Michael Luther Devin was born to Thomas and Lucena (Davis) Devin near McConnelsville, Ohio in 1823, the third of ten children. He was educated in Oxford, Ohio and when the family moved to Decatur, he bought land there in 1836.
Michael married Amanda Jane Taylor on April 18, 1847 in Decatur and the couple had nine children, six who lived to adulthood. They moved to Fort Des Moines in 1847 and he operated a general store north of the Raccoon River and west of the Des Moines River. In 1854, they homesteaded 160 acres south and west of Des Moines. He added to these acres over the years until the farm included 900 acres.
Two acres of the farm was used for a school. His sons would come home from Cornell University and teach the neighbor children in the school.
Four of his sons graduated from Cornell University as civil engineers. George, David, Luther, and John. All distinguished themselves in their profession. George served in the Civil War at age 18 and is buried at the Los Angeles Veterans' Cemetery.
Michael was very active in community affairs and in breeding choice cattle and Clydesdale horses. He was also involved in the Underground Railroad and set up cabins and orchards to house the people escaping slavery. At night he would drive a team of horses and a springwagon to pick up new arrivals.
His youngest son, James was the only heir to have grandchildren and remain on the farm to till the soil and raise the next generation of Devin's in Des Moines.
Michael married Amanda Jane Taylor on April 18, 1847 in Decatur and the couple had nine children, six who lived to adulthood. They moved to Fort Des Moines in 1847 and he operated a general store north of the Raccoon River and west of the Des Moines River. In 1854, they homesteaded 160 acres south and west of Des Moines. He added to these acres over the years until the farm included 900 acres.
Two acres of the farm was used for a school. His sons would come home from Cornell University and teach the neighbor children in the school.
Four of his sons graduated from Cornell University as civil engineers. George, David, Luther, and John. All distinguished themselves in their profession. George served in the Civil War at age 18 and is buried at the Los Angeles Veterans' Cemetery.
Michael was very active in community affairs and in breeding choice cattle and Clydesdale horses. He was also involved in the Underground Railroad and set up cabins and orchards to house the people escaping slavery. At night he would drive a team of horses and a springwagon to pick up new arrivals.
His youngest son, James was the only heir to have grandchildren and remain on the farm to till the soil and raise the next generation of Devin's in Des Moines.
Michael Luther Devin was born to Thomas and Lucena (Davis) Devin near McConnelsville, Ohio in 1823, the third of ten children. He was educated in Oxford, Ohio and when the family moved to Decatur, he bought land there in 1836.
Michael married Amanda Jane Taylor on April 18, 1847 in Decatur and the couple had nine children, six who lived to adulthood. They moved to Fort Des Moines in 1847 and he operated a general store north of the Raccoon River and west of the Des Moines River. In 1854, they homesteaded 160 acres south and west of Des Moines. He added to these acres over the years until the farm included 900 acres.
Two acres of the farm was used for a school. His sons would come home from Cornell University and teach the neighbor children in the school.
Four of his sons graduated from Cornell University as civil engineers. George, David, Luther, and John. All distinguished themselves in their profession. George served in the Civil War at age 18 and is buried at the Los Angeles Veterans' Cemetery.
Michael was very active in community affairs and in breeding choice cattle and Clydesdale horses. He was also involved in the Underground Railroad and set up cabins and orchards to house the people escaping slavery. At night he would drive a team of horses and a springwagon to pick up new arrivals.
His youngest son, James was the only heir to have grandchildren and remain on the farm to till the soil and raise the next generation of Devin's in Des Moines.
Michael married Amanda Jane Taylor on April 18, 1847 in Decatur and the couple had nine children, six who lived to adulthood. They moved to Fort Des Moines in 1847 and he operated a general store north of the Raccoon River and west of the Des Moines River. In 1854, they homesteaded 160 acres south and west of Des Moines. He added to these acres over the years until the farm included 900 acres.
Two acres of the farm was used for a school. His sons would come home from Cornell University and teach the neighbor children in the school.
Four of his sons graduated from Cornell University as civil engineers. George, David, Luther, and John. All distinguished themselves in their profession. George served in the Civil War at age 18 and is buried at the Los Angeles Veterans' Cemetery.
Michael was very active in community affairs and in breeding choice cattle and Clydesdale horses. He was also involved in the Underground Railroad and set up cabins and orchards to house the people escaping slavery. At night he would drive a team of horses and a springwagon to pick up new arrivals.
His youngest son, James was the only heir to have grandchildren and remain on the farm to till the soil and raise the next generation of Devin's in Des Moines.
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