David Urias Trine was born near Westminster, Maryland on July 26, 1840. There he learned masonry, the trade he followed for the rest of his life. From Carroll County, Maryland David enlisted in the Union Army Co. A, 6th Maryland Regiment, along with his older brother . Emanuel Trine. Ironically the two brothers became the oldest and youngest volunteers from Carroll County. David fought in a number of campaigns and apparently was not wounded.

After his discharge from the Army, he married Martha Ebaugh, on November 8, 1865 in Carroll County, Maryland. Martha was a war widow, formerly married to Noah Ebaugh.

In 1876, this family decided to leave Maryland and follow David's sister to Michigan to start a new life. They settled in the village of Springport where David pursued his masonry trade. He built houses, barns and bridges. At times work took him farther afield and tradition has it that he built fine brick buildings as far away as Omaha, Nebraska.

He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Politically, he was a Republican. His war record indicates that he had black hair, grey eyes and he was 6' 1", and slender. At age 50 he weighed 165.

David's wife Martha died after a prolonged illness on February 22, 1898. Attending to Martha during her illness was Elizabeth (Ladyman) Parkhouse. After Martha's death Elizabeth and David married on October 9, 1899. After being bedfast for two years, David Urias Trine died on April 27, 1915. Rheumatism had bothered him for years, but he became paralyzed from strokes. He was interred beside Martha in the Springport Cemetery.

Note: There is a discrepancy as to David's middle name. Many early records indicate "Urias" while his death certificate lists it as "Ulysses."