USA > Michigan > Allegan County > A twentieth century history of Allegan County, Michigan > Part 65
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
Then, in 1862, just as they were beginning to see their way clear, came the Civil war and the young husband was drafted into the service along with many others. Our subject, however, did not take it so seriously as did some, but went cheerfully to Kalamazoo for examination. This over, he was given ten days to either find a substitute or report for service and after a little search he succeeded in borrowing the money with which to obtain a substitute. Thus they were again placed deeply in debt, and to obtain the necessary money quickly they hired out to work in a lumber camp for one season. In the spring of 1867 they were again ready to renew their labors upon their farm, and here they afterward remained. They prospered and added to their original farm, when in 1874 death claimed the loving wife and the home was left desolate. One son was born to them, Willie, and he lived to be eighteen years of age, then being killed by being thrown from a horse.
In November, 1875, Mr. Doud was married to Mary Myers, who was born in Otsego, Michigan, in 1846. She was the daughter of Charles and Dally Myers, natives of Ohio and Massachusetts, respectively, who came here in an early day. This union has resulted in the birth of one son, Jay,
467
HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
who lives upon a farm in this township. He married Dora Slantz, and they have two children, Claude and Stephen.
The Doud home is a pleasant one and stands upon the original forty acres which Mr. Doud obtained from the government. The farm is close to the little village of Chicora, or, as Mr. Doud styles it, "Jimtown," which is a thriving little settlement. Here our subject in January, 1905, leased to the Allegan Creamery Company for ninety-nine years a plat of ground on section 17, just opposite the residence, upon which they have erected a creamery which does a large business. This lease becomes null and void if the premises are ever used for any purpose except a creamery and skim- ming station, at which time the property and buildings revert back to the owner or his assigns.
WARNER W. SPENCER is one of the wide-awake and progressive farm- ers of the township of Cheshirc, where he has lived for the past forty years. He has advanced ideas in agricultural matters and is not content to keep in the old rut of general farming followed by so many, but is ever eager to learn of improved methods and willing to experiment along new lines which promise success and profit. To men such as he is the advanced pros- perity of this country in an agricultural way due, for when they dcmon- strate the advantage of new crops or improved methods of raising the old ones, others follow their example and Mother Earth is thus encouraged to give of her best.
Mr. Spencer is the son of John R. and Sally (Spencer) Whitney, na- tives of the states of New York and Connecticut, respectively. They be- came the parents of four sons, Warren and Warner, who were twins; Elisha and Frank. Warner W. was born in Camden township, Lorain county, Ohio, August 15, 1839. For several good reasons, he was in his in- fancy taken into the family of his maternal grandparents. Elisha and Sylvia (Bacon) Spencer, natives of Connecticut and Vermont, respectively. Their own children had grown up and gone away into homes of their own and they took by adoption Warner and also a daughter. Thus the boy's name became Spencer, instead of Whitney, and he has retained this name ever since. He was carefully reared by these grandparents and the young man repaid the debt so far as he was able by caring for them in their later years. They both passed away before the outbreak of the Civil war, and thus being left without any near ties of relationship he promptly responded to the first call of his country for volunteers and cnlisted in 1861 in Company H of the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Starr. He was sent to Camp Dennison and there re-enlisted for three years in Company I of the same regiment, under Captain Allen. He was in the Army of the Potomac and he participated in all the numerous engagements of his regiment, with the exception of the second battle of Bull Run and the Antietam fight, he being ill in hospital upon both of these occasions. After two years of serv- ice he was discharged on account of physical disability. He weighed two hundred and two pounds before going to Petersburg and at the time of his discharge was reduced to one hundred and twenty-five pounds. After his discharge he returned to Ohio, where he worked by the month on a farm for one summer and the following winter in the woods. He was then en- gaged about a year on a government contract, getting out wood hubs and
.
468
HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
spokes for the artillery. He then worked at the cooperage business for a number of months and this was followed by his going into the dairy busi- ness on a farm in partnership with another, their farm being near Welling- ton, Ohio. They ran this one season and then Mr. Spencer came to Cheshire township in 1866 and located upon his present farm of one hun- dred and fifty acres on section 19, where he has lived ever since. At the time of his purchase this farm was all timber land and he cut the first tree in the operation of clearing. He now has about one hundred acres under cultivation, forty acres of pasture and the remainder is a fine tim- ber lot. On the farm are two dwellings and other substantial buildings, including a fine barn forty-two by sixty-four feet in size, with twenty-foot posts and a ten-foot basement. The place is known as Hickory Grove Farm, from a large grove of fine hickories thereon. The specialties are fruit and dairying. From ten to fifteen cows have been milked for the past fifteen years, and there is a vast amount of fruit on the place. He has set out seven acres of peaches, eight acres of apples and two acres of pears, plums and cherries, his trees being thrifty and good bearers.
Politically Mr. Spencer is a Republican, and he has been elected jus- tice of the peace for consecutive terms, refusing, however to qualify for the last term. He has been a school officer for a number of years and was assessor of his district at the time of the building of the new school house. He is a member of the United Brethren church of Cheshire, in which he is an active worker, being chairman of the board of trustees ever since the church was built, and chairman of the board of finance, as well as being steward and class leader. His brothers, Elisha and Frank, also served in the war of the rebellion, each of the three putting in three years or more, and two of them receiving bullet wounds. He was mar- ried in 1864 to Naoma A. Waite, who was born in Vermont, July 27, 1835. She was the daughter of Levi and Sarah (Randall) Waite. They removed to New York state and later to Ohio, where she was married.
Two children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, as follows: George Wesley, born March 18, 1866, was accidentally shot and killed December 1, 1897, after returning from a hunting expedition. He left a widow and one child, Evelina. Anna N., the daughter of the family, is the wife of Albert H. Flannigan, of Peoria, Illinois.
REV. JOSEPH CROSS, who has been an active and valued factor in the moral development of Cheshire township, and who is also engaged suc- cessfully in farming, was born in northern Alabama, near the Tennessee line, May 10, 1844. There he remained until sixteen years of age, when he came alone to Oakland county, Michigan, and for about a year was employed at farm labor. At the time of the Civil war he was a stalwart champion of the Union cause and enlisted from Springfield township, Oak- land county, Michigan, February 26, 1864, in the First Michigan Colored Infantry. He was afterward transferred to the One Hundred and Second United States Volunteer Infantry, and did active duty in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, participating in all' of the engage- ments with his regiment until mustered out on the 28th of October, 1865.
When the war was over and Rev. Cross had done his full part in upholding the Union and in establishing freedom in the south, he returned
469
HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
to Oakland county, Michigan, where he resumed farming. After a brief period, however, he removed to Cass county, this state, and for nine years resided within its borders, being engaged in farming on his own account. He worked industriously and perseveringly and gained the capital which made it possible for him to purchase land. His first property consisted of a tract of forty acres, which he cultivated for some time. Later, however, he sold this and rented a farm of others. In 1876, however, he came to his present farm on section 25, Cheshire township, comprising one hundred and twenty acres of land. In fact, he has two farms here with two sets of buildings, one being a tract of forty acres, while the other comprises eighty acres, and both are situated on section 25. The eighty acres have been improved by Rev. Cross, who has erected good buildings upon it and has devoted his land to general farming purposes, producing good crops and having a well-kept place.
For the past twenty years the Rev. Joseph Cross has been a clergyman of the Baptist church, having been ordained about fifteen years ago. He was pastor of a church in Cass county in 1890 and 1891, and also for one year at Benton Harbor, while the remainder of the time he has found his field for ministerial labor in Allegan county. He was instrumental recently in building a new church called the Messiah Baptist church, at Cheshire, and has a congregation numbered between forty and fifty. He was the founder of the Baptist church in this locality, organizing the congregation in 1895. During that time there has been a steady increase in the member- ship, and although death has removed many, others have been added and the work of the church has been carried steadily forward. Rev. Cross was first identified with the Chain Lake Baptist Association, and since that time he has put forth earnest and far-reaching effort for the moral develop- ment of his people.
He was married in Cass county in 1867 to Miss Susan Jones, who was born in North Carolina, March 12, 1843. Their children are: Lavina Jane. the deceased wife of Frank Turner : William Isaiah, who is married and is upon the home farm with his father; Joseph F., who is living in Copper township. Kalamazoo county, and Charles, who also resides in the same locality.
In his political views Rev. Mr. Cross has always been a stalwart Republican and takes an active interest in the party and its work. He belongs to B. F. Chapin Post. No. 287, G. A. R., of Cheshire township. Always a hard worker, he is an industrious and a self-made man, who owes his success to his own efforts. He has been called the Booker T. Wash- ington of Allegan county and has a marked influence with his people, and his efforts are always put forth on the side of right, progress, truth and justice.
JAMES WINCHELL, who is the second largest land owner in the town- ship of Cheshire and reputed its wealthiest man, is one who has unaided made his way through life, performing all of its duties as they presented themselves and ever acquitting himself honorably. In time of peace he gave his attention to his usual avocations, working industriously and ac- cumulating property, and when the call came he bravely went to the front and defended his country's honor. Then, the conflict settled, he returned
470
HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
sadly disabled to his peaceful labors, handicapped, to be sure, from his physical disability, but never complaining, and by his industry and energy succeeding where many a physically perfect man has failed.
James Winchell is a native of the township of Lee, Oneida county, New York, where he was born March 24. 1835. His parents were John and Nancy (Richards) Winchell, both of whom were New Yorkers by birth, the former being a native of Oneida county and the latter of Broome county. They were the parents of ten children, four of whom died in infancy, the six to reach maturity being as follows: Henry served two years and three months under General Crook and was a sergeant in a cavalry company. He was shot and killed at Cloud Mountain. Seth, the second son, also served over two years in the same conflict in the One Hun- dred and Forty-second New York Infantry. He was shot through the left arm at Fort Fisher, North Carolina, January 16, 1865. After the close of the war he was accidentally killed while assisting at a barn raising in the state of New York. Marriette married, and both herself and husband are deceased. Elmerine married Arthur Higham, of Crispan, New York. The parents, John and Nancy Winchell, spent their entire lives in the state of New York.
James Winchell was reared upon the home farm in New York, where he remained until the opening of the great Civil conflict. Then he enlisted in December, 1861, in Company D, Berdan's First Regiment of Sharpshooters. He was in the battles and skirmishes at Yorktown, New- port, Hanover Court House, Gaines Mills, Fair Oaks and others, and in the seven days' fight at Gaines Mills he lost his left arm, this being in 1862. Here also he was taken prisoner and remained a captive for thirty days, finally being exchanged and returned to his former home in New York. There he remained until 1870, when he thought to better his fortunes in the West. He came to Michigan and settled in Allegan county, selecting a home in Cheshire township. His first purchase was one hundred and twenty-nine acres, to which he afterward added eighty acres. This land was unimproved, with the exception of forty acres which had been cleared and a shanty built. Undeterred by the loss of one of his arms, he set reso- lutely to work and continued the improvement of the place which was to be his home for so many years thereafter. Although it seems almost incredible, nevertheless it is a fact that he performed all kinds of work upon the farm, even chopping and logging unaided and guiding the plow and other tools. Each year saw considerable improvement in the place, until today it is one of the model farm homes in this part of the county, with broad and fertile fields, a handsome and commodious dwelling house and the best of barns and other buildings. The farm is beautifully located upon the banks of Swan Lake, which is a popular summer resort, and the residence stands facing the lake, with only the highway running between it and the shore, thus giving a magnificent view of the waters.
Mr. Winchell was married in 1865 to Matilda Simon, daughter of Hartman and Amelia (Houghton) Simon, who were natives of Baden, Germany, where they were married and where their daughter was also born, December 2, 1844. She came to America with her parents when she was only three years old, they locating in New York state, where the remainder of their lives were passed. There also the daughter met and
-
471
HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
married James Winchell, and to them were born four children, only one of whom, Amelia, is now living, her home being in Wisconsin. Those who have passed away are as follows: Charles D., the eldest, died here in December, 1905; leaving a widow, but no children: John D. died in infancy, and James, the youngest, died at the age of twenty years. The wife and mother passed away in April, 1899.
And now, after a long life of activity and usefulness, James Winchell is enjoying a well-deserved rest from arduous labor, although he still keeps employed in various ways. All his life he has been a stanch Republican, casting his first presidential ballot for Fremont and continuing to vote for each Republican candidate for President. He has always taken an interest in politics and has been called upon to fill numerous positions of trust and responsibility. He was township collector in New York state for several years and in his Michigan home served as highway commissioner for no less than ten terms. As a man of affairs he is often consulted by others and his fellow townsmen have a very high opinion of his good judgment. Of late years he has leased his fine farm, although maintaining a home here with the tenants, and the cold winters almost invariably see him in California for the season.
MARCUS A. FERRIS, who is one of the largest land owners in the town- ship of Cheshire, as well as one of its most intelligent and progressive farmers, is a native of this township, where he was born December 17, 1857, and where he has lived ever since upon the same farm, which is located on section seventeen. Mr. Ferris is justly proud of his ancestry and a suitable review of the same in this connection is most appropriate. His father, Hon. Richard Ferris, was the seventh in a family of nine chil- dren and he was born in the town of Butler, Wayne county, New York, August 7. 1822. Until he was eighteen years of age he remained upon the farm of his father in the Empire state, and then he began life for himself. In 1842 he decided that the middle west, which was in those days called the far west, was the place for a young man to achieve success, and accord- ingly he went into Indiana, stopping at Mishawaka. where he stayed for some time, working summers on a farm and the remainder of the year in a sawmill. Then he came to Michigan and worked for some eight months in Cass county. By this time he realized that a man without education was greatly handicapped in the contest for a comfortable livelihood, so he returned to Mishawaka and attended a select school during one winter and in the spring went to work again in the millyard, his wages at this time being only twenty dollars per month. His employer. William Milburn, soon realized that there was ability in the young man and he promoted him to head sawyer and finally gave the entire mill into his management. Here he remained constantly from 1845 until 1851. with the exception of one year passed in study at Notre Dame University, where he acquired much useful knowledge. April 19, 1851, Mr. Ferris married Miss Hannah Milburn, a sister of his employer. He passed one summer in a sawmill at Lawrence, Michigan, teaching school in the winter, and then returned to Mishawaka again, where he purchased an interest in a new sawmill which had been established there. After operating it a short time he returned to Lawrence and bought an interest in another sawmill, which he
472
HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
operated until 1854. Then selling this property, he came into Allegan county and settled upon a four hundred and eighty acre tract of new land in Cheshire township, where he built a log house of unusually large dimen- sions and began to clear his land.
In the spring following his arrival he built a sawmill and ran it suc- cessfully for a number of years, when it burned. Nothing daunted, he erected another mill, but when the water power which operated it failed a few years later he gave up lumbering operations altogether and devoted his entire attention to farming. He sold a portion of his tract of land, reserv- ing three hundred and forty acres, and in a few years he had two hundred and forty acres of this under cultivation and had many improvements. His house, which was erected in 1860, was for many years the finest dwelling in the township, and his other buildings were on a par with it. In later years he devoted a great deal of attention to raising fine stock in the way of sheep and draft and coach horses, and he did much to improve the class of live stock in this vicinity.
It was but natural that a man of Mr. Ferris' ability and energy should take a prominent part in the public affairs of his township and county, and for years he was considered one of the foremost men of this section. In educational affairs his deep interest led to his selection as a school officer and he served his district faithfully in this direction for many years, also acting for a number of years as township school inspector. He was also township clerk here and in Lawrence township, Van Buren county. Mr. Ferris was during the most of his life an ardent Republican and his first presidential vote was cast for Henry Clay. In the early history of Cheshire township he was a power for his party and he did much to give the town- ship its long continued Republican majorities. In 1870 he was chosen as representative from his district in the state legislature, and here his sterling qualities were evident. He was chairman of the committee on lumber, a member of the committee on prisons, and also a member of the joint com- mittee of both houses appointed to visit the penal and reformatory institu- tions of the state.
Although his affiliations were for so many years with the Republican party, nevertheless Mr. Ferris was always deeply interested in temperance work and he did great good in this direction. Ever obedient to the dictates of his conscience, he thought he saw great financial relief in the free silver movement and he bravely differed from his party on this question and during the remainder of his life advocated the free silver doctrine. Mr. Ferris was reared as a Catholic, although in his later years he was not affiliated with this faith. He was an organizer and fatihful member of the Allegan County Pioneer Society, and for many years a meeting of this organization was not considered complete without his cheerful presence. He had had much to do with the history of the township and county and he possessed a most interesting fund of reminiscence. He spent the remainder of his life upon the farm which he had made, and here he died May 28, 1904. Mrs. Ferris was a most capable helpmeet for her worthy husband during his long and successful career. She was an earnest mem- ber of the Church of England and was noted for her generous and charita- ble deeds. Her death preceded that of her husband, she passing away November 15, 1900. They were the parents of four children, as follows:
473
HISTORY OF ALLEGAN COUNTY
William M. is a resident of this township: Mary E. married Robert O'Brien and she is now deceased ; Marcus A. is the subject of this review. and Joseph G. is deceased.
Marcus A. was reared upon the home farm and this has been his home ever since. With his father's example before him it is no wonder that he became a capable man and a good farmer. He is the present owner of the old homestead of two hundred and forty acres and he has continued the improvements started by the senior Mr. Ferris until now "Swan Creek Stock Farm" is one of the finest places in Allegan county. Although it has always been a general purpose farm, the present owner is determined to make it in the future a model dairy farm, and here we find some excellent strains of Jersey and Holstein cattle. Mr. Ferris was married in 1890 to Miss Florence V. Motter, who was born in Lee township, April 19. 1870. She is the daughter of George and Mary J. (Smith) Motter, who were natives respectively of Ohio and Indiana. They were married in Indiana and came to Lee township in 1866, with a family of five children, two more being born after they became residents of this section. They passed the remainder of their lives here, where the wife and mother died at the age of forty-eight, the husband and father passing away at the advanced age of seventy-two.
Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Ferris have had seven children, as follows : Hannah B., Joseph G., Harold, Carl, Henry Howard, Jannette and Richard. All are living with the exception of Henry Howard, who was accidentally drowned when two and one-half years old.
Mr. Ferris was always a Republican until the advent of Bryan, since which time he has advocated the doctrines of this brilliant westerner. He has never accepted public office, although his counsel and good judgment are eagerly sought on many matters. He is a member of Deer Lake Grange and the Cheshire K. O. T. M. He is devoted to his family, and his fine farm and his home is one of the model farm places in the prosperous county of Allegan.
JUDSON D. WEDGE, who is engaged in general farming on section 8. Cheshire township, was born near Forestville, Ontario, Canada, August 18. 1875. His paternal grandparents were both natives of Toronto. Canada, and were representatives of old Ontario families who located in that portion of the country during the pioneer epoch in its history. The Wedge family is of English lineage, but was founded in America at an early day. The parents of our subject were Jordan and Hannah ( Parker) Wedge, who were likewise natives of Ontario but now reside upon a farm near Carsonville, Michigan. Their children were two in number-Judson D. and Pearl Arthur.
In taking up the personal history of our subject we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in Allegan county. He was reared upon a farm in the place of his nativity until thirteen years of age, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Sanilac, Michigan, near Carsonville, there remaining from the fall until the following spring, when at the age of fourteen years, he went to Chicago and became connected with the commission business, being for eleven years an employe in the wholesale fruit house of Parker Brothers.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.