A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 140

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

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Gregory Willming came to the United States prior to the arrival of his brother, B. Willming, and settled two miles south of Benton Harbor, so that the family was early established in Berrien county. His wife was Mary Oehlhaffer, who had come from France in company with her brother, Joseph Oehlhaffer, and who gave her hand in mar- riage to Gregory Willming in Chicago. Their entire married life, however, was: passed at Fair Plain, Michigan, where Greg-

Jours Truly. 17. Herring In 2 .

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

ory Willming died in 1894, at the age of seventy-three years. His widow remained in the same locality until her death about five years ago and was laid to rest on the day that President Mckinley was assassinated. They erected the present brick residence now owned and occupied by their nephew, George Oehlhaffer.

When Joseph Willming reached the age of twenty years he came to Berrien county and for two years resided with his uncle, working on a farm. He was then married, January 27, 1880, to Miss Josephine Oehl- haffer, and a daughter of Joseph and Mary Ann (Straul) Oehlhaffer. Her parents came from France in company with the Willmings and were married in Michigan, spending their lives thereafter on the farm now owned by their son, John Oehlhaffer. The father died about two years ago but the mother passed away thrirty years prior to his demise. Mrs. Willming was but nine years of age at the time of her mother's death and her older sister, Mary, then but thirteen years of age, became the housekeeper. She never married but remained at home and died about ten years ago. The other members of the fam- ily were: Josephine Oehlhaffer, who was married at twenty years of age ; Josheph and John, who now reside near Fair Plain.

For two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Willming lived upon his uncle's farm and then came to Bainbridge township, settling near where Mrs. Willming's half. sister, Mrs. Kolb, lived. After renting land from Mrs. Loesher for twelve years Mr. Willming purchased his present farm which was the Clinton Cribbs farm and comprises fifty acres. It is devoted to horticultural pursuits, about half of it being planted to fruit. He makes a specialty of peaches, but also raises a large amount of pears. He has remodeled the buildings since locating upon this farm, paying twenty-nine hundred dol- lars for this tract and today has a well im- proved property equipped with modern con- veniences.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Willming has been blessed with the following named sons and daughters: Francis, a clerk in Shep- pard & Benning's store in St. Joseph ; Mary, who is clerking in Eders & Geisler's store in

Watervliet; Ella, at home; John, on the farm; Clara; Josephine; Elizabeth; Walter ; Frank; and Mabel. The parents and family are communicants of St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Watervliet, and Mr. Willming gives his political allegiance to the Democ- racy where national issues are involved but casts an independent local ballot, consider- ing only the capability of the candidate for the official discharge of the duties connected with the office.

J. H. HERRING, M. D. Among those who have attained distinctive prestige in the practice of medicine in Eau Claire and Berrien county, and whose success has come as the logical result of thorough technical information stands Dr. Herring, who is a man of scholarly attainments and who has made deep and careful research into the science to which he is devoting his life. He was born in Elberfeld, Rhenish Prussia, March 30, 1850, but in 1855, when but five years of age was brought to America by his parents, Dr. F. A. and Amelia (Wolff) Herring, both also natives of the fatherland. In 1855 Dr. F. A. Herring and his family came to America, and after resting a short time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, continued their journey to Goshen, Indiana, which place has since been their home and where the father has continued in the practice of medicine with eminent success. He belongs to what could properly be called the Ger- manic Botanic School, and as many of the requisite medicinal plants which grow in Europe and other countries cannot be had in this country or cannot be found in regu- lar commerce Dr. Herring raises them in his garden, where he propagates such plants as he desires. By this means he is insured of strictly pure herbs, which under his watchful care and skillful compounding produce instant and desirable results. He has made a specialty of treating deseases of many organs, and his success in this re- spect has been phenomenal. He is one of the oldest physicians in Indiana, having reached his ninety-fourth year, and for fifty-one years he has been a resident of Goshen. His wife passed away in her sev- enty-eighth year, and of their eight children only five are now living.

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Dr. J. H. Herring, their eldest son and third child, was but five years of age when his father located in Goshen, where he was thereafter reared, and the early educational training which he received in its public schools was supplemented by attendance at the Illinois State University, while his pro- fessional training was received at the Ben- net Medical College of Chicago, where he graduated in 1878. For the following two years he was engaged in the practice of medicine at Pipestone, Michigan, and in 1881 located in Eau Claire, being now one of the oldest representatives of the profes- sion in the city. He has demonstrated the fact that he is well informed concerning the principles of the medical science. and has therefore been accorded a liberal patronage.

In 1879 Dr. Herring married Mary A. Henkle, the daughter of P. M. Henkle, of Goshen. Indiana, where Mrs. Herring was born and reared, and for several years she was engaged in teaching school in that city and Elkhart, Indiana. Dr. Herring is a member of the Eclectic Medical Society of Michigan. He is deeply interested in the affairs of the city which has so long been his home, has always advocated the meas- ures which have advanced its welfare and bas labored for its improvement and pro- gress.

DANIEL C. ARNT. numbered among the resident farmers of Bainbridge town- ship, was born in Baline, Prussia, February 25. 1837, and was a youth of fourteen years when, in 1851, he came with the family to the United States. His parents were Chris- tian and Philopena Arnt, who died when their son Daniel was six or seven years of age. The father, however, secured during his residence in Michigan the present home of our subject. He was a poor man and had to remain in Buffalo, New York, until his brother, who had already settled in Michi- gan, sent him the money to continue the trip. He had two brothers in Berrien county, Frank Arnt, residing in Lake township, and Peter Arnt, whose home was in Bainbridge township. There were also two sisters in Bainbridge township who had been residents here for eleven years before Christian Arnt

arrived. One sister was the wife of Peter Smithberger, a brother of Mrs. Peter Kniebes, and the other sister was the wife of Daniel Crieser, a pioneer resident of Ber- rien county. Christian Arnt secured forty acres of land on contract. It had some im- provements upon it, a few acres having been cleared, while a log cabin had been built. He paid three hundred and twenty-five dollars for the forty acres, and with characteristic energy began the development of the farm. which he continued to cultivate and improve until his death, which occurred in 1875, when he was seventy years of age. His sec- ond wife, who bore the maiden name of Katharine Vanner, had died two years be- fore. During the last ten years of his life Mr. Arnt was a great sufferer from rheuma- tism. His children, all born of his first mar- riage, were as follows: Katharine, who be- came the wife of Peter Smith and lived in Bainbridge township. died about seven years ago, and Mr. Smith is also deceased. Dan- iel C. is the second of the family. Eliza- beth became the wife of John Grough, an.1 after his death married Mr. Franzen. She is now again a widow and is in St. Joseph. Charley is a resident farmer of Watervliet township.

Daniel C. Arnt in his early youth worked by the month as a farm hand and his wages-seven or eight dollars per month -went to his father. When twenty-five years of age he was married to Henrietta Kniebes, a daughter of Peter and Margaret (Smith- berger ) Kniebes, who was a neighbor girl and was sixteen years of age at the time of their marriage. Mr. Arnt had first owned fifty acres of land on the township line but after- ward sold that property and bought forty- five acres nearer his wife's father. Subse- quently he returned to the old farm to care for his father during the last two years of his life, Christian Arnt being helpless for some years prior to his demise. Following his father's death our subject purchased the interest of the other heirs in the old home place and continues the operation and im- provement of the two farms. He has made many substantial improvements upon his homestead farm, over one half of which has been planted to fruit, peaches being his spe-

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cialty. At the time the new brick house of worship was erected for the Evangelical association he bought the old church, which had been built about 1854, and it is now used for a barn and fruit house upon his place. The present residence was erected by his father about forty years ago, which has been remodeled and improved by Daniel C. Arnt. The farm is pleasantly located nine miles east of Benton Harbor and three and a half miles southeast of Coloma.

In 1900 Mr. Arnt was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 19th of September of that year. They had become the parents of fifteen children, all of whom reached years of maturity: Peter, who resides in Bainbridge township; Frank, of the same township; Daniel, of Benton Harbor; Fred, at home; Charlie, a resident farmer of Bainbridge township: Christian, at home: Carrie, the wife of Myron Nich- ols, of Bainbridge; Annie, who is acting as her father's housekeeper; Jacob, who died at the age of twenty-three years, seven years after the death of his mother; Eddie, of Benton Harbor ; Ben, Maggie, Harry, Lydia, and Hattie, all at home.

In 1860 Mr. Arnt cast his first presiden- tial ballot for Abraham Lincoln and has since been a stalwart champion of the Republican party but has never sought or desired office as a reward for party fealty. He was reared in the faith of the Evangelical association, with which he is identified through member- ship relations and he has lived an upright, honorable life, which exemplifies his Chris- tian belief. The years have brought him much arduous labor but as the result of his industry, his unswerving business integrity and his well directed efforts he is now one of the substantial citizens of Bainbridge township.

JACOB KNIEBES is living on the old Kniebes homestead farm in Bainbridge township, where he was born August 7, 1861, being the youngest son in the family of

Peter and Margaret (Smithberger) Kniebes. His father came from the vicinity of Treves, Prussia, to America in the year 1840 in company with his father, Jacob Kniebes, who was then quite advanced in

years. Jacob's family constituted Peter Kniebes and his two sisters, Sophia and Elizabeth. The former died in Cincinnati, while Elizabeth became Mrs. Hooket, by which marriage she had a son, Charlie Hooket. After the death of her first hus- band she married Peter Umphrey and lived at New Troy, Berrien county, Michigan. The party that sailed for America also con- tained Margaret Smithberger and her brother, Peter Smithberger, who were bound for the same vicinity as the Kniebes fam- ily, and about two years later Peter Kniebes and Margaret Smithberger were married. Within one year after their marriage they located upon what has since been known as the old homestead farm. At Cincinnati Mr. Kniebes had selected land from an immigra- tion company, who controlled extensive hold- ings in Michigan. Jacob Kniebes, the grand- father, remained with his son Peter, the family home being a log cabin. Peter Kniebes was a hatter by trade and followed that line of business at Niles twenty-eight miles distant from his home, walking back and forth to his work at the beginning and the end of the week. He was employed for two years as a hatter at Niles and at St. Joseph and then concentrated his energies upon his farm work. When twenty-four years had passed he had about one hundred acres of land here and his fields were placed under a high state of cultivation. He erected all of the principal buildings upon the farm and converted this into a valuable and pro- ductive property. In addition to the home property he also became the owner of two tracts of land of eighty acres each, one ad- joining the old homestead, while the other was about three miles distant, one being the property of Fred Kniebes, and the other the home of Frank Kniebes. As long as he lived Peter Kniebes, the father, contined the active management of his business affairs and divided his estate before his demise. His father, Jacob Kniebes, was killed by a bull, at the age of eighty years. Peter Kniebes passed away January 7, 1896, aged seventy-six years, and his wife, Margaret, died February 2, 1890, at the age of seventy years, four months and seventeen days. Both were members of the Evangelical

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Church in their neighborhood, and in poli- tics Mr. Kniebes was a stalwart Republican, voting the first Republican ticket which was placed in the field in 1854.

Jacob Kniebes, whose name introduces this record, was born on the old home farm and assisted his father in its further develop- ment, cultivation and improvement until the latter's death. He has since purchased the interest of the other heirs in the farm and he now has one hundred and forty acres of valuable land, of which one hundred and eighteen acres is under cultivation, being largely devoted to the raising of grain.

Mr. Kniebes was married to Miss Vina Umphrey and their family numbers three children, John, Nettie and Reuben. The parents are prominent and faithful members of the Evangelical Church, in which Mr. Kniebes is serving as a trustee. The family have always stood for good citizenship and progress in material, intellectual and moral lines, and Jacob Kniebes of this review has fully sustained the reputation always borne by the family.

FREDERICK KRIEGER was born June 20, 1864, in the house which is still his home and has passed nearly all his life under its sheltering roof. His parents, Peter and Dorothy (Shank) Krieger, were married in Germany, January 1, 1848. The former was born June 21, 1816, and the latter April 26, 1826, in the same locality in Prussia. Her death occurred in November, 1869, and on the 25th of November, 1870, Peter Krieger was married to Mrs. Fredericka Carl, a widow, who bore the maiden name of Wack- row. His death occurred August 23, 1891, and his second wife survived until January 15, 1906. She had left the old homestead nine years before and her last days were spent in Millburg. It was in the year 1851 that Peter Krieger came to the United States and settled in Berrien county, Mich- igan, where three years previous John, Adam and Jacob Krieger had already lo- cated. All were born in Bainbridge town- ship and of these Adam is the only sur- vivor. He is still living in Bainbridge town- ship. Charles Krieger came at the same time as his brother Peter and for some time conducted Hotel St. Charles in St. Joseph

but is now living in Chicago. Christian Krieger, another brother, also lived in Bain- bridge township, and his son Jacob is still residing upon his old homestead there. Peter Krieger took up his abode upon the farm where his son Frederick now resides, and when it came into his possession it was still a tract of timber land, but in the midst of the forest he hewed out the fields, cut the timber, built a house, making his home there throughout his remaining days. He owned three different farms, one in Benton town- ship and one in Bainbridge Center in addi- tion to the old homestead. He and his first wife were among the charter members of the German Lutheran Church near Bain- bridge, and of the original membership Mr. Swartz and Adam Krieger are the only ones now living. In Peter Krieger's family were the following named: Christian, who died at the age of fifty-one years; Karl, who died at the age of twenty-four; Adam, on the old homestead; John; Peter; Henrietta, who was burned to death when only a year old; Dorothea ; and Frederick.

Christian and Adam Krieger never mar- ried and remained in charge of the old home- stead, devoting their lives to general farm- ing. John Krieger was married at the age of twenty-five and lived in Bainbridge Cen- ter until about two years ago, when he re- moved to a farm near Watervliet. Peter is now engaged in farming in Benton town- ship, while Dorothea is the wife of Daniel J. Smith, a resident farmer of Watervliet township.

Frederick Krieger, whose name intro- duces this record, has spent nearly his en- tire life upon the old homestead farm which belonged to his father. At nineteen years of age he began working out as a farm hand and was thus employed for three years, af- ter which he went to Chicago, where he spent one year. Subsequently he was en- gaged in the liquor business in Benton Har- bor for eight years and seven years ago he returned to the old homestead, where he has since devoted his attention to the manage- ment and conduct of the farm, which com- prises seventy-four acres, of which about thirty acres is in fruit, over half of this amount being in peaches. He also raises sinall fruit, making a specialty of strawber-

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ries and likewise cultivates pears, apples, grapes, etc. His sales of fruit for 1905 amounted to about two thousand dollars and he has extended his fruit industry, which is already a very profitable source of income. His business is prospering and he is now purchasing the interest of the other heirs in the home property.

On the 20th of December, 1893, Mr. Krieger was married to Miss Mary Koob, a daughter of Jacob and Magdalena (Straw- ley) Koob, of Watervliet township. She was born on the farm near Coloma and was married at the age of twenty years. This union has been blessed with three children, Louis, Mildred and Ray Delbert. In poli- tics Mr. Krieger is a Democrat and has fre- quently been a delegate to party conven- tions.

JACOB L. SCHAUS, living in Bain- bridge township, is a representative of one of the prominent German families of Ber- rien county. His father, Jacob Schaus, came from Nassau, Germany, to the United States in 1847, when twenty-two years of age. His mother died at his birth, and his father when the son was ten years of age. He was reared by an uncle and was the only one of the family who ever came to America. After reaching the shores of the new world he came to Berrien county, where he had friends living, among the number being Mary Dukesherer, a former schoolmate in Germany and a sister of Frederick Duke- sherer, who is mentioned in this volume. She was twenty-one years of age at the time she came to the United States in 1846, and the following year she gave her hand in mar- riage to Jacob Schaus. The young couple located on land adjoining her father's place and there lived until Mr. Schaus had cleared ten acres. He next removed to the old Krause place in Watervliet township, where he lived for twelve years, making many im- provements upon that farm. In 1859 he pur- chased the farm upon which his son, Jacob L., now resides. It was then new land and only ten acres of the forty acre tract had been cleared. He built a log cabin and placed the entire farm under cultivation. He also extended his landed possessions by the purchase of forty acres west of Coloma

and forty acres in Bainbridge township, which was covered with a dense forest growth. Of this he cleared ten acres and also ten acres of the Coloma farm. In early life he worked in a sawmill in Watervliet and in the work of clearing his land he was assisted by the women and children of his household. He cleared altogether about one hundred acres and he planted the present homestead farm to apples and peaches, de- voting his time and energies to its further cultivation and development until his life's labors were ended in death, on the 25th of March, 1883. His wife passed away March 29, 1901, when nearly seventy-two years of age. She had been a most ambitious, ener- getic woman and had been a most able as- sistant to her husband. They were charter members of the Evangelical association in Bainbridge and were very active in church and Sunday-school work. They conformed their lives strictly to the teachings of the church and did all in their power to promote its growth and extend its influence. That Mr. Schaus was a most honorable, upright man, worthy of the trust of his fellow citi- zens is indicated by the fact that he was ap- pointed on various occasions to act as guar- dian for orphan children. In the family of this worthy couple were eleven children, nine of whom reached maturity, while eight are now living, as follows: Charlie, a farmer of Bainbridge township; Harry, who was a hotel proprietor and clothing merchant at Benton Harbor, where he died at the age of fifty-two years; William, a farmer of Bain- bridge township; Melia, the wife of Ole Pearson, who is connected with the McDon- ald Lumberyard at Benton Harbor: Jacob L., of this review: Edward, a farmer and carpenter of Bainbridge township: Frank. who also carries on agricultural pursuits in Bainbridge township; August, a laborer at Riverside, Michigan; and Louise, the wife of Mark Meach, a carpenter of Benton Har- bor.

Jacob L. Schaus was born August 6. 1859, in an old log house which stood on the farm that is now his home. At the age of twenty-one years he was married to Miss Ellen Schramm, a daughter of John Schramm, a fruit buyer, who was lost when the famous Hippocampus went down, his

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

daughter Ellen being at that time only two years old. Her mother afterward married again, leaving the children of her first mar- riage with their grandparents, Adam and Margaret Schramm of Bainbridge township. John Schramm was but twenty-seven years of age at the time of his demise and his daughter was but seventeen years of age when she gave her hand in marriage to Jacob L. Schaus, who at that time took charge of the Adam Schramm farm, which he purchased. Mrs. Schaus' sister Emma is now the wife of John Scherer, of Bain- bridge township, and she and her sister Ellen inherited the old Schramm farm from their grandfather, after which Mr. Schaus purchased the sister's interest. He continued to cultivate and improve that place until about six years ago, when he sold it, having, after his mother's death, purchased the in- terest of the other heirs in the old Schaus homestead. For the past five years he has given his attention exclusively to the de- velopment of the home farm, which is de- voted to horticultural pursuits, with thirty acres planted to fruit. He makes large sales annually and is extending the scope of his activities by enlarging his orchards. He now has a fine assortment of fruit of the best qualities and his place is splendidly located for the purpose for which it is used. Through twenty-seven years Mr. Schaus worked in the winter seasons in the lumber woods in northern Michigan and became an expert in that line. For several years he was sup- ply teamster and for a considerable period he was in the employ of Samuel Minnie, one of the best known lumbermen of northern Michigan. For eighteen seasons he operated a threshing machine in Bainbridge township and carried on the business over a radius of thirty miles.

same way. Jacob L. Schaus is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees and in this county where his entire life has been passed he has a wide and favorable acquaintance. The secret of his success lies in his industry, perseverance and integrity-qualities which are numbered among his salient character- istics.

AUGUST DUKESHERER, of Bain- bridge township, is a representative of one of the old and prominent pioneer fam- ilies of Berrien county, whose name has been closely and honorably associated with the early development and later progress of this section of the state. His birth occurred December 2, 1863, in the town- ship which is still his home, his par- ents being Henry W. and Charlotte (Tebbe) Dukesherer. The father was born in Nassau, Germany, June 2, 1833, and his parents were William and Dorothy (Werth) Dukesherer, who in December, 1845, left their native village for America, taking passage on a westward bound vessel at Ant- werp. It was a three mast sailing ship, carrying three hundred and eighty families. Anchor was dropped in New York harbor on the 7th of March, 1846, and by rail the family proceeded to Buffalo, New York, and thence by steamer to St. Joseph, Michi- gan. Other families came to St. Joseph, including the Kenty family and the family of Michael Umphrey, who were on board the same ocean steamer. Mr. Dukesherer met Mr. Umphrey in New York city and from him he learned of the St. Joseph re- gion and its possibilities. He therefore de- cided to come to this district and settled in Bainbridge township, four miles southeast of Coloma, where he secured eighty acres of land, for which he paid two hundred dol- lars. He had to borrow money of a family in Chicago, however, in order to reach St. Joseph, and after locating in this county he worked out by the day at clearing land inl order to provide funds necessary to the sup- port of the family, clearing his own land as he found opportunity. He had been a coach- man in Germany but in America his atten- tion was given to agricultural pursuits and he remained upon his farm in Bainbridge

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 140

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