HON. VOLNEY CAUKIN, deceased, a pioneer of Kent county, and for many years one of its most honored and widely known citizens, was born in New York in 1819, and was brought to Michigan about the year 1825, the family settling near Rochester, Oakland county. There he grew to manhood, but while yet in his minority engaged with a party of surveyors employed by the government to make surveys of the lands in the lake Superior region. Having a strong inclination to and love for mathematical studies, he soon became proficient in practical surveying, a work to which many subsequent years were 'devoted. After spending a few seasons in that life, living almost wholly in the open and experiencing many privations he, wishing to secure a home, joined his brother-in-law and companion in the wilds, L. S. Scanton, and settled in Grattan township, where he partially improved a farm, but after five years returned to Oakland township and purchased another farm, where he lived fifteen years. He then retired from farm life, living several years at Grattan. The next fifteen years were passed at Sparta, when he removed to Antrim county, where his death took place, May 6, i888. For many years Mr. Caukin and his son Benton ware engaged in surveying both in a private capacity and as government employees, in the northern part of the southern peninsula of Michigan, especially. They were often employed by various railroad companies in examining lands in the wilderness, and were for months at a time far from the abode of any white man. Mr. Caukin, though a strong republican in politics, was not only popular with his own party but with the opposition as well. He was a broad-minded man, granting to others what he claimed for himself-honesty of opinions. In I856 he was chosen to represent the district in the state legislature, where he was recognized as an able man, who filled the position with honor to himself and credit to his constituency. He was almost constantly placed in some responsible position by his townsmen, his integrity being beyond cavil. He was a gentleman of sound judgment and great representative ability, his official acts always meeting with full approbation of his constituents. Mr. Caukin had a strong and pleasing personality, being quite tall and straight, with a head that not only indicated strength but originality. In his latter years his venerable appearance and gentlemanly bearing reminded one of the courtly grace and dignity of a past generation. He was married to Francis Marvin, at DeWitt, Clinton county, October 31, I844. Her parents were pioneers of Michigan, though she was born in Ohio, August 1O, I823. She died at Sparta, January I8, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Caukin had a family of four sons and four daughters, viz: Mrs. S. P. Peterson, being Lucy A., a lady of liberal education and for some years a successful teacher, now residing at Grand Rapids; Lavant C., assistant cashier of the Fourth National bank, at Grand Rapids; Cornelius H., bookkeeper, also in the Fourth National bank; Benton L., an agriculturist and school-teacher at Rockery, Antrim county, Mich.; Marion E, formerly a school-teacher, but now a farmer at Rockery; Belle A., wife of Albert Kocher, a fruit grower and farmer of Oceana county, and Ada F., who resides with her brother and sister in Grand Rapids.