J. F. Proctor

J.F. Proctor, farmer, section 24, Hersey Township, was born Aug. 6, 1834, in Barton Township, Orleans Co., Vt. He is the son of Dan and Augusta (Mason) Proctor. His father was born Feb. 14, 1807, in Manchester, Eng., and emigrated to the United States in 1820. He first located in Boston, Mass., and removed thence to Craftsbury, Orleans Co., Vt., setting up his business there as a blacksmith. He owned a small farm in Michigan, whither he removed in 1849, and died Feb. 28, 1855, in Keene, IOnia County. The mother was born in Craftsbury, Vt., Feb. 15, 1804, and died at the home of her son, Sept. 30, 1883. Cynthia M., Alfred A., J.F., Helen E. and Benjamin Franklin, their five children are all living.

Mr. Proctor was married soon after becoming of age, and settled in an unorganized portion of Montcalm Co., Mich., when he removed, Jan. 1, 1856, to section 16, Crystal Township, together with his eldest brother. They each made a claim of 40 acres of land, on which Mr. Proctor remained six years, and removed to North Shade, Gratiot Co., Mich. Three years later he made another transfer of his home and family, to Hubbardston, Ionia County. Not long afterward he embarked in the grocery trade at Matherton, combing that business with hotel-keeping and conducting both about one year. His venture turned disasterous, and as he suffered almost total loss of his resources except his ability to labor, he engaged as head-sawyer in the mill of Cogswell & Aldrich, with whom he operated in that capacity three years. He next managed a saw-mill at Langston, MOntcalm County, three years, and in the spring of 1872 he came to Hersey and operated as head-sawyer, scaler and fore man in the lumber camps of D.A. Blodgett. In the spring of 1875 he took possession of the arm on which he has since pursued his agricultural interests, and he also for some years continued the work of scaling, prosecuting that business eight winters. He owns 120 acres of land, on which there was a small improvement when he took possession. He has passed three winters near Harrison, Clare County, acting as foreman in the shingle-mill of D. F. Diggins, and removed his family there.

In the fall of 1863 Mr. Proctor was drafted into the Union service from Gratiot County, but on reporting at Corunna, shiawassee County, was released being the only dependence of his widowed mother. The law was afterward changed, and he determined to enlist, as he considered the prospects of his being again drafted were more than likely to be realized. He decided to enroll in the third Michigan Infantry. On meeting the recruiting officer at Pewamo, he stated his circumstances, his large family, and the necessity of his presence to secure their well-being. the officer informed him that he could enlist him and administer an oath in such cases made and provided, give him custody of his papers, and should he be drafted he could report for duty to the regiment as an enlisted man. He escaped the draft, and the necessity never arose.

Mr. Proctor was married Sept. 16, 1855, to Mary W. Smith, and they have eight living children, and four deceased. Fred was born Jan. 21, 1857; Frank, March 7, 1858; Charlie, Jan. 5, 1860; Dan, Aug. 25, 1861; Viola, April 14, 1863 (died March 19, 1864); Clyde, born Jan. 12, 1865, died May 13, 1882); Louisa was born April 11, 1867; Willie, March 17, 1870; Ralph, Feb. 28, 1872 (died March 3d following); Verne, born May 13, 1873, died Sept. 25, 1875; Albert E., April 11, 1877. Mrs. Proctor was born May 23, 1833, in Novi, Oakland Co., Mich., and is the oldest of four children born to her parents. She has one brother and two sisters - Edgar, Abigail R. and Emily. Her father and mother, A.C. and Lorinda (Simmons) Smith, reside at Easton, Ionia County, where the former is a citizen of prominence. He has served several terms as Sheriff, and has been County Surveyor some years.

Mr. Proctor is present Supervisor (1884) of his township. In political opinion he is a Democrat.

His paternal grandfather was in somewhat straitened circumstances in England, and leaving his family there, all save his oldest son, he set out with him in a sailing vessel for the United States. Adverse winds drove them into the Northern Ocean among the icebergs, where their food gave out and they were in danger of starvation as well as shipwreck. But other vessels in the same vicinity, with more abundant stores, shared with them, and afte six months of storm and stress they landed in Nova Scotia. The senior Proctor was a blacksmith and moreover was bent on proceeding to the United States, but was deterred by an English law enacted after the war of 1812, prohibiting mechanics belonging by nativity to Great Britain from going to the States. He fixed his location as near the boundary line as he could, and under cover of becoming a permanent settler he took up 200 acres of land, on which he settled and commenced active life as a blacksmith. After a year he succeeded in getting on board an American sloop with his tools, but he was discovered by the British authorities and all the most valuable of his equipment was confiscated, leaving him only the commonest sort of an outfit to commence his work of carving out ways and means to secure the comfort and presence of his family. A month later he succeeded in his purpose and reached Boston. He went thence to Lowell, in the Old Bay State, where he produced the first lace-making machinery in this country.

His maternal grandmother, Mrs. Mason, was a descendant of the Howards, whose names are associated with the earliest colonial history of Massachusetts.

His grandfather, Elder Mason, was the first Baptist clergyman in Craftsbury, Vt. At the date of his settlement there, the most primitive methods of travel prevailed, and he once drew his wife on a hand-sled nearly 50 miles, she carrying in her arms their oldest child.

The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Proctor appear on other pages. That of Mr. Proctor is especially valuable to this volume, as he represents the elements on which this country was founded and which has perpetuated its institutions. He is a pioneer by inheritance and in his own experience.

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