Eight Biographies for Arbela, Arbela, Tuscloa County, Michigan Copyright © 1998 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. _____________________________________________________________________ BIOGRAPHICAL ROBERT ALLEN, farmer, was born in Ireland, November 11, 1832. He spent his youth in his native country, and came with his parents to Arbela, Mich., September 15, 1853. Part of his time was spent in blacksmithing, and part in clearing land and farming. In 1858 he bought land on section 17, and built a dwelling, and with his parents resided there some years. On April 28, 1862, he was married to Miss Rachel Pedlow, of Flint. She was born in Ireland, September 5, 1836. They have six living children, Thomas, Anna, Robert, John, Julia and Lena. They have in their home farm forty acres of land, all under cultivation, with an elegant dwelling, a thriving orchard of some 200 trees, and pleasant home surroundings. He has served as school moderator and highway commissioner, but steadily aims to avoid public office. When Mr. Allen first came to Arbela, it was a wilderness. There were no roads, except a kind of wagon trail, from Pine Run, winding among the trees. There were only three houses between his place and Pine Run, and only two houses and two shanties between there and Tuscola. Thomas J., eldest son, has adopted the profession of teacher, and is now employed in District No. 6, in Arbela. WILLIAM ATKIN, farmer and lumber dealer, was born in England, November 25, 1847. He spent his youth in his native country, and came to New York, June 11, 1872 on board the ill-fated steamer Atlantic, 562 of whose passengers shortly after lost their lives off Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has spent five years in Lapeer County, at Otter Lake, and has now been five years in Arbela. On November 10, 1879, he was married to Miss Almina Bird, of Elba, Mich. They have two children, Clara Ann and Clarence William. They have forty acres of excellent land and good buildings on section 36. Mr. Atkin last year raised over forty bushels of wheat to the acre on his place. He is crop correspondent for Arbela Township, to the secretary of State. He also deals quite extensively in lumber for himself, and sells on commission for others. He is agent for the L. H. Bennett Improved Plymouth Fanning Mill, and also for the New Baltimore Mill, manufactured by William W. Parker & Sons, and also for the Almont Nursery, Lapeer County Mich. JOHN A. CASE, farmer, was born I Lansing. N. Y., December 28, 1841. He came to Tuscola County, June 15, 1863. On October 1, 1861, he enlisted in Company G, of the Thirteenth New York Infantry, and served his country in the suppression of the late rebellion until his regiment was mustered out of service, May 13, 1863. On first coming to Michigan he wrought in the salt works, and farming and other industrial pursuits, and in 1867 he purchased lands in section 36, in Arbela, where he now has forty acres, with over thirty improved, and with commodious building thereon. He was married October 16, 1864, to Miss Harriet Canfield, of Rose, Mich. Their children are John, Rosa M., now deceased, and Anna Edna. Mr. Case has served as constable seven years, but is no aspirant for official position WILLIAM GUNNEL, farmer, was born in England, February 3, 1830. He spent his boyhood in his native country, and came alone to American, September 1, 1850. He spent over a year in New York, and then came to Michigan, and spent some time in Wayne County. He then returned to Saint Lawrence County, N. Y. His parents had now arrived in that place from England, and about the middle of November, 1852, they and he came to Wayne County, Michigan, where they remained until the next summer, when he and his father, Edward Gunnel, came and pre-empted lands in Arbela. The father settled on his lands at once, but William's permanent settlement was not until 1855. He was married to Miss Harriet Sims, of Wayne County, December 25, 1855. They have nine children, Mary Jane, Now Mrs. T. P. Smith, Euretta A., now Mrs. D. C. Davis, Samuel E., Carrie E., Eliza A., John W., Charles N., Cora A., and Harriet E. They have now in their home premises 180 acres of land, over 100 of which are under cultivation. They have an excellent dwelling, good farm buildings, and a fruit-bearing orchard. He has been highway commissioner seven years at one time, and justice of the peace eight terms, and is a member of the board of review. On October 11, 1861, he enlisted in the Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, Company I, and served in the conflict of the late civil war over three years. His regiment of about 700 men, at one time accomplished a work of bridge building and road repairing, between the Elk and Tennessee Rivers, in seven days, which had been estimated at from four to six weeks' work for a whole brigade, and for the same they received high official commendation. JOHN MURPHY, father of Mrs. Rogers, was born in Westchester County, N. Y., July 28, 1799. He spent his youth in his native State, mostly in cooper work. He removed to Ohio in 1837, and engaged in farming, and came from there to Arbela, Mich., in 1860, and settled on section 20, and at once engaged in clearing the uncouth acres of forest, which have now become fertile fields. He was married to Miss Anna Cody, of Seneca Falls, N. Y., January 28, 1824. She was born in Marcellus, N. Y., January 17, 1804. They have had eleven children, Henry E. Y., John C. M., (now deceased), Harriet M., Minor (now dead), Sarah Ann, Hannah M. (also deceased), Mary, Angeline (now dead), William (also deceased), Sampson and Rosey P. (now also deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Murphy are still active persons, and reside with their daughter Mary, now Mrs. William M. Rogers. WILLIAM M. ROGERS, farmer, was born in Salem, N. Y., September 10, 1821. His youth and early manhood were spent in his native State, partly in agricultural pursuits and partly in the occupation of shoe making. He was married to Miss Clarinda Saddleson, of Cambria, N. Y., January 26, 1848. She died December 23, 1864. Their children were Edwin E., Emery W., and Clarence M. They came to Michigan, April 17, 1857, and settled in Arbela. He spent some time in clearing and farm work; but later resumed his trade, and devoted most of his time thereto, except when engaged in township or other business duties. He was elected township supervisor in 1859, and served five years successively. Later, he served as highway commissioner and justice of the peace. On January 1, 1868, he was married to Miss Mary Murphy, of Arbela, with whom he still shares the toils and pleasures of conjugal life. Mrs. Rogers was born in Conneant, Ohio, January 8, 1838. In the fall of 1872 he was elected county treasurer, and has served efficiently in that office for the last eight years. He has in his farm home, in Arbela, 120 acres of land, with about forty improved, and with a thriving orchard of over 100 acres, and other pleasant home surroundings. He has also 160 acres of other lands, and village property in Caro, consisting of a residence and six lots. Fraternally, Mr. Rogers is a Royal Arch Mason, and glories in brotherly love, relief and truth. GEORGE WILCOX, farmer, was born in Troy, Mich., April 22, 1837. He spent some fourteen years of his youth in Illinois, and came with is parents to section 15, in Arbela, November 3, 1854. He and his brother worked mostly in the woods in winter, and in clearing land in summer, until the forest gave way before their efforts, and pioneer life and hardships yielded to convenience and comfort. He was married to Miss Helen Cole, of Arbela, August 1, 1867. They have five children; Granie, Edith, Edna, Alta, and Goerge Roy. They have eighty acres of land in section 10, Arbela, with sixty improved, a thriving orchard and an elegant dwelling and inviting home surroundings. He has served as highway commissioner, and takes pride in the improvements of the highways of his township. SELAH M. WILCOX, farmer, was born in Troy, Oakland County, Mich., October 1, 1835. He went with his parents to Illinois when about three years of age, and, some fourteen years later, came with them to Arbela. His youth was mostly spent in clearing and improving the home lands, and preparing them for a pleasant future home. He was married to Miss Elma Hamel, of Atlas, Genesee County, Mich., November 22, 1866. Their living children are Rush T., Willis H., Henry E., Clarence, Elbert, Charles B., Ermina and an infant son. They have 160 acres of land with about sixty under cultivation. They have a fruit bearing orchard, a good house, and commodious farm buildings. Mrs. Wilcox's grandparents were pioneers at Grand Blanc. Her mother had to go two and a half miles through the woods to school, and the wolves used to howl in the path behind her and her brother when returning form the school to their home. Mr. Wilcox's parents, Mark and Hannah Wilcox, formerly from near Detroit, but later of Illinois, came to Arbela about twenty-eight years ago, and settled on section 15. When they got to Mr. L. D. Haines' they found it almost impossible to proceed further, and had to get ox teams to help draw their loads through the mud and water holes, and yet they were some six hours in getting though the last mile of the road. Mr. W. had ill health; the work and the times were hard, and the boys sometimes became discouraged, but being encouraged again and again by their mother, they remained at work, overcame the adversities of pioneer life, and have now attained to comfort and plenty. The children in the family were Rebecca Ann, Selah M., George, Caroline A., Byron and Julia. Mr. Mark Wilcox has been dead about eighteen years, and Mrs. Wilcox resides with her son, Selah M. Her religious choice is the Presbyterian Church. Besides her above mentioned pioneer efforts, she accompanied her family in fulfilling a homestead claim, and lived some time in a log cabin, only five logs high, with some loose slanting boards as their only covering. dz