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 22
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
Lee, for a number of years. He was only fifteen years old when he enlisted, April 12, 1862, in the Seventeenth United States Infantry in the defense of his country, and joined the regiment at York- town, Va. He was with Company G, of the Seven. teenth Regulars, until August 19, 1864, when, as we have said, he was taken prisoner.
Our subject is the son of Rolla and Thankful (Cole) Clark, natives of Yates County, N. Y. From that State they came to Michigan in the year 1836, when Michigan was still a Territory. Rolla was a farmer, cooper and manufacturer of potaslı. He died in 1849. To him and his wife were born three children: Jerome, deceased; Abigail, the wife of Andrew Sutherland, of Oxford; and Elisha, our subject.
The regiment in which this young man enlisted was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Di- vision, Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, and was in the following engagements: Seven days before Richmond, Va., June 25 to July 1, 1862 ; Gaines Mill, June 27; Malvern Hill, July 7; Bull Run, August 30; Anteitam, September 15, to 17; Blackford's Ford, September 19; Shepherdstown, September 20; Fredericksburg, December 11 to 15. In 1863 he was in Burnside's second campaign, January 20 to 24; Chancellorsville, May 1 to 5; Gettysburg, July 2 and 3; Funkstown, Md., July 12. He was in the advance toward Culpeper, Va., in September, and in the retreat to Manassas in October. The regi- ment was in an engagement at Auburn and Bristow, Va., October 19; at Rappahannock Station, No- vember 7, and at Mine Run, November 25. After the reorganization of the army, December 2, 1863, the regiment was placed in the Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Corps, and was in the follow- ing engagements: The Wilderness, May 5 to 7, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 8 to 18; Laurel Hill, May 8 to 13; North Anna, May 23 to 27; Bethesda Church, June 2 and 3; Cold Harbor, June 3 to 12; White Oak Swamp, June 13; Petersburg, June 16 to 21; Welldon Railroad, August 18 to 19.
Upon the date last mentioned Mr. Clark was taken prisoner and was confined in many of the noted southern prisons; among these were Libby and Belle Isle at Richmond, Va., and Salisbury, N. C. Ile remained in prison during the winter
and was paroled at Wilmington, N. C., March 3, 1865, and was mustered out of service May 29, at Baltimore. After the war he returned to Michigan and located in Oxford, where he farmed for Andrew Southerland, and attended school. The next sum- mer he worked on a farm six months for A. A. Hagerman and attended school during the winter. He next engaged in the service of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad Company, locating lands under their grant, and continuing with them two summers. December 30, 1869, saw him married to Eunice A., daughter of John J. and Lucinda Craw- ford, who were natives of New York State and early settlers there.
Our subject continued in his clerical duties for some time and in 1870 engaged in the liquor trade in connection with tobacco, cigars and fine gro- ceries. He still continues in this business and has built the business house he occupies, one of the best in Oxford, also another on the opposite side of the street. Mr. Clark is a Democrat in politics. He is a member of the Masonie order, of the Grand Army of the Republic, of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, and of the Society of Prisoners of War.
J. HARE, M. D., of Leonard, is a native of Canada and was born at Toronto, June 13, 1857. His father, David, first saw the light in Ireland in 1815. The great-grandfather went from Germany to Ireland as an attendant upon the Prince of Orange. The family was of Holland descent. The father came to America in 1822 with his father, Isaac, who was a Captain in the British army.
The father of our subject was reared a farmer and resided in New York for several years, but lived on the old homestead near Toronto for more than forty years. Ile had made a quiet personal study of medicine and was quite a doctor for the neighbors for many miles around, although he had no diploma. He was a man of extraordinary abil- ity and of high standing in the community. His death took place April 2, 1891, and he was buried April 4, on the seventy-sixth anniversary of his
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birth. For thirty- five years he had been an earn- est and consistent member of the Methodist Epis- eopal Church, and for a long while had been a Class- Leader therein.
The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Isabella Graham and was born in Glas- gow, Scotland, in 1825. She is still living and in good health. The Doctor is the second of the four sons, all of whom are living. He received a common-school education until he was twenty years old. when he entered a military academy at Mt. Forest, Ontario. After one year in this acad- emy he entered the collegiate institute at Orange- ville, Ontario. He came to Michigan in 1881 and studied medicine in the university at Ann Arbor. Ilere he spent two years, and then took one year in Bellevue Medical College, New York City, tak- ing his diploma at Ann Arbor. After this he spent a year in Bellevue Hospital and received a diploma from that institution in 1884.
The village of Leonard was the objective point which was now sought by the young Doctor, and where he settled down to build up a practice. Dr. Hare was married, in 1885, to Miss Margarette Robb, of Orangeville, Ontario. They have estab- lished their home in a beautiful residence in the village and are counted among the most worthy and enterprising of its citizens. The Doctor owns the only drug store in the town. lle is a Demo- crat in his political preferences and has been Presi- dent of the village council since its organization. Ile is identified with the order of Masonry, being also a Knight of Pythias. Ile is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of the Maccabees.
G EORGE E. COLE, an enterprising livery- man of Oxford, was born in Lapeer County, Mich., July 28, 1859. Ile is a son of Asa and Sarah (Bliss) Cole, natives of New York, whence they came to Michigan when the country was comparatively new. Asa Cole was a farmer. He did not live to bring up his children, for both he and his wife died when George was but a lad,
the father passing away September 18, 1869, and the mother on May 14, 1870.
The family thus bereft of parents consisted of five children, of whom three are yet living : Asa, a blacksmith in Oxford; Amanda, the wife of Mr. Groosbeck, a farmer in this township, and our sub- ject. George E. engaged in farming when a young man, but later in life sold out his farm, and coming to town engaged in the livery business, becoming proprietor of a fine stable in Oxford in 1885. Ile is a man who understands horses and knows how to bothi manage and care for them. His stable is well equipped and he carries on both livery and sale business. Ile has worked his way little by little up to his present standing as a first-class business man.
The subject of this sketch was married March 5, 1884; he was then united with Mary E. Barber. Mr. Cole isa member of the Knights of the Macea- bees. He is a Democrat in politics and has served Oxford as Constable since 1887.
LDEN M. VARNEY belongs to an old Maine family. The original ancestry is from England and the family has been well known in Maine for four or five gen- erations. Our subject, who resides in Oxford, Oak- 'and County, was born in Vassalborough, Kennebec County, Me. He is the son of Moses and Mary W. (Sampson) Varney. The father was a farmer, lumberman and ship-builder. As a boy, young Alden with his brothers was often engaged in cutting withes with which to tie together rafts of lumber, which were sent down the river to Bath. He now ships flour to the same market. Moses Varney died in 1856 and his wife had preceded him to the other world in 1848. Our subject was brought up to farming pursuits. but after the death of his father when he was only ten years old, lie was sent to live with an uncle-William A. Samp- sou, who was a miller, with whom he made his home until he was sixteen years of age.
Our subjeet enlisted in the Fifth Maine Battery, . August 8, 1862. This detachment was assigned to the army of the Potomac. While with it our young
Wny Hinman.
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hero was in the engagements of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. In the winter of 1863-64 he was transferred to the Department of the Gulf and was commissioned as First Lieutenant of the Tenth United States Colored Artillery under Gen. Banks. The regiment garrisoned the defences in New Orleans until February 24, 1867.
At that time the regiment was mustered out of service and Lieut. Varney returned to Maine and engaged in the milling business. After being there two years he traveled about considerably, going to New York and Washington and other points. In 1872 he visited England and Scotland.
The western fever now took hold of our subject, and in 1874 he came to Michigan and located at Pontiac, where he engaged in the milling business. In 1877 he went into the grain and produce busi- ness in Genesee County and afterward in Detroit, In 1886 he became associated with Mr. Craig in erecting the mill at Oxford.
In polities Mr. Varney is a Republican, and is a member of Frank Powell Post No. 187, G. A. R., also of the Independent Order of Foresters. He has been twice married, the first time to Mary Cummings in 1869; she died in 1872. He was united with his present wife, Mrs. Jane Rose, in 1876.
ON. WILLIAM G. HINMAN, President of the Pontiac National Bank, is a worthy representative of this noble city, being a man of unusual intelligence, sterling integ- rity, keen business sense, and possessing valuable social qualities. He was born July 12, 1834, in Clarendon, Orleans County. N. Y., and is the son of William P. and Keziah (Gillespie) Hinman. He attended the common schools until eighteen years of age, when he left home and came to Oakland County, Mich. Here he spent one winter at school and the following spring engaged in surveying lands with the United States Government Surveyor, Judge William R. Burt, with whom he remained about a year, working over the northern part of the State.
Subsequently Mr. Ilinman was employed for
about three years by the Sault Ste. Marie Ship Canal Land Company, selecting and surveying lands. Up to 1870 he was engaged with George S. Frost of Detroit, looking up, locating, and ex- amining railroad lands throughout the State. At that time he went to Grand Rapids in the employ of William A. Howard, taking charge of the exam- ination of and selling the Grand Rapids and Indi- ana Railroad lands, and continued in the office of that company until 1882, when, losing his health, he resigned and came to Pontiac where he owned a farm, and has since remained. This farm, which be purchased in 1879, is two hundred and forty aeres in extent, and one of the finest in the country.
Mr. Hinman has, almost ever since coming to Michigan, been engaged in buying and selling land, and his investments have paid him handsomely, making him now one of the "solid" men of the State. Ile is one of the largest stockholders in the Osterhout & Fox Lumber Company, of Grand Rapids, and is the owner of numerous parcels of pine lands in Michigan and Minnesota, and is also interested in real estate in California. He is Pres- ident of the Pontiac National Bank, and a stock- holder in the First National Bank of Grand Rap- ids.
The first wife of the Hon, Mr. Hinman, to whom he was married in 1857, was Almyra Glaspie, of Oxford, Mieh., and by her he had one daughter, Libbie B., residing at home. Mrs. Hinman died August 14, 1876. Ile was a second time married February 18, 1879, to Miss Cornelia M. Bailey, of Appleton, Wis. She was educated in Ohio and is a lady of fine accomplishments. Their beautiful home is the ornament of Pontiac. The grounds are extensive and delightful and consist of seven acres. An ornamental and substantial iron fenee surrounds the whole.
Of modest and retiring disposition, Mr. Hinman has never taken a prominent part in political mat- ters, or put himself forward as a candidate for pub- lic office, but in the spring of 1889 he was elected Mayor of the city of Pontiae, and discharged the duties of that position acceptably. His liberality and generous open handedness have won for him golden opinions in the minds of those with whom his business interests have brought him in contact,
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and made him a valuable and respected citizen of the community in which he has taken up his resi- cence.
The portrait of Mr. Hinman presented on an- other page reproduees the lincaments of his face for present and coming generations.
RTHUR E. COLLINS. One of the most prosperous business men of Rochester is Mr. Collins, who has been engaged in the sale of merchandise here since 1883, and for nearly as long a period has done the banking business for the community. He has a large run of custom as a dry-goods merchant, and earries on an establishment whose shelves are loaded with a stock of well-selected goods, tastefully displayed and shown with courtesy to those who desire to purchase. By catering to the wants of the people he has been potent in adding to the prosperity of the town, increasing the circulation of money, and attracting hither trade that might otherwise have been dissipated in other towns. By his banking business he has done still more to accommodate other business men, and last, but by no means least, his personal character and excellent citizen- ship add to the reputation of the town.
William Collins, father of our subject, was born in the parish of Maker, in the counties of Devon and Cornwell. late in 1791. or early in the follow- ing year and was baptized February 8, 1795. lle entered the British Army in 1811 and during the War of 1812 came to this country. While on a foraging expedition he was captured by the Amer- icans just before the British burned Washington. lle was kept in prison six months and his fare was corn bread and water. After the war he retur ned to his native land and in 1815 he fought at Water- loo under Wellington, having already taken part in the war against Napoleon in France and Spain. He was connected with the army until 1832 and rose from the ranks to be Quartermaster of his reg- iment-the Eighty-Fifth Bucks Volunteers.
While he was stationed at Gibraltar and Malta,
Quartermaster Collins made the acquaintance of, wooed and married his second wife, Ann Elizabeth Martin. She was of English parentage but born on the Island of Malta and was quite young when she became a bride. Her father was William Mar- tin, of the Royal Artillery. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Collins was solemnized March 26, 1826, and was blest to them by the birth of eight chil- dren who grew to maturity. Two of these, Char- lotte and Charles, were born at Gibraltar, and the others in Wayne County, this State, whither the family removed in 1833. Charles lives in Grand Haven. The other children of the marriage are: George E., a farmer in Tuscola County; Catherine, wife of De Witt Pretty, of Spring Arbor; Arthur E., of this notice; Henry V., who was killed near Fairfax Court House while serving in the Union Army; Edwin, whose home is in New Haven; and Robert, who lives in Romeo. By his first marriage William Collins was the father of a daughter, Es- ther, who is now the widow of a Mr. Cole. Charles was a member of the First Michigan Sharp Shooters and was wounded in front of Petersburg. Arthur too was a Union soldier as will be seen by further perusal of these notes.
The subject of this biographical notice opened his eyes to the light January 6, 1842, and was reared almost to manhood on his father's farm. .June 8, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Twenty- Third Illinois Infantry under Col. Mulligan, and served with the regiment four months. At Jeffer- son City he was placed in Grant's command and marched to Lexington, where from the 12th to the 20th of September, the regiment was besieged by the rebel, Gen. Price, whose men outnumbered Col. Mulligan's cleven to one. After eight days' fighting, three days and nights of which was with- out interruption, the boys being without food or water the most of the time, Col. Mulligan sur- rendered and his men were paroled, and started to the Union lines at Hamilton. Mr. Collins says that the only time that he ever asked for a meal of victuals when he was unable to pay for it, was during that forty miles' march. He was discharged with his comrades after reaching St. Louis and sent to the North.
August 9, 1862, Mr. Collins again enlisted in
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Company A, Twenty-Second Michigan Infantry. and served in Kentucky and Tennessee for a year. IIc. was in Granger's Corps of Roseerans' army dur- ing the fight at Chickamauga, on which bloody field the regiment lost eighty seven killed and mortally wounded. During the retreat the Twen- ty.Second was captured and taken by rail to Rich- mond, Va., and placed in what was known as P'em- berton Prison, a tobacco warehouse on Cary street opposite Libby Prison. The captives were stripped to their shirts and searched for money or valua- bles. A few days after their captivity began it was discovered that the cellars contained sugar and salt and one night the boys eut a hole in the floor and helped themselves. The Confederate papers the next morning announced that the Yanks had taken out about nine thousand pounds of sugar, the most of which was eaten before the next day. Shortly after this, as a punishment for some dis. turbanee they had made, the captives were com- pelled to stand in ranks all night, with a guard over them who had orders to shoot the first man who moved or spoke. Those who have never been in such a situation cannot understand how ardently they longed for the sun to rise, so that they eould rest.
After two months in Richmond Mr. Collins and his comrades were sent to Danville where they were again confined in tobacco warehouses. They tried all manner of plans for escape, some suceceding by tunneling under the street, some jumping out of the windows on a dark night, and thirteen fore- ing their way one night through a twelve-inch plank drain. Many of those who attempted to es- cape were killed by the guards, but so horrible were their sufferings from the lack of food and clothing and prevalence of disease that they were willing to take their chances, choosing death rather than longer captivity. Their sufferings were added to by the breaking out of small-pox in prison. After six months in Danville Mr. Collins was removed to Andersonville and after ten months in that notor- sous pen spent a month in Milan, Savannah and Thomasville, and then returned to Andersonville. After a captivity of nineteen months and eight days he was finally released at Jacksonville, Fla .. April 28, 1865.
The Andersonville prison pen, as many of our readers know. consisted of about thirty acres of ground surrounded by a stockade of hewn logs set in the earth and reaching to a height of sixteen or eigliteen feet. Small stands covered with a few short boards and reached by a ladder from below, were situated about one hundred feet apart on this stockade and each was occupied day and night by a rebel soldier. In the stockade during the summer of 1864 from thirty to thirty-five thousand Union soldiers were confined, with no shelter except a blanket or a piece of tent provided by themselves. The food consisted of a small piece of cornbread or meal, a small piece of pork or fresh beef, and some- times a table spoonful of rice or beans. When the beans were issued raw, as they often were, some of the men were so hungry that they would eat them in their uncooked state. This would generally re- sult in making the eater sick at the stomach and so ravenous were other soldiers that the same beans would be rinsed off and eaten. Mr. Collins him- self ate raw beef on which maggots were crawling, and was so hungry during the latter part of Sep- tember that be devoured mice and grasshoppers whenever he could catch them. The amount of provisions received by the prisoners was sufficient to sustain life if they kept well, but a sick man could not eat the food and would starve to death. Mr. Collins was laid up with the seurvy when the removal of the prisoners to Charleston and Flor- ence began. He was so affected in his legs that he could not walk for over a month. His gums were affected and his teeth loosened, and he, like others in similar circumstances, resorted to all manner of expedients to stop the disease, some of them being scarcely fit for recital.
Mr. Collins after his return to the North attended school three months and then engaged in general merchandising with a brother-in-law in Macomb County, this State. He carried on his enterprise there until his removal to Rochester. He Las dis- played business ability of a high order and as be- fore intimated is held in high esteem for his fine character and the use he makes of bis talents. Hle was married March 31. 1869, to Mary Ann, daugh- ter of William Green, of Mt. Clemens and has two children-Nellie E. V. and Minnie Edith. Mrs.
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Collins, who was a woman of fine character and use- ful habits entered into rest January 6, 1888. Mr. Collins is Commander of the Grand Army Post in Rochester and is a Mason who has risen to the de- gree of Knight Templar. lle was Worshipful Master of Masonic lodge, No. 64, four years, and of Rochester Lodge, No. 5, three years. Politi- ically he is a Republican tried and true. Ilis re- ligious home is in the Baptist Church.
The following with reference to Mrs Collins is taken from the Rochester Era of January 13, 1888.
"Mary Ann Green Collins, daughter of William and Ann Green, was born in England, July 3d, 1818, came with her parents to America in 1852, and to Michigan. She was converted in New Haven, this State, 16 years ago.
She was engaged to Mr. A. E. Collins prior to his entering the war, and her interest in him and the cause he espoused, was manifested by her go- ing with him to the recruiting office and acknow !- edging her country's claim upon him. For a whole year she mourned as a widow, having heard that he had been taken from prison and executed, the first information to the contrary, she received, was his unexpected return. This bond was sealed March 31, 1870, by their marriage.
Very naturally she had always taken a deep in- terest in the G. A. R. in general, and the Twenty- Second Michigan Regiment . in particular, never missing a re-union when health would permit; hence was often spoken of as a member and referred to as such. She felt that there was no sacrifice too great to be laid upon the altar for the benefit of those who had defended their country in its great- est peril.
This interest was not confined to the soldier side of life. She was alive to the great mission of the Baptist Church of Rochester, of which she was a devout member.
The Sabbath school cause at large, fell in for a share of her love and devotion, the local school was not neglected, and ber presence and influence was always felt in the Sunday-school conventions of Macomb County.
Indeed all auxiliaries and agencies aiming for the bettering of man's condition, to which her hus-
band or herself belonged, found in her a champion and able defender.
No one church, no one society could claim her exclusively. She was a woman among women, ever ready to defend by speech and pen those in need of a friend. She was possessed of a well dis- ciplined mind, keen and far-seeing; her husband and friends found in her a wise counselor.
She was blessed with a singuine temperament, hence was cheerful and happy in disposition. Christ having been the man of her counsel, her life was not clouded by regrets, her faith in God and humanity enabling her always to say "It is still better farther on."
She sought to live above the petty annoyances, which so often harrass and sour the dispositions of others not so richly endowed with heaven's gift of a contented mind.
The devotion to her husband and little ones was equalled only by her love of God. As regards her life's work in the different avenues of useful- ness, it can truthfully be said, "She hath done what she could."
ILLIAM TAYLOR, a brother of Jacob Taylor, whose sketch is to be found in this volume, is an old timer here. Ile is in good circumstances and a tremendous worker, a man of character, but of great simplicity of life. His father was George Taylor, a native of New Jersey, where he was born in 1782. He was a car- penter and joiner by trade. lle married Sarah Shoemaker and continued to reside in Luzerne County, Pa., until 1823 when he came to Michigan. They journeyed by the steamer "Thomas Jefferson" to Detroit, one of the first boats running between Buffalo and Detroit, and made the rest of the trip by ox-team. He came to Michigan a poor man and renting a farm cultivated it and worked at his trade. He suffered a severe injury by cutting his knee with a broad-ax and lost the use of that joint.
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