A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 30

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

USA > Michigan > Berrien County > A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan > Part 30

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quarter of section 9. These lands were platted and divided into blocks and were held for many years. When Mr. Barker sold out, in 1844, the lands of the Virginia Company were mostly in the hands of the original proprietors ; the only lands in the village that were sold in the early days by Mr. Willard, with a few exceptions, were the lands that were allotted in the division of 1836 to Mr. Whittaker. Of the eight hundred acres, originally laid out and plat- ted, seven-eights in 1844 were in the hands of the original proprietors.

"About 1842-43 the prices were from $5 to $25 a lot, and upon the location of the railroad they advanced to from $1oo to $500; but upon the extension of the railroad to Chicago, a depreciation followed. Upon the incoming of the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad, prices again advanced. Farming lands in New Buffalo township sold at from $2.50 to $5 per acre; in 1850, about $5 per acre ; in 1856, about $15; from 1863-70, from $10 to $40."

The township was organized in 1836 and a township election held at Goodrich's tav- ern in the spring of that year. Alonzo Bur- nett was elected supervisor and Henry Bishop clerk.

In 1839, a light house was built but the harbor was not improved to any consider- able extent till 1847 when the Michigan Central Railroad Company commenced ex- pensive improvements. The appropriations of the government were small, most of the work in improving the harbor being done by the railroad company. In 1849 the Michigan Central Railroad was completed to New Buffalo, which was the western terminus of the road for about a year and a half. During this period New Buffalo was a point of great activity. Steamers plied between Chicago and New Buffalo and con- veyed passengers arriving from the east by the railroad. across the lake. Upon the completion of the railroad to Chicago, the

225

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

harbor was practically abandoned and has ceased to be of any utility for over fifty years.

In 1870, the Chicago & Western Michigan Railroad was completed from Pentwater to New Buffalo. This road after- wards passed into the hands of the Pere Marquette Company, which continued it to Chicago.

The plat of the village was laid out on a grand scale by Nelson Willard, J. A. Barker, Wessel Whittaker and Russell Goodrich in 1835. The village was incor- porated in 1836 and embraced about a sec- tion and a half of land, fronting on Potta- watomie lake on the north.

The first president of the village was Alonzo Bennett. In 1840 the village cor- poration lapsed, but was again incorporated in 1869 when Sadler Butler was elected president.

The men who were prominent in the early settlement of New Buffalo were men of energy and ability, who expected to see a second Buffalo arise upon the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan. Captain Wessel Whittaker was a man of generous nature and great perseverance. He died, however, within six or seven years after the settlement of the town.

Alonzo Bennett was one of the most prominent men of the county in the pioneer days. He was a native of Vermont and moved to Niles in 1833. He was a skillful surveyor and during the same year was em- ployed by the Bertrand village association to lay out the village of Bertrand. In 1835, the proprietors of the New Buffalo tract of land employed him to survey the village of New Buffalo. Mr. Bennett then made that place his home and was the first supervisor of the township in 1836. In 1838 he was elected county clerk and served three terms. In 1842, he was elected to the legislature. For the greater portion of the latter part of his life he was in the express and drug business. He was also largely employed in

conveyancing. He was admitted to the bar in 1840, but never devoted himself to active practice. He was a careful and methodical man and of natural sagacity. He died sev- eral years since at an advanced age.

Jacob Gerrish was a native of New Hampshire. In 1835, he emigrated to New Buffalo and built a house and blacksmith shop. With several others, he purchased large tracts of land at high figures, upon which he suffered severe losses. He was president of the village in 1838 and held various local offices. He died in 1858.

Richard L. Phillips, an Englishman by birth, came to New Buffalo in 1835. He be- came a prominent merchant in the place and a supervisor of the township. He died in 1868.

Joseph G. Ames, a native of New Hamp- shire, in company with his brother, Francis, settled in New Buffalo in 1836. Soon after in connection with Nelson Willard and Ezra Stoner, he purchased a mill at New Troy, which was located in the heart of the best thick timbered land and did an immense busi- ness. In 1839 or 1840 he retired from this business and located on a farm in Bertrand township where he lived till 1850 when he returned to New Buffalo. In 1854 he moved to Three Oaks where he became a partner with Henry Chamberlain in the mer- cantile business. He was supervisor of Wee- saw in 1838, of Bertrand in 1842, county commissioner in 1844 and the first post- master of Three Oaks. He died in 1855.

Among other prominent men who helped . to found New Buffalo, were Russell Good- rich, Henry Bishop, Isaac O. Adams, E. B. Pressey, Simeon Pierce, Richard Peckham, Dwight Plympton.

Goodrich, who had been a tavern keeper at Hamburg, New York, went into the same business at New Buffalo. His son, Albert E., became the manager and proprietor of the famous Goodrich line of steamers which plied on Lakes Michigan and Superior.

Pierce was the owner of a small sloop

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

which sailed between Chicago and New Buf- falo. Pressey was the first light house keeper and had a small chair factory. Peck- ham was a carpenter and also engaged in making grain cradles. Adams was a native of Massachusetts and an educated and gen- ial gentleman who possessed a considerable library. He engaged in farming and set out a large orchard which proved a failure. In 1833, he moved to Chicago. Mr. Plymp- ton was engaged in fishing and was one of the postmasters of the village.

Among those who settled early in the township were Festus A. Holbrook, Hale E. Crosby, Thomas Maudlin, Doctor R. Pierce, Thomas Comins, and Joshua Brown.

Mr. Holbrook settled on a farm in New Buffalo township. He lived to be nearly ninety-five years of age. Hale E. Crosby was a native of New Hampshire and came to New Buffalo in 1844. He brought with him a stock of merchandise and went into part- nership with Jacob Gerrish and Mr. Crosby's father-in-law, Moses Chamberlain. Mr. ·Chamberlain had located on a farm within :the present limits of Three Oaks, in 1843. After his arrival, Mr. Crosby had the man- agement of the store. Subsequently he engaged in farming and became a promi- ment man in the township. He was elected supervisor in 1853 and served five consecu- tive terms. In 1857, he was a member of the legislature. In 1886, he removed to Three Oaks, where lie died several years ago. His wife was a sister of Hon. Henry Cham- berlain of Three Oaks, whom Mr. Crosby had married in New Hampshire prior to his coming to Michigan.

Dr. Reuben Pierce was the first phy- sician of New Buffalo, but moved away to Indiana about 1840. A son. R. W. Pierce, became a leading physician at Buchanan.

Mr. Maudlin was a farmer and one of the first settlers of the township. He died some years since at a great age.

Brown was a Virginian who came to New Buffalo in 1837 and subsequently kept

a hotel for many years, in the village. He died in 1862.

About the year 1850, a large German im- migration to New Buffalo commenced. More than one-half of the residents of the township are Germans by birth or by descent. Among those who were prominent in the German settlement were George Weimer, Fred Gerdes, C. H. Schultz and J. C. Schwenck, all of whom were native Ger- mans. Mr. Weimer was an insurance agent and conveyancer and was supervisor of the township for several years. He removed to Illinois about twenty years ago. Mr. Gerdes carried on a dry goods and grocery store for years and was also supervisor of the township. Mr. Schultz has been supervisor for five terms and has also been a justice of the peace and conveyancer for many years. His son, C. J. Schultz, is the present county treasurer and was also supervisor for sev- eral terms.

CHURCHES.

The first church organized in New Buf- falo was called the Union Church of which Moses Chamberlain and Jacob Gerrish were the principal promoters. In 1848 this was changed to a Congregational Church which shortly after removed its place of holding services to Three Oaks.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was or- ganized in 1847 at the school house by Rev. R. Meek of Niles.

The German Evangelical Church was or- ganized in 1858 by Rev. Charles Haas.

The Baptist Church was organized in 1876 by Rev. R. H. Spafford.

The Catholic Church was organized in 1858 and a church edifice built. This was a mission church for some years, under the charge of Father Cappon of Niles.

SUPERVISORS OF NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.

The following named persons have been supervisors of this township :

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

227

Alonzo Bennett 1837-1838

A. I. Phillips

1864

Reuben Pierce

1839

Geo. Weimer

1873-1875

Thos. Comins 1840

Alonzo Bennett 1876

Echamal Ryther

1841-1842

Geo. Weimer

1877-1878

I. O. Adams

1843

Fred Gerdes

1879

Henry Chamberlain

1845

Valentine Burnett

1846

C. H. Schultz

1882-1883

R. L. Phillips

1849

I. O. Adams

1850

Henry Chamberlain

1851

J. C. Schwenck

1889-1893

Alonzo Bennett

1852

J. M. Glavin

1895-1896

J. M. Patten

1858

Alonzo Bennett

1859

J. M. Glavin

1898

J. M. Goodrich

1860

J. C. Schwenck

1899

Philip Edinger

1861

C. J. Schultz

1900-1903

A. I. Phillips

1862

C. H. Schultz

1904-1905

R. S. Phillips

1863

J. C. Schwenck

1906

Levi Paddock

1844

J. M. Glavin

1880

Fred Gerdes

1881

Henry Chamberlain

1847-1848

J. M. Glavin

1884-1887

Franklin Gowdy

1888

H. E. Crosby

1853-1857

J. J. Deuell

1894

Franklin Gowdy 1897

CHAPTER XV

WATERVLIET TOWNSHIP.

Watervliet is the northeast township and contains thirty-six sections of land. It is bounded on the north by Van Buren coun- ty, on the east by Cass county, on the south by Bainbridge township and on the west by Hagar township. The surface of the coun- try is generally level. It was originally cov- ered largely with heavy timber. The popu- lation of this township has of late increased rapidly and it now ranks second in popula- tion, being exceeded only by Benton town- ship. Nearly all the early settlers came from the state of New York. Paw Paw river runs through it, and the largest inland lake in the county, Paw Paw lake, is also located wholly within its limits. It has two flour- ishing villages, Watervliet and Coloma, which are the center of considerable trade. The fruit industry had developed into great magnitude, and large peach and apple or- chards are common. Some of these will be described hereafter.

The first settlement in the township was made at a place which came to be known among the pioneers as the "Sliingle Dig- gings," located on the bank of the Paw Paw river about three-quarters of a mile above the site of the present village of Coloma. The spot was so named because it became the seat of an extensive industry in making shingles. In 1832 Job Davis of Cass county located one hundred and fifty acres on sec- tion twenty-one, near Coloma, for the pur-

pose of furnishing lumber and shingles for the St. Joseph market. He began the con- struction of a dam and saw mill, but for some reason before finishing, concluded to aban- don his enterprise and sold out his claims to Griffith, Hoyt & Hatch, a lumber firm, man- aged by B. C. Hoyt, a St. Joseph merchant. This firm, however, in a short time failed, after having projected a scheme of building a new town at this point. In the meantime Levi Ballengee had built a large boarding house near the site of the projected town, ex- pecting to board the men employed by Grif- fith, Hoyt & Hatch. Upon the failure of this firm, Ballengee concluded to go into the business of shingle making himself. In 1834, one Gilson from Chautauqua county, New York, traveling through Michigan on his way to Chicago, learned that Ballengee wanted a shingle maker, visited Ballengee and entered into a partnership with him in the shingle making business. In 1835 Gil- son brought his family from New York and went into business for himself, employing quite a force of men. In 1837 he purchased one million three hundred thousand shingles at one time and employed about twenty In- clians in running the shingles down the river and landing on the dock.

Others followed Ballengee and Gilson. among them Ramsey Christy. Hiram Orms- by. Isaac Youngs, Erastus Baunes, Henry H. Sutter. A flourishing settlement soon

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

grew up. In 1837 a school was established and taught by Mary Youngs, a daughter of one of the shingle makers.

In 1838 the material for shingles had become exhausted, and the shingle makers left the settlement for other points. The "Shingle Diggings" was abandoned and be- came a thing of the past.

In 1833 the firm of Sumner & Wheeler put up a saw mill on Mill creek. About this time the firm of Smith & Merrick of Jef- ferson county, New York, acquired large tracts of land in Watervliet, Bainbridge and Hagar townships and in 1836, Jesse Smith, a member of the firm,. came to Watervliet to secure the clearing of these tracts, bringing with him several laborers. Smith built a saw mill and also bought that previously erected by Sumner & Wheeler. He soon re- turned to New York, leaving Israel Kellogg to take charge of the lands of the firm. In the same year, 1836, the firm sent out Isaac Moffatt with thirty-two Frenchmen, to clear their lands. Moffatt at once erected a store, built a dam and grist mill. The mills were rented to one Crocker and the main work engaged in by Moffatt was the clearing of the lands. In 1848 Smith & Merrick sold out their entire mill property to Isaac N. Swain, a native of Jefferson county, New York. Mr. Swain also purchased about one thousand acres in the vicinity. Subse- quently Mr. Swain sold the mills, but was obliged to take them back, the purchasers, having been seriously crippled by a serious flood in 1858 which washed away the dam and damaged the mills, and rendered them unable to pay the purchase price. In 1863 the firm of Swain, Olney & Fisher was formed. Fisher sold out his interest to George Parsons and William Baldwin and a new firm was formed under the name of Swain, Olney & Company. In 1874 Par- sons withdrew from the firm.

The saw mill for many years did the most extensive lumber business of any in the county. In 1870 it employed about forty

men and was capable of sawing thirty thous- and feet of lumber in a day. The first store established in Watervliet was opened in 1836 by Isaac Moffatt. This subsequently passed into the hands of Mr. Swain, who sold it in 1874 to Parsons & Baldwin.

Among the persons who accompanied Isaac Moffatt to Watervliet in 1836, was Moses Osgood, who settled in Watervliet township near Coloma and engaged in farm- ing. He died in 1876. He appears to have been the first permanent pioneer farmer of the township.

Stephen R. Gilson and Gilson Osgood erected a saw mill upon "Tannery Creek," in 1849. Gilson Osgood, a native of Ohio, had emigrated to Watervliet in 1841 and located a farm near that of his brother, Moses Osgood. He was for some time an agent for the firm of Smith & Merrick. His saw mill was on the site of the present vil- lage of Coloma, and he soon opened a store, and a settlement soon grew up. There was little money in circulation at that time and store goods were exchanged for farm pro- ducts. The new settlement was appropriately called "Dickerville," and this remained the name of the place till 1855, when it was changed to Coloma. In 1858 Mr. Osgood opened up a hotel in Coloma known as the "Osgood House." He was the first super- visor of the township.

Alonzo and Austin Beaman came from New York to Watervliet and settled on ad- joining farms in the northern part of the county, in 1842. Alonzo was supervisor in 1852. Austin died in 1874 and Alonzo re- . moved in a few years to Iowa.

In 1844 and 1845, James I. Redding, Simeon Hawks, Garrett Ingraham. Ives Wallingford, Ira Wilks, Abram Coleman, Crain Valentine, Harvey Kingsbury, Wil- liam Duvall and John Merrifield, moved into the township.

John Merrifield, a native of New York, settled in the township in 1844. He died in 1851. His sons, William N. Merrifield

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

and S. P. Merrifield, still reside in Water- vliet and both have been supervisors of the township. S. P. Merrifield in early life was a teacher and afterwards an ordained minis- ter of the Universalist Church.

The first physician who practiced his profession in the township was Dr. J. H. Crawford, who lived upon a farm near Co- loma. He remained but a short time, re- turning to his former home in Ohio.

The first physician to engage in practice in Watervliet village was Dr. J. H. Wheeler, who located there in 1845. He was super- visor in 1847 and from 1858 to 1860. He had a large practice.

Dr. H. M. Marvin of Coloma is the old- est practicing physician in the county. He came to Coloma in 1855 and has practiced his profession there ever since.

James H. Marvin was a resident of Co- loma for most of the time for fifty years. For a short time he was station agent of the C. & W. M. Railroad Company at New Buffalo. He was supervisor of the town- ship of Watervliet for eight terms, the first term commencing in 1862. He has held various other local offices and has been ex- tensively engaged in business as a justice of the peace and notary public.

Another physician, Dr. William A. Baker, came to Coloma in 1868 and is now living there. He was supervisor of the town- ship in 1885 and a representative in the State Legislature in 1887 and 1889. He was the main promoter and organizer of the railroad which was built from Coloma to Paw Paw Lake.

The oldest resident of Watervliet now living is Elias T. Spencer, who is in his ninety-first year.

A number of the early settlers of the vil- lage of Watervliet and Coloma, who have been active in promoting the industries of their towns, are still living. Among them may be mentioned George Parsons, William A. Baldwin, William H. Ball. Emelius J. Wolcott. Mr. Parsons and Mr. Baldwin

both came to Watervliet in 1865, purchas- ing one-half interest in the saw mill and grist mill previously owned by Swain, Olney & Company, and also a half interest in the mercantile business of that firm. After their purchase, they were the managers of the important business interests of the firm. In 1876, the firm of Parsons & Baldwin ac- quired the ownership of these various in- dustries. Since 1892 they have been en- gaged in the banking business. For some years the firm of Swain, Olney & Company conducted the largest lumbering businesses. in Berrien county. Mr. Baldwin has been supervisor of the township for five terms. Mr. Parsons has been prominently connected with State Sunday school work.

Edward Brant is now a resident of Ben- ton Harbor, but made his home for over forty years in Watervliet, where he settled in the '6os. He was supervisor of the town- ship for three terms. He acquired by his. own industry and sagacity, several hundred acres of land in the township, and is now a heavy land owner. A few years since, he moved to Benton Harbor, where built. the "Benton House," the largest and most heavily patronized hotel in the county. This he still owns, although managed by his son- in-law. Fred B. Collins. the late popular sheriff of Berrien county. Mr. Brant was mayor of Benton Harbor one term.

W. W. Allen came to Bainbridge with his widowed mother in 1848. In 1861 he removed to Watervliet where for several years he carried on a heavy mercantile busi- ness, subsequently known as the "Centennial Store."

The bank in Coloma was established in 1896 by Sawyer Ball and William H. Ball, under the firm name of Ball & Son.

Sawyer Ball, a native of Massachusetts, located in Niles in 1861, but shortly after- wards removed to Coloma. He was super- visor of Watervliet township in 1873. Af- ter his death the business was carried on by his widow and son, William H. Ball. The

23I

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

latter was supervisor of the township from 1893 to 1895 inclusive.

In 1892, George E. Dudley and W. E. Syms of Mt. Holyoke, Massachusetts, es- tablished a paper factory for the manufac- ture of choice writing and book paper. It was one of the largest of its kind in the west. Extensive buildings were built and for a number of years the company employed a large force of employees. The mill has of late years been practically suspended.

The Methodist Church in Watervliet vil- lage was organized in 1846. That in Co- loma was organized about the year 1844. The first pastor of both churches was Rev. A. C. Shaw. In 1869 a church edifice was erected at Watervliet and one at Coloma in 1879.

The first Congregational Church in Watervliet was organized in 1853. Rev. W. H. Osborn was the first pastor.

The Christian Church was organized at Coloma in 1857 and the first pastor was Elder B. I. Curtis.

The largest apple orchard in Berrien county is situated in Watervliet township and is owned by Robert H. Sherwood. It is the second largest in the state. The apple or- chard covers three hundred acres and con- tains over 14.000 trees. Peach, plum and pear trees are interspersed and were planted to fill the time before the apples should begin bearing. There are 17,000 peach trees, 7,200 plum trees and 5,000 pear trees. The apple trees are mostly eight years old. About 2,000 trees were planted in 1871 and 1876, and for the past fifteen years have produced upon an average, about one barrel per tree. The first orchards were set out by the father of Mr. Sherwood, Harvey C. Sherwood, who came to Watervliet township from Onon- daga county, New York, in 1864, and pur-

chased four hundred acres on the shore of Paw Paw Lake. In 1885, he was a senator in the State Legislature and was the Demo- cratic candidate for congress in this dis- trict at one time. He was a man of liberal education and ability. His son Robert, al- ready referred to, was educated at Oberlin College. The farm owned by him is known as "Lake View." Harvey D. Sherwood died several years since.

The following is a list of the supervis- ors of Watervliet township :

Gilson Osgood 1846

J. H. Wheeler 1847-1849

Alonzo Beaman 1850

E. L. Kellogg

1851

Alonzo Beaman 1852

Jas. Paul 1853

C. H. Bostick 1854

Alonzo Beaman 1855

E. L. Kellogg 1856

N. J. Black 1857

J. H. Wheeler 1858-1860

Wm. Brown 1861

Jas. H. Marvin 1862-1863

E. L. Kellogg 1864

Jas. H. Marvin 1865-1870

Wm. N. Merrifield

1871

Jos. W. Weimer

1872

Sawyer Ball 1873

S. P. Merrifield

1877-1878.

Wm. M. Baldwin

1879

S. P. Merrifield

1880

Wm. M. Baldwin

1881-1882

S. D. Walden

1883-1884

W. A. Baker 1885

Edward Brant 1886-1888

W. H. Ball

1893-1895

Wm. M. Baldwin

1896-1897

W. A. Baker 1898

C. B. Pratt 1899-1900

A. J. Baker

1901-1906

...

CHAPTER XVI

BENTON AND BENTON HARBOR.

The township of Benton is bounded on the north by Hagar township, on the east by Bainbridge, on the south by Sodus and on the west by St. Joseph. The northwest section of the township touches Lake Mich- igan. It is now the richest and most popu- lous township in the county. It has no in- corporated villages, and but one small un- incorporated hamlet, Millburg. It was orig- inally mostly covered by heavy forests of hard timber, including some pine. It is well watered by Paw Paw river and Blue and Ox creeks. Some low and swampy lands adjoin these streams, but most of them have been drained and put under cultivation. The township is thickly populated, and largely divided into small holdings devoted to fruit culture. It is in the heart of the "peach belt" and a large portion of it is practically a fruit garden.

The city of Benton Harbor. located mainly in the original township of Benton. was not laid out until 1860 and the village was not incorporated till 1869, but it has be- come the wealthiest and most populous city in the county.

The settlement of the township was not made till much later than that of many other townships. In 1845 the population was only two hundred and thirty-seven. Its most rapid increase of population was be- tween 1860 and 1870, during which period

its population trebled. The early settlers were mainly from the state of New York.

The first settlement in Benton township was made by Jehiel Enos in 1834. He was a native of Chenango county, New York. In young manhood he was a teacher in his native state, and also became a practical surveyor. In 1825 he came to Ann Arbor, in this state, where he assisted Lucius Lyon, deputy United States surveyor. In 1829 he was engaged with Mr. Lyon in surveying the southern portion of Berrien county. In 1831 he came to St. Joseph, remained one year and then located a farm in Royalton town- ship. In 1834 he removed to the village of Millburg. Here he remained two years and in 1836 began clearing and farming on sec- tion thirteen of Benton township, where he lived till the time of his death. In 1835 he and Amos Amsden of St. Joseph platted the village of Millburg, a portion of the plat be- ing in Bainbridge township. He was super- visor of his township for several years and county surveyor from 1841 till 1845. In 1846 he was elected as a member of the State Legislature upon the Democratic ticket. In 1856 he became a Republican upon the organization of the Republican party and in that year was again elected a member of the Legislature. A daughter, Mrs. Helen Wood- ruff. resides at Benton Harbor. Mr. Enos was a man of great native strength and in-

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 30

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