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 66
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Our subject was reared amid the surroundings of farm life and early acquired a knowledge of the calling which he has pursued during most of his mature years. He had excellent educational op- portunities, first in the district school, and then in the high school at Alfred Center during four terms. He remained at home until he was of age. assisting on the home farm, and taught school three Wms. He subsequently rented the old homestead, and in 1876 purchased a part of it from his father. Thence he came to this State and county at the time be- fore mentioned and set himself to the further im- provement and cultivation of the fine tract of land he bought.
Mr. Young was accompanied hither by his wife, formerly Mary Osmun, who was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., June 27, 1855, and became Mrs. Young. March 1, 1874. Iler parents, William and Mary (Linderman ) Osmun, were natives of the Empire State, but are now living in Pontiac, hav- ing come to this county first nearly a half century ago, then returned to New York. and in 1867 came back to Michigan. Mr. Osmun was the youngest but one in the family of thirteen children, all of whom lived to establish homes of their own. Mr.
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and Mrs. Young have one daughter, Phebe A., an intelligent, quick-witted young lady, who does credit to the training she has received.
Mr. Young has manifested quite an interest in public affairs, political and social, although he is not an office-seeker. Ile takes an active part in promulgating the interests of the Republican party, to which he has adhered since he became a voter. His religious home is in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He and his wife are well-informed, cor- dial and entertaining, and have many friends in the community of which they form a part.
3 ENJAMIN S. TREGENT, Cashier of the First National Bank of Pontiac, is a native of Liverpool, England, where he was born April 5, 1852. He is the eldest son of James and Susan (Shaw) Tregent, who emigrated to the United States when their son was but a few months old. James Tregent settled in Pontiac in the year 1855, and was immediately made agent of the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad, now known as the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railroad. He was subsequently engaged in the produce busi- ness under the firm name of Smith & Tregent, in which he continned for a few years. He then be- came cashier of the Detroit, Grand Haven & Mil- waukee Railroad in Pontiac, and still holds that office. He is a gentleman well preserved in health, active and energetic. He reared a family of four children, namely: Benjamin S .; Jennie R .; Clara F., who became the wife of Charles Cash, of Du- luth, Minn., and died in 1888, leaving one daugh- ter, Fannie Cash ; the youngest daughter is Louisa A. She and Jennie remain at home with their parents. Mrs. Tregent and her children are mem- bers of the Episcopal Church.
Benjamin S., the subject of this sketch, was edu- cated in the common and High Schools of Pontiac, and being a close reader he has added largely to his fund of knowledge, and to-day we find him to be a man thoroughly informed on leading business and other topies. Ile began his career as a elerk in the store of C. R. Mabley, where he remained
for over five years. He then entered the First National Bank of Pontiac in 1869 as Collector, and subsequently became book-keeper and after- ward teller in the same bank. In 1886 he was made cashier of this bank, and he still holds that position. He is regarded as one of the shrewd, able and careful financiers of the county, and his ability in this direction has done much toward giv- ing this bank its recognized prominence in finan- cial circles.
In 1882 Mr. Tregent was elected City Treasurer of Pontiac, and has held that position ever since, his frequent re-election attesting his efficiency and popularity with his fellow-citizens. He was also for a time Treasurer of the Oakland County Agri- cultural Society, and has held and still holds sev- eral minor positions. On May 25, 1881, he was married to Helen E., daughter of Iliram and Eliza A. (Sharp) Voorhees. They were old settlers of Oakland County, and both were natives of Warren County, N. J. Mr. Voorhees died some years ago, but his widow is living in Pontiac. Mr. and Mrs. Tregent have two daughters.
This gentleman deals considerably in real estate in connection with banking, and owns much valu- able property. He has a delightful cottage at Cass Lake, where the family spend a portion of eaeli summer and where he delights to go fishing and hunting. He is a prominent Mason, having attained to the degree of Knight Templar, and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Politic- ally he is a stanch Democrat. He is now building a handsome residence on Norton Avenue.
P LYMOUTH R. NOTT, a farmer on section 28, Oakland Township, has made a good home and become the possessor of a nice property by the exercise of perseverance and industry. He has had some hard knocks in accomplishing his purpose, having worked by the month in the summer until he could get a good start. He has one hundred and twenty acres of land. about one hundred of which are under cul-
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tivation. The farm bears good barns and other buildings, a thriving orchard, and a tasteful resi- dence. built seven years ago.
The father of our subject is William Nott, who was born in England in October. 1822, and brought to America a few years later. His early home was in New York and he was married there to Miss Electa Cook, daughter of A. B. Cook, who came to this State soon after. They came to Michigan in 1855, selected Pontiac Township, this county. for their future home, and bought one hundred and forty acres of land there. Mr. Nott cleared about one-third of the property and was continuing its improvement when he died, about fifteen years after his arrival. His widow is still living on the farm. The parental family includes besides our subjeet. Mrs. Edna B. Williamson, now deceased; Mrs. Olive German, whose home is in Bloomfield Township; and Stephen, who resides in Pontiac Township.
Plymouth R. Nott was born in Pontiac Town- ship, November 15. 1856. When he had grown to manhood he married Ilettie Lester, daughter of James Lester, who was born in Gratiot County, this State. This lady is the second child in her father's family and has two sisters and one brother. Mr. Nott is an intelligent young man and has the good will of his associates. Ile votes the Repub- lican tieket and belongs to the Maccabees lodge in Orion .. Mr. and Mrs. Nott are the parents of two children, Lester J., and Lillian E.
LBERT C. BLUMBERG, who resides on his fine farm on section 12. Southfield Town- ship, was born December 24, 1840. His father. George H. Blumburg, a farmer and carpenter, was born October 9. 1814, in New York. This gentleman was the son of Michael, a farmer, who was born in New York about 1790. and was in the War of 1812. Michael and his wife. Mary Ellsworth, were married about 1812, and were the parents of five sons and two daughters, of whom George H. was the eldest. They came to Michigan about the |
year 1828, and entered one hundred sixty acres of Government land in Royal Oak Township, having the deed signed by Andrew Jackson.
When George H. Blumberg was about twenty years of age he started for himself by learning the trade of a carpenter, and became one of the first contractors in this part of the country, building many of the railroad depots. He built the Detroit depot of the Detroit and Michigan Railroad, and those at Pontiae and Birmingham. He also fenced the Milwaukee Railroad and was a great lumberman, and afterwards bought the old farm from his father.
New Year's day, 1839, was a day of great note in the life of George II. Blumberg, as he was then married to Mary J. Jordan, the daughter of Benja- min Jordan. of New York. This lady was born December 5, 1818, and became the mother of six children, two daughters and four sons. She passed away from earth July 7, 1871, and her husband fol- lowed her June 19, 1875. As his father was mar- ried three times, George II. Blumberg had some half-brothers, one of whom went into the army as a private during the War of the Rebellion and never returned.
In 1867 Albert C. Blumberg was united in mar- riage with Rachel E. Everets, of Royal Oak Town- ship. This lady was born July 15, 1846, and was a daughter of Miles and Ruth ( McDaniel) Everets, who were natives of Massachusetts and members of the Society of Friends. They came from New York State to Birmingham, where Mr. Everets is still liv- ing at the age of eighty-eight years. Our subjeet and his amiable and intelligent wife have been blessed with five children, as follows: Vinnie, born October 6, 1868, died August 23, 1869; Retta C., born November 22, 1870; Laverne C., February 8, 1873; Jennie R., April 24, 1877; Florence E., March 22, 1880.
The subject of this sketch enjoyed only common- school advantages and worked for his father till he reached his majority. His father then gave him forty acres of land where he now resides, and he now has seventy-five acres here and five and a half in the town of Birmingham. He has been a Re- publican all his life, as was also his father before him. Ile is proud to say that his first vote was
RESIDENCE OF A. C. BLUMBERG, SEC.12., SOUTH FIELD TP., OAKI AND CO., MICH.
"LONG LAKE FARM" RES. OF CHARLES PEARSALL, SEC.IG., BLOOMFIELD TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.
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cast for Abraham Lincoln and his last was for Benjamin Harrison. He has been successful in his financial concerns and unlike many men of like ex- perience he has ever kept an open hand for the re- lief of the suffering, and is a prompt and generous contributor to all worthy enterprises. A view of the comfortable home of Mr. Blumberg appears on another page.
e HIARLES PEARSALL, a farmer of Bloom- field Township, was born in the city of De- troit, May 5, 1832, and is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Hutchins) Pearsall. The paternal grandparents were Clark and Abigail (Sebra) Pearsall. The grandmother was born in New York State of English parents, and died in her native State. The grandfather was a native of the same State and resided in Floyd and Genesee Counties until he came to Michigan in 1829. He settled with his family of eight children in Bloomfield Town- ship.
The maternal grandparents of the subject of this sketeli were Daniel and Polly ( Mott) Hutchins, who came from New York State to Michigan in 1829 and spent the remainder of their days here among their children. Our subject's father and two broth- ers, George and William, took up a tract of land from the Government in the township of Bloom- field, this county, in 1829. This land, which now comprises the farm owned by William M. William- son, was afterward sold and a tract bought from the State which comprises the farm now occupied by our subject.
Samuel Pearsall was a farmer in comfortable cir- cumstanees. When he came to this county it was an unbroken wilderness and no roads opened up. A few shanties and an Indian trading post stood where is now the city of Pontiac. He was a Dem- ocrat until the organization of the Republican party, when he joined his political fortunes with that of the new organization, for which he earnestly worked, yet never sought office. lle and his wife were life-long members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and took an active part in church work. He died in 1877 at the age of seventy-eight years.
His wife completed her eighty-fourth year and de- parted this life in 1888.
The parents of our subject had eight children, namely: Jane, Marvin, Thomas, Charles, Margaret. George, Electa and Abigail. Our subject was the fourth child in this family and he was reared on the farm where he now resides. He has a farm of one hundred fifty-eight acres and his present resi- dence is located on the bank of Long Lake and it has one of the finest locations and most beautiful views in the county. It lies three miles south of Pontiac on the Franklin road, and is represented by a view on another page. Mr. Pearsall's political views accord with the principles of the Republican party.
January 22, 1863, was the wedding day of Mr. and Mrs. Pearsall. That lady bore the maiden name of Anna Gilson, and her home was in Mendon. St. Joseph County, Mich. She was born in Craw- ford County, Pa., March 20, 1848, and is a daughter of Gideon and Lucy M. (Landen) Gilson, both na- tives of Pennsylvania who came to Michigan in 1853 and settled in Berrien County, where the father still lives. Some years since he was bereaved of his wife. Our subjeet and his wife have had eight children, namely: Ada B., Nellie J., Fred, Ola, Frank P., George, Samuel and Mary. All ex- cept Ola are living to cheer the hearts of their par- ents. Fred married Ada Weaver and lives at Oxford; Nellie, the widow of Eher Winn, lives in Bloomfield Township; Ada B. married Cyrus Evans, a sailor, and they reside in Port Huron.
AMES BEATTY, a prosperous farmer of Bloomfield Township, opened his eyes to the world April 1, 1826. He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth ( Montgomery ) Beatty, natives of Ireland. They came to America when young people and were married in Orange County, N. Y. They afterward went to New York City where the father followed engineering for a livelihood.
In 1831 Samuel Beatty left the city with his fam- ily for the West, and located on a farm in what is now the township of Bloomfield, this county, where
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he spent almost all of the remainder of his life. A short time before his death he moved to Birming- ham village, where he and his wife died. He took up his farm from the Government. His first house was a little log shanty which he built on a spot which he cleared for it. Here he lived for many years. This old home and farm is now occupied by his son, Samuel Beatty. He was a poor man when he came to Michigan, but before his death was in good financial circumstances. His political views were those of the Democrats but he never took much part in politics.
Eleven children were granted to the parents of our subject. They were James, John, Mary, Maria, Margaret, William, Elizabeth, Mathew, Sarah, El- len and Samuel. All of these have passed from earth with the exception of our subject, Maria and Samuel. Maria is the wife of Robert Kyle, of Sarinac, lonia County.
When our subject was five years old he came from New York City to the town of Bloomfield. Hle received only a limited common school education but had thorough training on the farm. He re- mained with his father until he reached the age of twenty-nine years. Ile then bought a farm for himself which he operated until 1864, when he sold it, and buying the farm where he now lives, moved onto it. He has followed farming all his life and has been a resident of Bloomfield Township for sixty years. Ile started in life empty-handed and now owns a splendid farm of one hundred one acres which he redeemed from the wilderness. His commodious and capacious two-story frame resi- dence and his excellent barns are an ornament to the township. Everything about his place indicates thrift and prosperity. He also owns twenty acres within the corporate limits of Pontiac. He is a Democrat but has never been an aspirant for office. In 1854 he married Miss Margaret J. Wallace, of Farmington, this county. She was born in Bloom- field in 1829 and is the daughter of Robert and Nancy (Crawford) Wallace, early settlers in Bloom- field Township. Mrs. Beatty died in 1858.
In 1860 Mr. Beatty was again married, this time to Miss Almeria Devore, of Waterford, this county, where she was born in 1840. She is the daughter of John and Mary (Cole) Devore, who
settled in Waterford Township in 1832. Both Mr. and Mrs. Beatty are earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have had four children. Their eldest, Edwin, died in in- fancy. Eldora is the wife of Myron D. Seaman, of Pontiac. Maggie is the wife of John E. Wiles, of Milwaukee, Wis .. and William J., the youngest, is still at home.
RSEMUS BEARDSLEE, one of the largest farmers and landowners of Oakland County, resides on section 13 of Independence Town- ship, where he has one farm of four hundred acres and near by another of two hundred sixty acres. Ile is one of the pioneers of this portion of Oakland County, being the son of Aaron and Sarah (Fair- child) Beardslee, and was born in Sussex County, N. J., October 24, 1825.
The parents of our subject came to Michigan in the month of June, 1832, this being then a Terri- tory. His father settled in the wilderness and took up one hundred acres of land. But death called away the father in 1838, and this lad of thirteen, be- ing the oldest of the family, took upon his shoulders the care of the family and assisting his mother in farming. During a portion of this time he hired out at 85 a month and gave his wages to his mother to assist her in providing for the family. The chil- dren were all small and he helped to clear up the farm and work for his mother until he was twenty- one years old.
At the age of twenty-three years young Beardslee was married to Jane Hubler. She died in 1851 leaving one child-John. In 1855 he was joined in marriage with his present wife, Clarissa Beards- lee. This union has been blessed by the birth of five children: Aaron, born January 6, 1861, is married to Nellie Green and resides on section 13; Estella, born June 20, 1858, married Isaae Voorheis and died in 1886; Elmer, born May 16, 1863; Susan, born March 4, 1866, married Sela Sherwood; and William E., born June 12, 1868.
In carly life Mr. Beardslee was prevented from
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gaining an education. He went to school only seven weeks before his father's death and after that bereavement he was, of course, effectually pre- vented from attending school. llis education is all of a practical business character, and by his close application to business he has secured a good share of this world's goods, and is now enjoying the com- forts of life. Ile resides on his home farm, but his two sons do the farming and he only oversees the general plan. In politics Mr. Beardslee is an old line Democrat and has filled all the township offices. He was Supervisor for seven years and has also been a Justice of the Peace for a number of years.
UDGE JUNIUS TEN EYCK. The legal profession has many representatives who are not only well versed in professional lore, but whose minds are cultured in other lines and who have shown their skill in many cases be- fore the court. An excellent representative of these legal lights is found in Pontiae in the person of Judge Ten Eyck, who has been located here in practice for well nigh forty years. He has devoted himself assiduously to the duties of his profession, has continually brightened his mind and refreshed his memory by consultation of the authorities on legal points, and by conversation with and observa- tion of others who were skilled counselors and elo- quent pleaders. Not only in legal circles, but in private life Judge Ten Eyck has a high reputation and counts his well-wishers by the score.
The Ten Eyck family originated in Holland, and was established in America hy Mathias Ten Eyck, who had two sons who emigrated in 1600. He set- tled in New York, then known as Amsterdam. One brother settled on the Jersey side of the Hudson River, the other up the Hudson in New York. One of these, who settled in New Jersey, is a direct an- cestor of our subject. The grandfather of Judge Ten Eyck bore the name of Jacob, and the father was James. The latter was born in New Jersey, May 4, 1790, and was a prosperous farmer. Ile married Eliza Vanderhoef, a native of New Jer- sey, and a daughter of Cornelius Vanderhoef, whose
ancestors came from Holland. Mr. James Ten Eyck and family came to Oakland County, this State, in 1835, and settled on Government land in Waterford Township. A goodly tract was cleared and improved, and substantial buildings erected upon it, and the family became known as prosper- ous and progressive. Mrs. Ten Eyck was born Feb. ruary 6, 1792, and died in June, 1849, when in her fifty-eighth year, and Mr. Ten Eyck passed away ten years later. The family consisted of two sons and two daughters, and our subject and his brother Tenodor are the only survivors. The latter is now living in Chicago, Ill., and is upon the retired list of the regular army, in which he was a captain for many years. Ile was fighting on the frontier at the time of the massacre at Ft. Fetterman, and dur- ing the Civil War spent fifteen months as a prisoner at Libby.
The subject of this biographical notice was born in Monmouth County, N. J., February 24, 1825, and spent his boyhood in his native State. Having come West with his parents, he continued his stud- ies in the High School at Rochester, where he made preparation for college, and he subsequently be- came a law student in the office of Wisner & Hos - mer in Pontiac. In 1852 he was admitted to the har and at once opened an office in Pontiae, where he has remained, laboring zealously in the legal arena. He was elected Circuit Court Commissioner for two years and re-elected for a second term. During that time, by virtue of his office, he was Master in Chancery. Ile has served as Prosecu- ting Attorney four years, having been re-elected after having acted faithfully in behalf of the peo- ple, and he was appointed Judge of Probate to fill the vacancy, receiving his appointment from Gov- ernor Baldwin.
Judge Ten Eyck was married January 12, 1858, to Miss Marion E. Seymour, danghter of John B. Seymour and Elizabeth Thompson. Her father was a distant relative of Horatio Seymour, of New York. Mrs. Ten Eyck was the first white child born in Brandon, Oakland County, her parents hav- ing settled there as early as 1835. She under- stands the art of making her home cosy and attrac- tive, and draws to it pleasant acquaintances an'l warm friends. Mr. and Mrs. Ten Eyck have one
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son, llarry Seymour, living, who is now in the pos- tal service on the Michigan Central Railroad be- tween Detroit and Chicago.
Judge Ten Eyck has given consi lerable atten- tion to political questions, and is a stanch Repub- lican. He does not eonline his reading to profes- sional and political articles, but takes an interest in the discoveries that are being made, the historical events that are transpiring, and the opinions that are being advanced on various topics. He is a gen- ial, well-bred gentleman, and has excellent stand- ing among the citizens of Pontiac and vicinity.
G EORGE W. OWEN. This defender of the Union during the late war has been for some time occupying and operating a faim in Pontiac Township. Ile has one hundred and twenty acres of good land marked by such improve- ments as are generally made by one who tills the soil in a well-settled country, and is prosecuting his work industriously. His birthday, November 5, 1833, was a memorable one. as on that day the Gunpowder Plot, by which the House of Parlia- ment was abont to be blown up, was discovered. Mr. Owen, having been born in Hampshire, Eng- land, and belonging to old English families, has special interest in referring to this ineident. His father, William Owen, was a successful teacher and surveyor, and in his religious faith was a stanch believer in the tenets of the Church of England. lle visited America in the fall of 1858, spending about a year here. His death occurred in his na- tive land in 1862. His wife, formerly Jane Gos- ling, visited America in 1854 and again crossed the Atlantic in 1868 to make hier home in this country. She died about two years later. She, too, belonged to the Church of England.
The subject of this sketch is one of the three surviving children in a family of two sons and two daughters. Ile received good instruction in the schools of his native land up to the time of en- tering his teens, and in later years has added to bis knowledge by personal observation and the use of the means afforded by the press. Ile set out for
America when fourteen years old, and was forty days in crossing the briny deep. He came West from the American metropolis and arrived in Pon- tiac June 6, 1818. For several years he was var- iously employed, being ready to turn his hand to any honest work by which he could make his way toward a competence. In the year 1851 he be- gan the trade of wagon-making and for three years his time and strength were given to that occupation. He then began farming on rented land and continued that work until after the break- ing ont of the Civil War, when, being in sympathy with the North, he entered the Union service.
Mr. Owen enlisted August 6, 1862, in Company D), Twenty-Second Michigan Infantry, Col. Wis- ner commanding. Ile fought bravely at the bat- tles of Danville, Chickamauga, Waliatchie and Lookout Mountain, and had charge of an ammuni- tion wagon that took him into the thickest of the fightat Mission Ridge. Through the Atlanta cam- paign his regiment acted as headquarter guard for Gen. Thomas. He received no serious injury in his dangerous life, but had two hair-breadth es- capes from being captured. Ile was mustered out at Nashville in June, 1865, after having done bis duty as a loyal citizen of America, the land of his adoption.
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