A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 87

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

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MR. AND MRS. CHESTER P. PHELPS

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

very early epoch in the history of Berrien county. Upon the old homestead farm there amid pioneer environments and surround- ings George Foster was reared, and when he had arrived at years of maturity he was . married in Niles township to Miss Mar- garet Johnson, who was born in Virginia, and was a daughter of John Johnson, one of the early settlers of Berrien county, close- ly identified with the pioneer history of this section of the state. Following their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. George Foster located in Niles township, where the father engaged in farming. His entire life was devoted to that occupation and he became known as one of the enterprising agriculturists of his community. He died in the seventy-fifth year of his age, while his wife passed away when about sixty-seven years of age. They were the parents of nine children.

John J. Foster is the fourth child and second son of the family and was reared and educated in Niles township. He ac- quired a common-school education and re- mained at home, assisting in the work of the farm, until twenty-six years of age. One summer he engaged in butchering. He· afterward bought a tract of land of one hundred and forty acres on section 10, Niles township, and locating thereon made it his home for about twelve years, during which time he carried on general agricultural pur- suits. He then traded that property for the farm upon which he now resides and he has added to it until he now has in the home place two hundred and sixty-three acres of rich and productive land. He also bought another farm in Berrien township which he traded for a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 15, Niles township, so that he now owns altogether four hundred and twenty acres of well improved land. He rents some of his land and he makes a specialty of raising stock as well as tilling the fields. He has been very successful and all that he possesses has been acquired through his unfaltering labor. He has in- deed been a hard working man and his life demonstrates that energy will unlock the portals of success.

Mr. Foster was married November 9,

1880, to Miss Barbara B. Livengood, who was born in Elkhart county, Indiana, and was a school teacher. They have three children, Fred L., Zoe and George Ray.

Mr. Foster is one of the prominent resi- dents of Berrien county connected with agricultural interests. He has aided in mak- ing the county what it is today. He has seen many of its most thriving towns and cities developed from cross roads villages and has watched the growth of the county as the wild land has been converted into rich farms, while here and there churches and schools have been built and industrial, manufacturing and commercial interests have been introduced into the towns. In politics he is a Democrat, keeping well in- formed on the issues of the day and inter- ested in the work of the party, yet without aspiration for office. His time and labor has been devoted entirely to his farming interests and he has justly won the some- what hackneyed but ever expressive title of a "self-made man," and his life has been an exemplification of the fact that success comes as the legitimate result of persever- ance, energy and industry.

. . CHESTER P. PHELPS, living in St. Joseph township, is the owner of a good farm devoted to the raising of fruit. He makes a specialty of peaches and in this connec- tion has become well known, being classed with the leading horticulturists of the county. He came to Michigan from the east, his birth having occurred in Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, on the 16th of December, 1832. He was reared to manhood upon the home farm of his parents, Chester and Sally (Powell) Phelps, both of whom were na- tives of Connecticut. In early life they re- moved from New England to the Empire state, where the father engaged in business as a tanner. Chester P. Phelps entered the fields at an early age and performed such service as his years and strength permitted. He thus became familiar with the task of plowing, planting and harvesting and he was at home until twenty-four years of age. His early education was acquired in the common schools and his diffidence kept him from at-

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tending high schools. He was rather in- clined to the study and practice of medicine, being always interested in anything pertain- ing to the science, his proclivity in this di- rection causing his playmates to style him Doctor in his boyhood days. The practice of surgery, however, was obnoxious to him and it was undoubtedly this that caused him to give up the idea of becoming a physician.

When twenty-four years of age Mr. Phelps was married to Miss Alice Brown, who was a neighbor girl and schoolmate. He began operating the farm belonging to his wife's father, David N. Brown, who was a manufacturer of mittens and gloves in the east, and he also owned the tract of land of which Mr. Phelps now took charge.

While on a trip selling the products of his factory Mr. Brown visited Michigan and, seeing a tract of land with which he was well pleased, he purchased this and it constitutes a part of what is now known as the Phelps farm. It contained one hundred acres and extended from the road to the shore of Lake Michigan. It was originally covered with timber and lies about four miles south of St. Joseph, bordering on the lake. Mr. Brown came to this county, as did his brother, Oren Brown. Others of the party were Mr. Phelps, Lorenzo Nickerson and Zemira Nickerson, both of whom were rel- atives of Mr. Brown. The one hundred-acre farm was then divided into five tracts. Mr. Brown devoted his attention to the cultiva- tion and improvement of his land and lived thereon for twenty years or more, his last days being spent in Berrien county. He was prominent in public life, serving as super- visor of Royalton township for a time and taking an active part in matters relating to the general welfare and improvement of the community. Oren Brown developed a farm, which he afterward sold and then removed to California. Later he returned to Ne- braska and finally again came to Michigan, settling in Oceana county, where he died. Lorenzo Nickerson sold his property and removed to Wisconsin, where his last days were spent. Zemira Nickerson also devel- oped a good farm and is now living in Louisiana.

Chester P. Phelps paid fifteen dollars per acre for his land. In 1861 he built his present residence, which he has occupied since June, 1862. He has given his entire attention to his horticultural interests, de- veloping his property into a fruit farm. It was about the time that he settled thereon that Michigan was becoming recognized as a good fruit producing state and he deter- mined to follow that pursuit. He planted his farm to peaches and the crop proved very successful for a time, but at length his trees were destroyed by the yellows in 1870 and 1871. He had no peaches then for a num- ber of years, but finally replanted his land to peaches, which are now his main fruit. He has, however, grown other kinds of fruit and has shipped from his place horticultural products of the finest kind. For years Michigan peaches surpassed his expectations, but in later years the returns were not so good. He has sold berries for almost noth- ing and again at big prices. In fact, he has run the entire scale of failure and success in his fruit crops, but in the majority of cases has been able to gain a good living from his orchards and believes, taking everything into consideration, that Michigan is the best country in which he has lived and he re- gards his proximity to the lake as a most desirable feature of residence here.

For a long time Mr. Phelps took no active part in public affairs and would accept no public office. He was in those days a resi- dent of Lincoln township. Finally he was persuaded to accept the candidacy for town- ship treasurer, but was defeated for the office, the township being strongly Demo- cratic, while he is a stanch Republican. How- ever, he was elected to that office two years afterward, when St. Joseph township was organized. He has served on the township committee of the Republican party since the township was organized and in this way has contributed to local successes. He. how- ever, prefers not to engage actively in political work and has refused to become a candidate upon an independent ticket. His allegiance has been given to the Republican party since 1856 and he has voted at each presidential election, nor has he ever been ashamed of the record made by any candi-

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date whom he has helped to elect. He knows that mistakes have at times been made and will continue to be made as long as all men are fallible, but he knows, too, that history has proven that the Republican party is the party of reform and progress and that under its guidance the country has made rapid strides in many ways. Mr. Phelps was a member of the Grange for a number of years and served as its secretary for a consider- able period. He believes firmly in the value of the order and has greatly appreciated what has been accomplished thereby. The Grange had been allowed to run down, but he and others took hold of the movement and made it a success and the agricultural community has profited by the work done through this organization.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Phelps have been born two sons. David R., now an enterpris- ing farmer and fruit buyer, is living upon the old homestead farm. He married Miss Cora A. Smith, and they have three chil- dren : Orla L., Alice L. and Chester L. Arthur H. Phelps also resides upon the old homestead farm and has a fine farm near by which he owns and operates in connec- tion with his brother David R. His wife was Emma Bauman. David R. Phelps was engaged in teaching music for a number of years. The wife and mother, Mrs. Phelps, died August 14, 1888. This worthy couple had traveled life's journey together for about thirty years, sharing with each other its joys and sorrows, its adversity and pros- perity, and theirs had been a congenial rela- tion. Mr. Phelps has remained true to her memory, having never married again. Like his wife, he has devoted his time to his fam- ily and has regarded his farming interests as a means to an end that has enabled him to provide a comfortable living for those de- pendent upon him. He has always carried on farming interests and since coming to Michigan his attention has been given in greater degree to the cultivation of fruit than to grain. He is among those who have won for Berrien county its splendid reputation as a fruit center and thus advanced its source of income. He has worked earnestly and persistently and his labors have made him one of the county's substantial residents.

JAMES M. BEALL, who is engaged in general farming on section 24, Niles town- ship, is thoroughly familiar with the best methods of carrying on his life work, and his labors have resulted in the acquirement of a comfortable competence. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana, April 25, 1828, and his father, Nathaniel Beall, was a na- tive of Bourbon county, Kentucky, where he remained. until twenty-one years of age. There he married Miss Sarah Talbot, a na- tive of Virginia, who had gone to Wayne county with her parents in her early girl- hood days. She was born in Grayson coun- ty, West Virginia, and was reared in In- diana. Nathaniel Beall continued a resident of Wayne county until his death, which oc- curred January 11, 1845. His widow after- ward removed to Niles and made her home with Dr. Bonine, her son-in-law, with whom she continued up to the time of her demise, which occurred in her eighty-second year. She was the mother of nine children, all of . whom reached adult age and five of the fam- ily are still living.

James M. Beall is the eldest son now sur- viving. He was reared in Wayne county to the occupation of farming and in the dis- trict schools acquired his education. There he was married in 1854 to Miss Eliza N. Dalloff, a native of Preble county, Ohio, where she was reared. She was a daughter of Thomas and Sophronia ( Haggot) Dall- off. The young couple began their domestic life in Wayne county, Indiana, where they lived for two years and then removed to Car- roll county, Missouri, locating on the farm which Mr. Beall and his brother purchased in partnership. It embraced four hundred and eighty acres of land. In 1860 he was called to Ohio to settle up the estate on ac- count of the death of his wife's father and remained a resident of Ohio until 1864. That year witnessed his arrival in Berrien county, Michigan, and he purchased the place where he now resides. Here he has lived continuously since and has transformed his land into productive fields, from which he harvests good crops. He now has one hundred and three acres of land well im- proved and is still carrying on the farm. In his business he is energetic, carrying for-

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ward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, and his labors are bringing him well merited success.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Beall have been born six children, five of whom are yet living : Forest, who was born July 4, 1855, is now station agent of the Great Northern Rail- road, at Deer River, Itasca county, Minne- sota. Willard is deceased. Frank P., born in 1859, is living in Niles. Bertha D. is at home. Minnie M. is the wife of John Pale- thorpe, of Kokomo, Indiana. James M. is an engineer of Michigan City.

In his political views Mr. Beall is a Democrat, who has supported the party since attaining his majority and is recognized as one of its stalwart and active advocates. He was at one time justice of the peace and has held local offices in the township. He has taken an active part in public affairs and is well known in the county where he has lived for over forty-two years. He has been closely identified with its interests and with- held his co-operation from no movement for the general good.

EDWARD VETTERLEY. Among those who were once active in business life in Berrien county but have now been called to their final rest was numbered Edward Vetterley, a man respected for his genuine personal worth, his industry and reliability in business affairs and his exemplification of public-spirited citizenship. He was born in Wagenhausen, a village in Switzerland, on the 15th of September, 1833, and in the year 1849 his parents sailed with their family for America, there being three sons and a daughter. After a few years passed in New York they came westward to Michigan, settling in Three Oaks, and at a later date the parents resided with their son, Edward Vetterley. The farm was taken up as wood- land by Edward Vetterley and his brother John. In the meantime he had acquired his education in the public schools and shared with the family in all of the experiences and hardships of pioneer life. After securing the claim Edward Vetterley and his brother John cleared the land and placed it under cultivation with the aid of their father. The farm has good buildings and is today a well

improved property. During the life-time of Edward Vetterley it was largely devoted to stock-raising and large numbers of fine stock were shipped from this farm to the markets. At the present time, however, the land is devoted to the growing of grain. In his earlier manhood Mr. Vetterley was for twelve years a section boss on the Michigan Central Railroad but with this exception always devoted his time and energies to ag- ricultural pursuits and stock-raising, in which he continued up to the time of his de- mise. He was the owner of one hundred and forty acres of the present farm, Mrs. Vetterley having added forty acres since his death, so that the place is comprised of one hundred and eighty acres of very rich and productive land all in one body.

On the 13th of June, 1869, Edward Vet- terley was united in marriage to Miss Eliza- beth Heusi, who was born in Schlutheim, in the canton of Schaffausen, Switzerland, September 7, 1847, and came to the United States in 1854 with her parents who settled in Three Oaks. She is a daughter of Sam- uel and Elizabeth (Bacchtel) Heusi, who were also natives of the locality in Switzer- land in which their daughter was born. Coming to the United States when their daughter was only seven years of age, they established their home in Three Oaks town- ship, where they remained until they passed from this life. The father always devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, thus providing for his family. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-six years, while his wife passed away at the age of seventy- three years. They were the parents of three daughters and a son: Mrs. Lana Freiberg, who died leaving four children, her youngest son being reared by Mrs. Vetterley: Eliza- beth, who is now Mrs. Vetterley; Louis. of Three Oaks township: and Anna, who died at the age of four years. The marriage of our subject and his wife was blessed with four children : Edward J., who died in 1899 in his twenty-ninth year, leaving one son. Clarence; Mary, the wife of William Schraeder, of Three Oaks: Albert, who is operating the home farm for his mother; and Emma, who is in Kalamazoo.

Mr. Vetterley acquainted himself with

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the questions and issues of the day, gave his political support to the Democracy, but had no aspiration for office. He was a member of the German Evangelical church from 1849 until his death and lived a life in con- sistent harmony with his professions. He was widely known and esteemed for good qualities which everywhere commanded re- spect and confidence, and in his business re- lations he was never known to take advant- age of the necessities of his fellowmen, but placed his dependence upon the sure and substantial qualities of persistent labor, guided by sound judgment and established by strict business integrity.

CHARLES HENRY MITCHELL, living in Benton township, is one of the na- tive sons of Berrien county, his birth having occured in St. Joseph on the 4th of Novem- ber, 1852. His parents were Michael J. and Catherine (Gough) Mitchell. The father was born on the island of Heligoland in the North sea and the mother's birth occurred at Mentor, Ohio. In his boyhood days Michael J. Mitchell became a sailor and was upon the high seas for a number of years but afterward became a sailor on the Great Lakes. He took up his abode in St. Joseph about 1848 and was at different times mas- ter of various vessels which sailed from that port. In the year 1856 he was sailing as a captain of the schooner Kansas owned by the firm of Springstein & Brewer, of St. Joseph and the boat went down off Grand Haven on the 22d of November of that year, at which time Captain Mitchell was about forty-five years of age. He left his widow in very comfortable circumstances, so that she did'not find it very difficult to rear her four children. She remained for some years with her family in St. Joseph and afterward married Wendlyn Pfaff. She is again a widow and is now living in Benton Harbor at the advanced age of eighty-three years. The four children of the first marriage are : John, who died when eleven years of age. after his father's death; Carrie, the wife of George Smith, of Chicago: Charles H., of this review; and Emma, who is the widow of Thomas Butler of Benton Harbor and lives with her mother.

When Charles H. Mitchell was twenty- two years of age the family traded property for the present farm at Twelve Corners. This was in 1874 and it remained the moth- er's home for eighteen years, since which time she has lived in Benton Harbor. In early life Mr. Mitchell of this review became a wood-worker by trade and was employed in a sash, door and blind factory until 1874. since which time he has lived upon his pres- ent farm, comprising thirty-six acres of land. He has since purchased sixty acres, so that his holdings now comprise ninety-six acres in two tracts. There is a tract of twenty acres next to his homeplace and forty acres a half mile distant. Fruit has been his prin- cipal source of income and he makes a spe- cialty of the raising of apples and peaches, having about fifty-five acres planted to fruit. He has sold as high as sixteen hundred bar- rels of apples and four thousand bushels of peaches in a single season. He is well known as a horticulturist and his opinions regarding fruit-raising are largely received as authority in this locality .. For thirty-two years he has devoted himself to the farm and its splendid condition has resulted from his careful efforts, untiring application and unfaltering diligence. In 1900 he erected a handsome residence, which is one of the most attractive homes between Benton Har- bor and Coloma. It is built in modern style of architecture, is commodious and supplied with all modern equipments. He has water- works upon the place and the water is piped to the house. He uses the latest improved facilities for carrying on the work of the farm and is well known as a fruit-raiser and . shipper. He bought out the interest of the other heirs in the home property and has confined his attention to the farm, planting well selected varieties of fruit, so that he now raises some of the best apples and peaches produced in the county. He is a member of the Berrien County Horticultural Society and is interested in all that pertains to fruit-growing.

On the 7th of November, 1894, Mr. Mitchell was united in marriage to Miss Theodore Kipfer, who was born in Menard county, Illinois, where they were married. She is of French lineage, being descended in

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the paternal line from an old Alsace-Lor- raine family. Her father was for many years a merchant of Petersburg, Illinois, and died when his daughter was sixteen years of age. Her mother is still living, now making her home in Cincinnati. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have become the parents of two sons, Ray and Wallace.

In politics Mr. Mitchell is a stanch Democrat and has been nominee for various offices but the township is strongly Repub- lican. He is a master of Twelve. Corners Grange, No. 700, becoming a charter mem- ber of this organization sixteen years ago. He believes this to be an important educa- tional factor and does all in his power to promote its growth. He is also connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Coloma. His entire life has been passed in this county and as a representative of industrial and horticultural interests he has made an excellent business record.

GILBERT HUTCHINSON, living in St. Joseph, has done much to advance agri- cultural and horticultural interests in this part of the state. In fact he has been a pio- neer in inaugurating new methods and the community at large has benefited by his ef- forts, for it has been seen that his plans were practical and that good results have followed his labors. He was born in Orange, Orange county, Vermont, February · 22, 1849, and was but eleven years of age when he was left an orphan by the death of his parents. When a youth of sixteen he began learning the brick mason's trade, serv- ing a three years' apprenticeship, receiving one hundred dollars for his first year's serv- ice, one hundred and twenty-five dollars for the second year and one hundred and fifty dollars for the third year in addition to his board and at the end of the term he was given a hundred dollar bill. He served his apprenticeship in St. Johnsbury. Caledonia county, Vermont, and worked for the same man eight years at carpentering and brick work. His brother-in-law, a Mr. Chubb, and his brother were engaged in this line of business and employed from twenty to fifty 11e11.

In 1875 Mr. Hutchinson disposed of his

interests in the east and came to Michigan, making the change on account of his health. Mr. Hutchinson had been in Michigan and his family were already here, so he made his way to the middle west and purchased a tract of land in the south part of the town, comprising fifteen acres which was all run clown. There were old peach trees upon the place which he had to pull out. He largely reset the orchard to pears, which have been his main crop since that time. The whole tract is devoted to fruit culture and he has continued to carry on the farm since his ar- rival in Berrien county, although for eight years he has lived in the village on the lake shore. In addition to his fifteen acres he has a tract of ten acres set out to Bartlett pears. He has made a close study of the pear tree, its needs and possibilities for development and cultivation. He was the first man in Michigan to cut back or "head" back the pear trees, an idea that was ridiculed by nurserymen and fruit-growers, but which has since been adopted by prominent men- bers of the horticultural society and has also been advocated by state lecturers. Mr. Hutchinson adopted this plan as a result of experiment and observation and it has proven very successful. He was also the first man to fit un a wheel cart to spray the trees with. At first his barrel was set on a steamboat. He also fitted up a power pump before everv seeing such a device in use. Owing to his active, progressive and practical methods his crop has exceeded his expectation and he has realized better prices than other fruit-growers, as he produces better. finer and larger fruit.

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 87

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