A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 102

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

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George E. Smith spent his boyhood days on his father's farm and during the summer months was trained to the work of the fields. He gave much time to his studies, possessing scholarly tastes and habits, and after at- tending the common schools he continued as a student in a private boarding school for some time. Upon putting aside his text- books he aided his father for ten years but it was his desire to travel and gain the broad culture and information which cannot be obtained in any other way save through contact with different peoples in their native countries. As soon therefore as he was able to do so he left home and traveled exten- sively throughout the United States and Canada and also visited Cuba. In August, 1861, he came to St. Joseph, Michigan, and here engaged in business as a dealer in gro- ceries and hardware, carrying on his store profitably for twelve months, when, in 1862, he gave up his business, putting aside all business and personal considerations that he might aid his country.

The blood of Revolutionary ancestors flowed in his veins and the spirit of patriot- ismn was strong within him. He enlisted in August, 1862, as a member of Company B, Seventh Michigan Cavalry, in which he served as quartermaster sergeant for about two years, during which time he participated

in many of the hard-fought engagements of the Civil war. Among the most san- guinary conflicts in which he took part were those at Gettysburg, Hagerstown, Cold Har- bor, the Wilderness, Cedar Creek and numerous other engagements of minor im- portance. At the battle of Cedar Creek he was wounded and again in the battle of the Wilderness, but his injuries did not prove very serious and as soon as possible he re- turned to his place in the ranks. In June, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and was assigned to duty with Company A of the same regiment. On the expiration of his term of enlistment and following the close of the war he was mus- tered out at Jackson, Michigan, in 1865, re- turning home with a most honorable and creditable military record. He had never faltered in his loyalty to the Union cause but had valiantly defended the stars and stripes where the leaden hail fell thickest.

Returning to St. Joseph George E. Smith engaged in merchandising in this city for a number of years and was also a factor in other departments of business activity, oper- ating a sawmill and dealing in lumber. He likewise became interested in the manufac- ture of fruit baskets, an enterprise which he conducted successfully until 1894, when he sold out. He has been watchful of business opportunities and through the utilization of these has won a place among the substantial residents of the county. He now owns a dairy farm in St. Joseph township, upon which he has quite a herd of Holstein cat- tle. He is carrying on the business exten- sively but makes his residence in St. Joseph. At one time he was largely engaged in fruit growing. In addition to his dairy farm he has various interests, having made judicious investment in different business concerns and he is widely recognized as one of the leading men of St. Joseph. Resourceful in his methods he carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, realiz- ing that the present and not the future holds his opportunity.

While carefully controlling commercial, industrial and agricultural interests Mr. Smith has at the same time been a co-operant

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

factor in the public life of St. Joseph and his well known devotion to the general good has led to his selection for several positions of public trust. He was president of the vil- lage board before the incorporation of the city and was identified for more than six- teen years with the school board, acting as its secretary during much of that time. He was a member of the city council and was on the board of public works for a number of years. His official prerogatives have ever been exercised for general improvement and in all that he does in office he manifests the same practical spirit and keen insight that have characterized his business undertakings. He votes with the Democracy, and is in thorough sympathy with the principles of the party, but he ever placed the general good before partisanship and the advancement of community interests before personal ag- grandizement.

In 1868, in St. Joseph, Mr. Smith, was married to Miss Belle Chapman, who was born in Newmarket, Rockingham county, New Hampshire. They have two children, Olive C. and Warren C. The latter is a railroad engineer and the former is the wife of William D. Stover, of St. Louis, Mis- souri, and has one child, Carolyn C., who was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Smith is a member of St. Joseph lodge of Masons and he attends the Universalist Church. He has prospered, accumulating a competence and at the same time winning a most enviable reputation for honesty and fair dealing. To a student of human nature there is nothing of greater interest than to examine into the life of a self-made man and analyze the principles which he has followed, the methods he has pursued, to know what means he has employed for ad- vancement and to study the plans which have given him prominence, enabling him to pass on the highway of life many who have had a more advantageous start. In the history of Mr. Smith there is deep truths of thought and if one desires he may profit by the ob- vious lessons herein contained.

LEWIS D. HARRIS, living in Hagar township, was born in Morgan county, Ohio, November 14, 1834, his parents being Ben-

jamin and Ruth ( Wilkes) Harris, who were natives of New York. They were married, however, in Ohio, having removed to that state with their parents, subsequent to the war of 1812. The Harris family were pio- neer settlers of Morgan county, Ohio, liv- ing forty miles from Marietta, which was the oldest settlement in Ohio and where the Moundbuilders lived in pre-historic days, evidences of their workmanship being found in many of the mounds which exist in that part of the state. When the family made their way from New York to Ohio they rafted lumber down the Allegheny river to the Ohio and their household goods and families were also on board the raft, their families making the trip together. Some of them proceeded on down the river and set- tled in Missouri and the Harris family lost track of them until after the Civil war, when they were found through advertising. Ben- jamin Harris aided in clearing up new land in Ohio and was actively associated with the early pioneer developmen of that part of the state. In 1850 he removed to Michigan, wishing to secure government land or prop- erty that was to be had at a cheap figure. His wife had relatives in Berrien county and it was this which induced him to come to this part of the state. He entered a claim on section 12, Hagar township, where his son Lewis now resides, securing one hundred and thirty-two acres, which he transformed from a wild tract into one highly cultivated and improved. During the last two or three years of his life he lived retired, enjoying a well earned rest. His death occurred March 16, 1901, when he was eighty-nine years of age. His entire life had been de- voted to agricultural pursuits, which he fol- lowed according to pioneer methods and in keeping with the more advanced ideas of farming that came in later years. In his family were six sons and two daughters but only three are now living: Lewis D., of this review ; Joseph B. W., who is living in Hagar township; and George, whose home is in Watervliet township.

No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Lewis D. Harris in his boyhood days. He shared with the family in the experiences and trials

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of a frontier existence and aided in the ardu- ous task of developing a new farm, follow- ing the removal of the family to Michigan. He remained at home until twenty-six years of age, when he was married and then set- tled in the woods on an eighty-acre tract of land. He cut the first stick of the heavy timber on that farm, which was also in Hagar township and he placed between fifty and sixty acres of the land under cultivation. He sold white wood logs on the bank of the river, receiving four dollars for one thous- and feet of ash and two and one-half dollars for white wood. His winters were devoted to clearing the land and placing his lumber on the market and the summer seasons were given to the task of cultivating crops. About twenty-eight years ago he returned to the old homestead. He sold his original farm and later bought out the interest of the other heirs in the home property, which comprises one hundred and thirty-two acres of land. His father was alone, needing care and he gave to him a good home during his remain- ing days. He has since carried on general farming and to some extent has engaged in raising fruit. His place is located a mile and a half from Lake Michigan, which, however, is in sight of his home and he leads a busy, useful and active life in the care and improvement of his property, having placed many of the buildings upon his farm.

In 1860 at the age of twenty-six years Mr. Harris was married to Miss Margaret Shriver, of Watervliet township, who was born in Canada and came to Berrien county in early womanhood. Her death occurred in 1896 after they had traveled life's journey together as man and wife for thirty-six years. They had three children : Minnie, now liv- ing in Chicago; Charles Benjamin, who re- sides in North Dakota; and Gerildia, who is the wife of George E. Martin. They live on the home farm with her father, Mrs. Martin acting as his housekeeper. Mr. Mar- tin is engaged in the cultivation of the fields. They have three children, Irving, Lena and Ruth.

Many years ago Mr. Harris was made a member of the board of control and was

afterward elected justice of the peace, in which office he has continued to the present time. being re-elected at each successive election. He is alive to the interests of the party, attends its conventions and his opin- ions carry weight in its councils. He is respected as a man of sterling purpose, of genuine worth and honorable life and well deserves mention in this volume.

BARNEY HAZZARD BRANT. No. student of history can carry his investiga- tions far into the annals of Berrien county without becoming aware of the fact that the Brants were among its first settlers, and that from pioneer times down to the present they have been factors in the development. which has been carried on along agricultural and horticultural lines. Barney Hazzard Brant is a worthy representative of the name, which has now been known here through four generations, he being connected with the third generation. He was born on the place where he now lives, September 1, 1868, and was the youngest member of the family of Nathaniel M. Brant, who is mentioned else- where in this work. His whole life has been spent on the old homestead. His father divided the property when Barney H. Brant was twenty years of age, and he took charge of sixty-five acres, which he has since culti- vated, save that he has sold off twenty acres. He still retains the forty-five acres, of which about twenty acres is set out to fruit. He also grows melons, tomatoes and other vege- tables, which he sells on the market. He has sold six hundred bushels of peaches in a season, and the trees are largely new, hav- ing been set out by himself. Industry and enterprise are numbered among his strong and salient characteristics, and he carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, being a man of strong and determined purpose and of good business qualifications.

On the 4th of April, 1889, Mr. Brant was united in marriage to Miss Anna Es- tella Garrison, of Pipestone, a daughter of" Elihu and Helen Garrison. She was only sixteen years of age at the time of her mar-

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

riage. They lost their eldest child, Roscoe, in infancy, but had a daughter, Hazel Helen, now eleven years of age.

Mr. Brant is a Republican, usually vot- ing for the party but advocates strong pro- hibition principles. He is school inspector. He is well known in the community where he resides, having spent his entire life here and is recognized as an enterprising and prosperous business man.

FRED McKEE, living in Benton town- ship, was born at Sacketts Harbor, in Jef- ferson county, New York, on the 27th of October, 1853. In 1869, when a youth of sixteen years, he arrived in Michigan, mak- ing his way to Cass county. He came with his father, Martin V. McKee, and his step- mother, and the family home was established near Dowagiac, where they died. Mr. Mc- Kee mother died when he was 2 months' old.

Fred McKee remained at home for two years after the arrival of the family in Michi- gan, and has since been in Berrien county. He was dependent upon his own resources from the age of eighteen years and what- ever success he has achieved is due entirely to his own labors, his perseverance and his determination. As a companion and help- mate for life's journey he chose Miss Emma B. Edinborough, a daughter of Mrs. Olive Edinborough, who is represented on another page of this work. The marriage was cele- brated on the 28th of March, 1875, and after his marriage Mr. McKee spent one year in California in company with his wife's father. After two years spent on the old home farm in Cass county he removed on his present farm on Highland avenue, Ber- rien county, about four miles east of Benton Harbor. He had here twenty acres of land, half of which was cleared and he has added to the original tract until he now has fifty- five acres all in one body. He has cleared fifteen acres of the land, the remainder hav- ing already been cleared, and his attention is given to the growing of corn and fruit, having about twenty acres in orchards. He raises a variety of tree fruit, including peaches, pears and cherries, and the annual sale of his fruit amounts to about one thous- and dollars. Since locating upon this place

he has devoted his attention to his farm, cultivating fields, from which he has gathered good harvests and caring for his orchards in practical manner that has resulted in harvest- ing large crops. He has erected first class buildings upon his place, including a large and substantial barn and his home is pleas- antly and conveniently located near Benton Harbor, so that the advantages of the city are easily obtainable, while those of rural life may be enjoyed at all times.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. McKee have been born two daughters: Beulah, now the wife of Harry B. Blandford, who resides upon a farm adjoining the McKee place; and Mary, the wife of A. J. Wetmore, who is living on the farm with her father. In his political views Mr. McKee is a Republican but does not consider himself bound by party ties and occasionally votes for the candidates of the Democracy. He holds membership

with the Ancient Order of United Work- men and in a review of his life record it will be found that his has been a busy and useful life, in which he has not feared that labor- ious attention to details so necessary to suc- cess in any undertaking. He has never al- lowed any thought of failure to enter his mind but has made steady progress and as the years have come and gone has achieved creditable success, having now a well im- proved farm property.

WILMER M. PRATT, whose activity in political circles and business enterprise makes him one of the representative resi- dents of Benton township, is living in Hagar township not far from Benton Harbor. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1858, his parents being William and Elizabeth (King) Pratt. The father was born among the Green Mountains in the state of Vermont, while the mother's birth occurred in Philadelphia, in which city they were married. He had removed to Phila- delphia when nineteen years of age and there he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for a time, eventually, becoming a contractor. Failing health, however, forced him to seek a change and in 1860 he went to Omaha but returned to this section of the country in order to have the benefit of the

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bracing climate occasioned by the proximity of Lake Michigan. Making his way to Ben- ton township, he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land but in order to be still closer to the lake he purchased twenty acres on the bluff and his summers were mostly spent on the lake shore. He continued to engage in contracting and building for some time, meeting with an accident which pre- vented him from engaging in farming. He, however, developed a farm of eighty acres and made a first class home, where he lived until his death, which occurred on the 21st of January, 1904, when he was eighty-two years of age. The doctors of Philadelphia said that he could not live if he remained in that city and he came to the middle west and was greatly benefited by the change of climate and lived to a ripe and useful old age. He was active in public affairs and the cause of education found in him a warm friend, who did effective service for the general public as a school official. He served as a member of the school board in his dis- trict for forty years, or until about eighty years of age. During the last five years of his life he was totally blind. He survived his wife for only three years, her death oc- curring when she was about seventy-four years of age. They had traveled life's journey together as man and wife for a half century and in their family were five sons : Horace B., who is living near Riverside in Hagar township ; William M., of this review ; Arthur M. and Orson B., twins, the former residing in Riverside and the latter near Twelve Corners; and Adelbert G., whose home is near Hinchman, in Berrien county.

Wilmer M. Pratt was a young lad at the time of the removal of the family to the west and he remained under the parental roof until twenty-two years of age. His education was acquired in the public schools and by watching and assisting his father he gained a practical knowledge of the carpen- ter's trade. When twenty-two years of age he began to manufacture apple barrels, learn- ing coopering of his brother who had prev- iously manufactured suet barrels. They were partners in this enterprise for ten years and supplied all the barrels used in Hagar

township. making twelve thousand barrels in a singe year. This proved a profitable business and with the capital thereby ac- quired Wilmer M. Pratt made his first pur- chase of land, becoming owner of twenty acres near Riverside. It was new land cov- ered with timber. He built thereon and in eight years placed the tract under cultivation and improved it with good buildings. He then sold and bought his present farm, which is the old homestead of Joseph Dickerson. He has made excellent improvements here and has eighty acres a half mile from Lake Michigan, lying to the north and west in Hagar township. He has continued to clear the land until it is now all under cultivation and he has here a valuable fruit farm of over seventy acres already set to fruit. He has planted peach orchards to the extent of thirty acres, while eight acres are devoted to the raising of grapes, twelve acres to pears, three acres to cherries and the re- mainder to apples. He has planted all but ten acres of the farm and is still setting out new trees. In one year he sold four thousand bushels of peaches and his sales amount to about five thousand dollars an- nually. He employs four men to aid him in the care of his orchards and his crops and he has one of. the best fruit farms in this part of the state. He keeps in touch with the State Agricultural College as to what is done in the line of horticultural develop- iment. He is also one of the officers of the State Horticultural Society and is active in all that works for advancement and improve- ment in fruit culture. His results have ex- ceeded his expectations and he is regarded as one of the most prominent fruit-growers in Berrien county and has firm faith in the future of this district as a fruit-producing center. He realizes that the work in becom- ing more and more a profession, while study and investigation have acquainted its farmers with the great scientific principles that under- lie the work, while broad experiment and labor are adding more and more largely to the practical knowledge. He makes it his plan to sell everything that he produces under his own name. He harvests his own crop, the packing being done under his per-

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sonal supervision and direction and his fruit arrives upon the city markets in excellent condition and finds a ready sale for it is produced from excellent varieties of nursery stock.

Mr. Pratt was married on his present farm in the house which he now occupies, in 1881, to Miss Nellie Bartram, who was a sister of Mr. Dickerson, who formerly owned the farm. She died in 1894 leaving five children: Charles A., who is a gradu- ate of the State Agricultural College and is now associated with his father in business ; Burr B., a student in the State Agricultural College ; Joseph M., who is a student in Pro- fessor Edgecombe's College; Helen C. and Genevieve, who are with their father. In 1900 Mr. Pratt was again married, his sec- ond union being with Miss Abbie Bartram, the younger sister of his first wife and they have two children, Henry B. and Isadore.

Mr. Pratt is an active working Repub- lican but does not aspire to office. He re- gards it the duty as well as the privilege, however, to exercise his right of franchise in support of the men and measures in which he believes and he co-operates in many pro- gressive movements that have resulted bene- ficially to the county. Otherwise his undi- vided attention is given to his business af- fairs, which are bringing him success and which have already gained for him a promi- nent name in horticultural circles.

JOSEPH R. HEMENWAY, living in Benton township, owns and cultivates a fruit farm which is pleasantly situated three miles east of Benton Harbor on Highland avenue. He was born in Greenville, Ontario, on the 22d of July, 1843. His father, Harris Hemenway, was a native of Vermont, and married Miss Hannah Wood, of New York. They removed from the east to Michigan. Joseph R. Hemenway had spent a portion of his youth in Vermont among his relatives and after returning to Canada came at once to Michigan. His father settled in Ogemaw county, and there devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits. Mr. Hemenway of this review remained in Detroit, where he

worked at the millwright's trade. After spending ten years in that city he returned to Ottawa, Ontario, where he built a mill and placed it in operation, continuing as foreman thereof for eight years. This was one of the large mills of that place, the out- put being seventy-five million feet of lumber annually. His position was therefore an important and responsible one but he was well qualified for the work which he under- took and gave excellent satisfaction as fore- man. Eventually he returned to Detroit, and in 1895 came to Berrien county in order to give his daughters the benefit of educa- tional privileges here. In 1896 he purchased his present farm of ten acres situated three miles east of Benton Harbor on Highland avenue. It is devoted to fruit growing. He raises various varieties of fruit which he has found profitable and agreeable, enjoy- ing his business now as well as anything he has ever done. He began with no experi- ence in this line but his ready adaptability and enterprise have enabled him to thorough- ly understand the work and conduct it along practical lines resulting in success. He transformed an old house into a comfortable residence and now has a well improved prop- erty.

Mr. Hemenway was married in Ontario, at the age of twenty-six years to Miss Agnes McCulley, who was also born in Ontario. In their family were three daughters: Eva A., who is the wife of Fred Washburn and resides upon a farm near her father's place ; Belle, the wife of Frank Washburn, who is also a farmer in this county; and Lillie, the wife of Arthur Phillips, a resident farmer of Benton township. Mr. Hemenway and his wife are now again alone as they were when they started out together but their daughters reside near by. In politics he is a Republican, keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day but he has no desire for office, preferring to devote his energies to his business affairs, his farm claiming the greater part of his time and at- tention, and in its management he has met with good success, having valuable orchards upon his place.

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EUGENE C. DANA, who for a quar- ter of a century was telegraph operator at Niles, during which time he won an ex- tensive circle of friends, is now devoting his life to literary and professional labors. He is a native son of Niles, having been born in this city in 1844. His father, Cyrus Dana, was a native of New York, in which state he spent the days of his boyhood and youth, acquiring his education while still in the east. Coming to Michigan in 1836, when this state was still under territorial rule, he settled in Niles, where he entered upon the practice of the profession of law, forming a partnership under the firm style of Green & Dana, and they continued in practice at Niles for many years, Mr. Dana being recognized as one of the brilliant mem- bers of the bar of this part of the state .. In those early times he would ride to court in a carriage. The country was then sparsely settled and there were no railroads. . Cases were argued with much fervor and there were many brilliant displays of, ora -.. tory in the courts of that period: Mr. Dana . was recognized as an able and learned lawyer. and secured a good clientage .. He married Elizabeth Stockwell, who was born in Troy, New York, and died six months prior to the death of her husband in 1847. In their family were five children but only two are living, the daughter being Susan E., now the wife of E. L. Tuttle, of Santa Barbara, California.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 102

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