History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1547

For some years he worked and managed the farm of his father, and after
the death of Mr. House, whose daughter he had married, he bought the
interest of other heirs, and has lived on the old House place ever since.
Mr. Thomas has not only been a hard worker, one who could dig and
delve when that was necessary, but has reinforced his physical industry
with shrewd business ability and that accounts for his liberal success. It
has likewise been the ambition of himself and wife that their home surroundings should be of the very best. Since he bought the House place
he has expended several thousand dollars in improvements about the
buildings, and his is now regarded as one of the handsomest country residences in Shiawassee county. For a number of years in addition to general
farming, Mr. Thomas has made a specialty of producing cream, which
he sells in Owosso. He has a fine herd of dairy cattle, and takes great
pride in maintaining the herd at the highest standard and also in managing his dairy according to the most scientific and sanitary principles. At
the present time the dairy products handled by Mr. Thomas amounts to
more than $I5,000 annually. Politically he is a Republican, has held the
office of township treasurer, and also that of township supervisor.
On December 29, I886, Mr. Thomas married Miss Lillie House, a
daughter of Jabez T. and Lydia (Gordon) House. She was born on the
House farm, where she still lives, on February I8, 1865. Her father,
Jabez T. House, was one of the striking characters of Shiawassee county.
Born in New York State, January 2I, I817, he died June I4, I897, being
the oldest in a family of seven children. Farming was his lifelong activity, but he was probably best known for his influence and his strong
convictions in matters of moral interests. During his early years he
voted the Republican ticket, but the latter years of his life were devoted
to the Prohibition cause. He advocated with all the ardor of his nature,
the cause of temperance, and put his ideals into extreme practice, abstaining not only from the use of tobacco and alcohol, but during his later
years not using even tea or coffee. His church was the Methodist. The
nine children of Jabez T. House and wife were: Henry, born December
12, 1842, and died January 22, I843; William, born November 30, I843,
died March 8, 1864; Samantha, born August'13, I845, the wife of Philander Punches; Caroline, born February 13, 1847, died January' I, 1851;
George Edward, born April 3, 1853, died April 12, i865; Frank, born
November 2, 1855, died March 8, 187I; Ella, born October 26, I858,
became the wife of C. W. Jennings of Owosso, and died July IO0, I913;
Lillie, the wife of Mr. Thomas; and Major D. House, born December
3, i86i.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are the parents of two children: C. Lynn, born
June I2, I892; and Russell J., born May 27, 1894. The son, Russell, is
now married, and his father has built for him a fine home on one hundred
and twenty acres of land, which Mr. Thomas bought a few years ago,
thus increasing the acreage of the old House homestead.
HERBERT E. RANDALL, M. D. The medical profession of Genesee
county contains no more honored member than Dr. Herbert E. Randall,
who during his residence in Flint has risen to a high place in his calling.
He was born at Birmingham, Michigan, February I8, 1876, and is a son
of Lucius A. and Emily E. (Anscomb) Randall, and is a member of a
family that was founded by an English emigrant who came to this country
as early as I629 and settled in Rhode Island. The great-grandfather of
Doctor Randall was Mathew Randall, who was born in I764.
Lucius A. Randall was born in I847, in Michigan, to which state his
parents had come from the East at an early period in the commonwealth's
history. He received a good common school education, entered com