Lorenzo Pillen Lorenzo Pillen, of section 23, Dalton Township, Muskegon County, is one of the large land owners of this locality. A native of Canada, his birth occurred at Kingston in 1830. His father, George Pillen, a native of Lancashire, was of humble parentage, and early in life, being obliged to make his living, learned the weaver's trade. He was only eighteen years old when went into the British army, enlisting in the service for life. He was a faithful soldier for more than eleven years and took part in the great wars with France and Napoleon. He was never wounded or taken prisoner, but at length became dissatisfied with army life and after paying $80 managed to secure his discharge papers. After this had been effected he removed to Kingston, Canada, where for several years he was a servant. He was there married to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Simon and Mary (Walker) Hough, and who was born in Canada. Simon Hough was a refugee at the time of the Revolutionary War and was a Tory. He received eight hundred acres of Government land, two hundred of which fell as a inheritance to our subject's mother. Mr. Hough removed to Victoria County and brought up his family on a farm. He afterward returned to Kingston to live with one of his children. At the time of his death he was ninety-two years of age, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife passed away in her seventy-eighth year.Lorenzo Pillen is the third in his father's family of nine children, the others in order of birth being John, Adolphus, Charles, Parker, Henry; Finetta, deceased wife of William Tool; Hannah, wife of Davis McLaughlin; and Julia Ann, wife of Peter Van Allen. Our subject received much of his education in the district schools and was early familiarized with the routine of farm work. For several years he turned his attention to the painter's trade, but finally devoted himself to agriculture. In 1865 Mr. Pillen settled at Romeo, Mich., where he remained only a year. It was in 1866 that he located on his present farm, where his first purchase was one of one hundred and sixty acres of wild land. As the years passed, he continually bought tracts of land, improved and otherwise, until he had in his possession the deeds of twenty forty-acre farms. In addition to general farming and investments in real estate, Mr. Pillen has been extensively engaged in milling and the lumber business. His judgment is universally correct in regard to investments, and, therefore, his opinion is much sought after by his friends and neighbors. In 1853, Mr. Pillen was united in marriage, in Canada, to Miss Abigail, daughter of Benjamin and Susannah Williams. Five children grace their union: George; Susannah, wife of George Rice; John; Martha, wife of Martin Eby; and William H. The members of this family are justly numbered among the best citizens of the county. Recognizing his business ability, the neighbors of our subject have several times shown their wisdom in electing Mr. Pillen Treasurer of Dalton Township, and his able management of affairs has been alike creditable to himself and to them. For three terms he has capably filled the position of Township Supervisor. The vote of Me. Pillen is invariably for the nominees of the Republican party. Samuel Maffett, the affable and energetic Treasurer
of the city of Muskegon Heights, is a prominent real-estate man, and possesses
extended information and thorough knowledge of outside and inside properties.
From his early youth a resident of the Wolverine State, he enjoys a wide
acquaintance and intimate association with the leading interests of his
present locality. Our subject is a native of Dutchess County, N. Y., and
was born June 25, 1831. His paternal grandfather, Robert Maffett, emigrated
from Ireland to America at an early day, and settled in the Sate of New
York, where he reared his family. William M. McKillip,
an enterprising and prominent citizen and a retired lumberman of Muskegon,
Mich., who for two-score years actively engaged in business in the Wolverine
State, has acquired a handsome competence and materially aided in the rapid
growth of the vital interests of Muskegon County. The early home of our
subject was i Washington County, N. Y., where he was born February 12,
1822. His parents, David and Mary (Mc Lean) McKillip, long-time and well-known
residents of the Empire State, were od Scotch ancestry, the families having
early emigrated to the United States, where they took a leading place among
the honest, industrious and law-abiding citizens to whom the prosperity
of our country is due. The father was born in New York, and received his
education and youthful training in his native State, where he married and
passed many years of usefulness, engaged in the occupation of a carpenter
and builder. The maternal ancestors of Mr. McKillip came from the Old Country
to New Jersey about a century ago, the grandfather, James McLean, having
been born in that State. Our subject passed the days of boyhood upon his
father's farm and, attending the district school of the home neighborhood,
obtained a good rudimentary education. |
Copyright © 2000 by Patti Norton. All rights reserved.