A twentieth century history of Allegan County, Michigan, Part 27

Author: Thomas, Henry Franklin, 1843-1912
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 808

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Lee township on which he now lives. His father bought one hundred and sixty acres of timber land, which he and his sons cleared and put under cul- tivation. He eventually divided the farm between his children.

Mr. Bingham runs his part of the farm, located in section twenty-nine, as a fruit farm. He has about twenty acres in peaches besides other fruits. In politics he owes allegiance to the Republican party. He is a son of Hor- ace and Sarah (Bennett) Bingham, who are both living with his brother Charles on the old farm. He is the second in order of birth of five children, all of whom are living, viz. : Ella Avery, a widow, who acts as housekeeper for her brother ; William F., unmarried ; Julian, of Berrien county ; Charles, and Mary, wife of Alexander Otto, of Casco township.

EMERSON H. DEMING was born at North Hampton, Massachusetts, September 11, 1832. When four years of age he accompanied his parents to Ashtabula county, Ohio. There he remained until he entered the army. He enlisted August 23, 1861, for three years' service, in the Fifth Ohio Battery, Captain W. P. Edgerton, commanding. This battery was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, and took part in the engagements of Stone River and Chattanooga. Mr. Deming was discharged from the army after four- teen months' service for disability. After his discharge, at Northville, Ten- nessee, October 29, 1862, he returned home and has been unable to do any active work since, as his health was broken by the hardships and exposures incident to military life. He settled in Allegan in 1863. He spent the winter of 1863 in that town and went in the spring of 1864 to Montana, in an at- tempt to regain his health, remaining there until November of the Next year. He then returned to Michigan and in the summer of 1866 bought the farm on which he now resides, consisting of eighty acres in section thirty- two, Lee township. He deeded sixty acres of this to his sons, retaining the remaining twenty for himself. When he bought the place it was heavily timbered, none of the wood having been cut at that time. He first built a small log cabin, and with the help of his sons cleared the ground for culti- vation.

He has made bee-raising a specialty for a number of years. He re- lates that when he first came to Michigan game was in abundance. deer, tur- keys, squirrels and game birds. While in Montana he spent most of his time in the open air, hunting and fishing. He was with the party that dis- covered gold at Helena, Montana, and had numerous exciting experiences. He relates that an Indian chief offered him all the gold he could pick up and all the ponics he cared for if he would marry the chief's daughter. He had given the Indians a dinner and smoked the pipe of peace with them, but al- though this offer of the chief's daughter was considered a very flattering one, Mr. Deming did not see fit to accept it.

He has been all his life a Republican. For about twelve years he was township treasurer of Lec township, and has been for years a school officer. At the time he came to this part of Michigan there were no roads, the only means of access to a distant point being foot trails through the woods. It was necessary to blaze a trail through the woods to enable the new teacher to find the schoolhouse.

Mr. Deming is a member of the John H. Andrews Post of the G. A. R. at Lacota. He is a son of Almond and Theodosius (Leonard) Deming. He

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had three brothers and two sisters. He has been married twice. The first time to Mary Goff, a native of Ohio, who died six years after their mar- riage, and by whom he had one son, Sylvester, who was deceased at the age of two years. He was married again, in August, 1859. to Martha A. Bur- gett a daughter of Isaiah and Betsey ( Parker) Burgett, who were natives of New York and pioneers to the state of Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their lives. She was born at Trimble, Ashtabula county, Ohio, February 29. 1844. Of this union there were born seven children, viz .: Mary, wife of John Barnhart, of Shelby, Michigan ; Alton, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this volume; Almer H., who is married and resides with his parents ; Dora Barnhart, deceased; Nellie, wife of Charles Smith, of Lee township ; Myrtle, wife of John Flora, also of Lee township, and Eva, who is still at home.

JACOB BEAN, a Canadian by birth, left the little village in the Province of Quebec, near Montreal, where he was born May 17. 1849. and with his brother Frank came to the United States to seek his fortune. He went first to Vermont, and though but fourteen years of age did not hesitate to accept a job as wood chopper, laborious as it might seem to a boy of his years, as a means of livelihood until something more favorable "turned up." For two years the brothers worked together. then Jacob left and came alone to Sag- inaw, Michigan, where he worked in the saw mills in summer and in the woods in winter and spring, running logs. Tiring of this after a time he came to Kalamazoo, where he worked on a farm for the period of six months. then in some of the neighboring brick yards. He worked for a portion of the year 1871 on the Michigan Central Railroad. In the spring of 1872 he went to South Haven, and resumed work in the sawmills and woods, at which he remained for two seasons. He worked in various other mills for several months, then went to Williams. Kalamazoo county, where he bought a farm of forty acres. He came to Lee township March 17, 1881. and has remained there since. He bought eighty acres of heavy timber land in sec- tion nineteen, which is now all under plow except about two acres. He is a breeder of horses and cows, and also raises considerable fruit. apples, pears and peaches.

By political inclination Mr. Bean is a Democrat. He has held several offices of public responsibility, among them that of school officer and path- master. He is a member of the Catholic church at Grand Junction. He is a son of Francis and Mary (Bean) Bean. His mother, who was not forced to change her maiden name after marriage, was a native of France, and died in Canada. He was one of eleven children.

Mr. Bean was married in St. Joseph, April 25. 1870. to Hattie E. Har- ris, a native of Kalamazoo county, where she was born April 10. 1850. Twelve children were born to them, viz .: Nathon Isadore, who is now a teacher ; Anthony, also a teacher ; Jay X., proprietor of a grocery and meat- market at Grand Junction : George, a farmer, residing in Casco township: Harrie, an employee of the American Express Company in Chicago: Ger- trude, a teacher for a number of years, now a milliner in Chicago: Mary, wife of Arthur Dalrimple, of Lee township; Myrtle and Bertha, in High School at South Haven ; Winifred ; Roy, who died at the age of ten months

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and thirteen days, and Arthur, died aged twenty-one months and thirteen days.

Mr. Bean, in common with many a man who has been forced to fight his way and to neglect his schooling for the purpose of obtaining a liveli- hood in the impressionable years of his life, sets great store on a liberal ed- · ucation. He has in the past and is at the present giving his children the benefit of the training of which he would have been glad to avail himself in his youth had he had the opportunity.

CENTERS IN GANGES AND CASCO.

These two townships have had numerous postoffices and mill and store centers, though none of them have attained size or importance enough to be considered villages. The townships have shown a steady increase in pop- ulation, without tendency toward concentration, and there being no railroad in either township, population has grouped itself at one time about a mill, at another about a postoffice, and again about a pier on the lake shore. In later years Glenn postoffice and Glenn pier, in southwestern Ganges, has perhaps ranked first among the business centers. For many years large quantities of fruit, raised in the surrounding country, have been shipped from this point, which has rivaled South Haven in this respect. Its settle- ment dates from 1842, and the postoffice has been located there since 1876. The postoffice has gone by different names, originally being New Casco, just south of the Ganges town line, later was called Packard's Corners, and since 1879 has borne the name Glenn.

One of the old village sites of Ganges township was Plummerville, still known as a locality, though without any commercial activity. Benjamin Plummer and Orlando Weed in 1846 set up a sawmill on the creek in section 8, O. R. Johnson built a tannery, Plummer opened a store and extended a pier into the lake for convenience of shipping, and for about thirty years there was considerable activity about the placc.

One of the picturesque spots along the lake shore is Pier Cove, the post- office being known as Ganges. This is in the northwest corner of the town- ship, and was once a place of importance as a shipping point. A village plat was laid out there by Deacon Sutherland in 1851, and a steam saw mill soon erected, followed by the grist mill which ran so many years and is now a picturesque attraction of the place. A pier was constructed into the lake, and while the lumber business flourished there were stores, mills and a con- siderable population. The sawmill was discontinued in the late sixties, and since that time the village prosperity has depended almost entirely on the fruit business. The postoffice was established in 1853 and known as Pier Cove until 1874, since which time it has been Ganges.

In Casco township rural free delivery has gradually eliminated the coun- try postoffices, and though this is one of the best fruit-growing areas of the county it has no centers that merit detailed description. Hawkhead and Leisure are the best known localities approaching rank as village, and in the following sketches of C. H. Overhiser and Theron Johnston the pertinent facts relative to these two places are given.

CHARLES HENRY OVERHISER is the proprietor of the Maplewood farm, situated on section 14, Casco township. His birth occurred January 1, 1867,

8. E. Brunson M.D.

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and he has continuously resided in the township, which was the place of his birth. His parents are Henry and Sarah (McKee) Overhiser, and he was their fifth child. He remained at home until his mother died, when he was about seventeen years of age and he then started out in life on his own ac- count, working by the month as a farm hand, save during the threshing periods. When eighteen years of age he purchased an interest from his father in a threshing machine and engaged in work in the harvest fields in that way for about twenty seasons. The remainder of the time he devoted to general farm labor. He operated his brother Albert's place for two years, and when he found it possible to purchase property of his own he made investment and is now the owner of nineteen acres on section 14. Casco township, which is a part of the old homestead. The dwelling is at Four Corners, known as Leisure, where a store and church are located. Mr. Overhiser has lived upon this place for twelve years and his farm is known as Maplewood. It is conducted as a fruit farm and he has thereon a fine residence and a good barn which he erected. He also owns twenty acres of land on section 15 and about twenty acres three miles east of Leisure in Lee township. All that he possesses has been acquired through his own labors and he has manifested a persistency of purpose and strong determination that have been most commendable and have enabled him to overcome difficulties and obstacles in his path.

On the 17th of January, 1892, was celebrated the marriage of Charles Henry Overhiser and Miss Minnie Merrifield, who was born in Defiance county, Ohio, February 8, 1867, and became acquainted with her husband when on a visit to her sister in Allegan county. They were married, how- ever, in Ohio, at the home of her parents. Frank and Julia (Smith) Merri- field, who were natives of the Buckeye state. The young couple have been blessed with a family of five children. Riley M .. Ida Belle. Ward H., Thelma Fay and Raymond.

Mr. Overhiser exercises his right of franchise in support of the move- ments and measures of the Republican party but has only a citizen's interest in politics, never seeking nor desiring office for himself although at the present writing he is serving as township treasurer, having been elected on the Republican ticket and endorsed by the citizens' party because his fellow townsmen recognized his fitness for office and knew that he would prove capable in the position. His fraternal relations are with the Odd Fellows' Lodge, of which he is at this writing. 1906. noble grand. belonging to East Card Lodge. at Leisure. and also to the tent of the Knights of the Macca- bees at Leisure. The Overhiser family is an old and prominent one in this part of the state and the name has always been a synonym for agricultural progress and fidelity in citizenship and the record of Charles Henry Over- hiser is in harmony with that of other representatives of the name.

EUGENE E. BRUNSON, M. D .- There is no calling to which man can apply his line of practice in which he can exercise his energies that is more taxing and demands closer attention than that of the practice of medicine and surgery. The true and able physician is not the man who deals out the most medicine or who writes the greatest number of prescriptions but he who brings health to the overtaxed mind and body. He must possess an adaptability that permits him to readily understand the mental as well as the

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physical conditions with which he meets in the sick room and he must more- over possess a love of his work for its own sake aside from any remuneration which it can bring. A wide and varied preliminary training is demanded and the years must be filled with study and investigation in order to keep abreast with the progress that is continually being made by the medical fra- ternity. Dr. Brunson, well qualified in all the particulars indicated, is now successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Ganges and in Allegan county, and being widely known his record cannot fail to prove of interest to many of our readers.

Dr. Brunson is a native of Lockport, Illinois, where he was born on the IIth of September, 1851. His parents were Cyrus M. and Plethynia L. Brun- son, the former a native of Yates county, New York, and the latter of Ver- mont. They had but two sons, Dr. Gay M. Brunson and Dr. Eugene E. Brunson. The former was graduated from Lombard University, at Gales- burg, Illinois, and afterward became a student in Bennett Medical College, at Chicago, completing the regular course. On account of impaired health, however, he turned his attention to the practice of dentistry and is a graduate of a dental college at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is now practicing the line of his profession in Joliet, Illinois.

Dr. Eugene E. Brunson was reared amid rural surroundings, his father being a farmer and nurseryman and there he developed his muscles in health- ful and useful exercise. He attended the district school of the locality where his mind was practically fitted and disciplined for his future life of useful- ness and responsibility. In due course of time he became a student in Lom- bard University, at Galesburg, Illinois, from which he was graduated in the class of 1873, and later he entered the Bennett Medical College, of Chicago, from which he was graduated in May, 1875. He located in Ganges town- ship, Allegan county, on the HIth of October, 1875, as the successor of Dr. Chenoweth, and has since devoted his time and energies to the work of heal- ing the sick and bringing cheer and comfort to his patients. His success as a physician is evidenced by his extensive patronage and the area of county in which he practices. He is a member of the Ottawa County Medical So- city, the Michigan State Medical Society and the National. Eclectic Medical Society. He has served as health officer in his township for a number of years and is recognized as an able physician who is continually promoting his efficiency and broadening his knowledge by reading and investigation.

Not only is Dr. Brunson a successful physician but also a prosperous farmer and fruit-raiser. He owns a valuable property of one hundred and seventy acres of land in Ganges township, which is operated under his direc- tion, and now he has a thirty-five acre peach orchard. In Saugatuck township he has one hundred acres of land, ten acres of which has been planted to peaches, five acres to apples, five acres to plums, and fifteen acres to pears. The doctor's father was a pomologist and the doctor early gained broad and accurate knowledge of agriculture and is therefore well qualified to superin- tend his farming and fruit raising interests.

In October, 1876, Dr. Brunson was united in marriage to Miss Alice Taylor, a daughter of Philander and Nancy Taylor. They have become the parents of two children, Eugene and Alice. The former was graduated from the Ann Arbor Medical College in 1906, with the degrees of A. B. and M. D., and is now associated with his father in practice. The doctor has

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erected one of the finest residences in the county. It is commodious and modern in every respect and adds much to the beauty of Ganges.

C. E. ENSFIELD, an enterprising and progressive farmer and fruit grower of Ganges township, where he owns forty acres of well improved land, is a native son of Allegan county, his birth having occurred in Sauga- tuck township October 28, 1853. His parents, Christian and Mary (Lyone) Ensfield, were both natives of Germany, whence they emigrated to the United States in 1838, and in 1850 became residents of Saugatuck, this state. The father learned and followed the tanner's trade in his native country, and likewise continued his operations along this line after coming to Michigan, following this business both in South Haven and at Plummersville. the period of his operations in this line covering about thirty years. Meeting with success in his ventures he was enabled to provide for his family and also accumulate a competence for old age. After removing to Saugatuck he purchased a farm in the township of that name, and after coming to Ganges township he bought a farm of eighty acres, upon which he resided until his death, which occurred in 1902. His wife had preceded him to the home be- yond, her death occurring in 1883. In their family were eleven children, but only five of the number now survive and ten reached years of maturity, while one passed away in infancy. The record is as follows : Catherine. de- ceased; Susan and Caroline, twins, both of whom have passed away ; Chris- topher E., whose name introduces this record; Louise, who has also passed away; Gilbert, deceased; Alfredina; Jennie; Henry H., who owns and operates the old homestead, and Annic.

C. E. Ensfield, although born in Saugatuck township. was reared and educated in Ganges township, having been brought here by his parents at an early day, and with the exception of three years which he spent on the lakes, he has always made his home in this section of the county, where he has confined his attention to agricultural and horticultural pursuits. He has a well developed farm of forty acres a portion of which is devoted to the rais- ing of fruit. He has three thousand peach trees, one hundred pear trees. fifty apple trees, and fifty cherry trees besides strawberries and other small fruit, which bring forth abundant crops in their season. and his fruits are of such excellent quality that they meet with a ready sale on the market. In addition to his fruit-raising industry he also engages in general farming and this branch of his business is proving a profitable source of revenue to him.

In 1876 Mr. Ensfield was happily wedded to Miss Emma Harmon, a daughter of Rev. Austin and Sarah Harmon. Her father was born in Mon- roe county, New York, and was an able minister of the Baptist church. fol- lowing that calling throughout many years. He was liberally educated, hav- ing graduated from Wisconsin University, Central New York College and Rochester (New York) Theological Seminary. Rev. Harmon was a cousin of the mother of Mrs. Grover Cleveland. He came to Allegan county, Michigan, in 1854, and his death here occurred in 1865. His widow. who bore the maiden name of Sarah Grovenor, still survives. Her father, Cyrus P. Grovenor, was a graduate of Yale College and was an advocate of the anti-slavery question. He was a minister of the Baptist church in Boston and was also an able teacher of the classics in New York Central College. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-five years. In the family of Rev.

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and Mrs. Harmon were born two sons and three daughters, namely: Fre- mont, Austin, Emma, Rose and Ella.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ensfield have been born three children, Horace G., Orin L. and Mamie F. The eldest son is an engineer in the employ of the Chicago North-Western Railroad Company. Mr. Ensfield is known as a reliable man in all trade transactions and he and his wife enjoy the hos- pitality of the best homes of this section of the state.

HENRY H. ENSFIELD is a native son of Allegan county, and was born in the township in which he yet makes his home on the 25th of January, 1863. the youngest son of Christian and Mary (Lyone) Ensfield, both natives of Germany. Like the other members of the family, Henry H. Ensfield was reared to the occupation of farming, assisting his father in the operation of the homestead property, and thus familiarizing himself with the best methods of carrying on work along agricultural lines. He acquired his ed- ucation in the schools near his father's home and was thus well qualified with liberal educational advantages, which fitted him for carrying on busi- ness on his own account when he started out in life for himself. He has always followed the pursuits to which as a youth he was reared, and is now the owner of the old homestead property situated in Ganges township, which he purchased upon the death of his father in 1902. This tract comprises sixty acres of valuable land, which is devoted to agricultural and horticultural pursuits. He has three thousand peach trees, two hundred pear trees, one hundred and seventy-five apple trees, and one hundred and fifty cherry trees and also has one acre devoted to the cultivation of blackberries. In addition to fruit-raising his farm is also devoted to general farming. Mr. Ensfield leads a very busy and active life, for, while giving capable management and supervision to his farming and fruit-raising interests he also owns and con- ducts a cooper shop in Ganges, where he enjoys a large trade, for, being located in the fruit belt of Michigan there is an extensive business of this kind to be done in connection with the packing and shipping of the products which are raised on the various farms in this locality. Mr. Ensfield has also acted as agent for E. Weed & Company, fruit packers, for the past six years.

On the 24th of June, 1891, Henry H. Ensfield was united in marriage to Miss Ella Plummer, a daughter of W. H. and Mary (Smith) Plummer, and unto this union have been born two daughters, Hazel and Hilda. He has held the office of school director of Ganges township and he is a worthy and exemplary member of Dutcher Lodge No. 193. F. & A. M., while both he and his wife hold membership relations with the Order of the Eastern Star and the Grange at Ganges.

The business interests of our subject are varied and important, and he is a man of push and enterprise, successfully accomplishing what ever he un- dertakes and he is today numbered among the prominent and influential citi- zens of Ganges township.

ALBERT A. SCHRAM, of Glenn, is one of the progressive business men of Allegan county, who by close application to strict business methods and by unfaltering devotion to a growing trade has worked himself upward to a creditable position in commercial circles. He now has a flourishing and well

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equipped drug store in the village of Glenn, and the establishment is of such a character that it would be a credit to many a town or city of much larger size. He is well qualified by educational training to carry on such an en- terprise and has met with success in the undertaking since he engaged in business in 1903.

A native of Michigan, Mr. Schram was born in Greenwood township. St. Clair county, on Christmas day of 1869. His parents were Peter G. and Catherine A. (Flake) Schram, both of whom were natives of Ontario, Can- ada. They came to Michigan in 1849 and cast in their lot with the pioneer settlers of St. Clair county. The father was a farmer of considerable prom- inence in his community and served as township treasurer, which office he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. All who knew him respected him for his genuine worth and in the able manage- ment of his business affairs he met with gratifying and well merited suc- cess. Unto him and his wife were born nine children, all of whom reached years of maturity, namely: Margaret, Hugh, John, Morris, Thomas (de- ceased ), Robert (deceased), Eliza J., Albert A., and Mary.

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A twentieth century history of Allegan County, Michigan, Part 27

Author: Thomas, Henry Franklin, 1843-1912 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 808

Author: Thomas, Henry Franklin, 1843-1912
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 808