My Genealogy Hound

John Esler, one of the prosperous farmers of Rose township, Oakland County, Michigan, residing on his fine, well improved farm of 120 acres in section 17, was born in the city of New York, September 17, 1853, and is a son of John and Margaret (Gordon) Esler, both of whom were born in County Antrim, Ireland.

John Esler, father of our subject, learned the trade of carpenter in his native land. He migrated to New York in 1846 and followed his trade there for eight years. In March, 1854, he removed to Michigan and located in Oakland County, in section 16, Rose township, where he took up 80 acres of school land and so determined was he to have his claim recorded, that he walked the whole distance to Lansing for the purpose. He did considerable building in the township, one of the structures still standing being a house owned by John Bush. A hotel and store building at Holly which he built about this time were burned some years ago. Mr. Esler worked hard at the clearing of his land, but death came at the comparatively early age of 43 years, on August 9, 1863. On Long Island he was married to Margaret Gordon, who came to this country from Ireland with her parents, who located on Long Island. She survived her husband many years, dying at the home of our subject, December 28, 1896, within a few months of her 72nd birthday. Our subject has a brother and two sisters, viz: James A., who died in 1861, aged two and a half years; Eliza Jane, born in 1856, who married Smith M. Baits, of Dowagiac, Michigan, in May, 1880, has one son, Stuart G., aged 12 years; and Margaret A., born in April, 1861, who has been a teacher in the Lansing Industrial School for the past 15 years, and is a lady of education and great mental ability.

John Esler, our subject, was one year old when his parents came to Oakland County, a stage bringing the little party from Pontiac to the neighborhood of their future home. Mr. Esler has added to his father’s original farm and now owns 120 acres of very valuable and productive land. He has erected all the fine buildings which immediately attract favorable comment and which entitle him to be regarded as the possessor of one of the most desirable properties in his section. He has engaged in general farming and does some stock feeding, and also pays attention to fruit growing.

On October 20, 1886, Mr. Esler was married to Fannie Williams, who was born in 1855 in Steuben County, New York, and is a daughter of Seabury and Nancy (March) Williams, the former of whom gave up his life for his country on the field at Antietam; Mrs. Williams passed away some 20 years ago. Mrs. Esler has two brothers and three sisters, viz: Oscar R, and Benton, farmers of Steuben County, New York; Eliza (Mrs. Theodore Clement), of Detroit; Annette (Mrs. Allen Walrod), of Sac County, Iowa; and Mary Ellen (Mrs. Thomas Aulls), of Steuben county, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Esler have two charming daughters, viz: Grace M., born May 26, 1889; and Mildred W., born August 22, 1891. The members of the Esler family have been upholders of the Presbyterian faith for generations, but Mrs. Esler was reared a Methodist and is a valued member of the church at Rose Center. In politics, Mr. Esler is a Democrat and has served in local offices, having been the very efficient township treasurer in 1895 and 1896.