Mecosta County MI Archives Biographies.....Showers, Sidney May 15, 1830 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 17, 2009, 4:03 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers

SIDNEY SHOWERS,  farmer, sec. 22, Grant Tp., was born May 15, 1830, in Canada, 
across the Niagara River 

from Buffalo.  His father was a native of ERie Co., N.Y., and his mother of 
New Hampshire.  They became 

residents of New York when he was six weeks old.  He was thrown upon his own 
resources at nine years of 

age, and at the age of 15 years he went to work on a farm for Jesse and Oliver 
Field, of Erie Co., N.Y.  He 

continued in their employ for four years, when he and his brother Andrew 
together bought 50 acres of land.  

They labored on it two years, and then sold it.  Mr. Showers then engaged as a 
stage-driver, which 

occupation he followed 11 months.

He was married March 19, 1853, to Elizabeth, daughter of James and Mary 
Buffam, who was born in Colden, 

Erie Co., N.Y., June 14, 1852, and at the time of her marriage resided in 
Aurora, N.Y.  The children of Mr. 

and Mrs. Showers are as follows:  James, born Aug. 26, 1854, in Aurora; 
Stephen B., Nov. 22, 1856, in Elma, 

N.Y.; Mary E., Nov. 4, 1858, in Hamburg, N.Y.; Sarah E., Oct. 23, 1862, in 
Oswego, N.Y.; Electa M., June 

24, 1866, in Colden; Galusha P., Nov. 5, 11869, also in Colden; Catherine M., 
born July 1, 1873, in Colden, 

died in infancy.  James S. married Anna Smith of Cattaraugus Co., N.Y., by 
whom he had two children - 

Florence E., born March 17, 1877, and Adelbert, born Sept. 15, 1881.  Stephen 
B. married Minerva DAvis, of 

Green Tp., this county, and they have one child - Maud, born Sept. 5, 1881.  
Mary E. married John BUrtnett, 

and died Oct. 6, 1879, leaving one child, Carrie A., who was cared for by her 
grandparents until her death, 

which occurred Jan. 7, 1872.

Mr. Showers was variously employed until the date of his enlistment March 17, 
1864, in Co. I., Heavy 

Artillery, N.Y. Vols.  He was discharged in June 1865.  The regiment was 
placed with their ordinance on the 

gunboats of the James River and on the coast of Virginia and North Carolina, 
where they were on duty.  The 

severe service and exposure brought on camp diarrhea; his eye-sight was 
permanently injured, and he 

suffered much from rheumatism.

After his discharge he was employed as a butcher until 1876.  In May of that 
year he came to Big Rapids, 

and worked as a gardener and in grading city lots for some time, when he 
engaged in farming a year in 

Colfax Tp., near Clear Lake.  He passed the following year in Big Rapids, in 
the pursuit of business of a 

character similar to that of his former employment in that city.  A year later 
he bought the farm he now 

occupies, containing 40 acres of land, and situated in the center of the 
township of Grant.  He has put the 

place in a condition second to none in the township; has 70 bearing fruit-
trees, consisting of apples, 

plums, pears, cherries, etc., also a span of horses, cow, two heifers and five 
hogs, all of good grade and 

first-class in every particular.  Politically Mr. Showers is a Democrat.

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

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/mecosta/bios/showers545nbs.txt

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