A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 48

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

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

Jolin M. Rouch is the third child and third son. He was reared in Pennsylvania, his native place,and came to Berrien county in 1866. He first worked at anything that he could get to do, being employed to some extent at the carpenter's trade but all the time watching for broader opportunities and better advantages and showing himself

worthy of such by his continued industry . pursuits, makes his home on section 24, and close application.

In 1869 he chose a companion and help- mate for life's journey, being married in that year to Miss Susan Bressler, a daughter of Daniel and Martha (Hock) Bressler, who was born in Perry county, Pennsyl- vania, and was reared in Michigan. She came with her parents to Berrien county, lo- cating in Bertrand township, and at the time of the marriage of the young couple they settled upon a farm in Bertrand township, Mr. Rouch following general agricultural pursuits for a number of years. In 1883 he engaged in the timber and lumber business, and in 1890 removed to Buchanan, where he has since made his home, his time being de- voted to the same line of trade. He also has an interest in the Buchanan Cabinet Company, manufacturing cabinets and is its vice president. His lumber yard is large and well stocked and his thoroughly reliable bus- iness methods and earnest desire to please those who give him their trade have secured for him a liberal and constantly growing patronage.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rouch have been born two daughters: Lulu, now the wife of John Fydell, of Buchanan; and Ada, at home. The family are well and favorably known in Buchanan and this part of the county. Mr. Rouch is a Republican, whose allegiance has been given to the party since age conferred upon him the right of fran- chise. For two years he has served as treas- urer of Bertrand township and has also been a member of the council of Buchanan. The fact that Bertrand township usually gives a Democratic majority and that Mr. Rouch was elected township treasurer by a majority of thirty-seven upon the Republican ticket, is strong evidence of his personal popularity as well as of the confidence reposed in him

by his fellow townsmen. He has been a res- ident of Berrien county for forty years and is a successful and reliable business man and a progressive, faithful citizen who is well known in the township.

ALEXANDER EMERY, an attorney law, also engaged in horticultural at

Bertrand township. A native of Canada, he was born on the 9th of October, 1841, and came to the United States at the age of five years with his mother, the fam- ily home being established in Boone county, Illinois, where he first attended school. He there remained until eighteen years of age, when, in 1860, he took up his abode in Ga- lien, Berrien county, Michigan, entering the employ of G. A. Blakesley as bookeeper and lumber inspector. He was first em- ployed for about three years, after which he went to Ypsilanti, Michigan, where he spent two years as a student in the State Normal School. He had realized the value of edu- cation as a preparation for a successful busi- ness career and to this end he continued his studies in the Normal with the result that he returned to Galien well qualified for many responsible duties. He again entered the employ of G. A. Blakesley in the office and store, being connected with him for eleven years. On the expiration of that period he went to Flint. Michigan, where he was ad- mitted to the bar and entered upon the prac- tice of law, having previously prepared for the examination by a comprehensive course of reading. From 1879 until 1881 he was engaged in practice at Flint, and in 1884 removed to Buchanan, where he continued in active practice for nineteen years. He still retains his office there but in 1903 lo- cated on the farm on which he now resides on section twenty-four. Bertrand township. He still gives considerable attention to his law practice and has a good clientage but is now devoting his time to his fine fruit farm. having a splendid place, with good buildings, including a commodious resi- dence and substantial barns. The place is called Emerycroft and is improved with all modern equipments. As a horticulturist

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

Mr. Emery is demonstrating his business Dixon, who resides in Battle Creek, Michi- versatility, and one looking upon his fine gan. place with its splendid orchards would im- agine that his time and thought throughout his entire business career had been given to fruit raising.

March 30, 1864, occurred the marriage of Alexander Emery and Miss Eliza Blakes- ley, a daughter of G. A. and Lydia ( Alcott) Blakesley and a native of Illinois, born in Kane county November 10, 1848. Four children have graced this marriage : Georgia, who is superintendent of the woman's de- partment of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, with headquarters at Detroit, Michigan; Alda, the wife of W. A. Magoon, of Sandusky, Ohio; and Daisy, the wife of F. F. Rough, a prominent farmer of Bertrand township. The eldest child, Adelbert, died at the age of eleven years.

Mr. Emery is unfaltering in his alle- giance to the Republican party and has been a close and earnest student of the questions and issues of the day. His life has been crowned with success and is another illus- tration of the fact that energy and determi- nation will bring to a successful solution dif- ficult business problems.

JAMES W. DIXON, to whom has been vouchsafed a rest from further la- bor in recognition of his activity and en- terprise in former years, was at one time closely associated with agricultural in- terests and still lives upon his farm on sec- tion thirty-two, Niles township. He was born in Cayuga county, New York, Septem- ber I, 1823. His father, Thomas Dixon, a native of Washington county, New York, was there reared and afterward removed to Cayuga county about 1810, spending his re- maining days there. He was of Irish de- scent and he passed away in his eighty- eighth year. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Lydia Wheedon, was a native of Vermont and lived to be about seventy-five years of age. In the family of this worthy couple were eight children, who reached adult age, but only two are now living, the brother of our subject being David W.

James W. Dixon, the sixth member of the family was reared in his native county to the age of twenty-one years and attended the common schools, also spending three months as a student in Auburn Academy, New York. He came to Michigan in 1845, first locating in Cass county, where he re- sided for two years, during which period he engaged in teaching school. He then came to Berrien county and was engaged in teaching in Buchanan. Later, however, he returned to New York, where he remained for two and a half years, when he again came to Berrien county and once more was identified with the educational interests of this part of the state, being one of the cap- able early teachers of the county. In 1852 he went to California by way of New York city, landing at San Francisco. He spent two and a half years on the Pacific coast, largely engaged in mining and then returned by way of the Panama route and New York city to Niles township, Berrien county. He then purchased the farm whereon he now resides and has here made his home con- tinuously since, covering a period of more than a half century.

About the time he purchased this farm Mr. Dixon secured a companion and help- mate for life's journey by his marriage Feb- ruary 22, 1855, to Miss Louisa Young, a daughter of Cornelius Young, and a native of Cayuga county, New York. They trav- eled life's journey happily together for al- most forty years, when Mrs. Dixon was called to her final rest in 1894. She was the mother of five children: Clarence, who is now living in Berrien township; Wallace, who makes his home in Canada; Charles, who is in the employ of the United States government and is now located at Amherst- burg, Canada; Dr. Oscar C. Dixon, who is a prominent physician at Kaysville. Utah ; and Hattie, the wife of Charles E. Post, re- siding upon the old homestead farm.

Mr. Dixon has been a resident of Ber- rien county for fifty-two years and has been closely identified with its development and

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

progress, standing for improvement along all lines which lead to local advancement. He has a farm of one hundred and twenty acres and at one time owned one hundred and sixty acres. For many years he was closely associated with the active work of the fields but has now retired from business cares, the income from his property being sufficient to enable him to enjoy the com- forts of life in well earned rest. He has been a stalwart Republican since the organ- ization of the party and has held local of- fices, including that of justice of the peace. He also belongs to the Presbyterian church at Niles and his life has been permeated by religious principles, which promote consider- ation for one's fellowmen and justice, truth and right in all life's relations.

CHARLES F. PEARS. The business interests of Buchanan find an active and worthy representative in Charles F. Pears, the cashier of the First National Bank, and he is also president of the Niles City Bank, at Niles. He is thus closely associated with financial interests in Berrien county and his name figures prominently in moneyed cir- cles, his course making him valued and re- spected by all. He was born November 5, 1868, in the city where he still resides. His father, William Pears, was a native of Eng- land, where the days of his boyhood and youth were passed. He came to America when about thirty-five years of age, making his way to Buchanan, where he engaged in the general milling business for a number of years. He was one of the organizers of the old First National Bank at Buchanan and was its president for a number of years. He died in his sixty-seventh year and the community thereby lost one of its valued and representative citizens, his activity hav- ing contributed to the industrial and finan- cial prosperity of the town. His opinions were also an influencing factor in public life and he served as president of the village. His wife, who in her maidenhood bore the name of Emma Whitehead, is still living. In the family were two children, Charles F. and Ida, the latter the wife of T. F. H. Spreng.

Charles F. Pears was the younger of the

children and the only son. The common schools afforded him his educational privi- leges and his boyhood and youth passed without event of special importance, his at- tention being given to the pleasures of the playground and the duties of the school- room. During the greater part of his life he has been interested in the banking busi- ness and has also been connected with the grain trade as a buyer and shipper. He is now cashier of the First National Bank at Buchanan and president of the Niles City Bank. Thoroughly conversant with the banking business in all of its departments he is continually enlarging the scope of his activity in this direction and his name is an honored one upon commercial paper.

Mr. Pears is also prominent and influen- tial in public life and gives unfaltering sup- port to the Republican party, being in thorough sympathy with the policy of this great political organization. He has served as a member of the village board for a num- ber of years and is now president of the board. As an executive officer he is con- stantly studying out new methods for the improvement of the village and stands for reforms and progress in municipal affairs as well as for civic development.

Mr. Pears married Miss Lura Roe, a daughter of E. J. and Susan (Witter) Roe. Three children have been born unto them, Donald, Richard and Gale. Mr. Pears is a member of the Elks lodge of Dowagiac, and he and his wife are prominent socially and a large circle of friends attests their personal worth and the regard in which they are uni- formly held. Mr. Pears is a business man of marked energy and determination and dis- criminating judgment. He carries for- ward to completion whatever he undertakes and rarely if ever fails to attain a high meas- ure of success. Moreover he is thoroughly reliable and trustworthy in his dealings and his life record proves that prosperity and an honored name may be gained sim- ultaneously.

JOHN J. SUMRILL, extensively en- gaged in the cultivation of fruit in Bain- bridge township and a member of one of the old pioneer families of the county,

D.D. Sumwill and Wife

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

the name of Sumrill having been closely associated with its history through a long period, was born in Kosciusko county, Indiana, August 26, 1854. His parents John and Martha (Huffman ) Sumrill, were both natives of Ohio, born in Stark county, where they were reared and married. Im- mediately afterward they removed to Indi- ana, where Mr. Sumrill had previously lived with his first wife. He was a hunter and went to that State on account of the oppor- tunities for securing game amid its forests and upon its wild prairies. He largely lived among the Indians, who were then more numerous in Indiana than the white settlers and his name became associated with various early events which left an impress upon the history of that State. He assisted in building the Pittsburg & Fort Wayne Rail- road and made his home about a mile from Etna Green and west of Warsaw, Indiana. In 1862 he came to Michigan, where lived his brother-in-law, Lewis Burg, father of John Burg, whose sketch is given else- where in this work. Mr. Sumrill paid two thousand dollars for a farm one mile east of Bainbridge Center and about 1864 or 1865 he purchased the farm upon which his son, John J. Sumrill, now resides, compris- ing eighty acres of land. At that time only a few acres had been cleared. He drove from Indiana to Michigan in a prairie schooner, crossing Dowagiac swamp. Some of the logs that covered the swamp consti- tuting the corduroy road were found float- ing and men had to go in advance to see that the wagon could cover the route. Upon reaching Keeler, however, they struck the old territorial road, upon which their own farm bordered. There lay in this district a very bad road between Mr. Sumrill's home and that of his brother-in-law, Mr. Burg. Mr. Sumrill devoted his entire life to his farm, although many difficulties and obstacles impeded his progress. During the second year after his arrival rheumatism disabled him and for over a year he was unable to do any manual work. His wife was ill for three years because of the ex- posure and hardships of pioneer life. Later Mr. Sumrill was obliged to walk on crutches and spent one year in bed with a broken leg. 23

All this necessitated the incurring of much indebtedness for doctor bills and there were many discouragements to confront the pio- neer family. On account of the father's in- valid condition the wife and boys did most of the clearing but notwithstanding their earnest efforts made slow progress. In the course of time, however, the eighty acres of land was cleared and placed under cultiva- tion. At a meeting in the old Byers school- house both Mr. and Mrs. Sumrill were con- verted and joined the Free Methodist church, continuing in active connection therewith until called to their final rest. The father died July 3, 1896, in his seventy- sixth year, while his wife passed away May 7, 1896, at the age of sixty-six years. In their family were five children, two of whom died in Indiana. The others are : John J., of Bainbridge township; Alice, the wife of Herbert Decker, at Sister Lakes, Van Buren county, and William, who lives at Keeler. 1

John J. Sumrill, now the only living representative of the family in Berrien county, continued at home to the age of nineteen years and aided in the arduous task of clearing and developing new land. He was then married on the 14th of December, 1873, to Miss Eliza Peters, daughter of John and Laura Peters, of Bainbridge township. Mrs. Sumrill was born in this township, where her mother still lives in her eighty- ninth year. The daughter was but eight- een years of age at the time of her mar- riage. In the succeeding autumn Mr. Sum- rill worked for Martin Byers and thence at farm labor and took jobs from Balaam Dodge in cutting timber, rails, ties, etc. At the time of his marriage his possessions consisted of a gun, a violin and five dollars in money. The next spring he worked for Samuel Sykes at twenty dollars per month, boarding himself. He continued in that employ for six months, having his house rent, a cow and garden free. In the fall he bought sixteen acres of land in Keeler town- ship for five hundred dollars. He had but twenty-five dollars to pay down and his father signed a note for the balance. It was a tract of timber in the midst of which stood a log cabin. He sold the wood at sev- enty-five cents per cord on the ground and

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he worked out in order to gain the money to provide a living for himself and family. Clearing the land after much arduous la- bor, he set out the place to apples, pears and other fruit and grew berries among the trees. In those days in a season he would sell fruit and berries to the value of about four hun- dred dollars and honey at from twenty-five to one hundred dollars, keeping between fifty and one hundred colonies of bees. Dur- ing the years which he conducted his apiary he placed on sale nine thousand seven hun- dred and twenty-two pounds of honey, sell- ing nearly one thousand pounds in a single year. He also made and sold bee hives, ax- handles and other things that enabled him to use his timber. In the early days he purchased a team and harness from Morgan Matrau. This was before he began to grow berries although he had already set out apple orchards. His first crate of strawberries sold on the Chicago market for five dollars. As the years passed by' he cultivated his or- chards and small fruit and thus made prog- ress on the little tract of land of sixteen acres. He also built a house at the cost of eight hundred dollars, collecting his material at various places and building the stone wall for the cellar himself although he had never done work of this kind before. He also did his own plastering and practically built the house. The same year he sold berries off the little place to the amount of four hun- dred dollars. In about twenty years he found that he had made a good living and had become the possessor of a comfortable com- petence. From his apple orchards his sales in one season amounted to nine hundred and fifty dollars. He remained upon that farm until the fall of 1900, when he pur- chased the interest of the other heirs in his father's old homestead in Bainbridge town- ship. This he has largely planted to fruit, including apples, pears and peaches and about nine acres to small fruit. It produced over one thousand dollars worth of fruit in 1905. The land is well adapted to general fruit raising and the farm is proving a profitable one.

Mr. Sumrill became connected with a class of fourteen in the Free Methodist meetings, which were held at the Byers

schoolhouse but were merged later into the Keeler Society, four miles distant. He soon manifested deep interest and ability in preaching the gospel and for sixteen years he has occupied a place in the ministry. He refused a regular pastorate until about two years ago, when he took the Bainbridge and Pipestone circuit with two churches, one in Bainbridge and another with about a dozen families elsewhere. Mr. Sumrill is a Prohibitionist, active in the advancement of the party, and he stands for all that tends for the betterment of his fellowmen and pro- motes moral progress.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sumrill have been born eight children: Anthony Floyd, who was a mechanic and architect at Kalamazoo, Michigan, died December 14, 1905, at the age of thirty-one years, leaving a wife and two sons, Anthony Floyd and Donald Paul Sumrill. Nora Ann is the wife of Oliver Adams, of Keeler, Van Buren county, and they have two children, Wesley and Isa- belle. Vesta Belle is the wife of Vivian F. Zeller, of Keeler township, and they have two children, Ivan V. and Gerald S. Floy Eliza is the wife of Bert Hiler, of Bain- bridge township, and they have one child, Frances M. Nina Elmira, R. V., John Ed- ward and Oliver Amos are all at home. Mr. and Mrs. Sumrill are most worthy people and in a review of his life record there is much to be found that is commendable. He is a man of honorable purpose, giving un- faltering allegiance to whatever he believes to be right and is at all times true to his honest convictions.

DAVID WOLF, following farming on section 1, Niles township, is also engaged in gardening, having fifteen acres devoted to the raising of vegetables for the market. A native of Germany, he was born on the 29th of July, 1854, and spent the days of his boy- hood and youth in that country, there re- maining until twenty-seven years of age. He attended the public schools and in addi- tion to the common branches of learning studied Latin and French. He was an apt scholar, readily mastering the tasks assigned him. During his minority he remained with his parents and in fact continued with them

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until twenty-four years of age, when he learned the business of gardening in hot houses at Wurtemberg. Attracted by the broader opportunities of the new world he came to America in 1881 and made his way direct to Niles. Here he was on a farm dur- ing the first year, and also worked as an em- ploye in a paper mill for five years. In 1888 he purchased the place where he now lives, known as the old H. Coan farm. At once he began its further development and improve- ment and is still engaged in gardening, which he has followed for about eighteen years with reasonable success. He has fifteen acres of land well cultivated and his products are early placed upon the markets. His vegetables are always first class and he there- fore finds a ready sale for what he produces.

In 1882 Mr. Wolf was united in mar- riage to Miss Sophia Mangold, a native of Germany, and they have become the parents of eight children: Marie, now the wife of John Shand, of North Adams, Massa- chusetts ; Sophia, the wife of Fred Lobaugh, of South Bend; Clara, Elsa, Bertha, Ernest, Helen and Frank, all at home.

Mr. Wolf votes with the Democracy and is active in the local ranks of his party, la- boring untiringly for its success and the adoption of its principles. He has served as school director in the district in which he lives and he takes an active interest in pub- lic affairs. For twenty-five years he has been a resident of the county, where he is widely and favorably known. He will soon make the long trip to Wurtemberg, his na- tive land, the first time he has visited the "Fatherland" since he came to America.

JOHN A. CART, living on section I, Niles township, is classed with the repre- sentative agriculturists of his community, and a farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres has been brought under a high state of cultivation through his labors. His birth occurred in Elkhart county, Indiana, Decem- ber 15, 1859. His father, Christopher Cart, was a native of Virginia, and became one of the early settlers of Elkhart county. His name was closely associated with many of the events of early importance in that lo- 1

cality. He was the first man to bring a barrel of coal oil into the little town of New Paris. By occupation he was a farmer and his entire life was devoted to the tilling of the soil. He lived to the age of forty-seven years. The Cart family comes of English lineage. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Maggie McDowell, was a native of Greenbrier county, Virginia, and went to Elkhart county, Indiana, with her parents in her girlhood days. Her people were early settlers there and on the 22d of March, 1841, she gave her hand in marriage to Christopher Cart.

Their only child, John A. Cart, was leared and educated in Elkhart county, and lived in New Paris, Indiana, until twenty- one years of age. He started out in life on his own account when a youth of fifteen and began working on what is now the Big Four Railroad. On attaining his majority he went to Kansas, making his home in Marion county, where he worked on a stock farm, remaining there for five years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Elkhart county, Indiana, and was em- ployed by the day and month for a time. As the years passed his diligence and persis- tency of purpose were manifest in that his financial resources were increased, gaining him a start in the business world. At the time of his marriage he located on the farm where he now resides, at first purchasing fifty acres of land, to which he has added until he now has one hundred and thirty-five acres of well improved land, on which are good buildings. He has displayed a laud- able ambition to attain to the best in all that relates to farm work and is regarded as a successful agriculturist who has made steady and substantial advancement since coming to Berrien county.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 48

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