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 8
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On April 9, 1877, Mr. Knapp laid the foundations of the happy home life which has been his for so many years by his marriage on that date to Miss Eva Cushman, who has since been to him an ideal helpmeet and congenial companion. To her counsel and companionship Mr. Knapp attributes in a large measure the suc- cess of his various undertakings. They are the parents of one child, a daughter Rosa M., who has graduated from the Hartford high school, and now makes her home with her parents.
Mr. Knapp has attained prominence and distinction in fraternal circles. He is a member of Florada Lodge, No. 309, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and of Lawrence Chapter, No. 95, Royal Arch Masons, and Council No. 43, R. & S. M., and S. E. M.
In the field of politics Mr. Knapp conforms to the Democratic view on national issues, but in local situations he has the broad attitude which overlooks party lines in an effort to get the greatest good for the greatest number, freely deciding what is best in every situation.
GLENN S. EASTON .- Although he has lived in many places and mingled freely with the residents of them all, manifesting a cordial interest in their welfare and contributing to their advancement by every means at his command, Glenn S. Easton, of Lawrence, this county, has devoted all his years since leaving school to one line of effort, that of newspaper work, with which he has been connected in large cities and several small ones, in this state and New York. He has lived in Lawrence and been the editor and publisher of the Lawrence Times only two years. But even in that short period he has won a high place in the regard of the people as a capable and straightforward newspaper man and a wide-awake, enterprising and progressive citizen.
Mr. Easton was born in Union City, Branch county, Michigan, on February 19, 1878, and is a son of the late Major D. J. and Della (Stowe) Easton, the former a native of Elmira, New York, and the latter of Coldwater, Michigan. They were the parents of seven children, four of whom are living: Ora C .; Glenn S .; Elva, now the wife of H. R. Robedee; and Lynn. The father passed a portion of his boyhood in his native city, and was brought from there to Michigan by his parents while he was yet young. The family located in Coldwater, Branch county, this state, and there he grew to manhood and obtained a part of his education, completing it at some college in the East, from which he was grad- uated after a full course of academic instruction.
The parents were pioneers in Branch county and took a hearty interest in the progress and development of that portion of the state. When the Civil war began the young man and future mil- itary hero of the family was living at Sturgis in St. Joseph county, and was editing the Sturgis Journal, which was published in that city. Prior to this he had shown a very strong support of the principles of the Republican party and taken a great interest in its campaigns. His zeal and fidelity in its behalf brought him a reward in the form of an appointment as internal revenue collector for the district in which he lived, and he filled the office with great
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acceptability to the government at Washington and the people of the district as well.
In 1860, when the sectional war cloud became very ominous and gave unmistakable signs of bursting with fury over the country, he was impelled by his strong sense of patriotic duty to oppose the dismemberment of the Union and raised a company of volun- teers for the purpose of aiding in defending it from that disaster. He went to the field as captain of his company, and remained with it to the end of the sanguinary contest, being promoted major for gallantry in battle and the capacity and faithfulness he showed in other work in the service. The regiment with which he was connected suffered severely in the war. He was severely wounded at the battle of Resaca, and in all received nine bullet wounds. He was taken prisoner and was confined in Libby prison for several months.
After his discharge from the army he returned to Coldwater, and during the next two years he published the Coldwater Republi- can. At the end of the period mentioned he sold his interests in the Coldwater Republican and moved to Union City, where he founded and for twenty-eight years published the Union City Register. He died in the harness, working on this paper, in Au- gust, 1900, and then for one year and a half his son Glenn edited and published it. The Major was postmaster of Union City six- teen years, and represented that town in the state legislature one term.
Glenn S. Easton was reared and received a high school educa- tion in Union City, a year in Albion college following, and after leaving school he took up his residence in Detroit. As he had been trained in newspaper work under the direction of his father, he determined to devote himself to that line of endeavor. He worked on the Detroit Free Press, then on the Buffalo (New York) Daily Courier. From Buffalo he returned to Union City and took charge of his father's paper when death ended the labors of that gentleman, as has been already noted. He was connected with other papers for a time after leaving the Union Register, then for four years he published the New's at Onstead in Lenawee county. In 1909 he located at Lawrence, Van Buren county, where he has ever since been publishing the Lawrence Times.
On August 17, 1910, Mr. Easton was united in marriage with Miss Lucile Hess, a daughter of S. M. and Jennie (Ridlon) Hess, of Lawrence. One child has been born of the union, Edwin Paul Easton, whose life began on August 16, 1911. Mr. Easton be- longs to the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, holding his membership in the former in the lodge at Onsted and in the latter at the one in Lawrence. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church, and in political rela- tions he is a firm and faithful member of the Republican party. To all the duties of citizenship he is steadfastly attentive, and to every commendable enterprise for the good of his community and county he gives ardent and intelligent support, both through the columns of his paper and by his personal influence and help- ful services. He is appreciated throughout the county as one of its best and most progressive citizens, and is fully deserving of
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the rank in this respect so cheerfully and readily bestowed on him by the estimate of the people in whose service he is laboring.
GEORGE MILTON HARRISON .- Doubly orphaned at the age of one year by the death of both his father and his mother, who were vic- tims of an epidemic of spinal meningitis which raged with great violence in the city of their home in 1847, George M. Harrison, of Paw Paw, where he has been engaged in general merchandising dur- ing the last forty-six years, passed the greater part of his boyhood under the shadow of this great bereavement, and was forced by it to begin the battle of life for himself at a very early age.
Mr. Harrison was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on June 4, 1846, and was the last born of the thirteen children of Benjamin and Jane (Stillwell) Harrison, and one of two of them who are still living. The father was a native of Virginia, born January 21, 1799, and he died December 13, 1847, aged forty-eight years, ten months and twenty-two days, and the mother's life began in Maryland, May 12, 1804, and she died December 13, 1847, on the same day as the father, aged forty-four years, seven months and one day. They were married on February 21, 1822, and moved to Prairie Ronde, now Schoolcraft, Michigan, in 1830, and remained there four years. In October, 1834, they changed their residence to Kalamazoo, which was then called Bronson, and there they met their tragic fate, which hurried them out of the world in the prime of life and left their helpless offspring to the mercy of whatever fate might befall them. Both died in 1847, during a destructive epidemic of spinal meningitis, as has been stated, the disease being of the most violent type and sweeping hundreds of the residents of Kalamazoo and the surrounding country into their graves.
The father was a millwright of skill and ability, and wrought in- dustriously at his trade during all the years of his manhood until his untimely death. He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children : Joseph, who was born on September 6, 1822, and died in October, 1824; Sally or Sarah, who came into being on August 30, 1824, grew to womanhood, became the wife of Liberty H. Bailey, of South Haven, and died in 1868, at the age of forty-four; Nancy, whose life began on April 3, 1826, who became the wife of Walter Russell, of Decatur, this state, and who died in 1895; Benjamin, who was born on March 26, 1828, and died July 3, 1830; John Strange, whose life began on March 4, 1830, and ended in Decem- ber, 1905; Emily Jane, who lived from February 5, 1832, to Octo- ber, 1906, and was the wife of John Simmons, of Santa Barbara, California ; Henry, who was born on September 26, 1833, and died February 16, 1834; Lucinda, who was born on November 9, 1834, became the wife of Rufus Bigelow, of Allington township, this county, and died in 1854; Harriet, whose life extended from March 23, 1837, to 1893, and who was the wife of Joseph R. Bonebright, of Constantine, Michigan; Charlotte, who came into being on January 16, 1839, and who is still living and the wife of Rufus Bigelow, of Lawrence, this county ; Arvilla, who was born on November 4, 1840, and is the wife of Jefferson Archer, of South Haven; James Madi- son, who was born on September 3, 1842, and died May 18, 1844; and George M., the immediate subject of this review.
GEORGE M. HARRISON
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At the age of fourteen Mr. Harrison took up his residence with his brother-in-law, Mr. Russell of Decatur, with whom he found a home for four years. In March, 1864, he secured a position as clerk and salesman in a general store in Constantine, with which he was connected for a year and a half. Then, in 1865, on October 1, he arrived in Paw Paw to take a position in the store of E. Smith & Company. From the clerkship which he then accepted and was glad to get, he rose by demonstrated merit and capacity to mem- bership in the firm, and is now the only survivor of those who com- posed it when he went into it. His residence in the city and his service to the people in mercantile channels has extended over a period of forty-six years, and now all classes of the population re- spect him highly, and those who know him well have the most cor- dial esteem for him.
Mr. Harrison was married July 23, 1871, to Miss H. Ella Fra- ley, and by this union became the father of five children, four of. whom are living: Julia H., who was born in 1874, and is the wife of Rev. A. J. Holland, of Owosso, Michigan; Jessie G., who was born in 1876, and is the wife of Thomas J. Cavanaugh, a promi- nent attorney of Paw Paw; Edmund S., who was born on November 30, 1877, and has his home in Paw Paw; and Besse M., who was born on May 28, 1881, and resides in Paw Paw.
Mr. Harrison married a second time, April 2, 1892, being united on this occasion with Miss Maud Cornell. They have had four children, two of whom are living: Doane C., of Paw Paw, who is a graduate of the high school; and Thomas Cavanaugh, who was born in 1901. Geraldine and Rex Milton died in infancy. The two sons who are living still have their home with their parents.
Although his father was a Whig and he was reared under cir- cumstances of strong bias toward the tenets of his father's party in political affairs, Mr. Harrison is a Democrat in his own politi- cal faith and allegiance. His religious connection is with the Baptist church, and he is one of the most loyal and serviceable members of the congregation to which he belongs. In addition to the duties of his business he takes an interest in other matters involving the welfare of his community and does his part toward promoting it in every way open to his efforts. For years he has been the vice president of the First National Bank of Paw Paw, and connected with other enterprises of value in service to the people and in helping to advance the progress and prosperity of the city and county in which he lives.
CHARLES G. HALL, proprietor of the only agricultural implement establishment in the southeastern part of Van Buren county, lo- cated in the village of Lawton, and one of the most progressive and enterprising business men of his community, has resided in Lawton all of his life and is well and favorably known to its citizens. His birth occurred in Lawton September 5, 1867, and he is a son of A. J. and Mary (Lee) Hall, the former a native of New York and the latter a Southerner by birth.
A. J. Hall came to Michigan when he was a lad of seven years, was educated in the district schools, and grew up on the farm of his parents in Plymouth. He was reared to agricultural pursuits,
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which he followed throughout his life and became a well known and successful farmer. He and his wife had three children : Charles G .; Hattie, who is the wife of Calvin Kinney, of Porter township ; and Reed, a resident of Seattle, Washington. Charles G. Hall's education was obtained in the district schools in the vicinity of his father's farm and in the Lawton high school, which he attended for one year, and in 1891 he established himself in the restaurant business, continuing therein for one and one-half years. At this time, seeing the opportunity to better himself in a different field. Mr. Hall entered the agricultural implement busi- ness in Lawton, starting in a small way and gradually increasing his stock until he now conducts one of the important enterprises of his section. His establishment filled a long needed want, and the farmers of this part of the county were quick to realize the advantages offered in being able to purchase their machinery close at hand instead of having to send a great distance for it or make extended trips to look over stock. Naturally Mr. Hall's business has steadily grown, and he now represents some of the leading implement houses of the country, among which may be mentioned the Syracuse and International Harvester Companies, located at Chicago, and the John Deer Plow Works and Studebaker Brothers of South Bend, Indiana. Progressive ideas, enterprising methods and faithful and conscientious work, backed by inherent business ability, have made Mr. Hall one of the substantial men of Lawton, and his honest dealings have won him the confidence and patron- age of the countryside.
On April 17, 1890, Mr. Hall was married to Miss Jennie Gib- son, daughter of Hugh and Mary (Cummings) Gibson. Mrs. Hall's parents had the following children: Jennie; William; Mattie, married and living in Los Angeles, California; Robert, of Chi- cago; Fred, residing in Lawton; Maud, the wife of Mancil Hough, of Lawton; Belle, of California; and Harry, residing in Lawton. Mr. Hall is a Republican in politics, and has served for two years as township clerk and as a member of the board for three years. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Elks and the Modern Woodmen. With his family he attends the Methodist Episcopal church.
HARRY A. MARTIN .- Well educated academically for almost any calling in life, nerved by nature for arduous effort in any depart- ment of useful labor that may enlist his interest or engage his faculties, and trained to skill by continued practical experience in several lines of work, Harry A. Martin, one of the leading merchants of Lawrence, this county, and head of the firm of Mar- tin Brothers & Company, has made good use of his endowments, acquisitions and opportunities, and given Van Buren county one of its most impressive examples of progressive citizenship.
Mr. Martin is a native of this county, born in Paw Paw town- ship. where his life began on December 2, 1865. His parents, Oscar and Henrietta (Smith) Martin, were farmers during their years of activity, and energetic and prosperous in their work. Oscar Martin was born, reared to the age of thirteen and partially educated in the state of New York. He is a son of Harry and
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Emily (Hungerford) Martin, also natives of New York, where they were married and all their offspring were born. When their son Oscar was thirteen years old they moved to Michigan and located near Paw Paw in Van Buren county, and here Oscar grew to manhood and completed his education. Here also he was mar- ried, and has passed all his subsequent years, except during three of the Civil war which he passed in the army.
When that memorable contest burst with all its fury on our unhappy country in 1861, he enlisted in Company C, Third Mich- igan Cavalry, and in this company he served until late in 1864. His regiment was kept most of the time in the West, and was part of the army of General Grant for a time and afterward in that of General Rosecrans. It saw a great deal of very active service and considerable fighting of the hardest kind, and Mr. Martin took part in all its engagements with the enemy and all its other work.
After his discharge from the army Mr. Martin returned to his father's home, and soon afterward was married. He and his wife became the parents of two children: Their son Harry A., the subject of this brief memoir, and their daughter Nellie, who is still living at home with them in Lawrence, they having moved to the township of Lawrence in 1882. The father is now (1911) seventy-three years of age, and the mother is seventy years of age.
Harry A. Martin remained at home with his parents until he was seventeen, working on the farm and attending school in Paw Paw township, and then moved with them to Lawrence township, where he assisted in the farm work three years longer. In 1885, after his graduation from the Lawrence high school, which oc- curred that year, he began teaching school in the winter and at- tending the State Agricultural College during the rest of the year. until he completed its full four years' course of instruction in 1889. On October 16 of that year he was united in marriage with Miss Eva C. Sheldon, a daughter of Julian and Melvina (Wallace) Sheldon, of Paw Paw township, and during the first year of his married life he still remained on the farm with his father and worked under his direction, but continued teaching two winters more.
His next move was into mercantile life, but after a trial of ten years and a half in that, as clerk in a store in Lawrence, he returned to farming. For this purpose he bought a farm in Lawrence town- ship, which he cultivated for six years, but lived in the village of Lawrence during the whole of that period. Since the beginning of this year (1911) he and his sons have had entire ownership and control of the store in Lawrence which they are now conduct- ing, and which they bought just before they took charge of it. They are making this one of the most complete and satisfactory mercantile establishments of its kind in the county, and rapidly building up its trade to large proportions and strengthening and widening its hold on the confidence and good will of the people throughout the surrounding country for many miles in every direction.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin have had six children, all of whom are living and still members of the parental family circle. They are:
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Marguerita G., who is a graduate of the Lawrence high school and the State Normal College in Kalamazoo; Rex S. and Robert D., who are also graduates of the Lawrence high school, and are now associated in business with their father; Roscoe J. and Ruth, who are attending school at present; and Wayne O., who will begin going to school in 1912.
Mr. Martin has long been prominent in the Masonic order. He belongs to Rising Sun Lodge, No. 119, at Lawrence, and served as its Worshipful Master five years. He also holds membership in a Royal Arch Chapter and a Council of Royal and Select Masters in the order, and has occupied the leading offices in each. He was High Priest of the Chapter several years, and is at this time (1911) Thrice Illustrious Master of the Council. In politics he is a Democrat, and has served as township clerk at various times, as a member of the village council, and two years as its president. He was also a member of the school board for nine years in suc- cession. His ancestors were English, Irish and Scotch in their nationalities, and he has exhibited in his highly creditable career the best attributes of the citizenship of each of the countries from which they hailed. In Van Buren county he is regarded as a leading and thoroughly representative citizen.
JOHN MARTIN KLETT .- It is always gratifying to true citizens of this Republic to note the readiness of many men, born under foreign flags, to become loyal and patriotic supporters of the United States Government when they adopt this country as their home. This can never be misconstrued as an act displaying lack of fidelity to their native land, for which they must always hold the warmest affection, but it is evidence that they are men who recognize their duty as citizens in common with the native-born of the Republic, and do not hesitate to perform it. One of these representative men now living in Keeler township, Van Buren county, served faithfully in the Union army during the Civil war, and is now living in quiet retirement, his many years of in- dustrious labor having brought him a comfortable competence. John Martin Klett was born in Wittenberg, Germany, April 15, 1832, a son of Christopher and Katherine (Nagel) Klett. Mr. Klett has one brother, Christopher, for thirty years a wagon maker and now an agriculturist of Whitehall, Michigan, the four other children of his parents being deceased.
Christopher Klett, father of John M., was a native of Wit- tenberg, Germany, was reared and educated in the Fatherland, and left his native country only for a short time when he made a visit to America. He and his wife both died in the old coun- try in the faith of the Lutheran church, of which they were de- vout, life-long members.
John Martin Klett was a young man of nineteen years when he boarded a sailing vessel from Havre, France, and six weeks later he landed at New York city, from whence he made his way to Rochester. He then located in Monroe county, New York, and for three years worked by the month, and after coming to Keeler township, Van Buren county, Michigan, he continued to be thus employed until his enlistment, December 30, 1863, in Company I,
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Nineteenth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Twentieth Corps of the Army of the Cumberland, and he continued in the service until the close of the war. Under the command of "Fighting Joe" Hooker the regiment participated in the battles of Resaca, Carrville and Dollys Woods, at which latter battle Mr. Klett fell, badly wounded in the hip by a grape shot one inch in diameter. This shot, which was cut from his hip by the surgeon, is still in Mr. Klett's possession. He was disabled from May 25, 1864, until April 1, 1865, when he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, at Johnson's Island, Sandusky, Ohio, ... here he was kept until his honorable discharge, July 23, 1865, although he was always desirous of rejoining his regiment. For this brave and faithful service Mr. Klett now receives a pension of twenty dollars a month, although it might seem as though a grateful country could afford to reimburse its defenders to a little greater extent, especially when they have endured such suffering as fell to Mr. Klett's lot. On his return to Michigan, Mr. Klett resumed the civilian's garb, and shortly thereafter purchased sev- enteen acres of land in Keeler township, later adding tracts of forty and sixty acres, and during the remainder of his active life he followed agricultural pursuits, proving just as good a citizen in times of peace as he was a soldier during times of war. Polit- ically a Republican, he cast his first presidential vote for the Martyred President Lincoln, and he has served as township treas- urer for two years and as school director for nine years, both he and his wife being active friends of and hard workers in the cause of education. An honored member of Gilbert Post, G. A. R., at Dowagiac, Michigan, Mr. Klett has been as popular with his comrades as he has been esteemed and respected by his fellow citizens, and in every walk of life he has proven himself an up- right, law-abiding and public-spirited citizen.
On February 2, 1862, Mr. Klett was married to Miss Mary Klett, in Berrien county, Michigan, she was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, July 31, 1844, and came to the United States when thirteen years of age. She is a prominent member of the Evan- gelical Association. Mr. and Mrs. Klett have been the parents of seven children, of whom six still survive.
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