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NEWAYGO COUNTY.

have been previously started, they became defunct in a very short time; but the News is bound to succeed. Mr. Young was solicited to take charge of the High School in Hesperia, and he now performs the double duty of teacher and editor. They have had one child, Otto, born Nov. 22, 1880, and died Nov. 16, 1882. In politics Mr. Young is independent.

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ames R. Odell, druggist at Fremont, son of Jonathan and Mahala (Prouty) Odell, was born in Hillsdale Co., Mich., April 21, 1841. His parents were natives of New York, where they were married, and soon after removed to Michigan and settled in Hillsdale County. They remained there for several years after the death of his father, which occurred in 1854, when his mother came to this county and settled in Fremont, about the year 1867.

James R. remained under the parental roof until 16 years of age, attending the common schools. He then learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, which he followed for nearly five years previous to the breaking out of the rebellion. In September, 1864, he enlisted in the 11th Mich. Cav., and, after serving till the close of the war, was honorably discharged at Knoxville, Tenn. He participated in several engagements, and was at the capture of Salisbury prison, N. C. After his term of service had expired he returned to Hillsdale Co., Mich., and worked at his trade a short time, when he was taken very sick with typhoid fever, in consequence of which he was unable to work for eight months. After his recovery, in the spring of 1866, he came to Fremont where he worked at his trade about two years. He purchased 90 acres of wild land in Sheridan Township, upon which he worked during one summer and was afterward employed in a general store in Fremont, owned by John Delamater. In two years he purchased a one-half interest in the store, and the firm was known as Delamater & Odell. This partnership continued for about six months, when Mr. Odell sold out his interest to John DeHaas, but remained as clerk until the store was destroyed by fire some two years later. He assisted in settling up the business of the firm, and during the following winter was engaged in lum

bering, and was also afterwards in the employ of John DeHaas for a short time. Afterwards he and his brother bought out the stock of drugs and groceries owned by Dr. Root and son. This partnership continued about two years, when he bought out the interest of his brother in the drug department, and in another year sold, his own interest in the grocery department to his brother. For a short time the drug store was carried on by Odell & Manly, when the latter withdrew, and the business is now conducted by Mr. Odell, who is the leading druggist of the county. He commenced in 1877 to build the fine brick building he now occupies, and moved his stock of goods in February, 1878.

Mr. Odell was first married in Hillsdale Co., Mich., March 3, 1861, to Mary, daughter of Francis and Minerva (Smith) Morse, a native of Michigan. She afterward died, October, 1864, leaving one child, born Dec. 27, 1863. Mr. Odell was again married, in Hesperia, this county, in the year 1867, to Alice, daughter of Daniel Joslin, and they have had three children Mary, Eva M. and Pearl; the former is deceased. Mr. Odell has held the office of Township Clerk for ten consecutive years; is a member of the Masonic Order, and has filled various offices in his lodge, having served two years as Master, and is also Commander of Henry Dobson Post, G. A. R. In politics he is identified with the Democratic party. He has been a member of the Village Board, serving as President or Trustee since its incorporation; was also member of the School Board when the graded system went into effect, and is still a member of the

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orace C. Jenne, farmer, section 5, Dayton Township, is a son of Joseph H. and Saloma (Knight) Jenne, who were natives of Massachusetts and afterward settled in New He was born in the latter State, June 6, 1830. At the age of 10 years he went to live with a relative, and remained until he was 18 years of age, being employed the most of this time on the Erie canal. He came to Michigan in the fall of 1855, and the following winter lived in Allegan County. He came to this county in the spring of 1856 and bought 160 acres of land in Dayton Town

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NEWAYGO COUNTY.

ship. He now owns a farm of 65 acres, 35 of which are well improved.

He was married in New York, in August, 1851, to Amelia Jones, who was a native of that State, and they have one child, John H., who is now a resident of Muskegon. Nov. 2, 1863, he enlisted in the 4th Mich. Cav., and served nearly two years, receiving his discharge at Nashville, Tenn. He was with Gen. Wilson in his cavalry raid from Nashville to Macon, Ga.; is a member of J. A. Dix Post, No. 9, G. A. R., and in politics is a Republican.

on. Charles W. Stone, Representative from Newaygo County, was born June 2, 1833, in Warrensburg, Warren Co., N. Y., and is the eldest son of Samuel and Sally (Moore) Stone. The father was a son of John and Mary (Collins) Stone, and grew to maturity in Warrensburg, married there and reared a family of 10 children. He was a native of New Hampshire, and died in Warrensburg in 1878. The mother was born in Eastern New York and died in Warrensburg, in February, 1883. The elder Stone was an honest, hardworking man, and left to his sons a better heritage than most men do, who earn for them immunity from effort and freedom from the struggle necessary to humanity in order to develop its greatest and best. The boasted glory of the West was made possible by the stringencies which held former generations at the East. John Stone was born in the old Granite State, and resided some years at Weare, Hillsborough Co., N. H., removing thence to Cambridge, N. Y., and, later, to Warrensburg, where he spent his life in honor and usefulness and died at the age of 92 years. His wife was also a nonogenarian at the time of her death.

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his own way in the world. His years of labor during his minority had trained him in a complete knowledge of every detail in the manufacture of lumber; and in the early summer, when independent manhood brought with it the added need of immediate effort, he began to seek a service with which he was familiar. An opening in Florida attracted his attention, and he found encouragement in the project, but must wait until November before he could go to a tropical climate with safety. Opportunity meets her ardent seekers more than half way, and intelligence soon reached him that a company at Glens Falls were engaging men for the lumber woods of Northern Michigan, and he made his way to that place. He applied to Albert M. Cheney who, with Lewis L. Arms, of Glens Falls, and Eliphalet Wood, of Chicago, had established the business and interests still known under the style of the Newaygo Company. To Mr. Cheney young Stone stated his case, but he was received with a shake of the head. He accepted the repulse without comment and reached the door, but before he opened it he was re-called. "I think there is something in you and will give you a chance,” was Mr. Cheney's sententious remark; and in a few days he was on his way to Newaygo County. The village of that name consisted of only a few houses, and its principal business interests were in the hands. of John A. Brooks and the Newaygo Company.

Nine dollars represented the cash capital of Mr. Stone when he found himself in the field he had sought. His first work was scaling logs for the Newaygo Company on the land belonging to James and William Barton. He continued in the employ of the Company twelve years, engaged mostly in utilizing his time for the best interests of his employers. The year following his settlement in Newaygo County (1855), he bought 160 acres of unimproved land in what was then Fremont Township. He made his purchase under the Graduation Act, paying 75 cents per acre therefor, and in it invested his first earnings in Michigan. The entire tract is still in his possession; and, under the changes in the municipal conditions incident to the settlement and organization of the county, its described location is now on section six, Garfield Township. At the time of Mr. Stone's settlement Fremont comprised the territory now included in the townships of Dayton, Sherman, Sheridan and the western half of Garfield, then belonging

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The boyhood of Mr. Stone was passed in the manner common to the children of the place, period and generation in which he was born. Industry, frugality and the necessity of utilizing every moment were so impressed upon him as to become in a sense instinctive traits. He obtained little educational discipline in the schools, and, when he found himself a man in the eyes of the law, he also found himself in undisputed possession of the privilege of making

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to Sherman. The division and several organizations were made in 1866, and Mr. Stone was made first Supervisor of Sherman, and, with the exception of one year, held the position successively until his nomination for County Treasurer, in 1878.

He was married May 10, 1858, in Caldwell, Warren Co., N. Y., to Mary, daughter of John Eddy. Two children-Frederick C. and Clara J.—have been born of this union. The family resided in the village of Newaygo about 15 years, when they removed to the farm, of which 100 acres is cleared and in admirable condition, with farm fixtures and general arrangement of a character which puts the place in the front rank among the best in the county. On being elected to a county office, he removed to the village, where he resided until the summer of 1883, when he again removed to his farm. Besides his homestead and house and lot in Newaygo village, he owns 400 acres of timber land in the county.

Until the organization of the National Greenback party Mr. Stone was a Democrat and pursued a straightforward, well-defined, but non-aggressive policy, that secured the respect of his peers and the confidence of all parties. He never possessed the peculiar instincts of a wire-puller, nor exhibited the traits which characterize a ring politician of the period. Nor is he a man of the stamp, so common to the nineteenth century, of such marvelous type that the contingencies of decades of public affairs seem to have been created expressly to develop. Verily, the possibilities within the range of political ingenuity increase in direct proportion to the lapse of time! Mr. Stone's election to the positions he has held and is still holding present a feature in Newaygo County local politics, which do the good sense and sound judgment of her voting community eminent credit. The county officers, as a rule, are selected for peculiar ability and fitness for the work to be accomplished. In 1878 Mr. Stone was elected County Treasurer and was re-elected in 1880. nominated in 1882, before the expiration of his second term, by the National Greenback element of the county as its Representative in the Legislature of Michigan. The campaign and its results were most flattering to the candidate and satisfactory to the constituency who presented him for the position, without knowledge or effort of his own.

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character and abilities, and was peculiarly significant from the fact that he ran against two candidates,→→ Edward E. Edwards, the then incumbent and Republican nominee, and George W. Nafe, the candidate of the Democrats. In the House he was made member of Committees on the State School for the Blind, Deaf and Dumb, on Supplies and Expenditures; and, in the varied services to which he was called, distinguished himself as the protector of the interests of his constituency and by the consistency of his actions as a representative of the class to which he considers it his best prerogative to belong.

Mr. Stone was first Master of the Grange at Fremont when it was organized, and also of the first County Grange. He has been a member of the MaOn the orsonic Lodge of Newaygo over 20 years. ganization of the Patrons' Mutual Fire Insurance Company for the counties of Newaygo, Muskegon and Oceana, Mr. Stone was made its first President and Treasurer. He discharged the duties of the latter position until January, 1883.

Mr. Stone's portrait may be found on page 340. Its fitness as an accompaniment to this sketch (plain and matter-of-fact as the latter is neccessarily, from the modest pretentions and the unassuming character of the gentleman whose life and similitude are here perpetuated), will be acknowledged by all, and both will be a source of satisfaction to the people of Newaygo County, among whom he has expended the best years and energies of his life.

lbert T. Mudget, lumberman, located on section 33, Croton Township, was born in Vernont, Feb. 23, 1850, and is the son of Orrin and Mary (Chambers) Mudget.

At the age of 17 years Mr. Mudget began to work in a saw-mill and continued in that occupation about six years. The year 1874 he was engaged in lumbering, and in the spring of 1875 he bought 40 acres of land in Allegan Co., Mich., and made agriculture his pursuit for five years, when he sold out and engaged in mercantile business in the same county, which occupied his time and energies for nearly 18 months. He disposed of his business, His election was and in the summer of 1881 came to Newaygo County, secured solely through the general confidence in his where he first bought a half interest in a lumber mill 電影

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