Original Highland Township Landowner George Pearsall (Pearsell) This is George Pearsall (sometimes "Pearsell") whose obituary was published in Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society Collections, Vol. XIII (1889), pp. 257-258, which reads as follows: GEORGE PEARSALL. Jan. 2, 1888, George Pearsall died at his residence in Pontiac, from the effects of being thrown from his cutter. George Pearsall was born at Floyd, Oneida county, New York, August 18, 1810; he came to Michigan, and to Bloomfield, Oakland county, in the fall of 1831, when he located two lots of land, 160 acres near Long Lake, the farm now owned by Wm. Williamson. After locating his farm and making some improvements he returned to New York, and on August 31, 1834, he was married to Mary Ensign, by whom he had two daughters, Martha, Mrs. Robert Dawson, and Frances, a former wife of M. D. Osmun. In 1854 [begin page 258] he sold the land he located, and purchased what is now the G. M. Trowbridge farm; he lived on this farm until 1866, when he moved into the city. Mr. Pearsall represented the first ward in the city council one term, and was a faithful and prudent alderman. In 1837 he united with the Methodist church, having been converted at a revival meeting in the old court house, making a continuous membership in one church of half a century. During all this time he lived a consistent, exemplary life. The writer of this remembers attending an evening meeting in the old Methodist church in 1847. During the evening a large man with a loud voice, arose in the rear of the church and said: " I have been on Pisgah's top and viewed the surrounding country, and bring a good report." During his entire life he had seen with spiritual eyes the heavenly Canaan, and judging from his life, we feel warranted in saying that Divine charity will give him a home in the heavenly Canaan. As a christian man, he possessed unusual power. And now that he has gone, we can say of him, that he was "the old man eloquent" of the Pontiac Methodist church. Among his last utterances he said: "If I have wronged any one in this life I am sorry," and addressing himself to a person present, asked, "Do you think I have any enemies? If I have, and have wronged them, I ask to be forgiven." He was a man of unusual devotion to his family, the care of his old age being his four grandchildren, the children of Abe Osmun. The deceased was the youngest and last of a family of thirteen, and only one remains of those who were united to the family by marriage, grandmother Samuel Pearsall of Long Lake, who is 84 years of age. Also note the George Pearsell who appears on the 1845 Michigan State Census for Bloomfield, Oakland County. Taken together, this account and census suggest George Pearsall/Pearsell never actually resided on his purchase in Highland Township. |
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