USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 41
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Dr. Eugene Bitely although a residence of Paw Paw for many years practiced extensively in Lawton.
Dr. M. V. B. Mckinney came from Florida, Ohio in 1867, when he practiced until 1884 when he went to Hastings, Nebr. He re- turned to Lawton in 1892 for a year, then went to Kalamazoo where he resided until his death in 1901.
Dr. O. F. Thomas came to Lawton 1869, practiced here for twelve years and removed to Lakeland, Minn., where he died in 1910.
Dr. West came to Lawton in 1870 and died in 1886.
Dr. Megan came from Pine Grove to Lawton in 1880, stayed a few years and went west.
Dr. Long practiced in Lawton two or three years and removed to Mendon.
Dr. Hipp came from Chicago to Lawton in 1881 and returned to Chicago in 1884.
Dr. Iddings came to Lawton from Lansing but stayed only a few months.
Dr. Moffitt came from Indiana to Lawton in 1885 and in 1888 went west where he died.
Dr. I. E. Hamilton came to Lawton in 1887 and is still prac- ticing here.
Dr. F. A. Phillips came to Lawton in 1891, after a two or three years stay he went to Chicago to specialize in diseases of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat. After practicing in Chicago a few years, on account of ill health, he removed to California.
Dr. G. W. Cornish followed Dr. Phillips and is still practicing here.
Dr. Storrs came from Detroit to Lawton in 1895, remained about five years when he went to Minneapolis to engage in lit- erary work.
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Dr. Irwin came to Lawton about 1905 remaining about a year when he removed to Paw Paw, and is at present practicing in Volinia, Cass Co.
Dr. Perry, dentist, practiced in Lawton from about 1894 till 1897.
Dr. Johnson, dentist, located in Lawton and enjoys a large remunerative practice. He has been secretary of the South West Michigan Dental Association for several years.
THE PROFESSION IN SOUTH HAVEN
The first doctor to practice in this vicinity was Dr. Goodrich who must have kept up his work in the late 'forties and early 'fifties. He covered a wide range of country traveling often thirty and forty miles to visit his patients. People in those days did not call a physician unless there was urgent need. Dr. Good- rich was the grandfather of the present Dr. Goodrich. Dr. E. B. Moon came in the early 'fifties and practiced for some years. Dr. A. N. Moulton practiced here in the late 'fifties, and until about 1866. He was a man of much ability. Dr. Dunn came in about 1866 and stayed a few years. Dr. Anderson practiced here in 1888 and later.
Dr. W. B. Hathaway was one of the early physicians who prac- ticed for many years in Bloomingdale and Gobleville. In 1876 the physicians were Dr. L. C. Woodman who came here soon after the war and bought some land now known as the Dyckman & Woodman addition. He was a remarkable man of very superior ability as a physician and surgeon and enjoyed the unlimited confidence of the community. Dr. Hewson who was also the pastor of the Baptist church was here a few years. He was a man of very pleasing personality and had many warm friends. Dr. Gunsaulus was here a few years but moved in 1877 to the Black Hills where he died, the result of an accident. Dr. Seeley was also here a few years, dying about 1877.
Dr. Geo. V. Hilton. a nephew of Dr. Woodman, graduated in 1876 and located here, remaining till 1883 when he went to Paw Paw, leaving there in 1887, and locating in Chicago where he established himself and has a high reputation as physician and surgeon. Dr. Bishop located here in the fall in 1876, coming from New York. He spent the remainder of his life in South Haven and died in 1910. a kindly, respected man.
Dr. Triece came in 1879 and enjoyed a very active and lucra- tive practice, dying at his home here in 1910. Dr. Ransom came in 1880 and remained till 1894 when he organized and equipped a boat to sail around the world. Dr. Springer came in 1895 re-
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maining till 1910. Dr. Lucy Hemenway practiced here for about three years, 1900 to 1903. She subsequently married W. D. Cook and moved to the state of Washington where she enjoys a lucra- tive practice. Dr. Marian Law, another lady physician, came in 1896 and has since practiced here enjoying a good clientage. Dr. Geo. D. Carnes came here in 1883 having located in Covert in 1876. He has been here since actively engaged in the practice of his profession. Dr. L. G. Rhodes came here in 1896 and has since been a very active and successful practitioner. Dr. E. L. Mater came here in 1897 and immediately planned a very active practice which he retained until he left on account of ill health in about 1902. Dr. Geo. F. Young, born in Paw Paw, a graduate of the Michigan University, came about 1901 and went into partnership with Dr. Mater. He has a good practice and is a highly respected physician. Dr. Pennoyar came in 1903 and soon attained a good practice and has been for the past 8 years a most active hard working and successful physician.
Dr. Neal Goodrich came in the Spring of 1911, and has secured a good foothold and bids fair to make a very able and substantial physician.
Dr. Ben Webster was here for a time some three or four years ago, also Dr. Kesler about the same time. The Osteopathic physi- cians are: Dr. G. F. Lathrop and wife, and preceding them in the same profession. Dr. Classen and wife.
SOUTH HAVEN CITY HOSPITAL
The City Hospital at South Haven is a public institution for the care of the sick and the injured. The new building was erected by public subscription at a cost of $6,500, and formally opened January 1, 1909. It is maintained partly by money re- ceived for care of patients, and partly by charitable contribu- tions. It has no endowment or financial aid from the county or state; the city has very kindly donated the electric light and water service. It is a two story building with full basement, built to accommodate fourteen patients, and in case of emergency, four or five more. Though small, it is well equipped with modern hos- pital conveniences. The operating room is up to date in its con- struction and furnishings for aseptic surgery.
The building is so planned that all patients' rooms have a south exposure. It is furnished with steam heat, up to date plumbing with sewer connection and a special ventilation system. An elec- tric annunciator enables the patients to call a nurse by pressing a button. . The building also has gas as well as electricity.
Any reputable physician may take his patients there and feel
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assured that they will have the efficient care of trained nurses, and know that his instructions will be faithfully carried out. Any patient coming to the hospital may have the services of his family physician. Patients suffering from contagious diseases are not admitted. The rates for admission depend upon the room and nature of the case, and includes room, board, laundry and general care by competent nurses.
The hospital is not, and is not expected ever to be self-support- ing; if it were. the rates would be so high as to defeat the pur- pose for which it was built viz., to furnish good hospital ac- commodations for people of moderate means.
The Woman's Auxiliary Board was organized for the purpose of meeting the annual deficit, and much praise is due the ladies for
CITY HOSPITAL, SOUTH HAVEN
the untiring real in raising funds for this purpose. They have instituted two annual methods of raising funds; one, a hospital Sunday, when an offering is taken the first Sunday in October in all of the city churches, and the other, a tag day in August. Material aid has come from many sources in supplies, furnishings and maintainance. Rooms have been completely furnished by in- dividuals, churches. and lodges. The County Federation of Woman's Clubs furnished one room, and aided in other ways.
Any person paying one dollar or more may become a member of the South Haven Hospital Association. This Association holds its annual meeting the first Tuesday in October, at which time are elected the trustees, nine in number, of whom three are elected each year. The first regular meeting of .the Association was held Oct. 1, 1907, when the following board of trustees were elected :
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President, W. S. Bradley; Vice President, Mrs. H. M. Avery ; Secretary, Mrs. R. T. Pierce; Treasurer, S. H. Wilson; Trustees, A. C. Runyan, George Myhan, George C. Monroe, and Mrs. C. HI. Van Ostrand; Mrs. M. Porter, Superintendent.
No member except the superintendent, who devotes her entire time to the work, receives any pay for services rendered. While the local physicians have rendered all possible aid to the Board, it was not deemed advisable that they should be officially connected with the hospital. As many charity patients have been admitted as the financial condition would justify, the Trustees having rigidly adhered to their determination not to go into debt.
It has more than justified the belief of those who took an early interest in the project that it was a much needed institution and the large number of patients cared for, testify to its efficiency and the appreciation of the public which has so generously con- tributed to its support.
A separate fund is kept for charity patients, for which contribu- tions may at any time be sent to the superintendent or secretary and they will be duly accredited and acknowledged.
DECATUR
In 1848 in a small office on Railroad street, there located a Dr. Bartholomew, Decatur's first physician. After remaining but a short time, he joined the "forty niners" and went to California to seek his fortune. Later he returned to Keeler where he died a few years ago.
The next physician to practice in Decatur was Dr. Wells, who resided on Little Prairie Ronde. IIe devoted more time to teach- ing singing-school than to the practice of medicine.
Dr. J. T. Keables located in Decatur in 1851 and for many years was the leading physician in this village. He was a pen- sion examiner before the County Board System was adopted. He died in 1891. In 1855 Dr. Foster located in Decatur but soon moved elsewhere.
Dr. Gilbert L. Rose was born at Laporte, Indiana, in 1853, in which city he received his early education. He studied at the University of Michigan and at Cincinnati. He began the prac- tice of medicine in Marcellus in 1874, where he stayed but a short time, then came to Decatur where he followed his profes- sion for more then thirty-two years. When he first came to Deca- tur he entered into partnership with Dr. Dillon, the partnership lasting two years. In 1888 Dr. Rose formed a partnership with Dr. George W. Mahoney, which lasted four years, Dr. Mahoney removing to Chicago, where he practices his specialty: diseases
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of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Dr. Rose died January 5, 1907; "but he still lives in the hearts of all who knew him as the most noble, the most generous, the most charitable, the most beloved of all men," are the words of a fellow practitioner.
Dr. C. T. Baker was born in 1829 in Steuben county, N. Y. He graduated from University of Michigan in 1854 and located in Decatur the same year, where he has since practiced with the ex- ception of the time spent in the army where he served as con- tract surgeon, and was on duty at City Point, Virginia. General Grant's headquarters, when General Lee surrendered his army to General Grant and returned to Washington on the memorable 14th of April, 1865-the day of President Lincoln's assassination. He still resides in Decatur, although not in active practice.
Doctors II. D. Dillon, H. M. Brodrick and J. W. Rogers were also formerly among the prominent leading physicians of Decatur.
Those practicing in Decatur at present are : Dr. J. E. Maxwell. who located in 1892; Dr. J. M. Easton. in 1898, and Dr. W. P. Bope, in 1907.
The present dentists of Decatur are: Dr. N. E. Hooper, the oldest practicing dentist in the county, and Dr. W. Huyck, who is in partnership with Dr. Hooper.
WILL CARLETON'S "THE COUNTRY DOCTOR'
There's a gathering in the village that has never been outdone
Since the soldiers took their muskets to the war of 'sixty-one;
And a lot of lumber-wagons near the church upon the hill,
And a crowd of country people, Sunday-dressed and very still.
Now each window is preempted by a dozen heads or more,
Now the spacious pews are crowded from the pulpit to the door; For the coverlet of blackness on his portly figure spread,
Lies the grim old country doctor, in a massive oaken bed.
Lies the fierce old country doctor,
Lies the kind old country doctor,
Whom the populace considered with a mingled love and dread.
Maybe half the congregation, now of great or little worth,
Found this watcher waiting for them when they came upon the earth;
This undecorated soldier, of a hard, unequal strife,
Fought in many stubborn battles with the foes that sought their life. In the night-time or the day-time, he would rally brave and well,
Though the summer lark was fifing, or the frozen lances fell;
Knowing if he won the battle, they would praise their Maker's name, Knowing if he lost the battle, then the doctor was to blame.
'Twas the brave old virtuous doctor,
'Twas the good old faulty doctor,
'Twas the faithful country doctor-fighting stoutly all the same.
When so many pined in sickness, he had stood so strongly by, Half the people felt a notion that the doctor couldn't die;
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They must slowly learn the lesson how to live from day to day, And have somehow lost their bearings-now this landmark is away. But perhaps it still is better that his busy life is done:
He has seen old views and patients disappearing, one by one ; He has learned that Death is master both of Science and of Art ; He has done his duty fairly, and has acted out his part.
And the strong old country doctor,
And the weak old country doctor,
Is entitled to a furlough for his brain and for his heart.
THE VETERINARY SCHOOL
We would hardly feel justified in closing this chapter without giving the Veterinary school the recognition it deserves in the field of medicine. In the early history of this county this branch of the healing art received little or no scientific attention, most of the doctoring being done by some neighborhood "hoss doctor" who possessed more conceit than knowledge, and was more for- tunate than skillful in saving his patients, for he knew practically nothing of disease, medicine or anatomy, but the rapid advance- ment in veterinary surgery in the past few years has elevated it to a parallel with the other schools of medicine. Today the study of preventable, communicable diseases among animals is receiv- ing as much or more attention than similar diseases of man. Being an article of commerce, our legislative bodies are more lib- eral in their appropriations for scientific research and prevention of disease in animals than in man. Too much credit can not be given in the Veterinary School of Medicine for the benefit to man- kind in the study of tuberculosis in animals. The recent ad- vancement in the treatment of hog cholera, of foot and mouth dis- ease, and of the oxygen treatment of milk fever in cows, are some of the valuable results of veterinarian research.
About thirty-five years ago there were only four veterinary sur- geons in this county of whom we have any record: Dr. George Brown of Lawrence, who continued his practice until about ten years ago when he gave up his business to his son, Dr. E. W. Brown, who is now one of the County's leading veterinarians ; Dr. Bartram who practiced in Paw Paw until the time of his death ; Dr. Wilkinson settled in Decatur about 1865 practicing there until about 1880 when he moved to Indiana; the late Capt. G. H. Prentice of Lawton was a veterinary surgeon in the Civil War and afterwards resumed his practice in Lawton. Dr. Pren- tice was a man of ready wit, quick perception and natural ability, and in those days his practice extended over the greater portion of this county. Dr. W. J. Johnson, of Paw Paw, is also a scientific and skilful veterinarian. Other registered veterinarians are Dr. A. Elgas of Hartford, and Dr. H. T. Creagan of Decatur.
CHAPTER XVIII
TOWNSHIP OF ALMENA
GENERAL DESCRIPTION-PIONEER SETTLERS AND INSTITUTIONS- BUSY PERIOD (1836-42)-SETTLEMENT IN THE NORTHERN SEC- TIONS-CHURCHES-SCHOOLS, SUPERVISORS, ETC.
The township of Almena is officially designated by the United States survey as township number two south, of range number thirteen west. It was originally the southeast quarter of the town- ship of Clinch. The name "Clinch" was conferred in honor of Judge Clinch of the state of Georgia. This township was divided by act of the legislature, in 1842, the east half being named Al- mena and the west half, Waverly. In 1849 the township of Al- mena was again cut in half, the northern portion taking the name of Pine Grove. while the southern retained the name of Almena. It forms one of the eastern tier of the townships of the county. Its boundaries are Pine Grove on the north, Kalamazoo County on the east, Antwerp on the south and Waverly on the west.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Originally there was a large swamp covering nearly one-third of the township extending from the northeast to the southwest along the river valley, but this has been practically reclaimed and converted into valuable pasturage and grass land.
The township is one of the three within the county that is not touched by a railroad. The nearest railroad stations are Paw Paw on the Fruit Belt line; Mattawan and Lawton on the main line of the Michigan Central; and Kendall, Pine Grove and Goble- ville on the line of the South Haven division of the latter road.
There is no postoffice in the township, it being thoroughly covered by the free delivery system. Neither does it boast of any incorporated village, the nearest approach thereto being a small hamlet on section twenty-eight called Almena, the same as the township, where there are two stores, a flouring mill, a black- smith-shop, a creamery, a church, a town hall and a Maccabees hall.
The assessed valuation of the township for 1849, the first year
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Pine Grove was separated from it, was $27,985, and the total of taxes for that year was the sum of $530.60. The assessed valuation of the township for the year 1911 was $479.025 and the total taxes levied was the sum of $9,965.93.
The Federal census of 1910 gave Almena a population of 868, the smallest number of inhabitants of any township in the county.
At the general election held in 1850, the first after the present organization of the township, there were sixty-two votes cast, thirty-eight Democratic and twenty-four Whig. At the presi- dential election of 1908, the total vote of the township was 153, of which 112 were cast for Taft, Republican; thirty-seven for Bryan, Democrat; two for Debs, Socialist; and one each for Chafin, Prohibitionist and Hisgen, Independent party.
The township possesses a variety of soil. ranging from compar- atively light sand to heavy clay loam and on the whole is fertile and productive.
Several small streams in the northeastern part unite to form the west branch of the Paw Paw river, which flows in a south- westerly direction across the township. Some of these streams are very clear and pure and are stocked with speckled trout, affording rare sport to many enthusiastic disciples of Izaak Walton during the open season, which is from the first day of May to the first day of September. There are not as many lakes in Almena as there are in some of the other townships of the county. The principal ones are called West, North, Fish and Wolf lakes.
PIONEER SETTLERS AND INSTITUTIONS
The first white man who became an inhabitant of the township was a Frenchman named Joseph Derosier. His wife was an Ot- tawa squaw. Derosier came into the township about the year 1833. He followed the occupation of an Indian trader, trapper, guide and interpreter. He could speak the English, French and Indian languages with equal facility. He died in the township of Wa- verly in 1854. The great Indian trail from Chicago to Grand Rapids passed through Almena and it was on this route that Derosier lived. In the vicinity of his place, until as late as 1845, considerable numbers of Indians of the Pottawattamie and Ottawa tribes encamped from time to time.
The first laid-out highway was called the Kalamazoo road and it is yet one of the principal highways of the township; it crosses the southern part of the township from east to west.
Mr. Jonas Barber built the first saw-mill in the township not long after the advent of Derosier, and in 1834 Elder Junia War- ner, Horace Bonfoey and Willard Newcomb located lands in the
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township. Warner and Bonfoey made a settlement on their lands and began their improvements in the spring of the following year. Warner had entered a tract of two hundred and forty acres, partly in the township of Antwerp and partly in Almena. Bonfoey lo- cated on section twenty-nine in the latter township.
Warner and his father, who was also named Junia, purchased a few boards at Barber's mill, put up a cabin on section thirty-one and began at once to clear a portion of the land and put in some crops. Having built a substantial log house, Junia, the younger, returned to the state of New York for his family, while the father concluded to stop in Kalamazoo, where for a time he worked at his trade as a mason. When the son returned with his family in the fall of the same year, the father joined them and they were all speedily and comfortably located in their pioneer home.
The younger Warner had been a Methodist preacher before com- ing to Michigan and he continued to follow his sacred calling to a considerable extent until his death which occurred in 1847. His health was such that he did not always feel able to preach the Gospel, in addition to his arduous labors in clearing up and cul- tivating his farm, but the demands made upon him were so fre- quent and so urgent that he was said to be almost as busy in ministerial work as he was as a farmer. He officiated at many of the weddings and funerals that occurred around the county and in the adjoining county of Kalamazoo. IIe was the first minister in the township, if not in the county. His father and mother continued to live with him until the father's death in 1840. His mother died at Paw Paw in January, 1880, at the ripe age of ninety-six years.
In the fall of 1834 a company of seven land-lookers, William Ranney and his son John, Campbell Waldo, Frederick Krull, Alvin Hall, Russell Palmer and Freeman Hall, came to Almena. Ran- ney purchased land on sections fourteen, twenty-three, twenty-five and twenty-six, Palmer and Krull on section twenty-four : Freeman and Alvin Hall on section twenty-six. Returning east with the rest of the company after having located their land, John Ranney re- turned alone the next year and settled on the land that his father had located the previous year. He lived a bachelor all his life and died on his Almena farm in 1863. Willard Newcomb settled in the township in 1835, and put up a blacksmith-shop on section twenty-nine. Freeman Hall returned in 1836 and made a per- manent home on the land he had previously located.
Fernando C. Annable, with his family, became a resident of the township in the fall of 1835. Mr. Annable became a person of in- fluence, not only in his township, but in the county at large. Pol- itically, he was a strong Democrat and was regarded as a leader
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in his party. He lived and died a resident of the township. His son, Edward R. Annable, became a prominent attorney and was at one time prosecuting attorney of the county. He emigrated to California where he died in the prime of his manhood.
Asahel S. Downing, with his family and his father-in-law, Isaac Barnum, came from Cayuga county, New York, in 1836, and purchased a tract of land of Messrs. Newcomb and Bonfoey. There was a water power on the property, subsequently occupied by a saw-mill called Brewer's mill. It was the intention of Mr. Bar- num to erect a grist-mill, but he was stricken with apoplexy and died the next year after settling in the township. Henry Barnum, his son, after his father's death settled on section twenty-nine, where he lived until his death in 1856. Downing established a black- smith-shop on his place and operated it for many years. Asa Crofoot made a visit to Almena in 1835 and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land on sections twenty-five and twenty-six. He made a small improvement and then went to Schoolcraft, in Kala- mazoo county, where he obtained employment, improving his Al- mena farm from time to time as best he could. He did not be- come a permanent resident until 1844, when he married and lo- cated on his farm permanently.
BUSY PERIOD (1836-42)
Between 1836 and 1842 the settlers became quite numerous. Among them were John Campbell, Harvey Fauzdik, Bridget Fin- ley, Nahum Eager, Chauncey Abbott, Louis and Benjamin Eager, Thomas Roland, Blakelee Burns, Abel Burns, Jacob Plank, T. C. Benton, Samuel Turner and others.
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