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

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1265

Island, at the mouth of the Detroit River, half of which Island is owned
by Mr. Holden.
FORREST CLYDE BADGLEY. Twenty-four years of continuous and active practice at the bar of Jackson county have brought Mr. Badgley
many of the best rewards and distinctions of professional life. He has
long ranked as one of the ablest attorneys of southern Michigan and to
him in the course of the years have come many opportunities for participation in politics, although he has consistently refused these offers,
and although a man of prominence in the Democratic party, he is first and
last a lawyer.
Forrest Clyde Badgley was born on a farm in Jackson county, Michigan, April I, I866. His parents, Dennis and Sarah (Christopher)
Badgley, were old settlers in Jackson county and the father spent his
declining years in the city of Jackson, where his death occurred in I906.
The mother still lives there. On his father's side, Mr. Badgley is of
Scotch descent, while the maternal ancestry is German.
It was on his father's farm in Jackson county that Mr. Badgley grew
up, attending the district schools during the winter sessions, and while
following the plow he conceived his first definite ambition for a legal
career, and thereafter shaped all his efforts to enable him to succeed in
his desire. He made steady progress in the study of law and in 1889 was
admitted to the bar. Since then his efforts have all been directed to his
private practice, in the city of Jackson. Outside of his work as counsellor, and in all the courts, he has a record of public service in one office,
that of prosecuting attorney for four years. Mr. Badgley belongs to the
Jackson County and the Michigan State Bar Associations, and for a
number of years has been chairman of the Democratic County Committee of Jackson county. Fraternally his associations are with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
and the Knights of Pythias.
On June 12, I895, Mr. Badgley married Miss Annie V. Beers, a
native of Iowa. They are the parents of one son and one daughter, Max
Forrest Badgley, born December 9, I898; and Phyllis Norine, born October 12, I900.
DENNIS BADGLEY. One of Jackson county's old and honored pioneers was the late Dennis Badgley, who lived in the county from 1845
until his death, December 30, I906. His career was one of quiet uneventfulness, but characterized by the performance of his duty to family and the community, and he well represented the substantial citizenship of his county.
Dennis Badgley was born in Seneca county, New York, October 20,
I837. His father, John D. Badgley of Scotch extraction was born in the
same county of New York in I80I, and married Charlotte Miller, who
was of German family and was born in I806 in Plainfield, New Jersey.
It was in the year I845 that the parents came west and settled in Grass
Lake township, Jackson county. Dennis Badgley, who was then eight
years of age, grew up in a somewhat pioneer community, had a common
school education, and early in life learned the trade of carpenter. Later
he substituted farming for his trade, and followed that vocation until
he retired and moved to the city of Jackson in 1892.
On December 8, 1864, Dennis Badgley married Sarah Christopher,
who was born in Liberty township, Jackson county, November I6, I841,
and belonged to one of the earliest families. Seven children survive in
the family of Dennis Badgley and wife, as follows: Forrest C.; Ernest
C.; Grace M., now Mrs. A. C. Tawse; Verne W.; Laura, now Mrs. C.