USA > Michigan > Genesee County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 8
USA > Michigan > Lapeer County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 8
USA > Michigan > Tuscola County > Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan > Part 8
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On April 2, 1857, Mr. Burrough was married to Miss Ann Baker, who was born and reared in Eng- land. They have a family of live children- Edward J., Frank W., Eva E., Charles J. and Alice B. With the exception of Alice, all have estab- lished honies of their own, and are occupying res- ponable positions in their respective communities. A great sorrow came Jo the family on April 18,
1×69, when the loving wife and the tender mother was called from the home to which she had de- voted her life. and where she was so greatly missed. Her remains were interred in Flint, Mich., but the memory of her noble hfe is a precious heritage which will always live in the hearts of her chil- dren. Politically Mr. Burrough is a stanch Demo- erat and although he has never sought office, he consented to serve one term as Supervisor of For- est Township, and is at present serving as a school officer.
LBERT C. AND WILLIAM F. GALBRAITHI, of North Branch. Lapeer County were horn in Oxford County, Ontario, Canada and their natal days were February 25, 1860 and January 21, 1862 respectively. The father, Francis JJ. Galbraith, was born in Toronto, Canada, and there had his early training, while the mother, Eliza (Schell) Galbraith, was born in Ontario and there resided until after her marriage. The sons received every advantage of a common- school education, and were not debarred from the privilege of attending to their studies all through their days of boyhood and youth. It was about the year 186% when their parents came to Michi- gan and located in Lexington, although they did not reside there long, removing to Algonac and afterward to North Branch.
The father of these gentlemen was a min- ister of the Methodist Episcopal Church but he was also at some time during his life connected with the mercantile business and at various times undertook farming. The sons carly chose the newspaper work as their line of business and are now the publishers of the North Branch Guzette. This paper was purchased in 1879 from V. S. Miller who had established it some four years previous, and in its conduct the brothers have been engaged from that time to this. They are young men of ability and talent and these are freely exercised in both the business and editorial departments.
The North Branch Ciocette is Independent in its politles and devotes itself more particularly to the Jocul interests of the community than to cumpaign
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work. Since the Galbraith brothers took hold of may be supposed from the fact that he began to work so carly in life, his educational advantages were rather limited, but he was permitted to attend the district school in the vicinity in which he lived it has become increasingly prosperous from year to year, and whereas its earlier circulation was ex- tremely limited they have now built it up to some. two thousand circulation. .. (. Galbraith is now . and for a short time was a student in the Flint a member of the Village Council and is a man of High School. considerable influence in the community as is also his brother. They stand high in the sovint circles of the place and are both of them still enjoying single blessedness.
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C HAARLES BARER. JIR. The genial and able Supervisor of Grand Blanc Township, Gen- eee County, is a representative property owner of this portion of the district. He has a line farm located on section 11, and here demonstrates the advantages of the modern way of doing agri- cultural labor. Mr. Baker was born in Devonshire, England, April 17, 1818, and is the son of Charles and Eliza (Dymond) Baker, natives of the land upon whose dominions the sun never sets. When our subject was nine years old his parents emigrated to America, taking passage at Plymouth in a Mail- ing-vesel, and after a voyage of several weeks. landed at a Canadian port and via Hamilton, Can- ada, came to Genesee County.
Charles Baker with his family settled in Burton Township, and there they still reside, having brought with them to this country the thrifty Eng- lish idea of tilling the soil and harvesting the pro- duets. They were the parents of thirteen children whose names are as follows: Aun, Chark., Thomas, George, Frank, Robert, James, William, Rose, Mary, Harry, Frederick and Lewis. Frank is the present Sheriff of Genesee County, while Rose is the wife · Walter Harris,
Our subject began his struggle for daily bread when only ten years of age, at that time hiring out as a farmer's lad. He entered the employ of James Ellis, of Manday Township, this county, and re- mained with them until their interest- became al- most his own, his service extending over a period of five years. He then spent two years with Ben- jamin Boomer, of Flint Township, this county. As
On the breaking out of the war our subject's patriotism was tired, and July 20, 1863, he joined the ranks with the boys in blue, entering Company G, Ninth Michigan Cavalry, and was detailed to the Army of the Cumberland. He participated in the siege of Knoxville, also in the battle of Blue Springs, Cumberland Gap, Cynthiana, Marietta, Ga., and in several battles with Kilpatrick around Atlanta, being a participant in the siege of the last-named city. When Sherman was preparing to make his celebrated march to the sea, our subject was captured at Stone Mountain, and he was con- fined in four different rebel prisons for a period of six months, four of which were spent in the An- dersonville pen. He received an honorable dis- charge from duty June 25. 1865, after which he re- turned to this State.
During his war experience our subject had come in contact with men of all classes and his ambition wa- fired to become educated to a greater extent than had been his privilege. On returning home he entered the High School in Flint, and titted him- self for a teacher, devoting different periods there- after to that work. He was married May 2, 1875, to Miss Grace F. Blandford. a daughter of Henry Blandford, formerly of England. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have become the parents of eight children, whose mones are as follows: Herbert 11., (. Bland- ford, Grace M., Ruth Alice, Susan E., Henretta and Marian F. In the spring of 1879 Mr. Baker settled on his present farm where he has made his residence ever siner. It comprises one hundred and twenty acres of fertile and well-improved land that is un- der a good state of cultivation.
Under the old law Mr. Baker served as Super- intendent of Blanc Township. He also was JJustice of the Peace for four years. He was elected Su- pervisor in the spring of 1890, and re-elected in the spring of 1891. A Republican in his political views, he is not so wedded to party as to allow his sense of progress to be impeded in any way by de-
S.B.
S.B .?
DRY GOODS
CROCERIES
STORE & RESIDENCE OF S. B. PIXLEY, GOODRICH.,MICH.
RESIDENCE OF CHARLES BAKER JR., SEC.11., GRAND BLANC TP., GENESEE CO., MICH.
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votion to n enuse. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are actively engaged in the work that makes humanity better and purer. He is socially a member of the toy. Crapo Post, No, 115 G. A. R. The success that is attending his efforts in a financial way is the result of natural judgment and ability. He has been to an unquestioned extent the architect of his own fortunes, and has proved that his will was a power by which he could subdue opposing obstacles in a most gratifying manner. In his farming, he de- votes himself to general agricultural work, and he has a line lot of stock upon the place and graded sheep, cattle, horses and hogs. He is recognized as among the prominent and representative citizens of Genesee County.
Elsewhere in this volume will be noticed a view of the residence and surroundings on the farm of Mr. Baker.
ETH B. PIXLEY. The Reading mercantile establishment in Goodrich, is carried on and owned by the gentleman whose name appears above. He is well known as a popular and wide awake merchant who keeps thoroughly abreast with the times, and the stock which he carries is well selected and suited to the needs of his class of customers. He conducts his business in a brick store which is 2 1x 70 feet in di- mmensions and a view of this establishment is shown on another page. He carries constantly on hand a stock that is worth from $6,000 to $8,000, and that comprises boots, shoes, clothing and dry- 1 goods, in fact everything to be found in a first- class country store.
Mr. Pixley established himself in business in this place in 1873 and for the first six months had as partner E. W. Matice, the business being con- ducted under the firm name of Mative & Fixley; but at the expiration of the time above mentioned our subject became sole proprictor. le is n na- tive of tienesee County, having been born bere January 23, 1810, and being the son of Theron
and Sarah Pixley. The latter still survives and makes her home in California.
Mr. Pixley's parents came to Genesee County in tatli and settled in Atlas Township, where the father cleared a farm in the midst of the woods. He served as Postimaster of Goodrich for over eight years and died hme 7, 1891. Our subject was reared to manhood on the farm and received a good common-school education, both in Michi- gan and California, to which State at the age of fifteen years he went with his parents, the family settling in San Joaquin Valley. He there reached his majority and in 1872 was married to Miss Sarah Perry, a daughter of Samuel Perry, of Oak- land County.
Our subject resided in California until 1872 when he returned to tienesce County, In 1873 he beeame engaged in business in tioodrich and now has the largest trade in this vicinity. He is a wide awake man who operates upon strictly Ini- iness principles, and has built up a prosperous trade by his own efforts alone. Thus far he has been most successful and unless the signs of the times are sadly awry, his prosperity will continue, as he has all the traits necessary to make a thorough success of life.
IMOX KING, The fine farm on section 10, Genesee Towuship, Genesee County, is owned by bim whose name appears alove. He was probably born on the tieneste River, three miles from Rochester, N. Y., April 21, 1802. He is a son of Siumon King, who is supposed to have been born in Connecticut. The father. however, died when our subject was only three years old. He was a farmer by occupation. Our subject's mother was Sally Byam in her maiden days ; she was a nat- ive of Connecticut and was born in 1780. She was reared in the western part of New York State and about tout was married the second time, to David Farwell. She died in New York in 1835. She was the mother of right children, having live children by the first marriage and three by the -econd.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Our subject is the fourth child of his mother's first marriage. He left the parental care at the nge of fourteen years to live with his father's brother in the village of Rochester, N. Y. He remained with him five months, and then spent four months with a Presbyterian minister by the name of Con- fort William. From that time until he was twenty- one years of age he lived with his brother-in-law, Thomas Faulkner.
Our subject was married in 1823 on the 27th of July, to labelle MeCreery. She was a native of New York State. After their union they settled three miles below Rochester on a small farm which comprised eighty acres of land and which was a part of his father's estate. He there remain- ed two summers and one winter and in the fall of 1×25 moved to the town of Wheatland, Monroe County, where he located on a farm and there re- mained until he came to Michigan, in 1819.
Our subject first settled in Jackson County and purchased four hundred acres of land, half of it being at the time improved. He also purchased a quarter section in Butler Township, Brauch County, paying $5,000 for the four hundred acres and sono for the quarter section. He there re. mained until 1853, when he removed to the place where he now resides. He bought a tract with a Mr. MeCrvery, comprising eight hundred acres of unimproved land in Genesee Township, paying $3,500 in cash for the same. He and Mr. McCreery built a sawmill at a cost of $3,000 on sections In and 11, on the Flint River. They ran the same for eight years and in 1861 they dissolved partnership and divided the lands and mill property. Our subject then turned hi- attention to farming and to clearing up his land. His wife died October 8. 1861. They were the parents of six childlien, there being four daughters and two sons .- Sarah, Mar- tha, Simon, Hiram, Margaret and Francis 1. Sarah is the wife of George R. Culver, of Jackson; Martha is the widow of G. Everts. also of Jackson ; Simon lives in Jackson County ; Margaret is the widow of Francis 1 .. Farwell and resides with her father.
Our subject was married January 1, 1867, the second time, to Mis Philinda Bodine, She died January 7, 18X1. Mr. King gave his sons, Simon and Hiram, the four hundred neres of land which
he purchased in Jackson and where they now re- side, thus giving them a comfortable start in life. He is a Republican in politics, but cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson. In 1881, our subject had a fall and broke his log and has not been able to walk siner that time.
OUN 1. YORK. Our readers will be pleased to find upon this page a sketch of one of the most worthy and venerable citizens of Atlas Township, Genesee County. This septuagenarian is a representative of the best class of our citizens, and is a native of Erie County, N. Y. His birth took place. December 27, 1823 and he is a son of Jeremiah and Rhoda (Sweers) York, the latter being a native of Vermont and the former a soldier in the War of 1812.
From carly youth John York, was engaged in the work of a farmer and received his education in the district schools of his native county. His father was a prominent man in his township and served as Constable, Collector and Deputy Sheriff for eleven years.
Our subject was married March 11, 1817 to Anne Crathers, who was born in Erie County, N. Y., December 11, 1825, and was a daughter of John and Mary ( Wycof ) Crathers. The father was a Pennsylvanian and the mother a native of the Em- pire State. Seven children have blessed the home of our subject and five are now living, namely: Mariam, wife of Henry Frick ; Jeremiah; Ellen, now Mrs. Alton Dillenbeck; Matilda, who married Charles Watkins; James, Milton and John N. are deceased.
In the fall of 1850 Mr. York removed with his family to Genese County, and settled upon the farm where he now lives, a property which was then only partially improved. Upon this he has bestowed great labor and hasit now in an excellent condition. It comprises one hundred acres of some of the best land in the county and it is in a highly productive condition. All this is the result of the united efforts of our subject and his wife, who
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have labored shoulder to shoulder through the of O. W. Seymore in Flint, where he remained five hard times of pioneering and together have ar- { years and gained a good knowledge of mercantile cumulated a property which provides well for them in their old age. life. At the age of twenty, he commenced to work for his father and learned the busines of manufac- Mr. York has served as School Director and is netive in promoting all educational movements. He and his wife are both members of the Protestant Methodist Church in which he is Class-leader, and Mrs. York is now serving ber third year as Steward in the church. He is a Republican in politics and both he and his wife are highly esteemed members of society. turing pumps. So familiar did he become with the business that in (888 he felt qualified to assume the entire responsibility of its management and ac- cordingly purchased the factory of his father, and has controlled it since with great success. He engages in the manufacture of Bort's Wooden Force Pumps and also deals in the Temple Chain Pump. As one of the oldest and most reliable manufacturers of the city he enjoys a large busi- ness and the esteem and confidence of the people.
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F6 RED D. BORT, proprietor of the Flint Pump Factory, was born wear Lockport, N. Y .. May 27, 1818. His father who es- tablished the pump factory here in 1863, was like- wise a native of the Empire State and was born in Ningara County. Reared to manhood on a farm, he became a manufacturer of pumps while still quite young, and in 1858 came to Michigan, settling in Burton Township, Generer County, where hestarted nursery. In 1863 he commenced to operate in the city of Flint as n pump manufacturer and con- tinued thus engaged until 1888, when he sold the business to the subject of this sketch.
Then going to Saginaw City, D. G. Bort estah- lished a pump factory in that thriving city, which he managed for a brief period. He is now in part . nership with his son, Judson D. Bort, and together they are carrying on one of the most flourishing enterprises of Flint. Politically D. G. Bort was a stanch Democrat, ever active in the councils of his party and officiating in various public capacities. The mother of our subject was known in maiden- hood as Martha MeNitt, and was born in Niagara County, N. Y. Her death occurred in Flint In 1881, at a ripe old age. Of the children, six in number, who blessed the parental home. F. D. was the youngest and he grew to a stalwart manhood in the State of New York.
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After attending the school of his native home until he was fifteen years old, Mr. Bort started out in life for himself as clerk in a clothing store, that
In 1869 Mr. Bort was united in marriage in the city of Flint with Miss Dora Ward, an accomplished young lady residing in this city and the daughter of Alex Ward, a pioneer resident of this place. Mr. and Mrs. Bort have one child-a daughter Mabel, who is a graduate of the Flint High School and now book-keeper for Putnam Bros. In her religious sentiments, Mrs. Bort is in sympathy with and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which Mr. Bort contributes liberally, as he does to all charitable measures that appeal to him for nid. He uniformy votes the Democratic ticket and is a prominent member of that party. His commodious residence is pleasantly located on the corner of Ninth and Harrison Streets and within that cozy domicile he and his estimable wife hospitally en- tortain their many friends who are wont to gather there.
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2 HOMAS J. DIBBLE. The proprietor of the Dible House. in Flint, is one of the veter- ans in Ins line. He was born in Steuben County. N. Y., AApril 11. 1828, and is a son of Clark and Holdah ( Bailey) Dibble. both of Steuben County. Our subject's father came to Michigan with his family in 1830, coming hither by boat to Detroit and thener by team to Whigville and to the township of Grand Blaue, and there located on a new farm, where he kept a tavern in a log house. In 1×33 he was one of the two settlers who went
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10 Fenton. He there purchased a mill site, com- prising forty neres, and built the first mall and made the first dam, and was there engaged in the manufacture of lumber until 1836, when he sold and located in Tyrone Township. Livingston County, where he improved a farm and kept an hotel and store.
In those early days our subject's father brought all his goods from Detroit by team. He carried on considerable trade with the Indians. His decare was caused by the falling of a tree, June, 1811. He held several local offices and was a man much esteemed at that time. His wife was a daughter of Elisha Bailey, a farmer in Steuben County, who took part in the War of 1812 and who came to Michigan about 1833, locating first in Fenton and then in Jackson, where he died. Our subject's mother died in Lapeer County at the age of sixty years. Of the six children that she left, our sub- jeet was the second m order of birth.
Hle of whom we write spent the first five years of his life in Whigville, then received his educa- tion in a log schoolhouse in Fenton, and was later engaged in farming. When fourteen years of age he drove live yoke of cattle to break a new tract of land, and he remembers odd games that he used to play with the Indian papouses. His father's death left the family eighty acres of land and our subject was the oldest of four surviving children. The family scattered and Thomas went out to work by the month, receiving $3 or &1 for his services. When eighteen years of age he commenced team- ing, his route being from Fenton to Detroit, via Pontiac. Three years later he began teaming for himself, and in 1851 he was the proprietor of a dray business, the owner of two days and a double team. He carried the mail and express.
In 1861 our subject went to Kast Saginaw and for three years prosecuted his Isiness successfully. In 1861 he located on a farm in Metamora Town- ship, Lapeer County, and was there engaged in farming for two years. This be sold to his brother and located in Oxford, where he was engaged in teaming, but later opened a meat market and went into the stock business. He continued his work until October, 1882, when he sold out and located in Flint, and wus variously engaged until 1885,
when he bought the site upon which his hotel is How located and built upon it the brick part of the Dibble House. He enlarged his Isiness and has given las attention wholly to his hotel. He has a line trade, his place being conveniently located at the corner of Second and Harrison streets.
December 25, 1855, our subject was married in Fenton, to Miss Cordelia Ohinstead, who was born in Romeo, Macomb County, this State. They have become the parents of three children -Amelia, who was married to Frank Gillespie, and who died in 1882; Clark B., in partnership with his father; and Fred T., engaged at Skinner's carriage factory as painter. Our subject and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Democrat.
UGH McCOLL. Among the venerable and representative octogenarian citizens of Gen- Per County, Mich., whose names lind a place in this volume, we present the gen- theman whose name is above. He is of sturdy Scottish ancestry and the trend of his thought and principles shows the power of his nationality. He is a prominent resident of Grand Blane and is a native of Montgomery County, N. Y., having been born on the Mohawk River, lus natal day being December 26. 1810. He is a son of Mexander and Hannah ( Christler) MeColl. His father emigrated to America with our subject's grandfather, when a boy, before the close of the last century-1783- heating in New York State, where the grandfather died.
Our subject's mother was a native of New York State, where he was reared to manhood. When fourteen years of age he began the harness-maker's trade and at sixteen years of age he began to learn the shoemaker's trade, and for the greater portion of his life he has been engaged in these lines both in this State and New York. He first married Mary Blue, who bore him eleven children of whom the following survive: Alexander, John G., Arthur C., and Mary E., now the wife of George Gundry.
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In the death of Mr. Mary McColl he married Mrs. Sophia Wilber, widow of Elias Wither, a native of Monroe County, N. Y .. who was born August 31, 1×16, and was scared in her native place, being a daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Campbell) Giu- tin; the former being a native of Connecticut and the latter of Scotland. In 1868 our subject came to Genesce County and located on a farm in Mundy Township, where he lived for four years and then moved to the village of Grand Blanc. le there engaged in the harness-making business outil 1885, when he retired. Mr. McColl is a self- made man and has accumulated his present hand- some competency by his own efforts. He now en- joys the pleasant assurance that he is secure in his advanced years against want.
Mr. McColl is a Republican in his political atlili- ations. He has served as Justice of the Year, al-o Treasurer of Grand Blane Township, filling these prominent positions with credit to himself as well us to the satisfaction of his constituents. Mrs. MeColl is a member of the Congregational Church and is also one of the enthusiastic workers in the Woman's Christian Temperance I'nion. She is a lady who is thoroughly progressive and delights in good works. Our subject and his wife in their pleasant home enjoy the fruits of a life spent in usefulness and well-doing. They are highly es- teemed members of society and it is with pleasure we include their names among those who have helped to make Genesee County notable as an ag- ricultural region.
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HOMES H. NESBITT. The owner of the farm that is located on section 23. Flint Township, Genesee County, was born in Salem, Washington County, N. Y .. August 27, 1 1821. When but a year old his parents removed to Brutus, Cayuga County, the same State, and he there grew to manhood, spending the first thirty years of his life in that vicinity. He was reared on n farm and carly became familiar with the du ties incident to farm life. His father was the pro- printer of a sawnull and our subject was also en-
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