A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 124

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

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Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mutchler have been born eighteen children, and they lost three daughters : Myrtle E., who died at the age of twenty-two years; Ella, who died at the age of ten years; and Bertha C. died at the age of twelve years. The living children are : Rev. Frank W. Mutchler, a minister of the Christian Church, Baird, Iowa; Lillie, the wife of Frank Bartmess, of South Bend: Walter E., who is conducting a meat market in Buchanan; Charlie at home; and Grace, who is a successful teacher.

Charlie the youngest of the children was educated in the common schools and in Buchanan, Michigan. He was offered good places, but he preferred to remain at home with his parents. Grace is now the teacher in the seventh grade in the Buchanan high school, this being her fifth year.

Mr. Mutchler is well known in Berrien county, having lived here for forty years. He votes with the Democracy and his posi- tion on any question of general importance is never an equivocal one, for he is fearless in defense of his honest convictions. Life with him has passed quietly in a way and yet there is in his record much that is com- mendable for he has displayed qualities of good citizenship and reliability in business that make him worthy of the regard of those with whom he has come in contact.

HON. NATHAN V. LOVELL, one of the upbuilders and promoters of the town of Eau Claire and a member of the state legis- lature, is justly accounted one of the dis- tinguished and leading residents of Berrien county. His birth occurred in Livingston county, New York, in 1844, and he is a representative of an old New England fam- ily. His grandfather, Nathan Lovell, was born in Connecticut and served as a soldier in the war of 1812, subsequent to which time he removed to the state of New York. There occurred the birth of Barney Lovell, father of our subject, who remained a resi- dent of the east until 1851, when he came with his family to Cass county, Michigan. In the meantime he had married Miss Eliza- beth Spicer, also a native of Livingston county, New York, and a daughter of Asa

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Nathan ! Force

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Spicer, who was born in Albany, New York, and defended the cause of his country in the second war with England. On coming to Michigan Barney Lovell took up his abode in Cass county, where he cleared a tract of land and improved a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, being one of its early settlers. The work of improvement and progress had scarcely been begun at that time. There were practically no roads and the traveler had to follow the old Indian trails or else those which were marked out by blazing trees by the early settlers. The Indians were numerous in this part of the state and somewhat resented the encroach- ment of the white men upon their hunting grounds. It required considerable courage and fortitude to leave the east and estab- lish homes upon the frontier in the midst of such conditions, but Mr. Lovell possessed the spirit necessary to the pioneer and reso- lutely undertook the task of making a home for his family in this part of the country. He lived upon his first purchase until 1865, when he went to Wisconsin, where he bought a tract of land which had been some- what improved. His remaining days were spent upon that property and his attention was given to general agricultural pursuits as he brought his fields under cultivation and carried on the other work of improvement and progress. His death occurred upon the Wisconsin farm in 1905 when he was about eighty-five years of age, for he was born in 1820. His wife died in 1893 at the age of sixty-seven years. In their family were six children, of whom three are yet living, namely : Nathan V .; John T., who resides in Wisconsin; and Mary E., also living in Wisconsin.

Hon. Nathan V. Lovell was only about seven years of age when he bade adieu to his old home in the east and came with the family to Cass county, where he shared in the hardships and trials incident to frontier life, aiding in the arduous task of develop- ing a new farm. He continued at hiome until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when in response to his country's call for aid he offered his services to the govern- ment although only about seventeen years

of age, enlisting on the 12th of June, 1861, as a private of Company B. Ninth Michi- gan Infantry. He continued with that regi- ment until August, 1862, when he was transferred to Company B of the Seventh Michigan Cavalry as sergeant, continuing with that command until August 25, 1865. when he was mustered out. He participated in the battles of Gettysburg, Spottsylvania Court House, Germanna Ford, Stevensburg. Aldie, the Wilderness, Rappahannock Sta- tion, Haymarket, Hanover Court House, Campaign of the Shenandoah under Slieri- dan, Saylor's Creek, Stoney Ford, Din- widdie Court House, Appomattox Court House and at the surrender of Lee's army. April 9, 1865. He was also at the battle of Trevilian's Station, where lie saved the life of Col. Russell A. Alger, now United States senator, the horse being shot from under him and Mr. Lovell catching liim as he fell. Colonel Alger was later made brigadier general. Mr. Lovell was mustered out as sergeant but continued with the army until the close of hostilities and made a creditable record as a brave and fearless soldier.

When the war was over lie went to the northwest, prospecting for four years, after which he returned to Michigan in 1871, set- tling in Van Buren county, where he re- mained for a year and a half. In the latter part of 1872 he came to Benton Harbor and followed the machinist's trade, which he had previously learned. Subsequently he pur- chased a farm in Benton township and in 1879 removed to Berrien Springs, where he engaged in the mill and lumber business, operating a saw mill there. In 1882 he took up his abode at Eau Claire in Pipestone township, where he has resided continuously since. He is one of tlie foremost citizens of this place, where he has a fine farm of two hundred acres of valuable land on which he is raising stock and grain. He is also largely financially interested and also actively engaged in the management of the Michigan and Alabama Fruit Package Com- pany, manufacturing packages for packing fruit for shipment. Whatever he undertakes he carries forward to successful completion.

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"He forms his plans readily and has a genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time. In matters of business judgment he is rarely if ever at fault and he has the ability to readily recognize an opportunity and to determine its practical value as a factor in business life. He erected the first building in Eau Claire and has since contributed in substantial and helpful meas- ure to its further progress and improvement.

Mr. Lovell is also recognized as a lead- ing Republican and his political record has been an honor to the county which has hon- ored him. He takes an active and helpful part in all efforts for the benefit of his town- ship, city, county and state and his views regarding public measures are both pene- trative and practical, resulting in the accom- plishment of results, the value of which are widely acknowledged. He was elected to the state legislature in 1902 and re-elected in 1904. During the first session he served on the committee on general taxation, insurance and the home for the blind. In 1904 he was made a member of the committees on federa- tion, military affairs and insurance and was chairman of federal relations. During the latter session he was father of the bill to regulate the tax commission known as the Lovell bill and succeeded in securing its . adoption. It was this measure that largely won him his strong support at the last elect- tion, having a majority over his Democratic opponent of one thousand votes in a district which is regarded as a Democratic strong- hold and which embraces one-half of Ber- rien county. He is frequently spoken of as a possible candidate for the state senator- ship.

Mr. Lovell was married to Miss Ella J. Farr. in 1895, who was born in Kankakee. Illinois. There are three children: Fred- ericka, and U. S. Grant, the children of a former wife, Delia S. Keeler, who died in 1893. and Marjory E. The elder daughter is now the wife of Jesse Colvin and has one child. Fritz J. Mr. Lovell is a representative of our best type of American manhood and chivalry. By perseverance. determination and honorable effort he has overthrown the obstacles which barred his path to success

and reached the goal of prosperity, while his genuine worth, broad mind and public spirit have made him a director of public thought and action.

HENRY A. FEATHER. Among the representatives of farming interests in Oronoko township, who are successfully conducting their business interests, is num- bered Henry A. Feather, who now resides on section 7. It was upon this place, known as "Fair View Farm," that he was born April 26, 1854, his parents being John H. and Lucy Ann ( Bachtel) Feather. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, and when eight years of age came to Berrien county, Michigan, with his parents, Joshua and Mary (Smith) Feather, who in pioneer times cast in their lot with the early set- tlers of Oronoko township, taking up their abode upon a farm which adjoins the place that is now the home of our subject. There John H. Feather was reared and was trained to habits of industry and economy whereby he gained a good knowledge of farm life and was qualified for practical duties along those lines in later years. He was married in Oronoko township to Miss Lucy Ann Bachtel, also a native of Pennsylvania, whence she was brought to Berrien county by her parents when fifteen years of age. The young couple began their domestic life upon the farm where our subject now lives and there the father carried on general farm- ing and also engaged in the agricultural implement business in his later days. He sold all kinds of farm machinery and buggies and was very successful in his mercantile venture. His life was a busy, useful and active one and he lived to the age of sixty- nine years, being widely and favorably known in the county in which the greater part of his youth and manhood were passed, and with the early history of which he was closely and helpfully associated. His wife lived to be only about forty-five or forty-six years of age. In their family were eight children, five of whom are now living. After losing his first wife the father married again and by the second union there were three children, of whom two survive. At the time

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Che Ho Ce Freather

H. A. Feather

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of the father's death the following memoir was inserted in one of the local papers : "John Henry Feather, who lacked but one day of being sixty-nine years old and who had been a resident of this township for nearly or quite sixty years, died at his resi- dence near Hinchman Monday forenoon. He was a member of the 'Pennsylvania colony,' that has furnished so many good citizens to this vicinity, and one of the pio- He was one of the men who em- barked in fruit growing at an early day and he stuck to it and had been successful. As a result he is supposed to have accumu- lated a fine estate. How large that may be is not known but enough is in sight to be a fair reward for a life's work. He was a man held in high respect for his sterling in- tegrity and by his industry and enterprise he showed to others a good example.

neers.

"He was twice married and at his death left a widow and eight children. Two chil- dren had preceded him to the grave. His three sons, Andrew, Rufus and William, are all living in this vicinity and two daughters, Mary and Harriet, live at home. Annie and Lina married two brothers, French, and one of them lives in Buchanan, the other near the old home. His daughter Julia married a Mr. Blish and lives at Niles. Two brothers, Joshua and Daniel T. Feather, survive and they live not far from the ground their par- ents first occupied on their arrival in this country.

"Mr. Feather was prominent in business matters and had been a man of very consid- erable influence in the affairs of this com- munity until recently. His health had not been good for three or four years but had not been so poor as to prevent his attending to his business until within a year. His visits to town within that time have been very rare and his old friends have regretted to see how ill he looked and that he was nearing the end of his active and useful life."

Henry A. Feather is the third child of the first marriage and was reared upon the old homestead place, while in the district schools of Oronoko township he acquired his education. Remaining at home he as- sisted in the farm work, receiving ample

training in the labors of the fields. His educational privileges, however, were some- what limited, for he attended school only every other winter, alternating with his brother. He worked for his father to the age of twenty-six years and was then mar- ried and left home in order to establish a home of his own.

In 1880 Mr. Feather was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary Elizabeth Hinish, who was born in Oronoko township, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Fryman) Hinish, who were old settlers of Berrien county. Immediately following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Feather located on a farm where he now resides and here he has since lived. In 1885, however, he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife. In their family were two children, Milton H. and one who died in infancy. For his second wife Mr. Feather chose Jessie L. Gleason, who died five . years later, and in August, 1902. he wedded Mrs. Millie H. Small, the widow of E. L. Small. Mrs. Feather was born in Kosciusko county, Indiana, June 13, 1859, and is a daughter of John H. and Mary (Wyman) Shaffer. There were three sons and six daughters in the family, and six are living. Her father was born in Germany in 1818, and died in 1893. He was a lad of seven years when he landed in America. By occupation he was a farmer. He received his education in the common schools, and was married in Ohio. Politically he was a Republican, and was a member of the Evan- gelical Church. He died in Elkhart county, Indiana. Mother Shaffer was born in Ohio in 1826, and died in 1867. She was also a devout follower of the Evangelical faith. Mrs. H. A. Featlier was educated in the common schools, and when she had reached years of maturity wedded Edward Small in 1884, and two sons and one daughter graced the union, and all are living: Fannie re- ceived a common school education and was then a student in the Berrien Springs high school and the Hinchman high school. She is quite proficient in instrumental music. She is a member of the Royal Neighbors of Hinchman, Michigan, and is receiver of that order. Frank A. Small completed tlie

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common school course and is now a student in the Hinchman high school and will grad- uate in the class of 1907. His choice of professions is that of electrical engineer. Wyman H., the youngest, is in the seventh grade of the public schools. Mrs. Feather is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was one of the teachers for some years in the Sunday-school. She is a mem- ber of Hive No. 189 of the L. O. T. M. at Berrien Springs, and is also a member of the Royal Neighbors, being vice oracle of this order. Mr. and Mrs. Feather have one of the parchment deeds executed February I, 1849, under the hand and seal of President James K. Polk. Mr. Feather is a numis- matist, and has some of the 1857 pennies, the 1865 two-cent pieces, and a Danish coin dated 1771, also other coins of 1832, 1852 and 1856, two gold coins of one dollar dated 1862, a two and one-half dollar piece dated 1836, and two of the fractional currency during the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Feather have their beautiful country home, known as the "Fair View Fruit Farm," lighted by one of the most complete acetylene plants in the county. The lawns are even lighted by this magnificent light. It makes a coun- try home metropolitan and city-like. This modern equipment of their pretty home will cause others who are up-to-date farmers to introduce new and modern ideas. Mrs. Feather is a model hostess, and she graces her pretty home in such a cordial manner as to win the high admiration of her many friends.

Mr. Feather has a farm of two hundred and forty acres of well improved land and is carrying on general agricultural pursuits, while about forty acres of his place is planted to fruit. In addition to his general farming interests he has also engaged in the coal business at Hinchman and holds mining in- terests and also property at other places, including Rapid City, South Dakota. He has interests in oil lands and in other profit- able investments and his interests are now varied and extensive. He has been a life- long resident of Berrien county, where he is well and favorably known. At local elec- tions he votes for the candidate regardless

of party affiliations and at national elections he casts a ballot for the Republican candi- dates. He has held some school offices and is a prominent and active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has been president of the Sunday-school Association of his township and superintendent of the Sunday-school at Hinchman for several years, and his efforts have been effective and far-reaching for the benefit of the church. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors, and was counsel in the Modern Woodmen camp. His life has indeed been a busy and useful one and whatever he has undertaken he has car- ried forward to successful completion. He and his cousin, John H. Feather, are sole proprietors of the Feather Company tele- phone line, extending through the townships of Oronoko and Lake with offices at Hinch- man and Baroda. He has ever displayed a most progressive spirit, which is manifest in his business interests and his connec- tion with public life and the value of his services is widely acknowledged by his fellow townsmen who recognize him as one of the representative citizens of the com- munity.

MILTON H. FEATHER. The young men of the present era are those to whom the great commonwealth of Michigan look to for the rapid progress and full develop- ment that the twentieth century calls for. One of the representative young farmers, who is a scion of one of the solid and in- fluential citizens of Oronoko township, is the young man whose name introduces this review. He is a native son of Oronoko township, born June 27, 1882, a son of H. A. Feather, of whom mention is fully given above. He has been reared in his native county as a tiller of the soil and as a horti- culturist, receiving able assistance from his father, who is one of the leading horti- culturists of Oronoko township. He re- ceived his educational training in the public schools. At age of eighteen he spent one season with the well known commission house of M. Baker & Company, of Chicago,

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at a lucrative salary and met the full appro- bation of his employers.

Mr. Feather established a home of his own by wedding Miss Clara Sattler, April 10, 1902, and two little children grace the marriage-Lewis A. and Cleotus A., bright little children. Mrs. Feather is a native of Oronoko township, and a daughter of Lewis Sattler, who is represented in this volume. Mr. Feather resides on a splendid eighty-acre farm on section 8, Oronoko township, and devotes his life to raising of the grains and to horticulture. Politically he is a Republican and cast his first presidential vote for Presi- dent Roosevelt. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of Camp No. 6273, M. W. of A., located at Hinchman, and he is a member of the drill team. His wife is also a member of the Royal Neighbors. Both Mr. and Mrs. Feather are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and he is treasurer of the missionary mission. His father is the sup- perintendent of the Sunday school, which supports a missionary to far off China, the cost being twenty-five dollars annually, de- frayed entirely by the school, which speaks well for the good accomplished by the Oron- oko township Sunday school. Much credit is due the Feathers in carrying forward of this measure of missionary labor. The average attendance each Sabbath for the year ending October, 1906, is forty-four out of an en- rollment of fifty-nine, and the average col- lection each Sabbath foots up two dollars and twenty-two cents. This Sunday school continues throughout the year. Mr. and. Mrs. Feather are young people who are scions of the best families in the township of Oronoko, and stand high in a religious and social status, and we are pleased to present this brief review of this worthy young couple.

MISS CARRIE NOTT is the owner of a little fruit farm of five acres near Benton Harbor and is a representative of one of the old pioneer families of the county. Her father, William J. Nott, was born in Barn- stable, Devonshire, England, on the 9th of December, 1810, and spent his early years in that country. He came to the United

States at the age of nineteen years in com- pany with his father, William Nott. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Mary Jones, had died in England in 1829 and the father and family afterward crossed the At- lantic to the new world, settling in Genesee county, New York, where the father died.

William J. Nott was married in Wayne county, New York. He was a well edu- cated man and engaged in teaching school for several years, spending a part of that time as a teacher in Lyons, Wayne county, and it was there that he was married on the 27th of March, 1834, to one of his pupils, Miss Mary D. Merry, a native of Farming- ton, Maine. Her mother bore the maiden name of Dolly Bradford and was a direct descendant of Governor Bradford, who came to America on the historic Mayflower in 1620 and was the first governor of the Massachusetts colony. For twenty-one years after his marriage Mr. Nott remained a resident of Wayne county, New York, and in 1855 removed thence to Genesee county, taking up his abode near where his brothers lived. One of his sons, Lindorf A. Nott, served as a soldier in the Civil war and died in Andersonville prison.

About the time of the close of the war Mr. Nott removed in 1865 from the Empire State to Michigan, and saw the section about Benton Harbor. He was greatly pleased with the land and the possibilities of the county and bought a tract of land lying on Lake Michigan about a mile north of Benton Harbor, which is now occupied by the Hilton family. At that date his place was twenty-five miles from a railroad. but he forgot all about distance, for so well pleased was he with the locality. Before buying he visited Iowa, Illinois and other states, living during that period at Cold- water, Michigan. He returned to the land three times and drew a plat of it, calling it Paradise. His wife, however, was not pleased with the purchase and could not understand her husband's fascination for the property. He bought twenty-six acres, for which he paid five thousand dollars, which was a large price in that day. It was a wet tract and there was a corduroy

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road leading to it. On the 21st of June, 1865, however, he removed to his farm, considering that he had the finest place in the world and was perfectly content with his new home and its environments. The sea- son before one-third of all the peaches raised in the county had been grown on that place. Mr. Nott began to clear and ditch the land and improve the farm. He broke ground at once, set out peach trees and was raising large crops when the yellows swept his orchards. He then planted small fruits and so continued until his death, producing fine crops of berries. He also remodeled the house and added to it and lived a life of contentment, well satisfied with his condi- tions. He put in fine fruit and greatly en- joyed experimenting with fancy fruit. He delighted to grow new varieties and make a test of different kinds for use in this vicin- ity. The higher the price of the sets the more he wished to buy and experiment and in his fruit raising he met with very good success. The original tract of twenty-six acres remained his home throughout the years of his residence here.

Mr. Nott took a deep interest in all that tended to promote the public welfare and gave his support to many movements for the general good. He was a Republi- can in his political views but never aspired to office, preferring to give his time to his horticultural interests. He was in active business until the last, passing away July 4. 1886, when in his seventy-sixth year, while his widow survived him until Febru- ary 14, 1888.

In the family of this worthy couple were six children. Mary J., who died February 24. 1880, was the wife of Thomas D. Steele, who is living in Sparta, Wisconsin. William Henry, who was a practicing phy- sician at Indianapolis, Indiana, died June I, 1893. Lindorf died in Andersonville prison while serving as a soldier of the Union army in the Civil war. David, who was a farmer and lived with his sister Carrie died August 21, 1903. Emily is the widow of John S. Day, of New York, who later re- moved to Sparta, Wisconsin, and afterward to a farm in Brookings county, South

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 124

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