A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 117

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

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Democratic party, and he served as the first postmaster of Chikaming township, the of- fice then being known as Chikaming. and he was retained in that office from the time of its establishment until it was superseded by Herbert post office. For four terms he also filled the office of justice of the peace, and for eight years was a school officer. Re- ligiously he was a member of the Catholic church. Mr. Glavin was one of a family of ten children, and two of his brothers and one sister remained in Ireland. His father died when he was young, and the estate went to the oldest brother, who remained in Ireland.

Mr. Glavin was married in Chicago, in 1858. to Honorah A. Cummings, who was born in Nova Scotia, and after residing for a time in Boston she removed to Chicago, going there to join a sister. She was born in August, 1837, the daughter of Patrick and Mary Cummings, and her death occurred on the 25th of June. 1877. The following chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Glavin : Ella, who died at the age of nineteen years ; Margaret, at home; Joseph Edmond. who ! was born in 1862 and died on the 26th of April, 1892: Thomas C. was the next in order of birth: Mary Elizabeth, who taught school for several years, is now the wife of T. H. McCorten; Anna F., who was born March 6, 1868, and died on the Ioth of July, 1899, and she also taught schools, hav- ing previously attended Benton Harbor Academy and also the Harvey Medical Col- lege, and her death occurred just after her graduation ; Emma A., who attended school in Marion and Valparaiso, Indiana. Benton : Harbor and a business college in Chicago; William P., a clerk for the firm of Peck & Company, of Benton Harbor; John M., who was born August 14, 1872, and died September 14. 1899. having been injured in a railroad wreck: Horace Pike, who died at the age of two and a half years : Gene- vieve, who has been teaching in the Chicago schools for the past six years; and Maurice, who attended Benton Harbor College, and is now conducting the home farm. Mr. Glavin was a second time married, having in Indiana. in 1879, wedded Mrs. Harriet Watts, of Niles, and her death occurred in

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October, 1903, at the age of eighty-four years.

Maurice Glavin was born on the old home farm on the 19th of March, 1876, and here he has ever since made his home. He attended the common schools of this lo- cality, and later was a student in the Benton Harbor Business College. He now owns two hundred acres of the old homestead, and is giving his time and attention to its cultivation. He is a Democrat in his politi- cal views, and is highly esteemed in the community for his honorable upright prin- ciples.

THOMAS F. GLAVIN. The Glavin family is one that has long been identified with the development of this section of the state, and the subject of this review is a worthy representative of the time-honored occupation of agriculture. He was born on the old family homestead in this township June 7, 1865. His father, Edmund Glavin, was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and came to the United States when sixteen years of age, spending some time in the east, but in the latter '40s came to Michigan. He helped construct the Territorial road from New Buffalo to St. Joe. At his death he left an estate of one thousand acres, eight acres of which were located within the cor- porate limits of Niles. In an early day he dealt extensively in all kinds of native lum- ber and wood, but the latter part of his life was devoted to agricultural pursuits. He was a Democrat in his political views, active in the work of the party, and for three terms he served as township treasurer, and was also a member of the township board. His death occurred on his farm on the IIth of April, 1904, when he had reached the age of seventy years.

Mr. Glavin was first married in Chicago, Honorah Cummings becoming his wife, She was born in Boston, and her death occurred at the comparatively early age of thirty years. Unto this union were born twelve children: Ellen, deceased; Maggie; Edward J., de- ceased; Thomas F., whose name introduces this review; Mary McCarter, of Chikaming township, Berrien county ; Annie, deceased, who was a graduate of the Chicago Medical

College, her death occurring July 11, 1900, just following her graduation; Emma, a teacher in Chicago, was formerly a United States employe in the Indian schools; Will- iam, shipping clerk with the firm of Young & Peck, of Benton Harbor; John, who was injured while employed on the railroad, and died in 1900; Horace, who died at the age of two and a half years ; Jennie, who has been engaged in teaching school in Chicago dur- ing the past six years ; and Maurice, at home. After the death of the wife and mother Mr. Glavin married Mrs. Harriet Watts, who died in October, 1903.

Throughout his entire life Thomas F. Glavin has resided within the borders of Berrien county. The first twelve years of his business career were devoted to rail- roading, first with the Big Four Railroad and then with the Milwaukee, Benton Har- bor and Columbus, having assisted in the construction of the latter road from Benton Harbor to Buchanan. During three years of that time he was employed as a freight conductor, while for five years he had charge of a train on the Big Four. During the past five years his entire time and attention has been devoted to agricultural pursuits, in which he is meeting with a well deserved success, and he is the owner of one hundred and forty-five acres of land in section IO, in this township. On his farm he has a number of Norman horses, and he is also giving a portion of his time to fruit culture.

On the Ioth of September, 1896, Mr. Glavin was united in marriage to Mary Leach, a native of Hartford, Van Buren county. Michigan. and they have one child, Marjorie. Mr. Glavin gives his political support to the Democratic party, and he is now serving his second term as township treasurer, while for seven years he was a school officer. He is a member of the Catho- lic church at Three Oaks, Michigan.

CORNELIUS HOVEN. In the death of Cornelius Hoven Berrien county lost one of her prominent and useful citizens. His life was strictly honorable. upright and just. being in accord with the highest principles of human conduct. Kindly and obliging in disposition, he always strove to do good to

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

those with whom he had dealings, and many a poor and needy one whom he assisted in his quiet, unostentatious way still remembers him with affection which time does not dim. He was born in the Netherlands, Holland, March 1, 1864, a son of John and Tracy ( Meyer) Hoven, also a native of the Nether- lands. The father now resides in Chicago, but the mother is deceased. They were the parents of six children, but only three reached years of maturity, namely : James, who is now living retired in Chicago; Cor- nelius, whose name introduces this review ; and John, who is engaged in the coal busi- ness in Chicago, and is also the owner of one of the finest farms in Three Oaks town- ship, consisting of three hundred and twenty acres.

When three years of age Cornelius Hoven was brought by his parents to the United States, the family home being estab- lished in Chicago, Illinois, where the son continued to reside until his removal to Ber- rien county, Michigan, in 1904. He had been reared to the occupation of farming, but for a time during his residence in Chi- cago he was engaged in the coal business. His beautiful, well improved farm in Chika- ming township consisted of two hundred and thirty-five acres, and here is located one of the finest homes in the township. This place was formerly known as the old Drew homestead, and is located in section 26. Mr. Hoven devoted his attention to farming and stock raising, and his efforts were attended with a high degree of success. He was a very religious man, and was a life-long mem- ber of the Reformed church, passing away in that faith on the 21st of March, 1905.

In 1888 Mr. Hoven was united in mar- riage to Barbara Baar, who was born in Chicago June 6, 1870, a daughter of Simon and Anna (Kooi) Baar, natives of the Netherlands. Three children were born to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hoven- Anna, John William and Tracy. During his lifetime Mr. Hoven had endeared himself to many friends, and his memory is yet cher- ished by those who knew him.

VICTOR H. THOMAS. For many years Victor H. Thomas has been promi-

nently identified with the agricultural inter- ests of Berrien county, and in this time has become recognized as one.of its most valued citizens. He was born in Berkshire coun- ty, Massachusetts, January 30, 1837, a son of Dr. Philander H. Thomas, who was a native of the Empire state, his birth oc- curring in Rensselaer county on the 5th of May, 1802. The family have long been identified with the medical profession, for the grandfather of Victor H., Dr. Jeffrey Thomas, was also a physician, practicing in New York, of which state he was also a native son. His son, Dr. Philander H. . Thomas, practiced medicine all his life, and his death occurred on the 30th of December, 1863. He married Laura Hull, who was born in Berlin, New York, February 22, 1806, and died at the home of her daughter : in Cass county, Michigan, August 2, 1880. Unto this worthy pioneer couple were born six children,-John H., Sarah E., Flora A., Granville S., Victor H. and Collin C.

Victor H. Thomas, the only one of his parents' large family now living, was but five years of age when the family re- moved from Massachusetts to Stephentown, Rensselaer county, New York, there remain- ing for seven years, when the home was es- tablished at West Sand Lake, near Albany, New York. That place remained the home of Victor H. Thomas until he had reached his twentieth year, and from the time of leav- ing the school room, when sixteen years old, he has followed agricultural pursuits. In 1857 he made the journey alone to Michi- gan, first taking up his abode near Cassop- olis, in Cass county. In the following spring, however, he joined the tide of gold seekers to California, driving an ox team from the Missouri river to Salt Lake City, while the remainder of the distance was covered on foot. Five years were spent in the Golden state, engaged in mining and selling vege- tables, and the following five years were spent in prospecting in the silver mines in Nevada. Returning thence to Cass county, he was there engaged in agricultural pur- suits until April. 1873, when he chose Ber- rien county as his future home. His first pur- chase of land consisted of a tract of eighty acres on section 14, the farm, at that time be-

- . -

Jahr. Johnson

Pus have Jahrearn

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

ing covered with brush and stumps. Twen- ty-six years ago he purchased another farm of one hundred and sixty acres, located on section 15, which he brought to a high state of cultivation.

Mr. Thomas was united in marriage to Elizabeth Shaw, who was born in Berlin, Rensselaer county, New York, July 25, 1844. At the age of nine years she came to Cass county, Michigan, with her parents, Richard and Caroline (Ingalls) Shaw, both natives of New York, the former born in 1809 and the latter in 1820. After a happy married life of many years they both passed away in Cass county, the father dying in 1877, and in 1888 the mother joined him in the world beyond. They were the parents of three children,-Elizabeth, Benton, a resi- dent of Niles, Michigan, and Marion W. Five children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, namely: Laura E., at home; Guy, a resident of Three Oaks. Michi- gan; Ray, who works for his father ; Lee C .; and Marion, who married W. R. Hibbs, who is now living in Chicago. Mr. Thomas gives his political support to the Democratic party, and for seven years or until the office was abolished he served as township superin- tendent of schools, while for two terms he was the treasurer of the township. He is a man of sterling worth, and justly merits the high regard in which he is held.

JOHN JOHNSON dates his residence in Berrien county from the 24th of May, 1845. It was then that he first opened his eyes to the light of day on the farm on which he still resides on section 29, Berrien township. His father, John Johnson, was a native of Virginia and there resided through the period of his youth. His father also bore the name of John Johnson, and was a native of Virginia, whence he came to Berrien county in 1824. The father of our subject was a young man, when, in 1824, he arrived in this county. He had two comrades and they made the first settle- ment in Berrien township. It was subse- quent to this time that the grandfather be- came a resident of Michigan. The father and his companions were the first white men to venture into the forest regions in Berrien

township and make a permanent settlement. Mr. Johnson performed the arduous task of clearing and developing new land and trans- formed his place into a good farm. He was married in this county to Miss Anna Ly- brook, a native of Virginia, who came to Michigan with her parents in pioneer days. Soon after their marriage the young couple located upon a farm, Mr. Johnson entering from the government the land upon which his son, our subject, now resides. There he spent his remaining days, actively en- gaged in agricultural pursuits for many years and living a quiet life during his last days. He died at the age of eighty-two years, in the faith of the Dunkard Church, of which he had long been a devoted mem- ber. His wife, who was also a member of the same church, lived to be seventy-three years of age. They were the parents of eight children, the eldest of whom passed away at the age of twelve years. The record is as follows: Isaac, born December 20, 1828; Sarah, March 4, 1831; Rebecca, March 5, 1833; Henry L., October 3, 1835; Lydia, April 19, 1838; Eve, October 21, 1840; Mary, January 23, 1843; and John, May 24, 1845.

The youngest of the family, John John- son, whose name introduces this review, was reared upon the old homestead farm and be- gan his education in the district schools of Berrien township, while later he attended a school conducted by Miss Brown at Niles. His training at farm labor was not meager, for he was early instructed in the best methi- ods of caring for the fields and raising crops. He has always engaged in general farming and after his father's death became the owner of the old homestead. He now has one hundred and sixty acres, constituting one of the oldest farms of Berrien township, the land having been entered by his father from the government and transformed by him into productive fields. October 25. 1868, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Marie Bartholomew, a daughter of Dr. Samuel C. and Sarah (Thomas) Bartholo- mew, who were natives of New York and came to Berrien county about 1848, locating in Berrien Springs. The father was a prac- ticing physician, becoming one of the early

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representatives of the medical fraternity in his locality. Mrs. Johnson is the youngest of six children, three sons and three daugh- ters, and was born in Berrien Springs, Feb- ruary 27, 1851, while in the public schools there she acquired her education. Follow- ing his marriage Mr. Johnson located on the old home place and operated the farm until his father's death, when he came into possession of the property. In politics he is a stalwart Democrat, and for four years served as supervisor, while for one term he was township treasurer. In 1890 he was elected sheriff of the county, which office he held for two years, living at Berrien Springs during that time. He was also en- gaged in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness at Niles for about three years and then returned to the farm, whereon he has since made his home. It is today a well developed property, the fields yielding him an excellent financial return, for his crops find a ready sale on the market. He belongs to the Ma- sonic fraternity at Berrien Springs and is well known in the county, where for sixty- one years he has made his home. Unto him and his wife have been born five children, two sons and three daughters, but only the son, Henry B., is left, who is now engaged in business in Birmingham, Alabama. Mr. Johnson is of the third generation of the family in this county and is not only familiar with its early history because of the records he has read and the tales which have been told him concerning pioneer days but from actual experience as well, and can relate many interesting incidents of the times when much of the land was uncleared and uncul- tivated and when the work of modern prog- ress and development seemed scarcely be- gun. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have in their possession four of the old parchment deeds signed by President Andrew Jackson, exe- cuted April 1, 1831, November 10, 1830, April 1, 1831, and January 1, 1831. These are valuable souvenirs in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. They have three of the old coverlets made by his mother and they are almost three-fourths of a century old. And they also have one of the little flax wheels, and the mother of Mr. Johnson spun upon this wheel.

RICHARD WILLIAMS MONTROSS. As a manufacturer and business man en- gaged in industrial development and produc- tion which has given steady impulse to the business welfare of Berrien county, Mr. Montross has been one of the prominent figures in the county's history during the past forty years. Born in New York city, June 2, 1839, he is a grandson of one of the Frenchmen who came with Lafayette during the Revolution and is also a descendant of the Duke of Montrose. His father, William Montross, a native of Dutchess county, New York, lived in New York city after the age of fourteen years, and attained a substantial position in the business affairs of the metrop- olis. He was a dry-goods merchant and a director in the Market National Bank and other financial institutions. Though ninety- one years old at the time of his death in 1895, he had regularly gone down to the bank every business day up to the last year. Through numerous visits to his son in Mich- igan he had become quite well known to a large number of Berrien county people.

Mr. Montross' mother was Ann Eliza Williams, who was born and spent her en- tire life in New York city, where her death occurred in 1898 at the age of eighty-six. Her father, Richard S. Williams, made a career closely identified with the city's civic interests. He served as alderman and was governor of Blackwell's Island, supervising the erection of the principal buildings there. He took a prominent part in the Quaker church. The Richard S. Williams and Company, ship chandlers, were a well known firm at the corner of Fulton and South streets. He established and became presi- dent of the Market National Bank.

Mr. Montross is the only member of the family in Michigan. His three sisters and one brother live in New York city, and one brother died in St. Louis, Missouri. The oldest of the family, he began his business career at an early age, becoming a clerk in a store at fourteen. In 1859 he was sent to Dubuque, Iowa, to take charge of a grocery and drug stock for a New York wholesale house. He remained there until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he en- listed in Company I, First Iowa Infantry,

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under Capt. Frank Herron. He was on staff duty under General Fremont in the Missouri campaign, and in the battle of White Stone Hill in 1863. In 1864 he was promoted to first lieutenant and quarter- master in the Third U. S. Volunteer In- fantry, and went to the western plains about Denver, serving under General Connor until mustered out in September, 1865, at Fort Leavenworth.

He remained in New York city only a short time after the war, and in November, 1866, located at Galien, Michigan, which has been his home from that date to this. It was the manufacture of wooden goods that first occupied his attention and in this line he gained his principal success. Handles for agricultural implements, made from the white ash and bass wood of this region, have been his principal products, and in this busi- ness he has employed as many as two hun- dred hands and his annual output has reached a value of eighty thousand dollars. He was in business with a partner until 1875, but has since then conducted his in- terests alone. A small saw mill and turning plant in the midst of the woods was the equipment with which he began business, and in the course of his business career he has bought many tracts of woodland. In this way he has cleared more land than any other man in southwest Michigan.

Mr. Montross is a Republican in politics, and a citizen with independent ideals. He is affiliated with the Masonic blue lodge at Buchanan and the chapter and commandery at Niles, and as a thirty-second degree Mason has been a member of the Michigan Sovereign Consistory of Scottish Rite Masonry at Detroit for twenty years, and of the thirty-third degree Supreme Council, having had the degree conferred in 1895 at Boston. He is a charter member and a past commander of the K. O. T. M.

Mr. Montross' first wife was Miss Nellie Hand, a daughter of Judge Hand of Wis- consin. Their one son, William, is in the printing business in Chicago. His first wife died in 1882 and twelve years later Mr. Montross married Anna Plaister. Mrs. Montross is a woman of energy and busi- ness enterprise and is well known as a cat

and dog fancier. One of her Angora cats is valued at two hundred dollars and took six prizes in a cat show at Chicago. She also takes pride in her pedigreed Scotch col- lies, and to some extent is interested in rais- ing Plymouth Rock chickens.

JOHN S. INGLES died at his home in Galien, November 23, 1905, a respected and honored citizen who for a third of a century had conducted his business affairs and pri- vate life in such a way as to establish him- self permanently and influentially in that community. Born at Canandaigua, Ontario county, New York, May 12, 1834, at the age of three he was taken by his parents to Norwalk, Ohio, and on reaching manhood moved to Milan, in the same state, where he was superintendent of the Milan canal a number of years, and from there came to Galien in 1872 and lived here until his death, which came after he had worthily completed the cycle of three score and ten years. He was a farmer during the greater part of his life. He and his brother Charles H. engaged in the manufacture of pumps at Galien for three years. His farm of eighty acres, half of which had been put under cultivation by his own strenuous labor, lies partly within the village of Galien, along the railroad, seventy-four acres being in sec- tion 2. It is known as Engleside farm, and its improvements are of the highest class. He was a Republican in politics, although independent in local matters, and was a member of Galien lodge of the Odd Fellows. He took much interest in Spiritualism as his preferred form of religion.

The late John S. Ingles was the son of Addison and Lucy ( Bachelor) Ingles, na- tives respectively of New York and Massa- chusetts. John S. was the third of their eight children.

Mr. Ingles married, in 1858, Miss Jane McMaster, who was born in Huron county. Ohio, December 26, 1839. Her parents were Hiram and Philora McMaster. Her father was born in Cayuga county, New York. October 23. 1806, and her mother at Fort Ann, Washington county. New York. November 26, 1817. and after her death in Ohio in 1853 the husband married again

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and came to Michigan, where he died April 25, 1884. Mrs. Ingles was one of six chil- dren. She is the mother of three children : Emma, wife of Adelbert Prince, of Prince Brothers, hardware firm at Galien; Charles Delbert, a railroad man of Glenwood, Min- nesota ; Earl, who runs the home farm.

WILLIAM C. HEWITT. This pros- perous young farmer of section I, Galien township was born in Bertrand township of his county, March 14, 1872, and has spent most of his life in Galien township. He has owned his present farm since 1898, a part of it being from the old James Wilson place and a part from the William Welch farm. Besides farming Mr. Hewitt runs a thresh- ing outfit for six months of the year.

Mr. Hewitt's father, John H., was born near Fredericksburg, Virginia, and with a brother served in the southern army dur- ing the rebellion at the conclusion of which he came to Berrien county and was engaged in farming until about six years ago, when he moved to Michigan City and then to South Bend, where he now lives. His

father was also named John and came to this county from Virginia after the war, dy- ing near Buchanan. John H. Hewitt had the following brothers and sisters: Cor- nelius, William, Charles, Harvey, Jane, Annie and Martha.

Mr. Hewitt's mother was Luella Welch, daughter of one of the oldest citizens of southern Berrien county. William Welch was born in Ontario, October 1, 1828, and when about twelve years old accompanied his parents to Cass county where they were among the early settlers of Howard town- ship. In 1849. joining a party of ten and traveling with ox teams, he left Cass county on February 25 and the following Septem- ber 20th arrived in California, where for the next two years he sought a quick road to wealth, being occupied for the most part in teaming. He returned to the states by way of the City of Mexico and New Orleans, and after two years' residence in Cass county settled in Bertrand township. Eighteen years ago he located in Galien township. He has been a very successful farmer, and at one time owned two hundred acres of

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 117

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