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Submitted by  Cheryl VanWomer

				

				EDSON AND ABIGAIL (WILLARD) ENGLISH.

	This venerable pioneer was born in the town of Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vt., Sept. 12, 
1801.  His father, David English, was one of the prominent farmers and influential citizens of 
Orange County, and reared a family of five children, Edson being the fourth; he was a man of 
marked integrity, and died in Tunbridge in February, 1840.  Edson lived with his father until he 
died; he received a common-school education, and was married April 12, 1823, to Miss Abigail 
Willard.  She was born in 1799, April 14th.  After their marriage he went back to the old home, 
where he remained until April, 1840, when he came West on a tour of observation.  He came to 
Boston, where his brother Worcester, the first settler of the town, had already settled.  He was 
very favorably impressed with the soil and natural advantages, and, foreseeing that it would 
ultimately become a more prosperous country than the one he had left, he concluded to make it his
home.  He accordingly purchased one hundred and sixty acres where he now resides and returned 
East for his family.  Aug. 17, 1840, he left Tunbridge, Vt., with his family and household goods 
in two wagons; the family consisted of his wife, mother, and five children.  The journey occupied
forty-five days, and was devoid of any incident worthy of mention.  In 1859 he paid his old home 
a visit, and the journey previously made in forty-five days occupied only thirty-five hours.  Mr.
English has identified himself prominently with all the initial events in the history of Boston. 
He established the first school taught within the present limits of the town of Boston, his 
daughter being the teacher.  In all social and religious matters Mr. English has taken a 
conspicuous part, and has done much in advancing religious interests, to which he has been a 
generous supporter.  Both he and his wife are prominent members of the Methodist Church.  this 
biography would not be complete without special mention of his estimable wife, whose influence
and sage counsel has been largely productive of good.  She was born in Sharon, Orange Co., Vt., 
and was the daughter of Elias Willard and Abigail Hill.  At the age of fourteen years she was 
thrown upon her own resources and went to live with a family by the name of Lee, with whom she 
remained four years.  Both she and her husband are valuable members of society, and their names 
will live in Boston's history so long as anything is known of it.



This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" 
by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881.  Page 208.  Boston.