Jerry Handlin Biography, Tuscola and Lapeer Counties, Michigan This Biography extracted from “Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan…”, published be Chapman Bros., Chicago (1892), p. 1021 This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. *********************************************************************** ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb *********************************************************************** JERRY HANDLIN. This efficient and thorough farmer who is located on section 28, Millington Township, Tuscola County, is a native of Canada and was born July 14, He is a son of Thomas Handlin, a native of Ireland, who came to Canada at the age of fourteen with his parents. He there married Julia Driskel, a native of Scotland and to them were born seven sons and three daughters. The father was a sailor in his younger days and afterward a farmer. He visited both the East and West Indies and followed whaling for four years. Nova Scotia was his home for some years and he then moved to Upper Canada, where he died in Oxford County in 1869, and his wife had passed from his side in 1858 at the same place. The early days of our subject were passed in Canada and he was there married to Susan A., daughter of Asa Hallock, a native of Vermont who became an early settler in Canada, where his daughter was born. He was a prominent man and for eight years was High Sheriff of Oxford County. In religious matters he was a zealous and conscientious member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He came to Watertown Township, this county, and settled on a farm where he and -his wife both died. The name of his wife before marriage was Elizabeth Sprague and she was a native of Vermont. They had three sons and two daughters. To our subject and his wife the following children were born: Elizabeth A., Asa, Julia A., Thomas W., Charles T., John and Netta M. The latter has passed from this life, and Asa and Thomas reside in the State of Washington but the other members of the family reside in this county. Their mother died in 1879 and the father was again married in 1883 to Ellen Young, a native of Michigan and a daughter of John and Betsey (Sayer) Young, both New Yorkers, who were the parents of six sons and four daughters. Mr. Handlin came to Michigan in 1865 and settled upon a farm of forty acres in Watertown Township and there resided until 1873 when he removed to Otter Lake, Lapeer County, and there followed the lumber business for four years before settling on the farm of one hundred and twenty acres where he now resides, in Millington Township. He has cleared all of this fine estate and has one hundred acres under cultivation. He is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees and is a Republican in his political connection. j