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 62
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residents of the state of Michigan. Frederick and Michael live at Bainbridge, John at Watervliet and Charles in Keeler township. All are married.
Charles is next to the youngest of the family and was born April 1, 1863. He was therefore, seventeen when he came with his fam- ily to America. He first went to La Fayette, Indiana, where he worked for an Englishman. He remained in La Fayette for a year and a half and did any work by which he could earn an honest living. He came to Berrien county in 1883 and thence to Van Buren county where he has since resided. At first here, he sup- ported himself by working for wages; then he became a renter and so gradually climbed the ladder of fortune.
On October 3, 1894, he wedded Miss Clara Rokenbauch. They became the parents of three sons and of two daughters of whom three are living. Eva K. and Dean G. are bright pupils of the seventh grade and Eva will study music. Maurice Elden, the youngest, is in the third grade. Mrs. Kietzer was born in Van Buren county in a log house which stood on the farm where she now lives. The date of her birth was May 21, 1863. There were four children in the Rokenbauch household and Mrs. Kietzer is the youngest. Only two are now living, the other surviving mem- ber being Louise, the wife of Willard Mays, residing in Bainbridge. Mrs. Mays has four children. Father Rokenbauch was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, on February 4, 1828. He received his education in Germany and came to America when a young man. IIe made the trip in a sailing vessel which lost its course and wandered north almost to the coast of Labrador, and so took four- teen weeks to reach New York. The young immigrant worked as a laborer in New York state and then came to Van Buren county. The country was mostly unimproved when Mr. Rokenbauch came to Michigan and the first tract of forty acres which he purchased was all woods. It is on this place that Mr. Kietzer now resides. The log cabin gave place to a more comfortable and modern struc- ture and the place was freed from encumbrance. Mrs. Rokenbauch was a native of Prussia and was born June 22, 1820. She died October 3, 1890, eight years before her husband's decease. Both of them were members of the Evangelical church. They are buried in the Keeler cemetery where monuments mark their last resting place.
Mr. and Mrs. Kietzer began their wedded life on a farm of forty acres for which they had gone into debt. They have added to their original place and after purchasing Mrs. Kiezer's sister's share of the estate lived for a time in the frame house her father had built to replace the log structure. In 1907 they built their present comfortable and spacious modern dwelling and now it stands on their eighty acres of fruitful land, all free from debt and adapted in every way to be a place where it is a joy to live. Prospect Hill Farm is a home in the truest sense of the term.
Mr. Kietzer has always supported the policies of the Republican party and while in no sense a politician, his interest in public ques- tions is keen and intelligent. Mrs. Kietzer is a member of the Christian church of Bainbridge. It is impossible to speak too highly
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of Mr. and Mrs. Kietzer. He is known as one of the truest as well as one of the most eminent citizens of the county and his wife is worthy of sharing all the success which falls to his lot. These are the "timbers out of which to build a republic" and their record deserves a lasting place in the history of the county their industry has advanced.
HENRY L. DOBBYN .- To him whose name inaugurates this re- view, belongs the distinction of having lived on the same half sec- tion in Van Buren county since the age of seven years. He is a Canadian by circumstance of birth, but for many years has been one of the most loyal and helpful of the adopted sons of this town- ship, and has ever given his support to such measures as he has esteemed likely to be of general benefit to the community. Henry F. Dobbyn was born on September 9, 1846, and is the son of James and Margaret (Drake) Dobbyn. They were among the early pioneers in this section, having come to Michigan, in April, 1854, at which time they took up three hundred and twenty acres of land from the government in section 32. The father who engaged in farming throughout his entire life, died in 1907, his wife preced- ing him to the Great Beyond in 1905. They were the parents of a family of children of typical pioneer proportions, eleven boys and girls coming to bless their household. An enumeration of them is as follows: William, residing in Mancelona, Michigan ; Henry L .; John and Richard, deceased; Jane, wife of George W. Hale, of Mancelona; George, a citizen of Mancelona; Curtis, resid- ing in Hyburn; Mary, deceased; and George and his twin brother whose young lives were ended in infancy.
Mr. Dobbyn's homestead, a desirably situated tract, consists of eighty acres and is the scene of successful operations in the field of general farming. He makes a specialty of the raising of grain and fruit, and has done his share toward the achievement of the agricultural prosperity of Van Buren county, which more than any other factor gives it its prestige.
On April 21, 1868, Mr. Dobbyn laid the most important stone in the foundation of his success by his marriage to Martha John- son, daughter of Newton Johnson, deceased, both of whom are natives of the state of New York. Her family came to Michigan at an early day and Mrs. Dobbyn was engaged in teaching school in this district when she married. Their happy marriage has re- sulted in a family of four children, as follows: Ida B., wife of Elsworth Chorpenning, of Coloma; Alvin, an employe of the offices of the Michigan Central Railroad and located in Chicago; Minnie, wife of E. Rockwell, of Coloma ; and Daniel, of Covert township.
Mr. Dobbyn is a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Repub- lican party. There is nothing of public import in his township in which he is not helpfully interested and no local movement which in his judgment promises to benefit any considerable number of his fellow citizens that does not have his cordial advocacy and sup- port. He has held several minor township offices very creditably. He enjoys that highest honor of being a true and useful citizen,
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of the type whose record is essential to the completeness of this history of Van Buren county, Michigan.
CHARLES W. HAVENS .- The father and the grandfather of Charles W. Havens, both of whom were christened William, were natives of Steuben county, New York. The grandfather was one of the early settlers of Keeler township where he had a small farm upon which he and his wife lived to the end of their lives. William Havens grew to manhood in the county in which he was born and was married to Jane Lewis. There was one other child of their union besides Charles, of this review, Olive, who became the wife of Martius Olds. The father came to Michigan after his marriage and settled in Keeler township, Van Buren county, where he lived until 1874 when he moved to Hartford, remaining there until his death on September 24, 1892.
Charles was born on the 29th of November, 1867, in Keeler town- ship, and lived there until he was six years old. His life was that of the farmer's son of that time, devoted to work on his father's place and to attending the district school. After the age of seventeen he gave all his time to farming. He now owns sixty acres and has an interest in an additional ninety. Besides general farming, Mr. Havens is engaged quite extensively in grow- ing fruit and in both lines of agriculture is successful.
On September 28, 1898, Mr. Havens was married to Miss Pearl Humphrey who was born in Girard, Illinois, in 1875. Her father, B. F. Humphrey, had graduated from the theological course of a well known Baptist school and was a minister of that denomination. Mrs. Havens was one of a family of six children and two others are still living. F. D. Humphrey is a physician in Hendrick, Okla- homa, and May is the wife of Elmer Benedict. Mrs. Havens was educated in the high school of Mishawaka, Indiana, and later her family came to Hartford township to live. It was here that she met Mr. Havens and became the mistress of his home and the mother of their three sons. The boys are aged twelve, eleven and nine years respectively. The eldest son is William B. Havens; William being a name which has been a favorite in the family for generations. The two younger children are called Russell and Gerald. All of them are in school and are among the best stu- dents in their classes.
Mrs. Havens is a member of the church in which her father spent so many years of faithful service for the salvation of souls, her membership being in the church at Hartford. She also belongs to the Fraternal Brotherhood in which she carries two thousand dol- lars insurance. Mr. Havens is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, and carries one thousand dollars insurance.
For twelve years, Mr. Havens has been treasurer of the school district and he has the welfare of the educational activities of the district always at heart. In politics, he is aligned with the Demo- crats. Personally he is a man of pleasant address and sociable in disposition. Both he and his wife are widely acquainted in the county and count a host of friends here.
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FRANK J. TEDROW .- Well versed in the art and science of agri- culture, Frank J. Tedrow ranks high among the progressive and successful farmers of Bloomingdale township, his well-kept farm, on section 29, and everything about his premises, bespeaking the thrift and good management of the proprietor. A native of this township, he was born, April 7, 1865, a son of the late Aaron K. Tedrow.
Born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in December, 1827, Aaron K. Tedrow was left motherless when a child, and at an early age became self-supporting. He was blessed with a rugged constitution, a cheerful heart and willing hands, and thus equipped began as soon as old enough to learn the stone mason's trade, which he followed for a number of years. In 1856, desirous of invest- ing his earnings in cheap land, he came to Bloomingdale town- ship, Van Buren county, Michigan, and bought eighty acres of land, which included the east half of the northeast quarter of section 29. This entire section and the surrounding country was at that time heavily wooded, and the few settlers lived in log cabins, subsisting the first few years of their residence in this locality largely on the wild game to be found in the forests. Build- ing a typical log house, he began the improvement of the land, and was here engaged in farming until his death, in 1876, at the age of forty-nine years. He had in the meantime acquired con- siderable wealth, being the owner of four hundred and forty acres of rich land, much of which was under a good state of cultiva- tion. His wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Kooser, was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Bloomingdale township, in 1906, leaving six children.
After completing his early education in the district schools, Frank J. Tedrow took a course of study at Parsons' Commercial College, in Kalamazoo. Familiar with the various branches of agriculture from his youth up, he then decided to continue in the occupation to which he was bred, and in 1899 settled in section 29, on the place which he now owns and occupies. Energetic and enter- prising, Mr. Tedrow has placed his rich and fertile land under a good state of cultivation, and has erected a tasteful and con- venient residence, a good barn, and all the necessary out buildings, and has installed all the machinery required by a first-class mod- ern agriculturist. He carries on general farming with excellent pecuniary results, making a specialty of dairying and poultry raising.
In 1897 Mr. Tedrow was united in marriage with Myrtle M. Baughman, who was born in Bloomingdale township, Van Buren county, a daughter of Edmund and Catherine Baughman. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tedrow, namely : Gladys and Doris. Fraternally Mr. Tedrow is a member of Blooming- dale Lodge, No. 161, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and of Bloomingdale Camp, No. 8159, Modern Woodmen of America. He has been treasurer of the school board for the past fifteen years.
GEORGE W. CHAPMAN .- Having earned all they have in the way of worldly possessions by hard and continuous labor, and worked
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their way through difficulties, over obstacles and under privations and hardships that were at times oppressive in both their extent and severity, George W. Chapman, one of the progressive and en- terprising farmers and fruit-growers of Lawrence township, and his faithful and industrious wife are entitled to all the pleasure they can get out of their present prosperity, and all the pride they may ever feel over the gratifying success that has crowned their efforts.
Both of these excellent persons are products of the township in which they now live, and they are also fine representatives of its most sterling and reliable citizenship. Mr. Chapman was born in Antwerp township, this county, on May 4, 1848, a son of Clin- ton and Lydia ( Wait) Chapman, natives of New York. Clinton was the son of "Elder Chapman," as the respect of all who knew him and his standing in his community induced the people to call him at all times, and he was a native of Allegany county, New York, where he passed the whole of his life and reared his family. The elder died about the time his son Clinton came to Michigan with his young wife, the mother of George W., to whom he was married in their native state a short time before.
On the arrival of the young couple in this state they located at Litchfield, Hillsdale county, where they remained until 1847, the head of the house working out on farms and in other pursuits to earn a living for his family and secure what he could in the way of advancement in the world. In the year last named they moved to Van Buren county, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the mother's ending in 1864, the father surviving a number of years, and dying at the age of sixty-seven. They were the par- ents of nine children, of whom their son George W. is the only one now living. His mother's death occurred when he was sixteen years of age, and his father was afterward married to Miss Malinda Logan. By his second marriage the father had two children. Their mother died, and the father contracted a third marriage, which united him with Mrs. Celeste (Hayden) Swift. They had four children, two of whom have departed this life. The two who are living are Freedeus and his sister Lilly, who is the wife of James Horton, of Minnesota, where he is profitably engaged in farming.
George W. Chapman has passed the whole of his life in Van Buren county. He was educated in its country schools, assisting his father in the labors of the home farm while attending them. When he reached the age of seventeen, being ambitious to work out his own destiny and make his own way in the world, he left school and hired out to work for others by the month. This he continued five years, living frugally, laboring industriously and sav- ing his earnings for use in starting his own independent career, which he was eager to begin.
On July 30, 1870. being then a little over twenty-two years old, he was united in marriage with Miss Laura J. Braybrooks, a daugh- ter of James and Jane (Simmons) Braybrooks of Lawrence town- ship. After his marriage he worked by the day at whatever he could get to do until the following February, when he located on a farm near Hartford, and this he farmed as a tenant for two
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years. He then moved to Keeler township, and there he and his wife cultivated a farm which they rented for eight years.
At the end of that period, in 1880, he bought sixty acres of land across the road from where he now lives, and moved on the tract in 1881. But by the fall of 1887 he found something more to his desire, and bought the farm he now lives on and located on it at once. Here he has lived ever since, cultivating his land with en- terprise and skill, improving his property with good judgment, and developing all the possibilities of his situation by studying what they might be and devoting himself with steady industry to their full realization. He built his present dwelling in 1899.
One of the avenues to prosperity which he opened and has made the most of is his industry in fruit culture. He planted his orchards with intelligence and has cultivated them with care, and they have yielded good returns for his enterprise in starting them and his zeal and prudence in caring for them. While he is not one of the great fruit-growers of the county, he is one of the most suc- cessful, and the products of his orchards always bring good prices, for they are choice and prepared for the market with every atten- tion to details in packing and shipping required to bring the best results.
Mr. and Mrs. Chapman have one child, their son H. Hurvey Chapman. He is a graduate of the Lawrence High School, and now usefully engaged in working his way forward in the struggle for advancement among men. On November 10, 1896, he was mar- ried to Miss Frances Clark, the daughter of Edward and Ellen ( Wallace) Clark, residents of Arlington. Two sons have been born of the union: Keith Clark, who is now thirteen years of age; and George Virgil, whose age is eight.
Mr. Chapman and his son Hurvey are members of the Masonic order in several of its branches. They belong to Rising Sun Lodge No. 119, at Lawrence, and also to a Royal Arch Chapter and Council of Royal and Select Masters in the fraternity. In addi- tion, they and their wives all belong to the Masonic auxiliary the Order of the Eastern Star, and the elder Mrs. Chapman holds mem- bership in the fraternity of the Maccabees.
The father is independent in his political action, always cast- ing his vote for the good of the community and the candidates he deems best fitted for the offices they seek. His son trains with the Republican party, and is zealous in its service. The father has filled the office of road commissioner acceptably in Lawrence town- ship, but he has never been desirous of public office. His farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres, which he calls "Maple Ridge Farm," and which is so designated by everybody else, occupies his time and attention, and furnishes him all the drafts on his energies he cares to have. It is the fruit of his own and his wife's hard labor and thrift. and the object of chief concern to them. But they never neglect the duties of citizenship, and are highly esteemed for their fidelity to them.
HENRY SPAULDING .- The name Spaulding has been one connected with the history of our country since the Colonial times and the
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representative of that family whose life is briefly outlined in this sketch has borne a part worthy of the best. His great-grandfather was Zebulon Spaulding of Connecticut ; his grandfather, Marcus Spaulding, also born in Connecticut, but for the most of his life, a resident of New York state. He married Sarah Bump and they became the parents of eight children, four boys and four girls. The boys were M. M. Spaulding, the father of Henry of this sketch; Merritt, aged ninety years, still living; Warren W. and Almond M., who died December 25, 1909, aged fifty-two years. Of the girls, Mary died in infancy and Elizabeth before she was mar- ried. The two others became mistresses of homes of their own. Shortly after his marriage, Marcus Spaulding the grandfather, moved to Erie county, Pennsylvania, and there spent the remainder of his life. The father of Henry also lived and died in that county. He was married to Emeline Van Ostran and there were eight children in their family too. Three are now living (in 1911), Henry, Mary Spaulding Crane, and Sarah Spaulding Smith, both the latter are widows. M. M. Spaulding died in 1901 and his wife thirty-two years before.
Henry Spaulding was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1842, on July 25. He grew up in that city and attended the public schools until in 1861 when he enlisted in the Eighty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, Company H. He was in the first division of the third brigade of the fifth army corps and was a sergeant. He was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg and thus disabled for further service and on December 27, 1863, was discharged. After this he returned to Erie and for about two years followed the trade of carpentering. Later he became a contractor and in 1870 came to Lawrence. It was the fifth of October when he arrived at that city and in the following April, he came to Hartford and did his first work on the Hartford hotel.
On the twenty-fifth of September of the year in which Mr. Spaulding came to Hartford he was married to Helen Beaman and for nearly forty years, this union lasted being broken in April 29, 1910, by the death of Mrs. Spaulding. She was born and reared in Orleans county, New York, and was very well known in this district. She was a member of the Benevolence Chapter, No. 46 of the Eastern Star and of the Hartford Rebecca Lodge, No. 281. Her death removed a zealous worker and an estimable woman from the county.
Mr. Spaulding has long been prominent in the lodge circles of the township. He is a member of the Florada Lodge, No. 309, and a past master of that body. In the Odd Fellows fraternity, he be- longs to the Charter Oak Lodge, No. 231, and is a past Grand in it. He belongs to the Elsworth Post, No. 20 of the Grand Army of the Republic and is a past commander of the same. In the Michigan G. A. R. he is a past Junior Vice-Commander and is now chair- man of the executive committee. In the Benevolence Chapter No. 46 of the Eastern Star he is a past Patron, being the first to hold that office in the chapter.
In political matters, the Republican party has always had his support and he has served his party in various offices. He has been
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the clerk of Hartford township, justice of peace, and supervisor for one year. While supervisor, he was appointed by the legis- lature assistant sergeant at arms and served during the term in 1889 and in 1893 was again elected to the same office. This same year he was appointed custodian of the Military Museum at Lans- ing and held that position until 1897, when he was made post- master of the senate. He concluded his services at the capital by serving two years on the police force at the state house.
Conscientious in all he does, a kind neighbor, and a citizen of unimpeachable integrity, Mr. Spaulding has the universal respect of the community where he has lived so long. He has borne his part in peace and war and has acquitted himself in both with steadfastness and valiant courage.
PHINEAS FARROW .- Forced by circumstances to make his own way in the world from the age of ten years, with nothing in the way of capital but his willing spirit, his good health and his strong determination to win an independent estate, and with his efforts, now crowned by a success that grows with his advancing. years, Phineas Farrow, one of the prosperous farmers of Porter township in this county, has given in his creditable career a fine illustration of the all-conquering mettle of American manhood, and of the pos- sibilities always open to industry, frugality and steady persever- ance in this land of boundless wealth and opportunity.
Mr. Farrow was born in Kalamazoo county, Michigan, on No- vember 1, 1853, and is a son of Phineas and Maria (Bennett) Far- row, natives of New York, who came to Michigan in the forties. The father was a blacksmith and worked diligently at his trade until the discovery of gold in California set the world on fire with excitement and unlimited expectations. He then yielded to the prevailing enthusiasm and joined the army of argonauts that streamed across the plains to the new Eldorado. He remained in the Golden state until 1861, and then enlisted in a California regi- ment of volunteers raised for the defense of the Union at the begin- ning of the Civil war. He served through the memorable con- flict, and at its end returned to Illinois and was never heard from afterward. Three children were born in the family: Phineas, the last born, and his brothers John and Charles. John died at an early age, and Charles is now living in Nebraska.
After the death of her first husband the mother married his brother Edward, and of this union three children were also born: Thurman, who is a resident of Nebraska; Eugenia, who is the wife of Charles Souls, of Paw Paw; and George, who lives in Battle Creek. The mother has also passed away, her death having oc- curred a number of years ago. She was sorely pressed by adversi- ties at times in her life, but she did the best she could for her off- spring and was almost heroic in her efforts to rear to usefulness her two families of children.
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