Portrait and biographical album of Ingham and Livingston counties, Michigan, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties ... the governors of the state and of all the presidents of the United States.

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

and among them there is none more highly valued
in agricultural and social circles than the one whose
name appears at the head of this sketch.
Mr. Kneeland was born in Livingston County,
N. Y., in 1830, and is directly descended from Warren and Fannie (Hyde) Kneeland, both of whom
were natives of the Empire State. In early life,
the father of our subject was a clothier, but after
he came to Michigan in 1835, he settled upon a*
farm in Oakland County and engaged in agriculture. It was in 1840 that he removed to this county
and settled in Howell Township, where he continued to carry on farming until his death which occurred in 1848. His bereaved widow survived him
for many years, and it was not until 1876 that she
passed from earth. In politics he was a Democrat,
and in religion a Presbyterian.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were
John and Sarah (Benson) Kneeland, both of whom
were born in the Empire State. John Knee- I
landl pursued agriculture throughout life and
brought up his large family of twelve children in
Livingston County, N. Y., where he also ended his
days. His wife, who survived him for some years,
came to Michigan and was living in Howell, when
her life ended in 1841. Her husband, like his son,
was attached to the Democratic party, and he
traced his lineage to Irish stock. The maternal
grandparents of Mr. Kneeland were Moses and
Sarah (I)ana) Hyde, natives of Connecticut, who
came to New York, where they engaged in farming, and there spent the remainder of their days
and reared a family of four children. Mr. Hyde
had bezn one of the soldiers in Washington's army
in which he held the office of Adjutant. His wife's
father was of French descent, and was one of those
unfortunates who were killed at the massacre of
Wyoming.
He of whom we write was one of seven children
in the parental home, namely: Sarah, DeWitt C.
(deceised), A. Dana, Minerva, Harriet, Lewis B.
and Clara. With his brother DeWitt, our subject
bought out the rights of the others to the estate of
his father, and proceeded to carry on the farm,
living on it together until about the year 18751
when they retired from active life, coming to the
city of Howell and buying four lots on State Street

where they built one of the most attractive homes
in the town. The old homestead contains four hundred and fifty acres of land, part of it in Howell
Township, and part in Oceola Township, and is one
of the best improved estates in this part of the
State, being well stocked with cattle and sheep..
DeWitt C. Kneeland was united in marriage with
Augusta Walker, and they had one daughter Maude,
who is an artist of considerable merit. While upon
the farm, one day, this gentleman went into the
loft of his barn, where a board broke and let him
fall through to the floor below, and Tie lived only
twelve hours. This was in 1876, and his wife died
in 1889. Since her parents' death Miss Maude
looks after the household affairs of her uncle, who
is a single man. The two brothers were owners together of all their possessions. Our subject helped
to organize the First State and Savings Bank of
Howell, and he is a stockholder therein. He is a
Democrat in his political affiliations, and a publicspirited man, and at the time that the railroad
came through Howell, he was liberal in giving toward securing its advantages for his town.
UINCY A. SMITH, LL. B., was Judge of the
Probate Court for Ingham County, from
January 1, 1885, to June 30, 1891, at which
time he resigned. He was elected to the office in
1884 and re-elected in 1888. His law office in
Lansing was established in 1887. Judge Smith was
born at Dover, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, October 5,
1844. He is a son of Elijah T. and Caroline (Fisher)
Smith. Socially, as well as legally, our subject is a
potent factor in whatever circle he may be with.
A man of fine intellect, keen -perceptions and a
facile power in expressing himself he seems particularly adapted to legal work.
Our subject was reared in a small town a short
distance from Cleveland, Ohio. There he remained
until eight years of age when with his parents he
removed to the southern part of Shiawassee County,
this State. The family located literally in the