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MOREHOUS, MELVILLE H.
Portrait
and Biographical Album of Oakland County, Michigan, Chapman Bros. (1891), pp. 402-403
MELVILLE H. MOREHOUS, a grain and produce dealer of Clyde, is a son of Lorenzo D., whose father John
was a native of Vermont. John went to Canada in his early days, and
there reared a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. He came to
Michigan in 1837 settling in Troy Township, Oakland County. Later he moved to
Shiawassee County and then to Illinois, where he lived about three years, after which he
spent seven years in [Begin Page 403] Iowa, and finally returned to
Southfield Township, this county, where he ended his days in 1863. His wife survived
until 1880. She was Mary Hull, a native of Vermont. He fought
at Lundy's Lane in the War of 1812.
Lorenzo D. Morehous was born February 10, 1826, in Westminister, near
London, Canada. At the age of eleven years he came to Michigan with his parents and
from that time supported himself by working on a farm. When sixteen years old he
learned the blacksmith's trade and followed it for a number of years, but the latter part
of his life was spent upon a farm. He was married in Canada to Harriet Odell,
a daughter of William Odell a native of Canada. Mrs. Odell
was born in Vermont and she became the mother of five sons and seven daughters.
Mr. and Mrs. Morehous had but one child, our subject.
His parents went to Detroit where his father worked for a year at his trade, after
which he carried on the same work in Troy Township, Oakland County, until 1852 when he
went to California. He earned there about $275 a month in blacksmithing, and often
received $20 for shoeing a span of horses. After spending two years in California he
returned to Oakland County where he lived for eleven years.
In 1862 Lorenzo D. Morehous enlisted in a regiment of Michigan Engineers
and Mechanics and served in this capacity for about five months. He was stationed at
Kingston, Tenn., most of the time. He returned to Southfield to his farm and in 1868
moved to White Lake where he lived for fourteen years, and then went to Highland Township where he spent the rest of his life. He
died April 19, 1882. His wife survived until 1886. He possessed one hundred
and twenty-two acres of land. Both he and his wife were identified with the
Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he was a sturdy Democrat, and was Supervisor
of White Lake for two years.
The subject of this sketch was born October 25, 1849, in Detroit. He remained at
home until his marriage which occurred in Highland Township,
September 24, 1874. His bride was Ada, daughter of Dr.
and Mrs. Jessie (Newton) Robertson, of Clarkston. The mother was a
native of the West India Islands and the father a Scotchman. The following children
have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Morehous: Edith,
Claude and Charles. At the death of his father Mr.
Morehous fell heir to one hundred and twenty two acres of land which he farmed
until 1889, and then sold out and came to Clyde where in the
spring of 1890, he engaged gaged in the grain and produce business. Most of his
property is in money, but he owns the grain elevator which he operates. He is a
Master Mason, a member of the Holly Lodge, No. 129. He is also an Independent Odd
Fellow, a member of Clyde Lodge No. 249. He is a
Democrat and has been all his life and was made Supervisor of the township for two years.
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