William John Getty, Sr. was born on May 14, 1832 in County Antrim in what is now Northern Ireland. He was the first of the nine children of James, Sr and Matilda (McCaughey) Getty.

In 1848, William John at the age of 16, emigrated to the United States where he later taught school and studied medicine while living in New York state. From there, he encouraged the rest of the family to join him. His father came to America in 1850 and lived with a friend, Peter McGinley, on a farm in Groveland, New York.

In early 1851, William returned to Ireland to accompany the rest of the family on their journey to America. Although he was only 18 years old, William gave his age as 30 so he could act as the "adult" taking care of the others while on the ship, the SS William Rathbone. He, his mother, Matilda, and the other six children born in Ireland (Nancy, James, Jr., George K., Eliza, Alexander and Hugh) arrived at the port of New York on October 2, 1852.

On December 26, 1853 William married Leticia Neeley at the Presbyterian Manse in Tecumseh, Michigan. He was 21 and she was 18 years old. They moved to Millersburg, Noble County, Indiana where William learned the blacksmith trade. Shortly, they returned to Ridgeway Township where he started a blacksmith shop.

When the Civil War began in April of 1861, William went to Monroe, Michigan and joined the 1st Michigan Cavalry which was organized by General George Custer. He was a trooper and veterinarian and eventually was in the 3rd Michigan Cavalry which fought in the battle of Bull Run.

William was wounded and sent back to Tecumseh, Michigan for recuperation. He re-entered the war as part of the 6th Michigan Infantry and served in campaigns in Memphis, Chattanooga and Murfreesboro, Tennessee and in Chickamauga, Georgia among others. The 6th mustered out at the end of the war on August 20, 1865 in New Orleans. William was 29 years old at the time.

While William was home in Tecumseh just before the Mississippi River Campaign, Leticia became pregnant for their second child. When he came home from the war in August of 1865, his wife and baby were dead. They both died July 26, 1864, when the infant was born. They are buried on the Neeley lot in the tiny North Adrian Cemetery on Shepherd Road.

Wm and Leticia had two children:

1. Emeline Elizabeth "Emma" (Getty) Hanley (1857-1928)

2. Stillborn baby (1864-1864)

After his first wife's death, he married Adeline B. "Addie" Baird (right) on October 16, 1866 in Adrian, Michigan. Addie was born on April 14, 1844 in Sheldon, Vermont. In November, they moved north to the "wilderness" of Antrim County, Michigan where they were among the early settlers. At least one source mentions that he "founded" Antrim County.

Wm and Addie had six children:

1. George Baird Getty (1867-1939)
2. Lorena Letita Getty aka Irene Louise (1870-1934)
3. William John Getty, Jr. (1873-1955)
4. Elizabeth Getty (1877-1956)
5. Frances Florence "Fanny" (Getty) Bentley (1879-1947)

In the 1870 census, William and Addie were shown to be living in Helena Township in Antrim County. Their children at that time were Emma (10 yrs) and George (3 yrs). Also living with them was Addie's mother, Jane Baird who was 63 years old.

The two original patents granted to William for the land that became their homestead which was known as Forest Home, were signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on October 6, 1874. William added to his ownership of land around the homestead until he had more than a full section of land consisting of at least 671 acres. Half of the land was in Forest Home Township and half in Central Lake Township to the north.

Central Lake Township was where his brother, James, Jr., settled in 1865, and his sister, Emeline and her husband, John Hanley, later homesteaded on land that became part of the town site of Central Lake. Because Will owned land in both townships, he could take an active part in each. He had a hand in laying out the original town sites of Bellaire and Central Lake. 

"William and Addie spent several happy years in their log cabin on their Forest Home homestead. It is said that he planted the first apple orchard in Antrim County, and it was cuttings from these trees that formed the vast orchards in later years. Lorena, William, Jr., Elizabeth and Frances were all born while they lived here."

In 1883, the family moved a little south to Kalkaska County to take advantage of school opportunities for the children. William bought the large Broomhead Livery Stable which was renamed Kalkaska Livery Feed and Sale and had other business interests. He was a veterinary surgeon and dentist (see the card below) and was the Township Supervisor and Justice of the Peace over the years.

William Getty, Sr. died on February 22, 1902 in Kalkaska at the age of 66. Addie died on July 14. 1924 at the age of 80. They are both buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Kalkaska, Antrim County, Michigan.
 

A letter written by William John Getty, Jr. stated, "William and Addie spent several happy years in their log cabin on their Forest Home homestead. It is said that he planted the first apple orchard in Antrim County, and it was cuttings from these trees that formed the vast orchards in later years. Lorena, William, Jr., Elizabeth and Frances were all born while they lived here. However, in 1883, since there were no clearly defined schools in Antrim County, they decided to move to Kalkaska County.

Dad in a couple of years purchased a large livery stable, of which George took active management, and later becoming countrywide salesman for a company that manufactured hard wood kitchen implements, from a four foot chopping bowl down to a clothes pin. Irene began teaching when she was 15 and gave the rest of her life to educational work, finally ending up as County School Commissioner, and being one of the most beloved Grand Worthy Matrons of the Eastern Star.

  For 10 years in the 1880s, he served as Supervisor of Kalkaska Township and was also a Justice of the Peace in addition to practicing veterinary medicine.

 The 1900 census has 65 year old William, Sr. and 56 year old Addie living in Kalkaska with daughters Lorena (29 yrs), Elizabeth (24 yrs) and Fanny (21 yrs). William was listed as a "veterinary surgeon". Lorena and Elizabeth were school teachers and Fanny was "at school.

It is believed William got some of his land in or near Kalkaska in this manner. He was a horse trader and knew opportunity when he saw it and was able to pick up large tracts of land from the timber companies after the pine was cut, the first of which was near the Boardman River just south of town.

 William managed to get the Michigan Central Railroad to route through Kalkaska by donating lands for right of ways, station, yard, track, etc.

William purchased the old Broomhead Livery Stable, which he conducted for some time, and he continued to follow his professions of veterinary surgeon and dentist, blacksmith and far­mer. He owned a drugstore, and he served as supervisor and justice of the peace for several years.

At one time he owned a large chunk of Mackinaw City and the surrounding area, including platted portions of the city. He probably had a mind to make a big killing on the properties in a short time, but this never happened and he lost the lands for nonpayment of taxes. After William died in 1902 most of his holdings in Kalkaska County were disposed of from time to time to pay taxes, and for income."