USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 3
USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 3
USA > Michigan > Tuscola County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 3
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ing back to this State, and purchased a farm in i he was born there in 1810, and there remained Grand Blanc Township. He resided upon this for f until he came to Michigan in 18:18, first locating many years and then retired from the netive life of agriculture and settled in the village of Grand Blane. in Livingston County, thence coming to Gene- see County, offeeling an exchange of property between his Livingston farm and this one where his son now resides. He was well known through- 1 out the county as a fine judge of horses, and he was an extensive dealer in them besides doing general farming. He died April 16,1890, and was the son of Howland Russell, a native of Massa- chusetts. He was a Democrat in his political views and held various local offices.
Our subject was married September 27, 1853, to Miss Harriet W. MeFarien, daughter of Joseph and Eveline MeFarten. Her parents settled in Grand Blanc Township in 1828, where she was born July 31, 1830, being the fourth white child born in this county, and at the present time the oldest living white person born in this county. Her parents are still living and are among the oldest and most respected pioneers of the county, the father being ninety-three years of age and the mother ninety. Our subject has occupied various official positions in this township. He has been Treasurer and has held the office of Justice of the Peace for a quarter of a century. During the stormy period of the late war he was a member of the State Legislature, which, because of the trouble, convened for two extra sessions. During his service in this capacity he was Chairman of the Military Committee. He is a Republican in poli- tics, and socially has been identified with the Ma- sonic fraternity. He owns three hundred and sixty acres of fine land, besides valuable village property. Mr. Davis is abreast of the times in all the advanced ideas of the day. and the biographer found him to be a well-informed and interesting gentleman with an exceeding interesting store of pioneer history which he relates in a pleasing manner.
E DWIN A. RUSSELL. Stock-raising is one of the prominent industries of Michigan, and it is with interest we record the life story of one who has made this branch of agrienl- ture quite notable in Genesee Township, Genesee County. Mr. Russell, whose fine farm is situated on' section 30, was born on the farm where he now resides June 25, 1818. Rensselaer County, N. Y,, is the native home of his father, JI, C, Russell, and
Eliza A. Lane was the maiden name of the mother of our subject, and she was born in York- town, N. Y., November 18, 1817, and is still liv- ing. Her father, A. C. Lane, a Connecticut man, was born March 30, 1788, and her mother, Ellis Scofield, had hernativity in North Sanford County, Conn., October 21, 1791. The mother of our sub- ject is now seventy-four years old. The Russell family traces its lineage back to an English repre- sentative of the family.
The earliest schooling of our subject was in the district schools of his native place and he finished his studies at. Flint, Mich., remaining with his fa- ther until he had reached the age of twenty-five years, when he started in the stock business on a small scale, which he has augmented from time to time until he is now one of the largest stock- dealers in the country. In 1889 he had one hun- dred head of horses feeding on his farm, and he took some fine horses to Oregon, bringing back four carloads of Oregon horses. He bought shelled corn by the carload to feed them, and sold sixty- five head in one day at an auction, the largest auction sale of horses ever made in one day in the county -- this was in February, 1889. He handles as many as live thousand sheep during one sen- son, while at the same time he ships horses and cattle, and sold one horse this year for $1,000. Upon his one hundred and lifty acres of well- improved land he is doing a general farming husi- ness. He also has mining stock in Colorado, near Georgetown.
Mr. Russell was married April 28, 1871, to Mary M. Selleck, daughter of Anmes Selleck, of Oakland County. This ludy was born November 30, 1851,
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and is the mother of two children -- Mabel and James Floyd. Mr. Russel is a Democrat in his politier and was Township Treasurer for two years and School Director for two years. He is a mem- ber of the Free and Accepted Misons and of the Royal Areanun.
M YRON COLLINS. This representativo far- mer, whose home is on section 1, Genesee Township, Genesee County, is a native of the Empire State, where he was born in Sodus Township, Wayne County, March 4, 1835. Hiram Collins, his father, was born and bred in the Green Mountain State, where he carried on his business of shoemaking, and where the mother, Laura Blood, was also born and brought up. Wayne County, N. Y., was the scene of their mar- ringe, and there they hved and died, the father at the age of forty years, in 1843, and the mother at the age of eighty-six. Three of their four chil- dren grew to manhood.
The subject of this sketch was the second son in this family and in his native town he received his education, remaining with his mother until the breaking out of the late war, when he entered Com- pany E, One Hundred and Eleventh New York Infantry, in 1862. He was in the battle of Get- tysburg and all through that campaign, being . wounded at the battle of Petersburg. His honor- able discharge was received at Syracuse in June, 1865, and he then returned to his native place.
The marriage of Myron Collins and Annie Land- ley took place in Wayne County, July 2, 1858. Mrs. Collins is a native of England, being born in Yorkshire, but has spent most of her life in this country. They came to Michigan in 1869, and rented a small farm Mt. Morris Township, Genesce County, upon which they remained for seven years, at the end of which time they purchased a farm in the same township, and upon it they re -. sided for eight years, selling that property in 1881, and buying the eighty on the section where they now live. The two sons of this marriage are Hiram and Elmer, both at home.
The house into which Mr. Collins moved on coming to his present home was destroyed by fire in 1890, and he at once proceeded to creet a new abode, a pleasant and attractive house, which cost him some $1,100. Here he carries on general farming and keeps his land in a good state of cultivation, having excellent crops thereon. He is a Republican in his political views and his war experiences have brought him into the Grand Army of the Republic, belonging to that orgamz- ation at Mt. Morris. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at that place, in the work of which he takes an active part and is a lib. eral contributor to every good cause.
E EDWARD GRANT BECKERSON resides in the village of Vassar, where he conducts a thriving business, owning a large livery and sales stable. He is the son of Myers and Cath- erine (Moulton) Beckerson, natives of Daldimand County, Canada, where the subject of this sketch was also born February 6, 1864. He was reared on the farm and early began to realize that this is n workaday world, for in boyhood he was en- gaged in farm labor for his neighbors, at the same time assisting his father, with whom he re- mained until reaching his majority.
In 1885 our subject came to Tuscola County, Mich., and entered the employ of a Mr. Went- worth, for whom he worked one year. He was then employed by Townsend North, Esq., as fore- man of his large farm in Denmark Township. Mr. North died in 1889, but our subject continued his supervision of the place for the widow until the summer of 1891, when he bought out the stable that he now owns. He is already doing a very prosperous business.
February 23, 1886, Mr. Beckerson was happily married to Mrs. Lizzie Stahl, widow of George Stahl, and a native of the State of Maine. This union has been blest by the advent of one son, Basil, who was born September 23, 1889. Mrs. Becker- son had ono son by her former marriage-Elmer, who is deceased, In politics Mr, Beckerson is
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conservative. Socially he is a member of Tent No. 66, K. O. T. M., of Vassar. He is an estimable young man, whose faithfulness to others is the best indiention of his thorough work for himself.
EVI H. READ was born November 17, 1810, in Warren County, N. I. His father was Richard Read, also a native of New Jersey as was his mother, Rebecca (Howell) Read. The elder Read served in the War of 1812. By occupation he was a farmer. The father and mother are both deceased. They were the parents of twelve children.
Our subject has always been a farmer. He was reared upon the farm and began for himself in that business at the age of twenty-one. At the age of thirty years, and while unmarried, he re- moved to Michigan, in 1837, and settled in Ma- comb County, where he remained for three or four years. Part of the time, however, he spent in Oakland County, working by the month. He then settled upon a farm of one hundred acres in part- nership with his brother in Orion Township, Oak- land County. There were very meagre improve- ments upon this place at that tune, ten aeres of it only having been broken, upon which there was a log house. He was married, February 18. 1811; to Miss Elizabeth Perry, daughter of John and Eleanor (Miller) Perry, both natives of New ler- sey, where they married and resided on a farm until they came to Michigan in 1821. Mrs. Read's father was born April 4, 1793, and her mother February 9, 1798. Mr. Verry settled in 1831 in Orion Township, on an improved farm of eighty acres. He was a prominent farmer, true to his New Jersey training and very successful. He died September 29, 1840. His wife followed him soon afterward. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, tive of whom are now living. Mrs. Reed was born September 20, 1821. Immediately after her marriage to Mr. Read they settled on his farm in Orion Township. He improved the place and afterward removed to Immpeer County in 1860,
und in 1861 settled on this farm, which was all wild land, heavy timber, and with no improve- ments whatever, but nothing daunted, he set to work with a will, first building a frame house The farm then consisted of one hundred and sixty-seven neres. He now owns n line property of two hundred and seven neres, nearly all in- proved. Mr. and Mrs. Read are the parents of live children, four of whom are now living: Ira, born in 1812; Jane was born in 1815, and is the wife of James Reed; they live in Lapeer Town- ship and are not blessed with any children. Elamor was born in 1817, and is the wife of Alexander Bain; they live at Mayville and have three chil- dren; Annie, born in 1857, is the wife of John Jones; they live in Lapeer Township, but have uochildren, Mrs. Read is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church at Metamora. Her chil- dren have all been well educated. Ira taught school at the age of seventeen. He is now Master of the tirange and also Secretary of the Knights of the Maccabees. He is also a Road Overseer.
Our subject has been a prominent member of the School Board and in politie, was origin- ally a Whig, but later became a Republican. He has now retired from active farming. The ohl couple are enjoying good health, with the prospect of a peaceful old age. As an idea of the rapid progress made in traveling facilities in these latter day's it may be stated that when John Perry came to Michigan they traveled. all ;the way from New Jersey by wagon, spending four weeks on the journey; while our subject came here by canal, and then by steamer to Detroit.
OIN W. DAVISON is a prominent and representative pioneer of Grand Blanc Township, Genesee County, residing on sec- tion t. Ile is a native of Livingston County, N. Y., where he was born December 6, 1830, his parents being Jonathan and Agnes N. (Gibson) Davison, both being natives of the Em- pire State. His ancestors on the paternal side were of Scotch-Irish stock and, indeed, also on the
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maternal side. He takes great pride in the fact that his Grandfather Davison was a Revolution- ary soldier, being a Fife Major in the Continental army, and his father was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Jonathan Davison with his family emigrated to Genesce County in 1831, coming vin the lake to Detroit, and thence to Genese County with no ox team. On coming to this township he pur- chased the land upon which our subject now lives, paying the Government $1.25 per acre for the one. Their first habitation in this locality was a board shanty which was built out in the woods. The family lived in this for several years and then built a better home. Our subject's father was a carpenter and builder by trade and found plenty of employment in those early days. His decease. occurred in 1865, his wife having preceded him by n number of years. her death having taken place in 1850. In their decease the county lost two of her first and best pioneers. People who had inbred strength of purpose and tenacity of fibre, they are well titted to cope with the chileul- ties of that nebulous social period and to look for- ward to n time when advantages that they were envious of for their own children should be free to those of another day. They were the parents of four children, three of whom are living at the present time: Catherine, John W. and Andrew J.
The principles of the Democratic party in its purity were these held by our subject's father. He endured all the hardships incident to pioneer life, and on first coming here was obliged to go to Pontiac with an ox-team for grist, following a Indian trail, John W., our subject, was surrounded with the influences above described and naturally the sturdier elements of his nature were devel- oped, for there was no luxury to pamper any of- feminate tendencies at that time.
Our subject assisted his father in clearing up the farm upon which he now lives, breaking the ground at an curly day with an ox-team. He re- ceived the advantages to be had in the carly dis- trist schools of thrand Blaue Township, On reach- ing manhood he was united in marriage, November 7. 1855, with Hannah W. Foote, who was born May 21, 1834, in Livingston County, N, Y, When tey
years of age she came to Genesce County, this State, with her parents. The head of her family is now deceased, and her mother, an octogenarian, who has passed an eventful and useful life, makes her home at Flint and is still hale and vigorous for one of her age. She does not use
Our subject is the father of one son, Irwin L., a youth of whom the parents are very proud. He owns n line .farm of eighty acres with an excel- lent residence and good barns and other improve- ments. He is one of the best farmers in the county. ! 1851 our subject started out in the carpen- ter and joiner's trade, and followed it for many years in connection with farming. He frequently had from two to five mechanics in his employ. He now devotes much attention to raising fine Jersey cattle. Mr. Divison is a Democrat in poli- ties, and he and his wife are enthusiastic workers in whatever promises to be for the advantage of the county.
ETH W. PIERSON. Thus genial and pop- ular citizen of Fenton, who has become prominent in agricultural and social cir- cles, comes of a family distinguished for longevity, being descended from Henry Pierson, who came with two brothers from Southampton, England about the year 1700. He is a man of in- telligener and uprightness and one whose influence is powerful for the upholding of true standards of living, and whose genuine culture has made its mark upon the community. He was born in Atlas Township, Genesce County, June 8, 1839, and his father, John K. Pierson, who was born in West" Avon, Livingston County, N. Y. in 1810, came as a farmer to Michigan in 1836, settling on a quarter section of land in Atlas Township, the deed to which was signed by President Jackson. His father land emigrated to Canada in 1823, and set- Hled near the city of Brantford, which then con- sisted of but one house, and where there was nt that time an Indian reservation occupled by a remnant of the Six Nations, There John Pierson
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grew to manhood and thence he journeyed by ox- team to Michigan being fourteen days on the road, thus making his way through the unbroken forest, and establishing himself at the end of the journey in a log house which he erected. The wolves were then numerous and often made attempts to enter this humble home. Upon this place this repre- sentative and true-hearted pioneer lived for tifty- three years, dying January 13, 1889. He was a man of high moral standing and strong Christian character, and exerted a powerful influence in the community. He was an active promoter of every- thing pertaining to the agricultural matters of the township and was much interested in the improve- , ment of stock.
The grandfather of our subject, David Pierson, was born in Connecticut and removed thenee to New York and afterward to Canada where he died. He served in the War of 1812. Roby Weston, the mother of our subject, was born in Hamburg, N. Y., and was a daughter of Seth Weston, a native of New Hampshire whose father was an Englishman by birth and a member of the English navy. The mother is still living on the old farm in Atlas Township, and of her nine chil- dren only one has died and that one passed away in infancy.
The log schoolhouse furnished the elementary education of our subject and at the age of eighteen he entered for a course of two years the Clarkston Academy, which was then under the charge of Prof. Isaac B. Cochran. At the age of nineteen he began teaching and pursued this calling for nine yours, and in 1856 he entered Oberlin College where he studied for a year, and in 1885 took a commercial course at Albion. The graded schools of Bangor, Bay County, were under his charge in 1866 and 1867, and the succeeding fall be pur- chased the farm on section 19, Fenton Township, where he now resides, and which has since been his home with the exception of three years which he spent in Holly, Oakland County, in the produce business.
Frances M. Nichols, daughter of Jumes B. Nichols, of New York, became the wife of Mr. Pierson in 1866. This lady received her higher education in the High School of Albion and also
studied in the Commercial College there and after- ward taught for several terms. They have never been blessed with children of their own and after living in solitude for over twenty years they in 1887 took a family of four children where parents had both died and whose father, James (. Nichols. was a brother of Mis. Pierson. At the time of their adoption the eldest was nine years old and the youngest, four.
Mr. Pierson has taken an active part in local Democratie movements, being influential in county. District and State conventions although he has never aspired to any official position. He is a member of the Linden School Board of which he has been its President for several years and has taken an netive interest in all educational move- ments. For several years he has been a member of the Village Council and is now its President and has been School Inspector of the township. His line traet of one hundred and eighty acres les in-" side the corporation of Linden. He has bought and shipped a great deal of stock to Detroit and Buffalo, and has given some attention to shipping produce but not extensively. He began life with limited means and worked his own way to attain a good education. He has been the local corres- pondent for the Flint Democrat. Besides his pro- perty in Linden, he has also fifty-three avres in Atlas Township.
ILLIAM 1. LOOKS. Our subject, who resides on a tine farm on section 9, in La- peer Township, comes of a sturdy stock, . his father, William II. Louks, a native of Ontario, Canada, having been a farmer and a lumberman to whom weather in its severity in the North and hardships were small considerations in the sum total of life. Our subject's mother is Agues (Gray) Louks, n native of New York. They were married in Canada and resided in Ontario until coming to Michigan in 1881, when they settled on the farm upon which our subject now lives.
Our subject's father carried on a farm and united
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with it the lumbering business in Otsego County, this State; he died at the age of fifty-nine years, December 25, 1887. Di subject's mother still survives and makes her home with her daughter. They were the parents of five children, whose names are as follows: Adam G., Jennie, Ella, our subject, and Mary. Adam lives at Newberry, Mich .; Jeunic, who is Mrs. Dr. N. R. Gilbert, re. sides in W. Bay City; Ella is Mrs. Walter Watt and also lives in W. Bay City; Mary, who married Charles Rood, lives in Mayfield Township, Lapeer County.
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Our subjeet's parents were active workers in the Presbyterian Church and were good and enterpris- ? ing citizens. The father was a Republican in his political belief. Our subject was born April 8, 1861, in Ontario, Canada, where he received a practical and business education, finishing his course in La- peer. He remained at home until the death of his father and since that time has carried on the farm, which comprises four hundred and forty acres of land, three hundred and twenty arres of which are under cultivation. He here curries on general farming, giving much attention to stock-raising, having some very fine animals, He makes a spe- cialty of standard-bred trotters, having commenced this last-named interest three years since. He aby buys and sells roadsters and coach horses.
At the head of our subject's stud is "Onward," which was bred in Lexington, Ky., a cherry bay which was sired by "Onward," who had a record of 2:251, dam "Lyda Bassett," who has a record of 2:201. It is now six years old and is remarkable for its beauty as well as its speed. The next in his stud of which he is proud 'is " Marquis," a bright luty horse sired by "Edward Everett" dam "Mil- dred," of Hambletonian stock. Mr. Looks' next pride in horse-flesh is his "Hardwood Chief." a seal brown, sired by " Hard wood," whose record is 2:211, dam "Belle S.," by "Swigert." The cattle which our subject has upon his farm are all Jerseys and of the finest stock.
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September 11, 18XX the original of our sketch was united in marringe to Miss Neva E. Vincent, a daughter of James 11. Vincent, of Lapeer. Mrs. Looks was born August 1, 1866, in this township. She is a graduate of the Lapeer High School, in
which she was also engaged as a Teacher for three yours. She is n highly accomplished lady whose attainments in a musical direction are marked. Both her instrumental and vocal music are of a high order and she has a rich soprano voice. Both our subjeet and his wife are members of the Pres- byterian Church and socially he of whom we write has identified himself with the Knights of Pythins of Lapeer, belonging to the Uniformed Rank. In polities he is a Republican. Mr. Lonks makes ex- hibits of stock in fairs of surrounding counties.
OHN A. WILSON, A prominent pioneer and lending citizen of Atlas Township, Genesce County, resides on section 7. A native of Washington County, V't., he was born No- vember 2, 1825, and is the son of Samuel and Ke- zial (Green) Wilson, both New Englanders. . At the age of eight years he removed with his parents to what is now Wyoming County, N. Y., and there he lost his mother by death. In 1838 he came with his father and other members of the family to Mich- igan.
Samuel Wilson settled in Atlas Township, this county, on the farm now owned by our subject when the land was heavily timbered and entirely uncultivated, and before ronds were opened. Ilis death in 1861 entailed a severe loss upon the com- munity. He was the father of live children, and four of that number are now living, namely: Caro- fine A., now Mrs. Charles MeNeil, of AAthas Town- ship; Clarissa G., who married Edmund Perry, of Davison Township; Ermina G., the widow of C'a- Ich Thompson, of Grand Blanc, Mich., and John A., of this sketch.
Pioneer work employed the energies of our sub- jest in his younger days, and what schooling he and he received in the primitive district schools here, which was supplemented by home inthences and culture, The family resided for a number of years in a log cabin, and in that humble abode they found happiness, and had frequent opportun- ities of dispensing n gracious if not an elegant hos- pitality. John Wilson was married March 11, 1857,
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
In Sarah A. Tyler, and by her he had six children: Esther M., Mary E., Jennie C., Martin T., John A. nnd S. Perry, Mary is a teacher in the public schools at Flint, and dennie is also devoting her energies to the same profession. The eldest daugh- ter and the sons nre at home with their parents.
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