Lapeer County MI Archives Biographies.....Vose, Joshua 1815 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 24, 2008, 12:32 pm Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) JOSHUA VOSE, a farmer of Burton Township, who for many years was an active pioneer of the county but has now retired from the burdens of life, was born in Bedford Township, Hillsboro County, N. H. His native home was on the Merrimac River, opposite the city of Manchester, which was then a mere hamlet situated at the Amoskeag Falls, but now is a place of fifty thousand inhabitants. His birth took place March 2, 1815. His father, Joshua Vose, was a native of the same town, and his grandfather, James, was a Massachusetts man who came at an early day to New Hampshire. The Vose family descended from Robert, one of two brothers who came in 1638, from Lancashire, England, and in 1640 settled in Milton, Mass. The origin of the family was in Germany and the name has been changed from Vosieus to Vose. The genealogic line is from Robert Vose through Thomas, Henry, Robert, Samuel, James and Joshua to our subject. The grandfather was Lieutenant in the State Militia for many years and died at the age of sixty-five. Joshua Vose had a farm of nearly four hundred acres on the Merrimac River, and was a straightforward, honorable man, highly respected in the community, prominent in political movements being first a Whig and then a Republican, and stanch in his religious faith as a member of the Presbyterian Church. He died in 1862 at the age of eighty-one years. His wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Shirley, was born in Goffstown, N. H., and her father, James Shirley, was a man of prominence there, and lived to ninety-six years of age. The mother of our subject died at the age of thirty-four years. She had four children—Daniel, James, Nancy and Joshua, of whom our subject is the only one surviving. The banks of the Merrimac River were the scenes of the early life of our subject and after taking a good common school education he attended Francestown Academy but was never very studious, as he would rather work than study. In 1835 he left home and went to the South setting sail from Boston and landing in New Orleans. He then passed up the Mississippi River to the Yazoo, where his brother had started a store. He clerked for one season and was then taken sick and returned North, as far as Pittsburg, Pa. Somewhat later he returned to Louisville, where he bought a keel boat to use on the Yazoo and Big Black Rivers. This vessel was sunk in the river and the young man thus lost over $1,000. He then invested in a flat boat in which he went to Vicksburg and was having success in business but the ague again attacked him and drove him back to New England. In the fall he once more sought the Yazoo and during the winter carried on business there, but in the spring returned to New Hampshire. After this Mr. Vose began lumbering and farming and in twelve years made $7,500. In 1853 he came to Michigan and bought pine lands in Lapeer County, and building a mill at Bay City engaged in manufacturing with Moore & Smith. A year later he sold his interest there and came to Flint, keeping his timber, however, until 1865. Since coming here he has purchased a pleasant farm which he has improved and thoroughly cultivated until it is now one of the finest in the county, having upon it a beautiful home, excellent barns and all the appurtenances' of a first-class farm. It is known far and wide as the Vose Stock Farm. Since 1870 Mr. Vose has retired from his farm and made his home in the city. In 1841, April 19, Joshua Vose and Maria Alexander were united in marriage in New Hampshire. This lady was born in Dunbarton that State, and to her was born one daughter, Mary, who died at the age of nineteen years in 1861. In 1842 Mr. Vose became a member of an Independent Military Company which was known as the Bedford Highlanders and for three years he served as First Lieutenant and for two years as Captain. In 1831 he joined the Presbyterian Church in company with ninety others who at that time made their profession of faith in Christ and from that time to this he has been active in church work. Until he felt that he must resign he was for years an Elder, and useful in that capacity. He had long been a member of the Republican party and in the days before its organization a Whig, and voted for William Henry Harrison in 1840. 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 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/lapeer/bios/vose1044gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb