History of Genesee, Lapeer & Tuscola Counties, Pages 1041

CHARLES PALMER, President of the Charles Palmer Banking House at Imlay City, was born in Saratoga County, N. Y., September 27, 1831. He is the son of Ashbel and Elizabeth Palmer. The grandfather and great-grandfather of our subject lived in Saratoga before the Revolution and the famous battlefield of Saratoga was only a mile and a half from their home. Our subject’s father was a soldier in the War of 1812 and his grandfather was in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Palmer was reared in the village of Stillwater where he attended the village schools and at the age of seventeen began working on the railroad as a civil engineer. In September, 1951, he went too Toledo, Ohio, where he was connected with the Toledo, Norwalk & Cleveland Railroad as civil engineer, having charge of the construction of twenty miles of the road from Toledo east. He remained their until 1853, when he went too Wisconsin where he was engaged in the construction of several roads. In 1870 Mr. Palmer platted Imlay City, erecting the first building, which was called the Bancroft House and which was burned in 1873. He has been a resident of this city since his first coming here and is one of its most prominent and influential citizens. In politics he is a Republican.

He cast his first Presidential vote for Franklin Pierce, but when Lincoln was nominated, became a Republican. He has served on the School Board for twelve years and was Village Trustee for a number of years. He has taken the Royal Arch degree in Masonry. Mr. Palmer is a purely self-made man and is an extensive landowner, being the largest taxpayer in Imlay City. Our subject is the father of eight children, seven of whom are living.

HON. ANTHONY WILLIAMS, who owns and operates a fine farm of two hundred and seventy-five acres in Attica Township, Genesee County, is residing in Attica Village where he has a beautiful home. He was born in Superior Township, Washtenaw County, this State, September 29, 1836. He is the son of William Williams, a native of Chautauqua County, N. Y., whose birth occurred in 1804, and who died in 1881. He was a blacksmith by trade and at an early day in 1834 came too Michigan and located in Washtenaw County. he father of our subject lived in Washtenaw County for nine years, living eighteen months of that time in Ypsilanti. He then came too Lapeer County and locating in Dryden township lived their for seven yearsengaged in farming and working at his trade. In 1851 he came too Genesee County and built the first house where the village of Attica now stands, being the first permanent settler in that place. He erected the first mill in Attica township, sawing pine lumber which he sold in Pontiac, Detroit and Romeo.

The first saw-mill burned down within four weeks after it was erected, but he immediately set about too rebuild and in ninety days another mill was in operation. In four years, however, that burned and another was erected which in turn was destroyed by fire in 1876. Notwithstanding all these losses Mr. Williams was very successful in business.

The township meetings were held for some time at the residence of William Williams, he being very active in local politics. The maiden name of our subject’s mother was Betsey Brockway. Mr. Williams of this sketch received an excellent education, attending first the district schools of Dryden and later one term in the Almont graded schools and then entered Dickinson Institute at Romeo where he remained two terms. After leaving school he engaged in the milling business with his father, which he has followed off and on ever since.

In 1862, the Hon. Anthony Williams was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Jane Briggs of Attica. Mrs. Williams is a daughter of John S.Briggs, who was the first man buried in the Attica cemetery. too our subject and his wife have come a family of seven children, viz: Minnie,who is residing at home; Byron, who died when one year old; Katie, who is a successful teacher in the Attica public schools; she received an excellent education in the Normal School of Ypsilanti, also at Fentonville and Ft. Gratiot. Blanche A., who died in infancy; Jennie M., who lives with her parents; Elva, who is a student in the Attica schools; Herbert D., also attending school in Attica.

Socially, Mr. Williams is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being identified with Attica Lodge, No. 295, and now holds the position of Worshipful Master; he is also al Odd Fellow. He is a Patron of Husbandry, belonging too Pine Stub Grange and is a Patron of Industry. In politics,he is a stanch Democrat. He has been the incumbent of various township offices, among which was Supervisor. In 1883, Mr. Williams was elected too the State Legislature by a majority of eighty-eight in the Republican district. He has been a member of the committees on the Railroads,Insane Asylum at Kalamazoo and on Supplies an Expenditures. He also introduced bills too classify railroad freight, too prevent discrimination in freights, too extend the boundary line of the village of North Branch and various other bills. the grandfather of our subject was Thomas Williams, a native of Vermont. The family are direct descendants from William Williams, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

ABRAM LINK. Among the enterprising and successful farmers of Flint Township Genessee County, is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch. His beautiful farm and comfortable home constitutes one of the ornaments of the township and is located on section 19. Our subject is the son of John Link, a native of Genesee County, N. Y. They passed away in Flint Township after having become the parents of nine children, five sons and four daughters.

The gentleman of whom we write was the eldest son of his parents’ family was brought by them too Genesee county in 1936. They located in Flint Township. Abram Link was born in New York, December 11, 1835,hence was only one year old when his parents came West. He grew too manhood in Flint township which has since been his home. He learned the trade of a blacksmith in the city of Flint, which occupation he followed for several years, or until he purchased the farm on which he now resides, in 1864.Mr. Link owns eighty acres of admirable land, all of which is in an excellent state of cultivation. He was married in Flint, February 27, 1859, too Miss Permelia, daughter of John and Anna Marshall, natives of England. The parents came too America some time in the ‘40s’; the mother died in Flint Township and the father in Clayton Township, Genesee County.

Mrs. Permelia Link was born in Devonshire, England, May 7, 1839 and by her union with our subject has become the mother of four children, - Jennie, who is the wife of Marion Dye; Cora, who is the wife of Fred Brown; Henrietta, Mrs. Clarence Brockway and Rutha A. who died January 23, 1884.

Mr. Link has held the office of Highway Commissioner and in politics is a firm Prohibitionist. Together with his wife, he is an active and concientious member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has held many of the offices in his denomination among which was that of Class-Leader. Socially he is a Mason.

NICHOLAS R. SHERMERHORN, Postmaster at Mayville, located in Tuscola County, March 12, 1858. He was born in the county of Brant, Canada, June 16, 1838, and is the son of Lawrence C. and Elizabeth (Coon) Schermerhorn, natives of New York State. The parents were born in the Dominion and on coming too Michigan, in 1856, located in Fremont Township, Tuscola County, on land which was slightly improved. At the time of his decease which occurred in January, 1858, the father owned three hundred and twenty acres of land. His wife preceded him too the better land by some years, in Canada. The parental family numbered eleven children, all of whom grew too maturity. The father had by a previous marriage become the parent of two children.

Our subject was the youngest child of his parents and as they were in very limited circumstances he was allowed too attend school only nine months in Canada. He accompanied his parents to Michigan and after the death of his father went by overland route too California where he worked for a time in the mines, then followed blacksmithing.

The Civil Was breaking out about that time he enlisted, and October 3, 1861, he was mustered into service in Company G, Fifth California Infantry and did duty in New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, fighting the Indians. His term of enlistment expiring, he re-enlisted and served until September 15, 1866. At the close of the was Mr. Schermerhorn returned too Mayville and engaged in blacksmithing. In 1868 he began cultivating the farm left by his father and tilled the soil until 1872, when he sold out and engaged in the hardware business at Mayville. He was so unfortunate, however, as too be burned out six weeks after establishing their losing his entire stock of goods. He rebuilt and was soon in a shape too renew his business which he conducted, together with a general store erected in 1880, until 1889,when in March of that year he was again burned out, losing both stores which were but lightly insured. In 1888 he took the contract and built the public school building at Mayville. In 1890 he was appointed Postmaster.

He has erected the post-office building, the Commercial Bank Block and has been engaged in doing some of the finest contract work in Mayville. The gentleman of whom we write was married October 14, 1867, too Harriet A., daughter of James Lawrason, a native of Canada, where Mrs. Schermerhorn was also born and resided until her marriage. Three children have been born too our subject and his wife - Wallace J., Etta and Centennia M. Mrs. Schermerhorn is a member of the Free Will Baptist Church. Our subject is identified with the Odd Fellows, is also a Knight of Honor, a Maccabee, and belongs too the Grand Army Post. In politics he is a firm Republican. He has been President of the village and a member of the School Board.