A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 74

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

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William Shafer spent the days of his boyhood and youth under the parental roof,

no event of special importance occurring up to the time of his marriage, which was cele- brated in 1873, Miss Emma Hyatt becoming his wife. She was born in Lake township, October 17, 1850, and has always resided here. Her parents were Clayton and Nancy (Heathman) Hyatt, natives of New York and Ohio respectively. They were married in the latter state and drove from Ohio to Michigan with ox teams in 1843. spending their remaining days in this part of the coun- try. They had a family of nine children : James R., living in Montana; Morris, who died in Kansas; Emma, now Mrs. Shafer; Mrs. Alice Lemon of this township; Mrs. Bertha Bellingham of Cass county ; Mrs. Ida Boswell of Royalton, Michigan; Benjamin, who is living in Lake township: William of Kalamazoo; and Mrs. Olive Kennicott of Williamsburg. Michigan.

At the time of his marriage William Shafer removed to the farm upon which his widow now resides, having sixty acres of land on section 13, Lake township. He also owned two other farms, one of forty acres on section 22 and a third of eighty acres on section 25. Lake township. His real estate also included two dwellings in Baroda and a business block in that town, together with four dwellings in St. Joseph. At the time of his marriage, however, he started with only forty acres, which was in the midst of the woods. Scarcely a furrow had been turned or an improvement had been made upon the place, but with characteristic energy he began its further development and as the years passed brought the farm under a high state of cultivation. As his financial re- sources increased he invested more and more largely in land and three years prior to his death he built the present fine residence which stands upon the farm. He owed his success entirely to his own efforts and the assistance of his estimable wife. He followed general farming, carefully controlling his business affairs, and his watchful manage- ment and enterprise proved the basis upon which he builded his success. He was very quiet and retiring in disposition, devoted to his family and to his friends, whose com- panionship he greatly enjoyed.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shafer were born

Seekersone

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three children, two sons and a daughter : Al- bert J., who is living in Lake township; Ida L., the wife of Augustus Nelson of this township; and William B., who resides upon the home farm with his mother. He is mar- ried and now has charge of the home place.

In his political views William Shafer was a stalwart Democrat, but the honors and emoluments of office had no attraction for him. He held membership with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows at Baroda. He was recognized as a good neighbor and a devoted husband and father. He held high ideals and was a man of moral standing in the community. He lived a very active and useful life and his diligence continued almost up to the hour of his death. He had been busy through the morning and came into dinner. About an hour later he passed away, on the 22d of December, 1902. His death was the occasion of deep and wide- spread regret, for all who knew him re- spected him, while those who came within the closer circle of his acquaintance gave to him warm and enduring friendship.

W. E. MUTCHLER, conducting a market in Buchanan, was born in Buchanan township, this county, on the 26th of Octo- ber, 1876, his parents being Charles and Sarah (Behner) Mutchler, in whose family of eight children he was the fifth in order of birth. His father, a native of Ohio, gave his attention to farming upon his removal from the Buckeye state to Michigan, his home being in Buchanan township, where he secured and operated a good tract of land.

W. E. Mutchler was reared upon the old homestead farm, no event of special im- portance occurring to vary the routine of such a life for him in his boyhood days. His attention was given to the labors of the fields, his early education was acquired. in the district schools and he continued his studies in the high school at Buchanan. When not busy with his text-books he worked in the fields and followed farming until twenty-one years of age, when he came to the city, living with Dr. Henderson for some time. He was employed in the axle works for about five years, being a con-

tractor in making a part of the machinery. In 1902 he turned his attention to the butch- ering business and is now conducting a first class market, wherein he has secured a lib- eral trade. He carries a good line of meats and puts forth earnest effort to please his patrons.

On the IIth of June, 1898, Mr. Mutch- ler was married to Miss Mary Allison, a daughter of Miss Elizabeth Allison, of Buchanan. Unto them has been born one child, Cecil Marguerite. Mr. Mutchler is a Democrat in his political views but is without aspiration for office, preferring to devote his time and energies to business affairs, which are being capably conducted and are bring- ing him a desirable and merited measure of success. He has always lived in Berrien county and is a typical son of Michigan.

FRANK L. FULKERSON, residing on section 14, Niles township, filling the position of township treasurer, is a na- tive of St. Joseph county, Indiana. He was born October 26, 1859, his parents being Lewis and Mary A. (Stringer) Fulkerson. The father, a native of New York, became one of the early settlers of St. Joseph county, Indiana, and fol- lowed the occupation of farming in order to provide for his family. He died at the age of seventy-two years. His wife, d native of Ohio, was a young girl at the time of her parents' removal to Indiana. She lived to. the age of sixty-five years and be- came the mother of nine children, four daughters and five sons,-one of whom died in infancy, while the others reached adult age.

Frank L. Fulkerson was the fifth child and third son of the family and was reared and educated in St. Joseph county, his boy- hood days being passed in Clay township, where he attended the district schools. Sub- sequently he became a student in Notre Dame College. Following the completion of his education he worked in a factory un- til about thirteen years ago, when he turned his attention to general agricultural pur- suits and has since carried on farming. He now owns seventy-eight acres of land on section 14, Niles township, having taken up

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his abode here in 1893. Everything about his place is well improved and he is largely engaged in the growing of fruit, having thoroughly acquainted himself with the best methods of producing fruit in this locality, so that his labors are attended with excel- lent results.

On the 16th of June, 1881, Mr. Fulker- son was united in marriage to Miss Ida A. Weaver, a daughter of Adam and Mary (Rockhill) Weaver, both of whom were na- tives of Ohio. They settled in Indiana in 1859, becoming residents of St. Joseph county. Mrs. Fulkerson was born in Springfield, Clark county, Ohio, August 31, 1859, and was only six weeks old at the time of the parents' removal to Indiana. She was reared in South Bend and acquired her education in the public schools. Follow- ing their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Fulkerson resided in South Bend for about fourteen years and then came to Berrien county in 1893, since which time they have remained at their present home. They have reared one son, Oren A.

Since coming to Berrien county Mr. Fulkerson has taken an active interest in affairs relating to the welfare and upbuild- ing of the community. He is identified with the Democracy and has held a number of local offices. He has served as school direc- tor and in 1905 and again in 1906 was elected township treasurer, so that he is the present incumbent in the position. He is well known in the county, taking an active and helpful interest in those things which promote good citizenship and uphold the legal and political status of the community. Diligence is one of his salient characteristics and has been the basic element to his success.

ELLIS S. ROE, president of a hard- ware mercantile firm, of Buchanan, is a na- tive son of this city, born February 3, 1864, and his life is another illustration of the fact that success depends upon a thorough un- derstanding and mastery of a certain line of business and close application and that quality which in modern parlance is known as commercial sense. He has made a cred- itable record in the business of the com-

munity and belongs to that class upon whom general progress depends.

Eli Roe, the grandfather of Ellis S. Roe, was a native of Ohio, whence he removed to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where occurred the birth of Eli J. Roe, whose native place was about five miles north of South Bend. The latter became a successful, all around business man and manufacturer, who owned and operated at one time seven sawmills. He cut all of the trees and timber used in the construction of the first ten miles of the St. Joseph Valley Railroad. A pioneer of Mich- igan, he came to what is now Buchanan in 1854 and located sawmills in the midst of the forest and became one of the first repre- sentatives of the lumber trade in this part of the country. He was one of the prominent promoters and upbuilders of Berrien county and continued in active life to the benefit of his personal interests and the general community as well, up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1894, when he was sixty-two years of age. He married Miss Susan Witter, a native of St. Joseph county, Indiana, and now a resident of Buchanan. The wedding was celebrated in 1855, and they became the parents of three daughters and five sons, all of whom are living at this writing, the eldest being fifty years of age and the youngest twenty-five years, Ellis S., however, being the fourth child and third son.

In the city of his nativity Ellis S. Roe was reared and began his education, which was supplemented by study in Northern Indi- ana Normal School, at Valparaiso, being graduated from the business department in the class of 1883. In the same year he be- came connected with his father in the lum- ber trade and so continued for a year at Buchanan. In fact he was associated with lumbering interests from early youth, hav- ing begun work in the mill when only twelve years of age and he ran an engine when only ten years old. He also worked on a farm in Buchanan township in early life and his youth was largely a period of untiring activ- ity and industry. The hardware company, of which he is now the president, was es- tablished in 1884, and in 1885 he was given an interest in the business. He had charge

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of the undertaking from the beginning, which for a time was conducted under the name of Roe Brothers until 1891. In that year there was a partnership formed by Mr. Roe and H. F. Kingery, which relation was terminated in 1893, Mr. Roe purchasing his partner's interest. Since that time he has been sole proprietor and in the interim the business has been doubled in both the amount of stock carried and in sales. He has to some extent changed the line of his opera- tions, having ceased to deal in farm imple- ments and added a stock of horse goods and plumbing. He has enjoyed for many years a large and growing trade and the enterprise is one of the leading business concerns of the county.

On the 2d of November, 1887, Mr. Roe was united in marriage to Miss May Tich- enor, a daughter of George and Anna (Blake) Tichenor. Two children grace this union, Fred T. and Mildred.

Mr. Roe is a stanch Republican, thor- oughly conversant with the issues and ques- tions of the day and with the policy and purposes of the party. He is a Mason, who has attained the Knight Templar degree and he is connected with the Eastern Star, the Woodmen, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of the Macca- bees. He is a prominent factor in all enter- prises and interests with which he is asso- ciated. His is a natural discrimination as to business affairs and interests relating to the general development, and, well fitted for leadership, he has left and is leaving the impress of his individuality upon the public good.

D. L. BOARDMAN. The growth and upbuilding of any community depends upon its industrial and commercial interests and thus they who are the real founders and upbuilders of a city are the leading and ener- getic business men. To this class in Buch- anan Mr. Boardman is assigned by the con- sensus of public opinion. He is engaged in dealing in dry goods and carpets and is en- joying a profitable trade.

A native of Cattaraugus county, New York, he was born March 15, 1864. His father, Lorin Boardman, was a native of

Vermont, a son of Timothy Boardman, who was born in England. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Olive Bur- bank, and was also a native of the Green Mountain state. In the family were five children, three of whom reached years of maturity.

D. L. Boardman, the youngest of the family, was reared in the place of his nativity and supplemented his early educational priv- ileges, afforded by the common schools, by study in Chamberlain Institute, at Ran- dolph, New York. He taught school for four years and then entered upon his busi- ness career in the capacity of a clerk in a large store at Three Oaks, Michigan. This was in 1889, and he served there for about two years, when, in 1891, he opened his present business at Buchanan in partnership with Louis Wehrle as a dealer in dry goods and carpets. This relation was maintained for five years, on the expiration of which period Mr. Buchanan bought out his part- ner's interest and afterward conducted the business alone. In 1902, however, he sold his commercial interests in Buchanan and went to the west, locating in Wyoming, where he engaged in dealing in hardware and mining supplies. He remained only a year, however, after which he returned to Buch- anan, although he still has an interest in the Wyoming business. Upon his return to this city he purchased the store of which he had formerly been proprietor and which he is now successfully conducting, having a large trade. He carries an extensive and well selected line of goods for a town of this size and his reliable business methods and earnest desire to please his customers have secured him a large and growing patronage.

In 1891 Mr. Boardman was united in marriage to Miss Kate Sherrill, a daughter of C. C. Sherrill, of Brandon, Florida. Mr. Boardman has been a resident of Buchanan for fifteen years and is the oldest dry goods merchant in town. In politics he is a Demo- crat and has taken an active interest in the work of the party. He served as township treasurer and has been a member of the town council. He also belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Modern Woodmen Camp and the Presbyterian church-associations to

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which indicate much of the character of the man and the upright principles which permeate his life and establish his conduct.

WASHINGTON A. SMITH, who was a resident of Benton township and a notable figure here, possessing marked traits of char- acter, was for a considerable period one of the successful fruit growers of the county. He read broadly, thought deeply and formed an individual opinion of all that he studied. He was a disciple of nature, enjoying its every phase and with great appreciation of its beauty. Having read the Bible extensively he was not sectarian but accepted the golden rule as a guide for life.

Mr. Smith was born in Bedford, Penn- sylvania, February 8, 1824, his parents being Jacob and Elizabeth ( Putnam) Smith, who were natives of Maryland. When their son was nine years of age they removed from Pennsylvania to Columbiana county, Ohio, and Mr. Smith acquired his education in Oberlin, Ohio. Taking up the study of law, he was admitted to the bar in the old Indian Council House at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and entered upon active practice, remaining a member of the bar at Bryan, Ohio, for thirteen years. In the meantime he had heard so much of Michigan that he de- termined to live in this state and his health finally decided him to remove to this state in order to secure a change of climate and he purchased a farm, which at that time had but ten acres. He built his house a year before removing his wife to this county and located on Lake Michigan. It was the house which he occupied up to the time of his death but he added to it and improved it until it became one of the best farm residences in the county, commanding a fine view of Lake Michigan.

Mr. Smith was married on the Ist of July, 1859. in Amberg, Michigan, to Miss Theresa Mary Holzer, who was born in Augsburg, Bavaria, on the 9th of March, 1842. They removed from Bryan, Williams county, Ohio, to Michigan, in 1862, and set- tled on a farm about three miles north of Benton Harbor. Here Mr. Smith engaged in business as a commercial grower of fruit and became well known as a leading horti-

culturist and a worker in various horticul- tural societies. On his arrival he set out peach trees and other fruits. Fifty acres of his farm bordered the lake and his orchards were thus rendered free from frost. He delighted in his farm, finding great pleasure in its cultivation and improvement and became a close student of fruit and its possibilities in this portion of the country. He was one of the best educated men of Berrien county. He possessed keen in- tellectuality and an analytical mind, was well versed in law and became equally en- thusiastic as a student of horticultural sub- jects. He delighted in nature in its various phases and his life after coming to Michigan was amid his flowers, his plants and his orchards. From the budding springtime un- til the late autumn he took the greatest de- light in everything that grew and there was in his nature the kindly element and ap- preciation that are ever cultivated in those who live near to nature's heart.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born four children : Edwin A., who is now living in South Dakota; Mary, the wife of Frank Burdick, of Sodus township; Fanny B., at home; and Karl A., who married Lucy El- mer, of Vermont, and conducts the home farm.

In his political views Mr. Smith was a stalwart Republican until 1872, when he became a Democrat. He was an enthusiastic anti-slavery man prior to and during the period of the Civil war. He frequently at- tended the conventions of his party and was a candidate for the legislature at the time of Cleveland's election but suffered defeat. He was very active as a stump speaker up to that time and was strong and forceful in argument and logical in his deductions. He always held the attention of his hearers and many times brought conviction to their minds. He was active as a member of the Grange and the County Agricultural Society. He held membership with no church nor fra- ternity but was a close student of the Bible. In later life he announced the golden rule as his faith. He enjoyed an argument on religion or politics and was always able to present his side of the question with clear- ness and force. He liked, too, a game of

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chess, checkers, or cards but particularly the first mentioned, delighting in the skill which it called forth. His reading was largely historical, scientific and solid nature. He read the New York Tribune for many years, or until after Horace Greeley's campaign and death, and subsequently he became a sub- scriber to the Chicago Times. He gauged men according to what they read. He was himself a constant reader, his reading cover- ing a wide range and he was particularly familiar with the plays of Shakespeare. His wife, too, had enjoyed good educational ad- vantages in her girlhood days but was mar- ried in early life, being but seventeen at the time she gave her hand to Mr. Smith. For four years prior to his death Mr. Smith was an invalid but retained his mental faculties to the last, passing away February 10, 1903. He was buried in Crystal Springs, where a simple but handsome block of marble marks his last resting place. He never believed in show, his life being entirely free from ostentation and his many good qualities won him the respect and esteem of all with whom he was associated.

GENERAL LYMAN M. WARD, liv- ing on a small farm near Benton Harbor, is numbered among the honored residents of Berrien county. His life record began in Cattaraugus county, New York, October 5, 1836. His father, Rev. Abel C. Ward, was a son of John Ward and both were natives of Connecticut. Rev. Abel C. Ward was a Congregational minister and died in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1869. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Esther Dibble, was born in Massachusetts and die at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1893. In their family were six children.

General Ward, whose name introduces this review, was reared in Genesee county, New York, until fifteen years of age and later attended the high school and the academy at Fond du Lac. He read law but put aside his law books in order to respond to the coun- try's need, enlisting at Lincoln's first call for three months' troops and becoming a member of Company I, First Wisconsin In- fantry. On the expiration of that term he re-enlisted as a member of Company A,

Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, which regi- ment was sent to the Army of the Ten- nessee. In 1862 he was made a major of his regiment and was promoted to lieutenant colonel and eventually was commissioned colonel of the Fourteenth Wisconsin. He commanded a brigade for two years and was brevetted brigadier general. Throughout the entire period of his active service he was with the Army of the Tennessee and his pro- motions are indications of his splendid mili- tary qualities and his unfaltering loyalty to the cause which he espoused. The history of the Fourteenth Wisconsin is the history of his army service and included participa- tion in many important battles and move- ments.

The year 1866 witnessed the arrival of General Ward in Benton Harbor and he has been a prominent and influential factor in public life here. In 1879 and 1880 he repre- sented his district in the state legislature, having been elected on the Republican ticket. He gave careful consideration to each ques- tion which came up for settlement and was connected with much important legislation that was enacted during that period. He was appointed by President Harrison to the posi- tion of postmaster of Benton Harbor and his continuation in the office extended over five years. Five years ago hie located on his present farm just north of Benton Har- bor, which he had previously purchased. He had occupied it before and he now makes his home thereon, devoting his time and energies to fruit growing. His place com- prises seventeen acres and he raises excellent crops of peaches and other fruits. Six years ago the place netted him thirty-two hundred dollars. The winter previous the fruit in other parts of the county were killed by the severe weather, but General Ward's trees escaped and he was able to sell his fruit at high prices, that being the banner year in his net profits. He is also a breeder of ducks and Ancona chickens, Mrs. Ward being a fancier of fine chickens.

On the 13th of June, 1880, was cele- brated the marriage of General Ward and Miss Nellie T. Child, of Benton Harbor, who was a native of New York. She is very enthusiastic over the raising of chickens and

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has done excellent work in this direction. General Ward is now living retired from former activities, occupying his attractive little farm a mile north of the city. His life has been one of enterprise and industry and of prominence and influence. He has been the leading factor in many movements relating to the general welfare and has dis- played the same loyal and public-spirited citizenship which he manifested when on southern battle fields he defended the old flag. He is still a man of soldierly bearing and yet keeps well informed on the ques- tions of public moment, standing for progress and improvement in matters of local interest as well as those pertaining to the national welfare.

GEORGE WRIGHT, now deceased, was a worthy pioneer settler of Berrien coun- ty, who for a long period was a representa- tive of its horticultural interests, a leading source of income here. He was born in Clay- ton, Jefferson county, New York, August 10, 1832, his parents being Daniel and Mary Ann (Wilder) Wright, both of whom were also natives of Jefferson county. The son remained in Clayton until seventeen years of age, when, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he went to the Pacific coast in company with others, making his way to the mines, and for three years he was engaged in prospecting with fair suc- cess. The Australian gold excitement drew him to that country, where he spent three years. He camped out, doing his own cook- ing and in his search for the precious metal he met with a fair measure of success. He then returned to his old home in New York. His mother had died when he was but six years of age and he had been reared by a step-mother. He could get a letter but once a year, owing to the few vessels which made the trip between the United States and the Australian ports. His father, supposing him dead. not having heard from him in such a long time, sold his property in New York and came to Michigan. The Wilder family was already in Michigan. Mr. Wright's grandfather. Simpson Wilder, having lo- cated in Millburg. Berrien county, among the first pioneers of this section of the state,

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 74

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