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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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Portrait and Biographical Album of
Huron County, Michigan
Pub. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1884

           [227-228]

           JOSEPH BROOMFIELD, farmer, section 19, Sigel Township, was born
       Sept. 3, 1838, in England.  He is the son of CHARLES and HANNAH
       (KENT) BROOMFIELD, natives of England, who spent their entire lives
       in that country.  Their family included the following children:
       CHARLES, JOHN, ANN, JOSEPH, WILLIAM and JOHN (2d).  Four of them
       reached mature life.
          The father of MR. BROOMFIELD was a baker and grocer, and he was
       his shop assistant until the age of 13 years.  He then left home and
       was employed in the business of a bakery about six years.
          In the spring of 1857 he emigrated from his native land to
       Canada, and passed the first six months of his residence upon the
       American continent as a farm assistant. He then proceeded to a point
       near London, Ont., and went to work in a grist-mill in the employ-
       ment of an uncle, where he was occupied nearly two years.  At the
       end of that time he again engaged in farming, which he continued
       until his removal to Huron County, which took place in the fall of
       1865.  He took possession of 80 acres of land, in Sigel Township,
       which he had pre-empted in 1859.  He built a log house and entered
       vigorously upon the work of placing his farm in the best possible
       condition.  He was making rapid strides towards prosperity and the
       accomplishment of his purpose, and in the spring of 1870 he erected
       a good barn 30x50 feet in dimensions, and his affairs were moving
       forward with satisfactory results, when the fire of the following
       year swept away the accumulation of his years of effort. His loss
       was estimated at $1,600.  As soon as possible he built a log house,
       and in the spring of 1872 he rebuilt his barn, which is 34x50, a
       larger and more valuable structure than the first. He redoubled his
       energetic efforts to place himself in comfort, and had about 50
       acres cleared and improved and in a promising state, when the second
       great fire swept over this part of Michigan and again destroyed the
       accumulated results of his unremitting toil.  Again his buildings
       were all destroyed, his barn and contents being worth at least
       $1,700. His aggregate loss was about $3,000. He is slowly retrieving
       his losses and replacing his buildings with others of a still better
       grade than those burned. His new barn is 40 x 60 feet in dimensions.
          In political connection MR. BROOMFIELD is a Republican.  He has
       officiated six years as Township Clerk, as Supervisor four years,
       and he has been Justice of the Peace most of the time since he has
       resided in the township.  He has discharged the duties of all the
       school offices, and is acting Notary Public.
          He is one of the leading and prominent citizens of Huron County,
       well and widely known as a man of honor and integrity, and as a firm
       friend of the substantial development of the county, and as a pro-
       moter of the general prosperity.  The town of Bloomfield in Huron
       County was named in his honor, a clerical error causing the change
       in orthography.
          MR. BROOMFIELD was married July 12, 1859, in Canada, to
       CATHERINE, daughter of PORTER and ANN (DOVE) McKICHAN. Her parents
       were natives of Scotland and removed to Canada from that country in
       1847. Their children were ten in number, and were named CATHERINE,
       JANE, MARY, SARAH, DUNCAN, ALEXANDER, ARCHIBALD, PETER, JOHN and
       HUGH.  MRS. BROOMFIELD was born in Scotland, June 15, 1842. Seven
       children have been born of her marriage, recorded as follows: SARAH
       A., born June 24, 1860, is the wife of GEORGE WHILLIAM; CHARLES A.
       was born March 1, 1863; MAY J., March 9, 1865; ARCHIBALD, March 15,
       1867; HANNAH, May 10, 1869; FANNY, May 4, 1871; ALICE, Feb. 6, 1874.
          Mr. and Mrs. BROOMFIELD are members of the Presbyterian Church.

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