Allegan County, Michigan - Chapter 5: Centers of Population, 1907 (part 13 of 14)

Randall W. Brooks accompanied his parents on their various removals and was reared and educated in his native state to the age of fourteen years, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to the west, the family home, as before stated, being established on a fami near Ann Arbor. He assisted his father in carrying on the work of the home place during his boyhood and youth, and the first money which he ever earned was in taking an Indian canoe, which was loaded with goods from Lyons to Grand Rapids on the Grand river, being accompanied by another party. Each received one dollar as compensation for their service. In 1835 he went to Grand Rapids to attend the first town meeting ever held in that place. He later went to Granville. Michigan, where he was employed at splitting rails for a short time and later for two months was employed by a Mr. Burton at farm labor. Subsequent to that time he was employed in a sawmill until 1838, when he came to Allegan county, where he was employed for a short time in a sawmill belonging to Alexander Eely. Saving his earnings he was at length enabled to make purcha.se of land and start out upon an independent business career, and accordingly, in November. 1838, he bought eighty. acres, situated on section 27, Watson township, for which he paid two hundred and fifty dollars. This was in its natural state, not a stick of wood having been cut on the place. He at once undertook the arduous task of clearing the property of the trees, after which he broke and plowed the land, planted his seed and in due course of time gathered good crops as the reward of his labor. He also erected a good residence, which is still standing, built outbuildings and otherwise improved the place, so that today it rSnks among the valuable and productive farms of Allegan county. In addition to this property Mr. Brooks also purchased and improved forty acres of land, also located on section 27. Watson township, which he has given to his son.

On the Toth of May. 1844. Mr. Brooks chose as a companion and helpmate for life's journey Miss Mary Jane Kenyon, who was bom iii New York in 1824. She came to this county in company with her uncle, Noah Briggs, who settled near Monterey Center, where she was married. She became the mother of three children : Althea Navis. deceased ; Marion Pierce, a resident of Monterey township, Allegan county: and Julia, who died in childhood. The mother of these children passed aw^ay. and for his second wife Mr. Brooks wedded Mrs. Mary Jane Brewer, a native of Vermont, and she is also deceased. By this marriage there was a son and daughter, but the elder, Ellen A., is now deceased, while Justin J. is the only survivor. He is now operating the home farm for his father, and has spent his entire life in Allegan county with the exception of two years spent in Colorado, where he entered three hundred and twenty acres of land from the government.

Mr. Brooks was twenty-one years of age when he came to Allegan county and here he proudly cast his first presidential vote, supporting the Democratic candidate, and has since supported that party. For two years he served as township treasurer, and he is a charter member of Watson Grange, but aside from that he is not identified with any fraternal organization. His entire life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits, and through his careful management and close ' application he accumulated a good property, from which he derives an income that is now sufficient in his old age to supply him with all the comforts of life. He is one of the venerable and highly respected citizens of this locality, for he has ever been known as a reliable man in all his business dealings and has therefore won the confidence and good will of all with whom he has been associated.

Charles I. Anderson, owning a good farm of eight_v acres situated on section 31, Watson township, is one of the worthy and highly esteemed citizens that the fatherland has furnished to this state. As the name indicates, he was born in Yonkonings Len, Sweden, his natal day being December 11, 1840, a son of Andrew and Mary (Anderson) Anderson, who spent their entire lives in the fatherland, and in whose family were but two children, the sister of our subject being Christine, the wife of Nelson Johnson, a resident of Watson township.

Charles L Anderson was afforded only limited educational advantages in his native country, spending altogether only six months of the year for three years in the school room. He. however, did not learn to write until he was twenty years of age, and then by his own efforts. He was then confirmed and had to start out in life to provide for his own support, for his parents were in very limited financial circumstances. At the early age of twelve years he began work on a farm in his native land and continued at that occupation until he was seventeen years of age, when he secured employment on the construction of a railroad, being employed in railroad work for the succeeding eleven years, during which time he carefully husbanded his earnines, which he invested in a small tract of land, which was in a wild state. He improved and cultivated this and by living economically and working hard and energetically he was enabled to lay by a sum, and he finallv disposed of his farm to good advantage.

Mr. Anderson was married in Sweden, in 1866, to Miss Ulrika Johnson, who was also born in Sweden, March 24. 1840, a daughter of John Erickson. the children taking the father's surname and adding the latter syllable. Three years later the young couple decided to emigrate to the new world, and the money which Mr. Anderson had saved while employed at railroad work, which amounted to about four hundred dollars, provided for their passage to the United States. He came to Michigan, where he secured employment on the Michigan Centra! Railroad, this being about the period of the building of the Lake Shore branch. He later bought eighty acres of wild land, situated on section 32, Watson township, on which he lived for about eight years. He began the work of clearing and cultivating his land, and later disposed of forty acres to his brother-in-law, but he still retains possession of forty acres of the original purchase, and he has since added an additional eighty-acre tract, so that he now has one hundred and twenty acres of good farm property, being here engaged in general agricultural pursuits. When he located on this place there were no roads leading to the farm and many pioneer conditions were seen all around, but all this has been changed in the years that have since come and gone and it is now one of the productive centers of the agricultural belt of Allegan county. Mr. Anderson has erected two good dwellings on his farm and also has many good outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock.

Unto our subject and his wife have been born three children: Frank Oscar, who operates the home farm, residing in one of the dwellings on the place ; Melvina Christina, the wife of George Hendrickson, a resident of Norway, Michigan; and Selma Cecelia, the wife of Andrew Sandahl. who operates a farm belonging to Mr. Anderson.

Mr. Anderson gives stalwart support to the Republican party and for five years served as pathmaster. He holds membership with the Swedish Lutheran church at Watson, in wliich he served as deacon and elder, and he was instrumental in the organization of the church at that place and has always been a liberal contributor and supporter of the same. Coming to this state at an early day. ignorant of the customs and language of American people, Mr. Anderson soon acquired the English tongue and the manners of the people of the new world, and year by year he has worked his way steadily upward until he is today classed among the honorable and prosperous citizens of Allegan county, having a good farm property, all of which has been acquired through the labors of himself and wife, and from which he has acquired a competence that now enables him to leave the more active work of the fields to others, while he is enjoying the fruits of his former toil in a well earned rest. It was through the efforts of Mr. Anderson that other Swedish settlers were induced to locate in this section of the state, for he was the first of the colony to settle here, anti being pleased with this country and the advantages which it offered to its inhabitants he wrote to his friends in his native land, telling them of the bright prospects which this state presented and thereby others were persuaded to locate here, so that in this way Mr. Anderson has been the means of bringing about much of the development and improvement of this part of Allegan county. He is also a believer in good schools, for being deprived of good school privileges in his youth and realizing the value of education, he has given to his children good advantages in this direction.

John F. Germain is one of the worthy citizens that Germany has furnished to this state, his birth having occurred' in Mecklenburg, Voerbende, January 30, 1847, where he was reared and educated to the age of fifteen years, after which he followed farming for one year in the fatherland, subsequent to which time, when a youth of sixteen, he accompanied his parents, Fred and Mary (Vitt) Germain on their emigration to the new world. The parents were both natives of Germany, aiid the father, having heard favorable reports concerning the new world, and the opportunities and advantages which were here to be enjoyed, decided to try his fortune in the United States, and accordingly, in 1862, the family embarked on a sailing vessel at Hamburg. The journey was a long and dangerous one, for during the voyage they encountered a storm, three masts of the vessel being lost, after which it floated around in the water and finally reached the shore of the West Indies, and after four weeks more spent on the water they finally reached New York, the voyage having required one hundred and five days. The family went direct to Angola, in Erie county. New York, where the father and son secured employment at chopping four-foot wood and received for their services the meager sum of fifty cents per cord. The father soon made his way with his family to Allegan county, Michigan, their home being established near Hopkins, and there both parents passed away, the father when he had reached the advanced age of eighty years, while the mother was seventy-two years of age at the time of her demise. Their family numbered nine children, of whom six reached years of maturity and four still survive.

John F, Germain, the eldest of his father's family, was, as stated, a youth of sixteen years when he accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new world. He assisted his fatjier at farm labor for a few years after the settlement of the family in this state, and when starting out upon an independent business career he chose the occupation to which he had been reared, and in 1867 purchased forty acres of land, which constitutes a portion of his present property, to which he later added a second forty-acre tract, so that the place now embraces eighty acres. This was all wild land when it came into his possession, not a stick of timber having been ciit nor a furrow turned. He at once undertook the arduous task of clearing and cultivating the land, and in due course of time converted the land into productive fields, from which he annually harvested good crops. He has made all of the improvements which are here seen, including a fine country residence, containing ten rooms, and supplied with all the equipments of a modern home for the comfort of the inmates. He has likewise erected a good barn thirty-two by ninety-four feet, which affords ample shelter for his stock, and he also has many outbuildings which are usually found upon a farm property. His first home was a little shanty ten by twelve feet, in which he kept "bachelor's hall" during the period spent in the clearing and development of his farm. Mr. Germain keeps considerable stock upon his place and furnishes considerable milk and cream to the creamery in Allegan, keeping eight cows for this purpose, and this adds not a little to his yearly income. In former years Mr. Germain was al.so identified with other interests in connection with his agricultural interests, having worked for one year in a sawmill.

Mr. Germain was happily married November 4, 1870, to Miss Barbara Jacobs, who was horn in Kliding on the Rhine, February 16, 1851, and came to this country with her parents in 1867, the family home being established in Salem township, Allegan county. Her parents were Paul and Mary Jacobs, and were numbered among the early settlers and highly-esteemed people of this section of the state. Following their marriage Mr. Germain took his bride to his farm, where they lived for one year, when, in 1871. he having secured employment on the railroad, necessitated their removal to the city of Allegan, where tliey remained for seven months, after which they returned to the farm, although Mr. Germain was still employed at railfT>ad work for several years, walking to and from his work each night and morning, a distance of fonr miles. After abandoning that work he again resumed operations on his home farm, being thus engaged during the succeeding fourteen years, subsequent to which time he took up carpenter work and has built many of the structures which are today scattered over Allegan county, among these .being forty-two barns in his home locality. He took the contract for furnishing and delivering the timber used in the construction of the Trowbridge electric dam, and was later employed by the Kalamazoo Electric Light Company to secure the right of way for poles and wires for a dam to be built extending to Rattle Creek, and he was engaged in this way for three years. He then again resumed his farming pursuits, which has continued to be his occupation to the present time. In addition to his home farm he owns a tract of eightv acres of finelv-improved land situated on section 6, Otsego township, and this returns hiin a good annual income.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Germain have been born nine children, of whom two have passed away: Mary, a resident of Allegan; John, at home; Elizabeth, who is now the wife of Christ Metzger. a resident of Kalamazoo, Michigan; William and George D., both under the parental roof; Bertha, who died at the age of eleven xears ; August, who is still at home ; Irving, who died at the age of three years; and Paul, who completes the family.

Mr. Germain has always given a stalwart support to the Democratic party, and has taken an active and beneficial interest in local political affairs, having served as county drain commissioner for three terms and also filled the office for one year to fill a vacancy. For the past two years he has filled the office of school treasurer, and the cause of education ever finds in him a warm and helpful friend. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church, and aided in building and supporting the church of that denomination in Allegan for twenty years, but for the past eight \'ears has not been identified with any church organization.

Through almost a half century Mr. Germain has been not only an interested witness but an active participant in the work of development and progress which has been carried on in Allegan county, and which has caused it to be ranked among the foremost sections of the state. He has borne his full share in the work of pioneer development and has endured all the hardships and privations which are to be met in a frontier region. When he located here and purchased his first farm, the homes of the settlers were widely scattered, his nearest neighbor being three miles distant, but as time passed and the coimtry became more thickly populated all these conditions were changed and this community is now a prosperous and thriving center. Mr. Germain and his family are highly respected people, and the hospitality of their own pleasant home is freely extended to their many friends.

John Shea. - As the name indicates, John Shea is of Irish birth, his natal place being county Cork, and the date April 5, 1846. Although starting out in life a poor boy he possessed the industry which has ever been a dominant factor of his race, and today he is the owner of a good farm property embracing one hundred and sixty acres of well improved land, of which half of this constitutes the home place, and is situated on section 31, Watson township. His parents were Thomas and Johannah (Lynch) Shea, who were likewise natives of county Cork, and when the son was but one year of age the parents emigrated to the new world, the father hoping to provide for liis family to better advantage in tlie new world, for he was then in very limited circumstances. The son was left in his native land in the home of an uncle, with whom he remained until he had reached the age of eleven years. Both the father and mother were ill from cholera during the voyage across the Atlantic, and the latter's illness proved fatal, her death occurring while en route to Che new world, and her remains were buried at Quebec. The father, however, recovered and continued his journey to Baldwinsville, New York, where he continued to reside with his family for several years. In 1858 the family removed to this state, locating on a farm in Kalamazoo township, which was situated three miles from the city of Kalamazoo, and there the father continued his residence until his death.

When a little lad of but eleven years John Shea came alone to the new world, joining his father and the family, of whom he was the youngest and now the only surviving member, in Baldwinsville, New York, and then accompanied them on their removal to this state a few years later. He remained with his father in this state, assisting him in the cultivation and improvement of the home farm until the latter "s death, when he started out upon an independent business career, and he also at that time established a home of his own by his marriage, in 1867, to Miss Margaret Tubrity, the wedding being celebrated on the 8th of January of that year. She was likewise born in Ireland, in county Clare, in February, 1846, and in 1866, when a young lady of twenty years, emigrated to the United States, coming direct to this state and locating in Kalamazoo, the date of her arrival being May 3d of that year. In 1868 Mr. Shea purchased his farm of eighty acres, to which he removed with his family in 1873, and which has since continued to be his place of residence. This is shuated on section 31, Watson township, and when it came into his possession it was all wild and unimproved and was covered with the native growth of trees. He cleared a place large enough to erect a little log house, this being eighteen by twenty-four feet, and in this pioneer home the family took up their abode, after which the father continued the work of clearing and cultivating his land. When he came to this place he had an ox team and wagon, an ax and a few other tools, but as time passed he gathered various farm implements about him for use in his farm work, and as he prospered in his undertakings he added to his original purchase another tract of eighty acres adjoining, on which his two sons now reside. He has devoted his entire life to agricultural pursuits and has been very successful in bis work, for he has applied himself diligently and assiduously, has allowed no obstacles to deter him in his labors and by his careful management and close application he is now in possession of a valuable farm property which places him among the leading and well-to-do citizens of this part of the county, and he owes his success entirely to his own well-directed energy. His original home has been replaced with a fine country .dwelling, containing eleven rooms and supplied with all comforts and conveniences, in the rear of which stand a fine barn thirty-two feet by ninety feet, with eighteen-feet posts, and

Our subject and his wife have eight living children: Mary, Thomas, John, George, Ellen, Katherine, Delia and Anna. The eldest son, Thomas, is married and resides on one of his father's farms. Mr. Shea gives his political support to the Democratic party, but has never been active in public affairs, and he is a communicant of the Catholic church at Watson, and aided in building the house of worship at that place.

The record of him whose name introduces this record should serve as a source of encouragement to young men of ambition and energy, for all that he today owns has been acquired entirely through his own labors. lie started out in life without capital or assistance from friends or relatives and today he owns one hundred and sixty acres of very valuable and well improved land and is accounted one of the prosperous and highly esteemed citizens of his community, for he has ever been honorable and straightforward in all his dealings and thereby has won the confidence and good will of all with whom he has come in contact. Mr. Shea has never employed a doctor for personal assistance.

William Perry Fenner. - There are very few native of Allegan county who have passed the age of sixty and who have spent their entire lives in this immediate vicinity, but William Perry Fenner, the subject of this review, is one of these. And, too, the changes which he has seen in this section during his lifetime seem almost incredible. His boyhood days were passed amid the scenes of an entirely new country, for then the period of the white man's residence in Allegan county was only one or two decades. Our subject saw the dense forests cleared away and in their stead well-cleared farms which soon gave plentifully of their great productiveness. Then next he witnessed the formation of the towns and villages, and with it all a slow but sure improvement in all conditions, until now, at the end of sixty odd years, he sees a portion of the great state of Michigan, which is unexcelled as an agricultural region, a manufacturing center and as the home of as prosperous and contented a people as may be foimd anywhere on the civilized globe. This advancement and these vast improvements have all come during his lifetime and in every bit of the progression he has been an active and efficient factor.

Mr. Fenner was born in the township of Martin, Allegan county, December 22, 1844. His parents were Russell B. and Hannah V, (Schenck) Fenner, both of whom were natives of Onondaga coimty, New York, where they grew to maturity and were married. Russell B. Tenner's father, James L. Fenner, had bought government land in Michigan, although he never became a resident of this state, and this is doubtless what first attracted Russell to the Wolverine state. A few years after the marriage of the parents of our subject they came to Michigan, arriving in the year 1844. the same year as the birth of William P. Fenner. The young couple located on land on sections 16 and 17, Martin township, which was their residence for nine years, when they removed to another farm in Gun Plains township, which was their home for a number of years. On both of these farms they cleared the land and made many improvements. About 1894 they removed to the village of Plainwell, where they passed the remainder of their days, Mr.

Fenner dying here March 26, 1897, and his estimable widow surviving him several years. Mr. Fenner was eighty-three at the time of his death, while Mrs. Fenner was past eighty. Russell E. Fenner was an important factor in the early development and history of this part of Allegan county and in the earlier years held various township offices. Politically he was a Democrat. During his early residence here he was interested with his brother, Darius P. Fenner, in the building and operation of a sawmill near his home. Darius P. also spent the rest of his life here, dying upon the old farm at the age of eighty-two years. Russell B. also owned one of the first threshing machine outfits in this county and for a number of years operated the machine over several townships. Mr. and Mrs. Russell B. Fenner had a family of five children, as follows : Byron R. died in Barry county, Michigan, in 1905. aged sixty-seven years; Eliza E. is now Mrs. Henry Scott, of Plainwell; William P. is the subject of this review; Ruloff J. operates a flouring mill at Constantine, this state; Franklin M. is a farmer of Gun Plains township.

William Perry Fenner was at home on the farm until he attained his majority. He was in a store several months in his young manhood and his first farming was on rented land which he operated for four years. His first purchase was one hundred and twenty acres of land and which adjoined his father. This he improved and made his home for thirteen years and he still retains ownership of it. In 1886 he came to his present home in Martin township, this being the old Sornbury farm, which was formerly the property of his wife's father, Horace Sornbury, and which was obtained from the government in 1S35.

William Perry Fenner was married December 22, 1864, to Mina L. Sornbury, daughter of Horace and Elizabeth Jane (Hicks) Sornbury. who came to Michigan from Canada, Mrs. Sornbury being a native of New York. They were among the earliest pioneers of this section, obtaining their land here in 1835 and making this their home for the remainder of their lives, her sixty-first year. They had four children, as follows: Mina L., the wife of our subiect; Armida M., now the wife of Sanford Monroe, of Martin township; Myra J., who married Burdette Sisson, of Allegan, and who died a few years after marriage; Bruce B., who died at the age of thirty-two years. The parents were highly esteemed people and they spent their entire lives on the farm here. Politically Mr. Sornbury was a Democrat, and he several times filled minor township offices.

The farm home of the Fenner family is a most pleasant place, located about two miles from the village of Martin. Mr. Fenner has added forty acres to the original one hundred acres, and the most of it is under cultivation. In addition he owns another tract a short distance away. His former farm in Gun Plains township is leased. For the past two years Mr, Fenner has been associated with his son, Ernest W., in a general store at Martin, which is in charge of the latter. The other five children are as follows : Nellie M. married Frank Pratt and died at the age of twenty-five years; James B. died when twenty-nine years old, two weeks after going into the store with his elder brother ; Jennie H. and Pearl E. live at home with their parents ; Orlie P. is in the store with Ernest. Mr. Fenner is a Prohibitionist in politics and he and the members of bis family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Archibald Matthews. - Allegan county and the township of Martin contain a number of residents who have passed a half-century or more in this locality and among them we find many men of stability, honor and trustworthiness, men who have by years of honest labor acquiretl a competence and at the same time been alive to the needs of the community wherein they dwelt and ever being ready to forward any movement for the Iietterment of their fellow men. Men such as these are really the bulwark and, standby of the state and nation, and although they may have never achieved. great personal reputation abroad, nevertheless they stand very high in the regard of those who know them best and are really primarily the cause of this country's greatness,

A man of this character is Archibald Matthews, who has lived continuously in the township of Martin since 1852. He was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1833, his parents being John and Nancy (Trimble) Matthews. Both were natives of Pennsylvania and both were of Irish parentage. They remained in Pennsylvania after marriage until our subject was about eight years of age, and then, like many residents of, the Keystone state in those days, thought to better their fortinies in the neighboring state of Ohio, where they took their family, locating irf Northfield. Summit county. Here they remained for a few years and then came into Michigan, selecting as their home a farm in Martin township, close to the village of Martin, then a mere hamlet. The land they selected was., new, although the trees thereon had been girdled, and here thev made for themselves and their family a comfortable home, residing here until the mother died at the age of fifty-three, while the father lived to be seventythree. John and Nancy Matthews were the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters, of whom only one, Archibald, the subject of this review, survives. Of the others William was for many years a storekeeper in Martin and died at the age of fifty-three ; Thomas, who was connected with the mercantile line all of his life, died at about the same age ; James died in the state of Montana, whither he had gone when still a young man : Elizabeth married John Monteith and died in middle life ; Martha married Dr. William Anderson, a practicing physician at Martin and Port Huron, and died at the age of forty-five ; Jemima married William Gilmore and died in middle life.

Archibald was with his father for fifteen years after coming to Michigan and during this long experience upon the home farm he acquired a most excellent knowledge of agriculture as carried on in this part of the country. He did not marry until he had reached the age of thirty-two years, when he espoused Miss Margaret Redpath, several years his junior, who was the daughter of John Redpath and wife, who were also pioneers of this region. Immediately after marriage Archibald Matthews and his bride settled upon the farm which is their present home. It was all in the wild, although Archibald had slashed twenty acres and built him a house previous to his marriage. The farm was in a few years increased in size to one hundred and sixty acres, and all of this Mr. Matthews with his own hands cleared, fitted and placed under cultivation - a task which would appear a huge one to the young man of the present generation. He has sold eighty acres of the farm and still retains a similar amount, which makes a fine farm. If is equipped with excellent buildings and shows careful atten- tioii. Located as it is but a half mile from the village of Martin, it is a most convenient homestead. Mr, Martin has devoted his entire life to the farni and carries on a general line of agriculture, although he has paid considerable attention to wheat raising and the feeding of live stock.

Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, both of whom are dead. William died at the age of three years, while the eldest, John, reached manhood and middle age, when he met with a tragic death, at the age of forty-two. While spearing fish on a lake in company with Mack Campbell in the spring of 1905 a storm suddenly arose and before they could reach shore John was struck by lightning and instantly killed. He was married and had lived upon a farm adjoining that of his father, and their entire lives had been passed in such close proximity to each other that his loss is all the more keenly felt.

As this son, John, left no children, and as neither of Mr. Matthews' brothers have any living children, it will be seen that this branch of the Matthews family dies out with our subject. Mr. Matthews still carries on his farm, although he finds time for innocent and healthful pleasures. He generally keeps a fine pair of drivers and thoroughly enjoys his outings with these. He is also an enthusiastic hunter and fisherman and his outdoor life appeals to him greatly. In politics he is a Republican and he has always been active in party work and deliberations. He and his wife are iTiembers of the Presbyterian church at Martin.

William Henry Ely is the owner of a fine dairy farm, beautifully located on the Kalamazoo river, commanding a fine view of the stream and the surrounding country. It is situated in Valley township and is one of the attractive farms of Allegan coimty. Mr. Ely was born in Jefferson county, New York, January 27, 1842, his parents being Henry and Harriet (Terry) Ely, who were born, reared and married in Buckinghamshire, England. In 1832 they crossed the Atlantic to America. The father was a bricklayer and mason and worked at his trade for many years in Jefferson county. New York.

The son, William H. Ely, supplemented his early education, acquired in the common schools of the Empire state, by study in Carthage Academy at Carthage, New York, and also at Union Academy, Belleville, New York. In response to the first call of President Lincoln for seventy-five thousand troops to serve for three months in crushing out the rebellion in the south, Mr. Ely enlisted, becoming a member of Company E, Twenty-fourth New York Infantry. The regiment, however, was mustered in for two years instead of three months as was expected and thus he remained at the front for that time. The Twenty-fourth New York was attached to the First Corps of the Army of the Potomac and did service under Generals Mc- Ciellan and McDowell, being largely in Virginia to guard Washington. Mr. Ely participated in the second battle of Bull Run and was with his command mainly at Alexandria, Fredericksburg, Culpeper and in the Shenandoah Valley. In the second battle of Bull Run he was wounded by a musket ball in the left thigh and fell into the hands of the rebels, but was paroled on the field. He was then sent to a hospital at Washington and afterward to Philadelphia, hut was j-eleased in time to be mustered out with the regiment. He then entered the quartermaster's department in Washington and was stationed at Morehead City, North Carolina, remaining in the employ of the government until the close of the war. Much of his work was to draw and reissue rations.

Returning to New York when the war was over, Mr. Ely taught school for two years, and was then engaged in husiness for a number of }'ears and was married in Ellisburg, that state, in October, 1873. In the meantime, however, he had visited various states, also points in Canada, Mexico and South America. In the fall of 1872 he purchased his present farm in Valley township, Allegan county, Michigan, and further completed his arrangements for having a home of his own by his marriage in October, 1873, to Miss Mary Antoinette Salisbury, of New York. The land which he had purchased lay along the Kalamazoo river and was all covered with forest trees. Upon this place he built a bouse of concrete, it being the first concrete farm house in the county, and has since resided here, developing a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He now has eighty acres under cultivation, the place being used largely as a dairy farm. He finds a ready sale for his product and at one' time sold considerable mitk in Allegan. His residence is about five miles below Allegan on the farm on the Kalamazoo river and is a very suitable resort location, commanding a fine view of the river and the surrounding country.

Mr. and Mrs. Ely lost their two children, but have an adopted <laughter. Elva B. Ely, who came to them when two years old and is now a young lady. She is still a member of the family and is at the present time occupying a position in the abstract office in Allegan. In igoo Mr. Ely was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died in that year. Two years later he was married to Nelhe Ingham, a daughter of Giles H. Hill. She was born upon a farm in Valley township and has always resided in this county, except five years spent in Washington and Idaho.

In community affairs Mr. Ely has been quite active and prominent and has been called upon to fill a number of public offices. Since 1890 he has served as supervisor, ten years, frequently being elected without opposition. He attends the conventions of his party as a delegate, but his time and energies have been more largely concentrated upon his business affairs. He is a member of the Allegan post, the Masonic fraternity at Allegan, and was for a number of years a member of the Knights of Labor. He is also a member of the Grange, in the work of which he takes an active part. He has served as master of the local Grange and was master of the county, or Pomona Grange. He has also several times been a delegate to the state Grange and is one of the stockholders and a director in the Co-operative Store, which was established by the Grange. He is also a director in the Patrons' Fire Insurance Company and a stockholder in the Allegan Creamery. His residence in the county covers a period of more than a third of a century, during which time he has made an' excellent record as a progressive business man and public- spirited citizen, being as loyal to th^ country in days of peace as when he followed the Stars and Stripes iipon the battlefields of the south. Liberal in politics and religion, he not only advocates a life of sterling worth, honesty and purity but lives it.

Charles L. Barrett is the owner of an excellent farm pleasantly and conveniently situated abont three miles from the village of Allegan. He was horn August 2, 1^48, in Richland township, Kalamazoo coimty, Michigan, and is a representative of one of the old pioneer families of this part of the state. His paternal grandparents were Hildah and Elizabeth (Cummings) Barrett, natives of New York, who came to Michigan at an early epoch in its development and were soon closely identified with its farming interests. The year 1832 witnessed their arrival, at which time the state was largely a forest district, covered with a dense growth of oak, beech, ash, maple and pine trees according to locality. Hildah Barrett settled with his family in Kalamazoo county, where he and his wife spent their remaining days. In his business undertakings he prospered, becoming a wealthy man. He was also a most earnest Christian gentleman, active in support of the cause and he loaned money freely for the erection of churches, assisting in organizing and building the Presbyterian church at Richland.

Marvin Barrett, father of our subject, was born in New York and accompanied his parents on their removal to this state in 1832. He then settled upon a farm in Richland township, where he died in 1882. He married Helen M. Dolson, a native of New York, who still lives in Richland township. She was a daughter of John H. Dolson, a native of New York city, and one of the pioneer residents of Michigan. He was a Revolutionary soldier and served throughout the war. He was married three times and became the father of twenty-seven children. At a pioneer epoch in the history of the state he took up his abode on the present site of Battle Creek,, where he passed away and was buried. Marvin Barrett also devoted his life to general agricultural pursuits. He gave his early political allegiance to the Abolition party and when the Republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery he joined its ranks. He occupied many positions of public honor and trust in his township and both he and his wife were devoted members of the Presbyterian church. Their lives were upright and honorable and at all times Marvin Barrett was characterized by unfaltering allegiance to manly principles and high ideals. The family numbered nine children, six of whom are living, namely: Charles L., Mrs. Emma Little, James, Frank W., William E., and George M.

Charles L. Barrett supplemented his early education, acquired in the common schools, by study in the .seminary at Richland, Michigan, and by study in the Northwestern University, at Evanston. Illinois. His education completed, he afterward engaged in teaching school through several winter terms, and in the summer months devoted his energies to general agricultural pursuits. He came to Allegan county in 1876, and for four years was engaged in merchandising at Mill Grove. He then purchased a farm in Valley township, where he has since lived and which is pleasantly located about three miles from the village of Allegan. He has here a good home and fine tract of land, which is very rich and productive, responding readily to the care and labor that he bestows upon the iields.

On the 15th of October, 1872, Mr. Barrett was married to Miss Emma Crosby, of Richland township, a daughter of Randall and Elizabeth (Miles') Crosby, who were natives of the Empire state and early settlers of Richland township, Kalamazoo county, Michigan. Her father died on the old homestead there, and the mother passed away in Allegan. Unto Mr, and Mrs.

Barrett have been born ten children: Randall M., Carl H., Florence B., Hattie C, Margery N., Florine M., Crosby C, Mildred E., and two who died in childhood. Mr. Barrett gives his political allegiance to the Republican party and has held various official positions, serving :is township clerk for four years, as county clerk for six terms and has been school director for many years. The duties of these different positions were discharged with promptness and fidelity and his political record is entirely a creditable one. Fraternally he is connected with the Kiiij;hts of Pvthias and the United Workmen.

Ch.vkles C. Cl.\kk, residing at Mill Grove, in Valley township, has ' now passed his eighty-second milestone on life's journey, having been born at Niagara Falls, New York, April 13, 1824. His has been in many respects an eventful and varied career, embracing as it does all of the experiences of pioneer life in the west. His father. Enos Clark, was a native of Massachusetts and a stonemason by trade. He worked on a mill in Canada for a time and afterward went to Lockport, New York. In 1839 he came to Calhoun county, Michigan, at which time Charles C. Clark was in his sixteenth year. The family settled on a new farm and both parents died in 1843. their deaths occurring only nine weeks apart. They left eleven children, one an infant.

The children became scattered and Charles C. Clark began working in the neighborhood in order to provide for his own support. He, however, had a guardian who directed his labors. He worked for a time at the carpenter's trade or until his employer killed his wife and was sent to state's prison. Mr. Clark continued to reside in Calhoun county luitil 1853, and in the meantime he rented and bought land, which he cleared and developed. He cleared about fifty acres of land in Calhoun county. He came to Allegan county in 1853. and two years later located on what is his present home. In the meantime, however, he had spent two years in hunting on the plains on the other side of the Kalamazoo river, camping at Bailey's Mill, which had been built years before and was abandoned. The district was an unbroken wilderness and he made his camp in the old mill office while engaged in hunting. He and his brother killed one hundred and fifteen deer between October and January, selling the hides for one hundred and thirty-five dollars to Jack Jones at Allegan. They traded venison for bread at the old Pine Plains House, which was situated on the stage road between Allegan and Saugatuck, and was the only house between the two places - a distance of twenty-five miles.

In 1855 Mr. Clark returned to Allegan county and lived with his brother-in-law. John Heath, during which time he engaged in the manufacture of shingles. In company with Mr. Heath and his brother, George P. Heath, he purchased, in 1856, the Wheeler mill at Mill Grove. This was a shingle mill and also contained a circular saw. for the manufacture of lumber. It was built by Fuller & Harris. In the new enterprise the partners prospered and later Mr. Dark became a member of the firm of Clark, Heath & Company. This was operated until the war. In the meantime George Heath retired from the partnership which had been fonued, and Mr. Clark and John Heath conducted the business up to the period of the outbreak of the Civil war. Prices, however, were so low that thev made little monev.

They had rafted one hundred thousand feet of lumber down the Kalamazoo river to Saugatuck, where they sold it for only four dollars per thousand and thus they made little more than a living out of their undertakings. Seeing that they could not pay for the mill they gave it up to the firm of Holmes & Company, who held the mortgage. Later, however, they bought it back and continued its operation until 1862, when they sold out to Mr. Alonzo Vosburg.

The following year Mr. Clark located on his present farm at Mill Grove. He was employed, however, on the John Heath place until the time of his marriage, which was celebrated in 1863, to Miss Melissa La Bar, a yoimg lady of twenty-two years, from Rochester, New York, becoming his wife. They began their domestic life on the farm and Mr. Clark afterward purchased more land, which he cleared from the timber and developed into productive fields. He owned and cultivated thirty acres, which he planted to peaches, which proved a very profitable crop until the yellows took the orchard. In the meantime he spent one year in Allegan, where he conducted a feed store, after which he returned to the farm. In 1869 he built his home upon his land and soon set out his peach orchard. He also engaged in raising strawberries, apples and other friiit. and later he planted a second peach orchard. For twenty years his son-in-law has operated the farm, while Mr. Clark is practically living retired. The third orchard has been set out by his son-in-law, Mr. Gardiner, and the farm is now an improved property, largely devoted to the cultivation of fruit.

In 1898 Mr. Clark was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 20th of May of that year, after they had traveled life's journey together for thirty-five years. They had but one daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who is now the wife of Alfred N. Gardiner, and who has always remained with her father because of her mother's poor health. Mr. Gardiner is a carpenter as well as a farmer, and unto this marriage three children have been bom : Clark La Ear Gardiner, now eight years of age ; Louis Alfred Gardiner, a youth of five years, and a son who died in infancy. Mr, Clark's home is one of the best in the vicinity, and in the evening of his life he is now very comfortably situated. In politics he is a Roosevelt Democrat, for, though he usually has supported the Democratic party, he has great admiration for the president and cast his last ballot in his support. His memory compasses the period of early pioneer development in this portion of the state and he relates in most interesting manner events of frontier life in Michigan, especially concerning his camping experiences and his early milling operations.

John R. GRAH.^M.^The family of Graham has done an important work in the settlement and improvement of this portion of the prosperous county of Allegan and its members have ever been active in movements tending toward a betterment of conditions in the section where they have made their homes. John B. Graham was born in Steuben county. New York, November 26, 1855, and that was his home until he was four years old, when the family moved to this locality. He was the eldest of nine children of James D. and Katherine E. (Fuller) Graham. James D. Graham was born in county Sligo, Ireland, April 8, 1830, and he came to America with his parents in 1847, they locating in Canada. In 1849 he went into the state of New York and began working on his own account in a sawmill, where he was employed for eight years. He was married in 1853 to Miss Katherine Fuller, a native of Jerusalem, Yates county, New York, where she was born in 1838. They remained in New York state for six years after their marriage and then came to Michigan, settling upon section 13, Cheshire township, Allegan county, on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, where the remainder of his life was passed and where his widow still resides. It was a very new country when he came here and there was no road leading to his farm, while all of his land was in its natural state. At one time he owned one hundred and ninety acres of land, of which he placed about one hundred acres under cultivation, placing good buildings thereon and setting out large orchards. In this section James D. Graham was for many years a most potent factor for good. For many years he was a deacon and trustee in the Baptist church and a faithful worker in the Sunday-school, being teacher and superintendent therein for many years. PoHtically he was a Republican and he held numerous local ofifices in the early history of Cheshire township. Besides being a school olficer for more than twenty years, he was township drain commissioner for eight years and also deputy county drain commissioner under County Commissioner Wilcox. Previous to his incumbency there had been very little drainage done in this township and Mr. Graham did most effective work in this hne, as well as in the laying out of highways. After a long life of usefulness he passed away here May 31, 1901, leaving a widow and nine children, as follows: John B., the eldest, is the subject of this review; George resides in Montana and James in British Columbia : Andrew is a resident of Allegan ; Charles and his family live on the old homestead on section 13 with his mother; Bert is a farmer of this county ; Julia is the wife of Horace Eldred, of Allegan ; Alice is the wife of Lucien F. Huntley, of Chicago; and Laura is the wife of Charles Hillman, of Allegan township.

John B. Graham, the eldest of the family, came to Michigan with his parents in 1859 and lived upon the old farm rmtil 1896. Then he purchased a fine farm of one hundred and fifty-five acres adjoining that of his father and h'ing on the town line between Cheshire and Trowbridge, a part of his farm being on section 13. Cheshire, and the remainder on section 19, Trowbridge township. His residence and other buildings, are, however, in Cheshire. He first took this place as wild land and the improvements have all been made by himself. It is now one of the best farms in this section, thoroughly improved and equipped with substantial buildings. In addition to general farming Mr. Graham is largely interested in Percheron horses and is one of a company of dealers in Percheron stallions. Politically he is a Republican and he is now serving his second term as highway commissioner of Cheshire township. He has had a long and extended experience in the building of highways and even assisted .his father in building the first road by the old farm, which was a corduroy. During his two years' incumbency as highway commissioner there has been an unprecedented amount of effective work done in the way of improving the highways of the township, and last year twenty-five hundred dollars was appropriated for this purpose. He takes a deep interest in educational affairs and has been

He was married January 6, 1896, to Mrs. Amelia Lewis, who was bom in Toronto, Ontario, and came here just previous to her marriage. She is the daughter of Henry and Mary J. (Graham) Tilson, her mother being a sister of our subject's father.

Mr. Graham is a man of influence in this portion of Allegan county, an intelligent and prosperous farmer and his place shows unusual thrift and

Joseph Antony Trutsch. - Although almost three decades have come and gone since Joseph Antony Trutsch was called from this life, he is yet remembered by many of the citizens as a man of genuine personal merit and a worthy representative of farming interests in Allegan cormty. He was born in Switzerland and died in Michigan in 1868 at the age of fortytwo years. He remained a resident of the land of the Alps until about twelve or fourteen years prior to his death. He came to the United States with his sister, Mary Ann. He had not been a resident of the country for a very long period when the Civil war broke out, and he manifested his patriotism and his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting from Allegan county and serving for three years with a regiment of volunteer infantry. He never faltered in the performance of any task assigned to him whether it called him to the lonely picket line or to the firing line.

After the war Mr. Trutsch was united in marriage on the 17th of September, 1865, to Miss Clarissa Harriet Jackson, who was born in Bedford, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, February 6, 1835. When twenty-two years of age she came to Allegan county with her brother, Amos J. Jackson, a veteran of the Civil war, and since that time has resided continuously in, Allegan county. She is a daughter of David and Clarissa (Ives) Jackson, who were natives of New York. She was the youngest of eleven children and by her marriage has become the mother of one daughter and one son : Edna Ann, who is now the widow of Allen Boyce, of Allegaii township, and Joseph Antony, who operates the home farm.

Soon after his marriage Mr. Trutsch purchased what has since been known as the home farm, comprising eighty acres of woodland on section 23, Cheshire township. He at once began its development and cultivation, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for his death occurred three years after he made the purchase. Since that time the farm work has been carried on by Mrs. Trutsch and her son, who have erected good buildings here and have made many modem improvements. Everything about the place is neat and attractive in appearance and the work of the agriculturist is carried forward with good results. Mrs. Trutsch has remained continuously a resident of the county for almost a third of a century and has therefore been a witness of much of its growth and progress.

Edmund S. Rogers. - One of the successful farmers of Cheshire township is the gentleman named above, who resides in a most comfortable and tasteful farm home on section 9. Here he has cleared his land and made all of the other improvements upon the place and here he takes great pleasure in life, enjoying that freedom and independence only known upon the well-regulated farm.

Joseph A. Trutsch Mrs. Clarissa H. Trutsch

Mr, Rogers was born in Summit county, Ohio. March 23, 1847. He was the eldest child of Justus S. and Katherine (Shuman) Rogers, natives respectively of Vermont and New York. Justus Rogers went into Ohio with his father in a very early day and there they made their home. An idea of the unsettled condition of the state of Ohio may be realized when we state that at the time the Rogers family went there from the east it required a search over no less than four townships to secure the services of enough men to help raise a log house, and some of these men were Indians. Justus and Katherine Rogers came into Michigan in 1856, locating in Alleeran county, a few miles northwest of the now thriving city of Allegan. Here they made their home on a farm, where they lived nearly all the remainder of their lives, Mr. Rogers dying here at the advanced age of seventy years, his estimable wife dying at Howard City, Michigan, at the age of sixty-five. In his younger days Justus Rogers was a hunter and trapper of note and he continued along these lines long after he moved into Michigan. They were the parents of six children, the subject of this review being the eldest and the others being as follows : Henrv lived in the west for a number of years and was killed while a resident of the state of Washington, in August. 1906; Lewis died at the age of twenty vears; EInor McMartin died in Colorado: Abbie. now Mrs. Handy, is a resident of the state of Washington.

Edmund S. Rogers was only nine years old when he accompanied his parents from Ohio to Michigan, and he remained upon the home farm in Allegan township luitil he had attained the age of seventeen years. The great Civil war had been raging for several years and the lad became fired with a desire to go in the aid of his country. But not until he was seventeen did the opportunity- offer, and then be -was quick to take it. enlisting in February, 1865. in Company F, Twenty-fourth Michigan \'olunteer Infantry. He was sent with his regiment to Springfield. Illinois, where they remained for about four months, when the war closed. While at Springfield Mr. R(^ers. with other members of his regiment, acted as a guard of honor during the burialof the lamented President Lincoln,

.After the close of the war he returned to the old home in Allegan county, and for several }-ears to follow worked in sawmills and lumber camps. Then in 1873 he purchased his present home in Cheshire township, the same being located on section g. His first purchase of land was only forty acres, the same having only seven acres cleared and with a log house, twelve by twenty feet in size, with a small porch in front and a grapevine growing over it. Later he bought an additional twenty acres, and the sixty comprises his present holdings. Mr. Refers has cleared this place himself and made all of the improvements thereon. He has an up-to-date house, good barns and other buildings and the whole place reflects the good management and care of the owner. It is styled "The Old Homestead Farm."

Our subject was married July t6. 1869. when he took for his life partner Miss Josephine Davis, a native of Belfast. Allegheny county, New York, where she was bom December 12. 1849. Her father was Orrin Davis, a native of Bristol, Connecticut, who was for many years a successful teacher and in later years a physician in the state of New York. Here he met and married Marlah Buck, and in later years, when their daughter was seventeen years old. they came to Michigan and located in Allegan count}', making their home in Cheshire township on a fann. Here the father cliec! at the age of ninety-two and the mother at the age of sixtyfour.

The imioii of Edmund S. and Josephine Davis has resulted in the birth of three children, all of whom are living, as follows : Edna May is the wife of Charles Peas, of Casco township, and they have three children, Veryl, Rollin and Esther; Grace is the wife of Homer Connery and they have one son, Roger, their home being in the township of Pine Grove ; Ruby, the youngest, lives at home with her parents. Previoiis to their marriages, the two eldest daughters were for a number of years successful teachers in this and adjoining counties.

Mr. Rogers in politics is an independent Republican. He has served his township two terms as highway commissioner and has also been a school director for twelve vears. He has wide fraternal relations and belongs to B. F. Chapin Post,'G. A. R., of Cheshire township, the F. & A. M. Lodge at Allegan and also to the Grange.

Charles U. Schermerhorn, - The gentleman nained above is a lifelong resident of the township of Cheshire, where he was born March 7, 1854. That he is a man who commands the high regard and thorough confidence of the people of this section is evidenced by the fact that he is now filling his sixth consecutive term as .supervisor of Cheshire township, a position which he occupies with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. It is a notable fact that he is the only native of the township to be chosen as supervisor and that with but one exception he has held the office longer than any other incumbent.

The Schermerhorns are of Holland descent and the prefix "Van" was until some years ago attached to the name. They were among the leading Dutch families in the days of New York, or, as it was then styled, New Amsterdam, and many of the descendants of the original family still reside in eastern New York state.

Our subject's father, James U., was born in Little Falls, Herkimer county. New York, January 8. 1820. His young manhood was spent as a boatman on the then celebrated Erie canal, and it was in Herkimer county that he met and married Sarah Ann Dayger, a native of Columbia, that county, where she was born July 29, 1828. In the fall of 1852 they came west to Michigan City, Indiana, and after a brief residence there they came the following year into Michigan, locating on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Cheshire township, which he cleared and improved and where he died July 17, 1879. He was one of a family of thirteen children, eleven boys and two girls. An idea of the crude state of this section at the time he came here may be gained from the statement that at that time he was obliged to carry provisions for his family from Kalamazoo, a distance of thirty miles, on his back and traversed the distance afoot. James U. Schermerhorn enhsted in 1864 in the Ninth Michigan Volunteer Infantry for service in the Civil war and went at once to the front in the Army of the Cumberland, and was with his regiment all of the time until the close of the war. He was the father of ten children, all but two of whom are still living: Ida A. Allen lives in North Dakota; Olive Elizabeth Case is a resident of Allegan; Charles U. is the subject of this review; Ann and Sarah are both deceased; James J. and Benjamin live in Holland; Labin H. is in Louisville, Kentucky; John is in Chicago, and Frank lives in Allegan. Their mother is still living and is a resident of Allegan, where several of the children live.

Charles U. lived on the farm with his parents until he was twenty-one years old and assisted in the clearing and improvement of the place. Then he began life for himself and worked in a sawmill on the lake shore for a number of years. He was with one fimi for six years and was employed the most of the time in superintending mill and dock work. He was married in 187S to Miss Emma Reafel, a native of Brant Center. Kew York, where she was born September 18, 1862. She was the daughter of Martin and Ann (Green) Reafel, both of whom were of German birth. She came to Michigan with her parents in 1865. Soon after their marriage Mr. Scliermerhorn purchased a farm of eighty acres on section 23, Cheshire township, which he improved by the erection of fine buildings. For a number of years he rented this farm and lived on the B. D. Prichard farm, of which he was foreman. He also has engaged largely in the raising of live stock, being for seven years in this line with Peter A. Olcutt, of Allegan. In 1904 he sold his farm on section 23 and purchased his present place of fifty acres on section 10, where he has already made many improvements. Here he has one thousand thrifty peach trees and also makes a specialty of stock raising. He has numerous fraternal affiliations and has been a member of Cliicora Grange for nearly two years. He was a member of the Cheshire Banner Grange for about ten years before taking a transfer to Chicora Lodge. He also belongs to Chicora Legion, No. 1,014, Legion of Honor, and to the K. O. T. M.

Alrert O. Rebel. - Few men in the county of Allegan have led a more eventful and romantic career or seen more of the world for a man of his years than Mr. Albert O. Rebel, who now resides upon a fine farm in the township of Cheshire, where he seems to enjoy Hfe even more than during his world-wide wanderings.

Mr. Rebel is a native of Prussia. Germany, where he was born April 23, 1869. His father was Herman Rebel, also a native of Prussia, where his entire Hfe was passed. There were two sons in the family. The mother died when our subject was but an infant. His brother, Max, is still a resident of Prussia. Albert Rebel's boyhood days were passed in Germany, where he attended the public and high schools, securing a good common school education. When fifteen years of age he decided to try his fortunes in the new world and he accordingly came alone to America, locating first in Chicago. Staying there but a short time, he went into the lumbering and mining districts of northern Michigan, where he first took a position as assistant cook in a mining camp. He stayed here only about a month, but long enough to imbibe a touch of the mining fever, and then he went to Leadville, Colorado, where he prospected and mined for gold and silver and also did placer mining. He was thus occupied for some six or seven years and then went into British Columbia and from there to Alaska when the latter country was beginning to become noted as a mining country. He prospected most of the time in British Columbia and Alaska and this period of his life was filled with some stirring incidents and thrilling experiences.

In addition to the stirrinsr life of the miner, there was moiiiitain climbing:, encounters with wild animals and many other incidents peculiar to a life of this character.

During- the panic of 1873 the depreciation of silver made it evident that mining would not be a profitable occupation for a number of years, at least, so he decided to give his attention to other matters. After leaving Alaska he spent a vear in travel, spending some time in Great Britain and Ireland and also visiting nearly every countn' in Europe, (^f course he visited the Fatherland, and during his stay in Prussia he married Miss Johanna L. Genekow, a native of that country, their marriage occurring in 1901. They soon thereafter returned to the United States, where Mr. Rebel decided to turn his attention to farming. He came to Michigan and located in Allegan county, purchasing a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 50, Cheshire township. The place was cleared and well improved, with a fine residence of commodious proportions and three good, large barns. In addition to its good condition when he purchased it, Mr, Rebel has made many minor improvements in the way of fencing, clearing the land of stumps and the like, and he now has one of the finest pieces of farm propertv in the township. He is a member of Deer Lake Grange, of which organization he is also secretary, and he is a director of the Grange Fire Insurance Company, of Allegan county. He is also a member of the F. & A. M., of Bloomingdale. and is a member of the Christian church.

William W. G. RowE.^Like so many of the sterling residents of Michigan who have spent a lifetime here, Mr. Rowe is a native of the state of New York, where he was born in Cazenovia, Madison county, October 17, i8-i7. His father was William C. Rowe, a native of Cortland county, New York, while his mother, a native of Connecticut, was previous to her marriage Miss Mary Andrews, whose parents were from Connecticut, although thev spent their latter days in the state of New York. William C. Rdwe and his wife were married in New York and came to Michigan in 1841 with their little familv, making the journey in the rather primitive manner of the times, the initial portion of it being via the old Erie canal to Buffalo, then by boat to Monroe. Michigan, and the latter oart of the trip by wagon to Allegan county. They located at Allegan, where they lived four years, and then settled on a one hundred and sixty acre farm in Watson township. Here thev made a home, the father clearing the land, assisted in later years by his sons. Here William C. Rowe was a man of influence and probity in the community and he did much in shaping the history of this part of Allegan county. He was a lifelong Republican and in the earlier years of the formation of Watson township he held various offices, being township treasurer a number of terms and for many years the highway commissioner. In connection with his duties as the last named officer he assisted in laying out manv of the original highways of this township and also assisted in many other public improvements. He spent the remainder of his life upon the farm which he had first selected, his death occurring when be was seventy-three years old. The mother of our subject did not live long in her new home, she dying here in lier thirtysecond year, when William W. G. was only fifteen years old. Of the seven children in the family the subject of this review was the eldest, his brothers and sisters being as follows : Charles H. was a participant in the Civil war, serving in the Twenty-eighth Michigan Infantry, and he now lives upon the old homestead in Watson township : Ralph died at the age of fifteen years; Alex H. is a resident of Trowbridge township, this county; Mary J. married Winslow Feek and both are deceased : Sarah Maria died at the age of four years; Elizabeth became the wife of Daniel Broclin and both are dead.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the eldest son. William, was only four years of age when he accompanied his parents from New York state to Michigan, but even at this day he remembers the details of that long journey into a new and strange country. After spending four years in Allegan village, during which time he attended school, he went with his father and mother to Watson township to live. An idea of the condition of the country at that time may be gained when we learn that the only highways were tracks through the woods and around trees, with the nearest neighbors one and four miles distant. Here on the farm on section 9 the lad remained until young manhood, when in 1861 the outbreak of the great Civil war fired his imagination and his patriotism. He enlisted at Allegan in August of 1862 in Berdan's Sharp Shooters, when it was found that the register was full. He re-enlisted in Company L Fifth Michigan Cavalry, and was later transferred to the Fourth Michigan Cavalry. He went to the front with his regiment. He was in the Army of the Cumberland, tinder Thomas and Sherman, and one of his first active duties consisted of soirtees after Morgan. Later he was in Kentucky and Tennessee scouting, and afterward joined in the historic march of Sherman to Atlanta. He was in numerous engagements and battles, including Chickamauga, Murfreesboro and Atlanta, being fourteen days in the nfle pitts, and it was his regiment that cut the railroads around Atlanta With the exception of a brief period of illness, he was with his regiment all through the campaign and also participated in the capture of the Rebel leader, Jefferson Davis. He was mustered out with the other members of his regiment at Edgefield, Tennessee, in July. 1865. After the close of his duties as a soldier he returned to the family home in Watson township and on June 28. 1866, he was married to Miss Alice Barbero, daughter of Edwin and Rachel (Balding) Barbero. She was born near Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and came to Allegan county with her parents when she was only four years old. Our subject's early life had been passed upon the, farm, with occasional employment in the lumber camps and woods, so it was natural that he should decide upon agriculture as a life's vocation. In the autumn following his marriage he selected a farm for himself on sections 24 and 25, Cheshire township, the same consisting of one hundred and twenty acres. It was new land, there being only a few acres chopped off when he bought it. He soon built a log house and then proceeded to clear his farm, which he accomplished almost unaided. In later years he built a most comfortable residence and also excellent barns and other buildings, including a blacksmith shop. General farming was followed until a few years ago, since which time he has devoted more attention to the dairy line and fruit growing. For ten years he has had a fine stock of Jersey cows and pays considerable attention to milk production, his product going to Merson. His farm is now in an almost perfect state of cultivation and in addition he also has various outside interests, including stock in the celebrated Allegan Creamery. Like all intelligent farmers, he believes in organizations for their especial benefit, and he was one of the charter members of the Grange of Watson township, although now belonging to Banner Grange, of Cheshire. He has also been a stockholder in the Grange store at Allegan and has been a member of the board of directors of this institution for the past nine years. Politically he has always been a loyal Republican and his first presidential ballot was cast for Abraham Lincoln, since which time he has voted for every Republican candidate for this exalted office. His fellow townsmen have reposed confidence in him as a man and faithful officer and he has filled numerous local offices, being township treasurer of Cheshire for six years, assessor of his school district several terms and overseer of highways several times. He was a school officer during the building of the new school building in District No. 8. Fraternally he is affiliated with B. F. Chapin Post, No. 278, G. A. R., and has filled nearly every office in the post, being the present quartermaster.

Mr. and Mrs. Rowe have three children, as follows; Cora, wife of John Wehner, of Otsego township; Ed., who runs the home farm and resides here, and Shirley, of Minnesota.

Leonard M. Webster is the youngest child of Charles and Sophia (Harriden) Webster, both of whom were natives of Vennont, having been married there and after several years removed to Medina county, Ohio. They were the parents of five children, of whom CaroHne, Solomon and Harriet are deceased, while Marcena is now a resident of Trowbridge township, this county. The father died in Ohio, April 5, 1851, and the same year the widowed mother and her five children made their way into Michigan, crossing Lake Erie by boat and then journeying on the old wooden rail Michigan Central Railroad from Detroit westward into Allegan county. The youngest son, Leonard, was only sixteen years of age at that time and he stili bears a vivid recollection of the journey, which in those days was considered a long and tedious one. Leonard was bom in Medina county, Ohio, November 23, 1834. In the journey into western Michigan, the railroad ran only as far as Kalamazoo, and from that point they were compelled to travel by wagon into Allegan county. They located in west woods, Trowbridge township, where eighty acres of new land were secured and a cabin erected in which to live. Our subject remained there one year, working at home and by the month in the woods with team. In April of 1853 he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah O'Dell, the daughter of Benajah and CaroHne (Smith) O'Dell, both of Ohio, where Mrs. O'Dell died, the widowed father afterward coming to Michigan with his family. Sarah O'Dell was born in Catteraugus county. New York, February 23, 1837, and she was only fifteen years of age when she was brought to Michigan by her father. Their home was in Allegan county, where the daughter grew to young womanhood and where she met and was married to the subject of this review. After marriage they both worked by the month for some time and then they bought a forty-acre farm in Trowbridge township.

In this township they owned several small farms and finally they sold out and came into Cheshire township, buying their present farm on section 26 in 1877, Here Mr. Webster has done much in the way of improvement, erecting good buildings and setting out many trees, this place now being known as "Maple Lane."

In August, 1864, Mr. Webster enhsted in Company I, First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, and was in the Army of the Cumberland and also in the memorable march of Sherman to the sea. tie was honorably discharged from the army at the close of the war, at Louisville, Kentucky, June 3, 1865. Like many others who endured the privations and hardships of camp life, Mr. Webster had his health and constittition shattered thereby and since the war he has not been able to do any great amount of hard labor. Four children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Webster, as follows : Nellie Melissa Decker is deceased, leaving four children ; Lillie is the widow of Eugene Relong of this township, and they have four children; Mary is the wife of M. D. Cooley, and Caroline is the wife of Irving Fox. The families of the last three live on farms adjoining on Eagle Lake in this township. This is a popular resort and all of the places are popular with summer resorters, who find comfortable qiiarters here.

Mr. Webster has been a Republican all of his life and his first vote for president was cast for Fremont. He has been called upon to fill numerous offices, having been justice of the peace one term. United States census enumerator in 1880 and 1890, and a school officer for fifteen years. He is a member of Banner Grange of Cheshire township, and a comrade in Edwin Colvin Post, G. A. R., of Bloomingdale. He and the members of his family are also members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Bloomingdale.

John F. Doud is another of the pioneer residents of Allegan county who has not only been a witnes.s of the development of this section from an almost unbroken wilderness to its present status of productiveness and general prosperity and enterprise, but is also one who has been an active participant in this important transformation.

John F. Doud is a native of Hum Mountain township, Alleghany county. New York, where he was born January ii, 1829. He is the son of John and Charlotte (Trawl) Doud, who were among the worthy pioneers of Alleghany county. New York, that region being almost entirely new when they settled there. They made this county their permanent home, passing through all of those privations incident to life in a new country, and having just such an experience as was to be that of their son in Michigan a ha!f-century later. They were the parents of six children, as follows : Warren, the eldest, came to Michigan in the early fifties and located in Allegan. He was a shoemaker by trade and worked at this line in Allegan and also in the woods in Cheshire tpwnship, where he later made a home. He afterward moved to Eaton county and from there to Chattanooga, Tennessee, finally returning to Michigan and locating at Coldwater, where he died. Four daughters. Marilla, Marian, Charlotte and Lucretia, have all passed away and the only surviving member of this large family is John F. Doud, the subject of this review, who was next to the youngest of the children.

J6G History Of Allegan County

John F. Doud remained upon the home farm in New York state with his parents until he had attained the age of twenty-seven years, when he became infected with the western fever, then so rampant in the east. He went first to Buffalo and then by boat into the middle west, stopping first in Iowa City, Iowa, where he spent a summer and a winter. Then in the spring of 1857 he retraced steps for a distance and came to Allegan county, whither his brother, Warren, had preceded him several years. Eager with the desire to possess land of his own ht stayed only a few days in Allegan and then, in company with his brother, started out afoot to locate a farm. They traveled over thifty miles the first day and on the way shared their dinner with Indians, which were then very numerous in this locality. An idea of the newness of the country may be obtained when we state that at the time this journey was made there were only twelve families living in the northern half of Cheshire township. John F. selected forty acres of school land on section 16, paying forty dollars down. So limited was his exchequer that after making this first payment upon his land he had left only two dollars and fifty cents in cash. His other belongings were also very few, for all he had he carried in a satchel. He went to work for Richard Ferris in a little sawmill, receiving one dollar per day, and thus he saved enough money to get lumber with which to build a shanty. This accomplished, he at once sent to New York state for his young wife and she came at once to him, bringing with her a very few belongings. He had been marled in the Empire state on his twenty-fifth birthday anniversary to Sally Ann Wood. She was born in Warsaw, Wyoming county. New York, in 1826, the daughter of William and Maria Wood, who moved from Wyoming county to Allegheny county when their daughter was young. Here the twain met and their acquaintance ripened into love and culminated in an early marriage. When the young wife first joined her husband in Michigan it was plain to be seen that there was a hard battle before them to make for themselves a comfortable home here. They even had to go into debt for a stove and other household furniture and the money to pay for this outfit was earned by Mr. Doud by chopping in the woods.

Then, in 1862, just as they were beginning to see their way clear, came the Civil war and the young husband was drafted into the service along with many others. Our subject, however, did not take it so seriously as did some, but went cheerfully to Kalamazoo for examination. This over, he was given ten days to either find a substitute or report for service and after a little search he succeeded in borrowing the money with which to Obtain a substitute. Thus they were again placed deeply in debt, and to obtain the necessary money quickiy they hired out to work in a lurtiber camp for one season. In the spring of 1867 they were again ready to renew their labors upon their farm, and here they afterward remained. They prospered and added Ho their original farm, when in 1874 death claimed fhe loving wife and the home was left desolate. One son was born to them, Willie, and he lived to be eighteen years of age, then being killed by being thrown frbiri a horse.

In November, 1^5, Mf. Dburf was married to Maty Myers, who was bortt' ih Otsego, Michigan, in 1^846^, She wis the daughter of Charles and Dally Slyers, natives of Ohio and rtfassachusetts, respectively, who came here in an early day. This union has resulted in the birth of orte son. Jay,

The Doud hortie is a pleasant one and stands upon the original forty acres which Mr. Doud obtained from the government. The farm is close to the little village of Chicora, or, as Mr. Doud styles it, "Jimtown," which is a thriving little settlement. Here our subject in January, 1965, leased to the Allegan Creamery Company for ninety-nine years a plat of ground on section 17, just oppo.site the residence, upon which they have erected a creamery which does a large business. This lease becomes null and void if the premises are ever used for any purpose except a creamery and .skimming station, at which time the property and buildings revert back to the owner or his assigns.

Warner W. Spknchr is one of the wide-awake and progressive farmers of the township of Cheshire, where he- has lived for the past forty years. He has advanced ideas in agricultural matters and is not content to keep in the old rut of gerieral farming followed by so many, but is ever eager to learri of improved methods and willing to experiment along new lines which promise success and profit. To men such as he is the advanced prosperity of this country in an agricultural way due, for when they demonstrate the advantage of new crops or improved methods of raising the old ones, others follow their example and Mother Earth is thus encouraged to give of her best.

Mr. Spencer is the son of John R. and Sally (Spencer) Whitney, natives of the states of New York and Connecticut, respectively. They became the parents of four sons, Warren and Warner, who were twins; Elisha and Frank. Warner W. was born in Camden township, Lorain county, Ohio, August 15, 1839. For several good reasons, he was in his infancy taken into the family of his maternal grandparents, Elisha and Sylvia (Bacon) Spencer, natives of Connecticut and Vermont, respectively. Their own children had grown up and gone away into homes of their own and they took by adoption Warner and also a daughter. Thus the boy's name became Spencer, instead of Whitney, and he has retained this name ever since. He was carefully reared by these grandparents arid the young man repaid the debt so far as he was able by caring for them in their later years. They both passed away before the outbreak of the Civil war, and thus bein^ left without any near ties of relationship he promptly responded to the first call of his country for volunteers and enlisted in i8i5i in Company H of the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Starr. He was sent to Camp Dennison and there re-enlisted for three years in Company I of the same regiment, under Captain Allen. He was in the Army of the Potomac and he participated in all the numerous engagements of his regiment, with the exception of the second battle of Bull Run and the Antietam fight, he bemg dl m hospital upon both of these occasions. After tw-p years or' service he was discharged on account of physical disability. He weighed two hundred and tWo pounds before going to Petersburg and at the time of his discharge was reduced to one hundred and twenty-five pounds. After his discharge he returned to OMo, where he wtirked by the month on a farm for one summer atid the following winter in the Woods." He was then engaged about a year on a government contract, getting out wood hubs and spokes for the artillery. He then worked at the cooperage business for a number of months and this was followed by his going into the dairy business on a farm in partnership with another, their farm being- n ;ar Wellington, Ohio. They ran this one season and then Mr. Spencer came to Cheshire township in 1866 and located upon his present farm of one hundred and fifty acres on section 19, where he has lived ever since. At the time of his purchase this farm was all timber land and he cut the first tree in the operation of clearing. He now has about one hundred acres under cultivation, forty acres of pasture and the remainder is a fine timber lot. On the farm are two dwellings and other substantial buildings, including a fine barn forty-two by sixty-four feet in size, with twenty-foot posts and a ten-foot basement. The place is known as Hickory Grove Farm, from a large grove of fine hickories thereon. The specialties are fruit and dairying. From ten to fifteen cows have been milked for the past fifteen years, and there is a vast amount of fruit on the place. He has set out seven acres of peaches, eight acres of apples and two acres of pears, plums and cherries, his trees being thrifty and good bearers.

Politically Mr. Spencer is a Republican, and he has been elected justice of the peace for consecutive terms, refusing, however to qualify for the last term. I-^e has been a school officer for a number of years and was assessor of his district at the time of the building of the new school house. He is a member of the United Brethren church of Cheshire, in which he is an active worker, being chairman of the board of trustees ever since the church was built, and chairman of the board of finance, as well as being steward and class leader. His brothers, Elisha and Frank, also served in the war of the rebellion, each of the three putting in three years or more, and two of them receiving bullet wounds. He was married in 1864 to Naoraa A. Waite, who was born in Vermont, July 27, 1835. She was the daughter of Levi and Sarah (Randall) Waite. They removed to New York state and later to Ohio, where she was married.

Two children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, as follows: George Wesley, born March 18, 1866, was accidentally shot and killed December i, 1897, after returning from a hunting expedition. He left a widow and one child, Evelina. Anna N., the daughter of the family, is the wife of Albert H. Flannigan, of Peoria, Illinois.

Rev. Joseph Cross, who has been an active and valued factor in the moral development of Cheshire township, and who is also engaged successfully in farming, was born in northern Alabama, near the Tennessee line, May 10, 1844. There he remained until sixteen years of age, when he came alone to Oakland county. Michigan, and for about a year was employed at farm labor. At the time of the Civil war he was a stalwart charfipion of the Union cause and enlisted from Springfield township, Oakland county, Michigan, February 26, 1864, in the First Michigan Colored Infantry. He was afterward transferred to the One Hundred and Second United States Volunteer Infantry, and did active duty in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, participating in all of the engagements with his regiment until mustered out on the 28th of October, 1865.

to Oakland county, Michigan, where he resumed farming. After a brief period, however, he removed to Cass county, this state, arid for nine years resided within its borders, being engaged in farming on his own account. He worked industriously and perseveringly and gained the capital which made it possible for him to purchase land. His first property consisted of a tract of forty acres, which he cultivated for some time. Later, however, he sold this and rented a farm of others. In 1876, however, he came to his present farm on section 25, Cheshire township, comprising one hundred and twenty acres of land. In fact, he has two farms here with two sets of buildings, one being a tract of forty acres, while the other comprises eighty acres, and both are situated on section 25. The eighty acres have been improved by Rev. Cross, who has erected good buildings upon it and has devoted his land to general farming purposes, producing good crops and having a well-kept place.

For the past twenty years the Rev. Joseph Cross has been a clergyman of the Baptist church, having been ordained about fifteen years ago. He was pastor of a church in Cass cotinty in i8go and 1891, and also for one year at Benton Harbor, while the remainder of the time he has found his field for ministerial labor in Allegan county. He was instrumental recently in building a new church called the Messiah Baptist church, at Cheshire, and has a congregation numbered between forty and fifty. He was the founder of the Baptist church in this locality, organizing the congregation in 1895. During that time there has been a steady increase in the membership, and although death has removed many, others have been added and the work of the church has been carried steadily forward. Rev. Cross was first identified with the Chain Lake Baptist Association, and since that time he ha.s put forth earnest and far-reaching effort for the moral development of his people.