USA > Michigan > Grand Traverse County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 103
USA > Michigan > Leelanau County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 103
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103
Robert Garland, the eighth of their fam- ily, has always lived in Peninsula township. He obtained his education in the common schools and the "temple of learning" was a somewhat primitive structure during his early youth, but was improved as the years passed by and the country became more thickly populated. Farm duties also claimed much of his attention and he was early trained to habits of industry and persever- ance. Lessons of integrity were also in- stilled into his mind and have colored his career in manhood. Mr. Garland was mar- ried in Peninsula township to Miss Flora F. Jones, who was born on the Ist of March, 1863, in Kalamazoo county, Michigan, a daughter of Erastus and Rena C. (Fairman) Jones, both of whom are natives of this state. The wedding of the young couple was celebrated on the 22d of November,
1883, and their home is now shared by their five children, three sons and two daughters : Frank W., Fred H., Flora B., Rena F. and Robert. The family circle still remains un- broken by the hand of death and the sons as- sist in the farm work.
The home farm comprises one hundred and twenty acres of arable land, of which eighty acres has been brought under culti- vation,-transformed from its primitive condition into productive fields or rich pas- tures. He keeps on hand a good grade of farm animals to carry on the work, and in his labors he shows that he is thoroughly fa- miliar with the progressive methods of farm- ing which characterize the twentieth century. While Mr. Garland has never sought the honors or emoluments of public office, he is yet interested in township affairs and is a citizen of worth because his influence is ever thrown on the side of right and improve- ment.
ABIJAH B. DUNLAP.
Abijah B. Dunlap, deceased, was born in Ovid, Seneca county, New York, Au- gust 29, 1809. Reared upon a farm, he enjoyed the educational privileges of farmers' sons, until entering Ovid Academy, preparatory to taking a college course. From this he graduated well fitted to begin a college course, which he did by entering Yale in 1830, and from which he graduated in 1833. For some years he fol- lowed farming, teaching in the winter, until in 1846 he entered the theological seminary at Auburn, New York, from which he grad- uated and entered upon a pastorate at Saline, Washtenaw county, Michigan, which he filled for two years, when, compelled by ill
804
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
health, he returned to the east. After re- covery he became pastor of the Presbyterian church of his native town, remaining three years.
On June 29, 1853, Mr. Dunlap was mar- ried to Miss Mary A. Wright, of the Ing- ham University, at Le Roy, New York, where he accepted a position as professor of ancient languages and mental and moral philosophy. Later himself and wife came to Janesville, Michigan, together taking charge of the public school, but ill health again com- pelled him to abandon his work and, return- ing to New York, he entered the Elmira Female College as teacher of literature and ancient languages, remaining there until 1858, when he was obliged to give up all lit- erary pursuits and return to farming on ac- count of serious trouble with his eyes. Mr. Dunlap's attention having been called to the Grand Traverse region about this time, he, in the fall of 1862, came to Traverse City on a prospecting tour, which resulted in the purchase of a large tract of land in Elm- wood, Leelanaw county. He remained in Traverse City through the winter and the following spring his wife and her sister, Miss Sophia Wright, came and then began their pioneer life on a new farm, in a com- paratively new portion of the state. He spent the remaining years of his life on this farm, devoting his best energies to its culti- vation. Other farms adjoining were cleared and neighbors became in time many and near at hand. At this time the representa- tive district was composed of ten counties, and in 1864 Mr. Dunlap was elected to the legislature. He was a ready debater, worked for the interests of the section that he repre- sented, and that his services were appreciated
was shown by a re-election for a second term. Politically, Mr. Dunlap was a Republican until the Greeley campaign, when he sup- ported Mr. Greeley and from that time for- ward supported the Democratic party. He was president of the first agricultural society organized in the region. He was elected and served one term as prosecuting attorney of Leelanaw county, and for many years he held the office of supervisor of Elmwood township, and both himself and wife did much to advance the interests of educa- tion in Leelanaw county. Mr. Dunlap passed away June 17, 1895, and was laid be- side his wife in the family lot in Oakwood cemetery, her death having occurred a few years previous. They have left marks of their labor, and will long live in the esteem and memory of their many friends. The sis- ter is still living and has a comfortable home in Traverse City.
WILBER E. CAMPBELL.
Wilber E. Campbell was born at Union City, Michigan, April 18, 1862, and is there- fore forty-one years of age. His father was a blacksmith and his vocation called him to locate in a number of villages in Michigan, always looking for the Utopia, consequently the son, Wilber F., was reared to the life of a small town boy and as the moves were fre- quent he had to meet the buffeting that every strange boy meets with when he moves into a new town. A common school education was acquired until, at the age of twelve, another move took him into the then wild pineries of Isabella county, Michigan, where
805
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
the lumber camp and logging fallow occu- pied more of his attention than book lore, so at the age of sixteen, four years out of school, he abandoned the woods, and, with a few worldly possessions, struck for south- ern Michigan to find a place to work for his board and go to school. The place was found on a farm near Union City. Four months' schooling here and then a year on a farm in Illinois, then back home. Working by the month on a farm until nineteen, his schooling had been somewhat neglected, two months of select school and a winter term at the district school at Hoytville, Eaton county, Michigan, sufficing until, at the age of twenty, two months more of district school completed his school days. Three years elapsed, during which time he spent nearly two years with his father in learning the blacksmith trade and through encour- agement of parents and friends, he dug up the old text books and at odd times ran over them. He attended a teachers' exami- nation and secured a certificate. The fam- ily was then living at Eastport, Michigan, and for six years during winter he taught school and in summer worked at various oc- cupations.
Mr. Campbell was married in 1889 to Frances E. Sweet, of Eastport, Michigan, and has one child, a girl, eight years old. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Traverse City for a time after leaving the school, and afterwards engaged in news- paper work. He has published the Leader seven years, four at Empire, Leelanaw coun- ty, as the Empire Leader, and the rest of the time at Northport as the Northport Leader, at which place he is still located. He is a Republican in politics and an aggres- sive one in political reforms. He has had
much to do with the recent growth of North- port in advertising its advantages and helped materially in launching the railroad there and various other enterprises.
LORRAINE KNIGHT GIBBS.
Lorraine K. Gibbs was born in Sheboy- gan county, Wisconsin, December 10, 1844. His father, Benjamin L. Gibbs, was born in 1808 and died in 1869. His mother, Ade- lia B. Gibbs, was born in 1821 and is still living. They were married at Bingham- ton, New York, in June, 1841. Benjamin L. Gibbs was a merchant tailor at Bingham- ton, New York, and migrated from there to Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, driving a team the entire distance, being one of the earliest settlers in the state of Wisconsin. He had a contract from the government for cutting out a military road from Green Bay to Milwaukee.
The subject of this sketch commenced his education at the district school in Gibbs- ville, Wisconsin, and from there went to the high school at Sheboygan. After leaving school he entered the army in the Civil war, also did service in the western Indian cam- paign and was mustered out in the spring of 1866. After being mustered out of the army he was engaged as a partner with his father for a time in the mercantile business. He came to Mayfield, Grand Traverse county, in 1868, and has been engaged in the lumber business ever since. His brother, the late James I .. Gibbs, came to Michigan in 1872, and they together formed a partnership known as Gibbs Brothers, which continued until 1895, when L. K. sold his interest to
806
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
his brother, since which time he and his son, Harry L. Gibbs, have conducted a lum- ber plant west of Kingsley.
Until recently Mr. Gibbs has held the po- sition of postmaster most of the time since he was twenty-one years of age. He was one of the original stockholders and prime movers in the establishment of the Boardman River Electric Light and Power Company, in which he still holds an interest. He is also interested in the proposed electric railroad be- tween Traverse City and Old Mission, and is doing all he can to promote this much need- ed enterprise. He is a Republican in politics
and, while he never accepts office for him- self, he seldom fails to make his influence felt in the conventions of his party. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is also an Elk.
Mr. Gibbs was married in Lima town- ship, Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, May I, 1867, to Mary Amelia Humphrey. Five children have been born unto them, one of whom, Mary L., died in infancy. The others, who are all living, are Harry L., Edith M., Roy H. and Ethel L. Mr. Gibbs owns a beautiful home on Eighth street, Traverse City.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.