Branch County MI Archives Biographies.....Abel, Moses T. November 10, 1819 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Denise Abrams dabrams17@yahoo.com August 13, 2006, 1:45 pm

Author: The Tekonsha Story 1830-1975

Abel Homestead

Moses T. Abel was born in Newport, N.Y., November 10, 1819 and came to Michigan 
in the 1840's, he being the only member of his family to emigrate westward.  He 
located upon land in secion 4 of Girard Township, Branch County, on the 
northeast shore of Vincent Lake.  When he secured possession of the land it was 
in a totally wild state, not an acre cleared and all covered with virgin 
forest.  He cleared the land, erected suitable buildings and brought the famr 
under a good state of cultivation.

The remainder of his life was passed here, and before his death, he had created 
a most comfortable farm home.  Besides being a farmer he was also a cooper and 
made many of the barrels in which apples from the orchards of the area were 
shipped to city markets.

On April 18, 1847 Moses Tompkins Abel and Emma Bradley were married in Girard, 
Branch County.  To this union three daughters were born; Emma, who died at two 
months, Lovina, who married Edwin French, and Delina, who married Nelson A. 
Shedd.  Emma Bradley Abel died December 10, 1859.

On March 4, 1860 Moses T. Abel married Celestia Bradley, the sister of his 
first wife.  To this union seven children were born; Elmer, Eugene, Fred, 
Wilbur, Emma (who died when six years old), Lena and Edah.  

Elmer Abel and his son, Elmer Jr., owned and operated a meat market and grocery 
for more than fifty years in a store on Main Street.  Wilbur Abel operated a 
meat market in the store just north of Wolverine Engraving, and Fred Abel and 
son, Frank, had a slaughter house west of town and were in the wholesale meat 
business. 

Delina's husband, Nelson Shedd, and their sons operated an ice house and 
delivered ice to homes and business places.  This was started about 1903 and 
continued until about 1930.

In July, 1975 the one hundredth annual reunion of this family was held at the 
home of Earl and Helen Abel.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/branch/bios/abel402gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/

File size: 2.5 Kb