A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 32

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 32

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HOTELS.

The first hotel in the place was the "American." built by Rufus Bronson in 1861 and for some time operated by him.

The Gartley House was built in 1870 by Samuel McGuigan.

The Colfax House was built a few years after.

These hotels have been supplanted by the "Benton" and "Higby" House. The "Benton" is the largest hotel in the place and has been owned for many years by Edward Brant. His son-in-law, Fred Collins, the late popular sheriff of the county, is the present manager.

240

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

BANKS.

The first bank established in the place was a private bank, started in 1875 by W. E. Higman. James Baley and S. F. Heath.

A national bank was organized in 1890 called the First National Bank. Several years since the bank failed and went into the hands of a receiver. None of the depositors however lost any money.

The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank was organized in 1888 with the following offi- cers : John Robinson, president; R. M. Jones, vice-president, and Charles Foster, cashier. These gentlemen have continued in their offices till the present time, and were original organizers of the bank.

The Benton Harbor State Bank was or- ganized in 1899. The present officers are H. D. Poole, president; G. M. Valentine, vice-president; William Rupp, cashier; B. F. Wells, assistant cashier.

Each of the banks has a savings depart- ment.

The total amount of deposits in the banks at Benton Harbor in September last was over one million five hundred thousand dol- lars.

MICHIGAN STATE NAVAL BRIGADE.

In 1899 the fourth division of this bri- gade was organized at Benton Harbor. It consists of forty-four men. The officers are C. K. Farmer, lieutenant commanding ; J. H. Pound, lieutenant, junior grade ; C. D. Woodin, ensign; J. D. Stewart, ensign and assistant engineer.

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

The Spencer & Barnes Company was in- corporated in 1895 and manufactures bed- room furniture of both medium and fine grades, consisting of dressing cases. chiffon- iers, toilet tables and bedsteads in sets of mahogany, birds-eye maple and quartered

oak. They employ one hundred and twenty- five men and turn out two hundred thousand dollars worth of furniture annually.

The officers are J. E. Barnes, president ; B. H. Spencer, vice-president, and M. L. Spencer, secretary and treasurer. J. E. Barnes and B. H. Spencer commenced their business at Buchanan thirty-one years ago, but removed to Benton Harbor about four- teen years ago.

The Metal Sectional Furniture Com- pany, another important manufacturing com- pany, manufactures a high grade of steel filing cabinets. The plant has been recently established and intends to enlarge its work- ing capacity, but already employs about one hundred men. The company has now fifteen acres of ground.

During the past year a Law and Order League has been established at Benton Har- bor. Owing to its efforts, the liquor laws with regard to the closing of saloons on the Sabbath and at late hours, have been strictly enforced, and any attempt to make the city an "open town" on Sundays has been effect- ually suppressed. The majority of the sa- loon keepers have been disposed to accept the situation in good faith. In view of the fact that Benton Harbor is the largest place in the county, it is entitled to great credit for the vigorous enforcement of these most import- ant laws, and the fact of enforcement is an emphatic testimonial to the high character and sagacity of its citizens.

Another fact worthy of mention is the spirit of obedience to the requirements of the law with regard to the finances of the city. A complete, lucid and accurate system of book-keeping has been conducted by the clerks for several years, and in this way the city has been protected from that waste and extravagance which has occurred in other cities and which has led to serious losses and confusion of funds which the authorities were unable to disentangle.

A peculiar colony of people called the House of David under the lead of Benjamin

241

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

and Mary Purnell was established a few years since in Benton township a short dis- tance east of the city of Benton Harbor. The corporate name of the association is as follows : "Benjamin and Mary Purnell, the Israelite House of David, the Church of the New Eve, the Body of Christ." Large tracts of land have been purchased and large and commodious buildings erected. The colony already numbers several hundred, and has been constantly increasing. The people of the colony share everything in common. It is claimed that it is a religious and communistic association based on the general principle of each member contribut- ing all his possessions, labor and earnings to a common stock in which all members share alike. It is claimed that Benjamin and Mary jointly constitute the seventh angel or mes- senger recorded in Revelations as delivering the final message on earth ; that the members of this association are the elect people and that they will finally number one hundred and forty-four thousand.

These people now own about one thous- and acres of land and they have devoted their attention largely to the culture of fruit as well as grain, having a dozen orchards upon their lands. They also have various trades represented in their establishments. They have already erected a cannery and drying house, a carpenter shop, a coach fac- tory, a tailor shop, and a steam laundry. They have sent into the market in one day over one thousand bushels of peaches. They have three brass bands and two orchestras, and have already established a zoological garden containing a large number of birds and animals from Africa and South Amer- ica.

The buildings are lighted with electricity furnished by an electric plant owned and operated by the association.

The people have the reputation of being thrifty farmers and keep their grounds at- tractive. The future of this association may be looked upon with some curiosity and in-

terest, as this is the first purely communistic organization established in Berrien county. The writer of this sketch regrets that at this time he is unable to furnish any statement of the religious tenets taught by this asso- ciation.

The supervisors of Benton Harbor have been as follows:

WVm. Randall 1893

John Seel

I. W. Dow 1893

1894

B. R. Stearns

1894-1895

O. A. Hipp

1895-1898

Luther Hemingway 1896-1898

E. L. Rouse 1897

S. M. Austin 1898

C. Rooms 1899

H. D. Poole 1899-1901

Jas. Talmage 1899-1900

W. Deaner 1900

H. B. Volheim 190I

M. V. Buchanan 1901-1902

S. H. Kelly

1902

John Clark

1902

S. M. Austin

1902

C. A. Jerrue

1903

L. Hemingway

1903-1904

W. H. Quilliams

1903-1904

C. K. Farmer 1904

S. M. Austin 1904

Louis Jerrue 1905

S. S. Daigneau 1905-1906

H. D. Poole 1905-1906

E. J. Stevens 1905

O. P. Hipp 1906

J. E. Barnes

1906

The following is a complete list of the names of the supervisors of Benton town- ship. No township officers were elected till 1841.

Ephraim P. Mann 1841

Phineas Pearl 1842-1846

Jehiel Enos 1847-1850

Lewis W. Pearl

1851-1853

Jehiel Enos 1854

Lewis W. Pearl 1855-1856

Alex. B. Leeds 1857-1858

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

Lewis W. Pearl

1859-1861

John Bell

1896-1897

Edward Brant

1 898

Samuel McGuigan

1863-1864

J. H. Hoag 1865-1868

Samuel Jackson

1869-1870

WV. L. George 1871-1874

S. L Van Camp

1875-1878

IV. L. George 1879-1880

Chas. A. Spencer 1881

John C. Lawrence

1882-1890

Sanders L. Van Camp 1891-1896

Henry A. Rackliffe

1897-1899

John C. Lawrence

1900-190I

Wm. A. Rose

1902

J. J. Jakway

1903-1906

The presidents and clerks of the village of Benton Harbor have been as follows :

Presidents.

Samuel McGuigan 1866-1867

Jos. Riford

1868-1870

J. C. Ingham

1871

I. C. Abbott 1872

Sterne Bronson 1873

John Thomas

1874-1875

J. C. Ingham

1876-1877

J. W. Leslie 1 878

H. L. Pitcher

1879

Clerks.

N. Babcock

1866-1867

H. S. Harris

1868-1869

A. B. Riford 1870

H. H. Kidd 1871

Alonzo . Plummer 1872

E. D. Cooke 1873-1875

H. L. Pitcher 1876-1878

.G. M. Valentine 1879

The mayors and city clerks have been as follows :

Mayors.

Fred A. Hobbs I891

B. R. Stearns 1892

Alonzo Plummer 1893

Osgood Fifield

1894-1895

Clerks.

S. C. Sharpe 1891

J. A. Crawford

1892-1895

Henry Rowe

1896

R. P. Chaddock

1897-1901

WV. J. Banyon

1902-1906

POSTMASTERS.

The following named persons have been postmasters :

Henry C. Morton 1866-1873

J. P. Thresher

1873-1877

A. B. Riford 1877-1884 Hattie B. Riford (wife of A. B.) 1884-1889 L. M. Ward

R. I. Jarvis 1 889-1893

1893-1896

Edgar Nichols

H. R. Huntington 1896-1897

John T. Owen 1897-1901

190I

(to present time.)

The names of the present physicians of Benton Harbor, are as follows :

F. R. Belknap, F. M. Kerry,

\V. C. Bastar. C. M. Ryno,

J. C. Bostwick, W. R. Ryno.

F. E. Brady,

G. M. Bell, C. N. Sowers,

C. B. Chapin, E. R. Taylor,

Lelia S. French, H. V. Tutton,

N. A. Herring,

B. G. Watson.

H. C. Hill, 1

The attorneys of Benton Harbor are : 1

Geo. W. Bridgman. City Attorney, William H. Andrews, A. P. Cady,

1900-190I

I. W. Conkey

1902

R. B. Gillette

1903-1905

Monroe Morrow

1906

Jehiel Enos 1862

A. H. Rowe 1899

H. A. Foeltzer

R. B. Tabor,

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

F. H. Ellsworth, Probate Judge,

V. M. Gore, President Board of Educa- tion,

H. S. Gray, F. L. Hammond, W. P. Harvey, W. C. Hicks, N. G. Kennedy, S. H. Kelley,

Alonzo Plummer Harry A. Plummer, I. W. Riford,

M. A. Seitz, C. C. Commissioner,

H. L. Southworth,

J. J. Sterling, G. M. Valentine,

A. Weldon, Justice of the Peace,

H. S. Whitney, Justice of the Peace.

CHAPTER XVII

BAINBRIDGE.

The township of Bainbridge is bounded on the north by Watervliet, on the east by Cass county, on the south by Pipestone and on the west by Benton. It is six miles square and contains thirty-six sections of land.

Two streams of emigration mainly fur- nished the early settlement and development of this township. The first were settlers from New York and mainly from two coun- ties, Jefferson and Livingston. The second was the German settlement commencing about 1840 and occupying mainly the northern portion of the township. These German settlers who are living, and their descendants, constitute nearly one-half of the present population. This was the earliest German settlement in the county and prob- ably the earliest in this state. The first actual settlement, however, was made by Canadian Frenchmen.

Bartholomew Sharrai with his wife, five sons, Peter, Luke, Tenos, Louis, and Bar- tholomew, Jr., and three daughters, Louisa, Catherine and Mary, came from Canada about 1833 and located in section eight. The men spent a portion of the time in culti- vating their lands and a portion of it boat- ing on the St. Joseph river. A log shanty was soon afterwards built near the Sharrai place by one Ruleau, another Canadian, who stocked it with whiskey and called it a tavern. A grandson of Bartholomew Sharrai, Sr., John .W. Sharrai, is the present

owner of the "Ox Bow farm" in Sodus township.

J. H. Enos and his two brothers, Ros- well and Joseph, came to Bainbridge in 1836 and J. H. bought the Ruleau place and put up a saw mill at Millburg. His brothers worked awhile for him but shortly left the township, Joseph moving into Benton and Roswell into St. Joseph.

In 1835 the territorial road from De- troit to St. Joseph was constructed through Bainbridge. Enos kept a tavern on the ter- ritorial road, where daily stages between Detroit and St. Joseph halted. Mr. Enos was the first postmaster in the township and held important positions in the township for the next fourteen years. In 1850 he moved to Benton township.

In 1835 Martin Tice, in company with a man named Griffin, came from the east by water to Detroit and by foot from Detroit to Berrien county. Tice located in section seventeen in Bainbridge on the line of the territorial road which he was engaged in con- structing.

About the same time John P. Davis built a tavern opposite Tice's house. The travel carried on by the daily stages at that time was large and furnished considerable business for these pioneer taverns. Davis lived but a short time and the tavern passed successively to Ezra C. King. C. C. Sutton, S. R. Gilson and A. R. Pinney. In 1841

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

this tavern was replaced by a large and con- venient frame building. It is reported that frequently one hundred people took break- fast at this tavern in the height of the busi- ness season.

Before 1835 the firm of Smith and Mer- rick of the state of New York, who were extensive land owners in New York and Michigan, had purchased large tracts of land in Bainbridge township. In 1836 a com- pany of seventeen men who were engaged in clearing timber land in Niagara county, New York, for that firm, were induced to go to Bainbridge and assist in clearing the lands owned by Smith and Merrick. They walked from Detroit to Bainbridge, where Dr. N. B. Moffatt, who had been sent on in advance to look after the interests of the firm, took charge of them and established them in some log houses which he had al- ready built for their accommodation. Among these men were Joseph Matrau and George Wilder. A large amount of clearing was done by them in the northen part of the township. About the same time Stillman Wood, Stephen R. Shephard and James Wilder also engaged in clearing for Smith & Merrick.

Most of the men, when the clearing had been finished, left for other western points, but Wood, Wilder and Shephard located upon lands they had assisted in clearing. Matrau, after an absence of two or three years, returned in 1839 and settled in section twenty-eight. In 1850 he removed to section fourteen. His son, Edward N., still owns the farm located by his father, although he has recently moved to Watervliet. The latter was supervisor of the township for six years.

In 1836, Samuel McKeyes from New York, came to Berrien county, and pur- chased sixteen tracts of land each containing eighty acres, or in all twelve hundred and eighty acres. Six of these tracts were in Bainbridge and upon one of these he located. Mr. McKeyes became the second supervisor

of the township in 1838, was a justice of the peace for several years and was generally known as "Squire McKeyes." In 1838, Jabez Knapp from Jefferson county, New York, a ship carpenter by trade, located in the township. For a number of years, how- ever, he followed his trade at St. Joseph, leaving his sons to manage the farm.

In 1837 Levi Woodruff from Broome county, New York, located in section ten. Levi Woodruff was supervisor in 1840, and died in 1862. A son of Levi, Newton Wood- ruff, located near his father at the same time. Newton Woodruff was supervisor of the township in 1848-1851-1872, and a member of the house of representatives in the State Legislature in 1865. He lived upon his farm in Bainbridge till his death in 1880.

His son, A. N. Woodruff, was a member of the Legislature in 1865, superintendent of the State Public School at Coldwater, and has been chairman of the Republican county committee for many years. He is now en- gaged in real estate and insurance business at Watervliet.

Another son of Levi, Henry Woodruff, first located in Bainbridge but subsequently located in Watervliet and died in 1895. His son, Fred A. Woodruff, was county clerk from 1893 to 1897, and is now holding his third term as postmaster at St. Joseph.

Rev. Simeon Woodruff, a brother of Levi, and a Presbyterian minister, moved to Bainbridge shortly after the settlement of his brother. He organized a Congregational Church, which was, however, shortly after merged with the Congregational Church of Coloma.

The Congregational Church at Bain- bridge was one of the earliest churches es- tablished in the northern part of Berrien county. Simeon shortly after returned to the east.

Another son of Levi, Asaph, lived on Bainbridge till 1888 when he removed to Benton.

Wallace Tabor came from Jefferson

246

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

county, New York, in 1831. He remained but a short time and went to Chicago, where he was engaged as a brick mason. In 1833 he returned to Bainbridge where he located and lived till his death. He married a daugh- ter of Samuel McKeyes. His son, Ernest Tabor, is the proprietor of a popular sum- mer resort in Sodus township, on the banks of the St. Joseph river, which he established in 1891. It is the present terminus of the Interurban road leading south from Benton Harbor. Two other sons, Horace and Carle- ton, are prominent farmers in Sodus and Pipestone.

Among prominent settlers who came somewhat later were Thomas J. West, Dex- ter O. Dix, Kayus Haid, W. L. George.

Mr. West was supervisor of the township in 1869 and a representative to the State Legislature. He was a good speaker, and a man of culture and ability.

Dexter O. Dix came from New York, was supervisor at different times and a jus- tice of the peace for many years. Hon. Roscoe D. Dix of Berrien Springs is a son.

W. L. George came with his parents to St. Joseph from New York, in 1841. When quite young he engaged in service on the lakes and was finally promoted to the posi- tion of captain of the Miami, which plied be- tween Chicago, St. Joseph and Muskegon. He went to California in 1849. Returning he settled in Bainbridge and was supervisor in 1852. In 1867 he removed to Benton township and subsequently to Benton Har- bor where he engaged in the boot and shoe business. He was a supervisor of the town- ship for six years, and deputy oil inspector of this district for several years. He was a man of ability and a leader in the Repub- lican party of the county.

The southwestern portion of Bainbridge is known as Penn Yann.

In 1836, Simeon Brant, a native of Massachusetts, came to Bainbridge with his wife and eleven children. His son, Nathan-

iel Brant, then twenty-one years of age, set- tled in Pipestone township in 1838. He also had eleven children. The descendants of Simeon Brant now living in Bainbridge and neighboring townships are very numerous

Brant was followed by Francis Johnson, Joseph Griffin, and Ethamar Adams. In 1839 Daniel Sutherland settled on sections thirty-three and thirty-four.

In 1844 a large colony came from Jef- ferson county, New York, including Joseph and Albert Vincent, and their families, Henry Vincent, the Boyers, Spencers, Har- rises, Bishops, and Spinks, and some others, making in all eighteen families, which set- tled in the southwestern portions of Bain- bridge.

Numerous descendants of these families are now residing in Bainbridge and other parts of the county, several of whom are mentioned elsewhere in this work.

Most of these pioneers had large fami- lies, and this colony added materially to the population.

Asa Bishop and wife had a family of eleven children. A son, J. K. Bishop, who lived to be seventy-nine years old and was a prominent citizen of the township, died recently.

Of the Vincents, Joseph and Albert came in 1844, and two other brothers, Horace and John, came shortly after.

Alonzo Vincent, a proprietor of the Whitcomb Hotel at St. Joseph, and warden of the State Penitentiary for several years, is a son of Albert Vincent.

It is to be remarked that when the first settlers arrived, a considerable portion of Bainbridge consisted of "oak openings;" the trees grew large, at considerable distance from each other. The settlers at once gir- dled the trees, ploughed and cultivated the land and raised a crop of grain the first season.

The fruit industry has of late years ma- terially increased. £ Most of the farmers.

247

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

have peach orchards, ranging from five from Buffalo to St. Joseph in the steamer acres to twenty acres. Small fruits and ber- "Phoenix." ries are raised in abundance.

In 1836, David Byers and wife and John Byers, a nephew, from Livingston county, New York, located in Bainbridge township. Mr. Byers purchased one hundred and sixty acres in the northeastern part of the town- ship. David Byers is claimed to have in- troduced the peach industry into Berrien county. In 1840, he went to New York and brought back with him one hundred peach trees, a portion of which he gave to John. In 1843 the trees yielded their first fruit and the product, amounting to forty bushels, was sold at St. Joseph to the steward of Captain Ward's steamer for one hundred dollars. John Byers was subsequently sup- ervisor of the township.

In 1841, the German immigration into the township commenced. It was the earliest German settlement in the county and formed the nucleus of a large German colony. It is estimated that one half of the residents of Bainbridge are of German ancestry. Most of them at first settled in the northern part of the township. This German settlement was founded in 1841 by eight Germans and their families who had emigrated from the Fatherland in 1840 and first settled in Cin- cinnati. Their names were Michael Humph- rey, Peter Humphrey, Jacob Krieger, Dan- iel Krieger, Peter Schmitberger, Christian Heffner, Jacob Kniebes and Peter, his son. They were attracted by the advertisement of Smith & Merrick, the great land owners. They traveled from Cincinnati by teams. The Humphreys located shortly after in Watervliet, but the remainder purchased lands of Smith & Merrick in Bainbridge.

In 1847, these settlers were joined by another colony which came direct from Ger- many. The names of these colonists were Adam Hofer, Andrew Kaunzman, William Dukesherer, Charles Knoff, Christopher Reichebach and Michael Humphrey. These persons and their families made the trip

Within a year, followed David Scherer, Jacob Herman, Adam Pole, Daniel and Lawrence Koob, David Friday, Michael Christ, Nicholas Kebler, Adam Schrumer and others.

Shortly after came the Webers, Haids, Aundts, Buhlingers, Denners and others. During a period of five or six years, the German emigration was large and it will be impracticable to give all the names of these settlers.

Many of these Germans or their de- scendants, became prominent in the town- ship. Kayus Haid was a large land owner and supervisor in 1867 and 1868. Nearly all of the present residents of German an- cestry were born in the township and are distinctively American, in language and habits.

CHURCHES.

The first church organized in the town- ship was the Methodist Episcopal, estab- lished in 1846. Services were first held at the red school house at Spink's Corners.

The Protestant Methodist Church was organized in 1865 and held services also at the red school.

A Baptist Church was organized in 1869.

These three denominations joined in erecting a Union Church edifice at Spink's Corners in 1869, each denomination holding services at different times.

The Christians formed an organization at an early day but did not erect a building till 1869, when a large and commodious building was built in the western part of the township. The church became prosperous.

Four churches were established by the Germans. The Lutherans built a church edifice in 1851, the Catholics in 1860, the Evangelical Ecclesiastical in 1856, and the German Baptist in 1871,

The first township election was held in

#248

HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

April, 1837, when J. B. Ransom was elected supervisor and J. H. Enos, clerk.

Supervisors of the township have been chosen as follows :

J. B. Ransom

1837

Samuel McKeyes

Levi Woodruff 1838-1839

Adam Proutz 1840

1841

Israel Kellogg

1842

Kayus Haid

1867-1868

Jas. H. Enos

1843

Thos. J. West

1869-1870-1871

Israel F. Lyman

1844

W. L. George

1845

Chas. C. Kent

1873 1874-1875

W. L. George

1847

Chas. C. Kent

1876-1877-1878-1879

Newton R. Woodruff 1848

J. M. Guy

1880-1882

A. F. Stiles

1849

A. N. Woodruff

1883-1884

Samuel McKeyes

1850

G. F. Stewart

1885-1896

N. R. Woodruff

1851

E. N. Matrau

1897-1902

W. L. George

1852-1853

H. E. Olds

1903-1906

D. O. Dix 1854

W. L. George

1855-1856 Chas. Kent 1857

W. L. George 1858-1859

Chas. C. Kent

1860

D. O. Dix

1861

W. L. George

1862

Chas. C. Kent

1863

N. B. Harrington

1864-1865

John Byers

1866

N. R. Woodruff 1872

I. F. Lyman

1846

Juan M. Guy

CHAPTER XVIII

PIPESTONE.

This is a full township containing thirty- six sections and is perfectly square in form. It is bounded on the north by Bainbridge, on the east by Cass county, on the south by Berrien and on the west by Sodus.

About one-tenth of the township was originally covered with swamps, the eastern portion containing a large one called the "Big Meadow," covering nearly one thou- sand acres. These swamps have been mostly drained and the land reclaimed and made productive.

The township in its native state was mostly covered with heavy forests of thick timber, the soil being generally a clay loam very rich and productive.

It seems to be equally adapted for the production of grain or fruit. The theory that the lake shore alone is adapted for the culture of fruit, seems to be disproved by the history of this township in recent years, as it has lately produced large yields of apples and peaches and is rapidly taking a front rank in the cultivation of these fruits. Large orchards have been set out within the past ten years with remarkable success.

The first settler in the township was James Kirk. a native of Virginia. His brother William Kirk was the second settler in the county, having moved to Carey (Niles) from Virginia in 1824.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 32

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