Christopher Dalton, merchant and farmer, was born in Ireland in 1827, where he received a common-school education, and worked on a farm. In 1848 he emigrated to the United States, located in Fairfield County, Conn., where he worked on a farm four years; thence to Michigan in 1855, locating where the Michigan Central freight house now stands; remained four years, then built a house on Main Street in 1860 and remained a short time; bought a farm of 120 acres in Leoni Township; remained one winter, then returned to his place on Main Street, where he stayed about one year and a half, then bought 120 acres of land in sec. 7, Leoni Township, making 240 acres adjoining. He lived on his farm from 1862 until 1877. He married Miss Margaret Casey, born in Ireland in 1827; they had 12 children, 8 of whom are living. Mr. D. has a fine residence in the city, valued at $3,000; also a store building valued at $2,200. His landed property is valued at $7,200. He is in easy circumstances and is at present engaged in the grocery business, more for occupation than for profit. The family is Catholic.
William D. Davenport, proprietor of meat
market, was born in Rochester, N. Y., Aug 20, 1839;
received a common-school education and was brought up
to the trade his grandfather and father followed
before him; the former did the butchering for
Washington's army; he died at the age of 90 years. In
1861 Mr. Davenport enlisted in Van Allen Cavalry, but
was afterward changed to the 3d New York. He
participated in several battles; was at the
Winchester, and covered Gen. Banks' retreat; was on
the expedition to Newbern, N. C., where they were
stationed two years, and while there acted as scout.
In 1863, enlisted in his old regiment, was ordered to
report to Brig. Gen. Kautz, where he was detailed as
scout and remained with him until the close of the
war. He was with the first squad that entered
Petersburg; raised the stars and stripes in the city;
while on Wilson's raid he was wounded four times and
left on the field, and was six days getting back to
camp. After the war he came to Jackson and engaged in
the meat business, where he has since been employed.
He married Miss Abigail Speers, who was born in 1849.
Montgomery R. Davis, patentee and proprietor
of the Davis Skeleton Spring Bed, and manufacturer of
spring beds and mattresses, was born in Cattaraugus
County, N. Y., in 1824; is the eldest of 11 children
of Rosevelt and Sally (Atwood) Davis of that State.
They brought their family to Michigan and settled on a
tract of wild land bought from the Government in June
1831. There were but five families in the township;
they had come the year previous. The settlers either
had to pound their grain into breadstuff with a
hard-wood mallet on a flat stump, or haul it to the
Ann Arbor mill with ox teams, requiring 10 days to
make the round trip. Mr. Davis' school opportunities
were confined chiefly to the log school-house and the
slab benches. At the age of 30 he left the homestead
and engaged in the mercantile business in Hudson,
Lenawee County, about nine years, as the, firm of
Davis & Johnson. He sold to his partner, and a
year after settled in Jackson; prosecuted the lumber
trade several years; manufactured fine-cut tobacco a
year, then went to the north part of the State and
manufactured lumber and shingles a year; lost money in
the business, and returned to Jackson; was 11 months
in the boot and shoe trade, then embarked in the
milling business, and in two years lost some $10,000,
leaving him $1,000 in debt, which he paid off in full
in the next two years. In 1874 Mr. Davis established
his present business. He is the inventor of several
patents, among them his spring bed, of which he has
made and sold during the last six and a half years
20,000, and employs an average of 12 hands. His patent
door-spring is simple and effective, and is
extensively sold in a number of States. Mr. Davis
married Esther Myrick, in Jackson County, 33 years
ago. They have a son and a daughter, the former a
dentist in Eaton Rapids.
Elmore Dennis, proprietor of E. Dennis &
Co. 's machine shop, was born in Dutchess County, N.
Y., and is 53 years old. His parents were Cornelius
and Clarissa (Taylor) Dennis, natives of that State.
They immigrated to Michigan and settled on a farm in
the town of Springport in 1838, where they spent the
remainder of their lives. Elmore's father being a
millwright, he learned the trade, and pursued it at
various points for 10 years, making Parma his home. In
February, 1866, he came to Jackson, and for five years
was foreman in the machinery department of Bennett
& Woods' fanning - and flouring mill, then
established his present machine business. He married
Alice Pinckney, of Howell, Livingston County, Mich.,
in May 1855. Her father was a pioneer of Howell. Mr.
Dennis is a member of the Masonic order, lodge,
chapter and commandery. Mr. Henry Kline, his partner
in business, is an adopted son. He is now married and
has 1 child.
William Dilley, Chief of Police of Jackson
city, is the only son of a family of 3 children of
William and Lusena (Gallup) Dilley, natives of New
York, and was born in Newstead, Erie County, that
State Dec. 29, 1837. In 1855 the family moved to
Jackson County, Mich., and settled on a farm in the
town of Napoleon, where his parents still reside. Mr.
Dilley enjoyed the opportunities of the district
school, and pursued farming until he settled in the
city, about 14: years ago. He engaged in the
restaurant and bakery business for some time; lived
two years in Cass County; nine years ago was appointed
to the police force, and in December 1878, was
promoted to the position of Chief. In November 1857,
he married Harriet E. Gallup, of Jackson County,
Mich., whose parents were very early settlers here.
They have a family of 3 sons and 1 daughter - Walter,
Adelbert P., Clarence M. and Effie May.
George A. W. Dodge, of the firm of Warner
& Dodge, hardware merchants, was born in New
Hampshire, in January 1847. His parents, Amos and
Emily Dodge nee Everett, were natives of that State.
After attending the local schools, George became a
clerk in a dry-goods store in Concord at the age of
17, three years later went to Randolph, Vt., was clerk
in a general store three years: then returned to
Concord and was salesman in a hardware store two
years; came to Jackson in 1871, and forming a
partnership with E. R. Warner, bought Parkhurst &
Co's. Hardware house and the firm have conducted the
business since. Mr. Dodge married Miss Hellen F.
Foster, of Concord, N. H. in 1871. They have 2 sons.
He and wife are members of the First Congregational
Church, of which he is a Trustee, and Superintendent
of the Sunday school.
William Roscoe Dodge, of W. R. Dodge &
Co., grocers, North Mechanic Street, son of William R.
and Caroline (Hoyt) Dodge, is a native of Jackson
County, Mich., born in Blackman town, in 1848. His
parents were New York people, and coming to Michigan
in 1836, settled on and improved a farm in Blackman
Township, which was their home for many years, until
they removed to the city, where they now reside. After
obtaining a fair English education in the country and
city schools, Mr. Dodge began business as a clerk for
Patton Morrison in the store he now occupies, at the
age of 21 years. He afterward spent a year on his
father's farm, and was a year in school. On Oct. 1,
1878, he became joint proprietor of their grocery
house, in connection with Walter B. Hibbard, his
present partner, as successors to Mr. Patton Morrison.
Since that time their business has steadily increased
from about $15,000 a year to $30,000, a large percent,
of which is country trade.
Daniel Doig, builder and contractor, Jackson,
Mich., was born in Sterling, Scotland, Jan 1, 1821,
where he received an elementary school education. When
16 years of age he was apprenticed three years. In
1842 he came to America, locating in Rome, N. Y.,
where he formed the acquaintance of and married Miss
Julia N. Tibbitts, born in Floyd, Oneida County, K Y,
in 1828. They had 4 children, Louisa, Daniel J., Mary
and William. In 1865 Mr. D. came to Jackson, and
engaged in business in company with Joseph Tibbitts
and Stewart, and followed the same one and a half
years; then engaged in his present business and has
followed the same since. The firm is at present known
as Doig & Son, and is the leading firm in the
city. They employ about 18 men through the season. Mr.
Doig's family is members of the Baptist Church.
Henry W. Doney, farmer, was born in Erie
County, N. Y., April 7, 1820; was reared on a farm,
and received a common-school education. In 1838 he
came to Michigan, where he worked by the day and
month, and was employed on the railroad between
Michigan Center and Jackson; also worked at cooperage.
In the spring of 1844 he married Miss Lydia M. Wyatt,
daughter of Thomas Wyatt, who was born in England,
Nov. 1, 1820; there were 5 children, 3 of who are
living-Edwin S., Frank A. and Cora M. Mr. Doney was a
member of the first Anti-Slavery Society ever
organized in the county under Elder Harrison, who was
a pioneer preacher; he is a member of the United
Brethren Church.
Henry D. Donwall, train dispatcher M. C. R.
E., was born in Princeton, N. J., Oct. 8, 1849, where
he remained but a short time. His father, Charles
Donwall, was a native of England, and by profession, a
musician; he traveled extensively in this country and
England. His mother, Mary Lines, was a native of
Massachusetts, and died in New York city, when the
subject of this sketch was two years old. After his
mother's death he went to live with his grandmother in
Ohio. His father married again and he went and lived
with him about 10 years. When 13 years of age he went
to work for himself; worked on a farm summers and
attended school winters; in 1865 came to Detroit,
worked for a merchant, carrying parcels, and a portion
of the time attending school; afterward went to
carrying telegrams, and while engaged in this business
learned telegraphing, since which time he has followed
the business. In 1870 he was appointed train
dispatcher at Kalamazoo, and remained there four
years, then came to Jackson, where he has been
employed in the same business ever since. In 1876 he
married Miss Effie Remington, born in Genesee County,
N. Y., Dec. 2, 1854; there are 3 children - Annie,
Bessie and Lizzie; the last 2 are twins.
John T. Durand, real- estate dealer, Jackson,
Mich., was born in Washington County, N. Y., Aug. 28,
1807; son of John and Mary Durand, natives of
Connecticut, who emigrated to Jackson County, Mich.,
in the spring of 1830, and located in what was then
called Jacksonburgh, one-half mile west of the city.
They came by canal to Buffalo, by boat to Detroit, and
from there with ox-teams; were three days making the
trip; camped out. Mr. Durand had a little money he had
saved by teaching school, and laid it out in 80 acres
of land adjoining 160 acres taken up by his father. He
married Miss Lucy Blackman, a native of New York
State, and they have had 3 children, 2 of whom are
living - Mary E., now Mrs. Austin W. Green, and
Charles. Mr. Durand has been identified with the city
of Jackson for over 50 years; has held several local
offices of trust.
James A. Dyer, retired, Jackson, Mich., is a pioneer, and son of Jotham and Susan (Bacon) Dyer, natives of Massachusetts, who immigrated to Windsor County, Vt., where the subject of this sketch was born June 24, 1812. When 16 years old his parents moved to Livingston County, N. Y., and remained there until 1835; then came to Jackson, with a team, in company with his oldest brother and a man by the name of Pearl. In 1837 his parents immigrated to Calhoun County, where they lived and died. Shortly after arriving he commenced clerking for a man named Richards, and remained with him three years. Mr. Dyer and Charles Derby then bought the stock of goods, and the firm was known as Dyer & Derby. In 1839 he was elected County Sheriff; was afterward elected County Clerk, and held the office two years; was in the first telegraph office in the city, and in 1849 was appointed Postmaster. He was Justice of the Peace for 16 consecutive years, up to 1875, since which time he has lived a retired life. He married Miss Eliza J. Brownell, who was born in New Jersey, Oct. 3, 1818. There were 5 children; 4 lived to be men and women - Derrick O., born Feb. 20, 1842; Czar J., born Feb. 2, 1846; Nettie P., born Sept. 15, 1847, and Charles F., born Sept. 22, 1851; Nellie, born Nov. 16,1860, died Sept. 22, 1862. Mrs. Dyer died Nov. 6, 1872, a consistent Christian, and loved and respected by all.
