Clinton County MI Archives Biographies.....Ives, William February 14, 1843 - February 2, 1923 ************************************************ 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: Scott Ives skives@comcast.net May 5, 2006, 9:43 pm Author: Daboll, Sherman B. WILLIAM IVES William Ives, one of the successful agriculturists of Olive township whose farm of two hundred acres on section 36 gives every evidence of careful management and practical methods, has been a resident of Clinton county since 1854 and in the half century which has since come and gone he has so lived as to enjoy in unqualified measure the respect and the confidence of his fellowmen. He is a native of Niagara county, New York, born February 14, 1843, his parents being Warren and Marietta (Bronson) Ives. The father was born in Cayuga county, New York, in 1802 and was a son of Squire Ives, a native of Ireland, who on crossing the Atlantic to America became one of the early settlers of Niagara county. Warren Ives was reared in the county of his nativity and was there married to Marietta Bronson, whose birth occurred in Niagara county and who was a daughter of Samuel Bronson. In the year 1845 Mr. and Mrs. Ives removed westward to Michigan, settling in Oakland county, where they remained for nine years and then in T854 came to Clinton county, the father purchasing the farm upon which William Ives now resides. He worked hard and perseveringly in order to cut down the trees, clear the land and transform the place into productive fields, but his labors were at length rewarded by good crops, and he continued to profitably conduct his farm until his death, which occurred in 1867. His wife survived him for twenty years, passing away in. 1887. In their family were eleven children of whom two sons and three daughters are living, the brother of William Ives being_ Washington Ives, a resident of Benton Tfarhor, Michigan. The sisters are: Mrs. Melvina Debor, of Laingsburg, Michigan; Sarah Ann, the wife of Wells Aldridge, of Washington; and Mary J., the wife of William Webb, of St. Johns. William Ives was reared upon the home farm and helped improve the fields and carry on the work of the place until in early manhood he purchased his father's interests and cared for his parents in their declining years. He has built a large brick residence, has put in a windpump, has added the latest improved machinery and in fact carries on his farm work in such a planner that his labors are attended with a high measure of success. He has also built a tenant house that is occupied by his son. In connection with the tilling of the soil he is engaged in raising good grades of cattle and horses but makes a specialty of Shropshire sheep. In September, 1866, Mr. Ives was united in marriage to Miss Cynthia A. Fitz, a native of Eaton county, Michigan, and a daughter of George Fitz, formerly of Niagara county, New York. They have become the parents of four ,children: Myrtle, who married George Beeler and they took up their abode on her father's farm, where she died about 1894; George, who died in infancy ; Emerson, who is married and lives on the farm ; and Enza L. D., who also aids in the operation of his father's place. Politically Mr. Ives is a stanch democrat but has always preferred that others should hold office, while he devotes his attention to his private business interests. He is well known in St. Johns and Clinton county as a prosperous and well-to-do farmer and for more than a half century has lived upon this place which is yet his home. He can remember when it was a heavily timbered region covered with the native forest trees but long since these have been replaced by fields of waving grain, which in connection with the rich pasture land makes his place one of the valuable farm properties of the county. Additional Comments: This biography is from 'Past and present of Clinton County, Michigan', published 1906.It does contain some errors. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/clinton/bios/ives76gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb