USA > Michigan > Allegan County > A twentieth century history of Allegan County, Michigan > Part 36
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George A. Hare as a young man worked at railroading, but tiring of this occupation moved to Indiana, where he followed farming for three years. At the end of that time he returned to Manlius township, where he has devoted himself since to farming and fruit growing on a farm of two hundred acres. He raises apples, plums and cherries, in addition to straw- berries and small fruits generally.
Mr. Hare has been married three times, first to Miss Mary Johnson, second to Miss Romain McKinister, to whom one child was born, a daughter named Minnie, and third to Miss Louisa Rosenow, by whom he has had two children, Walter G. and Vera. While not being an ardent politician Mr. Hare has served his township in the capacity of pathmaster. Socially he holds a membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
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HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
CHARLES H. HANSON, of Manlius township, whose postoffice is New Richmond, is of New England descent, having been born in Bath, Maine, in 1834, where he was raised and educated. He has in his work shown marked ability in both mechanical and agricultural lines. He is a son of Thomas B. and Mary P. ( Bloom) Hanson, both natives of Maine.
Our subject moved to Michigan in 1866 and settled on his present farm, then a part of the virgin forest and consisting of two hundred acres. This he gradually improved and has erected on it two modern and substan- tial dwelling houses, in one of which he resides. The original farm of two hundred acres has been reduced to fifty-five, seven of which are now devoted to the raising of fruit.
Mr. Hanson is a practical man of affairs and enjoys the confidence and respect of his fellows. He has held various township offices for the past twenty years, among which are those of moderator of the school board and school director, while for twenty years he was township clerk. He now counts thirty-seven years of continuous and faithful service in the employ of the Pere Marquette Railway as watchman on the bridge crossing the Kalamazoo river, and at the same time has charge of and runs the steam pump.
His marriage occurred in 1855 to Martha A., daughter of Samuel B. and Elizabeth Appleton. This union has been blessed by four children, namely: Clara, Ida, Charles, Jr., and Samuel. The former two were born in Illinois and the two latter in Michigan.
ISAAC LAMOREUX, for many years identified with the lumber and agri- cultural interests of Manlius township, is a son of the Empire state, having been born in Orange county, New York, November 27, 1830. His parents came from New York in 1845 and took up their abode in Manlius township. With them were their eight children, all born in the state of New York, viz .: Martha, Isaac (our subject), John G., Hannah, Seth, Quincy, Ellen E. and Sarah J. Three more children were born to them in Allegan county, namely : Lyman, George and Elmer. Of the entire family there are now surviving but three: Isaac, George and Ellen E.
Thomas Lamoreux and his family settled in section 8, on a property two hundred and forty acres in extent and part of the original forest. Here they suffered the usual hardships of pioneers, having to depend almost entirely on their own resources for even the necessities of life. After the second year of their residence here they were able to raise the material not only of food but with which to manufacture their clothing. There being plenty of game and fish, their table was supplied without stint with what the present generation considers as classified among the luxuries. The Indians were very plentiful in those years in Michigan, but were fortunately inclined to be friendly. Thomas Lamoreux was a man of influence and good standing in his community, and was honored with the election at various times to the offices of supervisor, township treasurer and highway commissioner. His death occurred in 1862. As their name would indicate. the Lamoreux family were of French descent and emigrated to this country before the Revolutionary war, in which struggle they took an active part in defense of Colonial independence.
Our subject upon arriving at man's estate became interested in the
MR. AND MRS. CHARLES H. HANSON
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lumber business and rafted considerably on the Kalamazoo river. Subse- quently he turned his attention to agriculture, and owned at one time nearly all the land in and around what is now the city of New Richmond. The first farm consisted of eighty acres, fifty of which were soon cleared. The farm lay in section 8. Mr. Lamoreux subsequently engaged in the fruit growing interests, but now devotes his time exclusively to stock raising on a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres.
In 1862 our subject entered the Union Army as first lieutenant of Company L, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, and rendered his service with dis- tinction, being honorably discharged in 1863. In local affairs, those which concern the people at large, Mr. Lamoreux has always taken a lively interest. and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens is shown in the fact that he represented them in many public offices, among which are those of supervisor, constable. moderator, moderator of school board and highway commissioner.
Mr. Lamoreux was married in 1866 to Miss Amanda Stewart and to them were born six children, five of whom grew to maturity, namely : Eleanor, a storekeeper and the present postmistress of New Richmond, an office which she has faithfully served for the last nine years ; George, Kate. now deceased ; Ida, the wife of Lesley Sherman, and Owen.
Mr. Lamoreux can well feel a satisfaction as the evening shadows of his life are growing longer when he looks back over sixty years of resi- dence in Manlius township and can know that his personal endeavors have added much to the material welfare of his vicinity, and in looking in the future that when the time comes to answer the call of the "grim reaper" he may feel that he is missed from his accustomed place in the community and that his name will be remembered.
JAMES H. PIERCE, who owns and operates a farm of eighty acres in Saugatuck township, was born in Bristol county, Massachusetts, March 21. 1822, and is the only representative in Allegan county of the family of Abiel and Elizabeth (Cushman) Pierce, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts. The father was a carpenter by trade and a good mechanic. The family numbered three sons and two daughters: Francis, deceased : James H. ; Harriet, who has also passed away ; Abiel, who was a soldier of the Civil war; and Elizabeth, deceased.
James H. Pierce was reared in the county of his nativity to his fifteenth year, and during that period attended the public schools near his father's home. He then left the parental roof and shipped on a whaling vessel, whose fishing ground was the Indian ocean. The cruise lasted three years, after which Mr. Pierce, having enough of sea-faring life, returned to his home. In 1840 he went to Buffalo, where he learned the tinsmith's trade. after which he . went to Boston, Massachusetts, and for a year he was employed at his trade in that city. He purchased a pleasure boat, which he sailed for two seasons in taking pleasure parties along the coast. Subse- quently he went to Canada, where he again was employed as a tinsmith and later removed to Cleveland, Ohio. The year 1842 witnessed his arrival in Michigan, but he only passed through the state at that time. his destination being Chicago, where he remained for two and a half years, when he took up his abode at Leland, Illinois, where he entered the hardware business.
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During his residence there he acted as postmaster of the town for two years and at the same time carried on his agricultural interests. Removing to Clifton, Illinois, he was also engaged in the hardware business there and at that place acted as treasurer of the school board for three years. Hc devoted twenty-nine years altogether to the hardware business and came direct from Clifton to Saugatuck township, Allegan county, in November, 1879. At that date hie purchased his present farm, comprising eighty acres, of which but ten acres had been cleared, while the buildings were small and in a bad state of repair. Today this is a beautiful and attractive farm under a high state of cultivation, and the place is devoted to general agri- cultural pursuits and fruit growing. The orchards contain two hundred apple trees. Mr. Pierce, however, is gradually concentrating his energies more and more largely upon general farming. He is practical in all that he does and keeps in touch with the spirit of modern progress as manifest in agricultural and horticultural life.
On March 7, 1850, Mr. Pierce was united in marriage to Miss Rachel Read, a daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Read. They have become the parents of ten children, six of whom reached years of maturity: Ernest F., Mrs. Clara Starkey, H. C., Albert H., Flora and Archie R. Mr. Pierce has now passed the eighty-fourth milestone on life's journey. Few men of lis years are more active or are more closely associated with business life. In spirit and interests, however, he seems yet in his prime and he takes no unimportant part in the work of the farm, which, under his supervision has been brought to a high state of cultivation and improvement, being one of the well equipped farms of Saugatuck township. Whatever success he has achieved in life is attributable entirely to his own efforts, for when fifteen years of age he started out in life on his own account. He had many varied and interesting experiences during his cruise in the waters of the Indian ocean and also in his later travels in this country. Becoming pos- sessed of a laudable ambition to make a comfortable home for his family and acquire a competence for his declining years, he then settled down to the hardware. business, and his close application and careful management brought him a gratifying degree of prosperity in this work. Later he made investments in land in Michigan and his present valuable farm property is the result.
ARTHUR KOOL, whose postoffice is New Richmond, is a representative farmer of Manlius township. He is a native of Holland, having been born in that country in 1841, and emigrated to the United States in 1870 to the farm on which he now resides. His parents were Maurice and Hannah J. Kool, whose family consisted of ten children, two of whom came to this country.
Mr. Kool was married first to Miss Coba Greenwalt, to whom three children were born: Maurice, Garret (deceased) and Henry A. His second wife was a Miss Jane Smith, and their children number five, in the following order of birth: Dena, Coba, Sarah, Jennie and Henry. Mr. Kool and his family are loyal members of the Reformed church.
The farm on which our subject now resides comprises one hundred and fifty-seven acres and is one of the most productive farms of its size in that section of the state. The work of clearing and improving the place
MR. AND MRS. ARTHUR KOOL
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has all been the work of the present owner and has well repaid the labor expended upon it. The buildings are as fine as any to be seen in this section and would, in fact, be a credit to any farm. In 1904 Mr. Kool experienced a loss of thirty-five hundred dollars as the result of a fire on his property, but not daunted by this misfortune he rebuilt, and on a more substantial scale than before.
CENTERS OF NORTHEAST ALLEGAN COUNTY. WAYLAND.
Wayland village found its inception in the boom times of the late sixties, was incorporated as a village a few years after its founding. and has continued with little change in population though with a substantial basis of industry and trade. A short time after its incorporation, according to the census of 1870, the village had 585 inhabitants. The figures for the succeeding decades were : In 1880, 546; in 1890, 523 ; in 1900, 619.
Wayland township being one of the first to be settled of those situated away from the Kalamazoo river, it was natural that centers of population should be formed. Chambers Corners was a crossroads site, named in honor of Nelson Chambers, who had located on section 5 in 1838. Others who settled near him were A. P. Brownson. Joseph Heydenberk and John Parsons. A schoolhouse was built, as related in the history of schools, and when the plank road was built through in 1854 a movement was started toward the establishment of a center at this point. Nelson Chambers built the Wayland House for travelers' entertainment and the convenience of the site caused the removal to this point of the first postoffice in the township, the one that had been established at the Barnes Mill on Rabbitt river. During the fifties several well known families located here, members of which have lived here to the present time and been foremost in business and village activities, among them the Clark and Hoyt families, personal histories of whom follow. Among the early merchants, beginning with 1860, were Oliver Edwards. Theodore D. Van Valkenburg, W. E. White. J. M. Berry, Clark and Henika.
The first village plat laid out in this vicinity was given the name of Lomax City, including land about the mill and tannery of Israel Kellogg, a short distance north of the Corners. Several additions were made, and when the board of supervisors incorporated the village the name of Wayland was permanently assigned to the place.
In 1865 Wayland had a population of about 175, half a dozen business firms, several physicians, and had a good basis of growth in the surrounding country. In the latter part of that decade two railroad lines were building through the county in the vicinity of Wayland. and the prospects for village growth were very bright indeed. The road from Allegan, which was the first to be completed, did not pass through Wayland, however, but gave inception to the rival settlement of Hilliards, which attracted some of those who had located at Wayland in anticipation of the railroad. But within a few months the Grand Rapids & Indiana reached Wayland, thus securing the business and population that had located there. However, as already mentioned, the village has not increased in size since that time until the last few years.
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HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
During the period of rapid increase in population and business between 1865 and 1870, the county board of supervisors were requested to incor- porate the village, and this was done at the fall meeting of 1868. At the first village election, December 7. 1868, the total number of votes cast was 121, resulting in the election of the following set of officials: Edward M. Fitch, president ; Henry C. Garrett, clerk ; Norton Briggs, treasurer ; William E. White, Alfred H. Bostwick, George W. Pease, Isaac Buskirk, James F. Halbert and Robert B. Deuel, trustees; Edwin E. Hoyt, marshal; Dan G. Slade, poundmaster. The principal officials for the following years are given in the Official Lists.
Bradley is the only other locality of Wayland township to be mentioned as a center. Occupying a block of land, mainly east of the railroad and extending cast along the road dividing section 19, the plat of Bradley, laid out by Josiah E. Harding and Elijah Colby, was recorded November 9. 1870, having been surveyed by J. W. Hicks. It is a center of population rather than of business, although its one hundred and fifty inhabitants and the surrounding country support several stores and minor places of business. Bradley owes its origin to a postoffice that was established in the early days at the house of David Bradley in section 28. In 1854, when the plank road was completed, the postoffice was moved from the original location to be on the route of travel. Joel Brownson and others had located near the site and a hotel, a store, a sawmill and other enterprises located there.
HON. DAVID STOCKDALE .- To perform all of life's duties well as they presented themselves to him, and at the same time constantly seeking to increase his knowledge and to improve his condition, seems to have been an innate characteristic of the subject of this sketch, and as a consequence he has all through life constantly ascended in his career, ever improving his surroundings and before middle age reaching a position very high in the community where so much of his life has been passed. Few men who began life's real duties at the blacksmith's forge have been possessed of sufficient intelligence and power of application to obtain a liberal education and to become so thoroughly posted along certain lines as to be able to enter upon a professional career and to succeed therein, and Hon. David Stockdale is one of these few.
Mr. Stockdale is of English birth and comes of good old British stock. His parents were William and Jane (Pridgeon) Stockdale, also of English birth, who came to America in 1854, locating in Branch county, Michigan, where the remainder of their lives were passed and where they died each at about the age of eighty years. His father was a farmer in this country and was a man of sterling character, while his mother was a true and noble woman in every sense of the term. Their son David was born in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, England, July 26, 1838. His carly education was obtained at a private school at Croft, England, where he studied until he was twelve years of age. Then he was bound out as an apprentice to learn the black- smith trade, the period of his apprenticeship being six years. Thus, when he had served his time and attained the age of eighteen years he had his trade well learned, but his other earthly possessions consisted merely of a suit of clothes. He worked as a journeyman blacksmith for four years and came to America and Michigan in 1858, whither his parents had preceded
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him several years. He located at Wayland, Allegan county, where he estab- lished a blacksmith shop, conducting the same until 1864. In the following year he purchased a farm in Wayland township and operated the same for three years. While at the blacksmith's anvil he became interested in legal affairs and read law, and continued his studies in this direction throughout his farm life and after his removal to the village of Wayland, which occurred in 1868. This has been his home ever since, although he has been called upon to reside a number of years at the county seat when holding office.
Mr. Stockdale's eminent fitness for the performance of the duties of public office have led to his selection on numerous occasions to positions of trust and responsibility. He was supervisor of Wayland township for ten years and was also chairman of the county board of supervisors for one year. For twenty-four years he has been a justice of the peace and in this office he improved the ample opportunity for the study of the law. He was admitted to the bar in 1884 and has since this time been a general prac- titioner. During his residence in Wayland Mr. Stockdale has served almost continuously upon the village board of trustees and has been president of Wayland village for no less than nine years. In 1885 he was elected as probate judge of Allegan county and was twice re-elected, filling this responsible position for twelve continuous years. In 1905 he was elected as a member of the Michigan state legislature and performed his duties in so satisfactory a manner that his party placed him in nomination again for a second term. During his first term at Lansing, although a new member, he was placed upon some of the more important standing and special com- mittees and performed most capable and efficient work thereon. He served upon the committee on elections and his activity thereon resulted in the passage of the direct nominations law, commonly called the primary reform law, which was enacted by the legislature of 1905 and which had its first trial by the people of the state of Michigan in 1906. He also served upon the committee for the amendment and revision of statutes of the state of Michigan and was chairman of the committee having in charge the affairs of the Michigan state prison at Jackson. But his main committee work was done upon the direct nominations law, concerning which there was more interest manifested by the general public than any other new laws passed by the legislature of 1905.
Mr. Stockdale has been a lifelong Republican and has always taken a deep interest in the doings of his party. He has been a power in local politics, active in all party matters and served as chairman of the county Republican county committee for fifteen years. He has been delegated to represent his township, county and district at very many conventions and has missed but one state Republican convention in forty years, going nearly every time as a delegate.
Mr. Stockdale was married in 1859 to Miss Susan A. Young, who died in 1872, leaving three children: William H., who is in the employ of the Rock Island Railroad Company at Kansas City, Missouri ; David A. Way- land, of Wayland : and John B. Stockdale, who is the law partner of his father, the firm name being David Stockdale & Son. Mr. Stockdale was married a second time, in 1874, to Miss Mary E. Doxey, of Shelbyville, and one child resulted from this union, Leila M., who is the wife of Geo. E. Ryno, of Wayland.
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The third son, John B. Stockdale, who is the law partner of his father, was born at Wayland November 28, 1866, and his entire life has been passed in this vicinity, with the exception of the years spent in acquiring his education. He graduated in the Wayland schools at the age of seven- teen years. After two years spent in teaching school he entered the probate office at Allegan as clerk and as soon as he had attained the required legal age he was made probate register under his father, who was at that time probate judge. He graduated from the Valparaiso Law School of Indiana in 1897 and from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1898. His first law practice was at Owosso, where he remained for three years and where he was also county circuit court commissioner. Returning to Wayland he entered into partnership with his father, where he has since remained. Mr. John B. Stockdale was married November 21, 1889, to Miss Elizabeth H. Crissenberry, of Greencastle, Indiana. Like his father, Mr. Stockdale has been chosen many times to fill public offices. He has been township clerk of Wayland and is also at present justice of the peace for his township, besides being circuit court commissioner for Allegan county. For several years he has also been a member of the village board of trustees. He also is active in the Republican ranks and is often chosen to represent his constituents.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the Hon. David Stockdale has led a remarkably active and useful life and that he stands high in the regard of his fellow men. From comparatively humble beginnings he has ascended the scale of life, achieving honor, a competence and rearing a family the members of which have become useful members of society. He is a man of the kind which form the bulwark of this great nation and it is evident that he has still before him many years of usefulness.
WILLIAM LEDRA HEAZLIT is one of the oldest merchants in Wayland and he has for nearly a half-century been closely identified with the business interests of the town. He was born in Strongville, Cuyahoga county. Ohio, October 20, 1843, his parents being Edwin and Elizabeth Heazlit. His father was a farmer and he died when William L. was only thirteen years of age, thus throwing the lad in a great measure upon his own resources. In 1861 he came to Michigan and located in Wayland, working for several years at different occupations, and in 1864 went to Nashville, Tennessee, where he remained for six months in the employ of the government. His mother, an invalid for more than thirty years, also became a resident of Wayland, where she died at the age of fifty-seven years.
After his southern experience young Heazlit returned to Wayland and began his mercantile career. It was in 1865 that he began clerking for Mr. J. M. Berry, the pioneer merchant of Wayland, and as was the custom of the day, our subject agreed to labor three years in learning the business, receiving one hundred dollars for the first year's work, two hundred dollars for the second year, and three hundred dollars for the third year, these sums of money being in addition to his board and lodging. That he was an efficient helper is evidenced by the fact that after the expiration of the period of his apprenticeship he remained with Mr. Berry as long as the latter remained in business in Wayland.
Being now thoroughly conversant with the buying and selling of goods
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and being anxious to get into business for himself, Mr. Heazlit became a member of the firm of Heazlit & Henika. In 1875 the business again changed hands and was known as Heazlit & Brisban, and in 1878 Mr. Heazlit became the sole proprietor. This year he purchased the store property on the southwest corner of Main and Superior streets and here a most flourishing business was done. In January, 1883, the store and stock were destroyed by fire, and although the loss was a severe one, Mr. Heazlit with rare courage again established himself in business. In the spring of 1884 he began the erection of a brick building on the site of the one destroyed, completing it in the autumn of the same year. It is a handsome structure, twenty-four by eighty feet in size and built of brick and stone Here Mr. Heazlit has conducted business ever since and here is to be found a remarkably large and well selected stock of goods, ranging in wholesale value from eight thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars. It is a most popular trading place for the people of Wayland and vicinity and the annual sales run as high as eighteen thousand dollars. These are evidences of the personal popularity of Mr. Heazlit, coupled with his honorable business methods. He understands thoroughly the needs of the people of this section and his long experience has made him a shrewd buyer and an excellent judge of all kinds of merchandise. His business has been built up by aiming to give patrons full value for their money every time, and his trade goes on increasing from year to year. Business reverses have been his, to be sure, but each time he has re-entered the battle with a determination to re-establish himself, and each time he has been eminently successful in his endeavors.
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