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George W. Packard, farmer, section 27, Dayton Township, was born in New York, Oct. 15, 1831. His parents, Alanson and Abigail (Graham) Packard, were residents of that State for a number of years. The mother died there, and the father afterward moved to Ohio for a few years, them came to Michigan, first settling in Wayne County and subsequently in Hillsdale, where he died.
George passed the first ten years of his life in his Native State, and came to Ohio with his father, where he attended school and worked on a farm. In the fall of 1849 he left Huron County and walked to Detroit, this State, taking five days for the journey. He remained in Wayne County the following winter, engaged in chopping and logging, and in the spring of 1850 walked to Hillsdale County. Here he worked on a farm till the spring of 1866, when he came with his family to this county and purchased 80 acres of wild land in Dayton Township, and built a frame house, which he occupied. He afterward added 80 acres to his original purchase, then sold half of his farm, so that he owned 80 acres, 40 of which were under cultivation.
In Litchfield, Hillsdale County, Aug. 27, 1856, Mr. Packard married Mary, eldest daughter of C.C. and Cornelia (Smith) Waldo, the former native of New York, and the latter of Vermont; they moved to Litchfield, where the mother died; the father resided there. Mr. and Mrs. Packard had eight children: Carrie E., born May 21, 1857; Herbert E., April 10, 1860; Dora A., June 12, 1863; Lillie A., Aug. 27, 1864; Mertie E., April 22, 1869; Annie A., March 27, 1871; Frank W., born April 20, 1858, died April 28, 1859; May C., born Sept. 12, 1867, died in March, 1868.
Mr. Packard was Commissioner of Highways for Dayton Township two years, and School Director two years. Mr. and Mrs. Packard were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was a Republican.
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