A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 68

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

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Hiram Wilson was married at the age of twenty years to Miss Hattie Myers, a native of Vermont, who died in 1884 leaving two sons, Harry and Ralph, both of whom are in Chicago. The latter is an expert chef and the former is with Sears & Roe- buck in the office of the paper manufactur- ing department. Two years after losing his first wife Mr. Wilson married Eva Hugh- son, whose family has resided in St. Joseph for thirty years. Her father, Joseph Hugh- son, was a photographer of this city and her brother now conducts the business. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wilson has been born a daugh-

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

ter, Frances, who graduated from the high school of St. Joseph in the class of 1906 at the age of seventeen years and she has won considerable local note as a debater.

Mr. Wilson owns twenty acres of land all planted to fruit and asparagus and an- nually harvests good crops of each, receiv- ing therefrom a good financial return as they find a ready sale on the market. His business interests are carefully conducted and his practical methods are resultant fac- tors in his success. In politics he is a Re- publican and is now serving as alderman in St. Joseph.

JOHN H. STOVER. One of the well improved farm properties of Royalton town- ship is owned by John H. Stover, and in his business career he has won very gratify- ing success, being the architect and builder of his own fortune. He was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1846. His parents were Samuel and Catherine (Warntz) Stover. The father was a shoe- maker by trade, and died in Pennsylvania, at the age of seventy-three years.

In his youth John H. Stover learned the harness maker's trade, serving a two years' apprenticeship, after which he worked as a joiner at Millheim, Pennsylvania, for three years. The succeeding two years were spent as a partner with his former employer, Michael Ziglerm, and he then entered upon an active business career, carrying on a simi- lar line of business at the same place for about seven years, or until 1870.

In the meantime Mr. Stover had estab- lished a home of his own through his mar- riage, on the 5th of October, 1862, to Miss Sarah C. Plotner. Her parents were Sam- uel and Sarah Plotner, farming people of Center county, Pennsylvania, who came to Michigan with their son-in-law, Mr. Stover, in 1870. He purchased a farm for Mr.

Plotner in Cass county and operated it for him. The Plotners remained in that county, but in 1878 Mr. Stover decided to remove to Berrien county and rented the old Tudor homestead, while in 1890 he purchased his present place, which adjoins the Tudor place and which he continually operated for the past sixteen years. It was originally the

Odell farm, ten miles from St. Joseph on the Niles road. It borders the St. Joseph river and the South Bend Interurban Rail- road passes through it. It was first im- proved by Greenlief Odell, who sold the place and left for Dakota. It contained one hundred and eight acres of land, to which Mr. Stover has added forty-three and a half acres adjoining, and he likewise owns fifty-five acres of St. Joseph river bottom land. He is engaged in the raising of grain, to which his fields are well adapted and he annually harvests good crops.

In 1899 Mr. Stover was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died very suddenly from heart failure on the 4th of May of that year. She had become the mother of ten children, all of whom were living at the time of her death. In the family were seven sons and three daughters : Samuel, a carpenter by trade, now carrying on business as a contractor in Royalton; William, of Royalton township; Edward, at home; Eugene, a farmer of Berrien

George, Ray and Clarence,

township;

all

home; Virginia,

the wife

of Emil

Metzger, of Royalton; Cora,

and Edith. Cora became the wife of Albert Metzger, who died March 31, 1900, while her death occurred June 4, 1900. They died within two months of each other, and their son, Emerson, thirteen years of age, has since his mother's death been a member of Mr. Stover's family, while their daughter, Grace Metzger, of whom Mr. Stover is guardian, is staying in this vi- cinity. Edith Stover is now the wife of John Warskow, of Royalton township. On the 18th of December, 1900, John H. Stover was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Josephine Bort, nee Williams. One of her daughters, Jennie, became a member of the family and in Mr. Stover's home was married to Clayton Heim.

Mr. Stover has filled a number of offices while living in Cass and also in Berrien counties. In 1881 he was elected township treasurer and later was for five successive terms township supervisor. He was also justice of the peace for a number of years. In politics he is a Democrat and has been a delegate to local and state conventions.

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

For thirty-five years he has been a member of the Odd Fellows Society, has passed all of the chairs of the local lodge and has been representative to the grand lodge. He was also a member of the Grange and is identified with Grace church of the Evan- gelical Association at Arden. He feels a deep interest in the material, political, in- tellectual and moral progress of his com- munity and is known as a champion for truth, good and right in all life's relations. In 1896 he erected a fine new barn, thor- oughly first class in its equipment and ar- rangement. The structure includes a gran- ary and is worth about twenty-five hundred dollars. He has also cleared some of his land, so that it is largely under cultivation and his farming interests, being carefully conducted, are bringing him an excellent financial return.

ALFRED O. FRENCH, of Lincoln township, was born in Mentor, Ohio, No- vember 6, 1843, a son of Ransom and Re- becca (Farley) French, the latter a sister of Captain Eben Farley, who in the early days was a captain of a St. Joseph river steamboat, and died in California. Her father was a sympathizer with the United States at the time of the war of 1812. He was living in Canada and the indications were that he would be forced to serve in the British army. He resolved that if he must go to war it would be with the Ameri- can forces, so he sold his property in Can- ada and removed to the Green Mountain state. Ransom and Rebecca French came to St. Joseph, Michigan, in 1831 with their respective families and were married in that city. They lived at St. Joseph and subse- quently at Niles and at Sturgis Prairie. Mr. French drove into St. Joseph the first two- horse team ever taken through the streets of that city. In later years he took his family to Ohio, and when their son, Alfred O., was but a young lad of less than one year they returned to Ox Bow Prairie in St. Joseph county, Michigan. Later Mr. French bought the Sturgis foundry and machine shops and remained. at that place until his death, which occurred in 1851, when he was forty-one years of age. He left a widow

and six children, the eldest son being about thirteen years of age at the time of his demise. Mrs. French remained in Sturgis, where she reared her family. In 1854 her eldest son, Edwin, went to Cali- fornia in company with Captain Eben Far- ley and neither ever returned. In 1861 Mrs. French with her remaining three chil- dren came to Royalton and settled in what is now Lincoln township. Her son Eben enlisted at the outbreak of the Civil war in defense of the Union and became a lieuten- ant in Company C, of the Fourth Michigan Infantry, while subsequently he was pro- moted to the rank of captain of Company A, of the same regiment. His health was shattered by his army service and he died in California about 1878. Mrs. French and her remaining children remained on the lake shore, five miles south of St. Joseph, and there she lived until 1869. A daughter of the family died in August, 1861, so that one daughter, Mary, was left with the mother. In 1869 Mrs. French removed to California, where she spent her remaining days, passing away about 1877. The eldest daughter, Clymena, had gone to California in 1860 as a teacher, having previously fol- lowed that profession in Berrien county. While living on the coast she was married and there she spent her remaining days. The other daughter, Mary, was married in California, losing her husband there and afterward returning to Michigan, now mak- ing her home in Montmorency county, this state.

Alfred O. French accompanied his mother on her various removals during the period of his boyhood and youth and in August, 1862, when eighteen years of age, he responded to the country's call for troops to crush out the rebellion in the south, and enlisted as a member of Company C, Twenty-fifth Regiment of Michigan In- fantry. Three companies were raised in Berrien county, Company C being formed at Berrien Springs. They rendezvoused at Kalamazoo and saw active service in Ken- tucky, Tennessee and Georgia. With the Twenty-third Army Corps he went to At- lanta under General Thomas and returned under General Thomas in the movement

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

against General Hood in Tennessee. He was afterward transferred and participated in the engagements at Wilmington, North Carolina and Goldsboro, where he rejoined Sherman's forces. He served for three years without a furlough and was continu- ously with his company except for one year, when he was detailed to act as headquarters guard for General Cooper. He was finally discharged from the hospital at New York City and reached home ahead of his regi- ment. He was in the battles of Nashville, Mossy Creek, Tennessee, and Kingston, Tennessee, and was at General Cooper's headquarters at the time of the Atlanta campaign. He displayed bravery and valor upon the field of battle equal to that of many a veteran of twice his years and made a most honorable military record.

During his absence his mother remained on the farm and when she went to California Mr. French continued in this county, and was married on the 18th of November, 1869, to Miss Lavercia Martin, a daughter of George N. Martin, who was one of the pio- neer sawmill men on Hickory creek, his mill being located two miles north of Stev- ensville. Mrs. French was born at Elkhart, Indiana, in 1842, and was raised in Lincoln township, there remaining until her mar- riage. The young couple began their do- mestic life upon the farm which his mother had occupied and there lived until 1872, growing peaches until the disasters caused by the yellows to the orchards in Berrien county in 1873 and 1874. Mr. French had made considerable improvement upon his place of twenty acres, which he cleared, planting nearly the entire amount to fruit. In 1872 he went to Bangor, Van Buren county, Michigan, spending three and a half years in a general store. On the expiration of that period he returned to Lincoln town- ship, where he had another tract of land which he cultivated and improved for ten years. In 1885 he came to his present farm, settling on the old military road between Detroit and Chicago and one mile south- east of Stevensville. Here he has ninety acres, of which he has cleared sixty-five acres and placed it under a high state of cultivation. In 1886 he erected his home in

the midst of the green woods but now it is surrounded by a fine clearing and the place is one of the neat and thrifty farms of the county. The different parts of the farm are devoted to fruit and grain raising as the soil is adapted thereto, and in his business affairs Mr. French is meeting with success.

Unto our subject and his wife have been born two sons: George, a carpenter now in Los Angeles, California; and Alfred O., a fireman on the Lake Shore Railroad, living at Elkhart, Indiana. They also lost one son, Ransom, who died in 1890 at the age of twenty years. A stalwart Republican in his political views Mr. French has been called to various public offices, the duties of which have been promptly and faithfully performed by him. In November, 1896, he was elected county register of deeds and took up the work of the office in the follow- ing January. He was then re-elected in the fall of 1898 and served for four consecutive years. He had previously been township supervisor and township clerk. He is very active in party work and is well known in the local and state conventions of his party. where his counsel is often sought as re- gards some political question or influencing method of the party. He maintains pleas- ant relations with his old army comrades through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Owing to his father's early death, in his youth he was deprived of many of the advantages which most boys enjoy, but he has neverthe- less in an active business career worked his way steadily upward and his strong purpose and unfaltering perseverance have enabled him to win success in spite of obstacles and difficulties, while in public life his devotion to the general good has been recognized in the various honors that have been conferred upon him.

HARRY BORT, filling the office of supervisor of Royalton township, is a citi- zen whose devotion to the general good has been manifest in many tangible ways. He is leading an active business life and at the present time is converting the old Bort home- stead into a fine fruit farm. He was born

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

on the Lake Shore drive south of St. Jo- seph, October 7, 1858. His father, John Bort, became a resident of Berrien county in 1852, removing to Michigan from Her- kimer county, New York, where he was born November 25, 1810. His parents were John and Barbara (Hart) Bort, and were of German birth and descent. On the 2nd of January, 1850, John Bort, father of oui subject, was married in Herkimer county, New York, to Miss Sophronia Getman, who was likewise a native of that county. She was his second wife. On the 10th of Octo- ber, 1832, he had wedded Marietta Smith, who died February 1, 1848. The children of the first union were as follows : Otis S., who is a horse trainer at Brooklyn, New York; Sophronia, living in Gloversville, New York; Mary Jane, who died in 1871, when about thirty years of age; and Charles, a painter of St. Joseph, Michigan. Unto the second marriage were born four sons: Al- bert W., who is engaged in the painting trade in Chicago; Fayette M., a farmer of Royalton township; Harry, of this review; and Edgar G., a contractor at Seattle, Wash- ington. There were also two children, J. Edward and Marietta, who died while liv- ing in Niles. As before stated, the year 1852 witnessed the arrival of John Bort and his family in Berrien county. They made their way to Niles township, where he car- ried on farming until 1857, when he lo- cated on the old Hanly farm south of St. Joseph. There he began to grow peaches, being the pioneer in that line of business in his part of the county. He called his place the Model Fruit Farm, and was the first to raise peaches successfully. He was also the first to cultivate strawberries in this vi- cinity and he transformed his property into a fine fruit farm whereon he was extensively engaged in horticultural pursuits. He paid twenty-two hundred dollars for one hun- dred and forty-four acres of land extending to the lake. The place was then covered with oak grubs but he at once began to clear and improve it and placed thirty-three acres under cultivation. Owing to the work which he placed upon his farm and the ap- preciation of land values in the county he was enabled to sell his property for ten times

what he paid for it. He built a good resi- dence on the site of the present home of Mrs. Hanly, three miles south of St. Jo- seph and lived upon that place until the close of the Civil war. He realized big prices for his fruit crops and sold his own fruit, mainly shipping it to the Chicago mar- ket. In 1865 he purchased in Royalton township two farms, one of ninety acres and the other of seventy-four acres, a part of which was cleared. He paid sixty-five dol- lars per acre for the home place but there was no building upon it at that time. He erected the present residence about 1866 and he devoted the remainder of his life to the development and improvement of these farms, which adjoin. In his later years he settled up his business affairs and lived re- tired during the last fifteen years of his life, enjoying a rest which he had truly earned and richly deserved. He retained his faculties largely unimpaired until he had passed the ninetieth milestone on life's journey and was a very active, energetic man. He served as justice of the peace and highway commis- sioner and in all positions of public trust was found loyal as well as able. His political allegiance was given to the Democracy. In his earlier years he was connected with the Methodist Episcopal church and enjoyed more than local repute as a singer. He as- sisted in organizing the church at Royalton township and was one of its active and earnest members until his later years. He was one of thirteen children, ten of whom lived to be more than ninety years of age. He was the last survivor of the family and passed away December 7, 1903, in his nine- ty-fourth year.

Harry Bort, who was reared to man- hood on the old home farm, pursued his. education in the public schools and when about twenty-two years of age took charge of the farm, since which time his energies have been given to general agricultural and horticultural pursuits. On the 3d of June, 1880, he sought a companion and helpmate for life's journey through his marriage to Miss Hannah Kneibes, a daughter of Chris- tian and Elizabeth (Dukesherer) Kneibes, and a native of Bainbridge township, where she was married at the age of eighteen

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

years. Her father died when she was only seven years of age, and her mother after- ward married Henry Ashoff and removed to Royalton township, when Mrs. Bort was only ten years old. Mr. Ashoff died in De- cember, 1884, but his widow is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Bort.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bort have been born nine children: Sylvia, the wife of Charles Dukesherer, of Coloma; Alice Dorleska, the wife of Nicholas Johann; Carl, Dora, Chester, Harry, Forest, Gladys and Millard, all at home.

Mr. Bort has purchased the interest of the other heirs in the old home property, which he has devoted to general farming, but he is now converting the place into a fruit farm, whereon he is extensively en - gaged in raising pears, apples, grapes and berries. He has recently sold thirty-five acres of this land. His farm is pleasantly and conveniently situated five and a half miles directly south of St. Joseph and the orchards and vineyards show his careful supervision. He is supplying the place with only the best nursery stock and has ample promise for future success as a horti- culturist.

Active and influential in community af- fairs, Mr. Bort has for a number of years occupied various township offices. He gives his political allegiance to the Democracy, and often receives the endorsement of his Republican friends, for he lives in a town- ship where the two parties are about evenly divided. He served as township clerk for nine years, was justice of the peace for two terms, and in 1905 was elected supervisor after filling out an unexpired term several times. In 1906 he was re-elected to that office, so that he is now serving for the sec- ond term. He advocated the good roads movement when his township voted bonds, and Royalton will soon have some of the best highways to be found in the country. Mr. Bort fraternally is connected with the Modern Woodmen and his wife with the Royal Neighbors. They are both highly esteemed and the hospitality of their pleas- ant home is greatly enjoyed by their many friends. Active and progressive in citizen- ship, straightforward and diligent in his

business career, and trustworthy at all times the regard of Harry Bort is such as to make him worthy of representation among the leading citizens of the county.

FRED GEISLER, living in Royalton township, was born December 23, 1860, and is of German lineage. His parents, John and Susan (Schairer) Geisler, were both natives of Nassau, where they were mar- ried. They came to the United States about 1852 and took up their abode at St. Joseph, Michigan, where Mr. Geisler was employed at loading vessels. He afterward went to Bainbridge township, where he worked for a year and then bought thirty acres of land now included in the farm belonging to his son Fred. About six or eight years later he added ninety-five acres adjoining. so that his farm comprises altogether one hundred and twenty-five acres. The tract was all wild and unimproved when he purchased it but he cut away the trees from a space large enough to build thereon a log cabin and later he continued the further development and improvement of that place. His son Fred was born in the log cabin and lived upon the home farm until thirty acres of the land had been well improved. The father was in poor health, so that the mother had charge of the task of clearing and cultivat- ing the land, which she did with the assist- ance of her three elder sons, clearing it all of indebtedness. She sold cord wood, and in six or eight years bought ninety-five acres more. She also cleared that tract and sold cord wood therefrom. She also secured some money through the sale of blackberries, which she picked, and so utilized every pos- sible means in order to gain a living for her family. Her children were trained to habits of industry, economy and honesty and were of much assistance to her in carrying on the work of developing and improving the farm. A schoolhouse was built at the south end of the farm and near by a church, and the Geislers were among the original mem- bers of the Evangelical church. After about twenty years suffering the husband and father passed away at the age of sixty- five years, while the wife and mother sur- vived him to the age of seventy-two years.

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

She is entitled to great credit for what she accomplished in the way of developing the farm and rearing her family. She built an excellent home with other good buildings upon the place, thus making her farm one of the best in Royalton township. The work of tilling the soil was carried on vigorously and energetically under her guidance, and as the result of her careful supervision and keen discernment in business affairs success rewarded her efforts, and her farm property became one of the best in the community. She also lived to see her family well settled in life and seven of her children survive her, although one died on the ocean while the parents were crossing the Atlantic to the new world. Those still living are: Charlie, a resident of Royalton; Henry, a farmer of Bainbridge living in Benton Har- bor; Philip, a resident of Derby; John, of Royalton ; Clara, the wife of Adam Sinn, of Royalton; Fred, of this review ; and Libbie, the wife of Frank Brunkey, of Royalton. Of this family William worked for several years for Dr. Hall at Royalton township, and died at the age of twenty-eight years, while Kate died at the age of fourteen. Mrs. Geisler's mother came from Germany with her and made her home in Berrien county with her daughter until her death, which was occasioned by typhoid fever, when she was eighty-four years of age. It was at the same time that William and Kate passed away, all dying within three weeks of each other.

Fred Geisler was early trained to habits of industry and economy. It was necessary for him to early be- gin work in the fields and he re- mained at home until nineteen years of age, operating the farm in connection with the mother. His brother John then rented the place and Fred Geisler was employed by his brother for four or five years on the farm. After John purchased a farm Fred Geisler rented the old homestead and thus entered upon an active business venture. As a com- panion and helpmate for life's journey he chose Miss Alice Sinn, who was born Feb- ruary 18, 1860, a daughter of Adam Sinn, Sr., now deceased, and a sister of Adam Sinn, Jr., who married Clara Geisler. Mrs.

Alice Geisler was born on the old farm homestead in Royalton township, on the St. Joseph river, and was twenty-four years of age at the time of her marriage.

Mr. Geisler of this review continued to rent the old home farm, then comprising one hundred and twenty-five acres, for two years, or until his younger sister was mar- ried. He afterward rented the Adelaide Smith farm for three years, having also a thirty-acre farm from his mother's old homestead. When three years had passed by he bought eighty acres of land of Mrs. Smith, having to incur indebtedness, how- ever, in order to make the purchase. Seeing that grain raising would scarcely pay for the place he decided to plant it to fruit trees and secured trees to the value of four hun- dred dollars. He had to go still deeper in debt to do this, and in order to live until the orchards could come into bearing he conducted a dairy business and at first began supplying Mr. Abbey with milk at fourteen cents per gallon, for which purpose he kept seventeen cows. In two years he bought out a milk route, rented more land, which he used for pasture, and for four years con- tinued actively and successfully in the dairy business, although he was six miles from St. Joseph. His trade steadily increased, for to his customers he supplied the best milk, using the greatest care in handling it. He therefore enjoyed the best trade in St. Jo- seph and the extent and importance of his business as a dairyman enabled him to pay for his farm, while his present home was built from the proceeds of the milk business. In the meantime his fruit came into bearing, so he sold out his dairy and devoted his entire attention to fruit. He has sixty-five acres planted to fruit, making a specialty of grapes, although he also raises peaches, apples, pears, plums and small fruit. He has made a success in this line and is well pleased with the fruit business and its pos- sibilities. He has also added to his prop- erty until he now has one hundred and six- teen acres of land bordering the Niles road on one side, while the interurban railroad passes along another side.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 68

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