A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 101

Author: Coolidge, Orville W
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1314

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Following their marriage Edward Brod- rick and his wife went to his father's farm in Bainbridge township, where they lived for two years, leaving her sister Ellen as housekeeper for her uncle, James Flood, but at the end of that time they returned to Mr. Flood's farm, Mr. Brodrick working with him until the death of Mr. Flood. In the meantime, however, in 1880, he had pur- chased forty acres of land from Mrs. E. Hoag, and he now has one hundred and five acres in the home place and eighty acres a half mile distant. The latter tract had been the homestead of Patrick Flood, and Mr. Brodrick purchased the interest of the other

heirs in the property, his wife having in- herited a part of it. The present home of the Brodricks was erected in war times by Mr. Flood but it has been rebuilt and mod- ernized by Mr. Brodrick, and is now one of the desirable and attractive residences of Hagar township. He has about forty acres in the home place and thirty-five acres in his other farm planted to fruit, making seventy-five acres in all thus utilized. Of this twenty-five acres is set out to peaches and the sale of his fruit has in some years amounted to five thousand dollars.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Brodrick have been born nine children, seven of whom are yet . living : Mary Jane, a twin (the other died in infancy), the wife of James F. Hickey, of Hagar township; William H., at home; Rose Belle, the wife of D. J. Laviolette, of Hagar township; Peter, deceased; Edward Charles, Frances Agnes and James Leo, all

at home; and Helen Julia, who completes the family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brodrick were reared in St. John's Catholic Church, in Benton Harbor. He gives his political allegiance to the Democracy and is an active, energetic business man, carefully conducting important farming and fruit-raising inter- ests with the result that excellent success is attending his labors.

ALLEN M. RANDALL. The produc- tion of peaches, apples and berries claims the time and attention of Allen M. Randall, one of the successful horticulturists of Bain- bridge township. He was born May I, 1842, in Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada, and was only six years of age when he came to the United States with his uncle, James I. Randall, who brought him to St. Joseph. His uncle was a ship carpenter at St. Joseph. When eight years of age, in the spring of 1850, Allen M. Randall went to live with H. C. Morton, with whom he remained for three years. He then entered the employ of William B. Sutherland, while his brother, William Randall, lived with Warren Pearl. For five years Mr. Randall continued in the employ of Mr. Sutherland and found a good home there. He had also found a good home with Mr. Morton. Mrs. Sutherland

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was a most competent woman and her care- ful guidance and assistance proved of the utmost value to him as well as the business training which he received under the direc- tion of Mr. Sutherland. When sixteen years of age he began working by the month as a farm hand, and devoted the winter seasons to the acquirement of an education in the public schools, which he attended until nine- teen years of age. During this period he regarded the Sutherland home as his.

After the country became involved in the Civil war Mr. Randall enlisted in 1862, in response to President Lincoln's call, becom- ing a recruit of Company D, Sixty-sixth Illinois Western Sharpshooters. He reached the regiment at Corinth, Mississippi, and participated in the battles of Iuka and of Corinth. He continued with that command until 1863, when he was detailed to the quartermaster's department and was given charge of a train of the Fourth Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps under General John A. Logan. He had about two hundred teamsters, twenty wagonmasters, six black- smiths and others under his command, the entire force numbering about three hundred. He was often in the closest quarters but by quick action went through without the loss of arms or the loss of men. He was re- tained in that position from the beginning of the Atlanta campaign until after the army reached Washington and participated in the grand review in the capital city. Mr. Ran- dall arrived in Michigan in July, 1865.

Mr. Randall and his brother William sold goods in Millburg for a period of fif- teen years, beginning in 1865. They also operated a sawmill and grist mill and other industries a part of the time. All of his children were born during their residence in Millburg.

In 1891, Mr. Randall returned to the Sutherland farm and was afterward for three years engaged in the conduct of a dairy near Benton Harbor. He later again turned to the Sutherland farm, where he is now living, the place comprising one hun- dred and forty-five acres of rich and pro- ductive land. He also has eighty acres in Benton township, and he has given eighty acres to his children. Upon the home place

he has forty acres devoted to the raising of peaches and apples and twenty acres to ber- ries. He is continually setting out other fruit. He is now well known as a leading horticulturist of the county and his fruit sales have amounted to three thousand dol- lars in a single season. He also has upon his place from five to ten acres of melons. Much of his fruit is young and all of it has been set out within twelve years. In his business affairs Mr. Randall is very practi- cal and at the same time progressive and has met with excellent success, working his way steadily upward. He well deserves that oft misused term "a self-made man," for his prosperity has resulted entirely from his own earnest and honorable labors.

On the 13th of January, 1870, Mr. Ran- dall was united in marriage to Miss Ade- laide M. Sutherland, a daughter of William Sutherland. She was born on the farm where she now lives on the 29th of Novem- ber, 1846, and with the exception of a few years has always resided upon this place. She represents one of the old prominent and honored families of Berrien county. The representatives of the name in this sec- tion of the state were Lott and David Suth- erland, and a third brother, Justus Suther- land, who resided in Allegan county. David Sutherland came with his sons from New York and spent three years near Kalamazoo. He located the sons upon property in this portion of the state and died soon after- ward. His sons were William, Bushrod, John and George, of whom Bushrod resided in this vicinity, while John made his home in Pipestone township, and George settled near Kalamazoo. All are now deceased.

William Sutherland, the other member of the family, married Jerusha Barnard. She was born in New York, belonged to one of the old families of New Hampshire, and died on the farm in Bainbridge township. William Sutherland spent the greater part of his life upon the farm which is now the home of his daughter, Mrs. Randall, and was a well known and enterprising agri- culturist of the community. He had added to the old place from time to time and had invested in other land as opportunity offered until he owned about five hundred acres and

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had placed nearly the entire amount under cultivation. He carried on general farming and his life was devoted to his private busi- ness affairs. He was a very hospitable man, always ready to extend the courtesies of his home to those who visited him, and he was helpful and generous to the needy. Although he did not belong to any church he displayed the sterling characteristics of Christianity in an upright and honorable life. The farm road near the house is lined with sugar maple trees which have stood there for fifty- four years. When he was preparing to build those trees were set out and are now among the finest in the township. The farm borders Pipestone township and is pleasantly lo- cated eleven miles southeast of Benton Har- bor and seven miles north of Eau Claire. Mr. Sutherland was a man of much natural mechanical ingenuity and skill, being very handy with the use of tools, so that he was able to do almost all of the work of that na- ture on his farm. He made ox yokes and ax handles and his efficiency in this direction proved an important element in the success- ful management of his property. Both Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland have passed away and their remains were interred in Pen Yan cemetery. He died in April, 1883, at the age of sixty-four years, having for four years survived his wife, who passed away at the age of fifty-nine.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Randall have been born eight children: Allen W., who is on the homestead; Myra F., who died in child- hood; Dan T., also on a part of the old homestead; Ella E., who married Ernest Cribbs, who is a veterinary surgeon and liv- eryman at Watervliet; Ida B., the wife of Willard Cribbs, who is living on the old Cribbs homestead; James I., at home : Jes- sie V., a teacher in the high school at Water- vliet ; and Albert M., at home.

Mr. Randall gives his political support to the Republican party and was a candidate for the nomination for county sheriff in 1900 and 1902, but was defeated. His life has been well spent and his activity and en- terprise have been crowned with a measure of success that makes him a leading citizen of Berrien county. The special pride of Mr.

and Mrs. Randall is the one that neither of their sons nor two sons-in-law use strong drink nor tobacco in any form.

THEODORE N. PERRY, living on section 14, Hagar township, has kept pace with the uniform progress made by horti- culturists of this great fruit belt of Michigan and is today the owner of a valuable and productive fruit farm, his specialty being peaches and pears. He is one of the worthy citizens that the Empire state has furnished to Michigan, his birth having occurred in Athens, Green county, New York, June II, 1844. He is a son of Peter Perry and a rep- resentative of one of the old families of New York. His ancestors received a land grant, thus becoming owners of several thousand acres and they were among the early Knick- erbockers who resided in the eastern sec- tion of the Empire state. The family in its successive generations has stood for pro- gress and development along business lines and in citizenship and its record for loyalty is also commendable. The paternal great- grandfather was killed in the Revolutionary war and the grandfather, Nicholas Perry, served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Hav- ing arrived at years of maturity Peter Perry married Hannah Brandow, also of Athens, New York, and a representative of one of the old families. His death occurred in Athens from cholera in 1849. He left a widow with six children dependent upon her for support. She reared her family near Athens and Catskill and to the best of her ability provided for her children.

After he was ten years of age Theodore N. Perry lived with various families and did many tasks which were assigned to him in order to thus pay for his board and clothing. He was a young man of but seventeen years when he responded to the country's call for troops. His patriotic spirit was aroused and true to the military spirit of his ances- tors he offered his services to the government, joining Company I, Forty- fourth New York Volunteer Infantry on the 14th of September, 1861. He served under Colonel, afterward Gen- eral, J. C. Rice, who was subsequently killed

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in an engagement. The regiment was at- tached to the Army of the Potomac and the first engagement in which Mr. Perry par- ticipated was the siege of Yorktown. His first battle was at Hanover Court House and he participated altogether in seventeen battles. He continued with the Army of the Potomac and on the expiration of his term of service veteranized in the same com- mand. He was several times hit with spent balls and was wounded at Spottsylvania Courthouse on the 13th of May, 1864, by a musket ball, which incapacitated him for further duty for a time, so that he was in the hospital and at home for six weeks. On a certain charge his command was driven back and captured but in three hours was re-captured by General Stoneman's guard. During the latter part of the war he guarded rebel prisoners at City Point and in the vi- cinity of Washington until honorably dis- charged on the 4th of September, 1865, after about four years' active service. He had be- come sergeant and much of the time acted as first sergeant. He was a faithful soldier, never faltering in the performance of any duty and his valor and loyalty were unques- tioned.

When hostilities had ceased and his aid was no longer needed Mr. Perry came at once to the middle west, arriving in Chicago, Illinois, in 1865. The next fall he removed to Berrien county, Michigan, and entered the employ of A. J. Knisely, for whom he worked for a year, cutting cord wood for use in Mr. Knisely's brickyard in Chicago. When his labors, economy and enterprise had brought him some capital, Mr. Perry in 1869 purchased his present farm, which was then all covered with heavy timber. It is situated one mile from Lake Michigan and he sold the best saw timber from his place. His idea was to get at the soil and transform the land into productive fields. He has lived at his present location continuously since 1869 and built his home in 1872. Later he added another tract of land, which he has also cleared, thus bringing sixty acres under cultivation. He has also cleared land for others and found it a profitable source of in- come. For a long period he has engaged in fruit farming, making a specialty of peaches

and pears and his is an ideal location for raising fruit. He has kept up with the times, making a study of fruit culture and his opinions are largely regarded as authority upon questions connected with the cultiva- tion and improvement of peaches and pears. He now has about one thousand pear trees upon his place. His farm has required his constant time and attention and his labors have been rewarded with good crops.

On the Ioth of February, 1870, Mr. Perry was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Bacon, a native of New York, who was married, however, in Hagar township, Ber- rien county. They have two children : Amy A., the wife of Harry F. Anderson, of Chicago; and William, who married Julia Damon, a daughter of Oscar Damon, who is represented elsewhere in this work.

Mr. Perry exercises his right of fran- chise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy and always attends the conventions of his party. He is always sent as a delegate, being thus honored for thirty years. Though his party is in minority in this township he has been continuously the incumbent in the office of justice of the peace for a quarter of a century, being elected at each successive election; although the town- ship has a normal Republican majority of about sixty, his elections indicating his per- sonal popularity, his capability in office and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow- men. Fraternally he is a Mason, belonging to the lodge at Coloma and was a charter member of George H. Thomas Post, G. A. R. He is active in Riverside Grange, in which he has served as master and has also been a delegate to the State Grange. AAt all times and under all circumstances he is as loyal to his country and her welfare as when he followed the stars and stripes upon the battlefields of the south.

NATHANIEL M. BRANT is one of the venerable citizens of Berrien county. his home being in Bainbridge township. He is still a hearty man although he has passed the ninety-first milestone on life's journey, his birth having occurred in Macedon, Gene- see county, New York, on the 12th of March, 1815. His parents were Simeon and Sarah

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

(Herndon) Brant. The father was born near Rhode Island, and was married in Genesee county, New York, whither he had gone as a boy with his parents. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Phoebe Loetz, was a native of England, and his father was probably born in that country. Simeon Brant served for one year as a soldier of the war of 1812, and after his discharge re-enlisted for further military service. Later in life he received two land warrants in recogni- tion of the aid which he had rendered to the government during the dark period of hos- tility with England.

The year 1836 witnessed the arrival of the Brant family in Michigan. The west- ward trip was made across the country with two yoke of oxen, and the father was ac- companied by three sons and a daughter, namely: Nathaniel, John Daniel, Augustus and Malvina. Two other sons, Artaxerses and Van Rensselaer, came later, and the Brant family has figured for many years in the public life of this part of Michigan, especially in subjugating the wilderness and extending the frontier. The father, Simeon Brant, settled on the east half of the south- east quarter of section 31, Bainbridge town- ship, while his son, Nathaniel, secured as a claim the west half of the northwest half of section 32; Daniel, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 32; while Au- gustus settled in Pipestone township. Three years later Artaxerses Brant, who had first taken up his abode at Three Rivers, came to Bainbridge township and secured the east half of the northeast quarter of section 31. The daughter, Malvina, married Oliver Sur- rell, and they settled in Hagar township, but later removed to Pipestone township, where they lived and died. The members of the family, however, lived in one locality and did an important part in the work of development and improvement there.

Simeon Brant had come to the west ex- pecting to enter land near Benton Harbor but on reaching Kalamazoo, Michigan, he became ill and while there he purchased the eighty acres on which he settled, without having seen the property. Nathaniel Brant had joined the family at that place, having

proceeded that far by boat, after which they drove across the state to their destination. Some days there would be twenty-five or thirty families in the caravan as they traveled along but each going to their destination they would perhaps by night all be scattered. The Brants followed the Chicago turnpike that extended through Niles as far as Edin- burg, after which they started for Pokagon prairie and the Indian Lake. From Indian Lake they had to cut their way through the north eight miles and to the Territorial road, then proceeded west on that road to within a mile of Millburg, not far from the Davis Junction. From that point they proceeded two and a half miles south to the land which Mr. Brant had purchased. There he located section corners and in that way located the land they sought. They probably reached their destination in November, with snow on the ground, and immediately afterward a log cabin was built. There were no settlers north of them to Millburg, a distance of five miles. Mr. LeRue had a mill on Pipestone creek, three or four miles to the southwest, while to the south stretched an unbroken wilderness and also to the east. It was about three years, then settlers began to come read- ily of this section of the state. Artemus Stickney was about the first to locate as a near neighbor of the Brant family. Lott Sutherland and his brother, the father of Lewis Sutherland, were the first to settle east of the Brant family.

In the midst of the forest Simeon Brant hewed out a farm, clearing and cultivating his land, and transforming the place into rich fields. There he carried on general agricultural pursuits until his wife's death, after which he went to Illinois with his son Nathaniel, and passed away at the age of eighty-four years. Daniel Brant lived and died on his home place, and his son Ezra is now on the old homestead. Artaxerses Brant spent his life on the homestead which he commenced to develop about the time his father secured property here, together with his brothers, Daniel and Nathaniel. He was the eldest of the family.

Nathaniel M. Brant, whose name intro- duces this review, secured his land in 1844,

...

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and has since lived thereon. He was mar- ried on the 29th of April, 1840, in Pipestone township, to Miss Martha Hazzard, a daugh- ter of Crawford Hazzard, who had also come to Berrien county in 1836 from Sack- etts Harbor, New York, settling first at Watervliet and later in Pipestone township. For four years after their marriage Nathan- iel M. Brant and his wife lived in Pipestone township, and in 1844, removed to his pres- ent farm whereon he has now resided for sixty-two years. His life has been passed in Michigan from the age of twenty-one years. He started in business on his own account with eighty acres but through his well directed energy and business capacity he became the owner of two hundred acres in the old homestead, also two hundred acres in Pipestone township, forty acres in Hagar township and forty acres in Watervliet town- ship. He has practically given all this away, however, but has kept a life lease on his home place of eighty acres. He has assisted each of his children to gain a farm and has been most generous with his sons and daugh- ters. In his business career he has prospered, because he was diligent and energetic, and he now well merits the rest that is vouch- safed to him. His wife died in May, 1901, after they had traveled life's journey hap- pily together for sixty years. She had been indeed a faithful companion and helpmate to him on life's journey. In their family were eight sons and three daughters. The daughters were Laura, Phoebe and Ann, but none are now living. The sons, how- ever, still survive. These are Wesley C .; Warren; Dudley, who resides upon a part of the farm originally owned by his grandfather, Simeon Brant; Philander, who lives upon a farm adjoining his father's place ; Newton, living near Spinks Corners; Orval, who makes his home on a part of the old farm property; Oscar, who had forty acres of the old homestead, and died when a young man of thirty-two or thirty-three years; Barney, who resides on the homestead and with him his father lives.

Mr. Brant is one of the most venerable citizens of the entire county, and few, if any, have more intimate knowledge of the early

history of this section of the state and of conditions which here existed at the time of the arrival of the Brant family in 1836. The forests were uncut, the streams un- bridged and roads were not yet laid out. The Indians were far more numerous than the white settlers, and Nathaniel Brant en- gaged in trading with them, buying furs, etc. He also hunted deer and other wild game and did some trapping, and he helped cut out all the roads which were made in those early days. During his first year in. Pipestone township, he worked for Dr. Enons and took forty acres of land for his. pay. « His wife lived within a half mile of the place and thus they become acquainted. Mr. Brant also bought and shipped shingles to Chicago, and bought cattle, sheep, horses and other live stock. He worked energetic- ally and persistently year after year and was well known as a successful business man. and a typical representative of the early days. In politics he has given his support to the Republican party and he is yet a hale and hearty man although he is now ninety- one years of age.

GEORGE E. SMITH, residing in St. Joseph, is a veteran of the Civil war, a public officer whose efficient service has been free from unfavorable criticism, and a busi- 6.

ness man whose activity and honesty stand as unquestioned facts in his career. He is now extensively interested in dairy farming in Berrien county and was formerly con- nected with its fruit-raising industry. Mr. Smith is a native of Connecticut, his birth having occurred in Stamford on the 24th of March, 1838, and he represents one of the old and prominent families of New Eng- land. His ancestors located in Connecti- cut in colonial days and his grandfather, Lieutenant Josiah Smith, who was born in that, state, did valiant service in behalf of the colonists during the period of the Revo- lutionary war, proving a loyal patriot. He lived to enjoy for many years the liberty tor which he had fought, and both he and his wife lived to the advanced age of eighty- seven.

Josiah Smith, Jr., father of our subject,

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was born in Connecticut, and throughout his entire life followed the occupation of farm- ing in his native state. Although he never sought to figure prominently in public af- fairs he developed an upright character that won him the unqualified regard of his fellow citizens. He married Betsey Lock- wood, who was born in Connecticut and was a daughter of Daniel Lockwood. Mr. Smith departed this life in January, 1883, at the age of seventy-five years, having long sur- vived his wife, who died at the age of forty- six years. In their family were six children : Charles, who is living in Denver, Colorado; George E., of this review ; William M., also of St. Joseph; Frank H., who makes his home in Connecticut; Sarah, who is living at White Plains, New York; and Jennie, who makes her home in Stamford, Connecti- cut.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 101

Author: Coolidge, Orville W Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1314

Author: Coolidge, Orville W
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1314