A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan, Part 67

Author: Collin, Henry P
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing
Number of Pages: 1198

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Upon the home farm Starr W. Gruner was reared, his time being passed in the usual manner of farm lads of that period. He attended the schools of Coldwater during the sessions between 1891 and 1896 and re- ceived a diploma upon his completion of the high school course. He after- ward spent two years, 1896 and 1897, in Germany, visiting relatives there. and at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, in 1898, he enlisted at Coldwater as a member of the Thirty-third Michigan Infantry, with which he continued until the close of hostilities. He participated in the battle of Aquadores, Cuba, July 1. 1898, Gen. Henry M. Duffield being their imme- diate commander. and he received his honorable discharge at Owosso, Mich-

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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

igan. He then returned home and began farming upon the old family home- stead, where he still resides. His present farm comprises eighty acres of fertile land improved with fine buildings. This place was cleared by his father, and Mr. Gruner, of this review, has further continued the work of development and improvement until the entire place is now under a high state of cultivation.

On the Ist of June, 1899. Mr. Gruner was married to Miss Lena L. Teachout, who was born in Ovid township, Branch county, July 2, 1878, a daughter of Stephen and Caroline (Thompson) Teachout, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Ohio. Both her paternal and maternal grandparents were pioneer residents of Ovid township, and the Thompsons came originally from Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Teachout were the parents of three children, of whom one son died in infancy, while Mrs. Bertha DeClute resides in San Francisco, and Mrs. Gruner completes the family. Her parents are now residents of Coldwater City.

LORENZO ZIMMERMAN.

Lorenzo Zimmerman, who, having retired from farming and building operations. is now merely superintending his investments, being one of the stockholders and directors in the Farmers' National Bank of Union City and the owner of good land in this county, was born in Erie county, New York, April 9, 1840, and comes of both German and Irish ancestry. His father, Levi Zimmerman, was a native of Montgomery county, New York. and obtained his education in the public schools there. He was married in that county to Miss Elizabeth Gray and they began their domestic life in the same locality. It was Mr. Zimmerman who came of German an- cestry, while his wife had some Irish blood in her veins. He died at the age of seventy years and Mrs. Zimmerman at the age of sixty-eight years. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom three died in youth, but the others reached adult age.

Lorenzo Zimmerman, the fifth child and second son, was reared and educated in his native county, attending the common schools and after- ward the Williamsville Academy. He learned the carpenter's trade in his youth and at the age of twenty years left home, since which time he has been dependent entirely upon his own resources for all the success he has achieved. He came first to Michigan, but afterward went to Arkansas and to Ohio and in the latter state, in company with four others, was engaged in prospecting for oil and developed an oil well near Marietta, Ohio. When the Civil war broke out his patriotic spirit was aroused by the attempt of the south to overthrow the Union, and in 1861 he enlisted as a member of Company L, First Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, with which he served for about fifteen months. He was then honorably discharged on account of dis- ability and returned to Erie county, New York, where he worked at the carpenter's trade intil 1865, when he again made his way westward to Michigan. In that year he purchased a farm in Kalamazoo county, hiring men to cultivate and improve his land, while he continued to work at his trade, both at contracting and jobbing. He remained in Kalamazoo county

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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

until 1883, when he came to Sherwood and for a number of years there- after was quite extensively engaged in the building of mills, receiving con- tracts at different times in Kentucky, Arkansas, Michigan and Wisconsin. He is now largely retired from active business life, but is one of the direct- ors of the Farmers' National Bank of Union City.

In 1864 Mr. Zimmerman was married to Miss Sarah Zimmerman, a native of Steuben county, New York, and a daughter of Richard Zimmer- man. They have become the parents of two daughters and a son: Anna L., the wife of J. B. Peck, a farmer of Sherwood township: Lee, who is living in Athens, Michigan; and Mary E., the wife of J. H. Grill, also of Athens.

Mr. Zimmerman is independent in political matters, voting sometimes with the Republican party and again in favor of the Democratic party. He belongs to Sherwood Lodge No. 421, A. F. & A. M., and to Kilbourn Post No. 361, G. A. R., of which he is now quartermaster. Both he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star and they have many friends in the locality where they have long resided. To every enterprise calculated to advance the prosperity of Sherwood he is a generous contributor, and. he is likewise a popular citizen, possessing those traits of character which win and retain friendship.

ELISHA J. BROWN.

Descended from one of the old and prominent families of Connecticut, where its members lived for several generations, some of them in later years coming into the then new middle west and making for themselves homes here, Mr. Elisha J. Brown, the subject of this review, can point with just pride to the accomplishments of his ancestors and to the record of his own life. His branch of the Brown family is descended from three brothers of this name who came from England early in the eighteenth cen- tury and settled at Norwich, Connecticut, which was the headquarters for many years. The Browns were patriotic people and several of them were participants in the Revolutionary war. Our subject's great-grandfather was a Captain Brown in this conflict. and the former still has in his possession a sabre carried by the latter at the battle of Bunker Hill. and also an old- fashioned watch carried by another Captain Brown, also an ancestor, through that war. These rare family relics have been handed down from father to eldest son ever since and are considered among the most valuable and highly prized family relics in this portion of Michigan.

Our subject's grandfather was Dyer Brown and his father was Charles D. Brown, both being natives of Connecticut, where the latter was born in Meriden. March 8, 1815. Dyer Brown, his wife and his six children came to Michigan in the early thirties and first located in the township of Ovid. where they purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land. This land was in a virgin state, entirely uncleared. and in that early day there was no road running south toward it from Coldwater. the settlers being compelled to follow Indian trails. The Pottowatomie tribe was very numerous in this vicinity at that date, and in fact for some years after the arrival of the

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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

Brown family. This one hundred and sixty acres was cleared by Dyer Brown and his sons, and in addition they controlled the sale of one thousand five hundred acres additional, which was disposed of to other early settlers. Our subject's father, Charles D. Brown, was a partner with his father in all his undertakings here, until the death of the latter, October 8, 1841. Of the family of twelve children, only one is still alive, this being Mrs. Caroline Goodell, who lives in Oakland county, Michigan, at the advanced age of eight-eight years.

Charles D. Brown was married September 1, 1839, to Hannah Hoyt, who was born in Cherry Valley, Chautauqua county, New York, September 22, 1822. The Hoyts were originally from Germany, Hannah. Hoyt's grandfather coming to America late in the eighteenth century. Charles D. Brown and his wife had seven children, as follows: Caroline Davis died in Eaton county, Michigan, in 1899; Elisha J. is the subject of this review ; Anna Roberts lives in Eaton county; William H. lives in Flint, Michigan; Harriet Mott lives in Ovid, this county; Mary C. Brehm lives in Kinder- hook; Laney M., the youngest, died in infancy. Charles D. Brown was renowned throughout Branch county in an early day as a mighty hunter and trapper, as well as an excellent citizen and a successful farmer. It is reliably stated that he killed not less than one thousand deer in this county alone, and another interesting family relic now in possession of the family is the much-used hunting knife with which he used to skin the deer he killed. Our subject, Elisha J., lived with his parents all during their lives, the fam- ily owning all property in common and there being no division of property until after the death of the parents. In the home of Mr. Brown now hangs a photograph of four generations of the Brown family, all of whom lived on the same farm at the same time, and owning their property in common, a most unusual thing in this day.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Brown led long and useful lives, the former dying September 2, 1898, and the latter April 17, 1896.

At the outbreak of the Civil war Elisha J. Brown responded to the call of his country and engaged in this great conflict, his enlistment occurring August 7, 1862, in Company H, Nineteenth Michigan Infantry, serving un- til the close of the war and being discharged June 10, 1865. He was in every engagement of his regiment, excepting a few minor skirmishes when he was disabled from a wound. It is a remarkable fact concerning Mr. Brown's service that during the three years he spent but fifteen dollars of his soldier's pay, sending home every other cent of it to his father.

Soon after the close of the war, September 5, 1865, Mr. Brown was married, his bride being Miss Annie Cheney, a native of Northamptonshire, England, where she was born December 14, 1844. She was the daughter of Eli Cheney and Jane Wallace, both natives of the same place and both born in 1818, the father March 8th and the mother June 2Ist. They were married at Naseby, England, and came to the United States in 1845, locat- ing first at Avon, Loraine county, Ohio, where they lived two years, then removing to Cayuga county, Ohio, which was their home five years and then to Branch county, Michigan, where they settled in Ovid township. Here

S.o.w. Blackwell

Meicende Lo Blackwell

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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY

Mr. Cheney secured one hundred and sixty acres of land and improved it, and where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring here No- vember 12. 1890. Mrs. Cheney is still living at an advanced age. and makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Brown. The Cheney family consisted of four children: Alfred lives in Kinderhook: John died in 1845: Annie Brown is the wife of our subject: Sarah Lobdell. died in Indiana.

In the sixties the Browns removed from Ovid to Kinderhook town- ship, where they purchased a fine farm on section three. This was their home for thirty-five years and they made of it a comfortable and attractive place. Here nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Elisha J. Brown, only four of whom are living: Ethel J., Harlie E. and Charles D., twins, and a baby who died in infancy, while Freddie died at the age of fourteen years. The living children are Jesse C., Herman E., Nora and Ruth. Jesse C. married Allie Olmstead and their home is in this township: they have two sons, Carl H. and Harold H. Herman married Edith Harkness and their home is in New Castle, Pennsylvania, 'where he is a chemist in the labora- tory of a large cement factory : they have five children. Douglas, Dorothy, Elizabeth, Harriet and Eric. Ruth is the wife of Wesley Garn: they live in Kinderhook and have one daughter, Bernice. Nora, the other daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brown, lives at home with her parents.

Elisha J. Brown has, with the exception of the period of his enlist- ment in the Civil war, always been a resident of Branch county and here he has long been known as a mian of property and influence. His first presi- dential vote was cast at Atlanta, Georgia, during the Civil war, for Abra- ham Lincoln, and he has ever since been a loyal Republican, taking a deep interest in the progress of his party. Although always active politically, he has refused office on many occasions, but his interest in educational affairs has led to his selection as school director on many occasions. He has repeat- edly been å delegate to county, senatorial, congressional and state Republi- can conventions and he thus has a wide political acquaintance throughout the state.

He has been. highly successful as a farmer, although now retired from active duty in this line, he having disposed of his farm four years ago and removed to Kinderhook Center, where the family have a modern and com- fortable home. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been members of the Baptist church nearly all their lives and their children also belong to this society. Mr. Brown is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, while Mrs. Brown is a member of the Kinderhook W. C. T. U., as well as of numerous auxiliary church societies.

GEORGE W. BLACKWELL.

Among the retired citizens of Union City is George W. Blackwell. whose birth occurred in Albion, Orleans county, New York, on the 30th of March, 1843, his parents being Titus and Betsy (Stevens) Blackwell. The father was a native of Trenton, New Jersey, while the mother's birth oc- curred in Cayuga county, New York. He died in his eight-second year,

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while she passed away at the age of seventy-nine years. They had a family of six children, of whom four reached adult age.

George W. Blackwell, the youngest of the family, spent his youth in the place of his nativity and was educated in the common schools. He then began learning the mason's trade with his father and followed that pursuit until after the inauguration of the Civil war. He watched with interest, however, the progress of events in the South and in July, 1861, with a fervid patriotism he responded to the call for aid, enlisting as a member of Com- pany K, Twenty-seventh New York Infantry. He served his full term of two years with valor and loyalty and then returned to his home. In the fall of 1864, however, he re-enlisted, joining the Fourth New York Heavy Artillery, with which he remained until October, 1865, when the war having ended he received an honorable discharge October 1, 1865. He responded to the first call for aid and was present at the surrender of General Lee to General Grant at Appomattox, April 9, 1865. He was in the army alto- gether for three and a half years and he never faltered in the performance of any duty, thus his efforts contributed to the sum total of the movements which resulted in the preservation of the Union. When mustered out he held the rank of commissary sergeant of his company. He took part in the first battle of Bull Run and was under General McClellan in the army of the Potomac. He was in the hospital during a part of his first term, but during the greater part of the time was on active duty.

On March 3, 1866, Mr. Blackwell was united in marriage to Miss Mianda L. Case, a daughter of Reuben and Emily (Webster) Case, both of whom were born near Rochester, New York. The father died when forty- three years of age, and the mother when sixty years old. They were the parents of seven children, six of whom reached adult age, and one who was killed in the army. Mrs. Blackwell is their eldest daughter and second child, and was born in Orleans county, New York, December 8, 1844. She spent her girlhood days there and is indebted to the public school system of that locality for the educational privileges she enjoyed.

In the year following his marriage Mr. Blackwell came to Branch county, locating in the midst of the forest in Sherwood township, where he secured a tract of land and improved a farm, adding to it good buildings, cultivating the fields and retaining his residence there for seventeen years. He then traded that property for land two miles from Coldwater, in Cold- water township, and upon this second farm made his home for eight years. He then sold out and bought land in Batavia township, where he also lived for eight years, after which he came to Union City, retiring from active busi- ness life. All of the time in which he carried on general agricultural pur- suits he also worked at the mason's trade and he plastered about fifty houses in Coldwater, in addition to considerable operation as a plasterer in the county. He worked at different times at Batavia, Sherwood and Union City, and in fact has been employed at the mason's trade in all of the towns of the county. He yet owns a valuable farm of one hundred acres of well improved land and this brings him a good rental.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell were born a son and a daughter:

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George W., who married Fannie Burrett and resides in Batavia township; and Nettie, the wife of Asa Moore, a farmer of Union township. They have been residents of the county for thirty-eight years and are people of genuine worth, enjoying in large measure the good will and trust of those with whom they have been associated. Mr. Blackwell has been a life-long Republican and is active in the local work of the party, while his opinions carry weight in his township. He was drain commissioner while in Sher- wood and also school director.

He is a prominent member of Corbin post No. 88, G. A. R., has been its commander and has taken a very active part in its work. In the Masonic fraternity he has attained the Knight Templar degree and the York Rite, in the commandery at Coldwater, and he belongs to the lodge, chapter and council in Union City. He is also a member of the Order of Eastern Star, to which his wife belongs, and she is likewise connected with the Woman's Relief Corps and the Department of Honor, while Mr. Blackwell holds membership with the Ancient Order of United Workmen at Union City. He stands today in his mature years a strong man, strong in the conscious- ness of a well spent life, strong in his courage and good name and a worthy example for young men to pattern after as showing what intelligence and probity may accomplish in the way of success in life.

GEORGE C. WATTLES.

George C. Wattles, living on section nine. Matteson township, is a native of the Empire state, his birth having occurred in Franklin, Delaware county, New York, on the 15th of February, 1851. His father, Ansel F. Wattles, was a native of New York and removed from the east to Loraine county, Ohio, about 1853. locating near North Amherst. He came to St. Joseph county about 1862, settling in Colon, and was there engaged in the foundry business in connection with D. C. Richards. In 1865, however, he removed to the farm in Matteson township, Branch county, and gave his attention to general agricultural pursuits up to the time of his death, which occurred in his seventy-fifth year. He was a life-long Republican, a promi- nent Mason and a member of the Baptist church. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Susan Remington, was a native of New York and died in 1853. In their family were five children, two daughters and three sons.

George C. Wattles, the youngest, was about eight years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Michigan and he remained with his father until thirteen years of age, when he returned to Ohio, spend- ing the succeeding two years in school in company with his brother, M. E. Wattles. He then again came to Michigan and lived with his father for a short time, after which he once more went to Ohio. On again coming to this state he located at Manistee, working in the government survey service in surveying the peninsular lands. He also spent about two years in the lumber woods and at milling, after which he went to Ottawa county, Mich- igan, where he remained for seven years. There he was engaged in the lumber business, in threshing and in railroading.

It was about this time, in 1870, that Mr. Wattles was united in mar-

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riage to Miss Mary J. Taylor, a daughter of Amos Taylor, of Coopersville, Ottawa county, Michigan, in which place she was born and reared. In 1874 Mr. Wattles removed to Sandusky, Ohio, where he continued in the railroad employ at station work, having charge of the freight house for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Company for about three years. He likewise spent one year with the Sandusky Tool Company and became emi- gration agent for the Kansas Pacific Railroad Company, now the Union Pa- cific. He was also with the tool company at the same time, but afterward returned to the employ of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Company as traveling passenger agent, being with this corporation for about nine years, during which time he lived in Toledo for about three years, build- ing a home while there. In 1888 he went to Kansas and was agent for the Rock Island Railroad at Harrington from October, 1887, until May, 1888, after which he returned to Toledo. Later in the same year, how- ever, he came to Branch county and purchased a quarter section of land cn section nine, Matteson township, in what was called the old Rumsey marsh and in October, 1888, removed from Toledo to this farm whereon he has since resided. He is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land which he has brought to a high state of cultivation, adding to it all modern equipments and improvements. There are good buildings upon the place, the fields are well tilled and in his work he is meeting with merited success. His farm is largely devoted to the cultivation of peppermint and the manufacture of oil and he has one of the best distilleries for this pur- pose in the county. He has excellent machinery and all the modern equip- ments needed for the conduct of such an enterprise and his product for the year 1905 was fourteen hundred pounds of oil, while other years he has produced as high as two thousand pounds of peppermint oil. He also con- ducts general farming, has a good dairy and is quite extensively engaged in the raising of stock, including hogs, cattle and horses. In all of his busi- ness he is practical and his methods are straightforward and reliable, winning for him the confidence and trust of those who come into business relations with him.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wattles have been born four children: Merritt R., who married Katie Wilck and resides in Madison township; George A., who inarried Barbara Stemler and resides in Colon, Michigan; Ford A., who wedded Lena Cleveland and is living in Matteson township; and Alice C., who possesses considerable musical talent and is well known in the com- munity as a pianist. Mr. Wattles is well known in the county and was one of the organizers of the American Society of Equity. In his business ca- reer he has made steady advancement and has ever been interested in the improvements which are matters of local pride, giving his aid and co-opera- tion to many movements for the general good.

HON. FRANK D. NEWBERRY.

Hon. Frank D. Newberry, of Coldwater, prominent in legal and mili- tary circles in Michigan, is descended from English ancestry, the family home in years remote having been at Devonshire, England. The founder of

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the family in America came to the new world on the good ship Mary and John and settled in Dorchester. Massachusetts, in 1630. The branch of the family to which Captain Newberry of this review belongs, sent its repre- sentatives gradually westward. The grandparents tarried for a time near East Windsor, Connecticut, where his father. Romeo Dyer Newberry, was born in 1794. In 1818 he married Sarah Beckwith. of Hartford. Connecti- cut, and soon afterward removed to Oneida county, New York, where he engaged in farming. In 1836. with his wife and five children, he went to Avon, Oakland county. Michigan, and in 1848 to Rochester, in the same county.

It was while the family were residents of Avon township that Frank D. Newberry was born. on the 23rd of June. 1840. Reared upon his fath- er's farm. he acquired his preparatory education in the Rochester Academy and the Dickinson Institute at Romeo, Michigan, and in September, 1859. he matriculated in Williams College, of Massachusetts, where he continued his studies until after the inauguration of hostilities between the north and the south. He then enlisted in defense of the Union cause, becoming a member of the Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry. known as Duryees Zouaves. May 9. 1861, less than a month after the attack on Fort Sumter. He served his full term of enlistment and was in all the battles of eastern Virginia from Big Bethel to Chancellorsville, doing a soldier's full duty and returning to his home with a creditable military record.

Following his military experience Captain Newberry prepared for the practice of medicine and surgery in the medical department of the Univer- sity of Michigan, from which he was graduated in March. 1865. He did not, however, engage in practice, but turned his attention to teaching and for some years was known as a capable educator in his native state. For two years he was principal of the schools of Rochester. Michigan, and then accepted the principalship of the Union City schools, of which he had charge for four years, removing to Branch county at the beginning of that period.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan, Part 67

Author: Collin, Henry P Publication date: 1906 Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Collin, Henry P
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing
Number of Pages: 1198