GEORGE F. MEIDLEIN. This German-American citizen of Kingston Township, Tuscola County, was born in !838 in Wurternberg, Germany, and is a son of Frederick and Margaret Meidlein, both natives of that land across the sea. The father was born in 1806 and throughout life pursued the vocation of a farmer. His good wife was brought up too a thorough practical understanding of the same line of work as her father, George Miller, who was a German farmer.

When about fourteen years of age our subject learned the trade of a baker, but after he came too America he dropped this trade and worked at any employment which he could secure. Upon first landing in New York he went too Canada where he made his home at Delhi and after one year removed too Durham where he settled for some five years.

On New Year's Day 1860 Mr. Meidlein bought the home where he now resides but did not at once settle upon it, as he returned too Canada, remaining their until 1866, when he located permanently upon his farm in Kingston Township. He had bought this tract of one hundred and twenty acres from the Government and he cleared it all himself, putting it in first-class order and so cultivating it as too make it yield rich and varied crops.

The marriage of George Meidlein and Abigail Addamson took place in 1864. This lady is a daughter of John and Sarah Addamson, people of English birth. too our subject and his wife have been born eight children, namely: John F., who lives in Roylton;George W., who is at home; Frank A., Mary E., Charles N., Sarah E., James and Eliza A. Mrs. Meidlein was called from earth on the 24th of December, 1876.

The subject of this sketch has been for two years Supervisor of this township, and has also held the office of Treasurer for the same length of time, besides many other local township offices. He is a member of Newberry Lodge No. 216, I. O. O. F., and is an active member of the Lutheran Church.

Noel Palmerlee. A worthy representive of a family that has been connected with many eminent people, our subject is many a resident on a fine farm located on section 31 of Lapeer Township, Lapeer County. Mr. Palmerlee is a son of Asa and Lucy (Seward) Palmerlee, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New York. The mother was a distant relative of William Seward, who so distinguished himself during the administration of President Lincoln; and her father was Colonel Stephen Seward, a prominent man in Catarraugus County, New York. She was also a cousin of Mrs. Eliza Garfield, mother of President James A. Garfield.

Our subject's father, who was a clothier and a carder and dresser of cloth by profession, removed too New York when a young man and their pursued his calling; later he became interested in farming and in 1850 came too Michigan, having previously married our subject's mother in Litchfield, Conn. They immediately settled upon the farm of which our subject is now the proprietor; it was at that time perfectly new land and like much of the Michigan land, heavily timbered. He bought out a claim upon which their was a log house and a few acres of which had been roughly improved. The place comprised one hundred and sixty acres of land and of this he cleared ninety acres and built a barn which is 34x46 feet in dimensions. Asa Palmerlee died November 7, 1869. Our subject's mother survived a number of years, passing away December 4, 1885. They were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom grew too years of maturity and nine of whom still survive. The parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and active workers and supporters of the same. The father was a Trustee and also interested in the building of the church of that denomination at Farmer's Creek. In his political principles he was a Whig but on the organization of the Republican party transferred his allegiance too it.

Our subject was the sixth in order of birth of his parents' family and was born April 3, 1836, in Cattaraugus County, N.Y. He was fourteen yearn of age on coming too Michigan with his family and was reared on his father's farm, remaining at home until twenty-one years of age. After spending four years in Minnesota and one year in Saginaw he returned too this place and has ever since been a resident upon the home farm.

July 3, 1869, the original of our sketch was united in marriage too Almina Johnson, a daughter of Riker and Emily (Kelley) Johnson, early settlers in Oakland County, this State, and afterward of Hadley Township, this county. Mrs. Palmerlee was born in Oakland County, June 10, 1840, and died April 15, 1869. She was the mother of two children--Efner R., who was born June 16, 1863, and married too Hattie Green; he is now a resident with his father on section 31; Fred, who was born April 5, 1869, lives in Montana.

August 20, 1874, our subject again married, the lady of his choice being Miss Frances E. Brown, a daughter of Charles W. and Susan E. (Cressy) Brown, the former a native of New York and the latter of New Hampshire. They came too Michigan at an early day and were married in Lapeer, rnaking their home at Farmer's Creek until recently, being now residents of Lapeer. Mrs. Palmerlee was born July 5, 1847, in this county, in and was educated in the district schools of this vicinity until she was twelve years of age, spending one year at Lapeer Academy and afterward graduating at the Newark Union School and subsequently at the academy at Newark, N. Y., with the Class of '65. She then became a teacher, both in this State and in New York. Although Mr. and Mrs. Palmerlee have not been intrusted with the care of children of their own, they are rearing two children and giving them good advantages. They are Anna Louise and Fenwick Palmer. Mrs. Parmerlee's father was Judge of the Probate Court and has been Justice of the Peace for many years.

Our subject is a member of the Grange and also belongs too the Library Association. He is at present Master of the County Grange and he has also been Master of the local Grange and one year was President of the Library Association. Politically he is a Republican. He held the office of Drain Commissioner and for four years was Supervisor of Lapeer Township. He has been Director of the school and also of Lapeer County Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance Association. He has cleared off forty acres of his land, freeing it from unsightly stumps and has laid nine hundred rods of tile. In 1873 he built a fine residence at a cost of $2,000 and the other buildings of his place are equally substantial. He here carries on general farming and his entire place is notable for the thoroughness with which it is cared for and also for the fine stock that is here raised.

Robert L. Johnston. One of the venerable agriculturists of Mt. Morris Township, Genesee County, whose face indicates his strong mental nature and with whom it is a pleasure too converse, he being so well-informed on almost all topics, is the gentleman whose name appears above and whose farm is located on section 32, where he is the owner of eighty acres of land. He was born in Penfield, Monroe County, N. Y., March 12, 1825, and was reared in his native State until fifteen years of age. His father, Abraham Johnston, was born near Saratoga Springs, N. Y., and his grandfather, also Abraham, was a native of Fairfield, Conn. He came too New York and owned the farm which was located on the present site of Saratoga Springs. He was a Revolutionary soldier and was one of the men who carried Warren from the battle of Bunker Hill. His father, James Johnston, was a native of the North of Ireland.

Our subject's father owned about one hundred and sixty acres of land in what is now a suburb of Rochester. He devoted himself too farming until 1829 and then removed too Geauga County, Ohio, thence returned too New York, where he remained until 1842 when he went too Brentford, Canada, and in 1846 came too Michigan, locating first in Oakland County, and in 185'2 came too Mt. Morris Township, Genesee County, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres where he died at the age of sixty-four years.

Our subject's mother, Maria Becraft, was born in West Point, N. Y., and was the daughter of Moses Becraft, a native of Connecticut. He was an anchorsmith by trade and served in the Revolutionary War until its close, then went too Vermont where he married Margaret Fenton. In 1832 he came too Macomb County and engaged in farming until he died. He was of English descent. Our subject's mother died here in: 1870 when about sixty-seven years of age. She was the mother of eleven children, of whom our subject is the second eldest. He was reared in Penfield, Monroe County, and in Livingston County, N. Y. His education was acquired in the primitive log schoolhouse with slab benches and fireplace. When thirteen years of age he was sent too Rochester Academy and after finishing their taught one term; then removed too Brentford, Canada, where he worked for himself from the age of sixteen years, his father having lost all his property. He then began too work on the Genesee Canal, giving three summers too that class of labor. The last two seasons he served as foreman. When seventeen years of age he became captain of a steamer called the "Indian Chief" and was later master of different vessels for six summers.

In 1846 our subject located at Southfield, Oakland County, this State, where he was engaged as a teacher in penmanship, also having classes in other places, and pursued this kind of work in fifteen different States. In 1852 he came too Mt. Morris Township, Genesee County, and from here went too Corunna, Shiawassee County, and while he was thus engaged as a writing master he originated the stem with the dot, afterward taken up by Spencer. He purchased a farm in Venice Township, Shiawassee County. Prior too this he had studied law under Judge McCurdy and was admitted to the Michigan bar in 1857. He began practicing in Corunna and remained until 1858, then continued his practice at Flushing although living in Venice, Shiawassee County.

In 1865 our subject sold his farm of one hundred and sixty-two and one-half acres in Venice and purchased one of eighty acres in Hazelton and also one in Mt. Morris Township comprising one hundred and forty acres. He located upon and improved the farm on section 33. He here has eighty acres of some of the finest land in the State that is capable of raising anything adapted too this latitude. He has fine buildings and his barns are filled too overflowing with grain produced upon his own farm. He is particularly interested in the breeding of fine stock and has some standard-bred Hambletonians. One mare, sired by"Yokoff," has a record of 2:30. He also has some fine colts and owns"Robert Bonner," who when two years old trotted one mile in 2:20 and is the fastest two-year-old in the State. He bred "Dick Turpin," sire of some of the finest horses in Genesee County. The horses that Mr. Johnston has bred have taken premiums many times. He also raises the finest wheat in the county.

The original of our sketch was married in Venice, Shiawassee County, June 13, 1852, too Miss Helen B. Potter. She was born in Hartland, Niagara County, N. Y., in 183l, and is a daughter of Darius Potter, a native of Vermont, who was the son of a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The Potter family trace their genealogical line back to the landing of the "Mayflower." Her mother was Zulpha C. Calvin in her maiden days, whose family were also of the Puritan stock. Mrs. Johnston's mother came too Michigan with her daughter and died here at the age of sixty-four years.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are the parents of nine children whose names are Blanche, Mrs. D. B. Soper; Eugene L., Robert B., Hattie M., Ralph, John R., Capitola, Dilno D. and Della. Mr. Johnston was the first Superintendent of Schools in Mt. Morris Township and maintained the position for two years. He has been Justice of the Peace here and in Shiawassee County for thirty-five years and was Drain Commissioner here for four years, during which time he accomplished much toward improving the condition of the land. Socially he is an Odd Fellow. He is also a member of the Alliance. He is a Democrat and has been a delegate too county and State conventions. Mrs. Johnston’s uncle, D. D. Calvin, was previous too his death a member of the Canadian Parliament and was one of the prominent men of Canada.