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 5
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 (link on the Part 1 page).
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
On January 3, 1878, John Searls was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Adams, daughter of John Q. and Caroline (Tower) Adams, natives of the state of New York. The mother died in 1893 and the father in 1896. They had three children Susan, who is the wife of J. D. Benson, of North Dakota; Josephine, who has been dead a number of years; and Carrie, who is now Mrs. John Searls. She and her husband are the parents of two children : Their daughter Mary, who was born on July 8, 1888, and is now the wife of G. W. Lewis, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and their son Charles C., who was born on July 15, 1889, and is also now a resident of Grand Rapids.
Like his father, John Searls is a Democrat in his political faith and alliance, and an energetic and effective worker for the good of his party. His occupation as a builder for a number of years deeply impressed him with the value of improvements in his com- munity, and he has always been full of enterprise and progress- iveness in helping to bring them about. He and his wife and children are very useful as citizens, and are universally esteemed by all classes of the people in their county.
Stephen D. Searls, the brother of C. C., was also a highly ap- preciated citizen and prosperous farmer of Van Buren county for more than twenty-five years. He located in Paw Paw township in 1865, and here he owned and cultivated one hundred and six acres of land in section 22. In 1890 he sold this farm and moved to North Dakota, and from there to Spokane, Washington, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying there in 1909, at the advanced age of ninety-one years.
J. B. BREED .- The Almena township citizenship is fortunate in the possession of the Breed family, of which Joshua B. Breed, a prominent gentleman, is an estimable member of society and a repre- sentative of the agricultural industry. He is one of Van Buren county's pioneers, having resided here since 1835, the year of his birth. His eyes first opened to the light of day on July 5 of the year mentioned, in the state of New York, and while he was a babe in arms his parents severed old associations in the Empire state and settled in Van Buren county, Michigan. His parents were Silas and Nancy (Bangs) Breed and their coming to this section was in
4
٠٠
1
J. B. BREED
.
MRS. J. B. BREED
663
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
the pioneer days, when Van Buren county was original ground. It goes without saying that the first years were filled with the hard- ships encountered by the representative pioneers, but there was doubtless ample recompense in the wholesome life, the generous spirit of good-will which characterized the dealings of the people of the time and section. The original Breed home was at Breeds- ville, on the Black river. The subject's father erected a mill there (a saw-mill) which he operated for about four years, then removed to Antwerp and buying a farm there. At the latter point he re- sided for four years; then went to another farm and after a short time disposed of that land and took up his residence within the borders of Almena township, where his son lives now. He spent the remainder of his days here, his demise occurring in 1877. The de- mise of his worthy wife, the mother of the subject, was many years previous, when Mr. Breed was a little lad but four years of age. Of the five children of that union but two survive, the other being Albert T., of northern Michigan. After the death of his first wife Slias Breed was united in marriage to Mary (Jones) Miller, and the three children born to them all survive, namely: Nancy, wife of George W. Meyer; Mina, wife of Dr. Bennett, residing in north- ern Michigan ; and Silas A.
When J. B. Breed was a lad he attended the district school for two or three months out of the year, educational facilities being somewhat meagre at that time, and there being much need of his assistance in the affairs of his father's farm. He attended school until his eighteenth year and then until his majority he worked for his father. He then determined to establish himself upon an independent footing and for a year or two managed his father's place, subsequent to that buying a farm in Waverly township. Here he engaged successfully in farming for eight years and then came to Almena township, where he bought a farm and has ever since made his home upon it. It is very desirably situated and has been brought to a fine state of improvement by its owner.
At the age of twenty-three years Mr. Breed was married, his chosen lady being Marie Clark, daughter of Thomas Clark, Sr., the date of the celebration of their marriage being the year 1858. An ideally happy life companionship was terminated in 1907 by the death of the beloved and devoted wife. Three children were born to them, two of whom are living at the present time, namely: Bur- dette L., who is identified with the Van Buren County Fire In- surance Company as secretary and who makes his home in Paw Paw; and Lester E., who remains at home with his father, conduct- ing the affairs of the farm.
Mr. Breed is a member of the Masons at Paw Paw and exempli- fies in his own living the ideals of moral and social justice and brotherly love of that order. He is also connected with the Order of the Eastern Star, as was his wife before her death. Both were members of the Baptist church, in whose affairs Mr. Breed is still active. He gives heart and hand to the men and measures of the Republican party and at one time took a leading part in political affairs of the county. However, of recent years he has lived a re- tired life. He has held all of the township offices and has ever en- joyed and merited the confidence and respect of the entire com-
1
664
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
munity. He is a man of pleasing and accommodating nature, will- ing and ready to do all he can for his neighbor. Mr. Breed owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in this township, his estate being an eminently valuable and well-ordered one.
FRANK VAN BLARICON .- Orphaned at the age of three years by the death of his father, and with his mother in moderate circum- stances so that she could not do all for her children she wished in the way of preparing them for advancement in life and providing them with opportunities for making it, Frank Van Blaricon, one of the enterprising and prosperous farmers and live stock men of Paw Paw township, Van Buren county, was thrown on his own re- sources early in life, and has been ever since obliged to make his own way in the world. But he has met his responsibilities coura- geously, and confronted all the difficulties of his progress with a determination to overcome them.
Mr. Van Blaricon is a native of Wayne county, New York, where he was born on February 23, 1863. His parents were John and Margaret (Van Awken) Van Blaricon, also natives of Wayne county, New York, and both now deceased, the father having died in his native state in 1866, and the mother in this county in 1911. There were but two children born in the family, Frank and his older sister Mary, who is now the wife of William Rickerson, of Paw Paw. In 1871, when Frank was eight years old, his mother brought him to Michigan and located in Paw Paw. When he reached the age of twenty-one he bought eighty acres of land in section 27, Paw Paw township, and started a farming industry, which he conducted for a short time, then turned his attention to electrical work.
He was engaged in this interesting but hazardous occupation for twelve years in Minnesota, Cleveland, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan. In 1906 he returned to his farm, and ever since then has been profit- ably occupied in cultivating that, raising live stock for the general markets and operating a busy and remunerative peppermint dis- tillery which he owns.
On October 8, 1901, Mr. Van Blaricon was united in marriage with Miss Anna Paulson, a native of Sweden, the daughter of Nel- son and Eleanor (Morton) Paulson, and the first born of their seven children. The others are: Mary, the wife of Fred Jarl, of St. Paul, Minnesota ; John, Olaf, Albert and Jonas, all of whom are also resi- dents of St. Paul; and Emma, whose home is in Litchfield, Meeker county, Minnesota. They are all doing well in their several occupa- tions and giving the communities in which they live excellent ex- amples of worthy, upright, progressive and useful citizenship.
Mr. Van Blaricon is a Republican in his political allegiance and always warmly interested in the success of his party. He is a faith- ful worker for its welfare because he believes firmly in its principles, and not with a desire for public office of any kind, although he has filled a number of township positions at the behest of the people, and has done it in a manner creditable to himself and beneficial to the township. He has for many years been an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and taken great interest in the work of his lodge and the order in general.
665
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
Prosperous in his business undertakings, zealously interested in the progress and improvement of his township and county, and performing all the duties of citizenship in an estimable manner, he has earned by his merit the general esteem in which he is held by the people and proven himself worthy of their regard in every way. He is not ostentatious in his life, but sterling in his charac- ter and every manifestation of it, and is a good representative and sturdy product of the elevated and reliable manhood of Van Buren county that has given it its high rank in the state.
GEORGE H. MYHAN .- Born in this country of Irish parentage, George H. Myhan of South Haven has had the inspiration of his life from two of the most interesting countries in the world, both teeming with high examples and historical suggestions of the most impressive character. A native of Massachusetts and afterward a resident of New York, where he lived until he reached the age of thirteen, and now for nearly fifty years a factor in the industrial and civil life of Michigan, the East and West have commingled in his experience, and given him additional incentives to ambition and the effort necessary to realize all it pointed him to and prom- ised as a reward for his endeavors.
Mr. Myhan's life began in Massachusetts on April 13, 1850. His parents, James and Ann (O'Hara) Myhan, were born in Ireland, the former on May 1, 1815, near the city of Cork, and the latter in County Antrim on April 8, 1822. The father died in October, 1899, and the mother in 1890. They were married in Burlington, Vermont, and became the parents of nine children, six of whom are living, their son George having been the third in the order of birth, and being the only one of the lot living in this state and taking part in its activities.
The father lost his parents by death in his native land when he was a boy, and when he was nine years old crossed the Atlantic in a sailing vessel to Quebec, Canada, arriving in that city in 1824, and remaining there sixteen or seventeen years. From Quebec he went to Vermont, and there he learned the tanner's trade, which later he worked at in the state of New York. In 1863 he came to Michigan and located in South Haven, where he put up one of the first tanneries erected and operated in this part of the state. He remained in the business and had personal charge of his tannery in every detail of its operation until 1890, when he retired from all active pursuits. He took a decided interest in public affairs, but was not allied with either of the two great political parties, always remaining independent of party connections and free from partisan preferences.
George H. Myhan began his education in the schools of New York and completed it in those of South Haven. After leaving school, he learned the tanner's trade under the instruction of his father and was associated with him in business until his retirement in 1890. The son then took charge of the tannery and continued to control and manage it until 1903. In that year he was appointed postmaster of South Haven, a position which he has filled ever since, performing its duties in a way that has given the patrons of the office great satisfaction and been very creditable to himself. . He
·
-
666
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
has also been a member of the school board and the city council of South Haven and in each of these positions has also rendered acceptable service.
Mr. Myhan was married on October 31, 1880, to Miss Cora C. Grimes. She was born in Paw Paw, Michigan, and is a daughter of C. D. Grimes and P. L. (Bushnell) Grimes, who were born in Vermont and came with their parents to Michigan in 1836. These families were pioneers in the part of the state in which they set- tled, and when Mr. Grimes, the father of Mrs. Myhan, grew to manhood and began working at his trade as a carpenter, he found plenty of demand for his services. But he also had a farm and cultivated it with industry and good judgment.
Mr. and Mrs. Myhan have had two children, their son James, who died at the age of five years, and their daughter Ruth, who is living, and is still at home with her parents. Mr. Myhan is a Republican in his political connection, and while he cannot be called a very active partisan, he is always loyal to his party and renders it effective service.
NELSON ROWE .- The history of Van Buren county must of ne- cessity remain an incomplete record of the growth of that favored section of the state, without at least a brief mention of the life and worth of Nelson Rowe, since 1855 a resident of Hartford until the time of his demise, which sad event occurred at Hartford on Decem- ber 20, 1907, when the fine old pioneer had attained the patriarchal age of ninety-one years, six months and six days. Settling in Hart- ford when it was a dense wilderness, Mr. Rowe was one of the few who lived to see it emerge from its pristine state into a thriving little city, and to him and his sturdy and honest effort much of the credit for this metamorphosis is undeniably due.
Nelson Rowe was the son of Daniel and Polly (Crossman) Rowe. He was born on June 14, 1816, in Cayuga county, New York, and was reared there to the age of fourteen years. When he had reached that age, his parents migrated to Oakland county, Mich- igan, where the father settled on a wilderness farm. Here Nelson Rowe, aided by an older brother, labored for years in hewing out of the new country a home for themselves, and in time the Rowe farm became one of the beauty spots of Oakland county. It was in 1855 that Nelson Rowe came to Van Buren county and pur- chased the farm in southwest Hartford which was his home for so many years thereafter. As before, the farm was not a farm un- til the labors of Mr. Rowe reduced the forest to a goodly acreage of tillable soil. Before he might build his house, it was necessary for him to clear away a spot sufficient for that work to be done, and it goes without saying that the making of a fertile farm out of a tract of dense forest land is a task that would call forth every drop of energy, fortitude, perseverance and courage with which a man might be by nature endowed, and that only the pos- session of those traits in a generous degree would render such an accomplishment possible. The state of his beautiful Hartford farm at the time of his death speaks eloquently of the rugged and untiring character of the man, and will remain a monument to his unremitting labors of earlier years. Mr. Rowe was a success-
667
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
ful man in the broader meaning of the word. Although he did not amass a fortune, he accumulated a fair competence, and he was always known as a liberal and generous giver to any cause con- ducive to the betterment of the communal life. He was a man of enterprise, and the onward march of development was never re- tarded by any untoward influence emanating from him; he rather aided and abetted every movement that might be calculated to result in the advancement and upbuilding of the civic life of the community. After settling in Hartford in 1855, Mr. Rowe's en- tire life was passed in that place, with the exception of two oc- casions when he made western trips, each covering a period of per- haps two years. These trips took place between the years 1859 and 1864, and were made by ox train, his passage across the plains being attended by many hardships and perilous encounters with bands of marauding Indians. Barring these two trips, his life from 1855 was confined to the home place.
Mr. Rowe was twice married. His first wife was Martha Ann Sibley, the marriage occurring on October 24, 1849. His second wife was Ann E. Wood, the daughter of George and Lucretia Wood, of Keeler, Michigan. Of this latter union three children were born. They are Jay M., born April 3, 1858, and who died September 20, 1887; George U., born July 28, 1865, and Alma A., born March 29, 1868, who is now the wife of Rev. Samuel H. Taylor, LL.D., of Avon, Illinois, and her mother, now seventy-four years of age, makes her home with Mrs. Taylor. George U., the only surviving son, lives on the farm which his father was in- strumental in bringing to its present flourishing state, and is carry- ing on the good work in a manner worthy of such a man.
GEORGE ULYSSES ROWE .- This prosperous, progressive and rep- resentative farmer of Hartford township, Van Buren county, is a native of the township and has passed almost all his life to this time (1911) within its borders. He has been deeply interested in the welfare and development of the township and county and al- ways ready and alert in his support of every worthy undertaking designed to advance their interests or promote the good of their residents. To him the locality of his home is the dearest part of the world, and he is sedulous and energetic at all times in doing what he can to make it better and increase its prosperity, influence and importance.
Mr. Rowe's life began on July 28, 1865, and he is a son of Nel- son and Ann ( Wood) Rowe, natives of the state of New York. Un- like his son, the father was something of a wanderer, but not to his detriment, for he made his wanderings profitable to himself and his family. When he was a young man he came to Michigan and located at Milford in Oakland county. A few years later he changed his residence to Van Buren county, purchasing of B. A. Olney the farm in Hartford township on which his son now lives. In 1850 he went to Calfornia under the influence of the gold ex- citement of that time. He was absent from this state some years, and during his absence traveled over all the western states. He accumulated some additional capital, and on his return to this county bought more land. He then went back to California and se-
668
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
cured about four thousand dollars in gold during his two years' stay in that state. When he again came to Michigan after his sec- ond trip to the Pacific coast he determined to remain here, and he passed the rest of his life on the farm, where he died in 1908. He also passed some time during his absence from this state in the em- ploy of lumber boats on the Mississippi river. His widow is still living and makes her home with her daughter at Avon, Illinois They were the parents of three children, two of whom are living : George U., the subject of this review, and his sister Alma, who is the wife of Dr. Samuel Taylor, a Congregational minister who came to this country from England and was in charge of the church of his sect in Hartford some years. The other child in the Rowe family, Jay Rowe, died in 1887, at the age of twenty-nine years, passing away in Hartford township, in which the whole of his life was spent. His widow is still living in this township, but one of his two children, Nelson Vance Rowe, died in Kalamazoo in 1907. The other one who was formerly Miss Lea Rowe, is now the wife of Monroe Chatterson and resides at Three Oaks in Berrien county. They have one child, Arlo. Dr. and Mrs. Taylor have two children, their son James Rowe Taylor, and their daughter, Alice Hope Tay- lor.
George Ulysses Rowe grew to manhood in his father's home and obtained a part of his education in the country school in the neigh- borhood. When he was sixteen he moved with his parents to the village of Hartford, and here he attended the high school until near his completion of its course of study, then went back to the farm, to which the family returned at that time. He was married on April 9, 1885, to Miss Jennie Eby, a daughter of George W. and Gertrude (Pierce) Eby, of Grand Rapids. Her father was a native of Canada of German parentage, they living for a time in the state of Indiana.
Mr. Rowe became acquainted with his wife while she was on a visit to this county in the vicinity of his father's farm, and music was the medium through which they came into close communion. After the return of the lady to Grand Rapids he went to that city and they were married there. Eight children have been born of their union, all of whom are living and enjoying robust health, like their parents. They are Eby D., Glorian G., Perry F., G. Nelson, Ardise L., Paul V., Lynn C. and Mary Elizabeth. All the mem- bers of the family belong to the Congregational church in Hart- ford.
In his political views Mr. Rowe is liberal, looking always in the bestowal of his suffrage to the genuine welfare of the township and county, and not being bound by partisan considerations. In his farming he is enterprising and progressive. He owns one hun- dred and sixty-five acres of land in Hartford township. In his citi- zenship he is attentive to every public and private duty, and throughout the county he is esteemed as one of its most useful, creditable and estimable residents, and as representing in an ad- mirable manner the best attributes of sterling American manhood.
ARTHUR W. HAYDON .- The subject of this text is one of the lead- ing agriculturists of Van Buren county and is a native son and
669
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
scion of one of the oldest and most highly respected of its families. He was born here April 22, 1844, and is the younger of two chil- dren born to Philotas and Mary A. (Broughton) Haydon. He is also the only survivor. His brother, Charles B., was a volunteer soldier at the time of the Civil war and gave up his life upon the battlefield in defense of the Union. The father was a native of Montgomery county, New York, where his birth occurred in the year 1810, and he removed to Vermont when but a boy. There he was reared to young manhood and engaged in agriculture. His advantages were meagre and he was for the most part self-educated. He married in the Green Mountain state and came to Van Buren county in 1836 with his father-in-law. They purchased lands and the subject still possesses an ancient parchment deed. The first habitation was a rude log cabin and deer and wild turkeys were plentiful. For a long period everything was marketed at St. Jo- seph, where it was hauled with ox teams, and then Kalamazoo be- came the market. At that time wheat sold at forty cents a bushel. The father was a very successful man and ere he died he accumu- lated more than a thousand acres of land in Hamilton township. He was an old-line Whig and cast his vote for the first Republican president. He and the subject took an active part in campaigns, the father being an able speaker. Mother Haydon was a native of Vermont and was reared to young womanhood in that state. Both she and her husband died in Hamilton township and here their re- mains are interred.
Arthur W. Haydon is an active agriculturist and one of the well- known stock breeders of the county. He has made a specialty of Merino sheep (Registered) and for the last twenty-five years has been a breeder of Percheron horses. He received his education in the common schools and in the Kalamazoo high school, completing the full course and graduating. He received a higher education, being a member of the class of 1867 of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he pursued a scientific course. He came home at his father's death to assume charge of the estate, and thus did not quite finish his course. He is thoroughly progressive and keeps pace with the latest discoveries in the agricultural field.
Mr. Haydon was united in marriage to Mary E. Baker, their union being solemnized on October 19, 1868, and it has resulted in the birth of two children, an infant being deceased. The daughter Ione is at home with her parents. She was educated in the high school of Decatur and is a member of the graduating class of 1891. Her father's alma mater became her own and she was graduated in 1896 from the University of Michigan. She is still a student of good books, in which, as Emerson says, she finds her best compan- ionship.
Mrs. Haydon is the representative of one of the well-known fam- ilies. She was born December 12, 1847, and is the daughter of Hiram and Hannah L. (Head) Baker. There were three children in her father's household, two being sons and one a daughter. Her brother Fred is one of the leading business men of Dowagiac, Michigan. Mrs. Haydon was a student in the Decatur high school. Her father, Hiram Baker, was a native of Andover, Allegany county, New York, and was an agriculturist. He was reared and
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.