Steuben County, Indiana Biographies

CYRUS GRAY LUCE Was born in Windsor, Ashtabula county, Ohio, July 2, 1824. His father, Walter Luce, was a native of Tolland, Conn., his ancestors having settled on the spot where he was born more than two hundred years ago. His mother, Mary Gray, was born at Winchester, Virginia. Her father having early imbibed a hatred for slavery, and the surrounding atmosphere not being congenial to his tastes, he immigrated to northern Ohio, where Mary, the daughter, was married to Walter in March, 1820. Cyrus G. was born the second of a family of six boys. In September, 1836, the family removed to Steuben county, Indiana, where parents and children endured the hardships and suffered the deprivations incident to pioneer life. Cyrus G. attended school in the proverbial log school-house during the winter months, and the balance of the year worked industriously in clearing away the forests and performing other labor usual on new farms. He also attended the Northeastern Indiana Collegiate Institute, located at Ontario, Indiana, three terms. At the age of seventeen he commenced work in a carding mill and cloth dressing establishment, following the business seven years. In 1848, when twenty-four years of age, he purchased eighty acres of wild land in Gilead, Branch county, Michigan. In August, 1849, he was married to Julia A. Dickinson, and they immediately made their home upon the land bought the year previous. Upon this spot they continued to live until August, 1883, when Mrs. Luce died. In November, 1883, he was again married to Mrs. Mary E. Thompson, of Bronson, Michigan. In 1848, while still a resident of Indiana, he was nominated by the whigs as their candidate for Representative in the legislature from a district composed of DeKalb and Steuben counties. He was defeated by eleven majority. Mr. Luce served the township of Gilead as supervisor for twelve years. In 1854 he was elected a member of the first republican legislature; in 1858 and 1860 was elected county treasurer, serving two terms; was a member of the Senate in 1865 and 1867; was also a member of the constitutional convention of 1867. During his service as a member of the legislature in both branches he was never absent a single day. In 1879 he was appointed state oil inspector by Governor Croswell and re-appointed in 1881 by Governor Jerome. In 1886 he was nominated by acclamation for the office of governor by the republican convention held in Grand Rapids, and after a very vigorous campaign was elected November 2, 1886, by a vote of 181,474, while his chief opponent, George L. Yaple, received 174,042, and Samuel Dickey, 25,179. Since 1848 Mr. Luce has devoted time and energies to the cultivation of his farm, having added to the first purchase until he now owns a well improved farm of three hundred acres. Source: Early History of Michigan with Biographies of .........By Stephen D. Bingham

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