A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 136

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

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The last named is the eldest and takes care of the family. He was nine years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Lake township, where he has since lived. He was reared to the occupation of farming, to which he devoted his time and energies when not busy with the duties of the school- room. He remained upon the home farm until twenty-one years of age, when he went to work for H. N. Chapman in the store of which he is now one of the proprietors. He remained with Mr. Chapman for twelve years as a clerk, mastering the business in principal and detail, and he started in busi- ness on his own account as a general mer- chant in partnership with O. A. E. Baldwin, the father of his present partner, upon whose death the son succeeded him in business. They carry on a general mercantile estab- lishment, in which they enjoy a liberal pat-

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ronage, and they are also doing a commis- sion business. They leased the Chapman store four years ago and have since occupied their present location. The business has long since reached profitable proportions and is constantly growing, owing to the fact that they carry a large and well selected line of goods and are always thoroughly reliable in their business methods ..

Mr. Chauncey votes with the Republican party but his business duties leave him no time for active participation in political work. He belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge at Bridgman and to the Maccabee tent at Stephensville and is a valued frater of those organizations. He stands for all that is pro- gressive in citizenship as well as in business and his labors have been effective factors in promoting general progress as well as in- dividual success. Wherever known he com- mands uniform respect.

CALVIN MYERS, deceased, was a res- ident of Lake township. His many good qualities won him the respect and love of all who knew him, and his memory is cherished by his friends with whom he was closely associated in the midst of a busy, useful life. He was born near the town of Wolf Lake, Indiana, December 4, 1845, and was the elder of the two children born of the marriage of Robert and Floretta (Gardner) Myers, the brother being Phreortus Myers, who is living in Missouri.

The subject of this review resided at the place of his nativity to the age of twenty- one years and acquired his education in the public schools, while under the parental roof he was trained to habits of industry, econ- omy and honesty which, in later years proved valued factors in his business life. He came to Lake township, Berrien county, in 1866, arriving in the month of November, and from that time until his death resided on the same farm. He was the owner of two hun- dred acres of rich and arable land, of which one hundred and twenty acres were com- prised within the home farm on section 20, while eighty acres is situated on section 29, Lake township. He first purchased forty acres, on which stood a small frame house

of two rooms, while a garden spot had been cleared. The remainder, however, was as yet unimproved. He came here with his mother and began life in the midst of the forest, resolutely undertaking the arduous task of clearing and improving a new farm, and as the years passed his labors were crowned with prosperity and he left a valu- able estate of two hundred acres as the visi- ble evidence of his life of thrift and in- dustry. He had brought his land under a high state of cultivation and on the home place he erected a fine, large residence with substantial outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. In addition to this prop- erty he owned two dwellings and a drug store, together with a vacant lot in Bridg- man. He had one hundred dollars in money when he came to the county and with that meager sum as the nucleus of his fortune, he gathered together a valuable property and de- served much credit for his success. He was also a stockholder in the Bridgman Canning Company.

Mr. Myers was interested in community affairs and gave his political allegiance to the Democracy. He served as township treas- urer for several years and in the discharge of his duties was always prompt and faith- ful. Socially he was connected with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows.

Happy in his home life, Mr. Myers was married, June 16, 1874, to Miss Mary M. Gregory, who was born in Porter county, Indiana, December 5, 1852, a daughter of Hiram and Katharine (Spangle) Gregory, who were natives of New York, where they were reared and married. They had three children when they removed to Indiana. The father died in 1876 and the mother passed away in Berrien county August 19, 1906. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Myers were born three children : Iva F., the wife of Nathan Shuler, by whom she has two children, Mabel and Earl; Charles, of Chickaming township, who is married and has one child. Lucile; and Elton, who is living with his mother and operates the home farm. He is now serving his second term as township treasurer and has also filled the office of dep- uty sheriff. He was born upon the home

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farm May 20, 1881, and was married to Flossie Bunker, of South Bend, Indiana. They have one daughter, Dorothy.

The death of Calvin Myers occurred upon the old homestead August 9, 1904. He was a man of benevolent, kindly spirit, who did much good in the world. He helped the needy, gave freely of his means when ma- terial assistance was needed and was a public- spirited citizen who delighted in general progress and improvement. He took an active interest in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Rebekah degree, also the Knights of the Maccabees, and his sym- pathy was with all movements that tended to promote the higher interests and purposes of life. His farm was devoted to the raising of grain and fruit and his well directed labors resulted in the development of a valuable property, in which regard, as in many others, his example is well worthy of emulation.

HENRY K. NOLD, owner and man- ager of the Baroda flouring mill, in which connection he is conducting a profitable bus- iness, was born in Letonia, Columbiana county, Ohio, June 16, 1855, and comes of Swiss lineage. His paternal great-great- grandfather, Timothy Nold, was a native of Switzerland and became the founder of the family in America, establishing his home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Several genera- tions of the family afterward lived in that State. Jacob Nold, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania and ac- companied his parents on their removal to Ohio. He was a farmer, miller and distiller and those business interests claimed his time and attention throughout his active life. His son, Jacob Nold, father of our subject, was born in -Columbiana county, Ohio, and afterward lived in Medina county, that State, where he remained until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-two years of age. He followed farming through- out his entire life but had three brothers who were millers. Jacob Nold was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Kindig, who was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, and died in Ohio. By this marriage there were nine children : Henry K .: Lucinda, a resi-

dent of Ohio; Isaac, who follows the milling business in that State; Lydia, of Ohio; Eliza- beth, of Elkhart, Indiana; Kate, of Ohio; Susanna, deceased; Mary, of Indiana; and Jacob, who is living upon the old home farm in Medina county, Ohio. He was a teacher for eight years and was a university student.

When eight years of age Henry K. Nold accompanied his parents on their removal to Medina, Ohio, and remained upon the home farm until nineteen years of age, when he turned his attention to the milling business at Wadsworth, Ohio, following that pursuit for five years. He then came to this county, where he lived for three years, working at Stevensville in the mill. He afterward went down the Ohio river and for one year was: employed in a mill at Rockport, Spencer county, Indiana. He afterwards spent two ! years at Junction City, Kansas, and on the ! expiration of that period settled in Benton Harbor, where he was in the employ of the Benton Harbor Milling Company until 1899. ' The company then sold out and Mr. Nold in the same year purchased the Baroda City . Mills. The building is a frame structure, , three stories and basement, thirty by forty- eight feet, and has a capacity of fifty barrels of flour per day. It is well equipped with i good machinery and the product finds a ready sale on the market because of its excellence and the care which is taken in the manufac- ture of the flour.

Mr. Nold was married in March, 1884. to Miss Grace Brown, a native of Elyria. Ohio, who came to Berrien county at the age of eight years with her parents, William and Julia ( Brown) Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Nold have become the parents of two chil- dren, Mabel and Harold, both at home.

In his political views Mr. Nold is a Re- publican and for one year served on the school board. He belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees and to the Congregationai Church, in which he is serving as a trustee. He has lived an active life, making good use of his opportunities and continually seeking out broader advantages for the development of his business interests. He is now owner of one of the profitable industrial concerns of this part of the county and is well known

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as a reliable and enterprising business man in the village of Baroda.

WILLIAM A. FEATHER, SR., liv- ing on section 13, Lake township, is the owner of three good farms which are con- ducted along thoroughly progressive and modern lines and he is accounted one of the leading agriculturists of the community. He was born in Oronoko township, this county, January 15, 1858, a son of Joshua and Susie Anna (Harner) Feather, of Oronoko town- ship, the father being a wealthy farmer of this county. In the family were six chil- dren : William A .; Stephen A., who resides in Oronoko township; and four who died in childhood.

Upon the home farm William A. Feather, Sr., was reared and in the public schools ac- quired his education. He gave his father the benefit of his services in the cultivation and development of the fields until twenty years of age, when he came to this township and took up farm work, turning his atten- tion to the improvement of a farm given him by his father. He came to his present farm fourteen years ago and has forty-four acres of rich land in the home place on section 13, Lake township. This is equipped with all modern conveniences, including fine build- ings and the latest improved machinery. He has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 12, Lake township, and property elsewhere, including eighty acres on section 24, Lake township, where his son, William A. Feather, Jr., now resides. He has al- together two hundred and eighty acres of land and two lots in Baroda, together with a fine store building and a house and lot in the town. The home place is operated as a fruit farm, a specialty being made of the pro- duction of grapes, pears, plums and cherries. Only the best nursery stock is used and good crops are annually gathered. All his farm- ing interests are capably conducted and Mr. Feather ranks with the leading agriculturists and horticulturists of this part of the State.

In 1878 Mr. Feather was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary Shafer, who was born in Lake township, July 8, 1859, a daughter of John and Katharine (Boyle) Shafer. This

marriage has been blessed with two children1, William A., Jr., and Bertha May. The son, a representative farmer of Lake township, is married and has two children, Edward and Joshua Andrew, while the daughter, Bertha May, is now the wife of Henry G. Birkholz and they reside upon the home farm with her father.

In his political affiliation Mr. Feather is a Democrat and has held the office of town- ship treasurer for two years, while for fif- teen years he has been a member of the board of review of the township. He is likewise connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is interested in all that pertains to general improvement and up- building, and his co-operation can be counted upon as a support to all plans and move- ments for the public good. In his business affairs he displays keen discrimination and enterprise and has today valuable property holdings.

GEORGE MANGOLD, engaged in general farming on section 24, Three Oaks township, is a native of Laporte, Indiana, where his life rocord began on the 27th of October, 1872. He is a son of George and Louise (Harrman) Mangold, the former a native of Lockport. New York, and the lat- ter of New Buffalo, Michigan, where they now reside. The father was for a number of years actively engaged in farming but is now living retired. In their family were eight children : Mrs. Anna Lehker, whose home is in Laporte county. Indiana ; George of this review: Joseph, also a resident of Laporte county ; Jacob, who is located in Eau Claire, Michigan; Frank, whose home is in Michigan City, Indiana; Edward, in Michigan City ; Carrie, at home ; and Henry, who is living with his brother George. Dur- ing the infancy of George Mangold his par- ents removed from Indiana to Three Oaks township, Berrien county, and he continued with them up to the time of his marriage, when he started out upon an independent business career, purchasing his present farm of sixty acres on section 24. Three Oaks township. This land is devoted to general agricultural pursuits and in tilling the soil

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he has been quite successful. gathering good crops as a reward for the care and labor which he bestows upon the fields.

Mr. Mangold was married in 1897, to Miss Lola Ray, who was born on this farm October 12, 1875, a daughter of George and Dixie ( Blaine) Ray, who died upon the farm where our subject now resides, when fifty-four years of age. His widow still survives him and makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Mangold. Two children have been born of this marriage, Eva Lucile and Mildred Aileen.

In his political views Mr. Mangold is an earnest Republican, and he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen camp, at Three Oaks. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Maple Grove. Both are highly esteemed residents of this com- munity, where they have spent their entire lives and their own hospitable home is a favorite resort with many who know them.

SYLVESTER SHEDD is one of the native sons of Berrien county and his life has been devoted to agricultural interests that contribute to the sum total of general development and progress in this portion of the State. He was born July 22, 1851, up- on the farm which is stil his home, situated on section 23, Three Oaks township. His great-grandfather, Samuel Shedd, was a na- tive of England, and emigrating to America became a man of position in New England. His paternal grandfather, Sylvester Shedd. Sr., was born May 18, 1786. A native of Massachusetts, on leaving New England he emigrated to New York and in the year 1836 came to this county. He found here a large- ly wild and unimproved region and from the government he entered forty acres of land lying on section 23, Three Oaks town- ship. With the early development and im- provement of the county he was closely asso- ciated, reclaiming the wild land for the purpose of cultivation and he continued to reside upon the old homestead prop- erty until his death, which occured on the 13th of August, 1866, when he was eighty years of age. He had served his country as a soldier of the war of

1812 and was equally loyal in the days of peace. In early manhood he wedded Miss Sallie Smith, who was born in Mas- sachusetts. September 24, 1790, and died in Berrien county, Michigan, November 14, 1875, in the eighty-eighth year of her age. Both were members of the Congregational Church and lived lives of uprightness and Christian virtue. They were the parents of a family of eight children: Kellog S., Loammi, Candace S., Erasmus N., Harry H., Cordelia, Malinda and George W.

Of this number Harry H. Shedd became the father of our subject. He was born in Onondaga county, New York, January I, 1822, and when twelve years of age accom- panied his parents on their removal to Me- dina county, Ohio, where they lived for two years. He then came with the family to Michigan and settled upon a farm ad- joining that upon which our subject now resides. He was then a youth of fourteen years and he shared in all the hardships and privations incident to frontier life. The family had remained with relatives while the log cabin was being built and then in true frontier style established themselves in their new home. There was a puncheon floor and huge fireplace. For a number of years that cabin continued to be their home. The grandfather had fifty acres of land there and Harry H. Shedd assisted in the ardu- ous task of transforming the raw land into richly cultivated fields. At length he bought his time from his father. two years and nine months before he attained his majority. By the time that he was twenty-one years of age he had saved enough money from his wages of twelve dollars per month. earned at farm labor, to enable him to buy eighty acres of land. He secured a farm in Indiana but afterward sold that property and bought his present farm, which at that time was all covered with timber. This he cleared and put under cultivation, erecting the present good buildings which are here found. The remainder of his life was devoted to the im- provement and development of this farm and as the years passed by he converted the tim- ber tract. which came into his possession, into a very valuable property. the fields yielding him golden harvests in bountiful

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measure. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party but he never sought office as a reward for party fealty. He married Miss Mary F. Thompson, who was born in Onondaga county, New York, and was a daughter of Charles T. and Millison (Betts) Thompson, who were likewise na- tives of the Empire State. The death of Harry H. Shedd occurred upon the home farm in Three Oaks township, September 17, 1902, while his wife passed away there March 9, 1888, at the age of sixty-two years. In the family were two children, Sylvester and Jennie, the latter now living with her brother.

Sylvester Shedd, whose name introduces this record, has always resided in Berrien county upon the farm which is now his home, with the exception of about three months spent in southern Minnesota. He has one hundred and seventy acres of land on section 23, Three Oaks township, and because of the many springs of good run- ning water upon the place he has called it the Springhill farm. He has about ninety acres under cultivation and is also engaged quite extensively in the raising of stock, making a specialty of polled Durham cattle. His fields yield rich crops in return for the care and cultivation he bestows upon them. Through the rotation of crops and through the judicious use of modern methods he has kept his farm in very productive condition and everything about his place indicates his careful supervision.

In politics Mr. Shedd is an independent Republican and socially is connected with Three Oaks lodge, No. 44, I. O. O. F. Having spent almost his entire life in this section of the State he is widely known as a man of strong purpose and indefatigable energy who has made good use of his time and opportunities and is now one of the re- liable and substantial agriculturists of this portion of the State.

GAREY DONNER, who for thirty- seven years has made his home in Berrien county, now living on section II, Three Oaks township, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, September 2, 1842, and was only six years of age at the time of the re-

moval of his parents to Niagara county, New York. He is a son of Nicholas and Mary (Sterns) Donner, both of whom were natives of Germany, where they were reared and married. Both spent their last days in Niagara county, New York, the father pass- ing away at the age of eighty-two years, while the mother lived to the very advanced age of ninety-four years. They were farm- ing people and were respected for many good traits of character. In the family were thirteen children. Garey Donner was the sixth in order of birth and was one of twins. There were eleven sons and two daughters, and six of the family are still living. He re- mained a resident of Niagara county, New York, from the age of six years until his re- moval to Michigan in 1869. He was then about twenty-seven years of age, and since that time he has lived continuously in Three Oaks township. He first purchased forty acres of the old home place, which had once been cut over but the land was uncultivated and all the modern equipments have been placed here by the present owner. In the course of years he bought twenty acres ad- ditional and then a second twenty acres, so that he now has eighty acres in his home place on section II, Three Oaks township. He has placed the entire farm under culti- vation and has erected the present good buildings. He has also purchased forty acres of land on section 13. Three Oaks township, and now has a total holding of one hundred and twenty acres, all of which has been converted into well tilled fields with the exception of twenty acres. This is muck land, part of which is all covered with grass, while the remainder of it is de- voted to raising of cabbage. He has a grain and stock farm and finds both branches of his business profitable, annually harvesting good crops and selling much stock.

Mr. Donner was married in 1867, to Miss Thankful Snedker, who was born in Erie county, New York, August 11, 1843, a daughter of Washington and Sarah Snedker. They have nine children: Mrs. Annie Marx, who is a widow residing with her father; Jacob, living in Three Oaks; Frank; Mary, the wife of Grigg Burgess, of Galien township; Josephine, the wife of

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Mathias Rist, of Three Oaks; Henry, also of Three Oaks; Margaret the wife of Stephen Baker, of Millville; Michigan; Irena and Emma both at home.

The parents are communicants of the Catholic Church. Mr. Donner votes with the Democracy and has served as school officer and as highway commissioner for one term but has not been a politician in the sense of office seeking. He came to Michi- gan when a young man, and as the years have gone by he has improved the natural resources of the State for agricultural de- velopment and has converted his land into a productive farm, which annually gives him a good income.

UDORUS E. TROWBRIDGE, a rep- On the 10th of July, 1886, was cele- brated the marriage of Udorus E. Trow- bridge and Miss Caroline Sittig, who was born in Three Oaks township, April 26, 1868, and is a daughter of George and Bar- bara Sittig, in whose family were six chil- dren, William, John, Edward, George, Mrs. Caroline Trowbridge and Mrs. Bertha Noller. resentative agriculturist living in Three Oaks township, where he owns and operates forty acres of land on section 9, was born in Olive township, St. Joseph county, In- diana, June 1, 1848. His parents were John and Julia Ann (Snider) Trowbridge, the former a native of Ohio, born near Dayton. Mrs. Trowbridge went to Marshall county, Indiana, with her parents in 1833 and is now Mr. Trowbridge votes with the Demo- cratic party on national questions but casts an independent ballot where no issues are involved. He manifests the interest of a public-spirited citizen in all matters relating to the general welfare but has no desire for office. He and his family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Three Oaks. His life has been worthily spent and his time has been actively the oldest resident of that county, having for seventy-three years made her home with- in its borders. She has reached the age of eighty-one years but her husband died at the age of seventy-three years. In their family were the following children : Josephus, now living in Marshall county, Indiana ; Udorus E., of this review ; Leroy, who has also passed away; Louis, of Mar- shall county, Indiana; Mrs. Alvira Larkin; Adam, who died at the age of three years; . employed in earnest, persistent labor since and Mrs. Emma Ashley, living in South he started out on his own account. Bend, Indiana.

Mr. Trowbridge, whose name introduces this review, spent the first twenty years of his life upon a farm in his native county, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agricultur- ist, while in the public schools he acquired his education. When a young man of twenty years he left home and started out upon an independent business career. Re- moving to Three Oaks he worked in the featherbone factory for sixteen years. He then purchased a farm in connection with

his brother-in-law, William Sittig, and thus cultivated a tract of land of ninety-four and a half acres, being engaged in the further development and improvement of that place until the fall of 1905, when he sold out and purchased his present farm in December, 1905. In March, 1906, he lo- cated upon this farm, which comprises forty acres on section 9, Three Oaks township, all of which is under cultivation. There is an apple orchard of five acres and the fields are well tilled, while upon the place are good modern improvements. Mr. Trowbridge gives his entire attention to the farm and already it shows the result of his careful supervision, progressive methods and ex- cellent improvements.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 136

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