Portrait and Biographical Album of Clinton and Shiawasse Counties, Mich., 1891, page 477

ISAAC F. CRESSMAN is an inteligent and worthy farmer residing in Bingham
Township, near St. Johns.  He was born March 23, 1839 and is a son of Abram
J. Cressman, a native of Pennsylvania who is still living in Northampton County,
that State, at the age of seventy-six years.  His forefathers settled in 
Pennsylvania in the year 1642 coming from Bremen, Germany.  The grandfather 
of our subject, John Cressman, served in the war of 1812, and was the son of 
a Revolutionary hero.  The father of our subject has held several township 
offices, and has for many years been a prominent member of the Lutheran Church.
His occupation is that of a millwright.  His wife, Lydia Frutchey, a native of 
Pennsylvania, died in 1854 leaving eight children.

Isaac Cressman is the eldest of his father's children.  His brother John is 
a graduate of Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, and is a Lutheran minister
at Kutztown in that state, Edmond is a graduate of the Kutztown Normal College,
and also of the Philadelphia Seminary, and Oberlin College.  He is a Congregational
minister at Steel City, Neb.  Emanuel is a graduate of the High School at 
Easton, Pa., and also of the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia.  
After completing his course there he took a full course in the Theological 
department of the seminary at Philadelphia and is in the Lutheran Ministry 
in Erie County, Pa.  Augustine graduated at Oberlin College and is a 
Congregational minister at Wahoo, Neb.  Martin was educated at the Easton 
High School and after teaching for several years became a merchant in Luzerne
County, Pa.  Melinda now Mrs. Knoll lives at Bethlehem, Pa.

Our subject was brought up on the farm and when fourteen years old entered
the boarding school at Easton Pa.  After graduating there he attended three
years at the Allentown Seminary.  He there prepared to enter the Sophomore
class in the Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, but owing to the breaking
out of the war his plans were changed.  He offered his services in the Union
Army in 1861, but was rejected on account of poor health.  In the fall of 1861
he came west and located at Pontiac, Mich,, and taught at Auburn for two years.
In 1863 he came to St. Johns where he purchased land in Bengal Township which 
he sold two years later and with the proceeds purchased the farm on which 
he now resides.  He taught school also for some eight years.  Not a stick 
of timber had been cut on his present farm when he bought it and he has cleared
and improved it and put it in fine condition.  It contains three hundred and 
sixty acres.

Mr. Cressman was married in 1864 to Mary E. Colby, a native of Pontiac, 
Oakland County, this state, who died in 1872 leaving three children, Isaac,
Nellie and Frank.  His second marriage took place in 1873 when he was united
with Teressa Lance, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio.  Her seven children
are named, John, Edward, Emanuel, Melinda, Ralph, Ethel and Clyde.

The gentleman of who we write is a stanch Republican in his convictions although
he does not take a active part in political movements.  He is school inspector 
and has been a member of the Board of Review, serving also for two terms as 
Drainage Commissioner in which latter capacity he has laid a great many ditches
and always did his own surveying.  He is identified with a number of social 
orders, belonging to the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows, the Masons and 
the Knights Templar.  He has taken the Ninety-Fifth Degree of the Memphis Masonic
Rite.  He is President of the Patrons of Industry of the Subordinate association
since its organization, and also Representive of the Sixth Congressional District
of Michigan of the Patrons of Industry for North America.  He has been connected
with the Lutheran Church for many years and his wife is an earnest and 
conscientious member of the Presbyterian Church.  He represented the Mutual 
Life Insurance Company of Boston for five years from 1867 to 1873, having his 
headquarters at Cleveland and Youngstown Ohio.  He began life with no means 
and has attained to a good degree of prosperity.