USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 45
USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 45
USA > Michigan > Tuscola County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 45
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The parents of this family were Harvey and Elizabeth ( Eaton ) Mudge, and were both natives of New York, where they were born July 30, 1796, and April 29, 1802, respectively. Harvey Mudge wa- descended from English parents, two brothers having come to America in the early Colonial days. His father was in the Revolutionary War and fought all through that period of conflict. Ile of whom we write came to Michigan when but one year old and settled in Oakland County, where he grew to mature years and was, in 1857, united ' in marriage with Sarah J., daughter of Thomas S. Bird. In 1863 they moved into Elba Township, this county, and settled on section 31, where he developed and cultivated a splendid farm of one hundred and fifteen acres.
To Mr. and Mrs. Mudge have been born five children, only one of whom reached years of maturity: Elizabeth died September 8, 1855; Har- vey, August 31, 1879. Ada B. is the wife of Find 11. Burr; she is the mother of three children- Sarah JJ., Norah B. and Nellie H. The political views which are endorsed by Mr. Mudge are in harmony with the declarations of the Republican party, and his thorough application to business hus made him respected throughout the township.
IRAM W. GOODWIN, a retired farmer, who makes his home on section 26. Chy- ton Township, Generer County, Located on the farm where he now resides thirty - six years ago, having been in the State forty- four years, as he settled first in Bristol settlement, four miles from Flint. He was born in St. Law- rence County, N. Y., mn 1822, ou tw. 18th of Au- gust, and is a son of John and Lucy (Melntyre)
Cionalwin. They came to Michigan in 1818, and lived with this son until their death. Of their five children, he is now the only one living.
John Goodwin's father, William, came from the North of Ireland and settled in Vermont, be- coming there a farmer and eventually a soldier in the Revolutionary War. dese Melntyre, the ma- ternal grandfather of our subject, married Miss Lamb, a native of Massachusetts, and he was the son of Jesse Melntyre. Sr. who was a Captain in the English navy.
The father of our subject was a Republican in hi- politics and a man of prominence and n Class- Leader in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Hiram Goodwin was reared and educated in Western New York upon a farm, and remained at home until he was eighteen years of age, after which he went out to work among neighboring farmers, and continued thus for four years. She who became his bride in I&17 bore the maiden name of Hannah Morey. After marriage they came to this county, settling at Flint, where they bought a farm and lived for six years, l'pon selling that they came to the section where they now reside, and pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of wild land, and there built a small frame house. They afterward added forty meres and improved the farm and house so that they now have a hand- some estate.
Mrs. Hannah Goodwin died in 1855, leaving one child, Erwin J. This son has held the office of Township Clerk and is a stanch Republican and also a member of the Masonic order at Flint. and of the Odd Fellows. He and his wife are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. and he is one of its Board of Trustees. Hle lives on the old homestead and takes charge of the farm. The second marriage of our subject united him with Mrs. Mary Hagerdon, who died February 12. 1881.
Mr. Goodwin has held the office of Supervisor of the Poor. He is a Republican in his politics. He attends the Methodist Episcopal Church. When he first came hither his market town was Flint, and he found it necessary to make roads by chopping out the trees on these untrodden paths. He has cleared come two hundred acres of land
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and has seen rough times in pioncer life. The deer in those days passed by his house and he often treated his family to venison, and even helped to kill one bar. He is highly esteemed by his neighbors and is considered one of the leading citizens of the township.
OHN L. JENNINGS, the ex-Supervisor of Mundy Township, Genesee County, is a son of Abram M. and Emily ( Layton) Jen- nings, carly settlers in Shiawassee County, who came to Michigan from New York in 1836. The father passed from earth in Shiawassee County and the mother died at the home of our subject March 19, 1879. He had tenderly cared for her in her declining years and during the last fifty years of her life she had been totally blind. Of their seven children this son is the youngest.
John [ .. Jennings was born in Venice Town- ship, Shiawassee County, this State, April 1, 1812, and he was bereaved of a father's care at the age of six years. He remained at home for ten years longer, and his first work away from home was in Mundy Township. Three years later he bought n tract of forty acres of land, where he now lives, and began independent farming. Here he cleared and improved the land and created a good set of buildings, and he has added to the property from time to time until he now owns one hundred Here's, upon sluch he continues to lastow that de. gree of labor and management which brings a farm into a productive condition.
Our subject married Miss Harriet E. Dilible. daughter of the late Samuel and Juliza ( Hill) Dib- ble, who were among the first settlers of Mundy Township. Mr. and Mrs. Dibble were married in Mandy Township in 1810, and here reared to ma- turity four children, of whom Mrs. Jennings is the oldest. She was born in Mundy Township, December 11. 1812. Here her parents made their bome through the remainder of their lives. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Jennings took place April 16, 1862, and they became the parents of
four children --- Julia D., who is the wife of Charles S. Countryman; Henry M., who married Miss Grace V. Hall; Emma J. and John D.
Mr. Jennings was Supervisor of Mandy Town- ship nine consecutive years, being Chairman of the board for part of that time. He also tilled the of- lives of Township Treasurer, Highway Commis- sjoner and School Director, and has over taken an active part in political affairs, being a stanch Re- publican in his sympathies and views. The Jen- nings family is of English descent, and this rep- resentative is a man of excellent capabilities and sterling character. His life has been such as to merit and secure not only the good will, but also the high esteem of his neighbors.
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AMES HEAL. who is one of the Englishmen of Davison Township, Genesce County, has made an eminent success of his efforts since coming to this country, and is most highly esteemed by his neighbors for integrity and char- after. He was born in Devonshire, England, Sep- tember 1, 1×31 and came to America in the spring of 1872 migrating at once to Davison Township which has been his home ever since he reached this country.
Mr. Heal's life work has been upon the farm from early- boyhood and he began work at the age of ten, for eight cents a week; and was never at home with his parents with the exception of two week- from that time on. He continued to work for wages until his marriage which took place in March, 1855, his bride being Grace Isaac, who is also a native of England. After his marriage our subject continued in farm work for a while besides doing some other work. Only twenty-live aures of the eighty which he purchased in 1875 had been at all cleared of timber and it is all situated on section 18, Davison Township. He has since added to it until his farm now contains three hundred and sixty acres.
The four children who have come to cheer the the home of our subject are Henry T .. Mary J., (de- ceased, Grace N. and Matilda. The political views
Alman A Thompson A. M. M.D.
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which he considers most worthy of the endorsement of the thoughtful citizens of his adopted country are those which are brought forward in the plat- form of the Republican party. Mr. Heal has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty-six years and is now its Steward and Trustee. His parents, John and Jane (Harri-) Heal are both living and are natives of England. He has tried raising Short-horn and Devonshire cattle and has been successful therein. There is no one in the township who has a better standing among his neighbours than this foreign-born American citizen.
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ON. ALMON A. THOMPSON, M. D., A. B., A. M. This most eminent physician and surgeon in Flint, is a man whose promi- nene is not alone resting upon his profes- sional skill, but upon his ability and intellectuality in other directions. Like so many of our able men he is a native of the New England States and was born in Richmond, Chittenden County, Vt., March 26, 1829. He is a son of Griah and Roxana (Joy- ner) Thompson, the former a native of Waterbury, Vi., and the latter of Jericho, the same State. OM subject's paternal grandfather was Benoni Thomp- son, a farmer near Richmond, Va., who served in the War of 1812. The family comes of English descent. In 1810 Uriah Thompson removed his family to Ohio, going thither by way of the Frie Canal to Buffalo, thence by steamer to Cleveland and then across the country to Avon, Loram County. He there improved a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres of land.
In 1851 Uriah Thompson purchased a farm near Oberlin and for the remainder of his life was most actively connected with that historie college town. He became a Trustee of the college, serving in that capacity from 1818 until 1876, and for some time had charge of the endowment fund. His death occurred in September, 1890, at the age of eighty- six years. He was a Republican in his politics and in his chuch relations a Congregationalist. Um
subject's mother died in her native State, at Eden, in 1810. Ili- father married twice thereafter.
Our subject was the oldest of four children born of his father's marriage with his first wife, others being Albert, Everett and Melvin. Albert is a distinguished physician and is now located at Col- ton, Cal .; Everett died in Oberlin at the age of eighteen year -; Melvin is a dealer in coal and wood and a contractor at toberlin. Our subject was reared to manhood in Vermont and Ohio, He attended the primitive school and helped to clear his father's farm, remaining at home until he was eighteen years of age, when he entered Oberlin College, graduating in 1851 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He pursued a post-graduate course and two years later added the seal of Master of Arts to his chploma. It had been his desire to study medi- vine and during his last year at Oberlin he read under Dr. N. S. Townsend, ex-member of Congress, mil in the fall of 1851 entered the l'niveisity of Michigan, where he took a two years' course in medicine and received his degree as M. D. March 27. 1856.
While at Oberlin our subject was connected so- cially with the Fratres Phi Delta, now the Phi Kappa Phi. The same year after graduating he located at Middleburg, Ohio, for the practice of his profession. remaining there but eighteen month-, when he went to Olivet and was teacher of anat- may, physiology, chemistry and natural philosophy for two years in the college. In 1859 be located in Vermontville, where he was associated with Prof. Kedzie in the medical work. In 1862 both gentlemen went into the army and our subject was commissioned by the Government as Assistant Surgeon of the Twelfth Michigan Infantry. Ile remained with that regiment for six months, but after the battle of Middleburg was taken sick with typhoid fever, and resigning January 28, 1862, conne home. In December of that year he became Assistant Surgeon of the Eleventh Michigan Cav- alry, remaining with it until the close of the war. He was commissioned as First Lieutenant and was mustered out at Jackson, Mich., in August, 1865.
In 1869 Dr. Thompson was elected to the State Legislature from the west half of Eaton County, Mich., and served during the session of 1870 at
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the end of which time he was appointed I'nited States Consulat Roderich, Canada, under President U. S. Grant. In October, 1878, he went to the Long Island College Hospital and later located at Flint, practicing alone in this city until 1881. when be formed a partnership with to. V. Cham- berlin. Dr. Thompson has always enjoyed a most extensive and lucrative practice, indeed the de- mand. upon his time have been so exacting as to impair his health. During the last year he tray- eled quite extensively through the South and vis- ited most of the Western States, returning to his work rested and recuperated.
Our subjeet was married in Ashtabula, Ohio, in October, 1851, his bride being Louisa .. Savage, a daughter of Capt. Savage. She was educated at Oberlin College. Her decrease occurred in Ver- montville, in 1860. In August of the following year he was married to Harriet P. Martin, a lady of culture, who was educated at Olivet College. Our subject has served in many noble enterprise- that we cannot enumerate in these pages. He was President of the Opera House Company and isstill n Director. In 1885, when the city passed through the smallpox ordeal, he served as City Physician. He is President of the Flint Board of Pension Ex. aminers. Socially he is a demitted Mason and in their church relations he and his wife are Episco- palian. Naturally he is associated with all the medical societies of repute, both local and other- wise.
A portrait of the Doctor accompanies this sketch.
M RS. GEORGE N. TURRILL is a resident of Lapeer, and highly regarded among the matrons of that thrifty and beautiful city. She was born in Columbia County. N. Y., May 1. 1838. Her father, Norman Vos- burgh, was also a native of that place, and a farmer by occupation. He married Phebe Langdon, who is the mother of Mrs. Turrilt. After their mar- riage they located in their native State, and there remained until about 1855, when they came to la- peer County, this State, and took up n larm in Ar-
eadia Township, which comprised forty neres of land. Our subject's father died in that place at the age of sixty-two years; the mother passed away when fifty-eight years of age. Her paternal grand ire, Jacob No-burgh, served in the Revolu- tionary War, and her maternal grandsire, John Langdon, was of English parentage.
Mrs. Turrill is the third child, and the oldest one now living of six children born to her parents. There were four daughters and two sons. She re- ceived her education in her native place at Oxford Academy, and remained at home until her mar- riage, which took place November 12, 1862, to George Nolde Turrill, a native of Vermont, who was born June 26. 1833. He came to Michigan with his father, James Turrill, when but nine years old, and grew to manhood in this vicinity. He re- ceived his education in Lapeer City, and became one of the prominent men of the county. He was a large and influential farmer, and at one time was engaged in the drug and jewelry business in La- prer, at the same time carrying on his agricultural intere-1s.
Mr. Turtill was well known throughout the county as an honest business man and very liberal in his recognition of a worthy cause. He was a stanch Republican in his political affiliations, and at one time served as city Alderman. He was also President of the School Board for many years. He died December 17, 1888, and his loss was felt not only by his immediate family, but by the public with whom and for whom he worked in mutual in- terest. Mr. Turrill's father, James Turrill, was born in Shoreham, Addison County, Vt., Septem- ber 21. 1797. He left his father's farm at the age of twenty-one, and engaged in general merchan- dising in his native town, and also in Bridgeport, of the same county.
Mr. Turrill pursued his mercantile interests in the two places with gratifying result until 1836, when he came to Michigan and invested exten- sively in lands at and wear Lapeer. Return- ing to Vermont, he continued his business until 1812, when he brought his family to Michigan. The family comprised his wife and eight children, three being sons and five daughters. On locating here !. . : rued his attention to mercantile affairs,
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but dealt largely in real estate at the same time. Success attended his efforts and after a lapse of thirteen years, he retired from active business.
Our subject at one time was me of the banking Irm of K. G. Hart & Co., and was also one of the Director of the Port Huron & Lake Michigan Mail- road, being instrumental in securing an extension of the rond from Port Huron to Flint. He was several times elected to the offer of Trustee, and was after- ward President of the village of Lapeer and was the first Mayor on its being incorporated as a city. He was also elected to the House of Representa- lives of the State Legislature in the fall of 1818. lle was a man of strict integrity and gave with a free hand to the poor and needy. His death or- eurred July 31, 1876.
Mrs. Turrill has been the mother of live chil- aren, three daughters and two sons-Emma Belle, Carrie, Nettie May, Charles A. and James J. Car- rie, Nettie and Charles are deceased. The other two children live at home with their mother. She makes her home on the oldl homestead in the city of Lapeer, and here enjoy's the comforts of life and a consciousness of well doing.
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1 RA D. WRIGHT. The gentleman where bing- raphy we take pleasure in here presenting. has passed the octogenarian milepost in his life journey and is one of the venerabile and honest citizens of this district and a man whose natural geniality and openness of heart have commended him to all who enjoy human nature pure and simple. Mr. Wright was born in Washington Township, Cheshire County, N. 11. August 3, 1808. In 1815 his parents removed to Genesve County. N. Y., where he was reared to manhood in the town of Bethany. His father was a tanner and currier by trade and he of whom we write learned the business of him, and pursued it in connection with farming. Our subject's parents were William and Lydia ( Kent) Wright, both natives of Massa- chusetts, their dereasy occurring in the Empire State.
Ira D. Wright continued to live in Genere
County, N. Y .. until 1831, when he came to Gen- este County, Mich., and purchased four hundred acres of land in company with Stage, Wright, Stevens & Clifford, and this syndicate were the original platters of the eastern part of the then village of What. They built the first dam, which was owned by Mr. Hamilton, and also the first sawmill. In thetober, 18:15, Meses. Stage & Wright engaged in the mercantile business, which they carried on at Grand Blanc until they could build in Flint. Their building was completed in June, 1×36, and they continued to carry on business there for two and a half years, at the end of which time they sold out and our subject engaged in lumbering and building in company with Messrs. Payne, Stage & Munson and he was engaged in this business for six of eight years afterward on hi- own account, and in company with others he purchased and sold a large amount of wild farm- ing land and also village lots. He also located a large amount of pine land for others, and for three years held the office of Deputy United States Tim- ber Agent, and during this time entered fifty thousand acres of pine lands for one firm.
Mr. Wright settled on the farm where he now lives, which is located on section 9, Smith's Reser- vation, Flint Township, Genesee County, and has since been a resident of this place. Although ad- vanced in years he is still active and full of vigor. He has a pleasant residence, where is dispensed an old-time hospitality for the whole-heartedness of the genial host.
Mr. Wrigla was married in Oakland County, Mich., to Mi - Marietta Ingersoll, daughter of Peter and Catharine (Todd) Ingersoll, who was born in L'ombrake. Genesee County, N. Y. December 16, 1×23. Their nuptials were solemnized March 22, 1812. They have been the parents of four chil- dren, two of whom died very young. Those sur- viving are Etta and W. Melvin. Our subject has held various local offices. He has been Highway Commissioner and laid out the first road in the township and county. He has also been Deputy United States Marshal. He isn Democrat in poli- ties, his first vote having been cast for Andrew Jackson. The advancement of the interest of churches and educational institutions has always
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been freely contributed to by him. There were only four families of white people in Flint when I he came here and with these he was an ardent worker in everything that tended to the advance- ment of the little settlement. He is a member of the State Pioneer Association and is one whose stories of pioneer life and experience are full of interest. Mrs. Wright departed this life October 27, 1891, and is mourned by many friends and acquaintances who look upon the vacancy cause by her death as irreparable.
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AMES S. FARRAR. This hard-working and persevering farmer, whose well-cul- tivated farm is to be seen on section 22, Watertown Township, Tuvola County, was born March 1, 1831, in Monroe County, N. Y., and is a son of William Farrar, who was born in New Hampshire in 1794. The grandfather, Daniel Farrar, was a Revolutionary solcher and a native of Massachusetts.
William Farrar was reared in New Hampshire and was there married to Betsey Whittemore, a native of Massachusetts, and to them were born ten sons and four daughters. Mr. Farrar went to New York at an early day and was there a clothier and afterward a farmer. He came to Michigan in 1837, and located land, one hundred and twenty actes, in Hadley Township, Lapeer County. Here he lived and died, passing away in 1870 and his wife who survived him was called from earth on Decem- bet 1, 1881.
Our subject came to Lapeer County, Mich., at the age of three years, and there had his early ed- uention and training and was married in Oakland County November 16, 1856, to Sarah . Parker, a native of Brandon Township, Oakland County, and to her were born two children, Alive E. and Thomas H. The former was born November 25, 1858, and became the wife of Andrew Kinney, of Waterford Township, November 21, 1878. Thomas was born May 3, 1869, in Hadley Township, La- peer County, and has remained with his parents up to the present although he was married on Novem-
ber 19, 1889. His bride was Orpha O., daughter of John and Mary C. Kinney, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this book.
Mr. James Fartar came to Tuscola County in 187% and bought forty acres of land, to which he bas added and he now owns one hundred acres, most of which he has cleared, but retains eight acres in timber. He has placed upon his property an excellent set of farm buildings and carries on general farming. The Methodist Church is the religious body with which he and his wife are as- sociated, and be and his son are both earnest and stauch Republicans, and he is proud to say that he vast his first ballot for dohu C. Fremont, the first Repul lican candidate.
Mr. Farrar joined the I'nion army in August, 1862, becoming a private in Company K, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, and being discharged April 27, 1863. He was in many skirmishes and took part in the pursuit of the Morgan raiders. He enlisted as a private but was appointed clerk of the com- pany, but being taken sick at the time he never tilted the position. He was taken to Nashville hospital No. 6, and continued sick until his dis- charge which was granted at Quincy, Il., April 27, 1863. He now draws a pension of $12 per
EWIS WILCOX, one 'of the enterprising merchants of Mayville, Tuscola Comity, has been in this part of Michigan since 1851, although he did not come to Mayville until some four years ago. He was born in 1827 in Jefferson County, N. Y., and is a son of John and Jerusha Wilcox, the father being a native of New York and his parents were among the very first settlers of Point Peninsula, His boyhood days were spent upon the farm in that new country, and be contin- ued farming until his marriage, which occurred in 1821, his bride being Jerusha Merrill.
Mr. Wilcox was the oldest of four children and he early learned the shipbuilding trade and followed that until his death which resulted from that dire disease, small pox. At the early age of
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nine years Lewis Wilcox began to support himself and worked upon a form until he had reached the age of eighteen at which time be went into a ship yard and followed the ship carpenter's trade, which had been his father's calling until his marriage, which occurred when he was twenty- Ive years of age.
The wife of the gentleman of whom we write hore the maiden name of Mary Banni-ter, the daughter of Isaac and Mary Bannister. To their i Imppy home came two children, Mary A. and Anies 1 .. , and the son is now a member of the firm of Wileux & Son. The mother of this son and daughter departed this life in 1888.
During the time that Mr. Wilcox was working at his trade he was located at various points on the great lakes, but most of his time after his marriage was spent in Chicago. Lapeer County, this State, became his home in 1851 and there be carried on a farm until 1887, when he came to Mayville and established his business of merchandising which he is now carrying on successfully, being one of the prominent business men of his town.
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