USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun County, Michigan, a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110
CALHOUN COUNTY
MICHIGAN VOL II
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY MICHIGAN
A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People, and its Principal Interests
BY HON. WASHINGTON GARDNER
VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
PUBLISHERS THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1913
.
Charles austin
History of Calhoun County
HON. CHARLES AUSTIN. Battle Creek as a city of trade and in- dustry has been fortunate in the possession of a fine body of citizen- ship, including men of ability and integrity to direct the large enter- prises which have given this city distinction among the larger centers of Michigan. During the last forty years one of these business builders and upholders of local prosperity has been Mr. Charles Austin, mer- chant, banker and legislator. Mr. Austin has had a long and varied career, which has made him both a witness and participant of many eras of achievement which preceded the present.
A native of England, born in the city of London, April 19, 1834, he began his active business life when a boy, and his success came as the result of his own energies and force of initiative. His father was in early life a farmer, then became a boot and shoe merchant in Lon- don, was at the same time an active minister of the Wesleyan denomi- nation, and later emigrated to New Zealand, where he combined his labors for the church with the practice of farming up to the time of his death, which occurred when he was nearly eighty-eight years of age.
The son Charles received his schooling in one of the institutions of the British and Foreign Schools Society, and his mercantile experience was begun in his father's store. To a youth with his share of ambition and energy, America presented a very inviting field. He was eighteen when he left London, and in February, 1852, landed at New York. The metropolis did not at once offer him the kind of work he desired, so he went up the river to Albany, where he was soon clerking in a boot and shoe store. In the fall of the same year he went on to Little Falls, New York, and from there to Utica, which was his home until 1854. The latter year was the date of his coming to Michigan, with which state he has been identified for nearly sixty years. Concord was his first place of residence, but in September, 1855, he located in Cal- houn county. He is one of the oldest citizens of this county, and during the many years of his residence has seen this locality change from pioneer conditions to the highest degree of modern develop- ment.
His first two years in this county were spent in Homer, where he was in the boot and shoe business. On his removal to Bedford he ex- tended his trade to include a stock of general merchandise. He was identified with the little town of Bedford for many years, built up a large business by satisfactory dealing and honorable methods, and left there to undertake a larger scope of enterprise in Battle Creek, where he located in 1872. The dry-goods house which was his first es- tablishment was one of the largest in the city during its time. He also founded the large mercantile and commission house of Austin, Godsmark & Durand, now the Godsmark, Durand & Company, in which
609
610
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
he still retains an interest. The prosperity and long continued success of the Old National Bank, a financial institution which is frequently mentioned in this history, have been in large measure due to Mr. Austin, who has been a stockholder many years and is vice president.
Mr. Austin was married at Concord, Michigan, January 1, 1855, to Miss Lucy D. Taylor. They were the parents of five sons, two dying in infancy. Those still living are: Oliver T., traveling salesman, Chicago, single; Charles J., married, no children, manager wholesale grocery, Toledo, O .; Edward D., engaged in the art crockery business, Battle Creek, married, three children, Helen G., Oliver C., Darwin E.
In the affairs of citizenship and public activity, Mr. Austin has always borne a scrupulous and worthy part. During his Bedford resi- dence he was a justice of the peace, and in 1875, after his removal to Battle Creek, he was elected a member of the city council. The follow- ing year he was the choice of the Republican citizenship for the office of mayor, and was re-elected. In 1880 came his first election to the lower house of the legislature, and in 1882 and 1884 he was chosen to the state senate. As member of the senate committees on finance, in- surance, education and asylums for the insane and chairman of the committee on railroads, he had a prominent part in the legislative func- tions of that period. His membership in the Masonic order dates from 1858, and he has attained high rank in the craft being a member of Blue Lodge, No. 12, Chapter, Royal Arch, Council and the Commandery. His home church is the Independent Congregational in which he is an active member and a worker in its Sunday school.
FREEBORN W. BATHRICK, M. D. In the death of Dr. Freeborn W. Bathrick, there slipped from the ranks of the world's useful men, one return the affection and esteem of a whole city. No one has as good a right as a doctor to become a cynic and a pessimist, for he must view humanity at its worst angle. Yet Doctor Bathrick, in spite of his long years spent in fighting death and disease, believed in the good of human- ity, and in spite of sad and bitter things which he was forced to wit- ness, he kept the sweetness and sincerity of his nature that caused him to be so well beloved. As a physician, his skill was undoubted, as his large practice would testify. Possessed of boundless energy, broad sym- pathies and the requisite skill, it is no wonder that he was mourned as few have been mourned in the city of Battle Creek.
Freeborn W. Bathrick was born on the 18th of August, 1834, at Medina in the state of New York, the son of Stephen and Cynthia M. (Bartholomew) Bathrick. The parents of Dr. Bathrick were of English descent, and were both born in the Empire state. During the early days of his life, the father was a minister of the Baptist church, later leaving the ministry to take up medicine. As is the fate of preachers, at least as it was in these times, Stephen Bathrick was transferred from place to place, going from New York to Ohio when Freeborn Bathrick was seven years old, and returning to New York after a few years. He then continued his ministerial work in Maine, Michigan, and Illinois, until he was incapacitated by reason of advancing years and ill-health. He died in 1880, at Frankfort, Illinois, after a long period of invalidism. Stephen Bathrick and his wife were the parents of five children, two of whom died in childhood. The eldest of these was Ada, who became Mrs. David S. Stephens, of Frankfort, Illinois, and the two sons were Franklin Servetus and Dr. Freeborn W.
When Freeborn W. Bathrick was fourteen years of age he left home and began teaching music in and around Rochester. Up to this time he had been a school boy learning his lessons daily, now he had become
611
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
a wage earner at the age of fourteen. Such sturdy self reliance and resolve not to let the burden of his support rest on his father any longer than was necessary is but a foreshadowing of the trend of his whole un- selfish life. He taught both the piano and melodeon and was one of the youngest music teachers in his day. He carried on this work for ten years or more, going to Maine during this time, but returning to pursue his work in his native state. He also taught in Toronto, Can- ada, and acted as agent for George A. Prince and Company's melodeons. While in this city he took up the study of medicine under Doctor Hackett, and a year and a half later he returned to New York and continued his medical studies with his father. He then went west and entered Hahne- mann Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, having prior to this however, taken one course of lectures in Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Maine. Before he had finished his course in medicine, he came to Battle Creek, opened up an office and began to work up a practice. He was very successful in this attempt and returned to Chicago after a time to com- plete his course and to receive his degree which he took in 1867. He first came to Battle Creek in 1861, and he practiced there up till the time of his death. He was never associated with any other physician but he was a very close friend of the late Dr. Cox, who is mentioned at length elsewhere in this volume. For a number of years he made a specialty of throat and lung troubles and won considerable reputation as a specialist along these lines.
In addition to being a fine physician, he was a capable business man and was interested in every movement that had the advancement of Battle Creek as the foundation of its existence. He was interested at one time in a short line railroad which was afterwards absorbed by the Grand Trunk Railroad Company. In the fraternal world Dr. Bath- rick gave his allegiance to the Masonic order, being a member of the blue lodge and of the commandery. Politically he was a Republican, but he never cared to hold office, and was too absorbed by the heavy work of his profession to take an active part in the great game.
Dr. Bathrick was married in March, 1861, to Miss Georgia L. Row- ley, who was born in Rochester, New York, in 1840 and died in Battle Creek in 1892. The death of Dr. Bathrick occurred on the 20th of Sep- tember, 1897, at his residence in Battle Creek, when he had reached the age of sixty-three. The Hon. W. F. Neale, a life long friend of the deceased, delivered the funeral address, after which the remains were taken to Detroit for cremation, in accordance with the expressed wishes of the doctor. Dr. Bathrick possessed a wide circle of friends in his home community and the funeral, which was held at the Independent Congregational church, was largely attended. The religious services were conducted by the Reverend S. J. Stewart, assisted by the Reverend W. S. Potter, and the tribute which the Honorable W. F. Neale paid to the memory of his well loved friend was both eloquent and appropriate. Such was the quiet unostentatious life of a man who found his chief pleasure in serving others.
Four children were born to Doctor and Mrs. Bathrick: George H., Charles F., Evelyn M. and John. After completing the curriculum of the public schools of Battle Creek, George H. Bathrick, learned the trade of wood-working and since 1883 he has been connected with the firm of Nichols and Shepard Company, of Battle Creek. This com- pany is one of the largest threshing machine manufacturers in the world and is known the world over for the fine products in the shape of threshers and engines that are poured forth from their doors daily. George Bathrick represented this concern in Des Moines, Iowa, for twenty-one years, as manager of the branch house there, and returned to
612
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
Battle Creek in 1907, since which time he has been sales manager for the company. For twenty-nine years Mr. Bathrick has worked for the Nichols and Shepard Company, and since 1887 he has been a stock- holder in the concern. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Athel- stan Club. At Columbus, Wisconsin, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Bathrick to Mrs. Ella Cruttenden, in April, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Bathrick have no children and their home is at No. 293 Garfield ave- nue.
Charles F. Bathrick, the second son was born and reared in Battle Creek, receiving his education in the Battle Creek schools. He is the active and progressive purchasing agent of the Nichols and Shepard Company. He was married in 1899 to Miss Grace Upton, daughter of the late James S. Upton, who represented one of the old families of Battle Creek, and concerning whom a sketch will be found elsewhere in this volume. They have three children, Viola Georgiana, Donald Up- ton and Frances Grace, all of whom are in the public schools of the city.
Evelyn McAllister Bathrick was born and educated in Battle Creek, and married William J. Marvin, of Lansing, Michigan, where they now reside. Mr. Marvin is in the printing business and he and his wife are the parents of one daughter, Doris Jeane Marvin, who was educated in the public schools of Lansing, and in the Conservatory of Music, at Ypsilanti, Michigan.
The youngest son, John Moulton Bathrick, was like the others, born and reared and educated in Battle Creek. He is now in Fargo, North Dakota, where he is the manager of a branch house for Nichols and Shep- ard Company.
J. R. GOFF. One of the most prosperous and highly esteemed farm- ers of Calhoun county, whose name is well-known throughout Emmett township, is J. R. Goff, the owner of one of the finest farms in Calhoun county. His father, Stillman Goff, who was a native of New York state and whose parents had died while he was yet a child, came to Calhoun county to live with a sister, at the age of fourteen years. Stillman Goff remained a resident of this county until the beginning of the Civil war. He enlisted and served in Company D of the First Michigan Sharp- shooters. He participated in many battles, including the Battle of the Wilderness and was in Libby and Anderson prisons for nine months. At the conclusion of the war, he returned to Lapeer county. While engaged in army service, he had been united in marriage to Esther Haskell, who was a daughter of David Haskell and who had four brothers in the war. Six weeks after the birth of our subject, Stillman Goff removed with his family to Tuscola county, where his other three chil- dren were born and reared and which was his home for forty years. When he retired from agricultural activities he went to make his home in Columbiaville, Lapeer county, where in 1908 he died. Mrs. Goff, the mother of J. R. Goff, is still living. The other members of the family of his generation are two sisters and one brother: Bessie, who is Mrs. John Wiley of Genesee county; David A., a farmer of Tuscola county ; and Cora Luceine, who is the wife of George Abbot, an automobile em- ploye of Flint, Michigan.
J. R. Goff, who was born February 18, 1866, remained with his parents in Tuscola county until he was twenty-one years of age. His district school education was supplemented by a course in the high school of Millington, Michigan. Having attained his majority, he came to Cal- houn county where he engaged in work on various farms and where his own life-purposes were formed.
613
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
In 1888 he married Miss Emma E. Rocho, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Vick) Rocho, both of whom were born in Germany, where they were married and from where they emigrated to America in 1865. Mr. Rocho, who located in Newton township, was one of its most promi- nent farmers. Mrs. Rocho died at their country home in 1895 and her husband followed her in 1910. Their daughter, Mrs. Goff, was the fourth child of the family of seven children.
Four years after his marriage J. R. Golf purchased in Newton town- ship a farm of fifty acres, which he lived on for fourteen years. Here he made important improvements, profiting to a gratifying degree by the productiveness of his land. Here too were born his two children, Rellow, who is still at home, and Zola May, who is a successful school- teacher.
In 1904 Mr. Goff sold the farm on which he had been living and bought another of two hundred acres, on which he continued to live until May 20, 1912, when he moved to Battle Creek. For some time he conducted it as a dairy farm, and then engaged in the cattle feeding business. He is one of our most progressive farmers, being an active member of the Farmers' club of Emmett township. He has held the office of justice of the peace and that of health officer. In politics he is a Republican. He is not a member of any church, but is a believer in churches. Mrs. Goff is a member of the Congregational church. The Goff farm, on which its owner has made $4,000 worth of improvements is a most attractive home.
CHARLES EMMETT BARNES. The late Charles Emmett Barnes was born at South Byron, Genesee county, New York, on the 19th day of June, 1848, and died in Battle Creek, Michigan, on the 17th day of Oc- tober, 1911, when he was in the sixty-fourth year of his life. The fol- lowing article is culled from a memorial dedicated to his memory after his death, and so complete is it in its detail and so faithful in its por- trayal of the man as he was, that nothing is eliminated or added to it:
Charles Emmett Barnes was the fifth son of Hamilton Douglas and Elanor (Wilsey) Barnes. When eight years of age he came with his parents to Battle Creek, Michigan. When seventeen years of age he entered the office of the Weekly Journal for the purpose of learning the printing trade. He was connected with this paper for six years, when he spent a year in the west, and returned to his former position, that of foreman of the news room. Soon after this the Daily Journal was started and he became its city editor, and increased his newspaper work by corresponding for Detroit and Chicago papers.
In 1877 he started the Daily News, but discontinuing it, in the same year in company with George W. Buckley, he bought the Michigan Tribune from its owners, Woolnough & Bordine. Three years later he disposed of his interest to his partner and purchased the Reed City Clarion. After four years of successful newspaper work in northern Michigan, he returned to Battle Creek. With Eugene Glass as a partner, he established the Sunday Morning Call. In 1886 this paper was sold to a stock company made up of members of the Knights of Labor. A daily, weekly and Sunday edition was published, with Mr. Barnes as president and editor. In 1887 he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Labor for the State of Michigan, and resigning his newspaper posi- tion, he went to Lansing, where he lived for four years. Returning to Battle Creek, he began the publication of the Morning Patriot, selling it in one year's time. Then for nine years he was connected with the Daily Moon and for one year with the Journal.
1
:
614
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
In the last five years of his life his writings consisted of feature stories for local and metropolitan papers and magazine articles along Nature lines. Birds and Nature, The Outing, Sports Afield, The Outer's Book, Field and Stream, St. Nicholas, Scientific News, The Scientific American, Technical World, The Michigan Farmer, Michigan Tradesman and Good Health were among those publications that contained an occa- sional article from his pen.
Mr. Barnes was a student of social questions, and at one time served two years as State Master Workman of the Knights of Labor. Frat- ernities and clubs always appealed to him, and during his life he was at various times actively identified with the Odd Fellows, Patriarchs' En- campment, Daughters of Rebekah, Improved Order of Red Men and the National Union. He was a Past Noble Grand of the Odd Fellows and was initiated into that order February 2, 1870. He was also a member of the old Volunteer Fire Department of Battle Creek and for many years was one of its most valiant workers. He was a charter member of the Waupakisco Club, the Conversational Club and the Nature Club of the City, and had held offices at times in them all.
In early life his attention was turned to the study of antiquities, especially the Mound Builders, the Indians, geology, mineralogy and numismatics. He possessed a large collection of specimens along these latter lines. As he advanced in years his greatest happiness was found in nature study. The great desire of his heart was to awaken in others an appreciation of the beauties of the outdoor world, and with this end in view he worked for the organization and maintenance of the Nature Club. It became his keen delight, in company with genial friends from this club, to take long walks across open fields, along winding streams, beneath leafy bowers and through wooded tracts. A' dinner cooked over an open fire or a luncheon spread by a natural stream of cold water was to him more inviting than the most delicious viands ever served at a conventional feast.
While not a believer in dogma, he was thoroughly convinced of a Divine plan of creation. His favorite quotation was Shakespeare's words: "Tongues in trees, books in running brooks, sermons in stones and good in everything." The delineation of a character which he put into a story that he wrote some years ago, faithfully described his own innate qualities of mind :
"He saw beauty in the flowers, the trees, the birds: symmetry in the snowflake and the crystal. He read history in the rocks. He saw lace-work superior to human skill in the dragon-fly's wing, as well as nature's carving in the walnut burl and agate. He recognized art in the setting sun; social and industrial cooperation in the life of the ants; engineering in the beaver's dam and mechanics in the construction of the bird's nest. Dewdrops were gems to him, while the humming of insects and the zephyrs playing among the trees was music to his ears."
JOHN HENRY REAGAN. Railroading attracts many young men when they start out in life and it has proven a rich field of opportunity to those who are willing to work hard, scorn hardships, face danger and prove fidelity to the systems that employ them, but rewards are not given by railroad corporations to those who have not thus proved up. Among the officials of almost every line will be found men of sterling character who would have succeeded in almost any vocation because of this, but who, through natural inclination and lifelong training, have become particularly competent trainmen, and very often have reached high official position, through their own efforts. In this connection may be cited John Henry Reagan, who is general roadmaster of the Grand
615
HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY
Trunk Railway System, having won promotion from the very bottom of the ladder, through the qualities which are, as above noted, necessary in a railroad career. John H. Reagan was born May 4, 1855, at Dan- ville, Pennsylvania, a son of Patrick and Mary (Hayes) Reagan, who were born in Limerick, Ireland, and married there. In 1852 the father emigrated to the United States, the mother emigrating during the fol- lowing year. Patrick Reagan worked as a track builder at Great Bend, New York, until the arrival of his wife in this country, following which they settled in Danville, Pennsylvania, and shortly thereafter they moved to Catawissa, in the same state, and maintained their residence there for ten years. Returning to Danville, they spent a short time in that city, and then went to Alton, Illinois, from which place they went to Chicago, there spending the rest of their lives. Patrick Reagan died in the metropolis of the Prairie State when he was eighty years of age, while his wife was one year younger at the time of her demise, and both are buried there. They were the parents of five sons and five daughters, of whom but two children are living: John Henry; and Mrs. Johanna Malone, a resident of Chicago. Mary, the oldest child, and the only one born in Ireland, died at sea while being brought to the United States.
John H. Reagan attended the public schools of Danville, and sup- plemented this education by three years of attendance at the noted Bloomsburg Academy, following which he added to his knowledge by pursuing his studies at night school for three winters while he was working during the daytime. He began his railroad career in the humble position of water-boy, carrying water to the section hands, and when he had grown old enough became a laborer. After a short time his ability and faithfulness became appreciated and he was promoted to foreman of the D. L. & W. Railroad, and he subsequently became an employe of the Catawissa & Williamsport Railroad, now a part of the Philadel- phia & Reading Railroad. Later he accepted a position as section fore- man with the P. L. & W. Railroad, then spent six months as foreman of an "extra gang," and was then put in charge of a construction gang. In 1878, after having spent ten months in the last-named capacity, he entered the employ of the Wabash Railroad, being a section foreman between St. Louis, Missouri, and Kansas City, and one year later was promoted to foreman of an "extra gang" with the same road. The following year saw Mr. Reagan foreman of the yards at Moberly, Mis- souri, in which capacity he acted for about one year, when he became a fireman of the system at the same place. He only continued to fol- low this occupation for about nine months, however, being then sent to St. Louis, as yardmaster, and eight months later was made roadmaster of the Wabash, a position which he continued to hold for six years. He then became roadmaster of the Chicago & Alton, with headquarters at Springfield, Illinois, and four years later came to Battle Creek to be- come general roadmaster of the Chicago & Grand Trunk Railway (the Grand Trunk System), and now has charge of all the lines west of Can- ada, a territory covering something like 1,100 miles of track. He has con- tinued in this capacity since July, 1897. Mr. Reagan has become well known throughout the state, and beyond its limits, as a railroad man. Having begun his career in a humble capacity, and worked his way up through the various positions, he has thoroughly familiarized himself with all the details of his chosen line of endeavor, and his promotion has been earned by hard work, thorough honesty, intelligent effort and effi- cient services. He has a broad knowledge of the principles governing railroad operation and all the rules and regulations pertaining to traf- fic, in addition to which he is also a man of broad general informa-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.