A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 97

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

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ford, Massachusetts. Edward came from England, and was therefore the progenitor of the family in the new world. Samuel Chamberlain, great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was a resident of New Hampshire. His son, Samuel Chamberlain, served as a lieu- tenant in the war for independence. Sam- uel Chamberlain and his son Moses were

Mr. and Mrs. Montague ' both in service . as substitutes for a short period during the Revolutionary war. Sev- enteen of Mr. Chamberlain's ancestors served in the colonial wars. Jacob Cham- berlain, previously mentioned, born in 1691, died in 1734. He married Abigail Hasey, who was born in 1695, and died in 1793. Samuel Chamberlain, son of Jacob and Abi- gail (Hasey) Chamberlain, was born in 1724, and died in 1802. He married Mar- tha Mellen, who was born in 1730, and died in 1820. Her ancestry can be traced back to Simon Mellen, a son of Richard Mellen. Simon Mellen was born in 1640, and died in 1694.

Moses Chamberlain, a son of Samuel and Martha (Mellen) Chamberlain, was. born in 1757, and died in 1811. He was the grandfather of William Chamberlain of this review. He married Rebecca Abbot, who was born in 1760, and died in 1846. She had two half brothers and two own brothers, all of whom served in the Revolutionary war and three of them died in service.

Moses Chamberlain, son of Moses and Rebecca (Abbot) Chamberlain, of Loudon, New Hampshire, was born in 1792, and de- parted this life in 1866. He married Mary Foster, who was born in 1797, and passed away in 1870. She was a daughter of Abiel and Susanah (Moore) Foster. Her father was born in 1773, and died in 1846, while his- wife was born at Canterbury, New Hamp- shire, April 9, 1775. Rev. Foster was. a resident of Canterbury, New Hampshire, and for eighteen years was a member of congress under the confederation and con- stitution. In the maternal line the ancestry can be traced back to the Rev. Nathaniel Rogers, who went to Ipswich, Massa- chusetts, in 1636, and was the first minister there. His son, John Rogers, was also a. minister here and was the second president:

yr Chamberlain.

١٢

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HISTORY OF BERRIEN COUNTY

of Harvard University. His son, John Rogers II, also engaged in preaching the gospel at Ipswich, Massachusetts, and was the father of Samuel Rogers, who was like- wise a public officer and a man of affairs. It was his daughter Mary who became the wife of Rev. Abiel Foster, mentioned above. Thomas Dudley, another ancestor, was either governor or deputy governor of the colony of Massachusetts Bay from 1630 until 1651. He was connected with Revolu- tionary farne.

The marriage of Moses Chamberlain and Rebecca Abbot was celebrated June 18, 1817, at which time Mr. Chamberlain was a "trader" at Pembroke, New Hampshire, where he had lived for a year or more. The old family residence there which was built by the father in 1820 is still standing in an excellent state of preservation. The chil- dren born unto Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain were : Mary Foster, born November 3, 1818, married Hale E. Crosby at Concord, New Hampshire, November 1, 1838. Mellen was born June 4, 1821. He was a grad- uate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School; commenced the practice of law in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1848; was chief justice of the municipal court of that city for some years; was librarian of the Boston city library from 1876 to 1890, when he resigned; member of the Massachusetts house and senate; gave to the Boston city library a large and valuable collection of autographs and manuscripts; wrote many valuable historical works. Henry was born March 17, 1824. Elizabeth, born October 18, 1826, was married October 18, 1849. William of this review was the next mem- ber of the family. Extended mention of his brother, Henry Chamberlain, , the founder of Three Oaks, is made on another page of this work.

William Chamberlain was only about nine years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal from New England to New Buffalo, Michigan. He acquired a common-school education, spending about three months each year in the mastery of the common branches of English learning until seventeen years of age. He afterward worked upon the home farm until twenty-

seven years of age, but in the meantime en- gaged to some extent in buying and selling stock. In 1864 he removed to Three Oaks and became a factor in its mercantile life as a dealer in hardware and general mer- chandise. He also handled wool, grain and produce. The business was conducted suc- cessively by the firms of Chamberlain, Mc- Kie & Company, Chamberlain & Company, Chamberlain & Churchill, Chamberlain & Hatfield, Chamberlain, Warren & Hatfield, and from 1864 until 1890 Mr. Chamberlain thus continued active in business. He also made banking a feature of his enterprise and was president of the bank. Moreover he promoted various other business inter- ests which have had direct and important bearing upon the development and substan- tial progress of Three Oaks. He was con- nected with the Warren Featherbone Whip Company and the Warren Featherbone Cor- set Company. He was the first to buy and ship cattle and hogs from this place.

Mr. Chamberlain was married in March, 1857, in Canterbury, New Hampshire, to Miss Caroline S. Chamberlain, a cousin. She was born in Canterbury, October 29, 1834, her parents being John and Mary (Clough) Chamberlain, natives of the old Granite State, in which they spent their entire lives. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain of this re- view were born three sons and four daugh- ters : Alice, the wife of James H. Hatfield, president of the Kalamazoo Corset Com- pany ; Grace A., the wife of Daniel Tellier, a mechanic of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Moses Abbott, who at the age of thirteen years was a page in the Michigan senate and died at the age of fifteen years; Lucy Florence, the wife of Fred Parsons, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he is engaged in real es- tate and other business operations; Carrie E., the wife of Dr. E. L. McCann, a prac- ticing physician of Chicago; William Oliver, a traveling salesman; and Benjamin, at home.

Mr. Chamberlain was regarded for many years as one of the most prominent and in- fluential residents of the county. He held all of the township offices save that of jus- tice of the peace and treasurer. He was county superintendent of the poor from 1861

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until 1880 and postmaster of Three Oaks from 1870 until 1872. In the latter year he was elected to represent his district in the lower house of the state legislature and by re-election held the office for three success- ive terms and upon his retirment from that position was elected in 1878 to the state senate, serving as president pro tem in 1879. In 1881 he was appointed a member of the committee to prepare a revision of the tax laws and was a member of the board of control of the state prison from 1885 until 1891. On the 6th of April, 1893, he was appointed warden of the prison and was known throughout the United States as a model officer of a penal institution. He be- came a member of the national prison con- gress and the national congress of correc- tion and charities and was also a member and president of the state association of superintendents of the poor. For twelve years he was a member of the executive committee of the State Agricultural Society and for two years acted as its president. His public service was most commendable, characterized by an unfaltering devotion to duty and close study of the methods that would best promote the work entrusted to him. He cast his first vote for Governor Brigham in 1854 and from that time for- ward was a stanch advocate of the Repub- lican party and a member of the Michigan Club. When only nine years of age he carried the mail on horseback from New Buffalo to Michigan City, riding along the beach, as there was no road. He was a great reader, keeping abreast with the signs of the times and with the progress of mod- ern thought, and for some time he kept the township library in his home. He did everything in his power to advance the in- tellectual progress of the community and also stood for moral development and up- building. He helped organize the Congre- gational Church at Three Oaks, worked un- tiringly for its development and upbuilding and was superintendent of the Sunday- school in the village. In fact he founded the first Sunday-school and was the first deacon of the Congregational Church. He led a life of great activity and he was the second layman that was ever made a mod-

erator of the state association of his church. He owned the original farm of three hun- dred and twenty acres which had formerly belonged to his father and retained it in his possession up to the time of his death. His life was honorable, his actions manly and sincere. He was fearless in conduct, stain- less in reputation and his political service and his business career were alike creditable, honorable and beneficial to Berrien county.

Mrs. Chamberlain was called upon to mourn the loss of her husband on the 7th of November, 1901, and the feeling of regret was uniform throughout the entire com- munity, for his life had been one of such worth as to render him a citizen whose use- fulness was universally acknowledged. Mrs. Chamberlain shared with him in all of his church work and was the president of the first missionary society in Three Oaks. She, too, was deeply interested in political ques- tions and her influence was undoubtedly a factor in her husband's successes. She is an 'exceptionally bright and entertaining woman, keeping in touch with the trend of modern thought and her influence has been most effective and far reaching in promoting the intellectual and moral progress of this portion of the state. She occupies a fine home on South Main street and is esteemed by all who know her.

LESTER G. AND LESLIE W. PLATT constitute the firm of Drs. L. G. and L. W. Platt, dental practitioners of Niles. They are native sons of this city born in 1877. As twins they were closely associated in all of their pleasures and interests in boyhood in their school life and during the greater part of the time in their professional career. Their father, William E. Platt, was born in Niles, Michigan, in 1843, a fact which in- dicates that the family was established in this city in pioneer days. The paternal grandfather, George W. Platt, was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and removed from New England to Michigan at an early per- iod in the settlement of this part of the State. He was a tinsmith by trade and on coming to Niles established a hardware bus- iness, which he conducted very successfully until a short time prior to his death, when

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he turned the business over to his three sons. Henry C., William E. and Alonzo W. Platt. They continued in the conduct of the enterprise under the firm style of Platt Brothers until the death of Henry C. Platt in 1892, when William E. Platt became sole proprietor and has since managed the store successfully, his labors resulting in the ac- quirement of a handsome competence.

William E. Platt was educated in the schools of this city and received his busi- ness training under his father's direction, early entering the store, with which he has since been continuously connected. The name of Platt is therefore an old and hon- ored one in trade circles in Niles. William E. Platt was married to E. J. Deniston, who was also born in this city and was a daugh- ter of Alfred Deniston, a native of Niles, whose parents came to Berrien county in 1830 and took up their abode in this place. Unto Mr. and Mrs. William E. Platt have been born four children, of whom three are yet living. The eldest, Ralph D., was born in Niles in 1870, is a commercial traveler, now making his home in Pueblo, Colorado. He married Anna C. Henkle, of Goshen, Indiana, and has three sons, Raymond, Charles and William Platt.

At the usual age Leslie W. and Lester G. Platt became students in the public schools of Niles, wherein they continued their studies through successive grades until they were graduated from the Niles high school in the class of 1895. They became students in the University of Ann Arbor, matriculating in the dental department, from which they were graduated with the class of 1898. Thus qualified for their chosen profession Leslie W. Platt went to Marion, Indiana, where he practiced until 1905, when he came to Niles and formed a partnership with his brother Lester G. The latter also practiced in Marion and Summitville, Indiana, but returned to his native city in 1902 and practiced alone until his brother joined him in 1905. They have since built up a very extensive business. Both young men are progressive and thor- oughly understand their profession. They are thoroughly familiar with modern meth-

ods and keep in touch with the advance of the profession. Lester G. Platt now makes a specialty of operative dentistry, while Leslie W. Platt makes a specialty of crown, bridge and plate work, and thus the labors of one ably supplement the labors of the other.

Dr. L. G. Platt was married December 27, 1905, in Niles to Miss Gayl King, a native of Chicago. Dr. L. W. Platt was married November 30, 1905, at Piqua, Ohio, to Miss Edith Gould, a native of St. Louis, Missouri. They are both members of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and Lester G. Platt also belongs to the Masonic fratern- ity. In the city of their birth they are pop- ular both socially and professionally and have a very extensive circle of warm friends.

THEODORE GILBERT BEAVER, who as a lawyer and leader in Democratic circles has enjoyed more than local reputa- tion, is now practically living retired in Niles, although filling the office of justice of the peace. In years gone by he was con- nected with much important litigation in the middle west and gained a position of distinctive preferment at the bar.

A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Beaver was born in Union county, in 1834, a son of Jesse and Mary Ann (Swartz) Beaver. The father, who was born in Pennsylvania, March 8, 18II, was a merchant and shipper on the bays and canals, having boats on both in the days when the greater part of the transportation was made over the water- ways of the country. Later he became con- nected with the iron and coal industry in Danville, Pennsylvania, thus aiding in the development of the natural resources of the state, and some years prior to his death he retired from active business cares and spent his remaining days in the enjoyment of a rest which was truly earned and richly de- served, continuing to live in Danville until called to his final rest. He wedded Mary Ann Swartz, who was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1813, and was a daughter of Dr. Andrew Swartz, who was a prominent physician of Mifflin county,

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Pennsylvania, and died there in 1847. The death of Jesse Beaver occurred in Danville, Pennsylvania, December 2, 1892, when he he was eighty-one years of age, and his wife passed away January 1, 1903, at Danville, when in her eightieth year.

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver were the parents of ten children, five sons and five daughters, all of whom are living at this writing in 1906, namely : Theodore G., of this review ; Margaret E., the wife of John K. Kramer, of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania; Thomas W .; Jane W., the widow of Wilson Gerhardt, of Pennsylvania; Charles; Marion, the widow of John Gaskin, of Danville, Penn- sylvania; Jesse; Clara; Emma, the wife of John R. Rote, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania ; and J. Andrew.

Theodore G. Beaver was educated in Pennsylvania under private tutors and in private schools and academies. He was al- ways an earnest student and his scholarly tastes and habits have characterized his en- tire life. His literary education completed, he went to Chicago and while looking around in order to secure a good place to study law in a lawyer's office, he came to Niles on a visit and here met the late Frank- lin Muzzy, who at that time was one of the prominent lawyers practicing at the bar of southern Michigan. On the Ist of January, 1859, he entered Mr. Muzzy's office as a student and under his direction read law until 1862, when he was admitted to the bar of Berrien county. He practiced in Niles until the Ist of January, 1869, when he removed to Chicago, where he gained a large and distinctively representative client- age. He was often in different federal courts of the United States in all parts of the middle west. acting as advocate for the defense or prosecution in many important criminal suits and also in many large bank- rupt cases, etc. He won a wide reputation for skill and ability in the presentation of his cause, and his strong argument and log- ical deductions indicated thorough prepara- tion and familiarity with the principles of the law. He remained in Chicago for about three years or until after the great fire of October 9. 1871. when his office and prop-

erty were destroyed by fire. Because of this loss and also by reason of his wife's ill health, he returned to Niles, where he re- sumed the practice of law, in which he con- tinued actively until 1898, having a large clientage that connected him with the most important litigation tried in the courts of his district. In 1899 he was elected justice of the peace, which position he is now fill- ing, and his comprehensive knowledge of the law makes him an able judge of this court.

This is not the only office that Mr. Beaver has filled, for he has twice been mayor of Niles, elected first in 1884 and again in 1889, his administrations being characterized by all that marks the faithful official who regards a public office as a pub- lic trust and places the general good before the aggrandizement of self. He was also recorder of the city in 1863. He is a stanch Democrat, active in support of the princi- ples of the party. In the last election he made the race for congress as the Demo- cratic candicate. and polled a large vote but could not overcome the normal Republican majority.

Judge Beaver was married in Niles, in 1863, to Miss Frances Mary Twombly, who was born in 1843, and is a daughter of the Hon. Royal T. Twombly, of Maine. Mrs. Beaver died in Niles in 1876. at the age of thirty-three years. Two children were born of this union: Theodora B., who was born in Chicago and is the wife of William E. Vanderlyn, of Wisconsin, by whom she has one son, Charles Theodore; and Frank Twombly, who was born in Chicago. Illi- nois, and is editor of a newspaper at Joliet, Illinois. He married Maud Schultz in Chi- cago.

Mr. Beaver is a prominent Mason, hav- ing attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum and has taken a very prom- inent part in the work of the Maccabees order, being now a past grand commander. He has also held various offices in Masonry. Mr. Beaver is an orator of more than usual power and ability, and this gift was one of the elements of his success as a trial

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lawyer. It has also made him a popular campaign speaker and he took the stump when Thomas A. Hendricks was candidate for governor of Indiana. He also has ad- dressed many other public meetings, espe- cially in the order of Maccabees, and is an earnest, fluent speaker, his public utterances showing a readiness of thought and mastery of the subject under discussion.

ADEN M. EMERSON, city treasurer of St. Joseph, is one of the representative young men of Berrien county and has for several years past been an active worker and leader in local political circles. He was born in Coloma, in Watervliet township, Berrien county, on the 25th of August, 1878 and is the elder of the two sons born unto Clark and Margaret (McCray) Em- erson, who are yet residents of Coloma. The younger son is Ralph W. Emerson.

Aden M. Emerson was reared in Minne- sota to the age of twenty-one years and also acquired much of his education there, but later attended the Benton Harbor College, where he pursued a commercial course and was thus fitted for the arduous duties of business life. He was graduated in the class of 1900 and immediately afterward became a factor in business circles, entering the employ of the Truscott Manufacturing Company of St. Joseph. In 1901 he be- came bookkeeper for the Union Ice & Coal Company, of which Brown Brothers are proprietors, and has remained with them to the present time. In 1905 he was elected city treasurer of St. Joseph, which office he is now filling in connection with the duties of his business position. He is a progres- sive young man, of positive character, in- domitable energy and strong in his views.

Mr. Emerson votes with the Democratic party, and upon that ticket was chosen to his present position. He belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees and to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and is vice- grand in the latter organization at the pres- ent time. He was happily married in 1904 in St. Joseph to Miss Nora Matz, who was born in this city and they now have one child, Edwin Matz, whose birth occurred here in

1905. They attend the Evangelical church and are well known in this city.

EDWIN IRVIN BACKUS, D. D. S., successfully engaged in the practice of dental surgery in St. Joseph, is a native son of Michigan, his birth having occurred in Mil- ton township, Cass county, in 1870. He is a representative of one of the pioneer fami- lies of this state. His paternal grandfather, Abijah P. Backus, was born in the state of New York, whence he emigrated westward, taking up his abode in Cass county at an early period in the development of the lat- ter district. He found a forest region, in the midst of which he cleared and improved a farm, and the development of his success of such is indicated by the fact that the town hall of Milton is now located on part of the land which he cleared and cultivated. Upon the old family homestead there his son, Dr. Harvey R. Backus, was born and reared, spending his boyhood days amid pioneer surroundings and watching with in- terest the county as it emerged from fron- tier conditions and took on all of the ad- vantages and evidences known to eastern civilization. In his youth he assisted in the farm labor, but thinking' to find other pur- suits more congenial he studied medicine when a young man and for a time engaged in the practice of his profession. He watched with interest the progress of events preceding the inauguration of the Civil war and his patriotic spirit being aroused he offered his professional aid to his country and became hospital steward, being attached to the Twelfth Michigan Volunteer Infan- try, which was organized at Niles. He continued at the front through the period of hostilities and afterward followed farm- ing, being a factor in the agricultural de- velopment of his native county for a long period. He died on the 29th of August, 1904, at the age of sixty-five years, leaving his family an honored name. His widow, who in her maidenhood was Miss Mollie Brown, is still living.

Dr. Edwin Irvin Backus was reared upon the old homestead farm, which had been cleared by his grandfather, to the age

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of twelve years and then went to Iowa, married Miss Sophia Kennedy, whose birth where he worked on a farm owned by an uncle, his father's brother. He was thus employed for seven years, when, prompted by the call of the west to young men of enterprise and ambition, he went to Oregon, where for a short time he was employed as a clerk in a hotel. However, feeling bet- ter pleased with the advantages and busi- ness conditions of the middle section of our country he returned to the Mississippi valley and made his way to South Bend, Indiana, where he entered upon the study of den- tistry. After preliminary work in that di- rection he attended the Ann Arbor Dental College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and was graduated with the class of 1894. He then located for practice in St. Joseph, where he has since remained and his success is well known to his fellow townsmen, who accord him position of prominence in the ranks of the dental fraternity in Berrien county.

In 1893, in South Bend, Indiana, Dr. Backus was married to Miss Nellie F. Mor- gan, who was born in South Bend and they now have one child, Edna Mae, whose birth occurred in St. Joseph. The doctor and his family attend the Methodist church and he is interested in whatever is calcu- lated to promote the moral, intellectual and social as well as material progress of his community. His political views are given to the Republican party, and he is a mem- ber of the Masonic lodge, the Maccabees tent and the Elks lodge. He has added to his natural ability for his profession a sin- cere love of his work without which the greatest success cannot be achieved. He is also well poised, is a man of keen discrimi- nation, prompt in action and his excellent preparation makes him thoroughly reliable in all professional work.

EBEN D. COLLINS, who is engaged in business as a shoe merchant in St. Joseph. was born in Niles, Michigan, in 1852, and is descended from one of the old families of Delaware. His paternal grandfather. Thomas Collins, was born in Milford, Kent county, Delaware. about 1785. passing away in 1824 when only thirty-nine years of age, and was a brick mason and plasturer by trade. He

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A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, Part 97

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