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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Matthews, Joshua W. February 3, 1826 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Joshua W. Matthews, Treasurer of Osceola County, was born Feb. 3, 1826, in the
township of Troy, Oakland Co., Mich. His
father Solomon J. Matthews, was born in Livonia, Livingston Co., N.Y., June 6,
1799. He was a farmer and removed to
Oakland Co., Mich., in 1822. He died in Troy Township, aug. 14, 1850. Susan
(Whitney) Matthews, the mother of the
subject of this sketch, was born in Livonia, in 1800, and died in Troy
Township, in 1864. They had nine children, eight
of whom lived to maturity and seven of whom still survivie: Almeron S. is
Deputy U.S. Marshall at Pontiac, Oakland
County; Jane (1st) is deceased; Jane Ann, Mrs. Nathaniel Voorheis, resides i
Troy Township; Susan C. is the wife of F.C.
Voorheis, of the same place; Enos R., is a produce merchant at Rochester,
Oakland County; Solomon S. is U.S. Marshall at
Pontiac; Cordelia, Mrs. Lewis Hickox, is deceased; Mary married James C.
Voorheis, a carriage maker at Rochester,
Oakland County.
Not long after the death of his father, Mr. Matthews purchased the family
homestead, comprising 120 acres of well
improved and cultivated land, of which he continued resident until 1866, when
he removed to Pontiac to discharge the
duties of Assistant Revenue Assessor, to which position he had been appointed,
and in which he officiated more than five
years. Associated with Henry Nichols and E.C. Martin, in 1879, he bought a
half interest in a sash, door and blind
factory at Pontiac, the firm styled becoming Martin, Matthews & Nichols. The
relation existed actively about two years,
when he interested himself in the manufacture of hoisting machines for
building purposes, selling the products in
Chicago. In the fall of 1872, he came to Evart, Osceola County, and bought a
half interest in a steam saw-mill, forming
the manufacturing firm of Lamd & Matthews, which esisted until January 1877.
In the fall of 1876, Mr. Matthews was elected Sheriff of Osceola County, on
the Republican ticket, and in the fall of
1878 received a re-election. He was elected County Treasurer in the fall of
1880, and in 1882 was re=elected. In 1861
he was elected Supervisor of Troy, Oakland Co., Mich., and he has served three
years in succession in the same office in
Osceola Township. In 1883 he was elected President of Hersey village.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and belongs to Evart Lodge, No, 320,
located at Evart.
Mr. Matthews was married Oct. 22, 1848, in Bloomfield Township, this county,
to Hannah E. Beach. Their children were
three in number. The first born and youngest died in early infancy. Chloe
Ann, born Aug. 17, 1850, is the wife of
Justus H. Prall, a builder in Pontiac. Mrs. Matthews was born in Cayuga Co.,
N.Y., and is the daughter of Thomas C. and
Lodema (Ford) Beach.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/matthews1089gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Corbin, James C. June 10, 1845 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
James C. Corbin, lumberman, resident at Leroy, was born June 10, 1845, in Van
Buren Co., Mich. He was left an orphan in
early childhood by the death of his parents, the demise of his mother
occurring when he was but two weeks old, and that
of his father a few years after his birth. He was in the care of one family
from the death of his mother until 1853,
being then eight years old. He lived in various families until he was 17, and
in the fall of 1862 he enlisted in
Merrill's Cavalry, as it was known, being an independent organization, doing
guard duty and being on scouting service.
Mr. Corbin was in battle only in the action at Little Rock, Ark., and was
honorably discharged at Nashville, Tenn.,
after the war was closed in 1865. After being mustered out, he returned to
Michigan and went to Holland, Ottawa County,
and obtained employment during three succeeding years.
He was married Sept. 13, 1868, in Wayland, Allegan Co., Mich., to Julia A.
Hill. She was born in 1850, in Grand Rapids,
and died Dec. 1, 1878, in Leroy. One daughter - Hattie May - died before her
mother. Burt E. is the only surviving
child. Mr. Corbin was married June 26, 1881, in Ithaca, Gratiot Co., Mich.,
to Miss L. Meade. Mrs. Corbin was born and
educated in Gratiot County.
The family came to Leroy Township in the fall of 1874. Mr. Corbin purchased
160 acres of land on section 17, and a
little more than a year after he exchanged it for 80 acres located in another
part of the township, of which he was the
owner two years, lumbering meanwhile in the interest of Hood, Gale & Co., of
Big Rapids. In the fall of 1879 he sold
his farm and embarked in a drug enterprise, which he prosecuted between two
and three years, selling in 1882 to his
associate in the business. He then entered quite extensively into the
manufacture of lumber, running a saw and
planing-mill. The former establishment was burned in August, 1883, and he has
since constructed an extensive business.
He is independent in politics.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/corbin1088gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....De Goit, Garrah D. November 4, 1859 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Garrah D. De Goit, assistant salesman with G.W. Bevins, merchant at Tustin,
was born Nov. 4, 1859, in Van Buren Co.,
Mich. His father, William De Goit, was born on the Atlantic Ocean while his
parents were en route to the United States
from France, their native country. He grew to manhood in the State of New
York, married Lavinia Dennis, and removed to
Michigan, where he is living in retirement, settling later in life at Tustin.
The mother is of French parentage and was
born in the province of Ontario.
Mr. De Goit accompanied his parents in extreme childhood to Grand Rapids,
where he obtained his earliest education.
Later, in 1874, he went to Ionia, and there he added materially to his
acquistions of information by attending the High
School for two years, returning at the end of that time to Grand Rapids, again
entering the excellent schools of that
city as a student. After completing his education, he was variously occupied
until 1878, the date of his making a
location i Osceola County. On coming to Tustin he spent two years as printer
in the Tustin Advance. He obtained
employment as a laborer for a few years, and in 1882 he secured his present
situation. He is a Republican of decided
principles.
He was married Dec. 30, 1883, in Tustin to Addie L. Cool. She was born Dec.
6, 1861, in Cato, New York, and was
educated at Weedsport. Her parents reside in BUrdell Township, whither they
removed in 1879. After coming to Michigan
she engaged in teaching until her marriage.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/degoit1087gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Allured, Robert A. March 7, 1849 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Robert A. Allured, of the Evart Hardware Company, was born March 7, 1849, in
the City of London, Eng. His father, John
Allured, was a native of England and a bookmaker by trade. He married
Elizabeth Daggs and died in the land of his
birth. In 1855 his widow, with one son and two daughters, and her parents,
emigrated to the State of New York, and
settled in Monroe County near the city of Rochester, where the subject of this
sketch was reared on a farm, and later
was in the employment of a butcher in the beautiful city of the Genesee
Valley, where he passed three years.
Emma, youngest sister of Mr. Allured, is the wife of William Wallace of
Rochester. Her sister Elizabeth is an inmate of
her home.
In 1868 he came to Flint, Mich., and entered the hardware house of Newton &
Hubbard as salesman. He remained an
employee in the business until July, 1873, the firm changing four times within
that period. In that year he came to
Evart and, associated with O.M. Brownson, founded a trade in hardware. The
relation was in existance five years, when
the business and its connections became the sole property of Mr. Allured. The
establishment where the business was
instituted was built by Mr. Brownson, and consisted of a single structure 24 x
60 feet in extent. He made two
additions, 20 x 60 feet, at a later date. The dimensions were increased by
Mr. Allured in 1881, the building now being
44 x 132 feet, with a cellar, and two stories in height. The incorporated
company originally comprised R.A. Allured,
M.E. Parkinson and Elmer F. Birdsall. Mr. Parkinson withdrew from the firm
Aug. 20, 1884. The stock in trade is valued
at an estimate of $15,000, and includes all articles common to that branch of
business, besides agricultural implements,
among which the Champion Mower and Reaper us made a specialty.
Mr. Allured was married March 23, 1876, in Evart, to Alice L. Brownson. Two
children have been born to them, one of
whom died in infancy. Karl B. was born March 10, 1883. Mrs. Allured was born
May 25, 1852, in Pontiac, Oakland Co.,
Mich., and is the daughter of Oscar M. and Lucy M. Brownson. she and her
husband are members of the Presbyterian
Church.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/allured1086gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Buck, Asa G. October 17, 1844 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Asa G. Buck is one of the pioneer businessmen of Reed City, where he
established himself as a marketman in the fall of
1873. He was born July 19, 1846, in Wayne Co., N.Y. He has been a resident
of Michigan since infancu, when his parents
removed from the State of New York, and settled on an 80 acre farm in Ingham
County, situated five miles from Lansing.
His father, Loren W. Buck, was a native of the Empire State and married Louisa
Smith, who was born in the same State.
He was a builder by vocation, and aided in laying out the gorunds of the old
capitol structure and erecting the edifice.
Later the family removed to Lenawee County, and afterward to a farm in the
township of Noble, Branch County. Meanwhile
in 1858, the father went to California, and while there occurred the upheaval
of interests and issues of the country by
the advent of the civil war, and he enlisted fro the Golden State in Co. I.,
First Cav. Vol. Inf., and spent three years
in the military service of the United States, serving chiefly in frontier
warfare in New Mexico. Asa and Adolphus
entered the army from Michigan, the enlistment of the former occurring at
Coldwater in March, 1863, in Co. I, Ninth
Mich. Cav., Capt. J.H. McGowan.
the Ninth Michigan Cavalry is distinguished in more than one particular. Its
record of march is one of the most
remarkable in the history of the war, as it traversed more than 3,000 miles of
territory by battalion the first year of
its services, exclusive of skirmish and deploy service. The regiment fired
the last volley at the rebels prior to the
surrender of General Johnson. The preservation of this fact is due to a
published notice by a Southern lady in a book
of which she is the authoress, and her knowledge of it was due to her
appreciation of the gallantry of the officers of
the Ninth, who had paid willing tribute to her beauty and enjoyed the
hospitality their sincere admiration of her
character and position won from her, though she belonged to the losing side.
The fact is authentic, as she was in a
situation to observe the progress of events, and her interest in her friends
of the Ninth preserved one of the most
valuable facts in the record of the regiment. The Ninth was also the only
cavalry regiment of Michigan that marched
through to the sea with Sherman, and took part in the closing actions of the
campaign under General Kilpatrick. Mr.
Buck was a particpant in the varied experiences of the historic progress
across the States of Kentucky, Tennesee and
Carolina. His brother Adolphus enlisted in the same company and regiment, and
they served together until the close of
the war. The father and two sons joined their savings from the war and
purchased 211 acres of land in Branch County.
Of this, Mr. Buck of this sketch held a claim of 60 acres.
In 1870 he went to Angola, Ind., and passed two years in the meat business,
and also operated as a carpenter. In the
fall of 1883, he came to Reed City, accompanied by his parents. Associated
with his father, he engaged in the meat
business, their partnership existing until the father's daeth in December
1883. Mr. Buck continued the prosecution of
his business alone until March, 1884, when he rented his stand and retired.
On coming to Reed City he bought the site
of his business building and built a market. He also owns a store building,
situated on the west side of his first
property. He and his father erected the fine and substantial brick block on
the corner of Upton Avenue and Chestnut
Street, of which he is still one-half owner. Their business was successful
from the outset, with the exception of one
disaster by fire in January, 1875, when they met a loss of &700, partially
covered by an insurance of $500. Besides the
property enumerated, Mr. Buck owns two residences, nearly eight acres of land
adjoining Reed City on the northwest and
37 acres a little more than a mile north. He belongs to the subordinate lodge
of Odd Fellows and the the Encampment, is
a member of the Patriarchal Circle and of the Princes of the Orient and of
Post Stedman, No. 98, G.A.R. He has served
two terms as member of the Council.
The marriage of Mr. Buck to Lydia M. Wood occurred July 11, 1869, in Ovid
Township, Branch Co., Mich. Mrs. Buck was
born in November, 1850, in Bethel Township, Branch County, and is the daughter
of Dyer and Mary Wood. The children of
Mr. and Mrs. Buck were born as follows: Bertha, aug. 3, 1871; Charles, Feb.
27, 1878; and Lee, Nov. 18, 1882.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Giles, Joseph October 17, 1844 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Joseph Giles, liveryman and drayman, resident at Hersey, was born Oct. 17,
1844, near London, Ont. His parents, Stephen
and Ann (Evans) Giles removed when he was four years old to St. Clair, Mich.
When he was 12 years of age Mr. Giles left
home to make his own way in the world. He found ready employment as a saw-
mill hand and was a sailor on the lakes
several seasons. In 1871 he came to Hersey and engaged in driving logs on the
river through one season, and
subsequently engaged in his present occupation on a limited scale. He has
five horses, and is the only representative
of his line of business at Hersey. He owns his barn and fixtures ans three
lots therewith; also his residence and two
lots connected with it.
He was married in Lexington, Sanilca Co., Mich., July 3, 1870, to Hannah
Scollay. She was born in Lexington, Oct. 22,
1855, and is the daughter of Abel and Abbie Scollay. Three children have been
born to Mr. and Mrs. Giles - Harry A.,
Jan. 7, 1872; Charles, Sept. 27, 1876; and Lewis, June 16, 1878.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/giles1084gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Barker, Lorenzo A. August 16, 1839 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Lorenzo A. Barker, editor and proprietor of the Clarion at Reed City, was born
Aug. 16, 1839, in Naples, Ontario Co.,
N.Y. George W. Barker, his father, was born March 1, 1815, in Deerfield,
Mass., and was married Sept. 7, 1835, to
Weltha Tyler. she was born June 21, 1816, and they became the parents of five
children. Their first born died on the
day of birth, April 6, 1837; Lorenzo, born Aug. 16, 1839, is the oldest living
child; Bruce, born Jan. 13, 1842, died
March 11, 1845; Alida, born Aug. 4, 1844, died Jan. 14, 1846; Eugenia, born
Jan. 31, 1850, is the wife of Monroe
Dickinson, a merchant at Boyne Falls, Charlevoix Co., Mich., and they have one
child Vera Iona. The father was during a
number of years a merchant in the State of New York, and later transferred his
family and mercantile interests to Italy
Hollow, Yates Co., N.Y. In 1853 another transfer was made, to Battle Creek,
Mich., where the senior Barker engaged in
the daguerreotype business, and is now a photographer at South Arm, Charlevoix
County. The mother of the subject of
this sketch died at Italy Hollow, in 1852.
Mr. Barker passed a year in farm employment after the removal of his family to
Michigan. In 1854, he entered the office
of the Battle Creek Journal to learn the art of printing, and was an attache
of the Journal until the year in which the
rebellion started abroad in the land in its blind and misguided fury. All
through the course of the earlier months
after the attack upon the Federal fort at Sumter, while his fingers recorded
the disasters of the opening campaign and
also the varied literature which arose from the exigences of the time, he was
awakening to the fact that men with the
true fire of patriotism blazing in their breasts were surely needed at the
front, and he was led by the growing impulse
to throw himself early in the contest into the heat of the fray. He enlisted
at Battle Creek, Sept. 18, 1861, in Co.
E., Berger's Sharpshooters. The style of the organization was changed to
Company D, of the same regiment, which was
known as the 66th Illinois Western Sharpshooters. Mr. Barker was in action at
Mt. Zion, Mo., Dec. 23, 1861; Fort
Donelson, Tenn., Feb. 13, 14, 15, 16, 1862; Shiloh, April 6-7; seige of
Corinth, April 20 to May 30; Iuka, Sept. 19;
Corinth, Oct. 3-4, - after which he was occupied in camp duty and guerrilla
warfare until his discharge Dec. 23, 1863.
He immediately re-enlisted on the same date at Pulaski, Tenn., in the same
command, returning home on a veteran's
furlough of 30 days. On the expiration of his leave of absence he rejoined
his command at the front, and the regiment
marched to Challanooga to join General Sherman in the Georgia campaign. Mr.
Barker was under fire at Ball's Knob, Ma 9,
1864, and Resaca, May 14; and at Rome Cross Roads, May 16, was wounded in the
left foot, but recognized no disabling
injury and went into battle at Dallas May 27; Kenesaw Mountain, July 3;
Nickajack Creek, July 4; before Atlanta, July
22, JOnesboro, Aug. 31; Atlanta, Sept. 2; Lovejoy Station, Sept. 3; Nashville,
Dec. 16, 17, 18; Big Salt Creek, Dec. 21;
Columbia, Sc.C., Feb 17, 1865; Bentonville, N.C., March 2; Kingston, March 10;
Goldsboro, March 24; Rolla, April 12;
Richmond, Va., May 13, and thence he went to Washington, D.C. for the final
scene, the Grand Review. He was mustered
out of the service of the United States at Louisvile, Ky., and received his
discharge at Springfield, Ill., July 7,
1865. He retained ownership of his rifle which he had carried from 1862 - a
Henry Repeater, 16 shooter - and having the
names and the dates of the battles engraved beside the lock. He was
discharged as Sergeant. He came to St. John's,
Clinton County, whither his parents had removed.
In 1867 he went to Sioux City, Iowa, and became an employee of the JOurnal
published at that place. Later he engaged on
the Sioux City Times, where he continued until he founded the Sibley (Osceola
Co., Iowa) Gazette, issuing its first
number July 5, 1872. He continued its publication until May 30, 1873, when he
sold the journalistic enterprise to
Messrs. Riley & Brown. May 26, 1875, he assumed the management of the Chelsea
(Iowa) Bugle, and his connection with
that paper ceased in October of the same year. In 1876 he came to Michigan
and took charge of the Hastings (Narry Co.)
Banner, which he conducted as foreman and manager until April 27, 1877, when
he established the Lake City (Missaukee
Co.,) Journal, whose publication he continued until May, 1884. He then sold
the paper to H.N. McIntyre, and bought the
Reed City Clarion. He issued the first number May 30, 1884, and had already a
fine circulation and a steady growing
popularity. He has a large and increasing job patronage. The office
facilities include two presses, comprising an
improved C.B. Cottrell & Sons cylinder press, fitted for hand and steam power,
and is the only power pres in the county.
The other is adapted to the requirements of job work. The Clarion is a nine-
column folio.
Mr. Barker is a Republican, and is deservedly popular in the local ranks of
the party, was elected Presidential Elector
in the Blaine & Logan campaign of 1884, and is a member of the West Michigan
Press Association, of the I.O.O.F., the
Knights of Pythias and the G.A.R., Stedman Post, No. 198, Reed City.
Mr. Barker was married April 16, 1876, in Shenandoah, Iowa, to Mrs. Eliza Jane
(Reagan) Grant. She was born May 20,
1843, in Jackson Co., Mich.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Weigel, David November 8, 1838 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
David Weigel is the oldest of the permanent pioneer settlers of Orient
Township, and is a resident on section 4, where
he entered a homestead claim, and of which he took possession April 19, 1867.
He has placed 52 acres under good
improvements.
Mr. Weigel was born Nov. 8, 1838, near Carlisle, Cumberland Co. Pa. His
parents, Jacob and Catherine (Ressler) Weigel,
were of German descent, and were educated in both English and German. the
former was born in 1806, and died in Wilmot,
Ind., aged 42 years. The latter was born Aug. 17, 1810, and still resides
where her first husband died. Both were
natives of the Keystone State.
Mr. Weigel was but ten years of age when his father died, and his mother was
again married a few years afterward. He
was educated with some care in early youth, and completed his education by
attending school from the age of 18 years to
the attainment of his majority, at Goshen, Ind. He has been occupied at
various times in teaching, engaging in that
business during two terms in Iowa and four terms in the State of Indiana.
On the 17th of July, 1862, he enlisted in Co. E, 124th Ill. Vol. Inf., his
command being assigned to the First Brigade,
Third Division and Seventeenth Army Corps, under General Logan, Corps
Commander. After the action at Vicksburg the
regiment was transferred to the Sixteenth Corps, under General McPherson. His
regiment was engaged in the fight at Fort
Gibson, Baker's Creek, Jackson, Champion Hills and Vicksburg. After the
transfer to the Department of the Gulf, Mr.
Weigel was in action at Mobile, and went thence to Montgomery, where he was
discharged, aug. 15, 1865, and went to
Wilmot, Ind. He was wounded in Mississippi while on scouting duty. The
detail was lying on the ground and a six-pound
Parrott ball, on a voyage of discovery, dropping in among the men, cut off one
man's arm and also one knee-pan belonging
to the same individual, passed over to Mr. Weigel who lay next behind, and
inflicted a severe injusy to his right arm.
He was yet incapacitated when discharged from the army, and engaged during the
following winter in teaching school.
Mr. Weigel is independent in political views and action.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Gerrish, Winfield Scott February 15, 1849 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Winfield Scott Gerrish, deceased, son of Hon. N.L. Gerrish, of Cadillac, and
brother of Mrs. Rose Quigley, of Evart, was
born Feb. 15, 1849, in Lee, Penobscot Co., Maine. He was early trained in the
details of the lumber business in all its
branches, his father being engaged in that business in Maine during his early
boyhood. In 1857 he accompanied his
parents to Wisconsin, whence, in 1861, they removed to Croton Township,
Newaygo Co., Mich.
Hon. Nathaniel L. Gerrish, now of Cadillac, was born in Dover, Maine, Feb. 16,
1819. He grew to manhood amid the
influences of the leading industry of the Pine-Tree State, and was a born and
bred lumberman, passing his entire life
thus far in the various avenues of that branch of business. He was married
Feb. 12, 1843, in Lee, Penobscot Co., Maine,
to Caroline Gatchell, and they became the parents of four sons and three
daughters, namely: Ebenezer W., Rose A. (Mrs.
Quigley), Winfield Scott, Leslie F., Mary A. Abner H. and Esther C.
The son, W.S., when 12 years of age, was in strong and active boyhood, eager
to begin his share in the work of the
world, and, with his inherited tastes and inclinations, was trained by
association and circumstances in the business to
which his father devoted his life and mabitions. Young Gerrish was primarily
educated in the public schools, and in
1864, when 15 years old, was sent to Grand Rapids, to the academy, where he
remained one season, receiving meanwhile an
appointment as cadet in the naval school at Annapolis. He matriculated there
in 1865, but, finding the career of a
midshipman distasteful and irksome, with his father's approval he abandoned
the position at the end of his first year,
and returned to Michigan to enter upon an active business career as a
lumberman.
He was 18 years old in the winter of 1867, and during that season he began
operations as a lumberman on his own
responsibility, and took a contract to "put in logs" on the Muskegon, along
which line he operated during the remainder
of his life. In 1869 he settled at Hersey, where he was a resident eight
years. In the autumn of 1873, he made an
extensive logging contract with Messrs. Avery & Murphy, to put in a large
amount of logs on the Tom and Dock Creeks, in
which he experienced difficulties of an unusual character, chiefly of which
was the shrinking of the streams to the
proportions of a rivulet, an obstacle which required the building of dams and
draining of lakes to raise the building of
dams and draining of lakes to raise the creeks to a height necessary for the
accomplishment of the business. The terms
of the contract were finally fulfilled, and the reputation Mr. Gerrish won for
perserverance under embarrassments that
would have daunted and baffled men of larger experience, was infinite value to
his future career. John L. Woods, the
veteran developer of the lumber interests of the north of Michigan, becoming
interested in the pluck and perserverance
of the young lumberman, and recognizing the value of his predominating traits
of character, made him a proposition to
take an interest in a tract of 12,000 acres owned by him on the upper waters
of the Muskegon, which he accepted,
believing it to be the opportunity of his life, and which afforded a broad
field for the exercise of his abilities.
In 1874, associated with E.H. Hazelton and others, he purchased a large tract
of timber land in town 18 north, 5 west,
Clare Co., Mich., a location considered practically worthless for lumbering,
as it lay remote from the river. While
attending the Centennial at Philadelphia, in 1876, he observed in Mechanic's
Hall a small Baldwin locomotive, whose
operations usggested to his practical mind its feasibility as an accessory to
the chaievement of a lumber project in
Clare County. A vivid picture of a horse that could draw logs without snow
painted itself on his imagination, and he
returned home with perfected plans for the accomplishment of the enterprise.
In January, 1877, the first logging railroad in the United States was built,
and connected Lake George in town 18, 5,
with the Muskegon River, a distance of six miles. Within the following year
the road was extended. During the first
year it was operated, the "put" was 20,000,000 feet; with the new facilities
in 1879 the "put" reached a maximum of
114,000,000. In the spring of that year Gerrish & Woods bought an interest in
the Hamilton mill at Muskegon, where the
former fixed his residence in 1880. Mr. Gerrish, within that year, purchased
a share of the Wilson mill at Muskegon and
continued to hold a proprietary interest in several shingle-mills. In 1880,
also, he made a purchase of the Saginaw Bay
& Northwestern Logging Railroad, buying the route in company with W.J.
Miller. During the next two years the firm
transported 90,000,000 feet of logs annually on its track.
In 1879 Mr. Gerrish passed the most active year of his business career. He
banked and put into the Muskegon River
130,000,000 feet, and in the year following put in 100,000,000 feet. During
these two years he was recognized as the
champion individual logger of the world. The maximum number of men employed
by him in his varied interests in 1880 was
4,000 in round numbers.
Mr. Gerrish was married July 1, 1869, to Lina W. Probasco, of Croton, Mich.
He died in Evart, May 10, 1882, at the
residence of his sister Mrs. Rose A. Quigkley. He was a man of the keenest
moral sensabilities, and an earnest advocate
and promoter of temperance principles. He was himself an abstainer from the
use of liquor in the strongest sense, never
tasting it in any form. At the time of his death he was engaged in the
construction of an elegant residence at
Muskegon, at a projected cost of $30,000.
The publishers of thos work take a peculiar satisfaction in presenting the
portrait of Winfield Scott Gerrish. It is a
perpetual memorial to the life and influences of its prototype, and adds a
special value as does the record of his busy
career. see the page preceding the commencement of this sketch.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Ferguson, Nelson A. September 9, 1828 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Nelson A. Ferguson, farmer, section 6, Orient Township, was born Sept. 9,
1828, in chatauqua Co., N.Y. His father,
Michael Fetguson, was born in Schoharie Co., N.Y., and was chiefly engaged in
agricultural pursuits during his life.
His wife Eunice (Packard) Ferguson, was a native of the State of New York, and
of Scotch and Welsh lineage. In 1830
they removed with their three children to Marion Co., OHio; there they bought
a farm, which was their abiding place for
a time. Later they went to Lucas County in that State, coming thence about
1848 to Ionia Co., Mich., where the father
and son settled on a farm in Ronald Township. The mother died in that
township in March, 1861, aged 76 years. The
death of the father occurred in Fairfield, MOntcalm Co., Mich., in 1870. He
was 88 years of age.
Mr. Ferguson, the subject of this sketch, was reared to the vocation of his
father. He was married May 25, 1847, in
Ohio, to Anna E. Jones. She was born near Lebanon, Ohio, in 1831, and is the
third child of Samuel B. and Eliza
(Peterson) Jones. The latter was born in Pennsylvania, and died in 1848, in
Henry Co., Ohio. the former is a resident
of Bushnell, MOntcalm Co., Mich. He was born in 1797, in New Jersey. His
family included four sons and three
daughters. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson were named Waterman,
Walter, Perry A., Franklin P., Emma J.,
Flora J., Eva E., Georgianna, Henry A., Nelson E. and Fred E. Nine children
yet survive.
Mr. Ferguson became a soldier during the Civil War, enlisting in Co. A, 21st
Mich. Vol. Inf. He was in action only at
the battle of Perryville, in which he encountered a degree of hardship which
completely exhausted his endurance. On the
second night after the engagement he was seated in a chair near the fire, and
becoming unconscious from over-fatigue he
fell, and was so badly burned as to cause his discharge from the service.
He is a Democrat in political connections. He officiated three years as
Superintendent of the Poor, nearly five years
as Supervisor, several terms as Justice of the Peace, two terms as School
Inspector and one term as Township Treasyrer.
He removed to his present location in Orient Township Dec. 12, 1868, and made
a homestead claim of 40 acres of land, on
which he has since resided.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Richardson, Elias Smith, M.D. April 11, 1842 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Elias Smith Richardson, M.D., practicing physician and surgeon at Reed City,
was born April 11, 1842, in Kent Co., Ont.
His grandfather, Edward Robinson, was a pioneer of Michigan, and died in
Detroit in 1810, where he was in the hotel
business. After his death, his family removed to the homestead in Kent Co.,
Ont. Isaac M. Richardson, the father of
Dr. Richardson, was born July 2, 1805, in Detroit, and died in May, 1882, near
St. Charles, Saginaw Co., Mich. The
mother Mary A. (Smith) Richardson, was born in 1813, in Niagara Co., Ont., and
died in 1865, in Oakland Co., Mich.
Their family comprised 14 chidren, eight of whom survive.
Dr. Richardson is the eigth of his parents' children in order of birth. He
was reared on a farm and obtained a fair
education, which he utilized in the profession of teaching, engaging in that
vocation five years and attending the union
school at Pontiac between the terms of labor. In October, 1868, he entered
the Medical Department of the University at
Ann Arbor, where he was graduated with the class of 1870. In obtaining his
credentials he opened an office at Pontiac
as preliminary to a medical career. After a trial of six months he decided on
a change of locality and went to the
Saginaw Valley, operating in that region four years. Becoming convinced of
the deleterious effects of the malarial
climate, another change of location was inevitable, and Dr. Richardson, in
1874, fixed upon Osceola County as a
desirable field for his business, and also to re-establish the vigor he had
lost in the miasmatic climate of the Saginaw
region. He began his practice at Evart, removing thence in 1876 to Reed City
and established himself permanently as a
practitioner. He is the oldest resident physician at that point, and has
securred a substantial recognition of the
genuineness of his merits in his professional capacity, and by his
conscientious discharge of duty, his abilities and
skill, and his character as a cultivated, self-respecting gentleman he has won
the confidence which is the crown of his
manhood. He possesses traits of decision and independent judgement which
place him beyond the pale of modern empirics,
and he repudiates the pretensions and criminal tendencies of the schools of
quackery in medical practice with all the
disgust and contempt which are their inherent and fundamental deserts.
In 1873 Dr. Richardson was made a member of the State Medical Society of
Michigan, and in 1883, by special invitation,
attended the American Medical Association at Cleveland. He was at one time a
regular correspondent of the Medical
Summary, and is still an occasional contributor to its columns. He is a
member of the Union Medical Society of Northern
Michigan; and belongs to the Reed City Lodge, No. 316, I.O.O.F. He has
officiated five years as Meteorological Observer
in behalf of the State Board of Health, and two years as Observer for the
United States Signal Service. Dr. Richardson
has been County Physician one year, and has officiated two years as Coroner.
He was married Sept. 1, 1869, in Romeo, Macomb Co., Mich., to Clarinda M.
Waugh, and they have four children: Merari A.,
who was born June 15, 1870, in Pontiac; Judson E., July 29, 1872, in Saginaw;
Clare W., Dec. 22, 1877, at Reed City,
where also Don Dio was born Feb. 24, 1881. Mrs. Richardson was born July 10,
1841, in Bloomfield, Oakland Co., Mich.,
and is the daughter of Sheldon and Charlotte Waugh. Her parents came to New
York to Bloomfield in 1825, where they
joined the pioneer agricultural element. Her father died Aug. 18, 1874, at
Pontiac; her mother is yet living in Oakland
County.
The period through which the country was passing during the later youth of Dr.
Richardson and which awoke in him a
conscientious interest, shaped his convictions on general topics after radical
methods. He was a staunch Republican
from the outset of his active political career, and also of decided temperence
principles. He believed politics to be
the medium to secure redress from all immpral grievances, and felt compelled
to change his convictions regarding the
integrity of the pretensions of the Republican party concerning prohibition of
the liquor traffic. Accordingly, in
December, 1860, associated with others of similar opinions, he organized a
Prohibition Club for the purpose of awakening
a local interest in the matter. After the organization of the Union party at
Jackson, Jan. 9, 1884, he moved that the
club adopt its principles and operate in harmony with its object. At the
first local election thereafter a temperence
ticket was put in the field, which was defeated by the joint action of the
Democrats and Republicans. The indignation,
disgust and contempt of Dr. Richardson over this result led him to the
renunciation of the old party and to become its
bitter opponent in all its temperence pretensions.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Proctor, J. F. August 6, 1834 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
J.F. Proctor, farmer, section 24, Hersey Township, was born Aug. 6, 1834, in
Barton Township, Orleans Co., Vt. He is
the son of Dan and Augusta (Mason) Proctor. His father was born Feb. 14,
1807, in Manchester, Eng., and emigrated to
the United States in 1820. He first located in Boston, Mass., and removed
thence to Craftsbury, Orleans Co., Vt.,
setting up his business there as a blacksmith. He owned a small farm in
Michigan, whither he removed in 1849, and died
Feb. 28, 1855, in Keene, IOnia County. The mother was born in Craftsbury,
Vt., Feb. 15, 1804, and died at the home of
her son, Sept. 30, 1883. Cynthia M., Alfred A., J.F., Helen E. and Benjamin
Franklin, their five children are all
living.
Mr. Proctor was married soon after becoming of age, and settled in an
unorganized portion of Montcalm Co., Mich., when
he removed, Jan. 1, 1856, to section 16, Crystal Township, together with his
eldest brother. They each made a claim of
40 acres of land, on which Mr. Proctor remained six years, and removed to
North Shade, Gratiot Co., Mich. Three years
later he made another transfer of his home and family, to Hubbardston, Ionia
County. Not long afterward he embarked in
the grocery trade at Matherton, combing that business with hotel-keeping and
conducting both about one year. His
venture turned disasterous, and as he suffered almost total loss of his
resources except his ability to labor, he
engaged as head-sawyer in the mill of Cogswell & Aldrich, with whom he
operated in that capacity three years. He next
managed a saw-mill at Langston, MOntcalm County, three years, and in the
spring of 1872 he came to Hersey and operated
as head-sawyer, scaler and fore man in the lumber camps of D.A. Blodgett. In
the spring of 1875 he took possession of
the arm on which he has since pursued his agricultural interests, and he also
for some years continued the work of
scaling, prosecuting that business eight winters. He owns 120 acres of land,
on which there was a small improvement
when he took possession. He has passed three winters near Harrison, Clare
County, acting as foreman in the shingle-mill
of D. F. Diggins, and removed his family there.
In the fall of 1863 Mr. Proctor was drafted into the Union service from
Gratiot County, but on reporting at Corunna,
shiawassee County, was released being the only dependence of his widowed
mother. The law was afterward changed, and he
determined to enlist, as he considered the prospects of his being again
drafted were more than likely to be realized.
He decided to enroll in the third Michigan Infantry. On meeting the
recruiting officer at Pewamo, he stated his
circumstances, his large family, and the necessity of his presence to secure
their well-being. the officer informed him
that he could enlist him and administer an oath in such cases made and
provided, give him custody of his papers, and
should he be drafted he could report for duty to the regiment as an enlisted
man. He escaped the draft, and the
necessity never arose.
Mr. Proctor was married Sept. 16, 1855, to Mary W. Smith, and they have eight
living children, and four deceased. Fred
was born Jan. 21, 1857; Frank, March 7, 1858; Charlie, Jan. 5, 1860; Dan, Aug.
25, 1861; Viola, April 14, 1863 (died
March 19, 1864); Clyde, born Jan. 12, 1865, died May 13, 1882); Louisa was
born April 11, 1867; Willie, March 17, 1870;
Ralph, Feb. 28, 1872 (died March 3d following); Verne, born May 13, 1873, died
Sept. 25, 1875; Albert E., April 11,
1877. Mrs. Proctor was born May 23, 1833, in Novi, Oakland Co., Mich., and is
the oldest of four children born to her
parents. She has one brother and two sisters - Edgar, Abigail R. and Emily.
Her father and mother, A.C. and Lorinda
(Simmons) Smith, reside at Easton, Ionia County, where the former is a citizen
of prominence. He has served several
terms as Sheriff, and has been County Surveyor some years.
Mr. Proctor is present Supervisor (1884) of his township. In political
opinion he is a Democrat.
His paternal grandfather was in somewhat straitened circumstances in England,
and leaving his family there, all save his
oldest son, he set out with him in a sailing vessel for the United States.
Adverse winds drove them into the Northern
Ocean among the icebergs, where their food gave out and they were in danger of
starvation as well as shipwreck. But
other vessels in the same vicinity, with more abundant stores, shared with
them, and afte six months of storm and stress
they landed in Nova Scotia. The senior Proctor was a blacksmith and moreover
was bent on proceeding to the United
States, but was deterred by an English law enacted after the war of 1812,
prohibiting mechanics belonging by nativity to
Great Britain from going to the States. He fixed his location as near the
boundary line as he could, and under cover of
becoming a permanent settler he took up 200 acres of land, on which he settled
and commenced active life as a
blacksmith. After a year he succeeded in getting on board an American sloop
with his tools, but he was discovered by
the British authorities and all the most valuable of his equipment was
confiscated, leaving him only the commonest sort
of an outfit to commence his work of carving out ways and means to secure the
comfort and presence of his family. A
month later he succeeded in his purpose and reached Boston. He went thence to
Lowell, in the Old Bay State, where he
produced the first lace-making machinery in this country.
His maternal grandmother, Mrs. Mason, was a descendant of the Howards, whose
names are associated with the earliest
colonial history of Massachusetts.
His grandfather, Elder Mason, was the first Baptist clergyman in Craftsbury,
Vt. At the date of his settlement there,
the most primitive methods of travel prevailed, and he once drew his wife on a
hand-sled nearly 50 miles, she carrying
in her arms their oldest child.
The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Proctor appear on other pages. That of Mr.
Proctor is especially valuable to this volume,
as he represents the elements on which this country was founded and which has
perpetuated its institutions. He is a
pioneer by inheritance and in his own experience.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Bittner, Peter, M.D. January 17, 1850 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Peter Bittner, M.D., resident physician at Reed City, was born Jan. 17, 1850,
at East Zorra, Oxford Co., Ont. He is the
son of Henry and Mary (Alles) Bittner, and his father is a prominent land-
holder of Osceola County, having 200 acres in
a fine agricultural condition in Richmond Township, and also is the proprietor
of other tracts in the county, and of
lots in the corporation of Reed City.
Dr. Bittner was reared on a farm and studied winters, attending school at Big
Rapids and also at Grand Rapids. At the
age of 18 years he entered the office of Fred Wood, M.D., at Big Rapids and
studied medicine uner his instructions two
years and three months. Meanwhile he attended two full courses of lectures at
Bellvue Medical College, N.Y., where he
was graduated in the spring of 1871. Immediately after, in April, he came to
Reed City. His father owned 280 acres of
land, of which a plat of 120 acres is now in the city limits and known as
Bittner's Additions." (To the first, the
second and third additions have since been made.) These interests required
the personal supervision of interested
parties, and Dr. Bittner came here to attend to the accumulating business.
In 1872 he opened an office for his practice of his profession, which he
prosecuted three years. In 1874 he took charge
of a Church of the Evangelical Association at Owosso, and officiated as its
Pastor one year, going successively to
Marshall, where he was occupued in a similar capacity on eyear, to St. Joseph
two years, and to Lansing one year. In
1879 he resumed his medical practice at Reed City, which he continued two
years, and, at the expiration of that time
assumed charge of a church at Ionia, officiating there two years. His health
becoming impaired, he again returned to
Reed City, where he engaged in office practice and prescriptions.
In 1883, associated with his brother, Josiah Bittner, he built a mill-dam,
situated on section 14, Richmond Township,
and located on the Hersey River. They built a flouring mill, with a capacity
of 80 barrels of flour daily besides
custom work. The mill is fitted with 10 pairs of rollers and all modern
improvements. the brothers have a joint
ownership in 40 acres of land, constitutioning the mill site. Mr. Bittner is
the proprietor of the property where he
resides, and 16 acres of land in village lots at Reed City.
He was married in Fredonia, Calhoun Co., Mich., Nov. 9, 1871, to Barbara
Gutekunst. Their seven children were born in
the following order: Lidas H., Oct. 1, 1872; Lottie M., Jan. 19, 1874; Austin
H., Dec. 6, 1875; Adolph, Sept. 28, 1877;
Simon P., Sept. 15, 1879; Omar N., Aug. 24, 1881; Almira B., Nov. 9, 1883.
Mrs. Bittner was born Oct. 14, 1847, in
Fredonia, Washtenaw Co., Mich.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Bellows, William Edwy January 14, 1858 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
William Edwy Bellows, senior member of the law firm of Bellows & Stone, of
Reed City, was born Jan. 14, 1858, at
Mishawaka, Ind. Charles Fitz Roy Bellows, his father, who lives at Ypsilanti,
Mich., was born Nov. 29. 1832, near
Bellows Falls, Vermont, a place founded and named by Col. John Bellows, a
paternal ancestor of Mr. Bellows of this
sketch. The family is an old New England one, the first member of which, JOhn
Bellows, came from England in the year
1635, and his descendants were distinguished in Colonial matters and in the
Revolutionary War.
In 1837, when five years of age, Mr. Bellows' father removed with his parents
from Vermont to Michigan, making almost
the entire journey in a pioneer wagon with ox team, and settled on Climax
Prairie in Kalamazoo County, where his father
made a large claim of land. The grandfather of the Mr. Bellows of this sketch
is still living, at the age of 85, on the
land he located when he came to this State, still farming, having nearly 400
acres under a high order of cultivation.
His wife died on the farm, about the year 1866, leaving a large family, of
which Charles F.R. Bellows was the oldest
child and only son.
>From the date of the removal of the family to Michigan, the boyhood of Charles
F.R. Bellows was spent on the farm,
employed in clearing and improving it in a then almost unsettled country,
having but few advantages of society or
schools, and leading the well-known life of the pioneer boy. He afterward
attended the college just established at
Olivet, and the State Normal School, and leaving the farm, entered upon the
life of a teacher, successively at
Constantine, Mishawaka and at Decatur. At these places he was Principal of
academies and graded schools, and devoted
his entire time, not otherwise employed, in the study of mathematics, for
which he had an unusual adaptation and
faculty, enabling him to enter the advanced course in civil engineering at the
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
After graduating with honor at the University he continued teaching, and by
his industry and ability has placed himself
at the head of the profession which he has pursued since. He is at present
Professor of Mathematics in the State Normal
School at Ypsilanti, a position he has filled for 18 years. As an author of a
number of text books on mathematics, and
a life long teacher of wide acquaintance, he is well known as a leading
educator of the State. He has been prominent as
well in political and journalistic circles, and founded the first Republican
paper in Van Buren County. He is a Mason
of eminence, and in 1883 was the Grand Master of the State of Michigan.
The mother of Mr. Bellows was Julia E. nee Walker, whose family were early
settlers in Oakland Co., Mich., and were also
identified with the early growth of the State.
Being the son of a teacher, William E. Bellows enjoyed every advantage of
education and training, being a pupil in the
graded schools under his father's supervision and at the age of 12 years
entering the State Normal School. He was a
member of the Classical Course until his graduation, in the class of 1877,
being particularily proficient in mathematics
and ancient languages, his especial delights, and the study of which he keeps
up to the present time in his active
professional life. While in school he spent his summer vacations on the farm,
encouraging a strong physical as well as
mental growth. In 1878, after teaching district schools several winters while
finishing his course, he became Principal
of the Union School at Saugatuck, Allegan Co., Mich., where he remained three
years, and afterward assumed control of
the graded schools at Allegan in the same capacity for two years. As a
teacher, he was practical, enthusiastic and
devoted to thorough instruction and systematic management, and was held in
high-esteem by pupils and patrons.
At the age of 23 he began the study of law, at first during the leisure he
could get from school work, and afterward in
the law office of P.A. Latta at Allegan and Capt. E.P. Allen at Ypsilanti. He
was admitted to the Bar at Ann Arbor, in
the Washtenaw Circuit, July 25, 1882, but continued teaching and the further
prosceution of his legal studies until the
spring of 1883, the date of his selection of Reed City as his field for the
practice of his profession. The formation
of his present partnership relation was entered into a short time afterward,
and the firm are already engaged in an
extensive and prosperous practice. Besides legal business proper, they deal
extensively in real estate, solicit fire
and life insurance and lend money. As a young lawyer his industry and native
ability are making an impression in the
community, which is the source of much important and profitable business.
Mr. Bellows is a Republican in politics, born and bred, takes a deep interest
in public affairs and is a rising man in
local politics. He did effective work in the campaign of 1884 in his county
for the Republican ticket, and his services
as a campaign speaker are appreciated.
He was married Sept. 3, 1879, at Detroit, to Adelaide E. Weir. They are the
parents of three children: Bertha C., born
July 23, 1880, at Saugatuck; Lewis Fitz Roy, Feb. 11, 1882, in Allegan; and
Florence A., born Sept. 29, 1883, at Reed
City. Mrs. Bellows was born Dec. 25, 1860, at Manchester, Washtenaw Co.,
Mich., and is the daughter of Lewis H. and
Susan Weir.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/bellows1076gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Allen, William H. December 3, 1837 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
William H. Allen, lumberman at Evart, was born Dec. 3, 1837, in ONtario Co.,
N.Y. His father, Albert A. Allen, was a
native of the Empire State and was for some years a minister of the Methodist
Church. He died in Holly, Oakland Co.,
Mich., Feb. 9, 1882, at 77 years of age. William's mother, Laura (Oysterbank)
Allen, was born in May 1806, in Green
Co., N.Y., and is a member of the household of her son at Evart. Three of six
children of whom she became the mother
are living, - Laura M., wife of Andrew Seeley, at Palmyra, N.Y.; Alpheus D.,
book-keeper in Detroit; and William H.
Mr. Allen began to prepare for the vocation of machinist when he was 16 years
of age. In 1855 he came to Michigan,
where he worked at his trae, and later conducted abstract business in the
counties of Kent, Genesee and Muskegon. He
was one of the earliest to enlist in the service of the United States,
sntering the army of the Union in April, 1861,
enrolling for three months uner the first call for troops. He became a member
of Co. F, Second Mich. Vol. Inf., and
soon after re-enlisted for three years as a private. He fought at the first
Bull Run, at Fair Oaks, Williamsburg,
Yorktown, Malvern Hill, in skirmishes without number and also served on
detailed duty. At the end of two years he was
discharged, on account of ill health, at Philadelphia, and returned to Flint.
After working a short time at his trade,
he went to Muskegon and operated in real estate and abstract business. Going
thence to Big Rapids, he was employed two
years as clerk in a drug store.
In 1870 he came to Evart and resumed his occupation of drug clerk, which he
pursued about two years, meanwhile, becoming
interested in lumbering in the behalf of capitalists at Muskegon, buying
timber and logs. He has since been
continuously engaged in the same line of business. He is the owner of a
residence and two lots at Evart, and of several
tracts of farming land variously located in different parts of the county.
Mr. Allen was married Nov. 26, 1867, in Muskegon, to Sarah J. Dale. They have
two children, namely: William J., born
Jan. 1, 1870, at BIg Rapids, and Bessie C., born May 5, 1881, at Evart. Mrs.
Allen was born Oct. 9, 1840, in Monroe
Co., Mich.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/allen1075gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Rich, Charles W. February 8, 1848 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Charles W. Rich, civil engineer and lumberman, resident at Tustin, Burdell
Township, was born Feb. 8, 1848, in
Piscataquis Co., Maine. He is the son of Charles W and Albina S. (Kittredge)
Rich, both natives of Massachusetts. In
1864 they removed to Ohio, and are not living near the village of Elyria in
the Buckeye State.
Mr. Rich went to that State five years previously, and during that time was in
charge of his uncle, I.S. Metcalf,
residing at Elyria, Lorain County. He attended the Union School at that place
until the removal of his parents to
Lorain County, and after he was again an inmate of the parental household, he
continued his studies until he completed a
full course and was graduated at the High School. At the age of 21 he
determined to acquire a practical knowledge of
the profession of civil engineering, and to that end he devoted his time,
working for a while for his board; but soon,
by close application and diligence, secured positions of trust and profit.
Continuing in the service, he obtained
employment on different engineering works in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Baltimore,
Md., until the year 1876, the date of his
removal to Tustin. He came here primarily in the real-estate interest of his
uncle, E.W. Metcalf, of Elyria, Ohio.
In spring of 1877 he purchased 240 acres on section 24, Burdell Township, and
in the same year he platted one-half of
the village where he resides, locating 48 lots. He has since made sale of
nearly the entire number. He is the
proprietor of a fine residence in Tustin village, and owns 160 acres of land
on section 26, in Burdell Township. He has
recently purchased 560 acres located on sections 2, 12 and 24 of the same
township, and is operating as a lumberman and
dealer in real estate in his own behalf. Since his first removal to Michigan,
he has spent three years in Ohio in his
professional capacity.
The marriage of Mr. Rich to Callie Meloy occurred Dec. 25, 1873, at New
Lexington, Perry Co., OHio. They have one child
- Wilder M. - born Aug. 9, 1884. Mrs. Rich was born Sept. 23, 1848, in New
Lexington, and is the daughter of William
and Sophia (Thomsor) Meloy. Her father was born in Pennsylvania and was by
vocation a cabinet-maker. He was a man of
prominent standing in Perry Co., Ohio, and during his life-time held several
positions of responsibility and trust,
among which were those of County Auditor and Treasurer. He died in Perry
County, in the fall of 1882, aged 73 years.
Her mother was born in ONio and descended from German ancestors. she is still
living in Perry County, and is 64 years
of age. Mrs. Rich was carefully educated, and at the age of 18 years
commenced teaching, which profession she pursued
with success five years.
Politically, Mr. Rich is a Republican. In religious preference he is a
Presbyterian, while his wife adopts the tenets
of the Baptist faith.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/rich1074gbs.txt
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Osceola County MI Archives Biographies.....Powell, Joseph H. April 13, 1840 -
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Author: Chapman Brothers, Chicago
Joseph H. Powell, farmer, section 6, Orient Township, was born April 13, 1840,
in Pittsburg, Pa., and is the son of
Ephraim and Catherine (Connor) Powell. His father was born Oct. 31, 1806, and
died Dec. 24, 1867. His mother was born
in May, 1810, and died in 1881. Their deaths took place in the city of
Pittsburg.
Mr. Powell lived in the place of his maturity until he was 20 years of age,
when he went to Greenwood Township, Crawford
Co., Pa., settling there in 1860. He enlisted in the Union service Feb. 26,
1864, enrolling in Co. G., 14th Pa. Cav.
The command was assigned to Averill's Division in the Valley of the
Shenandoah. the first battle in which Mr. Powell
was an active participant, took place May 15, 1864, at Newmarket. He was
again uner fire June 5, at Piedmont. June 16,
he was engaged in a skirmish at Buchanan on th4e James River, and fought at
Lynchburg on the two days following. He was
in action at Liberty on the 20th, and at Salem on the day thereafter. The
command came down the valley to Parkersburg,
went thence to Martinsburg and advanced to Winchester, where it was engaged
June 22, 23, 24, after which it fell back
across the POtomac at Williamsport and pursued General Imboden after he had
burned Chambersburg, following him until he
was driven from Virginia. General Sheridan succeeded to the command, and on
the 17th of September, the battle of Acquia
Creek was fought. Two days later an engagement at Winchester took place. On
the 21st occurred the fight at Fisher
Hill, and on the 23rd Mr. Powell was wounded in the shoulder of the left arm,
by a postol shot at Mount Jackson. He
went thence to Port Republic, and from there was sent to the hospital at York,
Pa. His recovery was speedy and he
rejoined his regiment at Winchester.
He received his final discharge Aug. 17, 1865, and returned home to Crawford
Co., Pa. He resumed the occupation of a
farmer, operating as a laborer by the month and also as a renter. In 1868, he
determined to seek a later settled
portion of the country, and accordingly made his way to Michigan, driving a
horse-team through to Snow's Corners, Ionia
County, reaching there April 20.
After a residence of one summer at that place, he came, Oct. 20, 1868, with
his family, to Orient Township. He had made
a homestead claim on the Fourth of July previous, and in September made a
clearing and built a log house, to which he
removed his family on the day stated, arriving at their home after dark.
About 60 acres of the farm is now improved and cultivated, and a good frame
house replaces the log cabin of the pioneer
days.
Mr. Powell is independent in political views and favors the Prohibition
element. He was appointed Township Treasurer in
1873, and was elected to the office in the spring of 1874. In the spring of
1876, he was elected Supervisor and was
subsequently re-elected uin 1877 and in 1880. He acted six years as School
Moderator.
His marriage to Catherine Carroll took place Feb. 26, 1860, in Pittsburg, Pa.,
and they have had three children:
Margaret Ann was born Nov. 19, 1860, and was married July 4, 1881, to James
McDonald; an unnamed infant died at the age
of six months; Ephraim J. was born May 17, 1863. Mrs. Powell was born Feb. 2,
1840, in Greenwood Township, Crawford
Co., Pa., and is the daughter of William and Margaret (Brooks) Carroll. Her
parents died in Crawford County.
Mr. and Mrs. Powell are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Osceola Co.
Chapman Brothers, Chicago
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/osceola/bios/powell1073gbs.txt
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Kent County MI Archives Marriages.....Blauvelt, Jennie - Labarre, George November 14, 1882
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Marriage returned for Kent County as reported to the State of Michigan
Application Date: Aug 31, 1882
Location: Lisbon, Kent Co., Mich
Groom: George Labarre, white, from Sparta, Mich, age 23, born Fremont, Mich,
occupation Farmer
Bride: Jennie Blauvelt, white, from Parris, Kent Co., age 18, born Plymouth
Married by: H.W. Freeman, Minister
Witnesses: A? Maxwell of Lisbon, Mich; Mrs. Ella Freeman of Lisbon, Mich
Married: Nov. 14, 1882
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/kent/vitals/marriages/blauvelt81g...
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Kent County MI Archives Marriages.....Raukaus, Fesseia - Guststra, Johannes November 13, 1882
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Marriage returned for Kent County as reported to the State of Michigan
Application Date: Nov 8, 1882
Location: Grand Rapids
Groom: Johannes Guststra, white, from Laurout?, Mich, age 22, born Vriesland,
occupation Gatekeeper
Bride: Fesseia Raukaus, white, from Laurout?, Mich, age 18, born Netherlands
Married by: J. Post, Minister of the Gospel
Witnesses: Ben Raukaus of Grand Rapids; Hanna Raukaus of Grand Rapids
Married: Nov. 13, 1882
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Jackson County MI Archives News.....Hitam McConkey March 1891
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Green River Republican March 1891
Green River Republican (Morgantown, Butler County, Kentucky)
March 19 1891
HITAM MCCONKEY of Springport, Mich, has been fast asleep for eight
months,
Last July he lost the power of speech, was taken sick, went to bed
and has not spoken or opened his eyes since.
The other night blood began to flow from his eyes and ears, and
suddenly he came to his senses. The doctors are dumb founded by the
phenomenon and explain it by the supposition that some blood became
clotted in his brain which prevented it from becoming active, He
remembers nothing since he went into the sound sleep, but can recall
everything previous to that time. During eight months the functions
of his body remained quiescent the man neither opening his eyes nor
speaking a word.
MCCONKEY is a married man and has of late been granted a pension
in the War of 1812.
File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/jackson/newspapers/hitammcc126gnw...
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