My Genealogy Hound

TIMOTHY C. SPAULDING. The occupation of farming is one that has received attention from the earliest ages, and it is not to be wondered at that it has become the art that it is at the present time. Among those who have shown a satisfactory knowledge of this calling, and whose operations are conducted in a very progressive manner, may be mentioned Timothy C. Spaulding, who is the owner of a valuable farm in Oronoko Township. He is a native of Francistown, N. H., born in 1821, and his parents. Timothy and Lydia (Moore) Spaulding, were natives of the Granite State also. The Spaulding and Moore families were among the first settlers of New Hampshire.

Timothy Spaulding, Sr., followed the pursuit of farming all his life, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. From his native State he removed to Maine and there remained until his death. He and his wife were the parents of fourteen children, all of whom lived to maturity. Lydia, deceased, was the wife of Walter Spaulding, of Massachusetts; Betsey, deceased, was the wife of William Carter, of Massachusetts; Mary, deceased, was the wife of Thomas Litchfield; Oliver is deceased; Sarah, deceased, was the wife of Mr. Brackett, and was twice married, her first husband being Norton Yates; Nancy, deceased, was the wife of Charles Coolridge, of Massachusetts; Harriet, deceased, was the wife of Louis Litchfield; Edmond is deceased; Orissa, deceased, was the wife of Joseph Patten; Orenza, twin sister of Orissa, is the wife of Charles B. Pullen, of Berrien Springs; Emily, deceased, was the wife of Leonard Townsend, of Michigan; T. C. is our subject; and Abel W. and Harris M. are deceased.

Timothy C. Spaulding, our subject, received his early scholastic training in the common schools of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. At the usual age of twenty-one he started out for himself as a farmer, but while in Maine he worked a while in the lumber regions of that State. He came to Michigan in 1863 and settled on the property where he now resides, which then consisted of eighty acres of unimproved land. For this he paid $25 per acre. He now has sixty-four acres well cultivated, on which are substantial buildings, and has three or four acres in an orchard. On the 4th of May, 1845, he was married to Miss Helena Wells, a native of the Pine Tree State and the daughter of Ralph and Mercy (Clark) Wells, both of whom were natives of Maine and old settlers of that State. There Mr. and Mrs. Wells passed their entire lives, with the exception of about six years spent in this State. They were the parents of a family of seven daughters and four sons: Eunice, deceased, who was the wife of Luke Hilton; Helena, wife of our subject; Mercy, widow of N. Whitcome; Robert Y.; Susan C., wife of Calvin Williams; Statira, wife of Joseph Atkinson; R. S., deceased; Axie, widow of Leander Witham; Stilson; Celinda, deceased; and Mandel.

The marriage of our subject was blessed by the birth of six children, who were as follows: Lydia, deceased; Timothy A., residing in California; Elmore C., at home; Wilda J., wife of Luther Tuttle, of this township; Sylvester O., deceased; and Ida E, Mr. Spaulding has served his township as Treasurer twice, as Commissioner as many terms as Treasurer, and has filled other local positions. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Western Star Lodge No. 39, and, politically, he has always voted with the Democratic party. His son, Elmore C., was educated in the common schools of this county and early in life became familiar with the duties of the farm. He now has a nice farm of forty acres adjoining his father’s land. He was married in 1876 to Miss Harriet L. Shearer, of this county, daughter of J. B. and Sarah (Shearer) Shearer, pioneer settlers of this county and among its most respected people. (See sketch of J. B. Shearer.) To Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding have been born three children: Clyde, Arthur O. and Lester. Mrs. Spaulding is a member of the United Brethren Church. Like his father, Mr. Spaulding has served for two years as Township Treasurer, and, like his father, he is a decided Democrat in politics.