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 79
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This enterprising man constantly saw new open- ings in business, and in 1879 he built a sawmill for the manufacturing of hardwood lumber, utilizing the same power which he used in his brick and tile factory, where he used an engine of forty-five horse power. He manufactures both white and red brick, common and pressed, for all of which he finds ready sale near home, but his customers at a dis- tance call for large shipments to different parts of the county and adjoining counties. His drainage tile varies in size from one and one-half to fifteen inches. His works are located in the eastern part of the city on Auburn Avenue. A two hundred acre farm. owned and supervised by Mr. Osmun, is well stocked and excellently managed.
Mr. and Mrs. Osmun have two daughters. Mahel, the elder, is a dressmaker, and Flora, the younger, is a stenographer and type-writer and a teacher of both arts. She is now in the employ of the Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad, and drives her horse and cart to and from her business. Mr. Osmun is Republican in politics and served as Alderman in
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the Second Ward. He is one of the stockholders of the Pontiac and Auburn Gravel Road, and he took an active part in seeuring its charter and also in securing the charter for the Auburn and Utica Gravel Road, in which he was also largely inter- ested as a stockholder. For the past twenty-two years he has employed from twenty to sixty men, and he never fails to pay them every Saturday night. He is temperate in his habits, never smok- ing, chewing or using intoxicating liquors. He is a devotee of hunting and a member of the State Trappers' Shooting Association, and won the State Champion medal of this association at their last meeting in October, 1890, at Bay City, Mich.
ELSON E. DEUELL is one of the leading liverymen in Pontiac and indeed in the southeastern part of the State. It is said by many that he can furnish more fine haeks, bug- gies and horses for an occasion of any kind than any other liveryman in the county, and no one can doubt that he has a fine stock. Ile is well supplied with vehicles for funeral purposes, has also a com- plete 'bus line, and keeps from thirty five to forty horses. His stable is of briek, eighty feet square and two stories high, and the stalls and everything pertaining to the appointments are in first class order. The office is neat and well arranged and all departments of the business are under the imme- diate supervision of Mr. Deuell. Ile employs from eight to twelve men, and sees to it that their work is well done and their manner toward patrons that which is fitting. Mr. Deuell is an excellent judge of horses, not only for the livery business, but for general and family use, and he does well in making sales.
The parents of our subject were born in New York and there grew to maturity and united their fortunes. The father, Abner N. Deuell, died in 1842, but the mother, formerly Susan Baldwin, is still living. Iler home is in Genesee County, this State, to which she and her husband came in 1839, settling on a farm that was operated by the bus- band until his death. They had five children, and
Nelson E. is the second son. He was born in Gene- see County, October 5, 1842, and spent his early school days in the home neighborhood. When four- teen years old he went to Clarksville to school, and after his course of study was completed he was va- riously employed for a time. In that plsee he began the livery business on a small seale and for some years conducted his enterprise, proving quite sue- eessful.
In 1869 Mr. Deuell eame to Pontiae and started in the livery business in company with J. H. Mor- ris, under the firm name of Morris & Deuell. The partnership lasted four years, during which time the firm also dealt in horses. At the end of that time Mr. Morris retired and Mr. Deuell continued the livery business. Mr. Deuell pays little atten- tion to political matters, but gives his time and en- ergy mainly to his business. He has been a lifelong Demoerat in politics.
The marriage of Mr. Deuell and Miss Lillian Stevens was solemnized at the bride's home in 1870. She was a daughter of Mrs. Jane Stevens of Pon- tiac, and died here, February 26, 1890, after twenty years of wedded life. during which she had proved her faithfulness as a companion and devotion as a mother. She left two sons-Eugene N. and Ray- mond-who are gaining good edueations and being prepared to each take a man's place in the world.
Mr. Deuell is a member of the Blue Lodge and Chapter, A. F. & A. M. of Clarkston, Mich.
OHN BASSETT, one of the hard-working and prosperous farmers of Novi Township, is a son of Samuel Bassett, a native of Litch- field County, Conn., who was born March 29. 1784. The father was a farmer by occupation, but served his country in the War of 1812, following the patriotie example of his father, Daniel Bassett, who was one of the Revolutionary heroes. This family originiated in America with William Bas- sett, who came from England in the "Anna," thie second ship that came. Ile was one of the Puri- tans and made his home at Bridgewater, Mass.
The mother of our subject was Mary, daughter
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of John Caywood, of New Jersey, who was a Revo- lutionary soldier, and moved from the latter State to Seneca County, N. Y., and took possession there of a soldier's claim. The family is of Scotch descent. Mary Caywood was born August 23, 1794, and she married Samuel Bassett in Ovid, Seneca County, N. Y., in 1810. They resided there until May, 1832, when they came to Michigan and settled in Bloomfield Township upon a heavily timbered farin which they bought from old Peter Desnoyer, of Detroit. They built a log house and having established themselves in the new home undertook to clear the farm of timber.
In May, 1831, Samuel Bassett came to Novi Township and took up one thousand and forty acres of wild land, at $1.25 per acre. Four hundred acres of it were located in Novi Township, and the remainder in West Bloomfield. In the fall of 1831 he came in with Sidney Ilinman and helped the latter to get a start upon some land in the cen- ter of West Bloomfield Township. He then re turned home and the following spring he brought on his family and made his permanent home on the new land. Ile retained three hundred and twenty acres and had it finely improved long before his death, which occurred in 1873. 1lis wife had been called from his side by death in October, 1833.
The subject of this sketch is one of ten children of his father's family, only two of whom are now living, his brother Daniel residing at Birmingham in this county. The father was a great reader and although exceedingly quiet in his manner was a tremendous worker. llc was a Whig in his political views and later a Republican. Ile was the owner at one time of thirteen hundred and sixty acres of land, which was divided among his chil- dren. Their mother was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. The son John was born May 29, 1816, at Ovid, N. Y. Ile attended the com- mon school until he reached the age of twelve years, but after that it was necessary for him to go to work upon the farm and he at once entered upon hard work. He was sixteen years old when Le came to Michigan, and he remembers with in- terest the thousands of Indians and the numerous wild animals that then abounded. When nearly
twenty-one years of age he located on the farm where he now lives without a dollar to his name. In the fall of 1836 he sowed the first wheat here, ten bushels on ten acres of land. Ile built a tam- arack shanty and had a sugar bush of some three hundred trees.
The marriage of our subject occurred February 16, 1837. Ilis bride. Ervilla Coomer, was a daughter of David and Betsey (Cole) Coomer, who came from Yates County, N. Y., to Michigan about the year 1830, and settled in Farmington Township. These were the first settlers there and they made it their permanent home. Mr. Coomer was born April 8, 1787, and died June 2, 1865. His wife was born October 11, 1790, and died July 2, 1870. They were the parents of ten children, three of whom still survive.
Mrs. Bassett was born April 17, 1815, in Yates County, N. Y. She died in March, 1887. Nine of her thirteen children are still living. They are as follows: Samuel, born February 18. 1838. 1Ie married Dorinda Ilolines, and with his wife and four children resides in Novi Township. Engene was born December 10, 1840, and married Eliza- beth Hamlin, and they with their three children are living at Ypsilanti. Celestia, born May 10, 1812, is the wife of Bathurst Davis, and lives in Waco, Tex. She has been twice married and has three children by the first union. Irving, who was born January 2, 1841, married Hannah MeKendrick, and lives at Ironwood, Mich .. with his wife and five children. Mary L., born October 23, 1815, is the wife of Edgar O. Durfee. They live in Detroit and have four children. Truman J., born January 21, 1848. married Mary Baker and makes his home in Detroit. Kate, who was born April 20, 1851, is single. Antoinette, who was born July 8, 1855, is Mrs. Orren S. Hulett and lives at Detroit. She has four children. Vie, born March 5, 1859, married Vernon Merservean, of St. Louis. They have three children.
The second marriage of Mr. Bassett was solem- nized in November, 1888. Ile was then united with Carrie MeKenney, daughter of Alexander McKen- ney and Jane Murphy. Both of her parents were natives of Ireland, who came to Michigan forty- two years ago and made their home in Southfield
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Township. This old settler still remains at the age of sixty-seven years, but his good wife passed away in 1871. All of their four children are now living. Mrs. Bassett was born January 14, 1856, in the township where her father now resides. She is a devout and earnest member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Bassett built his residence some thirty-six years ago. He has cleared one hundred and eighty acres of his farm of two hundred and eighty, and removed great quantities of stumps and stone. lle bas also put in an extensive system of tiling, an'l all other improvements have been placed on this farm by himself. He has carried on general farm- ing, and pays some attention to sheep and Jersey cows, of which he now has twenty-five head. For fifty years he has been a member of the School Board. Ile takes great interest in local politics, hav- ing been first a Whig and then a Democrat. For four terms he has filled the office of Supervisor and has heen the Justice of the Peace for fifteen years. Ile has been Road Overseer. When he came to this part of the country sixty years ago he was sixteen years old and six feet tall, and did a full man's work. He still actively carries on his farm. He has been entrusted with the settlement of nu- merous estates for over thirty-five years. Indeed, he bas done more in this line than any other man in the county. During the past winter he settled five estates.
EONARD S. JOHNSON, a prominent mer- chant of Clyde, came to Oakland County at an early day. Ile is the son of Lyman, a son of Banks Johnson, a native of Connecticut. This grandfather reared a family of three sons and two daughters. Ile was a farmer, and like many of the New England farmers of that day, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. IIIs son, Lyman, was born February 6, 1800. He mar- ried Catherine Sherwood, a daughter of Samuel Sherwood, a native of Connecticut, who went to New York at an early day and made that his per- manent home. The children of Lyman and Cath-
erine (Sherwood) Johnson were Sallie A., Joel, Oscar, Maria, Willis, Lyman, Leonard, William (deceased ) and William. Lyman Johnson went to New York soon after his marriage, and there he reared most of his children. l'pon his removal to Michigan in 1846 he settled in Highland Township, where he lived and died. His first purchase was forty acres, but he sold this and bought eighty, which he owned until death. In connection with farming he followed the trade of a carpenter. Both he and his good wife were Presbyterians in faith, and both died in Highland Township-she in 1850 and he in 1875.
The subject of this biographical sketch was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., January 15, 1838. Ile was only eight years old when he removed with his parents to Michigan. At the age of fifteen years he went away to school and attended for a year and a half. At the age of nineteen years he commenced teaching, and followed it for three years, earning the munificent sum of $25 per month. This, however, was considered good wages for teaching in those days, and the young man was enabled to pay the debt which he had in- curred for board while attending school.
Our young man now decided to set up a home of his own, and he chose for his wife. Catherine Garrett, the daughter of Charles E. Garrett, a native of New York. The wedding took place August 19, 1861, in Highland Township. Mr. Garrett was a ship carpenter, and had been quite a roamer. He was married in the Buckeye State to Seraphina Iliggins, and one child was born unto them, who afterward became the wife of our sub- ject. Mr. Garrett came to Michigan and settled in Trenton, in 1859, where he lived for a number of years, and then came to Highland Township, where he lived until 1880, when he sold his farm and went to Missouri. Mr. Garrett was bereft of his first wife in this county, April 5, 1872, and was a second time united in marriage to Mrs. Sheldon, widow of Edwin D. Sheldon.
To Mr. Johnson and his estimable wife have been born five children, one of whom died in infancy, and the four others are now living. They are by name, Ada, who is now Mrs. Frank Fisher, and resides in Highland Township; Charles L.,
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who resides at home and manages his father's busi- ness; Leonard, Jr., who resides at home and works in his father's store; and Mand C., still a school girl. Mr. Johnson's farm embraces one hundred and twenty-two broad and productive acres. Ile followed farming until 1881, when his health ne- eessitated liis going to Florida. He took Ins family with him, and was gone for two years. There he bought land and set out an orange grove, which he still owns. In 1886 he returned to Highland. where he has since lived. He then bought fifty acres, including most of what is now the village of Clyde. He engaged in the livery business, which he still follows. The following year he inaugurated a mer- cantile business, which he has carried to success. His wife was snatched from his side by death, January 12, 1889. His health has been poor ever sinee her decease, but he still attends to business, although within the past year he has given the matter over more into the hands of his sons. Mr. Johnson is a Republican, and always has been. He has been Township Treasurer one term, and filled the responsible position of Justice of the Peace for eight years. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Clyde Lodge No. 229. Both he and his excellent wife were identified with the Baptist Church. Charles L: took to wife Miss Myra Wood, daughter of Rev. Alva B. & Ervilla (Hollister) Wood. This important event took place at the home of Leonard S. Johnson, in Clyde, May 20, 1891.
Mr. Johnson organized the Clyde Cornet Band, and was its leader for eight years, and when his health failed his son Charles L. stepped into his father's shoes, and has filled the place with credit up to the present time.
AMES A. MILLER. Among the hard-work- ing and honorable citizens of Southfield Township who are a credit to the com- munity in every way, is the gentleman whose name introduces these paragraphs. His birth took place in the North of Ireland in 1838. His father, James, was an Irish farmer, and his mother, !
Jane Neill, was also a native of that country. There they grew to maturity and were married, and emigrating to America in 1864 came direet to Oak- land County. The father was called from earth in 1870, but the mother tarried until February 21, 1891, and they are laid to rest side by side in South- field cemetery.
Our subject is one of the five sons and three daughters in the parental home. He came to Amer- ica with a sister when but eight years old, and re- mained in Philadelphia for two years. When six- teen years old he began life for himself by work- ing on a farm in Southfield Township, Oakland County, having the privilege of working in sum- mer and attending school in the winter. This of course was on small yearly wages and yet he man- aged to accumulate some property.
Mr. Miller was married in 1859 to HIelen M. Bab- cock, whose brother, Charles V. Babcock, is repre- sented in this work. She was born in this township June 12. 1840, and is the youngest of five chil- dren. The young couple located on section 15, on a farm where few improvements had been made. Four children have blessed their home, three sons and one daughter, who all yet remain at home to cheer the hearts of their parents. They are named, Mary S., llenry A., Volney B., and James .A. The youngest son has a fine stock of thoroughbred chickens of which he is making a specialty. Mary S., the only daughter, has taught school several terms, and although compelled for a time to cease from active labor on account of ill- health. proposes to resume her professional duties this fall (1891).
Mr. Miller is an excellent judge of a good horse and has practiced as a veterinary surgeon for twen- ty- five years. Ile has a splendid farm of two hundred and thirty-five aeres, most of which is under cultivation. On another page of this vol- ume appears a view of his fine two-story frame residence, which was built by him in 1885 at a cost of $1,600. His barn, 70x40 feet in dimensions, cost $1,300 and he has his farm well supplied with ex- cellent breeds of stock. Ile has been an extensive horse dealer. He paid for forty aeres of land by selling horses, and has been handling horses exten- sively for a period of two years, buying and sell-
TENANT HOUSE
RESIDENCE OF FERDINAND KIRCHOFF, SEC. 33., SOUTHFIELD TP., OAKLAND CO., MICH.
TENANT HOUSE SEG. 1G
RESIDENCE OF J. A. MILLER , SEC. 15. SOUTHFIELD TP, OAKLAND CO. MICH.
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ing for men in Detroit. He first started dealing in horses during the late war. He has a fine orehard of eight hundred trees which he set out himself, and he has sold as much as $700 worth of apples in one year out of this orchard.
In his political affiliations Mr. Miller is a Dem- ocrat. The first office to which his fellow citizens elected him was that of Highway Commissioner. IJe has also been School Assessor and was elected Justice of the Peace. He is identified with the Ma- sonic Order and belongs to the Birmingham Lodge No. 44. He has been very industrious and perse- vering all his life but now relegates most of the hard work to his sons. He has a delightful and worthy family of children who are a credit to the parents who have reared and educated them. Mrs. Miller is a lady of noble character and intelligence and is regarded with cordial admiration by all who know her.
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ERDINAND KIRCHOFF, one of the prom- inent and influential farmers of Southfield Township. and an adopted citizen of this country, was born in Saxony, Germany, October 8, 1845. His father, Gnenter Kirchoff, came to Amer- ica in 1854 and located in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. In 1858 he migrated to Detroit and in 1868 located in Southfield Township. After this be removed again to Detroit where he died in 1888. His wife, Maria Marton, also a native of Germany, died in Detroit March 24, 1890, at the age of seventy-six years. They were the parents of four sons.
The subject of this sketeh is the eldest child of the parental household and was eight years old when he came to America. He had taken two years of schooling in the old country and finished his education in New York. He remained with his father until he was twenty-four years old. About that time he was married, October 17, 1870, to Mary Shanklin, who was born in Southfield Township in 1851. She was the second in a family of three children. They were married in Detroit and im- mediately after the wedding they came to South-
field Township, and located on section 34. where they now reside.
Three sons and one daughter have been granted to this happy couple, namely : James, Frederick, Frank and Sarah Elizabeth. The home farm com- prises one hundred and sixty acres of well-improved land. The beautiful home just completed cost $1,800 and is represented by a view on another page. Mr. Kirchoff carries on general farming and has his farm well stocked, having twenty-three head of cattle. Ile aims to cast his ballot always in the interest of the Republican party, yet he will not vote for an unworthy man. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church and active in the work of the same, in which his wife heartily joins him.
ORNELIE'S SNYDER, a wealthy farmer of Addison Township, was born in Warren County, N. J., December 9, 1815. He was reared on a farm and received only limited educa- tional advantages, going to school in all only about three months. Being the eldest of the family he assisted his father upon the farm, and when he was fifteen and sixteen years of age he worked out for a neighbor at $1 a month, turning over his wages to his father. IIe came to Oakland County, Mich., with his parents, in 1833, coming on a steamer from Newark to New York City, thence by canal to Buffalo, and from there across the lake by the "Commodore Perry" to Detroit. Buying a yoke of oxen in Detroit they came the rest of the way by wagon. The father entered land in Addison Township and they cut their own road for four miles through the woods where they had to fol- low Indian trails. The Indians encamped near by and the deer and wolves were plentiful. and the boy was well acquainted with old Tuckatoe, the Indian chief.
The subject of our sketch made many a trip to Detroit in the early days with an ox-team. During the winter of 1835-36 lie hauled one hundred bar- rels of flour to that city in this way, selling the first load at 85.50 per barrel. The roads were in a
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terrible condition and it took several days to make the trip. Ile was married in 1837 to Mary M. Boice, who was born in New Jersey in 1821. and for fifty-four years she has been his faithful and affectionate companion. In the spring of 1839 he bought eighty acres of land on section 28, that had on it a little log house. Here the young couple began their first home. This land they cleared and improved as their means would per- mit. Eight children were grinta to them, as follows: Dennis: Marinda, wife of Merritt Walker a farmer in Mecosta County. this State ; Sarah J .. wife of Charles Joshlin, a farmer in Lapeer County ; Jacob; Eliza, the wife of Ezra Newman, of Gene- see County; Emma; Hulda, now Mrs. A. Close. of this county ; and Cornelius.
After his marriage. Mr. Snyder began the study of text-books and made himself familiar with the principles of arithmetic and other branche, which he had been obliged to neglect in early childhood. Ile is a Democrat in his political views and has acted as Commissioner of Highways. He has sev- eral times served on the petit jury and has acted as administrator for a number of valuable estates. Mrs. Snyder is an active and efficient member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Snyder began life at the bottom round of the ladder. He now owns three hundred acres of line land and had bought and paid for every acre except thirteen before re- ceiving anything from his father's estate. He is justly entitled to great credit for his success in life.
E LMER L. GREEN. A good example of the spirit of progress that animates the Amer- icans of the present generation. is furnished by the gentleman above named, who owns and oc- cupies a fine piece of property in Orion Township. lle is not yet thirty years old. his natal day having been May 26, 1862, but he already owns three hun- dred and twenty acres of land, well equipped for farming, and has been doing an extensive lumber business. Ile and his brother. Oliver H .. have
been in partnership for seven years, but the eon- nection was dissolved this spring (1891), and our subject is now carrying on the lumber business alone. From five hundred thousand to one million five hundred thousand feet of lumber has been manufactured yearly, nearly all pine. But little is sold at retail. Mr. Green has the plant for dress- ing lumber, and ships a great deal in this form.
Joshua D. Green, the father of our subject, was born in New York in 1830 and came to this county when a young man. He engaged in milling and became the owner of considerable land, mostly in the forest, and followed lumbering until his death. He did some agricultural work but gave his prin- cipal attention to the preparation of timber for the market; he died in 1868, when comparatively young. His father, Samuel Green, had come 'o this State and died here. Joshua Green married Martha Shirts, a native of this State, who is still living. They had but two children, the sons above named.
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