Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Wightman, Cyrus D.  1812 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 16, 2007, 9:53 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

CYRUS D. WIGHTMAN is a retired capitalist and a prominent Baptist, having been
for many years a member of the church in Fenton. He and his wife, who has
recently died, were united in marriage for over fifty-six years. He was born in
Herkimer County, N. Y., October 26, 1812, and is a son of Allen and Susan
(Wightman) Wightman, natives of Connecticut and New York respectively. The
father became a farmer in New York and the grandfather was a soldier in the
Revolutionary War and died in Herkimer County, N. Y.

  The family traces its descent from six brothers who lived in England, where
one of them, was beheaded on account of his religious convictions, being a
Protestant, and the other five came to this country, over two hundred years ago.
The parents of our subject were earnest and devoted members of the Baptist
Church. Cyrus D. Wightman is the only son in his father's family and has three
sisters living. At the age of eighteen having received a district school
education he began clerking in a general store. When he left home at the
above-mentioned age he had one dollar which he had earned, and which he placed
at interest and he now has nearly $100,000 loaned out at interest.

  When twenty years old Mr. Wightman started a general country store at
Jordanville, Herkimer County, N. Y., purchasing his goods in New York City.
Twenty years later he sold out that business and purchased a small farm which he
carried on for five years. He then sold that property and again stocking up his
old store continued thus engaged for live years.

  In October, 1870, Mr. Wightman came to Fenton, Michigan, and has since lived
here, devoting his attention to the care of his property. He was married
February 24, 1835, to Sophia M. Shaw, who was born September 4, 1816, in the
same county of New York, which gave him birth. She passed from life August 22,
1891, being then seventy-five years old. One child Elias B., born May 12, 1836,
lives in Fenton having been here since 1872.

  Our subject was a Whig in his early days but has been a Republican since the
organization of that party. For over twenty years he was Justice of the Peace of
Jordanville and was also Township Clerk for several years. He united with the
Baptist Church at the age of sixteen in 1828 and it was at almost as early a
date that his good wife connected herself with the same body. He has now been
Deacon for a number of years and is a liberal giver to church and charitable
purposes.

  A lithographic portrait of Mr. Wightman is presented in connection  with this
personal sketch.


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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