My Genealogy Hound

J. O. Hathaway, one of the prosperous agriculturists of Oakland County, is engaged in superintending his finely cultivated farm of 80 acres in section 31, Waterford township, which he makes his home. He was born May 13, 1820, near Crooked Lake, Steuben County, New York, and is a son of Brewen Hathaway. The Hathaways are of English and Dutch descent.

Brewen Hathaway was a native of Seneca County, New York, and came to Michigan in 1830, accompanied by his wife and six children, of whom our subject was one. He was a cooper by trade but was also engaged at general farming and stock raising for a number of years in Waterford township, Oakland County. There were nine children in the parental family, namely: George, deceased; Sally (Van Dorn) deceased; Eliza (Stowell); deceased; J. O., our subject; Daniel, of White Lake township, Oakland County; Asher, deceased; James; Betsey (Voorhies), of Pontiac; and Austin, a resident of Saginaw, Michigan. Brewen Hathaway died at the age of 44, and his wife died two years later at the same age. He was a Democrat in his political convictions. He and his family were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

J. O. Hathaway has lived an industrious as well as successful life, having started out at an early age to support himself, his only property then being a team of horses. When he was 10 years old, his parents moved to Michigan, and settled first in Pontiac township, Oakland County. Our subject removed to his present farm in Waterford township in 1866, where he was engaged in active farming pursuits until recently, when he retired from active work. Mr. Hathaway’s farm is a well improved and very productive tract of 80 acres; it originally consisted of 120 acres, but a 40-acre tract was given to his son, Linus, who farmed it until his removal to Pontiac, where he now lives.

J. O. Hathaway married Mary Dewey, a native of Vermont, who died five years ago. Three children were reared, namely: Linus, a resident of Pontiac, who is married and has one child, Myrtle; Altha (Olmstad), deceased; and Alice, who resides with her father. Our subject takes no active interest in politics but votes the Democratic ticket.