Asa G. Buck

Asa G. Buck is one of the pioneer businessmen of Reed City, where he established himself as a marketman in the fall of 1873. He was born July 19, 1846, in Wayne Co., N.Y. He has been a resident of Michigan since infancu, when his parents removed from the State of New York, and settled on an 80 acre farm in Ingham County, situated five miles from Lansing.

His father, Loren W. Buck, was a native of the Empire State and married Louisa Smith, who was born in the same State.

He was a builder by vocation, and aided in laying out the gorunds of the old capitol structure and erecting the edifice.

Later the family removed to Lenawee County, and afterward to a farm in the township of Noble, Branch County. Meanwhile in 1858, the father went to California, and while there occurred the upheaval of interests and issues of the country by the advent of the civil war, and he enlisted fro the Golden State in Co. I., First Cav. Vol. Inf., and spent three years in the military service of the United States, serving chiefly in frontier warfare in New Mexico. Asa and Adolphus entered the army from Michigan, the enlistment of the former occurring at Coldwater in March, 1863, in Co. I, Ninth Mich. Cav., Capt. J.H. McGowan. The Ninth Michigan Cavalry is distinguished in more than one particular. Its record of march is one of the most remarkable in the history of the war, as it traversed more than 3,000 miles of territory by battalion the first year of its services, exclusive of skirmish and deploy service. The regiment fired the last volley at the rebels prior to the surrender of General Johnson. The preservation of this fact is due to a published notice by a Southern lady in a book of which she is the authoress, and her knowledge of it was due to her appreciation of the gallantry of the officers of the Ninth, who had paid willing tribute to her beauty and enjoyed the hospitality their sincere admiration of her character and position won from her, though she belonged to the losing side. The fact is authentic, as she was in a situation to observe the progress of events, and her interest in her friends of the Ninth preserved one of the most valuable facts in the record of the regiment. The Ninth was also the only cavalry regiment of Michigan that marched through to the sea with Sherman, and took part in the closing actions of the campaign under General Kilpatrick. Mr. Buck was a particpant in the varied experiences of the historic progress across the States of Kentucky, Tennesee and Carolina. His brother Adolphus enlisted in the same company and regiment, and they served together until the close of the war. The father and two sons joined their savings from the war and purchased 211 acres of land in Branch County. Of this, Mr. Buck of this sketch held a claim of 60 acres.

In 1870 he went to Angola, Ind., and passed two years in the meat business, and also operated as a carpenter. In the fall of 1883, he came to Reed City, accompanied by his parents. Associated with his father, he engaged in the meat business, their partnership existing until the father's daeth in December 1883. Mr. Buck continued the prosecution of his business alone until March, 1884, when he rented his stand and retired. On coming to Reed City he bought the site of his business building and built a market. He also owns a store building, situated on the west side of his first property. He and his father erected the fine and substantial brick block on the corner of Upton Avenue and Chestnut Street, of which he is still one-half owner. Their business was successful from the outset, with the exception of one disaster by fire in January, 1875, when they met a loss of &700, partially covered by an insurance of $500. Besides the property enumerated, Mr. Buck owns two residences, nearly eight acres of land adjoining Reed City on the northwest and 37 acres a little more than a mile north. He belongs to the subordinate lodge of Odd Fellows and the the Encampment, is a member of the Patriarchal Circle and of the Princes of the Orient and of Post Stedman, No. 98, G.A.R. He has served two terms as member of the Council.

The marriage of Mr. Buck to Lydia M. Wood occurred July 11, 1869, in Ovid Township, Branch Co., Mich. Mrs. Buck was born in November, 1850, in Bethel Township, Branch County, and is the daughter of Dyer and Mary Wood. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Buck were born as follows: Bertha, aug. 3, 1871; Charles, Feb. 27, 1878; and Lee, Nov. 18, 1882.

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