A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 93

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

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eral children, of whom two are living : Ella, now Mrs. Nathanson, a resident of San Francisco, California; and A. Rolla, now living in Texas. The mother of these chil- dren died in Michigan at the age of sixty- five years.

Roland F. Taber when but five years of age, his mother having died in the mean- time, went to live in Benton township with an uncle, Jonas Inman, who was an early settler of that township. He was reared upon the uncle's farm and acquired his education in the district schools. Early in life he began farming on his own account and as his labor and careful management brought him capital he kept adding to the same until he had sufficient to purchase the old homestead. To this he added from time to time as his financial resources increased and in the earlier years of his residence there he carried on general farming, culti- vating the cereals best adapted to soil and climate, but later he directed his labors more largely to horticultural pursuits, plant- ing peach and pear trees and all kinds of fruit. The soil and climate seemed especi- ally adapted for this work and Mr. Taber was very prosperous. He also raised vege- tables for the city markets. At the present time he owns forty acres of land, the greater part of which is planted to orchards. It lies in Benton township and is a very productive tract. About twelve years ago he removed to Benton Harbor in order to provide his children with better educational privileges, but he still gives personal supervision to the operation and improvement of his fruit farm in the summer months.

Mr. Taber has held many offices of pub- lic trust, his fellow townsmen recognizing his worth and ability and therefore calling him to such positions. He has been a mem- ber of the school board for twenty-one years and has done effective service in advancing the interests of the cause of education. For eighteen years he has acted as school direc- tor, for six years has been justice of the peace and for three terms commissioner of highways.

In 1871, Mr. Taber was united in mar- riage in Galesburg, Illinois, to Miss Melissa

. . .

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

E. Burridge, who was a native of Indiana and who died in February, 1905, at the age of fifty-three years when they had traveled life's journey together for more than a third of a century. They had two children : Roland B., now a successful practicing phy- sician of Benton Harbor; and Lizzie M., the wife of James P. Kakebeeke, of Benton Harbor.

Mr. Taber is a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows. He has a wide acquaintance in the county where his entire life has been passed and where he has so directed his labors as to win signal success through his undertakings. In all life's rela- tions he has been found reliable and trust- worthy and he commands the respect and good will of all who know him.

REV. FATHER MICHAEL GEORGE ESPER, pastor of St. Joseph's Church at St. Joseph, Michigan, was born in Greenfield, Wayne county, this state, on the 19th of February, 1865, a son of Jacob and Katherine (Horger) Esper, the former a native of Germany, born in 1831, while the latter was a native of Detroit, Michigan, born in 1835. The father followed the oc- cupation of farming as a means of liveli- hood throughout his entire business career and died in Detroit on the 14th of May, 1905, while his wife passed away in that city September 21, 1882, at the age of forty- seven years. In their family were fourteen children, of whom seven are yet living : John, who makes his home in Detroit : Mary, the wife of Peter Theison, of that city; Michael George, and Peter, twins, the latter a priest of the church at Brown City, Michigan; Elizabeth, who is known as Sis- ter Mary Michael and is located at Adrain, Michigan, belonging to the Dominican order; Anthony, who is living in St. Joseph, where he is janitor of the church and who married Ella May Henn, of Brown City. Michigan; and George, who is a student at Sandwich, Canada, preparing for holy orders.

Father Esper of this review was reared in his native city to the age of eighteen years and then supplemented his early edu-

cation by study in the St. Francis College at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He afterward went to Baltimore, Maryland, where he at- tended St. Mary's Seminary and he com- pleted his studies in Cincinnati, Ohio, at St. Mary's College, from which he was gradu- ated with the class of 1894. In the same year he was ordained to the priesthood and after taking holy orders was stationed at Detroit, Michigan, as assistant priest at the Sacred Heart Church, where he remained for three years. He was afterward trans- ferred to Croswell as pastor of St. Patrick's Church, where he labored earnestly for five years and in 1902 he came to St. Joseph, Michigan, taking charge of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church at this place. When he located here the church was heavily in debt, having incurred financial obligations to the extent of five thousand dollars, but through his able financing, his consecrated efforts and his unfaltering de- votion to the work which he undertook he has now discharged the indebtedness and has also made improvements to the church property to the value of nine thousand dol- lars. The church has been organized in its different offices and societies and is doing an excellent work in the community, Father Esper taking a helpful part in advancing the temporal as well as spiritual interests of his parishioners. He is a broad-minded and public-spirited citizen as well and is con- stantly alert for the best interests of his people and for the community at large.

HENRY BURTON, a representative of agricultural interests in Pipestone township but making his home in Benton Harbor, was born in Pipestone township, Berrien county, in the year 1847. His father, James Bur- ton, was a native of England and remained in that land until twenty-one years of age, when he crossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. He followed farming in that portion of the country until about 1835, when he came to Terrecopee, Indiana, where he located upon a farm for a few years, thence to Michigan, establishing his home upon a farm bordering the St. Joseph river

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in Pipestone township. He purchased a tract of land in the midst of the green woods, near Hartman Station, becoming one of the early settlers of the locality. Not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made upon the place and he at once began to clear away the timber and prepare the fields for the plow. The arduous labor made his life a strenuous one, but he continued in his work until he had cleared and cultivated eighty acres of land, which is still in possession of the family. He bore all the hardships and trials usually incident to life on the frontier. There were no roads through the forests at that time and wild animals were frequently seen, while various kinds of game could be had in abundance. There were pleasures too that are unknown at the present time and these proved a welcome alternative to the hard labor of the farm, which came as new land was transformed from its primitive condition into richly cultivated fields. He wedded Miss Mary Patterson, who was born in the same neighborhood in England in which her husband's birth occurred. Both have now passed away, Mr. Burton's death having occurred on the old homestead in Pipestone township in 1857 when he was fifty-seven years of age, while his wife died in the same township in 1877 at the age of sixty-three years, having survived him for two decades. They were the parents of nine children, but only four are now living : William, a resident of Benton Harbor ; Henry and Jane, twins, the latter the wife of T. W. Jones, a resident of Eau Claire, Ber- rien county ; and Edwin, who is living on the old homestead. One son, the Rev. Rob- ert Patterson Burton, attended the North- eastern Normal School at Valparaiso, In- diana, and afterward the United Brethren Seminary at Dayton, Ohio, where he pre- pared for the active work of the ministry, to which he devoted his life for thirty years. preaching the gospel according to the teach- ings of the United Brethren church. He spent much of his time in Indiana and was very active and earnest in his holy calling, his influence being a potent element in the moral development of every community in which he resided. He died November 23,

1903, at the age of fifty-two years and his memory is yet enshrined in the hearts of many who knew him and who gave him their respect and love because of his up- right life and helpful work. He married Sarah Thomas, who still survives him and they had three children: Lenore, Mabel and Blanche.

Henry Burton, whose name introduces this record, was reared upon the old fam- ily homestead in Pipestone township and attended the district schools. Early in life, he, too, entered the ministry and for eight years was pastor of the Christian church in Plattsville, Wisconsin. He also engaged in preaching the gospel at Georgetown, Wis- consin, and at Benton Harbor. At length retiring from the ministry. he is now giving his attention to the supervision of a farm in Pipestone township, at Hartman, his early experience at farm labor well acquainting him with the work and thoroughly equipping him for the practical and successful man- agement of his agricultural interests.

In 1875, in Ohio, Mr. Burton was united in marriage to Miss Laura E. McHenry, a native of the Buckeye state. They have no children of their own, but have adopted a son, Willie A. Mr. Burton formerly gave his political adherence to the Republican party, but believing the temperance question with all its attendant considerations to be the most important issue before the people he now gives his ballot to the Prohibition party. He stands for all that is just, true and right between man and his fellowmen and his entire life has been actuated by high principles and worthy motives.

MRS. OLIVE A. EDINBOROUGH, who resides in Hagar township, is the widow of Thomas Edinborough, who was born in England in 1830, and came to the United States when but two years old, hav- ing been brought to this country by his par- ents. His father died soon afterward in Ohio, and the mother with her two sons and a daughter came to Michigan, settling in St. Joseph about 1835, making the trip with the family of Joseph Caldwell. In Berrien county she secured a small tract of land and

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

here she afterward married Robert Dickin- son, and became the mother of a family that included Arthur Dickinson, who

1s now living on the old Dickin- son homestead in Benton township. Mrs. Dickinson continued to reside in this county until her demise, which occurred when she was sixty years of age. The three children of her first marriage were William, Mary and Thomas Edinborough. Of this number, William owned a farm adjoining his brother Thomas' property and developed it into a productive tract of land, which he continued to cultivate until his death, which occurred on that place when he was forty years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Ruth Clawson, survived him for ten or fifteen years. He left three children; Frank Edinborough, who is in Valparaiso, Indi- ana; Millie, the wife of Richard McDowell; and Jessie, the wife of De Forest McDowell, a half brother of Richard, and a resident of Osceola county, Michigan. Mary Edin- borough became the wife of David McKen- zie, a sailor, who died a few years later.

Thomas Edinborough, like his brother and sister, remained with the mother on the Dickinson farm after her second marriage and was trained to farm labor. In 1854, when twenty-four years of age, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Olive A. Yerring- ton, of Benton Harbor, a daughter of Ed- win and Olive (Thomas) Yerrington, who were born, reared and married in Jefferson county, New York, and came to Michigan when their daughter Olive was a little maiden of nine summers, arriving in the year 1843. In their family at that time were four children. Mr. Yerrington secured land on what is now Highland avenue, three and a half miles east of Benton Harbor. There he hewed out a farm, which at the time of his purchase was covered with heavy tim- ber. There was a plank house upon the place, but hardly a tree had been cut or an improvement made, and he continued the work of clearing and developing until he had a fine farm of forty acres. Upon that place both he and his wife spent their re- maining days, his death occurring when he was seventy years of age, while his wife survived him for some time, lacking but a

few months of being eighty-seven years of age at the time of her demise. She had lived upon her farm for sixty years and was one of the last surviving members of the orig- inal band of early pioneer settlers, who did so much to plant the seeds of civilization in the west and develop good farms here. In the Yerrington farmily were thirteen chil- dren, ten of whom reached mature years, while nine are still living. Of this number there are seven daughters and two sons : Charles, a resident of Bainbridge; James O., who resides on the old homestead; Theresa, the wife of William Stover, who is living in Canada; Roxy, who is the widow of George Schoonover and makes her home in Canada; Mrs. Celestine Watson, a widow living in Canada; Elizabeth, the wife of William Burdick, of Sodus township; Belle, the wife of James Watson, of Sodus town- ship; and Viola, who married William Phillips and is living in Watervliet. The other member of the family is Olive, now Mrs. Edinborough. At the time of his mar- riage Mr. Edinborough had a log house to which to take his bride and about ten or twelve acres of his land had been cleared. She has since lived upon the farm, making her home here from 1854, or for fifty-two years. Mr. Edinborough continued the work of cultivating and improving the prop- erty until failing health caused him to seek a change of climate, and he went to Cali- fornia, where he spent several months but the change did not prove beneficial and he passed away there in 1875. His remains were brought home and his grave was made . in the Hagar cemetery. Throughout his business career he devoted his energies to agricultural and horticultural pursuits, hav- ing half of his land under cultivation, de- · voted to the raising of fruit and grain. He had been a sufferer from asthma for twenty years and because of this was rejected when he offered his aid to the government at the time of the Civil war. His political alle- giance was given to the Democracy and he always kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day, so that he was able to support his position by intelligent argu- ment. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Ben-

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

ton Harbor, and his life was at all times upright and honorable.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Edinborough were born two sons and three daughters: Emma, the wife of Fred McKee, who is living in Benton township; Warren, who spent his life on a farm save for a short time when he was engaged in the grocery business in Benton Harbor, and he passed away at the age of twenty-six years; Dora, who is the widow of George Caldwell; Charles, who operates the home farm; and Daisy, the wife of E. C. Allen, of Hagar township. Of this family Charles has spent his life with his mother and from the age of seventeen years has been engaged in carrying on the farm work. His elder brother, Warren, died when about twenty-six years of age, and the father also having passed away, upon Charles devolved the task of cultivating and improving the property. He resolutely un- dertook the work which he has since carried forward to successful completion. He is a fruit-grower, having about half of his farm devoted to peaches, pears and grapes.

On the 17th of June, 1888, Mr. Edin- borough was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Miller, the daughter of William Mil- ler, of Benton township, and they have be- come the parents of three children, Arthur, Minnie and Thomas. Charles Edinborough devotes his entire time to the farm and his undivided attention has resulted in the ac- quirement of good success, so that he is now in possession of a comfortable competence and is regarded as one of the substantial citizens of the community.

CLELLEN B. BURY, a representative farmer of Benton township, who makes a specialty of the cultivation of melons and is successfully conducting his business in- terests, was born on the old family home- stead in this township, June 17, 1862. His father, John D. Bury, at one time a repre- sentative agriculturist of the township, was born August 18, 1804, and died at the old homestead, November 15, 1882, when sev- enty-eight years of age. His birth occurred in Pennsylvania and his parents were John Colebrook and Elizabeth (Travers) Bury. The father was born at No. 52 West Cheap-

side, London, March 6, 1764, and in his native country he was married to Dorothea Sherwood, who died in England. He then came to the United States, where he was for a time engaged in the practice of medicine. Later, however, he turned his attention to the millwright's trade. He was married in Pennsylvania to Elizabeth Travers, and in that state their son, John D., was born. When he was a small boy they removed to Kent county, Canada, settling in Ontario, where John C. Bury built the Malcolm Mills, which became the scene of a local war in 1812. John Colebrook Bury was for many years a prominent representative of indus- trial life in his section of Canada, and there died at the venerable age of eighty-six years.

John D. Bury was the sixth in order of birth in a family of fourteen children, all born within twenty-two years. He remained a resident of Canada from his early boy- hood days until 1835, when he came to Michigan, settling in St. Joseph. During the first season he was employed at work on the government docks, earning a dollar and a quarter per day and board, so that in the fall he was enabled to secure a deed to one hundred and twenty acres of govern- ment land, his patent being signed by Presi- dent Van Buren. That land became his homestead in 1837 and he held it under the original patent until his death. It is still in possession of the family. In 1836 he was again in the government employ and in 1837 he brought his family, consisting of his wife, daughter and two sons, to his new home in Berrien county.

He had been married in Canada to Miss Martha Green, who was born on the 24th of August, 1810, and died on the 27th of August, 1858, at the age of forty-eight years. She was the mother of eleven chil- dren, of whom only three reached years of maturity. His second marriage, to Miss Fannie Byers, was celebrated in Bainbridge township, August 18, 1860. She was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Shanks) Byers and was born September 12, 1825, in Livingston county, New York. She had come to Berrien county two years prior to her marriage to visit her father's brothers,

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Tobias Byers, of Van Buren county, Henry Byers, also of that county, and David Byers, of Berrien county. Mrs. Fannie (Byers) Bury, following the death of her husband, removed to Benton Harbor, and died later at the home of her son Clellen on the 6th of April, 1904. There were three children of that marriage: Clellen B., John D., and Elsie I. The three children of the first mar- riage who reached mature years were Eliza- beth, Freeman and George. Elizabeth be- came the second wife of Joseph Caldwell, who in early life came from England to America and in pioneer times in this county purchased land north of Benton Harbor on the Paw Paw river. Mrs. Caldwell died at the age of thirty-three years. Freeman Bury, born in 1832, makes his home in Ben- ton township, where he has lived since 1837. George, born in 1834, served throughout the Civil war and afterward removed to Minnesota, where he remained some time, while later report of his death was received

The old Bury homestead is situated three and a half miles east of Benton Harbor on the Territorial road. Mr. Bury owned there two hundred and sixty-four acres of land, of which he placed one hundred and . tract had been secured by his father in 1850. sixty acres in cultivation. He planted the purchase price being six hundred and fifty dollars for one hundred and twenty acres. Clellen B. Bury has made good im- provements here. He erected his present brick residence in 1886, has built good barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock and has placed his fields under a high state of cultivation. He is well known as an extensive raiser of melons, having from five to eight acres planted to this crop and selling from one thousand to twenty-five hundred cases annually. In fact he is one of the largest Osage melon raisers in the township, having devoted his attention to this product for many years. his first orchard in 1837 and some of the old trees are still bearing. He had good improvements upon his farm, including a substantial house and three barns. As his financial resources increased he invested largely in Berrien county property, becom- ing the owner of fifteen hundred acres of land, most of which lay in Benton township. He bought this at an early period in the development of the county, the highest price which he paid for it being ten dollars. He made the purchase prior to 1853 save for one hundred and twenty acres bought in that year, this being about the last tract of gov- ernment land to be had in the county. In the work of early development and improve- ment he took an active and helpful part, aiding in subduing the wilderness and settling the frontier. He was also prom- inent and influential in public life in many other ways, serving as township treasurer for three terms, as supervisor and

in other local offices. In his political affilia- tion he was a Democrat, but was not a poli- tician in the usual sense of office seeking. He was reared a Presbyterian and although he did not become a member of the church he lived an upright moral life and his in- fluence was a valued factor for good and for progress along various lines leading to substantial improvement in the county. His second wife was a member of the Baptist Church. She was a noble woman, devoted to her family and she left her impress for good upon the community in which she lived.

Clellen Byers Bury, whose name intro- duces this review, was reared in the usual manner of farm lads of the period. He worked in the fields through the summer months and in the winter seasons attended the public schools. He continued at home until twenty-three years of age, when he was married. The father divided the old home- stead with his children and later Mr. Bury of this review secured his present farm, which is pleasantly located about four and a half miles southeast of Benton Harbor and about three miles from the old home property. The

On the 28th of November, 1885, Mr. Bury was united in marriage to Miss Rose M. Walker, a daughter of Charles and Han- nah Walker. She was born in Berrien town- ship and her death occurred August 15, 1903, one son, Byron, being left to mourn the loss of the mother. On the 12th of April, 1905, Mr. Bury was again married,

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

his second union being with Caroline Sherer, a daughter of Daniel C. and. Louisa Sherer, of Benton township.

In his political views Mr. Bury is an earnest Democrat, taking an active interest in the party and attending the conventions. He does not seek office, however, preferring to give his attention to his business affairs. His labors are well conducted and in all of his business methods he is practical and energetic, winning success by reason of his close application and untiring enterprise rather than through any fortunate combina- tion of circumstances.

F. M. WITBECK. In the face of dif- ficulties and unadvantageous surroundings that would utterly have discouraged many a man of less resolute spirit F. M. Witbeck has built up a business which is now large and profitable, being at the head of the Wit- beck Hardware Company, of Millburg. His business career is alike creditable and hon- orable and may well serve as a source of in- spiration and encouragement to others, showing what may be accomplished when one has the will to do. A native of New York, he was born in Vienna, Oneida coun- ty, on the 4th of September, 1859, and was only eight years of age when he became a resident of Jackson, Michigan, the family removing to the middle west. His father died in that locality. The son spent his boy- hood days on the farm but not wishing to follow the plow as a life work he soon be- came connected with the implement trade, being employed in that line of business at Mason, Michigan. Later he sold hardware specialties on the road, carrying a grip for twelve years. He traveled to some extent. after coming to Millburg and establishing the business here. It was in the spring of 1899 that he opened his present store, hav- ing but a small stock of hardware, which he purchased on credit. He added agricul- tural implements until he was soon carrying a large and well selected line of hardware, agricultural implements and other mercan- tile features of a similar nature. He has en- larged his stock from time to time until he

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 93

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