A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 126

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

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the business for thirty-seven years and was thus long closely associated with the in- dustrial interests of the town, but has now rented his shop and is living retired. In 1873 he bought the Lake Shore House, a hotel at this place, which he conducted for twenty-eight years, but recently traded it for Chicago property, whereby he became the owner of a store at No. 720 Erie street at the corner of Leavitt street. He also owns three dwellings in New Buffalo together with his blacksmith shop and a number of vacant lots and his property is the visible evidence of a life of industry and enterprise.

In 1866 Mr. Peo was married to Miss Sophia Schultz, a native of Mecklenburg. She came to America at the same time Mr. Peo crossed the Atlantic and their marriage was celebrated here after landing. They traveled life's journey happily together for about eighteen years and were then separated by the death of the wife in 1884. Their children are: Dora, who is the widow of Fred Sompo and resides in Chicago; Frank, also of that city; John H., of New Buffalo; George, who is a real estate dealer of Chicago and is a graduate of the Metro- politan College of that city, whereby he was well qualified for life's practical and respon- sible business duties. After losing his first wife Mr. Peo was again married in 1884, his second union being with Miss Minnie Miller, who was born in Prussia, Germany, and came to Berrien county, Michigan, with her parents when a year and a half old. Two children have been born of this union : Fred A., who is with his father in business ; and Alexander, now deceased.

Mr. Peo is a member of the German Lutheran Church, in which he has held va- rious offices, doing all in his power to pro- mote the growth and extend the influence of his denomination. In politics he was form- erly a Democrat but his study of questions and issues led him to transfer his political allegiance and he is now a Republican. He was for twelve years a member of the board of education of New Buffalo, was alderman for seven or eight years and has also been highway and street commissioner. He has likewise filled the office of tax equalizer and

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has been active in support of his party and faithful in office, doing everything in his power to promote the general improvement and progress of the county. Mr. Peo be- longs to St. Johann's Turnverein at Michi- gan City, with which he has been identified since 1868 and he has belonged to the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows at New Buffalo since 1884. Four times he has rep- resented his lodge in the grand lodge and he is one of the valued members of the order here. He is the oldest business man in the village in years of continuous con- nection with commercial and industrial in- terests here and throughout the entire period has maintained an unassailable repu- tation for business integrity, activity and straightforward dealing.

JOSEPH WALKER. Among the lead- ing and successful farmers of Berrien town- ship is Joseph Walker, who resides on sec- tion 35, where he now owns two hundred and eighty acres of valuable land, constitut- ing one of the largest farms in the county. Here he carries on general agricultural and horticultural pursuits and his labors are so carefully directed that they have brought to him a good financial return.

Mr. Walker was born in Niles town- ship, Berrien county, October 14, 1843. His father, Joseph Walker, was a native of Leicestershire, England, where he was reared. and when twenty-one years of age he crossed the Atlantic to Canada, while in 1842 he arrived in Berrien county, Michigan, set- tling in Niles township. There he carried on general farming for a long period and spent his remaining days, his death occurring when he had reached the age of seventy-six years. He married Catharine Newgent, a native of the north of Ireland, born near Abbey Castle. She went to Canada with her father when about ten years of age and she lived to the very advanced age of ninety- seven years. There were twelve children in the family, and with one exception all reached manhood or womanhood.

Joseph Walker was reared in Niles town- ship and was educated in the district and select schools, being thus well qualified for

life's practical and responsible duties. His training at farm labor was not meager, for he was early assigned tasks in connection with the cultivation of the fields and he re- mained upon the old homestead as assistant to his father up to the time of his marriage. He then began farming on his own account, locating at the place which is yet his home and to the original tract he has added from time to time as his financial resources in- creased and opportunity offered until he is now the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of as good farming land as can be found in the county. He is an enterpris- ing farmer and fruit-raiser, annually pro- ducing good crops of grain and fruit. He has about twenty acres planted to apples, six acres in pears, peaches, grapes, etc. He now makes a specialty of gardening and finds this a profitable source of income, for his vegetables are always of excellent size, quality and flavor, thus bringing' the highest market prices.

Mr. Walker was married in 1868 to Miss Alice Grice, a daughter of Eli Grice, a na- tive of Howard township, Cass county, Michigan, where she was reared. Three sons have been born of this union, Joseph, Willie and Gordie, all of whom are at home and are assisting their father in the farm work.

Mr. Walker has been a life long resident of this county and is deeply interested in its growth and progress. As a factor in its agricultural and horticultural interests he has contributed to its general prosperity and . in matters of citizenship he is always loyal to the best interests of the community at large. In politics he is a Democrat and has served as township treasurer and as school inspector. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Pokagon, Michigan. He has a wide ac- quaintance in Berrien county and is recog- nized as one whose genial manner and good traits have made him popular with his fel- low townsmen.

WILLIAM WYANT. one of the well known agriculturists of Berrien township, Berrien county, Michigan, is a native son

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of the Keystone State, his birth occurring in Erie county, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1832. His father, James L. Wyant, claimed New York as the state of his nativity, dating his birth in Orange county, and there he was reared to years of maturity. From his na- tive state he removed to Pennsylvania, where he remained for a short time, remov- ing thence to Wayne county, Ohio, and dur- ing this time was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1867 he came to Michigan, lo- cating on the farm which is now the home of his son William, and there he spent the remainder of his life, passing away on the 25th of February, 1875, when he had reached the seventy-seventh milestone on the journey of life. Mr. Wyant was married in Ohio to Phebe Rhude, a native of Hamil- ton county, that state, where she was also reared. She was called to the home beyond when seventy-eight years of age. Unto this worthy pioneer couple were born twelve children, six sons and six daughters, two of whom died when young.

William Wyant, the second son and fifth child in order of birth, spent the early years of his life in Wayne county, Ohio. In 1854 he came to Michigan, first establishing his home in Ionia county, where he purchased a farm and for a short time thereafter was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. He then went to Rock Island, Illinois, where he resided until 1858, and in that year came again to Michigan, this time locating in Pipestone township, Berrien county, but a short time afterward purchased a farm on sections 22 and 23, Berrien township, consisting of one hundred and eleven acres, where he was ex- tensively engaged in the tilling of the soil for the long period of thirty-nine years, dur- ing which time he met with the success he so richly deserved. On the expiration of that period Mr. Wyant removed to the farm- stead which is now his home, which he had purchased in 1903, but it was two years later, in 1905, when he took up his abode thereon. His farm comprises one hundred and sixty acres of rich and well cultivated land, and the well tilled fields annually re- turn to him rich rewards for the care and labor he bestows upon them.

In Akron, Summit county, Ohio, in 1853, Mr. Wyant was united in marriage to Alvira Tuttle, whose birth occurred in Portage county, that state, she being a daughter of Lafayette Tuttle, of Portage county. Four children have been born of this union-Mary Frances, at home; John F., a resident of Berrien township, Berrien county ; Oscar M., who makes his home in Niles township, Berrien county; and Clista. M., the wife of Leroy Morley, and they re- side with her parents. Mr. Wyant gives his. political support to the Democratic party, and his first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. He has been the. choice of his party for a number of official positions, among which may be mentioned those of road commissioner and school di- rector. He is a member of the Baptist. Church at South Berrien Center. For fifty years Mr. Wyant has maintained his home- in Berrien county, and during all these years his honorable and upright life and Chris- tian character have endeared him to a host of friends.

EDGAR S. PENNELL, proprietor of the Pennellwood summer resort in Berrien township, was born in Cayuga county, New- York, August 22, 1843, and was the third child of Abram C. and Elizabeth B. (Smith) Pennell, the former also a native of the Em- pire State. He became a resident of Ber- rien county in 1848, at which time he located in Lake township and purchased a farm, upon which he remained for five years. He then located in Oronoko township, where he- bought two hundred and forty acres of un- improved land. Scarcely a furrow has been turned upon the place and with character- istic energy he began to clear and cultivate. it. He built fences, plowed the fields and continued the work of improvement until a later day, when he traded this farm for land in Berrien township. He spent his last days. in Berrien Springs and was more than eighty years of age at the time of his demise. He had held local offices in Lake township and was well and favorably known as a citizen of genuine worth, fearless in defense of his honest convictions and a stanch champion of

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whatever he believed to be right. In politics he was a stalwart Republican and active in the interests of the party. He married Eliza- beth Smith, who was reared in New York, her father, Richard Smith, removing to the Empire State during her early life. She lived to be more than eighty-six years of age. In their family were five children, three sons and two daughters, all of whom now survive and are married.

Edgar S. Pennell was but five years of age when he came to Berrien county and was reared in Lake and Oronoko townships, while the educational privileges he enjoyed were afforded by the country schools. His attention was largely given to work upon the old home farm until he reached the age of twenty-four years, when he was married, in 1868, to Miss Mary A. Walton, a daughter of James and Mary A. Walton, who came to Oronoko township when their daughter, Mrs. Pennell, who was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, was about six years of age.

At the time of his marriage, Edgar S. Pennell located upon a part of the old home farm in Oronoko township, having forty acres, to which he afterward added two acres. He remained there, carefully culti- vating the place until 1879, when he located on his present farm. About 1895 he began entertaining summer boarders, and in 1896 he began building and improving summer cottages. No state of the middle west of- fers more attractions as a summer resort than does Michigan, with its wooded hills, its beautiful lakes and its delightful climate, and Mr. Pennell, taking advantage of these conditions, has developed an excellent bus- iness of this character. He now accommo- dates about one hundred in the heighth of the season and has on an average of about sixty people to spend the summer months at Pennellwood, which is pleasantly located on the St. Joseph river about a mile and a half south of Berrien Springs and a mile from an electric line. Mr. Pennell meets his guests at the train when they are expected and puts forth every effort in his power for their con- venience and entertainment. He has in the farm one hundred and twenty acres and in addition to this property he has a home at

New Smyrna, Florida, his sons, Clyde W. and James F., owning a winter resort there. Mr. Pennell has been a resident of the coun- ty for almost six decades and in many ways has been identified with its development and progress. In politics he has been a life-long Republican, unfaltering in his allegiance to the party. His business interests are care- fully conducted and he has made the Pen- nellwood a favorite and attractive resort.

WILLIAM P. KING. No history of Berrien county would be complete without containing mention of William P. King, for his life work was closely interwoven with the early development and later progress of this part of the state and detailed account of his life would present an accurate picture of conditions which existed here when Berrien county was a frontier district. He was born December 4, 1808, at Brainard's Bridge in Rensselaer county, New York, his parents being William and Lydia King, representa- tives of an early family of Massachusetts. The son at the age of sixteen years became an apprentice to an uncle at Monroe, Michi- gan, who built mills in this state. In 1885 Mr. King arrived in St. Joseph to enter the employ of the government, engaging in building the harbor. That was the first work on which is the present channel. He sank cribs and did other such work, spending several seasons in that way. He was in the employ of a government contractor, James Mann. During this time he entered land from the government, becoming the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, which is now the present King homestead. He began to improve the property, building thereon a log barn and log house. It was a square tim- ber house all mortised and it is now in use as a barn on an adjoining farm. It was one of the old block houses built in "off seasons" when five or six expert men could give as- sistance in its construction and in getting out timbers. All shingles were rived and shaved. This stood near the present house and was occupied by Mr. King until he built the residence which now stands upon the place in 1869. His activity in business and deep interests made him very widely known

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and for one or two years he ran flatboats and steamboats on the St. Joseph river, bringing grain down the river and taking merchandise up the stream to Three Rivers, Constantine and other places. In those days the Wheeler Boat Line and the Sutherland were the principal ones operating and it was in connection therewith that Mr. King made his trips up and down the river, becoming known to all the older settlers as Captain King. In the meantime he was also clearing, cultivating and developing his farm and in the course of years he had two hundred acres under cultivation, having added eighty acres to the original tract. His land lay on either side of the Pipestone road but there was no passage through his farm at the time when he located thereon. As the country became more thickly settled and there was demand for more public highways, however, the Pipestone road was laid out through his farm. In all of his work he was practical and progressive and his claims soon showed evidence of his careful cultivation and spirit of enterprise and thrift. He also invested in other lands and at one time owned all of the land now in the city of Benton Harbor between Brittain and Empire avenues along Pipestone, comprising one hundred and twenty acres, which is now a very valuable property. St. Joseph at that time was the principal business center of the county and it was believed that Benton Harbor would never be a place of any commercial import- ance. In fact, neither city had become very large or prominent at the time of his death and the family sent to Niles, a distance of twenty-five miles, for a hearse in which to take the body of Mr. King to the place of interment.

In his political views Captain King was a stalwart Whig until the dissolution of the party, when he joined the ranks of the new Republican party. He was quite active in political affairs, attending the party conven- tions and did all in his power to secure the adoption of the principles in which he be- lieved. At the time of the Mexican war he enlisted for service in the American army and later he received in recognition of his aid a land warrant for one hundred and sixty

acres. However, he afterward sold the war- rant. In community affairs he took a help- ful interest and was always present at vari- ous town meetings and served in nearly all of the township offices save that of super- visor. He was recognized as a real leader in township affairs, his views being respected by all because of his well known fidelity to the general good and his public spirit. He enjoyed the unqualified regard of the early settlers of the county and his upright life fully merited the trust that was reposed in him. He was reared in the faith of the close communion Baptist Church, with which he always retained his connection. His. house was ever open for the reception of ministers of the denomination and for all other people as well, its hospitality being unbounded.

Mr. King was married in St. Joseph to Miss Jane Kelley, a daughter of James Kel- ley, a Scotch Irishman. Her father was a strong, powerful man, of fine physique and was a pioneer settler of the county, typical of the life of the frontier. He settled upon a farm bordering the St. Joseph river and his house was a hotel at which boat passen- gers stopped. It was at Arden and on the Niles road was erected another hotel, the Buckhorn, but his place was always the more important. Sometimes twenty steamboats and other river craft would be tied up to the. wharf here and it is supposed that it was at this place where he formed the acquaintance of Miss Kelley, who afterward became his wife. She survived him for twenty-five years or until July 16, 1894, when she passed away at the age of seventy-two years. The death of Mr. King had occurred on the 10th of May, 1869, when he was sixty-one years. of age. In their family were eight chil- dren : George H., of whom further mention is made; Nathan G., deceased; William P., who died at the age of fifty-nine years ; Alex- ander C., of Benton Harbor; Mary E., the wife of W. A. Preston, of St. Joseph ; Nel- lie C., who was a teacher and is now living at home ; Laura B., also at home; and Jen- nie A., the wife of P. W. Hall, of Benton Harbor. Of this family Nathan served in the army of the Potomac throughout the

MRS. ABEL GARR

ABEL GARR

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Civil war. He afterward conducted a groc- ery store in St. Joseph and later he went to Chicago, where all trace of him was lost. It was impossible to gain further informa- tion concerning him after diligent inquiry and it is therefore supposed that he is dead. William P. also served throughout the war and was in the government employ for four- teen years in the Black Hills country, largely engaged in carrying supplies. Finally he settled at Blackfoot, Idaho, where he died in June, 1904, and his remains were re- turned to Benton Harbor for interment.

George H. King. the eldest of the family, was born in the old block house described above and remained upon the home farm through the period of his boyhood and youth. After his father's death he rented the farm until his mother's demise, when the estate was settled. He had also owned other land and he carries on general farming, in- cluding the cultivation of the fields and the raising of good grades of cattle and hogs, to which he feeds his crops. He likewise grows peaches, pears and apples. His lead- ing apple orchard is the one that was set out by his father in stumps almost seventy years ago and the trees have been in bearing for more than sixty-five years. Captain King would set trees as soon as the space was cleared, all of the trees being grafted in the body about two feet above the ground. This is doubtless the oldest bearing orchard in Berrien county and it has borne every year, thus being a continuous source of profit. In his political views Mr. King is a Republican. He attends the conventions and elections, never failing to embrace an opportunity of casting his ballot in support of the men and measures in which he be- lieves. The family is prominent in the coun- ty, having been connected with progress and development here from pioneer times and it is with pleasure we present to our readers the record of their lives.

ABEL GARR, deceased, resided on sec- tion 21, Oronoko township, and when called to his final rest the community mourned the loss of a representative citizen. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana, December 31, 1807. His father, Abraham Garr, was a

native of Virginia, born February 28, 1769, and removing westward, he settled in Wayne county, Indiana, in 1807. The ancestry of the family is traced back to Andreas Garr, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1685, and came to America in 1732, crossing the Atlantic on a sailing vessel, which was eigh- teen weeks in completing that voyage. He located in Culpeper county, Virginia, and became the progenitor of the family in the new world.

Abel Garr was the sixth in a family of eight children and the youngest son, there being four sons and four daughters. He was reared upon the farm in Wayne county, Indiana, which his father had entered from the government and the district schools of a pioneer settlement afforded him his educa- tional privileges. He was denied many of the privileges which are now known, owing to his residence upon the frontier but there were also pleasures and opportunities which are unknown now. Through the period of his youth he remained at his father's home and afterwards learned the trade of cabinet- making, which he followed in Richmond, Indiana, until 1832, when, attracted by the new settlements of southwestern Michigan, he came to Berrien county and took up his abode in Niles. It was then a small town but the county was already giving indica- tions of the enterprise and spirit of progress, which were soon adhered to and made it one of the leading counties of this great com- monwealth. Mr. Garr worked at his trade in Niles, being in the employ of James Hall until he had saved from his earnings a sufficient sum of money to enable him to buy land. He received a wage of but fifty cents per day at cabinet-making and from this sum he bought the land on section 21, Oro- noko township, now constituting the old homestead, upon which his widow and daughter reside. His first home was built of hewed logs and there he kept bachelor's hall for several years, in the meantime clear- ing up the farm and as the timber was cut down he plowed his fields and planted his crops.

On the 4th of December, 1847. Mr. Garr was married to Miss Harriet Storick, who was born at Selin's Grove, Pennsylvania,

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December 19, 1819, a daughter of Lewis Storick, whose birth occurred on Chestnut street, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in which city he was reared. He became pro- prietor of what was then called a tavern, and some years later he removed to the present town of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, whence he came to Michigan in 1836, establishing his home in Oronoko township on the place where Mrs. Garr now lives. After three years, however, he removed to the northern part of the township, where he purchased a farm. His last days, however, were spent on the old homestead where Mrs. Garr now resides. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Maria Sellers, was also a native of Pennsylvania. His grave was among the first made in what is called Oak Grove ceme- tery. the land having been given by Abel Garr for the purpose. Mrs. Garr was the youngest of ten children, five sons and five daughters, and is the only one now living. She was a maiden of but fifteen years when she became a resident of Berrien county and is now eighty-six years of age, so that her residence in Oronoko township covers the long period of seventy-one years. She is today the oldest living resident of the town- ship and she receives the respect and ven- eration which is certainly due her.

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Garr located on a farm which is, still her home and there they spent their entire married life. His attention was given to the cultivation of the fields and he was success- ful in his business owning at one time four hundred acres of rich and arable land, which returned him a gratifying income for the care and labor he bestowed upon the fields. He also took an active part in public affairs and left the impress of his individu- ality upon the public thought and action, es- pecially in an earlier day. He served as a captain of the home militia, was supervi- sor of his township for some years and acted as school director for many years. He continued to reside upon the old home place until his demise, which occured Decem- ber 20, 1889. Thus passed away one of the honored and worthy pioneer settlers, but he is yet remembered by many who knew him and who were associated with him in years

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 126

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