A. K. FAIBANKS, farmer, of Whitewater, Grand Traverse County. was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., in 1826. Remained there, engaged in farming, until 1861.. He was first married to Mary Thompson, who died in 1855, leaving one daughter, now Mrs. William Hogle, of Whitewater. In 1859 he married Emeline Eastman, a native of New York, by whom he has one son, Andrew, who resides near his father.

In 1861 Mr. Fairbanks came to his present home and bought of government the northeast quarter of Section 2, Township 27, Range 9, of which he retains eighty acres, owning other lands in the vicinity. As illustrating the lack of mail facilities, and of communication with the outer world, Mr. Fairbanks relates that on the arrival at Elk Rapids, to which place they came by small boat from Northport in May, 1861, they were met by the whole population of Elk Rapids, with eager inquiries of the war, and whether there had been any fighting, no news having been received of the firing on Fort Sumter. Such evidence of isolation from the world was not encouraging to the new comers.

Mr. Fairbanks was engaged in trapping for about two years, and thus acquired a thorough acquaintance with the country. On his arrival there was but one settler, William Copeland, in what is now Kalkaska County. Mr. Fairbank's acquaintance with the country made him authority among new comers who had frequently been attracted to this vicinity by his representations, and he aided in the selection of lands and the locating of a large number of families, doing more, probably, than any other person to secure the settlement of this section.