USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 60
USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 60
USA > Michigan > Tuscola County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 60
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The first wife of our subject was born in Mass- achusetts; she died January 23. 1868, at the age of forty and one-half years; she was married in lume. 1811. His present wife was united to him in 1875. Mr. Warren is an amateur of no mean ability on the violin. The writer has heard him play with a fine steady hand, choice old dance music. He is the owner of a very fine Joseph Quanerius, which was made in 1771. a violin of which he was so for- tomate as to discern it's time make from a multitude of instruments in an old shop.
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AMUEL. I. WILSON is the manager of the Flint Cabinet Creamery Company and Treasurer and Manager of the Genesee County Co-operative Creamery Company. The Flint Cabinet Creamery Company was organ- ized im 1883, our subject being very instrumental in its organization. its original promoters Ining Orin Stone, N. T. Wilson and be of whom we write. In three months the last two gentlemen bought out Mr. Stone, at the same time adding the names of Messis. W. H. a. F. A. Wilson & Co. also
included in the company. W. H. & F. A. Wilson &. V'o. are residents of Harrison, Mich., and MIr. J. N. Wilson of Ohio. This continued to be con- ducted, with the above-named gentlemen as offerts, until the fall of 1887 when it was formally mer- porated with a capital of +50,000. Mr. Slufter was President, N. T. Wilson Secretary and Treasurer, this position now being held by W. H. Long, Mr. Wilson having withdrawn on account of ill health in 1889. Our subject Ins been general manager from the first.
The company manufacture dairy goods of all kinds and ship their products to all parts of the L'united States. They also furnish creameries and private dairies. Their factory is located at No. MIT N. Saginaw Street and extends through to Chippewa Street. They give employment to twelve men.
The Genere Co-operative Creamery Company . was organized in 1888 and incorporated with a capital of $3500, which was afterward mereased to ×1.500. They manufacture butter. Its organizers were N. T. a. S. d. Wilson and its officers are as follows: President, Jacob Kurtz ; Vice-President, John S. Cary ; Secretary, W. H. Long ; Treasurer and Manager, S. J. Wilson. They make about one hundred thousand pounds of butter per year. The interest and co-operation of the farmers has been secured by each patron purchasing one share.
Our subject was born in Thetford Township, this county. September 2, 1819. He is a son of N. N. and Phalla (Slafter) Wilson. The parents came from Vermont to this township in 18:11, taking up . new land. There was not a frame house in Flint at that time. At different times he was the owner of a great many seres of land in the State, but the farm he finally settled on comprised one hundred and sixty acres. He resided there until 1883 and then removed to Flint. He was Justice of the Peace for many years and Supervisor of his township.
Our subject is one of a family of eight children. they bring Merey. Mrs. M. J. Miller; Carlos I'; Wil- liam. 11 .; Hon. F. A .; Rev. John N .; Persis A .: our subject and Nahum T. Our subject's father died in April, 1888, at the age of eighty -two years. Ilis mother died in 1863. Samuel J. acquired a good
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common-school education. He was reared on a farm until coming here with the exception of hav- ing been foreman for his brother in the woods for two years. N. T. and Samuel . Wilson are the inventors of the Cabinet Creamery and on coming here they found no difficulty in making others see its good points and in starting a factory. They have been very successful and their products find a ready sale throughout the whole country. Mr. Wilson is now Alderman for the First Ward. Socially he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Masons, to the Knights of the Maccabees and to the National Union.
Mr. Wilson was married to Miss lazzie Perry, of Mt. Morris Township, September 19, 1869. Of this union three children were born. They are Virgil A., who is now on a ranche in Montana; Guy M., who is attending the Flint High School. and Matel (. After the death of his first wife our subject again married, the lady of his choice being Harriet Clark, of Tuscola. She has borne him one son. Corrie Dale.
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M ORGAN L. DAVISON is an old and rep- re-entative citizen of Atlas Township, Cieneste County. He resides on his fine farm which is located on section 1. He is a native of Livingston County, N. Y .. and was born December 7, 1895. He is a son of Marlin and Nancy (Kmunett) Dascon, natives of New York State. He is of Scotch ancestry on the paternal side and Irish on the mother's side. Of the children born to the parents the following survive: Sally. Mrs. Clark Hutchins; John. Julia 1., Morgan 1 ... Samuel E .. and Jane, Mrs. John Arnot.
Marlin Davison emigrated to tienesce, then la- peer County, at an early day. but later purchased land in Lapeer County, and settled in Atlas Town- ship, in 1837, on the farm that is now owned and occupied by Robert Whitwell. He there settled in the woods with his family, first creating a log cabin which proved to be their home for many
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years. There were on their first coming here In- dians, wolves and bears, and the family suffered the privations and discomforts of pioneer life as did other early settlers. Our subject's father was a brother of the well-known County Judge, Nor- man Davison of Genere County. In the death of our subject's father the county lest one of her esteemed carly settlers.
Morgan 1. Davison was reared to man's estate in this county and he himself has followed the plow, guiding a double or triple ox-team. He received the rudiments of his education in the schools of the early days, but has endeavored to make up for early disadvantages by systematic study since that time. He was married April 3, 1855, to Miss Vaney Lason, who was born in New York. She was a daughter of Samuel and Maria Lason, early settlers of Atlas Township. By this union one son was born-Dell C., who married Nora tuiles, and which marriage has been blessed by the advent of one son-Bernard.
Our subject settled on his present farm in the spring of 1855, and has resided here since then with the exception of some three years spent in the western part of Atlas Township. His place was originally almost wholly untouched by the hand of man and to his energy and industry is owing his present highly cultivated estate. He owns eighty acres of good land, upon which is a comfortable and attractive residence and capa- cions barns and outbuildings. He has witnessed the growth of this country from an almost primi- tive state to its present highly productive con- dition. He and his wife are among the represen- tative people of Atlas Township, and have a large circle of friends in this locality. Politically he is a Democrat and has received party favor in sev- eral local offices, having served as School Di- rector, etc.
Samuel Lason, father of Mrs. Davison. came to Genesce County in 1830 and made a settlement in Atlas Township, purchasing his land while this country was but a Territory. He lived to be ninety-four years of age, his decerve occurring June 17, 1591. He was the father of ten children. right of whom still live. They are Mrs. Davison. James, Henry. Oscar, Emily, the widow of Mr.
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Saunders, Charles, George and Greetin. The widow of Mr. Jason still survives and resides ou the old homestead; she is now in her righty- Comth year. Mrs. Davison was from March it. In20, in tieneser County, . Y., and was brought by her parents to this State in 1830. Dar subject enjoy- the confidence and esterm of his town-men throughout the district.
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ON. HORACE C. SPENCER. Cashier of the Citizens' Commercial and SavingsBank of Flint, has been a resident of this city for twenty-five years. He was born in Cortland, Cortland County. N. Y .. July 27, 1832, and is a son of Chester and Abigail (Badgley) Spencer. His father was a merchant of Cortkind but moved to Springville, where the boy was citu- cated in the old and renowned academy of that place.
The father went out of business about that time and at the age of thirteen the young man establ- ished a trade of his own in general merchandise in his old town. and being successful. he finally de- cided to come West and establish himself in a sim- ilar line here. He therefore sold out his business and coming to Flint in 1866 opened up the hard- ware trade which he continued until 1880. He then sold out In- hardware store and lived for awhile a retired life on his tine stock farm of Bur- ton Township near the city of Flint and at the same time took care of the outside investment he had made.
On this splendid estate of one hundred and twenty-live acres Mr. Spencer keeps a fine line of standard bred roadsters. In August. 1890, was re-organized the old Citizens' National Bank, he taking the position of Cashier and retiring from his official position as Director of the tieneser County Savings Bank. The capital stock of the new bank is $150,000 and it now has $20,000 sur- plus and is in an excellent financial condition. The Nickel Savings Stump plan has been adopted by this bank and is proving a great meentive to people in moderate means to open up a savings
|account. The lunik has two departments, Com- mercial and Savings, and occupies handsome aparter on Saginaw Street. Mr. Spencer devotes himself to the management of the bank and also theals to some extent in real estate in Bay City and Saginaw, and is one on the original stockholders of the Second National Bank of Bay City, which was originated in 1877.
Mr. Spencer has been a very prominent Repub- lican, but not an active politician, although he served in the State Senate during Gov. Alger's administration. It is universally conceded that there was more good honest material in the legis. lature that year than ordinary. He acted as Chairman of the following committees : On the Reformed School; on the Kalamazoo Asylum ; on the Pontiac Insane Asylum, and was a member of the Committee on Public Lands and on Rules and Joint Resolutions, and was also member of the committee that redistricted the State. His record therein was in every way creditable to himself and acceptable to the people, and he has since been fre- quently sent to State Conventions. For a time he was a member of the Agricultural Board, but had to resign on account of stress of duties.
Mr. Spencer was married December 12, 1853, to Catherine C. Morris of the renowned Morris family of New York and daughter of Charles Morris, of Buffalo, N. Y. One daughter came to bless their home, to whom they gave the name of Carrie and she is now the wife of A. G. Bishop, assistant Cash- ier of the tieneer County Savings Bank, and they have two children, Spencer and Catherine.
M ENZO SWART, a resident of Flint, who is carrying on a farm in Clayton Township, has long been engaged in the lumber busi. ness, and of late years has acted as Tress. pass Agent for the State, but is not now in that office. He was born in Shelby, Orleans County, N. Y., September 5. 1810, and is a son of Martin and Sarah (Smith) Swart. He came to the county in 1x17 and took up new land in what is now Mt. Morris Township, but removed to Montrose, and
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engaged in milling and the tumber business until his death in 1853. His wife survived until Feb- ruary, 1890. Their children are as follows: Mary, Jeanette, our subject, William H., Rufus, Nancy, and Edgar.
.A good practical education was granted to our subject, and after lirst entering opon business he continued therein until 1861, when he enlisted in the second Michigan Regiment, but when it was re-organized he went into the Sixteenth Infantry, being there Sergeant of Company C, and serving in that capacity until April 27, 1863, at which time he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieuten- ant. He was wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., and was again promoted to the rank of First Liest- chant. He took part in the battles of Gettysburg and the Wilderness, and during the winter of 1862 . and 1863 he acted as recruiting officer for the regi- ment.
Upon being discharged from the United States :ervice, Mr. Swart returned to Montrose and again engaged in farming. On the 26th of June, 1866, he was married to Miss Salle Wiggins, of Flash- ing, and soon after removed to that place and engaged heavity in lumbering in the counties of Midland and Isabella, adding to his business that of dealing in lands. In 1872, he went to Brun -- wick, tia .. and there entered upon the lumber husi. ness, and carried on a mill. At different times he tis gone into the land business of the South and engaged as a land speculator until 1878 when he was appointed by dios. Crosswell as Trespass Agent and continued thus under iovs. ler- one, Begole, AMger, and Luce. ilis doties took him over all the timber lands in the Northern part of the State, having his headquarters at the State Land Office.
ing business in Flushing, but died the following winter. The mother continued to reside at Fluch- ing until Mr. Swast removed to Flint, when she came with them and died here September 21, 1881. The three children of our subject are: Aza .M. (who died at the age of litteen); Viola, who is How a student at Olivet College; and Jennie .I., who died at the age of three years
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OSEPH GAGE, who is well known through- out Tu-cola County in connection with large farming interests, hotelkeeping and other branches of business, and who is a resident of agetown, was born near the city of Toronto, upon a farm on the 17th of January, 1833. He is a son of William and Lydia (Hop- kins) Gage, and had his carly training and educa- tion upon the farm and in the common district schools, working upon the farm during the summer months and attending school in the winter.
Leaving hoime at the age of twenty-one the young man worked on wages for four years and in the spring of 1800 came to Michigan and located on the last day of April in Elmwood Township, To-cola County. He built a little cabin and piling some brush in the corner for a bed slept upon it for two years. He remained here until the spring of 1870 and during that time there were few white people in the county. and many of the townships of the county had not a resident. He built the first sawmill in this part of the country and it be- gau running on Independence Day. 1869. It was situated upon what is now the location of Rage- town, which was named for this family and the lirst Postoffice was kwated here in 1870. During that same year he removed his family here.
A brother of Mrs. Swart died, leaving an estate involving mining interests to be settled by Mr. Swart, and while doing this he became interested in mining matters in Colorado. He is a member Mr. Hage had been married September 18, 1866. to Sarah J., daughter of Peter Bush and they be- came the parents of tive cluldren. Their mother died m the opping of 1871, and the present Mrs. Gage becaine the a fe of our subjeet in the fall of of the Masonic order, belonging to the Blue Lodge, and an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Elijah Wiggins, the father of Mis, Swant, came to this seetion from Topkins County. N. Y., where his daughter was born in 1815. In 1852, the father engaged in the lumber- [ she has three children: Mary. Band and William.
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They lost one child in infancy whose name was Mina. After carrying on farming and milling for some time our subject in 1890, built the first hotel in the village, the Cagetown Hotel, which he car- riod on and at the same time pursued the more- tile business for some eight years. He now run- the hotel and operates a large faim upon a splen- did tract of twelve hundred acres.
It was in 1872 that Mr. Gage built his gristmill in Capetown and he carried it on for about four yours, after which it was burned. He and his brother are now preparing to erect another mill which will probably go up this fall. The political tendencies of Mr. Gage bring him into affiliation with the Democratic party and his public spirit and enterprise have made him prominent among the men of his vicinity. He has held all the offices in the township from Supervisor down and is ever active in all puolic enterprises, especially in Mild- ing up good school.
2 HOMAS FOSTER. The name of this gen- theman has for more than twenty years been associated with the rise and progress of Fostoria, and as one who has contributed materially to the advancement of its interests. we are pleased to place a review of his life on these pages, dedi- cated to those who have in any way advanced the tone of public thought or promoted the welfare of their follow -citizens. For more than twenty years he has been engaged in lumbering, while at the same time he has extensive interests as a farmer and a stock-raiser, paying considerable attention to thoroughbred horses and cattle, sheep and boys. In every venture in which he has embarked he has met with final success and that pleasant result has ben attained by the exercise of personal charge- teristies of industry and enterprise.
Mr. Fenster comes of Irish parentage on his father's side, while his mother was born in Lower Canada, John Foster, his father, was a native of Belfast, Ireland, and followed the occupation of a faster and stock-raiser, after his removal to Can- ma. He and his good wife. Elizabeth, became the
parents of nine children, as follows: Thomas, do. seph, Dores, William, JJane, Samuel, John, Eliza- beth and Mary. John Foster long since passed to his last rest, his death occurring in 1×11, while the mother survived until 1877.
Our subject, who was born in Canada, passed his youth in a busy but comparatively uneventful manner, being chietly engaged in choaring new land and raising crops. His educational advan- tages were limited, and the extensive knowledge of men and things which he now has, was acquired by close observation and careful reading. In 1852 he was married to Miss Margaret A., daughter of Isaac and Naney Conklin, both now deceased. Mrs. Foster was born in New Jersey and has been an eficient co-laborer with her husband in all his on- dertaking>. The year 1871 marked the arrival of Mr. Foster in Fostoria, where he has since resided. Hle was engaged in lumbering first for the late tiov. H. Il. Crapo and since his death for the lon. W. W. Crapo, having put in from ten to eighteen million each year. He looked up large quantities of pine lands for Gov. Capo in Michigan, besides pine and timbered lands in Wisconsin. Oregon and Washington for the Hon. W. W. Crapo.
The political belief of our subject has brought him into close identification with the Republican party, to which he is devotedly attached. With the agricultural interests of the State he is closely connected, and has served as President of the Gener County Agricultural Society for many years, as well as Director. A man of time endow- ments, well trained mind and high personal char- actor. he has been an invaluable citizen of the county and has done noble service in promoting its welfare.
HALLAM MINGER. One of the best fam- ilie- in Richfield Township, Geneser County, is here represented in our subject who was born in Livonia Township, Livingston County, N. Y., September 27. 1×19. There also his father. I. W. Munger, was born in 1800, and the mother, Berry Fuller, was born in Massachu.
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selts June 16, 1802, and died September BD. 1811. She was fourteen years of age when she went with her parents to New York, where she met and mar- ried the father of our subject. Ichabod Manger, the father of 1. W. Manger, had his birth and ed- eation in Connectient, having a farm on the State line, bordering on the Connectiont River, and during his seven years of service in the American Army was connected with the staff of Gen. Wash- ington. He lived to the year 1835.
Jason Fuller, the material grandfather of our subject, was a Massachusetts farmer. Our subject's father had two brothers that were in the War of 1812, and this was a family of nine brothers and sisters. 1. W. Munger came to Michigan in 1811, and was Justice of the Peace in Antrim Township, Shiawassee County, where he died February 20, 1851. His nine children were William, Jason, Rosella, Thomas, Phylenda, Eli, James, Cynthia and Leman. Mr. Manger does not know that any of his brothers and sisters are now living except Eli and James.
William Manger attended school winters only from the age of five years until he was fifteen and at the age of sixteen commenced teaching in the dis- triet school of his native place, having charge of a school for two years and touching penmanship also for two winters. He remained with his parents until his marriage, in 1810, to Chloe Tay- lor, daughter of Benager and Anna (Havens) Taylor, who was born in Livonia Township. Liv- ingston County. N. Y. For two years now the Young man carried on a farm in his native place which belonged to his uncle and in fa12 he came West and settled in Richfield Township, this county, where he now resides, and this has been " his home ever since except during one year which he spent in Dakota prospecting.
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The wife of his youth was taken from Mr. Mun- ger in 1817, and he subsequently married Lucy, daughter of William and Deborah (Close) Throop. a native of Darien. Genesee County, N. Y. where she was born May 31. 1821. She was cigliteen years old when she came to Michigan and she is the mother of three children. The oldest son. Al. phones, resides in New York City and is the free- ident of a Loan Company, which is located at I'l.
Worth, Texas. He married Ella Darling, a Cana- dian girl who was living in Michigan at the time. The second child, Chloe, is the wife of .I. M. Van Buskirk and resides with her parents. while Mary, the youngest, is the wife of W. H. Booth, and has a son and two daughters.
There were no improvements upon Mr. Mun- ger's farm when he took it and be out the road for three-quarters of a mile to reach his place, where he cut down logs and built a log house 20x26 feet in dimensions and in this be made his home until 1863, when he built the home which How shelters them. He has cleared his farm and put it in excellent cultivation. He has set out all the trees and has all but thirty-live of his two hundred and seventy avres under cultivation. For the past ten years he has had this farm in the hands of a tenant, his son-in-law having worked it for the last nine years.
Mr. Munger is a Democrat in his political views and has held the offices of School Inspector, Town- Ship Clerk, Supervisor, Justice of the Peace and Treasurer. He and his good wife are both mem- bers of the I'nion Church at Richfield where they are highly estermed for their character and influ-
M. COOLEY. This well-known jeweler of Mayville has represented that business here since 1886. He was born in Ontario, Canada, July 20. 1831, and is a son of Abram and Sarah Jane ( MeVeigh) Cooley, na tives of the State of New York. They emigrated to Canada in 1869, and removed to Michigan and settled at Richmond, Macomb County. There the mother died, and the father is still living and i- carrying on his farm in that county.
The early life of our subject was passed upon the farm and he attended the common schools. 11 the age of eighteen he commenced learning the Isiness of a jeweler and also learned the dis- goods business at the same time, and subsequently opened a jewelry and lazzar house at Richmond. In Text he came to Mayville and established his
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business at this place. He was married, in 1880, to n Canadian lady, Miss Delia, daughter of Ju- seph Edmunds, and their four children are: fallia Beatrice, Myrtle Mand, Mabel and Ha V.
The political views of Mr. Cooley are in har- mony with the doctrines of the Republican party and be is now serving his third term as Village Treasurer. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which organization he has passed nearly all the chairs and is one of the proprietors of the hall which is occupied by that order. Mr. Cooley is one of tive brothers. Andrew W. resides in Richmond; Myron is a farmer in Macomb County ; Asa is a resident of Marlette, Sanilac County, and Frank makes his home in Richmond. Without ex- ception they are honored members of society and are useful in their various callings.
ENRY H. CHATTERS. We here present a life sketch of the most extensive mer- chant in the village of Flashing, whose at- tractive and substantial brick store was created in 1889. This building, which comprises three stories and a basement, covers Hxx0 feet upon the ground and is fitted up with every con. venience for the transaction of business.
Mr. Chatters is a native of Canada and was born in 1855. He received his education in his native home and was early drilled in the prie- tical duties of farm life. For two years he ocen- pied a position as clerk, but in 1878 decided to leave the British Provinces and come to the States. Here in Michigan he made his home, purchasing eighty acres of wild land in Hazelton Township, Shiawassee County. He did not, how- ever, remain there to subdue all that forest, but after clearing the trees from six artes came to Flushing and sought employment with A. N. Niles & Co., and remained with them four years as a clerk and nearly two years as bookkeeper.
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