USA > Michigan > Cass County > A twentieth century history of Cass County, Michigan > Part 55
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Alamandel J. Talladay, the third child, was about two weeks old when brought to Mason township. Cass county. He was reared upon the old family homestead there until he reached the age of twelve years, when he became a resident of Jefferson township. His education was acquired in a district school near the family home and through the va- cation periods he worked in the fields and assisted in the farm labor un- til after he had attained his majority. At the death of his father he was appointed administrator of the estate and managed the business in ca- pable and energetic fashion. In 1874 he took charge of the county
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farm, continuing in the position for eight years, after which he be- gan farming on his own account in Jefferson township, where he car- ried on the work of tilling the soil for five years. He then once more took charge of the county farm and was its superintendent for seven- teen years, so that his service in that position all together covered twenty- five years. His long incumbency stands in incontrovertible evidence of his capability and the trust reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He brought to bear in the discharge of his duties the same earnest purpose and indefatigable energy that have always characterized him in the man- agement of his private business interests, and he not only carefully looked after those who were dependent upon the county's bounty but also by his capable control made the farm a paying institution.
On the 18th of September. 1877. Mr. Talladay was united in mar- riage to Miss Elizabeth George, a native of Monroe county, New York, born on the 14th of August, 1857. Her parents were Luke and Maria (London) George, both of whom were natives of near London, Eng- land. Crossing the Atlantic, they became residents of the Empire state, and in 1865 arrived in Cass county, Michigan, taking up their abode in Cassopolis. The father was a farmer by occupation, following that pursuit in order to provide for the needs and wants of his family. Un- to him and his wife were born nine children. Mrs. Talladay being the eighth in order of birth. She was only eight years of age when brought to this state, so that the greater part of her life has been passed in Cass county. The marriage of our subject and his wife has been blessed with three sons: Gideon W., a successful merchant now engaged in the hardware and furniture business at Cassopolis, was educated in the com- mon schools and graduated in the Cassopolis city schools in the class of 1895. He is also a graduate of the Valparaiso Normal in the class in the winter of 1896-97. He wedded Miss Jessie Bachelor and they have two little daughters, Loween and Myrn. He is one of the suc- cessful merchants of Cassopolis. Jesse L., who received a common school education and also graduated in the Cassopolis high school, has been on the lakes six or seven years as a sailor. Ray G., who grad- uated in the eighth grade, and was in the eleventh grade of the Cassop- olis high school, was also a student at the Valparaiso Normal. He is at home. All were born in Jefferson township. Mrs. Talladay has an old oaken chest which her great-grandmother brought from England. and it is hand carved and over a century old. They also have an old almanac published in 1838.
Mr. Talladay is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land and carries on the farm work in energetic and able manner, so that he annually harvests good crops. He also has good grades of stock upon his place and his farm is divided into fields of convenient size by well kept fences. In his work he is systematic and methodical and his sound business judgment is manifest in the excellent results which have attended his labors. In politics he has been a lifelong Democrat where
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state and national questions are involved, but at local elections votes independently, considering only the efficiency of the candidate. He be- longs to Backus lodge, No. 55, F. & A. M., of Cassopolis, also Kings- bury Chapter, R. A. M., and his wife is a member of the Baptist church. They are highly esteemed in the communitiy where they reside, the hospitality of many of the best homes being cordially extended them. Mr. Talladay is one who is well known because of his fidelity to public trust and his many good qualities have gained for him a favorable position in the regard of all who know him.
H. C. DAVIS.
Among the thrifty and prosperous farmers of Cass county is num- bered H. C. Davis, residing on section 35, Jefferson township. He dates his residence in the county from 1840, being a young lad of but four years of age at the time of his arrival here. His mind bears the im- press of many of the early historic annals of the state as well as of later day progress and development. He is familiar with conditions which existed when this county was a frontier district, when most of its res- idents lived in log houses and when the home's of the settlers were wide- ly scattered. Only here and there was a mill or business establishment which could furnish the settlers with needed supplies of wearing ap- parel or food products. Journeys were taken very infrequently be- cause of the poor condition of the roads and the fact that the labor of all the people was needed upon the farms in the reclamation of the wild land for the uses of civilization.
Mr. Davis of this review, who for long years has successfully car- ried on farming, was born in Clark county, Ohio, on the 13th of Novem- ber, 1836. His father, Reuben B. Davis, was a native of West Virginia, in which state he remained until early manhood. When about twenty- two years of age, however, he removed westward to Clark county, Ohio, where he secured a tract of land and engaged in farming. He was mar- ried in that state to Miss Susanna Smith, whose birth occurred in Clark county on the ist of February, 1813. She was a daughter of Henry Smith, who was born in New Jersey and became one of the pioneer res- idents of the Buckeye state. His marriage, however, was celebrated in Virginia. He was of German descent, while the Davis family is of Welsh lineage. Reuben B. Davis lived to the advanced age of eighty years, while his wife passed away at the extreme old age of ninety years, hier death occurring in Jefferson township. They had removed from Ohio to Cass county about 1840 and became identified with pioneer interests, sharing in the arduous task of developing the land and estab- lishing a home in the midst of the forest. In their family were seven children, of whom only three sons reached adult age, these being: H. C. of this review; James, a resident farmer of Jefferson township; and Elijalı P .. who is living in Boulder City, Colorado.
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H. C. Davis, who was the eldest son and second child of the fam- ily, was only four years of age when brought by his parents to Mich- igan. The family home was established in Cass county and he has re- sided upon his present farm for sixty-five years. It is dear to him through the associations of his boyhood and youth as well as of his later manhood. In carly life he received loving care and attention from his parents, and in their declining days he gave to them filial affection, thus repaying them for their devotion in his youth. At the usual age he entered the public schools and acquired a knowledge of the common branches of learning that equipped him for life's practical duties. His training at farm labor was not meager, for when not busy with his text-books he worked in the fields, assisting in plowing, planting and harvesting as crops were brought to their fruition. When he had at-
tained man's estate he chose a companion and helpmate for life's jour- ney, being married on the 15th of June, 1863, to Miss Samantha Ros- brough, one of the native daughters of Jefferson township, who has spent her entire life in this part of the county. Her parents were John and Mary (Richardson) Rosbrough, and the mother came of Irish lineage, while the father was of German descent. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Davis has been blessed with three sons and two daughters, name- ly : Charles E .; Henrietta, now the wife of H. K. May, of Minnesota ; Fred S., a resident farmer of Jefferson township: Carrie, the wife of Dr. J. F. Condon, who is living in Breckenridge. Colorado, about one hundred and ten miles from Denver; and Pliny, of Dowagiac.
Mr. Davis is now the owner of one hundred and sixty-nine acres of good land constituting a well improved farm. His entire life has been given to the occupation to which he was reared and he has found in this work a good source of income, resulting from his close applica- tion, capable management and straightforward dealing. His first home was a log cabin that is still standing upon the place. It was erected in 1834 and is a mute reminder of the great changes that have occurred. It was, however, a hospitable home, in which friends, neighbors and strangers were always made welcome. As the financial resources in- creased, however, this primitive dwelling was replaced by one of more modern architecture and also more commodious. There have also been great changes in methods of farming. In his youth the sickle was used in the harvest field and the sheaves were bound by hand, while the threshing was done upon the barn floor, the grain being tramped out by horses or oxen. Invention, however, brought improved farm machin- ery and Mr. Davis has kept in touch with the universal progress along stich lines. He now has a splendidly improved farm, the products of which find a ready sale upon the market, and thus his income is mate- rially increased annually.
In his political views Mr. Davis is an earnest Democrat, active in the work of the party where issues are involved. though at local elec- tions he frequently votes independently, considering only the capabil-
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ity of the candidate. In 1885-6 he was township treasurer, and from 1900 until 1904 inclusive he was supervisor of his township. He was also school officer for twenty-seven years and the duties that have de- volved upon him in these connections have been promptly, faithfully and capably performed. He is never remiss in citizenship nor negli- gent in business, and he has based his business principles and actions upon strict adherence to the rules which govern industry and unswerv- ing integrity. By constant exertion associated with good judgment he has raised himself to the position which he now holds, having the friendship of the many and the respect of all who know him.
NELSON E. THATCHER.
The agricultural interests of Penn township find a worthy repre- sentative in Nelson E. Thatcher, who is living on section 20. Here he owns eighty acres of land and is carrying on farming along modern lines of progressive agriculture. He was born in Ontario county, New York, on the 30th of January, 1851, and comes of English ancestry, the family, however, having been founded in the new world at an early period in its colonization. His paternal grandfather, Israel Thatcher, was a native of Greenfield, Massachusetts, and removed from that state to New York; where occurred the birth of Lyman Thatcher, father of our subject. He was reared to the occupation of farming in the Em- pire state, where he resided until about 1883, when he came to Mich- igan, spending his remaining days within its borders. His death oc- curred in Lansing in 1900. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Annie E. Trembley, was born in Ontario county, New York, and there spent her girlhood days, her father being John Trembley, who was of French lineage but was born in Paterson, New Jersey. Mrs. Thatcher passed away in the same year in which her husband's death occurred, being called to her final rest on the end of February, 1900. In their family were eleven children, five sons and six daughters, of whom one son and one daughter died in childhood, while the others grew to manhood or womanhood.
Nelson E. Thatcher, who was the sixth in order of birth in this family of eleven children, was reared in his native county and is in- debied to the public school system for the educational privileges he en- joyed in his youth. During the summer months he assisted in farm labor and remained at home until twenty-one years of age, when he started out upon an independent business career. He has since won a fair measure of success, which is attributable entirely to his own well- directed labor and unfaltering diligence. He was married in 1874 to Miss Mary F. Fenton, who died in March, 1884, leaving four sons, the youngest being about sixteen months old. These were: Sylvester F., who is now a resident of Portland, Oregon : Nelson E., deceased ; Holester W., also living in Portland ; and Ernest M., who was a soldier in the United
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States army and died in the Philippine Islands. After losing his first wife Mr. Thatcher was again married in 1896, his second union being with Lillian S. Brody, the widow of Frank White and a daughter of Hugh and Annie Brody. Her parents and grandparents were pioneer residents of Cass county and she was born upon the farm on section 20, Penn township, where she has spent the greater part of her life. Mr. Thatcher came to Cass county in 1895. He afterward went to North Dakota, locating at Sheldon, where he accepted a clerkship in a general store. On the expiration of that period he returned to Cass county and located on the farm where he now resides, purchasing the interest of the old Brody homestead from the other heirs. He has built a good barn, has improved the place in many ways and has now an excellent prop- erty, attractive in its appearance and equipped with all modern acces- sories. He has been offered a good price for his farm, showing that it is one of the valuable properties of the locality. In politics he is a Democrat and he belongs to the Masonic lodge at Vandalia. Although his residence in Cass county covers a comparatively brief period he has become widely and favorably known and the circle of his friends is constantly growing.
NATHAN JONES.
Nathan Jones, a retired farmer and one of the old settlers of Cass county, is living on section 21, Penn township. He has passed the eighty-first milestone on life's journey. his birth having occurred in Preble county, Ohio, April 6, 1824. His father, George Jones, was a native of Georgia and was a son of George Jones, Sr., whose birth like- wise occurred in the same state, whence he removed to Ohio on account of slavery in the south, establishing his home in Preble county. He was a Friend or Quaker in his religious faith and he lived to be about sixty- six years of age. After spending some years in Ohio he sought a home in Michigan, locating in Penn township, Cass county, in 1829, which was several years before the admission of the state into the Union. He was accompanied by four of his sons and they took an active and help- ful part in the development and early progress of the county. The fam- ily is of Welsh descent. but the first representatives of the name in America came from England to the new world.
George Jones, the father of our subject, was a young man when his parents removed to Preble county, Ohio, and there he was reared to the occupation of farming, which he has made his life work. He came to Cass county, Michigan, at the same time his father and brothers sought a liome in this state, and from the government he entered a tract of land in Penn township, upon which not a furrow had been turned nor an im- provement made. With characteristic energy, however, he began till- ing the soil and planting crops and in due course of time had developed a good farm. He had lived for six years in the county before he could enter his land and he took a helpful part in the work of early improve-
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ment and progress. He died when a comparatively young man, pass- ing away at the age of thirty-two years. His wife bore the maiden name of Mary Bogue and was born in North Carolina, where her girlhood days were passed. She removed with her parents to Ohio. Her father was Josephi Bogue, also a native of North Carolina, who was of Quaker faith, adhering closely to that religious denomination up to the time of his demise. Mrs. Jones reached the very advanced age of eighty-two years, thus long surviving her husband. In their family were six chil- dren.
Nathan Jones, the third in order of birth, was only five years of age when brought by his parents from Preble county, Ohio, to Cass county, Michigan, and he was reared in Penn township amid the wild scenes of pioneer life, sharing with the family in all the hardships, privations and trials incident to the settlement of the frontier. When a boy he pursued his education in a log school house, sitting upon a slab bench. In one end of the room was a large fire-place and the desks were made of slabs laid upon pins driven into the wall. The methods of instruction were also primitive and he frequently made his way through the snow for three miles in order to attend school. The family were left in somewhat limited financial circumstances, so that his privileges were comparatively meager. He assisted his mother upon the old home farm up to the time of his marriage, which occurred in 1847, Miss Lydia Bonine becoming his wife. She was a daughter of Isaac and Sarah Bonine, who settled in Cass county in 1842. Mrs. Jones was born in Wayne county, Indiana, and died in this county in 1899 when about seventy-one years of age. By her marriage she had become the mother of six children, namely: Mary E., Sarah Inda, Isaac B., George, Warner D. and one who died in infancy. In 1900, Mr. Jones was again married, his second union being with Louisa Jones, who was born in London, England, but was brought to the United States during her infancy.
Mr. Jones has been a resident of Cass county for seventy-six years and throughout that entire time has been connected with agricultural pursuits. He owns three hundred acres of land in Fenn township and his valuable farm with its excellent improvements and richly cultivated fields indicates a life of thrift and enterprise. He is a stanch Pro- hibitionist in political matters and formerly was a Republican, and for many years has served as township supervisor of Penn township. In his religious faith he holds to the church of his ancestors and is a Friend or Quaker. His life has been ever honorable and upright and he has never been known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellow men in any trade transaction. Few of the citizens of the county have so long resided within its borders and his name is indelibly en- graved upon the pages of its history. His memory goes back to the time when there were few roads through the forests and the traveler often found his way by means of a blazed trail. There were no rail-
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roads, no telegraplis nor telephones and only here and there would be found a little clearing to indicate that the work of improvement had been begun. The few homes were mostly log cabins and similar struct- ures were used for school purposes or houses of worship. The farm machinery was very crude as compared to that in use at the present day. The mowing was done with a scythe or sickle, the grain bound by hand and was threshed out with oxen or horses. Most of the cooking was done over a big fire-place and much of the clothing of the family was woven by the women of the household. Great changes have oc- curred and Mr. Jones has kept in touch with the universal progress, rejoicing in what has been accomplished as Cass county has won a place among the leading counties of this great commonwealth.
GILBERT WHITE.
Gilbert White, a retired farmer living in Cassopolis, was born in Allegany county, New York, on the 18th of September, 1835, and in both the paternal and maternal lines comes of Irish and English an- cestry. His parents were Albert and Rhoda (Castleman) White. The father was born in Seneca county, New York, and in the year 1843 emigrated westward to Cass county, Michigan, reaching his destina- tion on the 10th of September. As a pioneer settler he was identified with the work of early progress and improvement and his aid could always be counted upon to further any measure for the local good. His time and energies were devoted to farming and he contributed to the agricultural prosperity of the community. He voted with the Whig party until its dissolution and then became a stanch Democrat. His death occurred November 25, 1876, when he was in the seventy- fourth year of his age. His wife, also a native of the Empire state, died in Cass county when about fifty-five years of age. They were the parents of five sons and one daughter, all of whom reached years of maturity, but the daughter died when about twenty-two years of age, and the sons have also passed away with the exception of Gilbert White and his brother, Nathaniel White, who is now living in Penn township.
Gilbert White was the youngest son and fifth child in the family and was hut eight years of age when he became a resident of Cass county. His youth was passed upon the old family homestead. where he early began work in the fields, aiding in the work of plowing, plant- ing and harvesting. The district schools afforded him his educational privileges and he had to walk two and a half miles to the little old school house in Penn. His education was therefore acquired under somewhat unfavorable circumstances. His training at farin lahor, how- ever, was not meager and he remained at home assisting in the work of the farm until twenty-one years of age, when he started out in life on his own account. As a companion and helpmate for life's
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journey he chose Miss Elizabeth Broner, whom he wedded in 1857. She was born in New York city and was a daughter of Jacob and Mary Broner. She came to Cass county in 1857 and the same year gave her hand in marriage to Mr. White.
Following his marriage Gilbert White purchased his father's farm, took up his abode thereon and was engaged in general farm work until the fall of 1880, when he came to Cassopolis. He then retired from active business and enjoyed a well earned rest for a number of years, but in 1890 once more entered the field of business activity and has since been engaged in dealing in agricultural implements in addition to looking after his farm property in Penn township, comprising one hundred and forty acres of land. He carries a good line of farm ma- chinery of the best makes and his patronage is extensive and is con- stantly growing.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. White have been born three children: Frank A., now deceased; Evadell, the wife of Aaron Reinhart, who resides upon the old family homestead; and Floyd B., who is living in Cassop- olis. Mr. White belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen, with which he has been connected for twenty-three years. He also holds membership relations with the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks and since attaining his majority has given his support to the Democracy. He has held the office of justice of the peace and other local positions and for about twenty years has been a member of the school board, taking an active interest in the cause of public education and in various movements and plans for substantial advancement in the county. He has lived in the county for sixty-three years and his position in public regard has been won through a strict adherence to ligh and manly principles. In his business dealings he has never been known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellow men in any trade transaction, but in the legitimate channels of trade has gained the competence which he now enjoys. He has traveled life's journey with his wife for almost a half century and they are regarded as a most estimable couple whose names should be engraved high upon the roll of honored pioneer settlers and who justly deserve prominent mention in the history of this part of the state.
THOMAS J. LILLEY.
Thomas J. Lilley is numbered among the early settlers of Cass county who for many years has been an interested witness of the changes that have occurred here and the transition that has been wrought as time and man have brought the county to its present position of advancement and development. He lives on section 18, LaGrange township, and is the owner of four hundred and forty-six acres of rich and valuable land, but leaves the work of tilling the soil to others. while he is now living retired in the enjoyment of a well earned rest.
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His birth occurred in LaGrange township on the 13th of October, 1844, and he is therefore among the older of the native sons of the county. His parents were David and Sarah ( Simpson) Lilley, in whose family were four children. The father was a native of Ohio and emigrating westward cast in his lot with the pioneer residents of Cass county. He entered a small claim from the government, was married in LaGrange township and reared his family upon his home farm here. He was identified with the making of Cass county, with its permanent improve- ment and substantial development, and his fellow townsmen recognized in him a citizen of worth and value. His political allegiance was given to the Democracy. It was in this county that he was married to Miss Sarah Simpson, a native of Virginia, who was brought to Michigan by her parents when about four years of age. Her father was Thomas Simpson, one of the earliest settlers of this part of the state, living in LaGrange township, where he aided in the reclamation of the wild land for the purposes of civilization. Mr. and Mrs. David Lilley long traveled life's journey together, the former passing away when in his eighty-first year and the latter when seventy-nine years of age. Of their children three are now living, Thomas J. being the eldest and the only surviving son. His two sisters are: Matilda, the wife of Austin Charles, of Decatur, Michigan; and Catharine. now the wife of Orville Wales, of Chicago.
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