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 61
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Mr. Hadden is a believer in and a supporter of the principles of Democracy. II has been a school officer and Pathmaster, and has been earnest and
conscientious in discharging the duties of the posi- tions. Mrs. Hadden and her daughter belong to the Methodist Church. On another page appears a view of the comfortable home wherein Mr. and Mrs. Hadden are pleasantly domiciled and to which their many friends are wont to come.
OSEPH ALLEN is a farmer of Bloomfield Township, who has attained to prosperity and the possession of a fine farm by his own unaided possessions. He gives all his atten- tion to farming and stock-raising, and makes a spe- cialty of Durham cattle and thoroughbred sheep. lle was born in Lineolnshire, England, September 7, 1833, and is the son of John and Elizabeth ( Pat- rick) Allen, natives of England. They came to America in about the year 1856, and lived on a farm in Bloomfield Township, this county, with their son William, where they spent the remainder of their days. He was a farmer all his life, and a man of moderate means. He and his good wife were long members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had ton children, namely: John, William, Eliza, Frank, Mark, Joseph, Henry, Levi, Frede- rick and Charlotte.
The subject of this sketch received a common- school education in England, and in 1851 he pre- ceded his parents to this country. He bought a farm in Bloomfield Township, and for the first five years worked in the foundry at Birmingham. Since then he has followed farming and has now one hun- dred and thirty acres of good land which he has im- proved, and upon which he has placed good build- ings. He and his worthy wife are active and effi- cient members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Birmingham. He formerly voted the Republi- can ticket, and is now a Prohibitionist.
Mr. Allen was married March 29, 1860, to Miss Sarah Patchett, who was born in this township. August 3, 1840. Her parents, David and Eliza- beth (Trollop) Patchett came to Birmingham from England in 1837, and in 1841 settled on the farm where they now live. Six children have been granted to Mr. and Mrs. Allen, namely : Arthur,
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH ALLEN , SEC. IG., BLOOMFIELD TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.
RESIDENCE OF JAMES HADDEN, SEC.25., OAKLAND TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.
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who died at the age of three years; Mary, Martha, Luther. a farmer in this township (who married Miss Anna Buttolph, of Pontiac), Albert and Emma.
The attention of the reader is directed to a view of the pleasant homestead of Mr. Allen, which is one of the finest in the community.
C HARLES E. DEWEY. Probably no resi- dent of the farming districts of Waterford 'Township possesses a more highly cultured mind, a more upright character or a more earnest interest in the welfare of humanity than the above- named gentleman, an old settler living on section 31. His present farm, which he purchased in 1874, is one of the most comfortable and pleasant in the township, and has been greatly improved and beau- tified since it came into his possession. The land is naturally good and is kept in a state of fertility by the use of the best fertilizing agencies and a proper rotation of crops, while upon it the various improvements have been made that stamp it as the abode of an intelligent and thrifty family.
Mr. Dewey is a native-born citizen of this county, his birth taking place in Waterford Township, July 24, 1834. llis father, John K. Dewey, was born in Vermont in 1795, and at the age of seventeen years was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade with Mr. Bingham. Subsequently to this, in 1813, he had emigrated to New York, and at the expiration of his term of apprenticeship he bought a small piece of land in Monroe County. There he built a honse and shop, and followed his trade. In 1814 a call was made for troops to go to Sackett's lar- bor, and the company of militia to which Mr. Dewey belonged, marched to the Harbor, where they arrived the day after the battle and helped bury the dead. Two weeks later they were dis- charged and returned to their homes.
In 1819 Mr. Dewey married Miss Harriet, the daughter of Stephen Hunt, who came to Michigan in 1831. In March of the same year the father of our subject started with a team for this State, and after a weary drive of fourteen days, arrived at De-
troit. From there be came to Oakland County, where be worked at his trade. In June, 1831, his wife and two children in company with his father- in-law and family, arrived in the county, and all lived in a house which Mr. Dewey had just erected for Richard Close at Bloomfield Center. Soon af- terward Mr. Dewey bought one hundred and sixty acres on seetion 33, Waterford Township, and in April, 1832, raised the first frame house in the township. Gradually he evolved a finely-improved estate from his original purchase, and became very skillful in his calling.
The family of which our subject is a member, included six children, four of whom are still living, all in Michigan. The father died in 1887, in his ninety-third year, after a long and honorable life ; the mother passed from earth in 1863, many years prior to the decease of her husband. The subject of this sketch began life for himself at the age of nineteen years, and for eleven years followed teach- ing winter seasons and worked at painting during the summer months. At the age of twenty-eight years, he was united in marriage on the 3rd of No- vember, 1862, with Sarah A. Culver, the daughter of Marcus and Mary A. (Beardslee) Culver, na- tives respectively of New York and New Jersey. Mr. Culver came to this State in 1831, locating in Birmingham, where he was for a time engaged in the manufacture of fanning mills. Later he pur- chased a farm in Bloomfield Township. where he died in August. 1837, while still in the prime of life. Mrs. Culver married again, and passed from earth in 1886. By her first marriage she had two children, Mrs. Dewey and a brother now deceased.
The happy union of our subject and his amiable wife has been blest to them by the birth of one child. a son, Dick, now twenty-three years of age. He married Flora Fair, and the young couple are living under the parental roof. Besides being the recipient of an excellent common-school education, he is a graduate of the Pontiac High School, and has proved himself to possess exceptional eapacity for business undertakings, being far-sceing and sys- tematie in the conduct of his affairs. His friends anticipate much of the future of one whose present attainments are so promising. Our subject is a man of publie spirit, a stanch Democrat, and has
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served as Town Clerk, School Inspector, Justice of' ' the Peace. and in other minor offices. He is Seere- tary of the Monitor Insurance Company of Oak- land County, Mich., and is now serving the eleventh term as such. Socially he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, and is regarded as one of the mnost worthy citizens of the community.
D ECATER CHILDS. Fortune has smiled upon the efforts of this gentleman and enabled him to accumulate a goodly amount of worldly blessings. Ile has a fine farm on section 35. Milford Township, comprising one hundred and sixty acres of land, one hundred and twenty under the plow, and all well arranged and stocked. There are two residences. three barns, and other buildings sufficient for the wants of the occupants of the farm, and all is under the supervision of the owner although he is not able to take part in the manual toil of farming, as he suffers from in- juries received in the army.
The parents of our subject were Samuel and Olive ( Rodgers) Childs, natives of New York, and the latter now living in Erie County, aged seventy-six years. The father died in 1866. They bad five children but only our subject and Jeffer- son are living, the latter being a resident of the Empire State. The parents adhered to the tenets of the Christian Church and the father was a Democrat. A son Byron was a private in the Eighth Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War and was taken captive near Colun.bia, Tenn .. and confined in a rebel prison from November. 1864, until the elose of the war. Ile died in Jacksonville, Fla., soon after his release. from the effects of hardship and exposure, leaving a widow and two children.
Our subject was born in Erie County, N. Y., December 2, 1843, and received a district school education there. He lived on a farm and at the age of sixteen years started in life for himself as a farm hand. In the fall of 1862 he came to this State and after spending a month in this county, went to Saginaw and worked in the lumber woods
until the spring of 1863. Ile then returned to this county and hired out for the summer on the farm he now owns, and in the fall went into the woods again. In the spring of 1864 he came back and bought eighty acres in Milford Township on see- tion 24, and soon selling off one-half, began to clear the remainder. Before fall he had cleared ten acres, and he then enlisted in Company K, Eighth Michigan Cavalry, and joined the regiment at Nicholasville, Ky.
Mr. Childs went at once into active service and took part in the campaign about Nashville, against Gen. Hood, and his first experience was in a skir- mish line. where a large number of Hood's infantry and Forrest's Cavalry opposed them. When the regiment was ordered to Duck River, young Childs and eleven comrades were detailed to guard a ford and were cut off from the main body by the rebels crossing at a ford above. They tried to get to Murfreesboro and had to dismount, let their horses go and take to the shelter of a cedar swamp. They lay there until night. then traveled on and for two weeks spent the daylight in woods and swamps and moved at night, subsisting on raw held eorn. When within a day's travel of Murfreesboro they were separated and Mr. Childs and one confrade, James Vincent, went to a house for food. While waiting for it to be brought them several rebels rode up and the men took to the swamp again reaching it through a cornfield where the stalks hid them from their foes. The second day after this they met a colored man who told them where there was a Union picket line, but upon stepping into the road they found that the men dressed in blue were rebels who bad driven in the Union outposts.
Taken captive by these men our hero was kept with Hood's army until after the defeat of Nash- ville, when he was sent to Pulaski and placed in the courthouse with about forty others. The guard said that the "Yankees" were after them and the sick would have to be left there, and so Mr. Childs managed to get a chew of tobacco-which he never used, and make himself sick at the proper time. The examining physician prononneed him unable to go on but he was not paroled. When he learned that the Union army would be there the next day he managed to pass the guard, and meeting another
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man, they slipped into the attie and crawled along, through rubbish of various kinds, over a hundred feet. They were exposed to the fire of the Union men when they appeared, but the rebels retreated and they were safe, Mr. Childs could not learn the whereabouts of his regiment so stayed with this foree a week. He acted as guard over a citizen's house and stopped marauders who attempted to raid it. IIe was destitute when he went to the place and the owner gave him a pair of shoes, overcoat and hat.
When Mr. Childs learned the whereabouts of his regiment he rejoined it. A month later while on a foraging expedition he had his left leg crushed just above the ankle, by his horse falling while going down a hill. He was taken to the field hos- pital where the wound was dressed and while there he suffered from typhoid fever and nearly died. lle was removed to Nashville and from the hospital there was discharged in May, 1865. Ile then re- turned home to his little farm, but he was able to do no work for a year, and so sold out and went back East where he drove a stage a twelvemonth. Coming again to this State he bought twelve acres on section 6, Milford Township, built a dwelling and lived there five years. Ile was compelled to give up farming, so sold the property and turned his attention to contracting and building. For fifteen years he was thus employed, hiring a force of men, and thus getting a real start in life. In 1871 he bought forty-five acres of his present estate. built a house and removed thereto. Early in the '80s bis residence and furniture were destroyed by fire but he soon rebuilt. Ile sold twenty-two acres but has since added eighteen and one hundred and twenty. He is a constant sufferer from the injury to his limb and varicose veins.
May 1, 1864. Mr. Childs was married to Miss Gertrude Nicholson, daughter of Henry and Sa- mantha (Knapp) Nicholson, natives of New York who came to this State in an early day. Mr. Nichol- son was a Government surveyor. The daughter was born in this State forty-five years ago and was educated in the distriet school. She is the mother of three living children-Fred, Samuel and Earl, and has lost one child. The boys have good dis- trict school educations. Mr. Childs belongs to
Milford Post, No. 181, G. A. R. and to the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic Order. He is also a member of the Patrons of Industry and is now President in that order. He votes the Demo- eratie tieket. He is Treasurer of the School Board and has been for twelve years, and has also served as Constable. He wields a decided influence in the community and is one of the conspicuous figures in this vicinity.
OHN AND JOSHUA WOODARD. There is no more delightful home to visit in Novi Township, than that of the two gentlemen whose names head this sketch. It is so rare a thing to see twin brothers who have together walked through life for more than seventy years and it is so beautiful a thing to witness the har- mony which exists between these brothers, so closely resembling each other in form and feature, that all who visit the vieinity of Walled Lake will desire to make a call at their pleasant home. Their father, Joshua, and mother, Betsey (Timmerman) Woodard, were natives of Herkimer County. N. Y. They were married in Shelby Township, Orleans County, that State, and made their home on an un- broken tract of land on the Holland Purchase. After having quite thoroughly improved it, the father sold his farm and lived in different parts of the State, finally removing to Erie County. He there rented a farm but in 1839 he removed to Michigan, and rented a farm of William II. Banks. situated north of Walled Lake. Here he remained for three years, and then took the farm where J. J. Moore now lives. Afterward he went to Kent County and settled on an unbroken farm, and building a log house began to clear off the heavy timber. Ilis good wife died in 1823, and after this he again married and had a family of cleven chil- dren. The father died in 1852. Three only of the five children of the first mother are still living. The father was a Democrat in his politics.
These twin brothers, who look so exactly alike that it is with difficulty that they can be distin- gnished, were born January 14, 1821, in Orleans County, N. Y. They had but slender opportuni-
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ties of education and were young men when they came to Michigan. They remained with their parents until they were twenty-four years old. When the father went to Kent County the sons re- mained in Oakland County a year and then fol- lowed him. They learned the cooper trade together and worked at it at Walled Lake and later at Grand Rapids, which was then a small village. They spent one season at Battle Creek, and then came back to Walled Lake.
These two young men returned to New York State for two years, and after their return worked at the cooper trade and then took a farm on shares for one season. They worked the farm for Elder Weaver for three years, after which they bought a lot at Walled Lakeand built a cooper shop, which they finally sold, and forty aeres of land, which had been roughly improved, which lies north of the farm of William Taylor in Commerce Town- ship. There they made their home for thirteen years, and then sold that property and bought eighty acres where they now live. This they have cleared and improved and now have sixty acres under cultivation. Three years ago they built the residence where they make their home, and for the past ten years they have rented out their farm and lived a retired life.
September, 1849, was the time of great interest in the life of these two brothers for at that time John took a step and the only important step in his life in which he was not accompanied by his brother. He was married to Matilda Brockett, a daughter of Abel. and Rebecca ( Ryder) Brockett. But this marriage did not separate these brothers who have been inseparable companions through life. The faithful wife of John has been no cause of dissension between these brothers but has united them more happily by making for both a happy and comfortable home. Her parents were natives of Saratoga County, N. Y., who in their later years lived in Orleans County, that State. They were the parents of ten children, and the father died many years ago. His widow followed him to the other world in 1888.
Mrs. Woodard was born January 4, 1818, in Sar- atoga, N. Y., and received the best district sebool education which her locality and time afforded.
No children have been granted to this worthy couple. The brothers have been active in politics and vote the Democratic ticket. They have both served as Road Overseers and have been members of the School Board. They are and always have been strictly temperate in their habits and although they started out empty-handed they have made for themselves a place and a home of which they have reason to be proud. They have been hard workers and are men who are universally respected.
W ILLIAM II. WILLIAMSON, a prosper- ous farmer of Bloomfield Township, was born upon the farm where he now resides January 31, 1863. He is a son of William and Grace (German) Williamson, natives of England, who came to America in 1844 and settled in South- field Township, this county, and later removed on to the place where his son now resides. The father is now livingin Pontiac. Our subject is one of five children. His brothers and sisters are: Elmer, Louisa, Laura and Frank. After taking what edu- cation could be derived from the public schools, William attended Mayhues Business College at De- troit. He bought the old homestead of his father in 1888 and has followed farming all his life. lle has one of the finest farms in the county. It con- sists of two hundred and twenty acres and has upon it good improvements, a fine two-story brick residence, large barns and excellent outbuildings. He is devoting considerable attention to the rais- ing of stock and makes a specialty of Shropshire sheep of which he has a flock of one hundred thor- ough-breds. He is a Republican in his political views and conscientious in his voting, studying carefully both the man and the principles for which he easts bis ballot.
November 28, 1888, Mr. Williamson united his fortunes in life with Miss Nettie Heath of Wixom, who was born in Milford, this county. She is a daughter of Frank and Louisa (Speller) Heath. Mr. Williamson has held some minor town and
Very truly Found Ad J. Avery Mike.
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school offices and has served his constituents faith - fully and to their satisfaction and profit. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and also of the Royal Arch Masons.
ARON B. AVERY, M. D., whose beauti- ful residence on Lawrence Street attracts the attention of all visitors to Pontiac, has a large and successful practice in both city and country. He was born in Washtenaw County, Mich., August 26, 1853, the son of Nathan Avery. a New York farmer, who came to Michigan in 1838, and located at Dansville, Ingham County. His father, Benjamin Avery, removed from El- mira, N. Y., to Dansville with his family. Here he continued to reside during his lifetime with the exception of three years. The mother of Dr. Avery was Matilda Rockwell, daughter of Eli Rockwell, who was one of the first settlers of Jackson County. She was born in that county and now re- sides on the old homestead in Washtenaw County, to which she went immediately after her marriage. Her husband, Nathan Avery, died August 10, 1890, in the sixty-sixth year of his age.
Of the six children of this worthy couple Dr. Avery is the eldest son, and all but one of them are still living. Dr. Avery, whose portrait appears . on the opposite page, spent his boyhood on the farm and attended the district school until sixteen years of age. lle then entered the Normal School at Ypsilanti, where he continued from 1871 until 1873, and was graduated from the Chelsea High School in 1875. Ile taught school some five years in Washtenaw and Livingston Counties, and met with flattering success in that profession.
The young student began the study of medicine with Dr. G. A. Robertson, of Chelsea, after which he entered the Homeopathic Medical Department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, being graduated from there in 1878. Going to Farmington, this county, he began practice there, in which he continued for eight years. He then removed to Pontiac, where he has built up an ex-
tensive practice and become widely known. He is also Surgeon of the P. O. & N. Railroad.
In 1879 Dr. Avery was married, October 22, to Miss Lillian Drake at Farmington, at the home of her parents, Frank M. and Elizabeth (Chadwick) Drake, who were citizens of that place and had come there from New York State in 1840. Two daughters have blessed the home of the Doctor- Blanche and Lucile. The subject of this sketch was Chairman of the bureau of the Materia Medica and was the first Vice President of the State Homeopathic Medical Society at the time he re- signed from that organization. Ile was also Presi- dent of his graduating class at Ann Arbor. He is a member of Pontiac Lodge. No. 21, F. & A. M., is also Past Master, King of Pontiac Chap- ter, R. A. M., and Captain-General of the Pontiac Commandery, No. 2, K. T. and Council. In pol- ities he is rather independent in local matters, but in State and National matters is a Republican.
RED B. CASAMER of Orion Township was born in this township June 11, 1839. His father, Isaac, was a native of Sussex County, N. J., where he first saw the light June 30, 1807. The family is of Dutch stock. Isaac learned the trade of a stonemason in early life and followed it until he came to Michigan. In the spring of 1836 he visited Oakland County, located some Govern- ment land in Orion 'Township, and worked at his trade until fall when he returned Fast for his fam- ily. He brought them on in the spring of 1837. He was quite fond of hunting and found abundant game. Indians also encamped near him but soon after his location in this township there was an epidemie of smallpox among the red men and many of them died. His work as a stone mason was greatly in demand in those days. In 1840 he exchanged his land for another farm in the same township, and there ended his days in 1867.
The marriage of Isaac Casamer, in 1830, united him with Prudence Buckner, daughter of Freder- ick a.id Mercy (Doty) Buckner, both of New Jer- sey. The Buckner family is of German descent.
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The father of Mis, Camminer ended his days in Orion, dying at the ag of eighty-four years. She was born November 6. 1809. Mr. and Mrs. Casa- mer had nine children, six sons and three daughters namely: Samuel. Mark (deceased ), Frederick, Silas, Theodore. George (deceased). Catherine, Emily and Ehzabeth. Five of the six sons bore arms in the Civil War and all of these brave boys lived to return home.
The son of whom we write remained at home and aided in clearing up the farm until he reached the age of twenty-one. Ile was one of the five sons whose brilliant war record is the justifiable pride of the family. He enlisted in 1861 in Company C. Tenth Michigan Infantry. Col. Charles M. Lumm, of Detroit, commanding. The regiment took part in the following engagements: Lookout Mountain. Mission Ridge. Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost, the Atlanta campaign. Kennesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek. Chattahoochee River and Jonesboro. le was wounded in the right arm by a minic ball at Atlanta. Gangrene set in and he came near los- ing his arm. He was in various hospitals and was finally transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. He was finally honorably discharged June 9, 1865. having gained the rank of Corporal. His bravery and efficiency in service won him the admiration of his comrades and the respect of his superior officers.
The marriage of Mr. Casamer October 30, 1867, was an event which led to a domestic life of unusual happiness and congeniality. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Cynthia Cook, was born in Oak- land Township in June, 1844. Her parents, Aaron and Nancy (Coon) Cook. came to Michigan from the East at an early day, and took up Government land which they cleared and improve l. Mr. Cook died in 1870 at the age of sixty-five and his widow survived bim until 1880.
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