USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 4
USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 4
USA > Michigan > Tuscola County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 4
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A thorough and progressive farmer, Mr. Wilson has a tine property comprising one hundred and fifty-live acres of land, embellished with substan- tinl improvements, the most conspicuous of which is the beautiful residence. A view of this rural home, one of the most attractive in Genesee County, is presented in another portion of this volume. The estate bears witness to the thrift and excellent. judgment of the proprietor, who understands how to produce the very best results from every acre of ground. Although his personal work has closely occupied his attention, he has yet found time to serve the public, and has occupied several official positions, among them serving as Justice of the Peace for eight years. The Farmers' Alliance finds in him an energetic member, while bis political views bring him into affiliation with the Demo- cratie party. As one of the oldest living represen- tatives of the pioneers of Atlas Township, he well deserves prominent mention in this volume which is dediented to the publie-spirited citizens of the county.
OHN 1 .. NICHOLS, who carries on the double vocation of dentist and farmer, has his residence upon his tive form of eighty- tive acres on section 7, Mt. Morris Town- ship, Genesee County. He was born June 21. 1856, in Clayton Township, and is a son of Willis Nichols, a native of Madison County, N. Y. He was born in 1824 and came to Michigan at the age of thirty, settling in Oakland County. In 1856 he removed to the farm where he now lives in Clayton Township. When he came hither the land, both on his farm and all about was still a wilder- ness and be was a long distance from the base of supplies. He used to make maple sugar and on some occasions has curried a lond of it on his back
to Flint, ten miles distant, and traded it for beans winch he brought home in the same manner for family use. His life companion bore the maiden name of Jane M. Benjamin, and was born in De Ruyter, N. Y., in 1826. They are both still living and are very prominent people throughout the social circles of the county, and the father has been quite a public man and a lender in the Democratic ranks.
John Nichols lived at home until he reached the age of seventeen and during his boyhood and youth worked upon the farm and attended to his studies . in the old log schoolhouse. He still cherishes among the mementoes of his childhood prizes which he received for maintaining his place at the head of his class. Uipon first leaving home he attended the Flushing schools for about six months, working meanwhile for his board at. Mr. John Patten's. later he went to Westfield, N. J., and was in the pubhe schools there for about a year and a half and so improved his opportunities as to be able to get a teacher's certificate and taught there for about four months, after which he engaged as ship- ping clerk for Carrollon, Ayers & Co., Broadway. N. Y., remaining with them for a year and a half.
The young man attended the Centennial Ex- position at Philadelphia in 1876 and after that came West and was in the employ at Flushing of Niles & Cotcher, for one year, and then entered a dental office, where, after six months, he bought out the business and carried it on for six months independently. After this he entered the eniploy again of Niles & Cotcher and was with them for five years and then entered the dry-goods firm of Smith, Bridgeman & Co., of Flint, and served them for nearly two years.
Mr. Nichols had previously purchased forty acres of his present farm, which purchase he made in 1878, and two years later he bought an ad- ditional forty and in 1883 he removed onto the farm which has since been his home. He has cleared ad but twenty acres of this land and has erected upon it excellent buildings and done much in the line of tiling, as the farm now has over five hun- dred rods of tile drainage, besides other valuable improvements.
Our subject was married in 1879 to Miss Jenny
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A., daughter of Joseph nud Philinda Brown, of Flushing. This lady was born in the township of Flint and she is the mother of one child-Winifred, who was born May 19, 1883, and is now a bright and interesting child and has begun her school 1
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life. Mr. Nichols has a fine dental practice and is exceptionally successful therein. He has an office in Flushing, where he spends one day each week. and thus accommodates his patients and at the same time carries on his farming operations. In politics he is a Republican.
ATRICK HENRY MCENTEE is a general hardware dealer in Almont, nud was born in Genesee County, N. Y., August 29, 1830. le is a son of Patrick and Mary (Stebbins) MeEnter, the father a native of Monaghan County, in the north of Ireland, his natal day being May 10, 1791. He was brought to America by his parents when thice years of age. Our subject's paternal grandfather, Charles JeEntee, was a visionary man who had wonderful idens regarding emigration to America. He was of u most sanguine temperament and generous to a fault, expected always to find riches to make up for his extravagance. After coming to America he was engaged in saltmaking at a place near where the city of Syracuse now stands, and there he and his wife died in 1806.
Our subject's father grew to manhood in Ulin- ton, Ouvida County, N. Y. He there had but thice months' schooling and was married when very young, his wedding being celebrated March 7, 1815, at the age of twenty-four, his wife and our subject's mother being sixteen. They started the next day for Western New York, where he pur- chased a farm in the woods, his nearest neighbor being twoand a halt miles distant. He was obliged to cut the roads to his place and although he be- came comfortably well-to-do, was never rich, for although he was a hard worker and made much money, his was an open house for all sorts of travelers, taking in colporteurs, singing masters, ministers, priests and school teachers. He was the
father of sixteen children, of whom fourteen grew to maturity, nine of whom became the heads of families, seven living to the present time. The fa- ther of the family died in Genesce County, Muy 19, 1878.
Our subject's father was naturally an agitator on the subject of slavery and kept the Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member, stirred up on the subject. Born and reared in the Catholic faith, after his parents' death he became a Presbyterian and was an ardent worker in that church. He was a Captain of the Sixty-first Regiment of New York Militia and our subject has his commission signed by Gov. De Witt Clinton. He was naturally of a con- troversial disposition and found food for this in the church of which he was a member. He was honest, outspoken and fearless, and although he aroused discussion and opposition, he was generally liked. lle served in the War of 1812 for a period of nine months.
Our subject was reared upon the home farm and received a common-school education. He made an attempt at teaching, but soon gave it up. He left New York when nineteen years of age, in 1819, and located in Utica, Macomb County, N. Y., where he engaged in the manufacture and sale of fanning mills, being thus employed for five years. He then came to Lapeer County, in 1851-55 and engaged in the same business for ten yours. Our . subject was married January 19, 1863, to Miss Sarah Goodrich, of Bruce, Macomb County, N. Y. After quitting the fanning mill business our sub- jest opened up a store in Almont in 1866, which he continued for about three years. He sold this out and opened up a crockery, glassware and jew- elry establishment, of which he was the proprietor tor five years. He then moved to a farm in Ma- comb County and there lived for eight years and in 1886 returned to Almont and opened up his present store.
Our subject is Republican in las political liking but is a Free Soiler of 1852. He has been Super- visor of Almont, also Justice of the Peace and President of the Board of Trustees. Mr. MeEntee claims that it does not run in his family to be even self supporting and says that he would not have heen worth a dollar had it not been for the good
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management of his wife. They have one child, , maining there until her . marriage. Her parents Charles 6. MeEntee, who was born in Almont, No- vember 23. 1865. He is unmarried and in partner. ship with his father, doing much to make the busi- u- successful, as he inherit the business fart and talent of his mother.
C KRISTOPHER C. LAVALLEY. This gen- tleman resides on and owns the farm lo- cated on sections 26 and 27, Flint Town- ship, Genesce County. He was born in Hartland, Niagara County, N. Y., May 19, 1819, and is a son of Christopher and Lydia ( Barnard) Le Val- Iry. The former was probably born in Jefferson County, N. Y., and the latter in Oneida County. They died in Medina, Orleans County, N. Y. They were the parents of four children, who all lived to mature years.
Dur subject was reared on the home farm and was engaged in acquiring hiseducation and in till- ing in the intervals of his school duties with the work incident to farm life until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to Orleans County, N. Y. In the fall of 1812 he came to Genesce County, Mich., and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Flint Township, where he now resides. He "slashed" fifty-two acres during the winter of 1812-13. In the spring of the last- named year he returned to Orleans County, N. Y., and spent the remainder of the year there, coming back to his Michigan farm in fall, and since that date has been a permanent resident here. Agricultural pursuits have always occupied his time and attention, and he is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres of valuable and well- improved land. The best of improvements in the way of buildings have been made upon the place.
Our subject was married in Pontiac, Mich., April 30, 1815, his bride being Miss Harriet E. Derby, who was born in Genere County, N. Y., October 12, 1828. She passed her girlhood days in her native State, coming with her parents to Pontiac when about sixteen years of age. and re-
were AAsa and Jane ( Welding) Derby. Mr. and Mrs. Le Valley are the parents of three children -- Addie J., Hattie and a child who died in infancy. The first-named is the wife of Arthur Nichols; Hattie married J. H. Baker. Mr. Le Valley has ever taken an active interest in local political affairs, and casts his voting influence with the Prohibi- tion party, temperance being with him a funda- mental principle. Mrs. LeValley is an ardent worker in the church, and both are generous sup- porters of the spread of Gospel work. He is a man who has accumulated a handsome property and has done so by his prudent and intelligent oversight, of his business.
In connection with this sketch the reader will notice a lithographie portrait of Mr. Le Valley.
G EORGE F. MEIDLEIN. This German- American citizen of Kingston Township, Tuscola County, was born in 1838 in Wur- temberg, Germany, and is a son of Frederick and Margaret Meidlein, both natives of that land across the sea. The father was born in 1806 and through- out life pursued the vocation of a farmer. llis good wife was brought up to a thorough practical understanding of the same line of work as her fa- ther, George Miller, who was a German farmer.
When about fourteen years of age our subject learned the trade of a baker, but after he came to America he dropped this trade and worked at any employment which he could secure. L'pon first Handling in New York he went to Canada where he made his home at Delhi and after one year removed to Durham where he settled for some five years.
On New Year's Day 1860 Mr. Meidlein bought the home where he now resides but did not at once settle upum it, as he returned to Canada, remaining there until 1866, when he located permanently upon his farm in Kingston Township. He had bought this tract of one hundred and twenty acres from the Government and he chared it all himself, putting it in first-class order and so cultivating it as to make it yield rich and varied crops.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
The marriage of George Meidlein and Abigail Addamson took place in 1861. This lady is a daugh- ter of John and Sarah Addamson, people of Eng- lish birth. To our subject and his wife have been forn eight children, namely: John F., who lives in Roylion; George W., who is at home; Frank .... Mary E., Charles N., Sarah E., James and Eliza .A. Mrs. Meidlein was called from earth on the 21th of December. 1876.
The subject of this sketch has been for two years Supervisor of this township, and has also held the office of Treasurer for the same length of time, besides many other local township offices. He is a member of Newberry Lodge No. 216, 1. 0. 0. F., and is an active member of the Lutheran Church.
DEL PALMERLEE. A worthy represen- tative of a family that has been connected with many eminent people, our subject is a resident on a fine farm located on section 31 of Lapeer Township. Lapeer County. Mr. Palmerive y a son of Asa and latey (Seward) Pal- merlee, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New York. The mother was a distant relative of William Seward, who so distinguished himself during the administration of President Lincoln; and her father was Colonel Stephen Seward. a prominent man in Cataraugus County, New York. She was also a cousin of Mrs. Eliza Garfield, mother of President James A. Garfield.
Our subject's father, who was a clothier and a carder and dresser of cloth by profesion, removed to New York when a young man and there pursued his calling; later he became interested in farming and in 1850 came to Michigan, having previously married our subject's mother in Litchfield. Com. They immediately settled upon the farm of which our subject is now the proprietor; it was at that time perfectly new land and like much of the Michigan land, heavily timbered. He bought out a claim upon which there was a log house and a few acres of which had been roughly improved. The place comprised one hundred and sixty acres of land and of this he cleared ninety aries and
built a barn which is 31x16 feet in dimensions. AAaa Palmerlee died November 7, 1869. Our sub- jeet's mother survived a number of years, passing away December 1. 1885. They were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom grew to years of maturity and nine of whom still survive. The parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and active workers and supporters of the The father was a Trustee and also inter- ested in the building of the church of that denom- ination at Farmer's Creek. In his political prin- ciples he was a Whig but on the organization of the Republican party transferred his allegiance to it.
Our subject was the sixth in order of birth of his parents' family and was born April 3, 1836, in Cattaraugus County, N. Y. He was fourteen years of age on coming to Michigan with his family and was reared on his father's farm, remaining at home until twenty-one years of age. After spending four years in Minnesota and one year in Saginaw he returned to this place and has ever since been a resident upon the home farm.
.July 3, 1862, the original of our sketch was united in marriage to Almina Johnson, a daugh- ler of Riker and Emily ( Kelley) Johnson, carly settlers in Oakland County, this State, and after- ward of Hadley Township, this county, Mrs. Palmerlee was born in Oakland County, June 10, 1×10, and died April 15. 1869. She was the mother of two children-Efuer R., who was born June 16, 1863, and married to Hattie Green; he is now a resident with his father on section 31; Fred, who was born April 5, 1869, lives in Mon- Lana.
August 20, 1871, our subject again married, the lady of his choice being Miss Frances E. Brown, a daughter of Charles W. and Susan E. (Cressy) Brown, the former a native of New York and the latter of New Hampshire. They came to Michigan at an early day and were married in Lapeer, making their home at Farmer's Creek until re- cently, bemg now residents of Lapeer. Mrs. Pal- merlee was born July 5. 1817. in this county, and was educated in the district schools of this vicinity until she was twelve years of age, spend- ing one year at lapeer Academy and afterward
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graduating at the Newark Union School and sub. Frequently at the academy at Newark, N. Y., with the Class of '65. She then became a teacher, both in this State and in New York. Although Mr. and Mrs. Palmerlee have not been intrusted with the care of children of their own, they are rearing two children and giving them good ad van tages. They are Anna Louise and Fenwick Palmer. Mrs. Parmerler's father was Judge of the Probate Court and has been Justice of the Peace for many years.
Our subject is a member of the Grange and also belongs to the Library Association. He is at pres- ent Master of the County Grange and he has also been Master of the local Grange and one year was President of the Library Association. Politically he is a Republican. He held the office of Drain Commissioner and for four years was Supervisor of Lapeer Township. He has been Director of the school and also of Lapeer County Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance AAssociation. He has cleared off forty acres of his land, freeing it from unsightly stumps and has laid nine hundred rods of tile. In 1873 he built a fine residence at a cost of $2,000 and the other buildings of his place are equally substantial. He here carries on general farming and his entire place is notable for the thoroughness with which it is cared for and also for the tine stock that is here raised.
R OBERT L. JOHNSTON. One of the veuer- able agriculturists of Mt. Morris Township, tienesce County, whose face indicates his strong mental nature and with whom it is a pleasure to converse, he being so well-informed on almost all topics, is the gentleman whose name tion 32. where he is the owner of eighty acres of land. He was born in Pentield, Monroe County, N. Y., March 12, 1825, and was reared in his native State until fifteen years of age. His father, Abra- ham JJohnston, was born near Saratoga Springs, N. Y., and his grandfather, also Abraham, was a native
of Fairfield, Conn. He came to New York and owned the farm which was located on the present site of Saratoga Springs. He was a Revolutionary soldier and was one of the men who carried Warren from the battle of Bunker Hill. His father, James Johnston, was a native of the North of Ire- land.
Our subject's father owned about one hundred and sixty acres of land in what is now a suburb of Rochester. He devoted himself to farming until 1829 and then removed to Genuga County, Ohio, thence returned to New York, where he remained until 1812 when he went to Brentford, Canada, and in 1816 came to Michigan, locating first in Oakland County, and in 1852 came to Mt. Morris Township. Genesee County, where he purchased a farm of eighty aeres where he died at the age of sixty-four years.
Our subject's mother, Maria Becraft, was born in West Point, N. Y., and was the daughter of Moses Beeraft, a native of Connecticut. He was an anchorsmith by trade and served in the Revo- lutionary War until its close, then went to Ver- mont where he married Margaret Fenton. In 1832 he came to Macomb County and engaged in farm- ing until he died. He was of English descent. Our subjeet's mother died here in 1870 when about sixty-seven years of age. She was the mother of eleven children, of whom our subject is the second eldest. He was reared in Penfield, Monroe County, and in Livingston County, N. Y. Ilis education was acquired in the primitive log school-
house with slab benches and fireplace. When thirteen years of age he was sent to Rochester Academy and after finishing there taught one term, then removed to Brentford, Canada, where he worked for himself from the age of sixteen years, his father having lost all his property. He then began to work on the Genesce Canal, giving three summers to that class of labor. The last two seasons he served as foreman. When seventeen years of age he became captain of a steamer called the "Indian Chief" and was later master of different vessels for six summers.
In 1816 our subject located at Southfield, Oak- land County, this State, where he was engaged as a teacher in penmanship, also having clases in
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other places, and pursued this kind of work in fifteen different States, In 1852 he came to Mlt. Morris Township, Genesee County, and from here went to Corunna, Shiawasce County, and while he was this engaged as a writing master he orig- inated the stem with the dot, afterward taken up by Spencer. He purchased a farm in Venice Town- ship, Shiawassee County. Prior to this he had studied law under Judge MeCurdy and was ad- mitted to the Michigan bar in 1857. He began practicing in Corunna and remained until 1858, then continued his practice at Flushing although living in Venice, Shiawassee County.
In 1865 our subject sold his farm of one hun- dred and sixty-two and one-half acre- in Ventee and purchased one of eighty acres in Hazelton and also one in Mt. Morris Township comprising one hundred and forty aeres. He located upon and improved the farm on section 33. He here has eighty acres of some of the finest land in the State that is capable of raising anything adapted to this latitude. lle has fine buildings and his barns are filled to overflowing with grain produced upon his own farm. He is particularly interested in the breeding of fine stock and has some standard- bred Hambletonians. One mare, sired by " Yokoff," has a record of 2:30. He also has some fine colts and owns " Robert Bonner," who when two years old trotted one mile in 2:20 and is the fastest two-year- old in the State. He bred "Dick Turpin," sire of some of the finest horses in Gemser County. The horses that Mr. Johnston has bred have taken premium- many times. He also raises the finest whent in the county.
The original of oursketch was married in Venice, Shiawassee County. June 13. 1852, to Mis- Helen B. Potter. She was born in Hartland, Niagara County. N. Y., in 1831. and is a daughter of Darius Potter, a native of Vermont, who was the son of a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The Potter family trace their genealogical line back to the land- ing of the "Mayflower." Her mother was Zulpha C. Calvin in her maiden days, whose family were also of the Puritan stock. Mrs. Johnston's mother came to Michigan with her daughter and died here at the age of sixty-four years.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are the parents of nine
children whose names are Blanche, Mrs. D. B. Soper; Eugene 1 .. , Robert B., Hattie M., Ralph, John R., Capitola, Dilno D. and Della. Mr. Johnston was the first Superintendent of Schools in Mt. Morris Township and maintained the position for two years. He has been Justice of the Peace here and in Shiawassee County for thirty-five years and was Drain Commissioner here for four years, during which the he accomplished much toward improv- ing the condition of the land. Socially he is an Odd Fellow. He is also a member of the Alliance. He is a Democrat and has been a delegate to county and State conventions, Mrs. Johnston's uncle, D. D. Calvin, was previous to his death a member of the Canadian Parliament and was one of the prom- inent men of Canada.
0 LIVER C. RUSSELL, a prominent pioneer of Genesee County, residing on section 7, Grand Blanc Township, Genesee County, is a native of Simsbury, Conn., being born within five miles of the city of Hartford on the 20th of May. 1826. The same State was the native home of his parents, desse and Mary (Andrews) Russell, and his maternal grandfather, was a soldier in the war under Washington.
When but a small boy our subject removed with his parents to Madison County, N. Y., and there spent several years receiving his education. His father was a blacksmith by trade and had in his household five sons and four daughters.
Our subject left home at the age of nine years and from that time on was thrown upon his own resources and hved with Daniel Thomas of Onon- daga County, N. Y., until he was seventeen years . old, when he began driving a team and for some three years had charge of the stage running be- tween Madison and Syracuse. Late in the'70s, he emigrated to Michigan and here he also drove a stage between Flint and Pontiac, for some three years, and then for a time had charge of the stage between Windsor and Niagara Falls, in Canada, after which he carried on the same line of work between Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.
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Mr. Russell subsequently returned to Michigan and for a time conducted the stage line between Flint and Fentonville and afterward settled at the Intter place where he took the express and stage agency for what was known as the Northern Ex- press, Somewhat later he settled on his present furm where he has built up a fine estate out of the woods, and put it in first-class condition. He did much severe pioncer work and many a night labored until midnight and then rose by daylight to begin again. This was in the days when he was clearing his farm and preparing the soil for putting in crops. Hle now owns a handsome estate of eighty-three weres of well-improved land which he has gained by his own industry and perseverance.
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