A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 44

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 44

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Darwin B. Sutherland was educated in

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the district schools, in the Benton Harbor high school and in Benton Harbor College and was thus well qualified by liberal intel- lectual training for life's practical duties. He taught school three years in the home district but gave up the profession of teach- ing to follow the life of a farmer and fruit grower and is now successfully and actively engaged in agricultural pursuits and in rais- ing vegetables for the city markets. He has made a specialty of melons and has about fifty acres set out to peaches, of which thirty- seven acres are in bearing. He also has seventeen acres planted to apples, of which eight acres are in the old orchard and nine acres in an orchard four years old. He pur- chases excellent nursery stock and annually liarvests good crops, his products finding a ready sale on the market because of superior- ity in size, quality and flavor.

Mr. Sutherland was married on the 22d day of December, 1897, to Miss Lulu Lewis, who was born in Keeler township, Van Buren county, Michigan, and is a daughter of Lawrence and Mary Lewis. Mr. Suther- land holds liberal religious views and in politics has always been a Democrat, un- faltering in his advocacy of the party. He is now serving as township treasurer of Ben- ton township and at all times he is loyal to the duties of citizenship, taking an active interest in whatever tends to promote the welfare and progress of his native county.

WARNER M. BALDWIN, of the firm of Parsons & Baldwin at Water- vliet, has for years figured most promi- nently in business circles in this county and his name is a synonym not only for extensive operations but also for business in- tegrity and honor that call forth the admira- tion and respect of all with whom he has been associated. He was born in Monroe county, New York, near Rochester, in De- cember, 1840, and acquired his education in a local academy. From the age of fifteen years he has been dependent upon his own resources and whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his labors and perseverance. In 1855 he made his way from New York to Detroit, Michigan, and secured a clerkship in the wholesale grocery

house of Parsons & Johnson, where he re- mained for seven years. His fidelity and ability won him recognition from the mem- bers of the firm and about 1864 he came to Watervliet in company with his former em- ployer, George Parsons, with whom he en- tered the lumber business. They purchased a half interest in an extensive business al- ready established, and until 1874 Mr. Bald- win attended to the outside business for the firm, buying logs and supervising the manu- facture of lumber. The extent of the opera- tions carried on by the firm made his service of great importance and he became one of the well known representatives of the lumber interests in this section of Michigan. In 1874 the firm was dissolved and Mr. Parsons and Mr. Baldwin secured the outside prop- erty, comprising over one thousand acres of land. Mr. Baldwin then directed his atten- tion to the improvement of this property and its development into good farms. The land lies in Van Buren and Berrien counties and he has a home farm close to the village of Watervliet, where stock growing and breeding are its principal features. He

breeds thoroughbred stock, including horses, cattle, hogs and sheep, and makes frequent exhibits of his stock at state fairs, where he has won many premiums. The Hillside Farm, by which name the property has be- come prominent, is now breeding horses, making a specialty of heavy draft horses and roadsters. The firm of Parsons & Bald- win also became owners of a store when the lumber company was dissolved. This store had been conducted by the company and fell to the present firm as a part of their share of the business. They were associated with its management for thirty years, conducting it successfully until 1893, when it was de- stroyed by fire, in which year the private banking institution of Parsons & Baldwin was established at Watervliet, Mr. Parsons having charge of the bank, while Mr. Bald- win gives his supervision to the farming and stock raising interests. He has also en- gaged in the sale of carriage horses and has continued to manage the farming and stock business since the establishment of the bank. In his business career he has wrought along modern lines, has broadened the field of his

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activity as opportunity has offered, has care- fully utilized the advantages that have come to him and through keen discernment, sound judgment and unfaltering diligence has gained a position of prominence in the county that makes him one of the representative business men of this section of the state.

Moreover Mr. Baldwin has been prom- inent and influential in public affairs. He has held all of the township offices and has been postmaster and supervisor, filling the latter position for two terms, and has at two different times declined the nomination for state representative. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party and he has frequently been a delegate to its conventions. He is also an untiring worker in church and Sunday school. He has visited various sec- tions of the United States and Canada and is a well informed man, not so abnormally developed in any line as to become a genius but with the sound judgment, broad outlook and enterprise of the well balanced business man, who is thoroughly in touch with the spirit of the times, whose progress is in har- mony with the world's advancement and who in the midst of active, extensive and onerous business cares, has not been neglectful of the higher, holier duties of life which bring consideration for one's fellowmen and de- velop character.

ALBERT NEWTON. When the tocsin of war sounded and men from all walks of life, from the farms, the shops, the offices and the counting rooms, flocked to the stand- ard of the nation, Albert Newton was among those who donned the blue uniform and aided in defense of the Federal government. To such men the country owes a debt of grat- itude which can never be repaid. The soldier, too, given equal advantages and conditions with others may always be counted upon as a most faithful citizen in times of peace, for he has known what it is to defend his coun- try and the flower of patriotism has grown so strong within him that it cannot be sup- pressed. Mr. Newton was but a young man when he served his country upon southern battlefields and since that time has largely engaged in farming in Berrien county, now making his home in Watervliet township. the close of the war. Albert Newton joined

A native of Lake county, Ohio, he was born on the 4th of October, 1845. His per- ents were Richard T. and Deborah ( Manly) Newton. The mother died when her son Albert was only four or five years old and the father afterward married Rebecca Huntoon, a sister of Giles Bartlett Huntoon, late of Watervliet, who had come to Michi- gan in company with Thomas Lamb and Richard Newton, driving from Ohio to Watervliet about 1850. The same year Richard Newton secured land on section seventeen, Watervliet township, a half mile west of Paw Paw lake and a mile north of where Coloma now stands. The present Christian church is built on that eighty acre tract. At the time it came into his pos- session there was a small clearing and he paid eight hundred dollars for the farm. He then began to clear the place, cut the timber from about thirty acres and converted it into lum- ber. Here he made his home until his death, carrying on general agricultural pursuits un- til August, 1864, when he passed away at the age of forty-five years. His widow after- ward became the wife of Thomas Brittle and died about six years ago when seventy-three years of age. Unto Richard Newton and his second wife was born a daughter, who is now living. He had four children of his first marriage and all yet survive, namely : Sarah Ann, who is the widow of Charles Lamb and lives in Watervliet; Edward O. Newton, residing in Idaho; Fannie, the wife: of Silas Kettell, of Coloma; and Albert, of this review. The father was many times called to serve in public office by the vote of his fellow townsmen, who recognized his worth and ability. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party.

Albert Newton in early life acquired a public school education and afterward learned the mason's trade, which he followed for a few years. He was, however, only eighteen years of age when on the 31st of December, 1863, he responded to the coun- try's call for troops and joined the Union army as a member of Company C, Nine- teenth Michigan Infantry. His brother, Edward O. Newton, had enlisted at the or- ganization of the regiment and served until

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the regiment at McMinnville, Tennessee, and was with the Twentieth Army Corps. He continued with his command until the close of hostilities. After the last battle of General Sherman's forces they marched to Washington and participated in the Grand Review. Mr. Newton was soon afterward transferred to the Tenth Michigan Veteran Volunteers and sent to Louisville, Kentucky, where he was mustered out in July, 1865, receiving an honorable discharge at Jack- son, Michigan, on the 5th of August fol- lowing. The first battle in which he par- ticipated was at Resaca and he had his can- teen shot away.

When the country no longer needed his services Mr. Newton returned to his home and in the meantime his father had died, in August, 1864. He began working in a sawmill, where he was employed until his marriage on the 3Ist of December, 1865, the lady of his choice being Miss Rosella Spar- ling, who was born July 23, 1847, and is a daughter of Eli and Teresa (Cilly) Spar- ling, who came from Pennsylvania to the west. The father was of Welsh descent and on removing to Michigan settled on a farm at the west end of Paw Paw lake. Mr. and Mrs. Newton were schoolmates in their childhood days. Soon after their marriage he took charge of the Sparling farm and his father-in-law died three or four years later, while the mother passed away several years afterward. All of the children of that fam- ily are now deceased. Mrs. Newton fell heir to the place, which had been school land and Mr. Newton continued to make the pay- ments on the property to the state. At the time of their marriage only eight or nine acres had been cleared and he now has forty-five acres under cultivation. This is a valuable and productive tract situated on Paw Paw lake and is devoted to general farming. For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. Newton kept summer boarders, but her death occurred from cancer March 5. 1897, when she was in her fiftieth year, she being the last surviving member of the Sparling family. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Newton were born a son and daughter: Clarence La- fayette Newton, who resides near his fath- er's home, conducts the farm and also keeps

summer boarders. He is likewise superin- tendent of the Union Ice & Coal Company, which puts up large quantities of ice each season, cutting it from Paw Paw lake. The plant now has a storage capacity of more than seventeen thousand tons. He married Mattie S. Beard of Chicago and they have two children : Harold B. and Edna May. Caroline Millicent Newton is acting as her father's housekeeper, having had full charge of the home since twelve years of age.

Mr. Newton is a member of Garfield Post, No. 30, G. A. R., and has attended the national encampments at Denver and Chicago. He is now a past commander of his post and is a member of the Christian church. In politics he is a Republican, but has refused all offices, preferring to concen- trate his attention and energies upon his business affairs and as the years have gone by he has prospered in his undertakings until he is now the owner of a valuable farming property.

URIAH HARRIS, deceased, who was one of the early settlers of Berrien county and made his home at Coloma, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and from early childhood was reared in Cayuga county, New York. When twenty-two years of age he was married to Polly Leon- ard and with his wife and one child removed to Ohio, settling in Morgan county. They traveled life's journey together for about twenty years, at the end of which time Mrs. Harris was called to her final rest. Mr. Har- ris was later married in Ohio to Miss Phebe Wilkes, who was born in New York and at the age of sixteen years was taken to Ohio by her parents, in which state she was mar- ried when twenty-six years of age.

In 1850 Mr. and Mrs. Harris came to Michigan, where they had relatives living. an uncle being Nathan Wilkes, who resided near Watervliet. Mr. Harris purchased one hundred and eighteen acres of land, a part of which is now included within the village limits of Coloma. It had been entered from the government by Israel Kellogg and was a new place with only a few acres cleared and developed. Deer were plentiful, being often seen in the forest. The farm which

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Mr. Harris secured has been continuously in possession of the family and remained his place of residence until his death. He brought about eighty acres of the land under cultivation, clearing away the trees and plac- ing the fields under the plow, after which he gathered good harvests. His old home stood about a half mile west of the present resi- dence and in what is now the city limits of Coloma. There was no village here at the time, though a sawmill had been built. When the new town was started it was called Dickerville and the name of Coloma was suggested by S. R. Gilson after his return from California, where he had spent some time in a nice little place of the name of Co- loma. Mr. Harris confined his attention largely to his farm work, although he could engaged in blacksmithing and at carpenter- ing. He also made children's shoes and was very handy in many ways. In fact he could do almost any mechanical work and what- ever he did was accomplished in a capable manner, for he believed that what was worth doing at all was worth doing well. It was this trait of character which largely led to his success in the business world.

Mr. Harris was the father of eighteen children. Five sons were born of his first marriage and came to Michigan-Benjamin, Abraham, Uriah, Isaac, and Samuel, also two daughters, Sarah and Anna. In the second family there were six who reached mature years and four are now living. The youngest son of the first marriage, Samuel Harris, is also living, making his home in

Hagar township. Of the second family Polly is the wife of John J. Brooks, of Watervliet township. Phebe is the widow of B. F. Osgood, of Coloma. Hannah is the wife of C. J. Mason and Levinia is the wife of A. H. Sutton, who is residing on the old Harris homestead. Squire Harris died in 1866 at the age of twenty-six years. Har- riet married Harrison Branch and died at the age of fifty-six years.

The death of Uriah Harris occurred in September, 1865, when he had reached the age of eighty-four years, his birth having occurred March IO, 1782. His widow sur- vived him until 1881, passing away at the age of seventy-six years. Throughout his

entire life in Michigan he resided upon the old homestead. He was a stanch Republi- can and was a member of the United Breth- ren church. All who knew him respected him for his sterling worth and he well de- serves mention among the prominent pioneer settlers who aided in developing the county.

Of his children Levinia was married September 1, 1868, to A. H. Sutton and they occupy part of the old home farm. Mr. Sutton was born in Lawrence, Van Buren county, Michigan, December 3, 1846, and came to Berrien county two years before their marriage. He was a harness maker and worked at that trade for eleven years but finally turned his attention to agricul- tural pursuits and was engaged in general farming, fruit raising and dairying. He has twelve acres planted to fruit, mostly peaches. Mrs. Sutton conducted a good business as a carpet weaver for several years, weaving about one thousand yards of carpet annually and doing the entire business in this line for the community. Mr. Sutton was the second mayor of Coloma and for six years remained in that office, giving capable service as chief official of the town. In politics he is a Re- publican and for six years served continu- ously as constable. He is one of the valued and active workers in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has represented his local lodge in the grand lodge. He is also active in the Modern Woodmen camp and in the Patrician order.

GEORGE STRONG, proprietor of Strong's Summer Home on Paw Paw lake, is conducting a resort well worthy of the liberal patronage which is ac- corded him. It is pleasantly located two and a half miles northeast of Coloma and is equipped with the modern conveniences and accessories which contribute to the com- fort and pleasure of a sojourn in the coun- try through the hot summer months, and in its management Mr. Strong displays ex- cellent business ability. He was born in Hancock county, Illinois, near Laharpe, October 17, 1843. His father was a native of Massachusetts and was a follower of Jo- seph Smith, the Mormon leader, whom he joined in Hancock county, Illinois. When

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the Mormons went west he remained in Illi- nois, settling in Knox county, that state, when his son George was eight years of age. He still retains connection with the Reor- ganized Church of the Latter Day Saints. He married Miss Laura Woodward, the wedding being celebrated in Vermont. In 1875 they were brought to Michigan by their son George and both died of paralytic strokes within thirty minutes of each other. They were laid to rest side by side in the cemetery at Coloma.

George Strong remained at home in Knox county, Illinois, until nineteen years of age, and in August, 1863, came to Michi- gan, making his way to Coloma, where he had relatives living, Jesse Woodward be- ing his uncle. Mr. Strong worked at haul- ing lumber and logs in the woods for two years, receiving seventeen dollars per month for the first year and twenty dollars per month for the second year. Later he worked on the Paw Paw river, rafting logs and lum- ber. He would secure logs at the village of Paw Paw, twenty miles to the east and prob- ably eighty miles by way of the river. He worked by the day or by contract. The lum- ber would be rafted at Watervliet and taken to St. Joseph, where it would be pulled out of the river. Thirteen seasons were thus spent by Mr. Strong, who is a typical repre- sentative of the lumber men of the early day, whose labors were instrumental in clearing the land, leading to its ultimate cultivation and development.

Industry and economy enabled Mr. Strong to secure the capital wherewith he purchased, on Paw Paw lake, in 1868, eighty-five acres of land, for which he paid twelve hundred dollars. It was covered with whitewood and ash. He would cut this off at odd times, while otherwise engaged with business interests, and since 1869 he has made his home upon this place with the exception of four years spent in California. He has now almost the entire amount under cultivation, and the place is well improved. About nine or ten years ago he began to accommodate summer boarders, and about one-half of his lake front is laid out

out in cottage property, extending for a half mile along the water, and the place is known as Strong's Summer Home. The land is devoted to general farming and good crops of grain and fruit are raised. It was in 1876 that he went to California, returning in 1880.

On the 2d of July, 1865, Mr. Strong was united in marriage to Miss Pleuma Wood- ward, a daughter of Jesse Woodward, and they have a family of four children who have reached mature years. Of this num- ber Cora is the wife of Blazy Silhenek, of Coloma; Adelia became the wife of Elmer Bean and died in 1899, at the age of thirty- three years; Grace was the wife of Fred Welch and died at the age of twenty-five years, after having taught school for a few years prior to her marriage. Harvey is at home. Mrs. Adelia Bean left two children, the younger son, George, being an infant. He has since lived with his grandparents as does the older son, Willie, who is now sixteen years of age.

In his political views Mr. Strong is a stalwart Republican, unswerving in support of the men and measures of the party. For forty years he has been a stanch and faith- ful advocate of the Masonic fraternity, true to its tenets and its teachings and he also belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees Tent and to the Christian church, finding in these connections the incentive and stimulus for the development of those traits which produce character worthy of respect and prompt actions that are honorable.

JOHN R. WALLACE, none of the capable business men of southwestern Michi- gan whose energy and genius have left an impress upon the rapid growth and develop- ment of this part of the state are deserving of more honorable mention than is John R. Wallace, whose business advancement was based upon thorough understanding of the work which he undertook, upon close appli- cation and merit which deserved recognition and gained it. Keen and clear headed, al- ways busy, always careful and conservative in financial matters, moving slowly but surely

John Wallace

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in every transaction, he had few superiors in the steady progress which invariably reaches the objective point.

Mr. Wallace was a native of Scotland, born in Dundee on the 7th of March, 1835. His parents, John and Mary (Reid) Wal- lace, were also natives of that country, where they continued to reside until about 1841, when, thinking to enjoy better opportunities and advantages in the new world, they per- fected arrangements to leave their native land and came to America. Accordingly they crossed the Atlantic and made their way into the interior of the country, settling in Wayne county, Michigan. Previously John Wallace had learned the engineer's trade and he continued to follow that pur- suit in Michigan, living the life of an honest, industrious mechanic, who could be counted upon for straightforward dealing and for unremitting diligence.

John R. Wallace was a youth of six years at the time of the arrival of the fam- ily in Michigan and he entered the common schools of Wayne county, where he received instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar and geography. His educational privileges, however, were very limited, yet in the school of experience he learned valu- able lessons that made him as the years passed a well informed man of sound judg- ment and practical knowledge. He read broadly, thought deeply and had the ability to assimilate the knowledge that he acquired. At the age of sixteen years he entered upon an apprenticeship to the machinist's trade and after completing his term of indenture he followed that pursuit for several years. Each step in his business career was an on- ward one and was carefully and thought- fully made. When he ceased to be a general machinist he secured a position as engineer on the lakes on a vessel that made periodical trips between St. Joseph, Michigan, and Chi- cago and also between Buffalo, Detroit and Chicago. Later he was an engineer on the propeller Montezuma. He also placed the machinery on the Lady Franklin, the Otta- wa, the Favorite and other lake vessels and acted at different times as chief engineer on each of these. With increased responsi-

bility came also greater remuneration, and the careful husbanding of his financial re- sources made it possible for Mr. Wallace to join with Mr. Edwards in building the John T. Edwards, a tug, on which he acted as chief engineer. He likewise filled the position of engineer at the Lee & Wells grist- mill for a time. Enlarging the field of his labors from time to time as he found op- portunity, in 1886 Mr. Wallace joined Cap- tain M. C. Barnes in the conduct of a tug and towing business, which they operated very successfully, owning the tugs John T. Edwards, Daisy Lee and Miranda. The last named, however, was renamed the Louis D. Wallace in honor of his eldest son. Mr. Wallace was also interested in the schooner, Lizzie Doak, his partners in this being Cap- tain Robert Jones and Captain Barnes. As lumber was and is one of the chief products of Michigan and the boats were necessarily connected with the transportation of this commodity Captain Wallace gradually gained a comprehensive knowledge of the lumber industry and subsequent to the formation of his partnership connection with Captain Barnes they more and more largely concentrated their energies upon this line of trade, becoming well known as lumber merchants of southwestern Michigan. They were associated in business until the 28th of January, 1882, when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Wallace continuing in charge of the lumber business, while Captain Barnes took the tugs. The former started out upon an independent venture on a small scale, dealing in lumber, coal and wood, but he enlarged the field of his operations as he found it possible, and by perseverance, close application and careful management of all details he succeeded in building up a trade which was hardly second to any in his line in southwestern Michigan. He became widely known in this connection and his suc- cess made him one of the prosperous resi- dents of the state.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 44

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