ABRAM G. HOUGHTON was born in Bennington County, Vt., in 1813. When five years of age, he moved with his parents to Ontario County, N. Y., where they resided about four years, then came to Oakland County, Mich., and settled in the township of Springfield. In 1861 he enlisted in Company I, of the Tenth Michigan Infantry, and served to the close of the war. Was with General Sherman in his memorable march to the sea, and was in sixteen general engagements, receiving one wound. Returning from the war, he engaged in lumbering in Ogemaw County till 1878, when he went to Cass City. In 1880 he moved to Novesta, and settled on section 3, and helped to organize the township, and has since held the office of clerk. He was married in 1866, to Miss Alice N. Rock, whose father is a well-known resident of Flint. They have four children.

GEORGE  N. HOUGHTON was born in Rensselaer County, N. Y., Nov. 15, 1836, and while young moved to Bennington County, Vt., where he resided until thirteen years of age, receiving the rudiments of an education. He then went to Yates County, N. Y., where he attended the common schools, and in 1861 enlisted in Company C, Fifth Regiment of General Sickles Independent Brigade, and served six months, when he was discharged for disability. He then returned to Yates County, and in 1862 came to Jackson, Mich., where he engaged in farming three years, then ran an engine one year in Genesee County. In the fall of 1865 he came to Tuscola County, and bought 240 acres of land on section 24 in the township of Elkland, and engaged in farming and lumbering till the fall of 1881, when he sold one-half of his farm, and bought 40 acres on section 16 in Novesta. In the spring of 1882 he formed a partnership with R. H. Warner, and built a steam saw and shingle-mill, having a cutting capacity of about 2,000,000 feet per annum. Dec. 27, 1864, he married Miss Sarah Tinney, of Genesee County, formerly of Syracuse, N. Y., and has seven children. Mr. Houghton has had a large and varied experience in pioneer life, but has struggled through his many difficulties, one of which was his heavy losses in the fire of 1881.

J. R. LEWIS was born in the township of Bruce, Macomb Co., Mich., Oct. 22, 1842, and when seven years of age moved with his parents to Dryden, Lapeer county. In 1862 he enlisted in Company K, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, and was in active service three years. In the battle of Stone River his horse's head was shot off, and he was wounded, at the battle of Shelbyville, below the left knee in a saber charge, which has made him a cripple for life. He was discharged on a general order, July 7, 1865, and returned home where he was married September 22, 1866, to Miss Minerva Jane Rease, of Metamora, Lapeer County. In 1873 he went to Sanilac County, and was elected clerk of the township of Sanilac, and served one year. March 31, 1875, he came to Tuscola County, and resided for a while in Cass City, removing on the 14th of November to Novesta, where he located on section 9. In 1876 he was elected township clerk, and held the office five years. November, 1881, he was appointed supervisor, and the following spring was elected to the office which he has since held. When he first came to the township, he had few neighbors, no roads or clearing on his place. His first work was to build a shanty which he covered with boards and "shakes" and which had no doors or windows. He assessed the township that year, and had to buy a pair of rubber boots to wade through the water to accomplish his work.

JOHN MCLEAN was born in the township of Clark, Durham County, Ont., Nov 2, 1847. When three years of age his parents moved to Elgin County and located on lot 9, in the seventh concession of the township of Allborough. He acquired some property there which he sold in 1879, and came to Novesta, where he settled on section 2. Nov. 10, 1871, he married Miss Eliza Patterson, of Allborough, formerly of Trafalgar, Canada, and has three children: Maria, born Sept. 22, 1872; Margaret Jane, born January 27, 1873, and John William, born July 24, 1877. Mr. McLean had but a poor chance to get an education, being put to work at an early age, but by industry and frugality he has succeeded in securing a good home.

R. H. WARNER, one of the early settlers of the township, was born in Macomb County, July 3, 1836, and remained at home with his father until twenty years old. He had the advantages of a common school education, and after leaving home taught school six years, up to the spring of 1864, when he married Miss Almeda M. Houghton, of Groveland, Oakland County, formerly of Bennington County, Vt. Dec. 2, 1864, Mr. Warner enlisted in the Second Michigan Infantry, Company F, and served to the close of the war. In the battle of the Wilderness he was severely wounded and was discharged June 25, 1865. In August of the same year he came to Tuscola County and settled on a farm he had purchased on section 3, township of Ellington. This he sold the following year, and lumbered for two seasons on the north branch of the Cass River. In 1869 he purchased a farm in Elkland, which he kept one year, when he sold it and came to Novesta, and took up a homestead of 120 acres on section 17. He was one of the organizers of the township, and was its first supervisor, holding the office six years, and has held all other township offices except clerk. When organized, there were but five families and seven votes in the township. In 1882, Mr. Warner, in company with George N. Houghton, built a steam saw and shingle-mill; but sold his interest in July. Mr. Warner is a man of enterprise, and has amassed a good property. His six children are: Myrtle L., born Oct. l, 1865; Walter, born Dec. 7, 1867; Olive May, born Dec. 25. 1873; Robert, born Sept. 28, 1874, and Mary E., born May 4, 1880.

WILLIAM A. YORKE was born in the township of Yarmouth, Elgin County, Ontario, July 27, 1845. When nine years of age his father died, and he remained at home until sixteen years old, after which he worked around for three years, when he came to Michigan, and was back and forth for the three succeeding years. In 1867 he purchased a small farm in Middlesex County, Ont., which he retained three years, when he sold out and bought a farm of fifty acres in the township of Caradock, upon which he resided eight years. In 1879 he came to Tuscola County, and purchased 160 acres on section 36 in the township of Novesta, where he has since resided. He was married June 10, 1868, to Miss Mary A. Sells, of Middlesex County, Ont., and has three children - Lewis A., born September 28, 1869; David F., born Jan. 12, 1872, and Alma Etta, born April 18, 1879. Mr. Yorke suffered largely by the fire that swept through Tuscola and Sanilac Counties in 1881, but has recovered from his losses. He was elected justice of the peace in 1881, and is at present township treasurer.

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