 |
|
| Pg 190, cont 191 Lendall I Pike, retired farmer, residing at Morley, was born in Concord, N.Y. April 3, 1817. His parents, James and Sarah (Day) Pike, were natives of New Hampshire and settled in Erie County, N.Y. the father left his wife and children in Concord and pushed forward to Michigan, then known as "way out West." He located in Fentonville, Oakland Co., built a grist-mill and was influential in organizing and building up the town. He contracted yellow fever, from which he died. His wife was an invalid from lameness 15 years. The family remained in the State of New York, where the mother died. Mr. Pike, of this sketch, was apprenticed at the age of 12 years to spend the remainder of his minority in learning the trade of cloth manufacturer, which he pursued as a journeyman three years after he became of age, and then went to Canada, following his business about 20 years in Pickering, Ontario Co., where he built a woolen mill and had a prosperous trade. He also engaged some years in the manufacture of bells at London, Can., in which he also met with success. Finally he encountered disaster in his transactions and his fine estate was swept away. In the fall of 1855 he came to Michigan and rented a farm in Ionia County, which he managed five years, and then bought 80 acres of unimproved land in sec. 28 of the Township of Deerfield, Mecosta Co. He cleared it and erected buildings, putting the place in first-class rank among the farms of the county. He lost his barn by fire in the fall of 1880. He has now placed the farm in charge of a tenant and is passing the sunset time of life in retirement. Mr. Pike was married to Mary, daughter of Asher and Susan (Stotts) Wilson, a native of Pickering, Ontario Co., Can. They have had seven children, James H., Sophia, Sarah S., Charles H., Lina and Anna E.; Margaret is deceased. The children are all married with one exception. The family are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Pike is an ardent supporter of the principles of the Republican party. |