JOHN B. HAVILAND, p. 356-357

1888 Portrait & Biographical
Album of Branch County
by Chapman Brothers, Chicago

     


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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ARTICLE ON JOHN B. HAVILAND

 

John B. Haviland, a general farmer, situated on section 5, Sherwood Township, was born in Danville, Vt., Oct. 28, 1816.  He moved to Ohio with his parents in 1833, and three years later he came with them to Branch County, and settled in Sherwood Township, of which he has since been a resident.

The father of our subject, Ebenezer Haviland, was born in Danville, in the Green Mountain State, and his mother, whose maiden name was Betsy Batchelder, was also a native of the same place.  After their marriage the parents of our subject settled in their native township, and resided there until 1833, then came to Michigan, and entered a tract of 153 acres in Sherwood Township.  After thus fixing upon a place of residence where he thought the possibilities for the achievement of success much greater than in the early settled States, Mr. Haviland returned to his Eastern home, and started with his wife and family for their new home in the West.  While visiting in Northern Ohio on the way, Mr. Haviland was attacked by the dreadful scourge cholera, and there died, leaving his wife with her family of six children.  She resided in Northern Ohio for three years. and then came to Sherwood Township and settled on the land which the father had taken up from the Government.  The mother continued to live at the homestead in Sherwood Township until her decease, which occurred when she had attained the age of seventy-five years.

The parental family of our subject included seven children -- Mary, Sarah, John B., Ebenezer, Betsey, Mark and Harriet M.  Mary became the wife of Jesse Reynolds, and Sarah is the wife of R.H. Willard; Ebenezer died in Sherwood Township; Betsey was the widow of Colvin Carpenter, and is now also deceased; Mark resides in Nevada, and Harriet is the wife of Hilbert Palmer, of Union City.