Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Karen D. Foster for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================== U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================== Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ========================================================================== SOURCE: History of Genesee County, Michigan pub. Everts and Abbott - 1879 Page 299 - 300 VOLNEY STILES Volney stiles was born in Aurelius, Cayuga Co., N.Y., April 16, 1811. His father moved to Livingston Co., N.Y., when Mr. Stiles was a small lad, and engaged in farming. Yolney, like the farmers' boys of that day, worked on his father's farm as soon as he was old enough, and went to school a few weeks during the winter months. Arrived at his majority, he started out in life for himself, with only his industrious habits and health and strength as his capital. His first money was made from raising wheat on shares. But this was too slow a method, and he determined to go to a new country where land was cheap, and there obtain a farm of his own. The fall of 1833 found him in Mundy township, Genesee Co., Mich., then an almost unbroken wilder- ness. Two or three settlers only had preceded him. Mr. Stiles, who was then a single man, bought of the government the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 11, and erected a shanty thereon. He passed the winter of 1833-34 on his lot, and made a clearing. In the fall of 1834 he sowed a few acres of wheat. Two years later he sold this land and bought the west half of the northwest quarter of section 13, in Mundy, a few acres only of which was improved. On this he built a log house, and cleared and improved thirty acres. The wolves were then numerous, and their howling at first kept Mr. Stiles awake, but he soon became accustomed to it, and slept as soundly as though in the midst of civilization. The subsequent death of his wife was a sad bereavement, and caused him to sell his place and, for a time, work for others. In 1840 he again married, and then bought another (new) farm, in Grand Blanc, which he cleared up and improved. Since then Mr. Stiles has owned several farms, and has done his share towards improving and making Genesee County what it is to-day. And now, at a ripe old age, respected and esteemed by his fellow-townsmen, he resides in the town- ========================================================================== Page 300 ship which he has seen develop from a wilderness into one of the finest in the county. In politics Mr. Stiles is a Democrat. He has held the offices of town clerk and justice of the peace, filling the latter position for eight years. He is liberal in his religious views, and is not a member of any church. In 1834, Mr. Stiles married Miss Mary Page, who was born in Lowell, Mass. Their union was blessed with one child, Caroline E., born Dec. 25, 1835. He married, Jan. 28, 1840, Rhoda Day ton, who was born, Dec. 2, 1805, in Bennington Co., Vt. There have been born to them the following children: Thomas P., born Oct. 13, 1842; and Mary L., born Nov. 16, 1844. Thomas P. married, March 8, 1869, Miss Wealthy Whitmore, who was born Dec. 18, 1844; they have had two children, vis.: Horace, borb Feb. 25, 1871, died Aug. 15, same year; Edith May, born May 6, 1876. ==========================================================================