Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan, Part 46

Author: Chapman bros., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 948

USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 46
USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 46
USA > Michigan > Tuscola County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 46

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

RS. SARAI A. NEWELL, who died No- vember 16, 1891, was the widow of the late Lient. Newell, known throughout Michigan as State Land Commissioner and who was prominent in many movements in Conesce County. She was born in Geneste County, N. Y .. September 16, 1838 and was a daughter of Col. John Webb. Her grandfather, John Sr., was an carly settler of Pembroke in that county and served in the War of 1812.

John Webb, Jr., was a Colonel in the New York State Militia and was prominent in military affairs. besides being a county official and the most ex- tensive farmer in Pembroke. He was a Whig in political connection and a strong Abolitionist. Ilis church connection was with the Presbyterians. His wife, Anna Anderson, a native of Massachusetts, was of Scotch-Irish descent. and the daughter of James Anderson who was a native of the old Bay

State and became a farmer in New York. She lost her husband by death when he was fifty-seven years old and she lived to he seventy-six. Sarah Webb was the youngest of live children, and had excellent educational advantages during her youth in Pembroke. She was married in latavia, N. Y., May 12, 1875 and had two daughters, Anna G. und Mary E. She now resides at No. 813 Detroit Street, Flint, and has her farm in the hands of a tenant.

Minor S. Newell was born in Bennington, Gen- esce County, N. Y., July 30, 1823. His parents John and Chloe Newell died when he was a little lad and he remained in his native home until he reached the age of nineteen. In 1813 he came to Michigan and located m Flashing where he found employment until December 18, 1817 when he en- listed for service in the Mexican War as a private in Company K, First Michigan Infantry. His hou- orable discharge was granted him July 28, 1848. after which he returned to Flushing. The battles in which he has fought were Cherubuseo, Chepul- tupee, San Paenal. Tobasco, Vera Cruz, Palo Alto, Buena Vista and Cerro Gordo. At Flushing he engaged in real estate, farming and milling, until the breaking out of the Civil War, at which time he was serving as Postmaster and Justice of the Peace.

At the first tap of the drum this Mexican veteran mind a company of men of whom he was made First Lieutenant and which became a part of the Sixteenth Michigan Infantry. , All through his term of service he was connected with the Quarter- meister's Department and was mustered out at Petersburg, Va., in September, 1861. His health was much impaired by his first term of military service in Mexico, notwithstanding which he in- sisted on entering thearmy the second time. After his return to Flushing he located on a farm of ninety seven acres on the north side of Flint River in Mt. Morris Township, and there he had great success in tilling the soil. His popularity brought him into many places of prominence and he was Supervisor of Mt. Morris for three terms. During the last five years of his life he made his home in Flint and died November 27, 1889.

In 1882 Mr. Newell was elected State Land

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Commissioner and two years later was re-elected. In 1886 he was named as n candidate for Governor of the State but on account of ill health he could not attend the convention nor push the canvas and the consequence was the election of Gioy. Lance. After that his health failed rapidly and he gave up all outside business and made himself a home in Flint. He was an enthusiastic member of the Grand Army of the Republic and a strong Republican in politics. He was well-known at all county and State conventions where his ability and character made him an influential man.

1 WIGHT B. SOPER. Among the indus- tries of importance that are successfully carried on in Flint is the manufacturing establishment of our subject whose factory is located on Thread River opposite the Thread Mills, this city. He here gives employment to thirty or forty men the year 'round and has a ca- pacity for turning out from three hundred to three hundred and fifty pork, dour and fruit bar- rels per day, including the manufacture of all staves and heading for pork barrels and heading for flour barrels in which twelve to fifteen hundred cords of oak and basswood timber are construed yearly, all of which is purchased from farmers in the immediate viemity.

Mr. Soper first commenced business in this city nine years ago when he succeeded A. Braford who was conducting the same business on a small sale. From time to time its present proprietor has enlarged the facilities for work and has man- aged it so successfully that it is now one of the thoroughly well established business houses of the town. When first starting he was in company with his father and the firm was known as that of O. Soper & Son and was carried on in this way for about eighteen months when the name was changed to D. B. Soper & Co., and finally to the Soper Manufacturing Company the company comprising .I. P. Burroughs and H. H. Pierson besides our sub- jeet., About three yearsago the Soper Manufactur- ing Company bought out the D. It. Super if I'm ..

the last mentioned company comprising D. B. Soper, Orrin Soper, J. P. Burroughs and .I. E. Bur- roughs.

Our subject is the manager of the above named firm, the capital employed being about $20,000. The buildings they occupy are owned by the Thread Flouring Mills Company. Mr. Soper was born in Flint, September 2, 1855, he is the son of Orrin and Julia A. (Birch) Soper, the father hay- ing come here from Orleans County, N. Y., in 1855. In 1856 he engaged in farming and coopering on lus farm four miles north of Flint. He now lives on his farm and has followed farming exclusively for the last fourteen years.

D. B. Soper was educated in the district school, He learned his trade of his father, but first occu- pred himself with farming. On reaching man- Good he was married September 21, 1876 to Min Blanche A. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Johnston of Mt. Morris Township. In 1879 he removed one and one-half miles south of the city on a farm where he remained until coming here in 1882 to engage with his father in the manufactur. ing business and bringing to the work a great deal of determination, perseverance and fact.

Mr. Soper is the father of three children, Mande M .. Florence D., and Vernie B. He and his wife and daughters are enthusiastic members of the Court Street Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially Mr. Soper is a member of all the branches of the Independent order of Odd Fellows including the Patriarch Militant or I'niformed Rank. the Knights of Pythia- and the Rights of the Maccabees of this city, in all of which he is a worker and has held honored and trusted positions.

D ANIEL H. SEELEY resides on section 3, Gen- este Township, Genesce County. He was born in Bridgeport, Conn., April 13, 1805, and is a son of Lewis Seeley, also a native of Connecti- ent, who was a shoemaker by trade and a farmer by calling. He removed at an early day, in fact, one year subsequent to our subject's birth, to Saratoga County, N. Y., and there bought a farm. In 181X

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be removed to Orleans County, and theme to Monroe County, where he was engaged in farming until he came to Michigan, in 1886.

Our subject located at once in Oakland County, coming luther by way of Canada by team and settling in 1837, locating in what is now the city of Flint, but which at that time contained only ten families and seven buildings. There were plenty of Indians, however, and it was not so unusual to see as many as four hundred braves with their families pa -- the home. After removing to tienesee Township our subject's father died, in 1811. The mother of the family was Anna Beardsley, a native of Connecticut. She died at the age of eighty-nine years. They were the parents of nine children, all of whom lived to manbood and womanhood, although only three sous now survive. They are Daniel Il., Orin und Fayette.

Mr. Seeley is the fifth child and second son of his parents' fandly. He was taken to New York when but a year old. He remained with his father until thirteen years of age and then was engaged is a farm laborer, working for si per month. When seventeen years of age he began to learn the tailor's trade under Mr. Milling. After remaining with him a short time he went to Salt Point and there worked at his trade, but was discharged In- cause of his adherence to temperance principles. He then went to Onondaga Hill and there worked at his trade.

Mr. Daniel Seeley was married in the village of Brockport, Monroe County, N. Y., September 2. 1829. His Inide was Julia .A., the second daughter of John F. and Sarah (Smith) Taylor, She was born in the village of Pittsford, N. Y . February 22, 1811, and was reared in her native place. Our subject and his bride at once settled in Brockport, N. Y .. and there be followed his trade. He purchased a farm about five miles out from Brockport, but not long after removed to Orleans County, and theure came to Michigan, in 1835, settling in l'on- tiae. Ile left his wife in llolly. He there engaged in the merchant tailor business with Mr. Judson und in the spring of 1836 brought his wife to the West and settled in Flint, where he built the eighth home that was created in the city. He also built

a shop and a store, the latter being the second Marines place in the city. The first court hold there convened in his shop and also the first meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the county.

Our subject remained in Flint until 1813 and then removed to the place where he now resides. There wasn log shanty on the place and a few im- provements had been made, but he was obliged to cut the road to his house before lumber could be hauled to the place. Wild animals were many and had to be guarded against. During this time our subject and his wife had become the parents of seven children, whose names are Burton B., Bertha 1 .. Daniel Lewis, Frances, Marvin 1 .. , Frank T. And Theron V. Burton was born and died in New York; Frances was born in Flint in 1836 and is the widow of S. A. Burrough; she resides in Mt. Morris: Frank resides in lowa.

Mr. Seeley has a fine place of three hundred and twenty acres, which he has cultivated and im- proved to the highest fusible degree. Politically he holds to Democratie principles. He has been Township Treasurer and also Justice of the Peace.

ARVIN C. BARNEY. This gentleman of standing and intelligence whose war ree- ord is one of the most interesting in Gen- er County, has at Flint one of the largest granite and marble works in the State. He was born in Atlas Township. this com- ty, August 1, 18IS, and is a son of Daniel and a grand-on of Reuben Barney. The latter was captured by the British during the War of 1812 and died in New York. At the age of nine- leon, Daniel Barney came to Michigan and in 1836 settled in Atlas, now Davison Township, where he carried on contracting and building, but in 1863 removed to East Saginaw. where be carried on bu- iness until 1870, when he came to Flint. Subse- quently he lived for some time in Goodrich and Petoskey and then returned to Flint, where he is now engaged in contracting and building. He is active in the Methodist Episcopal Church and was

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formerly a Republican but is now working for Ga. On February 1. 1861, Mr. Barney re-enlisted the Prohibition movement.

The mother of our subject bote the maiden name of Mariett Cummings and was born near Clarence Hollow, Erie County. S. Y., and died in Ala- Township in 1876. Of ber sis children four are now living. This son received his education in the district schools of Davison Township and Good- rich until he began work at the age of twelve in the sash and blind factory and planing mill of his father. At the age of seventeen he entered the I'nited States service, October 2, IsGl, in Company C, Tenth Michigan Infantry, and the following spring was sent South, and took part in the battles of Shiloh, Farmington, Corinth. Boonville, Tus- cumbia and Town Creek Bridge in Alabama. Be- ing sent out on an expedition be discharged his duty and returned to Tuscumbia, twenty-five miles in the rain, and then back next day which expos- ure brought on a sickness which kept him in the hospital two weeks, but he returned in time to join his regiment on its march to Nashville. At Nashville they were surrounded by the rebels and were this detained. For six months they were obliged to live on one meal a day of hard crack- ers and bacon, and at times they had nothing but what they gained by foraging.

In the spring of 1863 this body of troops forced its way out, and marching to Murfreesboro, took part in that battle after which they wereat Bridge- port and Smith Ferry, and were without rations. except corn meal and pork, and were without salt, as at that time that necessary commodity was worth ES a pint and at a teaspoonful. When within sixty-eight miles of Chattanooga they witnessed the battle of Lookout Mountain, seeing the flash, but not being near enough to near the report. They then undertook a severe march and reaching Knoxville, helped to raise that siege. The hard- ships of this match were terrible as their rations were reduced to a minimum and at one time con- sisting of one tablespoonful of beans to be cooked as After his three years and ten months in the army this young man went to Saginaw and worked for a year in the sash and door planing mill, and then took the position as foreman for Tuttle at Saginaw, where he remained for a year and then tlwy could, and many were barefooted and walked with bleeding fort. At Nashville, Tenn., our sula- jeet was detailed as Color Girard of the regiment. and acted as such during the winter of 1863 and 181, when they were encamped near Ringgold. married and settied upon a farm in Brandon Town-

in veteran, having received the privilege of a thirty-days' furlough, but did not find himself able to avait himself of this indulgence as his reg- iment was just then ordered to make a charge on Buzzard's Boost. This they went into with a force of seven companies and with them five com- panies of Illinois troops and upon this little com- pany was opened a fire by ten thousand infantry and eighteen pieces of artillery, and after the en- gagement one-third of their men were left upon the hill. They retreated up the mountain a half mile under this heavy fire and returned to Ring- gold. After this he took his furlough of thirty days which he spent at home.

I'pon returning to his regiment our subject was in the battle of Konesaw Mountains and under fire every day until they reached Atlanta. His divis- ion held a strong position at Koncaw Mountain and was in the battle of Jonesboro, where they buried seventeen of their company. He then joined the forces which took that wonderful march to the sea, living on the country as they went and so exhausted that when they stopped at night they would sink down and could scarcely rise again. They lived mostly on rice, which they threshed out from the bundles standing in the fields. After reaching Savannah they turned Northward and were in the three days' light at Bentonville, where they fought like tigers. The rebels attacked them in the rear during this conflict and this was one of the most terrible battles in which our subject took part. Marching North they were in the bat- the of Goldsboro where Mr. Barney was prominent as the Color Sergeant and upon reaching Washi- ington they took part in the thrand Review, after which they were sent to Louisville and finally to Jackson, Mich., where they were mustered out in July, 1865. At Jonesboro he was one of three, of the nine color guards, who came out of the battle in safety.

ــار عديدة

Quaon Millard A.D

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ship, Oakland County. This line tract of eighty aeres be improved and added to it until he now bas a farm of one hundred and seventy-six arres. upon which he kept live stock, as he carried on considerable dealings in that business. He re- maindl there until 1880 and then located in Flint and bought out It. Wilson, forming the firm of Wilson & Morton, marble works. After some changes in the firm he finally decided to carry it on alone, which he is now doing.

This business, which was e-tabhshed in 1880 in a small way, now beenpies two lots on Saginaw Street and employs from twenty-five to thirty men, making a specialty of cemetery work. Their trade has now spread all over the State and has doubled in the last two years. Mr. Barney's han- tiful farm is now run on share-, and he hasa hand- come home which cost atime, which is situated on the corner of Church and Eighth Streets. He was married in Brandon, Oakland County, to Miss Nettie Eaton, a native of that town and daughter of Clark and Emiline (Hannam) Eaton. Their chilthen are Jessie, Daniel, Marion, Vernie and Clark. The oldest daughter is a graduate of the High School and a successful teacher, being employed in the deaf and dumb institute. While living in Brandon, Mr. Barney wa- Highway Com- missioner and has had the nomination for Mayor of this city, and for Sherif received over twelve hundred votes. He is a prominent man in the Prohibition party and is a delegate to County Conventions. He r a Trustee of the Baptist Church with which he is connected and where he has been a beacon. He belongs to the Order of Odd Fol- low- and is a member of Crapo Post. G. A. R.

RSON MILLARD, M. D. This well-known practicing physician and surgeon of Flint is a leading member of his profession and one of the oldest residents in the city. He was born in l'tica, this State, October 27, 1815. and is a son of James Madison Millard, a native of New York, and son of Eleazer Millard where father, Jedediah, was born on Christmas Day, 1752. The

grandmother, who was born March 9, 1791, bore in maidenhood the name of Sathe Strong and was the mother of tive children. Her husband Eleazer, removed to Oakland County, this State, in 1821 and took up new land in Avon Township. With his brother Nathanel be built a number of wooden mills, grist mills and a pail factory, and lived in that township till his death at the age of seventy- six.

James M. Millard was a boy of fourteen when they came West; about the year 1875 he came to Genesee County after the death of his first wife, whose maiden name was Sallie 11. Brown and who berame Mr-, Millard in 1835. Her parents, Joel and Clarissa D. (Conger) Brown, were New York- ers by birth and her father was one of the princi- pal builders of locks on the Erie Canal. Both Mr. and Mrs. James Millard were earnest members of the Baptist Church and in his younger days Mr. Millard ludd many of the township and county . offices.

Our subject lived with his uncle Alfred and re- ceived his mathematical education under his tui- tion afterwards studying with Prof. Allen nt Rochester. Later he was for several years with Dr. Clark and in a drug store in Flint, reading medicine and getting a practical insight into the action of drugs. In 1867 he entered the Medical Department of the University of Michigan and there took his diploma in 1870.

The young Doctor at once located in this city to practice hi- profession and has ever made it his headquarters. Upon the Ist of May, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah .1., daughter of Thomas C. Gardner, D.D., of Flint. Dr. Millard is a member of the Local Medical So- viety, has been health officer for a number of years and belongs on the Board of Health. He is now physician at the Deaf and Dumb Institute. Hle has been threat Finance Auditor for the Knights of the Maccabees for ten years and helped to organ- ize the Michigan branch of this order. Dr. and Mrs. Millard are members of the Episcopal Church as is also their daughter Kate E. Their family comprises this daughter and one son, T. Carl. Mes, Millard's education was acquired in Ypsilanti and at Ann Arbor where at that time her father

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was Presiding Elder and agent of the American Bible Society.

The Rev. Dr. T. C. Gardner is a native of Can- andaigua, N. Y., born in 1821. He was educated at Lima College and married Mrs. Sarak .1. (Mooney) Bered. Immediately after marriage they removed to Michigan, coming bere m 1812. Il was Presiding Elder of more than one conference. In 1872 he went into the Custom House at Port Huron but finally retired from active work and come to Flint, where he died in 1890. He lost his wife more than twenty years before at Ann Arbor. Dr. Millund ha- invented some valuable electrical works and also the gas machine which is known by his name and which is extensively the Pre- ident Millard Fillmore was a cousin of the family. The Doctor may well take pleasure in the fact that he is favorably mentioned by Dr. H. von Ziemsen in the sixteenth volume of his works as the first to use carlalic acid in the treatment of diabetes.

In connection with this personal sketch of Dr. Millard appears his lithographie portrait.

JOHN WILSON was born in Cambridgeshire, England. August 28, 1819, and is a son of William and Helsey ( Motony Wilson. Hi- parents were both natives of the Mother Country, where before emigrating to America his father was engaged in farming. Our subject was reared upon a farm and early learned the duties of a farmer's lad, acquiring strength and sturdiness in the exercise in the open air. He was not given any eduentional advantages, being compelled to work from the time he was seven years old and his strength being taxed at that time to its musst capacity.

After reaching manhood. being at the time twenty-eight years of age. Mr. Wilson came to America, Stopping first at New Orleans and later at Vicksburg. Miss. He then proceeded to Wiscon- sin where he went to Medina County, Ohio, and there resided four years. He afterward went to Wood County, the same State, and later came to

Michigan in 1869 and located permanently in Tus- cola County. He bought a place of one hundred and sixty aeres, ten acres of which were improved. Since coming here he has built a house and barn; It- residence makes a comfortable and attractive rural home, while the barn is well adapted for the shelter of stock and storage of grain.

Before coming to this country and while yet n citizen of England our subject was married at the age of twenty years to Margaret Seekings, who was born July 28, 1819. Her parents were Matthew and Elizabeth (Batingil) Scckings, who were born and lived in Cambridge-hire. Mrs. Seeking, die at the present home of Mr-, Wilson in 1875 at the age of eighty years. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have never had any children. Since coming to this country and particularly since locating in Tuscola County, he has been successful to a gratifying de- gree and now with the aid of hired help keeps his place in a time condition. Politically he is a Republican, having always voted that ticket since the organization of the party. In their religious preference he and his wife are members of the Church of England. Mr. Wilson breeds only graded stock, having fine horses, hogy and sheep. He is particularly interested in the educational ad- vancement of the country and seek- in every in- stance to give his recognition and help to all measures that promise to be for the interest of the locality in which he lives.

The attention of the reader is invited to a view of the homestead of Mr. Wilson, which appears in another portion of this volume.

D AVID FOOTE, one of the promment old settler- of Flint who came hither in 1810. and i- now a retired citizen of this city, is a son of David Foote, Sr., who did much pioneer work on the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers, and in 1797 removed to Tompkins County, N. Y. where he improved a farm, and where our subject was born. Later he removed to theenwood, Sten- ben County, N. Y., and in 1839 came West, settling at Nauvoo, Ill., where he died August 22, 1815.

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The mother, who was an earnest member of the Presbyterian Church, followed him to the other world March 6, 1816. They were the parents of twelve children, eight daughters and four sons, and two of the sons besides our subject are still living.

We clip the following from the genealogy of the Foote family: Some twenty miles above the mouth of the Connecticut River, stands the ancient town of Weathersfield, the oldest of those beautiful village, which adorn the Connecticut Valley. To this spot, then known as J'yquay, the Colonists of Massachusetts turned their steps when seeking a resting place. Among those whose names appear in the old burying ground, is that of Nathaniel Foote, who was one of the first settlers of Weath- erfield. He was not one of those whom the world calls great, because called by some great emergency into a position of power and influence, but he was one of that band who walked along the path of common life, performing every duty, public or private, in the spirit of helpfulness to their follow- men.

It is upon such men that the peace, stability and progress of the country depend. From the quiet farming class to which this good man belonged, have the cities ever drawn their chief strength and ability ;- for the pure air, the healthful toil, the constant call for serious thought and reflection, the study of God's laws as unfolded in due circuit of the season, the growth of the seed and the ripening of the harvest, the better home-training of children,-all these conspired to make the agri- cultural population of Connecticut an element of conservation much needed in the young Common- wealth.

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Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan, Part 46

Author: Chapman bros., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 948

Author: Chapman bros., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 948