USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 16
USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 16
USA > Michigan > Tuscola County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 16
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joet were passed in Macomb County and in 1872 he began learning the cooper's trade which he fol- lowed for some nine years and was foreman for live years in U. M. Bradley's shop in Bay City. Besides the fair education which was given him by his parents he las pursued a course of reading which has kept him well-informed upon the sub- joet- of the day.
Mr. Hodges was visiting in Wisconsin in 1861 when President Lincoln's last call was made for one hundred days' troops and he enlisted in Com- piny E, Forty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry, and became a part of the Western Army, being stationed at Nashville and Tullahoma, doing camp and guard duty. His honoralde discharge was granted Sep- tember 13, 1865. after which he returned to Michi- gan and has resided here since that time. He re- ceiver a pension of SE a month on account of his services in the army. He was married in Holly, March 25, 1871 to Elizabeth Belford, who has be- come the mother of live children; Flora (., Ed- ward B., Carroll A., Harrison, and Eva E. deceased. In the spring of 1878 he came to Genesce County, and settled upon the farm where he now resides and a view of which appears in this volume. He owns one hundred and twenty aeres of land under good cultivation.
The political views of Mr. Hodges are mainly in accordance with the declaration and platform of the Republican party and in local movements he is ever counted upon to assist in developing the re- sources of the township and in establishing insti- tutions which will be a benefit to the community. He is now serving his third termas Highway Com- missioner of the township and in all his business concerns is meeting with success and enjoys the confidence of the community. Both he and his excellent wife are highly esteemed members of society.
At a very early day our subject came to Michi- gan being lut two years old when his parents AVID WINGET lives on a good farm on section 16. Flint Township, Genere County. He was born in Phelps, Ontario County, N. Y., April 3, 1821, and when six brought him to Port Huron, whener they soon after moved to Macont County. There the father died in 1807 but the mother, who still survives, resides in Tennessee. Most of the early days of our sub- ( years of age was taken by his parents; Caleb mind
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RESIDENCE & FARM OF H. A. HODGES, SEC.31. GRAND BLANC TP., GENESEE CO., MICH.
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RESIDENCE OF DAVID WINGET, SEC. 16. , FLINT TP., GENESEE CO. , MICH.
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Mary ( Farris) Winget to their new home in Wayne County, N. Y. They settled in Sodus Township, where our subject was reared and educated, remain- ing there until he was twenty-four or twenty-live years of age. He was early trained in the economic principles of agricultural life, although while liv- ing in Sodus he worked at coopering for about three years; aside from that he has always been engaged in farming and in breeding stock.
After leaving Sodus, our subjeet settled in Huron, Wayne County, N. Y., and lived there un- til the spring of 1851, when he came to Conesce County and settled in the township of Mundy. There be purchased a farm upon which he resided until the spring of 1883, when he sold out his place and bought where he now lives in Flint Township. Mr. Winget has been an important factor in clear- ing up and improving the land in Mundy Town- ship, and has made valuable changes, individually nud in company with others. He has a first-class series of buildings upon his farm, which comprises one hundred and sixty-three acres, and each de- partment of the place is thoroughly developed. He has time orchards and his stock is of the best grades.
Our subject was married in Wayne County, N. Y., February 15, 1813, to Miss Lucy Abbott, who was born in Galen, of the sumne locality, June 13, 1821. Her parents were John and derusha ( Babbitt) Ab- hott, who died in the place where the daughter was horn. Our subject's father passed away in bodus, N. Y .; his mother died in Mundy Township. Mr. and Mrs. Winget are the parents of nine children, whose names are Elma, Sarah, Almira, Henry, Cath- erine, Frances, Jerusha, Maxwell D. and Hattie. Elma, Sarah and Mmira died at the ages respee- tively of fifteen, seventeen and twenty-eight years. Amira was the wife of Albert Ives; Henry and Catherine died in infancy; Frances is the wife of Ira F. Wright; derusha is the wife of Everette Mecker; Hattie passed away when eighteen years of age; and Maxwell D. was killed by the bursting of a balance wheel, while cutting corn stalks.
Mr. Winget has served as Justice of the Peace in Mundy Township for two terms, and has also been conspicuous in school matters. He is a strong Re- publican politically, and takes an netive part in all local affairs. His attention however is rhiety or-
cupied by his farm work, and the result of his "forts is that he owns one of the finest estates in the county. A view of his place with its principal buildings appears on another page.
IX M. WAIN. This public-spirited and highly esteemed citizen of Grand Blanc Township, Genesee County, who enjoys to a marked degree the confidence of his fellow-men, and who has a fine tract of eighty Heres of rich and well-cultivated land, upon which he carries farming and stock-raising, is a native of this county and was born September 2, 1852. His parents. Theodore B. and Mary (. MeWain, were both natives of New York State. the former of White Creek, Washington County, and brought their family to Pembroke, Renesce County. in 1850, settling in a log cabin, which has been torn down for several years.
The father cleared and cultivated his land dur- ing the summers and taught winters and was one of the first teachers in the township. Four of his seven children are living, viz: Mix. Asa; Dora, the wife of John D. Barton, and Willie J. The mother died January 21, 1885, but the father is still living and has served for two terms a- su- pervisor of Grand Blane Township and also as Justice of the Peace. He is a Demoerat in his po- litical view- and is now in his sixty-seventh year.
Mix MeWain has from his youth been practic- ally engaged in farming, and he received his edu- ration in the district schools of Grand Blane Township and afterward attended for several terms the Flint High School. He subsequently taught for a number of terms, doing good work in this line.
Our subject was married December 17, 1876, to Florence L. Brainerd, a native of Grand Blanc Township and a daughter of Girden and Elvira (Woodwrath) Brainerd, natives of New York and Vermont respectively, both now deceased, To them has been born ope son, Charter I., who came to them October 20, 1886. He of whom we
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write is a self-made man in the sense of having worked out his own fortunes and having achieved his own education with but little help from others. He is earnestly in favor of all movements which favor the social and industrial progress of the township, and is a Prohibitionist in his political views.
RS. SALLY ANN (RULISON) FISH, A. B. This prominent lady well known through- out Michigan as the publisher of the Mis- sionary Lesson Leaf and Foreign Mission Fields, was born in Evans Mills, Jefferson County, N. Y., and is a daughter of Charles Rulison. He came to Michigan in la19 but died soon after his arrival January 7, 1850, at the age of forty-four. He was an carnest Abolitionist even at that carly day. His wife, Margaretta Swanberg, was born in Philadelphia in 1808, and was a daughter of John 6. Swanberg, a blacksmith, who afterward went to sea for his health, but died in Philadelphia during the War of 1812. His wife, Mary Wright, was born in Pennsylvania and her father was a native ; of London, England and settled in Pennsylvania. After the death of Mrs. Fish's father her mother brought up the family, and she still resides in Flint. Of her six children this daughter is the eldest, and the oldest son, Cornelius E., served for three years in the second Michigan Infantry. He received serious injuries and suffered much from wounds, and after the war became a practicing physician and died at Flushing in 1890, The ste- ond son, Herman ti., enlisted in the Seventh Michi- gan Artillery in 1861 and died from sickness dur- ing his term of service. Charles W. now resides in Flint and John and Mary died in carly child- hood.
The lady of whom we write had her early train- ing in New York and until she was past fifteen years old attended school, studying at a select school in Theresa, N. Y. and continued her studies after she came West. At the age of sixteen she began teaching and in 1857 entered Albion Col- lege, graduating therefrom in June, 1859, with
the degree of Bachelor of Sciences. For about three years she taught at various points and about the year 1870 she began organizing missionary societies in Michigan, and established about one half the societies in the State which are under the care of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
After carrying on this good work with great ability for a number of years this able lady then beenme assistant editor of the Michigan Christian Advocate at Detroit, where she resided for three Years.
Returning to Flint Miss Rutison gave attention to Temperance work, being an ardent member of the Woman's Christian Temperance I'nion and State secretary for one year. She began editing n small temperance paper entitled Our State Union, and in August. 1885, undertook the publication of the Missionary Lesson Leaf, to which work she added m 1889 the Foreign Mission Fields, which have a circulation in nearly every State in the I'nion.
The union of this lady in marriage, June 22, 1881 with Dr. G. W. Fish brought her into com- panionship with one of the noblest men of Flint. He was born in Kortwright, N. Y. in 1816, and received his education in the East, beginning the practice of medicine in Pennsylvania, marrying there in 1838, Octavia Mowry, and coming with her the following year to Flint, which was an al- most unbroken wilderness. He carried on n pio- neer practice until 1817 or 1818 at which time his health faded and going North he served the Und- son Bay Fur Company for a short time as phy's- ician.
A year later the Doctor went South and prac- tired his profession at Asjanwall and Panama and in 1859 visited China. While at Shanghai in 1860 he was acting Consul at Ningpo. The breaking out of the Civil War in the I'nited States, caused the Doctor to discontinue his residence in China and he returned to New York in June, 1862, lav- ing made the entire circuit of the globe.
Entering the army as Surgeon of the Michigan Cavalry the Doctor took part in the campaigns of Rosecrans, Thomas and Sherman, acting most of the time as Brigade Surgeon, and for nearly three yes . r .. in active service. At the close of the
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war he returned to Michigan and served his State as State Senator and Collector of Internal Revenue.
The dire disease, consumption, had entered his household and a son and daughter were taken from the home circle. Their mother soon followed and the bereaved husband and father, who was ap- pointed Consul to Tunis, Africa, went abroad, taking with him Ins only remaining daughter, who was also failing in health.
After his return from this foreign residence Dr. Fish was united in marriage with the subject of our sketch and with her remained at home until his death. He was a man of clear and vigorous mind, of broad experience and a writer of merit, being a contributor to various periodicals of note. His death occurred September 19, 1885 and he was deeply mourned throughout the community. The Doctor was a stanch Republican and assisted in organizing the Republican party at Jackson.
Mrs. Fish was elected with two other ladies members of the Board of Education of the City of Flint in 1883, in which office she served for two years, and they have the honorable distinction of being the first women to be elected to such an office in the State. She is a believer in the right of woman's suffrage and a worker in the cause of prohibition.
AMES HAMILTON. Arrived in the jour- ney of life at the white mountains of expe- rience, from which he can look back over the years that are fraught with lessons in which pleasure and pain, usefulness, labor and results are strangely mingled, it would seem that a man is but just prepared to live, and who knows Inuit what it is a school, this life of changing and varying shades of happiness and unhappiness, fit- ting the soul for its after life. He of whom we write is one having these advantages of age mid experience, now a resident of Atlas Township. Cioneser County, having a farm on section Is, of the same. Our subject is a native of the North of Ireland and was born in June, 1820.
Janus Hamilton is a son of William and Eliza-
beth (MeDole) Hamilton, but is said to be of Scotch descent. He lost his father when about nine years of age, and when in his fourteenth year came with his brother-in-law. Alexander Downey, to America, taking passage on a sailing-vessel from Belfast, and after a voyage extending from April 23 until July 6, he arrived at Quebee, later going to Montreal, and thence to Youngstown, N. Y., arriving there July 6. From there he went to tieneser County, N. Y., and for several years worked on a farm. In 1837 he emigrated to Michigan, coming hither by water. le first took up forty acres of land in Oakland County, where he resided several years and cleared a por- tion of his purchase.
Our subject was first married to Margaret Lob- ban, a native of Scotland. Their nuptials were solommized in 1816. By this mion he beenme the father of four children, who are: Matilda, Mrs. Junius Sanford; John; Elizabeth, Mrs. Thomas Collins, and James. Some time after the dercase of his first wife our subject was again married, his wife being Mary Collins, a native of Cayuga County, N. Y., and born May 1. 1831. She is a daughter of William and Diana ( Larue) Collins. She came with her parents to Genesce County in 1836, and settled in Grand Blanc Township. Her father survived several years after locating here and her mother died quite recently.
By his second union our subject became the father of three surviving children, viz: Maggie, Mrs. Fred Dickerson; Jenna, Mrs. Fred E. Gale, and Mimmie. About 1817 our subject came to Genesee County and settled on his present farm, building a log cabin in the woods. That con- tinned to be their home for some little time, and he fater built the house in which he lives at the present time. As a pioneer he underwent with his family the hardships usual to the life of an early settler. He owns a good farm of eighty arres, which is highly productive.
Our subject has served as Highway Commis- sioner for three years, and for many years he served on the School Board in his district, hay- ing hold the office of Director for fifteen sucre- sive yours. He is a Democrat in politics, and li,
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with his wife, holds a high place in the social hte of the community. They have both en- dured much hardship, and now are enjoying the fruits of their early labors. To the youth of today it seems hardly probable in viewing the highly cultivated state of the country that it was almost impossible to use horses, and that four or more yoke of osen were necessary in breaking up the land. Mr. Hamilton is a well-known man throughout the county and is esteemed among the commercial fraternity as one whose ideas of business are clear and well defined.
G EORGE D. MARTIN. This well-known citi- zen of Dayton Township, Tuscola County. was born in isto in Oneida County, N. Y., and is a son of Martin and Louisa Martin. Mar- tin Martin was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, in 1796, and there received the usual education and drill provided for the sons of fier- mans and was able to read and write in two lan. guage. He also served an apprenticeship to a shoemaker and worked at this trade until he came to America which was in the year 1838. He then located in Ouvida County, N. Y., upon a farm, and there our subject was born and the family remained until 1850.
At that time Martin Martin removed to Haldi- mand County, Canada, and spent the remainder of his life in that vicinity, dying there in 1851. Hi- wife, Louisa Claveman, is the daughter of Ernest and Sally Placeman, the father being a Prussian and the mother a native of Savons. Sis of the seventeen children born to the parents of out sub- jest are now living, namely: Henry. Hannah (now the wife of Henry Weaver), Louisa ( Mrs. Jacob Shible), George D., Godfrey, and Harriet ( Mrs. George Yanıt).
The father of our subject was the smallest in physique of three brothers and be measured six leet three inches in his stocking feel. He was for seven years in the German army where he served the Government faithfully and was a son of Philip. Martin, a Prussian showmaker, and a grandson off
Casper Martin. This ancestor's name was origi- wally Church and was changed during the French and German wars of the sixteenth century.
When only fourteen years old, George Martin devolod himmel to acquiring the trade of a show- maker and served an apprenticeship of four years, after which he followed that trade for some fifteen years. It was in 1863 that he located in Michigan and three years later he settled on the farm which is now his home. Here he devoted himself for several winters to working at his trade while carry- ing on agriculture during the summer seasons, but of fate years he has given his entire energy to farm work. He now has one hundred and sixty aeres and fully one-half of this property is in an improved condition and producing large and line
The marriage of George Martin and Triphena F'. Shoop, daughter of Jacob and Amarilla (Suther- land) Shoup, took place March 17, 1862, and this happy marriage has resulted in the birth of seven duldren, two of whom died in carly infancy, and Jacob E. was killed in July, 1890, by a railroad accident. Arminda C. is now the wife of Tunis R. Kice, and Edith E. has married Charles Clinesmith, while Emma L. and Sarah C. are still beneath the parental roof. The Free-Will Baptist Church of the neighborhood is the one with which Mr. and Mrs. Martin are prominently identified and our subject is also a member of the Mayville Lodge, No. 391. F. A. A. M.
GUN G. MATHEWSON. This representa- tive member of an honored and highly esteemed family of Mundy Township, Gen- sve County, has his home on section 15. He was born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., in the village of Franklinville, and was only two years old when his parents, John C. and Caroline ( Me- Chure) Mathewson, decided to leave the East and seek new opportunities for usefulness and prosper- its in the West. They believed that by coming to Michigan they could provide better advantages in many ways for their children, and give them a
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more sure opportunity for attaining prosperity in the future, and in this they were not disappointed.
On coming to fiender County, there parents made their home in Mundy Township and upon their farm John received training in the practical work of a farmer's boy and took his education in the district schools. He early chose agriculture as his life calling and has pursued it through all the years since be reached his manhood, making his home always in Mundy Township, where he owns eighty acres of as line land as is to be found within the bounds of tieneer County. Much of this land was unimproved when he took it, and he has accomplished a large work here.
The doctrine, and policy which are announced by the Republican party, commend themselves to the judgment of Mr. Mathewson and he always votes the ticket of that party. He ever take- an active interest in the educational affairs of the neighborhood, and has held several of the school olliees. Like all the members of the father's faul- dy he is pubdie spirited and ever ready to lend a hand to promote the social, industrial and business interests of the township.
G FORGE L. BOOMER. He who represents the present generation of the Boomer family in Flint is the subject of this sketch. In his per- somal busines her in charge of the painting depart- ment of the carriage works in this city and in his pub- lic life he is Aderman of the Fourth Ward. He be- longs to one of the oldest families in the city and one that has ever distinguished itself in public- spirited and enterprising directions, Mr. Boomer was born in Flint Township, January 8. 1853. He. is the son of William and Emily ( Phillips) Boomer. Our subject's grandfather, Benjamin B omer, was for many years a sailor on the lakes and served as captain of his own boat. He brought his family here about Isjo and located on a farm in the township where he died.
Our subject's father was a young man on coming
to this locality. He became engaged in stock- dealing, buying from the farmers in this vicinity and finding his market in Detroit. This he found to be a lucrative business. For convenience in his trade be located in Flint, in 1856. In 1885 he removed to Bloomfield, Oakland County, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. where he still resides. Our subject's mother is a daughter of Lysander Phillips. She was born in Niagara County, N. Y., in 1826. Her father came to Michigan and was with Monza Torrey on his trip from Detroit. He located a new farm which he improved and there died at the age of fifty-six years.
Our subject was reared in thiscity and graduated from the High School in 1869. He was then engaged as a clerk in a grocery store for several years, and later learning the painter's trade he has since devoted himself to it. In this be entered the employ of W. A. Patterson and was soon placed in the show room as sale-man. He was also sent out on the road on several trips, remaining with that employer for ten years. He then par- chased a meat market on Asylum Street which he ran for about two years, and m 1890 took his pres- ent position.
Mr. Boomer has a pleasant residence located at No. 507 Asylum street. He was married in Flint. December 22. 1871. to Miss Sarah 11. Kendall, a native of tiene-se County and a daughter of Jerome B. Kendall, a native of this city. In 1891 our subject was elected Alderman on the Prohibition ticket, having been endorsed to the Republican party, and receiving the largest vole of any of the candidates, He has been Chairman of the Committee on Railroads. He is also ( hairman on the Com- mittee on Building- and Repairing, also of the Water Supply Company, the Sanitary Committee. on street, ale.
Socially he of whom we write belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees. He adheres to the faith in which he was reared and is a member, with his wife, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was one of the organizers of the Fourth Ward Mission Sundayschool and is the Assistant Superintendent. His wife who is a woman of marked ability, is an active member of the Missionary Society, also of
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the Woman's Relief Corps A Prohibitionist in his political principles, our subject never fails to de. clare himself in favor of prohibition.
I.FRED INGALLS is the proprietor of a meat market in the city of Flint. The market is run under the firm name of A. Ingalls & Son, and is located at Nos. 1019- 1023 South Saginaw Street. He is also the con- tractor for a large amount of paving. Mr. Ingalls is an old resident of the city, having been here for eighteen years and during twelve years he has Iwen engaged in work for the city. Our subject was born in tieneste County, May 19, 1811. on a farm in Burton Township, four miles southeast of Flint, the place being known as the old Ingalls farm. His father, James Ingalls, was one of the first settlers of two or three who originally came here.
James Ingalls was born in Genesee County, N. Y. Je there married Miss Melinda Snow and entered a wild farm upon which no improvement had been made. There he lived until his death, which oc- curred in 1861. He was then aged sixty-two years. He was the father of seven sons and two daughter -; they are Lydia, Mrs. M. S. Goodrich; Horace, de- ceased; Benjamin; James; an infant who is de- coved; William; our subject; and Henry, who is deceased; tra and Mary. Our subject's mother
Alfred Ingalls acquired a good education at the district schools and in April 13, 1802, he married Miss Tryphene Lamberton of the same townshipas himself. She is a daughter of Alonzo Lam- berton, one of the early farmers of this section. Our subject began farming for himself and pursued it until twenty years ago, when, because of ill health, he went into the butcher busmess, which he has followed ever since with the exception of the time in which he has been employed by the city. He added a grocery, which he ran for four or tive years, but finally closed. He has spent most of his time as a contractor of street work for the city and
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