History of Wexford County, MI. Compiled by John H. Wheeler Published in 1903 by B. F. Bowen Biography Page 136

WALTER L. STURTEVANT

Walter L. Sturtevant, who formerly served as sheriff of Wexford county, and is living on section 36, Wexford township, claims the Green Mountain state as the place of his nativity, for he first opened his eyes to the light of day in Weybridge, Addison county, Vermont, on the 10th of January, 1855, his parents being Milo and Elizabeth (Taft) Sturtevant, of whose family of six children he was the youngest. Both of the parents died in Weybridge. The subject of this review spent the first ten years of his life upon his father's farm in that place and then went to Saginaw, Michigan, with his brother Ethan A. Sturtevant, and was reared to manhood in that locality with the exception of a year and a half spent in Weybridge, to which place he returned. He pursued his education in the public schools of Saginaw and between the ages of fifteen and twenty years he followed the trade of brick making. On reaching the age of twenty years he again went to his native place in Vermont, where he remained for a year and a half and then again he came to Michigan and once more settled in Saginaw. During the following winter he worked in the woods and next went to Midland, where he resided but a short time. Settling then in Owosso, he resided but a short period there and in July, 1878, he arrived in Wexford county, taking up his abode in Sherman, where he entered the employ of his brother, H. B. Sturtevant, with whom he was connected in a business way for ten years. The subject was then elected sheriff of Wexford county in the fall of 1890 and filled the position so acceptably that he was re-elected for a second term. On his retirement from office Mr. Sturtevant returned to Sherman, where he continued to reside for about a year, at the end of which time he settled in Wexford township and since the fall of 1897 he has lived upon the farm which is now his home. He has here eighty-five acres of land, which is rich and cultivable, the entire amount being improved. He has followed farming continually since his retirement from the office of sheriff and his labors have been attended with a high degree of success. His buildings are substantial, commodious and modern in construction, his fields well tilled and he uses the latest improved machinery in carrying on the farm work. He also has good grades of stock upon his place and fruit trees give a good yield in season. On the 9th of October, 1881, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Sturtevant and Miss Margaret Crites, who was born in Canada, on the 6th of April, 1859. She is a daughter of G. A. and Jane (McKee) Crites and by her marriage she has become the mother of one child, Grace E., who is now the life and light of the household. Mr. Sturtevant has been a member of the board of review of Wexford township and has served as deputy sheriff for a number of years. Fraternally he is connected with Sherman Lodge No. 372, Free and Accepted Masons, and has also taken the Royal Arch Degree in Cadillac Chapter No. 302, Royal Arch Masons. In matters pertaining to public progress he is deeply interested and has given active co-operation to many movements for the general good, his assistance being of a practical and beneficial nature. In his business affairs he has prospered and today a valuable farm gives evidence of his life of industry. In his dealings with his fellow men he is always fair and just and his integrity stands as an unquestioned fact in his career. He represents a high type of the American citizen and Wexford county is fortunate in that he has allied his interests with hers.