Genesee-Washtenaw County MI Archives Biographies.....Fairbank, Jerome Z. 1827 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 2, 2007, 5:48 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

JEROME Z.FAIRBANK. A man who is descended from parents of character and ability,
and who has also become prominent and successful by virtue of his own business
talents and personal reputation deserves, more than ordinary mention in such a
volume as this. This son of Zenus Fairbank was born in Wayne County, N. Y.,
December 10, 1827 and his father was a native of Keene, Cheshire County, N. H.,
whence he removed at the age of seventeen to Madison County, N. Y., and was
there united in marriage with Lucy Wade, a native of Connecticut. The parents of
our subject removed to Wayne County, N. Y. and in December, 1835 came to
Michigan and made their home in Washtenaw County till the following year, and in
June, 1836, took up Government land in Fenton Township, Genesee County, and
there resided until their death, that of the father occurring December 28, 1852,
and the mother passing away October 84, 1855. When they came to this township
there were less than a dozen voters within its bounds.

  Here Zenus Fairbank built a log house and during that first year he
manufactured brick which was the first made in this part of the State and people
came to him from far and near to be supplied with this important commodity. It
was difficult to raise young lambs and pigs in that day on account of wolves and
other wild animals.

  This prominent pioneer was well informed and an extensive reader, and by his
own studies prepared himself for practicing medicine which made him doubly
useful in this pioneer community as he was called to see the sick for many miles
about. He was very attentive to them sparing no pains, and his death resulted
from exposure upon a very cold night when called to visit one of his patients.

  On one occasion when this pioneer doctor was returning from a visit, as he
passed through an opening in the woods near Silver Lake he saw a large wolf in
the act of springing upon him and it was only after repeated repulses that he
succeeded in driving away this hungry beast. He was one of the founders of the
Free Will Baptist Church which has now ceased to exist in that vicinity. Six of
his eight children are still living. He was one of the organizers of Argentine
Township, which has since been divided into Argentine and Fenton Townships.

  After studying in the log schoolhouse Jerome Fairbank attended the Linden
schools and taught some besides helping his father to clear the old homestead.
At the age of nineteen he became self-supporting and with two younger brothers,
undertook to purchase a piece of land, so that at the age of twenty-one he was
the happy possessor of forty acres of land to which he has added from time to
time as his means would permit. In the spring of 1853 he crossed the plains to
California, traveling with ox-team and being more than six months on the way.
During part of the fourteen months that he spent in the West he engaged in
mining and brick making and returned by way of the Isthmus.

  Among the experiences of this Western trip was witnessing a lynching at
Council Bluffs of a man who was tried and convicted for murder. While they were
near Salt Lake City two of their cattle were missing and Mr. Fairbank and an
Englishman started in pursuit of them, while the train with which they were
traveling moved on a few miles, to a better camping place. While searching for
the missing steers, the Englishman found his mother who had joined the Mormons
and married a wealthy Elder. A visit of a few hours with her delayed them so
that they were given up as lost by the people with whom they had been traveling,
and as it was believed that they had been murdered by the Indians, the travelers
were stirring up all Salt Lake City about them and organizing bands to
exterminate the red men, when the two lost ones appeared safe and sound.

  The marriage of our subject with Amelia Clark, a New Yorker by birth took
place in 1857 and she was called away by death on the 19th of October, 1880,
leaving three children, Belle, Emma and Grace. Belle became the wife of Eugene
Weber and died in 1885, and Grace is Mrs. F. D. Ralson, of Peoria, Ill., and
Emma is at home. Mr. Fairbank has been active and influential in local
Republican movements and for four years was Justice of the Peace. For quite a
series of years was a member of the village Council, over which he presided for
one year. The School Board counted him as one of its members for a considerable
length of time and he has been a Mason for thirty years. All charitable causes
receive his liberal support and he is a friend to the poor and an Elder in the
Presbyterian Church.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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