Albert Addison Page 501-02 Albert Addison, one of the more progressive and successful agriculturists of Courtland township, Kent county, was born in the county June 1, 1847. He is a son of Thomas and Emeline (Johnson) Addison, who had born to them a family of four sons and three daughters, six of whom are still living, viz: Mary, wife of Daniel Moore, of Rockford, Mich.; Lydia, married to Frank Woodruff, of Ypsilanti, Mich.; George, a resident of Berkley, Cal., and foreman of a packing house in San Francisco; Robert, a mechanic of Pasadena, Cal.; Albert, and Thomas, manager of the general electric company of San Francisco, but residing in Berkley. These children were all educated in common schools, and Thomas also graduated from the Bellevue Hospital college of New York. Thomas Addison, the father of the family, was born in North Duffield, England, in 1807, and died in Courtland, Mich., June 12, 1875. He came to America in a sailing vessel about 1825, landing in New York City. He was married in the Empire state, and later, while it was still a territory, came to Michigan, reaching Plainfield on a flat boat, having come some distance down Grand river. From Plainfield he came to Courtland township, having but one dollar remaining. But, by dint of industry and the exercise through many years of the native ability characteristic of the family, attained to affluence. Mr. Addison was at once brought into prominence in local affairs. He was an ardent democrat of the Jefferson school, and was the first clerk of Courtland, being present at the organization of the town. He was subsequently elected as justice of the peace, a position he filled with credit and honor. Fraternally, he was a member of Rockford lodge, No. 246, F. & A. M., and in religion he and his wife were strict adherents of the Episcopalian faith. Albert Addison received a good common school education which so aroused a desire for further culture that he has aimed to improve his leisure hours with profitable reading. He was reared a farmer and stock raiser, but, when he embarked in farming on his own account, had no capital save an earnest disposition to accomplish what was set before him to do. April 4, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Stoner, a native of Kent county, and a daughter of John and Mary Jane Stoner, they have two children Raymond V. and Christina. Mrs. Josephine Addison was born January 3, 1853, received her preparatory education in the common schools, and then passed five years in the Rockford high school. John Stoner, father of Mrs. Addison, was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., July 23, 1818, and Mrs. Mary Jane Stoner, a native of St. Joseph, Mich., was born January 6, 1825. To them were born three sons and five daughters, of whom the following survive: Josephine; Mary, wife of J.D. Clark, a hardware merchant at Grand Rapids; Jennie, married to S. P. DeVries, also of Grand Rapids; John, blacksmith of Kalispell, Mont., and Charles D., a railroad employee in Illinois. John Stoner, the father, was a man of much influence, and one whose life was passed in endeavor to do his whole duty nobly. He was a democrat, and when a resident of Rockford served as treasurer of Algoma township. His lamented death took place October 2, 1876, in the faith of the Baptist church, to which his widow, now residing in Rockford, still belongs. Raymond V. Addison, the elder of the two children born to Albert and Josephine (Stoner) Addison, has received a common school education and has, excepting some months in 1896, passed his life on his father’s estate. He has a fine taste for music and is quite proficient as a performer on the mandolin; his sister, Christina, is also musical turn and has received special instruction on the organ. Both of these young people are members of the Epworth league, of which Raymond is the librarian and Christina the organist. The Addison homestead consist of 160 acres of section No. 23, Courtland township, and this farm Albert Addison purchased from the other heirs after the death of his father. He has been very successful in the management of his business, and is classed among the progressive and representative men of the township. He and family enjoy the unfeigned respect of the community. He is an ardent friend of the public schools, and has been treasurer of the school board for many years. He is also a member of the Rockford lodge, No. 246, F. & A. M.

Contributor: Barb Jones
Created: 16 February 2007