USA > Michigan > Berrien County > A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan > Part 25
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CHURCHES.
The first church at St. Joseph was Meth- odist Episcopal and was organized in about 1836 by Father McCool, a prominent Meth- dist Divine who lived in Cass county. A church edifice was not erected till 1859. The present brick building was built in 1869 at a cost of twenty-three thousand dollars. The present pastor is Rev. D. N. Stafford.
The Catholic Church was organized in 1849. Services were first held in the school house on Ship street now used as a marble shop. The present brick edifice was built in 1871. The first resident priest was Rev. Joseph Waterschoot, who commenced his pastorate in 1869. The present pastor is Rev. Fr. M. G. Esper.
186
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
The Congregational Church was estab- lished in 1854. The first regular pastor of the church was Rev. Mr. Osbirne, who be- came pastor in 1858. The present structure was built in 1870. The present pastor is Rev. H. S. Roblee.
The German Baptist Church was or- ganized in 1860 with Rev. William Gisman as pastor. A frame edifice was built the same year. The present pastor is Rev. C. L. Marquardt.
The Evangelical Association Church was organized in 1860. In 1868 a brick edifice which had been built by a Baptist society was purchased. The present pastor is Rev. E. G. Frye.
The Lutheran Church was organized in 1867 with Rev. John Freitag as pastor. It was called Trinity Evangelical Lutheran. Rev. C. Zlomke is pastor.
An Universalist Church was formed about 1865. The trustees were Warren Chapman, James E. Stevens, Samuel G. Langley and Simeon Wilson. The church in a few years declined and was finally aban- doned.
The Episcopal Church was organized about 1871, with Rev. V. Spaulding as rec- tor. There is no rector at present.
An African Methodist Church was or- ganized in 1871.
A Swedish Lutheran Church was organ- ized some years ago. Rev. J. L. Kling is pastor.
COURT HOUSE.
We have seen that Niles was the first county seat. In 1832, however, it was trans- ferred to St. Joseph and St. Joseph remained the county seat till 1837, when it was re- moved to Berrien Springs. About 1891 the prominent citizens of St. Joseph began to agitate the question of again removing it to St. Joseph. An able committee of promi- nent citizens and leading St. Joseph poli- ticians, was appointed to agitate the matter. The movement was conducted with most
consummate generalship. Serious difficul- ties confronted the committee. The people of Benton Harbor were at first considerably adverse to the movement, and without their aid the project was hopeless. Difficulty was found among the supervisors. It required a vote of two-thirds of the supervisors to submit the question of removal to the vote of the electors. The constituencies of more than one-half of the supervisors were strongly opposed to removal or to any con- sideration of the question. The supervisors at first were strongly opposed to the sub- mission. But providential changes and sud- den conversions occurred. It so happened that at this juncture some supervisors re- signed their positions, and most fortunately for the St. Joseph people. were replaced by the appointment of men who were favorable to submission. In other cases, supervisors chose to vote according to their individual convictions without consulting their consti- tuents. The result was that the board of supervisors voted to submit the question of removal to the electors at the April election of 1893.
A heated and bitter campaign ensued and the vote was very close. A majority of the townships voted against removal, but it was carried by a small majority of the popular vote. The vote for removal was five thousand six hundred and ten and against five thousand three hundred and sixty-eight.
Proceedings were instituted in court to prevent the removal and the circuit court held it illegal and invalid, but the su- preme court reversed the action of the cir- cuit court. In December, 1894, the county seat was removed to St. Joseph and the court room and county offices were located in Mar- tin's Academy of Music while the court house and jail were being constructed. These were finished and ready for occupancy in February. 1896. The cost of the court house, jail and fixtures was about seventy thousand dollars.
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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
LIBRARY.
The Carnegie Public Library of St. Jo- seph was first opened November 11, 1894. The building including the furniture, fur- nished by Mr. Carnegie, cost thirteen thou- sand five hundred dollars and the annual appropriation of the common council for the support of the library is thirteen hundred and fifty dollars. The library has about three thousand three hundred volumes and the circulation for the year ending June, 1906, was eighteen thousand three hundred and forty-four volumes.
The present officers and directors are Lawrence C. Fyfe, president, Benjamin F. McConnell, secretary, Mrs. George E. Smith, Mrs. Charles Moulton, Miss Ellen Conant, Frank Pixley, E. P. Clarke, James Stone and Orville Jordan.
Librarian, Miss Isabella Fyfe. Miss Fyfe has been librarian from the organization of the library. Although the interior is some- what small, it is admirably arranged for the purposes of a small library, with the best and latest equipments for such service, and the furniture is substantial and made to stand long and hard service.
MICHIGAN CHILDREN'S HOME SOCIETY.
One of the most important charitable institutions of the state is located at St. Joseph. This is the Michigan Children's Home Society which was incorporated in 1893.
The first officers were Willis Cooper, president, and Dr. Amos Barlow, superin- tendent, who has had the charge and man- agement of the institution since its organi- zation. It has been maintained solely by private donations. A few years since, a hospital and new office building were erected.
Among the large donations which have been made may be mentioned those by Mrs. Henry A. Chapin of Niles, who donated two thousand five hundred dollars for the
building of the hospital; by Burton Jarvis of Buchanan, who donated two thousand dol- lars by will and by Judge Benjamin F. Fish of Niles, who donated one thousand dollars by will.
The institution has done an immense amount of good, having received over seven hundred children, mainly orphans and chil- dren of unfortunate mothers or destitute parents, and placed them after a time in com- fortable homes. Nearly all of the children so provided have turned out well, illustrat- ing the fact, although against old tradition, that environment is a much more powerful factor in the development and moulding of character in infancy, than heredity.
HOTELS.
Augustus B. Newell erected a log tav- ern in 1829 at the foot of the hill. In 1831 he erected the Mansion House. This was followed by the Michigan House and the Perkins House. In 1867, B. C. Hoyt erect- ed a large brick hotel called the Hoyt House. Subsequently it was purchased by Captain Thomas A. Walker and his son William and the name of the hotel changed to that of Lake View. Captain Walker and his son have conducted the hotel for many years.
Captain Walker has served as supervisor of the first ward for ten successive terms and is the present incumbent. He was chairman of the board of supervisors for several terms. He has been a prominent leader in the Democratic party and was an officer in the twelfth Michigan regiment during the Civil war.
In 1868 Charles Krueger erected a four story brick hotel called the St. Charles. For a number of years before 1896, a syndicate owned the property and for a considerable time it was closed to business. In 1896, Alonzo Vincent, who had been the manager of the Benton House at Benton Harbor, leased the property and subsequently be-
188
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
came the owner. It is conducted by him- self and son-in-law. C. E. Blake, and known as the Whitcomb Hotel. During the past year an elegant mineral bath house has been annexed to the hotel, with all modern appli- ances and has already been largely patron- ized.
Mr. Vincent was for some years warden of the State Penitentiary at Jackson and has been a prominent leader in the Republican party in the county and a member of State Republican Committee for many years.
BANKS.
In 1833. a branch of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank, a leading bank located at Detroit, was established under the manage- ment of Thomas Fitzgerald. R. C. Paine succeeded Mr. Fitzgerald in 1837, and in 1841 removed the agency to Niles.
In 1836. the Commercial Bank was or- ganized with Tolman Wheeler as president. This was a "wild cat" bank of Michigan, lasted only two or three years and failed with scarcely any available assets and with its bills worthless.
In 1856, B. C. Hoyt established a bank in which his son, Edward C., soon became
The First National Bank was incorpor- ated in 1871. W. F. Higman was the first president and Francis Jordan, cashier. This was followed by the organization of a new bank called the Union Banking Company, in 1882, with Francis Jordan, president, and Orville, his son, cashier. Mr. Jordan contin- ued as president for eleven years. The bank is still doing business with A. W. Wells as president. James Forbes, vice president. Orville O. Jordan, cashier. C. B. Winslow. assistant cashier. Orville Jordan has been the cashier of the bank since its organization.
The Commercial National Bank was or-
ganized in 1893. Its present officers are : James M. Ball. president: M. W. Stock. vice-president : . A. N. Reece, cashier, and F. S. Clarke, assistant cashier.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
The first sawmill, as has been stated, was built in 1832 by Deacon & McKaleb.
Several manufacturing establishments sprung up at different times, which were subsequently abandoned or proved unre- munerative. Among them was an extensive plant called Wooden Ware Works estab- lished by A. N. Morrison in 1878, for the manufacture of tubs, pails, broom handles and other wooden ware. It did a large busi- ness for a few years, but in the end proved unprofitable and was abandoned.
The largest knitting mill in the state is the Cooper-Wells factory at St. Joseph. It was established in 1878 by S. F. Cooper & Sons. The Coopers sold out their interest many years ago. The concern was incor- porated in 1889 and Abel W. Wells is presi- dent. The company employs four hundred and forty-seven people and has an annual pay roll of $190.000.
The largest factory for building small associated with him. This bank did an im- boats and launches in the state is the Trus- mense business for nearly twenty years, but . the Hoyts failed as a result of the finan- cial panic of 1873. cott Boat Company located at St. Joseph. It was incorporated in 1892. The boats are sent to all parts of the world. During the year 1905 six hundred boats were manu- factured at an estimated value of $500,000. The average number of employees is about two hundred. The officers are : E. E. Truscott, president. H. D. Truscott, vice president, and James M. Truscott, treas- urer and general manager.
. The Wells-Higman Company manufact- ures fruit baskets, packages and boxes. It was established in 1869 mainly by A. W. Wells. In 1889 it was incorporated under the name of the Wells-Higman Company. A. W. Wells is the president. and John Hig- man, secretary and treasurer.
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COOPER, WELLS & CO. (1906)
189
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
The Compound Door Factory was in- the main successful, although considerable faulty system of bookkeeping. corporated in 1899. The present officers losses were incurred for a time through a are: John McConnell, president, Frank Kelble, vice president, Anthony Canavan, secretary, and B. F. McConnell, treasurer. CITY OFFICIALS. The company manufactures high grade 've- neered doors and also interior finish for The presidents of the village of St. Jo- seph have been as follows : large buildings of the higher grades. It has just finished an eighteen story office build- Thos. Fitzgerald Calvin Britain Thos. Conger 1835 1834 ing at Chicago and employs in its factory at St. Joseph one hundred and twenty-five hands. With the exception of the president J. F. Porter 1836 all its officers live at St. Joseph.
The A. B. Morse Company was incor- porated in 1894, with Arthur B. Morse president, and M. J. Beckett, secretary and treasurer. It does a large business in the printing of blank books, pamphlets, books and periodicals.
The Mullen Brothers Paper Company was incorporated in 1895 for the purpose of manufacturing paper. It now employs forty-one people. The principal lines of products are wax lined paper butter dishes and wax lined paper fruit packages, and red rosin sized sheathing. John W. Mullen is president and W. Mullen, secretary.
PUBLIC UTILITIES.
In 1900, a lighting plant was established by the city. Previous to this time for a number of years, the city lighting had been furnished by the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph Electric Railway and Lighting Com- pany.
The motive power of the city lighting is furnished by a gas producing plant. The cost of the plant, including the building was $19.000. The number of city lights now running with all night service is one hun- dred and twenty-five. It appears that the system gives general satisfaction and that the annual cost per lamp with all night serv- ice is about $36.00, or a total of $4,500.00.
A water plant was established by the city some years ago, furnishing water from Lake Michigan. It seems to have been in
Thos. Fitzgerald 1837-1841
1842
Calvin Britain 1843-1844
Talman Wheeler 1845
Thos. Fitzgerald
1846-1847
Talman Wheeler
1848-1849
W. M. Liston.
1850
B. C. Hoyt
1851-1853
J. W. Brewer
1854-1855
B. C. Hoyt
F. I. Parks. 1856-1857
1858
B. C. Hoyt
1859
Oliver Stevens
1860-1861
B. M. Springstein
Oliver Stevens 1862
1863
Warren Chapman
1864-1865
Ed. Kingsley 1866
O. W. Oviatt
1867
R. B. Duncan
1868
J. H. Donaldson
1869
O. W. Oviatt
1870
J. J. Pearl . 1871
A. E. Perkins 1872
Ed. Pulver
1873
A. H. Morrison
1875
A. E. Perkins
1876
A. K. Webster
1877
Geo. E. Smith 1878
A. K. Webster 1879
W. A. Preston 1880
H. A. Truax 1881
A. H. Scott 1882
J. A. Canavan 1883-1884
A. H. Scott 1885
L. I. McLin 1886
H. M. Zekind 1887
L. I. McLin
1888-1890
A. H. Scott 1891
A. E. Perkins 1874
190
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
Mayors of the City.
L. I. McLin 1892-1893
IV. A. Preston 1893-1895
H. B. Rosenberg 1895-1897
John V. Starr 1896-1899
A. L. Church. 1899-1900
N. C. Rice 1900-1903
J. V. Starr 1903-1904
N. C. Rice.
1904-1905
F. L. Pixley
1905-1906
Jas. Forbes
1906
( Present Incumbent ) .
The supervisors of St. Joseph township have been as follows :
Wm. Huff 1834-1836
J. F. Porter 1838
J. F. Lord. 1839
Fowler Preston 1840-1842
B. C. Hoyt 1843-1844
L. S. Lillibridge 1845
Andrew Murray 1846
Thos. Fitzgerald 1847
A. M. Church. 1848
Talman Wheeler 1849
WV. M. Lister 1850
A. M. Church. 1851
A. H. Morrison 1852
L. F. Warner 1853
A. H. Morrison 1854
D. A. Urmiston 1855
Jos. Gard 1856
F. J. Parks 1857
Theo. Pew 1858
F. J. Parks.
1859-1860
A. D. Brown 1861
Warren Chapman 1862
Dan'l Chapman 1863-1868
Warren Chapman 1869
Curtis Boughton 1870
Warren Chapman 1871-1874
A. H. Morrison 1875
E. M. Edwards 1876
A. E. Perkins 1877
E. M. Edwards 1878-1879
Jos. J. Pearl 1880
E. M. Edwards 1881
Dan'l Chapman 1882
A. W. Wells 1883
G. F. Comings
1884-1887
Chas. Miller
1888-1891
J. F. Gard
1892
G. F. Comings
1893
J. F. Gard
1894-1898
W. H. Brunke.
1899
J. M. Miller
1900-1906
ST. JOSEPH CITY.
The supervisors of the city of St. Joseph have been as follows :
Geo. F. Comings 1893-1894
Max W. Stock. 1893-1894
J. A. Freitag 1895
E. H. Kingsley.
1895-1899
J. A. Powells.
1896
T. A. Walker.
1897-1906
F. E. Minnes
1900-1903
Alf. Baldry
1900
F. A. Potter
1901-1906
J. J. Drake
1901-1903
E. S. Kelley
W'm. Kissinger
1904-1905
1904
Robt. Jones
1905-1906
Geo. Happ
1906
POSTMASTERS.
The office which is now St. Joseph, was established March 10, 1829, under the name of Saranac. The name was changed to St. Joseph, July 24, 1833. The list of post- masters for Saranac and St. Joseph from March 10, 1829, to date, with dates of ap- pointment, is as follows :
Calvin Britain (Saranac) . .. 1829
Calvin Britain (St. Joseph) 1833
Thos. Fitzgerald 1834
John F. Porter 1838
Thomas Fitzgerald 1840
Calvin Britain 1840
Reuben Scott 1841
Thos. Fitzgerald 1843
Geo. K. Smith 1845
Chas. C. Sutton 1846
Benj. C. Hovt. 1849
Horace W. Guernsey 1853
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
191
Jas. N. Witherell 1861
Benj. F. King. 1876
Fitz H. Stephens 1866
Leonard J. Merchant 1880
Henry W. Gustin
1867
Jas. A. Canavan 1887
Jay J. Drake.
1869
Jas. Brooks
1890
Thos. L. Reynolds 1871
Jas. A. Canavan.
1893
Chas. Stewart
1872
Fred A. Woodruff
1897 to date.
CHAPTER X
BERRIEN TOWNSHIP.
The first township in the county of Ber- rien to be settled by farmers and cleared to any considerable extent was that of Berrien. It is naturally one of the richest and most productive portions of the county. The greater portion of the land was origin- ally covered by thick timber, the remaining portion mostly consisting of "oak open- ings." The township is dotted over with nunierous small lakes, the largest of which is Smith's lake. These features seem to have been attractive to the earliest settlers, and to have led the early and rapid devel- opment of the township as an agricultural center.
It was surveyed by Noah Brookfield in 1826. The township is irregular in shape, being bounded on the west by the St. Jo- seph river, which runs in a tortuous and meandering course along the line of this boundary for nearly twelve miles. The river is dotted with islands and hemmed in by high and picturesque bluffs, covered with trees for a considerable distance.
The first settlement, as we have already seen, in Berrien township was made by John Johnson in section twenty-nine. He came to Niles in 1824 and was first engaged in clearing land near Niles for John Lybrook. whose sister Johnson married. Johnson was a shoemaker by trade and for a time worked at his trade at the Carey mission. He built a log house upon his land in 1827.
and he and his wife moved into it the same year. He lived upon this farm till his death in 1884. The son of John Johnson, John Johnson, Jr., is now living upon the farm which his father occupied. John Johnson, Jr., was sheriff of the county in 1891-92 and has been supervisor of his township. His sister Sarah Dunbar, of Sodus, was born in March, 1831. The other children of John Johnson, Sr .. now living, are Mrs. Lydia Shearer, of Niles township. Mrs. Eva Miller of Berrien township, and Mrs. Mary Murphy of Berrien township, the wife of Erastus Murphy.
Late in the fall of 1827 George H. Clay- pool, who had been living in Niles, having gone there in 1827. and who had married a sister of Johnson, located eighty acres in section twenty-seven, adjoining lands of Johnson, and moved onto it with his wife. It appears that for nearly two years the Johnson and Claypool families were the only white dwellers in the township. Mr. Claypool died in 1873. Three children of George H. Claypool are now living: John J., who resides about a mile south of Ber- rien Springs. Samuel J .. of Berrien town- ship. and Mrs. Margaret Dean of Pipestone.
In 1830. John Smith and his brother, Isaac Smith, whose parents were pioneer settlers in Kentucky, came from Preble county. Ohio, and settled in Berrien town- ship. John located ninety-six acres in sec-
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MRS. ANNA JOHNSON
JOHN JOHNSON
THE FIRST SETTLER OF BERRIEN TOWNSHIP AND THE SECOND PERMANENT SET- TLER OF THE COUNTY
193
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
tion thirteen, and Isaac two hundred and forty acres in section twenty-four. Both of these brothers lived upon their farms till their death at an extreme old age.
The son of John, Isaac Smith, is now liv- ing upon the land located by his father. A large body of very valuable timber re- mained growing intact upon this land till a few years since, a relic of the forest grandeur of olden days now seldom seen.
The only son of Isaac Smith, James Smith, died in 1899, at the old homestead of his father, leaving a widow, Mrs. Malvina Smith, a sister of Hon. W. I. Babcock of Niles, and three children, Martha, Dr. Ethan H. and Charles R. The widow is still living on the old homestead with her son Charles and daughter Martha. Dr. Ethan H. Smith is a physician of San Fran- cisco, California.
Isaac Lybrook is the oldest settler in the St. Joseph valley now living in Berrien county. His mother, a widow, emigrated with her father, John Burke, and her chil- dren, from Preble county, Ohio, in 1828 and located in Pokagon township, Cass county, adjoining the Berrien county line. In 1840 his mother settled upon section thirty, Ber- rien township. Mr. Lybrook is still living upon this land and has added one hundred and twenty acres to the original home- stead. He is now eighty-two years of age, with his mental faculties still vigorous, and in good health physically for a man of his age. His recollection of the Indian vil- lages and chiefs is vivid. The Pottawato- mies were in the habit of seeking shelter at night with their white friends and often came to his mother's residence, and staid over night, sleeping on the floor with their feet next to the fire place. They were re- markably peaceable, however, and were not feared by the settlers. Mr. Lybrook knew the Chief Pokagon well and speaks in terms of praise of his character and integrity.
In 1829 Hugh Marrs of Virginia, with his family, started for Pokagon Prairie.
After spending the winter in Ohio he ar- rived at Pokagon Prairie in April, 1830; with only $10 in his pocket. He located shortly after eighty acres on the flat on the St. Joseph river, opposite the Shaker farm. He was driven from his house in 1832 by a flood and forced to remove to the bluff. After having owned various tracts of land in the township he finally purchased in 1856, the old Ford farm, near Berrien Springs, where he died in 1874. Several of his chil- dren are now living and are among the very oldest settlers of Berrien county. An- drew M. and Thomas came with their par- ents to Michigan in 1830. Andrew M. Marrs, the oldest, now in his seventy-eighth year, is living at Berrien Springs, and is still vigorous and well preserved. He was postmaster of Berrien Springs from 1897 to 1904, county superintendent of the poor for three years and justice of the peace for some time. By trade he is a cabinet maker.
Although a native of Virginia, he has. been an active Republican since the organi- zation of the party.
Thomas Marrs, a prominent man in both state and county affairs, was born in Vir- ginia in 1829. In 1857 he removed from Michigan to Missouri, engaging in the saw mill business, but after remaining four years was compelled to leave the district in which he was living on account of his anti-slav- ery opinions and returned to Berrien county. He was a member of the State Senate from 1881 to 1883, county agent of charities for nine years and deputy oil inspector for four years. He was prominent in organizing the State Grange, was a member of the execu- tive committee of that organization for twenty-seven years, and master of the State Grange from 1895 to 1901, in which ca- pacity he lectured in every part of the state.
His home for many years has been upon a fine farm, adjoining the village of Berrien Center. He was one of the most influen- tial and effective workers in building up the Republican party in Berrien county, and
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1.94
HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY
has discharged the various duties of official and public life imposed upon him, with sig- nal ability and honesty.
Samuel Marrs was born in Berrien township in 1831, and is the third oldest person now living in the county who was born here. In his school boy days he at- tended a writing school taught by Mr. Cowles, an Indian, who was an expert pen- man. In early life, Mr. Marrs was by trade a carpenter, but many years ago pur- chased a farm in section two, Lake town- ship, and has devoted himself largely to fruit raising. He has reared a large family and now has thirty-seven grandchildren living. He has held various offices in his township.
The other children of Hugh Marrs now living in this county are: Mrs. Melinda Snow, Elizabeth Magill and B. Franklin Marrs. William Marrs, born in 1832, is living in California.
In 1831, Michael Hand and his nephew, Thomas Hand, came from Ohio, and each located a tract near the St. Joseph river on section thirty. Thomas Hand died in 1844. Michael Hand was a member of the state legislature in 1853. He lived upon his farm till his death in 1877.
A son of Mr. Hand. Joseph, now lives upon a portion of the farm entered by his father in 1831, in section thirty.
The portion in which Michael Hand set- Hled in 1831 was a dense wilderness of thick timber. He used to relate that shortly after he settled upon the place, he went out into the woods a few rods away to shoot a squir- Tel and shot a deer. While endeavoring to drag the deer home, in a blinding snow storm, he became completely bewildered. and moved about hopelessly in a circle for about an hour. The shouts of his wife, -at length reached his ears, and he then was enabled to reach his home.
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