HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
with his family, his objective point being the 
town of Sylvester, in Green county, where a 
brother, J. M. Searles, had alreadylocated. He 
shipped his goods to Chicago by steamboat, 
and with his family traveled with team and 
wagon. On reaching Michigan he was induced, 
by the glowing accounts of the country, to lo- 
cate in the Grand river country, in that State, 
where he remained till his death. His wife with 
the younger children of the family removed to 
Kansas, where she still resides. J. B. Searles 
was the eldest of the family of seven children. 
He left home when twenty-three years of age, 
and did not accompany his mother to Kansas, 
but came to this county, as before stated, in 
1859. He has a brother, Robert D., living in 
the town of Sylvester. J. B. Searles located in 
Jefferson where he lived until he came to Brod- 
head. He has been very successful in business. 
and is the owner of two good farms in the towu 
of Jefferson, also valuable real estate elsewhere 
in the county. He is engaged in selling farm 
machinery and does a large and profitable busi- 
ness. His wife was Charlotte A. Patrick, 
daughter of C. V. Patrick, of Brodhead. Mr. 
and Mrs. Searles have three children-Charles, 
Elijah H. and Frank. 
George T. Spaulding, of Brodhead, was born 
in Proctorsville, Vt., in 1833; his father was 
Ira Spaulding. He was one of the early busi- 
ness men of Brodhead, having come here in 
1856. He was for some time engaged as tinner 
in the hardware store of E. C. Clinton. He 
served his country during the War of the 
Rebellion, first enlisting in the 3d regiment, 
Wisconsin Infantry, as a member of the regi- 
mental band, July 2, 1861, serving in that 
capacity under Gen. Patterson, at Harper's 
Ferry during the first battle of Bull Run, then 
under Gen. Banks in the Luray and Shenan- 
doah Valleys, Va., taking part in his advances 
and in his retreat from Strasburg, Va., to Wil- 
liamsport, Penn., in 1862, soon after being 
mustered out of service by an act of Congress, 
discharging all regimental bands and only 
 
allowing brigade bands, afterwards re-enlisted 
in the 1st brigade, third division, fifteenth 
army corps, as a member of the I st brigade 
band. He participated in a number of impor- 
t.int Campaigns,including Atlanta and "Sherman s 
march to the sea." After the war he was en- 
gaged in the hardware business, in the firm 
name of Spaulding & Brown, for two years. 
From 1870 to 1883, he conducted the hardware 
trade alone, being succeeded by the firm of 
Metcalf & Sherman. His principal business at 
this time is selling farm machinery, and he has 
an extensive trade; his sales for 1883 amounted 
to about $25,000. He is an excellent business 
man and has accumulated a fine property. He 
still owns the store building in which he con- 
ducted the hardware business and other valua- 
ble property. He is the town treasurer for 
1884, a position he has held for eight successive 
years. In 1860 Mr. Spaulding returned to Ver- 
mont and was married to Fidelia Shedd, a 
native of that State. They have two daughters 
-Lena and Carrie. 
The first person to sell cabinet work in Brod- 
head was Joseph Merrill. He opened a shop 
in 1857, and continued for about two years. 
The first regular cabinet shop was opened by 
Samuel Bennett, late in 1857, and he manufac- 
tured the first work of this character here. He 
conducted the shop until 1866, when he was su(c- 
ceeded by E. L. Ryan, who continued a number 
of years, then sold to R. M. Smith. fie worked 
at the business for about one year, when it wa: 
discontinued. Bennett & Barnes opened a sh I. 
in 1872. One year later Mr. Bennett sold to 
F. B. Smith. This firm continued for a year or 
two, when Mr. Barnes sold to F. B. Smith and 
went to Dakota. Mr. Smith continued four or 
five years, when Barnes returnfed, and again the 
two became associated together. In 1881 Mr. 
Barnes purchased Mr. Smith'9 interest, and con- 
tinued in the business until 1883, when he was 
succeeded by Payne & Payne, who still conduct 
the business, 
 
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