This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: WETHERELL, SWIFT, PARKER, HAYDEN Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/0EB.2ACE/127.2 Message Board Post: Hello, These are not my relatives. Information was found in the 1892 Portrait & Biographical Album of Genesee, Lapeer & Tuscola Counties, Chapman Bros. in Michigan. I hope that it helps someone with their history. Colleen GEORGE S. WETHERELL, of Mundy Township, Genesee County, was born in Easton, Washington County, N.Y., July 13, 1824, and at the age of eight years he removed with his parents too Erie County, where he remained until he was eighteen years old, after which he lived for three years in Genesee County, the same State and then spent three years in Orleans County. His parents were Joseph D. and Laura (SWIFT) WETHERELL, and the father was an hotel keeper in New York and came too Oakland County, Mich., from Orleans County, N.Y., and settled in Oxford, where he died in 1858. The mother lived until July 26, 1891 when she died at the age of four-score and six years. In the fall of 1846 our subject came too Oakland county and here engaged in farming until the spring of 1868, when he removed too Muskegon for one year and then came too Genesee County, and bought the farm where he now lives, a fine tract of one hundred and twenty-four acres which he has put in good condition and where he has erected valuable buildings. He was married in Barre, Orleans County, N.Y., June 9, 1853 to Julia PARKER, a native of Byron, Genesee County, N.Y., where she was born October 13, 1826. Her father Alphonzo PARKER, son of Samuel PARKER, a Revolutionary soldier, was a pioneer of Genesee County, N.Y., and came to Michigan with his wife Harriet SWIFT in the fall of 1867, after which they made their home in Muskegon, where he died, at the age of seventy-nine and Mrs. PARKER when eighty-four years old, in Big Rapids. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. WETHERELL are Laura A., who was the wife of William H. HAYDEN and died December 4, 1888 at the age of thirty-four, and Alphonzo P. who is a merchant in Joliet, Ill. The offices of School Inspector and Township Treasurer have been filled by Mr. WETHERELL and he has taken an active part in political affairs, being a stanch Republican. Mrs. WETHERELL is deeply interested in the temperance movement and is a strong Prohibitionist. They are liberal in their religious views. The family history of Laura SWIFT, the mother of our subject, presents some interesting points. Her father Moses SWIFT, was the son of a captain who served in the army during the French and Indian wars prior too the Revolution, and while on his way home to Massachusetts he was attacked with cholera at Albany and died their , and as his wife had died previous too this event the son Moses was "bound out" too learn the shoemaker's trade. Before he had served his full apprenticeship the war broke out between the colonies and Great Britain, and as he was not old enough too enlist where his age was known, he ran away and entered the army, and was one of the participants in the battle of Bunker Hill. In the battle of Trenton in January, 1777 his right arm was shot off. After his return home he enlisted in the navy and was made Steward of the ship. This young hero had further experiences and hardships as he was taken prisoner when the war was about over and was confined on board the prison ship "Jersey" in New York Harbor and was obliged too subsist on uncooked rats for some time. He possessed $20,000 in Continental money, which he threw into the sea. He lived too be upwards of ninety years old and loved too recount the incident of his military experiences. When a prisoner on the "Jersey" a British officer endeavored too press him into their navy but as he had lost a limb this could not be done. But he was offered an honorable official position if he would come with them and replied: "Sir, you may think your offer an honorable one but I despise it and you. I have shed much blood for my country but am prepared too spill the last drop before I turn against her". The British officer replied, "I honor you, Sir," and no further inducements were offered too lead him too betray the cause he believed too be sacred.