Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Rockwood, Chandler H. 1825 - 1891
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 22, 2007, 2:23 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

CHANDLER H. ROCKWOOD. This prominent and highly respected farmer of Genesee
Township, Genesee County, was born in the township of York, Livingston County,
N. Y., May 17, 1825. Conway, Mass., was the native home of his father, Garrett
Rockwood, and January 19, 1795 was his natal day. His life ended in Ohio on New
Year's Day, 1835. Sarah Holloway became his wife January 9, 1823. She was a
native of Massachusetts and was born September 7, 1794 and survived her husband
many years, passing away in Marseilles, Ill., June 6, 1883. The family record
can be traced back as far as 1636.

  Three daughters and one son made up the household of S. Garrett and Sarah
Rockwood. The three daughters were Sarah, Eliza and Maria, one of them dying at
the age of six and one passing away after reaching the age of forty years. Our
subject is the eldest child and only son. The father died when our subject was
only nine years old and this poor boy started out for himself at the age of
fourteen going to live with a man with the understanding that he was to remain
with him until twenty-one years Of age, but worked for him only two years Until
he was nineteen years old he worked on the farm summers and went to school
during the winters and then began to teach school and afterward attended school
again, studying in the academy at Geneseo, N. Y.

  After leaving school the young man began carpentry work and undertook the
manufacture of fanning mills. He came West, arriving in Flint, October 12, 1848,
and there carried on that business for three years, expecting to go to college
but instead bought a farm upon which he remained for three years and then sold
it and removed to Flint, going into the manufacturing of doors, sash and blinds.
He sold out this business in 1856 and bought a farm in Genesee Township this
county, where he lived for ten years, pursuing general farming and
stock-raising, but in 1867 sold the property on section 20, and bought the farm
upon which he now resides, and upon which he has made many and substantial
improvements.

  Mr. Rockwood was married December 15, 1851, to Catherine V., second daughter
of Isaac and Eliza (Buckingham) Robinson. Mr. Robinson was born in Windham, N.
Y., May 3; 1803, and in the spring of 1833 he started for the West, leaving Mt.
Morris, in Livingston County, N. Y., and locating in Flint, Mich., where there
was then one log house standing near the site of the bank. They went north of
this point and located Government land in what was known as the Cold water
settlement and there they improved a farm and lived for about fifteen years
after which they located in Flint where the father died November 30, 1889. Mrs.
Robinson was born in Hoboken, N. J., and died in her forty-ninth year.

  Mrs. Rockwood was born in Mt. Morris, N. Y., April 18, 1830 and was thus three
years old when she came to Michigan with her parents. After this she never lived
outside of Genesee County. She completed her education in Flint and began
teaching at the age of sixteen and taught nine terms in the district schools.
She belongs to one of the old New England families and can trace her ancestry
back to 1620.

  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Rockwood are William C., who married Ella
Eldridge and lives in this county; Alice E., who is Mrs. M. E. Hammond; Charles
R., married Catherine Davenport, and is a Civil Engineer in Washington State;
and Edmond H., who resides at home with his parents. Mr. Rockwood is a strong
Republican and in his early days was a Whig. He has served as Justice of the
Peace and Commissioner of Highways and all through the war served as Supervisor
filling this office thirteen years in all. In 1867 he was elected to the
Legislature and he has served as Assistant Assessor of Revenue for Genesee,
Shiawassee and Clinton Counties and kept this office until it was closed out by
the Government. He was appointed Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue and was
elected County Treasurer, holding that office four years, as long as the law
allows. He is identified with the order of Free Masons and also with that of the
Patrons of Industry.

  Since the above was written our subject has passed hence, the date of his
death being November 1, 1891.


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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