A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 115

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

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eminently qualify him for the position he now fills with such promptness and fidelity, giv- ing a public-spirited and business-like ad- ministration.

Mr. Childs has always been a Republi- can, but has never sought office of a political nature, not even making a personal solicita- tion for the position he now occupies.

On the 26th of September, 1900, Mr. Childs was married to Miss Wilhelmina E. Schelley of Tree Oaks township. Unto them has been born a daughter, Thelma.

Mr. Childs belong's to the Masonic fra- ternity, holding membership in Three Oaks Lodge, No. 239, of which he is a past mas- ter. He and his wife are also members of Three Oaks Chapter No. 209, Order of the Eastern Star, and he is now serving his fourth year as worthy patron. He is well and favorably known throughout the coun- ty as a typical educator, and as an official has made a most creditable record.

J. T. BECKWITH, who has for many years been actively connected with fruit farming interests in Berrien county and has also figured prominently in public affairs, was at one time the owner of three hundred acres of land in this locality and yet owns thirty-eight acres, constituting a valuable property, in Benton township. His life rec- ord began on the 26th of May, 1841, in Chautauqua county, New York, his parents being Josiah R. and Lavinda H. (Fisk) Beckwith. The father was born in Con- necticut in August, 1805, and remained a resident of that state until 1826, when he re- moved from New England to New York. He came of English lineage and the maternal ancestors of our subject were also . of Eng- lish descent, being among the colonists who settled in Jamestown, Virginia, in the early part of the seventeenth century, making the first permanent settlement in North Amer- ica at that point. Throughout his active business life Josiah R. Beckwith followed farming save that for a brief period of a few years in his early manhood he was a tailor. His political views accorded with Whig principles, but he never aspired to office. He was a member of the Christian church. to which his wife also belonged, and she took

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

a very active part in church work. In their family were seven children, three of whom are yet living.

J. T. Beckwith was educated in the com- mon schools and in a high school which he attended for a few terms and after complet- ing his own education he engaged in teach- ing school, devoting seventeen years to the profession in this county. He was a capa- ble educator, imparting readily and clearly to others the knowledge that he had acquired and his labors were a valued factor in pro- moting the work of public instruction and in raising the standard of the schools in this part of Michigan. As his financial resources increased he invested more and more largely in land, until he became the owner of three hundred acres of land, all in this county. From time to time, however, he has sold parts of this, but he still owns thirty-eight acres which adjoin Benton Harbor on the southeast and is valued at sixteen thousand dollars. He raises fruit of superior quality and his shipments bring to him a good finan- cial return. He has been a director of the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company for twenty years.

Mr. Beckwith has been married twice. In 1866 he wedded Miss Mary A. Young and unto them were born two children : Alta, now the wife of Ed Harner; and Minnie, the wife of Frank Kool. For his second wife Mr. Beckwith chose Mrs. Henrietta (Weaver) Boyle, a daughter of Jacob and Orpha (Crumb) Weaver. The father was a native of Ohio, became a farmer by occu- pation and on leaving the Buckeye state re- moved to Michigan in the '30's, being among the oldest settlers here. Few improvements had been made in this part of the state, the forests standing in their primeval strength, casting long shadows across the streams which in due course of time were to carry the lumber down where it could be used as a marketable commodity. Few farms had been cultivated and only here and there had the work of civilization been started. The fam- ily is of German lineage, having been estab- lished in Pennsylvania at an early period in the colonization of the new world. Unto Mr. Beckwith by the second marriage four

children have been born: Clayton, who is a bookkeeper in Benton Harbor: Earl, who is now engaged in the creamery business in Wisconsin; Glenn, who is also engaged in keeping books in Benton Harbor ; and Vere. who is attending school. Prior to becoming the wife of Mr. Beckwith, Henrietta Weaver had married Fred Boyle and by that union there was one son, Charles Boyle.

Mr. Beckwith exercises his right of fran- chise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party and has been called to various local offices, the duties of which have been discharged in a spirit of direct and im- mediate serviceableness. He was superin- tendent of the poor for nine years, was sup- ervisor for four years, 1879-80, 1882-84, and has held other public positions. He be- longs to the Masonic fraternity and both he and his wife are connected with the Order of the Eastern Star. He is a self-made man, who started out in life empty handed and the property that he has acquired is the vis- ible evidence of a life of well-directed thrift and enterprise. His indefatigable energy and perseverance have brought him to a knowledge of the truth that success is am- bition's answer.

ISAAC M. SMITH, a prominent farmer residing on section 13, Berrien township, Isaac M. Smith has from an early period in the development of the county resided with- in its borders. His birth occurred on the farm where he now lives, March 17, 1847. a son of John Smith, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, where he remained until he had reached his twenty-first year. In com- pany with his brother Isaac he in 1829 came to Berrien county, Michigan, and located the land now owned by his son Isaac M. In the following year, 1830, the brother Isaac moved with his family to Berrien county. and in 1831 was followed by John Smith, who toop up his abode on the farm which he had secured two years before. This con- tinued as his home until his life's labors were ended in death, passing away in 1892. when he had reached the age of eighty-four years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rachel Burk, was a native of Giles county,

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Virginia, where she remained until ten years of age, emigrating thence to Berrien county, Michigan, this being about the year 1830. She died at the age of seventy-eight years, after becoming the mother of six children, three sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to years of maturity and two sons and a daughter are now living.

Isaac M. Smith, the youngest of the fam- ily has spent his entire life on the old Smith homestead, receiving his education in the dis- trict schools of the locality, and from an early age he has assisted in the work of the fields. In 1871 he was married to Emma Murphy, who was born in Ohio but came to Berrien county, Michigan, when very young. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have no children of their own, but have reared an adopted daughter, Edna, who is at home. In addition to his general agricultural pursuits Mr. Smith makes a specialty of dealing in timber and lumber, buying and shipping extensively, and for twenty-five years he has followed this business, his efforts throughout this long period being attended with a well merited degree of success. He is the owner of three hundred and thirty-one acres of the finest land to be found in all Berrien county, the work of which is carried on by hired assis- tants. The Democratic party receives Mr. Smith's hearty support and co-operation, and as its representative he served at one time as highway commissioner. Mr. Smith has two of the old deeds, executed January 4. 1831, and October 10, 1833, both signed by President Andrew Jackson and these are valuable documents in Mr. Smith's home.

JAMES SMITH. Death often claims from our midst those whom we can ill afford to lose, and when it claimed James Smith the community mourned the loss of a repre- sentative citizen, widely and favorably known in agricultural circles. He was born in Preble county, Ohio, November 2, 1827, a son of Isaac Smith, who came with his family to Berrien county, Michigan, in 1830, the son James being then a little lad of three years. To the schools of Berrien township he was indebted for the early educational training which he received, this being further supplemented by attendance at the schools

of Niles, but in early life he put aside his text books and began work in the fields, ag- riculture proving his life occupation.

In 1852 Mr. Smith was married to Mal- vina Babcock, who was born in Rensselaer county, New York, east of the Hudson, No- vember 16, 1829. Her father, John Bab- cock, a native of the same county, was a prominent attorney at law, following his pro- fession at Troy, New York, for many years, and his death occurred in that city at the age of forty-six years .. He was a son of John Babcock, who was a native of Massa- chusetts, a farmer by occupation, and a prominent man in the early affairs of his community, having served as a justice of the peace and in many other ways assisting in the upbuilding of the commonwealth. The family was of English and Scotch descent. John Babcock married Sarah Kendall, who also claimed Rensselaer county, New York, as the place of her nativity, being the daugh- ter of Joshua Kendall, a native of Rhode Island and of English descent. Mrs. Bab- cock lived to be eighty-one years of age, dying in Van Buren county, Michigan. In their family were eleven children, eight of whom grew to years of maturity and four are now living,-Mrs. Smith; W. I., of Niles, Michigan; H. B., a resident of Rose- dale, Kansas; and J. N., a resident of Ben- ton township.

Mrs. Smith located in Van Buren coun- ty, Michigan, in 1844, accompanying her sis- ter and the latter's husband, William Mills- paugh. She began teaching school when but fifteen years of age, following that occu- pation for eight years or until her marriage to James Smith on the 24th of October, 1852. For two years thereafter the young couple lived in Cass county, Michigan, af- ter which they returned to Berrien county and located on the old homestead which has since been the home of Mrs. Smith. They became the parents of four children, namely : Martha, at home: Mary, who became the wife of H. G. Correll, and died at the age of twenty-three years; Prof. Ethan H., a resi- dent of San Francisco, California, and a graduate of the Bellevue Hospital of New York city ; and Charles R., at home with his mother. Mrs. Smith owns one hundred and

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eighty acres of rich and well cultivated land, over which she has had supervision since her husband's death. He was ever loyal to his duties of citizenship and used his franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, while his fraternal rela- tions were with the Masonic order. He was deeply concerned in the welfare of his com- munity, influential in his own neighborhood and for a number of years served as a school officer. He passed away February 19, 1899, but in the hearts of his many friends are en- shrined many pleasant memories of him, and his influence for good remains with those who knew him. Prof. Ethan H. Smith now holds the chair of orthopedic surgery in the College of San Francisco, California.

AMOS C. HOUSE, a prominent retired farmer living in Buchanan, was for many years closely associated with agricultural interests, and his careful and systematic management of business affairs brought him the confidence that now enables him to live in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil. He dates his residence in the county from 1866, and is numbered among the worthy citizens that Pennsylvania has fur- nished to Michigan, his birth having oc- curred in Juniata county, of the former state, May 24, 1843. His father, Ephraim House, was a native of New Jersey, whence he removed to Pennsylvania and was there married to Miss Mary Scott, a native of England, who had come to the United States when sixteen years of age, making the voy- age with her father, who, upon a return to his native country, was lost at sea. Ephraim House continued his residence in the Key- stone state until his death, and the mother afterward came to Berrien county, Michi- gan, where her last days were passed. This worthy couple were the parents of fourteen children, five of whom reached adult age and are still living: John, now a resident of Bertrand township; Sarah, the wife of Joseph Barner, of Parkstone, South Dakota; Cyrus L., who is living in North Dakota; and James, also of North Dakota.

Amos C. House, the third in the family of five children, was reared in Pennsylvania to the age of twenty-four years and acquired a good common-school education. On leav-

ing his native state he went to Missouri, afterward to Indiana, and in 1866 became a resident of Berrien county, Michigan. Dur- ing the first summer after his arrival he worked by the month as a farm hand, after which he rented land for four years and the capital which he saved from his earnings during that period enabled him then to pur- chase a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Bertrand township. Ambitious to succeed as an agriculturist he carefully husbanded his resources and made the most of his op- portunities, adding to his place until now his landed possessions aggregate twelve hun- dred acres. He is thus one of the extensive land holders of the county and his valuable property interests return him a very grati- fying income, enabling him to enjoy all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He continued active in the management of his farming and landed interests, aided by his wife, until 1894, when he removed to Buchanan, where he is now living retired. On the 23d of August, 1868, Amos C. House was married to to Miss Eliza Rough, a daughter of David and Anna (Rhodes) Hough, both of whom were born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, where their marriage was celebrated. They came to Ber- rien county in 1849, leaving their old home in the east on the Ist day of May of that year. They traveled by wagon, there being seven wagons and four families in the party. At length they arrived in Bertrand town- . ship on the 28th of May. Mrs. House was then only a little maiden of six years of age, her birth having occurred on the 16th of May, 1843. She was therefore reared in Bertrand township, spending her girlliood days in her parents' home, while in the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood she ac- quainted herself with the conimon branches of English learning. There were in the fam- ily five children, five of whom reached adult age, namely : William R., who now resides in Buchanan ; Solomon, of the same city; George H. and Mrs. Sarah Womer, both now deceased ; and Mrs. House, who is the youngest. Unto our subject and his wife has been born a son. William D., whose birth occurred in Bertrand township, August 20, 1871.

It was in 1893 that Mr. House built his

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modern brick residence in Buchanan. On his farms he has seven houses, all good sub- stantial buildings kept in an excellent state of repair. His property altogether is very valuable, and in addition to the farms al- ready mentioned he has a half interest in a farm of one hundred and ninety-seven acres, his partner being Peter Womer, of Bertrand township. He likewise has property in the city of Buchanan in addition to his home and his moneyed and extensive interests are in- controvertible proof of a life of activity and enterprise, while the favorable regard in which he is held argues well for his business integrity and honor. He has been a life- long Democrat and he and his good wife are members of the Evangelical church, in the work of which they have taken an active and helpful part. Mr. House has served as stew- ard for many years, as a trustee of the church and also of the camp ground in Niles township. He has been identified with the making of Bertrand township and Berrien county, and while leading a busy and active life resulting in the attainment of a position of prominence in financial circles, he has at the same time found opportunity to co- operate in movements for the general good, contributing to the intellectual, moral and political progress as well as the material ad- vancement of the community.

JUAN M. GUY, now living retired in Benton Harbor, has had a somewhat event- ful career, embracing the experiences of western mining as well as the occurrences of a military life in connection with the Civil war. For many years he followed farming in Bainbridge township but is now enjoying a well earned rest in Benton Harbor. His birth occurred in Washington county, New York, October 18, 1835, and he came- to Michigan in 1856, when a young man of twenty-one years, after spending his boyhood clays upon a farm in Orleans county, New York, near Lake Ontario, where he assisted in the arduous task of clearing as well as cultivating land. His father, Timothy Guy, passed his last days in Michigan. Juan M. Guy had an older brother, Mort Guy, who had been in this State two years before the

arrival of our subject and had become the owner of a farm in Hagar township in Berrien county, where he cultivated and im- proved a good tract of land, making his home thereon for a long period. About twenty years ago, however, he came to Ben- ton Harbor, where he is now living retired. By trade he is a carpenter and builder. An- other brother, De Witt Guy, arrived two years after Juan Guy, and settled in Hagar township, improving a farm on Watervliet road. He is now living in Coloma. An- other brother, Harvey Hobart Guy, owned a farm in Watervliet township but died within a year after his arrival in this county, which was subsequent to the Civil war. There were also two sisters in the family : Emma,the wife of Richard Stanley, one of the first settlers of Benton township, where she is still living; and Helen, the widow of James Barry, also a pioneer resident of Ben- ton township, where he secured a farm but afterward made a permanent location in Hagar township, where Mrs. Barry is still living. Both sisters have survived their hus- bands many years and are now nearly ninety years of age.

As previously stated, Juan M. Guy re- mained upon the home farm in New York until he had attained his majority and came- to Michigan in 1856. He worked out by the month at farm labor and in the winter seasons engaged in teaching. He had ac- quired a liberal education through attendance at Yates Center Academy, a leading insti- tution of New York, conducted under the auspices of the Baptist Church. Through five winter seasons he was engaged in teach- ing in Berrien county, having at one time charge of the school at Sorder's Corners, for two terms where he met the lady whom he afterward made his wife. She bore the maiden name of Fanny M. Lander, and was a sister of Mrs. J. M. Sorder, then residing upon the present Dukescherer farm in Ben- ton township. Mrs. Guy was born in Orange township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio. and had come to Michigan in her girlhood days in company with her sister. Mrs. Sorder, who purchased the farm in Benton township. Mr. and Mrs. Guy were mar-

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MR. AND MRS. JUAN M. GUY

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

ried on the 9th of March, 1860, just after he closed a term of school in the locality in which she lived.

Previously Mr. Guy had gone to Kansas in 1857 and had secured land in Anderson county. He returned to his claim two or three times and in 1859 he went to Pike's Peak but this proved a losing trip. He again made the return trip from Denver by way of the Platte river to Plattsmouth, Nebraska, passing over the falls in Colorado where Freemont lost his outfit. Many boats had been wrecked there. The party with which Mr. Guy traveled had a boat made and started down the river, coming into the rapids before they knew it, but they managed to make their way through the troubled wat- ers in-safety. In that locality they picked up many articles of clothing, satchels, surgical instruments, etc .- the wreckage of former sufferers. They had met thousands of peo- ple returning but they pushed on to Pike's Peak to satisfy themselves by a search for gold in that mining district. The Kansas land which Mr. Guy had previously secured he traded for land in Bainbridge township, upon which was a small clearing and an old log house. He took his bride to this place. The house was a poor one in a dilapidated condition but it was a home for the young couple and with resolute spirit they started out on their domestic life there and at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war had made a good start.

Feeling that he owed a duty to his coun- try, Mr. Guy enlisted as a member of Com- pany M, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, which regiment captured Jefferson Davis. After the battle of Perryville he was detailed for hospital duty and ward master. He served in Kentucky as orderly, a short time and then was assigned to the position of clerk of court, and as such had charge of the bringing on and arranging for all cases. This was a general court martial, which was presided over by several judge advocates, but all through the changes that occurred upon the bench Mr. Guy re- mained as clerk and probably saw more men tried by court martial than any other soldier of the army, holding that position until mus- tered out. He was the first man in Ken-

tucky to muster out men in that department. While connected with the court he often volunteered to secure witnesses for important cases and did his duty - fearlessly, enjoying the activity and danger consequent therein. He had many exciting and interesting ex- periences also during his sojourn in the west, and while on the Pike's Peak trip he saw one Indian scalp another who belonged to a tribe at enmity with the one which the first Indian represented.

Following his return from the war Mr. Guy devoted his time and energies to farm- ing with excellent success and carried on the business continuously until 1893, when he came to Benton Harbor, building his present home. He still owns two farms, comprising two hundred and thirteen acres in Bain- bridge township, of which he placed seventy- five acres under cultivation. On the first farm thirty-five acres had heen cleared of timber when it came into his possession. His second farm comprised eighty acres and lies in Watervliet township but is in close prox- imity to his other farm. This he also im- proved and he has fifty acres in peaches, while upon the old homestead he grows ap- ples. Both his farms are operated by his son, and the property returns Mr. Guy a very desirable income. In the management of his farming interests he displayed ex- cellent ability and a thorough understanding of the best methods of carrying on horticul- tural and agricultural pursuits, and as the years passed by he accumulated a handsome competence as the reward of his labors.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Guy were born two children. Emma A. became the wife of George Arney, and died at the age of thirty years, leaving two children, Irving and Wal- ter. Allen Percy Guy married Rhoby Wilder, and has one daughter, Florine. He lives at the old homestead and successfully carries on the work of the two farms. He has more than a local reputation as a sports- man, being a fine shot and makes frequent trips into the north in search of game. In his political views Mr. Guy was a stalwart Republican until out of harmony with the attitude of the temperance question he joined the ranks of the Prohibition party, but fre- quently casts an independent ballot. He was

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elected justice of the peace in Bainbridge township but did not qualify. He served for ten years as township supervisor, and for one year was chairman of the board, acting in that capacity at the time of the railroad dis- cussions. From his boyhood days he has been a devoted and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Mrs. Guy has been a member therein since her mar- riage. They are most earnest Christian peo- ple, interested in all that pertains to the growth of the church and the extension of its influence, and their labors have been in harmony with their professions.

CHARLES H. FRENCH. Among the old settlers of the county who are interested in farming is Charles H. French, who re- sides on section I, Bertrand township. While many exceed him in years there are not a great number of citizens who have longer resided in this portion of the state, for he was brought to this county when less than two years of age. His birth occurred in Onondaga county, New York, October II, 1851. His father, Samuel French, was a native of Hague, New York, and followed the occupation of farming as a life work. He removed from Onondaga county, New York, to Michigan in the year 1853, locating on the farm where his son Charles now re- sides. There he carried on general agricul- tural pursuits and his labors resulted in re- claiming wild land and converting it into very productive fields. He was born in the year 1818 and died in 1892, after a life of usefulness, activity and honor that made him respected by all with whom he was associ- ated. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, active in its work and influential in its councils. He served as elder and trustee and his co-operation was given to the vari- ous plans and movements for the growth and advancement of the church work and the extension of its influence. His politi- cal allegiance was given to the Republican party, and he stood for progress and im- provement in citizenship and for truth, right and justice under all circumstances. He came of a family of English descent. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Bliss, was a native of Courtland, New York,

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 115

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