A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 106

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

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In the year 1843 James M. Eaman was married to Elizabeth C. Cook, a daughter of

Henry Cook, of Homer, Michigan, who was one of the pioneer settlers of what became known as Cook's Prairie, in Calhoun coun- ty, this state. Mrs. Eaman died at Pinck- ney, Michigan, and for his second wife Mr. Eaman chose Susan Emeline Young, of Pinckney, who was a teacher in a select school at that place, and a graduate of the State Normal School, at Ypsilanti, having been one of its first students. She came to Berrien county with her husband and died upon the old homestead farm March 23, 1896. They were married July 14, 1863, and had therefore traveled life's journey to- gether for almost a third of a century. The children of Mr. Eaman's first marriage were as follows : Ellen M., who is living in Henry township; Harriet L., who is living with her sister, Mrs. Bartram; Frank M., ... who owns the old homestead; Julia A., the wife of Dr. I. R. Dunning, of Benton Har- bor; John C., who died at the age of twenty- five years; Clara E., the wife of Burr Bart- - ram, of Benton township; and Lizzie C., the wife of R. B. Owens, of Redlands, Cali- fornia. By the second marriage there is one son, Benjamin J., whose sketch is given above.

For more than thirty years Mr. Eaman has lived at his present place, which was formerly the home of Asahel Hays, who built the house and made the first improve- ments upon the property. This is one of the superior fruit farms of the region, and be- ing close to the lake is free from frost. Mr. Eaman made his place an excellent property owing to the improvements which he placed upon it and he remained active in its de- velopment and improvement for many years. In politics he was first a Whig and after- ward a Freesoiler, and cast a ballot for James G. Birney, the abolition candidate. When the Republican party was formed early in 1854 to prevent the further extension of slavery he joined its ranks and has since been a stanch supported thereof. He at- tended the "prohibition" convention at Jackson and helped nominate Kingsley Bingham for governor. Soon after another convention was held "under the oaks" at Jackson, which used the word Republican

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as its name and they also nominated Bing- journey together for fifty-five years, sharing ham, who was elected. Mr. Eaman has since with each other its joys and sorrows and the adversity and prosperity that checker the careers of all. been a stalwart advocate of the Republican party and though not an office seeker he has served for several years in school offices. He is a strong temperance man, upholding temperance principles through precept and example and has been a member of the Sons of Temperance and other organizations of like character. In his boyhood days at home he pledged himself to support temperance principles and practices and has always done so. He is a well read gentleman of pleasant manner, who though now eighty-eight years of age keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day and in spirit and inter- ests seems yet in his prime. His life has been active, his motives honorable,.his actions manly and sincere and these standard traits of character made his life one well worthy of emulation.

WILLIAM H. HILL, living at Spink's Corners, in Bainbridge township, is a rep- resentative of one of the old colonial fami- lies of New York. He was born in Jefferson county, that state, June 3, 1840, his parents being Amos and Ursula (Wheeler) Hill, both of whom were native of Jefferson coun- ty, where the family settled about Revolu- tionary times. In 1858 they came to Michi- gan. Mr. Hill had followed farming in the east and on reaching Berrien county he lo- cated on section 29, Bainbridge township, three-quarters of a mile from Spink's Cor- ners. He bought eighty acres of land cov- ered with stumps and timber. The best tim- ber was cut and for it he received six hun- dred dollars. Clearing the land, he placed the entire farm under cultivation and built good buildings upon the place. There he carried on general agricultural pursuits for some time but eventually sold that property and bought another farm of eighty acres, of which he cleared forty acres. In his later years he retired to a small house, in which he spent his remaining days in the enjoy- ment of richly merited rest, passing away June 16, 1892, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. He had survived his wife for about nine years. They traveled life's

In their family were nine children, eight of whom reached mature years: Alonzo, who died in childhood; Edward, who died at the age of thirty-five years; Allen, who died when twenty-one years of age, this be- ing the year of the arrival of the family in Michigan; John Dempster, who is living in Bainbridge township; William H., of this review ; Frederick, who served with the Six- ty-sixth Illinois Sharpshooters and was killed in the first battle of Corinth, his grave being made on the battleground in the government cemetery ; Mary, the wife of George Her- rington, of Bainbridge; Adeline, who died at the age of twelve years; and Caroline, twin sister of Adeline, and the wife of Henry Thompson, of Millburg. The family was well represented in the Civil war, for John D. was also a member of the regiment to which his brother Frederick belonged.

William H. Hill spent the first eighteen years of his life in the state of his nativity and then came with the family to Michigan. He remained at home until he had attained his majority and in fact boarded at home un- til two years thereafter. He then began to improve his present farm, which was also covered with "grubs." He paid one thousand dollars for eighty acres of land and con- tinued the cultivation and improvement of the place until he has the entire farm under cultivation with twenty-five acres planted to fruit, of which twenty acres is devoted to peaches. The land is well located for this purpose. He has also grown melons and has sold from seven hundred to one thous- and crates per year, while the peach crop has been from one thousand to three thous- and bushels per year for ten years. He has prospered in his undertakings for the products of his farm have been of superior quality and have commanded high market prices. His financial resources thus increas- ing, he has aided each of his sons in securing farms and has helped each to build thereon. He erected his own residence in 1875. It is a handsome brick structure, containing

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ten rooms, and is one of the best homes in Bainbridge township, pleasantly located a half miles east of Spink's Corners.

On the 22d of February, 1865, William H. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Amanda M. Higbee, a daughter of J. F. Higbee, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. She was born in Benton township, and was twenty-three years of age at the time of her marriage. This union has been blessed with the following named: Lennie B., who was a teacher in Berrien county for seven years, and died at the age of twenty- five; Willie J .; Mary U .; Charlie Ames ; James F .; Ida I .; Carrie I., who died in in- fancy; George D., who has been a teacher in this county; Tola L .; Clinton B .; and Marguerite. All of the living children are now at home or are located near by. Mr. Hill has provided his children with good educational privileges and assisted them to the extent of his ability, helping those who have left the parental roof to secure good farms and homes. In politics he is a Bryan Democrat but has warm admiration for President Roosevelt. Coming to this county a young man, ambitious, enterpris- ing and determined, he has worked his way steadily upward, brooking no obstacles that could be overcome by earnest, persistent ef- fort. As the years have gone by he has gained a gratifying measure of prosperity and is now one of the substantial citizens of his part of the county, with valuable property interests which indicate a well spent life.

ISAAC A. BONINE, who after long and successful connection with horticultural interests in Berrien county is now practic- ally living retired in Niles, although he gives some attention to the supervision of estates, was born in Cass county, Michigan, in 1853. He represents one of the pioneer families of the state. His paternal grandfather, Isaac Bonine, was a native of Tennessee, in which state he married Miss Sarah Tal- bert, who was also born in Tennessee. They emigrated to Wayne county. Indiana, soon after their marriage and were among the first settlers of that locality. Mr. Bonine

was a farmer by occupation and also owned and operated a grist, saw and oil mill, being thus closely associated with industrial as well as agricultural interests of Wayne county. About 1843 he went with his fam- ily to Cass county, Michigan, finding at that time an almost unbroken wilderness, in which the work of improvement had scarcely been begun. There he spent his last days, passing away at the advanced age of eighty- four years, and his wife died in the same county. They were members of the Society of Friends and took an active and helpful interest in the work of the church.

James E. Bonine, their son, and the father of our subject, was born in Wayne county, Indiana, and became a resident of Cass county during the early period of its pioneer development. He lived a life of great activity, energy and usefulness and became the owner of sixteen hundred acres of land, a portion of which was prairie, while eight hundred acres of this he cleared. The property is still in possession of his family. He was the leading banker of Cass county for many years, and his interests are still carried on by the estate. He married Miss Sarah Bogue, a native of Ohio, who still survives him at the age of eighty years and makes her home in Niles. His last days were spent in Niles, where he died in 1898 at the age of eighty-two years. He was widely recognized as a man of excel- lent business ability and enterprise, being pre-eminently a man of affairs and one who wielded a wide influence. Upon his land he · established what is known as Bonine Park, consisting of a tract of sixty acres, which he stocked with buffaloes and elk. This tract is still kept up and although there are now no buffaloes there are still quite a large number of elk. He followed farming on a very extensive scale and possessed busi- ness discernment and judgment that were rarely if ever at fault. He was very active in township and county affairs and his in- fluence was ever on the side of progress, reform and improvement. In 1866 he re- moved from his farm to Niles, but later re- turned to Cass county. His last days, how- ever, were passed in Niles. In the family

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were three children : Mary, the wife of Dr. W. T. Dougan of Niles; Isaac A., of this review; and Elvia B., the wife of N. B. Hammond, of Sheldon, North Dakota.

Isaac A. Bonine was reared to manhood the old homestead in Cass county, where he attended school. He also pursued his studies in Niles during the period of the family residence in this city between 1866 and 1872. He attended the high school in Niles and at one time was a student in the schools of Adrian, Michigan. Returning to the old homestead he followed farming, being closely identified with agricultural in- terest until about fourteen years ago. He had a large orchard of thirty-five acres which was set out by himself and father. He also planted two hundred chestnut trees, which have been in bearing during the last fifteen years and are a very profitable source of income. In all his agricutural work he was progressive, keeping in touch with modern advancement. About fourteen years ago, however, he retired from farming and took up his abode in Niles, where he now makes his home. He gives some attention to the supervision of estates but practically lives retired, possessing a comfortable com- petence. He is president of the Buchanan Power Company.

In 1872 Mr. Bonine was married in Niles to Miss Alice Wilkinson, who was born in Pennsylvania but has spent the greater part of her life in this city, her par- ents being Lewis F. and Ruth (Clark) Wilkinson. Mr. and Mrs. Bonine have one child, James G., who was born in Niles and is a graduate of the Physicians and Sur- geons College of Chicago, also of the Chi- cago University and of Hahnemann Med- ical College of Chicago. He is now prac- ticing his profession in that city. He mar- ried Margaret Gage, a native of Niles and a daughter of Eli Gage. They have two children, James E. and Margaret, both born in Chicago.

Mr. Bonine exercises his right of fran- chise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party but has never had aspiration for office. He is, however, in-

terested in the welfare of his city and county and his co-operation can be counted upon as a factor in the work of general develop- ment and improvement. He has a wide and favorable acquaintance in the county, pos- sessing those traits of character which com- mand respect and confidence and win warm and endearing friendships.

FRANK H. ELLSWORTH, serving for the second term as judge of probate of Berrien county resides in Benton Harbor. He was born in Lexington, Michigan, Sep- tember I, 1867, a son of Edward W. and Lucetta (Beardsley) Ellsworth. The father was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1837, while the family were temporarily residing in the Dominion, and the mother is a native of New Jersey, whence she came to Michigan with her parents in her early girlhood. Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Ellsworth have for many years been residents of Marlette, Michigan.

Judge Ellsworth obtained a common school education and also attended Olivet and Alma College. He began the study of law on the Ist of October, 1888, at Marlette in the office of D. S. McClure, at that time judge of probate of Sanilac county. After the admission of Judge Ellsworth to the bar in 1891 he removed to Detroit, and pursued a course in the Detroit College of Law, from which he was graduated in the class of 1893. Locating in Benton Harbor in the spring of that year he was actively en- gaged in the practice of his profession until the fall of 1900, when he was elected to the office of judge of probate of Berrien county by a majority of twelve hundred and twen- ty-five, and after four years' capable and satisfactory service he was re-elected in 1904 by an increased majority of twenty- eight hundred and sixty-four. Politically he is a stalwart Republican, but the men of both parties give him their earnest endorse- ment by reason of the capable manner in which he has discharged his official duties.

On the 30th of December, 1903, Judge Ellsworth was married to Miss Minnie Grace King, of Ligonier, Indiana.

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BENJAMIN F. EARL, occupying a po- sition of prominence in business circles in Niles as owner of one of the large productive industries and commercial interests of the city, conducting business as a manufacturer of furniture specialties, and dealer in lumber under the firm style of the Earl-Storm Man- ufacturing Company, is a self-made man, who, without special family or pecuniary advantages at the outset of his career has worked his way steadily upward from a humble position to one of affluence. A na- tive son of Michigan, he was born in Cass county in 1853. His paternal grandfather, Rufus Earl, removed from New York to Michigan in 1835 and took up land from the government east of Berrien Lake, which he cleared and improved, there following farm- ing until his death. His son, Averil Earl, fa- ther of our subject, was born in New York, near Buffalo, and came with his parents to Michigan in 1835. He was for many years identified with general agricultural pursuits in Cass county and was there married to Elva L. Mosher, native of Erie county, New York, who came to Michigan with her par- ents, Mr. and Mrs. Zebediah Mosher, who also settled in Cass county, establishing their home in Wayne township. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Averil Earl were born three sons and three daughters, and those still living are : Alice, the wife of Robert T. Atwood; Albert E .; and Benjamin F: The father died at the age of seventy-six years.

Benjamin F. Earl pursued his educa- tion in the public schools of Cass county and there learned the wood-turning trade. He was also employed in the woolen mills as a carder and in 1880 he came from Cass coun- ty to Niles, where he entered the employ of Solomon G. Krick, a wagon manufacturer, in whose service he remained for five years. With the capital he had acquired through his own labors and economy he.then embarked in business on his own account in 1886 as a manufacturer of furniture specialties, while later he extended the scope of his labors by dealing in lumber. In 1890 the business was incorporated under the firm name of the Earl-Storm Manufacturing Company,

with Benjamin F. Earl as general manager and E. B. Storm, secretary and treasurer. The company built the present plant in that year and the business was thus conducted until 1892, when Mr. Earl purchased the interest of his partners and has since been alone in the conduct of the enterprise, which, however, is carried on under the same name. From the beginning the success of this con- cern has been uniform and rapid and Mr. Earl has now built up a very large and lucrative business through his own energy, careful management and practical methods. He is also identified as a stockholder and di- rector with three building and loan asso- ciations of Niles, organized by residents of the city. A number of skilled workmen are employed in his establishment and the busi- ness has reached extensive and profitable , proportions. It is a monument to the labor and enterprise of the owner whose business career is such as any man might be proud to possess.

Mr. Earl was married in 1875 in Dow- agiac, Cass county, Michigan, to Miss Ma- tilda A. Philips, who was born in Illinois but spent her early life in Michigan. This union has been blessed with eleven children, ten of whom are yet living, namely: Elva, the wife of E. Daniel Williams ; George W .; Bruce F., who married Eleanor Smith, of Buchanan, Michigan; Mary, Bessie, Russell, John, Dorothy, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, all at home. Mr. Earl and his family attend the Methodist Church. His political allegiance is given to the Re- publican party, and he stands fearlessly in support of his honest convictions. He was a member of the city council from the Third ward for four years and was the chairman of the board which built the water- works in Niles, also chairman of the commit- tee on waterworks in the city council at that time. . He was, for ten years, under sheriff of Berrien county. His interests in public affairs is deep and sincere and his course in public office has been characterized by an unfaltering devotion to the general good and a spirit of loyalty and patriotism. He is in- deed one of the foremost residents of Niles.

13. F. Earl

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progressive and enterprising, and his life history, judged by his political, business or private record, is indeed commendable.

WILLIAM WEES, who was a farmer and honored pioneer settler of Berrien county but is now deceased, was born in the province or Quebec, Canada, December 7, 1829, and died at his home in Benton Harbor on the 10th of July, 1905. His par- ents were Peter and Joyce (Brown) Wees. The mother came from England to America with her parents when twelve years of age. Peter Wees was a farmer by occupation and died at the age of forty-two years. In the family were five sons, four of whom came from Canada to the United States, while Thomas is still living in the dominion. John, Robert and Wesley Wees all settled in Cali- fornia and John is still living, making his home at San Bernardino.

William Wees was reared to manhood upon a farm in his native country and ac- quired a good common-school education. In the summer months he was carefully trained to the work of the fields, so that when he started out in life on his own account he had good practical experience to aid him. On the 26th of February, 1850, William Wees was united in marriage at Dresden, Ontario, to Miss Isabelle Randall, who was born in Quebec, Canada, November 1, 1830. In 1853 she came to Berrien county, visit- ing her mother, who was then living in Mill- burg, where she had resided for a year. A sister, Minerva Randall, became the wife of Warren H. Pearl, a brother of Major Pearl, who had settled near Pearl Grange. Isa- belle Randall also had an uncle, Joseph Ran- dall, living in St. Joseph, where he owned and conducted a shipyard, being a ship builder by trade. He was a pioneer settler of the county, coming here when St. Joseph was a small village standing on the bottom land. The year of his arrival was not later than 1840 and he took an active part in the early development of this portion of the state. Soon after the discovery of gold in California, however, he removed to the Pacific coast, where he is yet remembered by the old vessel men.

William Wees in early life learned the carpenter's trade and followed that pursuit in Berrien county, helping to build the War- ren Pearl mill, also the Samuel McWiggins mill and the Randall mill. He likewise aided in the erection of some of the early houses of the county and a number of the old buildings are still standing as monu- ments to his skill and handiwork. When his capital permitted, however, he bought land, becoming owner of a tract about four miles southeast of Benton Harbor. Upon the place was a log cabin, in which he lived for two years, when he replaced the pioneer home by a small frame building, living therein until the erection of the present house about twenty years ago. He at first had fifty-eight acres of land, to which he added as his financial resources increased until he owned seventy-eight acres, constitut- ing a good farm, for the land was placed under a high state of cultivation. In 1880 he invested in Kansas land, which he later sold to good advantage. In 1864 he went to California, where he devoted two years to placer mining with satisfactory results. Re- turning then to Berrien county, Michigan, he gave undivided attention to his farm and afterward set out a valuable orchard, plant- ing thirty acres to peaches, but he lost his trees through the yellows and therefore set out apple trees.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wees were born the following children : Elva, now the wife of A. A. Morrill, living in Wallin, Michi- gan; James Lowell, who resides at Silver City, Idaho, where for twenty years he has been engaged in placer mining with good success ; William Bruce, of Benton Harbor, who for fifteen years traveled in the interests of a fruit buying firm, traveling from Florida to Maine, but is now operating in Washington and Oregon; Cynthia, the wife of William McKindley, a resident farmer of Benton township; Henry, a fruit buyer of Benton Harbor, also dealing in gasoline en- gines; Mina Belle, who is living at home with her mother in Benton Harbor and is a graduate of the normal college. She has been a successful teacher, having taught in

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the graded schools in St. Clair and in St. Joseph, Michigan.

In his political affiliation Mr. Wees was a Democrat. He was a charter member of Pearl Grange and was interested in all mat- ters of local progress and improvement. At his death his remains were interred in the Pearl cemetery, which stands on the original farm of Warren Pearl. He was a fine rifle shot and annually in company with Major Pearl and others took trips to northern Michigan for the purpose of hunting. He found great enjoyment in this sport and it proved an excellent source of recreation. Mr. WVees well deserves representation in this volume as one of the honored pioneer set- tlers of the county and one whose success in life is attributable to his earnest labor and careful management.

ANDREW M. HAWKS, a representa- tive of the farming interests of Watervliet township, was born on a part of the farm on which he now lives and near his present resi- dence, his natal day being September 13, 1851. His parents were Agur and Martha (Baldwin) Hawks, both of whom were na- tives of New York. The father came to Michigan with his parents, Simeon and Patty (Beeman) Hawks, who located a mile and a half east of Watervliet and the farm upon which they took up their abode remained the old homestead. Both died after a resi- dence here of more than twenty years. One of their sons, Timothy Hawks, is still liv- ing, as well as a daughter, Mrs. Martha Bridges, of Van Buren county, Michigan. Following his marriage Agur Hawks se- cured government land, upon which he turned the first furrows, developing a good farm, pleasantly situated about three miles north of Watervliet. As the years passed his business affairs increased in extent and importance and he became one of the largest farmers of Watervliet township, making his home upon his farm until his death, which occurred about six years ago, when he had reached the venerable age of seventy-seven years. He was a man of good business ability and of marked enterprise and his

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 106

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