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 II > Part 14
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On the first of December, 1864, Mr. Bates was married to Sarah, the daughter of Alfred C. and Maria Church. Mrs. Bates is a native of Michigan, being born one month after it became a state, her birthday and that of President Cleveland's being but one day apart. There were five children in the family in which she grew up. The others: Mary, Arletta, Matilda and Elliot W .. are deceased. There have been six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bates. Ina, the eldest is dead. . She was the wife of E. Peacock, of Paw Paw. Rose is at home and Alva C. lives in this county. Relly T. is a resident of Waverly. Florence and Clyde are both dead, the latter having been accidentally shot, while in North Dakota.
Mr. Bates is a Republican and a worker in the G. A. R. For
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twenty-two years he has been chairman of the Soldiers' Relief Commission. He is commander of the Grand Army Post and has also been its chaplain. It would be impossible to speak too highly of the work of this patriotic and devoted citizen who has striven so long and so faithfully for all which makes for the best life of the country.
JOHN D. SHERMAN .- Having passed sixty-seven of the seventy- four years of his life in Paw Paw with but one little interval of two years, during which he was in business in another county, and having been in mercantile and industrial life among this people from the very dawn of his manhood, and in one line of trade throughout the last twenty-three years, the life of John D. Sher- man is well known to the residents of Van Buren county, and in its long course of active and general usefulness he has given them many proofs of his business capacity, his high character as a man and his public spirit and progressiveness as a citizen.
Mr. Sherman's life began in Genesee county, New York, on June 14, 1837, where he lived until he was seven years of age. He is a son of Alonzo and Lucy Ann (Dickenson) Sherman, a sketch of whose lives will be found elsewhere in this volume. They had five children, of whom John D. and his brother George of Topeka, Kansas, are living. The latter is superintendent of The Dining Car Service of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad Com- pany ; Charles, Delia P. and Frank have passed away.
Mr. Sherman started in business when he was but twenty years old, and almost immediately after completing his education. His first venture was in the hardware trade, in which he was engaged three years. He then started an exchange office in Paw Paw, which he conducted for two years, and at the end of that period turned his attention to the grocery business. This occupied his attention and held his interest from 1861 to 1868, when he sold his own store and took a hand in helping to carry on that of his father, which he did during all of the next two years.
He was eager during this period, however, to be again in busi- ness for himself, and as soon as he saw an opening gratified his desire. He went to Coloma in Berrien county and remained two years keeping a general store. In 1873 he returned to Paw Paw and bought an interest in a flour mill, with which he was con- nected as a member of the firm seven years. At the beginning of the eighth year he bought the whole outfit, and from 1880 to 1888 conducted the mill altogether on his own account. Since 1888 he has been continuously engaged in the sale of seed on a large scale, and also carries general produce.
On June 14, 1860, Mr. Sherman was united in marriage with Miss Helen A. Belfy, a daughter of Henry and Catherine H. (Pease) Belfy of western New York. Two children have been born of the union, both of whom are living. They are Henry Ellsworth and Lulu May. In his political faith the father is a pronounced Democrat and a loyal member of his party. He has served it faithfully as one of its rank and file for many years, and he has also represented it in several township offices, in each having carefully looked after the interests of the township and
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its people. In religious belief and alliance he is a Spiritualist. firm in his faith and consistent in his actions in connection with it at all times.
SILAS N. BARNER .- Perhaps no part of Van Buren county has more comfortable old homes or a more prosperous class of citizens than has Paw Paw township, and the farm of Silas N. Barner, in section 13, offers proof of the statement. Mr. Barner was born in Schoharie county, New York, March 25, 1833, and is a son of Silas and Nancy (Shaffer) Barner, natives of New York and descendants of German ancestry. Silas Barner was a farmer and preacher of the Methodist faith, and his death occurred in 1886. His wife died at the birth of their only child, Silas N., and Mr. Barner was married then to Sally Barton, who bore him two children : Brad, of Brooklyn, New York; and Eli, who is deceased.
Silas N. Barner went to Pennsylvania at the age of sixteen years, and there purchased twenty acres of farming land, which he operated for fourteen years, becoming a prominent agriculturist and filling positions of political importance in his community. Going to Kansas at that time, Mr. Barner was for one year engaged in the lumber and sawmill business, and he then re- turned to Pennsylvania, remaining on the homestead for about ten years. He subsequently located in Longview, Texas, where he conducted a grist, saw and planing mill for five years, after which he purchased a tract of one hundred and thirty-five acres of farming land in Scotland county, Missouri, and in connection with cultivating this property conducted a sawmill and milling business and a blacksmith and machine shop for twenty years. In 1901 Mr. Barner came to Paw Paw township, purchasing one hundred and eight acres of land in section 13, and here he has since been engaged in general farming and fruit raising. He is a successful agriculturist, progressive and enterprising, and is recognized as one of Paw Paw township's public-spirited citi- vens, always ready to encourage and assist every movement for the improvement and advancement of his section.
On November 25, 1852, Mr. Barner was married to Miss Helen Parker, daughter of Isaac and Margery (Smith) Parker, the latter a native of Holland and the former of New York state. Mrs. Barner died in 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Barner had four chil- dren, namely : Menzo, who met an accidental death in 1910, when the team of horses he was driving ran away with the binder ; Minnie N., who is deceased ; Hattie N., the wife of Ivan B. Shull, who is now assisting his father-in-law on the Barner homestead ; and Ola Lapette, the wife of Hiram L. Fickel, chief deputy sheriff of Polk county, Iowa, and a resident of Des Moines.
In his political views Mr. Barner is a Republican, and he al- ways takes an interest in public matters, although he has never found time to hold public office since leaving Pennsylvania. His fraternal connection is with the Masons, and Mrs. Barner was a consistent member of the Methodist church.
FERDINAND MENIG .- The German-Americans of this country are regarded as among the most reliable and esteemed citizens of the
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land, and where they live there is sure to be found a number of substantial homes. They usually take a great interest in the development of the resources of a community and make for good government, thus proving themselves very desirable additions to their adopted country's citizenship. Among the men of this class in Van Buren county was the late Ferdinand Menig, a success- ful agriculturist and veteran of the Civil war, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, October 13, 1841, and died January 4, 1910, in Paw Paw township. Mr. Menig was a son of John and Mar- garet Menig, natives of Germany, whose other children were: George and Ursula, both of whom are deceased.
The Menig family came to the United States in 1852, when Ferdinand was eleven years old, and settled in New York, where Mr. Menig learned the trade of baker and where he was living at the time of his enlistment in Company C, Fourth Regiment, New York Artillery, with which organization he served five years. He then entered the arsenal at Watertown, Massacusetts, where he worked three years as a baker. On completing his service Mr. Menig went to Egerton, Ohio, and formed a partnership with George Kerr, with whom he was engaged in operating a woolen mill until 1878, then going to Danville, Illinois, where he pur- chased of Henry Riggs a half interest in woolen mills at that place, and after three years bought out his partner's interests and continued it for twenty-five years. While in Ohio he had met with an accident which deprived him of an arm, but he did not allow this misfortune to keep him from making a success of his business ventures. After conducting the Danville mills alone up to 1906 he moved to Antwerp township, Van Buren county, and took up one hundred acres of farming land in section 19, which he continued to operate until his death. During his entire business career he was actuated by the highest principles of honor, and he stood high in the esteem of his fellows.
On December 8, 1864, Mr. Menig was married to Miss Mary Shean, who was born in Massachusetts, and nine children were born to this union, as follows: Margaret, now known as Sister Eunice, is at present teaching in Alexandria, Virginia. She was educated at the Holy Cross Convent of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, and following her graduation taught nine years in South Bend. Mary is the wife of Thomas E. Brown, assistant cashier in the bank of J. G. Cannon, Danville, Illi- nois. George is a resident of Kokomo, Indiana. Gertrude is the wife of Dr. Hooton, of Danville, Illinois. Ursula C. lives at home with her mother. Frank is a resident of Paw Paw. Nellie H. is residing at home. August is living in Danville, Illinois. Bertha is the wife of George Fisher, superintendent of light and heat for the Illinois Traction Company at Danville.
Mr. Menig was a Republican in his political views, and served as school director and justice of the peace for many years, be- ing closely identified with the progress of his township and be- ing justly regarded as one of its most influential men. He and his family were connected with the Catholic church.
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ALLEN HARWICK .- The Harwick family is intimately associated with the pioneer history of Van Buren county, and its represen- tatives are deserving of much credit for the part they have borne in the improvement and development of this section of the state. Perhaps no more substantial or better liked man ever resided in Antwerp township than the late Allen Harwick, who was for many years one of Van Buren county's successful farmers. Mr. Harwick was born in Caledonia, New York, December 6, 1838, a son of Peter and Belva (Root) Harwick, natives of the Em- pire state. Mr. and Mrs. Harwick came to Michigan in 1843, taking up government land in section 16, Antwerp township, and here they spent the remainder of their lives, the father passing away October 4, 1892, and his wife September 9 of that year. They had only one child, Allen.
Allen Harwick was five years of age when he accompanied his parents to Michigan, and his education was secured in the prim- itive district schools. Sharing with his parents all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, he early learned the traits of honesty, industry and economy which characterized his whole later life, and became a skilled agriculturist. He succeeded his father to the home property, and there he spent his active career, being engaged in general farming and fruit raising and making a general success of his operations. He was highly respected by his neighbors and loved in his home, and his funeral was largely attended, those who knew him being glad to pay respect to his memory. He was a Mason and a Democrat, and with his family attended the Congregational church.
On March 5, 1863, Mr. Harwick was married to Mertice Bowen, daughter of Frank and Nancy (Hicks) Bowen, natives of New York, who came to Michigan in 1845 and settled in Arlington township. During the year 1848 they rented a part of their house, which consisted of two large rooms, two bedrooms, a but- tery and an attic, and during the spring following Mr. Bowen pur- chased a forty-acre tract, paying for it with personal property, and rented the Arlington place and started to go East. When the family had gone as far as Paw Paw, Mr. Bowen was prevailed upon to locate in Pine Grove, and they settled in an unfinished log house, with no doors nor windows, and the floors laid down as the boards had come from the lumber mill. During the spring following Mr. Bowen cut the lumber, sawed the timber, and built a small house, into which they moved, but in 1851 he purchased a farm east of Paw Paw and moved into it, building a house and barn and making numerous improvements from year to year, but eventually sold it. In 1858 Mr. Bowen's brother died and the family moved East, so that he could take charge of affairs. During the following year, however, the family returned to Mich- igan, and here Mr. Bowen continued to carry on agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred December 16, 1892. His widow died on September 30, 1911, in her eighty-ninth year. They had the following children: Mertice, widow of Mr. Har- wick; George, who grew to manhood, married Miss Carrie Hamlin, and removed to Minnesota, where he died in 1896; Maria and Jerod, who died in 1858, within a few days of each other, of
DANIEL COY AND FAMILY
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scarlet fever; and Chauncey, who lives in Kalamazoo county. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Harwick, namely : Frank, who is now engaged in cultivating the home farm; Minnie, who is deceased; Grace, who is engaged in school teaching in the West; and Isa, the wife of Sheldon Coleman, of Lawton.
DANIEL COY .- An enterprising and progressive farmer in times of peace and a valiant soldier to the limit of endurance under hard- ships and bravery in battle while the war drum of our Civil strife throbbed, Daniel Coy, of Paw Paw township, Van Buren county, has hearkened to the call of duty in every line of endeavor in which he has engaged, and faithfully performed his part in each. He has prospered in his fidelity, too, as he is now one of the substantial men of his locality, with a comfortable competence for life, which he has accumulated by his own efforts and ability.
Mr. Coy was born and reared to the age of fifteen years in the East, and passed his boyhood in one of the most populous and in- teresting portions of that section of the country. But when he came West he had no difficulty in adapting himself to the change in conditions which he found here, as he has never had in getting in touch with his surroundings wherever he has been. His life be- gan in Albany county, New York, on July 3, 1849, and he is a son of John and Margaret (McMechen) Coy, and the third of their seven children in the order of birth. The others are: James, who lives in Kalamazoo; Mary, the wife of John Boyd, also a resident of Kalamazoo; Louisa, the widow of the late Theodore Merwin of Van Buren county ; Andrew, whose home is at Bloomingdale, this county ; Jane, who has been dead a number of years; and John, who also lives at Bloomingdale. The parents were born, passed the last years of their lives and died in Bloomingdale, Michigan. The father was a farmer and mill man.
Daniel Coy came to Michigan when he was fifteen years old and located at Lawton for a short time, then moved to Bloomingdale, working in mills at the latter place. The only education he ob- tained was secured in the common schools of his native county. From the time of his arrival in Michigan he was always too busy and too much in need of work to go to school while his school age lasted, but he took advantage of such means as were available to him for the improvement of his mind and the acquisition of useful. information.
Soon after the beginning of the Civil war he enlisted in Company A, Third Michigan Cavalry, under command of Captain Moyer. He was mustered into the service on July 22, 1861, and discharged on July 26, 1865. Hostilities were in rapid progress at the time of his enlistment, and his company was soon called into the field in an aggressive campaign against the forts on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers which were held by the Confederate forces. Mr. Coy. was taken prisoner at the battle of Fort Donelson, but succeeded in making his escape soon afterward. From then until the close of the war he was in active service, and during the course of it took part in many engagements. He was mustered out at Springfield, Illinois, and at once returned to his home and went to. work in a mill.
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After passing two years in this occupation he went again to Ten- nessee. But this time he was bent on no conquest except that of industrial prosperity; and bore no arms but those which nature had equipped him with in his ready and resourceful mind and strong and responsive body. He remained in Tennessee two years profit- ably engaged in farming, then sold his farm in that state and came back to Michigan. On his return to this state he bought forty acres of land in Almena township, Van Buren county. In 1878 he sold this tract and bought forty acres in Waverly township, to which he added forty more by a subsequent purchase. In 1891 he sold the eighty acres and purchased one hundred and forty-six in Paw Paw township, which he still owns, occupies and cultivates. He does general farming and raises and feeds live stock for the general market, and succeeds well in both lines of his business.
Mr. Coy was married on November 26, 1877, to Miss May Thayer, a daughter of Zara and Mary (Parker) Thayer, the father a native of New Hampshire and the mother of Vermont. They came to Michigan in 1865 and located in Waverly township, Van Buren county, where the mother died on March 22, 1877, and the father on June 1, 1907. They were the parents of seven children, of whom Mrs. Coy was the fifth in the order of birth. The others who are living are: Maria, the wife of Ira Jenkins, of Cadillac, Michigan; and Orisa, the wife of William Markley of Gobleville, also in this state. Mary Jane, Joseph, Johannus and Addie have been dead for a number of years.
Mr. and Mrs. Coy have seven children: Edward J., resides in Gobleville; their daughter Addie lives at Mattawan; their son Zara is a resident of Paw Paw; Joseph has his home in Cleveland, Ohio; and May, Daniel and Andrew are still living at home with their parents. The father is a Republican in his political faith and allegiance, and a Baptist in his church affiliation. He keeps alive the memory of his military service by active membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, but recollects only its pleasant features without any of the bitterness of feeling he experienced when he was going through it. He stands well in the regard of the people of Van Buren county, and deserves their esteem and good will from every point of view.
HENRY WAITE .- When a man has resided in a community for a number of years and has proven himself always industrious, energetic, responsible and public spirited, his death is keenly felt in the community and his place is not readily filled. Such a man was the late Henry Waite, who for many years was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Antwerp township, and was closely identified with the development of this part of Van Buren county. Mr. Waite was born September 10, 1825, in Washington county, New York, son of Green and Lida (Moon) Waite, also natives of the Empire state.
Henry Waite was one of a family of fifteen children, all of whom grew to maturity, and he was only fifteen years of age when he left his home with his blankets on his back and the sum of ten dollars in his pocket. After a long and tedious journey on foot he arrived in Adrian, Michigan, his money meanwhile
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having dwindled to two and one-half dollars, but after spending about two years and six months at that point he returned to New York. In 1847 he again came to Michigan, remaining only a short time, when he once more went to his home in the East, but in 1855 came to Michigan and purchased seventy acres of wild land in Van Buren county. Here he spent ten years of hard, unremitting toil, and when he had succeeded in clearing his land and putting it under cultivation he disposed of it at a good profit and purchased eighty acres in Antwerp township, which he had increased to one hundred and thirty acres at the time of his death, January 6, 1888. His father had passed away in 1869 and his mother in 1867. Mr. Waite's whole career was one which should encourage the youth of today in their efforts to gain a competence. Starting in life a poor boy, with but ordinary educational ad- vantages and practically no assistance of a financial nature, he won success through the sheer force of his own industry and per- severance, and made a name and reputation for himself among the substantial men of his community. Always alive to oppor- tunities to better his own condition, he was also considerate of the rights of others, and his honest dealings with those who were associated with him in a business way won for him the respect and friendship of his fellow townsmen.
On March 26, 1850, Mr. Waite was united in marriage with Miss Caroline MeCrossen, who was born in New York state, De- cember 5, 1831, daughter of natives of Ireland and New York, respectively, whose other children were: George, who is deceased ; Ellen, the widow of George Owen, of Ontario county, New York; and Christopher, living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Waite had no children of their own, but became the parents of an adopted daughter, now the wife of Asa Sheldon, of Van Buren county. Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon have two children: Asa Ford, born February 10, 1896; and Alma Marie, born September 25, 1903. Mr. Waite was a stanch Republican in politics, and a consistent member of the Christian church. Mrs. Waite sur- vives her husband, and has reached the advanced age of eighty years, but is in the best of health and spirits and in possession of her full faculties. She is as well known in this vicinity as was her esteemed husband, and has many friends and acquaint- ances.
DAVID LYTLE .- Industry, perseverance, intelligence and good judgment are the price of success in agricultural work in these modern days of farming, when the hard, unremitting toil of former years has given away to scientific use of modern machinery and a knowledge of the proper treatment of the soil. Van Buren county, Michigan, has many skilled farmers who treat their vocation more as a profession than as a mere occupation, and take a justifiable pride in their accomplishments, and among these may be men- tioned David Lytle, the owner of a well-cultivated tract of farm- ing land located in Antwerp township. Mr. Lytle was born De- cember 11, 1860, in Porter township, Van Buren county, and is a son of Dewitt Clinton and Mary Jane (Wilcox) Lytle.
Dewitt Clinton Lytle, who was a native of the Empire state and
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a carpenter by trade, came to Michigan in the year 1853, settling on eighty acres of land on which the southern part of Lawton now stands. He engaged in agricultural pursuits, but after hold- ing this property a short time, sold it to buy one hundred and sixty acres in Porter township, and to this he added from time to time, being the owner of eight hundred acres of valuable land at the time of his death, which occurred June 27, 1898. His wife, who was a native of Michigan, died February 18, 1904, having been the mother of the following children: Charles S., who resides in Porter township; David; John, also living in Porter township; Wilbur, who makes his residence in Lawton; N. Verne, the wife of Woodson N. Shaffer, of Paw Paw; and Robert, who is operat- ing the old homestead in Porter township.
The education of David Lytle was secured in the public schools in the vicinity of the old homestead, and he was reared to the life of an agriculturist, being early taught the value of industry, economy and clean living. He remained on the homestead farm with his parents until he was twenty-eight years old, at which time he started working for himself on a farm, and in 1892 he purchased his present farm of ninety-three acres, situated in section 9, Antwerp township. Mixed farming and fruit raising have claimed his attention, and he is one of the most progressive of farmers, being prompt to experiment with new methods or devices.
On February 20, 1889, Mr. Lytle was united in marriage with Miss Belle F. Ellison, daughter of Joseph and Mary Ellison, of Lawton, Michigan, and she died April 16, 1904, having been the mother of two children: Gladys M., who died in infancy; and Theo. Belle, who was born July 4, 1899. In his political belief Mr. Lytle is a Republican, and he takes an active interest in those movements which his judgment tells him will be of benefit to his community, although he has never aspired to public office. Fraternally he is a popular member of the M. W. A. He ranks high among the agriculturists of his section, and is known as a good neighbor and public-spirited citizen.
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