of information is a rich possession upon which the mutations of fortune can have no effect. He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Oeto ber 10, 1817, son of Allen, born in Perthshire, who is in turn the son of John, born in Rosshire, the son of John, a native of Argyle, Scotland, where the family originated. They are one branch of the family of which the Duke of Argyle is the head. This great-grandfather was the owner of a large tract of ground, upon which he raised a large number of cattle and sheep. Ile was a noted man and served in the army during numerous wars, The grandfather was also a stockraiser and the keeper of a public house. He died at an old age and his wife emigrated with her family to Co- Inmbia County, N. Y., where she died in advanced years after rearing a family of eight children.
The father of our subject was a machinist and engineer. Hle made many improvements in the machinery and engines of cotton and woolen fac- tories. He came to America November 1, 1883, with his wife and four children, and settled at l'at . erson, N. J., and worked in the cotton factory and machine shops. He was a machinist at Richmond, Va., for two years and came to Mich- igan in 1832. Here he bought land of the Gov- ernment in Groveland Township, and in July, 1835, removed his family to this new home.
There were only about twelve settlers within the bounds of two townships. He died in 1854, hav- ing improved his farm. His death was caused by cholera and took place in Detroit, July 7. Ile was originally, in his religious preferences, a Scotch Presbyterian, but became one of the founders of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this place. He was a Whig in his political views. He helped to lay out the roads in this township. Mary Gray, the mother of our subject, was born in Aberdeen- shire. Scotland, in 1789. She was the mother of twelve children, nine of whom grew to maturity. Her death occurred from cholera upon the same day when her husband breathed his last. She was an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
John Campbell came to America in his seventh year and recollects the journey well. He attended school at Paterson, N. J., and worked at the ma- chinist's trade. He came here with his parents in 1835 and went to work upon the farm. l'p till that time he had never seen a plow. Ilis marriage took place when he was twenty-four years old, and he set up his new home in a log house on the farm where he now lives. When he paid the Squire for marrying him he emptied his purse of all the money it contained, 82. Ilis bride was Barbara A., daughter of Joseph Lively, a native of Switzer- zerland, who was for seven years a soldier under Napoleon Bonaparte. Ile came to America with the British in the War of 1812, but deserted them during a battle and joined the American forces. Ile died March 12, 1841, having been a resident of Michigan for five years. His wife, Rozilla Case, born near Hartford, Conn., was the mother of five children, and died here September 12, 1839. It was November 7, 1841, when Barbara Lively be- came Mrs. Campbell. She was born in Madison County. N. Y., June 5, 1820, and departed this life April 28, 1891.
Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have had four children, three of whom have grown to maturity, namely: Rozilla, whose husband, W. V. Heusted, is the Trea- snrer of Clay County, Kan .; John, who was a sol- dier in the War of the Rebellion and was also in the regular army for three years. Ile is now on the police force in Detroit; Leman lives in Grove-
Lumus H Venten
935
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
land Township and runs a saw-mill and a thresher. Mr. Campbell is a Republican in politics and has held every office in the township except that of Constable. For thirty-seven years he has been and is still Notary Public, and has also been Postmaster for twelve years at Thayer Post- office. Ile began, when a boy, to keep a dairy, with a record of temperature, weather, etc. lle has every letter he ever received, and a record of every penny received and paid ont. He was a charter member of the Grange and Township Overseer, and was President of the County Coun- cil of the Union League during the War. Ile has read papers before the Northwestern Pioneer Asso- ciation of Oakland County, and has frequently served on the Grand and Petit Juries. He has taken the Oakland Gazette for fifty-six years and was one of the correspondents for it. He has many times acted as administrator of estates, and was a soldier in the Mason's war, which was waged in re- gard to a strip of Ohio in 1835.
Le UMUS H. NEWTON. For more than thirty years the late Mr. Newton, a portrait of whom is presented on the opposite page, bore a part in the affairs of this county and many of our readers will remember him as one of the hard-working and judicious men of Pontiac Town- ship. He was born in St. Albans, Vt., July 3, 1812, and is descended from two families repre- sented in the Colonial Army during the struggle for American independence, and in at least the paternal line, traces his ancestry to passengers in the "Mayflower." llis parents were Josiah and Lydia (Ball) Newton, natives of the old Bay State, and his father fought in the War of 1812. Four of their six children grew to maturity. One of this number, the Rev. Benjamin B. Newton, was grad- vated at both Burlington (Vt.), College and Yale, and became a minister, preaching at the time of his death in 1875, at Brooklyn, N. Y., in the Episco- pal Church.
Our subject obtained a preliminary education in
the district school, being reared on a farm, and gained further knowledge in St. Albans Academy and Burlington College. At the age of twenty- two years he went to sea, first spending a season on Lake Erie and then going South and sail- ing from New Orleans on a merchant vessel to the West Indies and thence to Liverpool. He next visited the East Indies and various South Ameri- can countries, then returning to the land of his birth, he left New Bedford, Mass., on a whaling expedition where he rounded Cape Ilorn and vis- ited the islands of the Pacific Ocean. He was absent two years and made a second voyage that lasted about four years. Ile shipped in the first place as a ship carpenter, but after becoming familiar with a seaman's duties he became Captain of the ship "Massachusetts."
In 1847 Mr. Newton accompanied a friend to this county and was so pleased with the prospects that he decided to remain. Three years after his arrival he bought land in Pontiac Township and settled down to farm life. During the three years he and friends built the flour mills at Lakeville, Thornville and Rochester. Ilis original purchase was an eighty-acre tract, but at the time of his demise he held the deeds to four hundred acres. He was an excellent manager, and more- over was always ready to help a friend in need, contributed liberally to all charitable purposes, and was moral and upright in every respect. He was called hence July 26, 1881, leaving a widow and ten children to mourn for one who had been a kind and considerate husband and father. Politi- cally he was a stanch Republican, one of the lead- ers of the party in the county, and during the War of the Rebellion he was a strong adherent of the Union cause. Socially he was pleasing and grace- ful in his manners, an agreeable companion among his friends, and a man of refined tastes. Ile was unostentatious in his manners and conduct in every-day life.
Mrs. Newton bore the maiden rame of Sarah A. Averill and was born in this county in 1827, being a daugliter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Fowler) Averill. Her parents and grandparents were na- tives of Massachusetts, whence the latter drove in a wagon drawn by oxen to the new home in what
936
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
was then a Territory, very sparsely settled. Their removal was made about 1818, and they made their home on Government land in Troy Township. They often fed Indians at their house, and their history for some years was that with which all students of pioneer times are familiar. Mrs. New- ton's father fought at the battle of Lundy's Lane and all through the War of 1812. Mrs. Averill died here in 1852. Mr. Averill survived until 1870, and died in Kansas. Three of their eleven children are living.
Mrs. Newton is a woman of superior intelligence and fine tastes. She has been greatly devoted to her family. the youngest of whom is nearly twenty- one years old. The names of her children are: HIelen, Josiah B., Lumus C., Emma C., Susie M., Lucy B., Saralı, Nettie L .. Marcia C., Julia B., and David II. The first-born is deceased. All re- ceived excellent school advantages Josiah and Lu- mus being college graduates. Josiah received his diploma from the Siate l'niversity, studied law and practiced at Alpena. Ile was a young man of fine literary and legal attainments, and his death April 10, 1891. was widely mourned. Lumus is a physician at Quincy, Mass. Emma C. is the wife of Frank Galloway, and resides in Pontiac Town- ship. Susie MI. is the wife of George Kyle, son of David Kyle, of Bloomfield. The other children are at home.
ENRY GRINNELL, a farmer on seetion 36, West Bloomfield Township, and a man of broad intelligence and world wide experi- enee, was born in Middlebury Township, Genesee County, N. Y., September 16, 1822. Ilis parents, Daniel and Anna (Chase) Grinnell, were natives of Rhode Island and were there united in marriage. Soon after marriage they took up their residence in Middlebury, N. Y., and lived there until 1824, when they started for Michigan on the steamer "Superior" with Captain Blake in command.
They landed at Detroit in April 1824, and made a nine day trip to Birmingham, arriving there April 24.
The father of our subject took up a tract of Government land in Bloomfield Township of this County, receiving his deed from President Jeffer- son. This tract of eighty acres was all unbroken forest. Indians were as plentiful there as white people are now. They built a log shanty and for one whole year the family lived in this without a roof. The parents of our subject spent all their lives in the vicinity where they first settled. The father was a sea-faring man in early life but after coming to Michigan devoted himself to agricul- ture. Only two children filled their home, namely. Henry and Mary A. The latter is now the wife of Elmer Iligby of this township. The father was a Democrat in his political views.
Henry Grinnell grew up on his father's farm in this county until he reached his majority when he went to sea on a whaling vessel from New Bedford, Mass. He followed this line of work for twelve years and during that time made four voyages. His ship was wrecked in the Arctic Ocean and the crew drifted to Sidney, Australia. There he joined Commodore Wilkes' fleet and went on an exploring and surveying expedition. He assisted in survey- ing and exploring the Dead Sea. Ile also visited the place where Christ was born and many other points of great interest. lle finally returned to the United States with Commodore Wilkes. after being at sea for twelve years. During that period he visited almost every country on the globe and it is doubtful whether there is another man in Michigan who has seen as much of the world as Mr. Grinnell.
After returning to the United States Mr. Grin- nell went directly to the Rocky Mountains and spent thirteen years in Arizona, Utah. Washington Territory, New Mexico, Nevada and other parts of the Northwest. He was engaged as a Government scout and guide and had many desperate encounters with the Indians, and carries several scars of wounds received at their hands. He crossed the plains three times during his experience in that part of the country. Ile never received any material education from the schools but is well-read and an interest-
Rolf es Margaux
939
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
ing talker. He speaks seven or eight languages fluently.
In 1867 this gentleman returned to Michigan and bought the farm of three hundred aeres on which he now resides. He has devoted himself en- tirely to farming and stock-raising and now makes a specialty of thoroughbred Rambouillett sheep, also of Galloway cattle. He has one of the finest farms in the county, with good improvements. He has erected the large two-story brick residence and the capacious and well built barns. His political views are embodied in the platform of the Demo- cratie party and he has filled creditably several of the minor township offices. He is a Free and Ac- cepted Mason of the Knight Templar degree and is identified with the Order of Odd Fellows.
In 1869, two years after his final settlement in Michigan, Mr. Grinnell married Jane Miller of Howell, Mich. By her one child was born: Henry M. She was early snatched away by death and in 1872 our subject contracted a second marriage, taking to wife Miss Naney Kellogg of Waterford this county. This gentleman is highly esteemed among his neighbors for his character and intelli- gence.
ILLIAM H. MORGANS, Superintendent of the L. R. Medbury Gas Works at Pon- tiac, which were established in 1862, is a prominent and popular citizen of Pontiac, residing in a pleasant home at No. 36 Wessen Street. The gas works were formerly called the Pontiac Gas Works, and were operated under this title until 1873 when they were sold out and purchased by the present company and the name changed. Mr. Morgans has been Superintendent of the works since 1880.
A portrait of the subject of this brief notice ap- pears on the opposite page. He was born in the city of New York, October 5, 1844, and is the youngest son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Edwards) Morgans. The father, who was a native of Glen- morganshire, Wales, emigrated to the United
States when quite young and made his home with his parents in New York City. The mother, also of Welsh descent, was a native of New York City and daughter of John Edwards, Esq. She died at Detroit, Mich., January 17, 1884.
Isaac Morgans was in early life a shoemaker and manufacturer of boots and shoes. He died in Con- necticut a short time before the birth of our sub- ject. The orphan boy was carefully reared by his mother and educated in the city schools of New York. He then served an apprenticeship of three years to learn the trade of a sailmaker, and from 1865 to 1867 he traveled as a journeyman.
During the days of the Civil War our subject responded to the call of his country and enlisted in 1862 in the First New York Independent Batta- lion with a term of service of two years. Upon the consolidation of the regiment he was discharged with the rank of Sergeant, but after remaining at home two months he re-enlisted in the Eighth New York Cavalry. He belonged to the Third Division of the Army of the Potomac, and took part in the following engagements: Yorktown; the siege and capture of Morris Island, S. C .; Kenesaw Monntain and the siege of Atlanta. He accompanied Sher- man on the famous march to the sea, and at Mil- ledgeville, Ga., was taken prisoner, and confined for six months at Florence, S. C. He was then transferred to Richmond, Va., and exchanged, after which he rejoined his regiment which was stationed at Cloud's Mills, Va. On June 27, 1865, he received his discharge, after which he went to the city of New York and in October of the same year drifted westward.
The first stopping place of Mr. Morgans in the West was in the Southern part of Illinois, thence he went to Toledo, Ohio, where he engaged in making sails for vessels. In 1866 he came to De- troit, Mich., and for four years carried on the same work there. After this he was connected with the gas works, and diligently acquainted himself with the different departments of this business, thus fitting himself for his present position which he assumed in September, 1880.
Mr. Morgans was united in marriage, November 18, 1867, with Mrs. Mary E. Pittenger, at Detroit. Mrs. Morgans is a daughter of James A. Cole, and
940
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
was born and reared in Detroit. Our subject and his good wife are the parents of four children : Onithia K., wife of. Edward Morrell, now of Chi- cago; Florence E. ; Anna A., and Morgans, the last three being still at home.
The political affiliations of the subject of this sketch are with the Republican party. He has held some offices of municipal and township re- sponsibility and has served two terms as Alderman of the first Ward. IIe is a member of Pontiac Lodge No. 3, I. O. O. F., Pontiae Lodge No. 21. F. & A. M .; Chapter R. A. M., Commandery K. T .. and the Shrine at Detroit. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias of the I'niform Rank in which he is First Lieutenant, and also belongs to the Royal Arcanum, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is Past Commander of the Dick Richardson Post, G. A. R., and is a Director in the State Home Aquatie Club. Religiously he is a useful and consistent member of the Episcopal Church.
JEUT. WALTER CRAWFORD has for many years been a resident and a noteworthy one of Milford. lle is now filling the offices of Justice of the Peace and Notary Public and is a dealer in drugs and medicines, books and station- ery under the firm name of Johnston & Crawford in the drug business and W. & M. Crawford in the book business. 1Ie also deals in ice, the firm name being Crawford & Hubbell.
Judge Alfred Crawford, the father of our sub- ject, was born four miles north of Boston, parish of Firthwell, Lincolnshire, England, in 1815. Ile was a son of Thomas and Elizabeth ( Robinson) Crawford, who were engaged in farming in that shire. The great-grandfather of our subject eame from the North of England from the Scottish bor- ders and is undoubtedly of Scotch descent. Judge Crawford was reared and educated in England and in 1834 when he was twenty years old he came to America, making his first stop in Buffalo. He worked for Col. Preutz in Canada until the spring
of 1835 and then came to Milford, this county. Ile worked for others for awhile and then entered land upon which he located. He proceeded to improve it and owned about three hundred and twenty acres upon which he engaged in general farming and stock-raising. Ile was one of the first to bring thoroughbred cattle and sheep into Milford Town- ship. He was a man who was accommodating to his neighbors, who often resorted to him for legal ad- vice. as he was a great reader and richly endowed with information. He was one of the most influen- tial men of the county and was loved and respected by all.
The father of our subject filled the office of Su- pervisor for thirteen years and during the war he was Deputy Provost-Marshal. In 1865 he placed his farm in the hands of a tenant and made his home in the village of Milford. In the fall of 1868 le was elected Probate Judge, being placed there by the Republican vote. In order to attend to the duties of this office he removed to Pontiac at the beginning of 1869 and took his seat as Judge, which he oceupied until his death, November 12, 1872. Ilis remains lie at rest at Milford. He was a stanch Republican in his polities and an earnest adherent of that party.
The mother of our subjeet was Phoebe Clark, who was born in Sutherland County, N. Y., January 4, 1817. Her father, Joshua, a New Yorker by birth, was an early settler in Milford, where he was en- gaged in farming until his death. Hle represented an old Eastern family which boasted of blue blood. Ilis widow still resides in Milford with her children and is a devoted adherent of the Presbyterian Church.
Walter Crawford was born in Milford, October 24, 1843, being the fourth in a family of ten chil- dren. He was reared on the farm and had excel- lent educational advantages in the village of Milford, going through the regular course and the Iligh School. Before reaching his majority his young spirit was so fired with patriotic zeal as to cause him to enlist August 18, 1861, in the First L'nited States Laneers, Company B. They were mustered in at Detroit and served until they were mustered out in the same city in March, 1862. This boy, then only about eighteen years old, re-
941
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
enlisted in August, 1862, as a private in Company H, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, the regiment being brigaded by Col. Alger under Gen. Custer. He was in all the battles, raids and skirmishes of the brigade till the close of the war, the engagements in which he took part numbering fifty-two.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.