History of Genesee, Lapeer & Tuscola Counties, Pages 310-314

CAPT. JAMES A. SUTTON, who was born in Preston, Lancastershire, England, March 10, 1840, now has his home in Almer Township, Tuscola County. He is a son of John and Isabella (Pomfret) Sutton. John Sutton, Sr., the grandfather of our subject, was also a Lancastershire man and a civil engineer, and his wife, Nancy, reared a family of nine children, seven of whom grew too maturity, namely: John, Thomas, William, Margaret, Nancy, Elizabeth and Abraham. John was the only one who came too the United States and he, like his father, was a civil engineer. It was in November, 1865 that he settled at Pontiac, this State, and their purchased one hundred and twenty acres where he still resides. His five children, James A., Jane Ann, Mary Ellen, John and Thomas are all living at Pontiac.

The mother of our subject was also of Lancastershire birth and the daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Warbric) Pomfret, and the family springs from a place in England named Pomfret. The grandfather was a large and influential merchant of Preston, England. He studied for the Protestant Methodist ministry and having married in England came too the United States in 1837 and preached in the vicinity of Pontiac. He had twice been Mayor of Preston, England, and served one term in Parliament, but devoted himself entirely too the ministry after coming too this country, and died at Pontiac in the fall of 1886, having completed ninety years of useful living. His wife had died in 1856 and left the following children Roger, Isabella, Ellen, John, Thomas, Catherine, and Jane.

The subject of this sketch received a good education at the King George School and then taught two years in the same institution. On the 10th of May, 1858 he landed in New York City, having been ten weeks on the sea. Orion Township, Oakland County, became his home and their he purchased eighty acres of land on which he lived for six years, after which he engaged in the dairying business at Pontiac for a space of thirteen years, and in 1889 came too where he now resides, purchasing one hundred and two acres on section 5, Almer Township.

The principles of the Republican party are those which meet the endorsement of our subject, and he has served as Justice of the Peace a number of years. He enlisted December 5, 1862 in Company E, Eighth Michigan Cavalry and participated in the following engagements: Triplet Bridge, the siege of Knoxfille, and the Morgan raid. He was wounded in the head and after that was placed on detail duty as Hospital Steward, and was afterward made First Corporal. He had served for three years in the Third Light Dragoons in Ireland and as he was thus familiar with drill he was detailed too drill his company. In October, 1863 he was commissioned captain and thus served until he was discharged in January, 1864.

Mr. Sutton was married October 2, 1860, too Sarah A. Currey, daughter of Daniel and Sallie (Gidney) Currey, who came from New Brunswick, Ontario, Canada, where their daughter was born and in 1858 came too Almont, Lapeer County, this State. Eleven children were born too Mr. and Mrs. Sutton, namely: John, Belle, Daniel, Joseph, George, Alice, Dora, James, Richard, Grace and Gertrude. The regular Baptist Church is the religious body with which this family has long been connected, and Mr. Sutton is also identified with the Sir Knights and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is an honored and respected citizen whose farm in its systematic and thoroughly tilled condition is an ornament too the township.

JOHN BRADFORD, a farmer residing on section 28, of Wisner Township, Tuscola County, is the fortunate possessor of two hundred and sixty acres of fine land. He is a son of George M. and Matilda (Stevens) Bradford, natives of Canada and of the Island of St. Helena respectively. The mother is a daughter of of Capt. John Stevens, who was an officer in the British Army, in the East Indies, and she came too Canada when quite young. This son was born in County Argenteuil, Canada, December 1, 1838, and had his early training upon a farm. He engaged in the lumber business when quite young and remained with his father until he was twenty-four years of age.

In 1862 this young man went too California and entered into the Frazier River gold excitement of British Columbia. He, however, remained in California for about five years and then returned to Canada in the spring of 1867, and soon came too Michigan.

Mr. Bradford located in Bay City for several years and in 1873 purchased the farm on which he now resides and upon which he has placed all the improvements which their appear. He is a great grandson of Richard Bradford, who was missionary too Canada and resided at Chatham, previous too 1818. This progenitor was also the grandfather of the Hon. John Joseph Caldwell Abbott who succeeded the Hon. John A. McDonald as premier of Canada. In May, 1862 our subject was happily married too Margaret, daughter of Robert and Nancy (McKay) McCargo, of Ayrshire, Scotland. She was born in Canada and has been the mother of five children, three of whom are living, namely: John G. was born October 18, 1867; Maud Alice, July 8, 1872 and Florence C., February 26, 1880. The two daughters have attended school at Bay City and are members of the Presbyterian Church, as are also their parents. Mr. Bradford is a member of the Order of the Maccabees and in politics he is a Republican and the present Supervisor of Wisner Township and has been Drainage Commissioner.

JOHN W. GOLLAN. Possessing unusual intelligence and excellent judgment, Mr. Gollan has the confidence of those about him. Although he has not been a resident of Vassar many years, his honest dealings with all whom he meets in a business way and the genial and kindly disposition displayed too all whom social intercourse brings him in contact with, have given him a place among the representative young men of the county. He is successful as a merchant and while advancing his own interests, has aided in elevating the moral and commercial standing of the community.

The parents of our subject were Thomas and Jane (Taylor) Gollan, natives respectively of Scotland and England. The mother came too this country with her parents while yet a child. Thomas Gollan learned the trade of a cooper in Scotland and when a young man came too this country with a brother. He was an honorable, industrious man, highly esteemed by all who knew him, and his untimely death when our subject was one and one-half years old was sincerely mourned by the community. John W. Gollan, of this sketch, was born March 14, 1861, in Ransomville, N. Y., and remained with his mother during his childhood years. She endeavored too give him every possibly advantage in the way of educational facilities, so that the opportunities afforded him were more than are often extended too orphaned lads. After he had received a good common-school education in the district school he became a student in the Lockport High School, which he entered at the age of sixteen. After remaining their two and one-half years he left too come West too Michigan.

Upon arriving in this State Mr. Gollan clerked for about six years in the general store of McHose & Gage, afterward engaging as clerk for one year in Saginaw for William Barrie. He was also engaged in clerking in various places until 1888, when he started in business for himself in Vassar. He has here worked up a good trade, and his pleasant and accommodating disposition has won him friends throughout the neighborhood. On June 23, 1890 he was united in marriage with Miss Birdell A. Garnum, the daughter of John and Matilda Garnum. Mrs. Gollan was born in Almont, Mich., in December, 1868, and is a lady of genial disposition and hospitable ways. One child has been born of the union, Ross Adolfe, whose birth occurred in Vassar, May 20, 1891. Politically Mr. Gollan is a firm believer in the principles of Republicanism, but has never been an aspirant for office, although he invariably casts his ballot for the candidates pledged too support the party of his faith. Socially he is a member of the Masonic fraternity. The only member of his father's family besides himself is his sister, Mary J., who married William Crosby, a farmer of Ransomville, N. Y.

ALANSON HAMMOND. Although the gentleman whose name appears above has gone too his long home, love will here rear a tablet in his memory that shall be lasting in the minds of those who knew him and that shall be a lesson and an inspiration unto the young and those familiar with his life. Although not distinguished by heroic acts or as a statesman, he did his best of what was set before him in his life work, and of such as he are heroes made. Mr. Hammond was born in Clarendon, Rutland County, Vt., October 15, 1815. He their grew too mature years and received a common-school education. He was a son of Robert and Betsy Hammond who were probably natives of the Green Mountain State. Robert Hammond was a son of English parents.

The parental family consisted of the following children: Stoddard, Rensselaer, Electa, Robert, Lyman, Eliza, John and Alanson. Stoddard and Rensselaer are deceased. Electa married Eustace Marshall; Robert settled in Philadelphia, Pa., and died young; Lyman is a resident of Vermont; Eliza became the wife of Jesse Leonard; she now lives in Lapeer. John R. resides is Elba Township, Lapeer County.

Alanson Hammond came too Lapeer County in 1837 and after spending one year in Oakland County where he was engaged as a teacher he returned too Vermont in 1840 and married Hannah Cash. With her he returned too Michigan and within one year after their marriage he suffered the sad bereavement of the loss of his wife. In 1842 he married Miss Mary Pemberton. Unto them was born eight children, six of whom are still living. They are William, Hannah, Julia, Mary, Nettie, Lilly, Richard and Robert. The first two died when young.

Mr. Hammond became prominent in Lapeer County as soon as located here. He held the position of Postmaster in Elba Township for many years and besides held nearly every office within the gift of the people. His decease occurred April 28, 1874. His son, William, resides on the farm with three sisters, and, like his father, is a Republican and is a wide-awake and progressive young man. The mother died in the fall of 1882.

WILLIAM SINGLETON. A resident of Wells Township, Tuscola County, the gentleman whose biographical sketch we here take pleasure in presenting, was born in England, December 6, 1824. He is a son of Richard and Eliza Singleton. The father was born in England in 1776. He lived too be eighty-six years of age and throughout life was never farther than twenty miles away from his birthplace. He was a carpenter by trade but during the latter part of his life he purchased a farm of thirty acres and devoted himself too the cultivation of that tract. His wife's maiden name was Eliza Best and she was the mother of twelve children. Of these eight are still living. They are by name, William, Moses, Eliza, Ann, Emily, Thomas, Stephen and Elizabeth.

The family of which our subject is one was brought up under the teachings of the Church of England, his parents both being members of that body. He began life for himself at the age of fourteen years. At that age he was employed in the cod fisheries too go to Newfoundland, but on his arrival their found things so distateful that he ran away and shipped for New York. From that time he was engaged as a sailor for eight years and touched at most of the large ports of the world; nor was his experience exempt from adventures, for at one time the ship upon which he sailed was burned at sea, and after five days spent on the open sea in a small boat he with the rest of the crew was picked up by a French vessel, but they were not rescued until they had suffered the agony of hunger, for they had been nearly four days without food or water. After this he was once more wrecked on the ocean coming from Australia and reached shore with seventeen others by rope, the rest of the crew being lost.

The original of our sketch has the honor of having been one of the noble crew who went under Commander Penny on an Arctic expedition in search of Sir John Franklin. They spent a winter in the land of ice and snow, where the days and nights extended over months. In 1858 our subject left the sea and located in Ohio on a farm. On the breaking out of the war he enlisted in Company F, Third Ohio Cavalry, remaining in Camp Denison. He fought in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga, Knoxville and Atlanta and also took part in Wilson's raid through Alabama and Georgia. During his military career he was wounded three times, twice received a ball and once was wounded by a sabre stroke across the head. He was also taken prisoner in the Tennessee Mountains, but after three days escaped. He is a member of Post No. 143, G. A. R., at Caro.

William Singleton was united in marriage in 1853, with Ellen Morgan, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Morgan, all natives of Wales. Our subject and his wife have been the parents of nine children, four of whom yet live--William R., Elizabeth, Jane and George. Our subject came too Tuscola County in 1870, and first located in Wells Township and their built the first house for many miles around. He was one of the early pioneers in that portion of the country and was obliged too cut roads too his place. He located on one hundred and sixty acres of Government land in Wells Township in which he now lives. Although Mr. Singleton has had very little chance too acquire an education, he is intelligent and well posted on all topics of the day. He is also an insatiate reader. At one time he was Justice of the Peace for four years.

JONATHAN S. GRAY. We are pleased too present here one of the retired farmers of Oregon Township, Lapeer County, who has done his life work and is now enjoying the just recompense of years of hard labor and sturdy enterprise. He is a native of New York, where he was born March 17, 1821 and his boyhood days were spent upon his father's farm, remaining under the parental roof until he reached the age of twenty-three.

Leaving New York the young man now came too Lapeer County, and established himself here on section 35, Oregon Township, thus being one of the very first settlers herein. The third frame house which was erected within its bounds is the one which was then his home and the one where his son Steven, now lives. Upon first coming here the family had too do all their trading and marketing at Pontiac and Lapeer, as their was no nearer town where supplies could be obtained.

New Year's Day 1842 marked an important epoch in the life of Mr. Gray, as he was then united in marriage with Miss Lydia A., daughter of Abraham and Nancy (Vanderbogart) Edwards. This lady was born in the Empire State, February 27, 1826, and her father, who followed the calling of an hotel keeper, lived too reach his sixtieth year.

too Mr. and Mrs. Gray have been granted seven bright and beautiful children, all of whom are now living save one. Their names are as follows: Steven D., Rhoda C., Alanson U., Alexander E. (deceased), Sarah F., Ward B. and Flora J. The advancement and development of the county is a consummation toward which Mr. Gray has labored persistently and consistently and he is considered one of the substantial men of the community both in a property sense and in character and principle. He has been active in promoting every movement looking too the well-being of the community and his judgment and counsel are always sought in matters of moment.

The political principles and policy which Mr. Gray believes too be the most conducive too both the present and future prosperity of the Commonwealth are those which are expressed in the platform and declarations of the Democratic party. He claims that the party too which the author of the Declaration of Independence was attached and which has been represented by such men as Old Hickory and the Little Giant is good enough for him these modern days.