USA > Michigan > Allegan County > A twentieth century history of Allegan County, Michigan > Part 23
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Alexander Gibson was one of two children born in Ireland, his natal place being county Down, and the date October 24, 1855. He was largely reared, however, in Allegan county, upon the home farm in Saugatuck township. In his younger days he went upon the lake as a sailor and devoted twenty-two years to that life. He was mate of the Mary McVea when she was wrecked on Walker's Point, and for eight years he had com- mand of vessels and was one of the well-known lake men of this district. Turning his attention to agricultural pursuits, in 1882 he purchased his present farm of eighty acres of fertile land, which, however, was then in an unclaimed state. By hard and constant toil he has made it a fruitful and productive tract. His buildings are good and are of modern construction and convenience, and the farm in all its equipments and appointments is very complete, being thus classed with the model farms of Allegan county. He is largely engaged in the cultivation of fruit and has twenty-five hun- dred peach trees upon his place, two hundred apple trees and one hundred plum trees, while two and a half acres were planted to pears. One acre has been set out to black currants and one acre to strawberries, and thus from the time when the early strawberry crops comes on until the late autumn he is busy taking care of the fruit as it ripens, making extensive shipments to the city market. He also carries on a general line of farming and his fields are well tilled. He is justly accounted one of the representa- tive fruit growers of Saugatuck township and his place is most attractive in its appearance.
In 1885 Mr. Gibson was united in marriage to Miss Eva, daughter of Joseph Newcomb, and unto this marriage has been born a daughter, Sybil. Mr. Gibson is a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity, his affiliation being with Dutcher Lodge, No. 193, F. & A. M. Almost his entire life has been passed in Allegan county and he has a wide acquaintance in Saugatuck township and other districts among lake men and the agricul- turists. He possesses many of the sterling characteristics of the sons of the
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Emerald isle and he enjoys in large measure the confidence and respect of those with whom he has been associated.
M. D. LOOMIS .- The record of M. D. Loomis is an interesting one, and is indicative of what may be accomplished through force of character, strong purpose and unfaltering enterprise. His parents, Levi and Sallie A. (Skinner) Loomis, removed from Hamilton, Madison county, New York, where they were reared and married, to Michigan, in 1835, and were there- fore among its first settlers, casting in their lot with the pioneers who were reclaiming the region from the domain of the savages and converting it into the uses of civilization. They located at the mouth of the Kalamazoo river, where Mrs. Loomis baked the first loaf of bread made at the mouth of the Kalamazoo river. Ganges and Saugatuck at that time were under one township organization. Later they removed to the village of Sauga- tuck, where they remained for some time, and on the 10th of March, 1840. they took up their abode in what is now Ganges township, Mr. Loomis purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land from James Hale. On this land he built a little cabin and soon succeeded in clearing the place for his crops. His neighbors were Indians and there were many wolves in the district. The red men were not unfriendly, but the wolves were a great source of trouble and expense to him because of the depredations which they made upon the farm yard, in one night killing several head of stock. In that early day Mr. Loomis engaged extensively in fruit raising, and he was regarded as a man of influence and prominence in the community be- cause of the early experiences which he had in the wilderness, gaining thereby a knowledge of the possibilities of the country. He was honored with various local offices, serving as justice of the peace and also as tax col- lector of Ganges and Saugatuck townships. Unto him and his wife were born seven children: Florence A., Ida T., Effie L. (deceased), Charles L. (deceased), L. B. (deceased). Charles H., and M. D. The father passed away November 21, 1902, having for more than three years survived his wife, who died on the 3d of April, 1899.
M. D. Loomis is one of the native sons of Allegan county. having been born March 10, 1840. He was the first white child born in Ganges town- ship and is now one of its oldest continuous residents, a fact which well entitles him to representation in this volume. He has always followed farming and fruit raising and is now the owner of forty acres of first-class land. upon which he has set about eight hundred trees, including five hun- dred peach trees and three hundred plum trees. He also has one acre de- voted to currants. He has owned this place since 1876 and has brought it under a high state of cultivation.
The only interruption to Mr. Loomis' life of continuous activity in the field of agricultural and horticultural pursuits was his military service in the Civil war. In 1864 he enlisted in defense of his country's honor and the preservation of the Union, becoming a member of Company I, Seven- teenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was in front of Petersburg during its siege and made a creditable record by his valor and loyalty, being honor- ably discharged at the close of the war in 1865.
Mr. Loomis was married December 16, 1876, to Miss Mary Ertman. and unto them were born four children, Floy M., Gertrude E., Myrta T.
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and Pearl D. The parents are both well known and have a wide circle of warm friends in this part of Allegan county. Few native sons of the county have longer resided within its borders, and, as stated, Mr. Loomis, is the oldest continuous resident in Ganges township, having made his home here for sixty-six years. Great have been the changes which time and man have wrought, as the work of improvement has been carried steadily for- ward. The early settlers planted the seeds of civilization and later residents have brought forth the harvest in good buildings, fine farms and enterpris- ing villages. At all times Mr. Loomis has manifested a public-spirited in- terest in the welfare of his community and has done much to promote progress.
JOHN WYNN, a worthy farmer of Saugatuck township, whose post- office is Fennville, is a native of the country of Holland, having been born there in 1843. His parents were John and Mary Wynn, who emigrated from the land of the dykes to the New World in 1847, locating first at Rochester, New York, where the death of the wife and mother occurred. The father and children afterward left the Empire State and came to Allegan county, Michigan, where John Wynn, Sr., purchased forty acres of land north of the village of Allegan. His family numbered ten children, but only three of the number yet survive, as follows: John, Brown and Mary, all living in Allegan county.
John Wynn was a little lad of only four years when he accompanied his parents on their emigration to the United States. His youth was there- fore largely passed in New York and in this county, and he was early trained to the work of the home farm. When a young man of eighteen years he enlisted in 1861 in response to his country's call for loyal citizens to stem the tide of rebellion in the South. Putting aside all personal con- siderations he donned the blue uniform and became a member of Company C, Thirteenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was three times wounded during his military experience, once in the shoulder, again in the side and a third time in the head at the battle of Stone River. He re-enlisted at Chatta- nooga, Tennessee, and served until the close of the war, July 12, 1865. During his service his valor and loyalty were proven on many a southern battlefield. He has a military record of which he has every reason to be proud and he manifests the same spirit of fidelity to his country in days of peace as when he followed the Stars and Stripes on long marches of the south.
In 1869 Mr. Wynn was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Slater, and unto them were born two children, John B. and Mrs. Nellie Chamberlain. After losing his first wife, Mr. Wynn was again married, his second union being with Miss Josephine Babcock, whom he wedded in 1894.
Their home is upon a farm of fifty acres in Saugatuck township, on which Mr. Wynn has resided since 1865. When he made purchase of that land it cost him eight dollars per acre and was in its primitive condition, not a furrow having been turned nor an improvement made upon the prop- erty. In fact, it was covered with a growth of timber and he had to clear away the trees and stumps before he could plow the land and convert it into productive fields. He has erected good buildings upon it and by his energy and close application to his business has developed an excellent farm.
& h atwood + Wife
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When his dwelling was destroyed by fire he immediately rebuilt a more mod- ern and commodious edifice. He follows both fruit raising and general farming, giving the latter, however, the greater part of his attention, and his fields bring forth good harvests, including various products.
He is a loyal and worthy citizen, meriting and receiving the full confi- dence of his fellow townsmen, and all who know him speak of him in terms of praise.
F. F. ATWOOD .- Nature seems to have prepared various parts of the county for different lines of business. The resources which she affords to the race are many, and when one line of occupation has been worked to its full extent it calls for activity in another direction. Such has been the history of Allegan county. At one time the district was covered by a dense forest growth, affording inducement to the lumbermen, and when the great forests were cut away it was found that the soil was rich and productive, especially adapted to fruit culture. Therefore a large number of its resi- dents are devoting their time and energies to horticultural pursuits, and among the representative farmers and fruit growers of Saugatuck township is numbered F. F. Atwood, whose name introduces this review. He owns and operates eighty acres of land, all of which is especially devoted to the raising of fruit.
Mr. Atwood is one of Michigan's native sons, having been born in Grand Traverse county January 17, 1870. His parents are Orin A. and Emma L. (Russell) Atwood, both of whom were natives of New York. The father removed to Michigan in the early '6os, and was therefore one of the early pioneers of Grand Traverse county. Few settlers had penetrated into its dense timber regions at that time, and hardly a road had been cut through the forests or a permanent dwelling established. Mr. Atwood did as much as any other man in his community toward advancing the growth and development of this part of the state. He owned eighty acres of land, which he cultivated and improved, bringing it under a high state of develop- ment. He was a most honorable, upright man, well meriting the esteem and confidence which were uniformly accorded him. By trade he was a car- penter, and was a good mechanic, and in connection with his farming opera- tions he followed building to some extent, which contributed much to the comfort of the early settlers who engaged his services in the building of their homes. As the years passed ten children were added to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Atwood, eight of whom reached years of maturity. while seven are still living at this writing, in 1906, namely: John M., Mrs. Lillian Chaney, Mrs. Hattie Clauss, O. A., E. E., F. F., and Mrs. Emma C. Gil- more.
F. F. Atwood, whose name introduces this record, spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the usual manner of farm lads. He acquired his education in the public schools and was trained to the work of the home farm through the assistance which he gave his father until twenty-one years of age. He then left home and went west, first to Wyoming. later to Colo- rado and Montana, and worked on some of the largest cattle ranches in Wyoming. He remained in the west for three years, seeing much of the frontier life. He returned to Michigan in 1894. He has never sought to change his mode of life or occupation other than by keeping in touch with
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the trend of modern progress along agricultural lines. He has owned his present farm since 1900, and now has one of the valuable properties of Saugatuck township, where he is extensively engaged in growing fruit. The place comprises eighty acres of land, upon which he has thirty-five hundred peach trees, one hundred and thirty apple trees, one thousand pear trees, two hundred cherry trees and twelve hundred currant bushes. From this number it will readily be imagined how large are his crops of the dif- ferent fruits each year. His place from early spring until late autumn is a very busy one as the work of picking and packing is carried on, and the fruit is thus made ready for shipment. In addition to this work he carries on general farming to an extent necessary to supply his home with needed cereals, and from the sale of his crops he is annually enabled to secure not only the comforts but some of the luxuries of life.
Mr. Atwood was married to Miss Annette Waldo, a daughter of George W. and Mary F. (Green) Waldo. Her parents came to Michigan early in the '60s. Mrs. Waldo was a native of the Empire State, and her husband of Vermont. He was one of the active men of Saugatuck township, a man of great worth from many points of view. It was he who made the Atwood farm what it is today. The house is among the best dwellings of the town- ship and will stand as a monument to his memory. He took no active part in politics, preferring to give his whole time to his business affairs, and it was through his attention to duty that he became one of the representative and successful business men of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Waldo were sin- gle when they arrived in Michigan, and by their marriage there were four children, two of whom are now living, Mrs. Atwood and Mrs. Flora Lock- wood. The father died in the year 1900. The home of Mr. and Mrs. At- wood has been blessed with six children, of whom four are living, Clarence M., Evelyn, Emerald and Francis F., Jr.
Mr. Atwood is a valued member of the Odd Fellows' society, and holds the office of grand vice in his lodge. He is also a member of the school board, and is interested in the material, intellectual and moral progress of his community and enjoys the confidence of his fellow citizens.
THOMAS WILSON, deceased, was for many years an active representa- tive of agricultural and horticultural interests in Allegan county. He was a native of England and was born in 1828. He was employed as a brick- maker in his native country, and in 1848, when' a young man of twenty years, he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, where he secured em- ployment as engineer on a steamboat which plied the Mississippi river. After two years spent in that way he removed to Singapore, Michigan, where for a number of years he was occupied in the same pursuit. Noting the pro- ductiveness of the soil in this state and realizing the necessity of acquiring a competence for his old age, he decided to purchase a farm, which he did, coming into possession of a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in Ganges township. This was in its natural state, but he at once supervised the work of clearing and cultivating the land and erecting good buildings, until his farm was made a highly productive and improved property. He. however. during this time continued his work as an engineer, but after a few years retired from that pursuit and located on his farm, there continuing the work of further development and improvement throughout his remaining
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Peter Moraw.
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days, and thus at his death he left to his family a valuable estate. In addi- tion to his general farming pursuits he also engaged in fruit raising, having an orchard containing three thousand peach trees, and he likewise had an orchard set out to apples and small fruit. He worked diligently and per- sistently in carrying on his business interests and as the years passed by met with very desirable and gratifying results.
In 1856 Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Annie C. Abbey, a daughter of Pierce and Abagail (Astle) Abbey, and a native of County Carlow, Ireland. Unto our subject and his wife were born four sons, but only two of the number now survive, William P. and Frank E .. while the eldest and youngest members of the family. Thomas J. and Robert A. re- spectively, are deceased. William P. wedded Miss Libbie Randal, by whom he has two sons and two daughters, Bessie C., Mabel A., Frank E. and Joseph W. The death of the husband and father occurred August 8, 1889. and his loss was deeply regretted by a host of warm friends as well as by his immediate family. He was a devoted member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and was likewise identified with the Grange. His life was ever characterized by upright and honorable principles and by a devotion to the best interests of his community. He was ever found straightforward in all his business transactions and was never known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen.
His widow, Mrs. Annie C. Wilson, as stated above, was born in Ire- land, to which country her parents had removed from England, which coun- try was the place of their nativity. Her mother represented an aristocratic English family, and her brother. Captain Astle, an uncle of Mrs. Wilson, was sent to Ireland to participate in the rebellion, and being pleased with the Emerald isle he induced Mr. and Mrs. Abbey to locate there. They there took up their abode and the father engaged in farming pursuits, and it was there that the birth of their daughter, Mrs. Wilson. occurred. She emi- grated to the United States in 1848, the same year of the arrival of the one who in later years became her husband. She still makes her home on the farm which was left her by Mr. Wilson and she is today accounted one of the highly respected women of Allegan county, where she has a host of warm friends and where she and her family enjoy the hospitality of the best homes of this section of the county.
PETER MORAN is a representative of horticultural interests of Sauga- tuck township, where he owns a well-improved and valuable farm of fifty acres, which is devoted exclusively to the raising of peaches, apples and small fruit. Mr. Moran is a native of West Virginia, being a son of Elbert and Margaret (Van Gilder) Moran, who were likewise natives of West Virginia. Ancestors in both the paternal and maternal lines were active representatives of the Colonists in the Revolutionary war.
Reared and educated in his native state, Mr. Moran there remained until he had attained man's estate, and then made his way to Nebraska. where he followed general agricultural pursuits for some time, meeting with good success in his undertakings in the western country. He later made his way to the city of Chicago, and after a time spent in the western metropolis took up his abode in Allegan county, Michigan, the year of his arrival being 1901. He here purchased a half interest in a tract of one hun-
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dred and twenty acres, and continued his operations as a general farmer. He has since disposed of a part of his property, but still retains possession of fifty acres, which is pleasantly and conveniently situated on the lake front in Saugatuck township, and has set out the most of his place to fruit. in- cluding one thousand peach trees, beside apples and small fruit. He is meeting with merited success in his fruit raising interests, for he is thor- oughly conversant with the best methods of carrying on a work of this character, so that each year he annually harvests good crops of fruit, and the products of his farm find a ready sale on the market, owing to size, quality and flavor, and he is thus enabled to secure a good price therefor. He has improved his farm with good buildings, and in 1903 erected a fine country residence, modern in its equipments and construction, and his is one of the attractive farm properties of this portion of the county. In addi- tion to the cultivation of fruit he likewise engages in general farming to some extent, and this branch of his business is also proving a gratifying source of income to him.
Choosing a companion and helpmate for life's journey, Mr. Moran was united in marriage to Miss Phebe E. Jones, who was also born in the place of his nativity, and unto them have been born three children, Floyd L., Hallie and Elbert R. Mr. Moran takes an active and helpful interest in all matters pertaining to local progress and has served his township as path- master. He is a worthy member of Dutcher Lodge, No. 193, F. & A. M., and is popular among the brethren of this fraternity.
Although Mr. Moran is numbered among the more recent arrivals in Allegan county, his residence here covering the brief period of five years, he has nevertheless made many warm friends, for he possesses a kindly nature and high moral character, so that he has won the confidence of all with whom he is associated.
FRED SCHULTZ resides upon a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Saugatuck township. It is his own property and is devoted to the cultiva- tion of fruit and grain. He is numbered among those who have won for this district its . wide reputation as a fine fruit belt and his well-managed business interests are bringing him a gratifying measure of success.
Mr. Schultz is one of the native sons of Allegan county, his birth hav- ing occurred in Douglas November 24. 1866. He comes of German an- cestry, his parents, Fred and Dena (Berlin) Schultz. having both been na- tives of the fatherland. They emigrated to the New World in the '6os, Mr. Schultz crossing the Atlantic to Canada, while the mother of our subject . sailed to New York. They met and were married in this country, and for some time after his marriage the father continued to follow the wagon- maker's trade, which he had learned in his native land. He spent two years in Illinois in that way, and then thinking that he might more readily acquire a competence through farming operations he purchased eighty acres of land, on which was a small clearing. The remainder of the land he cleared from the timber and in due time built neat and substantial buildings upon his place. He was a good farmer as well as a mechanic of superior ability, and his life was one of diligence and industry, crowned with a goodly measure of success. The family numbered six children, three of whom are yet living, John, Mrs. Sophia Waltz and Fred. The death of the father occurred in
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1902, and the mother passed away the same year, so that this worthy couple who had long traveled life's journey together were not long separated in death.
Fred Schultz, whose name introduces this review, has spent his entire life in Allegan county, and his education was acquired in the public schools, while he received practical training in farm work through the assistance which he rendered his father. For eighteen years he has owned forty acres of his present farm, which was once the property of his father, and the remaining tract of eighty acres he purchased of James Perry in March, 1904. He now has an excellent and well-improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which he devotes to the raising of fruit and cereals. He has five hundred peach trees and seventy apple trees, beside other fruits of various kinds in smaller quantities. He also has twenty-six acres planted to beans and five acres to mint, and the various crops are large because the land is well cultivated, according to the various uses to which it is put. He finds a ready sale on the market for his products and his annual income is therefore very desirable.
Mr. Schultz was united in marriage in the spring of 1899 to Miss Lulu Harper, of Climax, Michigan, and unto them have been born four children, Della, Dena, Lulu and Earl. The family are well known in this part of the county, their farm being pleasantly and conveniently located near Fennville. Their home is a hospitable one and its good cheer is greatly enjoyed by their many friends.
HENRY MEAD .- The farming interests of Saugatuck township are well represented by Henry Mead, who owns and conducts a productive farin of ninety acres within its border. This place has been in his possession since 1882, and is now a well-developed fruit farm, its fine appearance being in- dicative of the care and labor which he has bestowed upon it, for when it came into his possession it was a tract of wild land.
Mr. Mead is one of Michigan's native sons, his birth having occurred
. in Van Buren county. His parents were Joseph and Susan ( Hogmire) Mead, both of whom were born in Genesee county, New York, whence they came to Michigan in 1849. The father died in 1852, and his widow afterward became the wife of P. Purdy.
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