>From "History of Monroe County, Michigan" Talcott E Wing, Editor, New York, Munsell & Company, Publishers. 1890 ************************************************************************* ORION JONATHON FAY, of Carlton is one of the self made men of Monroe County who have steadily worked their way from the lowest round of the ladder to a very enviable position, and whose ambition will hardly be satisfied until they have reached the top. He is a descendant of the old Puritan stock that came over on the Mayflower, being the son of Francis and Charlotte (Brown) Fay, and born in the township of Exeter June 20, 1860. The fathers family came from Massachusetts, the mothers from Vermont, and settled in Monroe County in the early part of the thirties. When the California gold fever broke out in 1849, Mr Brown, his wifes father, crossed the continet with a wagon train, and remained on the Pacific coast until the outbreak of the Rebellion, when he returned by water. He is next to the oldest of eight children, six boys and two girls: Edwin E. born 1858, Lucretia, 1862, Charles, 1864, Lois Lavina, 1866, Dan, 1868, Albert, 1871, and Perry, 1875; all of whom are married with the exception of the doctor, who with Charles, Albert and Perry, are still bachelors. When a mere lad, Dr Fay began the battle of life and has fought his way heroically, unaasisted, until he has at an early age, by his indominable energy, sound business sense and sterling integrity, won the confidence of his associates and fellow citizens. He attended the common district schools of his township, which education his parents deemed sufficiant for him, but in this he disagreed with them and finally his father took him to Flat Rock to attend the high school there, but with positive injunctions to the party with whom he left him that he must earn his board and pay his own way, as he would not be responsible for any of his expenses. This he pluckily did, and the four years course was completed in three years and nine months., graduating June 28, 1878. The principal, Mrs Harriet B Jones, has in early years been the preceptress of Fays father. Having tasted the sweets of knowledge, Mr Fay determined to mount higher and accomplish more. With this purpose in view, after graduating from Flat Rock Union High School he matriculated in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, taking a partial literary course and a special course in German and French, the knowledge of which he deemed esential in the practice of medicine, to which he had determined to devote his life. He took the two courses of dentistry and medicine at the same time, and by close application and pertinacious work completed the usual five year course in three years and three months receiving his degree as Docotr of Dental Surgury March 23, 1881, and of Medical Doctor June 30, 1882. Not content with this he determined to grasp all the honors that his Alma Mater could confer on him, and in the Department of general chemistry took special courses in electro therapeutics and practical manipulations o of electrical apparatus and in the physiologocal laboratory. In politics he has always been a Democrat, his maiden vote being cast in the effort to seat General Hancock in the Presidential chair, but has never taken any active part in the councils of his party nor held other office than that of health physician for the Township of Ash, his time being too fully occupied in the practice of his profession of medicine and surgery. Socially he has many warm friends, and takes great interest in the several fraternal organizations with which he is connected. He was made a Mason in Hiram Lodge No 110, at Flat Rock in 1880, and is a charter member of Orion Lodge, No. 123, Ancient Order of United Workmen, which was named in his honor. ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com