Among the prominent pioneers of Commerce township none stand higher in the general estimation of his fellow-citizens than does Alonzo Sibley. He is now one of the oldest living settlers of Commerce in point of priority of location, and has been intimately identified with the growth and development of his township for more than forty-five years. Alonzo Sibley was born at Preston, Chenango county, New York, July 14, 1810. He received the rudiments of an education at the schools of his native town, where he remained until about fourteen years old ; and, by study and self-improvement, acquired the sound, practical knowledge which has tended so materially to his subsec^uent success. About 1824 he removed with his parents to Palmyra, New York, where he remained until May, 1831, when he emigrated to Michigan, in company with Joshua Andrews and a man named Wilcox, and others, from Palmyra. He came on a line-boat on the Erie canal to Buffalo, intending to take a steamer there to Detroit, but found the harbor blocked with ice, and concluded to foot it to Dunkirk, which he accordingly did. There he secured a passage in the old steamer '• Sheldon Thompson," and, at the expiration of eight days, arrived at Detroit, From the latter place he started on foot, on the 9th of May, arriving at Royal Oak at nightfall of the same day. Erom there he proceeded to Rochester, and thence over to Romeo, in Macomb county, and finally to Pontiac, which was then but a small village.

On arriving in Commerce he selected his land, the west half of the northeast quarter of section 32, and then returned to Detroit and purchased the same of the government at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. While in Detroit he purchased a cow, separating her from her calf, and reaching his destination he fastened her up, as he thought, securely, but on going to milk her the following morning, she was gone. Two days afterwards he found her in Detroit beside her calf; thus demonstrating the keenness of even brute maternity. He had to purchase the calf in order to keep the cow.

He hired a team and broke up about five acres of his land, on which he planted potatoes and corn, and then went to work and cleared more of his farm, previously having erected his log shanty. In the following fall he returned to New York and hired out during the winter at twelve dollars per month. In the spring he came back, having purchased a yoke of oxen with his savings of the winter, and went to clearing up more of his land. He returned to the east the following fall, and, on the 24th of April, 1834, married Mary Heath, a native of Perrinton, Monroe county, New York, whom he brought to his new home in the west. After clearing up a portion of his farm, he went to work to fence the same, and in so doing ran a fence across the Grand River trail. Now there were a large number of Indians in this vicinity in these days. About forty of them came along the trail in their peculiar single file, the men riding and the squaws walking. On arriving at the fence they halted, scrutinized the thing thoroughly, gesticulated profusely, and finally proceeded along the inside of it, muttering "no meesAm;" by which they ment that, to their unenlightened minds, the obstruction of their trail didn't appear to them as an exhibition of good will.

On the 9th of January, 1836, Mr. Sibley lost his wife, which was to him a sore bereavement. On the 10th of September, 1838, he married Sarah Heath, a sister of his deceased first wife, who came out to take care of her sister during her illness. This union was blessed with seven children, of whom four survive,namely: Maiy J., born November 17, 1840 ; married James Pratt, and resides at Northville, Michigan. Hattie A, born November 25, 1842 ; married Rev. Joseph D. Drew, and resides at Jackson, Michigan. Watson A., born May 17, 1844 ; married Maggie Hubbell, of Pontiac, and now resides at Muskegon. Judson L., born October 29, 1846 ; married Miss Lutia Banks, and resides at Wixom, Commerce township, Michigan. On the 18th of October, 1873, his second wife died, and on the 26th of November, 1874, he married again, to Adaline Colby. Mr. Sibley has held several township offices, notably that of justice of the peace, which he filled acceptably for twelve years.

He is one of the only two surviving members of the Free-Will Baptist church, which he was instrumental in organizing, and to which he has belonged for upwards of forty years. In politics he is Republican, and has always manifested a lively interest in the political as well as in the moral, religious, and intellectual development of his township. As a citizen he is highly esteemed ; and as a worthy representative of the genuine pioneers, he enjoys the confidence of all who know him, and occupies a prominent position among those who have toiled for the welfare of their adopted homes, and when called hence will leave behind him " footprints on the sands of time."