Biography of John Estelle, Brookfield Township, Eaton County, Michigan

Copyright © 1998 by Jan Sedore. This copy contributed for use in 
the USGenWeb Archives.  


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ESTELLE FAMILY
EATON COUNTY MICHIGAN

PAST AND PRESENT OF EATON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
Page 301
JOHN G. ESTELLE
	JOHN G. ESTELLE is one of the honored pioneers and venerable citizens 
of Eaton County, where he has maintained his home for nearly a half century, 
and he now resides on his fine little farm of forty acres, in Brookfield 
township, retired from active labors after years of well directed and 
fruitful toil and endeavor. He was born in Lake County, Ohio, April 7, 1821, 
his father having been one of the early settlers of Perry Township, that 
county, where he developed a good farm from the forest. Mr. Estelle is a son 
of Thomas and Elizabeth (Graham) Estelle, both native of the state of New 
York. The father was born in Ulster County, March 1, 1775, and he was reared 
to manhood in the old Empire State, where his marriage was solemnized. He 
became one of the pioneers of  Lake County, Ohio, where he continued to 
reside until about twenty years before his death and then he removed to 
Lorain County, where he died, in 1855, at the age of eighty-one years. His 
wife survived him by about fifteen years, being summoned to the life eternal 
in 1875, being eighty-seven years of age at the time of her death. Both were 
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years, but Mrs. Estelle 
finally united with the Adventist church, in whose faith she died. They 
became the parents of eight children, all of whom are deceased except the 
honored subject of this sketch. John G. Estelle passed his boyhood days on 
the home farm, and his rudimentary education was secured in one of the 
primitive log houses of the pioneer era in the Buckeye State. He later 
attended an academy at Brooklyn, Ohio, for one term, and Oberlin College, 
that state, for one term. At the age of eighteen years he left the parental 
home and began working on a farm, by the month, at the age of twenty years 
he entered upon an apprenticeship at the moulder's trade, becoming a skilled 
artisan in this vocation, to which he gave his attention, at varying 
intervals, for a period of thirty years, working in different towns and 
cities in Ohio and also in Charlotte, Eaton Rapids and Lansing, Michigan, as 
moulder and finisher in foundries. In 1854 he took up his residence in 
Jackson County, this state, where he was employed at farm work about four 
years, at the expiration of which he, in 1857, came to Eaton County and 
settled in Brookfield township, on a farm. He has reclaimed two farms in 
this township, but now retains in his possession only his homestead of forty 
acres, having sold the remainder of his land. His place is improved with good
buildings and is one of the fine farms which add so materially to the 
attractiveness and industrial precedence of Eaton County. In  1871 Mr. 
Estelle engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements in Charlotte, 
continuing identified with this line of enterprise for three years. He has 
ever stood for the best type of citizenship, and his honor and integrity 
have been inviolable in all the relations of life, so that to him has at 
all times been accorded the unqualified respect and confidence of his fellow 
men. In politics he formerly was identified with the Republican Party, but he
has maintained an independent attitude in late years, supporting the men and 
measures meeting the approval of his judgment. He served fourteen terms, 
by election and appointment, as supervisor of Brookfield Township, two terms 
as Township clerk, and has also been incumbent of the offices of justice of 
the peace and highway commissioner, always showing a lively interest in 
public affairs of a local nature. In the year 1878 Mr. Estelle made the run 
for state senator on the Greenback ticket and in 1896 was nominated for 
representative in the state legislature and upon both occasions he made a 
very complimentary showing, but his party was in the minority. In September 
1864, Mr. Estelle tendered his services in defense of the Union, enlisting 
in the Twenty-eighth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel 
W. W. Wheeler, and remaining in the service until the close of the war. He 
was mustered out May 22, 1865, and was duly granted his honorable discharge. 
He took part in the battle of Nashville and in a number of minor engagements. 
From January 25 to March 22, 1865, he was confined to the hospital in 
Alexandria, Virginia, as the result of illness. Mr. Estelle is identified 
with the Grange, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Knights of the 
Maccabees. January 18, 1844, Mr. Estelle was united in marriage to Miss 
Lucinda Kinne, daughter of Buell Kinne, who was one of the sterling pioneers 
of Monroe County, this state, where he took up his residence in 1836. Mr. and 
Mrs Estelle became the parents of seven children, of whom five are living, 
namely: Edwin Allena, Henry, Victor and Clara May, the last mentioned being 
now the wife of John L. Hoffnagle. They reside in the state of Washington.





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