This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: MichaelCronk28 Surnames: BROWN, FURBUSH, HALE, JONES, MILES, MORSE, NEVINS, ROGERS, WEBSTER Classification: biography Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.michigan.counties.calhoun/4051/mb.ashx Message Board Post: SOLON W. HALE For more than a quarter of a century this gentleman has occupied a certain farm in Bedford Township, the location being six miles north of Battle Creek. It is a well-improved, carefully-cultivated tract of one hundred acres, from whose productive fields large crops are garnered in and which likewise produces good grades of domestic animals in the usual numbers. Although Mr. Hale came here for the purpose of improving his health, which was not robust, he never had a physician in the house for himself until recently, when he suffered from a paralytic stroke. Mr. Hale is the eldest of the four children born to Solon and Eunice (FURBUSH) HALE, and was born in Leominster, Mass., March 18, 1818. His parents were also natives of the old Bay State, the one being of Welsh and the other of French ancestry. They removed to the Empire State when the son was two years old, the father continuing to work at his trade that of a shoemaker. The son attended school until he was seventeen years old, when he went to Buffalo and secured a position as clerk in a wholesale and retail grocery store. After three years thus occupied he came to this State, and with a cousin began hotel-keeping in Oakland County, twenty miles from Detroit. They soon rented an hotel in Plymouth, of which our subject took charge, his cousin remaining at Farmington, and the business connection continuing three and a half years. Mr. Hale then sold out and returned to New York with the intention of remaining there. He soon became dissatisfied, however, and as homesick for! the Wolverine State as he had been a short time before for that in which his boyhood was passed. Within the year Mr. Hale was again in Michigan, his first employment being in a grocery store in Detroit, where he remained some two years. Failing health induced him to make a change and he entered the employ of the Hon. Mr. Lee, M. C., to work in a country store and on a farm. No price was set on his services and the engagement was made for a short period, but he remained with Mr. Lee nine years. During that time no terms were made between employer and employed, but $250 was given for the first year's work, and a greater sum year by year until the last, when $600 was received by Mr. Hale. During this time his father had removed to Bedford, this county, and here the son came on a visit. While here he secured the job of overseer of the hands who were changing the Michigan Central Railroad track from strap to "T" rail. While working on this job and boarding in Battle Creek he made the acquaintance of Miss Sarah A. MILES, who won his heart. She was the daughter of Ransom ! Miles, who owned a share in the foundry, and with her stepmother kept the boarding house. After quitting the railroad Mr. Hale, in partnership with an uncle of his future wife, began importing Merino sleep from Vermont into Western New York and west into Michigan, doing well financially and improving his physical condition. In July, 1853, he purchased the complete outfit of a boarding-house in Michigan City, Ind., for $250, less than a third of its original cost. On the 12th of the month he and Miss Miles were married and the next day had a family of twelve boarders. The wife carried on the boarding house and the husband went into partnership with a Mr. Durand in a grocery store, and later took an interest in a meat shop with James White. His business investments proved profitable, but on the removal of the car shops from Michigan City business was not so good and Mr. Hale closed out and came to Battle Creek. For a time Mrs. Hale kept boarders here, but soon disposed of the establishment and went on to the farm with her husband, he having turned his attentio! n to farming as better adapted to his condition, which made life in the open air most desirable. Mrs. Hale died on the farm four years after her marriage, her only child, an infant, being buried in the coffin with her. Mr. Hale continued to carry on his farm, and after seven years contracted a second matrimonial alliance, the ceremony taking place August 12, 1863. The bride was Mrs. Cynthia O. WEBSTER, daughter of Alfred and Cynthia (MORSE) NEVINS and widow of E. P. WEBSTER. By her first husband she had two children-Cynthia Minerva and Alfred M. The first, who was a successful teacher for a number of years, married E. B. ROGERS and has two interesting daughters. Her home is in Bedford. The son was born in Richland and was seven years old when his father died. He was graduated from the Normal School at Ypsilanti and was for a number of years a teacher. He then took up the study of medicine, was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College, in Chicago, and is now practicing successfully at Oscoda, losco County. Believing that "whatever is worth doing is worth doing well." and with the constant aim of doing good, his life has been one of continual toil and study. He has given freely of t! ime, energy and money to the cause of-temperance. The bride of his early manhood was Carrie DONALDSON, who died leaving a son, Donald Eugene, who now lives in Saline. Mr. Webster subsequently married Hattie HALE, of Alaska, this State, who bore him two children-Ida and Ruey. The former now lives with our subject and the latter with her maternal grandfather, Warren S. HALE, their mother being dead. The father of the present Mrs. Hale was a native of New Hampshire and was a man of unbounded energy and perseverance. He taught every winter from his eighteenth to his fiftieth year and spent the summers in farming. He was Township Supervisor a number of years and was a Trustee of the Congregational Church at Richland, Kalamazoo County, for several years prior to his decease. He was a member of that Church. He came to this State about 1842 and died in 1858. Mrs. Nevins survived until 1883. She also was born in the Granite State. She was one of those noble women who conscientiously discharge every duty which they owe to their beloved companions and children, and are a friend in need in the neighborhood. Such was her care and control over her children that a profane word was never heard in her house and neither of her three sons used tobacco or liquor. Those who knew her best loved her most, and her children had the sincere sympathy of all who knew her when she was remove! d by death. The eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Nevins began teaching when but fifteen years of age and, like his father before him, combined with professional labor the business of farming, until he heeded his country's call and enlisted. He was shot while on picket not long after he entered the army and died from the wound. He held the rank of Lieutenant. He left one daughter, Mrs. Rosa BROWN, who is living in Richland. John M. Nevins, the second son, died in 1890, at Hastings, where he was highly esteemed. He was a member of the State Senate two terms, having been elected by the Republicans, and was a man of enterprise in the affairs of Church and State and those of a personal nature. The youngest son, N. J. Nevins, reared a family of eleven interesting children, three of whom already hold important positions at Otsego. The daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Nevins are all well settled in life and may truly be said to follow in the footsteps of their revered mother. They each received a good ! education and two of them, Mrs. Marian E. JONES and Mrs. Cynthia HALE, were teachers. Mr. Hale has been somewhat active in political circles and has been a stanch Republican from the first. He is a member of the Congregational Church which his father aided in organizing, and in which he held the office of Deacon until his death in 1880. Careful in his consideration of the rights of others, honorable in all his dealings and upright in private character, he is highly respected by friends far and near. --- Portrait Biographical Album of Calhoun County, Michigan, Chapman Bros., Chicago, 1891, Pgs. 627-628 & 633. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.