A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan, Part 72

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

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light and joy of Heaven. With a sweet smile he often told me of his pleasure at the thought of meeting mother again; that he knew the Father above loved him, and he was ready to go. I am sure he is now happy in a new and limitless city of love and rest. His conscience was clean and void of offence toward God or man, and his death like a summer sunset. There is an old age that reaches upward into strength, and a growing old that brings to the inner spirit a benediction of love and peace. And this came to liim. A river at its source rushes onward and battles with obstructions ; as it nears the ocean, it loses its haste and nestles in its fulness and power

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into the bosom of the mighty deep. It is the same with the river of life. Time, the pilot, guides us through the rapids and shoals, down the broaden- ing gulf of experience to the ocean of rest which awaits us, just as sunset follows sunrise.

I am pleased to quote a portion of a letter received from my son, Mr. L. W. Conkling, who was in Montreal, Canada, at the time of father's death :

"Dearest Mother: I am deeply grieved at grandpa's sudden death, and regret I cannot be with you, as distance prevents me entirely. While we all love and revere him most dearly for all he has been to us, I know how sad this must be to you who had always lived so closely in his heart, and who held his interests in such close regard. He has left behind him an honest record, and the love and veneration of his family and friends. I am sure each of us who survive him will, in years to come, recall many noble, generous and kindly deeds, and his absolute fidelity to truth, and his friends. His life will be a golden memory for us to cherish, and have its influence for good with all who were so fortunate as to know his inner heart and life. Dear, noble, old gentleman; one of Nature's best, truest and tenderest of friends. He has left a beautiful record behind him of being always kind and loving, generous and true in all his dealings, and never selfish or unjust."

My father always had a hopeful word, and a smile for the sad hearts that are ever about us. It is the fragrance of the soul of justice and kind- ness to endeavor to be helpful to all, and to realize that the real effort of life is not alone for food and clothing, but for truth, kindness and love and to remember the balances of God are always justly poised. There is beauty in a violet and glory in a solitary star. Together they lead us, not to winged fancy, but to higher truth, and the Divine understanding of the tender influence and value of a kindly word, and a hopeful smile.

FREDERICK W. STEWART, M. D.

Dr. Frederick W. Stewart, who in the practice of his profession has gained a patronage such as is accorded only in recognition of skill and ability, was born in Ontario, Canada, February 22, 1861, his parents being Alexander and Mary Jane (Baldwin) Stewart, the former a native of Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and the latter of New Brunswick, Ontario. Both are still living, their home being in Ontario, Canada.

Dr. Stewart was reared and educated in the place of his nativity, at- tending the public schools until he had mastered the elementary branches of learning, after which he attended Woodstock (Ontario) College. He followed his more specifically literary education by a course in Cleveland Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1891, and he then located for practice in Chardon, Ohio, where he remained for two years. Dr. Stewart arrived in Coldwater in 1893, and has since been a repre- sentative of the medical fraternity here. He is thoroughly informed con- cerning modern methods of medical and surgical practice, and had been a citizen of Coldwater for only a brief period when he demonstrated his ability to successfully cope with the intricate problems that continually con- front the physician. He now has a large and growing practice, his pro-

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fessional duties making constant demand upon his time, and he enjoys the confidence and good will of his professional brethren.

In 1892 Dr. Stewart was married to Miss Minnie H. Lymburner. a daughter of Aaron and Maria Lymburner of Ontario. They have two children : Roscoe E. and Beatrice E. The parents are prominent socially. enjoying the hospitality of many of the best homes of Coldwater. Dr. Stewart has taken an active part in political matters and is now chairman of the Republican county committee and also of the Republican city com- mittee. His labors have been effective in promoting the success of the party. for he is well qualified for leadership and has so directed the affairs of the party as to get out its greatest strength. His fraternal relations are with the Masonic lodge. the Knights of the Maccabees and the Woodmen of the World, and he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is not so abnormally developed in any direction as to be a genius, but has so directed his efforts as to develop a well rounded character and his activity along social, political. moral and professional lines makes him a valued resident of his adopted city.

REBUEN J. THATCHER.

Reuben J. Thatcher. the owner of one of the nicest country stores of Branch county. conducting business at Algansee, was born in Hillsdale county, September 18. 1856. His father. Samuel Thatcher, was a native of the state of New York and was of English ancestry. He followed the occupation of farming and was married in the Empire state. whence he removed to Michigan, prior to the Civil war. He established his home in Hillsdale county, where he purchased a tract of land and opened up a farm. becoming one of the respected agriculturists of the community. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party. He married Orsa- rilla Cheney, who was born in the state of New York, and was a daughter of Joseph and Rhoda Cheney. likewise natives of that state. Mr. Thatcher passed away in 1863 at the comparatively early age of forty-four years and was long survived by his wife, who died October II. 1903, at the age of seventy-eight years. They were members of the Baptist church. In their family were six children: Esther, who was born in 1847. is the widow of Emory Forbes, and resides in Monroe. Michigan: Ai, born in 1849. died in 1877: Arminda, born. in 1851. is the wife of James Sherman, a farmer of Algansee: Esmeralda. born in 1854. married Jack Broughton and died in 1876: Reuben J. is the next of the family; Ida, born in 1859, is the wife of Theodore Jackson. of Kansas.

Reuben J. Thatcher was reared upon the home farm and attended the country schools. After putting aside his text-books he followed agricult- ural pursuits for about fifteen years and then in 1874 removed to this county, subsequent to which time he traveled for an agricultural implement firm for about eight years. At the time of his marriage, in 1881, he took up his abode on a farm in Algansee township. where he remained for nine years, and in 1890 he embarked in merchandising in the village of Algan- see, where he still carries on business, having one of the best country stores

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in the county. He has a large and carefully selected stock and his earnest efforts to please his patrons, together with reasonable prices and straight- forward dealing have brought him a very desirable and profitable business.

In 1881 Mr. Thatcher was married to Miss Dessie Bates, whose birth occurred in California township, this county, August 26, 1861. Her father, Archibald Bates, was a native of Huron county, Ohio, and at an early day established his home in Branch county, settling in California township, where he followed general agricultural pursuits. At the present time, how- ever, he is living retired in Auburn and has reached the age of sixty-nine years. He wedded Sarah Smith, also a native of the Buckeye state, and now sixty-nine years of age. In their family were five children; Charles, deceased; Dessie, now Mrs. Thatcher; Daisy, the wife of Fred Faulkner, who is engaged in the jewelry business as a member of the firm of Parish & Company, in Coldwater; Ida, who is employed in a dry goods store in Auburn, Indiana ; and Fred, also living in Auburn. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher have a daughter and son: Pansy, who was born in 1887, and is the wife of Nelson Martin, of Algansee; and Charles, who is in the store with his father. The parents are members of the Congregational church, in which Mr. Thatcher is serving as deacon, and he is also enrolled as a member of the Odd Fellows lodge, the Maccabees tent and the Independent Order of United Workmen. In politics, an ardent Republican, he served as deputy sheriff for about thirteen years under Sheriffs Kinney, Sweet and Swayne, and he puts forth every effort in his power to promote the growth and in- sure the success of his party, for he is in hearty sympathy with its prin- ciples, believing that its platform contains the best elements of good gov- ernment.

GEORGE KINTER.

Among the early settlers of Branch county George Kinter is num- bered, for his birth occurred in a log house still standing on section nine- teen, Batavia township, on the 7th of March, 1849. A marked transforma- tion has been wrought in the county and its condition since that time, for the log cabin has long since been replaced by the frame residence or the stone or brick dwelling, and where was once the unbroken forest are now seen highly cultivated fields and scattered here and there are the churches and schools that indicate the intellectual and moral development of the community.

Mr. Kinter is a son of Richard Kinter, a native of Pittsford, Monroe county, New York, whose birth occurred about 1810. He came to Branch county in 1840, settling on what has since become the old family homestead on section nineteen, Batavia township, where he built a log cabin that is still standing on the place as one of the mute reminders of the pioneer days. The barn was built in 1848 and is also standing. He was a pioneer settler who cleared away the trees and turned the first furrows in the fields, his entire life being given to general farming. He was always a Repub- lican in his political views and he took an active interest in political ques- tions and issues of the day, and in all the affairs relating to local progress and improvement. He wedded Miss Mary Powell, a native of Pittsford,

Amanda L. Com.

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Frank bot

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Monroe county, New York. and who lived to be sixty years of age, pass- ing away in Batavia township, July 30, 1883, while Mr. Kinter died at the age of fifty-five years. They were well known and respected pioneer residents of the county and in their family were three sons and two daughters, all of whom reached mature years, while four are still living. Mr. Kinter is the third child and second son. His youth was passed in Batavia township, where he acquired a good education, attending the com- mon district schools and after putting aside his text books he entered upon his business career, being employed at bridge work by the Fort Wayne Railroad Company for about eighteen months. With this exception he has been a constant resident of Batavia township, and he now owns and con- ducts a farm of eighty acres, the land being well tilled and devoted to gen- eral farming. He raises here the crops best adapted to soil and climate and he annually gathers good harvests, for which he finds a ready sale on the market.

Mr. Kinter was married in 1874 to Miss Libby Ballou, a native of Matteson township and a daughter of Jefferson and Jemima (Pierce) Ballou. Mrs. Kinter was born in Matteson township and acquired her edu- cation in the Lindley school. At the time of their marriage the young couple located on the old homestead farm where Mr. Kinter was born, and they have two children: Rena May, now the wife of John Burns, of Matteson township, residing upon what is known as the old Jefferson Bal- lou farm; and Leo, who aids his father in the operation of the home place. The wife and mother died on the 24th of February, 1895, and her many excellent traits of heart and mind had endeared her to a large circle of friends, so that her loss was deeply deplored throughout the community, as well as within the home circle. Mr. Kinter in his political views is a stal- wart Republican where national issues are involved, but largely votes in- dependently at local elections. He served as justice of the peace for two years and then resigned on account of the ill health of his wife. Having lived in this county for fifty-five years he has a wide acquaintance, being known to a large number of its citizens, and sterling traits of manhood have gained him the respect and good will of all with whom he has been asso- ciated.

FRANK LE GRAND COX.

Prominent among the agriculturists of Girard and Branch county is the gentleman named above, who comes of good old eastern stock and who was born in Sherbourne, Chenango county, New York, February 24, 1853. The paternal grandfather of our subject was George Cox, who lived for many years in New York city. Frank Le Grand Cox was the eldest son of a family of ten children. His father, also bearing the family name of George Cox, was a native of New York city, where he was born January 26, 1824. The father lived in New York until he was twenty-eight years of age and he was married in the empire state in 1851 to Mary S. Brooks. They came to Michigan in October of 1853, when their eldest son, Frank, was only nine months old, locating in Coldwater, this county, where they lived for thirteen

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years, afterwards removing. to Girard township, where they lived upon a farm until twenty-three years ago. Thereafter they lived in Union City, where Mr. Cox died in 1900, and where Mrs. Cox still resides.

Frank L. G. Cox has consequently been a constant resident of Girard township for the past thirty-nine years and has lived upon his present farm since 1886. Of the ten children born to his parents, one died in infancy and one son died at the age of seventeen years. The eight still living are as follows: Frank L. G .. of Girard; Morris Enos, Will, Ada Mildred Thomp- son. Alfreda Belle Bell and Lillian Philo, all of Union City ; and Alice A. Olney, of Traverse City, Michigan. The three brothers hold responsible positions in mechanical lines, while the four sisters have comfortable homes. All are constant in their ministrations of their aged mother at Union City.

Frank L. G. Cox was married November 27. 1872, to Amanda L. Everitt, who, although a native of the state of New York, has been a resi- cent of Girard since she was nine years old. Her parents were Daniel and Mary Jane Palmiteer, pioneers of Girard, who were the parents of four children: Clark, who died at the age of thirty-five years; Wolsie, who died in 1894: Mrs. Emily Worden, of Girard; and Mrs. Frank L. G. Cox, of Girard. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have one daughter, Mary, who was married in 1898 to Frank Lyman, a descendant of one of the old and respected families of Girard.

The subject of this sketch, Frank L. G. Cox, has not only been notably successful as a farmer, but he is also widely known throughout Branch county. He has been called upon on numerous occasions to fill positions of public trust and responsibility, his fellow citizens recognizing in him those sterling traits of trustworthiness and ability which they constantly seek in their pub- lic officials. Although he has always been an ardent Democrat of the Jeffer- sonian school of politics, a political party greatly in the minority in this section of the country, nevertheless he has been called upon on numerous oc- casions to serve his constituents. Beside filling minor offices, he was chosen as supervisor of Girard township in 1896 and re-elected for no less than seven additional terms in succession. In this position he not only performed valiant service for his township, but was also looked upon as one of the leading members of the Branch County Board of Supervisors, serving upon the more important committees of that official body and making his influence constantly felt in the line of economical and efficient administration of pub- lic affairs. He is such a man as his friends and neighbors delight to honor, not alone from personal friendship, but because they feel that in his hands their public interests will be carefully and judiciously looked after. Mr. Cox is still a young man, but his life thus far has been filled with a use- fulness not often seen excepting in men of more advanced years. He belongs to a number of fraternal orders, having been for many years affiliated with the Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Loyal Mystic Legion, the Grange and the Patrons of Industry. He has a fine farm of one hundred and fifty-five acres on sec- tions twenty-three and twenty-four, Girard township, the same being under

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good cultivation and equipped with good buildings, the whole property show- ing that care which proves its owner a careful farmer and one with ideas of beauty and neatness.

FRANK M. DANIELS.

Frank M. Daniels was born in Florence township, St. Josepli county, Michigan, January 29, 1844, and is one of the leading citizens of Branch county, who for many years was identified with its best interests. His father, Amassa Daniels, is a native of Tolland county, Connecticut. and was a son of John Daniels, who is supposed to have been born in Scotland. At all events, his father, John Daniels, Sr., was a Scotchman, and was by trade a shoemaker. John Daniels, the grandfather of our subject, became a millwright and followed that pursuit in New England. Amassa Daniels remained in the county of his nativity through the period of his minority, acquiring his limited education there, but when he had reached the age of twenty-one years he removed from Connecticut to Pennsylvania, where he engaged in business as a lumberman. About 1815 he removed to Genesee, New York, and in 1836 he came to Michigan, settling in St. Joseph county, in the fall of that year. He purchased land and improved two farms in Florence township, clearing three hundred and twenty acres of land. He was very successful as a farmer, being practical and enterprising in his methods and so directing his labors that he annually received a good finan- cial return for his work. He died in his eighty-eighth year, being at that time one of the most venerable citizens of his county and a man who was respected and honored by all who knew him. He lived an upright life. although not allied with any church and his motives and principles were stich as would always bear close investigation and scrutiny. In ante- bellum days he was an opponent of slavery, endorsed the abolition move- ment and made his home a station on the famous underground railroad until the Republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slav- ery. Twice married, his first union was with Olivia Hammond, a sister of his second wife, and by that union there were nine children, five sons and four daughters, all of whom reached manhood or womanhood. His second union was with Sophia Hammond, also a native of Tolland county, Con- necticut, and a daughter of Eli Hammond. a descendant of Thomas Ham- mond, of English lineage. Mrs. Daniels departed this life in her sixty- third year. She had become the mother of six children, all of whom reached adult age, with one exception.

F. M. Daniels was the fourteenth member of his father's family and was the fifth child of the second marriage. He was reared in the place of his nativity until twenty-one years of age, and acquired his education in the country schools, supplemented by two terms' attendance at Beloit Col- lege, in Beloit, Wisconsin. He engaged in teaching school for three winters in Greenwood, McHenry county, Illinois, but the greater part of liis life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits. He lived for one year in Batavia township, Branch county, Michigan, and in that year, 1868, he took a very active part in politics, it being the year of the Grant campaign.

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He served as secretary of the Grant Club in Batavia township, and labored untiringly to promote the success of the Republican party. On leaving Wisconsin he went to Iowa, and afterward to Kansas and to Texas. He was engaged in the railroad service for about four and a half years on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, being station agent at Chetopa, Kansas, for three years. He was afterward transferred to the Houston & Texas Railroad, with which he held a responsible position. Later he became in- terested in the Zimmerman refrigerator car building, at Dayton, Ohio, and went with the first carload of fresh meat shipped by the refrigerator process to Boston. This was the beginning of the refrigerator car business of Swift, the well known meat packer, for Mr. Daniels sold out to that company. After residing in Detroit for a time he went to California in 1884, there remaining for five years, during which period he worked at the carpenter's trade, being at Pasadena and at Redlands. He came to' Sherwood in 1892. In April of the same year Mr. Daniels married Mrs. Calinda Sawin. He has taken a very active interest in public affairs as a life-long supporter of the Republican party and is now serving for his fourth terin as trustee of the village. He was trustee for four years, has been treasurer · for two years, and is now serving his second term as president of the village board of Sherwood, and was highway commissioner one year. While acting in that capacity he instituted iron bridges which have since become common in the locality, and the value of which is now uni- formly acknowledged. In his religious views he is a Unitarian. He has had a somewhat eventful life, visiting many portions of the country, so that he has an intimate knowledge of his native land. He is regarded as one of the representative citizens of Sherwood, active and influential in community interests, and in the various offices which he has filled he has done much to promote the general welfare.

ORION L. SMITH.

Orion L. Smith, who was born in Butler township, Branch county, in 1865, has for a number of years been successfully identified with the agri- cultural interests of the county and has recently transferred his attention to the coal, wood and lime business in Quincy, being an esteemed business man of that place.

His father, Abram Smith, who was born near Somerset, this state, and died in 1870 at the age of forty-five, moved to Branch county about 1847, and continued to make his home in Butler township and part of the time in Quincy until his death. He was killed in a railroad accident. As a farmer he was prosperous beyond the average, and he also gave his at- tention to dealing in stock, and at his death he left a competency, and throughout his career had lived in the highest regard of his fellow citizens. He was a member of the Free Will Baptist church, and politically was a Democrat. Mr. O. L. Smith's mother was Mary Margaret Weatherwax, born in Shelby, Orleans county, New York, and is living in Quincy at the age of seventy-five years. Her lineage is German. There were three

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children in the family, Armina, Luella and Orion L., but the last named is the only one living.

Attending school in Quincy and also a student in a business college at Kalamazoo, Mr. Smith by rearing and training was well fitted for an active and successful career. After leaving school he clerked awhile, and then engaged in various occupations. For a number of years he was a farmer in Butler township, and still owns his fine homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Butler township. He left the farm to operate a draying business in Quincy, and in 1903 he opened here an establishment for the handling of coal, wood, lime, cement and similar commodities. He erected the fine brick office building in which his business is located.

In 1886 Mr. Smith married Miss Hattie Beatrice Woodard, who was born in Minnesota in 1869. Her father, John Woodard, a millwright, who afterward moved to Iowa, in which state he died, and her mother, Ella Irish. a native of Minnesota, but both being of New England stock, were parents of four children, namely : Sarah Bell. the wife of W. A. Van Winkle, station agent at Dayton, Iowa; Calafern, wife of E. M. Lundeen, a banker of Dayton, Iowa; Mrs. Smith, and Oliver J., a farmer at Burnside, Iowa. In August, 1905, Mr. and Mrs. Smith adopted a child, Neta Violet. who is three years old. Fraternally Mr. Smith is an Odd Fellow and Knight of Pythias, and his politics is Democratic.

HENRY HOYT BARLOW.

Henry Hoyt Barlow, who has given his undivided attention to his pro- fessional duties since entering upon the practice of law, is now ranked with the leading members of the Coldwater bar, and the large clientage ac- corded him evinces the public confidence in his ability. He is a native son of Michigan, having been born in Hastings, June 10, 1850, and is a representative of a distinguished pioneer family of the state. The Bar- lows are of English lineage and the first of the name to come to America settled in Connecticut. Later generations went to New York and after- ward came to reside in the west. Nathan Barlow, grandfather of Henry H. Barlow, was a pioneer resident of Michigan, settling in Barry county. He was not only active in business affairs but was also an influential factor in public life, representing his district in the state legislature, as did his son Nathan Barlow, Jr. . The latter was a native of New York and became a merchant and prominent business man of Hastings, Michigan, where he resided for many years. He married Miss Malissa Tyler, also a native of the Empire state.

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A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan, Part 72

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