History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.

326

HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

ence, Alanson, and Adelbert were cavalry soldiers in the
Union army in the great Rebellion, and Alanson was killed
in South Carolina. All are married except Asenath and
Almond. Mr. Chapman by a long life of industry, prudence, and sagacity has accumulated a fine fortune, the most
of which he has invested in improvements in the village of
Reading, and it is conceded that he has accomplished more
towards building up and advancing its interests than any
other person in it. He has recently erected one of the finest
dwellings in the county, complete in all its appointments.
Mr. Chapman, although a man of wealth, is plain and unassuming in his manners, sociable and chatty with his
friends, agreeable and polite to all who approach him. The
view of his beautiful residence, which will be found on
another page of this work, is a handsome contribution,
dedicated by him to his children, relatives, friends, and to
every patron of this work in Hillsdale County.
HARRISON BAILEY
is of English ancestry; his great-grandfather settled at
Bridgewater, in Massachusetts, at an early date in the history of this country. He became engaged in farming, and
was one of the first in this country to manufacture ashes
into potash. He reared a large family of children, and
died at an advanced age. Joseph, Jr., the grandfather of
our subject, was born at the old home in Bridgewater, grew
up to manhood, and married and reared a large family of
children. He was a mechanic, and lived to a ripe old age.
Ralph, the father of Harrison, was born at the old Massachusetts home in Bridgewater, in 1782; he became a farmer,
a mechanic, and at intervals followed the sea as a whaler.
He was married in early life, and reared a family of ten
children, named as follows: Catharine, Sidney, Catharine
(2d), Washington, Harrison, Melvin, Adeline, Melvin (2d),
Adonis, Mary Ann. Of these only two are living,-Harrison and Washington. In 1830, Mr. Ralph Bailey emigrated to the Territory of Michigan, and settled at Monroe;
soon after he moved to the present town of Blissfield, in
Lenawee Co., Mich.; and afterwards the family moved to
Reading, in Hillsdale Co. Mr. Ralph Bailey died in 1847,
at the age of sixty-five years.
Harrison Bailey was born March 21, 1813, in Wayne
Co., N. Y. During his younger years he attended the
common schools and assisted on the farm, and until he was
twenty-five years of age he followed farming and jobbing.
At this time he was united in marriage to Miss Salome
Dunton, of Monroe, the daughter of Winslow Dunton and
Nabby D. Allen, who came of a long line of English ancestors. They went to housekeeping at once on their farm in
Bifield, where they continued until 1841, when he sold
out:ad purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres
in Reading, which has been his permanent home ever since.
They are the parents of eleven children, as follows: Sarah,
Mary, Julia N., Harriet M., Guy A., Valorus, Frank W.,

Ernest I., Mittie, Ralph W., and Ada S. Of these all
aw living except Mary, Harriet, and Mittie, and all are
m ed except Ralph and Ada, who are at home with their
psr ale fine,: p:. ti- e whch he has
frIr. lsailey has a fine, Vproduciive fars, on whic he has

recently erected a very fine, commodious brick residence, at
the north end of his farm, opposite to the old residence,
which stands at the south end. Mr. Bailey and his excellent wife both enjoy the esteem and confidence of a large
circle of friends and acquaintances. In politics Mr. Bailey
is a Democrat of the old Jackson type, and believes in the
teachings and maxims of the fathers and founders of the
Great Republic. He and his lady are known as upright
and consistent Christians, having been for many years
honored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It
is with much pleasure we present our readers, on another
page of this work, a fine view of the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Bailey, accompanied with their portraits.
CHARLES KANE.
While general history treats of the rise and progress of
nations and governments, their wars and conquests, and
records the great events of the past, and the mighty deeds
of kings, presidents, generals, statesmen, judges, and other
great and distinguished men of the past and present, it is
proper that some of the real representatives of the people
should be assigned their proper place in such a work as
this,-that those upon whose shoulders the responsibilities
and weight of this great republic chiefly rest are deserving
of more than a passing notice in these annals. And it is
with pride we call the attention of our readers to the life
and character of Charles Kane, of Reading.
He was the son of William and Betsey Kane, of Otsego
Co., N. Y. He was born in 1818, and never had the advantages of even a common school. He commenced work
as soon as he was old enough to do anything on a farm,
and at the age of thirteen worked all winter with his father,
threshing grain with a flail. At the age of fourteen he
lost his mother. When he was seventeen he worked for
three weeks putting in a piece of wheat, living on nothing
but milk as it came from the cow. He continued with his
father until twenty-two years of age, when he was united
in marriage to Miss Lucy Sanford, of Monroe Co., N. Y.
In 1844 he and his wife came to Michigan, determined
to secure a home for themselves, but with nothing to purchase one but willing hearts and strong arms. He came
to Reading, and at once commenced work, jobbing for the
first year. He then worked a few months by the month,
but finding he could make more money by chopping by the
job, he followed the latter. And for the next six years
he was engaged the most of the time in chopping on the
lands of his neighbors by the job or acre, and at intervals
clearing off and working on his own purchase of forty acres.
He afterwards made a purchase of eighty acres adjoining
his first.
In all Mr. Kane, with his own hands, chopped off over
three hundred acres, and fitted it for logging and burning.
And to-day he is living in a large and commodious farmhouse, with convenient out-buildings, and a finely-cultivated
farm, on which now stands the prize orchard of Hillsdale

County. Mr. Kane, notwithstanding the disadvantages
he has had to contend with in the want of an education, is to-day respected and esteemed as one of the model