Henry E. Plant Portrait and Biographical Record, Pages 535-537 HENRY E. PLANT, the owner of a fertile tract of land in Crockery Township,Ottawa County, was born in Oswego County, N.Y., October 11, 1841, and is a sonof Henry B. and Charlotte M. (Trotier) Plant. His father was born in SalmonRiver, N.Y., in 1820, and emigrated from that State to Michigan in 1854, viaChicago, settling upon a farm in Crockery Township, Ottawa County. Upon theeighty-acre track of wild land he there purchased, he conducted agriculturaloperations for a number of years, and succeeded in clearing the larger part ofthe property. Later he added to his landed possessions by the purchase of fortyacres, where his widow now resides. A farmer from boyhood, he continued toengage in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred May 23, 1891, atthe age of seventy-one years. The maternal grandparents of our subject, Lewis and Charlotte (Rolland)Trotier, were natives of France, the father of Charlotte having been a noblemanin that country. The mother of our subject was born in Canada, September 27,1819, and still makes her home in Crockery Township, being now (1893)seventy-four years of age. Notwithstanding her advanced years, she is strong andhearty, and personally superintends the management of her farm. She is a memberof the Baptist Church to which her husband also belonged. Their pioneer home inyears gone by was brightened by the presence of five sons and one daughter, ofwhom we note the following: Henry E., the subject of this sketch, is the eldest;Lewis D. resides in Crockery Township; Charles enlisted in Company I, SecondMichigan Cavalry, and just before the expiration of his term of enlistmentreturned to his home, where he soon afterward died, July 10, 1864; Albertresides in Grand Rapids, this State; Walter makes his home in Muskegon, Mich.;and Elizabeth, who resided in Michigan for thirty-four years, passed away on the17th of April, 1893. In Oswego County, N.Y., the subject of this sketch was reared to manhood,receiving a somewhat limited education in the common schools. In 1854, heaccompanied his parents to Michigan, where he has since resided. At the openingof the Civil War, he enlisted, on the 5th of December, 1861, as amember of Company F, Fourteenth Michigan Infantry, and served with bravery untilthe close of the conflict receiving his discharge on the 28th ofJuly, 1865. He participated with his regiment in a number of importantengagements, including the battle of Hamberg’s Landing, the siege of Corinth,Pittsburg Landing and Iuka, proceeding from the last-named city to Nashville,where for two months the regiment was cut off from all communication withfriends. In the city of Nashville, from the fall of 1862 until the spring of 1863 thesubject of this sketch was employed on garrison duty. From Nashville he went toFranklin, Tenn., where he also did garrison duty. Thence he went to Columbia,Tenn., and remained in that place until January of 1864, when, his term ofservice having expired, he re-enlisted, securing a thirty-days furlough andavailing himself of this opportunity to make a visit to his home. On reportingfor duty at Nashville, he was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division,Fourteenth Army Corps, and with his company took part in the Atlanta campaign.After the fall of Atlanta they went to Savannah, consuming twenty-six days enroute, and taking their Christmas dinner in the city last-named. Leaving thatplace in January, they crossed Sister’s Ferry, marching to Columbia, S. C.,and from there to Bentonville, and thence to Raleigh. In the skirmish at thatplace, our subject served as color-bearer and fortunately escaped uninjured,although one man out of five, upon an average, was killed or wounded. From Raleigh the regiment marched to Richmond, Va., where a few days werespent. Then they proceeded to Washington, D.C., where they took part in theGrand Review. Later our subject was sent to Louisville, Ky., where he remaineduntil the 18th of July, 1865. He was then mustered out of service,and upon going to Detroit received his final discharge and his pay for theperiod of service. Though he took an active part in many desperate encounterswith the rebels, he was wounded only upon one occasion, after the siege ofCorinth, in 1862, when he remained in the hospital for a time. Shortly after returning to his home, Mr. Plant was united in marriage,October 25, 1865, with Miss Jennie S. Clark, who was born in Seneca County,N.Y., the daughter of Robert and Catherine (Van Riper) Clark. The union hasresulted in the birth of seven children, of whom the following survive: EmmaMyrtle, who resides in Chicago; Carrie M., Lewis C., Pearl M., Bessie C. andErnest L. Jessie, a twin of Bessie C., died in infancy. E. Myrtle is book-keeperfor R. J. Boersma, of the Roseland Enterprise Company, Chicago. Carrie M. is ahead milliner in Saginaw, Mich. Lewis E. was a teacher but is now a student atAnn Arbor, Mich. Pearl M. is a teacher in the public schools of Chicago. The twoyounger are in school. While in Georgia Mr. Plant cast his first Presidentialballot for Abraham Lincoln, and since that time he has steadfastly adhered tothe principles enunciated by the Republican party. He has served as HighwayCommissioner of Crockery Township, and has officiated in other local capacities.Socially, he is identified with Bartholomew Post No. 136, G.A.R. at Nunica,having served as Post Commander for two years and Adjutant for six years. Mrs.Plant is a member of the Woman’s Relief Corps No. 158, of which she is atpresent Guard. The farm owned and occupied by Mr. Plant is located on section 21, CrockeryTownship, nine miles southeast of Grand Haven and two miles southwest of thevillage of Nunica. It contains forty acres of well-improved land, containing allthe conveniences of a model country home. At the time he purchased it, inJanuary, 1864, it was in its primeval condition, but he has cleared the land,erected the buildings, and transformed it into one of the finest farms of thetownship. This he has done through diligent effort and untiring energy.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & OttawaCounties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company 

Transcriber: Susan Gates Davis
Created: 12 May 2003
URL: Biographies