Wm. Churchill, fruit grower on section 18, Norton, was born in New York State in the fall of 1827, came to this State in the Fall of 1866, and to Norton in the Spring of 1872. He first settled in section 24, on a farm of eighty acres, which he sold in 1881 to John Davis, Jr., of Ohio, and in June, 1882, bought his present place of seventy-three acres. He intends to devote it to grapes, peaches, &c. He was Supervisor in 1877.

    John B. Dupuis, the engineer of the Ferry mill, was born near Montreal in 1846; came to Illinois in 1850; to Lake Harbor in 1865; was also several years on Muskegon tugs. He married, in 1869, Olive Gates, by whom he has one son, Alfred, born in 1874. After her death he married, in 1876, Dell Thebault. 

    John Geiger was born in Wurtemburg in 1840, and came to America in 1867, settling first in Wyandotte. In 1869 he settled in section 21, Norton. In 1871 he married Miss Ariadne Brist, of Norton, by whom he had five children.

    George Hanvill, saw filer of the Ferry mill at Lake Harbor, was born in New York State in 1814, came to Grand Haven in 1869 and has resided in Lake Harbor since 1876. He is a veteran of the late war, having enlisted in 1862, in Co. H, 21st Wisconsin Volunteers. He was discharged on account of two severe wounds received at Perryville, Ky. He married in 1872, Elizabeth Ryan, of New York State, and they have one daughter, May, born July 12, 1879.

    William Hile was born in Northumberland County, Pa., April 18, 1840, and at 6 years of age he moved with his parents to St. Joseph County, Michigan. In 1864 he enlisted in the 15th Michigan Infantry, Co. C, served until the close of hostilities, and although in a number of engagements, escaped unhurt. In 1864 he married Miss Margaret A. Reed, of St. Joseph County, by whom he has six children. In 1867 he purchased land in section 24, Norton, where he has ever since resided, being very successfully engaged in fruit growing.

    Peter Jeannot was born near Montreal, Canada, in the year 1829. His parents were in very limited circumstances, with a large family of children, and at the age of 16 years, with scanty clothing and only sixteen cents in his pocket, without the knowledge of his parents, but with resolute and determined mind, Peter and some other boys about the same age, left their parental roof for the city of Chicago, at which place he arrived in the fall of 1845. For three days of the time after leaving home he did not taste food. He had an acquaintance in Chicago with whom he stayed for two weeks. From there he went in the lumber region of Northern Green Bay, remaining there engaged in saw mills until the fall of 1855. From Green Bay he went to Manistee, Michigan. Since 1864 he has been superintendent and general manager for Ferry's mill at Lake Harbor, and has also been for years postmaster. Mr. Jeannot was married in the month of June, 1850, at Bourbonnaise Grove, Ill., to Mary Lambert, daughter of Lewis and Mary Lambert, and has had thirteen children, nine of whom are living. The eldest son William is graduating at Notre Dame College, Indiana.

    S. B. Marstiller was born in Randolph County, W. Va., in 1833, worked with his father until he was twenty-two years of age, when he went into the carpenter trade, which he has ever since followed. In May, 1862, he went to Marion Co., W. Va., where, after residing nine years, he went to Belmont, Ohio; after remaining there seven years he came to Norton, purchasing land in section 13, where he still resides. In 1857 he married Miss Anna Ryan, of his native county, by whom he has five children. Although he still works at his trade, he intends to make fruit growing his chief business. In February, 1864 he enlisted in Co. H, 12th W. Va., Regiment, and served till the close of the war. He was in five general engagements, was wounded, and draws a pension.

    Elizur Porter, was born in New Haven county, Ct., June 9, 1815, and resided in his native place until 23 years of age, following the cooper business. He then went to New York State, remaining six years. In 1844 he settled in Monroe County, Mich. In 1855 he went for one year to Minnesota, returning he settled on section 12, Norton Township, where he still resides. In 1844 he married Delia Town, of Burgess, Genesee county, N. Y., who died after having borne him three children. In 1852 he married Miranda Nokes, of Monroe county, Mich., by whom he has six children. Mr. Porter settled in Norton when it was nearly all in a wild state and there was but one store in Muskegon.

    Stephen Porter, who has a fruit farm of 26 acres on Black Lake a short distance above Milo Rowe's, was born in Courtland county, N. Y., 1819, came to Norton in 1877, his family following two years after. He has a fine place, with seven acres of grapes and small fruits, about one acre each of black caps, blackberries and red raspberries, 240 crab apple trees, 400 cherries, etc. His grapes in 1881 weighed about 4 1/2 tons, averaging six cents per pound.

    Joseph Edward Randall, fruit grower on Black Lake below Coston's, has also an 18 acre fruit farm, of which 14 acres are improved, containing 3,000 grape vines, 1,000 peach trees, 100 apple, 50 pear, with four acres of strawberries and an equal quantity raspberries. As an instance of the fertility of his place, he reports 150 bushels of strawberries from 1 1/4 acres, sold as to bring a net profit of $400, and from 150 grape vines 600 pounds at six cents per pound, brought $36. Mr. Randall was born in England in 1845, came to Chicago in 1867, and to Norton first in 1873, remaining only one summer. In the spring of 1880 he returned from Chicago and bought his present place. he married Oct. 10, 1868, Sarah Knight, and has one surviving daughter, Frances Louise.

    James Reed was born in Columbia county, Pa., March 8, 1808, and when 22 years of age went to Jefferson county, Pa., where in 1830 he married Miss Margaret Millson. In 1844 he removed to Park, St. Joseph county, Mich., where he farmed until 1865. In 1850 his wife died, leaving six children. In 1851 he married Mill Barbara Millen, by whom he has two children. In 1865 he removed to Norton, purchasing land in section 24, on which he successfully raises fruit.

    Oscar C. Roy was born in LaGrange county, Ind., and in 1839, at ten years of age came with his father to St. Joseph county, Mich., but after two years' sojourn there he returned to Indiana for ten years. For a few following years Mr. Roy alternated the summers in St. Joseph and the winters in Indiana. In 1864 he removed to Iowa, remaining there until the fall of 1872, since which time he has made his home in Norton. In 1873 he married Louisa M. Fisher, of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

    Milo Rowe, one of the oldest and most respected residents of the town, was born in Broome county, N. Y., in 1813; at eleven moved to Pennsylvania, and to this State in 1856, first coming to Lamont. He settled in Norton in 1864, and two years after on his present beautiful fruit farm on the north of Black Lake, where he has 600 peach trees, 25 acres of apple orchard, eight acres of strawberries and other small fruit, and a vineyard of about an acres and a half. He married June 3, 1835, Orpha Beals, of Pennsylvania, and has two children, Mrs. A. B. Palmer, and Captain H. N. Rowe. He has held nearly every municipal office from Supervisor to Treasurer, which latter office he still holds.

    Capt. H. N. Rowe was born in Pennsylvania, May 25, 1836; came in 1854 to Grandville, Kent county; in 1856 to Lamont, Ottawa county. In 1860 he went to Illinois and the following year he enlisted in the 59th Ill. Reg., and was one of fifty chosen to go on the "Ram" fleet and fight the naval battle near Memphis; he was also at the siege of Vicksburg. After serving two years and rising to be 2nd Lieut., he resigned on account of disability. He then went into lumbering on Black Lake, and ran vessels for eight years, the tugs "Hattie May," "Croton," and "Emma" which was afterwards burned, and then the fruit boat A. H. Petrie, sold Dec. 1880. He is now engaged with his father in fruit growing. He married Nov. 25, 1862, Emma Reynolds of Illinois, and has two sons.

    Frank C. Tyler was born in Stoneham, Mass., March 14, 1855, and in 1857 removed with his parents to Van Buren county, Mich., where he continued to reside until February, 1880, when he came to Norton, purchasing land in section 19. On Oct. 13, 1876, he married Miss Eliza Southworth, by whom he has three children, Mr. Tyler is combined German and Scottish extraction, is a hardworking man, and has fair prospects of success in his business of fruit growing.

    Daniel Upton, son of Samuel and Charlotte Upton, was born in Fishkill, Dutchess county, N. Y., Aug. 12, 1818. Several of his boyhood years were spent in the woolen manufactory and flouring mill of his father. In 1835 his family immigrated to Michigan, locating in the western part of Jackson county. Daniel remained with his father, clearing up the wilderness, until 24 years of age, when he went into the employ of Z. Lawrence, a merchant at Gidley, on the M. C. R. R. On the death of Mr. Lawrence in 1848, he remained to close up the business. He next went into business as general merchant with Messrs. Kassick under the firm name of D. Upton & Co., in Parma. Nov. 2, 1848, Mr. Upton married Mary E., eldest daughter of Edward Strong, who was born in Lansing, N. Y., Nov. 2, 1830. After a partnership of one year with the Kassicks, Mr. Upton withdrew and opened a general store with his elder brother, Samuel; continued until 1856, when Samuel died, when he closed up the business and went into farming, and in 1858 was elected County Clerk of Jackson county on the Republican ticket, and was elected four times in succession, and was then elected Representative for the Second District of Jackson in the State Legislature. In 1857 he removed with his family to Muskegon city, and after one year went to Lake Harbor, his present home. In 1876 he returned to Muskegon where he was elected for four years Justice of the Peace, and for two years was appointed by the Council Police Justice. During Mr. Upton's residence at Muskegon his fruit farm was managed by his son, Edward S., who was born at Parma, Oct. 20, 1850. His second son, Daniel, was born at Parma, Sept. 26, 1853, and his only daughter Cornelia Elma, was born at Parma, Oct. 10, 1858. Daniel, Jr., has been Clark of Norton  for four years, and for the past three years book-keeper for Powell & Hovey, of Muskegon. Edward S. has been Clerk for the past three years. Mr. Upton has held the Supervisorship and Treasurership of the town.

    James H. Whitney was born at Allen's Hill, Ontario Co., N. Y., July 22, 1842. in two years his parents removed to Niagara County; in 1849 they came to McComb Co., Mich. In September, 1871, he went to Muskegon County, purchasing a farm on Section 21, Norton, and on the following October, on the same night as Chicago and Holland were burned, his barn, containing horses  and farming implements, was consumed, and he had to build anew. The fire was carried, as was supposed, in some furniture from a neighbor's house that was burned that night. Mr. Whitney has a farm well adapted for fruit growing. in November, 1867, he married Miss Annora Hall, of McComb Co., Mich.

    Wm. R. Wilson was born in Williamsport, Pa., Sept. 18, 1826, at twelve years of age his parents removed to Columbia County, where he resided six years, learning the carpenter's trade. In 1843 he went to Schuylkill, working there six years; also worked two years in Berks County, and lived from 1852 to 1860 in DuPage Co., Ill. He then lived three years in Lucas Co., O., after which he removed to Mason Co., Mich., settling in the Spring of 1864 in Muskegon Co., building a boarding house for S. N. Wilcox at Bluffton. In 1876 he bought a farm on Section 12 Norton, where he now resides. In December, 1849, he married Catharine Schatz, of Hamburg, Berks Co., Pa., by whom he has had four sons and two daughters. In 1864 he was drafted, but rejected at Grand Rapids on account of physical disability.