A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 155

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

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JUAN HESS. At an early day Berrien county found its chief source of income in its lumber interests. Now one of its chief sources of wealth is its fruit farms, which are very productive and which supply to the Chicago markets and other large city mar- kets vast amounts of fruit of finest quality. Numbered among the men who are success- fully engaged in this business is Mr. Hess, who is living in Benton township. He is a native son of Michigan, his birth having occurred at Millburg on the 12th of May, 1850. His parents were George W. and Mary A. (Higbee) Hess, the latter a sister of James Higbee, now residing in Benton Harbor and represented elsewhere in this work. George W. Hess was born in Craw- ford county, Pennsylvania, but in early life removed to Ohio and in that state was mar- ried to Miss Higbee, who was born in New York. They came to Michigan in 1837, in- duced to take this step by her parents, who had previously located here. The journey westward was made by way of Chicago and thence in a covered wagon to St. Joseph. The county was then but sparsely settled and the work of development and progress seemed scarcely begun. What is now a rich

and productive district between St. Joseph and Benton Harbor was then a marsh and as the family journeyed between the two points one of their horses lay down in the water. Mr. Hess lifted his wife and daugh- ter, then a year old, upon the back of the other horse and waded out. He was a car- penter and joiner by trade and had served an apprenticeship of four years, so that he was a very capable workman. He secured land west of Millburg and established a little village, which was to be called Saratoga. This was before the town of Millburg had been founded. He afterward lived at Mill- burg and worked at his trade, becoming identified with building operations in that section of the county. He also aided in im- proving a seventy acre farm a half mile dis- tant but lived in the village, spending his remaining days there. He reached the very advanced age of about eighty-eight years, surviving his wife for twenty-five years but always remaining true to her memory, so that he never married again. His old home in Millburg is the present home of his daugh- ter and her husband, Dr. and Mrs. J. J. Wier, who are also mentioned on another page of this work, Dr. Wier being the cap- able physician of that place with a large practice indicative of his skill and ability in his profession.

In his political views George W. Hess was an old-school Democrat. He served as justice of the peace for a number of years and his decisions were strictly fair and im- partial. He could speak German fluently and he did all the legal business for a large German settlement, gave advice as to local troubles and his counsel was often sought by his German friends, who followed his counsel rather than resorting to the law. He was elected to office on the Democratic ticket in a Republican township, which showed his popularity and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He was reared in the Lutheran faith, but his family afterward became identified with the Christian church. Mr. Hess was a very temperate man in all respects, not only in the use of intoxicants but in all things and his life was regulated by high principles and manly conduct. He was neat in his appear-

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

ance and it was said that he could work at logging and not soil his clothes. Clean in his life and in his thoughts, considerate in his opinions of others, charitable and kindly in spirit, just and honorable in his actions, he won the good will and trust of all with whom he was associated and was for many years one of the most respected and worthy residents of his part of the county. His family numbered twelve children, of whom one died in childhood, while eleven of the family are now living. The eldest is Mrs. Mary Babcock, who at the age of sixty-nine years is living upon a part of the old home- stead farm. There are four sons and seven daughters, and of this number four daugh- ters and one son are yet residents of Ber- rien county. The eldest son, William J., is living in California. Those who now reside in this county are Mrs. J. N. Babcock, Mrs. George Wright, Mrs. L. A. Hall, Mrs. G. H. Peters and Mrs. J. J. Wier.

The other member of the family living in Berrien county is Juan Hess of this re- view, who resided at home until twenty- four years of age and was reared to farm work. He is indebted to the public school system of the county for the educational privileges which he enjoyed and through the periods of vacation he worked in the fields, aiding in the early spring planting, in the care of the crops and in the gathering of the harvests. He was married at the age of twenty-four on the 29th of October, 1874, to Miss Dora Bishop, a daughter of J. K. Bishop, of Bainbridge, who lived a mile and a half from Millburg, so that the young people had grown up to- gether. Her father died at Coloma, Michi- gan, in July, 1906, at the age of seventy- nine years. Mrs. Hess was born on the old homestead property in that township and there remained until seventeen years of age, when she gave her hand in marriage to our subject. In the fall of that year the young couple began their domestic life upon their present farm in Benton township. His father had owned the place for some years. It comprised eighty acres of land, about thirty acres being improved at the time that Mr. Hess purchased a fourth interest in the property. Later he bought the interest

of his three brothers until he owned the en- tire tract of eighty acres. He has it now all under cultivation, about seventy acres be- ing planted in trees. His orchards are splendidly improved. He has thirty-five acres planted to peaches, twenty-two to pears and there are also a large number of cherry and apple trees. There is an apple orchard upon the place which has been in bearing for fifty years. The farm was orig- inally enclosed with a rail fence and at each corner a peach tree was planted and the fruit from these trees sold at a dollar per peck on the street in Benton Harbor. In 1905, Mr. Hess sold large quantities of fruit, the crops being excellent in that year. He has harvested a strawberry crop from eight acres netting one hundred dollars per acre. The results that have attended his labors as a horticulturist have been entirely satisfactory. He has studied fruit all his life and his opinions upon the subject are largely re- garded as authority in this community. He has also grown some grain and stock and his farm is in every respect productive and valuable. He now has residence property in Benton Harbor and this in addition to his farm brings him a very good income.

In 1904 Mr. Hess was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 15th of October of that year after a very short illness. They had traveled life's journey together for thirty years. She was devoted to her family and was a most es- timable lady, who had indeed been a faithful companion and helpmate to her husband on life's journey. Unto them had been born four children, but two of the number died in childhood. Those still living are : Robert D., twenty-three years of age; and George K., now fourteen years of age. The former maried Alice King of Benton Harbor and has one child. They reside upon the home farm with his father.

In his political views Mr. Hess is a Democrat and entertains broad and liberal views where local issues are involved, never considering himself bound by party ties. He frequently attends, however, the conventions of his party. He is a member of the Ben- ton County Horticultural Society and be- longs to the Knights of the Maccabees, while

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his religious faith is indicated by his mem- bership in the Millburg Christian church. In 1902 he erected his present home, which is a nice country residence, heated by furnace, well lighted, with good plumbing through- out. It is a modern residence in all of its appointments and is conveniently and pleas- antly situated about four miles from Benton Harbor. He has been closely identified with horticultural interests in this county for many years and has done much to make this locality a fruit producing center. His con- nection with any undertaking insures a pros- perous outcome of the same, for it is in his nature to carry forward to successful com- pletion whatever he is associated with. He has earned for himself an enviable reputa- tion as a careful man of business and in his dealings is known for his prompt and honor- able methods, which have won him the de- served and unbounded confidence of his fel- lowmen.

OMAR A. D. BALDWIN, who is en- gaged in the nursery business, with an ex- cellent tract of land on section 19, Lake township, devoted solely to that purpose, is meeting with desirable and deserved suc- cess in this undertaking. He was born upon this farm July 23, 1883, and has always re- sided here, having now one hundred and thirty acres of land on sections 19, 21 and 24. His grandparents were George and Exene Pauline (Hugins) Baldwin, and the former died when his son Ozro A. E. Bald- win was only two years of age, after which the mother married William L. Wheelock.

Ozro A. E. Baldwin was the only child of that marriage but had a half brother. He was born in Berkshire county, Massachu- setts, April 21, 1849, and when sixteen years of age came to this county with his mother and stepfather, spending his remaining days here. He became a prominent, influential and successful citizen. He worked on his stepfather's farm up to the time of his mar- riage and then accepted a clerkship in a store at Sawyer, after which he spent a few months in Bridgman. He afterward pur- chased twenty acres of what became the home farm of the family and which was then partially improved. He was the first

nurseryman of his part of the county and continued in the business up to the time of his death. The March prior to his demise he also extended the scope of his business activities by becoming interested in a mer- cantile enterprise in Bridgman, as a member of the firm of Chauncey & Baldwin, in which his son became his successor. He was not only enterprising and progressive in his busi- ness interets, in which he won honorable and notable success, but was also recognized as a leader in molding public thought and opinion and his labors were often of direct benefit to the public. He voted with the Re- publican party and served as drain commis- sioner for ten consecutive years previous to the establishment of the county commission. He was also supervisor of his township for one term and was ever faithful to the various positions of trust given to his care. He belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was treasurer of his lodge at the time of his death, while at other times he filled the various chairs of the organiza- tion. He was also finance keeper of the Knights of the Maccabees. For a long time he was connected with the school board and was acting in that capacity when called from this life. He regarded a public office as a public trust and was ever faithful to every obligation of citizenship and of private life as well. He was married in 1872 to Miss Lucy E. Weston, who was born in Niagara county, New York, April 12, 1854, and came to this county with her parents in 1867, a daughter of Franklin and Rosamond M. (Burdick) Weston, also natives of the Em- pire state. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin were born seven children: Myrtle E., the wife of Andrew M. Clymer, of this town- ship ; Ozro E., also a resident of Lake town- ship; Jessamine, at home; Fern C. B., the wife of Robert L. Wilson, of Charlevoix, Michigan; Omar, of this review; Hazel C., at home; and Hollie O., who died at the age of ten months.

Reared under the parental roof and edu- cated in the public schools Mr. Baldwin, whose name introduces this record, has spent his entire life upon the place which is still his home and which is known as the Bald- win Railroad View Fruit Plants Farm, be-

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ing devoted to the raising of small fruit plants, a specialty being made of straw- berries. A mail order business is conducted and about thirty thousand catalogs are an- nually sent out, while about six million strawberry plants are sold yearly. Mr. Baldwin gives practically his whole time to the nursery business and his broad expe- rience has made him very proficient in the raising and cultivation of plants for nursery stock. He also owns, however, a half in- terest in the large general mercantile store of Chauncey & Baldwin, at Bridgman, com- ing into possession of this at the time of his father's death, October 5, 1902. The old homestead is a fine one, being one of the well improved properties of this part of the state, and his care and attention have con- tinually added to its value.

Mr. Baldwin votes with the Republican party and has served as a member of the county committee from Lake township. He belongs to the Independent Order of Good Templars in which he has filled all the chairs, and is identified with Bridgman Lodge, No. 143, I. O. O. F., of which he has been treasurer for the past three years. In social, fraternal and business relations his position is among the foremost and he is accounted one of the most valued citizens among the young men of the county, being a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family.

ALVA SHERWOOD. In referring to the life of his friend. Mr. E. K. Warren pointed out two predominating character- istics, modesty and faithfulness, adding, "he never sought places of responsibility but al- ways filled them faithfully when they were committed to him." But not alone for the finer qualities of his life is Mr. Sherwood remembered, but also for his ability, of which it was said in an editorial during his life, "Mr. Sherwood is quick in seizing an opportunity, clear in understanding a situa- tion, and prompt in applying necessary measures to meet an emergency ; possesses great resources of perseverance and courage, yet withal is a modest man." It is then of such a man, kind, gentle, sincere, friendly, able, that this sketch is to deal.

Alva Sherwood was essentially a Berrien county man. His grandfather removed from Ohio to Michigan in 1833, and the major part of the life of his father, Alonzo Sher- wood, was spent in this county. It was near Buchanan that Alva Sherwood was born, January 15, 1859. In a family of eight children he was the only son to reach matur- ity, and but two of his sisters, Mrs. Will- iam Convis and Mrs. William H. Smith, both of Los Angeles, California, are living.

Reared in Wesaw township Alva Sher- wood acquired his early education in the · public schools of New Troy, where he com- pleted his course in 1877. This preparatory study was supplemented by a four-year course at the Michigan Agricultural Col- lege, from which he was graduated in 1881. Then followed a period of teaching in New Troy and in Three Oaks. He gave up the life of the school room for the life of the farm when he entered the employ of Mr. E. K. Warren, whose farm and stock in- terests he supervised in Three Oaks for sev- eral years. Feeling the need of a little special work he took a post-graduate course at the Michigan Agricultural College in 1892, and then accepted the management of the Essex Stock farm at Walkerville, On- tario. After successful service there, he re- signed to complete a course in Veterinary Surgery, in the Detroit Veterinary College, and with his training completed in 1894 he returned to Three Oaks. Soon after he added one hundred and fifty acres to his farm of that size in Wesaw township, which he used in general farming and stock raising until a profitable sale was made of nearly his entire property shortly before his death.

In 1904 Mr. Sherwood was chosen as a delegate to the World's Fourth Sunday- School Convention in Jerusalem, Palestine, April 17th to 19th, and he left New York with . his fellow delegates on the steamer Grosser Kurfurst, March 8th, for a cruise of over two months, including in the trip visits to the principal places on the shores of the Mediterranean sea and inland ex- cursions into Syria, Egypt and Italy. The fellowship on board the convention steamer as well as the privileges of the convention was dear to the heart of Mr. Sherwood,

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and he proved himself companionable and sympathetic to a marked degree. He was always ready to do something for somebody else, and equally ready to take without com- plaint the necessary inconveniences attend- ant upon an excursion of that character.

During his residence in Three Oaks, prior to 1904, Mr. Sherwood had been prom- inent in the political and social life of Ber- rien county, and had for six years served as deputy sheriff. In this and other capaci- ties he became well acquainted with the prominent men throughout the county. During his absence, his name was suggested as a candidate for county treasurer. Upon his return to Michigan he accepted the plans which had been made for him and entered the campaign, which resulted in his election in the fall of 1904. He assumed the office of county treasurer, to which he had been elected by a large majority, the Ist of Janu- ary, 1905, and occupied it until his death.

On the 28th of November, 1888, Alva Sherwood was united in marriage with Ada M. Simpson, who was born in Carlton, Or- leans county, New York, January 25, 1861, and came with her parents, Emery H. and Mary A. (Thompson) Simpson, to Hart- ford, Michigan, in 1863. The Simpson family was well known in this part of the state, Mr. Simpson having served two terms in the state legislature. To Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood were born four children-Emery Simpson and Catharine Clark, November 29, 1890 ; Catharine died February 10, 1897 ; Mary Thompson, born February 7, 1896, and Leland Alva, born March 26, 1898, and died September 5, 1898. Mrs. Sherwood with her two children, Emery Simpson and Mary Thompson, are making their perma- nent home in Three Oaks.

Mr. Sherwood's success in stock raising, his fondness for horses and his clear judg- ment of their values, led very naturally to his selection as superintendent of the horse department of the West Michigan Fair, at Grand Rapids, and in carrying out the duties of his position he met the accident which terminated fatally. He was mounted on a spirited horse, leading a cavalcade of horses and cattle. The horse was made restless by the prancing and tossing of horns of the

animals around him. Seeing a man with whom he wished to speak, Mr. Sherwood leaned forward in his saddle; at the moment he did so his horse threw back its head, striking Mr. Sherwood in the forehead, and stunning him. In the agony of the blow, Mr. Sherwood involuntarily jerked back on the reins; the horse reared straight into the air and falling backwards crushed his rider beneath him. Mr. Sherwood was im- mediately removed to a Grand Rapids hos- pital where expert assistance was rendered, but through the presence of internal in- juries his recovery was impossible, and sur- rounded by his wife and friends he died September 26, 1905.

Alva Sherwood was a many-sided man. He knew what the proper proportions of life are, and he gave heed to the correct rela- tion between the things of time and the things of Eternity. Developing thus a com- plete life, his service to the community in which he lived was and is inestimable. He was, perhaps, for a period of over two dec- ades, the most prominent man in the educa- tional life of Three Oaks. He had taught school, and taught it well, and his teaching which supplemented a good and thorough education, admirably fitted him later in life for the efficient supervision of the interests of the public schools, which, as the director of the school board, he exercised term after term. To the things which he knew, theoretically and practically, about educa- tion, he added a quick perception of situa- tions, a ready sympathy in trying conditions, a fondness for children who always gave him the confidence which a good man in- spires in a child.

In his business life Mr. Sherwood had learned how to serve himself profitably by serving others acceptably. He was both capable and industrious, a combination hard to defeat, whatever the conditions or cir- cumstances of life. During the year or two immediately preceding his departure for the Orient, Mr. Sherwood disposed of most of his property, and left his affairs well regu- lated and in order. Many a man otherwise successful is found to be deficient when sub- jected to this test. The integrity of his busi- ness life can be shown no better than in the

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mute testimony which hundreds with whom he had had business relations gave, when they assembled at his funeral to offer that tribute of their regard for him.

While Mr. Sherwood was not a poli- tician in the commonly accepted sense of that term, yet he was always interested in political conditions in the county, state and nation, and he was rewarded at the hands of his party, both for his own ability and his stanch and loyal Republicanism. Such poli- tics as he followed must first be clean and then as effective as his energy could aid in making them. He placed good citizenship higher than party, and would have preferred defeat on the former platform to victory on the latter, unless they could be merged as they were in his case.

These three sides of his life stand out distinctly, and yet not so distinctly as the side of which he gave the greater em- phasis, though it was by the silent force of his consistent life, rather than by any noisy demonstration-sincere Christian- ity. Mr. Sherwood was a Congregationalist, and a member of the First Congregational church of Three Oaks, in which society he had served in almost every capacity, includ- ing that of clerk and trustee. He was a teacher in the Sabbath-school, and for many years an assistant superintendent. He was always ready to do the thing that was asked of him and to do it to the full extent of his ability. He was interested in every good movement, not only in the church and Sun- day-school but in the community, and throughout his life he was a loyal repre- sentative on earth of the Master he served.

A fair estimate of Mr. Sherwood was made by those who paid their tribute to him when his many friends were gathered in Three Oaks to perform the last offices. William H. Anderson, president of the West Michigan State Fair Association said, "Alva Sherwood was as good a man in every way as one would wish to meet. He was always a gentleman in all that the word implies, and I feel the loss personally. I know that my sentiment will be echoed by all those connected with the West Michigan Fair As- sociation." Lester J. Rindge, vice president of the association, added, "Mr. Sherwood

was one of nature's noblemen. He was a man all through, and one who was respected by everyone, not only as a business man but as a friend. He was a man whom we, as well as the community in which he lived, exceedingly regret to lose."

Mr. Charles W. Garfield spoke feelingly of the loss which he felt personally, and in behalf of his colleagues voiced it in these words : "He was more than a capable and respected man : he was a good man. I do not know what church he belonged to, or if he was identified with any church, but he was a religious man. Religion is the mind of God in the heart of man. Seeking it is finding out about God. Alva Sherwood in this deep and true sense was a religious man. When one undertakes to fulfill his whole duty connected with the affairs of this world, and brings to bear upon public spirited enter- prises his whole and dominant physical, mental, and moral ability, he is the strongest factor in God's hands for the accomplish- ment of the deeper and nobler purposes of life. In this sense Mr. Sherwood was God's husbandman."

Mr. Sherwood's pastor, Rev. George B. Hatch, sums up his estimate of the man, thus,-"First, he was characteristically a Christian man. The reason that he was so generally liked and trusted was that he put the spirit of Christ into all that he did. He was the sort of Christian who translates creed into deed. He exemplified the real beauty that is in real Christianity. That men liked him proves that they would like Christ if they knew Him. Secondly, he was a man to be counted on. Wherever you put him you could be sure of his being faithful to the trust reposed in him. He did not need to be watched. His principal was to do his part, whatever others might or might not do. In recognition of his absolute faith- fulness the county wanted him as its servant. He did not seek his office, but took it when it was offered him, and gave to its duties his utmost care. And this was character- istic of him in all the activities which en- gaged him. Such men are too valuable to be easily spared. Thirdly, he found the text true which says that Godliness is profitable in the life that now is. Owing to his con-

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 155

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