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NEWAYGO COUNTY.

Mich. Cav., and served in the capacity of a soldier of the United States nearly three years. He was under fire in many important actions and was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg. He was hit by a minie-ball in the left side and spent four months in the hospital. After his recovery he was in the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac until the surrender of Gen. Lee.

After the war closed he returned to Muskegon and resumed his accustomed occupation in the mills there. In the fall of 1874 he settled in Alleyton, and entered upon the duties of his present position, which he has continued to discharge since without intermission.

He was married in the township of White River, Muskegon Co., Mich., Nov. 23, 1868, to Louisa, daughter of Frederick and Minnie Streich, the parents being natives of Prussia, where Mrs. Ohrenberger was also born. Of eight children born of this marriage six survive. They are: Mary A., Louisa A., Lillie C., Maggie T., Minnie A. and Ida C. John died when 14 months old, and another child was lost at an earlier age.

In political connection Mr. Ohrenberger is a Republican, and has held different school offices. In the spring of 1883 (current year) he was elected Supervisor of Everett Township. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and belongs to the Knights of Honor.

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mbrose Haight, farmer, section 9, Big Prairie Township, was born Feb. 14, 1829, in Bradford Co., Pa., and is the son of Hiram and Sarah (Swaine) Haight. The father died. in 1846, in Shiawassee Co., Mich. The mother was born Nov. 8, 1804, in Plymouth, Chenango Co., N. Y., and died March 18, 1877, in Oceana Co., Mich. She was a daughter of Deacon Oliver Swaine, and was of German descent.

Mr. Haight is the oldest of eight children. His father came to Michigan in 1840 and settled in Shiawassee County, where he died six years later. After that event the son continued to reside with his mother until the fall of 1856, when he came to Newaygo County. He had been a family man a few months and removed his entire worldly effects by the

aid of an ox team, consuming nine days in the trip. He bought 80 acres of land and entered upon the work of clearing and improving and establishing a homestead. He has now under cultivation 70 acres of good land and owns, besides his original purchase, 40 acres on the same section. He is quite a prominent man in his generation, belongs to the National party, and, soon after settling in the township, was elected Constable, which post he filled nine years. He officiated as Justice of the Peace six years and has discharged the duties of School Director nine years.

Mr. Haight was married in Shiawassee, Jan. 1, 1856, to Elvira Winans; she was born June 17, 1839, in Oakland Co., Mich., and is a daughter of Benjamin and Angeline (Roosevelt) Winans, both Germans and natives of Seneca Co., N. Y., the former born March 5, 1810, the latter Oct. 22, 1811. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Haight were born as follows: Hiram B., April 9, 1859; Charles Edwin, Oct. 28, 1861; Alfred W., July 19, 1868; Angeline, Sept. 11, 1870; Dora, Sept. 27, 1876; and George, Aug. 14, 1880.

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ichard Surplice, grocer, Newaygo, was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, June 19, 1839. He is a son of Edward and Hannah (Montgomery) Surplice, who emigrated to London, Can., the year following his birth. The father was a farmer, and his son remained at home acquiring his education until the age of 13 years, when he entered the service of a grocer, Alexander Davidson, and a year later was employed by James Geddes, for whom he acted as salesman one year. His father bought a farm of 100 acres near London, and he relinquished his clerkship to aid in the new agricultural project. He worked on the farm until he was 23 years old, when he left home. The next year he went to New York, where he remained only a few months, returning to London. He was engaged there about 16 months as turnkey in the jail, and in the spring of 1866 went to Ohio, where he spent the following summer.

In the spring of 1867 Mr. S. came to Newaygo, where he worked on a farm summers and as a lumberman winters, until 1870, when he opened a saloon. In 1872 he erected a building for the prosecution of

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NEWAY GO COUNTY.

his business. In 1875 he added the grocery trade to his previous interest, and managed both at the same place until his property was destroyed by the disastrous fire of April, 1883, in which he suffered a loss of $3,000 above the insurance. He built two brick stores on the site of his former stand, where he is now established. The buildings are two stories in height above the basement, and cost about $5,000. His stock of goods represents a value of $3,000, with yearly tranactions of 10,000, and he is doing a good business. He owns also a fine farm of So acres in Garfield Township, on section 10, 160 acres of land in Ontonagon County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and nine acres in Newaygo village south of the depot.

Mr. Surplice was married in Newaygo, July 11, 1870, to Libby, daughter of Samuel and Lucinda Davie, born in Allegany Co., N. Y., in March, 1851.. Of this marriage two children have been born, as follows: Cora H., Aug. 35, 1871, and George S., Nov. 12, 1873. Mr. Surplice is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows.

orace Warren, Postmaster and merchant at Alleyton, was born in Wayne Co., Mich., Oct. 27, 1836. His parents, Chancellor C. and Laura A. (Carlton) Warren, were natives respectively of the State of New York and Ohio. They became residents of Wayne Co., Mich., and afterwards of Newaygo County, where the father died, in 1879. The mother is still living with her children.

Mr. Warren was married at the age of 24 years, when he bought 120 acres of land in Newaygo County, mostly in a wild state. He continued to improve this for seven years, when he rented the property and embarked in a mercantile enterprise at Ætna, where he operated two years. In September, 1872, he opened his present establishment at Alleyton, and with the exception of three years he has conducted the same. During the time mentioned he was engaged in farming and teaming. He received the appointment of Postmaster at Alleyton under President Arthur. In politics he is a Republican and has held the position of Treasurer of Everett Town

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ship two and a half years, has been Clerk three years, Justice of the Peace four years, and in July, 1883, was appointed Notary Public. He is a member of the Order of Masons.

He was married in Denver Township, Nov. 10, 1862, to Elizabeth Ann, daughter of Herman and Charlotte (Keirstead) Forbes, natives respectively of Canada and New Brunswick. Mrs. Warren was born in Canada, March 22, 1838. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Warren are: Maria S., Ida C., Augustus L. and Ralph E.

enjamin Carpenter, farmer, section 31, Big Prairie Township, was born Aug. 7, 1836, in Ontario, Canada, and is the son of Asa P. and Margaret (Ulman) Carpenter. (See sketch.) He accompanied his parents to Michigan in 1853. They settled in Croton Township, and he continued to reside with them until his marriage, obtaining a fair common-school education and employed in farm labor. After his marriage he remained in Croton Township a year, when (in 1867) he went to Morley and was in the employment of Nelson Higbee 15 months. At the expiration of that time he went to Ionia County and bought a farm, containing 40 acres of land. On this he resided six years, rented the place and went to North Plains Center in the same county, where he was resident two years, going thence to Ionia. Six months later he sold his farm and removed to Newaygo County, where he settled on 80 acres of land in Big Prairie, given him by his father. It is all well improved, and under advanced cultivation, with good buildings.

Mr. Carpenter was a soldier of the civil war and belonged to Co. K, Third Mich. Vol. Inf. He served three years, the full time of his enrollment, and was discharged July 20, 1864. He was shot across his mouth and thereby suffered the loss of his teeth; and contracted rheumatism, by which he is yet, at intervals, disabled. He was in some of the most prominent battles of the war. In political connection he is a Republican.

Mr. Carpenter was married April 12, 1866, to Sarah F., daughter of Benjamin F. and Laura M.

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NEWAYGO COUNTY.

(Goodwin) Higbee. She was born Nov. 13, 1842, in Ionia, Mich. Her father was born in 1818 at Binghamton, N. Y.; her mother is a native of the city of Utica, N. Y. The one was of English parentage, the other of German descent; both are yet alive. Laura E., Maggie E., Frank L. and Edwin Ralph, the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter, are all living.

ames Monroe Gibbs, farmer, lumberman and general manager in the lumber interests of G. W. Crawford, resides at White Cloud and manages his agricultural affairs on section 13, Wilcox Township. He was born in Troy, Oakland Co., Mich., Oct. 10, 1825. His parents, Calvin and Deborah (Shaw) Gibbs, were natives of Connecticut and settled near Pontiac, Oakland County, in 1821, where they engaged in farming, and resided until Oct. 5, 1822, when the father died.

The mother afterward married Calvin Marvin, of Troy, and resided in that township until 1835, when they settled in Clinton County. She died there Feb. 9, 1873.

Mr. Gibbs was under the care of his step-father until he was 13 years of age, when he began work as a carpenter. Two years later he commenced operations as a cooper and followed that vocation four years. He came to Newaygo County in 1850, and pre-empted 120 acres of land in Big Prairie Township. He cleared and otherwise improved 80 acres, and resided thereon until 1872, when he moved to White Cloud. He built the first residence erected in that village, and operated as foreman in the lumber mill of of S. N. Wilcox. He continued in the position four years, when he engaged in locating land until the spring of 1879, since which time he has been operating in the interests of Mr. Crawford.

Mr. Gibbs was married Oct. 10, 1848, to Fannie J., daughter of William and Mahala (Willy) Utley. She was born April 30, 1830, in Plymouth, Mich. Her parents were natives of Vermont. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs are six in number: Fred, Flora, William U., Minnie M., Ettie M. and Otie. Addie D. is deceased.

ohn R. Wonch, farmer, section 21, Croton Township, was born in Ontario, or "Canada West," Jan. 8, 1850. He is of mixed German and French descent, his father, F. S. B. Wonch, having belonged to the former nationality and his mother, Francis (Lefraugh) Wonch, to the latter. Their births occurred in Ontario in 1829 and 1831 respectively.

Mr. Wonch began his independent career at the age of 25, and in 1875 came to Croton, where he has since resided, on the parental farm, which is held as yet undivided by the heirs. He is an adherent to the principles of the National party. His employment, most of his life, has been that of an agriculturist, save three years, when he served an apprenticeship at the harness-maker's trade, upon which he entered at the age of 16 years.

He was married Dec. 19, 1877, at Howard City, Montcalm County, to M. Louisa, daughter of Mat-, thias T. and Mary A. (Backart) Kline. The father was born in New York in 1827 and resides with his daughter. The mother was born in Baden-Baden, Germany, in 1832, and died in 1873, in Croton Township. The issue of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wonch are two children, Frances Adaline and Mattie Lulu.

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yrus Moon, farmer, section,, Big Prairie Township, was born May 20, 1832, in the State of New York, and is the son of James and Susannah (Pool) Moon. The father was born Dec. 6, 1784, in the State of New York, and died in 1869. The mother was of Welsh parentage and was born Oct. 20, 1789, in Vermont, and died May 12, 1871, in Otisco, Ionia County. Their marriage occurred Aug. 7, 1808.

Mr. Moon came with his parents to Jackson Co., Mich., when he was in earliest youth. They located near the present site of the city of Jackson, where they resided three years, after which they went to Otisco, Ionia County. The family remained there resident until 1862. In that year Mr. Moon came

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