History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

720

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

Mr. Darling and son spent most of the winter on the place, preparing for the family in the spring, while Mrs. Darling remained at
Flushing, where they lived, and took care of the stock and other
matters, assisted by her next oldest son, James Franklin.
Having prepared as well as he could, Mr. Darling moved his
family, wife and 8 children, to his home in the forest in March,
1862. This year he cleared off about six acres and put it in corn,
and has cleared off up to the present 130 acres of land, all of which
is the result of his own labor or directed to be done by him, as also
are all the improvements on the place. The homestead is one of
the best farms, if not the very best in Albee tp. Mr. Darling has
since added to his possessions, and at one time owned 640 acres,
but has now 440, having given to his eldest son, Harry R., 160
acres, and 40 to his son Charles E. Besides his lands and stock
Mr. D. is otherwise independently situated, having several thousand dollars working for him day and night drawing from seven to
ten per cent interest.
He is now, at the age of 61 years, an active and vigorous man,
and is so situated that he may for the rest of his life enjoy a competence so well and honestly earned. James Darling may truthfullv be called a self-made man; having been thrown among
stralgers since infancy, with no help from any one, he has attained
a position financially and socially second to none in his tp., though
he attributes much of his success to the help afforded him by his
true and faithful wife, who has shared in all his labors and suffered
all his hardships equally with himself in building a home in the
wilderness. Mrs. Darling set fire to the first brush heap that was
burned in the clearing of their now beautiful farm, and lived at
their present residence 13 years before she saw a smoke from a
neighbor's chimney. She is a true pioneer woman, kind-hearted,
hospitable and generous.
James Darling, in religious matters'is a "free-thinker," and
believes that the golden rule well followed is tile best religion.
In politics he is a Democrat, and he las served his township in
all its various local offices. On the organization of the tp. in
1863 he was appointed one of the Board of Inspectors of Election,
and was also elected its first Supervisor. Tllis office lie las held four
years. He has been Tp. Clerk two years, Treasurer one year,
Commissioner of Highways three years, Justice of Peace four
years, etc. He has held as mamly as four different offices at the
same time.
Mr. and Mrs. Darling halve ladl a falmily of 1 clildren, whose
names are as follows: alrryv R., whllo mrrnied Sulsan Bowerman
and lives on sec. 22, ilbee tpi.; Susannlah Jane, who married Calvin O. Chase and lives with her husband in Clhesaning tp.; James
F., who lives at home; Harriet S., now tle wife of Lewis Sutton
and living at Big Rapids, Miclh.; Charles E., who mtarried Mary
Guiney and lives in Albee tp.; Win. P., who is nlow at St. Icelen's,
Roscommon Co., Micl., learning telegraphy; Ilelel E., who