Portrait and biographical album of Oakland County, Michigan, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 70

Author:
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman bros.
Number of Pages: 980

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 70

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

D AVID PATCHIETT, one of the pioneers of this county is a farmer on section 10, Bloomfield Township, and was born April 6, 1808, in Lincolnshire, England. His parents. John and Mary (Hurry) Patchett, came to America and lived on the farm now occupied by their son where they spent the remainder of their lives. They were members of the Church of Eng- land and the parents of sixteen children, eight of whom lived to the age of maturity.

The subject of this sketchi was reared on the farm in England and received ouly common advan- tages for education. When thirteen years old he

619

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

began to make his own living and was married at the age of twenty-three years. Ile was a farmer while in England and in 1838 he and his wife with three children sailed for America. The voyage lasted for five weeks and three days, and sore affiiction was theirs on the way, as they were called to lay one of their little ones in a watery grave while on the voyage. They landed in New York City with their surviving children and came directly by rail to Detroit and from there to Bir- mingham. After remaining there for two and a half years he bought seventy-nine acres where he now lives, in 1840, and for nine years resided in an old log cabin.

Mr. Patchett then built his present home which he has now occupied almost forty years. When he bought the farm there were not more than twenty acres eleared. He now owns one hundred and thirty acres of land all in one body. When he came to America he had no means and began work- ing by the month. He thus got his first start toward his present prosperity. Ile has pursued farming all his life and until this spring he has superintended and worked his own farm. He is now eighty-three years of age and has always been a hard worker and has enjoyed excellent health.

The political views of Mr. Patchett are in ac- cordance with the platform of the Republican party, and he cast his first vote for William Henry Harri- son. He has filled to the acceptance of his fellow- citizens several township and school offices. On June 6, 1831 he married Elizabeth Trollope of Lincolnshire, England, where she was born Decem- ber 1, 1811. She is a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Squires) Trollope, of England, who came to America and settled in Birmingham, this county, and resided there until their death.

Nine children form the family of Mr. and Mrs. Patchett. They are: Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Clark Pearsall, and the mother of five children ; Cassius, George. Alice, Fred, Mary ; John died in infancy; Thomas who died in infancy while erossing the Atlantic in 1838; Jane also died in infancy ; Sarah, the wife of Joseph Allen in this county, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Robert, who died when eighteen years old; Eliza, the wife of William Hagerman, residing at Bloom-

field Center, who has three children, Mary, Edwin and Blanche; Ellen, the wife of Fred King of Bloomfield, who has five children-Grace, Mary, Arthur, Mabel and Bertha; and Emma, wife of Aaron Heacock who has seven children-Minnie, Sarah, Robert, Grace, Edwin, Alta and Luther. Mr. and Mrs. Patchett are suitably proud of their chil- dren and especially of their twenty beautiful grand- children. Mrs. Patchett is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church with which she has been connected for over fifty years.

AMES VAN EVERY, a prosperous and rep- resentative farmer of Bloomfield Township was born in Wayne County, Mich., in the town of Ham Tramick, on the farm where the Detroit City water works are now located. His natal day was September 18, 1822. His parents, Peter and Amy (Deer) Van Every. were natives of New York State, and the father was in the War of 1812, and was present when Gen. Hull's army sur- rendered.

After that war he located in llam Tramick, Wayne County, Mich., where he resided until 1837, when he traded his property for a tract of about fifteen hundred acres near Franklin, Oakland County. lIere he settled and built a gristmill which is still standing. This mill has been in the family for three generations, as it was managed by the father of our subject and after him by his son Peter, and it is now owned and managed by his son Peter, a nephew of our subject.

The father and mother of James Van Every, passed their lives at Franklin. Besides carrying on farming the father managed a large mercantile business at Franklin and for a few years after com- ing to Michigan he engaged in the meat and also in the hotel business in Detroit. He was a thorough business man and well educated, being unusually well informed. He had a State reputation as a politician and was for a number of years a member of the Michigan Territorial Legislature from Wayne County, and at the time Michigan was ad-

620

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

mitted to the Union as a State he was a member of its Legislature. Ile was a prominent man in every way, and was always kept in one or another official capacity. He was very strong in his Dem- ocratic principles in his early days, but finally be- came a Whig and later was an earnest adherent of the principles of the Republican party. Ile was at one time a man of considerable wealth but lost most of his means before death. Ile died Decem- ber 23, 1859, at the age of sixty-four years. llis wife survived until 1875 when she completed her four-score years.

The parents of our subject had fourteen children, named : Peter, Polly, William, Martha, James, An- drew J., Susan, Amy, John, George, Louisa, La- vinia, Walter, and an infant who died unnamed. James is the eldest survivor of the family. Ile was reared on his father's farm in Wayne County, and received a common-school education. In 1837 he came to Franklin, this county, with his parents, remaining with them, and giving them the benefits of his labors until his majority, when he then en- gaged in various pursuits around Franklin until 1849. Ile then bought his farm of one hundred and sixty acres and has since given all his atten- tion to farming. He has a good residence and sev- eral excellent barns. His farm was the first one taken from the Government in Bloomfield Town- ship, Gen. Wing being the man who pre-empted it. Wing Lake, upon which the residence is lo- cated is named for the General.

James Van Every was attracted to California in 1852 by the gold excitement and remained there until June, 1855. He engaged in mining all the time he was there and met with only ordinary suc- cess. As a farmer he is thorough and skillful and has always achieved success. In 1882 he left his farm and moved to Birmingham where he lived until the spring of 1890, when he returned to the farm. He has been Township Treasurer and Jus- tice of the Peace and is a Democrat in his political principles.

Our subject was married October 30, 1841, to Caroline Durkee, of this township, where she was born July 18, 1825. Her parents, Wilkes and Maria (Weed) Durkee, came to Michigan in 1823. A sketch of the Durkee family will be found in an-

other place in this work. Five children were the result of this union. They are Mary, wife of George Finister of Detroit, who has one daughter Nellie; Martha A., deceased, was the wife of Mathew Baldwin, of Genesee County, Mich., who had one child, Eddie, who has died; Amy L., died in infancy; Lillian J., wife of Ilarvey Higby, of Wichita, Kan., has three children, Carrie, James and Addie. James the youngest child and only son of Mr. Van Every, is attending commercial college at Detroit.

RANCIS A. EMMENDORFER, a farmer on section 15, West Bloomfield Township, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, where he was born January 10, 1829. Ilis parents were George and Eva (Mark ) Emmendorfer. The father was a butcher and kept an eating house at Funf- stetten. Ile was a man of considerable means at one time but lost most of his property before his cleath, which occurred in Germany. The mother still survives, having reached the extreme old age of one hundred and two years.

The subject of this sketch was one of eight chil- dren, who were named John, Lena, George, Michael, Sophia, Francis A., Xavier and Victoria. Francis spent his boyish days in helping his father and at- tending school in his native town. When nineteen years of age he went into the German army. Dur- ing the three years he spent in the army he was sent all through Turkey, Russia and Italy.

The young German came to America in 1852, bringing with him his brothers, George and Michael. They had $400 each and loaned the money to a man in Buffalo, N. Y. They could not speak English and were easily imposed upon and lost every cent of their money. They had bought eighty acres of land near Lockport, N. Y., but owing to the loss of their money had to lose the farm. Francis spent one summer on farms near Lockport, and then entered the employ of W. H. Craig of Lockport. After fonr years with him he emigrated to Michigan with $400 which he had saved from his wages. Ile brought with him a

Four July

623

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

letter from a banker in Lockport to Judge JJoseph Copeland, of Detroit. He came West in 1857 and worked for the Judge more than eight years in the vicinity of Orchard Lake. For twelve years he continued working out on wages by the month and being economical and frugal he saved money to buy property. His first purchase was ninety aeres and he afterwards added forty acres more. It all lies on the south side of Orchard Lake. During the past two years he has sold off considerable of his farm to parties desiring summer homes along the lake. He also owns another tract of land on the upper end of Upper Straits Lake. He is a prinei- pal stockholder in the Orchard Lake gravel road. lle is a man of intelligence, abundant means and has a rich store of information. He has his farm finely improved and is raising considerable fruit. The view from his residence is one of the most delight- ful in the county. He is independent in his poli- tics and he and his family are members of the Catholic Church at Pontiac.

In 1863 Mr. Emmendorfer married Miss Mary Riley, of Pontiac. Mieh., who was born in 1829 in Rochester, N. Y. She is a daughter of Patrick and Elizabeth Riley. Five children have blessed this home, namely: Elizabeth, Eva, Joseph W., Johan- nah M., now Mrs. Edward M. Murphy of Pontiac, and Frederick A. Industry and integrity have been essential factors in the success of Mr. Emmendorfer, and he reflects with special pleasure on the relations of confidence, which have ever existed between himself and his neighbor, Mr. Hartwell Green.

R ICHARD II. ELLIOTT. In an elegant frame residence, built in modern style in the midst of extensive and handsome grounds, resides Richard II. Elliott, whose portrait is presented on the opposite page, and who is one of the stanch business men of Pontiac. Ile was born in Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn .. April 1, 1829, and is the youngest of eight children, three sons and five daughters. His parents were Charles and Marcia (Gay) Elliott. The former was a native of Connecticut, born at Salem in

1799. He was a hatter by trade and later in life took up farming. Ile died in 1877, in Pontiac. The mother was born in Sharon, Conn., in 1809, and was a daughter of Daniel Gay, of Scotch and English extraction. The Elliott family was of like descent. Charles Elliott married in Connecti- cut, and in 1837 removed his family to Oakland County, and located in Pontiac Township. In 1840 he removed to Bloomfield Township, where he spent the remaining years of his life. Ilis de- voted wife followed him to the grave within ten days. Their eight, children were named as fol. lows: Elizabeth, Charles, Clarissa, Julia, Washing- ton, Richard H., Sarah L. and Daniel H.

The subject of this sketch spent his early days in the school at Pontiac and in work upon the farm. Ile began his mercantile experience in 1844 by clerking in the store of James A. Weeks. He was an apprentice for three years and spent twelve years with Mr. Wecks on salary. He was also employed by others in the same line of busi- ness. In the year 1867 he formed a partnership with Dr. I. Paddack and did business under the firm name of I. Paddack & Co. After seven years Mr. Elliott sold out his interest and clerked until 1879, when he formed a partnership with C. M. Crofoot under the firm name of Elliott & Crofoot. This continued for three years when Mr. Elliott purchased his partner's interest and carried on the business alone until 1889, when he took his son Morris into partnership. The present firm is R. H. Elliott & Son, dealers in drugs, medicines, oils, paints, glass and groceries. The store is situated at No. 24, North Saginaw Street. The building is 20x140 feet, and he occupies all three stories with his business.

Mr. Elliott's marriage in June. 1858, united him with Miss Laura Paddack, daughter of his partner. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are the happy parents of four children, namely: Minnie, wife of C. J. Peirce, of Detroit; Morris, his partner ; Lizzie and Myrtie, who remain at home. Our subject is a Republican in politics, a member of Pontiac Lodge No. 21, F. & A. M., and of the Chapter Council and Commandery, and in all these capacities is considered a leading member. With his wife and family he belongs to the Presbyterian Church.

624

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

He is one of the stockholders and directors in the Edison Electric Light and Motor Company at Pontiac, and was one of the prominent promoters of this enterprise for the advancement of the city. In fact, he is, in all matters pertaining to the com- mon good, a publie-spirited citizen.

BIRAM PARKER. grocer and dealer in drugs and medicines in Pontiac was born in Oneida County. N. Y., August 3, 1831. Ile is a son of Dr. Abiram Parker, who was a successful physician in Oneida County for many years, and who went to the West Indies in search of health and died there December 9, 1831. He was the son of Eri Parker, who descended from an English family. Ilis wife was Julia A. McCon- nell, a native of New York and daughter of Jo- seph McConnell, Esq., who died in McConnells- ville, N. Y. Mrs. Parker came to Michigan late in life and died in Jackson in 1883. Her dangh- ter, Mrs. W. L. Seaton, lives in Jackson. Mr. Par- ker has a half brother and sister, his mother having been married twice.

The subject of this sketch was educated first in the common schools and afterward in the academy at Rochester, N. Y. There he pursued his studies for three years from his eleventh to his fourteenth year. He then came to Pontiac and resided for a while after which he returned to New York and entered Casanovia Seminary, where he completed his studies. Coming to Michigan he entered the store of Willard M. McConnell, and served as elerk. Later he went to Detroit and became Assistant Teller in the Michigan Insurance Bank. After two years service here he returned to Pontiac and em- barked in the grocery and drug trade, and he is now the oldest business man in Pontiac, having continued in this branch of the mercantile business to this day. llis store is capacious, measuring 30 x135 feet, and is neatly fitted up and well arranged for dispatching business. Ile has taken on a stock of drugs and medicines, oils and paints, in addition to family groceries. He does a large business and is highly respected. Mr. Parker was united in mar-

riage to Miss Sarah E. Beach, at Pontiae, Mich., in which place she had grown to womanhood. She was brought here by her parents, Eben and Eliza- beth Beach, from Monroe County, when an infant of three months.

To Mr. and Mrs. Parker have been given two children, Grace P., the wife of F. W. Fletcher of Alpena, and Louise, the wife of Ilon. Mark S. Brewer, former member of Congress for the Sixth District. Mr. Parker is an adherent to the princi- ples of the Republican party and he has served one term as Alderman in the city council of Pontiac. Hle is a member of Pontiac Lodge, No. 21, F. & A. M., and of Oakland Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M., also a member of the Council. He and his excellent wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. He has an elegant residence on Auburn Avenue in the eastern part of town.

G EORGE H. FOSTER, one of the firm of George H. Foster & Co., dealers in boots and shoes, in Pontiac, is numbered among the enterprising business men of the city. The firm carries a full line of boots, shoes and rubber goods, all of the latest styles and of the best man- ufacture, and ocenpies a favorable location on North Saginaw Street. Mr. Foster has a special interest in the welfare of the city, as he was born here Oe- tober 14, 1853. IIe is the only son of John P. and Delia E. ( Whitman) Foster. His father was born in Kent, England, in 1826, and died in Pontiac in January, 1886. He came to the United States when a mere boy, and worked at various occupa- tions, finally becoming a carpenter and joiner, and following that trade for a number of years.

The mother of our subject was born in Saratoga. N. Y., and is still living, now in the sixtieth year of her age. She is the mother of four children, the daughters being Ada L., Cora P. and Kate C. The eldest is the wife of James Cash, and is now living in Duluth, Minn .; Cora married R. W. Bell, who is a member of the firm of Foster & Co .; Kate is the wife of W. C. Owen, now of East Saginaw. Our subject received a common-school education in his

625

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

native eity and began his mercantile experience as a clerk in the grocery store of Gilchrist Bros., with whom he remained two years. He then en- tered the employ of Thomas Fairbairn, and later became a elerk for Dowd Bros., dealers in dry- goods.

After a year passed in the employ of the firm just mentioned he resumed his studies, taking up the high school course and giving his elose atten- tion to his books for a twelvemonth. He next became Deputy Postmaster under Col. S. S. Matthews, a position which he held two years, and then bought an interest in the furniture business, associating himself with a Mr. Voorlees. The con nection existed three years, during which time Mr. Foster not only sold furniture, but did consider- able in the undertaking linc. After the period mentioned he sold out to E. H. Tompkins and en- gaged in the produce business with his father, under the firm name of J. P. Foster & Son, con- tinuing thus until 1879. In September of the fol- lowing year our subject formed a partnership for the sale of boots and shoes under the style of Rowand & Foster. After a time a change was made, but the present firm occupies the old stand, where Mr. Foster has been a familiar figure for more than a decade.

The lady who makes the home of Mr. Foster eosy and attractive, bore the maiden name of Eliz- abeth Stanley, and became his wife March 4, 1890. The wedding ceremony was performed at the home of the bride's father, John W. Stanley, a prosper- ous citizen of New York City, where the daughter was born and grew to womanhood. Mrs. Foster is educated and refined, and dispenses the hospital- ity of her home with cordiality and grace. The dwelling of Mr. Foster is on one of the pleasant residence streets, with good surroundings and is a tasteful edifice and attractive home.

In his political views Mr. Foster is a Democrat. He has served as Chief of the fire department since 1885. He is of a decidedly social nature and inter- ested in the orders that are represented in the city. He belongs to Pontiac Lodge, No. 21, F. & A. M .; Oakland Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M .; Pontiac Com- mandery No. 2, K. T .; Pontiae Lodge, No. 19, K. of P' .; and the Odd Fellows Lodge, No.

183. He has held all the Chairs to that of Emi- nent commander, in the Masonie fraternity. He has a good reputation as a business man, and friends and acquaintances speak well of him as a citizen.

LBERT HUSTED, an intelligent and pop- ular farmer, has resided in Springfield Township since 1834, longer than any other man now living there. He was born in Ontario County, N. Y., May 30, 1834. His father, Harry W. Husted was born in New York, May 15, 1802. His grandfather was Stephen and his great- grandfather was a native of Ireland, who came to America in the early days. His grandfather came to Michigan in 1834 and was killed in Grove- land Township, this county, by a tree falling upon him.

The father of our subjeet was a carpenter and built the first church in Batavia, N. Y. He came here in November, 1834, coming with an ox-team through Canada and bringing with him his wife and four children. They took up Government land, erected a log cabin and cleared up a faim; the patent for the land was signed by Gen. Jackson. No set- tlers were near them. Pontiae was the nearest postotlice and trading town, and fever and ague was prevalent. He was a hard worker and did heroie work in clearing and improving the one hundred and twenty aeres of land which he took, besides building a large number of houses and barns in the county. Harry W. Husted removed to Shia- wassee County in 1857. After living there about fifteen years he removed to St. Louis, Mich., where he still resides. Ile is a Baptist in religion and a Republican in politics. His wife, Nancy Colvin, a native of Vermont, where she was born in 1801, departed this life in 1852. Six of her eight chil- dren are yet living. Her eldest son, Henry, was in the Mexican War and died from the effects of the malaria contracted there. She was also a mem- ber of the Baptist Church.

The parents of our subjeet came to Oakland County when he was only six months old. He was educated in the pioneer schools which were

626

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

run on the rate-bill system and his boyhood days were spent in the log schoolhouses and on the farm. He saw more Indians than whites in those days. When sixteen years old he began to learn the car- penter's trade with his father. This he followed for many years, not only in the country but in Davis- burg and has erected more buildings here than any other man. lle began life for himself at nineteen years of age and has farmed more or less all his life.

Mr. Husted was married. February 19, 1857, to Tilda Shuman, who was born in Erie County, N. Y., October 26, 1835. Iler father, George Shu- man, was a native of Connectient, and her mother, Mary Hosler, was born in Gettysburg. Pa. They came to this county and settled in Groveland Township in 1836 where they carried on farming prosperously and extensively. The father died in 1881 and the mother in 1862. He was a Democrat in his early life and later a Republican.

Five children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ilusted, three of whom are still living, namely : Cora, Etta ( Mrs. Cook), and Nettie. Their par- ents are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Ilusted is a member of the Masonic order at Davisburg, also a member of Charter Oak Lodge, No. 56, A O. U. W .. at Davisburg, in which he served as Master for three successive years. IIc has a fine farm of eighty aeres all under cultiva- tion. Ilis pleasant, neat and commodious two- story house was erected in 1881.

E PHRAIM BURCH, one of the wealthy farmers of Commerce Township, is a son of Ephraim Burch, Sr., a native of Pom- fret, Vt., who was born February 13, 1793, and was formerly in the lumbering business and later a farmer. His mother. Electa (Sessions) Burch, a native of Pomfret, Vt., was born February 17, 1803. She is a sister of Mrs. Delano Bowen, whose sketch appears in this ALBUM. Our subject's par- ents were married in Vermont, and afterwards resided in Canada on a farm until 1832, when they came to Michigan, and settled in Commerce Town-

ship. The country was new, settlers were few and there were no roads. Indians, deer, bears and wolves were plenty. The farm was of tim bered openings. This pioneer couple made their home in a log house, and here spent the remainder of their days. He died December 4, 1861 and she April 13, 1886.

Our subject was one of nine children of the parental home, six of whom are now living. The mother was an adherent to the faith of the Baptist Church. In politics the father was a Whig and later a Republican. Ile was one of the organizers of the township. Young Ephraim was born February 6, 1826, in Canada, and althoughi only six years old when brought to Michigan, distinctly recalls the trip by ox-team from his home in Canada to Detroit, and from there on by the same convey- ance to the homestead. Ile attended one of the very first district schools established here, and remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age. He had to work hard during his youth. At twenty- one he hired out to work at the trade of a carpen- ter, but soon gave it up, as he preferred farming. lle returned home and bought forty acres of land on section 20. and began clearing the land. Ile thus continued until he was thirty- three years old.

Ephraim Burch was united in marriage with Lucy J. Bowen, daughter of Cromwell and Delano Bowen. The marriage took place December 8, 1858. The lady was born October 26, 1835, and died Oe- tober 29, 1879. They were the parents of two chil- dren-Ford B., born November 3, 1862, and Jennie L., May 29, 1873. The second marriage of our sub- ject took place in December, 1882. The present Mrs. Burch was Anna E: Rauch, a daughter of J. Il. and Anna E. (Snively) Rauch, both natives of l'ennsylvania, who came to Michigan about thirty- five years ago where they made their permanent home. Mrs. Rauch died in 1865. Her husband still survives, and now at the age of seventy-three lives on the homestead in Monroe County. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has long served as Deacon. He was in politics a Whig and then a Republican. Their eight chil- dren are all now living.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Portrait and biographical album of Oakland County, Michigan, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 70

Author: Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman bros. Number of Pages: 980

Author:
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman bros.
Number of Pages: 980