Mecosta-Hillsdale County MI Archives Biographies.....Northrup, Clarence L. June 28, 1844 - 
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Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 16, 2009, 1:53 am

Author: Chapman Brothers

CLARENCE L. NORTHRUP, senior member of the firm of Northrup & Malone, 
attorneys and real-estate dealers, was born in North Adams, Hillsdale Co., 
Mich., June 28, 1844, and is a son of Jabez S. and Mary A. (Monroe) Northrup.

He traces his paternal lineage to the Colonial period of this nation's 
history, when seven brothers of his patronymic came from England to 
Connecticut.  A descendant of these, Daniel Northrup, moved to Saratoga Co., 
N.Y., previous to the war of the Revolution.  Lewis Northrup, son of Daniel, 
was born there Jan. 15, 1768, was married September 15, 1792, to Robah Smith 
(born in Milton, Saratoga Co., N.Y., May 20, 1772, and died Oct. 3, 1838), and 
died May 9, 1853, leaving four sons and one daughter.  Most of their 
descendants yet reside in Saratoga and Fulton Counties in the Empire State.  
Jabez S. Northrup, third son, was born in Galway, Saratoge Co., April 20, 
1803.  He began teaching at the age of 18 and continued in that vocation many 
years.  From 1821 to 1825 he belonged to the State militia, and was assigned 
to the Governor's staff, with the rank of Lieutenant.  He was married Nov. 11, 
1829, to Hulda Smith, and removed with his family seven years later to the 
(then) Territory of Michigan, and bought a considerable tract of land in 
Hillsdale County, most of which is the present site of North Adams.  His wife 
died in 1842, leaving four daughters.  May 3, 1843, he married Mary Celina, 
eldest daughter of Lester and Lorena (Rolfe) Monroe, born Dec. 28, 1821, and 
by this marriage he became the father of seven sons and one daughter.  Lester 
Monroe was born April 16, 1796, at Cooperstown, Albany Co., N.Y., and was the 
son of David and Anna (Andrus) Monroe.  The former was born Sept. 26, 1768, 
and was cousin to James Monroe, fifth President of the United States.  The 
Monroe stock is of Scotch origin, and its representatives are diffused through 
both sections of this country.  David Monroe and Anna Andrus were married Jan. 
16, 1794.  The latter was born Oct. 23, 1771, and died June 12, 1817.  The 
former died July 31, 1837, leaving a large family of children.  Lester Monroe 
served with distinction in the war of 1812, participating in the battles of 
Lundy's Lane, etc., and at the close of the war retired to private life.  He 
was married Sept. 12, 1817, to Lorena Rolfe, born April 9, 1801, of parents 
made conspicuous by the fact that they were survivors of the Wyoming 
massacre.  In 1836 Lester Monroe moved with his family to Pittsford, Hillsdale 
Co., Mich., and is now living in that county, aged 87 years.

Mr. Northrup of this sketch is the eldest son.  His father removed to 
Jefferson, Hillsdale County, and bought a valuable farm near Osseo, where he 
was reared and educated with care, his father and step-sisters being 
experienced teachers.  The underlying element governing his father in the 
rearing of his children was to leave them as a heritage "liberal education, 
good business habits and strict religious principles."  Mr. Northrup was but 
17 years old when the civil war in all its blind fury and with all its 
ineffaceable disasters shook the nation throughout its wide extent.  The 
studious, reflective boy, whose every impulse had been disiciplined to revere 
his country, and to regard her integrity as almost of divine origin, was 
inspired with the same ambition that led the sons of the North to rise as one 
man and rescue the nation from the consequences of the infuriated folly of the 
South.  In March, 1862, he left school and hastened home.  No remonstrance of 
parent or friend availed aught to change his determination to dare the fate of 
war and die, if need be, in the cause of home and country.  He enlisted in Co. 
E. (Hillsdale Light Guard), Fourth Michigan Vo. Inf., adn was soon in front of 
Yorktown, his regiment having been assigned to the Army of the Potomac.  He 
saw much hard service in that severest, most disasterous campaign of the war, 
the Peninsular struggle under McClellan.  He was in action through the Seven 
Days' Battles, was with Pope in his short career with the Army of Virginia, 
and fought at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the 
Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House.  At the last, the Fifth Army Corps, 
to which his regiment was attached, led the advance; and during the struggle 
of May 10, 1864, he sustained a dangerous gunshot wound, lying six hours on 
the field before he was discovered and taken to Emory Hospital, at 
Washington.  When sufficiently recovered he was sent to the York (Pa.) 
Hospital.  His period of enlistment expired before he was wholly recovered, 
and he received his discharge March 18, 1865, after more than three years' 
arduous service.  After the expiration of his term of service he was in the 
Government employ until the Rebellion was crushed and peace restored, when he 
again traversed the fields where he had before met only uncompromising 
conflict.

Mr. Northrup passed the next two years in farming and study and as telegraph 
operator.  He was united in the holy bonds of matrimony April 6, 1867, to 
Katie Maud, youngest daughter of George and Lanie (Fox) Wilson, born at 
Kalamo, Eaton Co., Mich.  Oct. 2, 1849.  Her father was born in England, and 
her mother in Montgomery Co., N.Y., and were pioneers of Eaton County, where 
they located in 1837.  Mrs. Northrup was educated at Marshall, Mich., and is a 
lady of earnest, Christian character, of retiring habits, and well known only 
to those who see her in her private walks of life.  She belongs to the 
Congregational Church, and is a quiet worker in the Sunday-school.

Mr. and Mrs. Northrup have had four children, viz:  Vannie P., born Dec. 25, 
1868; Vernon W., April 3, 1870; Vera Maria, born May 16, 1875, died July 30, 
1876; Veda Maud, March 24, 1878.

After his marriage Mr. Northrup went to Sherman, Wexford Co., Mich., where he 
remained but a short time, and returned to Eaton County, going back to Sherman 
a few months later, and there employing his time as a farmer, speculator, 
teacher, and salesman in a store, meanwhile reading for the profession of 
law.  He was admitted to the bar in 1874, and soon after entered into 
partnership with the Hon. T. A. Ferguson.  While at Sherman he served as 
Deputy Sheriff, acted several years as a member of the Board of Supervisors, 
and was the first County Superintendent of Schools.  In 1875 he went to 
Traverse County and taught school a year, going thence to Benzie County, and 
in June, 1876, he located at Benzonia, the county seat.  He was appointed 
Deputy County Clerk, and the same year was elected Circuit Court Commissioner 
of Benzie County, which office he held six years.  In 1878 he was elected 
Prosecuting Attorney of the county, and re-elected in 1880.  During the 
campaign preceding his second election, the opposing candidate said of 
him:  "I consider him the most industrious, careful and painstaking lawyer in 
Benzie County.  His standing as a citizen in the community is well evidenced 
by the remarkable number of offices of profit and honor he has been chosen to 
fill by the suffrages of his fellow-citizens."

The records make a rare exhibit concerning the private character, professional 
ability, manly integrity and stainless reputation of Mr. Northrup, which need 
no stronger testimony than the names of Judge McAlvey and Hon. A.H. Dunlap, of 
Manistee, Judge Hatch, of Traverse City, Judge Goodrich of South Frankfort, 
Hon. D. C. Leach, M. C., Colonel Fowler, or Gov. Begole's staff, and Gen. 
Cutchen.

In the fall of 1882 Mr. Northrup sought a wider field of effort, and made a 
proscpecting tour of the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin, and a few months later 
visited Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska; but he resolved to adhere to his 
first love, and in April, 1883, removed to Big Rapids and opened a law office 
in the Opera block.  Not long afterward he formed an association with G. R. 
Malone, a young attorney of high character and unmistakeable promise, under 
the style of Northrup & Malone, Lawyers and Real-Estate Brokers.  The business 
of the concern is in a thriving condition, and the established probity and 
worth of the gentlemen at its head are extending its scope and giving 
permanency to its purposes.

We take great pleasure in presenting the portrait of Mr. Northrup in this work.

Additional Comments:
1883 Portrait & Bio Album of Mecosta Co.

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