My Genealogy Hound

Frank Scrace, a substantial farmer and prominent citizen of Oakland County, residing on a magnificent farm of 186 acres in sections 10, 11 and 15, Independence township, was born May 8, 1852, in Amherst, Erie County, New York, and is a son of John and Mary (Stephens) Scrace.

John Scrace was born at Tunbridge Wells, England, and came to America in 1835, settling in Erie County, New York. He secured work in quarries and lime kilns, but this industry caused his death, his constitution not being able to stand the strain of this labor and exposure. He died in the spring of 1853, at the age of 40 years, when our subject was a babe of one year. His wife, Mary Stephens, also a native of England, died in 1870, aged 56 years. The children born to them were the following: Samuel, who is a farmer in Genesee County, Michigan; Oliver, who makes his home with our subject; William, who with our subject bought a place in Independence township, and they worked together for 21 years, the connection being severed by William’s death in December, 1899; George, also deceased; Henry, who resides at Williamsville, New York; and Frank. Both William and Samuel Scrace were soldiers in the Civil War: the former served two years in the 12th Reg., New York Vol. Cav., in the Army of the Potomac; the latter enlisted in 1862 in the 116th Reg., New York Vol. Inf., was at the battle of Port Hudson, and after two years of service was injured and was honorably discharged.

Frank Scrace came at the age of 16 years with his widowed mother, to found a home in Michigan. He had but $15 as his capital, but he soon found farm work in Genesee County, and remained there for six years, and then came to Oakland County. He settled here in 1874 and after working for three years, by the month, had accumulated enough to warrant the purchase of his present fine farm, although the changes he has made in his 25 years of occupancy have completely transformed it. Mr. Scrace has engaged in general farming and has brought his land to a condition where it produces some of the finest crops in the county. His orchards compare favorably with any others, his peaches being particularly excellent. He is also interested in bees and owns some 37 swarms. He is assisted in the management of his large estate by his fine, stalwart sons, to whom he has sold one-half of the stock.

On December 31, 1874, Mr. Scrace was married to Ann J. Austin, who was born near Lansing, Michigan, and is a daughter of Hiram Austin. Five children were born to them, as follows: Henry; Mary, wife of John M. Hammond, of Independence township, Oakland County; William; Annie, deceased; Olive and Ada.

In politics Mr. Scrace is identified with the Democratic party, and he has held many of the local offices, with the capacity of an honest and intelligent man. For two terms he was highway commissioner, and for six years was school director and secretary of the board. Fraternally he belongs to the Grange and to the Knights of the Maccabees. Mr. Scrace, as will be seen, has won his own way in the world, and has not only acquired much property, but also the respect and esteem of those who know him.