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

RICH LAN ) TOWNSHIP.

8S9

dedicated house of worship in the township. The land upon which
the church stands was presented to the Lutheran Society by Frederick Fitting.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
In the following personal sketches, the principal settlers of this
section of the county are noticed:
Henry Bemishl, was born at Rochester, N. Y., in 1830; is a son
of Thomas and Elizabeth (Conklin) Bemish; natives of Ireland,
who came to Rochester about 1819, and went into the grocery
business, which they continued for several years. His mother
died there in 1834, and his father came to Michigan in 1838 and
settled where East Saginaw now stands. He died at Pine Run and
was buried there. The subject of this sketch came to Michigan in
1838 and settled at Saginaw, with his father, and remained there
several years, and made occasional trips back to New York. In
1855 he settled in Thomastown, and there followed farming and
lumbering, being 13 years with one firm. He came to Richland
in 1878 and bought the hotel which he now occupies. He was married
in Saginaw City, Nov. 27, 1853, to Delia Irish, a native of Oakland county. They had 5 children in all, 4 of whom are livingNorman T, who married Nellie E. Lewis, and resides at Hemlock:
Win. F., Henry, Edward (deceased) and Edwin. While in
Thomastown he was Commissioner five years, Justice of the Peace
two years, Road-master about seven years, and since being in
Richland was Commissioner and Constable three years, which
office he holds at the present time. Mr. Bemish is an old settler
and prominent man, keeping the only hotel in Hemlock City,
situated on the business street, and forms a prominent feature of
the city.
Geo. W.. Ccarson was born in Ohio in 1826, a son of Samuel and
Elizabeth (Willoughby) Carson, of Irish and Welsh descent. They
both (lied in Seneca Co, Ohio. Mr. Carson was brought up
there and received his education. While living there he followed
farming and also worked at his trade of carpenter and joiner eight
years; was also a dealer in stock for five years. Arriving in Michigan, Jan. 17, 1866, he settled in Saginaw county, tp. of Brady,
and bought a farm of 160 acres, but now consisting of 80 acres.
HIe also owns village property at Chesaning. HIe was first married
Feb. 3, 1852, in Ohio to Martha C. Moore, a native of that State,
who died May 3, 1873, in Brady tp. She left 4 children-John
F., Rosa E., who married Legrand Sanderson, residing in this tp.;
Geo. B. and Martha. HIe was married again, November, 1875,
at Chesaning, to Mrs. Catharine A. Crane, a native of Canada.
They have 1 child-Effie. Mr. Carson was Supervisor in Brady
two years, and four years in this tp. During the war he enlisted
in Co. C, 14th Ohio Regiment, Home Guards, and was stationed
at Washington Heights, and at Johnson Island; served in all about