History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY1

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military service as a captain of volunteers under Governor Mason. I-e
was postmaster of his home town for a few years, and in other ways
gave useful service to his community. He married Sarah Griswold,
who was born in Covington, New York on March 8, 1822, and came to
Michigan in 1837, the marriage occurring in October, 1840. She died
in Pontiac six years ago. She was a daughter of Hiram Griswold, a
farmer, well known in Davisburgh during his lifetime. Nine children
were born to Mr. and Mrs. John C. Davis, as follows: Mrs. Mary
Monroe; George W.; Harry J.; John; J. C.; Hiram G.; Joseph; Martha
and Daniel L.
Daniel L. Davis was educated in the district schools up to his eighteenth year, followed by four terms at Trenton high school. He devoted
himself to farming until he was twenty years old, then taught school
for three consecutive terms, afterwards being variously engaged as
produce dealer, dealer in agricultural implements, grain and general
merchandise, until he was thirty years of age. That period of his life
marked his determination to engage in a profession, and he was enabled to carry out his wishes in that respect by being elected to the
office of clerk of Oakland county in I876, which office he held for two
terms, and in the meantime he improved his time by studying law in
such time as he was not engaged with the duties of his office. At the
close of his second term as county clerk Mir. Davis was admitted to the
bar upon examination, since which time he has been engaged in active
practice in Oakland county. It is a matter of record that in the years
of his business experience, he has received some of the largest verdicts
ever returned in the county. He has also enjoyed commensurate fees.
M'r. Davis is an independent Democrat and has been a member of
the Democratic state central committee. For a number of years he
was president and a director of the Oakland County Agricultural Society,
and during that time had in charge the details connected with the
Supervisors' picnic, an annual event of some importance in the history
of the county. Since I880 Mr. Davis has been associated in a partnership with Peter B. Bromley, under the firm name of Davis & Bromley.
On April I8, I873, Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Isabel I.
Wilson, who was born at Springfield, Michigan, in July, 1843. They
have two children,-Sarah G. Davis, born October 7, I877, and Manley
D. Davis, born March 29, 1879, who makes his home in Detroit, where
he is engaged in the practice of law.
KLEBER P. ROCKWELL
Kleber P. Rockwell, prominent among the legal fraternity of Oakland county, was born on November 8, I868, in the township of Bloomfield, Oakland county, and is a son of the late Edward J. Rockwell of
West Bloomfield, his ancestors being among the earliest settlers of Oakland county and descendants of William Rockwell, who settled at Dorchester, Massachusetts, in I630.
Mr. Rockwell was reared to young manhood on a farm. He received
his education in the public schools and began teaching school at the age
of twenty, later supplementing his education with a three years' course