Linus Cone, the subject of this sketch, was born in the township of Haddam, Connecticut, October 12, 1802. At an early age he emigrated with his father's family to Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York. Young Cone, at the age of seventeen, with a trusty rifle, and pack on his back containing a scanty wardrobe, and an axe, started alone and on foot for Kettle Creek, Canada West, where he arrived, after a long, weary journey, foot-sore and nearly exhausted, but not discouraged, March, 1819. An incident occurred while he was journeying in Canada worthy of mention, as showing the courage, energy, and determined purpose of young Cone. Stopping at a house where travelers were occasionally entertained, he obtained permission to remain overnight. Upon unlashing his pack and placing it upon the floor, it came down with a thud, indicating that it contained something more than wearing apparel. The house, whether true or false, had a very questionable reputation, it being said that many a wayfarer had been known to stop over there for the night, but few, however, had been known to leave. The men were uncouth and scoundrelly looking enough to excite the distrust of the boy Cone, and did arouse it when they picked up his pack and plainly exhibited pleasure at the weighty contents, supposing no doubt it contained coin, as that in those days constituted the principal circulating medium of the people. They asked to see his rifle, reaching for it, which he had purposely and firmly held in his grasp, when he seized his pack and hurriedly left the house, followed by two men, who made forcible demonstrations to retard his progress. Deliberately raising the rifle to his face, cocking it and facing them, he bade them stand where they were or he would shoot them down in their tracks, and began walking backward until he was out of gun-shot, while they remained as commanded. It was near evening, a dense forest before him, being about twelve miles without a habitation. He determined to go on, which he did, arriving late at night ; but in relating it to the writer he said he kept a good lookout the whole of the way, with his trusty rifle cocked, ready for firing if he should be ambushed or attacked. Upon arriving at his destination he engaged to work for a year for Colonel Bostwick, an ex-officer of the British army, on Talbot street, near the mouth of Kettle creek. Young Cone did not find in the family of Colonel Bostwick that attention and care for the inner man which characterized those with whom he had engaged in the States ; he therefore left his employ, and engaged in making brick at St. Thomas during the following summer, and in the fall of 1821 came to Michigan, being engaged to work for Judge Sprague, of Avon, and others ; and in 1824 bought the east half of the southeast quarter of section 29, in town 2 north of range 11 east, in what is now the township of Troy, then known as Bloomfield. In September, 1825, he returned to Bloomfield, New York, returning to Michigan by water from Buffalo, in April, 1826, on the " Henry Clay ;" the same year exchanged that land with James Hall for the east half of the southwest quarter of section 33, in town 3 north of range 11 east, in what is now the township of Avon, at that date called Oakland, and commenced immediately to erect thereon a log house and frame barn (the latter being among the first erected in all that section of country), where he resided until his death, October 12, 1875;

The subject of this sketch married Mary, daughter of David and Eunice Crooks, and sister to Riley, the early pioneer of section 20, August 12, 1827. This union was blessed with the issue of three sons : Frederick was born January, 1828 ; Biley, the second son, February, 1829 ; and Lorenzo, the third son, April, 1836 ; all of whom are still living, Frederick on the homestead, Riley near Utica, and Lorenzo on lands subsequently bought, near the old homestead. Mary Crooks was born in Richmond, Ontario county. New York, May 11, 1807, and emigrated to Michigan with her mother and brother, and settled with them on section 20, town 2 north of range 11 east, in 1822. In the spring of 1825 Miss Crooks returned with William Poppleton, her brother-in-law, to Richmond, her former home, and in November of the same year returned with him and his family to Michigan, arriving late in December of that year. Miss Crooks walked nearly the whole distance from Richmond, New York, to her brother's in Michigan, accompanying Mr. Poppleton, who moved here through Canada, by team and a covered emigrant wagon, and heavily loaded, being thirty-two days on the way. What would our dames of the present day, who deem themselves of marriageable age and experience, do if the necessities or circumstances of their situations required them to undertake such a journey at so unpropitious a season of the year ?

Such, however, were the young women of those days. By their education and experience they were fitted to endure the hardships and privations incident to the settlement of a new country, and have done their full share towards reclaim- ing the wilderness, which is now dotted over with highly-cultivated' farms and substantial, elegant buildings, with fields as fair to look upon as the rose-bush in full bloom. Mary, or Aunt Polly, as she is more familiarly called, still survives, and resides upon the old homestead ; venerable in years, a worthy helpmate to her worthy husband, resting upon her well-earned reputation of " well done, good and faith- ful housewife" and companion of an early pioneer.

Aunt Polly had more than a neighborhood reputation for the excellent table which she always provided, and particularly the doughnuts, which she excelled in. Here, upon lands which he occupied for fifty years, Mr. Cone commenced, with axe in hand, to carve out of the dense forest a home, a name ; to stamp his indelible impress upon his surroundings, the times, and the people with whom he lived; upon the farming interests, literature, and sciences of his time; and faithfully and well did he do it, as the many articles contributed to the agricultural press of the country will attest. He was president of the Oakland County Agricultural Society at one time, serving on many of the important committees of the county and State, and giving tone and character to these societies in their early infancy. Mr. Cone was a self-made man, having acquired but a limited education in his early youth. Later in life, he, by after-study, acquired a liberal education, unaided and untaught, by his individual effort and perseverance, which enabled him to write and compose with ease. His was a vigorous pen, not turning to the right nor to the left, but going direct to the subject-matter in hand, sparing nothing which he deemed contrary to the best teachings of nature, of unpracticed things or practices, but com- mending those which had been tried by practical experience. He took pleasure in communicating his experience to his contemporaries in agricultural pursuits.

Rarely has a life been more unselfishly devoted to a purpose than his. In politics Mr. Cone took but little interest, acting upon a sense of propriety, justice, and what he deemed the best interests of his country. He was independent and liberal in his views, though in the last few years of his life he gave his support to many or most of the candidates of the Democratic nominating conventions. In religion he was also independent, acting and thinking for himself, though very conscientious and exact, scrupulously honest, " doing to others as he would have others do unto him."