Lapeer County MI Archives Biographies.....Lombard, Lydia Gray 1811 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 26, 2006, 5:34 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

MRS. LYDIA LOMBARD resides on a farm on section 3, Lapeer Township, Lapeer
County, and is the widow of Frank Lombard. He was a native of Windsor, Vt., born
September 14, 1803. He was descended from an old Vermont family, his
grandfather, Solomon Lombard, having been a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Mr. Lombard was reared on a farm and was married in April, 1834, to Lydia Gray,
daughter of Alpheus and Deborah (June) Gray They were both natives of Vermont
and were farmers. He moved into New York State at the close of the War of 1812,
and settled in Wayne County on a new farm, which he improved. He was killed by a
tree falling upon him in 1826, at the age of forty-six years, leaving a widow
and seven children.

  The mother of Mrs. Lombard remained on the farm until 1848, when she came to
Michigan and made her home with our subject until her death, in December, 1857.
She was a member of the Methodist Church, while her husband was a Baptist in
religion. Of the family of Alpheus Gray five came to Michigan: Harvey, Mrs.
Orvis Rood; our subject; Mrs. Henry Dodds, and A. J. Gray. Of these there are
only two now living—our subject and A. J. Gray.

  Mrs. Lombard was born August 18, 1811, in Brandon, Rutland County, Vt. After
their marriage she and her husband came to Michigan in December, 1834, and at
once moved to the farm where she now resides on section 3, Lapeer Township. Mr.
Lombard erected a log house and began clearing off his land. Some Indians
troubled them and wolves and other wild animals were plentiful. The wolves at
one time killed $100 worth of sheep. They settled on one hundred and twenty
acres of timber, to which Mr. Lombard afterward added forty acres, and
fifty-five acres elsewhere in this township. He cleared up all his farm and
built his residence in 1853, which was one of the best to be seen at that time.
He gave his entire attention to his farm and was a very hard workingman all his
life. He owned two hundred and five acres at his death, which took place
November 29, 1875. They were not blessed with any children.

  Mrs. Lombard has rented the farm on which she has lived continuously for
fifty-seven years. She and her husband became members of the Methodist Church in
1857. He died in the faith and was a stanch supporter of the Church and a
Class-Leader for many years. Mr. Lombard was originally a Democrat, but later
became a Republican. He was Highway Commissioner at one time, serving the county
to the best of his ability. Having started out in life empty-handed, we can but
consider his career as a most successful one. His widow is now eighty years of
age and in good health with the exception of rheumatism. She attends church at
Lapeer every pleasant Sunday. Although having no children of her own, she has
reared half a dozen orphans. She now has Grace McDowell, whose mother was reared
by Mrs. Lombard, and after her death, January 19, 1880, Miss Grace, then eleven
years of age, was taken home by Mrs. Lombard, and with her has ever since found
a comfortable home. She is well educated, having been a  student at the Fenton
Normal School, and has also taught school in this county. On both sides of this
family they were all working people.


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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