JOSEPH HINMAN

From "Past and Present of Clinton county" - 1910


JOSEPH HINMAN
The name of Joseph Hinman is closely associated with official service in Eagle township and as a representative of farming interests he is also well known. He was born in McKane county, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1834, and is a son of Curtis and Almira S. (De Witt) Hinman, who were natives of the Empire state. The paternal grandfather was Peleg Hinman, who was killed at Sacket Harbor, while serving in the war of 1812. The maternal grandfather, Jacob De Witt, came from Pennsylvania to Michigan in I838 by ox team and after going to Dunkirk and Detroit he located in Oakland county, where he spent one year. He then came to Clinton county in 1839 and settled in Eagle township, where he spent his remaining days.

In 1838 our subject's parents also came to Michigan, settling in Oakland county,
but the following year removed to Eagle township, Clinton county, and the father
began farming on section 15 in what is known as the Grand river country. He there bought eighty acres of land, to which he added until at his death he owned a large estate. In the early days he frequently made trips to Pontiac to mill and marketed his grain at Detroit. He passed away at the age of sixty years, while his wife died previously at the age of forty-seven years. In their family were ten children, of whom the following are living: Joseph, of this review; Charles, of Necosta county, Michigan; Dorleska, the wife of A. H. Gibbs, of South Dakota; Herbert, of Tennessee; Milford, of  Missouri; George, who is living in Bay county, Michigan; Reuben, of Westphalia township, Clinton county; and Henry, who resides in the state of Washington. Two of the family have passed away: Jennie, who was the wife of William Radcliff; and Edward C., who was buried at sea while returning from Alaska.

Joseph Hinman received but limited educational privileges, pursuing his studies in
a log schoolhouse on the frontier, where the methods of instruction were very primitive. He early began work on a farm. His father was a carpenter but Joseph Hinman preferred the labor of the fields and at the age of twenty one years he started out in life on his own account. Attracted by the discovery of gold at Pike's Peak he went west to Colorado, and afterward to Oregon, where he remained for two years. He then returned to his native state and locating in Eagle township purchased eighty acres of his present farm. As his increased financial resources have made possible the additional purchase of land he has added to the place until he now owns two hundred and seventy acres, the greater part of which has been brought to a high state of cultivation. He has erected modern buildings here and has one of the finest farms in Clinton county. He has assisted in clearing much land in this locality and in his own business operations has displayed the unfaltering energy and determination which always constitute a safe basis for success.

With the family he shared in all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life as
well as its pleasures and can remember when Clinton county was largely an
unsettled district. He was but eleven years of age when he killed a bear in this
county and he had other interesting and exciting experiences. On the 17th of May,
1862, Mr. Hinman was married to Miss Sarah Goss, a daughter of David Goss, of
Westphalia township, and they now have three children: Maud, the wife of Henry
Childs, of Saginaw, Michigan; John C., living in Eagle township; and Ada, the wife of Charles W. Brown, living on the home farm. In his political views Mr. Hinman is independent. He has served as supervisor for two terms, as township treasurer for
three terms and in other minor offices, the duties of which he has discharged with
capability and promptness. He is a man of sound judgment in business matters
and his utilization of opportunity and carefully directed labors have made him one
of the substantial agriculturists of his community. Moreover he is one of the
pioneer settlers of the county and his memory carries with it many pictures of the
early days when the forests were uncut and land unclaimed. As the years have
gone by he has taken just pride in what has been accomplished in the way of
development and improvement and has long been classed as a representative
and public spirited citizen.