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 30
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Next going to Chattanooga, Mr. Soulby was en- gaged in the duties of an engineering regiment. He helped build the road from Brown's Ferry to the Tennessee River, which occupied twenty days in November, laid the pontoon bridge for the pas- sage of Gen. Sherman and his forces and another pontoon across the Tennessee at Chattanooga. He and his comrades moved ou to the foot of Lookout Mountain, repairing bridges and railroads, then went into Chattanooga and built storehouses and other edifices. He and others were sent up the river to cut timber and raft it down to Chatta- nooga. May 26, 1864, Mr. Soulby reported in the field at Brown's Mill. Ga., and was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, and then placed in the reserve brigade and detailed for provost duty. During the Atlanta campaign he helped build bridges across the Chattahoochie River, and August 29 aided in the destruction of a part of the Mont- gomery railroad. After Atlanta was reached he did provost duty there until October 31, then formed one of the escort which accompanied Maj .- Gen. Sherman from Marietta to Chatta- nooga. They reached the latter city November 6, having made a march of one hundred and thirty- eight miles over muddy roads in a little over six days.
Provost duty occupied the winter, and guards were furnished for steamers leaving the port, and barracks built for soldiers who remained. In April, 1865, Mr. Soulby was transferred to Gen. Steadman's brigade, and June 20 was ordered to Nashville. Ile took part in the following battles during his army life: Danville, Hickman's Bridge, Peavine Creek, MeAfee's Church, Chickamauga, Wautahatehie, Mission Ridge, and the siege of At- lanta. At Chickamauga the cartridges were ex- hausted and Gen. Whittaker ordered the Twenty- Second to use the bayonet. The sun had gone down on the bloody field, and it was difficult to
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distinguish friends from foes. The enemy furiously advanced and the Twenty-second rushed for- ward with fixed bayonets under a terrible fire of grape and musketry. They drove the enemy at every point, but when the order came to fall back they were closed in on both flanks and cut off from the main body. Ilaving no cartridges they were at a disadvantage, and nearly all the living were taken prisoners. Mr. Soulby and a comrade managed to escape in the darkness, but not until they had seen many of their friends fall around them. Our subject lost but a week in sickness during his term of service, and escaped without wounds, but not without having had his accou- trements grazed by bullets. He was mnstered out at Detroit July 11, 1865, and returning home worked by the month on a farm three years, and a few years later was located where he now lives.
March 3, 1875, Mr. Soulby was married to Elizabeth A., daughter of William and Alice (Letch- field) Holmes. Mr. and Mrs. Holmes were born in Cambridgeshire, England, and in 1849 the husband came to America and made a location in Livingston County, this State. His family joined him two years later, and they remained in that county until 1863, then removed to Genesee County. Mr. Holmes was a blacksmith and worked at his trade, but in Livingston County he did some- thing toward improving a farm. Ile was born April 11, 1806, and died January 6, 1885. Ihis wife passed away December 20, 1880, aged seventy-six years. She was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. They had eleven children, and eight are now living. The youngest son, James J. Holmes, enlisted in Company H, Twenty-Second Michigan Infantry, and took part in all the battles of the regiment up to and including Chickamauga. There he was taken prisoner and incarcerated in Andersonville for eleven months. Hardship and exposure proved too much for his strength, and he died in captivity.
Mrs. Soulby was born in Cambridgeshire, Eng- land, May 5, 1848, and was two years old when brought to America. She received a district school education, learned much of domestic arts, and grew to womanhood with a fine character. Her union has been a childless one, but she and
her husband have reared one child-May Soulby, -now living in Sanilac County and married to C. E. Ruggles. Mrs. Soulby is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and she and her hus- band are connected with the Red Ribbon Order. Mr. Soulby belongs to a Grand Army Post at Mil- ford, and has the rank of Senior Vice-Commander. He votes the Republican ticket, and has been a candidale for Justice of the Peace, but as the town- ship is Democratic he was defeated. Worldly pros- perity and an honorable reputation is his, and his wife shares in the esteem of their neighbors.
ON. JOHN M. NORTON, the occupant of one of the finest farms in Michigan, has resided in Avon Township, for a quarter of a century. He has owned three farms in the vicinity and still retains a tract of two hundred and eight acres, three miles south of the town of Rochester. The drainage of the estate is as nearly perfect as may be, the fences are neat and strong, and every necessary and convenient farm building has been put up, while the property is still further adorned and made valuable by garden, orchards and shade trees. It would need but a cursory glance to give rise to the belief that Mr. Norton thoroughly understands his vocation and is en- dowed with a large amount of good sense and taste.
Mr. Norton comes of the old pilgrim stock, and his parents, John and Naomi (Short) Norton were natives of the old Bay State. His father was a farmer and was also a preacher in the Free-Will Baptist Church. He removed from his native State to New York and thence came to Michigan in 1824, having bought land in this county the year previous. He was a conspicuous figure during the early settlement of this county, built the first house in what is now Oakland Township, preached the first sermon and performed the first marriage ceremony. Ile died in June, 1839, after a life that had won the respect and esteem of all who kuew him.
The subject of this notice was born in Ontario
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County, N. Y., May 5, 1820. He is a natural farmer and early in life manifested a decided inclination in the direction of cultivation of the soil. Born of sturdy stock, endowed by nature with a large frame and iron constitution, he was fitted for the hard blows of pioneer life, and his natural qualifications for a life of hardship and toil have been supplemented by habits that added much to his capacity to meet the duties of a farmer. Ile still has unusual energy for one of his age and by industry and prudence he has mastered difficulties and reached the goal of his ambition, becoming an independent farmer. After his marriage he took possession of a one hundred and sixty-acre farm in De Witt Township, Clinton County, but remained there only one season. Hle then sold out and bought in Novi Township, this county, lived there eight years, then removed to Troy Township, and in 1865 came to his present home.
When twenty-six years of age Mr. Norton was married to Miss Nancy Hazen, a native of Ontario County, N. Y .. who was ten years his junior, having been born January 22, 1830. Their mar- riage took place October 14, 1847, and to them have been born six children; viz: Alvira, wife of John King of Tawas City; William, a resident of Avon Township; John T., a druggist in Rochester ; Dr. Clarence S., living at Killmaster; Grant, who is with his parents; and Abbie May, who died October 2, 1868. at the age of nine months and two days.
The education of Mr. Norton was very limited, but being of a studious mind he gathered much in- formation which gave him prominence with neigh- bors and friends, and his advice and counsel were sought by many and when given were prompted by good intentions. Both in private and official life Mr. Norton has given much attention to agricultural interests, and making a study of political questions, he has delivered lectures on various subjects to local grangers' and farmers' institutes. He was originally a Whig, his first vote having been cast for William Henry Harrison. He was a delegate to the meeting under the oaks in Jackson County where the Republican party originated and he has always been active in polit- ical work. He is recognized as one of the best
workers for the party that he thinks is in the right, and when he has changed his political connection it has been by reason of a change in the status of affairs and the prominence of new issues.
In 1876 he joined the Greenback movement and in 1880 was the nominee of the party for State Treasurer and polled the full vote. In 1882 he was nominated for State Senator to represent the Fifteenth Senatorial District and was elected by a majority of two hundred and ninety-three over Herbert Wykoff the regular Republican candidate. Ile served as a delegate to the National Convention at Indianapolis when Peter Cooper was nominated for President, and to that held in Chicago when Gen. Weaver was the nominee. Ile was also present at Cleveland, Ohio, when the party was organized, and he has attended every State con- vention. Ile is decidedly in favor of a union of industrial interests, politically, and his platform is broad and comprehensive. Ile believes in legisla- tion for the greatest good to the greatest number, and being decided and outspoken in his views, he has considerable influence in shaping the views of others. Ile is a member of the Patrons of Industry and the Grange, in which he is Overseer of Pomona Council, and also belongs to the Masonic fraternity.
ATTS J. BACHELOR, M. D., residing at Oakwood, Brandon Township, was born at Dryden, Tompkins County, N. Y., October 29, 1849. His father, Erastus, a native of New York and of Yankee stock, was a shoemaker by trade, and is now running a small grocery store at Oak- wood. He came to this county in the spring of 1876. His wife Charlotte (Oltz) Bachelor, the mother of our subject, was of German and English descent and was born in New York State near the Iludson River. She had only one child besides our subject, a daughter who died at two years of age. The inother was called away from earth in 1876. She was an earnest and devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The subject of this sketch attended the village
5,6, Buckland
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school and spent three years in the academy at Dryden, N. Y., studying Latin and the higher branches. At eighteen years of age he began reading medicine in his native town under Dr. Voorheis. After spending one year in his office he attended the Pennsylvania Medical University for two years and was graduated in 1871. Hc practiced for five years at Danby and at West Danby, N. Y., and in the spring of 1876 came to Oakwood, where he has carried on a general prac- tice. He has a very large practice in this vicinity and a good paying one.
In 1882 he supplemented his carly studies by attending part of the winter term upon lectures at Rush Medical College at Chicago. Dr. Bachelor was married in 1871 to Essie Garrison, a native of Bridgeton, N. J. They bave had no children of their own, but adopted two, Katic when eight years old and Jobn when only four. They are a brother and sister by birth and are now eighteen and six- teen years of age respectively. Both Dr. and Mrs. Bachelor are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. The Doctor is a member of Oak- wood Lodge, No. 100, A. F. & A. M. at Oak- wood. He is a Republican and two years ago was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he is still holding. This household enjoy home life more than most families, and all unite in making home happy.
ON. DON CARLOS BUCKLAND, late of Pontiac, was born August 22, 1813, in Tun- bridge, Orange County, Vt., to which place his father, Asher Buckland, a native of Con- necticut, had removed with his family two years previously. In 1818 the family removed to Nor- wich Plains, Vt., and at this place they remained two years, when in 1820 they went to Malone, Franklin County, N. Y., where Asher Buckland had established a milling business and clothing-works the year previous. Here for the succeeding five years our subject attended the district schools. In 1825 his father sold out his business there, and with his family, came West, landing in Detroit | ther's store, and then went to Sidney, Ohio, where
about August 25, that year, after a two weeks' pas- sage from Buffalo on a small sailing-vessel.
Leaving Detroit almost immediately, they came through the woods to Pontiac, at that time a village of about twenty-five families, where Col. Stephen Mack, the maternal grandfather of our subject, bad located in 1818. Col. Mack was one of the early settlers in Detroit, to which place he had emigrated from Vermont in 1815, and was for a number of years engaged in business there in partnership in a general store, at that time one of the largest there, under the firm name of Mack & Conant. Col. Mack built a sawmill and afterward a gristmill at Pontiac, and the latter was for a long time the only gristmill in the State. As Asher Buckland was a practical miller, he at once took charge of his fa- ther-in-law's mill at Pontiac, and continued here until the death of Col. Mack in 1827, when he en- tered into partnership in the grocery business, the firm being A. B. Newcomb & Co., Mr. Buckland being the partner: and this partnership continued until the day of his death, which occurred June 6, 1842, he being at that time fifty-three years of age.
Our subject attended the district school about three months during the winter season, the balance of his time being employed in his father's mill. During the summer and fall of 1826 he was left in sole charge of the work in the mill, both his father and the miller being sick, and there being nobody in or near the town who understood how to run the mill. Notwithstanding his youth, and the fact that a part of his time was devoted to caring for the other members of his father's family, all of whom had the then prevailing complaint, fever and ague, he managed to run the mill successfully night and day, and ground all the grain brought to him. In 1828 he went to Rochester, where Col. Mack had erected a second gristmill, being the second built in the State, and where Alman Mack was pro- prietor of a store; and here he remained two years, engaged as clerk in his uncle's store, and attending the district school during the winter. While here he learned the Indian language, a part of the store trade being with the Indians. Returning to Pon- tiac, he remained one summer employed in his fa-
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his uncle, John Buckland, lived, and whose em- ploy he entered as clerk in his dry-goods store. Ilere he remained about three years, during which time he gradnally assumed charge of his uncle's business, becoming in turn book-keeper; his uncle being old and feeble, he soon assumed the respon- sibility of bnying the supplies.
His uncle selling out and removing to Spring- field, Mr. Buckland remained for a time at Sidney, settling up the business, and from there went to Cincinnati, where his uncle had procured him a po- sition as clerk in the dry-goods house of Goodman & Emerson. He returned to Sidney about a year later on some business for his uncle. and while there he was engaged by a Mr. Humphrey, of the firm of Humphrey & Benedict, of Auburn, N. Y., to aid him in purchasing horses. They were fitting up a peddling expedition to consist of at least sixty men to go into the Southern States, with a view of sell- ing eight-day brass clocks, solid silver ware and high-priced ladies' diess goods, selling from $40 up to $200 per pattern. These goods were all sold on credit, notes being taken ranging from one to three years in time for payment. At this time Mr. Buckland, although twenty-three years of age, weighed not over one hundred and ten pounds, and he had been advised by hus physicians that in order to live, he must procure out-door work. Ile wao induced by Mr. Humphrey to make a two-years' contract with him at a salary of $75 per month, which was $50 better than he had ever before re- ceived.
Going to Kentucky, the expedition, numbering about sixty-five men and teams, divided up, and Mr. Buckland, with some sixteen others, making their headquarters at Williamstown, commenced work. It was, however, not many months before he became discouraged, and buying his contract back at the price of his whole salary for the time he had been at work, he determined to return to Cin- cinnati. He was, however, induced by Mr. Humph- rey to continue his work, this time under a contract to sell on commission; and making a fresh start, he continued the work for about four years, traveling during this period over portions of Kentucky, Ten- nessee, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. An idea of the success he met with may be had from the
fact that his commissions during this time netted him about $11,000, and in addition to this he had made 81,300 more by repairing clocks. Ile after- ward accepted the position of Collector for the company on a contract by which twenty per cent of his collections were to be retained by him as a salary, he being required to pay his own expenses. In this work he collected about $70,000 in Ken- tucky; thence he went to Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Georgia, where he finished. Going to Cadiz, Trigg County, he bought ont a merchant, and sorting up the stock with fresh goods, continued in business there for a period of two years. Selling out this business, he entered into partnership with Vincent J. Scott, and together they purchased from Messrs. Jennison & Harrison a varied stock of goods amounting to $32,000, and took them to Carroll, Carroll County, Mo., sit- uated about two hundred and fifty miles above St. Louis on the Missouri River, adjoining Caldwell County, where the early Mormon settlement then was, Far West being the county seat and the prin- cipal Mormon town.
Here they opened their store and commenced business, amounting to about 870,000 per year. Their goods were sold mostly on credit, the actual . cash taken in over the counter not amounting to enough to pay their freight bills, and over a terri- tory covering perhaps a hundred miles in either direction. At the expiration of about two years the firm found themselves in debt, and with about $50,000 outstanding, consisting principally of hook accounts. Mr. Buckland being determined to meet their obligations, purchased in New Orleans twenty thonsand gunny-bags, and spent the following win- ter gathering up all the corn raised the previous summer within a radius of one hundred miles. For this he paid sixteen and two-thirds cents per bushel shelled and delivered at warehouses along the river, they furnishing the sacks. Chartering two steam- boats, he loaded the corn with the intention of dis- posing of it at New Orleans, but on arrival there found that it was worth eighty cents per bushel in Boston, and he at once shipped it to that point. In consequence of dampness in the holds of the vessels the corn arrived there in rather bad condition, and he was compelled to dispose of it at auction, where
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it brought sixty eight cents per bushel, leaving tliem a margin of about thirty-two cents a bushel. With the proceeds of this shipment the firm was enabled to pay up outstanding debts, and purchase a new stock of goods for their store, consisting of groceries, hardware, clothing, boots and shoes, drugs and medicine, dry-goods and millinery.
About this time occurred the trouble with the Mormons, who had previously been driven by the people of Missouri from Jackson County to Cald- well County, which was settled wholly by the Mor- mons. The Mormons, who were constantly increas- ing in numbers, and Caldwell being a barren county, became restless, and sought to extend their settle- ments into Daviess County, on the north of Cald- well. With this view they purchased a small town site in Carroll County, on the Missouri River, twelve miles below Carrollton, and commenced set- tling there in large numbers. Against this the whole State objected, and their protest culminated in the people organizing with the avowed intention of driving the Mormons out of the State entirely. The Governor ordered to the vicinity eight regi- ments of militia to quell the disturbance. Mr. Buckland, although having relations among the Mormons, closed his store, and taking his gun, went to the scene of action with the Missourians. But even this was not sufficient to prove his hostility to the Mormon cause, and on his return to town one day he was handed dispatches from Gov. Boggs, appointing him colonel and giving him authority to make all subordinate appointments and to organ- ize and equip a mounted regiment. This be has good reason to believe was the work of a lawyer named Jones, with whom he had formerly had some trouble, and who thus undertook to prove Mr. Buckland's loyalty to the State as against the Mor- mons. It would also appear that trouble had been expected, as a large crowd from the surrounding country had collected in Buckland's store, appar- ently for the purpose of hanging him, as had been threatened, in case he refused the Governor's ap- pointment.
Mr. Buckland promptly accepted, however, thus saving his neck, and retaliated upon Mr. Jones by immediately appointing him Lieutenant-Colonel, and ordering him to at once organize and equip
the regiment. Thus was Mr. Buckland's loyalty to the State demonstrated satisfactorily to the people, and in a short time the regiment was in the field. They had received instructions to proceed at once, first to the Grand River, and then follow it up to Far West, in order to intercept any of the Mor- mon leaders who might attempt to escape that way. A compromise was a few days afterward effected with the Mormons, by which they agreed to leave the State entirely by the 1st of May, it being then November. In the meantime a formal surrender was made by the Mormons, and Colonels Buckland and Reese were detailed to receive their arms. Tak- ing their positions, the Mormons, headed by their great prophet, Joseph Smith, arm in arm with Brig- ham Young, passed between these in double file. Col. Buckland had the honor to receive the sword of Brigham Young, who happened to be upon his side. The arms were piled behind them, and made rather a curious collection. They consisted of shot-guns, rifles, pitchforks, wooden spears tipped withi steel or iron, while others had nothing but wooden clubs, and a few of the officers, perhaps ten, had swords. The Mormons immediately com- meneed preparations for removal, and finally all went to Nauvoo. Ill.
Mr. Buckland, returning to Carrollton, endeav- ored to look up his lost trade, which he found ter- ribly demoralized. lle, however, continued bis business about a year, being compelled to make an- other purchase of corn, which he disposed of to Southern planters, to enable them to pay their debts. After the Mormon surrender he found they had about $10,000 in accounts against them, and of this amount he was able to collect only about three-quarters, principally by seizing their stock and grain, which was disposed of at public auction. About this time he purchased his partner's interest in the store, and a few months subsequently dis- posed of his interest in this business, and also of a business which he had established at the town of Chil- licothe, Mo., about thirty miles north of Carrollton, and returned with his wife, by way of St. Louis, to Springfield, Ohio, where his uncle, John Buckland, had taken up his residence. Remaining here a few days, he told his uncle he had come out about even in the South, when he was induced by him to take
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$2,000 which John Buckland had in the bank, and with this he came with his wife to Pontiae, in 1840, after an absence of about ten years. With the 82,000 presented him by his uncle, and $1,500 ad- ditional, which his father had saved, be built a frame building on the corner of Lawrence and Sagi- naw Streets, Pontiac, and securing a stock of grocer- ies in New York, commenced business. At the ex- piration of about five years he sold out, and found that he had made about $10,000 by the investment. He then commenced building small cottages for renting purposes in Pontiac, which he ever since continued, and which paid him about ten per cent annually on the capital invested.
Subsequently Mr. Buckland purchased a one-half interest in a dry-goods store of Francis Darrow, of Pontiac, the firm being organized under the title of Darrow & Buckland, and also became interested in the lumber business, and for a long time was the owner of the only yard in Pontiac. Three years later he sold out his interest in the dry-goods busi- ness, retaining the lumber yard for some years, finally disposing of that to II. W. Lord, receiving the retail price for stock on hand, and $1,000 bonus, Mr. Buckland agreeing to remain out of the busi- ness for the succeeding ten years. About this time he accepted the position of manager and salesman in the house for the State of Missouri, for John Stewart, Jr. & Co., New York, wholesale dry-goods merebants, and was very successful both in collect. ing the outstanding accounts of the firm and selling new bills of goods, receiving as compensation $5,000 per year. Here he remained four years, when, the partnership expiring, a new firm was or- ganized, and he was offered a partnership, Mr. Stew- art proposing to furnish Mr. Buckland's capital for Ave per cent. Mr. Buckland declined, however. and returned to Michigan to look after affairs at Pontiac. Shortly afterward he established the New England flour-trade. He visited New England, and appointed an agent in each town to sell his flour, either by purchase or on commission, and re- turning to Michigan he arranged with a number of mills to grind his flour, and made a contract withi the Grand Trunk Railroad Company to transport it. He then purchased large quantities of grain throughout the State, and this business attained to
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