Fairgrove Biographies I - Z

EBENEZER WEST JOHNSON, farmer and dealer in real estate, was born in Plymouth, Ohio, April 3, 1834. He came to Tuscola County, Mich., in April, 1854, and shortly after engaged in working for Mr. Ira Tappan for one year at $100. With those earnings he bought eighty acres of land in what is now Fair Grove, then a part of the township of Rogers. In 1856 he chopped ten acres of land where the rising village of Fair Grove is now being built. When he became of age he and Lavias Hinson were the only young men in the township. He assisted in organizing Fair Grove Township. David P. Hinson named the township, and was its first supervisor. Mr. Johnson helped to erect the first barn built in Rogers (now Juniata and Fair Grove). He also attended the first national celebration held in Rogers, going with others of the settlers on foot to Watrousville. Mr. D. P. Hinson was the reader and speaker of the day. Mr. Johnson’s time for a while was spent partly in Fair Grove and partly in Ohio. On January 1, 1860, he was married to Miss. Julia M. Shaw, of Sheffield, Ohio. She was born there May 11, 1842. Their children are Elmer L., Lillian M., Oliver T., Adelia A., Rowena M. and William Foster. Elmer was born in Ohio. All the rest were born in Fair Grove. In September, 1861, Mr. Johnson enlisted in Company E in the Seventh Michigan Infantry, at Camp Monroe, and went directly to Washington, and when in camp near there was seized with typhoid fever, but, recruiting a little, he accompanied his regiment to near Poolsville, Maryland. Here he soon became very ill, and after some three months severe suffering, he was honorably discharged because of disability arising from heart disease brought on by the hardships and excitement of camp life. From this ailment Mr. Johnson is still a sufferer. In November, 1862, he and his family came from Ohio to settle in their Fair Grove home. From Fentonville to Vassar they brought their goods with a hired team through a track in places almost impassable, and through the last three miles Mr. Johnson literally led the horses by their bridle-bits in the dark, through the mud and among the stumps; and when he arrived he greatly resembled a monument of mud. From there they came through a desperate road in an ox cart to their destination. They have now about sixty-one acres of land in section 17, having sold part of the estate in town lots for the village now rising rapidly just where their fields formerly were. They have also an excellent fruit bearing orchard of various fruits, having some apple trees of their own growing, now one foot in diameter. Mr. Johnson was the superintendent of the first Sabbath-school in Fair Grove. He has been overseer of highways, and is now assessor in his school district. He and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he has frequently been leader of the class and Sabbath-school superintendent and teacher, and is now one of the building committee for the erection of the new Methodist Episcopal Church.

SPENCER L. JUDD, farmer, was born in Geauga County, Ohio, December 16, 1844. He received his education and early culture in his native State, and in early life became accustomed to agricultural pursuits and dairy work. He was married August 29, 1866, to Miss Mary R. Foster, of Madison, Ohio. She was born December 15, 1847 in the dwelling in which she was afterward married. They have four living children, Charles A., Nellie M., Roy S., and Edith Louise. They came to Fair Grove, Mich., in April, 1872, and settled in section 2. They have 120 acres of land with about 100 acres under cultivation and pasture. They have a young orchard of various fruits, good buildings and a pleasant farm home. One fine orchard has been destroyed by borers. Mr. Judd’s barm and out-buildings are especially commodious and convenient. Others may do well to imitate them in building. The barn proper is 34x50 feet, with twenty feet posts, and with elegant windows to light the threshing floor. The drive room, 20x28 feet, has sixteen feet posts. The horse stable and granary are under the main body. The stable for cattle is a part of the shed, which has one part sixty-nine feel long and eighteen feet wide; it also has a wing sixty feet long and sixteen feet wide, and all built with fourteen feet posts; and the whole supplemented with adornments and appurtenances both beautiful and useful at a cost of some $2,000. Scarcely any of the settlers raised wheat enough for their bread when Mr. Judd first came to the place, but he prepared about six and one-half acres and sowed it with wheat, and he received about twenty-five bushels to the acre. His second crop on the same ground averaged about thirty, and the third about forty-six bushels to the acre. This aroused almost all in the place to at once engage in wheat raising. Mr. Judd has now on one of his fields the eleventh successive crop of beautiful wheat. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Judd are Episcopal Methodists.

JAMES C. LUCE, farmer, was born in Monroe, Penn., August 12, 1827. He went with his mother to Greenwood, N. Y., in childhood, and resided there until 1852. His father had been accidentally shot when James was about two years old. Mr. Luce was married to Miss Betsy Gardner, of Scio, N. Y., September 11, 1850. She was born January 31, 1833, in the house in which she was afterward married. Their children are, Augusta, Shubel N. (now deceased), Celie, James, Ida (also now dead), Joel, George and Rose.

In the spring of 1852 they came to Vassar, and shortly after settled in Gilford. He took up eighty acres of land, cleared a small piece, erected a log shanty and covered it with shakes, but twice had the roof blown off from over the family within. The lands near them were taken up but not settled for some years. Mrs. Luce spent nearly four years with no neighbors but Indians, except one white settler who lived over four miles away. She often remained at home while he went away from home to work. She once got in contact with a bear, partly tamed, and had her clothing torn from her person, but escaped without serious injury. Mr. Luce has at times carried their provisions from Vassar, sixteen miles, to their home on his back, carrying fifty pounds at a load. By steady work at home and abroad they gradually overcame the hardships of those early days, and became comfortable in their pioneer home. On March 2, 1859, they came to section 21 in Fair Grove, and again prepared them a pioneer home. Here they repeated many of their former toils, but had less disadvantages than in Gilford. In September, 1864, Mr. Luce enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Michigan Infantry, and served until mustered out of the service in 1865, after the close of the war. He now has eighty acres of land, seventy of which are under cultivation. He has also an excellent fruit bearing orchard and pleasant home surroundings. He has served as school director twelve years, and fifteen years as overseer of highways. Mrs. Luce died in peace, of congestion of the brain, November 11, 1881. She had been religious over twenty years. The son and daughter also died of the same disease. Mrs. Luce had served as midwife at the birth of 104 children in Tuscola County, and once attended five births in forty-eight hours.

PETER MAXWELL,  farmer, was born in Duanesburgh, N. Y., June 24, 1828. He came to Jackson County, Mich., in 1859; removed to Livingston County in the fall of 1865, and came to Tuscola County in the fall of 1868. He had been married, July 3, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth M. Wheaton of Newfane, N. Y. She was born in Seneca County, July 14, 1833. They have had eleven children. Those living are Burt D., Carrie B., Tillie A., Arthur T., Sarah J. and Walter E. Those deceased were George A., William H., Edwin H. and Franklin L. and Francis L., twins.

On July 23, 1862, Mr. Maxwell enlisted in the Twentieth Michigan Infantry, Company F, and served his country in the late civil war until discharged May 12, 1865, for disability, caused by a gunshot wound in the right hand and wrist, received in front at Petersburgh. They have now forty acres of land in section 20, in Fair Grove, with about thirty acres improved, and with a thriving orchard and an inviting home. They have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1858. He is at present a steward, leader and Sabbath-school superintendent in that church.

MILTON L. ROBY,  of the firm of Roby & Wylie, was born in Logan County, Ohio, October 23, 1838. He received his early culture in his native State, and in the fall of 1863 he settled in Branch County, Mich., and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He had been married to Miss Nancy Fulton, also of Logan County, February 7, 1859. She was born there in May, 1837. They have had eight children: Thomas, now deceased, Margaret J., now Mrs. E. C. Becker, Susan A. Sarah B., Rhoda M., Jessie M., Elton L., and Nellie A.

They came from Branch County to Fair Grove in March 1880. He has eighty acres of land in section 27, about forty of which are now under cultivation. Mr. Roby is a partner in running a steam threshing machine, and also in flouring-mill in Fair grove village. The mill has been built at an expense of some $8,000, with a capacity for grinding about eighty barrels of flour in twenty-four hours. They have a steadily increasing amount of custom work, sometimes crowding their convenience for doing their own grinding. Mr. and Mrs. Roby are members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.

NATHAN SHERMAN,  farmer and carpenter, was born in Vermont, August 4, 1812, and came with his parents to Newfane, N. Y., when about eighteen years old. Later he returned to Vermont and learned his trade, and on September 7, 1839, he was married to  Miss Polly Thompson, of Vermont. She was born in that State August 9, 1821. They have four living children, Nelson B., Duane, Loella, and Benona. William, the second son, died at the age of thirty-three, in great peace, leaving a wife and one child. Mr. Sherman and family came to Fair Grove, Mich., in the spring of 1860, and settled in section 20. The place was a forest. The land was wet. The water in the creek was knee deep, and abounded with fish. They have given $5 for having a barrel of flour brought from Watrousville, when the price of the flour itself was only $5. It took the man about two days to bring it and return. They have now nearly eighty acres of land, all under cultivation, and pasture. They also have an orchard of apples, peaches, plums, cherries, grapes and other small fruits, and an inviting home. They are members of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

NELSON B. SHERMAN,  farmer, was born in Vermont, February 2, 1841, and came to Michigan with his parents in 1860. On February 18, 1862, he enlisted in the Seventh Michigan Cavalry, Company C, and served his country in quashing the late rebellion. He fought three days at Gettysburgh and was in the battles of Winchester, Cold Harbor, Travillion Station, Thoroughfare Gap and numerous other conflicts. After the close of the war he served in guarding the overland stage route over the Rocky Mountains from the attacks of Indians. During his service he was promoted to the rank of corporal in his regiment. He was honorable discharged from the service September 28, 1865. Shortly afterward he returned to Michigan. He was married October 14, 1868, to Miss Helen J. Cook, of Hartland, Mich. She was born there December 14, 1840. Their children are Raymond, Elroy and Orissa. They have 140 acres of land in sections 17 and 19, in Fair Grove, and have thirty acres under cultivation, with a good dwelling and other farm buildings. Their church preference is for the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Sherman has been a member therein ever since the age of fifteen years.

JASPER STREETER,  hotel keeper, was born in Oakland County, Mich., March 9, 1843. He came with his parents to Tuscola County when nine years old. His time has been spent chiefly in farming and butchering, and dealing in meats. He was married March 8, 1866, to Miss Augusta Luce, of Fair Grove. She was born in Steuben County, N. Y., October 8, 1852. They have two children, Carrie and Carey. Mr. Streeter opened his hotel in Fair Grove village in September, 1881, and his patronage ever since then has increased steadily. Almost every day his tables and room are all occupied, and to his present accommodations, already large, he intends forthwith making further additions. His good barn furnished warm shelter for teams in winter, and cool shade in summer. He also conducts a well-supplied meat market, thus furnishing the citizens of their rising village and flourishing township with the luxury of fresh meat all the year round. Mr. Streeter carried the mail through from East Saginaw by way of Vassar and Elkland to Forestville on Lake Huron the first time it was taken through.

MRS. E. WARD,  formerly Mrs. E. Cutler, came with her former husband, Mr. Cutler, from Ohio to Fair Grove, Mich., August 31, 1857. The old Sebewaing road was then the only one in the township. She thinks there were not then a dozen houses between Pine Run and Tuscola village. They were three days coming from Fentonville and changed teams twice, and then finished the trip on foot and carried two children on their backs. Some years later Mr. Cutler and his son (by a former wife), both left their pioneer homes to help quash the rebellion, and both lost their lives, leaving Mrs. Culter alone to grapple with the hardships of a new country in war times, with three children to provide for, one of whom was blind. She records hard times, but has never suffered for want of food. They have now some twenty acres cleared on their farm home, and enjoy a comfortable situation.

JOSEPH S. WYLIE, of the firm of Roby & Wylie, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, January 4, 1854. He resided there until Asugust, 1880, when he came to Tuscola County, Mich. His early employment was chiefly farming. He engaged in his flouring-mill enterprise in Fair Grove village about the first of October, 1882, and with his partner is sharing profitable returns from their investment. In 1879, Mr. Wylie was married to Miss Martha Tate, but she was taken from him by death July 16, 1880, and one week later was followed by their infant babe. Mr. Wylie is the youngest heir to his father’s estate, his share of which is due him in 1884. Religiously he is a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.