A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 152

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

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GEORGE S. LAMORE. For a num- ber of years past George S. Lamore has been prominently identified with the business in- terests of Pipestone township as a hardware and farm implement merchant and as an agriculturist, and has thus become recog -. nized as one of its most valued and useful citizens. He is also a native son of the coun- ty, his birth occurring in Pipestone town- ship on the 27th of September, 1850. His father, Louis Lamore, a native of Canada, located within the borders of Berrien coun- ty in 1850, first establishing his home at Casaday Corners, where he purchased and improved sixty acres of land, his first dwell- ing being a little log cabin which had been built on the land. He later removed to Ber- rien township, where he spent his remaining days, passing away in death at the age of seventy-six years. He was a ship carpen- ter by trade and assisted in building the first

bridge in Niles for the Michigan Central Railroad Company, and also helped to build for that company all the bridges from De- troit to Niles. It was while thus employed that he purchased his sixty-acre farm in Pipestone township. Mr. Lamore married Sarah Losey, who was born in Cayuga conn- ty, New York, the daughter of Charles and Mary Losey, and they became the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, namely: Cornelia, who died in 1865; Jose- phine, the wife of Reuben W. Reese; May, the wife of Samuel Odell; Charles, of Pipe- stone township, Berrien county; Gilbert, a resident of Idaho. The wife and mother is still living, having reached the age of eighty- three years. In his political affiliations Mr. Lamore was a Republican, and fraternally was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

George S. Lamore, the third in order of birth of his parents' six children, was taken by his parents to Berrien township when a small boy, and he remained at home until he was twenty-six years of age, assisting in the work of the old farm and also a part of the place on which he now lives. He then took up his abode in Sodus township, where he was engaged in the saw-milling business about one year, while for a similar period he was engaged in farming in that township, and he then purchased a small farm in Ber- rien township, which he operated in con- nection with his father's old homestead. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Lamore returned to Pipestone township, locating on the farm on which he now makes his home. In 1902 he embarked in the hardware and agricultural implement business, which he has since car- ried on in addition to his farm work. He today ranks among the leading business men of Berrien county, and his creditable life work has won him the respect and com- mendation of all who are familiar with his history.

Mr. Lamore was married in 1876 to Caroline, a daughter of Adam and Theresa Enders, who were early settlers of Berrien county, Michigan, and natives of Germany, being known as High Dutch. Mrs. Lamore was born in Bainbridge township, Berrien county, and by her marriage has become the

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

mother of four children,-Pearl, the wife of Roland Inman, of Mabton, Washington ; Alice, the wife of Harry Blish, of Dowagiac, Michigan; and Wilbur and May, at home. Since age gave Mr. Lamore the right of franchise he has upheld the principles of the Republican party, but at local elections he casts his ballot for the men whom he re- gards as best qualified to perform the duties entrusted to their care. He is a man of enterprise and liberal views, and is thor- oughly identified in feeling with the growth and prosperity of the county which has been so long his home.

HENRY J. BOWMAN lives on section 29, Pipestone township, where he owns and operates a good tract of land of one hundred and forty-five acres, devoted to general agri- cultural and horticultural pursuits, and also to stock-raising. A native of the Empire state, he was born in Rochester on the 10th of May, 1854, and is a son of Nicholas and Dorothea (Nestman) Bowman, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father spent the days of his boyhood and youth in that country, and, attracted by the broader opportunities of the new world, crossed the Atlantic about 1846, settling near Roches- ter, New York. There he resided for al- most a decade and in 1826 came to Michi- gan, establishing his home in Washtenaw county. He there followed the occupation of farming until his removal in 1865 to Pipestone township, Berrien county, where he purchased forty acres of timber land, which he cleared and transformed into a good farm. He died in his seventy-seventh year, while his wife passed away when about sixty-six years of age. In their family were eight children, six sons and two daughters, all of whom reached adult age, Henry J. being the third child.

On the day that he was eleven years of age Henry J. Bowman became a resident of Pipestone township and here the re- mainder of his youth was passed, while his education was continued in the district schools near his father's home. In early life he began earning his own living by working as a farm hand in the neighborhood, leav- ing home at the age of twenty-one to make

his own way in the world. As a companion and helpmate for life's journey he chose Miss Christina Thumm, a daughter of Jacob Thumm, and a native of Michigan. The marriage was celebrated in 1875, and Mr. Bowman afterward purchased forty acres of land upon which they located, there resid- ing until 1888. In that year he removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was en- gaged in business there, and later at Albert Lea, remaining for about eight years in that state. On the expiration of that period he returned to Pipestone township and bought the farm whereon he now resides, erecting all of the buildings upon the place and mak- ing all of the improvements there. He now has one hundred and forty-five acre of rich and productive land, and in the tilling of the soil and the cultivating of his crops he is meeting with good success, annually har- vesting gratifying grain and fruit crops. He also raises considerable stock and his busi- ness is carefully and successfully conducted.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Bowman has been blessed with three children: Fred A., who married Pearl Hess, and is engaged in farming in Pipestone township; Anna, the wife of Edward Freeman, a resident farmer of Pipestone township; and Henry C., at home.

Mr. Bowman is a Democrat where national issues are involved but at local elections casts an independent ballot and frequently supports the candidates of the Republican party, if he thinks them better qualified for the discharge of local official duties. Fraternally he is connected with the Woodmen. He is well known in the county and has taken an active part in public affairs. He has long been a witness of the growth and development of the county and through the greater part of his life has re- sided in this section of the state where he has a wide and favorable acquaintance.

DAVIS ARCHER, now filling the of- fice of treasurer of Pipestone township. also owns and operates a farm on section 14. He was born in Onondaga, Michigan. De- cember 15, 1853, a son of John and Sarah Archer, both natives of New York, whence they removed to Michigan in a very early

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

day. After spending some time here they removed to Fulton county but later came again to Berrien county, locating on the farm on which our subject now makes his home. In their family were seven children, five of whom reached years of maturity.

Davis Archer, the youngest member of his father's family was only a year old when the father removed to Ohio, and there he was reared to the age of twelve years, when the parents returned to Berrien county, where the father engaged in general agri- cultural pursuits. The son continued his education, begun in the schools of Ohio, in the district school near his father's home, and when not busy with the duties of the schoolroom was trained to the work of the home farm, thus giving his father the bene- fit of his services until he had reached man- hood. He then started out in life on his own account and continued to engage in the occupation to which he had been reared, spending three years in Bainbridge town- ship and one year in Benton township, and in 1865 he removed to the old homestead farm and has since made this his home. Here he is engaged in general farming, each year harvesting excellent crops as the result of the care and labor he bestows upon his fields, thus adding to his financial resources until he is today in possession of a comfort- able competence.

In 1870 Mr. Archer was united in mar- riage to Miss Martha Sorell, a daughter of Oliver Sorell, and unto them have been born six children, namely: Mary, now the wife of John Sutherland, of Bainbridge town- ship; Sarah, the wife of Sterling Suther- land, of Benton township; Frank, en- gaged in the laundry business at Ben- ton Harbor; Charlie, of Bainbridge town- ship; Emma, the wife of John Arnt, of Bainbridge township; and Albert, still under the parental roof. All the chil- dren were born on the old homestead farm.

Mr. Archer has been a life-long Repub- lican, interested in the best interests of the party, and socially is connected with lodge No. 348, I. O. O. F., at Berrien Center, the Modern Woodmen camp at Neoma, and the Tribe of Ben Hur, in all of which he is a loyal and valued member. In 1905 he was 62

called by his fellow townsmen to the office of township treasurer to fill out an unex- pired term, and in 1906 was elected to the position, being the present incumbent in that office. Having spent forty-one years in Ber- rien county he is familiar with the work that has here been carried on, having taken a deep and helpful interest in material prog- ress and improvement of his section of the state. Any measure which tends to advance the welfare of the county receives his hearty co-operation and he has been a leader in many movements which have worked for the betterment of his portion of the state. He is known as a reliable and straightfor- ward business man and is highly respected among the people with whom he is brought in contact.

JOHN R. SUTHERLAND. In the death of John R. Sutherland Berrien county lost one of her most prominent and useful citizens, for he was numbered among the honored pioneers who aided in laying the foundation for the present prosperity and progress of the county. He was born in Broome county, New York, September 8, 1832, and was but seven years of age when brought by his parents to Michigan, the family home first being established in Kala- mazoo county, near the city of that name. Four years later a removal was made to Berrien county, and when John R. had at- tained the age of eleven years the family located in Bainbridge township, which was his home for many years. After his mar- riage, October 5, 1856, Mr. Sutherland set- tled in Pipestone township, his first home being a little log house and his first farm consisted of eighty acres, to which he sub- sequently added another eighty-acre tract, but afterward sold forty acres of his farm. Wild was the region into which he came, and from that early period he was promi- nently identified with the history of south- western Michigan, being closely connected with the progress and advancement of this section. He was a Democrat in his politi- cal affiliations, and fraternally was a mem- ber of the Masonic order. His death oc- curred on the 22d of December, 1904. His was a long, useful, active and honorable life,

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

and his name is indelibly inscribed on the ler. Mrs. Collins was also a native of the pages of Berrien county's history. His re- mains were buried in the Penyan cemetery in Bainbridge township.

Mrs. Sutherland, who bore the maiden name of Mary A. Shippy, was born in Jef- ferson county, New York, February 24, 1834, a daughter of William Shippy, also a native of that state, and who died when his daughter was but seven years old. Her mother, nee Lydia Ingraham, also a native of the Empire state, afterward married George Collis, and in 1848 came with her husband to Berrien county, Mrs. Suther- land being then fifteen years of age. After her marriage she located in Pipestone town- ship, where since her husband's death she has had the supervision of the old home- stead farm of one hundred acres. For fifty- eight years she has made her home within the borders of Berrien county, and during fifty years of that time has resided in Pipe- stone township, so she has been a witness of almost its entire development and progress. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland, six sons and two daughters, namely : Ida, the wife of S. M. Clawson, whose history appears on other pages in this work; Edgar G., who died in California at the age of twenty-four years; Lissa, the wife of Theodore Hartsell, of Pipestone township; Nelson B., who married Clara Ely; John H., who married Vena Bake- man; Charles W., who married Maggie Rush; Ovid O., who married Katie Rush; and Aubrey D., who was drowned on the 4th of July, 1906, and who had married May Pearl. All of the children were born and reared in Pipestone township.

WILLIAM COLLINS, one of the honored early pioneers of Berrien county and a member of the boys in blue during the Civil war, resides on his pleasant and well improved farm in section 3, Pipestone town- ship. He was born in Darke county, Ohio, May 16, 1838. His father, Barnabas Col- lins, was a native of Virginia and a farmer by occupation. When a young man he re- moved to Darke county, Ohio, and was there married to Ann Miller, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Cunningham) Mil-

commonwealth of Virginia, born near Wheeling, but when about thirteen years of age she accompanied her parents on their removal to Ohio. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Collins located on a farm in Darke county, that state, but later moved to Preble county, Ohio, where the father passed away in death in 1846, being survived by his widow for a number of years, she having reached the age of eighty-eight years. They were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters, and all are yet living, namely: George, a resident of Kansas ; William, whose name introduces this re- view; Lorinda, the wife of Carl Brum- baugh, now of Dodge City, Kansas; Mar- tha Ann, the wife of Levi Adams, of Garnett, Kansas; and Robert, who makes his home in Washington county, Kansas.

William Collins spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Darke and Preble counties, Ohio, and was but seven years old when his father died, after which he made his home with an uncle, William Miller, in Darke county until he was fourteen years of age. His mother was a second time mar- ried, and he then went to live with her, where he made his home until he offered his services to the Union cause during the Civil war, enlisting in 1862 as a member of Company C, Fiftieth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, entering the ranks as a private and serving until the war was over. He was promoted to the rank of corporal, and took part in the siege of Atlanta and the battles of Perryville and Franklin, Tennessee. At the last named engagement he received a gun-shot wound in the calf of his leg, and for six months was confined in a hospital. He was first captured, however, and held as a prisoner about sixteen days, when he was released and taken to Sedgwick Hos- pital at Louisville, Kentucky, there remain- ing until he was mustered out of service, being first transferred to Lincoln Hospital at Washington, D. C., where he remained until the Grand Review in that city. He was then sent to Columbus, Ohio, and re- ceived his honorable discharge on the 5th of July, 1865.

With a creditable military record Mr.

Chess Emily Collins

William Collins

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

Collins then returned to his home in Preble county, Ohio, and in 1868 came to Berrien county, Michigan, purchasing the farm on which he yet resides, on section 3, Pipe- stone township. Here he owns one hundred and twenty-three acres of rich and fertile land, where he is engaged in general farm- ing and stock-raising, and the many im- provements which now adorn this valuable home place are all the work of his hands.

On the 8th of November, 1866, Mr. Col- lins was united in marriage to Emily, a daughter of Tunis Roberts, of Darke coun- ty, Ohio, where the daughter was born and reared. To this union have been born five children : Marion O., whose sketch will be found elsewhere in this volume; Albert H., a resident of Pipestone township, Berrien county ; Elnora, the wife of Alva Williams, also of Pipestone township; Myrtle, wife of John Horstman, of Cass county, Michigan; and Charlie, now attending the Commercial College at Elkhart, Indiana. Since age gave him the right of franchise Mr. Collins has supported the principles of the Repub- lican party, and he has served as highway commissioner, as a justice of the peace six years and as a drain commissioner for two years. He is a member of the George H. Thomas Post, G. A. R., of Benton Harbor, and for twenty years has been a member of the Grange, in which he has been an active worker and has held a number of offices. Mr. Collins is well known throughout the county of Berrien, which has been his home for thirty-eight years, and during all this time he has taken an active interest in its growth and upbuilding.

FRANK A. JOHNSON, whose name is enrolled among the leading agriculturists and stock-raisers of Pipestone township, his pleasant farm being situated on section II, was born in Sweden, July 10, 1863. He was about sixteen years of age when he crossed the ocean to America, making his way direct to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked at any occupation which would bring him an honest living for two years, also spending a part of that time in the northern woods. He came to Berrien coun- ty, Michigan, about 1884, where he first

secured employment with the Big Four Railroad Company, thus continuing for one summer, when he went again to the lumber woods.

Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Matilda Johnson, also a native of Sweden, and she was about eighteen years of age when she came to America. After his marriage Mr. Johnson returned to Ber- rien county and located upon the farm which is now his home, and the many improve- ments which are now seen thereon are the work of his hands and stand as monuments to his thrift and ability. He cleared the land from its virgin wilderness, erected the many substantial farm buildings, and has placed his fields under a high state of culti- vation. His present residence was erected in 1895, while his good substantial barn was built in 1903. The homestead consists of one hundred and seventy acres of rich and productive land, and in addition to his gen- eral farm labors he is also extensively en- gaged in the stock and dairy business, hav- ing now seventeen cows and much young stock upon the place.

Mr. Johnson is well and favorably known in this section of the county, where many years of his active life has been spent, and he gives his political support to the Republican party. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, namely : Alford, Esther, Elsa, Mary, Mabel, Annie and Clara.

FREDERICK BAKEMAN. He whose name introduces this review has been dis- tinctively the architect of his own fortunes. From a little German home across the sea he made his way to the new world and en- tered upon a career which may be well worthy of emulation and which is the out- come of the honest reward of labor, good management, ambition and energy.

Mr. Bakeman was born in Prussia, Ger- many, January 27, 1837, and in his native land he was reared until 1856, when he bade adieu to home and friends and sailed for America. On his arrival in this country his first location was in Cincinnati, Ohio, which continued as his home for two years. following the occupation of gardening, and

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

in 1858 he arrived in Pipestone township, Berrien county, Michigan. His first home here was the farm on which he now resides, on which had been built a little log house. As time passed and the land was cleared and developed, improvements were added to the farm, the little cabin home was replaced by a commodious one of more modern con- struction and all the accessories and con- veniences were added. He is now the owner of two hundred acres of rich and well cultivated land, and all of the improvements thereon stand as monuments to his thrift and ability. When he arrived in this country he was without a dollar, a stranger in a strange land, but by sheer force of will and untiring effort he has worked his way upward.

In 1861 Mr. Bakeman was united in marriage to Minnie Krohue, a native of Germany, and whose death occurred in 1879. In the following year, 1880, Mr. Bakeman married Henrietta Langley, also a native of the fatherland, where she was born on the 30th of December, 1853, and came to America when eleven years old. After residing in Cincinnati for a short time she made her way to Berrien county, being about thirteen years of age at the time of her arrival here. Mr. and Mrs. Bakeman have become the parents of four children- Minnie, Annie, Fred and Wallace. Mr. Bakeman gives a stanch support to the Re- publican party. He is a member of the Lutheran church and an earnest Christian man.

MILTON PRESTON. One of the prominent agriculturists of Pipestone town- ship, where he has a farm of one hundred and twenty acres situated on section 34, and in addition to this tract owns seven- ty-eight acres situated on section 22, of the same township, was born on the farm where he now makes his home, April 22, 1853. His grandfather, Amasa Preston, came to Michigan in 1848 from Ohio, but was born in Connecticut, having been taken to that state by his father on the emigration from Scotland to America. His father and brothers served in the Revolutionary war. and he served in the war of 1812. His

father, Norman C. Preston, was a native of Ohio and in 1848 came to Michigan, locating in Pipestone township, Berrien county, where he secured unimproved land, which he cleared and to which he added many substantial improvements. He was one of the early settlers of this county and was identified with much of the important history of this section of the state. He married Sarah Cook, born in Ohio, and a daughter of Pellum Cook. They became the parents of five children, two of whom are deceased. The mother still survives, having reached the advanced age of seventy- seven years, but the father passed away in 1862, at the comparatively early age of forty-eight years.

Milton Preston, the second child and only living son of his father's family, was born and reared on the old homestead farm and in the district schools acquired his edu- cation. When not busy with his text-books he assisted in the operation of the home place and was early trained to habits of in- dustry and economy which in later life have proved invaluable to him. He spent the win- ter of 1874 in California but with the ex- ception of that period has here carried on general agricultural pursuits and the rais- ing of fruit, in both of which he has met with gratifying success. In addition to his agricultural and horticultural pursuits he is also engaged in the raising of stock and in this branch of his business he is also meet- ing with success, handling only the best grades of animals.

As a companion and helpmate on life's journey Mr. Preston chose Miss Alice Torwbridge, to whom he was married October 29, 1879. She is a daughter of Harry and Lydia (Lewis) Trowbridge, who located in Berrien county in 1852, being numbered among the early settlers of Pipestone township. Mrs. Preston was here reared and educated and after reach- ing womanhood was here married to Mr. Preston, who took his bride to the old home- stead farm where they have continued to re- side to the present time. In their family are eight children, namely: Norman T., resid- ing in Pipestone township; Mabel L., the wife of A. P. Dean, who will locate at Baton

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Rouge, Louisiana; Maud V .; Harry M .; Mildred A .; Marie A .; Donald; and Keith Stanley. All were born on the old home- stead farm and with the exception of the eldest son, all are yet with their parents. The first named is now operating a farm of seventy-eight acres on section 22, owned by his father.

In his political allegiance Mr. Preston 'is a Democrat, and has served in a number of public offices, having filled the office of supervisor two years, treasurer of his town- ship four years and as a member of the Democratic committee one year. He holds membership relations with the Christian church, and is serving as elder of that de- nomination at the present time, while fra- ternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. He has been a resi- dent of this county throughout his entire life, covering a period of more than a half century, and thus has been closely identi- fied with the material progress that has here been made. He is well known throughout the county as a reliable business man and one who possesses many sterling traits of character so that he is held in high esteem by all who know him.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 152

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