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"Harvey Pierce, a worthy descendant of an early pioneer family of Huron county, was born January 20, 1822, in Peru township.  About 1814 his grandfather, Alden Pierce, bought a part of what was then known as the "Redenberg tract," in the "Firelands" of Huron county.  Late in 1815 he and his son Willard, with a number of other emigrants, came hither from their eastern home, the journey occupying fourty-four days.  Upon their arrival they erected a crude shelter of logs and bark, where they passed the remainder of the winter, and in the spring the Pierces erected a more substantial log cabin, and cleared the first garden spot in Greenfield township.

    Willard Pierce, the father of this subject, was born April 29, 1800, in North Leverett, Franklin Co., Mass., at the common schools of which place he received his education.  In 1815 (as above related) he migrated with his father to Ohio, where, during the ensuing four years, he carved out a home for himself in the forest.  In 1820 he set out for his native State, walking the entire distance from Huron county, Ohio, to Franklin county, Mass., and while in the East married Nancy Curtis, who was born in June, 1801, daughter of Ebenezer Curtis, of Franklin county, Mass., who died in 1811.  Under the laws of Massachusetts the marriage bans had to be publicly announced for three Sabbaths before the ceremony could be performed, and to avoid this delay Mr. Pierce took Miss Curtis to Vermont, where Old Colony formalities were not strictly observed, and there they were married.  They remained in Massachusetts just long enough to convert the property of the young wife into currency, and then set out for their future home in Ohio, the journey being made in a wagon drawn by a "Yankee team" of oxen, with a horse for a leader.  To their union were born the following children: Harvey; Jason (an invalid), of Oceania county, Mich.; Jefferson, Maria (mrs. benjamin Hull) and Allen, all residents of Kalamazoo county, Mich.; nancy, Mrs. Lovell; and Susan, Mrs. Harrison.  The father of this family died here June 22, 1847; his widow died here April 21, 1857, in the Baptist faith, and both are buried in the Hester cemetery in Bronson township.  He was a successful farmer, who, notwithstanding the extraordinary expense caused by repeated sicknesses, left a valuable property to his children.  In politics he was a Jacksonian Democrat, and in manner unassuming and sedate.

    Harvey Pierce was reared in much the same manner as all pioneer boys of his day, attending school and working on the farm alternately.  In the spring of 1843 he migrated to Wisconsin, passing through Chicago village on his way thither.  Of course there were no railroads then, and travel by wagon meant walking half the distance.  For nine months young Pierce worked in the lead mines of Iowa county, Wis., and early in 1844 returned to Ohio and worked on the farm of Robert Baker in Peru township at ten dollars per month.  Subsequently, when his father's health began to fail, Harvey took charge of the home farm, and on the death of the pioneer continued therein, caring for his invalid mother, and ultimately paying off the share of the other heirs of the estate.  On June 16, 1859, he was married to Sephronia Woodworth, who came to this section from Tompkins county, N.Y., in 1832.  To Harvey and Sephronia Pierce the following named children were born, viz.: (1) Jenett L., of New Haven township, born April 25, 1860, and was married March 18, 1884, to W.L. Smith, by whom she has two children, Harvey and Stanford; (2) Jonathan W., a farmer residing on the homestead, born January 31, 1868, and was married February 5, 1889, to Emma Kellogg, of Greenfield.  Mr. Pierce is a man of extraordinary vitality, and is so well preserved that he looks twenty years younger than he really is.  His memory is faultless, and he can speak of events connected with his youth and early manhood with remarkable accuracy.  He was a Whig prior to the organization of the Republicans, when he joined the new party.  He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church, in which Society he is an official.  Mr. Pierce is a great reader, and consequently well posted on men and events.  No one is more respected than he, and all in all he well merits the social and and agricultural success which he has won."
 

This web page is authored by Scott Duncan.  All information listed without a reference should be verified.  Any additions, questions, or comments should be sent to:

 

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