My Genealogy Hound

Alexander Eaton, one of the large farmers, prominent citizens and pioneer settlers of Oakland County, was born January 10, 1820, near Syracuse, New York, and is a son of Alexander Eaton, Sr., who came to Michigan in 1837. Since 1878, our subject has resided on his fine farm of 120 acres in sections 3 and 10, Independence township.

The father of our subject was born in Connecticut and learned the tanner’s and shoemaker’s trades with which he was connected more or less the greater part of his life. In 1837 he removed with his father to Michigan and located in section 5, Brandon township, Oakland County, where he died at the age of 84 years. The long journey was made by way of the Erie Canal to Buffalo, thence by boat to Detroit, where he bought a yoke of oxen and transported his family and household goods to the farm of 120 acres which he had selected on account of its desirable location. The first log shanty built for shelter gave way in three years to a frame house, which was the second erected in Brandon township. As a survivor of the War of 1812, he received a pension of $8 a month. He was a Democrat and wherever he lived took a leading part in political and religious affairs. He was a consistent member and class leader of the Methodist Church. For a number of years he was a justice of the peace in Brandon township. He married Mary Crownhart, who was born in New York and was a daughter of George Crownhart, and they reared these children: Alexander, our subject; Clark, born November 9, 1822, who is now a resident of Flint, Michigan; Mrs. Mary Draper, deceased; Mrs. Fidelia Wells, of Ortonville, Oakland County; George, deceased; Mrs. Emily Gillet, of Cadillac, Michigan; Mrs. Hester A. Barker, deceased; and William P., who has been lost sight of.

Alexander Eaton, the esteemed subject of this sketch, was 18 years old when he accompanied his parents to Michigan, and he remained with them until he was 25 years of age, assisting in clearing up the new land, and in getting it under cultivation. At the time of his first marriage, he bought 80 acres of land from Nelson Clark, located on the banks of the Kersley, and lived there two years, clearing 40 acres of the property, erecting buildings and setting out an orchard. He then removed to Flint, where he engaged one year in shoemaking and then became associated with his father in a shoe business at Goodrichville, where he continued four years. Removing then to East Saginaw, he followed a shoe business there for nine years, doing a large amount of work and employing six assistants. Mr. Eaton was a skilled workman himself and his enterprise there was very successful, enabling him to acquire considerable property. There both his first and second wives died and he then sold out his business, married again and removed to Brandon township and engaged in farming there until 1878, when, as noted above, he settled on his present valuable property in Independence township. Mr. Eaton has followed general farming, making something of a specialty of the growing of potatoes, his land producing 1,000 bushels a year, of the choicest varieties.

Mr. Eaton was married, first, to Ada L. Pitcher, the two children of this union being: Mrs. Alice Brandon, who makes her home with her father; and James, of Cairo, Saginaw County. His second marriage was to Louise Pitcher, a sister-in-law, who at death left two children: Mrs. Ada Young, of Brandon township, Oakland County; and Curtis E., deceased. His third marriage was to Mrs. Mary Truax, a daughter of John Mathews. Mrs. Eaton died March 8, 1903, aged 79 years and two months. In politics Mr. Eaton is a Democrat and has been three times elected a justice of the peace, but did not qualify. He is a Mason and a member of the Grange. Portraits* of Mr. and Mrs. Eaton accompany this sketch, being presented on preceding pages.

*Editor's note: Portraits were included in the original printed book.