Articles with a Broome County Connection

Excerpt from the 1883 Portrait & Biographical Album, Mecosta Co., MI.,Chapman Bros., Chicago

NELSON HIGBEE, farmer and lumberman, resident on section 9, Deerfield Tp., was born in Broome Co., N.Y., Dec. 1, 1825. He is a son of Loring and Mary (Roberts) Higbee, the former a native of Massachusetts, the latter of Connecticut. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Higbee, settled in Broome County, in 1796, when his son Loring was only a boy. The father of Mr. Higbee died in 1862; the mother is living on the homestead with a younger son, and has attained the venerable age of 91 years.

Mr. Higbee received a fair education at the public schools and finished study with a partial academic course. He passed the years of his minority in the home of his parents, and on reaching man's estate he went to Tioga County, where he was occupied with farming and lumbering three years. In 1853 he came to Michigan and located in Croton, Newayge Co., devoting his >attention to the same pursuits. He bought there 300 acres of land and placed 200 acres of the tract under fine improvements; he also erected a number of buildings in Croton and exerted all his influence toward the substantial progress of the place.

Meanwhile, in the year 1865, he purchased of John W. Forbes, John W. Brooks and Robert S. Watson, of Boston, Mass., 1,700 acres of pine land in Deerfield Tp., for which he paid ten dollars an acre. The advance in value has swelled the estate (numerically) to a comparitively enormous amount. Without details of purchase the following statement exhibits his estate in Deerfield, aggregating 4,080 acres, sectionally located as follows:

On section	1	120 acres
	7	40 acres
	8	80 acres
	9	640 acres
	10	440 acres
	11	120 acres
	12	240 acres
	13	200 acres
	14	320 acres
	15	600 acres
	16	40 acres
	17	120 acres
	20	240 acres
	21	160 acres
	22	320 acres
	26	40 acres
	27	160 acres
	30	200 acres

Aside from his lands in the township of Deerfield, Mr. Higbee owns, in company with others, 15,000 acres of land. He also owns 300 acres of valuable land adjoining the city of Grand Rapids. He has owned at different periods 5,000 acres in Aetna Tp., alone. His home farm (so called), on which he located in 1878, includes 720 acres, with 500 under advanced improvement. He keeps 15 horses, 10 oxen, and 15 cows to supply the wants of his estate and employees, and even these are inadequate to the necessities of the case. He cures five tons of pork anually, raises 1,500 bushels of onions, 2,000 of corn, 1,200 of wheat, 2,000 of oats, 2,000 of potatoes, cuts 150 tones of hay and has a flock of sheep.

In 1873, in company with A.B. Watson, of Grand Rapids, Mr. Higbee built a dam on his property in Deerfield. He bought the claim of Mr. Watson soon after and in company with William Hugh, Sr., built the mill they are now managing, and commenced the manufacture of lumber and lath and added planing works to the mill facilities.

Excerpt from the Smith's History of Broome County, New York. D. Mason & Co. Publishers, Syracuse, NY 1885 (p614)

Sessions, Archimedes, p. o. Killawog, born in Lisle, September 13th, 1820, farmer, owns 116 acres. Parents, Marcus and Celestia (Squires) Sessions; wife, Annie Johnson, daughter of Abner H. and Rebecca (Parker) Johnson, of Lapeer, Cortland county, married in 1849; one child, Celestia D., now Mrs. Charles Atwood, of Lisle; second wife, Saphronia Mix, daughter of Bradley and Saphronia (Stoddard) Mix, married in 1873.

Excerpt from the 1885 Portrait & Biographical Album, Isabella Co., MI.,Chapman Bros., Chicago

George Abram Dusenbury, banker and express agent, Mt. Pleasant, was born Feb. 21, 1845, at Marshall, Calhoun Co., Michigan. He is the son of John and Elizabeth (Butler) Dusenbury, natives of Broome Co., NY. The father was born in 1815, and grew to manhood in the place of his nativity, where he engaged in merchantile pursuits, and in 1836, after his marriage, removed to Marshall, Mich.

He prosecuted the business of merchant in that city until his death, which occurred May 18, 1857. His remote ancestors were Hollanders. Georges mother came of English parentage, and now resides with her children at Mt. Pleasant. Five sons and three daughters were in the above family, four of whom are living. They were born in the following order; Frank, Kate, Ellen, Harper, George, Edgar, William and Emily. The oldest son was a Paymaster in the United States Navy, during the progress of the civil war, and is now deceased.

Mr. Dusenbury received a common-school education, at Marshall, and, at the age of 16 years, went to Kalamazoo, Mich., where he became accountant in the employment of E. B. Walbridge, a miller and grain merchant of that city, where he continued nearly a year. He obtained a situation in the joint offices of the United States and American Express Companies at Bloomington, Ill., where he operated a year, and was called thence to the office of the "American" at Chicago, where he officiated four years as corresponding clerk. In 1866 he went to Cincinnati, and was there interested in the organization and establishment of the City Express Company. At the end of a year he sold out and went to the city of New York, where he again entered the employ of the "American" and continued his connection with their interests untill the fall of 1876, when he came to Michigan. He located at Homer, Calhoun Co., associated himself in commercial business with C. J. Murray, under the firm style of Murray & Dusenbury. The relation existed until the spring of 1880.

The death of his brother Frank, which took place at Mt. Pleasant in January, 1880, summoned Mr. Dusenbury hither. His widowed mother and sister had moved here a year previous, and he deemed it expedient to locate here, as the circumstances of the family required his personal attention, and he accordingly sold his business at Homer to his partner, and transferred his interests and family to MT. Pleasant. His first business transactions were in the line of financial operations, in real estate and other loans. In 1881, associated with his brother William, he established his present business, which includes the operations common to private banking institutions, and also lending on real estate. Mr. Dusenbury is identified with the solid business interests of MT. Pleasant, and is the possessor of considerable real estate in the village where he lives and in Isabella County. He built his residence in 1881, and in the winter of 1884 the Dusenbury Brothers erected a business block at Gladwin, in the county of the same name, where, in company with J.M. Shaffer, they established a trade in general merchandise. Early in 1884 they disposed of their share of the stock and retained ownership of the real estate.

Mr. Dusenbury was married June 24, 1875, at Evanston, Ill., to Ida S., daughter of Theodore and Jane (Stebbins) Perry. She was born Dec. 14, 1850, at Lacon, Ill., where her father was a merchant for a score of years. Her mother is deceased. Three of four children born of this marriage are yet living. Bessie was born Aug. 27, 1876; Allan T., Jan 6, 1878 and Ross Butler, Nov. 10, 1879, Adele was born June 3, 1881 and died Aug. 27, 1882.

Excerpt from the 1885 Portrait & Biographical Album, Isabella Co., MI.,Chapman Bros., Chicago

Orlando B. Thayer, farmer and blacksmith resided on section 22, Vernon Township, was born in Binghampton, Broome Co., N. Y., June 12, 1846, and is a son of Joel L. and Mary B. (Ashcraft) Thayer. His father was a native of New York, followed farming and died in Isabella County, Aug., 6, 1881. His mother, also a native of New York, yet lives in this county. Of their three chilren, Orlando was the eldest. The two others were named Clarence R. and Roddie.

He lived in his native county till he was nine years old; then four years at Lansing, this State; five years in Eaton County; and ten years at Mason, Ingham County. In March 1876, they came to this county and located on secation 12, Isabella Township. In Marcy, 1879, Mr. Thayer exchanged the 80 acres in Isabella for 80 acres in Vernon, which is now his home. He has now 30 acres improved and suitable farm buildings.

He was married at Eaton Rapids, Sept. 22, 1869, to Miss Melissa Disenroth, daughter of John and Anne E. (Fearer) Disenroth, natives of Germany. The daughter was also born in the "Fatherland," April 4, 1847, and came with her parents to America when seven years old. She lived some years in New York State, and then came to Ingham County, which was her home until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Thayer have four children living, who were born as follows: Delphernia, Sept.30, 1872 ; Leroy, Sept. 23, 1874; Lewis, Aug. 20, 1876; and Lorenzo, June 10, 1878. Roddie J. was born July 20, 1870, and died Feb. 15, 1881.

The parents are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. T. is a republican and has held various local offices.

Excerpt from the 1885 Portrait & Biographical Album, Isabella Co., MI.,Chapman Bros., Chicago

George A. Ferris, farmer, section 36, Union Township, was born Nov.18, 1835, in Broome Co., N.Y., and is a son of Albert G. and Betsey (Conkling) Ferris. He was reared on a farm, and in 1855 his family came to Saginaw. Not long after their arrival Mr.Ferris set out with A. M. Merrill, John M. Hursh and five Indians for a tract of land in Union Township, including the whole of section 32, and owned by Mr. Merrill. The Indians were employed to carry provisions and every man the procession had a load. The red men carried 125 pounds each, Mr. Hursh had a load of 120 pounds of pork and Mr. Ferris, then about 20 years old, had a burden of 75 pounds weight. Mr. Merrill carried a ponderous bundle of leather done up in a woolen blanket, under which he staggered and groaned to such an extent that his companions forgot their own burdens in sympanthy for his sufferings. At their journeys end the bundle was investigated and weighed, and exhibited only 15 pounds avoirdupois! The party carried their loads from Midland, 25 miles through the woods, consuming two days in the trip, traversing a trackless route to Chippewa Township, and cutting their way. They camped there five weeks and then cut a road through to the claim of Mr. Merrill in Union Township, driving an ox team. Mr. Ferris returned several times to his father's home in Saginaw County, two miles northwest of the city of Saginaw. He was employed by I. E. Arnold, of Isabella County, in the building of four Indian shed-housed. His father superinted their construction.

In October, 1862, Mr. Ferris "squatted" on 160 acres of land, where he has since resided; and when the property came into the marked he entered his claim according to the regulations of the Homestead Act. On taking possession, he cleared a small patch and erected a log house, which is now a part of his dwelling. He was engaged in the labor of a carpenter during the first five years of his residence and spent several winters in lumbering, meanwhile improving his farm. He has 95 acres cleared and cultivated land, well supplied with orchards, etc. He is a Republican in political sentiment; has been Drain Commissioner four years and Road Commissioner 12 years.

Mr. Ferris was married March 8, 1862, in Union Township, to Susan, daughter of George and Sophia (Bidler) Miser. She was born March 4, 1835, in Wayne Co., Ohio. The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Ferris were born on the homestead as follows: Laura A., Feb.13, 1863 ; Eli L., Aug 29, 1864; George I., Oct 15, 1865; Nettie, April 22, 1870. The parents of Mrs. Ferris came to Michigan from Ohio about 1858 and settled two miles northwest of the village of Salt River in Coe Township, where her father had previously purchased 160 acres of land. He lived on the homestead during the remainder of his life.

Excerpt from the 1883 History of Kansas by Cutler

WILLIAM MATHEWSON, farmer, born in Broome County, N. Y., in 1830, is the son of Joseph Mathewson and Eliza Stickney Mathewson. He came to what is now Kansas, in 1850, in the employ of the Northwestern Fur Company. In 1852 he engaged with William Bent and St. Varine at trading post on the Upper Arkansas Valley, trading with the Indians, and remaining in their employ until 1857, during a portion of the time he was engaged in trapping and hunting. In 1857 he located on the Little Arkansas at a point known as the Crossing, and built a trading post and remained one year. In 1858 built a trading post on Big Cow Creek. In 1860 built a trading post at Great Bend, and remained three years. In 1864 he returned to his Post at Big Cow Creek. The reason of this move was the threatened outbreak of the Indians. All the traders in that vicinity stored their goods at the Big Cow Creek Post, and went with their teams to the Missouri River, leaving William Mathewson with four men at the Post. One of them he sent to notify the stage stations, and settlers, leaving him with three men. They made a fortification of 200 sacks of corn on the top of the building. The attack was made with about 500 or 600 Indians, being well supplied with ammunition, they fought the Indians for three days, killing two chiefs and large number of warriors, and succeeded in holding this Post and saving his property, and then went to the assistance of a large train that was camped a few miles from his post, and surrounded by Indians. He rode into the camp under fire of the Indians and rallied the men and succeeded in routing the Indians and saving the train.

In 1860, during the famine, incident to the drouth of that year, he commenced hunting buffalo for the starving settlers. He continued the hunt until February of 1861, with marked success, sending loads of meat far and near, wherever the destitute were found, earning for himself the title of "Buffalo Bill" of the plains, by which he was known in the early days of Kansas. He married in 1864, Miss Elizabeth Innman, of Fort Larned, daughter of Joseph Innman and Charlotte Crosbey Innman, and has one child, Lucy. He was employed by the United States Government as scout, and by the Interior Department in making treaties with the Indians at different times during his pioneer life. He was an Indian trader for twenty years, and in 1869 located at Wichita, on a farm, but spent most of his time, until 1875, in trading with the Indians. Since that time has been engaged in farming, has a fine farm one mile from the city of Wichita. Mrs. Mathewson is supposed to be the first white woman on the ground where Wichita now stands.