A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 122

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

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tal training they were well prepared for life's practical and responsible duties.

Mr. Smith is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Troy, New York, and has shaped his life in accordance with his religious belief and the teachings of the church. In his political views he is a pro- hibitionist, supporting the party which em- bodies his ideas upon the temperance ques- tion. He has lived a temperate, honorable and upright life, endorsing those principles and rules of conduct which work for upright manhood and for the development of char- acter and his life may well serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others.

DANIEL T. FEATHER. Active in the affairs of life as an agriculturist for many years, Daniel T. Feather is now living re- tired, having won a measure of success that now enables him to put aside the more ar- duous duties of the farm and live in the enjoyment of the fruits of his foriner toil. He makes his home on section 7, Oronoko township, and is numbered among Pennsyl- vania's native sons now living in Berrien county. His birth occurred in Northum- berland county of the Keystone state, Feb- ruary 15. 1830, and in a family of five sons and one daughter he was the second in or- der of birth. Mention is made of his par- ents, Joshua and Mary A. (Smith) Feather, elsewhere in this volume in connection with the history of their son, Joshua Feather.

A review of the past shows Daniel T. Feather when, a little lad of six summers, he arrived in Berrien county with his par- ents, the family casting their lot with the pioneer residents of Oronoko township. They shared in the usual experiences and hardships of pioneer life and when a boy he attended the primitive schools, the "little tempel" of learning being a log building seated with slab benches. There was a long window on each side of the building made by removing a log and putting glass in the aperture. At one end was a huge fire place and the smoke made its egress through a mud and stick chimney. It was possible to place a log four feet in length upon the fire. At the other end of the room sat

DANIEL T. FEATHER'S FAMILY GROUP

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the teacher and a rod usually hung over his desk to remind the delinquent pupils that his shortcomings would meet a proper fate. It was in the winter seasons that Mr. Feather attended such schools, while in the summer months from an early age he worked on the farm, aiding in clearing and cultivating the land. To his father he gave the benefit of his services until he had reached the age of twenty-one years, when he started out in life for himself, beginning farm work in the southwestern part of section 7, Oronoko township. He remained there for six years and then removed to the northeastern part of the same section on the old homestead. He has lived in this portion of the county for three score years and ten-the age usually allotted to man, and he has been a witness of the growth and development of the county for a longer period than the great majority of its citizens.

In 1852 Mr. Feather was united in mar- riage to Miss Caroline Bechtel. a daughter of Jacob and Catherine ( Booscius) Bechtel, who in 1847 came to Berrien county, Michi- gan. Mrs. Feather was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and died May 15, I905. By her marriage she became the mother of eight children, five of whom still survive, while three died in infancy. Those still living are: Mary M., the wife of Ira R. Stemm, whose life record is given on another page of this volume; Rev. Daniei J. Feather, who is a minister of the Evan- gelical Church, now located at Mount Pleas- ant, Michigan; David A., who occupies the old home farm; Rev. Franklin J. Feather, a minister of the Congregational Church, now preaching near Rockford, in Kent county, Michigan ; and Jacob C., a farmer and fruit- raiser of Hinchman. Mr. Feather of this review has thirteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, all of whom were born in Berrien county and most of them in Oronoko township.

As the years passed by Daniel T. Feather has done much surveying in Berrien county and has settled many estates, a fact which indicates the trust reposed in him and proves his thorough reliability. His early political allegiance was given to the Democracy but in later years he has become a Prohibitionist,

as that party embodies his ideas upon the temperance question. He has been closely associated with Berrien county and its in- terests for seventy years and has stood for progress and advancement in all those lines of life which work for the betterment of mankind. For forty-seven years he lias been a member of the Evangelical Churchi. active and zealous in its work and was the first Sunday-school superintendent in the Second district of Oronoko township. He is also a licensed local preacher but has never acted in that capacity. He has labored, however, for the growth and upbuilding of the church and his influence is ever on the side of right, justice and truth. He has acted as notary public for twenty years and was at one time highway commissioner. In his business affairs he has been successful and the rest that he is enjoying is therefore well merited. In the early days he greatly enjoyed hunting and found ample oppor- tunity to indulge his love of the sport be- cause deer were frequently seen in the coun- ty, while smaller game was also very plenti- ful. His memory covers a period of early pioneer progress and improvement as well as of later day advancement and prosperity. He can remember a time when there were few roads cut through the forests, the trees stood in their primeval strength and gave shelter not only to wild game and wild beasts but also to the Indians who occasion- ally visited the district. He has live 1 through the era of pioneer homes with their primitive furnishings-the fire place. the tallow candles, etc., and as the years have gone by he has deliglited in the changes which have been made for the better and has kept pace with the universal prog- ress.

Mr. Feather has one of the parchment deeds executed February 10. 1852 and signed by President Millard Fillmore, which is a souvenir of the household, and another by the same president dated November 1. 1852, and the oldest, executed April 1. 1831. and signed by President Andrew Jackson, and another dated May 1. 1839. and signed by President Martin Van Buren. He has in his possession four deeds of the old parch- ments.

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STEPHEN SCOTT was born in St. Joseph county, Indiana, eight miles north- west of South Bend, on Portage Prairie, September 13, 1844. His parents were George Scott and Elizabeth Leer Scott. George Scott was a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, and when about four years of age moved with his parents, William and Susan (Nash) Scott, to Logansport, Indi- ana, with one horse and a yoke of oxen. He remained there a short time then removed to St. Joseph county, Indiana, near the state line, the inhabitants being mostly Indians. and died at the age of seventy-four years at Buchanan, Michigan. Elizabeth Scott was a native of Ohio and came to St. Joseph county. Indiana, in an early day and died at the age of fifty-five years. Stephen Scott was one of the family of seven children : Mary J. Evans of Buchanan; Susan Page of Elkhart. Indiana ; Stephen Scott, a farmer of South Berrien county, Michigan; Wil- liam Scott, died at five years of age ; Harriet Scott, deceased; George R. Scott, a farmer on Portage Prairie ; James H. Scott, a mill- wright of South Bend, Indiana. Stephen Scott remained on the farm with his parents attending school during the winter terms and obtained a common district school education. On March 8, 1864, he enlisted in the United States service in Company E, Twelfth Regi- ment, Michigan Veteran Volunteer Infantry, to serve three years or during the war of the rebellion, and on March 21 left home and friends for the front to participate in the hardships and privations of warfare. He was picket guard in front of Columbus. Ken- tucky, near the banks of the old Mississippi river. May 17 started on Springfield cam- paign; May 28 was sunstruck and taken to Little Rock. Arkansas; June 26 and 27, in the fight at Clarendon ; September 4. in fight at Gregory's Landing and afterward engaged in other minor engagements. November 5. commissioned corporal; February 15, 1866, mustered out of service at Camden, Arkan- sas: March 6. paid off and discharged at Jackson, Michigan. The first year he trav- eled over three thousand miles. He remained at home on the farm until October 3. 1867. He was married to Sylvie N. Yaw, her par-

ents were Theodore C. Yaw and Nancy Waterhouse Yaw.

Theodore Yaw was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, and came to Berrien county in 1852 and located near Galien, Michigan. Nancy Yaw was born in Rut- land, Vermont, and came to Berrien county in 1852, and is now living at Hunter, Arkan sas, at the age of seventy-nine years. Sylvie N. Yaw Scott is one of a family of three children and came to Berrien county with her parents. The others are: Henry E. Yaw, a mechanic of Hunter, Arkansas, and Abbie Lowman of Los Angeles, Cali- fornia.

Stephen and Sylvie Scott located and bought a farm of eighty acres four miles south of Buchanan for sixty-five dollars per acre and a few years later bought an ad- joining forty acres for ninety dollars per acre. Besides owning other property in Bu- chanan he has improved it and made this a model home.

To Mr. and Mrs. Scott two children were born. James E. Scott, born November 25, 1868, and is now rural mail carrier on route 3. from Buchanan; Francis M. Scott, born April 25, 1874, and died March 20, 1876. Mr. Scott had visited the centennial exposi- tions at Philadelphia in 1876, the world's fair at Chicago in 1893, and G. A. R. en- campments at Minneapolis, Detroit and Chi- cago. Mr. and Mrs. Scott and their son took a pleasure trip, going by way of Chicago to Dallas, Texas, and here visited relatives and from thence to Galveston, Texas, and from thence by boat to New Orleans, and by boat up the Mississippi river eight days to St. Louis, and then visited relatives in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Scott were members of Cot- tage Hill Grange. After filling most of the minor offices, Mr. Scott was elected master of that body for two years in 1878. He be- came a member of William Perrott Post No. 22, G. A. R., and was elected post commander for one year in 1879 ; was made a member of Buchanan lodge, No. 68, F. & A. M., and after holding some of the minor offices for eleven years in succession, in 1890 was elected master of the lodge for two years in succes- sion, and in 1899 and 1890 was again elected

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their master for two years more, making four years as a presiding officer over that august body and attending grand lodges at Lansing, Grand Rapids, Muskegon and De- troit. He also was a member of St. Joseph Valley Chapter, R. A. M., and Niles Com- mandery, No. 12, K. T., and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, having held the office of worthy patron for two years. Mr. Scott has been appointed to many im- portant positions, such as appraising proper- ties, appraising railroad damages and has been drawn on the regular panel of jurors for the circuit court of Berrien county for five terms and two specials. He is a Repub- lican in politics and has been an active worker in that line.

Mrs. Scott has also been very active in promoting the welfare of her many friends. She was an active member of the Woman's Relief Corps for many years, holding the highest office for a number of years, and a member of the S. F. A. Association, holding the office of president for several years, and in 1890 after much controversy succeeded in organizing a chapter of the order of the Eastern Star in Buchanan, which was named for her (Sylvie Chapter). It was organized with thirty-five charter members and in a short time the membership was increased to over one hundred. She was elected worthy matron and was its presiding officer for two years. Stephen Scott has traveled over a part of twenty-four different states and Canada.

JACOB BROWER. There is no open road to success without its hindrances and its obstacles, but prosperity may always be won by determined, persistent effort, guided by sound judgment and accompanied by a utili- zation of opportunities which are common to all, and a recognition of this fact has led to the success now enjoyed by Jacob Brower, who is engaged in the lumber trade in Three Oaks. He was born in Vriesland, Holland, December 31, 1864. His parents were Nich- olas and Clara (Plantinga) Brower. The father died when his son Jacob was only nine years of age and the mother is still liv- ing in Holland. She was left in very limited financial circumstances with eight children

to support, the oldest being then but four- teen years of age. Her brother, a contractor, who lived some distance away, however, helped her considerably in the support of her family. He took Jacob Brower and kept him until he came to the United States and when a youth of fifteen years Jacob Brower was making a dollar and a half per day, but he came to America to avoid military service. He had been drawn for ten years' service in the army and was to be placed on a gun boat. His mother and uncle objected so seriously, however, to his entering the navy that he came to the United States. He was in school until fourteen years of age, after which he learned the carpenter's trade and attended the evening school until seventeen years of age. He then crossed the Atlantic to the United States, reaching Chicago on the 28th of May, 1884. He remained in that city un- til December and was ill for six weeks of the time. He secured employment with a contractor, who paid him a dollar and a half per day during the four weeks that he was in his service. In Europe the trade was somewhat different and Mr. Brower had not only learned the carpenter's trade but also the mason's trade, being thoroughly familiar with the builder's art in every department. Within four week's time, through close ap- plication and attention Mr. Bower had gained a considerable knowledge of the English tongue and his services were therefore ren- dered more effective. His wages were raised to a dollar and seventy-five cents per day, later to two dollars and subsequently to two dollars and a quarter. In the fall he began contracting on his own account, his first in- dependent work being the erection of a house at a cost of twelve hundred dollars.

In December he came to Three Oaks. where he began cutting wood for Godfrey Schelley for forty cents per cord, being thus employed until the succeeding spring, when he began farming, spending one season at agricultural labor. He then entered the em- ploy of E. K. Warren in his charcoal camp as timekeeper and overseer of the erection of the buildings, serving under Dwight War- ren for one year, when Dwight Warren left and Mr. Brower became foreman of forty wood choppers and teamsters. For one year

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he was foreman in control of the entire camp. On leaving Mr. Warren's employ he began working at his trade of contracting and building in Three Oaks. He employed from two to five men and was thus engaged for three or four years. Gradually he began supplying himself with building materials and developed his present business-that of dealer in lumber and building materials. When four years had passed he concentrated his energies entirely upon this line of busi- ness and has since conducted a well equipped lumber yard. About six years ago he took a contract for building several dwellings for E. K. Warren, but regards this contracting and building operation as secondary to the lumber business. He has for the past six years conducted a lumberyard at Galien as well as at Three Oaks and has a profitable business, enjoying large sales which return to him a very gratifying income.

On the 26th of September, 1888, Mr. Brower married Miss Jennie Agema, who was born in Vriesland, Holland, in the year 1866 and came to America in 1870 with her parents. Garrett and Winnie ( Haekstra) Agema. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Brower were born eight children: Sophia, Claud, Win- nie, Garry, Ernest, Henry, Tinnie and a baby unnamed.

Mr. Brower is a Republican in his politi- cal views, having supported the party since becoming a naturalized American citizen. He belongs to the Holland Church and is an enterprising, energetic business man, whose life record is creditable alike to the land of his birth and the land of his adoption. He is a typical business man, wide awake and alert. watchful of opportunities and quick to improve every advantage which comes to him and thus he has gained a well merited and gratifying success, working his way up- ward from the position of a humble trades- man to that of a prosperous merchant.

ELMORE C. SPAULDING. Occupied with farming interests that are a gratifying source of income. Elmore C. Spaulding lives on section 23. Oronoko township, where he has one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he owns and operates. The farm is devoted to diversified crops and the methods

of cultivation there employed indicate an enterprising spirit in touch with ideas of modern progress in farm lite. Mr. Spauld- ing was born in Somerset county, Maine, May 6, 1852, and in a family of six children, three sons and three daughters, he was the third child and second son. His father, Timothy C. Spaulding, a native of New Hampshire, and a farmer by occupation, re- moved to Maine when a young man and was married in the Pine Tree State to Miss Helena Wells, a native of Somerset county, Maine. The year 1863 witnessed their ar- rival in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and soon afterward the father purchased the farm up- on which his son Elmore now resides. He gave his attention to general agricultural pursuits for a considerable period, and died at the advanced age of about eighty years. He had been a life long Democrat and held various local offices, proving his worth as a a citizen in his township and wherever he was known. His widow still survives him at the age of eighty-one years and is esteemed by young and old, rich and poor.

Elmore C. Spaulding was a youth of eleven years when he accompanied his par- ents on their removal to Berrien county, Michigan and his education, which was be- gun in the public schools of his native place. was continued in the graded schools of Ber- rien Springs. He remained at home through the period of his minority, assisting in the farm work and on starting out in life for himself he was married November 16, 1876. to Miss Harriet L. Shearer, and thus estab- lished a home of his own. Mrs. Elmore C. Spaulding was born in Berrien township February 25, 1855. and is the second in a family of five children-one son and four daughters-born to Jeremiah and Sarah (Shearer) Shearer. There are three living and two of the family are residents of Ber- rien county and the sister. Mrs. Lora Rich- mond, is a resident of Beaver Falls, Penn- sylvania. The father was born in Carroll county, Ohio, June 15. 1828. and died March 27. 1897. He was an agriculturist, was well educated and in his early years was a teacher. Politically he was a Repub- lican. He and his wife were members of the Free Will Baptist Church. He owned

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land in Oronoko township upon which his wife now resides. Mother Shearer was born in Stark county, Ohio, September 24, 1831, and is yet living, over a three-fourths of a century old. Mrs. Spaulding was reared and educated in her native county.

The following are the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding : Clyde E., grad- uated from the Berrien Springs high school in the class of 1898. He married Miss Ruth Boyd, and resides in Berrien Springs. He is mail carrier. Arthur also graduated in the same school in the class of 1900, and he married Miss Evelyn Minnemire. He car- ries on the farming of his father's farm. Lester A., who almost finished the free course of high school at the Springs. He wedded Miss Lisa Lawrence and one little son, Lawrence, was born to them.

Mrs. Elmore Spaulding is a member of the United Brethren Church of Berrien Springs. Her people were pioneer settlers of the county, her father, Jeremiah Shearer, coming from Ohio to Michigan when this was a frontier district and assisting in its early development.

Mr. Spaulding votes with the Democracy and has served as township treasurer for two terms. He is also justice of the peace and his decisions are strictly fair and impartial. His residence in Berrien county covers forty-two years, during which time he has taken an active interest in public affairs to the better- ment of the county and the advancement of its welfare along material, intellectual, politi- cal and moral lines.

JACOB C. KRIEGER was born on the farm where he now lives in Bainbridge town- ship, August 4, 1858, a fact which indicates that in the early period of progress and de- velopment here his parents had become resi- dents of Berrien county. He is a son of Christian and Caroline ( Shearer) Krieger. Christian Krieger arrived in this county a year or two before his wife came and they were married here. She had a brother, Christian Shearer, living in Bainbridge township and with whom she resided until she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Krieger. They began their domestic life in a log cabin and later he erected a more

commodious residence to replace this pioneer home, which, however, is still standing. He had forty-nine acres of land in the home place and forty acres a half mile south, to- gether with forty acres on Territorial road about two miles south. Mr. Krieger secured about thirty acres of the home place and set out apple and peach trees. His death, how- ever, occurred when he was but forty-four years of age, so that he did not live to see his orchards come into bearing. He left a widow with seven sons, the eldest being but fourteen years of age. She remained upon the old homestead and to the best of her ability cared for her children. One of the sons, Ferdinand, died at the age of eighteen years, and the mother passed away when about fifty years of age. The sons of the family were John, now living in St. Joseph, where he is engaged in the real estate busi- ness : Peter, who died at the age of twenty- one years; Jacob; Charlie, a barber of Chi- cago, who died in Bainbridge township at the age of thirty-five; Albert, living in Bain- bridge township; William, of Benton Har- bor; and Ferdinand, who, as stated, died at the age of eighteen.

Jacob C. Krieger remained at home until his mother's death, which occurred when he was about twenty years of age. He after- ward worked in Benton Harbor at packing apples, etc., and worked the home place two years before marrying. At the age of twenty-three he wedded Miss Sarah Lind- seymeier, also of Bainbridge township, then a young lady of eighteen years. since which time he has devoted his at- tention to the cultivation and improve- ment of the old homestead which he purchased. It is a fruit farm with thirty- five acres utilized for horticultural interests. He has fifteen acres of peaches, also many pear and apple trees and much small fruit and his sale of fruit for the year 1905 brought him two thousand dollars. He is enlarging his business in this direction, an- nually setting out more trees and he has recently erected a new residence. Ile has also rebuilt the barn, which is thirty-six by fifty-four feet and upon the place is a well and windmill with water piped to the barn. In fact all of the modern accessories found

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upon a fruit farm are here seen and his place is altogether a model property.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Krieger have been born six children : Wallace, Ida, Maud, Car- rie. Esther and Earl, all at home. Mrs. Krieger is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, while Mr. Krieger's member- ship relations are with the Woodmen of the World. She is identified with the Maccabees and the Grange. In his political views Mr. Krieger is a Democrat but while he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day he is not an aspirant for office and on the contrary prefers to give his un- divided attention to his business affairs which are now bringing him well merited success.

JOHN W. FAY, living in Watervliet township, devotes his time and energies to the dairy business and horticultural pursuits. He was born in Malone, Franklin county, New York, the town in which Vice President Wheeler was a banker and in which he lived when elected to the second highest office within the gift of the people of the United States. Isaac Fay, father of our subject, was a contractor and builder and erected the Wheeler home at Malone. He was also a machinist and he was killed at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, while serving in the army, at the age of thirty-seven years. His wife bore the maiden name of Julia Baldwin, and was a daughter of John Baldwin of Burk, New York. At her husband's death she was left a widow with three children, and in 1864 she came to Michigan, being led to this state by the fact that she had a brother and sister living here. Her brother. Moses Baldwin, is a resident of Van Buren coun- ty. Her sisters are Miss Polly Baldwin and Mrs. Martha Hawks, both deceased. These members of the family have been resi- dents of Michigan for several years. On arriving in this state Mrs. Fay secured a place one-half mile east of the Stickney schoolhouse in Watervliet township. She had forty acres of land, and after paying for her home had but little money remain- ing. Her eldest child was only ten years of age. In the management of her property and the care of her family she displayed ex- cellent ability, marked business capacity and

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 122

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