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| Lewis Swarthout, farmer, sec. 36, Deerfield Tp., was born in Ontario Co., N.Y., June 9, 1833. He is a son of James and Rhoda (Reynolds) Swarthout, natives of the Empire State. His father was a farmer and went to Erie Co., Pa., where he remained three years, then returned to Seneca Co., N.Y., where he died, in July, 1847. Mr. Swarthout was brought up in Seneca County in the manner common to farmer's sons of that day. After the death of his father, he in 1850 moved to Erie, Pa., and in 1856 came to this county and took up a homestead under the State law of Michigan. This was several years previous to the organization of the township, and the forest was in its primeval condition. Mr. Swarthout has cleared and cultivated 80 acres of land. In March 1861, a meeting was held for organization purposes, in which was represented the present towns of Hinton, Aetna, Millbrook and Deerfield. The delegates were George Gilmore, Samuel Rose, George Brady, Lysander Quigley, George Quigley, Lewis Swarthout, Elam Sanborn, Frederick Luther, Frank Hinton and George Hinton, -- ten in number. The meeting was held at the house of Frederick Luther (Aetna Tp), and Mr. Rose was appointed clerk, and also elected Township Clerk, with George Gilmore, Supervisor. Mr. Swarthout has held various school and township offices. He was married Sept., 16, 1854, to Charlotte E. Trowbridge, who was born in the State of New York, and their children are Charles E., Alpha T., Minnie, Frank and Bert; James M. and Jessie N. are deceased. Mr. Swarthout has acted generally with the Democratic element. He now resides at Lake View, Cato Tp., Montcalm Co., Mich. |