USA > Michigan > Allegan County > A twentieth century history of Allegan County, Michigan > Part 54
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In 1893 Mr. Hoeksema was united in marriage to Effie Gelderloos, daugliter of Juorjen G. Gelderloos, who is the mother of four children, namely : Birdie, Jay. Martin and Theodore.
In politics Mr. Hoeksema gives his support to the Republican party. Both he and his wife are loyal members of the Christian Reformed church at East Holland.
ABEL BULTHUIS, an enterprising merchant of Hamilton. Michigan, where he conducts a boot, shoe and harness shop, was born in Holland May 14, 1875, and is one of eleven children born to John and Martha ( Kampen) Bulthuis, of Holland, who came to the United States when our subject was seven years of age and settled in Ottawa county.
John Bulthuis resided for a time at Spring Lake, and later for some
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years at Grand Rapids, where he was engaged in the lumber business. After the death of his wife he devoted his time to farming in Ottawa county. In this county Abel Bulthuis lived until 1890, when he moved to Overisel, Allegan county, there learning the trade of harness making. This trade he followed in that town until 1807, when he moved to Hamilton, and started in the harness business, on his own account. A little over a year later he put in a stock of boots and shoes, and has since conducted both branches, building up a good and ever increasing trade. The store was located until 1902 on the premises now occupied by the Dangermond Hard- ware Company, when it was moved to its present location.
On August 9. 1897, Mr. Bulthuis was married to Miss Jennie Michmer- huizen, their wedding being the occasion of a most unique celebration. The parents of the bride, Hendrick Jan and Trientze ( Kortering) Michmer- huizen, had been married just twenty-five years on the day appointed for the wedding, and their parents numbered fifty years of married life on that day and date. A triple wedding was, therefore, arranged, the wedding of our subject and his fiancee, the silver wedding of her parents and the golden wedding of the grandparents, who were aged, respectively, eighty and seventy-five years at the time. This happy occurrence was attended by Hollanders from throughout this section of the state and was the cause of much comment, both on the part of the local and metropolitan newspapers. Hendrick Michmerhuizen, the grandfather, came to Michigan from Holland in 1847, and located at Graafschap, where he was married in August of that year, remaining there for five years and then moving to Overisel, where he resided until his death. Henrdick J. Michmerhuizen was born in Allegan county, and resided with his parents at the old homestead until their death. Abel Bulthuis and wife are the parents of four children : Marjorie, Trinie, John and Henrietta Johanna, all of whom are living.
In 1905 Mr. Bulthuis was elected township clerk on a union ticket, and served with such efficiency that he was nominated by the Republican party in 1906 for the same office and re-elected. He has won and retained the respect and confidence of his community, both in public and private life. Mr. Bulthuis and his wife are both members of the Christian Reformed church, the well being of which church they have much at heart.
WILLIAM W. BURNETT, whose residence in Allegan county covers a period of nearly forty years, was born in Webster township, Monroe county. New York, February 11, 1845, and remained there until sixteen years of age, when he enlisted, October 14, 1861, in Company H, Eighth New York cavalry, and served for nearly four years, when he re-enlisted in the same company. Among other engagements in which he took part were Banks' retreat in the Shenandoah valley in 1862, out of Harper's Ferry in Decem- ber of the same year ; an engagement with Longstreet's wagon train, dur- ing which he rode seventy-six miles in eleven hours; Pleasanton Raid to Richmond; Rappahannock, in June of 1863, during which sixty men and five officers out of five hundred men were wounded or killed ; battle of the Wilderness ; White Oak Swamp; Malvern Hill ; then with the Wilson Raid, where he was wounded (June 23, 1864) in the face and shoulder, riding for six days in the ambulance, and subsequently being taken prisoner by the Confederates. He was held at Petersburg Barracks and Libby Prison for
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a short time, and on August 11. 1864, was paroled and went to the hospital at Annapolis, Maryland. His regiment was in seventy-six engagements, and during his entire time of service he was never sick, except for the time he suffered from the wound in his face. He returned home in 1865. and remained there until coming to Michigan.
Upon arriving in Michigan, 1867. he purchased a small place and built a low-roofed house, which he later raised and added to. All the improve- ments and buildings generally on the farm are the work of his own hands.
William F. Burnett, father of our subject, was a native of Monroe county. New York, and spent his entire life in that vicinity, except for the time he served in the army. He enlisted in February, 1863. in Battery L. First New York artillery, and served until the close of the war. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Dorothy Phillips, both died in New York.
Our subject was married. on December 23. 1871. to Ellen A. Woodruff. of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Charles Woodruff, who came from Pennsylvania to Heath township and built and operated a hotel at Hamilton for a number of years. Mr. Burnett is the father of seven children: May. wife of George A. Pinkney, of Heath township: Mary Edna, wife of Burt Bradley of Douglas, Michigan : George W., a resident of Chicago : Jennie. wife of Claude Plotts : Charles. Nina and Livina.
Our subject is a Republican, and is a well known commissioner of his local township. He is also affiliated by membership with Hamilton Lodge No. 315, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
DAVID WINFIELD ASIILEY, postmaster of Dunningville, Michigan, has been a resident of Heath township for twenty-seven years. He was born in Covington township. Wyoming county, New York, July 28. 1848, and was about six years of age when his parents moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan. From there he moved to Ganges, in Allegan county, and subsequently to Barry county, where he purchased a place and devoted his time to farming for about six years. In 1879 he came to Heath township and started lum- bering on the Ben White place. Later he located on the farm of which he is now owner in the southern part of the township, and ran a log and shingle mill. He operated a stationary mill at this point for a number of years, also owning a portable mill with which he sawed lumber both in Alle- gan and Barry counties. It was Mr. Ashley's custom to spend the falls in North Dakota threshing, a practice which he continued until 1901. In that year he moved to Dunningville and became station agent at that point. serv- ing also a deputy postmaster, and in 1903 he was appointed postmaster, in which capacity he has served since that time.
Our subject is the son of Amos A. and Maria Ann ( Reynolds) Ashley. both natives of the state of New York, the former of whom died in Barry county. Michigan, and the latter was a daughter of Benjamin Reynolds, of English descent, who served in the war of 1812, and was a comrade of Mr. Ashley's paternal grandfather in the Mexican war, both of them serving with General Scott at the City of Mexico when that city was captured. To this union were born ten children. in the following order of birth: Ben- jamin, deceased : David W., our subject : William A .; Adalaska. deceased ; Amos E., deceased; Samuel O., Ella A., deceased wife of Henry Wiles ; Nora M., late wife of Adelbert Enzien, and Elmer E.
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On December 29, 1870, our subject was married to Jane Bloomer, of Hillsdale, Michigan, a daughter of John D. and Sarah A. (Lowe) Bloomer, to whom have been born two children : Ervin E., of Holland, Michigan, who was married to Emma Tyler, by whom he had one child, William Winfield, who resides with his grandparents, and who was married a second time to Maude I. Plotts ; and Maude M., who has been identified for some time with the Prudent Patricians of Pompeii, as a promoter, and has organized lodges at Vicksburg, Pullman, Bellevue, Charlotte, Belding, Lowell and Hastings, Michigan. Mrs. Ashley's father served in the Thirteenth Michigan Infantry under General Sherman, and was with his march to the sea. He was in the service until the close of the war.
Our subject is a Democrat, in politics, and was elected supervisor front Heath township four years ago, having been re-elected three times since. He received his party's nomination in the fall of 1906 for the state legislature. Mr. Ashley has been identified for years with public affairs, having been a deputy-sheriff in Barry county and constable, school assessor, and moderator in his present community.
He was for twelve years commander of his lodge of the K. O. T. M., at Dunningville, is at present finance keeper, in addition president of the Na- tional Protective Legion, and a local director of the Patrons of Husbandry.
OVANDO HOARD, who has been a resident of Dunningville, Michigan, and vicinity, since 1867, was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, No- vember 3, 1843. He is a son of Cephas R. and Sarah Jane (Earl) Hoard, both natives of Vermont, the former dying in Van Buren county, Michigan.
When but six years of age our subject accompanied his parents to Sack county, Wisconsin, where he resided until 1862, when they moved to Van Buren county, Michigan. In the fall of 1863 he enlisted in Company K. First Michigan Cavalry, at Paw Paw, and accompanied this regiment to the front, being in Baltimore on that memorable cold New Year's day of 1865. a winter never to be forgotten by those who passed through it. Our subject was in the service until the war closed and was mustered out at Detroit in 1866. He took part in the engagements of the Wilderness, Yellow Tavern, Cold Harbor, Opequan Creek, Cedar Creek. Sailor Creek and Appomattox, and remembers seeing the white flag leave General Lee's headquarters pre- paratory to the surrender to General Grant. He was also present at that historic Grand Review at Washington. After his war service was ended he returned to Van Buren county, Michigan, where he remained until moving to Dunningville.
In 1867 he came to Dunningville to work in the mill and has been in the vicinity of this town since. In 1884 he moved into the house in which he now resides. Our subject was engaged for a number of years in incidental mill work and in mill construction, helping Mr. Sawyer build mills at Leroy and also at Gilcrist. In 1888 he quit the occupation of milling and pur- chased his present farm, which consists of one hundred and twenty acres, given over to the raising of apples, having formerly been a cherry orchard.
On July 3. 1872, Mr. Hoard was married to Abbie E. Tyler, a native of Saugatuck, Michigan, and a daughter of Captain Thomas and Mary ( Kelly) Tyler. The latter, who was eighty-two years of age last August (1906). lives on an adjoining farm. Captain Tyler came from Rhode Island to
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Allegan county, Michigan, in 1843. He died in Saugatuck January 17, 1876. Mrs. Hoard has two brothers living, William J. Tyler, of Gladwin. Michigan, and Herbert T. Tyler, a resident of Texas.
Our subject is a Republican and is a worthy member of his local school board. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge at Allegan and is Master of the Patrons of Husbandry at Dunningville.
CHARLES E. INGHAM, who farms in Heath township, was born in Valley township April 24, 1862, and has spent most of his life in Allegan county. He is a son of Burroughs Ingham, born in New York, near the village of Cold Creek, Allegheny county, and Sarah (Butler) Ingham, also a native of New York state. Their children were eight in number, viz .: Frank, who lives near Owosso, Michigan ; Walter ; William, deceased ; Fred, who lives in Boston ; George, who died in Minnesota ; Charles E., our subject ; Daniel, a resident of Mississippi ; and Bert, also living in Mississippi.
Charles E. Ingham received his education in the township where he was born, and in his early manhood, desiring to see something of the neigh- boring states, went to Wisconsin, and then to Illinois, where he spent a few years. He then returned to Holland, Michigan, and subsequently settled in Heath township. while about 1902 he located his present place, a tract of eighty acres, and has personally attended to the improvements, including that part of it which is cleared, and the building of a dwelling and necessary outbuildings.
Mr. Ingham was married February 20. 1887, to May Greenwood, a native of Van Buren county, Michigan, and a daughter of John and Candace (Schorman) Greenwood. Mr. Greenwood was for a number of years a resi- dent of Heath township, where he first ran a mill and then engaged in farming. Both he and his wife died in this township. Mr. Ingham is the father of four children, born on the following dates: Walter Guy, January 9, 1894 : Herbert Ovando, August 6, 1896; Lawrence Steward, December 25. 1899 : and Marian Louise, July 6, 1906.
Our subject is a Republican and has served as a member of the school board for a number of years, being still connected with it. He is a member of the K. O. T. M. at Dunningville, having joined that order at Holland, and is also an esteemed member of Patrons of Husbandry.
DANIEL MCALPINE, of Heath township, Allegan county. is of Scottish ancestry, although a Canadian by birth, having been born at New London, in the Province of Ontario, Canada. January 24, 1839. He is a son of Hugh and Annie (McPhale) McAlpine, who were both natives of Scotland. Hugh McAlpine came to Canada when about forty-five years of age, and though a carpenter by trade turned his attention to farming, which occupation he con- tinued to follow until his death. He was the father of fourteen children. all of whom are now dead with the exception of Daniel M. and a brother named Alexander. who still resides in Canada.
Daniel McAlpine, upon coming to Michigan, located at Plainwell, where he remained a year, and then moved to Heath township, where he found em- ployment in the sawmills. The farm on which he now lives, comprising fifty-two acres, he cleared himself, paying ten dollars an acre for it, and taking it from the former owner-for whom he worked-in lieu of wages.
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He has done much to improve his neighborhood, always advocating good roads and other public improvements ; in fact, the school house for that dis- trict is located on an acre of ground which he donated for that purpose.
Mr. McAlpine, was married, in 1863, to Annie Brodie, by whom he had one son, Hugh, who is now employed as an engineer of one of the lake boats, running from Detroit to Duluth. His second marriage occurred to Mary Jane Bellamy, and of this union there were born five children : Neil, of Michigan City, Indiana, who married Cora Young, and is the father of four children, Lloyd, Irene. Wayne, and Keith: Ida, wife of Fred Wicks, of Allegan, and the mother of one child, Verna Marie; Margaret, wife of Frank Clare, of Minnesota : John, who resides with his parents, but is now in South Dakota, and Burt, who married Lillie Johnson, and resides in Michigan City, In- diana. After the death of his second wife Mr. McAlpine was married, No- vember 24, 1897, to Mary E. Meyers, a native of La Grange, Indiana, and a daughter of Isaac B. and Annie ( Leslie) Meyers. She was generally known by the name of Robinson, having been adopted by a family of that name, who came to Allegan county in 1865, where two years later the father died ; the mother, however, is still living at Hastings, Michigan. Mrs. McAlpine had one brother, Henry C. Meyers, who was a soldier in the Civil war. Mr. McAlpine is a Republican in politics, and has served one term as highway commissioner, discharging his duties creditably and well. He is a respected member of the Patrons of Husbandry at Dunningville.
CHARLES WILBER BUTLER, who has been a resident of Allegan county since his birth, was born in Valley township, September 30, 1861. He is a son of Charles B. and Susan (Handy) Butler, both natives of New York. Charles B. Butler came to Michigan from New York, and located in Valley township, moving subsequently to Overisel township where he died about fourteen years ago. The mother of our subject was his second wife; his first wife having died before he came to Michigan. Charles W. is the third of a family of nine children, eight of whom are now living : Mary (Dunnen- berg) : Merritt, who lives in Oregon: Charles Wilber; Ward, residing in Trowbridge township: Seymour, who lives in Overisel; Minnie (Dunnen- berg), a resident of Allegan : Hattie (Thornton), who is now in Missaukec county, and Ruth (Bassett) of Chicago.
Charles Wilber Butler was about eight years of age when he went with .his parents to Overisel township, and he remained there for a number of years, being engaged during that time in lumbering and farming. In 1903 he purchased a one hundred and twenty acre tract on the northern boundary of Heath township, and has resided there since. Mr. Butler was married, November 2, 1888, to Bertha May Strait, a native of Kent county, Michi- gan, and daughter of Nehemiah and Lucina (Gerould) Strait, who came to Michigan from New York-of which state they were both natives-in 1878. Mr. Strait died in 1904, but Mrs. Strait still survives, and resides with Mr. Butler and his wife. The family of our subject numbers five children, who were born on the following dates: Hazel, November 26, 1889: Lloyd, November 29, 1891 ; Fern, May 16, 1896; Leonard, August II, 1903, and Laura, March 7, 1905. In politics Mr. Butler is a Republican, and is vitally interested in all that concerns the interests of his party and the welfare of the community in which he resides.
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JOHN N. BARLOW, who follows the occupation of agriculture in Heath township, has been a resident of Allegan county for fifty years. His birth occurred October 14, 1846, and when ten years of age he accompanied his parents to Valley township, where they settled on the Estabrook farm. They later bought what was known as the Ryan farm, on the river at Mill Grove, and subsequently purchased the farm on which our subject now lives. The elder Mr. Barlow engaged in lumbering for a number of years-pine timber being then very plentiful-and cleared the eighty-acre farm on which he re- sided until his death, which occurred November 25, 1883, his wife having died July 4. 1872. Their family consisted of nine children, the following of whom are living: Ezra, who lives at Byron Center ; Ann Bassett, residing at Salem; John, our subject; Jane; David, a resident of Petoskey: Elizabeth McCloud, at Mill Grove: Daniel, of Heath township, who had a twin, Phoebe, deceased ; and Clara Dutcher, who lives in Chicago.
Our subject when a young man worked in the lumber camps and on the river. In 1865 he enlisted for one year in Company G, Eleventh Mich- igan Infantry, and served until the close of the war, going from Jackson, Michigan, to Chattanooga, and then to Cleveland, Tennessee, where he was taken sick and underwent a severe illness. After the close of the war he returned home and took half of his father's farm, and has since devoted himself to farming.
On January 3, 1871, Mr. Barlow was married to Mercy Ann Marks. of Indiana, and a daughter of Samuel and Electra Lurette ( Bassett) Marks, who moved from Indiana to Salem township, Michigan, where they lived for some years, moving subsequently to Osceola county, where Mrs. Marks still lives, aged about eighty-one years. Mr. Marks during the Civil war served in an Indiana regiment and received a gunshot wound-in the battle near Fortress Monroe-which resulted in his death.
Mr. Barlow is the father of three children : Rosella, late wife of Edgar Anson, and mother of four children, Daisy, Lloyd, Clifford ( deceased), and Harold : Fred Eugene, born January 26, 1877, who resides at home, and Frank, born July 17, 1890, who is also living with his parents.
In politics Mr. Barlow is a Republican and has held the office of school moderator, and of pathmaster for twenty years. He is a member of the John W. Purdy Post No. 346, Grand Army of the Republic, at Hamilton, and has been for three years adjutant of that post. He also holds member- ship in Bear Creek Grange No. 926. Patrons of Husbandry, and in the Na- tional Protective Legion No. 192, at Dunningville.
ORRIN A. JACOBS, whose residence in Heath township covers a period of over thirty-five years, nineteen years of which was spent on his present place and the one next adjoining. was born in Franklin county, New York, March 9. 1846. He is a son of Elias and Maria (Court) Jacobs, both natives of New York. The latter still survives, residing at Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was the mother of three children : Orrin A., William (deceased at the age of three years), and Ella, wife of Wilbur Reed.
Our subject in 1866 moved from New York to Kalamazoo, and resided there for four years. He then removed to Allegan county and settled on the farm south of his present property, building a log cabin and clearing the land preparatory to cultivation. In 1899 he moved to his present farm,
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which comprises sixty acres, and his father built the house in which our subject now lives. He devotes his time to general farming, including the raising of apples and peaches.
On November 23, 1875, Mr. Jacobs was married to Anna Gertrude Spofford, a native of Pennsylvania and daughter of David Spofford. She is the mother of two children : Bert, of Kalamazoo, who married Clara Bell Purdy, and is the father of one son, Vaurice ; and Elsie M., who is the wife of Nicholas Prince, and the mother of one child, Inez.
Our subject is a Republican in politics, and has held the offices of high- way commissioner and of township treasurer for some years. In a fraternal way he is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry and of the National Pro- tective Legion.
CHARLES WASHINGTON CUMMINGS, a worthy citizen of Dunningville, Michigan, first came to that place over thirty years ago, in company with his mother and his step-father, Washington Cook. Mr. Cummings was born in Jonesville, Ohio, January 9, 1858, and came with his parents to Jackson, Michigan, in 1861. His father, Archibald Cummings, was a Scotchman, and came from Canada to Ohio, from which state during the Civil war he enlisted in Company F, Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into the service November 7, 1862, at Cleveland, Ohio. He participated in the engagements of Gaines Mills, Savage (Virginia), White Oak Swamp, Harrison's Landing, second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Snicker's Gap, Battle of the Wilderness, Potomac River, Spottsylvania, and died of star- vation August 9, 1864, at Andersonville, Georgia, having been taken pris- oner at the engagement of Spottsylvania. Our subject had also three uncles on his mother's side and one grandfather in the Federal army. His mother, Huldah Ann (Haskin) Cummings, was a native of Canada, and a daughter of Ithemer Haskin, who came originally to the town of Cooper, Allegan county, and subsequently to Casco, Allegan county, and Sheboygan, Mich- igan, in the order named. Our subject is the fourth in order of birth of a family of five children : John Ithemer, who lives at Old Mission ; Elizabeth, wife of James Gardner ; Alice, deceased ; Charles W., and Ursula, deceased.
Charles W. Cummings was but seven years of age when his mother moved to Cooper, Michigan. Later they moved to Ganges where he lived until sixteen. He next moved to Heath township and settled on a farm one mile northeast of his present place. This place contained one hundred and sixty acres and was his home until about seven years ago, when he pur- chased a sixty-acre tract adjoining Dunningville, where he has resided since. During nine years he sawed in a mill at Manistique, Michigan, then one at Wilmington, North Carolina, and worked for a time in Arkansas, then returned to Michigan, where he now follows general farming and stock raising.
On the 22d of February, 1880, Mr. Cummings was united in the bonds of matrimony to Helen Greenwood, a native of Van Buren county, Michi- gan, daughter of John and Candace (Showerman) Greenwood, and who is the mother of one daughter, Beulah, who is still at home with her parents.
Mr. Cummings is a Republican, and has served as highway commis- sioner, and is now in his second term as assessor. He is a member of Bear Creek Grange No. 926, Patrons of Husbandry, also of the National Pro-
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tective Legion, and formerly held membership in Lodge 353 of the I. O. O. F., at Manistique.
HENRY H. TIEN is the efficient postmaster at Graafschap, in the north- western part of Allegan county, where he is also the proprietor of a general store which does a large business. Mr. Tien is a native of Cook county, Illinois, where he was born July 22, 1860. He is the eldest of the family of six children of Herman Tien, who until 1881 lived on a farm in Cook county, Illinois. Here the son, Henry, grew to manhood, assisting his father with the farm work and attending school in the winters, thus securing a good common school education. The family came to Allegan county in 1881 and settled on a farm in Fillmore township. Henry continued farming in this state until in the autumn of 1884 he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness, a line which he has followed ever since. He was first in partnership with John G. Rutgers, this relation being continued for twenty-one years, when Mr. Rutgers sold his interest in the business. Mr. Tien continued the firm, which is now known as Tien & Heneveld. A large stock of general merchandise is carried and the store is a very popular one with the resi- dents of a wide territory. The firm has a reputation for fair dealing and liberal and courteous treatment and as they aim to carry such a line as will meet the needs of all it is but natural that they should transact a large vol- ume of business.
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