Aged 60 years, 7 months, 22 days.
HON. WARREN McCUTCHEON.
The late Hon. Warren McCutcheon, of Ransom township, who for twenty-two years was a resident of Hillsdale county, and an active participant in every phase of its political and social life, serving the people well and wisely in various official positions, exemplifying in his daily life the most elevated spirit of patriotic citizenship, was born at Epsom, in Merrimack county, N. H., on September 17, 1815, and the son of James and Hannah (Tripp) McCutcheon, natives of that state. His father was a Free Will Baptist minister, and also a lumberman, and, for his time and section was well-to-do. The son, Warren, was reared in his native county. and there received a common school education. When nineteen years old he started for the West and during the winter of 1834-5 he taught school at Republic in Seneca county, Ohio. He then worked on an Ohio farm one season and after that returned to his Eastern home, going soon afterward to Boston, where he was employed in the construction of the Bunker Hill monument. While working on this structure he injured his back, and for a number of years thereafter he was unable to perform hard or heavy labor. He then came again to Ohio and went on to Michigan, traveling in a wagon with two or three acquaintances through portions of the two states. He then learned the trade of a shoemaker, and for two or three years wrought at it at Republic, Ohio. In 1845 he journeyed with his wife and one daughter in a covered ox-cart to Fulton county, in the same state, and there bought a farm of sixty acres, on which he lived for nine or ten years, developing and improving the estate, making it valuable with comfortable buildings and rich in agricultural productiveness. In August, 1854, he moved to Hillsdale county and purchased 120 acres of undeveloped land in Ransom township, on which he settled permanently and became prosperous and influential. He was originally a Whig in politics, and also an intense Abolitionist. During his residence at Republic, Ohio, he was actively connected with the workings of the historic underground railroad, so extensively used in aiding negro slaves to freedom. On the organization of the Republican party he joined its forces ardently, casting his vote for Fremont for president, and through life he remained a firm and loyal adherent of the party and an earnest advocate of its principles. After coming to Hillsdale county he became very prominent in local affairs, serving ten years as a supervisor of Ransom township, a portion of his tenure of this office being during the Civil War, and he was known far and wide for the vigor of his administration which gave him the name of the "war supervisor." He also served as an enrolling officer during the Civil War, and, in 1867, he was a member of the lower house of the State Legislature. In this body he was very active and serviceable, having membership on important committees, giving the work of the session his most careful and conscientious attention. He was loyal to his duty there every hour, and was present to vote on all measures without dodging or evasion.
On November 23, 1842, Mr. McCutcheon was married with Miss Ann Rogers, the ceremony being performed at Reed in Seneca county, Ohio. His wife was a daughter of Jonathan and Martha (Haviland) Rogers, natives of New York, who moved to the Western Reserve of Ohio in 1833, and later resided in Fulton county, where the father died, the mother afterward coming to Hillsdale county, where her last days were concluded. Mr. and Mrs. McCutcheon became the parents of four children, Luella, Eustace (deceased), Orville (deceased), and Albert J., see following sketch. Luella and Albert are living on the old homestead in Ransom township. Luella lost her eyesight while living in Fulton county, Ohio, from the ravages of scarlet fever in her childhood. She was educated at the School for the Blind at Flint, in this state. The parents were members of the Baptist church, both uniting with it in youth. The father died on May Io, 1876, and the mother on March 12, 1878. Mr. McCutcheon had four brothers who became residents of Michigan and were more or less prominent with its affairs. They spelled the name Cutcheon, omitting the Mc. Dr. L. M. Cutcheon is now a resident of Grand Rapids. S. M. Cutcheon was a lawyer and the president of a savings bank at Detroit, served several terms in State Legislature and was speaker of the House. Byron M. Cutcheon, the youngest brother, who resides in Grand Rapids, has served eight years in Congress and is a prominent Republican. Albert J. McCutcheon, the only living son of Hon. Warren McCutcheon, was born in Ransom township on November 28, 1857, and reared on the homestead where he now lives. He was educated in the district schools and at Hillsdale high school. On November 6, 1879, he was united in marriage with Miss Susie A. Drake, a native of Amboy township, in this county, where the marriage occurred. She is the daughter of Hon. William and Lucy A. (Alfred) Drake, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. McCutcheon have had six children, five of whom are living, Frederick W., M. Blanch, Florence, Rush W. and Miriam. The third child, Lulu, is deceased. Mr. McCutcheon is one of the progressive and enterprising farmers of his section, and, in addition to his farming operations, he conducts an active dairy business, having a fine herd of Jersey cattle. He is a Republican in politics, and also a member of the grange at Ransom Center. The whole family are regular attendants at the Congregational church. In the spring of 1878 he was elected superintendent of schools for the township, serving two years, was later elected supervisor on a union ticket, but soon after his incumbency of the office he tendered his resignation. He has also served three terms on the board of review, and was once elected as a justice of the peace but declined to serve in the office. In 1887 he was the Prohibition candidate for the state House of Representatives. He is held in high esteem throughout the county as a progressive farmer, an excellent citizen, an upright and independent man.
Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan Elon G. Reynolds, editor.
Reynolds, Elon G., 1841-
Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., [1903?].
Aged 60 years, 7 months, 22 days.
HON. WARREN McCUTCHEON.
The late Hon. Warren McCutcheon, of Ransom township, who for twenty-two years was a resident of Hillsdale county, and an active participant in every phase of its political and social life, serving the people well and wisely in various official positions, exemplifying in his daily life the most elevated spirit of patriotic citizenship, was born at Epsom, in Merrimack county, N. H., on September 17, 1815, and the son of James and Hannah (Tripp) McCutcheon, natives of that state. His father was a Free Will Baptist minister, and also a lumberman, and, for his time and section was well-to-do. The son, Warren, was reared in his native county. and there received a common school education. When nineteen years old he started for the West and during the winter of 1834-5 he taught school at Republic in Seneca county, Ohio. He then worked on an Ohio farm one season and after that returned to his Eastern home, going soon afterward to Boston, where he was employed in the construction of the Bunker Hill monument. While working on this structure he injured his back, and for a number of years thereafter he was unable to perform hard or heavy labor. He then came again to Ohio and went on to Michigan, traveling in a wagon with two or three acquaintances through portions of the two states. He then learned the trade of a shoemaker, and for two or three years wrought at it at Republic, Ohio. In 1845 he journeyed with his wife and one daughter in a covered ox-cart to Fulton county, in the same state, and there bought a farm of sixty acres, on which he lived for nine or ten years, developing and improving the estate, making it valuable with comfortable buildings and rich in agricultural productiveness. In August, 1854, he moved to Hillsdale county and purchased 120 acres of undeveloped land in Ransom township, on which he settled permanently and became prosperous and influential. He was originally a Whig in politics, and also an intense Abolitionist. During his residence at Republic, Ohio, he was actively connected with the workings of the historic underground railroad, so extensively used in aiding negro slaves to freedom. On the organization of the Republican party he joined its forces ardently, casting his vote for Fremont for president, and through life he remained a firm and loyal adherent of the party and an earnest advocate of its principles. After coming to Hillsdale county he became very prominent in local affairs, serving ten years as a supervisor of Ransom township, a portion of his tenure of this office being during the Civil War, and he was known far and wide for the vigor of his administration which gave him the name of the "war supervisor." He also served as an enrolling officer during the Civil War, and, in 1867, he was a member of the lower house of the State Legislature. In this body he was very active and serviceable, having membership on important committees, giving the work of the session his most careful and conscientious attention. He was loyal to his duty there every hour, and was present to vote on all measures without dodging or evasion.
On November 23, 1842, Mr. McCutcheon was married with Miss Ann Rogers, the ceremony being performed at Reed in Seneca county, Ohio. His wife was a daughter of Jonathan and Martha (Haviland) Rogers, natives of New York, who moved to the Western Reserve of Ohio in 1833, and later resided in Fulton county, where the father died, the mother afterward coming to Hillsdale county, where her last days were concluded. Mr. and Mrs. McCutcheon became the parents of four children, Luella, Eustace (deceased), Orville (deceased), and Albert J., see following sketch. Luella and Albert are living on the old homestead in Ransom township. Luella lost her eyesight while living in Fulton county, Ohio, from the ravages of scarlet fever in her childhood. She was educated at the School for the Blind at Flint, in this state. The parents were members of the Baptist church, both uniting with it in youth. The father died on May Io, 1876, and the mother on March 12, 1878. Mr. McCutcheon had four brothers who became residents of Michigan and were more or less prominent with its affairs. They spelled the name Cutcheon, omitting the Mc. Dr. L. M. Cutcheon is now a resident of Grand Rapids. S. M. Cutcheon was a lawyer and the president of a savings bank at Detroit, served several terms in State Legislature and was speaker of the House. Byron M. Cutcheon, the youngest brother, who resides in Grand Rapids, has served eight years in Congress and is a prominent Republican. Albert J. McCutcheon, the only living son of Hon. Warren McCutcheon, was born in Ransom township on November 28, 1857, and reared on the homestead where he now lives. He was educated in the district schools and at Hillsdale high school. On November 6, 1879, he was united in marriage with Miss Susie A. Drake, a native of Amboy township, in this county, where the marriage occurred. She is the daughter of Hon. William and Lucy A. (Alfred) Drake, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. McCutcheon have had six children, five of whom are living, Frederick W., M. Blanch, Florence, Rush W. and Miriam. The third child, Lulu, is deceased. Mr. McCutcheon is one of the progressive and enterprising farmers of his section, and, in addition to his farming operations, he conducts an active dairy business, having a fine herd of Jersey cattle. He is a Republican in politics, and also a member of the grange at Ransom Center. The whole family are regular attendants at the Congregational church. In the spring of 1878 he was elected superintendent of schools for the township, serving two years, was later elected supervisor on a union ticket, but soon after his incumbency of the office he tendered his resignation. He has also served three terms on the board of review, and was once elected as a justice of the peace but declined to serve in the office. In 1887 he was the Prohibition candidate for the state House of Representatives. He is held in high esteem throughout the county as a progressive farmer, an excellent citizen, an upright and independent man.
Compendium of history and biography of Hillsdale County, Michigan Elon G. Reynolds, editor.
Reynolds, Elon G., 1841-
Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., [1903?].
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