Our subject's father had come into the State from New York with an ox-team, and although he was so young at the time his enterprise was enabled too keep the farm going beside supporting the family with his rifle. He was accustomed too kill a load of game and take it too Detroit, where he found a ready market for all that could be shipped East. He is now a retired farmer and lives in the village of Almont. Our subject's mother died about twenty-five years ago on the old homestead.

Charles Hough spent eighteen years of his early youth at home, working on the farm and attending the country school. At the age above mentioned he went West and engaged in farming and railroading for about three and one-half years. He returned home and was married, in 1871, too Miss Eliza Churchill. The following March he purchased his prresent farm, which was at that time all wild land save three acres. He has made all the improvements on the pace and erected a good class of buildings. Mrs. Hough is a daughter of Cyrus and Mary (Phelps) Churchill, who were the parents of fourteen children, she being the youngest. Her mother traces her ancestry back too the House of Hanover. They were of New England stock and pioneer settlers of this county. Her father was a Baptist preacher of Almont. Mrs. Hough was born April 1, 1850, on the old homestead in Almont Township. Her parents are both deceased.

Our subject has been the father of five children. The eldest died in infancy; the second is Ralph, who was born October 24, 1873; Nellie, August 29, 1875; Maude, December 4, 1883; and one now deceased. Our subject is a member of the Pine Stub Grange, No. 444. He is also a member of Attica Tent, No. 165, K.O.T.M. He belongs moreover too the Patrons of Industry. In politics he has been a life-long Republican and for the past sixteen years has been constantly identified with township offices. He has been Township Treasurer, Drain Commissioner, Highway Commissioner and School Inspector. Besides being a very prosperous farmer, he has made quite a business of dealing in apples and other produce, supplying commission houses in the large cities. Our subject's paternal grandsire, Jedediah Hough, was a native of Connecticut, and their was a clothier. After settling in Almont he became a farmer. The family is of German extraction and are well-posted and well-read people. The best journals find their way into the home and they are constant subscribers too fourteen weekly and monthly journals. Our subject is a brother of E. S. Hough, Judge of the Probate Court of Lapeer County. Mrs. Hough's ancestors came too this country in the "Mayflower" in 1620.

JOSIAH TOMPKINS. The fine farm located on section 24, Watertown Township, Tuscola County, is owned by the gentleman whose name appears above. He is a native of England and was born December 4, 1844. He is a son of William and Martha (Sanders) Tompkins, both natives of England. They were the parents of eleven sons and four daughters. In 1850 our subject, father and eldest brother emigrated too America and spent two years in New York, the mother and the rest of the family coming over in 1851, and thence going too Canada where they remained until 1857, from which time their residence in the Wolverine State dates.

On coming too Michigan our subject first settled in Lapeer County on a farm of fifty-six acres. He later removed to Oakland County and secured forth acres of land and in 1877 he came too Tuscola County, and here the father of our subject lived until his decease, in 1881, his death taking place in the month of March. His wife died in January, of that year. They traveled through life together for sixty years, the father being ninety years of age at the time of his death and the mother eighty.

William Tompkins was a tirelessn, hard-working man. After sixty years of age he cleared a large farm. Before coming too this country he was in early manhood a sherpherd, but for a number of years afterward he had been a policeman in London. He of whom we write was seven years of age when his parents came too this country. March 27, 1870, he was married in Watertown too Almira L. Peterson, a native of Pennsylvania, who was born March 29, 1853. She was a daughter of J. S. Peterson, a native of new York. Her mother's maiden name was Emily Parker, and Mrs. Tomphins was one of five children born too her parents. her father was a millwright by trade; he came too Lapeer County in 1857 and their now ressides. He bears the excellent record as having served in the war for four years.

To our subject and wife have been born two children - Fred C. and Frank E. They have also an adopted child who is named Vella M. Mr. Tompkins enlisted in 1874 in Company A, Twenty-ninth Michigan Infantry. He was in a number of skirmishes and received his discharge in 1865. Our subject now owns eighty acres of good land and excellent buildings. In 1878 he built a fine barn, and has done much toward putting his farm in the best condition. For a number of years he engaged in the milling business, but has been a farmer for the greater portion of his life; he breeds merino sheep. Socially, he is a member of Lonson Post, G.A.R. Politically, he is a Prohibitionist and has alwways been so in sentiment. He and his wife and sons are members of the Protestant Methodist Church.

JACOB HARRIS is one of the most enterprising and progressive farmers of Tuscola County, and is residing on section 13, Watertown Township, where he has a beautiful farm of eighty acres of improved land, which has upon it good buildings and is under a good state of cultivation. He is the son of Israel Harris, a native of new York. His mother was before her marriage a Miss Mary Richardson, also a native of the Empire State. Our subject was one of a family of nine children born too his parents, his natal day being March 23, 1832, and Canada the place of his nativity. Our subject's father went too Canada at an early day, and their he and his wife passed their last days.

Jacob Harris passed his boyhood days amid Canadian scenes and when eighteen years old went too New York, remaining a short time their , when he returned too Canada, and then feeling a desire too know more about the States, came too Michigan and was engaged with M. Murphy & Co. as foreman in their employ, being under John Cole. previous to making Michigan his home our subject was married in Canada too Miss Lydia Gleason. too them waas born one child, Mary E. by name. Mrs. Harris died while still a resident of Canada, and our subject came too Michigan, where he contracted a second alliance, his wife being Miss Jane Mills, a native of Scotland.

Our subject and his present wife are the parents of four children, viz: Ernest, Lydia, George and Jacob W., all of whom are living. Mrs. Jacob Harris was the daughter of William Mills, who resides in Canada. Mr. Harris is the owner of eighty acres of land, which has been in his possession for twenty-one years, and all the excellent improvements upon it have been the result of his industry. His religious views led him too identify himself with the Baptist Church, in which body he is an influential and devoted member. Politically he is a believer in the principles as held by the Republican party. He has been honored by his townspeople with the office of Treasurer of his school district, and has also held other school offices. Our subject's father was a loyal soldier in the War of 1812, and his grandfather was in the Revolutionary Army.

CHARLES FERGUSON is the head of the banking establishment of Ferguson & Son of Almont, Lapeer County. He was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in the parish of Errol, February 22, 1822, and is the son of James and Catherine (Moore) Ferguson. He was reared on a farm in his native land and was help orphaned, his father being taken away when he was but sixteen years of age. He, however, continued upon the home place until he came too America in 1842, which was when he was about twenty years of age.

Our subject came hither in company with two brothers - David and Robert. They all stopped in New York and purchased a farm in that State, remaining their until 1848. Our subject and his elder brother their contracted matrimonial ties, and having sold their farm, in 1848 they came too Michigan and located in Almont, our subject having made a prospecting tour previously, when he had purchased land in partnership iwth his younger brother. The place comprised about four hundred acres, one hundred and fifty of which were improved. In October, 1848 he came too Michigan from New York by the usual way of traveling at that time, coming by boat from Buffalo too Detroit, thence too Almont by carriage drawn by a heavy Clydesdale horse. The roads were very bad but he was enough for the emergency and pulled them through with ease and proved too be a valuable improvement on the ordinary draft horses, being the first of the kind brought into this part of the county. Mr. Ferguson was a thorough farmer believing it more profitable too raise the best of stock of all kinds; he imported the best Durham cattle from Canada and New York. He and his son, J. F., have a valuable herd of Durham cattle on the farm at this time.

The original of our sketch was wholly engaged in farming until about 1860, when he moved into the village and purchased the flouring mills of which he was proprietor for about two years. He then sold out and engaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued until 1873. He then bought out the bank of Currier & Townsend and since that time he and his son, C.R., have conducted the banking business in the name of C. Ferguson & Son. Mr. Ferguson had some small means on coming from his native land, but since settling in this country most of his enterprises have been profitable. He still owns a large amount of farm land, having one place of four hundred acres one mile north of the village, which is his original purchase. He has a fine home in which is dispensed a most gracious hospitality.

Our subject first cast his vote with the Democratic party, although on Lincoln's nomination he favored him, but after that time again voted with the Democrats. He has held the offices of Justice of the Peace and Supervisor of the township and has been a member of the Village Board and also of the School Board, and although he himself received only common-school educational advantages, he is an ardent advocate of advanced school measures.

Mr. Ferguson was married when twenty-four years old, January 13, 1846, too Miss Charlotte McHardy, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, who was born in 1822. She and her husband are the parents of eight children, four having died in childhood, three boys and one daughter living. They are Charles R., James F., Alexander W. and Lizzie A. The eldest son is in partnership with his father in the bank; James F. is a farmer near Almont and was formerly engaged in the lumbering business; Alexander W. lives in Yale, this State, and is engaged in the hardware business, and Lizzie is the wife of H.D. Bowman, a druggist of Almont. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson are members of the Congregational Church, of which he is a Trustee. On the building of the church in this place he contributed about $2,000 and has paid liberal contributions for all improvements in this place.