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| GEORGE WALDO, farmer on sec. 8, Mecosta Tp. (P.O. Big Rapids), was born in Springfield, Otsego Co., N.Y., Nov. 15, 1830. His parents, Samuel and Sally (Cowen) Waldo, were born in New York and Ireland respectively. He accompnaied his family to Ohio when five years old, and at nine years of age left home to engage as a stage driver, and pursued that calling seven years, driving continually on one route. In the fall of 1847 he came to Saginaw, Mich., and there engaged in lumbeing six years, going in 1854 to Kent Co., where he was similarily occupied four years. His next move was to Jackson, Mich., to work on a Government contract, and there operated until the wave of civil warfare swept over the land and for the time being obliterated private projects and aspirations. Mr. Waldo enlisted Oct. 19, 1861, in the First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics. His terms of enrollment entitled him to the position of road constructor, but he was in active service at Perryville, Ky., and Stone Rive, Tenn. and Shiloh. He was made Sergeant in 1862 and continued his services until he was discharged at Atlanta, Ga., in Oct., 1864. He returned to Mecosta and has since been engaged in farming and lumbering. Soon after again settling in the township he bought 40 acres of land, on which he built the first house erected in this section. Mr. Waldo is a Democrat and has served several terms as Constable, with entire satisfaction. He was married at Grand Rapids, April 29, 1846, to Mary J., daughter of John and Jane (Campbell) Smith. She died July 6, 1865, leaving oe child, Charles W., born Jan. 10, 1861. Mr. Waldo was a second time married Nov. 12, 1865, at Cedar Springs, Kent Co., to Mrs. Kate Wilcox, daughter of Samuel and Ruth (Acers) Skillman. She was born June 30, 1842, and was first married in 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Waldo have seven children, born in the following order: Orpha E., Feb. 6, 1867; Samuel, Aug. 26, 1868; Henry, March 9, 1871; George, March 18, 1873; Bertha, March 26, 1875; Alma, Aug. 13, 1877; Walter, May 15, 1880. |