Tuscola-Lapeer-Oakland County MI Archives Biographies.....Tompkins, Josiah 1844 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 13, 2007, 12:10 am

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

JOSIAH TOMPKINS. The fine farm located on section 24, Watertown Township,
Tuscola County, is owned by the gentleman whose name appears above. He is a
native of England and was born December 4, 1844. He is a son of William and
Martha (Sanders) Tompkins, both natives of England. They were the parents of
eleven sons and four daughters. In 1850 our subject, father and eldest brother
emigrated to America and spent two years in New York, the mother and the rest of
the family coming over in 1851, and thence going to Canada where they remained
until 1857, from which time their residence in the Wolverine State dates.

  On coming to Michigan our subject first settled in Lapeer County on a farm of
fifty-six acres. He later removed to Oakland County and secured forty acres of
land and in 1877 he came to Tuscola County, and here the father of tour subject
lived until his decease, in 1881, his death taking place in the month of March.
His wife died in January, of that year. They traveled through life together for
sixty years, the father being ninety years of age at the time of his death and
the mother eighty.

  William Tompkins was a tireless, hard-working man. After sixty years of age he
cleared a large farm. Before coming to this country he was in early manhood a
shepherd, but for a number of years afterward he had been a policeman in London.
He of whom we write was seven years of age when his parents came to this
country. March 27, 1870, he was married in Watertown to Almira L. Peterson, a
native of Pennsylvania, who was born March 29, 1853. She was a daughter of J. S.
Peterson, a native of New York. Her mother's maiden name was Emily Parker, and
Mrs. Tompkins was one of five children born to her parents. Her father was a
millwright by trade; he came to Lapeer County in 1857 and there now resides. He
bears the excellent record as having served in the war for four years.

  To our subject and wife have been born two children—Fred C. and Frank E. They
have also an adopted child who is named Vella M. Mr. Tompkins enlisted in 1864
in company A, Twenty-ninth Michigan Infantry. He was in a number of skirmishes
and received his discharge in 1865. Our subject now owns eighty acres of good
land and excellent buildings. In 1878 he built a fine barn, and has done much
toward putting his farm in the best condition. For a number of years he engaged
in the milling business, but has been a farmer for the greater portion of his.
life; he breeds Merino sheep. Socially, he is a member of Lonson Post, G. A. R.
Politically, he is a Prohibitionist and has always been so in sentiment. He and
his wife and sons are members of the Protestant Methodist Church.


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/tuscola/bios/tompkins624gbs.txt

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