USA > Michigan > Allegan County > A twentieth century history of Allegan County, Michigan > Part 28
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Albert A. Schram spent his boyhood days in his father's home. He was educated in the district schools of his native township until his eighteenth year, when, in 1887, he entered the high school at Yale, Michigan. Later he returned to the home farm, where he remained until 1894, when he went to Hesperia, Michigan, as pharmacist for C. P. Utley, remaining there two years. He then went to Middleville and was associated with F. E. Heath for two years, returning to Hesperia in 1900, he conducted the pharmacy of D: M. Maze for two years, when he went to Glenn as pharmacist for Carl B. Ely, whom he succeeded in 1903. He is also a graduate of the National Institute of Pharmacy, of Chicago, in which institution he took a post grad- uate course. It was not until 1904, however, when Mr. Schram bought out his employer that the store reached its present dimensions and became the useful element in the commercial interests of the town that it is today. Mr. Schram has had twelve years' experience as a pharmacist and passed the examination before the state board with big honors. He now carries a good and carefully selected line of drugs and other commodities, usually handled in an establishment of this character and has an excellent trade for a town of this size. His store is neat and tastefully arranged and thus appeals to his patrons. Mr. Schram has one of the finest and most complete pharma- ceutical libraries in Allegan county and he is continually broadening his knowledge and promoting his efficiency along this line.
In 1896 occurred the marriage of Albert A. Schram and Miss Ada M. Wilbur, a daughter of George H. and Lucy Wilbur, and unto them have been born three children, Lucy M., William G. and Kathryn. Socially Mr. Schram is a member of Hesperia Lodge No. 346, F. & A. M., in which he has served as senior warden. He is also a member of Hesperia Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 334, and is connected with the Hesperia Modern Woodmen Camp, No. 1506. He is popular with his brethren of these fraternities and his in- terest in the orders leads him to give active support to the measures tending toward their growth and upbuilding. He is, moreover, a public-spirited man who withholds his co-operation from no movement for the public good and Glenn numbers him among its most progressive and valued representatives.
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A. L. LEACHI is a member of the firm of Leaeh Brothers, merehants at Glenn, and they have a well appointed general store in this enterprising little village in Ganges township. The brothers are B. M. and A. L. Leaeh, both natives of Canada, the former born in 1879, and the latter on Christmas day of 1880. They remained in the place of their nativity until 1883, when the parents removed with their family to Van Buren county, Michigan, where they resided until 1897. That year witnessed their arrival in Allegan eounty. They are the sons of Temple and Sarah ( Badell) Leach, both of whom were natives of Canada. The father was a shoemaker by trade and followed that pursuit as a life work, thus providing for his family, which numbered wife and four children, Lavinie, Emma L., B. M. and A. L.
The last two, members of the firm of Leach Brothers, were educated in the sehools of Michigan, and were reared under the parental roof. The former is a tinsmith by trade, while A. L. Leaeh learned his father's trade of shoemaking. In September, 1905, they eame to Glenn and established their present business. They carry a full and complete line of general merchan- dise, ineluding groeeries, dry goods and hardware, in addition to which they do a large business in repairing in the tinsmith, harness and shoe lines. Their business is now in flourishing and prosperous condition and they have the confidence of their many patrons, the number of whom are gaining month by month. The brothers still work along the lines of their respective trades and at the present time are in control of the purchase and sale of their goods. Young men of acknowledged business ability and worth they are now quite widely known in Glenn and the surrounding country and are meeting with a gratifying measure of sueeess.
JOHN C. FABUN is a fruit grower of considerable importanec and large experienee, who owns a farm comprising eighty acres situated in Ganges township not far distant from the village of Glenn. Of his traet of land twenty-eight acres are devoted exelusively to the production of fruit of the choieest kinds. He has eighteen hundred peach trees, and his orehards also inelude three hundred apple trees, one hundred pear trees and one hundred plum trees. He has devoted the last thirty-five years to the cultivation of fruit and is looked upon as authority regarding this line of activity and par- tieularly eoneerning diseases that are to be met with in peaeh orehards. He has been the appointed commissioner to prevent the spread and eure of the yellows, a disease to which the peach is subject, and for sixteen years he has aeted in this eapaeity, during which time he has done effective labor, the value of which eannot be overestimated.
The life record of Mr. Fabun began in Hancock county, Ohio, in 1839, and he there lived up to his sixteenth year, when in company with his parents he removed to Michigan. He is a son of John and Phoebe (Tif- fany) Fabun, both of whom were natives of New York. The father was born Mareh 28, 1812, and died in 1891, while his wife passed away in 1850, he surviving her for about forty years. John Fabun removed from New York to Ohio, and with his family eame to Michigan from the latter state in 1854, settling in Caseo township on one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he purehased from the government. He was obliged to eut his way through the forests to the home of his nearest neighbor, two and a half miles distant. The land was all eovered with timber but by hard and
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unremitting labor he succeeded in clearing this and in transforming the soil into productive fields. He was a carpenter by trade and therefore a very useful man in the new country, his mechanical skill being often sought by his neighbors. He was a worthy member of the Adventist church and was one of its able and distinguished preachers at an early day. Unto him and his wife were born the following named : Cyrus, John S .. John C., Susan. Phebe. Following the death of his first wife the father married Lucy Horton, and unto them was born a son, William.
John C. Fabun, when sixteen years of age, accompanied his parents on their removal to Michigan, where he has since resided. In 1864 hc pur- chased fifty acres of his farm, and in 1874 made purchase of the remainder of the tract, so that he now has a good farm of cighty acres, pleasantly and conveniently located ncar Glenn in Ganges township. The place was in its natural state when it came into his possession, and from its primitive condi- tion has been wrestcd by the sturdy men whose labors have caused it to bloom and blossom as the rosc. It is now one of the finest and most pro- ductive fruit farms of Ganges township and any fruit raised upon this place is always known for its excellence in size, quality and flavor. The farm is beautifully located on the lake and is also noted as a favorite resort for Chi- cago people, who, escaping the heat of the city in the summer, come here to enjoy the cool lake breezes amid the influences of nature. The place is known as the Fabun Resort Fruit Farm and is most attractive to the sum- mer guests.
Mr. Fabun has been married twice. He wedded Miss Nellie Hill in 1859, and unto them was born a daughter, Phocbc, in 1860. In 1878 he was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary L. Bump, and unto them were born six children, Eliza, John, Susan, Millie, William, Julia. Millie is the only onc now living.
Mr. Fabun has filled in creditable manner the position of drain com- missioner. He is a worthy member of Star of the Lake Lodge. A. F. & A. M., of South Haven, and in his life exemplifics the beneficent spirit of the craft, which is based upon mutual helpfulness and brotherly kindness. His strong and salient traits of character are such as have won for him the good will and confidence of his fellow men, while his activity and energy in business have been the basis upon which he has builded his present pros- perity.
CHARLES McVEA, deceased. was a well known sea captain, having spent the greater part of his life following the lakes, and he was also identi- fied with agricultural interests in Ganges township for many years. He was of foreign birth, having been born in county Down, Treland. November 8, 1834. His parents were James and Mary (Warnock) McVea, both na- tives of county Down, who emigrated to the United States in 1852, and both are now deceased. the former having passed away in 1885. while his wife had preceded him fifteen years before, her death occurring in 1870. In their family were six sons and two daughters but only one now survives : William, James, Thomas, Charles, John, Samuel, all deceased : Mrs. Rachel Gibson : and Mary, who has also passed away.
At the age of sixteen years Charles McVea left his native country. crossing the Atlantic in 1850, being joined here two years later by his
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father and mother. At a very early age our subject became interested in the sea, and entering upon this vocation, followed the lakes during the greater part of his life. He owned two vessels which he named Mary Mc Vea and E. J. McVea, and had a controlling interest in Douglas, Charles McVea, Severns and a tug, Brown. He was noted for his knowledge con- cerning lake navigation and for the skill with which he handled his craft. In 1868 Mr. McVea took up his abode in Ganges township, where he pur- chased the farm which is now owned and occupied by his widow. This, comprises one hundred and eighty acres of land, which was cleared and improved under the supervision of Mr. McVea although he never did the actual work himself, for his entire attention was given to his vessels, which plied from Chicago to various ports of Lakes Michigan, Superior and Eric. On December 25, 1861, Mr. McVea was happily married to Miss Eliza- beth J. Warnock, who is a native of Jersey City, New Jersey, born April 22, 1841. They traveled life's journey together for thirty-three years and were then separated by the death of the husband on the 2d of March, 1894. when he had reached the age of sixty years. He was a worthy representa- tive of the Masonic order, prominent among the brethren of the fraternity. He was a man whom to know was to respect and honor and numbered his friends by the score. His widow with their ten children yet survive, name- ly: William, Mary, the wife of J. H. Hatch; Elizabeth ; James, Charles ; Esther ; Rachel : Anna, the wife of H. M. Leggett : John ; and Samuel. The family is a higlily esteemed one of Allegan county, where they have many warm friends and the hospitality of the best homes of this community is freely extended to them.
A. O. KINGSBURY, a prosperous and progressive fruit grower of Ganges township, was born in 1856 on the farm which he now occupies, a son of Orin P. and Lucinda A. (Skinner) Kingsbury, both of whom were natives of Madison county, New York, where they were reared and mar- ried, after which they came to Allegan county, this state, in 1855. The father here purchased the farm upon which our subject now resides, it being then in its wild and unimproved state. He at once began the work of development and improvement and soon transformed his land into a cul- tivable tract, and he erected all of the buildings which are here seen today, and all are still in a good condition. At the outbreak of the Civil war he responded to his country's call for troops and died during his service, thus giving his life as a sacrifice on the altar of his country. In the family were four children, Morell, deceased; A. O., of this review ; Lilla A., and Elmer E. Several years after the demise of the father, the mother was again mar- ried, her second union being with John M. Smith, by whom she had two children, but both are deceased, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith have also passed away, the death of the latter occurring on the ioth of July, 1906.
A. O. Kingsbury, whose name introduces this record, was early trained to the duties of farm life, assisting his father in the operation of the home place, and after the death of the father he remained with his mother, contin- uing the operation of the homestead property. He has today a valuable piece of land, fourteen acres of which is devoted to the raising of peaches. pears and plums, while four acres are devoted to the growing of pepper- mint, which has now become a profitable industry. He is likewise engaged
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in general agricultural pursuits, in which he is meeting with very desirable success.
As a companion and helpmate for life's journey Mr. Kingsbury chose Miss Lucy Staring, a daughter of Simeon and Ann Staring, whom he wed- ded in 1880, and she has indeed proved to him an able assistant. Unto our subject and his wife have been born three children: Orin E., who wedded Miss Elsie Randel : Anna G., the wife of William Loomis ; and Irene.
Mr. Kingsbury has served as constable and also as assessor, giving gen- eral satisfaction to the public in the discharge of his official duties. He is one of the reliable and substantial citizens of Ganges township, where he has spent his entire life and here he has a wide acquaintance and commands the high regard of all with whom he comes in contact.
VAN RENSLAER WADSWORTH is one of the venerable and highly es- teemed citizens of Allegan county, where he has spent the greater part of his life, covering a period of sixty-eight years, so that he is famliar with the conditions which existed here at an early day and has been a valued assistant in the work of development and progress which as the years have passed has placed Michigan among the foremost states of the Union as a productive agricultural and horticultural district.
Mr. Wadsworth is a native of the Empire state, his birth having oc- curred in Fulton county, on the 16th of February. 1825. His parents. James W. and Malancy ( Philips ) Wadsworth, natives of Connecticut and Massachusetts respectively. Hoping to enjoy better business opportunities in the new and growing west than were afforded by the older settled dis- tricts of the east. James W. Wadsworth emigrated to Michigan, being the third man to settle in Ganges township, the year of his arrival being 1836. He here purchased a tract of land comprising one hundred and five acres but owing to the pioneer conditions which here existed and the prevalence of ague he became discouraged and returned to New York state. After two years, however, he once more took up his abode in this county and aided in the work of development and improvement in this section of the state. He set to work to cultivate his fields and improve his homestead property, erected good buildings and placed his land under a high state of fertility, from which he gathered good crops. In the family of this worthy couple were nine children, but only three now survive and Van Renslaer is the only one of the family residing in Allegan county. James W. Wads- worth was a grandson of Theodore Wadsworth, a native of Connecticut.
Our subject was reared in New York to the age of thirteen years, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to this state. He here became familiar with all the arduous duties in connection with the clearing and development of a farm in a frontier district, remaining with his father and assisting him in his farm labor until he had reached man's estate, when he started out in life on his own account. His first purchase of land was a tract of eighty acres situated in Ganges township, which is now known as the McVea farm. In 1865 he disposed of that property and removed to Missouri, where he invested his money in four hundred acres of land and there made his home during the succeeding eight months, when he returned to this state, and purchased another farm of sixty acres situated in 'Sauga- tuck township, which he still owns and which is now operated by his son-in-
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law, E. Hutchins, while Mr. Wadsworth is living retired, enjoying in well earned ease the fruits of his former toil. During his active business life our subject engaged quite extensively in the raising of fruit, with which he was thoroughly conversant in the best methods of caring for and cultivating his crops. Forty acres of the place is now devoted to that pursuit, including peaches, pears, plums, apples, cherries, grapes and berries and small fruits of various kinds.
On the 7th of April, 1850, Mr. Wadsworth was happily married to Miss Maria Collins, a daughter of Joseph Collins. To this union there were born eight children, but five of the number have passed away. The record is as follows : Leonidas; Mary A., now the wife of E. Hutchins, who is operating the homestead property ; Lucius, Emma M., Alice and Melvin, all of whom are deccased; William; and Hattie M., now the wife of M. Lamb. After a companionship covering four decades Mr. Wadsworth was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, whose death occurred in 1900. She was to him an able assistant, sharing with him in all the privations and hardships of a pioneer existence, and by the careful management of her household duties was a valuable aid in the acquirement of a competence which is today his. She was devoted to her family, ever working earnestly and zealously for the comfort and happiness of her husband and children.
Mr. Wadsworth has held some township offices, the duties of which he ever discharged with capability and fidelity to every trust reposed in him. He is a devoted and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as trustee and steward. He has now passed the eighty-first milestone on life's journey and is now enabled to enjoy the.evening of his days in honorable retirement, for in former years he worked earnestly and persistently and thereby acquired a goodly compe- tence, which now supplies him with all the comforts of life. He has a very wide and favorable acquaintance and all who know him speak of him only in highest terms of praise. He makes his home on his farm with his daughter, Mrs. Hutchins, but spends the winter months in Florida, where he bought property and erected a neat little cottage.
SID L. CONRAD is one of the progressive and prosperous farmers and fruit growers of Ganges township, where he owns one of the finest farms in this portion of the county, his tract embracing one hundred and forty- five acres, the greater portion of which is devoted to horticultural pursuits. A native son of Allegan county, his birth occurred in Leighton township, January 6, 1860. His parents are Henry and Phoebe (Lester) Conrad, the former a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, while the mother claims Seneca county, Ohio, as the place of her nativity. The father took up his abode in Michigan in 1850, and the following year, 1851, came to Allegan county, where he purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres, situated in Leighton township, where he resides at the present time, his home being on section 32. A more extended sketch of the father appears elsewhere in this volume. Unto this worthy couple have been born five children-Seth, Sid L., Iola, Netta and Lo.
Sid L. Conrad was born and reared upon the old homestead farm in Leighton township and acquired his educational privileges in the district schools near his father's home and in the public school at Wayland. He
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was early trained to the duties of field and meadow, assisting his father in the operation of the home until he attained his majority. Starting out in life upon his own account, he chose as his occupation the work of farming and fruit raising, which has continued to be his work to the present time. He has a farm of one hundred and forty-five acres, the greater part of which is devoted to the raising of fruit. He has an orchard of eighty acres set out to peaches, fourteen acres set out to apples, two acres to pears. four acres to cherries, and one hundred plum trees. besides raising various kinds of small fruit. He is meeting with very gratifying results in his work, for he is thoroughly familiar with the best methods of caring for his trees, so that the best results may be obtained in the cultivation of good crops. His fruit is of excellent size, flavor and quality, so that the fruit raised upon this farm is sure to meet a ready sale on the market, where it commands the highest prices. He purchased this farm in 1886 and has continued its operation through the succeeding two decades. In addition to his property he likewise owns a half section of land in Garfield township. Kalkaska county, this state, and he also owns property in South Haven and in Holland.
In 1881 Mr. Conrad was happily married to Miss Lida M. Nicholas, a daughter of Carlos P. and Melvina Nicholas. Previous to her marriage Mrs. Conrad was engaged in school teaching, which she followed success- fully for many years. By her marriage she has become the mother of three children-Hugh. Halden and Hilda. Active in local affairs, Mr. Conrad has been honored by his fellow townsmen with a number of town- ship offices, having served since 1892 as school director. He has likewise served for three terms as justice of the peace and is the present incumbent in that office, his duties in this position give entire satisfaction to the public, for his decisions are always fair and impartial. He is also serving at the present time as supervisor of his township. Mrs. Conrad is a faithful and devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Conrad is a self-made man in the best sense of the term, for whatever success he has achieved is due to his own well directed efforts and capable business management. He is a popular citizen and is known for his reli- ability and straightforwardness in every trade transaction, and enjoys the confidence and good will of all with whom he is associated. He and his estimable wife have a host of warm friends and enjoy in unlimited measure the esteem of a wide acquaintance.
CHARLES SYMONS is meeting with a creditable measure of success in his undertakings as a fruit grower of Ganges township. He is carrying on the business quite extensively and owns a well tilled and extremely produc- tive farm of sixty acres. He was born in Devonshire, England. in 1859. and the first eleven years of his life were spent in his native country. His parents were Henry and Jane (Thorne) Symons, both of whom were natives of England, whence they emigrated to America in 1870. The father was a farmer in his native land and in his adopted country. and on coming to the United States he purchased forty acres in Allegan county, Michigan. His previous experience enabled him to readily place this under cultivation and to improve his property along substantial lines that brought forth good results, he being actively engaged in farm work until his death,
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which occurred about 1896. His widow still survives and is yet living in Ganges township. Their children are as follows: Thomas, Charles, Mary J., Anna, Lewis, Carrie and Martha. Of these Anna and Martha are now deceased. There were also two children who died in infancy.
Charles Symons accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new world and since 1871 has continuously been a resident of Allegan county. His education, begun in his native land, was continued in the public schools here and he was reared to farm work through the assistance which he rendered in the cultivation of the fields and the care of the crops upon his father's place. He remained under the parental roof until 1886, when he was married and established a home of his own, the lady of his choice being Miss Minnie M. Erwin, a daughter of L. B. Erwin. They have four children-May, Clifford, Mildred and Lewis. Mrs. Symons is a native of Illinois. In 1888 Mr. Symons purchased their present farm, which was then in an unimproved state, and all of the buildings upon the place are now as a monument to the thrift and labor of the owner, who has erected a comfortable residence and substantial barns and outbuildings for the shelter of his products and his stock. His farm is largely devoted to the cultivation of fruit and he has planted sixteen hundred peach trees, four hundred apple trees, three hundred pear trees, one hundred plum trees, three hundred cherry trees, and likewise has a half acre planted to strawberries. He also conducts general farming and both branches of his business are proving profitable. In his business life he carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes and his labors are carefully and persistently prosecuted. He has a laudable ambition to attain success and win a place among the foremost representatives of agricultural interests in Allegan county, and he bids fair to accomplish his desire in this direction, having already progressed far on the high road to prosperity.
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